#but if i'm being honest I REALLY like how things go wrong one particular way

[kisskissbanggang]

Jumpspace Renegade - ep. 8 ✨🚀

[4.3k words, 15 min. read - Skz x Fem. Reader - Stray Kids Multi Fic, Scifi!au, Choose Your Own Adventure - SFW/Smut in Other Chapters - Changlix, Seungmin is a Flirt and a Fiend, Banter and Tension, Harmless Pranks, Infidelity, Scifi Guns, Always Check the Tags]

[Episodes on Fridays 7pm pst, Polling closes Saturdays 7pm pst]

[Series Masterlist | Come Say Hi!]

“How about a deal,” Minho offered. “Where you stop, I’ll stop. If you get dumped at the Hatchery or Sentury or whatever, I’ll detour with you if you’ll come with me to Victory Meridian.”

You thought about this. “Only me?”

“Only you,” Minho nodded. “I can't risk recruiting the crew; I don't trust them.”

“And if I don’t?”

“What, like if you decide to be a good crewmate and sell me out? That’s allowed, too. You can just say no. You can just tell me ‘goodnight, Minho’ and I’ll drop it.”

“That’s it?” you asked, your voices hushed in the more open service corridors. 

“I mean, I’ll stop trusting you, that’s all.”

You heavily considered your choices, but ultimately understood where the two of you sat in this scenario. All you had to do was say yes. All Minho expected was for you to say yes. And he may even expect that you'll turn on him if the situation gets bad enough. 

It was an easy decision. 

Minho was closing in on you against the wall of the service passage, pressing up real cozy again. 

“Goodnight, Minho,” you cooed. 

The outlaw’s gaze almost cracked. 

“I'm kidding,” you laughed. “I’m with you. I’ll let you know if anything interesting comes up before we land on Phaborus.”

Minho looked bewildered for a second, and even more when you leaned in to kiss his cheek goodnight. He staunchly rebuffed the move, leaning back an inch. “Good. No more of that, though.”

“Because I joked?!”

“No,” Minho shook his head, “I don't fool around with wingmen. It gets messy. Get some shut-eye.”

It was your turn to look bewildered when Minho lifted his cuffed hands to ruffle your hair and promptly leave. 

“That’s fine!” you called after him. “I’ll just send Jisung down next time I'm thinking of you!”

“Good!” Minho repeated over his shoulder. “He and I have unfinished business.”

You watched Minho head back to the cargo hold before you remembered how dumb you just were. Your cabin door was still locked, wasn't it? That’s what got you out here in the first place. You peeked into your room.  

Only to find that it wasn't locked at all. It was open. 

You climbed back up into your cabin, only to find that the hatch in your closet was open, too. Chan must have come in at some point to set you free. 

You tiptoed out to the workshop, seeing if there were any signs of life in here. The tarp covering the boat was pulled off, and when you crept closer for a curious look, you found Felix and Changbin tangled together under a blanket on deck, dozing like babies. 

Sleep sounded great. 

The events of the day caught up to you all at once. Your shoulders ached in a soreness that radiated down through to your hips. You dragged yourself into the shower for a much needed full-body scrub, and finally into bed. Astral clouds and fields of stars escorted you to sleep. 

Hours elapsed. 

Sleeping here still felt leagues better than back home. 

You were only sort of surprised that you were up again shortly after midday. Your room was still set to have ambient light that would change depending on the time of the day cycle, so you'd actually managed to sleep through hours of light. 

The ship was still largely quiet when you took a look around, but a voice called out to you when you entered the galley. 

“Hey, you’re up already!” 

You turned to see Changbin poking his head into the doorway of his cabin. He waved you over. 

“Come help me with something, would you?”

You nodded, attentively trotting into the mechanic's cabin. Today, given how warm the ship still felt (even after cooling off for hours) you’d opted for a breathable long-sleeve top with some cargo shorts, much roomier and comfier than yesterday's workout set. Your new boots still squeaked on the metal floor. 

Changbin’s cabin was attractively clean, maybe not methodically spotless but still organized and well-kept. A pull-up bar was welded onto the back of his cabin door and a set of weights sat in the corner under his packed bookshelf. His open closet was outfitted with extra compartments in the shelves. On the bed, Changbin had two outfits laid out. 

“We never go anywhere as nice as Phaborus lately,” Changbin explained. “I mean, it's the Hatchery, so it’s all tourists and fishing companies, but I missed going out. Trying to figure out what to wear before I go wash up and shave.”

The chosen outfits surprised you. Solely based on what you knew about Phaborus, you’d assumed the whole planet was tropical, but Changbin had pulled out rain gear and other stylishly warmer options. He picked up the black shirt on the left and held it up to his chest in the mirror on the inside of the closet door before grabbing the gray shirt on the right and doing the same. 

You took a seat at Changbin's desk. The surface was an amalgam of his personal tools, his accessories and colognes, and an amusingly sizable collection of pictures. A notable amount of the photos were of Felix, all freckles and beaming smiles. One photo featured Changbin with two women that he shared a charming resemblance with. You picked it up, enjoying the idea of having a family out there. Behind the picture, however, was another. This photo was of a woman. A gorgeous redhead. 

“Who’s this?” you casually asked. 

Changbin looked at you holding the other photo. “Spitting image, right? My sister and my mom,” he coolly answered. “I’m thinking the gray is a little more flattering today. Maybe with the task boots?”

You did a double take at the photos before realizing Changbin hadn't answered your question. The misunderstanding nagged at you, but before you could ask again he came over, plucking a watch up off a little display stand. It wasn’t overtly flashy, but it was noticeably nice. 

“Did I show you? Felix got it for me,” he gushed. “He knows me so well.”

“You two are so close,” you complimented. 

“We are,” Changbin nodded. “I’ve never felt seen by anyone the way Felix sees me.”

You marveled over that. It sounded so easy for him to say. “He sees you?”

Changbin nodded affirmatively again, this time choosing between bags. “Yeah. I feel like I'm really myself around him. I don't think I've felt that way around anyone before, honestly. I'd leave everything behind in a heartbeat if he said the same thing.”

Everything? Aside from the family you weren't sure what much more there was to leave behind. 

“Hey, did you eat yet?” Changbin suddenly asked, getting your attention back. 

You sat up straight, setting the photo down and shaking your head. Changbin pointed out towards the galley. 

“If my nose doesn't deceive me,” he continued, “I think you can grab a bite before everyone else wakes up.”

Sure enough, something delicious was wafting in from the kitchen. You got up from the desk and picked up one of the two bags, the handsome, waxed canvas crossbody, and plonked it in his hands. He affectionately booted you out before closing the door behind you. 

Out in the galley, Jisung was sat alone in the booth. An unopened iced coffee waited on the table while he peacefully dozed in his upright position. Back in the kitchen, Felix helped Jeongin with the cooking. They spied you coming in nonetheless, not nearly as distracted as the activity would suggest. Before Jeongin could step away, Felix reassuringly patted his shoulder before greeting you with a wide smile. You managed to be the first to grab a scone and proudly had half of it in your mouth already.

“Morning, dude,” he grinned. “You think you can round everyone up and make them eat something? I have a plate saved for you in the warmer.”

“Oh!” you absently responded, your mouth still stuffed full. “Sure?” It was a little maddening to let all the food wait without you, but it wasn’t like you couldn’t get it done and do Felix a favor. You ran through a quick roster of who Felix would be referring to. That would be Seungmin, Hyunjin, and Chan, right? And you’d have to see if Minho was awake, you supposed. You nodded your acceptance to Felix and set about your task.

You first trotted down to the cargo hold, seeing if your suspicions were correct. Sure enough, Minho was sleeping like a baby in the brig, all wrapped up under his coat. Two rooms faced you behind the staircase to return upstairs. You tried the open door first. Upon finding no Hyunjin, you guessed that this could be Jeongin’s cabin. It was mysteriously empty, lacking the accumulation of stuff the other crewmates had. Some trinkets and a couple photos decorated the space, maybe having been picked up on his travels with the crew thus far. You remembered Jisung mentioning that the cabin boy had been a stowaway, too. It was easy to get distracted wondering where he’d come from, what he was leaving behind. 

Back on track, you tried the other door and were surprised to find this cabin pitch dark, save for one small lamp casting a blue glow. Hyunjin carefully inspected something on his desk with a pair of magnification glasses and some sort of meter. A pair of headphones snug on his ears were blasting music. You leaned closer over his shoulder. As it turned out, the tiny object was actually a small picture, maybe even a painting by how the arm on the meter gingerly scratched the piece’s surface. You accidentally leaned forward an inch too far, pressing into Hyunjin’s back and making him jump. 

“Holy shit!” Hyunjin wheezed, whipping off the glasses and headphones. He flipped on a regular lamp and wheeled around on you, catching his breath. 

“I’m sorry!” you apologized with a wince. “You looked busy.”

“It’s okay,” Hyunjin waved you off with a small laugh. “Did you come to finally ask me about your Clessorian ring?”

You ogled him. “How did you know?”

Hyunjin shrugged. “I’m not interested in stealing it, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Too much trouble?” you joked.

“We’re locked in a tin can together,” Hyunjin smirked. “Not a great idea to steal from anyone here if I don’t plan on making a sale.”

“Admirable. Where are you selling that?” you asked, gesturing towards the little painting.

Hyunjin’s eyes lit up. “This? I’d never sell this. Maybe trade, if requested, but I’m actually returning it when we get to the Hatchery.” He placed the small picture in your hands. Looking at it closer, it depicted a gorgeous treeline and dark blue waves, accented in white seafoam. “Isn’t it great? I found it the last time we were in a convoy.”

“What is it exactly?” you wondered.

“It’s a Phaborian mating pendant,” Hyunjin explained. “Phaborians present these to their potential partners; it’s supposed to depict their future home and life together. Poor ones make them themselves, rich ones get them commissioned, and generic ones are mass produced for the tourist trade. This one just happens to be of the Hatchery, so I’m finding somewhere to return it when I’m done trading. I’m just testing it to make sure it’s, y’know, not one of the tourist ones.”

You examined the painted pendant in your hand. The delicate brushstrokes scratched the pad of your thumb gingerly passing over the surface. It’d be cool to get one of these, you mused. You thought of Changbin and Felix. 

Yeah. It’d be nice to have something like that someday.

“You want to come along when I go trading?” asked Hyunjin, gently taking the pendant back from you. “The market at the Hatchery is pretty neat.”

“I’d love that. It sounds fun,” you grinned appreciatively. You nodded back out to the hold. “But first you should grab something to eat.”

“Fair enough,” Hyunjin nodded, setting his work down and following you back up to the galley.

Jisung was still sleeping where you left him, and you couldn’t help yourself. You grabbed a nutrient shake from the cooler and swapped out the cans, taking his still unopened coffee for yourself. One of the little love bites Minho left Jisung was still an angry purple on his neck.

You jogged up the stairs, finding no apparent signs of life but faced with the task of trying to access Chan’s door for the first time. The door was clearly outlined in the alcove of the staircase but lacked an apparent knob or switch or lever or anything. You looked the door up and down. There was a quaint little pattern lining the door. Three little squares recessed into the metal panel, and then two further down, and three again, alternating all the way around until–

Oh. Well, duh.

The sequence broke, leaving a chain of three lined-up squares in a column of three. You felt around these, until the center of the center line lit up.

Cute.

You crept into Chan’s room, the right way. There was no sign of activity around; no hint of the captain being awake, and then you finally caught your prize: a blanketed lump on the bed. 

Coming closer, Chan was curled up under his thick blanket. You stroked his hair and got no response. You pinched his cheek with the same result. Dead asleep.

But, to your delight, his cybernetic leg was exposed. The need to meddle returned. He did cuff you and lock you in your cabin the previous night, after all. You leaned down, taking Chan’s foot at the articulated joint of his ankle and manually twisting it the wrong way around. 

Take that, you gloated internally. 

You straightened back up, ready to leave when a hand grabbed your leg. You screeched.

“Put it back,” Chan grumbled into his pillow, eyes not even opening to look at you.

You froze, trying to get your wits back about you before automatically cooperating.

“Lee back in the hold?” he groggily asked, still muffled. You nodded before you remembered he wasn’t seeing you.

“Yes, dear,” you sarcastically cooed.

“Atta girl,” he praised sleepily. He affectionately patted your leg before simply grabbing the iced coffee out of your hand. You let him, waiting a bit to see if that was what he needed to get up.

No further activity.

“You’ll miss chow time,” you chided him.

“Sucks for me then. Now go on.”

He waved you away. You thoroughly rolled your eyes, using the far more convenient access on this side of the door to exit Chan’s cabin. 

That left the navigator. You peeked around the corner to check the navigation office. Nothing. However, more music was blasting inside Seungmin’s cabin beside it. You knocked, trying to stop yourself from barging in wherever you wanted. No answer. You thought about this. 

Well, you didn’t want Seungmin to miss meal time. You poked your head in.

The navigator was busily working at his desk, touching up a physical chart laid out in front of him. Surprising you this time, Seungmin turned to regard you before you had a chance to make your presence known. 

“I see you like sneaking,” he grinned.

“I’ve come to profess my love for you,” you dramatically admitted.

“Ugh, finally,” Seungmin smirked. You got a better look at the chart now. In big letters in the caption read GALLORIAN STRAIT, PHABORUS AKA “THE HATCHERY”.

“You're still working on the charts?” you questioned.

“Hey,” the navigator chuckled, “you’re the intruder, I’m asking the questions here. Now what’s this I hear about a ring made out of Clessorian ore?”

Your eyes widened. Your fists instantly clenched. You were agog, mouth opening and closing like a grounded fish.

“How does everyone know?!”

Seungmin laughed out loud, eyes turning up and all. “Word gets around! Anyway, it’s not like I want to steal it, so calm the hell down. I have much bigger fish to fry if you can’t tell.”

“I thought the whole idea with the detour was that you were finished,” you wondered.

The navigator took a second, taking his glasses off and massaging his temples. “Yeah, I thought so, too. But I failed to recall that Phaborian sailors prefer to keep physical charts on board in case their systems go down. I had my final meeting with my customers and they’re like, ‘oh, we’re filling out the customs request, they want to know if you’re using packing tubes or packing sleeves’ and I’m like, ‘packing what’ and that’s when I remembered I’m actually a moron.”

“Ouch,” you sympathized. “Can I help at all?”

“You wanna come along when I make the drop?” Seungmin asked. “I can always use backup.”

“Oh,” you realized, “I’d love to! But I meant like here and now. Like, I’m no good with this but I could maybe bring you something to eat?”

