#i'd love to hear more thoughts

[yoroshiu]

Kingdom Hearts Quotes I Couldn't Put In My Poll Because They Were Too Long

I was so sad I couldn't because I like these ones TvT (no particular order) (For the Very Serious edition poll)

"Have the uncountable hours in the shadows whittled away the courage I never really had?" - Aqua (0.2)

" You can't afford to get sentimental; you have to be pragmatic." - Master of Masters (Union x)

"Would a friend try to manipulate someone's beliefs just because they don't line up with their own?" - Xehanort (Dark Road)

"But while they can be hidden deep inside, the wounds and scars remain. Forgetting doesn't mean it never happened." - Chirithy (Union x)

"You'll forget things, lose things you care about, and it won't always make sense." - Data-Riku (Re:Coded)

"You might not know it now, but I hope you'll see, that nothing is guilt-free in this world." - Data-Sora (Re:Coded)

"And me and Donald, we're always gonna fight for him, too." - Goofy (Re:Coded)

Quotes from KH media that isn't the games + Translation variants from the Japanese dub:

"What about me? Don't you think I wanted the three of us to stay together, too?!" - Axel (358/2 Days novelization)

"Did he tell you that he hates Sora?" - DiZ (KH2 Japanese)

(There's definitely more but I'm blanking so maybe another day?)

[khaire-traveler]

hello! i love your blog and I wanted to ask a question, do you/how do you balance science & faith? Do you completely ignore science (especially things like evolution), do you work it into your practice, or something else?

sorry if im not getting my question across well, this is coming from someone who has been practicing as of almost a year, i've been asking myself this recently and I wanted to know other practitioners opinions on it.

Khaire, Nonny!

I do incorporate science into my practice. Personally, I believe that trying to separate the two is kinda...not great. Being spiritual shouldn't mean that we can't be scientific also, in my opinion; both things absolutely can coexist. I'm not a mythic literalist, for the most part, so I'm sure that makes it a bit easier for me lol. Spirituality isn't an "illogical" thing, and I think that's a common misconception spread throughout the U.S. society especially: that spirituality is purely hogwash, and no spiritual person can be a scientist.

I believe in evolution, and I also view it as a very beautiful thing! I love animals and plants, I love the history of the earth, I love the science of weather and the ocean and the sky and space. I incorporate it into my practice as subtly as breathing. I say this in the sense that it's not really a big deal for me; I don't draw a line between "science" and "spirituality". Spiritual things can be scientific, and vice versa. Are the stars that burn millions of light-years away from us just beyond our atmosphere not filled with a divine beauty? Is the fact that trees that have lived for millions of years still being alive today not a reason for pause? Is the existence of our bodies at all not indicative of some divine intervention, some living miracle? There is SO MUCH that had to go right in order for us to even be here.

So yeah, I tie these things together because I don't believe they were ever meant to be separate. Someone once told me that only fools separate science and religion, and to some degree, I feel there is truth in that statement. Those who ignore vaccines on account of their religion, who deny the existence of evolution, who deny things that have been proven time and time again - those are fools. I'm not really a judgemental person, but when it comes to these things, I have rather strong opinions (some family members of mine are like this, and that's partially why; I've seen the harm directly). My advice is to not separate these things, but I'm obviously quite biased. It's ultimately up to you on what you decide to be right for your practice.

[marlynnofmany]

In further adventures of "Hollywood should have just asked us," here are a couple ideas that would make for a decent new version of Snow White. Stone and I came up with them last night. 

First off, the dwarves are just normal people for that region. By that I mean dwarfism is commonplace in the kingdom, which we see from various side characters and background extras. These seven are normal folks, not Fantasy Creatures. 

Also, they're a family living and working together. Our first thought was seven brothers, but why stop there? Doc is old enough to be the dad. Grumpy can be the uncle. Re-envision some of the others to be the mom and a sister or two. Dopey is the youngest kid, still figuring his way around a pickaxe. 

And the other idea is about the kiss. If that magic leads to a "time is paused while we have an adventure elsewhere" kind of otherworldly journey, then Snow White and the Prince can get to know each other properly. They can rescue each other from various dangers in whatever dreamland this is, find out they can actually work together pretty well, and only then does the spell release. 

You've got to be drift compatible to take down a sorceress and rule a kingdom. The dwarves will help. There are probably magical gemstones from those mines, not to mention lots of muscles from swinging a pickaxe all day. Hi-ho! 

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Thank you all for voting in the poll to decide who was going to be the leader of the band! It turned out to be such a close race!

[askgardenerwoods]

hi Emma! Who do you consider your friends do you have a crush on anybody?

" For crushes... "

[ingravinoveritas]

Regarding this picture...

My first reaction was the same as everyone else's...but looking a bit more closely, I'm not sure this is actually Michael. It seems like it might be Elliot Levey instead, because Michael's face is rounder/softer than Elliot's, and the arms of the person here are slim...whereas Michael's arms are thicker. (Not that I've spent an inordinate amount of time looking at Michael's arms, of course...)

