#hi pinwheel your fathers are now cats

[ask-scroll-and-quill]

*the kit punched onto Scroll's tail and playfully bit it*

-📌🛞 (kitten)

*cat scroll flicked his tail away and nudged the kitten with his nose. cat quill was resting his head on scroll and opened an eye to see what was happening.*

M!A - 4/10

[rwprincess]

Room for One More (Chap 3)

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Masterlist

Next (Chapter 4)

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Fem!Reader-Insert

Synopsis: You face the wrath of Tommy for Halloween night, but maybe he should worry about facing the wrath of you. Some bonding with and crushy-feelings for Chuck arise.

CW: Bullying, Harassment, Mention of underage drinking, Homophobia

Word Count: 2500

November 01, 1967

Tommy still clearly had it out for your group. You were hoping that the alcohol would have washed away the memory from last night, or that he had some shred of decency now that he was presumably sober to leave you all alone; however, no such luck. He had smacked Chuck’s tray out of his hands at lunch, ‘bumped’ Stella into her locker during the morning, and found you at your locker (which he had known the location of since day one, he just elected to leave you alone most of the time) to bother you. “Now, if I’m not mistaken-” He acted as though you were already in the middle of a conversation. “You were with Stella and her other misfits last night. Weren’t you the little kitty cat?” He spit each word in a mocking staccato, and you leaned back from him, the alcohol still tainting his breath. You weren’t sure if he had been that drunk last night or if he had helped himself to more this morning, but it was overpowering. Behind him, Butch meowed to emphasize what he said. You knew it was best not to answer, instead you just started looking for an escape route. “You didn’t look half-bad,” he continued, “Although your cat suit could have been tighter.” He put his hand on your shoulder and you pinwheeled away from it. “Ooh. Me-ow!” He replied with sass to your action. You rolled your eyes and tried not to gag from both his touch and his stench. With him chuckling it up to the side of you now, you tried to beeline forward and away. “Aww, pussy doesn’t want to play!” He remarked on your effort to leave, but what he said next made you stop in your tracks. “If you see him, tell your fruity little silver friend I’m looking for him. He’s got more coming to him.”

You grit your teeth, feeling the anger bubbling up inside of you. Normally, you wouldn’t give Tommy the satisfaction of a reply. You knew he wanted to get a rise out of you and you would hate to give in to what he wanted. However, you recalled the awful thing he said to Auggie, and something inside of you snapped. Auggie had been nothing but kind and welcoming to you and you trusted him as a real friend. He’d been through enough without this jerk bothering him and bringing up something so unspeakable as a threat. You turned back towards him on your heel, an intense fire behind your narrowed gaze and you walked back up to him. Despite being at least a head shorter than him and a year or two younger, he did seem a bit intimidated by the change in your action and tone. His eyes filled with a hint of panic as you approached him, sticking a finger straight into his chest and backing him up to the lockers. “Don’t you ever go near him again.” You hissed. “What you said was absolutely despicable and you should be ashamed of yourself. Say what you want to me, but you leave him alone.” He blinked at you for a moment, still in shock, before pulling himself together and putting back his cool façade.

He pushed you away, “And what if I don’t?” 

“I’ll think of something.” You replied ominously, walking away with a titanium-rigid spine. You could hear him call you a ‘crazy bitch’ behind your back, but you ignored it as you left, trying not to look like you were running away. When you were far enough away, the reality of what you did and said hit you. You felt both scared and exhilarated at the same time. Of course, Tommy knew where to find you at any time and you had technically given him permission to say whatever disgusting, nasty thought came to him on the caveat that he left Auggie and his father out of it. That, you feared. But you were full of adrenaline-fueled pride that you had stood up to him, that you’d defended your friend.

November 10, 1967

Tommy had surprisingly taken your advice or threat to heart. You weren’t really sure which had motivated him, but he had stayed away from Auggie and hadn’t even bothered to come to retaliate against you yet. You couldn’t help but feel he might be plotting revenge, but he also struck you as more impulsive, like he didn’t really plan any of his transgressions. By the time you were sorting through the mail that next Friday evening after school, you had almost forgotten about the whole event. You were excited to see that you had received an envelope addressed to you from both Dawn and Josie. Inside were two separate letters. You had written them the night after Halloween and included your trip to the Bellows’ house and the incident with Tommy. Dawn, of course, was immediately pulled into both of those bigger-picture stories, asking for more details and what the resolve with the Tommy situation was. You had left out what he said to Auggie, figuring that was too personal. But you had put in what he said about Stella and how you’d learned that he stole candy from other kids every year, that his car just made doing so more convenient.

Josie, on the other hand, had scribbled back, “Naw, not as cute as I was picturing” in response to the group photo you had sent them. You rolled your eyes, as the answer wasn’t entirely unexpected. You knew they weren’t really Josie’s type, and their better features weren’t really highlighted by the dorky costumes or the makeup. But what you had not admitted to Josie, and even had trouble admitting to yourself, even as you gazed at the Polaroid you kept tucked into your vanity mirror from that night, was that you did find them cute. They definitely had grown on you, and neither were particularly bad-looking to begin with. Both had good qualities, and their personalities drew you to them more than anything. You agreed with the in-joke that Auggie liked every girl, and so you never got your hopes up about him and felt more-or-less just friendly towards him. However, you were reluctant to admit that your feelings toward Chuck were more than friendly. There was something about the way he made you laugh and the way his eyes would shimmer with puns, quips, and mischief that made you forget about your problems. Nothing was ever really serious with him, and that’s what you needed at this point in your life. You hastily looked away from the photograph and read the rest of Josie’s letter. She had complimented your costume and asked about the haunted house, commenting that it seemed ‘gross.’ She really has a way with words, you thought to yourself as you heard the crackle of your walkie talkie that was discarded on the floor by your bed. The gang had been using walkie talkies as a primary means of communication for years, you’d discovered. Sometime in late September or early October, they initiated you officially into their friend group by getting you your own and tuning it to their frequency.

Chuck’s voice came through the connection, “Hello. Anyone there? I am bored out of my mind.”

“Chuck, you’ve been home twenty minutes.” Auggie replied, almost immediately.

“Yes, and my house is very boring and I would like to get out of it, please.”

“Can’t. Dinner.” Auggie replied and Chuck gave a huff from the other end.

“Stella? Y/N?” You went to pick up your receiver. Stella still hadn’t answered, so you figured she was busy or had hers turned off. Or it was dead. She consistently forgot about putting new batteries in it.

“Yeah, I’m here.”

“Please, please save me from this boredom.” Chuck begged, and you couldn’t help but smile. Your mom was still at work anyway, so you agreed to meet him.

“See you at the park in 10?” 

“You got it, over.” You rolled your eyes at the radio-speak, but were also amused. You wrote a note for your mom in case she beat you home that you were in the park with friends. You decided to put on a jacket over your sweater as nights were getting colder and colder and the first snow of the season was expected soon. The park was somewhere between your house and Stella’s, so you took your bike to make it on time. Chuck was already sitting on top of the play-structure when you arrived.

“Hey, how’s the weather down there?!” He called out as you approached. 

“Probably the same as up there. Cold.” You replied, pulling yourself up to sit with him, “You know, you’re going to be just as bored here, but less warm.” You pointed out.

“I doubt it. Mom was practicing the piano and Ruthie was talking very loudly on the phone about some boy she wants to date.” He said, making a gagging motion with his hand and his mouth. 

“Then why doesn’t she?”

“Well, you know how girls are, no offense. She just thinks she has to play hard to get all the time to not be the talk of the town. But, also, I think she said he already has a girlfriend.”

“And you left that juicy drama and potential blackmail to come hang out here with me?” You asked, faking shock.

“Dammit, I didn’t think about the blackmail.” He grinned back at you. “But yeah, I like hanging out with you.” You weren’t expecting the rush that that sentiment gave you and you quickly looked away from him. “Hey, so, does it seem like Tommy’s been laying low lately?”

“Yeah, I almost feel like he’s planning something.” You admitted, playing with your sleeves, still not daring to look up quite yet.

“Or maybe he got it out of his system that first day after? I mean, he got me and Stella. Didn’t you say he came to your locker too?”

“Yes.” You said softly, trying to get the memory of how all those words made you feel. The taunting, gross comments made you feel grimy, and you could feel that coming back now, just thinking about it. “But uh...I kind of yelled at him, so that’s why I think he’s gotta have something more planned. You know how he is. Can’t take blows to the ego.”

“You what?” He stared at you incredulously.

“I guess it wasn’t really yelling, but I snapped. It was definitely mean.”

“Like he doesn’t deserve it?”

“Oh, no, he does.”

“What did you say to him?”

“I was about to leave but he said something about Auggie and, I don’t know, what he said on Halloween was just so awful. I told him he should be ashamed of himself and to leave Auggie alone.”

“And he just accepted that?”

“Not really, no. He asked me what would happen if he didn’t and I just said, ‘I’ll think of something’ but I guess it sounded vaguely threatening enough.” Chuck laughed, but then stopped when you admitted, “He called me a crazy bitch for it. But I just walked away at that point.” You shrugged, tugging at your left sleeve again.

“I really hate him.” Chuck said, jaw clenched, staring forward. “I don’t know what his problem is or why the rest of us have to suffer, but he’s really an asshole.” You just nodded. “You’re right, what he said to Auggie crossed a line. Who makes fun of someone’s dead dad?” He shook his head and the both of you didn’t speak for a few minutes, each lost in your own thoughts.

He finally looked to you, “Hey, Y/N. I know we don’t really talk about it, but...what happened to your dad? I mean, if you don’t mind me asking.” Despite Chuck saying he was bored by his sister Ruth’s drama, he actually loved to know what was going on. He was always curious and you were surprised it took him this long to ask this particular question, given his lack of a filter.

“He’s not dead, if that’s what you’re asking.” You surprised yourself with the defensive tone in your voice and tried to soften it going forward. “It’s kind of like Stella’s mom. He left.” He didn’t pry verbally, but you could still feel his expectant gaze on you, so you continued. “He uh, left my mom for another woman. That’s why we moved here, to get away from people who knew, but also because we couldn’t afford to live there without his salary anymore. So mom sold the house and took that money to get one here, and luckily she grew up here and still had a friend in the area who found her a job.” You looked up at him now, not sure what you expected to see or gain from it. His dark brown eyes were studying you while you spoke and now that you looked up and made eye contact, he nervously looked away.

“That sucks. I’m sorry.” You weren’t sure if he meant your situation or for asking. Probably both. But you shrugged it off.

“It is what it is. But hey, I’ve got you guys now. Without all that, we never would have met.” You tried to remain optimistic, put a positive spin on it. Especially since this was uncommon territory for Chuck. He was so rarely serious or focused on ‘real’ topics like this.

“That’s true. So who’s the real winner here?”

“You. Definitely.” You joked and he gave you a half-smile, the lopsided dimple warming your heart.  

“Hmm. Right again.” Those dark eyes looked into yours for just a moment too long, where it became meaningful, purposeful, so you both quickly looked away. His family was still intact, there wasn’t anything for you to dig more into. Instead, you asked him if he had seen the latest episode of Get Smart, since you knew he enjoyed it. That really just spun into a yarn about different shows you liked, and which book you were currently reading.

It was getting dark and you figured you should be getting home, especially since the chill in the air was making its way to your bones. You’d been there for about an hour, just talking, and the lack of movement had you both stiff and nearly-frozen. “Yeah, you’re right. I should probably get home, too. How about we bike to your house first though, since it’s getting dark?” 

You swallowed, hard, at the offer, “Oh, you really don’t have to do that.”

“It’s not like it’s hugely out of the way. And you said you were feeling paranoid about Tommy anyway, so-”

“I am not paranoid. I didn’t say that.” 

“Fine. But there’s strength in numbers, right? Just in case.” You knew he was going to keep insisting, so you just agreed and started pedaling to your house, with Chuck catching up quickly to ride beside you.

[scapegrace74-blog]

The Second First Christmas

A/N Despite the fact that I’m posting it after Boxing Day, this little fic is about Metric Jamie and Claire celebrating their first Christmas as a couple.  It is unadulterated fluff, and in keeping with the season of giving, I’m going to give this an Explicit rating.  You’re welcome.

With special thanks to @lady-o-ren, for Jamie’s gift idea!

All other parts of the Metric Universe are available on my AO3 page.

December 24, 2018, Spitalfields, London, England

Claire could hear her phone vibrating loudly on the metal shelf inside her duty locker.  Overcoming fatigue so severe it blurred her vision, she entered her combination and yanked open the door, thumbing the screen just before the call went to voicemail.

How did he do it?  Jamie had an uncanny, and frankly slightly unsettling, ability to guess her whereabouts, even remotely.  The past week he had found her in the massive Spitalfields Market merely on the hunch that she would be craving sushi after her Pilates class.  At one point she’d found his prescience disturbing, but now it soothed her.  Someone cared for her enough, knew her well enough, to plot the passage of her days on the virtual map of his mind.  And that someone was on the line.

“You’ve reached the voicemail for Claire Beauchamp’s circadian rhythm.  Press One if you’re a cortisol suppressant, Two if you’re an espresso machine, or Three if you’re Claire’s boyfriend, last seen in the flesh prior to the winter solstice.”

Jamie’s low rumbling chuckle filled her ear.

“Ye’re verra funny for a lass goin’ on twenty-four hours wi’out sleep, Sassenach. How was yer shift?”

Having worked most holidays in the A&E since graduating nursing school, Claire knew they went one of two ways: either complete bedlam, or utter boredom.  This one had been the latter, for which she was thankful.

“Surprisingly calm, but that means no lovely adrenaline to keep me awake.  I may sleepwalk into the Thames on my way home.  Are you at the station already?”

“Aye, jus’ starting my shift.  Can ye be at the main entrance of the hospital in five minutes?  I’ll call ye an Uber.”

“Jamie, that’s really not necessary.  I’m quite capable of walking...”

“Claire...” he interrupted, and needn’t say anything more.  They’d had numerous conversations and minor confrontations since becoming a couple over what Jamie termed her “wee addiction to self-sufficiency”.  She was trying to learn to accept help when it was offered, but it was an iterative process.

“Thank you.  I’d appreciate that.  Will I see you tomorrow morning before I go back on duty?”

Both Jamie and Claire were working extra hours over the holidays to offset the cost of refurnishing their flat.  Every minute spent together was therefore doubly precious.

“Aye, I’ll wake ye when I get in an’ we can celebrate our second first Christmas t’gether by tryin’ tae keep the other awake long enough tae open our presents.”

She smiled, but it morphed into a yawn.

“Get some rest, Sassenach.  And Claire,” he added in a serious tone, “t’would be a fine gift tae find ye in my bed, preferably naked, when I come home on Christmas morn.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” she husked, suddenly much more awake.

***

There was a puff of cool air and then the Earth moved.  Straining to hold onto slumber, Claire rolled away from the disturbance, gripping the blanket beneath her chin.  A low chuckle preceded a solid warmth radiating along the entire length of her spine.  Something bristly abraded her shoulder and she flinched away.

“Has anyone told ye ye look like a wee hedgehog when ye sleep, Sassenach?”

“I’m fairly confident they haven’t,” she retorted, rolling onto her back and stretching before opening her eyes.  The room was mostly dark, but Jamie’s auburn curls glowed in the dim lamplight escaping their living room.  His bare shoulders were humid and pink from the shower.  “What time is it?” she asked.

“Gone four.  We have a few hours afore ye have tae be back at the A&E, aye?”

“Mmmm,” she hummed affirmatively, caught up in tracing the ligatures of Jamie’s upper arm.

“Good.  That should leave us jus’ enough time.”

“Just how many presents are we exchanging?” Claire laughed, mesmerized by the eager passage of Jamie’s eyes over her face.  The hand that wasn’t bracing his head aloft began a lazy exploration beneath the blankets, touching her naked skin so softly that it almost tickled.

“Only two.  An’ the first one’s already unwrapped.”

“How fortuitous,” she teased before leaning upwards to capture his waggish lips in a warm introductory kiss.  “Merry Christmas,” she murmured as they parted some time later.

“An’ tae ye as well, Sassenach.  Ye canna imagine how many times I thought of ye t’night, yer beautiful skin warm against my sheets.”  Jamie’s free hand was on the move again, firmer now along the contours of her body as it came alive to his touch.

“Slow night, then?” she gasped as his knuckle found her nipple, slackened with sleep.

“Painfully so.”

There was no further conversation for a time, mouths being employed far more enjoyably.  Four months of intimacy had bridged the span from friends to lovers, replacing hesitation with ardour.  They were still learning each other’s tells; when to lead and when to follow, how to ask and how to demand.  It was a giddy education for them both.  

Tonight, Jamie’s fatigue and drawn-out anticipation left him shaking with want, a sensation akin to sharing a bed with an earthquake.  His broad torso was outlined in the light from the door as he knelt between her thighs, lust pinwheeling like sparklers in his eyes.  Fortunately, condoms were no longer a necessity after they both produced clean blood tests and Claire had an IUD implanted.  So when he slid into her body, there was nothing but the needy clasp of flesh on flesh.  Her sigh of pleasure mingled with Jamie’s groan of relief as they began their dance.

“Yer breasts, mo nighean donn,” Jamie growled past the iron clench of his jaw.  She dragged her pupils down from the back of her eyelids to observe the twin objects in question, undulating in time to their meeting and parting.

“Touch them for me,” Jamie commanded.

Aware that her every movement was being minutely observed, she made a show of arching her ribs and running her hands first beside, then below, and finally between her breasts.

“Seadh, mo ghaol.” The words snuck unbidden between Jamie’s strained lips.  She didn’t have the Gaihldig, but his meaning was clear.  Go on.  So go on she did, dragging fingernails over the creased flesh of each areola before giving both nipples a sudden pinch.  Whatever tectonic fluctuations her actions caused, Jamie felt them, for he let out an ecstatic whimper.  A worried furrow now marred his brow.  Her fluent eyes read the desperation written on his face.  He didn’t have long, and he needed her to go before him.

Her right hand drifted down to where they were joined.  His cock was thoroughly coated in her moisture as it emerged from her body.  Wetting her fingertips, she began to trace the intricate geometry of self-pleasure against her flesh.  Breathy moans filled the air.  Jamie’s teeth were bared in a snarl of panicked concentration.  She wasn’t going to overtake him in the wire sprint to the finish, she realized.

“Do it, Jamie.”  His crazed glance snapped upward to meet her own certain one.  Doubt clouded the seascape of his irises.  “God, please,” she begged.  They’d spoken of it.  A fantasy.  A mental titillation not yet brought to life.

Resolution came just in time.  Slipping from her heat, he grasped himself and with two hard strokes erupted all over her skin with a hoarse cry, anointing the final acceleration of her fingers as she echoed his climax with a convulsion and a sob.

Minutes later, they lay side by side, still recovering their breath.

“Don’t fall asleep,” Claire warned.  “We still need to exchange gifts.”

“Greedy wee thing,” Jamie groaned, already halfway to slumber.

***

A shared shower and two cups of strong coffee later, they sat on their new sofa.  Claire’s carefully wrapped gift for Jamie lay on the coffee table before them.

“I can’t help but notice that there’s nothing under our tree for me, Fraser.”

“Och, ye mean ye expect me tae serve ye and give ye a wee present, Sassenach.  Ye truly are greedy,” he groused dramatically.  Standing, he extended his hand and confused, Claire allowed him to lead her towards her bedroom.  For a moment she considered that he might actually be taking her back to bed.  As he turned on the light she understood his intention.

As a lifelong wanderer, Claire could count on the fingers of one hand her precious material possessions.  Her mother’s emerald earrings.  Her father’s pocket watch.  A jade fish from the Cat Street night market in Hong Kong, a lucky talisman she carried in her pocket for every test and exam.  And a beautiful antique print of Persepolis left to her by her Uncle Lamb.  All but this last had survived their apartment fire unscathed, but the water and smoke damage to its parchment had been irreparable.  Or so she had believed.

“Jamie,” she gasped upon seeing the lithograph once again mounted in its frame on her wall.  “But... how?”

“Well, I willna bore ye with the details, but suffice it tae say that there’s an antiquarian o’er in Bermondsey who can work miracles.  There’s still a wee bit o’ smudging near the edges, but I reckon it adds to its character,” he explained.

“A palimpsest,” she said, taking his hand.  At his questioning look, she explained, “when one story is written overtop of an older one.  This print is a remembrance of my Uncle Lamb and his love for me.  And now, when I look at it, I’ll be reminded of your love as well.”

“Aye, just so,” he agreed.

***

Claire was unaccountably nervous as Jamie began to unwrap her gift.  She’d felt certain she’d picked just the right thing for him; personal without being sappy, meaningful without being extravagant.  But with eyes still misty from the thoughtfulness of his present to her, she was having doubts.

“Tis rather heavy,” Jamie observed as he lifted the rectangular package onto his lap.  His eyes were alight with childlike glee, which was a gift unto itself.

“A chess set!”  His smile was genuine, but Claire’s heart plummeted.  What kind of woman bought her lover a chess set?  She began to stammer.

“I... ummm... I thought you could invite your friend John over to play.  You mentioned missing the challenge, and ummm....” she broke off, floundering, but Jamie paid her no heed.  He was lifting each wooden piece from its velvet resting place, inspecting its shape with a look of utter fascination.

“Where did ye find this, Claire?” he asked at last.

“Oh, uhh, online, actually.  It’s from a store in Inverness, but of course I wasn’t able to...”

“It’s Culloden,” Jamie interrupted.

“Errr, yes.  I thought, you know, a chessboard is a tactical battlefield.  And with you being Scottish and your family’s Jacobite history...”

“Claire, this is the most amazing chess set I’ve e’er seen.   Look here.  See this wee knight?  Tis a Scotch Hussar.  An’ the white king is the Duke of Cumberland.”  Jamie’s finger traced the words and images carved on the plinth of each piece, going on and on about the clans represented by the tacksmen pawns and his own grandsire, Lord Lovat, symbolized by a tiny strawberry carved on the base of an ebony rook.  Claire’s ribs began to loosen their vice-grip on her lungs.  Maybe she hadn’t horribly miscalculated after all.

“Sassenach, thank ye.  Truly.   Tis a grand gift.”  The chess set had finally been set aside and they sat facing each other, hands gently caressing as the winter sun slowly warmed the room in tones of blush and grey.

“You’ve very welcome.  I’m so relieved that you like it,” she replied with candour.

“I love it.  But no’ half sae much as I love ye.”

“I love you too.”  It was only after the words had taken flight from her lips that she realized she had never said them aloud before.  Not to Jamie, whose sudden stillness indicated that he had heard her.  It was too late, then, to pluck her soaring words from the air and cage them once again inside her heart.  Too afraid to meet his gaze, she concentrated on smoothing her palms over the backs of his hands in a hypnotic rhythm. 

His response, when it came, was whispered into the secret stronghold they had built together.

“There’s naught on Earth tae compare wi’ the gift of yer heart, mo nighean donn.  I want ye tae ken that I shall treasure it, an’ ne’er give ye reason tae regret placing it with me for safekeeping.”

Jamie lifted her hands to his mouth and kissed them both sweetly.  Still looking down, she nodded her acceptance of his pledge, a single tear escaping from the tip of her nose.

It was well past sunrise by the time Claire rose from their bed a second time, kissing her sleeping lover goodbye before creeping out of their flat and into the gemstone light of a perfect Christmas morning.

[delimeful]

my virtues uncounted (3)

warnings: blood, injury, arguing, panic, remus mentions

continuation of the “Light Sides are tiny in the Subconscious” verse! Part one here, and part two here! Ao3 Link

-

Patton wandered over to the edge of the desk, away from where Roman and Logan were discussing approximately where they were in the Mindscape and how they could escape Anxiety’s room.

Anxiety himself had retreated to sit on the corner of his bed, leaving them on the desk. He looked awfully casual, but Patton could see the way he glanced over out of the corner of his eye every couple seconds. 

He sat on the edge of the desk, remembering how the other Side had fretted over Roman’s imaginary injury. He squinted at Anxiety. Had he treated the cut on his hand yet? Patton hadn’t seen him do anything of the sort, and his left hand was conspicuously tucked away into his pocket.

Well, if they were going to be staying there a while, it would be best to get to know their host better, wouldn’t it? 

Mind made up, Patton popped back up to his feet, and jogged over to the edge of a shelf. Carefully, he began to sidle along it, carefully not looking down as he got closer and closer to the bed. 

Just when he was almost over it- 

“Patton! What are you doing?” Roman yelled, and Patton jumped slightly, tilting forwards a bit. 

“Uhhhh,” Patton replied as he pinwheeled his arms, trying and failing to keep his balance.  “Woah!”

Only a blink after he toppled over, however, there was a dark presence at his side, a hand providing a soft landing point only inches below the shelf. 

“Oof,” he grunted, and then a gust of warm air rustled his hair from above. He craned his head back to look at Anxiety, who was sighing lowly in relief. 

“Unhand him, villain!” Roman cried from out of sight, and Patton felt the hand underneath him twitch slightly with tension before going lax again. He frowned, getting to his feet to stand and look over at his friend.

“Roman, don’t be rude!” he chided, struggling to stay upright on the surprisingly soft hand. He ended up sitting back down heavily, and craned his neck to look at the Dark Side. “Thank you, Anxiety.” 

He was treated to the sight of Anxiety’s eyes growing wide in a rare moment of unguarded surprise, and smiled happily. If he’d known that the Side wasn’t really that scary, he would have come to visit ages ago!

Maybe not while so small, though. It seemed to be stressing Anxiety out.

“Wha- Patton! It’s not rude when he’s holding you captive!” Roman said, anger obvious in his voice. “Let him go!” 

“Anxiety seems to have caught Patton to keep him from falling,” Logan chimed in, stepping a bit closer as though trying to peer up at where he was being held. “I don’t think Patton has been in his hand long enough to qualify as being ‘captive’, Roman.”

“Yeah, listen to Logic for once, Roman.” Anxiety’s voice rumbled through Patton, the larger Side rolling his eyes and placing his hand down on the desk. Patton grinned and waved at the other two, not moving from his spot settled firmly in the dip of Anxiety’s palm. 

“Logan, c’mere! Check this out, it’s so cool!” 

Logan took a moment to look unblinkingly at Anxiety, analyzing him in a way that surely would have made him bristle defensively if he wasn’t already busy staring at Patton with befuddlement. Roman’s head was whipping back and forth between all three of them, as though waiting for someone to return to their senses.

“Very well.” Logan began to walk up to where Anxiety’s hand was resting, and Roman followed along with a slack-jawed expression, less intentionally and more because of some half-formed sputtering about not wanting to leave both the other Light Sides closer to Anxiety than him. 

Anxiety’s hand twitched slightly under him as Logan got closer, and Patton crossed his legs to better balance. He wondered how it felt to have a whole person in one hand. Probably a little scary, going by the slight tremors Anxiety was trying to stifle.

“Interesting,” Logan said from where he’d reached out to touch Anxiety’s wrist. With his other hand, he held two fingers to his neck. “Your heart rate appears to be much higher than mine despite you not having recently endured significant exercise. Is this normal for you?” 

“Duh. I’m the embodiment of fear,” Anxiety grumped, tilting his hand surprisingly gently so that Patton slid off onto the desk. He clicked his tongue, shaking his hand a bit to dislodge Logan’s grip. “Now stop that. I’m not a science experiment.” 

“Awww,” Patton pouted at the loss of his seat as Logan looked up at Anxiety with a confused tilt to his eyebrows. 

“Of course not. I was simply making an observation out of a desire to learn more about you.” 