A tough sigh fell out of Seungmin’s chest. He hung his head before getting up. “No, I should take a break.”

“Great,” you smiled reassuringly before you dramatically gestured again. “But you mustn’t tell anyone of our sordid affair.”

You laughed off your own dumb joke with a shake of your head, but that was before Seungmin grabbed your wrist and pulled you in nice and close. A pathetic, gasped curse eked out of you. His hands were wrapped around your waist. 

“You are such a little troublemaker, you know that?” he laughed, smooth and low. “I already told you, you don’t want to play with me like that; I get jealous, remember?”

You wriggled out of Seungmin’s grip and he ran after you when you fled, trying to keep your composure. He was shockingly suave, apparently, daunting after he seemed so unassuming. He instantly caught up with you when you made it to the top of the stairs, spinning you around and caging you in again. It was unexpectedly difficult to meet his gaze. First, you felt ridiculously bashful for some reason, and second, when you did look, he was giving you the most sly grin that made your heart beat faster than your encounter with Minho.

“You don’t even know what you’d do with me, do you,” Seungmin chuckled.

“Aren’t I the one that’s supposed to be asking that?” you tried to retort.

Seungmin nodded. “Sure, but I don’t think you know what you’re even doing. Surprising, given how clever you come across as.”

“Who says I’m not clever?” you giggled, far more nervously than you intended.

What the hell was going on? You never got flustered like this before. 

“You don’t do this a lot, do you, Nova?” Seungmin grinned. “You don’t spend a lot of time having someone’s full attention.”

I mean, you internally babbled, like outside of the bedroom?

It was stupidly true. Dating was never really your thing, and especially not when you had a parole officer following your every move. And it wasn’t like there were many options back in T’kaarm. You either knew everyone or they were all tourists. Perfect for passing flings, sure, but not really suitable for whatever the hell Seungmin was currently hypnotizing you with.

“What’re you looking for here?” you finally asked him. 

Seungmin’s lips were agonizingly close to yours but he wouldn’t lean in any further. “I just thought you were looking for a game of chicken. I’m really good at it. Are you?”

He did lean in now, just another centimeter. Your breath hitched in your throat.

When the resounding snap of blaster fire rocked the staircase. Both your attentions whipped to look down the stairs when another blast caught the railing. You could hear more commotion now.

“Felix!”

You and Seungmin traded worried looks before cautiously making your way downstairs. What you found out there was surprising.

Most noticeable was Felix, brandishing the blaster and trying to get around Jisung, with the pilot awake and madly trying to corral him. And Felix’s aim? Trained on a very distressed Changbin, wearing only a towel after his shower.

“A WIFE, CHANGBIN?!” Felix roared. He ducked into his cabin next to Changbin’s and was tossing things out, likely belonging to the mechanic.

Changbin caught a black hoodie to the face before Jisung could intercept, uselessly trying to herd Felix back into his cabin while Jeongin tried to escort Changbin into his.

“Baby, no–” Changbin brokenly tried to reason with him.

“Baby, nothing, you son of a bitch!” Felix seethed. “A boyfriend or girlfriend or whatever? Sure, that’d suck but I’ve had worse. A kid? I’d deal with that. But you’re fucking married?”

Seungmin tried to grab your sleeve before you could take a few more steps down the stairs, but you shook him off. You still didn't enter the galley, though, opting instead to hang out in the stairwell. 

Felix tried to duck around Jisung again before he was promptly tripped and wrestled down to the floor. The two grappled, with Jisung taking an errant elbow to the eyepatch. He squealed out a curse before fixing it and getting back on track. 

“Felix? Sweetheart?” Jisung frantically tried to get his attention. “What the fuck is going on?”

“Married, Jisung!” Felix shouted back. “Can you believe I'm so stupid?! He’s always telling me ‘no, baby, not my room, it’s a mess’ and I've been blind enough to accept that shit?!”

Jisung sat up on Felix’s hips, but not without wrestling the blaster away. Hyunjin jumped forward to grab it and keep it safely out of reach, hugging it to his chest. “Yeah, no, honey,” Jisung babbled, “you’re right; that’s shitty. Did something happen, though?”

“So I decide I'll wait for Changbin while he’s in the shower! Maybe be helpful and clean, fuck if I know! And what do I find on his computer?”

Jisung stared. All the men stared, except for Changbin, who was looking at the floor with his hands on his hips.

“A message from this mystery wife!” Felix laughed hysterically. “She’s wondering where the deposit is for the month! Doesn't he know they have a house to pay for?!”

The door to Changbin’s cabin slammed closed, and Jeongin worriedly opened it again to run after him. His door shut far more calmly now. 

“Fuck, Felix,” Jisung sighed. “That sucks, love. I'm so sorry.”

The pilot finally leaned off of Felix’s slim frame. Felix sat up now, arms resting on his drawn up knees. He hung his head with his own deep exhale. “I’m the sorry one,” he lamented. 

“Anything we can do?” Hyunjin asked from where he was still plastered to the wall. 

“Just some space would be great, thanks.” Felix got up to his feet and tersely threw his cabin door open. You all winced when the door roughly clanked shut behind him. 

“Well…” Seungmin finally piped up behind you. “I guess I'm taking that break.”

The four of you were awkward when you reassembled at the booth. You’d grabbed the plate Felix promised you, and with both Chan and Minho still sleeping, everyone else managed to grab some food. The air at the table was tense.

“So this is the worst one, right?” Hyunjin asked into his plate. 

“What, Felix and Changbin fighting?” Jisung questioned. He opened the nutrient shake you’d set in front of him and took a big swig. Upon realizing it wasn’t the coffee he’d originally grabbed, he reeled, nearly sputtering it out. He did a double take at the can. You sheepishly slid over a new iced coffee in front of him. You'd grabbed it when you realized now might not be the time for harmless pranks. 

“Well, like,” Hyunjin processed, “there was that time with Felix and that waitress at Sentury.”

“And the time when Changbin got drunk at the Caravan,” Seungmin contributed. 

“And the time when Felix took that bet at Saykorr,” Hyunjin nodded. “But this one is big. This one feels major.”

“Yeah, this is the worst out of all of those,” Jisung decided. “Maybe some space could be good for both of them?”

Seungmin thought about this. “I can take Changbin with me to go drop off the charts,” he suggested. 

Hyunjin agreed with a nod. “And I was already going to bring Felix with Nova and I to the market.”

“Can I come?” Jisung asked Hyunjin. “I could pick up a couple things while you're there.”

The navigator paused his current chew of food. “Nova’s going with you to the market? She already said she was coming with me.”

The three of you – you, Hyunjin, and Seungmin – all looked at each other. Jisung scanned all of your faces, too, massively awkward and confused while he drank his coffee. 

“Well?” he finally asked, breaking the silence. He caught his breath for a second, like he’d swallowed too much at once in the tension. You gave the pilot a sideways look in the booth. “What do you wanna do?”

You froze, considering your options with a lump in your throat. There was the obvious choice of doing nothing, of course. You could avoid the awkwardness altogether and stay behind, but you’d miss out on Phaborus. 

And if you went, it’d be really interesting to see a Phaborian fishing company, but Seungmin was already doing really well at getting under your skin. But Changbin would be coming along, too, and it'd be reassuring to get his side of the story. You liked Changbin. It sucked to think he was a no–good cheater. There had to be something in the story that no one knew. 

However, if you tagged along with Hyunjin, you could connect with Felix and check out the market. You could hang out with Jisung, comfort Felix, and see Hyunjin in his element while he went trading. It could very well be way more enjoyable all around.

[magics-neptunes-things]

Feelings (2)

Hi!

This is the second part of Feelings, I hope you will like it too :)

I'm taking things slow for now, but some other things would happens in the next chapter.

Feel free to let me think what you think about it.

And enjoy! ♥

TW : Mention of smut

PART 1 |

______________________________________________________________

The next day, when you woke up, you stay with your eyes closed. You remember perfectly what happened last night, but you are scared. Scared that it was a dream or that Alessia was in reality drunk and thought you take advantage of her. You would never do something like that obviously, you asked her several times yesterday if she was ok and if what you are doing is ok too. And asks for her consent before each new movement too.

And you know you are not dreaming; you have some aches that are particular of this kind of activities.

When you open your eyes, Alessia is still in your bed. Lying on her side, she’s looking at you. And you are straight in the light blue of her eyes, but you can’t determine what feelings are in it.

“Hi” you say softly.

“Hello” she answers only.

“Did you sleep well?”

She nods, before rolling on her back to rub her eyes. She putted her shirt back during the night, but that’s not what you realize. She seems a little strange this morning, like something is bothering her. Once again, you don’t expect everything from her, maybe it was just a one-time thing for her. So you get up from your bed, looking for your clothes too.

With a shirt, you fell better to have a difficult conversation. You sit on the bed right after, looking at Alessia. You can’t remember how many times you told her that she’s beautiful yesterday. But she is this morning too. You don’t say it anyway, only looking at her. She seems nervous and almost breathless when she finally talks.

“Look Y/N…”

She seems lost too and you already have understood. You raise your hand and she looks at you.

“It’s ok, Lessi. If you want to pretend that nothing ever happened… It’s ok.”

“It’s not that I didn’t want to yesterday or even today. But I feel like this is maybe not the right time to start something like this. We are at the beginning of the World Cup and…”

“It’s ok” you repeat, cutting her again.

The bitterness that fills your mouth make you unable to offer her a real smile, the one you are making now must looks like a grimace to be honest. You don’t know what she understood about your feelings yesterday, and you don’t know if the way she looks really sorry helps you or not.

“I better go.”

You only nod, not being able to speak or even look at her when she takes her other clothes, all around the room on the floor. She kisses your cheek softly and left the room soon after. And you never feel so empty in your life.

********

Some days passed. You and your team played other games and managed to qualify for the next round of the tournament. You never talk to Alessia again after that morning and you can’t even just look at her. You told her that it was ok, and you really thought that you were going to be ok. One night with her was way more than what you ever expected.

But you were wrong. What’s happening to you right now is way more difficult to deal with than your breakup with Alma. People don’t come to talk to you, assuming that you were struggling with that. It was a good excuse.

You only talk about what happened to Maya and Sofia, a good friend you made in Spain. Maya met her several times when she came to Barcelona to see you. You even make some videos call the three of you, your friends trying to ease your mind.

“But she said basically that it wasn’t the right time. It means that maybe when the World Cup is ending…” was saying Sofia.

“There is no way that it’s happening, Sofia. She doesn’t even look at me.”

It would be stupid of yourself to still be hopeful about something like this. The only time you had eyes contact, she looks the other way so fast that her eyes must have burn.

“Maybe she regrets what happened between us” you sigh, pinching your nose.

“No, I know Less” Maya answers. “She would have told you if it was something like this. She doesn’t take things so easy, making a think to regret it the day after. She only had two boyfriends and sleeping around isn’t her thing.”

Maya knows Alessia well, they played together for years in Manchester United. You are a little jealous sometimes, but in another way, it would be harder to see her every day. You feel a little better hearing Maya and for one time you fall asleep without too much struggle.

Next morning, like every morning, you get for a walk on the beach after the breakfast. You ate with Georgia and Keira, who takes you under their wing, probably at Leah’s request. But they were still busy, and you don’t want to be a burden for them.

You were sitting on the beach you discovered at your first day here when you feel a presence behind you. Turning, you realize that it’s Lucy.

“You alright Kiddo?” she asks, and you answer with a smile. “Mind if I sit with you?”

“Nah, please do.”

Lucy sits and looks at the water in front of you when you resume your looking. Some peaceful minutes passed before Lucy talks.

“I know I’m not the most observant person in the world, but I see how much you struggle those days. You’re making a good job hiding it and I probably wouldn’t be able to realize it if I never passed by the same things.”

Curious, you look at Lucy. You were close with her, more than with Keira to be honest. You are the only three English at Barcelona, it helps to create a great bond.

“When Keira and I broke up…”

“Oh. No Luce, I stop you right there. It has nothing to do with my breakup with Alma.”

Lucy looks at you curiously too, her arms around her knees.

“What I wanted to say, it’s that maybe you can think it’s the end of your world. But life has sometimes something better looking for you. Look at my old ass, I still found something even better that what I had.”

“Ona?” you ask with a smirk.

You can’t help but laugh when you see the light red coloring Lucy’s cheeks.

“Lucy Bronze, are you blushing?”

“I’m trying to help you and you give it back to me by making fun of me?”

She looks disappointed but you know that she is only joking. You laugh softly and decide to tease her a little bit.

“Ok, when do you present her to me then if she’s so perfect? I’m way closer to her age than you are.”

“Shut up.”

She throws you some sand and you laugh a little more before looking up at the sky. It’s bright blue, the sun is shinning and you really love the Australian vibes. But you think about Lucy’s words, and you decide to ask her the question that is running in your mind.

“What am I supposed to do if Life gave me the best thing and take it back from me?”

Lucy stays silenced for some times, and you know that she’s looking at the best answer she can give you.

“If it’s the one thing you have to have, then you will have it back. Maybe it wasn’t the right time now.”

It’s funny that it’s almost the same words than Alessia said. But “maybe” is the keyword of the sentence and you can’t hope it anymore. So you just hum before sighting.

Little did you know that Alessia was actually talking about you too, finally.

********

“I kissed Y/N.”

Ella was peacefully drinking her coffee and spit it around, making Mary grunt. Alessia was holding this information for too long, she needed to take it out. And she trusts no one more than Ella and Mary.

“What did you just say?!” Ella almost shout when she can breathe again.

“Ella” Mary growls.

Mary realized that something was off with Alessia, but she didn’t want to push the younger girl to confess anything. She was far from imagine that it was something like that though.

“Sorry, sorry. I mean, did you kiss her or did she kiss you?” Ella asks.

“I don’t know? We kiss each other I guess; it was a mutual thing.”

Alessia shrugs, looking at her best friend with attention. Like Maya told you at the phone, she only had two relationships and only with boys. And she never said anything about being gay or having a crush on a girl.

“Is it why you are all weird those days? Are you regretting it or something?”

Mary facepalm at Tooney’s lack of tact. For the good of everyone, she decides to take the lead of this conversation.

“Have you talk to her since the kiss?” Mary asks gently.

“No, not really. We just are very busy and… well maybe I kind of ignore her.”

Alessia seems lost, so is Ella, for once unable to say anything. So Mary just put a comforting hand on Alessia’s knee, trying to be the most soft possible.

“You know that it’s ok right? Kissing girl?”

