#i thought the flower idea was clever but now i look at it and hmmm it's probably bad I don't show any examples

[magentasnail]

OPENING COMMISSIONS !!

hello I hope you all are proud of me I finally made a commission pricing sheet !!! it only took several months (it's still bad but too late) !

also you can get a tbh-like creature if you want:

I get a lot of requests and never have the motivation, so at least like that I can make some for those who really want one!

I intend to take the commissions on ko-fi, so you can check them out there, or DM me here!

thank you !!

[widowbitessting]

The Devil is What You Drink - A Sugar Mommies Drabble

Word Count: 2110

Rating: General with fluffy scenes. SFW!

Dom!Natasha Romanoff, Dom!Wanda Maximoff, Dom!Carol Danvers x Sub!Reader

In retrospect, ringing one of your doms when you’re extremely tipsy and walking home alone at 1am, really isn't the best idea. 

But with the wine running through your system, it really doesn’t bother you. 

Natasha picks up after the first ring, voice heavy with sleep and it makes you grin broadly; almost jumping up and down on the spot with excitement. 

“Hi, Natty!” 

“...baby, hi.” She inhales deeply and you can picture her rubbing her eyes. “What time is it? Where are you?” 

“Oh, y’know me and MJ had that friendaversary didn’t we! Five whole years, Natty, can you believe it? How I haven’t killed her yet, I don’t know.” 

“Breathe, love.” 

“So I got home from class and MJ really wanted to go out for a drink and I was like, sure why not! So we went to that cute bar I took you one time - I got that cute flower in my drink, remember it, Natty?” 

“Yes, baby, I remember.” 

“So we went there and we wanted to be fancy again and got wine. Now I know, I know, wine is evil but it tastes so good so it can’t be that bad, eh? So we had like…two…maybe three bottles and just talked about all the stuff we’ve done together, cos’ like, five years is super long, isn’t it, Natty?”

“Yes, baby.”

“And then -” You boot a stray beer can with your foot and send it soaring into a nearby wall. It’s loud, especially in the quiet area you’re in and it immediately catches Natasha’s attention. 

“Baby…I haven’t heard MJ speak the entire time you’ve been on the phone to me…normally she pipes up…where is she, darling?” 

“Well she got picked up by Peter about fifteen minutes ago and the bar isn’t too far from home! So I thought I’d go on an adventure and - ” 

“Stop.” A deep, low voice, commands. 

The order comes so suddenly that it catches you off guard. You cease all words and movements as your inner submissive drops to her knees.  

“So you’re on your own?” Natasha asks. 

“...maybe…I just thought the fresh air would do me good..walk off the alcohol. Clever right?” 

“Y/N, you tell me right now if you are on your own walking through the dark. It’s 2am!”

After hearing your full name you can’t help but bite back a little with sarcasm.

“Well yeah, I - I have to get home somehow duh. I can’t afford a taxi and it’s only around the corner.” 

You hear Natasha rummaging around through the phone as you twirl a loose strand of hair around your finger. 

“Look around, tell me where you are.” 

You do as you’re told. 

“Hmmm…well I see black ‘cos it’s dark…”

“Y/N.”

“Again with the name, gah! Erm, I dunno, I took the shortcut and -”

“You have to the count of fucking five to get to the nearest streetlight, I swear to God.” 

“But it’s all the way over there!” 

“5.”

“I can make it there before you get to two!” 

You take off sprinting, giggling gleefully as you go, one hand pinning your cell to your ear as your other arm sticks out to keep your balance.

Only, it’s you. In heels. In the dark. 

You take the grand total of seven steps before you go crashing down, ankle bending at a near 90 degree angle as gravity takes you to the cement. You scrape your knees and your palm, squeaking upon impact.

“Detka, did you just fall?” 

“Mhm, running in heels is not the way to go. Ouch.” 

You’re lucky there’s no glass.

“Get up for me, can you do that? Are you okay?” When you reply, she continues, “now walk slower to the streetlight. And please don’t fall over any more twigs as you go.”

“That was one time!” 

“One time too many.” 

Limping and grumbling as you go, you manage to get out of the alleyway without any more injuries and cross over to the streetlight. 

“Natty, there’s gum on it. Gross.” 

“Don’t eat it. Don’t touch it.”

You drop your hand. 

“Fiiiine.”

“Where are you now?”

“I dunno, outside?” 

An exasperated sigh reaches your ears. 

“Tell me exactly what you see, Y/N. Be specific.” 

A car door slams shut through the phone as you glance around.

“I see trees…houses…oh the moon! Woah, pretty.”

“If you’ve somehow managed to get to the moon, Y/N, I will lose my shit.” 

“If I take a picture will you see it? It’s so pretty! Carol loves the moon.” 

“Baby, what else do you see?” Natasha gently reminds you. 

“Erm…oh! Oh, a restaurant! Can we go Natty? It looks nice!” 

“What’s it called babygirl, gimme a name.” 

Natasha’s car roars to life. 

“Why don’t you just stalk me, hmm? Be quicker.” You let out a giggle. 

“Because then I’d have to hang up, so no.” Natasha is silent for a second, waiting for your giggles to calm down, knowing her reply just fell on cotton filled ears. “Are you finished?” 

“Maaaaybe.”

“Now,” she warns, “I want you to listen to me because you only have one last chance, Y/N. Give me the name of that fucking restaurant before I spank your ass into next week.” 

“M-Mama’s…” You squint at the flag. “Oh! I think it’s Jamaican, I love Jamaican food!”

“Mhm, I know you do. Do me a favour? Have a look at the menu? Pick something you'd think we’d all like.” 

“Really? Even something like curried goat?” You scurry to the lit up window, eyes taking a second to adjust to the bright lights coming from inside. “‘Cos I had that once and I thought there was a fruit loop in there but it wasn’t - there’s a cat! Hi cat!” 

“NO!” Natasha practically deafens you. “Y/N, do not follow that cat!” 

“But he’s so fluffy! He’s got a big tail, hi baby!” 

“Y/N, it’ll have fleas, no! Do not touch it, stay where you are!”

“But Hedwig -” 

“Isn’t Hedwig from Harry Potter?” 

You stop walking, ashamed that those words even came from her mouth. 

“I let you fuck me with that mouth. Yes! It’s Hedwig! Harry Potter’s owl!” 

“Do you want to watch it when we’re home?” 

“Yes! Yes! Yes! Can we really?”

“Only if you choose something really yummy from that restaurant then, baby girl. C’mon, Harry Potter is on the line here.” 

“But -” 

“Say bye to Hedwig.”

“...bye Hedwig.” Your voice is tiny and it breaks Natasha’s heart. “Safe travels! Drink milk and eat tuna!” 

“God, you’re so fucking cute, baby.” Natasha mumbles. You, of course, miss it, far too busy waving the black cat off. “Now pick us something to eat, we’re so hungry.”

“You got it, boss!” 

“Good girl, baby. You’re doing so well for me. What do you see?” 

You peer close to the menu, bumping your nose against the glass. 

“Hmmm…” You don’t even hear her as the car rolls up behind you. “I dunno yet but I might get served right away, Natty, it’s empty inside. How lucky is that?” 

“So lucky baby, who’d have thought a Jamaican restaurant would stay open until 2 in the morning.” 

“I know right? But I’m not sure what to get! Maybe I should ask someone.” 

“Y/N -” 

You ignore her and go to the door, pulling it with such a force that you don’t expect it to not open. Your grip slips and you stumble back.

“Wha - hey. Daddy the door is stuck!” You go back and try to push it this time, coming to no avail. “My food! Excuse me? I can’t get in!” 

“Y/N, tone your voice down, darling.” 

“No, the food! I can see it!” You actually have tears forming in your eyes. “I want my dumplings! No! Daddy, I need you. Help me open this stupid door!” 

“Daddy’s here, baby.” 

When Natasha’s hand gently takes you by the wrist, you look at her with a pout, unphased that she’s even there. 

“Dumplings, daddy. They’re there, see!” 

She doesn't even look away from you. 

“Yes, baby, I do. But you’re shivering. Let’s get you into the car, hmm? Get all warm before you eat dumplings.” 

“...make sure you tell them they need to fix their door…that’s so bad for service…” 

You all but sag into the redhead as she carries your exhausted body to the car. 

“You’re getting sleepy now, huh?”

“Mmm, so sleepy.” 

Natasha takes her sweatshirt off and before you can even protest, shoves it over your head, enveloping you in her scent. If you hadn’t been so tipsy, you might have clocked her sweatpant and sports bra combo sooner. Perhaps even have drooled. 

You’ve been in the car for five minutes when you finally realise. 

“Woah,” You can’t help but stare at her abs. “I could eat a six course meal off there.” 

“You’ve licked whipped cream off them before, detka.” 

“Yeah well - I - you’re just, damn.” You force yourself to blink. “Someone get me a glass…I’ve just found me a tall drink of water.” 

Natasha rolls her eyes.

“Smooth, darling, smooth. Hitting on me with Disney.” 

“Did it work?” 

“No. But A+ for effort.” 

“Dang it.” 

You pass out for a few minutes, after humming a song from Tangled to yourself. You’re warm. Cosy. Wrapped up in a Natasha scented burrito and it lulls you to sleep. Jerking only slightly when the car door opens and the cold wind hits your body. Natasha - because of course she is that strong - scoops you up effortlessly into her arms and easily moves you both to the elevator. Your neck drops back, a small snore escaping you. 

She has you. You’re officially asleep, safe and sound. Punishment already thought and saved ready for tomorrow. All she has to do is carefully place you on the bed, sneak out to get water and slide in next to you. 

Only, the second your head touches the pillow, your eyes fly open and Natasha’s soul almost leaps from her body.

“Jesus fuck!”

“Dumplings! Daddy, we left my dumplings!” 

Besides you, Wanda stirs. 

“No way, close your eyes and go back to sleep, Y/N. C’mon, You were snoring.”

You pout, tears once again forming in your eyes. 

“But - ” You hiccup. “They’re lonely! They saw me, they knew I was there to eat them and I left them there!” 

“Tomorrow, darling.” 

“No, now.” 

“I will get you all the dumplings in the world tomorrow, if you will just-go-to-sleep.”

You ponder, glossy eyes looking into Natasha’s stressed ones. 

“...that’s a whole lot of dumplings, daddy. Bit excessive actually.” 

“Detka, I swear to God -” 

“Deal!” You giggle. “God I love dumplings. Got a dumpling shaped hole in my tummy as we speak. Riiiight here.” You point to your stomach and Natasha has to stop herself from laughing. 

“Go to sleep and you will get them faster.” 

“...dumplings? What? What’s happening?”

It’s like you forgot Wanda was even there, reacting like a child of Christmas morning when you register she’s right next to you; auburn locks a wild mane around her head. 

“Hi!” 

Wanda’s scream of shock is muffled by your shoulder and you both end up rolling into Carol. 

Who isn’t impressed. At all. 

“Separate bedrooms, Romanoff. I told you.” She glares at the red head who has her face in her hands. “Why the fuck have I been woken up by Y/N talking about dumplings?” 

“She’s drunk.”

“Tipsy!”

“Oh I love tipsy, baby!” Wanda snuggles into you closer. “Hi tipsy baby.” 

“Hi none tipsy mommy!”

“I cannot - ” Carol jumps up out of the bed just in time to avoid being flattened by the two rolling bodies. “Nat, what?”

“It’s a long story.” 

“Tell me tomorrow. You’re on your own.” The blonde walks past Natasha and kisses her before vacating to the safety, and peaceful, spare room. “If you can’t control them, you know where I am. They’ll tire themselves out eventually.” 

“Or order enough dumplings to feed 5,000 people. Get off your phone, Wanda!” 

The other woman looks at her a little sheepishly. 

“But dumplings sound so good right now.” 

“Have fun babe!” Carol shouts. 

Natasha sighs, watching as you and Wanda roll around the bed excitedly. You’re part way through telling her about your adventure, far too sleep deprived to notice her dommy side appearing when you tell her you walked by yourself. It’s quickly squashed down when you mention Natasha’s brave and daring rescue and you mount her legs to stare into her eyes. 

“Dumplings, mommy. We need to get them.”

“We really do.”

With an over exaggerated eye roll, Natasha slams her head on the bedroom wall. 

“I give up.”

[ga-yuu]

Genjiden~Eternal Contract Story Event~Ibuki Route

‘(Just for those who don’t know what this event is about? This is the 2nd ‘What if’ event following the Shirabyoshi Event. In this event, Yoshino(MC) is a demon from birth, and stories are formulated in such a way showing how the male leads and Yoshino will meet and fall in love if she was a demon. Imagine the real prologue without Yoshino in it, because this story is happening after that.)

*

The beautiful flowers of the Otherworld bloom and sways even though there is no wind.

There are similar ones in the human world, but I don’t when it is at its best there....

(Okay, I think it’s time to go to the human world.)

I’m a demon, who often visits the human world.

It’s fun to experience different landscapes and creatures from the human world.

(Of course, that’s not the only reason why I go there.)

As I wondered if today would be the day I would achieve my goal, I stepped towards the gate.

???: “You’re here again.”

(Hm?)

I see a strange man blocking my path.

He had rich long golden hair and two horns were growing out of it----

Yoshino: “-----Oni?”

His frosty eyes shine brightly.

Oni: *Smiles like a creep*

(Ummm...)

I stepped back immediately when I felt the intimidating feeling seeping out of him even when he doesn’t talk.

(I can feel that he’s not just any Oni.)

Oni: “I am Ibuki. Have you heard of that name?”

(Ibuki? Hmmm....)

Yoshino: “Are you saying that you’re the Demon King?”

Shuten Doji, Ibuki. That was the name that came to my mind.

The Demon King or more precisely Ibuki-sama looks down at me in amusement when I was looking back at him in surprise.

Ibuki: “I’ve heard that you’ve got a rare gift. I’m a busy man you know. But I still came all this way to see you, and it wouldn’t hurt to make me happy, right?”

Yoshino: “Eerrmmm....”

(Actually, it’s true that I have a one in a million rare power.)

Yoshino: “But why did you wanna see me?”

Ibuki-sama slowly takes a step towards me.

Ibuki: “Your exceptional powers might attract humans. So I thought, you would make a very interesting toy.”

I raised an eyebrow at his insinuations.

(You want to use my powers to destroy humans? How dare you!)

Yoshino: “Sorry. I can’t cooperate with that.”

Snickering at my rejection, Ibuki-sama lifts one hand casually.

Ibuki: “It seems you have mistaken. I’m not here to negotiate. I’m here to do what I want.”

(Is that thunder!?)

I had a bad feeling and quickly ducked down.

The next thing I knew, a bolt of lightning strike the spot where I was standing.

(Is that Ibuki-sama’s powers...!?)

Ibuki: “What’s wrong? Isn’t it time to run? Come on, run away and I’ll keep chasing you.”

Yoshino: “I will, even if you don’t tell me to.”

I turned my back to Ibuki-sama, and started running as fast as I could.

Ibuki: “Not bad.... It’s fun to chase someone so fast.”

(I’m totally being played. It’s frustrating.....but I have to get out of here now anyway!)

.................

I continued running till I reached my limit and then fell onto my knees in the flower field.

(No more...!)

I was breathing heavily and my legs were shaking.

Ibuki: “You’ve done well for a little girl, but that’s the end of your marathon.”

Yoshino: “Ah!”

Before I knew it, Ibuki-sama was standing right behind me, his arms holding my waist.

Like a predator, he pushed me down on the ground and held me by the nape of my neck.

(Is he going to kill me?)

Ibuki; “Don’t be so hard on yourself. What’s the point if there’s no response?”

Yoshino: “Eh?...Ah!!”

A fleshy wet thing touches the edge of my ear and a shiver runs down my spine.

(He’s also biting...!)

When I turned my head in surprise, our eyes meet and Ibuki-sama was laughing seeing my ridiculous reaction.

Ibuki: “Hehe, the face you’re making now is nasty.”

Yoshino: “M-My face...?”

Ibuki: “Your face is telling me that you can’t look at anything else but me and you’re anticipating something more.”

Then, Ibuki-sama inserts two fingers in my mouth and plays with my tongue.

Just as I was about to sink my teeth into his fingers, he sweetly tweaked the nape of my neck, and my whole body jumped in excitement.

Ibuki: “You’re resisting like a kitten. How cute.”

Yoshino: “Nnn...nnn....”

Ibuki: “Now, why don’t try saying ‘Meow.”

(No way!!)

Ibuki-sama’s long fingers tickled the sensitive parts of my mouth and laughed while watching me struggle.

After my tongue was released, I started breathing sweetly.

Yoshino: “Why....are you doing this....?”

Ibuki: “Why?”

Ibuki-sama’s wet fingers traced down my neck and I felt a chill and fear at the same time.

Ibuki: “Because your reaction is human-like and it’s very intriguing.”

(Why...)

Yoshino: “Why do you want to do terrible things to humans?”

Ibuki: “We both are demons. Isn’t it natural for demons to torment and corrupt humans?”

Yoshino: “No! I won’t do that! All I want to do is make a deal with a human.”

Shaking off his fingers on my neck, I pushed away Ibuki-sama.

Ibuki: “You want to make a deal? Did you hit your head or something?”

A glimmer of interest shines in Ibuki-sama’s eyes.

(Looks like I have to tell him what’s going on.)

I decided to give up the idea of running away and told him about my goal.

Yoshino: “...As you already know, I have the powers to heal a person. But when I heal someone, I have to take away the life force of another living being. And, I have no control over this power.”

Ibuki: “So you want to make a deal with a human to weaken your powers.”

Ibuki-sama chuckled after guessing my goal correctly.

It’s kind of embarrassing to be seen through, so I didn’t argue.

Ibuki: “You really are stupid.”

The corners of Ibuki-sama’s mouth moves up and it didn’t hide the fact that he was amused.

Ibuki: “Humans are cute but stupid creatures. Creatures who dream something beyond their reach and will do anything to achieve even if it means to get their hands dirty.”

(Of course, I’m well aware that not all humans are good...)

Yoshino: “But Ibuki-sama who has never made a deal with a human, can never understand my feelings!”

Ibuki-sama, who is so strong and can conquer different powers perfectly, is so beautiful.

I’m so disappointed that I can’t do anything but say it back to him like a sore loser.

Ibuki: “......”

I saw Ibuki-sama looking down at me emotionlessly.

(Did I offend him....? I did offend him, didn’t I? Looks like my time is over.)

I clenched my fists and mentally prepared myself to be struck by lightning.

Ibuki: “Do you want to play a game?”

(It’s not a death game, right?)

With unexpected words, Ibuki-sama pinched my forehead.

Ibuki: “If I win, you’ll agree to be my toy and let me torment you.”

.............

A month has passed since that day. Ibuki-sama brought me to the human world since then and I’ve been living with him at his base.

The rule of our game was simple-----If I don’t find a human within the next three months to make a deal with, Ibuki-sama wins. If I did find one, I win.

(And the loser has to surrender to the winner.)

(So I’ve no intention of losing!)

Ibuki-sama opened his mouth to start small talk, perhaps after seeing me trembling thinking about the wildest things that would happen if I lose.

Ibuki: “You’ve been eyeing a daughter of a noble family, weren’t you....She does charity for the poor out of vanity. But I heard behind the scenes, her attitude towards her servants is the worst. How about seducing a man with your pretty face? There was a guy asking for you-----”

Yoshino: “I don’t want to hear that.”

I slumped my shoulders thinking about the number of humans I’ve been striking off from my list in the past month.

Ibuki: “And there’s this another man, who is was an official, famous for his integrity. I did a little bit of digging and found out he got into embezzlement.”

Yoshino: “I said NO!”

Ibuki: “You never do any background check before agreeing to one. Be grateful that you don’t have to deal with weirdos.”

(Yeah...It’s hard to accept it.)

I initially doubted Ibuki-sama when he told me about these facts and went to find out by myself.

No matter how many times I repeat the confirmation, I’m only reminded that the words are not false.

(I hate to admit it, but he has been sincere about this game from day one.)

Yoshino: “If only I had been able to scare humans into doing bad things like Ibuki-sama....”

Ibuki: “I don’t like doing boring things like that. I’m more into breaking them right away.”

Yoshino: “And you’re seduction skills are too good.”

(You’re strong and clever, if only you were also a good person....I might have been attracted to you.)

I sighed, but Ibuki-sama reaches out to play with my hair.

(...Hm?)

Ibuki: “Hey, Yoshino. Are you ready to admit it? That it’s better to play with humans than to make a deal with them.”

Yoshino: “I haven’t given up yet.”

Ibuki: “Good. It’s the ones who don’t give up easily are worth breaking.”

At the same time, when Ibuki-sama smiled at me----

???: “Ibuki!”

The front door opens to reveal a pale-looking man.

Ibuki: “Akihito? What’s wrong?”

(Akihito-san? For a human being, he has a very strange aura.)

Even after seeing, Ibuki-sama’s two antennas he’s calm. Looks like he’s aware of demons and the Otherworld.

Akihito: “It’s Yasuchika. He’s serious.”

Ibuki: “What?”

Yoshino: “Who is Yasuchika-san?”

(Who is he? and he’s fatally injured?)

Looking at me from the sideways, Ibuki-sama shrugs.

Ibuki: “He’s an Onmyoji and human, but I don’t think he’s someone suitable for your case.”

Akihito: “Who is this, Ibuki?”

(!!!)

I met Akihito-san’s eyes and bowed lightly.

Ibuki: “Don’t worry. She’s a fellow demon and a playmate of mine.”

Hiding me behind his back, Ibuki-sama turns to Akihito-san.

Ibuki: “More than that, What actually happened to Yasuchika?”

Akihito: “I’m not sure of the details yet. It seems like he was badly injured in a rash attempt to exterminate a demon at the request of his superior.”

Ibuki: “........Ohh?”

Akihito: “They did everything they could to treat him on the road. But on the way to Kyoto, the wound got infected and he lost consciousness. The pharmacist has told me that if things continue to go badly, he could lose his life.”

Ibuki: “.....I see.”

(So he’s suffering from a life-threatening injury.)

Ibuki: “But this news is new to me.”

Akihito: “He didn’t tell anyone about this mission because he didn’t want me to get in trouble.”

Ibuki: “That’s because.....that moron loves you too much.”

His tone was the same, but...when he said ‘moron’ I felt a different temperature, unlike the usual.

(I think I may have never seen Ibuki-sama’s face like this before.)

Akihito: “I was naive. I should have seen this coming.”

Even Akihito-san's cool countenance is now tinged with anguish.

(A human named Akihito-san, an Onmyoji named Yasuchika-san and the Demon King Ibuki....I don’t know what their relationship is nor the circumstances of these three.)

(But I can at least make out that, the person named Yasuchika-san is an irreplaceable existence for both Ibuki-sama and Akihito-san.)

Above all that----

I was moved by Ibuki-sama’s earnestness. So I made my resolve.

Yoshino: “Ibuki-sama.”

Ibuki: “What? I’m busy. We’ll play later.”

I didn’t listen to his rejection and stepped forward.

Yoshino: “Please allow me to use my powers.”

Ibuki: “What!?”

At my words, Akihito-san also blinked his eyes.

Akihito: “Your powers?”

Yoshino: “I have the powers to heal others. ...But there’s a problem.”

I gave a brief explanation of the drawback of my ‘healing abilities’ to Akihito-san.

Akihito: “I’m surprised. I never thought I would see a demon with such a rare gift.”