Anxiety’s face pinched inwards as though he’d bitten into a lemon of suspicion. “Well, checking my pulse isn’t going to help you figure out my weaknesses, so how about you keep your hands to yourself.” 

This got a bark of not-laughter from Roman. “That’s rich coming from you, Grab-ston!” 

“Grabston?” Patton frowned in consternation as he attempted to figure out the wordplay on that one, and Anxiety’s scowl deepened. 

“Oh, you’d prefer I just watch you fall to your death next time? ‘Cuz rest assured, from that height, you’re guaranteed to splatter,” Anxiety grit out as he loomed over them, hand fisted at his sides.

“Is that a threat?!”

“Weaknesses? Learning more about others is my role,” Logan said, though seeing as the other two had escalated to near-shouting, it was spoken more to himself.

“Oh!” Patton clapped his hands together once. “Like Gaston! I get it.” 

“No, it’s not a threat, are you an idiot-!” Anxiety turned away sharply in dismissal, making Roman’s hands twitch for a sword that wasn’t there, and Patton’s eyes caught on a drop of something dark falling from one clenched hand.

“Anxiety! You’re bleeding,” he called out, his voice cutting through the lingering tension.

Anxiety looked down at his injured hand like he’d never seen it before. “... Yes?” 

“Aren’t you going to heal it?” Logan asked, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “There doesn’t seem to be much sense in keeping an injury around.” 

Patton nodded in agreement, but Anxiety seemed to be further confused by his words. “Heal it? What, like a superpower? It’s just a cut, not much to do for it but slap a bandage on.” 

The three Light Sides exchanged questioning glances, and Roman ran a hand through his hair with a groan. “Most Dark Sides can’t heal injuries instantly like us. They don’t have the power to alter the mindscape like that. Except my... brother.” 

Anxiety recoiled slightly. “You mean you guys go around pulling your ears off and shit for fun, too?”

Patton paled slightly at the thought, and Roman growled low in his throat. “No! We’re just more connected to Thomas, so it’s obvious that we’d be more powerful. We don’t go using it all willy nilly like him.” 

“Huh.” Anxiety shoved his hands back in his pockets, much to Patton’s dismay. “Perks of being a core Side, I guess.” 

“Hey!” Patton cried, making Anxiety’s eyes snap to him eerily quick. “Come back over here! You shouldn’t ignore injuries like that, mister! I’ll heal it for you.” 

“Patton, he’s literally imprisoning us here,” Roman groused halfheartedly. He knew Patton well enough to know that the father figure would not be deterred. 

Anxiety, on the other hand, was a bit more reluctant to concede. Patton had to coax him over like a startled deer, and only Roman’s snort finally propelled him to set his hand on the desk again, grimacing. 

Patton set a gentle hand on Anxiety’s thumb and focused on fixing the cut so that it would match the soft palm he had been sitting on earlier. 

Nothing happened. 

Patton frowned and focused harder, but the tug of change that he normally felt in his chest seemed somehow… muted. “Something’s wrong…” 

Logan, who had been watching closely, made an attempt of his own, likely more out of curiosity than actual concern for Anxiety’s injury. He swiped a hand over the cut, a gesture that would normally seal the injury easily, but all he got for his trouble was a hand soaked in blood and a pained twitch from Anxiety. 

“Very helpful,” The Dark Side commented dryly. Logan shook his hand with mild disgust on his face, like a cat that had stepped in snow.

Patton frowned harder, reaching for that connection inside of him, seeing if maybe something Thomas was doing was hindering them. 

“Uh, guys?” This result was considerably more alarming. “Can you feel Thomas?”

Roman and Logan broke off from muttered bickering about whether or not Roman should try healing Anxiety to stare at him, and he could see the change that came over them when they tried for themselves. Anxiety picked up on the changed mood immediately.

“What’s going on?” he asked, looking between them with a crumpled brow. 

“Why don’t you tell us?” Roman’s anger came with a distinctly panicked edge. “Why can’t we influence Thomas? Whatever you did, undo it!” 

Looking at Anxiety’s startled expression, however, Patton got the feeling that the situation wouldn’t be resolved so easily.

[haikyuupaladin]

Take a Moment to Find Yourself

Today (March 26th) is Epilepsy Awareness Day and I’m continuing my yearly tradition of a new epilepsy fic for a new fandom every year. I hope you guys enjoy this. This is an AU of Growing Pains where the physical effects of Steven’s gem powers malfunctioning manifest as seizures instead. Thanks to @fuckepilepsy and @cisneconcorbata for beta-ing this fic! And a disclaimer that this is not an accurate portrayal of the medical system, though I’m trying to be as accurate from the standpoint of tests required and symptoms as possible.

“-even! Steven! Are you okay?” Steven opened his eyes groggily to Connie’s face on the phone in front of him. He didn’t remember calling her. And when did he fall asleep? Why did his body feel so heavy?

“I’m fine,” Steven tried to reassure Connie, though even to his own ears the words seemed slightly muffled and wrong. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Steven,” Connie started, “I think you just had a seizure, has this ever happened before?”

“What?! No, that can’t be right, nothing like that has ever happened before, and besides, I think I would’ve noticed, wouldn’t I?” Steven asked. Even as he denied it, panic welled up inside him. His words were mostly a failed attempt to reassure himself at this point.

“Oh, Steven,” Connie sighed sympathetically. “It doesn’t always work like that. You lost consciousness, Steven, you probably wouldn’t remember.”

That would explain why he didn’t remember picking up the phone he supposed...“Oh,” Steven said, his voice small. “So… what do I do?” He was completely at a loss. Nothing like this had ever happened before. Sure, he’d been in all sorts of life threatening situations before, but in those situations there was always something he could do and someone responsible for it happening. This was entirely out of his realm of experience and that scared him more than anything. 

“Well, if this is your first seizure, you should probably call your doctor,” Connie told him gently. “They’ll probably be able to give you a better idea of what to do.”

“I… I’ve never been to the doctor before,” Steven admitted, starting to panic even more. How long had this been going on for without him realizing? And what was he going to do? If the first step to figuring this out was seeing a doctor and he couldn’t even do that… 

“It’s okay Steven,” Connie cut into his spiralling thoughts. “I’m going to call my mom, and then I’m going to come pick you up, okay? We’ll figure this out Steven, I promise.”

Steven sighed, relieved that Connie seemed to have things under control. “Okay, thanks Connie.”

“Of course Steven,” Connie replied. “I’ll be there as soon as I can, okay?”

“Okay,” Steven replied, as Connie hung up the phone. 

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

Time passed by in a blur, and the next thing Steven consciously remembered, he was sitting in Dr. Maheswaran’s office. “I’m going to be quite frank with you Steven, neurology is not my specialty,” she told him. “But we’re going to start with a standard checkup and then I’m going to call one of my colleagues in and we’ll go from there, does that sound good?”

Steven could only nod. He squeezed Connie’s hand to ground himself somewhat as Dr. Maheshwaran walked him through what they were going to be doing. The standard checkup part went by both too quickly and not fast enough. He just wanted this all to be over with.   

“And this is my colleague Dr. Wickersheim,” Dr. Maheswaran told Steven as a man Steven hadn’t met before walked into the room. “He specializes in neurology, and he’s up to date on all the research I’ve done with the help of Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl, so you’re in good hands with him. I can stay and observe though if that makes you more comfortable.”

“Please,” Steven agreed to Dr. Maheswaran’s offer quietly. “It’s nice to meet you Dr. Wickersheim,” he said, turning to him. 

“It’s good to meet you too Steven,” Dr.Wickersheim said, shaking his hand. “Though I suppose we both wish circumstances were a bit different.” Steven nodded. “Now, today, I’m going to send you for a few more tests if you’re up to that. We’re going to send you for a CT scan, an MRI and an EEG to start off with and we’ll work from there. Dr. Maheswaran told me that your X-Rays showed a crack in your skull so the MRI and CT scan will help us figure out if there’s any long term injuries to your brain or anything similar that we should be concerned about, and the EEG will help us figure out where the seizures are originating from, and maybe what triggers them as well.”      

Steven nodded, though he still wasn’t fully processing what Dr. Wickersheim was saying, nor did he fully understand how these tests were going to work. 

“We’re lucky that today is a slow day in the neurology department, so all of these tests can be done today,” Dr. Wickersheim explained. The CT scan and the MRI turned out to be somewhat claustrophobic for Steven, as he laid inside of two different tubes that scanned his brain for something, he still wasn’t entirely sure what if he was being honest though. The EEG was...weird. A bunch of wires were glued all over his head, and Dr. Wickersheim even glued some to his gem. 

“Normally, we’d only be looking at your brain, but my understanding is that your gem plays a large role in your body’s functioning, so I want to make sure it’s not originating from there as well,” Dr. Wickersheim explained. They flashed lights in Steven’s face, made him blow on a pinwheel, and asked him to try to sleep. He managed to fall asleep surprisingly quickly, but he woke up with a start, nightmares had been keeping him up recently, so that was less of a surprise.

 Dr. Wickersheim turned to him. “It looks like we have all the information we need. The earlier tests showed that you have some scar tissue in your brain, and the seizures seem to be originating from around that area from a neurological standpoint. But when we did the stress test, your gem started emitting signals that seem to trigger the more traditional neurological signals. I’m going to prescribe you a medication that should help, but what would also be a large help would be to remove as many sources of stress from your life as possible. Can you think of anything stressful that happened recently that may have been the trigger for today’s episode?”

Steven shook his head, but Connie spoke up hesitantly.

 “Steven hasn’t been in the best place emotionally lately,” she said. “And, I don’t know if he remembers right now, but he tried to propose to me yesterday. I had to tell him not now, but it’s possible that could have caused it, right?”

Steven’s heart sank. He didn’t remember that. How could he not remember proposing to Connie?! How could he not remember Connie rejecting his proposal?! What was wrong with him that he couldn’t remember two hugely significant events that apparently happened yesterday?! 

“Connie...I’m sorry,” Steven croaked out. “I’m sorry I made you come here with me after that, I didn’t know -”

“It’s okay Steven,” Connie interrupted him. “I want to be here for you. I wouldn’t be here still if I didn’t.”

“It’s unlikely that that alone was a trigger,” Dr. Wickersheim assured Connie. “Although it may have been the straw that broke the camel’s back so to speak. A lot of stress induced seizures are caused by long term stress building up, or intense physical stress all at once, though intense emotional distress all at once can’t be entirely ruled out I suppose, can you think of any stressors like that Steven?”

Steven felt the words spilling out of his mouth, detailing his entire childhood from the moment Cookie Cats were discontinued to the present. Dr. Maheswaran spoke up. 

“Steven, you just described a long history of trauma. It’s possible that you have PTSD as well, which combined with your epilepsy diagnosis, it’s no wonder you’re having stress induced seizures. I’m going to call your father and all of us are going to work together to make sure you get the best care possible, okay?” 

Steven nodded, exhausted and reeling from everything that had happened today. It was a lot to take in all at once. Connie placed a hand on his shoulder. 

“It’s going to be okay,” she whispered, and wrapped him in a hug. Steven hugged her back and sobbed into her shoulder. This was going to be a long journey.

[whirlybirdwhat]

Daughter of the Sea, Daughter of the Storm (Pt 1)

The Viking Nami Au inspired by @onepiecehcs now fully written for your enjoyment. Two more pieces should be coming in the next two days as well! Enjoy!

Ao3 for better quality!

-

Nami doesn’t know this, but she was born on the coldest night of the year, in the eye of a storm.  She doesn’t know this, because her mother (unnamed and unknown save for the roaring thunder above) dies three days later due to the struggles of childbirth.

Nami survives, because her father places her wicker basket in the midst of a battle (a slaughter) where another young girl, hair like blueberries, picks her up. Nami is born from blood and storm, and brought into battle and sisterhood.

(Nojiko won’t let her go.)

In this battle, a lightning strike watching over head, a woman finds her. The woman, Bell-mere, does not care for the lightning marks running down Nami’s back, or her (currently) nameless state. She cares instead for the blood staining her blankets and the dirt settled on Nojiko’s face – she cares for these two children, one kingdom born and one sky born – and Bell-mere takes them home.

This, Nami knows, for her mother (Bell-mere) raises her and her sister on the snow-littered island of Cocoyashi, where the winters are tough and the people stronger, where stories are told every night and the sweetness of oranges grown in ice and cold dance on every tongue.

This is Nami’s truth.

-

Cocoyashi is about three degrees past “too cold” and one away from “uninhabitable” but its people make it work. Nami (Daughter of the Storm, Daughter of Bell-mere) grows up with furs and boots and twenty ways to keep out the cold when you are too poor to get proper heating. She knows the way animals flee in the colder months by the time she is four, and can hunt half of them by the time she is six. When she is seven, she knows how to tough out a winter by the spit of her mouth and the grit of her hands – Bell-mere teaches her how to make baskets that keep the food from rotting, and the cloth patterns that keep the devilish cold out.

In between survival, Nami learns from Nojiko (who learns it from the older kids down the street) how to two weave thirteen different types of braids, and pin up thirteen more.  Her hair isn’t long enough yet, but it will be. In the meantime, she threads beads and glass into it, to make it shine like the gold she knows her family doesn’t have.

On her own, Nami maps the island and learns from the sky. Thunder rumbles her to sleep, and wind guides her map-pencil to the right points.  Piles of books are formed and read next to her bed, speaking of meteorology and altitude and wind pressure – things any (good) navigator should know.  Two axes (small but sturdy, fit for a warrior child’s hands) find their way into her hands and into furrows in mountain sides, helping her climb and climb and climb, till she, all of eight years old, stands atop Cocoyashi highest peak in the midst of a raging tempest.  She maps her island home from this peak, and then ventures into the woods to practice her aim.

(Bell-mere says that she became a Marine to put her skills to the test. Instead, she was forced to use a musket and strike down those unworthy to be apart of the World Government. Now,  Bell-mere has her musket by the door, next to her axe, and a dagger by her waist. She’s welcome in town, but she listens to no chief.

Nami loves her mother, and she listens well. She won’t make the same mistake.

She’s going to be free, and if Bell-mere has taught her anything, it is to fight for the things you hold dear.

Every target hit is another day lived, another treasure kept, another lesson from Bell-mere in Nami’s mind.)

Cocoyashi’s cold, but its people are strong, and care for the trees and hunt the beasts. Nami, despite the storm she was born in, is no different.

-

Arlong comes in the summer months, and so does the axe.

Its longer than her, made of wood stronger than sea stone and sturdier than the mountains, with a metal that Nami has never quite seen before for its blade, hooked it seems, for easy grappling

Oska, Nami whispers the name that’s carved in its handle, (Thunder), when she finds it leaning outside her door, scorch marks (lightning marks) all around it.  

Nojiko likes to poke at it, and Bell-mere just nods in blind acceptance before gathering them in to eat.

Later that day, Bell-mere starts training Nami in its use.

Later that month, Bell-mere smiles at Nami before Arlong shoots her through the skull.

-

Arlong’s brutal in all the way her people aren’t. He can stand the cold just as well as any of them, without needing any fur (fishmen, apparently, live in the depths of the sea where the sun never sheds it warmth. The ice bothers them, but does not stop them from terrorizing her people) and the way he orders her people about makes her shrivel inside.

His mark is now on her shoulder, where Bell-mere told her she could have her first tattoo when she was old enough. (It was going to be a mix of all the things she loved – tangerines and storms and pinwheels and family. But she can never have that anymore, can she?)

Everything’s gone wrong, hasn’t it?

(Nami makes it for the pyre, the Viking funeral they give for the funeral that is her mother, her Bell-mere. Nojiko holds her tight and Nami takes the pain that her hug presses down on her shoulder (she deserves it) because that’s their mother in that pyre, and that’s her favorite axe and her musket.

Is she smiling while she’s getting devoured by flames? Nami can’t tell.

(All she feels is cold and electric all at once.))

-

Nami cries every night, but every morning she ties her hair into a knot and slips on her boots and meager armor. She’s ten and all but mastered her smaller axes, but the new one Oska eludes her still – and Bell-mere isn’t there to help her, so she has to do it all alone, training and pushing her body til Arlong drags her in to draw another map.

(Are the lines she draws born from ink or blood? She can’t tell anymore.)

She manages to get out one month in to her imprisonment. A small sailboat is all she has, and provisions enough for a week – two if she only eats once a day.  Tenancity is all she has left to hold her up, so she uses it all to sail away for the first time.

Cocoyashi fades into the fog and the axe on her back weighs heavier than ever.

-

(Nami faces a storm at sea, on her first voyage. It is a tempest, a hurricane, a thunderous rain of ruin, but no lightning touches her. Instead, the sea parts before her as she knots her hair and ties up her dress, fingers gripping the rope of the sail. Her face is wet but it feels more like platonic caress than a rainy whip and the way the lightning flashes (heat lightning, her books called it, a blessing, Bell-mere said instead) illuminates her way out.

She places her feet on land come morning and faces a trio of pirates – men bigger and stronger and more ruthless than her – on the shore. There’s a pull from her side and her hand reaches for Oska, leaning against the boat. The men laugh at her ten-year-old form, but she slams the handle down and suddenly they aren’t laughing any more. Suddenly they are very burnt and Nami is glowing blue electric.

Suddenly, there’s lightning.

Suddenly there is hope.)

(Thunder smiles and heads away – his daughter is well.)

-

Life goes on, and Nami steals gold after gold after gold. Necklaces start to lie around her neck and cloths from around the East are threaded to make her dresses. She learns more braids and learns that even warrior women can lure men in to traps. She’s fifteen and strong enough to lift up her boat (The Tempest) and then sixteen and strong enough to lift a (small) sea king head.  She carves her own weapons and makes more maps stained with blood.

She’s a thief and she’s a warrior, a map maker and a navigator. Her family’s far away and she has a quarter of a million to free them, but she won’t falter, she won’t.

(The thunder won’t let her.)

Then, she stumbles upon Orange Town and a map to the Grand Line.

Then, she meets Monkey D. Luffy, who looks at her axe and her face and her claim to be a navigator, and asks her to join his pirate crew.

She hates pirates.

(But once upon a time she wanted to be free.)

-

Here are some things that Nami knows: her (temporary) captain is an idiot, she can outdrink the swordsman, both are stronger than even her strength but she’s more sensible than both of them.

This is evident by the way she has to haul the two idiots out of a bar fight while carefully avoiding the orders for them to pay for the drinks.

The money has better use anyhow.

“What were you two thinking! You idiots! We don’t have that kind of money!”

30 plates and 30 drinks. Luffy was a bouncing ball of rubber two seconds ago and Zoro is leaning heavily on her shoulder, muttering about swords and axes and who believed that people got weaker as they grew older, damn witch, and she’s about to dump both of them in the mud.

“But Nami! We have you!” Luffy cheers despite the painful hold she has on his ear.

“No – you don’t!”

“But you’re super strong! You shoulda seen all their faces when they realized that you weren’t drunk after all those drinks!” She might have lied when she implied Zoro was the only one drinking. “ And then you brought out your axe and did the slammy thing with all the thunder rumbling all around – and you’re the best! I have the best navigator! Zoro, did you know I have the best navigator! She’s so cool!”

Nami misses Zoro’s reply because she still busy standing dumbstruck by Luffy’s too honest words.

She doesn’t even fight against being his navigator this time.

(She might even feel like flying if it weren’t for the ink on her shoulder.)

--

At Syrup they meet a boy who wants to be brave and a girl who wants to heal. Luffy helps them do both as Nami helps dismember pirates with cat ears with Zoro.

There’s a kind of hope in this town that Nami wish she had for herself, the kind of hope that comes from the miracles Luffy brings, the kind of hope Cocoyashi brings.

But Nami doesn’t think about that when she’s using her twin axes to climb rock faces and trees for treasure, or when she has to fight a pirate crew who even the Demon of the East Blue and a boy made out of rubber have trouble with.

When the battles over, Demon and Rubber Captain wounds tended too, Zoro nods at her, respect in his eyes.

It’s something Nami hasn’t seen in a while, not from anyone but Luffy (and Bell-mere and Nojiko). From one warrior to another. She hefts her axe over shoulders and nods back, before claiming a room for herself aboard the Going Merry.

-

Its at the Baratie she leaves, and on the Merry she cries. She sails alone, as she has for years, (The Tempest crashed four days before she met them) but now it feels so much more lonely than it ever has been.

The wind keeps pushing back against her but she forges on. She’s so close to being free, so close to killing the fishman that kept her chained to that damned map room for eight years that she can’t bear anything else.

-

It turns out Arlong is not a man of his word. It turns out her former crew cares to much about her – that her village cares too much about her – and that Nami can’t stand this any more.

The treasure carefully hidden and kept safe so that even the dangerous winter months couldn’t stop her from getting it is gone and her people are going to get themselves killed.

(Axes aren’t always strong enough to break fishman skin, not when they had to have been carefully hidden. Nami knows this, she’s tried many times. )

Her hands are bloody from where she stabbed the end of her axe into them, but the dagger she holds in her hand is steady as she tears at her sleeves, hair slipping out of its knot.

Then – there’s Luffy standing before her, catching her hand. “Luffy… Help me,” She cries, never feeling weaker, but there’s electricity in the air and a hat on her head.

“OKAY!” He shouts, and there’s freedom in the air.

Nami knows, because this is a feeling she’s never known before.

-

She leaves Cocoyashi one necklace heavier (a gift, from Nojiko, one of Bell-mere’s) one crew stronger, and a shoulder hurting with the familiar sting of a tattoo. Arlong’s gone and so is that room and she’s free.

(Her room has been half transformed into a map making room of her own design, Zoro sits with her when she sharpens her blades, Sanji brings her drinks strong enough to kill a man, Usopp has been helping her make a weapon that will let her make more than thunder and lightning, and Luffy has smiled at her every day while leading them onward to a new adventure. After every new island, he asks to see the map she made of it, and its in such a different way from Arlong she wants to cry.

She loves this crew, this crew of the future Pirate King.)

-

The way out of Loguetown is the first time she shines, reveling in the storm that bows to her will. She guides them through the waves, keeps them safe enough so that they can make their vow together.

“I’M GOING TO DRAW A MAP OF THE WORLD!”

Light flashes so that she can see her crewmates faces, her captains face, grinning wild and relentless against the storm. Oska is a steady weight in her palm, anchoring her to the deck, and she knows that there is no place she would rather be than in this storm.

Thunder rumbles approvingly, and they surge into the Grand Line.

-

In Paradise, they meet a man with flowers for hair, a whale that has lost its family, and two bounty hunters, one of whom is the most beautiful woman Nami has ever seen.

So, if she casually uses her axe a bit more leniently than she would before, or moves more crates than ordering them moved, its nothing but her stretching her muscles, that’s all.  

(And if she rolls up her sleeves, so far up that the tattoo of an axe, wreathed in lighting and tangerines  in the shape of a pinwheel is visible on her left shoulder, then its no ones business that she smiles a bit brighter.)

Still – her axe has never been for show, and she will put it to use if these bounty hunters try anything.

-

At Whiskey Peak, Nami outdrinks Zoro and fakes falling asleep. This is, of course, not before depleting the people of this horrible town of near all their alcohol. It’s pitiful that they don’t see that Nami’s still awake, or that her axes are still resting next to her.

Pitiful, but not unwelcome if she wants to steal any of their gold.

-

Miss Wednesday’s real name is Nefertiti Vivi, and she is the princess of Alabasta who became a bounty hunter to save her country.  

Nami already feels a kindred spirit with her.

She talks and laughs with her, whispers to her in their shared cabin, spars with her and lifts her up on her shoulder’s. Vivi’s smile is like the pearls that washed up on Cocoyashi’s beaches, beautiful and more common if you know what causes them. She teaches Vivi how to braid her hair and hold an axe, and Vivi teaches her the stars above the Grand line and how to use the loge pose and her peacock whip.

Nami could get used to this.

(She thinks Vivi could too.)

-

Nami wakes up on Drum, tosses Vivi her heavy fur cloak, and starts making with the mayhem as Luffy starts to liberate another island simply because they hurt someone and got in his way. Drum is her element, the snow and wind casting flurries around her, and her braid (Vivi must have braided it for her while she was out of it-) whipping about her head as she uses her twin axes to help Luffy with the henchmen.

Later, as she sits on the sleigh and watches the sky erupt in cherry blossoms, she feels fingers interlink with hers. A glance to her left is Vivi, still wrapped in Nami’s own cloak, cheeks red and face cheery as she looks to the sky. Nami thinks her own face must be a mirror of Vivi’s, and shifts her own hand to hold the princess’s tighter.

-

At Alabasta, Usopp gives her a new axe. Tempest, he has named it, and Nami can’t help but think of her old sailboat that carried her everywhere till she met this crew.  The blade is sharp and almost as long as Oska’sbut it’s not forged like Oska was, its’ been crafted to collapse, to be hidden, to make her seem like a summoner and warrior all at once.  Teary eyed, she hugs Usopp and goes off to practice with her new weapon.

She could summon Lightning and thunder all on her own with Oska, what can she do now?

--

Tempest is a weapon that Nami has never held before, never heard of before, never trained in before, but that’s okay, because Oska hadn’t been familiar to her either but she learned.

And if such learning must come in battle, so be it.

Tempest splits in three parts with a chain linking the three – a blade is at one end, and its designed so that it can fold in in a feat of engineering that Nami could not possibly comprehend.  That’s not the important bit though –

No, the important thing is that Tempest has the technology to create heat and cold and energy that Nami can direct any weather she can at an enemy. She’s sure it can be upgraded in the future, but this – this is the start of something great.

Miss Doublefinger doesn’t stand a chance.

-

Before she even sets foot on Merry, she knows that Vivi is going to stay. The way she stares at the desert and her people, with such fond love and duty that has only ever been mirrored in the Strawhats is something that cannot be faked.

So she gives Vivi a necklace, one of her own, her favorite one that she made with Cocoyashi pearls and sea glass and iron, and wraps it around Vivi’s neck. Then she kisses her, putting all the love she possibly could into it. Vivi smiles as she kisses back, but her cheeks are damp.

(Nami’s are too)

Nami’s a warrior and Vivi’s a queen. This won’t ever change, not to Nami, but nor will her feelings change.

She looks Vivi in the eye. “Four years, love, then I’m kidnapping you.” She’s a pirate after all, and Pirates love treasure. She’s sure the crew won’t mind, and they are all going to mope anyway if Vivi stays.

Vivi barks out a laugh then kisses her on the cheek before sliding her own braclet (gold and carved with Vivi’s name) on Nami’s wrist. “I’ll be waiting.”

-

The last view Nami has of her love is her in the desert sun, dressed in white and looking like the sun and sea came together to create something that the world could never quite keep. She has her hand in the air, X proudly shown, and Nami wasn’t supposed to look but she did anyway. Her own wrist stings because she made the local tattoo artist tattoo it on, but her eyes sting more and its don’t because of the salt air.

It is going to be a long four years – but at least she has Vivi’s den den mushi number locked away.

Once Alabasta is in the haze, everyone is moping. Zoro tries to put on a façade that he isn’t, but everyone knows he is.

“We should have kidnapped her.” He says, and everyone agrees. Nami smiles, laughs, and unveils a promise.

She can’t wait.