“Yeah” Alessia mumble.

“Of course it is!” Ella exclaimed herself. “Don’t let anyone or yourself saying you otherwise. You have to do what you need to do to be happy. Only your happiness matter.”

“I hate to say that, but she’s right” Mary smirks.

Alessia laughs hearing her friends, feeling a little lighter. Maybe it’s because of her confession, maybe it’s because of their reaction. Or maybe the two. But she’s way more at ease when someone from the staff came to take Ella for some physical exercises. Alessia stays with Mary only and give her a look before talking again.

“We didn’t only kiss” Alessia whispers, looking at her fingers “I… We slept together too.”

Mary doesn’t say that she thought it was the case, but she kind of knew it. In her opinion, Alessia’s reaction would have been a little too much is it would have involved only one kiss.

“Was she good?” Mary asks with an angelic air.

“Mary!”

“What? I’m just asking!”

She raises both of her hand and Alessia rolls her eyes, unable to hide a little smile. This conversation is taking an unexpected turn.

“She was good. She was so sweet and gentle… And very affectionate and careful. I didn’t know it was possible to be this and… I don’t know, very hot and sensual at the same time?”

“Well you’re a lucky girl.” Mary laughs.

Alessia have red cheeks but seems interested by Mary’s comment. She won’t say at loud, but what she shared with you that night was better than everything of her precedents “bedroom stuff”, how she likes to name it.

“Is it always like this?”

“Mh all girls aren’t good too, I think. Like in straight world, you can find everything.”

“How can sex with a girl feels so different?”

Mary smiles softly, touched by Alessia’s naivety and cuteness. She doesn’t know why Alessia chose not to talk about it with Ella around, but she’s determined to be a good friend and advise her instead of teasing her.

“I don’t know Love, I never been with a man before. But have you thought that maybe it’s not because of the gender of the person, but the person herself?”

Alessia raise her eyes on Mary, biting her lips. Her cheeks are now a little redder and Mary understands quickly that she was kind of right. Like your other teammates, Mary knows you like girls. Everyone knows. You had some flings with other players, but the goalkeeper don’t know a lot about your love life.

“What happened after you slept with her?” Mary asks softly.

“I told her that it wasn’t the right moment to start something serious. She told me that it was ok, but she still seems strange don’t you think?”

“A little, yes. Why isn’t it the right moment?”

Alessia shrugs and looks away this time. She wasn’t really proud of her behavior with you, but it was to protect herself in a way. She is scared about her feelings for you and the way you make her feel that night.

“Because we are literally at the World Cup? And she’s living in Spain, I don’t think I can do a long-distance relationship… And… Well, I never been with a girl before. It’s kind of scary. And she just broke up with her girlfriend who cheated on her.”

“If you are sure that it’s the good choice for you, then you were right to do it Less. Don’t be too hard on yourself.”

Alessia nods and hug her friend when Mary extends her arms to her. She’s not really sure if it’s the good choice to make actually. But she can’t go back to the morning after. She’s grateful for Mary though, even if she chooses a way that Mary wouldn’t, the goalkeeper never tries to change her mind. She adapts herself at the other person.

********

The game against Nigeria is the worst memory of your tournament. You came in for Lauren Hemp at the second period, but with LJ’s red card it was a though game. You are exhausted at the end of the second prolongation, but you still have your penalty to shoot. Georgia missed hers and you are the last of the five on Sarina’s list to take your shoot.

Your hands are shaking when you put the ball on the ground, and you try to breath correctly when the referee talks to the other goalkeeper. You look at the bench and it was the first time that you really crossed Alessia’s gaze since you slept together. Her eyes are even more blue than you remember. She nods at you and gives you a half-smile. You don’t answer to her, but this contact as small as it was, gives you some confidence back. You have this. You can do it.

Taking a deep breath, you take three big steps back and look right in the other goalkeeper’s eyes. Some seconds after you start to run, hit the ball who go straight in the left corner of the net.

You feel your knees gives up when Lucy jumps on your back and soon you are with other players on top of you. The relief is amazing, and you are still shacking when someone takes your hand to help you getting up. You realize when she hugs you that it’s Keira.

“Well done” Sarina says to you when she pats your back.

When she calls you later, Leah was a little more polite about your achievements, and told you to shut up when you answer that it was a teamwork. You laugh though, happy to hear your friend.

“You are sure you still don’t want to come to play at Arsenal?”

“No Leah, stop” you laugh.

“Whatever. I will have Alessia next season anyway, she makes good choice, unlike you.”

You can her Leah’s smirk while she talks, but it’s not the information that stay in your head.

“Lessi is coming to Arsenal?”

“Oh shit. Yes, it supposed to be a secret, please don’t say anything to anyone. I’m not even supposed to know it myself.”

“What did you do Williamson?” you grin.

You don’t know why this information is disturbing to you. Maybe because you have hopped that the blonde would like to come to Barcelona? But you know that she won’t do it, her family is in England, and she has another bond with them than you have. Plus, she already left to the USA before, she probably wants to stay as close as possible to them.

Thanks God, you have Leah’s adventures tonight to keep you entertained and to help you a little to forget about this information. You don’t talk to her about what happened with Alessia, you don’t really know why. Maybe because she knows the girl, but in reality, you prefer to have an advice from someone in front of you.

[tobiasdrake]

Hi! Absolutely adore your DBZ analyses, thank you so much - just spent a delightful time reading them all. I was wondering, since you've commented on Chi-Chi and Goku's marriage, what do you have to say about Vegeta and Bulma's relationship? (I've always been entranced by it - mostly because as with all his romances, Toriyama had the wisdom not to show any of it onscreen. But I'd love to know your thoughts about it.)

Bulma and Vegeta are a match made in Hell, and they deserve each other. (Which is to say yes, I love this ship.)

Hooking Bulma up with Vegeta was a hell of a narrative swerve. Generally speaking, stories rarely do this; They rarely let characters break up once they're already invested in a romance, unless it's supposed to be like a love triangle thing.

And Bulma? Bulma was invested. At least, to a degree.

This was the birth of the original Bulma romance that ran through about half of the manga. Two teens interesting in the opposite sex suddenly realize the availability of the other and a relationship is born.

Toriyama says he's bad at writing romance but to be honest, this has always hit me as more believable than your typical drawn-out five-seasons-of-pining Will They/Won't They affair. I'm a girl. You're a boy. Wanna go out and see what clicks?

And these two... these two do not click. We only really see their relationship from Bulma's perspective but it's clear that these two are miserable together.

The manga sorta takes Bulma's side, in that we never really get to hear Yamcha's opinion about their relationship one way or another. When he's around, all he wants to do is talk shop about martial arts. Since Toriyama doesn't like to write romance, we simply don't see much of it from them. What little we do hear about it comes from Bulma complaining about how miserable she is.

Bulma is pretty much always pissed off whenever the relationship is in focus at all.

Anime filler tends to take Yamcha's side instead, portraying him as a put-upon victim of Bulma's jealousy and abuse. A nice guy who doesn't deserve the way she treats him.

It's not hard to buy into this interpretation of their relationship since, as noted, we rarely get anything from Yamcha with regard to his relationship to women or Bulma specifically but we know Bulma's a lot. It's easy to accept Bulma as the "bad guy" of this relationship because. Like. Remember that time she enslaved a sentient being? Good times.

Though one particular moment from Yamcha later on kinda stands out as a bit of a retroactive Yikes.

Yeah. Uh. Threatening violence against a woman for rejecting his bro is a bit of a Yikes. Is this who we were supposed to see Yamcha as all this time? Because, if so, it might have helped to let him opine about the relationship more. Just saiyan.

According to Toriyama in interview, Yamcha and Bulma ultimately broke up because she caught Yamcha cheating on her. I guess that's what him being "popular with girls" was supposed to mean: Once he got over his gynophobia and found confidence with the opposite sex, Yamcha became a player.

But that doesn't necessarily come across from the statement, "Bulma can't stand that Yamcha's popular with girls." A lot of fans took that to mean girls just like him for no reason, and Bulma's unreasonably jealous about it. The anime took that position too.

Note that the "Yamcha is popular with girls" thing isn't helped by the fact that we never see it on-panel because he's only ever talking shop when he's around. But we do see a wandering eye from Bulma often enough.

There's nothing wrong with enjoying the aesthetic appeal of another party even when you're in a monogamous relationship, but it doesn't really present the "Other party is a womanizer and cheater" case when you're the only one ever seen doing this.

So it feels like there's a lot about Yamcha and Bulma's relationship that never made it to print yet influenced later decisions. Those decisions ended up being controversial because the foundation for those decisions was never laid. Here, Toriyama's disdain for writing romance worked against him.

But ultimately, regardless of whose side you take, it doesn't really matter. It doesn't matter who the "bad guy" is. A healthy relationship does not have a "bad guy" in it.

Whether or not Yamcha cheated, whether or not Bulma's just an unreasonably jealous hell-beast, it doesn't actually matter. What matters is that once you reach the point where you're taking sides over which party is the most obnoxious asshole and I hate you and I wish we never met... this relationship is not working for anybody.

It doesn't matter who the bad guy is. It doesn't matter who deserves the blame for this relationship being a toxic shithole. That there is blame to throw around in the first place is the problem. Every relationship has its ups and downs but if one party is constantly miserable for years and has possibly been looking for an escape hatch since year 1, that's not a little tiff.

What matters is that these two are not working out. Any time we see their relationship in focus, they are miserable together. The anime tried to do some patchwork on that with audience reception by giving them some cute moments as well, but because those moments aren't canon the pair remained miserable.

And then this happened.

Despite everything, I think we all assumed that Bulma and Yamcha were going to work it out. Fictional relationships are often portrayed as tumultuous. To a writer, nothing says true love like being constantly miserable and despising every waking moment you spend with your awful, nagging ball-and-chain of a spouse. That's just. Like. What the straights think romance is. It's weird.

I think we all thought that was going to be the deal here too. And then Trunks came along and said, "Nope, actually, they finally severed the cord."

Again, Toriyama says he's bad at writing romance but holy shit, the toxic and miserable relationship actually ended. The two characters involved who only got together out of loneliness and desperation later found they were incompatible with each other. That's so real. Much moreso than a lot of fictional romances.

Instead, we got the absolute crack ship that is Vegeta and Bulma. What a wild-ass revelation for Trunks to drop.

Like. Until the end of the Namek arc, this was the only time these two characters even met.

She also saw Vegeta for like two seconds here.

That was it. That was their entire history together until Goku defeated Frieza while Kaio sent everyone to Earth. But that's when everything changed for Vegeta.

Stranded on Earth with no ship, no affiliations, no ability to leave the planet and nowhere to go or be and no obligations to anyone but himself, Vegeta's circumstances were wildly different than they'd ever been before. He had become one of the Namekian refugees.

And Bulma was offering refuge.

Hard to resist, indeed. That moment is absolutely hilarious in retrospect. Bulma rolled a Nat 20 on that charisma check. It's pretty clear who the instigator of this relationship was.

Like. It needs to be stated that at this point, the only thing Bulma knew about Vegeta was that he tried to kill them all multiple times, and also he's kinda hot. But. Like.

It's Bulma. Anyone who doesn't expect this from her by now either hasn't been paying attention or started watching the English dub of the anime when they did Z first.

So, naturally, Vegeta is a kind and loving man and became a phenomenal husband and fa--

Wait. No. I got my notes mixed up. It says here Vegeta's a rotten dirty bastard. Like. Chronically. He has Supreme Dickshit Syndrome. It's genetic.

Most of Bulma and Vegeta's developing relationship happens offscreen. From what snippets we get, Vegeta has a tendency to vanish during the day, but he still lives at Capsule Corp so Bulma sees him around.

By the end of the three-year timeskip, it's official. Or semi-official. Yamcha and Bulma broke up at some point during that timeskip and Bulma's given birth to Trunks.

As for Vegeta, he's evidently moved out of Capsule Corp and into his own place.

I guess he's still keeping contact with Bulma since she knows what his intentions are. Not to mention he found his tranquility during these three years, though it's somewhat ambiguous as to what exactly brought that peace to his heart.

But the relationship is off to a rocky start nonetheless. Clearly something went down between Vegeta and Bulma that drove Vegeta out of Capsule Corp. To. Uh. Somewhere.

I like to imagine Vegeta living in some shitty West City apartment he rents off a stipend Bulma's sending him that he refuses to openly acknowledge. Like, room 101 is a down-on-his-luck tax accountant, room 102 is a couple with a kid trying to make ends meet off two retail workers' salaries, and then room 103 is Vegeta, Prince of All Saiyans. Sometimes he goes to community events and pretends he isn't having fun.

No lie, I would absolutely watch that as a sitcom.

As for Vegeta himself, he's still a rotten dirty bastard.

Worth noting that Vegeta's saying this as a Super Saiyan which means he's drunk on the form's enhanced aggression. But. Still. Vegeta is an absolute monster being dragged kicking and screaming into a pleasant life that he'll one day resent himself for enjoying. This is his arc moving forward.

It's not so much a redemption arc as it is a domestication arc. The uniquely evil even by Saiyan standards Vegeta is gradually being changed by his new terrestrial life. He doesn't want to own up to how much he enjoys it here. Seven years later, he's still desperate to avoid owning up to it.

He doesn't want to be happy here. He doesn't want a loving wife and a son who looks up to him and the most lavish home wealth can afford him and easy, comfortable days spent with friends and loved ones by his side. He doesn't want a happy ending.

But it's like Bulma warned him: Dragon Ball's queen bee is hard to resist.

Welcome back to Capsule Corp, Vegeta. We hardly even noticed you were gone. Honestly, Future Trunks deserves a lot of the credit for this; Watching him die at the Cell Games was what flipped the switch in Vegeta's head that he wants the family he and Bulma have spawned together.

Sure is a good thing we have Dragon Balls because this is a hell of a time to suddenly decide you love your son. But we see the consequences of that seven years later, since Vegeta moved back into Capsule Corp from... I don't know, wherever he went. They're gonna miss him at the next community poolside summer BBQ event for all tenants.

Part of what makes Vegeta and Bulma work, I think, is that they're on the same page about one crucial point. For Bulma, there is one person who will always take precedent in her life above all others. Romance comes and romance goes, but this is the relationship that matters most to her.

Especially when it comes to martial arts and fighting. Bulma doesn't know a lot about the subject, but she knows that Son Goku is her #1. She has no reservations about saying that to her lover's face either.

