#and now time to go to work aaaay

[infinitethree]

Aaaay an update, fuckin' finally, it's only been Forever!

Next fic draws near. The first part of the last chapter is already done, as is the very end, which just means I need to fill in the middle in a way that suitably sets up the next fic.

In my desire to get to said next fic, I decided to cut my losses (and try to keep some of my sanity) by yeeting a section I decided didn't fit. It was what I first tried at the start of this chapter, but I decided it was too much, too fast-- Daz would rather be a BIT more cautious.

Consider it loosely canon. The parts about his past and feelings are true, the actual scene (if it happens) would happen after the end of this fic & with some tweaks.

>But, well, he needs to suck it up. He's decided to take Theo up on a previous offer to join in family dinners. It's a perfect chance to gather more information about the server from sources other than Theo and occasionally Atlas.

And, well– he’s been able to hear them up until now. Not words, but he can more or less guess the general vibe of the meals.

Chaos. Usually that chaos involves screaming and one or more fights, at least according to the death messages that pop up on his shiny, fancy new com.

Still– it's been what feels like an eternity since he really had a chance to have a meal with others.

Sometimes he eats with Theo or Atlas, but they both have lives. Atlas especially seems to be doing pretty damn well for himself– or, at least, is seriously dedicated to his craft.

Fuck only knows if that’s abnormal. It's not really like Daz spent enough time around Techno to have a good grasp on much of anything about him.

At one point, he had been so desperate to be accepted by his so-called brother that he adopted the color of his cloak. It felt wrong, but at the same time– maybe it would have been worth it. 

Maybe, if it had gotten more than a few passing words on the rare occasion he could be bothered to be around him, it would have justified what he now realizes is unthinkably offensive. Forcibly giving yourself some else’s claim is– it’s practically trying to rip open their heart and set up shop there. It’s refusing an admin’s agency so deeply and so profoundly that you deny them even the choice of liking someone or not.

But didn’t matter. Techno never noticed. 

Over the years, being so invisible got under Daz’s skin and left a festering wound. If Techno wouldn't even acknowledge him enough to reject him, then fuck it– Daz would steal his color and make it his own.

And now he can’t even stand the sight of it.

At least making his hoodies– a different pattern than what he had made for Dream, of course, but it felt more natural wearing one than not– gives him plenty to focus on. The construction is easy enough, but the painstaking embroidery gives him something to channel his restlessness into.

But that’s only really going to matter as much as he might need to pretend to be sad if one gets ruined by the anarchy at the meal.

Honestly, Daz can't deny he's curious about the other members of the family. Daedalus only in that single traumatic incident, and ditto for Achilles…but he knows there's two more.

The first is Orpheus, the nightmarish Tubbo-but-he’s-Wilbur he’d heard about a few times. Atlas’ twin, evidently, which cleared up why Atlas looked just like Daz’s ex-elder brother.

And, similarly to Wilbur, Orph likes music. He’s on some sort of server-runner thing, which sounds like a terrible idea. There’s no way he’s not causing someone, somewhere, deep and unending agony.

Daz, having had his hands full with the existing soul-rending stuff, wasn’t terribly eager to add on to it by facing down any version of Wilbur. A rat is a rat is a rat, and that particular rat would fuck with his head, what precious little sleep he’s been able to get, and probably kick him in the nuts for the hell of it.

So, the one time Theo mentioned meeting the bastard, Daz had put on the ‘this is a deeply traumatic topic but I’m too scared to say that’ act he’s gotten so good at using.

Worked like a charm. Daz has yet to get another offer to meet him.

The other brother is another Dream, the second youngest. Perseus, known for feats of cleverness and agility in a long-running sport of some kind. Given even accidental orders were shredding Daz’s soul, he wasn’t terribly keen to push the idea of seeing the recordings.

And, Theo had told him with an air of pride, a huge nerd who mostly competes to fund his expensive hobbies.

There was something about collector's editions and table top books, neither of which Daz had been curious enough about to question further.

But, well, now he gets to meet this fabled final Was-Taken brother for himself. 

Rather than sit and stew in his anxiety about the whole thing, though, he opts to arrive early and help Day.

As much as Daz doesn’t particularly like the man, he's enough of a known variable that he can be tolerated.

No matter how he ends up resolving the fundamental issue of trying to kill people in a world where there's no limit on respawning, being trusted by Day is going to help him out.

He hesitates just before stepping around the corner and in sight of the kitchen. Day doesn't stop what he’s doing, or even look over at him. “Need something?”

Daz flinches a little. “Uhm– I just…” he fidgets with his sleeves, and mumbles, “I– I feel bad, because I shouldn’t make you cook for me.”

That makes Day pause. “...I don't mind cooking, and I usually make enough for leftovers anyway.” “But I'm not your family, and I haven't earned it,” Daz protests.

Much like…pretty much every implication he makes of this nature, he has to fight down the bile that threatens to rise.

Day’s mouth forms a grim line. “You don't need to earn food.” “Good food is for good people,” he argues.

Innit oh-so-helpfully makes a retching noise in the back of his head.

There's a long, tired sigh. “That's– so incredibly fucked up, but I'm not the person who you need to unpack that with. If I had an problem with cooking for other people, I wouldn’t be feeding the dozen or so people outside of Summer Hills that regularly drop in.”

Daz frowns, brows knitting. “But they’re not bad,” he argues. “If they’re welcome, they have to be good. Otherwise they wouldn’t be welcome. And since I’m– since I’m not welcome, I– I know I’m–”

He folds his arms around his waist, eyes trained on the floor. He’s breathing like he’s fighting a panic attack, shoulders hunched and shaking.

And then Day ever so gently, giving him time to pull away, folds his wings around him.

“Whatever you were told,” he says, voice soft but sincere in a way that burns, “if it was true at all, it’s not true here. You’ve been through a lot, Daz. I don’t blame you for being scared, for thinking you’re the one to blame for everything. It’s not true. As much as it absolutely fucking sucks, sometimes other people are just…monsters.”

For a second, it makes him long for a version of reality where his family was whole, loving, and truly welcomed him.

Fuck, that almost makes him feel bad about planning to kill Day.

Daz sniffs, stuffing that guilt down with all the other things he’s repressed. “...You’re nice. You’re not as scary as I thought you’d be.”

A soft snort escapes the winged man. “Thanks.” He pulls back, leaving Daz almost wanting to cling to the pretty lie.

“If you’re willing to help, I’d appreciate some help with cooking,” Day offers. He nods a few times, letting a tiny smile peek through. “Yeah. Yeah, I can do that.”

[alexysdsblog]

Allergy Attacks

If you’re like me you have bad allergies; I’m talking sneezing 24/7, runny nose, red itchy eyes, the works. Have you noticed that your allergies have been getting A LOT worse recently? Well I have, so I made a quick Google search to see what’s going on. According to a Time.com article titled, Why Allergy Seasons Are Getting Worse, we have global warming to thank. When the planet warms, it produces higher carbon dioxide levels and causes plants to produce way more pollen for a longer period of time. Now there is one other theory that has to do with hygiene. An aaaai.org article titled, Increasing Rates of Allergies and Asthma says that the increased severity of allergies is coming from being too clean, likely a results from COVID precautions for so long as well as new antibiotic resistance.

Linked below are the articles I used for research as well as another that shows the science behind these hypothesis ⬇️⬇️⬇️

[ryouverua]

On that note, since I’m finished Kaede’s FTEs I’m going to take a small break before jumping into salmon mode so I can work on some actual fandom stuff! All of those poor prompts gathering dust in my inbox and a few other things... it would be nice to contribute, for once. 8′) I might set some stuff up to be ready for Shuichi’s and my birthday though!

[finleycannotdraw]

Hi there! I noticed you reblogged those ask games for all the tad albums, and I don't remember what question this is but what lyrics would you say just SEND you from each of the albums?

AAAAY HELLO

okay so. this is probably going to be at least one lyric from every song

love run lyrics that send me™️:

“all hell and its fire waits for us” “my entire life it’s running away too fast, watching everyone you’ve ever loved walk past, never really quite getting the knack of knowing that no one will ever come back for you” “for christs sake just say something” “it cannot be a lie if no one hears” “I’m stronger now than you have ever known” “can’t you see that I’m enough for you but you don’t want me to be cause that means you’ll actually have to be content” “it starts off like a pinprick, a trick of the light, oil slick” “I cannot find the words to keep you” “we showed the world that we exist, didn’t really like the pattern that much on the wallpaper so anyway” “if I’m good will you come back” “where is god ma where’s the vodka if my old mum could see me now oh how she’d how she’d hold my hand as you shook in the middle of the night” “let the world come at you love with all its sand and sin a-singing, the song you once knew well’s begun, run until your lungs are numb, let the earth a-tumble love and humble you withal keep running” “let foul men band and heed your hum for that ancient hymn you heard me strumming is naught but fumble falls and tumbleweeds love run it’s not that rum would solve though some would harm you none not one no none would raise to you a hand nor thumb not while by you I stand and hum love run” “it’s not from what we run that drums but what’s to come, love what’s love what’s love what’s to come”

the horror and the wild:

“I pray to god it’s the kindest thing to never leave you alone” “gimme back my heart you wingless thing” “witness me old man I am the wild” “that I might understand as best I can how bold I was could be will be still am by god still am, fret not dear heart let not them hear the mutterings of all your fears the flutterings of all your wings” “flirt (wasn’t flirting) at the back of a bookshop” “hold me lover like you used to so tight I’d bruise you” “I know you’re strong enough to do this on your own” “he’s down he’s dead he’s gone oh he’s lost he’s flown he’s fled now take a good long look at what you’ve all done to me” “I’m old waylaid and feels like I am wading into carpet burns and carousels christ you’ll be the death of me and calm throughout his melodrama she will turn and say dear heart it’s me it’s me you don’t need to pretend to be someone you’re not” “you you touch my skin peels off like paint” “as the belt from your buckle is tightening I make shipwrecks out of my dress” “and I get in and for some reason you’ve painted the kitchen lime green and I sink to the floor what’s the point anymore and you you reply with a glint in your eye singing I don’t know but I’m hear oh dear god dear heart don’t cry” “now even though you’re mad and these memories won’t stay that’s okay cause now I get to meet you for the first time every single day” “look at me as you say this (you’re home) don’t look at your phone (for gods sake I’m)” “I feel hunger at last for that person fifteen year old me would be proud to have known” “these lines aren’t wrinkles dear heart they’re just dollops of paint on a new work of art”

ruin (literally every single lyric okay)

“look into those secret worlds you call eyes” “when I think I’m fine you’ll visit and then you happen to me all over again” “the rain kept coming down I’ll watch that woman drown” “I don’t find this easy like you” “gonna go home and show my cat some memes cause he’s awesome like me” “if god made us all in his image then god’s a fucking nerd” “I might not make it tonight” THE ENTIRETY OF CHORDS but specifically “they are my rascals I can’t let them walk away/we built our castles just to watch them wash away” “walk into your dawn you snotrags tell em we never cared go tell them how we fucked you up and oh my god it’s so unfair we were the winter nights so you could be the morning snow cause life begins by leaving and our love is shown in the letting go” “be good be safe be kind know we’ll always love you even though you’re leaving us behind” “you are in the earth of me” “I’m lifting my class to that last good man grace who has left me he’s left me at last” “let’s bury this I’m all yours but you’re all mine let’s dance together you and I cause I’m not trapped with you you see you’re the one who’s trapped with me” “don’t you think I look pretty curled up on this bathroom floor” “we’ll dance together so close we’re sharing breath but now I’m leading doesn’t that just scare you to death” “I will bring you ruin” “nothing quite prepared me for when that piano sang again” “tomorrow I’ll do things different tomorrow I’ll be brave” “if I don’t make it back from where I’ve gone just know I loved you all along”

TL;DR I am in love with literally every single song by this band.

