#if i end up doing another batch i’ll fix it LOL not the end of the world

[p0th]

the lightbrush stickers came out SO cute and are really nice quality but also i did NOT compensate for pb being on the longer end so they look a bit short next to lightbulb…. still cute tho!!!

[starilicious]

der lagi lekin (hunter x force-user!gn! reader + ep. 8 fix-it)

》 summary: tbb episode 8 fix-it featuring a force-user reader who used to be a jedi. reader is a part of tbb and in a relationship with hunter, but the squad–nor hunter–knows that reader is a force-user. (disclaimer: all of this was written before episode 9 was released! see a/n for an explanation ^_^) (another disclaimer: if you want just the hunter x reader comfort, please let me know and i'll finish it up and post it!)

》 word count: ~8k (yeah, it's a lot LOL)

click here to read on AO3

》 warnings: in-universe swearing, mental breakdown, some slight sensory overloads, pretty mild panic attack, light canon-typical violence, angst + some comfort, survivor's guilt from surviving order 66, no use of y/n, slightly plot heavy because i got way too carried away in writing (whoops?) [if i should add more warnings, please let me know!]

》 spoilers: major ones for tbb episode 8 "reunion"

》 a/n: okay look, i gotta confess: this wasn’t supposed to be an episode 8 fix-it. really. i’m actually glad cad bane won because we get to see that the clones don’t always win every fight... i think it makes for a better and more complex story. anyway, i started out writing just reader and hunter comfort after episode 8 ended. but i’m weak for omega because she reminds me so much of my younger siblings and i ended up writing a wholeass fix-it to save her (even tho cad bane is a downright badass). i kind of liked what i did with building up the plot so much that i might continue this story of force-user!reader with tbb. but that’s a tangent we can deal with later. if you would like a part two with the hunter x reader comfort this was originally intended to be, let me know!

as i said in the summary, i wrote all of this before episode 9 came out–just be aware of that. because it’s so long, it took me a while to edit, which is why i’m posting after ep. 9 was released. but without further ado, i hope you like it! <33

》 misc. notes:

• title of the fic is from the hindi song "der lagi lekin" from the film zindagi na milegi dobara. i linked the song in blue and linked the english translations in green in case you're curious! it's not necessary to listen or understand the song, but i thought it went well with the fic :)

“Everybody get down!” Wrecker yells. You and the squad immediately do as he instructs, diving towards the ground and covering your head. Stars, I hope this works.

The charges the six of you placed around the gigantic cone that surrounds the core cylinder explodes in a deafening blast. You curl into the tightest ball you can manage, breathing so hard that the HUD inside your helmet temporarily fogs up. Metal shards of the explosion rain down on you hard.

For a moment, it seems like nothing happened. But then you hear the telltale, ear-grinding creak of the durasteel and the squad is roughly catapulted forward from the force of the cone beginning to fall down.

You struggle to stand up as you lurch this way and that, trying to regain your balance and stabilize as Tech calls out, “Hold on!”

You quickly glance at the rest of the Bad Batch, trying to see if any of them were hurt. Other than the absolutely terrified look on Omega’s face, all is well considering the circumstances. The metal groans and begins its descent, taking your feeling of being grounded with it. The weightlessness is uncomfortably familiar to say the least, but you ignore it as the six of you scramble to hold on to the side of the cone. You certainly did your fair share of acrobatics back in the war, but feeling it hum around you...it’s too much. It’s too much. You elect to push it back into the depths of your brain. But it doesn’t leave.

It never really does.

Omega’s anxious whimpers come in faintly through your thick helmet and you whip around, frantically trying to find where she is. But before you can find her, the cone lands vertically on its head and the force is so violent that your stable hold on the durasteel is broken. Panicked, you quickly fire a grappling hook towards the ledge where you were previously hanging on. The hook catches and you stop abruptly, the jerky movement almost wrenching your arm out of its socket.

You look down to see Omega falling from someone’s grip and into Hunter’s arms. You can barely tell where anyone is thanks to the lack of light and the incessant motion.

The cone begins to topple onto its side and suddenly, your wire snaps from the tension. You let out a scream of surprise as you plummet downwards, wind rushing past your helmet. ForceIdon’twanttodieohmyMakerohno–

But you never hit the ground, instead being flung sideways as the cone tears into two. On trained instinct, you tuck yourself into a ball to try and roll in order to break your fall instead of using it. That time is long gone.

You land with a sickening thud and hiss in pain as your back hits the metal hard. You hear something crack, but whether it is your armor or something internal, you have absolutely no idea, and don’t have time to check before you black out.

✧✦✧

You jolt awake, a sound making its way into your consciousness. Finally, the damn place stopped moving. You take a few minutes to try and relieve the painful pressure in your chest, reaching up to rip your helmet off because you can’t breathe, you can’t breathe.

You tilt your head back as you struggle to take in air and let the adrenaline subside. You hear voices in the distance and you strain your ears to pick up on the sound as you quickly check yourself over. As far as you can tell, nothing major is broken, and at this point, that is all that matters. Though, your head is pounding, and for more reasons than one

“–nter.. port side... what… status?”

You can’t tell who is speaking, the message too far away for you to hear. But the bits and pieces are enough for you to know that it’s someone from the Bad Batch and that you weren’t unconscious for long. You stand up and dust yourself off before slowly walking to where you believe the origin of the sound is.

“–engine… got company.” A blaster sound and then an explosion rings through the quiet.

Your eyes widen and you quickly pick up the pace, getting your blaster ready as you pick your way through the sharp metal that is jutting out from the ground.

You click on your wrist comm. “Echo, you there?” A faint crackle before his voice comes through, but the signal is scratchy. You frown in frustration.

“–are you? Hunter is... port side,” Echo says and you smack your commlink to try and get the electronics to work, but it’s no use. The device is broken, most likely from the fall, you deduce.

“Meet… Marauder.”

You don’t bother to answer, knowing Echo would probably not even be able to hear what you had to say anyway. Without a signal booster or repeater, there’s no way you can get your transmission across the channel frequency.

It takes a few minutes, but you eventually find the night sky of Bracca blinking down at you at the end of the ripped off cone. You run out to find that you’re in the middle of where the cone broke in half. Okay, new plan. I need to find Hunter. Hunter will know what to do.

You scan your surroundings. The HUD isn’t picking up on any lifeforms near you, and you realize with sinking dread that you have no more options. Whichever piece you climbed through to get to your squadmates, it would take too long for you to search for them since you don’t know their coordinates and your comm isn’t working. Frankly, the Empire–Crosshair–would find you first. You have to use it.

You have to use the Force.

A wave of nausea overcomes you at the mere thought of it and you sway. In an attempt to ground yourself, you tear off your helmet to breathe some fresh air and end up keeling over as the bile rises in your throat. Nothing comes out. You can’t tell if that’s a positive or not.

You could have saved them. Someone. Anyone.

It itches at you in the back of your head, wishing to be let out of its cage. But you can’t. You can’t do it. What’s the use anyway? All you would be doing is saving yourself. The choice of surviving it all has haunted you ever since. Your head pounds in agony.

You saw it happen. You could have helped them. And you ran like a coward. Only ever concerned about yourself.

You inhale sharply as the scene flashes before your eyes, clones shooting at you and the other Jedi. The blaster fire. The confusion. The screams.

How pathetic.

The last statement, an echo of Crosshair’s words, bounces around in your brain. You clutch your head as you let out a heartbroken sob, knee deep in the dirt and metal and grief. Tears create clean tracks down your face as you finally break down, the flood of emotions bursting the dam open. At this point, you don’t know if the emotions are yours or the ones you previously felt through the Force, all of them swirling and blending into one. The bottled up anguish merged together when you attempted to cut yourself off from the Force after the clones–your friends–attacked.

The pain of their death is perhaps the worst of all. Horror courses through you as you finally process your friends and mentors dying around the galaxy, their deaths, their distress, their fear reverberating heavily throughout the Force. Each one cripples you further as you once again struggle to breathe.

It feels like light years pass when you finally calm down to a practically numb state of being. The scenes stop replaying behind your closed eyelids and the echoing shrieks die down to a faint, hollow whisper. You’re suddenly exhausted, limbs heavy and energy sapped. It was almost relieving to finally let the Force once again flow through your body, your nerves lightly tingling with potential despite how tired you feel. You collapse onto the ground and try to recenter yourself.

But despite finally acknowledging the loss, it doesn’t feel right. You didn’t get to say goodbye. You hadn’t been able to even think about them, much less honor them, too focused on going on the run to concentrate on anything beyond the next day’s survival. Even once you joined the Bad Batch, you were paranoid about their chips, about your friends turning on you at any moment. You were always extremely reluctant to engage in the Force, even at the worst of times.

With a start, you realize that you don’t need to worry about your squadmates. Their inhibitor chips are now gone. You… you are safe.

You let out a shocked laugh as it sinks in. A glimmer of hope, of peace. I’m safe.

You sit up then, criss-crossing your legs as you survey the broken landscape of Bracca. Despite the planet being a graveyard, you feel lucidly alive. Perhaps something died in you, that wretched day. But something else, slowly but surely, began growing in its place. It’s meek, but it’s there.

You let out a breath and close your eyes, reaching for the Force like it’s an old friend. It accepts your invitation with hesitation, joining hands with you as if you did not try beating it to death for days on end. You sink into the gentle lapping waves of the Force, extending into it and widening your scope.

There’s something that lurks beneath the surface, in the deep. Dark and sinister and so utterly painful. It calls to you, quiet and low. Enticing. Tempting. And something in you knows that it’s the reason for your previous life’s demise.

But you can feel Hunter’s–and Omega’s, you realize–presence near you in the Force. Even with your relatively damaged connection to the Force after Order 66, the Bad Batch’s Force auras were something you could always hone in on. You let yourself direct your focus to the duo, letting their emotions be your beacon to the acceptance of the Light side of the Force.

In a split second, you decide to not dive deeper into the Force. This isn’t the place nor the time to discover what is prowling in the endless yawning of the Force, to discover why everything happened. So you direct your concentration to the beings on the planet, feeling and breathing your way through the Life Force.

You freeze. There’s something here. No… someone. Your eyebrows furrow as you divert your attention away from your friends and other organisms to the peculiar source. Something about this person strikes you as familiar.

Your eyes snap open and you gasp. I’m not alone. A Force-sensitive. Someone survived. Giddy beyond belief, you snatch up your helmet and begin trekking your way across the wreckage in the opposite direction of Hunter and Omega before pausing. Whoever this person is doesn’t know about your presence on the planet.

And despite the fear you felt emanating off of them in the Force, you somehow knew they were safe, at least for now. And they would remain so if you have anything to say about it. Maker forbid anything that jeopardizes this person’s fragile safety. After all, you know best what it’s like to constantly flee scene after scene.

Staying away is the best thing to do. I’ll come back for you, whoever you are.

You double back and make quick work of getting across the debris as you focus your concentration on Hunter’s and Omega’s Force signatures. As you get closer to the port side, you hear Omega’s high voice. Through your HUD, you can see her small form. You grin. She disappears then, and on closer inspection, you figure she jumped through some broken cargo doors.

