#but those are people. people who may still be alive and waiting and terrified. who will be traumatized by this if they survive.

[badolmen]

I hope they’re rescued. I hope that 19 year old kid gets to see the sun again. I hope the old rich men who may have died for a quarter of a million dollars come out of that death trap ready to dissolve their assets and redistribute their wealth and retire penniless to life as nomadic hermits in the woods.

hey you guys know that even if the people inside that submersible are rich billionaires, dying in that metal tube at the bottom of the ocean is a horrific way to die right. like. yeah stupid choices were made by the people in there signing off on a waiver that says the sub is not approved by anyone and they could die. but it’s the fault of OceanGate for knowingly putting people into a Home Depot DIY sub rigged up with an Xbox controller all to make a profit on people’s curiosity.

[chaoticbardlady99]

Could I request a fluff fic for Astarion falling for a tav reader who's a bard and an amazing singer? Maybe he can't sleep, so he goes for a walk and finds reader singing to themselves, and he sits and listens, slowly realizing how hard he's fallen for them?

Thank you so much for putting this in my inbox! I hope you enjoy!

Astarion x GN! Bard Reader

I used the songs Nobody Knows Me At All by the Weepies and Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls because I am a cliche.

  The moon glows brilliantly throughout the night sky and the stars don’t seem to realize how lucky they are that they don’t have to deal with feelings and masters and all the other terrible side effects of being a person. 

 In spite of his name sake, Astarion does not have the luxury of being blissfully unaware of the horrors life has to offer. It didn't bother him so much- he took each terrible thing as it came and rolled with the punches. Whatever it takes to keep him alive until the next day- it’s essentially his life motto. 

  Another thing stars aren’t burdened with- the need for rest. 

 Traversing into the Shadow Cursed Lands is the last thing Astarion wants to be doing and while he was already worried for himself, he found he has an entirely other worry weighing heavily on him. 

 Where in the hells are they? He thinks, its been an hour and a half now since they wandered off! 

 He is trying to not be so clingy and weird- you don’t seem to mind his company and his overbearing ness, but the others had been teasing him and he was rather sore about it. 

 They called him a lovesick bat amongst other things and he is not lovesick. You are a means to an end, nothing more and nothing less. Granted, no one else needs to know that.

 Sleep continues to elude him as he waits impatiently to hear your footsteps walking back into camp or your scent to come rolling over him from the breeze.

  It’s probably only been 30-45 minutes- realistically- but Astarion has found himself becoming very preoccupied and aware of your safety. 

 You are a squishy mortal- your heart needs to beat and you need to breathe or he will lose you and he can’t fathom the idea of not having you by his side.

 His idle feet drag him to the forest, no longer able to sit and wait for you to make a reappearance.

 I just need to make sure they are safe, he thinks, because otherwise I am not sure they would keep me in the group- yeah! That’s why I’m doing this. Nothing out of the ordinary. 

 While most feel terrified of the darkness of the wilderness at night, he feels comforted and engulfed in it. He loves the sun, but unfortunately, at the end of the day, he is still a creature of the night and that is where he technically belongs.

 He supposes that’s another worry he’s had lately- an intrusive thought really- but what happens when this journey ends? You and the others assured him that they will free him from Cazador forever- Astarion even became a bit emotional when Gale said, “and he won’t find you alone!” when Astarion brought up the dangers of keeping him in the group. 

 You have rallied around him this whole time and stuck your neck out for him more often than not. The two of you have indulged in each other and been enjoying each other’s company, but right now he’s here and you may just not be attracted to the others.

 What happens when everyone gets back to Baldur’s Gate? He’s seen you in pubs before and playing so the bar goers can stay on tune with the singer. You have your own little following of people who crave your attention and while you have told him it all makes you uncomfortable- those people would be a far more appropriate life match for you than a Vampire. 

 Astarion’s ears droop on their own at the thought. He thought he got out of the childish elven habit of slouching his ears long ago when Cazador beat it out of him- you seemed to have brushed off some of the vines. It’s like old parts of a factory are slowly being restored and as it is, he finds pieces of himself he subconsciously knew were there, but are new to him again. 

 For example- he loves a good practical joke just for good fun. He bought a cushion of sorts from Mol and put it where Lae’zel sits- covered with a blanket. She sat down on the log for her watch as quite literally everyone was sitting down to eat dinner. He fell off his seat he was laughing so hard- it was worth being chased up and down a few trees. 

 He also enjoys dancing for fun- you dragged him around the fire during the night of the Tiefling party and taught him more informal dancing and less of the stuffy shit Cazador forces him to partake in. You growled at anyone who tried to cut in- it was rather funny.

 You are also quite the fan of the occasional shenanigan and he finds himself smiling at the memory of your baby hairs stuck to your sweat slicked skin as he kept watch for guards while you graffitied Vlaakith’s painting or when you waved at her instead of bowing.

 Life is fun with you- he forgot why people enjoy being alive so much outside of not feeling ravenous all the time. He feels alive with you and the idea of you and him never seeing each other again for your entire life scares him. He doesn’t want to stumble upon an obituary some time in the future and ‘remember’ the person who saved him.

 He wants to be at your side and it terrifies him, but it would be worse to be away from you.

 Feelings- it’s disgusting and he does not like it. 

 Your scent becomes stronger on a more beaten path and he feels his alarm bells going off- jolting in the direction he believes you are and praying that every God actually hears him as he silently begs for you to be safe. 

  Your melodic voice and the sound of the babbling brook melts the worry in his body. Astarion’s pace slows slightly and he feels that annoying warm glow spread through his body. 

  You are sitting near the bank with your laundry in hand- Scratch and the Owlbear cub are laying down together nearby, one of the pup’s ears upright to hear any intruders. 

 It brings him some comfort that you have Scratch and the little cub- he isn’t sure he would fuck with an Owlbear Cub or approach a Bard with a bewitching voice calling out into the night like a Harpy’s song.

 “When I was a child

 Everybody smiled

No-body knows me at allllll

 Very late at night and in the morning light

  Nobody knows me at all

 I got lots of friends, yes, but then again- nobody knows me at all-“

 You stop suddenly and stare up at the moon and Astarion is completely enraptured with you and your singing. He feels charmed and he is entirely okay with it. 

“I suppose that’s not necessarily true,” you say softly, picking at the grass and smiling to yourself. 

 Oh your smile- he feels himself slowly melt into the grass like a smitten school boy and his own grin dances across his lips. 

 They are talking about you, the thoughts sends shocks of happiness and twinges of guilt, your plan worked.

 He should be thrilled, but he could honestly give a shit less. He is too busy listening.

 “And I’d give up forever to touch you

 Cause I know that you feel me somehow

 You’re the closest to heaven, that I’ll ever be

And I don’t wanna go home right now.”

 If his heart beat it would be pounding in his chest right now. 

 Your face is so relaxed, but he adores the furrow of your brow as you concentrate on hitting all the right chords and remembering the lyrics.  The song is beautiful but he is certain it’s only because you are the one singing it. Anyone else singing a love song would make him feel nauseated. 

 Astarion feels centuries of heaviness roll off his body with every note and sweet omission of trust. 

 He is hypnotized by your lovely fingers plucking the chords and he feels the ghost of your hand in his- you had taken it in your hand while everyone walked through the forest. Your hand had felt perfect in his own and he felt like a young, giddy, new person again. You always make him feel like that though lately. 

 “And I don’t want the world to see me

 Cause I don’t think that they’d understand

When everything’s meant to be broken

 I just want you to know who I am.”

  Astarion had lost all hope- truly lost it all- before the Mindflayers had kidnapped him. He felt more hopeful once he landed on the beach, but that hope was also laced with overwhelming fear. 

 Lately, he has been more present in his day to day. He is happy and full most days. He wakes up near you or to the sound of your laugh instead of the screams of his siblings or angry commands from Cazador or being yanked out of bed by either Cazador or Godey to be dragged off to the Kennels or Gods only knows where. 

 Astarion has actually been trancing for four hours straight without interruption these days and he even fell asleep a couple of times- his body finally feeling safe enough to completely shut down for a while. He woke up feeling stronger than ever and your heartbeat echoing through his ribs. 

 You had been more than happy to let him share your tent at night after he had barged into your tent after a particularly bad trance. It had been shortly after killing Nere in the Underdark and before entering the Crèche. He has basically been sleeping there every night since and he gets to enjoy your company- and all to himself!

 You with your wild morning hair and sleep ridden breath- it’s a gift he has never been given before. Astarion is grateful for every morning he has gotten to wake up next to you and you are alive- so vulnerable and warm with sleep. 

 He adores the way you tiredly blink at him as you become more aware of the world. You have begun to leave a sleepy kiss on his lips in the morning and he finds himself looking forward to it; and the mornings you forget, he steals a lazy morning kiss from you. It’s like Gale and his coffee, he can’t start his day anymore without that first kiss in the mornings. 

 You continue to sing- your voice strong and full of passion. Happy tears make your eyes glimmer and sparkle under the moonlight and for once, he doesn’t hate being a creature of the night because you make nighttime seem ethereal and lovely; enchanting and whimsical; a luxury to witness. Astarion is positive you could make even the most dingy corners of the world look beautiful from blessing it with your presence alone. 

 You finish your song and he decides he cannot take being away from you for another moment longer so he backtracks just a bit.

“Darling?” He calls out with a fake worried voice, “are you okay?”

“I’m over here!”

 With a big, stupid grin on his face, he half skips half walks over to your spot under the tree.

 You are delightfully rosy with blush and your eyes light up upon seeing him- Astarion doesn’t think that will ever get old. You are the first person to ever genuinely be happy to see him and he laps it up like Scratch drinks water after he has a fit of zoomies. 

“I am so grateful it’s you singing- I began to feel charmed and feared the worst!”

 You roll your eyes at his comment, but smile widely anyway and put your luteto the side, taking his outstretched hand. 

“I am so glad you find my singing appealing,” you say breathlessly, “I will have to work harder to truly charm you next time.” 

“Oh- you may consider me thoroughly charmed, my Sweet,” he presses a kiss to your forehead and you giggle, “anymore and I might become your Thraul.”

“That wouldn’t be good at all!” You exclaim, “you would agree with me on everything and it would be terrible!”

 Astarion throws his head back with laughter- it’s not even all that funny, but the way you embrace his personality and find it enjoyable fills him with so much joy. 

 You pull him out under the moonlight and he cocks an eyebrow at you- you respond with a cheeky grin.

 “Magistrate Ancunín,” you say sweetly with a bow, “I thought I might have seen you across the dance floor this evening.”

 Astarion smiles, “Ah! Your highness- how lovely it is to see you, my Dear. I was so hoping you may be here tonight- everyone else is so dreadfully dull, as you already know.”

“Believe me,” you roll your eyes and wave your hand, “none of them find my jokes or my stories entertaining.”

“Perish the thought!” He puts a hand to his chest in faux surprise, “They should all be sentenced to death!”

 Your eyes widen for a moment before you snort and join in.

“I so agree,” you snap your fingers, “there- it’s all been magically taken care of. I am the most powerful Highness known to the realms, after all.”

“Oh your majesty,” he pretends to be on the verge of feinting, “no one has ever done something so wonderfully romantic like this for me before- however can I repay you?”

“You could repay me by giving me this dance?”

 He hears your heartbeat race slightly and you look a bit nervous. It’s such a bizarre thing for you to feel. Of course he will dance with you. It would be criminal not to.

 Taking your hand- he pulls you to him and wraps your arms around his neck. His fingers greedily cling to your hips as you sway together back and forth. 

 You hum as the two of you have your foreheads pressed together and your eyes closed- the only individuals privy to the moment being the moon and the sleeping animals. 

 Astarion appreciates how your voice always reflects your feelings- the happiness in your tune is pleasant to his sensitive ears. 

 Eventually it’s the sound of the river that you both sway to and he barely catches your sentence.

“I am surprised you came looking for me,” you say with a yawn, “I thought you would be asleep by now.”

 He shakes his head, “I couldn’t.”

“Bad trance?”

“Something like that,” he quickly tries to change the subject, “why are you still awake?”

“I wasn’t able to sleep and decided I wanted to enjoy the moon and the ability to sing so freely,” you sigh, “Gods only knows when we’ll see it again.”

 Astarion hums in agreement- taking your callused hands in his and tracing the line of your hands. This seems to help you relax and it does bring him quite a bit of happiness to be able to help you relax as much as you help him. 

“I- I am really scared,” you look up at him with tears in your eyes, “I’m scared to go into the Shadow Cursed Lands. I have heard the stories and the lands are haunted by the cursed dead- people who had lives- who had stories.

“I am scared I could end up joining them,” your lower lip quivers so adorably, but he doesn’t like the words you are saying at all, “if I make one wrong move or we all get separated-“

“Stop,” he says, his voice thick and his chest heavy with an emotion he can’t identify, “I won’t allow that to happen. I can assure you that you will be rather irritated with me by the time we kill Ketheric- I don’t think I will be able to allow you to be out of arm’s reach.”

 He says it, but the actual reality of the comment doesn’t hit him until a couple seconds later. 

 Fuck.

 You smile brilliantly at him, “I hope you are ready for the same treatment.”

“I would be offended if you didn’t!”

“Well, we certainly can’t have that!”

 You lean forward and leave a kiss on his lips that takes his breath away- he follows you as you pull away, not ready to be without your lips on his. Astarion smiles against your mouth when your breath hitches- he loves that sound.

 And he is terrified to lose you.  

 Astarion fucked up his own plan- well okay, not really, but he did kind of. You have fallen for him, that much is obvious, but he was never supposed to fall for you! 

  The swaying continues- even as your body becomes heavier and heavier with sleepiness, Astarion feels like he’s dreaming and also simultaneously having a nightmare.

 He needs to rid himself of these feelings before they become all consuming- before he goes and does something stupid. 

 Maybe I give myself some space- sleep in my tent tonight? His chest tightens and he cannot breathe,  no, that won’t work. I- I don’t want to do that. I could push them away- get them to break things off with me.

 That thought makes him feel even more ill. Being near you brings happiness, comfort, and warmth- even when he is feeling extremely confused and uncomfortable with his feelings towards you. 

 You see the pieces of him he doesn’t often let others see and instead of despising him, you smile at his jokes. You laugh the loudest out of everyone- even at the jokes that maybe don’t deserve it. You are patient when he is grumpy, unreasonable, and rude. 

 You have become important to him- more important than he ever intended for you to be.

“Let’s go back to camp,” you say with a large yawn, “I need a little bit of sleep- we have a hell of a journey ahead.”

 Astarion helps you pick up your things and he carries your bag for you. You hold his other hand and you both chat as if you have spent years together rather than mere weeks- both of you grinning from ear to ear.

 You eventually wind up in each other’s embrace in your tent and you are snoring softly. Always making music as he likes to say. 

 The nighttime eventually pulls him back into his own trance, but this time, his trance is filled with happy memories of your adventures together with every melody you have ever sung prancing through his head.

[kaeyachi]

So...I finished the Arlecchino story quest...

Spoilers below!

TW: Mentions of Suicide, Child Experimentation, Child Abuse, and Murder/Death

This is, by far, the best story quest I have ever done!

First of all, CHILDE?! CHILDE ESCAPING HIS PERSONAL AMBULANCE TO SNEZHNAYA JUST TO COME BACK TO FONTAINE TO ASK SKIRK A QUESTION? Bro is so funny, please-

please save him.

Wait, actually, yeah please do save him. Pulcinella and Pantalone are both plotting in the background, and they got Childe involved...

I also loved the children! Look at how terrifying they are! They're my absolute faves!!

Lyney cementing the reason as to why Arlecchino chose him as the next King is wonderful to see as well. For some time, I thought Freminet and Lynette had a shot, even with reading their lore. What I have failed to realize is that Lyney really is the inspiration for all of the people in the House of the Hearth. His frustrated and disappointed spiel about Freminet not trusting him with Clervie struck me to the heart. This is an older brother at work here people!

Also if I had a nickel every time a cryo younger brother hid a dangerous secret from his pyro older brother which got them into an argument once the truth came out, I'd have 2 nickels ✌️ (somehow gave me war flashbacks to a scene that doesn't even exist lmao)

LYNETTE IS THE FUNNIEST SIBLING BTW. SHE'S MY QUEEN FOR THIS.

Clervie! Our dearest! I'm not fully sure what part in her design did it, but she barely looks like an NPC somehow. Like, yes, this is still an NPC base model, but... is it perhaps the hair? And the extra lashes??

Also, her calling Arlecchino "Perrie" made me sob. I wasn't ready to hear nicknames!!

The mention of Snezhnayan auroras also made me sob again as well. You know what? This entire thing made me sob.

Clervie's dread and horror at the thought of her own mother, her unrelenting spirit that kept her going in her fight for her fellow peers freedom despite the abuse that she will receive, and her unfulfilled dreams repeatedly being mentioned throughout this quest was heartbreaking.

I do have to say- the animations they released for Arlecchino helped a lot with the emotions we are supposed to feel for this quest. Not only was that good Advertising and promotion for the Arlecchino banner, it also set up the plot that would have not been well presented ingame had they chose to do that instead.

Crucabena and Clervie part of this quest were not the only ones mentioned in this quest, but also that damn dude that she killed with her heels! I personally like the way they released all those animations because the quest feels more emotional and alive now, and we could follow with the story better than before (and it effectively increased the hype)

Speaking of more alive, the facial expressions have definitely improved! This quest had them utilizing various expressions well, specifically for the playable characters, so, again, this really helped with the feel of the quest.

Additionally, adding a picture to scenes also set the tone really well. It's not that pictures have never been included in quests before, but the way these were framed(?) made it look way better than the ones before.