[prismartist]

Haul Away Jay

Fandom: Just Roll With It (Riptide)

Words: 3175

CW: implied/referenced character death

Relationships: Chip & Jay Ferin & Gillion Tidestrider

Summary: Jay is bored. Very, very bored. So, understandably, she tries to find a way to entertain herself.

She wasn't quite expecting the entertainment to come in the form of a song and dance, or that the other two would be roped into it.

None of them are complaining, though.

A/N: @tokencishetchip idk if you remember but you asked to be tagged for this a little while back !! here's the albatrio having fun with a sea shanty :D

Ao3

– – –

If there was anything that Jay Ferin knew as she leaned on the railing of the Albatross one peaceful day, watching the sun slowly set beyond the horizon, it’s that she was unmistakably, undoubtedly, incredibly, and painfully, bored.

Maybe it was the juxtaposition of the current situation to cursed islands, cursed casinos, or crewmates being dumbasses (well, that wasn't really a curse, but it sure felt like one sometimes), but standing on a boat in the middle of an endless calm sea under an endless calm sky wasn’t the most exciting event in the world.

Jay let out a sigh that floated out onto the indifferent blue water. She heard Gillion shout something from atop the crow’s nest, and Chip shouting back in turn as he walked down from the helm and started lighting the lamps. It was nice to see the two working in harmony.

Old man Earl was nowhere to be seen, probably in the kitchen making dinner and more orange juice. Jay was looking forward to that the most right now. She wasn’t sure if that’s a good or bad thing.

Well, she thought as she redirected her attention back to the ocean, if only they could find the adventure they all hoped for.

Her mind drifted in an attempt to entertain herself, going back to her days in the tavern. She had spent hours there working her butt off for loud, gruff soldiers, laying down in bed afterwards and thinking that her aching bones and five hours of sleep weren’t worth it. Over time she had learned to ignore the exhaustion, but compared to the adrenaline-inducing fights and rewarding victories she experienced now, Jay didn’t miss it.

Suddenly, a melody started to creep into her mind, a tune that she didn’t expect to hear in a long while. While tied to the memory of the tavern, the feeling the song settled in her is calm, comforting even. Jay closed her eyes, allowing herself to listen to it.

Apple sang serenely as she sat on the crow’s nest, and her chirps melded into the melody that Jay now recognized.

It was an old sea shanty, one that Jay often heard from the navy soldiers that frequented the tavern. She recalled memories of drunk men singing joyously, unprofessional in their performance, as if they were celebrating being freed from their ruthless job even for a night. Sometimes though, the way they would sing would come out soft and genuine as they sat in relative sobriety after a hard-fought battle, reflecting as the first few hours of the dawn crept up behind them and the orange rays shone on the mournful men. Jay would look on, almost in awe, unable to believe these were the same people who maimed and killed and imprisoned.

Jay hummed the beginning of the tune to the best of her abilities, and did not notice Chip cast a curious glance at her. She faltered as she lost the words, struggling to remember.

How did it go again…?

Oh. Right.

“Oh maiden, oh maiden, the love to I,” Jay sang softly. “I adore the shimmer, the shimmer, the shine in your eyes.”

She smiled and started to continue, but was cut off suddenly by the sound of Chip’s voice. Her eyes flew open and she turned in his direction, having half a mind to snap at him, but stopped upon realizing what exactly he was saying.

Or, rather, singing.

“It enamours, enamours, thy light to my life.” Chip was as surprised as Jay, eyes wide as he continued easily as if by instinct. His voice was surprisingly smooth and not all that bad. “Thy touch, carries, it carries, my soul to the sky.”

They stared at each other for a few moments, processing what had just happened.

Jay tilted her head, and spoke, “How do you-”

“I-it’s a song, I– the Black Rose Pirates used to sing it all the time.” Chip saw a small flash of a memory, of fireflies fluttering around in hanging terrariums, of voices chanting the same song as Chip joined in. He gestured a bit wildly, as if he was trying to swat away the image. “You?”

“I heard it in the tavern a lot.” Jay chuckled, a little in disbelief. “I guess it’s more popular than I thought.”

Chip vaguely remembered being lifted into the air by a laughing Arlind, teasing him for messing up a line, the golden glow overhead. “I guess so-”

“And my love! I swear in the sun and the rain!” The booming voice of Gillion Tidestrider rang down, causing Chip and Jay to look up and see the Triton slide down the pole, landing with a flourish. He straightened and completed the verse in a perfect baritone. “That someday, our hands will intertwine once again.”

Gillion grinned at the other two’s astonished faces. “That's an oversea song, is it not? My sister taught it to me. I much enjoy it as well.”

Chip turned to Jay. “So definitely more popular than you thought,” he said.

“Yeah,” Jay muttered, feeling a grin grow on her face. “A little different in some places, but yeah.”

She found herself tapping her fingers against the boat to the beat of the shanty and humming the post-verse interlude. Gill and Chip noticed as well, and their eyes trained on her, silently assigning her the role of the shantyman.

Jay tensed up upon noticing. She’s not used to performing, especially in front of an audience (could you call two people an audience?). It’s far from one of her strong suits.

But after a moment of contemplation, she eventually decided that, fuck it, it’s time to sing.

They started this ballad, they might as well finish it.

“Oh damsel, oh damsel, my heart belongs to thee.” Her voice cracked a bit on the high note, which Chip snickered at, but Jay merely shot him a dirty look and continued. “If you are troubled, so troubled, you must only call on me.”

“And though it rages, it rages, the condescending sea,” Chip joined in, his smirk slowly morphing into a genuine smile.

“For you I know my journey will succeed,” he finished, noticing Gillion’s voice join in. Chip glanced at him for a second before letting out a soft chuckle.

Jay started stomping on the boat to get the beat going. To her delight, Chip clapped rhythmically and Gillion followed both their suits. Energized, Jay hummed louder.

“And my love, I swear in the waves and whirlpools,” all three sang together, “Soon we will meet and once again become whole.”

With a laugh, Jay skipped closer to the center of the ship. She spun and gestured, mimicking the dances she had observed at Loffinlot, imagining a band accompanying her as she sang as loud as she could.

La, la la la, la la la, la la la.

Gillion was quick to join her, imitating her dance. His heavy boots threatened to break the wood they danced on, but Jay only cared for the lovely bass beat and snare they happened to offer. She grinned at him approvingly, and Gill grinned back.

Off to the side, Chip hung back, providing the main melody.

“Oh lover, oh lover, don’t you dare cry.” Jay reached out a hand to Gillion, who took it. “But laugh and laugh under the pristine blue sky.” She raised it and lead him in a spin. “And never, oh never, would I ever lie. I wish nothing more than for us to reunite!”

Gillion grabbed Jay by the waist, catching her off-guard, but as he lifted her into the air, she loosened up and cheered, feeling the song come to an end.

When she landed, Jay made a show of dusting herself off before bowing to Gillion. Gill, ever the gentleman, bowed back, and Jay giggled.

She looked over to Chip, leaning against the railing and watching with a rather deflated smile. Jay raised an eyebrow. That didn’t look right.

Absent-mindedly tapping his toes, no longer minding the beat, Chip stewed deep in his thoughts. Seeing his friends dance their hearts out was a nice scenario, don’t get him wrong, but despite the undeniable want to join in the festivities, there was a hesitance that Chip couldn’t quite get over. Maybe it’s the weird ache when he remembered voices that he’d never hear again. Maybe it’s because he didn’t want to interrupt the others’ joy. Who knew. Chip sure didn’t.

And Chip definitely didn’t know why the sight of Jay marching towards him made him panic.

“Hey,” Jay said, and Chip immediately heard the over-friendliness in her voice. “What’re you doing, moping in the corner? You said you and the Black Rose Pirates sang this all the time, right?” She leaned forward and locked eyes with Chip, who tensed up. “So, show us what you got.”

She daintily held out a hand, and with it, a challenge. “Dance with us.”

Chip’s eyes grew impossibly wide as his face flushed. “Oh, nah, nahh, that’s okay, I’m really not a dancer,” he stammered. “And you guys are already done with the song, so I really don’t-”

“Gill.” Jay smirked. “Take the beat.”

“Wha-”

“On it!” Gillion grinned with sharp teeth and began to stomp and clap again. He hummed deeply, the tune once again emanating through the ship.

“Jay,” Chip begged, taking a step back. “I don-”

“Nope, round two, coward!”

“Ja-AAAAY!”

Chip yelped as Jay grabbed his arm and dragged him to the newly appointed dance floor, guiding his kicking and screaming form into one of dance. She took one of Chip’s hands and held it up, putting her other hand on his shoulder. “Your free hand on my waist,” she reminded him, ignoring his confused sputtering. “And one, two, three, go.”

She lead the dance in a sort of wild, messy foxtrot, stretching their clasped hands in the direction they move in, side skipping energetically. Chip stumbled at first, caught off-guard, but he quickly adjusted to her same pace, glancing at the ground to make sure he was keeping up. Seeing his face relax and the corners of his mouth quirk up, Jay smiled at him encouragingly.

“Sing, shantyman, it’s your turn,” she said.

Chip’s expression turned into horror once again, gulping as he scrambled to remember the words in time for the melody.

“O-oh maiden, oh maiden, the love to I,” sang Chip.

“I adore the shimmer, the shimmer, the shine in thy eyes,” he and Jay sang together.

“It enamours, enamours, thy light to my li-IIFE, JAY!” Chip screamed as Jay gave him a spin, laughing at his surprised shriek. “Jay, don’t just spin me without warning!”

“You’re being sloppy, shantyman,” Jay teased. “Keep up with the song.”

Chip glared, but continued nonetheless, “And my love, I swear in the sun and the rain.”

Jay gave him another spin, but this time, Chip didn't miss a beat. He gave Jay a smug, triumphant look. Jay raised an eyebrow in turn, admittedly impressed.

“That someday, our hands will intertwine once again!”

“Alright, nice,” Jay complimented, grinning widely.

Chip caught a mischievous glint in her eye, and his face consequently fell.

“One more spin, pretty boy!”

Before he could protest, Jay suddenly spun Chip away with a greater force than before, and the world around him became a blur, the air swirling with the sound of Jay’s devilish voice.

“Gillion,” he heard her yell, “catch!”

And Chip is spun into the arms of Gillion, who beamed at Chip’s very red face.

“Come, Chip.” Gill took both of Chip’s hands. Chip, still trying to recover from the jarring switch of partners, only blinked down at their now clasped fingers. “It is our turn.”

“Oh my god.” Chip laughed nervously.

Stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp.

“Oh damsel, oh damsel, my heart belongs to thee,” Jay belted as Chip and Gillion figured out their dance. “If you’re troubled, oh so troubled, you must only call on me.”

The other two started to push and pull in tandem, reminiscent of a cha-cha with a bit more energy and spins thrown in every once in a while. They surprisingly guided each other with more harmony and grace than Jay expected.

“And though it rages, it rages, the condescending sea.” Gillion leapt and circled with Chip, almost lifting the latter off the ground. “Just for thou I know that my journey shall succeed!”

“Gill, calm down!” Chip chuckled, partly in amusement and partly in fear, as he started to lose his footing.

