#honestly we should be getting hazard pay

[note-a-bear]

Side effect of the wildfire smoke coming all the way down here: mass call outs and shit ass morale from those of us who are actually here

[delicateflowerss]

Nightcall

People invite monsters into their houses more often than you think.

Warnings: 18+, NON-CON, DUB-CON, dark!tyler, aged up character(s), blood, mentions of murder/violence, manipulation, jealousy, choking, dacryphilia

Word Count: 3.7k

His fingers fumble with his phone in the dark. Blood smearing on the screen when trying to find your name to click on. Unshed tears glisten in his eyes and shaky breaths leave his lips as he listens to the ringing tone.

You look out your bedroom window one more time, watching the rain fall from the sky before closing the curtains for the night. You head towards the bathroom, walking past your phone that sits on the dresser.

You don’t hear your phone buzz in the other room, the screen lighting up with Tyler’s name. You step into the hot shower, oblivious to the boy trying to get ahold of you.

He curses out loud when he hears the beginning of your voicemail. Hanging up, he immediately clicks on your name again.

When he gets the same result, he throws his phone down on the passenger seat.

Tyler doesn’t know why it feels like it’s life or death whether he talks to you right now. But he can’t shake the feeling that you’re with him again.

Maybe it’s stupid. Maybe it’s that obsessive, little corner of his mind plaguing him with the idea that someone is right where he should be.

He can’t get it out of his head, no matter how hard he tries. That day on perpetual repeat as he drives down the dark road.

“This would be less painful if you talk, Tyler,” she reminded him for the second time that session.

She kept a pearly white grin on her face, voice still cheery. But he noticed the annoyance that she fought so hard against, starting to seep through.

He couldn’t keep his eyes on the blonde sitting in front of him, instead they roam around her neatly decorated apartment. He’d never paid attention to how many candles she keeps lit. That must be a fire hazard, he thought. This whole place could go up in flames with a slight push to one of them.

“In our last session, you told me about a friend you reconnected with recently. Y/N, was it?” Dr. Kinbott inquired, watching Tyler for a reaction.

He shifted a little in his seat at the mention of your name. But he tried his hardest to keep a straight face, not even a twitch of a muscle. He didn’t need Dr. Kinbott to know what makes him squirm.

“How did you two meet again?”

He let out a sigh before being forced to recount his early memories. He supposed he didn’t mind since it had to do with you.

“We met in kindergarten. She just, came up to me and asked if I wanted to play house.” He kept his voice as steady as possible. “I know I would’ve rather played with the toy cars. But for some reason, I said yes. I don’t really remember why.”

He stopped paying attention to how Dr. Kinbott tilted her head like what he was saying was the most interesting thing she’s ever heard. Instead, a smile traced his lips as he felt himself be transported back into the memory.

“We played together every day after that. Going to each other’s birthday parties and kid stuff like that.”

He still remembered how you wanted him to sit next to you when you blew out your candles on your birthday cake, or how you always gave him your last Animal Cracker at snack time, just because he was still hungry.

“Then what happened?”

Her question made him falter, lips parting in confusion.

“What happened for you two to reconnect now? Reconnecting usually means you drifted apart in the first place.”

He slightly nodded, eyes moving to the floor. He thought for a moment before he continued.

“Puberty, I guess. We turned 12 and things just changed. It wasn’t cool to be friends with a girl.”

Dr. Kinbott continued to nod, humming in understanding.

“So, why now?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure. She came into the Weathervane one day… and she was surprised to see me working there. Then we got to talking and… now we see each other all the time.”

He stopped himself from saying anything more about you.

Truthfully, he could’ve gone on for hours about you. How every time you looked at him, it felt like you were staring right into his soul, and all you did was smile, not turning away in fear or disgust.

He could’ve talked about how he longs to see that smile all the time, that simple expression on you making a bad day turn better.

He knew your drink order like the back of his hand. He thought it was funny how you only ever want a latte made by him now. Your excuse was no one else makes the foam like he does.

His favorite time of the day was when the sun went down. The Weathervane was finally empty of customers, and the two of you could just sit in your own little corner of the world, talking for hours. Everything else was a distant thought during those times. All he could do was focus on the warmth of your voice, telling him all of your greatest dreams and desires.

You told him you want to leave Jericho one day, hoping there’s something better out there for you, and all he could think was how much he wants to go with you.

“That’s great, Tyler. Having a friend, you can talk to is a really special thing.” Dr. Kinbott’s voice snatched him from his thoughts. She glanced at the clock.

“Looks like we’re out of time.”

Tyler kept his eyes on the ground, head swirling with memories of you that were unearthed in his session with Dr. Kinbott. He only looked up when he crossed the street, giving a polite smile to the car that stopped for him.

He was on his way to work, not much of a break between therapy and having to serve coffee to a wide array of customers.

But before he could get to the door of the Weathervane, he spotted you through the window. It was a nice surprise before he realized you were sitting across from someone, laughing at what they were saying.

His jaw tensed, brows pulled together as he watched you talk to a guy that you and Tyler went to school with.

He always thought Ben was an asshole, thinking he was so much better than everyone else. So much better than Tyler at least.

He was stumped at why you would want to be talking to Ben in the same booth that was supposed to be yours and Tyler’s.

His first instinct was to pretend that it was nothing when Ben brushed his hand against yours, and you let him, smiling.

But he felt something sink in his chest, a familiar feeling. A type of feeling he’s gotten when he watches the world around him, realizing he has no place in it. This time, it’s a little different, the feeling has evolved.

Now he has no choice, it’s screaming, telling him to do something before he goes insane.

You still haven’t checked your phone when you’re dressed in your pajamas, skin still dewy from your shower.

The doorbell ringing throughout the house startles you. You think for a second of who it could be, somewhat hoping the person gets impatient and leaves.

When it rings again, you peek through your bedroom curtains. When you see who it is, you practically run downstairs, opening the front door as fast as you can.

“Tyler, what are you doing?”

He stands on your doorstep in the pouring rain, arms hugging his sides, looking like a stray puppy needing shelter.

You grab his arm, dragging him into your house and out of the harsh weather. His clothes are soaking wet, his hair sticking to his forehead.

“Is everything okay?” You ask, still trying to figure out why he came to your house in the first place.

He looks around, almost like he’s in a daze.

“Are your parents home?”

You stare at him with your brow furrowed until you slightly shake your head, realizing he asked you a question.

“No, they’re out of town for the weekend. I thought I told you that.”

He hears the worry in your voice, not trying hard to disguise it. He likes it, the fact you care enough about him to be concerned.

“So, you’re home by yourself?” There’s an edge to his voice, something that makes a chill go down your spine.

You nod slowly, your eyebrows slightly raised.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

He just keeps his eyes on the floor.

You sigh, “You probably shouldn’t go back out there, at least until it stops raining.” His eyes finally meet yours. “I can try to find some other clothes for you while I put those in the dryer.”

His mouth opens, surprised at your offer.

“But leave your shoes by the door. My parents would kill me if you got mud everywhere.”

He looks down at his dirty shoes, bending down and frantically untying them.

You start to go up the stairs, and Tyler hesitates for a second before quickly following you.

“I’ll also get you a towel to dry your hair,” you say with an amused smile on your lips, looking back to take in his wet curls.

He follows you into your room, and he can’t help but take in every detail of you that is carved into it. All he can think is how it’s so you, from the few pictures hanging on the walls to the color you chose for the duvet on your bed.

“You can undress in here, and hopefully something of my dad’s will fit you.”

“Thanks, Y/N.”

You give him one last reassuring smile before closing the door.

It’s not lost on him how odd it is to be taking his clothes off in your bedroom. Maybe in a different situation, he would enjoy it more.

Soon enough, those agonizing thoughts come back, making him wonder how many other guys have been in this situation. Except you’d be there, also taking your clothes off.

He wonders if Ben has been in that situation, with that stupid, arrogant smirk on his face.

A knock on the door interrupts his thoughts.

“Come in,” he calls out.

You open the door, finding Tyler standing in the middle of your room, only in his boxers.

A sight you thought you’d never see.

It’s hard for him to look you in the eyes, his hands trying to find something to do. But what makes him feel worse is your lack of embarrassment at seeing him like this.

You step closer to him, but before you can explain what you found, you drop what you’re holding on to the bed.

“Oh my God, Tyler.” That concern is back in your voice.

He follows your gaze, looking down, realizing that he’s bleeding. He usually gets wounded in some way when he transforms. He’s not entirely sure how it happens, probably while he’s on the hunt. He’s just glad that the rain washed away the blood that wasn’t his.

You rush to him, inspecting the scratches on his ribcage, right near his stomach.

“Does it hurt?”

The scratches don’t look too deep, but they’re still bright red.

“It’s not too bad.”

You look at him with disbelief. But you decide not to press on the matter anymore.

“Okay. Well, I’ll get the first aid kit and you just sit down.” You motion to the foot of your bed. “Oh and,” you say, almost forgetting. “Here’s a towel for your hair. I could only find you a shirt, but you probably shouldn’t put it on until I get you cleaned up.”

You pick up Tyler’s wet clothes off the floor before leaving.

He grabs the towel, ruffling his hair with it, trying to dry it. He enjoys how you take care of him, treating him like he’s a little boy that needs to be nursed back to health. How he’s the only person you seem to care about at all, putting all your attention on him.

You come back, sitting right next to him, sorting through the bandages in the little plastic box.

“How did this even happen? It looks like you were attacked by a wild animal.”

You begin to bandage him up the best you can, waiting for an answer.

“I was playing with Elvis, and he got a little too rough I guess.”

It’s not his best lie, but it will have to do for now.

You don’t say anything, and Tyler isn’t sure if your silence is to do with your disproval or if you’re too focused on his wound.

A few minutes pass, and you’re still working on covering the scratches up. It doesn’t go past you how intimate this is, the only sounds are yours and Tyler’s breathing and the soft tapping of the rain against the window. You drag your eyes up a little, taking in how toned he is, something he keeps well-hidden.

You’re so close to him that he can smell the soap on your skin, vanilla filling his nose. The feeling of your fingertips on his body makes him feel like he’s on fire. If all he had to do was hurt himself and show up on your doorstep in the pouring rain to get you to pay this kind of attention to him, he would’ve done it a long time ago.

“That should be good.” You lean back, admiring your handiwork.

His green gaze finds his now bandaged up wound, a smile lighting up his features.

“Thank you, Y/N. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“I don’t know either.”

Your smile matches his as you bring a hand to his hair, letting your fingers run through his soft curls. His eyes fall shut with the comforting, almost loving movement.

He opens them to see you staring at him, like you’re admiring him. Content is written on your face.

He can only guess his face looks more or less the same, probably more like a lovesick idiot.

He doesn’t really think about it as he leans in closer to you, his eyes glued to your lips. He doesn’t notice how your expression morphs into something of confusion and panic.

A small gasp leaves your lips as his own crash into your cheek instead. You feel him freeze, realization hitting him coldly.

He finally moves away from you, keeping his head down. But even as he wishes to disappear from your sight, he can’t stop you from seeing the blood rushing into his cheeks.

You instantly feel bad when you see the embarrassment that clouds him. The last thing you would want is to upset Tyler. But him almost kissing you was a shock. You never thought for a second Tyler had a crush on you.

You sigh, closing your eyes for a second, trying to figure out the words to make all of this better.

“Tyler, I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. It’s just…” You trail off, not wanting to add salt to his wounds. You shift a little. “It’s just, I don’t see you like that.”

You try to judge his reaction, and by the way his jaw ticks, it’s not good.

“I’ve been really happy since we became friends again, and… I don’t want to lose that,” you soothe.

“Do you like him?” There’s a darkness to his voice, a bitterness you’ve never heard from him before.

You stare at him, not understanding.

“I saw you with him. At the Weathervane.” He finally turns to face you. “Are you fucking him or something?”

His face is practically in a snarl, and you’re ready to defend yourself against his unfair accusations.

But then you see the hurt in his eyes, the slightest glimmer of an unshed tear. You decide to take a deep breath, stopping yourself from saying something you’ll regret.

“I think you just need to calm down, Tyler.”

Unfortunately, your words have the opposite effect. Your lack of an answer makes his jaw tighten. His eyes seem to have this far away look in them.

He had hoped every thought that invaded his mind was wrong. But he realizes that the voice in the back of his head telling him he’s not good enough for you has only been right.

His gaze finally settles over you, an intensity taking over that wasn’t there before.

“Do you think he’s better than me?”

Your brow furrows. “What? No-.”

“Then why him?” He pauses before going into his next question. “What’s so bad about me that you won’t at least give me a chance?”

You look down at your hands in your lap, immediately feeling a pang of guilt. You don’t know why you can’t see Tyler in a romantic way. You’ve known him since you were kids. He always looks at you with those soft, kind eyes, and he listens to what you have to say. He’s also good looking… but for some reason, you just can’t picture yourself dating him, or fucking him.

But you could try.

He’s always had it tough, growing up without a mom. You could always sense a loneliness to him, something that made him… different from everyone else. All you know is you hate making him feel this way. You don’t want to be the reason for his next broken heart.

“Tyler-.”

He shuts you up with a kiss on your open mouth. Before you could explain how you two should go to a movie or something, his soft lips are pressed to yours, slowly licking into your mouth.

You bring a firm hand to his chest. Your fingers are cold compared to the warmth of his bare skin. You try to push him away, but he doesn’t budge.

His kisses feel feverish, like he can’t get enough of you, wanting to devour you whole. He pushes his body weight onto you, making you fall back on the bed.

The kisses don’t stop as he moves between your open legs. You’re finally able to move your mouth away from him.

“Wait, Tyler. I don’t know about this.” Your voice is full of cracks as he takes in the apprehension overcoming your face.

He had hoped you would pity him, making it easier for him to do what he wants with you. You’re his and he is yours. Ben doesn’t compare to him. You just don’t know it yet.

He tries to make the expression on his face gentler, softer, not wanting to scare you.

“I would never do anything to you that you wouldn’t want.” His thumb caresses circles on to your cheek. “You don’t have to worry or think too much. Just relax.” His deep voice sounds almost entrancing. “Don’t you trust me?”

You gaze up at him, considering his words. He takes your lack of response as one, his lips finding yours again.

You let his hands roam over your body, fingers digging into your skin. He finds one of your breasts through your thin pajama shirt, squeezing it and massaging your nipple. His other hand snakes down to your core, rubbing you through your underwear.

Even if he wanted to stop, he can’t. The thing inside him that craves to be satiated is screaming in hunger, and you’re absolutely delicious.

He replaces his hand with his mouth, sucking on your nipple through the fabric, wetting it with his tongue. He can feel your chest start to heave.

A whimper escapes your throat as he slips his fingers under the white cotton, brushing over your swollen bud. You feel his perfect teeth move to your neck, alternating between biting and licking, leaving kisses in his trail as an apology for hurting you.

Your hips buck involuntarily before he takes his hand away from you, wet with your arousal. You practically whine in protest before he reaches up to take your shirt off, your shorts and underwear being pushed down next.

The realization of where this is going hits you, along with the cold air. Watching him pull his boxers down, you could stop him now.

But do you really have a choice?

You feel his leaking tip brush against you, lining himself up before pushing himself inside you.

Ragged breaths leave you as you try to adjust to his size, the fullness being too much for you at first. Pain beginning to meld with the inklings of pleasure.

His pink lips part as he feels you wrapped around him, walls clenching around his throbbing cock. He starts to thrust into you, your hand grasping his bicep as he sinks in deeper.

You get used to his pace, moans falling from you as pleasure clouds your mind. His head falls to the crook of your neck, the caress of his breaths tickling your neck. The monotonous squeak of your mattress plays in the background. An odd sense of comfort envelops you as his bare chest grazes your own.

Then he lifts his head up, a hand grabbing your thigh, pushing your knee to your chest. He ignores your protests, rutting into you mercilessly. The sounds leaving him can only be described as carnal, hot breath fanning over you.

The new angle allows him to pound into you harder and faster, and all you can do is take it. Your whines get louder as he hits your sweet spot. Your eyelids flutter while your only focus is your impending orgasm.

You feel his large hand wrap around your neck, squeezing hard enough to scare you, but not to cut off your air supply.

He likes how your neck is so delicate, your rapid heartbeat right under his fingertips.