So, yes. Definitely difficult to tell for sure, given the blurriness, but I think that might really be Elliot instead of Michael. What does everyone else think?

[heybiji]

ialso love playign superhero ttrpgs can i ask what the Masks ttrpg is? i love finding neww hero themed ttrpgs ^-^ yay!

Ohhh!! Hey! i love getting to talk ttrpg stuff thanks for the question!

MASKS: A New Generation is a superhero ttrpg about teenagers all trying to figure out who they are in a world filled with people constantly telling them who they are and how the world works. It's less about the powers and the fights and more about the emotional journey of the PCs with mechanics that support that. It's a really narratively driven game!

tldr: try it out! it's fun! it's simple! and it's low-prep (apparently, just not for me, but i'm always just gonna do Too Much). you want a system with mechanics that revolve around telling a story? around your character's emotions and how they view themselves? this is the one for you! it's great and i've really been enjoying it!!

First of all, it's a fail-forward system, so the way your character levels (advanced) is by missing rolls. I like this a lot.

There are ten core playbooks that are essentially the classes you can choose from. They each come with their own powers, some intentionally more impressive than others, but it's not about the powers; it's about the core conflict that comes with each of the archetypes. Here are a few playbook examples:

The Delinquent: You've got these cool powers. But everyone keeps telling you how to use 'em. You know what they need? Someone to give them trouble, to make sure they don't always get their way. And hey! You're the perfect her to do it.

The Legacy: You're the latest in a storied heroic lineage, a family that shares a name and a cause. Now, everybody is watching and waiting to see if you've got what it takes to uphold that tradition. No Pressure, right?

The Nova: You're a font of power. Channel it, and you can remake the world into exactly what you want. Unleash it, and you can do miracles. It's wonderful... and terrifying. Lose control for even a second, and other people get hurt.

Your stats are your Labels. They're how you see yourself, and how others see you. The Labels are DANGER, FREAK, SAVIOR, SUPERIOR, and MUNDANE. Different stats help with different Moves/rolls, so for example a high DANGER stat helps you Directly Engage a Threat, while a low MUNDANE stat makes it harder for you to Comfort or Support Someone. Your Labels are constantly being shifted around throughout the game as your character's self-image changes (and that self-image changes a lot, basically the NPCs are just label shifting machines).

The mechanics are fun! Instead of traditional damage, the PCs have Conditions that they take on, and what conditions a character has affects their rolls. The Conditions are Afraid, Angry, Guilty, Hopeless, and Insecure. So if you're Angry you take -2 on your roll to do the move Comfort or Support Someone, if you're Afraid, it's -2 on Directly Engage a Threat, etc. There are multiple ways to clear your conditions but the most straightforward way is to take a particular action, so if you're Angry you have to hurt someone or break something important, and if you're Afraid you have to run from something difficult. These actions lead to some awesome and surprising story beats!

There's some other stuff as well, but that's the gist!

Coming from DND, it took me some time to adjust to something so wildly different in terms of the system, but I've been enjoying it! I haven't gotten to play it as a PC, but running it has been an interesting challenge. I think it's a pretty simple system to work with, and I at least hear it's low-prep (again not for me tho lol). It's mechanically looser than the only other ttrpg I've played (dnd) and requires a lot more decision making from the whole table, so I think in a way it asks more of its players in that way. And the GM role is constantly on in a specific way, because it's up to the GM to listen and call out when a Move is being triggered and a roll should be made based on what the characters are doing in any particular scene.

anyway I can always have more to say but MASKS has been fun. I recommend giving it a shot! And then you should tell me what you thought about it!!

[jacketpotatoo]

Initial Thoughts on Arcane S2 (spoilers)

I think season 1 was far stronger because it told a much more focused story and centred its themes on the relationships of the characters. What I love about s1 is that you could pick two characters from anywhere in the show, and they'd be foils of some kind, or parallel each other, etc. We don't get enough time with characters talking to each other for that in s2. In s1, so much of the insight we gain from characters is through their conversations with each other - this is effective because they're there and reacting to each other, so you get the deeping of their relationships alongside development of the plot. I think this is why people resonate so strongly with Ep7 - it's so contained. The expanded cast of characters and expanded plotlines mean that at times, it feels like they're checking off plot beats rather than letting the story develop as its characters do. But this is also why I find the jayvik storyline to be the most compelling part of s2 - it's this beautiful medley of greater themes and personal ambition wrapped around inextricably in the other. I found the show's thesis on healing and destruction and the cycles of human violence compelling, and I liked that magic was a sort of tech/industrialisation stand in. Viktor had some GREAT lines that I need to spend some more time unpacking. Cosmic yaoi soulmatism is beautiful. Also speaking of episode 7, I also thought Ekko's arc was incredible and the best and he's the best and I love him.

