#and the ornament swap does happen

[victorluvsalice]

New for December 2024:

Smiler: [texting Victor and Alice] you guys have GOT to come to the next holiday movie night

Victor: [texting] Isn't it Thirteen's night next? I'm not really a fan of holiday horror.

Alice: [texting] I might come, but it really depends on the movie she's picked.

Smiler: [texting] no no no she gave up the night because Galactica found something SO WEIRD we have to share it with you

Smiler: [texting] it's called HOT FROSTY

Alice: [texting] ...it's called what now

Smiler: [texting] it's about a widow who brings somebody's snow sculpture of a hot dude to life by accident and he teaches her how to love again

Victor: [texting] ...this a PARODY of a Hallmark film, right?

Alice: [texting] Honestly just the title sounds like the porn parody version of a Hallmark.

Smiler: [texting] I mean I don't think it takes itself too seriously but it's a real movie and PG-13 at most I'm pretty sure

Smiler: [texting] you two in?

Victor: [texting] Yes, I have to see this.

Alice: [texting] I'll make more marshmallow snowmen we can devour while watching this nonsense.

Smiler: [texting] Make sure they have abs.

Alice: [texting] Will do!

--

Smiler: [putting a frog-wearing-a-Christmas-hat ornament on their yellow tree]

Victor: [watching, chuckles] You have such fun ornaments. I really like them.

Alice: Mmmm -- every one of them is so you.

Smiler: Well, some of them are technically so my parents, but we have pretty similar tastes, so... [grinning] Hey, we should do a little ornament trading! Like, you can bring some of your ornaments here to put on my tree, and I can do the same for you guys!

Victor: [holding up a hand] Oh, no, I w-wouldn't dare. The only o-ornaments I have right now are some my p-parents got me, and they're extremely delicate glass. I'd be t-terrified that one would break! I w-wouldn't want you to get hurt, and I definitely w-wouldn't want Mother knowing that I'd broken one. [wincing] N-not after the last time...

Alice: [patting his arm] And on my end, while it's a nice thought, I don't have any Christmas ornaments. All my family's ornaments burned up in the fire, and I wasn't in a good state to get any of my own until recently. And, well...celebrating Christmas was never a priority for me before now. I don't even have a tree at mine.

Smiler: [staring at them] ...

Alice: Uh-oh. I recognize that look. That's the "I am once again shocked and appalled by the wretched state of your lives" look.

Victor: [smiling nervously] It's fine, Smiler, I-I get a lot of enjoyment out of your tree --

Smiler: [firmly] We. Are going. Shopping.

--

Smiler: [approaches Victor wearing a mistletoe headband and taps him on the shoulder]

Victor: [turns around, sees the mistletoe, smiles and bends down to kiss Smiler]

Alice: [arrives on the scene mid-kiss and watches them for a moment]

Smiler: [spots her as they break the kiss] Oh, hey Alice! Just fulfilling tradition!

Victor: It's very important to observe these things you know.

Alice: [nods, smiling] I do know. [looks at Smiler and their mistletoe -- and then suddenly leans in and kisses them too]

Smiler: ?!

Victor: [blinking]

Alice: [pulls away and shrugs] Tradition -- plus, I mean, as per Nanny, we're already kind of fucking, so...

Smiler: [snorts]

Victor: [blushing] Do we have to keep bringing that up...

Valicer Not-Incorrect Quotes, Christmas Edition

Victor: [knocking on Smiler's door with Alice] Smiler? Are you ready to go?

Smiler: [flings opens the door, sporting a bright yellow Santa hat, sparkly red and green eye makeup, a yellow sweater with purple snowflakes, and black pants featuring embroidered red and green light strings with real flashing lights in them] Hello, my lovelies! I bring the spirit of the season with me!

Alice: ...the spirit of the season is making my eyes bleed.

Smiler: That's an important Christmas tradition, let's go.

--

Victor: [enters Smiler's living room area to find them setting up a bright yellow Christmas tree] ...

Smiler: [looks over] What's up?

Victor: ...you really -- of course you do, why would I assume you'd have a green Christmas tree.

Smiler: Yeah, do I look like Thirteen? Now help me get this thing into the stand, it's being difficult.

--

Smiler: [arriving back at the trio's house post-everyone moving in together] Hey! I'm back!

Alice: [emerging from the kitchen to greet them] Welcome home -- Victor's currently making sure the gingerbread doesn't burn, but he'll be --

Alice: [pause, sniffs the air]

Alice: [knowingly] Ah. Peppermint latte season then?

Smiler: We had a special promotion so I'm probably going to smell like this until Easter, yeah.

--

Smiler: [noodling around on their drum set] Hey, you guys want to hear me play my special version of "Little Drummer Boy?"

Victor: Sure. [sits down on the couch]

Alice: [joining him] If you'd be so kind.

Smiler: My pleasure! [starts playing the familiar rhythm as they sing the song]

Victor & Alice: [listening attentively, smiling]

Smiler: [singing in time with their drum beats] ~I played my drum for Him pa-rum-pum-pum-pum; I played my best for Him, pa-rum-pum-pum~

Smiler: [segues into a solo that -- sounds rather different from the traditional pa-rum-pum-pum-pum beat]

Alice: [raises an eyebrow]

Victor: [looks confused -- and then something clicks, and he groans into his hands] Oh, you didn't...

Alice: ?

Victor: [singing along to the beat] ~Never gonna run around, and desert you~

Alice: [immediately whipping around to glare at Smiler]

Smiler: [big shit-eating grin] If Victor can make a classical piano version --

--

Emily: [coming into Galactica's living room, with Victoria, Victor, Alice, and Smiler in her wake] Hello all! We're here! We brought snacks!

Galactica: [getting up from the couch where she was sitting with Oblivion, Rita, and Thirteen] Hi! Thanks for coming!

Thirteen: [also getting up] Whatcha got?

Victoria: [proudly showing off a bunch of marshmallow snowmen with things like pretzel arms and licorice scarves] I found how to make them online -- aren't they cute?

Galactica: Awww, they're adorable.

Oblivion: Perfect -- we're doing Hallmark tonight.

Thirteen: [beaming] Yeah, I can't wait to get out the hot chocolate and drown Frosty.

Victoria: [stares at her with wide eyes]

Thirteen: What?

Victoria: [sternly, holding the tray protectively against herself] No.

Victor: [puzzled] Victoria, that was literally a serving suggestion on the site you found them on.

Victoria: No.

Alice: We brought them to be eaten. That was the whole point.

Victoria: I will fight you all to protect these snowmen.

Smiler: I love how you think that is a deterrent with my friends.

Rita: [cracking her knuckles with a grin] Yeah, bring it on.

--

[the trio are listening to "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" on the radio]

Smiler: Would you like to know a fun fact about this song?

Alice: Hit us.

Smiler: Okay, so, while the short itself is narrated by Boris Karloff, this song isn't sung by him -- instead it's sung by a guy named Thurl Ravenscroft.

Victor: ...Well, I don't think I can ever complain about my middle name again. Who names their child Thurl?

Smiler: That bit I don't know, but do you know what Thurl's most famous voice acting role is?

Alice: I do not, but I suspect it's something gothic.

Smiler: Nope -- Tony the Tiger. As in Frosted Flakes's Tony.

Alice: What.

Victor: Really??

Smiler: Yup! And, thanks to one of the most popular tumblr blogs commenting that it sounds like Tony's breakup song to The Grinch, and someone else then drawing that -- well, there's now a Tony/Grinch fandom.

Alice: [laughing] Oh my God.

Victor: [also laughing] This is why tumblr is the most bizarre place on the internet. How do you get a weirder ship than that?

Smiler: [beaming] Well, there's Batman -- as Bruce Wayne -- being the side piece of Miss Piggy and Kermit. Also found on tumblr!

Victor: [shaking his head] I shouldn't have asked.

Alice: At this point, to get stranger, someone's going to have to throw together some random video game character, a stop-motion puppet, and a roller coaster.

Smiler: Trust me, I'm sure somebody's done that.

--

[strangemaleswaps]

Strange Christmas Family Swap

Christmas is supposed to be the time of year where you celebrate joy with your family and loved ones. But everyone has that one family member no one looks forward to seeing, and I’m no different. For me that person would be my grandpa. He'd always been a really cranky guy who, I swear, could find something to complain about on literally any topic. I don't know why he even comes over for the holidays in the first place. Maybe he's just lonely? At least my siblings are coming home. They're all older than me and left for college years ago. Sometimes I felt like I was behind everyone just because I was the youngest, but they always tell me to enjoy being young while it lasted. At least I still had my dog, Lucy, to keep me company. 

“Shoot. Ferris, we forgot to buy your grandpa a present,” my mom mentioned while preparing dinner for Christmas Eve.

“Does it matter? He's not gonna like anything anyway.”

“Yes I know. But it's Christmas. The time of year where you need to treat even those you dislike well. Could you quickly go to that gift shop and buy some cheap ornament?”

“Mom, it's Christmas Eve! Half these places are closed or closing soon.” She looked up a store on her phone and showed me that it closed at 5. It was 4:38.

“There's that one hallmark store within walking distance still open. You can make it in time! I just don't want to cause a scene.” I wanted to take the car, but it would take too long to shovel all the snow, so I walked. The store wasn't that far by foot, but it was still an awful time in the freezing cold. When I arrived, there was a single employee at the counter - an old lady with a messy bun. She greeted me and asked what I needed.

“I have just the thing.” She walked over to the shelf and showed me a little Santa ornament that was wearing a galaxy pattern suit instead of the regular red. It was actually a pretty good gift because my grandpa loved outer space, not to mention he kinda looked like Santa anyway, just without the beard.

“This is perfect.”

“Then why do you look sad?” Her response caught me by surprise. “What do you mean?”

“I can tell something’s wrong. It's Christmas Eve. You should be happy!”

“That's probably easy for others. But for me, Christmas means family time and I don't exactly like someone in my family.

“That's a shame. You're lucky to have a family at least.” She looked down at the floor sadly. It was clear what she meant by that.

“But since you still have people in your life I'd like to help you with your problem. Could I have that ornament back please?” I assumed she was about to check me out so I started reaching for my wallet, when she walked into the backroom with the present instead. As soon as the door closed, the power suddenly went out and I was in pure darkness until there was a weird purple glow coming from the door. All of this only lasted about 10 seconds and the power came back on as if nothing happened. Did I just imagine that whole thing? It was weird. The woman walked back out with a big smile on her face.

“Did the power go out or something? And what happened in there?”

“Oh nothing,” she said with a grin. “Merry Christmas!”

“Yeah, Merry Christmas. I guess.” She checked me out and I was on my way back home.

When I arrived, my siblings were already there, as well as my grandpa.

“Hey! It's Ferris!” said my oldest brother Calvin. He had definitely gained a lot of weight since I last saw him, even though he was an athlete in college. Looks like he still refused to shave the messy beard he started last year. My older sibling Sam grinned at me. They looked exactly as they always did - expressing their love of anime with a nerdy t-shirt and wearing ear gauges that have gotten bigger since the last time I saw them. My sister Em walked up to hug me. She was always the one I was closest with, since she was only 2 years older than me.

“I got a present for Grandpa.” He suddenly looked at me, and then to the bag I was holding.

“It's about time you buy me something! Lemme see.”

“Well not until Christmas.” Despite living to see many Christmases, Grandpa was still an extremely impatient person. He'd actually opened up his Christmas presents early before because he just couldn't stand the wait. This was my first time buying one myself for him (even though it was really just my mom sending me) so I guess he was beyond curious.

“Come on. It's basically Christmas anyway.” He got his large ass out of the seat and approached me. He was wearing a tucked in blue plaid shirt that covered the gut hanging over his pants. He stumbled over to me until we were face to face. I could smell the cigarette smoke on his breath, almost making my eyes water.

“Boy, give me the gift.”

“Dad, just wait until Christmas. You're gonna spoil the surprise.” My mom thankfully defended me and started walking over.

“Fine, but I-” He faked content and snatched the bag from me.

“Dad! Enough!” My mom shouted but it was too late. He had taken the ornament out of the bag, but clumsily dropped it. It shattered all over the floor before he even had a chance to react.

“Oh man.” Sam gulped.

“Now look at what you've done! You ruined my present!” Grandpa yelled in my face.

“Dad! Dad! Calm down. I think you need to go to bed now.”

“Fine! But only because your idiot son ruined my Christmas!” My mom escorted him to the guest room and Em picked up a broom. We both swept together as my mom walked back into the kitchen.

“Could he possibly be more…you know…” I started.

“Horrible? Pathetic?” Calvin added.

“Gross? Nasty?” Sam added.

“Your grandfather is just lonely really. His parents - my grandparents - let him do whatever he wanted. He's a real spoiled man. But I don't think there's any changing him now so let's just endure the day tomorrow and you won't have to see him for a while. Got it?”

“Fine.” The rest of the night was much better and I had a great time with my family. Calvin scarfed down the food so fast he almost choked, Em told me all about what college was like, Sam bragged about his new gauges, and Lucy practically flew under the table as soon as my mom dropped a piece of ham.

When it was time for bed, my siblings got settled into their rooms - Calvin and Sam sharing the same bedroom they did growing up, and Em sleeping in the basement because her old room was turned into an office. I looked at the Christmas tree glimmering with lights and decorations, excited to see what the presents underneath it would look like in the morning. It's a shame that Grandpa's present broke and we had to throw it away, but I guess he got what he deserved for being such a dick. I headed into my bed, where Lucy was already snuggled up in, and nestled up under the covers.

The next morning I woke up to the sounds of shouting, which was unfitting for what was supposed to be a peaceful Christmas morning. It was coming from the room next to me and sounded like my brothers, which was weird because my room was across the hall from them. But it sounded so close. I started getting up, to see what was going on, but when I looked around, I realized I actually was in the guest room

How did I get in here? I gazed down to find my stomach seemed swollen in my white tank top. I lifted it up and to my horror, I realized my slim chest was replaced with a flabby belly! How did I get so fat? I know I ate alot last night but this was ridiculous! The gut flopped out, to a bit over my waist. It felt weird knowing a part of my body was just hanging there. I noticed a bit of chest hair, which was foreign to me, but when I noticed they were gray hairs, it finally hit me. I was a fat old guy in the guest room. I somehow switched bodies with my grandpa!

I heard the voices leave the room so I stumbled over to the door, not quite used to the shift in weight compared to my old twink body, and was about to put my hand on the doorknob when I saw someone looking at me in the mirror. I turned my head to find that it was my grandpa…I mean me…staring back.

I really did look disgusting, not just because of my looks, but because I now had the face of an impatient jerk. I tried doing different facial expressions; it looked weird because I rarely had ever seen my grandpa smile at all. I noticed that I couldn't see my own dick past the belly, not that I would want to. It was probably all wrinkly and gross! What was I going to do? I opened the door to find Calvin walking to the living room. He looked pretty concerned, which was unusual for the carefree personality he usually had.

“Hey uh..Grandpa?” Fuck. Looks like I'm not imagining it after all. I hated this. “Sorry for the noise, it's just that…”

“I'm not even gonna try to pretend.” I spoke, but my voice came out gravelly and deep. It scared me a little bit. “I'm Ferris, not Grandpa. I don't know how it happened! I just-”

“Shit! That's great! I mean not because you're Grandpa now. But because I'm not alone! I'm actually Sam.”

“Sam?” It was actually kinda funny, Sam and Calvin switching bodies. They were close but still completely different people. I couldn't contain my laughter and started giggling, even though it came out as my Grandpa's gruff wheezes.

“Oh sure. I'M the funny one when Mister-wheeze-a-lot can't laugh without sounding like he's dying.”

“Hey! Well Mister-” I stopped myself trying to continue the joke. “Wait, how does that work?”

“The gender is all up to the person. Sure the…” they stared down at the new extra pounds they now carried and shook their belly. “...expression might be different, at least at the moment, but I'm still me. BUT the idiot who looks like me doesn't seem to understand.” As if on cue, Calvin in Sam's body appeared, walking in a macho way, something that Sam would never do.

“Check it out Grandpa! I'm an enby!” Sam gave a huge facepalm.

“Calvin my sweet brother, We. Have. Been. Over. This.”

“Hey whatever. I think it's cool. My face feels so empty though. Maybe I'll start growing a bea-” Sam cut him off right there.

“If you go out there without a clean shaven face, I'm shaving YOUR beard.”

“God no please. It took me like a year to grow that!” Calvin pleaded.

“Hey hey, what about me?!” I interrupted their arguing.

“Oh yeah,” Sam started. “That's not Grandpa. It's Ferris.”

“Oh man Ferris. You're a fucking old dude now!” exclaimed Calvin. He then poked my new belly. “Welcome to the chub club! Well…” He glaced down at Sam's slim figure. “My membership is on hold for now.”

Just then we heard a scream coming from my mom's room. We quickly opened the door, already knowing what happened. We found my mom staring at the mirror with a look of pure horror on her face.

“It's ok Em, we're all body swapped too.” She seemed to calm down when she realized that she wasn't alone in all this.

“Weird case of Freaky Friday here. Especially with Em….and Mom,” added Calvin. Just then my mom, in Em's body, walked in to join in the confusion.

“Well this is awkward. Two of my kids in each other's bodies, my own son in my dad's and I'm in my own daughter's body. Could this Christmas get any crazier?”

“Where's Grandpa?”

“Probably still sleeping.”

We headed over to my room, expecting him to still be asleep, only to find him flexing in the mirror - in my body. I didn't actually have any real muscles, being a skinny twink, so he didn't really have anything to flex. That didn't stop him from admiring himself. When he noticed us, he walked over smiling. It was a creepy sight, not only to see my body move on its own, but also knowing it's my grandpa inside there smiling.

“Hello everyone. It's good to be young again!”

“Uh hey Grandpa.” He looked right at me. “No, no! Call me Boris! YOU'RE the grandpa now!”

I felt so humiliated. He was actually…cool…in my body! And I was just the fat old guy that nobody liked!

“Dad, we need to figure out what happened so you can become your old self again. Ok?”

“Hell no! I'm young again for the first time in years. No way I'm giving away this opportunity!”