By the way...is it just me? Or did Paimon's voice somewhat mellow out for this quest? I had recently played some other story and world quests, and Paimon's EN voice is admittedly high-pitched and painful to hear in those, but for this quest, it's as if her voice was toned down (like Mondstadt Paimon, but with current Paimon energy). I'm hoping this was them taking the criticism from past and adjusting their instructions to Paimon's VA accordingly, because I loved Paimon's voice in this quest (that or I'm delulu)

Quick lore tidbits before I go back to gushing about this quest:

1. Arlecchino confirmed not from Fontaine (like I legit thought she may be Khaenri'ahn due to the blood moon thing she has going for her, but it's nice to confirm her non-Fontainian status)

2. Crucabena was the one who had a deal with Dottore on sending members of the HotH to him for experimentation. Anyone who was physically impaired or left alive after a duel to death are automatically sent to him. Clervie has described this as a fate worse than death... Peruere rejected Dottore's partnership offer once she became the next knave. Also, Crucabena used Clervie as an "example" for those who wish to escape, meaning Clervie received the most abuse (which apparently worsened as the years went by). Clervie lost hope sometime along the way and was basically suicidal as well by the time she and Arlecchino had their duel... Her mindset by that time is that the only hope for freedom to her is death. The popular theory of Clervie letting Arlecchino kill her is proven in a horrifying way with this discovery... (yes, she wanted Arlecchino to be the king, but at the same time, she took this situation as a chance to hit 2 birds with 1 stone)

3. Project Stuzha is apparently something highly dangerous, and Pulcinella and Pantalone are trying to get Childe and Arlecchino involved (Childe was told to aide the project by Pulcinella, while Arlecchino says she doesnt want the HotH to be involved in it)

4. Here is me reannouncing that I am in fact taking the L on the Freminet and Crucabena situation. Basically, the timeline is that at age 16, Clervie dies, and we are left with a 1 year time period for a 6 year old Freminet to enter under Crucabena (I'm guessing this is either a retcon or a means to hide the Arlecchino plot by not having them directly say mother in Freminet's character story 4). After that said 1 year, Peruere kills Crucabena and has spent several months in Snezhnaya before reviving the House of the Hearth and adopting Lyney and Lynette (perhaps the children of Crucabena's HotH simply stuck together during that time)

Basically, yes, Arlecchino is in her mid-20s. Not my personal cup of tea, but hey, genshin ages are confusing most days (Ayato is older than her, and Ayaka may actually be older than her as well... ugh I need a moment please... I MAY BE THE SAME AGE AS HER. NO-)

5. Freminet used to also call Lyney "brother". What changed that, I'm not sure (and if I had a nickel...), but the thought of baby Freminet following around big bro Lyney and big sis Lynette makes my heart melt. Freminet actually cried after Lyney basically told him how important Fremi is to him, so whoever made Freminet think otherwise... 😡 they better square up because we ride at dawn

ok back to me gushing

THE BOSS FIGHT? IT WAS SO COOL! It was beautifully animated, and the fact that they added this at the end?

The fear on the traveler's eyes upon realization of what true power Arlecchino held was amazing imo. We canonically cannot defeat Arlecchino in her boss fight! She will be a weekly boss that we can defeat, but in actuality, we really cannot beat the number 4 of the Fatui Harbringers.

We now have actual proof that harbringers 1-4 are not within our capabilities to challenge, and to add to that horror, this is us fighting Arlecchino with Lyney, Lynette, and Freminet. This is also actual proof that we, the traveler, cannot defeat a ton of other characters as well! (were cooked if we never get a power boost and plot armor✌️)

Also let me sneak in this picture:

Cunty as fck. Powerpuff girls energy. They're the Heathers, and we, the traveler, are Veronica.

And finally, the last part of my commentary that cemented this quest as my top 1:

Everything Arlecchino has done for the House of the Hearth, it was all thanks to Clervie and her dreams.

Arlecchino has shaped the HotH into a more honest relationship between her as the father and them as her children. Everything Clervie hated about the old HotH is now nonexistent in this version.

The children could be set free.

Duels are not to death.

They will not be sent to their doom if they lose.

This is everything that Clervie dreamed of, and this is everything Clervie tragically never got to see and experience because she lost all hope.

Clervie's story ended in tragedy, but Peruere lived and breathed Clervie's dreams for her anyway. Seeing the aurora was the start of Peruere finding the goal of living Clervie's dream, and now, Arlecchino strives to do her best to see those dreams come to fruition.

And the qualities that Peruere admired in Clervie are the same qualities that made her want Lyney to become the next king. Hopeful, caring, protective, passionate, and full of conviction. Lyney will take the mantle and live and breathe for Clervie's and Peruere's dreams someday.

Honestly, I have more to say, but I think this is a good place to stop for now. The dynamics of all these characters have made this experience worthwhile, and I hope that genshin continues with this sort of style in the future. Here's to more amazing stories from genshin!

Bonus screenshot while we are still here:

[wilcze-kudly]

On my latest rewatch of sozin's comet part 3 at the begining when zuko talks with katara about aang i noticed that once he mentions him katara's eyes from serious face are narrowing down to make a more sad face. Furthermore after reading your post about "katara's trauma why she waited" i noticed even more scrumbs that support your post. Other then changing her grimace, zuko asks katara 2 quastions. "What if he doesn't have guts to take out my father" And "What if he loses". The second question triggeres katara to respond in panic that "aang won't lose". Here's the most interesting thing i saw on rewatch. Katara while completly ignoring zuko's first question adds that "he is going to comeback, he has to" while looking infront herself with focused face. And im sorry but zuko didn't even mention that he is concerned about aang returning to fight ozai, so katara just adds another sentence to her belief that aang is going to comeback ALIVE. This further adds to desparete "he has to" like its an obligation on aang's or universes part to not lose life because of unfinished business or just praying that aang is gonna be fine. My point is that it shows how concerned katara really is about only if aang's gonna be fine. Which explains kinda her hesitancy on her part in ember island players. She really is afraid of losing him again and it makes sense too when we look at how many deaths of people close to her she saw. Also It would be stupid to not asume that her holding for a moment dead body of her friend/possibly a new love wouldn't influence her behaviour to make closer bonds.

[Post anon is referencing]

Yeah, references to Katara's fear of losing Aang are sprinkled in throughout the show, though the aren't addressed full on, which is why I assume most people don't catch onto it. Which is a shame, and I wish it was explored more explicitly in the show because if you watch without noticing this crucial element, you could draw some very misguided conclusions.

I think it's very interesting to watch Katara's perspective of Aang and her approach to him as the Avatar shift through the series. I don't think Katara ever idealised Aang as the Avatar perse. But I think a lot of her relationship with Aang was her realising the strain it put on Aang. In the Storm, she learns how it impacted Aang's life and basically alienated him from his peers.

Throughout B1, we see Aang's role as the Avatar become second to his role as Katara's friend. To the point where in the first episode of B2; The Avatar State, Katara is actively encouraging Aang to shirk his duties in order to protect his mental state.

But I think it's at the end of B2, when Katara cradles the body of her friend who was killed, struck from behind that she realises that Aang being the Avatar may cause her to lose him.

Sure, they've been pursued by Zuko, Zhao and Azula, but bear in mind, Katara is still a kid and while she may be aware on a surface level of the danger, nothing's technically happened yet, so she may not fully register it. But now she has had a free trial run of grieving Aang and she doesn't want to feel it again. So she builds up some walls.

And we have more hints for this throughout B3. Her breaking down when Aang leaves, drawing those parallels to Hakoda, for example. Her immediately shooting down any possibilty of Aang losing to Ozai or getting hurt. She's not blindly idolising him, she is terrified of the idea of losing him and deflecting it because she's a kid who can't think about things that scare her on an existential level.

Another good example of this being her reaction to Aang kissing her furing the Day of the Black Sun.

Analysing Katara's expression after Aang kissed her, she isn't upset with the kiss perse. If she were, she'd most likely be animated with more furrowed eyebrows. Ryebrows raised like the way they are in the show usually denominate surprise (which she is in the first few frames) or sadness. Which matches the context very well. The way she looks at Aang and then averts her gaze with a grim expression, as if she wants to say something, but is still angled to be seemingly glancing at him? That could very easily be ready as Katara wanting to respond to Aang, but holding herself back because making your relationship tangible before a big battle is a very good way to lose your boyfriend before you eben get your first date.

And since.... certain people insist that Katara being drawn in this scene with more childike proportions was a concious choice by the creators and not just an outcome of animation studios switching around and certain mixups, let's look at it this way: Katara being drawn more childlike in this scene could highlight the inherent tragism of the image of two child soldiers kissing before a battle in which one or both of them may die

She doesn't smile, not because she's not happy with the kiss, but because the boy who kissed her is off to war. Like I would not be smiling either.

Katara's trauma around loss is so pften boiled down only to her mother, which while valid, is only half the truth, and I wish this aspect of Kataang was more noticed because it does hide in the details of the show.

[outlaw-apologist]

Save Yourself | GN!Reader x Various (RDR2)

Summary: It’s the beginning of the end and gang members are starting to flee. Things are looking grim, fights are breaking out. Arthur begins to realize you’re in danger. However, he’s not entirely sure whose side you’re on. It’s time for an unfortunate conversation.

Multiple endings if a specific gang member is your lover

Pairings: Friend!Arthur, Arthur, Charles, Hosea, Javier, John, Kieran, Dutch

Warnings: Mentions of death,  Murfree Brood activities AO3 LINK

The air was so thick you couldn’t breathe. Was it the humidity of this shit-hole or the unsettling presence of iron and burnt skin wafting forward from the cave so rank you could almost taste it? Perhaps it was the mood everyone was simmering in now that betrayals have been made? You weren’t too sure, but it was hard to exist inside of. Whatever it was, it was only worsened by the heavy loss you held in your chest. Hosea, who had been a father figure in your life, and Lenny. Truth be told, you thought Sean’s death was pretty horrific. Never did you imagine you’d lose so many of your family in such a short period of time.

Molly’s death seemed to haunt everyone, even those who hated her. Was she a rat? Nobody could agree on an answer. To certain gang members it was a just cause and a good riddance; while to others it birthed paranoia in their minds that they, while innocent, may be next. You couldn’t sleep. Not that most of the gang could. Echoes of the Murfree Brood washed over Beaver’s Hollow all day and all night creating a sense of unease. They could return and attack at any moment. Slit your throats and skin you alive. Could you really trust those on guard duty when arguments are breaking out daily?

The line was being drawn in dirt before everyone eyes. Sides were being picked. You knew it was coming. Everyone did. It was hard to believe. Hard to accept. Everyone here… You love them all so much! Some more than others, but the fact still stands that these people have been your life and your family for years. This was all you knew. It scared you. Who were you without the gang? What would you do? Where would you go? That monstrous weight of reality sunk in while you watched Arthur physically remove Strauss from camp. No one said a word.

Because soon it’ll be their turn.

Because soon it’ll be yours.

Waiting for the other shoe to drop was agony. Frightened whispers were exchanged between the women as the men threw words like ‘brothers’, ‘loyalty’, ‘rat’, and ‘betrayal’ around violently. “It’ll be okay.” So many tried to comfort each other, but you know the truth. You know it’ll only get worse from here and it weighed heavy on your mind the past few nights while staying up listening to strange calls from the forest and arguments around the fire.

You didn’t know what to choose or where to go. You love everyone so much, life without them seemed terrifying. A loss within its self you’ll have to grieve hand in hand with the deaths. How could you do that to yourself when you’re already so down? Maybe dying with them would be best… You could tell Arthur’s nearing his end and he seems to know it too. Watching him die, watching everyone lose their heads trying to make sense of everything, knowing more deaths will come and not knowing who will be the next to go… Hell… It was hell.

“Looks like Trelawny is gone for good.” You gazed up as Arthur leaned against the tree across from where you were trying to read in an attempt to escape the reality of things. With a sigh you folded the book shut, studying Arthur’s pale face. It’s hard to believe this is the man who had been so strong for you all these years. Who was as healthy as a bounding deer only months ago. Seeing hin in such a state broke you in ways you couldn’t even describe.

“It’s probably for the best.” Was all you managed to say. It was hard but you tried to keep your feelings swallowed away. Arthur didn’t need that on his plate right now.

You were surprised when he bent down, meeting you at eye-level. “Ride with me.” There was no room for argument, it must be something serious. You both rose in silence, making your way through camp towards the horses. As you walked you couldn’t help but to check on Karen who was passed out drunk, making sure she won’t choke to death on her own spit while you’re gone. Jack waddled past the two of you. “Have you seen Kane? I can’t find him anywhere.” Your eyes scanned the area as you realized you too haven't seen the dog around for some time. “He might be out exploring. I’m sure he’ll come back.” Your words were little comfort for the boy who walked off with a pouted lip to ask someone else.

“It’ll be okay.” Arthur’s voice startled you out of your thoughts. He must’ve noticed a tint of darkness wash over your face. “I mean… It’s not okay, but we’ll make it okay.” Tired eyes searched your features. He was trying hard to understand where your head-space was at in all of this.

Pulling yourself into your saddle, you tugged the reigns of your horse. “I know. We always do the best we can, right?”

“That’s right.” Something in his voice gave way to his heart in this moment. He was just as torn up about all this as you were.

The ride was silent. You both just sat with your peace while riding towards the East Grizzlies. “I thought… Uh… We’d head up to O’Creagh’s Run. Maybe do some fishin’.”

“Sounds good, Arthur.”

“I had a friend up here, Hamish, he’s a funny guy. An old veteran who lost his leg. Found him on the side of the road one day while I was uh,” he shrugged, “wonderin’ around. Said his horse bucked him and took his false leg, asked me to get it back. After that he invited me to go huntin’ a few times. We had a nice talk, recalled our lives and the things we should’ve done different. That’s how I got Buell here.” Arthur pat Buell lovingly as he spoke. “Old Hamish didn’t make it back from one of our hunting trips, asked me to take care of him. How could I say no?” His voice was soft since Arthur switched from talking to you to talking to the horse himself.

A fond laugh found its way past your lips. Arthur loved animals so much, it was endearing. You could tell he cared greatly for Buell. “I did wonder when I saw Buell show up suddenly. Found a good match after Boadicea?”

“I think so.” He flashed you a brilliant smile. “I hate to think our time together might be cut short with all this-” He waved his hand as if motioning to some abstract thought-form created by Dutch’s recent behavior. “Boadicea was my girl. But Buell? Well, I think I can trust him to carry me for the rest of my days. He’s strong, stubborn-”

“Like you.” You interjected cheekily, causing Arthur to playfully roll his eyes.

“If you say so.”

Soon you came upon the lake and slowed your horses. Despite his physical state, Arthur still helped you down, giving you an affectionate pat on the back. “The real reason I wanted to bring you out here… Well… We need to have a talk, away from all this mess.” You could tell it was hard for him to get these words out. Arthur didn’t quite know exactly where you stand and a part of him was worried he’ll make the situation worse than it already is.

Your legs carried you until the front of your boots were licked by lapping water. This place is peaceful, you thought. Not muggy. Not decaying. Immediately you sucked in a deep inhale, allowing your lungs to fill with crisp clean mountain air. Deer bound across the other side of the lake and you can see colorful fish dart beneath the waters surface. In this moment you felt so much gratitude towards Arthur for taking you here. “This is a good place to have it, can probably keep my head straight here for once.”

He grunted in agreement. “I know what you mean. Beaver’s Hollow…”

“More like Beaver’s Shithole.” You sat a moment, screwing the components of your rod together before accepting the bait Arthur stretched out in the palm of his hand. He let out a hearty laugh which then dribbled into a coughing fit. Without a second thought you rubbed his back while passing over your water canteen.

“I’m fine.” He waved it away, wiping his mouth while his chest settled.

Silence spread over the shore. You and Arthur soaking in each other’s company. The only sounds that reached your ears for awhile were of your lines casting and the chattering ducks. “I wanted to ask you something.”

“Shoot.” You cocked your head to look up at Arthur. His eyes were trained on the water, as if trying to see something.

“Where’s your head at with all this? I mean Javier is…. And Bill hasn’t had a thought a day in his life, but he’s stayin’ with Dutch. Then there’s that business with Marston being broken out too early, there was talk of hanging him for Christ’s sake!”

“I know…” You paused, reflecting on the tone in Arthur’s voice. His heart is broken for his brothers. For his family. “I saw the way Dutch talked to you yesterday, couldn’t believe my own ears. Looks like Micah’s the golden child now.”

Arthur let out a mirthless laugh. “I said to John just the other day, looks like we don’t gotta worry about who Dutch’s favorite is anymore.”

“You went and blew that bridge up, right?”

“Yeah, we did it.”

“How’d that go?”

He shrugged. “Almost got ran over by a train, but it went as well as expected. Don’t know if this is the noise Dutch wanted. Seems idiotic if you ask me.”

“I’m gonna be honest Arthur, I don’t know what he’s thinking. I don’t understand any of this. New York? We hardly survived Saint Denis and that’s nothing compared to New York… It makes no damn sense. He gets pissed off when people treat us like a bunch of yokels but that’s who we are. That’s who we’ve always been.”

“Don’t I know it. But Dutch… He’s gone. He’s changed. I don’t know when it happened or why. I-” Arthur shook his head, eyes tilting up to watch the clouds float by, “I tried so hard to make sense of it all and I just can’t wrap my mind around it.”

“John mentioned he thinks it was the trolley accident but I remember even at Horseshoe, Hosea was calling him out on his bullshit. He started changing things then. The plan he had was good, was solid. If we had just gone West, back to our home… And bought some land we could’ve lived peaceful lives.” Old feelings of upset swelled in your belly as you reflected on your time camping out at Horseshoe Overlook. It now seemed as though it were a lifetime ago instead of mere months. You paused to let it settle before continuing. “Hosea knew then.”

Arthur’s eyes squinted and you could tell he too was recalling these moments. “I remember that. He said something to Marston, told him to get out while he can. Take Abigail and the boy and run far far away. Suppose he knew something was up before the rest of us did. Hosea knows Dutch best… knew…”

The correction made you both flinch. It still wasn’t real, Hosea being gone.

Thankfully attention was diverted when a fish tugged at your line. Jerking the rod sideways you quickly reeled it in with excitement. “I caught something!”

“Let’s see it.” Arthur leaned down to scoop your fish out of the water, showing off a nice pike. “Not bad.”

Pulling out the hook, you decided to stow the fish away. “Nice dinner, we’ll have to cook it before we head back, I don’t think Pearson would be happy with our fish haul.”

“Probably not.” Arthur mused. “I’ve seen him drinking recently. Karen too, poor Karen.”

“She hasn’t been the same since Sean.”

“None of us have, but she definitely took the worst of it. This whole thing… I guess we’re at the end now.” He side-eyed you in an attempt to measure your reaction. “You know, while we’re about all this…. I know it’s not easy but you should get yourself out. Start makin’ a plan, do something. I don’t want this to end with you gettin’ hurt.”

