#give us better stalls where we can’t see each other and then gender won’t even be a question anymore!

[graceslavenderhaze]

Hear the sirens, {connor stevens}

synopsis: After the shadow man was defeated their was no new supernatural anomalies in town, then you and your wayward family showed up. 

also this gif is lovethephantoms gif but I still can’t figure out why the handle won’t come up underneath the gif. 

another female requested reader however when referred to in the writing the pronouns are gender neutral.

This is part one of three!

The Midnight Society had finally settled back into life as it normally was. Gabby had passed her PSAT’s and gotten her permit, still working her way to get out of shadow bay. Hanna still heavily involved in her activism and getting more signatures than before hand on her petitions, making the world a better place even if it was one step, by herself, at a time. Luke back to focusing on school and wrestling, he was still benched for weekend meet for disciplinary due to being late to practice which gave him plenty of time to work on the science project he owed . Jai back to being the comic book nerd his friends loved him as, no longer feeling like he had to own up to any sort of standards when his friends loved him the way he was. Then there was Connor. Who found it harder than his friends to move on, it wasn’t that easy for him. His dad didn’t know what happened so he carried on with the fishing trips like usual. Luke and Hanna had started dating after the glow dance so he was adjusting to his best friend not always being available. While he knew that the shadow man was gone, something in him still felt dark. Like a part of him had been permanently darkened by what he’d been through. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up whenever he walked by cemeteries, or historic settlements of shadow bay. He pushed it all down and acted like nothing happened. But he still slept with the lights on. He still had nightmares most nights. 

The Amana family Coven had been around for centuries. It was one of the few that was a female centric coven throughout the dark ages in magic along side the golden ages. The eldest of the coven was Gaia Amana, whose daughter was Leticia Amana, they remain the only two witches in the coven. Leticia married Willow a human woman that had been orphaned in her childhood due to an magical accident claiming her parents. They had two children. Two daughters. One who was a Witch with the gift of clairvoyance. Another who was a Banshee with a generational blood curse. 

That Witch, with the clairvoyance? That was you. Your Sister was the Banshee. This was the story of your family and the magic deeply routed throughout your family and bloodline, biological and adoptive. Growing up with magic isn’t a fairytale. You never stayed in one town longer than four years, where there was witches there was hunters who never strayed far.

So anyone who had magic lived by three commandments for protections.

Thou shall not bear the knowledge of magic,

Thou shall not caress a practitioner of magic,

Thou shall not survive a witches love. 

By those three commandments your family was able to continue to practice their respective magic without worrying about witch hunts in town. But the times had changed from when your grandmother first took over the coven. It was the twenty first century and spirituality and supernatural abilities were somewhat mainstream, not the truth but the refraction of what was going on. It blurred the lines of what was actually going on. So when it was time for the quadrennial move, your mothers had chosen a small town in Canada. Shadow Bay. There was hardly any supernatural occurrence’s there. With the exceptional of a magic shop but witch hunters had standards so they’d never show up there anyways. 

You’d gotten used to the somewhat lonely routine of your life. The moving every four years, the secrets about your magic, while it wasn’t ideal. You loved your magic and you wouldn’t trade your abilities for anything else in the world. But having some solid friends would’ve been a nice start.  

The drive wasn’t the longest you’ve ever taken, it also wasn’t the shortest you’ve every taken either. The only difference was that due to getting your license recently your grandmother let you drive her car. You’d lived in a lot of placed over the years. Apartments, ranch, colonial, victorian. Now you were living in a cottage in the woods by a lighthouse. Pulling into the drive you passed a group of six people. Five teens who looked around your age and one who seemed to be younger possibly in middle school. 

“Keys are in the mail box.” Your grandmother said, you looked over. “That’s harsh.” You said unbuckling and opening the door to retrieve the keys from the mail box. If the group of teens weren’t staring before they definitely were now. “Can i help you ?” You asked turning around at the group of teens who were like you thought, were staring.

A tall blonde in a leather jacket and all black, A red head wearing an army jacket and docs, A brunnette with curly hair who had a denim jacket on, A tanned brunnette boy wearing street clothes, A pale brunette who had a skateboard not far from his grasp, and a little boy wearing a cap and a wand in his hand.

“Did you just move into the haunted house in the woods?” The brunnette in street clothes asked with zero hesitation. Haunted? “Jai!” The red head exclaimed slapping his arm. The blonde still was staring at you. Like there was this connection flowing between the two of you, you felt it too. “Sorry he has the social skills of a second grader. I’m Hanna Romero.” She said extending a hand towards you. “Y/n Amana.” 

“This is Gabby Lewis, that’s Jai Malyas, He’s Luke Mccoy, on the end is Connor Stevens,” So staring boy has a name. “And that’s my little brother Seth.” She said giving a full rollcall for you. “Sorry i just have to ask, the haunted house in the woods?” Jai said not putting his question down. Everyone turned to him and you laughed. 

“So you believe in the other side?” You said crossing your arms and raising your eyebrows. The group fell silent for a minute. “Well I mean is there really another side? Maybe all the funs having here.” Connor said smiling at you, lying. You didn’t need magic to know. You just knew the faces of people who’d experienced the supernatural and didn’t know how to explain it afterwards.

“All right then pretty boy.” You said slightly taken aback Connors eyes widened. “Are you going to shadow bay high once you get settled?” Gabby asked you. You nodded, “Yeah my sister and I are suppose to start next week.” Gabby looked at Connor and then back to you, “We could show you both around, give you the old razzle dazzle.” She said. You smiled, “Yeah i’d really appreciate that!” 

“No problem! Right Connor?” Gabby said, nudging him. You turned your eyes backed to him. “Yeah no problem at all.” He said running a hand through his hair. You nodded. “I should probably go but i’ll see you guys next week.” You said, each of the teens saying a goodbye to you and you got into the car where your grandmother was waiting, dropping the envelopes with the keys on the dash board. 

“Well that looked like a lot more than just getting the keys.” She noted as you started to drive up into the woods. “Just some local kids who offered to show me around when i start and also said our house is the local haunted house in the woods.” You said turning as the road winded. She nodded, “This town is going to be different, you can feel it can’t you?” You could and it gave you butterflies. 

That night after dinner you sat up decorating your room. You’d never had your own room before and now you had free creative decisions. You sister knocked on the door holding two cups of tea, “Tea time?” You nodded. You were older by two years, it wasn’t much but sometimes it still managed to wedge a gap between the two of you for certain subjects. She placed your mug down on your desk were you were placing posters up and she sat on your bed. “So Grams said that you were flirting with some outsiders type beat boy earlier.” 

You turned taking a sip, “I was not flirting. I might’ve called him pretty boy. But that’s the highest form of flattery rather than flirting if anything!” You said to your sister. “What if you date him? What if you fall in love and have cute babies?” She gushed. “I just met him!” You exclaimed to her turning around, “Oh come on, haven’t you ever wanted to date someone?” 

“I don’t date. We move too much besides there’d be too much lying. It would just be heartbreak for me and whoever i’m with.” You said turning your attention back to decorating rather than the conversation. Silence washed over and the question that had been on everyone’s minds was asked once again. “Is it gonna be different here?” 

You stalled, exhaling slowly. “You have the gift of clairvoyance, if anything you can tell out of all of us.” She said with excitement. “No i’m not doing it.” You said shutting her suggestion down. “Oh come on!” She persisted. 

“Astral projecting isn’t meant for figuring out if we’re going to live out our coming of age fantasies, it’s meant for real magic. I’m not doing it. If any clairvoyant dreams come to me, that’s one thing. I’m not chasing them.” You said breaking down the now empty box that once held pictures, posters and other wall hanging knick knacks. Your sister pouted, “Buzzkill.” She muttered under her breath, “Well were either of the girls cute and give gay vibes?” She asked as she finished her mug and placed it on the floor. 

“Ask them yourself. They offered to show us around on our first day. But no powers. If you want a relationship it has to be fully yourself no magic sire ties. Magic sometimes makes it messy.” You said unfortunately speaking from experience. Magic was beautiful but it doesn’t come from nothing, there is a give and a take. Like everything else in the universe. 

That night you found it hard to sleep, you usually had issues sleeping the first night in a new town. It was some sort of internal clock routine. You snuck out of the front door, for a house that had been around for as long as it had been it wasn’t the loudest. The floor boards didn’t creak every time you walked over them, the doors didn’t screech whenever you opened them an inch at a time, and the house didn’t settle several times a day. But for all you knew a spell could’ve been casted to prevent that. 

You found comfort being on your own. Having clairvoyance was overwhelming at times. You had no control over your powers, they never had a specific trigger, so naturally you just steered clear of people in general. You figured there was no way to be given unwanted visions of the future if you just didn’t have anything to do with anyone at all. Your own loneliness was your own fault. Walking through the woods you felt the feeling of dark magic, it was a distinct feeling that you hadn’t felt often but it was unforgettable when you did. It over takes you, like a wave but instead of being able to see through the water its ink. It’s heavy, and dark. It drags you under. 

You hear several snaps of twigs behind you and slightly startled you turn to see the animal or whatever that was behind you. Ready to cast a spell incase whatever followed was a foe and not a friend you gathered your hands in front of your body, “Either you come out or it’s going to be a bad night for you.” You called out into the darkness. Several more twigs snapped under what you assumed where footsteps as a dark shape came out from behind the tree. 

“I surrender!” The figured called out with slight fear in their voice. “My hands are up!” The voice sounded so familiar as they neared towards you. Once they were within eye sight you noticed it was one of the boys from earlier, Connor. “ Take it easy there cobra kai.” He said gesturing to your hands which could be assumed in a fighting position, which they were just not the fighting position he thought it would be. 

You took your hands away from the stance they were place in front of your body, “So, you enjoy taking walks in the dark and startling people pretty boy?” You asked crossing your arms. He lowered his flashlight so he wasn’t practically blinding you anymore. He laughed lowly for a second, “To be fair with the way i was snapping twigs, if you were startled that sounds like a you deal.” 

You smiled at him for second, “I’m Connor Stevens by the way, we met earlier but i don’t know you if remember me.” He said running a hand through his hair, a nervous habit probably. “Oh so you assume that you’re unforgettable. Not a chance pretty boy.” You said taking several steps closer. Slightly taken aback once again by your boldness for the second time in the one day. “I have a name you know.” 

“Oh so you don’t find pretty boy flattering?” You asked coyly, going silence after trying to create an argument. “Thought so.” You said smiling. His eyes stayed glued onto you, his dad has taught him better than to stare. 

“Sorry, i just keep getting this deja vu feeling but i would definitely remember meeting you.” He said unfiltered getting close enough for you to catch a vision, you back up slightly and he’s hurt by this. It’s written all over his face. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” He apologized quickly and sincerely.

“Oh no i just have this thing with physical touch, it’s nothing personal. You’d remember meeting me? Are you reading into my character?” You said with a slight cockiness mixed into the tone. He nodded, “No it’s just you’re literally one of the prettiest girls i’ve ever seen.” You dropped the flashlight that you’d brought with you. You rushed forward to pick it up as did Connor, both your fingertips grazed each other.

The images flooded through your head. You saw past images first, not older than a month or so. It was dark, he was in the woods running, then there was a book of spells it looked like ever other witches book, and then he was grabbed into the dark. Inside of something that looked like a lighthouse but rotted on the inside and there was absolutely no light. Then there was present, this moment right here right now. The future was the two of you in front of the high school, you guessed. Then it was just the two of you, your aura’s with a red string connecting them at the pinkies. But then it was him holding your hands as something tried to drag you. Then it was over. 

You blinked a few times before looking back up at Connor, “Are you okay? You looked like you saw a ghost.” He said with a slight laugh dropping the flashlight into your palm like it was burning him to touch. “Something like that.” You muttered lightly and standing back up. Silence washed over, “I should probably get back home before anyone notices i’m gone.” You said. He nodded, “See you around, cobra kai?” 

“See you pretty boy.” You confirmed turning around to walk back to your house for the night. Sneaking back in just as quietly as you left. You managed to fall asleep before the sun rose this time. Once you fell asleep, the visions still lingered on a loop. Despite how much you hated it on a deep level it was comforting compared to the nightmares that had a tendency to plague you from time to time. 

The next morning your family had gotten take out from the local diner for breakfast and during the morning conversation no one mentions anything that gives away your nightly adventure. Throughout the rest of the week you and your family continues to get settled into your house. You hadn’t seen Connor on any of your nightly walks through the woods throughout the rest of the week and as the day of starting school gets closer you just assume you’ll see him along with his friends. 

Your sister and you were sitting in the office after you’d gotten your schedules and other paperwork. “We have two student volunteers who offered to show you around.” The secretary said as she handed the two of you a peppermint, Slightly disappointed, going under the impression you’d get to hang out with Connor and his friends today. The door creeks open and you turn. Gabby and Hanna enter the office, you notice through the glass pane of the door Luke, Jai and Connor standing in the hallway waiting for them. 

“Ah, Hanna Romero and Gabby Lewis. This is Y/n Amana and Ramona Amana.” She said as the two of you stood up. “If you need anything during your next few days don’t hesitate to reach out.” She said sincerely, offering a comforting smile. Your sister and you both exchanged thanks before leaving the office. 

You saw Luke nudge Connor to which he muttered a shut up, you smiled. “Nice to see you again pretty boy.” You said smirkingly, Jai looked up from his phone. “Again, you went into the haunted woods?” He said looking at Connor, who blank faced. “Thanks for ratting me out. Besides, there wasn’t anything out there other than Y/n and their fists of fury almost giving me a black eye.” He said punching you lightly in the shoulder, laughing with you. 

“What’s the deal with those woods anyway? It seems like everyone has some story about them.” Ramona asked no one specific just wanting a general answer after hearing the endless week of comments. The group went silent, “Okay so like did someone get murdered there. Some true crime type beat?” You asked as you leaned against the wall next to Connor. Leaning your head on his shoulder, he leaned his head on yours after a few moments of hesitation. 

“It’s an unbelievable story.” Jai said as he looked at the comic in his hand with a confused look and then closed it, Ramona smirked. “Oh we know a lot about those type of stories.” She said standing next to Gabby. Both were stealing looks when the other wasn’t. “Where are you guy’s from?” Hanna asked with confusion and a slight laugh. “Where aren’t we from.” You said under your breath catching the attraction of the group. 

“We’re military, we move a lot.” Ramona said. The cover story that had been engrained into you both from elementary school. “Damn that must suck.” Luke said getting elbowed by Hanna, “I mean thank you for your service.” He corrected himself. You laughed a little as Luke tried to awkwardly save himself. You saluted him, causing Connor to smile. 

“Nice bracelets.” Gabby said to Ramona, she looked down at them before looking back up. “Thanks.” She said slightly flustered and blushing. “Mo you should see if you and Gabby have any classes together.” You suggested slightly trying to wing woman. “What? Oh yeah!” She said handing over her schedule eagerly to Gabby. Soon enough the two walked off. 

“So, Hanna do you have the list for morning announcements?” Jai said, Hanna met him with a confused look as did Luke. “Announcements? Oh yeah! We’ll see you guys after home room!” As they left Connor and you in the hallway. “Your friends really lack subtly.” You said as you watched them go down the hallway, Hanna arguing with Jai while Luke occasionally looked back.

“Oh you have no idea.” He said turning back to you, “Oh! How do you feel about horror movies?” He asked reaching into his backpack. “Top three movie genre. Why?” You asked, he pulled out a small “slashers rule” pin and handed it you. “A formal apology for scaring you in the woods the other night, and you seemed like you’d like it.” He said gesturing to your backpack decorated with pins and patches, you smiled. “I love it.” His nervousness seemed to fade with those three words. “I’ve never really had friends or anyone give me something like this so, thank you.” 

“That must’ve been lonely.” He said as you shrugged, it was lonely but it was also complicated. “Yeah but i’m not lonely anymore.” You said as you subconsciously ran your thumb over the pin and looked up at him. He blushed, you’d learned he did that a lot and quite easily none the less. 

“So you ready for the shadow bay tour?” He said pushing off the wall, rubbing his hands together. Students had started to clear out of the halls paying absolutely no attention to Connor and yours’ affair in the corner. “Oh definitely. Just so you know i’ve been to four schools over the past eleven years, so you’re competing with that.” 

“Oh it’s a competition?” He said with fake outburst laced onto his voice, you nodded with a sarcastic smile that turned genuine. “I think i can handle that.” He said as you two began descending down the halls of Shadow Bay high. Despite your own personal barriers and everything you’d ever been taught in your life, you were falling for Connor. Your better judgement knew that you’d pay for that at some point in your life. Sooner or later, you always did. 

--

hello my loves! This is part one of three and i’m currently working on the other parts! 

[suituuup]

Pride Shenanigans

For @lilhan (ugh, it won’t let me tag) who requested fluff + smut. Thank you for your donation! :)

rated: E

word count: 2300

ao3 link

*

Beca can’t really remember what sleeping in feels like. Waking up past eight a.m. hasn’t been a thing ever since they became moms, and while she was hoping their kids would inherit her love for sleep, she wouldn’t change her current situation for the world.

Her heart has just felt so incredibly full for the past five years.

Shortly after Avery’s birth, Beca re-negotiated her contract to be able to work more from home and take care of her daughter. It just made sense, as she was growing tired of being in the spotlight and spending more time on a plane than at home with her family. As grateful as she was for her five-year-long successful career as a singer, she was more than happy to step back into a part-time producer role.

Still though, waking up at the crack of dawn kinda stings. Beca’s still half-asleep, having snatched Jacob and shoved her nipple into his mouth before his cries could wake up her wife. They left him to sleep in their bed after his middle of the night feed, she and Chloe being too exhausted to carry him back to the nursery. 

Beca was concerned at first about this co-sleeping thing, afraid she might roll over and squish their baby, but turns out she’s super cautious even while asleep.

The door squeaks open less than a minute after she started nursing, and Avery’s red head of curls pops at the foot of the bed as she climbs up, crawling on all fours like she does every day for their morning snuggling session.

“Morning baby,” Beca greets with a tired smile as Avery plops down beside her. “Did you go potty?”

Avery nods proudly. “I’m a grown up now.”

“Oh yeah?” Beca chuckles. “Since that’s the case, can you go make Mama a cup of coffee? And sweep the house and take out the garbage?”

Her suggestion’s met with an incredulous frown. “Mama, I’m not Cinderella.”

Beca stifles a laugh, smoothing her hand over Avery’s curls. Their daughter has such funny comebacks, most days. “Oh, my bad.”

Avery places her hand over Beca’s mouth, her nose scrunching up. “Mama, you stink.”

Beca hears Chloe’s barely contained giggle as her jaw drops. Avery’s attention’s already shifted to Jacob nursing. She’s silent for a while, lips pursed.

“Is one of your boobies making chocolate milk and the other normal milk?”

“No,” Beca laughs. “Just normal milk in both.”

“He eats a lot, ” she blurts out next, blinking.

A minute later, Avery announces she’s off to play with her toys and leaves the room, Chloe rolls over.

“She’s a trip,” Beca says, shaking her head as she tries to keep her amusement at bay. When Chloe leans in for a kiss, Beca pulls away lightly. “Careful, apparently I have bad morning breath.”

“Don’t care,” Chloe mumbles, pecking Beca’s lips a few times. “Happy Pride, babe.”

Beca smiles. The first Pride they went to was when they’d only been together about three months. Chloe had convinced a reluctant Beca that it would be fun, and that day happens to be one of Beca’s favorite memories over the last decade. “Happy Pride.”

“Happy Pride, baby boy, your first one,” she then gushes to Jacob, brushing a kiss to the crown of his head. “Still up to go to the parade?”

They ended up not going last year as Beca felt too sick with nausea at the start of her pregnancy, and it also happened to be very hot out.

“Yeah, definitely. I checked the weather, it shouldn’t get too hot.”

Chloe pushes a kiss to her cheek. “Okay, I’m gonna go make breakfast.”

They’re off to the parade a few hours later. Avery is wearing her ‘ my moms rock’  shirt gifted by her aunt Aubrey and Chloe painted a rainbow on each cheek. Beca kept the colors to a minimum, sticking to the face painting but otherwise wearing regular clothes, while Chloe sports her rainbow shorts and her white shirt with a cute dinosaur waving a pride flag.

It’s only an afternoon out, but they look like they’re off on a week-expedition between the stroller for when Avery gets too tired, the diaper bag and the picnic bag containing their lunch.

Chloe has Jacob strapped against her chest in his sling carrier, and Beca doubles-check that they have everything before they’re on their way.