The entrance she and Hunter took is too high for you to jump up to, even with the aid of the Force. Combined with your wariness of probe droids, you decide to take a different route from the right side, climbing up the broken ship. The slick oil mixed with the water still present on the metal makes for a difficult trek, and you slip more times than you would like to admit.

Hunter’s gruff voice floats up towards you and you scramble the last few meters to the edge of a hole in the ceiling before pausing. The Force is itching at the back of your head. Something’s wrong.

You peek over the edge of the giant slab of durasteel that created the hole to see bodies in white armor littered everywhere–clones, you realize. Your heart pangs in sadness at the sight.

Slightly to your right, a blue figure and a techno-service droid stand in front of a ship and a frightened Omega stands behind a defensive Hunter. Your mouth drops open. Kriff.

Cad Bane.

A memory from near the beginning of the war hits you in full force. You and Anakin had taken some time on Coruscant to catch up with each other after you passed your trials and were promoted to Jedi Knight. He told you about a mission where he had to stop a bounty hunter who successfully stole a Jedi holocron. You remember how surprised you were when you heard the bitter disgust in Anakin’s voice. The ruthlessly cunning bounty hunter not only threatened to kill Ahsoka, but he murdered Master Ropal.

Judging by the looks of it, Hunter doesn’t know who he is. If the Anakin Skywalker had a difficult time with Cad Bane, there is no way in sithhell Hunter can take him on, even with his enhanced senses. Frankly, you seriously doubt you can either, especially with how rusty your Force skills are now. And that means this isn’t going to end well.

You watch carefully as you tune into the conversation.

“Ain’t you smart?” Bane smirks. “The kid’s got it all figured it out.”

“You’re in trouble now!” the droid exclaims, pointing at Hunter and Omega. You grit your teeth in annoyance.

“Who hired you?” Hunter asks. Stalling. Not a bad move, Hunter.

“Son,” Bane sighs, already done with the brief conversation. “That’s confidential information. Now hand her over.”

Omega stays behind Hunter, taking a knee as Hunter walks forward protectively. You bristle. How am I supposed to help from up here?

“She’s not going anywhere.”

Your eyes drift over the scene in a panic and you take in the fallen clones again. An idea pops into your head. It is desperate, but at this point, you don’t have much of a choice.

Bane mimics Hunter’s movement, walking forward and putting a hand near his belt. The tension is as thick as duracrete.

“That’s unfortunate… for you.”

You grab the long barrel piece from your belt, fitting it over your blaster hurriedly as the showdown begins. Out of the corner of your eye, you see them staring each other down and you can’t help but roll your eyes. Men.

During the war, Crosshair helped you re-engineer your weapon so you could put together various pieces in the field to make a blaster gun that loosely resembled his own sniper. Seeing the clones reminded you of him. A wave of sadness washes over you, but you shake your head. Now is not the time.

You screw on the telescopic sight and set up your makeshift sniper. You peer through the viewfinder and find Bane’s chest. Your finger tenses over the trigger.

You let yourself sink deep into the Force, let it guide your actions. Inhale. Exhale. I can do this. As you relax, the mellow warmth you missed so dearly washes over you, gently eroding the torment in your mind and heart, guiding your focus to the here and now. Trust in the Force.

Wait.

Wait.

Now.

You fire two bolts straight into your target the same exact moment Bane and Hunter shoot each other. Hunter’s shot hits the droid, breaking off its leg. Bane’s shot hits directly in Hunter’s chest, as yours did Bane. Both men immediately fall backwards and slam into the ground.

“My booster!” Oh. So not a leg. Got it.

“Hunter!”

Kriff kriff kriff. You jump down nimbly from your hiding spot in the ceiling and immediately sprint towards the duo. Is he dead? You would unapologetically release sithhell on Bane if he killed the man you love.

Omega panics as she tries to wake Hunter up, continuously calling his name before taking a glimpse of her surroundings. Before you can react, she grabs her bow and pulls it taut, aiming at you. She looks petrified.

“Whoa! Omega, it’s me!” you exclaim, holding your hands up in surrender. She takes a moment to actually look at you before sagging in relief. Suddenly, the droid comes speeding out of nowhere and Omega shoots, the energy bolt whizzing past your waist and straight into the droid before it can attack you from behind.

The shot rings true and the grumpy robot falls. You turn around to grab at its exposed parts under its head and yank them out to make sure it can’t power on again.

“Thanks, Omega. I owe you one,” you say and Omega gives you a proud smile.

You place a comforting hand on her shoulder before kneeling down to shake Hunter awake, but it doesn’t work. You take a moment to analyse Hunter’s Life Force. It’s a bit dimmer, but it’s constant, meaning he’s out cold and doesn’t have the life draining out of him. You let out a sigh of relief. He’s alive. You glance back to see Bane still not moving. Good.

“What’re we gonna do?” Omega whispers as you both peer down at Hunter. His armor is smoking from Bane’s blaster shot and you exhale through your teeth, trying to come up with a plan. You slip off a glove to check Hunter’s pulse–it’s strong. You don’t want to leave Omega alone, even if Bane is unconscious, but you aren’t sure you have a choice.

“Well we can’t carry him to safety, neither of us are strong enough for that,” you think aloud, gears churning in your head. You would have to wait for help, even if you were sitting ducks.

Briefly, you entertain the thought of taking Bane’s ship. The only problem is you don’t know what trackers or other gadgets are in there–it’s too costly of a risk and a price you weren’t willing to pay. You sigh, resigned.

“Omega, you try to comm the others and see if you can wake Hunter up. I’m going to go inside this guy’s ship and see if I can find something that can help us. We have to get out of here before the bounty hunter wakes up,” you instruct and Omega nods, youthful determination flooding back into her eyes.

You leave her to it, walking cautiously towards Bane’s ship. You look down at him. His armor is smoking in two places from the shots you fired. Based on what you see, he’s still unconscious, and his Life Force reflects the same conclusion. How long that would remain, you don’t know. Which means you need to work fast.

You board the ship while you remove the sniper attachments from your blaster and clip them back onto your belt. You keep your guard up as you look around. No droids. Guess that techno-service droid is his one and only.

In an effort to slowly re-familiarize yourself with the Force, you send out a quick pulse through it to see if there are any lifeforms aboard the ship, relaxing when you find none. You rummage through all the cabinets that you discover, looking high and low as you try to locate something of use. The secret compartment in the cockpit proves to be the fruitful reward to your search. With a wave of your hand, you unlock it with ease. Bingo.

Credits. Bags of them. And they’re unmarked creds, which make your score even better. Hopefully, it would be enough to pay off your debt to Cid and give the Havoc Marauder some much-needed upgrades.

Usually, you would feel bad about stealing from someone, but considering this was a bounty hunter – Cad Bane, no less – you figure you can risk treading the grey area of your moral code.

You grab as many bags as you’re able, stuffing them inside your backpack and clipping the rest onto your belt. At this moment, you’re incredibly grateful to Tech and Echo for designing a sturdy utility belt that fits you well. The standard ones were for clones and you definitely were not a clone.

You exit the cockpit and head to the second level of the ship to see if there’s anything else you can find. A stack of crates sits in the corner across from what you assume to be a prison. You scrunch your nose in disgust as you open one to find medical supplies. Bacta patches and gel, vitapaste, rations, water, gloves, sanitary napkins–it was all there. Delighted, you close the crate and click the repulsor to make it levitate. Oh how you love technology.

You turn around and walk back up the stairs to leave the ship. You freeze at the exit ramp. You have got to be karking kidding me.

“Sorry lil’ lady.”

Cad Bane stuns Omega in front of your eyes before rounding on you and immediately fires. In a desperate attempt to save yourself, you throw your hands up and the honeyed power of the Force rushes through every fibre of your being. The blaster bolts slow down to a snail-like crawl and your eyes widen. How did I…?

Never mind how you argue with yourself. Time to get out of here!

You tiptoe around each bolt, the effort of keeping them in stasis becoming more difficult with each passing moment. You grit your teeth as your arms shake, but you keep going until you are finally off the ramp. You lower your arms and the energy hits the inside of the ship, spazzing out the blinking controls inside.

Bane turns to you in surprise, astonished at how you’re suddenly in front of him. You don’t give him the luxury of processing the event and immediately punch him in the face with as much strength as you can muster. Bane pitches backwards and collapses onto the ground, just as he did the first time. You grab your stun blaster and shoot him as extra assurance. You really did not want this to repeat again. Hopefully he never wakes up with a memory of what I just did...

“Now stay down,” you mutter to a knocked out Bane, cradling your now injured hand. You have no idea how Wrecker ever does this because wow your hand is killing you.

You have to say, you’re pretty proud of yourself for being able to render him unconscious not once, but two times. You wish you could tell Anakin–the thought saddens you. He’s probably dead too.

With that vividly cheery thought, you stagger back from the ramp in exhaustion, weary from the sudden surge of the Force still ebbing and coursing through your body.

None of the Bad Batch knew you used to be a Jedi–not even Hunter. It was something only a few of your closest Jedi friends and the Jedi Council knew about.

But after what happened today, with Rex helping your squadmates get their inhibitor chips out, with you finally letting the Force in… maybe it is time to tell them. The secrecy wouldn’t be needed anymore now that you were sure you were safe around your friends. But clearly, the universe wanted to throw a nasty vibroblade in your plans by knocking Hunter and Omega unconscious and having the best kriffing bounty hunter in the galaxy be hot on your heels.

You take a few seconds to get your breath back and regain your mental energy. You aren’t out of the woods yet. You run inside Bane’s ship to grab the crate of medical supplies before sprinting back out towards Hunter and Omega.

You lean down and pat Omega’s cheek gently, trying to wake her up, but she’s out cold. Why is everyone around me unconscious? Frankly, you’re equally amused and terrified by the situation laid out in front of you.

You sigh, looking around to see if you can find some cover. There’s a giant sheet of durasteel to your left, big enough to act as a barrier in case trouble comes knocking. You bend down and pick Omega up before placing her down cautiously, leaning her small body against the metal. You repeat the action with the crate you found.

The third time proves to be much more difficult. Hunter certainly isn’t as muscular as Wrecker, but he sure as sithhell isn’t as light as Omega. You tap your foot nervously, trying to figure out a way for you to lift him. Yes, you could use the Force, but you don’t want to alert the other Force-sensitive on the planet. If they knew about your existence, it could put them in danger, and that was the last thing you wanted.

Giving up, you place your hands underneath Hunter’s armpits and effectively drag him all the way over, propping him up as you did Omega. You cringe at the sound of his armor grating the floor. There are sure to be dirty scuff marks on it now. Sorry Hunter.

Just as you’re about to sit down next to him, heaving deep breaths from the exertion, you pause. A warning is practically blaring in the Force and you tense, urgently trying to figure out the cause.

“Not again,” you mumble under your breath. You can’t handle any more action today. With Hunter and Omega both down, and your extreme fatigue from engaging in the Force, you don’t know how much of a fight you can put up. Not to mention you never trained as a soldier. There was a reason why you left the military planning strategies to the Bad Batch.

You hold your blaster close to your chest as you scan the environment. Bane is immobile and so is the dismantled techno-service droid. So what’s wrong?

