#i know the show runners wont do that But

[hofudlaus]

ASDSGFDSGDF finally had time to watch the new mlb eps,,,, AND

[mysticficti0n]

All my Attention part 3

warnings- swearing, mentions of a dildo, sexual tension, kissing, quite fluffy

words- 3.1k

If you'd like to read the previous parts → All my attention series

a/n- so if you're new here I am British and cannot speak any German, I speak a little French, Spanish and Italian but German- no. I also do not trust Google translate so this is gonna be like an avatar thing (if you've seen the newest one Jake says that their language just became normal or something along those lines) so in reality this is all in German, you as a reader know German but, its wrote in English... make sense? no... well, sorry this part has taken a while- I'm on holiday atm so I probably wont be posting till I'm home BUT I didn't want you to be without, also fucking thank you all so much for the response to the first and second part! I can't believe the response to it, I could've cried because im a baby , love you all 🤍

(also to the people who've sent requests they will be coming soon!)

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backstory- you are the 5th member of Tokio Hotel and you always thought the love was equally platonic between you and a certain guitarist... but what if that all changed?

"exactly what I said- we can't keep doing the same thing at every show" Georg spoke shovelling eggs into his mouth, the band and our runners, managers, directors, and everyone else who I didn't know exactly what they did for us... were all sat on tables eating breakfast before rehearsal "because I'm sorry if we go on tour I wont wanna blow my brain out because i'm playing by your side for the millionth time"

"yeah but there's a thing called a set list, we have to stick with it otherwise" Bill leaned closer into the table facing all of us "otherwise we'd get shit and we all know how Felix will react- we all remember last time" he had a point, Felix as nice as he can act is a massive cock, once in a performance we decided to all go to the front of that stage to say goodnight- but Felix didn't like that and he ended up cancelling our next 3 shows to 'teach us a lesson'

"even so" the bassist grumbled, the conversation fell short as we all continued to eat, I had a bowl of granola, greek yogurt, raspberries and strawberries, soon the scrapping of a chair pulled me from eating my breakfast, I looked up to see Tom in a huge black shirt and basketball shorts "hungry?" Georg joked seeing the pile of food on his friends plate

"a bit" Tom laughed grabbing part of a waffle "whats that?" he spoke looking at me, that was the first time he spoke to me since what happened only an hour before, I think we were both in a shock state still, but I also couldn't deny how good it felt

"granola, yogurt and fruit" I spoke back digging my spoon into the mix and pulling it back so he could have a taste, he bent forward taking the food and hummed

"Tha actuwally gwood" he spoke mouth still full

"ew Thomas swallow for fucks sake!" I spat seeing him nearly choke the food back up "Tom!" I called pushing myself away from the table "whats wrong with you" I laughed I look to see the rest of the boys laughing as well at his stupidity

"we can't go anywhere nice with you two" Bill commented throwing a napkin to his brother who wiped his mouth and finished his laugh

"sorry- I don't know why that was so funny to hear you say" he snorted, I finally sat back in my place next to Gustav who was eating his food with a smile

"all I said was swallow your food" I argued back looking at the guitarist

"normally me saying that to girls-" I rolled my eyes at his words but everyone else chuckled along, after another half an hour (mostly so Tom could finish his monstrous plate) we were bringing our bags down from the hotel room to put in the bus, we all got in the lift which I don't think was made for 5 people, and 2 of those 5 being over six foot tall

"can you move over I can't fucking breath" I spoke shoving Bill back bit

"now I can't breath you cunt!" Bill called back pushing me back laughing, soon the intercom spoke and the doors opened and I made my way out but was soon tackled by the black haired singer

"BILL WHAT THE FUCK" I shouted with a laugh, I crawled from his grip and began running away seeing him get up to and following my movement "AHHH!" I screamed turning a corner and then slipping past a cleaner cart

"Y/N COME HERE!" I herd Tom voice shout as I sprinted to him with his twin hot on my tail, I watched him open his hotel room and I ran as quick as I could into it and slammed the door spitting out a chuckle hearing the boy hit the door

"BITCH!" Bill sang followed by his own laugh and steps faded away from the door, I sat on Tom's bed and lay my head back into the sheets catching my breath hearing the door open again

"you good now?" He asked smiling at me "I didn't realise you were that fast- I swear you weren't when we were kids"

"excuse me! people change" I answered kicking him slightly, he grabbed my ankle stopping me from moving anymore- I melted at his touch which wasn't a usual thing

"mhm, you changed in a good way babe don't worry about it" he flirted looking down at me the smile changing into a smirk

"you're in a very odd mood today mr Kaulitz" I spoke sitting myself as he let go of my ankle

"only for you-" he leant down, pressing his head on mine "and if I remember properly, who moaned when we kissed earlier? hum?" his hand was now resting on the base of my neck "who was it Y/n?"

"I don't know Tom" I answered seeing him bite his lip at my words "maybe you imagined it?" we always played around, flirting but this was different... very different

"I have a fucking good imagination then don't I?" Tom pulled away slightly, his his fingers brushed my skin as he let go and he held my chin, lifting my face to look up to him "....I prefer looking at you like this" I blushed at his words, they made me feel soft

"bet you say that to all the girls" he seethed rolling his eyes

"only the special ones...and you're really special!"

"way to ruin a mood" I huffed

"I'm joking Y/n/n, you just look hot below me ts'all" his hand held me tighter and he bent to reach my lips, he pressed hard humming into the feeling and sucked my bottom lip causing me to have to hold back any noise I threatened to make as I didn't want a repeat of earlier "I better get packing" he spoke pulling back creasing my cheek with his thumb leaving me with a unfulfilled feeling

"yeah.." I pouted, he looked back down at me and grinned

"god don't look at me like that... fuck- stop now, I've gotta pack" I stood with him as he turned to grab a tossed shirt from the floor, his hand glided down my thigh leaving a trail of goosebumps- he knew what he was doing, making me blush and shudder as his hand left me "oopsie"

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we all sat backstage kicking our heals as the crowd arrived, but we also knew the crowd was special- our families were watching us tonight, I decided I'd wear a more appropriate outfit (not like my family hadn't seen pictures of me in mini-skirts and tube tops saying 'pouty') I looked alot like Tom, my baggy jeans hanging around my hips with a matching tank top to him "5 minuets!" a runner called making us all rise from our places

"excited?" Georg smiled shoving me lightly

"I can't wait" I spoke pinning around to the music that began, Bill looked back at me with a smile followed by a wink

"3...2...1" Felix called and Tom, Bill entered the stage erring a eruption from the crowd "go!" Georg and I walked on and smiled seeing the sea of fans watching us with grins plastering their faces and finally Gustav entered

"GOOD EVENING TRIER" Bill called holding the mic close "ARE YOU EXCITED!" though the lights were blinding I could make out the shapes of bodies from my place "ugh we have a show n' a half for you all tonight, and this show is very special to us- one, this is our last show here in the lovely Trier and- most importantly our biggest fans are here tonight" the lights moved to the box above the crowd and for the first time in weeks I saw them: mom, dad, Stella, the Kaulitz, Listing and Schäfer family, I nearly cried waving to them and blowing them kisses "so tonight is going to be the best show we've ever done guys! ARE YOU READY" I watched as my family cheered and little Stella clapped her hands. Tom's guitar began the start of Scream followed by Gustav and Bill ran back to main stage, the crowd danced and jumped along "SCREAM" they called back to us at every chorus making me laugh.

