#first pic i got these bugs to stare at you etc etc

[satsuha]

little sister

[just-trying-my-best-everyday]

Please share all of your Gojohime headcanons!!

Ooooh, boy howdy, here we go:

Despite Gojo's disrespectful behavior and Utahime's little patience, they actually trust each other a lot.

Both with important stuff (like the traitor thing) and with completely irrelevant stuff, like why Gojo's blueberry muffin is bluer than usual and goddammit Gojo, she's working right now-

He texts her a lot. Like, a lot.

Her phone is constantly bombarded with silly selfies and pics of bugs he found by the sidewalk.

Because yes, Gojo Satoru, the strongest sorcerer in the world, just cannot deal with rhinoceros beetles.

Utahime has threatened to block him more than once.

But hasn't found it in her to do it yet

The second character in Utahime's name (姫, hime) means "princess".

Gojo believes it would be an absolute crime to let this pass.

So when they're alone and he feels like driving her further up the wall than normal, he calls her "princess".

It works.

She doesn't exactly hate it.

She just hates how flustered it makes her.

So she throws her chair at him instead of just the cup.

(Side Utahime headcanon: she's super buff, in a Mikasa Ackerman kind of way. It's hidden by her clothes, but she is ripped.)

If he's standing by her side, or behind her, he fiddles with her ribbon until it eventually comes undone.

Doesn't matter how many times she tells him to quit it, he doesn't.

He loves how much it annoys her.

In return for his constant annoyance, she steals from him a lot.

But like, casually.

That baseball cap?

Used to be his.

She borrowed it once and never returned it.

If they go for drinks?

His drink is hers.

The reason she always gets so shit faced drunk is because she's drinking for two.

Because of Infinity and etc, etc, they're not very touchy, at least skin to skin.

They always keep their distance.

But when they do get close?

Holy guacamole, you guys.

It's a milestone in their relationship.

First time they actually touch is right after she gets her scar.

It happens after a mission they had together, that ended in a pretty nasty injury for Utahime. Nothing Shoko wasn't able to cure, but it obviously scarred.

She exited the healing place and found him standing outside. Waiting for her.

He stared at her for a minute, saying nothing.

Then, he slowly raised a hand and brushed a thumb over the marred skin.

None of them spoke, they just stayed like that for some time.

When Shoko came out after her, they broke apart like nothing had happened.

They never talk about it.

Any form of touch or physical contact is rare, and therefore very intimate.

I just love the idea of even grazing each other being a big deal, you guys.

It's so soft.

I love it.

Gojo actually had a huge, fat crush on her during his teenage years.

But he's gotten over it.

Jk, he hasn't.

Utahime straight up refuses to even acknowledge that she might not hate him.

Denial, guys.

It's about the yearning.

The unconscious yearning.

That's pretty much it. Nah fam, I got some more, about first date and kiss, and how they got together, but that's for another time.

Thanks for messaging me! It's appreciated!

[merinnan]

DMBJ Ep 6

I’ve been a bit behind putting these up on Tumblr, so I’m afraid you’re about to get a dump of the remainder of Season 1, plus the first two eps of Explore with the Note! (not all in one post, of course - 1 ep per post as usual)

So! Episode 6!

The Xiaoge Rescue Count at the start of ep 6 stands at 9 for Wu Xie, 12 for the protagonists, 13 for everyone.

- And we start back with Chengcheng and High Jr. I DON'T CARE ABOUT THIS SUBPLOT, MAKE IT GO AWAY AND BRING BACK XIAOGE AND WU XIE. 

- Why is Chengcheng calling her kidnapper dage? I don't like her or trust her. She is annoying and shady

- Oh, good, now we are back to Wu Xie being a good boy 

- That is a lot of guns and explosives Sanshu has recovered

- I am annoyed at how they all seem to think that A-Ning needs to be shielded from everything unpleasant because she's a girl. She's a goddamn mercenary leader. I think she can take knowing these things - and it's better to let her know as it's found out so that she can adjust to the news properly, instead of springing it on her when it can't be concealed anymore, like what happened when the blood zombie showed up.

- On a completely different tangent, Wu Xie's neck dressing has stayed astonishingly clear for running around in a tomb, crawling through tight tunnels, falling off of ledges and being dramatically rescued, fighting bugs, and fainting all over floors.

- Wu Xie is so sweetly optimistic 

 - LOL, sure Pangzi, you're here for archeological study 

- ....Wu Xie, you are disturbingly knowledgeable about guns for a college student

- Now that I've read the first novel between having watched ep 5 and now, my mind is slightly reeling from how innocent and babie drama Wu Xie is compared to novel Wu Xie 

- Awww. Doesn't matter which Wu Xie it is, babie with gun always looks kinda adorable.

- Also, I appreciate Wu Xie's trigger discipline. So often shows have such terrible trigger discipline. 

- Oooh, it's like a carved thing on the dais that got his attention. I thought it was like a computer drive or something at first, because it looked kinda like that.

- OH NO, THE LIVING VINES ARE HERE AND SNEAKING UP ON THEM 

- ...and pushing the button made them retreat 

- ...phew? 