[ophelia-hendrix]

The Michelin Man: The Thorst of Chris

 @warrioroflondonbelow 

- This is Titanic 2, Jack’s Revenge - *Christine wants to put a gun up Leo’s Ass* - It’s the BAYBLADE! Let it rip  - SHUT UP! *at Your Mum joke* - *Chris freezes* - There's always time for napping - I think Leo’s favourite bird if Leo DiCrapricrow, when he’s said he’s DiCaprilow - Wait that’s not Rose! - That was the gun from his ass - Why did we bring you Robin, you’re useless - He’s trying way too hard to be Jack, he’s failing. - We’re at the potato of this film *when it's a dream within a dream, within a dream* - Oh, my jam! *some french song*  - I miss Cillian already *sighs*  - Anything is possible in The Sin Shack - Why is Robin so uptight, can he get off? - *both sings Bayblade poorly* - *both start to talk about snickers* - Robin is a praying mantis - That bag is empty! You’re giving your children nothing - Ellen Page looks like she’s 12 - It looks like the crayons maze from a kids menu - This is so artsy  - I have two perfect boys.  - *sees Leo’s hair* He uses mayonnaise in his hair - Leo, honey you can’t hide - Ken Watanabi slamming a door on someone. I love him - *rants about JGL* He’s a chimichanga bitch boy.  - UUUUU moving stairssssss this isn’t Harry Potter! Shut up Joseph Gordon Levis! - *both excited about cats* - This is illegal! - The old’s man job is to just birch slap people - Oh no Leonardo Dicraprio is becoming Leonardo Dicraprihoe - BAYBLADE - Ken is Alpha! Leo is so low - *Christine plays the accordion My Heart Will Go On when Cillian shows up* Okay enough I don’t wanna get copyrighted - LOOK AT HIM! MMMMM! *slaps herself* - Joseph Gordon Levitt has the energy as the “I have the power of god and anime on my side* kid - *Nobody is paying any attention* - They’re just bullying Robin - *Chris’s excitement is at a 12/10* - I love Ken! You go! I want Ken to adopt me! - *sends a picture of a muppet* this is Joseph Gordon Levitt - Edgy! woooow memories!!! PLOT TWIST! - Sadly Ellen’s character is likeable. Any redeeming qualities? - Best friends! Best friends! *Tom hardy and CIllian*  - Fischer? Fish where do they live? The sea. What lives there? Big Fish. It's CONNECTED!  - He sleeps like an angel - This looks like a music video - Wait! Oh no I thought it was Oscar Issac - THERE HE IS! Sweet prince - NO! KEN MY FATHER! - OOof this got dark - THE SACK! - PAPA KEN! - God Leo! - THE SACK IS OFF! He looks so done - Ah yes the Daddy issues - I just wanna *slaps her hand* - NO PAPA KEN! - Ah yes I see he does have a pimple om his neck, you’re right - Fischers dad is right up there with John Winchester - This movie is yelling and monotone dialogue  - Her last words were “Let it rip” - Even with a gun to his face he’s annoyed - Papa Ken! Rest now papa - Chilling with my sack - The cuts are whiplashes - His face “Get away bitch” - What a way to live. Sniffing wallets - LOOK AT THAT!  - Focus on the meme - OOO slow me - Oh my god his face - Yes I am! I am so thirsty! - I need to be..... locked up - No Cillian! NO - I look like garbage - *None of us are paying attention* - “Mr Fischer you know what this is?” ...” A suitcase” - AWW SHIT trust issues! - He’s so beautiful  - THE MICHELIN MAN!!!!!!! - Leo Dicraprisnow - Oh shit here it comes - You sounded like Mario dying in the video game - Oh the scene where the director to aboner - Can we skip to the part with Cillian in it. It’s been 4 minutes of two men rolling around - MICHELIN MAN! - My throat hurts from screaming - I love how aggressively quiet we are when CIllian isn’t on screen - Its a penis hat - Awwww friendship *when JGL murks a guy* - This is winter levels of halo? IDK - His haaaaaair - GOOD LORD COBB IS AN IDIOT - BOTH SCREAMING CAUSE HE GOT SHOT - Why is he so stupid? WHo made him the leader???? - ....This world is absolute garbage - His kids Oscar and Golden Globes - Dream up some Mayo Leo - Oh so when Leo wraps gifts does he use a Dicrapribow? - Oh so when Leo was a kid and hos mum said drink your milk so you can Dicraprigrow? - He’s whispering. Is this ASMR? - Ah shit the depression train is coming - When he puts his luggage away on a plane is it Dicrapristow? - And Papa Ken is.......dead - Power of friendship will revive him! - Oh noooow he gets it and he smartens up.  - OH FUCK she threw him over the edge - GET YOUR PINWHEEL - OH GOD HIS FACE - You’re like a Dr Seuus tonight - He’s so sad, but oh so beautiful  - Hurry you have to cook your pinwheel - THE FACE! OH NOOOOO - You beautiful Michelin Man. OH GOD HE’S SO BEAUTIFUL  - Its the Splash Zone! - And credits.... - What is she saying? QUIT WHISPERING - OH GOD ITS LIKE 20 HORSES! *when I do ASMR* - He’s a beautiful Merman - Those are angels tears, not rain - *both of us go “oh noooo....”* - Leo has a thing for drowning doesn’t he - We’re back to Assgun! - Grandpapa Ken now - More ASMR - OH EVERYONE GETS IT AT THE END IT’S A DREAM BUT THEN IT ISN’T BROOOO - Its pretencious, but it’s lovable - Ah there he is! Beautiful man - ANNNNND SCENE

[fearofaherobrine]

Roleplay Server Log #341

“Offender Arrives, The Wicker Man, TLOT's Memories”

-Ringleader has joined the server-

-SexualOffenderman has joined the server-

-Splenderman has joined the server-

[Doc] Frantically throwing on clothes-

[TLOT] Is loafing next to the water on the beach below the castle garden and sits up abruptly-

[Steve] Pops up out of the shallows

[Yaunfen] Sniffing the air while Waffles gives a warning growl-

[Splender] Has entered the server near the castle and waves at those he can see- Hello everybody!

[Yaunfen] perks up with whiskers twitching- Hi Splender!

[TLOT] Waves back as well and Steve is climbing uncertainly up onto the shore- you brought us a guest?

[Splender] - Weeeell

[Offender] Yawns- Due to certain circumstances, brother wants to make sure at least one of us is with Splender

[TLOT] Are you I'll? Or in some supernatural danger?

[Offender] - I suppose you could say that

[Steve] Who would want to hurt Splender? He's one of the nicest people I know

[Ringleader] - Splendy why don't we go find Pinwheel?

[Splender] - Okay!

[Offender] Waits until the other two are out of hearing distance- Our father...

[Yaunfen] Flicking their tail- someone else with a mean dad? Thats not okay.  

[Waffles] Sniffs Offender and gives a tiny kitty style sneeze.

[Offender] - Yeah, it wasn't a problem until they managed to fix the portal between our dimensions

[TLOT] Well he's got a decent place to hide at least.

[Steve] dawning realization- You're Offenderman, right?

[Offender] Grins- Yes

[Yaunfen] I know an offensive word! Fuck!

[TLOT] ho boy

[Offender] Laughs- Good one kid!

[Doc] Comes racing up fixing their coat hurriedly- is there an emergency?!? What's going on?!

[Offender] - Not much, just making sure the baby bro stays safe

[TLOT] His father...

[Doc] Pales - Zalgo?

[Offender] Laughs- Oh fuck no!  That douche is not our father!

[Doc] I thought he was king of demons or something?

[Yaunfen] What's a douche?

[Offender] - He's basically a very old minor god in terms of power, but he's probably only barely stronger than our father, the Wicker Man

[Doc] Wicker? Doesnt that have something to do with furniture? [Steve] Watches two touchies that have crawled out of his skull helm fly lazily around him- a furniture man doesn't sound too scary.   [TLOT] and Yaunfen, douches are for cleaning girl parts. [Yaunfen] Oh yeah! Like mom has. - nod nod-

[Offender] - Think more the shape, the tangle of branches deep in a forest that you can barely see through.  He's so old his tendrils can resemble the deepest and deadliest parts of a forest

[Doc] So a mess.

[Offender] - And deceptive

[TLOT] Somehow I think any untidy branches are going to stick out here. -gestures at the trees nearby- even jungle trees are rather chunky and uniform.

[Offender] - Good point, but his goal wouldn't be to hide here, but to get my brothers and I back home and destroy Splendy

[TLOT] You're all in danger of being kidnapped?

[Offender] - In a sense?  In our world you obey whoever is strongest...  Which is one reason why it was odd for brother to not accept Zalgo's offer for us to live under him...

[TLOT] We prefer a more... democratic approach.

[Doc] Sort of. I mean, I get final say because I pay the bills, but certain people have their own areas or expertise and subjects to rule.

[Yaunfen] Mada is head admin!

[Offender] - Don't know what that means but good for you!  I'm gonna go help Splendy find his little biting fluffball

[Doc] Well before you go... I don't mean to be rude but...  did you... feed before you came in? We're used to accomdating Splender. And Trender and Solace would be equally easy... I'm just concerend. We have a lot of children here and plenty of inhabitants who already have trauma they're trying to work through...

[Offender] - Yeah, I got plenty of fuel last night

[Yaunfen] You eat coal like Crim?

[Doc] Uncomfortable- no... - Hir words have a certain emphasis- Offender, this is my child Yaunfen.

[Offender] - So one of the many Splendy already berated me for on being off limits, gotcha

[Doc] That would be appreciated-

[TLOT] Mentally to Offender - They're young, and as far as we can tell, completely non-binary with no organs of either type.

[Offender] Responds mentally in kind- Hasn't stopped me before, but I'll leave them be since I don't think any of us want a raging Splendy on our hands

[TLOT] Mentally- Or me. I've made a few bad mistakes of my own in the past, and now consent is very important to me.

[Offender] - Welp, I'll be off then!

[Doc] Wait! One more thing. - Xe clicks near him and brings up the display- You're a guest player for now. Just type my name in the chat like this- does some finger motions like on a keyboard- if you need anything or have any questions.

[Offender] - Noted, oh and we brought Ringleader to help keep SPlendy's mind off of what's going on

[Doc] Oh! I'll have to drop by. We had a nice little adventure last time. It'll be good to see her again.

[Offender] - Yup, well, you'll probably find her and my brother around the kids quite a bit

[TLOT] That's normal. The kids really enjoy his company. My Testificates are used to seeing him around the village.

[Offender] Starts walking off- Yeah well I'll probably be stuck baby sitting the biter

[Doc] She's a bit more advanced then you remember. Be nice to her. She's basically Sally's age now and about her level too.

[Offender] - Oh joy

[Yaunfen] Should I find Big Fire mada?

[Doc] Go ahead, I need to check in with your mom. Everything looks like it's holding steady, but I want to add a few things just in case.

[Yaunfen] I'm on it! - Goes trotting off with waffles following at a loping pace.

[Doc] Turns to TLOT- ...

[TLOT] You don't have to ask, I'll keep an eye on him.

[Yaunfen] Runs down the spawn road sniffing around for Cp's brimstone smell-

[Lie] Is walking towards Doc's place with CP following her.  He's still in cat form-

[Yaunfen] Leaps over her in an effortless bunch and bound- HI LIE!

[Waffles] Saunters up more leisurely - mrrrr

[Lie] - Hello Yaunfen, is your Mada home?  I'm trying to find somebody

[Yaunfen] Yep! They're at Castle Thunder! Talking to mom.

[Waffles] Sniffs at Cp-

[CP] Hisses at Waffles-

[Waffles] Show of teeth and pokes Cp with one toe of one huge paw-

[CP] Fury swats-

[Lie] - CP!

[Waffles] Thumps a paw down flat on Cp's head to knock him down-

[Yaunfen] Is circling several blocks away- Lie? Where's Big Fire?

[Lie] - Hm?  Oh, well he's catified and being a bit squished by your cat by the looks of it

[Waflles] Is roughly patting Cp with a playful expression-

[Yaunfen] Waffles!

[CP] Manages to escape and runs over to Lie, doing a butt wiggle to jump up on her shoulder-

[Lie] - Don't you dare

[Yaunfen] Leans down and tangles Cp up in hir whiskers- Hey Big Fire!

[CP] - Growls-

[Yaunfen] Mada said to tell you Offenderperson is here!

[CP] Freezes as does Lie-

[Lie] - I'm sorry Yaunfen...  Could you repeat that?

[Yaunfen] Offender is here? Splender came back too, with someone called Ringleader.

[Lie] - Okay then...  I'm going to go barricade myself in my room for the time being then

[Yaunfen] Be safe Lie! - Looks at Cp who's still slightly tangled-

[CP] Wants to follow Lie and pulls a little-

[Yaunfen] Lie? Does Big Fire need to go with you?

[Lie] - Yes!

[Yaunfen] Puts the cat down-

[CP] Darts off to follow Lie, a fire charge already building in his mouth just in case-

[Pinwheel] Is rather happily laying in a patch of sun in the workroom-

[Karla] Is tinkering curiously with the workroom crafting table.

[Pinwheel] Rolls onto her back with a bit of lip smacking, her tail swishing a little-

[Karla] Glances over with a small smile. - Deadly little dreamer...

[Splender] Teleports into the room, having heard from Alexsezia that Pinwheel was there- PINWHEEL!- He quickly scoops her up and is hugging her

[Pinwheel] Is very much awake now- Splendy no!  No!  No!  No!- Each no is punctuated with a bite

[Karla] Is understandably startled- You probably should not- Oh GODS!

[Splender] Just happily snuggles Pinwheel as she hisses-

[Ringleader] Runs in- Splendy not so fast!

[Karla] Do you need medical attention?! You should put her down!

[Splendy] - Hm?  Oh!  Hello!

[Karla] Composes herself - She's a rather sensitive creature, you shouldn't grab her like that.

[Splender] Laughs a little- Oh don't worry, I do this all the time!

[Pinwheel] - Splendy down!

[Splender] - Oh alright...  What happened to your scales?

[Karla] The little one ran away and got caught in the rain...

[Splender] - Oh Pinwheel...  Why didn't you go home?

[Pinwheel] Huffs-

[Karla] She had a disagreement with her friend Crim. Children get overwhelmed sometimes. It's hard being young.

[Splender] - Yes, I was there when it started, I unfortunately got called away for some business, but I trust she and Crim have made up and that's good

[Ringleader] - Awwww, she's gotten so much bigger the last time I saw you

[Karla] Yes, well enough. I don't believe we've met? I'm Dr. Karla Emmerich. Currently Lie's houseguest.

[Splender] - I'm Splenderman!  And this is my proxie Ringleader!  And this- He turns towards empty space and freezes

[Ringleader] - Yeah this is why I was yelling at you not to go so fast, I have no idea where your brother is

[Karla] Nice to meet you both... Brother?

[Ringleader] - Sexualoffenderman...  Should I go out and look for him sir?

[Splender] A bit ashamed- Yes please

[Karla] With a name like that he sounds like Hell on wheels.

[Ringleader] - Just don't take any roses and you'll be fine

[Karla] Laughs lightly - My playmate is more likely to come with a whip in his teeth and a pleading expression then flowers. Thank you for the warning though.

[Ringleader] Heads out to find Offender-

[Splender] Turns towards Pinwheel- Have you been a good girl while I've been gone?

[Pinwheel] - Don't care

[Karla] She's been calm and happy for the few hours we've spent together.

[Splender] - Wonderful!  Little biting?

[Karla] Just once, but I'm over it.

[Splender] - Oh dear, you didn't hit respawn did you?

[Karla] No, she'd spent her venom on the mobs. It's fine.

[Splender] - Oh dear, still, I'm sorry...

[Offender] Teleports in behind Splendy- There you are, ah, and the biting fuzzball

[Karla] Is this the aformentioned brother? I can see the resemblance in height.

[Splender] - Ah!  Yes!  Offender, this is Karla!  This is my brother Offender!

[Offender] - You can just call me Smexy

[Karla] Chuckles lightly- I like it! And the flasher coat. - She crosses one leg over the other, the light catching the shiny black leather on her feet and hands.

[Offender] His trademark grin spreads across his face- Oh I like her

[Karla] Most men do. Unless they fancy being able to tame me. - She lifts her chin to see him better and her massive chest scar and cleavage are easily visible from above.

[Pinwheel] - Hungry!

[Karla] Endrea left you some bottles. Give me a moment. - She gets up and brushes past Offender to open a trunk and retrieve the bottle of void energy-

[Offender] Lets a couple of his tendrils curl out only to have Pinwheel bite them- Ow!  Stop that fang face!

[Karla] How interesting... - She brings Pinwheel the bottle and tips it so she can drink from it.

[Pinwheel] Lets go of Offender to eat-

[Offender] - Yeah, slender beings like my little bro here and I all have tendrils

[Karla] I believe I've met your... oldest brother? Cp and I had a bit of fun, and he was kind enough to clean up after our mayhem. - across the room the Wunderwaffe seems to wake up and makes a few small happy electrical noises from the bed it's resting on.

[Offender] Chuckles again- Oh yah, that.  He griped a little bit, but that was more for show than anything else, he was almost playful when he got back

[Karla] That's an amusing thought in and of itself... - she tips the bottle a bit more, it's nearly empty. -Good Pinwheel. Get big and strong.

[Splender] - Doc said I could possibly ride her when she's full grown!

[Pinwheel] - No

[Karla] Diplomatically- I think that will take a lot more good parenting and patience. A young lady of such caliber doesn't let just... anyone ride her.

-Up in the main room the doors can be heard opening and closing-

[Lie] - Anyone home?

[Karla] Lie! You have company.

[Lie] Comes down into the workroom with CP following- Splender!  Glad to see you again!- She then notices Offender and stiffens

[CP] Begins growling at Offender-

[Karla] Now then Cp, we were just having a nice chat. Why so angry?

[Splender] - CP, you know Offender won't touch you or your mate, he knows how strong that bond is

[Offender] - Besides, your ass is too tiny right now to do anything too

[Karla] Off-handedly- Such things are easily adjusted, but it's innapropriate either way.

[Offender] - Oh I can adjust to fit just about anything, however...- He sniffs the air and turns towards Lie- Oh that smells delicious...  You're pregnant little lady...

[Karla] Indeed. She's the talk of the village. As far as we know, two Herobrines having a child is unprecidented.

[Lie] Is bright red-

[CP] Knowing Offender can hear him- Fuck off!

[Pinwheel] Finishes eating and licks her lips- I go find Cri now

[Karla] Are you sure Pinwheel? I could just try calling over the... chat? And see if anyone has seen him.

[Pinwheel] - Mmmmmmmm

[Karla] I think that might almost be a yes- She types a little and then waits for the words to come back-

[Buff] Over chat- I saw him out in the desert by the shrine miss. Only a little while ago.

[Karla] See? That was easy enough.

[Pinwheel] Takes off running-

[Splender] - Ah!  Pinwheel that was rude!

[Karla] She's just eagar to play with her friend some more. Her first friend. I wonder if I might be her second with time?

[Splender] Excitedly- Oh I hope so!

[Offender] - Calm down bro, your getting ahead of yourself again

[Lie] - I...  I think I'm going to go start on dinner...

[CP] Concerned mew-

[Splender] - Oh!  We should leave you to that then, don't want to be rude...

[Offender] - I like food

[Splender] - Come on, let's go brother, we'll get some food from Doc!- He starts pushing his brother out the door

[Karla] Watches them go with a little wave- Nice meeting you both.

[Lie] Lets out a very shaky breath and her body starts trembling a little-

[Karla] I take it 'smexy's' given name is not merely for show? You seem very upset Lie.

[Lie] - There...  There's some history...- She turns and removes her collar, her now very naked husband pulling her in close and smoothing her hair

[CP] - Shhh, it's alright...  I won't let him do anything

[Karla] Shamelessly takes a look at Cp's equiptment and makes the faintest snort before smiling.

[CP] Snarls at Karla a little-

[Lie] - I just...  He was in our home

[Karla] No shame Cp, it's a generous peg for what I imagine is a small square hole that's usually happy to invite it in. And he seemed well-contained by his more amiable sibling.

[CP] - He's lazy, that's what, but he terrifies Lie, and for good reason...

[Karla] I'm guessing he prefers his sexual partners to be random and unwilling?

[CP] - He doesn't care what they are, willing or unwilling, old or young, human or not

[Karla] Hence the name. Anyone would have every right to be terrified.

[CP] Glances down at Lie, as if asking her permission and she nods a little- He never actually attacked her, but she witnessed him taking a victim, we think that may be what led Insanity to choosing her as a suitable mate...

[Karla] That explains a lot, you're decently well matched but it still seemed a random choice for something fated.

[CP] Shrugs a little as Lies shaking starts to die down- Either way, she's mine

[Karla] And you are her's. I think that's just as important. From everything I've heard she's been quite a good influence on you.

[CP] - Whatever, I need to get dressed, Lie, are you okay now?

[Lie] - Yeah, I should be fine now...

[CP] Nods and teleports to their room to get dressed-

[Steve] Is whistling cheerfully as he makes steaks in a furnace by the water-

[TLOT] Is making a fish stew on top of the same furnace - I could use maybe... Two more?

-There's a commotion in the water as the golden dragon breaches and goes chasing after a fish-

[Yaunfen] is doing a little dance for Deerheart. Xe has a sprig of smoke berries in one hand and is trailing the particle effects everywhere.

[Deer] Smiles happily and is encouraging Yaunfen-

[Splender] Is approaching with Offender and Ringleader-

[TLOT] Signals to Doc-

[Doc] Surfaces with a fish in hir mouth and makes for the shore with just the top of hir head and mane showing.

[Yaunfen] Does a couple of graceful leaps and then stumbles a bit, breaking a rough stone block to nothing with their feet- whoops!

[Splender] - Are you okay Yaunfen?

[Deer] Goes to help Yaunfen up

[Yaunfen] Yeah- the smoke berries fell on the ground and some of them squished, making a bit of ground fog- two feet are just harder then four. Pfft!

[Splender] Laughs- This is true!

[Doc] Rises up like a sea monster from the water and tosses TLOT the fish- did you find Pinwheel?

[Splender] - Oh yes! She was at Lies place!

[Ringleader] Looking at Yaunfen- Awww, you've grown so much too!

[Yaunfen] Blinks at her for a moment- I know you... I think? - tiny tail swish-

[Doc] You were pretty little when you met her. This is Ringleader, Splender's proxy.

[Ringleader] - You had just learned how to say Mada when I last saw you

[Yaunfen] Really?

[Doc] Leans down and gives them a little bump with hir snoot- You were super cute then and you still are.

[Yaunfen] Yee! Mada. - smiles-

[Steve] Foods done. Anybody hungry?

[Offender] - Oh hell yes!

[Steve] Looks slightly unnerved by Offender but gamely starts passing out steak and warm bread and bowls of fish chowder.

[Doc] Shifts down to join them. It's a lovely day and a few touchies are buzzing lazily in the garden.

[Offender] Takes the food offered and swallows it in one go-

[Splender] - Of thank you Steve

[Yaunfen] Pulls out a full block of end sponge cake and starts nomming happily-

[Steve] shaky- There's more....

[TLOT] Passes a roast chicken and a baked potato from his inventory to Offender. His expression changes slightly as he brushes the Slenders hand-

[Offender] - Cool

[Splender] - Brother, don't eat all of their food!

[Doc] It's okay Splender, I can access creative easily. So we've always got plenty of basic meat and vegetable stuff.

[TLOT] Tilts his head slightly before addressing Offender- Your mind is quiet.

[Splender] - Yes, but you've seen my innards, his are the same

[Offender] - My mind is what?

[TLOT] It's quiet, clear almost. When Cp punched Lj and he retreated into his box, who found it?

[Doc] Is listening intently because of TLOT's tone-

[Offender] - I did, why?

[TLOT] You touched it, didn't you?

[Steve] You mean he's...?

[Offender] - Well yeah, how else was I supposed to get his box home

[Ringleader] - I'm confused...

[TLOT] Yes. He's clean.

[Doc] Okay, I feel about 1000% better hearing that.

[Yaunfen] You don't have the crazy lady!

[Steve] Wow!

[TLOT] Your Insanity was purged the moment you touched it. I understand that Slender beings aren't as controlled by her as normal creepypastas, but it still makes a difference.

[Offender] - Eh, never heard from her much anyways

[Doc] Well if someone has godlike powers it's always good to know they won't suddenly go bananas because someone looked at them funny. I adopted a dragon form partly because I wanted one and partly because I needed to be big in order to subdue Cp whenever he got out of hand. I spent a lot of time with him actively on fire in my coils while I tried to talk him down.

[Offender] Laughs at the mental image-

[Doc] Had to sit on him a few times too. And thankfully TLOT can use his powers to pin people in place.

[Offender] - Eh, everyone has their tricks

[Steve] Glances at his feet and smiles very slightly-

[Yaunfen] I can be heavy! Mama and I have been practicing. - so proud-

[Doc] Heavy?

[Deer] Sputters- Yaunfen! That was going to be a surprise!

[Yaunfen] But I can kinda do it! ... Sorry mama.

[Doc] What's this all about?

[Deer] Sighs- We've been practicing Yaunfen's powers on the candy seed and were going to surprise you with them once they got good

[Yaunfen] I can be stubborn as fuck! Just like Big Fire!

[Doc] Why does that worry me?

[Splender] - Yaunfen, that's not a nice word

[Doc] But it was one of the first they learned. So it's okay.

[Splender] - If you say so...

[Yaunfen] Moves a little bit away and shapeshifts back to a dragon. They're decently large and pad over to Splender- Try and move me! I'm like bedrock!

[Splender] - Okay!- He stands and proceeds to try and lift Yaunfen

[Yaunfen] Streches a little in the middle like a sleepy cat but the feet stay firmly on the ground. - That tickles!

[Offender] Grins a little, a tendril slinking along the ground-

[Splender] Keeps trying-

[Yaunfen] Is being shoved around a little but not moved. The dirt under them is looking a bit crumbly. - hehehe!

[Offender] Suddenly tickled both Yaunfen and Splender-

[Splender] Shrieks in laughter and let's go of Yaunfen- Brother!

[Yaunfen] Goes suddenly down so they're standing with one foot each in a one block hole- whoops! That's cheating! HEHEHHEHE!

[Offender] - Nah, it's called having fun kid

[Yaunfen] Uses their tail tip to tickle Offenders ribs- Sneaky!

[Offender] Retaliated with more tendrils-

[Yaunfen] Rolls over laughing-

[TLOT] Well at least they're playing nice.

[Ringleader] - Yeah, all of them get subdued around Splender

[Steve] He is a really nice guy.

[TLOT] Good neighbor too. - glances in the direction of Mb's house.

[Ringleader] - Is everything alright?

[TLOT] Eh, just a brine with an attitude. He was given to us to save him from being deleted. MasterHerobrine. He's been quieter since we gave him a dragon to raise but he still likes to fight. Reminds me of Cp now and again.

[Ringleader] - I see...

[Splender] Finally gets enough tendrils out to tickle Offender back-

[Yaunfen] Is pouncing and playing and acidently drops a tablet from their inventory.

[Ringleader] - Hm? What's this?- She picks up the tablet

[Doc] Is too fixated on Yaunfen playing to notice.

[TLOT] Looks at her- that? It looks like a painting maybe? Try putting it on a flat surface.

[Ringleader] Looks around before approaching the wall of the castle and pressing the tablet there-

-The image springs up. It's a healed zombie pig woman. She's lovely and dressed like a tribal princess. Behind her are images of dinosaurs. She seems to be almost pleading, reaching out with one hand from the picture. -

[TLOT] Goes absolutely white and still - I... remember... Zaya... oh gods...

[Steve] Runs to him- what is it???

[Yaunfen] Stops playing - oh no! TLOT?

[Doc] Comes to look as well- What's wrong???