“There might be a lot of people where we’re headed so don’t let go of my hand, K?” Beca tells Avery as they hike down the steps outside their brownstone. They live in family-friendly Park Slope, which comes alive each year during Pride as it’s also notorious for being a gay neighborhood. “And if you lose us, you find another mommy, alright?”

Avery’s Wonder Woman backpack also has Beca and Chloe’s contact information in case that happens.

“I know, Mama,” Avery says, her pigtails bouncing with each excited step. “Maybe we’ll see Noah!”

“Who’s Noah?” Beca asks in confusion.

“He’s my boyfriend,” she replies in the most natural way, and Beca gulps, glancing to Chloe. “He wears cool shirts. And he likes to clean.”

Chloe chuckles. “Then you should definitely hang onto him, sweetie.”

Beca glares at her wife for encouraging their daughter. “Don’t you think it’s a bit early to have a boyfriend, baby?”

She ignores Chloe’s eye-roll.

“Mama,” Avery sighs, in a clear ‘we’ve talked about this’ tone. “I’m a grown up, now.”

“Right, right,” Beca clears her throat. “So what do you guys do together?”

“We talk about dinosaurs and rocks.”

Beca visibly relaxes. “Oh, okay.”

They turn left on the main street and Avery asks Beca to carry her on her shoulders so she can see better.

“All good?” Beca asks, glancing towards Chloe as she holds onto Avery’s ankles to steady her.

“Yeah, he’s out,” she says as she rubs their four-month old’s back, then points across the street. “The park’s that way.”

“Mommy, Mama, look!” Avery gasps. Beca figures she’s talking about the group of five Queens, each dressed in one of the colors of a rainbow. “They’re so pretty!”

“Yeah,” Beca agrees with a smile, happy that her daughter seems to be enjoying their little outing so far. They get to the park ten minutes later, where stalls of face painting, refreshments and art and crafts are set up along one side. They find a spot under a tree, and Beca sets Avery down to spread out the blanket while Chloe unstraps Jacob.

“What’s LGBTQ mean?” Avery asks a bit later as they eat their sandwiches, pointing at one of the rainbows flags sporting the acronym.

Jacob is chilling on the blanket between his moms, munching on his teething toy.

“The L is for Lesbian, which is romantic love between two women,” Chloe starts. “The G is for gay, which is the same but between two men, the B is for bi, which is when someone has romantic love for both men and women,” she pauses, giving Avery time to process her words. “The T is when for example, a man feels like he’s actually a woman inside, in his heart, and he wants to live with his true self. And the Q… stands for Queer, and it celebrates all gender, boy, girl and those who don’t really know, and all the ways that people can love each other.” She smiles, feathering her fingers through Avery’s hair while Beca watches on, her heart soaring with love whenever she witnesses Chloe being the wonderful mom she is. “Some of that might a bit complicated for you to understand still. The most important thing to remember is that LGBTQ and Pride is all about love; how people find love in the world and how people love themselves for the way they are.”

“And love always wins over hate,” Avery states, causing their moms to look at each other with fond smiles. Chloe often says that, and clearly it made an impact on their daughter for her to remember. “Can I get a facepaint, Mommy?”

“Sure, baby.”

They eat lunch and Avery gets a rainbow dinosaur drawn on her cheek, and they lounge for a bit at the park before checking out the parade, heading home when Avery starts getting tired and cranky. After a nap for all members of the household, they bake a rainbow cake and watch a movie before dinner, and Beca feeds Jacob while Chloe takes care of Avery’s bedtime routine around eight.

Once Beca’s done, she flops back on their king-sized bed with a tired sigh, grabbing her phone and opening up instagram. Of course Chloe’s already made a post about today, uploading a picture of their family at the park with the caption:

Happy Pride everyone! #loveislove ❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜

Beca comments with a simple heart, setting her phone down when Chloe pads into the bedroom.

“Everyone’s asleep!” Chloe says in cheerful whisper, shutting the door behind her.

“Yay!” Beca whispers back, humming in delight when Chloe climbs on top of her and kisses her softly. “Today was a good day.”

Chloe grins. “Yeah.” She nudges her nose against Beca’s. “Are you super tired?”

The suggestiveness in her tone makes Beca shiver, and she shakes her head, leaning up to brush another kiss to Chloe’s lips as her hands slide under Chloe’s shirt to map the muscles in her lower back. Intimate moments have been scarce ever since Jacob’s birth, and Beca’s been craving more alone time with her wife over the last few months.

“We should go away soon,” she murmurs against Chloe’s lips, sighing in contentment as Chloe skips down to kiss along the side of her neck. “Just the two of us.”

She’s been reluctant to be away from Jacob for more than a few hours at a time, but he’s almost six months old, and she knows Chloe’s parents would be thrilled to have their grandkids for a whole weekend.

“Mhm,” Chloe hums against her skin, teeth grazing Beca’s pulsepoint. “We can get a hotel with a view on Central Park and sleep all day long.”

Beca groans at the thought. “Yeah. Uninterrupted sleep sounds fucking amazing.” She moans when Chloe’s hands slips past the waistband of her cotton shorts and cups her through her underwear, her back arching into the touch. “Fuck, Chlo. Missed you.”

“What do you want?” Chloe breathes, lifting her head to kiss her. “Fingers? Mouth? Strap-on?”

“Not the strap-on. Too long,” she husks, dragging Chloe’s t-shirt up and over her head. She sits up to get rid of her own shirt, her full breasts bouncing with the movement. “Take those off,” she adds, urgency leaking in her tone as she tugs on the waistband of Chloe’s pajamas bottom. Laughter bubbles up her throat when she sees Chloe’s rainbow underwear, because Chloe is  so  extra. “Oh my god.”

“You like?” Chloe asks with a cheeky grin, and Beca flips them over without warning, not sure where that sudden pelvic strength is coming from given the fact that she gave birth four months ago.

“Yeah,” Beca rasps, her lips trailing down Chloe’s chest and pulling a nipple in between them while her hand finds the other, rolling the pink bud between her thumb and pointer finger. She continues down Chloe’s smooth and toned stomach, hooking her pointer fingers into the waistband of her underwear and dragging them down her legs.

Standing up, Beca shimmies out of her own panties and settles back on the bed with her head towards the foot, sliding one leg under one of Chloe’s and the other one over her opposite hip, shuffling closer until their wet cunts make contact.

“Shit,” Chloe exhales, propping herself on her elbows as she grinds her hips down, matching Beca’s circular motions. “ Baby.”

Beca answers with a moan, a zap of pleasure coursing through her whole body as her clit rubs heavenly against Chloe with each pass. She grips Chloe’s bent knee for leverage, her rhythm picking up.

It feels so fucking good, until--

“Wait,” Beca hisses, pausing. “I’ve got a leg cramp.”

Chloe flops back with a giggle. “Fuck, we’re old.”

“Let’s switch,” Beca suggests between pants, knowing Chloe has more stamina and is overall in better shape.

“K.”

Stealing a kiss from Chloe’s lips on the way, Beca settles on her back, one hand curling around Chloe’s hip to steady her as she gets on top, sitting astride Beca in a more upright position.

Beca’s hand moves to Chloe’s thigh while Chloe braces her on Beca’s stomach as she resumes their previous rhythm, only the pressure is much better with that angle. A whimper flits through Beca’s lips as she fights to keep her eyes open. “Fuck, just like that.”

“Huh-huh,” Chloe manages, trapping her bottom lip between her teeth as her head tilts back and her back arches, the movement making her hips buck into Beca’s. “Oh god.” 

“Chlo,” Beca croaks out, digging her nails into Chloe’s flesh as she feels herself nearing her climax. “M’not gonna last long.”

“Me either,” Chloe murmurs, locking eyes with Beca as she picks up in speed.

Beca’s free hand curls into the sheet as she teteers towards the edge, her hips bucking hard as she comes. She twists her head and muffles her moan into the pillow as Chloe keeps going for a few more beats until she cries out, shuddering through her own orgasm.

Watching Chloe come is still hands down the hottest thing Beca’s witnessed to this day.

Flopping onto her side, Chloe cups Beca’s cheeks and tugs her into a tongue-heavy lip-lock.

Beca chuckles when they part, chest heaving up and down. “Happy fucking Pride.”

[necromancy-savant]

Recently I gave into the internet ads telling me to come back to Runescape for its 20th anniversary. Back in 7th or 8th grade it was my first MMO and a game I was totally hooked on for a few years. I think I played the most from about 2004-2007 and last played in 2009. After two weeks of being completely unable to tear myself away from it, I’ve compiled my thoughts into a pros and cons list, compared to what I remember from middle/high school. 

Pros:

Leveling is way faster. I don’t think it’s just that I’m better at video games now or that you can easily get xp lamps from the Treasure Hunter mini game (in fact, the easiest way I’ve found to level is to complete quests to get Treasure Hunter keys and then use the xp rewards on combat skills), the levels themselves just go up faster even when you’re doing them normally. This is great for me as a returning player because I’m now getting close to being back to where I was without having to spend months or years getting there.  

You can also make money faster and easier. Everything costs more but you also get more money, so I now have 2 mil, but this has about the buying power that 200k did back in the day. Regardless, I can’t imagine getting 200k this easily back in high school. I did it mostly by selling random items on the grand exchange, getting rewards for quest point milestones, and mining and smithing.

The combat is more similar to that of other MMOs where you have an ability bar. You can choose to ignore this and put it on autopilot or just set the combat to work the way it used to. Either way the animations look a lot better and more varied, there are way more weapons, and you can dual wield now.

Most skills actually give you more to actually do while leveling them. For example, while mining, you have to click on different rocks periodically or they won’t yield any more ore.

You now start the game with tool belt that comes with a tinderbox, chisel, hatchet, pickaxe, etc. that is separate from your inventory. 

A lot of the quests have been reworked and many new ones are fully voice acted. It is a little weird having the NPC chat heads come with audio while mine is still silent, but I just read aloud for my character and that’s fun for me.

The graphics, while still not fantastic, are greatly improved, particularly the environments. Al Kharid looks stunning. The human character models are a bit dated, but it’s come to my attention that they are in the process of completely overhauling them.

Character customization is less limited and in particular is much more convenient. You can change your hairstyle for free at any time, all the outfits from the in-game store in Varrock are free, and the gender wizard who can trans your gender (sorry, Makeover Mage) also offers services for free now.  

The Free-To-Play content has gotten a pretty decent upgrade. Skills, quests, and areas that were once Members Only are now F2P (notably, the quest where you get a kitten, Burthorpe and Taverley, and most if not all of the new fully voiced quests.) There are a number of entirely new skills, but I haven’t really tried any of them yet. I will make time for Archaeology at some point.

Many of my cons are going to be “they removed x,” but the easy solution there is to just play Old School Runescape. While I myself have been too preoccupied with RS3 to play any OSRS, I think the community over there is actually larger.

The community seems very chill on the whole and is mostly just players trying to have a good time and help each other out. Everyone is just like, getting stoned/drunk and vibing in this game.

There’s an achievement system that will direct you to specific challenges and give you something to do if you’re lost/overwhelmed. Particularly useful in the beginning.

Fast travel for everyone, no Magic skill requirements.  

The website itself links to a Runescape Wiki that has all the game info and quest walkthroughs you could want in one place.

The quests are still fun and unique for an MMO. Lots of puzzles and creative problem-solving, lots of twists and turns.

Cons:

They took away the random events. All those NPCs are now scattered around the world. The Sandwich Lady now runs a bakery stall in Ardougne.

The Burthorpe Games Room is gone. How am I supposed to play Connect Four using death runes as my game pieces so everyone knows how edgy I am? Actually, Burthorpe on the whole looks different and a lot smaller, but at least the trolls look really cool now.

They removed the Romeo and Juliet quest and now there are 0 quests based on Shakespeare plays when really there should be 37. We are moving in the wrong direction here.

The quest Imp Catcher has been revamped so that now the beads are based on the four humors and you have to recover them from imps that have swallowed them and taken on those characteristics, and yet for some reason they missed the opportunity to rename the quest “Every Imp in (or out of) His Humour.”

This is the part where I admit that I shelled out the ten dollars for a month of membership so I could revisit all my favorite areas. While many of the F2P areas have received massive improvements, not all the Members areas have. I don’t think Ardougne has seen an update since 2008, which is a shame since it was my favorite city.

The dark wizards in front of Varrock don’t attack you on sight anymore. Idk why this bothers me but I found it shocking upon discovery.

The cities and towns now each have their own coat of arms which is cool except that I disagree with the colors they chose. Varrock should be red and blue, Ardougne should be blue and white, Falador should be white and black, and Lumbridge should be green and blue. I could go on. This is every bit as vital to me as knowing which color folders/notebooks go with which school subjects.  

The fast leveling does mean that practically everyone is at least level 100 and there’s not quite the same sense of accomplishment that used to come with reaching a high level. While it used to be very rare to see someone at the level cap it is now quite common. Still, this is on the whole a very small price to pay to be able to do more of what I enjoy without grinding for hours on end (for those who aren’t aware, you unlock many quests in this game by meeting skill requirements.)

This game is very British. I don’t think I realized just how British it is when I was younger. One of the primary downsides of this is that the aforementioned wiki’s quest walkthroughs call the first floor the ground floor, which is all well and good, but then they call the second floor the first floor and the third floor the second floor and I’ve gotten lost on multiple occasions specifically because of this.

While there is an “outfit” system that lets you override whatever you’re wearing with special appearances you can unlock through various means, there is nothing like the WoW transmog system which would allow you to override it with other in-game items.

Combat abilities are sort of locked by weapon. Like you can’t really do magic without a staff.

All in all, my impression is that Jagex has made a ton of quality-of-life changes while keeping everything that made the game great.

TL;DR play this game it’s worth it.

[trensu]

Episode 28: The One where LXC Loses his Title as Greatest Wingman

THAT’S RIGHT GUYS

WE’RE HERE

THE ONE THAT HOLDS ONE OF THE MOST PRECIOUS, CLASSIC WANGXIAN SCENES IN THE WHOLE SHOW

THE SCENE THAT JUST BURSTS WITH WANGXIAN DOMESTICITY AND WE DIE FROM THE SHEER FLUFFINESS OF IT ALL

Shockingly this VERY IMPORTANT wangxian moment doesn’t start until the 34min mark.

So we’re gonna power through those first 34min to get to the parts that actually matter

We’re still at the burial mounds

Emotional Yungmeng Bro Drama happens

It’s very upsetting

There’s a lot of feelings everywhere.

I can’t defend you if you keep this path, jc protests 

You can’t defend me? Then Leave me, wwx says, tell the world i defected, he says, my actions are no longer associated with the jiang clan he says

WHO KNEW BROTHERLY LOVE COULD BE SO PAINFUL, AMIRITE GUYS? HAHA *CHOKES BACK SOBS*

LET’S SKIP AHEAD!

Jc’s gone, maybe it’ll get better now??

A-YUAN TIME!!

Oh no, little a-yuan is hungry!!

Wen qing gives him the last of the fruit because a-yuan activated her Good Big Sister instincts

Ah, look at his happy face as he takes the fruit!

The wwx shows up with MORE fruit and a-yuan does the leg-grabby thing!!

ADORABLE 

Great, now we get Emotional WWX and WQ Bonding Time

SHE TRIES TO GIVE HIM AN OUT

SHE TRIES TO GET HIM BACK TO HIS FAMILY

Wwx is not having it so instead he acts all charming and teases her until the matter is dropped

I LOVE THEM SO MUCH

Other stuff happens, boring boring boring

Moving forward

Yunmeng bro fight scene!

The first half was pretty neat and then they did a bunch of funky flying moves that had me like, why, why must you do this, please stop and give me wangxiantics instead

They did not stop

But they did do some wonderful Twirling, so I guess i can forgive them a little

Oh, sadface, a paperman gets viciously slaughtered by jc

(@theuntamednarrator​ pointed out that this fight scene PARALLELS a future fight scene on a moonlit rooftop THAT WE’RE NOT GONNA THINK ABOUT BECAUSE IT MAKES ME SAD)

Wwx, at some point in this fight is all: oh look, i’ve been impaled

(what’s a little light stabbing between siblings, amirite?)

More stuff happens that we don’t care about

But we’ll take a moment to laugh at wwx here

Wwx is like, imma hide this gaping stab wound from the world’s greatest doctor by distracting her with potatoes

It doesn’t quite work bc wen qing immediately makes a grab for him

Wwx is scandalized!

Wwx: Men and women shouldn’t be improperly intimate!!

Wwx: you suddenly doing this makes me scared for my virtue which i’m obviously saving for lan zhan!

She backs off for half a second; then wwx winces but he recovers quickly by being all i’m totally fine, look at how fine i am, i’m flinching because of HUNGER PAINS, NOTHING ELSE

If he weren't so charming and adorable none of this would've worked

Other non-wangxian nonsense occurs

Some more non-wangxian stuff

A scene featuring Disaster Het Jin Zixuan and our Perfect Elder Sister Jiang Yanli

Jzx is all, i know carp tower isn’t your home but i’m willing to build another lotus pier here for you

...ugh, fine, okay, maybe you’ve grown on me a little by now, you huge Disaster Het BUT ONLY BECAUSE YOU’RE MAKING JYL HAPPY, YOU HEAR ME?? ALL BETS ARE OFF IF YOU MAKE HER CRY AGAIN

We’ve made it through the 34 minutes!!

GET READY GUYS

We’re at a tea house in Yiling! There’s lots of people! AND THEY’RE ALL TRASH-TALKING MY BEAUTIFUL SUNSHINE BOY WTF

But hey, look in the background is lwj, (angrily) listening to people trash-talk our sunshine boy.

God, he sits so straight, it looks almost painful

I mean, in terms of posture

We know he’s not straight in any other way lol

The only time we get full body shots of him in this scene is when he’s blurred and out of focus in the background, which is interesting

When he’s at the forefront of the scene, it’s all close-ups of his (angry) face 

But even with the close ups, we only see parts of his face. One half of his face at a time, close-ups on the eyes (or one eye) specifically at times

It’s not until the end of that teahouse scene that we get to see a full shot of him and that’s only when he’s had Enough of people slandering his soulmate and slams his (poor innocent) tea cup onto the table and (viciously) glares at the gossipers

He leaves the teahouse (angrily)

Lwj is (angrily) walking through the marketplace 

He walks past some random lady and the lady turns the hell around so fast and BLATANTLY CHECKS HIM OUT, oh god, that’s HILARIOUS

(you are not alone in this, lady, YOU ARE NOT ALONE)

Then, we have one of the best tropes of all, ACCIDENTAL CHILD ACQUISITION

THERE IS A CHILD CLINGING TO HIS LEG

IT’S A-YUAN

A-YUAN HAS SURGICALLY ATTACHED HIMSELF TO LWJ

WE ALL LOVE HIM FOR IT

Wwx does not notice his child is missing bc he is haggling, which is important but maybe not as important as missing a child. 

Omg the look of panic on his face when he finally realizes a-yuan is gone gutted me for half a second. 

REALIZING YOU’VE LOST A CHILD IN A CROWDED PLACE IS THE WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD, OKAY

But i get over this quickly bc WWX FINDS A-YUAN CLINGING TO LWJ’S LEG. 

GUYS

GUYS

THIS SCENE

THIS SCENE MAKES ME SO HAPPY

IT’S MADE OF RAINBOWS AND BUTTERFLIES AND ITTY BITTY KITTIES

Okay, let's break it down because there’s JUST SO MUCH GOOD STUFF HERE WE NEED TO PROPERLY APPRECIATE ALL OF IT

FIRSTLY, lwj’s face.

There is a loudly crying child clinging to his leg

He is surrounded by nosy talkative strangers (PARENT strangers!!) all Judging™ him for his (lack of) parenting skills

And lwj’s face is about as External Panic as lwj can make it bc our boy is FREAKING OUT

THERE IS A CRYING CHILD

LATCHED ON TO HIS LEG

STRANGERS ARE ASSUMING HE’S THE FATHER

BUT HE ISN’T

THEY DON’T LISTEN WHEN HE TELLS THEM HE ISN’T

THEY SAY THEY HAVE THE SAME NOSE?? THEY SAY HE RESEMBLES THIS STRANGE UNKNOWN CRYING CHILD SOMEHOW?? 

AND WORSE STILL, THEY’RE SAYING HE’S A BAD FATHER

THEY’RE ALL LIKE, OH LOOK HE SCOLDED HIS POOR KID AND NOW WON’T EVEN HUG HIS KID TO MAKE HIM FEEL BETTER??

HIS FACE, OMG

HIS FACE SCREAMS: DEAR GOD WHAT IS HAPPENING HOW DO I MAKE IT STOP 

LWJ IS DYING INSIDE

AND HE KIND OF WANTS TO DIE OUTSIDE

(There’s one guy who kinda takes pity on him and was like, ah, he’s your first kid, huh? I was like that with MY first kid but now i know everything after my wife gave a few more births. It’s a learning process!)

