#and millie is about to make them all deaf

[this-isajokerjoke]

slytherin friends headcanons

slytherin friends (blaise zabini, theodore nott, tracey davis, millicent bulstrode)

tracey is the only non-pure blood in the group, she’s a halfblood

her dad was a muggleborn while her mother was a halfblood

millicent’s family was neutral in the war

blaise’s family is from italy, and didn’t care much about british politics and their war

theodore’s family was full of pure blood supremacists and death eaters

but theo hated his father, and his mother was dead

so instead of believing what he was raised to believe, theo rebelled against it all

blaise is non-binary and uses he/they pronouns

theo is tall and lanky, and is a total book worn

millicent will beat a bitch up if they talk smack about one of the friends

tracey explaining muggle things to her friends

theo not caring about his schoolwork, instead focusing on things like ancient runes and warding spells

 millicent and blaise dragging theo to quidditch games

chaser blaise and beater millicent

“millie”

“trace” “cici”

“dora” (theo hates it and blaise thinks it’s really funny)

theo sobbing to his friends about voldemort’s return

his friends refusing to leave even when he begs them to go out of the country

blaise having trouble understanding love because his mother uses men for their money and kills them

millicent struggling with self image

tracey getting migraines

blaise wearing eyeliner

blaise gets so many bitches. guys, girls, enbys

theo has a massive crush on blaise

blaise is an idiot though, and doesn’t realize until 5th year

millicent’s cat is everyone’s cat and very spoiled

so much cat fur

when theo’s father tries to make him join the death eaters, he runs away (he refuses to tell them where he got the injuries he came to them with from)

millicent dies in the war, tracey loses her right arm, blaise goes partially deaf, and theo goes mute

the remaining three move away from britain

they learn sign language and room together for years until blaise finally suggests therapy

theo doesn’t speak much, but after several years of therapy, he can finally talk to blaise and tracey sometimes

millicent’s cat stays with them

tracey learns how to use her wand with her non dominant hand, but she knows it’ll never be the same

blaise never gets their hearing back, and hates not knowing what’s around them

they sleep with a light on and a knife under their pillow

eventually, tracey moves out to go to college

blaise and theo get married a few years later

they’re traumatized, but they all love each other, even when they grow apart

they each get a tattoo of millicent’s birth day

[judewrld]

today, tomorrow, forever [kylian mbappe]

⟶ 𝑠𝑢𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑦: after a beautiful wedding, you and kylian jet off to the maldives for your honeymoon.

❥ 𝑝𝑎𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔: husband!kylian x f!reader

❥ rating: 18+

❥ 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑟𝑒: fluff, nsfw

❥ 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡: 2.1k

⟶ 𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠: public sex, nipple play, dom!kylian, sub!reader, riding, beach sex, swearing.

⏤ 𝑎/n: domestic + sexy kylian? sign me up !!!

“i now pronounce you husband and wife. you may now kiss your bride.”

a round of applause fills the hall but it falls upon deaf ears as kylian lifts your veil and slowly leans in, bringing one hand up to gently caress the apple of your cheek. you feel your chest rise and swell in awe and love as he comes closer to your face. his eyes sliding shut is the last thing you see before your own flutter close.

kylian’s lips are soft and warm. the kiss is gentle, filled with nothing but love and passion. all the panic that has built up within you then bursts as tears of joy from finally marrying the man you love begin to roll down your cheeks.

you look out the tiny window of your suite as you think back to your wedding day, a small smile making its way onto your face at the sweet memory. you let out a soft sigh and marvel at the scene of the tranquil ocean waters in front of you.

besides you, your husband seems to be doing the same. he looks relaxed, something you’re immensely thankful for, given how the stress of the previous season he had with psg and rumors surrounding a possible transfer were eating away at him.

you turn back to the view and huff in excitement. today marks your first official day as kylian mbappe’s wife, he’s yours to have and to hold forever.

you feel kylian’s grasp on your waist strengthen at your words, “today, tomorrow and forever mon amour.” he nuzzles your neck with his nose and presses soft kisses along your collarbone. “what do you want to do today?”

you feel kylian’s grasp on your waist strengthen at your words, “today, tomorrow and forever mon amour.” he nuzzles your neck with his nose and presses soft kisses along your collarbone. “what do you want to do today?”

you feel kylian’s grasp on your waist strengthen at your words, “today, tomorrow and forever mon amour.” he nuzzles your neck with his nose and presses soft kisses along your collarbone. “what do you want to do today?”

you hum as you think about what activity to occupy your time with, “do you want to explore and maybe go swimming?”

kylian unravels his arms from your waist and spins you around so you’re facing him and takes your hands into his, “as long as i’m with you i don’t mind what we do.” you feel him twirl around your wedding band before raising your hand to place a kiss upon the engagement ring.

you move your hands to the back of his neck and thread your fingers through his hair. he places his hands on your lower back and rubs soothing circles onto your back.

“i love you,” he whispers against your lips, sending butterflies to your stomach.

“i love you more.”

shortly after your breakfast of western foods together at the balcony, you’re transported to a local village by your personal guide who talks about the country’s history and culture leaving you completely enamored.

you arrive at the village and it’s nothing but smiles and laughter all around, you’re stopped every now and then by a fan who recognizes kylian and asks for a picture but you don’t mind. It brings a smile to your face to see your husband interact with people who love him just as much as you do.

the first stop on your little excursion is a school where some children are running about, and you’re drawn to them immediately because of their vibrant energy. you leave kylian and your guide to talk to the little ones and play games with the older kids.

in the midst of you braiding millie’s hair, the young girl you had taken a liking to, you hear cheers and you turn to see your husband playing soccer showcasing his skills to the kids. you see the proud smile on his face when they begin to chant his name during his turn, and you watch his face in excitement when the children take the spotlight. he’s at their side, cheering them on.

he’s teaching one of the kids how to properly dribble when he catches you looking at him, and he returns your shy smile as you share a brief moment together, until your attention is pulled back by the children you’re both spending time with separately.

“you’re both wonderful with kids,” your guide tells you as you all walk back to the car. you both have children on either side, holding onto your hands and swinging them happily. both you and kylian smile at his words.

“do you have any of your own?” he asks.

“oh, no we don’t. we just got married, but we do want to start a family of our own one day” you say before turning to kylian.

“i want us to enjoy our time as a married couple before we introduce a baby to our unit,” he says.

your guide smiles, “that’s good. the dynamic always changes when a child is part of the picture,” he clears his throat, “it’s clear the two of you will make wonderful parents one day. the children have a pull to you.”

you both say your thanks before carrying on with the walk to the car. you bid your goodbyes to the two children that accompanied you before getting in and heading to the next stop- the town square.

there are vendors lining the streets. you decide to indulge yourself in a few purchases much to kylian’s dismay as he’s left clutching bags upon bags.

“cherrie, you don’t think this is a bit…much?” kylian teases as you briefly head to the vehicle to leave your things.

you pout, “i didn’t know how to turn them down,” you defend. “plus, i feel like some of these would be a great addition to our home, no?”

kylian chuckles, “you’re right amour, do you want to head down to the beach before lunch?”

you nod. “sounds like a plan,” you lean into him and place a hand on his chest and whisper against his ear, “i can’t wait for you to see my latest set.” you pull away to gauge his expression and you’re pleased to find him smirking with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“you’re wearing it?”

biting your lips, you shrug your shoulders, “why don’t you find out for yourself?”

kylian smirks, pulling you closer by your hips before moving his hands to the front of your beige dress; you had purposefully worn it to emphasize your curves and the low neckline that accentuates your cleavage. the dress is buttoned in the front, meaning to see your salacious bikini he had to pop them open one by one to get it off you.

“you’re such a tease.” he breathes, chuckling lowly as he works on the third button, already eyeing the ruby red bra that peeked through.

“you love it, though.”

he cocks his head to the side in agreement, tipping forward to kiss your neck. your eyes flutter shut as you relish in the feeling but you pull away when kylian grabs your ass through your dress. “easy there, we’re still in public.”

he groans, “you can’t be serious.”

“i’m deadly serious. now, time to go swimming!”

___

once the two of you make it to the beach, you find the area to be not so full. there’s a father helping his kids build a sandcastle, an elderly couple taking a stroll along the waterline, a group of women sipping cocktails by the bar and a young couple making out on the sand.

kylian’s eyes turn dark when you peel your sundress off your body to reveal the bikini beneath it. you toss your dress onto the nearest lounge chair and turn to kylian, “what are you waiting for?”

with a smirk, he pulls his shirt over his head and tosses it onto the lounge chair with your dress. “nothing.” he grabs a hold of your hand and sprints in the direction of the sparkling water. You squeal at the feeling of cold water against your legs, you think kylian will stop once the water is up to your waist but he keeps going until you’re almost fully submerged in the water and far from the others who were swimming as well.

you swim away from him, expertly kicking your feet splashing him in the process. once he finally catches up to you he grabs you by your waist to bring you in. you smile and giggle when he wraps you in his arms. you flinch at the hardness pressed against your stomach and harshly whispered, “there’s no way you’re hard! we’re surrounded by so many people!”

“it’s not my fault,” he takes ahold of your right hand and leads it underwater to grasp his hardened penis. “this is what you do to me.”

you look around in panic scanning the area to make sure you were indeed far enough from the other people who were swimming as well. “but here?” he removes his hand from yours and you gasp when he palms your crotch, “isn’t public sex on your bucket list? We’re far from everyone else and if you keep quiet, no one will hear.”

you think it over for a little more before finally giving in, successfully coaxed by how his fingers prod your pussy through your bikini, you part your legs, resting one on top of his knee.

“good girl.” he whispers, licking the shell of your ear and sending goosebumps to your skin despite the low temperature of the water.

kylian angles his body towards you to get better control at how his hand touches you. he pulls your bikini panties to the side and slips two fingers inside of you, slowly dragging them back out. continuing this, he sighs at how you tighten around his fingers; slipping in a third just to get a better grip on you as he palms your clit.

your mouth drops open, leaning your forehead against his as all this happens. you bring your left hand to his lap; slipping it into his trunks and seizing his erection into your palm.

kylian stares at you, almost as if he was challenging you.

you twist your wrist around the base of his cock and begin to pump him. kylian lets out the softest groan when you bring your palm over the tip and grind onto it. his fingers finally find your sweet spot, just barely grazing it but still sends your legs shutting and trapping his hand between them.