Anxiety shot through your heart like a streak of lightening across a pitch black sky. “Arthur-”

He said you name quietly in an effort to silence you. “There’s no way forward now and some distance between you and this will do you some good. You’ve been with us for a long time. Hell, we had a good run. But, John and I were talking, and I know you wanna stay loyal to Dutch, but we ain't the ones who changed. I’m afraid… well… I’m afraid Dutch’s gonna get you killed. Losing you ain’t worth all the money in the world.” The tears in Arthur’s eyes showed you just how much those words meant to him.

___

If Arthur is your friend/brother and you have no lover in the gang:

“Obviously I can’t tell you what to do and I don’t wanna force you to pick sides. Javier and Bill are our brothers and I don’t wanna fight them. You’re my family before everything else, before money, always. Get yourself out. Make a life for yourself.”

You stay silent, holding eye-contact with your long time friend. “Is this really how you feel?”

His head dipped down as he kicked at a stone. “It is.”

Nodding, you let out a tensed breath. “What about you?”

“I’ll be fine. Just- put yourself first. You worked yourself to death for this gang, that’s good enough. I don’t need to be burying you too. So get out of here. It doesn’t have to be now, it doesn’t have to be tonight.” You watched as Arthur fished a bill clip out of his bag. “When the time comes, take this and go.”

Taking the wad of cash, you flipped through seventy bucks. “Arthur, I don’t need your money.”

“Oh yes you do! Don’t pretend with me, I ain’t that stupid. How you gonna start a new life with ten cents to your name? Dutch has all our money, every last dime of it hidden somewhere out there. You take this and you make the best of it. I don’t need it anymore.”

You reached over, gently squeezing Arthur’s shoulder in solidarity. There was a moment where you both swapped fond smiles. “Thank you Arthur, truly.”

“Don’t mention it. Go somewhere and start right. No more of this life, got it?”

“Got it.”

“Now,” he picked up his rod again, “let’s catch me a fish so I don’t go hungry.” Arthur’s laugh rang out across the lake, sounding wonderful to your ears. There was something so bittersweet about this moment in time. The other shoe has dropped. This will probably be one of the last peaceful moments you’ll have with Arthur.

___

If Arthur is your lover:

You could feel your own oncoming tears now starting to burn the corners of your eyes yet not ready to spill. No… Not like this. This can’t be how things go. “Run away with me!” You blurted desperately.

Arthur seemed confused as you grabbed his hands, squeezing them tight as if you were afraid he would leave you. “What?”

“Run away with me, Arthur. We can… I don’t know. Get you somewhere warm and dry. I heard Colorado’s a great place for people with tuberculous. We can go West, just like we wanted. We can make a home for ourselves, get another dog.”

Arthur forced himself to turn away in an attempt to hide his tears, shaking his head while repeating your name like a mantra. “What about the rest of the gang?”

“They can come with us! Listen, we can make plans for everyone to slip away and make their escape. Then, if they want, they can join us again. We can get that land together. Build a house or two. That was our idea all along, right?” You gently pulled him towards you, wrapping your arms around his thin waist. God he had lost so much weight in the past month… “Arthur… Please look at me.”

“Christ.” Came Arthur’s trembling words. He finally looked at you. Crying. He wanted so desperately to have a life with you. A future. Reaching out he caressed your cheek. “It won’t work, sweetheart. Not with the price on my head. We’d be runnin’ forever and you need to get out of this life.”

You frantically searched his face, hopelessly trying to hold onto any crumb of information that might aid your racing mind. “Then… We’ll help everyone else get out and we hide in the Rocky Mountains. I heard the Pinkertons don’t bother searching anywhere past Telluride. Let’s go to Colorado city, it’s our kind of place. Real rough and the law is loose there.”

He scoffed, pulling away from you in frustration. “Damn it! Just stop. Why’dya gotta be so damn stubborn all the time?”

“Oh, I’m the stubborn one?”

“Look at me.” He raised his arms out, doing a little spin so you could take in all of him. “I ain’t making it to no Colorado city. I’m dying. It’s too late for me. But you? You have your whole life ahead of you.”

“Arthur-”

He interrupted you, words cutting like a knife. There was no changing his mind. “Get yourself that plot of land in the West. Somewhere nice, peaceful. Get yourself a hound, okay?” You hadn’t noticed in the heat of things; tears of frustration and heartache that were clouding your vision now fell freely over your rosy cheeks while Arthur pushed a huge wad of cash into your shaking hands. “There’s a thousand here.”

“A thousand?” You breathed, simply staring at the money. You made no move to count it or put it away. It was just too… surreal. Too fake. This couldn’t be happening…

“Should be enough. I can try to get you some more, but…” The flat of his palm dragged across his tear stained cheeks. “Don’t waste your life on me. Find a nice man to settle down with, you deserve that much. I can’t go with you… I wish I could I-”

“I don’t want to leave you.”

Arthur flinched at the heartbreak in your voice. This was just as hard on him as it was on you. “I know darlin’. But I rather die happy knowing you got out and you’re long gone before anything can happen to you. You can finally live the life I could never give you.” His large hand gently folded your fingers over the money and he guided you to your satchel, prompting you to tuck the money away safely. “Please… Please, this is all I ask.”

A gut wrenching sob ripped through your trembling form. All of your pent up negative feelings were rearing their ugly head, stampeding through you like wild horses until you completely broke. You found yourself in Arthur’s arms, sobbing miserably into his shoulder. “I love you.”

“I know.” His voice held just as much pain while he said your name and kissed your hair. “Now set me free. I’ll always love you, wherever you go. So leave.”

“Okay.” You whispered. “If this is what you really want, I’ll do it.”

“Thank you.”

___

If Charles is your lover:

“Charles has a good head on his shoulders. He and I’ve spoke about this and-”

Now it all made sense. “He asked you to talk to me.”

“He did.” Arthur confirmed. He gently said your name to draw your attention back towards him. “Look, I get why he’s worried. You’ve known me far longer than he’s known you. We’re family and you’re one loyal piece of work.”

It was hard to fight the small sad smile that made its way to your lips. “He wants out then?”

“Charles? Shit, he’s your partner. You know what he wants. He just doesn’t know if you’ll choose him or me.” Abandoning his rod, Arthur took out a pack of smokes, placing a cigarette between his lips. “Choose him.” He struck the match on the bottom of his boot only to flick it away once the cigarette was lit.

“Arthur-” You scoffed. “Charles knows what you and John mean to me. What this gang means to me. I know he won’t ask me to pick sides, but you and I’ve been together for far too long. It seems wrong if I don’t see this through with you ‘til the end….”

He simply shook his head. “This is the end. Everything beyond this is some fucked up story we ain’t got time for. Dutch’s twisted fairy-tale. I’m already on my way out a different route. Hell, even Marston’s realizing he needs to pack his family up and leave. You’re right about Charles, but to be frank, he shouldn’t have to ask you to pick sides. You choose him. You always choose him, you hear me?”

Arthur’s words dissipated into the air followed by a long silence as you tried to register everything being said. “I hear you.”

“Good.” He picked his rod back up, attempting to keep the fish interested by reeling it in a bit. “I’m happy for you, ya know? Out of all the men you could’ve ended up with I’m happy you’re with him. He’ll take care of you, treat you right.”

You gently elbowed him, wearing a shit eating grin. “Does that mean we have your blessing to marry?” You took delight as Arthur squinted at you.

“As if you need my blessing. But yeah, you have it.”

You both laughed and for awhile it was peaceful as you fished. “It still feels wrong.”

“I know it does. It is wrong, Dutch should’ve never gotten us in this situation to begin with.”

“And now I have to leave my brothers behind.” Even though they were your own words they shocked you as they reached your ears. Realization finally hit you like a fearful deer frozen in front of an oncoming train. “I don’t want this situation to be the last time I see you, Arthur.” You reached up to brush away a stray tear. “I can’t bear the thought of that.”

He hummed in appreciation. “I know. But we’re all leaving one way or another. I rather you leave right.” Shuffling beside you drew your attention over to him as he pulled a bill clip from his satchel. “It ain’t much but Charles is a capable man. I’m sure this’ll last you long enough.”

You counted out fifty dollars. “Arthur-”

“Don’t you say you can’t go accepting my money. You can and you will. Charles sure as hell won’t. That doesn’t change the fact that you need money to survive.” He eyed you almost threateningly. “Put that way before I make you.”

There was no arguing with him, you knew better and so the money disappeared into your bag without fuss. “Thank you. For always taking care of me. I wish you could come with us, I know Charles feels the same.”

Arthur simply shook his head. “I have a lot of unfinished business to take care of. And, if I’m honest, I’ll sleep better at night knowing you got out safe before anything gets worse.” He took a final drag of his cigarette before stomping it out, then he pulled you into a tight embrace. “You live a good life for me, okay?”

A shaky breath rattled your body while you hugged him for dear life. God, did you love this man. He always cared about you before anything else. “Okay. I will.” The promise was true to your heart. Anything for Arthur.

You two stayed hugging for awhile until a tug on Arthur’s line diverted the emotional tension. “Looks like I got dinner!” He giddily grabbed at the pole, reeling it in. “Check out the size of this one! You sir, are a fish.”

You couldn’t help but to laugh and admire the way the setting sun illuminated him. There Arthur was, one of the most genuine human beings you’ve ever met. Your heart swelled with love and adoration for him in that moment, just appreciating it for what it is. This will be one of your last core memories with him, you thought. Might as well make it last.

___

If Hosea was your lover:

“I know you stayed loyal to us because of Hosea, but… I think he’d want you out.”

It was hard considering what Hosea would want for you in this situation. He had wanted you out since Blackwater but you insisted he should stay with his found family… The family that got him killed. Not that you blamed Arthur and John, but you weren’t stupid. You knew Hosea didn’t feel great about the bank robbery and you knew Dutch played his hand. There was a time you were upset with Arthur for not taking Hosea’s side that evening, yet you had seen how much guilt riddled him already and so any harsh feelings fell away almost as quickly as they began.

“He would. He did.” You finally spoke, idly playing with a loose strand of your hair. “But I know if he were here he’d want to make sure you boys were safe. I can’t do that to him. I want to fulfill his wishes if I can.”

Arthur scoffed, shaking his head while cursing your name beneath his breath. “Don’t do this to yourself. Look at’cha,” he motioned to you, “you’re exhausted. You’re miserable. You need to go. Before Dutch decides his dear old friend’s lover is a rat or- whatever’s going on now. Don’t stay in this mess on his account. That’s what got him shot. He should’ve left with you when he had the chance.”

“There’s no point in should’ve’s Mr. Morgan.” Arthur’s face softened when he realized you’re on the verge of tears.

“I know.” He said quickly, voice dropping to a harmless tone. It wasn’t Arthur’s intention to drag you down further. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. I just want you to understand.”

“The message is loud and clear.” You sat yourself on a nice rock, needing something solid beneath you in an attempt to help ground your raging feelings. “Hosea loves you boys so much. I love you boys… And the girls too, of course. I guess… I feel like I have a responsibility to make sure you’re all okay.”

Arthur stepped forward and bent down to meet you at your level respectfully. “Thank you. I truly do mean that, but you’ll get yourself killed. Now, how are John and I supposed to live knowing Hosea would beat our ass for letting you get hurt? I know it’s scary. Hell, it’s scary for me too. Hosea’s gone. He made it out his own way. It’s only right you go too. Live your life for him, it’ll make him happy.”

You looked down when Arthur placed something in your hands. “You’re giving me this?”

“Sorry it ain’t much, but you’ll need the money. Abigail snatched up Hosea’s savings before they moved camp, gave it to me in case I wanted to put it in the box but it only seems right if you have it. This is your money now.” He gently squeezed your hand, flashing a tired yet genuine smile. “Thank you for making Hosea happy for all these years. We had a good run.”

You searched his fatigued face, taking note of how genuine Arthur looked. His eyes heavy with pain and his smile was somber from old memories. “Yeah,” you breathed out a mirthless laugh, “we did.” It was truly over now. Time to let go. “I know there’s nothing I can do for you, Arthur. That’s why you’ve been so quiet with everyone, isn’t it? Because it’s bad…. Hosea, he-” Your fingers idly played with the dollar bills in your hands. “Well, you know. He was sick for awhile. Not sure if it’s what you have or not but- He lived quite long.”

“He did. Not as long as he should have, but you’re right. Can’t say I have the same fortune as he had, or maybe I do in another sick way. I don’t know. All of this is confusing. Despite everything, one thing has been clear to me for some time now. You belong somewhere you can build a nice peaceful life. I don’t know exactly what I believe in just yet, but I do know… Wherever Hosea is, if he can look down at you and know you’re safe and happy, then that’s enough.”

No longer could your tears be held back. You let out a soft cry, leaning down to rest your forehead on Arthur’s shoulder “Thank you Arthur. I wish I could do more… Just… Please keep him company until I can come home to him.”

“You have my word.”

____

If Javier is your lover:

“I won’t stop you if you choose to stay. I know your loyalties probably lie more with Javier than Dutch himself, but Javier is… Well…. He’s something else. I ain’t gonna lie, it hurts knowing this is what he’s choosing.”

You nodded slowly, seeming to understand what Arthur meant. He and Javier have been brothers long before you joined the gang. It must be hard knowing a bond like that was being broken. Javier himself has been devastated Arthur and John aren’t on his side.

“After everything Javier’s been though… I don’t think he can picture a life without Dutch. Whether he’s giving too much importance to him in his life or not, it’s not my place to say.” You turned kind eyes towards Arthur. “Just know there’s more to this than loyalty. This is bringing up a lot of feelings in him and I don’t think he knows what to do with them. Somewhere along the way Dutch become his safe place.”

Arthur hums slowly, squinting as he listened. “I’m not sure I fully get what you mean, but I think I understand. I’m just worried is all.”

“You and me both.” You sighed, staring up at the orange sky. Your eyes followed the darkening clouds as night approached. “If I’m honest, I don’t know what to do. I can’t lose Javi... He’s my everything.”

“I know. I can’t even begin to imagine how you feel. I know your relationship is none of my business, I just can’t help but to worry about you. Javier ain’t got his head on straight and I’m afraid Dutch’ll have the barrel of his gun right at your temple while Javier’s swearing he won’t shoot you. I don’t know how much he can be trusted right now and I mean no offense by that. He’s my brother, and you’re my family same as him.”

Arthur rubbed the sweat from his brow before continuing. “I’m not gonna tell you to leave him or nothin’ like that. Just… Make yourself scarce for awhile. Get out of the line of fire. Javier’ll find you again. Come what may, he does love you.”

It killed you to consider something like this. Everything was happening so fast it was frightening. There’s even a small part of you that fears someone will claim you’re a rat and you’ll end up with a bullet in your skull. If that happened… would Javier watch you die with disgust on his face? Or would he be heartbroken for you, his lover?

You know Javier would never hurt you. He’s always been sweet on you, so much so the camp used to playfully make sick noises whenever they ran into you two… It’s hard to believe that wasn’t so long ago, when you were all friends and jokes were harmless. You hated how things became. You finally got your Javi back from Guarma and now… This all must be so traumatic for him. It sure was for you.

“Arthur… If I leave it’ll destroy him.” You finally look down, electing to study a rock beside your shoe. “I can’t do that to him.”

Arthur was silent for a long time. You could tell this decision pained him. He’s always been someone who cared deeply for you and your well-being. “Okay.” It was such a simple response, yet it was not uttered lightly. Arthur knew there was nothing he could do. “Just pretend I didn’t say anything.”

You gently pressed your elbow to his arm in an attempt to lighten his mood. “And Arthur?” He grunted in response. “Thank you for always being such a good friend. I’m sorry it’s come to this. I hate seeing you two fight. I know you’re doing the best you can and it hasn’t been easy on you… Just… Thank you.”

A warm arm embraced you in a side hug, causing you to look up at Arthur’s smiling face. He really did just want you to be happy. “Don’t worry about it. Just catch me a fish. I’m hungry!”

“Huh?” You laughed, wiggling out of the hug. “What makes you think I’m catching your dinner?”

“You’re the one who knows Javier’s secret fishing techniques. I’m sure you can manage.”

Maybe this decision isn’t the right one. You didn’t know. But, for now, you enjoy the last moments of happiness with your dear old friend, Arthur Morgan.

_____

If John is your lover:

“Your relationship is none of my business. I know you and John are sweet on each other, but I also know he cares for that boy and his mother. If you can… take them with you. Maybe some good can come out of Jack’s life.”

You took time to consider Arthur’s words carefully. “I hate that everything’s so complicated.” You admit. “I know our relationship ain’t the most proper thing to do, but you can’t choose who you fall in love with.”

“I know-” Arthur laughed a little followed by a few body shaking coughs. “Maybe I fell in love with the wrong people, I don’t know. But I get what you mean. Love is complicated business.”

“Jack, he’s… Such a cute kid. John already told me Abigail might know where Dutch hid the money… I understand she’s not fond of me and I don’t blame her. I’m worried she might only help herself and Jack.”

“Abigail? No, she’s not like that.” Arthur’s hands came to rest on his gun belt while he took you in, giving you a gentle smile. “Even if she did, she has every right to. That boy should come first.”

“I can’t argue with that.”

“You and John will be fine. You’re a good shot and he’s… A mangy coyote of sorts.”

Arthur’s comment amused you enough for a chuckle to pass your lips. Your eyes settle on the ducks resting across the shore for awhile, watching them prune themselves. Life as a duck must be so peaceful, you thought. They only had to worry about surviving… Then again maybe you and the ducks were one in the same. In the end everything is just trying to survive, including you. “You don’t think John’ll leave me to save Abigail and Jack, do you?”

“I don’t know,” he confessed, “but what I do know is that he loves you. At least, I think he does. It’s hard to tell with him sometimes. After he left Abigail and Jack like that… I’m glad he realizes he messed up. But… Marston…” Shaking his head, Arthur slowly began reeling in his lure in hopes it would invite a fish to his hook. “My best advice is to get friendly with Abigail and all three of you make a plan together. Don’t try to go it alone, it’ll only make things harder.

You nodded in understanding. “I love Jack, I really do. Every day I hear him ask Abigail why everyone’s being so mean and it breaks my heart. He shouldn’t have to grow up like this. And John… Well, of course I want him out too. He almost died for Dutch’s foolishness. Dutch could’ve saved him in Saint Denis!”