And ohoho, boy, does lwj learn (later, after horrible horrible things happen)

Secondly, WWX IS HAVING THE TIME OF HIS LIFE WATCHING ALL OF THIS UNFOLD BEFORE HIM

HIS SMILE IS HEART-STOPPINGLY BEAUTIFUL

HE’S STIFLING GIGGLES

IT’S SO CUTE I WANNA DIE

Finally, wwx takes pity on poor lan zhan

I would like to point out that he takes pity on lan zhan only after  the crowd of Judgy Parents start asking A-Yuan where his mother is

And like, i don’t want to fall into the pit of heteronormativity and stereotypical gender roles, BUT THAT’S HILARIOUS

Wwx: Lan zhan!

Lwj looks up and the world fades away when he sees wwx, with his cute little smile, making his way towards him in slo-mo

Like, literally slow motion and literally the world fades away until basically only wwx is in focus, THIS IS HOW LWJ SEES WWX ALL THE TIME, OMG IT’S AMAZING

AND OF COURSE ~THEIR SONG~ IS PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND

I’M SCREAMING, EVERYTHING IS GREAT

LWJ STARES AT HIM WITH SUCH YEARNING

And even when they’re right in front of each other, they KEEP STARING AT EACH OTHER, SOAKING UP EACH OTHER’S PRESENCE

WHICH I LOVE, but also there’s a crying child right there maybe take care of him??

Wwx: lan zhan, what a coincidence! What are you doing i yiling?

WHAT DO YOU THINK HE’S DOING IN YILING, WWX

IT’S NOT LIKE HIS SOULMATE LIVES AROUND THAT AREA OR ANYTHING

Lwj: night hunt. Passing by.

Short and sweet and to the point

I’m convinced it’s because his brain has short-circuited from the double whammy of Accidental Child Acquisition and OMG My Beautiful Soulmate is With Me and Smiling

Lwj: ....this child

Wwx: ah, yes, this is MY son

I read a post on tumblr that says the actual translation of that line was more like “ah, yes, i gave birth to this child”

Which would explain lwj’s absolutely stunned and confused expression

I mean, the fact that he doesn’t immediately dismiss this as the nonsense that it is, is absolutely HILARIOUS to me

Like, for a split second there he honestly believed wwx??

He must’ve been like, wait, is this a side effect of demonic cultivation??!?!?

That doesn’t sound right but i don’t know enough about demonic cultivation to dispute it

But then wwx starts giggling at him which gives away the game

Wwx: hey, lan zhan, what did you do? Why is a-yuan crying?

Lwj: I didn’t do anything

Wwx: ah, i see what happened. Lan zhan, as pretty as you look, you still have resting bitch face. 

(no for real, wwx called him pretty, i died a little when i heard him say it and i’m pretty sure lwj did too)

Wwx: a-yuan doesn’t know any better so of course he’d look at you and start crying!!

Lwj stares at a-yuan (who is now clinging adorably to wwx) and you can see in his face that his New Life Mission is to get A-Yuan to Like Him.

It is IMPERATIVE that this small child Like Him. Not for any particular reason, of course. But this Must happen.

Even if it means having to go to an Ancient Fantasy China plastic surgeon to get his resting bitch face problem resolved

THANK GOD WE DON’T HAVE TO RESORT TO THAT

Wwx kneels down to comfort a-yuan and lwj watches him interact with this small child and VISIBLY SWALLOWS before looking away

Like it was too much cute to handle

Like oh shit, i want wwx’s children

Like oh shit, i want to be a dad???

GUYS WE SEE THE EXACT MOMENT LWJ REALIZES HE WANTS KIDS

THANK YOU WORLD FOR BLESSING US WITH THIS MOMENT

Okay, quiz time! 

How do we make a small child stop crying?

Answer - Distraction!

What is the best distraction for a small child?

Answer - TOYS

Wwx pulls a-yuan to a toy stall 

The music here gets all upbeat and playful. (In fact, it’s the same music that played in the ‘flower petals rain on LWJ’ scene in The One where NHS is Total Cockblock omg i just had to reference my own guide to make sure that was the right episode lol this is exactly why i’m making this). I love this music!!

So they admire the toys and wwx picks up one of them and is like, do you like this one?

A-yuan of course says yes bc all kids love toys

Then wwx is like, cool, and proceeds to drag a-yuan away from the toy stall without the toy

SAD FACE A-YUAN :(

Lwj sees Sad Face A-Yuan and does the Lan Clan version of running (aka lengthening his strides and quickening his steps slightly)

Lwj: wei ying, why didn’t you buy it for him?

Dude, he sounds almost accusatory here, it’s GREAT

Wwx: ??? why should I???

Lwj: you asked him if he wanted it, doesn’t that mean you’re going to buy it?

Wwx: asking is asking, buying is buying. Who says i have to buy something just because i asked about it?

Wwx, lwj has a point tho. It’s kinda mean to lead a kid on like that 

And here lwj sounds all hesitant (and shy?? maybe??) like he doesn’t want to scare a-yuan again. He looks at him briefly

Lwj: which one...do you want.

Then when a-yuan doesn’t immediately burst into tears, he speaks more confidently.

Lwj: among those, which one did you want?

And a-yuan points to the toy he wants with all the confidence small children have when  they know they’re about to get exactly what they want

Omg, lwj looks at wwx as soon as he sees which toy a-yuan wants

It’s a look that says I’M GETTING THIS CHILD A TOY AND YOU CAN’T STOP ME

And wwx just beams at him like a ray of sunshine!! HE’S MELTING INSIDE, YOU CAN TELL

HE’S ALL LIKE, OMG LAN ZHAN IS SO SWEET WITH CHILDREN

OMG LAN ZHAN WOULD BE A GREAT DAD

OMG I WANT LAN ZHAN TO CO-DAD A-YUAN WITH ME

Cut to a-yuan gleefully playing with his new toys 

He and wwx are play fighting with cute little wooden swords and it’s SO ADORABLE I’M GONNA DIE

And lwj watches them for moment with the FONDEST LOOK ON HIS FACE

A-yuan notices that lwj is there again and immediately ditches wwx to cling to lwj’s leg

Smart, kid, smart

Butter up the rich guy who makes wwx smile

Wwx laughs: lan zhan, congrats! My kid likes you! He only hugs the legs of his favorite people and then never lets go

Lwj: *internally probably* i wish YOU’D hug me and never let me go

Also

YES! LIFE MISSION COMPLETE. WWX’S CHILD LIKES ME

Wwx: you should ditch your night hunt and have a meal with me

Lwj: a meal?

Lwj: *internally probably* OMG DID HE JUST ASK ME OUT ON A DATE?? AND HE CALLED ME PRETTY EARLIER??? TODAY IS THE BEST DAY

He then pretends to hesitate bc YOU GOTTA PLAY IT COOL

CAN’T CLUE HIM IN ON HOW DESPERATELY YOU WANT TO KEEP HIM WITH YOU FOREVER

BE COOL, LWJ, BE COOL, BE COOL

Wwx: c’mon, we hardly see each other! We can reminisce about the old days! It’ll be my treat~!

Wwx what, YOU HAVE NO MONEY WHAT ARE YOU EVEN SAYING

Wwx grabs lwj’s arm and drags him away

Lwj’s brain rn: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But they run off WITHOUT A-YUAN??

Good thing a-yuan is quick on his feet, god damn

AND THAT’S THE END OF ONE OF THE BESTEST EPISODES OF THE SHOW

GOD I NEEDED THIS AFTER THE HELLSCAPE OF LAST EPISODE WHERE EVERYONE MADE ME ANGRY

And lets give a round of applause to our precious adorable A-Yuan who somehow managed to latch on to the one person in the entire town that is completely head over heels in love with wwx and who wwx has been pining for since their sad separation in the rain.

FOUR FOR YOU, A-YUAN. YOU GO, A-YUAN!!

Return to Masterpost

[fizzingwizard]

So I played Snowy Escape this week! It’s my cup of tea! I watched LGR’s review (and Plumbella’s too) and yeah, as usual, I agree with both of them. The pack doesn’t give us a lot that’s really new, especially in terms of gameplay, and I really wish there had been even small interactive moments aboard trains and ski lifts. However, I also agree that it’s a really aesthetically beautiful pack. The way tourists who haven’t gone to Japan yet think of Japan might be like Tokyo Shibuya area, or Osaka shopping streets... but uh, Tokyo and Osaka are only two cities in all of Japan, and pretty much the entire rest of the country isn’t like that. The majority of Japan’s tourist attractions are nature- and history-based, after all.

The big question for me was just how touristy “Mt Komorebi” was going to come across. Sims is pretty noticeably America-centric, and Western culture is the norm. They put out Jungle Adventure and it’s like stepping into a 90s action movie. The most progressive thing you can say about the locals in that pack is that, due to being governed by the same rules that apply to all Sims, they don’t come across “different” enough to be straight up othered. The area they live in, of course, is underdeveloped in spite of the “culture” skill, and very much is meant to be an exotic adventure for Indiana Jones.

Komorebi’s not that bad though. I was impressed at first by the amount of detail there seemed to be. I never expected we’d get space heaters and kotatsu and nabe in-game without downloading CC. Taking off your shoes to go inside, using chopsticks, sliding doors (which I’ve wanted more of for SO LONG), are all true to life as well as modern and also just nice to have. There’s some weird bits, like how when sims sit at the kotatsu they don’t sit on their knees, their legs just disappear into the floor... I guess we can assume there’s a hole underneath (which is the case with some kotatsu just not usually the at-home kind). I also would have liked more every day interactions, like doing homework at the kotatsu or watching TV or even taking a nap.

The patterns for yukata/kimono are pretty awful though. The more understated ones I can live with, but anything with a splash of color is a fashion disaster.

The look of the houses in the towns are really nice. The interiors, not so much, but that’s easier to fix than the facade and landscaping for most of us. The non-interactive backgrounds areas really do look like Japan. It’s a pity we can’t explore it at all. (I would have LOVED just one interactive conbini. That’s one Japan staple that it’s simply weird to leave out. They probably figured conbini wouldn’t have anything the vending machines don’t have, but personally I’d rather have conbini than vending machines. Unless they made it rabbit hole, in which case fuck it)

Also liked the snow festival and the lights festival. It’s true there’s not a lot to do at them, other than take pictures, and it was really hard to get good pictures with my sims in them... When I went to snow festivals, you could do things like light candles in little snow cubbies, or have a meal in a kamakura, etc. That would have been nice. Otherwise it’s just look at the pretty sights and make normal snowmen. Same with the lights festival - it’s gorgeous, but... They do have food stalls but the variety is limited. You can get four different kinds of yakisoba and ramen but no okonomiyaki, no ikayaki. There’s no festival games. I’m currently festival-starved due to covid-19 so my hopes were a bit higher. Still... like I said, I enjoyed them. I guess I just like pretty things. And I do spend an inordinate amount of time just taking pictures of my Sims doing things anyway xP

The Youth festival is pretty dull. It seems more like a not!Pokemon festival than anything else. The crepes, however, are great. Also it’s really WEIRD that the koinobori (the carp flags) are out all the time, like a normal decoration, in the city. That’s one culture thing that I think got confused.

So as far as it goes... it’s not as touristy as I expected it to be. I give it props for that. It’s definitely still got a vibe of “non-Japanese foreigner goes for a visit,” as in, I think if a Japanese company made a Sims game with Japanese players in mind, they’d have done a ton things differently. But we got a more robust cultural depiction than we ever have before, so, nice.

The winter sports are fun! I weirdly didn’t get bored even though like LGR says, it is just watching the Sims do the same thing over and over again without any player interaction. That does suck but is also par for the course with Sims 4. Since I play multiple Sims at a time, it’s easy for me to stick one on the bunny slope and just let them ski until they level up while I do something else with another Sim :P (Sims is more fun when you cheat!)

The onsen is a let down. It’s nice, sure. It’s just a spa though. And it’s WEIRD that you can have sex in the onsen while other people are in it, even children, and they are not freaked out, but you can’t skinny dip in front of children. All they get is an uncomfortable moodlet afterwards because now the onsen water is dirty x’D I wonder if that’s an oversight that will get tweaked in the future...

However, onsen is very pretty too. I would have liked a smaller building and better landscaping with two or three hot springs to pick from. Also, there are gendered entrance curtains, but they don’t actually divide Sims by gender and all lead to the same place... I guess it’s good to have for pictures at least. If you want to put in the ladies room and mens room doors you could easily make his and hers as well as a mixed hot spring baths. I think this is one we just have to let the Sim builder greats take on.

So HIKING is awesome! I loved it! It’s relaxing for me. Some might find it dull, but it’s really just so pretty, and for me brings back a lot of memories. Hiking in Japan is pretty much like that (although a lot more mountainous of course). It’s somewhat dependent on your graphics settings - mine aren’t that high so like the bamboo forest vanishes as I cam through it.. can’t get that sense of really being inside it. Also when I came across the cemetery I had my spellcaster try to Necrocall the one grave that has interactions, but it didn’t work, even though the option came up. ?? I was expecting some sort of cool ghost. Oh well.

I’m interested in climbing. I don’t have Fitness Stuff so I never did it before. It’s way more boring than leveling the winter sports though. But I think the mountain climb will be worth it.

There are little kodama and sprites you can come across and interact vaguely with. I’ll accept that as a Ghibli nod. It’s more cute than cultural but it’s also a bit of fun surprise, though I haven’t noticed any real effect beyond a moodlet. (Was told one gave me a present but I couldn’t find it in my inventory so I think it was just the moodlet.)

Also the bugs!! That’s very Japan! And you can buy insect repellent hahaha that’s a level of realism I didn’t ask for but will take

I’ll talk about lifestyles and sentiments too. I don’t need them personally. The sentiments are kind of nice to see, but they’re predictable. You get the same ones if you do certain things. They give you a moodlet when the Sim shows up, which I guess I do like, but... tbh it’s damn inconvenient sometimes. For ex, I played by Tsubasa family to explore Mt Komorebi, and I noticed many conversations were inexplicably becoming “awkward.” The reason was - even though no one was saying or doing anything flirty - Kurogane and Fai were getting in the mood by just looking at each other thanks to sentiments, and Sakura and Syaoran were like -___-; I mean, it’s hilarious, but also annoying!

Lifestyles... eh. So far all my Sims just get the same ones. They all seem to get Adrenaline Seeker just for playing winter sports. Also I find the pop-ups warning me when a Sim’s going to lose their lifestyle annoying, and if a Sim gets a lifestyle I don’t want for them, it’s annoying to watch their mood change for dumb reasons like “didn’t spend enough time outdoors today.” It’s the same concept as traits. It’s kind of nice that you can change them around by doing different things, and since we’re limited to three traits I won’t say no to more (for example, instead of giving a Sim the “Loves the Outdoors” trait, you can try to get the Outdoorsy lifestyle and use the trait slot for something that influences their personality more). But all in all I find my Sims still just act the same as usual and the gameplay is all in pop-ups, so it’s just not exciting for me.

Also had a glitch where Sakura would take off her shoes to go inside but when she went out, she put on a pair of snowboots that I never even equipped her with, and she wore them with every outfit. Editing in CAS didn’t help. A reboot did though.

So pretty much, I definitely think they could have done more with this pack, BUT that’s been the case with literally every pack since the base game. There are no expectations for me anymore, that’s why I really just genuinely like this one. I’m happy they picked North Japan rather than Tokyo or Osaka, I think we got a lot more detail because of that.

[agent-yolk-writes]

Friends Like You and Us - Venom!Reader - Ch. 4

And we’re back! First AO3, then Quotev, now finally Tumblr! Good thing for post resets.

In today’s episode, we jump straight back to the present to meet the last member of the B-Team. Venom has a plan for once, the Reader is Absolutely Done(tm) physically and emotionally, and what Aunt Mary doesn’t know who her nibling is bringing into their apartment while she’s on a business trip won’t kill her...yet. 

(Nibling is the gender-neutral term for niece/nephew, the more you know)

Note: If you’re using this to teleport to the AO3 version I would like to give a heads up that the italics for some reason stop working when the Reader meets Peni. I don’t know how to fix it, so it be like that sometimes. Enjoy!

Previous Chapter | Start from the beginning | AO3 version

...

Indeed, it did get weirder.

You didn’t realize that the hunt for your next meal took so long. The sun just...got ahead of you. The shadows in this creepy part of the city started stretching, covering everything in its path. You thought your eyes were playing tricks when you saw another pair of Spider-man’s white eyes in the darkness behind Ham. The tingling sensation faded as the shadow started moving, revealing that it was an actual goddamn person.

Despite being a self-proclaimed ‘superhero’ for almost a week now, you aren’t getting paid enough for this.

You rubbed your eyes expecting this weird dizzy spell would go away, but upon opening them again they were still standing there staring at you.

“Don’t worry, I get that all the time.” Ham commented. He eyed his taller companion and nudged him on the thigh. “C’mon man, you can’t just stand there menacingly forever.”

“...”

Should I just go or-

“You got some nerve stealing the glory of someone else’s hard work.” Great, he also sounds familiar. Is this some reunion you didn’t get the memo for?

“Well you certainly can’t leave them here to waste!” You rebutted as you stood up. “Someone’s gotta clean up, and it might as well be us.”

“There’s no us in this, missy.” He rebutted.

“That’s not what I-Ugh, whatever!” You shook your head in your heads in frustration before looking back at them. “Look, we’re not going to get anywhere bickering like this.” You motioned your hands to the two. “You guys are out of place, clearly. Let’s discuss this somewhere else before-“ On cue, the sudden wail of police sirens announced their presence as they block off the only ground entrance out of here. Venom instinctually covered your ears to block out the loud sound. “...that.” You sound of your croak almost sounded not human.

The two looked at each other. While you were right that this isn’t the ideal spot for an interrogation, you’re still not in the clear of their suspicions.

“Alright. Let’s skedaddle then, but you’re not out of the hot seat yet, missy.” The brooding spider detective said, shooting a spider web and letting it pull him up. You couldn’t help but groan, he speaks like a dad in a cartoon.

Ham nudged you deeper into the alley. “C’mon kid. It’s quieter up top.” You could feel Venom trying to dig your heels into the dirt, but at this point, it was too dangerous.

~

Spider-Ham, also known as Peter Porker, was in fact not a pig at first. According to him, he was the spider bitten by a radioactive pig that later became his aunt. He told you not to think about it too much. In his world, everyone has been anthropomorphized into an animal. He works at the Daily Beagle where they work him like a dog trying to sniff out the latest scoop. He was just finishing a fight with a mad scientist lobster before he got snatched between dimensions. The more he talks, the more vocal your thoughts are trying to figure out where have you heard his voice before. A thought passed somewhere about what you might look like in his world.

His black and white companion was Spider-Man Noir, also known as Peter Benjamin Parker, who lived in a monochromic version of Earth in the 1930s. He used to investigate stories for the Daily Bugle and during that time a spider that resided in an exotic statue from Africa escaped and bit him. After the betrayal and death of his mentor Ben (“Not to confuse ya with my uncle Ben, who also bit the dust.” He explained.), he decided to become a P.I. and fight Nazis along the way. You liked this guy already, and yet he also sounds so familiar.

To think just half an hour or so, you were about to metaphorically throw hands and eat heads…

And we still didn’t eat them.

Yea, I’m a bit disappointed too. I’ll make it up later.

Those poor criminals, wasted. Handed to the police before you could even nibble on a finger. If Venom starts to act up like a grumpy child, it’s on them. After the small buzzing in your ears died down, all you’re left with is that dull throbbing in your head that you get with migraines and hunger from both you and your companion. It’s not your fault the universe slapped a literal man-eater on you.

Then again, after the whole exposition dump they piled on you, you felt a little guilty sprinkling your truth with little white lies on top. By the way your companion was treated by his not-so-friendly superhero, you could only assume that it’s mutual throughout the alternative universes. Better play it safe and claim you built your suit out of some nanotech that was laying around...somewhere. You even ‘pulled down’ your mask as a sign of trust.

You regained your focus when Venom used your limbs to jump between buildings to catch up with the eccentric duo. You haven’t really kept in touch with the whole lore of superheroes. They didn’t involve you, so you didn’t get involved. It wasn’t going to be the end of the world if you didn’t reblog five different gifsets of the same skit Tony Stark was in on Sunday Night Live. If they’re taking you to some secret spider cave, then it’s news to you.

Speaking of which,

“Sooo,” You decided to break the ice. “Where...exactly are we heading to?”