“kylian,” you breathe, “i need you inside me.”

he smirks, “i was thinking the same thing.”

you waste no time, you secure your legs around his waist and let his cock enter you in one effortless motion. your arms are around his shoulder, looking for purchase before you move; rocking your hips against his. kylian has one hand on your ass, guiding the pace, and the other kneading your breast, gently biting down the hardened nub that pokes through the red swimsuit.

“oh! kylian, i-” you whimper and he hushes you, roughly grabbing your butt cheek.

“i know, baby, i know—me, too. i’m close, too.”

“mph,” you groan, as he rolls his hips. kylian fucking knows what he’s doing, you can already feel yourself tightening around him. it’s too soon though, you don’t want to come this soon. “k-kylian,” you moan, chest bouncing from his thrusts. “i’ll – i’ll come so soon. please.”

“already?” kylian whispers, removing his hand from your clit. “such a sweet, little pussy you have. so responsive – already trying to cum around my cock.”

“oh!” you gasp, since he’s no longer rubbing, he’s now fucking you faster. moving his hips harder. thrusting into your g-spot over and over, making your entire body clench with pleasure. “fuck, kylian.”

“as much as i want to draw this out,” he mutters, tense and kylian’s hips move faster, “i really want to cum inside you, baby.” he chuckles, sucking on the exposed skin of your neck, “while that turns me on, i also don’t want anyone else to see you like this. you’re mine.”

“ah,” you gasp, when his fingers slide wet between your legs. “shit.”

“that’s it,” kylian murmurs, hips thrusting quickly. “come for me, baby. then when we get back to our room, i’m going to fuck you into the sheets all over again – i want to see the pretty face you make when you’re squirting all over the mattress.”

“kylian!” you whine, unable to take it anymore. body tightening repeatedly, you shudder apart on top of him. he pulls out quickly after and cums all over your stomach and pussy. when he’s done, you stay put, head flat on his shoulder while his fingertips gently stroke your back.

then kylian sighs, lifting you up. “i wasn’t kidding,” he breathes, kissing you softly. “i really do want to take you home. right now.”

you smile against his skin, “i love you.”

kylian can feel butterflies in his stomach as he hugs your body closer to his, “today, tomorrow and forever mon amour.”

[cryptidclaw]

A bit off-topic, but how are cats with disabilities treated in Roc?

This kind of depends on the Order and the type of disability, but I would say overall they deal with it better than in canon! I think overall, disabilities are handled pretty well, but the Order's main issue is they can sometimes be babying with disabilities and overprotective, especially with young cats, which can be quite stifling (ex: Jaywing and Dovesong being constantly babied by their Orders as kits-apprentices).

The thing the Orders know most about, especially Thunder Order is deafness. All the Orders share a form of sign language made from body language and a sort of kitty morse code which they use to communicate, not only with deaf cats but also just when they need to be quiet during hunting and fighting!

Thunder Order is actually the best with disabilities, they are pretty accepting and have a lot of knowledge on how to help, train and aid disabled cats. This is especially true when it comes to deaf cats as Thunder Order has been the Order to have the most deaf cats, as the white fur blue eyes gene runs trough the Order. I think this is a big reason as to why they have learned the most about disability!

However things aren't GREAT, Jay still faces a lot of doubt and overprotectiveness from his Order, which causes him to be extra determined to prove he can be a warrior (though I will say they Jay has far more supporters, especially from his family). Briarlight still faces some of the bull her mom throws at her, but Sandstorm nearly divorces her over it which snaps Millie out of it and she actually starts trying to learn and care for her kit correctly. Plus the Order is able to invent a sort of mobility device for Briar!

The Orders generally believe that all cats have their importance and use in their Order and even if a cat isn't capable of being a warrior or doing some jobs, they still are able to be a caretaker or do a mix of jobs that make them happy and keeps them healthy (ex: Briarlight becomes a sort of Caretaker though she likes to help out the Warriors on her good days) !

I also think I wanna adopt some of @bonefall 's herbal remedy ideas for different chronic illnesses and such! i think that kind of thing is very cool and also great rep!

oh also when it comes to mental disabilities the Orders are pretty much a vibe. Healers and some caretakers take on therapist roles plus things like Autism and ADHD are pretty useful to have in a hunter gatherer society "woe a cat who knows everything about this one topic, amazing! this will be so useful to our survival!"

And the Orders definitely have some herbs they can prescribe for things like anxiety and depression !

[miss-inkwell]

Random but here are some webtoons you should read and support because they’re awesome!

R.A.W by Miracles Art. A romantic story about a teenage boy who looks very different from everyone and is bullied for it but one girl sticks up for him and they get close. She has many family members who love and support him and have their own story and problems along the way. Full of heart but dark themes it’s a very beautiful story

Sweetheart by Buttercup. Scott is an autistic model who discovers a secret of the most feared girl in their school Penelope and they form a friendship that is slowly growing into more. They build more friendships and go through tough times teens go through and it’s super wholesome but also very true to life.

Not So Silent by ROSEOAK. Lewis is a boy who has so much on his plate he’s in a lot of clubs and does so much for others. His busy schedule halts when new guy Fern captures his attention. Fern is deaf but seems to cook with Lewis right away. Lewis has a lot of anxiety when it comes to his friends and family as a people pleaser. It’s a super cute love story that also tackles self love and what Lewis is going through emotionally same with Fern.

K.O! By Sable Studio. Joel is a misunderstood high school student who is feared by many due to his looks and fights he gets into. He’s actually not scary he’s just a sweet guy who wants some friends and wants to control his temper. He meets Emma who isn’t scared of him at all and Joel has a crush on her. They form a friendship and Joel is now navigating making new friends and a new crush while figuring out who he is.

Eaternal Nocturnal by instantmiso. Eve is a young woman struggling to find work but also has insomnia. She’s soon found by a dream eater who eats her dreams which helps her sleep. Little does she know he’s the same guy she recently met in real life that she’s falling for. It’s a really nice romance with supernatural elements

Klimit’s Kisses by Limes. This one has a really interesting premise with a lot of nuance. It’s about this girl Millie who’s struggling with life and her bf and it’s essentially her life and the lives of her friends and the new guy she meets as they navigate their 20’s.

Roots of the heart by Mewmimiu. Will his sister and his mom moved to the country. Will is very unhappy about this he misses the city, his dad and his friends and definitely doesn’t like the girl he meets Bonnie. Bonnie is a sunshine girl determined to make Will like life on the farm. As the story goes on you see more and more layers to Will and why he’s so angry all the time along with his connection with Bonnie and his family. It’s a really impactful story that also has layers of a cute romance

Those are my tops and I hope you enjoy them as much as I have I could gush about them all day I love webtoon!

[adamwatchesmovies]

Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)

I might’ve been a little starved for blockbusters the first time I saw Godzilla vs. Kong and rated it. In my defense, it was during the pandemic and the other movies I was able to see during lockdown were mostly disappointments. Reviewing the film again, I recognize that the human’s plot is undercooked while everything with the monsters is spectacular. Well, at least the movie knows where its priorities stand and considering what its audience wants to see…

When Godzilla suddenly attacks Apex Cybernetics’ Pensacola facility, conspiracy theorist Bernie Hayes (Brian Tyree Henry) becomes convinced they somehow provoked the titan. Madison Russell (Millie Bobby Brown) - an avid fan of his podcast - shares his suspicions. They rope her friend Josh (Julian Dennison) into investigating and confirm their fears aren't entirely unfounded. After the attack, Apex insists mankind needs to develop a weapon against Godzilla and asks Monarch to give them access to Kong. They believe the titan ape can lead them inside the vast caverns below our world to a power source formidable enough to take down the king of the monsters.

Though Godzilla’s name appears first in the title, this film is about Kong much more than the radioactive dinosaur. It’s a good choice, as the ape is resourceful, an underdog in this fight and intelligent enough to communicate with Monarch via sign language. Godzilla might’ve protected the Earth/humanity in the previous movies, but was it really a heroic character, or was the nuclear reptile just killing its rivals? Kong, on the other hand, has actual human friends. Even though the Iwis we met during Kong: Skull Island have been wiped out (seems like a missed opportunity), Kong still has a link to them in the form of Jia (Kaylee Hottle), a deaf-mute Iwi survivor adopted by Dr. Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall). Nonetheless, his situation gives him a very relatable quest: he wants to know if there is a new family for him out there.

One-half of the human's story fares fairly well. With the help of Apex Cybernetics, Dr. Ilene Andrews, along with Jia and hollow-earth scientist Nathan Lind (Alexander Skarsgård) follow Kong into this hidden world beneath our feet that houses all sorts of monsters and an ancient rivalry between Kong and Godzilla (seems wacky, but it does lead to some fun developments). These characters are following Kong on his journey so when the 8th wonder of the world is put in danger, they are too. The other humans, however, feel like they only appear to deliver exposition or to give us some familiar faces. You could easily re-jig this story to remove them.

But of course, you didn't come to this film for the human element. Yes, kaiju films are better when the "tiny" protagonists are compelling, but if there's one aspect of this movie director Adam Wingard had to get right, it was the Godzilla and Kong stuff. I'm happy to say you won't be disappointed. The Titan battles are varied, clearly shot, tense and action-packed. You get three rounds between Kong and Godzilla, with a clear winner at the end that will leave fans of either camp satisfied. I know a lot of purists will say a Godzilla film isn't the same without rubber suits, but this picture does so much with modern special effects. Varied locations, varied angles, moves no human could do, etc. That last brawl in the neon-lit Hong Kong will make you say "wow!".