The night carried on and everything was going amazingly, and it came time for me to take centre stage, I brought my mic and herd people call my name "so- this is our newest piece of music, I originally wrote when I was in a very bad place, and as you all know I'm back up singer so usually I don't perform up here- so close to everyone so I'm a little nervous but.. but it means a lot to me so.. this is 'please don't jump'" claps filled the room and Tom joined me giving me a nod as he plucked away followed by Gustav and Georg, Bill was in the corner sipping a water watching me like a proud dad

I let my self get lost in the music, stomping my feet and twirling around "don't let memories go! of me and you" I sang watching my family stare in awe, I began up stage onto the platform where I stood teetering on the edge, all lights went off besides the one on me "PLEASE DON'T JUMP! DON'T JUMP, AND IF ALL THAT CAN'T HOLD YOU BACK, THEN I'LL JUMP FOR YOU" I finished bowing to the crowd who burst out with claps, screams and calls making me jump at the sudden noise

"Y/N Y/N Y/N!" people began to chant making me well up, Gustav ran up the platform steps holding my hand gently so I could get down the steps as it was tricky in platforms, hand in hand we met with Tom who smiled widely mouthing 'they're proud' I looked to see my mom whistling, soon the five of us stood at the tip of that walkway, people reached for us, calling us all over

"THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT!" we all shouted bowing once more as the light darkened, we all walked off and back to our room where there were drinks set out and towel "shit Im so thirsty" Georg spoke grabbing the bottle and cracking it open as we all took our first proper breath and relaxed

"erm- sorry I know you got off stage but someones hear" Gayle, my runner spoke holding the door open a little more

"BABA!" a small voice called, I looked down to see Stella dressed in a Tokio Hotel shirt and orange leggings running toward me, her blonde hair tied into piggy tails

"STELLA!" I cried falling to my knees pulling her into my arms "oh my god I missed you so much" I whispered into her neck, her bright eyes looked into mine and I couldn't let go of her, I pressed kisses to her chubby cheeks

"Oh my- Y/n dear! another voice came in and I snapped my head to see my mother, tear stained face reaching for me, I watched as Stella ran onto Gustav who picked her up hugging her tightly and I ran to my mom who was closely followed by the rest of our families "sunshine I missed you!"

"I missed you too mom" I cried as she stroked my hair away from my face, she let go and I turned to see my dad who had Tom in a bro-hug

"aww hello Poppy!" he spoke, I nearly fell apart hearing my nickname again, and he grabbed me into the hug "aw that was amazing kids" he spoke letting go of us, I stood speaking with them until I herd the voice of my sister

"Tommy!" she laughed and everyones faces snapped to her

"SHE SAID MY NAME!" The dreadheaded boy called lifting her into his arms and tickling her "ME BEFORE BILL!" he danced seeing her smile

"Hey! Stella I thought you liked me more!" Bill huffed squishing the cheeks of her face

"am I the better twin?...yeah! I know" Tom scoffed bouncing her on his hip, our families laughed and all began hugging each other

"darlings that show was fantastic and the crowd! I couldn't believe it" Simone, the twins mom smiled "I couldn't be more proud"

"thanks mom" Bill hugged pressing a kiss to her cheek "wait..erm hold on!" we all watched as the singer ran out calling for something, I turned to see Stella smiling and reaching for all the boys, Tom, Georg and Gustav were sat on the floor singing songs and twirling her around, the song finished and Stella did a bow making the boys laugh at her antics

"Baba!" the little blonde called reaching for me, Tom realised and quickly scooped her up so she was lying on her tummy with her arms out she began airplane sounds (but kept interrupting herself with her chuckles) "Brrrrrrrrr!" she grinned showing her two small teeth

"aww my baby airplane" I spoke reaching for her as Tom got closer, the two reached me and I took my sister from his arms spinning her while pressing a kiss to her cheek again "you're a very cute plane Stella"

"Plane!" she repeated getting a 'yeah a plane' from the guitarist who couldn't stop smiling

"Okay... everyone come stand over here were getting a photo!" Bill came back in grabbing his family, the line up was the Kaulitz' far left, then my family the Y/l/n's, then the Schäfer's and finally Listing's "We want a few!" Bill called to the person holding the camera

"1...2....3" everyone did a wide smile, even Stella knew what was going on "perfect, do you want another one of these then we can do different stuff like.. the point?" its like a lightbulb went off it the taller twins head

"okay yes... then the point, then serious faces, then one with us 5 a bit more infront of our families, then on chairs" he rambles while setting us all back out for the next 3000 photo's we'd be taking

I don't think I've ever herd the numbers 1,2 and 3 said so much in my life but after half an hour the pictures were finally done and in fairness they looked great "well we best get going" Christine, Georg's mom spoke grabbing her bag

"oh.." we began before Simone whispered something to her husband

"why don't you all come stay round ours? we can have a family night, drinks, games, food" me and the band cheered, quickly grabbing our stuff and getting ready to walk out- we knew that today being a day show, fans would be waiting for us- we decided the safest option was to give our families over to security along with our bags and walk out on our own

"okay Stella we'll see you in a little while okay?" I hugged her once more before giving her over to dad who was carrying her out, we waited till we knew they were in their cars and I came the time we'd be walking out, with one last check of the room we began outside, screams filled our ears, people threw flowers to us, cards, papers and... thongs- but we picked the flowers up. a few people grabbed at my clothing but besides that it was a safe 3 minuet walk from the building to the bus

"they were loud" Gustav spoke getting into his favourite seat, at the very back on the left "Georg come sit!" he called to the bassist who jumped through the seats, leaving Bill who liked sitting in the front then me and Tom sat in the middle two seats

"god I fucking loved that show" I spoke belting myself in, Tom did the same and our hands brushed- its not something that many would really worry about, it was an accident.. but I could help go hot at the feeling

"it was so good, I feel like we'll be in Felix's good books" the dreaded boy spoke getting a nod from the band, we finally began the drive home, it would only take around an hour and a half so I got myself comfy which meant me resting my legs over Tom- this was a normal thing as usually sometime around the trip we'd switch and I can accidentally put my cold drink on his legs while he's asleep definitely not making him yelp- no not at all...