“I got it!” Em suddenly exclaimed. We all turned around wondering what she meant. She showed us her phone - or rather my mom's phone.

“What?”

“How we all swapped bodies! That ornament that Ferris got! There's an ancient artifact that can take on different appearances. It says it's been known to cause mischief when broken.”

“What kind of ancient thing is meant to be broken? How has it lasted this long then?”

“That's the thing. Everytime it breaks, it finds a new place and takes on a new appearance. But it always takes on the appearance of an object that its next victim will need.”

“Shit. And that's why the present seemed perfect for Grandpa.”

“Hey! I got a much better gift than any of you!” cheered my grandpa as he flexed his arms once agaih.

“But…how do we find it again?”

“Y-you don't. Unless you want to search the whole world for something you don't even know what it looks like.”

There was a deafening silence after she spoke those words. We all realized the truth was that we would never return to our old bodies. I was stuck as an old man forever!

“Hey, it's not so bad,” my grandpa started, seemingly reading my mind. He leaned over and lifted up my shirt, exposing my gut, and slapped it. “The belly is pretty comfy after all. You'll love it.” Maybe he was right. I'm sure I could make the silver bear look work. As I thought about that, I noticed a bulge starting to form. Grandpa turned to look at everyone with a huge smile on his face.

“Merry Christmas everyone!”

[calcitedraws]

Organized master list for TAT

🖼️- Contains Art

Art

Meet Fen, Your loyal Captor! 🖼️

Fen doodle dump (pre kidnapping) 🖼️

Official announcement + poster 🖼️

Fens beta design 🖼️

I'm not calling you a good boy (nongendered) meme 🖼️

Shipping chart 🖼️

First Meeting 🖼️

What we do for love (tw: Fen murdered someone) 🖼️

Flirty 🖼️

Fen as a Popsicle 🖼️

Short comic about night of kidnapping 🖼️

Fen fighting August 🖼️

Uncertain Escape comic p1 🖼️

Uncertain Escape comic p2 🖼️

Uncertain Escape comic p3 🖼️

Cat meme 🖼️

Wrapped like a present 🖼️🌶️

Asks

Fens love language - ✨

What if you accidentally call Fen by another name? - ✨

Discussion about Fens hair 💁 - ✨

Are there other OC's + Plans for the future - ✨

What would happen if MC committed suicide - ✨

Fen's shrine to MC

Fens Marriage Plans

Fens Fall Baking 🖼️

Fen is Adorable + 'creepy' sprite 🖼️

Fens tattoo (brief discussion about tattoos in general)

How did Fen meet their darling?

What is Fen like when Drunk? -✨

Beta!Fen and TAT!Fen meeting ✨

Fens inspiration

Discussion about 'First Meeting' Art - ✨

Face painting + Fen in a short sleeve shirt 🖼️

Swap!Fen

MC accidentally orders Skimpy Costume - 🌶️

First Aid - ✨

What if someone wanted to kill MC - ✨

What if MC was also a yandere - ✨

An MC who streams (includes nsfw topics)

Renaissance Festival

Fen and Movies

Does Fen watch calories? Hell no.

Fen as a high schooler 🖼️

Is Fen Religious?

Fen with an MC who's infertile

Fen in a Howl Cosplay 🖼️

Is Fen ticklish?

How does Fen prepare for extreme weather?

MC With sleeping problems + bed hc

Fen and cooking 🖼️

Winter activities

Fen with a darling who can't sit for too long

Fen Deep Dive

Fens food preferences

Piano + voice hc

More piano

Spicy food

Would Fen like Balut and Durian?

Giving Fen a homemade candle 🥥

MC with a chronic illness

Alcohol 🥥

Their job and have what if someone who wasn't the MC confessed? ✨

Taking care of sick Fen 🏩

Fen and weird food + how they feel about alt fashion

Warm drinks and what Christmas movies they like

What Nails Fen would Like (+ anon's achievement yaaaaay!)

Making custom ornaments

How Fen would deal with MC having an abusive ex (aka me and anon doing wish fulfilment)

Visual Novel Stuff

Fen sprites

Visual novel Screenshots

Bare bones synopsis

Official Trailer

Misc

Playlist for Fen

Yandere Alphabet- Fen

Fens official gender identity

Drabble 1

Meme dump

Brief Dive into Fens Psychology

Meme dump p2

Unused Dandelion Easter Egg 🖼️

Aesthetic Collage

Fens Diary

NNN blurb 🌶️-ish

Meme dump 3

Little Blue Heart 🌶️

Momo Dispenses Wisdom

Fen plays Skyrim + Silly Fact

Fen is lactose intolerant

Fens childhood crushes

Ma'am this is a Wendys

[knickynoo]

Christmas-themed Ellex headcanons, please?

Ehehehe, Alex and Ellen!! Wooo!

Btw, these are headcanons for post-series where they reunite and end up married (because that's what I like to believe happened)

• In terms of decorating, Alex spends a lot of time grumbling and complaining about having to take everything out of storage/the attic or wherever and all the time it takes to put everything up. Ellen just smiles sympathetically and goes, "Yes, I know, Alex." Really, she knows he just has to get it out of his system. Once they actually take everything out, Alex enjoys the decorating just as much (or even more, perhaps) as she does.

• They do clash a bit in their decorating techniques, though. Whereas Ellen prefers an artistic "just feel it out" method, Alex has a system for where everything should go, down to the last ornament on the tree. "Ellen, there are already three red ornaments in close proximity on that side of the tree. Let me swap one out. It doesn't—no, it doesn't look right. Stop adding more red ornaments!"

• On winter evenings when it starts to flurry, they like going out for a quick walk. They get all bundled up, maybe get some hot cocoa in a thermos, and take a stroll hand in hand as they admire some of the nearby Christmas lights.

• Alex is very attentive to the moments Ellen mentions something she likes or admires something in a store. He may seem aloof in the moment, but he files it away and is sure to go out later to buy it for her. He does his Christmas shopping throughout the year in this way, squirreling away the gifts in a secret hiding place. When Christmas morning comes, Ellen is honestly surprised at some of the presents, as she sometimes forgets that she'd even mentioned a certain thing.

"Alex...I hardly even remember mentioning that I wanted this. How did you know?"

"We were out at the mall, remember? It was back in May, I think. You stopped and looked at it for nearly five seconds with that expression on your face that you get when you really like something. I went back the next day."

• Ellen tends to wait until closer to Christmas to start doing her shopping, but she gets it done pretty quickly. Alex is easy to shop for and easy to please. Sweater vests, ties, books on economics, orange juice, an emtpy cardboard box, etc. Any of those, and he's a happy camper.

• When they have children, they struggle to figure out how to handle The Santa Thing. I can see Ellen leaning toward not wanting to indulge in the whole charade and preferring to take an open and honest approach (while still keeping it fun, of course) while Alex wants to go all out in creating the Santa Experience for their kids. He just has such fond, beautiful memories of his many, many years believing (he was 22!) and wants to keep that same fun alive for his kids as long as possible. Ellen eventually gives in and lets him be in charge of that part of the holiday.

Thanks for the ask!

[liketwoswansinbalance]

King Midas’ Speculated Involvement in Fall

These are all the possibilities I can think of. If anyone has other ideas, feel free to contribute! Skip to the bold text if you're not interested in the less Midas-related parts.

A young King Midas was promised to feature in Fall, and the Schools turn gold and glow with a magical aura in the Fall trailer, so I assume that must be his influence. I doubt whether the Schools turning to gold should be taken literally though, considering the dark sea on the cover of Rise was just part of another setting, and the Schools didn’t actually rise out of the sea. However, in the main series, every time the Schools were altered (it happened thrice) the covers were accurate to their current state.

Soman once said (on Twitter, probably?) that there were loads of Easter eggs in the Fall cover reveal video. So far, there’s the popular imposter theory/eye color swap, and the shattered sky. I don’t think I see much else that could be important.

The brothers also have winged shoulder-ornaments and some kind of sternum-jewelry, which I could see as being vaguely Storian-shaped, like in a “you can’t shake off the yoke of fate” way.

I am considering the possibility of wizard wishes and someone’s Celestium being involved because no natural sky looks mirrored like that. The shattered sky or glass could represent Rhian and Rafal’s relationship falling apart, if it is symbolic. And, if Celestiums represent a wizards psyche, that wouldn’t be too much of a stretch, especially if one of the brothers goes “psycho.” I also wonder if Soman’s been taunting us, and that one of the brothers could die from being struck by lightning.

⸻

Anyway, here my predictions for Midas’ role:

1. The parent of a student or alumnus. Seems unlikely given that he’s young.

2. Rhian’s love interest. Possible. Also, maybe, Rhian really does love shiny, attractive things, hence the glass castle he had built. I headcanon that he has magpie/corvid tendencies, and could be lured in by gold. This could function like a “Faithful John” arc with Rafal as John to keep his brother grounded. Midas would be cast in the role of the golden princess.

When we think about it: Who’s easily overwhelmed by splendor and drawn in easily, and who’s not? Who’s the gullible, vulnerable one? Will Rhian trade Rafal for Midas? I doubt it because I think Rhian’s learned his lesson twice, but who knows.

3. The brothers appeal to Midas for support, to save their schools. I’d love to see Rafal forced to grovel before a king, but it's more likely he’d threaten Midas with death? This sounds like that dialogue snippet Soman released, about kingdom’s leaders being difficult to deal with.

4. Midas captures both brothers. There’s a chance he’s a villain.

5. Midas kills one of the brothers or turns one to gold. I bet it could be Rafal. He’ll probably suffer physically a lot in this book. Plus, incapacitating the most powerful (and capable) character makes for a dire situation and high stakes. (Sure, Rhian is of equal power but he’s less willing to harm people.) If this happens, it would alienate Rhian, and I bet it would be hilarious to watch him panic at first. He’d be frantic, desperate to do anything. And, desperation could be a good corruption motive for Rhian to become more Evil.

6. Midas wants to capture Rhian specifically. Maybe, to admire him, keep him as a pet, because he’s golden and alive. This would be presuming Midas’ whole court and all his loved-ones have already been turned to gold. (I think he had a daughter in the original story). There might even be foreshadowing in Rise because Rhian was often described as golden. It could be meant to lead up to this. And, it could be fun to read as well as creepy.

7. Midas could produce gold to bargain with Hook or with the possibly Evil Pan. In exchange for their students, to get them back? To make a trade with another Woods leader? To settle other outlying expenses?

8. Alternatively, Midas approaches the brothers. He’d think they can undo his curse, his golden touch. Since they are known as the powerful, immortal twin sorcerers far and wide through all the Woods, we could assume. So, Midas has traveled all this way, and Rafal recognizes he has a bargaining chip here. Midas is desperate. Rafal probably gets Midas to exchange lifting the curse for support or something useful (the monkey's paw? Thereby sealing his and Rhian’s fate as tragic without realizing it.) Then, he and Rhian can get back at Hook, and recover their lost students. But, it may be a Pyrrhic Victory.

[chosetherose]

Nobody thought it was a solo romantic getaway anyway. But what difference does it make really? Like you said Karlie is on her 11th year working with the K*shners and nothing seems is going to change soon let alone in a week. I'm just done with Karlie and her Easter eggs. Forever this time.

I don’t think any of us thought that. But rather we think that’s how they want it to look to the GP. People who don’t pay attention will buy it. They always do.

I don’t blame you for being done. We are all so tired. And why hint so hard at 2022 for nothing to happen? (Not feeling optimistic for the next week). It feels like betrayal although that word is too strong since they owe us nothing. But it’s like dangling a shiny golden ornament in our faces and when we got home and open the shopping bag they swapped it out with rusty junk. Idk I’m still in Christmas mode lol. Bait and switch to keep us another year? If nothing happens I don’t know I have reason to believe otherwise.

[lizzy-williams]

𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐲 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞

🎄Warnings: Smut, threesome, alcohol, drug use, language, mature themes, a tiny bit of dubcon but not much, mega age gap.

🎄Masterlist

🎄Summary: After one of Colson Baker’s infamous adult Christmas parties, you decide to stay a little longer than everyone else and end up getting snowed in. One drink after another, things get interesting with one of LA’s hottest couples. 

🎄Theme: Jawbreaker, Machine Gun Kelly

🎄A/N: Sorry I had to sin during the season of your birthday, Jesus. (No I’m not.)

“And that’s how we met.”

Megan had finished her story, the people that remained at the party all gathered around, sharing spiked eggnog in cozy sweaters and blankets, swapping stories. 

Colson held her close, and secretly, [ y / n ]’s heart would clench every time she would see them together. Because the fact of the matter was, was that she had fallen. For both of them.

But she knew that nothing would ever come of it. Because all you were to them was Rook’s 18 year old, alcohol-drinking, weed smoking cousin. A face that they would see everywhere, but never cared to meet or start a conversation with. Her infatuation with the two of them only grew, and she had always felt guilty for it. 

Rightfully so, because she was crushing on two people that were taken by each other. If that wasn’t guilt inducing, nothing else was. 

But nonetheless, she sat and listened, hanging on to every word they spoke, and she swore she could feel her heart skip a beat whenever one of them, or both of them, would look at her as they spoke. 

After a few more stories, the guest numbers started to dwindle. Soon there were only 8 people left, the rest of the party-goers not wanting to stick around and help clean up. 

Slim, Kells, Megan, Rook, Dub, Mod, Travis, and [ y / n ] were the only ones who were left, and it seemed as if Travis and [ y / n ] were the only ones sober enough to even start cleaning up. 

Everyone was in the living room, listening to music and doing their own thing, Kells, Rook, Slim, and Mod starting a game of pool while Megan hung on Kells like an ornament does a Christmas tree, cheering him on and helping him out, Mr. Baker drunk as all hell. 

When [ y / n ] and Travis were done cleaning up, Mod had already left, Rook and Slim already stumbling to their rooms, most likely passed the fuck out by now. [ y / n ] had to say, her cousin knew how to hold his liquor. How could he not with Colson as a friend?

Travis soon spoke up, “I think I’m gonna head out, there’s supposed to be a pretty bad snow storm. Dunno if you wanna get caught in that, [ y / n ].”

She gave a chaste nod in response, giving him a hug and wishing him farewell, before slipping into the kitchen. From the counter she stood at, she could hear the couple saying their goodbye to Travis, soon hearing the front door open and close, a chilly breeze sweeping through the house. 

[ y / n ] had already poured herself a drink, and usually she was a cocktail kinda girl. But after having to spend the whole night watching Colson and Megan literally being on top of each other, she needed something stronger. 

“Scotch on the rocks, huh?” 

[ y / n ]’s eyes flickered up, only to be met with Megan’s eyes as she leaned on the counter, looking at [ y / n ]’s drink as the young girl put the bottle of alcohol back into a cupboard. 

She flashed a friendly smile as she made her way back, “Yeah, just thought it would be nice to change it up a little bit.”

“I have to say that your cocktails are pretty good though,” Megan slumped in her position, looking at her with puppy-dog eyes, (obviously drunk), and [ y / n ] already knew what it meant. 

A Sex on the Beach was her favorite, and she knew by the compliment, she wanted the young woman to make one for her, and [ y / n ] let out a sigh, and Megan gave a pouty face in response. But [ y / n ] could never say no to her. 

Soon enough, she found herself with the needed ingredients in front of her, an orange-hued cocktail glass to add a little... pazazz if you will. 

Megan looked on in intoxicated wonder, watching as the other woman poured the cocktail, without even measuring anything. And after [ y / n ] garnished it with a cherry. 

Megan let out a sigh as she felt Colson slip up behind her, his arms around her waist, causing [ y / n ] to look up, looking right back down at the counter when she noticed the display of affection that just made her nauseous. It’s not that she found it gross. But more-so wishing that she was in both positions. 

“Ah, thanks for the drink,” Colson smirked, taking advantage of the whisky that sat there on the counter. 

[ y / n ] wanted to make a sound of protest, but when she caught sight of his fingers wrapped around the glass, the noise stopped half-way up her throat. 

God, his fingers are so sexy, fuck, I wonder with they could reach my cervix when he does it up to the knuckles- Wait, stop, [ y / n ], you’re being weird, stop. 

.”You know, you somehow even make a whiskey on the rocks somehow taste better. Dunno how you do it, you can’t even drink yet,” Colson praised, [ y / n ] wincing at the fact that he mentioned her age. 

It was true, she was the baby of the group. At only age 18, the boys were very protective of her, and it always made her self conscious, alway being treated like a baby. She liked to think of herself as a girl who’s mind was beyond her years, hating that she was born at the wrong time. 

She mumbled out a quick ‘thanks’ before sliding Ms. Fox her drink, a smile spreading across her face as she got giddy, squealing as she took a sip, a face of almost pleasure crossing her expression. 

“Holy shit, [ y / n ]. You’re the fucking best, fuck,” she admired, taking a long sip this time, Colson making childish grabby hands at the drink, the woman making a big show of presenting it to him, which of course included him rubbing her ass right against hit groin, making him let out a low groan, his head dropping in her neck. 

“You know, [ y / n ], we would love it if you stayed the night. Besides, there’s a really bad storm, we wouldn’t want you out on the road,” looking at Colson, nudging him as queue to agree. 

All she got was a nod. 

“Thanks, I think I’ll just crash on the couch or something,” [ y / n ]’s voice was barely audible, the pda in front of her making her slightly uncomfortable. 

“Nahhhh, you d-don’t need to, [ y / n / n ],” Colson was now slurring, “You can just sleep in our bed,”

[ y / n ] let out a small laugh, amused by his drunk offer. But after a few serious looks being thrown in her direction, she realized they were serious.

“Oh, y-you mean it, I couldn’t possibly-”

“Come oooon,” Megan wiggled out of Cols’ grasp, walking to the other side of the counter, grabbing [ y / n ]’s hands and guiding her away, dragging her up the stairs, Colson slowly finding his way behind them. 

When they finally made it to the master bedroom, Megan looked at [ y / n ] with a smirk, “Come on, you can’t sleep in that, you can borrow some of my things, just for tonight.”