There have been a lot of Godzilla films since the character appeared. Some have been dramatic, others comedic or somewhere in the middle with an emphasis on dumb fun. None have featured action scenes as good as the ones in Godzilla vs. Kong. Even if you only have a passing interest in the characters, the highlights are strong, strong enough to make you forgive the parts that could've been strengthened. It's not even a guilty pleasure; it's gargantuan fun. (On Blu-ray, March 27, 2024)

[gethellbcnt-m]

@ddyfckr screamed : “You know,” he says, chuckling under his breath, making sure to take care with his words. Wouldn't want to scare her off, now would he? Striker is careful with his posture, his movements - he doesn’t want to make an enemy where there is none. He holds his hand up, body leaning back just ever so and almost relaxed. No need to make a fuss. “Your folks were very chatty about you; I didn’t believe them at first. What’s a killer in her prime doing runnin’ round the rings across hell for, if not to be at her full potential? Surely she ain’t wastin’ her time with a couple of nobodies, when she could be killing the unkillable, going after those that make an actual difference. Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be true,” he carefully approaches, eyes never leaving hers, showing no signs of fear or hesitancy, even when she could pounce at any moment. “Come on Mildred - is this what you thought you’d be doin’? Gettin’ chummy with some weaklings, goin’ after sinners for chump money? This what you left your folks’ farm for? If that’s all, ya shouldn’t ever left in the first place,” at the slightest falter, a drop of her guard, that’s when he pounces like a predator : careful now, he knows not to underestimate her. He leans down, one hand careful reaching to support his weight just beside her. “See, if we were partners, you wouldn’t deal with that shit. And you wouldn’t be my employee or work under me: we’d be equals. You’d get your time in the spotlight. We wouldn’t settle for shit money. We’d get better, powerful… stronger, ‘till nobody fucked with us.” “So why not ditch the idiots? Why not partner up with me?” for Millie (:

So much for Blitz's rose-colored glasses, Striker really was too good to be true. just- some guy that showed up, somehow won over Millie's fairly traditional family, and it all turned out to be one big fucking lie. a shame, too, because even the firecracker of a wrathian was starting to like him, and that fact made her malice-filled gaze all the more intense as those honey-glazed words spilled from that wicked grin of his.

Blitz's pistol doesn't shake or sit awkwardly in her much-smaller hand, her aim trained on that snake's heart as he moves ; she has a clear shot, she COULD just shoot him right now, in the middle of his stupid spiel, but Millie wants to see his smugness drain from his face when his sugar-coated words don't affect her.. and then he brings up her biggest weak point : her family.

If Millie weren't already stiff as a board, she's certainly stiffer than a metal beam now. it's one thing to go after HER decisions, she can endure that kind of judgement from a stranger. but when Striker goes there, laying on the charm like frosting and acting as though he isn't dealing with a massive ticking timebomb, her unoccupied fist squeezes so tightly that her claws draw that warm obsidian blood from her palm. how fucking DARE he.

❝ if your own observations are anything t'go by, why would someone like you wanna run with someone like me. ❞ It's not a question, but a statement, the spade of her tail thumping harshly against the wooden floorboard in warning.

Even with the barrel of her gun pressing against his chest, Striker is so confident in his charisma.. the doorway is right there, not even a foot away, and he's trying to recruit her ? without her knowing, the barrel shifts ever so slightly against his chest -- barely an inch, really -- but it may have been enough to signal that the towering half-breed's pitch hasn't landed on deaf ears, no matter how much her venomous glare tries to imply otherwise.

❝ why th'hell would a hit-man with a holy rifle wanna team up with someone who runs with idiots ? ❞

[princessdreamie]

DBH ending part 3

after Seth was born Lolly stepped up as his big sister and while c made sure that most of the requirements were met for his brother, he still asked for advise if their parents had a stressful time. Doesnt mean they were bad parents. But one being a ceo and the other being a bar owner was not easy to handle a baby in their environment. E eventually got along with ll to the point where he even tucks her into bed after the day was done. And even made sure she got to parties if there were kids alllowed. S was secretly happy for it, while she loved se and c the same she didnt want to give birth to another kid. One was enough. Especially after realizing what troubles they can cause at the beginning. S and ll had your typical mother-daughter relationship. They fight sometimes but they make up later on the day. C was liking her just as much. He was hoping for a sister when his mom was expecting but still is happy for a younger sib. So that all works out.

Back to the present XD

when se was starting to get hungry, he let his dad know. And we all know what tha means. Screaming until his belly is satisfied. E was calling for a maid to make some food for him. He was looking for his robot daughter but couldnt find her. He picked up se while he was checking his gps to see where she went. Normally she would jump out from the most unexpected places and await his orders. He was confused of the speed her little tiger icon went on the road but realized soon enough that she was sneaking out again. E was not allowing her to go out without his knowledge after all. After he saw where the tiger face was leading to he calmed down but made sure to remember to give her and Mitchell a scolding. by now she probably made herself known inside, so there was no way his assistant wasnt aware of the little cat girl being in the car. After he got se to stop crying and got him to eat, our fave ceo handed him to the nearest butler to lay him down. He was beaten and still had work to do. Alarm was set for 20 mins to give him a power nap. But he got woken up by his wife instead after 4 missed alarms.

Back in kindergarten

na was sitting with some of her friends, Milly(aka. mi), Tim (I guess just T XD) & Lena (Le). she was the one who came up to them to make friends and they had a good connection very early on. Mi was a wild child, climbing stuff was her favorite thing to do, even if she gave their teachers a heart attack. Tim was shy and had troubles making friends on his first few days in his class b4 he met Na. Le was deaf. She had an incident at an amusement park once at age 2, where the boxes for a show had difficulties and eventually made loud disturbing noise. Her parents were under one of those speakers and tried their best to cover her ears but she still got a lot of damage for her hearing. her hearing could be repaired but she needed to grow older for the operation to be a success.

the 4 kids played with gg and ll for a bit b4 bully and his lackey Loid (aka. lo) messed with them. Fyi, chance's school doesnt allow ai bots after some kids made pranks with them. So that was a new rule they had to follow.

Anyway, they would do that most days, the boys are either getting on their nerves or make fun of them. Na told n about her son's behavior, more than once. But every time bratty jumps in his defense. Saying he just wants to play. But he wasn't. He has been given the title 'baby bully' for a reason afterall. Although she and tim are older than him,the girls are around the same age as bully by a few weeks but this isnt saying much, he still does how he pleases in class. Their homeroom teacher, miss Trail, knew how bad he has gotten and made sure to document everything he and his friend have done in her class.

on their break, ms. Trail went up to na to comfort her, after her cousin got to her with his stupid comments. Her friends played on the slide while she stayed on the side. Gg was with her friends and ll was rebooting for an update. So she was sitting basically alone under the shades. She wasnt feeling well either and now had to wait for her meds to take effect. The teacher asked if she wanted to visit the big kids school. Her eyes lit up at her offer. The school they went to was the same where lv and c went. Their recess starts a few minutes later after they have had. Na put her little tiger friend in her jacket and they started walking to the school. The 2 waited by the gate and Ms. trail asked the little girl how her family was doing. Aside of telling her the usual things with her parents and and her aunts and uncles sometimes, she either talks her about a show she really liked at the moment or her time with the fergusons. The woman noticed pretty quickly that she wasn't very keen on her cousins. With the exception of Michael and levi, she wasnt getting along with n's kids and levis little brother was going to another school. And when asked why he is not with his big brother in the same school, he only answer was "i guess he wanted to be independent from cousin leaf". Her teacher just nodded not understanding the minds of those big wigs.

Thats why her idea to come to this school was so that whenever her little student had a hard time, they would visit her favorite relatives. She interacted with both boys occasionally and her intuition told her that the young ferguson really was looking out for her. Levi cared for her as well, but since his friend had no familiar relation to them other than his stepmom being a Stanton cousin they still treat each other as family. Thats why she had more respect for him than most other siblings she had encountered. As the time goes by Na finally felt her medicine working. Right on time for the big kids to run out. Levi was hanging with his friends while c was playing basketball with a few other kids.

One of c's friends told him that his girl cousin was visiting. When he finally saw the 2 on the gate, he waved at them and asked for a 5 minute break. Arriving infront if the girls he chit chat with both of them. Eventually her teacher tells her to tell him what happened today. And he knew from the moment he saw her face that it wasn't good. She looked sad and her eyes fell to the side. He had a feeling that it might have to do with bully. He never liked the kid. As bratty's brother was still young he witnessed his toddler behavior but didnt think much of it at that time. But now he was glad that r was back home with his own teachers his dad had chosen. Even tho he was alone with them, s made sure to let him meet kids his age in the nearby park on his lunch breaks, so that he wouldnt be to isolated.

If he met bully now, they cretainly would get into a fight. his dad made the right choice, he just wished na's parents would have realized it too. Then again, he was glad that she found good friends back there that go with her through thick and thin. He hadn't met them yet but the girl promised to introduce them to him at her birthday party next time. Her bd was coming up and invited her class and some of her other friends. She wished she could uninvite bratty and bully but her family didnt think it was a good idea since they are still her family. She wasnt sure if she feels that way still after knowing them for so long. Bratty threw her tantrums left and right and bully was making everything a nightmare.

The little grouo parted ways after she finally told him about her day, and c wasnt amused to say the least. He made himsrlf a feminder to talk to lv about this. After school, while waiting for the bus (c & lv wanted to drive with the bus for a while so they could keep chatting with their group of friends) c walked up to lv and told him what he heared from Na. Lv heared him out and tells him he will get to the bottom of this. B4 c could go back to his friends, lv asked if gg and ll were with her all the time. C just shrugged his shoulders and tells him that these 2 are never far apart of the kids normally.

Back at the Stanton's mansion

The grown ups had some tea time while they waut gor the kids to come back. N keeps talking about a problem they encountered at work. Some smuggeling i guess, make your own sense of it. Ct was sitting next to her looking at some files while the others give their 2 cents to this topic. The door opened loudly and they don't need to wonder who just came in. N's dad asked his daughter to teach her son manners. But n just retaliates thst he will grow out of it. Bratty was in her room doing homework and noticed the commotion as well. Soon after lv and na came around the corner and he had something to tell them

Flashback b4 this brat rushed inside the door

Na and lv were talking about their homework they have to do today until Bully rushed between lv and na as they walked the way to the door. He didnt even look back to see if they are ok. Lv kept his balance, his girl cousin unfortunately did not. She fell on the hard floor with her butt. she was about to cry from the pain but lv knew how to calm her down. He sang her fave part of chance's song and strocked her hair lightly. Sge still cried some tears but this song made her feel better. Lolly, who was already turned back on after her update, hugged her tightly and tigger looked back at the door, shaking his head.

Back on track.