Jay looked on, not ignorant to the warm fuzzy feeling in her chest, the beat pulsing along with the adrenaline in her veins.

“And my love, I swear in the waves and whirlpools, soon we will meet and once again become whole.”

Soon she joined them, whooping as she jogged, and they welcomed her with wide smiles, one pair of hands separating to reach out. Jay took the offer to form an interconnected circle, spinning and bobbing as they shared the melody. They sang, as loud as they could, filling the air with a joyful energy.

“Oh lover, oh lover, don’t you dare cry,” Chip started.

The others joined in. “But laugh and laugh under the pristine blue sky.”

And laugh they did, the pure euphoria of indulging in fond memories emitting from them. They stumbled and laughed through mistakes, put their all into the performance, harmonising wonderfully.

Jay caught Pretzel doing somersaults in her globe and Apple circling the crew, chirping the tune with them. She’s reminded of a joking conversation about starting a band. Perhaps they had a chance after all, she thought amusedly. Gillion and the Tidestriders. Chip and the Bastards. Jay and the Dumbass Bluebirds. Whatever you wanted to call it.

Now, though, they were simply three friends, holding hands and dancing, rattling the wood of the ship without a care, singing a sea shanty that they all happened to know.

The stars slowly flooded the darkening sky and twinkled at them like they were dancing along.

To one, the fresh air, the touch of familiar calloused hands that had fought alongside her, and the spray of the ocean was a welcoming contrast to past memories of stuffy spaces and dispassionate work. To another, though the memory was a bit painful, it still brought him the same comforting feeling from years ago, sharing laughter and celebration in a tight kinship that was expected in that of crewmates, deepening the bond with experiences that were not just in battle, but in recreation. And to another still, it was a reminder of a time when he was desperate to learn the oversea culture, and that he still remained ever so curious now as he learned its differences and similarities to his world, forming relationships with its inhabitants, people who were perhaps not as cruel as the elders had suggested.

Those who share such joyous experiences with others must not be that selfish, after all.

“And never, oh never, would I ever lie. I wish nothing more than for us to re-u-nite!”

Jay grinned up at the sky as they hummed the outro melody, a gust of wind sweeping down on them and carrying their voices away, out onto the shimmering waters.

La, la la la, la la la, la la la…

A tug from Jay led the trio up in one final leap, whooping and cheering with the others as they followed. And once their feet landed simultaneously with a bang, the song ended.

As the rush receded from her mind, the pumping blood in her ears quieting down, Jay took in the sound of the waves crashing up against the ship and her heaving breaths. She looked up at the now star-filled sky, wondering when it got so dark. She allowed her hand to slip from her friends’ grasps, moving to lean on bended knee. Jay heard the other two breathing quite heavily as well, and even a plop as Chip seemed to collapse out of the corner of her eye. She followed suit, sprawling onto the wood and closing her eyes, catching her breath. Jay wasn’t extremely tired, but she needed to recuperate.

“Oh god, you kids just had to make a racket up here, didn’t ya?”

Jay breathed out a chuckle upon hearing the raspy voice. “Hi Earl.”

“We were partying, Old man Earl!” Gillion said preppily, unsurprisingly not as out of breath as the others.

“Earl, you got…” A huff from Chip. “You got orange juice? Perhaps? Please?”

“Hmph, you’re fuckin lucky I do.”

Tired cheers chimed from the pirates.

“But you have to go down to get it with dinner. Chop chop.”

“Ohh, come onnnnn,” Chip whined, joining in with the groans of Jay.

“I’ve seen you work, you’re not that tired,” Earl scoffed. “Maybe you shouldn’t have wasted all your energy on destroying the ship! And your vocal chords.”

“Hey, I don’t think we sounded that bad,” Jay said.

“Whatever, just come down and have dinner, I’m definitely not hefting everything up here.” Earl barked out a laugh and proceeded to go back down, ignoring the cries of Jay and Chip.

Soon Gillion’s face popped into Jay’s view. “Are you alright, Jay?” He glanced over. “Chip?”

“I’m coming around,” Jay assured. She stretched her arms up, making grabby hands. “Pull me up?”

Gillion complied, grabbing her arms and lifting her, though at a faster-than-preferred pace. Jay let out a yelp as she got back on her feet before stretching with a groan.

“Thanks, Gill.”

“Hey Giiiilll? Big man? Can I go next?”

Jay looked to Chip, who also had outstretched arms. Gillion walked to him and helped him up as well.

“Thanks, buddy.” Chip patted Gill on the back.

“No problem. Honestly, I did not think you would tire out so easily.”

“Well we need to gain back our energy, then,” Jay said, starting to follow Old man Earl.

“Hey, uh, Jay, um.” Chip caught her attention, and she turned back to see him with a raised hand. He moved it to scratch the back of his neck sheepishly. “That was… that was fun.”

“I agree,” Gillion said with a nod. “I was reminded of some… rather fond memories, actually. And it was a good exercise. We should do it more.”

“Yeah, yeah actually, same. I agree.” Chip looked up at Jay, his face rather tentative. “So, thanks for that, I guess.”

Jay smiled. “You’re welcome, dweeb,” she jabbed. “You’re being more affectionate than usual, but I appreciate it.”

“Hey, don’t call me a dweeb!” Chip’s expression morphed into one of offense. “I just thanked you, that’s so insensitive of you. That’s actually insensitive.”

“I let you fulfill your showman dreams, you’re the one being insensitive right now.”

“Showman- hey, I actually like the sound of that.”

“Yeah you would, you drama queen.”

“You’re calling me dramatic? Have you seen Gill?”

The sound of bickering paired with Gillion’s oblivious chimes trailed below the deck, leaving a fond memory to the glittering dark waters and the twinkling stars still dancing along.

[where-dreamers-go]

“Game On” Riley Poole x Reader

(A/N: SURPRISE! A prequel to the Riley Poole x Reader Series! It’s a surprise for me too. Welcome to Ben Gates’ circle of friends prior to going to the Arctic Circle to find The Charlotte. This can be read without having read the series that goes through the movie National Treasure. Written for @girl-next-door-writes Bingo challenge! Bingo Card: Mutual Pining Warnings: Poker game. Word Count: 2,472 words)

Strategy. Confidence. Restraint. Three words perfectly fit the poker game on Ben’s dining table. Ever since your best friend had met Ian Howe, a man who believed in the Templar treasure and had pockets of money, the group of you had played poker on weekends. Not every weekend of course. There were only so many rounds of bets you were willing to have. Even if this time you brought cookies for a snack.

Although in truth, you had been playing more for a few months and sitting through more games than otherwise willing. Why? An incredibly intelligent, funny, and handsome man who was officially a part of Ben’s circle of friends.

Riley Poole. Thank the Universe that you helped Ben with his computer, you thought as you stole a glance to your right. Didn’t think I’d be having this much fun.

Sitting in your best friends’ apartment was a greater comfort than Ian’s home. Sure, you’d known the man for more than a year, but Ben had been your friend since you were in school. Around a decade of friendship meant you knew him. You knew him well.

“Ben,” you said calmly.

“Hmm?”

“You’re bluffing again.”

Ben’s eyebrows raised a fraction before speaking. “I fold.”

In only a moment, Ian chuckled.

“You might not be the best player,” Ian told you. “But you can read Ben like a book.” His chuckling doubled as Ben made a face.

“Maybe we should return (Y/N)’s library card.” Ben suggested with a smirk.

You scrunched up your face in disapproval.

“Yeah, but they can still buy books and stay in a library to read them.” Riley piped in.

You sent Riley a smile and pushed a box of crackers closer to him.

“Alright,” Ian spoke up. “Can either of you beat a Four of a Kind? Riley?”

Biting into a cracker, Riley shook his head and laid his cards down. “I fold.”

“(Y/N)?”

“No,” you grumbled. “I fold.” Reluctantly, you set your cards down.

He’s gonna start prancing his way out by the time we’re done.

Shoulders back and a smug grin on his face, Ian revealed his cards. A three, a nine, a queen, and a king.

“What?” Riley exclaimed.

You dropped your forehead to the table.

Not again.

“They’re not even the same suit. You lied.”

“I win again.” Ian stated as the poker chips could be heard being pulled to his side of the table.

“Next time we’re playing Mario Party,” you groaned as you picked your head up off of the table.

“I am not playing that.”

“Afraid you’ll lose?” You countered.

“No. I simply don’t want to play.”

You made a short sound of acknowledgement in your throat.

“You have a Nintendo 64?” Riley asked as everyone tossed their cards to the middle so that Ben could take his turn to shuffle and deal.

“Yeah.”

“I didn’t know you had one. Why didn’t you say anything?”

“You never asked.”

“How was I suppose to know to ask if you had one?”

“Conversation?”

“Save the bickering for the game, shall we?” Ian interrupted without glancing up.

You gave the man a pointed look.

It was times like those that you weren’t entirely sure if he was playing along or actually annoyed. There were times when you honestly could not tell.

Worse case scenario, he’s always annoyed with me and Riley talking. He’s usually not this way when it’s just me and Ben.

Having finished shuffling the deck, Ben dealt the cards out to each of you.

“As a head’s up, this is my last game.” You said after checking the time.

“You’re not working overtime again, are you?” Ben asked.

“No.”

“(Y/N)…”

“I have to double check an e-mail and double check a few things. Respond to a few more e-mails. Stuff.”

“That’s working.” Riley said.

“I know. I know.”

“At least you’re making sure everything is done properly. Some times that’s hard to find in some people.” Ian added.

“Thank you.” You reached for a cookie and—

Crunch

You peered over to your right and saw Riley’s eyebrows knitted together as he ate another cracker. His eyes were trained just above his cards.

That was a little louder than normal, you thought as you ate the cookie. Mentally shrugging, you checked out your cards. Oh, okay. Not bad so far. Hmm.

“Any chance next time we could play Twenty-One?” You asked.

“Blackjack?” Riley nabbed a cookie.

“Yeah. Though if Ben says ‘no’ he indirectly admits his many defeats.”

“Hey. That’s a game of chance.” Ben pointed a finger at you.

“And strategy.” You added.

“It is older than Poker.” Ian said as he waited for Ben to add more cards to the table.

Ben eyed his own cards. “You know,” he started. “Playing cards were actually invented before 1000AD by the Chinese. The cards didn’t have numbers…”

Turning your head to the right, you caught Riley’s eyes. You gave each other knowing looks as Ben continued giving facts. That could mean two things: Ben was confident or he had a pretty good hand of cards. If Ian had picked up on that through the many games, neither you nor Riley knew. However, you were willing to play more logically to win.

Game on, Ben.

Riley slid the box of crackers closer to you. The box was moved just enough that when you leaned back, Riley subtly tilted his cards.

You had a better cards. You took two crackers and gave one to Riley. He returned his sights back to the center of the table with a nod.

Now to figure out Ian and Ben. Can’t always let one of them win.

“Riley.” Ben said.

“Hm? What?”

“Your turn.”

“Oh, right.”

You reached for more crackers to munch on as the four of you continued playing. Looking up for only a second, you saw Ben smiling and his smile only widened when he caught your eye. You raised an eyebrow in question. He glanced over to Riley then back at you. Acting on immediate reaction, you tossed a cracker at your best friend’s chest. Unfortunately he didn’t drop any of his cards so that you could see them.

Stop it, you thought. Too bad we don’t have telepathy. Then again, that could backfire with comments, but we could team up during poker. Also would save money on the phone bill. Hmph.

With more cards in your hands, your chances of winning were dwindling. It was not a big deal. But you really wanted to win.