When fists start flying, Bulma knows who she's rooting for. If Goku's involved, then it's not her guy. That's. Just. Something that anyone who wants to be with her has to be willing to understand. The single most important relationship in Bulma's life will always be her friendship with Goku.

And the thing about Vegeta is... He kind of agrees? Like. See above, re: I wanted Babidi to destroy my feelings for Bulma so that I could become the warrior that can fight with you, Kakarot.

As much as Goku will always be Bulma's #1, he'll also always be Vegeta's #1. He even gets included into Vegeta's fond farewell to the family he loves.

Goku is basically the platonic third in a two-person polycule. This is the second marriage that this poor ace plays a vital role in despite having no real interest in romance whatsoever.

Bulma is selfish, spiteful, petty, and vain. At one point, DBS: Broly directly compares her to Frieza; A comparison that manages to be unbelievably unflattering to both participants.

They're the same picture. A revelation that would probably be horrifying to both.

And Vegeta. Especially Vegeta. But. Like. She warned you she was irresistible. You didn't take her seriously and now look where you are. Married to the She-Frieza. Maybe you should think about your life choices.

This is just. So much fun. As I said at the outset, Bulma and Vegeta are a match made in Hell who make it work because they're both similar brands of awful.

As for Yamcha, it's a little known fact but Yamcha rebounded and moved on with his life. He stops having much story relevancy after he leaves Capsule Corporation so we see very little of his private life from there. After retiring from martial arts and splitting up with Bulma, Yamcha's left without any story hooks to keep him involved.

But there was this interesting moment, when he realized they had a Shenron wish to spare.

After Krillin comes up with something better to use the wish on, he takes it back and claims it was a joke.

This is, surprisingly, a point of contention in the fandom as some of Yamcha's fans prefer the idea that he died miserable and alone after Bulma ruined his life by leaving him. This takeback gets pointed to as proof that he made up his girlfriend entirely. However, in context, it's clear that a) he's trying to brush off his earlier attempt at making a petty wish and b) the thing he's transparently pretending was a joke is the necklace wish, not the existence of his new girlfriend.

Like Bulma, Yamcha moved on with his life after the break up of their miserable relationship. And that was the final word that was ever uttered on Yamcha's romantic prospects, because this was the last time he was ever meaningfully involved with anything at all.

[chaotic-on-main]

Shoveling Snow with Levi

moodboard and drabble oneshot for @humanitys-strongest-bamf who requested shoveling snow and hot tea snuggles with Levi <3

content: fluff, modern au, established relationship, marriage, winter

word count: ~1.3k

Levi is the kind of man who will do all of the hard chores, even though you're very much capable of doing so. Shoveling snow is one of those. To be honest, you didn't mind because shoveling snow was the worst part of winter next to having to drive in it. But it means time away from your newly wedded husband, and for that you were sad about it.

On this particular day, Levi awoke to a few feet of new accumulation staring right back at him from the window. The weather forecast predicted no such thing so he grumbles something under his breath, unfortunately waking you up for the day. He feels you stirring and rolls over to see your face half covered from the plush pillow, a sleepy eye peeking over the navy blue cloth.

“Sorry, Love. I didn't mean to wake you.” Levi says softly as he inches closer to you and wraps his arms around your waist just to pull you into him. His bare chest is warm from being under the sheets all night. The gentle beating of his heart threatens to lull you to sleep again, but you remember the grumbling that woke you up in the first place.

“What's wrong?” You ask, muffled from being pressed up against his chest.

“It snowed a lot last night, so I need to shovel. Again.” You can already feel the scowl that pulls on Levi's soft lips.

“No. We're staying inside all day. You said.” You whine back, snaking your own arms around him to keep him close. You wouldn't let him go, not ever.

“That was before I knew the forecaster was a liar.” Levi grumbles yet again.

“The weather is unpredictable, you know that.”

“Tch. If I don't take care of it, then it will just melt and make it worse. Do you want to fall on your ass like last year?”

“That's not fair, I was distracted!”

“A cat running down the sidewalk is not a valid excuse when you could have been paying attention to where you were going.” Levi chuckles and rests his chin on the top of your head before kissing it softly.

“Mean. And to be fair, he had a bow in his mouth and he was really cute.” You whisper, a smile still appearing despite the silly comments.

You both lie there a little longer, the only noises in the bedroom coming from the soft exhales you both made as well as the little wall clock on the opposite side of the room. You're almost about to fall back asleep until you're jostled awake by Levi pulling away from you. You do your best to grab him and bring him back but he's too strong for you. Before you know it, you're staring at Levi's muscular back.

“I won't be long.” He says as he stands up and stretches his arms above his head. His back and arms flex from the movement and you can't help but stare. Oh how you wish you could trail kisses down them right now. But you didn't have time for that.

“I'm coming with you.” You state matter-of-factly as you rip off your sheets in a dramatic show of display. You wish you hadn't as the winter morning air bites at your bare skin, but you had to make a point. Pushing yourself out of bed, you turn and stare at Levi with a look of determination.

“You hate shoveling.” Levi states back. He makes his way over to the closet to grab some winter clothing.

“I do. But you promised me hot tea and movies today and I'll be damned if this stops us. It will make it go faster.” You shrug as you follow Levi's steps.

Eventually, you and your husband are both fitted for the snow. He helps lace up your snow boots and you do the same for him. You look like you're ready for some miscellaneous winter sport, but unfortunately you were heading out for something far worse.

Shoveling sucks. Ten minutes in, you can already feel your arms burning and your back aching from bending at such an odd angle. Levi told you to only worry about the walkway connecting the front porch to the driveway. It's a small section compared to his and yet you're still struggling. You're doing your best to slow your breathing and take your time but you still feel sweat starting to accumulate. This chore is enough to make athletes question their fitness, you think.

About an hour passes until you're both done. You collapse into the snow, reveling in the cool that permeates the cloth beneath you. The sky is a brilliant blue with a few low clouds in the sky, no doubt the traces left behind last night's snow.

“I thought you said you wanted hot chocolate and movies.” Levi says as he steps over to you. His shadow covers your face and all you see now is his pretty features with a sun halo around his head.

“I do! I'm just waiting to see if death is going to take me now or later.”

Levi holds his hand out to you and you take it. He pulls you up like you're air and steadies your body to keep you from falling head first the other way. His nose and cheeks are rosy pink from the cold and you reach up to touch his face with your palm. He really is pretty.

“Something on my face?” His gray eyes almost look blue from the reflection of the afternoon sky and bright white snow.

“Yeah, your face. I like it.”

“You're so weird.”

“Yeah, but you like it.”

“Do I?”

“Well you better. You’re stuck with this forever.” You laugh at his stoic expression with one raised eyebrow.

“Just go inside already. Take a warm shower while I get some tea started.” He shakes his head at you as you start to walk away. He calls your name at the same time you feel his gloved hand wrap around your arm.

In just a few seconds, he pulls you into him and is tilting your chin with his other hand towards his face. His lips meet yours gently, the warmth of it all spreading into your face and down to your toes. Then it's over as it started. His face pulls away as he looks into your eyes earnestly.

“Now go. I'm sure you have a ton of movies in mind.”

Levi’s special tea is done brewing around the same time you step out of the bedroom in a fresh pair of pajamas with fuzzy socks to boot. He had the living room ready for a night in. Fairy lights and candles decorate the mantle of the fireplace that sits ablaze. The warmth of it is immediate as you make your way to the couch already adorned with your favorite blankets.

“You know me so well.” You smile over at Levi who is just now setting a tray full of snacks and tea.

“Being together as long as we have will do that to you.” He says back nonchalantly, though you spot that little smile of his tugging at the corners of his mouth.

The movie you picked out was really good. The tea Levi made was even better. As you snuggle up into Levi's side, you take a few deep breaths of his musky scent. It's not long before you're drifting off to sleep again with dreams of snow-filled adventures and your perfect husband.

There is a little over a week left of my winter event! If you'd like to request something, go here for the rules! <3

[666writingcafe]

Jealousy?

MC

"Would you mind answering a question for me?" Barbatos asks me once we've exchanged pleasantries and settled down in the parlor.

"Depends on the question." A faint smile crosses his lips.

"I was just wondering how you could choose to associate yourself with Solomon." The irritation in his voice is rather evident, and I'm reminded of the staredown the two men engaged in a couple days ago.

"What do you have against him?" I sound a bit too defensive for my liking. I'm not trying to pick a fight with Barbatos; I simply want to know why he seems to detest the sorcerer so much.

He sighs before replying,

"Perhaps the version of Solomon that accompanied you here has cleaned up his act--and good for him if he has--but the one I know is fiendish, a blight upon the world, and destruction incarnate. He throws anyone he can under the bus if it meant avoiding trouble for himself. Being here for an extended period of time may cause your sorcerer to revert back to old habits, and I don't want to see you get hurt."

"Why? You hardly know me."

"You're right." He pauses. "I'm not sure, really. I mean, you seem like a good, honest person, but what do I know? Maybe you're just as bad as him, and I shouldn't have even bothered taking you under my wing." While coming from a practical place, his words do sting.

"And yet you did." Barbatos sighs again.

"And yet I did," he repeats, taking a sip of his tea. "The decision came from a gut feeling I had, and those rarely fail me. I just hope that you don't prove me wrong."

My turn to drink some tea.

I'm not used to Barbatos being this open about his emotions, especially while he's on duty. Perhaps time has granted him the ability to remain calm and composed when he's on the clock, but still. It'll be a bit before I get used to this particular attitude of his.

"Are you ready for your first lesson?" he asks, pulling me out of my head and back to the present moment. It takes me a second to remember exactly why I'm over at the castle today in the first place, but once I do, I quickly nod my head.

"Good. We'll start with a fairly basic anatomy topic: pheromones." Interesting place to start. Is he finally going to let me ask the question I had about Lucifer?

"In a lot of ways, demons bear a closer resemblance to animals than to humans," he continues. "While their strength in the latter is fairly minimal, the former uses them as a effective method of communication. Our pheromones can tell others what we're feeling as well as mark our territory, among other things.

"Demons have a baseline scent that's present no matter what they do. For example, I smell like mint, and Lord Diavolo like old leather. Different pheromones will bring out specific notes of the baseline scent. Positive emotions tend to make it sweeter, while negative emotions bring out its bitter and sour side. If those emotions are tied to one of the seven sins, then the scent becomes more potent, sometimes to the point of being nauseating to anyone that happens to catch a whiff.

"Am I making sense to you so far?" I nod my head. I don't have any questions yet, but I have a feeling that even if I did, Barbatos wouldn't let me ask any of them just yet.

"Now, Lucifer and his brothers have stayed in the castle for the last couple months, and in that time, I've picked up on all of their scents. Lucifer had one of the more pungent ones. Understandably so, since he's probably the most emotionally scarred from the war, but it got to the point where I couldn't be around him for longer than a few minutes. And making some of my favorite dishes proved to be impossible after a while, for even the smallest amount of nutmeg would make my stomach turn.

"But the moment you returned his credit card to him, Lucifer's scent noticeably shifted. For once, he actually smelled pleasant. And then it became stronger. By the time he left my side, I was craving a giant slice of coffee cake." At this point, he stops talking, allowing me to finally speak.

"So, you're telling me that my simple nice gesture was enough to turn him on?"

"It would appear that way, yes." Unbelievable. "If I pointed it out at the time, though, Solomon probably would have run after Lucifer to tease him about it, and that would most definitely piss Lucifer off. Plus, he would adamantly denied feeling that way at all, and given his initial behavior towards you, I didn't want to see you upset by him completely disregarding your kindness."

As I mull over Barbatos' words, I'm suddenly reminded of a specific moment. One where Lucifer had his mouth covered with a handkerchief, looking like he was about to throw up.

I wonder...

"If it's not too much trouble, would you mind telling me what I smell like?" I ask, causing Barbatos to smile.

"Not at all. In fact, I was just getting ready to ask you if you wanted to know, so this works out great." He sets his tea down on a nearby table and gets up, walking around and stopping behind the chair I'm sitting in. I momentarily feel part of his face on top of my head as he audibly sniffs. I'm sure that if someone walked past us right now, they'd be weirded out by what they saw.

Or maybe not. I don't know if intentionally smelling someone like this is standard demon behavior. Maybe it is, and I'm overthinking it.

"Vanilla buttercream frosting," Barbatos announces. Somehow, that doesn't surprise me. It at least explains a few things, if nothing else. Frosting can get overwhelmingly sweet.

"That might actually work," he mutters to himself as he sits back down.

"What would?" Barbatos finishes his tea before clasping his hands in front of him.

"There's a creature on the grounds that needs tamed. He's both ferocious and extremely dangerous, so Lord Diavolo had me put a spell on him to prevent anyone from coming into contact with him. If I told you how to undo the spell, would you like to take a stab at it?"

"What makes you think I'd be successful?"

"You don't smell threatening."

"No; I smell like a goddamn dessert. The creature will probably think I'm food and try to eat me."

"And if that's the case, I'll bail you out." He pauses. "There are creatures like this one that are very selective about who they will submit to, and I believe that you fit this particular one's criteria. Plus, you'll earn the title "Ruler of the Underworld", and you can use that as a way to get people to quit treating the brothers like shit." I find myself snorting in amusement.

"Like a mere title is going to make people change their entire ideology."

"People can think whatever they like. They just have to learn to keep some of those thoughts to themselves or else face severe consequences." The grin on his face is lowkey terrifying. I don't know if I want to be on the wrong end of that smile.

So, I end up agreeing to take on the responsibility of taming this creature.