Ten nerve-wracking seconds pass before you get your answer. Clone voices waft up to your hiding spot and you bite your cheek in frustration as your head continues to pound. Your headache still hasn’t stopped.

There is no way you can fight them all off, especially if Crosshair is with them. They are too far away for you to get a read on how many there are, and frankly, you’re much too scared to even peek around the durasteel to count.

One of Tech’s previous statements floats through your mind. About three attack shuttles worth.

You can feel your heart thumping wildly in your chest, blood rushing through your ears as anxiety ties your stomach into knots. I can’t do this, I can’t do this, Ican’tdothis.

You take deep breaths, doing your best to clear your mind and focus. You had to do this. There is no other option other than surrendering or dying. No, damnit, you would go down fighting until the Life Force left you.

You peer just past the edge of the metal to see at least twenty clones heading your way. Certainly not ideal, but you bide your time. If you started shooting now, you couldn’t use the element of surprise to your advantage and they would easily overwhelm you. But once they’re close enough, you hope you can at least take a couple out before having to resort to using the Force. It isn’t ideal, but it’s all you have.

Honestly, you don’t know if you could get out of this one alive, much less protect Hunter and Omega too. Maker help me.

It throws you off when they finally come into sight–you see how plain the clones’ armor looked without paint. You never really noticed it before since you were always running for your life in those circumstances. But now that you think about it, you are so used to seeing bright blue or green or yellow that the alabaster white just seems so… odd.

“Looks like a big fight happened here.”

“Yeah, tell me about it. All these men are dead.”

Now.

You whip your body around the metal and immediately begin shooting as fast as you can pull the trigger, trying to make every shot count. The troopers hesitate for just a moment, most likely due to their surprise of you being there. But that second is all you need.

You take out the three men closest to you before jumping back behind the metal as their barrage of fire rains down on you. You do your best to shoot back and manage to take out one more clone, but they’re beginning to gain too much ground too fast. I can do this. I have to do this.

As far as you can tell, Crosshair isn’t with the clones attacking you, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t set up shop somewhere nearby, waiting to shoot you.

You shudder. It’s a chilling thought.

You grab one of your last detonators from your belt and hurl it as far as you can. The rapid beeping rises quickly in pitch before the charge explodes. Anguished cries reverberate throughout the area, and you briefly feel sorry for having to take such drastic measures as you feel their Force signatures dim swiftly. But you don’t have a choice.

Peeking around the corner, you count around eight to ten clones down. Not bad considering the circumstances.

You continue shooting as much as you can but now the troopers are much too close for comfort and you’re feeling overwhelmed. The durasteel you are using for cover isn’t meant to take this kind of damage, and the integrity of your shield is quickly waning as told by the constant creaks and groans. You don’t know what to do. Will we make it?

In your haste of shooting first and panicking later, you don’t notice Hunter groaning, finally waking up. And before you have time to even glance at him, the familiar hum of the Havoc Marauder and its lights shine down on you. Your sag in relief. Looks like Omega was able to comm them after all. Never before have you been so glad to see the beat-up hunk of junk. (You would never say that to Tech though–the Marauder is his baby, his pride and joy.)

Echo, Wrecker, and Tech all race off the ship, guns ablazing. Wrecker and Tech stand guard, serving as cover fire while Echo bends down to help you out.

“Hunter, wake up!” Echo hisses and smacks his helmet lightly. Hunter mumbles in pain as he starts to move, trying to look around as his HUD boots back up. Seriously? Now you wake up? you think sarcastically. But you’re much more relieved at the fact that he has actually woken up.

“What happened? Where’s Omega?” Wrecker bellows, worried.

“She’s right here, I’ve got her!” you shout back at the same time Echo says, “He was shot in the chest plate.”

You pocket your blaster and gather the young girl in your arms with every last bit of strength you have left. You aren’t strong enough to hold her in one arm and shoot with the other. That is much more up Wrecker’s alley.

“We have to get him on board!” Tech exclaims as he helps Echo support Hunter. You pick Omega up in both arms and bolt for the ship as fast as you can while yelling at Tech to grab the crate of supplies.

“Incoming!” Wrecker calls out as a fresh wave of troopers advance towards the six of you. You grunt as you deposit Omega in a chair near the controls before pulling out your blaster and helping Wrecker shoot down the men racing towards you.

“Got him. Tech, fly us out of here!” Echo commands while Wrecker makes a gesture for them to get on the ship faster. Hunter stumbles as he does his best to upright himself.

“Go go go!” Wrecker exclaims. Tech shoves the crate next to Omega’s seat and makes a beeline for the cockpit as you continue shooting, moving to the side to make space for Echo and Hunter to come on board. Wrecker quickly climbs in right after them and the ramp closes shut.

Tech immediately pilots the Havoc Marauder up and away from the scene. You vaguely hear the sound of blaster fire hitting the bottom of the ship while you drop your blaster on the ground and wrench Hunter’s helmet off in a panic. You take his face in your hands as you scan him quickly, trying to figure out if he’s hurt or not.

Hunter bats your hands away. “He... he took Omega,” he says and you shake your head. Wrecker pipes up from behind you to respond.

“Who? Crosshair?”

“The bounty hunter,” Hunter mutters as he rubs a hand over his face. Before Wrecker can answer again, you step in.

“No, he didn’t. I took him down. And no, he’s not dead,” you tack on quickly when you see Echo open his mouth. Echo shakes his head fondly and you just grin at him.

“She’s right here,” Echo says instead, pointing to Omega’s sleeping figure. Hunter turns in surprise to see that his brother is indeed telling the truth.

“How...?” Hunter’s voice trails off. Echo and Wrecker look at you expectantly, and Hunter follows suit. You sigh and take off your helmet, setting it down on the ledge next to the controls. You don’t look at them.

“It’s a long story.”

You don’t have a chance to elaborate any further because Tech walks in, interrupting the conversation.

“I’ve made the jump to hyperspace. There was a cruiser in the atmosphere, but I was able to quietly go past them by disguising our ship as a bounty hunter’s. They didn’t interfere. I put in the coordinates for Ord Mantell. I estimate our time of arrival to be five hours and thirty two minutes,” Tech reports and Hunter nods while you voice your thanks.

“Looks like we got time!” Wrecker says cheerily, pulling out an extra chair. Tech looks to you in confusion.

“Did I miss something significant?” Tech asks, concerned about the information he did not receive as he adjusts his goggles. You shake your head but now, all eyes are back on you.

“She was just about to tell us how she saved Omega,” Hunter supplies helpfully and Tech nods in understanding. He grabs a chair as well and sits down, interested in hearing what you have to say.

You look around the room, realizing you can’t get out of it. You are exhausted and just want to sleep but based on the looks you are getting from the boys, there is no way you can leave without giving a sufficient answer.

You sit down on a chair in between Omega and Echo and begin explaining.

“When the cone fell, it separated. I got knocked out when I hit the ground, but I don’t think I broke anything,” you quickly reassure as Tech grabs a datapad to scan your vitals.

“After I came to, I tried comming Echo, but my commlink was broken – I could only hear bits and pieces of what he said. There were some voices near me so I just followed them and–” you pause, not sure if you should tell them what happened. What you experienced, what you found out. “–I saw Hunter and Omega. The ledge I found was way too high for me to jump to, so I climbed up the side of the wreckage to see them and the bounty hunter facing off,” you say, choosing to leave the detail out. It was too personal. You still needed time.

All of them are listening intently, hanging on to every word you’re saying. Hunter’s gaze on you is heavy and loaded with questions. Tech is still tapping away on the datapad, but you know you have his full attention. Multitasking may not be possible for regular humans, but it definitely was for Tech.

“When I saw the bounty hunter, I knew Hunter wasn’t going to win,” you mumble sheepishly, rubbing the back of your neck. Hunter winces at your statement and you rush to explain why.

“Hunter, you have to trust that I genuinely don’t doubt your abilities. You are much more of a soldier than I will ever be. But this bounty hunter is one of the best, if not the best in the entire galaxy. He’s gone against the Jedi, and won. Based on what Anakin told me at the beginning of the war, Cad Bane is ruthless. He tortured Master Ropal and killed him. Believe it or not, I think he tried to abduct Chancellor Palpatine. Even Anakin had a difficult time fighting him.”

A tense quiet settles over you all as you mentally revisit your conversation with Anakin, and later with Ahsoka. She told you how it was one of the first times she was genuinely afraid that she was going to die, or at least get hurt very severely.

Echo’s rough voice shakes you out of your reverie. “How do–did you know General Skywalker?” he asks, clearly confused at how you referred to him on a first-name basis. You mentally facepalm yourself. How did I forget he served as part of the 501st? You feel incredibly stupid.

You could make up a lie, of course, but it wouldn’t be worth it. Hunter’s enhanced senses and Tech’s vitals scan could probably pick up on your biological signs, not to mention you would feel terribly guilty about not being honest. I promised myself I would tell them…

You blow out a nervous breath, deciding to at least give them something. They deserved that much.

“I’m–well, I was a Jedi,” you admit, staring down at your feet. You can’t bring yourself to look at them, feeling almost… ashamed.

The boys are shocked into silence and you cringe. There was probably a much better way for you to say that, but now it was out there. Yet the pressure that had been weighing down on you since you let the Force back in didn’t lessen.

“What?” Wrecker questions, thrown completely for a loop. “You’re a Jedi?”

Before you can answer, Tech pipes up. “When I reviewed your medical data, there was no note about an elevated midi-chlorian count or any sort of connection to the Force. Additionally, there is no documentation of you serving as a General or a Commander during the war in the Republic military records. How were you a Jedi? And why aren’t you one now? You used past tense in your sentence,” Tech adjusts his goggles as he attempts to register this new information that conflicted with his previous knowledge.

You sigh, drumming your fingers on your thigh. “I left the Jedi Order before the war ended. I promise I’ll explain everything in detail later, but for now, you have to understand that I’m just a Force-user. I trained as a Jedi, but I’m not a Jedi, not anymore,” you clarify, lifting your head up to make eye contact with each of them.

“Aw man, that’s so cool. You have to show us your cool mind tricks sometime!” Wrecker smiles and you agree to his request. It warms your heart to see him so excited.

“It makes sense. You must have seen the regs turn on the Jedi but didn’t know why. When you started traveling with us, you didn’t know if we would turn on you too, even though we’re not regs,” Hunter realizes, and you nod in affirmation. You’re secretly relieved by the fact that he doesn’t seem angry, just… just thoughtful.

“And then when I saw what happened to Crosshair, I knew I couldn’t risk ever telling any of you. But when Rex told us about the chips…” you trail off.

Echo picks up your sentence quickly. “You figured out you would be safe with us if we got our chips removed. No wonder you were so insistent on following what Rex said.”

You smile at the last part, a bit embarrassed. He wasn’t wrong. You were probably even more insistent than Rex was on telling them to get their inhibitor chips out. Better to be safe than sorry you told them. Though at the time, you hadn’t even thought about how removing their chips would impact you and your abilities. You were too focused on keeping the Force out of your body to entertain that thought.

Wrecker suddenly gets up and gathers you in a bone-crushing hug. “Well you don’t have to worry now! We got those stupid chips out of our heads, which means I promise we won’t kill you!” he says cheerfully and you can’t help but laugh as you hug him back, the knot in your chest beginning to unravel. You could always count on Wrecker’s wonderfully big heart to raise your spirits.