- I am still concerned 

- The music signifies that something creepy is coming 

- lol, babie. Looking so innocent even though He Knows What He Did

- I don't know what that sound is, but that's not a good sound 

- ...earthquake? That's a bad thing to happen when you're in the middle of an evil cave. 

- WU FAMILY, WHY ARE YOU THE ONLY ONES TRYING TO STAY ON YOUR FEET WITHOUT HOLDING ONTO ANYTHING?! 

- So fucking stubborn

- This is where Wu Xie gets it from, if Erbai is wondering 

- A-Ning is the smartest one, staying sitting down 

- The tree opens up like a fucking security vault and ejects a coffin. Because of course if fucking does. 

- Oooh, yeah, that's that shot from the opening credits 

- "I can't read any of this, but it says this is the guy we're looking for" 

- "His story recorded here is the same as what we know" WU XIE YOU JUST SAID YOU CAN'T READ IT

- Come on. Earlier in the show you said "yes I can read this" and read it. And in the novel, you puzzle it out from being able to read bits. This part, you flat out said he couldn't read it, and now are telling everyone what it says 

 - I love continuity, but dramas really don't

- The music now is similar enough to the Harry Potter music that I almost expect an owl to go flying past 

- The owner of a coffin wanting the coffin to be opened hundreds or thousands of years later seems like it should be something more worrying than how everyone is reacting

- I wanna know how Sanshu knows the coffin has been there for 3000 years. Wu Xie can't read the dates on it, and the Warring States Period was 1500 years ago, not 3000 

- JESUS CHRIST, SANSHU, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THE SENSIBLE ONE!

- Why are you suggesting you open the chained shut coffin in order to see if there's somehow something alive (or alive-ish) in there? 

- Awwww! Wu Xie going "no, don't do that, Pokerface told us not to touch anything"

- Like. Not, "no uncle, that seems like a bad idea" 

- But "Xiaoge told us not to, and we should do what he says" 

- I have the feeling that if this Pangzi is agreeing with something, then you all should not be doing that thing. Because this version of Pangzi is an idiot

- HOW THE FUCK IS THE MOVING COFFIN GOING TO SECRETLY HAVE THE EXIT INSIDE IT, PANGZI 

- THAT MAKES THE LEAST SENSE OUT OF EVERYTHING SO FAR 

- Pan Zi's "WTF do you think you're doing" look

- This Pangzi is so bad 

- I even like Chengcheng better than him. And I wish they had taken her into the tomb and used her as bait. 

- I'm glad he's better in other adaptations. Like, I love the Pangzi in Chongqi. I am so glad that he was my intro to Pangzi, not this one

- DON'T MAKE THE BABIE SAD BY BEING DUMB

- A-Ning really should not be just standing there with her leg injury. I've had a muscle biopsy before where they took it from the thigh, which is a similar 'injury' to what she's got, and you do not get on your feet unless you absolutely have to for days afterwards.

- At least they have her limp when she's walking, and it's kinda sad that I'm glad they do that! 

- And Pan Zi should not be doing hard physical labour with a fucking gut wound

- But I think I'm more annoyed by A-Ning, because I have personal experience with her kind of injury so know first-hand what kind of pain she's causing herself by standing and walking 

- HUMAN BRAIN LOGIC GO

- Pangzi you fucking dick, just standing there watching. You should be pushing instead of Pan Zi 

- Hahahah, after all his shittalk and boasting, and he can't do it 

- Oh, there, finally

- I know that inside lid is supposed to be jade, but it looks so terribly fake. Oh my god. It's awful 

- It looks like a bad Photoshop of one of those Windows 98 default backgrounds

- I love the looks everyone gives Pangzi every time he slips up and talks about getting money from the stuff in the tomb 

- LOL, that's not a carving, that's a couple of translucent green plastic discs stuck on top of Windows Background Photoshop cover

- ...I'm kinda waiting for someone to suddenly shout BOO! really loudly while they're all carefully trying to listen for any sounds in the coffin

- They're almost at the end of the first novel in terms of plot, and there's still 4 and a half eps to go

- Wow, I think that's the first time I've seen Sanshu actually worried 

- lol, and now Pangzi says he believes him, rather than get his ear that close to the coffin himself 

- PANGZI DON'T STARTLE SOMEONE WHO HAS THEIR FINGER ON THE TRIGGER OF A GUN & DEFINITELY DON'T SMACK THE GUN

- Wu Xie has a lot of control to have not accidentally shot right then

- LOL, after all their declarations how they're archaeologists, not tomb robbers, & how they're here to protect cultural artefacts from robbers, etc - they go make references to the northern and southern schools of tomb raiding

- Just without actually saying exactly what the 'Southern School' being referred to actually is. 

- ....and now Pangzi jumps in front of the pointed gun as he grabs it. Do you have a fucking death wish, dude? 