“Our own little Hooverville.” Noir answered. “It ain’t much, but it’s the best we got at the moment.”

“Plus we already have someone guarding the helm while we searched for more folks like you!” Ham added.

“You’re telling me there’s another one of you guys?” You held your hands up and counted the total number of spider heroes, not including yourself.

“And together, we make quite a ragtag bunch.” Ham continued on. “Who knew you could make a robot shaped like a spider?”

“Don’t forget the fact it’s small enough for that kid to get in and out with ease and her fingers still intact.” Noir added.

“Who...is this…’person’ you’re talking about?” You questioned, trying not to assume to worse.

“Don’t worry, she’s a sweetheart.” The detective added. “She’s got spunk for someone her size.”

Oh god, Venom.

What?

If this is an actual child I swear-

~

“Welcome back!”

You had to give your eyes a good rub to process what you were seeing. In front of you was indeed a small mecha shaped like a spider. The red and blue metal pieces clash together but at the same time was fitting for something like it. The small figure that was tinkering one of the robot’s legs when you arrived. As they stood up and you finally get a good look at her, you wanted to go apeshit over the fact that, indeed, it’s an actual child piloting a robot. You’ve seen like two movies that basically told you why it’s a bad idea for a kid to pilot a destructive machine in the first place.

You can tell by her appearance alone that she too is from another universe. You couldn’t describe it, but her dimensions seem...rather flat? No, that’s not the right word. Whatever it is, Ham has it too. You thought it was just Ham being Ham up until now since, after all, he's a walking, talking, crime-fighting pig you see in cartoons.

“Hey kid, hope there weren’t any scuffles while we were gone.” Noir was the first to greet her as she ran up to him.

“Nope! It was quiet as a mouse.” Was her response. She peered around his brooding form and met your eyes. Her eyes managed to grow even bigger as she approaches you excitedly.

”Hello! You must be the one we were sensing!” She grabbed your hand, giving it a nice shake. “I’m Peni Parker, and that over there is my robot SP//dr!” As if on cue, SP//der’s faceplate lit up and gave a friendly wave. Out of politeness, you waved back while ignoring the spidey-sense going off threefold.

Peni Parker...Peter “Noir” Parker...Peter Porker...Not to alarm anyone, but you think there’s some kind of pattern going here, and you’re the outlier. Well, at least Gwanda is with you for this one.

”H-Hello, Peni…” God, why are you acting so awkward all of the sudden? ”I’m (First Name), hero name TBA.” You shot your arm out awkwardly, letting the small girl take the reins in the art of the first handshake. You wonder if she can sense your weirdness with that firm grip of hers.

“So, now what?” Ham was the first to break the silence before it got weird. “We’re basically sitting ticking time bombs until we figure out a way to get back home! New kid!” He pointed at you, making you jump at the sudden action. “You got anything new to contribute?”

Shit! Shit! No one told me this was a quiz! Vee!

...We have an idea. Cover us.

Huh?! You have a-

Venom assumed control of your body, shrugging off your backpack to find your phone. Your phone? What could there possibly be on your...Oh! You have...some sort of an idea on what he’s doing! Maybe.

“Actually,” You started, bracing yourself like you’re stalling for time on an in-class presentation. “I heard a rumor the other day online…” Subtly, Venom pulled back the tendrils over your thumb so your phone can scan your print. “Somebody on a high-rise took a picture of the area-passwordiscapitalqwerty-where Spider-Man died. Can’t guarantee that-yesallcaps-you’ll see the body with this quality though.” Now if you can only find said photo if the mods of that subreddit didn’t remove it first. Ugh, this public wifi sucks ass. Who's hoarding it at this hour?

It doesn’t help that your hand is visibly shaking as your phone struggles to detect any pressure from your sweaty appendages and three sets of eyes that are on you expectedly aren't making this any easier. To make sure karma knows it's laughing at you, your phone slipped out of your grip at the most inopportune moment. Your case had taken some beatings in the past, but you know for sure by the sound of the landing that it was time for it to be replaced. You just stood there frozen, wondering when the panic attack kicks in.

Instead, your tingling skin is your only warning before your muscles went out of control. It felt like you were being ripped from the inside out and then being ripped outside in twice fold. The pained garble coming out of your mouth was either coming from you or Venom. It was tough to see with your spotty vision, but it looks like your newly befriended companions were going through this too in various states of pain.

After a few seconds, the out of body experience ended. You know immediately that trying to get up quickly will kick you in the ass right after.

You good, buddy?

Peachy.

Figured.

When you patted around and found your phone, you couldn’t help but grimace at the sight of new cracks branching over your screen.

”Son of a bitch…” You couldn't help but swear out. ”You know what? This would be better if I did this at my place, yeah?” Digging your hands into your face you inhale, waited, and exhale slowly. When you looked up, they were still staring at you with concerned eyes. “What? It’s my first week on the job, can you give me some slack?”

~

While you knew your aunt was a few hours away somewhere upstate you couldn’t help but pray that she doesn’t decide to come back home in the darkness of the night. If Penn Station was closer, maybe you could’ve caused some delays on the Amtrak. Didn’t help that you now have guests sheltering in your apartment clearly not built for four heroes of various sizes that had to get inside through the window. You hope no one in the next building over calls the police. You all even put a tarp over SP//dr, much to the dismay of the robot, to make sure it doesn’t end up on your social media timeline later on. At least Mr. Davis wasn’t there when you unlocked the door manually.

“It’s nothing much, but it’s the best I can do. Make yourself at home.” You didn’t need to say that twice. Almost instantly they go around poking and observing whatever they can. “Can I...get any of you something to drink?”

“An egg cream for me.”

“I’ll take some juice, please!”

“Rum and coke. Shaken, not stirred.”

You have no idea what an egg creme is, there’s only vegetable juice in the fridge, and there’s certainly no alcohol in this apartment. You’ll make it work somehow.

Keyword: somehow.

Do pig-spiders even need to get drunk in the first place? According to Google, egg cream is just a fancy way of saying milkshake. How old are these people exactly?

[klausplease]

Shakira and Lip Gloss

Requested By: Anonymous

Prompt: Hey I was wondering if you could write a fic where Klaus’s or Diego's s/o comes out as genderfluid and they’re really scared and nervous because their family isn’t very accepting and it’s kind of been put into their head that it’s wrong not to be their birth gender but Klaus or Diego tells them its ok and they're not doing anything wrong by being who they are and its just really angsty and fluffy?

Post Info: Genderfluid reader, AMAB. Mentions of transphobia. Light angst.

A/N: I’m... not sure this is what you wanted. But I tried.

~

Diego was concerned about (y/n). He hadn’t seen him all day, even though Saturdays were usually when he came over to the Hargreeves household. He wasn’t jealous about the fact that Klaus and his boyfriend had a standing date, when he still had to schedule time with him. He wasn’t. He was just a little miffed that the two spent so much time together. Without him. Doing ‘secret things’, as Klaus had told him when he asked.

But (y/n) wasn’t at the mansion today, as evidenced by the fact that he was practically being attacked by a very angry Klaus.

“What did you do, you moron?” Klaus asked, apropos of nothing.

Diego shot Klaus a look. “I do a lot of things Klaus, several of which you seem to find moronic. You’ll have to be more specific.”

“(Y/n) hasn’t come for our weekly cult meeting and I am laying full responsibility for that fact on you. So, what have you done?”

“I didn’t do anything Klaus. Maybe he’s sick,” he attempted to sound nonchalant, despite the fact that he was quite worried about the status of his boyfriend.

Klaus rolled his eyes. “They would have told me.”

Wondering at Klaus’ use of the singular they, Diego was about to ask Klaus what he meant by that when (y/n) entered the room.

“Hey babe,” Diego said instead, moving across the room to hug his boyfriend.

“Hi,” they muttered into his shoulder, seeming to curl in on themselves a bit.

Holding (y/n) out at arm’s length, he frowned and looked them over. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine cariño. Just a bad brain day.”

The taller man nodded understandingly. He was quite familiar with his boyfriend’s depression and how it could affect him unexpectedly and at any given time. He leaned in for a slightly longer hug and gave him a kiss to the forehead.

(Y/n) smiled tiredly up at Diego and squeezed his hand before slipping away to greet Klaus.

“Hey ghost boy,” they teased gently.

“Hola, mi corazón,” Klaus hugged them and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of their head. “¿Cómo estás?”

Resting their head against Klaus’ chest, (y/n) mumbled “más o menos”.

“¿por qué más o menos?”

They looked meaningfully up at the stairs, signalling to Klaus that they didn’t want to discuss it here. Since Diego was the only one in the room, he was confused and vaguely upset that (y/n) didn’t want him to know what was bothering them.

Klaus, either oblivious to his brother’s inner turmoil or ignoring it, whisked (y/n) away to his upstairs bedroom.

As soon as the door was closed, Klaus rounded on them, crossing his arms. “You have to tell him.”

(Y/n) threw themself face first onto Klaus’ bed. “I know.”

Massaging their calf, Klaus let out a heavy breath. “We’ve talked about this. He won’t care. He loves you mi cielito.”

“You don’t know that Klaus.” And now they were crying. Big fat, heartbroken tears.

Since about four months ago, every Saturday they came to the Hargreeves household. Together with Klaus, they would research, shop, and modify. Makeup was practiced, and outfits were cultivated.

This is because four months ago, Klaus had found them at a bus stop crying. It was a common hang out for junkies and homeless people, and even though Klaus was doing the sober thing, he liked to hit up those spots in case he could help the younger kids who weren’t too deep into it yet.

He found (y/n) there, crying and being approached by several of the seedier dealers. He had bundled the shivering, nearly passed out, significant other of his brother and taken them home. There (y/n) had explained to Klaus how they ended up there. They had been caught in a skirt by their older brother, who they were currently crashing with, and given a thorough dressing down. Childhood indoctrination of transphobia falling out of his mouth and slowly tearing down (y/n)’s hard won self confidence.

After that, Klaus assisted them in finding a new roommate, a good place to stay. The days spent together doing that, turned into a standing date where Klaus helped (y/n) explore their newly expressed gender identity.

“How about this. We both get dressed up, then we go downstairs and tell my dumb brother. Tell him “take it or leave it”. And if I am drastically wrong, we will buy so much Ben and Jerry’s you’ll get sick. And we’ll steal his repurposed sex harness. Hide it in Luther’s room.”

Sniffling, (y/n) smiled tentatively at Klaus and nodded. “Yeah. Okay. That sounds good. I’m down for that.”

Klaus was off the bed immediately, making a beeline for his closet where their things were stored.

He pulled out a soft, knit cropped sweater along with a pair of loose black joggers. The sweater looked like it was straight from the 80’s with four thick stripes of red, green, purple, and white. It was an outfit (y/n) wore often, when it was just them and Klaus. It was comfortable, while still making them feel cute.

“Here. He likes soft things.”

(Y/n) smiled softly at Klaus and took the clothes, stripping down in front of Klaus with no shame. Klaus discarded his clothes as well, changing into a black Ramones crop top and fleece Star Wars sleep pants.

They grinned at each other, smoothing palms over their soft clothing. “We look great,” Klaus said matter of factly.

(Y/n) just gave a soft snort of laughter and began pulling makeup items out of Klaus’ bureau.

The clairvoyant man went to turn on some music, letting (y/n) take a moment and decide what they wanted to do.

Hips Don’t Lie by Shakira begin playing over the speaker, from Klaus’ small purple ipod. Both of which (y/n) got for him.

Klaus made his way over, body undulating to the beat, hands drifting in front of his body at intervals. In response, to the music and to Klaus’ comfortability in his own body, (y/n) began swaying their hips to the music. Soon enough they were holding hands, stepping in and out, closer and then away, hips moving in concentric circles. They danced through the song, and by the end, (y/n) was loose limbed and more settled in their skin.

One of Klaus’ world altering smiles was shot their way, and then he was picking through their combined, assorted makeup.

“I was thinking a more natural look? Some eyeshadow, light foundation, lip gloss?” He spoke absently, looking for whatever would aid him in creating the look he had in mind.

“Sounds good. I don’t think I’m up for anything too complicated.”

Klaus hummed in acknowledgement and handed (y/n) the supplies he had gathered. “I think these colors will be good.” And then he was digging around again, looking for something for himself to wear.

He popped up, reminiscent of a meerkat, and asked “You do mine, I’ll do yours?”

In response, (y/n) simply nodded and set their chosen palettes down on the bed, before settling themself on it as well. They patted the spot in front of them, and Klaus was soon occupying it.

Klaus’ makeup was easy, some simple pale purple eyeshadow and a quick cat eye. Blush and highlighter on the tip of his european nose. Pale pink tinted lip gloss to top the look off. His hair was naturally curly, and quite voluminous, so nothing had to be done to it.

“Done.”

Klaus got up to look at himself and hummed in satisfaction. “You get better every time we do this.”

Flushing, (y/n) situated themself to allow Klaus access to their face. The process was much the same as for Klaus, save for the addition of some powder foundation. Where Klaus’ eyeshadow was purple, theirs was a rich red-brown. Where Klaus’ gloss was pale pink, theirs was a deep red. Their hair was longer than Klaus’, and a different kind of curly though it was just as thick, if not thicker. Klaus decided to put it up, gathering the unruly curls into a messy bun on the top of their head. He pulled some small pieces down to frame their face, and rest over their shoulders.

When he was done, he pressed a kiss to the top of (y/n)’s head, humming along to The Sweet Escape by Gwen Stefani.

“We’re done. You ready to go see Diego?”

Stalling for time, (y/n) jumped up and began rummaging in one of Klaus’ drawers. “We almost forgot our fuzzy socks!”

Smiling indulgently, Klaus took the pink pair and slipped them on. He waited for (y/n) to slip on the black and white striped ones before speaking again. “You can’t avoid him forever, mi cielito.”

A gusty sigh. “I know. I’m just… scared.”

Klaus wrapped them in a tight hug, giving them an extra squeeze before letting go. “I know. But whatever happens, I’m here for you.”

Grabbing Klaus’ hand, (y/n) dragged him down the stairs and into the training room, where Diego was bound to be brooding.

They caught him on his way out to patrol, he was already strapped up and putting his knives into their holster.

(Y/n) had to stifle a hysterical giggle at the memory of Klaus calling it a repurposed sex harness.

“Diego?” They asked tentatively, catching his attention.

He looked up with an irate expression that immediately dropped when he say (y/n), making way for one of awe and confusion.

“Yes?” he responded, just as hesitant and much more confused.

“So, uhm. Klaus. I’ve been spending time with Klaus because…” They trailed off, the words forming strange and incorrect in their mouth.

Klaus gave them a reassuring pat and Diego drew nearer, to be just that little bit closer.

A deep breath in, measured breath out. “ Klaus has been helping me. I’m genderfluid. Which means-”

“I know what it means,” Diego cut them off. “I… yeah, I know what it means.” Diego cocked his head and asked, “Pronouns?”

And that, the easy acceptance, is what caused (y/n) to really let loose on the waterworks. It was lucky that Klaus had thought to use waterproof makeup.

“They- they and them,” (y/n) stuttered out, falling into Diego’s arms. “Mostly,” they added, face buried in Diego’s shoulder.

“I can do that. Just have to keep me updated.”

Diego held them out at arm’s length. “I love. No matter what. A little thing like gender isn’t going to keep me away from such a great person. You’re gorgeous.” He kissed their forehead. “Truly stunning.” Their cheek. “I’m in awe of you.” Their other cheek. “And you.” Their nose. “My love.” Their eyelid. “Are a giant fuckin’ nerd.” Their other eyelid.

That last remark got Diego a smack to the back of his head, but it was worth it to see (y/n) smile.

“I have the best datemate ever,” he declared before kissing them soundly on the mouth.

They were so caught up in eachother, that neither noticed Klaus slipping out of the room.

[lickstynine]

Misadventures of Kit: Chapter Fifteen

written with @ocsickficsideblog

When Alistair woke him for breakfast, Kit couldn’t help feeling a sense of dread. Maybe it was the over-eager look in his cousin’s eyes as Alistair reminded him of the hamster he’d promised. Maybe it was the steroid pill he had to choke down with his meal. Or maybe it was just the anxiety of spending the day out, in public, with nowhere to be alone or take a nap.

Whatever it was, the feeling had twisted Kit’s stomach into a fearful knot. It took everything he had to force down breakfast, and he stretched out getting dressed as long as he could, trying to delay the inevitable brunch. He must have spent an hour just brushing his hair, and was still sitting on the bed, combing through his already-smooth red locks, when Alistair came to bother him.

“Kit, Jules has been making me wait for you to get ready but this is torture, the shops will be closing soon.” It wasn’t even noon.

“For lunch, maybe.” Kit rolled his eyes. “Why are you so rushed? Hamsters aren’t going extinct.” He was hoping playing up his cousin’s haste would distract from his own stalling.

“Because I want one!”

Kit sighed. “You sound like a child begging for sweets.”

“Shut up. Hurry up!”

Kit feigned an offended face. “Yes, that's a good way to make me buy you things.”

Alistair wrapped his arms around Kit’s neck. “Please, my oh so beautiful and clever cousin.”

That made Kit snort, and he dropped his hairbrush. “Okay, fine. We can go.” He hoped Alistair would drag him down the stairs before Julius could remind them of brunch.

“You’ll have to eat when we get home then, Kit,” Julius said.

Kit sighed. He couldn’t decide if that was better or worse than doing it now. “Fine.” At least if he did it later, Alistair wouldn’t be badgering him to finish.

“Are we going?” Alistair cried exasperatedly, like he’d been waiting weeks.

“If you’re in such a rush, just carry me.” Kit huffed, quickly adding, “That was a joke,” before his cousin could snatch him up and run out the door. He was dressed a bit nicer today, in a black button-up with very subtle charcoal stripes and gold buttons. His jewelry was all gold to match, and he topped it with a dark grey pea coat and his black duster. He had a different scarf, this one black with gold threading, but he wore his black gloves again as well. “Alright, we can go now.”

“You’re asking to get mugged round here in that get-up, Kit,” Alistair said. He was dressed in his black jeans with the tear in the knee (torn accidentally through carelessness, not on purpose to be fashionable), his unravelling black jumper, and hand painted boots.

“That's what you're here for.” Kit shrugged. “I'm not making myself tacky to appease criminals.”

“Alright, posh knickers. Let’s just go.”

“Lead the way. I don't know where the pet store is.” Kit said.

Alistair did, of course. He ran ahead like a kid, yelling at Julius and Kit to hurry. Julius rolled his eyes at Kit, grinning. Kit had no intention of hurrying further. Just walking to the pet store was exhausting enough, and he was nearly breathless by the time they got there. Alistair managed to break out of his excitement to notice, wrapping an arm around Kit’s waist. “You okay?”

“Just tired. You go and start looking at hamsters. I'll catch my breath and be with you in a moment.” Kit knew how excited his cousin was, he didn't want to delay him any more.

Alistair paused, then led Kit to a bench. “I’ll wait. You’re more important than hamsters.”

A very genuine surprised smile cracked Kit's face, and he leaned against Alistair with a soft sigh. “Thanks.”

Julius sat on Kit’s other side, trying to give him as much insulation as possible. Alistair wrapped an arm around his cousin, managing to kerb his impatience. Luckily for him, Kit didn't need too long to relax, now that he was off his feet. After a minute, he sat up, smoothing his hair and tucking his gloves in his pocket.

“Come on, let's get you a hamster.”

Alistair grinned at him. “Come on, I want to show you the difference between dwarf hamsters and Siberian ones.”

“I'm going to assume the dwarf ones are smaller…” Kit followed his cousin inside and over to a series of cages.

“Obviously. Siberians are much bigger, see?” Alistair showed Kit the separate cages, one containing tiny, round little hamsters so small you could cup them in your palm, the other holding their more bumptious cousins.

“Well, which do you want?” Kit asked.

Alistair looked between both cages. “All of them…”

“You get one.” Kit replied firmly. “Julie, help me here.”

“Only one, Star,” Julius said, equally firm.

“But which?”

“I don’t know, you plonker,” Julius laughed. “Watch them. Choose.”

“Stick your hand in, see which one likes you.” Kit suggested.

Alistair loved that idea. There was an initial swarm as he eased his hand gently into the Siberian hamster cage, each thinking he had food. They eventually moved away, all except a tiny dark brown one with ink drop eyes. He sat complacently in Alistair’s palm, starting to chew at the worn cuff of his jumper. Alistair sucked in his breath. “This one…”

Kit smiled. “There you go, then. Come, he'll need a cage, won't he?” He gestured to the pet supplies section of the store.