“You’re right, big guy. It’s honestly a relief. One less thing I have to worry about.”

Wrecker lets go of you and you pick up where you left off. “As I was saying, Cad Bane isn’t a bounty hunter we can take lightly. Crosshair helped me re-engineer my blaster to turn it into a pseudo sniper with attachable parts during the war. Because I was so high up, I could get a clear shot of Bane. From that vantage point, I shot him at the same time Hunter and Bane shot each other.”

Echo’s mouth drops open. “Damn.”

“What I didn’t expect was for Hunter to be rendered completely unconscious. So I told Omega to try to comm you guys while I went on Bane’s ship to see if I could find anything. And I did.” You pull off your backpack and dump out the contents. Bags of credits come tumbling out. You unhook the few bags on your belt and toss them into the pile.

“Bane had a secret compartment with a lot of credits. So I took them and that crate I yelled at Tech to get,” you explain as you reach into the bag to show off the Imperial credits.

Tech’s eyes widen as he lifts up a bag to inspect it. “I will have to calculate how much you took and mark it in the inventory, but based on my initial deduction, this may be enough for us to upgrade the Marauder and provide sustenance for at least a few months.”

“Nice one!” Wrecker compliments and you grin in response. “What’s in the crate?” he asks, walking over to lift up the top.

“Medical supplies. We barely had any left so I figured I might as well take that too,” you shrug as Hunter gets up to join Wrecker to peer at the contents.

“What happened after that? You said you told Omega to comm the others, which means she was awake. Did she get hurt while I was out? Is that why you look so exhausted?” Hunter inquires, astute as ever.

You bite your lower lip. “When I was getting off his ship with the goods, he had woken up again. Before I could do anything, he stunned Omega and then immediately shot at me,” you pause, wondering if you should elaborate on how you got out of the situation. You decide to come clean on this part.

“I… I don’t know how, but I was able to stop the blaster bolts and keep them – and Bane – in stasis with the Force. The problem was that it took a lot out of me. After not really using the Force for so long, my energy reserves were pretty much gone,” you sigh, absentmindedly rubbing your arms. Your muscles are still sore from the event.

“After that, I punched him and knocked him out again. I dragged you and Omega away from the ship so that I could protect you, and I ended up using that giant piece of durasteel as cover to fight off those clones. Then you guys came and rescued us and that’s that,” you finish, suddenly fatigued from the conversation. You slump back into your chair, perfect posture be damned.

“Wow,” is all Echo says, surprised by your strength. It took some serious stamina to be able to withstand so much for so long. Echo remembered seeing Commander Tano and General Skywalker be exhausted after some especially intense missions where they constantly had to use the Force.

“Yeah,” you mutter, massaging your dominant hand. It is still throbbing from the mean hook you threw at Bane. You don’t have any regrets. You glance at Omega’s sleeping figure and soften. The things I would do for this girl.

“Looks like I taught you well!” Wrecker laughs and you smile. When you first met the Bad Batch, Wrecker took it upon himself to teach you basic self-defense and how to overtake an opponent intelligently. Even though you already learned how to fight as part of your Jedi and military training, you couldn’t say no to him when he looked so excited. But it paid off because he’s right. Wrecker did teach you well.

“You did. You basically saved my ass out there with your amazing teaching skills,” you chuckle, glancing down at your hand. You think you’ll probably have to cover it in bacta gel to speed up the healing process before having yet another realization. (You seem to be having a lot of those today.)

I can just Force-heal. Before, you couldn’t Force-heal because it would look suspicious if something healed too fast. But now that they know, you don’t have to solely depend on medical supplies anymore.

Tech, as always, is right on cue. “Is your hand alright? For you to render Bane unconscious must have been no easy feat. Not to mention that according to the medscan I just took, you have a mild concussion, most likely due to your fall. I can run a medical diagnostic test to start and then run more specific tests to combat your pain...” Tech mutters the last part to himself, brain running light years faster than his mouth as his fingers fly over the datapad.

You debate it for a moment before nodding. “That would be great, Tech–thanks. But right now, I’m exhausted, so I’m going to go and crash in my bunk. Wake me up if I need to punch someone again,” you joke before shuffling away from your squadmates. You ruffle Omega’s hair affectionately as you pass by her and pick up your blaster from the ground before climbing down the ladder. You don’t notice Hunter’s troubled gaze or how his Force signature sours a bit as you leave.

You quickly clean up and throw on some bacta patches on a few nasty bruises. You sit down on your bed and pull the privacy curtain before deciding to open up your secret compartment next to your mattress. You stare down at the objects, the only things you have left as a reminder of the past. You reach down for one of them, about to touch it when you stop.

You shake your head and shut the drawer. Deciding to finally, finally hit the hay, you’re out like a light as soon as your head hits the pillow. Dealing with the Force and healing yourself could be done later. Not even your constant pain and crippling worry about your family friends could keep you up any longer.

please consider reblogging! it really helps me and is super encouraging ^_^

[the-sympathetic-villain]

Hello! I just saw your post about wanting remus prompts? Obvs no pressure but I cant get this out of my mind of the rat man..... BAKING

Yes... I need the rat man baking. This took me a bit because I’m really bad at writing short prompts but I like how it turned out! Originally, this was meant to be straight fluff but I couldn’t seem to get away from my personal headcanon that Remus stress bakes lol but its still mostly fluff with a little bit of vulnerability from the rat man <3

Cookies and Coping Mechanisms

Description: After SvSR, Remus knows that everyone is upset by the outcome of episode. His solution? Dragging a reluctant Virgil into the kitchen to make cookies.

Word Count: 1747

Characters: Remus, Virgil (Platonic Dukexiety)

Warnings: Remus-Type Content (Sexual innuendo, Allusions to Drugs, References to gore, etc.), Flirting, Swearing

---

    “Come on, Virgie. This'll be fun.”

    “Last time I heard that, you ended up on fire, Remus.” Virgil muttered as he shoved his hands in his hoodie pockets, cast a cautious glance at the bouncing creative side.

    “You can't spell fun without fire!” Remus chirped happily.

     Virgil stopped in his tracks, looking up in disbelief. “Yes, you can—”

     “Not if you actually want to have fun, Gerard Gay.” Remus threw out over his shoulder as he continued his manic dive into the cupboards. Metal pans flew up to the countertop as Remus swung around to throw open another drawer with a loud clang.

    Virgil growled. His eyes darkened with exasperation as Remus tossed a bag of flour on the counter and a puff of white haze shot up into the air. “I'm so glad that Logan soundproofed the kitchen so you can as be as loud as you want.”

     “Hey, that was Roman's fault." Remus stopped digging through the fridge to point at Virgil. “He brought the firecrackers—”

     “You lit them!” Virgil threw his hands up in a gesture to the large scorch marks in front of the stove.

��    “Irrelevant.” Remus purred with a playful grin. “Now preheat the oven for me, emo boy.”

    “To what?” Virgil muttered as he stalked toward the oven.

    “350 degrees, baby!”

    “Don’t call me baby.” Virgil sighed, barely looking up at the mess Remus was making as he danced around the kitchen. “I don't even know why we're doing this. Cookies can’t fix what happened.”

    “Well, it sure as hell can't hurt, Donnie Darko,” Remus winked, shooting finger guns at Virgil. “especially since we’re catering to each of them personally. Everyone can hate each other and all, but they can't hate cookies.”

    Virgil paused in confusion.  “You said we were making one batch of cookies, Remus. I didn't sign up for a whole day with—”

    “I never said we weren't. Just one batch is all we need.” Remus grinned with a teasing smile, taunting him to continue.

    “How can one batch of cookies cater to all of them?” Virgil wondered. “I mean I get Patton, but the others are a little harder to please.”

    “Don't you worry. I'll spill the beans,” Remus paused with a suggestive grin. “but first I need you to strip, Frightmare before Christmas.”

    Virgil let out an exaggerated sigh as he ducked his head to hide the redness in his cheeks. “Whatever fantasy your trying to get me play out, I won't—”

     “Lose the hoodie, Virge. Everything else is optional.” Remus interrupted, grinning suggestively as Virgil tipped his head up. “Unless—"

    “No.”

    “Fine,” Remus giggled as he gave in to Virgil. Before he walked away, he slipped a piece of paper across the table as Virgil slipped his jacket off and laid it off to the side. “It’s to get nice and toasty in here and I don’t need you looking like you just got off a sweet bender covered in a suspicious white powder when we go to deliver the goods.”

    “Okay—Okay! It’s off now.” Virgil through his hands up in exasperation as Remus wiggled his eyebrow up at him. “You can stop tormenting me.”

    “Great.” Remus cheered with a flourish of his hands as he tossed the flour at Virgil. He giggled as the bag erupted into a white puff all over Virgil, leaning into his friend’s scowl before returning to hopping about the kitchen. “Mix the dry ingredients and I'll start on the wet stuff.”

    “Great.” Virgil huffed, rolling his eyes as he straightened out his black tee and brushed the flour off himself. Reluctantly, he picked up the flour to begin as he looked up at Remus for explanation. “Now, tell me why you think this is going to make everything better.”

    “Well, Pattycake obviously loves homemade gifts—"

     “Patton is the easiest to please.” Virgil muttered as he measured the flour. “That's not an accomplishment.”

   “Yeah, well. All Roman wants is attention. The fact that we were thinking of him is enough to brighten his spirits,” Remus grinned as he started to whisk together his ingredients. “and the snake boy has a sweet tooth. He hates to admit it, but sugar is Janus’ comfort food.”

    Virgil paused. His eyes narrowed on Remus with skepticism in his eyes. “And what about Logan?”

     Remus’ grin widened as he swiped Virgil’s bowl and began combining the ingredients. “Well, we're making thumbprint cookies and—”

    “—and thumbprint cookies require jam.” Virgil deadpanned as Remus nodded. He stared blankly as the creative side finished the dough and reached below the counter.

     “Bingo, bad boy.” Remus chirped as he slid a jar of Crofter's across the table.

    Virgil eyed the jam suspiciously as he bit his lip. “Where exactly did you pull that from—”

    “Not relevant.” Remus cheered brightly as he handed Virgil a spoon and started forming the cookies. “Start scooping and don't skimp on the jam. I don't want to offend the nerdy professor.”

    “Re, this is—” Virgil stared as he followed behind Remus, dropping jam into the indents of the cookies. “—surprisingly thoughtful.”

    “So, what?” Remus grinned, raising an eyebrow at Virgil. “Can't a guy do a nice thing every once in a while?”

     Virgil blinked, trying to stifle his own shock. “You try to convince Thomas to jump out of moving cars or eat dirt at least daily. Nice things just aren’t what you’re about. Are they?”

     “Maybe, I don’t like being predictable.” Remus chuckled as he took the tray from Virgil and slipped it in the oven.

    “Holy shit,” Virgil’s mouth dropped open as Remus set the timer. “You actually care about how the others are feeling right now?”

    “What?” Remus mused, raising an eyebrow at Virgil. “Did you think I was here for my own amusement, stormy night?”

