#changed my mind I'm going to go ahead and put some of these here instead of hiding them away in discord for who knows how long

[inaris-mage-of-storms]

fWhip didn't want to be awake yet, not properly at least. He was quite comfortable where he was, lying on his stomach with the blanket only barely draped over him. He'd fallen asleep with it pulled up to his shoulders, but must have kicked it down to his waist some time in the warm Tumble Town night.

He could hear the chickens milling about outside, clucking quietly as they scratched around in the dirt looking for breakfast that hadn't yet been served. Sun filtered through the dusty window, warming his bare skin, hopefully not strong enough to add to the constellations of freckles that already blanketed him. All that was missing was the smell of strong coffee, but that would require disturbing his comfortable position.

"This is nice."

Jimmy's voice was husky with sleep. fWhip smiled, not opening his eyes, but moved his hand enough to let his fingers brush against Jimmy's. "It is," he murmured in agreement. "S'quiet. Peaceful."

"The view's not bad either."

The smirk was evident in Jimmy's voice even before fWhip peeked up at him to confirm. "Hmm...speak for yourself."

He snickered at Jimmy's offended oi!, and only laughed harder when a pillow connected with his face before getting his revenge via the ticklish spots along Jimmy's ribs. By the time the brief scuffle ended they were both breathless, laughing between each gasp for air. Jimmy grinned down at fWhip triumphantly, straddling his hips, hair glowing in the sunlight that framed him from behind.

"I win," he crowed. fWhip only smiled, far more interested in watching the happiness on his lover's flushed face than he was in challenging him again.

As tempting as it was to stay in Jimmy's quiet little bedroom forever, there were eggs to gather and breakfast to cook and duties to be seen to. He pinned the badge to Jimmy's vest, brushed a hand over his shoulder, and chewed on the inside of his lip to keep his frown from crawling out of its hiding place.

"You sure you don't want me to come with you?"

"I'm sure. I need you here in town anyway." Jimmy tapped his knuckle under fWhip's chin, smiling when his deputy looked up at him. "Hey. I'll be fine. I'm just going out there to talk, see if Ricky knows anything about where the rest of them are hiding."

The lips pressed to his forehead did little to quell fWhip's worries, but he didn't want a repeat of the argument that nearly had him packing his bags only three nights earlier, so he kept his reservations to himself.

"Okay," he agreed reluctantly. "Just...be careful. And don't forget you're wearing this," he added as he tapped the badge with a finger. "Don't repeat what happened with Jameson."

"I won't," said Jimmy. "It'll all be above board, I promise."

fWhip clutched those words close to his heart later as he watched Jimmy ride off. He wanted to believe him, he really did. But he couldn't shake the feeling that no matter what he said, no matter how many times they argued, Jimmy's idea of 'above board' was more in line with the boots of an outlaw than the hat of a sheriff.

}{ more from this au }{

[liberalsarecool]

From Professor Christopher Robichaud, Senior Lecturer in Ethics and Public Policy, Harvard:

“I'll say this, and then I likely won't be saying much more on here for quite some time, to the relief of some, I'm sure. But my farewell warning is this.

Everyone in the days and weeks ahead will use this loss as an opportunity to seek validation for their own hobby horse complaint. Harris lost because she campaigned with Liz Cheney. Harris lost because she didn't embrace Gaza. Harris lost because she didn't choose Shapiro. Harris lost because she wasn't progressive enough (possibly my favorite one).

Take a good, hard look at the map, my friends. Trump has won the popular vote. Trump ran the table. Explaining that with your hobby horse issue isn't going to cut it, tempting and consoling as it may be. The problem isn't the electoral college. The problem isn't that we didn't have a full primary. The problem isn't Harris. The problem isn't that Dems didn't have the right message. The problem isn't even inflation or the border.

The problem is so much worse than any of those things. Those are all technical problems, with straightforward expertise fixes. If only it were so! No, our problem is not technical. It's very much adaptive. A party that embraced the Big Lie, supported an insurrection, and has been selling conspiracy-addled madness for years, [which] was widely and enthusiastically embraced. Voter turnout was profound! People didn't sit this out.

Simply put, the problem--as some of you have rightly posted--is cultural. America, culturally, has completely abandoned a politics of decency and respect and has embraced instead a politics of resentment, revenge, false nostalgia, and bullying. And if you look at the demographics, you also won't be able to comfort yourself that it's just a white thing, or a working class thing, or an education thing. It's multi-class, multi-gender, multi-educational, and multi-racial. That's what winning the popular vote means. That's what running the table amounts to.

A culture that has descended to this level of debasement is not easily fixed. In fact it may not ever be fixed. The timeline for changing something like this is decades--at best--not two-to-four year election cycles. You can extend that in this case, because with the GOP likely controlling all branches of federal government and the courts, they will ensure that mechanisms are in place to keep them in power long after their popularity has waned. You can count on that.

The GOP evolved into a party of rage, lies, and revenge--and it correctly diagnosed that there was and is a large appetite for that. That's what the country wants. At least enough of the country wants it to ensure broad appeal and widespread electoral success. The old GOP will never return, and the Dems have nothing to say to American culture at the moment. Nothing. They've been speaking to a country that's gone, like dust in the wind.

And that's my final thought, which my posts last night alluded to. The America I knew and loved is gone. This new America--nah, I won't even bother. I will say that cultural change is less likely to occur in politics or in the academy. You're not going to get people to see how vulgar they've become through a clever argument or a nice campaign speech, that's for sure.

This would be time for the arts, broadly understood, to step in. The arts can change hearts and minds. Too bad the arts have been systematically dismantled in education in this country, and on the other end, the tech industry's assault on the arts through AI is sure to hollow out any good-faith efforts that might emerge.

And for the rest of the world, America's rightward lurch is, I'm afraid, bad news for you too. I know you know this. Because it's not isolated, is it? It's just at the moment the most prominent example of a burgeoning trend. And this will embolden others in other countries, to be sure. We need not speculate what happens when countries become mired in lies, embrace resentment, and savor bullying. We know exactly what happens. Bloody conflict and global destabilization.

The first quarter of the 21st century will, therefore, in hindsight, be viewed as the seed-planting stage for the absolute shit show that's about to unfold globally over the next two and a half decades. Count on it.

Adopt whatever coping and endurance strategies you have available. You're going to need it.

I think that's all I've left to say.”

The least evolved. The most paternalistic.

The bully. The liar. The most resentful.

This is the reality we are in. FOX and Republicans have been repeating the script for decades.

The Dark Ages are conservative aspirations.

The abdication of values/principles is complete.

'Good faith' no longer exists on the Right. The more reprehensible the action/person, the bigger the addiction. Trump proves this.

Anti-paternalism, anti-fascism and anti-bullying are my paths forward. Join me.

[soaringwide]

PAC: What's next in your love life?

Here is my love ahead spread, where we're going to look into what is coming for you in your love life, having singles or people in non-committed or early stages of the relationship in mind.

The reading doesn't contain any info on gender or orientation.

As always, this is a general reading meant for multiple people, there are only 3 piles, so it might not apply 100% to you. Take what resonates and leave out the rest.

I'm available for private readings and have a ko-fi. Free readings are currently closed at the time of writing this.

PILE 1

Cards: 7 of Pentacles, 7 of Cups, Judgement, the Tower, Knight of Wands, 8 of Swords, the Sun, 4 of Wands, Ace of Cups

We'll start by looking at your current situation regarding your love life.

It seems something has been growing in your love life for a while now. I'm thinking the early stages of a relationship or a crush situation. Zooming out, the growth seems steady, but it's possible that it wasn't so smooth when you look at it on the day to day. Some days might have felt like take 2 steps backward, and the next day you would move forward again. As a result you might be loosing your patience a little, ignoring the fact that things are indeed moving forward, even though not as fast as you want them to, or not exactly the way you want them to. You're eagerly waiting for things to take up speed and finally reach some type of harvest that you've been craving for. I also see you as somewhat passive, waiting for something to happen on its own. You're not necessarily taking any decisive action, but rather going with the flow of things and observing your relationship build slowly. Overall you feel quite impatient.

With the 7 of Cups in the position of things going for you, I think you have a tendency to get lost in your daydreams and illusions, regarding love and love interests. However, you're fully aware of that and actively de-fogging the whole thing. I see you trying to remain realistic and not too much in your head. I think that's a process that you had to learn the hard way. You're learning to pick up on the truth and discard the lies, which is quite painful and not a growth that happens in a straight line. Inside all this mess, there are nuggets of wisdom you're determined to find. It's like, either it helps you clear the way for this specific relationship, or it just makes you a healthier human, which is a win win situation.

However for what's going against you, I think you still have a tendency to put the blame on others instead of understanding that the current situation is your doing. If you're unsatisfied with the pace of things, you have choices. You can either wait and find peace in that, or move on to pursue something else. Whatever it is, don't wallow in misery because you feel frustrated and let resentment boil within you against your person, yourself, or the situation. What I'm trying to say is that you're refusing to make the call and pick a path to follow with determination, and instead you keep going back and forth in your head and creating a terrible emotional state for yourself. If you keep waiting for a sign in a passive and hopeless way, things will not change.

For what to take in in this situation, I see the need for a big wake up call with the Tower. I know this card has a bad rep but I think here it's mostly an indication of the intensity of the shift you need to do. It is paired with the Knight of Wands which is a clear indication that you need to take the reign and pursue what you want, taking a risk that things might collapse as a result. Welcome illusions being stripped away, let go of lies and take the risk to reveal your true self.

I asked for a clarification and got the 8 of Swords, which shines light on this state you need to wake up from: the fact that you keep yourself in a state of powerlessness when you have the means to cut your bonds. Really, this state of stagnancy is your doing and you need to own up to the fact and get out of that hole. Whatever you decide to do, you need to shake things up drastically and take a more active part in your love life.

What you need to release with the Sun, I get the idea that you're a bit too childish and immature when it comes to love matters, or at least in this situation. The card shows a child on a horse, but unlike the knight of wands who is in full control of his mount, the sun-child is merely waving his arms around and not doing much. It looks quite comical and does not embody a serious partner one might want to pursue. So I'm getting again the idea of the need to be more serious and committed, and releasing this naive mindset that things are going to fall on your lap without you doing anything at all.

For the most probably outcome in this situation, with the Four of Wands I was drawn to look up the astrological correspondence of the card and I got Venus in Aries, which is quite funny since Venus is currently in Aries until April 29th 2024 (writing this on the 23rd). I don't necessarily think this means everyone will find an outcome within the next few days, however, it does point out at changes happening presently, or as a direct result of this Venus in Aries season. Which again puts the idea of acting and stop wasting time.

It's also fun because it points at a very fiery approach to love, much like what the Knight of Wands was suggesting. Instead of worrying whether they love you or not, whether you should move on or not, you're being advised to go and find out. With the 4 of Wands as this placement in the tarot, there is an idea of celebration and coming together. The characters on the card are inviting, as if to welcome you in their circle, or hinting at a festive event or a gathering. A positive outcome is definitely possible, and if not, it's the opportunity to move on from heartache and find a better future with your heart unburdened.

The underlying energy is presented by the Ace of Cups, which definitely speaks of an exciting time for romantic feelings, where feelings are being birthed and coming to light. There is opportunity for a renewal in this connection.

PILE 2

Cards: The Devil, the Lovers, the Queen of Swords, Ace of Swords, 8 of Wands, 9 of Cups, the Fool 10 of Cups, 2 of Wands, 6 of Swords, 3 of Cups, 3 of Wands

We'll start by looking at your current situation regarding your love life.

With the Devil as you current situation, it is possible that you're crushing on someone or are in a non-committed relationship with someone that is loaded with sexual energy. However, it also points at an obsessive dynamic in the relationship which fosters an unhealthy atmosphere. It is clarified by the Lovers and the Queen of Swords, so I think there might be someone in this relationship hoping for love, and someone with their walls up, appearing cold and distant, even if there is physical intimacy at play here. It's also possible that the one interested in committed love doesn't respect their own boundaries and let themselves being stringed along.

As to what's going for you, I see you embracing clarity and the desire to cut through bullshit at this point. A part of you wants to reach the truth of this situation and is willing to think about it deeply. Get your sense of agency back by either communicating your needs and fears or by taking the time by yourself to work on that. It's clarified by the 8 of Wands so I see quick communication, heated arguments perhaps but it's for the best because you need to get to the core of the issue.

For what's going against you, I see you clinging onto the good aspects of this relationship, as in, it's not perfect but there's enough pleasurable aspects to it that you don't want to let go of that. You're protective of what you have and I also see you being a bit too carefree by pretending the negative aspects of this situation don't affect you that much, that everything is find and good, even though it isn't. You might be a bit of a hopeless romantic and you just don't want to see that this situation is not bringing you the true happiness that you seek but rather putting you in a unstable and potentially threatening situation. I don't know how to put it but with this + the Devil as significator for this relationship I get toxic vibes from this, but that you're too addicted to it to really snap out of it.

What you need to take in is shown by the 10 of Cups, and I think here it means that you need to find hope again that you're deserving of true and untainted happiness in matters of love. This card is about commitment and romantic, even familial fulfillment, and I think it's important to remember that if that's what you want then you can't settle for less because then you'll never get what your heart truly desires. This card is here to remind you of your dream, stop settling for less and suffocating your true wish.

You need to release your hope that the situation will solve itself without making a choice. I get the idea that you keep imagining how things could be, or would be if X or Y happened, but you're not taking the necessary step towards your wish.

All of this is highlighted by the general energy of the reading, which is all about going back to decision making after a time of hesitation. It's going to be your role to know which decision you need to make and how though, but you need to leave the harbor at some point.

For the outcome of this situation, I see you moving on to better days, letting go of this situation that doesn't fulfill you and going through a very social phase where you're going to either form new connections, or get back in touch with friends and celebrate your newfound freedom. It seems this decision of moving on will bring you a lot more happiness than sorrow. Yes it is painful to let go, but you have much to gain, and seeking different social interactions will help you feel better and get back on track. Perhaps it would help to find the humor in the situation and have fun gossiping about this relationship with your friends in order to vent and get another perspective.

PILE 3

Cards: Wheel of Fortune, the Fool, 3 of Cups, 9 of Cups, Ace of Swords rx, 9 of Pentacles, 6 of Pentacles, Temperance, 10 of Swords, the High Priestess, 9 of Swords

First off, let's look at your current love life.

