#he’s the secret third option everyone is always talking about

[witchthewriter]

Can you write about what would’ve happened if aegon (third son of baelon and alyssa) survived?

𝐎𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧!

In this scenario, Daemon wouldn't have been too much older. Mere months apart, so I think they would bond really closely as brothers. And yes, there would be a hint of jealousy from Viserys when he was younger.

Personality-wise Viserys is a lot like Baelon & Daemon is a lot like Alyssa. Therefore, I think Aegon would be straight bang in the middle. Not overly sensitive, but has emotional intelligence and will-power. He also would love a bit of danger and risky behaviour - but there'd always be a limit.

With Aegon surviving, I think he would have a cradle-egg. As Alyssa was one of Alysanne & Jaehaerys only fertile daughters; the clutch that would be found - would reflect that.

And the clutch would be from Meleys herself.

The egg chosen (by Viserys) would be a golden red with swirls and flecks of silver and burgundy. Viserys too would be given an egg, and Daemon - but neither would come to live.

As time went by and the three brothers aged, Aegon would be known by the smallfolk as Aegon the True King. This would be when Viserys 'claims' Balerion (flies him once around the city) and 'shows everyone he is the true heir.'

Aegon doesn't want the throne. But the 'signs of him being 'The Real Aegon, Come Again,' are shown in his birth and throughout his childhood. For example, surviving childbirth, having a cradle-egg that hatched, not being a push over/not being arrogant. Is what the smallfolk talk about.

Because Viserys really doesn't have a backbone.

And Daemon is constantly pushing boundaries.

However, I think that Aegon would be the mediator between the two brothers and balance them out really well. He's able to see both sides of the argument and calm them both down.

𝑵𝒐𝒘, 𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒌 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒐𝒏…

The cradle-egg, born from Meleys (Alyssa, his mothers dragon) is his whole world. Everywhere Aegon went, so did Vhalorys (VAHL-or-iss). Simplified, the name means 'shadow of fire.'

While Meleys' has a crimson colouring, her offspring is more of a golden red, verging on copper, with accents of silver, gold and burgundy. Signifying the duality of his nature.

His eyes are a deep silver with hints of purple. While his dragon-fire is pure silver; a burning heat that can melt even stone if he tried long enough.

Vhalorys has a similar shaped head as Meleys, but he has sharp horns running down his neck as well as four on his head; two on either side. They will grown to be large and one day may curve into rounded horns.

𝑬𝒙𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆: (artist unknown)

Aegon, being the youngest, could very well be sent off to become a maester - but as he has a dragon, that wouldn't work.

So, he would be used as a way to strengthen alliances. His marriage options would be a high born woman from:

House Baratheon

House Hightower

House Stark

House Arryn

One option could have been to marry Rhaenys, but as she is older than him - she would have already been arranged to marry Corlys. And he would be too old to marry Laena (he would find it weird).

I think he might fall in love with someone low-born, and when it was time to marry, he would be heartbroken. Or maybe he's asexual and doesn't have much sexual desire. However, I think he would have had a secret crush on Aemma, and he would have 100% treated her better. The way Viserys pushed for a son was unethical...

I have a feeling that Otto would invite Aegon to stay at Oldtown, keeping him away from court so that he could bring Alicent to woo Viserys after Aemma's passing.

He would love Rhaenyra, but in the proper family way. He'd constantly make her laugh, and would often take her up flying with him. He'd be someone she could rely on. Steadfast and always there for her and the people he cares about. Loyalty would mean a lot to him.

art credit: jota.saraiva

image credit: @molinerova.

[chumpy1012]

gangrene? what, do Hank and John have a secret third brother we’ve never heard of?

[mclacedes]

Let Them See (LH44)

a/n: writing angst wasn't helping my depressed ass at all so here's a smutty thought :)

summary: in which lewis has a controversially young girlfriend, who he suddenly isn't afraid of showing around

warnings: suggestive content, dirty talk, age gap, kind of sick, friends-to-lovers, secret relationship

WC: 1.9k

Everyone knew your relationship with Lewis was byword impulsive and complicated—not because you wanted it to be, but because of the circumstances you were in.

The 16-year age gap between you and Lewis didn’t sit well with everyone, making discretion your only option. You hid away together, sneaking around like teenagers, leaning on each other in any four-walled space. You lost count of how many times you and Lewis went to the rented villa on Lake Como, being able to take bites off each other everywhere possible.

You’d lost track of how many times you’d escaped to the rented villa on Lake Como, stealing moments to lose yourselves in each other.

And you liked it that way. The secrecy, the privacy—you’d been the one to insist on it.

You first met Lewis when you were 22, and he was 38. It was 2023, and your connection had been instant. You became best friends, growing closer with each passing day. On your 23rd birthday, he’d gifted you 23 of your favorite books, each one holding a handwritten note.

Now, at 24, with him at 40, the age gap felt striking, unavoidable. Yet, there was something about it that thrilled you, made your pulse race, your mind whirl, and your body ache with a want you couldn’t quite explain.

Now, it was all speculation for the fans and entertainment for the other drivers, who relished watching you and Lewis attempt to keep your composure in front of the cameras. Every stolen glance and lingering touch fed the rumors, the intrigue, the tension.

But tonight, none of that mattered. Tonight, you couldn’t care less about the cameras or what anyone thought.

It was December 7th, 2025—the night of the final race of the season. The night Lewis cemented his legacy, securing his eighth world championship and becoming the most decorated driver in Formula 1 history. The long-awaited eighth had finally arrived, and the weight of it, the joy of it, was almost too much to contain.

Everyone was at the afterparty—everyone except Charles, who had been Lewis’s fiercest competitor throughout the season. They’d gone head-to-head in countless races, but Charles ultimately finished third in the championship, with Lando getting closer and closer to the so-dreamed-of championship.

But in the end, only one person could take it home. And there happens to be only one GOAT. It had been Lewis’ from the very start.

The room was filled with those who weren’t envious but proud, celebrating his historic achievement. It was a night of laughter, toasts, and admiration for the man who had just become an eight-time world champion.

Lewis sat on a couch in the VIP section of the Abu Dhabi club, slowly breathing in the air of victory and sipping on the glass of champagne in his hand, its price not even a thought in his mind.

The air of victory didn’t reek of the podium’s champagne or the faint musk of the club, though. It smelled just like your Dior perfume, your vanilla soap and your vanilla shampoo.

Victory looked like the pretty girl sat on his thigh, bobbing her head to the sound of the all-too-loud music, sipping off her own glass of golden bubbly beverage.

“I think I’m getting too old for this,” he murmured, his warm breath brushing against your ear, his lips so close you could feel every word.

You chuckled, throwing your head back in that carefree way that always made him smile—it was one of the little things he thought was the cutest about you.

“Wanna leave already, Sir? We’re barely started partying,” you teased, tilting your head to meet his gaze.

He leaned closer, his voice dropping an octave, his words vibrating against your chest. “I’ve got far more interesting things waiting at home, Y/N. And trust me, we can party all night there too.”

The weight of his tone sends a shiver down your spine, warmth blooming low in your belly as the meaning behind his words settled in, making your pulse quicken.

Suddenly, you are too aware of how short your dress is and how his hand palms your thigh. You swallow hard, the music and chatter of the club fading into the background. His dark eyes are locked on yours, and the teasing curve of his lips only deepen your anticipation.

“Is that so?” you managed, your voice barely above a whisper, though you knew he could hear the challenge laced in your tone.

Lewis’s fingers traced idle circles on your thigh, his touch light yet deliberate. “You know it is,” he said, his grin growing darker, more possessive. “I’d even dare say… you like that idea, don’t you?”

“Outrageous!” you replied, flashing a mischievous smile, your teeth catching your bottom lip in a playful bite.

The warmth pooling in your belly grew as his hand slid up a fraction more, reaching the hem of your dress. His fingers toyed with the sequins, sending tiny sparks of sensation through your skin.

“Lewis…” you murmured, your tone caught between playful and cautious, though your smile faltered under his gaze. “We’re in public.”

His laughter rumbled low and deep, a sound that sent a shiver straight through you. “Then you’d better behave, sweetheart,” he said, his voice dangerously soft. His eyes never left yours, and his grin turned wicked as he added, “Because if you keep looking at me like that…” He let the words linger, charged and heavy with intent. “I might just have to take you right here.”

Your breath hitched, a mix of anticipation and adrenaline coursing through you as his words sank in. His hand lingered at the hem of your dress, just enough to tease, to test your resolve.

“Bold of you to assume I’d let you,” you shot back, though your voice wavered slightly, betraying your feigned confidence.

Lewis’s smirk deepened, his gaze never breaking from yours. “Oh, love,” he murmured, his voice like silk wrapping around you, “you’d not only let, you’d beg me to do so.”

Heat flushed through you, and you struggled to keep your composure under his piercing gaze. The music around you seemed to blur into white noise, the club melting away until it felt like it was just the two of you, locked in a silent battle of wills.

“Right… Then what if I told you I would absolutely love you to take me right here?” you said, batting your eyelashes as you looked into his soul through his eyes.

Lewis could feel his pants getting too tight around his crotch as you kept looking at him.

Lewis’s smirk grew even darker, the intensity in his gaze sending a shiver down your spine. “Shit, love…” he murmured, his voice dipping lower, rich and velvety, making a mess on your panties. “I have to remind you just how dangerous it is to play games you can’t win.”

The heat between you was palpable, a private flame burning brighter with every second. The noise of the club, the thrumming bass, the distant laughter—they all faded into oblivion. It was just him, just you, and the tension crackling like electricity in the air.