"can you take my shoes off, you're closer" I spoke tapping his shoulder and with a huff he began unlacing the platforms, I sighed at the feeling of my feet going light and not having to lug those shoes around any more "thanks bab" I called leaning my head back, Tom got comfy to, scooting deeper into the seat and his hands lay on my legs drawing small shapes and humming a long to whatever song was on the radio

"wanna know something crazy?" He asked looking over at me to which I nodded "I haven't fucked a girl since Tuesday, and its Friday now" I pretend to be shocked, slapping my hands to my face

"holy shit! that is crazy!" he rolled his eyes "I can't even remember when I last fucked someone- probably around my birthday" I sighed slightly annoyed, not that I'm some sex freak who needs to be constantly fucked to live but... my birthday is in February and its now July

"damn... how do you go that long?" Georg spoke uncrossing his arms, being genuinely interested

"Notta clue... I-"

"Y/n I know whats in the back draw in your room" Bill turned showing a sinister smile

"Bill!" I called knowing exactly what he was on about

"ooo" the boys cooed making me go red, Bill laughed even harder pointing at my face "aww! she's embarrassed about her dil-"

"BILL SHUT IT!" I shouted flinging my empty water bottle at him making him cackle throwing his pillow at me

"IT'S BLACK!" He called and the 4 boys Burt out laughing again spluttering words and coughing at how much they were laughing

"oh my god you are all dicks!" I groaned trying to push myself as far back into my seat as I could, I even took my legs down from Tom who I could realised but I was way to embarrassed to give him a 'look'

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"he traffic isn't moving so were going to be a little later to the Kaulitz" Gregory our driver spoke facing us

"ugh" we all collectively sighed, its been over 30 minuets of just stand-still traffic, cars horns went off but nothing was moving and being a warm day in a quite packed van it was getting hot

we'd moved past the dildo conversation thanks to Tom who made a fool of himself by spilling water all down his shirt- I did wonder though, was it on purpose? to take away the attention from me... but anyways whatever it was, or even just it was an accident- my legs were back on his and he continued to draw little shapes

"I'm going to sleep" Bill spoke looking back to which we gave a nod, by we I mean me and Tom as the other two fell asleep a few minuets back, the van sound turned quiet as the radio was turned off

"wanna play a game?" Tom spoke quietly

"sure, which game?" I asked seeing a little grin appear to his face

"erm... eye spy?"

[kookidough]

AGRGAGRGAV i always ponder how alenoah reunion would go because like . it could go So many different ways

like how do they feel about each other now?? i always feel like after world tour is over, noah’s irritation would fizzle out and he’d be back to winning the idgaf war, accepting that in the end it was just a game and alejandro ended up playing better than him

alejandro’s feelings on the subject feel more complex to me like. does he accept the fact that, while noah’s words were harsh, they held some truth?? i view his reaction to noah talking behind his back as very telling of how close they were (despite the relatively short amount of time they spent together)

personally i think that pre-london they were close friends because they could match each other’s humour/wit, like how they laugh at tyler on the runway and when alejandro tells a mean-spirited joke regarding lindsay’s intelligence he tells it to noah, and Cmon guys, i know it was a team challenge but they still spent like 18 hours traversing the amazon together i just know they bonded during that!!! i wont even get into the fact that they’re always standing next to each other / hanging out in the background because i will be a pigeon pecking at crumbs and ive already gone off topic from the original reunion idea

anyway i think alejandro was mad because he thought he could consider noah a friend but he can see noah maybe doesnt feel the same way + hes a threat anyway soooo bye bye noah, question is would he hold a grudge over it and if yes then how long for

and what r they doing in their lives now when they meet again?? is alejandro still with heather or did that doomed relationship crash and burn (again)? is noah with emma or did things not work out after the race? and of course this differs depending on which world tour ending you’re going for, because is alejandro finally a winner or does his family still view him as the runner up they’ve always seen him as, second place silver in a robot suit, never quite good enough for gold (had to go off topic again, burromuerto family angst Gets Me)

would they miss the brief friendship they had? does noah ever meet a contestant on another one of him and owen’s reality shows and get a fleeting reminder of alejandro when they flirt or flash him a smile? does he get tired of no one else being on his wavelength and cast his mind back to that one boy that was? does alejandro ever turn on the tv and spot noah on one of those dumb shows?? and if he does what does he think?

ough i got off topic so many times i love thinking abt them in the future, they dont even have to reunite i also enjoy the bittersweet angst of right people wrong time/place… i think things would’ve been better for them if a million dollars wasn’t on the line

also i am not reading all this before i post it so if there are mistakes or it doesnt make sense then . pretend u didnt see it ^_^

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

'I swear if they weren't royals William would've cut Charles and Diana off as soon as he turned 18'

Cannot agree with this statement more. William wld have taken kate and done a runner. Changed in address, phone number and everything. Diana and Charles sound exhausting to deal with. They'd be left clueless wondering why their son wont speak to them.

I don’t know that William would totally cut them off to this extent - and I do realize that’s my personal bias showing - but I do agree that he would’ve fundamentally changed the dynamics of their relationship. He was already doing that at age 15 in 1997 anyway.

[the-owl-house-takes]

I COULD TALK ABOUT HOW THE SHOW LIKE COMPLETELY REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE GUS EVER!!!.

i can talk about how RECENTLY, in a panel, they were asked “how would they react if Luz died?” and they gave amity, willow, HUNTER more detailed answers than GUS. they said, “gus and everyone else would be sad” or some shit.

i can talk about how they literally never talk about him, OR his v/a! and when they do its bs (above). i hope its clear that they got BOSCHA and KIKIMORAS V/As, aka two characters nobody actually gives a flying shit about (the actors are rlly nice though no shit on them), on an interview, but not gus?? really??

i can talk about how, even with the episodes being FOCUSED ON HIM, he gets overshadowed by other characters. whether purposefully or not (who am i kidding, its always on purpose lmao). like in labyrinth runners, he gets overshadowed by hunter and amity, and in through the looking glass graveyard, they put a FUCKING lumity kiss.

i can talk about how in WAD, when luz was in her dream, all of the characters had outfits that correlated to how luz “came into their life and changed it” or whatever, but gus is wearing is GROM SUIT, why? because the show IGNORES HIM THE ENTIRE FUCKING TIME, and he never gets a ‘big moment’ with luz unlike everyone else!

i can talk about how it takes until the LAST MINUTES of THE LAST EPISODE for him to get a new haircut, and the fact they couldnt even animate his hair right in the beginning anyways. not like they cared to!

i can talk about how it feels like he was literally just thrown in there for black representation, and they dont do shit anyway!!!! hes the only ‘main’ black character (excusing darius and ig willow who is blasian but. on average, nobody would really know that abt her anyway)

i can talk about how all the canon ships are poc x white, yet gustholomule, poc x poc, literally gets ignored too. like how did fucking aladarius and huntlow get a chance?? i know gm is really just an opinion (and probably always will be) but they had so much chemistry compared to the other two. cmon, the fuck? everyone else gets a partner but not him? and if hes every confirmed to be aroace, itll just be another stab in the gut. Im aroace myself, and lillith was already ENOUGH bad representation!! if he was aroace, it would literally just be one excuse to why they ignored him and his chance on having a potential partner. not to mention they completely glaze over his short lived crush on bria.

sorry the rant was so long, i could go into more depth but i wont and theres defo a lot i missed but whatever. but i guess my take really is THE CREW FUCKING SUCKS ASS AND GUS DESERVES BETTER!!!!! (also mb if anything is written weird im tired raah)

-

[lemotmo]

You know...catching up with all the drama surrounding Lou and the fans going to war for him over every little thing they seem to perceive as a attack against him? Like Im sure they find what they are doing to be a good thing but honestly all they are doing is making him look more and more and more unemployable by the day.

We all know they find him to be the worlds best actor no questions asked but realistically.. he's not. Like he's been on swat for how many years now and they still haven't promoted him to a main character? That says something right there.