Taglist: @lost-in-time-wanderer, @fuzztacular, @dianedancer18, @sweetbrier2908, @flare-love, @completelyshatteredbrokenmschf, @thunderlightning351, @l3v1chan, @anxious-chick, @5mary5, @expressionless-fr

[anna-scribbles]

hey anna! the wait for kwami’s choice part 2 truly is abysmal and it’s so hard to navigate through the tag with all the leaks about, do you have any fic recs to tide us over until gloob puts us out of our misery?

not only do I have fic recs, I also have way too much to do rn and therefore will spend an inordinate amount of time crafting a detailed rec list for you 😘 (we can also just consider this my 2022 ao3 wrapped lol)

goes without saying perhaps, but ANYTHING by @peachcitt is gold and also uniquely devastating, some of my particular favorites being:

metamorphosis - 97k, enemies, sleepovers, you get it. i'm normal

those benevolent stars - 23k, ladrien thief/prince/soulmates au. what more do I even need to say

chat noir's white french man hit list for feminist purposes - 7k, hilarious and devastating, this fic is a child to me

double dare - 32k, ladrien, absolutely everything. cemented my friendship w/ peach bc I had to scream at her everyday abt it

I thought the plane was going down - 11k, attuned to my tastes specifically, adrinette having a History while on airplanes

@carpisuns also puts out banger after banger like it's her dayjob, specializing in understanding the ridiculous nature of the lovesquare to such a degree and also being the funniest person alive. some of my faves from her are:

tell me something I don't know - 120k, the marichat fic EVER, mar's dissertation on lovesquare and guess what she's right

pink - 14k wip, adrien loves marinette, SOFT

two idiots and a hamster (collab with @botherkupo) - 24k, adrinette roommates, makes me cry laugh

@picayunearts is a goddess on earth. she bends word and image flawlessly to her will. recently she has enraptured me with

final girl - 41k, marichat, au where marinette succeeds in giving up her miraculous to alya in origins. INCREDIBLE marinette character study

@rosekasa invented ladynoir and i'm not afraid to say it. check out everything on her ao3 but just note the following

when things were good - 15k wip, breakup fic/post hawkmoth takedown, has been ruining me in a SPECIAL way

new marinette 12k, post-guardianship memory loss marinette, a classic

like poles of a magnet - 12k, enemies au, hurts my feelings

ya'aburnee - 13k, ladynoir, HURTS ME VERY MUCH. I'VE NOT RECOVERED

@buggachat's fics always feel like i'm attending a course on adrien and marinette's true characterizations explained to me by someone with a PhD in lovesquare and I walk away enlightened. she has an incredible gift for storytelling and just Getting It. anyway read

maintaining a professional distance - 43k, ladynoir hotel room shenanigans, god-tier characterization

when you're near 10k, ladynoir dating but adrinette have never met, a classic

@sha-nwa should honestly quit her career and write lovesquare fanfiction for me full time. proof:

the way I loved you - 68k, marichat break up fic, will be cemented into my mind forever

photograph - 1k, sweet adrinette, abby loves making me cry

things WOULD be amiss if I did not mention @officialratprince (carolinaa on ao3) bc their fics derailed my homework schedule on several occasions last semester, though I'll be honest that their fics are not for the faint of heart or those who wish adrien agreste to have a good time. my faves are

I will take it / it can't go wrong series - 3 fics at 16k, 25k, and 39k, adrien's journey through experiencing child abuse and his friends being there for him, culminating in gabriel's court trial

home sick - 14k wip, adrien gets pneumonia and Everything Is Really Bad

other various fics I love for various reasons:

how hawkmoth got his groove back series by @agrestenoir - 2 fics at 3k and 1k, one of my favorite crack fics i read last year. had me crying laughing

1 step forward, 3 steps back by agnes writes - 10k, breaks my heart every time I read it. also makes me legitimately angry at adrien while still keeping him in character which is a feat in and of itself

the last day on earth by reiaji - 10k, chat blanc keeps happening as marinette gets older, I am incapable of not recommending this fic

okay now go forth and don't do your work<3

[descendinginto-madness]

welt except he has a fever and desperately needs sleep

cw: descriptions of illness, high fever, being kinda delirious/out of it, sleep deprivation?, nightmares, headaches, mentions of death

contains spoilers for welt's hi3 lore

also, disclaimer! welt in here is very reluctant to ask for help and feeling bad about it because... well i imagine he'd react like this, BUT! needing help and asking for it is completely normal and valid and okay; please remember that and take care of urself ok!! ily /p

alright, so...

i'm gonna be honest since i found @bugbytez13 's blog welt sickfic ideas don't want to leave my head LMAO except i will write a detailed description of a fic instead of the fic itself. that's it that's the post

tbh this ramble in particular could be made into two separate fanfics (one sickfic and one specifically about the nightmares) but shh

i will forever be self conscious or anxious about things i post that aren't just headcanons or silly little rambles, but also... writing this went surprisingly smoothly so! enjoy the essay or something idk HAHA

======================================

so, about welt...

i just know this man is going to force himself to stay awake. maybe his self-sacrificing issues are less present now, and he doesn't immediately throw himself in danger in every fight ever, but he's still stubborn as hell. so he won't admit something is wrong. he won't admit that maybe getting way too little sleep several days in a row wasn't doing wonders for his immune system and he's now finally feeling the consequences. to be fair, he expected it might end like this, but he didn't want to take breaks - there's still too many things to take care of before they finally head to penacony. and now, he will still insist of taking care of everything, even though his body is basically begging him to go take a nap.

except maybe, he didn't even expect it to get this bad. or thought that he can just power through it. i mean, he's been through much worse, right? this is nothing compared to literally losing his body for some time. but he's sitting in the parlor car, and he's half awake, and unusually cold, and his head is hurting, and keeping up the act is getting harder and harder - but he has to, because the younger members of the crew are here too, even if only march is talking to him.

but they pick up on the fact that something is wrong, of course they do. his eyes are unfocused, he looks like he's about to fall asleep - or pass out - and march had to repeat herself twice for him to even fully process what she was asking him, and so suddenly stelle is next to him, attempting to touch his forehead - and he recoils. "i'm fine," he says, and it's probably a bit too quick and a bit too firm than he'd like it to be, and all of this is stupid, really, because he shouldn't be scared of someone touching him. how hot can it really be anyway if he's feeling so cold, right? but if that wasn't enough dan heng asks an even more dreaded question, "are you sure, mr yang? do you want us to call himeko?" and welt decides it's time to excuse himself, before he makes them even more worried. because even in his present state, he can pick up on the fact they're concerned, but at the same time unsure of what to do, and it makes him feel guilty. of course they're unsure; he's usually their caretaker, and he always knows what to do, and it should never be the other way around. he should've just stayed in his room all day, shouldn't he.

"thank you all for your concern, but i'm alright." he stands up. "now, please excuse me, i still have some work to do." of course that's true, but he's almost certain he won't be able to focus on that- but he just needs an excuse to get out from here and be left alone anyway.

but stelle is right next to him, and looking determined to accompany him to his room, too. "you look like you're about to fall, mr yang," they explain, and he wants to insist that he's okay once again, but realizes he's too tired to do so. it would take him at least a few minutes, and it's a few minutes he doesn't have nearly enough energy for. he just wants to finally lie down. so, he lets stelle essentially escort him into the hallway and to his bedroom, and make sure he doesn't collapse on his way there, and-- it's embarassing, honestly, because it's already so difficult for him to show himeko the slightest hints that something might be wrong, and right now the situation is similar but ten times worse - so it's also ten times harder for him to come to terms with the fact he needs to rely on someone.

"my... apologies for making you all worry," he says quietly when they reach his room, and he's so thankful that he left the lights off, because the parlor car was way too bright, and though the hallway was a bit better, it still wasn't good.

"it's alright," stelle shakes her head, and stands there in the doorway, even as he heads towards his bed and sits down. "i'll ask himeko to check up on you in a bit?" she asks, and he only nods, though he isn't sure if she can actually see it. he doesn't want to talk anymore, he doesn't want to think because even just that seems to make his headache worse, he just wants stelle to leave, he just wants to sleep-- he isn't even sure if he understood her question correctly, but he also doesn't have the energy to care. he falls asleep the moment the door closes behind her, fully clothed and half covered with a thick blanket, but even then he isn't allowed a peaceful rest.

memories from old battles flash before his eyes, silhouettes of enemies he once fought, those against whom he won - but also of those who severly injured or even killed him, and with that come the memories of the pain

and the fear of losing his body again.

when he finally awakens, sweating, shaky for reasons other than his fever, and still feeling pretty awful, it takes him longer than usual to remember where he is. it takes him longer than usual to remember that he's safe.

but now there's medicine and a thermometer on his nightstand, and a note written in himeko's neat handwriting - though he actually spots and reads it some time later - telling him to rest as much as he needs to, because she'll take care of everything; and only after he does read it and feels a sense of relief come over him, he realizes how much the thought of having to leave all the work in order to take a break actually stressed him out. he still feels bad about it, because of course he does, and of course he's going to apologize to everyone later.

but he's also able to sleep more peacefully now.

[magical-oppas]

Now that the season is over, here are my predictions as to what will make it into Drive to Survive.

!Disclaimer! DTS was my entry into this sport. I think the show is great in its own way and an excellent way to reach new fans, this is mostly just for fun. (If you can't make fun of the things you love I'm the wrong person to have on your dash)

Here is my list in no particular order

HAAS: They love a HAAS focused episode, partly because it brings Steiner into the picture. I personally never got why people like him but if it works it works I guess. Expect many "Suck my balls" jokes. Otherwise we are scheduled for our regular viewing of HAAS being absolutely washed on track with Guenther calling Gene every five minutes.

Qatar: Things they WONT cover about Qatar; the drivers collapsing and passing out from heat exhaustion, the tracklimits and tyre fiasco. Things they WILL cover about Qatar; the mercs crashing into eachother on lap 1 (with THAT clip of Lewis playing like 50 times), Oscar winning the sprint. I imagine them spinning it in a way that makes the sprint a huge deal (cue clip of Will Buxton talking about how essential the sprint is for F1 as a sport and almost more important than the grand prix itself). This brings me to my next point

Civil wars: We have the real civil wars and the fake ones. I imagine them using the Qatar gp to make up a war between Oscar and Lando, framing it as Oscar as a rookie getting a win before Lando. Not sure who they are gonna make the villain here, probably Lando. They could also fabricate one at Ferrari given how this car suits Carlos more than Charles, will probably blow Monza out of proportion. Merc civil war might get a whole episode(be honest, we all know that one is a competitive car away from blowing up). The french civil war is the one I'm looking forward to the most because BOY do those two like to play it dirty. I'm frothing at the mouth already to see the backhanded compliments, the jabs, the shady comments they have probably been giving in the dts interviews. Speaking of Alpine

Alpine vs Mclaren(Oscar): This is a must because they made that whole thing last season. Episode will start out with a really smug Alpine team but we will get to witness the horrible car crash of a season they are having with the amazing dts editing. Can't wait to see the Silverstone part where they show the double DNF side by side with the Mclarens celebrating a p2 p4.

Singapore: The only non Redbull winner so I will be surprised if they don't feature it. They also love a dramatic crash and Lance's one in Singapore qualy is probably the most intense one we had this season. Will probably also use the onboard footage from Lando to show the tyre skirting by him to really amp it up.

Red bull: Will it be about their amazing achievements as a team this year? No. Will it be about Max and his fantastic race craft and the way he hasn't put a single foot wrong? No. It will be about Checo and his struggles. Will also have interviews of Christian defending him that become fewer and fewer the longer into the season we go. The win streak and the domination will be mentioned only in contrast to Checo. I also have a theory that red bull might drop checo and if they do I promise you the reveal in the show will go exactly like this:

Christian: We have given him time and patience, but at some point we need to start looking elsewhere, Mclaren have an amazing pairing, Mercedes have an amazing pairing even Ferrari have really started to get into their groove. He really left us no choice.

*Dramatic music, cut to black*

"Hi I'm Daniel Ricciardo and I'm a driver for Red Bull racing. Fuck, that felt so good to say *big Daniel smile.*"

Las Vegas: Will be shown as the most epic race this season with all drivers hyping it up (Might be able to include Max in that one with enough editing). What they WONT cover: all of the thursday/free practice shenanigans. What they WILL cover: The fact that the race was a banger.

Alpha Tauri: They have the perfect angle for this set up already. Nyck was talking himself up big time last season so they are just gonna overlay that with Nyck having a mare on track. They're gonna make whole "I'm back bitches" thing with Daniel. Then they're gonna make his accident real tragic (they could also make it into a Thing that it was Oscar that Daniel tried to avoid when putting it in the wall). Not really sure what they're gonna make out of Liams short stint.

Ferrari vs Mercedes fight for p2 is gonna be HELLA dramatic. They are going to drag out that race and insert radio messages where they don't belong. I also think they are gonna make it look like Carlos was closer to Lewis in the race than what he actually was.

As I said, these are just my speculations. based on the way the show has been and are mostly just for fun.

[mariaelenaariente]

Astro Observations - all sign placements

coming from an esoteric and evolutionary astrologer

The pictures used are not mine

In-depth Natal Chart Analysis - reconnect with your Soul and uncover the Divine within you

Learn natal astrology

(These are not in any particular order)

Pisces placements often refuse their own spiritual abilities unless they're really in tune with their chart and Soul purpose. I've noticed this so many times - these natives have the most potential for a natural connection to the divine, yet they so often dismiss it. This can be related to a variety of things, but I believe it mostly comes down to them being subconsciously scared to detach from the material plane and trust their innate wisdom (which often goes against what society has taught us). However when a native with strong Piscean energy does connect to the divine, they're unstoppable and enlightening.

Leo placements (yes I'm a big fan of these) have so much light in them. I can't stand all the "they're so egoistical" bullsht. Of course some will be, especially the unevolved ones, but let's be honest: most are scared of healed strong Leo energy because they don't get them (and our society really isn't built for someone like them living according to their highest vibrations). Leos are strong, brave, loving, joyous, and have enormous hearts. They're simply made out of pure love and I will not be arguing about this.

Natives with an abundance of Taurus placement will not ever forget how you did them wrong. It's a matter of time before their disappointment exceeds their feelings for you and they snap (and when they do it's truly awful). I know that we like to think Cancers are the most likely to hold grudges (and to an extent they are, but in a much more different way) but a fixed sign will really think about that for the rest of their lives. If they do happen to also have Cancer placements, forget ever being really forgiven (unless they're particularly conscious).

Scorpio placements are really not as vengeful as people believe them to be. They are ruled by Pluto - what they do is transform and outgrow their pain. Yes their anger is strong and all-consuming, but ultimately they're meant to let it go to be able to better themselves. And let's be honest, Scorpio placements have to go through so much. They're asked to face pain and discomfort throughout most of their lives. A conscious native will transform this into their greatest strength, they won't plan their revenge for years. They know something greater's coming.

Gemini placements are the true intellectuals of the zodiac. Wait, before you come for me (lately it seems that most only call them chatty and annoying), hear me out. I'm not saying they're smarter than anyone, but they are the most invested in learning about the world. This can take many different forms based on their unique chart, and most of the time the form it takes is chaotic. They may not follow the traditional educational path. Where Aquarius placements are invested in learning, yes, Gemini placements are also invested in applying what they've learned. They're unlikely to really dedicate their lives to one subject - but they will dedicate their life to continuously grow and stimulate their intellect. There's so much more to be said here.