 - And now we see the infamous bronze armour! Jade armour. Whatever

- You'd think they'd have learned to fucking take all of A-Ning's guns away from her after last time she held one of them at gunpoint 

- OMG, the face on the helmet is so fucking ridiculous, I can't - It's not even properly positioned over his face

- Aaaaah, Sanshu called him tianzhen  I'm so happy at being able to identify that word now it's ridiclous 

- That...that is not what peeled skin looks like 

- Pangzi comes right out and admits he's a tomb robber 

- And for the first time, no-one calls him on it

- Or correct him for calling them tomb robbers 

- Ah, there you are, Xiaoge. I was wondering how long it would take for you to be back 

- I see looking for people in a tomb requires no shirt XD

- Better shots of shirtless Xiaoge

- Like, same, Wu Xie. Same.

- Look, I have two braincells, and one is for Xiaoge and one is for pingxie

- YOU ACTING LIKE THIS IS WHY YOU DON'T HAVE ANY FRIENDS, PANGZI

 - Oooh, this is a goood shot of the tattoo. And of who the tattoo is on

- I don't have a Xiaoge problem. It's the opposite of a problem.

- Seriously, Pangzi is so fucking lucky that Xiaoge didn't kill him a dozen times over during their first meetings here

- Also, now that Xiaoge has explained why he threw a knife at Pangzi, I believe it's time to update the Xiaoge Rescue Count to 9 for Wu Xie, 13 for the protagonists, 14 for everyone.

- Although maybe I should have also been keeping a People Eyerolling At Pangzi Count given how often it's been happening

- More Xiaoge pics, feat. emotions that are not 'worrying about Wu Xie'

- Also, did he throw the corpse off the platform after he broke it's neck, or did it yeet itself off somehow? 

- I mean, I too wanna know how Xiaoge knows all this stuff if this was all put here 3000 years ago

- I do love that Wu Xie is already about the only person who Xiaoge will actually look at instead of staring down or straight ahead

- LOL, Wu Xie won't even let Pangzi so much as touch this. 

- I honestly appreciate that Xiaoge appears to travel lightly enough that he doesn't have a spare shirt

- EVERYTHING makes Wu Xie better than everyone else (except Xiaoge), Pangzi

- lol, Sanshu, yes. You tell him. 

- Hahahah, and Wu Xie playing along with Sanshu, the little adorable shit 

 - THE LOOK ON HIS FACE 

- KJFDHKJDAFHFKASDJHFKJASDLHGFSKLJ 

- AND DON'T THINK I DON'T SEE THAT SMIRK, WU XIE 

- There is absolutely not enough of little shit!Wu Xie in S1

- Loooool, his little nod at Sanshu now that they got their way and made Pangzi promise to stfu for the time being 

- And that is the first time I've seen that style of carriage roll like a car 

- Those skull ballistae were a cool aesthetic, though

- THAT CARRIAGE WAS ROLLING LIKE A FUCKING CAR, HOW IS IT BACK UPRIGHT AND ROLLING ALONG THE GROUND TO THE CLIFF 

- HOW TF IS IT ROLLING ANYWHERE WITH A SMASHED WHEEL 

- HOW TF IS HE ABLE TO HOLD IT FOR EVEN A SECOND, ESPECIALLY WITH ONE HAND

- A thin as fuck flagpole is going to give you jack shit in terms of something to brace with when it comes to that much weight 

- THE SCRIPTWRITER OF THIS SCENE IS BAD AND SHOULD FEEL BAD 

- *cries in physics minor*

- I can suspend disbelief for aliens, zombies, everything about Xiaoge, logic holes, and plot pits. Apparently my line is a non-cultivator breaking the laws of physics. 

- Aaaah, here come the zombies 

- So this dude is not the zombie dude 

- He is the emperor, I think?

- OH MY GOD THAT GREENSCREEN IS JUST THE WORST 

- I thought the one on the river was bad. The one of her falling as he dives off the cliff to save her is actively painful 

- Oh, now it looks like we're gonna have a dumb love triangle in the flashback. Yay. *waves tiny flag*

- Bitch, be a bit more grateful. Yes, your ex-lover caught you as you were falling & did so by basically flying, but that's just standard wuxia defiance of physics. Your husband held a FUCKING CARRIAGE with ONE HAND for AT LEAST TWO WHOLE MINUTES to keep you alive before your ex finally showed up

- "Were you really frightened?" Your majesty, what kind of a stupid question is that? 

- The emperor's armour is really pretty, I gotta say 

- Uuuugh, this stupid love story hurts in a bad way 

- I'm just gonna fast forward through it 

- ...and there's the end of the episode.

- That love triangle is going to make me scream, I know it 

- But that does explain how they're going to pad out the episodes a bit more with how far through the plot they are already 

- None of them are even really that pretty to make up for the boring, trite, love triangle plot

- How do they expect to keep my attention through it if I don't even have eye candy?!?! 

- I will be seriously headdesking if this flashback goes on for more than the next ep! 

- Oh well, there we are. The end of ep 6

The Xiaoge Rescue Count at the end of ep 6 stands at 9 for Wu Xie, 13 for the protagonists, 14 for everyone. 