“He needs a travelling box,” Julius said, fetching an employee. Alistair would have been happy to hold him, but the girl made him place the hamster safely in his little box, carefully securing it and handing it over.

“Don’t shake it,” she warned, as she walked off.

“Does she think I’m five?” Alistair grumbled.

“I do sometimes.” Kit grinned, “But I know you're good with animals. Come on, let's find him a home.” He gestured again to the assortment of hamster cages and accessories.

“He’ll want something roomy. But I don’t want lots of tubes. They’re a pain to clean,” Alistair said. “Just a biggish cage. Middle class for hamsters.”

Kit laughed. “You don’t want a hamster maid to clean his tube mansion?”

“Seems a bit unfair on the maid hamster.”

“That's fair. So you like this one then?” Kit pointed to a large cage that had a wheel in the corner and a single tube running around the side.

“Yeah, that’s it.” He paused. He doubted Kit could lift it, but Julius wasn’t tall enough to reach it. Alistair rolled his eyes, handing the hamster box to Kit. “Be very careful.”

“Of course I’ll be careful with it.” Kit stuck one manicured finger into an airhole, wanting to see if the hamster would sniff him. There was a very tiny tickle against Kit’s finger as the hamster examined it, giving it a tiny, experimental nibble. He couldn’t help giggling, very gently petting the hamster’s face. “Hello.”

“Don’t charm him too,” Alistair huffed, but he was grinning. The hamster kept poking his little nose through the air holes, looking for Kit’s fingers. Kit kept his fingers close, gently petting the soft fur while Alistair chose a water bottle, food, and bedding.

“Do you need anything else?” Kit asked.

“I think that’s enough for now. If he’s energetic I’ll get him a ball.”

Kit paused, pursing his lips. “Do you know if it’s a he or a she?”

“Well, no. He just looked like a he. I’ll have a look underneath him when we get home.” He rolled his eyes. “I tell you, I’ve got useless skills. Can’t pass my driving test, but I’m top notch at identifying hamster vaginas.”

“...have you gendered hamsters before?” Kit furrowed his brows, continuing to pet the hamster as he spoke.

“I saw pictures in an animal book.”

“What sort of books are you reading?” Julius asked.

Kit couldn’t help snickering. “Let’s just buy the supplies.”

“Stop making my hamster like you best,” Alistair said, spotting Kit’s fingers probing in the box.

“You wanted me to hold it! I didn’t want to be rude!”

“What’s he doing? Are you petting him?”

“Yes. He sniffed my fingers so I was petting his nose. He seems to like it.” Kit replied, holding out the box. “You can try, if you like.”

Alistair tried at once. The hamster was hesitant, sniffing and doing his nibble test again, but he happily allowed Alistair to pet him. Alistair looked like he’d just found out he’d won the lottery. “This is the best present ever, Kit…”

“I’m glad you like him. Consider it a belated birthday gift.” Kit smiled, but suddenly paused, pulling out his phone to check the date. “Oh lord…” He scrunched his nose. “It’s almost my birthday.” He had spent so much of November in the hospital, he hadn’t realized the month was nearly over.

Alistair nodded. “You’ve got your book. We’ll...try to help you,” he said, and Julius nodded.

Kit sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. “I suppose we can deal with that as it comes. For now, let’s buy all your hamster things and take them home. What are you going to name him, anyway?” He asked, walking up to the register.

“I’m trying to decide. I was thinking Oliver.”

“If he turns out to be a girl, will he be Olivia? Or will you want a different name?” Kit asked, handing his credit card to the cashier without even glancing at the total.

“He’s a boy,” Alistair said. “I’ll check, but I feel it.”

Kit laughed. “If I were to trust your instincts on anything, it would certainly be this.” He took his card back, stepping aside so Alistair could take the bags from the cashier - they were too heavy for him. Alistair took them, thanking the cashier without looking in his eyes, hurrying away.

Kit tried to follow without jostling the poor hamster. “Al! Slow down!” He cried.

“Sorry. I just…” He sighed, not sure how to explain it.

Julius put a hand on his arm gently. “Let’s just go home.”

Kit nodded, keeping a finger in the box as they walked. He occasionally murmured things to Oliver like, “We’re stepping into the street, you’ll feel a bit of a dip now.” It felt rude to jolt the poor creature without warning.

“Kit, I didn’t expect you to make love to the hamster,” Alistair snorted.

“I’m just being polite. He can’t see, I don’t want to scare him.” Kit huffed.

“I’m glad. You used to hate animals. You can be his godfather.” This time Alistair was totally serious. Julius was going pink in the face as he tried not to laugh.

“I don’t hate your cat. I just wish she wouldn’t harass me.” Kit said. “And what does one do as the godparent of an animal?”

“Just look after him if I’m sick or on holiday. Or dead. But I’ll try to avoid that.”

Kit snorted. “I would hope you’re trying to avoid that.”

“Obviously. I’ve got you two dumbasses to look after, haven’t I?” Alistair grinned. Julius just rolled his eyes, smiling too. He was happy to see Alistair in such a good mood; he’d been on edge lately, worrying about Kit.

“I’m the dumbass?” Kit huffed.

“Not really. You know you’re not,” Alistair said, ruffling Kit’s hair, deliberately messing it up.

Kit desperately flailed his free hand to ward away his cousin. “That took me all morning!”

“Only because you were farting around with it. You’ve got straight hair, it only needs a five minute brush.”

Kit huffed, but didn't continue to argue, holding Oliver's box close to his chest as they walked. Oliver sat placidly as long as Kit was petting him. As they got back to the flat, Kit paused at the bottom of the stairs, glaring at the perpetually broken elevator.

“Can you manage it?” Alistair asked. “I could pick you up.”

“I'm fine.” Kit mumbled, taking a deep breath and starting the trek up the stairs. Julius took his arm to help him. Kit seemed embarrassed, but he didn't push Julius away, and he was leaning on the younger boy by the time they got to the top.

“Go sit down, Kit,” Alistair said, opening the door. “I need to get the cage ready.”

Kit nodded obediently, shuffling off to the couch and setting Oliver's box in his lap. Alistair got the cage set up, swearing and fussing as he got everything connected properly. “Take him out, Kit.”

The older boy carefully unfolded the top of the box, resting his hand on the bottom so Oliver could climb into it. The little hamster darted out towards the light, tumbling into Kit’s palm. He smiled, gently scooping Oliver up and holding him to his chest. “Come on, you've got a proper home now.”

Oliver sniffed at Kit’s wrist, then promptly tried to climb his shirt. Alistair laughed at them, scattering sawdust in the cage. Kit yelped, not sure how to react. “Al. Help.”

Alistair went to Kit, still giggling, and plucked Oliver off. He turned him around carefully, peering under him. “Ha, told you he was a boy.”

“Congratulations.” Kit sounded tired, but he was smiling.

“You need to eat, then have a nap,” Julius said firmly.

“Do I have time to nap before the show?” Kit asked, as if a musical act in a pub was going to start in the early afternoon.

“Yes, for a couple of hours. Longer if you don’t do your slow-ass eating,” Alistair said, settling Oliver in his cage.

Kit sighed. “What's for lunch?”

“What do you want from the list?” Alistair asked.

“I feel like I've eaten everything on that stupid list a hundred times.” Kit griped. “Can I just have fruit or something? Jam on toast if it has to be more 'fattening’?”

“Okay, jam on toast. Two slices,” Julius said, going to the kitchen.

“No crusts, please!” Kit called after him.

“I know!” Julius called back. He even cut the bread slices into heart shapes on the plate, spreading them with scarlet jam.

Kit smiled. “You're too sweet, Julie. Can I have some water?”

Julius got him a bottle. Alistair ignored everyone, letting Oliver run over his hands, beaming. Kit thanked Julius, but he mostly watched Alistair as he picked away at his toast. The way Alistair laughed and played with the little hamster reminded Kit of when his mother would take them to petting zoos. Alistair would run around chasing every animal in sight until one was complacent enough to be still for him, and then he would sit there petting it, the same goofy, delighted grin on his face.

Julius grinned at Kit. “He’s like a little kid at a party, isn’t he?” he whispered.

Kit nodded, tearing off small pieces of toast to eat. He kept getting distracted watching Alistair, and ended up staring vacantly towards the cage, still holding a morsel of toast. Alistair peered at him, holding Oliver to his cheek, feeling his soft fur. “Kit?”

“Hm?” Kit blinked, looking up to meet his cousin’s eyes.

“What’re you thinking about?”

“You, mostly. I was thinking about when Mum used to take us to the petting zoo.” Kit murmured, biting his lip thoughtfully.

Alistair sighed blissfully at the memory. “Remember that time we got halfway home before realising I’d snuck a chick into my pocket?” he snorted. “And I said I’d adopted him?”

Kit snickered. “Mum freaked out, because we had left when the petting zoo closed. Luckily, the workers were still there, trying to find the missing chick.”

“And I bawled for ages in the car going home, until Auntie bought me a chocolate chick to shut me up.”

“And then you threw up the chocolate chick all over her. I remember.” Kit rolled his eyes.

“I don’t know how she didn’t chuck me out the window.”

“I know I would’ve.” Kit laughed. “Thanks to you, she had to throw out more dresses than most people have ever worn…”

“She never yelled at me though,” Alistair said fondly.

Kit sighed. “I know. She put up with every stupid thing you did.”

“And so do you.”

That made Kit smile a little. “I try. But only because you do a lot of not stupid things that I like.”

“I do?” Alistair laughed. “Like what?”

“Like taking care of me. Listening to me talk about stupid things. Playing music, on the rare occasion you allow me to listen.”

“I’ll do all the things for you and Jules alone. Because you’re my special people. As gay as that sounds.” Alistair said.

Kit laughed. “That does sound pretty gay.”

“You’re gay. Eat your toast.”

Kit rolled his eyes, but did as he was told. He didn’t even go back to bed for his nap, just curling up on the couch as he was. It took barely a minute for him to doze off, and once he was snoring, Star settled on top of him to nap as well. Alistair snorted, knowing how Kit would protest that if he was awake.

Kit was still sound asleep when his phone went off, two separate texts within a minute of each other. The first was Siofra, asking if he was still coming to the show. The second was Taddy, saying he was outside whenever the boys were ready to leave.

Alistair carefully shook Kit awake. “Kit, we’ve got to get going.”

Kit groaned, shifting on the couch and accidentally knocking Star off his lap. She rubbed against his legs instead. Alistair rapped Kit’s cheek. “Kiiiit, wake up.”

“Leave me alone. I already bought your hamster.”

“I thought you wanted to watch Siofra’s band.”

Kit finally stirred, teetering as he rushed to sit up and swing his legs off the couch. “Shit, that’s tonight, isn’t it?”

“Yes. Taddy is outside.”

“Oh, christ. Can you ask him to wait? I need to get ready.” Kit was looking down at his sleep-wrinkled, fur-covered clothes in dismay - he couldn’t leave the house like that.

“Of course he’ll wait. You only need to brush your hair,” Alistair said. All he’d done was pull a leather jacket on.

“What are you talking about? My clothes are a mess, I need to change.” Kit was already walking off to the bedroom in search of a new outfit that would suit his gold jewelry.

Alistair groaned theatrically, flinging himself onto the sofa (and across Julius’s lap). “We’ll be here all fucking night now.”

“We will not! I know which clothes go with my gold jewelry, I just need to put them on.” Kit traded his fur-covered shirt and slacks for a black cashmere jumper and dark burgundy jeans, threading a gold-buckled belt through the loops on the pants (he was too skinny for them to stay up otherwise). “See? Now I just need to put on shoes and fix my hair.” His boots were black leather, too, but sleek and shiny, with gold buckles and grommets on them. Comparing them to Alistair’s boots was quite similar to comparing him and Alistair. “For your sake, I’ll even hurry with my hair.”

“Once again, it’s straight hair. I used to backcomb mine as a teenager and it didn’t take me that fucking long.”

“You also like to look like a gothic vagrant.” Kit pointed out, grabbing a brush to smooth his hair.

Alistair was quite pleased with that. “Cool!”

Kit rolled his eyes. “You would say that.” He muttered, brushing the knots out of his hair and leaning into the mirror to put on mascara.

“God, it’s like I’m waiting for my husband to get ready…”

“Nobles stopped inbreeding centuries ago, Al.” Kit said, smoothing his hair one last time and checking himself in the mirror. “Julie, how do I look?”

“Beautiful,” Julius said, smiling. “You’ll knock her socks off, Kit.”

“I hope not, the pub floor is probably dirty.” Kit quipped. He was trying to hide his nerves, wishing his heart would stop pounding like a war drum. He could hear it in his ears, and his cheeks felt flushed - he didn’t know why he was so nervous, this wasn’t even a date.

“Are we going, then?” Alistair said impatiently.

Kit nodded, shuffling towards the door as he put his scarf and coats back on. “We are, sorry.”

“Be careful down the stairs,” Alistair said, wrapping an arm around Kit’s waist.

“There’s a railing.” Kit mumbled. He felt like a fragile old lady being led around, even if he did need it sometimes. He was sure Alistair could feel his nervous heartbeat, which wouldn’t help his case. He sighed, allowing his cousin to help him down the stairs without further argument.

The tight fear in his chest was replaced with the weight of guilt when he saw Taddy’s car outside. Though Julius had said the chauffeur wasn’t mad, Kit still felt terrible for making the poor old man his accomplice. He stared shamefully down at the leather seats, too embarrassed to make eye contact.

Taddy just smiled when the boys got in the car. “Good to see you, sirs.”

Kit blinked, nearly daring to look up. He couldn’t understand why Taddy was so calm and happy, how he could still be so nice. He ventured a sheepish. “Hi, Taddy…”

“Evening, Master Kit. You’re going to see the girl you like, yes?”

Now Kit blushed again. “I… well… she isn’t… yes.”

“Yeah, he is,” Alistair supplied. “Sorry you’ve been waiting, but Precious here had to change outfits.”

Taddy chuckled. “I’m not bothered. I always show up early.”

“Bloody hell, you must be kept waiting a lot. We’re always late.”

Taddy shrugged. “Your tardiness doesn't affect my paycheck. I just do the crosswords to kill time.”

“I was always shit at those. I’d keep spelling stuff wrong.”

Kit rolled his eyes. “Of course you were.”

“So. What’re you gonna say if Siofra’s band sounds like shit?” Alistair said.

“I'll be honest, if she asks me.” Kit shrugged. “Though I can't imagine it will. She doesn't strike me as delusional.”

“Maybe she’s mad at her dad. People mad at their dads always want to start bands.”

Kit rolled his eyes. “She's not fifteen. Or you.”

“Have I started a fucking band? Who would I even do it with? Jasper and Julius?” Alistair scoffed. “Yeah, they’d look really fucking menacing.”

Kit couldn’t help snorting at that mental image, and Taddy chuckled as well. Alistair grinned. “Jules once dressed himself all goth, just to see what he’d look like. I taught him how to backcomb his hair. It was ridiculous.”

“Good lord.” Kit shook his head.

“Yeah, he just looked cute…”

“Your opinion doesn’t count, you always think he looks cute.” Kit sighed.

“Because he always does. You can’t look at Jules and not think that.” Alistair said.

Kit groaned. “I can’t talk to you. Taddy, how far are we?”

“It’s about a thirty minute drive, sir.”

Kit groaned louder. “I beg of you, turn on the radio.”

“Yes, sir.”

[plunder-heaven-and-devour-god]

So the line 

“This is how we’ll win. Not by killing what we hate, but by saving what we love.”

IS AMAZING. I’ve been turning it over in my mind for days, and only now did I realise why upon my third Last Jedi viewing. 

The Last Jedi appeals to the feminist framework regarding war and violence. (and I forever regret not getting my full gender studies credits to qualify for that diploma).

IF you learn about the violence of war outside combat, the destruction of infrastructure, the gendered upkeep of agriculture/school/society at large at the hands of minorities, you will know that:

“Peace is not the absence of conflict, but when everyone’s needs are met.” 

https://www.ted.com/talks/zainab_salbi

(see this amazing Ted Talk for an amazing perspective that was important in my formative years)

Leia’s goal, and subsequently, Holdo’s goal was always to save the people of the Resistance. The Resistance is made of people who fight for each other, it’s not an abstract concept under the guise of nationalism, not even of a blanket statement like “good”. It is a people who try to protect others, whether they be flawed, lost, or alone. This remains true of the two women generals right down to the mechanic Rose. The Resistance is meant to fight for “the down trodden and oppressed” and for each other.

The other portion of the feminist critique is that using power and resources to constantly be on the offense in an arms race, or a one up-manship leads to an empty victory. Poe constantly runs into this conflict, whereby being on the front lines, uses violence and “action” as a means to assert control and manifest a goal. This form of leadership leads to casualties where casualties should have been considered first.

Even DJ, the codebreaker, sees these gestures as empty and each blow is another step down an unending road of violence. “Take it easy big F, they blow you up today, you blow them up tomorrow”

That isn’t to say that violence is wrong or the defensive is right. IT doesn’t have much to do with that. The terms start a dichotomy that’s easily translated to a gendered dichotomy. 

man: offensive, violence, war etc.

woman: defensive, love, peace etc.

It’s a toxic gendered dichotomy. 

The focus of the feminist framework is “degendering terms in relation to war.” 

War is no longer seen as a masculine endeavour barred to women, and it’s no longer a method to prove a manly worth. Peace is not just a woman’s game, but an abstract concept meant to be criticized.

The core idea is the community is your priority, rather than an endless cycle of violence that puts human life in jeopardy. The end goal is always that human needs can be met. This can be done through violence too when circumstances call for it. But if violence is the only avenue not only do you lack resources, labour, people, and infrastructure, but you’re allowing a gender fulfillment to take precedence. 

The reasoning behind it is that in a world of industrial wars/nationalism/capitalism/arm’s races, the discussion of human casualties is shamed for being “womanly” and “weak”. (see camp david discussions or anything to do with US military nuclear strategies it’s honestly terrifying). There is also a rhetoric that men are built for war which is easily debunked by the volume of unfired rifles in history and the mere existence of PTSD plaguing war veterans. 

Putting human life as the main value seems naive and like it won’t work. And to be fair we can see how outside circumstances interfere with that framework in real life. The benefit of film is that we can control those circumstances.

If anything the Last Jedi is very good at showing where trying to do right by others is met with failure. But it is extremely good at representing gender coded characters acting outside that societal dichotomy. In the feminist framework, it offers a degendered view of violence, where male coded characters can assert their wills without the act of violence, and where female coded characters can assert their wills with violence. 

We see male coded characters astral projecting to stall for time where other male characters rush their comrades to safety. 

We see female characters ordering executions and letting out war cries. 

But it’s lovely to see that most of the female coded characters (save for Phasma) and male coded characters take an approach to adversity in this framework. And by the end of the movie, all of the characters that can learn from their failures take on this view of leadership.

Leia and Holdo hold the mantle throughout the movie for this framework.

Rose delivers the thesis statement of the movie when Finn nearly kills himself. But she also changes the circumstance of the Fathier’s mistreatment instead of just putting a hole through a casino. One act has meaning for the down trodden and oppressed, one doesn’t.

Rey, sensing that Luke won’t be of any help, is driven to go to Kylo Ren to turn him to the Light. She tries to save instead of annihilate. She finds sameness in loneliness and isolation in her power. Seeing herself in her enemy is not weakness, but compassion. One act can turn the tide of war, one act leads to endless retaliation.

Part of the reason Rey gets ANY FLACK AT ALL for this is because she’s coded as a woman, and upon unfair surface analysis, looks like she’s trying to save a broken baby bird. In reality, part of what made Luke so compelling is that he acted outside a “men take the offense or manifest their wills through violence”. He applied compassion to a father he thought was too fargone. Rey tries this degendered framework and to the film’s narrative credit: Rey fails! Now we know Ben will only turn if he does it himself. And this is not because Rey was weak to do so and that is why she failed, but because of character writing! Rey failed and will learn to be a better leader from it

Luke astral projects to give others a chance to get away. He takes the chance to apologize to his nephew. He didn’t go slice up an advancing squad of first order war machines! 

Poe is able to learn this by the end of the film, and so does Finn in different ways. 

Poe leads the resistance to safety instead of taking the offensive.

Finn relinquishes a neutral stance after fighting phasma and nearly kills himself to save everyone. (thank god he was saved by rose)

Again, the offensive is also used to great credit. Rey is violent and takes no prisoners in the Praetorian Guard fight. Leia guns down the First Order ship in a hangar on Crait. Poe is the best damn pilot in the galaxy, and Rose has a taser fork. Violence and the offensive are not wrong, but knowing when to use violence and when to save what you love is the mark of a true leader.