For this pile, I don't think there is anyone specific in the picture for you. I see two possible situations depending on the people. Some of you might have experienced a breakup and are now in your new chapter, having left behind that situation and being past that; for others, I see you waiting for a relationship to show up eventually like some big turn of events. In both cases, you have a very open and carefree attitude right now, enjoying the moment and I get the idea that you might be enjoying casual sex as well, for some of you at least. In any case, you are currently not bound to anyone.

For what's going for you, I see you being social, meeting new people or enjoying time with friends. You're just enjoying yourself and your freedom and it's what you feel called to do right now. It seems you really needed to go through that phase in order to feel happier with yourself and find your balance again.

For what's going against you, I see the idea of casual, or at least, superficial connections showing up once more. You might also not be super ready to get into a committed relationship at the moment because you still feel the need to enjoy your freedom and have either multiple partners, or you just want to enjoy your social life without having to compromise or divide the limited time you have in your hands for one person only. I also see that you lack clarity on what you want. Is a committed relationship really what you want, or do you want to keep what you have right now? And if a relationship is what you want, what would it look like? I think you need to take some time reflecting on what romantic happiness looks like to you to see if it aligns with what you're doing.

For what you need to welcome in, there is a message here of reminding yourself that love is not just about sex and intensity, but also about sweetness and complicity. Looking up to your partner because you find them incredible, because they make you feel like a giggly child you can be your true self with. I also see the need to value true and deep emotional connection. There is a need to be the guardian of your fulfillment, not in a warroir-like way, but rather, in a nurturing way. Be the gardener that takes care of their blooming plants with love and care, and by that I mean that you need to put in the energy of what you want to harvest in the future, not just what's easily available in the moment. You also need to be more independent and advocate for your needs.

It's is very important to make way before you can receive anything new. Which means that you need to get clear on what it is that you truly want and release what doesn't align with that. Perhaps you're also quite detached and would benefit from getting in touch with your deeper emotions again. I think you've somewhat been hiding your heavier emotions inside and ignoring them for a while now and that might be what needs to be released.

For outcome, I think there is a deep need for realizing the options you have to choose from regarding your love life, and really take a look at what you truly want. I think this very social phase will come to an end for now, that you will be more focused on yourself and your inner world. This may trigger intense negative feelings that you were ignoring up until now because you were distracting yourself from them. You may need to hit the bottom before you can rise again, but fear not because from there, the only way to go is up. Learn to look for answers within, I think this time has the opportunity to teach you a lot about yourself and help your grow as a person and to gain clarity on your life.

I also wanted to note that there is a striking lack of Wands in this reading, which to me indicates that the main point of work in your situation is not so much taking actions, but processing thoughts and emotions to get clear on what you want and how to get there. A time for self reflection and growth is coming up.

[shiro-s2e2-erukinzu]

Anime only watchers and people who aren't caught up with the Manga, BEWARE... Cuz I'm about to discuss Spy X Family Mission 107... You have been warned...! 👌

[SPOILERS AHEAD FROM THIS POINT ON]

OH MY GOODNESS! 😱 THE ENDING OF THIS CHAPTER, DUDE!!! 😵

For what seemed like just a fun little chapter, learned quite a bit of things and possibly a hint to a major reveal...!! 😲 So let's talk about it, shall we...? 😁

In today's chapter, we are back with the Forgers this time around, but this time... WE AT THE ANNUAL SHEEP FESTIVAL!!! 🐑😆

But in actuality, Twilight only brought the family here because the Lady Patriots Society were the ones to put this festival together, which means... Plan C, a.k.a. The Mommy Friendship Scheme is what Twilight is hoping to progress...!! 👌😌 But of course, that only makes Anya think about THIS:

ANYA, YOU ABSOLUTE NUTTY GIRL!!! 🤣🤣🤣

Never change Anya, never change...!! 👌😌

After Anya's tomfoolery, we see that Damian, Ewen and Emile are with Jeeves and the other butlers are also at the festival...!! 😄:

But they aren't the only ones to show up at this festival of sheeps... 😁 In fact, we get to see the Blackbells (now including Becky's mom 😆), the Watkins (Bill's dad is officially in the manga now 😎) and the Gloomans (though, we've already seen George's dad 😅); and of course, Twilight goes "Straight To Work" as Anya's puts it...!! 👌😌

Not to mention, we also learn the names of Becky's, Bill's and George's dads' names!! 😆 (Byron Blackbell, Wesley Watkins, and Dennis Glooman to be exact...!! 😁)

After that, some people start recognizing Anya, Damian and Becky (and most likely Bill as well) for their brave and heroic actions all the way back in the Hijacking arc...!! 😄

While Twilight on the other hand is loosing his mind over how much information he could possibly get these people as well...!! 🕵 (Oh Twilight... Always thinking of his spy work... 👌😌)

Soon after that, Damian challenges Anya to a game of ring toss and says that if she loses, he wants her to leave the festival. And so, the game was on...!! 😄

I really love this image of the Eden kids just having fun, it truly warms my heart...! 🤗 (even if Damian got hit in the face thanks to Anya...! 😌)

While the kids are still competing with each other, Jeeves starts talking about his hopes for the children...:

Then, we see Twilight look towards Anya and say this in his head...:

This definitely makes me think that Twilight is feeling more and more guilty for using Anya for his mission... 😔

After that, Damian wins the ring toss and tells Anya that she has leave now...! Buuut, she starts crying and Damian changes his mind about making her leave, which makes Anya (and Twilight) happy...!! 😄 Then, Becky suggests that her and Anya should go to this hall of clairvoyants, where Becky mentions that the clairvoyants could probably tell how compatible someone is with their lover, which makes Damian not want to go in there at all...!! 😆 So Becky, Anya, Yor and Mathra head in to get there fortune read, while everyone goes elsewhere (including Twilight who is going drinking with the boys 😎👍).

Once inside, there's a huge line for someone named Magical 🌟 Crowley, which if I remember correctly, Crowley is the same last name as that triangle shaped haired kid that got the highest score on classical language while Anya got the second highest score... Hmmm, interesting... 🤔 Anyway, instead of going to Crowley's booth (which was charging up the wazoo), Anya suggests that they should just go see LunaLuna 🌙 Selena, but Becky doesn't like that she doesn't charge and isn't accurate, so she and Martha go to the middle tier while Anya and Yor go see Selena...! When Anya and Yor get there, no one is there at first, but then Selena wobbles out and almost falls over when Yor catches her, and...:

IT'S MOTHER F---ING MELINDA DESMOND!!! 😵😵😵😵😵😵😵😵

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?! CAN SHE ACTUALLY SHE INTO THE FUTURE?!?! SO MANY DAMN QUESTIONS...!!! 😵😵😵

And that was the end of the chapter... Endo, WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN?!?! 😩 Before it was revealed that the fortune teller was Melinda, I already had a sneaking suspicion that LunaLuna 🌙 Selena was gonna be Melinda, but now I wonder if she's actually got psychic abilities to see into the future or not...! 😲 The Magical 🌟 Crowley has also got my attention, is this person related to Arnold Crowley (I believe that's his name) or is it Arnold Crowley himself...? 🤔

Either way, the next chapter is gonna be a very interesting one, folks!! 👌😎 So until the next Mission; take care, be safe out there and be kind to one another...!! LATER!! 👋😄

[elizaditton]

Too Small To Be Afraid (Chapter 18)

Cover / Master Post / Previous Chapter / Next Chapter

"Hey," Kevin waves when Derrick opens the front door.

"Hey, glad you could make it," my deskmate says. "Where's Brittney?"

"Surprise!" Brittney shouts, popping out of Kevin's shirt pocket. She blows a party horn and throws a handful of confetti into the air.

"Sorry," Kevin says. "She insisted on making an entrance."

Derrick laughs. "That's Brittney for you! I wouldn't have her any other way!"

Derrick stands to the side of the door so Kevin and Brittney can enter the house. Kevin, I notice, has changed into a more casual outfit—jeans and a brown oversized t-shirt. Brittney, on the other hand, is still sporting her school uniform.

"Here," Brittney says, removing her necktie and shoving it into the pocket of the blazer she's holding out along with her bookbag. "Can you hang these up for me, babe?"

Without saying a word, Kevin pinches the green blazer and the bookbag between his fingertips and hangs them beside mine on the coat rack. As I watch him set them in place with one swift motion, I can't help but wonder if he's gotten used to handling human items. Derrick was so surprised at the size of my blazer when he held it, but Kevin seems unphased in comparison.

"Oh, yeah," Kevin says, turning to Derrick. "You said to bring a board game, so we brought Aventerra. There weren't a ton of options at my place."

"That works! Anything different from the usual is great!" Derrick says, taking the box in his hands. "We can only play Deduce and Roam Runner so many times."

Kevin nods. "Also, this is for you," he says, holding up a thin rectangular object. It's wrapped in some kind of shiny paper that's decorated with multicolored stars.

"And this, too!" Brittney exclaims, holding out a human-sized gift wrapped in what looks to be the same paper.

Derrick's eyes widen. "You guys didn't have to get me anything!" He says, holding up his hands.

"Go ahead, take them!" Brittney says. "What are friends for, anyway?"

Derrick laughs, taking the items. "Okay, okay, only if you insist."

I try not to look up at Derrick when he approaches the table to set down the Aventerra box and put the gifts with the others, but something in me gives in and I find myself staring higher and higher until my eyes finally meet his. My insides churn when he flashes a smile at me from above. I turn my eyes to the table's surface in an instant, but the image of him looming over me remains burned into my mind and causes my head to start spinning.

"Kaylin!" Brittney hollers, running from where Kevin set her down on the table and attacking me with a tight hug. "You came!"

"Can't...! Breathe...!" I manage through what little breath has yet to be squeezed out of my lungs by her embrace.

"Oh, sorry!" Brittney says, releasing me. "I'm just super glad you're here, since I wasn't sure if you were really coming! I figured it would be hard for you to show up to a party at a place like this because of your—"

Derrick clears his throat. "Hey, how about we get things started? Do you guys want to play Aventerra?"

Brittney's eyes light up as she smiles. "Yes! I'd love to!"

I hesitate, looking back at Mrs. Drake. She's wiping off the counter with the rag she used to dry dishes, but her eyes are focused on Brittney and I. I spin back around, and my eyes lock onto the table's surface. I try to concentrate on steadying my breathing, but all that manages to escape my lungs are quick, shuddery breaths to go with my trembling. I grab hold of one of my hands and squeeze it tight, trying my hardest to focus on the pressure instead of my rapid heartbeat.

"Kaylin?" Derrick asks.

"Y-yes?" I manage to answer while slowly craning my neck back to look him in the eyes.

"Would you like to play too?"

"Uh, maybe," I say. "But... don't you want to wait for more people to get here first?"

The room grows quiet, and I look around as I wait for a response. Brittney looks to Derrick with sadness in her eyes. Kevin glances away, a hand on his chin. I don't dare look at Mrs. Drake a second time. I take a step back and reluctantly peek up at my deskmate, who seems to be searching for something to say. He smiles.

"Since this is a last-minute sort of thing, it's only going to be the four of us. There aren't a lot of people who would be willing to show up to a party held at the last minute on a Forsday, anyway," Derrick chuckles.

"O-oh," I say, forcing a smile and a laugh.

"Anyway," Derrick says, opening the big, navy blue box labeled Aventerra, "let's begin, shall we?"

"Um," I pipe up, "would this game happen to have any heavy pieces?"

"It's actually really easy for humans to play!" Brittney exclaims, taking me by the hand and pulling me to the center of the game board Derrick just laid down. "It's even got one of these popping things, so we don't have to pick up the dice!"

Brittney stomps on a pedal with her foot, causing a pair of dice contained within a large plastic dome to tumble around with a loud pop. Taken aback by the unexpected noise, I flinch, only to gaze at the device before me in wonder.

"Is it really that easy?" I ask, looking to Brittney as if requesting permission to try rolling the dice myself. When she nods, I give the plastic pedal a gentle tap, and a loud pop fills my ears once again as the dice bounce around in the dome.

"Wow," I whisper, positive this is the first time I've laid eyes on a game like this. "I never thought a perthean board game would be this accessible to humans."

Brittney picks up a red disk the size of a bicycle tire with the words '100 soldiers' written on it. "All we really need to pick up are these tokens and some cards. It's really easy!"

"What do you say, Kaylin?" Derrick asks, crouching down to be eye level with Brittney and I. "Do you want to play?"

I glance over at Brittney, who, with a big smile, nods her head up and down vigorously. Kevin, almost predictably, has already pulled out his phone and begun to stare at it with an expression devoid of any life. Then my gaze rests on Derrick. My insides flip as I examine the great face before me, and my heart begins to pound when our eyes meet. I quickly turn away, placing a hand on a cheek that I'm sure has reddened by now as I squirm where I stand on the table. I want to look my deskmate in the eyes, but for whatever reason, I just can't handle the weight of his stare!

"Y-yes," I finally manage. "I'll play."

Mrs. Drake passes by the table and ruffles her son's hair. "You kids have fun. Your dad and I will be in the other room if you need anything."

"Right. Thanks, Mom." Derrick says, fixing his hair as she walks away.

The room grows quiet once more as Mrs. Drake closes a door somewhere down the hall. Derrick lets out a sigh and turns back to me.

"So, you probably want to know how to play, huh?"

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

After a few minutes of explaining, confusion, and more explaining, I figured I knew enough about the game to give it a try. Derrick, being the birthday boy, went first when Brittney convinced him to, even though he initially wanted to decide who went first by dice roll as the rules directed. Since play was supposed to go clockwise, Kevin should have been next, but Brittney was too eager to roll the dice and ended up going before him. Kevin went after her, and I went last.

The game itself is simple— roll the dice, send out soldiers, and claim land. If the land you end up on is already claimed, fight for it by dice roll. I'm sure I'm forgetting something from Derrick and Brittney's explanation. But I figure if I try to memorize the rules in their entirety, we'll never get to play.

"You'd think all this land we're claiming would already have some owners, wouldn't you?" Brittney says, gazing at the soldier tokens Kevin just set down on his newly claimed territory.

"What?" Kevin says, his eyes narrowing in confusion at his girlfriend's statement. "The back of the box says it's a new world no one has discovered before. Why would there be people there?"

"Well, that's true," Brittney says, "but don't explorers sometimes say they've discovered new land when it's already being occupied?"