[acelucky]

Patchwork

Summary - Hitomi has a wish for her final night in Gaea. A reunion between herself and all those she has grown to love round a campfire to share stories and toast to the future.

This was written for the 2019 Escaflowne 'Pic n Fic' the theme is memories. Thank you to @radical-rad1986 for telling me about this years pic n fic! Whilst I haven't been active in the Escaflowne community for some time (life and other fandoms etc.) this was so nice to write for and was a joy to be writing about these characters I love once again. In fact I've been inspired to write a little more Escaflowne content from doing this. This has also been posted on Ao3 but wanted to post it here too as I posted so little of my writing on main.

This is written for @numbersoftoday 

A campfire was where it begun and where it ended. Campfires were, Hitomi reflected, one of the best places to share stories. Far away enough from buildings and the distractions of a busy world full of busy people and noise, a campfire was a good place to escape if started in the right location. Tonight the location had been picked by Van, it was Hitomi’s final night in Gaea and he had gathered together those who had come to know her and become in a fashion, an extended family, to say their goodbyes.

Van, Hitomi and Merle were the first to arrive in the clearing. On the ground there was a round circle of ash, a place where previous campfires had been built and memories shared. Around this were logs strategically placed for seating.

Van placed a hand on Hitomi’s shoulder, “Sit, relax, I’ll build the fire.”

Hitomi who was always so eager to help and wanted to do everything she could to not be a burden, was grateful for once to sit and watch the others at work. She decided to sit on the soft, green grass whilst the fire was being built, her fingers lazily trailing across the blades and twirling a few round her index finger. She stared up at the night sky, admiring the constellations. Though different from home, no matter where you were, the stars always looked beautiful and held the secrets of the world they watched over.

Hitomi had been thinking of the memories that each of them had woven both individually and collectively, whilst certain tales excluded certain people, by hearing the words alone, they were able to live on. Her grandmother had been so fond of story telling and ensuring that legends didn’t die. So, in the aftermath of the war and before she returned home, she had a final wish, that they would reunite for one final evening, around a campfire and share memories, honest and true.

She watched as the fire came to life, providing much needed light in the darkness so that she could see the faces of those she loved. She watched as the flames licked higher, as the wood started to glow and the element took hold, sturdy and ready to warm their small gathering. She remembered the last campfire she’d had with her grandmother, sat under a patchwork quilt that her great grandmother had made whilst pregnant. They had cuddled up under it, embracing a part of her history, a woman she would never know and yet in that moment, felt so close to her that there was an undeniable warmth. A pull on her heartstrings from beyond the grave.

Her grandmother had taught her of the importance of ancestry, no matter how far back. She had also taught her the importance of those who come into your life, no matter how small or for how long. How all these individuals were a sum of the person you are and you become. When she was younger she struggled to understand what her grandmother had meant. Her close friends and family, they were the people who made her who she was. But now Hitomi realised what her grandmother had meant, no amount of distance between two people could ever break a bond so strong once it had been established.

Hitomi leaned back, pressed her palms flat against the ground and inhaled sharply, the smell of the earth and pine trees heavy in her nostrils. It made her feel light, free and as if for a moment that she was sat on a field with Amano and Yukari after school, enjoying the warmth of sun on her face.

She watched through the woods as shadows moved, growing closer, not enemies but the friends she had made and woven into their tales. Allen and Celena arrived first, shortly followed by Millerna, Dryden, Gaddes and the rest of the Crusade Crew.

She pulled herself up from the floor and dusted her school uniform down before going to greet them, warm embraces all round. As Allen greeted her he kissed her cheek, for a moment she felt herself go a little red and knew Van’s eyes would be on them. She recalled their kiss in the rain, the warmth of his lips, the fact that the rain didn’t bother her, rather soothed her in a moment of such unimaginable tenderness. And for the first time when thinking back on that kiss, she didn’t feel guilt.

Once they had all all gathered, they took a place round the campfire to sit and talk. Hitomi now sat on a wooden log on a blanket that Van had laid out for them, Merle sat curled at his feet.

The campfire was so large that from the other side of the trees you could make out the unmistakable glow of orange in the sky. Hitomi watched the flames rise and closed her eyes, listening to the crackling of wood, thinking of home now and the memories she had from there. The memories that she would take home with her from Gaea.

The mood around the campfire wasn’t sombre as such, but it was quiet and reflective. Reeden poured drinks for all, they toasted and then waited for another to take the lead.

To the surprise of the others, it was Celena who spoke, “I remember…running through a meadow, the feel of the soft grass on the soles of my feet. All the colour splashed in front of me from the wildflowers, the smell of salt on the air from the sea. There was a breeze blowing, catching my hair… I remember you brother,” she looked across at Allen who nodded and smiled.

Merle’s eyes were wide with curiosity as she watched Celena recount the final memories of her youth before she was stolen away.

“The ships were beautiful that day,” added Allen as he closed his eyes to picture the scene, “There were so many of them in the harbour, you wanted to stand on the hill and count them but got distracted.”

“By a snail,” Celena finished and gave a laugh.