“Well, I’m not afraid of losing,” you whispered, leaning closer, your lips curling into a teasing smile. “Maybe I want to see just how far you’d go, Lewis.”

His grip on your thigh tightened, and his dark eyes dropped briefly to your lips, before returning to yours with an intensity that made your breath catch. He was holding on by a thread, and you could tell he was teetering between self-control and giving in.

“You don’t know what you’re asking for,” he said, his tone a warning laced with hunger.

You tilted your head, your confidence unwavering as you batted your lashes again. “Oh, except I do,” you replied softly, your voice dripping with challenge.

Lewis shifted in his seat, the tightness in his pants making his restraint all the more difficult. His jaw clenched briefly, his free hand resting on the back of your neck, his thumb grazing your skin in a way that sent a jolt through you.

“You’re going to regret saying that,” he said, his lips brushing against your ear, his words a promise and a threat all at once.

But regret was the last thing on your mind. You leaned in, your breath warm against his cheek as you whispered, “Prove it.”

The heat between you was undeniable now, a private storm building despite the crowd around you. The world didn’t matter—the cameras, the whispers, the flashing lights. It was just him, just you, and the pull that neither of you could resist.

And as his lips brushed the shell of your ear again, he whispered, “Let’s get out of here.”

He gently nudged you off his lap, rising to his feet. Taking your hand in his, he led you toward the exit. But just as you reached the door, a sudden burst of cheers echoed from the VIP bar.

Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz, and Alex Albon were all staring at you two, grinning like they’d just caught wind of the hottest gossip in the room.

You smile, your cheeks flushing slightly, and bury your face in Lewis’ chest, hiding your laughter. He chuckles softly, his arms tightening around you for a moment before you pull back. As you step away, you look up to find him casually flipping off his co-workers with a playful grin.

A mischievous spark ignites within you, and without missing a beat, you mirror his action, flipping them off with a smirk of your own.

Lewis catches your move, a wicked grin spreading across his face as he watches you mirror him. His eyes gleam with approval, his playful side clearly taking over.

“That’s my baby,” he says, his voice low and teasing as he steps closer, his arm brushing against your shoulders, wrapping around your neck possessively.

The group of drivers, now aware of your shared gesture, laughs and shakes their heads, but their amusement only fuels your defiance. The tension between you and Lewis grows electric even when you two stop flipping the guys off, the playful challenge still lingering in the air.

You’re suddenly hyper-aware of the flashing lights, the cameras capturing every second of your interaction. The bright flashes momentarily blind you, but it's the weight of their gaze on both of you that makes your pulse race. It’s as if the entire world is watching, amplifying everything—the chemistry, the defiance, the thrill of the moment.

“Lewis…” you murmur, your voice low and laced with a mix of desire and curiosity.

Lewis doesn’t flinch at the attention, his smirk only deepening as he locks eyes with you. “Let them see. Let them gossip,” he murmurs, his thumb slowly tracing circles on your skin. “We’ve got this.”

Your heart pounds faster, the electricity between you undeniable. You hold his gaze, a playful yet daring smile curling on your lips.

“I’ve got you, baby,” he says, his voice a quiet promise, a declaration of everything you both are, everything you’ve been in that moment.

And as the flashes of the cameras continue, you both walk hand in hand toward the door, leaving the noise, the chaos, the spotlight behind. All that matters now is the intoxicating pull between you two, and the freedom of knowing that whatever the world says, you’ve got each other.

The night belongs to you. And that’s more than enough.

[uraniumbones]

For those of you keeping up with the book of Bill and it's accompanying website and the bill cypher backstory. THE PARALLELS GOT ME FUCKED UP.

Spoilers incoming.

people love to talk about the dynamic between Stanford and Bill. Sure, interesting. But you know what people aren't talking about? Stanley and Bill. Specifically referencing the website (thisisnotawebsotedotcom.com)

If you input Stanley a bunch it will eventually open a new document instead of eBay pages. The page mocks Stanley and reveals his secrets or whatever. One of the clickable options on this page is "HOW HE BEAT ME". Each time you click into this is an increasingly deranged meltdown about how it shouldn't have been possible. Calling him a "cheap trick loving, past-denying overgrown child protected from failure only by a force field of denial and shamelessness" among other things. And when further pressed accuses you of acting like "those PREACHY INFANTILIZING AUTOMOTONS AT THE THERAPRISM who are SO OBSESSED with getting me to TALK about my "FEELINGS"." After that he spirals further eventually talking about "how much pain I'm in" and only in code admitting "I can still see through the eyes of everyone I've ever..." presumably killed.

If you don't know shit about Euclydia read the wiki page on it, it's not long. tldr Euclydia is bills home dimension, which he destroyed and killed every single inhabitant of in blood and fire. He did so (accidentally?) in an attempt to show them the third dimension which (because of a genetic mutation) only he had the ability to see (with his eye). Please also note when Stanford asks about his home dimension Bill says it was"destroyed by a monster".

In the website's many documents it repeatedly makes reference to Bill's parents and how much they loved him, his home, his childhood (he wore velcro sneakers it's actually incredibly cute), the ways in which he was different and not easily accepted.

Now knowing all these things. A pattern may emerge to you. Are you seeing it? Are you seeing the patterns yet?

Obviously Bill hates Stanley because he's stupid and still he somehow beat Bill. That's annoying, maddening even. But I believe it goes beyond that. He hates him all the more passionately because Stanley reminds him of himself. The poem at the end of the Stanley password on the website summarizes it best "always dragged his family down / One mistake, disowned, denied, / only thing to do was hide." Destruction of his own family, running and hiding from his own mistakes. "Reinvent, retry, reload" trying again in a new life. "When your actions make it worse, / When they see you as a curse," Making things worse where you have tried to make them better. "Give the wheel one last spin, / Take your chips and go all in" this is what weirdmagedon was for both of them. and this is where their lives differ "And lucky stan- the rolls on black, / he got his life and family back. / His big break it finally came, / Redemption from a life of shame." AND THERE IT IS. Stanley got his family back. Bill didn't. (Which is what it seems he was attempting). Stanley got his redemption. Bill didn't.

Stanley was a lonely kid fuck up just like Bill was. And he absolutely hates Stanley's guts for it because he hates his own guts for it. And all this time they're the same, just trying to fix those mistakes, to have their family back again, to be loved again. They both have this facade of untouchable aloof levity, the same insults Bill hurls at Stanley may as well be hurled at himself. "Protected from his failure only by a force field of denial and shamelessness"? "Cheap trick loving, past denying overgrown child"? You can see Bill goes from being outraged and insulting Stanley, to denying a deeper meaning to those feelings (and calling you a therapist), to talking about how much pain he is in (seemingly over all the people he killed in Euclydia), all without any specific prompting. Just pushing. Bill is the one that connected those things. Bill hates Stanley (at least partially) as an act of self hatred. Because he has made the same mistakes and can never forgive himself for them. AND (at least partially) because Stanley is not only just like him, but now just like him if he had succeeded. Stanley got his "Redemption from a life of shame". and in so doing actively prevented Bills.

Now do you see what I'm saying about THE PARALLELS?!

[sc0tters]

Repeated Moments | Quinn Hughes

summary: you and Quinn get a chance to see that your usual summer fling works all year round.

song: August - Taylor Swift

request: yes/no

warnings: bit of swearing, allusions to sex but nothing explicit.

word count: 1.41k

authors note: so the song August actually inspired the In His Arms series and I came up with it before this request came in. So I figured that I’d give you guys what was the other option that I had when building that series main character! If you want to see more of the celly you can find the playlist here!

He was never yours for long enough.

It started back in 2020 one night at the lake house when you two had far too much to drink and you ended up in Quinn’s room with your clothes on the floor and you tangled in his sheets.

There was a joke that you’d end up like that one day, Ellen saw the way you looked at her son. She saw the way he looked at you too. In fact the only people who didn’t see it was Alex, Jack and their other friends.

Luke didn’t see it but he walked in once when you were on Quinn’s lap making out with him and once you swore him to secrecy the youngest Hughes vowed to never tell a soul.

Despite the fact that you sat Quinn down swearing that what happened could never happen again because you believed your brothers friendship was more important than a quick fuck, it seemed to continue to happen.

After the third and fourth time that you landed up in his sheets it was clear that this was bound to be more than just a drunken evening.

Quickly it began your secret, you’d go to bed waiting until everyone fell asleep before you’d make your way to Quinn’s room making sure that you were back in your room by the time Alex was woke up.

Sure there were a few times that you two were almost caught, Jack went to the bathroom early one morning and saw you leaving his brothers room, Alex came to your room to give you a blanket once and was met with your empty bed. Cole thought he heard moans coming from Quinn’s room but he just assumed that it was him being sleep deprived.

The moment it all should have been caught was when Alex saw the hickey on your neck that you chalked off to be a burn from your curling iron, your hair had been straight all week but your brother still offered to get ice for you.

Things continued on for another summer always ending when the first one left the lake house.

A spanner was thrown into the works though when Luke invited you to his debut game because he knew you were in New Jersey for the week. The young Hughes boy had a soft spot for you because when he was like twelve you threatened to punch Jack and Trevor if they continued to tease him.

Quinn didn’t know you were going to there but the signs should have pointed to it. Ellen came with a box of your favourite fudge that only this one small candy shop in Michigan made, you were the only one on this planet Quinn knew who ate it. Jack and Luke had been talking about a girl coming with Trevor and how they were surprised that she willingly had him accompanying her on the flight.

Trevor was the kind of person that you used to put up with, he was nice don’t get yourself wrong but he literally spent the first four years of knowing you trying to flirt with you. Sure you appreciated the fact that he found you pretty but his efforts began to get irritating after a while. To put it nicely you loved Trevor but you loved him even more when he kept his mouth shut.