Yoshino: “You’re right. But when it comes to a fatally injured person, it takes a great deal of life force to heal him. If I take too much life force to heal Yasuchika-san, I might end up killing the other person I took it from.”

Ibuki: “And she can’t control her powers by herself.”

Ibuki-sama calmly points out my problem.

(When I hear him say that, I feel sorry for myself.)

But I can’t just overlook a problem because of that.

Yoshino: “I can’t control it, but Ibuki-sama, who is a demon, is sure to be immune to my Otherworldly powers.”

Ibuki: “...Yeah, so?”

Ibuki-sama narrowed his eyes at me suspiciously.

Yoshino: “Here’s the plan, I’ll use Akihito-san’s life force to heal Yasuchika-san.”

Ibuki: “......”

 Yoshino: “But if heal him fully without leaving a scratch, Akihito-san’s life will be in danger. So when I go out of control, I want you to stop me with your powers.”

(It’s actually hard to guess exactly when to stop, but....)

Yoshino: “A smart demon like Ibuki-sama should know what I’m capable of and would save Akihito-san, no matter what, right?”

I could feel the intimidation raising as I openly challenged him.

Ibuki: “...Yeah, whatever.”

Akihito-san smiled softly, not taking into account the tingling atmosphere of Ibuki-sama.

Akihito: “I don’t mind. Half of my life for him is a small price to pay.”

Ibuki: “You’ll always be you, selfish.”

(Akihito-san is quite a man to be able to tame Ibuki-sama.)

Ibuki-sama sighed and shifted his gaze to me.

Ibuki: “Yoshino.”

He gives me a sharp look as if to see my true intentions.

Ibuki: “---Why are you doing this? You shouldn’t have any reason to do this.”

(There is no point in lying to Ibuki-sama.)

Yoshino: “When Yasuchika-san’s injury news came to you...for the first time I saw Ibuki-sama showing a slight difference from his usual self. Yasuchika-san must be a very important person for Ibuki-sama.”

Ibuki: “Oh, are taking pity on me?”

Yoshino: “...No.”

(I can’t suggest such a scary thing out of pity.)

If Akihito-san or Yasuchika-san were to lose their lives because of my powers, then......my legs ache just thinking about it.

I became honest towards Ibuki-sama as to why I am doing this.

Yoshino: “I’m just curious to know what kind of person Ibuki-sama, who knows so much about the negative side of humans, is worried about.”

Ibuki: “.......”

Yoshino: “...I wonder what kind of face Ibuki-sama will make if I help him. I want to see it.”

(I know I’m saying something bold. But I really want to save Yasuchika-san but....)

(Also with the same strong feeling, I’d like to see Ibuki-sama’s expressions that I don’t know.)

Ibuki: “...Heh.”

Then his thin lips gave out a smirk.

Ibuki: “So you want to have some fun with my heart? You’ve got some nerve.”

A faint heat flickered behind Ibuki-sama’s eyes.

Yoshino: “Can’t I?”

Ibuki: “It’s not a good idea to use a human’s life as a shield against a Demon King.”

The words that were supposed to be like a threat turned out to be much warmer.

(I’m supposed to be sacred, but I can’t see or hear anything but Ibuki-sama.)

A quiet heat had seized me and was about to engulf me.

Even so, I kept my face up because I was proud of what I said.

Ibuki: “It’s not good, but....it’s certainly a demon thing to do, to act on one’s own interests.”

(Ahh!!!)

Ibuki-sama big arm intertwined my faintly trembling hands and held them tightly.

Ibuki: “I’ll go play your game. So don’t be afraid to help me.”

Premium END // Epilogue

For the Anon, who wanted to see this.

[imagine-loki]

The Better Man

TITLE: THE BETTER MAN

CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: SUBMITTED ONE SHOT

AUTHOR: amaru163

ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine that you want to pursue Loki, but have no idea what to do to make him see you as more than a friend. Thor inadvertently finds you looking at Loki from a distance with lovestruck eyes. He decides to get himself involved in helping you pursue Loki. Hijinks ensue.

Possible situation: Loki notices that you and Thor are spending more time together, and feels somewhat left out/suspicious that you and Thor are in a relationship.

RATING: FLUFF

NOTES/WARNINGS: none really, brief mention of fighting, one curse word (I know, scandalous, right?)

When Loki breezed by you in the hallway on his way to the kitchen, you couldn’t help but turn to watch him for a moment. The scent of the subtle cologne he wore caused you to take several deep breaths, just so you could commit it to memory. You resisted the urge to close your eyes, though, but when the smell dissipated, you sighed and started toward your original destination, which was your own apartment. Once there, you’d probably take a moment to compose yourself before leaving again.

When you did face forward, you were startled to find Thor standing a few feet away, silently watching. You couldn’t stop your face heating up in embarrassment, and you dearly hoped that he hadn’t seen you mooning over his brother.

“Hi, Thor,” you greeted him softly, mentally begging him not to say anything to you, or more importantly, to Loki.

“Good morning,” he replied, smiling at you. “Were you coming to breakfast?”

“Yes, I just needed to take care of something really quick. I’ll be right there.”

“Good. I’ll save you a seat.” He nodded slightly before continuing on his way.

Ten minutes later, you returned to the kitchen to find that Thor had indeed saved you a seat, right beside him and opposite Loki. You usually sat on the same side as Loki, with someone between you so that you weren’t tempted to steal glances at him, and so that he wouldn’t be witness to any clumsiness on your part if he were to look your way.

Thor stood to hold the chair for you, and then helped to slide it forward. He’d never done that before, since meals together were always pretty casual, and you wondered why he did it now. He made a show of serving your plate as food was passed around, and would lean over to say something in your ear, making sure that no one heard him. All the while, the heat never left your cheeks. You also noted that Loki would give you two just the barest of glances. When his eyes landed on Thor, they hardened before he turned his attention to his plate.

From then on, Thor made a point to be near you when in the common rooms, or even during missions, which everyone noticed. After a time, your embarrassment eased because Thor was simply too likable and approachable, like a big ol’ puppy. The only person who *could* stay angry at him was Loki, who made it a fine art.

— — —

Today, about a week after Thor had caught you ogling Loki, you had made banana nut muffins, and they were just out of the oven. You were just taking them out of the pan when Thor sat at the breakfast bar to watch.

When you had time and the ingredients, you loved to bake and would often have cakes, pies or even homemade bread in the oven. Once, you’d made a banana pudding, which Steve and Bucky went nuts over simply because it reminded them of their younger days. You’d learned then to double up on most of the baked goods, because a shortage caused good natured elbowing between them.

“What kind of glorious treat do you have for us now?” He asked, his gaze intent on the muffins.

“Banana nut muffins,” you replied, putting one on a napkin in front of him. “It’s still hot, be careful.”

— —

The smell of the muffins caught Loki’s attention when he stepped off the elevator after he returned from the training room. He started toward the kitchen, but paused when he heard you and Thor speaking. No one else was there, so he was certain that Thor was looking at you with doe eyes, and going overboard with the chivalry.

That thought caused him to scowl for a moment before he schooled his features so that his face wouldn’t give away his churning thoughts. He hated it when Thor found a new love interest because Thor would always extol about said interest’s charms, and about how clever they were, or even other things that were simply TMI.

When they were younger, there was a rivalry between them, causing them to try to steal the other’s current interest. He liked you too much to play that type of game. He also didn’t want to hear anything about you from Thor’s lips, because now he was resigned to watch from the sidelines, and try to bear it now that Thor had shown an interest in you.

When Loki walked into the kitchen, you were leaning forward on your elbows, with your face mere inches from Thor’s. Loki just barely managed not to growl when he walked through to get bottled water. He was gone in the few seconds it took for you to turn, muffins in hand, to offer him one. Only Thor noticed that your shoulders dropped slightly, and he averted his gaze when you turned around again.

“You like him, don’t you?” He asked, while selecting another muffin. He’d nearly eaten them all by now, and you hoped that they were gone before Steve or Bucky returned, or that he’d save some for the others, which seemed unlikely.

“Wh-what?” You asked, surprised and wary of the question.

“I’ve seen you watching him,” he replied, his gaze never leaving your face.

“You’re mistaken,” you responded, while taking the pan to the sink in order to wash it.

“I don’t think so.”

His voice came from directly behind you, and when you jumped and turned around, you collided with his broad chest. He quickly caught you by the elbows to keep you from hitting the floor.

“Sorry about that,” he said, but didn’t let you go.

“For a big guy, you sure are quiet,” you told him, as you looked up, your eyes meeting his while he continued to hold onto you.

That prompted him to wink and squeeze your arms slightly. You stayed still, not wanting to hurt his feelings if you shrugged out of his grip. Thor then turned his head slightly, as if listening for something, before he picked you up effortlessly and set you on the countertop so that your eyes were level with his.

You started to say something, but then Loki walked in. He faltered before coming to a dead standstill. Once he gathered himself, he turned and left. Thor chuckled softly while you just dropped your head in dejection.

“I will help you.” His hands rested on your shoulders for a moment before he rubbed your arms gently.

“He’s not very tolerant of humans, and I’d rather just leave him alone,” you replied.

“Loki says many things that he doesn’t mean,” Thor commented. “You shouldn’t take it to heart.”

You shook your head with a shrug and started to slide off the counter, but his hands on your knees stopped you. Before you fainted from the shock, he tilted your face upwards so that your gaze met his.

“I believe he will come around, just follow my lead, hmmm?”

— ——

Three weeks later, Loki was almost ecstatic when a mission came up. He’d had to witness Thor showing you all kinds of attention, and was quite ready to blow stuff up, or get stabby with someone. His temper got the best of him, and almost everyone felt the sting of it. Except for you, he couldn’t bring himself to snap at you, so he limited his contact to avoid doing it.

First, there was movie night, when his brother sat beside you (too closely in his opinion), and shared your popcorn bowl. Then, during an outing at a nightclub, hosted by Stark, he’d watched in silence when Thor guided you to the dance floor. He took a small amount of comfort in seeing that Thor struggled with the Midgardian dances, but the fact that his brother held you in his arms (again, *much* too closely) nearly made him lose control.

Finally, there were the flowers that Thor gave you, apparently not knowing that you were allergic. You had sneezed violently for several hours before the vase was “accidentally” knocked off the dining table and to the floor, where it broke. The flowers ended up in the garbage, and Loki felt much better after that.

Now everyone was on the quinjet, with Thor inevitably beside you. For the most part, the trip was silent and allowed everyone to check their gear and to get their minds locked into what needed to be done.

A Hydra facility had been found, which needed to be neutralized, and any data retrieved from the computers. That task fell to you and Natasha, so she handed you an encrypted thumb drive, which you carefully secured in a pocket. Together, you both poured over the map of the facility, plotting the quickest way in and out once you had what you’d been assigned to get. You’d take separate routes so that if one couldn’t get there, the other could get the data.

— —

Loki was to meet up with Steve in a tunnel close to the computer rooms, so he silently slipped past other rooms and entrance points, taking care not to make any noise. When he drew closer to the target, he heard fighting up ahead. He grew even more cautious as he moved toward the sounds.

It only took a split second for him to recognize that you were fighting with a Hydra agent, and that two more of them were on the ground, quite still. You fought with a sharp dagger in each hand, and held your own against the larger man. As he watched, he thought that the way you moved, with conservative motions that saved your energy, was one of the most beautiful things he’d ever seen. He had watched before while you trained, or even during other missions, but he’d never actually *seen* you. Now, though, he was ready to toss Thor aside in order to take his place.

You’d defeated your opponent, and now stood looking at the three men on the floor in order to make sure that they were out of commission. A movement in your peripheral caught your attention, and you turned quickly.

“Loki! I’m—“

You were interrupted when he snaked an arm around your waist and lifted you off the floor. His lips found yours in a fierce kiss, surprising you by the move. After a moment, your arms slid over his shoulders as he pulled back to look into your eyes.

“What was that for?“ you asked, breathlessly.

“So that you will *forget* my brother,” he growled.

You blinked before you kissed him back with an intensity that matched his.

“Forget who?” You asked.

“Minx,” he said, rolling his eyes.

You couldn’t help but laugh, which drew a smile from him.

“I suppose that I should give him the bad news,” you remarked.

“The sooner the better,” Loki told you, firmly.

“Have I ever told you just how *hot* you look in your armor?” You asked, deciding just to go for it.

“No, I don’t believe so,” he replied, pretending to mull that over.

Before you could respond to that, there came a reminder that there was a job to do.

“Hey, you two, this is not the time nor place to play kissy face!” Tony’s voice came over the comm units.

Loki rolled his eyes again before setting you on your feet.

— —

After the facility had been secured and left in the hands of the support unit, the quinjet carried the team home. Before take off, Loki guided you to a seat, and sat down beside you. When Thor sat across the aisle, Loki put an arm around your shoulders in order to pull you closer, all the while staring at Thor, daring him to say or do something.

When your head fell against his neck, Loki’s attention moved to you, and he found that you’d fallen asleep already. Thor still watched the two of you, with a slight smile on his face.

“It seems that the better man has won,” Thor finally commented.

*Damn straight,* Loki thought.

[justalittletomato]

Flowers  (Savage x Reader) p 3

Summary: Gosh darn these two are fun....so in love but will one of them please say something??? 

Part 1 

Part 2 

You fidget with your sleeves made of a silky material and with buttons that were too dainty for you to use effectively. How do people use such clothing?

“There you are.” the familiar Starlight takes hold of your arm, “Ready for your first day with a clean bill of health?”

First day outside of the little world of just you and Savage? No. Ready for this to the start of being with Savage outside the little room? Yes.

“I suppose” you answer to your companion. She sighs, “He meant to be here to walk you to the council room, but a meeting came up. “

You feel heart your flutter at that, it would have been nice to walk down together. He’d likely take your arm in case you felt a bit uneasy. He was always taking care of you and making sure you were alright. It calmed you to be around him, he was first person in this new life of yours.

It would have been wonderful to walk down the hall together arm and arm and imagine what your new life would be like. Maybe you would have asked Savage to wait just a bit before you two went into the meeting, you’d ask him to come a bit lower so he can hear you. You would have mentioned that you wanted to tell him something, something that ached in your heart…

“Don’t worry I made sure for the rest of the day you two are seated next to each other.” You look away in shyness as Starlight smiles. The Consort knew too much already, she could see it in your face and likely in the way you would have a little smile when she brought up Savage. Savage had tried to keep Starlight away convinced his brother’s Consort was pestering you.

“Now no need to thank me…but” she looks you over, you sigh you already know what’s going to happen. “I have a better idea for your outfit, there will be a few prominent figures I’m afraid.”  you are tugged back into the room.

Somehow you end up in a golden dress on level with Starlight’s, much too grand, pleasing to the eye and for some reason a wrap about your shoulders, she kept insisting upon.  “Well it is chilly,” you look at yourself. It was nothing you would have picked but you couldn't help but be in a bit of awe at the sight.

You don’t see her grin. No not a hint of it as she walks behind you, the wrap with a design wings on your back.

You had forgotten that you were now in a palace, each hall filled with artistry and windows to show the outside capital, you have to remind yourself to listen to Starlight before getting lost in the scenery. Oh you would have loved to seen this with Savage as the sun came over the horizon.

“A small bit of advice, address the two as lords and I as consort, and don’t worry about Maul. He said he be nice today, and he should be after I was done with him last night.”

Your face burns as she traces over a few marks about her neck and a few she shows you that go quite low and she whispers to you where a few others are and you likely wont be able to look at Starlight or Maul in the face after.

“He must really like your kisses.” you mumble.

“Oh it was more than kisses…” she sighs dreamily, “ I might have tuckered him out a bit, but that just makes things a little easier.”

You knew what she was implying and your face burns more and more. Tuckered him out?

Now you have only met Maul on an occasion or two and even then it was not a direct interaction. Crimson skin and eyes that glowed, his mouth set into a constant scowl and from the looks of it reflected his mood. The tattoos on his face sharper and more jagged, he had an air about him that you would never dream of crossing. You had seen him angry and that was enough to know never to be in his path in such a mood.

Savage spoke fondly of his brother and by that he also made sure to add how frustrated he often was with him, always quick to anger and competitive. But yet, Savage loved him, he was his only brother after all and it had been sometime since he was close to anyone. In this new life they can choose what they do, of course his brother is set on getting revenge on what has happened to him..but for Savage…he gets a new life and gets to choose.

You step behind Starlight as she opens the door, and in the two of you go. Everyone rises from the table, and you stand frozen as Starlight introduces you. All eyes set on you and you fumble in your curtsy, were you supposed to curtsy? No matter, your eyes look around and stop on the golden Zabrak who stares at you.

Oh you you were truly an Angel in that gown, soft and with a grace about you. Starlight had done your hair and made sure you were ever bit more radiant, if that were possible.

Savage can’t keep his eyes away.

Nor do others.

“If we are done with introductions can we continue?” the crimson Zabrak at the end of the table announces, he is watching Savage and you carefully, his eyes also cast to the rest of the table. Thoughts passed, he furrows his brow, that will not be allowed to play out.

“Where did they hide them?”

“Poor dear must be so frightened.”

“Oh my he’d crush them.”

“I would love to take that one with me…”

You take your seat next to Savage and offer a quiet hello, “I missed you this morning,” already your heart flutters being this close and seeing that he can’t keep his eyes off you.

Well maybe he is just worried, he had been caring for you for quite some time. You two were… friends.

“So did I.” he keeps staring.  Entranced by the sight of you next to him. He had longed for this, but he isn’t blind either. He saw the others look as well and he could hear the thoughts around him.

He would never harm you, he wanted nothing more than to protect you. Oh and you were never once frightened of him, no you never were. From the first moment you had reached for him and had been at his side since, he was your protector if you so wished. And that last thought, who had thought that? He grows a bit angered at the thought, he had not told you, he had to tell you before you were stolen away from his side….wait how can you be stolen if you were never his… You could have your choice of partner and while it would break his hearts he’d let you go. For now, he would treasure this moment at your side.

“ I apologize I had the intention to walk you over here.” he finally says, but this sitting so close to another would do just as well.  His…not his….Angel walking in with a friend at their side and eager to sit with him. He would cherish this memory when you finally chose to leave.

You take his hand, your small hand on his.  “You can after the meeting, I haven’t seen much of the palace.”

We can see it together.

He can’t wait, the time together did not have to end, he gets to have another chance, here is another chance for the two of you to speak and be around the other.

“Savage…will you please turn your attention to the meeting.” Maul remarks. “we are glad that your guest is well enough to join, but we need to continue…”

Starlight glares at Maul, he was supposed to be nice.

———-

The meeting is long but that doesn’t phase you, you like being near Savage and it helps that you even offer a few suggestions about certain commodities that are being exported.

“Y/N’s homeworld is known for its agriculture. They have been a wonderful help in today’s settlements,”

There’s a small round of mutters, all good you hope.

There is a small intersession in between and a tap on your shoulder. You swear you hear a rumbling sound, like thunder before a storm as one of the councilors asks to speak with you.

There is that rumble again as you step away from the table.

“ I cannot not help but commend your proposal in the matters at hand, were you formally educated in business affairs?”

You shake your head, “I helped to run my families apothecary it came with the experience.”

“Beautiful and clever…” your friendly smile fades just a bit, “if you should desire I can offer you a position that is with more favorable company.”

You don’t want this conversation to continue. You don’t like the way it was said or the suggestion that your current companions were not favored.

“Y/N is a valuable member of my council.” Maul has appeared at your side and is glaring at the councilor, “ They will remain here as long as they wish, in the company they want. I suggest you turn away now.”

The councilor moves quickly away and announces they will be leaving shortly after. You look to Maul, he looks to you, “ Be a bit wary they are not the only one who will make such an offer.” he offers his hand and you take it.

“Are you planning to stay?” he asks as he walks you back to the table. Savage and Starlight are talking, her hand on his arm and a stern look on her face.

There is no where else to be. You just want to stay here. You don’t want to go, if you do you would leave Savage. You don’t want that, you want to be here even if its just as friends.

“Yes,” is all you can say.

Maul nods, “Good.”

He brings you back to Savage whose glaring at the councilor who just left and when he sees you, there’s a small smile and the gentle purr you sometimes can hear. You had come back to his side!

“I actually need you two to get something for me.” Maul announces

——-

The cellar is small and cramped, well at least this one was. You grumble and fidget for the light,

“Are you sure there’s no other way?”

Savage hits the door once again, “No…we’ll have to wait.” the two of you sigh and remain in the cellar with the artifacts Maul wanted.

Now you two were trapped in and had to wait to get out of. You sigh just bit, its warm in here.

Savage is standing up an moving towards you, “ You aren’t running a fever are you?” there’s a hand on your forehead and you hold your breath at how gently he touches you.

“No. No I’m not.” Your face burns as he keeps trying to ensure this.

“Damn my hands are too cold for this.” you almost faint as you feel his lips press to your forehead, “ hmmm” you're skin is ablaze now. his lips move to your cheek.

“Y/N are you sure?”

you barely squeak out a yes. He sighs, “Oh good…I don’t want you getting sick. I liked seeing you today, you look nice,”

Radiant, beautiful, an Angel, enchanting,  how he wanted to say these instead but once again he couldn't. He doesn’t get to say those things.

“Starlight made me wear it…it is at least  very soft.” you whisper in the dark. He can see you perfectly, your fingers rub at the material.

“May I?” he asks. you mutter a yes and your hearts race when a hand presses over your waist. Why is he being so bold? Was it what the councilor had said? He can’t lose you like that…so quickly and gone out of sight. He has to tell you…he must.

After his lips touched your forehead and you swore your hearts beat ever so faster.

He runs his hand down your waist, he loves the  soft and silky material and the feel of your waist under his hand. You lean into the touch ever so slightly. “It is nice…” your face grows hot again.

“Y/N..you're getting warm again.” he is mentally sabotaging himself from confessing, covering it all with concern over his…not his…Angel.

Its is not a fever…he leans in a bit close to check, lips to your forehead once more. You shiver and so does Savage.

“It’s not a fever.” you whisper, “Its not that…” 

He leans in closer, “What is it then?”

He needs to know, then he will tell you. Tell me Angel…

“Why is your heart beating so fast and why are your cheeks are burning?” There’s only a small gap between you two now, your lips are so close.

“Savage…” you whisper and lift your head  a bit higher you want to close the gap, tell him by showing.

“Y/N..” your lips are only a centimeter away from him. “Tell me what it is…”

The top of your lip brushes his, “Savage..I..” just a little more, your lips brush just a bit. It burns..just the smallest touch burns. 

“I..”

The door swings open and Savage growls while you mentally cry out, no no no….you had been so close!!!

A little foundling huffs, “This is my hiding place, you two need to go.”

@savagesbonergarage​ @dvthomir​ @literatureandqueen​ @hannagoldworthy​ @theknightsofwren​ @zabrak-show​ @phantomofthenormandy​ @tupdidtherightthing​ @brilliantbutbatty​ @mother-0f-monsters​ @apocalypticwafflekitten​ @always-on-tatooine​ @imgonnabuildatardis​ 

If anyone ever wants a tag let me know!!! 

[soft-sunflower]

Flower of Evil Thoughts: Part 1- Episode 11

OKAY. FIRST OF ALL. WAS I RIGHT OR WAS I RIGHT? ABOUT MANY THINGS. I KNEW we were in for a massive emotional blow from Hyunsoo. I KNEW we were in for getting our hearts utterly wrecked by him and Jiwon. I know mine is. I KNEW who the accomplice was. I just... KNEW. I love that so many of my theories were correct from the get go. Alright, on we go to this week's episode thought post made by yours truly.