Darn it.

“(Y/N), I hope you’re better at bluffing than giving instructions over e-mail.” Riley said, catching you off guard.

“Wha—Hey.” You pulled your cards closer to yourself. “It’s not my fault they don’t know what the icons mean.”

“You should have explained that first.”

“I’m not Internet one oh one.”

Ian rolled his eyes. “Can we get back to the game?”

Hiding your smile as you ducked your head, you muttered, “We already went over this.”

“Bluff.” Riley murmured.

Ben cleared his throat and said, “Your turn, Riley.”

That e-mail was likely not going to be easily forgotten. Then again, it did remind you that a specific e-mail, from the same co-worker, had finally been sent to you earlier in the day.

Could have had it done last week.

A couple of days ago, you had given Riley a personal museum tour and treated him to lunch in exchange for helping you type up an e-mail explaining how to send a document as an attachment to a co-worker. It wasn’t that you didn’t know how to send the e-mail. It was that you didn’t know how to explain it for the third time. Or rather how to explain it in a way that the co-worker would understand the instructions given.

The game went on for another ten minutes until Ian and Riley were at a showdown. Ben and yourself had folded, knowing you were both beaten.

“Alright, show your hand.” Ian said confidently.

Both men turned their cards face up. A Three of a Kind versus a Flush. Riley won the game.

“Aaaay!” You patted Riley’s arm repeatedly for more than a moment.

Riley shuffled a bit in his seat before sitting a little taller.

“Good game.” Ian pushed his cards away.

“Good job, Riley.” Ben congratulated his friend.

Pulling the chips to his side, Riley grinned. Victory was sweet at times.

“Hey, sorry to cut this short, but I have to get going.” You stood from your seat and grabbed your plastic container of cookies to seal them.

Can snack on the cookies later, you thought as you smoothly placed one in front of Riley. He won. Prize given.

You pushed in your chair.

“I-uh better go too,” Riley said. “I don’t know how traffic is going to be. It’s dark.”

“Okay, Riley,” Ben replied. “Don’t forget your jacket.”

“Thanks.”

You walked passed Ian, saying, “Any chance you can teach Ben to bluff?”

“Not something you can teach.” Ian answered as he gathered up the cards.

“I don’t need to bluff to win.” Ben added in as he lead you and Riley to the door. Always the nice host.

“Bye Ian,” you waved.

“I’ll see you two later.” Riley said.

“Drive safely.” Ben patted his friend on the shoulder.

“Don’t stay up too late, Ben,” you teased as you walked out the door.

“Bye, (Y/N).” He laughed. Behind you, Ben had shut the door as Riley followed you out.

Two steps away from the door and Riley walked up beside you.

“I can’t believe how many times Ian bluffed.” Riley said. “He must have taken almost half of the chips.”

“I’d say I’m surprised, but I’m not.”

He nodded. Many thoughts running through his head no doubt.

“You didn’t do so bad today,” you added.

“I could have been better. I just can’t tell when Ian’s lying or confident or confident in his lying.”

“There’s little difference.” You murmured as you two reached your apartment’s door. Stopping for a moment, you considered your next words.

Eh. Do it.

“Remember that e-mail you helped me with?”

“Yeah.”

“Would you like to see what they e-mailed me back?”

“How bad is it?” His shoulders slumped.

“What makes you think it’s bad?”

“Because you’re asking if I want to see it and you’re already laughing.”

Oh, I guess I am. You thought as your grin widened.

“You’re right. It’s pretty bad. In a really weird way.”

“Great,” he said sarcastically. A small smile edged its way onto his face. “Let me see it.”

Turning, you quickly grabbed your key and unlocked the front door. Once you pushed it open, you let Riley inside.

“Just give me a second to grab my computer.” You said.

Front door shut and cookies placed on a flat surface, you fast-walked to another room to grab your laptop.

It was not the first time Riley had been in your apartment. It was not even the only time he had been in your home without Ben present. As it turned out, you had made friends with Riley almost as fast as Ben did. There was something that just clicked. Similar interests, shared knowledge, and good old companionship that was refreshing.

Walking out of your room, you spotted Riley sitting on your couch with his glasses on. Your laptop was already up and loading your e-mails.

“Ready?” You asked.

“They didn’t put any attachments, did they?” Riley watched as you placed the computer on the coffee table.

“You’ll have to see.” You sat beside him.

A couple of clicks and you had opened the message from your inbox.

“Hey. There’s actual attachments,” Riley observed as he scrolled to the bottom of the e-mail. “Uh. Um. Were they only suppose to send you the documents?”

“Yeah.” You nodded and bit back a grin. “Click on that one.”

He clicked on the one that had caught his eye.

A large picture of a large cat lounging on an armchair filled up a part of the screen.

“Holy Lord.” Riley looked to you. “Please tell me not all of these are cats.”

“Just two cats.”

Riley groaned.

“I got the other ones they needed to send. Thankfully. I’ve been needing these possible layouts for the next exhibition for a week now.”

“We’re going to have to teach them how to remove an attachment before sending an e-mail now.”

It was your time to groan.

“You don’t want them sending Lord knows what else next time, do you?”

“No.” You sighed. “But…that means I have to mention the cats.”

The moment Riley made eye contact with you, you both started bursted out laughing.

Out of all things to send you, they sent you pictures of cats. Perhaps you should be thankful it was not anything else. Who knew at that point? The question at hand was how to word your next e-mail? It was suppose to be a follow-up message about which layout of the museum space was better not another how-to.

“I’m getting paid to say, ‘delete your cat photos…from the e-mail’.” You wheezed. Trying to breath between laughing and speaking was challenging.

“Maybe….maybe send two e-mails?” Riley’s grin was still present. “One for work and one for clicking the small ‘x’.”

“Yeah, but at this point you should be charging them for tech support.”

“Put that in your next e-mail.”

You bumped his arm with your own.

“Just saying.”

“If they ask for more help I’ll let them know. How’s that?”

“I’ll get the documents ready.”

You covered your mouth as loud laugh escaped you.

Oh goodness. I hope he’ll do it anyway.

Smile only partially fading, Riley gestured to the laptop. “Let me know if their lack of technology skills makes your instruction skills disappear again. But not on your day off.” He removed his glasses and stood up.

You followed suit and walked him to the door.

“You really shouldn’t put in more hours than they’re paying you.”

“I want the new exhibition to be perfect.” You added as you leaned against the opened door. “But you’re right.”

“Can’t work for nothing. Especially when you’re suddenly working free tech support.” He stood out in the hallway.

“Hey,” you said. “Thanks for hanging out today. It was really fun.”

A smile returned to his lips. “I had fun too.”

“Drive safely, alright?”

“I will. See you later.”

“See yah, Riley.” You waved before finally shutting the door. With a lopsided grin, you locked the door and skipped over towards the cookies. Perhaps your winnings will be more than chips won in a poker game some day. Maybe something a little more meaningful.

~~~

(If you love my writings and want to support me, I have a Ko-Fi where you can buy me a coffee. I would be eternally grateful.

Best wishes and happy reading.)

~~~~~

DreamerDragon Tags: @cubedtriangle

Riley Poole Tags: @darkenwolfy @wesleeporstudy @yearning-warmth

Riley Poole series Tags (Would you like to be added to Riley Poole Tags?): @imacuteprincess @gingerlaserbeam @sledgy14 @thecaptainsgingersnap 

**Let me know if you would like to be tagged in insert readers, either through replies, ask, or message.**

[sullustangin]

Fictober Prompt 9: "There Is No Right Side to This.”

Fandom: SWTOR

Time: Before Chapter 2 of the Smuggler Story

A/N:  I totally took a left turn on this prompt; it was probably meant to be much deeper and serious than I made it.

Also, I just realized I never clarified as to how Eva’s name is pronounced.  It’s not Eve-uh.  It’s Ay-va. 

**

“Then take the right side of the mechanism, and slot the condenser into Part A –”

“There’s no right side to this.”

“…My god, your public education system failed you.”

“Oh, come off it, Risha.” Corso finally snapped, and he put down the tool he was working with before he threw it.

“Either you two stop bickering or go somewhere else to start screwing, because we are going to get busted if you don’t shut up,” Eva hissed.  She leaned around the landing gear of the ship.  She’d drawn the long straw and didn’t have to mess around with the engine they were trying to strip.  Instead, she was on lookout.

“But Aaaay-vaaa she’s bein’ awful for no reason,” whined Corso.

“But Aaaay-vaaa he’s being dense for no reason.  There’s a right side to every object,” Risha mocked Corso.

Eva huffed and then jumped upward into the engine compartment.  She managed to hoist herself up enough to prop her chin on the floor of the engine compartment and try to look at her idiots. “Guys, seriously. Shut the kriff up, the Port Authority patrol is overdue.  Keep a lid on it for 10 karking minutes.”

Eva let herself drop back down and headed back to the lookout point, her earpiece picking up their conversation.   “He needs to learn his left from his right,” Risha hissed.

“Ok, woman.”  Eva heard Corso pick up the device.  “You look at this.  You’re telling me to slot this right here into that right there? Go right on ahead, show me.”

As Eva noticed a light come dancing through the parked ships, the silence was deafening in the engine compartment.  

Then.

“Fuck, who the hell built this thing?”

“You see?  I ain’t dumb – machine was done built by idiot.”

“Doesn’t change the fact we have to get this thing out of here.”

The guard’s electro-lamp came to a stop within a few yards of Eva.  “Hey, who’s there?”

Eva winced.  Out of time.  Well, here went nothing.  “Me, I’m here.”  She sheepishly came out of the shadows hands raised.  “I got stood up.”

She was blinded for a moment as the electro-lamp was held out toward her face.  She shut her eyes, arms bending slightly at the elbow to give her some shade to peer out and see who was beyond the light.  The guard pulled the lamp away just enough to let her see him. “What are you doing here at this time of night?”

“It’s really a question of who I’m not doing.”  Eva kept her distance from him as she walked away from the ship, taking his attention with her.  “Y’see, I met this spacer, at the cantina –”

“I need to see some identification,” he cut her off.

“I need to see some identification,” she insisted.  “How do I know you’re not some guy with a light lurking around the parking lot for cheap thrills?”  Eva started to back away from the ship Risha and Corso were working on.

With an exasperated sigh, the guard turned his lantern onto himself.  He was very clearly in uniform, with the standard issue blaster in his other hand.  “Lady, if you’re hooking, you’re in trouble.  If you’re trying to rob these ships, you’re in trouble.  Unless you can prove this ship is yours, you’re in trouble. Now give me some ID, or I will have to take you in.”

Eva let a hand go to the back of her neck.  “Listen, I’m waiting for a guy who’s been delayed, apparently.  Can you give me a little more time, and he can come and clear things up?”  Her feet kept moving, slowly away from the officer.  

“Halt,” he said firmly. Eva stopped moving.  She kept her eyes on him, but out of the edges of her vision, through the dark, she caught sight of two figures moving away from the ship.

Now it was just a matter of extricating herself.  

“Hey, not trying to cause trouble –”

“You’re not in trouble. Not yet.  Just identify yourself, and unless you have legitimate business here, I have to –”

Suddenly, the electro-lantern hit the ground, and the guard followed closely thereafter, as if a ton of duracrete had been dropped on him.

Eva followed the lamp as it rolled slightly toward the massive form that had thorough boxed the ears of her well-meaning nuisance.  “About time you showed up.”