That being said, I definitely think the ball was dropped on the class commentary. The writers simply took on too much - just trying to explore the class tensions between Zaun and Piltover is enough to take up the entire season. And it's so deeply integral to the politics of the season, and to the balance of the relationships of various characters, that it's just a bit. sigh. Especially when nearly all the new characters introduced get killed off. And we don't get much focus at all on Sevika, who's one of the only main characters involved in revolution. I love Isha, but she felt so much to me like a plot device to me that i find it hard to reconcile. And the lack of class-commentary sours their portrayal of Caitvi alot for me. I personally think Cait's revenge to reconciliation arc was handled fine, and that a verbal apology wouldn't mean as much to vi as the action of freeing her sister did, but the last line of the show is hard for me. "I'm the dirt under your nails." I get that it can be interpreted multiple ways (see: non-problematically), but that had to have crossed the writers' minds. Is it intentional then? A reminder of Vi's insecurities, simply glossed over by Caitlyn? Does it just draw attention to the inequality of their relationship, indicate that there's further work to be done between them and individually? Honestly I feel the same way about where Zaun/Piltover is left off politically. This sort of ambivalent state that isn't endorsed (the sneers the council throws at Sevika are intentional), but is unfortunately realistic. I don't think the ending is a happy one at all. Ambivalent really is the word I'd use to describe it.

I also figure that I need to rewatch the show in full, including season 1. Thoughts might change! I'm still working things out in the brain. I do still think Arcane is a fucking beast and a triumph, and I will forever be inspired by it. I love these characters. every shipper won something and I think that's beautiful. Fortiche's animation is revolutionary.

[rosifire]

Obligatory “I don’t have a problem with CaitVi” but I think, for me, their story (separate from their own personal character arcs) would/will be more compelling if it ends up being irreparable between them.

I think Arcane is good at subverting expectations and tropes; the most memorable example I can think of is in S1E3 where Powder follows after Vi and the boys to save Vander. We’ve all seen the “friends are in trouble, but the plucky young hero comes in at the nick of time to save them against all odds” plot twist—but Arcane subverts that. In fact, Powder’s involvement and her monkey bomb finally working is the thing that, tragically, leads to Claggor and Mylo’s death, Vi’s injury, Vander’s death(?), so on and so forth. It worked, but it didn’t work. And to me, that's the tragedy of it. That good intentions weren't enough.

So, personally, I see a setup between Caitlyn and Vi: the Romeo and Juliet archetype, two initially-begrudging people working together amongst classism and prejudice, and finding companionship against all odds. Class, wealth, opportunity separates them; Caitlyn is a scion of one of Piltover’s most influential and powerful families, and Vi is… a nobody from the Undercity, wrongfully imprisoned, when they first meet. It’s a way for them to both see that the “other side” isn’t as bad as they’ve always been told. That there are Good People on either side of the bridge. That, hell, love can be found, too.

But oftentimes, I believe this trope in particular ignores a lot of the real-world factors that could come into play with a friendship or relationship that “defies” station. The fact is, Caitlyn does come from a world of privilege, and Vi is treated differently by Caitlyn’s peers. The whole of Season two, Vi has been referred to as one of the “good ones”. Maddie explicitly says that it's good to know that there are still "good ones" around. The implication that you’re not like them. Time and time again, Vi is treated like an Other. A “good” other, but an other all the same. She's welcome in Piltover, but only just - and only when Caitlyn vouches for her. And at the climax of their story thus far, Caitlyn outright says to her, “I keep telling myself that you're different. but you're not. It's [Jinx's] blood in your veins”. I'm sure grief and anger are a part of why she says this, but that's becoming a catalyst for the discrimination she seems to be steadily believing in more and more. Whether or not she ends up meaning this, it's a ghastly thing to say.

And with the way things are developing with Caitlyn, who is actively weaponizing her privilege and power, and who is very quickly going down a very dangerous and fascist path, I don’t know if their relationship could — or should! — be rectified. She's a cop, and a very privileged one at that. I don’t know if this is a love that could “defy all odds”, and in my opinion, I think it would be more interesting, and more compelling, if it didn’t.

[rocketbirdie]

one of the things about zack is that he was most likely a soldier from teh age of 14, like cloud was, so he literally doesnt know anythin other than the violence he was taught bcause hes a child soldier, so of course the easiest and simplest solution is to just kill anyone in his way, thats what shinra taught him

i'd argue it started even younger than that, with rebirth showing off his "secret gym" where he practiced with wooden swords and whatnot

maybe he was just interested in learning to protect his home! but let's be real here. that reactor was right next door and shinra was definitely plastering propaganda all over gongaga. gotta start em young!

[transgirl-gaming-thoughts]

3DS Apps That 3DS Hacks Guide Won't Tell You About

The 3DS Hacks Guide is the guide to follow regarding CFW setup for our beloved 3DSes, and even features a few apps preinstalled as a part of setup finalization.