“Are you sure, that’s not necessary, I-”

Megan shushed her, “Shh, it’s fine, it’s the least I can to. Besides, it’s Christmas Eve, ‘tis the season of giving,”

She suddenly pulled her in the bathroom, the closet connected in the back, but not before Colson suggested he slipped in the bathroom with them. [ y / n ] both scoffed and rolled their eyes, closing the door behind them. 

“Strip,” Megan said. 

[ y / n ] blinked, “h-huh?” 

“For the clothes, silly, you aren’t gonna put it over your clothes,”

Megan patted to the closet, rustling around, soon coming out with a shirt and some shorts.

“Here, go ahead ‘n get dressed,”

“What, like right here?” [ y / n ] asked, anxiety obviously shooting up. 

Megan let her hands rub over [ y / n ]’s shoulders, “Don’t sweat it, we’re both girls, we all have the same parts,”

[ y / n ] nodded shyly, taking off her dress-up shirt, then slipping off her pants, left in nothing but a bra and panties on. Megan then spoke up from behind her, making eye contact with [ y / n ] in the mirror, “You have a really beautiful body,”

[ y / n ] dismissed it as a drunk comment, and was about to slip the donated shirt on, but Megan stopped her before a second arm slipped into it. 

“Aren’t you going to take off your bra? Heard it can cause bad stuff for your chest. Besides, that bra is too pretty to ruin.”

She nodded slowly, now avoiding Megan’s prying eyes, getting behind her and unclasping her bra for her. Megan watched it was it dropped, starring at her breasts. 

The young woman cleared her throat, trying to get her tempting thoughts out of her head, slipping the rest of the clothes on, and was about to walk out of the door, before Megan once again stopped her.

“Hey,” she started, “You’re beautiful,” Megan then leaned over, leaving a soft kiss on [ y / n ]’s forehead, and if she wasn't red before, she was definitely red now. 

It was all so random. Coming out of nowhere.

Opening the door, [ y / n ] tried her hardest to forget what just happened, but it was all she could think about.

Colson already seemed like he was on the brink of sleep, the light from the TV being the only thing illuminating the room. But when his attention focused on the two women walking towards him, getting ready to slip into bed with him, he was wide awake. 

[ y / n ] paused for a second, stopping in her tracks, she wasn’t really sure what she was supposed to do next, let alone what she was about to do. What the fuck even was this? A drunken idea that will be discarded in the morning, the two of them dismissing it because they were too drunk to remember?

Or did this mean something? Was this a sign? What if they both-

“Come on, [ y / n ], I don’t bite, Colson smiled, patting the spot right next to him, Megan nodding in confirmation.

“Y-Yeah, sure, okay,” her words came out faster than anticipated, making her sound like she was babbling like a toddler. 

Before she could embarrass herself anymore than she already did, she did as she was told, [ y / n ] slipping into the covers as she made room for Megan on the king-sized bed. 

But when Colson pulled her in, her head now on his chest, she could feel her heart beating a million miles a minute. And at first, she thought that Megan would disapprove. This was her boyfriend we were talking about. 

But when she hopped into bed, she objected for a different reason than expected. 

“Hey, don’t hog her, I want some cuddles too,” she whined, latching onto [ y / n ] by wrapping her arms around her waist and nuzzling her face in the back of the girl’s neck.

But Megan could sense [ y / n ]’s heartbeat, and she almost smirked to herself because she was part of the reason. 

“Come on, [ y / n ], it’s just us,” she soothed, hoping it would help with nerves. 

Colson himself gave a small squeeze of reassurance, then reaching over to his bedside table and pulling out a joint, lighting it. 

“You want first hit?” he passed it to [ y / n ] and she nodded. If anything were to calm her down, it would be this. At least relieve some tension. 

Soon enough, the joint was burned up to the filter, the room smelling like weed as the three of them relaxed, watching the movie that was on the screen. Colson was now sobered up a little bit. But he wouldn’t dare change the situation that he was in. Not for a hundred bucks. Not even for a million. 

[ y / n ] was nuzzled deeply into his chest now, Megan playing with her hair as she gave a look to Colson. 

As soon as the movie ended, Colson looked over to [ y / n ] who was sleeping peacefully, she soft breaths enough to make the couple fall asleep. Megan let out a small ‘aw’ before gently kissing her forehead just like she did in the bathroom. 

“Goodnight [ y / n ],”

Colson imitated her action, doing the same as she whispered Megan’s exact message, before pretending to fall asleep. 

But both of them weren’t sleeping. They were just hoping that the other one wasn’t going to find out about what they were about to do. They couldn’t resist. [ y / n ] was right there, and the both of them had a connection to the girl, so how could they not?

Colson made the first move. He let his free hand reach over his body, letting his hand drift gently over her thighs, making her shift just the slightest in her sleep. Soon enough it reached her calfs, then right where he wanted it, her covered clit his next target, pressing lightly on it, knowing the pressure would get to her, maybe even enough to wake her up. 

But she was sleeping like a rock, and all he was getting was whimpers and mutters of profanity in her sleep. 

It wasn’t until he felt another hand down there that he stopped and froze in his tracks. He suddenly looked over and whisper yelled.

“Megan??” 

She had the same response, “Colson??”

They both had the same goal. But it was somewhat relieving. Because the other couldn’t blame the feelings they had for the 18 year old. And Megan thought that she was the only one who had the sinful thought of touching her and making her make sultry noises in her sleep, feeling the gratification that she, in fact, made them happen. 

But now things changed. Now she didn’t feel so indifferent about her displays of affection for the girl, and neither did Colson. Because there were always the intentional touches every now and again. Always having the excuse to reach over [ y / n ], his hand touching her lower waist, which also made her turn a shade of dark pink, goosebumps erupting in it’s wake.

Now things had changed. 

Megan switched on the lamp on her side, giving a knowing look to Colson, knowing what they wanted to do next. They just prayed that [ y / n ] would want to do it too. 

Megan leaned over, leaving kisses across [ y / n ]’s neck as she let her hands slip up her shirt, dragging her nails across her stomach. Once Colson saw that [ y / n ]’s eyes were fluttering open, he suddenly grabbed her, making her squeak, pulling her into his lap as the kissed her on her lips. 

It may have been the sleepy haze, or maybe the weed, but [ y / n ] found herself kissing back as he held her close, now shifting herself to straddle his waist, their tongues poking and playing with each other while Megan let out a huff of disapproval, for Colson, once again hogging the girl. 

Megan ended up leaning up to her neck once again, her hands drifting everywhere she pleased, [ y / n ] letting out soft noises. 

Suddenly, Colson flipped her on the bed, before stripping her almost completely, except for her shirt. 

“That’s my shirt, you know,” he smirked, knowing Megan might have done that on purpose. 

This time, Megan’s hand sliding farther up, touching her beasts, lifting up the shirt just above them, bringing her mouth to the nipples, sucking them. Colson slipped his clothes off, trying to match the girl in front of him, Megan soon following suit, deciding to take off Colson’s shirt, leaving [ y / n ] completely in the nude. 

Their hands were all over her, making her squirm, getting self conscious. She was in front of the two most beautiful people she knew, and somehow they wanted her, my some miracle. But yet, she was relived, because she didn’t need to hide such dangerous feelings. Here, she thought her thoughts would split the couple apart. But what was about to happen was going to strengthen their bond for all three of them. 

Colson waisted no time getting between [ y / n ] legs, making contact with her clit as she let out a whimper. So many times, she had pictured this. Every time she touched herself, she pictured him doing it and not her hand, and it was finally happening. 

[ y / n ] then decided to make a daring move, reaching her hand down to Megan’s clit, rubbing soft circles around the bud, making her feel perfect. Sure, Colson could make her cum. But [ y / n ] was a woman. She knew what a woman’s body wants. What a woman’s body needs, and soon enough, the two women were about to fall off the edge. 

And they did, and Colson didn’t know which one to focus his attention on. It was beautiful to watch both of the women who were closest to him reach a state of nirvana. Especially at the same time. 

He then kissed up [ y / n ]’s stomach as she was just then coming down to Earth, then hovering over her, kissing her passionately. She could taste herself on his tongue, and it was the hottest thing she thought she could experience that night. 

But Christ, was she wrong. 

“Let me have a taste, Cols,” Megan muttered, Colson eagerly complying, slipping his hand down to [ y / n ]’s clit to rub soft circles as he kissed his girlfriend, the afterglow of her orgasm somehow making her more beautiful. 

[ y / n ] turned her head, muffling her moans against the crook of Megan’s neck, her heavy breaths making the older woman squirm at the warm sensation. 

When the couple broke the kiss, Colson suddenly positioning himself at [ y / n ]’s entrance, kissing her neck, sucking dark marks all over her soft spots. But a wave of anxiety crashed over her as she pushed him back, stopping both him and Megan in their tracks, automatically concerned. 

“W-Wait, I’ve never... I haven’t-” she struggled to get her words out, Colson filling in the blanks. 

“You’re a virgin?” Megan suddenly cut in. 

“How are you even related to Rook- Ow-” Colson got a smack on the chest from Megan, giving him a look. 

“What better way to loose your virginity than to share it with more than one person?” Megan suggested. 

“I just... can you hold my hand?” she asked Megan like a child, and she automatically obliged, intertwining their fingers and placing a soft kiss on her nose. 

“Anything for you.”

“Are you okay to keep going?” Colson asked sensitively, and [ y / n ] gave a small nod before taking a deep but shaky breath. 

As she let a breath out, he began to insert the tip, making [ y / n ] gasp, a new discomfort in her cunt she had never felt before. And fuck he was big. But if there was one thing that was known about [ y / n ], it was that she wasn’t a quitter. She had made it this far. 

After a few seconds of whispered praises from the both of them, [ y / n ] bit down on her lip as she began to push in farther, the girl squeezing Megan’s hand like it was the last thing she would ever do. 

Soon enough, we was bottomed out inside her, giving her time to adjust, Colson kissing her collarbone as Megan kissed her jaw. After several minutes of cock-warming, [ y / n ] saw it fit to move, almost letting out a sigh of relief. 

Slowly, he started to move, trying his best to be as gentle as possible. Soon he began to go faster, and the ache in [ y / n ]’s core began to dissolve into pleasure as she felt every ridge and every vein as be slipped in and out of her. 

“Holy fuck, you’re so fucking tight, shit,” he cursed, beginning to go faster and faster, [ y / n ] feeling the coil inside her tighten. 

“m’gonna cum, can I please cum?” she asked desperately, Megan bringing their intertwined hands up to her lips, giving [ y / n ]’s hand a kiss.

“Of course you can, sweet girl, unravel on his cock,” her words leaving Colson speechless, her fingers slipping down to her clit, [ y / n ] letting out a yelp of pleasure. 

Soon enough, the coil inside her snapping like a twig as a mind-numbing orgasm, making her black out, passing out in pure euphoria, Colson pulling out and Megan suddenly lurching forward, her mouth on his tip, taking his cum in her mouth, swallowing everything he gave him. 

Tucking her under the covers, Colson smirked, letting it sink in that he was his first time, almost feeling as if she saved herself for this exact moment. 

And as [ y / n ]  finally slipped into peaceful sleep, Colson then went to his girlfriend, getting ready to give her a perfectly earned orgasm.

[sundayswiththeilluminati]

Vex Mythoclast

…a causal loop within the weapon's mechanism, suggesting that the firing process somehow binds space and time into…

Type: Fusion Rifle

Slot: Kinetic | Energy | Heavy

Element: Arc | Solar | Void

Perk: Timeless Mythoclast - This weapon fires full auto when in its default firing mode.

Trait: Temporal Unlimiter - Defeating targets builds stacks of Overcharge. Hold reload to swap firing modes when fully Overcharged. In Overcharge mode, hold the trigger to charge up and fire more powerful linear fusion shots.

Masterworked Trait: Calculated Balance - Higher stacks of Overcharge improve stability.

Ornaments: The Untold Tale, Clast of Its Own, Infinite Gift

Origin & Description: The Vault of Glass is another liminal space like the Black Garden, but unlike the Garden it was created by the Vex. Well, I say created; once it existed, it had always existed. Once we broke it, it had always been broken. But before we broke it (which never happened, until it always had), it served as a kind of transit nexus outside our normal spacetime through which the Vex moved in pursuit of their usual unknowable Vex business. At the center of this center: Atheon, Time's Conflux. It is impossible to say, and to some extent does not matter, if Atheon created the Vault or if the Vault created Atheon. It is impossible to say, and to some extent does not matter, whether Atheon was a vast lynchpin Mind of the Vex labyrinth or a spacetime crossing guard directing Vex traffic. The suffix "-clast" means "breaker," so a Mythoclast is someone who brings down a myth; and indeed Atheon might have been one of the closest things the Vex had to gods - or it might have been little more than an extraplanar stoplight. Either way the Vault stood outside of time (until it never did), linked to every Vex conflux, and at its core glass-clad Atheon wove threads of causality all across our universe.

Standing outside of reality, the Vault had to fabricate its own, and that means that within it Vex controlled the horizontal and the vertical. Like the Infinite Forest it became an endless Guardian bug-zapper as fireteams dared the Vault to explore, to loot, or just to see what was inside. Virtually none returned. Some who did told stories of stepping through alternate futures and pasts, of encountering terrible Vex enemies that didn't need to resort to anything so crude as bullets - they could simply observe you and decide, in this local reality under their control, whether you existed or not (they tended to pick "not"). Some Guardians described the Oracles, Vex computations that examined your past and fixed your future, asserted your doom. But the Guardians that matter here the most are the fireteam of the Titan Kabr, the Legionless.

Kabr led six Guardians into the Vault but now only three of them ever existed: Kabr, Pahanin, and Praedyth. The Oracles saw the others and decided they weren't so now there were only ever three. They were a true fireteam; not an impromptu group convened by necessity like the one that pursued Crota, but a full long-term Guardian fireteam, Titan Warlock Hunter, meant to endure - much like another three-person fireteam that dared a Vex dreamland and came to a bad end. For people who can expect to live forever, who can expect to literally die for each other multiple times per mission, the bonds of a true fireteam are a marriage and more. So, dangerous as it was, Kabr, Pahanin, and Praedyth went into the Vault together. Only Pahanin would ever leave.

Praedyth survives, somehow, perhaps. Praedyth was captured by the Vex and endured inside the Vault, assuming it makes any sense to speak of time passing inside it. We saw his bones and his Ghost but that doesn't mean much in there. He sees many timelines, past and future, this one and others. He sees Elsie Bray, the Exo Stranger, stepping between them. He sees other shapes we know whose presence in the Vex network is unsettling - Taeko-9. Asher Mir. Praedyth still has the wrapper from a candy Pahanin threw at his head half an hour before they entered the Vault. It's worn soft and folded into the shape of a crane. And when the Vex in the Garden wake again, ringing to the signal that heralds the Darkness, he sees the manifold realities within the Vault change as well. He makes contact with the many exploration copy-teams of the original Ishtar Collective scientists. They pool their knowledge, try to understand what's coming and what to do about it. Praedyth knows a Guardian is always sure to pay attention to their gear, so when he sees Elsie Bray, he copies her rifle - building the original No Time To Explain - and etches his own warning into it: "Soon." He may have escaped; he may still be escaping right now. Time is strange in the Vault.

(But I hope he escapes. I need another crazy Vex warlock to be crazy warlock friends with while Asher's off having fun in the Pyramidion.)

Pahanin, the Hunter, made it out; how, we don't know. Before the Vault Pahanin was well-known for his many quips and jokes, which were collected into the Pahanin Errata. He liked puns because they annoyed Kabr and squid because he thought they were cool. Don't sweat it if humanity does go extinct, he said. You're just giving the cephalopods a chance. After the Vault, bereft of his fireteam, he built the machine gun Super Good Advice with its onboard AI - not to make it better in combat, but to talk to him, because he'd become terrified of ever being alone. But poor Pahanin wasn't done being a bystander in Guardian history. During a Crucible match he became the first Guardian to fall to Dredgen Yor's Light-devouring Thorn.

And Kabr. Kabr was named well; "qabr" is Arabic for "tomb". As his fireteam fought the Templar and its Oracles, who doomed them to fall over and over, he gathered up the destroyed frames and armored himself in Vex carapaces. Captured and surrounded, deprived of his weapon and his Ghost, he made one last play: he pierced the Vex-made reality of the Vault just enough to let in a ray of Light. With that ray and with the ruins of the Vex he had destroyed he poured the last of his strength into a weapon, and because he was a Titan of course it was a shield. The Aegis of Kabr focuses Light for its original purpose: to defy predestination. Kabr completed the Aegis and declared, "Now it is done. If I speak again I am not Kabr." Then he drank the radiolaria and became something else. With the Aegis we can strip the Templar's shields and block the Oracles' blindness, letting us take them out and causing possibly the greatest feed message in Destiny: "Guardians make their own fate."

And after you kick Atheon into a mess of glass splinters, the Aegis has the most important boon for a Guardian: loot! If you're lucky it has a bright gold engram for you containing the bright bronze gun Vex Mythoclast. Looking like a mix of the Vex hobgoblin frame's Line Rifle and the goblin frame's standard Slap Rifle (who named these), Mythoclast is a Vex weapon from an alternate timeline in some distant corner of the Vault where Vex weapons are a) separate from frames and b) usable by humans. Don't think about it too hard. Mythoclast acts just as weirdly as its origin might suggest; it's typed as a fusion rifle but has zero charge time and fires full auto in its default mode, more like a full-auto scout or regular auto rifle. Build up stacks of Overcharge and you can swap it into essentially linear-fusion mode, firing long-range shots that require charge time but hit much harder. Once you complete the catalyst - which requires locating and standing on several Vex plates inside the Vault, then shooting the Oracles that appear, then stepping through a familiar gate - each stack of Overcharge will also steady the weapon's aim. It's a surprisingly useful oddball (especially in PvP), but, like other recent raid weapons, isn't a gamebreaker. At least it better not be, because Atheon still won't cough it up for me. Come on, glass-buddy! It's time, right? Eventually it will happen! So it might as well happen now.

UPDATE January 2022 of this timeline: Finally got it! And it rules. You guys should get this gun.