Lv sat na on k's lap and started to inform them about her day with bully. Ct just tsked and was telling his nephew that the 'ferguson kid' might have Over Exaggerated. But gg & ll could confirmed it. Gg even showed recordings on their ipad. The speakers were on, and hearing the things her baby cousin said today again,made her feel even more upset. N called bu (bully) down to question him. B4 they saw those recordings all of them thought that he couldnt have been that bad. Bu even lied most of the time when he was asked if he was a good kid In school. Or if he played nicely with the other kids. Gg had a bad feeling whenever he answered those questions. And now he knows why. As he lied this Time again, gg replayed the recording, much to na's displeasure. His apology later didn't even feel sincere. Even ct noticed his son's annoyed undertone. N's dad again, tells her to watch his behavior. But br (bratty) heared that her brother got yelled at and came to his side to comfort him. In her opinion it is not his fault that na is so weak that she gets upset everytime someone said something bad to her. K had finally enough. He had to sit there, hearing those terrible things his daughter and as well as her friends had to endure. He was not having it with his niece's attitude. A fight broke out and na ran to her hiding place she found some time ago. It was a little cabinet with a secret hidden floor room. she would just lay there sometimes abd try to calm herself down. She turned on her little light on her watch and called c.

The ferguson parents already heared from their son and try to figure out if they should talk with them. Na might not like to be around ppl but she visited them enough to have a good relationship w/each other with their niece. While discussing it, c's mobile watch started ringing. He excused himself and answered the call after entering another room. c wasnt surprised seeing her with her barely seeing face. She would call him or her friends whenever she was in her hiding spot. Na was telling him what happened at home and ge assured her that he will be there to listen.

Their calls started once a few months ago where she had a crush on a boy in her class. She asked c for advise, even tho he never dated anyone b4. He went out with some, sure but they were obviously just after his family's fame. The boy turned out to be lo, b4 he met bu. At 1st he seemed nice. He played with her home or sometimes read books together. but one day she had to take her drops ver bad. As soon as she got her bottle out of her bag, sum1 snatched it away. And who else would it be but lo proofing himself to bu. Bc apparently being a lackey for the son of the lady of the Stanton family is better than being her friend. A teacher stepped in and lo's and na's parents were called in. And instead of saying that he wasn't alone in this, lo took all the blame so that bu could get out of trouble Scott free. Since then she hid in this place and be surrounded by dim light with sum1 to talk to that has time to hear her out. c tells ber that he will let ll stay with her for tonight and he will come pick the little tiger the next day.

At Kai' and julie's home

They bought a new home for them selves, a few months prior in her pregnancy, and the house was furnished fo their wishes. Slightly smaller than his dad's place bur still impressive nonetheless. The day b4 kai and his family left in a hurry as they still had their screaming match. Julie was not sure what to do anymore. She knows n was doing her best with her kids but after seeing the footage as proof she didnt know what to believe anymore. Na came out of her hiding spot when her parents called her name. She was secretly happy to leave but made sure to hide her emotions to not make her fam worry. Ll and gg were the only ones who said good bye as they left the house. It was not like her dad to lose his temper, with his family no less. Normally she witnessed ber dad being the butt of the joke but this time he had not pulled any punches.

Kai was still not over it what his sister and the family of hers did today. Ct was trying to calm them down in a half assed way. As if he was not even sure that there was a problem to begin with. As for their kids, they didnt even pretend to be sorry the whole time as they fought. J and k whispered to eachother on the ride home to not wake up their daughter. But ll was still awake. And she was sure enough to record their convo as well to show it to her parents. She thought that these 2 are the least 'brain dead' people she had met today.

Arriving home k brought na to her room and kept arguing with his wife. Not only over his daughter but how his family seemes to have gone off the rails lately after bu was born. There were times that they would visit e & s so they could only be around r. their son was not as arrogant as their other nephew. They didnt want to admit it but they preferred the Ferguson's home over staying with bu. c's parents felt the same way. They preferred to have their little kid stay with them than being with n's son a whole day. They even love having na around them.

On the next day

E came to k's place to pick up ll. E rejected the invitation to have some coffee inside since he was late for work anyway. Na was already talking w her friends about her up coming bd party. T was uncertain bc his parents werent in any of the circles. He got into this daycare bc his dad and the director visited the same sports bar and they got to know each other there. Na didnt care about circles anyhow. If her parents throw a party for her then they have to invite kids she actually likes. None of those business opportunities, like they normally do. Too bad that bu had the same idea as well but at the same day. Originally the Stanton's were thinking of doing his on his actual birthday but he ofc got his way. In the pretends of 'making up with his cousin'. in reality he is just a prick. K was not on board with this plan and decided to make her party at his house. The family fought about it until k and j couldnt take it anymore. Their dad was already mad about the whole fiasco b4 but now he was at his withs end.

As was as na feared. He invited most of her class to his party. And the ones he didnt invite were not close enough to either of them. Fortunately some of them didnt like bu so they gratefully accepted her party invites. The parties were on the weekend so many had time to come. But bu would just have this smug grin on his face when they drove home, thinking she will regret telling on his mom. basically, just some stupid revenge scheme of his.

Na was still bumped for the lack of guests on her list compared to her bby cousin. N felt bad for her, even try to talk about her problems with bu. But na didnt even try to listen, knowing that she wont do a thing about his behavior. Ct tried to reassure his wife that they will get over it eventually.

On the day of the party.

As expected most of her classmates came to bu's place. Even trying to show off in social media. But to their surprise E and his family arrive with some other kids that got bullied from n's kid. It wasnt difficult to check who else got ignored/mistreated by him. Their parents were ecstatic on his offer. and equally mad to know that they were still treated so badly, even after they got wind of bu's behavior. K & J were talking to some of the parents while mi and na played with her dancing game. Na was not really good at dancing. She would lose footing or even step outside the dancing mat. But mi was just loving it. Not only bc she was winning, but her energy was finally put in good use. When mi and the other 2 arrived at first, the wild girl would just jump up on furniture and dangle on the edge. A while later they got another guest at the door.

C and some of his buddies came as well. One certain friend of his was disguised with a baseball cappy and mask. When asked what his deal was, the friend tried his best to use a deeper voice but na recognized him immediately. He was one of her favorite actors in the show se likes to watch. Caught in the open, the guy put his disguise away and many of the girls at the party squeaked in delight. Fabian (Fa) played the best friend of the Heroine and he got as just as many followers/fans as his colleagues do. C was not aware of this bc fa barely talks about his work in the Media circle. But it payed off nonetheless.

Na was on edge. He favorite actor, at her party. She completely forgot about bu and his party and got the best birthday to date. Fa Even blogged about his friend's cousin and her party. The post got way more likes and comments than bu had by a long shot.

At the Stanton's

Bu was mad after seeing the new post from fa. Even his own guests saw it and some left right away to see him. N called her brother asking if it was his work. But he just laughted and tells her to not be too delusional. When she accused k of playing petty he just grinnted his teeth and answered, if it was petty to defend his daughter from a useless brat. And just hung up on her. He never talked to his sister that way, and he had to admit, it felt good.

After an hour their place was in full swing. Some older girls from c's class came to their house as well and started to flirt w him and fa. that didnt sit right with na but T dragged her to her cake. When all of the guests finally sat around her bd cake it got quiet. na made her with and the cheers got wild. Le asked if she had taken her meds yet. J was touched by her friends concern and explained to her that they gave it to he a few hours ago.

After a while the party eventually ended and aside of c & a work friend of k, the family of 3 started to get ready for bed. K's friend talks with him about an upvoming show while j gets some rest on the couch. C offered j to take na to bed, which the woman really appreciated. While the little girl finisehd her tooh brushing routine, c get a call from bratty asking what kind of friend he is. C learned over the years to not let his step cousin have her way, even if he had a little crush on her back in the day. But after bully got into the picture he noticed all the red flags of her and that she was not worth his efforts. He asked her if she really got so entitled to the point that she doenst see how her attitude affected her girl cousin's feelings forwars her and the family. Their bickering kept on going until he tells her how he really feels about her brother and wished he would have been abducted. He regretted saying that as soon as these words left his mout but by then that bitch was crying about how 'Selfish' he has become. (Like, we all know she would react that way, that's why every1 hates that bitch)

Na had her door closed so she couldnt hear everything what they talked about. But from the tone of theur voices she figured it wasnt pleasant.

Part 4 coming soon

[vazelbeak]

When I think about it the Cherubs episode was such a missed opportunity to work off research and world build.

Like stay with me here but imagine if when sent to Lyle it wasn't because he was going to commit suicide (partially because i find it a rather tone deaf handling of the topic) but because Lyle is on deaths doorstep after a full life and IMP and CHERUB respectively are tasked with making sure he ends up in heaven or hell.

CHERUB being angels are nice but in a rude way. Blitzø, Millie, and Moxxie are respectively told in sing song voices "go for a walk and don't let the door hit you on the way out". The thing is as angels Cherubs can't be openly rude and risk getting in trouble so their work around is saying mean things cloaked in nice language. The idea would be mimicking that of plenty religious people who say cruel things but cloak it in kindness.

However demons don't need that. They can be as rude as they want which means Blitzø has no problem shoving past them even if Moxxie and Millie feel bad. Blitzø may also be aware that The kindness Cherubs use is an act.

Lyle doesn't have long so there's only a handful of things they can do to get him damned to hell fast.

They go threw various shenanigans of Cherub trying to show all the great things he'd be able to do in heaven while the IMPs argue what they can't do until they get to the mention of not being able to swear and Cleetus is mad. So mad we get introduced to how Cherubs are a form of Cherubim. Meaning Cleetus doesn't normally look like this 24/7 he looks like a rough approximation of your typical depictions as in text there appears to be a lack of direct ones.

Minus the skin.

As Blitzø is grabbed (maybe throw in a cartoony squeak for exaggeration) by Cleetus who yells in his face "Listen here you disgusting mangy fucking rat!" They hear a groan and both turn to see Lyle died of a heart attack from the sight of Cleetus's actual form. The other 4 demons and cherubs were right next to him with shocked looks on their faces as one of them (probably Colin but Keenie who finishes because he can't even finish thr sentence) says "he said he'd rather be in a field of fire than caged in divinity."

His sin was therefore denouncing god. Which hey, Blitzø will take that.