Aries placements generally have a hard time accepting themselves. They carry so much enthusiasm and energy with them, more often than not they'll be deemed "too much". This can really hinder their spirit - these natives need a lot of freedom and acceptance from their early childhood to grow into their confidence and powerful drive. If they don't get it, they often tend to retreat within themselves and hold back their energy. This is the root of the stereotypical Aries anger - they've often been suppressing themselves for years.

Aquarius placements often need to give others better credit for the lessons they teach them. Giving gratitude is an important lesson they need to learn in this lifetime. Yes, gratitude. Even for their hurts. Possibly especially for their hurts. They have the ability to easily recognize patterns in human behavior, and they wouldn't be able to exercise this if they isolate. If an Aquarian numbs their emotions and doesn't realize the great (soon to be positive) impact a bad experience had for them they'll be unable to learn from it.

Virgo placements can be just as loving as the stereotypical maternally affectionate Cancerian. Their typical pickiness when it comes to choosing whether to let someone into their life or not is their way of evaluating possible hurts and protecting themselves from it. A healed Virgo native however will not be running away from someone based on the rationalization they made of the situation - a healed Virgo will have a highly developed intuition and be a channel for divine messages - they'll just know what is right for them without the need to judge the situation. And if the situation is indeed right, they'll be some of the most loving and dedicated people in your life.

Libra, Capricorn, Cancer, and Sagittarius placements coming soon.

In-depth Natal Chart Analysis - reconnect with your Soul and uncover the Divine within you

Learn natal astrology

[raayllum]

also cause I'm not there yet in my 5x08 liveblog but because even just a whiff of "Callum gave Finnegrin the spell" made the fandom troll come running into my inbox to say otherwise, just wanna clear up a few things for peace of mind before we get there

The first is that I know it was the fandom troll because of the timing & presentation, not necessarily because the now deleted/blocked ask had the "Callum purposefully gave Finnegrin the wrong spell" take. While that was an indication to me that this was probably the fandom troll since they seem to take issue with my characterization of Callum in particular, perfectly smart reasonable people have also proposed that possibility of the spell ingredients being not entirely accurate as purposeful; it's not exclusive to crappy people by any measure.

With all that in mind, I want to discuss how I view the scene (and indeed how I think it's meant to be interpreted per a casual viewer reading) as well as why I think Callum giving Finnegrin a not word-for-word accurate actually kind of makes his choice more morally questionable, not less

So let's begin

1) I don't think the scene's intended takeaway is that Callum gave Finnegrin the wrong spell

I think Callum panicked, and he folded, and he would've told Finnegrin anything the pirate had asked for in that moment to try and spare Rayla's life. While TDP is an immensely detailed show in many ways (hell I have a tag dedicated to just those details), every scene still has to ultimately work for a casual viewer. I don't think this scene is any exception. One of the first things in the series that we learn is that humans took down the King of the Dragons with dark magic and it's a repeated fact throughout most of the first season, and into the third when we see the events that transpired exactly.

So when Finnegrin mentions it, we're probably going to remember that was a thing that happened and it involved Harrow and Viren, but we're probably not going to remember the specific ingredients. Therefore, like Finnegrin, most audience members are going to take Callum at his word, especially since throughout most of his conversation with Finnegrin, Callum is arguably far more honest than he needs to be (fessing up that he did dark magic at all, mentioning that he studies all the primals, that he did the spell to save a friend at all - which is exactly why Finnegrin sets him the hand cutting test to try and break him, etc). The scene - again, for the audience's benefit - even as Callum clarify for those that wouldn't remember why he was spouting things about dying breaths and unicorn horns, because again, I do think this is the Intended Takeaway:

Part of the reason I think Callum panicked (other than Jack de Sena's wonderful voice acting and uneven breaths) is because, if Callum was thinking clearly enough to withhold information purposefully, he could've considered 1) that Finnegrin is bluffing about threatening Rayla (Callum cannot see her or any of the others, so that could be the case) and 2) Finnegrin would have limited means to know that Callum was lying if Callum said exclusively the wrong ingredients and sent him on a wild goose chase. To give as much as he did accurately was dangerous (but we'll talk more about that in a second).

We also know from instances in the previous seasons and just the prior episode that Callum doesn't have all sky spells (ones that he can do whenever he wants basically) memorized either, and that it's not out of the realm of possibility that Viren would've fudged a little to Harrow about some components of the spell (such as emphasizing love and hatred) because he was actively trying to convince - somewhat guilt-trip and manipulate - Harrow into doing something didn't really want to do, but ultimately couldn't say no to.

However, one of the things that's the most fun meta is reading into things deeply, looking at various character interpretations, and seeing what we can find below the surface level / casual viewership read. Just because something may not be the 'intended takeaway' (which can already be hard to define) doesn't mean it's not a real possibility, especially if enough dots connect, and doesn't mean it's not worthwhile and or without merit.

So let's look at the scene from the assumption that Callum is giving Finnegrin a not totally accurate spell On Purpose - what does he omit, what does that tell us, and where does that leave us from a character standpoint?

2) Haha, jk, unless...?

First things first, let's look at what Callum says vs what Viren says

No, no, wait! A dying breath. Blood filled with hatred. And a unicorn horn. That's the dark magic you want.

In her final moments, I captured something that I hoped we could use later. It contains her dying breath. [...] Claudia captured a unicorn and brought me its horn. The dying breath. The unicorn's pure horn. There's one last component I need. The undying hatred of one who loved the victim. Your blood.

Now, even Viren's stance and the circumstances of the spell isn't entirely clear. We don't know if any dying breath would do, or if it had to be Sarai's (and had to go her killer, as opposed to someone else). We don't know if the spell requires the unicorn's horn to be 'pure' (I'm assuming not already corrupted somehow with dark magic) or if it would work regardless. And we don't know whether the hatred or love is more important, or just one, or if they're equally important. It's quite a list, after all.

Which is why I think in some ways Callum's lack of specificity actually makes what Callum told Finnegrin more dangerous, whether you read the minor omissions as intentional or not.

Cause think of it this way, you're a pirate lord and you want to kill your enemy. You heard from this mage kid that any dying breath would do. What's your next move going to be? You're probably going to murder a random member of your crew and collect the breath because you were never told it had to be your loved one's final breath (which would make the spell impossible).

So that's one murder down, bare minimum. Then you're going to either send people out or word that you're looking for a unicorn horn at a port where people already canonically smuggle dark magic supplies (Chasing Shadows, TDP reflection). This will either lead to you hiring people to eliminate one of the - it appears to be - few remaining unicorns that still exist to bring you the horn, or if you've put out a reward, multiple dark mages / mercenaries may try their hand at killing one and bringing the horn to you. That's probably 1-5 unicorn murders as a result, if the mages are working not in communication with each other and all vying for the reward. This is also assuming that none of the mercenaries or mages come back empty handed and get harmed or killed because of Finnegrin's anger at their failures.

You also might torment and torture someone else to get them to hate you before you drain them of blood / take their blood for the spell, again not realizing that 'love' has to be a facet of it. At best, that would maybe be what you do to the crew member before you kill them for their final breath.

Then, once he has all the ingredients (and he'd need some sort of incantation, because dark magic is a lot of steps and processes) there's two main avenues.

Either these all work and he successfully has his weapon of vengeance needed to kill Domina Profundis, because what was given was enough. This would mean Callum's actions led to about 2-3 successful murders of mostly innocent people and possibly more political upheaval at the death of another archdragon (the ocean would certainly be out of whack, but it's not clear how much, if any, political power Domina still holds).

It doesn't work and Finnegrin, stubborn as he is about control and loathe to admit he can't commandeer something (magic and wills included), figures that something went wrong and tries again, having to collect the ingredients all over again. Depending on how many times he'd try (I feel like maybe 2-3 max), this could put those murders up to maybe nine innocent individuals, assuming Finnegrin's worsening temper over his failures doesn't increase the tally.

Rattling off the accurate spell ingredients could've actually minimized the damage, because any of the specifics might've stopped Finnegrin in his tracks. If Finnegrin just needed hatred of one who loved the victim, he could've fulfilled that on his own with some of his own blood ("I loved that crab" and her definitely hates Domina Profundis). The one that could've entirely halted his plan is if the dying breath had to come from the victim, in which case the chance to avenge his beloved crab is long gone. Finnegrin could've heard the list of very specific ingredients, deduced that he would not be capable of carrying out the spell, and been on his merry way to use Rayla as revenge fish bait.

But by giving Finnegrin an 'imperfect' list, Callum made the pirate captain more likely to engage in the violence required to get there, without an actual textual guarantee to the audience that what was given wouldn't have worked, either (aka we have two ingredients list and without a third to tip the scales, it'll always be a technical 50-50, maybe 60-40 read in favour of Viren).

So where does that leave us?

With these two readings in mind, you have two options:

Callum is willing to sacrifice Domina Profundis', and a few unnamed innocent lives/creatures, to save Rayla and thereby gave Finnegrin a dangerous in its own way, if not more dangerous because of potential increased collateral damage, list of spell ingredients, because he acted entirely out of emotionally fuelled panic where he wasn't totally thinking clearly

OR

Callum is willing to sacrifice unnamed innocent lives and creatures, but not Domina Profundis', in order save Rayla, because he decided on purpose to give Finnegrin a more achievable sounding list of ingredients that would increase collateral damage, but not let him kill the dragon, because he made a calculated decision on purpose that those lives were worth less than Rayla's and Domina's to him (for some reason, as she's a stranger to him)

To be clear, I would love the second option as an interpretation because I do think Callum can be calculating and I do think that's the far more Viren-like option - choosing what to sacrifice for other people in the mindset of harm mitigation ("A thousand men and women are prepared to fall protecting you tonight, but you won't let one sacrifice their lives for you?" / "If you must choose, choose the egg").

But again, given the framing of the scene I think the first reading is 1) more sympathetic and speaks to Callum's more compassionate emotional nature and 2) is the intended takeaway, but if people want to read it as Callum strategically deciding that certain lives - other than Rayla's - were worth sacrificing that so she and Domina Profundis wouldn't be killed, that is absolutely a valid prerogative.

It's just not mine

[freya-howlett]

Gloomy issues - Inside Hyrule Series pt. 5

Content: With new places to explore, there's new enemies waiting for you.

Author's note: kinda longer than expected, but I really like bickering today. Got inspired by a Tiktok I saw once, but can't find it and can't remember the username :( I'll give credit as soon as I find it.

Y/N. No shipping, simple draft.

Inside Hyrule series is a a series of oneshots, in no particular order about YOU in the world of Zelda! Just imagine... how it'd be to have adventures with your favourite hero and princess? How it'd be to travel alongside Link? Do not expect a cool, intricate plots, it's just something to help you (and me by writing and imagining it) to relax and have a nice moment.

Divider by: chachachannah (Tumblr)

"Look! How do I look?"

You turned around and saw Link trying on a familiar green cap. You laughed.

"Silly," you answered. You approached the chest where Link had found the cap as he bent down to take a small piece of paper lying on the bottom.

"It reads: 'According to legend, this cap was crafted for a hero who travels the wild lands'," he then removed the cap to observe it. "It's weird but wearing it just feels so right."

Yeah, 'cause you did in a past life in a different era, you thought to say, but remained quiet. Link this time, however, had more questions.

"So, you met other heros of legend, didn't you? Was this one real?" he inquired.

"He was," you nodded, crossing your arms non-chalantly. You remained silent for a moment because, being honest, the presence of that cap was confusing. It should't be there at all. That time was, literally, a different time, a different alternative for the future. Or that's what you thought. Maybe you were wrong. No worth mentioning anyways. You shrugged visibly. "He was the one I traveled with before you."

"Oh," he exclaimed, amazed, taking the cap off and observing it as it may hold some secrets. "How long ago was that?"

"I mean, it's now a legend, I can only imagine how long it was."

Link shook his head, astonished.

This conversation was going to dangerous places. Talking about the reality of things wasn't in any way your desire, but you also understood the curiosity. You used what was true inside his world: you were someone meant to help the wielder of the Sword that Seals the Darkness or hero of prophecy whenever he needed it, no matter the time, era or world. This Link was particularly interested in learning more, and he was aware that there had been multiple heros before him, but he didn't know it was him in different versions. He didn't need that knowledge. He also got inquisitive about your age once, a natural question since his perception was that you've been alive for thousand and thousands of years. You found an easy answer to that:

"I just age slower," you responded as you shrugged. "Way, way slower. But I'm about the same as you."

Surprisingly, that answer satisfied his curiosity, only for that moment at least.

"C'mon, I'm hungry, why don't we camp or something right here?" you asked, trying to change the subject.

"In this massive skeleton?" he asked, motioning towards at his feet. You were standing in the jaw of a massive creature.

"I meant on the ground, but yeah," you responded. "It can be a safe cover, don't you think?"

"Hope those Horriblins don't come back," he mentioned as he effortlessly jumped down and removed the new cap.

The place maybe wasn't the best to eat, but the food was delicious regardless: steamed tomatoes and some honey candy the Hateno children kindly gave you. However, despite the nice lunch, you both had to keep on the move. You hadn't found the zone's Lightroot yet, so the area was pitch black and dangerous. Your only source of light was some brightblooms you both had gathered and Link's Miner's Armor top and trouses he decided to bring. It was such a spectacle.

"I still think you look ridiculous with that," you teased him.

"You're just jealous you aren't brave enough to wear it," he answered sarcastically, gathering his stuff to keep on traveling.

"C'mon" you chuckled.

You and Link walked under the skeleton through it's lenght, maybe it had something interesting under it. The chains on Link's outfit didn't make as much noise as you thought at first, even in that extremely silent spot. As ridiculous as it looked, you had to admit that costume was quiet useful.

"Be careful with that gloom," Link's voice was low. In the Depths, it was for the best to not make as much noise as possible to not alert the creatures living there who could see you way before you could. So most of your trip had been in silence except for the small 'picnics' and resting spots, and that after making sure the surroundings had no undesired companions.

"Ugh," you expressed when the sole of your boot touched a bit of gloom, which was a disgusting, thick, mud-like substance all over the place. It's life-draining characteristic made it extremely dangerous, but a tiny bit wouldn't do harm at all.

The steep was large and difficult to walk on, but you both kept on walking carefully so as not to fall on the gloom and your spear helped you with its support. A squishy soft sound caught your attention behind you and you stopped to turn while Link kept on walking. Maybe a Horriblin had decided to sneak behind you through the gloom, after all they were immune to it. However, there was no one.

"Something wrong?" Link asked in a whisper.