Allen chuckled, “Yes by a snail, you always loved small creatures.”

Celena smiled but said no more, her expression changed a little, melancholy in her reflection of her younger days and time lost.

“My younger sister loved all manner of insects and bugs,” Gaddes said, joining in to fill the silence.

Celena immediately looked up from the ground, happy that someone other than Allen wanted to engage, “Which were her favourites?” She asked.

“Butterflies… but she had a soft spot for stick insects, always wanting to keep them as pets. She named one of them Violet.”

“My friend, Amano, he kept stick insects as pets when we were younger,” Hitomi smiled fondly at the memory.

A few of the others round the campfire laughed, “Eww who’d want to keep a stick insect? Isn’t that right Lord Van?” Merle wrinkled up her nose.

Van shrugged, “I guess whatever makes people happy.”

Merle quickly changed her reaction to the thought of stick insects and nodded in agreement.

“What made me happy as a child,” Van begun, “was playing at sword fighting and duals with my brother. He was everything to me, I idolised him and always felt I’d never be able to match up to him, always standing in his shadow.”

“I think you did a grand job,” Hitomi said, her hand on Van’s knee.

Van sipped his wine, “Months ago I’d have hated you for saying that. But now, he did something far braver than I could ever imagine.”

“Redemption is a beautiful thing,” Dryden quipped.

“What was your favourite memory of him?” Hitomi asked

“My birthday one year, he got me a wooden sword, but it was carved so intricately I knew he must have spent an age working on it. I loved it because he made it. Because he had poured a part of himself into it, so in a way, even if we were apart we would always be together. That made me feel brave,” Van gave a low chuckle, “I feel now that sounds so childish.”

Hitomi and a few of the others shook their heads, Hitomi especially thought of her great-grandmother’s patchwork quilt and she knew exactly what Van meant.

He continued, “We went out to practise, stood on a meadow at the side of the woods. The sun shone brightly above us; eagles circled in the air high above. If I close my eyes, I can still remember the scent of the daises and buttercups. I recall the way my brother smiled at me, his words of encouragement when I fell. If I think hard enough about it, it’s almost like I’m back there.”

“That’s a lovely memory to have,” Hitomi said squeezing his hand.

“I remember Ellen, my oldest sister, she always wanted me to teach her how to fight,” Gaddes recalled.

“And did you?” Millerna asked.

There was a moment of silence as Gaddes sipped his wine, “Of course.”

Hitomi smiled and listened intently as Gaddes cast out his memories of Ellen and his sparring days. He stared into the flames as he spoke, his hands gripped tightly round the goblet, alluding to the fact that although this part of the story had been happy, there was a sorrow there.

“She was so feisty, so reckless in so many ways but her heart was so pure. She managed to protect my family from bandits one afternoon while I was out in town, I’d never been more proud of someone. Her hair smelt of honeysuckle and she had the brightest smile, the kind that drains all darkness from the room. She was able to mimic me and my movements so perfectly. I miss her terribly,” Gaddes’ eyes filled with tears as he wiped under one of them.

The campfire was silent for a moment as the others gave Gaddes the room he needed to reflect and a moment of silence for his sister.

“I’m sorry,” he apologised.

“Don’t be, we all have memories that make us both happy and sad,” Millerna put a comforting hand on Gaddes’ shoulder, “That’s what makes us human, that’s what connects us all.” She smiled sadly as Gaddes reached up and placed a hand over hers and mimed, ‘thank you.’

Millerna took a deep breath, her eyes caught Allen’s and before she spoke he knew what she was going to say, “Marlene…I think of her often. In fact, I think Eries and I would have been closer had Marlene still been alive, had things of worked out differently. We’re trying and slowly we’re building a sisterly relationship again, but Marlene will always cause a space between us that can never be filled.” Millerna smiled sadly, now avoiding Allen’s gaze.

“I have a few memories of us three sisters together and I am grateful every day that they are happy memories. Playing by a stream, mimicking the song of the birds in the oak trees. Planting seeds, drinking fruit juice as we sat on rocks, our feet cooled by the running water. Happy memories, as I said.”

Reeden went round the group with more wine, ensuring that their goblets were well filled for the night ahead.

The other’s continued to tell tales of their youth, they recounted stories from years past rather than reflecting on the recent, violent and bloody war. Those stories, both the good and the bad could wait for another day when the memories had begun to fade.

The final story before they said goodnight came from Hitomi, “My grandmother…the one who came here, she had a patchwork quilt that belonged to her mother… She had made it, whilst pregnant. It took me years to realise the significance of it, even though my grandmother taught me all about it and how each section represented a different part of her mother’s life, of her adventures, those she met, the terrific highs and heartbreaking lows… That was why it was so important, it reflected all life, because to live is to feel it all and that includes the bad. That is what we have done, that is what we have lived through, survived, together… The quilt represented all the lives that had touched her and now those threads can never be broken. “

All eyes round the campfire were round her now, slightly teary and waiting for her final words. “I’ll miss you all terribly, but I’ll remember you all, always,” Hitomi said fondly, though her eyes pricked with tears, misty with memories and love for those she met.