As Cleetus goes back to his Cherub form he starts shaking Lyle and tries to do chest compressions before a portal to heaven appears. Because Cleetus had an outburst and killed a person he tried to argue it was IMP's fault, but because theyre viewed so lowly nobody believes him

"you couldnt handle three little imps? Hells weakest demons? Honestly Cleetus we expected more of you. Looks like you need another anger management class."

And as he's dragged away he yells "Not anger managment! Anything but that! Please! It comes out of my paycheck!"

Once he's gone Colin and Keenie are sent to a sensitivity training class to avoid talking any chances of Cleetus as a bad influence. They insist they were gonna be taking time off this upcoming week but its ignored.

Once it closes Blitzø, Millie, and Moxxie intend to go home but at they do Moxxie asks Millie "Do you think that guy had a point in what he said. That its better to live a life free and in misery, than in one of comfort with the price of subjugation?"

Millie thinks for a moment before responding. "Mox if Blitzø and those little angels were telling the truth about anything they were saying, my mom always told me that if you ever try to buy a horse and the rancher shows you two with different issues. Chances are he has a third he doesn't want you to know about."

What does that mean? I think at some point Moxxie should question why he stays with IMP and doesn't go anywhere else to work. He and Millie deserve episodes exploring why they work here out of all other options.

[stregoniconiconii]

for the character ask: el and robin

el <333

1: sexuality headcanon: hmm I feel like el isn't the type to label her sexuality, I do think she's some sort of sapphic tho <3 I do think her first idea of romance was informed by television tho so there's some unlearning to do. she's a huge romantic. I also really like the idea of her Choosing to be a girl/woman after being reduced to an experiment for so long, whether that be her being a trans woman or a cis woman On Purpose

2: otp: I very rarely think of romances for the younger generation but I actually do enjoy elmike sometimes. love a good elmax moment too or elumax as an ot3. won't lie also slightly intrigued by the idea of eldustin

3: brotp: god I can't pick! elmax first girl best friendship is so special and el's friendship with the og party is so good, the sibling relationship she has with will and Jonathan is also so good (in my heart Steve is also part of this little sibling love fest lol she's the baby sister of the family) god also her relationship with both joyce and hop...like those are her parents <3 I also really like her relationship with kali and im really hoping we get to see more of it

4: notp: ive seen some grossss ships for el...anything that's with adults is no bueno for me.

5: first headcanon that pops into my head: ive been talking about this recently actually but since millie is half deaf ive thought about el also being half deaf and how she can possibly use her powers as an aide

6: favorite line from this character: the delivery of "I dump your ass" is unparalleled imo love it when she screams too <3

7: one way in which I relate to this character: hmmm idk we dont have much in common . we both love max

8: thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character: nothing she's perfect

9: cinnamon roll or problematic fave?: ignore all the ppl she's killed they deserved it. cinnamon roll

robin <333

1: sexuality headcanon: that's a genuine canonical lesbian!!! I do think she's a bit demisexual tho like she'll hang out with a girl for months maybe even years and then suddenly go oh. wait. this is a crush. and promptly freak out about it lol . I think robin is also a bit gender weird! definitely gets more gender nonconforming as time goes on, my baby butch <3

2: otp: robin and vickie <3 that's my endgame couple right there! ive seen a lot of fanon ships for her and some are more intriguing than others for me. buckingham is cute!

3: brotp: hmmm im not sure....lmao obviously stobin they're platonically married and share a mind . I know if nobody got me stobin do . I did really like that she got a friendship with Nancy started tho I dont think they'll ever be Super close. in the Lucas tie in novel she had some really nice interactions with Lucas that made me all <333 I also think she's close with erica!!!

4: notp: any romantic ship with a man. ronance..they just do not seem compatible to me <3

5: first headcanon that pops into my head: she's a vegetarian, her parents are too! she has eaten meat a few times, and her mom used to try and make it to fit in with small town America but it was never very good. the last time she ate something with meat in it was when Steve made them some pasta that had like anchovies in it and he nearly knocked her fork out of her hand (he cares more about her sticking to her vegetarian diet than her lmao)

6: favorite line from this character: ohhh her ears are little geniuses...my genius baby <3 also the whole bathroom coming out scene was perfect I literally would not change a single thing about it

7: one way in which I relate to this character: we are both soooo gay

8: thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character: ahhhmm idk I think she's perfect <3 kinda cringe to encourage her bestie to get with a girl in a relationship tho :/

9: cinnamon roll or problematic fave?: cinnamon roll <33

[pielove123clan]

For fun I'm just going to think how my ocs would react if they met me.

Aparna (Zombie Rabbit Kaiju): Cold scorn because I made her own husband do a stupid decision and kill her then resurrected her only when her beloved husband was already deaf and her children old in a time she doesn't understand much. She would resent me so much and have so much spite, I'd be torn to peices.

Milly (Organ Trafficking College Student): Mad because I brought our world's student debt crisis to her world while making her get involved with an underground black market. I then made her get her hands dirty by doing illegal organ transplants using organs of other people in a hospital owned by the organ trafficking ring daylighting as an actual hospital. It's a whole thing. She wouldn't kill me but she would at least punch me.

Fleshy (Virus Child): She 100% would try to murder me. I put my baby girl through trauma by having scientist experiment on her and treat her inhumanely. It's the classic experiment thing. Even if she gets to escape and get adopted after, the scars are still there and her experinces make her think it's ok to kill or severely injure the things you don't like. She's learning better though, gradually.

Milicent (Centipedes Woman): Chill. She got to be a sentient thing even if she murdered a bunch of people, she understood at the time she was basically a child at that time while having animal instincts. Of course she feels guilt and maybe I could have not given that but she'd understand I'm trying to make an interesting character, a story, yada yada. She'd pinch me multiple times.

Marigold (Universe Traveling Ecology Student): Sad and conflicted because I killed her dad and also gave her burn marks, but id tell her the purpose of why I made her character originally. Maybe I get yelled at most for toying with her life. She wouldn't mind slapping me too though.

Malinda (Big Dragon): Chill because her backstory isn't tragic or tramatic at all. I need to change that a little.

Bake (Tanuki): Scratches and bites, but nothing lethal. She's more likely to stay away from me then kill me, or lots of terrible pranks in the really mentally taxing way. She lives a pretty care free life even if her parents are dead and she's lonely. She just sees the world differently than other people being an animal and such. She accepts death and killing things for food being an invasive species in Europe and all.

Zovasa (Spider oc): I need to develop them more but their a spider person people are generally disgusted by, they'd shreak at me for making them this way and not get rid of my misfortune.

Lily (My Self-Insert oc): We'd hate each other and like each other as much as you can hate and love yourself. I made her to try and get over a trauma. It's personal what we'd think of each other, we might not like each other, but we'd understand each other on some sort of level. That's how I feel.

We dont talk about Rose Albany.

People who aren’t writers just don’t get it. They think that our favorite OCs would be getting the easiest possible rides in life, but nope, all of our favorite OCs get French-dipped in blood and angst and trauma.

[lightleckrereins]

Hi sorry but what controversy has happened with the og west end cast? You mentioned it in on of your latest posts and I’m newer to the fandom so I don’t know what happened. Thank you!

Alright three asks in I think I need to answer this.

First please remember that we are not entitled to performer's personal lives outside of what they decide to put on public plattforms. And that there is a major difference between calling out trully problematic or bad actions and digging out things people said (and more likely than not have long forgotten) in the early 2010s and try to hold them up to 2020s standards.

About the original WE cast. I don't remember all the details as its been a while and I haven't followed any of them in a while. It is mostly about Millie and Aimie.

Millie has done several thimgs that are at best 'white girl thinks other cultures look exotic and wants to imitate' and at worst pure cultural appropiation. One of the most relevant ones and what affects the rest of the cast is her wearing a qipao shaped crop top for a svn photoshoot that was specifically styled to look sexy and dramatic. If you don't know a qipao is a chinese garment with deep cultural meaning her wearing a sexualised version is not a good look in any way. While it could be the stylist at fault the rest of them still went ahead with the photoshot. And later when that was called out they gave only a half hearted apology.

Aimie has a history of tone deaf comments and actions. The biggest one I can remember is when the blm protests broke out and it became widespread in social media to post a black square and then not post anything else to make black voices be heard she did so and less than an hour later was back at promoting a workshop she was doing. Its the performative activism of it all what rubs people the wrong way. She also wore a qipao based dress for that svn photoshot. Aimie is also usually styled with very "tanned" makeup (which could be attributed to certain beauty ideals) and edited with a darker skin tone for svn photoshots. Which can be again attributed to stylists but is still borderline brownface. The svn styling is a very complicated issue on itself but that is not a post for me to make.

[eventheodds]

The moment she could leave to find Vash, she did. Everyone back in Octovern warned her that it still wasn't safe, that it was a fool's errand to even try—to even think that Vash would still be alive—but she ignored everyone and everything they said.

She told Milly she needed to do this on her own and Meryl was thankful that her friend didn't put up a fight or try to reason with her as she packed whatever she could find and secured a truck. Luida was the same, and she knew both her and Milly held onto hope that Vash was still alive.

"We'll stay here and see if anyone comes around with some leads. I'll contact you through this," Milly had given Meryl a radio—something she received from one of her siblings. She was an engineer and had made some modifications to the radio. "Don't forget the Morse Code you learned, okay?

Meryl had nodded, patting down her messenger tote that contained items she never left without. Among them was a worm-leather bound notebook that contained Morse Code and how to read it as well as how to send out a signal. It would be their way of keeping in touch over the noise between and through the chaos.

It'd been weeks since she last messaged Milly, but had reassured her that would likely be the case. She had made sure that Milly understood that it was a probability that she wouldn't be able to send out any signals if it wasn't safe enough. Morse Code or not, Meryl didn't want to risk anyone else listening in.

The last message she sent back was when Meryl finally found Vash.

Terrans were closing in and she managed to come in the nick of time, preventing another bloodshed from taking place as Mr. Bond and his son were spared from a showdown where the stakes and tensions were raised too high.

The checkpoint in question was, unfortunately, unavoidable. She hears Vash stirring in the back, her heartbeat picking up as she hoped that the guard on duty wouldn't the kind that would make her get out of the truck and search it down. Vash's words do not fall on deaf ears but she doesn't shift or turn to look at him. Doing so would warrant the officer to think she was hiding something.