    “I mean, kinda.” Virgil dropped his hands to his side, tugging at the hem of his tee. “I didn’t know that you were capable of—"”

    “Of course, you wouldn't think so.” Remus interrupted with a bored tone, sounding exasperated.

     Virgil paused as Remus dropped his voice. The uncharacteristic serious in his friend's muted tone stopped him in his tracks and he turned back to see Remus leaned on his elbows, staring at the countertop.

    “After this last video without us, everyone's thoughts about themselves are turning to crap and I feel them spiraling just the way you do, emo boy.” Remus smirked as Virgil stared back at him with shock in his eyes. “So, yeah. I used to make Thomas repeat this recipe over and over in his head until he memorized the damn thing.”

    “You did that so you could bake for the others if they had a bad day?” Virgil blinked, shocked at the sudden change from Remus’ usual boisterous behavior.

    Remus let out a long sigh as he fidgeted with a wooden spoon in his hand, twirling it between his fingers. “You might be his anxiety, but your not the only one carrying that gnawing dread that nothing's gonna work out, Dr. Doom. If it's grating and repetitive, it shows up on my radar too.”

    “I had no idea." Virgil muttered, unsure of what else to say.

    “You can thank Janus for that one, Virgie baby.” Remus chirped, a little more upbeat as the time chimed off. “You didn’t want to know and the snake's been keeping you safe and snug as long as you been kicking.”

    “But what about you, Ree?” Virgil wondered out loud as Remus started to drop the hot cookies onto plates to cool. “Who keeps you safe?”

    “Eh, who cares?” Remus’ voice cracked slightly as he rolled his eyes. “Point is that I’ll feel icky and this’ll make that go away.”

    “Remus, that’s not—”

    “What? Healthy?” Remus purred, as he wrapped an arm around Virgil’s shoulder and jostling him. “Hate to break it to you, kid, but I'm not Tommy-boy’s good coping mechanisms.”

    “No, but that's why Thomas works on them.” Virgil muttered as Remus released him. “I'm not exactly what Thomas wants all the time either, but he work through his issues so that I can focus on protecting him.”

   “Here’s the thing though,” Remus flashed Virgil a sharp-toothed grin as he chuckled. “My purpose ain’t quite so handy as yours, so its not worth that—”

    “You’re wrong, Remus.”

    Remus looked up in surprise at Virgil’s abrupt response. He stared for a moment at the concern in Virgil’s eyes before straightening up. “Oh?”

    “You keep Thomas grounded in reality.” Virgil shrugged as Remus looked up at him with skepticism in his eyes. “If Thomas lived his life looking Princey's rose-colored glasses, he'd be ignoring all the complex and difficult things that give life meaning.”

    Remus raised an eyebrow at him with a playful glimmer in his eyes. “So, there is creative value in ‘juicy butth—”

    “Stop,” Virgil held up a hand with a chuckle. “You know what I mean. Not everything is sunshine and sparkles. Thomas can’t ignore things just because he doesn’t like them. He needs the ability to face those things and you give him that, Remus.”

     Remus giggled, flashing a knowing smirk at Virgil. “You better be careful, Virgie. If you’re not, I might start to think you give a shit.”

    “I do.” Virgil dipped his head to hide the redness in his cheeks as Remus smirked at him. “I do, okay? Now, just shut up so we can deliver some cookies.”

    “Oh, gag me, emo boy.” Remus chuckled, barely concealing his smile as he made an over-exaggerated expression of disgust. “I didn't know you were capable of being so tooth-rottingly sweet—”

    “Just shut up." Virgil muttered half-heartedly as he smiled and took the plate Remus held out for him.

    Remus chuckled, nodding to the exit with a smirk. “Fine. How about we just deliver these top-notch sweets to our favorite depressed bitches then?”

    “Fine—” Virgil nodded reluctantly, hesitating as he followed Remus. “—and then maybe we could watch a movie or something after?”

   Remus nodded, perking up as he bounced along the hallway. “Something gory?”

    Virgil snorted as he staggered down the hallway. “Might as well. None of the other sides will watch scary movies with me anyway.”

    “It's a date then, stormy night.” Remus grinned, feeling lighter as they walked down the hall together. “You wore me down.”

    Virgil rolled his eyes, smiling as he followed the bouncing man ahead of him. “Good.”

---

General Taglist:

@justanotherhumanstuff​ @im-an-anxious-wreck

[greenygreenland]

Shy: Bad Batch x Reader

Summary:

Initiallly, you are worried about meeting the Bad Batch but eventually come to some mutual understanding of what it feels like to be the odd one out.

-i never finished this until now lol

-i wrote this as soon as s7 ended what

-now it's nov and i'm quaking

The Bad Batch: an abnormal bunch, rowdy group of weirdos, the black sheeps of the GAR, a bad batch, dysfunctional, et cetera, et cetera. You heard so many rumours and comments floating around about that group while other times, nothing at all. They were science experiments made by the Kaminoans and absolutely nothing like their brothers, both in looks and personality.

They had been trained separately from their brothers, and from what you knew, were practically a family on their own.

"So, this is the 'Bad Batch'?" you whispered to Cody. His lips were pressed into a thin line while his brows knitted together. Either he was in deep thought, or uncomfortable (you sensed it to be the latter) with how close you two stood. He had told you a few stories of his own adventures with the group, and although they didn't seem all too bad, you weren't so sure about these boys. "Remind me why I'm here Cody." you whispered. He raised a brow and said, "You were assigned to aid Clone Force 99 in their upcoming mission. You are expected to complete the mission and were given a full seven rotations to do so. A quick summary is that you were tasked to infiltrate and destroy a Seperatist base and return--safely on General Kenobi's request."

"Only because they didn't know where else to deploy me." you grumbled. Turning to Cody, you dramatically sighed. Only being Knighted as of yesterday left you in an odd position. Where were you to go now that you didn't follow your ex-master, Obi-wan, like a lost puppy? Where were you to go now that you were fully independent from him? Cody patted your shoulder, a gesture solely reserved for you. "They aren't too bad Com--General."

"That's not the point Cody. If they're as good as I've heard, I'll only be extra luggage." Cody frowned. "That's not true." He tone was firm and you sensed he meant it. "You're as capable, maybe even more, than them. I have no doubt that you will be completely immaculate on this mission." He paused thoughtfully, giving the open docking bay a good survey. "You're strong General," he added. "Don't ever forget that."

You smiled at him in appreciation. "Thanks Cody, for being here for me as always." He returned the smile. "We're...we're friends, yes?"

"Without a doubt." You fixed your gaze on the approaching men and folded your arms over your chest. They were, as expected, as odd bunch. One was super macho while another was as thin as a stick, another looked like a total nerd while the last of the four looked...pretty normal compared to his brothers. You shifted from foot to foot. As they stared you down, you couldn't help but feel the slightest bit intimidated.

"I'm worried." you whispered, eyeing the clone who wore a red headband-bandana-thing stepped forward. He nodded your way, eyes sharp and calculating. "Don't be." he said. You instinctively turned to Cody with a silent look for help. "Hunter has enhanced senses." he explained.

You suddenly felt very, very dumb. "Why didn't I know that?" you whispered. Cody had the strong urge to roll his eyes. "Because you weren't listening when I briefed you this morning. You were caught up in finishing something assigned to you last week." You blinked, a sigh escaping your lips. "Right. Right. Thanks Cody." You turned to the Bad Batch, whom were sending each other amused glances. You sensed a shared bewilderment among them relating to your dynamic with Cody, but none had the guts to speak about it.

At least not yet.

Offering a small wave, you said, "Hello there. I...assume you already know me--or at least have heard my name."

"You're General (Y/n) Skywalker." the nerd said. "Younger sister of General Anakin Skywalker by three years, recently knighted--yesterday--and known to be fierce in battle, which earned you the name--"

"Oh shut it Tech."

You cast a glance at the one who had spoken: Mr. Macho. He gave Tech a punch on the arm, but not enough to hurt him. "I see he has done an...extensive amount of research." you commented. Cody nodded in agreement and Tech merely smiled in response. "Besides my extensive amount of knowledge, allow me to introduce you to Clone Force 99, or as you may have heard, the Bad Batch. I'm Tech. That over there is Wrecker." He pointed to Mr. Macho. "That's Crosshair." He pointed to the stick-man. "And that's Hunter, otherwise known as our self-proclaimed leader." The boys chuckled at this, leaving you slightly less intimidated by their demanding presence. Cody patted your shoulder and you turned to him uncertainly. He subtly smiled at you reassuringly. "I'll leave you to it. Take care of the General."

"Not to worry Commander," Hunter said, "she's in good hands." You sensed a mix of dount and amusement roll off Cody's shoulders, but he kept his mouth shut as usual. He sent you a nod in farewell before walking off into the hanger. You watched him disappear in the sea of sweaty men and droids. Boy were you going to miss him. A frown etched its way onto your lips as you awkwardly turned to the Bad Batch. "So, about the mission?"

---

The trip through hyperspace started off as quiet, save for the occasional joke thrown by Wrecker. Although large and macho, he was a real sweetheart, much like your late friend Waxer. Wrecker knew you were nervous around them, so he unconsciously took it upon himself to break the ice--which didn't exactly work as he anticipated.

Crosshair had been sending you subtle glances of judgment every now and then. When you caught him staring, Hunter spoke in his place. "We don't usually work with clones outside our squad, especially Jedi for that matter." he smoothly offered. "Don't take it personal if we're not...used to having you around." You nodded in understanding from where you sat. That was reasonable, especially since they were build and trained differently from their brothers. They all seemed so close-knit, so it would make sense for you to be an outsider. You didn't know what to say, so you kept as quiet as a mouse.

It was really uncomfortable though. Why did it have to be so awkward? Why were you so awkward? Why couldn't you just hold a conversation?

"I've heard stories of General Skywalker." Tech chirped. "Your personality contrasts from his." You shrugged, forcing a smile to break the ice. "That's what I'm known for. My friend Ahsoka used to say I was born with all the brain cells." There was a pang in your heart and again, silence in the ship. You tried to tell yourself to push back all the dark thoughts and quickly building stress, but it was hard to when it was so damn quiet. You suddenly wished you hadn't been knighted, and that you were still a padawan stuck by Obi-wan's side with the comfort of Cody. You didn't think you were ready yet. It was too early.

Hunter eyed you carefully and it suddenly occured to you that maybe he could hear how loud your heart rammed against your ribs. Cody said he had enhanced senses, and that was a good thing for him, but you couldn't say the same for yourself. "I don't mean to be rude, but you look worried." Hunter began. "I don't mean any offence General--"

"No, no." You softly smiled to ease the suffocating atmosphere. "I'm out of my comfort zone is all. That and..." You didn't know how to say that you were shy and a bit scared to talk to new people. A Jedi was supposed to be calm, collected, and ready for the unexpected during these tough tines. You were a General now, not some little padawan afraid of her own shadow.

"You're shy." Tech realised. You folded your hands together on your lap with a small shrug. It was hard for you to admit it out loud, but you agreed anyway. "Maybe a little." Crosshair gave you a stare you couldn't decipher. It was everchanging with his emotions, first intrigued, then surprised, then...what was it? You weren't sure. He was harder to read than most people you've met.