“Tyler,” you struggle out.

He’s relentless with how he thrusts into you. A sick part of him is satisfied when he sees a tear finally fall down your cheek, dropping onto the hand that’s still around your throat.

You hate to think of what exactly pushes you over the edge. All you see are stars as pleasure washes over you. You can feel Tyler’s lips brushing against your cheek, licking away your tears.

His pace has gotten careless and it’s not long before a warmth floods you, harsh breaths wracking him.

Tears still blurry your vision as he lies beside you. You can’t help but lean in closer to him, letting him kiss the top of your head, crying into his chest.

[vodika-vibes]

May I request, from the gentle care prompts, "it's going to sting, but we have to clean this' for either Gregor, Boss, or Jango, with fem!reader and on the fluffier sideof hurt /comfort please?

Maybe Reader fell from a ledge, or slide down a treet root/mudslide/ice slide and hurt themselves in some way?

@eternal-transcience

I'll Protect You

Summary: As the youngest daughter of the King and Queen of Xilea, a planet in the Mid Rim, you expected that your life would be easy. Unless something disastrous happens, you’ll never have to worry about politics or governing. All you have to do is be pretty and delicate and go where your parents tell you. But, when your sister orchestrates a coup and kills your parents and older brother you have no choice but to flee for your life with the aid of Boss, a Commando from the GAR.

Pairing: Pre- Clone Commando Boss x F!Reader

Word Count: 1755

Warnings: Reader is having the world's worst bad week, reader is described as being a foot shorter than boss, and has hair that can be tucked behind her ear

Prompt: "It's going to sting, but we have to clean this."

A/N: So, I'm not so sure this is as fluffy as you wanted, but I hope you like it anyway!

Click HERE to be added to my taglist

You’re filthy.

Mud cakes the bottom of your gown, as well as the delicate slipper you had been wearing when the coup began. The long sleeves have been torn due to surprisingly sharp branches as well as briars. Your hair, which had once been your most striking feature, has been roughly chopped to shoulder length, and all of the fine jewelry you normally wore has been pawned for credits at the insistence of the man who’s keeping you safe.

You’re trying not to complain.

He saved your life, you owe him more than you’ll ever be able to pay back.

But you’re tired. You’re tired and cold and hungry, and your entire family is dead—

A hiccoughing sob escapes your lips without your permission, and, ahead of you, Boss stops and glances at you over his shoulder. His helmet makes him seem emotionless, and you just know that you’re being a burden on him.

He wouldn’t have to run at all if it wasn’t for you.

You try to stop your crying before it gets worse, but you fail as another sob rips from your lips.

Boss releases a heavy sigh, and for a moment you hate yourself for making his life so difficult. For a moment, just a moment, you wonder if it would be better if you died with the rest of your family.

A surprisingly gentle hand smooths over your head, lightly plucking something from your hair, and then moves to your shoulder. You look up at Boss, his form wavy from the tears clouding your vision, and you watch as he pulls his helmet off with one hand.

His expression isn’t stern or angry. He doesn’t even look frustrated. 

He looks sympathetic.

“How about we take a short break, Princess?” Boss offers, his voice low and soothing. He’s talking to you like how you used to talk to your dogs when they got spooked.

At the thought of your dogs, a fresh wave of tears overtakes you. You couldn’t bring them with you when you ran, your handmaid swore that she would tend to them as she helped you escape, but right now it’s just one more thing that your sister took from you.

“Sh-shouldn’t we keep moving?” You ask, your voice is wavering and thick with tears.

Boss gently wipes a tear from your cheek, “I think we can risk a short break. You’ve had a long couple of days.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” He lightly taps your chin so you’re looking him in the eye, “Honestly, I expected you to fall apart before now. Shock is a hell of a thing.” He scans you for a moment, and then huffs out a heavy breath, “We should get you into something different too.”

You wipe your eyes with what remains of the sleeve of your gown, “Something different?”

Boss lightly plucks the heavy velvet of your gown, “This is going to slow you down, and it’s a tripping hazard.”

“You said we had to avoid settlements,” You remind him, your voice slowly stopping its waver.

“I did, and we are.” He runs his eyes over you for a moment, a frown crossing his face, “I have a spare set of blacks, they’ll be too big on you though.”

Boss stands almost a full foot taller than you. His shirt will be like a dress on you.

He sighs and rubs his hand over his head, “There’s no way around it, I suppose. You wouldn’t happen to be wearing shorts or trousers under your gown, would you?”

You blink at him, “I am.”

He blinks right back at you, “What?”

“The gowns are heavy and hot, and my thighs would chafe when I was a little girl, so I wear, um, legging shorts under my gowns.”

“Legging…shorts?”

“Shorts made of legging material?” You try to clarify.

“Whatever, do they cover you properly?”

“Oh. Yeah, of course.”

“Good enough for me.” He digs around his pack for a moment and tosses a shirt at you, “Step behind a tree and put this on. Leave the dress on the ground.”

“Okay.” You do as he asks, ducking behind a nearby tree and carefully stripping off your heavy gown, as well as your slip, before tugging his shirt over your head.

It feels wrong to leave the gown in the forest. But you also know that he’s right. It’ll just slow you down.

However, as the heavy material falls to the ground, you can’t help but feel like it’s a death toll to what your life used to be.

“Princess?”

“...I’m never going to be able to go back, am I?”

Boss is silent for a moment, “You might.” He’s a terrible liar. “The Republic will do something.” He continues.

“The Republic is already at war.” You say quietly as you step out from around the tree, “They don’t have the resources to help.”

Boss is staring at you, he looks surprised.

“What? Am I wearing it wrong?” You ask, anxiously.

“You’re fine,” He walks over and carefully fastens the neck, making the collar sit over your mouth, “You just look like a totally different woman now.”

You look down at your outfit, and even you have to admit that he’s right. The pretty, delicate princess that you were when he first arrived on Xilea died in the Royal Palace with your parents and brother. All that remains is a scared, anxious woman with no future to speak of.

“Well,” You try to swallow your terror for the future, “What do you think of this one?” Boss didn’t like you when he first met you, he thought you were silly and vapid and vain.

And he was right. You were all of those things.

But you no longer have the choice to be silly, or vapid, or vain. Not if you want to live.

He chuckles and lightly tucks a messily cropped lock of hair behind your ear, “Well, I like her a little more than I did the Princess.”

“That’s something, I guess.”

Boss lightly wipes some dirt off your cheek, “I’m going to keep you safe, I swear it.”

You stare at him for a moment, and then you slowly nod, “Okay.” He keeps his hand on your cheek for a moment, his dark eyes scanning your face for…something, and then he pulls his hand away.

“That’s enough rest, I think. You’re not upset anymore, and you’re not wearing that death trap.” He offers you his hand, “Keep up, Princess.”

“Oh! Um…right! Okay!” You take his hand and allow him to tug you deeper into the forest.

Later, when the moon is high in the sky, and the forest is dark and alive with the sounds of night, you realize that it’s only a matter of time before something happens that will force the both of you to slow down.

And, almost as if you jinxed yourself, as soon as you have that thought your foot hooks under a tree root, and you fall to the ground, landing with a painful hiss.

Boss stops immediately, and kneels next to you.

“Are you hurt?”

You sit up and carefully untangle your foot from under the root. Your ankle twinges painfully, though it doesn’t seem broken. But then again, you’ve never broken a bone in your life, so what would you know?

You also have a massive piece of glass jammed under your knee. 

It should hurt, but strangely, it doesn’t.

“Um…”

“Oh boy,” Boss hands you his flashlight and pulls a small first aid kit out from somewhere. He carefully pulls the glass out of your leg, the sensation makes you hiss in pain and forces tears to your eyes.

“Is it bad?” You ask, your voice shaky again.

“It’s pretty deep,” Boss admits, “Between this and your ankle, you’re probably not going to be walking much for a while.”

“Oh.” Your hands are starting to shake, “You should—”

“I’ll carry you, it’s fine.”

You blink at him, “You’re not going to leave me behind?”

“Of course not,” He scoffs as if the idea is laughable, “Anyway, this is going to sting, but I have to clean it.”

“O-oh, alright.”

You whimper as he cleans the injury, and then wraps it with a bandage. Now that the glass isn’t in your leg, it hurts. It hurts a lot. “You’re doing great, Princess.”

“No, I’m not.” You sniffle.

“Hey,” His hand presses against your cheek and you realize, with a start, that he’s removed his gloves. “For someone who’s never had to live a hard day in her life, you’re doing amazing.”

His hand is calloused and rough, but it’s also impossibly warm. And you feel safe for the first time since your parents died. You stare at him, your lips parted. 

Boss shoots you an odd look, “What?”

Slowly you press your hands over his hand, “You’re warm.”

“I guess you’re not really dressed for the chill of night,” Boss admits.

You shake your head, that’s not what you mean, but you also can’t explain what you actually mean. You don’t have the right words for it.

His free hand presses against your face as well, “Do you think you can continue for a little more?” He asks, “Just a little further, Princess. My ship isn’t far from here.”

You release a quiet sigh, “If you think we should.”

“I do,” He stands and carefully helps you to your feet. You’re barely able to put any weight on your foot at all, and your knee throbs painfully as you put weight on it.

But it soon becomes a non-issue as he scoops you into his arms like you weigh nothing. He adjusts you so that you’re a little more comfortable in his arms, and then he starts walking again.

You stare up at him, and you suddenly realize that you want to stay with him. No matter where he might go, or what he might do, you want to stay by his side.

Boss is safe. He’s security. 

You want to stay with him, to keep feeling safe and secure for as long as you can.

And, for the first time in your life, you know that you can make that kind of choice. There’s no one around to say, “Princess do this” or “Princess he’s not a good match”.

You no longer have to be pretty and delicate. You can just be you.

Maybe, if you’re lucky, and if you ask nicely, maybe Boss will help you learn who you actually are.

@imabeautifulbutterfly

@n0vqni

@bad4amficideas

@justiceandwar98

@mira-loves-star-wars

@tiredbi-peach

@dukeoftheblackstar

@trixie2023

@kimiheartblade

@padawancat97

@falconfeather23435

@etod

@bb8-99

@kiss-anon

@continous-mistakes

@yoitsjay

@liz-stat

@cc--2224

@adriennelenoir

@cdblake1565

@sweater-sloot

@heidnspeak

@wax-birds

@silly-starfish

@lonewolflupe

@maniacalbooper

[blackcherryvelvet0909]

Silent Reverence (Rollo x GN!Reader)

Content Warning: Mild injury, light angst (arguing), Glorious Masquerade event mentioned Note: Can you spot the two movie references in this fic?

“Irk!” 

Your heart jumped at the sudden sound, then sank when you realized it was one of pain. “Do you need me to walk slower?” you asked, stalling your pace for a moment. 

The man, whose arm was slung around your shoulder for support, practically hopping on one foot with you as his crutch, scoffed the suggestion. “You think me too weak to keep up such a undermanding pace?” 

“That’s not what I-”

“I do not require such coddling.” Those dark, cold eyes stared ahead as he took one clumsy step - hop - forward. “Come - we are close to a seat.” 

He said it as though he were the one leading you. Honestly, when did his audacity end? You kept your frustrations to yourself as you guided him along, right up to an empty bench near the pool. Thankfully the area there was shaded, or the concrete below your feet would have scalded both your heels by now. With zero grace, you both slumped onto the long bench; a sigh released from you two as the weight of the other was lifted as you separated. For a brief minute, you simply sat there and caught your breath. Before that respite was even over, however, you rolled your head to the side to look at the one beside you. 

“Rollo,” he hazarded you a glance as you spoke, “do you want some water? You can sip on it while I go get some bandages; I don’t want you to get dehydrated.”

There was a flicker of irritation in those gray orbs, but he didn’t voice it for the time being. He just sighed as he leaned his head back against the wall behind the bench, sun hat now slumped to one side, and answered with, “If you would.” 

Though your legs protested as you stood, you went out in search of the refreshing beverage. While you had to shell out eight madol for the small bottles of water, you didn’t complain. Instead, you quickly went back to Rollo and handed him one of the plastic bottles. He opened his eyes to greet you, and gave a small nod in what you supposed was thanks as he took it from you. You watched him hastily, yet elegantly open the bottle and take three big gulps. Just like that, half the water was gone - a third of yours was to follow as you drank from your bottle. After a deep exhale, you closed your bottle and spoke to Rollo again. 

“I’m going to go to the lobby and ask the receptionist if they can lend me a first aid kit. I’ll be right back - don’t move.” 

“Tch,” Rollo clicked his tongue with a roll of his eye. “As if I were fit to do anything more.” 

So, off you went to get those medical supplies - all whilst trying to suppress the irritation that grew within you. 

***

“Ah!” Rollo’s sharp yelp was followed by a hiss as he glared down at you. “That hurts!” 

“Well, it wouldn’t hurt if you’d stay still!” you shot back, tone just as cutting. 

Rollo’s face morphed into a scowled as he practically growled in anger. “Well, you and those you call housewardens should have kept a closer eye on your students. If you had, I would not be in this predicament!” 

It took all your strength not to throw the roll of bandages in his face. “You were the one running around the edge of the pool, where a ‘No Running’ sign was plastered on every wall. Riddle was just about to take care of Ace, and I Grim, when you came stomping over. As the president of your school’s student council, I thought you would pay more attention to bright white signs with big black letters and a slipping stick figure on them.”

Just as you were about to finish the tie on Rollo’s bandage, he suddenly stood. His hands were balled into fists, teeth grit so hard you thought they might crack. Despite that angry look, his tone was level, authoritative - he spoke to you as if you were some child. “I have had quite enough of you. Step aside - I will seek care else-”

Before he could finish his sentence, you shot up in front of him, face mere inches from his. Your eyes were like knives as they bore into him, pierced his very soul. So, too, was your voice level and demanding, though it came with a pointed edge that, if you were calm enough, would shock even you. “Sit down and shut up.” Rollo’s scowl melted into a stunned look, likely because no one had spoken to him in such a way before. He said not a word as he kept your stern gaze and slowly lowered himself back onto the bench. You followed him down, and when you knelt before him again, you threatened, “Move out of that seat, speak to me like that again, and I’ll give you something worse than a sprained ankle.”

There was a long silence between the two of you after that. In that time, you finished wrapping Rollo’s ankle, which had now begun to bruise. You were tempted to tie the knot a little tighter than what was required, just to get back at him, but you refrained. Despite how he spoke to you, Rollo was injured - you couldn’t be too petty. When you made sure the knot was secure, you quietly packed the bandages and pain relief ointment back into the little bag the receptionist had given you. As you closed the bag with the snap, you said, “Your ankle will probably swell a bit for a few days. Just keep off of it as much as you can; if it gets too painful, or if the bruise becomes worse than normal, you might want to see a doctor.” 

You didn’t even look up to see if Rollo heard you; his eyes had been upon you since he sat down, so you knew you had his full attention. As you stood from your spot on the ground and dusted off your knees, you added, “I’ll tell you vice president and assistant where you are. You said they were by the lazy river?” 

“...yes.” Rollo’s voice was hushed, as though he were hesitant to answer. 

“It shouldn’t take them too long to get here and help you up then.” You still refused to look at him as you turned to leave. “Hope your ankle heals soon.” You took a step away from the bench -

“[Y/n].” 

You froze at the sound of your name - of Rollo calling you by name. In the past, he only called you Prefect, or some other formal title you couldn’t recall. Sometimes you even wondered if he knew your name; his utterance of it just answered your suspicions. For the first time in the past several minutes, you glanced over at him. His expression appeared monotone, the usual for him, but there was a distinct…softness about it. In those dark gray orbs was a plea for forgiveness - a hidden respect. Well, that was something you never expected, especially in your direction. 

“Thank you,” his gaze flicked down to his ankle, “for your care.” 

You pushed the surprise to the back of your mind as you gave a shrug of your shoulders. “There was a possibility no one else would, at least when it comes to the ones from NRC. While you did apologize at the end of the masquerade, there are many who don’t hold you in a high regard.” Your eyes narrowed in a show of warning. “Unless you start treating the students like you would your own, instead of dogs or, as you put it, ‘heathens’, that opinion will never change.”

“If you will permit me to ask,” your gazes locked once more as he questioned, “why is your opinion any different?” 