“I agree with you, but maybe it was a blessin’ in disguise.”

You scoffed, brows furrowing with both upset and confusion. “How can you say that, Arthur!?”

He held his hand up in surrender, signaling that he meant nothing nasty by it. “Our boat sank to the bottom of the ocean. The chaos was so great, I’m not sure if I could’ve grabbed Marston before the damn thing went under. You know he can’t swim. I’m glad he was in prison than with us. If he was there… You can break a man outta prison but you can’t break a man outta death.”

Shoulders falling, you searched Arthur’s face. It was easy to get lost in your feelings nowadays but you knew Arthur’s words rang true. So much gratitude was held in your heart for Arthur Morgan. Saving John all those times… You didn’t know what would happen without him. “I know I haven’t said it enough, Arthur, but you’re a good friend.”

“Maybe sometimes, but not always.” He gave you a knowing look, offering a small smile to show he appreciated your words. “Take care of them for me, okay? Make sure Marston stays straight and Jack has a good life.”

“I will.” You promised.

____

If Kieran was your lover

“I’m surprised you stuck with us for this long after….” Arthur trailed off. He was struggling to figure out the right way to bring him up. “Kieran was a good kid. I didn’t know him well but I liked him enough. I know you loved him a lot and he was real sweet on you… After what happened to him... After you watched…” He fell silent again, afraid he’ll say the wrong thing. “Look, all I’m sayin’ is maybe it’s time to find somewhere peaceful.”

You searched Arthur’s face, desperation reflecting on your own. “But… Where will I go?”

“I don’t know.”

“How will I make money?”

“I’ll give you some money, so don’t worry about that. I’ll find something for you. We’ll figure it out. It’s the least I can do after all this mess. Kieran didn’t deserve what happened to him. If you want to watch Colm swing you’re welcome to come with us, but I doubt that’s any business you wanna stick your nose in. I’m sure there’ll be plenty of O’Driscoll boys there.”

You sucked in a shaky breath, eyes clouding up at the very thought of your beloved Kieran. What a gentle soul with his whole life ripped away from him. You two had spoken about maybe one day owning a stable together, or trying to make a life for the both of you… Those dreams shattered your heart these past few months. The image of his death still haunts you. “I’ll thank about it.” You responded to Arthur’s hanging comment. You weren’t sure if you wanted to see any more death. “I’m going to be honest… I don’t know if there’s anything out there for me.”

“Sure there is.” Arthur gently nudged you in a brotherly way. “I know it’s hard to see the future now, but Kieran had big plans for the both of you, didn’t he? You can still do that if you want. Wherever he is, I’m sure that would make him mighty happy. Or- uh… I don’t know… We’ll figure something out.”

Imagining yourself surrounded by beautiful horses made you smile. “It would be peaceful. I could use a little peace in my life after all this.”

“Yeah, me too.” He chuckled. “Whatever you decide now you don’t have to do that forever. Just take each day at a time. But one things for certain, you need to leave.”

“I know.” Your voice shook with emotion. “This has all been scary and I feel so overwhelmed.”

Stepping sideways, Arthur wrapped an arm around you and pulled you into a warm side hug. He rubbed your arm in an attempt to soothe your fears. He wasn’t good at comforting people but he hoped this would do something. “Hell, I feel the same way. But we’ll get you taken care of. Don’t you worry.”

“Thank you, Arthur. I’ll try to be strong. I think… I want to live the life Kieran always wanted but never had. And maybe… If he’s ever here with me… He’ll be able to enjoy it too.”

“That sounds nice. I think you’re right, I’m sure he’d love it.” Arthur’s blessing lifted a weight off your shoulders. He was one of the few members of the gang you trusted with your life. If he agreed it would be good for you then it must be the right choice.

Calmness washed over you for the first time in days. Your gaze met the clouds, wondering if Kieran could see you right now. “Then it’s settled.” You decided. “I’ll pack tonight.”

____

If Dutch is your lover

“I know you love him.” Arthur gently placed a hand on your shoulder, giving it a little squeeze. “Dutch is.. was my family. But all this insanity…”

You immediately pulled away from Arthur. You weren't upset with him, Dutch had been treating you coldly too. But to think your Dutch wasn’t the man you loved anymore was terrifying. What happened to him? Was everything a lie? Did Dutch sell you a dream? It made you ill trying to make sense of everything. Arthur pulled you out of your thoughts by gently calling your name.

“Look, I’m sorry but after Molly they’re already looking for someone else to be the rat. Now, I don’t know if we have a rat or not, but if we do it sure as hell ain’t you. Bill’s been talkin’. His words don’t mean much to anyone with half a brain but Micah’s starting to agree with him and now those words are gettin’ into Dutch’s ears. I don’t want to see anything bad happen to you.”

Your jaw dropped in disbelief. “They’re saying all that… About me?” A dark look washed over Arthur’s face confirming his truthfulness. Fear froze your blood ice cold. Suddenly you were hit with a silent understanding that you probably won’t make it out of this alive even if you didn’t want to betray Dutch. “Shit!”

“I know.” A weary sigh left Arthur’s lips. “The girls in camp are real worried about you. Molly loved Dutch in her own special way, look where that got her.”

Wrapping your arms around yourself in an attempt to find comfort, you stared at the ground in contemplation. “I know... Shit, Arthur! Dutch… The Dutch I know is such a loving man. Someone who always wanted to do right by everyone, who wanted to see orphans taken off the streets. This isn’t him.”

“Look at me.” Arthur murmured your name so you’d raise your head. “That Dutch is gone. I wish it weren’t the case, but it is.”

“Is he still in there?”

“I don’t know. If he is… He’s buried deep inside. I can’t see him no more and I tried… I really tried.”

“I can’t give up now! I-” You trailed off in an attempt to swallow down the cries that wanted to escape your lips. “After Hosea, I’m afraid of leaving him alone.”

Arthur understood. You could tell he felt similarly and that this was destroying him as much as it was destroying you. “It’s hard. I hate going against him like this, he’s all I’ve ever know. I wish there was a way to… Uh…. I don’t know… But we can’t risk it. I can’t make you do anything you don’t wanna do. All I’m saying is that it might be better to cut your losses. Leave now so you can remember Dutch as the savior you knew instead of the man he became.”

“Betrayal is out of the question even if I don’t wanna stay.”

“C’mon now. That’s not true.” You could hear the groan in his voice. “You stayed loyal far longer than you needed to. Sometimes things just end. Knowing when to step away isn’t betrayal.”

“I guess.” Your finger brushed against your cheek to catch a falling tear. “I don’t know what happened to him, Arthur. I miss him so much. All I want is my Dutch back.”

Arthur abandoned his pole to pull you into a tight hug. Such a simple gesture, you hadn’t been hugged in so long. You didn’t even realize how badly you needed a hug until your emotions broke through your walls. He gently rubbed your back as you wept openly into his shoulder. Arthur’s voice was soft and soothing while he spoke. “Me too. But he ain’t comin’ back. I wish he was… Believe me. We’ll have to do the best we can. We’ll get through this. Just consider it, alright? That’s all I ask.”

“Alright.” You whispered, holding onto him for dear life. You couldn’t bear the thought of your family falling away just yet. Trying to dismiss your anxiety you close your eyes and take in a shaky breath. All the crying in the world won’t help you. It was over whether you liked it or not.

You felt gratitude towards Arthur for being so patient with you. He held you until you felt well enough. “Now, let’s get you that fish dinner.” You could feel the rumble of laughter in Arthur’s chest as he responded heartily with ‘Gladly!’. Dutch was gone, but it made you feel better that you at least still had Arthur.

[mymarifae]

i just want to share my thoughts about akito and Death. because even now—even off the back of an event like burn my soul—people STILL talk about him like he's an explicitly depressed, suicidal character whose every action is cause for concern.

i think the idea that akito is suicidal has been floating around for a very long time. and while it's not entirely without merit (more on this in a bit), it's still a misconception. and it really feels like kashika exacerbated the issue. which is unfortunate! it's sad to see such a beautiful song be misinterpreted like this.

now don't get me wrong! kashika is about death. but two things:

1. kashika may have been written for akito, but it's not just for him. it's also deeply personal to ryo haruka. there are certainly similarities and haruryo undoubtedly understood everything akito felt during the events that led up to the crawl green incident, but i don't think it's entirely fair to equate his very real emotions and struggles to those of a fictional character. he and akito share kashika! you can interpret it through either lens, but trying to do so through both is where things start getting messy

2. whiiiiich leads me to my second point. who decided that the only way to interpret kashika and its themes of death is literally?

i think it's pretty common for people to automatically interpret any themes of death literally—or at least very negatively. we're naturally conditioned to fear death, and then we're taught to fear it even more. it's the change. it's the unknown. it's the very idea of an "end." most people aren't very fond of these things! understandably so. but personally? i think the symbolism that can exist behind death is beautiful.

Death is the 13th card of the major arcana. above all else, it symbolizes change (positive change; it's always, always about what's ultimately best for you). Death tells you it's time to move forward; this part of your life is done. there is more waiting for you—new opportunities, new experiences, a brighter, more fulfilling future—but you must be prepared to let go.

the habits and routines you have now? the mindsets that have kept you alive? your current sense of self? whatever it is, whatever Death is asking for, you have to let it "die." it won't serve you anymore. it will only drag you down. and it might be terrifying and you might not be able to comprehend what lies ahead and you might want to kick and scream and struggle, but you can't cling forever. endings are never easy, and sometimes they hurt like hell, but with each end comes a new beginning.

and yes if you've read burn my soul this should all sound very familiar lol:

looking at death from this perspective, kashika and the entirety of find a way out should read a lot more like akito caught on the cusp of a monumental transformation. suspended between "life" (the old) and "death" (the new) so to speak.

up to this point he's been fueled by spite and desperation. two very intense, very negative emotions—but it's an intensity that worked. everyone else on vivid street had years of musical experience, and he had 0. he needed to catch up and he needed to catch up quickly because it's not like he could put the whole world on pause. he could take his time to learn the basics, sure, but every other vivid street musician would continue improving and growing while he did that. there would always be a gap between him and Them.

unless... he worked harder—WAY harder—than all of them combined.

and maybe that wouldn't do it either. maybe he would be stuck in place forever, always playing catch-up, always struggling to stay afloat, always being left behind. he knew this. and he knew the amount of destruction he'd end up inflicting upon himself if he went down this path. but in his mind, it was okay. it was worth it. because he'd rather die endlessly pursuing what he loves most than live not trying at all.

but in find a way out, when facing off against his old bullies, he starts to realize that he was wrong. he's not just stuck in place. he bridged the gap a long time ago, and he almost didn't even notice. and where he's going now, spite and desperation are the wrong emotions to sing from. he needs to let the unhealthy, extreme mindsets die, but also it's hard to let go of something when you would have given up a long long long LONG time ago without it.

but with time, and enough poking and prodding from ken and luka, he does it. he lets go. he lets the old parts of him die, and he passes on to the next stage of his life.

akito's character arc has always been about growth. improvement. learning. Becoming Better. and not just in a musical sense although Yes That Is A Huge Part Of It. his arc is also about his growth as a person. it's about him becoming more confident, and learning how to be kinder and more patient with both himself and other people. it's about him learning how to let his walls down and let his loved ones in. and to trust that they won't start kicking him to death once they're in there.

it's about him learning to exchange the Spite and Desperation for Passion and Love.

it's about him becoming happier.

which is why it's so fucking startling when people talk about him like he's suicidal and on the verge of a breakdown. like, woah, what?

as i said though, kashika isn't the only source of this misconception and i find more merit in the other sources because they're actual aspects of his character and scenes in the story and not song lyrics that shouldn't have been read so literally in the first place. like, yeah. we've seen a ton of unhealthy behavior out of akito. he's had a very extreme perspective on his place in the world from a super early age, and while the severity frequently gets exaggerated in fanon spaces, the shinonome household isn't exactly sunshine and rainbows.

he's been moody, he's been prickly and abrasive, he's lashed out. he keeps most people at arm's length and builds walls so high not even toya can get through them at first. he had to! he wouldn't have survived if he didn't! like, he was targeted and bullied by a group of adults when he first started singing on vivid street. that is actually a genuinely traumatizing thing to happen to a kid!

so no, i'm not against the idea that akito has experienced depression and suicidal ideation in the past. kinda comes naturally with the territory he ended up in. but that's the key word: past.

i get confused when the idea is dragged into the present. because again! the whole point of his character arc is he's overcome all that PAST adversity! recovery isn't linear but we're not about to see him hit rock bottom any time soon. or ever, actually. you know why? because we've already seen his rock bottom. stray bad dog. that event was his big breakdown moment. that's what opened him up to try to start healing.

we're not getting another stray bad dog. stop expecting another stray bad dog.

he's alright, i promise. he's growing up. he's gotten better. he knows he belongs in vivid bad squad. he knows he's loved. he knows his friends will be there to catch him when he falls. he's always been strong, but now he's even stronger. he's excited for his future, and i think we should be too.

[waltwhitmansbeard]

"I'm here. I've got you. You're safe now." For Vaxleth

7. "I'm here. I've got you. You're safe now."

Vax is no stranger to all manner of horrors. His body is a symphony of scars, the bars to the score of his attempts at survival, at protecting those he cares about, at making the world a better place. He has seen things no mortal should see, stood witness to atrocities that have shaken his understanding of the world to its core. And yet mostly, he's okay. He's lucky, all things considered, because the people he has surrounded himself with cast such wonderful light into his dark corners, making it impossible to languish in the darkness for too long.

But there's just this one thing. When compared to the rest of the shit he's seen—dragon attacks and bodies swinging from trees and friends sliced in half and his sister, cold and lifeless on the floor—it's nothing. Barely worth discussing. Just one more thing on the pile.

And yet sometimes, in the darkest hours of night, when his dreams turn strange and terrifying, he sees it: the glint of teeth in the moonlight, a beloved face twisting into something monstrous, hands turned the wrong way, sickening, slashing. Terror grips his throat in its massive paw, and this is it. This is how he dies.

He startles awake, sweating and wild-eyed. The room is too dark to see. Something shifts beside him, and the dagger that never leaves its spot beneath his pillow is instantly in his hands.

"Vax?"

Not a tower, but a bedroom. Not Whitestone, but Zephrah. Not the rakshasa, but Keyleth. She rubbing her eye with the heel of her palm, her hair a rat's nest from sleep. "Are you okay?"

He hopes she can't see the dagger shake as he lowers it into his lap. "Yeah. Sorry. Go back to sleep."

The sting of embarrassment whisks the breath from his lungs. Too wise, his Tempest, too good at seeing past his cracked foundation. Slowly, she slides the dagger from him, twists around to set it on her nightstand. Then her hand comes up to card through his hair, which he imagines must be a rat's nest in its own right. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

Foolish. Dramatic. He shakes his head, smiles the smile he knows she won't believe. "I'm fine."

A moment later, a scattering of fireflies dance around their heads, and now there really is no hiding from her. Her face is impassable, patient, knowing. She waits for him, must see the way the color rises in his cheeks as it all becomes too much, too quickly. She catches him when he falls, keeps his face in the crook of her neck as he cries for—well, he's not sure what for, if he's being honest. He just cries.

"I'm here," she whispers, her breath warm against his ear. "I've got you. You're safe now."

And he is, which may be the most overwhelming bit of it. He is in their bed, in the home they share, in the town that welcomed him in like a native son. They traveled to the Hells and back and left the rakshasa destroyed, incapable of ever returning to exact his revenge once more, and he will never again need to look into Shaun's face and question what he sees there—but he can't stop fucking crying anyway.

But she doesn't seem to mind. She holds him, lets her fingers play with the ends of his hair as she sways back and forth like a feather on the breeze. Her collar of her nightdress is soaked now, but she doesn't let him pull away, doesn't let him curl in on himself like he wants to. She presses kisses into the shell of his ear, and fuck, Vax can't remember the last time being alive felt like this.

After a few minutes, he gets a hand up to rub at his face, the embarrassed heat still tickling at the base of his throat, and croaks out, "Thank you. Sorry."

The fireflies press in closer, so he can't avoid the sincerity in her eyes when she says, "This is what loving you means, and I choose it every time."

Fuck, fuck. He lets her pull him back down to his pillow, curl into his side as if she were the one who needed to be held together. The fireflies drift off, up and out, until they disperse into darkness. Vax closes his eyes, listens to her breath against his skin, and when he's ready, lets sleep come and claim him once more.

[robbie-roo]

People seemed to like my info dump on animal facts last time so here MORE

Prothotheria edition!

for the non zoologist in the group don't worry those are the only scientific names I'll use (lie)

so Prototheria is basically a subclass of mammals and only has one living classification called Monotremata (basically means first-beasts) and they're called this because these are some of the oldest species living today they are the closest we have to the earliest mammals on the planet and we have five whole species alive today!! ISNT THAT SO COOL???

these things are what the FIRST mammalian life on earth could have looked like! this I'd what WE may have looked like millions of years ago evolution is fucking CRAZY

so what is a monotreme? you already know one by name! Perry the who?