“You have no idea how rude people can be toward Wookiees, Little Girl.  I even had our food order number, and they took forever to give it to me.” Bowdaar hoisted the takeout bag to Eva’s eye level.  “Are Risha and Corso done?”

“I think they are now. Spent half the night bitching at each other.”  Eva knelt down and checked the guard’s pulse.

“He’s alive. I was careful.”

“He hit the ground pretty hard.  Are the drinks still cold?”  

“No thanks to the restaurant.”

“So we won’t eat there anymore.”

[kirby-the-gorb]

reply roundup!

this week’s highlights:

patreon drawings are up! [heraldinthedark], [lukeperiodsun] and [fleurdelis] :>

new patreon favorites post [here]!

sticker club design for this month has been successfully made [real]!

I’m just really happy with how this [hades] drawing turned out!

there’s a few silly bonus images under the cut too :v

on the last [roundup]:

@littlemousejelly​​ said: oh this is such a cute roundup!!! 😭💕 i'm glad you enjoyed my tags! thank you for the incredible kirby art coming across your blog was a GIFT

aw thank you so much! I love doing these cuz I get to share some of the tags that make me happy with everyone else, and save them so they’re easy for me to reread :>

on [arms]:

@littlemousejelly​​ said: PICK HIM UP!!!!! he'm asking for hug! giv!!

@bubblesthesanddragon​ said: *picks them up and hugs*

@zer0cracy​​ said: ...spirit bomb.

(balognajoan on twitter also replied with an image of frieza charging a spirit bomb so I already had this one ready XD )

@gingersducksandbubbles​​ said: yay! poyo! aaaay! 🤷🏼‍♀️ like that emoji but more cheerful like

@inexplicably-spookified​​ said: put ur nubs in the air wave 'em like you just don't care

on [spider]:

@littlemousejelly​​ said: BEST FRIENDS! JUST TWO ORBS CHILLIN' IN A HOUSE HUGGING A LOT CUZ THEY'RE BOTH GAY! GORB AND SPIDORB 🥺

you know what, that’s a great point! turns out the spider’s gay too! (I had to show this one to my partner)

on [puddle]:

@littlemousejelly​​ said: OH NO SAD KORBO it'll be okay!!! i pat pat your liddol gumdrop blob self. also op i really hope the ring thing works out soon!

@dragonsandmollusks​ said: 1. this image is a mood, and 2. I hope you get the ring situation figured out. sucks to hear that happened

thank you both ;u; I’ve got a fidget ring coming in the mail just so I can have something in the meantime, and my partner had been asking about proposing to me a second time a lot lately anyway so she’s pretty content to just get me a new ring soon and maybe we can remake the old one once she’s a rich doctor.

on [hades]:

@ferdinandv0naegir​​ said: oh my goodness, blood and poyo

hehe :3

on [sip]:

@und3rta13tra5h​​ said: So glad you’re doing better! ❤️

thank you! <3 (I keep overdoing it and giving myself headaches and stuff still, but I’ll figure it out eventually and I’m a lot less limited than I was even still -u- )

@orion-flux​​ said: he looks very happy with his juicy I too wish to be that happy

perhaps if you too obtain a juice you may experience such joy :)

on [knife]:

@kaaabbiiii​​ said: knives are for cutting cake!

that’s why kirby seems to have so many! it’s cuz he eats so much cake and doesn’t want to do dishes every day :)

on [mcdonalds]:

@gingersducksandbubbles​ said: yea this is a mood kirby, been a looooong time but agreed. or a chick fil a and still ordering the same thing you always get. like your hair may be a lil messy and your clothes a lil rumpled from the nap but youre half awake and hungry and dont care and lowkey might fight anyone that looks at you too long. too aggressive? eh oh well still a mood Kirby. also how DARE tumblr to pull a character limit in the tags like twitter used to and then making me retype this. its like when Tumblr had reblog limits way back but now its worse

oh absolutely there is a fight-or-flight instinct associated with being removed from the safety of the car and placed under the harsh fluorescent light of the fast food restaurant. but no one in the restaurant actually cares because 95% of them are doing the exact same thing as you and the other 5% see it all day every day anyway because that’s the nature of a freeway rest stop town but you still somehow feel a little bit like someone’s going to challenge you for being there in such disarray. You Get It.

from the ask box:

anonymous said: Kirby characters are so satisfying to draw. And cats. Those too.

I haven’t figured out cats yet, but they seem like they’d be a lot of fun once you got the hang of them with all those smooth curves. I can say for sure I agree about the kirby characters being satisfying though :>

[taffysannotatedsonichu]

Sonichu 11 Page 78

BANANASAUROS: Pbrrr…

BANANASAUROS {thought}: Aaaay, Punchy. It’s all cool, brah. I was dumped by a few women in my past life. (Granted, it was my fault for playing the field badly) Let’s go play some Call of Duty, dude.

PUNCHY: …Yeah. Give me lots of time to recover, then ask me again, banana-hopper.

CHRIS: I sincerely apologize, but time is short for this episode, with two pages left, so I’m summarizing the remainder.

CHRIS {narration}: So, after Layla leaves, she takes a cab to her temprary care-giving trainer, (like how volunteers temp care for cats and dogs, or like a volunteer big sibling) William Falkner. He lets her stay at his house, then the next day…

Caption: December 23, 3:30 PM, at an M.C.D…

CHRIS {narration}: Layla finds Reginald, recognizes him, and asks to share the table while she eats and searches the web for a job and a place to rent on her phone.

LAYLA: How have you been since the class?

REGINALD: Eh… I could be better right now.

Caption: December 27, 7:30 PM, Layla’s apartment… 

CHRIS {narration}: Reginald had not found a new place yet, so Layla invites him to bunk with her. A few days later, she finds a good place to rent, and a job at the electric company as a secretary in power management. Reginald moves in with her.

REGINALD: I’ll take the couch; you have the bed.

LAYLA: Nonsense, cutie. Come to bed with me.

Chris buts in to announce that the episode is almost over (I don’t know why he feels the need to wrap this up; it’s not like he had a strict time limit or anything. I guess he was just bored of this episode).

Seeing as Ivy is still dead, Layla is without a friend in the world, so she’s briefly taken under the wing of a “[temporary] care-giving trainer”. Her temp trainer shares his name with mid-Twentieth Century American novelist William Faulkner (whose birth name was in fact Falkner without the U), famous for The Sound and the Fury (1929) and As I Lay Dying (1930). Though Faulkner is from and strongly associated with his home state of Mississippi, he was briefly the writer-in-residence at the University of Virginia, where Chris was known to stalk girls at in his youth, so it’s possible Chris became familiar with his work through his time spent there (or it’s possible that he was assigned one of his books during his schooling, but given how well he did on most of his English assignments I doubt he would remember it). It’s also not impossible that this character is named for this Falkner, the Flying-Type gym leader from Johto, seeing that he and the Flaaffy Pokemon debuted in the same games.

After leaving Falkner’s care, she reunites with her old community college buddy Reginald Sneasel, and they meet for food at McDonald’s, possibly the same McDonald’s where Punchy and Layla had their first date. After getting a place of her own and getting a real job (apparently she wasn’t already working, like an unmarried and childless housewife), she invites Reginald not only into her house but into her bed, cementing their new relationship.

[chimeras-and-company]

For the character thing: Byakuya Togami!

Aaaay, thank you very much Anon! I’ve been wanting to ramble about him since Void’s question. 

~~~~~

Favourite thing about them:Where to start? He’s my DR1 fav for a reason; he holds a lot more genuine spine than what you expect from the ‘prissy uptown boy who talks hot shit’ we see in media (especially Western fiction.) He’s shown (especially in DR:AE and DR3 Future) that he is fully capable of fighting and commandment. He’s much more world-weary and strategic than people give him credit for; where while he will not jump into every single fight (like how he was waiting for the ample time to win the Killing Game, before chapter 4) there’s also this manner of genuine courage and power to him when he does attack. He knows it’s all about timing the blows, and the few times in canon it implies those blows hit hard. I find that a lot more interesting than other characters who talk all that only to just baulk and cower if someone had it with them. TL;DR: Byakuya really is a Lavaheart, with actual weight and security of his skills.

Least favourite thing about them: He’s a dramatic egotistical prick who won’t care who he’s talking to in the flesh, let’s be honest here. Thankfully character development has him learn to tune it down as he matures; but that dramatic prickly gene is still there.

Favourite line: “It seems… I must fight alongside you all for a little while longer.”

BrOTP: I said the Mystery Trio already with Makoto SO… I really like Byakuya&Sayaka friendship too. I feel like the two have similar ambitions and worldviews; and maybe can help each other with the similar childhoods they have. It has this sense of gossiping duo going on here that do have a layer of appreciation only the two alone know.

OTP: Togafuka. Longest yeah boi ever. After character development from chapter 2 the two can really learn to improve themselves with the help of one another (canonically even! Who was the one who gave Touko the stun gun in DR:AE again?) As well as both of them learning how to trust and how to heal from such shadowed childhoods, to the point where it can just blossom into romance. Platonic appreciation works too! 

NOTP: Already mentioned Makoto. So another one is ByakuyaxJunko (I have no idea if people even ship that. Sure hope not.) They’re enemies. He wanted to murder her, she wanted to break him into insanity or death through despair, all this through DR1. Makoto couldn’t even finish the word ‘mastermind’ around him before he sees red. Although, I really do enjoy ‘hate-shipping’ them as the blood-soaked enemies to begin with anyway.

Random headcanon: He may be a prick while awake but he’s also the blessed sleeper ever. When falling asleep, his body simply curls up and would even hug or spoon something subconsciously. It can give his significant other an image of a sleeping cat. No snoring, no sudden movements, no pushes; and is even warm to the touch. He is completely unaware of any of this when awake.

Unpopular opinion: My unpopular opinion with the Imposter holds here, and I expand that by basically saying that I despise his tag on Tumblr. Enough with the ‘lol long legs!’ jokes, and definitely enough of the ‘money!!’ jokes. He doesn’t give two shits about money. Along with that, the use of sparkly glittery gold or money in any aesthetic/moodboard/whatever posts is getting really tiresome. Get creative! Use tarnished industrial metal (yes, industrial gold is a thing. It’s in your phone or laptop right now,) whatever! Just quit following after the very tip of the iceberg of his character that’s so rampant in the fandom.

Song I associate with them: Bite to Break Skin by Senses Fail (Legion of Doom remix) 

Favourite picture of them: 

(Commission art drawn by @voidsvessel for an AU blog of mine! I really miss that blog, I should get back to it.)

~~~~~

[thelostmoongazer]

NEW BABIES AAAAY WEll... technically old babies but given new life in the soi story :D

they used to be from another story that i had made almost 2 years ago that you can find here (if you read the links boi and read under the cut you can compare how similar the backstories are lmao)

READ THEIR BACKSTORY UNDER THE CUT VVV

Well... way down south, a group of people figured out an incantation for creating toons that resulted in a high success rate of summoning higher ranking angels (thrones, cherubims, and seraphims) and decided to dedicate their already established business in mass producing angel toons foranyone willing to pay (a “toon mill” if you will) to focusing solely on mass producing higher ranking angels. 