"—'s nothing there but my equipment, officer. I work for the Bernardelli News Agency," she says, willing the tremble to not appear in her voice as she hands over her press badge. "Just a bunch of things that I managed to salvage over the last few weeks. A pile of junk, really."

"If it's just junk, then you seem awfully protective of it Ms...Stryfe."

"Well, junk to you, I suppose, but to me it's the tools of my trade. I hope to clean it up and see what I can repurpose or fix up. Nowadays, we shouldn't be throwing anything away."

The officer gives her a grunt of agreement and spends a moment looking at her ID when he looks behind her truck and sees the rather long line of other cars and trucks waiting to be let through. A tired sigh leaves him and Meryl almost feels sorry for him—almost—when he hands her back her badge and waves her through, giving her permission to drive past the checkpoint.

"You try to have a nice day, officer," Meryl calls as she turns the key in the ignition and drives away. When the officer appears nothing more than almost a speck in her rear view mirror, Meryl lets her shoulders slump as she breathes a sigh of relief.

"I know, I'm sorry, but I didn't have a choice." She stops the car, turns the key and unbuckles her seat belt so she can turn in her seat to look at Vash better. "And what did I tell you about getting up from under the blanket!? What if you got caught—what if they noticed you?!"

She's rounding on him now, frustration and relief vying for control as she thinks of all the horrible possibilities that would have befallen them had that officer noticed Vash was in the truck with her.

There are places even Meryl cannot go, no matter how much she may want to. He can withstand dangers and threats she cannot. She witnessed the horrors of what Knives was willing to go through firsthand in order to challenge Vash’s path, to malign his unerring aim for love and peace. 

The final hour will not conclude in a firefight between mortal men and the Humanoid Typhoon. It won’t be between humans at all. A fight to determine the eventual fate of both Plants and humans gathered within the Ark and scattered across the sands. 

“I’ll come back,” he promises, tucking her head under his chin and holding her close. 

–

Two months have passed since then, the first few weeks of which he spent in and out of consciousness. 

He can feel the rumble of an engine beneath him, the vibration of the walls as the vehicle climbs steadily over the sand. Banging. Barking. Vash opens his eyes and the pain in his ribs rushes back to him.

That’s right.

Him and Knives. Someone attacked them– a Terran? The memory is imperfect; incomplete, so much happened right up until the very end. They flew away. Landed somewhere on the frontier. He remembers the wind throwing particles of sand against his face, his legs dragging limply and forming furrows as Knives dragged them forward. A man named Dr. Bond and his son took them in, and then…

The Terrans found them again. Found him again. Knives was already gone by the time he came to. Meryl got there before the hunter bots and their handlers did. A masterful stroke of luck, determination, and good old fashioned detective work. There hadn’t been much time to talk.

Despite the promise he had made to her, Meryl never was the wait around type.

Vash presses his hands to his face, blinking away tears as he sits up. The thick canvas thrown over him pools down around his legs. He can hear Meryl talking with a checkpoint sentry through the driver-side window. They don’t seem happy about her attitude. Pulling the covering back up to shroud his shoulders, Vash pinches the fabric between his fingers to keep it from slipping off as he crawls up behind the back of Meryl’s seat to try and get a better view. 

“Meryl? Where are we? What’s going on?” he hisses quietly. “I thought we were going to avoid the checkpoints.”

If it were just him, it wouldn’t matter so much whether they decided to hassle him. He’d slip away, eventually, and the chase would begin anew.  Meryl, however, was already treading a thin line. 

[sparrowsfall]

‘ god, we’re so lucky to have each other. ’

       He doesn't remember how he got here.

Pike’s distant bark is enough to startle him. A quiver of the shoulders and a whine of the cool evening wood against his back soon to follow, as he quietly presses himself further away from the scene before him. All summer-dry grass bathed in dusty golden hour light. The edges of his vision have begun to blur, squinting eyes made straw-yellow by the blooming cataracts. He blinks once. Twice. Three times. Trying to gain both focus and understanding, sore attempts to identify the last few hazy silhouettes as they file into their homes. 

      ... Home. He wants to go home.

Wrinkled hands grip the sea-damp edge of the porch swing, at the ready for the push-off and up onto his boot-clad feet, until he feels something. Someone. Wrapping thin, sun-spotted arms around the crook of his elbow. Calm washes over him like the low and lazy tide, the fog bank of his mind lifts, and clarity takes hold as the sweetest voice he’s ever heard, the voice he knows better than any other, breaks through the murk as easy as high-noon sun. 

‘ God we’re lucky to have each other. ’ Mildred always had a knack, a gift, for giving his own thoughts life, as if she could somehow read his mind. Yet another testament to just how well-matched they are. And he could sit and lament about their lost ability to truly explore it. He could. But with the way she’s looking at him now --- all pretty brown eyes shining up at him through her coke bottle glasses, all beaming smile that scrunches up her crow’s feet and laugh lines --- he can’t find the audacity in himself to wallow. There is so much beauty to be found in her antiquity, and John still looks at her as though she’s the single most radiant thing he’s ever laid his eyes on, because she is. Every little age spot and wrinkle and patch of soft loose skin a memory of a life well-lived. As a mother of his child, as his soulmate, as his very best friend. A life he could not be fully present for, no, but a life he was hardly absent for, either. Their entanglement lied somewhere in the between, an abundance of love and passion packed into modicums of time they could steal. And though his heart will always ache for more, for now, he decides to be grateful that their worlds collided at all. A life without Millie Gunning? He’s certain it would hardly be a life worth living.

“ We are... ” His lips pressed to her forehead, he speaks against her powdery skin, his voice scuffed by age but the reverb strong as ever. “ I thank God for leading me here every day. Leading me to you. ” Words are soon sealed with a chaste kiss at her brow. Golden hour turns to blue, their neighbors far too tired and content in their den chairs to pay the island’s eldest any true mind. What trouble can two eighty-somethings cause, anyway? Benefit of the doubt works in their favor, allows John to rest his chin atop her thinning white hair. They are left unnoticed, unbothered, as she scolds him for needing a shave and makes him laugh the hardest he has all week. Saccharine and belly-deep. Some things never change.

Something is happening to them. This he knows to be true. Millie brushes off her requests for walks to her house as time to catch up. And while he doesn’t doubt this, he can tell that she’s beginning to forget. Names of neighbors, faces of friends, where she lives. There’s a subtle fear in her eyes whenever she asks, a fear he is intimate with. He feels it too. He’s heard Warren and Ooker muttering behind his back in the sacristy, worried chatters of how he’s been stuck in loops of consecrations and gospel re-readings. How he keeps losing track of a ritual that should come as second nature. Forgetful he is, deaf he is not.

But as long as he knows where Millie’s house is, he solemnly vows that he’ll be the dutiful shepherd and keep leading her back. Keep spending summer afternoons out on the porch with her. Keep braiding her hair, or clasping her necklace, or opening her jars when the island cold aggravates the ache in her wrists. And he’ll happily keep holding her in his arms, so that they both might get through these days a little more calmly, a little less afraid. 

      He doesn’t remember how he got here, but clearly, he is home.

[queenxxxsupreme]

An Unlikely Choice (dad!Arthur Morgan)

A/N: This is an addition to my new little dad!Arthur series! Hopefully we will see more of domesticated Arthur in the near future :)

Warnings: none, just fluff!

Word Count: 2.9k

Summary: Arthur takes Daisy to get her first horse. 

***

“Come on, daddy!”

“We’re goin’ as fast as we can, sweetpea.”

“I’ve seen Poncho go faster than this!”

“Well Poncho don’t go fast when little kids are on his back.” 

“Don’t you give him a little nudge like this?” Daisy leaned to the side and used her heels to give the buckskin standardbred an encouraging nudge.

Poncho put his ears back, huffing in displeasure. 

“Come on now, sweetpea.” Arthur reached down to stop her leg. “You don’t do that. You’re not the one with the reins so you aren’t the one who tells him to go faster, okay?”

“Okay, daddy.”

“We don’t wanna confuse poor Poncho, do we?” Arthur rubbed the side of Poncho’s neck. “He’s a good boy.”

“Daddy, what if all the horses are gone by the time we get there?” Daisy looked over her shoulder to him. 

“Sweetpea, I don’t think all the horses are gonna be gone-,”

“But what if they are?” Her little eyebrows were drawn together with concern. 

“Then we’ll have to find somewhere else that has horses, sweetpea.” Arthur leaned down to kiss her head. 

“What if that place runs out of horses too?”

“You sound like your mother.” He sighed, bringing Poncho to a stop at the end of the main street. “She worries just like that too. Always questionin’ everything.”

Arthur climbed down from the saddle and took the reins, making sure Daisy sat safely in the saddle. 

“I promised you I was gonna get you a horse, didn’t I?”

Daisy nodded, messing with the saddle horn. 

“Then I’m gonna get you a horse. Have a little faith in me, sweetpea.” He fixed the way his hat sat on his head and began to lead Poncho down the busy street. 

“What’s faith, daddy?”

“Faith is, uh…. is like trust.”

Daisy didn’t hear his answer. She was too busy watching a pair of huge horses pull an even bigger cart. 

“Whoa! Daddy, look!” She pointed. “Look at how big those horses are!”

“Those are workin’ horses. Papa Hosea used to have one a long, long time ago.”

“How many horses has Papa Hosea had?”

“Too many to count.”

Arthur led Poncho down to the stables at the end of the street. He tethered the horse to a hitching post and moved to get Daisy down from the saddle. 

“Now remember sweetpea. In here, you can’t be too loud and you can’t move too fast. We don’t wanna spook the horses.”

“Okay.” She nodded her head, taking hold of Arthur’s hand. Her little hand only wrapped around his pinky and ring finger but he still held her hand as he took her towards the stable. 

“You got any names in mind?”

“Names?”

“Yeah. Names for the horse.”

“Hmm.” Daisy tapped her free hand to her lips. “What about Cookie? I like cookies.”

“That’s…. an interestin’ name.” Arthur chuckled. 

“Howdy, folks.” A man approached Arthur and Daisy, holding his hand out for Arthur. “Davis Thatcher. Owner of this here stable.”

“Arthur Calhoon.”

The two shook hands. 

“What can I do for you today?”