If you're familiar with homebrew 3DS software to any extent, you've definitely heard of FBI, Anemone, Checkpoint, Universal Updater, and GodMode9. BUT, there's a few apps and services that I would recommend for users intending to use their new CFW 3DS longterm.

hShop - A full archive of the 3DS eShop, pre-closure. It features every piece of software that was formerly available on the eShop, as well as some fan translations, rom hacks, and extra homebrew tools and games. Everything is ready-to-use, but they also have an on-system app that allows you to download and install directly without the need to access the SD card!

NetPass - A service that allows the swapping of StreetPass data over the Internet! Using their app and servers, you can seamlessly send and receive StreetPass tags with anyone, anywhere in the world! Works for any game or app that uses StreetPass! Also available to download on Universal Updater!

Pretendo Network - An in-progress rebuild of the entirety of Nintendo Network. Installing their service allows you to create an ID through their servers and begin using their network to play games and meet 3DS users worldwide! This includes a massive project to bring the entire 3DS and WiiU library back online (unofficially tracked here), as well as rebuilding Miiverse, StreetPass Relay service, and friend services! A lot of the base service is already live for all users, and there are plenty of games that are currently under development, and several in beta stages of release.

These are my recommendations to get in on as soon as possible! If you have a homebrew 3DS that you use all the time, or one that you wish you used more, this is the way to do it.

[itsmistyeyedbi]

Quick question about A, especially for all my beloved mutuals who are on the ace spectrum:

What do you think A "suddenly" (I suppose it's not sudden, but I can't find another word that fits this context right now) feeling sexual attraction towards the detective (or N👀 or any other pairing with A you have in mind👀) would look like? Or...feel like, for them?

Do you think it would be different if they had never experienced that kind of attraction before? And if they did, would it still be surprising or unexpected for them considering they've gone 900 years (or maybe 600 if we're going with the A x N ship) without that feeling at all? Would it be an "Oh...oh" type of moment lol, like a more gradual thing that kind of snuck up on them, or would they be able to identify what it is immediately?

And what would that look like from the perspective of A's love interest?

(Please let me know if my wording is even slightly acephobic, I'll rework this question as much as I can to make sure it isn't because I do not tolerate queerphobia of any kind and I'd hate to post something that perpetuates it❤️)

[trina-makes-an-entrance]

"Christine Canigula has done nothing wrong"

I used to say this as in a "I love Christine and the hate she sometimes get is shit" way. But the more I think about it...

She literally has done nothing wrong.

Like, hear me out!

Jeremy and Rich have made plenty of mistakes, mostly under their Squips' influence, Jake was a shitty boyfriend, Michael dismissed Jeremy's feelings a lot, Chloe wanted to hook up with her besties' boyfriend, and her Brooke and Jenna spread really hurtful misinformation about the fire and Rich.

And that's just to name some of the bad stuff they've done.

Don't get me wrong! It's normal for teens and, specially, fictional characters to make mistakes and mess up.

But Christine did non of that? She was a good girl, who treated everyone with respect, and for what we saw a decent girlfriend. We don't see her participate in The Smartphone Hour, so I assume she didn't took part on any of the gossip stuff.

She had absolutely every right to reject Jeremy at the Halloween party, plus she did it in a respectful way too.

Even before The Pitiful Children, when she acted stressed and sad, she's not mean to Jeremy, and she sets bounderies with him and treats the Halloween Party as it is - a tragedy.

And right before the Play, when she finds out about the Squips, she is terrified about them and immediately refuses to take one since she knows what they can do to oneself. Again, she has every right to be scared and reject the squip.

Maybe this is a lack of agency in her character, but perhaps she's just a girl that minds her own fucking business, that knows fitting in can be hard and highschool is shit, but at the end of the day still chooses to be herself - a kind, passionate and amazing girl.

Christine Canigula did nothing wrong.

[xinnamonbun]

Payjay Wedding! :3

@pencilgutz here's your fooooood :3

This was genuinely SO fun to draw. At first I was obsessed with trying to make this really polished since I was kinda making it as a gift- but around halfway through I kind of realized that I was having a blast just...doodling! So the end product ended up being a bit messy, but I think it ended up making it look more different. I'm not even going to lie the lack of people in the chairs was genuinely laziness on my part. But you can just say that this is a wedding photo that was taken after the ceremony.

Alts!

Some headcannon stuff for the wedding below the cut!

Venue stuff:

Genuinely, I think it would be hilarious if all of this happened right behind the hotel- just getting married right outside your house. TBH it would also be a pretty good excuse for most of the Inanimate Insanity contestants to come.

Roles?:

Grooms: Paper and OJ (duh)

Best man: Knife (paper)

Maid of Honor: Soap (oj)

Ring bearer: Cherries

Flower girl: Yang (he volunteered)

Groomsmen: Pickel, Bomb, Baseball, Silver Spoon

Groomsmaids: Candle, Taco (if post show) (idk who else-)

Groomsmate(s): Paintbrush

Photographer: Trophy

Caterer: Suitcase and Balloon (I love you guys but I swear; FLOUR NOT FLOWER-)

Drama (at this point it's like a mandatory thing at weddings): Salt. SALT.