You thought it over for a moment… “Honestly, I don’t know,” you admitted. A light chuckle fluttered at the edge of your words as you suggested, “Maybe I’m a sucker for punishment? It would fit for all things I’ve put up with since enrolling at the college - since I got there.” Although some of that previous frustration still lingered within you, a smile twitched at your lips. “Or maybe because, like me, everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves. You said you would repent for your mistakes, right?” 

“That is my intention,” Rollo affirmed with a small nod of his head. 

“Well, you have your chance.” You turned to leave, but not without a final warning. “Don’t screw it up with your ego.” 

Then you walked away without another word. Rollo also remained silent, though you could feel his eyes follow you until you disappeared back into the hotel. They did not cut into your back like a knife, as they had many times before; instead, you felt as though it was out of something else. You couldn’t say what, however. For now, you simply let it slip from your mind as you went to inform Rollo’s cohorts of his accident. Maybe, just maybe, you could also convince Ace and Grim not to gossip about Rollo’s fall. 

***

“Henchmen!” Grim called out from beside the door to your hotel room. “There’s a lady here - she’s got something for you.” 

Your face scrunched in confusion as you approached the door. A bit of dread lingered in your heart as well. You really hoped it wouldn’t be something from Crowley, likely asking you to take on some task while you were supposed to be vacationing with the others. This was a school-wide trip, after all, and that included you. You swore, if this was yet another chore, you’d-!

“Can I help you?” you asked the lady at the door, in the most polite way despite the plots of doom that swirled in your head. 

“These are for you.” The lady, one you recognized from the hotel lobby, presented a bouquet of flowers with a smile. It was huge! To prevent it from falling to the ground, you had to cradle it like a baby! 

“U-Um…thank you?” You felt a little awkward at the whole situation. “Why am I receiving these?” 

“A young man asked for them to be delivered to you,” she replied. “You can check the notecard in the flowers.” She gave you a small bow before she turned to depart. “Have a good day!” 

“Y-You too.” You had to kick the door to close it - you didn’t want to risk dropping the flowers. Thankfully, Grim stepped out of your way as you headed to your bed, but he followed close behind.

“Why would someone send you flowers?” Those big blue eyes narrowed as he placed his paws on his hips. “What did you do?” 

“No idea,” you answered to both his questions. Now sitting on the bed, you examined the bouquet closely. There were various types of flowers: pink roses, lavender, blue hyacinths, lily of the valley, white tulips, forget-me-nots. This was certainly an expensive bouquet, a well-crafted one as well. You were sure there was some meaning to them; not too long ago, Rook had expressed to you the language of flowers. You made a note to visit him later for an analysis. You plucked the notecard the lady had mentioned before and added, “But we’re about to find out.” 

Grim hopped up onto the bed and took a seat next to you. You could feel him peek around you to try and get a look at the card - the one that now had your mouth agape. “What? What is it?!” Grim struggled to get a better look. “Let me see!” 

His words were like whispers in the wind. The message was not exactly what froze you on the spot - it was the signature below it. The identity of the sender of this generous, meticulously crafted bouquet, specially made for you. 

I hope this bouquet is not ill gotten by you; that it is sent at an inopportune time. I pray it finds you in good health, that it may express my gratitude for your service the day prior - and my deepest apologies for my behavior. I realize you are not one to be taken lightly…not one I should look down upon. These flowers are ones I grow in a garden back on my campus. Let them spell out the words I am unable to utter in your presence. Pray, too, that they are to your liking. May the rest of your days on this trip be filled with respite and peace. 

-Rollo Flamm

[dominimoonbeam]

To The Edge - 3

This work is mine and I do not give consent for my works to be used, copied, published, or posted without my permission. I am sharing chapters as I work on this story but it is copyrighted material that I plan to rework and publish when completed.

story tags: scifi romance, hijinks in space, rogues learning to trust, violence, blood, guns, death, explicit language, so much kidnapping,

Works organized and easily found over on the patreon. <3

TO THE EDGE - CHAPTER 3.

Rory dropped his head back and groaned. This Primer was a piece of work. He wasn’t sure he’d ever had to do this much work to get someone to take their clothes off for him before. “Yes, if I break the promise you get to break my nose, I understand the terms of agreement.”

They released his pinky.

“Idiot…” he mumbled.

Stardust pulled their shirt off. It was an unsalvageable rag and he was honestly looking forward to shoving it into the incinerator.

He saw it immediately, catching a glimpse from the side and craning his neck to get a better look at their back. “Oh. That is one hell of a tattoo… Okay, I admit I wasn’t expecting that. What is that?”

“Hey!” they barked, turning to face him rather than letting him squirm around their back to see the moving ink. It looked like it covered them from shoulders to waist.

“Okay. Okay. Sorry.” He held up his hands in surrender. He had promised no funny business, after all. He was on a mission to make sure his bounty wasn’t injured. The last thing he needed was for them to kick the bucket before they got back to their family.

He pulled on a pair of latex gloves, eyeing the splotches of bruising and scrapes on their torso and arms. They had a large red welt across their shoulder. “Shit, that’s a nasty burn.” It was blistered. He grabbed the supply box and set it on the cot, flipping it open. “The antibiotic gel will numb it. It should heal pretty quickly, but I’ll bandage it.”

He gently applied the gel, pressing back a smile at how they set their lips and stared a hole into the wall, refusing to flinch let alone actually cry. They did hiss at him when he covered one of those blisters though.

“Shh. It’s okay. You were tough enough to get that tattoo, you can handle this no problem.”

“I don’t think it’s comparable…” Stardust ground out.

Rory smiled, nodding. “Yeah. Okay. Getting a tattoo isn’t really the same as being in the trunk of a shitty pirate ship for the better part of a week…”

“It’s only been a week?” they asked, the words rushing out in surprise. Their shoulders slumped under the weight of what he imagined was relief and exhaustion. He gently taped the bandage down before spraying some of their other cuts and scrapes.

He felt them sneaking glances at him now, looking him over like they’d only just seen him.

“I wasn’t sure you were hired by my family at first…” they confessed.

Rory laughed. “What? You thought I was just stealing their mark to ransom you myself?”

They shrugged.

“I’ll admit I’ve done that before, but you’ve got one of those bloodlines that shouldn’t be fucked with, Stardust. Your family doesn’t pay ransoms, everyone in the business knows it. That doesn’t mean they don’t send assholes like me to get you back though.”

Something curious darkened their gaze. “How much?”

Rory snorted, taping a gash on their shin shut. “Trust me, what they paid me to put those half-assed pirates down was more than I’d get on any other ransom.”

He felt them watching him the whole time he wrapped their leg. “Is that bandage too tight?”

They shook their head.

“No? Okay.” He looked them over again. “The rest just looks like bruising. No broken bones. You know, I heard a rumor once that some of you high borns had titanium plating on your bones.”

Stardust looked back at him, straight-faced. “We did but it kept setting off metal detectors. For a while we tried to make the whole Solar Court install new metal detectors that would omit titanium, but they seemed to think it would be hazard… Like anyone else could afford titanium guns to sneak through security with…”

Rory stared at them. “I can’t tell if you’re joking.”

For another second they gave nothing away, and then their mouth quirked with the subtlest of smiles.

He laughed, tossing the bloody cloth he’d used to clean them up into the trash and grabbing a new one. “Fine. Keep your rich kid secrets.”

“Wouldn’t be secrets if we told them to every cosmic jockey that came to our rescue…”

“Fair enough. If everyone knew you had titanium bones for sure, they’d probably have scrapped you for parts like your jet.”

They sighed, mourning the loss of that jet. Rory had seen the specs. It was definitely worth mourning, but he was still surprised to see someone like Stardust Solinoh Fairvell Malou doing so. They were from a more removed and obscure branch of Galileo’s family tree, but that didn’t mean the name wasn’t known. The Solinoh Fairvell Malous were wealthy and carried all the threat and power of their great grandmother’s name.

Galileo was the most powerful person in the known galaxy. She owned the controlling interests in three of the seven corporations of the Solar Court and was rumored to be making moves on a fourth. The family had a legend stretching back to Earth, before the first space colonies and mining settlements. They were rumored to have been involved in nearly every step of mankind’s walk away from their home world and into the stars.

Rory had heard that Galileo herself was over three-hundred and showing no signs of slowing down or handing over the reins to anyone else. He’d never seen her in person, because he didn’t leave the deep and the Solinohs never came past the edge of charted space… or, at least, they hadn’t before Stardust Malou.

“Let me get that lip cleaned up,” he said, gently tipping their chin up and dabbing the layers of crusted blood and dirt off their lip. “Hold still.”

They winced and tried to swat him away. “It hurts!”

“Yeah, of course it fucking hurts. Not that that’s kept you from talking…”

They curled their lip at him in a snarl and it bled down their chin. He fought not to smile. With his face that close to theirs, they’d be able to see the admiration in his expression and the last thing he needed was for this rich kid to think he liked them.

“What’s your name?” Stardust asked.

“What? You don’t need to know my name,” Rory held some gauze to that cleaned gash in their lip, soaking up blood and waiting for the flow to stop.

“What do I call you?”

“You don’t need to call me anything,” he countered.

“Then I’ll give you a name,” they threatened.

He rolled his eyes. “I don’t care.”

“How about Captain Asshole?”

“Okay, no, don’t call me that.”

“Cosmic the Pirate Slayer?”

His smile got out before he could stop it, but he tried to take it back, sneering, “Cosmic? What kind of name is Cosmic?”

They smirked. “I guess I’ll just go with my first—”

Rory gave a dry groan. “Oh, funny. Fine. Better than Captain Asshole.” The gauze soaked through and he took it away, tossing it into the bin. Their lip was bleeding worse than any of their other cuts. “Now seriously, hold still. Your lip is bleeding all over the place.”

He tore open another pack of gauze and pressed it to the wound. He was going to need to glue it shut.

He tsked when they leaned away, but before he could complain, they were tipping to the side…and then back toward the center.

“Stardust? Are you about to faint again?”

“No. I don’t faint,” they slurred.

He leaned back just enough to look them in the eye. This close, he could see the faint circle of their optic implant, a permanent lens connecting them to the galaxy. He realized then that he hadn’t seen it shimmer or light up, not once. Had they not used it? Not contacted anyone? There was no way that a Primer like them wasn’t outfitted with all the best apps and connections.

Their pupils swallowed their irises and their breath came jerkily.

Rory smirked. “No? Really? Either that or you’re swooning hard and about to kiss me…”

“Fuck you,” they said, the words garbled in their mouth.

“My face is like five centimeters away from yours. I’m literally watching your eyes lose focus.”

They turned a shade that could only be described as yellowish-gray, but they still shook their head, frowning like they could will themselves not to pass out.

Rory still held the gauze to their lip. “Go ahead and faint. I’m going to scan your brain when you’re out this time…”

They opened their mouth to argue but then their eyes finally rolled back, and their body slumped, head back and chest forward. They would have tipped right off the cot if he wasn’t standing in front of them, ready to catch their shoulder and guide them down.

Warning bells rang out in his head, crying that this bounty was going to be more trouble than even he’d prepared for. But Rory ignored those bells, because how much trouble could one spoiled brat be? Worst case scenario, he’d lock them in his room for the remainder of the trip.

First, he was going to finish bandaging them up and give them that brain scan. Above all else, he was not going to get caught with a dead Solinoh.

[raynewton]

The new Reader has a few problems to solve with the Triumvirate

Volfred: So, today is your first Rite with your new Reader. I'll try to make the connection as gently as possible, but please don't be offended if it's a little less painless than you'd like.

Voice: No Reader can help them! This Triumvirate of cretins is hopeless in every way! One is like a fly in milk, another extinguish the flame on 15 coals in a plunge, the third is afraid of the Orb!

Volfred: Archjustice, I urge you to return to your direct duties!

*one lost Rite later*

Oralech: What, Erisa screw your advices, and you come to me?

Volfred: Reader must train companions. I want to find out your weaknesses and strengths first.

Oralech: I think Brighton's given you a pretty good picture already.

Volfred: When I'm free, the first thing I'll do is go to him and talk to him about his reading impotence. He should be buried up to his neck in the ground for repeatedly sending a man with a banishment sickness to the Rites. It's a miracle Erisa didn't lose her mind.

Oralech: We had no choice! And Erisa wouldn't give up her place to anyone!

Volfred: She already did. I've suspended her from the Rites for the next cycle so she can rest and regain her strength. Untill she does, you and Ti'zo will have to work twice as hard. Let's go.

*in the Beyonder Crystal*

Volfred: I asked lady Sandra to give us time to practice. She even graciously agreed not to comment on the process. Let's get started. At the last Rite I noticed the following: you are agile, you have good reactions, you are quick-witted and not afraid to take risks. But...

Oralech: But I have trouble judging the distance to objects, so I'm always jumping over the Pyre or throwing the Orb past it. My aura is weak, my aim is non-existent, and I don't even have Glory to speak of...

Volfred: I'd hazard a guess that Brighton did a lot of debriefing.

Oralech: Aye. Every time I jump into the Pyre, I have this information flashing before my eyes.

Volfred: Stars, getting the Triumvirate to this state of mind is a skill.

Oralech: Brighton was all business. Without all the sugarcoating, but honest.

Volfred: I'm not accusing your old Reader now. This isn't about him, it's about you. As far as I can see, listing your sins honestly doesn't make things any better.

Oralech: Nothing make it better! Nothing at all! As much as I've practiced throwing things at a target...

Volfred: So it's not about quantity, it's about quality.

Oralech: How's that?

Volfred: Take a deep breath. Breathe out. That's it. Now, please listen to my observations and insights. Your main weakness is your extremely low Glory. I can say with certainty that the "Scribes' hatred" that Erisa spoke of at the Rite has nothing to do with it. I suppose a lingering lack of self-confidence. It's interfering with your connection to the stars. So you need something to help you feel confident.

Oralech: How do you imagine that? Should I jump into the Pyre with Ti'zo in my hands? Or, let me guess, with a bunch of herbs around my neck?

Volfred: I think there's an easier way. When you pet Ti'zo, when you gather plants, when you go scouting - what do you do?

Oralech: Uh... thinking about how best to organize it?

Volfred: What else?

Oralech: I don't know. Didn't pay attention.

Volfred: Tariq noticed and told me. You're singing.

Oralech: What?!

Volfred: Singing. You purr softly and move to the rhythm, walk to the march. Ti'zo says because of you he can remember "Song of the Battle Scribes" from anywhere in the middle of the night.

Oralech: *blushing*

Volfred: You can use your voice in the Rites, too. A battle cry, for example. Shout it before you plunge into the flame, and your glory'll rise, no doubt about it.

Oralech: I... I'll try it.

Volfred: Right now. Lady Sandra, we are ready for the training Rite!

*brazen manner skill learned*

[crevicedwelling]

hopefully not too bizarre a question but my house has been having air quality problems meaning the mammal residents are having to move out and stay somewhere else temporarily but we have a hermit crab and we're unsure if it is bothered or not (like do we need to move the whole tank out or not) we haven't been able to detect anything in the air through mold and air quality tests but mammals are definitely feeling unwell/coughing and sneezing/etc. i'm uncertain if an open circulatory system would be effected in the same way but it's so hard to tell. do you know if arthropods are likely to be effected by airborne hazards? i feel like they should so long as they're breathing the same air but i was having trouble looking it up and getting good answers (space is tight and we would have to pay extra to bring additional pets so that's why we aren't bringing just by default but definitely worth it to keep the lil guy safe)

I’m not sure, honestly. a lot of my pets live in very congested, humid, and stuffy environments and might handle that better than yours, but I’ve not had that issue before so I don’t think I’ll be of much help

[saltygilmores]

Thoughts While Watching Gilmore Girls-Season 2, Episode 1 ("Sadie Sadie")

Full steam ahead! We have now arrived at Season 2, the Jess Season. It's gonna be an absolute fucking nightmare that I am not looking forward to. Enjoy! Please visit the Denise Rewatches Gilmore Girls tag for all of my past reviews!

Thanks to MaxMedina, SH is absolutely infested with daisies. People are stepping on daisies. They're shaking daisies out of their pants. There's daisies in the food. I am praying Dean Forrester is allergic to daisies and becomes absolutely debilitated with hay fever. Michel is most likely still complaining about how daisies are weeds and is even more insufferable to work with than usual.