Van held her hand tightly and placed a kiss on her cheek as she finished speaking, Merle even shifted her weight so she could hug Hitomi’s legs.

Gaddes then stood and held his goblet up, staring into the flames and across to Hitomi he spoke, “A toast, to our dear friend Hitomi.”

Allen stood, the others following suit, all lifting their goblets in agreement, “To Hitomi!”

Hitomi then stood, “To friendship,” she added, “to love and to the memories we have made and those that are yet to be made.”

“Here here!” Dryden cried and then downed the rest of his wine, the others lifting their goblets once more and doing the same.

They said their farewells, though they had all agreed to say a final goodbye to Hitomi the following day in the same place but during the day when she would leave Gaea and return home. Before she left, Millerna pulled her close, she had been an unlikely friend and alley but now Hitomi found herself sorrowful for the friend she would have to say goodbye to.

Hitomi watched the fire die so there was just the faintest glow of orange, Van reached down with his hand to help pull her to her feet and in doing so embraced her.

“We still have the night,” Van said as he brushed the hair from Hitomi’s face.

She gulped, trying to swallow the tears that couldn’t so easily be fought off, “Yes, I should be grateful to sleep by your side and watch the moon and the earth for the last time from the window.”

“To sleep in it’s light by your side will be one of the best memories I’ve ever had,” Van said before pressing his lips against hers.

[surveysonfleek]

512.

5000 Question Survey Pt. 27

2501. What image, scent, memory, etc. would you take with you into the dark/light, the land of dead, heaven, infinity.....? my whole existence tbh. 2502. Who is the most annoying musical artist EVER? that catch me outside girl lol. 2503. If you HAD to go to one of the following concerts, which would it be: Snow Vanilla Ice NKOTB Milli Vanilli BSB <----- easily NSYNC 2504. Do you believe in manifest destiney? what?