After-party:

Knife and Baseball have to drag Salt out for wearing white (among other things). Test Tube catches the bouquet. She wasn't even trying to it just landed on her. You can decide if Suitcase and Balloon ACTUALLY make the cake properly.

[gwendolynnderolo]

critical role ships as taylor swift songs

vax / keyleth : the prophecy

percy / vex : this love

pike / scanlan : the story of us

fjord / jester : state of grace

beau / yasha : long story short

caleb / essek : the great war

imogen / laudna : afterglow

orym / dorian : come back...be here

ashton / fearne : i can see you

specific lyrics that i feel like represent the pairings under the cut!

vax / keyleth : the prophecy

thought i caught lightning in a bottle, oh, but it's gone again

i guess a lesser woman would've lost hope, a greater woman wouldn't beg

who do i have to speak to about if they can redo the prophecy?

slow is the quicksand, poison blood from the wound of the pricked hand, oh, still i dream of him

a greater woman has faith, but even statues crumble if they're made to wait

i'm so afraid i sealed my fate, no sign of soulmates

percy / vex : this love

in silent screams, in wildest dreams, i never dreamed of this

this love is good, this love is bad, this love is alive back from the dead

these hands had to let it go free, and this love came back to me

this love left a permanent mark, this love is glowing in the dark

your smile, my ghost, i fell to my knees

when you're young, you just run, but you come back to what you need

pike / scanlan : the story of us

i used to know my place was a spot next to you, now i'm searching the room for an empty seat

so many things that i wish you knew, so many walls up i can't break through

i don't know what to say since the twist of fate when it all broke down

oh, i'm scared to see the ending, why are we pretending this is nothing?

the battle's in your hands now, but i would lay my armor down if you'd say you'd rather love than fight

fjord / jester : state of grace

we are alone with our changing minds, we fall in love 'til it hurts or bleeds or fades in time

and i never saw you coming, and i'll never be the same

you come around and the armor falls, pierce the room like a cannonball

so you were never a saint, and i loved in shades of wrong, we learn to live with the pain, mosaic broken hearts

love is a ruthless game, unless you play it good and right

these are the hands of fate, you're my achilles heel, this is the golden age of something good and right and real

beau / yasha : long story short

fatefully, i tried to pick my battles 'til the battle picked me

when i dropped my sword, i threw it in the bushes and knocked on your door

and we live in peace, but if someone comes at us, this time, i'm ready

no more keeping score, now i just keep you warm

and he's passing by, rare as the glimmer of a comet in the sky

and he feels like home, if the shoe fits, walk in it everywhere you go

long story short, it was a bad time, long story short, i survived

caleb / essek : the great war

and maybe it was ego swinging, maybe it was her, flashes of the battle come back to me in a blur

you said i have to trust more freely, but diesel is desire, you were playing with fire

and maybe it's the past that's talking, screaming from the crypt, telling me to punish you for things you never did

it turned into something bigger, somewhere in the haze, got a sense i'd been betrayed

soldier down on that icy ground, looked up at me with honor and truth

we can plant a memory garden, say a solemn prayer, place a poppy in my hair

imogen / laudna : afterglow

why'd i have to break what i love so much?

i'm the one who burned us down, but it's not what i meant, sorry that i hurt you

it's so excruciating to see you low, just wanna lift you up and not let you go

this ultraviolet morning light below tells me this love is worth the fight

tell me that you're still mine, tell me that we'll be just fine, even when i lose my mind

tell me that it's not my fault, tell me that i'm all you want, even when i break your heart

orym / dorian : come back...be here

i told myself, don't get attached, but in my mind i play it back

and this is when the feeling sinks in, i don't wanna miss you like this

the delicate beginning rush, the feeling you can know so much without knowing anything at all

if i had known what i know now, i never would've played so nonchalant

this is falling in love in the cruelest way, this is falling for you when you are worlds away

ashton / fearne : i can see you

i've been watching you for ages, and i spend my time trying not to feel it

but what would you do if i went to touch you now? what would you do if they never found us out?

cause i can see you waiting down the hall from me, and i could see you up against the wall with me

i could see you in your suit and your necktie, passed me a note saying 'meet me tonight'

and i could see you being my addiction, you can see me as a secret mission

[honeycreammilkshake]

there will be cake.

i finally finished my first fic, and it's greenflame! it takes place between possession and skybound. i spent a few days on it and i'm still not satisfied... it still feels a bit ooc and amateur to me, but please let me know what you think. here it is...

Sitting down for dinner with the other ninja, Kai had no intention of talking about anything serious, let alone marriage, and especially not how he should go about proposing to Lloyd. But picking at his bowl of chili, he looked around to his friends, watching them talk about their day with animated expressions and exaggerated hand gestures, observing Cole and Jay arguing about every detail of their training so they could trade insults while blushing whenever anyone (mostly Zane) pointed out just how closely they'd have to be watching each other to know such minor things about their routines. And when Kai glanced over to his sister she was already glancing his way with an exasperated smirk at Cole and Jay's antics.