Even moreso to the films credit, it doesn’t present the feminist approach to war as a fail safe ultimate strategy. Above all, failure is the biggest teacher, and Yoda makes it explicit when speaking to Luke. These characters, even with the “fight for each other”, fail through outside circumstances, adversity, and character stakes. The point is to continue striving for it, even when times are hard, and especially when you can’t see the light. These characters gain the tools they need to win the war in this film.

Part of the reason this movie is fantastic is that it doesn’t lack tension, or stakes, or even great action sequences, but it also propogates this quiet feminist framework. It does so without being ham fisted, and better yet, it presents itself as a genderless set of concepts ready to be adapted for anyone. 

“Fight for each other” is what will lead the resistance to victory whereas the First Order is a series of high ranking self interested chrome imperialists. The statement of Star Wars is that if you do not fight for each other you cannot win. It’s a simple concept, but one that Star Wars has become unimaginably deified for in the past 40 years. 

And I’m still floored we get a slightly holistic feminist framework in a coming of age star wars movie that features a female lead. I never thought I’d see the day where all of that was presented along well rounded and well written male characters that are friends, and not all love interests. There are characters of color whose stories aren’t bent on their minority status. I can’t believe we have a messy, emotional, yet horribly volatile villain that has more in common with out protagonist than we thought. We got a beacon of hope made into a man, and that trauma is treated as real, but not without closure or without love. We see a third evil take itself beside the lightside and the dark: MONEY! The industral war machine makes a lovely appearance. 

We get thoughtful subversions of Star Wars expectations executed in the most Star Wars of ways!

I don’t pretend this movie is perfect or without flaw. I just think this is WORTH the discussion!

Meanwhile! We still get the PEW PEW and the VWOOM VWOOM of Star Wars! How cool is that?!

[shorilicious]

t/n: (from tangorin) tsundere = being on the surface sharp and sarcastic (tsuntsun) but underneath lovestruck and fawning (deredere), characteristic of a gap between acted out actions and feelings in mind.

My level of tsundere

Shori: It’s pretty high. You can see it well in the way I handle Marius (laughing). Regardless of gender, it’s embarrassing to fawn on somebody. So the way I tease Marius, I guess it’s not really different from the way I’d treat girls. Because I’d prefer a girl who loves herself (laughing). I’ll be kind in general but when I like you I will mainly tease you and be loving occasionally... That would be my style (laughing). But me teasing you is only proof of my mindfulness. „Even so, it looks like we can get along well“, if my partner thinks like that it’ll be fine. In romance or in work, a „fun atmosphere“ is very important!

Sou: In my normal life, my tsundere level towards girls is close to zero. „It’s the only person I can be tsundere towards to!“, I can only declare this to be true about Marius (laughing). Since Marius was a child before, I would call him „Mariussssss“ in front of everyone, I was amazed at my lovingly care. But recently Marius has totally grown up, right? It’s getting embarrassing to spoil him like that, so I try to put on a colder attitude on purpose. Then Marius starts whining and calling „Ne, ne, Sou-chan!“. When I see Marius behave like that, inside my heart I think „So far it’s going well“ (laughing).

Marius: I’m often told „Marius’s level of tsundere is strong“ by others. Since I sulk easily, it seems like that’s the reason why people think that (laughing). But I think that is a little different from the original „tsundere“ meaning. The people who often tease me though are Fuma-kun and Shori-kun! (In reply, Shori who is sitting behind him bumps Marius’ chair from behind on purpose) See, that’s what I mean! I have to sulk because he keeps doing things like that. (Now Shori gets up and stands right next to Marius to keep staring at his face intensely) ...Come on, I don’t know the meaning of this (laughing)! However him teasing me like that, it’s annoying but it still makes me happy. When he’s being kind to me, he’s really kind though... wait, what? Rather than talking about me, this turned into a talk about Shori-kun’s tsundere side (laughing)!

Kento: I guess towards girls I can be quite tsundere. But for people who are expecting „Kurosaki-kun~“, it won’t be to that extent (laughing). Since I think I want to tease the girl I like, I won’t always be sweet. Some people might say „I want to be swayed by my girlfriend“ but I’m the complete opposite. When it comes to love I want to be superior... I also have a fundamental desire like that.

Fuma: When it comes to girls, I’m not really lovey-dovey. You can expect me being tsuntsun but not dere (laughing). Of course, I won’t be fawning or crying... I don’t think I will do those things. If I did that, I think I would get beaten up by the girl’s father (laughing). However, when I let my guard down I think I will say things like „You look ugly today~“. I like people with that kind of gap. Even with our male and female staff members, I like people who can handle people like me. If I have a partner like that, I’ll be able to let the really harsh Fuma come out. If you return the opposite and be really lovingly towards me still, I think you’re genuine about me then.

My ideal level of tsundere in a girl

Shori: I think it’s cute when a girl is peevish but I’ll be troubled if she’s seriously angry at me. When I am at fault I will properly apologise in a gentlemanly way. When we fight because of something small where we can say „I don’t mind it“, then it’s okay to poke fun at each other. But people who are generally „tsun“, I can’t deal with that. As expected, I want her to be kind. Eh, which level of „dere“ do I want her to be? Well... that’s a secret (laughing). I’m too embarrassed to reveal such a thing so I’m not telling (laughing)!

Sou: Deep inside my heart I will be hurt by cold behaviour but I don’t necessarily dislike tsundere people. For example, people who don’t take action by themselves. When I say „Hey, well... I’m kind of hungry“, and the girl replies „Eh, you want me to make something?“ (laughing). Then I will say „Eh, you don’t want to?“, to which she will reply „...I guess it can’t be helped“, and finally take action. I’m attracted to that type of girl rather than someone who says „Aren’t you hungry? Shall I make you something?“ from the beginning. After that when we say goodbye, I will text her a message saying „I want to see you again“, to which she would say „That guy~ Even though I was this tsuntsun just a few moments ago~“, I think that would make me happy (laughing).

Marius: I think it’s cute when girls are angry. I think in that situation I would mess with her a little if she lets me. I don’t want her to get seriously angry at me though, it would make me happy if she can take a joke and pout a little. But next time when I say „Ahh, my shoulders are stiff from studying!“, I want her to say „Well, can’t be helped“ as she starts giving me a massage. „It feels really stiff“, she would say and I would reply „Really? Thank you. That was quite easy“. I feel okay with a mild tsundere like that.

Kento: I don’t really like it. When it comes to tsundere women, my mother is enough for me (laughing). She’s really scary. There’s a story when I was in middle school that I’ll never forget. While I was talking on the phone for a long time with a friend, she banged on my room’s door and yelled „Until when are you going to phone!“ with a loud, angry voice. „She’s shouting while I’m on the phone!?“, I thought that while being surprised. Well, I was on the phone for eight hours so I understand (laughing). Compared to me, she’s able to voice her opinions in a harsh way... that’s her way of a warm welcome. After that when I feel down, I might feel happy again if you can tell me something like „Hey, cheer up! I will hit you if you don’t!“

Fuma: Because I’m a tsundere type, I think I would be annoyed if my girl is like that as well and I’d say things like „Shut up~“ and „Eh, what the hell are you saying?“, so wouldn’t it feel like a normal fight (laughing)? When it comes to love, I think I want to be „the stronger one“. Ah, but when you say something like „Eh, today’s your birthday? I forgot!... Just kidding ♪~“, if you’re a cute tsundere like that, I might forgive you (laughing).

A good winter story♡

Shori: Winter itself is the best! I really like winter. First of all the air is refreshing and it’s not damp and humid. I could complain about humidity forever... I’m that type of person (laughing). The outside locations are surely cold but in that case I will take six heat packs with me before I go out! Also I’d wear a coat in this season, I can be fashionable as well. Food is delicious too. When it comes to winter food I like hot pot although it’s plain. The mizutaki I ate in Hakata was delicious. I am simple but rather than eating mizutaki in Tokyo, the collagen level there is amazing! Ah, is it already March? Then we’re one step closer to the damp and humid summer. Seriously, I’ll be depressed from now on (laughing).

Sou: It seems that during winter love will deepen. The city has pretty illuminations and there are many events going on. Since it’s cold you can warm yourselves together under a kotatsu, you can walk outside holding hands and you can share a scarf together, right? If it was summer you would say something like „It’s hot! Get away from me!“ (laughing).

Marius: I like winter in Germany! Growing up in Heidelberg, I liked the amount of snow during winter, there are many stalls gathered by the square and the Christmas market is built there as well. „Is this real?“, I feel like that every time, it becomes a beautiful and romantic landscape. The stalls sell delicious waffles and German cakes and all the adults drink mulled wine. But I also like the New Year’s holidays in Japan. I really like osechi and other New Year’s dishes!

Kento: I like love stories set in winter. It’s the season to long for other people, so watching a love story is going to warm you up and you will feel satisfied afterwards, right? Eh, you can’t oppose your romantic orientation (laughing)? When that topic came up on „HonmadekkaTV“, (Akashiya) Sanma-san talked about it as well. That topic came up before already but recently it has become more open. As long as there is fun in love, won’t it be accompanied by troubles, worries and suffering too? But when I see happy couples in the city, I think „Wow~ I want to have a romance like that too!“, so that turns into suffering in a way (laughing). I wonder which suffering is better?

Fuma: When work is done I love getting home to take a bath and then eating ice cream after. During summer I like a refreshing popsicle but in winter I love eating ice cream. It’s cold outside but when I just get out of the bath I feel quite hot so I go to my freezer to see which ice cream flavours I keep there and I pick one that I’m in the mood for. By the way, I think today I’m in the mood for matcha. I want Sexy Zone to try doing a CM for ice ream. Although I say it myself, wouldn’t it suit us pretty well? But not a „bright and cheerful“ kind, I’d much rather do a CM with a mature atmosphere. Not only Nakajima but all of us should have some sweet lines (laughing)!

Something that’s not good for me

Shori: I guess music. I love it too much, I can’t go without it. There was a time when I gathered my music loving friends in a studio and we did a band session together but then before I noticed, it was already early morning... my words now, does it really sound like I’m a bandsman (laughing)? We talked about music, practised various techniques and only did a short break in the middle of the night to go to a shop to get something small to eat. Time flew by in the blink of an eye. I thought I have to make sure to get enough hours of sleep, however it just turned out to be such an enjoyable time for me. It’s okay to do that once in a while, right?

Sou: Floor heating. Even in midwinter I can walk on it barefoot while wrapped in a blanket, so I feel cosy super quickly. But that’s not good. Even if there is my bed right next to me and it’s the optimal thing to sleep on, I’m scared to get on my bed since I know it’s cold. Before I realise it, I’ve spent the whole night on my heated floor until the morning... I often had that happen to me. I really turned into a „hopeless case“, it’s terrible (laughing). I’m afraid of that, so recently I always hesitate for a moment before I switch on the floor heating (laughing).

Marius: Tangerines and gummies. I eat way too much of these! Originally, gummies are German sweets. That’s why when I have gummies at hand, I will eat the whole bag. When I was little my mum used to tell me „If you eat too many tangerines, your whole body will turn orange and you’ll become an orange human being“, so I was seriously scared (laughing).

Kento: Strong romance. Well, I talk a lot about romance today (laughing). I only think about work 100%, so I think it (thinking about romance) will disappear eventually. That’s why when I long for a strong romance, it’s a little scary. Recently I’ve been asked about romantic ideas on television and in magazines a lot so I start thinking about dispatching it properly. I need a relationship, please (laughing).

Fuma: When taking a bath, while I wash my body and my hair, I often leave the shower on... I guess it’s that thing. Because during this time it’s super cold in the bathroom. It’s only during the winter so forgive me! A few moments ago I told you “I eat ice cream after getting out of the bath” but sometimes I even eat it while I’m inside the bath. I set the bath’s temperature to 42°C, then the cold ice cream tastes even better! It’s really a luxurious time. During that time I will return home all happy... My behaviour is bad but still this has become a crucial time for me.

Keep in mind I am not a native speaker therefore there might be mistakes in my translations. Also I’m not exactly translating word for word. Feel free to correct me in my ask box any time you want, I’d appreciate it! I apologize if someone already translated something before me and I didn’t notice, I hope you don’t mind.

Credit goes to yoshiko_mama @ LJ for the scans, thank you!

[mysticdragon3md3]

Reactions to Jujutsu Kaisen ep3-5; (half of ep6).

. . .

7:35 PM 12/16/2020 Jujutsu Kaisen ep3

So...It's a it's a habit of Gojou-sensei to do people favors without them asking?  Like when he put Itadori's dorm room next to Fushiguro, because Gojou thought Fushiguro could use the "lively" company?  ^o^  ok.  But I have a feeling the hood on Itadori's uniform is going to turn out to be more to do with Sukuna, and we're just going to *think* it was because Itadori was always wearing hooded tops when Gojou met him.  lol  

I've been wary about getting into Jujutsu Kaisen ever since I saw a clip of Nobara Kugisaki, where she was just being really abrasive and representing that hackneyed stereotype of "girl of the group spoils everyone's fun and is just angry at everyone for no reason all the time".  I was not looking forward to her character.  But I finally managed to start watching this series anyway, and I loved it.  But now I'm at ep3, she's showing up, and I am not lookng forward to whatever stereotypes that Shonen Manga tends to slot girls into.  Shonen Manga, I love you, but 80% of the time you suck when it comes to women.  ~_~;  Either the girl is only cool if she's sexualized cheeesecake, or an ingenue (which I LOVE, but I do want more variety), or the abrasive, tsundere spoil-sport, which I am just _done_ with.  So please please PLEASE, Nobara, PLEASE don't be an abrasive annoying character!  ;o;!

And now she's asking some random guy to make her a model. (Why do I get the feeling her use of "watashi" is what got to the guy?) This is not a good start.  Please don't turn out to be some borderline himedere, all full of herself, and completely focused on her looks, because the only characteristic that some male manga-ka know to give to female characters is "obsessed with her appearance".  ;o;!?

"Be happy boys.  I'm the one woman in your group."  What the hell is that supposed to mean??  Is the manga-ka saying girls are trouble, so minimum number of them is better?  Or that "all guys are horny heteros who're desperate to be near any girls"???  Because either option sounds really bad. Unforunately, it's the type of thing I've gotten used to seeing in anime/manga.  ~___~;  (Just once, I'd love for some girl to be full of herself because she assumes the guys in her group are desperate heteros, but then it turns out they're all gay.  Knock those himedere's down a peg!)  But this is one of the newer Shonen Jump series I've seen in a long time.  Hopefully things have changed since years ago, when harem anime and ecchi Shonen series used to be the majority of series out there.  If Boku no Hero Academia is any indication, I've heard gender representation has been getting better.  And of course, the popularity precedent that Bleach's Rukia Kuchiki set has been great to see emulated (when a series doesn't misinterpret Rukia's appeal into "tusndere" anyway).  

Itadori is from Sendai!?  I should have paid attention!  I love Sendai because I'm a Date Masamune fan, but I'm wondering...This series and Haikyuu...  Is Sendai becoming a popular setting for manga?  I wonder if it's to boost interest in their tourism to help recover from the 2011 disasters.  I always thought that would be nice of the manga/anime industries.  ;u;  

Oh no...Itadori is a childish dork, buying weird souvenirs and eating up all the snacks he can...  Ya gotta stop being this cute, kiddo!  ;w;!!!  You already remind me of Ryuji Sakamoto, you don't have to score for the extra points with even more similarities to him!  ;w;  Gawd, Ryuji has made me weak for these adorkable boyish types...!  xWx!  

Ok.  Nobara is redeemed.  She's just as excited and adorkable as Itadori at the prospect of Gojou-sensei taking them sight-seeing.  ^o^  This is pretty hilarious actually.  LOL  Let me mention again that this series' humor is pretty great!  ^o^  

ROPPONGI?!?!?  Sensei!  Don't take a bunch of minors to Roppongi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  ...Oh, it's a cursed, abandoned building.  Oh thank globs.  

8:14 PM 12/16/2020 Well, Crunchyroll kept crashing after I paused the episode to write reactions.  But let's try again.  

8:21 PM 12/16/2020 Aaaaaaand Crunchyroll crashed AGAIN.  It really doesn't want me to finish this episode, huh?  Fine.  I'll watch something else.  I got my Yuji fix anyway.  (Even though I wanted to watch more.)  ~.~!

2:25 AM 12/17/2020 I tried to watch ep3 again.  After 20min in, Crunchyroll crashed again.  I got so fed up, I went to finish the episode on some YouTube bootleg. But I felt bad about it and I couldn't really find the full ep at regular speed, so I guess I'll just try Crunchyroll another time.  I should really just connect my laptop to my Tv and watch from there.  This Amazon Firestick crashes too much whenever I watch anything besides YouTube (and Netflix).  Even Disney+ stalls on it sometimes.  

But I will say that the parts of the episode I managed to watch more of so far, included that clip of Nobara from Crunchyroll's Twitter, that gave me the bad impression of her.  Listen, I'm as tired of the "passive good girl" female character, as the next woman.  But I also dislik the abrasive tsundere, angry for no reason, looking down on everything everyone does as instantly inferior, and just needlessly over-reacting with anger.  I mean, the "over-emotional woman" stereotype is just as bad as the "passive, martyr, support" girl stereotype.  And is it wise to immediately have this new character just hate and physically beat up the protag that we're already invested in?  At least, I like him best out of everyone.  And then this girl comes in, calling his need to use a weapon lame, physically beating him for asking reasonable questions, and just being an asshole.  Not scoring any points here.  I know stories are supposed to run on conflict and each time a new character is introduced, they're supposed to clash with the previously established characters or protagonist, but if all the clashing gets annoying, I've got better things to do. The sad thing is that I see her short straight hair, and I can't help but think this is another case of Shonen manga trying to emulate Rukia Kuchiki's popularity.  After Bleach, suddenly these types of no-nonsense, competent warrior, without the cheesecake, girls were popping up all over the place: Buso Renkin, Otomen, Attack on Titan, etc.  I just really wish people would have taken the right lessons from Bleach's Rukia Kuchiki, that even the Bleach anime got wrong in some filler episodes:  She's not angry for no reason!  She's not unnecessarily angry/violent!  The anime fillers only crossed that line because tsundere were popular at the time!  But it makes for an abrasive, unlikable character, female or not!  If some bishie came in, acting that way to a protagonist I was already attached to, I'd still think of him as an asshole and consider dropping the series for it.  And I've dropped HeroAca---one of the best series in years---for that reason already!  Don't think you're immune, Jujutsu Kaisen!  Just because Yuji is a freaking delight, I will drop you if Nobara becomes a problem!  

. . .

5:06 PM 12/17/2020 Tried again to watch Jujutsu Kaisen ep3 around 5pm.  5min into it, Crunchyroll crashed again.  Again at the commercial break.  What is it with the commercial breaks crashing everything?  It's happened on other websites with commercial too.  o.o?  Well, connected my laptop to my Tv.  I'll let my laptop handle the processing instead of my Amazon Firestick.  

5:07 PM 12/17/2020 Well, here we go again.  This must be at least the 5th time I'm watching this ep.  With luck, this time, I'll be able to watch the last 1/3 of the episode.

JUJUTSU KAISEN Episode 3 – Girl of Steel

5:14 PM 12/17/2020 Now it's either buffering for a long time, or frozen.  ~.~;  The universe really doesn't want me to watch Jujutsu Kaisen, huh?  Either that, or the universe really wants me to watch it thru bootleg sites/uploads, instead of thru Crunchyroll.  Damn it.  I hate doing that.  But I like this series, and Crunchyroll has been giving me problems for the past 2 days on just this ONE SAME EPISODE OVER AND OVER.  ~o~;;;;  Fine!  I'll go find some YouTube bootleg of this episode.  x_x;  YouTube never crashes on me.  

5:17 PM 12/17/2020 Ugh.  I hate watching on these tiny rectangles with giant random frames so the uploader can avoid copyright strikes.  Let me try Crunchyroll again.  

I had forgotten this.  I don't know why, but when another video streaming site had problems with buffering or being frozen, sometimes playing YouTube on another tab kind of "wakes it up".  

5:19 PM 12/17/2020 Spoke too soon.  Crunchyroll still isn't working.  Forget it.  I'll watch the tiny rectangle with giant distracting frames and muffled audio.  I just want to get through this episode finally!  It's been 2 days!  And the introduction of a character I've been wary of from spoiler clips, and now that I've actually been watching her introduction episode, I am NOT having a good time with her.  I want this over with.  

At least on YouTube I can skip through the parts of the episode I've already had to watch like 5 times already.  Adn it won't crash from searching.  

5:32 PM 12/17/2020 There!  Finally FINALLY finishedd episode 3!!!!!  