[TLOT] Starts to cry and wipes his tears on his cloak edge-

[Steve] I don't understand.. OH GODS. - He's seeing the memory in TLOT's mind-

[TLOT] How could I forget...?

[Splender] He and Offender stop playing- No, don't cry, sadness doesn't taste good...

[Yaunfen] Don't cry TLOT.

[Doc] What happened? Who is she?

[TLOT] I... need to sit down... - He takes a few steps away and flops on a stair block, shaking his head-

[Steve] Is still reeling-

[Doc] Dammit, of all the times not to have some of Lie's flowers.

[Splender] - I could go get some

[Yaunfen] Scrabbles at the picture, taking it down and putting it away. -I'm sorry!

[Doc] If you want, it might help-

[Splender] Teleports away-

[Ringleader] - No, I'm sorry, I put it up...

[Deer] - TLOT, what's wrong?

[TLOT] It's so vivid... At least parts of it. She was.. someone important? My NOTCH... Revenge, he destroyed her in front of me...

[Steve] Yaunfen! Where did you get that?

[Yaunfen] I found it! I sifted it out of gravel! And fixed it with the anal-lyser.

[Doc] Where did the gravel come from?

[Yaunfen] Notch gave it to me.

[Doc] You mean Markus, right?

[Yaunfen] Uh-huh!

[Doc] How in the world...?

[Deer] - The leak... The mods from TLOT's seed are leaking into the others...

[Doc] So... we have artifacts now?

[Deer] - Maybe?

[TLOT] Mutters- There was a man there too... with a face like a.. wolf?

[CP] Teleports in with Lie-

[Lie] - TLOT?

[Yaunfen] I've found all kinds of stuff....

[TLOT] Is still shaken and teary-

[Steve] He suddenly remembered part of something terrible our NOTCH did....

[Lie] Nods in understanding before spawning calming blossoms-

[TLOT] Makes eye contact with Cp, and in that moment he also sees the memory. The woman standing firm and defiant despite being weaponless and being suddenly cut down by the misty form of TLOT's NOTCH. Her screams are terrible and his overwhelming fear and anger in that moment is sour and consuming.

[CP] Growls, the memory reminding him off what happened to his mobs-

[TLOT] Swallows hard. Reaching down to tangle his fingers in Lie's calming flowers-

[Steve] Wraps his arms around his husband as if to protect him-

[Doc] His NOTCH has such a long shadow... even dead...

[Lie] - Then we simply need to be brighter

[Doc] Adds hir arms to the hug- It's okay... it's over.

[TLOT] I need to know. Somehow... what happened... This hole in my mind is maddening sometimes.

[Yaunfen] Slinks over, laying their snout against his shoe-

[Splender] Teleported back and gives a burst of happy energy-

[TLOT] Lets it roll over him like cool water, and sighs, calming down.

[TLOT] Thank you... Sorry to bring everyone down. And Yaunfen, I'm not mad, but you need to let me know if you find anything else.

[Doc] Burst of guilt and a guarded expression-

[Lie] - It's okay, that's what we're here for- She's a bit nervous being so close to Offender

[Doc] Moves back a little-

[Deer] - Doc?

[Doc] Yes?

[Yaunfen] Also looks guilty

[CP] - The fuck is wrong with you?

[TLOT] Looks at them as well with narrowed eyes- What do you have?

[Doc] It's nothing!

[CP] - Doc you are surrounded by psychics

[Doc] quiet- fuck...

[Yaunfen] Mada cussed.

[CP] - Is there something you want to share?

[Doc] Not really?

[CP] Teleports behind Doc and grabs them- What is it?

[Lie] - CP...

[Doc] YIKES! Not so hard!

[TLOT] Doc what. do. you. have?

[Doc] Eh... I kinda.. found a tablet too....

[CP] - Show us

[TLOT] resigned- Let me see it.

[Doc] Fine... you won't like it though. - Xe pulls out the tablet and holds it out as much as xe can for TLOT to take.

[TLOT] He puts it against the castle wall and gasps-

-The painting is much bigger and shows a silhouette with glowing eyes and the shape of his own helm standing small at the apex of a giant pile of human bones and corpses. Behind him is the shadowy form of his NOTCH looming menacingly with his titanic head in the clouds. -

[CP] - Shit...

[TLOT] I....

[Doc] I hid it because I didn't want you to be upset...

[Steve] All my brothers...

[Lie] - Oh TLOT...

[TLOT] So quietly- I just.. didn't want to be alone...

[Yaunfen] But you didn't hurt them! It's not your fault!

[Doc] We understand TLOT... Loneliness can drive one mad... Mine almost killed me.

[CP]  - We've all been there

[TLOT] Its the not knowing that makes it even worse...

[Lie] - But at least you can remember.  It may take time, but I'm certain you will

[Doc] if the evidence exists maybe we should be looking for it? Cp... Where is all the dirt you removed to make the cage? If it's boxed it would likely have been sitting at ground zero of the leak for quite some time.

[CP] - I don't remember

[Lie] - Wouldn't the block under the seed be ground zero?  It's been in direct contact with the seed for a longer amount of time

[Doc] Yes... But sifting destroys the blocks. I was trying not to use anything that would be missed. I didn't want to tear up the floor in Cps build either. And speaking of Cp, can you put me down please?

[CP] Drops Doc- I can look for the blocks...

[Lie] - But I may have used them to fill in places...

[Doc] ow... That would be helpful.  I Don't want to make a giant hole someplace taking too many blocks away.

[Lie] - If there are still any they would be in my store room

[Yaunfen] We're gonna sift stuff? That's a good way to find treasures!

[Lie] - We could head over now?

[Doc] TLOT? Are you going to be okay?

[TLOT] I'll live. I'm going to stay here though.

[Steve] Me too.

[CP] Goes to pick Lie up again-

[Doc] Deerheart my love? It looks like we're going to go play in the dirt for a bit. Wish us luck.

[Deer] - Good luck

[Doc] checks on Offender and Ringleader and Splender- Splender? Are you okay? Maybe show Offender around the seed a bit?

[Splender] - Sure!

[Doc] Take him to the library for sure. I think he'd get a kick out of the second floor in particular...

[Splender] - Second floor?

[Ringleader] - Come on Splendy, let's go

[Yaunfen] That's where all the books for tall people are!

[Steve] They mean adults...

[Yaunfen] That's what I said! Tall people. And Splender is a super adult because he's so tall.

[Splender] - Awwww, You are so adorable Yaunfen

[Doc] What about Gk? Hes old but short.

[Yaunfen] grimaces-I've seen him eat a booger. He's not an adult.

[Offender] - What about me?  I'm shorter then Splendy

[Yaunfen] Gives him a calculating look- mmmm tall enough.

[Splender] Laughs-

[CP] Just starts walking off with Lie-

[clairelutra]

check yes juliet (4/?)

the people have spoken

now

don’ t ask me for an update until, like, another year has passed

please

Part one, part two, part four (part 1, part 2, part 3) (tag)

How much sleep he got turned out to be negligible in the long run: he really couldn't be expected to focus anyway, because Marinette wore the Chat Noir hoodie to school the next day too.

And the next.

And the next.

In fact, she wore it every day throughout the next week.

Adrien got a crash course in 'how to pretend you were paying attention when your crush is wearing a sweater with your signature all over it.’

He failed it miserably.

He was in danger of failing his next history test, too, but that was (allegedly) what the study sessions were for.

(Study sessions were getting steadily less productive as the weeks went on while he, the resident physics expert, got more and more distracted by Marinette and her... Marinette-ness, and Alya, the resident historian, could talk of nothing but the upcoming ball.

Nino and Marinette weren't particularly studious in the first place, and more often than not spent their time together shooting jokes and light jibes at one another.

It made for a wonderful atmosphere, and the sessions were the highlight of Adrien's week, but helping him with his grades they were not.)

Class was better, though only slightly - instead of thinking of followups to Nino's jokes and getting sidetracked by the light in Marinette's eyes, he spent the duration of it wishing he could trade seats with her so he could stare at the back of that hood all day.

He ended up eavesdropping a lot.

He might not have learned a whole lot about calculus, but he did learn about the bakery's customers, what designers Marinette was interested in at the moment, what plans she and Alya had for hanging out over the weekend, a myriad of little things he carefully filed away in his ever-growing mental 'Ladybug' folder.

That folder had rested stagnant for far too long. For all that he could recall any number of her bright grins and off-handed jokes, actual information about her life had been scarce up until very recently. For how often they worked together, his information on her had been painstakingly pieced together from from her reactions to things, her lines, and her jokes.

Until now.

Now his folder wasn't limited to things like 'likes video games' and 'dislikes gifts of live rats' (...certain impulses and cat instincts had been far harder to control before he'd been used to them); now he knew things like what she liked in her tea (one sugar, and one sugar only) and that you should never leave her alone with a cell phone. Ever. (He wondered if that was an instinct she struggled with, at times.)

It had things like how much sun it took to make her freckle (a few hours and her forearms would start to show a smattering of golden spots), where she liked to go to lunch when she had the funds (she was fond of Japanese food, surprisingly; she told him it was because it tended to not be overly sweet), and her reaction to horror movies (she could take the gore but had crawled into his lap and hid in response to the jump-scares and the tension).

(She'd done that last one in the hoodie, too. Adrien wasn't all that fond of horror movies himself but hell if he could be bothered with Marinette's chilly nose nudging the hollow of his throat and two adorable cat ears concealing the killer.)

He knew now that if you startled her out of costume, she would, quite literally, jump a foot into the air (and probably a few to the side, too), arms pinwheeling frantically as she over-balanced, smashed into the nearest immovable object, danced in place, performed acrobatic feats that were out of her reach otherwise, and/or played hot potato with whatever she was holding.

Ladybug was the picture of grace, competence, and self-assured potency.

Marinette had been found stuck in Hotel Bourgeois's dumb waiter, on occasion.

Marinette — no, Ladybug — stumbled and flailed and tripped her way through life, and Adrien couldn't have been more charmed. To think his Lady was this clumsy out of the suit was about as adorable as it was hilarious, and Adrien was starting to think he was in major trouble.

Because as much as he'd adored Ladybug before, there'd always been a certain amount of aloofness, of confident independence — to have that distance stripped away, to have it revealed that she wasn't really some other-worldly being, made her so close, so touchable it took his breath away.

He could touch her now. Text her. Ask her if she wanted to see a movie over the weekend and have her agree.

It was humbling and wonderful and terrifying, all the things he could envision doing with Ladybug now.

Pacing outside his father's study waiting for Marinette and said father to finish whatever they were talking about wasn't one of those things he'd envisioned, but it was still another little proof that she was a part of his life now, not a transient, ephemeral fever dream.

Soundly re-proving that she wasn't some figment of his imagination, the Lady burst out of his father's study, wild-eyed behind a forced, polite smile, letting the door shut itself with a solid-sounding thunk behind her.

"A week," she gasped, staggering up to Adrien and clutching his forearms, grip harsh with a terrifying kind of frenzied energy.

Just what had happened in there?

"A what?" said Adrien intelligently, steadying her as best he could and trying not to get sucked into her gaze, because now was so not the time.

He knew his father could be a bit much, at times, but not outright traumatizing.

Usually.

As far as he knew.

"A week," Marinette repeated, sounding like she was trying to believe it herself. "A week, a week, a week... I have a week to design a lineup."

"...A what?"

"A lineup," she said, letting him go and straightening out her clothing with shaking hands. "For the Christmas showing. One week."

Her hands froze.

"One week," she breathed, corner of her mouth hooked up awkwardly in the most joyous form of panic Adrien had ever seen. "I only have a week."

And with that, she broke every Agreste household rule and charged down the hall at top speed, formal jacket flapping in the breeze and flats squeaking on the tile.

Adrien watched her go, then slowly turned on his heel and opened his mouth to ask the door what the ever-loving fuck? before thinking better of it and going to find Natalie.

Maybe she'd have a clue what that was all about.

She did.

According to Natalie, his father had experienced a work emergency and had decided to dump the least-important lineup of the Christmas showing, a task which would have been a lot for a single, more experienced designer with more time, on one single busy teenage girl, instead of cancelling that particular section like any normal, sensible fashion icon.

Which... well.

His father had a propensity for disappearing for long hours and mumbling to himself while standing in dark rooms alone, so perhaps 'sensible' was not the best descriptor here.

(Adrien had learned to tolerate his father's growing oddities in the years since his mother had vanished, but even for his slacking grip on his sanity, this seemed a bit out there.)

In short, Adrien could entirely understand why he hadn't seen or heard from Marinette in two days.

Understanding, however, did not equate to not worrying.

Especially since Alya hadn't heard from her either.

(Alya, upon hearing the news, had winced and laughed and told him not to worry — Marinette had probably just buried herself under her rejected designs.

Alya didn't seem to understand that this was precisely what Adrien was worried about.)

Walking into the bakery at around lunchtime, her mother confirmed his suspicions when she greeted him with a wry smile and a, "See if you can't get her out of the house, Adrien. Goodness knows she needs it," as she assisted a customer with their order.

"My father-" Adrien started, pausing in the doorway, unsure if that sentence was going to end in an apology or a defense.

"I know," Sabine said with a peaceable, understanding smile, not looking at him as she deftly arranged a customer's croissants in a take-home box.

Adrien had the mad urge to ask her what he had been going to say, because she seemed to know far better than he did.

He didn't, but instead worked his way over to the working side of the counter and asked, "Is she in her room?"

"Hasn't come out since she got home on Monday," Sabine said, snapping the box shut and wrapping it in black ribbon in neat, economical movements. She slid the package to the end of the counter with a flick of the wrist and twisted sideways to pick up a pair of tongs. "Speaking of, would you take these up to her? I don't think she's eaten today."

Adrien blinked as the treats piled themselves up like magic, and then Sabine handed him the whole platter and shooed him into their living area with the same unfalteringly mild smile.

Adrien shooed.

At Marinette's door, he held the platter in one hand and rapped softly in the wood with the other.

No answer.

He waited a few seconds before rapping again and calling under his breath, "Marinette?"

Still no answer.

Had she left?

He pushed open the door, half-expecting a shriek or a shoe thrown at his head, and got nothing.

Warily, he poked his head through the opening, and the reason became apparent.

Marinette was asleep.

Adrien's mouth twitched into a smile as he pushed the door open and climbed into the room. He picked his way through the dense litter of crumpled drawings (Alya had been on the money, it seemed) over to where Marinette was dozing, cheek resting on yet another design.

She looked peaceful, despite the dark smudges below her eyes. Her mouth hung open, tiny line of dried saliva trailing from the corner of her lips to the desk. Her hair was tangled into stringy locks, wild bedhead doubtlessly exacerbated by her frantic scalp-scrubbing as she tried to brainstorm far too many ideas in far too little time. Her hand rested palm up by her cheek, long, tapered fingers curled in a way that struck him, abruptly, as vulnerable, open.

Adrien's chest contracted viciously, throat gone very, very tight.

He had to look away then, had to skitter away from the sheer force of that emotion, unsettled on a level just a little too deep, a little too personal.

His eyes fell on the neat pyramid of his gift, multicolored spools of professional-grade thread lifted sneakily off (that is, asked politely of) the designers in his father's main workshop. They occupied the only clear space on the desk, the crumpled wads of designs forming an odd semicircle around the thread structure.

Adrien widened the semicircle to make room for the platter Sabine had sent him up with, carefully shuffling rejected designs to the side with a good deal more thought than their creator seemed to have graced them with.

The clink of the ceramic must have disturbed Marinette, because she stirred not a few seconds later.

"Mmn," mumbled the sleeping Marinette, and Adrien looked over just in time to see her blink open sleep-fogged blue eyes.

Adrien's throat snapped shut, heart swelling too big and warm and tight for his chest, slamming against his ribcage like a sledgehammer.

He couldn't define precisely why watching her wake was so huge, except that it just was. She was open and soft and defenseless like this, with mussed hair and dazed eyes and—

It was a state of vulnerability she experienced every day, one that he had never witnessed before, one that he thought... maybe...

"Adri-ien?" she whispered foggily, and the little crack in her missing voice threatened to be his undoing.

"G'morning, Princess," he whispered back, face aching in a way that told him he was smiling helplessly, hopelessly.

She blinked up at him for a few moments, confused wrinkle on her brow and the remnants of her in-progress design marking her cheek.

His fingertips tingled with the urge to rub the design away, but found he didn't quite dare, and stilled his hand before he could.

Marinette's eyes went wide as soon as they focused on him.

"A-A-A-Adrien?!"

She promptly shot up off her seat and tumbled backwards, arms flailing wildly, and hit the ground with a painful-sounding thump.

He moved without thinking, making an awkward attempt to both catch her and help her and ending up simply staring at the distance between his outstretched hand and the girl on the floor.

Marinette also stared at the outstretched hand, turning an absolutely adorable shade of pink in the process. Her hands flew up to her hair, running her fingers through it and patting it down in what he abruptly realized was an attempt to calm the bedhead.

"A-Adrien," she squeaked. "Wh-wh-what are you doing here?"

Cute.

"I came to see how you were doing," he admitted.

He technically had an excuse about making sure she didn't miss the press conference for Ladybug and Chat Noir that took place this afternoon, but it had long gone flying out the window, entirely forgotten.

"O-oh," she said, voice coming down from it's double-octave jump. She accepted his hand. "I'm okay."

He gave her a dubious look, then pointedly glanced at the whirlwind of crumpled, rejected designs littering her floor.

She puffed her cheeks and glared as she slid back into her seat. "Really."

He didn't dignify that with an answer. Instead he said, "I'm... really sorry for my father."

Because he could try to defend his father's... eccentricities to her mother, but Marinette was the one getting the brunt of the responsibility here, and she deserved an apology for the sheer amount of stress that knowing his father could induce.

"It's... a great honor," she said, a little wry.

"It's a challenge," he corrected her dryly, looking away at the half-expected pang of jealousy. "One of those one of those old kings would give. 'Complete this impossible task and I'll let you marry my daughter.'"

That got a giggle out of her, even as his heart stuttered at the unintentional implication that she'd been asking for his hand in marriage.

If she had asked that, he had no doubt his father would immediately lock him up in some tall tower or faraway dungeon, never to see the light of day again. His father, though odd, was overprotective at the best of times, and at the worst... well.

(There was a whisper of resentment in his heart — if you just gave me a chance, maybe I could give you something to be proud of — that grew with every new restriction, bitter like bile on the back of his tongue and dark in the pit of his heart.)

(But no, delicate Adrien, helpless Adrien needed to be protected far more than he needed to be relied on.)

"It's kind of funny you're more of a knight than a princess, then, isn't it?"

Adrien jolted out of his reverie to the sound of Marinette's gentle murmur. "What?"

"A brave hero in kitty ears," she mumbled sleepily, affectionately. She smiled faintly, almost knowingly up at him from where she'd pillowed her head on her desk again. "My—" She swallowed a yawn. "—My knight in shining armor."

He stared at her, reeling and flushing and flustered and absurdly, absurdly pleased.

She let the moment linger, same soft, devastating smile playing around her lips while he stood and stared, before looking up at her clock with a frown. "What's today?"

"The 13th, why?" he answered, shaking off his daze with difficulty.

Marinette blanched. "The press conference!"

"Oh, right," he said, original reasons for his visit coming back to him as Marinette stumbled out of her seat in a hurry. "The press conference."

He watched in amusement (and affection) as Marinette flailed wildly in the direction of her dresser, stumbling so hard she nearly cartwheeled before she caught herself, and started digging through her wardrobe like a madwoman.

She found what she was looking for, to judge by the grateful, too-wide smile she gave the garments she resurfaced with, and made a mad dash for her hatch door.

"Ah," he called out. "You've got something..."

He tapped his cheek with two fingers when she turned to look at him, because he was pretty sure she would either not notice or fail to remember to clean it off if he didn't say anything.

She raised her hand to the spot he'd indicated and scrubbed her cheek intensely for a moment, leaving it bright red and smudged even worse. She then looked at her fingers and scowled, before giving him a brief thank-you wave and disappearing down the hatch.

He watched the door swing shut, then heard a cacophonous crash. He winced, calling out, "Are you-"

"I'm okay!" Marinette muffled voice cut him off. It was followed by a smaller series of crashes and a few squeaks and, finally, by the snap of what he could only assume was her bathroom door.

He snorted, feeling unaccountably full for how untouched the plate of pastries next to him was.

That's my Lady Luck, all right.

Pastries were eaten, cheeks were cleaned, heroes were transformed, and they were all set for the conference... except for one small problem.

"I think we're in the wrong place."

Chat took stock of the empty schoolyard playground, which didn't look like much of a place for a press conference to him. "Astute as always, my lady."

"Did we get the street name wrong?" Ladybug wondered, frowning at the locator displayed on her yo-yo's screen.

Chat leaned over her shoulder to see where the locator placed them, and inhaled a lungful of her scent. Intoxicating. He swallowed discreetly and tried to ignore the rampant butterflies in his stomach as he looked at the map.

Frowning, he studied the way the streets connected. There was a likely looking place for a convention center that might have been where they had been directed by the head of the press conference near the edge of the screen. He was pretty sure he'd seen that area on his car's GPS when going to one of his father's press releases.

"Hey," he murmured, pointing it out.

Ladybug jumped, snapping to face him.

"Do you think we were supposed to be... here...?" he trailed off, noticing just how close her flinch had put their faces. Her nose brushed his cheek at the slightest movement of his head.

Oh.

She was so close.

Blue, blue, blue... She was so close Chat could only drown in blue. She was so close he could feel her body heat like a hearth fire, could hear the way her breath caught, could smell the sleep and soap that lingered on her skin.

She was so close he could kiss her with just a little tilt of his chin, could press his lips against her cheek, against her nose, against her lips, and with the way she was looking at him, he thought she just might let him.

It was all just too much, after this morning.

He unconsciously licked his lips, heart thumping louder with every pulse, drawing into her like he was magnetized, because he couldn't not kiss her, not after this morning, not with that look she was giving him.

Brrrrring! Brrrrring!

He squawked, jumping back, arms pinwheeling frantically for balance as he skittered over the lawn in his surprise.

She screeched and also jumped back, though she fell into a martial arts pose he was pretty sure he'd seen in a movie instead of floundering gracelessly like he had.

They stared at each other, gaping, a mutual what the hell was that!? passing soundlessly between them for a fair few seconds before the chatter of excited children filtered out from the school building.

He and Ladybug turned to the source of the noise as one.

A crush of happy children poured out of the double doors, babble staggering to a halt as the class realized, one by one, that, yes, those were the heroes of Paris standing on the edge of their playground.

Then, as one entity, they surged forward in a rush, incomprehensible babble coming back with a vengeance and becoming more comprehensible with every foot they approached.

"Ladybug!" and "Chat Noir!" were the easiest and most common out of the auditory slush, followed by "What are you doing here?" and "Is there an akuma?"

"Ah," said Chat, shooting his partner a grin, unable to resist. "It seems we've been... spotted."

"Was that a pun."

Chat only had time to choke back a self-satisfied snicker before the fastest of the children, a tall, sprightly young girl, hit him at waist height, babbling, "You saved my sister! Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Chat crouched, self-satisfaction shifting out for something softer, kinder. "All in a day's work, young lady."

The girl giggled, and Chat tapped her button nose, smiling involuntarily for what felt like the umpteenth time today.

It was a good day.

The other children had other questions, "Can you play with us?" and "What's your favorite color?" and, oddly, "Do you like garbanzo beans?" all hitting the two heroes at machine-gun pace, but all Ladybug had to do was hold her hands up in a gesture for silence and the whole crowd went silent.

"Don't worry," she said into the silence, commanding. She held up a finger with every question she answered, and Chat mused that they may just as well be at that press conference. "There is no akuma. We're here because we took a wrong turn. My favorite color is pink, and I do like garbanzo beans, but I'm not too sure about Chat." She tilted a little grin at him before her face fell back into military seriousness. "And I'm sorry, but we can't stay to play. We have somewhere important to be."

The chatter turned into a wave of disappointed protests and pleading eyes, and Chat could see Ladybug's resolve waver just a fraction.

"It's just a press conference," he found himself pointing out. He wasn't sure if it was the dark smudges under her eyes or the exhausted kind of longing he caught in that waver that made him say it, but he warmed to the idea quickly.

She needed a break.

"It's just publicity. No one's gonna get hurt if we don't show up."

"We have responsibilities, Chat."

The flat, defeated tone she said it in just sealed the deal for him.

"Not big ones," he added, tilting his head just a little with his most winsome smile. "What's the worst that could happen?"

The girl whose sister they'd saved joined him in his pleading, followed quickly by several other children.

"Please, Ladybug?"

Ladybug's eyes flicked from one pleading face to the next, resolve crumbling like dust. She cast Chat a dark look for his betrayal.

He touched her elbow, holding it loosely as he said to her in an undertone, "Forget about the press conference and about my dad. One day off won't hurt."

Exhausted eyes fell to his hand, and something strange flashed through Ladybug's eyes. She pulled her arm away and mumbled, "Chat. We have responsibilities."

"Ladybug." He hadn't meant to sound so urgent, but that exhaustion was wrapping anxious little thorns around his heart. "You need a break. Please."

She was going to argue, he could see it, and he didn't think he had any counter arguments this time. She opened her mouth, took a breath, and—

Stopped.

She looked at him, really looked at him, and stopped. Something flashed in her eyes, a mix of shock and aching uncertainty and something unidentifiable, infinitesimal, huge, and she finished off with, "Okay."

Chat let go, feeling like his world was rocking to bits and unable to pinpoint precisely why.

Chat loved kids.

They were bright, innocent, clean in a way that had nothing to do with germs or runny noses.

They had no rigid preconceptions, no complex social rules, no hate burned into their mindsets; just a motherlode of energy and imagination that was a joy to witness.

You could make a child's day with a gift and a few well-chosen words, watch them light up even after the most traumatizing of akuma attacks with only attention and a small gesture. They were credulous, starry-eyed, enthusiastic - every day was an adventure or a thrill, something worth feeling something about. They were simultaneously selfish and giving, oblivious and empathetic in the way only the truly innocent could be.

There was a reason Ladybug left him to the clean up when children were involved, even if it meant facing down the media alone.

In the space of that afternoon, Chat was a king, a lord, a hero, a monster, a robot, and a horse. He was killed in action five times and only resurrected twice. He instated 'victory knights,' who were honor-bound to protect his kingdom together (a feat for the shy girl and the schoolyard bully, but he kept a close eye on them and made sure they worked it out) and was dared into seeing how many children he could carry at once (five, as it turned out — a number seriously hampered by how delicate and wriggly his burdens were).

The third time he was 'killed,' Ladybug was summoned from the tea party the girls had trapped her into.

"Only true love's kiss will break the spell!" insisted his first victory knight, the shy wall-flower who'd run for backup at his 'death.'

Ladybug, previously giggling at being dragged from the climbing structure into the middle of an all-out war, fell abruptly silent.

Chat felt his breath hitch.

One month ago, he would have jumped at the chance to tease, to flirt — hell, even yesterday he might've let the setup be, let Ladybug talk her way out of it - but now, so soon after that almost kiss, so soon after watching her wake, in the midst of whatever the hell their relationship was right now, the possibility that she might not talk her way out of it inexplicably terrified him.

He staggeringly raised a fist a few inches off the ground and groaned out, "Fist... bump..."

"Fist bump?" echoed Ladybug, odd note coloring her voice thick.

He made a show of cracking open an eye. "True... love's... fist bump issss... even stronger..."

His first victory knight shushed him without remorse. "You can't talk if you're dead, your majesty."

He blinked both eyes open and grinned sheepishly at his loyal servant. "Sorry, Sir Bella."