"It's okay if you're shy." Tech said. You liked how amiable he was. "I used to be shy too, but then I realised there wasn't much point in it when I wanted to share all the things I've learned." You drank in every word he said, appreciating how wise they were. Kaminoans always said clones were only tools bred gor war, but you always disagreed. They were human and had feelings. Some were gentle like Tech, others standoffish like Hunter or Wolffe, and a wonderful few your best friends.

"Is there a reason why you're shy too?" Tech inquired. Hunter looked like he wanted to step in and tell Tech he had crossed the line by asking a Jedi a personal question. You took note of that and waved it off. Yes, being a Jedi meant you had authority, but did it mean people should be afraid of their own curisoity? No. They had a right to ask, even if it was personal.

"My brother's rambunctious, loud, and incredibly reckless at times. He's emotional, sometimes a bit rude, and not the ideal Jedi people would think of when they hear 'the Chosen One'. I'm quiet. I prefer books over a good 'negotiation'." You 'pffted' and met the eyes if your new companions. "By that, I mean running head-first into battle while swinging your lightsaber." The boys nodded in understanding and you continued.

"Sorry if I sound so...direct, especially since I've only met you all today, but I feel like I'm too different. Like...like I'm the odd one out." You thought back to how Anakin won your freedom all those years ago through that stupid pod race. He was a natural at everything, and you had to say, luck favoured him over you. You didn't know how to repair ships, spin around in space to avoid enemies, or do all the things your brother succeeded in. All you had was a title for being deadly in battle, which in itself was a curse.

You were a Jedi, a 'keeper of peace' who was supposed to be good at meditating. You weren't a soldier like Cody or all the other clones, in fact, you were nothing compared to your brother. He was known to be a great Jedi Knight while you considered yourself lucky for being Knighted so early. Leaders or Generals weren't supposed to be shy like you. They asserted dominance, or rather, took charge and led from the front, not the back.

"I'm not as good as my brother at anything. I'm not good with people, I'm not a leader. I only have one title because I'm 'good in battle', or whatever... Farfiek, how did I even become a Jedi Knight anyway? Ni'm an di'kut." You kicked at air, completely oblivious to the surprised faces of your companions. "Hah!" exclaimed Gregor. "So she knows Mandalorian!" Tech blinked, scratching at his temple absentmindedly. "And apparently a bit Huttese."

You sensed the positive shift in the atmosphere and turned to meet their gazes. Hunter tried for a smile, but it was almost impossible to see. "With all due respect, I don't think you're as useless as you think, General. Can you speak Mando'a?"

"Elek Ni liser."

"Huttese?"

"Tagwa."

"What about...Jawa?"

"Ibana."

Hunter and the boys exchanged glances of approval with each other. Tech smiled brightly. "That's amazing General! In total, you speak four languages including Basic while the average person speaks either one or two at most. How did you learn all those languages?" You shrugged. "I read a lot in my spare time and practiced on Cody. He speaks a good amount of Huttese now because I practiced that with him the most."

Tech looked like he would cry from joy. You assumed he was simply that impressed by your 'skills' that it brought tears to his eyes, but you couldn't be sure. "Tech's a real nerd." Crosshair suddenly said. "He probably thinks you're a goddess right about now." You chuckled a little as Hunter pulled out a holoprojector. "It's good to see everyone's warmed up a bit." he admitted. "Who's up for reviewing the mission plans?"

You glanced at the faces of your companions. The atmosphere had changed again, and it made you feel all warm inside. Perhaps Cody was right. You were going to do fine on this mission.

[the-reaper-of-maidens]

Arrival

YEET, some Alcina x OC stuff, because I’m horrible with x Reader stuff. I suppose chronologically, this is the first in my Alcina x OC stories, since this is how my OC met the tall vampire lady~ It kinda ends a bit abruptly, but I wanted the smut to be its own chapter, lol. I know I have the good lady far nicer in this than she really is, but she’s kinda mentally flipped upside down with this nutty OC~ I hope I did the tall vampire lady justice with this, regardless!

TW: mentions of self harm, homophobia implied

The diminutive woman arrived at the castle grounds. Her brown eyes were weary and showed her depression. Her brunette hair was long, flowing freely in the cold breeze, and her jeans were doing a poor job keeping her legs from freezing. She had some nose and ear piercings, so they were especially cold. She shivered and pulled her bomber jacket tighter as she went in, adjusting her duffle bag. She was a bit of a horror blogger, though she ironically was scared easily. Recently, she ended her blog, figuring it was best to end while she was at her peak, so she didn’t tell anyone about her trip to this haunting castle that was reported to be sites of vicious attacks.

Really, the blogger was hoping for one more fright before moving on from her fame, or maybe she wanted to end her suffering, so she hoped to see a monster. Though she was well-liked online, her personal life was… awful, to put it lightly. The blogger certainly felt unsettled, taking a look at the foyer. She thought it was weird that the doors were totally unlocked, though she figured it was different cultural norms, since she was American.

And then… she saw one of them. The blogger started sweating as the witch stepped towards her, she didn’t think anyone still lived here. The tiny woman stepped back, trying not to wig out as the witch continued her creeping. She whipped her head around when she heard another door open, and that was when she started running, dropping her bag.

She didn’t know where she was going, she just wanted to get away from them while trying to explore what the castle had to offer, despite her better judgement. Maybe she should have just turned tail when she saw the witch…

“Well, well… what an interesting visitor we have here,” a low, but darkly alluring voice called out, its owner crouching through a doorway.

The blogger froze like a deer in headlights as she saw what seemed to be an enormous woman towering over her. This woman must have been twice her height. Great, she thought, I have that creepy woman after my tail and now there’s this… hulking piece of… hotness. The blogger blushed a bit, this woman was just stunning, and she couldn’t help but get the hots for her despite being pretty terrified right about now. “S...sorry,” she finally managed to croak out. “I just got curious is all. I’ll just grab my stuff and leave now if you want.”

“How adorable, thinking you can just break in and enter someone’s house willy-nilly,” Lady Alcina Dimitrescu giggled charmingly and sinisterly as she eyed the petite woman, baring her claws. Of course, she felt it was a bit unfair for this especially tiny woman to go down easily; she usually liked giving her prey a fighting chance, it made the hunt all the more exciting. “I’ll give you a chance to run. If you make it out the door before my daughters or I can catch you, you’re free to go~”

Instead of running, though… the blogger just screamed and went down on her knees, cowering in fear. Her stomach was in knots, and she almost felt her breakfast wanting to come back up as she prepared herself for the worst.

The mutant tilted her head in curiosity and retracted her claws. Normally, most people took the chance to run off, but this one thought giving up and staying was a good idea. Alcina was suddenly interested in this strange human. “Hmm… you know what, I’ll call off my daughters. You pique my interest, how about we chat over lunch?”

The blogger was still shaking, though she mustered up the courage to open up her eyes. Though still anxious, she did relax a bit when she realized she was still unharmed. “I… yeah, sure. Lunch sounds good,” she stood up on shaky legs, unzipping her bomber jacket a bit. The adrenaline really heated up her body. Her stomach still felt a bit nauseous, though, so the thought of food didn’t sound appealing to the blogger at the moment.

“Trust me, I’ll make sure my daughters won’t bite. How about you go make yourself… comfortable in the meantime?”

Naturally, the blogger was still on high alert for the next few hours. She looked at her phone, tempted to make a blog post about all that happened, but she decided against it. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to be back in the limelight again… if she wanted to be criticized by her family again. She didn’t have any friends, really, so it wasn’t like she had anyone that would worry about her. She sighed, and Alcina caught the pained look on the blogger’s face.

“So… what brought you to my humble abode?”

“Oh! Sorry! Sorry…” the blogger fretted a bit. “Like I said, I got curious. I also used to run a blog about all sorts of scary monsters and stuff.” Of course, this was all lost on the vampire lady, so the blogger explained more. “A blog is kinda like a digital journal entry, you see. You write it up on your computer and post it up and everyone gets to see what you wrote. Kinda like a bulletin board, but it’s on the Internet.”

“And you… used to?”

“I… yeah. I just wanted to scare people about the things I write about, I didn’t want to be famous. But it happened, and I felt like I had to go along with the ride. Eventually, my folks found out. They’re… not the most supportive,” the blogger divulged. “So ending the blog was a little bit of panic and mostly my choice, because I knew I can’t handle juggling family issues and the blog.”

The mutant woman tsked a bit, feeling an odd sense of pity for the blogger. “How shameful of your family. Do they not have their own business to tend to?”

“Like hell that I care. I cut them off after I stopped blogging. I’ve got enough money to travel around as I please, so… if I’m stuck where I’m misunderstood and demonized, I can just fly off,” and the blogger had anger flash in her eyes for a second, which surprised the mutant vampire. “Imagine being in hillbilly hell, where everyone is a churchgoing fanatic, and you don’t fit what they want you to be. I don’t have friends. My family hates me because of who I love… the guys laugh, and the women? Well, they’re grossed out because I’m a woman and I’m... I’m not supposed to love women.”

“Ah, so you escaped when you finally had the chance,” Alcina wasn’t stupid, piecing together that the smaller woman was waiting for the funds to get out. It was admittedly rather admirable to the vampire, knowing that someone freed themselves of their shackles.

“It took a few years… but you can bet I hauled ass the second I reached my goal. Still, though… I wake up every day, and I’m dragged down by my self-hate. Like my demons follow me wherever I go, and it’d be nice if I can escape for real.”

Alcina shifted a bit, and she grinned mysteriously. “I know a way, if you’re willing to stay for the night,” she offered, hoping the blogger would accept. Perhaps this woman could give her her fix, since it had been a long while since Alcina had any fun in her private quarters. Though she had her witches, she really did see the three as her daughters… she just couldn’t see herself doing such an act with any of them.

The blogger blushed a bright red, trying to decipher what this extremely tall vampire lady meant by that. “...Are you asking me to sleep with you?” she sniped in. She wouldn’t mind it, per se, but she was certainly surprised at the proposal.

“I can tell in your body language, you’re in love with me~ Luckily for you, I don’t care what’s in someone’s pants or how they identify as when I put them to bed. All they need to do… is be a good plaything for me,” Alcina giggled seductively, tossing away any subtlety she might have had.

“I… hold on, just a sec,” the blogger ran off to the nearest bathroom to compose herself. She felt herself flush with heat as she took off her jacket. “Don’t… do anything stupid,” she told herself in the mirror as she washed her face with ice cold water. She was wracked with nerves, but she just couldn’t pass this up. Well, what’s the worst that can happen? It’s not like anyone back home cared about me, she thought to herself. The blogger took a deep breath to compose herself as she zipped her jacket back up and she went back out, her emotions put into check for now. “Sure, I’d like to stay for the night,” the blogger grinned awkwardly when she returned, fidgeting a bit.

“Trust me, you have nothing to fear,” Alcina purred, putting a hand on the blogger’s cheek. Of course, decades of experience meant she knew how to not crush the poor thing during their fun. This woman must have been half her size, if the height difference was anything to go by. “When you’re as tall as I am, you simply have no choice but to... adapt.”

“Hehe, lucky me. I’ve never… did any of that, obviously,” the blogger admitted, blushing as she shifted her weight between her feet.