Alright so, we begin our episode at the hospital. OMG!!! Our little baby girl Eunha had just been born!!! Jiwon is overcome with all kinds of emotion. One of the things she says is "I'm grateful that she made it." It makes me wonder if there were complications during Eunha being delivered? Hyunsoo is trying to understand the reason for his wife's tears, and expresses to her that he's worried when she asks what's on his mind. I have a pretty good idea of what he's worried about, but obviously he cannot say this to Jiwon.

"What if she doesn't like me?" Translates to

"What if she resents having me for her father? What if she ends up like me, unable to express or understand emotions? What if she ends up like my father? What if she doesn't have your personality? What if I fail her the way I was failed growing up?"

Of course he can't say this because he doesn't even really know nor understand it himself.  Then their baby girl starts to cry. Hyunsoo looks curiously at her and asks Jiwon

"Why did she suddenly burst into tears?"

Jiwon explains she probably shares their feelings.

"There's a lot she wants to say, but she can't put it into words yet."

I feel like this is important to pay attention to. A lot she wants to say, but can't put it into words and this is why she's crying. Hmmm...

Alright, so back to Haesoo discovering the green bracelet back when the hospital opened, and she hears a strange sound outside. I have to admit, when she ripped open the curtains, it gave me a jumpscare haha. I thought something BAD was gonna be out there waiting for her! They sure do a good job at keeping the suspense up! I wasn't sure what was going to happen. lol You never can tell in this drama. It's always got me on my toes. Haesoo is getting closer and closer to the accomplice. She can feel it. I can too, but it has me worried.

OKAY so, we finally pick back up at the scene in present-day for Jiwon where last week's episode ended with Detective Choi Jaeseop confronting Jiwon about Do Hyunsoo's identity. I felt a very strong, almost brotherly aspect from Detective Choi here with Jiwon, but he still frustrated me unbelievably. I get it, he's a cop. Just doing his job, but still... please use your brain on this rather than taking a cold case at face value. There's A LOT more going on he does not know. I have to give him props for covering smoothly for Jiwon. I know he isn't doing this to hurt Jiwon. That this is his job, but I don't have to like it. I just hate how he acts on his gut feeling and what he's "heard" or hearsay rather than working with Jiwon to uncover the truth that Do Hyunsoo did not kill the village foreman.

Also excuse me?? I'm sorry, Detective Choi, but her emotions are VERY VERY real. Whether you want to believe that or not. Jiwon knows so much more than you do about this entire ordeal and you should stop riding on your own emotions for a moment and work with your teammate rather than telling her she needs off the case. Such as, finding out the real Heeseong is NOT dead. He's been comatose for 14+ years and now he's wide awake and talking. This is one case she HAS to be on no matter what. Because he is so dearly misinformed. I'm getting a little tired of this "He's deceiving you" crap about Hyunsoo because we all know this isn't the truth. Yes, he kept his real identity secret, but he never faked anything around her. He showed her openly who he really is and can be. He was NEVER Baek Heeseong. He was ALWAYS Do Hyunsoo. A good person.

When Jiwon fell to her knees pleading  (Moon Chaewon's delivery of "Sunbae, please!" and "I'll put my life on the line to prove his innocence!" hurt so much that if I had been standing, I would've went to my knees too *sob* Well done, girl) to him. I do like how he wanted to try and protect her by saying "You don't know anything." I have to give him some credit for that.

"It's obvious how the world will see him. Everyone will throw rocks at him and taunt him indefinently."

Oh Jiwon... he's already been through that. LITERALLY. *glares are freaking Moojin* But we definitely don't want that happening to him again. He's a GOOD man and he deserves for the world to see that he's good and he's innocent. You are going to be the one who can prove who he is to the world. And no, Detective Choi... she won't thank you. Not now or ever for arresting any innocent man that also happens to be her husband. I'm sorry, but no. She won't.

We cut to Hyunsoo and Moojin together in Hyunsoo's car... I knew from the start that this operation was too well put together. There's no way that transaction was gonna flow as smoothly as Hyunsoo hoped it would. Though I'm glad that Moojin did come along for help and I'm glad that Hyunsoo had a plan B if things went south, which they ALWAYS do because hello? This is Kdrama world haha. The bugging device was clever on Hyunsoo's part, and I'm glad he was thinking ahead on that one. This stuff is never bound to go right. And once again, clever clever with turning on the switch AFTER he'd been ran over with the detector. Nice one.

Alright, Detective Choi earned more redemption from me here when he smoothly lied to their fellow teammates about "Eunha being sick and in the hospital." I will give him more credit here. Credit where credit is due, but I am SO proud of Jiwon for not backing down on this, stepping in and taking charge. Girl, GET. IT!! Protect your man!!!I LOVE her fierce determination here. You aren’t gonna stop her, sunbae.

YES!!! Moojin has the address to where the people captured by the human traffickers are waiting! I'm so glad for this honestly. I'm really glad Hyunsoo bugged that bag. Jiwon gets the call from the "informant" (Moojin pretending to be Hyunsoo, which YES she IS needed on this case THANK YOU very much) and now they know where they can rescue those kidnapped people while busting the trafficking ring.

"You want me to just stay in the office and wait!? What would you do in my shoes?"

And it seems Detective Choi has a moment of conscience here because what WOULD he do? He's got a wife too, right? What would HE do if this were HIS wife that he so dearly loves??? That's right. He'd be just like Jiwon. Who wouldn't??

Ahhh, just as Yeom Sangchul is about to hand over the photos of the accomplice to Hyunsoo, his phone rings... and guess what it says on the screen? BAEK. Yep. That's right. Freaking BAEK. And it's the unfather. It's Baek Manwoo calling to not only put a hit out on Hyunsoo but to tell the trafficker that he's working with the police to catch them and offers him TWICE the money he's already giving them if they kill Hyunsoo... I mean REALLY??? WTF you shady bastard! I had a BAD feeling from him since the very first episode and those bad feelings just continue to be confirmed to me. This whole Baek family are nothing but creepy, shady, untrustworthy assholes covering up some major shit such as WORKING WITH HUMAN TRAFFICKERS. Down to the point that Yeom Sangchul called him "Sir." UGH. DISGUSTING.

Heeseong is "scared" of Do Hyunsoo? Oh please... Why I do I feel like a lot of this that he's pulling off is a big act? I dunno. I could be wrong but I do not trust him in the least.

And now Noona!? Girl what are you DOING!? Haven’t you ever heard the term Stranger Danger? Well, these are strangers and this is danger! Watching her go behind those iron gates just gives me this creepy "point of no return" vibe. You know? She is far far too trustworthy... Was it smart to tell them her name?? And that Hyunsoo is her brother?? The look on Heeseong's face SCREAMS guilty when he hears Haesoo speak her name. I'm JUST saying. He's fucked. He KNOWS who Haesoo is after all. 

YESSSS!!!! So gratifying watching the cops BUST that trafficking ring! Thank you, Hyunsoo!! Your tip off just saved A LOT of lives. I really hope the cops so eager to imprison him realize this too on top of his innocence. Jiwon and Jaeseop's chase of the bartender on the bridge was awesome. I loved watching Jiwon switch directions with both her and Jaeseop have him surrounded on that bridge. When I saw Jiwon get stabbed I screamed. I really screamed. Because I thought for sure she was hurt, and thank GOD she had protective gear on. I love how she reemed Jaeseop's ass for not wearing his. HAH! And you didn't want her on this case! My girl is a legit badass.

Then when Jaeseop told her not to butt in in the future, and asked if she knew how scared he was (awww like a big ole brother protecting his sister), Jiwon tells him "I have no future." Oh god... *chokes* Yes you do, baby girl. Yes you do. You just don't know it yet. They capture the guy, are about to head back and she tells him "I still have something to do." YESSSS Queen. Go get your man! He's still wearing his watch. You'll find him so go get him out of that dangerous place!!!

Annnnd now the big moose trafficker guy working with Yeom Sangchul is beating the holy hell out of our Hyunsoo. I knew this was bound to happen. NONE of these things ever go properly or smoothly in Kdrama and of course it's for dramatic affect, but still. It's hard to watch him get tossed around and beaten like a ragdoll. Hyunsoo tries to fight back, but it's almost like no will is there. He's just going through the motions. He throws Hyunsoo into a shelving unit and slams his head off of a glass bottle, shattering it and busting his head open. And then he slams his head through a glass cabinet door. Again... another head injury.  (This poor man seriously needs to get thoroughly checked and evaluated for head injury, fractures, contusions, concussions, etc... because with how much he's hit his head... goodness!!!)

Awww, Moojin... you tried really hard to save Hyunsoo, didn't you with the fire extinguisher act? That's definitely a redeeming quality for you here. I'm grateful you did that, even if it wasn't very effective. He can't get out, Moojin.. he's had the shit beat out of him and now he's tied up. But I so appreciate your efforts in trying to rescue our protagonist. Why does Lee Joongi have to be so incredibly gorgeous, even when he's got bloody head wounds and is all tied up. Gosh. My brain is thinking lots of things. Okay let's FOCUS.

THIS WHOLE BAEK FAMILY IS A SHADY, FAKE, LYING SACK OF SCUM. PLEASE, Noona... PLEASE do not fall for this. HAH. Well, their son isn't comatose anymore. He's wide awake. Also, took pity on Hyunsoo!? No they didn't. Not even CLOSE. They used him to their advantage. They're worried Hyunsoo will get caught up in it? HAHA! BULLSHIT. And you KNOW he isn't a criminal and yet you treat him like one!? Why not just leave the him TF alone. He doesn't want your son's identity anymore. You're putting hits on him with a human trafficker and you're gonna act like he matters? Noona, please... PLEASE don't fall for their act.

Oh she's telling them too much. WAY too much. She's giving them too much vital information, and I'm really afraid that this is going to be somehow used against her... especially in regards to the accomplice... who I believe is also CHEWING HIS NAILS ON HIS LEFT HAND. JUST LIKE I SAID HE WAS DOING IN THE PREVIEW. WHICH IS ANOTHER LEAD TO HIM BEING THE ACCOMPLICE. Those left nails. Chewed off. Nervous habit obviously, but STILL OBVIOUS OKAY. The real Heeseong IS the accomplice. Look at the way the whole Baek family behaves. They're a horrible, scary, shady family trying to cover their murderous son's ass.

Ohhhh CRAP, Moojin!!! He is getting the holy HELL beat out of him and he's getting it on video on his phone too! Like WOW!!! People are seeing this stuff live!!! This is absolutely crazy!!! No good stomping the phone, bro. All of that was just broadcast live. Good luck getting out of your lil trafficker ring hideout on time. You're gonna burn Hyunsoo alive??? Seriously??? That's pretty cruel. At least Hyunsoo tries to be clever by also trying to weasel the name out of the guy that ratted him out. Oh if ONLY Hyunsoo could find out!! That's MORE valuable information to help clear his name! That the shady unfather put a hit out on him. He deserves to know that this man is out for his blood.

YASSSSSSSSSS JIWON!!!! GO QUEEN!!! GO AND SAVE YOUR MAN!!!! GET HIM OUTTA THERE AND BLOW THAT TRAFFICKER'S HEAD OFF!!!! Obviously this isn't going to happen. Jiwon wouldn't kill unless absolutely necessary is what I believe. She is a police officer after all, but there was NOTHING like watching Jiwon have her gun to that piece of garbage excuse for a human being gang punk bastard's head while looking at her husband saying "Sweetie, are you alright?" It's a whole.fucking.ass.mood. I'll reiterate my statement from earlier. JIWON IS A LEGIT BADASS. She is such an amazing lead female. The look on Hyunsoo’s face... It’s like he’s in a state of shock.

YAY!!! The victims are FREE!!! Thank god In Seo is okay!! And yes, sweet precious baby boy. You can go home. You most certainly can go home and don't ever EVER run away from your mother ever again. You stay next to her and both of you need to protect each other and keep each other out of any dangerous situations, y'know, like showing up in shady places that involve a human trafficking ring. No more trying to take on fake jobs that will "make you lots of money." That's the first sign it's a dangerous situation and non-legit. Also, I love how the team leader knows Jaeseop is lying to him, but that he wouldn't do it without good reason. And I'm glad he's still keeping it up. I like that he's still protecting Jiwon. Even if that means lying to their team leader. He's going to make his arrest in the morning, but he's going to let Jiwon and Hyunsoo have the whole night together... oh god, my heart. Please don't imprison an innocent man...

Oh, Hyunsoo... oh honey. You can see emotion beginning to brim the surface here as he stumbles out Jiwon's name saying "You knew...?" Yes, sweetheart. She's known for a little while now, and she was completely unsure of what to do or how to tell you until she got the truth of it all. And here she is. Getting you out of there. Rescuing you and protecting you. Jiwon is your fiercest protector. That much is clear. And OMG DO NOT PUT YOUR GUN AWAY JIWON. GET YOUR CUFFS BUT DO NOT... OH NO!!!!

Gangster piece of SHIT is attacking her!!! And Hyunsoo is LOSING it because he's tied up and he can't get to his wife! So what does he do while he watching this nasty bastard try to kill her? ADRENALINE SURGE! He literally BUSTS the handles off the cabinet with tied up arm strength alone because the idea of his wife being choked to death in front of him has sent him into a frenzy, gets his hands free and beats the ever living deserving SHIT out of Yeom Sangchul, to the point that he's seeing RED and he's going to kill this son of a bitch for daring to lay a hand on his wife. He's in full blown protective husband mode and it's actually pretty hot. I can't help it. It is. Whenever JG fights, he is like fire hot sexy af, and I LOVE every moment of it.

Okay, so Jiwon pulls him off of Sangchul and here we go... she's telling him. He's telling him she knows. She's telling him that Detective Choi has evidence that he's Do Hyunsoo, and the way she tells him he can't go home (omg his FACE at this words...) keeps telling him to go, slaps his chest and shoves him back, tells him to run and never come back to her again, and the look on his face breaks my heart, because I feel like this tells him she knows and doesn't want him anymore. She knows your real identity and this is why she wants you gone. She doesn't love you anymore, she wants you gone. The person Do Hyunsoo is not worth the love of a woman like Cha Jiwon.

“You’re good at running and hiding!” Ohhh ouch, Jiwon... I truly believe that this is how he feels because that's how he's lived all of his life. Believing himself unworthy of love because of all the adults who failed him in his life, the adults who didn't help him, teach him, show him what it's like to be loved, what love feels like, what the emotions that accompany love feel like. He's emotionally shaken. It's written all over his face, his eyes, and his body language. The man who supposedly can't recognize emotion is getting very emotional. He's lost. He doesn't know what to do. Jiwon is just as equally crushed. She doesn't want to lose her husband, but of course Hyunsoo does not know this. He believes Jiwon doesn't want him anymore. So he does as he's told and leaves the room with his head bowed. All Jiwon can do is cry over her retreating husband. That was hard to watch...

Moojin rushes in to find Jiwon on the phone asking for backup and Yeom Sangchul unconscious on the floor...

To be continued in Part 2

[aethelflaedladyofmercia]

Dream a Little Dream - 5

Nearly finished! My next @bingokisses prompt was “Sleepy Good Night Kisses/Head on Shoulder.” In this chapter, Aziraphale begins to realize what’s been happening - next chapter will bring the thrilling conclusion!

You can catch up on the story so far on AO3!

Chapter 5: 1941 - Boulevard of Broken Dreams

Aziraphale held Crowley’s heel in his hand, gently wiping the ball of his foot with a dripping cloth. The other foot soaked in the tub of water, warm, gently steaming. His walk across the church floor had left blisters, and there was little Aziraphale could do to heal them. But he could tend to them, nonetheless.

He wanted, very much, to thank Crowley. But they didn’t say thank you, that wasn’t how they operated. This was all he had to offer.

On the sofa, Crowley murmured, a little sound of relief, of pleasure, of exhaustion. He was very nearly asleep, slumped onto the cushions, arms hanging loose beside him. So different from the energy he usually showed, the way he’d hopped into the church, all full of clever ideas and witty speech…

Crowley’s head nodded as he drifted off. Aziraphale’s hands kept moving of their own accord as he watched, the purse of Crowley’s lips, the lock of hair that broke free to fall across his forehead.

Perhaps he should fetch a blanket, tuck it around Crowley. Sit beside him on the sofa. Tug him down to rest his head on Aziraphale’s shoulder. Kiss his sleep-soft lips as he drifted off.

He could imagine it perfectly; Aziraphale was very experienced in daydreaming by now. He could imagine how Crowley would stir, ever so slightly, one golden eye cracking open, then shutting just as quick. The way the little smile would struggle to remain hidden, even as he tipped his head back, offering his lips for another kiss.

Aziraphale would laugh, softly. “No, you’ve had one already. You need to sleep now, my dear.”

“Nhhh,” Crowley would complain, and pout until Aziraphale relented, bending down to give him a second, a third, a fourth.

“You were marvelous today,” Aziraphale would murmur, his lips hovering close above Crowley’s. “Of course, you’re always marvelous. My wonderful Crowley.”

One more kiss, perhaps, and then settle Crowley comfortably on his shoulder to sleep, arm around him. Aziraphale could imagine it, the warmth he felt in Crowley’s feet, only pressed all down the length of his side. “I’m…I’m so glad you came,” he would confess, not sure if the demon could still hear him. “I wasn’t sure if you would after…after the dreadful things I said.”

“Don’t be stupid,” Crowley muttered, “I’ll always come for you.”

Aziraphale froze, half pulled back to reality by the words he was sure he’d heard – not imagined, heard.

“Ah…” He glanced up at where Crowley’s head was bent entirely over the back of the sofa. “Crowley? Are you…?”

No response except a snore, surprisingly gentle.

Tugging at the thread of his daydream – not quite snapped – Aziraphale slid back into it, imagining Crowley curling against him. In his mind, he asked, uncertainly, “Crowley? Can you hear me?”

“Mmmmh,” said Crowley – the real Crowley – the one sprawled on his own on the sofa. “Course I can. Not that far gone yet.”

“Oh, dear,” Aziraphale said, in his mind and out loud.

“Something wrong?”

It wasn’t perfectly clear, of course. Crowley didn’t so much talk in his sleep as mumble. But the “Smmm’ng rn,” he managed in reality perfectly matched the tone and inflection of the words in Aziraphale’s mind.

“Could you…” In his mind he prodded Crowley’s shoulder urgently. “Could you…be a dear and…and just sit up for a moment? Wake yourself up?”

“Don’t wanna,” he complained, but sat up, opening his eyes.

Only in the daydream. The real Crowley continued to sleep, and to mumble.

“Oh, oh, this is quite troubling,” the angel said, getting up to pace nervously in the dream world, as his other self continued patting at Crowley’s foot with a wet cloth. “Oh, oh, this really shouldn’t be happening.”

As an angel, of course, he had the ability to enter dreams. The dreams of mortals, though, surely not of ethereal beings. And he had to will himself to do it, it was quite difficult, requiring a meditative state and some sort of connection, a physical or emotional bond.

“Is something wrong?” Crowley stood up and followed him, not limping, naturally, in this dream his feet wouldn’t hurt at all.

Of course, the foot washing. That must be the physical bond keeping them connected.

He dropped Crowley’s foot immediately, splashing water all across his knees and the carpet around him. The demon stirred, slightly, but that was all. The dream didn’t dissolve, and Crowley’s golden eyes still watched him with concern “Tell me, Angel, I can help.” His hand reached for Aziraphale’s arm.

“No!” Aziraphale stepped back, pulling away. This wasn’t right, this wasn’t right at all. His mind was now quite agitated, they were no longer touching, surely, surely that was enough. Normally when he entered a human’s dream, he had to fight to maintain the contact, like swimming against the current. But somehow he’d crossed into Crowley’s mind without even noticing.

Had he done this before?

How would he know?

Aziraphale cleared his throat, tried to smile, even as he circled around his armchair. “Crowley. My dear. Er. Do you ever…ah, remember your dreams?”

“Almost always, yeah.” He crossed his arms and leaned against the back of the chair. “Why?”

“Nothing. No. Um. Do you…do you ever dream about me?” He held his breath.

Crowley grinned, white teeth flashing. “Oh, yes. All the time.”

He clapped a hand over his mouth, trying to hold in the squeak of distress. That doesn’t mean anything, surely? “What…what sort of…dreams?”

“Nnnnh.” A lopsided smile. “I don’t like to tell. Kind of embarrassing.” But he leaned closer anyway. “There was one where I was a princess in a tower, and you came to rescue me, but I turned into a dragon.”

“Oh!” Aziraphale’s face grew quite warm.

“Used to have that one a lot actually.” Crowley rubbed his chin. “Ehhh, let’s see, this fantastic one involving a masked ball in Florence, another one where you rescued me from pirates – I remember because the very next night I had the exact same dream, only it was me rescuing you. Hmmm. At least five different ones where we’re both humans, ah, usually with flowers or coffee involved somewhere. And lots of kissing.” He waggled his eyebrows. “Other stuff, too. Not sure you’d approve.”

Aziraphale pressed a hand to his mouth. Oh, he would very much approve – he remembered coming up with each of those scenarios, remembered how real they’d felt as they played out in his mind, how vivid.

And how rapidly they’d spun out of his control once Crowley started speaking, always to a better place than he could have predicted…

It was rather the opposite of how a dream visitation went. Which could only mean, Aziraphale wasn’t in Crowley’s dream. Crowley was in his.

How much control did he have? Could he force Crowley to play along with a fantasy? He should test it, but the very idea was abhorrent. Not to mention the only thing he actually desired right now was for Crowley to wake up and that wasn’t happening!

“Did you ever…” He thought as quickly as he could. “Did you ever dream about us – us…dancing?”

“Nnnnno…”

Aziraphale breathed a sigh of relief. Of course not, Crowley would never agree to—

“I mean, I did dream that we were in this room with…piano music, and you were teaching me how to hop around, but I certainly wouldn’t call that dancing.”

“The gavotte is certainly a dance and – oh, good lord.”

“That was it! How’d you know?” Crowley stepped out from behind the chair. “Something like this,” he tried a couple quick coupés, very inexpertly done. “Only went along because I liked how you smiled.”

Did that mean Crowley could have stopped if he wanted to? No, Aziraphale had played out that fantasy dozens of times, and the demon had almost never complained. “Did you…” his voice was very faint. “Did you dream that often?” Oh, no, Aziraphale had been thinking about it just the other day…

“Nh. Only once, ages ago.”

The angel sighed. Good.

“Now, on the other hand,” and that wicked grin came back, “there was this really interesting dream about the Bastille, and that one would not stop coming. You want to know the details of that?”

Aziraphale stumbled back, crying out in horror. No, he didn’t need to be told about that one. It had occupied him for many weeks. Replaying the rescue…the dinner…imagining what might have come after…

He’d choreographed it out in quite explicit detail.

How long? How long had he been forcing his twisted fantasies onto Crowley?

“Hey, Angel.” He looked up to find Crowley approaching slowly, head ducked, hands out, as if approaching a frightened animal. “It’s alright. Look, I’m sorry. I don’t – I shouldn’t tease. It’s a lot to take in.” Arms around him, gentle, pulling him in, pressing his head down to Crowley’s shoulder. “Look, yeah, some of them were…intense…but usually I just dream of us being…us. Just talking, like this. It’s nice.”