Shonen genre, I love you, but why do the female characters always have to be so annoying!?!  It's not an 1990's action movie!  They're just angry all the time and I feel like I'm spending time with an annoying asshole, when I watch series that forces me to spend time with characters unreasonably angry about anything and everything! And that's not even mentioning the horrible implication that females are all "moody and over-emotional". It's like, they know to set up protagonists as likable by demonstrating their compassion and warmth, but when it comes to the female characters, if she's not an ingenue passive hyper-fem support class, then she's an abrasive tsundere, because apparently it's still the early 2000s and all the horny fanboys want to get stepped on and yelled at.  -.-;;;;;;;;;;;;;;  Fucking A you guys...There are better partners, better people to spend time with, than that.  x_x;;;;;;;;;;;;;  

On the good side, if Nobara turns out to be a deal breaker for me on this series, then I won't have to feel bad anymore for missing out on Nendoroid Yuuji's preorder.  

. . .

1:23 AM 12/18/2020 Jujutsu Kaisen ep4

I"m gonna risk Crucnhyroll crashing (on my Firestick) AGAIN, because I really just want to watch more of this series.  

I love how Yuuji continues to be so enthusiastic about everything.  I know it's supposed to be "uncool" or humorously quirky while the POV "fish out of water" character learns about whatever "new world" they've gotten into, but it's endearing as hell.  When a character doesn't care about looking stupid, in favor of being unbelievably positive, I love it.  

Innate Domain.  I saw a clips of this earlier, and it reminded me so much of a Witch's Labyrinth, that I watched some Madoka Magica clips.  

I love when Nobara and Yuuji are in sync in acting weird.  

Does Fushiguro not know how to take compliments?  Was he never given any whiel growing up?

I know having a Shonen protagonist over-react to any little lack of empahy is a cheap trick of the genre by now...but I still love it.  ;u;  I know what you're trying to do, and damnit, it's working.  lol  

Gawd the animation in this series is so good.

I guess this is where we learn that Sukuna can regenerate his host.  

It's really unusual for a Shonen protagonist to despair this long in a scene.  I wonder what it's for.  

So using Cursed Magic is just focusing all your negative energy/emotions?  

Wow.  I guess this Curse can't think enough to know Sukuna's plan would be a good deal.  Or is it that Sukuna scares this Curse out of thinking clearly? I mean, they could think enough to play with their food.  

So it's true.  An OP character gets their appearnace earned after the protag/main cast gets put thru hell.  

"But healing with cursed energy isn't that hard for cursed spirits, unlike for humans.  Nither you nor this brat really understand what curses truly are."  I was going to speculate that a Curse is a "wish to destroy", but in terms of regeneration, it only makes sense for negative energy/emotions to rebuild a creature made of negative energy/emotions, like a Curse.  But does it make sense for humans?  I guess maybe considering humans can contain negative emotions/energies...  Well, I'm sure this series will have an interesting answer for their own world's logic.  

Ever since it was mentioned that Sukuna used to be human, and now he's talking about showing what "real sorcery" is with his "Domain Expansion" spell...  I wonder how a human sorcerer turned into a Curse.  Is this series going to eventually talk about humans turning into Curses?  I love when demon hunter series go into that territory.  

Oh.  This Curse had one of Sukuna's fingers?

Aw, it's over?  I think I kinda love this show.   But this ending theme is fun.  Tho I have to wonder how this concept fits into this series' tone.

1:53 AM 12/18/2020 Unforunatly, I can't watch more.  I should get ready for bed.

And hey!  Crunchyroll went thru a whole episoe without crashing!  ^o^!  

. . .

10:09 PM 12/18/2020 Jujutsu Kaisen ep5

Is this going to happen a lto to Yuji's uniforms?  lol

He mentioned pacts.  Is a pact going to have to happen now to get Sukuna under control again? I mean, Fushiguro uses Shikigami, so he must know about pacts.  Is that what this next fight scene is going to be about?  

Healing is a "Reversed Curse"?

The more Sukuna talks in fights, the more he souns like a trained sorcerer.  

What?  HE stopped.  

Nothing wrong with Emotional reasons to save someone.  

Fushiguro is really kind when he thinks no one will hear him about it.  ;u;  I love when a cast is full of really compassionate characters. Add another one to the count for this series.  

Let him talk!  Even if you don't understand!

Shikigami?  

Beurocracy hierarchy bs at Jujutsu Tech, huh?  Ugh.  When the higher ups can't be trusted, it's trouble.  

Zenin doesn't like beineg called by her last name?  Odd.  

Suspended?!?!????

I thought the rule in Shonen genree was to lay off "tournament arcs"!???

"True, pure beings"?  ~.~;;;;;;  Well, that sounds like trouble.  The world, especially people are blends of dichotomy and gray, co-existing.  People who deny that end up in trouble.  Always chasing some false misunerstanding.  

And well, damn  Another episode ending too soon.  Well, if every episode feels too short, then I must really like this series.  ;u;  I'm so glad.  Because the last series I got thru was a slog at times, but I pushed thru it because it was a popular series and I at least liked the deuteragonists.  I'm really happy with Jujutsu Kaisen so far.  

Even all my earlier bitching about Nobara, that scene of her and Fushiguro at the shrine or temple(?) was better.  I liked that they were in sync in their resolve to get stronger, and that their overall dispositions while in mourning didn't clash into some kind of annoying drama.  

Panda should try a dry shampoo.  Sometimes Fabreeze just ends up mixing with old smells and making fabric smell like damp old towels.  

. . .

10:42 PM 12/18/2020 Jujutsu Kaisen ep6

I should stop.  It's Figure Friday, I still need to do a photoshoot, I didn't draw yet today, and it'll be midnight soon.  x_x;  I'd love to watch more of this series instead tho.  ;o;  

I think it's saying a lot for this series that it's completely distracted me from DMCL even though I made it my static desktop.  lol  

. . .

11:06 PM 12/19/2020 Jujutsu Kaisen ep6

Did the opening sequence add a lot more cast members.

Did I mention I love the humor in this?  Even during a fight it just flows perfectly.  lol  And that cartoony sound effect when Sukuna kicked Yuuji down---LOL  Endearing as hell.

Forget the promise?  What?  Won't it not work then?  

Well, that explains why Yuuji suddenlly accepted the geas.  lol  He just wanted to hit Sukuna again.  lol

I'm gonna guess some kind of guilt?

It's interesting to hear Gojou talking about thsi indirect, in-system way of fighting the stagnant top level of thier jujutsu sorcerer organization.  I've had FE3H on the brain lately and yesterday I was listening to a D&D story time vid that made me think about the same thing.  You can't just assassinate the problem authority figures because the structure is still in place to maintain the same problem.  Plus, you'll be easily framed as a "villain", then no one will listen to your criticisms about the former authority figures/structure.  After loving Code Geass and Lelouch back in the day, it's so funny how I'm much more inclined to support these strategies of working within a bad system to reform it from within, which was Suzaku's strategy, not Lelouch's.  But I guess even back when I was watching Code Geass, I knew that I would only go with Lelouch strategy in such a bombastic, hyper stylized world; it wasn't realistic, even if some if it had merits that could be more gently applied to the real world.  What was really strange about this scene in Jujutsu Kaisen was that such radical ideas about overturning and being aware of the current power structure's corruption, was given such little weight in the scene.  Like they wanted us to forget about this so that when it comes back later in the overall plot, we can be shocked, but still feel that bringing up these issues fit.  

Love Yuuji and Gojo's casual relationship. ^o^  They act more like friends than mentor/mentee.

I forgot how gorey this series can be until everyone lit on fire.  ^^;

11:22 PM 12/19/2020 Aaaaaand Crunchyroll crashed at the commercial again.  Just at well.  It's really difficult to eat, watch, and jot down my reactions at the same time.  ~_~;  A shame.  I really wanted to watch more of this series.  

[crimsonrevolt]

Congratulations Amos you’ve been accepted to Crimson Revolt as Gideon Prewett!

↳ please refer to our character checklist

First of all, I have to address that there’s a wonderful irony in accepting someone with the same name as my character in the rp. But honestly, your app was a delight to read -- the depth of exploration in your personification of Gideon absolutely beautiful. You left us with such a clear picture of the character, both in his backstory and in the potential future effects of the war, all while bringing through Gideon’s humor as well. We’re so thrilled to welcome you into the rp and can’t wait to see you explore all of the dimensions to Gideon that you presented in your app! *your FC change to Eddie Redmayne has been accepted!

application beneath the cut

OUT OF CHARACTER

INTRODUCTION

Amos, 20, he/him, GMT

ACTIVITY

I won’t lie, I can get extremely busy, I am currently training at drama school in technical theatre, and some weeks it is manic, that being said, I have missed writing so much, and I have missed being part of an rp group even more, I am committed to making it part of my daily routine again. My uni work should calm down for the next couple of months and I really want to write as much as I can in that spare time. 5/10

TRIGGERS

*removed for privacy

HOW DID YOU FIND US?

I searched for HP RP in tumblr and your ad was one of the most recent posts, I had a click around your blog and really liked the look of you!

WHAT HARRY POTTER CHARACTER DO YOU IDENTIFY WITH MOST?

I am a Neville Longbottom through and through. I could be painfully awkward,self conscious, under confident, clumsy, making goofy mistakes, but in the last couple of years I think I’ve really come a long way. I’ve found my voice, and my confidence, I am happy with who I am as a person, and am no longer striving to be someone I’m not, I have recently decided to stop being so embarrassed all the effing time and just accept that sometimes I do silly things and it’s better just to laugh about it than worry over it for the next week. It has honestly enhanced my life. I’m still waiting on the magic physical transformation into a greek God though.

ANYTHING ELSE?

If there is anything in my app that doesn’t fit with your current Fabian’s headcanons and such, then I will be most happy to adapt if I got in and had a chance to speak with them!

IN CHARACTER

DESIRED CHARACTER

Gideon Prewett

FACE CLAIM

I would be happy to keep Ryan Gosling, although in Fabian’s bio it says the twins look exactly the same, so I would also be quite happy to take on Eddie Redmayne. I would quite like them to be identical, unless of course Beth would prefer them to be unidentical.

REASON FOR CHOSEN CHARACTER

I have been in love with the Prewett twins for a good couple of years now. I wrote Fabian in another rp for a long time and got very attached to him, although I have played both Fabian and Gideon at various different points. When I first started I thought every rps interpretation of the twins would be very different because there is so little on them in the books, but it turns out everyone has very similar ideas. I love that, I love that their character shines through those small details and through the legacy of their family in the books and through the reputation of the Order and through what we imagine the first wizarding war must have been like.

I love that they are essentially broken people trying so hard to make everyone else around them safe and happy, and I love that they are the kind of people who rebel against growing up. I do think it’s very important to see them as individuals, but I think their relationship with each other is one of their most essential qualities. I think it is what makes them unique characters to write. Even if you were writing other twins, I don’t think you’d have the same kind of experience. I think it’s that relationship that keeps drawing me back to them. Their personalities and their backstories, occupation, hair colour whatever, can change from rp to rp, and I love exploring each slightly new character, but most of all I love finding out how they interact with their twin, and what their priorities are during the war, and what lengths they are willing to go for their family.

I think my interpretation of Gid in this rp, is someone who is not necessarily hiding their negative emotions by putting on a brave face and cracking jokes, but instead, he is separating the good from the bad. He doesn’t mind when people see he’s having a bad day, or if people can tell he’s angry, or stressed, he won’t do much to hide it whilst the situation is still having that negative affect on him. But as soon as he gets to the party or the pub, or he’s having a laugh with a friend, he lets go of whatever is bothering him and enjoys the moment. And think it is people who generally make him happiest, like, he can find enjoyment in food and sunsets and such, but it’s interacting with people that really brightens his mood.

PREFERRED SHIPS // CHARACTER SEXUALITY // GENDER & PRONOUNS

No Preferred ships as yet. Bisexual but with a higher preference for men that he’s not quite willing to admit yet. Male, he/him.

CREATE ONE (OR MORE!) OF THE FOLLOWING FOR YOUR CHARACTER:

Gideon works in the Department of Magical Transportation. It’s not his dream job, or something he’s particularly enthused about, but it keeps him busy and it pays the rent. He got a job in a low level position a couple of years after graduating Hogwarts, thinking it would simply be a filler until he found what he was really supposed to be doing. However a summer temp job turned into 7 years of small talk, paperwork and rank climbing. The truth is he never really figured out what he wanted to do, apart from boyhood dreams of being a quidditch player, he never found a career that grabbed his entire attention. Now with the war, he has higher priorities than finding his true calling. It is a stable job and it gives him a good position in the Ministry, which is helpful for Order work. Despite what all this may point too, Gideon is a very intelligent individual, perhaps not academically outstanding, but his brain is always ticking along, even when it is being numbed by repetitive form filling and box ticking.

Gideon is very interested in the arts. He always liked music, but after graduating from Hogwarts and moving to London he fell in love with muggle artist like Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. It started with him curiously walking into a muggle record shop and buying a few singles, now he is hooked on Ginsberg’s poetry, and Robert Mapplethorpe’s photography. Particularly Mapplethorpe. Gid really likes that they don’t move, like a one way mirror, he can take as much as he likes from the photo but it doesn’t take anything back, it almost feels like a secret, and being a twin, he doesn’t get too many of those. A couple of years back he picked up a guitar, and now he can play a few chords or pick a few tunes. He also likes to scribble down ideas whenever he gets a chance, half finished lines of poetry or prose litter his apartment collecting coffee stains and dust.. Sometimes he thinks maybe he was meant to be an artist, but he brushes those thoughts quickly away.

Gideon isn’t great at relationships anymore. A couple of years ago he had a fling with a guy at the ministry called Anthony. Gid fell head over heals, he felt it was a lot more than a fling, but Anthony insisted that it was just a bit of fun. He didn’t allow Gid to tell anyone, explaining that his family wouldn’t be very understanding if they found out, and at first he was fine with that. At first everything was spectacular. But eventually Gid ended up giving a lot more into the relationship than he was getting back. Gid was essentially at his boyfriend’s beck and call, but if Gid ever had a bad day, Anthony always had some excuse for why he couldn’t come over. It went as far as Gid being guilt tripped into missing the birth of one of his nephews because his boyfriend had a cold and needed looking after. Anthony often asked to borrow money from Gideon and although Gideon barely had anything to give, he would give it freely, to the point where the boyfriend spent money Gid needed for food on a new pair of shoes. Anthony would near constantly flirt with people infront of Gid, but if Gid so much as looked at someone else the wrong way, Anthony would fly into a jealous rage. In short Gid was miserable, but he was living in those moment of blissful hope where Anthony would make him feel like the only person in the entire world who was worth a damn. Unfortunately, those moment became few and far between. Eventually someone (probably Fabian, let’s be honest) got worried about how far Gid had declined from his old chipper self, and intervened. Gid had to break up with Anthony, and after a tumultuous on again off again period Gid finally broke ties completely. On the outside it appeared like Gid soon bounced back to his old self, but underneath he still carries the scars of the relationship. He finds it hard to commit, or trust people’s affection, the insecurity that probably lead to the relationship getting so out of hand in the first place, even more pronounced now. He never thought he would be sucked into abuse like that, always the first to speak up about other people’s injustices, but he quickly found out it was much different when he was submerged in the situation himself.

IN CHARACTER QUESTIONNAIRE

♔ If you were able to invent one spell, potion, or charm, what would it do, what would you use it for or how would you use it? Feel free to name it: Right, I was thinking about this the other day, and I think it would be really very useful to have a spell that let me see round corners. Because, the other day, I was in the arse end of London, at a pub, a muggle pub I should add, those places are crazy! But anyway, I needed the toilet quite badly, I stumbled in, there are just two stalls, neither of them have door so I storm into one, and there’s two people furious shagging on the loo, now, if I’d been able to see round that corner, I would have made a strategic retreat before getting anyway close to that cubicle. Although, I suppose, being in muggle London, I couldn’t have used magic anyway. And really, if I hadn’t been so drunk I might have taken the loud moaning and groaning as a cue too. But, you get my point! It would be a handy thing to have up your sleeve!

♔ You have to venture deep into the Forbidden Forest one night. Pick one other character and one object (muggle or magical), besides your wand, that you’d want with you: Fabian, of course, in this purely hypothetical situation that we have never done before because it is completely FORBIDDEN and not allowed at all. But I’d probably bring a packet of smokes, maybe something a little stronger, Fabian could bring a wireless because I’m cheating and assuming he’s getting one item too. Then we could find a nice little clearing somewhere and relax far away from the troubles of the world, closer to the very real troubles of getting speared by an angry centaur. Again, like I said, a purely hypothetical situation.

♔ What kinds of decisions are the most difficult for you to make? It takes me forever to decide what to eat at restaurants, everything sounds so good, the whole place smells amazing, the guy across from me has something on his plate that looks delicious, but it’s all so expensive! Maybe I’ll just have a salad. Oh no, but you’re ordering a steak and my mouth will water the whole meal, Screw it! Bring out three pheasants, oysters and a bucket of champagne!

♔ What is one thing you would never want said about you? That I don’t care about something I definitely do care about. I don’t care if someone says I don’t care enough about signing Stacy’s leaving card, because honestly I spoke to Stacy once and I really don’t care about signing her leaving card. But if someone dared say I didn’t care about my family, they were have a hex coming their way. I know sometimes I can come off a little nonchalant because I like to have a good time, but that does not mean I don’t care. I care way too much for it to be discarded by an offhand comment from someone who has no idea what they’re talking about.

WRITING SAMPLE

It was the hottest day of the year so far. Gid could feel the sweat making his shirt stick to his back, his school tie and cloak had long since abandoned. Nearly everybody was down by the lake. Couples were sitting on the grass enjoying the last light of the sun giving their significant other’s acne clad faces a golden glow. Groups of friends pretended to do their homework whilst exchanging the latest gossip and daring each other to throw things at the squid. And then there was Gideon and Fabian. They stood apart from the rest, purveying over the scene in front of them. Gideon was relatively satisfied by the turnout, of course, the poor fools didn’t yet realise they had turned out for anything.

“You definitely set the timer up right?” Gideon asked Fab as they waited.

“Yes, definitely. Any second now.”

“Really? Because that’s what you said last time. Remember how disappointing that was. Just a good job we didn’t advertise this time.” Gideon smiled despite himself and Fabian gave an amused huff.

“Any second n-”

Fabian was cut off by the abrupt explosion from across the lake. Reds and greens and purples burst into the twilight sky. Flowers and streamers of light illuminating the faces of the Hogwarts populations as they looked on in avid fascination. Gideon very nearly fist bumped the air. The fireworks were an incredible success. People were gasping and laughing and screaming.

People were screaming.

Gideon came too. He was on his knees, sweat slick hair stuck to his face and his head hung uselessly on his chest. His hand clenched around his wand feebly at first, then stronger. People were screaming. They were running. They were terrified. Someone booted his leg as they ran past and stumbled over his inanimate body. He barely felt it.

His eyes were open, but he couldn’t see anything. Just dust, the thickest cloud of dust, he couldn’t even make out the ground in front of him. He struggled to remember where he was.

He had lit a fuse. He had been told to light a fuse. He had thought it would be a good idea. He had thought it would make a difference. Now people were screaming. There was a baby crying somewhere. The dust and chaos cleared fractionally and Gideon could make out the wreckage of the blast.

What had he done? He tried to get to his feet, but his legs wouldn’t work. He dragged himself over to a wall, he couldn’t breath. Every time he drew in a breath, he sucked in the dust and began to cough. He would die here. He couldn’t breath. He had killed people here. Innocent people. The baby had stopped crying. He had to get out.

[morgaine2005]

Tressia BACC: Round 7, Kierconin

I think Kierconin is the longest last name in the neighborhood ...

Anyway! You didn’t come here to hear me talk about last names, you came here to meet one of Tressia’s newest citizens. Barran Kierconin, everyone!

Uh, Barran?

“Yes?”

I know the pigs need feeding, but ... could you possibly turn around so that the people can get a good look at you?

“What, like this?”

That’s better.

So! Barran Kierconin, everyone. This fine specimen of Sim manhood is a Knowledge Sim and a Scorpio, personality 7/3/9/2/4. His LTW is a custom one, Master the Arts of Husbandry. In order to fulfill it, he’ll have to max mechanical and cleaning, earn gold badges in gardening and fishing, and learn fire safety, parenting, and couples’ counseling.

Occupation-wise, he’s a pig farmer. He’s looking for a nice lady to settle down with, preferably one who wears makeup and has built up some body skill. But no jewelry, please.

“Can’t be a slouch if you’re gonna be caring for pigs. Also, the jewelry would just get ruined.”