"Shh!"

He cleared his throat and shut his eyes again, trying not to grin.

Ladybug didn't say the word, but he could practically hear the affectionate 'dork' in her long-suffering (yet slightly relieved — and just what was he supposed to think about that?) sigh as she padded her way over through the grass.

There was a moment of hesitation in which he worried (hoped?) she might ignore the out and actually stoop to kiss him, but then he felt the familiar press of her knuckles against his, gentler than he was used to feeling them but unmistakable all the same. His chest caved in a confused jumble of relief and disappointment.

He covered the emotion by slowly raising his arms and sitting up zombie-style. He slowly opened his eyes and prepared his 'uuuugh... braaaaainssss...' speech, only to lock gazes with a chubby young sprout who, Chat remembered suddenly, had adamantly refused any mention of zombies. Chat switched out his speech on the fly.

"I am the Great Crusher Robot 5000," he said in his most robotic voice to a chorus of delighted squeals. "I have arisen from mere mortal flesh by the power of True Love's Fist Bump to protect the earth from the deadly Smorgs from outerspaaaaace."

And then the game was off again.

Ladybug was dragged off again by the limpet clinging to her leg and it was discovered that Chat could toss any seven year old clear into the air, and robots and 'true love' were summarily forgotten.

(The tossing was a nerve-wracking experience for heroes whose catching appendages ended in claws, but Chat was very careful and somehow it all worked out bloodlessly.)

The leader of the opposition's sudden remembrance of The Great Crusher Robot 5000's evil qualities worked out slightly less so, but scraped knees weren't something Chat had the power to prevent one-hundred percent of the time, so he let it go.

It was at about that point that he felt eyes on him, and he turned to find Ladybug watching him from atop the jungle gym, chin in palm, expression distant.

He caught her eye, and tilted his head in silent question.

She smiled, soft and wistful, and his breath caught.

“You…” She trailed off, glancing away and back, the flutter of eyelashes and clear blueblueblue eyes catching him on the upswing. “You’d make a good father.”

His heart stopped.

He—

He’d misheard that, hadn’t he?

Hadn’t he?

(That little bit of his brain that was mostly Chat and that did not. Shut. Up. Ever. said, Great! I’m ready. Let’s get started. Right now. Immediately.

The rest of him just reeled wildly for the umpteenth time today.)

She turned away, back to her tea party, still smiling that smile that left him unsteady on his feet.

The children swarmed around his legs, pressing into the backs of his knees in an attempt to bring The Great Crusher Robot 5000 down, but he could barely feel them.

“But Ladybug, Chat Noir isn't old enough to be a daddy. He’s a boy,” protested the little girl who’d been hanging onto her, in the well-informed tone of a child who had heard that exact phrase many, many times before.

Her sibling must have been a fan, or something, Chat thought distantly.

(—chips of ice, blue like antifreeze—

The corners of his heart whispered was it even possible for him to be a good father?)

“Boys grow up, you know,” she said, meltingly soft in a way that kick-started his heart back into gear and straight into overdrive. “He won’t be too young to be a daddy forever.”

Chat Noir, protector of Paris against the forces of superpowered evil for three years running, fell in battle to a pile of seven year olds very quickly after that.

A few weeks later, Chat wondered, not for the first time, why on earth the Protectors of Paris Ball was held outdoors.

It was held in late fall every year. Surely someone, someone would have though to move the party indoors out of the freezing cold.

It was a bit strange that Chat seemed to be the only one who noticed this, being that he was the only one here wearing a cold-resistant suit, but notice he did, if only by the goosebumps on his lady's arms.

He blamed (thanked) the cold for the way she leaned into him, sweet-smelling and looking like... like that.

Like heaven and hell in high heels, except that she wore flats, not heels. Mobility was a higher priority than glamour, she'd told him multiple times over the years, even when surrounded by the rich and famous.

Like a princess, like a queen, like something ethereal alighted on the surface of his world, as present and enticing and real as she was untouchably out of his league.

And the more she tipped that affectionate little smile up at him, the harder it was to keep his hands off.

She made it a lot harder by choosing that moment to break through his revere, stepping dangerously close.

"Hey," she murmured.

Chat's hand came to rest on the small of her back before he could think about it.

He shot a small glare at the offending appendage. Just where did it get off trying to bring her even closer?

Before he could remove the hand, Ladybug slipped her palm up to rest on his hip, burning warm through the suit. "Let's dance."

Chat blinked. That was odd; normally she waited until most of the guests had greeted them before trusting him with her dignity on the dance floor. He followed the line of sight she was pointedly turned away from, and understood — the young man walking their way was a rather... ardent admirer of Ladybug's. One who had a bit of trouble with the word 'no,' as he'd proved multiple times over the years.

Chat grit his teeth, sudden rush of ill will towards the 'gentleman' souring in his mouth, fingers twitching in his annoyance.

The last bit brought his attention to the exact placement of his fingers — tangled with the laces at the bottom of Ladybug's bodice.

Oh.

The darker voices in his head happily pointed out how easy it would be to sharped his claws and slice through those bindings. He didn't get farther than imagining the dress sliding down her shoulders before he forcibly defenestrated the thought and guiltily untangled his fingers. He slid his hand over to a much more appropriately platonic space high on her hip, incidentally drawing her that much closer.

Oops.

Ladybug didn't help him keep his distance at all, instead tucking the long, hot line of her body into his, close enough that her rosy cheek brushed his suit, close enough to rest her chin against his shoulder and grin winsomely.

Chat's heart was trying to punch a hole in his ribcage even before she opened her mouth.

"Isn't that what dates do at dances? Dance?"

Dates.

Was this a date?

They arrived together — they always did. It had never been a date before, but things had changed between them, leaving Chat thoroughly lost on what they were now.

But here they were, together, and she called them dates.

"I... wasn't aware we were dates."

"Ah, sorry," she said, pulling back while still smiling. "I forgot that I sent that memo by snail-mail."

She stepped even closer, breath ghosting against the space below his ear and sending a hot shudder down his spine, pooling, quivering in his belly. "Consider this your update?"

"Considerate it considered," he whispered back, wondering if she could feel his palm shaking, wondering if she could feel his heart shaking from this close.

She poked his side, grinning bright and impudent and oh so warm. "Then consider you and me dancing. Sometime in the next week would be nice."

"I'll pencil you in for next Saturday," he promised, brushing his nose against hers and feeling it in the hairs on the back of his neck, in his ribcage.

She was beautiful and dangerous and Ladybug and Marinette and she was his date.

This might well be the best night of his life.

Electric eyes and a childish (adorable) pout at the ready, she twisted away and said, "Well, I guess I'll just go and take my empty dance card over..."

"Oh, would you look at that," said Chat over her smug grin, reeling her back in. "My schedule has miraculously cleared. Free evenings as far as the eye can see."

"You dork."

The reproof was lost in the joy of the endearment, and he was laughing in spite of himself as he lead her out onto the floor.

She chased him, fingers tangled with his, lilting giggles cascading around his ears from distracting, cherry-red lips, and he didn't even try to tell himself he hasn't been dreaming of this for weeks.

He whirled around as soon as his foot hit the designated dancing square, lightly populated with polite, social dancers, and grinned at his date.

His date.

He could walk on air right now.

Ladybug shot him a look, one that was probably meant to be condemning or quelling or something, but she was flushed and smiling and sweet and so gorgeous he was absolutely sure he was about to make an utter fool of himself on the dancefloor, and the effect was lost on him.

His date.

"I still can't dance," Ladybug admitted on a sigh, apparently having accepted his smug good cheer as something she couldn't change.

"You really do need to learn how one of these days," he reminded her wryly as she stepped into his arms, so close she could probably hear his heart pounding. "What will Paris think if they find out their darling Lady Luck doesn't know so much as a waltz?"

She poked his chest. "C'mon kitty, why would I need to learn when I have you?"

"My lady, one would almost think you enjoy needing to rely on me and my sweet dance moves at these events," he teased, breathless.

He knew that wasn't the reason she never got dance lessons — their lives were both busy enough between their civilian responsibilities and vigilante activities — but the night was intoxicating (she was intoxicating) and a boy could dream, couldn't he?

She didn't deny it.

Ladybug bit her scarlet lip and flashed him a coy, guilty little smile, and Chat tripped over his own two feet.

Oh god, she didn't deny it.

She did, however, stumble into him, nose nudging into the crook of his neck and light perfume hitting him like a pillow to the face.

"Sorry," he croaked out of a very dry mouth, steadying her automatically.

She didn't take her face out of his neck, and when she did, it was with a flush a few shades darker than her previous and a case of shyly fluttering eyelashes.

She ran a gloved fingernail over the groove where his shoulder-pad attached to the rest of his suit, sliding over the stud at the point, studying it as though it was the most fascinating thing in the room.

"Is that really so surprising?" she mumbled quietly, as though she wasn't sure whether she wanted to be heard or not.

She was trying to kill him.

"I-I mean, you are my partner." she tacked on slightly louder, hurried and defensive. "It's not weird to ask you to help me with this... is it?"

She ended on a much weaker note than she started, giving him an insecure little glance that faltered away as soon as he met it, cheeks tinting even darker.

She was trying to kill him, and she was succeeding.

"I-I can take lessons!" she babbled on, taking his silence as an affirmative, rather than a sign of his impending death. "If you mind! I mean, I thought you didn't mind, but if you do I really don't—"

"I don't mind," Chat finally managed to get out, rediscovering the air he'd left behind in his lungs when she gave him that little glance.

She gnawed her lip, disturbing the cosmetics. "You sure?"

"Really sure," he said, possibly a bit too fervently. He was really very, very sure. "You can ask me for anything."

The smile he got for that made his ears burn.

"Then can I ask you for this dance?" she said, soft and low and really very close to his heated ear and...

Oh.

They were half-way into the song already.

Blushing out of embarrassment this time, he tugged her into the steps, counting the rhythms in his head.

But hearing her ask if she could rely on him and actually having her rely on him were two very different beasts indeed.

She followed him as easily, as smoothly as he followed her in battle. They were normally in-sync to an insane degree, honed by years of saving each other's lives, by years of teamwork and implicit, absolute trust, by years of a life where non-verbal communication and attention to minuscule cues and shared glances were the keys to survival and victory both, but this...

This was something else entirely.

They weren't fighting for their lives.

They were dancing.

They were moving together in an activity that existed purely for recreation, for pleasure and exercise, twisting together in low light, in fairy lights, physically intimate in full view of all of Paris.

She was trusting him to keep her from screwing up in front of all of Paris, and she was trusting him to do that with her eyes closed. Literally.

He swallowed hard and carefully twirled her into a spin, watching her as her skirts swirled around her thighs, the graceful follow-through of her off-hand, the peaceful smile that never left her face.

Her eyes didn't open once.

He took a deep, steadying breath and pulled her back against him, hand holding one wrist aloft as the other spread over her stomach almost of its own accord.

She leaned back and arched into him, letting his clawed fingers slide up the bodice of her dress until they rested just under the butterfly of her ribs, and turned her face into him, eyelashes fluttering against the corner of his jaw.

"Doing okay?" he checked. His voice came out rougher than he expected, but just about as affected as he thought it might.

"Mmmn," she hummed, seemingly only half awake.

Chat's mind took that noise and ran headlong into the gutter with it.

She leaned into him even further, so close her could feel her lips curl against his skin.

"I'm good," she whispered, throaty and relaxed and mind-liquifying. "You, kitty?"

Well, his knees were a lot weaker than they had been five seconds ago, but he was good.

He wouldn't make it through this dance if she kept that up.

Impulsively, he pinched her side, and with his most annoying smirk, he said, "Claw-some, my lady."

If they'd been alone, she would have squawked. As it was, she made a muffled noise of outrage and yanked back a few inches to give him a look of utter betrayal.

He took those few inches of grace gratefully, and shot her a not-quite-sheepish grin as apology.

She narrowed her eyes and stepped lively, skipping out of his arms with a dangerous look in her eye.

He wondered briefly if he'd made a terrible mistake, and then she was pulling him into a twist identical to the one he'd just pulled her through, except instead of ending with him in her arms, she dipped him low, sly smirk on her face and nose mere centimeters from his own.

"Getting frisky there, eh, kitty?" she purred, cerulean eyes gone velveteen-dark and ocean-bottomless.

Oh fuck.

He strangled himself on a yip, a noise that might have been an agreement or could have just been a squeak, forced out through the static silence in his head, and she let him up.

Ladybug took the lead this time, although less in a dancing capacity and more in a safeguard capacity, making sure they didn't run into anyone while Chat recovered his bearings.

She was trying to kill him, but at least she was being polite about it.

He trembled his way through a turn or three, moving more off sheer muscle memory than any sort of design, mind tumbling over the exact cadences, the dimensions of that tiny little crack in her voice, the wavelength of that purr, and Ladybug guided him through it, keeping him safe while he recovered from her.

"That was unfair," he hissed at her under his breath as she pulled him close in a move that would have his late instructor rolling in his grave.

"That was revenge," she hissed back at him, flashing white teeth against red lips in a little smirk that set him back several steps on the road to recovery.

He huffed at her, trying to hold on to his annoyance in the face of that look.

He failed. His blood had scorched his veins at the very sight of it.

They fell back into the rhythm of the dance, staying on for the next set and the one after that and the one after that, slipping into improv when the dances he'd been taught just wouldn't cut it (or just weren't enjoyable enough — he'd been taught nearly every formal dance in the book, but Chat was not a rule-follower, or a square). Ladybug followed him through them all, not distinguishing between the well-known, the lesser-known, and the entirely made-up, warm and soft and solid and in his orbit.

It wasn't until the band announced they were packing up that he realized they had honest-to-god danced the night away.

The crowd had thinned greatly, the hosts showing people out in droves, only the most tenacious of the journalists left to document the going ons, Alya among them. Chat was pretty sure she'd stick around until she was kicked out.

"Looks like the party's over," Ladybug noted, surprised enough that he suspected he'd lost track of time as badly as he had.

She stroked his bicep quietly, and he took it as a signal to let her go. He hesitated, holding on for as long as he felt he could get away with, before reluctantly convincing his fingers, his hands, his arms to release her.

The late-night air hit him hard through his suit, swirling in the spaces she left behind when she stepped back. She flashed him a little smile as she moved, and he returned it, pretending his body wasn't aching in protest of letting her go.

He watched her survey the party, looking for the host so they could say their goodbyes, admired the slope of her nape and the stray locks that had escaped her elaborate up-do as she chased the man down and made their excuses.

This dance had shown him something he hadn't fully grasped before.

Ladybug trusted him.

Finishing up, she tittered politely at something the host had said and walking backwards towards Chat. She waved one final time at the host and turned on her heel. By the time she faced Chat, the forced smile had melted into a look of exasperated exhaustion, shoulders slumped and skin right around her eyes.

"Done?" she asked, all too obviously ready to leave.

She trusted him.

"Yeah," he said. "Just a second."

She tilted her head curiously.

He took her hand and carefully slipped off the glove, catching the tips and sliding the material away, and then he met her eye and held it.

Slowly, he raised her bare hand to his lips, heart thumping erratically in his throat as her eyes went wide.

She trusted him.

He kissed the tips of her fingers, smiling at her without really meaning to, ignoring the storm of gaps and suddenly flickering camera flashes from the remaining media people.

She let him.

She trusted him.

"Ch-Chat- what?" Her voice fluttered, exertion-flushed cheeks flushing even darker.

"Thank you," he said, a note of something in his voice he didn't want to name, something that gave those two words far too many meanings. He hurriedly tacked on, "—for the lovely evening, my lady. It was an honor to escort you."

Her shock-slack red lips twitched up into a wobbly smile, an odd look in her eye as her trembling fingers curled into his.

She trusted him.

She really, really trusted him. She trusted him to catch her, she trusted him with her back, she trusted him with their friendship, with her laughter and her joy and her dreams.

She trusted him with her dignity. With her insecurities.

She'd always trusted him with her life. Now, she trusted him with her identity, too.

They were getting closer all the time, and it had a way of making him hope. A way of making him wonder.

A way of making him think maybe, maybe, maybe one day...

Maybe one day, she'd trust him with her heart too.

Adrien pushed open the gate of the cat shelter, leading Marinette in behind him.

He hadn't had to beg for this, surprisingly. The lion's share of her work for the fashion show was over and done with, and when he'd suggested that she join him on one of his volunteer visits, she'd agreed almost immediately.

The look on her face when he introduced her to one of the older litters was well worth the entirely too knowing grin Sonia, the head volunteer, had given him when he'd walked in shoulder-to-shoulder with the girl he'd been talking about for weeks. Like she knew exactly how big it was to bring Marinette here, to a place this important to him.

(Like she knew he was practically under a compulsion, slowly introducing Marinette to every little nook and cranny of his life and praying to God she liked what she saw while wondering just what the hell he was doing.)

Marinette, for her part, seemed to be experiencing revelation.

Adrien had introduced her to The Hoard.

(Or so the batch of older, weaned kittens were affectionately termed by their caretakers.)

"Why hello," she cooed at the gaggle of kittens, hands clasped on her knees as she stooped close to them. She followed it up with a delighted squeak as one of the kittens batted her necklace.

Nursing the infant kittens was a time-consuming job, but it was methodical: suckle and toilet them, stroke as necessary. It was one of Adrien's favorite jobs.

It was also somewhat mindless, and left him with enough attention to watch Marinette out of the corner of his eye.

She took to the kittens almost immediately, which was completely unsurprising — the only person Adrien had met who didn't like kittens was Chloe — but somewhat more surprising was how quickly the kittens took to Marinette.

Forget eating out of her palms — all she had to do was hold her hands out and she had them attempting to climb into them, the more adventurous clawing their way up her chest in their quest for more pets.

He muffled a laugh in his shoulder when a little black tom made it high enough to sniff her chin, the infant on his knee complaining softly at the jostling. Petting its tiny head with a whispered apology, Adrien turned away to focus more fully on his task.

His focus lasted all of ten seconds before his mind started to wander.

He watched Marinette play with the kittens out of the corner of his eye, watched her nearly leap out of her apron (now wasn't that a thought) at a kitten's surprise attack from behind, and found himself snickering all over again.

"Careful," he couldn't help but call over. "Don't you know that seven out of ten attacks are from the rear?"

"I'll attack you from behind," she sniped back without heat, distracted almost immediately by her charges of the afternoon.

"Please do," he quipped, returning his eyes to the fed kitten, putting away the bottle and picking up the paper towel.

Marinette whipped around to stare at him, and, belatedly, he realized what he'd just said.

Shit.

"Please forget I said that," he begged, flushing and paling at once.

"...I think that might be worse than the time you said, 'or what, you'll spank me?'"

"You started it," he grumbled, ears and neck heating up. Oh god why.

Marinette scooted up to him sideways, leaning into his space with a shit-eating grin, kitten in her lap and elbow on his shoulder. "So..."

"Don't start."

"What kind of 'attacking' were you thinking about, kitty?"

"Stop."

"Because it looked to me like—..."

"I will pay you to stop."

"Thinking such things in front of the children." She tsk_ed, slowly shaking her head, still grinning. "For _shame."

"Do you want your money in fabric, cash, or cheese?"

"Video game time." She spread the fingers of the hand attached to the elbow that rested on his shoulder, grin going downright sleazy. "For five rounds of Ultimate Mecha Strike 2, I will stop."

"That game ruined the series," Adrien groused, almost en route at this point.

Marinette made a disparaging noise in the back of her throat and pushed off of him to cradle the kitten to her chest.

"Don't listen to your father," she cooed to the little black tom, effectively stopping the heart of the other 'black tom' in the room. "He speaks lies."

He took a second to catch his breath again before shooting back, "I speak only the truth. UMS2 is an abomination. Your mother is consorting with—"

Oh hell did he just call Marinette his wife?

His 'wife' stared at him with big, shocked blue eyes, going pinker and pinker as the words sunk in, then coughed and looked away.

Adrien returned to the kitten in his lap, holding the paper towel in one numb hand and wondering what it was for, drowning in embarrassment and trying not to think too hard about just how it felt to say those words.

(It felt like belonging.)

"So," said Sonia, looking in on them with a leer. "When's the wedding?"

Marinette screamed, launching both herself and the kitten up and backwards, flailing limbs narrowly missing the horde at her feet.

Sonia burst out laughing.

"Sorry, sorry," she gasped, catching a tear at the corner of her eye with a gloveless finger. "You two are just too cute, y'know?"

"No," Marinette grumbled, pink and baleful and plucking furry denizens off of her apron, making sure they were unhurt as she did so. "I really don't."

Adrien expelled a relieved breath.

She was okay.

"Mhmm..." Sonia hummed, setting her chin on the heel of her palm with a grin that was equal parts smug, knowing, and amused. "Well—" and here she straightened back up, "—try to finish up in the next fifteen minutes or so, okay? We have a schedule to keep."

Adrien and Marinette nodded obediently in sync, and Marinette picked herself up, careful of the kittens.

"Oh," Sonia added as she left. "Not that I wouldn't understand, but please try to keep the hanky-panky to the minimum. Think of the children!"

Marinette spluttered, and Adrien spluttered with her, despite knowing Sonia full well and knowing he should have expected that parting remark.

"'Hanky-panky,'" Marinette muttered, echoing his thoughts rather succinctly, though with considerably more aspiration, picking up the black tom again and brushing his fur with her fingertips. She softened immediately.

Adrien could only describe what happened next as a revelation.

She tipped back, nose-to-nose with the tiny black kitten in her palms, giddy, giggly grin on her mouth, eyes scrunched at the corners with her joy, the stress of her week fading, slipping of her shoulders in the face of that young whiskery critter.

She glanced at him over her shoulder, a different kind of affection softening her countenance, and stuck her tongue out. Jealous, kitty?

The smile was nothing he hadn't seen a hundred, a thousand times before, warm and happy and trusting and teasing and here with him, present and solid and real, but that was what did it. It was no big thing — a little thing, a minuscule thing, really — but that was what made it click.

Oh, he thought.

It's you.

[tinymixtapes]

Music Review: Pinkcourtesyphone - Taking into Account Only a Portion of Your Emotions