And now hes going around with a very loud little fan group that is very loudly and very publicly becoming known and seen as a problem. Very much known for being blocked by a major networks major shows cast, crew, official accounts, show runner etc.. causing issues with fans, going after a convention to the point of being blocked by it.

That is not a good look at all and from a PR standpoint its honestly a nightmare waiting to happen. No one is going to want to hire him for their anything knowing that is what they have to look forward to if he joins them. If he was an actual A list celeb? maybe? but he's not and he wont generate the numbers to make it worth dealing with over someone of the same level that doesn't come with a rabid fan base that will attack everyone and thing.

But it also ultimately is a good example of actions have consequences because He himself caused this by doing those cameos and stirring them up into the rabid hornets nest that they have become.

Yeah exactly. That's the biggest problem for him right now. I bet that Lou's management has picked up on this as well and that's a big part of the reason why the guy isn't interacting with those select few anymore.

But it's as you said, he partly started this. He probably had no idea it would backfire so spectacularly, but there's no turning back now. You reap what you sow.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[helladirections]

HOW DOES POLITICS WORK??

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ASKING. I HAVE SEVERAL RANTS BELOW THE CUT:

Primaries are not necessarily real

There wasn't an official Dem nominee yet anyway

Line of succession doesn't really matter, but pipeline of talent does

1. Primaries are not necessarily real

Ok so we all know how the process appears. On your state's primary election day (different days for different states, annoyingly) you vote for who you want for president. The person with the most votes wins the state.

But here's what people don't always know...

Each state party has different rules about how delegates are assigned. Some give 100% to the winner of the popular vote, some go proportionally. But regardless, these delegates (who are also voted on as a super down ballot thing that most people don't pay attention to) go to the DNC convention where they do the official ballot. Think of this as the electoral college but just for the Dem Party. Each state has a number of votes, theoretically the popular vote guides how the delegates vote, but legally there is flexibility. PLUS, you might see some history or that Netflix biopic where you hear things like "releasing delegates" or "releasing delegates to...". What that means is a candidate who doesn't have enough delegates to win can "release" their delegates to vote for whoever they personally want, or whoever the candidate directs them to. "Multiple ballots" at a convention means that no one has enough delegates the first time and they have to vote again. And in between those votes the candidates and their teams make deals and discuss and ideally people drop out and release delegates.

So your vote in your state is incredibly important. But also. It might not be.

2. There wasn't an official Dem nominee yet anyway

As I explained above, the nominee is decided officially at the DNC convention. You saw the same type of system at the RNC this week. It wasn't until the last day of the convention that they did the official vote and Trump officially accepted the nomination from his party. Before that, there wasn't technically an official nominee yet. Legally. Procedurally. That's part of why it was so weird that they had a debate so early.

Similarly, the DNC hasn't happened yet, so there's not an official nominee either. Typically people don't run against an incumbent president though so it's mostly for show. Obviously, this year it won't be for show, and some of what I talked about in #1 will be relevant.

3. Line of succession doesn't really matter but pipeline of talent does

You may know that the VP takes over as President if the President dies. Next in line is the Speaker of the House, and then it goes down a long list. But Biden didn't die, he just isn't running for reelection and waited until the last minute to do that.

Biden did endorse Kamala. But that doesn't mean Kamala is definitely automatically the nominee. And there's no guarantee of who the VP candidate would be. It just means that she's the front runner and likely has access to the entire campaign infrastructure (including money) that Biden had.

So who else besides Kamala? It doesn't have to go by current position, which is why the line of succession doesn't really matter. It's the pipeline of talent - meaning who else is relevant doing good work and has name recognition. Some names that have been floated:

Gavin Newsom (CA Governor) Gretchen Whitmer (MI Governor) Pete Buttigieg (Mayor Pete, tranpo secretary, former candidate) And others

And names that people float but will never happen: Michelle Obama Hillary Clinton Nancy Pelosi Chuck Schumer etc.

So who's gonna run for president in November?

TBH probably Kamala because she has the biggest head start and those endorsements are powerful. She'll probably pick the most generic white man as her VP. But other people are likely to try and give it a go as well and it wont be official until the last day of the DNC

THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO VOMIT. I MISS DC AND IT'S NICE TO USE MY POLI SCI DEGREE FOR SOMETHING

[kit-williams]

Yandere Boys in Husbandry verse

So Disclaimer I'm going to be talking about the differences for the boys verses their "canon" selves.

Off the bat take them from an 11 to a 5 and all the darlings have modified origins. A lot of them will lose their fic's main kink (see the Salamander being altered)

Feel free to message/ask for more information about the boys

Azazel is only slightly less paranoid but he wont jump to physical aggression Pet is a retired soldier adjusting back to civilian life.

Palion...not much is different just he isn't as intense/murderous Muse is recovering after an accident she narrowly survived and is dealing with more mental trauma at this point.

Harram is one of the many who was coming up on a decade without having a bond partner and had met Ferum before he met Ori. Having come to the call of one of his brethren dealing with a deadly marine getting too close to where his small charge was. Ori recently lost her husband to an industrial accident so is now a single mother and wanted something to channel her energy into.

Arkyn literally a feral Space Wolf who walked up and decided to help her prep for winter and stayed for much longer. Elskling is a retried soldier who enjoys off the grid survival is enjoying Arkyn's help for the winter.

Ghosk is still an asshole but like many Night Lords is HIGHLY possessive of his charge. He is someone who would quote the "myth of consensual sex meme" when it comes to her dating life. Rabbit is like many Night Lord Owners... they just showed up one day and refuse to leave. She's a runner doing marathons and other such and a one time Olympic athlete.

Sirus is prone to falling to the black rage and seeing moonlight was the first time he has broken out of a black rage without the help of his chaplain. Moonlight is a college student who was out on a walk when Sirus entered her life. She was surprised when the local blood angel chaplain had asked her to foster Sirus but she agreed. Now she is unsure of their bond.

Vauth doesn't change much except is a bit more affectionate than his full yandere counterpart. Byte is a computer repair tech who started to foster an Iron Hands just as a side project as she was told to use up her saved up vacation days.

Zul needed someone to foster him and when his darling came to him looking scared just begging for him to play along he did his job and decided he liked the way she held his hand tightly. Zul was simple in his choosing of her. Spaseniye did not actually want to foster a space marine but accidentally clung to Zul as a way to frighten off a man who wasn't taking no for an answer. She figured he would stop following her around once he felt the coast was clear.

Tulio doesn't change much in this setting he's still head over heels for his Psychi again love at first sight. Psychi has been wanting an Astarte companion as she just got out of a long term relationship and needed something to distract her.

Solos fell head over heels for his new host and has been feeding off of Lovie as of late. He is still quite the parasite. Lovie is another who is use to fostering Chaos Space Marines but Solos is her first semi-feral Death Guard.

Nakht another who doesn't change much in his conversion to this world. He's still pompous and haughty and thinks he knows best. Birdie is an owner of a book store. Nakht came to her store one day and refuses to leave. Owns a Macaw.

Zhur is a LOT more calm though his feelings towards Dolly aren't much different... is more likely to woo her verses take her though he has some... interesting tastes Dolli/Dolly is another retired soldier who is use to fostering Chaos Space Marines so is enjoying the semi calm nature that is Zhur. Is surprised at how affectionate Zhur is but wont stop him.