"No, it's fine," you murmured back and continued walking. Not even two steps more when the sound was there again and you knew it wasn't just a coincidence.

When you turned, you saw the gloom was... moving? bubbling? fuming?

"Hey, Link," you patted his arm to caught his attention. "What's...?"

Before you finished your question, some weird-looking long tentacles appeared from the disgusting dark mass, towering you both. The gloom, you realized, was moving with them. Before Link or you could even react, the tentacles faced towards you and let out a phantasmagoric screech that penetrated your whole body and mind.

You saw with horror those weren't tentacles, but hands with eyes in their palms. Your scream was combined with their high piercing shriek.

"Run!" Link yelled as he took your hand and ran towards the path you were heading originally. The steep made it hard to run, however you both managed to be faster than the horrible creatures following you.

"Should't you fight those things!?" you yelled as you fought hard as you could to keep on with Link. His pull, however, was helpful.

"They're made of gloom! Do you want me to die!?" he answered.

"No, but what the hell are they!?"

"Shut it and run!"

Outrun them was proven a tiring effort, it took a good distance for them to suddenly dissolve and dissapear. Your left side hurt in a stabbing ache and you were out of breath. As soon as you were free, you threw a brightbbloom seed to the ground and fell, gasping for air.

"For the Goddess..." you said wearily. Link wasn't really affected by the race, he was still standing, patting his outfit. "I've never seen something like that."

"Me neither," he answered, distracted.

"I don't want to encounter them ever again, they were so scary," you continued. They were very similar to enemies you found before: Dead Hands, Wallmasters and Floor Masters. You always found them disgusting, creepy and horrible.

Link didn't answer you, he was still patting his clothes, this time looking more worried. You arched your eyebrows: "Is something wrong?"

"My cap," he answered, facing you with a troubled expression. "I may have forgotten it back at the skull."

You stared at him with an open jaw, astounished. You knew what he was implying.

"No," you shook your head. "Oh, no, no."

"Please! I won't leave it there! It's special!"

"You only had it for like ten minutes."

"Those were some special ten minutes!" When you didn't buldge, he kneeled besides you and took you by your shoulders impressively tightly. You mouthed 'ouch', but Link kept on talking: "C'mon! We don't have to fight whatever those things were, we can just slip past."

"Slip past how?" you questioned, frowning.

"We can climb the steep. They were on the bottom part, we just have to climb the rock to go around them. Didn't you realize they heard or felt us because we passed right by their gloom? Maybe we can avoid them by going on the upper side, quietly and all done. I get my cap and we're all happy."

"Me happy as in what? What do I earn going in there with you?"

"My happiness," he insisted with a funny tone. "You've said so yourself, you came here to help me and your help is what I need at this moment."

"To recover a dusty, old cap you yourself forgot," you raised your eyebrow, your tone remained ironic. "A cap that's completely useless."

"I won't lend it to you if you keep insulting it."

You let out a sigh and removed Link's hands from you. You knew you had no choice at all, after all, he was right and you came to that world to help him, despite the stupidity of the situation. Your own Purah Pad was heavy in your hip, how easy would be to just use it and leave that awful place! But once Link made his mind about something, he didn't retreat.

"Okay," you answered, resigned. "If I get killed, I won't forgive you."

You had to calm your breathing the walk back, soon you reached a part you both could climb, way faster than you wanted.

"I'll be right beside you," Link whispered, animating you. "As long as we're quiet, we'll be fine."

You only nodded and gulped. The rock was easy to climb and you moved sideways to advance, with Link at front, guiding the way. The brightblooms you threw in the lower path were still there, so that was comforting in some way to not be completely engulfed in the darkness. This time the weird hands wouldn't take you by surprise at least.

You saw the pond of gloom and noted that it wasn't moving at all, still and deceitful as before. Carefully, you and Link moved hands and feet to advance.

Beeeeeeeep!

Your heart sank to your stomach. Your Purah Pad was vibrating on your hip.

"Hi, Y/N!" Pura's lively voice was heard, you recognized it as a voicemail. "Bet you're busy right now since you're not answering my messages!"

Link stared at you in horror, he held himself with a single arm as he tried to reach for your Purah Pad. The creepy hands below let out a screech.

"Like this new feature? Thought it'd be a nice surprise. You can now hear my voice wherever you are!"

Link managed to take your Purah Pad, the screen glowed and illuminated his face, but it was too late. A hand took you by the ankle to pull you with unbelivable strenght and you gasped.

"Say hi to Linky for me!"

Link growled and let go of the Purah Pad, which fell loudly to the gloom-covered ground, to hold your wrist and try to pull you up. The hands were relentless and you felt another one pull your other leg.

"Bye-bye!"

An anormous hand took you by your upper body and pulled you away without much effort. Link exclaimed something behind you, but you didn't hear him. In your vision there was only gloom and yellow eyes as your energy was being drained away. You struggled and tried to fight back, but the hand holding you was too strong. You gasped for air, it's hold strangling.

An arrow passed by you and you saw Link standing with his bow ready. The hands snapped and let you go, dropping you like a sack.

"Y/N! Move!" Link exclaimed as he shot another arrow.

You dragged yourself as far as you could, your hands and knees getting scratched by the dirt. You lungs weren't working at all, no matter how much you tried to keep the air inside, they didn't process it. There were explosions behind you, Link was definitely using bombs. You took your hand to your chest as you hid behind one of the bones.

There was another detonation but your ears were already ringing.

"It's over!" you heard Link yell and his hurry steps approaching. "It's over! They're done," his voice went lower as he got close and kneeled in front of you. He put his hand on your forehead. "You're so pale."

Your eyes weren't on him, but looking in the pool of gloom that haven't gone away. It was still moving.

"Link," your voice sounded so hoarse, lacking air, as if you had been strangled. "No, look," you pointed exactly where some red smog was grouping together into a human-looking form. Your friend expression changed to anger when realizing it wasn't over.

"Why can't that shit let us be?"

"Take this," you motioned towards your spear. You didn't have to say it for him to understand: it was better to fight that new enemy from afar.

"And you this," he said as he lend you a small packet he had on his pouch. "Eat it, will make you feel better."

As he walked decisive, you opened the small cloth to see some crackers. But they didn't seem like normal crackers, these ones were glowing slightly in golden. Sundelion crackers. As you bit into one slowly, for you were nauseous, you wondered how Link got them.

Starting to feel revitalized, you turned to see how Link was doing. The monster had weapons of its own and was trying to charge to Link, but he was faster and moved just in time to strike mortal blows to the unprotected side of the enemy. Link this time was definitely fighting with all his might and the battle didn't take much longer. The monster fell to his knees as Link stared at it without any emotion on his face, then it tried to reach one more time to him with its creased, bony hand before succumbing and dissappearing. You let your head fall behind, leaning on the bones, in relief.

"Now it is gone," Link spoke as he approached. He wasn't even out of breath. Aside from your spear, he was carrying another weapon and two weird purple and red lumps that looked disgusting. "Look, it dropped this."

"I won't touch that," you pulled a face, feeling nauseus just by having those lumps in front of you. "They smell weird."

"Better take them to Purah and see what they are," he said as he put them inside his pouch. He let the weapons on the ground and helped you raise to your feet. "And maybe we should also talk to her about that new feature she did. How are you feeling?"

"Better," you answered, shaking the dust from your clothes. "It seems they drain energy when in contact, just like gloom," you explained. "Thanks for the crackers."

"You're welcome," he said, studying the new weapon he had taken again from the ground, he started to give some steps to the path where you came from but you stopped him.

"Hey, your cap's over there," you pointed with your spear towards the another direction.

"Oh, yeah! The cap!"

"Don't tell me you forgot."

"Well, I was concentrating in saving your life, so I didn't exactly forget."

"You were the one who made me risk it anyways!" you exclaimed. "And you forgot!"

"I didn't!"

"Oh, yes, you did, you were gonna leave just like that without it! I honestly should've let you."

"As a reward for going back with me, you can use it all the way back to the Research Lab. It's either that or hold the pouch with those lumps that fell from the gloom monster."

"Disgusting," you muttered.

"And... I actually think they're moving," he checked his pouch.

"Ewgh, no, I'm outta here," you said, walking a bit faster. Link chuckled behind you.

"I was just joking."

"Go to hell."

"With all the wandering spirits and life-draining monsters around here, technically we're there already," he chuckled again and you squinted your eyes towards him.

[tragedry]

Now we need you to write a tyden confession scene............ y'know, to make things even. Or you can talk about when they realized their feeling for each other 🥺

the fact that y'all are starting to associate me to both ashler and tyden is hilarious cause i'm pretty sure i started this side blog to only talk about ashler asfhafla

but here we are, so let me try to put together a coherent enough tyden confession for you at 4 am:

side note: this got really long way too fast, and i'm pretty sure this only tackled aiden's feelings, but i hope you like it anyway anon!

when aiden realizes he's starting to like tyler, everything just clicks.

he's laying on his bed, his eyes staring up at the glow in the dark stars he's poorly glued on his ceiling back when he was ten when the realization hits him, and he's finally put a name to the emotion tyler manages to invoke inside his chest whenever the other boy would stop scowling and actually offer him one of those once-in-a-blue-moon, downright stunning smiles that probably belonged on a movie poster whenever one of aiden's jokes finally lands.

it's like the last step of figuring out how to solve a brand new rubik's cube, and for a moment he revels in the satisfaction of just knowing, except by the time he tries to figure out how to proceed from such a revelation, he’s coming up blank.

for the first time in his life, his crush on tyler is the only puzzle he has no idea how to move forward to.

if he’s being honest with himself, knowing that he actually likes the halfwit doesn't really change much of their situation, if anything it would probably only make things worse if tyler found out.

and it's not like he's stupid enough to actually believe he's got a shot, not when he's made it his entire personality to annoy the ever living shit out of the baseball player any chance he’s got.

the thought of tyler’s possible rejection inflicts a pain that courses through his entire body, stilling him until he has to remind himself to breathe.

aiden decides he doesn’t really like thinking about this particular puzzle anymore—not when his own emotions have cursed him.

he refuses to think about the problem any further. he’ll set his feelings for tyler aside and ignore it till it goes away completely. 

he’s always been good at ignoring his problems, and this is no different.

with his mind made up, he lets himself relax until the pang in his chest dulls out and he’s ready to forget it was ever there in the first place.

and just when things were finally starting to feel normal again, that’s when the halfwit decided to reply to his text. 

the reply is short, dry, and straight to the point– and it’s just so like him that aiden catches himself snorting when he reads the simple, “fuck if i know.” right after aiden’s last annoying question. 

he hadn’t even expected the other boy to reply, except tyler always did.

no matter how much he purposely tries to piss him off or how many memes he sends the other boy, tyler will reply, whether it was a sarcastic comment or a curse, all of his messages are read and answered.

it was kind of addicting, to be heard-to have his existence acknowledged by someone who had every right to tell him to shut up and walk away.

he can feel his heartbeat racing all over again as he re-read tyler’s text, and as he typed out a reply he knew it was going to be hard for him to fall asleep.

the clock on his phone reads past 1 am, and he wants to point it out to tyler cause he’s always complaining about staying up late whenever aiden’s in the mood to mess with him.

but before he could say anything about it, tyler’s already sending him a brand new text, and this one’s even more humorless than before.

his earlier thought is momentarily forgotten, and he ends up sending the other boy a series of memes pointing out how badly tyler’s killing their convo with his lackluster replies, and aiden selfishly hopes that tyler takes the bait and talks to him even longer, even if just to prove him wrong.

aiden wonders if tyler would hate him for it.

he lifts his eyes back to the stars on his ceiling and hopes.

he hopes that tyler won’t hate him for being selfish, hopes that his feelings for the other boy won’t last, and hopes that by the time he wakes up the following day, the pain in his chest disappears completely. 

his phone lights up with a brand new text and aiden begins to type out a reply without really reading what the text said.

'can you promise you won’t hate me too?'

the reply gets deleted, and he sends tyler another meme instead.

[sunny6677]

Duck Guy and Red Guys reaction to being told "I love you": AN X Reader scenario..

Duck Guy:

- The two of you were chatting on and on, alone together in the living room as Red Guy made dinner, and as Yellow Guy sat at the dinner table with a smile. You were rather bored, and every few minutes, you'd spark small talk. And he would reply, not looking away from his newspaper.

- But, it was one particular small talk that led to something that you weren't expecting to happen. And for some reason, Duck seemed to be the one to start it this time.

- "How come you've been staring at me more lately?"

- "...huh?"

- "You've been staring at me a lot lately, it's almost concerning! You keep staring at me as if I found the cure for world hunger or something. I say, has something been wrong lately? Usually your never looking at me that much."

- "I-- I don't know, honestly. If I'm being honest, I've been noticing your smile more. You.. have been smiling a lot lately. I-- I don't mean to make this sound creepy, but when you smile.. i.I.. I guess I can't help but smile back."

- ...

- "I.. I like seeing you happy." You swallowed, averting your eyes.

- "Really? You like seeing me happy?"

- "Y.. Yeah, sorry.. I don't mean to sound weird."

- "No, no, that's quite alright. There isn't really any need to apologize. I.. I like seeing you happy too."

- "Oh, erm.." You blushed, "thank you.."

- ...

- ...

- "I.. I love you.."

- "Wha-- what?"

- " A-- Ah, sorry.. sorry.. I shouldn't have said that-- stupid me.."

- "N-- No.. thats alright, I just.. wasn't expecting you to say that. Be-- tell me when your going to say something like that, you caught me off guard."

- "Um.. okay.. got it."

- ...

- "Well.. I love you too."

- "E-- Eh?.. Oh.. um.. thank you."

- "Did you just say thank you to me telling you I love you?"

- "Oh.. uh.. y--"

- "No, don't say sorry. As a matter of fact, coming from you, I find that adorable."

- "...oh. Um.. thanks."

- ...

- Duck rested his hand on yours.

- ...

- You held it gently.

- For the rest of the day, Duck was oddly kind to you. More so than usual. That wasn't to say that he wasn't usually nice to you, he just seemed to be a lot more gentle and slightly more soft spoken with you.

- He offered to go with you to plenty of places many times, he'd hold you if something scared you or if he think something scared you, you'd find him smiling softly at you most of the time. He held your hand many times throughout the day. Red and Yellow even pointed out his strange behavior, but he didn't care much.

- And now, he had offered to sleep with you, so now you were in his bed-- his arms were around your waist and you were both tucked comfortably in the blankets. You smiled gently to yourself. You knew he probably didn't take it in a romantic way, but it was starting to seem that way with how he had been acting.