Destiny 2 Compendium Armarum Exoticarum

[ Ace of Spades | Ager's Scepter | Anarchy | Arbalest | Bad Juju | Bastion | Black Talon | Borealis | Cerberus+1 | The Chaperone | Cloudstrike | Coldheart | Collective Obligation | The Colony | Crimson | Cryosthesia 77K | DARCI | Dead Man's Tale | Deathbringer | Dead Messenger | Devil's Ruin | Divinity | Duality | Edge of Action/Concurrence/Intent | Eriana’s Vow | Eyes of Tomorrow | Fighting Lion | The Fourth Horseman | Forerunner | Gjallarhorn | Grand Overture | Graviton Lance | Hard Light | Hawkmoon | Heartshadow | Heir Apparent | The Huckleberry | Izanagi’s Burden | The Jade Rabbit | Jötunn | The Lament | The Last Word | Legend of Acrius | Leviathan’s Breath | Lord of Wolves | Lorentz Driver | Lumina | Malfeasance | Merciless | MIDA Multi-Tool | Le Monarque | Monte Carlo | No Time to Explain | One Thousand Voices | Osteo Striga | Outbreak Perfected | Parasite | Polaris Lance | Prometheus Lens | The Prospector | Queenbreaker | Rat King | Riskrunner | Ruinous Effigy | Salvation's Grip | Skyburner’s Oath | Sleeper Simulant | Sturm | Sunshot | SUROS Regime | Sweet Business | Symmetry | Tarrabah | Telesto | Thorn | Thunderlord | Ticuu's Divination | Tommy's Matchbook | Tractor Cannon | Traveler's Chosen | Trespasser | Trinity Ghoul | Truth | Two-Tailed Fox | Vex Mythoclast | Vigilance Wing | The Wardcliff Coil | Wavesplitter | Whisper of the Worm | Wish-Ender | Witherhoard | Worldline Zero | Xenophage ]

[kitkat1003]

Tower Tales

6: I’ll be home for Christmas....you can count on me...

AO3 link

@asilcorner

(also recorded myself singing the song in this chapter, listen here!)

Their first Christmas in the tower is on the horizon, and while they try to remain optimistic about it all, it’s hard to be happy when you’re living in a prison.

Yakko, as usual, is shoving down his own sadness with ease.  Wakko watches, with sharp eyes behind the veneer of dull suspicion, as Yakko cheerfully pulls out a Christmas tree from nowhere, has them all put up the ornaments one by one, instead of just throwing stuff on there.  To elongate the process, perhaps, to force them to focus on the action rather than the lack of an escape.

Wakko sees, sometimes, Yakko’s eyes dart to the water tower door.  He hears, at night, Yakko, going to the door and trying to wrench it open.  Some nights Yakko spends hours, sometimes minutes, and sometimes Wakko hears Yakko stop, sit, and cry into his knees.  He’s very quiet, but so is the tower, at night, and they have terribly good hearing for toons.

Yakko’s always smiling in the morning, with breakfast.  Wakko worries.

The first few months after they’d figured out them being locked up wasn’t some prank, they’d thrown anything they could at the door to try and get out.  After they’d ran out of ideas and materials, they’d quit, because it was more depressing to try, hope, be constantly disappointed than just to forget.

Or try to forget.  Wakko guesses that Yakko can’t.

And Dot isn’t exactly thrilled, either.  Wakko thinks she misses the outside more than she lets on.  He vaguely remembers her, on days they felt like wreaking havoc would be boring, taking them on a picnic.  The stock market hadn’t crashed yet, and then it did, so they didn’t have a lot of money.  They did have the ability to steal, but even then they didn’t do it much because it wasn’t fun or right to steal from people who were already going bankrupt.

They’re mischievous, not cruel.  Wakko wonders if the people who locked them in here knew that difference.

“What are we gonna do for Christmas?” he asks one afternoon, during lunch.  “Do you think Santa can get in here with the door locked?”

The question has Dot suck in a sharp breath.  She looks away, upset, and Yakko gives him a look, the one he gives whenever Wakko says something tactless.

Wakko doesn’t have a lot of tact.  He thinks he might’ve eaten it, whatever it is.

“Santa can get in anywhere,” Yakko replies, hands on his hips, confident.  “And we’ve been pretty good, despite the circumstances, so I think we’ll be getting plenty of presents from him.

That’s something that Wakko worries about.  Presents.  What is he even supposed to give his sibs that they can’t just create with toon powers?  Making cards seems lazy, even if he would put all his effort into them.

Yakko, he’s sure, already has an idea.  Because Yakko is smart.  Dot probably has them figured out too.

“I thought you were off Santa’s nice list,” Dot says with a grin.  “You know, for being a hypocrite?”

“I think he’ll find it in his heart to forgive me this year,” Yakko shoots back, hand on his chest, before standing up to put his plate in the sink.  Wakko will lick them clean with his tongue, and Dot will put them in the dishwasher, and one of them will put them away when they’re done depending on when it finishes.  They’re efficient, kind of.

“Should we decorate?” he asks, because so far they only have the tree, and the tower looks a little barren.

Dot’s eyes sparkle at the idea, and Wakko knows he is going to regret asking.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

By the end of the next day, the whole tower is put together, tinsel and twinkling lights that flicker hanging from the walls and ceiling.  Dot puts mistletoe over every doorway they’ve made, and every time they happen to be beneath it, she makes sure they either give her a kiss on the cheek or she gives them one.

Yakko thinks it’s cute, if silly, and Wakko just shrugs it off.

They make a fireplace, with a chimney that they aren’t sure goes all the way through.  Wakko tried climbing it, but halfway up he found himself shot back down, rolling across the floor covered in soot.

He couldn’t even try and argue to not take a bath that day.  Yakko had dunked him in and hadn’t let him out until the black stopped coming off on Yakko’s gloves.

His hopes for Santa visiting are dashed, and he can see Dot deflate too.

“Who needs the guy, anyway,” he hears Yakko mutter, and Wakko wonders.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dot is very, very sure that this Christmas is going to be great.  She knows it is, despite the fact that they don’t even know if Santa can come see them, despite the fact that they won’t be able to go anywhere to see snow, despite how the world around her wants to tell her it won’t be.

She will spite that because she refuses to let anyone take this season from her.  She and Yakko and Wakko start a food fight in the kitchen when making cookies, and cookie batter splatters all over the wall.  Wakko ducks behind the kitchen island, with her, and holds out his hand.

“Truce?” He’s wearing an army hat, comically large on his head, with the straps hanging down past his shoulders.

If she wasn’t astronomically cute herself, Wakko might give her a run for her money.

“Let’s give our brother a wet new coat,” she agrees, and Yakko becomes the color of cookie batter in seconds.

“Betrayal!  By my own siblings no less!  Is nothing sacred?!” Yakko cries, leaning heavily against the stove with the back of his hand placed dramatically against his forehead.  Dot and Wakko giggle, coming around to face him.

“I don’t know, I think this is a good look for you,” Dot gives him a once over and hides a laugh behind her hand.  Wakko reaches out a finger and swipes a bit of the batter off of Yakko, sticking it in his mouth to taste.

“Mmmm,” he grins, and Yakko gets a mischievous gleam in his eye.

“You know, you’re right Dot!  I ought to share my new looks with you, don’t you think?” he reaches out and sweeps them into a goopy hug before either of them can escape, and all three of them share the wealth of the batter that was supposed to go in the oven.

Dot takes a bath, then Yakko does, and Wakko licks himself and the kitchen clean.  He’d offered to lick them clean, but they politely declined.

“Slobber just isn’t a good look on me,” she’d told him, and Wakko had shrugged and eaten the demolished mixing bowl.

After that, they actually make cookies, because as tasty as the batter was to Wakko, they might want some warm, chocolatey goodness.

They make milk-free ones, too, even though Yakko says they don’t have to, because they want him to have a good time too.

Besides, the cookies taste fine without milk.  Who needs lactose?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

That night, Dot is sitting at her vanity, and she looks in the mirror and is ever aware of the background of cold metal.  The decorations look gorgeous, she put them up, she did everything she could to make the Tower become the season she loves.  

(Well, she technically loves the spring the most, with its gorgeous flowers and sunny days for picnics, but still.  Who doesn’t love winter?  It has Christmas!  And, now, it has Yakko’s birthday!)

But, even with all the decorations and fun, even with the mistletoe and the letters to Santa she can’t send, she feels...

Miserable.

She wants to go outside.  She wants to play in the snow.  She wants to harass street carolers by messing with the lyrics of their songs.  She wants to be out there, with people, in the world, instead of sequestered away.

She sighs, remembering a tune from their previous Christmas.

I’ll be home for Christmas.

You can count on me.

Please have snow, and mistletoe,

And presents under the tree.

Christmas Eve will find me,

Where the love light gleams...

She trails off and sighs again, resting her arms on the vanity, and then her head on her arms.

She doesn’t notice the figure peeking from the third floor, frowning down at her in concern.  Doesn’t notice the lightbulb appear over his head, before he ducks back upstairs.

She just sits there, thinking of the last time she saw a single snowflake.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Wakko locks up the third floor, a week and a half before Christmas.

When they ask, he tells them it’s a surprise.  Because it will be.  He finally knows what his gift for them, for Christmas, will be, and he can’t let them ruin it, because he really wants to see the pure surprise on their faces when they witness it.

He spends the days up till Christmas Eve working on it, finishing it Christmas Eve morning after breakfast and before lunch.  He’ll have to double check it before showing it to them, but that’s fine.  It’ll be about ten minutes security and then he can show them the magic he has in store.

Dot has swapped out her typical character modeled dress for a long sleeved one, with white fuzz trim on the hem and where the sleeves end.  Yakko has a pair of deer antlers, and keeps calling himself Rudolph, whoever that is.  Yakko says it’s going to be a hit a few years from now.

Wakko just puts on a Santa hat on top of his baseball cap and calls it a day.  Dot calls him lazy, and he shrugs, cause that’s a fair assessment.

Christmas Eve is as fun as it is weird, because they don’t have anything anywhere to do to celebrate, but they cut out little paper snowflakes and angels to hang up and then watch and see how much eggnog Wakko can chug at once.

The answer is around 6 gallons, give or take, because Yakko capped him off there, worried.

“You’re such a mother hen,” Dot snickers, and Wakko tilts his head to the side with a hiccup.

“Isn’t a male chicken a cock?” 

Yakko laughs.

“Goodnight everybody!”

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They meant to stay up, but they’re kids, so they fall asleep eventually.  Wakko, kicking and squirming in bed, because even asleep he can’t stay still, wakes to the sound of frantic whispers.

“Please, just-just for tonight,” Yakko’s voice is quiet and pleading, and when Wakko blinks away the sleep from his eyes he turns into see Yakko, standing in front of Santa, hand gripping Santa’s coat.

And Wakko doesn’t have the time to process the fact that Santa is here, and real, because Yakko keeps talking.

“Please-just take them out, I’ll stay inside.  We-just for the night, just let them see the sky again, some snow, it’s been months, please,” Wakko can’t see Santa’s face, but he does see the shake of his head.  

Yakko’s voice cracks when he speaks.

“Just one ride?  They’ll be good-I-,” Yakko pauses. “Okay, maybe they won’t be, you know them, but I’ll make sure they are, okay?  They-they don’t deserve to be locked in here.  It’s Christmas, so just for tonight-please.”

There’s something so young about Yakko’s voice, then.  Yakko doesn’t sound like a kid, sometimes, and Wakko doesn’t always either, but for him it’s for laughs and for Yakko it’s because he’s tired.

Santa says something, puts a hand on Yakko’s shoulder, and Yakko deflates.  Wakko doesn’t even notice that there are new presents under the tree yet, because he’s too busy trying to be quiet enough to hear.

“Just go,” Yakko’s voice is hard, and quiet, and cold, and sad.  Santa pulls another present from his bag and sets it beneath the tree, and disappears up the chimney.

Wakko watches Yakko tremble in place, for a good two minutes.  He counts the seconds in his head, because it feels like they go so slow.  Yakko finally stops, takes in a deep breath, and sighs.

“Who needs the guy, anyway,” he hears Yakko repeat, and he pretends to snore as Yakko walks back to bed, and buries his face in the pillow.

It takes a long time for him to get back to sleep.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Wakko wakes up on Christmas to the smell of peppermint hot cocoa at the crack of dawn-at the very least, it feels like the crack of dawn, because it’s earlier than he’s woken up in a while, but the elation of Christmas!!!! has him up in an instant.

There’s a large stack of presents beneath the tree, their names written in pretty cursive of the same handwriting.  Dot is all cheer, and he watches her skip towards the kitchen.  He shuffles over himself.  Yakko sets two cups of hot cocoa on the table, and swirls the top with a large helping of whipped cream, before sprinkling some peppermint on top.

“Merry Christmas, sibs,” he smiles down at them, and it almost makes Wakko forget about the night before.  “My gift to you is your menu of choice.  The whole day, a la carte menu.  Whatever you guys want, I’ll make.  So, what’s for breakfast?”

Wakko’s eyes are blown wide. Yakko has no idea the can of worms he’s opened with that open ended gift.  Or, maybe he does, because he puts on a chef’s coat and hat, and sets up the stove, and a grill, and the oven.

“Bring it on, little brother.  But, uh, let me make Dot’s first?  Something tells me hers will be a biiiiit quicker to make.” Wakko bites his tongue at that request, and Dot prattles off a normal order, because she’s boring.

By the time Yakko is done with Wakko’s order, he’s out of baloney in his slacks.

“I’ll put some more in there later.” He shrugs it off, and Wakko finishes off plate thirty seven with a grin. 

After that, they open up the presents under the tree.  Yakko gets some notebooks, a set of fancy pens, and a very expensive looking leather belt.  He also gets some books, and a perfect replica of a Shakespearian outfit.

He seems happy, but his smile is strained.  Wakko thinks he knows why.  Yakko is getting better at hiding it, though, because he almost didn’t notice Yakko was sad at all.  There’s still a trace, though.

Wakko wonders if he’ll start forgetting to look for that.

Dot gets the latest model of hair straightener and curler, and a wide breadth of makeup products, as well as a poetry book that she regards with half suspicion and half curiosity.  She gets a notebook and pen, too, one with a feather plume sticking out the end.  She uses it to brush underneath her chin, giggling.

Wakko gets some chew toys, some that he doesn’t see himself devouring just yet, and a necklace with a chew on too.  He puts it on and nibbles on it as he opens up the others.  He gets an engineering book, called “Building Without the Math,” and it sounds right up his alley.  He also gets a tool kit, which he places in his gag bag for safe keeping. 

The other items are mostly random toys they hadn’t known existed because they haven’t been outside.  Wakko uses the propeller of a toy plane as a fan, and then spits in it to see the drool droplets hover.

“Eugh,” Dot growls out, looking away, before she sighs and reaches into her dress pocket.  “This leads to my gift.” She hands both Yakko and Wakko a set of flash cards on a ring.

“Coupons?” Yakko flips through them, and then snickers.

“You two can do things that...,” Dot struggles for the world.  “Make me uncomfortable.  Cause you’re boys.” She rolls her eyes. “But you like to do them ‘cause they make you happy, not because they make me annoyed, so these are your passes for that.  Valid for a year.”

There are ones like “Can lick me” and “Allowed to not bathe for 2 weeks” that Wakko thinks are specifically targeted at him but hey, why not?  Baths are dumb, and he licks to show affection!  He sticks the cards in his cap.

Yakko rips one out, hands it to her.

“Thanks, Dottie,” he stresses her least favorite nickname, and she bares her teeth in a very strained smile, snatching the coupon from his hand.  But Yakko laughs, and soon enough, they all are.

“I’m also going to put away the decorations, no extra charge,” she waves a hand.  

“Sounds good to me,” Wakko hops up, fidgeting with his long sleeves.  “I...have to prepare my gift for you.  Can you guys wait on the second floor?”

Yakko and Dot share a look, and then nod.

Wakko vanishes up to the third floor, heart in his throat.

He hopes this works.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

He makes them put blindfolds on, pulling them up the stairs.  Yakko holds Dot’s hand in one and Wakko’s in the other, helping Dot up as Wakko drags him along.

“What’s with the secrecy, Wakko?” He asks, and Wakko bounces in nervous excitement, tail curled around his leg.

“It’s a surprise,” he insists, and sets them up perfectly, on the mark he planned out.  He’d checked, double checked, triple checked.  If this doesn’t work he is going to lose it.

He turns off the lights, and pushes his contraption to the back of the room.

“Wakko, I would like to see sometime today,” Dot calls, and Wakko fidgets.

“Almost done!” The ice is in, okay, now just push the button.

There’s a series of clanks, and then a loud, grinding sound.  Dot and Yakko shiver, and Wakko is glad he used scarves for blindfolds.

There’s a loud FWUMP, and Wakko bounces on his toes.  His feet make indents in the ground.

“Okay, you can look now!”

Dot and Yakko pull down their blindfolds, and Dot gasps.

They’re surrounded by snow.

There’s a model of a crescent moon up by the ceiling, that acts like a lamp, and glow in the dark stars that glimmer pasted up on the ceiling, with constellations they find familiar.  From the machine in the back, snowflakes are shot out, drifting slowly to the ground.

“I, uh, I made snow,” Wakko shrugs, a little self conscious.  “Since we can’t go outside, I thought...,” What is there to say?

Dot takes one step into the snow, like she can’t believe it, and squeals when her feet crunches into it, jumping around.

Yakko is still dumbstruck, until Dot comes around and shoves snow down his pants.  He jumps up comically high with a shriek, ears brushing the ceiling, and when he falls into the snow it makes a perfect imprint of him.

“Oh, that’s it!” he picks up some snow and throws it at her.  Dot throws some back.  Wakko runs into the fray, nailing Dot in the face, and she takes her revenge with deadly precision, before sprinting over to him and tackling him into the ground.

“Thank you thank you thank you thank you!” she shouts so loud that Wakko’s ears ring.

“Merry Christmas?” he tries, and she laughs.

“I knew you were my favorite brother!”

“Hey, I’m offended!” Yakko sprints over, but he’s laughing too, and he drops on top of them, wrapping his arms around them and rolling over in the snow, so they’re on top of him.

He nuzzles Wakko’s nose with his own.