I'm pretty sure some kind of daisy-cult has sprouted up in the aftermath of MaxMedina's pre-proposal manipulation tactic.

Peep this guy with a TJ Maxx bag, lol. Someone escaped The Hollow/Daisy Cult and visited the outside world! Good for you, guy.

You gotta respect the hustle of this dude in the background, living in a town where yellow daisies are so free and plentiful they're growing freely out of people's buttcracks, to set up a cart to try and SELL them. Some Stars Hollowans are not so bright. You can see it looks like someone is actually buying them. "A Stars Hollowan and their money are soon parted". -Famous Quote.

God I fucking love shows from the early 2000's. Lane referring to her "parents" sending her to Korea, instead of just her mother.

Just want to take a moment to check out all these vintage magazine covers. Lorelai pays Bootsy for her magazine (he doesn't look up from his paper to see how much she gave him, but still) but she can't pay Luke for her food.

That's a lot of bridal magazines for a town where Lorelai is probably the only person who is currently semi-engaged. Rory buys a bridal mag for Lorelai for $6. That seems like a pretty outrageous price for a magazine in 2001. Bootsy must be in cahoots with the guy selling daisies. We learn that Lorelai has not yet accepted Max's proposal.

The DaisyCult members are gathering.

Not to sound like a broken record but but doesn't anyone in Stars Hollow have a job? How does their economy not collapse? Does the town survive on tourism, outsiders buying snowglobes and keychains? Because clearly the people who actually live here are bored and desperate for stimulation. Rory Gilmore needs to get a job. Okay, where was I... Lorelai: Everything about me turns Luke off. My coffee, my eating habits. I called him Ranger Bob last week! Kinky.

These people crushed up against the door blocking the exit are a real fire hazard.

LORELAI HE'S USING A CAN OF SUPERMARKET COFFEE RIGHT OUT IN THE OPEN. HE HAS NO FUCKING SHAME! YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT! THIS IS LUKE'S SUPER SPECIAL SECRET BLEND THAT YOU GO INTO WITHDRAWLS OVER! Your whole life is a lie! Do you have nothing to say?!

A can of Hills Brothers coffee is currently $8.48 at Walmart. Eventually he upgrades to Folgers. Luke: "Fresh" (lol) coffee will be ready in a minute unless you want to roll up a dollar bill and go nuts. Cocaine joke! Whee! Luke:This whole town should be medicated and put in a rec room with ping pong tables and hand puppets. Lorelai tells Luke that Max proposed and he responds with his maximum level of Luke Enthusiasm: "Eh, I figured."

Tomatos Sign: spotted. Luke absolutely fries Lorelai's brain by getting her to admit she's about to accept this bozo MaxMedina's proposal without them having discussed very important pre-marriage things...like where they're going to live. Honestly, Lorelai. Luke seems like the sensible one now, but in A Year In The Life, it seems as if Luke & Lorelai are discussing having children together for the first time after they've known each other for over 20 years. But we don't count A Year In The Life. It never happened. Never heard of it. Lorelai retruns to her seat and asks Rory what happened. Kirk has passed out. Everyone outside is just staring at Kirk laying on the the ground and no one is helping him or calling for help.

This shot puzzles me, because (unless someone wants to fill me in on something I missed?) I don't understand the context of this ring and why we're seeing an extended closeup of it and her fidgeting with it until she took it off. Nothing was mentioned about Max buying her a ring yet (besides a Ring Pop), but with the level of discomfort she's exhibiting by looking at her hand and then pulling it off her finger, I will assume it came from him? Is it just her own personal ring but she's imagining there's an engagement ring on her hand instead? Maybe that's it. Okay. Look. I fucking loved butterflies growing up. For a good 10 year span, I needed everything I owned to have butterflies on them. I dreamed one of one day having a butterfly themed wedding and yes even a butterfly ring. But that ring looks like it came out of a gumball machine at Walmart (next to the aisle with the Hills Brothers coffee). Probably the same gumball machine where Dean found Rory's "medallion". Surely he can afford something a little better on his fat Private School English Teacher paycheck.

You can afford all those books, now go to a real jewelry store. After Luke fries her brain, Lorelai ends up calling MaxMedina in a panic in the middle of a Friday Night Dinner to ask him these reasonable and important pre-marriage questions. His response only serves to manipulate/ confuse her further by saying "You'd only be asking me these things if you were going to say yes to my proposal." And by her giddy reaction mere moments later, we know she apparenly accepted...a proposal over the phone. And by the brief period of time between the conversation taking place and her freaking out, we are to assume the questions she called him to ask were either never answered or discussed for about 1 minute. Good luck you two. Later, Max calls the GillyGirls household and Rory picks up while Lorelai is standing next to her. Max confides in Rory that he's ring shopping and he asks for her advice on Lorelai's tastes in jewelry. He's shopping for a real ring. Oh thank god.

Look Rory, you know Max has a history of taking suggestions way too literally, as the Yellow Daisy Lung epidemic sweeps through Stars Hollow. You need to make it clear that you're kidding. This is 2001, so instead of texting pictures of the rings, he has to literally describe them. "The first one has a gold band and sort of a square diamond." How quaint. Email with pictures did exist in 2001, Max, but I suppose he realizes that The Hollow is severely behind the times technology wise and that an email would take at least another 5 years to reach them.

SHUDDER. He's back and with an even stupider haircut. Are we recovered from that last horrible kiss? Because whatever time off Jared Padalecki had between filming the last episode of the 1st season and the 1st episode of the second, he did not spend practicing kissing on his pillow/ blowup doll. Get that eye bleach out again, if you have any left. Of course Dean asks "where's your Mom?" The real love of his life.

You got this JarPad...you can do it...just kiss her without making a face like you're licking a block of salt...

Swingandamiss. Dean Garbageface: I missed that. Rory: Yeah me too. I doubt it.

I honestly don't know how so many people who watch this show are oblivious to the DALA (Dean and Lorelai affair) Dean: Long pause to process his girlfriend's mother coming onto him. "Uh. You need me to change your water bottle don't you?" She needs you to "change her water bottle" just like Luke was "fixing her porch rail." Rory steps outside to find Dean cranking on Lorelai's water bottle. He's probably dreaming of that special time in every teenage boy's life when their girlfriend's mother gives them a handjob. Lord knows Rory never gave him one while they were dating (also the reason Jess was constantly cranky).

Rory asks Dean to come to Friday Night dinner, and Dean hesitates. What's the ultimatium going to be this time? Say whaaaat? He agrees to go (after Rory assures him her grandmother is no longer mad at him for falling asleep with her at the dance)? No complaints? No ultimatium? No pouting? I'm stunned. Lorelai calls Dean back into the house to help her reach a can on a high shelf presumably so she can look at his butt while he's doing it.

Look at this doof in his doofy necklace. Dean: I'm just gonna sit here and stare at my hands. Good boy. Glad you know your place. If anyone needs me, I'm going to be over here delighting in how much Richard dislikes Dean. Flat out ignores the doofus when he tries to shake his hand LOL

I thought you were just going to sit there and silently stare at your hands. Sit back down. Lorelai: I can't believe you found a recipe for Beef-A-Roni. Emily: Let's just say it's not beef. Ah, humans. The Gilmores are serving human meat. Probably one of their former maids. Got it.

Me glaring at Dean every time he moves or talks or blinks or breathes or exists. Lorelai: Uh, I bet there's a fabulous dessert waiting in the kitchen. Emily: Yes, Twinkies. I know how much Rory loves Twinkies. Twinkies filled with...human meat? Richard: So, Dean, where are you going to college? Dean: It's called Sleep with Your Daughter University. If ya'll hate me right now I understand. I do. Emlly: Please, Richard, don't grill the boy. If only someone would literally put him on a grill. Sigh....I am pulling one of my infrequent Dean Cards here. Dean was....not bad in this episode. Sure, his mere existence makes my blood curdle, but he didn't DO anything. He didn't complain or give Rory an ultimatium to attend the dinner, he went willingly, was visibly uncomfortable but tried his best and got rewarded with Rory's grandfather death-staring and grilling him the entire night for no reason whatsoever, and when it was over he didn't even transfer his frustration onto poor Rory like he usually does and make her feel like it was her fault.

She's making it sound like he's Prince Charming making an appearance at the ball (ooof, I almost forgot about the fucking Debutante Ball that's on the horizon) when in reality he is a 17 year old dork in a puka-shell necklace who gets C's in math and whose only marketable skills are bagging groceries and making necklaces out of old quarters. The DALA affair chugs along. Lorelai assures Rory that the only reason she thinks Richard was hostile to Dean is because RIchard thinks Dean will get her pregnant and she'll drop out of school like Lorelai. And somehow he managed to be half right on both accounts. Rory:"I'm not going to get pregnant." Lorelai (When It's Dean): I know that. (how exactly does she know that though?) Lorelai: (When it's Jess): He's not allowed to drive up to the house while I'm not here because he'll get you pregnant if he so much as steps into the living room (this was the actual basis of the episode "Swan Song") Sookie calls Emily to tell her she's planning Lorelai's weddng and of course Emily had no idea. Emily demands Richard apologize to Rory because Lorelai just excluded them from her wedding, and in the future Emily doesn't want Rory to hate them and exclude them from her wedding (a wedding which of course she never has, at least not while Richard was still alive). In a very rare display, mysterious salty drops (tears) almost begin to form at the corner of Emily's eyes. Lorelai and Max are sitting on the porch talking and he pulls a ring out of frigging nowhere. It's not in a box or anything. it's not even in his pocket. He just opens his hand, and it's there. It's too big for Lorelai's finger because the gumball machine just spit out the little plastic egg and he had to take whatever he got for his quarter (just kidding, he actually just wasted a buttload of money on a real ring when Lorelai is going to get cold feet in a few weeks and call off the entire engagement) but anyway he wants to take it off to get it resized. "Just let me get it sized and you'll never have to take it off again." Maxmillian, you sweet naive summer child.

Let's end this mild trainwreck of an episode on a funny note.

[thessalian]

Astrid vs a Return to Fort Gobbo

Back at the goblin camp, where everyone now hates them

Astarion: And how are we getting through this, if I may ask?

Astrid: I have a few contingencies. Gale?

Gale: This is where we pay attention to what you're handing me, right. Um ... Hold Person, Speak With Dead-- Have we ever used those?

Astrid: I have a necklace that lets me do so and I ... kind of haven't. Anyway, keep going.

Gale: Oh. ...Oh! Well, this will be useful!

Astrid: You're getting my drift now, yay! Now, everybody get ready for ranged.

Gale: *reads from scroll*

Sleet Storm: *covers the entire area of the gate in ice*

Astrid: *pulls out lute; singing* "So we're not / Made mind flayers / We'll become / Goblin slayers / You'll slip and you'll slide / And soon you'll have died / Walking in a winter wonderland..."

Stabnation: *ensues, mostly at range*

While exploring a bit more

Astrid: How did these guys sleep through the noise we made down there?

Gale: From the smell of them, they drank the best part of a distillery.

Astrid: ...I feel better about that, actually. At least they're anaesthetised. *stealths and starts one-shotting the sleeping bugbears and goblins with arrows, one by one*

Astarion: Aww ... look at our little assassin. I think I'm actually proud. *grins at Shadowheart* And you could see it as her giving your Lady Shar Her due...

Shadowheart: Shut. Up.

And somewhere between goblin massacres

Shadowheart: Um. Look, you were talking about friendship and trust and everything, and ... I don't remember much, but I do remember that Shar devotees saved my life when I was young and I kind of owe them forthat.

Astrid: ... *all the hugs*

Shadowheart: I am covered in bugbear.

Astrid: That's okay; we're all covered in bugbear. Astarion got overenthusiastic.

Astarion: Sometimes you hit the carotid artery as collateral damage, alright? You compromise that one, and it's quite the gusher. Call it an occupational hazard and move on, already.

Now inside the Shattered Sanctum

Astrid: Hmm. The Underdark would be down, so maybe those pits are a good place to start?

Astarion: Oh, very well. *picks lock on cage door*

Giant Spiders: Oooh, DoorDash!

Astrid: ...Yes, and we brought you nicely compliant meals of fresh-killed goblin, with a side of bugbear.

Giant Spiders: Hrm. Fair. Best tip we can give you is letting you loot the place.

Astrid: Much obliged! Oh, you haven't seen a gateway to the Underdark down there, have you?

Giant Spiders: Not so much, no.

Astrid: Okay; thanks anyway. Have a nice day!

Giant Spiders: *go to feast*

Gale; Astarion; Shadowheart: *staaaaare at Astrid*

Astrid: ...What? The goblins are already dead. What will the giant spiders do; make them deader?

Gale: I'm honestly just astounded that you can manage to talk your way out of everything.

Astrid: Ah, if only I were a tiefling, and could call myself a silver-tongued devil and still be at least half literal about it. Anyway, I guess we keep looking.

In High Priestess Gut's quarters

Ogre: You don't belong in here!

Astrid: ...High Priestess Gut has a handmaiden? Well, I guess that explains the hair--

Ogre: Wut.

Astrid: You don't expect goblins with coiffures, okay? You did a wonderful job given the size disparities! Anyway, we just want to have a quick look around; you won't even know we're--

Ogre: HEY. YOU. YOU STEAING. YOU STOP THAT NOW!

Gale: *book in hands* ...sorry. Reflex. Just can I finish this chapter--?

Ogre: *raises club* YOU GO SPLAT.

Astrid: *Vicious Mockery resonance* I LIED; HIGH PRIESTESS GUT LOOKED LIKE SHE GOT HER HAIR DONE BY A HURRICANE WITH TREACLE ON ITS FINGERS AND HER JEWELLERY CLASHED WITH HER OUTFIT! IT TAKES A SPECIAL KIND OF FUCK-UP TO CLASH BONES WITH LEATHER, BY THE WAY!

Ogre: *growls in pain and anger; turns on Astrid*

Astrid: *uses Flourish; actually knocks the ogre down*

Shadowheart: *uses Bramble Shield to Entangle ogre prone on floor*

Astrid: Okay ... that should hold her until we find what we're looking for and--

Astarion: *FEEDS*

Astrid: ...What is it with you and helpless women?!?

Astarion: You were in no way 'helpless', and anyway, I don't know what's to hunt in the Underdark so I'm getting a feed in now.

Ogre: *breaks free from Entangle through sheer aggravation*

Astrid: Ooooooor we kill the now very angry ogre so we don't have to worry about her, and then we have a long talk about you all stepping on my cue lines.

Gale: Sorry...

Astarion: Oh, fine.

Astrid: Oh, not you, Shadowheart; you did great.

Shadowheart: *littlesmile*

Astarion: You really had better get a move on before you lose the cinnamon roll, you know.

Gale: Shut. UP.

Astarion: Or were you only cosying up to our bard to make your ex jealous?

Gale: ...............IGNIS!

Astarion: *reflexively ducks*

Fire Bolt: *was thankfully aimed at the ogre, who is now very, very dead*

Astarion: ...I suppose thanks are in order for you not aiming that at me.

Gale: I would never. Not when you're standing that close to a bookshelf, anyway.

Astarion:*eyeroll* Thanks.

And, after a lot of looting

Shadowheart: Looks like we have to move these panels on the floor into the right positions. Didn't that note we saw on the ritual table outside say something about--?

Astrid: Or we could pull that lever, at least after we do something about it being locked in place.

Astarion: *produces lockpicking tools* Anything to avoid running around the floor like idiots for the next half-hour.

Door: *opens onto some glowy fungi and a very long ladder*

Astrid: Okay ... one for you and one for you and one for you and one for me.

Gale: What are-- Wait, you made Potions of Feather Fall?

Astrid: I still don't have the spell, and given how long this ladder is, we'll have plenty of time to chug those during any fall that would kill us. And if we don't need them, well, maybe they'll come in handy later. Come on! Let's see what wonders the Underdark has for us!

Astarion: She is unbearably cheerful.

Astrid: If it'll appeal to you at all, did you ever wonder what drow blood tastes like?

Astarion: If it's anything like their worship, I assume deep dark shadows and other people's pain, with a touch of venom for kick. ...That sounds remarkably appealing and your powers of persuasion are frustratingly good. All right, let's go.