Our Barran is a practical soul.

He lives in the little cottage I made (over) for the Keep’s Winter Holidaze Maxis Makeover Challenge. If you’d like a tour, you can check it out there rather than be bored here. ;)

And with the piggies fed, it’s off to work for Barran!

His stall is conveniently close to his house. I say “conveniently” because he’ll be holding onto it until it hits Level 10. I want to actually give him time to raise some piglets and maybe even earn some skills before he starts his real shop.

First customer is Hynsie. She’s the right religion, so that’s a good start!

“Seems a bit posh.”

Oh, shush and go talk to her.

Maurice! Am I glad to see you!

“Oh dear, did Joe get here already?”

Nah, just my computer hit the Lag of Doom and I was afraid that either the game would crash ... or you’d be Joe.

“Ah! Enough said.”

Maurice blesses the lot just as Barran sets his gender preferences with Hynsie. Could this be a sign of true love?

... Nope. We’ve only got one bolt here. Next!

“Told you she was a bit posh.”

Yes, yes. Now go earn some sales badges like a good boy.

... This is why I probably shouldn’t make a bunch of townies plus a bunch of playables all in one go. I think they even have the same beard. Whoops.

Lorice Broch here is one of the new townies. She’s a Family Sim, so let’s see where we stand, chemistry-wise.

Holy cow, three bolts! And Barran doesn’t even have any skills to meet her turn-ons! (Although she does like beards. And he has a beard. So there is that.)

“I like her!”

Yes, I can see that ... however, let’s not be too hasty, ok? There are a few more girls I’d like you to meet.

“You let Rhince marry the first girl he had three bolts for.”

... That would be because I didn’t have any ladies in mind for him; the same is not true for you. Look, I’m not going to make you marry someone who have fewer than three bolts for when Lorice is around, ok? I just want to explore some options first.

Still thinking a bit of Lorice, Barran is able to not only earn his Silver Sales badge, but also to get 13 stars for his business, bringing it up to Level 3. Not bad for one day’s work!

Naturally, good luck like this can’t last.

“Uh, mister? Hate to shoo you off when you just got here, but we’re closed.”

“Don’t care!”

Grrrr.

“What--what on earth are you DOING, young man? Are you spraying that foul green gas at me?!?”

“Will you go away and not come back if I say I am?”

“No! I’ll turn you into a chicken!”

“... Oh. Well, then no. I’m spraying the roaches. You’re just in the way.”

“Roaches?!? Yuck!”

“You summoned ‘em, mister. If you don’t like ‘em, why’d you summon ‘em?”

After Barran gets rid of the roaches and the wizard, plus finishes restocking his stall, I send him to the faire. He needs to pick up a cell phone ... and see if he can meet any more ladies.

Plus, we can start getting to work on body skills/give our boy some muscles.

“After all, it’s not fair for me to want a lady with some brawn if I’m not willing to put in the work myself.”

That’s right, Barran.

While he’s here, he meets Istera Oskel. She’s a Romancer, so I’m not surprised when their chemistry is lackluster. She’s also a Jacoban, so, I’m perfectly ok with lackluster chemistry here.

Even if Barran doesn’t meet the particular girl I was hoping he’d meet, he does get himself some muscles, so it was hardly a wasted trip.

Once he gets home, he settles in at the skilling table, intent on getting a few skill points and fulfilling a few wants ...

But the welcome wagon has other ideas.

Barran has a nice afternoon getting to know his neighbors. He doesn’t make friends with any of them, but hey, at least he knows a few more faces around the neighborhood.

After the welcome wagon goes home, Barran makes the acquaintance of one Tristaye Jennon. Trisaye is a fellow Knowledge Sim, but like Lorice, she’s a Jacoban. So I’m not entirely displeased when she and Barran only have 2 bolts.

“The reason why you don’t want me to date Lorice is because she’s a Jacoban? I thought  you were better than that, Watcher.”

... Ok, yes, that is the primary reason, BUT. There’s one specific Peteran lady that I want you meet before you go falling in love, ok? If you don’t like her as much as you like Lorice, I won’t say another word. I’m not trying to make your life miserable here.

Anyway, I’m not entirely sure how happy Barran is with this state of affairs, but we’re done with Day 1. Let’s see what Day 2 has in store.

ATTACK OF THE BRUNETTES! Seriously everyone on this lot has brown hair. And the reporter. Yikes!

But I shouldn’t worry. Because it’s not long before Barran earns himself a Gold Sales badge ...

And a Best of the Best award!

“I’ve never been so impressed in my life! Keep it up, kid!”

... You know, I’m wondering if the reporter suffers from short-term memory loss a la Dory.

Still, things are going well for Barran’s business! He’s gaining stars, building relationships, even meeting more chicks like Eleanor here. (They have bad chemistry. I am not surprised. Eleanor dated Gaston and they had good chemistry, so ...)

Of course that can’t last. Barran was at 25 stars. After a lightning fire, that goes down to 23 stars. Still, he’s at Level 4, so it could be worse.

I close down the shop at this point rather than risk losing more stars.

I send Barran to the faire lot after work to see if he can meet more girls. Naturally Lorice follows him there.

“Hi Barran!”

Grrrr.

Barran also meets Alice Forrest - a fellow Knowledge Sim who briefly dated Everin. They have three bolts, too.

“... Let me guess, you’re not going to let me date her, either, because she’s a Jacoban.”

I’m not letting you date anyone until you meet the girl I want you to meet. :-P

After Barran befriends Alice, I send him home, where he spends the rest of the day skilling. It’s not particularly photogenic, so there are no photos.

To Day 3!

Barran starts Day 3 off right with a Bronze Cash Register badge. Woot!

And then ...

“Well, hello there, miss. Anything I can help you find?”

“Um ... gosh you’re ... I mean--uh--sorry, what was I saying?”

JACKPOT!

Genna Eburne is the lady I wanted Barran to meet, since she’s a Peteran and Knowledge Sim. And guess what. Guess what, I ask?!?

THREE BOLTS!

Barran gets right to work on Dazzling her, though it’s not hard, Genna’s pretty Dazzled already.

So basically it’s a good day for business for Barran! He meets Genna and gets her number, gets the stall up to Level 5, and maxes out all the cash perks. Not bad at all.

He even gets his Bronze Restocking badge, too.

Once he gets home, he spends the day skilling ... and breaking water mains that logically shouldn’t even exist in a medieval hood.

At least filling the hole back in gets him more cleaning skill.

But when evening comes ... it’s time to head to the docks for a date.

Hanging off each other’s every word already. That’s a good start!

And it’s not long before Barran is turning on the charm.

Soon, though, they head inside for a nice dinner.

One of these Sims is a cheap date. The other most emphatically is not.

After dinner, it’s time for some sweet talk (which leads to a double crush that I’m not fast enough to get photographic evidence of) ...

Some dancing ...

And a first kiss!

Barran is a quick study and gets right to work on sweeping Genna off her feet.

Waaaay off her feet.

The date ends with a Best Friendship and a Dream Date.

And that’s it for Day 3!

Day 4 is Sunday. Barran spends some time before church at the skilling table. He gets himself a card to get into the Music & Dance lot, leading to this not-at-all-creepy picture.

He goes to church a little later, getting his faith and zeal nice and high and making friends with Brother Cernin.

Naturally I get no pictures of any of this.

And later that evening, he invites Genna to Lorence’s candy shop, Sweets for the Sweet, for a date.

They fall in love, but I’m not quick enough to catch the hearts. Still, it’s not long before Barran goes from being one one knee to serenade his lady love ...

To proposing!

(She says yes, of course.)

They end the date by playing chess together.

“Is that supposed to be a euphemism?”

“Or possibly a metaphor?”

Nope. Just proof that you’re Knowledge Sims. And you just gave us more proof of that.

After the date, Barran is feeling a bit energized, so he spends some more time at the skilling table and gets himself an invite to the Science lot. This leads to a photo opportunity that is, once again, not at all creepy.

“I think I’ve had enough not-at-all-creepy pics to last a lifetime, thanks ...”

Brother Cernin eventually joins him. Uninvited, I might add, but not by any means unwelcome.

They talk and skill long into the night. Barran is pretty pleased with how his first season here in Tressia has gone. He’s now engaged to his best friend, he has an up-and-coming stall, two of his sows are expecting piglets, and he’s got at least one or two skill points in every category except creativity.

And before winter sets in, Genna stops by with an engagement gift - a 12th-century Song dynasty vase.

Kaching!

That’s it for me, everyone! Next time, we’ll meet the last of Tressia’s newest citizens.

Thanks for reading, and happy Simming!

[greenflamedwriter]

Angel part 2

He heard Shiro laughing and turned to see him facing Keith, Lance almost rolled his eyes until he saw Shiro and Keith kiss, his face must've done something because Shiro's eyes flickered to him and scowled "What is it this time?” Lance’s eyes flickered at Keith then back up “Um easy on the Pda like come on.”

Keith instantly looked irritated his chest puffing up “The heck did you say?” Lance rolled his eyes “The fact that you guys are always sucking each other face off. It’s gross.”

He saw Keith huff and stomp away with Shiro running after him. Lance sighed then glanced back to the Garrison Duo. They had a barbeque going on and Lance found himself going over and smiled as he took his own plate and stole some (What looked like meat) from Hunk's plate.

Hunk scowled "Can you not?" Lance beamed "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Pidge glanced up then gestured with her hand while munching on her food, "Hey Lance, what was that about?" She gestured with her spork both Keith and Shiro far away arguing with one another, Lance turned confused but once he saw what she was pointing at he sighed.

"Just feeling like old times, y'know. Having Shiro kissing other guys in front of me to make me uncomfortable because he's a jerk like that."

Hunk's head shot up, "Is Shiro secretly a bad boyfriend or something- or are you just jealous?"

It did sound believable but kinda funny, Lance shook his head "No- no, I...was confused and didn't understand some things so I understandably got upset like going out with a guy? Okay whatever," Now Lance scowled "But two at the same time especially when I-"

"What Shiro cheated on you!?" Hunk almost spat out his food and Lance flinched looking spooked and wondered if Shiro heard. He turned around and saw both him and Keith...kissing. Lance rolled his eyes then scowled at Hunk.

"No- no, not me. I mean they were both okay with it but I wasn't-Anyway we had a few arguments so that's we're me and Shiro are a bit-" He grimaced and waved his hand and saw both Pidge and Hunks faces looking shocked he mistook it for him.

"It won't affect Voltron I promise- I hate the guy but I don't detest the dude."

"Wait...so did you and Shiro date?" Hunk asked unsure and Lance blinked surprised, even as Pidge eyes narrowed "Is your attitude just a bad break-up?" Lance smile faded.

"No, it's nothing like that," he grew somber as he gazed into the fire.

"You have to be in a relationship to have break-up." Both Pidge and Hunk could only stare. Lance looked...older and weird all of a sudden. As if he was glowing and it wasn't the fire.

Suddenly they heard footsteps and Lance turned brilliantly and waved "Hey Keith- try some of this stuff that Hunk cooked, it taste's like chicken!"

Lance cursed a steady mantra in his head, getting his ass shot at was not the way he wanted this to go. So far Voltron was steadily toppling empires and liberating more planets what Allura told him, is that the universe was so huge most of it was still explored but the maps they had for what they did discover is split into four.

Alpha, Beta, Delta and Omega. The Omega quadrant wasn’t explored yet and Allura’s plan was to free, ¾ of the quadrants of the Galra’s rule. So far Arus, Bulmera and even the Olakri solar systems in the Alpha section were taken care of and that gave an edge to the Voltron coalition (They have a coalition now!)

So far their missions were going well and nothing could beat Voltron even the Robo-beasts haggar sent them. Honestly they were so easy.

When Voltron destroyed a robo-Mecha Lance whopped with Joy.

“Are you a bottom? Because you just got fucked by Voltron’s big ass sword!” Lance crowed and the others groaned.

“Lance-”

“For god's sake-”

“Never say anything like that again.” Lance snickered, it just slipped out? But he had no idea why they all had to pull that face like he spat on their mother or something. Lance shrugged and decided to ignore them.

After when they greeted the party on surface side, the people thanking them they showed off their shops and stalls for Voltron to pick out a suitable gift as a thank you.

And Lance couldn’t help himself, he tapped Keith’s shoulder and raised a something that looked like a funky looking tye-dyed t-shirt.

“Hey look how gay this thing looks?” He beamed, he only said that because he would totally wear it.

Again Keith scowled and looked away, Lance blinked confused then shrugged. Maybe he didn’t like the shirt? And then when they saw other aliens together Lance just stopped walking when he saw other species kiss one another.

“Hunk- Hunk look at that!” He pointed at the couple surprised even Hunk raised an eyebrow then frowned when Lance gasped “I can’t believe that’s even allowed .” Keith heard and almost broke the food pouch in his hand.

He noticed it’s been happening awhile each time he made any types of jokes the team would...grimace. It was really starting to bug him out but like all other things he ignored it since he had no idea what the problem really was.

Until he had a mission with Keith.

“Oh cool, so me and pretty boy on a mission alone, huh?” Lance glanced a Shiro and wiggled his eyes and lowered his voice so only Shiro could hear. “Are you sure I won’t corrupt him?” Shiro’s eyes narrowed and even Keith scowled.

“Do I have to go on a mission with him?” He scowled and Lance pouted “Do you not like me? I like everyone here!” Except Shiro and Lance suddenly teased “Or maybe I should start rubbing off on you?” He beamed and Keith’s hand met Lance’s face and pushed him back.

“-Ow!”

“Keith,” Allura started as Lance began cursing up a storm “You’re mission is to distract this base while Shiro and I are to download intel from this base in the west. If we’re lucky we can possibly find other known rebellions.”

“Or my father.” Pidge piped up and Allura nodded “Any intel that can give us an edge will help us out. I need both you and Lance to cause as much trouble as possible.”

Before Keith could even nod he felt Lance’s arm wrap around his shoulder.

“Trouble is my middle name, and Keith was kicked out of the garrison for punching a student so we’re pro’s at this.”

Allura didn’t look reassured.

Lance leaned against the wall and gave a huff of laughter, the whole corridor was erupting with explosions and Lance was having a great time. Each shot hitting its target pow pow pow Even Keith was being extra swishy with his sword. Lance raised an eyebrow.

“Are you showing off for the Galra dude?” Lance aimed his gun and shot again “I don’t think you’re their type.” He heard Keith growl and slice an android in two. Lance chuckled to himself and saw some Galra guardian a panel, he paused then aimed taking a slow breath and shooting the panel. There was a beat before it exploded.

Lance flinched “Shit-”

He ran towards Keith and grabbed him shoving both of them around a corner for cover as the blast shot past them in a fiery inferno. Lance painted bracketing Keith in and glanced to see all the burning robots around them he snickered.

“Wow. Non-Binary robots have just been fucked nine ways till sunday.” Keith scowled and shoved Lance hard and the boy stumbled confused.

“Dude-what the fuck?”

Keith scowled pointing his bayard at Lance.

“You know what- Shiro said he had no problem with it. But I do- you better cut the crap out or I’m going to punch you.” Lance eyes bulged “What? What the hell did I do?”

“You’re Homophobic,” Keith said simply and Lance’s brain switched off. Even Keith could recall Shiro stating it outloud when Lance was at a stall hassling an old lady.

“I don’t know if he was always cagey about that type of stuff and even commented on it. I guess some things never change.”

Keith continued “Get over it. We’re in space- some aliens don’t even have a gender so sexualities mean shit to them. But stop acting like some christian angel that thinks we’re sinning or some shit like that-”

“Whoa- whoa stop right there.” Lance pointed at Keith his face flushed red “Okay- what when have I ever acted homophobic?” then his eyes narrowed “Did Shiro say something?”

Keith’s eyes suspiciously trailed to his left and Lance almost fist punched the wall behind him.

“That utter asshole! You see Keith- he’s nothing but a lying backstabbing-” Lance made the gesture of strangling something but then the sounds of guns and explosions grew louder.

“Shit- we gotta move before it gets worse!”

Before Lance could run back into the chaos he turned around and pointed at Keith “We’re not done with this discussion!” He growled before running out. Keith frowned after him then followed.

Once they returned to the ship Keith was waiting for Lance to yell in his face and lie about being a jerk but instead he rounded the corner then walked back pointing at Keith.

“Team meeting- get everyone else in here!” Then vanished, Keith sighed then gathered the others Hunk and Pidge were experimenting with something and almost hurt themselves.

“What?”

Keith shrugged “It’s Lance, he said he wanted a team meeting or something.”

“Why?”

“To explain why he isn’t homophobic?”

“THis is going to be awkward-”

“Let’s just humour him and then rip him a new one if he sounds stupid.” Pidge nodded “That sounds fun-”

“Guys I don’t think we should-”

“I’m with Pidge.” Both walked side by side and Hunk could only groan as he knew this would end in disaster. It wasn’t until they sat down that Hunk rememberd “Wait didn’t Lance say he liked Shiro?”

Before they could respond the doors slid wide with a swoosh and Lance entered with a purpose in his step and a mind meld device gripped in his hand.

He paused then glanced around the room “Where’s Shiro and Allura?”

Keith scowled tense “They’re on a mission.” Lance blinked then sighed “Well I wish I could tell Shiro off for talking shit-”

Keith scowled “Lance don’t even start-”

“Oh no, I wanted to clear something up with all of you. Some of you think a certain way of me, so I’m going to prove myself although I shouldn’t have too.”

He places on the mind meld, it cackled before revealing a picture- a memory.

Suddenly a st bernard appeared the others frowned “What does a dog have to do with-” suddenly the visual moved from a dog to a man.

“Lance,” The man spoke softly “I’m starting to think you love the dog more than me.” Lance’s hands were kneading the dogs fur, “Well, duh why else would I be here?”

The others glanced at one another as more images appeared. Some of Lance being hugged from behind, candle light, a kiss against the moon light a small apartment with golden light.

Pidge frowned, somethings about the apartent looked...off it was real but it was old. Ryou was either a hipster but he had VHS and record players, Pidge learned that only her grandparents had that. Though they could be wrong. Suddenly a visual of a hospital appeared an iv- an arm small and weak on the bed sheets with the iv attacked- it flickered before the others could question it and soon they saw Ryou naked. Pidge screamed covering her eyes.

And Lance smirked as it showed the many scenarios he and Ryou had together, Lance dressed in skimpy outfits, Ryou with belts tied around his chest. And many more.

The hospital was forgotten by the juxtaposition.

“Enough- Enough!” Pidge yelled covering her eyes even Hunk was looking up “Okay can we stop now?”

Keith was staring somethings in there he hadn’t even heard off before. He covered his mouth his face flushing wide.

Lance unintentionally bringing his friends into voyeurism he removed the meld and his eyes opened into a glare.

“Ryou was one of many partners- many different genders might I add. Homophobic? If I was then I’d be the biggest fucking hyprocrite on this space ship.” Lance flung the device at Keith the others still looking shell shocked.

“Tell Shiro to stop spreading lies about me.” Lance stormed away with a huff the doors sliding shut behind him.

Hunk twiddled his fingers then chanced to look up to see Keith biting his lip and Pidge still eyeing the device and looking grossed out.

“Was it just me or did Ryou kinda resemble Shiro a bit?” Keith’s lips curled “He looked nothing like Shiro.”

Keith lied, he saw the similarities and it was becoming so painfully obvious that his own chest hurt. Both Lance and Shiro were pining and from the looks of it misunderstandings on one side affected the other.

Shiro thought Lance was straight- and straight up hated men.

And from what Hunk said before maybe Lance still likes Shiro. Keith covered his face with his hands. This drama was beyond confusing and he didn’t sign up for this with Voltron. He wanted to fight the Galra and save the universe. Why was that so hard?

Lance could barely fume in silence and lorde it over the others for a while. Nope the universe had other plans. The alarms blazed and he stiffened then oved towards the hangers.

That would only happen if something bad happened on Shiro and Allura’s mission.

He guessed right when he saw a galra pod open up and Allura stumbled out, Coran caught her as she collapsed into his arms.

Lance turned to looking for Shiro to ask what the hell was going on.

But he couldn’t see him anywhere.

Lance glanced at Allura as the others appeared and saw how heer skin was pale and her breathing was laboured.

Shiro stole her quintessence...but why?

“Allura? What happened?” Coran asked looking panicked and her eyes flickered over.

“We were compromised- Shiro he sacrificed himself.”

Lance pressed his lips together. With the way Allura was looking, her sunken face and hollowed eyes, Shiro took all of her quintessence.

Or maybe he had no idea how much he took and thought Allura would be fine...though that was unlikely.