"But that would be lying," Derrick chuckles. "They wouldn't have discovered it at all!"

"Yeah," Kevin adds on, "what kind of psychopath would make a claim like that?"

"Ha! Yeah, just... a lot of Earth's explorers were like that, I guess," Brittney laughs nervously before turning to me. "Okay, your turn! Think you've got it figured out?"

"I think so. I'll send out 300 soldiers," I say, stacking three tokens and stepping on the dice pedal. After the two cubes settle down, I read the numbers on the top. "Three and one. Four?!"

My eagerness to play turns to panic as I realize that moving four spaces from start would land me on the space Kevin just claimed on his turn. I don't want to fight Kevin! I begin to shake as I stare at the dice with no clue how to proceed.

"Kaylin?" Brittney says, tapping me on the shoulder. "You good?"

"G-good? Y-yeah!" I utter through my trembling. "Just making sure I read that right."

I turn and begin walking towards the start space, the wobbling in my legs nearly causing me to trip with each step. What am I going to do? When I arrive, I lift my plastic red pawn and count the spaces in front of me over and over again to ensure I'm not making some kind of mistake.

Kevin taps the fourth space on the board in front of me, where he's stacked four of his blue soldier tokens. I gulp as a shudder runs down my spine. If I don't start moving, he's going to realize something's wrong with me for sure! I begin inching forward, my heart pounding in my chest with each step I take toward Kevin's claimed territory. After too short of a distance for my liking, I reach my destination and set my pawn down beside the stack of blue tokens.

"Well, well, well," Kevin grumbles, his low voice reverberating through the table and shaking me to my core.

I don't dare look up. I don't dare make contact with those narrowed brown eyes of his. Not when they remind me so much of...

SLAM!

I struggle to maintain my balance as various game pieces fly through the air and come crashing down all around me. My eyes snap to the right, widening as they land on the cause of this sudden disruption. Before me is a fist. Kevin's fist. I spin around, hoping to locate Brittney or Derrick, but they're nowhere to be found. Trembling, I begin to tiptoe away from the clenched hand.

"Thought you could escape?" Kevin asks, his booming voice reverberating through my body as he pinches the back of my shirt and lifts me high above the table.

"H-hey!" I protest, kicking my legs in a futile attempt to get away.

"Resisting? What a pity," Kevin sighs before a devilish grin spreads across his face. "Most tinies give up and let me win."

My heartbeat rings in my ears as one massive digit pins me between another, forcing the breath from my lungs and leaving me without any air. One by one, other fingers begin to curl around my quaking frame, trapping me completely. No, no! Anything but this!

"If you can't play nicely," he growls, lifting my head to meet those narrowed brown eyes of his as he tightens his grip, "then don't play at all."

All at once I'm thrown down onto the game board, where I land on my side with a loud crack. I don't have time to process the burning pain in my hip when, to my horror, the very same fist that threatened to squeeze the life out of me comes hurling down toward me from above.

SLAM!

"Hello?! Kaylin?!" Brittney says, shaking me by the shoulders.

"Y-yes?!" I answer, clueless to what's going on around me.

"Finally!" she huffs, releasing me. "We were getting worried! You've gotta stop zoning out like that, it freaks people out!"

"S-sorry," I manage, wiping away a stray tear with one of my trembling hands. "What's happening, exactly?"

"You were just about to beg for mercy," Kevin says with a wink.

My lip quivers as I take a step back, unable to tear my eyes away from the massive perthean looming above me.

Brittney lays a hand on my shoulder. "He's joking."

"300 soldiers, right? This stack here?" Kevin asks, pointing to one of my stacks of red soldier tokens by the dice.

"Y-yeah," I nod.

"Well then," he says, picking up the stack and setting it beside the stack that was already on his claimed space, "better hope for a high roll. As defender, I'll roll first."

I flinch when Kevin reaches around Brittney and I to tap the dice pedal. After a loud pop, the cubes in the dome settle down again, and we all lean in to see the result.

Kevin leans back in his chair upon seeing the two and the one he rolled.

"Three times four hundred... That's twelve hundred points," he sighs.

"Mhm," I hum as I rub one of my trembling arms.

"Come on, Kaylin!" Brittney cheers. "You can definitely beat him! That roll was pathetic! You've got this!"

"P-pathetic?" Kevin mumbles. "I thought you were on my side."

"Technically, nobody's really supposed to be on anybody's side," Derrick laughs.

Brittney crosses her arms and turns away from the boys, her bottom lip protruding in a pout. "I was just trying to encourage her, that's all!"

A soft chuckle escapes me as I step on the dice pedal. I bite the inside of my cheek and squeeze my eyes shut as the cubes dance around in their container. When they come to a stop, I reluctantly open one eye and see one of the dice landed on one. My heart sinks. I almost want to keep my eyes shut and pretend I'm not even playing this game.

"Wow! You did it!" Brittney exclaims, shaking one of my shoulders.

"I-I did?" I ask, opening both of my eyes to see the other die, which managed to land on five.

"Eighteen hundred points," Kevin says. "Good game."

As I allow my shoulders to relax, a smile creeps onto my face. I wasn't expecting to win at all! And I wasn't sure if I could expect Kevin to be a good sport about it, either.

Kevin swaps his four blue tokens for red ones and places them beside me.

"So," he says, grinning, "what would you like to do with your new land?"

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

The game went on for an hour or so, and things were really close between Brittney and Derrick during the last quarter. It was anyone's guess who the winner would be, but ultimately, Brittney came out on top.

After thinking through other games we could play, we decided to switch from board games to video games when Derrick suggested we play Super Crushers Ultra on his FlexPad. I wasn't sure at first, since I've never been a big fan of violent games. But then I learned I could play as Mr. Buck from Flower Forest, or even that lovable orange blob, Borbo! Since a kid-friendly character like Borbo was involved, I became convinced that the game couldn't possibly be as violent as I had initially worried it would be.

Derrick happened to have two sets of human-sized FlexPad controllers, which took me by surprise. I wonder how many humans he plays video games with.

"Gah!" Brittney says when Borbo is cornered by Luis, the blue electrician.

Derrick, not wasting the opportunity, proceeds to mercilessly mash buttons on his controller until poor Borbo is flung off screen by a powerful bolt of lightning coming from Luis' wrench.

"Not fair!" Brittney exclaims. "What did I ever do to you?!"

"You did take his land," Kevin says, moving the angry black cat, Eclipse, off a ledge and toward Luis. "Don't worry, I'll get him for you."

"I thought we weren't taking sides!" Derrick says as he continues to mash buttons.

I move Mr. Buck from ledge to ledge above the other two fighters, still not quite sure how to control him. Once Eclipse is thrown out of the arena, Luis jumps up in front of Mr. Buck! My heart beats faster and faster as I struggle to remember the right buttons to press.

"W-wait!" I plead. "Can't we talk about this?"

To my surprise, Luis stops.

"Oh, come on!" Kevin shouts. "You didn't even show any mercy to your own best friend!"

Blood rushes to my cheeks, and I look down at my controller. I didn't mean to make anyone angry.

"Hold on, I just want to see what she has to say," Derrick says.

My heart skips a beat. I didn't think my plea would get me this far. I turn back from my spot on the sofa's armrest to look up at Derrick, whose warm smile almost seems unfitting for a guy who just beat two of his closest friends in a video game without holding back.

"Well?" Derrick says.

"U-um," I utter, desperately trying to think of any string of words that could get me out of this situation.

Derrick tilts his head, waiting patiently for my response.

"Y-you..." I start, putting on the best impression of Mr. Buck I can muster. "You wouldn't hit a fellow with glasses, now would you?"

My deskmate is silent at first, but after a moment, bursts out laughing.

My heart sinks in my chest as my face turns a bright shade of red. What was I thinking? Why would I say something so stupid?

"That was really good!" Derrick laughs, wiping a stray tear from his eye.

I look up to my deskmate in surprise. "R-really?"

"Yeah! And you do have a point. I guess I wouldn't hit a guy with glasses."

"S-so you'll reconsider?!" I blurt out, hanging on to the last bit of hope I have left.

Derrick finally stops laughing and smiles warmly at me. "No, I don't think I will."

Before I even have the chance to turn back around, the sound of Mr. Buck being electrocuted fills my ears.

"WINNER!" declares the game's announcer as the blue electrician dances and the other characters clap.

"Sorry, Kaylin." Derrick chuckles.

My attention immediately shifts when I hear a door open down the hall, followed by some shuffling in the kitchen. My curiosity turns to trembling when I realize that Mrs. Drake couldn't possibly be alone in there. Who else could be with her? I look around the room, but the others don't seem to take notice of the noise as they go through the play-by-play of the game's last round.

All at once, the lights in the living room turn off. I let out a gasp as endless possibilities run through my mind. Could the power have gone out? Not if the TV is still on. Could something have short-circuited? Could someone have turned the lights off? What sort of nefarious reason could someone have to do that?

I turn to see a faint orange glow coming from the other side of the room, accompanied by two shadowy figures. One of them has to be Mrs. Drake, but I can't help but tremble as I glance at the two! And who's the tall, foreboding figure beside her?!

As the two figures approach Derrick, one of them begins to sing:

Happiest birthday, child of ours

Happiest birthday, light of our lives

Live years of joy and happiness

And know that we hold you so dear

I look to Derrick, whose face is illuminated by the glow of what I've come to realize is a candle sitting atop a birthday cake. One of his brows twitches as he forces a smile.

"Well? Aren't you going to make a wish?" asks his mom, cake in hand.

Derrick sighs. Then, closing his eyes, he blows out the candle.

"Yay!" Brittney says. She claps, but nobody else joins in.

"Mom," Derrick starts, once again forcing a smile. "I did tell you I didn't want to have cake tonight, right?"

"I thought you were only talking about dinner," Mrs. Drake says, her smile fading. "Besides, it's tradition to have cake on birthdays!"

"I know, but..." Derrick starts, flashing a worried glance in my direction before turning back to his mom. "Can't we save it for later?"

"Why don't we ask your friends if they're comfortable with— I mean, if they'd like to have some before we put it away?" Mrs. Drake suggests.

"I'll have some cake!" Brittney hollers, waving her arms in the air.

Kevin sighs. "You and that sweet tooth. You are way too excited for this."

Mrs. Drake laughs. "Of course, Brittney. You'll get some cake. How about you, Kevin?"

"Sure," Kevin shrugs.

"And how about you?" Mrs. Drake says, turning to me. "Would you like some cake?"

No, no! I want to shout. But instead, I bite my tongue and fold my hands in my lap, pressure building within me from the weight of everyone's stares. How am I supposed to get out of this?!

"Y-yes, please," I finally manage.

What have I done?! I could have at least said 'no thank you!'

"Then that settles it!" Mrs. Drake says, spinning on her heel and heading to the dining room.

Once she's gone, Derrick and I share a look. His brows are turned upward, and his blue eyes almost seem to be asking me if I really want to go through with this.

A quivering sigh escapes me as I bury my head in my knees. I want to go home.

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

I poke at the chocolate cake in front of me with the plastic fork in my trembling hand. I don't dare look up from the portable balcony Brittney and I are on, lest I be faced with the reality that I'm actually sharing dessert with pertheans. At least I'm not on the table's surface like I feared I would be, but I can't decide if being closer to these pertheans' faces as they eat their cake is any better.

"This cake is super good!" Brittney says, shoveling a big bite of what I'm certain is only frosting into her mouth. "My compliments to the chef!"

"Oh, it's not homemade," Mrs. Drake laughs, "it's from Stanley's. It was the only chocolate one they had, too."

"Store-bought, huh? I never would have known!" Brittney says as she examines the hunk of dessert on her fork. "Is chocolate your favorite, Derrick?"

Derrick, poking at his slice of cake with a fork, doesn't answer.

"Uh, Derrick?" Brittney tries again.

"Huh? What was the question?" Derrick looks up from his plate to the balcony Brittney and I are on.

"Is chocolate your favorite type of cake?" she asks.

"I don't know," he answers, returning his gaze to the plate in front of him. "I like a lot of different flavors. It might be John's favorite, though."

"Oh, if only the two of you were able to celebrate your birthday together," Mrs. Drake sighs, glancing at the banner that bears both of the brothers' names. "It's a shame we can't even wish John a happy birthday over the phone since he's away from Perthea."

"You know, you could have been on Erimathea too right now if you had studied harder," a low voice rumbles.

The room quickly quiets down to a deafening silence as Mr. Drake's statement hangs in the air. Dropping my fork, I reluctantly look up from the cake in front of me. I've avoided looking at Derrick's dad since we sat down, and now is the first time I'm getting a good look at him. His brown hair is a bit darker than his son's, and while Derrick's blue eyes are warm and welcoming, his dad's blue eyes are cold and narrow. I can't help but shiver in my seat as I gaze at him from the balcony.

"Well, studying abroad was more of John's thing," Derrick says. "I'm happy where I am."

"Hm, but you could have at least graduated early like your brother if you hadn't blown that equivalency exam," his dad continues. "Each subject on that darned test was 400 koroz."

"Jason," Mrs. Drake whispers, leaning in closer to her husband. "Maybe now isn't the best time for this, hm?"

Mr. Drake sighs before taking another bite of his cake. "It's just that I want both of our sons to succeed, Dianne. And Derrick still has a lot of catching up to do if he plans on getting into a decent university like his brother."

"You say that like I'm behind," Derrick pipes up from across the table. "I'm still getting good grades, and I'm on track to graduate."

"Hmph," Mr. Drake huffs. "Dropping out of a school like Pacific still won't look good on your applications, in my opinion."

"Jason, please," Mrs. Drake pleads.

My insides begin to twist and churn as my heartbeat quickens. I don't like where this is going.

"But I'm back to finish what I started. Isn't that enough?" Derrick says, narrowing his eyes at his dad.

Mr. Drake doesn't miss a beat, and narrows his eyes right back. "If you ask me, you should have stayed put at Pacific instead of running away from your problems. Instead, you let a little gossip run you out of a good school."

"Maybe we should talk about something more positive," Mrs. Drake laughs nervously. "You know, the yellow flowers on this cake are part of the reason—"

"I didn't run away, Dad," Derrick says, raising his voice. "I moved on, just like anyone else would have done."

Something breaks in my heart when I hear the shift in Derrick's tone, and I grab onto the edge of the balcony's table in an attempt to ground myself as the world begins to spin around me.