PLATYPUS!!!!

platypus are the only species in their genus called ornithornynchidae which basically means "beaked animals" (I know I know I said no more scientific names but monotremes are an exception since they're so fucking COOL)

so obviously as we all know these are egg laying mammals of action I could get into all the science stuff that makes a mammal a mammal but to keep it simple they have fur and they lactate

so elephant the room what is going on with the whole egg thing? so monotremes have a similar structure that birds and reptiles do they have something called a cloaca that is an all in one hole for getting things out of the body. they use it for all the things we have multiple holes for so what's going on with their reproductive structure??? I'm glad you asked it's weird as FUCK so females only have one working ovary- the right one we don't know why it's just the only one that works

(it could be that the only surviving "platypus" that kept the evolution of these things going just happened to have a broken ovary but we have no idea)

male platypus have 5 X chromosomes and 5 Y chromosomes females have 10 X chromosomes to put that into perspective of how fucking weird that is we only have 2 and things still get jumbled up sometimes.

male platypus are venomous 😀 isn't that a terrifying thought? a venomous mammal- but they are! ...in a way- male platypus have extra fur on their back feet that is sort of like a spine but it excretes poison that is strong enough to kill a medium sized dog- for context these things are maybe a foot long or so they are NOT perry sized

females also don't have nipples

but WAIT roo!!!! how do they lactate if they don't have nipples? guess what guys it's ALSO weird as fuck

they have specialized glands in their skin that secrete milk if it's easier to invision imagine a lot of really tiny nipples all over the place. The babies just lick it off their mother's hair. they actually lactate for a good 20 weeks, which is pretty long considering they are only birthed after 13 days. most of the fetal development is done while in the egg but when they come out they look like pink little fetuses they can't open their eyes or walk or smell anything

OK ok we know enough about sex and birth and shit but did you know they can close their ears? they close their ears with tiny flaps like a seal does when in the water and will also close their eyes underwater. their 3rd eyelid which is the one that closes is white and makes it look like they can see in the water but they can't! they use electroreception just like moles do!

they don't have any teeth other than a few flat ones in the back of their bill and an egg tooth when they are born

bonus fact: a baby platypus is called a puggle :)

OK ok NEXT

Tachyglossidae aka echidnas which means "fast tongued" there's a few types of them but both platypus and echidnas are native to Australia with a few echidnas in New Guinea

so these little guys look like porcupines pr hedgehogs to the untrained eye they have specialized hair that act similar to spines.

they have long snouts and no teeth instead they have bumps on their tongue and a hard pallet that they use to smash their food up against just like platypus do

they do exactly what their name says they have fast tongues coated in sticky mucus to slurp up bugs. they have super strong front legs for digging and females have a pseudo pouch- sort of like a domed abdomen to lay on the eggs with

males have extra spurs on their back feet like platypus do for fighting each other when mating

OK I'll leave it here and next time I'll go into Metatheria >:)

[willxmeyers]

WILL + LEMIE

where: coral cottage bed & breakfast, garden who: @lemielewis x @willxmeyers what: a birthday engagement 💍 when: may 10th 2024

Will: Tugging at the collar of his favorite Tom Ford suit; Will couldn’t help but look back over the past year. Something about birthdays had always made him melancholy. Last year was downright disastrous. Well, not the exact day per se. It had been exactly what he’d wanted, a silent drift into his 40s without any of the fuss. However, his secrecy about it had resulted in a break up that had set him back into his old ways. The pacemaker inside his chest wasn’t the only thing that kept him alive. But Lemie too, who had never left his side, even when she probably should have. If it weren’t for her, Will doubted he’d be celebrating another trip around the sun.

Things were different this year. This year, he was downright terrified. The first birthday he’d ever wanted to celebrate, but not for him. For her. Time felt like it was running out but all he could do is stand and wait for her to arrive, shuffling on the spot. Their reservation at Neptune wasn’t for another hour. But he’d managed to escape back to the Cottage early, stating there was from work men who needed him. When she’d called to check in to see how long he’d be, Will had asked if she could meet him here instead. An orchestrated move that he hoped would result in her walking through the back doors and into the garden. Their garden. Where he had a one very important question to ask.

--

Lemie: Finding beautiful dressed laid out on the bed she shared with Will was becoming a recurring event and Lemie couldn't even pretend not to like it. She had never been that into clothes, but there was something incredibly sexy about him knowing exactly what she enjoyed and would look good on her. He knew her in a way maybe only her brother did, which was a feat in itself. Not many people were allowed to see past her walls.

Despite being the most contradictory person on earth, she put on the dress and met up with Will in the garden, their spot. The place when the two of them had paused the bickering long enough to find a middle ground. "You know I'm not your personal Barbie doll, right?" Lemie asked him as she walked out into the garden, her narrowed eyes meeting his. She couldn't let him know she enjoyed this so easily after all. "What is it now? Another fancy restaurant? Quick getaway to Paris?"

--

Will: His smile widened as she turned the corner, seeing her appear before him like a vision. Lemie looked exactly as he hoped she would. He’d ruminated over this moment for months now. Wondering what was the best way to ask, how many people should be there, would she want it photographed or was that borderline creepy? None of those worries mattered as she took a step out into the garden. Eyes narrowed and barbed tongue, it contradicted the dress that flowed down her hips. Feminine and light. Something she’d wished she was but never thought possible without changing herself. Will never wanted her to change. Not a single thing.

The lights in the garden trees sparkled, just like his eyes did as he watched her. Whether or not her suspicions were higher than normal, he couldn’t tell. “Paris is overrated.” Will shakes his head, smile still etched on her lips, reaching up to his eyes. “I thought we could just.. talk for a second,” Will said, taking a step towards her, hand extended for her to take. “Then dinner,” he adds, in case she was worried about what their conversation would be about. “You look beautiful.”

--

Lemie: There was something intoxicating about the way Will looked at her whenever she appeared wearing one of his extravagant dresses. Anything she deemed too feminine usually looked ridiculous on her or it had until she met him. He had somehow led her to believe that just about anything suited her even though that couldn't possibly be true. Maybe it was just that somewhere along the way, only Will's opinion had started mattering. Who cared about the snickering cheerleaders from high school when he thought she was soft (when she felt like it) and caring (ditto)?

Lemie frowned in response to his comment, walking closer to him and putting her hand in his extended one. "Paris is overrated? Are you okay? Did you hit your head?" Her heartbeat picked up when he mentioned a talk. This couldn't be good. "Did you make me put on a dress to break up with me? Because that is grounds for murder and I bet the local cops would turn a blind eye under the circumstances." Alright, her fears were a little ridiculous admittedly. He didn't look like a man about to break up with his girlfriend. "I look alright. You look very dapper. I've mentioned how much I love you in a suit, right? About a million times?"

--

Will: Now wasn’t the time to get into his personal thoughts about Paris. To him, there were too many tourists and the whole city smelt a little like a urinal. But he shook his head, laughing a small chuckle as she threatened to murder him. Admittedly, it was a little reassuring to see her so nervous. It mirrored his own internal giddiness.

He had to disagree with her assessment of herself. Will had never seen a person more radiant. But he chose to not fight her on it. “You may have mentioned just a few times,” he replied with a smirk, taking her hand and giving it a warm squeeze. Will wanted to put her fears aside, reassure her that only good could come out of this situation.

Leading a little further into the garden, away from the house that he’d purposefully cleared for the day, Will stopped and looked at her. “I’ve never had a favourite place,” he begun, eyes looking down at her hand in his own. “A lot of my life was just trying to find the least shit place to be, looking for the thing that hurt the least. And I lived that way for a really long time.” Will fought with the urge to make an old man joke. “When I moved here, I slowly realised that this place.. was what people meant when they said somewhere could feel like home.” His throat bobbed a little as he looked from her hand to meet her eyes. “But it’s not this place. It’s you. You’re what feels like home.”

“You know that I’ve not always been the best person. I can be selfish and stubborn, I hate admitting when I’m wrong. And despite all these flaws, you love me anyway.” Despite her better judgement, he thought. “And I love you. More than I’ve ever loved anything or anyone,” Will released her hand to reach into his pocket and get down on one knee. “You’re the only person I’ve ever wanted to spend my life with. Every minute of every day,” he looked up at her, eyes misty and full of love. “So, Lemie Lewis, will you marry me?”

--

Lemie: It was still odd to Lemie that no matter how weird she got or what she might throw at him, he still looked at her with nothing but love in his eyes. No matter how far she pushed the limit, Will wouldn't budge. It was still mind-boggling that someone could love her this fucking much and that she loved him just as much.

"Not enough if you ask me. Seriously, when you add the accent on top of it? We're reaching James Bond level of hot," she insisted, moving closer to him while running her thumb on the back of his hand. She tilted her head to the side slightly as he started talking about the garden and favorite places, her eyebrows scrunching in confusion.

Just as she was about to throw one of her cynical, sarcastic comments at him, it dawned on her that this wasn't just the start of another extravagant date. She'd seen enough movies to know that this was usually what people said right before pulling out a big ol' ring. She froze slightly, her heart skipping a beat or twenty. She understood exactly what he was talking about, the feeling of a person feeling so safe and familiar. That was what he felt like to her.

"I don't know that. I know you're the best person whose made questionable decisions. Who hasn't?" She managed to say, voice strangled right as he did exactly what she had expected him to. "Fifty percent of marriages end in divorce. Or so I've heard." Definitely not the thing to say in replied to a marriage proposal, but a very Lemie thing to say. "Are you sure you want to marry me? I don't think I'm the main character in this love story, I might just be the evil ex-girlfriend. No one marries the evil ex-girlfriend."

--

Will: If Will hadn’t been the midst of proposing, he’d have thrown his head back in a laugh but instead, it was more of a quick chuckle in response. Of course she couldn’t just accept that she was the love of his life. Lemie’s instinct to believe she was unlovable was something that they had in common. “I’ve already been divorced,” he reminds her with a smirk. “And it wasn’t so bad.” Not that Will wanted his marriage with Connie to be anything like what he had with the woman in front of him.

“If I wasn’t sure, Lemie, I wouldn’t be fucking up the knees of my favorite suit right now,” he motioned down to the garden floor with his head. “And you’re not evil. You’re the woman I love, the one I want to grow old with. Have a bunch of little rugrats with. I want to sit on a wraparound porch and yell at teenagers who walk across our lawn with you.”

He tried to not let his spirit falter. “If you think it’s too soon,” Will implores, “I won’t take it personally. We can make this an annual thing where I ask you to marry me until you inevitably say yes. I’ll pop a reminder in my calendar.” There was little doubt that this was what she wanted but it was more about whether or not she thought she deserved it.

--

Lemie: Lemie sometimes forgot about the whole entire life Will had before they met. Honestly, she sometimes forgets about the life she had before she met him. In a lot of ways, it felt to her like her life began the second his smug face walked into her life and not one second sooner. "Are you saying you're already planning our divorce? The ring isn't even on my finger yet, William."

The suspicion in her eyes vanished at the mentioned of children, the thought softening something inside her she didn't even know existed. Kids had always been a non-factor in her life, but now… My god, did she want them. She wanted to experience everything with him. "You want kids, huh? You don't think we'll fuck them up the way our parents did us?"

She shook her head immediately, trying very hard not to snatch the ring right out of his hands in order to make sure he didn't take it back. "No, it's not too soon. In fact, it's taken you way too long," she told him with a crooked grin, extending her hand out to him. "Yes, I'll marry you. Put it on."

--

Will: “No,” he replied instantly. “I’m trying to assure that if getting divorced is the only reason to not marry me.. it’s a risk I’m willing to take.” Will hadn’t made this decision lightly, even if it did seem like the most natural thing. They lived together, they loved each other. There wasnt a minute he wanted to be apart.

Will made a face. “We already have a child,” he countered, knowing Paprika would be disappointed in not being recognized for the baby he was. “But human children? Of course I want them. And I don’t worry about becoming our parents because there’s no way we’d let that happen.” Will would make damn sure of that. “I want everything with you.”

His smile widened, taking the square cut diamond ring out of the box as instructed and slid it up her finger. It fit perfectly, as it should considering how much sleuthing he’d done to make sure it was the right size. Nothing had felt more right in that moment, he stood from his kneeling position. “I thought you might say that,” he replied cheekily, cupping her cheeks with his hands and kissing her. A moment he’d never forget.

--

Lemie: No matter how cynical Lemie might be, she actually believed him when he said divorce wasn't in the cards for them. She was certain that neither of their parents had ever loved their partner as much as they both did. "Fine. I guess I'll have to take it with you then. It's not like you can take the leap by yourself," she said petulantly, as if she were doing him a favor. In actuality, he was doing her a solid by proposing to her.

"Sure, but we can't actually fuck up a cat… Can we?" The thought of Paprika needing therapy, a kid however… much more likely. "I'd be unbearable pregnant. I obligated to warn you. You know, in case you want out. Because once that ring is on my finger, there's no getting it back. You would have to pry it out of my cold dead hands."

Lemie held her breath as he slid the ring on, the fit perfect somehow. This man had definitely been plotting. "We're not doing a big wedding," she warned, hating the thought of all that attention on her. Being Will's wife would come naturally, but being a bride? Not so much. "And you had the nerve to look like you thought I might say no?" She asked him with a grin as he leaned in for a kiss, her hands moving from his sides to his back to pull him closer.

--

Will: He’d barely stood from his kneeling position before she was warning him, her brow furrowed. “I don’t need a big wedding,” Will assured her. “I’d drive us to Vegas right now if that’s what you wanted.” Whatever she wanted, he’d give her. That is all he’d ever wanted to do. Take care of her, love her. Despite the weight that hung heavy on her shoulders, it was what Lemie deserved.

“I’d knew you’d say yes, eventually-“ Their kiss was chaste, not necessarily wanting to get too hot and heavy. Will was sure they’d celebrate in that manner once they were home. He did trail a few kisses across her cheek, around her neck, smiling all the while.

Taking her hand again, he looked down at the ring before glancing back at Lemie. “Do you like it? Lucky helped me pick it out.” Another conspiratorial player in all of this. Will had let Paprika know that morning, however, the ginger cat didn’t seem all that interested and simply went back to licking himself. “I had my mother’s engagement ring, I thought about it but.. there’s probably some generational curse on it.” Will bristled at the thought. “If you don’t like it, we can look for something else. It just.. I thought you’d like it.”

--

Lemie: It wasn't like there were very many people that Lemie even wanted at her wedding in the first place. Lori, Lucky, Cherry… Those were her people essentially. "I don't know about reading my vows in front of an Elvis impersonator, but let's keep it uncomplicated. Our favourite people, loads of food, kitschy music and the two of us. That's all I need," she told him with a grin. Her parents wouldn't be anywhere near their special day, that was for damn sure.

"Of course. Saying no didn't even cross my mind. Not even to fuck with you," she pointed out seriously, as if this was big of her. It was, in a way, but it was also how normal people reacted to a marriage proposal.

"I love it. It's perfect. I can't wait to walk around town with this baby and flash it in everyone's face. I'm definitely posting it on Insta, my mom will combust from jealousy." This was exactly the kind of ring she had always wanted for herself. Not necessarily the cut, but the size of the diamond was definitely a goal of hers. "Yeah, no. I want this to be ours alone. We're nothing like your parents or mine." She stood up on her tip-toes, her fingers curling in his hair as she pulled him down for a quick kiss. "It's perfect, unsurprisingly. No one knows me like you do."

--

Will: Will leaned in to give her a quick kiss, almost unable to keep his lips off her. The happiness he felt, it was not to be contained. It was in his eyes, his smile. “Sounds like we’ve already made her first wedding plan.” Lemie hardly seemed like the Bridezilla type and Will had already done the big wedding with the hundreds of people only there to judge. “Just us and the people we love.”

He glanced down at ring, moving it slightly with his thumb. “Lucky helped,” Will added, smiling. Partly because he was the only man Will wanted to tell but also because he was… traditional. He wasn’t going to ask for Lemie’s hand from any of her parents, it was an outdated notion. But if there was any doubt in Lucky’s mind that this wasn’t a good idea, Will wanted to know before he got down on one knee. “If you didn’t like it, I was just going to throw him under the bus.” In a true brotherly style, Will thought jokingly.

He was unsure of the time, wanting to stay in this moment forever but.. “we have reservations for dinner. At Neptune.” Will contemplated just abandoning their plans to take her up to a vacant room upstairs. But nights like these needed to be celebrated properly. And his fiancée and the new diamond on her finger deserved to be shown off.

--

Lemie: Will had done all of this before, but Lemie liked to think it felt like the first time for him too given the circumstances of his first marriage. He might care for Connie, but not in the way he cared for her she hoped. She inhaled sharply, surprised to find she felt sort of anxious about the planning that was to come. "Maybe we can do it here. In the garden, I mean," she suggested, her fingers running through his short hair.

Her eyes were also locked on the ring, already used to seeing it there. "Of course he did. He knows me best. After you, obviously." She never thought she'd be able to say that someone knew her better than Lucky, but she had found that person in Will against all odds. "I would've let you, I'm a pro at throwing my siblings under the bus. It's usually Lori, but I could stab Lucky in the back for you."

The only thing that could rip her away from this moment was food, which again proved just how well he knew her. "Perfect. I'm dying to show this baby off and feed off everyone's jealousy."

[anonymous-dentist]

Egg 2.

(Egg 1, semi-required reading)

-

It takes four months of the end of the world for the bunker to run out of food. With George asleep and Foolish trying to get the generator working in the other room, Karl finds himself sneaking out the door with a gas mask strapped to his face and a "borrowed" netherite sword strapped to his back.

Technically, he isn't supposed to leave the bunker by himself. Nobody is, and they all agreed that going out on your own in the apocalypse is a certified Bad Idea. But, well, maybe Karl is especially under house arrest. Something about the Egg hating him a bit more than the other two, Karl doesn't actually know. He thinks that maybe it has something more to do with the fact that he's the easiest to possess out of the three of them, which is ridiculous because he's just as divinely favored as George and Foolish are.

That is to say, not at all. Because God is dead, and the sun has been red with spores and blood for four months, and the planet sings.

-

Karl remembers the world ending. He doesn't remember much of what happened before that, but he remembers what happened after.

Sapnap is gone. Even without Karl's memory blanking out of him, it's hard to remember a Sapnap without the freaky-hot demon horns or the scary-hot demon fangs or the, uh, the tail. Those were new. So were the plain-old-terrifying glittering red eyes, because you may be brainwashed under the Egg's control, but you aren't a zombie. You're still a person, but you're the Egg's person.

Sapnap is gone, and so is just about everybody else. It's just Karl, George, and Foolish in the bunker. They're based out in the woods towards Snowchester, pretty far from the Egg's usual haunts. Sometimes they can talk to Niki over the comms, but she hasn't been answering lately. Karl doesn't like to think about what she'd say if she did answer. He doesn't think he would want to hear it.

When XD told Karl goodbye, it was the day of the end of the world. He hasn't been seen or heard from since. Karl never expected God to ghost him, especially considering how tight they were getting towards the end, but he especially didn't expect it when he checked his comms one Thursday afternoon and saw the message [DreamXD has suffocated in a wall] spammed seventy times over in the span of half a minute.

What a shitty way for a god to die. Foolish says that he never would've died that way, but he's also Foolish. Karl thinks he's gonna die in a way more embarrassing way, like drowning. Imagine drowning to death in the eggpocalypse. Crazy.