The only absent one was Lloyd. The Green Ninja was training late, as usual, pushing himself to his limits. The perfectionism was at first a little annoying for Kai, who tended to take any show of exertion as a competition against him, but overtime he'd learned to accommodate his boyfriend, who was typically late to dinner or outings with the rest of them. The pressure Lloyd must have felt, every single day, to not only lead the rest of them but to also make his pretty much godly ancestors proud of him had been grinding on him even more as of late, and Kai didn't want to add to their young leader's troubles. Still though… after their last battle, almost losing Lloyd to possession had made him keenly aware of how fragile the normalcy of all their lives were.

At any time, they could find themselves under attack once more. Ninajo had a reputation for attracting the most dark-hearted, vengeant, and power-hungry of villains, and Kai had to wonder if there was some kind of sign posted out for all the tyrants coming to seize this particular place. Something massive and neon was advertising how siegable and conquerable this entire land was somewhere, he was sure.

But as a ninja, bound and entangled with all the rest of his team (a fate he would never want reversed or changed in any way), he knew he would lay down his life for any one of his friends if it ever came down to it. And, naturally, he knew in his heart that no matter how much he teased or gave Lloyd trouble, he would stand behind that completely unhinged god-in-training no matter what. Wherever Lloyd led him, he would follow. And it was because of this that he knew he had to make their relationship even more official, even more sacred, so that when villains like Morro or Chen or the rest came knocking again, Kai would know there was still a chance at a normal life, even a small part of it, in their own lives. That he could say that Lloyd was his in more way than one and come back home to that small piece of stability.

Now, watching his friends continue to taunt and push each other, a warm feeling suddenly overtook Kai, not unlike the sensation he got whenever he drank a nice cup of Wu's tea. He felt it blossom inside of him, a hot and protective surge that came whenever he thought of the others, especially Lloyd. He knew he could trust them completely, he could ask anything of them and they wouldn't treat him any differently for it.

So it was without any filter that he found himself asking, "Guys, if I were to hypothetically propose to someone… someone who's very uhm… career-driven and practically all-powerful, how would I go about asking them to do something absolutely ordinary like marriage?"

A small silence briefly overtook the table as the others, except for Cole who was still digging into his plate without interest in anything else, glanced around towards each other. Nya, on Kai's left side, was completely still all of a sudden and opposite him Zane and Jay exchanged looks.

Just as the stillness was starting to become unnerving, Zane, always practical, broke in, "Logically the best way would be to—"

"Oh my gosh, you guys," Jay all but shrieked. "Kai and Lloyd are going to get married!"

"Wait what????" Kai burst out, feeling his cheeks start to heat up. "I didn't say anything about—"

"Oh please," Jay scoffed, rolling his eyes. "You're the fire ninja, Kai, so whatever you're trying to cover up, you still burn holes right through it." He was picking at his bowl of chili delicately, like most of its contents offended him, and by the way he had complained about every other dish Cole had prepared for them, you would think it was genuine. But Kai knew the Blue Ninja would sneak lots of extra helpings of Cole's meals whenever he thought they weren't looking. And seeing as how most of Cole's food was… to put it plainly… bad, Kai knew it was because Jay was simply (and not so secretly) completely crazy for the Earth Master.

"You guys thought it was such a secret, but we could all tell what you were up to," Jay continued, matter of fact, then smirked. "The walls here are really thin, you know."

Kai groaned and buried his face in hands. "Okay," he sighed out. "So what if it is Lloyd?"

"I knew it!" Zane exclaimed from Cole's side, face lighting up. When the others looked to him, he explained, "Pixal told me they have a 95% compatibility rate. Lloyd's sensitivity and high emotional intelligence counterbalances Kai's hotheadedness and temper—"

"Yeah yeah we get it," Kai huffed, feeling called out.

"My vitals monitors indicate that your heart-rate speeds up whenever Lloyd appears," Zane added helpfully. "My data also suggests that Lloyd's libido increases whenever he watches you training."

Beside him, Nya made a choking sound. "Oh my god," she gasped, wiping away dribbles of water from her lips. "Please never say libido again, Zane."

Despite the embarrassment at having his secret relationship exposed so quickly, Kai couldn't help the way that information stroked his ego. All the time that little brat had been claiming to watch so closely to point out errors in Kai's form (as he always did) he was secretly checking Kai out shamelessly. It made him flush with more than a little contentment, but he got a hold of himself quickly, and managed to grit out, "Okay guys, that's enough."

"Where would they even get married though?" Jay pushed on, ignoring Kai entirely.

"Somewhere big enough for all of us," Zane pointed out. "I can compile a list of popular wedding locations and analyze them for suitability."

"No no," Jay dismissed, whipping his spoon around passionately so that a bit of chili hit Kai in the face. He wiped it off with a grimace as Jay continued to lecture Zane. "It should be somewhere perfect for the both of them..." Jay bit down on the handle of his spoon and then grinned widely at Kai. "I know just the place—my parent's junkyard!"