But recently it seemed that you two had grown close or at least that’s what it looked like to Quinn. The younger boys arm didn’t leave your shoulders when you first arrived. Originally it was because the box was packed and you had the kind of luck that would have you lost within seconds. But after a while it grew comfortable there much to Quinn’s dismay and as a result he forced himself to muster up the confidence to go over and tell Trevor to hit the road.

Every jealous bone in Quinn melted when he saw your face light up “Quinny!” You giggled as you threw your arms around him, the moment was quickly interrupted with a scoff “how come I didn’t get that reaction?” Trevor pretended to act offended by it as he placed his hand on his chest. A smile formed on your lips as you placed a kiss on your middle finger before you flipped the younger boy off who ended up laughing as he walked off.

You got the chance to turn your attention back to the older boy “hi,” you giggled as you could still see the glare he was shooting at Trevor “Quinn?” You added as you snapped your fingers in front of his face.

Quinn forced a smile onto his face as he looked at you “what’s up?” He asked as you clearly now had his attention.

There was something on his mind that you were trying to figure out “you jealous?” You teased as you hadn’t really seen him like that before.

The boy let out a scoff “why should I be?” He shot back trying to play a defensive hand.

It was all clicking in your mind “you didn’t like how close he was getting to me!” You gasped as the Canucks player placed his hand over your mouth.

Quinn rolled his eyes as he could hear your muffled laugh from behind his hand “okay maybe a little,” he sighed as he dropped his hand “you’re cute when you get all jealous,” you teased as you leaned forward to kiss his cheek.

That seemed to hit a switch in his mind “fuck I missed you.” Quinn confessed as he wrapped his hands around your waist only being allow to give you a small hug as Ellen came over to you two the moment she saw your face.

the next morning

You groaned as you heard the noise of the knocks at your hotel room door “yeah?” You yawned as you swung the door open and were met with the younger of the two Hughes brothers “you know where Quinn is?” Luke asked as he sent you a smile when he held out a cup of coffee for you, it seemed that the boys made a pit stop on the way to your hotel.

Your lips pushed into a thin line “I haven’t seen Quinn since last night in the elevator,” you lied as you sipped the warm drink. You did see Quinn in that elevator, but it wasn’t the last time that you saw him.

Jack sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair “if you see him let us know?” He mumbled as Ellen had sent her sons on a mission to find him and they just thought that his best friends room would be a good place to start.

It was awkward “of course!” You nodded as you shut the door desperate to not say anything.

Quinn popped his head out from the bottom of your bed “you think they noticed me?” He asked as he cocked his head.

You fiddled with the ends of the shirt you were wearing “nope,” you looked like an absolute angel, hair all messy, lips swollen, the clear hickies that were beginning to form, and Quinn’s Canucks shirt.

Jack furrowed his eyebrows as he leaned against the elevator wall “what are you thinking about?” Luke could see that there was clearly something working in his mind.

The middle Hughes boy snapped his fingers “you see that Canucks shirt she was in?” He asked as the T-shirt looked like it came from a team development camp.

Luke began to think about it as he also had your oath he had in his mind “yeah,” it was that moment that the penny seemed to drop “oh my god!”

You and Quinn were totally oblivious to it all as you had both been in the shower to ‘save time’ “come back here!” Quinn’s complaint drew a laugh from your lips.

He wrapped his arm around your waist as he began to place kisses along your neck “Quinn!” You tried to move your head as the feeling of him was tickling your neck.

But all of a sudden when you went quiet the eldest Hughes boy stopped “what?” He asked as he scanned your face that was full of worry.

Alex 🖤: YOU FUCKED QUINN

Alex 🖤: I shouldn’t even be surprised

Alex 🖤: you did call him cute

Alex 🖤: on multiple occasions

Alex 🖤: just no making me an uncle just yet

“you think I’m cute all the time?”

“shut up,”

Maybe this time there will be more than enough time for you two.

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for asking someone out as a joke?

😥🙊

Normally I would never ask someone out as a joke but I thought it would be funny this time because of the situation!

So we are all in high school. I'm the youngest. I'm 16m, and everyone else involved are seniors. There is a girl in our friend group who I was pretty sure didn't like me. "Em".

We don't really get along, but Em's not too mean or anything. Sometimes, she disagrees with me just to disagree with me. An example is one time I was talking about how one of my classes was hard and she said "I don't think it's difficult" I'm in an AP class and she isn't, so she has no idea how challenging or unchallenging my classes are. Another time when she found out I liked dogs, she made fun of me for being 'one of those men who hates cats because I don't understand consent' I don't really know what that means. I like Jack Russell terriers. I wasn't aware that was indictive of some sort or personality trait or lack of boundaries. I also don't dislike cats so I'm not sure where it came from. She also shoots down every suggestion I make on principle. Once I suggested we go bowling, and she gagged, but then got excited about it when someone else in the friend group agreed with me and acted like it was the other friends idea. She's also made negative comments about my body, namely that I don't have a girlfriend because I don't work out and my arms are small. I'm the only one in the group she acts like this with.

I just always got the impression that she just did not like me in any way at all.

Em dumped her boyfriend 3 months before Prom because he was "boring" (her words) and wasn't sure what she was going to do. I jokingly suggested she take me to prom, with the joke being. "You don't like me, imagine being stuck with me at prom." Because we have never once had a normal conversation and I genuinely thought she disliked.

She agreed, and I thought she was matching my energy and I was like "ok hahaha"

One of our other friends came to talk to me about prom and I said I wasn't going, I'm too young. They said they thought I was going with Em. I replied "that was a joke because she kind of hates me?" And I was told she thought we were actually going to prom together.

The next time we were together I apologized and told her I thought we were joking about prom because she obviously doesn't like me.

She started crying and it was super awkward. She now isn't speaking to me at all. She says I embarrassed her and was needlessly cruel.

Our friends are divided but ultimately decided it's between us.

Some of our friends think it was just a miscommunication and not a big deal because they also thought Em disliked me and got the joke when I made it. Others think I was being a bit cruel to her but ultimately decided it was none of their business. There were secret third options as well but they still agreed that they didn't want to be involved in the drama.

She also left our friend group because the others chose not to get involved instead of backing her up. She sits with different people at lunch now (or so my older friends say).

There are two people who might see this from my friend group so I'm going to just here ask them: hey if you see this please don't not weigh in because you have a bias, thanks!

I also won't get defensive if I'm voted the asshole.

aita?

[hanaybuns]

let me cook

guys i have a confession to make... and you have to hear me out...karatoto (karamatsu and totoko) is a fun pairing

NOW STAY WITH ME HERE FOR A SECOND

in the context of the show, i would only want them to stay friends, if not besties. i think the writers actually like pairing them up for certain scenes bc they can rely on kara to be slightly more normal (relative to the other matsus) when interacting with totoko. like, when you really think about it they interact a lot in the third season... i honestly think she interacted with kara the most in season 3 besides nyaa and possibly osomatsu.

(these are not the best screenshots but trust me they talk to each other in all of these scenes, except the one where kara is a horse)

but thats actually not why i like them as a pair... the real reason is because i like messiness and i like drama and i like fun and i think a secret relationship between karamatsu and totoko would have all of those things

(the even realer reason is because i'm wildly and shamelessly biased towards karamatsu. it's just that simple)

see, the reason it would be so fun is because no one would expect it. everyone in the show probably thinks that if totoko were to end up with anyone, it would be osomatsu. and that's not an unfounded belief, i think they definitely do have the deepest and most complex relationship out of the 6 as the two "leads".

them getting together would kind of represent this grand, but ultimately linear shift in the status quo. the main character gets the heroine. shocker. but it kind of is a shocker in a show like osomatsu san, and its characters aren't really ready for that kind of "ending" per se. especially not osomatsu, who thrives and desperately clings to the status quo like his life depends on it. and ofc totoko is in a similar boat, where she finds herself yearning for simpler, more fun times.

but maybe totoko just wants to have a little extra fun! maybe she just wants to take a quick detour! is that too much to ask?? can't a girl have a little fling on the side?? why does everything she does matter so much as the heroine??? it sucks!!

it's too hard to go out and find a rich hot guy to have fun with. thankfully, she has 6 men who are already head over heels for her! so she finds herself weighing the pros and cons of each sextuplet.

osomatsu is... complicated, so he's out

choromatsu is an automatic no

ichimatsu is okay... but he seems like a guy who needs more care than she's willing to give

jyushimatsu is complicated in a different, much weirder way

todomatsu... todomatsu is definitely a viable option, but she wants someone who will only have eyes for her and she doesn't like how totty always has 2 girls by his side

karamatsu... karamatsu was never really an option in her mind but like, he's pretty nice! and honestly recently he's been much more normal than he used to be (season 1). his painfullness has decreased substantially since then. he also doesn't look half bad! he and todomatsu definitely take care of their appearance the most out of the 6. they've talked a decent amount and they even had that one skit together... ignition.

(side note, weirdly enough i think the karamatsu taxi skit makes him the only matsu to ever call a woman a b*tch... which is surprising to say the least and honestly detracts from this whole thing a bunch but i just thought it was so crazy...yikes kara)

but best of all, karamatsu is (seemingly) simple. and thats what she wants right now, a simple and easy and fun time. no baggage, no grand status quo changes, no needless effort. just a little fun with a guy she already knows likes her.

so she approaches him one day and asks him to carry her bags for her while she goes shopping. normal enough right? so karamatsu ofc is like "oh yeah i think i'm free but my brothers might be busy" and totoko's like "oh that's fine, you don't have to bring them" and karamtsu just says "sounds good, see you tomorrow!"

he walks home and it doesn't really hit him until he gets there... totoko chan just invited him somewhere to do something with him... alone.

but she's done that before! she asked if he wanted to watch her at her driving school, which he did alone. heh... it seems totoko is not a karamatsu girl yet, but he thinks he can win her over after tomorrow.

ok so i have more ideas for this, but honestly i don't really think theres an audience for karatoto but lmk if you guys are interested to hear the rest.