The server is more alive than Karl has ever seen it. He doesn't leave the bunker much, being under house arrest and all, but, when he does, it's vibrant. It's red, yeah, but the world is moving. It's kind of amazing? But, really, it's super bad, because Karl what happens to uncooperative people, the ones that won't breathe the spores in and who won't give in and have their wishes granted by the world's most fucked up vegan genie. Jack Manifold is freaking dead.

The world as Karl knew it is long dead. Just like Jack Manifold, it is rotting and bleeding into the earth itself. The Egg is at the world's core, and Karl and the other survivors are ants walking on the peel of an orange waiting to explode in the summer sun.

If Karl is going to die, he is not going to die hungry. He's capable, and he isn't completely useless. He can go on a grocery run and he can get back before the others notice he even left. He'll be a hero again, and then they might even start talking to him again.

So, with a sword and a mask and an otherwise-empty inventory, Karl goes to El Rapids.

-

El Rapids is rubble by now, covered in thick red vines that twitch when you look at them for too long. They breathe in the limited air left in the atmosphere, and they spit out spores that stick to your lungs and steal your thoughts until they're only halfway yours. It's fucked up photosynthesis, really, but, like, in reverse. Cellular respiration? Whatever. The air in El Rapids is thin enough to leave Karl heaving for breaths every few steps, and it leaves his head spinning and not in the usual way. By all means, this is a bad idea. It's a horrible place to get food, the ruined remains of a dead country destroyed by bombs and fire.

But the thing about El Rapids, the thing about El Rapids, is that the vibes there are so freaky that the Egg doesn't really do much of anything there. Karl and the others have a theory, see. The Egg wants bad vibes so it can trick you into joining it to make the vibes good, yeah? Well, if there are good vibes, then the Egg won't show up. Yeah, there will be vines and shit, but there won't be any people. Karl can handle some vines. Easy. He loves gardening.

Carefully, Karl picks his way through the charred streets of his old home, tiptoeing past spasming bulbs coughing spores into the air in streams thick enough to be observed by the naked eye. Karl's goggles tint the world purple; on top of the naturally-red sky and sun, the plants are all almost the color of eggplants and not, well, egg plants.

He scratches his cheek, eyes running over a broken-down billboard with his face covered over with red paint reading FUCK YOU.

El Rapids may have been destroyed out of spite, but it was a child, once. It was young, once. Karl died for it, he thinks. He can't remember much of that whole deal, but he does remember waking up happy every day that he lived there. Sapnap was on one side of the huge bed they all shared, with Karl in the middle, and... and Quackity was on the left. He liked to be by the window so he could wake up with the sun, Karl liked to be in the middle so he could be held by as many people as possible, and Sapnap liked to be on the outside so he could leap out of bed and stab intruders with ease.

There's enough love in this town to keep the Egg out of it for the most part, Karl thinks. He shimmies between two overturned wagons, lungs screaming as they claw at the air for what limited oxygen they can get. His vision is spotty, but at least he isn't in Kinoko. That place is fucked. (Turns out building a city in a forest makes it easily susceptible for invasive plant species. Go figure.)

He and George scavenge El Rapids all the time. Foolish sticks to the remains of Las Nevadas. Well. The "remains". Nevadas is still up and running. Cult members are gambling addicts, apparently, and the Egg itself seems to appreciate the fine dining culture of desert sunlight and human flesh that Las Nevadas prides itself on these days. Figures that Quackity would still be running his capitalist hellscape in the apocalypse. Even if he wasn't possessed, he'd probably still be operating business-as-usual for a buck or two. Pandering sack of shit.

Karl and George have already picked their ways through half the city. That leaves the half towards the L'Manberg Crater, where Karl and his fiances used to live. Their old houses are on his list today, actually. Karl can almost remember leaving a whole pantry full of canned food when he and Sapnap and George packed up and left. (Who needs canned beans when you can grow fresh ones in your own back yard?) He doesn't know if they're still good or if they were destroyed, but, well. It's worth a shot.

Wincing and coughing, Karl creeps up on the street his old house is on. There's a big ol' Egg flower poking out of the topmost window, which bodes well, thank you.

Karl looks up at it and debates maybe just going home. Maybe he should just go home. This was probably a bad idea.

The sun whispers, No, stay, you need the food. It'll be worth it.

Karl swallows the fear in his chest and nods. Right. Food. He loves gardening. The quicker he gets this done, the quicker he can go back down to the rest of the world, the quicker he can breathe again.

With a fuzzy brain and trembling hands, Karl quietly pries the front door off its hinges and places it on the sidewalk between two tendrils that tremble with anticipation, just waiting, just waiting for him to screw up. Yeah. Well. He isn't going to screw up. He's super capable.

Adjusting his bag where it hangs on one strap off of his shoulder, Karl steels himself with as deep a breath in as he can manage. And then he goes inside.

-

George and Foolish were immune to the Egg until XD's death. They were blessed. Karl was not. Karl was still basically human. He's always been human despite his best attempts to convince people otherwise. He's not like George the faerie or Sapnap the half-demon or Foolish the totem god or Quackity the avian. He's just a funny little man, and that's a fact.

Foolish threw Karl face-first into a soul campfire when they stumbled across each other right after the chaos started. Foolish was still immune at the time; Karl never was. The fire worked, thank god, and Karl knows that it worked because the thickness that he hadn't noticed in his brain and lungs had screamed itself into oblivion upon his body hitting the flames.

When Karl gets back to the bunker, he's gonna have to detox again. It hurts, but it's worth it. He doesn't wanna risk anything, not when it comes to his friends. If he gets infected, he hopes that he won't be able to even make it back home. He hopes that he'll have enough of himself left in his body to throw his body off the nearest cliff and destroy the spores before they can set hold properly.

That, at least, he hopes he can do.

-

Somehow, most of Karl's pantry managed to survive the destruction of El Rapids. The beans aren't even expired yet, hell yeah.

Avoiding the vines criss-crossing the floor, Karl swings the bag off of his shoulder and crouches on the floor in front of the pantry. He starts pulling cans out at random- beans, soup, corn, more beans. There are a few packs of ramen, heck yeah. Some instant mashed potatoes. Easy, quick meals for the time traveler on the go.

There's a crack from outside down the street, a crash like breaking glass, and then a scream almost simultaneously and a laugh.

Karl frankly, freaks. He freezes with his arm hovering in the air still holding a packet of mashed potatoes. His chest moves faintly with forcibly-silent breaths, eyes widening as he strains his ears to hear.

"What the fuck!" someone screeches, very offended, and Karl's heart stops. "Get off of me, asshole!"

"Mmmm, no, I'm good," the other person responds, very casual, and Karl's heart threatens to explode. Tears well up in his eyes; they sting.

Of course, a small part of Karl's brain says.

Of course, indeed, says the sun. It smiles, and Karl feels its brilliance burning into his brainstem.

"I hate you," Quackity says, because who else would be here? "Let go of me before I, uhhhh..."

"Yeah, no, go on," Sapnap teases, because who else would be with him?

"I'll... never forgive you. I'll divorce you."

"We aren't married, idiot."

Karl's chest hurts, and not from the lack of oxygen.

What a shame, the sun says, and Karl can't help but agree.

There's a palpable pause as Sapnap takes Quackity's words in, and then a quiet, "Please don't say that again."

"Say what, that we aren't married? We aren't."

"Just don't say that."

Karl's arm is starting to shake with the strain of being held up for so long. Slowly, so slowly, he starts to lower it. He runs over escape routes in his head, and he quickly realizes that there's two ways out. One is the front door, where Quackity and Sapnap are. The other is the back door, which Karl knows from an earlier inspection is filled with rocks and vines. It's almost like it's been bricked up on purpose, a real Cask of Amontillado situation here, and Karl is starting to think that maybe he shouldn't have come out alone. He's starting to think that.

Quackity sighs, "Whatever."

"Don't 'whatever' me," Sapnap huffs. Karl hears a quiet squeal as, he assumes, Quackity gets scooped up into the killer-tight embrace that Karl himself had felt when the end of the world began. "Wow, you're light."

"Put me down, I swear to the Egg-"

"You're cute when you're threatening me."

"Fuck you, I'm always cute. Fuck you."

They start bickering, slowly making their ways down the street. They're a couple of houses away from Karl, okay, that's enough time for him to try and get out the back. He can even break a window if he has to. He can grab a bucket and clutch if he has to jump. Easy. He's got this.

Using his thumb to try and muffle the sound of his bag's zipper, Karl shuts his bag and slings it onto his back, using both straps this time so he doesn't lose anything.

Good idea, says the sun.

"Thank you," Karl replies, voice barely above a whisper. It hurts to talk, and it leaves his head full of cotton. He has to steady himself against a vineless patch of wall to keep himself from toppling over. Okaaaay, no more talking, okay.

Good idea, the sun repeats. How kind of it.

The air is sour as Karl picks his way across his old house and to the back door. He wipes his lips with the back of his hand, a grimace firmly set upon his face. Ugh, tastes bad. Ew. Ew. The bunker air might be stale, but at least it isn't gross. God, he misses Kinoko. The air there was crisp and clear like a snowdrop, not anything even remotely like this. Stupid plants.

Karl trips over a chair leg and almost faceplants right into an Egg bulb. He stares at it, unbreathing. Stupid plants.

Quackity and Sapnap knock against something outside and both simultaneously burst into giggles. Karl burns. Under any other circumstances, he could run out and join them. He could pretend it's just like how it used to be years ago when they all still liked each other. Like they hadn't been torn apart, like Karl wasn't broken by XD, like Sapnap wasn't broken by the world, like Quackity wasn't broken by himself. Like the world wasn't ending. Like the world hadn't already ended.

But Karl can't do that. Before the outbreak, he and Sapnap hadn't talked to each other for months. He and Quackity hadn't spoken to each other in years. Only recently after the end living with George has Karl started remembering that he and Quackity were even engaged to begin with, only after XD's death.

Asshole, Karl thinks, and he can't tell who he's thinking about.

He pushes himself back to his feet and stumbles to the back door's vine-filled entrance. It's horrible. Terrible. Impossible to break through. He'd need a pick to get through the rocks normally, but maybe, he thinks. Maybe if he gets rid of the vines, then the rocks will all come tumbling down. They might be holding the rocks up like a net.

Karl glances over his shoulder. No fiances. Okay. He can do this.

He turns back to the doorway, and he pulls the sword off of his back. Its enchantments glow dully in the dim red light.

Holding the hilt with both hands, Karl looks the vines up and down looking for a weak point. He raises his arms, and-

"Oh my- Karl?"

-

Technically speaking, Kinoko Kingdom is the last stand against the Egg's powers. The Syndicate all cut ties with the server and left, from what Karl can tell. There's been no sign of Philza or Technoblade, or Ranboo (RIP). He hopes that's where Niki went, too.

Kinoko Kingdom is all that's left. Just Karl and George and Foolish. That's it.

The former OG Eggpire was the first group, as would be expected. From there, Sapnap was infected because he was with Bad, and then he turned Tina, who he had run into in the Nether. Sapnap is a terror to deal with when he doesn't have a purpose in his life; give him one, and he's a nightmare. Karl had barely gotten away intact the first time. He doesn't think he'll be half as lucky the next.

The rest of the SMP went down pretty quickly. They all either converted or died. Karl and Foolish were trying to get to the Snowchester Nether portal when Jack died. So now the Egg has nukes, which is great.

Las Nevadas was last. Karl couldn't save Quackity this time. At least he went willingly, from what Foolish said. He asked for it.

Sapnap did it. Karl doesn't know if he would want that or not. At least it would be a pleasant death.

-

Karl spins around wide-eyed and panicked. He points the sword right at Sapnap and Quackity, arms and legs shaking. Oh, George and Foolish are gonna kill him.

Sapnap and Quackity are next to each other in the kitchen just a few feet away. Sapnap has his arm out to the side as if he's protecting Quackity, and Quackity has both of his hands balled into fists by his side as he takes Karl in, and they both look shocked as Karl swallows a scream and backs up as much as he can without bumping into a vine.

"Don't come near me," Karl rasps, wincing as his throat tears. Ow, fuck.

Sapnap looks the same as he did when Karl saw him last. Cute little horns curling out of his head like miniature versions of his father's, tail twitching excitedly behind him; it reaches out and curls around one of Quackity's wrists, sickeningly sweet.

As a smile slowly crosses Sapnap's face, Karl can see the fangs. They're terrifying. Hot.

"It's really you," Sapnap says, voice tight with emotion. Despite his smile, his eyes are welling with tears; Karl has to fight the urge to run up and wipe them away. "Karl, you're here! You're really here!"

His body twitches like he's forcing himself to stay still and not run across the room and pull Karl into a hug that Karl knows he would never wake up from. Thank god for it. Karl doesn't want to die today.

Sapnap looks over at Quackity, eyes glittering. "I told you he'd be here, I told you!"

Quackity looks unimpressed. The billboards all show him smiling with sharp golden teeth, but, in the flesh, he looks almost bored.

Dressed in formal reds and blacks with a cigarette still sticking out of his lips, he looks like he just left his casino. Just now.

He did, the sun says. Just a few minutes ago.

Karl looks up at the ceiling, eyebrows furrowing. How does it know that?

"Yeah," Quackity eventually says, "he is. You were right."

"I'm always right. You just need to trust me more."

"I always trust you," Quackity responds, and Karl knows he means it. It's in the way his eyes soften as he looks at Sapnap, the corners of his mouth twitching as if he wants to smile but can't bring himself to. "Sometimes I don't believe you, that's all."

Karl's comm buzzes. It's George, he knows it's George, he's woken up, and he wants to know where Karl is. Karl has been gone for too long. The sun is setting- when did it get this late? The light coming in through the vine-crowded kitchen window is redder than it was before, the shadows on the floor just slightly longer.

"Go away," Karl demands. His voice is hoarse, barely above a whisper, and the act of talking is hard enough that his knees buckle beneath him. He staggers forward, barely catching himself before he falls.

At Sapnap's attempted concerned rush forward, Karl snarls and brings the sword back up between him. Sapnap backs up with both hands raised, eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

"What's wrong?" Sapnap asks.

Quackity rolls his eyes. At least he knows how stupid of a question that is.

For his part, Karl looks down at Sapnap like he's stupid. He isn't stupid, is the thing, he's just... wrong. He's confused.

You're confused, the sun comments.

"You can say that again," Karl agrees.

Sapnap blinks. Then, he says, not unamusedly, "What's wrong?"

Quackity sighs and pulls the cigarette from his lips, blows out a bright pink smoke cloud in the shape of a ring.

"Dude, come on, he's obviously freaked out. We're with the Egg, remember? He isn't."

Karl nods. "Yeah. You're..."

He flounders for words before coming up with, "...weird."

Sapnap shrugs, unconcerned. He drops his hands, slipping them into his pockets. "You're weird."

"I'm not."

"No, you are. Like- he's weird, right, Q?"

Sapnap looks to Quackity, who nods sagely.

"Super weird," Quackity says, slipping the cigarette back into his mouth. "You know, you and the other two are the last ones left. Kinda shitty of you to do that, you know."

Karl blinks. His head is starting to hurt. "What do you mean, it's shitty of me? I'm not the one brainwashing and killing people."

"No," Quackity agrees, "but you are the ones sneaking around like rats pretending you're special. You aren't special, you know."

Sapnap nods in agreement. "Yeah. You're just weird."

Super weird, the sun agrees.

Karl looks at the sun and sticks his tongue out at it. Out of the corner of his eye, he can see Sapnap and Quackity exchange a look that he can't quite decipher.

"I'm not weird," Karl argues, "You're weird. Get out of my head, weirdo."

"What, is the sun talking to you now?" Sapnap taunts. His tail flicks behind him. "That's pretty weird, not gonna lie..."

"It's not-"

"Ew, imagine the sun talking to you," Quackity teases. "Couldn't be me. At least the thing in my head is cool."

"It isn't cool!" Karl snaps. "It's evil!"

Quackity shrugs. "And? It's also the best relationship counselor I've ever had."

...what?

Sapnap beams, reaching over to take Quackity's hand in his. He holds it up proudly. Right there, right on his finger, engagement rings, shinier than the day he made them. Quackity's match exactly.

Karl's do not.

"Yeah!" Sapnap cheerfully says. "We're getting married tomorrow. Isn't that fun?"

He wiggles his eyebrows at Karl, who flounders to come up with a response. They're what?

They're getting married, says the sun. Tomorrow. Las Nevadas wedding chapel.

"I can't believe you didn't know," Sapnap sniffs, fake, exaggerated tears. "What kind of fiance are you?"

"I mean. I-" Karl stammers. "I'm not getting married tomorrow. I don't talk to you guys. How was I supposed to know?"

"I mean... you could," Quackity says. He takes his cigarette out with his free hand and, with that same hand, he taps his chin as if in thought. "We wouldn't have to change too much..."

Karl can imagine it now, walking down the aisle with both Sapnap and Quackity waiting for him at the altar. Bad is officiating, as is one of his duties as the Egg's favorite disciple. Karl is wearing a suit that matches both Sapnap's and Quackity's, purple to their red and blue. The rings on his finger match theirs, and so does his smile when he reaches them and they take one of his hands each to hold.

"Is that what you want?" Quackity asks, tearing Karl from his thoughts. "I can make that happen."

"Is what what I want?" Karl asks. He shakes his head as Quackity makes to answer, backing up even further. His back presses against a vine, and it squishes into his hoodie unpleasantly. Damp. "No, I don't want that. I want to- I want to go. Let me go."

Sapnap snorts. "Uh, no? We just got you, dude. You can't leave us like this."

Karl's heart stops. Or, rather, he feels it start again, having already been stopped for as long as he can remember.

"We literally just got you back," Quackity says. His eyes aren't as red as Sapnap's are, but his teeth are, in fact, gold when he smiles. Karl wants to taste them. "Besides, I don't think your friends will want you back after this. I mean... y'know..."

His free hand mimes a gas mask across the face.

Shakily, Karl raises a hand to his own mouth and presses his fingers against his lips with no barrier to stop him. When did he take it off?

There are those memory problems again, the Egg says. I can fix that for you, easy.

Karl shakes his head, looking from Sapnap to Quackity to the window in the kitchen.

The sun isn't setting, he realizes. He looks at his comm. One in the afternoon. He's only been gone an hour.

He catches his reflection in a broken glass cabinet door.

Karl drops his sword, and his legs give out beneath him as he takes in his last breath.