Aziraphale clutched at Crowley’s jacket. It felt so real under his fingers. He remembered that from too many fantasies, the tactile details, too subtle for a dream. The roughness of that coat sliding off to the cell floor, the smooth linen of the shirt underneath, the way the cravat slipped through his fingers as he unknotted it…

“But some of them were…” He pulled closer, and was horrified to realize how familiar Crowley’s body felt against his, how gentle the fingers on his back. He pushed away. Aziraphale had to be the one in control here. “Crowley, you dreamt about us—”

“Aaaaah,” Crowley ducked his head. “I knew I shouldn’t have said anything. Look, I always woke up before…they weren’t really those kinds of dreams.”

“Are you just lying to make me – to spare my—”

“You know I’d never lie to you.”

That hit almost as hard as anything else. His heart was ready to burst.

Aziraphale pressed shaking fingers to his eyes, focusing for a few seconds on the real floor, where he knelt back in reality, dampness of water spilled from the footbath creeping into his knees. Trying to ground himself. As if that were possible.

“How…” He gulped for breath, but his lungs didn’t seem to be working. “How long…” Calm yourself! “Do you recall when you started having these dreams?”

“The Ark, I think.” Crowley rubbed his neck, eyes lost in memory. “Yeah. I remember, I, uh, I really wished you’d talk to me, and then…”

And I wished I had someone to talk to. Somehow, their proximity, or their state of mind, or their shared nature had created a bond…and that bond had dragged Crowley into his mind, again and again, for thousands of years.

Aziraphale felt sick, and no amount of breathing exercises could help.

“Aziraphale…” Crowley held his hand out, but this time it was a simple offering. Not reaching for the angel, simply inviting him to reach back. “I don’t know why you’re…upset…”

“I’m so sorry…” It was all he could manage.

“S’fine,” Crowley tilted his head in confusion. “Nothing to be sorry about. I like the dreams.” He stepped forward. “I like it when you…you talk to me. Trust me. Confide in me.” Crowley stopped just inches away, close enough for Aziraphale to feel the heat of him, the soft brush of breath through his hair. “No matter what happens, in my dreams you love me. As much as I love you.”

It was finally enough of a shock to break the connection.

Aziraphale stumbled away from the sofa with a strangled gasp, like a man awakened from a nightmare. Crowley still lay, feet in the tub of water, just where Aziraphale had left him, but now he seemed to be moving with intent, waking.

No. No, no, no, no…

This night had brought too many surprises, too many turns, Aziraphale couldn’t take another, couldn’t confront the questions, could not do this.

--

“No matter what happens, in my dreams you love me. As much as I love you.”

But it didn’t make Aziraphale any less agitated. Crowley couldn’t think what could be upsetting him this badly. He’d been calm enough, back on the sofa when they’d kissed…

They’d kissed…

“Oh,” he murmured, looking over his shoulder at the sofa, soft as a bed, covered in blankets. “This is a dream. Obviously.”

First thing he noticed was his feet, wet, the water still warm but cooling. Next was the awkward angle of his neck, stiff and sore. Third was the trail of drool.

Crowley swatted at his mouth, wiping it clear, then sat up, tilting his neck and rubbing at his eyes, knocking his glasses askew.

What a weird dream.

He’d said too much in his dream, always had. As if the mental blocks that helped him keep calm evaporated as soon as he fell asleep. But he’d never seen Aziraphale as anything other than patient and accepting, so why would he...

Wait. Shit. Aziraphale.

He looked around the shop, trying to fix his hair, his glasses, and his shirt at the same time. He did not want the angel seeing him like that. It was bad enough his rescue had gone so badly off-script, this would be a disaster—

The shop was empty, no sign of movement anywhere. How long had he been asleep?

Then, a clink of ceramic-on-ceramic from the shadowy little kitchen.

Crowley stood carefully, testing his feet to see if they were still sore. No, the blisters seemed to have been soothed by the bath. Bloody miracle. He’d have to find some way to repay Aziraphale, without being too obvious.

Assuming they were talking again.

He padded across the carpet, trying not to track water, though it seemed the rug was already wet, and paused just outside the door of the back room. “Angel? You alright?”

“Fine. Perfectly – why wouldn’t I be?” He stood before the sink, scrubbing dutifully at a plate.

“Well. You’re standing here in the dark.”

“Am I?” He didn’t even turn. “No matter. I can see in the dark, you know.”

“Right.” Crowley glanced back at the rest of the shop, lit up bright as anything, despite the bombing and the city-wide black out. “Anyway, I, uh, didn’t mean to fall asleep on you. How long was I out?”

“No! I mean, were you asleep? I hardly noticed.” The sudsy water sloshed as he worked on some imperceptible stain. “I mean, I noticed, but, well, not long. Yes.”

“Ngk.” Something was wrong. Aziraphale had been all awkward smiles and warm, gentle insistence when they’d come in, and now…He’d have thought his dream was some sort of omen, except Crowley didn’t believe in such things. He did believe in his own ability to mess things up, though, and he had ample evidence for the existence of that. “M’feet feel better,” he attempted. “So. That’s good.”

“Good. Good. Excellent. You should be able to get yourself home, then.”

“Yeah, I…”

What? What the Heaven was he even supposed to say?

Look, Aziraphale, I blew up a bunch of Nazis for you, is it too much to ask for you to just make eye contact with me? What more do you want from me?

He’d thought this would do it. This would make Aziraphale realize that Crowley – that they shouldn’t be fighting, they should talk again, but what would even be the point of that, since any time he tried he just tripped over his own blessed tongue and made things worse?

But of course not, even in his dream he’d managed to ruin the night, why should reality be any different?

He took a breath and turned away.

“Nh. Guess I’ll see you around.”

Maybe in a few more decades Aziraphale would be ready to talk. Just had to give him space, right?

“I…I suppose you will.”

He manifested shoes back onto his feet – next time he walked on hallowed ground, he should bring real shoes, that might give him some shielding – and strode across the shop, trying to get out of there as quickly as possible.

“Crowley.” He turned back, one hand on the door. Aziraphale stood in the shadow of the kitchen, almost hiding behind the doorframe. “Ah. Don’t…don’t be a stranger.”

He concentrated on the doorknob, tapping his fingers, swallowed hard, forcing his heart back down from his throat. “Yeah. I – I won’t.”

--

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed the fic, please leave a comment here or on AO3!

@angel-and-serpent

[ghoulgeists]

I HAVE QUESTIONS!!! ABOUT FLINT!!!! a lot so have fun :D 4, 9, 10, 12 :) 13, 14, 17, 23, 27, 42, 44, 50, 56, 57, 59 (i think i asked this before but i forgot the answer lol), 61, 63, 67 !! also i ask about seaweed boy !! 3, 5 lol, 11, 18, 21, 30, 40, 44, 51, 59, 61, 64 !!! and a few for cadma !! 11, 19, 30, 36, 48, 53, 64, 69

UM HEWWO?!?!? THATS A LOT OF QUESTIONS! I am so excited to answer these...

Answers are under the cut! This will be... Long

Flint

4. If they could learn one spell that isn’t available to them at present, which spell would it be?

Magic in their setting is a little different, and these questions are dnd centric, but I think I can still answer this! Flint would probably be VERY interested in divination magic, of any kind. So spells that could divine futures, locate objects, or show hidden things.

9. Do they care about their appearance? How much effort do they put into presentation?

In public, appearance is a top priority. They mingle with plenty of people whenever they can, and it's important to them that they give others a good first impression, so Flint's grooming is off the charts compared to most people.

When they're crawling around in the ancient dust of a tomb, however, the way they look isn't nearly as important as grabbing as many valuable burial goods as they can!

10. How often do they lie? What situations cause them to be dishonest?

Flint's no saint, and lies plenty enough to prove it. Most of the time it's white lies to spare feelings or to get out of doing something, but the bigger lies come when people probe about their past. It's pretty obvious they don't want people to know about who they used to be, and the bigger the secret the bigger the lie they tell to keep others off their tail.

12. Have they ever been in love?

Plenty of times! Enough to count on a few hands. It's infatuation that strikes them most often, but they have been serious on occasion too.

13. What do they dislike about themself? Why?

They dislike how weak they can often be, as well as how easy it is to take advantage of them sometimes. It drives them to take the easy way out of difficult situations no matter the cost.

14. What is something they love about themself?

They love their body! All the little details from the way their hair curls, the blue of their eyes, their stature, etc. They're very comfortable, proud, and happy being themselves! 

I think this is the first character I've ever made who wouldn't want to change anything about their body for any reason :'D

17. What do they dream about, when their dreams are their own?

Beyond gold and riches, they dream about travelling to destinations both new and old, discovery, and about what stories they'll tell when they're old.

23. How do they feel about nicknames, titles, or labels that have been given to them? How do they feel about their name?

Nicknames are encouraged, but only between close friends and significant others! They don't have any titles or labels because they're not quite that infamous. Everyone who knows them refers to them by their first name, and that's what they're comfortable with because it's what they're used to!

As for how they feel about their name, they don't have strong opinions either way. It's the name they grew up with so they can't just toss it aside, but it has bad things attached to it as well. I'd say they think it's a ledger of all their (mis)deeds, and that's about it.

27. How do they mourn?

They carry on. But they swear to do better.

42. What are three words they would use to describe themself?

Confident, gorgeous, and amicable!

44. What do they need to learn?

To stop sticking their nose into trouble.

50. Can they sing? Can they dance?

Yes, Flint can sing and sings often! They will occasionally busk for lodging funds if they are ever scarce a few dollars, and have a very soothing voice that ensures at least a few people will toss them some coins. As for dancing, it's not something they're interested in, but you could always coax it out of them you can promise you'll be a good dance partner :)c

56. What animal do they most relate to?

Probably a dog? Fiercely loyal and trusting, but with a good nose (figuratively) for who they should let in on their vulnerabilities to.

57. What makes them angry?

Injustice, and the ideology that law and order outweighs the importance of the human condition. 

59. What is a quiet passion of theirs?

While not exactly quiet, they have a passion for music! Singing and playing the guitar is one of their favourite pastimes.

61. What kind of flower would they choose to pick from a meadow?

This is impractical, and they also aren't exactly found in meadows, but they would go for sunflowers. Something big and bold and bright!

63. What fight has scared them the most?

They haven't gotten there yet in the story I'm building around them, but any fight where someone almost dies and they're powerless to help is always terrifying! :^)

67. What makes them laugh?

Clever jokes, outrageous stories, and the thrill that comes from doing something dangerously stupid and getting away with it.

Tangle

3. What is their goal right now?

Two things: serve their unfathomable god to the best of their abilities, and get sweet, delicious revenge on the fishermen that almost killed him. The former is his current priority, because he knows he has plenty of years to hunt down his would-be murderers. Revenge is a dish to be savored :3c

5. Do they follow a higher power? What are their thoughts on divinity?

Before he met his patron the only thing he was concerned about was surviving. There's no time for gods when you're eking out a poor life in some nowhere village, after all!

After meeting his patron, there is honestly nothing in this world he could devote more time and attention to. So their relationship with higher powers and divinity etc all are attached by one string to a single entity!

11. What skills are they proficient in? Why?

Arcana, religion, and insight for obvious reasons! However he's also proficient in intimidation, because while he may look like a sweet boy he's actually kind of creepy (in an insane cultist kind of way), and that's sufficiently off putting enough that he can be rather intimidating.

18. Do they see themself as a leader or a follower?

lmao… definitely a follower.

21. Do they follow their head, their heart, or their body?

HMMM, I am not too sure about this yet, but probably his heart! He seems like he would be easily emotionally driven.

30. What do they seek out from others?

Open-mindedness! People who would be -cough- willingtosubmittotheoldgods -cough- -cough- I mean, people who won't judge him for his faith.

40. Do they enjoy poetry?

Nope! Not that he's had any exposure to the arts, though. I guess it would be more accurate to say he doesn't have an opinion :'D

44. What do they need to learn?

That he's not special, and his devotion to his god means barely a thing. He has in his mind this idea that he's some kind of glorious, special vessel through which his patron does its dark bidding, but in reality he's just a pile of meat labeled "minion." Until he learns that awful truth, he's got an ego about his position.

51. What is the most beautiful thing in the world, for them?

The rotten bones of shipwrecks stuck deep in the sand. They're a good source of materials, a home for the night, and they make lovely silhouettes against stormy seas.

59. What is a quiet passion of theirs?

It's done out of necessity, but they enjoy sewing up and mending clothes! 

61. What kind of flower would they choose to pick from a meadow?

Nothing specific, just any bud or bloom he can find :'D

64. Do they value mercy or justice more?

Probably justice! Although he's indifferent to things that happen to others, he is technically seeking justice for what happened to him, in his own… special way.

Cadma

11. What skills are they proficient in? why?

Athletics, performance and acrobatics because he's an active, swole boi! As well as that he's proficient in stealth and slight of hand because he is a smooth criminal, and he's also proficient in religion for a reason I cannot fathom or remember the reason for. 

19. What haunts them? What doesn’t?

Like most of my characters… the past lol… specifically, the people he's abandoned on a whim, and more pressingly his former captain, who kind of wants to spill his guts :')

What doesn't haunt him is his decisions to leave. In every instance he's left people he's found himself in a grander adventure, and he's thankful and at peace with those life decisions!

Essentially, he has the mentality that people only stay in your life for part of the journey. There’s no such thing as a lifelong partner or friend, so while he does remember people he’s left behind he thinks that charting his own course in life is more important that unbreakable bonds.

30. What do they seek out from others?

Damn good company! If you're an interesting person in any capacity Cadma will probably take a shine to you. He can't stand a stagnant lifestyle, and wants to surround himself with people who will bring adventure into his life.

36. What’s a secret they’ve kept?

It's not exactly a huge secret or anything, and anyone with eyes can tell because he has scales, but Cadma is very hush hush about his dragon ancestry and blood. It's caused him no end of troubles and he'd really rather people see him as a person rather than the inheritor of a rare bloodline.

48. What do they see in their future?

Adventure, and lots of it. Maybe a couple near death experiences too, which he is not so keen on but it comes with the job :')

53. Which is more frightening to them: day or night?

Night. Visibility is low and it's too quiet. Fires burn too bright. You have to let your guard down eventually. 

It's not a fun time.

64. Do they value mercy or justice more?

Definitely mercy! Cadma believes in second chances, and sometimes thirds. He's needed his fair share of them, so everyone else deserves chances too

69. How would they describe their party members?

Good fun and better friends! He's never been with people so easy to latch onto emotionally, and MAN is he attached to them…

---

Thank you so much for the ask, ilu!! It's so much fun talking about my characters, I love them a lot and the opportunity to get it off my chest has been really nice uwu

I am still accepting asks! And I finally have a page with links to my character's tags, in case anyone wants to peruse!

pwease... talk to me...

[five-hour-anxiety]

Valentines Day (and the Events Leading Up to It)

Summary: “Roman, why are you asking me for advice?” “I don’t know! Because normally I would go to Logan, but I clearly cannot for this!” (Or: five times Roman tried to ask Logan out, and the one time he really didn’t.)

Pairing: Logince

Taglist:  @zerogettie  @spacevirgil @tree4life25@thebiggestnaturaldisaster@pailettehazel@jordandobbertin@thecityofthefireflies @the-fabulous-kimball@azuranightsong @virmillion@erlenmeyertrash @irish-newzealand-idian-dutch  @the-sanders-sides@punch-you-with-friendship@moonshadowsiren @clovenpinetree@jughead-is-canonically-aroace@aplaceinthevoid @that-random-fandom-girl@zennyo @unring-this-bell @liz-a-bell @vir-gull

Author’s notes: hey what’s up, it’s another collab fic done with @liz-a-bell. Go yell at them too. Also, Deceit is in this one, and falls entirely in the sympathetic category. He just wants to be left alone, Roman, leave him alone.

Can be read on ao3 here!

Virgil:

“Roman, why are you asking me for advice?” 

 “I don’t know! Because normally I would go to Logan, but I clearly cannot for this!” Roman flopped onto Virgil’s bed as he spoke, whining.

 “Okay fine. Let’s see, you could just ask him.” Virgil drawled, holding out ‘could’ for a good four seconds.

 “No!” Roman whined, stamping his foot, “It has to be special! This is me you’re talking to!”

 “Okay, okay. What about, like, a sampling box of Crofters? You know, instead of a chocolate sampler?”

 “Perfect! He’ll love it!”

Attempt One:

 Roman thought he was being sneaky. He really did -- but there’s only so much he could do to keep this idea secret. Logan was picky about his jelly, even more so about Crofters. The side liked them all well enough, sure, but he had favorites and therefore only those flavors would be good enough for the box.

 Only the best for Logan, after all.

 So by the time he had all the flavors chosen, he was sure Logan knew what was going on. As much as he was loath to admit it, Roman was anything but subtle when he had breezed into the logical sides room and asked for the top ten flavors of Crofters.

 So it came as a complete surprise when the idea crashed and burned faster than his pile of notebooks from middle school.

 “Ah, how thoughtful Roman -- a box of Crofters in honor of our fan club anniversary!”

 Roman thought, for just one moment, the air had been punched out of him. He squinted his eyes and tilted his head, hands holding the Crofters sampler lowering down to his waist.

 “What?”

 “Why this is wonderful Roman! Would you like to join me for a tasting? I could even make some tea to go with it.”

 “No, that’s okay. You have fun with it.”

Patton:

 “Padre! You’re the heart and I need advice over matters of the heart!” Roman sighed, collapsing into the small couch Patton kept in his room for sleepovers.

 “Roman, hey! What can I help you with?” Patton, Roman guessed, must have been taking a nap. He fumbled around for his glasses as he spoke, and his cardigan was wrinkled and creased in odd places. “What kind of heart matters?”

 “How do ask I out a… shall we say endearingly dense man?” Roman asked, hands twitching as he resisted the urge to fix Patton’s appearance.

 “Hmmm, oh! How about a card? They make cards for everything!”

 “Yes, that could work! If I can make the right card it could make everything so much easier!”  Roman sprang up, charging towards the door with a new sense of purpose.

 “Perfect! So glad I could help kiddo!” Patton laughed, waving as Roman threw the door open and left after dipping down into a bow.

 “Well, I’ll see you later Padre, I have a card to make!” He called over his shoulder, already halfway down the hall.

Attempt 2:

 “Ah, Logan! Wait just a moment, I have something for you!” Roman huffed, coming to a stop behind the logical side.

 “Did you just-”

 “Run across the mindscape to find you? Absolutely, this simply could not wait.”

 Logan raised an eyebrow as Roman reached into his jacket, pulling out a handmade card. He presented it with a flourish, all but throwing it into Logan’s hands.

 “A...card?” Logan asked, holding it between two fingers as glitter fell off it in waves. “Thank you…?”

 “Open it, please! I worked so hard on it!”

 After shaking the card slightly to get rid of the extra glitter, Logan opened it up and read it.

 “Thank you very much, Roman, I appreciate the gift. I’m sure you are aware, given its nature, today is National Give a Card to a Friend day,” Roman’s jaw dropped as Logan spoke, “I regret to inform you that I have failed to procure a card to give you in return, but if you allow me a few hours I’m sure I could come up with a card almost as… lovely… as the one you’ve made?”

 “No, that's okay. I appreciate it, but I just wanted to give you something nice, there's no need to reciprocate,” Roman grumbled, turning away. “Have a good day.”

Deceit:

 “So you’ve tried twice already and it hasn’t worked?” Deceit sighed, trying and failing to walk away from the creative side.

 “Yes, clearly,” Roman huffed, throwing his hands up.

 “Well, you could just tell him how you feel.”

 “Yes, you’re right, that would never work,” Roman sighed, bangs flying up and off his forehead with the movement. “You’re no help!”

 Deceit watched as Roman did an about face and stomped off down the hall, slightly annoyed that Roman misunderstood. Not enough to chase him down and explain, though.

Attempt 3:

 Deceit stared down at the trash can, a sigh tearing its way out of his chest.  There, clear as day, were two bouquets -- one of red roses and the other a mish-mash of flowers that, if he could be bothered to do some research, probably meant something.

 He didn’t care enough though, so he let it be.

Thomas:

 “Wait, so let me get this straight-”

 “You can’t and you know it, Thomas,” Roman interrupting, hands flying up to form handguns with an eh, eh?

 “Whatever, let me get this right. You, an aspect of my personality, want to ask out Logan, another aspect of my personality.”

 “Think of it as self-love, Thomas.”

 “...Yeah, okay,” Thomas sighed, “So, you want my advice?”

 “Yes! Please! I’ve already asked all the others and none of their ideas worked!” Roman groaned, shoulders slumping as a hand came to rest on his forehead.

 “Well, I always like trivia. It lets you show off your knowledge of a subject, something Logan would definitely appreciate, while also letting you learn more about your date.”

 “Yes! Of course, you brilliant man! Oh, you’re just too clever sometimes!” Roman cried, halfway sunk out of the room already. “But it’s no surprise, Logan is your logic!”            

 With that the prince was gone, leaving a confused Thomas behind.

 “Good luck?”

Attempt 4:

 “Okay, so the other two wanted to have a trivia night -- will you be my partner?” Roman batted his eyelashes as he asked, having cornered Logan against the kitchen counter. Logan looked around and cleared his throat, a slight blush spreading over his cheeks.

 “Of course, it- it only makes sense you want the smartest side to be your boy- partner,” Logan stammered, slipping out of Roman’s range as he spoke.

 “You think I want you as my partner because you’re smart?”

 “Well, yes, that would be a logical conclusion.”

 “No, I want you to be my partner because you’re my friend!” Roman cried, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

 “Oh. Well, in that case, I suppose I can do so,” Logan conceded, raising a hand to his chin. “Do you know of the categories, yet? May I propose Valentine’s Day as one, seeing as the holiday is so close?”

 “No, we can’t do that one -- you know Patton will win that one in a landslide,” Roman laughed.

 “Oh, I see,” It may have been Roman’s imagination, but he could have sworn Logan frowned for a moment. Oh, well -- at least he got to spend time with the logical side tonight.

Joan and Talyn:

 This was going to be a bit hard to explain, but Roman was out of people to ask for help. So, much to Thomas’s surprise, he popped up while Joan and Talyn were over. Thomas was the first to notice him, of course, and upon doing so was quite animated as he frantically gestured for Roman to sink out. That, however, caught Joan’s attention and they quickly turned around, freezing at the sight of Roman standing in the corner before slowly turning back to Thomas.

 “....Thomas, what am I seeing?”

 “Uhh, Joan, meet Roman? Roman, Joan,” Thomas sighed as he moved to stabilize Talyn, who had been looking a bit light headed.

 After explaining the existence of the sides -- which took the better part of an hour -- Roman finally got to explain why he had chosen to pop up now of all days.

 “You want to ask out Logan, who is another part of Thomas’s personality, and you need our help?” Joan asked, rubbing at their temples. “Thomas, aren’t you like, oh I don’t know… a little concerned here?”

 “It’s like self love, Joan, just taken to a new level. I take it the trivia didn’t go well, Roman?” Thomas asked.

 “You’ve already had this conversation? You know what, no, nevermind. Roman,” Joan turned back to the prince, “Have you tried a movie night? With just Logan?”

 Roman was quiet for a moment, brow furrowed in thought.

 “I can’t believe I didn’t think of that. Thank you, you magnificent human!” Roman cried, beginning to sink down, before popping back up once more. “Thanks for these marvelous new outfits, by the way. May I suggest a bit more gold for the next one?”