Pinkcourtesyphone Taking into Account Only a Portion of Your Emotions [Editions Mego; 2016] Rating: 4/5 Residues of speed Let’s be old-fashioned and think of slowness. Still, we should be sufficiently contemporary so as not to be unmoored and find ourselves adrift amongst never-experienced nostalgias. To accomplish this, let us consider speed first. Modernity has brought blade to the throat of many, not the least of which is slowness. The modern moment, even divested of critical/cultural markers of place, is the instant of instants, the simultaneity of history, future, and present. Realities once rendered separable by the vagaries of distance and distribution suddenly saw themselves colliding. They became essentially entwined in speed’s refusal to kowtow to space, as it was once forced to do. When Marinetti drove his car into the ditch — due to, of course, some languorous old-guard cyclists hogging the road — he, in the moments between his crash and later retrieval, truly and intuitively understood the intoxication of speed and the role of technology in producing that effect. While traveling at velocity, time and space, the very components of velocity, collapse. Speed fines the self into an arrow, a bullet, a pure movement unfettered by the stultifying demands of spatial or temporal relation. As he writes in 1909, “Time and Space died yesterday. We already live in the absolute, because we have created eternal, omnipresent speed.” Such is the Modern sublime, a reduction of the self, down to the mathematical point, scorching across boundless space and limitless duration. A seemingly small infinity. Speed promises the Dionysian ecstasies of the ancient world in the furnace-gut of the engine, and, moreover, the machinic finally allowed human desire to be transubstantiated into the pure kinetic thrill of movement. By way of contrast, we should ponder the earlier paradigm of the Romantic sublime. Both seek an occasion of intensity that subsumes the self, but, as opposed to its successor, the Romantic finds the durational quality of nature to be the formative locus of such experience. When Shelley looks out on the Alps “all seems eternal now,” and it is. The history of nature has no origin we can conceptualize; it is a thing too large to be contained in the human mind, and our attempts to place ourselves within it, strike out some habitable coordinate amid the chaos, are fraught with complication and burdened by nescience. The history of all things is stretched out over the surface of Mont Blanc’s rough features, and while we can’t read it, through reflection, the echo that the mountain casts within us, we can — as if licked by Pentecostal fires — speak the “mysterious tongue” of the wilderness. There are numerous axes of difference here between the Romantic and the Modern sublime: nature versus technology; expansion versus contraction; receptivity versus activity; the coarse skin of things versus the metallic smoothness of speed; reflective repose versus blinkered velocity; the contained self versus the self unmanacled; the interminable versus the instant; and so on, extending into a myriad of infinities. To most observers today, it would appear speed remains our dominant regime of being. After all, who doesn’t begin each morning with a bit of liquid stimulant? Communication and transportation dissolved the boundaries that dictated much of preindustrial life. The modern fable is the collision of the metropole and the periphery, a forced reckoning of alternative trajectories that hardly existed before. Our own lives, even more modern, are dictated by our relationships to oh so many parallel and interwoven realities that the greatest luxury of — or rather, greatest escape from — the sociopolitical domain of our everyday is the ability to pluck ourselves out from it whenever we so choose (Benjamin writes, “In 1839 it was considered elegant to take a tortoise out walking. This gives us an idea of the tempo of flânerie in the arcades.”). The climbing velocity of money spins the globe ever faster, but we demand to live slowly. Slowness, commodified and compartmentalized, is the ultimate consumer good. Popular practices such as practicing yoga, visiting the farmers’ market, or brunching represent the apex of speed control, modulating the experience of your own life, allowing you to step into and out of the slipstream at any instant. Even more so, the products of such practice seem to hold value far above the individual products of speed — the organic, slow-grown tomato against its supermarket simulation; the long, lazy conversation over Bellinis against the terse Tuesday night at the kitchen counter. However, slowness has become an excessively complicated mode of experience, in spite of its Luddite connotations. The difficulty with this dichotomy of fast and slow is that it is not a dichotomy at all. Yes, we might point to the two approaches to the world outlined above, and we may address that our modern consumption of slowness tends to be non-technological — or at least, disinterested in technology — and that our participation in the day’s farrago is completely technological. Such an approach might be a little too narrow, however, and we should avoid obscuring the possibility of synthesis. That is to say, if speed is the product of our technological modernity, why is slowness suddenly excluded? These same technologies that give us acceleration can provide deceleration. As Lutz Koepnick so neatly limns, the means by which the world has sped up also reveal the means by which it may slow down. He provides a filmic example in slow-motion photography: in order to create the effect of slow movement, one must run the film through the camera faster than normal, yet playback normally. In this regard, we have an aesthetic experience distinct from both its Modern and Romantic predecessors. We have uncovered a new inventory of technologies through which we can subvert, distort, rearrange, and review our experiences of time and space. We can, as Koepnick contends, approach and contextualize conceptions of speed from a site of reflection within. Slowness can become a meditative medium by which we can engage with the structures of everyday life. We can formulate experiences using non-exclusive categories that rest upon heterogeneity and interconnection — neither Romantic dilation nor Modern contraction. Our world is neither the wall of wind at the cyclone’s edge nor the slumbering eye within, but instead manifests as spectra of intensities and experiences that, with slowness as a strategy, we might be able to sort out. 2 or 3 Things I Know About Pinkcourtesyphone She is graceful in her boredom. Legs uncurl across the divan, and the chin holds stoically straight. Her visage summons Niobe (C’est parce que mes impressions ne se réfèrent pas toujours á un objet précis.), but she could never shed a tear, at least not when she’s alone. She cuts the image of a New American chacmool. These moments are difficult for her as the faint narcotizing bliss of her drink and drug elides into an undifferentiated anxiousness, filling up the whole of her home. The chores have long been finished, only the laundry (Pax Americana, lavage de cerveaux super-économique) remains to be done. Much like her clean index probing the bottom of little plastic pill bottles, she spends the time trying to find anything at the bottom of herself. In the stillness, she dreams, though wide-awake. Partial impressions float through, indistinct and bearing the smudges of things borrowed. Only half-dreamed, but by who? (Maintenant, quand je rêve, j’ai l’impression de m’éparpiller en mille morceaux. Et avant, quand je me réveillais, même si c’était long, je me réveillais d’un seul coup. Maintenant, quand je me reveille, j’ai peur qu’il manque des morceaux.) She hates this stillness. There is something oppressive to its weight. The sport of the dishwasher aerosolizing into white noise, the vacuum’s whirr spinning in her head long after she turned it off. She tries to cut through and reconstitute the sounds around her as they truly are. They do not return to her. She recalls making her husband coffee (“Frank, John, Buzz… what was his name again?”) and the vortical ballet of beetleblack bubbles, the clean clink of the spoon against the mug. She knows his father, a face in a small vignette, hair slick and shining with brilliantine, but not her husband. The evening prior, she dropped a plate, jagged shards spinning loose across the kitchen tile. She couldn’t remember why she dropped it, but in her mind the ceramic fragments arranged themselves in a sharktoothed grin written wide across the floor. She wondered if she would cut herself when she picked them up. Later, she would sit in front of the mirror and realize her cheek was stinging and her makeup had run (Quelque chose peut me faire pleurer; mais … mais la cause des larmes ne se trouve pas dans … integrée á leur traces sure mes joues). On the divan, she imagined what it would be like to grow up in a house like this. Herself as a young girl sitting in the yard watching Mommy hang up laundry. Herself as a young girl helping Mommy clean the house and cook dinner. Herself as a young girl dressing up the cat in doll clothes and stuffing it in a stroller. Her as a young girl leaving forever. She circled around these thoughts for what seemed like hours until the phone rang (Tout á coup, j’ai eu l’impression que j’étais le monde et que le monde était moi. Il faudrait des pages et des pages pour décrire ça. Ou des volumes et des volumes). She stood in the kitchen as statuesque as when supine, the droning speaker at her ear issuing no voice. In some feral region inside of her, a pinwheel began to turn. She imagined herself as a grown woman leaving forever. (J’existais. C’est tout ce que je savais.) It is Consoling that Pink Flamingoes Dream “Pink flamingoes sleep. It is consoling that pink flamingoes sleep. It is consoling that it is consoling that pink flamingoes sleep. It is consoling that it is consoling that it is consoling that pink flamingoes sleep. It is consoling that it is consoling that it is consoling that it is consoling that pink flamingoes sleep…that pink flamingoes sleep. There is no anxiety to their sleep. It is apt and everywhere equal.” – Ziff Occasionally in our nostalgic reveries, we come across something uncertain, a stitch out of place in our most sacred of sanctuaries. That anything could breach the penetralium is terror enough, but to change it, to make it unlike, unheimlich? It is a difficult thing, this forced confrontation with memory. Bergson once proposed the tape reel as a (partial) model of time and experience. Future and past always exist in the same proportion; as one end unreels, the other spools accordingly. Bergson’s model was an ideation, a clever metaphor for an abstract concept, but the tape reel is, in fact, real. It spins and spools, and each time it runs, it runs out of time. There are failures here: failures to capture, to represent, to preserve. Finitude and decay are built in. In the activity of memory, we resemble the two, the imaginary and the real tape. By way of our corporeal technologies, we somehow, in the material stuff of our skull, produce ideas of our past. However, there is a crucial disconnect: we generate ideal images via imperfect methods and machines. In our attempts to invalidate time and space, we must contend with the decaying core of our own experience; memory has a cost. To analyze completely is to destroy, as Norbert Wiener concludes in his own studies on human uses of human beings. Both analyzer and analyzed are forever changed by their interface. The memory is not the same and neither are we. In remembrance, we vivisect ourselves. Still, that is no reason to despair. Saint Augustine saw this analytical function of memory as central to self-knowledge, even in the wake of forgetfulness and distortion. Richard Chartier is most certainly tuned into all of this. His Pinkcourtesyphone project, as distinct from recordings under his own name, possesses a dark playfulness, exploiting our common tendency toward distorted self-reflection. His impeccable visual aesthetic (he is a graphic designer, as well) inspires both elegance and distance, a long gaze into an empty world curtained over with pink gauze. It plays with the fear of desensitization, of becoming puppet-like, of surrendering to psychic vacuum. The sound conjures the domestic space, that wilderness of surfaces, stretched sinister by a blear blend of clonazepam and a cocktail. Pinkcourtesyphone is an exercise in how our memory becomes warped, how we become uncanny to ourselves, and how we may salvage something greater than what was lost. It is penumbral, composed in both darkness and light. It is slow work. Taking into Account Only a Portion of Your Emotions, Chartier invites us to inhabit his music, to step into the slowly contorting domestic he has sculpted. We stay for a while. The corridors of the house, by their very shape and configuration, lead us somewhere by its own intent, a psychogeography of sound that repeats and remakes passages. Our advance is gated by repetition, which becomes a demand to notice the subtle transformations of the world and of ourselves. His work is benthic and slimed over in syrup. Each sound is elongated, mimicking a slow-mo camera sweep across some new domestic landscape. Synths swell to a shimmer, and dark melodies wait crouched on the shadowy margin. Abyssal yawns threaten to swallow the scene, and gelid giallo stings call out through the haze. One can hear a music box chiming and twinkling, its ballerina frozen in arabesque turning for an empty audience. Everything must move slowly for fear of breaking the hypnosis and dispelling the memory. Even the intermissions are long; we are never between acts, or rather everything is intermezzo. Whereas speed structures an A-B mindset, slowness inculcates a spectral mode, one that opens perception and relation to the space between two points. This “journey, not destination” thinking is nothing new, but as the circulation of capital accelerates and the space in-between contracts, it becomes necessary to strike out new land in which to live slowly. For Pinkcourtesyphone, that land is a house built to mimic the mind. A home constructed of fragmented memories belonging to no one in particular. Perhaps most importantly, Pinkcourtesphone is boring. We often think of boredom as being forcibly left out of the procession of events, but this is not boredom in the negative sense — waiting at the DMV, your nephew’s school play, dinner with the neighbors. Rather, it is an epistrophic boredom in both the rhetorical and Platonic senses. It is a boredom predicated upon repetition with difference and with a turning over and inward. Benjamin married boredom and generative inward reflection as well, drawing up pages of notes on the subject for his Arcades Project. He writes: Boredom is a warm gray fabric lined on the inside with the most lustrous and colorful of silks. In this fabric we wrap ourselves when we dream. We are at home then in the arabesques of its lining. But the sleeper looks bored and gray within his sheath. The early figure of modernity and urbanity, the dandy, was by choice and distinction always bored. We too can choose to be bored: instead of seeking to kill time, we can invite it in. We can use the opportunity of slowness to collect and reorient ourselves to the world around us. In such boredom, normative relations decouple and all things become pregnant. There is nothing more domestic and comforting than wrapping oneself in a blanket and dreaming. (Il faut que j’écoute, il faut que je regarde autour de moi plus que jamais le monde, mon sembable, mon frère.) By this praxis of boredom, memory, listening, and dreaming — the loosed flood of images and impressions — we can more nearly know ourselves and cut loose from the exigencies of ceaseless motion. In the sedate dreamworld of Pinkcourtesyphone, we are given a place to retreat to, a place to host time and memory and boredom on our own terms. These days, it takes more effort to be slow than fast, and this inurement to velocity risks a separation of the self. Chartier ably dramatizes and complicates this paradigm. As listeners, however, we must want to spend the time and choose to confront ourselves within the drift. We must want to be slow. There is nothing wrong with the indulgence of a leisurely pace, and it may in fact tell us more than the headlong rush into the next. Just don’t forget to eat. http://j.mp/2m0LA5f

[fearofaherobrine]

Roleplay Server Log #222

“Slender Visit, Creepypastas Check In, Dolly Remembers”

[Pinwheel] Jumps into different spots of light-

[Steve] Is she chasing light spots?

[Doc] Maybe?

[Lie] - Do you want some calming flowers for while we're there Doc?

[Doc] For her or me?

[Lie] - You

[Doc] No... I'm good. As long as he's not mad at me I can keep it togeather, especially if Splender is there.

[Lie] - Alright, then should we go?

[Doc] TLOT can you give Pinwheel a good idea what we're doing so she won't fight me and get her response?

[TLOT] Sure. - Projects their small plan and then waits.

[Pinwheel] - NoooOOOoooOOOooo

[TLOT] You don't want to see Splender? Or you're just making noise?

[Pinwheel] - NoooOOOoooOOOooo- She doesn't want to mostly because it's more "fun" outside of his house

[gem] -above pinwheel-

[TLOT] Aw. But we're gonna tell him about you needing your own space and it's just for a visit.

[Pinwheel] Grumbles-

[Doc] It looks like you were having fun racing around in the grass, do you want to take the long way outside?

[Pinwheel] Scratchy ground?

[TLOT] I take it back. I'm coming. You might need a translator. My lamb? You stay here. I know Slender scares you.

[Doc] Going on record here saying he scares me too.

[Steve] Gladly. I'll go make lunch.

[gem] -tries to get a super dry sugar cookie near pinwheel without getting bite it's dry enough that it wouldn't hurt enders-

[Pinwheel] Snaps at Gem with a hiss-

[Doc] Be careful Gem. She may be out of venom but it still hurts!

[gem] -flies back up accidentally dropping the cookie on pinwheel-

[Pinwheel] Hits the cookie with her tail while hissing-

[TLOT] I wouldn't take it personally Gem...

[gem] I'm not I am just scared of hitting respawn after last time trying to live from that is hard and hurt

[Lie] - We should be going

[TLOT] Opens the far door for Pinwheel- Come on guys.

[Pinwheel] Dashes out at top speed-

[Doc] Gives Firebird a pat on the head and leaves him with Steve. Xe phases out the window and does a graceful coil in the air outside before catching up to Pinwheel.

[Pinwheel] Is holding her wings out to help make her running easier-

[Steve] Makes a graceful gesture for Firebird to join him if he pleases and heads for the kitchen passage.

[TLOT] Runs along behind them with his cloak flapping madly-

[Doc] Nice trick little one-

[Lie] Groans- Running really should not happen in this thing...

[Doc] Swishes hir tail near Lie-

[Gem] -follows after steve to the kitchen-

[Lie] - Can we slow down a little?

[Doc] Trots a bit slower- why?

[Lie] - Geez, maybe because I can't really run that well?  And I'm wearing something kinda restrictive?

[Doc] Turns around and picks Lie up again-

[Lie] - Oh come on!  That is not what that is for!

[Pinwheel] Screeches to a halt behind a tree and starts scratching at it-

[Doc] Muffled- But it's handy!

[TLOT] chuckles -You look like a cat with a mouse.

[Doc] Meow!

[CP] Appears behind them- Doc?  What the fuck are you doing to my wife?

[Doc] Jumps, all four feet off the ground for a moment- Noooothing.

[TLOT] She was complaining we were walking too fast for her to keep up.

[CP] - And just where are you going?

[TLOT] Taking Pinwheel to visit Splender.

[Doc] Nods-

[Lie] Squeaks- Doc!

[CP] - You're taking her to where Slender is?

[TLOT] She wanted to come.

[CP] - No

[Doc] Oookay... - Puts Lie gently down- I mean, I think it's up to her though.

[Lie] Is just glad to be not held by her corset-

[TLOT] I thought we determined that Xophiel's fire was enough to keep her clean of Insanity?

[CP] - Don't care

[Doc] Lie?

[Lie] - CP it's alright

[TLOT] Is watching Pinwheel scratch the tree.

[Pinwheel] Suddenly freezes and then spazzes out-

[TLOT] I think it's crazy time....

[Doc] Cats and dragons and Herobrines...

[Lie] - CP if you're so concerned then why not come with us

[CP] - I'd rather you not go at all...

[Lie] - We'll be fine, especially while Splender is there

[TLOT] Picks Cp's mind a little-

[CP] He's just generally concerned about Lie, he wants to make certain she's safe, no matter what-

[TLOT] Gives back that he's proud of Cp- She is a brine though. You have to trust her. She's your partner.

[CP] Flips TLOT off-

[Doc] Scoots over by Pinwheel-

[Pinwheel] Rolls around-

[Doc] Can we proceed?

[Lie] - Yes

[CP] - Lie!

[Lie] - No but's CP, we're doing this for Splender, he's a friend

[TLOT] Come on Pinwheel. I'll race you!

[Pinwheel] Perks up-

[TLOT] Ready.. set.... go!

[Pinwheel] Tears off-

[TLOT] Is also booking it-

[Doc] Prances for a minute and charges after them-

[Lie] - Oh not more running

[CP] - We could just leave...

[Lie] - No

[Doc] Comes back and picks up Lie again before running off after the others-

[Lie] Yelps-

[CP] - GET BACK HERE!

[Doc] Skitters around the side of the castle after TLOT and Pinwheel-

[Pinwheel] Races into the garden, tearing up food-

[TLOT] Leaps the gravestones, close on her heels-

[Pinwheel] Is racing for the water-

[TLOT] Tps ahead of her so she runs into his arms before she hits the water-

[Pinwheel] Growls a little- No

[TLOT] You won! I'm just trying to keep you dry. Good job!

[Doc] Trots up as well, xe wasn't going all that fast. Letting them have their fun.

[Lie] Is flushed red from embarrassment again-

[CP] Is flying after them-

[Doc] Puts Lie gently down again- Herobrine delivery service! Splender? are you home?

[Splender] Flops a tendril out his door-

[Doc] I have good news!

[TLOT] Scratches Pinwheel some more-

[Splender] - What?

[TLOT] Pinwheel learned a word. She's far enough along that I can read her mind now too-

[Splender] - Pinwheel?

[Doc] Yeah! When she's full grown she'll probably be at a human's intelligence level at least.

[Splender] Makes his way over to the door and glances out- Well come on over...

[Doc] Pokes the lever to raise the path and shifts back before running over it.

[TLOT] Carries Pinwheel over as well, still petting her.

[Lie] Walks across with CP following-

[Pinwheel] - NooOOOoooOOOooo

[TLOT] I said we'd discuss it and I meant it. Relax.

[Splender] Has returned to his bed and is sitting on it while Slender occupies the chair Doc made-

[TLOT] She needs a bit more running around time, that's why she's been so bitey.

[Doc] She's going to need her own room too, but I'm happy to whip one up for you if you're okay with me altering the house.

[Splender] - Certainly, you did build mine afterall...

[Slender] - Glances at CP and Lie-

[Doc] At Pinwheel - See? Your own room. I'll get right on it. - Heads around the dividing wall and there's the soft pap pap of stairs being laid-

[Slender] - CP's ability to build so quickly has certainly always been an asset around the manor

[Pinwheel] Squirms-

[TLOT] Puts her down on the bed- It's pretty much what we're all best at.

[Pinwheel] Starts scratching at the bed-

[Slender] - Yes but between all the broken windows, walls, and doors, it saved a fair amount of time

[TLOT] I can imagine. Creepypastas seem to scrap as a hobby. And he;s not the only brine that likes to fight... - His mind flicks to MB-

[Slender] - I can imagine, especially with how heavily armored you are

[TLOT] Oh this? It was a present from my husband. Gold armor isn't very strong. It just has sentimental value... That's why it doesn't match my helm. That's an antique. Mostly just keeps the sun out of my eyes.

[Lie] Is focused on making a special bouquet for Splender-

[Pinwheel] Is tearing up the blankets-

[Splender] - Pinwheel, come here- Goes to pick her up

-The sounds of blocks being laid on the roof-

[Slender] - I understand the value of sentimental objects, there are quite a few amongst the pasta's, items they would be completely devastated to lose

[TLOT] You understand the value of gold to any Herobrine, don't you?

[Slender] - No, ours has always used diamond...  In fact I can't recall ever seeing him with anything gold...

[TLOT] Ah, I guess because summoning him intentionally would be an invitation to a messy death under normal circumstances. It's a key component in the totem that needs to be built to call out to us. It's a way for humans to get our attention.

[Slender] - I suspect he's never been purposefully summoned very often- He glances over at the grumpy brine

[CP] - What?  I prefer to pick and choose!

[Doc] Calls down the steps - There was the time Notch sacrificed himself to get your attention...

[CP] - Shut up!

[TLOT] Even then, he cared.

[Slender] - Is this the person my brother has mentioned before?

[TLOT] Yes, that was Markus. He's all but adopted Cp and Stevie and is currently dating someone who was very close to Cp's orginal father.

[Slender] - The purple woman as my brother puts it

[Splender] Is playing with PInwheel- But she is purple!

[TLOT] Purple is the color of magick around here, and she's full to the brim with it.

-Glass blocks clicking into place and then one breaking-

[Doc] Darn it.

[Pinwheel] Is curious about the noise-

[TLOT] Notes her alertness and checks Doc mentally- I think they're nearly done.

[Pinwheel] Squirms heavily-

[Splender] - Pinwheel, settle down!

[TLOT] You should let her down, it is for her after all.

[Splender] - But she's so soft!

[TLOT] Gently- She's also an excited child.

[Splender] - Awwwww...- He does put PInwheel down though who starts racing around the room excitedly

-Soft flup flup flup of carpets going down and item frames hitting the walls-

[TLOT] She's so cute. I suspect she'll learn to fly early with all the flapping she's doing while running...

-Soft thunk of doors being placed-

[Splender] - FLYING!?

[TLOT] She is a dragon, look at her. she's got strong wings.

[Doc] writing a sign in the stairwell- if you're lucky she might be big enough to ride someday.

[Splender] Happy gasp-

[Slender] Sighs-

[TLOT] And you can can talk to her normally now. Her thoughts are a bit jumbled, but easy to read if you're sensitive to it.

[Doc] If you read to her I bet she'll learn more words faster too.

[TLOT] at Pinwheel- you've met Endrea and Ashe, right? When you're older we'll make you a humanish shape to flip too if you want one.

[Splender] - Human shape?

[Doc] on the stairs- yeah, just so it's easier to hang out inside, get into smaller places, ect. It gives them better water resistance too.

[Lie] - Should we be considering human shape for Willow and Oak?

[TLOT] Anyone who wants one is welcome. You know Doc loves that kind of work

[Slender] - Such an odd hobby...

[TLOT] Quietly- they're broken. Fixing others problems helps them heal...

This message has been removed.

[Pinwheel] Scratches at the carpet, tearing bits up-

[Doc] Pauses thoughtfully. Xe heard TLOTS comment. Hir hearts give a collective thump at the thought of hir loved ones

[TLOT] Smiles softly

[CP] - Can we go yet?

[Doc] at Pinwheel - do you need a scratching post?

[Pinwheel] - No

[Doc] Kind of gets it and starts setting one up anyway

[Lie] Finishes the bouquet she was making-

[TLOT] looks at Lie to see what she's doing -

-The bouquet is comprised of many bright colored flowers, each with a calming scent-

[Doc] wants to ask Pinwheel if they like their new room, but already knows the answer-

[TLOT] Spawns a cauldron and plunks it down for the flowers-

[Slender] Makes a motion as if he's yawning-

[Lie] - Thanks TLOT

[TLOT] you're welcome, now all we needs is one of your water buckets

[Lie] Smiled and spawns one in, filling the cauldron-

[Doc] Comes back down the stairs - well she's racing all over and having a field day with the carpet, so I guess she likes it...

[Splender] - Good!

[TLOT] Pulls out a coffee bottle and holds it up for Slender-

[Doc] I made her a sign too, she'll probably appreciate it once she learns to read. It just says 'Pinwheel's room keep the fuck out!'

[Slender] - No thank you, it's not worth the effort to form a mouth

[TLOT] well we could do it a more direct way.... - spawns a little gunpowder and uses Splender's stand to make it a splash potion- just toss it up and let it break on your feet, it'll absorb near instantly

[Doc] Before you ask, it won't leave glass bits everywhere either

[Slender] - I will be fine, I assure you

[Splender] - I wanna see Pinwheels room!

[Doc] Well come upstairs. It's all done. The ceiling is a bit low, but I feel like she'll be calmer with a cozier den

[TLOT]wry expression - I hear that sort of thing a lot....

[Splender] Goes up the stairs, having to bend over to get in the room-

-The bed is doubled and there's a little table with a bench, a scratching post, the usual crafting table and trunk , and many framed items; mostly meat, bones, mob heads and weapons

[Doc] It's open to the roof, because she'll likely need a landing pad later.

[Pinwheel] Climbs up the stairs and sniffs around the room-

[Herabrine] Pushes Lj in through the front door- just check in and we can get back to making mischief, I mean WORKING

[Slender] Looks over at them- Ah, Laughing Jack, there you are

[LJ] - Hello Sir

[Doc] At Pinwheel- it's all for you, as promised

[Lie] - Hera, hey

[LJ] - You wanted us to check in sir?

[Slender] - Yes, just to make certain everyone is alright

[Herabrine] Looks Lie up and down- You look.. different... did you get your hair done?

[Lie] - No...?

[Herabrine] Hmm... Well... - Looks around- So you're Slender huh? They grow em big where you come from.

[Slender] - I am the tallest of my brothers, but not the tallest of our kind

[Herabrine] Got it. Bring a stepladder if I visit.

[LJ] - Offender and Trender are the shortest ones, helps them blend in with the humans better

[Herabrine] I think you mentioned those guys at some point. - shrugs, at Slender- Eh, me and chuckles here have done a lot of talking. He's a trip to hang out with.

[Slender] - He is one that I can have decent conversations with

[CP] - Because LJ's ooooooooooooold!

[LJ] - I wonder how many candies I can jam down your throat before you choke to death...

[Herabrine] Pfft! He's also politer then you Cp.

[TLOT] She has you there...

[CP] - Says one of the rudest people I know

[Herabrine] I'm your wife's sassy bf, it's my job.

[Lie] - Speaking of, we need to hang out soon...

[Herabrine] Nether to the yes! Just let me know. Me and him got everything all squared away in the circus. So now it's just a semi-busy schedule of annoying people and practical jokes.

[Lie] - I'm sorry, what?

[LJ] - Whoops, secret's out~

[Herabrine] No secret. They know I do these things. But that doesn't clue them into any specifics. Don't sweat it.

[CP] - No, but your conversation is saying otherwise...

[Herabrine] Just gives Cp a huge grin like she knows something-

[CP] Narrows his eyes at her-

[LJ] Is taking a few steps back-

[Herabrine] Oh relax.

[TLOT] She's just baiting you Cp.

[Lie] Puts a hand on CP's arm- Calm down

[CP] Suddenly sniggers- Are you sure your not the one that needs to?

[Lie] Flushes bright red-

[TLOT] Even more knowing grin.

[Herabrine] At Lj- Ah don't get all antsy. Cp probably knows I could suffocate him without moving a finger anyway. Lie likely told him a long time ago if what I did to BEN wasn't graphic enough.

[LJ] - Yes, and I've seen him fight right through similar things before

[Herabrine] Maybe? Maybe not. I'm not in the mood to scrap right now anyway. I'd get my tunic all dirty- She brushes quite a bit of pollen off the ruffled green edges of her shirt-

[Lie] - Have you been going through my green house or something?

[Herabrine] Just playing in the dirt.

[Lie] - Okay...

[CP] - Can we go now?

[Slender] - I'd think you'd have learned some more patience by now CP...

[TLOT] He's looking to spend some quality time with Lie, that's all.

[Lie] - Uhhh, um...

[CP] - You could have already had it off if you hadn't decided to wear the sweater

[Herabrine] You're so modest Lie.

[Lie] - Hera you are not helping!

[LJ] - I don't understand...

[TLOT] Whispers to Lj- She's wearing a corset-

[LJ] - Ah, haven't seen a proper one of those in a very long time

[TLOT] I think this is more bondage wear then anything proper, but the effect is much the same.

[LJ] - Oh such fun can be had with that~

[TLOT] Never tried it myself. Have done a lot with ropes and spiderwebs though.

[LJ] - Most ropes that I've used were to hold victims down

[TLOT] Well, it was for sexual reasons, not murdery ones.

[LJ] Shrugs and heads back over towards Hera-

[Herabrine] Floats a little off the floor and peeks down Lie's shirt from above- Oh you're wearing the thing Doc got you?

[Lie] - HERA!

[Herabrine] What? You're the one that told me about it! I bet it looks fab on you.

[Lie] Makes flustered noises-

[CP] - Oh it certainly does, and I told her she would only have to wear it half as long without the sweater, but she insisted on the sweater

[TLOT] Lie is reserved and dignified. I thought that was one of the things you liked about her?

[CP] - Well yes, but I do still enjoy watching her squirm

[Lie] - CP!

[Slender] - Herobrine stop tormenting your mate it's not polite

[Herabrine] Yeah, I think she should make you squirm more often....

[CP] - Oh fuck no!

[Lie] - Is at the point of making little noises of embarressment now-

[Herabrine] Get on your knees and make like a kitty once in a while. Slurp!

[CP] Lunges at Hera in anger- I AM NOT A CAT!

[Herabrine] Does a little sumersault in the air to stay out of reach-

[Lie] - CP please calm down, it was an accident

[Herabrine] Wait? What was an accident?

[Lie] - I may have catified him out of anger unjustly...

[TLOT] Hence the small punishment.

[Lie] Nods-

[LJ] - Pretty light for a punishment coming from CP...

[TLOT] He's getting better.

[CP] - Still plan on fucking once done...

[Lie] - CP!

[Herabrine] Lands delicately on the floor again.

[LJ] Is laughing-

[Splender] Goes to pick Pinwheel up again-

[Pinwheel] - No!- Goes to bite Splender

[Doc] Flaps hir coat tail in between them to deflect the bite- No at both of you!

[Splender] - But why!

[Doc] Because she's overstimulated. She's so full of energy, you hold her still and it makes her crazy. That's why she keeps biting you.

[Splender] - Oh, but I like holding her

[Doc] And she likes being held, but not all the time. It might be better if you let her ride your shoulders at least. Heck, it would probably be good exercise to move your tendrils around and let her run and climb like she's on a jungle gym.

[Splender] - Okay...

[Pinwheel] Starts scratching on the crafting table-

[Doc] I know it's hard to imagine now, but she's so much more then a pet.

[Splender] - But I love her as she is now!

[Doc] Well yes, but she's still going to grow up.

[Splender] - Oh alright...

[Doc] You've been around children plenty of times. I think you two will be good for eachother. It's just going to be awkward for a bit while she's learning her words.

[Splender] - I'll try...

[Doc] Takes his hand gently and pats it - You'll do great, I believe in you.

[Splender] Smiles a little-

[Doc] Want a hug? You look so tired.

[Splender] - Yes, brother could use a respite from that I'm guessing

[Doc] Open arms and a big smile-

[Splender] Tackles Doc into a hug-

[Doc] Gives Splender the full force of hir friendship-

[Splender] Happily feeds-

[Doc] Feel a little better?

[Splender] Muffled yes since he's face planted into Doc's torso-

[Doc] Good.

[Splender] Releases Doc-

[Doc] I want to show you a trick anyway. Hey Pinwheel?

[Pinwheel] Twists her head around to look at Doc-

[Doc] Wanna scratch? - Wiggles hir fingers in a scratching motion-

[Pinwheel] Cautiously comes closer-

[Doc] Reaches for her from the front and scratches at her feathered ruff. -If you want to ruffle her soft feathers, just give her lots of this. She loves it.