Rune Galen, being a close family member of the mind behind this establishment, was, in a way, guilted into helping with this production as the only facility medic to treat any sort of the injuries the products might get during their time at the mill. Basically maintaining the merchandise. Keeping them nice and pretty for paying customers.

well, Jane, a uh.. substandard seraph (well at the time she was called 415), got particularly banged up during her time at the mill because she was extremely too curious for her own good. Strayed too far from the herd far too often which resulted in harsh punishment, getting to close to an administrator and getting clocked in the face, even getting her wings grabbed way too hard when trying to fly off to follow something she saw. This resulted in a lot of time spent with Rune, which also resulted in 415 getting very attached to the only person that’s ever showed her some sort of kindness. Rune would always complain about how the administrators were way too rough with the angels and put far too much work on her when it could have been controlled, had they “checked their goddamn temper”. Unfortunately, every time she'd have a complaint there'd be a new patient in her ward that same day, just to spite her.

It was the day the Rune had just about enough when 415 was caught outside boundaries trying to socialize with a passerby. Needless to say, this inexcusable act had to be "punished accordingly" Her left arm was bludgeoned beyond repair and had to be amputated by Rune, herself.

Only a few days after that go by when the toon mill gets busted by police. Rune, grabbing as much of the mills funds as she can, makes a run for it to the closest set of train tracks before getting caught. Luckily for 415, Rune had told her multiple time that if anything ever happened to "this place" to run to the train tracks and thats where she followed to find rune waiting for the next freight train to hop

they then settled of setting course for Manhattan to find a better life in the city on their run from the authorities. This led them to the @the-bakersdozen where they now live with Rune finding work in The Dozens bakery ! :)

[whirlybirbs]

"You stopped breathing." + Prowl??

“Yeah, well, I didn’t wanna go either, Prowl --”

“You’re clinging --”

“Yeah, I’m nervous.”

“Why?”

“Because I graduated here -- okay? I’m about to see all my --”

“Oh my goodness! It can’t be!”

Prowl has never, in all the days he’s spent by your side, seen you 180 out of mood so quickly. The SIC blinks, holoform watching carefully as an older woman sweeps you into a tight hug and sways you back and forth. 

The high-school gymnasium is already filling up -- tonight’s presentation of The Music Man has Otis pegged as one of the barbershop quartet and Charlie as a lead. Prowl sees Memo by the ticket booth and shares a curt nod with him before his attention is called.

“And who’s this?”

“Oh! Uh, Prowl, this is Mrs. L. She was my English teacher,” you say, eyes wide with a pleading look that says save me, “Mrs. L, Prowl works down at the station.”

“A police officer! God, I never thought I’d see the day,” she leans, chirping in Prowl’s direction, “Got your hands full with this one. Most Likely to Rob a Bank was her yearbook elective.”

“Okaaaay, well, on that note -- show’s going to start soon,” you blink down at a watch that isn’t there, “We gotta get going, Mrs. L!”

“It was lovely meeting you!” Prowl offers as he’s escorted away, smirk apparent on his stupid, smug face.

Prowl ducks a snort into the program pamphlet he’s handed as you drag him away, b-lining for Memo by the popcorn and ticket sales. Sally and Ron are there, and so are the rest of the Autobots -- each of them making good use of their holoavatars. 

“Most Likely to Rob a Bank, huh? You stopped breathing the second she mentioned that. You were a pain-in-the-aft back in high school, too?” Prowl croons, hands on your shoulders as you weave through the lobby.

“Can it, or I’ll strip you for parts.”

“Hi you two!”

You do it again, swallowing the disdain for being here for the sake of greeting Sally and Ron with hugs and kisses on the cheeks. Prowl gives Ron a sturdy hand-shake and lets Sally peck his cheek. The entire time, he’s got a hand glued to the small of your back. It’s nice -- domestic in this stupid way that makes your heart swim. 

“This is extremely entertaining,” Prowl says once you’re seated in the school’s theater, “You’re so uncomfortable.”

“Ha, ha,” you chirp, letting him sweep your hand into his, “I’m sure if I pressed Jazz, he’d tell me plenty of stories about you back in the academy, wouldn’t you, Jazz?”

Prowl stiffens. Behind him, his SIC in question claps a hand on his shoulder.

“Oh, you know it, sweetheart.”

“You say a word,” Prowl threatens, “I’ll strip you for parts.”

“Now who’s sitting in the hot seat?”

Oh, you are just... the best. 

[trifoliate-undergrowth]

Episode 6.2: Gloves

In which we have a short meeting to level up and get ourselves off of Alderaan. 

As we’re leveling our characters up, we roll to see how much hp we gain, and Grif rolls a 1. 

M: Grif is such a glass cannon. 

DM: Yeah, he’s really just glass. I’m going to go ahead and give you some points anyway so you don’t die instantly. And now... loot. 

Me: Loot? 

M: Loot? 

H: Loot? 

The Party: Loot? Loot?? 

Me: we sound the seagulls in Finding Nemo. 

We each gain 2000 credits, Grif and Taveau get grapple guns, and Grif snitches a paper with some commlink broadcast codes on it from the Blademaster’s body. Taveau gets a very nice, very stabby, +5 vibroblade from the Scout and some average combat gloves from one of the grunts. (Jang has claimed the gloves from the Scout and Blademaster). They’re not particularly flashy, but I wanted them for the aesthetic if nothing else. 

Grif also takes the armor from the Scout, who’s about his size and has good armor. He’s planning on repainting it and keeping it in his room on the ship “so he has something to aspire to.” Mij may have been a little too encouraging of Grif’s interest in Mandalorian culture, and he’s decided to... OH. I JUST HAD A HORRIFYING REALIZATION. GRIF HAS BECOME A MANDO WEEB. He’s become obsessed with learning more about the culture and absorbing it.  He’s... incredibly sincere, and he’s Grif, so it doesn’t really make Taveau uncomfortable, but he’s a little ??? ???

(More on this, later!) 

As we’re searching the bodies, one of the Wookiees rushes in and snarls that the prisoners have died--one of internal bleeding, and the Blademaster apparently popped a poison pill real quick as soon as he came to. 

Grif: Well, shoot! So much for giving them that message! 

Taveau: What? 

Grif: You know, when I told him to go back and tell the others that we fight with honor? 

Taveau (didn’t know until now actually bc he was unconscious but whatever):  Oh, you were serious about that? 

Grif: I mean, yeah... I was really in the moment, might not have been the best thing to say. I’ll do better next time! 

Mij was in deep conversation with Baron Welkonna when he hears the news. He looks up. 

Mij: Ah, shab... that figures. Well, if you’ve got everything you can from them, we’ve no use for these boys. (He looks towards Midkrarr) You can dispose of them however you like--but, hey, real quick. Can you give me the gloves from the Blademaster and Scout? My friend’s a collector. 

Grif: Hm. I have a couple questions about your friend. Were you part of the whole deal when he arrived on Hypori?

Mij: Hypori? Hypori..

Grif: Should’ve been like a week ago.

Mij: Honestly I don’t know, I don’t know what Jang gets up to in his free time. 

Grif relates a brief version of our Hypori encounter with Jang. 

Mij: Huh, sounds like him. I guess you’ll have to ask him when you meet him, if you meet him; not sure if he’s sticking around long enough to chat. 

Grif: He’s here? 

Mij: Oh yeah, he’s my pilot. 

Grif: Oh, I see! Where’s he running off to? Got republic business, or...?

Mij: *chuckles* Oh, now now. As I said, I don’t ask what Jang gets up to when I’m not around.

Medrull gives Mij the gloves. No hands inside, thankfully. Mij appraises them for a moment. 

Mij: That’ll do. *Turns to Grif* Alright, we’ve got real business to discuss. I’ve been talking to your father, and I think the only way this is going to work is if you’re dead.

Grif: Right. I’ll have to get rid of my IDs... 

Rralwarr: You might want to get out of your robes. 

Grif: Good idea. Dad, is it possible to get a change of clothes perhaps?

Medrull, who is ahead of the game, comes in from another room and hands Grif a fairly nondescript set of grey coveralls, rather loose and baggy, with lots of pockets. Grif likes pockets. 

Rralwarr: Well, you didn’t like being in noble robes anyway. 

Grif: You didn’t like me being in robes! I was fine with it! 

Welkonna: Son, it pains me to do this, but I’ll have to announce your death. We’ll have a private funeral, no viewing of the casket. We’ll get your ship to a safe location and you can sneak offworld. I have some friends in Alderaanian air control who won’t ask too many questions... This may be the last time I see you, for a while, maybe ever. 

Grif: Dad don’t say that! I’m sure I’ll come home sometimes. Although, I might be using another name. And I might have to change my appearance. And you might not be able to acknowledge that it’s me. ...I’ll at least give you a code word, if I ever need to come home, you’ll know it’s me. 

Welkonna: Alright, that’s better than nothing. What’s the word? 

(H: don’t do it 

Me: fluffy? 

H: NOOO) 

Grif: Um... gonna harvest some grain! Coming home to harvest some grain, that works. 

Welkonna: Alright. I’ll remember. ...I wish I had some wise words, or a parting gift, or something to give you, son, but I’ll be honest: I’m tired, I’m old, I've seen too much now, more than I hoped to see, more than I ever wanted you to see. But the Force moves in ways we don’t understand, and perhaps eventually this will all work out. But for now... For now I need a rest. 

Grif: Well, If I don’t see you dad, may the Force be with you. 

They hug. Then, Baron Welkonna turns to Rralwarr. 

Welkonna: Whatever you owed to me through your family’s debt has been more than repaid. Nonetheless I ask that you take as good care of my son as you can. 

He shakes his hand, a little awkward about it. Rralwarr roars in approval. 

Then Baron Welkonna looks at Taveau. He just nods and says “thank you.” He’s barely keeping it together. 

Taveau returns the nod. “Thank you.” 

The other bodyguards gather around Rralwarr. One tells him to go out and find himself a nice lady Wookiee. Another one slaps Taveau on the back, nearly knocking him over. They seem to like Taveau. He’s touched. Then they move in on Grif for hugs. Grif appreciates it, though he is Very Squeezed. 

Grif: Well, better go guys! 

Mij: Alright. Let’s head out. *He glances over the assembled party* It’s good to know there are still honorable people even among the aruetiise. Stay alive. 

He salutes Baron Welkonna and heads out. We follow him. It’s nighttime, and the country sky, free of light pollution, is filled with stars. 

Mij’s freighter looks like a fairly standard Corellian YT-series ship, however Taveau just hearing the engine hum can tell it’s a bit deeper and more powerful than standard, and Rralwarr notices a couple proton torpedoes that are definitely not standard. You can see the smoke trailing up from the wreckage of the Death Watch ship in the distance about a mile away. 

As we head up into the ship, Mij goes to the cockpit and prepares to take off. Mij gets distracted by a familiar figure. He’s not wearing clone trooper armor this time, although his face, which is visible as his helmet is set beside him, is a clone’s face. He’s now wearing blue Mandalorian armor. 

Grif: Jang! 

Jang: ....? ....Aaaay! I know you. Hypori, right? Fun times, good to see you’re still alive. 

He looks a little surprised to see that someone knows his name. 

Grif: Yeah! We, uh, decided to join up!

Jang: *sighs, leans back towards the cockpit* Mij! You’re starting to act like my dad!

Mij: Shut up! Don’t forget I outrank you!

Jang: Not anymore, you’re a civilian for this mission, remember?

Mij: Osik!

Grif, concerned: So you gotta take up a new identity when you want to visit a planet, or what? 

Jang makes a dismissive gesture. 

Jang: Nah we’ll get you sorted, I’m one of the best slicers in the galaxy. Fake IDs are easy. You... Hmmm. *he gives Grif an appraising look.* You could be... a Koati accountant with a taste for Rodians.

Rralwarr: what’s that supposed to mean

Grif: I mean?? I’m?? Open to that I guess?