 He was gone before anyone could respond.

Attempt 5:

 “Logan!” Roman cried as he flounced into the logical sides room. “I would like to propose a movie night! We could watch a documentary, I do believe there’s a new one on the formation of black holes out on Netflix.”

 “That does sound fun, but might I suggest we watch something you would enjoy as well? I don’t want you to fall asleep in the middle of the movie after all,” This statement was accompanied by a fond smile, but Roman seemed to miss it. He focused instead on what he felt to be a rejection.

 “No, no, that’s quite alright Pocket Protector. I’ve, uh, I’ve just remembered I’ve got some work to do before the next video,” Roman sighed and turned to leave. Logan watched him go, a frown quickly replacing the smile he reserved only for Roman.

 As he sunk out to retire to his own room, he failed to see the tv on with the documentary already queued and ready to go.

Roman (+1 Success):

 Roman hadn’t slept well that night. After leaving Logan in his room, he had stomped into his own, proceeded to take a page out of Virgil’s book and put on a playlist consisting of pg-13 music. By the time he had grown tired of the music, it was three in the morning.

 Not to mention Patton waking them up all up at six am so that the fam-ILY could start of Valentine’s day with plates full of heart shaped pancakes, resulting in a mere three hours of fitful sleep.

 It was noon by the time Logan was alone and by then Roman had had it up to here with romantic gestures. He was on his fifth cup of coffee and still in his pajamas when Logan asked him to come into the kitchen.

 “Roman, thank you for joining me. I was hoping to get your opinion on a few things.” Logan said, smiling at him as he gestured for Roman to sit with him.

 “Sure, Specs, what can I do for you?”

 “Well, I have this dilemma. There’s this person I like and I have been attempting to ask them to join me on various outings all week, but have been continually misunderstood,” Logan sighed, leaning back against the counter, “As the creative aspect, I had hoped you would offer some insight so as to make him understand my intentions?”

 Roman, in a fit of sleep deprivation, snorted. The snort turned into a full-blown laugh and soon he was doubled over at the knees fighting to catch his breath.

 “Are- are you kidding me?” He asked, still short on breath, “Go ask someone else, I am nothing but a failure in that department!” He turned to leave but stopped short when Logan grabbed his elbow.

 “You… are trying to win over someone?” He whispered a look on his face that Roman couldn’t quite name. “How- Could you walk me through what you have attempted? Maybe that could help me… or, well, nevermind.”

 “No, hey, Specs -- I’m sorry. It’s just,” Roman rubbed at the back of his head as he spoke, a shy smile on his face, “I was trying to ask if… well if you would go out with me, all week. But I realize now that your lack of interest must have been due to your own infatuation with another.”

 “You...you think I like someone else? And turned you down because of it? Roman, that couldn’t be any further from the truth! I have been attempting to ask you out all week as well! We must have both become so caught up in our own attempts that we missed the others.”

 To say Roman was shocked would be an understatement. He stared at Logan a good thirty seconds before he could say anything.

 “You...were?”

 “Yes! I asked you join me for tea when you gave me that Crofters sampler, I wanted to make you a card in thanks for the one you made me, I suggested Valentine’s Day as a trivia category, and I even wanted to watch a movie you would enjoy.”

 “Oh. I guess I was just being rather dense then,” Roman blinked, his brain still trying to process the new information. “So, hypothetically if I had shown up at your door earlier this week with a dozen roses and flat out told you how I felt… it would have been reciprocated?”

 “Why, yes -- I had also obtained a bouquet for you, but threw it away when I decided it would not be a grand enough gesture for you.”

 “Deceit will never let me live this down,” Roman groaned, but quickly perked up and grasped Logan’s hands. “So! Logan, my dear -- will you do me the honor of being my Valentine?”

 “I thought you’d never ask,” Logan laughed. Roman whooped and picked Logan up into a twirl. “No really, I thought you’d never ask. What a wonderful, unforeseen event!”

 “I tend to bring about a lot of those, yes.”

[tjkiahgb]

Episode Recap: 3.05, “That Syncing Feeling”

Bex and Andi wait for Bowie at Red Rooster. They want to go see a movie. Bowie says there are a bunch of trailers before the movie, so chill, but Bex wants to see those trailers. (They’re all already online, Bex.)

Andi demands to be in charge of popcorn-related decisions this time. The big complaint is that Bowie puts too much butter on the popcorn, which is almost certainly not true. It’s not too much butter until the bag is dripping onto the floor. If you’re not creating a slipping hazard, you’re not sufficiently buttering your popcorn.

Bex says we’ll get chocolate and mix it in with the popcorn, but Andi’s a firm “no” on that. They decide they’ll all just get their own popcorn instead.

It’s fine they went this direction here and now, but they’d better figure out a cleaner way to deal with stuff like this once they start living together or they’ll find themselves eating meals from three separate restaurants every night. It’ll take hours to get anything done.

It’s about finding compromise. Being clever and resourceful. Like, for example, how about just lightly buttering the popcorn? Is that nuts? Am I talking crazy here? Maybe. But sometimes someone needs to say something truly crazy to really make improvements in this world, and if that man’s gotta be me, so be it.

The next day or whenever, Buffy and Walker skip rocks on the lake while Andi and Cyrus watch.

Good height. Great speed. That’s a damn fine rock skip.

Jonah shows up and is like, “Buffy and Walker, huh?” Wait, weren’t you at the Color Factory when they were on a date? What did you think that was? Maybe he’s just trying out new conversation starters.

Andi thinks those two really like each other, and that’s unfortunate. Cyrus tries to talk about Walker, but Andi’s like, let’s talk about something else so Cyrus tries to talk about something else (geese and their thoughts on schoolyard games) but Andi’s like, “Freakin’ Walker! Always showing up!”

You know what, I kinda love how outwardly hostile Andi is towards her friend’s relationship in front of her other friends at this point. She’s done with this, all of this, and doesn’t care who knows it.

Buffy shows up and shouts “Canoes!” and so they decide to canoe.

Two to a canoe, so Buffy and Walker go together in one canoe and Cyrus and Jonah get into another canoe. This leaves Andi with no one to canoe with. That’s just math, unfortunately. The cruelest of all school subjects.

Andi wanders off to build herself a crown of flowers. Her ability to do crafts anywhere is truly impressive.

Suddenly, Amber comes out the woods like some kind of forest monster.

Never sneak up on someone from the trees! Nothing good comes out of the trees!

Turns out, Amber’s here with her family. Well, she was with her family, but I guess she left them to go sneak around in the woods. Which is a thing she should absolutely not be doing.

Amber wants to know why Andi isn’t canoeing. Andi doesn’t have a reason other than her friends are all canoeing, and, again, math. Also, isn’t it weird how words start to sound strange after you say them a bunch of times, like canoe?

Anyway, she has an Amber as a plus one now, and one plus one is two, which is just the right amount for a canoe. I learned that in the Eagle Scouts.

So Andi and Amber get in a canoe. Turns out, Amber doesn’t like canoeing. I don’t know what kind of exhilaration she thought she was going to get from it, but, surprisingly, it turns out it’s just a bunch of putting your oar in the water and rowing.

Amber gets excited when she sees another canoe, though. Why? Because she would like to ram it and see what happens.

Dark thoughts Amber is back.

Andi’s like, that isn’t the point of canoeing, but Amber’s like, come on, how often do you get a chance to capsize a boat and potentially drown someone in a lake and get away with it?

Andi seems like she’s kind of giving in to the idea, but then sees it’s Buffy and Walker and doesn’t want to ruin their day. I mean, if it was just strangers in a canoe, sure, knock ‘em over and make them swim to shore. But not your friends, obviously.

Andi rows them aside and allows Buffy’s canoe safe passage.

Buffy’s confused to see Andi and Amber in a canoe. Walker doesn’t understand, so Buffy tries to explain why it’s weird by explaining what everyone’s relationship to Amber is, but it turns out there isn’t really a solid answer to what exactly Amber’s relationship is to everyone.

“Our mean waitress” is basically as close as Buffy can get.

Meanwhile, Jonah and Cyrus row their boat, until Cyrus just straight up drops his oar, which is inadvisable when you’re in the middle of a lake.

At Cloud 10, Bex bunches Bowie’s hair into puffs.

Bowie laments the fact he has another lesson with Shaun, who is bad. Bex rightly points out that the child is nine years old, but Bowie thinks he’s a failure of a teacher. Bex thinks it’s too early to give up, but Bowie thinks it’s too hard. He just wants to teach people who don’t need teaching. Getting paid to not really work? That’s the American Dream.

Back at the lake, after Andi has explained the entirety of the relationship drama from the start of season 2B until now, Amber tells her that Buffy’s at fault because “Girl Code.”

Andi’s like, what exactly are we talking about here, this “Girl Code” you speak of? Amber tells her that the first rule is you don’t date people who dated your best friend. Andi’s starts to say that she and Walker didn’t really blah blah blah... but Amber’s firm in her stance that Buffy is a “Girl Code” violator.

And Andi’s like, hmmm... your ideas are intriguing to me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

And at that moment, like a perfectly-timed sign sent from the Universe about the perils of listening too closely to Amber of all people, their canoe starts sinking.

Amber and Andi try to paddle to shore but Andi thinks they should abandon ship. I feel like it’s going to be a problem when they go to return the canoes and they don’t have a canoe. At least it’ll make Cyrus’s lost oar look not as bad by comparison. I’ll tell you this much, though: all these kids’ mugshots are going up on the “DO NOT RENT TO THESE PEOPLE” wall inside the canoe rental company’s office.

Amber stands up in the canoe, breaking the first rule of canoeing as laid out in the Ten Commandments of Canoeing. The second rule is “Don’t go out in a canoe your best friend has already gone out in.” The third rule is “Have fun!”

The two fall into the water and have to paddle to shore.

Amber and Andi realize that, despite sinking, they actually had fun out on that there lake and maybe, just maybe, they’re friends now?

That’s what they say about canoeing: it brings people together like nothing else.

At Red Rooster, Bowie gives Shaun an electric guitar to try and see if he can get through to him. Bowie tells him to say “Rock on!” and Shaun says “Rock on” in the least rockstar way possible. He says it like it’s the middle of the sentence, “Hey, there’s a rock on that table that needs geological analysis.”

Every interaction with Shaun is like another little needle stabbing Bowie in the soul.

Bowie tries to teach Shaun a power chord. Shaun strums off-key and that’s the last straw. Bowie gives up. It took one and a quarter lessons and Bowie is utterly defeated. He tells Shaun he can’t teach him, but Shaun’s ok with this because he doesn’t even want to play guitar. Victor wants Shaun to play guitar. Bowie is thrilled, but Shaun tells him he still needs to keep giving him guitar lessons because if he could tell his dad he didn’t want to play guitar, he wouldn’t be sitting in this room trying to play guitar.

Plus, let’s be honest, it seems like Victor really needs this in his life. He feels like the kind of guy who’s one more life disappointment away from building himself a crying shed in the backyard. Oh, you don’t know about crying sheds? It’s just a nice little place to go have your daily cry. 3:00, 3:30 in the afternoon maybe. “Shaun, I put a snack on the table. Don’t hurt yourself. Daddy needs an hour.” And then you just go out there and let loose. Get it all out. Feels good. Feels refreshing. Gives you enough fuel to juuuuust make it through to the next day. Nine years until Shaun’s out of the house. Counting down the days. Then you can finally buy that motorcycle you’ve always wanted. Travel the country like you’ve always wanted. Let the wind run through your hair. Maybe follow Jimmy Buffett around on tour. Anything to finally feel alive again, you know? Like you’re not just going through the motions but really living, dammit. Someday, Victor. Someday.

Anyway, Bowie tells Shaun they'll break the news to Victor together.

Celia shows up at Bex’s to try and get her to go eat wedding cake. Bex, unsurprisingly, is not interested. Andi is, though. She just needs to put on her cake pants.

I’m not a fan of cake pants. They don’t protect the torso. I’m more of a onesie guy myself. Put one on anytime I’m eating so I can just go to town. Do I get looks from the other people eating at Olive Garden? No. Because they’ve come to expect this behavior from me by now. I’ve broken their will. You can normalize anything with repetition.

Andi and Celia partake in a cake-eating montage. They really overdo it. It’s a cake tasting, but they ate like half or more of some of these cakes.

They find themselves miserable from overconsumption of cake, and worse, at odds over what the best cake option is. This could be the end of a peaceful Andi/Celia relationship.

The two return to Bex’s with their cake options, practically screaming at each other over them. They’re also hopped up on sugar. They’re a mess.

They want Bex to pick the cake but Bex doesn’t want to so she mixes up the boxes and blindly picks one. It’s like cake Russian Roulette in that it’s random, dangerous, and leaves everyone in the room feeling kind of bummed out afterwards.

Later that night, Bex returns to the cakes and tries them and it turns out one is actually very good. She hopes it’s the one she picked for her wedding, and, if not, well, she’s learned a valuable lesson about not eating free cake that’s put in front of you. Always take free cake.

At Red Rooster, Bowie sits Victor and Shaun down for a talk and lets Victor know Shaun doesn’t want to play guitar. Victor says that he does, but then Shaun comes out to Victor as someone who doesn’t want to learn guitar. It’s a touching moment between father and son.

Bowie asks Victor if he plays and Victor says yes, air guitar. And then he does air guitar with a sense of sadness far greater than even I expected.

You see, Victor only does air guitar because he wasn’t ever cool enough to play real guitar. I didn’t know they checked that sort of thing before allowing you to take lessons, but I guess that’s the case. Victor thinks it’s too late now, but Bowie tells him it’s never too late. He shows him a guitar chord and Victor plays it. Bowie feels like he can teach again and gets excited. They start playing together. Just a couple of dads rocking out.

Walker, Buffy, and Cyrus eat grilled cheesesus. (Grilled cheesesi?) Walker goes off to get Buffy extra napkins. Cyrus asks if they should invite Andi.

Buffy’s not sure she’d want to come. They decide to invite her next time but Andi just shows up out of the blue like some kind of Walker.

She’s very upbeat about the whole situation because she’s got a surprise of her own: Amber! Appearing from out of nowhere for the second time this episode. Her sneak skill is maxed out. She’s loaded all her skill points into it. She’s practically a ninja at this point. Andi and Amber basically skip off together to get lobster rolls.

And even though Andi wasn’t invited to their group hang in the first place, Buffy still feels ditched. There’s a lesson here, but I’m not sure what it is.

Don’t stand up in a canoe?

[proxylynn]

UNDERFELL: FILE NAME NOT EDGY ENOUGH part #6

Chapter 6: Door

WARNING: I WANT NO RESPONSIBILITY OVER SPOILING THINGS FOR OTHERS. THAT BEING SAID, THIS IS HOW FILE NAME NOT FOUND WOULD FUNCTION IN THE AU OF UNDERFELL. BEFORE YOU READ THIS, UNLIKE THE NICE TIME OF UNDERTALE, THIS WORLD IS KILL OR BE KILLED. THIS STORY WILL BE GRAPHIC, GORY, USE SWEARS LIKE NOBODY'S BUSINESS, AND DEAL WITH SENSITIVE SUBJECT MATTERS. FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE READ THE FILE NAME RELOCATED SPOOF WILL KNOW HOW I PICTURE THIS VERSION OF LYNSIE COMING TO THE UNDERGROUND. IT IS NOT AN ACCIDENT. IT IS NOT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING DUMB. IT IS BECAUSE SHE CHOOSES TO END HER LIFE. SO TAKE THIS WITH A GRAIN OF SALT. I MADE IT BECAUSE I NEEDED TO LET SOME OF THIS EDGINESS OUT OF MYSELF. WHICH I GUESS MAKES UNDERFELL LYNSIE EVEN MORE TRUE TO WHO I REALLY AM. ANYWAY, ENJOY. ^_^

It's been a week since the incident with Toriel. I have trained nonstop, practiced my magic, sat through Toriel's teachings, and even took some personal time to meditate on the chaos of my mind. I have done enough work to go up another stat level. I am now at HP 32, ATK 19, and DEF 13. Flowey tells me the next time my stats increase, I should get a point for more defense. I have done so much over so long...And yet after all that...All the things I've been distracting myself with...I've found myself standing at the fated door she fears. I know she says it leads to doom but I sense no danger about it. It just seems to be a normal exit. I'm just staring at it contemplating the idea of opening it over not bothering to. Why? Why am I compelled to be here so damn much? Why do I keep doing this? I could be doing something else, anything else for that matter. I could be reading, sleeping, thinking up new food plans, or even help Toriel with her snail hunts. So why...What's so god damn special about this fucking door?!

"Are you going to stare at it all day or open it?"

I don't even flinch at Flowey's voice, mostly because I'm the one that let him loose down here.

"I'm contemplating a Schrödinger's cat scenario."

"A what?"

"Schrödinger's cat is a thought experiment, sometimes described as a paradox. The scenario presents a cat that may be simultaneously both alive and dead, a state known as a quantum superposition, as a result of being linked to a random subatomic event that may or may not occur."

"Uh..."

"Let's say this...A cat, a flask of poison, and a radioactive source are placed in a sealed box. If an internal monitor, such as a Geiger counter, detects radioactivity, such as a single atom decaying, the flask is shattered and releases the poison, which kills the cat. The Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics implies that after a while, the cat is simultaneously alive and dead. Yet, when one looks in the box, one sees the cat either alive or dead not both alive and dead. This poses the question of when exactly quantum superposition ends and reality collapses into one possibility or the other. It's at that point the whole multiverse theory of things happen wherein one universe's timeline I open the door and in another I don't. Basically, this would be a hypothetical group of multiple separate universes. Together, these universes comprise everything that exists: the entirety of space, time, matter, energy, the physical laws and the constants that describe them. The different universes within the multiverse are called the 'parallel universes', 'other universes' or 'alternative universes'. But that's another barrel of fish I don't want to waste my bullets on shooting."

I look at Flowey and confusion paints his face. I can literally see the gears in his head trying to turn but are stuck from the info dump I took on him.

"In essence, I have at this moment both opened and not opened the door. Only when I make a choice does the timeline split. Thus creating universes that are similar up to the point the choice was made but differ on the path that reflects what I did. If I open it, that world doesn't. If I don't open it, that world does. That make sense?"

"...What the hell is Toriel teaching you?!"

"Oh, none of that. This is the sort of thing I'd look up for fun or out of boredom when I was on the surface."

"Wait, hold up...So you're telling me that you are actually smart?"

"Never said I wasn't. What gave you any indication that I was missing brain cells?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe the lack of listening to reason and the idea of hugging the homicidal monsters that try to kill you! That ring any crazy bells for you?"

"To be fair, there is a fine line between genius and madness because they share the same places in the mind. Psychologists have discovered that creative people have a gene in common which is also linked to psychosis and depression. So who knows? Genius and madness have something in common. Both live in a world that is different from that which exists for everyone else. So maybe I am nuts. Or maybe I'm just seeing things others can't. There's a fine line between brilliance and insanity, my flower friend. And I have erased this line from my life in my own subtle way. Hehehe..."

"The creepy giggle tells me different."

I sigh through my nose and turn on my heels.

"I guess this is a world where I..."

[You hear a faint clicking sound.]

I pause and listen.

"Well?"

"Shhh..."

[You hear it again.]

"Looks like the cat lives!"

I spin around and kick the door hard, parting it open.

"Geez! You know you could've pushed it open, right?"

"Now where's the fun in that?"

[knock, knock]

"Sounds like an opportunity. Best not keep it waiting too long."

"You are so corny sometimes."

I smirk, letting my curiosity get to me and follow the sound. With the door open, the dark path before us is cast in enough light so we can see. I bet Toriel uses her fire to see down here. Flowey dives into the ground and I wander down an extremely long corridor. And I do mean very long. Light no longer reaches the point where I am so I feel along the wall for guidance.

"Yo, flower-boy, you out there?"

"Just a bit further...You should be able to see me soon."

"Why's that?"

"There's a small hole in the ceiling that light shines in from."

"...For real?"

I get distracted and slam my face into a brick entry frame.

"Son of a bitch!"

"You okay?"

"I don't know...hoping my nose isn't broken."

I crawl into the room and meet up with Flowey who has sprouted on a small patch of grass growing in the sunlight that managed to pierce the mountain.

"Here, let me see the damage."

"Is it bad?"

He puts his leafs on my nose and wiggles it a litter, earning a little wince from me.

"Hmmm...I don't think it's broken. But no guarantees about getting black eyes."

"Great. Like that'll help these raccoon eyes."

[knock, knock]

Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Flowey held my full attention so much so that I didn't hear the knocks coming from the exit door across from us. This door, it's archway holding the Delta Rune like the last door.

"Do you know who is doing that?"

Flowey shakes his head.

"I know a lot of things, but that one I don't. I learned not to go beyond that door the first time I tried."

"Oh...Well, here's hoping curiosity doesn't kill this cat."

He groans as I move over to the door that's a good 20 or 30 feet away.

[knock, knock]

"Who's there?"

There's silence.

"I said...Who's there?"

"...doughnut."

No...Did I really just get set up for a joke? Fuck it. Might as well play along.

"Doughnut who?"

"i doughnut recognize your voice. ya must be new."

Clever. Very clever. Not very funny, but clever. Okay mystery monster, two can play at this game.

[Knock, knock]

"...who's there?"

"Avenue."

"avenue who?"

"Avenue ever knocked on this door before?"

It's both a joke and a real question. First, there's snickering, but it doesn't last long and they sigh as composure is regained.

"heh...yeah, i do knock here often. but normally the old lady is the one who responds. where is she?"

Why do I feel like being a jerk right now?

"You mean Toriel? Oh, I killed her..."

"you what?!"

"With kindness. And if you're not careful, I just might slay you with sweetness too, buddy."

There's silence on his end.

"Oh come on. It was a joke. Like I'd really hurt the lady that took me in and calls me daughter. That would be the biggest bitch move in history."

"...that wasn't funny."

"Yeah...It left a bad taste in my mouth."

"best wash your mouth out with soap."

I sigh and lean my back against the door.

"So you chat with mom often?"

"we talk sometimes. she's mentioned you a little bit."

"Anything interesting?"

"nothing much...just...the two of ya got into a fight not too long ago."

I rub my face.

"Of course she'd bust that out to someone she'd figure I'd never meet."

"can i ask why?"

"Why what?"

"why'd ya fight?"

"She thought I was leaving her."

"...were you?"

"*scoff* No! Why would I leave? I have her, fucking mom of the millennium. What moron walks out on someone that gives a shit over someone so pathetic? The humans that fell before me were dumb shits to want to leave."

I kick the dirt in annoyance.

"You okay over there?"

"I'm fine, Flowey! Thanks for asking!"

He's paying attention to me only because it's what Toriel wants. He's sort of became her little spy.

"flowey? the fuck is flowey?"

"Talking flower that's been my buddy since I fell down here. He watches out for me. Teaches me how this world works and junk. Not a bad dude for someone with a weak sense of humor."

"ya fell down here, huh? so you really are a human."

"Last I check, yes."

"that's funny."

"Why?"

"i'm actually supposed to be on the watch for humans right now."

"You don't say."

"but...y'know...i don't really care about capturing anybody."

"Good to know."

"capturing is too much work. it's way easier just to kill ya."

I tense up a little bit.

"And this went south real quick."

"relax. i'm only fucking with ya."

"Tell that to the other monsters that try to kill me."