2505. Have you ever fallen for an email forwarding hoax (send this to 13 people and old navy will send you a $200.00(100 pound) gift card)? Do you ever think 'well, maybe...' and actually forward those damn things? never. i haven’t forwarded a chain letter in years. 2506. Let's say there are 2 schools. one for boys and one for girls. They are both supposed to offer the same facilities so that the girls and boys get equal education. Would you take this to mean that the same courses should be offered to both girls and boys or that the same amount of money should be spent on each school? i’d take it as if they’re both being offered the same courses. Imagine that in the boys school fifteen boys sign up for calculus. In the girls school only five girls sign up for calculus. Should the girls calculus class be dissolved and replaced with an easier one? no. if they have the staff they should conduct them both. if not, they should combine them. 2507. Would it bother you if you found out that the fruits, vegetables, and meat that you eat is genetically altered (in lots of cases it is!)? i’d have to research it to understand. 2508. What does this world need? love. 2509. Is there anything you do just because you want to even though it has no redeeming social value? yup. like surveys lol. 2510. If you drink what kind of drunk are you? a loud one. 2511, Do you ever 'conveniently' forget something you don't want to remember? nope. 2512. If you have any cousins are you close? none of my cousins live close to me but we all get along really well when we’re together. 2513. Are you in love with yourself (your beautiful self)? haha no. 2514. What was the first movie you got on dvd? bug’s life i think. 2515. If you're sexy and you know it clap your hands. Did you clap? nope. 2516. have you ever called a: psychic hotline? suicide crisis line? sex line? dating line? none. 2517. Have you ever placed a personal ad anywhere? nope. 2518. Do guys look good in make up? some do, it all depends on skills. 2519. What are 5 things you don't care about? soccer, golf, working, drugs and my future lol. 2520. wHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO UNTIL YOU DIE? i don’t knowww. live. 2521. What 'issue' do you think your opinion is so right about that you end up trying to sway others to your point of view? i don’t try and sway people tbh. everyone is entitled to their own opinion. i hate it when people get all preachy to me. 2522. What age do you hope to live until? over 80. or at least to see my grandkids grow up. 2523. Do you like to tie others down during sex? nope. Have you ever been tied down? i don’t think so. 2524. Do you own any "toys"? no. Do you ever use them? no. 2525. Have you ever been spanked in that sexy way? maybe a couple times. it’s not a usual thing. Have you ever spanked anyone else? no. 2526. Do these questions make you uncomfortable? no. Do you like that feeling? what feeling? Does it turn you on? no. 2527. You know those ___ for dummies books (COMPTERS FOR DUMMIES, SURFING FOR DUMMIES, GOLDF FOR DUMMIES, WICCA FOR DUMMIES)? yes. Which one do you need to reaad? life for dummies lol. 2528. What do your socks look like? they’re mostly all black. 2529. Which of these really famous music artists started their career as a mime: Alice Cooper David Bowie Bruce Springsteen Moby Jewel Frank Zappa no idea. 2530. Does love float away if you let go? i don’t think so? it probably sinks lol. 2531. Do you think that most people in today's society are: kind? calm? humble? peaceful? helpful? happy? spiritual? creative? friendly? independant? intelligent? having fun? coming up with new ideas? no to all except this. able to think for themselves? able to really connect with others? If you answered no to any of the above, why do you think that is? the world sucks, let’s be real. there are some brilliant people out there but since the question said ‘most people’, it’s a hard no from me. 2532. Do you believe that every action has a sexual motive (think Freud)? nahhh. 2533. Speaking of Freud, did you know he was on drugs (think cocaine)? i don’t know enough about his life and studies. 2534. Do you trust psychology as a valid science? to an extent. can’t comment much since i don’t know enough abou tit. 2535. ID: In Freudian theory, the division of the psyche that is totally unconscious and serves as the source of instinctual impulses and demands for immediate satisfaction of primitive needs(sex, food, agressive behavior, drugs, alcohol, yelling, anger, fighting). SUPEREGO: In Freudian theory, the division of the unconscious that is formed through the internalization of moral standards of parents and society, and that censors and restrains the ego. So, which one do you express more, your ID or your SUPEREGO? idk. i’m too tired to think right now. 2536. Do you think that people who are alone and depressed are depressed because they are alone or alone because they are depressed? it can go both ways. 2537. Can you complete any of the following lyrics: I stop and I stare too much, afraid that I care too much... You're a new and better man, he helps youtounderstand,He does everything he can, he's.... Took the needles from my arms and put them to the sky... Top Gun shut down your Firm like Tom Cruise.... Don't you take it so hard now, And please don't take it so bad.... i don’t think i know any of these. 2538. How about these? From around the way, born in '73, Harcore B-boy named... And this feeling shivers down your spine, Love comes in colors I can't deny.... Before he hung up the phone he took a deep breath, stopped, and replied.... When I want you in my arms, when I want you and all your charms, whenever I want you all I have to do is... Silly games that you were playing, empty words we both were saying... 2539. Have you ever been to see a ballet? nope. 2540. What is the differance between Satan and Pan? i have no idea. 2541. What should a poem be or do if it is a sucessful poem? evoke thought or emotion. 2542. When you interpret a poem can each line mean anything you want it to? yes. 2543. Are you an orgasm addict? haha no. i love it but i wouldn’t say i’m an ‘addict’. 2544. Are you a sugar junkie? no. 2545. WHAT are you DOING? this. WHY aren't you marching in line with the rest of them? ooookay... 2546. Do you only hear what you want to? nope. 2547. Are you anal-retentive? i don’t think so. 2548. In and Out Over and Under Around and ??? about? lol. 2549. What was the last thing you returned to the store? a candle. 2550. Why ask why? why not? 2551. What is your favorite song or artist that is: jazz: metal: rock: new wave: psychedelic:  eh, idk for all. 2552. What are your feelings about: Picasso? love his style. Van Gogh? good paintings lol. Michaelangelo? incredible attention to detail. Da Vinci? cool. Einstein? smart. Tesla? cool cars lol. tbh i don’t know much about the inventor. 2553. Who else can you think of that made a MAJOR contribution to art or science? anyone and everyone who contributed to everything we have today. 2554. Who can you think of that made a major contribution to modern thought? idk. 2555. Why is it called 'coca cola'? no clue. 2556. Would you ever buy a Ford car? i used to have one. 2557. Donald or Daffy duck? donald. 2558. What is the most memorable thing about Pee-Wee Herman? never watched his stuff. 2559. Lease or buy a car? buy. 2560. Have you met Real Talkin' Bubba? no. Do you love him to death? - 2561. Have you ever been in a situation where you weren't sure if you were seducing or being seduced? nope. 2562. Can you 'pinch an inch' on your belly? yep lol. 2563. Have you ever been to: a temple? yes. a bar? yes. a massage parlor? yes. 2564. Would you ever want to visit Thailand? i wouldn’t mind it. 2565. What culture are you fascinated by? japanese. 2566. Have you ever worn a cape? probably. 2567. What is the difference between 'nude' and 'naked'? haha i’m not sure. 2568. What can you get for a dollar (.59 british pounds)? a soft serve from maccas. 2569. What makes you who you are? my dna. 2570. How do you search for meaning in life? idk. 2571. If your partner collected internet porn pics of celebs s/he thought was hot would that bother you? yeah, it would be kinda weird if he collected it. 2572. You are alone with your lover's diary. What do you do? flick through it hahaha. 2573. You read some and find out that a whhhiiillle back your lover had a crush on someone else, but you two were together. You both still hang out with this person. What do you do? question him to clear the air. 2574. Are you an old fart? no. 2575. What were your favorite things to do in the yard as a kid? ride my bike, pretend my yard was another world, play with a ball, jump rope etc. 2576. Why don't people have more fun? idk, maybe they have other things to worry about. 2577. Have you ever wanted to have a pet skinned and turned into an article of clothing? hell no. What pet? What article of clothing? 2578. Do I come off sounding normal, mildly irrational, blatently insane or completely certifiable? none lol. 2579. Did you ever feel that you were unable to function in society? not really. 2580. Is it nap time yet? very soon. 2581. Do you have to have the space next to the door or can you walk from the other end of the parking lot and still be okay with the world? let’s be real, the closer the parking spot to the entrance, the better. 2582. Do you like trains? i hate them. 2583. What's in Hungary? budapest. 2584. Have you ever felt like you were holding someone else back? no. Has someone ever held you back? kinda. 2585. What do you think of the term, 'organized religion'? nothing really. 2586. What do you think of the name 'Orson'? sounds very old timey. 2587. What frustrates you? people. 2588. Winkin, Blinkin and Nod, one night, sailed off in a sea of dew.. cool. 2589. Is ten dollars (5 pounds) a good price to pay for one lipstick? yes. Does anyone else remember when lipstick was, like, 2 or 3 bucks? no. 2590. Are you ill? no. 2591. Where were you the night of.....oh hell, last night? working. 2592. Do you pronounce the 'er' sound at the end of words(lookER or lookA)? the australian way. 2593. Do you drink only 100% juice? nope. 2594. Do you remember the bills you have to pay...or even yesterday? yes. 2595. What duck? donald. 2596. Do you collect coins? no. How about stamps? no. 2597. wHAT'S the best way to learn a new language? duolingo or a class. 2598. Is god in you? maybe. 2599. Are you in god? maybe. 2600. Do you know which fork to use at a formal table setting? the most outer fork first lol.