[Pinwheel] Purrs a little-

[Splender] Gasps- She's purring!

[Doc] Yep. A little of this and a bit of that-

[Pinwheel] Flops over-

[Doc] See? TLOT figured it out. And she likes to run around outside and roll in the grass and sand for the same reason. I think she might be molting a bit since she's still growing.

[Splender] - So she'll be leaving rainbow colored feathers!?

[Doc] Maybe? It'll just be to make room for more.

[Splender] Is just thinking about all the loose feathers now-

[Doc] Splender?

[Splender] Is off in la la land-

[Herabrine] We good to go Lj?

[LJ] Looks at Slender-

[Slender] - Yes you may go

[LJ] - Later!- Bolts out

[Herabrine] Woo! Out of class early! - runs off as well

[TLOT] I'm glad they're getting along

[Slender] Mentally at LJ- If you can get Benjamin here, it would be appreciative

[LJ] Grins- Oh Hera ~

[Herabrine] Floats near him- Yes?

[LJ] - Wanna go grab BEN?

[Herabrine] Nether yes! I'll race you!

[LJ] Cackles and races after her- [Pinwheel] Comes racing back down the stairs-

[Doc] I wonder what she's up too now? - follows her curiously

[Pinwheel] Has started chasing her own tail-

[Slender] - She has gotten more energetic since I last saw her...

[TLOT] She looks happy. Just the vigor of youth and good health. Playing outside is good for little ones

-Shrieking from outside-

[Doc] What the heck?

[BEN] Flies past but sticks close to Splender's house-

[Hearbrine] is chasing him with a small wave of water like a shield and lets it break against Splender's house

[BEN] Shrieks and darts inside-

[Slender] Sighs- Still as hydrophobic as ever I see...

[BEN] - Make it stop!

[TLOT] it's okay! She left it outside!

[Herabrine] giggling from outside

[Doc] Efficient yet mean.

[Lie] - Well yeah, she's a brine

[Doc] That she is.

[TLOT] Trying to calm BEN down

[Slender] - Benjamin come down

[BEN] - Huh? Oh, Slendy...

[Slender] Stiffens in irritation at the name- Benjamin, please refrain from using such a crude name

[Doc] Hera was just.... Encouraging you to check in. In her own way.

[BEN] - I fucking hate that bitch!

[Herabrine] Teasingly from the window- love you BEN!

[TLOT] She's been hanging out with Lj. What did you expect?

[BEN] - Fuck you!

[Doc] pffft!

[Slender] - Benjamin, focus

[BEN] - Sorry sir

[Doc] He's getting a little better. My kitchen has a glass  ceiling and its underwater. He's been in there a couple of times without freaking out

[CP] - Only because he was distracted

[BEN] Whimpers- No scary water room

[TLOT] Better then nothing

[Doc] it's okay BEN, you're safe

[Slender] - Benjamin, have you been alright? I've heard from multiple others about your current predicament, but I'd prefer to hear it from you

[BEN] - I'm fine, so is my mate and my kid

[Doc] I wouldn't call it a predicament. He has a family. I think it's a decent situation.

[BEN] - Can I go now?  Aven might be trying to bathe the baby again...

[TLOT] Awww, you trust her, don't you?

[BEN] - But he needs to be kept away from water!

[TLOT] Pats BEN's shoulder - He'll be fine.

[Slender] - Benjamin, the health of your child is more important then your fears

[CP] - Ha!

[Doc] He's hooked to respawn anyway.

[BEN] - But...  But...

[Lie] - BEN, it will be okay

[Doc] You got a whole house full of friends to help you. Hey, how's Aqua anyway?

[BEN] Trying to hit the house with water...

[Slender] - Aqua?

[Doc] Cheeky thing.

[TLOT] Gem requested a dragon egg and walked it around like Doc and Splender did with theirs. Ironically it's a sea serpent.

[Slender] - I thought the dragons in this game were intolerant of water?

[Doc] It's not really from this game... well, it came from a heavily modded Minecraft seed. The game is open source on the code end and the users make all kinds of crazy custom stuff for it.

[TLOT] Not all of them have the allergy. Yaunfen loves to swim and Mix's dragon Liz can handle a bath easy.

[Slender] - Such complication for such a seemingly simple thing

[Doc] People are creative. It just makes the whole thing more fun. 16x16 leaves a lot of room for experimentation.

[BEN] Is trying to sneak out-

[Doc] Wait! BEN. I have something for you to take!

[BEN] Whines-

[Doc] It's nothing bad, sheesh. Give this to Gem please. - Passes a small trunk. - It's full of giant fish flakes. They're pancake sized this time.

[BEN] - Fiiiiiiiiiiiiine- He takes the trunk

[Doc] Sweetly- Thank you BEN.

[BEN] Flips Doc off-

[Doc] Snorts-

[TLOT] Say hi to everyone for me.

[CP] - Hey TLOT, what's with the trunk blocking Notch's door?

[TLOT] Bursts into laughter- Just some supplies

[Lie] Is shifting a little, the corset is beginning to rub in places-

[CP] - Supplies?

[TLOT] Notch may need some things... for Flux....

[CP] Still isn't getting it-

[TLOT] Does a little hip thrust that makes Doc laugh-

[Slender] - Ah, I see

[CP] - OH COME ON!

[TLOT] What? They make a cute couple.

[CP] - That's it, we're leaving

[Lie] - CP don't be rude

[Doc] Since when are you such a prude Cp?

[CP] - Because I'm bored

[Lie] Sighs-

[TLOT] Then go play Cp. I'm sure Lie could use the relief.

[Lie] Squeaks-

[Doc] Yeah. We're okay here. I won't run off with her again.

[CP] Growls at Doc-

[Doc] looks innocent. -

[CP] Picks up Lie and storms out-

[Doc] Chuckles- Some things never change.

[TLOT] Waves-

[Lie] - Bye guys!

[Pinwheel] Makes a break for the bridge which leads back to the mainland-

[TLOT] Tp's into her path- Don't run. You have to be careful around the water.

[Pinwheel] Hisses- No

[TLOT] Yes. Guys? I think she'd like to play some more. I can keep watching her for a bit if you're too tired. -calls up - Splender?

[Slender] - I believe my brother is still upstairs

[Splender] - Huh?

[TLOT] Can I take Pinwheel back outside to play some more?

[Splender] - Oh, sure

[TLOT] Gets a gentle hold on Pinwheels wing tips. - Now we walk. - Leads her along the bridge-

[Pinwheel] Swishes her tail angrily-

[TLOT] Watches it thunk two or three times off his boots- Shush. It's only a short walk- He lets go once they reach the other side-

[Pinwheel] Dashes over to a tree and tries climbing-

[TLOT] Keeps an eye on her-

[Glitchy] -Approaching, Null wrapped around his neck like a scarf.- -Clearly here to check in with the Slender-

[Slender] Senses Glitchy- Ah, hello Glitchy

[Doc] Hey Glitchy. Aww Null looks comfy.

[Glitchy] Null is really comfy. My shoulders are apparently the best napping spot. Hello Slender.

[Slender] - Are you doing well Glitchy?

[Doc] You guys have been scarce lately. Have you been building anywhere?

[Glitchy] I can see normally now, so that's better than well, in my books. -to Doc- Yeah, I made a place for myself beside that long bridge.

[Doc] Good! I don't mind you guys staying with me, but I know Strangled hates my guts and he'd probably be happier with his own space.

[Slender] - That is good, and your brothers?

[Doc] I saw Silver yesterday. He's a big help with my pokemon team.

[Glitchy] Silvers well, and Strangled's... Well. He's him.

[Slender] - As usual...  How many nooses has he made now?

[Doc] Nooses? He usually just tells me to go die in a fire, or something similar.

[Slender] - There's a reason why he's called Strangled Red

[Glitchy] ... A... few? *his voice is a bit hesitant and strained, like he isn't in the mood to say just how many.

[Slender] - Glitchy...

[Doc] Sounds concerned- Will he self- harm? Should I be keeping a closer eye on him?

[Slender] - It's a habit for him, he makes them when stressed or depressed

[Doc] Poor Strangled... I really need to find some common ground with him.

[Glitchy] It was like.... 20...ish... When I checked last...?

[Slender] - I see... Please make sure he eventually checks in with me before I leave

[Doc] I'll go talk to him. - Goes to leave-

[Slender] - Thank you, I should stay with my brother for now

[Doc] Looks back- You're welcome.

[Slender] - Glitchy, are all your pokemon doing well as well?

[Glitchy] Hm? Oh- Yeah. A few are a bit homesick though..

[Slender] - Well if you wish to return with me when I leave, you may

[Glitchy] .. I'll think about it. I'll probably go though. *nod nod

[Null, Mew] *Rolls over to peer at Slender, ever so slowly waves

[Slender] - Very well, that also extends to your brothers if you want

[Doc] Heads down to look for Strangled-

[Glitchy] I'll go and tell them. ..Unless theres anything else you have to say?

[Strangled] Is moping in Silver's room, surrounded by nooses-

[Slender] - No, you may go

[Glitchy] Bye! *Turns and rushes after Doc

[Doc] Taps on the doorframe-

[Silver] - Come on down!

[Doc] Picks hir way down the stairs. -

[Glitchy] -Following the doc-

[Espurr] Waves at Doc-

[Doc] Hello Espurr, you look extra cute today - Xe looks at all the nooses- Strangled...

[Strangled] - Fuck off

[Null, Mew] *swooshes off Glitchy's shoulders to swoosh directly onto strangled's

[Doc] I came to tell you Slender is here. You too Silver. He just wants everyone to check in with him while he's watching over Splender.

[Strangled] - Yeah yeah, we saw

[Silver] - Poor Splender, it isn't often he needs to be looked after like this

[Doc] Yeah... he freaked out pretty badly. Losing his proxy really did a number on him. And he'd apparently been starving himself for a while....

[Strangled] - He does that a lot

[Doc] Strangled.... do you.. -gestures to the nooses- want to talk about it?

[Strangled] - I'm fine

[Silver] - He's like BEN, he kills using the same method he died with

[Doc] I gathered as much, but I was also told he makes them when he's depressed. I want to help.

[Strangled] - I don't need your fucking help!

[Doc] But I'm offering it anyway. - Xe's trying to stand in an open and non-threatening way.

[Strangled] Scowls and turns away from Doc-

[Doc] Glances to Silver, in hopes of a clue-

[Silver] Shakes his head- The only people he's not like this to are me and Glitchy...

[Doc] Pulls up a block and sits next to Strangled-

[Strangled] - Now what?

[Doc] Nothing. Just keeping you company.

[Strangled] Grabs one of his pokeballs-

[Doc] Just looks interested-

[Strangled] Let's the pokemon out and it's Onyx- Onyx creates a barrier between Doc and Strangled-

[Doc] Stands up on the block and attempts to scratch Onyx's chin-

[Onyx] Raises it's head away and uses growl-

[Doc] Vibrates a bit from the noise and nearly falls off the block-

[Silver] - Er, Doc?  Maybe you wanna...  Step away?

[Doc] Just trying to be friendly...

[Silver] - Yeah friendly isn't really Strangled or his pokemon's thing...

[Doc] Looks up at Onyx. - I gathered as much. But it's a really cool critter. Thought I'd give it a shot.

[Sylveon] Approaches- Syl?

[Doc] Hello Sylveon - Xe reaches out to pet the small creature. - I take it offering berries is a waste of time too?

[Silver] - Yup

[Doc] Sighs. - Strangled.... if you want to go back to the manor because you're unhappy no one will blame you. And you're free to come back if you change your mind.

[Strangled] - Why would I ever come back?

[Doc] Looks hurt - I guess.... I don't know. Because you're welcome here?

[Strangled] - Fuck off!

[Silver] - Please don't take it personally Doc

[Doc] I won't. I'm sadly pretty used to being threatened and cursed at. I know it's not about me.

[Silver] - Okay

[Doc] I'll walk with you if you guys want to go talk to him. I'm not sure Strangled knows where Splender's house is anyway.

[Silver] - I know where it is, we'll go later, I need to check on Ponyta

[Doc] Are they ill?

[Silver] - I don't think so, but they won't stop running

[Doc] Maybe you and Deerheart should race. I'm sure her Mudsdale would like that.

[Silver] - Maybe

[Doc] I wouldn't mind either. Gir doesn't get ridden much these days.

[Silver] - If I can catch Ponyta I'll think about it

[Doc] Smiles - Lie would reccomend mash. Works for her horses 100% of the time.

[Silver] - Mash?

[Doc] I can make you some if you give me a few minutes, where did you see Ponytas last?

[Silver] - Running towards spawn I think...

[Doc] Come on, I'll do it there so they can see what I've got. Strangled...?

[Strangled] - Fuck off!

[Doc] Come on Silver... - Starts heading up the steps.

[Silver] Follows with Sylveon and Espurr-

[Doc] Leads them back outside and down the hill-

[Silver] Is looking around for the fire pony-

[Doc] Is pulling junk out of the creative, shredding grass tufts, and wheat and mixing them with water in a cauldron. Xe adds a few pixels from a clay block and clunks a bucket on the side of the cauldron.

[Silver] - That looks like normal horse food but wet...

[Doc] It basically is. I don't get it either. But she described it to me and I gave her a ton of shredded pixels to make it for her herd. Apparently they go nuts for it.

[Silver] - Weird

[Doc] Clunks the bucket a bit more, looking around-

[Lie] - Hey!  Quit that!- She comes into sight riding a horse that recognizes the sound of a mash bucket and really wants to get to it

[Doc] Laughs- Wrong horse! Well, they can still have some. Maybe the noise of them eating will get Ponytas attention- Xe scoops some in the bucket and sets it down for Lie's mount.

[Lie] - Doc why are you making mash?

[Doc] Ponytas ran off. I thought this might get their attention.

[Ponyta] Eventually comes trotting around-

-Lie's horse is eagerly eating the mash and then wanting more-

[Doc] There we go! - Xe grabs another bucket and scoops up some for the pokemon-

[Ponyta] Sniffs at the mash-

[Doc][ Should I give your horse some more Lie? I don't want to overfeed.

[Lie] - No, he needs to learn that he still needs to listen to me, even if there is mash around- She l the horses head away.  The horse is not happy about this

[Doc] Got it. How are your supplies? Still holding out?

[Lie] - Getting low, with as many horses as I have I run through stuff fast

[Doc] Do you have inventory space for me to give you more?

[Ponyta] Starts eating the mash a bit-

[Lie] - Ummm...- Looks- Maybe for a little

[Doc] Shreds some more items and multiplies the mulchy stacks before passing them to her-

[Lie] - Thanks a bunch

[Doc] Hey Silver look! They're having a bit.

[Silver] Goes over and pets his pokemon- There you go, come on, finish up and then we'll go inside

[Doc] Here, you should take some too. Just for treats. - Passes some of the mulchy items to Silver as well. -

[Silver] - Okay, thanks

[Lie] - Well, I'm heading back home see ya Doc, Silver

[Doc] Later Lie! Thanks again for telling me about this stuff. - Xe watches her go and turns to Silver- If there's anything I can do for Strangled... please tell me. I'd hate for him to just leave on such bad terms. I really do want to help him.

[Silver] - He'll warm up eventually, he's just really distrustful of others

[Doc] Gives Silver a little hug- Thank you.

[Silver] - Your welcome.  I'll just stay out here till Ponyta is finished

[Doc] Will I get burned if I go for a pat?

[Silver] - I don't know, they'll burn someone if they don't trust them enough

[Doc] Hmm... Well, how about this? - Offers Ponytas a carrot from their inventory-

[Ponyta] Ignores the carrot and continues to eat the mash-

[Doc] Oh well. I don't want to bug them while they're eating anyway. I guess I'll head home. I could actually use some food myself. Come find me when they're done nomming. I'll be in the kitchen making dinner.

[Silver] - Okay

-Later that night-

[Dolly] Ventures upstairs to get something warm to drink from the kitchen, she decides to take the upper passage for a change and wanders into the vine room. There's a little noise from the mobs outside, but it's mostly muffled by the burning netherrack on the roof. The flickering light draws her attention to something that wasn't there before and she feels pulled inexorably to stand before it. It's the poster Doc bought in the irl market and hung on the wall. She stares at the cryptic designs and feels something shatter inside her, a flood of forgotten things breaking over her in waves and driving her to her knees. The creatures in the artwork seem to writhe, leaning out from the wall, beseeching her for understanding. The green lion and bleeding sun, the dual-faced person with an outfit half dress and half trousers, and the three birds, blood red, night black and deathly pale. Her face seems to change under her hands as she remembers and reemerges, blinking into this life that now seems so desperately small. Her hands are shaking, itching to take hold of something this skin has never felt, but now needs as desperately as air.

[Xophiel] Feels her distress and speaks hesitantly into her mind - You don't have to do it.

[Dolly] Her reply is deeper, more confident. - I want too.

[Xophiel] I cannot stop you now.

[Dolly] I know.

-The seed shivers, and there's a rumble as the heavens open outside. The water beats down on the stones but cannot quench the fire above.

[Dolly] Perfect.

[fearofaherobrine]

Roleplay Server Log #219

“Pinwheel sitting, Ashes Flying Lessons”

[gem] -flies next to splenderman's house and knocks on the side of the door-

[Slender] Sighs- Come in

[Gem] -flies in then lands she is holding two stacks of sugar cookies- oh hello I heard Splenderman was sick so I wanted to help cheer him up I didn't know someone else was here

[Slender] - Yes, I am his brother- He's looking Gem over, finding her attributes a bit odd

[Gem] well I brought sugar cookies

[Splender] Groans and rolls over- Nooo...

[Slender] - You may as well put them with the other food which has been brought, in that chest over there

[Gem] -puts them in the chest- will splenderman be ok?

[Slender] - In about a week or so, he doesn't like having to kill humans

[gem] -flies up a little- I understand so are you doing staying on the server must be tough it being so different I would guess

[Slender] - Having to restrict my EMP field is annoying but necessary.  Speaking of I wouldn't get to close to me unless you wish to be affected.  And I'm staying here to help make certain Splender is alright

[Gem] -flies back a little so she further from slender- is restricting it hard?

[Slender] - After some time it does become difficult, but I should be able to do it for the length of time I'll be here

[gem] -is just talking out loud- I just realized I should check on aven and ben later before I go back to building the track system

[Slender] - Ah yes, them and their child

[gem] I live with them but I have recently been busy with building I haven't been home as often

[Slender] - I see, I am curious about how their child is coming along

[gem] oh he is just the cutest he is very healthy too

[Slender] - I know Painter and Angel desire a child, but I'd like more data, preferably a second successful child

[gem] well ben is quiet protective of hyrule to the point of not wanting to give him baths

[Slender] - Of course he wouldn't want to do that, you can always get Jeff and LJ to hold him down, they've gotten very good at that over the years

[gem] I believe they had to do that once already and my guardians also did once

[Slender] - And his mate is still doing well?  There have been no ill effects of having the child?

[gem] no aven has been good

[Slender] - I see...

[Splender] - Brother...

[Slender] - Yes?

[Splender] - Don't let father get us...

[Slender] - I won't, I promise

[gem] what would happen if they did?

[Slender] - It's nothing, he's just dreaming of a memory

[gem] oh well if there is anything you need for me to get splenderman I will gladly help

[Slender] - I will keep it in mind

[gem] well I should be off to check on the couple -starts flying to the door-

[Slender] Lets her leave before pulling a book out of his jacket pocket-

[Deer] Has shifted into her dragon form and is playing with Yaunfen in the water-

[Doc] Does a graceful roll a little farther out and breaches in a gentle arc, using the air to make it higher before plunging back down-

[Deer] Laughs and nudges Yaunfen to swim a bit more-

[Doc] Does some little zigzags under the water near them. Just keeping an eye out for trouble.

[Yaunfen] Paddles about-

[Endrea] Flies past them over head-

[Doc] Looks up- I wonder where the babies are?

[Deer] - Probably with their uncle, I'm more curious as to where she's going

[Doc] The void hole we covered up is in the ravine over there. But that's it. I doubt she wants to hang out with the villagers over the water.

[Deer] - Odd...

[Yaunfen] Paddles towards the shore-

[Doc] I'll check on her and come right back. Will you two be okay?

[Deer] - Absolutely, besides, I think it's time for a nap

[Doc] On the sand, by our sea, in this lovely morning sunshine perhaps?

[Endrea] Heads down into the ravine and starts scrapping up loose rocks-

[Deer] - Oh absolutely

[Doc] Oh good! -Xe leaps out of the water and chases Endrea. On the other side it doesn't take long for hir to sniff out the bigger dragon and peek down into the ravine. - Endrea? Are you doing okay?

[Endrea] - Need to brood...

[Doc] Oh! I guess the kids are with the sitter?

[Endrea] - Yes- she then lays down, huffing a little-

[Doc] Can I get you anything?

[Endrea] - No, I'll be fine- Already the first egg is emerging

[Doc] How long will it take? Just so I can let the others know.

[Endrea] - A few days at the least- She grunts as the egg pops out

[Doc] Okay. I'll leave you too it. Let me know if you need anything, or if anything unusual hatches. Heh.

[Endrea] - It's always the same every time, twelve eggs, for twelve eyes of ender

[Doc] You never know... I've come to believe anything is possible around here. - grins-

[Doc] Takes a little leap off a cliff by the sea and spins out over the water, dragging a foot to make a huge plume of water. Hir other paw wiggles as xe chats to Deerheart - Gotta make one more stop -

[Deer] - Okay

[Doc] Hits the shore running and vaults over Stevie and Alexises house landing a chunk away with a thump in Lie's yard-

-There's a grumpy looking red cat on the bridge-

[Doc] Stops short. - Uh oh. What did you do?

[[Lie] Walks past the bridge- SOMEBODY left HG out in the real world...  With Jeb...

[Doc] Oh for... well. I guess it's better then leaving him at the manor. And he did want to go.

[Lie] - Still...  He made me mad

[CP] Mews at his wife-

[Doc] I hate to say it - shuffles hir claws a bit in the dirt- But I actually think that's pretty funny. I mean, Jeb is terrified of us. I don't think he'll screw up intentionally. I'm sure he knows Cp would punch his dick so hard he couldn't have a second kid.

[Lie] - Pretty sure he threatened to stab Jeb's dick off

[Doc] See? Besides, who else could we even leave him with? Do you want to be out there for at least two weeks? I don't.

[Lie] - You have a point...

[Doc] I mean, he knew he'd be out for a while right? You guys warned him?

[Lie] - CP didn't give me the chance to

[CP] Is looking a bit smug-

[Doc] You told him it would be painful? Yeah?

[Lie] - Again, a certain someone didn't give me the chance

[Doc] Looks a bit skeptical. - I think one or both of you need to check on his house then.

[Lie] - I will after I take care of my animals

[Doc] Good. And for what it's worth. I don't think this should be a lengthy cat-i-fication. He's done way worse. And he might be needed anyway.

[Lie] Sighs- You're right, I just got pissed at him...

[Doc] He has that effect on people, - winks- and he is a really cute little kitty.

[Lie] - That he is

[CP] Hisses-

[Doc] And so are you.

[Lie] - So, why might he be needed?

[Doc] Endrea went off to lay a clutch of ender eggs. And of course, Slender is still here.

[Lie] - Slender's here?

[CP] Tries to look innocent-

[Doc] He came to take care of Splender. Trust me, the whole thing makes me massively uncomfortable, but the server is holding steady with just some tiny errors in the 2-3 pixel range from his skin. And his waves are making any humans in a 6-8 block radius feel ill.

[Lie] - I see...  I think I'll just keep my distance for the time being

[Doc] I don't blame you, he's a downer anyway. But the Steves, Alexes, and even the villagers have been going down there with food and get well gifts all day.

[Lie] - Well of course, they love Splender, it's amazing that the two are related, they're as different as night and day

[Doc] All of them are, it's almost like someone took a whole personality and split it into several parts.

[Lie] - True, maybe they all were originally one person

[Doc] Or one old God...

[CP] Jumps down and rubs against Lies legs- [Lie] - An old god?

[Doc] why not? I think Cp was the one that told me their strongest Allie is some kind of demon.

[Lie] - They've probably been called that themselves

[Doc] Then who knows? Your world makes the one I'm used too look sane and normal most of the time. Irregardless, even if you want to avoid Slender you should at least send him a note or something. There's a trunk on the shore people have been using as a mailbox all day.

[Lie] - Got it, I'll have to think about what I'll want to say though

[Doc] Take your time, he's gonna be laid up for a few days. And you, make sure you check in on Hg.

[CP] Considers it-

[Doc] gives Cp the hairy eyeball- you get to aggravate Jeb....

[CP] Yowls a little-

[Lie] - I'll let Notch know since Jeb will probably call him

[Doc] Thank you Lie. -gives Cp a tiny lick on the ear- behave...

[CP] Attempts to scratch Doc-

[Doc] Withdraws hir forked tongue with a teeny slurp- naughty. See you guys later, my own little family is waiting on me.

[Doc] Canters back home with a spring in hir step-

[Deer] She and Yaunfen are happily curled up by spawn in the sun-

[Doc] Makes a circle around them as if fluffing up the grass with hir claws and lays down as well, hir body a loop with hir beloved and child protected by the kinked coils of hir golden form. Before long, Xe is also asleep.

[Deer] After a few hours she begins to whimper in her sleep some and shift around far more than usual-

[Doc] Opens an eye at hir mates distress and cradles her head - Shhh, I'm here love.

[Deer] Whimpers and curls up a bit more-

[Yaunfen] Wakes as well and looks at Deer with concern-

[Doc] Huddles closer- Wake up love...

[Deer] Slowly wakes up-

[Doc] Were you having a nightmare?

[Deer] - No...  I think... Ugh, there's some interference nearby...

[Doc] Probably Slender.... It looked like the server was distributing his load pretty well considering. But if he's moving around it might be having some issues.

[Deer] - He's close, not with Splender

[Doc] Periscopes like a snake- looking around-

[Slender] Is in the shade of the tree's near the water-

[Doc] Yeah, he's on the next chunk. Should I get Flux?

[Deer] - What for?

[Doc] Well she has experience, and you said she was teaching you a lot of server maintience stuff? I thought it might help?

[Deer] - Oh, right...  Maybe you should, I don't seem able to think straight right now

[Doc] Tapping in the chat already - Flux? Can you please come to the spawn?

[Flux] - Certainly- Within seconds she has arrived, forming near them- What did you call me for?

[Doc] Server issues actually. Slender is here, and even though the server is holding up underfoot it's still making Deerheart feel scattered. Can you give her a hand?

[Flux] - Absolutely, but perhaps you could convince  him to step a ways away?  It would be helpful

[Doc] Okay... -Xe puts hir head down for Yaunfen- Just hop on -

[Yaunfen] Crawls on- Mada!

[Doc] Smiles- Yep, and you're my baby. - Purrs- Lets go see if we can straighten things out a bit. - trots toward Slender.

[Slender] Noticed their approach and turns towards them- Hello Doctor

[Doc] Hey.... um.... not to be a pill, but I need a little favor....

[Slender] - What would that be?

[Doc] I just need you to move. - Looks at the ground and counts - about twelve blocks that way.

[Slender]- Why so specific?

[Doc] It's kinda complicated. Basically my mate is the embodiment of the server. And you're too close to her physical part. She was napping away from our house to stay out of your interference and then you moved closer to her. So I just need you to back up a bit.

[Slender] - Ah I see, she must be very sensitive then since I am repressing my waves as much as I can

[Doc] She can't not be. She's part of everything around you.