"Hey," Brittney whispers, tapping on my shoulder. "Kaylin? Are you okay?"

I open my mouth to answer, but the words don't come. I look down at my trembling hands as my breathing quickens and tears begin to blur my vision. This isn't good. This isn't good at all.

Mr. Drake raises his volume to match his son's. "You still called it quits when it got hard. You threw away everything you worked so hard for! Do you know how much it even cost to put you two in that school?"

"Please, you two! Settle down!" Mrs. Drake begs.

"And your brother!" Mr. Drake continues. "Did he let a little rumor decide his future for him?"

"It wasn't a little rumor, and he wasn't even involved!" Derrick retorts.

"But look where he is now! If you would have stopped fooling around and focused on what really mattered, you could have been lightyears ahead of where you are now!" Mr. Drake sighs, cutting into his cake with his fork. "If you put in the work like John did, you could have—"

Derrick jumps up from his seat and pounds the table. "Look! I'm not John, okay?! I'm sorry I'm not your favorite son!"

Mr. Drake rises. His tall, tall frame towers above the table and everyone around it, including Derrick. He stares his son down, his narrowed eyes seething with rage.

The edges of my vision begin to fade to black as my core tightens and my trembling becomes completely uncontrollable. I'm going to die here!

Mr. Drake stares down his son for only a moment before abruptly picking up his plate and leaving the table. He sets his plate in the sink and retreats down the hall, the loud slam of a door acting as his final addition to the conversation.

Derrick sighs, tearing his gaze away from the hall. That's when he finally sees me. His eyes widen, and he lets out a faint gasp.

"Kaylin?" Brittney says, placing a hand on my back. "Are you—"

Immediately, I turn away from Derrick and into Brittney's shoulder. Sob after gut-wrenching sob escapes me as tears refuse to stop falling from my eyes.

"Shh, it's okay," Brittney whispers, wrapping her arms around me. "It's over now."

"I-I—" I stutter as I try not to choke on my own sobs. "I want to go home."

[sissylittlefeather]

How the Web Was Woven: Chapter 11

A/N: I'm on a roll with this one right now, so I figured I'd go ahead and publish this. ICYMI, this is the soulmate/time travel AU with Elvis and a fem!reader.

Need to catch up? Here's my Masterlist.

Warnings: 18+ minors DNI, kissing, cussing, p in v penetrative sex, unprotected sex, creampie, and biting 😏

Word count: ~3k

Somehow, you're pregnant with the child of Elvis Presley.

******

On March 12, 2017 you give birth to a beautiful, healthy baby boy. You name him John Jessie and he has your hair and Elvis's bright blue eyes. When the doctor hands him to you, you weep openly for so many reasons, but mainly because you wish Elvis could be there to see him.

And sure, you could've made a portal sometime while you were pregnant or in that first year, but you didn't. First because you were afraid he'd change his mind about staying in his time, and second because you wanted his first experience of fatherhood to be with Lisa Marie.

But once Lisa is born, you start to think about telling him. In the evenings when you rock John Jessie to sleep, the desire to let his father know about him overwhelms you. The same thing inside you that made you tell him about your engagement all those years ago is now telling you to find him and tell him about his son.

You even have the wild inclination to pack John Jessie up and bring him with you. You consider going to his time forever and just living as an unknown girlfriend. But you think about what it would mean for Elvis if anyone found out you were there with his son. His reputation would be ruined. And aside from that, you don't want to risk taking him away from Lisa Marie in any way. There's no telling how Priscilla might react if she ever found out about you.

So instead you pack up an envelope of pictures for him to see, put it in your bag filled with vintage clothes, leave John Jessie with your mom, and head to California in June of 2018. He's filming the Singer Presents Elvis special, better known now as the '68 Comeback Special, so you know exactly where to find him. Furthermore, you know he's living at the studio, so you'll be able to get to him alone more easily than if he was at home.

You don't know how he might respond to finding out he has another child, especially one that he might never get to see and definitely won't get to raise. Still, you have to risk it. He deserves to know.

******

When you get to California, you check into your hotel and get dressed. You're going to have to find a way to sneak into the studio since it's been closed to the public for a while now. You pray that fate will be on your side again, as it always has been for the two of you.

You take a cab to the studio, but the driver won't let you off in front of it. Instead you have to get out at the corner and walk over to it. You walk all the way around the large building trying to find a way in and start to get nervous that it's not going to work. You're also dodging security the whole time and you're exhausted after trying for several hours. The sun is low in the sky when you lean your back against one of the doors and almost break down crying.

******

Elvis was unbelievably nervous to begin filming for the special. In fact, he tried to refuse at the last second, but the producer insisted. After several hours of filming, he demands a break.

"I need some air." He says, looking for a door to escape and try to relax. He had finally begun to feel comfortable on stage, but there is a different kind of nervous energy possessing him now. There's a feeling in his stomach like something is about to happen, but he has no idea what it could possibly be. He gets his answer when he finally gets outside to find the buzzing sound and wavy air hovering right in front of him.

He turns and looks back at the door to the studio and then back at the portal. His life is finally starting to be what he wants. He doesn't want to leave now. And he has his child to think of. Still, he's desperate to see you, to hold you, and feel you against him. He cares for Priscilla, that is true, but his heart still belongs to you.

******

You stand there in complete shock that you were able to find a portal here outside the building. You take a deep breath, grab your suitcase, and walk through. Thankfully, he's alone when you appear out of thin air.

"Hi." You say cautiously. He's an absolute vision standing there in his black leather outfit. Your heart is beating so hard and so loud that you wonder if he can hear it. He seems to be trying to decide how to respond. "I'm sorry to just-"

In one step, he's wrapped around you with his lips pressed to yours. He takes your face in his hands and kisses both of your cheeks and then your mouth again. The scent of cologne, sweat, and cigarillos envelops you and you could cry with the familiarity of it. Neither of you has to speak to know what's being communicated. He just holds you and strokes your hair and you rest your head against his chest. You're in this position when one of his guys pokes his head out of the door.

"Hey EP they're... oh shit, sorry." He averts his eyes like you're naked or something. "They need you to come film some more."

"Okay." Elvis speaks into your hair, his voice muffled. "Come watch. I'll find you somewhere to sit."

You pull back away from him and nod. He puts his hand on the small of your back and ushers you inside. He takes your suitcase and stashes it somewhere quickly. Then, he finds you a place to sit and heads back up to the stage.

He records the sit-down portion of the show with his old band and you melt a hundred times. You haven't seen him perform for a real audience before. Its electrifying. In varying waves, your heart is filled with love and affection and then you're so turned on you could crawl up on the stage and fuck him right there in front of all these people.

You fidget with your ring to distract yourself and realize that you wore it here. You really didn't intend to, but you've been wearing it since he gave it to you, so it was habit to put it on this morning. Somewhere inside you, he's still your husband. Priscilla might have his time, but you have his heart. When you have this thought you panic for a second that she's here. You swivel your head around frantically looking for her. From the stage, he notices your mood has changed. He catches your eye and gives you the slightest inquisitive look. You mouth Priscilla? and he shakes his head ever so slightly, so you relax back into your seat. The whole exchange is less than ten seconds long and thankfully, no one notices.

Finally, they finish the set and he's done filming for the night. You stay in your seat, not sure what to do. Should you go to him? Or will he find you? You see him standing in a group of guys laughing and talking. He doesn't seem to be coming for you, so you stand up and walk slowly towards him, without an inkling of what you'll do or say when you get to him. As you get closer, you hear him.

"Nah, guys, not tonight. I have other plans tonight."

"Other plans?" One of the guys looks at him curiously. Just then, you make it to the edge of the group and he notices you.

"Ah, speak of devil. Or angel, rather." He puts his arm around your shoulders in a casual and friendly gesture. "This is y/n. She's an old friend from Tupelo. I told her I'd show her around tonight."

One of the other guys raises his eyebrows and the others shuffle around nervously.

"Oh, calm down boys. She's married." He uses his other hand to hold up your hand and show them your ring.

"Not that that ever stopped you." One of the guys jokes. Elvis moves away from you and play punches the guy that said it.

"Okay, I'll see you guys later." With that, he puts his arm around your shoulders again and walks away. On the way out, he grabs your suitcase and then leads you to the room where he's living in the studio. Once you're inside, he shuts the door and locks it and then wraps himself around you again, kissing you deeply. When he finally pulls back, he looks into your face and laughs softly.

"Good thing you're still wearing your ring."

"Yeah that would've been hard to explain after you told them I was married."

"Yes. They don't need to know it's me you're married to." He leans in and kisses you passionately again. Then he pulls back suddenly. "It is still me, right? You're not here to tell me you married some other guy again, are ya?"

"No, it's still you I'm married to." You respond, laughing. "I am here to tell you something, though."

He looks at you curiously and tries to think of what you could possibly have to report.

"What, honey?" You pull away from him and walk to your suitcase.

"I think it's better if I just show you." You pull out the envelope of pictures and hold it in your hands, your heart pounding.

"Divorce papers?" He eyes the envelope and his eyebrows knit together in concern.

"No! No, not that at all. You should sit down, though." He walks to a chair and sits down carefully.

"You're scaring me, honey." You take a deep breath and look at the ceiling. Then, you extend your arm and hand him the envelope. He opens it cautiously and pulls out the stack of pictures. The first picture is one a nurse took in the hospital of you and John Jessie together right after he was born.

He looks up at you and his face is a mix of shock and confusion. He's not able to say anything, though, so he flips to the second picture. It's one of John Jessie that you took earlier this week.

"You... you had a baby?"

"I did."

"And the baby is this old... oh God." You watch him as he puts the pieces together. He looks at the date on the back of the first one and counts the months backwards. "This is my baby."

"Yes." You almost whisper it and he looks up at you, his eyes glistening with tears.

"I have a son." You're getting choked up now too, watching him.

"You do. His name is John Jessie." He stands up and wraps his arms around you, as the tears slide down his face.

"John Jessie Presley." He whispers into your hair. Then, he sniffs and stands up, looking down at the pictures. He flips through them and smiles, seeing his little boy grow from a newborn to the almost-toddler he is right now. When he gets to the end of the stack, he has a thought.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I didn't want to distract you from Lisa Marie."

"Distract me?!"

"I wanted you to be focused on her." He shakes his head, but he can't argue with it. A different thought occurs.

"Why didn't you bring him with you? Where is he?"

"He's with my mom. I couldn't bring him here."

"Why not?"

"Do I need to spell out the headline for you? Elvis Presley's secret love child?"

"Oh, to hell with that. I want to see my boy."

"Did you forget that you have a wife here? Imagine how she would react."

"Again, I don't really care. He's my child."

"I just couldn't, Elvis. I can't mess with-"

"I swear to God, if you mention the damn timeline of history again, I'm gonna-"

"What? You're gonna what, Elvis?"

"I WANT TO SEE MY CHILD." He yells at you for the first time ever. He's yelled near you before, but never directly at you because he's angry with you. You stand there defiantly, both of you breathing heavily. "Take your clothes off. We're making a portal. You're gonna go get him and come back here."

"I'm not bringing him here."

"Goddamnit, y/n, then why did you tell me?!"

"I don't know. I guess I shouldn't have!" Your eyes begin to well up.

"You're damn right you shouldn't have. Now I get to live with the knowledge that I don't get to raise my own son." With that, the dam breaks and you begin to cry. He's right. You're ready to curl up and die when it hits you and you stop crying and look up at him.

"Come back with me."

"I can't leave Lisa."

"No, not like permanently. Just come with me and see him. The portals reopen right where you left from, right?"

"Yeah I'm always right back where I was when I walked through originally. Unfortunately, because it meant I had to finish filming Spinout-"

"So then I can open a portal for you any time I want and you can come through and see him. Just for a little while and then go back!" His eyes sparkle with excitement and he picks you up and spins you around.

"Haha! Yes! I can be a part of his life!" You nod and he kisses your cheek. "Oh, thank you, y/n. God, I love you. I missed you so much."

"I love you too." He smiles and kisses you tenderly.

Then, he sets you back down on the ground and kisses you again with a renewed hunger this time, his tongue parting your lips and dipping into your mouth. His desire is contagious and before you know it you're tearing at his leather jacket while he kisses your neck. You get it off of his shoulders and rip the shirt up and over his head. He literally tears your dress at the zipper and yanks it off of you. In your uninhibited passion, you sink your teeth into his shoulder and he yelps.

"Oh my God, I'm sorry."

"Do it again." He whispers in your ear. You bite into the skin on his chest and he growls deep in his throat. He removes your bra and panties with an animalistic fervor and throws them across the room. You peel his leather pants off of him as quickly as possible and he tosses you on the couch. In a second, he's pushed into you and is pounding you with a new kind of power and confidence.

"God, yes! Yes!" You yell as he fills you over and over. He holds your hip with one hand and slams into you rhythmically. He grunts and nips at your shoulder.

"You like it when I fuck you hard, baby?"

"Mmmmm harder." You moan.

"Yes ma'am." He listens to instructions and crashes into you even harder. There's a desperate kind of passion in the way he fucks you and it's everything you've needed for the last two years. He's needed it too; you can tell by the pace of his thrusts. He kisses your mouth, hard, and you bite his bottom lip. The way he drives into you is raw and dirty and makes you scream as you come as hard as you ever have while he pumps in and out of you.

"Fuck yes." He grunts through gritted teeth as he continues to pound against your hips while you pulse around him. Finally, he succumbs to the intensity of your sex and shoots you full of his warmth. As he comes, you bite him again on the chest and he lets out a guttural groan that makes you want to climb on top and fuck him again. He's dripping sweat and it mixes with your own as he collapses on top of you, both of you struggling to catch your breath.

The portal appears and he groans and rolls off of you. You scramble off the couch and try to get your clothes together. You cannot find your bra, though, and you have to dig through your suitcase for a new dress since he ruined the one you were wearing. You catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror and gasp. You look like a wild animal with your fucked out eyes and hair everywhere. You're desperately trying to smooth your hair when you hear a small pop and the portal disappears.

"Oh shit." He looks at you and laughs. He stops trying to get dressed, settling for just pants, and drops back down on the couch. He produces a cigarillo from somewhere and pats the couch next to him. You pick up his black shirt and pull it on over your head and then sit next to him, lightly running your fingers over the bite marks on his chest and shoulder.

"I marked you."