“Oh? So you’re saying that you’re a maiden?” Alcina was definitely hooked now, leaning forward a bit. Having a new fling was always nice, but having a potentially new source to make another batch of Sanguis Virginis was always even better.

“What? You’re not gonna like, sacrifice me to some demon or something, are you? Or gut me with those huge claws… right?”

“Oh, no, not at all. It just has a rather poetic ring to it is all,” Alcina hummed casually, debating whether to get the blogger’s blood or enjoy the night with her. Then again, there was no hiding from the tiny woman that she was a mutant vampire, so she had to come clean. “Though,” she leaned back in her chair, “I’m admittedly not sure whether to ravish you or turn you into my wine. We need maiden’s blood for the wine, you see, since it’s just so... delectable.” Normally, the countess would have no issue deciding to turn someone into wine, but given the events from earlier that day... the blogger could make for a good plaything instead.

The blogger swallowed nervously. She had a feeling that whatever she would say, Alcina would manage to have her way. “...How much blood? Are you gonna… turn me? If not, can you not… like, kill me? I need my blood to live.” So many questions raced in her head, she was almost regretting accepting the offer. Almost.

“Charming. Don’t you worry, I won’t drain you of all your blood, should you end up being my pet instead~”

The blogger spent most of the day just relaxing in her room after lunch, thinking about her future. The money won’t last forever, after all, so she needed to start planning. So far, her hostess seemed amiable enough, despite the initial scare. “Ugh, think, think, think! What can I do for Lady Dimitrescu to make her enjoy my stay if I have to come back?” Or, perhaps, she could forgo her travels, instead staying at Castle Dimitrescu for the rest of her life in service to Alcina. She felt a cold in the air, the hairs on her neck standing on ends. She slowly turned and her eyes met with Daniela’s, who she learned earlier was one of Alcina’s daughters.

“Mother says dinner is almost ready, plaything~” the witch giggled, a strident laugh that made the blogger feel a pit in her stomach.

“I… thanks,” the blogger gulped in fear, following the witch for what seemed like forever. She still wasn’t sure what to think about Daniela, truth be told. She eyed the mutant vampire, and realized the mutant was still inhumanly tall, though not as tall as Alcina. She gulped nervously, wondering if she’d be tossed to the witch if Alcina decided she wasn’t good enough.

“Ah, our little guest. Thank you for fetching her, Daniela,” Alcina nodded, a smirk revealing her fangs a bit as she waved Daniela off to take a seat. The blogger looked around, watching the maids hustle and bustle, setting food out to the table. She saw two other women similarly dressed as Daniela sitting at the table, and she assumed they were sisters. That still didn’t make her less uneasy.

The blogger’s mouth watered a bit, smelling the food. If lunch was anything to go by, dinner would be spectacular. “Thanks for letting me stay for the night, Lady Dimitrescu. Tonight’s pretty cold, or so it seems,” she took a seat.

“Oh, it’s not an issue at all, and please… you may call me Alcina,” the vampire mutant purred, trying to get a bit more emotionally close to the blogger. She rarely had any romantic emotions, she usually felt they were in the way of the real action, but… she didn’t mind it when she did have romance flare up in her heart, if someone truly was interesting to her. She frowned a bit when the blogger didn’t take her bomber jacket off, even as she started eating. “Oh, come now, how long have you worn that jacket today? Surely, you must be sweating buckets in there!”

The blogger blushed a bit, mid-bite into her chiftea. “Oh, um… you don’t need to worry… Alcina. I’m not hot at all, trust me,” she tried to dodge, knowing the lady wanted her to stop roasting.

“Well, if you get it all over your coat, you’re going to have to wash it anyways. I’m amazed you didn’t do that at lunch earlier.”

The blogger just cast her eyes downward at her food, fidgeting a bit. She knew she was locked in; one wrong choice, and she would be dead, and she’d rather be alive and uncomfortable than dead. “You’re right,” and she took off her jacket, revealing scars and tattoos on her arm peeking out from the rolled sleeves. She shivered in the brisk breeze, but kept eating.

Alcina leaned back a bit, realizing why her guest refused to shed her coat. “Who did that to you? The scars, that is.”

“...I did,” the blogger clenched a fork, her eyes still downcast. “...Most of it, anyways,” she finally looked up and made eye contact with Alcina. “Some of it was from my dad.”

“...My apologies,” Alcina truly meant it. “I had no idea.”

“It’s fine, the scars are all in the past now,” the blogger took a sip of what seemed to be wine, perhaps a merlot or a cabernet. She coughed, she hated alcohol… “Sorry… I get that wine is good for dinner, but… I prefer tea,” she admitted. “Dad was an alcoholic, so… stuff like that makes me uncomfortable. I think maybe an Earl Grey tea with some cream and sugar would be nice?”

Alcina nodded and called for a servant. “Prepare a tea kettle for our guest here. Earl Grey with cream and sugar,” the vampire lady commanded. “My dear guest… I really am sorry for making you uncomfortable. I’ll take note of that next time you come here.”

“Um… actually, about that… I’ve been thinking, Alcina. The money I’ve got won’t last forever, so I was thinking of just staying here… working for you,” the brunette woman rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly.

Each and every hour, the blogger became more and more interesting to Alcina. It was rare for girls to come and willingly work here, unless they had some sort of death wish. “I see. Well, in that case, I will spare you, my dear... if you can tell me what you can bring to the table.”

“I can make music, and I can do art. Think of all the beautiful paintings I’d make of you~” the blogger cracked a grin. “But more importantly… I can help you bring maidens into the castle for your wine.”

“Oh?” That definitely rules out making her into wine now, Alcina thought, though she decided hours ago she likely wouldn’t do such a thing to her little pet.

“If you can turn me into one like yourself and your daughters, I will. I promise. I’ve… when I was twelve, I wanted to become a vampire so badly,” she admitted, snorting a bit. “But... really, Alcina. The maidens I’d hunt for you would be my rent payment, so to speak.”

Alcina seemed to consider it, sipping her wine, and smiling in amusement at that confession. The blogger seemed multi talented, at least, so it would be nice to have some entertainment if she wanted, though it was new that someone wanted to be turned, and she was tempted, though she’d have to talk to a certain Mother Miranda. “You’ll get your chance, my dear. Patience is the key here,” she reached over and gently grasped her guest’s hand. “Perhaps not now, but you can say goodbye to your past… to the pain… soon.”

Dinner was accompanied by lots of talk, mostly of the blogger telling Alcina all about herself. Soon enough, dinner was done, and Alcina invited the blogger to her bedroom. “A deal is a deal~ I promised you that I’d help you escape your self-loathing, and I will,” she offered a gargantuan hand to the blogger.

[kaiowut99]

Phew, finally finished re-finalizing my finalized GX stuff so far!

Over the last few weeks well I guess months--initially while I waited for some potential editing help for 65, then [once I canned the last fix I’d planned; sorry to those I may have slightly annoyed with my casual reblogs about it] just to get it all done while in Rome before double-releasing 65 and 66--I’ve been giving my scripts one final look-through to fix any consistency or formatting issues with my newer stuff (things like my starting to use “Fusion Undone” as De-Fusion’s translated name before accidentally going back to “Fusion Cancel” or turning “Miss Asuka” back to “Asuka-san” since I’d meant to use that whenever “Asuka-sama” was used, or the way I’d italicize contractions or capitalize things), and also to sort of go and do things I should’ve done initially (like translating Daitokuji’s nyas into meows, the logic being that it’s what we’d hear in English anyway; hopefully this is one that goes over well?).  Basically just to cross them off my list so I don’t go back to them at all.  The plan is also to work on new finalized MKV softsubs that I’ll release on NAC for those who’d like ‘em, since Zeratul (who’d provided them before) hasn’t in a long while, and once I do them for 1-66, they’ll be a thing going forward.

While I was at it, I applied some other animation/footage fixes to things I hadn’t picked up on in my initial finalizing run-through as I started doing them, or polished a couple that I did.  Some might wonder “why put in the effort for quick shots or at all no one cares,” but as I’ve mentioned before, as someone who loves GX with some [I think good?] skills using Photoshop/video editing and an eye for detail, I figured if I have time to improve it for people (especially those who might notice the same errors I did) where the staff didn’t take the chance to do so on the DVDs (where they usually would), then why not? (I was actually inspired to do it by KaiserNeko doing the same for DBZ during DBZ Abridged.) The fixes I work on are done for both my hardsubs and the DVDRips I release with the scripts over on NAC, and there’s a thread there with the original DVDRips I work off of as well, in case anyone doesn’t like them (most/all of my finalized Season 1 scripts were re-timed for them by someone there, but I’ll take some time out to do it myself too now that I’ve re-finalized them), along with the CR subs which I’ve said should be shown love too.  I’ll list these new fixes out below by each episode, for anyone super curious about the details; some are kind of interesting, lol. (Did my best to format it so it’s readable, too, lol.)

So, yeah--keep an eye out for the links to actually-final 1-64 on my stream masterpost to be updated along with 65 and 66 once I post them (probably tomorrow), I’ll be updating the links in my NAC thread to the hardsubs and scripts I’ve re-finalized along with any DVDRips updated with the fixes below, and as I get work going on 67+ (which I’ve started a bit of) I’ll work on batches of the softsub MKVs for folks.  For people looking forward to my 65 and 66, really appreciate the patience the past couple of months; hoping to work on some double-releases to make up some time.

Extra-Final Fixes!

Episode 4 (Since I didn’t include a list of the previous fixes I’d worked on in the original release post, I’ll include those here in italics; the new ones here were mainly noticed as I worked on 66 given the flashback to Judai and Manjoume’s duel here--the edits were applied there first, then I went back and applied them here. The fixes I’d already done were applied to the flashback in 66 as needed.)

As Judai takes damage from Clayman’s destruction by VW-Tiger Catapult, Judai’s LP start counting down from 3808 and not 4000; I fixed it in Sony Vegas by masking in a LP counter starting from 4000 for a few frames.

As Judai prods Manjoume into choosing a card from his hand for A Hero Appears’s effect, Manjoume’s part of a split-screen has part of his blazer semi-faded for a frame; I corrected it by just duplicating a later frame.

As Judai’s LP take a hit from V-to-Z destroying Burstlady, there are four frames where the upper part of his Disk is missing the bottom part that extends out--but it shows up in the next frame, which also causes Judai’s Disk wrist grip to vanish for the rest of the shot before Shou’s split-screen comes on, as the parts of his arm for it are colored like his jacket sleeve.  To fix the first issue, I used Photoshop to draw on that bottom part in that first frame, then masked it into the shot in Sony Vegas for the other three frames.  The second issue I fixed by recoloring his sleeve to account for the wrist grip, then masking the edit into the shot while masking the little destroyed Solid Vision bits above the edit.