Kai blinked, caught off-guard. "Jay, I'm not marrying Lloyd in a junkyard—"

Across the table, Cole's face finally unfused from his plate long enough for him to shout, "Will there be cake? I'll definitely come if there's cake!"

"Always thinking with your stomach, right Cole?" Jay snarked. But the Earth Master chose to ignore him, much to Jay's disappointment.

As the others continued to conspire Lloyd and Kai's wedding, loudly describing each lavish detail — "Lloyd should wear all red so Kai can wear all green... and there should be dragons!!!" Jay contributed while Zane added, "Kai should put Lloyd in his lap and ride in on one to the ceremony" and Cole piped in, "And there should be triple stacked cake afterwards!" — Kai's ears picked up shuffled movement in the hallway. He sat up straight. Wu and Misako were out getting "vital" supplies like flavored tea and herbal medicines — old people errands — and they weren't expecting anyone else to come calling. It could only be Lloyd.

Getting that sensation he got whenever he was about to be cornered, he felt himself start to panic. "Guys, if you don't shut up now, I swear I'll send every single one of you to the Cursed Realm," Kai hissed out. "I don't even care if we're on the same team — you will all be banished for your crimes. This conversation is over."

But, of course, cause everything and everyone hated Kai, this was the exact conversation Lloyd chose just that moment to walk in on.

With a short glance around to the other ninja, he came into the room and a crushing silence followed as they all tracked him with their eyes. He walked casually, carrying a bowl laden with an excessive amount of Cole's chili (which wasn't that bad but it also wasn't that good either, so Kai felt Lloyd had filled it to the brim subconsciously) and settled down in his usual spot to the right of Kai, slowly lifting his spoon to his lips…. Lips that were twisted up in an unmistakable smirk, the one Kai knew and adored so well, that he loved to bite on — but right now, seeing the way it melted away the usual prim and proper princely beauty of Lloyd's face into the wild rawness of the conceded brat he really was, all Kai could think was Lloyd knows…. He's been listening in on the whole thing!

"What's all this about cake?" Lloyd asked, oh so innocently, as if he didn't know already, and Kai kind of wanted to manhandle him right then and there for being such an unyielding brat.

But before Kai could say or do anything to grab at any sort of control over the conversation, Jay leaned in closer to Lloyd, conspiratorially settling his chin into his cupped hand like he was about to tell the world's greatest secret. With a hauntingly straight face he said, "Only that Kai can't keep his eyes off yours."

… And then everything kind of blew up in Kai's face.

Nya and Zane burst out laughing and Cole let out a bellowing huff before slapping Jay across the back so hard the Blue Ninja's face almost landed in his uneaten bowl of chili (Kai wished with his whole heart that it really had). Jay glared briefly at Cole but then the Master of Earth said, "I guess that's why they call you the Master of Shocks! That was a good one, Jay."

Pure pride swelled the Master of Shocks' chest, making him look just like a puffed up little blue jay — which he technically was… though Kai could barely register the humor of it as sticky hot embarrassment exploded inside of him.

"Oh wow you guys," Nya finally managed to gasp as she held her sides, like she could fall apart from the delicious humiliation of it all. She wiped at her eyes, choking out, "Look at Lloyd's cheeks — they look like cherries!"

Lloyd's mouth was pressed together tightly, and his cheeks were definitely a deep scarlet that Kai took some satisfaction in seeing, but he knew his own cheeks were probably just as red and burning twice as hot.

And of course Jay would point that out. "Guys, check out Kai's face — he's burning up!"

"Oh the irony," Nya giggled.

"Red ninja indeed!" Zane chimed in with a grin that practically spilled off his face. And in that moment, Kai had never been more certain in his life that he was surrounded by traitors. Enemies.

Kai ground his teeth together and finally managed to squeeze out some sort of response. "You're all banished."

The other ninja, minus a cherry-colored Lloyd, started laughing again as Kai sat there, gripping the edge of the table and plotting revenge. Only Cole made any kind of move towards redemption, leaning closer to both Lloyd and Kai to say, "You know we're just teasing you two… We're really happy to see you making things more official. And just so you know, I would love to be there for you, even if there no's cake for me."

"You do know the whole point is so that Kai gets to keep the cake just for himself, don't you?" Jay smirked.

Before Kai could set fire to either himself or Jay, Cole turned to the Blue Ninja and smiled. "Don't worry, sparky, I'll make sure to claim a cake for myself too," he said, and proceeded to reach over so he could grope Jay's ass as the smaller ninja let out a high-pitched squeak.

"Who's the Master of Shock now?" Zane grinned as Jay started choking.

Nya pursed her lips and said, "Really? Right in front of my chili?"

Kai moaned and buried his face in his hands as the entire table descended into chaos. But it died out quickly as Lloyd stood up, his face unreadable, that silken smirk of his erased from his lips. As Kai peeked up at him, he couldn't help but feel… reverent. Lloyd was strong, and fierce, and brave. And more than that… he was the magnet that kept them gravitating to him, to their destiny. Their fates were inexplicably tied to his for the rest of their lives. They all shared a bond deeper than mere friends: they were each other's counterparts and focal points and homes.