“Nice job, little brother.  Think you got us beat with this gift.” Wakko blushes, looking away.

“Wanna make a snowman?” he responds, because you’re welcome seems too formal.  

“Heck yeah!” Dot jumps up and runs over to a large pile of snow.

“Watch your fucking language!” Yakko barks without heat.

“You’re not the boss of me!”

Wakko giggles, and Yakko sits up.

“C’mon, let’s not let her have all the fun,” Yakko picks him up and sets him off to the side, and Wakko is off like a shot the moment his feet touch the ground.

He thinks about the night before, of Yakko’s words.

Who needs the guy, anyway?

Beneath the fake moonlight, where the snow still sparkles like Wakko remembers, with Dot giggling up a storm as they make the largest snowman they can, with Yakko looking lighter than he has since they got stuck in here, Wakko can’t help but agree.

Who needs Santa anyway?

He can hear the tune from before, in his head, and hums it as they work, smile widening when Dot and Yakko join in.

I’ll be home for Christmas

If only in my dreams!

[babbushka]

The Christmas Waltz

Daniel Jones x Reader 

2.1k; Fluff 

Available on AO3

(tagging my kind friend @candycanes19​ for her love of Dan!)

-------------

Frosted windowpanes

Candles gleaming inside

Painted candy canes on the tree

Santa's on his way

He's filled his sleigh with things

Things for you and for me…

 Dan doesn’t know how it’s happened, really. One minute it was Thanksgiving and he was rushing to call his parents and let them know he won’t be joining their dinner table this year, and the next it’s somehow Christmas Eve. He scrubs a hand down his face with a sigh, straightens out his spine. He’s been down here in this fucking basement for coming up on nineteen hours, he figures it’s time to call it a night. There was little he could get done these days anyway, everyone he needs to contact is either on vacation or simply not returning his emails.

So, Dan wraps himself up in his coat, makes sure his scarf is on tightly to brave the D.C. winter – when had it started to snow? – and says goodnight to the guest security guard while his familiar friend is away in Pennsylvania for the holiday.

He resolves to ordering some takeout, putting on the Charlie Brown special like he does every year, and tries not to think about how lonely going back to his apartment will be, but well. He didn’t have anyone to spend the holiday with.

Or so he thinks.

It's that time of year

When the world falls in love

Every song you hear seems to say

Merry Christmas

May your New Year dreams come true…

 When Dan approaches his apartment door, little brass key already in hand, he comes up short. There’s a light on that he can see through the crack underneath his door, can hear music playing softly, and most importantly, he can smell something absolutely delicious wafting down the hall. Frowning, he checks to make sure that this is indeed his apartment, but yes there it is, that’s his door.

Hesitantly, he half expects this to be some kind of trap that the CIA has planted for him as a punishment for sticking his nose where it “doesn’t belong”, but when he opens the door he’s faced with you.

You, standing in his kitchen, dancing to yourself along with the music that’s playing on the small radio Dan keeps on the counter. Just about every pot and pan that Dan owns is either on the stove or in the sink, his dining table completely filled with food being kept warm under tight silver foil wrappings. There’s a very small tree in the living room, decorated with white lights and silver tinsel, and all of the ornaments that Dan’s mother had given him when he moved into this place years ago.

How had you found that?

How had you done any of this?

But before he can start asking his questions, you hear him at the door, and immediately you lower the volume of the radio and wipe the flour off your hands onto a little dishtowel.

“You’re home!” You give him the most beautiful grin he’s ever seen in his life, and Dan wonders if he’s actually hallucinating.

You live directly across the hall from him, and he has been harboring something of a crush on you for as long as you’ve lived there. Your friendship had started as all too many friendly neighbor relationships had -- late night run-ins at the mail room, occasional bumps at the grocery store, sometimes Dan saw you in the park when he goes on his runs. You’ve offered him all sorts of extra sweets and food that you cook too much of, he’s always given you holiday cards, and lately your friendship had been blossoming into something closer.

Not necessarily close enough for you to break into his apartment, though.

“(Y/N)? What, how did you get in here?” Dan has to ask, has to be practical, even if he is hallucinating.

“You gave me a key, remember?” You reply, holding up the matching brass key to his front door.

“Oh that,” He remembers now, remembers how hard his heart had started to beat when he asked if you could swap keys, with the intention being, “But that was for emergencies only.”

You cast your gaze down, worried he’s going to be angry. And by all accounts, he should be, he should be very angry with you, but.

But well, he can’t think of anything more lovely, than you in his apartment.

“If you ask me, being alone on Christmas is as pressing of an emergency as any other.” You say so softly, gesturing to the huge spread that must have taken you an absolute age to put together, “I…well I hope you don’t mind, I made dinner.”

Dan’s face burns with embarrassment, he knows that he’s got practically nothing in his own fridge, nothing but a couple old takeout containers that should probably be thrown out by now, and expired milk. You must have brought everything but salt and pepper over, but you’re kind enough not to make a big fuss about it.

“I thought…weren’t you going traveling this year?” Dan finally steps fully into his apartment, closes and locks the door behind him. He sets down his briefcase and slips off his scarf, loosens his tie. For a moment his mind trips up with how domestic of an act that is; he might as well kiss you on your cheek and say, honey I’m home.

“My flight got canceled because of that blizzard.” You shake your head with a sad sigh, “I’m going to see family for New Year’s instead, and I thought why not surprise you with a little cheer?”

“I’m very surprised.” Dan nods, scratching the back of his neck, trying to process it all.

“You hate it, I’m sorry.” You take his tone the wrong way, immediately start to clean up the mess you’ve made, face falling and burning with shame.

“What? No -- !” Dan trips over his tongue trying to apologize. He rushes to you, his big palms on your arms, looking you directly in the eye, “No, I don’t hate it. I – I’m – thank you.”

He means it earnestly, means it so much that he doesn’t know how to even describe it, how grateful he is for you.

“You’re welcome.” Smiling again, the look you give Dan has relief rushing through the both of your chests as you ask gently, “Want to change into something comfortable, and we’ll eat?”

Dan just nods, goes into his bedroom.

And when he emerges in a pair of soft trousers and a sweater, you offer him a plate.

 And this song of mine

In three-quarter time

Wishes you and yours

The same thing too

Santa's on his way

He's filled his sleigh with things

Things for you and for me…

 The dinner is incredible, it’s so flavorful that it makes Dan wonder what the hell he’s been eating all this time. He never knew food could be so good, or maybe he did once upon a time – a time before this case. He sighs, suddenly feeling so weary, resenting how this whole thing has spiraled into something so all-consuming. It would be easier if he had help, but he was very aware of how on his own he was.

At least, he was regarding the case.

You’re sitting opposite from him, and it’s so nice to have another person to look at, to talk to, to be with, at dinner time. He doesn’t think he’s had all these lights on at once in a long time, he almost doesn’t recognize his own apartment without the blue glow of the television in the dark.

“Have you been here long?” Dan wonders aloud, trying to piece together how and when you managed to get all this done.

“Kind of, but that’s okay. The radio and all the cooking kept me company. You’re back earlier than I was expecting, if you can believe it.” You chuckle into your glass, checking your watch to see what time it even was.

Dan’s heart does a little flip at the insinuation that you’ve been paying attention to his schedule. He’s got yours perfectly memorized too, had learned it so that he could try and stage something where he might pluck up the courage to ask you out.

Did this count? Was this a date of some sort?

The radio is playing softly, the lights on the Christmas tree twinkle and blink slowly, you’ve even put up the fake fireplace channel on the television in the living room, the digital crackle filling the apartment with placebo warmth. You’re both in comfortable cozy clothes, your shoes are off, Dan’s got a stain of gravy on his sweater – it’s the most intimate thing Dan has ever experienced.

“Everything’s delicious, I can’t remember the last time I ate something so good.” He compliments your cooking, unsure of how he’s going to actually be able to finish all of this. Hopefully you’ll take some back to your apartment when the night is over.

The very thought of that has his chest tightening – he doesn’t want you to leave. He doesn’t want this night to be over, he realizes, when you grow flustered at his compliments. Dan would give anything to get to see you look at him like that again, every day.

“I’m really glad you like it, Daniel.” You smile softly, eyes filled with something like fondness.

“Call me Dan.” He tries not to get his hopes up, but it’s hard, so hard when your foot brushes against his gently, and you say just barely above a whisper in an agreement,

“Dan.”

 It's that time of year

When the world falls in love

Every song you hear seems to say

Merry Christmas

May your New Year dreams come true…

 You’ve both finished as much as you can eat, and Dan is dreading this part.

This is the part where you part ways, where you leave and go back all the way across the hall, and Dan’s alone again. He’s got a dishwasher and for the first time in his life he wishes that he hadn’t, just so the dishes would take longer, and he’d have more time to be with you.

But just as he thinks you’re about to do the whole it’s getting late…you catch something on the radio, and your whole face lights up.

“Oh – !” You gasp, turning the dial up a bit as Frank Sinatra’s voice croons and fills the apartment, “This is one of my favorite songs.”

“Really? Mine too.” Dan grins, thinking how lucky he is, how could he ever be so lucky!

“Dance with me, please?” You practically plead, your hands grasping for his and holding them tight to your chest, making Dan blink and blush and sweat a little.

“Don’t make fun of me if I step on your toes.” He nods, and you’re beaming at him, so filled with joy as he leads you to the small floor space of his living room.

This must be a dream, Dan thinks. It has to be, there’s no reality in which he’s got you in his arms, and you’re waltzing around to the music. Neither of you step on one another’s toes, but even if you had, you wouldn’t have minded. It was bliss, being here with you, sheer bliss.

He brings you around and around his living room, twirls you until you’re laughing, until you’re dizzy and pressed up against his chest, stars in your eyes.

“Stay with me tonight.” Dan whispers, officially throwing caution to the wind, rubbing his thumb across your cheek, “I don’t want you to go.”

“I don’t want to go either.” You admit with a whisper right back, and Dan fears he’s going to black out, when you stretch up and close the short distance between your mouths, kissing him gently on the lips.

His arms tighten around you, eyes shutting tightly as he wills himself not to cry. Of all the things that had happened this year, of all the shit he’s had to deal with – this moment makes up for it, for all of it. The kiss is filled with a yearning, a mutual longing that is finally being released after who knows how long.

When he pulls away, your foreheads rest against one another and he’s practically panting, feeling his heart grow three times its size.

“Dan?” You whisper, pulling him out of his thoughts.

“Yes?” He hugs you close, tucks your head underneath his chin.

“Merry Christmas.” You hug him back, the both of you swaying to the music as it fades out, knowing that now, when the night is over, nothing will be the same.

But it’ll be for the better, because you’ll be together.

 And this song of mine

In three-quarter time

Wishes you and yours

Everyone

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas

May your New Year dreams come true.

[lovemesomesurveys]

[pinkchocolate @ bzoink]

Do you know anyone who doesn't seem to be fond of animals?   Hmm. Nope.

Speaking of animals, do you have any pets? If you do, what are their favourite treats?   Yep, I have a doggo named Princess Leia. <3 She’s not picky haha she’ll take pretty much whatever. I do find it funny how much she seems to love lettuce and zucchini, though lol.

Did you ever have a crush on any 90's TV stars, or pop stars?   Yeah, like Justin Timberlake, Freddie Prinze Jr., Josh Hartnett...

Are you planning any outings or trips anytime soon? Whereabouts?   I’m trying to because my mom took a week off this week so I want to try and do something. The beach would definitely be involved.

Do you know anyone who has a phobia of a certain animal?   I do with killer whales. 

In terms of clothing, are there any colours that you don't wear or colours that you feel don't suit you?   I avoid white cause I most definitely will spill something on it. 

When was the last time you went to a department store? Did you buy anything, on that occasion?   A couple weeks ago and bought food.

As a teenager, did you read many magazines? Did you have a favourite, or any that you subscribed to?   Yeah, I was super into like Tiger Beat, Bop, CosmoGirl, etc. I always put up the posters and I loved making collages. 

What colour is your library card, if you have one?   I don’t have one.

Were there any businesses you were fond of that unfortunately closed down permanently, as a result of the pandemic?   Fortunately, no, I don’t think so.

Do you enjoy energy drinks? What kind(s)?   The white chocolate Starbucks Doubleshot energy drink.

Is there a particular brand of technology/electronics that you prefer?  I’m an Apple gal.

Have you ever had a work colleague that you didn't like/found annoying?   --

Is there a singer whose voice gives you goosebumps/chills?   There isn’t one who always does, but certain ones with certain songs, sure.

And is there a singer whose voice you simply can't stand?   Yes.

Does your place of employment have a uniform? What colour is it?    --

Have you ever found yourself attracted to a friend's sibling? How did that turn out?   Nope.

Do you know of any songs that were popular, in the year that you were born?   Yeah, Lovesong by The Cure is one of them.

If you wear make-up, do you pay attention to the shelf life or just use the product until it runs out?   I paid attention to how long I had it and swapped it out every few months or so. 

Have you ever allowed yourself to drift away from a friend and then regretted it? What happened?   Yes, that’s happened a few times. 

In terms of friendships, how important do you think it is, to share some common interests? In some cases, is it enough to simply like each other as people?   I mean, I want to have some things in common that we can bond over, talk about, and enjoy together.

Name an item in your kitchen that is your favourite colour.   I have several favorite colors, though.

If you could go back in time 10 years, what would you say to your past self? Take better care of yourself.

During the last week, has anything caused you to shake with laughter? No. I haven’t laughed that hard in a very long time. I don’t even remember to be honest.

Do you own any check patterned shirts?   Nope.

What about shirts with stripes on them?   I don’t think so.

Has anyone you know started a new job recently? Do they seem to enjoy it?   Yes, my brother had his first day at his new job today, actually. He said it went well and thinks he’s going to really like working there. He’s doing exactly what he wants to do and went to school for, so.

During the last week, have you met, or been introduced to anyone new? If so, what was your first impression of that person?   Nope.

The last time you went shopping, did you pick up any bargains?   Yeah, I did some online shopping earlier and there was a sale going on plus I had some discount codes.

Do you own any bags or purses in your favourite colour?   Yeah.

Have you seen a butterfly at any time recently?   Not that I can recall.

Describe your most comfortable pair of shoes.   I’m assuming my Adidas are comfortable, but as a paraplegic I can’t say for sure.

Are there any authors that are particularly dominant on your bookshelf? Willow Rose, Mary Stone, and AJ Rivers.

The last aroma you smelled - was it pleasant or unpleasant?   Pleasant; it was my Funfetti ice cream milkshake.

Are there any ornaments in the room you're in? What do they look like?   No.

Have you seen any photographs or videos that made you smile today?  Yeah, I’ve been enjoying my feed on here lately because all the autumn blogs I follow are active now and it gets me excited for that time of year. 

Do you know anyone named Aidan? Tell me a little about that person.   No. I just think of the character from Braceface cause I’ve been watching that lately lol.

Is anyone you know into vintage or retro styles of clothing?   Yeah.

Have you drank any fruit flavoured beverages today?   Nope.

What carbonated beverages do you have in your fridge at the moment?   Dr. Pepper, Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Diet Root Beer, and bottled Mexican Coke.

Which item in your fridge are you most looking forward to consuming?  I’m thinking of making a bologna sandwich in a bit.

Has anyone you know got into a new relationship lately?   Possibly, but none I’m aware of.

Did you ever have a woodwork class in school? If so, did you ever make anything that you were proud of?   Yes. I remember attempting a small dollhouse.

If you menstruate, do you experience much PMS prior to it?   The PMS is the worst of it for me, it kicks my ass.

Is there any food in your house that has purple packaging?   *shrug* Possibly.

Do you know anyone else with the same first name as you? How many people?   Yeah, a couple. I knew a a few growing up as Stephanie seemed to be a very common name at the time.

What colour are the cushions on your living room couch?   Gray.

Approximately how much time have you spent online so far today? Not much, actually. Just a few hours total, which is a short amount of time for me for sure.

[gingyboo]

Mirror Mirror

A/N: Again many thanks to @booglebug

Description- Soulmates existed. People knew that much. Soulmates were rare, a handful in each generation, an unexplainable phenomenon that formed a bond closer than blood and more sacred than marriage.

Bucky finds his soulmate when he needs her most. Little does he know how much she needs him too.

(Soulmate au that slots pretty much in to the MCU but with soulmates. Set after TFATWS.)

Pairing- Bucky Barnes x OFC

Warnings- Mentions of violence and guns, but its mostly fluff, drama and angst.

This is a multi chaptered fic.

Please like, comment, reblog!

prologue Chapter 1

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 2

Bucky stared into the mirror as the reflection changed back to himself. ‘Don’t be a coward’ he said to himself. Nancy knew who he was, Nancy knew what he’d done and where he was. Maybe most importantly, Nancy was made for him, and him for her. He had to meet her, but he also had to protect her. The conflict in his mind, how could he keep her safe, war followed him everywhere he went. But to not be with her, to know her and not be together, that was unbearable.

‘’Come on ice man, we got a job to do,’’ Sam shouted outside the door to Bucky’s hotel room.

‘’I’ll be right out.’’

They were staying in Paris, following up a lead on an arms dealing ring when he’d got the message, ‘Wakanda needs you white wolf’ then an address.

The journey there was simple enough, Sam was on the phone to Torres for a long time, organising a jet to their location if required. The address as it turned out was the Wakandan outreach centre in Paris. It was a modest sized town house overlooking the Seine. They were led inside by a stoic faced man, looking to be in his late 60s, white hair stark against his dark skin. He silently brought them to a small office. Children’s faces were pressed against the banisters opposite pointing at them laughing and waving. Bucky couldn’t help but smile, waving two fingers in a salute of greeting. Their guide turned to usher them away. When they entered the room, the door closed behind.

‘’White Wolf.’’ Bucky didn’t recognise the woman behind the desk. She was tall, had long braids pulled back off her face and wore an immaculate black suit. Her face was striking yet kind, there was a deep worry line on her forehead. Bucky nodded at her and Sam introduced himself. Kitama was her name.

‘’We have a job for you, a rescue of sorts.’’

Bucky and Sam shared a quick glance between them.