“I’m lookin’ for a horse.” Arthur answered, his eyes dropping down to Daisy. She squeezed his fingers as she peered around Mr. Thatcher, spotting a pony in a stall. “We were hopin’ to find somethin’ along the lines of a foal.”

“You are in luck! I’ve got a handful of fillies and a couple colts. Let’s go take a look and you can tell me which one looks good to you, Mr. Calhoon.”

“Well, I’m not gonna be the one pickin’ the horse. If we find the right one, this’ll be my daughter’s horse.”

“Oh, how nice! Is it a special occasion?” 

“Sort of.” Arthur began to follow Mr. Thatcher around the stable. Daisy eagerly walked alongside her father. “Her birthday’s in a couple weeks.”

“How old are you gonna be, missy?” 

“Eight!” Daisy answered, practically bouncing up and down next to Arthur. 

“That’s a big number! Congratulations!”

Mr. Thatcher led Arthur to an enclosure towards the back of the stable.

“Here we have a few of the younger foals. Take a look, see if any of them catch your eye.”

Arthur picked Daisy up and sat her on the top rail of the fence. He kept his arm around her stomach, not wanting to let her fall into the enclosure. 

“Give them a treat when they come up to you.” Mr. Thatcher handed Daisy a biscuit. 

The first horse to take interest in the duo was a palomino mare. Daisy excitedly shifted in her spot. Arthur could practically feel the excitement radiating off of her. 

“Easy, sweetpea.” Arthur said. “Don’t wanna spook her.”

“She’s pretty, daddy.”

“Sure is. Remember to keep your hand flat so she don’t nibble on your fingers.”

Daisy put her hand out falt with the chunk of carrot in her palm. The mare sniffed the treat for a brief moment before taking it from Daisy. Daisy giggled. 

“That tickled.”

“That one’s called Trudy. She’s got a filly over there that we call Millie.” Mr. Thatcher pointed to a light yellow foal that was playing with a dark brown foal in one of the corners of the enclosure. 

“What do you think about that one, sweetpea?” Arthur asked Daisy, but she wasn’t even looking at that horse. Her eyes were focused on something else in the corner to her left. There was something brown laying in the hay. It didn’t appear to be a foal at first, no features were discernible. But the more Daisy looked at it, she could see it was breathing. 

“What about that one?” She pointed to the lump. 

“You wouldn’t be interested in that one, honey.” Mr. Thatcher shook his head. 

“Somethin’ wrong with it?” Arthur asked quietly.

“That’s one of the runts from another mare. She’s not strong. Ain’t worth your time, I can assure you.”

“Daddy, I wanna look at it.” Daisy tugged on the sleeve to Arthur’s shirt. He looked over to Mr. Thatcher, who let out a sigh. 

“If you’d like to look, you can. But I promise, she ain’t nothin’ special.”

“Come on, sweetpea.” Arthur pulled her down from the fence. Daisy led the way over to the corner the little filly was in. She knelt down so that she could see the baby horse between the bottom two horizontal fence boards. 

“Here, girl.” Daisy clicked her tongue, holding her hand out. The foal had its nose tucked into the hay and showed no signs of acknowledging Daisy. 

“You got a treat she could give the foal?” Arthur looked at Mr. Thatcher. He nodded and pulled another biscuit out of his pocket. He gave it to Arthur, who then knelt down by Daisy. 

“Here, take this.” He handed the biscuit to her. 

“What’s her name?” Daisy asked.

“Uh, she…. She don’t really got one.”

Arthur shook his head. 

“Here, girl. Look here.” Daisy spoke softly, trying again to get the filly’s attention. 

Arthur would’ve thought it was dead if it weren’t for the shallow breathing movements it made. 

He reached through the fence and tapped the foal’s hindquarter. 

“Wake up, girl.”

The filly lifted her head, a few pieces of straw getting stuck in the part of her mane that fell across her forehead. She blinked once and then twice, looking from Arthur to Daisy. There was a white patch around her left eye, a stark contrast to the rest of her chocolate brown coat. 

“Here.” Daisy whispered, holding out the biscuit for her. She took it and nibbled lightly at Daisy’s fingers. Daisy giggled, then reached up to pull the straw from the filly’s mane. 

“There’s a few more outside I can show you.” Mr. Thatcher said, moving towards a door that would lead them outside. 

“Come on, sweetpea.” Arthur started to stand up. 

“Daddy, I want her.” Daisy brushed her fingers over the filly’s tangled mane. 

Arthur rubbed the back of his neck. The filly didn’t look very healthy. Even laying down it looked small. And there was a chance that it was deaf too. It was odd that it hadn’t responded to any noises being made. He couldn’t get his daughter a sickly horse and risk it dying. 

“How old is that little filly, Mr. Thatcher?”

“Five months.”

“Five months?” He repeated in disbelief. “Looks barely three months old.”

“I told you, Mr. Calhoon. She’s a runt, and she’s got issues with holding on weight.”

Arthur looked back to Daisy. She was completely engrossed with the filly, already whispering and murmuring to her as she stroking her mane. 

“Give me a second, would you?”

“Of course.” Mr. Thatcher moved away to give Arthur some privacy with his daughter. 

Arthur leaned against the fence with his arms, looking around the enclosure at the other foals. 

“Daddy, she’s so pretty. Ain’t she?”

His eyes dropped down to the filly just below him. 

“She is pretty, sweetpea.” He nodded. “Daisy, this filly…. She ain’t healthy, sweetpea. It wouldn’t be…. I just don’t think….” He couldn’t find the right words. Everything he tried to say sounded terrible. 

Daisy stopped petting the horse and stood up, brows drawing together as she peered up at her father. 

“Did Mr. Thatcher say we can’t take her home?”

“No, sweetpea. That ain’t it.” He shook his head, looking down at her. “This one here ain’t the healthiest they have. If we get her…. I don’t know how long she’ll last.”

The look that crossed over Daisy’s face broke Arthur’s heart. 

“I just don’t want you to have to go through that, sweetpea.” Arthur put his hand on her shoulder and pulled her in for a hug, his hand finding the back of her head. “I know what it’s like to lose a horse and it’s a really nasty feelin’ that I don’t want you to ever feel.”

“She just looks so sad here, daddy.” Daisy sniffled.

“Oh sweetpea, don’t cry on me.” He pulled back, wiping her tears away. She looked down at the ground while his eyes stayed on her face. “You really like her, don’t you?”

Daisy nodded, rubbing her eyes.

“If she’s the one you want, then she’s the one we’re gonna take home.”

Her eyes flickered up to his. 

“I do want her.”

“Then it’s settled.” He kissed her forehead. “You wait here while I go talk to Mr. Thatcher.”

Arthur crossed the barn, making sure Daisy was still in his line of sights. 

“So what’ve you decided, Mr. Calhoon?” Mr. Thatcher asked.

“My wife is gonna kill me.” Arthur sighed. “We’ll take that little filly with the patch over her eye.”

“If that’s the one you want, I won’t fight you on it. Glad to have it out of my hands to be honest. It’ll be fifty dollars.”

“Fifty for an underweight foal?” Arthur’s mouth fell open. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Unfortunately I’m not.” Mr. Thatcher shook his head. 

Arthur locked his jaw, reminding himself that this was for Daisy, and pulled the money out of his pocket. 

“You bring a wagon with you?” Mr. Thatcher asked as he began to count the money to make sure it was the correct amount. 

“No…. Why?”

“Well, then I hope you live nearby. Like I said before, that horse ain’t very strong. I doubt it’ll be able to walk very long.”

“Son of a bitch.” Arthur ran his hand over his face. 

“You can always keep it boarded here for the night- for an additional twenty dollars.”

“What about until later on today?” 

“Ten.”

Arthur bit his tongue as he forked over another ten dollars.

“It was a pleasure, Mr. Calhoon.”

“Yeah, you too.”

Daisy looked over to Arthur as he knelt down beside her. 

“Okay, sweetpea. So we’ve got a plan. I’m gonna take you home to momma and then I’m gonna come back for this little lady.”

“Why can’t we take her home now?”

“Well ‘cause she can’t walk all the way up to our house. She’s not that strong yet, so I’ve gotta get the wagon and come back down to get her.”

“But what if someone takes her before we come back?”

“No one will take her, sweetpea.”

Arthur and Daisy left the stables and began to make their way out of town on Poncho. 

“You thought of any names, sweetpea?” Arthur asked, his hand rubbing her arm. 

“She’s got a patch over her eye. I thought maybe Patches, but we already got a sheep named Patches.”

“Yeah, that could get confusing for poor ole Patches. You said you liked the name Cookie earlier.”

“She don’t look like a Cookie.” Daisy shook her head.

Arthur moved Poncho over to one side of the road as a horse and wagon came into view. A smile came to his face as he realized who was driving the horse.

“Look, Daisy. It’s Uncle Charles.”

Arthur brought the horse to a stop next to Charles’s wagon. Beside Charles on the wagon was a woman. She had warm copper skin and black pin straight hair that was braided back into two braids. 

“Uncle Charles! Aunt Lucy!”

Arthur put Daisy down on the ground and watched her move over to the wagon. Charles got down from the wagon to pick her up, embracing her in a tight hug.

“Hey there, Daisy.” 

“What are you two up to today?” Lucy asked, looking at Arthur.

“Just heading back home. Bought this little lady a new horse.” Arthur nodded to Daisy. Charles placed Daisy on to the wagon so she could property hug Lucy. 

“Where’s the horse?” Charles patted Poncho’s shoulder. 

“Still at the stable.” Arthur sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. He lowered his voice so Daisy wouldn’t be able to hear him. “She chose a little sickly filly out of a bunch of other ones, Charles. The horse didn’t even stand up.”

“At all?”

“No, not at all.”

“And you bought it for Daisy?”

“I didn’t want her to cry no more, Charles.”

Charles shook his head.

“She’ll be crying a lot more when that filly never stands up.”

“You’re always so critical.” Arthur muttered. “Anyways, I’ve gotta take her home and get the wagon to take the horse back home. Don’t know if it can walk, but the stable owner said it couldn’t walk very far.”

“Why don’t you just put it in the back of my wagon?” Charles gestured to his wagon. “Lucy just has a few things she has to get at the store and I’ve got to pick up some feed for the horses. Should be enough room for a filly.”

“If you’ve got the room, I sure would appreciate it.”

“Of course.”