[whoneedsapublisher]

The Graveyard Shift

Chapter 4: The Idol

Also on Ao3

**************

In the end, Nico did manage to wrangle hazard pay out of Nozomi, although it only ended up being enough to cover the shifts she missed out on while the place was being repaired. Still, it was better than nothing. It felt better when she thought of it as a month of paid time off. And she didn’t let that month go to waste.

It wasn’t like she put her career on hold for the pizza place, obviously. Nico was too ambitious for something like that. She wasn’t going to let the universe’s greatest idol waste away in the darkness.

But she was practical. Auditions didn’t pay the bills, and the pizza place did. So she didn’t go after anything that would clash with her shifts. She still went to auditions, but not everything on offer.

That changed when the pizza place was being repaired.

She took everything she could get her hands on. When she wasn’t asleep, she was working on idol activities. Auditioning. Practicing for auditions. Hell, she even registered for a performer’s permit and started doing street lives in an attempt to get name out.

She hadn’t expected that last one to go anywhere, honestly.  Street performing was good for practice, but the people passing by on the street weren’t exactly likely to own a major production company.

But it turned out that while there might be an endless line of witless managers who couldn’t see her talent, the people of Tokyo had better taste.

Soon Nico’s street performances went from being something that a passerby might pause to watch for a minute or two to being something that drew crowds. Her name started being bandied around online, beyond some random haters.

And finally, she got a contract.

It wasn’t anything major. It was hardly breaking into the big time. But a production company saw her growing popularity and wanted to snap her up.

It was work in the industry. A foot in the door. And Nico wasn’t going to miss that chance.

It caught her off guard when Nozomi called her a week later to say that the pizza place was re-opening.

Nozomi had been disappointed when she said she didn’t have time to take on any shifts, but she’d been happy for Nico too, and promised to come to her next show.

And so Nico had slipped into the idol world that she always knew she’d belonged in, and that bizarre pizza place in the haunted part of town seemed less and less real by the day. Vampires and zombies didn’t really exist, did they? Maybe that werewolf had just been a really vivid dream. Or it was some kind of prank.

Sometimes she caught herself rubbing her fingers on her neck when she had those kinds of thoughts. As if hoping that there’d be some bump where those fangs had pierced her skin. Some lasting evidence. But there wasn’t, of course. The skin was a smooth as an idol’s skin should be. Unmarred. Unblemished. Unharmed.

All she was left with were memories. Memories she’d be better off without.

**************

Initially, Nozomi’s call wasn’t anything surprising.

“Hey there, Niccochi! Did the show yesterday go well?”

“Of course,” Nico said, puffing herself up a little even though Nozomi couldn’t see her. “This is me we’re talking about.”

“Oh, how silly of me, I should have known,” Nozomi said. “You have a bit of a break before you start practicing for the next show, right?”

“A few days, yeah,” Nico said. “We still don’t have the choreography finished. Why? Did you want to get lunch?”

“Well… not quite.”

Nico narrowed her eyes. “I don’t like this tone of voice. This is the tone of voice that suggests I’m not going to like what you have to say next.”

“Well, in all honestly, what I think you should feel about it isn’t quite what i’m expecting your actual feelings to be,” Nozomi said.

“What the heck is that supposed to mean?”

“It’s about the vampire.”

Nico’s heart briefly stopped.

All the things she’d been trying to laugh off, to pretend they weren’t real, were suddenly being shoved back in her face.

As she sat in stunned silence for a moment, trying to formulate a response, Nozomi sighed.

“I’m sorry, Niccochi. I wouldn’t bring it up, but… well, she’s bothering my new hire. She keeps asking after you. And I’d feel bad staking her behind your back, given that you didn’t want me to do it last time.”

“Well… that was…”

“I know you’ve been avoiding talking about all this,” Nozomi said. “You don’t have to come back. Just say the word and you never have to hear about this again. Do you want me to just deal with this without you?”

Nico opened her mouth to say yes. This was behind her now. She was finally living her dreams. She did not need to get dragged back into a terrifying, dangerous, supernatural underworld.

“She was really asking for me?”

Nozomi chuckled. “Yes, Niccochi. Perhaps she’s drawn to your idol charm,” she teased. “Look, I know you haven’t wanted to pick up shifts, but if you just hang out in the shop for a night and talk to the vampire if she shows up, I’ll pay you for a shift and you can leave the actual work to Hanayo.”

Now that Nico had actual idol work, she was less desperate for money than she had been before. But as a minor idol (for the moment), she was not exactly rolling in money, and earning a whole shift’s worth of money for doing nothing was a very tempting prospect.

“...Can I bring a sleeping bag and let the new hire wake me up if the vampire shows up?”

“Fine with me, Niccochi. Can you do tonight?”

**************

Nico considered her beauty sleep important. As such, she hadn’t exactly been looking forward to napping on the floor of a pizza place, but regardless, she’d figured it would be a pretty good deal to get paid to sleep.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t quite how it worked out.

Hanayo, the new girl at the pizza place, was something of an idol fan. Nico could respect that, of course- she was an idol fan herself. Unfortunately, she was also an idol fan with excellent taste and a good eye for rising new talents. Which was to say that she happened to be a Nico fan.

Normally, this would be an unambiguously good thing. More Nico fans in the world was a sign of there being hope for humanity and the future of the arts, after all. In this very specific scenario, however, it was a little inconvenient. Nico could hardly sleep in her clothes on the floor of a restaurant in front of a fan.

So instead, she passed the night drinking the less than stellar coffee the shop sold and talking to Hanayo about idols. Which was hardly torture, but it took some serious effort not to nod off.

Nico was just debating whether she could get away with a quick nap in the corner while Hanayo worked on a delivery order when she heard a voice that immediately woke her up with a jolt that the coffee couldn’t hope to match.

“Nico? Is that you?”

Maki’s eyes were wide as she peered in the window at Nico. God, she’d forgotten how beautiful she was. Being a vampire was cheating. How many decades had she looked that good? It was unfair.

Although, as beautiful as she was, she didn’t seem like she was at her best at the moment. She looked a little… haggard.

“Yes, yes, your favourite idol is making a one night appearance at her old place of work, by special request,” Nico said, trying to brush off how rapidly her heart was beating all of a sudden. “You don’t take hints well, huh? Nozomi told you to stay away. She said she was going to stake you if you kept harassing the newbie.”

The newbie in question was cowering behind the oven, peering fearfully out at Nico, clearly in disbelief of Nico’s casual attitude. Even if a lot of that attitude was a front.

“I didn’t have a choice,” Maki said sulkily. “I didn’t have any other way of contacting you.”

“And why, exactly, was contacting me so important?” Nico asked. “No one likes stalker fans, you know. If you want to meet an idol, come to a handshake event.”

Maki scowled at her.

“You know I can’t,” she grumbled.

“You still haven’t told me what you want.”

Maki’s face took on a pained expression and she twisted her hands together uncomfortably.

“...You,” she said.

“Excuse me?” Nico said.

“Other blood doesn’t taste right anymore,” Maki said, running her hand through her hair and looking frustrated. “I haven’t eaten in weeks. It all tastes wrong ever since I bit you. I want to drink your blood again.”

She took a breath.

“But.. it’s more than that. I… missed you, Nico.”

Nico should laugh in her face. She should tell her to shove her blood drive where the sun didn’t shine, and that a vampire should know all about a place like that. She should tell her that next time Nozomi threatened to stake her, Nico wouldn’t stick up for her. Should tell her that she’d already defended Maki enough times to pay her back for saving her from the werewolf. And above all, she should tell her that she didn’t buy her stupid act designed to get Nico’s blood.

Except the problem was that she did.

She did buy it. She saw the haunted look in Maki’s eyes. Saw the genuine embarrassment in the way she wouldn’t meet Nico’s gaze. Heard the vulnerability in her confession.

She shouldn’t trust her. Shouldn’t trust a vampire. So what if she’d spared Nico once? That wasn’t proof that she wasn’t a killer. Wasn’t proof that Nico was safe around her.

And yet.

She couldn't forget how it had felt the last time she'd been bitten. How Maki's lips had felt on her neck. The memory of that feeling had been coursing through her and leaving her with an aching need ever since she'd seen Maki again. Maybe even before that, and it had just been suppressed, forgot, left to build under the surface so it could be as unbearable as it was now.

And she'd missed Maki too. No matter how much she'd tried to tell herself she didn't.

Nico walked over to the door.

“Nico?!” Hanayo whispered in an urgent, terrified tone.

“If she kills me,” Nico said, her hand on the handle. “Tell Nozomi to hunt her down, okay?”

And before she could think better of it, she opened the door and stepped out into the dead district.

Maki was on her in a second. Her arms were around Nico before she could blink, and then there was that pricking sensation as her fangs dug into Nico’s neck. The tingling overtook Nico again, but this time it felt even better, so much that her knees buckled and only the tight hug Maki had her trapped in kept her upright.

Finally, Maki pulled away, gasping, and Nico slid down to a sitting position against the door.

As she tried to refocus her eyes, which had glazed over, she found a phone being thrust into her face.

“...I’m not good with these things,” Maki said. “But… give me your number.”

Nico managed a trembling laugh. “You’re doing this… kind of… out of order… don’t you think?” she mumbled.

Maki frowned.

“Fine,” Nico said, reaching a shaking hand into her pocket to pull out her phone. “We’ll… trade numbers.”

Maki smiled at her. It was a smile that showed off those awful, creepy fangs, long and sharp and still slightly red with Nico’s blood.

It should have been frightening. It should have been terrifying.

But in that moment, Nico couldn’t manage to be afraid. All she could think of was that that smile was beautiful. That it was wonderful. That it was the kind of smile that Nico wanted to show the world by being an idol.

It was a good thing that Maki wasn’t a rival idol.

Or else she would have been very tempted to let Nozomi stake her for the sake of her career.

[uboat53]

Science time? How about science and government? Government scientists, that is. Time for a SHORT RANT (TM).

A few weeks ago, a train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, releasing toxic chemicals. Officials burned off the chemicals because they were afraid that, if they didn't, the train would simply explode and scatter those chemicals off in a far less controlled manner. So this raises the question:

If you're a government scientist, probably at the EPA, what should you tell the residents of the nearby town?

Well, in mid-February, the EPA told residents that it was safe to return to their homes. Once there, residents described symptoms ranging from rashes to headaches to nausea. In early March, scientists found high levels of hazardous chemicals in the air around the town.

Does this mean the EPA scientists, government scientists, got it wrong? Did they give inaccurate information to the public?

Well, the best answer I was able to find came in an NPR interview with Peter DeCarlo, a professor of Environmental Health and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

He pointed out in the interview on February 16th, after the EPA had said it was safe, that they hadn't done proper measurement. Instead of sampling the air for the specific chemicals at issue and determining what the concentration was, they'd used handheld devices that don't measure any chemicals specifically and don't have the sensitivity to measure concentrations accurately.

In addition, when the EPA had done proper sampling, where air is collected and then taken to a lab where chemical concentrations can be measured, it hadn't done it at the accident site or downwind from the derailment. In other words, there was no way the EPA could have known, from the data they had, whether or not it was safe for residents to return.

In other words, based on the information we have, I'd say the answers to my questions, in reverse order are "no", "yes", and "we cannot say whether it is safe to return".

So why did EPA/government scientists say it was safe? Well, I think it's time to talk about uncertainty. Specifically, how most people, especially in politics these days, seem to be unable to admit it.

You see, in science, when something isn't certain, we're supposed to say so. "I don't know" is an accurate and perfectly acceptable answer. But if you're in government, "I don't know" is a good way to get ignored and, if you say it too often, completely sidelined. In fact, it's the perfect way to get your budget cut. That's likely why, instead of honestly answering "I don't have enough data to say" when asked if it was safe to return to East Palestine, the EPA told residents it was safe based purely on the fact that they didn't have enough data to say it was unsafe.

"How do we improve that?" you may ask. Well that's tough.

There's a huge incentive in the direction of saying things are safe. Unsafe places are bad for business and cost money. More importantly, they also drive negative news cycles which are bad for the politicians that government scientists work for.

Real change would require changing politician's mindsets with regard to science and, to do that, you have to change how they're rewarded and punished. The fact is that probably not a single politician is going to lose their job or even lose a significant amount of votes because of what happened in East Palestine.

Voters aren't paying close enough attention to know that the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce are the ones with oversight over the EPA or that Michael S. Regan is the EPA Administrator and, more importantly, their news sources aren't providing them with this information. They have no idea who is responsible, it's just nameless, faceless government bureaucrats to them, so how are they supposed to hold anyone responsible for a major screw-up like this?

So I'll be honest, I don't see it getting better anytime soon. In the future, if you're deciding whether something is safe or not, you're probably best off trying to find the opinion of an independent scientist, preferably a university professor with no financial ties to the issue at hand, than blindly trusting government scientists.

If you're interested, here are some resources if you're interested in learning more about what I've described above:

I wish I had better news on this front but I don't. If you have any thoughts on the matter I'd love to hear them, particularly if they're more optimistic than mine.

[edenmemes]

skyward sword sentence starters

more to be added !