[isalisewrites]

TERRIBLE, BUT GREAT - CHAPTER FIFTY

SUMMARY:

“Harry Potter.”

The cold burrowed into his flesh, the scent of cloying death and molding earth clogged his senses.

“The Boy Who Lived.”

A strange sense of loss and disappointment rose within him. That brilliant, yet cruel boy could’ve been so much more if he’d not stepped down this bloodied path.

Terrible, but great. He pitied this creature.

“Come to die.”

Harry Potter faced the flash of green light with the bravery of a Gryffindor and the broken heart of a Hufflepuff.

—

When Death gives Harry a third option, one that can save everyone he ever cared about, he takes it unflinchingly. Even when that means doing the impossible: falling in love with the enemy, Tom Riddle.

—

FIFTY EXCERPT:

I am weak.

It tasted bitter in his mouth.

And it’s putting Harry in danger.

He’d gotten distracted these past months. It’d been such an easy thing to do, though. He’d met Harry and everything had changed. Harry had taken over his mind; he filled every crevice of his thoughts. So… Tom had set aside his most important goals: find the Chamber of Secrets to claim his heritage and obtain immortality. They weren’t forgotten, of course, but Tom found he hadn’t been in a rush anymore. Immortality hadn’t seemed so pressing of a goal.

Until now.

If he’d been protected by the assurance of immortality, this wouldn’t have happened. Tom wouldn’t have been taken out so easily by a dark curse and Harry wouldn’t have had to risk so much by casting dark magic to heal him.

Tom should’ve been searching for more information on the chamber. He should’ve been looking for more information on horcruxes. He should’ve been spending his free time on this research, instead of…

Tom gritted his teeth.

Instead of what? He’d spent time teaching Harry how to speak parseltongue and how to build his occlumency shields. Had those moments been a waste of time? Going to the Yule Ball, going to Hogsmeade trips, playing in the snow, Sunday dinner with the Scamanders, Christmas with the Scamanders—were all those just a waste of time?

No.

Harry. With his windswept hair and his brilliant smile, the way his eyes shone behind his glasses—and, oh, how could one bottle up his laughter? How perfect had he fit in Tom’s arms when they’d surrounded Harry before they’d split up in Hogsmeade, how he’d caught the light scent of shampoo as Harry’s hair tickled his cheek—were these moments truly a waste of Tom’s time? Better never experienced or forgotten?

No.

It hadn’t been a waste. He’d gotten distracted, yes. He’d got caught up in the whims of his body, in the whims of its temporary attraction. But Harry would always be worth his time. No matter what. And Tom wouldn’t let Harry hurt himself like this again on his behalf. He wouldn’t put Harry in this position ever again.

They couldn’t be equals if Tom was weaker than Harry.

“Nestling.”

His breath hitched.

“Nagini…” whispered Tom.

The curtains pulled slightly as Nagini slithered beneath them. She climbed onto his bed, the light in her eyes somber. Nagini pushed her head against his knee and rubbed her cheek against him.

“I’d wondered where you’d gone, nestling,” said Nagini softly. “Something is wrong in the castle. What’s happened?”

Brain and bone. Flesh and blood.

The skull exploded.

Coated in so much blood, so much flesh, so much of what is this?

Tom threw back his head, hands slamming over his face, and breathed out harshly. Nagini slithered closer, wrapping around his hips. Half of her body filled his lap and her weight grounded him.

“I have to make one. I can’t—I must—”

“Make one?”

“Yes.”

Nagini’s head rested on his thigh. “Are you talking about your quest for immortality?” Tom nodded shakily. “You’ve set it aside for months now. Why the sudden change—” When Tom’s breaths became short, Nagini rubbed her head against him. “—all right, little nestling. Peace. Whatever you desire, I am here with you.”

Whatever I desire? 

I want him awake and healthy and whole, with his ridiculously stupid smile on his face and the light in his stunning eyes to see me once more—

It broke from his lips; a sound—a terrible, weak sound. Something trailed burning tracks down his cheeks. Tom fumbled for his wand and threw up a silencing charm around his bed—and his composure shattered.

Tom screamed.

He doubled over, screaming with his mouth wide open, the tears pouring down his cheeks in waves and slipping over his lips; he tasted salt. Wet, guttural sobs strained his throat. He gasped for breath, hitching, stuttering—and screamed again. Nagini didn’t say anything; she only curled tighter around him and allowed him to clutch desperate hands at her body. Tom pressed his face into the comforter and sobbed, and screamed, and raged into the fabric. His voice cracked; it tore, hoarse and raspy. 

Uncaring of appearance, of control, of dignity, he cried brokenly and bitterly, tears baptizing his face in despair, saliva and snot soaking into the comforter.

I am weak.

And its cost could take the ultimate price: Harry.

Only if he let it, though.

[shewolfofvilnius]

There is a huge part of me that is curious about dragon age because I love BG3 so much. But idk anything about it? Also none of the characters strike me as interesting (or attractive....) Maybe you could tell me what you like so much about ? maybe talk about the characters so I can give it a chance? I want to like it! but I just don't know!

I DIDN'T FORGET

So for me the first draw of Dragon Age is the incredible lore and worldbuilding that goes on in the games and books. It's arguably just as fleshed out as a setting like the Forgotten Realms despite just being three (soon four) video games and about a dozen books/comics. There's centuries of history. Ancient ruins. Environmental storytelling for days. A little visual cue in the first game that's referenced in optional banter in the third that pays off in the fourth (FIFTEEN years apart). I really appreciate that the first game, Dragon Age: Origins, only exposes you to part of the story. The game's set in a pestilence known as the Fifth Blight, and you're the plucky young adventurer that the grizzled old veteran manages to recruit out of a bad situation just before the end. And you and your friends are all that stand between victory and oblivion. But right off the bat there's storytelling about love and loss and prejudice and honor. There's a noble character who dies, leading to a coward being killed as the stakes are built. (There's also a dog you can pet, and moments to show kindness during armageddon, like a prisoner who just wants a sandwich before he dies, he hasn't been fed.)

And the banter is funny (if some of it's aged a bit unwell), and the gameplay really encourages you to get in the head of whatever character you want to build. Yes you can be the cliche prince charming. You can also be the sibling of a prostitute to pay the bills until your sister lands a high profile john who catches feels for her. From the start it's equal measures hopeful and bleak at the same time. (And as you invest in YOUR character emotionally, you inevitably emotionally invest in your companions too.) And gradually the world gets bigger. A character whose town you watch get destroyed becomes the protagonist of the second game, and they hook you in to. They're a refugee, a very timely story, and if they're a magic user, then they're an especially persecuted refugee. But you still make friends amidst the hopelessness. More of the world gets revealed. You have FUN, somehow. Characters from past games recur, either as cameos or in one very specific case as a high profile recurring character in 3 out of the 4. And you become so glad to see them as they represent continuity of story.

It's a game about family and faith and the lack thereof and prejudice and love and how one counters the other, about how persecuted people often pay the price of things that happened before their ancestors' ancestors were born, and that tomorrow should always be better than today.

That's thematic, though. Maybe you take a shine to Isabela the Pirate and Aveline the Guard Captain (maybe Merrill the blood mage elf, too). The three women basically form one of the best depictions of big/middle/little sister trios I've ever seen in a game. What starts out as cold hostility becomes banterful compassion and love. A lot of folks fell for Solas, an elven apostate whose every word is couched in three mysteries and two half-truths but seems to know way more than he's letting on. When you find out a horrible secret about the honourable Grey Warden Blackwall, do you leave him to his fate, try to redeem him, deliver a sufficient consequence, or outright torture him.

And you won't like everyone. The odds of you liking both the spirit-possessed mage Anders and the anti-magic elf Fenris in the same play of the same game are low unless you metagame it. And sometimes the games even rewards you for someone hating your ass or vice versa, and THAT'S organic. But being mean or having a negative interaction isn't some edgelord thing either, it's just "sometimes people don't get along" or "something you just need to punch someone"

You get to laugh at the tough stern warrior Cassandra getting absolutely beside herself wanting to know what happens in a book that it's writer, another of your companions, hated writing - and that even Cass herself calls smutty literature. Another character, The Iron Bull, is faced with a choice: His found family and the freedom to be who he's become, or the belief system he's known his entire life and that expects him to conform.

Does your character sacrifice? Does your character make the streets run red with blood? Is all you want to make people feel inspired and in something bigger than themselves? Even playing three (soon four) wholly new characters, you get to truly role-play and emotionally invest in these little blorbos, maybe even more strongly in Baldur's Gate. When a character returns you weren't expecting, is it joyful or melancholy? Can your character handle a confrontation of everything they've ever known.

And in the newest game, there's a baby griffon.

I love Dragon Age. The lore is expansive beyond sanity for a franchise with it's commercial output. The characters feel alive, and the game tasks you to emotionally invest in order to reap the maximum reward and suffer the strongest heartache. Plus, in many cases, when the game doesn't tell you, say about your character? You get to roleplay and use your imagination so, so strongly.

[t0ast-ghost]

S3 EP20 (The Way To Eden) Space hippies? I love an episode where someone slightly annoying is on board

Yippee kyack or whatever:

- What. The costume designs here are. I’m not even sure

- Purple hair? I bet they have pronouns too

- CHEKOV LORE?!?