"It's a good thing we're going to your time. I can't go home like this." He chuckles and lights the cigarillo, taking a long drag.

"We missed the portal." You say offhandedly.

"I guess we'll just have to have sex again."

"Oh, darn." You respond playfully, taking the cigarillo and putting it in your own mouth.

"I didn't know you smoked."

"I guess I can still surprise you."

"My wife, the mystery." He puts his arm around you and takes the cigarillo back.

You stay like that on the couch for most of the night, just talking and passing the cigarillo back and forth. You tell him all about John Jessie and he tells you about Lisa and how excited he is for the potential future of his career after the special. Eventually you fall asleep on his chest and wake up to a loud knocking on the door.

"Fuck." He sits up quickly.

"We're gonna start recording in an hour, EP. I know you like a warning..."

"Yeah, I'll be there." He hollers and then looks at you and puts his finger on his mouth to indicate that you should be quiet. You stand up and start to pack up your clothes from last night and lay out a dress to put on once the portal is there. He throws some clothes in a bag too and then comes up behind you and kisses your neck.

"I believe we have some work to do." You turn to face him and he kisses you deeply, walking you back to the couch again.

This time you have sex in the most married way possible and laugh at how tame it is compared to last night. But you're both satisfied and it works to make a portal, so neither of you complains. You get dressed and pick up your bags as he takes your hand. After a deep breath, you walk through the portal together and find yourselves outside the studio in 2018.

******

To be continued...

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Taglist:

@ccab @elvisfatass @elvisalltheway101 @aliypop @18lkpeters @dkayfixates @rosepresley68 @your-nanas-house @deniseinmn @joshuntildawn13 @lookingforrainbows @60svintage @littlehoneyposts @epthedream69 @that-hotdog @eddiesgirlforever @helen06dreamer @returntopresley @rjmartin11

[satureja13]

Vlad, Kiyoshi and Jack returned back home after long hours of looking for Tiny Can - without success. Jeb finished searching their home lot just a few minutes ago and sent exhausted Ji Ho to take a bath until Vlad was back to charge their Bond with him. They also asked Adriano if he'd seen Tiny Can leaving, but he denied. (Ariano usually stays at home when the Boys and the Goats are out and about. He enjoys his alone time without the quirky goats ^^') There's nothing more they can do tonight and Jeb volunteered to deliver the bad news to Saiwa...

Vlad immediately went to their shared bathroom to look after his bonded. Some ghosts had gathered around Ji Ho and illuminated the scene. It was a sight to behold. Ji Ho is utterly beautiful. His scales shimmering in the faint blue light. Water driplets rolling down his moist, tattooed skin. Vlad just hopes they don't have to go too far to charge their Bond and heal themselves from the exhaustion of teleporting them back home. To not taint their freshly blossoming love...

And while Vlad left to wait in Ji Ho's room until Ji Ho got dressed, poor Jeb went over to Saiwa. Not only does he have to bring the bad news that they didn't find a trace of Tiny Can, he also has to stop Sai from searching and put him to bed. Well, he had a few hours to ponder about this and thought he'd go with stern and bossy ö.ö Gladly, he can't see Sai's exasperated face, otherwise this would have probably stopped him... Jeb: "We quit for tonight. Let's take a shower and go to bed." Saiwa: "No sign of the tin can, I suppose. Go ahead. I'll try..."

But Jeb interrupted him: "No. We all need to recover." Sai already felt the new vibe in their dynamics at Castle Hummelshain, when they all went with him to discuss the loan. Even earlier. When Jeb stated he didn't want to roll back into their former relationship - and start from scratch again instead. And even though Sai is just a tiny step away from tripping over the edge and falling into the abyss of sorrows and despair, Jeb's words pierced through. Sai knew that Jeb was right. They all promised to carry the burden with Sai - and Sai promised to let them. And so he obeyed and went to take a shower. As soon as the hot water Sai pattered on his skin and washed away the makeup and tension, he was able to push the tin can aside for a while and recalled how stern Jeb was. Sai hates it to be their leader and so he was quite excited to see the bossy side of Jeb. That's one of the reasons Sai wants Jeb to be his top. For once he wants Jeb to take the lead and let himself fall. And surrender his body, mind and soul to Jeb's will. Subordinate to Jeb's commands... Uh, it's getting hot in here ö.ö Now is really not the time for thoughts like these. Sai turned on the cold water and held his hot face into the chill stream. When Sai came back to his room, Jeb had also taken a shower and changed into his sleepwear. Sai can't believe his luck: "You stay over?" Jeb: "No, we are going to sleep in my bed. I'm afraid if I leave you alone, you'll go back to the computer to track down Tiny Can." Dammit, Jeb knows him so well. But he's going to sleep in Jeb's bed! With Jeb beside him!

Jeb: "Come here, I'll hold you until you fall asleep." Sai: "And then you shove me away? How am I supposed to fall asleep then?"

Jeb laughed: "Fine, I'm going to hold you - no matter what." Sai sighed contently and snuggled closer, deeply inhaling Jeb's scent: "I missed you so much." Jeb tightened his arms around Sai: "I missed you too. Sleep now. And don't worry, we'll figure something out. As always." Sai was so tired and exhausted, he just believed in Jeb's soothing words and closed his eyes. It just felt too good to be held by him. His strong arms around him, holding him tight. Nothing else mattered in this moment. And Sai fell asleep.

Vlad and Ji Ho sat on Ji Ho's bed. The Bond was so happy there are no more obstacles, curses and spells that keep the both of them apart, it didn't demand much and was just glad to help healing them. They just cuddled for a while and soon they felt so much better. Maybe Ji Ho's new found feelings helped too. Everything was so much more intense now, including Vlad's touch. Especially Vlad's touch.

It was too early to share a bed but Ji Ho asked Vlad to stay. He can't be alone right now. So Vlad slept on Ji Ho's sofa. They both know that nothing will keep them from being together for real now and they cherished this heady newly-in-love feeling. Ji Ho can still feel where Vlad's hands touched and caressed him. And when Vlad's breath steadied and slowed, Ji Ho fell asleep too. (The cute painting of Little Goat sleeping was a Winterfest present from Vlad.)

'Sometimes in our lives We all have pain We all have sorrow

But if we are wise We know that there's always tomorrow

Lean on me When you're not strong And I'll be your friend I'll help you carry on...

For it won't be long Till I'm gonna need somebody to lean on

Please swallow your pride If I have things you need to borrow

For no one can fill Those of your needs that you won't let show'

Lean on me - Bill Withers

Outtakes

The way Vlad looks at him. Vlad is happy when Ji Ho's happy <3

From the Beginning 🔱 Underwater Love 🔱 Latest

Current Chapter: starts ▶️ here Last Chapter: 'Here comes the Sun' from the beginning ▶️ here

📚 Previous Chapters: Chapters: 1-6 ~ 7-12 ~ 13-16 ~ 23-28

[lemotmo]

Unfortunately, probably so

Q. He's been on set. They're just not showing him there yet. You're out of your mind if you think he's not there.

Q. Honest thoughts: is he going to be in season 8 or no?

A. I don't believe he has been on set yet, anon. I do think he will be there but it's pretty obvious that he hasn't been there yet. Perhaps you can check the fake Twitter account for his exact whereabouts. Second anon, yes I believe he will be around for at least most of 8a. I don't think we will see that much of him but I think he'll be around. I don't trust Tim at all to not play with that dynamic a bit. He has said several times in the past that he hasn't defined Buddie yet because he likes the idea of relationship drama. If the plan is actually Buddie, I don't think he will be able to resist using Tommy to create some drama. Once he puts Buck/Eddie together that is it relationship wise, that is their endgame so drama for them, at least in the way Tim talks about things, will have to be manufactured in other ways. I love a lot of things about Tim but I don't trust him at all to not use Tommy to build up the drama pre Buddie. Especially if they did bring in Lone Star writers. They just write completely differently tone wise. I absolutely loathe the idea because it will be virtually unbearable around here throughout that entire process, and it's possible, given the behavior that Tim became aware of, that he changed direction a bit, but I still don't trust him to get there in the best way. It's just too easy of a route to take. There have been a few people who managed to figure out that the cameo videos came to a stop around the same time they started writing for the season. So along with whatever conversation took place, I'm sure Lou got his final episode count and just decided to go ahead and walk away from them. So while I think his return will still only be a handful of episodes I think it's going to be a rough handful of episodes. If I get canon Buddie out of the drama I don't care how we get there, but I know lots of people do so I want to try and prepare myself now. And once it becomes apparent that Tommy is just drama in the lead up to Buddie his people are going to become downright unbearable. I'm very excited about lots of things but I just want to get his part over with.

For the record, anon, I'm praying like crazy that I'm wrong. I want to be wrong. I want to be wrong so badly.

Thank you Nonny!

Yeah, I also expect Lou there for a few more scenes. It'll suck to find out that he's on set. Not because of him specifically, because it will give the storyline a fitting ending on screen and it might be interesting to watch it play out for Buck as a character. (Even though I agree that, if Tim really wanted to, he could make Buddie happen without the Tommy factor involved.)

But because of the reaction of a certain subset of the fandom. The loud Tommy stans will be proclaiming that Lou is there as a main now and he's going to ask Buck to marry him or something unhinged like that. And then when they realise, during season 8, that BT's relationship isn't going to last very long, they'll throw a loud tantrum like a bunch of 5 year olds who don't get a sweet before dinner.

I'm just over all of that nonsense.

What this fandom needs right now is some peace without a very loud minority trying to harsh our buzz.

Also, to be honest... I don't care how they make Buddie canon either. I've been here for 6 seasons now. I'm tired. The time is now. However they do it, I'll just be happy about it, no matter how it happens.

And finally, I'm also manifesting that Ali (and me as well) is wrong. Very very wrong indeed. Sorry my dear. :)

IMPORTANT! Please don't repost this ask and/or a link that leads straight to my Tumblr account on Twitter or any other social media. Thank you!

Heads up! For anyone who is giving me the shifty eyes for reposting Ali's updates instead of reblogging. Read this.

Remember, no hate in comments, reblogs or inboxes. Let's keep it civil and respectful. Thank you.

If you are interested in more of Ali’s posts, you can find all of her posts so far under the tag: anonymous blog I love.

[jojo-schmo]

Beauty and the Beast, but it's Metadede?

Ohohoho-!! This one really got me thinking!! :D If I had unlimited emotional bandwidth and time this could be a fun concept to explore a BUNCH! I'm a sucker for fairy tales! I'm not capable of fully developing this idea right now, but I did brainstorm a little bit!

There's some aspects of that story that I just can't think of good parallels for (Like Gaston, Belle's dad, Belle's character motivations and such). So this is more Beauty and the Beast inspired than being a perfect retelling.

Anyways, ENOUGH TALK. LET'S GO.

So when I read this ask, I immediately got slammed with a very passionate and explosive Brain Blast: Dedede as Beast!! BUT he's got an appearance inspired by King D-Mind (And Dark Mind by extension) and a beastly demeanor like his Primal form in Forgotten Land. So this is not Shadow Dedede!! Important distinction!

Like Dedede's personality in early Kirby games, he would be selfish and arrogant enough to be cursed by an Enchantress to find true love and compassion. (So the rose and its petals are still connected to this curse's time limit.) But at his core there is a being capable of love, compassion, and self-sacrifice! It just takes a bit of character development to get there!

Meta stumps me a bit more. He doesn't strike me as the kind of guy singing about how "there must be more than this provincial life..." And who would Gaston even be?? Beats me.

So instead of being a damsel from a small town with big dreams, maybe he's some kind of traveling knight or mercenary who has always worked alone. He's got a stoic demeanor that can even come off as cold since he doesn't make many meaningful connections with others. But those walls he's put up over his life are indeed capable of coming down with a little care!

You'll also have to forgive me for how little I changed Meta's design... I did this during my lunch break and all I could think of was adding some gold flourishes to his outfit- but there is definitely more potential there than I came up with!!

Why would he get stuck being Dedede's prisoner? Perhaps he bartered someone else's imprisonment for his own. Or he found himself in debt by chance to the King, or accidentally disturbed/destroyed/or damaged something important to him and has to pay with a prison sentence.

Whatever the reason, he's truly stuck living there. And they super do not get along at first. Dedede's fiery temper and Meta's colder exterior would be at odds a lot of the time.

Jumping ahead a bit, here's that scene from the original where Beast defends Belle from a bunch of wild wolves (but here they're Primal Awoofies!)

And from there, the character development continues.... Meta warms up a little and shows more emotion and vulnerability than he ever has before. Dedede cools down in turn and learns that he is worthy of affection and genuine connection... And so on and so on~

As for the supporting character roles filled by "Beast's servants," I figure most of Kirby's allies could be in this role! I just only explored Bandee and Kirby to start with.

I had trouble coming up with household object forms for them (granted I didn't invest that much time into it). So I thought about another time-sensitive form they could take that is high-stakes enough that they'd want to turn back to normal and break the curse. So I came up with the ghostly angel form that happens when you get knocked out in Kirby Fighters. :)

So there you have it! A few days worth of daydreaming for a metadede Beauty and the Beast-type story! Hehe. If anyone happens to find themselves inspired and wants to develop this further as an exercise in AU writing or just plain having fun with it, DO IT! This is my donation to the internet, lol.

...Just please share it with me. I love reading people's stories. <3

[eslypyiris]

Hazbin Gods AU (Chapter 1)

Four hours.

Four hours in a rented gym that "still smells like shocks and chilhood trauma" as Vaggie said, and what did we get?

Nothing but boredom.

I could see from the corner of my eye how Dazzle fell asleep on Fazzle's back while Fazzle looked like he wanted to cry.

"Ok! Thank you, we'll call you!" Vaggie said to the last person we were auditioning.

Everthing went silence as the man left the gym.

"Charlie?" Vaggie called me.

"Yes?"

"Are you ok?" she asked.

"Yes! Why are you asking?" I said, trying to sound as happy as always.

She didn't believe my act, but didn't insist either.

Instead, she changed the topic.

"I'm taking this two on a walk, Ok?"

Vaggie whistle, calling Dazzle and Fazzle's attention.

Both of them ran towards her and looked at her as if they were asking for a treat.

Vaggie peted their heads and then put the leashes on their collars.

"Oh, sure! This two have been here for hours, poor things..."

Vaggie stopped me.

"No, you are staying here."

"What?! Why?" I asked her.