Jang then looks at Taveau, takes stock of the armor, and greets him in Mando’a. He comments that the armor is looking a bit beat up. Taveau just goes “yep.” 

Jang: Don’t worry, I’m sure we can fix you up. *He looks at Rralwarr* ...I don’t think we have any armor that would fit you, though. 

Grif: So Jang, what do we usually do? Like what would our first mission be like?

Jang: Mission? Believe me, mate, you’re not ready for a mission, yet. You got lucky with these guys, but you’re going to need some training before you’re ready for anything else. 

Grif: Ah, training, well I can appreciate that, I’m definitely out of my element when it comes to the blasters. 

Jang: Don’t worry, we’ll find something to do with you. You seem good at dealing with people, we could use someone like that. I’m a bit conspicuous, and some people seem to tire of Mij constantly reminding them that *yelling down the hallway into the cockpit* HE’S A DOCTOR all the time. 

Mij: AND A BATTLEFIELD SURGEON, THANK YOU VERY MUCH! Hey, can you take over piloting? I need to talk to these guys. *He rejoins us* As far as your death goes, your dad’s going to take care of the administrative stuff. 

Grif: Yeah, that’s the plan. 

Mij, handing him a datacard: Meet me here at Sullust in 3 standard days. At that point we’ll work out what we’re doing.

They land the ship at a fairly unremarkable city spaceport, where your ship is now sitting, and let you off. 

Mij: Alright, Sullust, 3 days, see you then. 

They take off. 

Grif: Well, guys, for once, I feel free! I don’t have anyone telling me what to do but the people I want telling me what to do! ...Huh, that sounds like what I said when I got my first job. ...So where are we going?

Rralwarr: We need medpacs. 

Grif: Do we want to do that here, though? 

Taveau: No! Let’s get off this planet where you’re known and supposed to be dead, first. 

Rralwarr: Yeah, we’ve got three days to kill; it doesn’t take that long to get to Sullust. 

DM pulls up the map (and I play this song) so we can decide where we’re going. Mij has plotted our course for us, it’s a bit out of the way, to avoid us taking the same route as him. We realize that we’ll be taking a turn right at Naboo, and decide to stop there for groceries. And thus the fun of the next session. 

Masterpost of episodes

[garypharma]

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Before you make plans to spend a day outdoors, visit the AAAAI National Allergy Bureau's website and enter your zip code to find up-to-date information on daily mold and pollen counts. This is also a very useful resource for choosing a destination for your next vacation. It's difficult to enjoy yourself when you're battling allergies. You really should not be engaging in yard work if you have allergies. No matter how much it is needed, or you may enjoy it. Mowing, raking and pruning will expose you to a ton of allergens. Trade off those tasks with another family member, roommate, or friend who can help you to avoid working too much in the yard. Derma Franchise.

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[lattetimes]

So How About Them New Episodes, Ammirite Ladies??

here’s what i thought of the new episodes via live reactions as i watching them!

overall, it was kinda underwhelming but there were parts that i really did like! and if you liked these episodes, that’s awesome!

MAYOR DEWEY WINS

was this title a reference to the movie/book John Dies at the End, cause if so then i’m shocked i caught that

apparently it is, would you look at that. btw i kinda liked the movie.

damn, Sadie took this hard. and Steven never told Lars’ parents. so i guess Sadie has to do that herself.

why tf does Steven care if Dewey wins?!

OH, IT’S BECAUSE HE DON’T WANT SHIT TO CHANGE AND HE THINKS HAVING A NEW MAYOR WOULD BE BAD WTF DEWEY DOES NOTHING

ok wow, there’s only 24 people in Beach City and he never noticed that Lars was gone!?

“is that why the donut shop was closed?”

“we’ll hire a new donut boy!” DEWEY. DUDE. ARE YOU FOR REAL?!

“high school mayor” lmao

how did he run unopposed for 10 years!?

LARS’ MOM KEEPS A SHITTON OF TOMATOES IN HER PURSE SHE READY TO THROW DOWN ALL THE TIME

i don’t like that Steven is so adamant on Dewey winning.

jesus, Steven, let Nanefua win. she’s obviously the better person for the job

“i’m done pointing my finger at you, and now i direct all my fingers on both my hands to the citizens” top 10 anime deaths

NANEFUA WINS, OH MY GOD YES

STEVEN, DUDE, REALLY?! LEAVE CONNIE ALONE!

“i don’t know what you’re talking about, but i need to get a new job” 2018 mood tbh

episode rating: 2 tomatoes out of 5. i can’t stand Steven in this episode at all. but hey, NANEFUA WON!!!!!!

RAISING THE BARN

....was Lapis’ main concern that Steven dropped his phone on Homeworld? not the fact that he was... idk... ON HOMEWORLD?!

ok Lapis is ready to bail immediately and tbh i dont blame her

did she just uproot the entire bard wtf?! 

BARN THE DIAMONDS, BARN THE DIAMONDS, BARN THE DIAMONDS!

episode rating: 1.5 barns out of 5. BARN THE DIAMONDS, BARN THE DIAMONDS, BARN THE DIAMONDS!

GEMCATION

^ mfw Amethyst basically spat an egg out her mouth (it was kinda gross)

well. Greg got some kinda house.... still don’t get why the crew is so against having Greg get a house

also, where’s Peridot?

“remove all shoes before entering” Pearl fucking THROWS A RANDOM ASS PAIR OF SHOES

OKAY PEARL SCREAMING “PARTY GUY, NO!” WAS ACTUALLY KINDA FUNNY

S H O W M E P A R T Y G U Y Y O U C O W A R D S

“Steven, you should join me. become a raisin” ok Garnet

did. did Steven completely cut Garnet off as she was talking about Pink Diamond and the Gem War with the whole, “yeah, yeah, i get it, Mom. i already heard this story” kinda thing? B R U H that ain’t okay

AND GARNET JUST SHUTS UP AND WAS LIKE “good, you understand”

PEARL WAS GONNA STRAIGHT UP ADMIT TO SOME HUGE THING AFTER HER “THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO EXPLAIN” LINE AND HE CUTS HER OFF WITH “CONNIE HATES ME”

WHY COULDN’T STEVEN AT LEAST TELL THESE FOUR THAT HE WAS SO WORRIED ABOUT CONNIE HATING HIM?!

I’M KINDA GETTING SICK OF SEEING STEVEN MOPE LIKE THIS FOR 3 EPISODES STRAIGHT AND I HOPE HE DOESN’T KEEP THIS UP FOR THE NEXT 2

OH NO, PLEASE DISREGARD ALL OF THE MESSED UP THINGS YOU SAW ON HOMEWORLD CAUSE CONNIE IS (rightfully) UPSET WITH YOU. LARS D I E D.

GUITAR DAD SAVES THE DAY

i love Greg Universe

how would you not notice if you aren’t getting any service on your phone? your phone tells you when you’re getting service or not

bruh you almost made your dad drive off a cliff for you to get phone service

Greg Universe is a ride or die kinda guy

this ending shot is cute, i’ll give you that. 

episode rating: 2 party guys out of 5. Party Guy should’ve bitten Steven’s phone and his shit attitude. also PEARL WTF ARE YOU TELL US ALREADY

BACK TO THE KINDERGARTEN

Connie i miss you

“of the three things i have to do in the sink now, this is the one i least mind you seeing” B R U H

 Peridot listens to country music, this is disgusting

HOLY SHIT AMETHYST IS TOSSIN’ PERIDOT AROUND LIKE SHE WEIGHS NOTHING AND I’M CRACKING UP

“can i bring my music?” “NO.” damn Amethyst you already threw Peri around like she ain’t nothin’, let her bring her music if it’ll help her

aaaay, they’re in the train again!

dang, Peri really loved the barn.

i kinda like that Amethyst is going around trying to figure out which member of the Famethyst came out of which part of the Kindergarten. kinda cute. 

so everything is seriously determined by the nutrition, right down to the style of a Gem’s hair? ...huh. iron deposits determine hair styles.

damn, Peri went with a sucker punch to the gut with her little speech about how Kindergartens kill off life and are just “lifeless husks” once all the Gems are done being formed. and Amethyst feels awful about it, dang.

ok. there’s a flower growin’ in the Kindergarten, and that should technically be impossible due to all of the nutrients in this one area being used up. this could be interesting.

ok, so now the trio is gonna farm & see what happens. ok, ok, i can roll with this i guess.

FARMING MONTAGE

look at them flowers

they proud

don’t make Peri live here

why the flamingo thingy taller than both of them

gods i didn’t need to see Steven happily showering

they’re talking about how the flowers are probs gonna look beautiful i bet they all died, they’re too positive about this. $5 them flowers are dead.

them flowers are dead,

...now they’re arguing, cause Peri blew up on them. alright. this ain’t good.

aaaaaaaaaaaand Peri crushed the original flower that grew here. both Steven & Amethyst made pained whimpers. ok. this ain’t good.

oh it’s a Gem creature- haven’t seen one of those in a while!

IT ATE PERIDOT HOLY FUCK

SMOKEY QUARTZ IS BACK

ngl i like Smokey’s theme music

btw there’s no dialogue from Smokey, just a quick 2 second thing

Peri doesn’t reform with a star on her

ok, that was kinda cute. and having a technician that also likes gardening is cute too

episode rating: 3.5 dead sunflowers outta 5. it was an okay episode & i did like it. 

SADIE KILLER

heh, i get it. cause lady killer.

oh god, that looks bad

WHY IS THAT MOP SO BIG

instead of reading off a long-ass list to the overly worked employee, just hand Sadie the list so she won’t fuck up?

“and a coffee. hold the coffee.” same tbh

oh. he’s in a band with the Cool Kids. WE GET TO SEE THE COOL KIDS!

“...i hope he [Lars] is safe and all, but working all these shifts by myself has been a huge drag” GIRL, LARS DIED IN SPACE AND IS STILL THERE

Steven stealing all the napkins is something i’d do tbh

man, i love the Cool Kids

is my girl Jenny rockin’ the bass? aaaaaaaaaaay!

Sour Cream, what the HECK IS RAP-A-BILLY?

“Doo-doo. Butt. The government corrupts” Buck is the voice of this generation

welcome to EB Games

they... they admitted to following her home from work....

“doo-doo. i think i broke your bed” Buck wtf

also, i guess them watching all of Sadie’s horror movies gave them inspiration to do that weird donut-brain-eating song. weird.

“we are the working dead, and we lurch for minimum wage” same Sadie

......ok, she’s freaking everyone out. and they look uncomfortable. Sadie, seriously stop. they’re concerned.

...she. put lipstick on her eyes.

see, if she wasn’t freakin’ everyone out with this, i’d say this song is a bop. 

ok they’re fine now & thought it was lit ok cool cool cool. i ain’t a big fan of the lyrics tbh, but i do like the song.

 “aww, doo-doo”

ok so Steven’s askin’ for advice on how to write horror-themed songs from Sadie. how about LARS DIED ON HOMEWORLD

SADIE’S ADVICE IS:

LOSE YOUR LIFE TO A BORING JOB

LOSE THE ONE PERSON YOU WERE CLOSE TO

LOSE YOUR MIND WORKIN A TON OF SHIFTS

GIRL FOR THE LOVE OF GOD

Steven puttin’ Sadie on blast, good lord he just sang an accidental roast tryin’ to sing shit like she does

HE STOLE ALL THE NAPKINS AGAIN

“you can’t help being cute no more than i can help being cool” Buck, you’re a blessing

“yoooooo, what if this is all a dream?” Buck, wtf?

oh. Sadie’s goin’ with them. okay. 