Jihias doesn't change much, he like other word bearers learn about all religions. Is currently reading the lesser key of Solomon and the King James bible. Lamb lives (as I see it) in England and still has her aesthetic but also likes to dress up in period clothing as well. Jihias is a foster whom she wanted to try fostering with.

Nubin older and calmer and no in*est references for him in this. But when he gets going/possessive/protective he is like an angry dragon. Bev enjoys fostering older space marines, though not Chaos Space Marines, most of whom just like to relax and be stubborn bastards

Sor, Kazi, & Moremo they don't change much. Dove was originally just fostering Sor. She is a journalist and political activist at times though the group she is with feels like its going down a rougher path.

Keeper/Alpharius/Omegon they don't change. Vixen is a hacker, political mischief maker, and bio pirate whom just was getting into shenanigans before her Alpha Legionary made himself known.

Roland not much has changed for him. Bäckerin is a Baker. Roland followed her home one night and she made the mistake of feeding him bread. She happily enjoys his company

Tyberos has no idea how he got here and is currently looking for his chapter brothers. As far as he knows he is the only chapter master here. Doesn't understand the need to protect Ophelia but is unwilling to stop looking for his marines. Has taken her with him. Likes her smell. Ophelia lives alone with a nice sustainable garden and beehives. Likes to make her own wildflower soaps. Is not fostering a space marine... has currently been Astartenapped by Tyberos and is begging him to go home.

[431989]

more resident alien posting. predictions... spoilers so beware

well. i'm upset that the shows going to have a difficult time having more serious scenes now. and that's probably what it's going to try and set itself up for.

i reaaaally would have loved to see this show do something ACTUALLY different and good. by different i mean in terms of writing and not necessarily drifting from source material. yes i'm still sour over last ep, but i wouldn't be AS sour if everyone on the show didn't treat harry and asta's relationship as "mother and child." and also if the show didn't take such a nose dive into the type of comedy it's putting out.

ALSO? IN A RECENT INTERVIEW? Sheridan going on to state that harry would lose his first """love""" (more like lust. awesome that a show trying to teach human emotion gets those two things mixed up) and then realize there's love everywhere or something? why does this feel like "weird" people are forever left to the role of outcasts. already fucked it up once i guess the guy's trying to fuck it up more. could've just left it at "he'll lose his first love, then he will have to reconcile with his feelings." but he had to drop in that last corny bit.

like. the show's source is already good. i don't understand all these decisions they're making to try and make it seem "unique." and now to get numbers back they're dumbing it way down. WHICH. BY DOING SO. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE YOUR DRAMA? like how am i supposed to take anything seriously in the show. i *could* in season 1 and parts of season 2, but now it's just whatever. it's too goofed up for me to care. and now people who love the goofy won't give two shits about whatever message you want to drop or plot you want to develop. i dont give a shit about the greys!!! i dont care what theyre doing!!!! who gives a fuck if theyll blow up the earth. none of the characters really care anymore either. oh well!!!

also, predictions kind of. i'm not trying to say this will be the be all end all but it certainly could be a turn the show takes. in one of the issues of the comic (suicide blonde i think), harry is investigating the "suicide" of a woman. by the end of the issue, he catches up with her ex-lover and ex-roommate. they were both ladies. and the girl who died had a drinking problem btw. and was constantly seeing boys. i'm all for gay couples on screen as a gay guy myself but it'll feel so cheap to pair darcy and asta together despite the way theyve been played on screen. maybe its doable. i don't know. but i genuinely could care less considering the overall tone of the show's drifted more towards a sitcom than anything else. i think the small handful of 40+ year old gay wine moms would probably love it, but the vast majority of viewers wont. either they'll hate it and say it's forced diversity (there's already people saying that about the gay couple on screen this past episode) or it'll be another nothing moment to a further nothing story. if anything it'd feel one step removed from tokenization, considering they see harry as a manchild. ableism! show's trying to seem fucking wholesome but they can't be bothered to care about their nd viewers. like "haha look we have a main gay couple!!! what do you *mean* our show has rampant ableist tropes, we have a gay couple!"

i'm just so bummed. the show's cornered itself into a sitcom so meaningful moments aren't a thing anymore. plus the comparison of harry to a child is really getting at me. like he's a grown man as a human, and hes a grown alien thing as an alien. it's such a big slap in the face to any person who cherished the witty and unique story telling of the first season... like.... i don't know.... people who would've been fans of the comic too? i have small gripes about the comic, but at least it takes itself more seriously. but the show runners haaate the people who read the comics. why? i dont know. well maybe i do know. probably seen as too nerdy and weird for their idea of the show's viewerbase. despite the fucking basis of the show being weird and nerdy.

they couldve done the darcy asta thing better if they do go down that road. i'm just saying i wouldn't be surprised. they already scared off everyone who would've cared for something like that, so i don't know how they'll manage to find an audience that cares. everything in s1 was so organic and felt real!!!!! now its just!!! nothing!!!!!!!!!!

im also thinking about the fact that after posting that one resident alien drawing i did, i've had to block tons of people because they're freaks. loud and proud conservatives. man this shit sucks.

[yinorathedragontamer]

Requests + rules (requests are: CLOSED)

hey everyone!! this is a more updated version of my requests page, aka i made some changes and by now, i'm a bit more experienced with writing, so yeah! that's pretty much all <3

so far ill write for characters from:

buffyverse [buffy the vampire slayer + angel]

dnd honor among thieves

genshin impact

luca

encanto

one piece [live action]

voltron legendary defender [only paladins + allura]

onward

how to train your dragon

tangled the series

obey me

spider verse the maze runner book of life

good omens

agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

heartstopper

the witcher

tangled the series [i love varian so much its insane]

avatar the last airbender

legend of korra

Percy Jackson show + first book

sweet tooth s1

fallout tv show

Dead Boy Detectives

Supernatural (season 1-5, first half of s6. will update the further i get)

ghostbusters afterlife

ghostbusters frozen empire

The Turning

Deadpool

Deadpool & Wolverine

Arcane

bayverse tmnt

tmnt 2012

rottmnt

Agatha All Along

there are more though its late and i cant think of them right now, but if anyone would like to request anything id love to give it a try.

you can also request for anything that isn't on here if you want since i might be able to write for it anyway, if that makes sense.

what i mean is that even though there is a chance that i cant/wont write for it, there is also a chance that i will so dont be afraid to ask!

i would also like to add that:

english is not my first language so if there are any typos or anything you can always let me know

im a beginner in writing fanfic however i really want to get better at it, so if you do have even a vague idea for a request or a trope or au id love to try writing for it

i mainly want to write fluff, id also like to write angst with a fluffy ending or just try out angst in general [i know the first fic i posted here is angst but still-]

i don't mind writing things that are a little darker (for example things like traumatic events) though only a vague description of having been through it, I WILL NOT write it "currently" happening in the fic. there are a few small exceptions, but not many

fics based on songs [or specific parts of lyrics]

poly, or any kind of queer relationship

pregnancy/implied pregnancy

suggestive on that note, here's what i WON'T write (a few will be repeated from the list of what i will write, so apologies for that if it annoys you):

incest

pedophilia

full on smut

graphic fighting scenes (i suck at writing them when i'm not in the mood T.T)

sexual assault (unless it's a vague memory/trauma for a character, for example when a character talks to reader abt why reader has been hesitant for touch and its just a heartfelt moment of opening up to eachother about what happened if that makes sense) i can write for any reader [gn, fem, male, nonbinary, etc]

ofcourse if anyone has any tips or any feedback on any future fics then please do let me know! im open for suggestions to improve my writing skills.

anyway, thats all for now, have a great day!