"they must suck at doing so, as by law, you should be dead right now."

"Good luck on that happening."

"why ya say that?"

"Because of all the crap I've been through, I can honestly say I can't die. I get hurt, yeah, and pretty damn close to good Sir Death, but never do we meet. Only pass by one another like old friends saying hello before continuing on. *sigh into a groan* The fuck am I saying? Probably creeping you out by getting all deep and shit. Forget I said anything."

There's silence again.

"Yep. Scared you away. Go figure. Great job, Lynsie, ya idiot. No more than two minutes into a conversation and you say stupid crap."

I drop to sit on the floor. I belong in the dirt anyway.

"...wow, kid. that was...heh, ya sound nothing like what the king said you humans were like."

Part of me is glad he didn't leave. The other part is embarrassed because of the shit I said.

"While I can't say I'm like other humans, I'm glad to not be lumped in with such a dumb bunch."

"from what the old lady told me, you've been showing mercy to each and every monster ya come across. that true?"

"You sound as confused by this as everyone else."

"that's because it's not how things work down here."

"I know. Almost every day, someone reminds me that this is a kill or be killed world. But I don't see why. Why is it like that? I don't have to go around killing to become stronger. Nor do I want to end someone's life. Monsters are cool. And while I'm down here, in a place the world doesn't remember, I'd rather make a home than a tomb."

"you actually like it down here?"

"Better than being up there."

"man, how fucked up was your life before if people trying to kill you makes it better by comparison?"

Now is my turn for silence.

"kid? ya still there?"

"...I don't talk about personal shit to people I don't know properly yet."

"fair enough. the name is sans. sans the skeleton."

"Sans? Like Comic Sans the font?"

"you got a problem with my name?"

"Nah, dude, it's cool. I like that font."

"oh..."

"Your name is cooler than mine."

"what's your name?"

"Lynsie. It's an old name that comes from the United Kingdom. There are many different ways of spelling it or pronouncing it. One way is the old Scottish habitational name from Lindsey in Lincolnshire, England. This is first found in the form Lindissi, apparently a derivative of the British name of Lincoln. This was later added to the Old English element 'island' as a reference to the Isle of Linden Trees since the place was virtually cut off by the surrounding fenlands. The surname was taken to Scotland at an early date and is the name of an important and powerful Scottish family. The Irish later adopted it as an equivalent of various Gaelic names."

"damn! ya know a lot about your name."

"That's not the lame part yet."

"huh?"

"Before the mid-twentieth century, it was solely a male's name."

It's quiet for a moment before I hear laughter.

"hahaha...ya got a guy's name!"

"Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up. It's my name and I have to live with it. So enjoy your fun, ya cheeky ass."

"heh...i'm a skeleton, dummy. i don't have an ass."

Hearing that makes me grin evilly.

"Oh really? Huh...Well, that's rather disappointing."

There's a sound like he choked on air and I laugh loudly.

"Oh my god...I so wish I could see your face right now!"

"fuck you!"

"I bet you would, but you probably don't have a dick for that either!"

"*snarls* you cocky lil' shit!"

"*snickering* Sorry...I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself when the joke was presented before me."

"can ya speak up? i can't hear you over the sound of my shattered pride."

"Ah man...Don't be that way. Tell ya what...Take a free shot at me. I promise not to counter it."

He gets quiet in thought and I wait for what punches he'll throw my way.

"how old are ya?"

"Huh?"

"i said, how old are ya? i wanna know so i don't weird out some kid and piss off mommy."

"Smart move. I'm twenty-eight."

He goes quiet and for some reason, it feels unsettling.

"okay...i think i got something."

"Hit me with your best shot, bone-boy."

"alright...are you an archaeologist?"

"Why do you ask?"

"heh, because i've got a bone for you to examine."

I bite my tongue and he laughs.

"hehehe...yeah, that's what i thought. my jokes are too powerful for ya. try to remember that before ya step up to me again, kid."

I smirk to myself.

"Is that a challenge?"

He snorts.

"ya really want to pick a fight with me?"

"A fight, no. I'd rather pick your bones. Starting with your funny bone. I hear that one can be rather humerus."

There's a pause that becomes a chuckle.

"girl's got jokes...i like that about a woman."

"This explains where Nanny gets her jokes from. But it seems you hold out on her when it comes to the hard stuff."

"is that a good or bad thing?"

"A good thing. I find her humor cute when she does it right. You, however, are on a whole other level. I'd say god tier of jokes."

"flattery will get ya nowhere, kid. still nice to hear it though. it's also nice to hear someone else that likes sans-ational jokes."

"Heh...There might be a door between us, but you're the adorable one here, buddy."

He pauses for a moment.

"not sure you'd be saying that if ya ever saw me."

"Why?"

"well...i'm a skeleton."

"...So?"

"...ya do realize it kinda sounds like you're flirting with me, right?"

"Really? I thought I was just being cute."

Was I really flirting? It didn't feel like it. Wouldn't I know if I was? One man's flirt is another girl's compliment I guess.

"are all humans as weird as you?"

"I like to think I'm one of a kind. But being realistic, there are probably others like me out there. The universe is a pretty infinite place. Who's to say such things such as multiple 'me's wouldn't be a thing?"

"getting nerdy on me now?"

"I'll be nerdy if you geek out with me, bone-boy. That is...If you can get on my level."

"kid, ya got no idea what you're asking for."

"I don't know about that. We seem to have some great chemistry going on here."

"don't say i didn't warn ya."

"You didn't."

"...okay, now i won't feel bad about this."

"Bring it on!"

"fine...since ya brought up the whole infinite universe thing, then i take it ya know about multiverse theory."

"Funny enough, I was just talking about it earlier."

"then you understand the possibilities don't just extend to two worlds being made by a single choice, correct? any and every possibility that can or could happen makes a world. so there's this world where we're having this conversation, but another world where we aren't. a world where you didn't fall down here and someone else did. a world where you fell but died. a world where ya got killed by the first monster you met. even a world where you kill every monster ya see. anything, any little change or subtle difference here and there, makes up a whole other world. so if you think about it, one universe can have thousands upon millions of alternate timelines made up of varying changes."

"Dude...And here I thought I was the deep one."

"s-shut up!

"You're right though. All of that is a possibility. Like a hair with split ends, each branching path is different but still part of that same universe it originated from. It's fascinating to think of the crazy things that could be. Like, can you imagine a world where this was reversed? Where humans were forced underground and monsters ruled the surface?"

"hmmm...sounds nice."

"Or a world where humans and monsters switched race."

"me as a human? i bet i'd be hot as fuck."

"Or a world where this was all just a story someone made up for a video game or fanfiction."

"oh my god, could you imagine the shit that would make? random weirdos shipping people left and right regardless of lore, relationship status, or even blood. what a bunch of freaks."

"Dude...You guys know what shipping is down here?"

"uh...let's just say a lot of human trash ends up down here. some of it may or may not be things called anime and manga."

"...Got a favorite?"

"...maybe?"

"*snickers* Nice. Oh! Or a world where we swap roles with relatives/spouses."

"nah. screw that one. i like being the older brother."

"You have a brother?"

"just one. and you?"

"Human or monster?"

"um...both?"

"On the surface, I got an older bro and a younger sis. Down here, I consider Flowey like a bro. Not sure how old he is. Oh! Do ghosts count? 'Cause I got this spooky little kid that talks to me sometimes too."

"uh...what?"

"Eh, but enough about me. I've been prattling on for too long as it is. I wanna hear about you. This bro of yours got a name or am I digging too deep for my own good down here?"

"heh, i don't mind. a guy as epic as my bro needs his reputation to precede him."

"He's that cool?"

"the coolest."

"Nice."

"his name is papyrus..."

"Like the font?"

"it's a skeleton thing. tradition if you wanna call it that."

"It's cute."

"*gruff* anyway...my brother, papyrus...he's a human-hunting FANATIC."

"Sounds like I'm in trouble if he sees me."

"damn right. he isn't second in command of the royal guard for nothing."

"Most impressive. You must be proud."

"hell yeah, i'm proud. my bro is the best. no one messes with him unless they're looking to die."

"Awesome. That must mean as the older bro, you're a badass too."

There's a pause.

"y-yeah...i...i'm a real tough customer."

"You don't sound like you really buy what you're selling."

"i don't want to talk about it."

"Very well. I'll only say this...If the world beyond this door is as dark a place as everyone tells me, then I must admit to being envious of your ability to not only survive in such a world but to be able to share life with a sibling no less...That alone tells me you are far stronger than you know."

There is no sound for a long time after that. I want to think this skeleton named Sans is thinking over my words. In a world where people kill to gain strength, sometimes a little pep talk goes a long way.

[knock, knock]

Guessing we're back to this. That's fine. We can joke if you want us to.

"Who's there?"

"sans."

"Sans who?"

"are ya freaking kidding me? how did you forget me so fast?"

"*giggles* Never, bone-boy. I'd never forget someone so punny."

"heh. glad to hear that, kid. if ya really like my jokes, then be ready for more. i've got a skele-ton of them."

I smile to myself, finding peace in this moment.

"Sans..."

"yeah?"

"This is nice."

"eh, not a bad way to kill time on my end either."

"If it's okay with you...I wouldn't mind this being a thing. Not trying to make this weird or anything. I just...I feel comfortable talking with you."

"ya know...you seem rather trusting of monsters you don't know."

"I like to think showing some kindness can be a nice way to open more doors than being a huge cunt."

"are you sure that's a smart idea? being nice around here isn't a good thing. it's seen as a weakness. and weakness is seen as a big ass target for others to off ya. like, you could literally open your front door and witness a monster get killed because it was justified on the grounds of the dead one being 'too weak'. and that's something ya gotta live with. knowing that everyone's always watching ya. wanting ya dead and waiting, just waiting, for the first sign of weakness so they can kill ya."

"I know. But it's just how I want to be."

"so you know that one of these days, your 'kindness' is going to get ya killed."

"Heh...I have no doubt that you're right. But...I think I'd be okay with that."

Where the heck is this coming from? Why am I opening up like this?

"I'm being weird again, aren't I?"

"just a little."

"Sorry about that. But if you think I don't have my guard up, then you're the one that's too relaxed right now. I'm on my toes each time I leave the house. I've had to convince many monsters in here that I'm not worth the EXP. So many encounters, so many repeated actions and words. But it's not like I'm not learning from all this."

"what does that mean?"

"For a while now, Nanny's been teaching me how to do soul magic. I know only a few basics, mostly because humans can't do magic like we used to. Yet one of these tricks is to sense or see souls and reading its feelings."

I close my eyes, concentrate, then open them slowly. Looking at the door, I see a faint upside down heart come into view, a bit blurry due to being on the other side of these huge doors, but there all the same.

"I can see you, bone-boy. Your soul feels confused, much like anyone else down here that I've met so far. So, I can't really say you're a good guy or a bad guy. You're like on this strange middle level I can't pinpoint. This is why it seems like I'm not on my guard. I don't see you as dangerous...for now anyway."

"you can see me huh? then what am i doing right now?"

"I see your soul, not your body. There's still a door in the way, dingus, and I don't have x-ray vision. But if I had to guess, you probably just flipped me off. Am I right?"

"clever bitch...but x-ray vision would be a pretty cool power to have. though you wouldn't need it when it comes to me or my bro."

"Why? You boys naked or something?"

I hear what sounds like a scuffle then pounding on the door. That must have got him pretty good.

"no, we're not naked! why would ya even ask that? are ya some kind of freak?"

"Been called that most my life. So, maybe?"

"look, i'm just...nah. ya know what? forget it. i ain't gonna spoil it for you."

"Oh? You make it sound like we'll be seeing each other soon."

"maybe we will, maybe we won't. but that's up to you really. the doors to the ruins can't be opened from the outside."

"Dumb design flaw."

"so if ya do decide to show yourself out here, i guess that means you'll have to fight the old lady again."

"I doubt that. There might be some yelling or other shit like that, but we learned from what happened last time. That isn't happening again. I am not fighting her. I barely made it as is."

"oh yeah? what's your LV level? had to be pretty high to withstand her attacks."

"One."

I hear what sounds like a spit-take. Guess he was drinking something.

"one?! you're only a level one and you survived a fight with the old lady?!"

"Yep."

"how?!"

"The power of plot armor."

"no, seriously! how did you not die?!"

"I told you. Friendship. They say it's magic."

"you...you have to be bullshitting me. no one gets in a fight here and both people get out alive. at the very least, someone's badly hurt and forced into submission. but..."

"Hmmm?"

"but...the old lady...she told me what you did."

"And that was?"

"ya tried to talk to her...ya tried to be nice...she said at one point...you snapped..."

I feel my heart falter and not start up again after a couple seconds.

"ya tried to kill her...didn't ya? was that a lie?"

I pull my legs up to my chest.

"...Something happened at that moment. I don't know what it was. I felt...I felt this deeply seeded despair suddenly raise from the depths with such force and it consumed me. I was blinded by this feeling. I was in so much pain...I wanted her to feel it...Feel the hurt that I was experiencing...But I stopped myself before I did something I'd regret. That's not me. I'm not a killer. It's not who I am."

"but for a moment...it was."

I hold my breath.

"even if it was a moment of weakness...the intent was there. you were going to kill her."

"...Stop it."

"don't think of it as a bad thing. ya wanted her to listen to ya and she wasn't. what better way to get her attention than to come at her with a knife?"

"Stop it!"

"oh, i'm so sorry. am i hurting your feelings? is the big bad human gonna cry? or are ya gonna try to kill me too?"

"I҉ ̶Ş̨A̛̛I̡D̀ ̡̀͜S̛T̕͜O̷҉P̸͟!͜"

I hear gasping, both from him and Flowey, as I try to keep myself in control.

"Stop it! I'm not a killer! I don't want to hurt anyone! Stop saying I'm bad! I'm not like that! I'm not! I'm not! I'm not...*whimpering* I'm not a bad girl...Please...Just...Stop..."

My chest hurts.

"h-hey...settle down. look, i shouldn't have said that shit. just...don't go getting all teary-eyed over it."

It feels like there's a vice on my soul. Shit, this is bad.

"Fuck...Getting worse...Flowey! Go get Toriel!"

"What? Why?"

"J̶u̷st ̸d͡o̵ it̷!̕"

Flowey dives into the ground and I slam my head back against the door.

"A̕rg҉h!"

"human? what's going on? hey! talk to me, damn it!"

I grip my chest in one hand and claw the ground in the other. The pain is breaking past my tolerance.

"kid? ya there? what's happening? say something!"

"*roar* M͏҉a̴m̵a̛͞!"

The loud thunder of Toriel's running stampede can be felt before I actually hear it. I'm a wincing mess by the time she comes into view. Her expression is one I was expecting, overprotective concern.

"Child? What is happening?"

I don't think I can talk without making noises of pain, so I opt for a different way of communication. I show to tell. Meaning, I pop my soul out and now we both can see the damage. The small green heart is dulling to faint swirls of black that are creeping in.

"*gasp* Oh no...Not again...Do not fear, my child. I shall help you however I can."

"M̡ak͠e̷ įt͟ s̸t͞o͠p...M͝ake i͞t̶ st͘o̵p͟ ̴be͟f̛ore ͜I ̢d͘o͢ so̴m̴et͜h͠i͢ng͞ ͞b҉àd..͠.I̶ d̶on̕'t ̵w͠a͝n̨t̛ t͘o̡ do ͝a̴nýt̴hi̛ng̶ ͢ba̡d͢.͡.."

She terrified. I can see it in her eyes. She has no clue what to do. But I can tell there's an idea in her head and she scared from it. Now I'm the one that's worried. I'm worried because...I'm wanting her to do the idea she has. I want her to do something, anything if it'll keep this darkness from spreading out and taking over again. Forgive me Toriel...I trust you...But I'm scared too...So don't hate me.

"W̡h͢a̷t͝ ̡arȩ ͜y̶o͡u̡ doinģ? ͡H̴e͢l͝p̶ me̕.̀.̨.Do͡n'̷t͟ just͞ ͟s̡tar͡e at̕ m͟e li̢ke ̡I̛'͟m som̴é ̨s͢ìde͟sh̕ow͏ ̸fre̡àk..͘.Do̕ so̴m͢ęthi̧ng b̷e͟fòre I d͞o!̵"

The darkness is gathering more, removing color from the soul. Knowing what happened last time, when that black soul formed, she reacts in desperation.

"Forgive me, my child!"

Her hands go around my throat and start squeezing. Naturally, instinct has me trying to stop this. My fingers claw for her hands, my legs kick out, my body overall thrashes in its desperate need to breathe so it can live. All this made even harder against the door. Most likely scaring the shit out of Sans. If he's still there that is.

"Shhhhh...Hush child...It will be okay. Do not fight this. I am helping you as you wanted me to. Now settle down and go to sleep. All will be better when you wake up. You will see. I promise. Things will be better. *crying* So just do as I say and sleep!"

I can normally hold my breath for around three and a half minutes underwater, with that only being about two minutes on land. This is minute four and my lungs are burning with the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns! Air isn't the only thing cut off in this choke. The blood supply to my brain is also being cut off. I...I can't move...Getting hared to form thoughts...Sight fading...Please stop at making me pass out and not strangle me to death or break my neck...okay mom?

"*weak* T҉hank̡ ̛yo͞u̴.̨...nanny...."

My limbs fall motionless and my head lolls back like a rag doll. The last thing I see before everything disappears when my eyes go looking at the back of my skull is her sad face and all those tears.

Toriel on her end gives it a few more seconds before releasing the human's throat from her grip. There is no life in the body now and the soul flickers faintly as the black ebbs from it before slowly sinking back into its host.

"*whimper* What have I done? How could I..."

"holy shit! did ya just kill the human?!"

Sans's sudden voice startles her.

"Sans?! W-What are you...How long have you...?"

"been here quite a while really. been chatting with your 'daughter'. is she...ya know...dead?"

Good question. Toriel wasn't trying to kill but as a Boss Monster, her strength can be immense even when controlled. Slowly, with trembling fingers, she reached out and felt the human's neck. It took a bit of searching, the small beating was very hard to find, but it was there none the less...a pulse. Toriel heaved a heavy sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness...She is still alive."

"geez...well, that's some good news."

"Are you not a sentry that hunts humans?"

"yeah?"

"Would it not please you knowing of her death?"

"and have to do my job? fuck that. it's too much crap and paperwork. not like anyone will believe me if i show up with a human soul. fuckers will think pap did it and i'm just the errand boy making his delivery. believe me, i like it better when no humans fall. that way, i can just nap the day away."

That made her smile. Sans had been a friend of sorts over the years. They met by random timing when she was walking around and he knocked on the door. One thing leads to another and a small bond was made over bad jokes. Sometimes he'd bring her books and read them to her, or play silly word games. But she enjoyed the company that he was, even if it was short lived. He can't be at this door 24/7. He has a home and a brother to tend to. A family...Much like the human had now become to her.

"so...mind if i ask what happened?"

She pulled the unconscious human into her arms.

"Her soul...It does something I have never seen before."

"like what?"

"It changes color."

"...really?"

"And moments ago, it tried to become another color. The bad one I told you of before."

"ya mean the black soul?"

"Correct."

"never heard of a black soul before. i don't even think it's in the official books."

"I have not seen one either till this child. Only in rumors during the war did whispers of black souls reach my ears. Relentless humans of power that were like the berserkers of myth. This child...I have been caring for her a long time now...She is not like those beasts I heard of."

"but her soul turns black, right? that's when she...snaps?"

"I do not understand why or what makes her flip like that. There is so much she does not tell me about her past. So much pain she keeps hidden to herself. I...I think it comes from her suffering."

"...then...what are ya gonna do?"

Her hold on the human tightens.

"I will do my best to quell the demons of her past and keep her soul pure. She is not a violent human by nature. It is not in her to do harm."

"but what if she does? what if one day, ya can't fix her and she goes nuts? do ya really think ya got it in ya to kill another kid? and one ya call family no less?"

She goes quiet.

"tori? you okay?"

"Sans...If the human ever comes through this door...Could you please, please promise me something?"

"...tori, ya know how i feel about making promises."

"Please!"

She trembles, clutching the human in her motherly embrace.

"Please...*sniffling* Please...As long as she remains the good girl that she is...Do not harm her or turn her into the Royal Guard...Show her the mercy that she has shown others."

"you're asking me to keep a very big promise."

"I'm not finished..."

She bites her lip in knowing of the next words to leave her.

"But...But if she changes...If her LV ever increases or she loses herself to the darkness of the Black Soul...I need you to spare her from becoming that which is feared...Please...If she ever stops being my child...Do not let her remain in such misery. Can you do that for me, Sans? Can you be strong for me?"

"tori..."

"I beg of you as a friend and not order you as your Queen. I...I cannot bring myself to do harm to humans anymore. I cannot allow my husband to collect another soul and bring about more pain. I just...I cannot do this for much longer if I know nothing is going to change. This child...She is the first ray of light to come to this hellish world in so long...If her light goes out, then I cannot see myself going any further..."

"hey! don't say shit like that! ya can't throw in the towel over some stupid human!"

"This human is my daughter! My only living child! She is all I have left in this world of the family I have lost! And I will not live with knowing I was still too weak to save even a single life that I hold dear!"

There's silence for some time as she calms down.

"Forgive me...I am not as strong as I once was. I should not have to burden others with my problems."

She stands up and turns away from the door.

"tori..."

She pauses.

"i...*sigh* i promise."

"You...You will?"

"i ain't gonna like it. but i can try to keep a socket on her if she ever does leave the ruins. it is my job, after all, to look out for humans."

She smiles softly.

"Thank you, Sans."

"don't thank me, tori. i ain't doing this because ya want to put your hopes and dreams into the kid. i'm doing it because i don't want ya to beat yourself up over some stupid shit and end up dusting yourself. we monsters died enough in the war and die enough now that it's over. don't go hurting yourself over a human or i'm gonna bust in there and beat the crap out of the both of ya! ya got that, old lady?!"

She can't help the giggle that escapes her.

"You are a good friend, Sans. I hope you can be as good a friend to her as you are with me."

"*scoff* whatever. i gotta get going anyway. papyrus will be stopping by my station soon and i don't feel like being yelled at for the next hour or two. so...chat with ya later, tori."

"Take care, Sans."

She listens as he leaves, the crunching of snow fading in the distance.

"Are you still down here, little flower?"

Flowey peeks from the grassy patch.

"Is it safe? Is she okay?"

"For now, she rests. You were with her when this happened, yes?"

"Y-Yeah."

"Tell me, do you know what caused her to shift?"

"I...I couldn't hear everything. I was here and she was at the door, talking to him. It looked like they were having a good time. Then...She...It looked like she was getting sad. Then she was shouting that she wasn't bad and refused to kill. It looked like she was fighting the change but wasn't sure she could. So she had me get you."

"Hmmm..."

She thinks as she begins to head back to the house stairs.

"Come, little flower. We must make sure she is well before she wakes."