Kitama continued,

‘’There is to be a kidnapping attempt on a British socialite, we need you to stop it.’’ She spun the screen in front of her round and Bucky’s heart stopped.

Nancy’s face was plastered across the screen. If anyone in the room noticed his shock, they didn’t show it.

"Nancy Cartwright is the daughter of England’s ambassador in Wakanda, she’s attending a dinner representing her father tonight, then her and some other select officials will attend the royal opera house for a ballet. Our intel tells us that is when the terrorists will take her.’’ Bucky still couldn’t speak. He couldn’t take his eyes off her picture. She wasn’t smiling, she didn’t even know the picture was being taken, her getting into the back of a black car, red dress hitched up showing her black heels, gazing back at the building she must’ve just left. Her home. ‘Go back’ he wanted to shout at the picture.

‘’What do they want with her?’’ Sam asked, Bucky was grateful he was dealing with the conversation.

"Ransom."

"Money?" Sam asked

"Not exactly, we believe they wish to force the hand of her father, to work on their behalf."

‘’Where is she, we’ll go now, we’ll get her safe.’’ Bucky thought he saw Sam’s jaw drop at his statement, but it didn���t matter, he had to find her, get her safe, and the safest place for her was right by his side.

The details were passed on in a blur, Bucky’s attention was fixed on Nancy, the royal opera house in London, Torres would get them there, Sam could survey the outside, he could get in grab her and get out, quicker the better, the rest could be sorted later.

Before he knew it he was sat opposite Sam in a stealth plane, quiet as they took off over Paris.

‘’What going on blue eyes?’’ Sam asked and was met by a stony glare. ‘’Come on, I saw your face in there, you know this kid, knew her back in Wakanda?’’

‘’She’s no kid and she’s never lived in Wakanda.’’ Bucky said without thinking.

‘’But you do know her?’’ Sam pushed.

‘’Complicated.’’

‘’Look I know you’ve got this while silent and deadly thing going on, but if there’s something I should know, you probably best to tell me, so there’s no surprises.’’

Bucky shook his head and Sam stood up to adjust his suit, stalking over to Torres. Soulmates were sacred and Bucky wasn’t ready to share that truth with anyone but Nancy right now. Sam knew something was up, he wasn’t stupid. However, he also knew when not to push Bucky.

The trip across the channel was short and Torres came over with Sam. They had to fly low and quiet, small jump to the adjacent roof and get down to the third story window. Take the bridge between the two buildings. From then Bucky would need to memorise the layout, find his way to the box and get her. Then down to the streets and blend into the busy city. Sam would find them, monitor anyone following and then Torres would pick them up for extraction. Simple. Simple up to a point.

The grandeur of the opera house surprised Bucky, the patterned carpet and large stairwells reminded him of a time long ago. Sam stayed pitched on adjacent roof, shield in hand, monitoring the CCTV footage whilst redwing scanned the surroundings.

‘’Next right Buck, should be a stairwell, you are looking for box 5, she should be there, the corridors unguarded,’’

‘’On it,’’ he took the stairs 2 at a time,

‘’ you gonna tell me what’s so special about this girl yet?’’

‘’No.’’

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nancy lent forward in her chair as Tchaikovsky’s music swirled around her. She was enjoying this, if only because feigning great interest stopped the foreign secretary from attempting more conversation. No, she didn’t know what her father’s position was on an exclusive trade deal with Wakanda, and no she wasn’t sure when he’d be back in the country. She also didn’t need him to get her an ice cream in the interval though a strong drink might be appreciated. He swapped from treating her like his 13-year-old daughter to trying to catch a glimpse down the front of her dress. More than once she thought of Bucky, off on a mission, out their doing something for the greater good. Nancy liked helping her father, reporting back to him on the goings on at such events, feeding him information on the British perception of Wakanda. These were turbulent times, and yet she still felt nothing more than shiny ornament brought out for parties.

She felt the door opening before she heard it, a slight change in pressure within the top box. The minister didn’t notice, in fact she thought he might have dropped into sleep. She felt someone behind her, silently approaching, the hair standing straight on her neck. No one else should be in there. She swung round quickly arm raised. A metal hand caught it as a palm of flesh covered her mouth, she bit into it on instinct before seeing who it was. Bucky. Her face of fear relaxed at once and Bucky gently knelt behind her chair, the minister hadn’t so much as stirred. His breath was at her ear as he wound his right hand into hers, holding it tightly.

‘’In ten minutes, the interval starts, get up and leave the box, we have to get you out of here.’’

His voice was barely a whisper, she responded in the same tone.

‘’What’s happening?’’

‘’Shhh,’’ he breathed stroking his thumb overs hers soothingly, ‘’later.’’

And so, the sat in silence, him holding her hand and her watching the ballet. As the curtain closed and the audience clapped Bucky drew her silently to her feet and out the door.

He looped her hand through his arm and steered her down the stair well.

‘’What’s happening?’’ Nancy tried not to shout as she struggled to keep up with his long strides.

‘’The Wakandans sent us, someone’s planning to take you,’’ he pulled her close to him stroking a thumb along her cheek. She shivered gently, his eyes darted around her face ‘’I won’t let them.’’ He turned on his heel and pulled her after him.

‘’Slow down Buck... Bucky- ‘’she stood firm, ‘’James!’’ There were people milling around them now, coming out from the lower circle.

‘’ I’m prepared for this, my whole childhood, we had like practice runs, what’s the plan?’’ She held his gaze sternly. Bucky felt pain in his chest, who has to prepare to be kidnapped, what child should have to worry like that. He stalled for a moment.

‘’We go out, down to the streets, find a safe place to wait for an extraction.’’ He looked her in the eye, trying to read her feelings, she rolled her eyes.

‘’We’ll go to my house, it’s safe there.’’ She made to walk off, but Bucky’s grip on her arm stopped her.

‘’We are getting you out of the city, tonight.’’ He said firmly.

‘’Not gonna happen, there’s things I need.’’ Nancy kept trying to walk away but Bucky wouldn’t move.

‘’Nancy- ‘’

‘’No Bucky- ‘’

‘’No Nancy stop! Look at me, pretend we’re talking, laugh at something I said.’’ He pulled her easily back him. She laughed cheerfully, a sound like Christmas bells.

"Too men against the wall back there," he breathed just loud enough for her to hear. "don’t look, they’re watching you, we need to find another way, walk with me." He linked his fingers with hers and they walked slowly back towards the box, they could’ve been just another couple out to see the ballet. He was even dressed the part, black suit and shirt, he hid the metal had in his pocket.

‘’Are they following?’’ Nancy whispered. Bucky nodded his jaw clenching. ‘’I got a plan, meet me on the roof’’ she said as she pushed off him with surprising force and her hand slipped from his. She darted into the woman’s bathroom.

The queue inside was thick, woman everywhere touching up makeup, waiting for a stall, drying hands, noise and people, a good place to hide. She shimmied through the crowd, muttering apologies as she went, and found the window she was looking for. Pushing in wide It locked in its stays, shit, she thought glimpsing the fire escape she was looking for, the gap was too tight for any adult to fit through. Nancy took a moment, breathed in and out. She jumped up on the windowsill and amongst shouts from the other ladies, kicked on the window stays. Property damage, great they might not let her come back now. She slid out the window, landing on the fire escape just as the window above smashed and Bucky’s arm appeared. He soon followed, shouts following him. Nancy ran up the stairs to join him as they continued up to the roof. No easy feat in stilettos.

‘’What’s this plan then doll?’’ Bucky said turning to her as side of the building turned into the deep London sky. Nancy looked around finding her bearings.

‘’Over there, there’s a way down, comes out the other side of the stage, go down take the side door out. Hit the streets, get back to my house.’’

‘’We can’t go to your house- ‘’ Bucky’s protests were stopped short by the roof door bursting open. ‘’Ever used a gun before?’’

‘’Give us the girl!’’ A masked man shouted, he was followed by three others, behind them Bucky could hear feet pounding on the metal fire escape.

‘’No of course not.’’ Nancy replied not taking her eyes off their assailants. Bucky had his handgun drawn, Nancy hadn’t seen where it had come from, he’d been too quick.

‘’How about a knife?’’

‘’No not that either.’’

Bucky pushed her down and drew another gun, seemingly from nowhere, one pointed towards the masked men and the other back towards the fire escape where more men now emerged.

He shot first, the masked men had drawn guns as well, but they were no match for his superhuman reflexes. He aimed for hands and feet, to disarm not kill, this gave Bucky time to move Nancy towards the buildings edge. One escaped the fire though, dashing round and grabbing Nancy round the middle. Before Bucky could respond Nancy had landed a sharp elbow to his nose, stepped back, digging a heel into the top of his foot. The attackers grip loosened enough for her to break free. She grabbed his arm bending it around his back until she heard the tell-tale crunch of dislocation, then forced him into the floor with a kick to the back of the knee.

‘‘Where’d you learn that?’’ Bucky called over his shoulder as another figure approached him.

‘’I told you, I’ve done a lot of preparing.’’ She shuffled back then realised she was at the roofs edge, there were still 3 men coming toward them.

‘’Do you trust me?’’ Bucky said turning briefly towards her.

‘’Of course, I do.’’ For she did, since the moment he first spoken to him, the first time she knew what he was to her, she’d known, he will protect me, he will never let me down. I am his and he is mine. There was no thought of doubt. Although she was surprised when he pushed her. Hard in the chest and she toppled. Next she was falling and falling fast.

[lu-undy]

Another one hehe, it's ok to take time 😅 Dell made some time traveling machine then he called Mundy to try it, Mundy decide to go back in in the day 1942 in France where Lucien was in a 20s-30years old. Mundy tried to talk the young Lucien 😁

Alright, this took the life and floof out of me. At first I didn’t like it but then I just couldn’t stop! Here it is, and I hope you enjoy it!! Also, I changed the year to be in the fifties or so ^^ Be warned, it’s more than 5k words ^^!

"You sure it works?" Sniper scratched his brow.

"Yeah." Engie answered confidently.

"And there's no danger?"

"Yeah, I saw Edison himself yesterday and Medic had a check-up on me. Nothing's wrong."

Sniper and Engineer were in the Texan's garage, in front of a tall box that looked like an old time telephone booth.

"So, where d'you wanna go? Or rather, when and where?" Engie asked with a proud smile. That telephone box was a time machine. 

Sniper frowned and tilted his head thinking hard. He could go back a decade or so, even a few decades, to see his parents again. Hell, he could go back and see real dinosaurs if he wanted to!

"Paris, 1953." Was his answer. Engie raised an eyebrow. 

"You sure?" 

"Yeah, Christmas day, wherever the French Ministry of Defense is." 

"Why?"

Sniper looked away. 

"There's a monument I want to see."

Engie half guessed where it was all going. 

"Alrighty then, get in, when you hear a beep, count to twenty and then open the door. Wherever you end up with that machine, you need to remember where it was, cause that's your only ticket back." 

"Anything I shouldn't do?" Sniper asked. 

"Like what?" Engie chuckled. 

"I don't know, to not change the past and stuff like that?" 

"Nah, it's fine. Unless you kill someone… Yeah, don't get your hands on a rifle and kill someone. And don't meet yourself. God knows what would happen… I guess that should do." 

"Right, kill no one and don't see any family, got it." Sniper repeated to himself and Engie opened the door for him to jump in. 

"And how long do I have?" Sniper asked. 

"Here, take this watch."

"Looks like Spy's." 

"Yeah, but it doesn't just turn you invisible. Press the button on the side three times and I'll know you're back in the machine and ready to make it back."

"Okay, I think I got it." Sniper took the watch and put it on. Then he stepped in the machine. Oddly enough, it looked slightly bigger on the inside than what it seemed at first. There wasn't much inside, its walls were all blue, the ceiling was white and there was a chair and a coat hanger. Sniper removed his hat and sleeveless jacket to put himself at ease before sitting on the chair. Engie gave him a smile and a thumbs up before shutting the door. Soon, Sniper heard a beep. 

"Right, here we go. One, two, three, four, five…"

When he reached twenty, he stood up and went to the door again. 

"Paris, 1953. He should be about thirty-odd years old now." 

Mundy put his hand on the door handle and pulled on it a bit. The door creaked slightly and he took a peek. Wherever he had landed was very dark. After making sure there was no one around he got out. 

"Ouch!" 

He bumped on something and heard wooden things tumble and fall on the floor. 

"Where the hell am I…?" 

He walked trying to grope for his way to any source of light while his back was hunched slightly. Sniper soon found the wall in front of him. His hands roamed on it until -

"Ah! Gotcha!" He flipped the switch and the lightbulb above his head lit up. 

"What the…? Engie, I think you got it wrong, mate…" He said, as if Englie could hear him. He realised he had landed in a broom closet. The wooden clinking sounds he had heard were the broomsticks falling to the floor. 

"Let's see." He pushed the door and looked left and right. "Bloody hell, he might have got it right after all." 

The walls were very tall and wooden. Portraits and oil paintings were hung there with elegant lamps with golden handles, that were decorated with tinsel and Christmas ornaments. The floor was wooden as well and as he looked at the ceiling, Sniper saw intricate white mouldings. 

"That's one hell of a posh building." Sniper exited the broom closet and walked around. His heels resonated on the wooden floor. Soon, he could hear the distant noise of incomprehensible chattering. 

"Where are you all…?" He followed the noises until he could see that he clearly was standing somewhere he shouldn't be. All the guests to the Christmas party were at the end of the corridor he was walking through. 

"Monsieur?" 

[Sir?]

A voice made him freeze. He turned and faced a waiter elegantly dressed in black and white. 

"Aucun invité n'est autorisé ici." 

Bloody hell they speak real French… Sniper thought. He blushed.

"Uh, you speak English?" 

"Yes, I was saying that no guests were allowed here." The waiter answered with an accent that made Spy look like he had none. 

"Ah, well, I-I uh… I was watching the paintings and I got carried away, my bad, really. Could you show me where the rest of the guests are? I'm afraid I got lost a bit." 

"But of course, pray follow me." 

Mundy stayed on the waiter's heels and soon entered a wide room with possibly more than a hundred people impeccably dressed, the sound of their chats rising in the air. There was a stage with some musicians playing in the background too, adding to the audible and visible Christmas atmosphere.

"There you are, Sir."

"Ah, thanks." 

Mundy looked at his attire and rolled his eyes. His Mann Co. red polo shirt and brown trousers wouldn't do. He looked right and left and quickly found the restroom. He headed there and slipped in. 

Sniper saw a man who happened to be roughly his height and build. He seemed already quite drunk judging by the way he struggled to maintain his balance, trying to redo his bowtie. Mundy made sure there was no one else in the cubicles before acting. 

"Bonjour." He tried his best to hide his accent but could almost hear Spy laugh at him for it… 

"Bonsoir." The man answered before squinting at his reflection on the mirror again.

[Good evening]

Mundy went to the restroom's main door and looked through the window. No one was immediately coming. He went for the poor drunk man trying to adjust his bowtie and knocked him unconscious before dragging him to one of the cubicles. He then swapped their clothes. Of course he kept his aviator glasses. 

When he emerged from the restroom again, he was wearing a black suit and bowtie with a white shirt. He even had kept the handkerchief in the jacket pocket. Now he could face it all and look for the man he had gone through all that trouble for. 

The main room with the guests was swarming with people. Men dressed sharp and ladies wearing colourful and elegant - albeit for him quite old-fashioned - dresses. 

"Right, now, time to hunt for him… Where are you?" He said to himself as he walked through people. He didn't know where to find him but Sniper knew he was wearing a black suit and tie… which didn't help at all because that was the case for most if not all of the male guests. 

"Argh, bugger, how the hell am I going to find you… If you were a panther, I'd know where to start but - oh, wait… You're a panther, you are a panther! I just need to hunt the same thing as you do and I'll find you. Pff, what the hell d'you hunt for…?"

Mundy pondered for a minute when he heard a group of women laugh on his right. He looked there and smiled to himself. 

"Of course, sheilas!" 

He headed in their direction and stopped walking when his eyes fell on a man, about a foot shorter than him, in a black suit and tie, a cigarette between his lips and his ice blue, almost grey eyes shining like he had rarely seen them before. His pitch black, silk hair was elegantly combed back except for a rebel front tuft that elegantly fell between his eyes. 

Mundy smiled. He had found him. He had found young Spy!

He stayed there and watched him from a safe distance, with half-lidded eyes and a dreamy smile on his lips. A waiter passed by and offered him some drinks but Mundy didn't even see him. All he could see was that elegant man, being what defined him best, the best womanizer on the face of Earth. 

Sometimes, a man would come and take a lady away from him but the man with the piercing eyes would wink at her and even if Mundy wasn't the one that this wink was destined to, he would blush.

"Almost fifteen years before and you still can't make the first step, hm?" 

Mundy's blood froze. He recognised the suave voice with the French accent. But how? He had his eyes on Spy right now, it couldn't be him talking and at the same time being five metres away, busy seducing any woman who happened to meet his gaze!

Mundy felt a hand on his shoulder and turned his head. 

"What the hell are you doin' here?!" 

Spy, the real one - well, the old one - was standing next to him as elegantly dressed as his younger self. 

"I could ask you the same question, you early stalker." 

"Pff…" Mundy chuckled. 

"So, what are you up to, Sniper? And what is that suit? Does it belong to the unconscious man in the restroom?"

"Well…" 

"Next time, knock out someone who actually is the same size as you."

"What are you talkin' about?" Sniper looked down at himself. "It's my size!"

"Mon Dieu, the keenest and quickest eyes I have seen and yet you cannot spot a man that is built like you…" 

[My God]

"Oi, I could, I just didn't have much choice, alright?"

"Of course, blame it on fate." 

They both chuckled at their own banter. 

"But you didn't tell me," Spy turned his piercing eyes to his friend. "What brings the man in a van in Paris in the year of our Lord 1953, hm?"

"I don't know really… I just… I wanted to see it with my own eyes."

"The photograph I showed you wasn't enough?"

"N-no, that's not what I meant. I mean… It's better with colours, and for real." 

Spy smiled and handed him a glass of champagne, which he gladly accepted. But Sniper's eyes never left Spy, the young one.

"What do you see?"

"I… The picture didn't lie, you really looked like that."