[realmermaid333]

AO3 Fic Tag Game :)

I was tagged by: @burntblueberrywaffles @suchaladyy @cosmic-lullaby and @nonamemanga

20 questions beneath the cut 😛

How many works do you have on ao3?

26!

What is your ao3 word count?

125,134

What fandoms do you write for?

I write for Wednesday, The Hunger Games, and I'm thinking of maybe writing some Walking Dead fics, we will see! Right now I am focusing on my Wednesday fics though till I finish them.

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

His Little Bedbug

Tipsy Truth Telling

I'll See You Around

Take You Like A Drug

Can't Keep Quiet

Do you respond to comments?

Always! I love responding to comments

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

This is hard to say, so I guess I will list three LOL. Well, I think first place is definitely A Hyde Only Knows One Thing: Pain. But the runner-ups are Don't Let Go of Me, and Nowhere to Go.

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Most of my fics have happy endings because I love happy endings! I love peace and love and joy! But I guess the happiest ending would be Smoke Signals as it is a growing-back-together/reconciliation fics that carries over to Say Yes to Heaven. And I also wanna throw in This Would Have Happened Anyway, which is an old Hunger Games fic I wrote that I plan to go in and re-edit soon haha.

Do you get hate on fics?

Rarely, but yes. I think the only fic I got hate on has been A Burning Hill. Luckily most people are wonderful!

Do you write smut? What kind?

Yes, LOL. Idk what the different kinds of smut are? but I tend to write established relationship smut, it is my fav. I write it pretty graphically, but I like to make it really sweet and comforting. I love romance!

Do you write crossovers?

No, but I think they are neat

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes!!! Smoke Signals was translated into Thai by the amazing @adogfrmhell :)

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yes! I co-wrote Take You Like A Drug with my bestie @suchaladyy, and also Wash Away Your Woes with @nonamemanga @suchaladyy and @averyaddamsromance ! it is so fun to cowrite with friends : D

What WIP would you like to finish but doubt you ever will?

I know I will finish it, but A Burning Hill! it is just on the backburner for a while longer.

What's your all time favorite ship?

I guess I'd say everlark because they were my first ever ship! they are just so cozy and forever in my heart.

What are your writing strengths?

I'd say showing emotion and imagery! I have been told I am able to make eyes water and hearts swoon hehe

What are your writing weaknesses?

I just wont shut up sometimes LOL, i tend to give almost too many details and too much imagery. Which I know is not inherently a bad thing, but it makes all my writing pieces so goddamn long lol! I start to feel like Bram Stoker writing Dracula XD. And sometimes I feel like my dialogue can be awkward, which I suppose makes it more realistic, so once again not always bad! i am just best at writing neurodivergent characters maybe hahah

thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I have done this very briefly before, but it was just two words in Spanish for a ritual scene! I would not write tons of dialogue in another language unless I had a beta who spoke that language fluently and who could translate and make sure the translation made sense.

First fandom you ever wrote for?

The Walking Dead! when i was like 12 I wrote TWD fanfic on wattpad LOL.

Favorite fanfic you've ever written?

How could you ask me this? What is wrong with you?

What fic would you want to rewrite one day?

I will be rewriting my Hunger Games one-shots series and reposting each one-shot as its own fic!

tagging: @therulerofallpotatos @wincestation @katwitchwriting @lovepoison9 @thesweetnessofspring and anyone who wants to join in!

[charcuteriecrab]

writing ask: 9, 15, 24

HI I don't know your name yet since I just started following you but hi hi welcome thanks for the ask <3333 link to writing ask game

9: Current WIP

So I have a few actually, some of which have been posted and a few that have not. I can't escape this now, unless you show me how is my major ongoing one. It's technically written for the most part, just needs a rewrite and editing. I also have a few other roleplays and short oneshots that have no names as of yet, with "Holey Chris" and "re oneshot number 2". There's also a few projects that will be a while that i wont name cuz SPOILERS. Also rip my posted wips that are collecting dust...

15: How do you deal with writer’s block?

Not well? LMAO. I try my best for it not to happen by taking breaks and not stressing too hard. I'm a pretty slow writer so I've learned that it's okay to take my time. When I DO get it though, I get sad and then move onto other projects (also, rip Please Don't Leave Me)

24: Favourite genre to write and read

I ADORE sci fi books. Give me thriller horror post apocalyptic space shit. That's my jam. The Maze Runner series is my favorite series so take that as you will. I realized a few months ago that my favorite book series was technically a zombie series, so my fondness for Resident Evil shouldn't have been a surprise...

[powerpolyculeshowdown]

Lime for the poll runners’ ask game?

Lime -> participant(s) you’re rooting for the most?

i don't want to sway the votes so i won't do any propaganda for them after the poll starts BUT it's Wu Zetian/Li Shimin/Gao Yizhi from Iron Widow i just love the way their relationship develops so much and as someone whos unable to actually pick up a book and focus on it, the fact that i read iron widow in 4 days is amazing im still proud of that as silly as it is

yknow what ill use this as an opportunity to ramble about them askdgakdjk spoilers ahead but ill try to keep the major stuff out

for context the book has pacific rim style mechas, but instead of being drift compatible or whatever its usually a male pilot and his concubine whose life force he usually drains in order to pilot the thing, but theres a LOT of propaganda that makes girls want to be concubines, or families might wanna send their daughters for the money. im simplifying it a LOT especially cause theres more info u only learn later on as zetian herself finds out but anyway

at the start of the book zetian and yizhi are besties who obviously have feelings for each other. zetian is poor while hes very rich so their friendship is kind of a secret and they meet in the woods which i think is cute, point is its p clear zetian tries to mantain a distance, not allowing herself to admit her feelings. for reasons i wont say zetian decided to become a concubine to one of the like bigger more badass guys even if she doesnt believe the propaganda and knows she might die, she only tells yizhi this the day before

he shows up at her house the next day begging her family to let him marry her?????? which is sweet because he wants to protect her but that isnt gonna work bestie sorry she's a woman w a mission

so anyway she goes to the concubine thing and shes surprisingly powerful "for a girl" which yeah thats a super common trope but shes so much more than just the strong protagonist. shes extremely powerful in every sense of the word imo and i love her so much and i wish the world hadnt been so cruel that she had to become so strong. but anyway the guy she wants to pilot w picks her. MAJOR SPOILER they have to pilot the mecha on day 1 cause they're under attack and uhhh she kills him lol lmao she drains her life force instead which supposedly is UNHEARD OF

so they cant just kill her off cause that'd look bad instead they send her to be the concubine of the strongest guy (all of his concubines die after 1 fight) and thats Li Shimin my beloved my little meow meow hes looked down on and kinda treated like an animal cause hes a criminal and the only reason he gets to be a pilot is his powerful qi. anyway shes forced to live w him and turns out hes just a lil guy. like hes very big and scary looking but hes just a tired man pls he needs a break. she fucking survived piloting w him which nobody expected. so now theres a lotta stuff going on i wont get into but some ppl arent happy w this duo cause they're both very powerful and not exactly happy to serve. and Shimin has a drink problem.