- Time to ask: What the fuck is happening (edit: record time)

- Where did Spock even come from? Kirk was talking to the group and he just walks over to Spock like Spock is just always there. When did he appear???

- Spock picking up on their behaviour and copying it in a way that will get them to respond positively

- The writers created a myth about a planet. And named the planet Eden. C’mon.

- when they just start chanting Herbet it’s like Kirk becomes instantly uncool. I think if a bunch of middle schoolers just started chanting a random name at me I’d cry

- “One of those… was in the academy?” What the fuck Kirk

- I can’t tell if this episode is going to be very against the group (like Kirk is right now) or if their side of the argument will be validated to some extent (I have a feeling they might be validated cause Spock understands them and also stated that they were academic) (edit: it was a secret third option)

- idk I like this photo

- The singing sounds so off from the images, it was most likely added in post production

- “Gonna crack my knuckles and jump for joy, I got a clean bill of health from Dr. McCoy.” Goes kinda hard tbh

- NURSE CHAPEL YEAHHHHHHH. Hiiiiii

- That redshirt who looks at Chekov in the hallway is such a bitch for that look

- Kirk’s tits McCoy cracking the case. Good job👍

- Oh hi Sulu! Don’t join a cult !

- *sits down in chair and crosses leg over knee*

- Spock is so pretty ☺️☺️☺️

- Spock keeping his promise and finding Eden for the others even if the leader is a selfish prick

- We get to see Spock’s room again, I love Spock’s room, like why is there a stone statue water fountain in there? What is that?

- Chekov don’t tell her how the ship works. Do not divulge important information

- This is like the Star Trek tos musical episode, isn’t it?

- SPOCK Yes! Please play please please please please llssezz

- I like when it switches to the redshirts on the bridge just straight up jamming

- C’mon man. LOOK AT HIM

- HES JAMMING OMG SPOCKS JAMMING

- I need McCoy and Kirk to witness this

- Spock is done at the function. He leaves.

- “Adam, you know I reach you. I believe in what you seek. But there is a tragic difference between what you want and what he wants.” Spock really connects with them and it’s upsetting to see him have to witness them being misled

- At this point that guy is gonna blow up the ship

- Kirk doesn’t fuck around. If the door is locked Scotty’s gonna phaser through that fucker

- I can’t with Kirk’s faces rn

- I love the singing playing through the ship with everyone passed out, it’s such a perfect amount of eerie

- Kirk checking on Bones 🥹🥹🥹

- hiii McCoy hiiii

- I never noticed that the scanner could be uncapped and used as a healing device?

- Adam ate a pear lol

- I did NOT want to see that foot shot

- I like that Spock has such a soft side for the younger people in the show. Like he always has a sense of pride towards Chekov and cared so much about everyone in the group this episode

Thoughts are: Spock is good with kids, Kirk is terrible with kids, and McCoy is just himself always so there’s a reason he’s not a paediatrician but he’s still good with kids

Masterpost

Teleplay by Arthur Heinemann

Story by Michael Richards & Arthur Heinemann

[king-bumis-armpit]

Best Friends

Written for Maiko Week 2024 - Jealousy

Summary: For as long as he could remember, Mai has loved Zuko. This was ingrained in him, just as he learned that fire is very hot and not safe to touch. It has always been a plain truth and one that upsets him. Zuko also loves Mai, he assumes. But Tom-Tom knows that he loves Mai the most. 

Alternatively: how Mai’s little brother perceives her relationship throughout the years.

Author’s Note: Big stretch of the prompt this time, lol. I love Tom-Tom so much and I have THOUGHTS about Mai’s relationship with him. It’s actually one of the things that I think the comics portrayed well. Also, this is a third person perspective, but I tried to write with Tom-Tom’s tone kind of. I hope it’s not too distracting.

Cross-posted to Tumblr and AO3 <3

WC: 2,234

For as long as he could remember, Mai has loved Zuko. This was ingrained in him, just as he learned that fire is very hot and not safe to touch. It has always been a plain truth and one that upsets him. Zuko also loves Mai, he assumes. But Tom-Tom knows that he loves Mai the most.

When Tom-Tom was really little, he vaguely remembers that he wasn't as close with his older sister. Both of his parents still lived together, and they would shower him with affection whenever they were around. When they weren't, he was usually left under the supervision of the household servants. However, they didn't watch him as closely and that suited him just fine. He was free to crawl around his house and see things most people didn't. He crawled under the dining room table and found some knicks from Mai fiddling with her knives at meals. He went into his mother’s closet and tried on her big pointy shoes. He snuck into his father's office and ate his secret stash of sizzle crisps. He knew he could have gotten in trouble, but what else was he supposed to do? It was boring in that big house with no one to play with.

Despite his exploring, he often wished for a friend. Everyone in the stories his mom read him at bedtime had a best friend. Mom definitely didn’t qualify. She seemed to think that playing was letting him hold his stuffed platypus bear while she talked with her friends. And dad was always busy working. Mai normally had school or was at the palace with the princess, but ultimately he decided she was the best option. 

When she was at home, she would stack all of his blocks into tall towers and they would take turns knocking them over by throwing things at them. One time, he wanted to stack ALL of the blocks into the biggest tower possible. He wasn’t tall enough, but Mai helped and she even held him up so that he could reach the tip top and place the last block. Mai let him have the first throw, and when he failed to hit the tower she missed on purpose to give him another go. Tom-Tom knew that Mai let him win sometimes, but he wasn’t too proud to accept her help. On his next toss, he hit the base of the tower and came down in a deafening crash. He laughed and Mai smiled, which in and of itself was pretty rare. Then she helped him clean everything up before mom came home. Normally he left his messes for the servants, but he liked doing things with Mai. She was the most interesting person he knew.

At the end of that day, he asked her the all important question. He pointed to her and then himself: “Best fwends?”

Mai nodded. “Best friends.”

— —

When he came home from New Ozai– no, Mai told him to call it Omashu– it seemed like his sister was always busy! She went to the palace almost every day. Apparently she was “dating” the new Fire Lord, whatever that meant. 

Before, when he would ask her to spend time with him, she always said that she didn’t have anything better to do. But apparently, Zuko was better than best friends. 

Sometimes mom would make Mai take him on these dates. He had to admit they were kind of fun. Zuko would take them on picnics and Tom-Tom could chase glow moths while Mai and Zuko talked about boring adult stuff. And Zuko alway packed Mai’s favorite foods, which were also Tom-Tom’s favorite foods.

But Tom-Tom still preferred the days when Mai would take him out alone. Instead of talking with her stupid boyfriend, she would catch moths with him. Or– if it was still daylight– she would show him her blades. She wouldn’t let him use them, but she would set up targets for him to practice hitting with sticks. It was just like their block game!

Maybe Zuko was her new best friend– he was too afraid to ask– but she was still his.

— —

Mai was crying. Mai never, ever cried. Tom-Tom didn’t know what to do. Mom told him to leave his sister alone, but when he cried he didn’t want to be alone. She had broken up with Zuko yesterday. At first Tom-Tom had been thrilled, but now he felt like his happiness had burnt out. He needed to make sure that she was okay.

He opened the door to her bedroom as carefully as he could. It was tricky because he could only just reach the door handle, but he managed to make his way inside. Mai sat on her bed holding a picture of herself and Zuko. 

When she noticed Tom-Tom, she set the picture aside and reached out for him. He ran into her arms. They sat like that for a few minutes while Mai slowly stopped crying. He used his pudgy palms to wipe the tears off her cheeks. 

Mai attempted a smile. “How do you feel about ice cream?” 

They spent the day in the market. It started with ice cream. And then they had to balance out the sweetness by getting fireflakes. But the fireflake stand was next to the toy store. And the toy store was next to the bookstore. 

Tom-Tom babbled happily the whole time. He knew it was important to keep his sister distracted so she didn’t get sad. Mai didn’t say much, but she listened intently as always and she let him cajole her into one stop after another until it started to get late. 

“We should probably head back home, kiddo,” Mai said. He could tell her eyes were getting glassy again.

And then something caught his attention, at the end of the street, a portrait painter was beginning to pack up for the day.

“One more!” Pleeeeeease!!” Mai followed his gaze.

“You want to get a picture?” she asked.

“A new picture! With us! No Zuko.” 

He looked up at her hopefully, and Mai let out her first real smile of the day. “Okay, kiddo. Let’s go.”

She asked the painter if he could do one last portrait for the day. She gave him a handsome tip, and he happily obliged. That night, Mai and Tom-Tom hung the picture in her room together. 

When Mai tucked him into bed, she gave him an extra forehead kiss and whispered, “Thank you for being my best friend.”

— — 

When Mai and Zuko got back together, Tom-Tom tried to learn to appreciate Zuko more. He liked how Mai always smiled when he was around. And he liked hanging out with Kiyi while Mai and Zuko had their dates. And Zuko always sent fruit tarts to their house. As the years passed, they got closer. Nonetheless, Tom-Tom was still surprised when he received an invitation to go to the palace after school one day. 

He was 10 years old now, and he was very pleased with how things were going. He finally had his own group of friends. He didn’t need Mai to sit with him to fall asleep (unless he had a nightmare which was very rare, thank you very much). And his studies were going well. 

So, he didn’t like the prospect of a royal summons shaking things up. To make matters worse, the invitation arrived during his lunch period and all of his friends saw him receive a letter with the royal seal. How embarrassing! 