Spy raised a confused eyebrow.

"Did you think I tampered with the picture to look different?"

"N-no, I… Argh, I can't speak sometimes, I just sound stupid."

Spy smirked. He knew why Sniper was losing his words. 

"Ah, look at me… Black hair, no lines on my face yet, and as proud as a peacock." Spy felt nostalgic.

"Not really different from you now, eh." 

"Very poor lie." Spy snickered. 

"Not for the proud bit." Sniper teased. 

"Tsk…" 

They chuckled and tipped their glasses before taking a sip. 

"Ah, the champagne from the Ministry's receptions…"

"Takes you back, eh?" Sniper asked.

"You have no idea." Spy answered, a bittersweet smile on his lips. "But tell me."

"What?" 

"Why here and now?" Spy asked. "You could have chosen any destination, any time. You could have seen wonderful things, met legendary people, and yet, you chose Paris in the winter of the year 1953."

Sniper stared at the champagne glass in his hand. 

"It's that picture you showed me the other day when we were chattin'."

"What about it?" 

"I don't know… It stayed stuck to my head and I kept wondering."

"What would it look like with colours?" Spy asked. 

"Yeah, well, that and, uh… I wanted to know how you were before. If you've always been like that." 

"Like what?" 

"Like the spooky bastard you are, obviously!" 

They chuckled. 

"Well, why don't you go and see for yourself?" Spy suggested. "Go on then, go and talk to me."

"W-what should I say?" 

"This is entirely up to you, but I cannot talk to myself so go ahead, I will just stay here and hope I can remember the content of that conversation, as I cannot partake in it or watch it from close enough.

"B-but I don't know what to say…"

"Do it like I would." Spy smirked. "Improvise."

"Thanks for the shit advice, eh." 

"Fine, then a true piece of advice from me to you, to go and talk to the younger me - Mon Dieu, how strange this sounds - is go and seduce me."

"What?!" 

Spy couldn't hold back his giggle.

"Stop messin' with me."

"That look on your face was worth it, mon ami."

[My friend.]

"Screw you, Spook."

Spy laughed further. Mundy took a deep breath and wiped his sweaty hands on his thighs. 

"R-right, I'll try something."

Spy smiled maliciously and followed Sniper with his eyes. When he saw Mundy started speaking, he clicked on his watch and turned invisible before getting closer. He wasn't going to miss Sniper taking the first step on him for anything in the world. Also, now that he thought about it, he had just acted like the wingman to… his younger self? 

"H-hey there." Mundy said, his back slightly hunched and his cheeks pink already.

"Bonsoir." The younger Spy turned to face him.

[Good evening.]

Spy's eyes had always been that impressive then, eh?

"Gosh, even your voice is the same…"

The Frenchman raised an eyebrow. 

"The same as what?" 

"And the accent! Bloody hell, it's really you!" 

"Do I know you, perhaps?" 

"Ah, uh, n-not yet."

"Obviously." The younger Spy answered. "What is your name?"

"Mundy, you?" 

"Lucien." 

"Really? Is that your name? Not one of those Jean-Pierre or other names like a train with loads of carts?"

The man with the black hair chuckled and Mundy saw his pearly white teeth.

"Oui, I can assure you that Lucien is my name. Does it not suit me?" He asked jokingly.

"Yeah, nah, sorry, I'm just a bit… confused." Mundy answered.

"I can see that." 

Mundy looked around. Only a few ladies were orbiting around Lucien now but it was still too much for him and he didn't seem comfortable talking in front of them. 

"D'you… D'you mind if we go somewhere a bit more calm?"

Lucien looked around him and smiled. There was something he liked about the strange man with the sideburns talking to him, something strangely attractive, or attractively strange.

"Follow me." 

Mundy nodded and after crossing the room and taking some stairs, they found an empty smoking room. 

"Do you smoke?" 

"Sometimes." 

"Here," Lucien flipped his cigarette case open, "Help yourself."

"Good Lord, even the case is the same… and the cigs too…!" Mundy said as he took a cigarette. 

Lucien smiled and lit them both before they took a seat. 

"You seem to compare me to someone else a lot." 

"Yeah, well, there's this bloke I know." Mundy started. "He uh… He looks like you quite a bit. He's just a bit older." 

"Mundy?" 

Mundy's heart skipped a beat. Hearing his name uttered by that man, in that voice, that accent… It was surreal. 

"Yeah?" 

"Who are you? No doubt you know me, but I don't think I have ever seen you before."

"Y-yeah, well, uhm…" Mundy scratched the back of his head.

"And you clearly are not on the guest list either. I know every single one of the guests today. None of them are called Mundy. Besides, you clearly didn't make much effort to prepare for this reception."

Mundy's jaw dropped and Lucien puffed on his cigarette.

"H-how d'you know?" 

"Your beard resembles more a messy stubble than anything else. It is clearly not taken care of, your hair either. And this suit…" Lucien's eyes were as piercing as Spy's. "You have never worn a proper suit before. You didn't adjust the bowtie or the cuffs properly and I think it is slightly too large for you, even though the fashion nowadays leans towards larger cuts, this is too much."

"Bloody hell, it's really you…" Mundy muttered under his breath. 

"If you are talking about the man who is the best intelligence agent France has ever seen, oui, c'est moi."

[Yes, it is me.]

Lucien put a proud hand on his chest and bowed his head with the most smug grin.

"And still arrogant at that!" 

"Still?" 

"Yeah, well, uh… Nevermind." 

"But please, tell me." Lucien insisted. 

"What?" 

"Who are you?" Lucien repeated. 

"You don't wanna know how a bloke like me ended up in the French Ministry of Defense's Christmas party?"

"I'll find it out soon enough." Lucien said confidently. "Besides, you don't seem to be a threat."

"Nah, I'm not."

"If you didn't come here to threaten the security of my country, then it is none of my concern. I am more intrigued by who you really are."

"I'm…" Mundy closed his eyes for a minute, just to gather his thoughts. "You don't know it but uh… You've changed my life. You've changed my life, my days and my nights."

Lucien frowned. 

"You've… Argh… Remember I told you you look like someone I know?"

Lucien chuckled. 

"You never really stopped saying so." 

"Yeah, sorry, it's just… Anyway, that bloke who really looks like you… He uh… You taught him everything and if he is my friend now, it's because of you. Bloody hell, I hope he is my friend. I see him like a friend but…"

Lucien puffed on his cigarette and listened carefully. Mundy shook his head as if to shoo away his thoughts.

"Anyway, he's just a friend, eh. But, uh…"

"You clearly have fallen for him." Lucien calmly said and Mundy bit his lip in embarrassment. "There is no shame to have."

"How d'you know?" Mundy asked. "How d'you know I…"

"It's the way you can't find your words. And trust me, I have seen more people possessed by love than my age lets you guess." 

Mundy rolled up his eyes. 

Oh I know… He thought. 

"But please, come back to the tale you were telling me." 

"Yeah, well, that bloke, he, uh… I really like him b-but he doesn't know it, nah."

"Can't you tell him?"

"No! Oh God, no… He's a magnet for sheilas, that bloke, a bit like you."

Lucien smiled proudly.

"That doesn't automatically prevent him from appreciating the company of men." He answered. 

"You think so?" 

"But of course. Personally, I don't mind much. Well, to be nearer the truth, I should say that I couldn't care less. Man, woman… Bah, same difference as you say in English." 

Mundy opened wide eyes. 

"Y-you like blokes?" 

"I can, oui." 

"Oh my God…" Mundy slapped his forehead. 

"What does it have to do with me, though?" Lucien asked. 

"Everything! I mean, no, I mean… See, I know the ladies run after you like bees after honey, I saw them back there. So I'm thinking that it's maybe the same for my friend, eh?" 

"Maybe, but to each their own." 

"C-can I ask you something?" Mundy hesitantly asked. 

"You just did." Lucien calmly answered. "But go ahead."

"If I told you that uh, ahem, somewhere, or sometime, you'd meet an Aussie and uh… He'd be about my height, he wouldn't have a clue how to dress up or do anything fancy, and uh… H-he'd be a hunter, he'd live in a van, going through the desert and hunting."

"Hunting what?" 

"Depends, he'd take contracts. Most of the time it's just pest control but occasionally, he'd take down a man… N-not because he wants to but because he's just good with a rifle and… And some people you can't let live like… Like some of the Nazis you caught." 

Lucien's eyebrows jumped.

"Hm, I see." 

"What would you think of that man?" Mundy asked, fumbling with his fingers on the dark brown leather armchair.

Lucien smirked. 

"I would want to know him." Mundy's eyebrows jumped. "I've always had a weakness for the exotic and foreign. An Australian man, you say? That sounds exciting. Besides, if he is as shy and clumsy as you are, then I would definitely go and talk to him."

"Really?" 

"Oui. You seem to doubt my words a lot, but I am sincere." Lucien smiled. "What profit would I get to not be honest?"

"Y-yeah, I guess you're right." 

"May I ask, this man your heart is worried about, he is here, in this reception, non?" 

"S-sort of, yeah." Mundy frowned. "But how did you guess?"

Lucien gave him that trademarked smile of his, the one where his eyes read him as if he was naked.

"For a man as shy as you seem to be, to manage to burst in a reception such as this, with a suit that you 'borrowed' and talking to a stranger like me, well, it's either a lot of money that you are after, or something utterly priceless." 

Mundy was flabbergasted. Spy's mind had always been that sharp then, it was insane. 

"And when I say something utterly priceless, I mean someone that you attached yourself so deeply that you cannot possibly think of anyone else. You, Monsieur Mundy, are quite the romantic type, despite the lack of self-care. Oui, romantic and very faithful."

"How the hell can you guess all that?" 

"It is no guess. As I said, despite your timid personality, you didn't hesitate to breach these extremely protected walls for just a glimpse maybe, of the man your heart is now racing for. That is for the romantic side. The faithful one I get from your glasses."

"My glasses?" 

"You went to the trouble of stealing this suit from someone, but you insist on wearing your own glasses, which could not match less well with the whole attire. Shy and romantic makes you as faithful in love as you are to your glasses." Lucien crushed his cigarette butt in the ashtray as a professor would end the demonstration of a mathematical theorem.

"Bloody hell…" 

"Do I know him?" Lucien asked.

"Who?" 

"The man you love."

"Yeah… Yeah you know him very well actually."

"May I know who it is?" 

"N-nah, not yet… Not in the next fifteen-odd years, heh…" Mundy chuckled slightly. "Maybe one day I'll tell you."

"Should I then wait for a decade and a half?" 

"I'm afraid so." Mundy answered smiling. 

"I am way too impatient for that." 

"Oh I know…" 

"And if I really am like that friend of yours, then he surely knows that you love him." 

Mundy's smile vanished. 

"What?" 

"Mundy, you are atrociously easy to read."

"So you know who-?"

"Oui." Lucien stood up and went to the impressive dark wooden door. He looked back at Mundy who had lowered his head and was staring at his boots. They didn't match with the black suit trousers. "Mundy?" 

He raised his head. 

"See you in fifteen years." And Lucien exited the room, leaving Mundy alone. He looked down at his boots again, trying to understand what he should take from that conversation. 

"So, how did you find me?" 

Mundy got startled and put a hand on his chest as a silhouette emerged from a thin cloud.

"Bloody hell, Spook! I thought you were still downstairs!"

"You heard me say it here and now, I have always been awfully impatient." Spy joked as he sat down on the armchair that his younger self had used a minute ago.

"Yeah, well… Were you here all along?" 

"Oui."

"You heard everything?"

"And saw it too."

Mundy winced and looked away. He leaned back on his armchair and averted his gaze from Spy at all cost. 

"And now I have a vague memory of it as well. After all, you were talking to me. But tell me, how did you find me?" 

"Same as now." Mundy said. 

Spy felt his embarrassment. 

"So were you." He answered before silence fell. 

"Spook?" 

"Oui?"

"What he said about… The bloke I talked about. Is it true?"

"Oui." 

"So you know?"

"Oui." 

"Have you - have you known for a long time?"

"Quite a while." Spy answered simply. 

"How long?" 

"A few weeks now, roughly, but it strangely feels like decades." Spy scratched his head.

"Bugger…" Mundy hid his face in his hands. 

"Sniper?"

"What?" 

"Don't feel angry."

"I'm not, I'm just… I'm confused, alright? I don't know what to do, what to think anymore!"

"Why?" Spy asked calmly.

"Because you know!" Sniper stood up and headed away. He left the room and went down the stairs, rushing past people. He pushed them out of his way without apologising. He crossed the room when a hand on his arm stopped him. He turned and was about to roar at whoever dared stop him but his rage just vanished. 

"Mundy." 

He looked at his feet. 

"Look at me."

"Nah, mate, I-I can't." 

"Look at him." A voice whispered in his ear and Mundy yielded.

"Mundy," The young Lucien continued. "When I meet you again, in fifteen years, please remind me." 

"Of what?" 

"Remind me of the chat we had today." 

"You think you'll forget it?"

"Non. I won't ever forget the man who broke into the reception under the highest security just to have a chat with me." The younger Lucien tapped his shoulder. "Goodbye."

Mundy nodded and left. When he got in the time machine again, he clicked three times on his watch and counted to twenty...

That night, he spent it thinking in utter silence, in his van. Mundy needed to calm his racing brain but he couldn't help it, it was running as fast as a hamster in a wheel. 

Spy knew the truth. More than that, he had been knowing for the past fifteen-odd years now… 

A knock broke his train of thought. 

"Bugger off." 

The door opened against his expectations and his will. It revealed the silhouette of a man in a suit. Mundy sighed as Lucien entered and shut the door after him. He sat down on his worn out couch, next to him. 

"Mundy, we need to talk."

"I think I said everything already. You need to talk."

"Correct. I need to talk to you and ask you if you are upset or angry against me."

"No."

"But you still lock yourself up here because…?"

"Because I don't know what else to do." 

"Ah, I see." Lucien nodded. "May I tell you what I think?"

Mundy nodded, albeit still not looking at Lucien, who swiftly removed his mask. 

"We both know your side of the story. Aren't you curious to know mine?" 

Mundy shrugged. 

"Really? You don't want to know?" Lucien insisted. 

"What would it change?"

"You can't know if you don't know my version of the story." Lucien answered calmly and Mundy sighed. 

"Alright, go ahead."

Lucien cleared his throat. They were both sitting in the dark in the van and the small windows of it only let a very little amount of moonlight through. 

"You have impressed me today. Of all the places you could have gone to, of all the people… You could have chosen to visit your grandparents, your parents! And yet you chose Paris, 1953." 

Lucien paused. 

"I can only imagine how often you think of me, then; how obsessed you are with me. I don't take it strangely, countless people have before you. But you stand out, Mundy. There is one thing that that cohort of people do not share with you."

Mundy turned his head to ask why.

"Ever since I saw you at this reception, in 1953, your image never left me."

Mundy frowned. 

"The more I think about it, the more I think that in fact, you said it all in your first few words to me, in that smoking room. You said 'You have changed my life'. Did I? How so? Is it that I'm the first man you fall for?"

Lucien looked at Mundy's eyes. 

"Non, it's not that, I can see it in your eyes. What is it then?"

Mundy didn't answer. 

"Usually when I change people's lives, it is because I end it. But I didn't kill you and I never will, I can't. How did I change your life? Did you just mean that your mind was constantly busy with me? Was that it?" 

Again, Lucien looked for the answer in Mundy's eyes. 

"Non, it's not that." He sighed. "Whatever you meant by that is entirely up to you. I can but wonder. But I think you should know that I didn't tell you everything I thought back then, because I didn't know you as I do today."

Mundy raised a curious eyebrow. 

"When you asked me what I would think about an Australian man like you, I didn't tell you the entire truth. But it isn't because I wanted to lie. It is because back then, I didn't have all the truth. However, today, I do. Shall I tell you?" 

Mundy nodded slightly. 

"Bien." Lucien took a deep breath. "If I were to meet a man like you, I would first be curious as I naturally am. I would get to know you, through asking you directly, or digging around, on my own. But I confirm what I said fifteen years ago. I would definitely come and talk to you." 

Mundy was listening, his eyes riveted on the bit of sky through the window opposite them. 

"And what would I discover? I would confirm what I had guessed fifteen years ago already. You are shy and very faithful, but also passionate. And, growing older, I would realise that what lasts in life is what you have inside of you, not the shell outside. I would learn to accept the stubble and the sideburns, the hat and the glasses, the rifle and the van."

Lucien paused and smiled to himself. 

"More than that, I would fall for them all."

Mundy's heart jumped and his blood froze. 

"The van? I would try to spend more time there, if you are in. The rifle? Seeing it means that you are close by. The hat? Underneath it is a good man. The glasses? They hide beautiful, if shy, eyes. The sideburns? They are you as much as you are them. The hair? I would give a lot to feel it between my fingers."

Mundy's jaw had dropped as he stared at Lucien now, the shock of what he just said painted on his face. Lucien was still looking through the window. 

"I have fallen for you as much as you have for me. That is the difference between all these people who fell for me before you, and you. You, Mundy, and to put it bluntly... I find myself in love you."

Mundy put a hand on his mouth to cover his bewilderment. Silence fell. The Aussie was incapable of speech. 

"What you did today, or shall I say fifteen years ago, that is quite unlike you, Mundy. You behaved very bravely. Not to say that you are not courageous, non, I have seen you at work and you are remarkable. I mean for a man as shy as you to choose to tell me that you love me, even if it's fifteen years in advance… It takes some courage. Especially as I am sure that deep down you knew that however twisted you would make your story sound to me, I would understand that the message in its most essential form was 'I love you'."

Mundy sighed and Lucien wrapped an arm around his shoulders. 

"I love you too, Mundy. You don't have to feel strange about it. You don't have to hold yourself back or think that whatever you feel for me is at best a dream or at worse, wasted." 

Lucien smiled before continuing. 

"And if you can accept the same man that you saw today but with fifteen more years, grey hair and lines on his face, then that poor old man would be delighted." 

Mundy looked at Lucien. 

"I…" He finally broke his silence. "I love you." 

"Thus fulfilling your promise." Lucien answered. 

"What promise?"