❝ you promised to meet me before it starts, remember? ❞ ❝ you seem pretty...relaxed about the whole thing. ❞ ❝ is something wrong? what’s the hurry? ❞ ❝ sometimes i just don’t know what’s going on in your head. ❞ ❝ i'm not like you. i fail at everything i try. ❞ ❝ a shrimpy boy like you hardly looks the part of a hero. ❞ ❝ swatting a few monsters will be no trouble for you. ❞ ❝ run and play this time. get in my way again, though, and you’re dead. ❞ ❝ don’t even pretend that was an accident! ❞ ❝ do you doubt these eyes? i look upon your shirt and i see a single thread loose on your sleeve stitching. ❞ ❝ this is no place for one such as you. and yet here you stand. ❞ ❝ i need to vent all this unhealthy anger,     and your agony is such a great stress reliever. ❞ ❝ remember what we discussed. restrain yourself. focus on the task at hand. ❞ ❝ do my words anger you? do my words sting? let them. ❞ ❝ you don’t come by here just to see me, do you? ❞ ❝ what’s wrong? you just made a face like you wanted to say something. ❞ ❝ oh, i get it. you’re trying to weasel out of having to practice. ❞ ❝ i guess it’s not all bad. at least i’m getting paid. ❞ ❝ there’s something i’ve been meaning to talk to you about.... ❞ ❝ would you wake up, straighten up, and grow a backbone already? ❞ ❝ nice try, but you’re not fooling me. ❞ ❝ i...i have to go. i’m sorry. ❞ ❝ folks were always cheering me on like it was a parade. but as you know, time passes. ❞ ❝ you keep some very strange company, friend. ❞ ❝ i don’t know if it’s safe yet...i’m going to stay here awhile longer. ❞ ❝ oh no. you’ve done it now! there’s no escaping this one! ❞ ❝ so, what now? are you going to cry? ❞ ❝ i can’t begin to tell you how sorry i am for pulling you into all of this. ❞ ❝ what is wrong with you? just look at what you’ve done! ❞ ❝ what we’ve seen here today defies explanation. ❞ ❝ you put up more of a fight than i would have thought possible out of such a soft person. ❞ ❝ did you really just draw your sword? foolish. ❞ ❝ should you heed the call of destiny,     i don’t know what dangers you may have to face. ❞ ❝ i can’t help being such a coward...i’m really sorry. ❞ ❝ i fear i spent far too long teasing and toying with you. ❞ ❝ you do your people proud. ❞ ❝ how long do we have to live in constant fear? ❞ ❝ i'll just beat you within an inch of your life! ❞ ❝ dawn is drawing near. it has been a long night for the both of us, hasn’t it? ❞ ❝ you were limp and unconscious. i feared the worst. ❞ ❝ what do you think you’re doing sneaking out with that? ❞ ❝ such a beautiful day, but we’re too busy to enjoy it. some things never change. ❞ ❝ i guess you’ll never learn unless you run into trouble one day. ❞ ❝ look at my face. if that’s your idea of a joke, i’m not laughing. ❞ ❝ you appeared to be relishing that snooze, so i declined to wake you. ❞ ❝ huh? oh, uh, nothing. really, i was, uh...talking to myself. ❞ ❝ you’re looking a little pale... ❞ ❝ i imagine you and i will cross paths again. until then, do not lower your guard. ❞ ❝ you certainly are persistent... ❞ ❝ all that may be well intentioned and true, but it doesn’t mean it’s right. ❞ ❝ i’m prepared to pay the price for what i’ve done. ❞ ❝ i had no idea we were fated to carry such a heavy destiny. ❞ ❝ i need your strength to tip the scales in our favor. ❞ ❝ all this training, and no results! ❞ ❝ all i’ve hears so far is a bunch of babbling about destiny,     but that’s a load of garbage. ❞ ❝ when night draws her tenebrous curtain across the sky, i come here. ❞ ❝ what in the world just happened? did you use some kind of magic? ❞ ❝ please, see it through and prove the legends true. ❞ ❝ i was happy just spending my days hanging around with you. i wanted that feeling to last forever. ❞ ❝ you are vital to a mission of great importance. ❞ ❝ the chances of that happening are just about less than zero. ❞ ❝ i hate to break it to you, but today’s the day i bust up this adorable little fantasyland you’re living in. ❞ ❝ this is a war, and the fate of the land hangs in the balance. ❞ ❝ i know you, and you’re no hero. ❞ ❝ you’re messing with me. say it again, i dare you. ❞ ❝ you float through life with your head in the clouds. ❞ ❝ i don’t do charity for wimps. ❞ ❝ what’s this...? what is it that my eyes behold? ❞ ❝ don’t even think about it! are we clear? ❞ ❝ the point is your work here is done. i got it covered from here. ❞ ❝ my eyes foresee a hazardous, thorny road ahead for you... ❞ ❝ you...this is your fault, you know. ❞ ❝ my heart is bursting with thoughts of you. ❞ ❝ i have a serious dilemma on my mind right now, and you’re distracting me. ❞ ❝ i’ll make you proud. you’ll see! ❞ ❝ feels dangerous. something could jump out at us at any moment. ❞ ❝ we’re talking about a tale that’s been passed down over a lot of years, so i wouldn’t put much stock in it. ❞ ❝ i have the right to experience an unfettered and passionate love, don’t i? ❞ ❝ i’ll tell you, it gives even a big guy like me the creeps. ❞ ❝ oh...how can i get you to notice me? ❞ ❝ i get the feeling nothing i can say will talk you out of it. ❞ ❝ my love for you is wider than the horizon and deeper than the clouds. ❞ ❝ trust my piercing eyes...listen to my pure and innocent voice. ❞ ❝ i feel so excited, so cheerful, so full of life. ❞ ❝ i sense a silent power dwelling somewhere in your frame. ❞ ❝ this turn of events has left me with a strong appetite for bloodshed. ❞ ❝ there’s no doubting it. the gears of fate have begun to turn. ❞ ❝ i'm sorry. i was lost in thought there for a moment. ❞ ❝ don’t men open doors for a lady anymore? how long am i supposed to stand here waiting for a little chivalry? ❞ ❝ i hate even saying this, but i guess you got it all figured out. ❞ ❝ you must not push yourself. you’re still recovering. ❞ ❝ you think you’re pretty suave, don’t you? ❞ ❝ i know you’re in a hurry, so i really appreciate you taking the time to help. ❞ ❝ i saw it, but i was able to escape by the seat of my pants. ❞ ❝ do you have any idea how that made me feel inside? furious! outraged! sick with anger! ❞ ❝ you’re really something else. i could never imagine myself doing what you’re about to do. ❞ ❝ i must aid you in fulfilling the great destiny that is your burden to carry. ❞ ❝ i should have believed you...i��m sorry. ❞ ❝ lately, when i think about you, my head gets all fuzzy, my heart races, i get short of breath, and i feel all dizzy... ❞ ❝ you should know better than that to fret about me. ❞ ❝ thanks for jumping in there to rescue me. ❞ ❝ hey, hold on there! what are you trying to pull all of a sudden? ❞ ❝ your face cries out in earnest wonder, and that cry is: ‘what’s this?!’ ❞ ❝ i promise up front not to murder you. ❞ ❝ you...didn’t hear any of that, did you? there’s no way you heard, right? ❞ ❝ i tell you, all sorts of weird things are going on lately. ❞ ❝ calamitous visions appear before me... ❞ ❝ you...make me so happy...i think i’m going to keel over... ❞ ❝ i wanted you to be the first to see me like this. ❞ ❝ i can’t imagine a more fitting color for you. it’s as though you were born to wear it. ❞ ❝ i bet you can’t even decide what to have for lunch on your own, huh? ❞ ❝ amazing, right? wrong! it is beyond amazing! ❞ ❝ it can’t be easy for you, can it? ❞ ❝ you’ll see in time that you have your own role to play in all this. ❞ ❝ trust in fate to guide your feet. ❞ ❝ i bet you’re here just to check me out, right? ❞ ❝ i just hope nothing has happened. i’m worried sick thinking about it. ❞ ❝ whoa...you’re kind of imploding my mind right now. ❞ ❝ if you wanna live again one day, you should head for home. ❞ ❝ you have a great journey before you, and those clothes...they don’t look up to the task. ❞ ❝ did you manage to get even a wink of sleep last night? ❞ ❝ ever heard of banging your knuckles against the door? it’s called knocking. ❞ ❝ so, uh...yeah. just how long have you been standing there? ❞ ❝ honestly, it’s almost as though you become a completely different person when you worry about me. ❞ ❝ you showing up here must mean we’re connected somehow. like fate. ❞ ❝ sorry to put you through that. i guess i owe you one now. ❞ ❝ to tell you the truth, i’m feeling a little frustrated, and right now i just need someone to vent to. ❞ ❝ what’s with you? leave me alone if you don’t want anything. ❞ ❝ hearing that is such a...huge weight off my mind. ❞ ❝ though your journey will put you in harms way, you must endure. ❞ ❝ i'm just deadweight. what kinda use is that to anyone... ❞ ❝ seriously, what is that thing over there?! ❞ ❝ before i say another word, i feel like i owe you an apology. ❞ ❝ during your long journey, you’ve grown so much. ❞ ❝ from the moment i laid my eyes on you, i could tell you had a gentle and generous heart. ❞ ❝ oh dear...i don’t know what’s come over me all of a sudden... ❞ ❝ you don’t appear to have any serious injuries. for that much we can be grateful. ❞ ❝ i can see into those dopey eyes of yours. ❞ ❝ i can finally smile and laugh again! thank you ever so much. ❞ ❝ i think i might of broke something. ❞ ❝ is that it? i thought it was going to put up more of a fight. ❞ ❝ i thought we were goners this time. sort of glad i was wrong about that. ❞ ❝ what? i don’t seem like my usual self? ❞ ❝ this place needs a name. a name fitting for this rugged, adventurous wilderness. ❞ ❝ what were you thinking? you scared a year off my life! ❞ ❝ care to explain just what you meant by ‘our special moment alone’? ❞ ❝ my advice? work hard and wish with all your heart. ❞ ❝ say, you look all flustered. ❞ ❝ i fear we can’t dwell on our success. ❞ ❝ the world is bursting with undiscovered surprises, isn’t it? ❞ ❝ you're not exactly mr/mrs.perfect either, are you? ❞ ❝ this is easily as scary as i thought it would be. ❞ ❝ i swear this neighborhood’s getting crummier every day. ❞ ❝ you ain’t as dumb as you look. ❞ ❝ i was going to ask if you wanted me to take care of you forever... ❞ ❝ i need to learn how to keep these delirious dreams in check. ❞ ❝ maybe you should forget about everything that happened here tonight. ❞ ❝ can you imagine a more gruesome fate? ❞ ❝ there are more monsters about than before, so be careful. ❞ ❝ human desire is an insatiable, fearsome thing. ❞ ❝ i sense an evil presence on the other side of this door. ❞ ❝ you understand, don’t you? i’m not wrong about this, am i? ❞ ❝ i never wanted to lay eyes on you again. ❞ ❝ i would have gotten discouraged if you hadn’t come by to cheer me on. you gave me motivation. ❞ ❝ who do you think you are, getting involved in my business like that? ❞ ❝ i just wish there was more i could do for you... ❞ ❝ i don’t even understand how you could make such a wild accusation! ❞ ❝ it was at that moment i finally realized. i realized that...i love you. ❞ ❝ make sure you come home every now and then. nothing like a good sleep in your own bed. ❞ ❝ you’d better not keep me waiting. ❞ ❝ make sure you put your heart into it! i won’t stand for anything but your best. ❞ ❝ how could you be swayed by the temptation of material gain?     do you have no honor? ❞ ❝ you really want to hear about all my troubles? that’s kind of you. ❞ ❝ you...weren’t supposed to see that whole spectacle. how embarrassing... ❞ ❝ you have only succeeded in buying us a little more time. ❞ ❝ watch it! that’s no way to talk to someone who just saved your life! ❞ ❝ you look like you need to get something off your chest. ❞ ❝ know that all the questions you have now will be answered in time. ❞ ❝ there is nothing natural about these tremors. ❞ ❝ you might just be the person i need! you seem pretty good with the ladies. ❞ ❝ it’s great to hear you’re so confident in me. ❞ ❝ ideal love is unfettered and passionate. anything less than that can’t really be called love at all. ❞ ❝ you're incessant buzzing around my head like some irksome gadfly when i’m this busy is...making me very disagreeable. ❞ ❝ you may not have noticed, but i’m trying to hide here.     could you please scoot along? ❞ ❝ you'd better keep your eyes to yourself, if you know what i mean. ❞ ❝ have you come to laugh at me in my miserable state? ❞ ❝ you...you came to see me! i’m so happy. ❞ ❝ your job is simple! you make sure none of these monsters lays a claw on me. not...one...claw. ❞ ❝ now is not the time to be picky about who will help you. ❞ ❝ watch carefully while i demonstrate what a real hero looks like. ❞ ❝ you are something else! there is nothing you cannot do. ❞ ❝ if you think about how often we meet, you have to admit that our relationship has gone beyond friendship, you know? ❞ ❝ i’ll make the affair so excruciating, you’ll deafen yourself with the shrill sound of your own screams. ❞ ❝ i was right, then. there is something special about you. ❞ ❝ i should have reprimanded you the last time we met, but instead i was...soft. ❞ ❝ ha-ha! you didn’t see that coming, did you? ❞ ❝ you really are a snake in the grass. ❞ ❝ you are indeed worthy of being called a hero. ❞ ❝ i’m not used to getting stared at like this. it’s making me blush. ❞ ❝ i can’t hide anything from you, can i? ❞ ❝ the longer i train, the more i realize i’ll never measure up to you. ❞ ❝ whoa...you took out every last one of them. ❞ ❝ i know how bad this must look to you right now, but i assure you i mean no harm. ❞ ❝ it’s all very strange, but i doubt there’s much of a connection between these things. ❞ ❝ you're a weird one, climbing all the way up here. ❞ ❝ don’t cry --- it’s perfectly, mostly safe! ❞ ❝ you and i, we’re bound by that thread of fate. destined to fight. ❞ ❝ meet me in battle, and the thread of fate that binds us will be soaked crimson with your blood. ❞ ❝ i do not wish to dwell on what may have happened if you hadn’t been here. ❞ ❝ you have awakened a wrath that will burn for eons! ❞ ❝ you really like those fantasy stories, eh? ❞ ❝ there is one teensy, tiny thing i lack...namely, mercy. ❞ ❝ i must warn you, i won’t go easy on you this time. ❞ ❝ i might be willing to forgive and forget if you’ll strike a deal. ❞ ❝ since i know i can be honest with you, i’ll admit i got a little sulky. it was frowns all around. ❞ ❝ i see you’re still among the living. ❞ ❝ i saw them dragging you off unconscious, so i tailed them. ❞ ❝ i want you to visit me at my house tonight. ❞ ❝ you don’t have to say a word. i can see how you feel by the spark in your eye. ❞ ❝ you’ll see. i’ll be as tough as you in no time. ❞ ❝ it’s not like ‘oh, hey, that person’s back! i’m so happy!’ or anything like that... ❞ ❝ whoa...that’s some really terrible handwriting. ❞ ❝ i would very much like it if you would go out with me. ❞ ❝ truly? you choose me? ❞ ❝ i swear to you, whatever it takes, i will drag you into an eternity of torment. ❞ ❝ you and i, we’re bound by a thread of fate. ❞ ❝ i’ll watch over you, protecting you from afar. ❞ ❝ until then, we’ll keep our love secret. ❞ ❝ this news has just filled my heart with rainbows! ❞ ❝ this place seems strangely familiar... ❞ ❝ don’t you gotta take care of your own business first? ❞ ❝ they’re not going to do anything nice if they catch you. ❞ ❝ it’s not humane to tease someone this bored. ❞ ❝ i’m not some sideshow for you to gawk at. ❞ ❝ it’s weird to say out loud, but that’s just how i feel right now. ❞ ❝ you can’t break me with interrogation. you’ll never make me talk. ❞ ❝ word is there’s a huge treasure hidden in these here ruins... ❞ ❝ what? that’s not weird to say! ❞ ❝ ...i understand your true feelings. better than you know. ❞ ❝ all the fairytales that we heard growing up...they appear all too real. ❞ ❝ do i look sad? no, i’m doing what i want to do! ❞ ❝ i don’t know what came over me! i had no clue i had the talent to make something like this. ❞ ❝ you shouldn’t be out here in the open with no way to defend yourself. ❞ ❝ you do have the tendency to cause trouble for those you ‘help’. ❞ ❝ as far as i’m concerned, i got nothing but time. ❞ ❝ don’t you play coy with me. i know that you know, so why not let me in on the fun? ❞ ❝ so you really think a sob story like that is going to work on me? what a joke. ❞ ❝ i’d take pleasure in punishing you, but i have no time for recreation. ❞ ❝ sorry to leave you on your own, but you look like you can handle it. ❞ ❝ remember --- it’s a secret to everybody. ❞ ❝ it isn’t as action packed as what you’re doing, but maybe this is my destiny. ❞ ❝ don’t you just love the way it smells down here? ❞ ❝ defending the land...it’s my purpose, i think. it’s why i’m here. ❞ ❝ what do i know...you might just surprise me. ❞ ❝ fibber! you’re a fibbity fibber! ❞ ❝ you needn’t even say it. i can tell from the look of sheer astonishment on your face. ❞ ❝ you have had this destiny thrust upon you without warning...    or choice, for that matter. ❞ ❝ don’t do anything heroic and get yourself caught. ❞ ❝ ...you want to tell me but you can’t? ❞ ❝ you know, i really worry about you. it’s a weakness of mine. ❞ ❝ try not to get in the way of my shots, ok? ❞ ❝ i haven’t slept a wink in...ahhh...i don’t even know how long. ❞ ❝ i had my suspicions, but until now i wasn’t sure. ❞ ❝ you seem a good deal stronger than the last time we met. ❞ ❝ i would be remiss if i didn’t let you know of the weight on my heart. ❞ ❝ i have a reputation to protect, you know. ❞ ❝ listen closely. do you hear that? ❞

[dienamights]

Road Mishap | K.Bakugou | Drabble

Where Dynamight pays you a little visit when someone is being a little too friendly on the road.

» Pairing: Katsuki Bakugou x Fem!Reader.

» Word count: 1.1K 

» Genre: Crack, Prohero!au, fluff if you squint real hard but basically reader being a simp.

» Warning(s): Swearing, guys being assholes, suggestive themes(?), basically Kacchan flexing that he’s getting some ass. Characters are aged up.

» Author’s notes: ahahaha, what are you talking about, this isn't self-indulgent, no I didn't cry for hours after it happened to me today. @tteokdoroki​ iloveyou come laugh at my pain

I know its too long for a drabble but I HAD FUN WITH IT AND I ALREADY MADE THE BANNER AS A DRABBLE SO SUE ME)

» Masterlist | Requests

“Hah? The fuck you mean you’re being tailgated?” you heard the hoarse voice of your boyfriend through the speakers of your car as you looked through your rearview mirror, the fucking shit-piece of car swerving left and right to irritate you, the heads of five guys swaying with the car and grinning evilly.

“I mean I’m being tailgated Katsu, the fuck else would I mean?” you sneered, sending a glare to the center console of your car, hoping it would reach your dumbass of a hero boyfriend. You honestly didn’t know why you were calling him, Katsuki was busy being on the top 10 ranked heroes and you didn’t expect him to drop everything and run to save your quirkless damsel in distress ass.