Now he was sitting in his final class pondering what to do. Ignoring a royal summons had to be illegal, right? Would he end up in prison like his dad? No, Zuko probably wouldn’t lock him up or anything, since Mai would be angry. On the other hand, mom would be super upset if he had an opportunity to “network” and he passed it up. Tom-Tom sighed. It didn’t help that Zuko’s portrait was staring him down from the front of the room. At long last, the teacher dismissed them, and Tom-Tom decided that he had to see what Zuko needed. After all, it would make Mai happy.

He had been to the palace loads of times, but never without his mom or his sister. It was strangely daunting. He handed his invitation to the guards at the gate and he was made to stand in line with a lot of older people in very official looking robes. He tugged awkwardly at the sleeve of his uniform.

“Hiya Tom!” Thank Agni, Kiyi appeared to rescue him.

“Hey Kiyi, do you know why your brother needed to see me?” 

Kiyi smiled brightly. “I’ll leave that for him to tell you. C’mon, he definitely didn’t want you to stand in this line.”

An old man with a very long beard glared down at them. Tom-Tom shifted nervously under the scrutiny. “Umm… It’s okay. I don’t mind waiting.”

Kiyi laughed, “Trust me. It would be good for Zuko to talk to you as soon as possible.”

She grabbed his hand and dragged him away. Kiyi was very headstrong, and she always pushed him past his comfort zone. Sometimes Tom-Tom found this liberating, a nice counter balance to all his mom’s rules, and sometimes he found it extremely unnerving. This was the second case. They marched straight past nobles and ministers and Fire Sages until they reached the front of the line. The attendant at the door to the throne room bowed to Kiyi and let them in as soon as the current petitioner left. 

Zuko was sitting at a low table beneath the dais. His hand was a fist and he was chewing his thumbnail nervously. He normally kept the wall of fire unlit, except in ceremonial situations, but today the flames were sputtering in and out. It was very distressing to see the ruler of his nation in such a vulnerable position, but Kiyi laughed out loud. 

“Stop worrying, Zuzu! Tom-Tom is here to help.”

“He’s here?” Zuko stood up and the flames behind him died. “Come in. Come in. Take a seat.” As Tom-Tom approached the table, Zuko shoved a stack of very official documents on the floor and called for a servant to bring tea. Thankfully, Kiyi stayed and sat with them.

She cleared her throat, prompting Zuko to speak. “Hi, uh, Zuko here.” Kiyi snorted, but he continued. “I’ve been thinking a lot about my relationship with your sister.”

At this point, Tom-Tom was internally having a panic attack. What was happening? Why was Zuko freaking out? Was Zuko going to use him to break up with Mai? He had heard that Zuko broke up with her over a letter the last time. Even at ten years old, he knew that was a huge mistake. Maybe Zuko thought breaking up by proxy was more honorable. But what should Tom-Tom do? He would probably have to fight him for Mai’s honor or something. Spirits, this was going to be a disaster. 

Tom-Tom tried to imitate Mai and filled his voice with as much steel as he could. “Go on.”

Zuko visibly tensed up at his tone. “I– I know that you’re the most important person in her life, and so I need your help. I… I want to propose.”

Tom-Tom first felt relief, and then a new panic. Mai already split her time half and half between the palace and the flower shop. Now she was going to leave him behind completely. His whirlwind of emotions must have been visible on his face because Zuko quickly continued: “I know this is going to be a big change for you. But Mai and I talked about this a little bit in the past.” His face flushed. “And we agreed that you and your mother are welcome to move in with us. Your aunt too, but Mai figured she would want to stay near the flower shop. You can have your pick of any of the bedrooms.”

Tom-Tom took a breath and composed himself. “Of course! Mai’s going to be so happy.”

Zuko brightened up, and the fires behind him blazed, seemingly without his notice. “You really think so?”

Tom-Tom smiled back. “I do.”

Zuko sighed in relief. “That’s good. Mai always says that you’re her best friend, so I trust your opinion more than anyone else.” Tom-Tom finally started to feel calm again. Mai obviously loved Zuko, but she loved him too. She had made a place for him in her future plans. And she considered him to be her best friend.

“So what do you need me for?” Tom-Tom asked.

“I had some ideas, but I was hoping you could help me come up with a plan to ask her.” 

The tea arrived and Zuko dismissed the rest of his visitors for the day. Kiyi had someone send a message to his home to let his mom know that they were having an impromptu playdate. The three of them began masterminding Mai’s perfect date.

— — 

It was almost dark out by the time Tom-Tom arrived home. Mai greeted him at the door. “I was getting worried about you, kiddo. It’s late.”

“Sorry, Kiyi and I got a bit carried away.”

Mai smiled. “That’s okay. I’m glad you two are friends.”

Tom-Tom felt a wave of happiness wash over him. “Yeah, but you’re my best friend.” 

She pulled him into a hug, “Always.”

[wordsbymae]

"They ain't lap dogs you know, they're working dogs and you spoil em too much" but mousey is for sure his lap dog lmao

so now farmer finally has them. what now? would he propose, not like in the the other AU when he is older? or would he just start going around the town telling people about his little wife/husband/spouse? because, what is little mouse supposed to do? they just can't say no to the only person that is so nice to them, the only person that takes care and protect them (or so the farmer say). mousey must return the favour.

I literally was going to answer about an hour ago but got completely distracted by making a mood board for the farmer's two dogs cause you reminded me of them. whoops!

Anyway!

Oh for sure!!!! He doesn't need his boys to be his lap dogs when he has the prettiest thing all to himself.

There is no way on God's green earth he will ever actually propose. Don't get me wrong, he wants nothing more than to marry his little mouse and put a ring on it. But actually courting them? Actually having to be vulnerable and open himself up to rejection?

Never ever going to happen.

I can see this going really two ways, there is a third secret option but that's for later.

The first way is he just starts acting like you're married. Tells everyone in town he can't stay too long or the missus/ his partner will be getting worried. Gushes about your cooking to anyone who will listen makes it clear that he's got a sweet little thing waiting all for him back at home. Carries a Polaroid picture of you hugging Pancho, with a big wide smile and while Lefty sooks in the corner. He'll show it off whenever he has the chance, talking about you and your boys.

Those who watched you two that day at the farmers' market just nod their heads with smiles and wish him all the best. He probably starts even wearing a plain gold band. Proud to show it off.

Meanwhile, the reader is confused when the very rare times they leave the farm everyone wishes them congratulations (and asks if any kids will be coming).

Mouse brings it up to the farmer and tells them they don't want people getting the wrong idea. They're just friends. The farmer just laughs at this.

"It's a bit too late to stop them from getting the wrong idea Mouse"

He practically gaslights them, I mean what's the big problem? Who cares if a few town folks think they got hitched. They are living together. You do act like a homemaker. You can't blame anyone for thinking you two had been married for years. The only thing stopping you two from actually being seen as truly married is the lack of a ring on your finger and you not being in his bed.

And would it really be so bad? Being his?

He's been so good to you. So kind. Like how a real husband would act. He looks after you and protects you. Buys you the prettiest things and asks nothing in return.

But now he is. Now he's asking for payment. Be his little homemaker in law as well and he'll take care of you like he always has.

You can't say no. You quit your job when your cottage burned down, just as the farmer told you to.

"I'll look after you mouse. Until you get back on your feet of course"

No one is hiring in town and even if you did get a job you wouldn't be able to buy or even rent a house. There was nowhere to go. There was taking the chance on living on the streets but wouldn't it just be easier to just say yes?

He was kinda right. You've already practically been his stay-at-home sweetheart, how bad would it be if you put a ring on your finger. This is everything you've ever wanted. To be his pretty spouse, him all to yourself.

So why did it feel so wrong?

The second is mostly fem reader but he would not be against baby trapping. If for even one moment he thought you would say no to being his wife, he would resort to baby trapping. I always view this fic set in the 60s or 70s (maybe even 50s) so there would be no way you could leave him with a babe in your belly. You would have no husband and no support. So of course you don't really have a choice. You're already on thin ice living with a single man, but that was something you could cover by explaining why. But a baby? That can't be hidden, can't be explained away. So as soon as you knew, the farmer would have a priest ready and waiting.

Tag list: @floraroselaughter

[mikodrawnnarratives]

A while ago I got my mom to read renegades and since then she's been my person I get to converse about renegades with since my sister still has yet to get her ADHD to behave and read it

And in one such conversing moments where I went insane Abt Maggie for a good half hour I put together another thing that makes Magpie just so fucking intriguing

Alongside how much mystery her character has, which I've talked Abt before, literally the moments we see her character always feels like they are leading to something

She is building. What we see of her are the stepping stones for future focus

We get the building hints towards who she actually is during the series (which I'm slowly compiling for a future post) which culminate to THE BULLET and the EPILOGUE

(Forgive me if I go on a tangent here but) Nova is the perspective we see most showcasing Maggie and it isn't favorable AT ALL most of the time, but the little bit of build up we get is still intriguing. We find out more and more about MAGGIE through Nova, building up her background slowly and the last time Nova and Maggie interact Nova is the kindest she's ever been to Maggie.

Something stops her from leaving Magpie after Callum dies. Which I interpret as: NOVA sees her younger self in Maggie in the moment she sees her crying. Nova's seen herself in Maggie before this, in a negative way. She renegade that shouldn't be there, that doesn't fit the morals, should be punished, they act similarly stubborn, have their secrets that aren't anyone's business, etc.

But STILL there is that building that doesn't get as much of a conclusion as it could

Adrian's scenes with Maggie clue into how much POTENTIAL she has, how she COULD be a villain she's TROUBLE, that are working on it and he hopes to see her change but there's a risk

The Epilogue in it's own right is a conclusion in many ways as much as it is HEAVILY building up for more in the future. Leroy's inclusion hinting at him and Maggie interacting in the future for instance.