- Even though you'd never admit it, you didn't mind.

Red Guy:

- Red Guy had been having a slightly stressful day, and so, was sitting inside the bedroom. You had been sitting with him on the bed, trying to provide him as much comfort as you possibly could. But he only sat like a little child who was angry with another child.

- You sighed, and sat next to him on his bed. "Guess it can't be helped, huh.. you gonna talk to Duck about it?"

- "No, he's just gonna go on about his stupid shredder again.."

- "Huh.. okay."

- ...

- "Hes probably complaining to that other guy about how much he hates me right now. He always does that anytime we argue.."

- "Well, hey, you know he doesn't mean it-- he just has difficulty expressing his emotions maturely, thats all. Besides, don't let those words get to your head. At the end of the day, none of us hate you." You layed your head on his arm, "They love you, and so do I. Sometimes we all just say some things we don't mean when were heated, thats all."

- "...you.. love me?"

- "A-- Ah, um-- in a platonic way of course, err.. sorry, I didn't mean to sound creepy."

- "You.. no, you didn't sound creepy at all."

- ...

- ...

- "Well, I suppose.. I love you too." He replied softly, laying a hand on your shoulder and resting his head on yours softly. You saw a faint pink coming from his "cheeks", and felt yourself smile in a small manner.

- "Heh.. well, uh.. I suppose.. thats good to know."

- ...

- ...

- "Do.. do you wanna stay like this until you've calmed down?"

- "...yes. I'd like that very much."

[justlarkin]

Mentioning some events that I liked in the midst of beefing with LWs' writers. It's mostly due to very specific things that occur in the events rather than the events themselves to be completely honest with you.

-Casual and fun beach event. Can't go wrong there. Good moments envolving most of the characters. Nomad, Azazel, Kengo, and Oniwaka in particular for me. They deprived me of Azazel content, so this is my only morsel to latch onto. Plus we got SQ Galore, including ones for Mononobe and Lil Salomon.

-The softcore discussion of gender dysphoria was a pleasant surprise and I liked the parallels drawn between MC and Astarte as "trophies". In particular, I liked how this event revealed how much the other guys actually love MC. They were completely indifferent towards Astarte while she was the beloved, which was super weird to her, and when MC switched places with her, they immediately clocked that something was off, but not because they could visually tell MC was obviously not Astarte. They just thought Astarte was more radiant than usual. They were all over MC and giving away their shells because they're MC, not because they were the beloved.

-That scene where Heracles falls into Narcissus' Pond and he comes to the realization that his narcissism and cowardness was what led to Hylas' fate. He thought that a hero of his caliber was too precious to even risk being lost to the naiads, especially not for a guy who was practically beneath him. Heracles put himself before the life of his friend who was willing follow him to hell and back, abandoning him, and he regrets it. The parallels to Hylas' abduction with Heracles' fall as well as dialouge and narration as MC dives after him are an absolute banger. "I knew. I knew you'd come. Not by another's comand but your own free will. Your radiance makes me want to weep. Before you, the thought of the man who failed to follow Hylas makes me want to cry." MC took the leap Heracles never did for Hylas, making them a better person than himself. Such a great moment. Absolutely adored it.

-First of all, exile reveal. Second of all, the reveal that Shiro's crush is more of an all-consuming OBSESSION. Always thinking of them. Always following them whatever path they decide to take. Knowing that they relied on him was his greatest source of happiness. He wanted to help them, to shoulder any and all of their burdens in the hopes that they would eventually feel the same way as him. Shiro was desperately striving for an insane, unhealthy co-dependent relationship where MC validates him by constantly needing him to help them and it's just ?!?!? This came way out of left field.

-Algernon. Algernon. Algernon. I absolutely loved it when he randomly got jealous and tried to change the topic when MC called Yamasachihiko hot. I love that he found someone who could keep up with him, an equal, in MC. I loved that they did a little tapdance routine together while killing the slimes. Oh. And Hombre Tigre. I'm not really a big fan of him. I just really like how interesting his dynamic with Quetzalcoatl is compared to everyone else. Hombre adoring Tezcatlipoca so much that he couldn't even begin to grasp why Quetzalcoatl would leave him behind and envying him for being the one who could consume Tezcatlipoca's thoughts and breaking him in such a manner.

-Sherlock Nomad and Assistant MC, the event we had all been waiting on. Anyways, y'all should know why I liked this event. It's that one scene where they beat Hermes' and he's just sitting on the floor like a pouty little kid when MC grabs his hand and he continues his little tantrum by telling them to let go while doing nothing to stop them. Hermes finally found a friend who could look past all of his lies and accept him with MC and I'm very happy for the bastard.

-That whole chase scene where Balor reveals that he's actually been a twat this entire time and he goes after MC, trying to capture them, is mwah. Love it. Also when Boogeyman triggered that ratfuck, Balor's, PTSD with his sacred artifact just the reveal that Lugh never had a choice in the matter and that Balor caused this fate to be forced upon him, something that he feared for himself in the first place. And the reveal that Balor didn't exactly regret killing his grandson. It was just the fact that Lugh didn't choose to fight him himself.

-The way Vapula was completely indifferent to his golemns until the very end where they're all silently gazing out into the sea after Sand Dragon self-deleted while following orders and are clearly fucked up about what they just witnessed, truly understanding how morbid Sand Dragon's existence was and the inevitability of his death, when MC turns to Vapula and says "Vapula.... We never got to name him" and Vapula just starts BAWLING.

-Oh look. A well executed plot twist. Loved the way that they conveyed Horus and Seth's true bond through how compatible and fluidly their memories were able to work together to fight against the group. Then there's the use of Seth's old memories to reveal that Horus had been on his side the entire time and that he was even the one who let him flee Duat. Also, an expansion on what seemed to be such a simple rule. Being able to control the sand being way more powerful than expected through a technicality.

-This one might actually be my favorite event. No. Not because it's a Fuxi or bird event. Shut your slut mouth. Banger music, great story, great picks for the characters and the dynamics, an exile reveal. Fuxi being so unhinged that he tries to fight literal children and Simurgh playing the straight man to his funny man will always be funny. Also, there was just that one moment where MC went "pull the trigger pussy" while Simurgh held a gun to their head and that's so based of them. Mostly dissapointed we didn't get more Nüwa lore.

[antianakin]

what are your opinions on the sequels? specifically how luke (and his new jedi order) is portrayed. but also like just the jedi stuff in general, the training and everyone becoming force ghosts and somehow palpatine

Oh gosh, it has been a MINUTE since I've even watched the Sequels. I'm planning on rewatching them sometime early next year for Reasons, but for both episodes 8 and 9, it'll be the first time I've seen them since I saw them in the theaters. I MIGHT have seen episode 7 after its theater release, but not often. I can definitely say I haven't watched a single one of them since 2019 lol.

All of that to say, I don't remember them super well. I liked episode 7, but didn't care AT ALL for TLJ and was ho hum on TROS. My overall opinion is that it's too bad these characters didn't have anyone writing for them who seemed to actually CARE about them at any point and that nobody bothered to create a fucking blueprint for the entire trilogy and then stick to it. Say what you will about the execution of the Prequels, but Lucas had a damn vision in mind and a clear end goal for the story and the characters and he STUCK TO IT. You can go back to those films and rewatch them and find that story and see the arc he was trying to take the characters on. You may not LIKE what he chose to do or feel like it worked very well, but it's clearly THERE. The same cannot be said for the Sequels. The characters change personalities in basically every film, the primary motivations and intended end goals for them are never consistent, the relationships aren't built up well, and the theme and message of the Sequels is so muddied with all of these changes that they may as well not exist.

All of that is very broad, though, and doesn't touch much on your specific question about the Jedi and Luke and how they were portrayed in the Sequels. To be honest, I don't remember it very well, and when I saw these films, I was a pretty casual Star Wars fan who was still what I would now consider Jedi critical. I didn't hate them by any means, but I had absorbed the fandom osmosis of the Jedi having been too repressive/old-fashioned and how they caused their own doom. So I haven't watched them from a more pro Jedi lens yet in order to comment on it with any level of authority.

What I DO remember feeling was that making Luke bitter was a bad choice. There's undoing a character a little in order to allow them to develop somewhere, and then there's complete and utter character assassination and TLJ's characterization of Luke falls closer to the latter for me. The biggest thing anyone remembers about Luke is that he chose not to kill Anakin in ROTJ. That's his big climactic triumph. He goes on an entire journey towards understanding Anakin and having to accept that Anakin was a person making evil choices so that he could believe in Anakin's ability to be BETTER. That's kind-of the core of Luke's WHOLE JOURNEY. So I don't really get the entire concept of Luke reacting so violently to "feeling some darkness" in his teenaged nephew. He's already sort-of worked through that particular flaw of his and overcome it, why is he suddenly reacting this way? What's the point of that? And why would Luke just completely lose himself to cynicism and bitterness in the aftermath of that kind of failure? What was the point of leaving a piece of map behind or whatever? None of it really seems to make any sense to me and you can just FEEL Rian Johnson sort-of tossing things in the trash as he wrote this so that he could do his own thing.

All of that being said, what I've seen other people comment on is that there's a lot of shit Luke says in TLJ that are pretty anti-Jedi, but that the whole point is that Luke is wrong. Luke is succumbing to despair and so he feels like he's defeated and there's no point to anything and he's WRONG. The movie does pretty strongly emphasize that he's WRONG to feel this way and act like this. So I think a lot of people take what Luke says in this film sort-of at face value without taking into account that context that you're not SUPPOSED to agree with him any more than Rey does. I'm interested to see how I feel about it when I do end up rewatching them in a few months, but it rings relatively true to what I can remember.

It doesn't seem wrong that Luke and Leia could end up being able to ghost, it doesn't make any sense that Han can ghost but we all know that that happened specifically because Carrie Fisher died mid-filming and they had to figure out how to work around that, so I'm willing to give a little bit of slack to TROS for that exact reason.

I don't remember much training even HAPPENING on screen. I remember Luke barely teaching Rey anything at all in the one week she spends with him and Leia sending Rey on an obstacle course at the beginning of TROS. I wish they'd chosen to spend more time really showcasing more of Rey's actual training (or, ya know, FINN training in Force abilities at all), but I don't have any strong feelings about it at this point.

And as for Palpatine, I think everybody knows it was a bad choice to make at this point. It was lazy, it was silly, and it doesn't work. It feels like a direct response to Snoke having been killed off too early and disagreements between the directors and the studio execs about whether Kylo Ren should be a villain or not. It doesn't work and nobody likes it.

So, yeah, my feelings are a little faded at this point because I disliked them enough that when I do my Star Wars marathons, I never include the Sequels in it and I just stop at ROTJ. I feel like that says enough on its own.

[respectthepetty]

The only one whose intentions I can't entirely understand is Nick. Like Boston is pretty harmless, he is just a hoe and a shitty friend. Mew is straight-laced and could be devilish, but pretends to be a kind of a saint to get away with things. Top is just a red flag, all around. Ray is broken in a way he himself doesn't understand and (falsely) projects loving Mew will resolve all his hurt. Sand is a walking green flag, at least so far. But Nick, I don't know, I can't tell if he's just starting out as a Machiavellian villain that'll do a double kill on both Boston and Top, or he is just obsessed with Boston to hurt him but keep Boston on a leash.

Anon, I'm gonna skip over you writing that "Boston is pretty harmless" so I can get to your ask - Nick.

In this series, Raymond is my #1, but Nicolas is my strong #2, and it's partially because they remind me of a good ass country song.

Think Brokeback Mountain's Jack Twist screaming his legendary line "I wish I knew how to quit you" because that shit is a good ass country song delivered in one line.

*switching into my west Texas accent*

Yes, I wrote "country song" in a post about Thai gays.

See, I love music. I have a large collection of vinyl records and CDs. I like going to music festivals and concerts. I love rap for its wordplay. I love ranchera for the dramatics ("El Rey" anyone?). And I love country for its storytelling.

So the second Nick called Top instead of Mew, I heard Dolly Parton's iconic "Jolene"

In case you are not familiar with the legend who is "Jolene," the song deals with a woman begging another woman to not take her man. This woman knows she cannot compete with Jolene. She knows she is not as beautiful or alluring, so she begs Jolene to let her man go, in hopes that he'll come back to her.

Hopefully, I won't be hearing Dolly Parton's other masterpiece "I Will Always Love You" (yes, the one that Whitney Houston covered for The Bodyguard).

And I always hear the incredible Patsy Cline's "Crazy" whenever Nick looks at Boston.

Crazy for thinking that my love could hold you I'm crazy for trying and crazy for crying And I'm crazy for loving you

Because even though Nick is matching Boston's "No Boundaries" energy, he isn't malicious, not yet anyway. No.

Nick is in love, with a guy who doesn't love him back.

And he knows that.

But knowing doesn't help when it comes to matters of the heart.

Other genres have songs that capture the feeling of losing your mind over someone who doesn't love you and being incapable of stopping, but a good ass country song just really hits at the core of that kind of toxic love.

Like Dan + Shay's "How Not To" which tells the story of a man who knows that his lover is no good, but doesn't know how not to love them.

So I read Nick as a boy in desperate love with the wrong man. He is Rascal Flatts "What Hurts the Most" when the lead singers croons that the worst part of his love was "not seeing that love in you."

And that type of love makes you do crazy shit.

Boston was honest in the beginning that he didn't want anything serious, and even though he has changed his tune when needed, everyone else has warned Nick as well about Boston.

Nick knew who walked into his store the second he looked into Boston's eyes.

Yet he couldn't stop himself from falling in love.

If Oh No! Here Comes Trouble taught me anything, it's that love can be an obsession mostly when grieving love, and Nick has to be grieving the love he knows he will never get from Boston while still loving him.

So this is why Nicolas is my #2. He is a good ass country song about a man who hopes that his love will make his lover stay, only to realize that his love isn't enough and probably never will be.

And before any of you ask, Ray is the drinking side of good country songs, but he and Sand in particular are "Tennessee Whiskey"

I've looked for love in all the same old places Found the bottom of a bottle's always dry But when you poured out your heart, I didn't waste it 'Cause there's nothing like your love to get me high You're as smooth as Tennessee whiskey You're as sweet as strawberry wine You're as warm as a glass of brandy

So raise your bottle to Nick's pain.

And slow dance under some hicktown's bar lights.

Because like my girl Bonnie Raitt sang " I will give up this fight 'cause I can't make you love me, if you don't" (yeah, that famous song George Michael covered).