And nobody was more at home with Lloyd than Kai.

"Kai," Lloyd began, and Kai felt the air rush out him as soon as Lloyd turned those ember-bright eyes right on his face. "Do… do you really want to marry me?"

Kai's heart was pounding far too fast. It felt like the adrenaline spark right before a battle. "Of course," he managed.

The other ninja were finally fully silent, their eyes wide and watchful. Feeling bold, Kai pushed away from the table and stood right in front of his boyfriend. Then he sank to his knees, his eyes never leaving Lloyd's, and swallowed. "You know that all of us are bound to you, and all of us would protect you with our lives, just as you would do for us. But the bond I share with you runs even deeper. I promised you that I would protect you, and that I would follow where you lead me, that you could always rely on me, so I would like to ask you now… Will you let me follow you forever? Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon, will you marry me?"

In all that time, Lloyd and Kai didn't look away from each other. The others remained blissfully quiet, but there was a current of anticipation coursing through the room.

It felt like an age before Lloyd cleared his throat and said, "Of course I will.... Someone has to keep my cake away from Cole, after all."

Kai groaned but found himself grinning anyways. "You're insufferable," he told Lloyd and pushed up from the floor.

"That only means you're even more perfect a match," Nya pointed out from Kai's side, but she hugged her brother tightly, patting him on the back. They both knew how much this meant to him...

Lloyd and Kai returned to their places at the table and tried to resume eating normally, but they kept glancing over to each other until Jay scoffed and said, "You two, honestly, go get a room."

"Quiet, sparky, you'll get yours soon," Cole winked and Jay started to protest.

"If you think I have any interest at all in a dusty piece of rock like you—"

"Yeah yeah," Cole waved him off. "Keep pretending, bluey."

Lloyd laughed and reached over to offer his hand for Kai to hold. Kai took it gently, and didn't miss the way everyone stared at their joined hands, their fingers twining together.

"No matter what comes in the future, we'll face it together," Lloyd promised Kai, and they felt each other's pulses jump at his words.

Kai nodded, soaking up the way the light hit the pale gold of Lloyd's hair, making it look just like a glowing halo. This boy would be the death of him, he just knew it. He couldn't help the smile spreading across his face. He raised a spoonful of chili towards Zane, Cole, and Jay and gave his best unhinged grin. "The future looks bright for you and me both, but right now I say we take these three down for being so obnoxious," he suggested and Lloyd grinned too, wild and full of fire, just like Kai.

"What?" Zane sputtered. "I didn't do anything!"

"Wait!" Jay cried out. "But we helped you propose to him, Kai!"

Lloyd snorted while Kai rolled his eyes. "Sure you did," the Master of Fire said, then launched the first spoonful at Jay's surprised face.

"Food fight!!!" Nya cried, pounding her fist on the table before she upended her entire plate on Kai's head.

Kai gasped, shaking sticky shrimp out of his hair. Reaching up, he felt the clingy, pasty sauce of the dish matting his once-immaculate spikes, and he shrieked, "GET HER, LLOYD!"

With a roar, the table fell into chaos again. As the ninja threw handfuls of food at each other — except for Cole who sat there lamenting the waste of it all — Lloyd and Kai looked at each other and smiled. Everything that they had ever done, all that they had ever faced and clawed their way through, had been worth it for moments just like this. With a laugh, Kai leaned in and kissed Lloyd in front of everyone, not even caring to keep anything concealed anymore.

He didn't even care when Nya shouted, "Gross!" and splashed the rest of her water on them. With a smirk, he pulled Lloyd closer and set a palm to the boy's back to dry out his clothes.

"You know," Zane said afterwards, as everyone settled down. "Someone has to clean all this up before Master Wu returns."

"Not me!" Jay was the first shout.

"We will," Lloyd said calmly, volunteering an unwilling Kai before he could protest. "We started this after all."

"They had it coming," Kai argued but stopped when Lloyd cast him a sharp look.

"You said you'd follow wherever I lead," Lloyd reminded Kai, then smirked his signature smirk when Kai let out yet another groan.

"Alright then," Kai sighed. "Lead me to the dishes."

"Get used to this," Jay said smugly. "This is going to be married life for you from now on."

Cole stood up from his seat and brought the rest of his plate down, shrimp-first, on Jay's head. "And this is going to be married life with me," he promised the Master of Lightning and walked away smiling.

"Welcome to the family," Nya said to Lloyd before standing up from the table.

"Can't be crazier than my family," Lloyd called after her, then turned to Lloyd. "Well, let's get cleaning."

Kai sighed melodramatically but didn't complain. He had promised to follow Lloyd wherever he lead him, even if it was just to another mess to clean up. So he smiled as he knelt down to pick up pieces of dinner from the floor with Lloyd. He wouldn't have traded it for anything else.