It's part of why the ending is so good damn INFURIATING. We get confirmation that Maggie = Evie, backed up by the clues that have followed it and by the stories matching beat for beat, AND YETTTT it's still not explicit. We are still left hanging by the fact neither party KNOWS. We can't know FOR SURE until it's stated explicitly instead of cluing us in.

(How do I know this isn't just a red herring and MM is playing us all for FOOLS?! Well it's the more interesting option AND MM has posted a vid showing her sketchbook for planning books and on one of the pages outlines a different epilogue where the clues were more explicit/Maggie's tie to the Artino family was another bracelet only David could create if my memory serves me right)

Much of what makes Maggie a character building up to things are the INSANE amount of similarities she has to both Nova and Ace Anarchy (I will make a post for everyone one day) and it leads us to be unsure about where she is going.

Is she going to end up on the path Nova took at the beginning of the renegades trilogy? Where she ultimately changes her ways to strive for more peace now alongside friends she's never had before?

Or will she go down a path like Ace Anarchy's? She's already changed her name, she's already been tossed away by the world, she has the backstory and same power for it. She has the interest in the helmet, the glint in her eyes, she's described as much to be trouble, that she could be a decent villain and it's "best not to give her ideas in case she hasn't thought of it herself"

Leroy's implied future connection to Maggie doesn't narrow it down between which option since he could act for both. He was one of the first to follow Ace, yet also an important figure in Nova's life. WHICH WAY WILL MAGGIE GO or will it be a THIRD OPTION we can't predict?

All we know is she's being set up for SOMETHING

Now for another separate point, Maggie is a young character when we first meet her-

.

okay. Ig technically she was a baby when we first meet her but

AS MAGGIE she's introduced as 10 years old, most likely soon to be 11. In Cinder's Adventure, while the book isn't necessarily canon, it's interesting how it's a four year time skip. She's described as looking to be 14-15 years old. Not quite the age Marissa Meyer writes her female protagonists BUT IS THE STEPPING STONE TO IT: 16-18 years old.

Cinder's Adventure is CHALKED FULL of hints to what the future of the Renegades universe might entail and Maggie is FAR from absent from that. We get more of her character, interesting choice to give focus to MAGGIE of all characters wouldn't ya think. We get to know where she spends most of her days, her schemes, reinforcing her connection and ATTACHMENT to CALLUM. Again, out of all the things to show, MM shows us what could only be set up. Callum's murder was indirectly Maggie's fault, even though she thought giving him the helmet could help, she'd have been a hero. By the epilogue she implies she sees herself as far from that now. Someone destined to be a villain.

MM also builds on how we'll likely see a relationship of some sort between Max and Maggie. From the epilogue we get Maggie noticing Max and having interest and now we've built to what their dynamic might be like once they've actually MET. Since the events aren't canon, I'm left to guess this is to set up and tease what is to come

And also we literally get a line from her where she says she's waiting to tell her story.

Her character is literally build up, the Renegades Trilogy IS her backstory.

Okay Kind of ish... Some important parts at least since there's no way Callum's murder didn't do psychic damage to that 11 year old

[sureokyeahwhatever]

i finished vampire the masquerade bloodlines after chipping away at it for a couple weeks after work. Those first 2/3rds of the game are a genuine masterpiece, but man, that last third gets really, really weird and racist.

The thing is, is that I actually have very little to say about that first 2/3rds. It's just good. The design is great, it's well balanced, it's open ended, it has great characters. It's wonderful. This part of the game feels like a real, worthy successor to Deux Ex. There's just nothing more to say, I think.

...

And that's why I almost have a hard time believing it's written by the same people as the last bit. The whole game up to that point (up to just before chinatown) is pretty darn smartly written with some relatively cogent social commentary. The quality of the missions also takes a really, really steep dive in that section too (lots of run and gun hallways, lots of extremely buggy areas, shitty boss fights, etc. But that's honestly understandable because balancing the endgame of an ImSim is practically impossible). Idk, it feels like a totally different game. I could almost just forgive all of that though, if it weren't for the ungodly and seemingly genuine racism with regards to the east Asian vampires.

Like. Ok. If we're being VERY charitable and we just flatly forgive all of the misguided-though-not-malintentioned 2000s era attempts at humor-via-stereotype (dialogue options referencing "tentacles" directed at a young japanese woman; old chinese guys who are always loud and drunk; jingoistic WWII-surviving japanese soldier; Chinese businessman speaking in riddles and mentioning the I-Ching; so on and so on) the whole handling of the "chinese vampire" storyline is psychotically racist.

You first hear of these guys -- the Kuei-Jin, which I learn from the wiki is a portmanteau of the Mandarin word for ghost and a the Japanese word for person, which... ok. -- as being basically like animals. They slaughter who ever they see, lots of people in the bourgeois faction see them as a nuisance, the people in the anarchist faction see them as "invaders from the east," which already had me like "Jesus fucking Christ, maybe these anarchist guys aren't cool after all". But anyway, you go to Chinatown to talk to them and -- by my estimation -- they were basically the same as everyone else. They're protective of their territory, they're secretive, they're paranoid of outsiders... I mean, yeah, they're fucking vampires and apparently all the other vampires see them as sub-human, so yeah, I'd be paranoid and secretive around me too.

The thing is, is that you have this anarchist friend who you tell everything to -- Jack -- and I wanted to go tell him "hey, I don't think these guys are so bad. Maybe we misjudged them" or something like that. And there was a dialogue option along the lines of that, but when I said it, his response was something to the effect of "don't let them sweet talk you with their 'spiritual path' bullshit. That stuff ain't for /us/". Which, I heard and again, said "ah! Interesting writing decision! We're learning that Jack ALSO has flaws like everyone else! he's not just some perfectly cool, levelheaded badass -- he has unjustified prejudices just like everyone else!" So I continued the story under the assumption that, yes, while the surface level of the whole "Chinese vampire" thing was being handled in a really immature, racist way, and in-universe all the other factions seemed to see them as exactly that -- racist stereotypes of conniving, backstabbing Chinese mafia goons -- this was all setting up an interesting "let's all learn to put our cultural differences aside and defeat those rich assholes who want to rule LA"-style ending. This would not be the case.

There was a moment towards the end that I THOUGHT confirmed my suspicion. You are told by the leader of the bourgeois faction to convince the anarchist faction to ally with them so they can, together, take down the Kuei-Jin. Around this time you also are intercepted by the leader of the Kuei-Jin who straight up warns you "hey, that bourgeois guy set me up. He's about to set you up too. Be careful. I hope we can be friends in the future." So I get this information and go straight to the anarchist faction with the intention to say "Ok, bourgeois guys are obviously doing a power play. Now's the time to join with the Kuei-Jin and take them out. We'll settle our petty differences later." (Side note, yes, I understand they were recently at war, but war happens in these situations. The best way to prevent another war is actively making peace. Not by just constantly threatening to go BACK to war). But no such option was available. Instead, all the options were different variations on "Let's join with the bourgeois faction and kill those Chinese guys!" What? But I don't want to kill those guys! And I don't really trust either of these other factions either because the anarchists are racists and the bourgeois guys are, well, bourgeois guys.

So eventually the "ending-tron 3000" comes up in the form of a conversation with a taxi driver which, as far as ending-trons go, is pretty cute. If you decide to ally with the Kuei-Jin two things happen: one, everyone hates you because it's completely impossible to convince anyone that they are anything other than parasites, and two, they kill you in a cutscene and you die in the ocean, which, all things considered, is probably the worst possible way this whole story line could have been handled. There was an opportunity here to have an exceptionally interesting moment where you bring people together to fight in solidarity against those who seek to concentrate their power over the city and all it's inhabitants. There could have been an ending where you work together with the Kuei-Jin and the anarchists to get rid of the bourgeois faction, render the "anarchist" faction system redundant, and allow LA vampires to establish their own federated society where people can live where and how they please without the iron fist of some Ivory tower pretty boys telling everyone how to live their lives. You could establish a system of vampire democracy across LA, with all the benefits and negatives that it brings. Would LA then be crushed under the heel of the bourgeois faction coming in from other cities? Or would it be able to stand the test of time and serve as an example for other cities to rise up and do the same? There's some interesting stuff here, both politically and for individual characters as perhaps you have to work extra hard to get Jack and the rest of the anarchists to believe that the Kuei-Jin are, despite superficial differences, just vampires like they are and that they all share common interests.

Instead, the game goes hard in the other direction. It calls you an idiot for trusting those eastern invaders and basically says "you should have listened to everyone else when they were mumbling under their breath about how you can't trust those Kuei-Jin as far as you can throw them". i.e., you were an idiot for not being racist enough. Like, I can understand the general theme of "trust no one", since it permeates through the whole game, but to literally introduce a faction of "conniving foreigners" who everyone hates, and then to have that hate be perfectly justified just feels boring, hateful, and honestly like a waste of a third of what was otherwise a great, great game.

Anyway. The game is good. Great, even! It's really hard to make an ImSim, so even though the last third has some rough (ROUGH) design flaws and bugs, I'm happy to look past that. However, it's really easy to not just put Chinese people in your game and make them evil stereotypes that everyone rightfully hates, so that's harder to look past.

I would say the ideal way to experience the game is to marathon the first chapter up to downtown, play less and less frequently from downtown up until the end of hollywood or so, and gradually lose interest around the time that you're asked to go to Chinatown. I think if you did that, you'd end up remembering the game very fondly.