[spicegirl99]

Your handle says "Dedicated to the shameless shipping of My favorite DWTS couples plus a little bit of randomness" so, who are these couples?

Here's a story all about how, my life got flip turned upside down... and I discovered my secret obsession with shipping couples from dwts. Buckle in, boys and girls. So, by my nature I tend to get obsessed with something for a while and then move on, so my blog has changed several times with my whims. I have been a casual watcher of dwts since about season 14 or 15 I guess, but I wasn't a super fan. I just watched it and enjoyed it and didn't think much of it. I first discovered Tumblr during season 19 after coming across a video on Twitter of "all Maksyl dances" and I loved their dynamic and went googling to find out what a Maksyl was and found Tumblr. Back then I was just a lurking anon in @trocoloca 's inbox. My ship was sailing, posting adorable snuggle reunion pics and such all of the time, so, I started to get bored because I'm like that. I came across a gifset comparing Val and Zendaya with Maks and Meryl. Now, this gifset threw me for a loop because up until this point I was sipping the Janelskiy tea. I enjoyed their dances and bought into the showmance... but when I saw these gifs it made Janelskiy seem like fake news because I hadn't seen Val look so enamored with anyone else like he was looking at her. I had watched season 16 and enjoyed Val and Z but never really noticed a romantic connection between the two of them. So I went diving in the Valdaya tag and found gifs, interviews, social media interactions, etc that made me think there was something there. The age difference was bugging me at first but when I looked at it objectively and thought about some of the individual factors in their relationship it didn't bother me as much. So I think that's around the time I started my blog and one of my first posts was about that age difference. And it turns out I am a huge sucker for the forbidden romance trope so I was hooked. So I was shipping along, it was going great, my dash was filled with Maksyl in the morning and Valdaya at night, don't ask me why but that's how it was, when Maksyl all of the sudden went to hell and the tag became a disaster zone. When it after a while it became pretty obvious that ship was sunk, I went to mostly a Valdaya blog. I even wrote a fic for each of those ships, which when I first found Tumblr I thought was the weirdest thing ever. I was so creeped out by fics about real people. But over time I realized the characters were only inspired by real people, and they were fictional versions, and then I was cool with it. Well so then Season 20 came along and about week 9 or so, Mark and Sadie had their trio dance with Emma and started getting real emotional, and I started seeing a little something there. Again, forbidden love and opposites attract and all of that. And they reminded me so much of some of what I'd seen with Valdaya and seemed to have such an intense soulmate type connection, and were acting like boyfriend/girlfriend to me in a lot of ways, and I fell right down that rabbit hole. I shipped it so hard. I knew it was a crack ship and I did not care. I obsessed like crazy and wrote a ton of fic and I still think they have one of the most beautiful intense connections they came out of the show and had the circumstances been different, it could have gone in a different direction. But now I think they have fully turned it into an amazing friendship and I have warmed up a lot to Mark and BC and their relationship and think they are really sweet. So I'm just chilling along and watching season 23, enjoying several of the couples, and I'm watching the group dance rehearsal and notice James staring and Sharna while she's choreographing, and then doing things to intentionally make her laugh, and guys I am not kidding you I fell so hard for them. I don't pick my ships, my ships pick me, and this one lit something up in my brain and I again went ship crazy, rewatching all of their dances and packages and posting all of my feels, and people started sending me anons, and I met all of you lovely people, and that's how my blog came to be in it's present day state. I said it one of my tags a while back, and I do believe it to be true, that I don't always pick the ships that go romantic, but I do pick the ones that have a special connection. Maybe that is just what I personally want in a romantic relationship, so I see it that way. Anyway, there you go. The couples that I shamelessly ship. My dwtsotps.My babies. 😍😍😍