Sapnap swoops in to catch him before he hits the floor, pulling him against his chest and smiling a kiss into the crown of his head. Karl can feel Quackity sidle up behind him, arms loosely slinging over his shoulders.

"Oh," Karl lightly comments. "Okay. I get it now."

"Took you long enough," Sapnap laughs. "Even I caught on quicker than that."

Karl laughs, slight and scared, though he's starting to wonder why he should be.

It's not like he needs to breathe, anyway.

[lonelylonelyghost]

Exhuma - spirits, foxes and weird coffins

a.k.a always trust your guts if you're working with demons

A geomancer, a mortician and a pair of shamans are tasked to relocate a suspiciously located grave, and as often as these movies go, things go sideways.

One of the reasons why I decided to watch it was a supernatural element. And I'm happy to announce that they delivered on that front fully. It's moody and foggy; spirits, old secrets and the dense, dark forest weigh on you even through the screen.

(also it's not very dark in a metaphorical sense, so if you're only moderately squeamish about gore on screen, then you'll be fine)

I know almost nothing about Korean shamanic practices apart from what I see in movies and kdramas, but goddamn this movie piqued my curiosity. It is scary but so, so fascinating. I wouldn't want to mess with this kind of thing irl, but if someone has any research articles or some other online resources, please let me know 🙏

(Why is horse blood is used for cleansing? Can any horse be used for that? Or only a special kind?)

I know slightly (but only very slightly) more about burial rituals and afterlife folklore, as it can be sort of considered my special interests.

When I find a cemetery and have some free time, I usually walk around and try to find the oldest grave. But none that I found could be traced back earlier than to the end of 19th century (unless there's an important figure buried). And since I'd noticed it, I've been plagued with a question - what happens to the graves that were standing there before? Especially if the cemetery is old, and people have been definitely dying for longer than 150 years.

Where do the old bones go?

There are different answers depending on the culture/religion/region/political climate, but here they touch a bit on one of them, which I found fascinating.

The other reason why I decided to check this movie out is very superficial but welp, what can I do...

I may be ace, but I still have eyes, OK?

Now spoilers for the ending!!

*************************************************************

For those of you who are anxious little beans like me and worried about the characters surviving throughout the whole ordeal (because Korean movies tend to be depressing as hell), I'm happy to tell y'all that they are all alive and (relatively) well at the end!

There was even one very funny moment at the end, when one of the characters is severely wounded and preparing to die. His inner monologue is all "ash to ashes, dust to dust, I'm ready to peacefully go to another plane, that's how it's all supposed to be, oh wait, I have my daughter's wedding to attend, woops". And then he just like, doesn't die. That was awesome.

I also liked how even though they defeated the evil spirit, the gang is still left traumatized. Because all of them are experienced masters in their own craft, but the world of supernatural is absolutely terrifying. And all of them are only humans, with human minds and human emotions, walking a very thin line between our world and the hidden one.

[thorsefni]

here's a little write - up of important thorfinn tidbits & events, that i especially find major for my characterization, for anyone who may be interested in plotting soon or who may like future starter calls [ if you're unfamiliar with the story in any capacity ] !

thorfinn, born in 996, is the youngest child of the great jomsviking commander & warrior, thors snorresson [ "troll of jom" ]. his father faked his death & migrated to iceland for a better, calmer life. there he & thorfinn's mother, helga, gave birth to him.

at the age of six it's revealed that thors' former allies learned he was still alive & approached him, stating they will being out to war & he is to join them. thorfinn, being the most skilled in the village, wanted to join his father at battle, telling thors he's fit to fight because of his natural skill eyed by the other men around him. although being told no, thorfinn sneaks onto the ship anyway.

whilst at sea, a danish commander, askeladd takes thors' life in front of thorfinn's eyes. it's then thorfinn sets his mission that for as long as he breathes he will behead askeladd & avenge his father's death. this is the entirety of thorfinn's boyhood, nearly an entire decade with just the intent to murder, nothing but blood on his hands, on his face, in his mouth, & on his blades.

to do this thorfinn essentially lives with askeladd & his band, waiting at askeladd's hand & foot off & on battle. [ this basically entails thorfinn doing askeladd's dirty work; beheading men, stealing jewels, setting villages aflame, being overall mischievous & troublesome. he becomes numb to this ritual, the pain absolutely nothing to him ]; this is because he always let's thorfinn know that for any task he achieves, he will have the chance to duel with him, which is thorfinn's ultimate goal, at the end of the day. [ * it's kind of fun to note here that thorfinn is canonically very short. around five foot one / five foot two. so imagine you see this little boy on the field, around sixteen - eighteen, with death in his eyes killing grown men with ease. terrifying ]

during these many tasks of receiving riches, losing duels against askeladd, missing his father, & beheading literal commanders of rival teams; thorfinn is asked to watch over a meek, mute prince again his will [ prince, later king, canute; ruler of denmark & england ]. this is all askeladd's doing that has major consequences at the end but i'm not writing thorfinn at that time so it doesn't matter for this blog, not right now <3

random important personality points: thorfinn is extremely hot - headed & rude. childhood aside, he has raised himself & hasn't had any positive figures in his life since his father. this is a boy who taught himself to fight & can kill animals with ease in order to survive.

thorfinn can be selective when he speaks. not mute like canute, but selfish when it comes to his voice. but when he speaks, he speaks.

he's canonically extremely fast. it's one of the first thing people notice about him when he fights. he knows how to angle his body to take less hits &, again in canon, has taken up to 100 punches & was still standing, bruised & bloody, because he's a true warrior.

his family, & everyone in the village, those who remember him, all think he's dead. the last time they saw him was before his father was set to war when he was six. they had no idea he snuck onto the boat with him. in many aus & modern interpretations i have him set as an orphan.

HEADCANON: he's really just a troubled, traumatized baby, tbfh. there's an entire scene where he loses a duel to askeladd & he's so disappointed in himself he becomes a sulking mess. instead of joining dinner with everyone else he sits on his father's ship, in the snow, wrapped in a blanket, seeing astral projection - like images of him & his father when he was a child. his walls are up extremely high & i bet he wishes he could talk to someone about all of this without having to be in fight mode 24/7. just look at him:

[downtherabbotholewego]

Today you came to mind. I was watching this YouTube video called "Strangers Confess their Love through Love Letters". I thought of who I secretly love or loved that I wish i I could tell them now, and you kept coming back to mind, only you.

I've become very forward with my feelings, I don't regret not telling people I love them.... I may have to think to wish point I should confess my love but I don't think of anyone.... But you....

I am a contradiction, I am honest and forward with my feelings but also at the same time my heart is guarded. The deeper parts of it af least.

Even though I offer love in abundance, I don't allow myself to feel it romantically. And I think that died the day I found out you had died. So much happened after that broke my heart to million pieces and even though I kept pushing and forcing romantic feelings forward I kept not feeling them.

I am still unsure what was I feeling instead. But I was able to detach from those feelings so I know that it wasn't romantic love.... I really am not sure where to describe those cause they are so close to romantic love but not quite.

I feel deeply, but I think that the last person I was IN LOVE with, whom I never told the depths of it, was you.

I was stupidly waiting for you to come to Canada so I could tell you in person.

I wish you had come here instead of Spain. I wish I could have spend time with you, to have been able to spend hours together. I wish and I wish and I wish.

I have to stop myself from wishing with you, because then I enter in this never-ending loophole, I go deep down the rabbit hole with you. I lose myself. Is addictive. Is unbearable.

To think all that could have been but never was, and then to see in replay how your death could have happened....

And that writing, what you wrote on your blog.... I know you were describing your death. I know it because I've been close to it, I know how it feels when the mind starts to fade away.

I miss you, terribly.

I wish I could be with you, and I think this is why my suicidal ideations were so strong. I knew I would see you again... Or maybe not. I had to pull myself away from falling off that cliff inside my head.

Because I promised you, I promised you I would honor you through my life. I would honor you believing in me, I would honor all those hours we spent together online,where you were there for me, loving me, accepting me, believing in me, encouraging me.

I have searched for what you offered in many arms... Alas, I haven't found it yet. People deplete of it quickly, like it has a limit,an end, not like you, that you always offered that safe space, that you always offered freely and lovingly and unconditionally. You were my northern star, my compass, my motivator.... My muse.

I miss you deeply.

I think when I go back to the YouTube video, I think I would write to you, but would be so long of a writing. As I said, is addictive talking to you even after death. I could spend centuries just writing to you.

I miss your mind, I miss your voice, your laugh, your passion

My heart died the day you died. I am certain of it. I haven't allowed myself to love the way I love you. Cause I still to this day, just like the first time I felt love for you, and how it grew. I still feel it so deeply.

One day tho, I have to allow myself to love someone alive, some day I have to allow myself to love the living.

I am so terrified to have my heart shattered into million pieces again. Or, like it happened with you, it didn't shattered, it was swallowed by a giant black hole and I almost lost my own life in it.

But today I realized that.... I haven't allowed myself to love as deeply as I have you for fear of a broken heart.

Let the healing process begin. I know you would want this for me and I can hear you urging me to shine, to love, to live.... We were both the same type of Polyamorous, I know you want me to love passionately and deeply.

I just don't know how to in such a transactional and shallow world.... I don't know how to on a world of practicality and convenience.

I wish I could find love like our again: unconditional, pure, without expectations, simply mutual and deep and pure.

Vyktor... MyLord.... Sheratan to Alzirr... Please know.... I love you. I am still very much in love with you..... I wish I could have been brave enough to tell you back then... But I am brave now... For anyone to see...

Until we meet again,

Your Moon Rose🌹

[pink-koi-lovejoy]

Late Thing (was on hiatus when this one was poster)

Character Name: Koi Lovejoy

Age: 16

What they usually smell like: „Hm…Well, Piper says I have a constant faint smell of rain?”

A smell they associate with their childhood: „That one’s easy! My ‘pa always made us these little fancy pastries. The smell of baking bread and strawberry jam imported from camp Halfblood’s farms brings me back.”

Their go-to drink:

„Shirley Temple. Or half sprite, half lemonade, flavored lemonade optional!”

Do they alter their clothes (Cutting/sewing/anything): „Heh… I embroider. I’m not that good, but my friend over in Athena Cabin taught me! I like to make little cats and mushrooms in the pockets of things.”

How they sleep:

„Um… I prefer it cold, and I sleep decently? I have to be clinging to something. Usually it’s a body pillow (WITHOUT A COVER), but I’ve had a few sleep overs where I’ll cling platonically to friends or siblings. Leo, Nico, and Will get it the most.”

The weirdest dream they've had: *shiver* „One time, I had a dream where me, Piper, Meg, and Percy were on a mission to save an anime boy from being boiled alive by the coconut guys from Moana in a yacht…” (Ooc- this actually happened. Said anime character is Mitsuba from TBHK. It was a really weird dream.)

Do they wear designer brands (which ones?): „Not usually! I wear whatever. My style changes often, so I have a bit of everything. I wouldn’t be surprised if I have one or two designer items in my closet handed down from my half (fourth?) siblings in Aphrodite Cabin, though!”

How often do they shower: „Every night? With a few exceptions? Isn’t that… normal?”

How many steps are in their skincare routine: *muttering under breath*„Seven, eight, nine…ten…” *cough* „Too many.”

What they are afraid of: „I hate heights. Roller coasters are okay, but like climbing and stuff… ugh. I also am utterly terrified of being forgotten. Like, alone time is great. But I want to be able to scream and someone will hear me. I would just die if I was the last one alive in the apocalypse.”

Are they a germophobe: „Nah. I catch bugs in my free time.”

Which parent are they closest to and why: „I’m close to both of my dads equally! But on the godly side, I’m closer to Apollo than I am to Aphrodite. Probably because he visits as Lester, and makes sure to give me equal attention to his other kids, even though he’s technically my grandpa. Wait…does that mean Will and the others are my step aunts and uncles- never mind.”

Their favorite food and why they like it: „While my ‘pa’s baked goods can’t be beat in my mind, my favorite ‘actual’ food would be hotdogs. Simple, tasty, and microwaveable.”

Any accessories they wear with special meanings: „Yes. I have matching things with everyone I’m close with! I have woven bracelets I made, one that matches with each of the following: Will, Lester, Several campers from Athena, Iris, and Hermes cabin, and Grover! I have matching anklets with Nico (he didn’t want anyone to see him wear anything sappy and friendly like that, so we made it something easily hidden) (I also made them), and I have decorative rings from my dads! A snake one and one with a small star.”

Something they would never tell anyone:

„…I still bring a small stuffed animal with me everywhere.”

Something they wish everyone knew about them: „I love to talk! To anyone! Sure, it may look like I’m scared to talk to anyone other than my friend group, but I really want people to talk to me first. I’m just bad at starting conversations.”

If deified (made a god), what would their domain be: „My domain? I dunno, god of Autistic Traits That People Who Aren’t Autistic Have? I’m just kidding, I’d probably be a patreon god of homosexuality, my main domain being small, still bodies of water (like small, natural ponds at the end of the creeks you find in those Pinterest looking woods.)”

Are they sure of their sexuality or questioning: „I’m 100% sure! I know it may change, but for now I am confident that I’m Pan! And I’m not 100% sure on polyamory…I’m not opposed to it, but I’ve never tried it.”

Their favorite genre for movies: „I’m a sucker for comedy like Monty Python and the Holy Grail, along with cheesy rom-coms.”

A unique and somewhat unusual power or ability they have: „I can change the color of the light I manipulate. Not drastically, but like, I can make it orangey or pinkish like the beams you’d get from a sunset.”

Short answer questions:

If there is a spider in the house, what do they do? „Pick it up. With my bare hands if it’s something like a carpenter spider (daddy long legs), with a cup and paper if it can bite (even if it isn’t poisonous).”

When they like someone, how do they show it (romantic or platonic)? „Once someone gets me comfortable being their friend, I am VERY affectionate! PDA all the time (unless they say they’re uncomfortable!), even if it’s just a small touch or something. I’ll sit with my leg up against theirs, I’d give them a kiss on the forehead if they aren’t feeling well, etc. Romantically, I don’t know, I haven’t been in a serious relationship in a while. I do the same stuff, but more… directly? Kisses, increased separation anxiety (not in a pressuring way).”

If they woke up as the opposite gender, what would they do first? „Go back. I already did this once, gods above. I’m. Not. A. Girl. DEAL WITH IT WORLD.” Me talking to Koi: „Wait. When they say gender, I think they’re referring to sex.” Koi: „Like, what’s in your pants? Oh… I’d be happy! Gender isn’t something you can really be. I’d be happy to have a free transition!”

Uuuuuuuusers!!!! IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER WEDNESDAY ACTIVITY!!!

Today's post is not an ask meme!! It is a small project for every user!!! Copy and paste this list and fill it out to tell us more about your characters!!! Be as broad or specific as you like!!

credits to @boy-of-the-flowers, @likeapriceless-wine, @cerberusfavorite and @sweetxloverxx for helping make the list.

𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲-𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞

Character Name:

Age:

What they usually smell like:

A smell they associate with their childhood:

Their go-to drink:

Do they alter their clothes (Cutting/sewing/anything):

How they sleep:

The weirdest dream they've had:

Do they wear designer brands (which ones?):

How often do they shower:

How many steps are in their skincare routine:

What they are afraid of:

Are they a germophobe:

Which parent are they closest to and why:

Their favorite food and why they like it:

Any accessories they wear with special meanings:

Something they would never tell anyone:

Something they wish everyone knew about them:

If deified (made a god), what would their domain be:

Are they sure of their sexuality or questioning:

Their favorite genre for movies:

A unique and somewhat unusual power or ability they have:

Short answer questions:

If there is a spider in the house, what do they do?

When they like someone, how do they show it (romantic or platonic)?

If they woke up as the opposite gender, what would they do first?

Let us know if we should make a part 2!!!

[tay452]

Noddy Shop Review aka Recap

Welcome readers, you may remember Noddy right? The little wooden doll who likes to nod his head a lot and drive his little car around Toytown, well, did you know that he used to have a show about a shop with his name on it? That’s right, the Noddy Shop. I’m going to be reviewing every 66 episodes of it through and see if I like it or not.

Let’s began with the very first episode called, “The Magic Key”.

We start with the opening theme and it’s pretty catchy, if I have to be honest. We get to see most of the puppets but we don’t learn their names yet, I feel like this song is gonna be stuck in my head for a while isn’t it?…. yep.. yep it is.. 🎵Here at the Noddy Shop!🎵.

We see the puppets again but this time we hear an old man narrating, he introduces himself as Noah Tomten who is in charge of the Noddy Shop. So apparently the toys come alive on their own and we get to know some of the toys names, the turtle tank is Sherman while the toy clown is Rusty. The flamingo is Bonita who kinda reminds me of Carmen Miranda. Then there’s Johnny Crawfish who tells some REALLY bad jokes, he’s like Fozzie Bear execpt he’s a lobster puppet thing.

My favorite character from this series so far is the dog, I don’t know his name yet but I’m in love with him.

Look at how cute he is! He’s adorable! He’s just a smoll robot dog, still so cute!

Then we’re introduced to the kids, there’s Kate who explains what the noddy shop is to her new friend DJ. It’s actually Notions, Oddities, Doodas, Delights of Yesterday. Yikes, try and say that three times fast!

And of course, there’s always got to be a much younger kid, this is Truman, Kate’s younger brother. So apparently the toys only come alive when no one is looking, just like any living toy show or movie scenario. It turns out that Noah is Kate and Truman’s grandpa, kind of a twist there ain’t it?

Truman grabs the robot dog which is called Planet Pup and WHAT THE HELL HE’S ACTUALLY RESPONDING TO THE CHILD! Wait, so let me get this straight. The toys become inactive when people are around but they only come alive when Truman’s around??? Is Truman a wizard or something?!??

Anyway, everybody’s in Noah’s office and DJ wants Noah to show him the rest of the shop. But Noah has a deal of his own, he’ll show DJ the shop if he can tell him a story.. what kind of a deal is that? I mean why would you want everyone to tell you a story? You know what, I don’t even wanna know.

Dj and Kate are exploring a storage room and finds a box with a lock in it, oh gee, I wonder what’s in there :| Kate finds a key and, how long has that been here? What is Noah stashing in that box? He probably has some pictures in there of when he was young or something.