"Because you haven't slept since yesterday and I'm worried about you."

I sighed and rubed my eyes. Only then I realized how true Vaggie's words were.

"You are right... I should rest a little bit."

She kissed one of my cheeks.

"It won't take us long." Vaggie added before heading to the front door.

"Try to not get them too dirty when they play with other dogs." I joked, knowing how dirty Dazzle and Fazzle always get.

"Don't worry, I will bring them back as clean as heaven." She laughted.

When she left, I looked back at the stage.

A single light was lighting up the microphone. Insecurity was rising up my chest, making me feel like every decision I had made so far were the wrong ones.

Since I was a child, music has always been my passion. One of my fondest memories was when mom and I used to go to the roof and sang our worries to the wind.

Sometimes people looked at us as if we were weirdos, but they couldn't take our smiles from us.

Now I'm an adult, and my passion for music never disappeared. That's why I'm here now, trying to make a band.

Usually, people play safe. I could have become an hotel manager or a psychologist, but that wasn't what I wanted. I choosed to follow my dreams, to do what I love... and that wasn't safe.

I'm afraid to fail and end up homeless with all my dreams shattered.

"Like a boat lost at sea/with no sails not a breeze/ I am drifting cold waters/ no star to be seen..." I started singing.

Soon my entire voice began to fill the gym as I was completely immersed in my own song.

"You sound conflicted." A familiar voice said out of nowhere.

I couldn't belive it.

"Mom! What are you doing here? When did you arrive?" I yelled out of suprise.

"I had some business to attend and decided to pass by to say hi. Now, could you tell me what's wrong?"

I hesitated.

"It's nothing important, I'm just... "

"Scared of the future?" She spoke like she just read my mind.

Silence.

Mom walked to the stage and she stood in front of the microphone.

"I know this isn't much, but I hope that at least it makes you feel a little bit better." She said before she stared singing.

Lilith: With a fire furious, I have burned my tongue/Grief from all the promises, too many dreams unsung/All the steps I didn't take, and paths proved untrue/Is there any path through?

I was never able to figure out how Mom was able to made music start playing out of nowhere. At some point, I just stopped asking her and decided to just live with it.

Without even realizing it, I joined mom's song.

Charlie: Like a boat, lost at sea.

Lilith: Though I'm about to wreck

Charlie: with no sails, not a breeze

Lilith:  you still have your life ahead of you

Charlie: I'm drifting, cold waters/No star to be seen...

Lilith: All things that lose their way can find it again/There is no inertia in the ocean...

She went silence, allowing me to do a solo.

Charlie: Maybe if I lean upon my friends/Raise the alarm, I'll call for them/Do I have the heart to trust they'll keep me safe from harm?

And with that, the music stopped and our song ended.

She gave me a warm smile before leaving the stage.

"I once was in a similar situation like yours. Although, the circumstances were different." Mom spoke after a while.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

She shook her head, as if she wanted to erase some memories from her mind.

"Maybe one day I will tell you about it... But not now." That's what she answered.

Mom have always been strange, but that moment she was acting particularly strange.

Before I could ask anything, Vaggie came back from walking Dazzle and Fazzle.

Vaggie's eyes widened when she saw my mother.

"Hi, Mrs Morningstar" she greeted

"Hello, Vaggie. It's been a while." Mom greeted back.

"7 years. Good to see you are doing great." Vaggie said.

There was tension in the air.

"Yes, remind me to thank your parents for taking good care of my Charlotte" Mom told her.

There was a time where Vaggie and mom used to get along really well, in fact, Vaggie used to idolize mom. But now they can't stand eachother.

"I should go." mom spoke.

"Wait! Are we going to have dinner togheter? Like old times?" I didn't wanted her to go yet.

"I will see what I can do. I'm a busy woman after all." she joked.

Vaggie didn't liked the joke at all.

"Ok! Sure! Have a nice day!" I said goodbye trying to not sound heartbroken.

She left the gym without looking back.

After that, the day flew by and before I knew it, I was back at home with my whole body facing the couch. I could see a beautiful starry night from my window.

Dazzle and Fazzle were sleeping in my room and they didn't wanted to give me back my bed.

Vaggie went to MCDONALD'S to get us some dinner.

So, I was basically alone. Enjoying the silence and the stars.

Until someone knoked the door.

"Did you lose your Keys again, Vaggie?" I asked as I approached the door to open it.

A heavy body collided with mine and disoriented me for a moment.

After a few seconds I recognized a blonde woman that I had known all my life.

"WHAT?! MOM?!" She had a deep wound on the side of his stomach and was losing a lot of blood.

"Charlie... I'm sorry... I didn't wanted to do this to you..."

I was afraid and without any idea of what to do.

"Mom! What happened?! Who did this to you?!"

"Charlie... I don't have... a lot of time left..." She seemed to be making a great effort to speak.

It hurted me to see her so weak and helpless. I had never seen her like that before.

"Hold on, I'll call an ambulance!"

I tried to reach my phone, but It wasn't in my jacket. I panicked. This was the worst time in the world to lose a phone.

"Charlie... "

Mom putted one of his hands on my cheek.

"Mom..."

I was a crying at that point.

"I'm very proud of you... My beautiful little girl... I love you..." She said before losing all her strengths.

The hand she placed on my cheek hited the floor and her eyes gradually began to lose their spark.

"MOM!! NO NO NO NO!! MOM, WAKE UP! PLEASE, WAKE UP!" I yelled desperately as I held her body close to mine.

Then, something weird happened.

A sphere of golden light emerged from my mother's chest. It floated for a moment in the air before entering my body.

"What the...? What was that...?" I murmured confused and still unable to get out of the state of shock produced by my mother's sudden death.

Little did I know that that wasn't the only strange thing that would happen to me that night.

My life was about to change forever.

[that-ari-blogger]

Inciting Incident (Thank Goodness)

One of the most popular songs in Wicked is sung by Galinda, and centres around the idea that the society she lives in is corrupt and that she is the only one who knows how it really works. But is she right about that? Does she actually know as much as she thinks?

I think the answer is complicated, and that's the fun of it. I think that Glinda has intellectually grasped that the system is flawed, but I don't think she's emotionally wrapped her head around it. Case and point, the complete and utter cognitive dissonance that is Thank Goodness.

Let me explain.

SPOILERS AHEAD: (Wicked, The Trekkie's Tale)

Thank Goodness is actually two songs. Thank Goodness itself, and a reprise of No-one Mourns The Wicked. So, it's a rehashing of the first act, opening with Glinda conversing with the crowd, the difference is whether or not she is appearing to agree with it.

In the first Glinda tries to argue for Elphaba's morality, and it frames the entire story. But now, Glinda stands idly by and goes along with all that the chorus says while they get more and more worked up by lies that she knows to be untrue.

You would think that the two segments of the song being in agreement would mean that they go well together, but they really don't. Thank Goodness and No-one Mourns The Wicked do not fit with each other at all, in my opinion.

So, what does this mean?

I think that this song shows Glinda lying to herself, and finally starting to crack and realise what is happening.

Glinda spends this song deflecting from the problem, instead of confronting it head on. She relies on popularity and giving the people what they want to distract them.

My ex-girlfriend is being hunted by the masses for something she didn't do, but look over here, I'm getting married!

"Like some terrible green blizzard

Throughout the land she flies

Defaming our poor Wizard

With her calumnies and lies!"

The obvious thing here is the tense. This is happening now, as opposed to something the characters have lived through and made it out the other side of. It is more immediate.

But the other thing that I want to point out is the wall that the Ozians are putting up. The reason Elphaba can't get through to anyone is because they think she is lying, because who are you more likely to believe, someone who you trust implicitly, or someone who everyone around you says is dangerous?

The song is broken into four sections. The introduction, Glinda's two reflections, and Madame Morrible's story, which prompts her to change her mind a bit.

"When you bowed before his throne

He decreed you'd hence be known

As Glinda the Good, officially!"

The following is an excerpt from The Trekkie's Tale, a Star Trek fanfic first published in 1974.

"Gee, golly, gosh, gloriosky," thought Mary Sue as she stepped on the bridge of the Enterprise. "Here I am, the youngest lieutenant in the fleet - only fifteen and a half years old." Captain Kirk came up to her...

"Here, take over the ship for a minute while I go get some coffee for us."

This is the archetypal Mary Sue story, a format where the protagonist gets all that they want and more. The world revolves around Mary Sue, and as a result, it isn't particularly compelling. She wins everything, then she saves the day and dies, and everyone mourns her.

Nobody online seems to be able to agree on whether this story was a satire of general fanfiction trends or not, a fact that I find rather funny.

But compare that to the story Madame Morrible is telling about Glinda. Allegedly, the wizard gave her the title for... not much actually. In Morrible's version of events, good people get things just because, and nobody is asking any questions.

Essentially, Glinda is getting all that she wants on a silver platter, with no questions asked, no strings attached. Well, one string attached.

"Then with a jealous squeal

The Wicked Witch burst from concealment

Where she had been lurking, surrpetitially!"

I mentioned in my post on Defying Gravity (maybe go check that one out) that the central conflict that ended Elphaba and Glinda's relationship was that Elphaba was prepared to sacrifice everything, and Glinda wasn't. But Glinda did have to give up something to achieve her dream, and I don't think she quite understood that until now. To get the power she craved, Glinda had to lose Elphaba.

This song is essentially bludgeoning Glinda over the head with the fact that this tradeoff was not worth it.

That is the dissonance inherent to Glinda's entire character. She recognises the flaws in the world around her but has convinced herself that it will be worth it when she gets to power.

I don't think that Galinda would have realised this, and I am making a point of differentiating Glinda and Galinda. In my mind, Glinda is the version of this character who fell in love with and was changed by Elphaba. The two characters are incredibly similar, and one is an evolution of the other, but it is the influence of Elphaba that makes the difference.

Galinda was seeking power for the sake of it, a person who got her way because she couldn't understand anything else. But Elphaba changed that and gave her a purpose for seeking to climb the ladder. I think Glinda believed she could make a difference from within the structure of Oz, probably to help Elphaba.

Glinda has got everything she theoretically wanted, but at the behest of the reason she was doing it, and now that she is here, she can't even initiate the change she wanted to change. Glinda made the wrong choice, and is only now realising it.

"We couldn't be happier

Right, dear?

Couldn't be happier

Right here

Look what we've got

A fairy-tale plot

Our very own happy ending."

If you are wondering why I've been leaving Glinda's monologues until the end, it is because they make my case for me, and make analysis rather difficult as a result. I have been saying over and over that this musical is about dreams and reality colliding, and that is explicitly stated in these verses.

The fact that there are two of these mirrors the two sides of Glinda's character. The first is the side that craves the attention and has got everything that she wants, then the song reminds her of Elphaba, and she tries again with a more nuanced perspective.

"Though it is, I admit

The tiniest bit

Unlike I anticipated

But I couldn't be happier

Simply couldn't be happier

Well - not simply

'Cause getting your dreams

It's strange, but it seems

A little, well, complicated"

This is literally what I've been saying. She's got what she wanted, but not in the way she wants. It's complicated, and that facade of hers is finally cracking.

That duality is mirrored by the time signature, which is maddening. The song oscillates between a ton of different signatures, and if someone with more musical knowledge understands anything more about this than me, please give me a hand.

From my, admittedly limited, understanding, this feels like a lack of surety. Glinda doesn't know what she wants or thinks anymore, so she can't decide what she is singing.

It also gives an incredibly informal tone, as the lack of structure matches how a person speaks, almost. There have been two characters who have distinct speech patterns in this musical, Madam Morrible, and Glinda. The script of both of whom is written in recurring patterns and rhythms, making up words to match the metre of their sentence. It's pompous and pseudointellectual.

This is most obvious in how smooth the start of Defying Gravity is. There, Glinda doesn't have to change how she talks to match the song, because she is already speaking in the right rhythm.

Cynthia Erivo's rendition of this song in PBS's Wicked In Concert is phenomenal and I highly recommend you check it out, not least of all because removing the crowd gives the song a completely different vibe.

But here, halfway through a song, she gives up with artfulness and just speaks her mind. It's still a song, so you still get the rhythms and melodies, but that is breaking down, and is gone in the script from this point forwards. That's partially why I say Glinda and Galinda are different people, they sound different to each other.

There are a few almost exceptions to this rule, and I say almost exceptions because they come really close to breaking the mould, but don't.

In this exception, Glinda is trying to convince herself that she is happy. The song is limited to one thought, the idea that Glinda should be happy, and there can't be anything wrong. She has got everything she wanted, and that would make her happy, right? Happy is what happens when all of your dreams... That's the word that throws her off, dreams.

This is no longer Glinda's dream.

This song is a microcosm of Glinda's entire arc in the musical. She follows the story laid out for her, but is changed by the journey until it no longer fits. She has changed, and now she can't do anything about it.

Ironically, Glinda has gained all the authority she could dream of, but she is more powerless and has less agency than she started with, and all of that happened without her notice.

"There's a kind of a sort of, cost

There's a couple of things get, lost

There are bridges you cross

You didn't know you crossed

Until you've crossed."

Final Thoughts

Genuinely, my favourite trope in a story is a character undergoing character development and not realising. For example, the "nobody's that heartless" line in The Emperor's New Groove.

But Glinda is my favourite example of this because of the way in which she reaches her conclusions. She is smart, possibly the most intelligent character in the entire musical, but her biases cause her to make some serious leaps of logic and ignore several things that would change her worldview until she runs headfirst into them.

Also, the stagecraft of this song is simple in order to not distract from Glinda's thoughts, but that means a lot of these photos are remarkably similar. I apologise for that.

Next week, I will be looking at Wonderful, and how it forms a neat little mirror of Sentimental Man, so stick around if that interests you.

Previous - Next

[danthediamondminecart]

RBBTOBER DAY 13 - 14: ANGELS & DEMONS

Or: What if Tanqr made a different choice of ally in Season 3?

So like, I'm cheating in more than one way here. Firstly, the prompt says angels and demons, not angels and devils. Therefore, Pink and Tanqr still apply despite Tanqr not being a devil in my headcanons.

Secondly, the drabble for this prompt is an edited draft of a fic from...almost exactly a year ago, actually! I'd intended to write it into a full fic for Halloween, but then Nerdy Prudes Must Die came out and suddenly all I could think about what what eventually became Antithesis. I only got to the first 2 scenes. I'm super busy at the moment, so I decided to repurpose that draft to make the drabble, with some changes to give it an actual ending.