[soupthatistohot]

BSD: An Absurdist Analysis - Chapters 7 & 8 (Part 2)

There is always hope

[Masterpost]

We’re going to ignore that part 1 of this analysis is from 5 months ago and that I said I’d follow up with part 2 “soon.”

Anyway! Chapter 7 opens with Kyouka, a fourteen-year-old girl, attacking Dazai. When Atsushi expresses his concern about Dazai’s absence, unknowing about the reason for it, Kunikida says this:

This is probably a hint at the fact that Dazai let himself get captured, which is revealed a bit later. To me, this is Dazai being an absurdist protagonist at its finest: using his quirk (for lack of a better term) of consistently attempting suicide as a cover so the ADA doesn’t intervene on his behalf with the mafia. If he’d proposed this plan, they likely wouldn’t have let him do it, so he just “disappears” like he usually does. It's unconventional — absurd, even — that he plans things out like this. 

A good absurdist protagonist succeeds by subverting expectations, and in this instance, Dazai does so by allowing himself to get captured, the very thing Kunikida says is highly unlikely. This is similar to what I talked about in the previous post with Kyouka, who uses her appearance as a young, quiet girl to her advantage when making use of her deadly ability. 

Next: Kaiji and his motivations.

In his introduction, he declares that death is an experiment, and in doing so, he is representative of the absurd reality all humans are subject to, a reality in which someone can decide to bomb an entire train just to get to one individual, a society in which one can take the lives of others in the name of “experimentation.”

Of course, as explained in my prior analysis post, Yosano quickly puts him in his place with her refusal to give into this insane concept that innocent people’s lives are so expendable.

And finally: Atsushi.

Essentially, he is put in a rather difficult position: either give himself in to the Port Mafia, or allow an entire train of people to be blown to smithereens by Kaiji’s bombs. 

Of course, as our absurdist protagonist, Atsushi refuses to do either of these things and carves out his own secret third option: save everyone on the train and defeat Kaiji. Luckily, Yosano completes the latter portion of this task, leaving Atsushi to deal with the train’s passengers — and this includes Kyouka.

Kyouka begins attacking Atsushi, easily overwhelming him. It’s important to note that at this point in time, not only does he have very limited experience with combat, but he also hasn’t explored his ability fully, meaning that he is woefully outmatched by her ability, Demon Snow. 

Atsushi begins to have his doubts, as is characteristic of him. He often wavers in these moments of vulnerability, almost succumbing to the idea that it isn’t worth fighting back anymore because of his inexperience and apparent weakness. It is in this moment, though, that he has one of his famous orphanage flashbacks that will steel his resolve.

After this, the narration of Atsushi's inner monologue reads: “At that moment, an idea suddenly popped into my head. It may be a stupid idea, but at least it won’t leave me alone. If, by any chance, I can let the passengers return home safe and sound, does that prove that it’s okay for me to live?”

And, as if by a miracle, Atsushi is able to activate his ability to fight back against Kyouka.

In reality, it isn’t a miracle, though. It is Atsushi’s rebellion against the hopelessness of his current situation that pushes him to continue to fight back, allowing him to tap into his power and harness it. In a world where he and all the passengers will die a meaningless death, he creates his own purpose despite the seemingly dire circumstances. This is a theme that will recur again and again throughout the manga (even up to chapters being currently released), it is at the core of this story that when things seem the bleakest, there is always worth in continuing to fight back. 

Then Kyouka reveals the bomb, and subsequently, Akutagawa reveals that it cannot be diffused. Atsushi is saved the strife of having to figure out this one, though, when Kyouka takes things into her own hands and decides to sacrifice herself.

And Atsushi could stop there. Kyouka jumping from the train could be the conclusion to this story, as it would save both himself the passengers, but he refuses to believe that a fourteen year old orphan forced to murder against her will deserves to die, and so he makes the borderline suicidal decision to also jump in order to save her…

… and he succeeds. 

Because there is always worth in trying — there is always hope.

[Previous] [Next]

[nerdieforpedro]

A Walk with your Pilot

Security Log Drabbles part of the Secret Springs Shenanigans

My entire masterlist and blog are for readers 18+ MDNI. I do not consent to my work being used in AI, recommended on TikTok, borrowed or plagiarized.

Summary: It’s been slow for security, until a silent partner makes her presence known and a new Marcus is discovered. Chloe tried to apologize to Frankie.

Warnings: possible kidnapping, allusions to smut, banana 🍌, Frankie being a sweetheart, Ezra being a scoundrel but also that money 💰

Word Count: 1k+ (an actual Drabble!)

Notes: I made liberal use of @pedropascalito ‘s wonderful Ezra Moodboard. Ezra is a scoundrel in this one, but in their Moodboard he’s a sweetheart. The counter is totally legit, this version of Ezra is Nerdie aka NP’s fault. 👀

Main Masterlist/ Frankie Morales Masterlist

My security logs have been scant…not for lack of reporting. Everyone is well behaved, enjoying themselves. It’s very good, meaning less work for all of us, though I have a few concerns.

Our silent business partner, let’s call her NP. She apparently was at the Secret Springs without giving me or Dave a heads up, she also took a third Marcus who came down from one of the surrounding mountain ranges (that is a mystery on its own) for an interrogation and neither of them have been seen for the last few days. Then suddenly this morning, the third Marcus is sipping orange juice with the Mayor and the other two Marcus’s. Dave and I were perplexed and the only message we got from NP was:

He’s solid. He’s firm. He responded appropriately. He’s got quite an appetite. I handed him over to the Mayor in good condition.

I’m not an idiot, but I’m also pretty sure that kind of questioning (if you can even call it that) is entirely illegal. Roman Marcus doesn’t appear to have any complaints and says a real man shows you better than he tells you. I did not need to hear those words while he’s eating a banana shirtless but I’ll tell him I will keep that in mind. Mayor El says happy for all of our through work. I can only nod and take the compliment. It’s only been a week here.

Speaking of, I took Frankie to lunch to apologize for trying to go through his belongings and passing out drunk in his room. Neither were my best moments. I try to explain that I am a sane person, but the quizzical look he gives me informs me otherwise.

“Most people would try to be nice to the guy flying them halfway across the world. Or at least be more discreet about it. Are you sure this is the job for you querida (sweetheart)?”

“That’s why I’m taking you to lunch to apologize. That’s nice and I am excellent at my job! You’re the problem, I’ve been off kilter trying to-“ He’s sitting across from with his arms crossed, a slight lean and his lips curling into a grin. I feel like calling him a jerk, but he’s just being himself I assume. I can’t fault him for that. “Never mind. Just, see you around Frankie.” Retreat is always a viable option and one which I plan to use as I get up from the table. He grabs the hem of my white blouse, it’s lose and my yellow bathing suit is sticking out of the top near my neck.

“Hold on there Chloe, how about we go for a walk? You can do some more rounds and we can talk. Ask me anything you want to know.” His suggestion is a good one, but I should stay focused. But also maybe be a little selfish on my part. I agree and we begin our stroll.

I soon forget how nervous Frankie made me originally. He explains that he settled in Florida after serving with the Special Forces during his time in the military. One of his brothers in arms recommended this gig to not only make some extra money but for him to get away from usual business back home. Morales said that it was nice not having to worry about gators at all.

We passed by Ezra’s Beach Shop and I said hello. That usually leads to at least a five minute description from the owner about everything that could have happened this morning. Today’s answer was not a ramble but succinct, curious, I asked him if anything was the matter and he replied there was not. Suddenly, two women pop up from under the counter which he was seated behind. One bumped her head and both stared at Frankie and I. They each kissed Ezra’s cheek and left him some money on the counter, carrying a small plastic bag each with them. About twenty dollars from each woman.

“Should I even ask if that’s the stuff you keep under the counter that they just paid for in addition to the small items they have?”

Ezra scratches the exposed part of his chest above where his tank top scoops down. He’s never not sweaty, to be fair it is hot. He stands and thankfully his dark green trunks are not disheveled. He gathers the money with his one hand and plops it in a lock box he has next the small register. “The ladies were sought out some shelter from the blistering sun and I did not have ample room under my umbrella. I did advise against going under the counter but that is what they chose.” He presses his palm on the counter and snickers, “As to why they left me such a large tip, I cannot say. You’re well acquainted with my gift of gab, they also could have taken pity on an unfortunate man such as myself.” His explanation is hot air, but he adds a wiggle of his right residual limb to add to his point.

I know there’s no merit in arguing with him, whatever happened, I didn’t see it directly. “Keep your tips to the monetary kind Ezra. I’ll be back.”

“And I will look forward to it my dear straight laced Chloe. Enjoy your time with your gentleman here. Maybe he’ll introduce you to a tip.” Ezra ends as we walk away.

Frankie looks back and the shopkeeper waves goodbye. “Seems pretty cheap for your tip there. Maybe they didn’t get enough bang for their buck.” His snicker makes me lean on the nearest tree in laughter while I hear Ezra click his tongue in annoyance.

I like Frankie even more, he managed to get the last word in on Ezra.

Those who may adopt the M.O.P method: @maggiemayhemnj @goodwithcheese @secretelephanttattoo @undercoverpena @megamindsecretlair

@fhatbhabiee @tinytinymenace @morallyinept @readingiskeepingmegoing @survivingandenduring

@inept-the-magnificent @604to647

Ending day seven log:

Violence - None

Public intoxication - None

Public Nudity - None (still suspicious of what goes on under that counter)

Destruction of Property - None

Injuries: Minor = possibly 10+ (I only saw Roman Marcus’ upper body. It was a mix of old and new marks. I’ll have to reach out to NP later)

Chlóe’s well-being: On the mend. Turns out lunch and walks are solid remedies

Security Log One. Security Log Three