OH. SHE QUIT HER JOB. UM. OKAY?

episode rating: 3 funky riffs out of 5. Buck Dewey is great.

KEVIN PARTY

I DO NOT WANT TO WATCH THIS EPISODE, BUT IMMA DO IT ANYWAY

DIDN’T EVEN START THE EPISODE AND I STILL FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE

let’s just get this over with...

why’d Steven wait this long to track down Lion?!

siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh, here he is......

gods, i still hate him

stop being gross to kids, leave Steven and Connie alone ya freak

at least he knows they use they/them pronouns. 

how did he find out where Connie is? doesn’t she live far away from Beach City? did he track down these two kids just to “invite” Stevonnie?!

“no one turns down an invitation to a Kevin party” i sure as fuck would

lmao Kevin has an old phone

“your name’s Steven? weird, i thought your name was Clarence” OI, DON’T INSULT CLARENCE LIKE THAT

rude, Steven brought snacks and ya just toss ‘em into the void?

ok. he’s creepily obsessed with Stevonnie cause apparently they make parties and shit like that hella fun. um. stop? being obsessed with kids??

WTF WHY IS LION AT THE PARTY

Connie actually showed up. and had Lion the entire time. that’s. super fucked up. Lion is the ONLY way to get to Lars directly!

and also, there’s TWO KIDS AT A PARTY WITH OLDER PEOPLE?! NO ONE BUT DERRICK QUESTIONS THIS?

Kevin’s gonna try to get them to talk to each other... so they can form Stevonnie... so his party won’t suck...

also, he keeps calling them 7-year-olds........ siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh, ok Kevin.

KEVIN YOU IDIOT LET THEM TALK TO EACH OTHER SO HE CAN SAY SORRY DON’T GIVE HIM YOUR “COOL GUY” BULLSHIT

“i need those old people to whisper my name when they die” tbh goals

“who’s Sabina?” Kevin got all red in the face and almost lost his cool

so Kevin’s gonna try to make Steven look like he’s moved on from Connie or some shit. this won’t end well.

NO, NOT DERRICK’S JACKET

now we get a montage of 2 kids being uncomfortable surrounded by older people at a party they should’t be at, ok.

at least Connie looks cute. and she got a haircut! so cute!

NOT CUTE NOT CUTE NOT CUTE

GOD, I HATE KEVIN

Steven, what are you doing?

STEVEN, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

ok, quick recap cause i didn’t mention this: Kevin thought Steven & Connie were dating, so, Connie only went to the party to see if Steven’s okay and if they could talk. Steven decided to follow Kevin’s advice for some reason, and Connie thinks Steve’s new BFF is Kevin, and Kevin has no concept of what friends are.

so. Connie didn’t text Steven cause she preferred talking face to face about this, and that texting him wasn’t good enough to work out these issues. very fair point. still don’t get why you legit stole Lion from him, but the not texting back thing makes complete sense.

ok, she rode Lion to his house while Steven, Greg & the Gems were away (the episode Gemcation). and that’s when she bumped into Kevin and got the invite. ok. now Kevin is slightly less creepy, but still disgusting nonetheless.

oh, yay! they’re talking it out! and Steven isn’t disregarding Connie’s anger!

yay! they’re friends again!

don’t form Stevonnie, don’t form Stevonnie, don’t form Stevonnie, don’t form Stevonnie, don’t form Stevonnie, don’t form Stevonnie, don’t form Stevonnie, don’t form Stevonnie, don’t form Stevonnie, don’t form Stevonnie, don’t form Stevonnie, don’t form Stevonnie, don’t form Stevonnie.

LMAO GET FUCKED, KEVIN, THEY AIN’T FORMIN’ STEVONNIE

episode rating: 1 Lion out of 5. least fave episode, tbh. but hey, we got Connie back!

[cloud17dreams]

One Call Away (Joshua)

Genre: Fluffidy Fluff, College!AU

Word Count: 1488

Summary: You spend your days in college, while your boyfriend tours the world, but he’s always one call away.

Requested by: Our lovely Smol anon

A/N: AAAAy guess who actually wrote something?! I can’t believe i’m back from my writer’s block hole. I am so sorry for not being as active as i’d like to be but I thank all those of you who’re patient with me and with us and thank you for loving this blog! I hope you enjoy this sappy/cheesy af scenario ><

- Admin Boo

Going to college in Sydney wasn’t a bad idea at all. No, in fact, it was the best idea ever, because that’s how you’d met Joshua in the first place. It was a miracle running into him that summer on the Tamarama to Bronte walk.

Ever since then, that place became your favorite and you’d spend your weekends admiring the sights that the walk had to offer. It was the perfect reading place as well. On rainy days, you’d go to one of the cafes and enjoy a cup of tea, calling Joshua in the process.

“Heeeeey, baby!”

Joshua’s voice sounded from the screen of your phone. Another skype session. If it wasn’t skype, it was FaceTime, if it wasn’t FaceTime, it was LINE. One way or another, (despite his busy schedule) he always managed to find the time to call his favorite girl.

“Hey,” you smiled, curling your fingers around your cup of tea. “How’s the tour going?”

“Great, great,” he replied, ruffling his soft brown locks. His eyes were bright like diamonds and his smile made you feel warm inside. Joshua never failed to make you feel better when you were overwhelmed with work.

“How’s college? I hope you’re not stressing yourself out again? Are you?” he asked sweetly.

“Not at all,” you replied. “I just miss youuuuu.” 

He chuckled at your cuteness. The way you’d pout when you’d tell him how much you missed him was too pure for this world.

Of course, he’d pout back, sweetly, “I miss you toooo.”

You both broke into a fit of cushy laughter, not minding your surroundings and heard one of the members, whose voice you recognized as Vernon’s, yelling out from behind Joshua.

“Josh, bro! We’re going out to eat. C’mon!”

Your boyfriend turned around, giving Vernon a slight nod and turning back to you with an apologetic smile. Noticing the slightest frown on your face, his brows shot up - an idea popping into his head.

“How about I take you out on a date?” he asked. A loving smile lining his lips.

“A date?” you questioned, thinking of all the possible ways that would be impossible. “Like a skype date?” you added, raising a brow comically.

“Like a skype date,” he echoed. “Pick you up at six tomorrow?”

You couldn’t wipe the smile of utter disbelief from your face, but you looked forward to your “date”. Whatever Josh had planned seemed so unattainable and yet, you did spend almost every day on the phone with him, so of course you agreed. 

He blew you a quick kiss, told you he loved you and hung up. 

You could barely stop smiling throughout the entire day and night, thinking about your boyfriend. It has been so long since you’ve seen him, got to hold him, kiss him... This was the closest you’d get to being on an actual date with him, as ridiculous as it sounded. Skype date, you chuckled.

Just as he’d promised, at exactly six o’clock in the evening, he called. 

“Shuaaaa,” you cooed.

“Y/N! You look beautiful, as always.”

He wasn’t wrong. You’d picked out one of your favorite sweater dresses that fell just below your knees, hugging your body tightly. To complete the outfit, you wore a pair of black tights and knee-high boots paired with your rose coat.

The call started with waving your hands around a lot and giggling, amongst other things, like little kisses being blown. God, I love this sappy nerd so much, you thought.

“You look handsome as always, boyfriend,” you pointed out, a huge grin spreading across your face. A grin that immediately transferred to his lips.

“So, I’ve totally planned this out,” he started, “We’re going to where we first met.”

“The walk?” you said automatically.

“Yeaaah!,” he smiled enthusiastically, “You remember!”

You rolled your eyes dramatically, smiling “How could I forget?”

That day was a sunny one, in contrast to today’s gloomy weather. You remembered how Joshua almost crashed into you because his gaze was plastered to the screen of his phone.

To your relief, he didn’t, but your shoulders did brush and being the gentleman that he is, he apologized even for such an insignificant thing. You weren’t sure if it was his voice or his piercing gaze that caught your attention that day, but you fell instantly. 

Only later did he tell you, he’d fallen too, in that exact same moment. Talk about “meant to be.”

You walked all the way from home, which wasn’t far away and finally reached the famous Tamarama to Bronte walk. The exact spot where you’d met Joshua. It was funny how both of you could remember those little details, but somehow you did. Throughout your walk from home, people would turn heads because even though you wore your headphones, you were loud. Not that you really paid much attention to it. You were completely engulfed in your little date and nothing could ruin that.

It really felt like he was there, which was nice. Missing him wasn’t fun and the one thing you’d wished for every day since you last saw him was to see him yet again. Seeing him right now, even through a small screen, was as good as it was going to get.

You sat down on the nearest bench and turned the camera towards the beach. The sky was lined with gray clouds, looking like they were reflecting the grayish water beneath them.

“Looks like it’s going to rain,” you pouted. 

“Aw, I'm sorry the weather isn’t as great as it was back then,” Joshua said.

“That’s fine. At least you’re here,” you smiled and then caught yourself, “well, not really here here, but, yeah.”

For multiple reasons you couldn’t help but frown and like an unwelcomed burden, the rain started pouring down.

“I wish I could be,” he frowned as well and as if the rain and gloomy weather weren't enough, your screen froze and the connection cut off.

“Josh? Josh!” you whined. “Oh c’mon.”

The rain worsened, leaving you almost soaked and there was nowhere to hide. Lucky you also didn’t think to bring an umbrella.

You got up, hoping to retrace your steps and get away from the rain as quickly as possible. In the midst of all this scurry you didn’t even think to put your phone back into your pocket. It slipped off your lap and right into a puddle that had formed in a matter of seconds. 

“No, no, no, no, no,” you crouched down, barely holding in the tears, “please. Anything but the damn phone.” Clumsily reaching for it you tried wiping it with the edge of your sleeve but to no avail. 

The rain was relentless, practically flooding everything around you. People scurried back home, or towards the nearest coffee shops. They held newspapers and bags over their heads or whatever else they could use as an umbrella substitute and you were crouching over a puddle, getting soaked from above.

Could this get any worse? you thought as you wiped the tears, or rain (you couldn’t tell anymore) off your face and then the rain seemingly stopped. You looked up to see a bright pink umbrella hovering over your head, the stranger’s face hidden by it.

“Are you okay down there?” the stranger asked. The voice sounded really familiar and you could’ve made it out if it wasn’t for the loud whooshing of the raindrops around you.

“Y-yeah, I'm good,” you wiped off invisible dust off your knees and slowly got up, the umbrella following you, “can’t say the same for my pho--”

The words froze in your throat when you saw the warm smile of your boyfriend beaming down at you. You’d almost forgotten how tall he was.

“Josh!” you gasped, “What are you--? How? When?” the questions seemed endless and you wanted to hug him, kiss him and just hold onto him for as long as possible.

Every inch of his face said the same. He briefly explained that he’d wanted to surprise you since it’s been so long, so he flew over to Sydney last night. And the connection breaking down gave him a perfect opportunity to get to you without you figuring it out.

“But the rain kinda made things worse and you got all soaked, I'm so sorry,” he apologized, looking as innocent as a puppy. 

You shrugged, “It was totally worth it and I'm already soaked so I wouldn’t mind doing this.”

You flung your arms around his neck, pulling him closer and planted the longest kiss on his lips. He was a little stunned since the umbrella's balance flailed, which made you both chuckle, but neither one of you broke off the kiss. 

The two of you just stood there; umbrella on the floor, arms around each other, hair messed up and completely wet but it was totally worth it because he was right there with you.