Said drabble under the cut!

Somewhere in the RB Battles universe, PinkLeaf is practising his parkour.

It’s tranquil here in the lobby, with no one else around. The hosts made a private server for the finalists to practise on, and he’s been getting as much use out of it as possible. Apparently he’s the only one of the finalists with a somewhat healthy sleep schedule, because it’s early morning, and no one’s here. He was under the impression that Kreek and Bella and Denis were also training a lot, so clearly they prefer to train late in the day.

He doesn’t mind that at all. It’s so much easier to focus when no one’s around, when no one’s yelling at him, when no one can disturb his thought process. Plus, he’d rather not have to talk to people in general. Instead all he can hear is the whistle of the wind flowing past him as he leaps through the air from building to building, getting ready to head into some minigames.

He heads back to the centre, not paying attention to anything around him, when a voice cuts through the silence.

“Morning, PinkLeaf. You’re up early.”

Pink turns to the direction of the sound to see Tanqr leaning up against a pillar near the centre of the map. They make eye contact and Tanqr waves, waiting for a response. PinkLeaf waves back and tries to ignore him, but it doesn’t work. 

“Where are you going? C’mere, let’s chat.”

Pink sighs and jumps down to a tree that’s a little bit taller than where Tanqr is standing, trying to keep the high ground, ensuring Tanqr has to look up to talk to him. Tanqr accepts that’s the best he’s going to get. 

“What do you want?” he asks.

“Listen, uh…” Tanqr walks up to the tree and hushes his voice. “Denis and Kreek are making an alliance in the run up to the finals. Don’t blame ‘em, they’re going to need some help to do any good.” he explains, laughing at his own taunts. Pink just finds it annoying. 

“I suppose so.” He’s not really surprised. Kreek’s probably going to try to get all the help he can get to try to beat Tanqr. 

“Those two - and, Bella, I guess - are very much a threat. To both of us.”

“Don’t…imply Bella’s not that good. She is.” Pink interrupts, much to his own surprise. When since did I care about Bella that much? 

“Oh? Didn’t know you two were friendly.” Tanqr raises an eyebrow.

“...We’re not. I’m just saying, don’t…don’t put the others down.”

“Not trying to, just that she’s not who I’m worried might beat us. Kreek’s been gunning for my title, and I’ve seen Denis honing his parkour skills and he’s good at it - he knows that’s your strong point.”

“I think most people know that’s my strong point.” Pink responds. He didn’t mean it as an insult, but Tanqr takes it like one, and he purses his lips.

“Well- anyway-” Tanqr grits his teeth before he puts himself back on track. “Seeing that, I had a thought. Why don’t we get ahead of the game?”

“What do you mean?”

“Here’s my offer. An alliance, of sorts. We work together in the finals to crush the others. You’ll be the speed, I’ll be the manpower. Together we can make up the brains.”

PinkLeaf pauses in shock at the offer, waiting for Tanqr to start laughing and teasing him. It takes a second to realise Tanqr’s being totally serious.

“Are you…asking me to team up?”

“Yeah, obviously.” Tanqr snarks. “I’m going to admit something here, so don’t mock me over it, but you scare me, y’know? Not that much, of course, but…enough. You’re powerful. Where I fail in speed, you make up for it. If I’m not careful, you could beat me. And vice versa. So instead of that…” Tanqr holds his hand out. “Let’s work together. Just you and me against the world, what’dya say?”

Pink doesn’t know what to do. On the one hand, he doesn’t trust anyone easily, let alone Tanqr. He would not be surprised if Tanqr was just using him. But on the other hand, allying with Tanqr would give him a much needed edge, a little confidence boost if someone has his back during the finals. And then again, if Tanqr’s using him to win, surely he can do the same? 

Pink weighs his options. He either risks having Tanqr as a direct enemy, have Tanqr’s sheer strength and brutality poised against him, or he gets to use it to his advantage even if Tanqr turns on him. And if he does, at least he’ll expect it. 

Ah, what the hell. 

“Okay. Sure. I’ll do it.” Pink replies, finally settling on a decision.

“Sweet.” Tanqr smiles widely, in a way that Pink can’t tell if it’s sinister or not. “Uh, take the handshake, make it official.” 

Pink does as he’s told, shaking Tanqr’s hand as quickly as possible. Tanqr chuckles a bit at his reluctance before outlining his plan. 

“You’re free for the next few hours, right?”

“...Yeah.”

“Okay, cool. We can train together then. Stay here, I’ll join you in about fifteen minutes - I need to grab a bite to eat. Haven’t had breakfast yet.” Tanqr turns away from Pink, giving him a wave. “See ya.”

“Oh, uh, bye.” 

Tanqr pulls out his phone, types something in, and he’s gone.

Pink’s alone once again. The call of the wind blows in his ears and he shivers. He hops down from the tree and sits on a railing, contemplating. 

Did he make the right decision? 

[hinatastinygiant]

10 | Thoughts from the Tape Hero

Pairing: Various MHA x Fem!Reader

Dear Departure

"I wish things were different," Y/N mumbles, taking a deep breath.

"What things?" a voice interrupts.

Y/N looks over to find Sero staring at her only a few feet away.

"How long have you been there?" she asks, wiping away the last of her tears.

"Not too long," Sero replies.

"And how much did you hear?"

"Nothing, really. I just got here. Are you alright? I saw you rush out here," he asks.

"I'm fine," she nods.

"You sure?"

"Yeah," she sighs, but he doesn't accept that answer. Instead, he walks up to her and pulls her into a hug. How could she have been such a jerk to Sero all night? He's never been anything but kind to her and everyone else.

"So, what happened back there?" he asks as he lets her out of his grasp.

Y/N sits down on the front steps of the dorm and buries her head in her hands.

"I'm not sure I can talk about it," she admits.

"Well, I'm all ears, if you change your mind," he smiles.

"Could we just sit here for a minute first?" she then mutters.

When he agrees, she picks up her head and places it on his shoulder. She stares straight ahead, watching the grass move with the breeze.

"I can't believe we're graduating tomorrow," she sighs.

"Neither can I," Sero chuckles.

"Have you ever thought about what's next?" she then asks him.

"Well, I've got a few things in mind," he answers, smiling slightly.

"What are they?"

"Well, I guess, there's this girl. And a hero agency," he admits to her.

"That sounds fun," she smiles.

"What about you?"

"I... I've thought about it a lot. But... I almost feel like I'm sinking in my own blood. I mean, my dad wants me to work at a hero agency with some of his friends nearby, but I thought if I made the right connections, I could put myself in an even better situation. Turns out all I've been doing is making bad decisions," she begins to ramble.

"Y/N," Sero sighs, placing his hand on hers.

"I know. I know I've messed everything up," she whispers, not wanting to start crying again.

"What are you talking about? You are one of the smartest, funniest, most talented people I've ever met. And anyone who doesn't see that is an idiot."

"Really?" she looks up at him, tears glistening in her eyes. He smiles and uses the back of his pointer finger to wipe her tears away.

"Really," he reassures her. "You've got this. I promise."

"You're too sweet, Sero," she chuckles. "Seriously, you're going to make some girl really happy someday."

"I know," he replies with a soft smile, his thumb brushing lightly over her cheek. Sitting out in the moonlight, Y/N is the most beautiful person Sero has ever seen.

Sero then leans in, his other hand finding its place on the back of her neck, gently tilting her face towards his. The air buzzes with a quiet intensity as their lips meet. Sero kisses her tenderly, and her arms wrap around his neck, pulling him closer.

She feels so safe in his arms and butterflies flutter in her stomach. He makes her feel so warm, and she never wants to let go.

"You know, I've always liked you," Sero admits once the two of them have broken apart. "Don't forget, you're not alone in this Y/N. I've always got your back."

Y/N tries to come up with something to say, but her brain feels too foggy to come up with a single coherent thought. Instead, she simply lets him lean in again and capture her lips in another kiss. This time, it holds a different kind of sweetness, like a shared understanding that goes beyond words.

However, before the moment can deepen any further, they are abruptly interrupted by Bakugou's booming voice.

"What the hell are you two doing out here?" Bakugou shouts, storming toward them with a scowl. "Get your asses inside."

"We were just about to head in," Y/N replies, her eyes locked on the blonde as she quickly pulls away from Sero. He can tell the lingering feelings she still has for Bakugou and wonders if it's the reason she's been so cold towards him.

"Hurry up, then," he grumbles, his eyes narrowing.

"What's your problem?" Sero scoffs.

"Don't worry about it," Bakugou grumbles, grabbing onto Y/N's hand and dragging her toward the door.

"Bakugou!" she shouts, protesting as he pulls her away from Sero. "Let go!"

But he simply ignores her.

Sero follows the two of them inside, but loses them rather quickly. He's not quite sure what just happened, but the smile on his face doesn't seem to disappear. That is, until Kaminari points it out to him.

"Why do you have such a stupid grin on your face?" he asks, walking over and standing in front of him at the doorway.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sero laughs, punching his friend playfully on the arm.

"I mean, why do you look like you just got laid or something?"

"Because, idiot, I did," Sero chuckles through his lie.

"No, you didn't," Kaminari protests, giving his friend a skeptical look. "I swear, Sero, if you hooked up with someone and didn't tell me, I'm going to lose my shit."

"You know I wouldn't do that," Sero smirks.

"Then tell me what the hell is going on."

"Fine," Sero rolls his eyes before pulling Kaminari toward the bathroom. Once there, he explains the details of his interaction with Y/N, and the kiss, and how good she smelled.

"Woah, man, you've got it bad," Kaminari smirks.

"Shut up," Sero laughs. "But you can't tell anyone about this. Got it?"

"Yeah, yeah," Kaminari sighs. "Wait, why?"

"Because Bakugou-"

"Bakugou saw you?!" Kaminari gasps just before letting out a fit of giggles.

"Shut up, dumbass," Sero rolls his eyes. "This isn't funny."

"It's a little funny."

"Just keep it quiet. Please," Sero begs, looking down at his friend. "I seriously like her, okay? And I don't want to ruin it because you're a loudmouth."

"I get it, I get it," Kaminari laughs.

"Thank you," Sero smiles.

"No problem. Now, are you going to tell me what she kisses like, or are you going to keep me in the dark?"

"You're sick, you know that?"

"Oh, come on, tell me."

"Fine, but if you tell anyone, I will literally murder you," Sero threatens, emitting a strip of tape near his friend's mouth.

"Okay, okay," Kaminari chuckles nervously, not liking the serious look in Sero's eyes.

"Good," Sero smirks, dropping the tape back into his elbow.

"Seriously, you should save that tape for more important stuff like-"

"That's it, I'm not telling you anything," Sero states firmly before starting to walk off.

"Aw, come on, you don't even know what I was going to say!" Kaminari pouts as he chases after him.

"Yes, I do," Sero rolls his eyes. "I don't want to hear it."

"Well, I'm pretty sure she can do some kinky stuff with that blood of hers so you should totally use the tape to-"

"Oh my god," Sero groans. "I can't believe I'm going to have to bleach my brain to forget this."

"Hey, I'm just saying what I know you jerk off to when nobody's around," Kaminari says innocently.

"I swear to god," Sero grumbles, not being able to believe what he's hearing.

"Alright, alright, I'll stop."

Just then, as the two of them reenter the common area, their jaws drop to the ground. How did they not hear any of the commotion from just down the hallway? Immediately, they run over.

Dear Departure

[cddboxes]

Before requesting here

A list of things to take into consideration before sending requests so we're all in the same page

The maximum of requests you can send per ask is 4, you can send multiple asks at the same time if you want to request more than 4, I usually don't care who's sending the requests and therefore if you send 10 asks with 4 requests each one I'll happily do them all

You can ask for specific pictures, you can either describe the picture/icon as much as you want (meaning shape, color, size, etc.), you can attach the picture in the ask (tho it would be with anon off) or you can send a direct link to the picture

I can change the background color or the middle boxes to flags, patterns or pictures, just have in mind that the front boxes (the ones with the letter and where I put the icons) aren't up to change

Different color variations, I normally do dull monochromatic pallets, but if you want two or three colors you can ask for it, for example asking "background dark blue, middle green and front light red", you can also put the hex color if you want a specific one

Don't edit nor recolor our sysboxes, I don't mind doing multiple versions of the same userbox if it's requested, but I don't like the idea of people editing and recoloring my userboxes, please just ask me to modify it

Although I have "no syscourse" I might make some syscourse related userboxes (as I previously posted in this blog), just take in mind it will depend on the text you ask if I will do it or not, so you can ask it and I might do it, if you don't see it I won't be making it

For introjects with problematic sources I don't have a problem making sysboxes, just take in mind that I won't be doing the userbox if it's supporting, glorifying, promoting or something similar illegal, discriminatory, questionable and anything bad about the source or creator I won't do it, this means I can do things like "This introject doesn't support their source/source creator" or "This introject isn't source separated but does not support their source/source creator", so feel free

In the same manner I won't be doing any request that promotes, supports or glorifies discrimination, harassment, bad things, nor I do requests that are hateful, targeting or attacking to someone or some specific group. NSFW and explicit requests might be done despending on the content requested

I'm open to doing alternatives terms, this means you can ask for a specific term to replace the already known ones like "stars instead of alters" or "crew instead of system" or un another hand you can ask for system like terminology that I don't usually do alternatives like "this host" for as saying an example, you ask and I'll provide

I didn't think I had to say this but I don't do normal userboxes, just userboxes for people with complex dissociative disorders (CDD), aka systems. You can ask for things that are related to that or for system like terminology, but I won't be making "this user" kind of boxes as my blog is just for sysboxes

Extra thing, I can do sysboxes in Spanish if we have a Spanish speaker follower. We can make sysboxes in our native lenguage without a problem

I don't think I have something else to clarify, if you have a question I didn't answer here about requesting go ahead and ask it and I'll give you an answer

Thank you for reading all of this and I'm happy to see all your requests ✨

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

Okay but what if Streber had a S/O who acted like an elder sibling to Skid and Pump? Like them taking those kids trick or treating, when they arrive at their boyfriend's haunted house. They give a peck on the cheek to their boyfriend, following after skid and pump after they head inside after their brothers. When they discover Streber later, S/O is the one to get Streber to a hospital, wrapping his bleeding (stump?) arm with their cloak.