"You had said that in fifteen years you would tell me who was that man you kept in your heart." Lucien smiled. 

"Yeah, well… It's you."

"Likewise."

"But wait," Mundy frowned. "You knew I loved you and you waited fifteen years like that?"

"I didn't know if I would love you back. Even though, your clumsiness that night was absolutely charming and I did wish that I could find someone like you, someone spontaneous, almost naive, very raw in your emotions, very true to yourself."

"Your complete opposite, eh?" 

"Oui, indeed." They both chuckled. 

"But someone who is passionate, faithful and honest, someone who would be the reason I want to open my eyes every morning, if it is to spend the day with them."

"You're romantic too, eh?"

"Overly so. It is almost a curse." Lucien answered with a smile before looking back in Mundy's eyes. 

"I… I love that about you." Mundy said before leaning his head on Lucien's shoulder. "That, and all the rest actually."

"I am glad you do…" 

Mundy felt that the sentence was left hanging, as if Lucien wasn't sure how to end it. 

"...mon amour."

[...my love.]

Mundy closed his eyes and smiled. He blushed when he felt and heard Lucien kiss him on his hair.

[thejakeformerlyknownasprince]

Do you have any advice for writing a setting that would basically be a look into Earth 20-30 years after Animorphs happened? I like your exploration of post-canon so I'm curious about your thoughts about what further in the future might look like.

Biggest piece of advice: research galactic suburbia, and then figure out how to avoid it.

Galactic suburbia refers to any work of fiction set in a time and/or place that has no logical reason to reflect the social divisions of the author’s own time and place, and yet does.  It’s more obvious in works from earlier eras, such as how 2001: A Space Odyssey is filled with people acting out mid-1960s white American gender roles... in space!  But it’s definitely still present today; everything from Mistborn to Kingkiller Chronicles to The Expanse to Six of Crows will either pretend that sexism doesn’t exist in that universe or that sexism was solved years ago, while still portraying female characters as concerned with ornamenting themselves and male characters concerned with being in charge in order to ascribe to gender norms.  Obviously, this can be applied across identities — don’t get me started the way some sci fi works decide to address ableism through removing all disabled people from existence, because if that’s not American eugenics then I don’t know what is.

Some books that do an excellent job of breaking out of this trap: 

City of Thieves takes place in a culture that definitely has sexism, but cut along different lines than contemporary American culture — women are the source of all bloodlines, men are considered more expendable, and family units are comprised of adult siblings working together to raise children whose fathers are usually unknown.

Ancillary Justice is narrated by a character who comes from a culture with no conceptualization of gender, who frequently makes gaffes while navigating a culture with gender norms.

The Left Hand of Darkness takes a society where all people change sex as they age, and plays out that thought experiment into every aspect of the culture.

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet is about a crew from a variety of cultures working together, including one character who comes from a culture with no nudity taboos where group sex is an everyday pastime and a different character who comes from a rigidly conservative Earth society, both of whom have to learn to respect each other’s differences.

Please note: I’m just rolling with the sexism example because it’s what came to mind, but it’s not hard to extend this to Inexplicably Homophobic Fantasy Cultures, Kingdom of White = Might = Right, etcetera.  All of those examples also have excellent subversion of or commentary upon racism, heteronormativity, classism, ableism, or all of the above.

ANYWAY, Animorphs.

A few ways I could see the technologies and cultural shifts of Animorphs having a long-term impact:

At least some people, at least some of the time, can change their bodies into completely different bodies.

Plus: probably greater ability for trans or disabled people to transform themselves for their own comfort and quality of life, with interesting implications for gender confirmation.

Minus: probably greater pressure upon disabled and trans people to “just change your body!” while ignoring all of the reasons they might be perfectly happy how they are and/or not in a position legally or financially to take on a whole new appearance.

Turns out, mind control is a thing.  And it’s perpetrated by alien slugs.

Plus: probably interesting neuroscience research implications, if all participants involved give their fully informed consent first.

Minus: everything I explored in Eleutherophobia.  Outsized fear of morph-capable hosts.  Inappropriate jokes about “I didn’t scratch your car; aliens made me do it.”  Suggestions that some people (i.e. no one I know) should just let yeerks control them because they can’t run their own lives.  Legal messes around intentionality.

Humans are not alone in the universe, and a lot of our neighbors are sentient.

Plus: cross-seeding of ideas, probably to the benefit of all cultures’ science and technology and arts.  Redefining of rights and protections, ideally to include hork-bajir and taxxons.  Broken view of humans as the center of the universe, or even the most important species on the planet.

Minus: whole new batch of prejudices.  Probably some people straight-up wanna annihilate the hork-bajir and taxxons, and feel comfortable saying so in public.

Andalites and humans canonically swapped z-space technology for Krispy Kreme recipes.

Plus: lots of new opportunities for humans to learn from andalites with regard to interstellar travel, peaceful breakup of urban centers, and how to run a society filled with lots of morphers.

Minus: you know that one American friend we all have who is, like, uncomfortably obsessed with British culture?  To the point of writing “colour” and saying “petrol”?  You know how that one person treats British culture as automatically being more valid and sophisticated than other cultures, and doesn’t take constructive criticism about that view being just an eensy bit imperialist as fuck?  Yeeeeaaaah, now just imagine it’s a human doing that with andalites.

That’s not meant to be an exhaustive list, just a bunch of spitballing to give you an idea of what I’m talking about.  Rather than asking how cars and cell phones would change in light of z-space technology, instead consider asking how flying and intergalactic phones would change us as a society.

[lacommunarde]

Charity: Water’s Give Guide (including non-monetary generosity)

Supporters like you have been so generous all year long. Even in a year like 2020, you’ve continued to show up when we’ve needed you most.

Tomorrow, on Giving Tuesday, we’re asking you to show up again—but not for charity: water.

We know firsthand how incredible this community is, and if there’s anything the world needs right now, it’s the pure goodness we’ve experienced from people like you. So here’s what we’re thinking:

Pick one way—any way!—to be generous tomorrow. Our whole team will be joining in on the fun with generous endeavors of our own. Here’s a

not-so-short list

to help you get started:

THE SAFE-AT-HOME

GIVE GUIDE

Send your sibling a photo of a puppy and tell them its unbearable cuteness reminded you of them.

Your fridge could almost definitely use a deep cleaning. Be the one who makes it happen.

Curate a playlist and send it to someone you miss dancing with—make sure every song is a banger.

Take a virtual yoga class with your most-stressed family member.

Save energy! Turn off a few lights.

Your friend shared an accomplishment on social media! Celebrate their hard work with an enthusiastic comment. (Emojis are not optional.)

Leave encouraging comments on social media, news articles, or anywhere they'd cause a smile.

Sort through your books and gift the ones you don't need anymore.

Throw an unbirthday party for one of your housemates or family members, complete with an unbirthday treat.

Collect all of the best instrumental videos and throw an in-house or virtual karaoke party.

Using reusable masks? Gather everyone's and put them through the laundry. Goodbye, germs!

Rent some movies from the library (the more obscure, the better) and throw an at-home movie night with everyone's favorite snacks.

Write to a long lost friend.

Invite a friend to join you for a virtual museum tour (like the MoMA or Musée D'Orsay).

Set up a video chat with someone who lives alone.

Call someone you haven't checked in on recently.

Leave your USPS mail carrier a friendly note.

Leave a glowing review for your favorite restaurant.

Propagate a plant.

Clean the bathroom. Someone's gotta do it, and today, you are that champion.

THE NEIGHBORHOOD MVP

GIVE GUIDE

Put your child back in that superhero Halloween costume and go door-to-door delivering candy like it's a backwards Halloween (neewollaH?).

Take your neighbor's newspaper from the driveway up to their door.

Dial up the happiest playlist you can find and have socially-distanced driveway dance parties.

Rake your neighbor's leaves.

Volunteer to walk neighborhood pets whose owners could use a break.

Have a new neighbor? Share a list of all the amazing local restaurants they should try and what to order from each. Bonus: send a pizza from your favorite local shop.

Leave a box of cookies on your neighbor’s doorstep, ring the bell, and get the heck out of there.

Put together a Creativity Box for a neighborhood family with kids. Fill it with coloring books, games, puzzles—anything that gives parents 20 minutes to make dinner without interruption!

Buy a bouquet of fresh flowers and put a single flower on each of your neighbors' doorsteps.

Slip friendly notes into your neighbor's mailbox.

Visit VolunteerMatch.org to get matched with a local volunteer opportunity—anything from delivering meal kits to putting up flyers for kitten adoption.

Clean up your nearest park.

Walk the dogs at your local animal shelter.

Deliver flowers to your local nursing home to bring joy to the residents and staff.

Say hello to your neighbors when you pass each other on the street.

Hand out a flyer with all of the special skills you're willing and able to share. (A+ cookie baker? Star virtual math tutor? Pro headlight replacer? All valid skills!)

Order takeout from a local restaurant you've never tried before.

Start a neighborhood activity swap. Every week, rotate a new activity (like puzzles, board games, books, movies) from one house to the next.

Offer to go to the post office or the grocery store for your elderly neighbors.

Know a neighbor who can't be with family this year? Invite them to share one of your family's traditions, even if virtually!

THE MONEY CAN'T BUY HAPPINESS

(BUT IT CAN BUY PIZZA)

GIVE GUIDE

Venmo the student in your life so they can order delivery while they study for finals.

Buy coffee for the person in line behind you.

Pay for a stranger’s groceries.

Pizza. Someone in your life needs a pizza delivery.

Take care of your neighbors and donate to a local mutual aid or food pantry.

Deliver a round of hot coffees to the women and men working at a nearby construction site.

Help someone pay rent.

Does a teacher in your life need school supplies? Send that hero a gift card.

Your family member deserves flowers. (You know which one.)

Pick up a surprise dinner for your roommates (or your family!) from a local restaurant.

Need to purchase gifts this holiday season? Shop from small businesses.

Create an "emergency kit" for a friend with a few of their favorite snacks and a gift card.

Gift a book to a student.

Tip your delivery driver 40%.

Count the number of tabs you have open. Donate that number of dollars to your favorite charities.

Ask the florist for a bouquet that would make someone's day. Then, buy that bouquet for the florist.

Give a parent a well-deserved night off. Deliver pizza and a movie to their front door.

Send a friend an IOU for a hot beverage to enjoy the next time you're together.

Send donuts to a local elementary school faculty room.

Support a friend who is doing good work in the world.

THE BROKE COLLEGE STUDENT

GIVE GUIDE

Leave a life-affirming note on a stranger’s car window.

Give a friend or neighbor a coupon for snow removal. During the next storm, show up with a shovel and a smile.

Marie Kondo your pantry and donate the excess to a local food bank.

Donate gently-used clothing and give someone else a chance to love the sweater that lives in the back corner of your closet.

Plant a tree.

Write a bunch of hope-filled messages and deliver them to an assisted living home.

Volunteer your time to do whatever it is you do best: review resumes, help form a financial plan, design a logo, organize a pantry, take photos.

Share a list of your favorite recipes with someone who has made way too many meals at home since March.

Share a funny memory with a friend you haven't talked to in a long time.

Set up a themed video chat with people you've been meaning to get in touch with.

Help someone do something they've been avoiding: clothing repair, shipping packages, putting up or taking down decorations. Team work makes the dream work.

Write thank you notes to hospital workers and encouraging letters to patients.

Ask a grandparent/parent/sibling about their favorite memory. Then record it.

Give someone the benefit of the doubt.

Write haikus about your favorite people and send them throughout the day.

Respond to your favorite newsletter writer and tell them how much you enjoy their writing.

Become pen pals with a senior citizen.

Share a compliment with a coworker.

Channel your inner gameshow host and plan a virtual game night.

Text an encouraging note to a friend, just because.

THE CRAFT QUEEN

GIVE GUIDE

Bake some homemade pet treats and drop them off at your local animal shelter.

Create a Powerpoint explaining exactly why your best friend is awesome. Present it to them via Zoom.

Make an old-school holiday ornament for a friend with that picture you took together in 5th grade.

Give the gift of not having to look for boxes of gift wrap in the basement. Drop off homemade wrapping paper, ribbons, and bows to friends and neighbors.

Present handmade awards to your quarantine pod. Options include “Best Quarantine Haircut” and ”Most Likely to Selflessly Wash Our Dishes."

Make encouraging bookmarks and give them to your local librarians.

Print out old (we're talking waaaay back) photos. Send them out in the mail so everyone can remember and enjoy happy times spent together.

Make a family tree. Instead of pictures, use hilarious memories or quotable moments.

Send a scrapbook filled with inside jokes to your siblings or oldest friends.

Make a Snow Day box (candle, hot chocolate, a good book, fuzzy socks) and send it to a friend.

Invite your favorite 5-year-old to color with you on a video chat.

Keep a running list (or a wall of post-it notes!) of all the awesome things you've noticed people doing recently. There's so much kindness in the world when we're looking for it.

Give people who walk past your house a reason to smile! Put colorful art or encouraging signs in your front windows.

Draw portraits of your neighbors' pets. Deliver them with a few treats.

Spruce up your housemate's work-from-home station.

Make handmade cards for residents at a local nursing home.

Bake your favorite cookies, package them up, and ship them to your parents.

Send brand new crayons, markers, and coloring books to a children's hospital.

Make a scrapbook of your family's favorite quarantine memories. (You have more than one, we promise.)

Build a free community "library" box and encourage friends and neighbors to take a book or leave a book.

No matter how you celebrate Giving Tuesday,

know that we will be celebrating you

. We can’t wait to continue in our mission together—and can’t wait to spend Giving Tuesday being as generous as possible alongside you!

– your friends at charity: water

[dreamsarelikedragonflies]

Holiday Cheer

It’s Mod Bryar of @justsomerandomficsforrenegades ! Here is my Gift Swap gift for @honey-harper-official. Happy holidays, hope you like it! 

Supernova spoilers, PS! 

I’m a sucker for holiday one-shots, so here you are :)

Ruby sighs and lets the garland in her hands slip to the floor. Things are still so confusing. 

She doesn’t know how to feel about Nova, or about the fact that now everyone has powers. That includes her brothers. 

And then there’s Oscar… 

Her brothers are full of laughter, running through the house, holding extremely delicate ornaments that her grandmother had insisted that they buy this year. Ruby sighs again. Somewhat resigned, she picks up the garland and wraps it around their tree with care. 

One of them is blasting puffs of air at the other from the palm of his hand, while the other chases him, the tiny wings on his ankles propelling him faster than he should have been able to move. 

Her thoughts begin to wander, and, of course, land on Oscar. He is such a dork. But he is funny, and sweet, and she really is only falling for him more and more. He’d asked her out a month ago. At first, she was hesitant. What would this do to the team? 

But she thought some more, and remembered that Nova and Adrian were still happily together despite all the insanity they’d been through. They’d made it work, and the four of them are still plenty happy. 

The four of them. Danna is...beginning to come back to their group. But it’s very slowly. She and Narcissa are happy together. Danna still hasn’t forgiven Nova, and for that matter, neither has her girlfriend. Narcissa isn’t comfortable around the Renegades. But maybe that would change. Forgiveness isn’t a sudden thing, she reminds herself. 

Anyways, she wants to be with Oscar. She really likes him. He’s perfect, in an imperfect way. 

Ruby feels a slight twinge in her side and touches the crystallized wound on her stomach. She grimaces, remembering her fear that she might bleed out after her power had been taken from her. No, don’t think about that now. It’s alright. 

The doorbell rings loudly. Ruby, startled, drops the fragile ornament she’s holding and it shatters. She curses quietly. 

“Coming!” she calls, making a mental note to come back to the mess. 

She opens the door, hoping it’s not carolers and - it’s Oscar. Standing on the stairs, holding a big, bulging gift. 

“Hey?” He looks at her hair, messily thrown into a bun, and smiles at her candy-cane spotted pajamas. 

“Oh. You scared me a minute there, thought I might have to bring out the figgy pudding,” she laughs, opening the door wider and letting him in. “Just watch out, I dropped an ornament by the tree.” 

“Yeah, no worries,” Oscar says, placing the overly large box on an armchair. “How’ve you been? It’s been a bit since I saw you, that dumb vacation from work for our team means I’m always at home doing chores. Bleh.” 

“I’ve been alright. Tired, for sure. The kids are taking it out of me with their new powers.” She points a thumb over her shoulder at them as they storm, giggling, through the room. She sighs loudly and bends down to sweep up the glass. “I still can’t begin to think about it...everyone having powers?” 

“Yeah,” he pauses, taking in their towering tree. “It’s something else. Nova still has no idea how to explain what happened. Maybe we’ll never know.”

“That’s alright with me. I can live with it. Anyways, what brings you here?”

“Just dropping off a gift for my very favorite Renegade, that’s all.” He blushes furiously and Ruby laughs and hugs him tightly. 

“Christmas is in a week, and your gift isn’t even ready yet. Making me look bad,” she tsks, grinning.

“Ah, no worries. I’ll be out of town tomorrow, family, you know.” He shrugs, taking her hand. “You, uh, have any plans for New Years?” He looks nervous now. 

Ruby’s mind flashes through things a million miles a second. Does he want to kiss me at midnight? What crazy, grand, Oscar-Silva level thing does he have planned? Do I want to kiss him? Oh stars, I need to stop thinking so much!

“I- well- I don’t- No, no, none at all, actually,” she stutters out, “You have something in mind?” 

“I do, m’lady, I do. It’s a surprise.” He checks his wristband, and then his face drops. “Oh sweet rot I have somewhere to be-”

He heads for the door, but spins on his foot. “I am so, so sorry.” And he leans forward and plants a kiss on her cheek, then sprints down the steps and sidewalk as fast as his cane allows. “I’ll text you later!”

Ruby is left standing, stunned, in the doorway. 

“Who was that?” asks one of her brothers, peeking out behind her legs. 

“Nobody. Now get back inside and let’s finish these last few decorations, alright?”

She grins to herself, making a mental note to check for a message later. Ruby stands there a few minutes more, watching the gray sky. Like a reward for her patience, small snowflakes drift down from the sky, lighting gently on her skin. 

Ruby knows that everything will turn out just fine.