Flowey nods and sinks into the ground to return to his pot at the base of the stairs. Toriel soon follows, picking up his pot while heading upstairs and bring them to the child bedroom. Here is where the three remain. Toriel and Flowey monitor the human, making sure she's okay until she wakes up. Although for Toriel, the waiting wasn't the hardest part. In fact, waiting made it worst. The more time passed, the more her neck began to show the bruising of her hands. The guilt weighed heavily in her stomach.

~~~~~~

The world is dark again, cast into the shadows of an unending emptiness. I must be about to dream of that voice again, the jerk. How many times have I had this dream already? Eight? Nine? Maybe ten times now? Who the friggidy fraggle knows. But something feels a bit off. The cold isn't so bone-chilling as it normally is. This is different. I can move. I can see my body. I am more than able to experience this place in thought alone. This world isn't just all nothingness. There is a single gray door.

Curiosity compels me to open this door without even thinking. It was like the odd call to go down to Toriel's basement. A strange force pulls me inside, causing the door to shut and disappear as though it never was. There's a sudden flash that blinds me for a moment and when my sight returns, I find myself in a gray room...but not alone.

There's a much taller than me figure at the back of the room facing a wall with its back to me. Its body is shrouded in black with the only color I can see being the bleach white of its head. Vaguely the faintest hint of red around collarbone of its neck, a sweater maybe? I know better than to alert this figure to my presence. I concentrate and try to read its soul, but I can't find it. There's a spot where it should be yet no heart appears in my vision. Is it damaged or something? What the hell is this thing?

Suddenly it perks up, turning its head to look my way. Yep, called it on the red being part of a turtleneck sweater, but that's the only part there is as everything else is coated in blackness. It gives me a twisted smile and its eyes light up red, all of which is even freakier looking due to the cracks on its eye sockets, one going down from his left eye the other going up from his right eye.

Nope! So much nope right now! Fuck this! Fuck this dream! Fuck this guy! Fuck my life! Fuck everything!

I attempt to move, only to discover I can't. The familiar chills of death run down my spine as this thing turns completely to face me.

"💧⚐ 🕈☜ ☞✋☠✌☹☹✡ 💣☜☜❄ ☞✌👍☜ ❄⚐ ☞✌👍☜📪 ☹✋❄❄☹☜ ⚐☠☜📬" (SO WE FINALLY MEET FACE TO FACE, LITTLE ONE.)

Don't show any weakness to this fucker. All he does is mess with you. Send all power reserves to the deflector shields! God, I'm a nerd even when I'm giving myself a pep-talk!

"☟💣💣💣📬📬📬❄☟✌❄ ☜✠🏱☼☜💧💧✋⚐☠📬📬📬❄☟✌❄🕯💧 ❄☟☜ ☞✌👍☜ ⚐☞ 💧⚐💣☜⚐☠☜ ❄☼✡✋☠☝ ☠⚐❄ ❄⚐ 💧☟⚐🕈 ✌☠✡ ☞☜✌☼📬" (HMMM...THAT EXPRESSION...THAT'S THE FACE OF SOMEONE TRYING NOT TO SHOW ANY FEAR.)

God dingus damn it!

"❄⚐ 🏱🕆❄ ✡⚐🕆 ✌❄ ☜✌💧☜📪 ✌☹☹⚐🕈 💣☜ ❄⚐ 👍☹✌☼✋☞✡ ❄☟✌❄📪 ✋☠👎☜☜👎📪 ✡⚐🕆 💧⚐🕆☠👎 👌☜ ✌☞☼✌✋👎📬 👌☜ ✞☜☼✡ ✌☞☼✌✋👎📬" (TO PUT YOU AT EASE, ALLOW ME TO CLARIFY THAT, INDEED, YOU SOUND BE AFRAID. BE VERY AFRAID.)

Don't ask stupid questions! For the love of God, resist the urge to ask...

"Why? And how is that suppose to put me at ease?"

You fucking idiot!

"⚐☟📪 👎✋👎 ✋ 💧✌✡ 🏱🕆❄ ✡⚐🕆 ✌❄ ☜✌💧☜✍ 💧✋☹☹✡ 💣☜📪 ❄⚐ ☟✌✞☜ 💧🕆👍☟ ✌ 💧☹✋🏱 ⚐☞ ❄☟☜ ❄⚐🕆☠☝☜ ☹✋😐☜ ❄☟✌❄📬 ☟☜☟📬📬📬🕈☟✌❄ ✋ 💣☜✌☠❄ ❄⚐ 💧✌✡ 🕈✌💧📬📬📬" (OH, DID I SAY PUT YOU AT EASE? SILLY ME, TO HAVE SUCH A SLIP OF THE TOUNGE LIKE THAT. HEH...WHAT I MEANT TO SAY WAS...)

He rushes at me so fast I'm not even sure I saw actual movement. All I know is now I'm pinned to a wall that he's holding me to.

"✋ ✌💣 ☝⚐✋☠☝ ❄⚐ 🏱🕆☹☹ ✡⚐🕆 ✌🏱✌☼❄ ✋☠❄⚐ ☠⚐❄☟✋☠☝ 💣⚐☼☜ ❄☟✌☠ 🏱✋☜👍☜💧 💧⚐ 👌☼⚐😐☜☠ ❄☟✌❄ ☠⚐ ⚐☠☜ 🕈✋☹☹ ☜✞☜☼ 👌☜ ✌👌☹☜ ❄⚐ 🏱🕆❄ 👌✌👍😐 ❄⚐☝☜❄☟☜☼✏" (I AM GOING TO PULL YOU APART INTO NOTHING MORE THAN PIECES SO BROKEN THAT NO ONE WILL EVER BE ABLE TO PUT BACK TOGETHER!)

HOLY FUCKING ASS CRACKERS!!

"🖂💧❄✋☞☹☜👎 💧☠✋👍😐☜☼✋☠☝🖂" (*STIFLED SNICKERING*)

Wait...Did he just...

"☟☜☟☜☟☜📬📬📬☞⚐☼☝✋✞☜ 💣☜📬 ✋❄ ☟✌💧 👌☜☜☠ 💧🕆👍☟ ✌ ☹⚐☠☝ ❄✋💣☜ 💧✋☠👍☜ ✋ 🕈✌💧 ✌👌☹☜ ❄⚐ ✋☠❄☜☼✌👍❄ 🕈✋❄☟ 💧⚐💣☜⚐☠☜📬 ✋ 👍⚐🕆☹👎☠🕯❄ ☼☜💧✋💧❄ 👌☜✋☠☝ ✌👌☹☜ ❄⚐ 💧👍✌☼☜ ✡⚐🕆 💧☜☠💧☜☹☜💧💧📬" (HEHEHE...FORGIVE ME. IT HAS BEEN SUCH A LONG TIME SINCE I WAS ABLE TO INTERACT WITH SOMEONE. I COULDN'T RESIST BEING ABLE TO SCARE YOU SENSELESS.)

He puts me down and my knees give out much to his interest.

"💧☜☜💣💧 ✋ 💣✌✡ ☟✌✞☜ ⚐✞☜☼ 👎✋👎 💣✡💧☜☹☞📬 🕈✌💧 ❄☟✌❄ ❄⚐⚐ 💣🕆👍☟ ☞⚐☼ ✡⚐🕆✍" (SEEMS I MAY HAVE OVER DID MYSELF. WAS THAT TOO MUCH FOR YOU?)

"I think I just shit out my heart..."

"☟💣💣💣📬📬📬💧🕆👌☺☜👍❄ ✋💧 ☜✠❄☼☜💣☜☹✡ 💧🕆👌👎🕆☜👎 🕈☟☜☠ 🕆☠👎☜☼ ✋☠❄☜☠💧☜ 👎🕆☼☜💧💧📬 ✋🕯☹☹ 💣✌😐☜ ✌ 💣☜☠❄✌☹ ☠⚐❄☜ ⚐☞ ❄☟✌❄ ❄⚐ 🏱☼☜✞☜☠❄ ☞🕆☼❄☟☜☼ ✋☠👍✋👎☜☠❄💧 ✋☠ ⚐🕆☼ ☞🕆❄🕆☼☜ ☜☠👍⚐🕆☠❄☜☼💧📬" (HMMM...SUBJECT IS EXTREMELY SUBDUED WHEN UNDER INTENSE DURESS. I'LL MAKE A MENTAL NOTE OF THAT TO PREVENT FURTHER INCIDENTS IN OUR FUTURE ENCOUNTERS.)

He offers me his hand while I get my breathing back under control. Dear lord, he fucking almost scared me to death. He went from zero to Satan in nothing flat. I better keep my cool around him for the sake of my health and sanity. When I'm able to stop shaking, I cautiously give him my hand and I notice something odd about him. Well, more than usual I guess. The parts of him that are white appear to be like bone yet different. There are also holes in the palms of both hands like something's missing or was taken out. He jerks me off the floor with ease. The guy is strong for looking like a stiff.

"☜✞☜☼ ❄☟☜ ⚐👌💧☜☼✞✌☠❄ ⚐☠☜📪 ✌☼☜☠🕯❄ ✡⚐🕆✍ ☜✡☜💧 ✌☹🕈✌✡💧 ⚐☠ 💧⚐💣☜❄☟✋☠☝📬 ❄☟✌❄🕯💧 ☝⚐⚐👎📬 ✋❄ 💣☜✌☠💧 ✡⚐🕆☼ 💣✋☠👎 ✋💧 ✌☹🕈✌✡💧 ✌👍❄✋✞☜📬 ✋❄ 💧🏱☜✌😐💧 ❄⚐ ✡⚐🕆☼ ✋☠❄☜☹☹✋☝☜☠👍☜📬 ✋ ☹✋😐☜ ❄☟✌❄📬 ✋ 👍✌☠🕯❄ 💧❄✌☠👎 ❄✌☹😐✋☠☝ 🕈✋❄☟ ❄☟☜ ✋☝☠⚐☼✌☠❄ 🕆☠👎☜☼👎☜✞☜☹⚐🏱☜👎 💧👍🕆💣📬" (EVER THE OBSERVANT ONE, AREN'T YOU? EYES ALWAYS ON SOMETHING. THAT'S GOOD. IT MEANS YOUR MIND IS ALWAYS ACTIVE. IT SPEAKS TO YOUR INTELLIGENCE. I LIKE THAT. I CAN'T STAND TALKING WITH THE IGNORANT UNDERDEVELOPED SCUM.)

"Thanks, I guess? Not really sure what's going on here. But quick question...Are you...?"

"✌ 💧😐☜☹☜❄⚐☠✍ ✡☜💧📬 ✋ 🕈✌💧 👌☜☝✋☠☠✋☠☝ ❄⚐ ❄☟✋☠😐 ✡⚐🕆 🕈☜☼☜☠🕯❄ ☝⚐✋☠☝ ❄⚐ ✌💧😐📬" (A SKELETON? YES. I WAS BEGINNING TO THINK YOU WEREN'T GOING TO ASK.)

"How do you figure that?"

"✋ 👍✌☠ 💧☜☜ ✡⚐🕆 ✌☼☜ ☞✋✠✌❄✋☠☝ ✡⚐🕆☼ ☝✌☪☜ ⚐☠ 🏱✌☼❄💧 ⚐☞ 💣✡ 💧😐🕆☹☹ 🕈☟✋☹☜ ✡⚐🕆☼ ☟✌☠👎📪 🕈☟✋👍☟ ✋💧 💧❄✋☹☹ ✋☠ 💣✋☠☜ 👌✡ ❄☟☜ 🕈✌✡📪 ✋💧 ☞☜☜☹✋☠☝ ✌☼⚐🕆☠👎 ❄☟☜ 👌⚐☠☜ ✈🕆✋❄☜ ✋☠❄☜☠❄☹✡📬" (I CAN SEE YOU ARE FIXATING YOUR GAZE ON PARTS OF MY SKULL WHILE YOUR HAND, WHICH IS STILL IN MINE BY THE WAY, IS FEELING AROUND THE BONE QUITE INTENTLY.)

I blush and yank my hand back, which makes him smirk.

"💧🕆👍☟ ✌ ☠✌🕆☝☟❄✡ ☝✋☼☹ ❄⚐ ☞☜☜☹ 💣☜ ☹✋😐☜ ❄☟✌❄📬 ✌☠👎 ✋🕯💣 ✌ 💧❄☼✌☠☝☜☼ ☠⚐ ☹☜💧💧📬 🕈☟✡📬📬📬🕈☟✌❄ 🕈⚐🕆☹👎 ✡⚐🕆☼ 💣⚐❄☟☜☼ 💧✌✡ ✋☞ 💧☟☜ 😐☠☜🕈✍" (SUCH A NAUGHTY GIRL TO FEEL ME LIKE THAT. AND I'M A STRANGER NO LESS. WHY...WHAT WOULD YOUR MOTHER SAY IF SHE KNEW?)

I'm getting too flustered for this shit.

"Buddy, I am so close to slapping you that it ain't even funny."

"☠⚐ ☠☜☜👎 ☞⚐☼ 💧🕆👍☟ ☼☜❄✌☹✋✌❄✋⚐☠📬 ☠⚐❄ ☹✋😐☜ ✡⚐🕆🕯👎 ☟✌☼💣 💣☜ ☜✞☜☠ ✋☞ ✡⚐🕆 ❄☼✋☜👎📬" (NO NEED FOR SUCH RETALIATION. NOT LIKE YOU'D HARM ME EVEN IF YOU TRIED.)

"Are you implying that I'm weak?"

"☠⚐❄ ☜✞☜☠ 👍☹⚐💧☜📬 ❄☟✋💧 ✋💧 ❄☟☜ ✞⚐✋👎📬 ✌ 🏱☹✌👍☜ 👌☜❄🕈☜☜☠ ❄✋💣☜ ✌☠👎 💧🏱✌👍☜📬 ❄☟✋☠☝💧 ☹✋😐☜ 💧❄☼☜☠☝❄☟ 👎⚐ ☠⚐❄ 💣✌❄❄☜☼ ☟☜☼☜📬 ☠⚐❄☟✋☠☝ 💣✌❄❄☜☼💧 ☟☜☼☜📬" (NOT EVEN CLOSE. THIS IS THE VOID. A PLACE BETWEEN TIME AND SPACE. THINGS LIKE STRENGTH DO NOT MATTER HERE. NOTHING MATTERS HERE.)

Joke detected. Proceed with being a dork.

"You're wrong."

"☟💣💣💣✍" (HMMM?)

"Everything is matter!"

I laugh nervously as he blinks at me a few times. Wow...My lameness has hit new lows. This is around the time Flowey or Chara would mock me for it. I sigh in defeat, only to perk up when I hear him slap a hand over his mouth. He's trying not to chuckle but the hole in his hand doesn't really help.

"❄☟✌❄📬📬📬❄☟✌❄ 🕈✌💧 ✌🕈☞🕆☹📪 ☟🕆💣✌☠📬" (THAT...THAT WAS AWFUL, HUMAN.)

"Then why are you laughing, sir?"

"✋❄🕯💧 ✌ 🏱✋❄✡ ☹✌🕆☝☟📬" (IT'S A PITY LAUGH.)

"Heh. If you say so. Figured all skeletons had easily tickled funny bones. At least, that's the impression I got from Sans anyway."

He flinches upon hearing that name.

"Judging by that reaction, I seem to have struck a nerve. Rather interesting considering, as a skeleton, you don't have the guts for such things."

A small amount of red dusts his cheekbones and he groans at my increasingly bad puns.

"❄☟✌❄ 👌⚐☠☜☟☜✌👎📬📬📬✌☹☹ ✋❄ ❄⚐⚐😐 🕈✌💧 ⚐☠☜ ✋☠❄☜☼✌👍❄✋⚐☠ ✌☠👎 ☟☜ 👍⚐☼☼🕆🏱❄☜👎 ✡⚐🕆 🕈✋❄☟ ☟✋💧 ❄☜☼☼✋👌☹☜ 💧☜☠💧☜ ⚐☞ ☟🕆💣⚐☼📬" (THAT BONEHEAD...ALL IT TOOK WAS ONE INTERACTION AND HE CORRUPTED YOU WITH HIS TERRIBLE SENSE OF HUMOR.)

"So you do know him? Cool. Does he randomly get pulled into weird doors in his dreams too?"

"☠⚐📬 ✡⚐🕆 🕈✋☹☹ ☠⚐❄ 👌☜ 💧☜☜✋☠☝ 💧✌☠💧 ☟☜☼☜📬 ❄☟✋💧 ✋💧 ✌ 🏱☹✌👍☜ 🕈☟☜☼☜ ⚐☠☹✡ ✡⚐🕆 ✌☠👎 ✋ 🕈✋☹☹ 👍⚐☠✞☜☼☝☜ ❄⚐ 💣☜☜❄📬" (NO. YOU WILL NOT BE SEEING SANS HERE. THIS IS A PLACE WHERE ONLY YOU AND I WILL CONVERGE TO MEET.)

"So...This is going to be a thing with us then? Me randomly popping in and saying hi?"

"✌ ❄☟⚐🕆💧✌☠👎 🏱✌☼👎⚐☠💧 ✋☞ ✋🕯💣 ☠⚐❄ 💣☜☜❄✋☠☝ ✡⚐🕆☼ ☟✋☝☟ 💧❄✌☠👎✌☼👎💧 ☞⚐☼ 👍⚐💣🏱✌☠✡📬" (A THOUSAND PARDONS IF I'M NOT MEETING YOUR HIGH STANDARDS FOR COMPANY.)

"That's not what I meant. Don't take it the wrong way, I'm just confused by this...whatever this is. I recall each of these moments. Each time we chat. I'm not even sure these are dreams anymore based on I'm able to vividly remember all this. So finally meeting the owner of the voice that comes into my head is throwing me off a little. I'm not very good at making the best first impressions."

"✋ 😐☠⚐🕈📬 ✡⚐🕆 👍✌☹☹☜👎 💣☜ ✌ ☼✌👍✋💧❄ ☞🕆👍😐📪 ☼☜💣☜💣👌☜☼✍" (I KNOW. YOU CALLED ME A RACIST FUCK, REMEMBER?)

"*nervous giggles* Oh yeah...heh...I...I forgot about that. My bad?"

He sneers a little before regaining composure.

"❄⚐ 👌☜ ☞✌✋☼📪 ✋ 🕈✌💧 ☹☜💧💧 ❄☟✌☠ 🏱☹☜✌💧✌☠❄ ✋☠ ❄☟✌❄ ✋☠❄☜☼✌👍❄✋⚐☠ ✌💧 🕈☜☹☹📬 💧⚐ ✋🕯💣 🕈✋☹☹✋☠☝ ❄⚐ ⚐✞☜☼☹⚐⚐😐 ❄☟✌❄ 💣⚐💣☜☠❄ ✌☠👎 👍✌☹☹ 🕆💧 ☜✞☜☠📬 👌🕆❄ 💣✌✡👌☜ ✡⚐🕆 💣✌😐☜ ✌ 🏱⚐✋☠❄ ✌👌⚐🕆❄ ☞✋☼💧❄ ✋💣🏱☼☜💧💧✋⚐☠💧📬 💧👍✌☼✋☠☝ ✡⚐🕆 ☟✌☹☞ ❄⚐ 👎☜✌❄☟📪 🕈☟✋☹☜ ☜☠❄☜☼❄✌✋☠✋☠☝📪 ✋💧☠🕯❄ ❄☟☜ 👌☜💧❄ 🕈✌✡ ⚐☞ ☝☼☜☜❄✋☠☝ ✌ ☠☜🕈 ☞✌👍☜📬" (TO BE FAIR, I WAS LESS THAN PLEASANT IN THAT INTERACTION AS WELL. SO I'M WILLING TO OVERLOOK THAT MOMENT AND CALL US EVEN. BUT MAYBE YOU MAKE A POINT ABOUT FIRST IMPRESSIONS. SCARING YOU HALF TO DEATH, WHILE ENTERTAINING, ISN'T THE BEST WAY OF GREETING A NEW FACE.)

I guess if he's willing to forgive and forget, I can be a big girl about this too.

"Then allow me to introduce myself. Greetings good sir, I am Lynsie. Might I be so bold as to ask who you might be? Since this will be a reoccurring and continuing thing."

"✋ 😐☠⚐🕈 ✞☜☼✡ 🕈☜☹☹ 🕈☟⚐ ✡⚐🕆 ✌☼☜📪 ☟🕆💣✌☠📬 ✋🕯✞☜ 👌☜☜☠ 💣⚐☠✋❄⚐☼✋☠☝ ✡⚐🕆 💧✋☠👍☜ ✡⚐🕆 ☞☜☹☹📬 🕈☟✋👍☟📪 ✈🕆✋❄☜ ☞☼✌☠😐☹✡ ✋ ☟✌✞☜ ❄⚐ 💧✌✡📪 ✋🕯💣 ✌ ☹✋❄❄☹☜ 👎✋💧✌🏱🏱⚐✋☠❄☜👎📬" (I KNOW VERY WELL WHO YOU ARE, HUMAN. I'VE BEEN MONITORING YOU SINCE YOU FELL. WHICH, QUITE FRANKLY I HAVE TO SAY, I'M A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED.)

"You've been watching me? Wait...I'm disappointing? What? How? Why?"

"✡⚐🕆🕯☼☜ 😐✋☠👎 ⚐☞ 👌⚐☼✋☠☝📬" (YOU'RE KIND OF BORING.)

"I'm boring? How the hell am I boring? Did you not see any of the crap I've been through?! Did you not see Toriel need to strangle me?! How the fuck is that boring?!"

A cheeky smirk plays on his face...that cocky son of a bone!

"☟☜☟📬 ✋ ☟✌👎 ✌ ☞☜☜☹✋☠☝ ❄☟✌❄ 🕈⚐🕆☹👎 👎☼✌☝ ✌☠ ✌💣🕆💧✋☠☝ ☼☜✌👍❄✋⚐☠ ⚐🕆❄ ⚐☞ ✡⚐🕆📬" (HEH. I HAD A FEELING THAT WOULD DRAG AN AMUSING REACTION OUT OF YOU.)

My eye twitches.

"I'm just a toy to you, aren't I?"

His expression changes to a more serious one.

"☞✌☼ ☞☼⚐💣 ✋❄📬 ✌☹☹ ☟🕆💣⚐☼ ✌💧✋👎☜📪 ✋ ☞✋☠👎 ✡⚐🕆 ☼✌❄☟☜☼ ✋☠❄☜☼☜💧❄✋☠☝📬 ❄☟✋💧 ☼⚐⚐💣 ✋💧 💧☜🏱✌☼✌❄☜ ☞☼⚐💣 ❄☟☜ 🕈⚐☼☹👎 ✡⚐🕆 😐☠⚐🕈 🕈☟☜☠ ✡⚐🕆 ✌☼☜ 👍⚐☠💧👍✋⚐🕆💧📬 ☠⚐ ⚐☠☜ ✌☠👎 ☠⚐ ❄☟✋☠☝ ☟✌💧 ☜✞☜☼ 👌☜☜☠ ✌👌☹☜ ❄⚐ ☼☜✌👍☟ ☟☜☼☜ ☠✌❄🕆☼✌☹☹✡📬📬📬❄☟✌❄ ✋💧📪 ⚐☞ 👍⚐🕆☼💧☜📪 🕆☠❄✋☹ ✡⚐🕆 ☞☜☹☹📬" (FAR FROM IT. ALL HUMOR ASIDE, I FIND YOU RATHER INTERESTING. THIS ROOM IS SEPARATE FROM THE WORLD YOU KNOW WHEN YOU ARE CONSCIOUS. NO ONE AND NO THING HAS EVER BEEN ABLE TO REACH HERE NATURALLY...THAT IS, OF COURSE, UNTIL YOU FELL.)

"You're suggesting that this place is a dimensional rift or pocket dimension that solely consists of this room and only this room."

The grin he gets is creepy.

"✋ 😐☠☜🕈 ✡⚐🕆 🕈☜☼☜ 👍☹☜✞☜☼📬 ✡⚐🕆☼ 🕆☠👎☜☼💧❄✌☠👎✋☠☝ ⚐☞ 💣🕆☹❄✋✞☜☼💧☜ ❄☟☜⚐☼✡ 🕈✌💧 ✞☜☼✡ ☜☠☹✋☝☟❄☜☠✋☠☝📬" (I KNEW YOU WERE CLEVER. YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF MULTIVERSE THEORY WAS VERY ENLIGHTENING.)

"I have a basic understanding in most scientific studies. It's amazing the kind of stuff I end up looking up when I'm bored. My most recent studies being string theory and multiverse theory."

"❄☟☜☠ ✡⚐🕆 👍✌☠ ☝☼✌💧🏱 ☟⚐🕈 ❄☟✋💧 ✋💧 🏱⚐💧💧✋👌☹☜📬 ❄☟✋💧 ☼⚐⚐💣 💧❄✋☹☹ ☜✠✋💧❄ ⚐☠ ❄☟☜ 💧✌💣☜ 🏱⚐✋☠❄ ✌💧 ❄☟☜ 💣✌✋☠ 👎✋💣☜☠💧✋⚐☠ 🏱☹✌☠☜📪 👌🕆❄ ✋💧 ☠⚐❄ ✈🕆✋☜❄ ⚐☠ ❄☟☜ 💧✌💣☜ ☹☜✞☜☹📬" (THEN YOU CAN GRASP HOW THIS IS POSSIBLE. THIS ROOM STILL EXIST ON THE SAME POINT AS THE MAIN DIMENSION PLANE, BUT IS NOT QUIET ON THE SAME LEVEL.)

"Hmmm...Like a weak rip in the fabric of the blanket of time. This room is still connected by the loose threads but isn't fully patched in, if you mind such phrasing."

"☜✠✌👍❄☹✡📬 ✞☜☼✡ ☠✋👍☜ ✌☠✌☹⚐☝✡ 👌✡ ❄☟☜ 🕈✌✡📬 💧✋💣🏱☹☜ ✌☠👎 ☜☞☞☜👍❄✋✞☜📬" (EXACTLY. VERY NICE ANALOGY BY THE WAY. SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE.)

"I try. But I do believe we are missing a very important part of this equation."

"✌☠👎 🕈☟✌❄ 💣✋☝☟❄ ❄☟✌❄ 👌☜✍" (AND WHAT MIGHT THAT BE?)

"How the heck am I here? I'm just a mere human with the weakest amount of magic you can possibly imagine. How could I possibly be capable of inter-dimensional travel?"

An inquisitive look falls to him, his pinprick eyes close in thought. It's not a bad look on him. Kind of charming actually. Very natural looking. Did I stump you, mystery man?

"✌ 🏱⚐💧💧✋👌☹☜ ☜✠🏱☹✌☠✌❄✋⚐☠ 👍⚐🕆☹👎 👌☜ ✌💧❄☼✌☹ 🏱☼⚐☺☜👍❄✋⚐☠📬 ❄☟☜ ☞✌☹☹ 👍⚐🕆☹👎 ☟✌✞☜ ❄☼✋☝☝☜☼☜👎 ✡⚐🕆☼ 💧⚐🕆☹ ❄⚐ ❄☼✡ 🏱☼⚐❄☜👍❄✋☠☝ ✡⚐🕆📬 ✌❄ ❄☟☜ ☼✋💧😐 ⚐☞ ✡⚐🕆☼ 👌⚐👎✡ ☹✋😐☜☹✡ 👌☜✋☠☝ ☼☜☠👎☜☼☜👎 🕆💧☜☹☜💧💧📪 ✡⚐🕆☼ 💧⚐🕆☹ 💣✋☝☟❄ ☟✌✞☜ ❄☼✋☜👎 ❄⚐ 💧✌✞☜ ✡⚐🕆☼ ☜💧💧☜☠👍☜ ☞⚐☼ ☼☜💧☜❄❄✋☠☝ 🏱🕆☼🏱⚐💧☜💧📬" (A POSSIBLE EXPLANATION COULD BE ASTRAL PROJECTION. THE FALL COULD HAVE TRIGGERED YOUR SOUL TO TRY PROTECTING YOU. AT THE RISK OF YOUR BODY LIKELY BEING RENDERED USELESS, YOUR SOUL MIGHT HAVE TRIED TO SAVE YOUR ESSENCE FOR RESETTING PURPOSES.)

Now I'm the one confused.

"What do you mean by that?"

"✡⚐🕆 🕈✋☹☹ ☞✋☠👎 ❄☟✌❄ ⚐🕆❄ ✋☠ 👎🕆☜ ❄✋💣☜📬 ✋🕯💣 💧🕆☼☜ ✌ 👍🕆☼✋⚐🕆💧 💣✋☠👎📪 💧🕆👍☟ ✌💧 ✡⚐🕆☼💧☜☹☞📪 🕈⚐🕆☹👎 ☜☠☺⚐✡ 👎✋💧👍⚐✞☜☼✋☠☝ 💧🕆👍☟ 🕈⚐☠👎☜☼💧 ⚐☠ ✡⚐🕆☼ ⚐🕈☠📬" (YOU WILL FIND THAT OUT IN DUE TIME. I'M SURE A CURIOUS MIND, SUCH AS YOURSELF, WOULD ENJOY DISCOVERING SUCH WONDERS ON YOUR OWN.)

Wait, what does he mean by this? The why is he speaking in like some vague character in a game?

"I...I'm not sure I follow what you're saying. Can you be a tad more specific?"

"✌💧 ✋ 💧✌✋👎📪 ✡⚐🕆 🕈✋☹☹ ✋☠ ��✋💣☜📬 👌🕆❄ ☞⚐☼ ☠⚐🕈📪 ⚐🕆☼ ❄✋💣☜ ✋💧 ☠☜✌☼✋☠☝ ✋❄🕯💧 ☜☠👎📬 ⚐🕆☼ 💣☜☜❄✋☠☝💧 ☠☜✞☜☼ 💧☜☜💣 ❄⚐ ☹✌💧❄ ☹⚐☠☝ ☜☠⚐🕆☝☟ ☞⚐☼ 👎☜👍☜☠❄ 👍⚐☠✞☜☼💧✌❄✋⚐☠📬 ✌❄ ☹☜✌💧❄📪 ☞⚐☼ ☠⚐🕈 ✌☠✡🕈✌✡📬" (AS I SAID, YOU WILL IN TIME. BUT FOR NOW, OUR TIME IS NEARING IT'S END. OUR MEETINGS NEVER SEEM TO LAST LONG ENOUGH FOR DECENT CONVERSATION. AT LEAST, FOR NOW ANYWAY.)

I can feel it happening. I'm regaining consciousness.

"Wait! You never told me who you are and why you're here? I have so many questions!"

He gives me a crooked smile and pats my head like an elder sibling would.

"❄☟✌❄📪 ☹✋❄❄☹☜ ⚐☠☜📪 ✋💧 ✌ ❄✌☹☜ ☞⚐☼ ✌☠⚐❄☟☜☼ ❄✋💣☜📬 👌🕆❄ ✋ 🕈✋☹☹ ✌☠💧🕈☜☼ ⚐☠☜ ⚐☞ ✡⚐🕆☼ ✈🕆☜💧❄✋⚐☠💧📬" (THAT, LITTLE ONE, IS A TALE FOR ANOTHER TIME. BUT I WILL ANSWER ONE OF YOUR QUESTIONS.)

He leans down and we lock eyes, my heart stops in mid-beat as I forget how to breathe.

"✡⚐🕆 💣✌✡ 👍✌☹☹ 💣☜📬📬📬☝✌💧❄☜☼📬" (YOU MAY CALL ME...GASTER.)

His eyes flash and I'm consumed in the light.

[zukalations]

Time to soar! #3 - Ashizawa Jin interview with Nanami Hiroki (April 2017)

Ashizawa Jin is an illustrator/columnist who has been conducting interviews for GRAPH since the 1960s (yes, you read that right). His interview column gets a new title every year but has been fairly consistent format-wise in recent years. I’m giving him his own tag in the Staff category since he is one of the few interview conductors to be credited by name in the publications.

Time to soar! #3 - Ashizawa Jin interview with Nanami Hiroki

Perhaps I'm the only one who feels the stage light up when Nanami Hiroki enters. With Blazing Wind - Strategist Takenaka Hanbei, she achieved her first solo lead, exhibiting both gallant brilliance and subtle sweetness in a total display of her appeal. She is now soaring to new heights.

Hanbei is a military commander, and in this production, you were the leader - did you make any new realizations through the combination of these two things? Did you feel pressured? I didn't really feel 'scared' - I just had fun, mostly (laughs). If I was focusing and giving my best, everyone else would help and support me...I really felt that kind of atmosphere. Hanbei isn't the type of protagonist to keep pushing ahead without relying on anyone. He had a deep sense of connection with everyone around him, and would always do his duty, and I was also able to feel safe and stand naturally in the middle of everyone. Whether in rehearsals or on stage, everyone looked out for me so much, and of course, Marin-san (Yuuma Rin), who played Hideyoshi, was a big support. Therefore I was able to perform without feeling too much of a burden.