Ik Kevin x Streber is canon (w ship btw 10/10) but I'll give this one to the Streber simps-

...........

As Skid and Pump ran up ahead, you were just catching up to them, nearly out of breath. Sometimes they were tough to chase after.

Not only because you were basically like an elder sibling to them (and thus their babysitter during "Spooky Month"), but you were worried about some devil-dressed creep following them around. You could see him the shadows, watching you all from afar before disappearing.

Lila was freaked out over their safety, but after a frantic phone call you managed to calm her down and reassure her that you’ll watch over the kids while they trick-or-treat. You didn't want them to get freaked out, and instead allowed them to drag you to all these spooky places. Moving from place-to-place so quickly was a good way to get that weirdo off your back.

Eventually, you put it out of your mind upon arriving to the haunted house run by Streber. It was safe, with plenty of actors who could keep an eye on things outside.

Plus, it’s the perfect excuse to check up on your boyfriend.

Upon arriving to the entrance, a cloud of smoke greeted the three of you before a certain eccentric vampire jumped out. “Ah! Welcome to the hauntiest of houses, gentlemen! As you can see, I am a real vampire!”

He pushed the boys towards the nearby mirror to demonstrate, with you grinning all the while at his performance. Skid was in awe while Pump seemed confused that the stump on his mask vanished.

Then Streber jumped back to the entrance. "Now..get inside and get scared!" He laughed, seeing the pair running in with excitement.

After they disappeared inside the house, he finally noticed you, his smile becoming softer. "Hello, my dear."

"There’s my hard working vampire~" You chuckled, taking his hands and kissing him on the cheek. He blushed at the gesture, happy that you decided to visit him. “This must be the best job in the world.”

“Oh it’s a lot of work, but not to worry! Sometimes I don’t feel like I’m working at all!” Streber’s optimism was brighter than the sun; it was almost infectious, in a way, as you couldn’t help but grin. “How are the boys? They haven’t changed a bit, I see.”

“Not at all. We had some weirdo following us earlier, but we’re okay now that we’re here. What time do you get off?”

"Ah, it'll be a late shift, I'm afraid." He pouted slightly, though he was back to smiling. "But we can catch up on some scary movies tomorrow if you want."

"Sounds good." You nodded. "I'll head inside. I don't wanna leave them alone for too long, but I'll see you when your shift is over."

"I'll see you soon. Enjoy the house, darling~" He winked, kissing your lips briefly before letting go of your hands.

As you ran inside to catch up with Skid and Pump, he sighed lovingly, wondering how he got so lucky with you.

That’s when Bob arrived to the house, walking up the steps with a wide grin on his face. Instead of charging right inside, he first approached the vampire, who perked up and snapped out of his thoughts upon seeing another visitor.

“Hello, little devil fellow! Would you like to get scared?” Streber put on a menacing expression, resuming his usual act.

Though Bob’s expression never wavered.

"Did you know if you eat a human brain, you'll get a disease similar to mad cow?" He spoke lowly, saliva dripping from his mouth as he loomed over the smaller man.

Streber was immediately confused--and rather uncomfortable--as he stared up at him, wondering why he blurted out such a bizarre “fact”.

But he also noticed the awfully realistic-looking knife in his hand, alongside a sharpener.

"...what?”

...........

Skid and Pump made it out of the haunted house before you did, laughing all the while. 

They loved every minute of it! Neither of them got scared, per se, but they had a fun experience and looked forward to coming back next year....and then the year after that.

But they abruptly stopped upon hearing an..odd sound.

It sounded like...

Groaning?

Concerned, they quickly noticed Streber was now lying on the porch, curled up into a ball--in a pool of red blood. He was moaning and sobbing in agony as he clutched one of his arms.

Or, rather, a bloody stump where his arm would be.

“Woah...that looks so real!” Pump grinned in delight, believing this to be all part of the vampire’s act, too. What a show he was putting on, even when they were just leaving! 

This was one final scare that almost got them.

He then looked to the haunted house and frowned slightly when you didn’t come out yet. Surely you couldn’t have been lost.

“Let’s get some more candy!” Skid urged him.

“But..we should wait for [y/n]-”

“Nah, they’ll find us! Besides they wanna be with their boyyyfriend.” The skeleton costumed-child grinned. He always loved teasing you, making “bleh” sounds whenever he saw you and Streber kissing--even if it’s just a simple cheek kiss.

You probably needed a break from them. You’ll know where they are.

“Yeah, you’re right." Pump eventually agreed. “Let’s go!”

Oblivious to Streber’s genuine pleas for help, the duo ran off to CandyClub.

Only a moment later, you came out of the house, annoyed when you didn’t immediately find your brothers anywhere. “Skid! Pump! Where did you guys....holy shit. Streber!!” 

Noticing the horrific state of your boyfriend, you removed your cloak, kneeling down to wrap it around his stump as a makeshift torniquet, praying he wasn’t losing too much blood. You didn’t care if it got on your pants, he was more important. “Oh god, okay..okay. H-Hang on. Stay with me, honey.”

Your mind and heart were racing, trying to make sense of how this could’ve happened considering you were only in the house for a few minutes. Although you did hear bloodcurdling screams while inside, you just assumed that was the ambience or other guests.

‘Oh god..what if that was him?’

“HELP!! I NEED AN AMBULANCE HERE!!” Shouting as loud as you possibly could, you saw a few actors run out, all of them shocked at the scene.

“What’s going on--oh my god!!!”

“Is he okay?!!”

“Oh yeah, he’s just bleeding to death......OF COURSE HE’S NOT OKAY!!” You snapped at them. “Call an ambulance!” 

After they ran off to do exactly that, the sound of Streber’s whimpers made you turn your attention back to him. You gently guided his head into your lap, stroking his hair and hushing him as he kept sobbing. He was trembling all over, and it shattered your heart considering how happy he was only a little while ago.

“It’s okay, baby..it’s gonna be okay.” You tried to soothe. “Help is coming. Just stay with me.”

“...I-I don’t wanna die...”

“You’re not gonna die. You’re gonna make it...and we’ll see those scary movies, alright? We’ll see all of them. Just stay with.....me...?” However you trailed off as you heard the sounds of thumping boots as somebody exited the house.

You looked up at him to ask for help, only to freeze upon realizing who it was:

That devil-dressed freak.

He had a bone in his hand, licking the blood off as if it were a lollipop before casually dropping it beside you and Streber.

It was a forearm bone.

For a few long heart-pounding moments, he just stared down at you two, tilting his head as if to say “I did nothing wrong”. You glared back at him. ‘Fucking hell, he’s a stalker AND a cannibal.’

“S-Stay away from us..and my brothers, you sicko.”

Just when it seemed like you were gonna be his next meal, the sirens of a nearby ambulance made Bob change his mind. Instead he calmly walked down the steps and disappeared among the many other trick or treaters, surprising you.

But thank god he spared your life.

You just hope you could save Streber’s in time.

[icedragonlizard]

My new & updated take on Marx's dynamics with Taranza and Susie

Back then, I used to headcanon Susie and Taranza both hating Marx, which made me not in the boat of "Wave 3 + Marx" friend group.

I... uh... changed my mind! I take it back, lol. I've changed some headcanons of mine, and nowadays I actually do see those two getting along with him. I've mentioned about it here.

I'm now indeed in the boat of Wave 3 + Marx friend group! Congrats to Magolor that his three besties can actually friggin' get along in my updated verse now after the changes.

This is a big post so I'm going to put a 'Keep reading' tag down below if you're curious to see how I updated these dynamics.

Allow me to first talk about how I now view the dynamic that Marx and Taranza have going on.

They came together over both being fellow magic-using trickster buddies of Magolor.

Taranza is, at times, a genuine goofball. He's good-humored, has a killer smile, and has the capacity to be incredibly smug. His ego may have been quite damaged from what happened at the ending of Triple Deluxe, but his smug streak is slowly but surely coming back.

He's easily good-humored enough to become pals with Marx. These two can and will collaborate on some absurd hijinks.

They've 100% simultaneously eaten watermelons and spat out the seeds onto other people before. And they'd totally do it again.

But despite getting along well and cooperating in mischief, these two also have a... cain instinct sort of thing going on. Taranza has a comparatively more chill dynamic with Magolor, but he's sort of in a mutual "I'd love to beat them up just because I can!" dynamic with Marx. There's a friendly rivalry between these two.

They sometimes argue over petty stuff, eager to dominate each other in arguments. There are also times where they prank each other... and believe it or not, Taranza has out-pranked Marx on occasion. He gloats about it every time, saying "I'm the better prankster now!", but then Marx is quick to remind Taranza that most of his mischief is mild and inadequate, and that out-pranking him are just outlier instances.

If they're both feeling especially unhinged, then they can and will bite each other. Callback to this post LOL. They've been competitive over "I'm the better biter!" and don't worry, Taranza isn't venomous, so Marx is not in danger. They do these bite fights in good fun, but man they can get really comically unhinged.

It's also worth mentioning that Taranza is much better at having standards than Marx in terms of mischief. Marx just gets ahead of himself in causing literal chaos. Taranza, as silly as he can sometimes be, is more careful in causing mischief. He will absolutely stop Marx from going too far. Out of the people that stop Marx from going off the rails with mischief, Taranza is one of the more adamant ones about it... and that itself causes some argumentation between the two, as Marx is bold enough to roll his eyes and an instigate an argument when he gets stopped by him.

So yeah, there's some drama that goes on in this dynamic. But despite that, Marx and Taranza do like each other and do appreciate each other's friendship. And if nothing else, Marx actually has the courtesy to try to cheer Taranza up when he catches him being sad or upset... by saying things that'd make him laugh. Sometimes he goes overboard with this and so it might not always work, but it's the thought that counts I think.

There are times where Marx teases Taranza and asks him if he "has a thing for strong, scary women". This is because Taranza's best alive friend is Susie, and he's also pretty good friends with Zan Partizanne. To be fair, Susie and Zan can both easily go in the "strong, scary woman" boat with Sectonia, so Marx is not entirely wrong LOL.

It's also a little bit ironic because Marx really likes Francisca for her type of unhinged.

Almost every time Marx visits Taranza in his home in the Royal Road castle, he enters by jumping through one of the windows instead of showing up at the door like everyone else does. What a little shit. But hey, Taranza appreciates the company! He's overall glad to have Marx around.

Gonna be real, Taranza would absolutely do that same jumping-through-window thing to Marx. But the problem there is that Marx does not have an actual home as he's technically homeless, LOL. I guess Marx wins in that department.

Taranza showed Marx around all of the islands of Floralia. It was a fun time. They both clowned on Pyribbit one time when they visited the Floralian island of Endless Explosions.

Okay that's all I'm sharing for that dynamic. Now it's time for me to talk about my updated dynamic that Marx has with Susie.

This is easily the most unhinged dynamic out of all the dynamics of the "Wave 3 + Marx" quartet.

The things that Marx and Susie have going on is... LMAO. This a rather mean-spirited friendship; they bully each other a whole bunch without pulling punches, but they're also a frighteningly powerful duo for when they both feel like teaming up to cause some hijinks. A lot of stuff that happens between these two just screams unhinged!

The "Wave 3 + Marx" quartet already has some cain instinct relationships going on... Magolor and Susie like to butt heads for enrichment, while Marx and Taranza do the same to each other. But I think Marx and Susie is easily the most intense out of the cain instinct dynamics out of the quartet. The most arguments that happen within this quartet are easily coming from between these two. They've absolutely argued about clockwork stars before. Callback to this post.

Although since I made that post before I changed my headcanons to make these two friends, maybe the arguments are just somewhat less intense than that example. Susie technically DOES consider Marx to be insufferable in my verse, just not in a "I actually hate him" sort of way now. More like the 'friendly' sort of viewing one as insufferable.

Susie's dynamics with Magolor and Marx are similar in many ways. They both love to tease, prank and argue with her, and she's brash enough to all those things to them right back. She does have fun doing it, which is a good chunk of the reason why she likes them. They're also the two people that drag her out of her comfort zone to introduce more fun into her life.

It's just that she does the "friendly fighting" stuff with Marx more intensely than with Magolor. Magolor is somewhat more chill by comparison and also does some fun technology collaboration stuff with Susie. Meanwhile, Marx and Susie often don't hold back when picking on each other. Someone has to calm them down when it happens.

But despite bullying each other a lot... at the end of the day, they're still friends. They actually have some mad respect for each other over the fact that they're not afraid to play dirty. Their friendly fighting is part of the reason why they're drawn to each other sometimes, as they're practically impressed by each other's audacity. There are times where it makes them decide to team up and troll other people on occasion.

In fact, Marx actually stokes Susie's ego sometimes. He's completely unfazed by any of the weird and unhinged lab creations that she's done. He actually eggs her on to do messed up things because he's a big fan of messed up things. Not kidding, when he learned about what happened to Meta Knight during the HWC invasion on Popstar, he literally said "Wow, holy shit. I'm impressed by the fact you did that. That was radical!" because he's a sicko.

Taranza or someone else has to slap Marx upside the head for encouraging Susie. She's being reigned in by Kirby, Taranza and sometimes Magolor who are working on making her a better person. Stop encouraging her to do bullshit, Marx! Thankfully, she's more inclined to listen to Taranza than to Marx because she's closer to the former, but that doesn't change the fact that the jester still manages to feed her ego. This is why their cain instinct relationship is actually helpful, so she's not super inclined to let him influence her too much, despite her pride being boosted by him.

Marx is allowed to visit the HWC's headquarters (where Susie lives) under the condition he does not cause any mischief or chaos. He complies, but instead just tells the Haltworkers a lot of jokes. He often gets away with it, but there were a few instances where Susie had to tell him to stop when it got overboard.

This is a very interesting friendship, all in all. They playfight a lot, but that's part of the charm and part of why like each other LOL. And like said earlier, Marx (alongside Magolor) has dragged Susie out of comfort zone many times to implement more fun into her life. He's generally not a good influence on her, but that's the one good thing he did to her. Susie can thank him for that. She'll give him credit there.

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So yeaaah I'm now officially a "Wave 3 + Marx" friend group truther.

We should call this group something else for some convenience.

Maybe call it the "Magogang"? I sincerely wouldn't be shocked if Magolor himself tried to call it that. It's him and his three besties, after all. What do you think? If Magogang doesn't cut it, what should we call this group?

Concluding this post now as it's already very long. Thanks for reading if you did!