But the car behind you sped up, the front bumper of their car kissed the rear bumper of yours, making you screech, a sob escaping your throat when your car jerked forward, hearing the maniac laughter of the douchebags despite your closed windows. You wished you didn’t leave the comfort of your home, knowing that no one in their right mind would even come close to harming the home of Dynamight, unless they wanted their asses blown off.

Katsuki was silent for a few seconds, before you heard frantic shuffling on the other end of the phone as you slowed down at a red light, the car behind you jolting left and right as the boys danced at their loud shit music. Yet, your ears couldn’t miss the deep growl in his voice.

“Send me your live location.” It wasn’t a question, nor a request, it was a demand. And even then, you were pretty hesitant to do as he told. You took a few deep breaths, wiping the few tears that managed to escape during your panic and tried to sound as convincing as possible.

“N-no its alright Suki, I’m almost home a-and besides you’ve got more important things to-”

“Y/N.” You gulped, not used to him directing that threatening voice at you, “I’m not asking you; I’m telling you to send it to me. Now.” No ifs ands or buts, so with a shaking grip, you did as you were told, right as the light turned green, the honks and tires screeching making you whimper as you pressed on the gas pedal to keep driving back home, only then realizing the fact that your boyfriend hung up on you.

“Great. Shouldn’t have called in the first place, real useless of you to call him knowing he’s got more serious things to take care of, people to save! Not just-” your self-scolding was cut short when you heard it, that loud, deafening, awful sound that always made your ears ring for hours on end. The earsplitting sound of your boyfriend, your hero. His explosions blaring and shaking your windshield as he all but flew to you, propelling himself and dropping down on the road between your car and the assholes behind you.

You slowed down and looked back at him through your mirror, watching as he brought both hands in front of him, palms lighting up in that scorching color that reminded you of fires that should never be put out, because they were so damned beautiful, the mesmerizing color of burning sunsets, the entrancing color of those crimson eyes that light up a smidgen, a speck – too quick you almost always miss it – at the sight of your smile.

The car behind you swerved to the left, – whether because of the man popping out of nowhere and standing in front of them or because his hands are about to blow a hole in them, you weren’t sure – crashing into the railing and activating the airbags of the car while stopping all together.

You turned on your hazard warning lights and slowed down to a stop at the side of the road by the sidewalk, getting out to check on your boyfriend – lowkey wanting to see him kick some ass.

You tried your best to hide your laughter as you saw him dropping his gauntlets, biting off his gloves while stomping his way to them and grumbling about ‘tearing their asses up to pieces for coming for his princess’, the – very oblivious – boys’ eyes lit up at the sight of the number 6 hero, cheering at him for being so quick to come rescue them.

Oh, you poor pricks.

Neither you nor the men expected what happened next, as Katsuki blew the door of the driver’s seat up, hauling the guy out of the car and holding him up by the shirt, yelling and swearing profusely at the cowering figure, while his friends hesitantly tried to free him from the hero’s grip. Only to be growled at and promised their turn in being murdered with no hesitation.

“You mean to tell me, that it took Red Riot, Chargebolt and Cellophane to get your punk ass off of these civilians?” The manager huffed, eyes glaring at the scuffed hero in front of him, falling onto the tv playing the news, the header “Hero Dynamight assaults innocent civilians” rolling at the bottom of the screen before looking back at the hero standing in front of him, who wore a scowl and simply rolled his eyes back at him, not caring about the reporter spitting rumors and accusations that were obviously told by the assholes standing behind her.

“Are we done here?” Dynamight huffed back, the shuffling feet of his comrades behind him irritating him because one, they dragged him away from those bastards before finishing beating them up and two, he wasn’t done kicking the motherfuckers’ asses. Yes, they were the same reason and no, he doesn’t give a fuck.

“You’re off of duty for the week, think about what you did and how you could improve as a hero while not harming the innocent.” The man at the desk declared, dropping his glasses on the surface and pinching the area between his eyes and preparing himself for the chaos Dynamight was about to make for being put off duty.

To his – and the other heroes’ surprise – all Bakugou did was scoff, mumbling a fine and asking if there was anything the manager wanted before he went home.

“W-wait a minute.” The man stuttered, “you know that means you’re only to come by next Monday, right?” an affirmative hum met his question and the man could only inquire for the reason behind the absence of the tantrum the hero always threw when it comes to him not working.

“Oh, its just Y/N is waiting for me at home to rail her for saving her life, and honestly I’d rather do that than hang around with you fuckers, later bitches” and then he just… left.  

its 3:35 am rn and now i feel better about myself so i can go to sleep without crying, thank you for coming to my ted talk

[writefightandflightclub]

Too much information (Frankie Morales x GN reader)

Summary: you’re dating Frankie in secret, and Pope is on to you. Brunch probably isn’t the best place to put his interrogation skills to use, but do you really think that’s going to stop him?! No, me neither.

Author’s note: this is just a quick, silly, shortish blurb. Nothing special but the scene popped into my head and then my finger slipped, so here you go. It’s mainly between reader and Pope, but you are dating Frankie and he does appear.

Warnings: not really. Food mention.

GIF by @themarcusmoreno

“Is that ‘Fish’s t-shirt?” Pope asks bluntly, as he settles into the booth opposite you, the group gradually gathering for lunch. You had arrived first, and begun perusing the menu.

“Normal people might shoot for a hello,” you josh, standing and leaning over the table to greet him with a kiss on the cheek.

“Yeah, that too,” he grins. “Well, is it?”

Before you retake your seat, you take a quick look down at the garment in question. A marled-grey band shirt.

“No,” you answer adamantly, crinkling your face in confusion. “It’s not.”

“You sure?” Pope presses, and he leans in, resting on his folded arms. His stare is intense, and you suddenly feel like you’re in an interrogation. You suddenly feel very sorry indeed for his prior subjects, considering this is a mere taster of the intensity they were subjected to.

“Yes,” you say in a level voice, looking him dead in the eye.

“Hmm,” he nods, considering it, his hand rasping over his stubble. He takes a menu too, from the stash at the far-end of the booth. You hope he’s dropping the topic, but no such luck. “See. You already made one mistake,” he breezes, and you squirm in your seat. “You checked. You looked down, as if it could be Frankie’s t-shirt.”

You saw your jaw from side-to-side.

“Which I’m pretty sure it is,” he adds with a flourish of his hand, his eyes flashing with a smug pride.

“It’s not,” you snap, staring him down until he raises his hands in surrender.

“Okay.”

Finally. You look down at the menu, selecting your burger and milkshake combo. But he’s not done yet. Of course. Air seethes out out your nose. “Looks like his though. Doesn’t really fit you either. Not really your usual style,” he muses, as if ticking off a checklist in his head.

You huff, and look back up at him. “You have too much time on your hands, Pope. How’s that job-hunt coming? Or, actually, when did you last get laid? Think you need to find somewhere to direct all this excess energy.”

You should have said yes. Should have made-up an excuse about how you needed to borrow some clothes. Because it definitely is Frankie’s t-shirt.

He knows it. But if you admit it is Frankie’s t-shirt, at this point, you are admitting a whole lot more besides.

“Now now. No need to get personal.” You wish you could knock the shit-eating grin off his face. “Just answer the question.”

“This is how I wear my clothes now,” you say, gesturing down at yourself. It’s flimsy and you know it.

“Okay.”

You’re really starting to hate the way he says that.

He’s quiet for a beat, and you think he may have given up, but, to your ire, apparently not. Instead, Pope leans over the table and presses his nose right into your shoulder, taking a whiff. “Kinda smells like his detergent too.”

You pull back from him in disbelief. He recognises his detergent? “That’s fucked up, Pope. Why are you so obsessed with Frankie?”

Your comments don’t seem to rile him. Instead, Pope’s eyes flash with a sudden knowledge.

Balls. That was your second mistake. You called him “Frankie”. Not “‘Fish”. Fuck. You flare your nostrils in annoyance and only hope that Pope missed it.

“Well? Explain that. Why does it smell like... Frankie?” No chance that he missed it, then?

“Guess we use the same brand,” you dismiss, propping your chin on one of your hands as you continue to review the specials, in an attempt to obscure your face.

“Uh-huh. Okay.” You bristle. There it is again. Maybe he simply irritates all of his subjects into confessing. He’s certainly irritating enough for that to be plausible. “So, let’s recap, shall we? You dress like him now, and use his detergent? Why are you so obsessed with him?”

“He’s a role model for us all, pendejo.”

He ticks up an eyebrow, looking distinctly unimpressed by your insult.

“Pendejo?”

“And I really mean that,” you say, with a saccharine smile, even as you reach across and bat his cap from his head with a quick boop under the brim.

He half rolls his eyes at you, and yet you can tell he’s biting back a smile as he scoops it up from where it landed and places it by his side on the seat.

“So you weren’t at his place last night?”

“Nope,” you say, popping the “p” and refusing to look-up.

“Didn’t arrive together and stagger your entry to avoid being caught? Because I’m pretty sure his truck’s parked out front and yours... isn’t. And yet here you are, and here he’s not.”

Well. You don’t have an answer for that one. Not right away.

Pope grins smugly, enjoying that he’s getting under your skin.

Shit, where is Frankie? Where are the Millers? Literally anyone. Pope evidently thinks you’re the weak link while you’re alone, and you’re not doing a whole lot to prove him wrong.

“I walked here,” you say weakly.

Pope even goes so far as to dip his head under the table.

“In those boots? Don’t they kill your feet?”

Well at least he was paying attention when the boys made you walk all the way across town that time, to get to this one “must-visit” dive bar. Kinda sweet he remembered actually. Unless, of course, he simply gathers information to use it against you, during times like this, for example.

Eyes drawn away from the booth, you finally see Frankie walk through the door, and you let out a breath of relief. Still, as Pope raises a thick eyebrow at you, examining every expression on your face, you try to avoid looking at Frankie altogether, just so you don’t give anything away.

Pleasantly oblivious, Frankie comes in and settles right next to you in the booth.

“Hey,” he says brightly to the both of you, before smiling at you a little too long, and so -subtly but pointedly- you bump his knee with yours to alert him to play it a little cool. He doesn’t get the memo. Instead, he points down at your torso, without thinking. “Is that my t-shirt?”

Your eyes flutter closed to the sound of a smug, victorious laugh from Pope. Groaning, you put your head in your hands, peeking at your interrogator through your fingers. You watch him lean back in the booth, raising his arms to rest his head on his interlaced fingers, and a smug grin extending over his face.

“Fucking knew it.”

Quickly putting it together, with a gasp of breath, Frankie realises what he’s said. He quickly tries to smooth it over with some elaborate excuse, but you place your hand on his denim-clad thigh and gently shake your head. “He knows, Frankie,” you sigh. “He’s on to us. Basically interrogated me.”

There is a heated and mile-a-minute exchange between the two men in Spanish, and it sounds animated but is clearly somewhat good-natured, typical of their dynamic. Then, Frankie turns back to you. “You know how to shut him up, though?” he smiles. “Give him too much information.”

And he’s not wrong. As soon as Frankie begins to start describing a list of hypothetical activities from last night in vivid detail, Santi quickly holds his hands up in defeat. “Woah, Buddy. Alright. I get it. Fuck.”

Honestly - these two. You roll your eyes, even as you shake out a laugh.

“Hell. I need a drink,” you express, and you step away to the bar, leaving your interrogation behind for a moment.

As you look on though, it seems like poor Frankie’s interrogation is only just beginning.

“So, how long has this been happening?” Santi asks warmly.

“How long do you think?” Frankie asks out of curiosity- wanting to assess Pope’s abilities.

The man weighs it up, his hand smoothing over his stubble. “One month, give or take.”

“Three,” Frankie confirms, a hint of pride flashing in his soft, brown eyes as he realises you’ve outdone Pope, even for a little while.

In contrast though, victory is suddenly the last thing on Pope’s mind, and he’s more concerned with how damn happy his friend looks as he reveals this information. Pope mirrors Frankie’s wide, beaming smile, and he reaches across the table to deliver a few solid, congratulatory pats to his shoulder. “I’m happy for you, man.”

Frankie’s smile lingers, and he steals a sweeping glance over at you as you lean-up against the bar, his eyes shining as he takes you in.

“How’s it going between you? This a serious thing or just fucking?” Pope asks, although he could hazard a pretty safe guess.

Frankie’s hands disappear into the sleeves of his cord jacket, and his eyelashes flutter bashfully. “I’m in love, man. I’m in some deep shit.”

Santi smiles, tapping Frankie on the arm and giving him a heads-up that you’re on your way back over with the drinks.

You smile brightly at him from across the way, and Pope looks between the two of you. Frankie certainly does look like a goner, he considers.

“Plus - shit,” Frankie adds quickly, in the moment before you come back into earshot. “Seeing them in my t-shirt is Doing Things for me, man.”

“Hermano,” he chuckles. “That’s too much information.”

You arrive back to the table to the sound of Frankie’s delightfully throaty chuckle - your second favourite sound in the world (since hooking-up, you have found one noise he makes which is even better). As you slide in beside the boys, you see the doors swing as the Millers enter the establishment in tandem.

You gaze at Frankie for a few moments, and you steal a final glance back at Pope. He’s still looking at you, but now he looks satisfied, as if he’s put a final piece of the puzzle together.

You don’t know it, but Pope’s suddenly deeply happy for his friends. He has the final piece of information, and to him, it’s quite plain to see. You’re clearly in love; and you’re evidently a complete goner for Frankie too.

“Hey, Millers- did you know these two are hooking-up in secret?” Pope asks loudly as the brothers join you around the table.

Well - he’s got it partly right. You are hooking-up, but it obviously isn’t a secret anymore.

You could care less.

When Frankie takes your hand under the table, giving it a little squeeze, you can’t help the smile which lights your face. Suddenly, you can’t help wanting to tell the whole world that Frankie is your man. And, what better people to begin with than your squad?

[villain-in-love]

🌹 Masquerade! So now we're talking fashion! I'm all for it, honestly, and I love the aesthetic. I think masquerade balls appeared exactly in the time period Dungeon Meshi is closest to - something around 15th century, so it fits well. I guess I should go and open my folder with historical dresses to find some outfit ideas... (Meanwhile Thistle is stressed out because do you have any idea how much of a security hazard a masquerade ball is-  I bet he’ll spend the entire prior week putting magical protections all over the castle)

Kiera will be very interested in Cath’s choice of clothing for this occasion, but I guess that by this time she will learn about her enough to be careful with comments. Nevertheless, considering what I know about your aesthetic preferences (and what we just discussed in DMs), I think Cath will still earn Kiera's silent approval.

When it comes to Cath sneaking out to make out or straight up fuck Kabru – you can count on Kiera to cover for them. She finds the situation amusing. Would probably have a thought of following them and taking a peek, just out of curiosity, but ultimately decides against it. It’s not worth the potential fuss.

By the way, would Kabru and Cath be up for dancing? If yes, what if Kiera offers Cath to dance with her? How high are the chances that these two will fuck up the dance?

Also doubt that Thistle will mind Cath ignoring him, unless she’s being particularly disrespectful about it. I don’t think that she’s that type of person or that this is the type of situation when he would actually demand attention. As long as Kiera pays enough attention to him, he'll be fine.

I think that the fight breaking out would be the most entertaining route, even better if the brawl between Kiera and Cath will get other people involved (most likely someone will try to drag them away from each other, but it will go terribly wrong, and then the chaos ensues) Alternatively, their fight could become an entertainment for the guests, with bets being placed (I wonder if Kabru will join in on the betting against his better judgements..?)

Yeah, Cath will be needing a mask to cover a black eye. But it will probably not help her or Kiera's clothes after that. (Do you think Cath will accept if Falin or Marcille offered to heal her injuries? Maybe if Kabru asks her to please, let them help?)

I’m almost sad that Thistle wouldn’t be able to properly participate in a brawl because his fighting capabilities drop significantly after losing his powers as a dungeon lord. But maybe it’s for the best, considering how extreme his methods usually are. It wouldn’t have been good if someone got crushed into a paste or incinerated alive during a ball.

Anyways, he's silently rooting for Kiera in this fight. Kabru is like: "Should we stop them?.." "No. No, let it happen." I guess he's petty and wants Kiera to beat up Cath. Or maybe he just want to see Kiera beat up someone...