IN ENTERS GAO YIZHI hes back babey!!! and he decides to help shimin w his alcoholism. its funny cause when they first meet his crush on li shimin is so fucking obvious zetian is like "huh i always suspected he liked guys too" but li shimin is just pissed cause this is the guy who wants to make him stop drinking

theres like 1 moment of jealousy that i can remember when li shimin realizes zetian and yizhi have a thing going on but its settled very quickly and they all kiss.

back to the drift compatible thing: at one point in the final battle zetian and shimin need more power and yizhi literally lends them his qi (its extremely rare for a third person to help) and its beautiful and they are so in love and i cant wait for the sequel

idk if any of that is coherent i kinda stopped thinking and just typed sorry for rambling on ur ask im just very passionate about them i love them so much i love iron widow so much i love xiran jay zhao so much (the writer) (you might know them from the live action mulan analysis video that went viral back when that movie came out) (check out their yt channel)

[make-me-imagine]

Can I get a Marvel ship with headcannons and a Leverage ship with a drabble

I'm 28, have red dyed hair(natural color is blonde) , am 5ft 2in.I try to be nice to everyone and help when I feel like I can. I am a good listener and I suck at standing up for myself. I like to read and write. I am shy until you get to know me. I hate spiders but love all other animals. I don’t really have any other dislikes. I am straight I studied early childhood education; I don't actually know what my dream job is. My love language is Acts of Service. I'm shy until you get to know me, I love helping people, I'm kind, I'm an introverted.

Heyyy!~

Hope you like them :)

They are under the cut.

Marvel:

I ship you with Steve.

Steve is kind, and loving and will show you all the care and love in the world. He will stand up for you when you cannot, and he has a way of rubbing off on you, so he longer you are with him the braver and more confident you feel.

Runner Up: Sam Wilson

Headcanons:

Steve could tell early on in your relationship what your love language was. He is very good at making you feel loved, not just even by doing small tasks around the house before you could even get to them.

If he notices your favorite snacks or food are out, or almost gone he will restock them for you, even buying new or similar things he thinks you will like. He makes you coffee/tea in the morning, makes you breakfast and dinner (he loves when you help as well).

He is a flower guy, he brings you flowers a lot, often those with meanings as well. And he always replaces them once they start to die (And if you ever by him flowers, he would be a blushing mess lol)

Evenings alone, just the two of you is one of his favorite things. Movie nights, dinner on the patio, cuddling while reading, evening walks, he loves just being around you.

He loves planning trips with you. Whether is is going to a new city, country, disney, etc, he loves trying new things and seeing the world with you.

One you moved in together, I could imagine you two getting a golden retriever, or an orange cat, or both!

Steve understands what its like not to know what is is you truly want, future or job wise. So he never tries to push you into anything, and wants you to find something you truly love doing.

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

Leverage:

I ship you with Eliot!

Eliot has a rough past, and is often afraid he cannot connect with people. But with you he feels safe, cared for and loved, and knows you will always be by his side and see the best in him, even when he cannot.

Runner Up: Hardison

'Falling Asleep On Him'

It had been a long and stressful job, so it was understandable that you would be exhausted. The sun had set, and you were finally heading home.

Your eyes grew heavy as you were riding in the back of Lucille with Eliot, as Hardison and Parker chatted up front. With every bump your shoulder bumped against Eliot, whose hand was placed on your knee.

Eliot looked over at you, and noticed the look on your face and smiled. "Careful not to fall asleep, Hardison might take a tight turn. Don't want you flying out of your seat."

A lazy smile crossed your face as you leaned your head back, your eyes closed "I'm good. I wont fall asleep."

Eliot smiled softly and he shook his head, he could hear the sleepiness in your voice, he didn't believe you for one second.

Low and behold, only a few more minutes passed before Eliot felt your head slowly land on his shoulder. Looking down at your now slumbering face, he smiled and let out a quiet chuckle.

He moved his arm so it was stretched across your lap, to make sure you didn't fall victim to one of those sharp turns he mentioned. He watched you for a few more moments, before gently moving a piece of hair from your face.

Pressing a soft kiss to your forehead, he knew he didn't have it in him to wake you up, even once you arrived back to the apartment.

'I guess I'm gonna be carrying you inside' He thought fondly to himself as he stared down at you. Not that he minded of course, he loved seeing the peaceful look on your face as you slept against him.

*God that hair though lol

[sneakboots]

sorry i know i just sent you an ask, but i just remembered i wanted to know your thoughts on the apple tv series. i have high hope because of the other series the show runner has worked on, but i read that eva is gonna be aged up to 16, so i’m still a little worried!

Hmm, don’t get me wrong, I am beyond excited that we are getting this series. I had no idea this would ever get to see the light of day! However, I am skeptical of a few things. Obviously the animation is not what I was hoping it would be like, which is fine, I mean studios these days want to have nice, clean animation, but I want it to stand out, not be like every other 3D stylized animated movie that has come out in the last decade. But that’s the least of my worries; hearing that they are aging Eva up to sixteen ruins the whole story, all of it is for naught, her adventure, her growth, everything. Why?

Having Eva as a eleven to twelve year old at the start set her up for not simply a growing experience from a young girl who complained and fussed to a young woman who took assertion, but also set up a realistic narrative. Having her as a sixteen year old makes no sense. The charm of the first book is that she is young and naive and young and small and unknowing! She learns and she adapts to her surroundings and situations and we get to go on that journey with her! Having Eva as a twelve year old leaves room for her to grow because she is in that middle stage where she is not little but still not a grown teenager, which I think appeals to many audiences, not just children. And another thing! How many heroines do we have in media that are supposedly ‘sixteen’ yet act as though they are fully mature twenty-something year olds? Again, having her young sets up a realistic narrative that I’m sure many children but especially preteen girls would love to see! If she is going to be sixteen, make her bratty and childish and maybe a bit selfish and mistake ridden and curious and observant— sixteen year olds are still children after all. But studios won’t do that. Sixteen year olds have to be mature and level headed, or at least seem like it.

Because most of the time, writers apparently don’t know how to write realistic sixteen year old girls and make them feel far-removed and too adult. The appeal of Eva Nine is that she is messy and gets into trouble and whines but is a quick thinker and emotional.

It is a stretch to hope for a well written teenage girl nowadays :( even if she starts out okay, I’m afraid I wont look at her the same way. It’s a poor choice that I think the makers will regret. Because really, what’s the point? To stylize her without baby fat? To make her looks fit into the popular female designs?

I’ll leave it at that. I am skeptical and hope to the moons and back they don’t mess with Eva’s beautiful story of home and family and childhood. That’s all I ask.