Oh.. they’re not pictures… So Noah has a habit of collecting weird dolls?…. Okay?.. The reason why these dolls look so weird is because they’re goblin dolls, I swear they look like those little mini dolls I use to collect. Does that make me Noah?.. Oh god..

DJ still has to make up a story for Noah, so they leave the storage room. But before they leave, Kate puts the dolls down on the floor instead of putting them back in the box. And why would she do this? Does she really think that putting them on the floor was a good idea? I mean, it’s fine. It’s not like those goblin dolls are gonna go anywhere right?

………………. Perhaps I spoke too soon…

We get this catchy number called “The Day The Goblins Got Away”. The toys are freaking out over the goblins being loose in the store, but they do not see them being chased by Planet Pup? Not gonna lie this actually looks pretty terrifying.

Like picture this, a family is just starting to know their way around their unrecognized surroundings and they immediately get chased down by a gigantic robot dog, the dad even gets dragged away by Truman while the mom and the son stayed hiding in a mouse hole while literally reaching their arms out for him.

Dear GOD.

The goblins eventually made their way to an old abandoned doll house which they immediately move into.

They’re literally trashing their house the moment they got there.

We’re introduced to Agatha, who is Noah’s younger sister. She works at a hat shop selling, well.. hats! It turns her store is literally right next to the Noddy Shop, so she can come visit the kids anytime! But if you going to be visiting the shop every day, then who’s going to be watching your shop?

The mom goblin and dad goblin are on the prowl for pranks and they found their first victim, Agatha.

They dumped a whole bottle of glue on Agatha’s hat and well, we all know how this is gonna turn out. Also, how did they make the glue bottle look so huge? That’s pretty cool.

Agatha puts on her hat and she immediately cannot take it off, she tells the kids that she’s going to the ocean to wash the glue off. Again, if you’re gone, then who’s watching your shop?

Kate and DJ yet discovers another box, maybe this one has elf dolls in it, and they might be the complete opposite of the goblins. Like instead of playing tricks, they help people.

Damn it! I was wrong, well, I was kinda right. It was a box full of Noddy dolls including Big Ears who IS an elf.

Kate then tells a Noddy story where Noddy’s car bumper becomes loose and Mr. Sparks can’t fix it because he can’t find his tool box. How did you even loose a tool box? Did you forget to pick up your tool box as you started walking back to your workshop or something?

Meanwhile, the rest of the toys are heading out to the seaside to cool down, Clockwork Mouse is jumping around and literally cannot stop.

He looks like he’s been doing some drugs, it can’t be me right?

Anyway, Clockwork Mouse reveals that he’s got a new key from the goblins, so does the goblin family exist in the Noddy world or..? Turns out this key is magical, which explains why he’s been jumps lately and- W A I T

THATS THE SAME KEY! WHAT?!??

Noddy and Big Ears are having a picnic, and surprise, surprise, they found Mr. Spark’s tool box. How did that even get there?

I just learned that this magic key can literally open any box, as long as it has a lock on it then your good.

We cut back to Kate, DJ and oh yeah, Truman’s here in case you didn’t know.

Noah returns, saying that he has found the cellar for his machine thing and DJ finally has the courage to tell the rest of the Noddy story.

Noddy and Big Ears gives Mr. Sparks his tool box back (He probably lost it on purpose). Noddy turns his car on with the magic key and O H M Y G O D ITS GOING TURBO SPEED

SPEED DEMON

They crashed into a tree and finds Clockwork Mouse’s old key who has been stolen by the goblins, probably the mom and the dad.

The toys come back from the beach and Noddy declares that everyone will have lunch at his place, what a nice guy.

Noah liked the story and finally shows the kids around the shop, we get this cool banger called “A What If World” God, this is gonna be stuck in my head even more then that theme song!

We get back to the goblins and, OH! The boy goblin talks in English! So the parents speak gibberish while their son speaks coherent English, that’s certainly interesting.

Agatha’s back and her hat is ripped from the glue, shouldn’t she go to a hospital or something cause the glue was in her hair also.

Everyone decides to go on a picnic just like in the story and that’s when the episode ends.

Overall Ratings:

Episode: 7/10

It was a little interesting, we got to see everyone, well, except for that weasel puppet who appeared in the theme song? Where was he? Did he not exist yet? The characters were great, especially the puppets and my favorite Planet Pup. Also, I noticed that the goblins were technically using a green screen background since you don’t really see any green on them. The songs were great and so was the story, not too bad for a pilot episode let me just say that.

Message: 4/10

I mean there wasn’t really a message here, except that you don’t know what you can do unless you try. This example goes to Dj who believes that he’s not good at making stories but almost at the end of the episode, he’s able to tell a great Noddy story.

Songs: 9/10

The songs were really catchy, some of them even made me bop my head with beat especially "The Day The Goblins Got Away".

Thank you for reading this, hope to see you all in the next episode of The Noddy Shop.

[ayeathelas]

[Chapter 4: The Warlord and the Tollmaster] Lost - One Piece and Naruto Crossover

(UPDATED: 04/05/23)

This is a story about a tollmaster.

He gets up every morning, checks on his daughter— good, she's sleeping and still tucked in, nice and warm— and makes himself breakfast, which consists of two baked fish, both on the smaller side, with two slices of bread. Then he grabs his gun, hooks it to his belt, and walks to the docks, which are really only about a few hundred feet from his small home. He sits on a barrel and stares at the sea, waiting for visitors to arrive, and thinks of how to make this more enjoyable for himself (because, there was no way he was enjoying this).

There wasn't always a need for a tollmaster. Before, he was just a humble fisherman. But the Warlord came and so the farmers turn to slaves, merchants turn to traders, and the fisherman becomes a tollmaster, hoping that the money he makes from his forced job is enough to appease his master and keep his daughter alive.

This is a story about a Warlord.

He arrives by boat (a freighter, really— the gigantic metal ship he uses for his mode of transportation is no mere boat) and disembarks surrounded by his loyal soldiers, who are oddly sweaty and don't dare look him in the eye. The first thing he does each time is visit the tollmaster, to collect the tolls and taxes due to him.

There have always been warlords. And this one is no different— seizing land for the sake of power, subjugating people for the sake of his convenience, using their money for his entertainment. After all, they only yet live to serve him.

Warlords and tollmasters may exist on the same plane, but they live in different worlds.

The green-haired man does not know this yet, nor does the man dressed in bandages, nor does the young boy who accompanies him. They only see their boat, sunken at the bottom of the sea, and the tollmaster playing his role to a T.

The Warlord steps off the ship's metal ramp and onto the docks. The whole ship shifts with his weight. With an arrogant smirk decorating his face, he approaches the tollmaster, who looks terrified out of his mind. His knees are still shaking from his encounter with two missing-nin, and he bows his head quickly when the large man arrives in front of him.

"Welcome, Lord Kaizuko," he stammers, clasping his sweaty hands together.

"Where are my brothers?" the huge, imposing man demands. His voice echoes across the dock. "Tell me where they've gone."

The tollmaster shivers slightly, his shoulders tense, though he does his best not to show it. "I am sorry, my lord. They left of their own accord. They did not ask for anyone to guide them. All that I know is that they headed straight towards the Land of the Moon."

"Those fools... they think they can escape my wrath!" the large man snaps angrily. "Pino," he barks at the tollmaster, "I'll be having words with you. You weren't supposed to let them go!"

"I-I apologize, my lord." Pino trembles as he kneels, his head bowed in shame.

"And as for you," Kaizuko snarls, motioning to Zoro, Zabuza, and Haku. "State your business here!" he commands, pointing his thick finger at the three of them.

They all share a look between themselves before Haku begins speaking.

"We're just visiting and would like to request passage through your village. We have relatives that live in Oujisama City," he lies politely. "So, please allow us to pass without causing trouble. Our family is waiting for us in the capital."

Kaizuko pauses for a moment, thinking it over. A sly smile crosses his face as he replies. "Of course, we will not stand in your way. We welcome visitors here, in Haruki Village. I'm sure everyone will make you feel welcome. Pino!" he barks, "see to our guests." His eyes are full of double meaning.

"Y...yes sir," Pino mutters softly, rising from the ground with his head lowered.

The sound of the Warlord's boots hitting the pier echo in the still air as he makes his way away from the group, toward one of the many huts lining the dock.

The three men remain silent as the tollmaster motions for them to follow him. The people who had come to watch the spectacle disperse, and the three strangers follow him.

Once he's gotten inside his home and shut the door behind them, he takes a deep breath and then sighs heavily. "Please forgive me," he says.

"Forgive you?" Zabuza questions, grabbing his sword. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't slice you down right where you stand."

Pino pales, and out of the corner of his eye, Zoro sees a small girl walking in the hallway. She runs past Zabuza (whose sword is still in his hands) and launches herself into her father's arms.

"Daddy!" she exclaims, looking happily at the man and hugging him tightly.

Pino looks startled by her arrival and then smiles awkwardly at her. "Hello, my little one. How are you feeling today? Did you sleep well?"

"Yep. Who're they?"

Haku stares at Zabuza, who reluctantly puts his sword away.

The tollkeeper clears his throat nervously before replying. "These gentlemen are from Oujisama city. They are very important travelers here."

"Ohhhh." She looks back at the other two, studying them closely. "You look kinda scary. Is that real hair or are you just pretendin'?"

Zoro smirks as he reaches down, tugging on his green hair. "It's real," he says.

She giggles. "It's pretty."

"Thanks," he replies. "The name's Roronoa Zoro. These guys are Zabuza and Haku."

"I'm Rera!" she greets. "Do you want some lunch?"

They sit around the table, set with five plates that each have a portion of fish and rice. The fire is crackling in the fireplace, and though the tollmaster's house is small, it is not stuffy.

"So," Zoro begins, wiping his mouth, "What's up with that Kaizuko guy?"

"A warlord," the tollmaster mutters. "All I know is he shows up every month to collect taxes off us in exchange for our protection. If we don't meet the quota, we become fish bait, or worse— target practice."

"Taxes?" Haku inquires curiously. "Isn't that money supposed to go to the Daimyo?"

"Ah yes," Pino responds. "That's why he's such a bast—" he stops, glancing at his daughter, before correcting himself— "a terrible man, because most villagers never get any revenue whatsoever. So our tax money goes off to the Daimyo, and our living money goes off to the Warlord."

"He's such a bastard!" Rera parrots proudly, playing with her food.

"That's awful," Haku whispers, a look of appalled horror on his face.

"Yes, it's terrible," Pino agrees with a sigh. "Not much we can do about it."

"Why not?" Zoro asks. "Why don't you all fight back?"

"And what, risk our families and lives?" Pino asks incredulously. "It would be a massacre.”

"So you're just going to let it happen instead?"

"Listen, we're just trying to stay alive," the tollmaster mutters. He picks at his food sadly.

Zabuza and Haku are eating their fish, eyeing Pino and Zoro throughout the conversation like it's some kind of game to them. Rera is happily munching on her own portion, not paying attention to the conversation at hand.

Zoro leans back, debating whether or not he'll open his mouth and say what is on his mind.

"Listen up. I've got a tale to share," Zoro begins. "Back in the day, I sailed the seas as a feared bounty hunter."

Zabuza tenses up, mid-bite, and Haku draws out a senbon, poised to strike the swordsman if need be. Pino's gaze darts between the three of them.

"Didn't know a bounty was the price for a free meal," Zabuza mutters, a hint of apprehension in his voice.

"Relax, will ya? I'm not a bounty hunter anymore, that was in the past. Let me finish," Zoro continues. "I used to hunt pirates on the open waters— they called me 'Pirate Hunter' Zoro. Where I come from, Marines do the dirty work for the World Government, taking down pirates who are their enemies. Bounties were their way of putting a price on their heads. It was a good gig, really. I honed my skills, became stronger and the money was fair.

"At some point, I was approached by a brat with big dreams of becoming the Pirate King. His name's Luffy. I thought it was ridiculous, but something about him made me join his crew anyway."

"Pirate King?" Rera interrupts. "What's that?"

"Hmph. The definition of a Pirate King varies depending on who you ask. Some believe it's about power or wealth, and that they rule the seas. But my captain has a different idea. To him, being the Pirate King means being the freest person in the world. It's about chasing your own dreams and living without any restraints. That's what we strive for.

"Regardless, I've been sailing with Luffy's crew ever since. We've got a good crew, though there's always been something fishy about one of them. Nami's our navigator, but she's got a habit of picking pockets and insatiable greed for money. Turns out, there was a reason for that.

"Nami's past is a dark one. She grew up in a village that was taken over by a ruthless fishman pirate named Arlong. He killed her adoptive mother right in front of her eyes." Zoro pauses, his expression darkening. "Nami was forced to become Arlong's navigator, but she never gave up hope of freeing her village from his grasp. She made a deal with him to buy their freedom for 100 million berries. It was a lot of money but Nami was determined. She worked tirelessly, day and night, stealing from pirates and building up her savings until she could finally buy her village's freedom." He shakes his head, a mix of respect and sadness in his eyes. "It's a testament to her strength and determination that she was able to pull it off."

Zabuza scoffs. "Hmph, as if. Why would he spare them? That's not the way his kind operates."

Zoro nods. "Exactly. Arlong had no intention of freeing Nami or her village, not even after she had enough money to buy their lives back."

Pino shakes his head in sympathy, taking another sip of water.

Zoro continues. "Nami's village was in dire straits, with Arlong and his men tightening their grip on the people. It was clear that something needed to be done." His eyes glint with fierce determination. "Luffy wasn't going to stand by and let innocent people suffer. When Nami reached out to us for help, our whole crew rallied to her aid. We fought with all our might and took down Arlong, driving him and his men out of the village." He pauses, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Of course, the Marines didn't take too kindly to our interference. But we took care of them too."

"Your captain Luffy sounds like a true hero," Pino says, watching his daughter eat her lunch, "But getting rid of Kaizuko is impossible. There's no evidence of his crimes, and no one is willing to step up and help us. We're a small village, and even if we could afford it, we can't even hire shinobi to protect us." He sighs deeply.

Zoro shakes his head, narrowing his eyes. "Listen, we're not here to force you to do anything. But if you want to stand up against this Kaizuko and create a better future for your daughter and your village, you need to be willing to take action." He leans forward, his voice firm. "We've faced our fair share of tyrants and oppressors. We know what it takes to fight for what's right." Zoro pauses, his hand resting on his sword hilt. "So, if you're willing to fight, we'll stand with you."

Pino stands up from his seat at the table and lets out a sigh. "Thanks for the offer, but I'll keep it in mind," he responds.

Rera giggles. "What's your captain like?"

"Well, he's a rubber man, for one. He can stretch his limbs like crazy, and bullets just bounce off his skin!"

Such power! thinks Haku. Could this be learned?

"How's that possible?" Rera asks, with the curiosity only a child could have.

"He ate a devil fruit," Zoro shrugs.

As the small girl interrogates the pirate, Zabuza sits silently at his table, staring at Zoro.

Contrary to what you may expect, he doesn't actually trust the green-haired man. Zabuza isn't stupid. He's got the kid on his hands, and while Haku may be just a weapon, it's not one that he wants to see fall out of his use any time soon.

Zoro's an unknown, a missing variable. And there's something that's not right about this whole story. If his crew were here, the news would have spread around about it already. Maybe he was marooned, and he just doesn't want to talk about it.

Zoro's still relaxed, entertaining the questions the kids have been asking him as if there hasn't been a tense moment taking place at all.

He'll have to keep an eye out for that guy.

Haku manages to slip away that night. Pino's nice enough to let them stay at his small home, but Haku can't help but feel that there's more going on here than what meets the eye.

Earlier that day, following lunch, Pino had Rera take them on a little tour of the village, and they passed by a large home that Rera explained belonged to Kaizuko. So, Haku's going to do a bit of exploring and see where Kaizuko keeps all his money. Just for informational purposes, of course.

It's not difficult to sneak out. Zabuza, despite being the large, hulking figure he is, knows a thing or two about stealth (hello? Demon hidden in the mist?) and taught Haku (so he wouldn't hold him back, of course) how to stay out of sight and do a bit of snooping.

It's a skill that Haku has gotten much better at over the years.

Haku moves through the city with the fluid grace of shadows. He slips through narrow alleyways and darts behind carts and buildings, always moving with purpose and precision. The darkness cloaks him like a veil, rendering him almost invisible to any casual observer.

The streets are mostly empty, except for the occasional drunkard staggering out of the tavern. His steps are silent as he walks towards the large house, ducking behind a wall when he sees a soldier at the gate.

Haku slowly approaches, keeping low until he notices that the guard is passed out and snoozing, leaving the door wide open. Careful not to make a sound, Haku sneaks inside, moving cautiously through the open gap between the iron gate and the fence.

As he reaches the doorway into Kaizuko's home, he can hear loud laughter coming from inside the room. The source of the laughter belongs to Kaizuko himself. He is surrounded by a group of his closest advisors, all of them gathered around a low table. The air is thick with the scent of incense and the soft glow of lanterns casts flickering shadows across the room, and he holds up a bottle to his mouth, pouring its contents directly into it.

They are circling a round wooden table with many colored chips strewn across the surface. The man next to Kaizuko says something, and the warlord nods, the man in front of him pushing a pile of gold in his direction.

Haku slips closer, peering through the slats of the shoji screen doors. The warlord is laughing and joking with his companions, his normally shifty expression replaced by one of mirth and enjoyment. The sound of clinking coins fills the air as the game continues, the players throwing down their bets with increasing enthusiasm. Haku wonders if the heavy gold chains around their necks make it hard for them to breathe.

"You know what they say," one man chuckles. "Once a gambler, always a gambler."

Kaizuko chuckles. "Aye, but who would accuse a rich man of his wages? Now, come on now— don't tell me that you aren't itching to lose again? I'll raise the wager; these peasants have deep pockets!"

All of the men chuckle, sinking back into the heady atmosphere of liquor and gambling.

Haku presses his back against the wall as he hides. It seems these men are gambling away the money they took from taxing the poor. He eyes the mountains of ryo on the table, knowing they won’t last in their perfect piles for long before they will all go to waste. And then the men will tax the merchants and shipwrights and grocers and tollmasters, and they will begin this vicious cycle all over again.

Haku slips out of the house the way he came in and leaves without a trace.

Gambling. This is the Warlord's vice. And Haku hopes it will be his downfall.

[LOST masterlist]