All the while Laios is panicking in the background. Being a king sucks.

🔍 Kiera would probably find Cath’s outbursts funny. Come on, chill. She’s just trying to think. Though, to be fair, Kiera being chill doesn’t mean that she’ll be still and quiet. She’s rather active person, and she tends to walk around and mutter her thought process under her nose. But I guess that might be annoying too.

She might also do the thing when she crouches besides Cath, being like: “…do you want to talk about it?” while barely holding back a grin. Oh, she is so going to get punched in the face (maybe she wants it?)

I think whether she will end up pushing Cath’s buttons some more or not depends on how well they know each other by the time this scenario happens. Because Kiera’s humour can be quite rude and she will imply something negative about everything – herself, other people, the government, the word… So if they don’t know each other well enough by now – well, fuck. But if she already knows what will piss off Cath, she will try to contain herself – she already has one problem at hand, she doesn’t need another one.

Regarding Cath not being a team player: you know, considering how they both don’t really like working with other people, it could, paradoxically, lead to them being able to function well in a team. I mean, they both would understand how hard it is to work in a team. They would certainly understand boundaries when it comes to such thing.

...yeah, I think Kiera will end up being that type of friend that you often want to punch in the face. You can do that, by the way, she will walk it off just fine.

🌹,🔍 for the s/i ask game w/kiera and cath? <33

- @cannibalslut

You really gave me a challenge by choosing the double date question, when I can't even deal with regular dates... But okay, it didn't have to be easy.

Okay, for starters:

🌹 – Your S/I and mine are double-dating with our F/Os! How do you think that would go?

So basically, Kiera, Thistle, Cath and Kabru having to interact as a group.

Why do I get a feeling that it would be an entirely Kabru’s idea to organize a double date?..

Thistle probably considers the entire concept of a romantic “date” meaningless and idiotic, and Kiera actually agrees with him, but she’s fully on board this time purely because she wants to see the chaos that could ensue from that kind of character combination.

Okay, now let's just assume that she managed to somehow convince Thistle.

Kiera fully approaches it as just a regular meeting to hang out with friends. (Thistle approaches it with a sour face and a sourer mood) This is no different from meeting Cath anywhere else in their free time, it just so happens that their partners are with them for this occasion.

I think at some point it might happen that Kiera and Cath will be separately talking about their own thing with each other, while Kabru and Thistle will be left dealing with each other. Or rather, Kabru would be trying to hold a conversation with Thistle for the purpose of psychoanalyzing him.

Kiera (with Kabru backing her up) will also be likely to try discreetly pushing Thistle and Cath into interacting with each other more. For science.

…gonna be honest, I feel like Thistle would call Cath a freak at some point. (Yes, Kiera is a freak too, but that’s his freak. He’s used to her). Kabru and Kiera are ready to watch the argument unfold while chewing popcorn. But in case if things escalate, keep in mind that Kiera is violently protective of Thistle and she wouldn't mind throwing hands with Cath (it's also a part of the fun, in some way).

By the way, what are we doing? Where are we going? Do you have any ideas? I feel like Kiera's ideas would be something along the lines of going into the woods hunting. Or maybe exploring a different dungeon? We’re definitely not going to any bars, though, because Thistle would completely refuse to even set his foot here.

Oh, wait. What about the ball? In the best traditions of the historical fantasy? Everyone could have a reason to be here...

Anyways, is this going to be an AU of sorts? Considering that I highly doubt that it would be possible to plan a date with all four of them during canon events. It could be logistically possible post-canon, but post-canon Thistle is, as you know, not in the best condition, to put it mildly…

🔍 – If the two were trapped somewhere/stuck in a dire situation, how would the two be able to resolve it?

I feel like the first immediate reaction for both Kiera and Cath might just be trying to solve it all with brute force. Just for a good measure.

But that is unlikely to help, because then we wouldn't have a plot.

Anyways, Kiera is not the type to panic and usually keeps her head cool, trying to figure out her way out of trouble. She might even seem too chill about the whole situation from the outside. She hopes she can expect the same from Cath.

I think there might be a potential for conflict because Kiera tends to get rather… bossy in drastic situations. She have always been very independent and very confident in her strategic abilities, and automatically perceives the problem as hers to solve. She will also be taking into account Cath's abilities when trying to calculate their way out, and she will expect Cath to follow her plan.

Luckily, it’s not that hard to snap her out of it. She’s still willing hear Cath’s ideas and wouldn’t actually mind following them if they are good. She can cooperate if she sees that it would be more beneficial.

Also I hope Cath wouldn't mind Kiera continuously cracking jokes about their situation. She has a dark sense of humour and that's her way of coping with stress.

[kaizokuou-ni-naru]

The Voyage So Far: Whole Cake Island

east blue (1 | 2) || alabasta (1 | 2) || skypiea || water 7 || enies lobby || thriller bark || paramount war (1 | 2) || fishman island || punk hazard || dressrosa (1 | 2) || whole cake island || wano

sanji is such a self-sacrificial idiot. and i know that’s not exactly a ground-breaking statement, but it does define the entire first half of whole cake island, so it may as well be reiterated here: sanji does not value his own life as much as he should, and fails to grasp that other people care about him outside of what he can offer them, which is why he’s so surprised when luffy later comes charging headlong into big mom’s territory.

zou is a really good little arc, and it also mirrors the themes of whole cake island in miniature. the minks collectively make a massive sacrifice and risk absolutely everything to protect raizou, and wci is essentially all about loyalty and sacrifice, whether its sanji giving himself up to protect the strawhats and zeff or luffy and the strawhats facing impossible odds to rescue him to pedro giving up his life to get them all out of there safe.

huge fan of this panel partly just because it’s cute and partly because it’s a great visualization of just how dysfunctional the heights are in one piece.

zou is one of my favorite settings in one piece just for the sheer creativity of it. zunesha is so massive and so mysterious and so strange. and she really looks unspeakably old just from how she’s drawn, looming over everyone and everything, eyes hollow and empty, an entire forest and an entire people growing on her back that have been there for thousands of years. it’s just so neat and so wildly inventive.

this applies to zou as a whole, but i think it’s really cool how all the little threads that will become important during wano are set up so effectively even before whole cake island starts. we get this shot here of kidd beat to shit and then forget it because so much happens between here and when he shows up again in wano, but then oda punks us into caring about him and killer so much and this retroactively becomes very important.

ever since his introduction sanji’s always been a character basically defined by his adherence to his principles: always feeding the hungry, never wasting food, never hurting women, never using his hands in combat. he’s probably the most firmly principled person on the crew, and that’s more obvious in whole cake island than in any other arc except maybe baratie.

sanji is very stubbornly good, which puts him in acute contrast to his siblings and their general cruel apathy. it’s something i really like about him.

i’m a huge fan of big mom’s introduction, which is also our introduction to tottoland in general. it’s cutesy and colorful and musical while simultaneously being deeply creepy, with lyrics about killing people for ingredients and making jam out of blood, which is a great summary of the core of big mom’s character. she’s an old lady all in pink who lives in a cartoon fairy-tale land- but she’s also a deranged cannibal, and all those singing trees and flowers are animated by the life she steals from her citizens as tax.

whole cake island draws on a lot of fairy tale motifs (especially with brulee), and the contrast that saccharine appearance creates with how fucked up the actual content is is super effective and memorable, i think.

honestly i find most of the content of sanji with the vinsmokes just plain upsetting, which i’m sure is intentional, so i’m not going to go into it a lot here, but i am including this panel of him kicking niji in the face.

sad as this scene turns out, luffy’s absolute thrill at finding sanji and the corresponding bafflement of the vinsmokes as to how the fuck he even got there always kinda makes me grin.

i always love seeing people’s underestimations about luffy get thrown right the hell out the window- because let’s be honest, he’s easy to underestimate, he’s like a five and a half foot tall rubber teenager and not very physically intimidating and all, and then he goes and pulls off the impossible without blinking.

the thing that makes luffy unique as a captain has always been his willingness to rely on his crew, and his willingness to openly admit that reliance, like he did all the way back in arlong park. most of the other contenders for the pirate king’s crown we’ve seen- big mom, kaidou, crocodile once upon a time- have been stubbornly individualistic people who explicitly shown not to care for their crew and allies, generally seeing them as disposable.

luffy is the opposite of all of them, because his crew are everything to him, to the point of being willing to sacrifice his dream for them. and the loyalty he wins from them in return is unmatched, as opposed to big mom and kaidou, who both get cheerfully betrayed not just by their own crewmates but by their own children.

brook is really cool in whole cake island, and honestly it comes at just the right time for him as a character. ever since his introductory arc in thriller bark until this point he hasn’t gotten a ton of focus, so it’s great that he gets to be the mvp here and demonstrate exactly why he’s a strawhat pirate and how much he’s grown over the timeskip.

oda is generally really good at introducing and handling characters contained to a single arc/saga, but i do think he absolutely knocked it out of the park with pedro. he has an interesting backstory, compelling motivations, and basically an entire sub-arc ending in his death that never distracts from the main plot, but only ever adds to it.

pedro really feels like a fully realized character who’s had a whole life offscreen, who we just happened to catch at the very end of his story. i think that’s super impressive.

i really love this moment, because for me, this is the moment where whole cake island becomes a tremendous arc, and where the tides begin to turn and the dominoes begin to fall, one after the other. this is sanji hitting absolute rock bottom. the one ray of light he pinned all his hopes on was a lie, and he can’t even light a fucking cigarette.

but one piece is, very often, a story about picking yourself up even when you feel like you can’t.

i think there’s something lovely about how much one piece emphasizes the value of honestly asking for help. luffy waits for nami to ask for help, and for robin to say she wants to live, and for sanji to admit he just wants to go home, and then says, “okay, i’ll make that happen.”

it just makes me so happy how happy the stawhats are to know sanji’s back with them. it reminds me a lot of how they all brush off robin’s thanks after enies lobby. sure, they’re going to have to crash the wedding and confront big mom directly and might all die, but who cares? they’ve got sanji back. i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again, i love how much they love each other.

i think the gangster outfits are super fun, and i love that oda is committed enough to his aesthetics to come up with an excuse to put them all in formalwear. it pays off, they all look extremely snappy.

i know i just said it in the dressrosa posts but i’m reiterating it here because this is my favorite example of it by far: i love when oda does this split-screen thing with his panels. the contrast between the two halves of pudding is so severe and yet they’re so clearly the same person i honestly just find this pair of panels fascinating to look at.

this panel also kind of gets at my favorite thing about pudding as a character, really. i know she’s a little controversial in fandom, but i’ve always found her entertaining (at least post-reveal), especially in the contrast between her unhinged evil side and her genuinely sweet romantic side and her post-wedding tendency to randomly ping-pong between the two.

i just always like reminding people that sanji is fast enough and his observation haki good enough to dodge a surprise attack, while thoroughly distracted, from katakuri.

sanji in this arc tends to get shit from a certain side of fandom for being ‘useless’ since he doesn’t have a big climactic fight despite being the focus of the arc, which i think is thoroughly missing the point. sanji is still plenty capable in combat, as demonstrated both here and later, with chiffon and oven. it just happens that his strength isn’t what saves the day ultimately, because combat ability isn’t everything, which is the entire point of the vinsmoke backstory/subplot. sanji saves the day just by being kind.

i’ll admit big mom’s flashback isn’t one of my favorites, taken in isolation- there are some parts of it that kind of unresolved (at least as of now- i still suspect they’ll be followed up eventually), and in general, although there is a tragedy to it, it doesn’t quite hit the way many of the other more effective flashbacks do. that said, i do think it does a really good job of succinctly explaining why big mom is the way she is in the present: she’s a child who was never told no, who never grew or matured past the disappearance of her adopted mother. that’s it, and that’s enough.

i’ve always been a little bit in love with how seriously and consistently one piece handles its themes of found family, and sanji outright disowning judge in whole cake island is maybe the most outright they ever get: family is found, not made. you owe nothing to your blood and are never beholden to your abusers.

and i just like that a whole lot.

i do think the tamatebako is one of the best uses of chekov’s gun i’ve ever seen. we’re first shown it at the end of fishman island, it’s revealed it got sent off to big mom rigged with explosives which is a minor “oh fuck” moment, and then it gets forgotten about, because the entirety of punk hazard and dressrosa happens in between! which is a lot!

i remember when i reached the moment in whole cake island where we’re reminded that that bomb still exists and is still waiting to explode, i just started laughing hysterically out loud, because i’d completely forgotten, and now that i remembered i was just delighted to know it was going to definitely go off at some point, almost certainly in a very satisfying way.

pedro is, if i remember right, the first time the imagery of the coming dawn that will become quite important in wano really has attention drawn to it in-text- the recurring motif is there before this, of course, dating all the way back to the names of the first chapter (romance dawn) and first island (dawn island), but this is the first time it’s actively addressed in-story.

in doing so, oda essentially presents a fresh mystery for us, but one that has been set up so consistently ever since chapter one that it feels like it fits perfectly into the world and story.

luffy’s been punching way above his weight class ever since crocodile all the way back in alabasta, fighting enemies who clearly outmatch him but always managing to win anyways, but his fight with katakuri is maybe the clearest the sheer differential in strength ever gets, because katakuri’s powers are similar enough to luffy’s that he can pull off pretty much all of luffy’s techniques, but better. so luffy has to fall back on the two things that have always been his greatest strengths, again all the way back to crocodile in alabasta: innovation and sheer fucking stubbornness.

one thing i love about one piece is how no character is immune to being clowned on. absolutely nobody. everybody looks like an idiot sometimes, and it makes everything so much more fun than if the series took itself more seriously. katakuri basically actively tries to avert this by building up a fearsome, flawless, and utterly no-nonsense persona, but it winds up failing hard because it actually only makes the contrast and surprise of his actual personality and vices that much funnier.

i’ve always loved this one panel of carrot going sulong, because she just looks so monstrous, like a true werewolf. the same goes for the shift in big mom’s design when she starts going truly mad with starvation and gets even more threatening-looking (below). i just think oda should let women be monstrously scary more often.

i do really love that the entire climax of whole cake island hinges on the degree of trust and faith the strawhats, and sanji and luffy specifically, have in each other. they’re all facing massive challenges that would seem insurmountable to an outsider- luffy facing down a yonkou’s commander with a bounty of over a billion and sanji remaking a massive cake that took months to plan and make in just a few hours, the others evading big mom’s full forces and big mom herself for a full night- but none of them have even a shred of doubt that the others can manage it.

i wrote a meta post awhile back about one piece’s concept of ‘honor in a pirates’ fight, and what it came down to is this: honor can never be expected between pirates, but the best of them will show it anyways, and it can be a very telling judge of character. nobody would expect katakuri to do this, and luffy even calls him an idiot for it, but he has enough respect for luffy as a strong opponent to do it anyways, and that’s how we know for absolute certain that even though he’s an antagonist, he’s also a good, honorable person.

i really like the gesture of luffy leaving his hat over katakuri’s mouth, especially because until this point, we’re never even given any indication that he’s really noticed it, let alone that katakuri is insecure about it. he never reacts to or comments on it (which is in itself kind of unusual from someone who tends to nickname opponents by their appearances as often as luffy does) one way or another.

and then he does this, confirming all at once that he did fully notice and understand, he just doesn’t care. which i think sums up one of the more under-appreciated aspects of luffy’s character- he’s generally way more observant than people give him credit for, especially when it comes to people, it’s just that he has a very different sense of what’s important and what’s not than your average person.

i love the sheer contrast between big mom’s delighted, rapturous singing as she devours the wedding cake against the violence taking place on screen as her army rains fire and hell down on the thousand sunny. it parallels her initial introduction at the start of the arc perfectly, and is just an excellent way to close out the arc with a bang.

i said it earlier but it bears repeating here, for a different reason: luffy is not very physically intimidating. he’s shorter than most of the other main characters, he’s a lanky teenager, he dresses casually and his most identifiable accessory is a farm hat.

but then there are times when he looks like a captain, like a future pirate king, and it just looks so natural on him. i can never get over it.

i really like that, after spending a whole arc demonstrating just how different (and how much better) sanji is than the vinsmokes, it ends like this- showing us just how similar he’s grown up to the man he’s chosen as his real family, and just how proud zeff would be of him.