I’m still of course going to watch it when it comes out :))

[onwesterlywinds]

PROMPT #29: [EXTRA CREDIT]

Marco could not wait to be rid of the winter, but the Undercity was slow to shake off its chill. At least three people had died from the cold overnight, one of them a cutpurse discovered along the furthest reaches of the limestone quarry. The other deaths had been less definitive: Wilma, the Eulalia Sigil lord, had been pacing all up and along the Sprawl until at least midmorning, shouting the name of one of her subordinates; they had been counted among the dead thereafter, only for them to show up bells later in a warm bed with the Stock Sigil's lead runner.

The other - a Heart-Seer known as Minnow and a handful of other names - had simply vanished, as their kind were wont to do.

He'd heard whispers that the floating market was meant to be held along the entrance to the Profondeurs, much to the displeasure of its residents; instead, the bustle of preparation, the comings and goings of people, food and merchandise led him to the Silverbrand family warehouses along the black river's docks. Old Lodewijk had likely used his influence to provide a warmer location, perhaps in exchange for a hefty cut of all proceeds; sure enough, upon his arrival, a majority of its visitors were already lingering within radius of the communal cooking fires, whether or not they were lined up for a free meal. Hazal was along their periphery, wrapped in an extra shawl and at least two layers of skirts with an orphan balanced upon her left hip. Marco could count on one hand the number of times he'd seen her in skirts.

"Griogair never showed last night," she said to him when he was in range of her whisper.

Marco paused, chilled for reasons that had little to do with the weather. "Then the goods-"

"Still back in the Sali, like as not." Hazal glanced over to the perimeter of the markets, where the nearest of the volunteer guards was eyeing a rack of weapons for sale. "Elsewise he only brought them part of the way."

Of all the Fists with whom they did business, Griogair was the loudest by far, as well as the easiest to provoke - but Marco had never known the man to be a coward. "Do you have anything else to sell today? Anything at all?"

"Nothing worth mentioning." Hazal bit her lower lip. "I'd have gone to check in by now, but I've got these two in my keeping." She gave the child at her hip a gentle little jostle, just as another small face, previously unbeknownst to Marco, peeked out from under Hazal's skirts.

"I'll take care of it," he promised her. Hazal frowned at once, but he doubled down. "You know it won't take me more than a few minutes. You just stay here with them - get yourselves warm."

"Marco-"

"If there's no sign of the goods, do I ask around?"

Hazal considered the question, then shook her head. "You looking is more than enough." More than enough of a help, he knew, but also a risk.

Were he just a few ilms taller, he might have departed with a kiss to each of Hazal's cheeks, as he'd seen her brothers do in jest; instead, he took off past the spot where the Silverbrand twins liked to hold court, down the old smuggling tunnels.

Any number of the Undercity's merchants had come this way in the last few bells alone, particularly those known for their dealings with Ala Mhigo above. Outside of a single sputtering torch and a few empty crates too large to deal with moving on a whim, the stretch sat empty. Marco made the rounds regardless, mostly to stave off his disappointment and panic; for much too long, he considered the means by which he might emerge from the tunnel out to the shores of Loch Seld, and how quickly he might be able to run to the monastery in person, if only so Hazal and her newest little ones could have something to eat-

"Marco?"

The little voice tore him out of his skin, as did the intense stare from a single green eye that met him when he turned around to greet it.

"Hey, Roshan," he said. Somehow he always seemed to run into Heart-Seers more than anyone else he knew, and always at the least opportune times. The resentment stung him for the bitterness it carried, along with a great side heaping of guilt: it wasn't as though the Heart-Seers could control the way they were, and they had less of a say in where they went than most other Undercity folk.

If Roshan could sense his confused emotional state, the boy showed no sign of it. "You're lookin' for that big box? The one for Hazal?"

"That's right."

"What was in it?"

Only then did Marco consider that perhaps he should have confirmed its contents with Hazal before setting out on his own to bring them back. "Stuff from that monastery out to the southeast. Soaps and cleaning powders and things." But this line of questioning brought him no further to his goals. "Do you know what happened to it?"

Roshan did not reply for a moment, and Marco debated reframing his question to something a bit more direct. At last, the boy replied, "Those black cloaks took it. Looong time ago. Couple weeks ago-" The boy then cut himself off and shook out his head of dark hair with great vigor. "No. 'Bout five bells ago. Still - long time."

It was certainly long enough for the Blackram Knights to claim the goods as abandoned cargo. Marco swore under his breath as he made to head back to Hazal, even as his instincts screamed that there was more to be uncovered.

"Roshan-" he said again, then turned around to find the tunnel empty. Still, he chanced the question to the open, stilled, freezing air. "You know what happened to Minnow? Last night?"

The voice emerged as if from everywhere and nowhere, so faint and echoed that it might not have come from Roshan at all: Last I saw 'er, she was leavin' with Griogair.

Marco could not remember the last good meal he'd had, but he felt it surface anew in his gut as a wave of fear. He inhaled so deeply as to set his vision to spinning; with each new breath, he tried and failed to convince himself of any of the hundreds of possible explanations for the words.

He emerged from the smuggling tunnels to find three or four of the Blackram Knights milling about along the line of merchants as if they belonged there, in between a fruit vendor and a seller of what appeared to be magickal tomes. At their feet rested an open crate with the Fist of Rhalgr's sigil stamped upon it. As his boots crossed the threshold of the market, a strong arm grabbed him around his shoulders. Immediately he lashed out, though his would-be captor found the knife at his back and relieved him of it.

"Looking for a windfall, are we, lad?"

A tall man in one of the Blackram Knights' heavy fur cloaks emerged into his field of view, then lowered his hood to reveal their leader himself. Marco had been taken right in front of the largest of the cookfires, in full view of those gathered there: a few dozen were already watching the scene play out, with more arriving by the second to take note of the commotion.

"That crate isn't yours," Marco protested weakly. He knew better to invoke Hazal's name with so many eyes and ears upon them; he could not see her, her children, or any of her allies amid the crowd.

"Oh?" Blackram raised an eyebrow. "Griogair delivered the shipment to me personally, with his regards. If there was some error on his part, I would be happy to rectify it."

Marco could only grit his teeth in impotent frustration. Panic had well and truly taken hold of him, for the Roegadyn Blackram Knight had lifted him around the chest with enough force for his feet to dangle an ilm or two above the dirt.

"Let me go," he said, in as firm of a voice as he could muster.

Blackram gave the Knight at Marco's back a nod, and he was lowered back to the earth. "You're welcome to examine it, if you've any doubt of its contents."

The invitation was moot; even from a distance of several fulms, Marco could see the cakes of soap stacked in neat lines - Hazal's goods, every one of them.

And then his anger got the better of him, for the first time in longer than he could recall, as he screamed, "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MINNOW?!"

The crowd began to murmur, and Blackram stilled. His second - impossibly thin and pale - studied Marco from their vantage, as if seeing a ghost where Marco stood. But Blackram addressed Marco once more, so confident as to show no acknowledgment of the question laid out for him, despite its grave sincerity.

"It's well past time you ran off," he said. "Go on and continue playing at monkhood - Saint Marco."

The Knight released him with a push, and Marco staggered. He paused only to gather up his knife from the ground, then to give a last glance over his shoulder to confirm he was not about to be driven from the market by force; then he ran off in search of someplace, no matter how forbidding, where he would not be found for a long while.