[Slender] - I see- He does begin moving away- I would have stayed with my brother, but he requested a bit of time alone

[Doc] That's okay. I don't mind you exploring. Just give the spawn a wide berth. - Indicates with a paw- The little valley down there with the spooky tree and the gravestones.

[Slender] - Very well, you know, you are quite lucky to have ever even met my Splender

[Doc] Yeah. Cp told me about him, I basically insisted on meeting him. I'm damn glad I did, he's an excellent friend.

[Slender] - That is not what I meant.  Had I not brought him and my other brothers into the realm of the humans, then he would not even be alive

[Doc] Everyone is running from something I suppose. I take it your home... dimension? Isn't a safe place to exist?

[Slender] - If one looks like me, then it is fine, but those born with a face are considered a very large disgrace.  Considering how our family is one of the most distinguished, well, it would have been a blow to how our family was viewed

[Doc] Aw. Well he's found the right pack of kindred souls. We're no strangers to discrimination. To most of the NOTCHs we're all just a pack of filthy glitches, no better then rats. Not to mention those who were spat on for being gay or otherwise outside the norms. Poor Gem was pursued and the world she inhabited destroyed just because she was mistaken for a Herobrine.

`[Slender] - I suppose in a way he has...

[Doc] It's why I'm so hellbent on helping the creepypastas too. They're much the same, ejected from human society or worse, and I just feel like... they're not used to anyone being nice to them... at least nice with no ulterior motives.

[Slender] - I try my best, but they do make it difficult

[Doc] I just keep trying. It makes the triumph all sweeter when they finally come around. I - I don't know where I came from, or if I had an original purpose, but fixing things makes me happy.

[Slender] - I've heard Jeff's complaints over it

[Doc] Wilts a little. - Jeff is hard... I thought I knew what he wanted most and tried to give it to him, but....

[Slender] - Oh you did, but his mind is set into thinking that he doesn't deserve it or that it could be given to him

[Yaunfen] Yawns-

[Doc] Go back to sleep little one, Just curl up between my spirals. I'll keep you safe.

[Slender] - I see they have grown bigger...

[Doc] I hope you're right about Jeff and he'll eventually come around. In the meantime at least Liu has a second chance at life and he's making Smile happy too. And yes, they had a growth spurt. My little one is just a bit too big to pick up in my human shape anymore. It's bittersweet. Soon a few words will become sentances and then, that's when the real fun will begin.

[Slender] - Watching others grow up is bittersweet

[jewel] -approaches the three quietly-

[Doc] It's okay. I can't wait to see what they'll have to say....

[Slender] Senses her- Hello Jewel

[Doc] Brushes her gently with hir tail fluff- Nice to see you Jewel.

[jewel] hello doc and hello slender

[Slender] - Are you well Jewel?

[jewel] yes

[Doc] You seem subdued. Is everything okay?

[jewel] I am fine I and just slightly surprised slender is here and this place isn't messing up

[Slender] - It is not my first time in a digital setting Jewel, I have learned a few tricks in my years

[jewel] I understand

[Doc] Plus we buffered the server when Splender was invited in. BEN and Cp worked really hard on it.

[Slender] - Yes, those two were the best at coding, at least amongst my digital pasta's

[Doc] And Dawn gave Splender a charm to tamp his field down as well.

[Slender] - So he keeps telling us and showing off to us

[Doc] chuckles- I get the feeling he hasn't met many witches.

[Slender] - No, most are not very fond of our kind.  Jewel, have you seen Jeff or Jane?

[Jewel] no but they might be some where around

[Slender] - I know most of you probably felt my arrival, so I am surprised they haven't shown themselves yet...

[Doc] They might have just gone exploring. This world is near infinite in scope. Much bigger then earth.

[Slender] Sighs- I'd like for them to at least check in with me...

[jewel] would you like me to go look for them?

[Doc] I can just send out a message in the chat, no need to go running around.

[Slender] - I do not mind when, so long as it happens while I am still here

[Doc] Wiggles hir claws, typing with one paw. Just a general call for the creepypastas to come over by the koi pond to check in with Slender.

[CP] Over chat- Fuck off

[Doc] Mutters, but it's a loud thought too - Not you ding dong, he know's you're okay. -accidently aloud -Unless you're still a cat?

[Slender] - A cat?

[Doc] Weeeellllll....

[jewel] can't cp's wife turn him into a cat?

[Doc] Yeah... He wouldn't stop murdering people when we brought Lie here... it was a way to contain his worst impulses.

[Slender] - An option not available to me

[Doc] You met TLOT right? The brine with the gold armor?

[Slender] - Yes, he and I had quite the talk while within CP's dream

[Doc] He's had a lot of time for quiet contemplation and honing his powers. He can actually grab someone and squash them into a smaller or completely different shape. He helped me make the body I'm wearing. Actually, he made me a Herobrine too.

[Slender] - Is that how your kind creates more?

[Doc] What do you mean? More brines?

[Slender] - For lack of a better word, reproduce, create more of your kind

[Doc] Oh, no. Herobrines spawn naturally in this game. We're not sure why. Every world gets one Steve. Most worlds will have a Steve and an Alex. She's a bit rarer, and only a small percentage will spawn a Herobrine. And when one is detected, the system will automatically create an AI NOTCH to check the brines powers.

[Slender] - Like the one which my brother helped destroy?

[Doc] Yes. They vary a lot. His original father was a decent NOTCH. But the one they helped kill was a monster. Mad, bloodthirsty and relentless. The admin of their world was ready and willing to delete everyone on it if we didn't agree to kill it for him.

[Slender] - Yes he was very enthusiastic about how he helped with that

[Doc] And rightfully so, it was one hell of a battle. The Testificates were certainly impressed. Did he tell you they added him to their pantheon?

[Slender] Sighs heavily- No, he did not, but I'm sure I'll hear about it once he feels better

[Doc] They have a thing for making statues, but they seem to prefer his image carved into walls. I guess it's too tempting to cover the space with curly knots of tentacles.

[Slender] - Has he seen?

[Doc] Not directly, but it will happen. TLOT likes to go check on them periodically. He just needs to tag along on the next trip.

[Slender] - I see... You said something earlier about being made a brine by another, I'm still somewhat confused by that statement since you also said your kind are a natural spawn

[Doc] Oh, that's because I'm a unique case. I'm a digital entity by nature, but I aquired a glitch when I was injured by a rather aggressive Herobrine. I had a mental breakdown because of some... personal issues... I suddenly developed an ability that I couldn't control and TLOT shared his powers with me to save me. The more powerful Herobrines can give of themselves to create life or sustain it. You met Steve right? TLOT made him.

[Slender] - So almost as a vampyr would create another of its kind, how odd

[Doc] That's more right then you know in his case. His own blood is full of life. He likes to make butterflies out of flowers when he's nervous. Him just breathing on them is enough to bring them to life.

[Slender] - I can see why his followers refer to him as a god then

[Doc] Yes. And the more they believe, the more leverage he has to shift the world. His powers here are immense. They grow with the fevor and number of his followers

[Slender] - Has he made any brines other then you?

[Doc] He made Lie. She was in horrible pain as she got closer to becoming fully digital. He gave her of his power and licked out her eyes.

[Slender] - Licked out?

[Doc] A formality almost, he used his tongue to clean the colored pixels in her eyes from the inside of her player skin. It was a kiss that made Cp rather... annoyed. But his husband Steve will certainly sing the praises of TLOT's expertise in that area.

[Slender] - I'm surprised he did not try to attack the golden brine for that...

[Doc] He was rather worn out at the time, I'd just fixed his respawn and cleaned all the junk files out of his system, he'd puked. And right after that I cut off his hand in the process of removing Insanity, he was a bit too weak to do much more then growl.

[Slender] - Ah, yes she was far from happy about that

[Doc] Too bad, as soon as Cps head was cleared of Insanity he and I were in perfect agreement. He likes Lie just how she is. Kind. And becoming a brine has its own attendant special powers as well.

[Slender] - How so?

[Doc] We usually develop special abilities that fit our personalities. Lie can make magick plants, I think because TLOT changed her, she got a bit of his ability to give life.

[Slender] - Is plants all she can create?

[Doc] Heh, you say that like its a small thing. Her greatest work took a house sized bite out of a NOTCH with a gigantic pod full of venomous teeth.

[Slender] - How interesting...  But surely the lack of diversity in her abilities leaves her weak in many other ares

[Doc] She's also psychic and she can teleport. She can turn into a cat as well.  He cuteness level is very persuasive

[Slender] - As can her mate, but there is nothing else unique to her?

[Doc] She carries a cleansing white fire that can burn Insanity out of a person.

[Slender] - Ah yes, I do seem to recall seeing that when she and I met on the witches beach

[Doc] She's young anyway, still learning. She'll probably figure out how to fly at least. Most brines can.

[Slender] - A trick CP uses often to avoid the others since the ceilings in my home are so tall

[Doc] It's handy for that. I cheated my way around it. I determined that the empty space is still enough of a part of the grid that I can use the air blocks. Zero is still a number, after all.

[Slender] - I, do not understand what you mean by that

[Doc] This world is a three dimensional grid and gravity only affects certain types of blocks. So if I do this- places a dirt block and then another on top- and I take this one away- knocks out the underneath one and the top one stays floating-  then this one is fixed and I can jump on it all I want and not fall- presses the block from above and to the side- so if I want to go up, I place my feet where a block would go and just climb up like its solid stairs-

[Slender] - This would certainly explain some of the pranks CP was able to pull off...

[Doc] oh do tell!

[Slender] - He's managed to place tree's that touched the ceiling but not the floor, random blocks just right at head height for the others to run into if they're not paying attention...  He's gotten BEN with walls of water outside of his door many times

[Mix] -in chat- I'm gonna hop out for a bit to check on something if its alright Doc?

[Doc] also chat- Aww. Mix, you don't have to ask permission. But if you want to come over here first I'll send you off with a bit of code so you can contact me if you get in trouble out there.

[Doc] That sounds about right, we are tricksters by nature, and this games strange physics just make it easier. Good example. One plus one is two, correct? Unless it's water, then one plus one can equal infinity. Two buckets of water arranged in the right way can be drawn from indefinitely.

[Slender] - That would also explain why it's sometimes impossible to empty the giant bath...

[Doc] Most likely. The dev team put in a sponge block specifically for cleaning up Griefer-created water messes.

[Slender] His face seems to shift a little as if he is annoyed-

[Doc] Something amiss?

[Slender] - My other brother's, they are near constantly contacting me to check in on Splender

[Doc] Awww, it's nice to know they care. Is Splender the youngest brother?

[Slender] - Yes, he is

[Slender] Rater suddenly and loudly- Offender no!

[Doc] No pants again?

[Slender] Groans- No, he's currently watching Splender's pet and has gotten bored of poking it, so he wants to put it in clothes now...

[Mix] -In chat- I'll stop in a sec, gotta grab my bag

[Doc] Poor Pinwheel. I have the anti venom, if he wants to pass her back here.

[Slender] - I cannot open a way

[Doc] Oh, I might be able too. Where is he specifically? Can you get him to go in the living room? I know that space decently well. And I can use the tv.

[Slender] - If you're certain...

[Doc] She already hates everyone and I don't want to make it any worse a situation. Besides, there's a chance she's spent her venom for the day biting Offender.

[Slender] - Very well, give me a few moments

[Doc] Let me take care of Mix real quick first. - Xe pulls a book from the creative and starts adding a bit of code to it.

[Mix] -Trudges up, eyeing Slender a bit, shes got her bag and her elytra on- Hey! Sorry it took a bit

[Doc] No problem, it gave me a minute to fix this for you- Offers the book. - Just write 'Doc' and then whatever you need to say and it will email me and ping my carrot phone.

[Mix] -Takes it- Just that? Alright -Stuffs it into her bag-

[Doc] Be careful out there and let me know if you need help okay?

[Mix] I will, don't worry! Be back,, soonish? -she gets a thoughtful look before shrugging and turning. She takes a few steps and hops, with a swift glow and snapping sound she's gone from the server. She's out. Bye Felica n' stuff-

- / player Mixminer has left the server /-

[Slender] - Offender is ready

[Doc] Okay, just give me a sec... - Doc would take a running start, but Yaunfen is sleeping soundly on hir shoulders. Hir eyes narrow with concentration and xe suddenly slams hir head forward as if headbutting a wall. The opening is ragged, crackling, and won't hold for long, but it is there.

[Offender] Is standing there buck naked with his hands on his hips and pinwheel in his tendrils over his crotch- TADA!

[Slender] - OFFENDER!

[Offender] Cackles-

[Doc] Please, please tell me you didn't fuck her?! She's only a baby!

[Offender] - Nah, I'd never do that to Splender's pet

[Doc] Thank goodness... Just kinda, set her on the grass please.

[Offender] Puts her down while Slender mutters over his brother's inappropriateness-

[Pinwheel] Slinks back into the server, going back into a lower resolution-

[Doc] She's not really a pet anyway. When she's grown theres a strong chance she'll have human-level intelligence.

[Slender] - Yes well that's how Splender views her currently...

[Pinwheel] Hisses and growls a little-

[Doc] I think it's an issue with her behavior. He'll likely feel different when she's learned a few words. -At Pinwheel- It's okay, you're safe.

[Pinwheel] Snaps at Doc-

[Doc] Scoots back a bit. - How about... some nibbles? I know, maybe a challenge?

[Pinwheel] Curls up a little-

[Offender] - Hey, where's Splender?

[Slender] - He wished to be alone

[Doc] Puts a small circle of half-slabs around them and pulls out a teeny egg before tapping it lightly near Pinwheel. - Want a mouse? - the little creature goes scurrying along the edge of the slabs.

[Pinwheel] Focus' on it immediately-

[Doc] Maybe more then one? Multitask a bit. - Taps out two more and they scrurry around randomly-

[Pinwheel] Stands up a little, eyes dialating-

[Doc] That's more like it. She just needs a bit of playtime. Her strikes are so fast they're a bit hard to follow.

[Pinwheel] Strikes out at one of the mice in a blur-

[Mouse] Pops with a tiny squeak into a morsel.

[Other two mice] scatter in a panicky way.

[Pinwheel] Chases after them-

[Doc] Is just watching with a happy expression.

[Offender] - I think I'll check on Splendy myself!

[Slender] - YOU WILL NOT!  YOU KNOW THAT HAVING TWO OF US HERE IS A DANGER ENOUGH AND I WILL NOT HAVE YOU RUNNING AROUND HERE NUDE!

[Offender] - Oh come on!

[Doc] Yeah, please don't. You guys can, switch out later if need be.

[Slender] - You are more than welcome to close the portal...

[Offender] - Awwww...

[Doc] Anything you want passed on?

[Offender] - Nah, if I think of anything I'll tell bro here

[Doc] Later then! - Closes the portal. - I swear if he didn't have such a messed up idea of consent, him and TLOT would be best friends forever.

[Slender] - In a small way he does, his victims have to accept his rose in order for him to have his way with them.  I imposed that rule a very long time ago

[Doc] Is obviously uncomfortable- I prefer more then that. And TLOT nearly ruined the best thing that ever happened to him by taking advantage of someone sexually without their permission. He still regrets it.

[Slender] - It's the best I could do considering his feeding habits

[Doc] I gathered as much. But apart from that, nothing wrong with being naked. My mate does it quite freqently. She's just comfy that way.

[Slender] - It gets annoying after a few millennia

[Pinwheel] Kills the second mouse-

[Doc] Pfft. I guess it's different when it's someone you like seeing naked too... Aw, not gonna eat the prize at least Pinwheel?

[Pinwheel] Chases after the third-

[Doc] She's gonna so deadly when she's bigger...

[Slender] - Especially with that venom of hers...

[Doc] Curls into a more comfortable loaf and puts hir tail fluff over Yaunfen like a blanket. - I hope she gets big enough to give Splendor rides, I can only imagine how thrilled he'd be.

[Slender] - If she'll let him on her

[Doc] Considering how lovingly he's taken care of her despite her biting him all the time... I'd be suprised if she was unwilling.

[Slender] - Yes, he's been talking about her non-stop

[Doc] It's hard not to get excited. We all did so much travelling in dangerous places to rescue the eggs we brought in. And then I set them up so they could be hatched by being walked in peoples inventories, so that was more time and effort.  And it takes a long time for them to mature to the talking phase too. My little one was the last to hatch.

[Yaunfen] Sleep talking- Burp...

[Doc] Snickers- Such a silly word. But it was their first.

[Slender] - Well, I should return to my brother, would you like me to take Pinwheel?

[Doc] No, it's okay. Unless you think Splender is well enough to watch her; let her have her fun with that last mouse.

[Slender] - Very well, let me know if you need help with her however

[Doc] I will, thanks.

[Gk] Notices that the little dragons are all bloody from stalking the local wildlife. - We should go over to the desert area for a bit, I think. Take a breather. Follow me.

[Ashe] - The desert?  Why?

[Gk] Because I can't wash you little guys.

[Ashe] - Oh...  Uncle GG?  When do I get to learn to fly?

[Gk] Hmm? We can practice that today. The desert is also a good place for that. Sand is nice to land on if you faceplant.

[Ashe] - Okay!- His tail is wagging around in excitement

[willow] -jumps to get on gk's back-

[Gk] Clops down from the narrow cobble road into the warm sand- ahhh, okay, you guys roll around and it'll get some of that blood off. Flap your wings like me- Lays down and fluffs sand everywhere like a sparrow taking a dust bath.

[Ashe] Sneezes from some sand getting in his nose-

[oak] -sneezes and flops on to his back-

[Ashe] Tries wiggling in the sand-

[Gk] Fluffs even more sand since they seem to need help-

[willow] -jumps off of gk's back into the sand and start kick some up to make a hole then jump into stick her head out of it-

[Gk] If nothing it feels good! - Gets up and shakes off. - You ready to strech those wings a bit?

[Ashe] - Yeah!  Yeah!

[Gk] Okay. Since we don't want to leave Willow and Oak alone, you're just gonna stay low to the ground. Copy my movements and then we'll try- makes a show of flexing his wings in the right postures slowly so Ashe can see.

[Ashe] Tries mimicking the motions-

[oak] -tries to squeeze into willow's hole with her-

[Gk] Does it a few more times, correcting Ashe gently and repositioning his little wings.

[Ashe] Flaps a bit-

[Gk] okay, now I wan you to run and flap just like that. Don't strain yourself, just get an idea how the wind moves over and under your wings.

[Ashe] - Okay!  Starts running and flapping-

[Gk] Is keeping an eye on all three babies. At Willow and Oak- Haha, you two comfy in there? Like two silverfish in a block.

[Ashe] Squeaks in surprise as he accidentally gets a bit of lift and tumbles into the sand- Oof!

[willow] -tries to get out from under oak making a little squeak as she pops free-

[Gk] Whoops! Well at least you know you're doing it right kid!

[Ashe] Stands up looking determined- I'm gonna do it!

[Gk] Keep going then! Just don't go up! Try to stay around 5 blocks or lower to the ground. And don't go out over the water either!

[Ashe] - Okay!

[Ashe] Continues running and flapping, but only getting airborne for a few seconds at a time-

[willow] -make a second hole next to the one oak has clamed and settles into it-

[Gk] Stops him for a minute to adjust his movements - Try it like that!

[Ashe] Tries some more, staying up a bit longer- This is hard!

[Gk] It's only because your muscles aren't used to the movement! And when you get up high you can glide, but I don't want you to fall while you're still learning.

[Ashe] - Okay...

[oak and willow] -have another growth spurt and are now to big for there holes only there back feet are in them-

[Ashe] - UNCLE GG LOOK!

[oak] -runs over to ashe and gk with willow close behind-

[Gk] Heeeeey! Check you kids out!

[willow] look I am scary rawr

[Ashe] - Willow!

[Gk] And a full sentance! Your mom is gonna flip!

[oak] -plops his head on top of ashe's- big brother ashe -nuzzles him-

[Ashe] - Yes Oak?

[oak] you are my big brother best big brother

[Gk] Is beaming he's so proud.

[Ashe] - Uncle GG!  Can we go show mama?

[Gk] I guess we could? But we should walk to be safe. The bridge is a long way and over water.

[Ashe] - The scary water bridge?

[willow] yay let see mama

[Gk] Yeah. It's safe. Just no horseplay allowed.

[oak] -is bouncing- yes mama lets go to mama

[Gk] Leads them out of the desert and around the little bay.

[Mb] Is sitting outside the little building he's claimed and watches them go by curiously.

[Celine] Stops playing in the grass to squeak at them-

[Ashe] Excitedly bounces around GK- Mama's gonna be so happy!

[oak] -bounces after ashe-

[Gk] Trots down the hill and stops at the foot of the bridge- Okay, this is it. Stay in the middle of the path and I'll take the rear. - He folds his wings over the little ones so his tendrils brush the raised walls on both sides.

[Testificates] Watch them a bit nervously from the walls of the village that floats below the bridge.

[Ashe] Huddles close to GK- There's so much water...

[willow] -looks at the village- rawr

[Gk] Don't look at it. Just walk straight forward-

[Testificates] Some jump, a little startled-

[oak] -walks slowly down the middle of the bridge-

[Ashe] - Willow come on- He keeps bumping into GK's leg

[Gk] just uses his wings to shelter them and nudge them along.

[willow] -walks quickly down the middle of the bridge-

[Ashe] Spots the small island checkpoint near the end and races for it-

[willow] -tries to race ashe to it-

[Gk] No running!

[Ashe] Huddles in the small building there-

[Gk] It's just a teeny bit farther Ashe.

[Ashe] - Okay...

[willow] I am going to get there first -keeps going over the bridge-

[oak] wait for me willow -follows after-

[Ashe] Cautiously follows-

[Gk] Looks up the hill - We're going up there. It's an easy climb, but again don't run, there's a big gap in the ground with a long fall up there.

[Ashe] - Okay, Willow?  Oak?  Stay close

[willow] ok big brother

[oak] -is right behind ashe- I am close

[Gk] Gets to the summit and looks down at them. -You stay right here, I'm just going to holler down - Creeps over to the edge- Hey Endrea?

[Endrea] Is exhausted having only just finished laying her eggs- GG?

[Gk] I come bearing good news! Can we come down?

[Endrea] - What is it?  And yes, you may- She protectively curls around the twelve jet black eggs she just laid

[Gk] Okay give me a sec. - Turns back to the babies- You guys climb on me, I'll just fly down-

[Ashe] - Okay Uncle GG!

[willow] ride -climbs on to gk-

[oak] -follows after his sister-

[Gk] Wiggles his wing tentacles and floats softly up and then down into the ravine like a gently deflating balloon before landing with a click of hooves on stone.

[Endrea] Gives off a pleased hum at the sight of her children-

[GK] Stoops so they can get down-

[willow] -jumps off and runs to endrea- mama yay we came to see you

[oak] -slowly climbs down and follows- yay mama is here

[Endrea] Perks up a little- You're speaking more, and you grew!

[Ashe] - Mama!  Uncle GG gave me flying lessons!

[Gk] Told ya. Ashe pulled off some gliding in the desert too.

[willow] I am big and scary now rawr

[Endrea] - Yes you are my little one

[oak] I am cute but bigger more cute to love

[Endrea] - Yes indeed, and Ashe, I'm proud of you

[Gk] And they were all so brave, they walked the whole length of the bridge to see you.

[Endrea] - Brave indeed- She sniffs the air a little- I smell clouds...

[willow] I made it to the other side first

[Gk] That's bad... You kids step back. Uncle GG's gonna show off a little bit...

[Endrea] Lifts her wing for her children-

[willow] -runs under endrea's wings-

[oak] -runs under as well-

[Ashe] Joins his siblings-

[Gk] Turns to the nearest wall and sucks in a massive amount of air. He blows it back out with a roar of nearly blue flames, cooking the stone wall and turning it first to magma blocks, then lava, and making a huge dark hole lined with obsidian.

[Ashe] - Cool!

[Endrea] Sniffs at her children- GG...  Why are my children covered in blood and sand?

[Gk] coughs a little- we went hunting... and then took a sand bath. I can't lick the little buggers clean like you. Got too much spit.

[Endrea] Sighs and starts cleaning them-

[Gk] Don't do that now! Let em come in here before it starts raining!

[willow] evil rain

[Endrea] Nudges her children towards the hole- Go on, get in there

[Ashe] Hurries in-

[willow] -hops into the hole- rawr rain fear me and run

[oak] -goes into the hole as well and goes to the back-

[Gk] Also goes in. The walls are nicely warm and he loafs with his wings open in case the kids want to snuggle under them-

[Endrea] Stays with her eggs-

[oak] -flops under gk's wings-

[willow] -keep rawring at the sky and rain-

-It slowly begins to drizzle-

[Gk] Admit it. You don't mind them being close. Even with the new enders due.

[Endrea] Grumbles a little- I'm mostly just exhausted right now, laying twelve eggs is hard

[Gk] I can imagine. I've had plenty of bowel disturbances with all the garbage I ate in my homeless days...

[Endrea] - Well at least you have a home now

[Ashe] - Mama you're getting a bit wet!

[Gk] Yeah. - Looks fondly at the little dragons. - Times got better.

[willow] rawr rain get away from mama

[Gk] It's okay kiddo's, your mama's tougher then diamonds.

[Endrea] - I'll be fine little ones, when you get all grown up then you can handle some water

[Gk] Good thing too with how much it storms around here...

[willow] but the rain must be scared I will get it to go away. RAWR!

[Endrea] - The rain is to far away to hear you Willow

[Gk] Oh! I'm a dumbasss...!

[willow] how do I get the rain to hear me from here

[Endrea] - What is it GG?

[Ashe] - When you can fly Willow

[Gk] I know how to make it stop raining!

[willow] I want to fly now so I can scared the rain

[Endrea] - You need to be bigger Willow

[willow] aw

[Gk] in chat- Hey Deerheart? Can you turn off the waterworks on the chunk at the end of the bridge near Sunakagure?

[Deer] - Huh?  Oh yes, may I ask why?

[Gk] The baby dragons are hiding from the rain and Endrea's getting drizzled on cause she can't move at the moment.

[Deer] - Oh absolutely!- After a moment the rain stops

[Gk] Looks proud of himself- See Willow, you just gotta have friends in the right places. Important lesson!

[willow] the rain is gone did the friend scare the rain away

[Endrea] Checks on her eggs-

[Ashe] - Mama what are you doing?

[Endrea] - I'm checking on my eggs

[Gk] Close enough. Deerheart made it stop.

[willow] whoa

[oak] -has fallen asleep under gk's wing-

[Ashe] - Eggs like ours?

[Endrea] - No, endermen eggs

[Gk] You know, like Enderbro.

[Ashe] - Oh!  Is that where they come from?

[Endrea] - Well, at least mine do

[Endrea] - You might as well stay here for now, it's safe.  After all, who would attack a nest full of dragons?

[Gk] Fluffs up - And one of them a Herobrine. No one would dare-

[Endrea] Giggles a little before laying down with a huff-

[willow] if anyone attacks I will stop them they will fear me

[Endrea] - You will sleep like your brother, I already know that

[willow] they wouldn't dare try to come near when I sleep because they have no chance because if they wake me up no mercy I will attack them

[Endrea] - Yes yes my little fierce one. now sleep, mama will watch over you

[willow] -walks over to oak and plops down next to him and falls asleep-

[Endrea] Reaches over and nudges Ashe towards them too- You too Ashe

[Gk] Come on, it's nap time. - He wiggles down against the ground and focuses on being warm for them so they'll get sleepy-

[Ashe] Yawns- I'll watch over Oak and Willow