Did you feel nervous on opening day? I didn't, actually. The most nervous I've ever felt up until now was my first day as Scarlett (Gone with the Wind, switch role with Asaka Manato). I always use that as a point of comparison, so I'll think to myself 'am I more nervous than back then?' and then I'm like 'I'm doing better than I was then' (laughs). In Blazing Wind, every one of us constructed things clearly, and a main theme of the story is the value of life. Ever since the rehearsals started I'd felt certain that this would really resonate with the audience. Therefore, while I couldn't say I was perfectly comfortable, I certainly felt I was able to get through the opening performance without being too shaken.

You looked so cool in the poster photoshoot. How did it feel to see yourself all over? For the poster, Director Suzuki was very particiular, so during the photoshoot it was all settled, 'do this there, now do that' so I was just following directions. But he was really into it (laughs), so I understood the image he was going for more and more. The fans seemed to like it as well, which made me happy, and when I would see the posters up around town I'd be like 'Hey, that's me!' (laughs) Basically I was just like 'I'm so happy!' and was really glad about it (laughs)

You said you were very nervous on opening day, but what was it like to play Scarlett? Well, first off, it's a female role (laughs), and over the years, so many different people have played her. Also, since it was a switch role, rehearsal time was limited, so I was like 'is this gonna be okay?' and had a lot of concerns about it. While I'd rehearsed alone, obviously it takes a whole cast to make a show, so I had a lot of strong worries - what if I cause trouble for everyone, or worse, what do I do if I cause a problem for Rika-san (Ouki Kaname), who played Rhett Butler.

What do you to do help when you're struggling with a role? Do you try things like moving away from the character? I never leave the character. It takes me some time to solidify the image I have for a role. Therefore, for example, if there's someone with a similar feel to my character I'll research them and try to move how I think they would move. There's a limit to my own imagination, so I take things like that and mix them in with my own style. However, when all that's said and done, I think what's most important is to perform in a way that makes things easier for the rest of the cast. If I think about how to make the lead performer, or my partner, look better, that helps me bring my character to life. It's not about performing for 'me, me, me' alone, buut if I think about how I can make my partner look better, it makes me look better as well. That's the fun of acting, isn't it?

I first noticed you in Valentino (Theatre Drama City, Nippon Seinenkan Hall), where you played Rudolf Valentino's wife, Natasha. I wonder why that could have been, even though you are an otokoyaku... I still don't really get why it was me, but I think since it was so abrupt, everyone must have been like 'who the heck is that!?' At the time, it wasn't as if I had any objection to female roles, but since I was 173cm, I never dreamed of being cast as Oozora Yuuhi-san's wife, so I was really shocked. At first I didn't have any idea how to do a female role. I've never been girly in the first place, and I wore jeans all through highschool, so it was a bit embarrassing to come into the rehearsal room wearing a leotard and skirt (laughs). Director Koike watched me act and gave me a variety of one-on-one advice, so I'm really grateful for that.

A lot of your roles that left an impression on me are female roles. Even though I thought more otokoyaku roles should be coming to mind... Well, I think that doing female roles back then let me think a lot more about what it is to be an otokoyaku. Sometimes, after I'd put together a really subtle dramatic performance, I would be told that if I didn't make it a little bigger, it wouldn't come across to the audience... I thought that even though this was what I liked, going along with just what I liked was no good - but I thought 'since there are fans who like this way of doing things then that's alright'. The power of the fans is really strong to me. Of course I'll follow the directors' instructions and desires, but that sometimes means performing while thinking that wasn't really what I wanted to do, so I'd like to be able to combine these things more.

You have a stubborn side, don't you. I'm reeeally stubborn, I think (laughs). I feel like if I don't think 'Gosh, I'm so cool!' then the audience won't think that either. Therefore I'm always trying to emphasize my coolness, and when I think 'yeah, this is it!' and the audience also likes it that makes me really happy.

You transferred from Cosmos Troupe to Star Troupe in April of 2015, and it seemed that the otokoyaku 'Nanami Hiroki' became much more intense then. The atmosphere of Cosmos Troupe was really different to Star Troupe. When my transfer was decided, I was full of anxiety about it - will I be any benefit to Star Troupe? I'm not the most clever type, so will this go okay? But once I came in, it was such a different world, and a lot of different people had an impact on me. When I aced with Kurenai-san for the first time in Catch Me If You Can (Akasaka ACT Theatre, Theatre Drama City), I really realized how different the acting styles were between different troupes. I do feel that rather than being somewhere I feel totally comfortable, it's better to encounter challenges. I was also blessed by who I had around me: my classmate Ichijo, Kurenai-san from a year above, and also Toki (Irisu)-san and Hokushou (Kairi)-san, so it was an environment where I could feel safe and grow. Therefore, while it's been about 2 years now, I feel like it's really helped me come into my own. Everyone's been really good to me, and the junior actresses are looking up to me, so I'm really grateful for that.

What do you find most difficult about expressing a man's feelings? Hmmm... Obviously, in Takarazuka, we're not men but otokoyaku, so that incorporates a lot of things that real men wouldn't do. For example, actual men would hardly ever bring you flowers on your birthday. Especially Japanese men. Maybe foreign men are different (laughs). So an otokoyaku creates the image of a woman's ideal. I think it's because we're not like real men, but the sort of characters from the world of shojo manga or TV dramas who'd never exist in reality, that Takarazuka is so good. If you want to see actual men you can go to any other theatre, but you can't see otokoyaku anywhere but Takarazuka. I think Takarazuka is a theatre where you go to fall in love. It's a totally unique theatre where you can encounter a dream world and fall in love (laughs). Therefore, I think that being realistic is totally the wrong way to go. I feel like it's since they come to fall in love with men who would never exist in the real world that people will see the shows over and over. Since I want to make the audience happy, I'm also always thinking about how I can be more wonderful as an otokoyaku.

It seems that you will be able to use your experiences playing Hanbei in your role of Robespierre in The Scarlet Pimpernel. I've also been thinking that. While I picture him as presiding over the Reign of Terror, and he's certainly a villain, he's also someone who was true to his own convictions. It's a question of how far to take it, as if I take that too far he won't seem like a villain any more... Since he was a real person, I think it's really vital that I use my limited appearances onstage to really get across to the audience what the situation was in France at that time, as well as Robespierre's emotions. I really want to keep growing as an otokoyaku, so I've been getting a lot of instruction from Director Koike, and I want to enjoy myself while still working hard to become a more splendid stage performer.

[geekmama]

Safe Space

For the First Sleepover prompt for May 17th of Sherlolly Appreciation Week 2017

She woke to the sound of snoring...

Not the window-rattling sort, such as she remembered issuing from behind the closed door of her grandfather’s bedroom when he’d lived with them so many years ago. Nor was it the slightly milder yet still disturbing version of her father’s, the authorship of which he’d denied to the end of his days. The current iteration was a far gentler sound. Quiet, and really almost soothing in its way. For a moment she wondered where it was coming from.

But only for a moment.

Sherlock.

He had come to her late the evening before, exhausted but satisfied, a triple murder that had baffled the best of Scotland Yard having taken even him nine days to unravel.

“Solved and put to bed,” he’d told her, swaying on his feet.

“You should be put to bed yourself!” she’d blurted, and then blushed, afraid he might take that the wrong way. “I mean… w-why aren’t you back in Baker Street?”

“Don’t you want to hear about it?” he’d pouted.

“Of course, but… well, come in then. I suppose you haven’t eaten in days, either, so you can tell me while I make you something.”

She hadn’t had much in the flat, but the meal -- hot tea, beans on toast, and a leftover slice of Victoria Sponge Cake from a co-worker’s birthday celebration -- was deemed acceptable. Between mouthfuls he rambled on about his deductions, the clues those idiots on the force had misread, or missed entirely, and a great many of the quite literally gory details.

She sat enthralled, and vastly pleased that he had once again singled her out as the person with whom he wished to share his success. John had been with him on the case, as usual, and knew everything, and would blog about it in his clever way, but John had also an irreverent eye and acerbic wit that Molly suspected Sherlock found a bit trying at times. His Pathologist, on the other hand, usually expressed nothing but sincere admiration for the gifts of intellect and ability that came so beautifully wrapped in the person of Sherlock Holmes, World’s Only Consulting Detective.

Said detective was also endearingly human, however, and with the last bites of cake Molly saw that he was coming down hard, the adrenaline charged stream of words petering out, his eyelids evidently growing heavy. He muttered blearily, “Hmmm. You know, perhaps I’ll just have a rest on your couch.”

“Sherlock, that couch is too short for you,” she’d said, amused but also concerned. “You need a good night’s sleep and you’d be far more comfortable in your own bed.”

“Just for a few hours?”

She’d sighed, swallowed hard, and, hoping she wasn’t blushing too vividly, voiced a thought she’d had several times in the months since he’d taken to using her flat as a bolthole. “Look, why don’t we share the bed? It’s big enough. I’ll keep to my side, and you can keep to yours. Your… your virtue will be quite unsullied. And we can both be comfortable.”

He’d stared, looking slightly less sleepy, and when he didn’t reply immediately she began to wonder if she’d made a grave error in suggesting such a thing. But finally he said, “Alright. If you’re sure you don’t mind.”

He’d sounded -- and looked -- so uncharacteristically humble that she’d almost laughed. And mind? Oh heavens! But aloud she only said, “No, it’s fine. Come on.”

As he’d followed her back to her bedroom, she’d said over her shoulder, “I hope you don’t mind pink!”

He sniffed. “Yes, Molly, I insist you redecorate immediately.” But a few seconds later, when he’d stepped into the bedroom, lit by the warm glow of her frilly bedside lamp, he did stop and stare about. He’d been in her room once or twice before, but under much less weighty circumstances. Now he was noticing every detail, particularly the big bed with its brass headboard, many pillows, and bedclothes of rose-splashed pink trimmed with deep, foamy lace. He said, finally, “It’s… er… it suits you.” He smiled a little, probably relieved he’d found a critique that would not offend.

“Thank you!” she said, hiding a smile. “I’ll turn down the bed while you use the loo, if you like. There’s a spare toothbrush in the left hand drawer by the sink. Oh! Did you want to shower?”

“Not unless you insist. Been showering for days, we spent most of the time being soaked by rain.”

“Oh, dear!”

“Mmm.” He turned away and ambled down the short hall to the toilet.

She took advantage of his absence not only to turn down the bed, but to swiftly strip off the ancient and somewhat frayed plaid flannel pyjamas she’d been wearing, donning another set made of a thinner material, a soft grey jersey dotted with tiny white flowers. The new set, which draped nicely, clinging in exactly the right places, had been a Christmas gift from her mother and Molly had laid them aside for a special occasion. It was difficult to conceive of an occasion more special than this one.

She was brushing out her hair when Sherlock returned.

He raised his brows a little as he looked her new attire over, and she blushed and began to wrack her brain for an excuse that would sound both plausible and innocent. But then he seemed to lose interest and, yawning, wandered over to the chair by the window. He took off the jacket of his suit, laid it carefully over the back of the chair, and began to unbutton his shirt.

“I… um… I’ll be back,” she managed, and scooted toward the loo, well out of range of Sherlock’s strip tease.

She took her time, feeling stupidly nervous and rather hoping he would be in bed and sound asleep by the time she returned.

She was only half right. He was tucked in, but his eyes met hers.

“Um… everything alright, then?” she asked. The sight of him lying there, looking rather enormous and extremely male amid the roses and lace, was… disturbing.

“Fine,” he assured her.

“Thank you for taking the right side. I always sleep on the left.”

“I know. I mean… it was obvious.”

“Oh. Of course.”

Her heart was thumping noisily as she crossed the room to get in bed, and she could feel her cheeks burning. She turned out the light and slipped under the covers, lying on her side, facing away from him, close to the edge. Settled herself. “Goodnight,” she said.

“Goodnight.”

The minutes ticked by in the blessed dark. Neither of them moved, and though he was lying on his back, there was at least a couple of feet of empty space between them. No-man’s land.

But it didn’t matter. She wasn’t sleeping. Couldn’t sleep. And she was pretty sure he was in the same predicament.

Perhaps this hadn’t been such a good idea.

However, that seemed to have been her last conscious thought until that pleasant, light snoring had come to her ears, and gently ruffled her hair.

Ruffled her hair?

She opened her eyes, moving very slightly, and froze.

No-man’s land had been breached, and in no uncertain terms.

Molly seemed to be half draped over Sherlock, curled against him, tucked into his side, her cheek against his shoulder, as close as two people could get without… well… and furthermore, he was holding her. His arms, with latent strength, were about her, and it was his breath, deep and even, that had ruffled her hair.

She lay still as a mouse, wondering what she should do. Yet, at the same time, she had sense enough to absorb every aspect of the moment: the intriguing scent, Essence of Rain-Washed Sherlock; the feel of smooth skin and firm, muscular flesh; the cotton fabric of his vest and pants; the size of him, big and warm and… just right. Comfortable.

Exquisitely comfortable.

She found that she was most disinclined toward moving, and even less toward making a fuss. It would only spoil things, create an embarrassing situation for both of them.

Perhaps she could just go back to sleep.

By the faint light she knew it was very early -- just past dawn, probably.

And she was very comfortable.

She closed her eyes and consciously relaxed, feeling she might as well try. Who knew when -- if -- she’d ever have this opportunity again?

*

Some slight movement had roused him.

Molly.

He was adept at maintaining a pretense of sleep, having found it a useful skill at various points in his erratic career. So he sustained his relaxed state, his even rate of breathing, and he did not open his eyes. He was, however, cognizant of Molly’s situation (awake, aware, held in his arms) and of his own.

The scent of her hair was… delicious. Yet it was also remarkably soothing, and he could still feel the pull of post-case exhaustion, both mental and physical. Inconvenient physical evidence of his attraction to his pathologist was accordingly minimized, though for the sake of honesty he could no longer deny the reality of it.

He felt some vague perturbation in acknowledging that truth. Fear of endangering her; a lingering distrust of sentiment; an unwillingness to alter their comfortable relationship.  

Comfortable.

Comfort.

And the scent of her hair…

Ultimately, it was the fact that she seemed to have decided to simply go back to sleep that served to assuage these muddled concerns.

He consigned them to the nebulous future, and a smile tugged at his lips as he began to drift off again.

Safe.

Comfortable.

Breathing deep.

~.~