Charles moved towards his wagon. 

“Hey, sweetpea? There’s been a little change of plans.” Arthur said, looking at Daisy. “Uncle Charles is gonna let us put your little filly in his wagon so we don’t have to go all the way home.”

“Thank you, Uncle Charles!” Daisy clapped her hands together.

***

You walked out to greet everyone when the wagon pulled up in front of the barn. 

“Hi, Lucy. Hi, Charles.” 

“Hello, Y/N.” Lucy embraced you in a warm hug. “We ran into Arthur and Daisy in town. They needed some help with your new horse.”

“My horse!” Daisy corrected her, giggling as she moved towards the back of the wagon. 

“Why did he need a wagon for the horse?” You asked, furrowing your brow. 

“Um, it’s….” Lucy trailed off. 

Your eyes fell on Arthur and Charles. They counted to three and lifted the horse out of the wagon. 

“Excuse me, Lucy.” You placed your hand on her arm before moving towards your husband. “Arthur?”

“Gimme a second, pumpkin.” He grunted, moving with Charles towards the barn.

“Why isn’t this baby walking?” You followed behind them. Daisy tried to follow you too but you stopped her. “Daisy, go to Aunt Lucy please.”

“But momma-,”

“Daisy, please.”

She frowned but did as she was told. Lucy took her to the front porch. 

The two men placed the foal down into an empty stall on a bed of straw. Charles stepped back to examined the horse while Arthur pet its neck.

“It’s good to see you, Charles.” You gave him a tight smile, trying to maintain the growing frustration in your veins. 

“You too, Y/N. I’ll, uh, I’m going to go out with the girls.” He motioned to the door. 

Your eyes fell on to Arthur while he watched Charles leave. The door to the barn creaked shut. 

“Arthur Morgan, tell me you did not buy our daughter a horse that can’t even walk.”

“Pumpkin, it’s not like that.”

“Then show me that the horse can walk.” You crossed your arms.

He opened his mouth and looked down at the foal. 

“I can’t do that.”

“Jesus, Arthur.”

“Y/N, wait.” He stopped you from leaving the stall. “The fella at the stable, he said the horse was weak and wasn’t like the other foals they had. He tried to steer us away but once Daisy saw this one, she wouldn’t look at any others. She was crying because I told her she couldn’t get it.”

Your gaze dropped back down to the foal. It moved some of the straw around with its nose, snorting softly. 

“Arthur…. What if…. What if it doesn’t….?”

“I know.” He rubbed his face. “Thought about it the whole way up here. But she wasn’t willin’ to get any other. She wanted this one.”

“I just don’t want her hurt.”

“I know.” His hand found the small of your back. “She’s a strong girl. You are her mother afterall.”

You smiled. 

“Come on. I told Charles I’d make him dinner for lettin’ me use his wagon.”

Taglist:  @winterwolf @doggone-cowgirl @lauramb7 @caraqas @bluscryn @nonodino @krenee1drful @thefirelordm @sargeantsea @sokkasdarling @thecollection @mayday1284​

If your name is in italics, that means it wouldn’t let me tag you :(

[kingcons]

Time tics by, a helluva boss FanFiction (part one of a collection of connected oneshots)

Words: 1,459

Genre: slice of life comedy with mild hurt/comfort.

Ok, this is it, your first day as an assassin.

You can do this.

You can do this.

“Millie, let’s do this.” The imp said excitedly as he swigged the last of his coffee. Millie giggled at her husband’s enthusiasm. “Alright honey, it’ll be good to be a little early I ‘spose. But uh, do we really need to be a whole thirty minutes early?” He glanced at the clock. Shit, she was right. Maybe it was a bit too early?

“You say that, but what if this is a test! What if we arrive on time and he fires us!” Moxxie began pacing back and forth on the kitchen floor tiles. “Even more so, what if we get there and we get into traffic and he’s gone home by then! What then Millie!” He grabbed his wife’s face dramatically. She laughed a little and cupped his face with her own hands. “Sweetheart, if that fucker does any of those things? We can find a new employer. It ain’t that big a deal.” He removed her face from his palms, wringing his hands in worry. “I know that on a logical and realistic level that’s most likely true, but the tiny percentage that you’re wrong really makes me think I’m gonna fuck this up.” He admitted with a sheepish grin. Millie noticed his eye twitching and his fists start to clench. She sighed. “Ok, if it’ll make ya feel better we can be early.” Moxxie calmed down noticeably at that. “Shit, my eye is acting up again.” He complained. “I told you, darlin’, we can afford the doctors?” Millie suggested. He shook his head. “I’ve asked them before actually. They said it’s stress related. I didn’t mention my other involuntary issues, but I kind of just assumed they are too.” Millie nodded. “Well I’m at least glad it ain’t nothin’ serious. Now come on, we got an all new job to go to!”

“Blitz! Get the fucking door already!” A woman’s voice boomed from inside. The two imps shared a concerned look. A crash could be heard on the other side of the door. “Okay, who the FUCK put greenie down on the floor!?” A male voice this time. “Stop complaining about your shitty plastic horses and answer the fucking door!” The woman again. And a gasp. “How dare you loona! I’ll have you know my plastic horses are an essential reason this company runs as well as it does!”

The door swung open, with a tall, long horned imp now facing the couple. “Mah-mah- Moxxie and Millie, Sir? For the mah- job interview?” Moxxie introduced him and his wife. “Oh… and I’m guessing you heard all that back there?” Millie nodded very enthusiastically. “May we come in, Blitzo, was it?” He shook his finger at her. “Nah sweet cheeks, the o is silent.” Furrowing his brow, Moxxie pointed at Blitzo. “Excuse me sir, what did you just call my wife?” Blitzo grinned deviously. “Oh, you two are a thing are you? Nice, how long is his wiener, is it short?”

Millie laughed a little, while the other glared at the taller. “That is totally inappropriate! And for your information, no it’s fucking not!” Moxxie huffed. He hadn’t even realised it yet but he had stormed inside. Millie catching up to him. Beginning to stamp his hoof and flap his hand, millie gave the still one a gently squeeze. Blitzo watched the two of them and smiled. “Hey, you haven’t met my daughter Loonie! Loona get in here!” Millie’s eyes seemed to sparkle. “Oooo! A little girl in the office! That’s fuckin’ adorable!” Blitzo rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, close mills, can I call you mills? But no cigar.” After a groan, there was loud stomping as a teenage hellhound busy with her phone flicked through presumably some form of social media showed up. “‘Sup, I’m loona. The receptionist I guess.”

“A pleasure to mah- meet you miss loona. I’m Moxxie, a new assassin here.” Blitzo turned around. “Hey wait a fuckin’ minuet, bitch boy, how do you know I’m hiring you two little ball busters?” Millie grinned. “Because, Blitz, we are your best choice. No one can beat Mox’s sharp shootin’ skills and me when I’m wieldin’ an axe!” She chirruped. The boss stroked his chin. “That so, huh? Welp, can’t argue with that. You’re hired!” Moxxie blinked. “Wait, what?” Blitzo sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I said you’re hired, short stack, what you deaf too? You got two disabilities?” Millie was smiling but gave him a warning look, Blitzo holding up his hands in surrender as a response. “No, I heard you. But really? Just like that? You don’t need to see how we are in the field or anything first?” Blitzo shook his head. “Do you know how hard it is for an imp to start a fucking business? Well, I’ll tell ya. It’s harder than my dick when I imagine it in your ass Moxxie. I mean, we’re all low in terms of hierarchy in hell. And naming it I.M.P was a fucking power move. So what do ya say, you in?” The couple looked at each other. Millie with pleading eyes before Moxxie sighed. “Fine. Mah- we’ll work with you. If you stop imagining your Satan dammed dick in my ass.” He pleaded. The taller chuckled. “No promises Mox!”

After getting a tour of the office, Millie and Loona began chatting while Moxxie and Blitzo discussed hours.

“This all looks good to me, Sir. Friday off too? Suits us both just fine -Mah-“ Moxxie said with a dramatic flinch. The flinching clenched and twisted his face painfully. “Sorry.” Moxxie apologized. “Tends to happen sometimes.” He shrugged. Blitzo simply stared. Then, seemingly out of the blue asked

“Do you have a disability?” Moxxie blinked, and opened his mouth ready to yell out how inappropriate and offensive that comment was. But his new boss held up his left hand indicating him to be quiet. “No, I’m being serious for a sec here. Are you disabled? Cause those,” he pointed at Moxxie’s twitching eye. “Those look an awful lot like tics.” Moxxie raised an eyebrow. “You what?”

Blitz chuckled. “You know, tics, involuntary movements that both are a pain in your ass and cause pain in your ass?” Moxxie sat there, jaw hanging low. “There’s… there’s a name for them?!” He exclaimed. Blitz nodded. “Yep! I got ‘em too! They’ve been calm today but I’ve also been suppressing them which’ll really fuck me over later but eh, it’s whatever.” Moxxie’s eyes began to water. The taller paled. “Oh- um, fuck I’m not good with crying. Did I overstep a line or is this just like- a medical problem you have?” He stammered. Moxxie smiled and wiped his eyes on his sleeve. “The second one, sir. I’ve been struggling with them my whole life. I can’t believe that other people experience them too. It probably seems like nothing to you-“

“No, it’s not that at all,” Blitzo cut him off. “I completely understand, Moxxie. I understand how hard tics are to deal with. They’re hard…” Moxxie nodded.

“Just like my dick in your ass.”

“Refrain, sir! Wait! You said you could suppress them, how do you do that?” Blitzo gritted his teeth. “It’s not that easy, Mox. I can’t teach you it’s just an ability people with tics or tic disorders have. Plus they’re major, major downsides to suppression including dangerous consequences if done, like, too much. Best way I can describe it is like, not scratching a persistent itch for hours. The itch sometimes lessens, sometimes you can’t feel it at all, but it’s always just kind of there. Until after hours and hours you’ve gotta just- scratch? Does that make sense?” Moxxie snickered. “Hey, I never said I was a linguistics expert here!” Moxxie shook his head. “No, no it makes perfect sense. Thank you, sir.” Blitzo nodded.

“Alright, that’s too wholesome and nice for my liking let’s get to planning some kills!” He suddenly exclaimed to Moxxie, grinning. But Moxxie was smiling right with him.