Had a few things going on here.  First, after Manjoume mocks Judai being wide open just after the above, we have one of many recycled shots through the episode where Judai insists that he’s still got fight in him--the initial frame has Judai in the same position as edit #3 ends with his wrist grip missing, but it reappears as he moves to stand firm while the shading on the lefthand side of his Disk’s Cemetery slot is wonky for a couple of frames.  Second, as Judai moves back into his initial position, that shading is normal but the wrist grip again disappears into his sleeve, and this time that bottom bit of his Disk’s upper part is colored as part of Judai’s sleeve, making his arm shorter.  Third, as Judai moves to draw, the wrist grip reappears and that bottom part is now colored properly, but Judai’s arm isn’t extended like it was at the start of the shot. Finally, as Judai draws, the wrist grip is there but that whole part of his wrist is colored like it (no red noting the end of his jacket sleeve).  I fixed the first issue by copying the wrist grip edit from #3 and copying the moving Cemetery slot shading from the second part here.  The second issue was fixed once I again copied the wrist grip edit from #3, along with using the initial frame to mask in the correct Disk/forearm coloring.  Then, I fixed the third issue by copying the rest of the area below the Disk’s bottom bit from the later shot in edit #7 below where it was colored correctly.  I fixed the last issue by recoloring the first wrist grip curve into red for the end of Judai’s jacket sleeve for five frames.

As Manjoume’s V-to-Z aims directly at Judai, as he discards two to activate Evolutionary/Transcendant Wings, the Winged Kuriboh on his Disk is in Attack Mode when it’s in Defense on the field; I blanked its Monster Zone in Photoshop and then added a Winged Kuriboh proxy in AfterEffects correctly in Defense Mode.

As Judai swings his arm around telling Winged Kuriboh LV10 to “send all that energy right back” at Manjoume, the spot on his Disk where Winged Kuriboh LV10 appears for a few frames is colored like the Monster Zone it’s on; I just applied a Winged Kuriboh LV10 proxy above it for those frames.

Again, a few things here as we recycle the Judai shot in edit #4 (but he’s smiling so it’s different~). First, after Manjoume mocks Judai’s idea of him drawing a 1000-ATK-or-higher Monster to finish him, the initial frame of this shot is pulled from just before Judai moves to draw in edit #4 because the wrist grip is missing along with the bottom bit of his Disk being colored like his jacket.  Then, as Judai moves to draw and grabs a card from his deck, as his Disk arm swings upward for a few frames, the wrist grip area is first 90% colored like his sleeve, with half of the first curve of it on his sleeve colored like the grip, before it’s fully colored like his sleeve for the other frames.  Finally, as Judai fully draws and his Disk swings back to the bottom of the shot (recycling Judai’s position post-draw in edit #4), the wrist grip is gone, but also Judai’s undershirt is miscolored, part of the folds on Judai’s jacket sleeve near his elbow are colored like his Disk, and his Disk is miscolored or missing a few details compared to the earlier shot (like the bottom side of the blue LP orb being colored blue as well and not the Disk’s gray as before).  I fixed the first issue by copying the fixed initial frame from edit #4, masking it in Vegas to just use the Disk/wrist grip area.  The second issue was fixed as I recolored the wrist grip area such that the first curve was fully red and the rest was wrist-grip-colored for the three frames of Judai’s Disk arm going upward.  I fixed the third issue by just masking in Judai’s Disk and arm (up to the edge of his wrist) from the earlier correctly-colored shot, while also masking in his correctly-colored undershirt.

As Judai summons Featherman--to Shou and Chronos’s surprise--and has him lunge at Manjoume for the finisher, the black faraway box that is Featherman on his Disk disappears as Shou and Chronos slide in on a split-screen, and it’s still gone as they slide back out.  I fixed this in Vegas by just masking that black box on to stay longer, masking in Shou’s split-screen over it before and after it slides in.

Episode 8 (Original release post; as with episode 4′s, these new errors were mainly noticed as I worked on 66 given the flashback to Judai and Ryou’s duel here--the edits were applied there first, then I went back and applied them here.  The fixes I made before were applied to the flashback in 66, as well.)

After Judai thinks about how well Ryou played his first move, he draws Fusion for his turn, but as he draws it, it’s a dark-orange rectangle in his hand; I added a Fusion proxy over it in AfterEffects for the quick 2-3 frames it’s in.

After Judai’s first hit on him, Ryou draws and Special-Summons another Cyber Dragon, but visually he’s playing a Monster in face-down Defense Mode on his second Monster Zone--we see this Cyber Dragon in Zone 3 a few shots later as he uses Revival of the Dead to bring back his first Cyber Dragon.  The dub fixed this by making his Disk arm move such that Ryou’s hand lands on Zone 3, with the card in his hand a dubified Cyber Dragon, and I opted to work that into the footage here by masking their moving Disk over the original shot in Vegas, redoing the sky background behind it and masking in parts of Ryou and his hand to make it blend well while also adding some detail to the Disk in Photoshop to compensate for the slightly lower quality.  Then, I replaced the dubified card with a Japanese Cyber Dragon proxy in AE.  I worked on this in 66 first (as highlighted here), but I unfortunately couldn’t just copy that edit completely here, since the footage in 66 has a bit more brightness/contrast to it that I couldn’t dial down accurately to make it blend in to the darker footage here; this is definitely the kind of error that would normally be fixed on the Japanese DVDs, so why it wasn’t is a mystery.

As the screen zooms in on Judai after Ryou declares Cyber Twin’s attack, he’s missing Thunder Giant on his Disk’s third Monster Zone; I added a proxy onto it in AE and masked the red bulb on his Disk over it in Vegas.  It’s tiny and a quick shot, but for consistency’s sake and all. (I’d previously only added that missing Thunder Giant as it zooms out while he activates A Hero Appears).

As Judai thinks about how Evolutionary Wings would evolve his Winged Kuriboh and the screen fades and zooms out to Bubbleman on his field, he’s missing Bubbleman on his Disk in his third Monster Zone.  I added it in AE, then keyframed this zoom-out for it accordingly in Vegas.

Right after #4 above, as Judai notes that he can’t Normal-Summon again this turn, we see Mudballman--which he hasn’t summoned yet--in Defense Mode on his Disk.  When I first fixed this, I put Bubbleman in its place, but accidentally in Defense Mode (given that he’s in Attack Mode right now), so I fixed my own correction by blanking the third Monster Zone Mudballman was on and slapping Bubbleman on in Attack Mode in AE, moving it along with Judai’s Disk. (Still not sure why the dub decided Mudballman = VW Catapult or something apparently lol)

Episode 10 (Original release post listing the original two fixes that were done)

After Mei draws out his Sanga thanks to Kyuu’s Dark Designator card, during the panning shot as Mei adds it to his hand (before they tell Judai and Shou they’ll enlighten them about Tag Dueling), the Defense-Mode Burstlady on Judai’s Disk is shown reversed; I just applied a proxy in AfterEffects on top of it so it was correctly shown with the name box facing left.

After summoning Steam Gyroid, as Shou notes that summoning Hyuga left Kyuu without a defending Monster, the above shot is recycled--this time, reversed so it pans from Shou to Judai, but also has Judai react to what Shou’s saying--and so is the error with Burstlady on his Disk.  Again, just applied a proxy in AE to fix it, moving it as Judai moves his Disk.

As Shou looks down in disappointment after his Steam Gyroid’s attack ran into Hyuga’s effect, Judai turns to give him some words of encouragement, but as his Disk moves with him, we see the Defense-Mode Burstlady on his Disk again facing the wrong way.  Just slapped a proxy on in AE and moved it as Burstlady’s Zone came into view.

After Gate Guardian destroys Shou’s Steam Gyroid, as Chronos watches on and notes Shou’s timidity vs Judai’s stubbornness while the two look on at the Meikyuu Brothers, we see the Defense-Mode Burstlady on Judai’s Disk facing the wrong way again.  Fixed it by placing the proxy again in AE, then zooming it out accordingly as the shot zooms out.

After Mei sets a card and Judai prepares to draw for his turn, there’s a yellow rectangle where his Defense-Mode Burstlady should be.  Applied a proxy in AE over it to fix the issue.

Episode 11  (Original release post listing the original fixes that were done)

As Kyuu draws once Judai sets a card to end his turn using Spark Gun on Gate Guardian, the spot on his Disk where Defense Wall in Defense Mode would be has an Attack-Mode-shaped hole where you can see the blue of the stands behind him! I fixed it by making a Defense Wall proxy that I slapped on in Defense Mode in AfterEffects, moving it with his Disk.  For the tail end of the shot where the Zone is fully visible, I also filled in the hole with the Zone color in Photoshop and then applied the proxy.

As Shou declares Gate Guardian the target of his Shield Crush, the card back for the one card in his hand is miscolored.  I fixed it by redrawing the usual card back in Photoshop for the frames it’s in, Gaussian Blurring it so it blends in, before he turns and they’re out of the shot.

After Mei ends his turn having attacked Drillroid with Dark Guardian amused at Shou’s standing back up thanks to Judai, as Judai draws for his turn, his face-down card is miscolored. I recolored it in Photoshop for the few frames it’s in, working it into the footage in Vegas.

After Judai draws from Pot of Greed after the above, he goes on to activate Fusion Gate, but Sparkman on his Disk is reversed; I applied a proxy in AE facing upright, then keyframed it to the zoom-out here in Vegas.

As Judai realizes he’ll need to give up Skyscraper so Tempester can survive Dark Guardian’s attack, the Tempester card on his Disk is reversed; I applied a proxy in AE facing upright, then keyframed it to the zoom-out here in Vegas.

As Judai and Shou reel from the above attack once Kyuu ends his turn, Shou has a Normal Monster card where Drillroid would be on his Disk.  I fixed it by slapping on a proxy in AE for the couple of frames it’s visible in before Shou moves his Disk so it’s not onscreen.

I polished my edit to Misawa to keep his sideburns still in episode 12 and added it to the equivalent shot in the preview here.

Episode 12 (Original release post listing the original fixes that were done)

As noted in 11′s #7, I polished my original fix to Misawa’s moving sideburns as a buffed-up Hell Soldier took out his Hydroggedon so it blended in more with the smoke and everything going on in the shot; looks better now.

As Manjoume declares Hell Burner’s attack on Misawa, there are two quick frames where it’s a yellow rectangle on his Disk; I applied a Hell Burner proxy in AE accordingly.

Episode 18 (Original release post listing the original fixes that were done)

After Kagurazaka brings back Berfomet to take the hit from Thunder Giant and he starts his turn, as he activates Reincarnation of the Dead, there’s a quick frame where it shrinks in his hand as the shot zooms out--I fixed this by just duplicating the frame just before where it’s normal.

After Kagurazaka summons the Gazelle he added to his hand above, he then activates Swords of Sealing Light, but there’s a quick frame where it’s just a yellow shape in his hand.  Easy fix by slapping a proxy in AE.

Episode 30 (Original release post listing the original fixes that were done)

As Shou and Hayato realize they’re no longer being boiled alive, Hayato audibly asks, “Huh? Where are we?”, but his lips only move for the “Huh?” part of that as he lifts his head.  To fix this, I used the couple of flaps as he lifts his head and tweaked/resized them so they would work after his head’s lifted, adjusted to fit his line.

Episode 31 (Original release post listing the original fixes that were done)

As Chronos sets a card down after Camula brings out another Immortal Werewolf, Antique Gear Soldier on his Disk is shown as a Normal Monster Card; I originally fixed this by slapping on a proxy in AfterEffects while the shot was still, then keyframe-zooming it out in Vegas, but at the time, I didn’t account for Chronos’s swinging arm, so the card was superimposed over his hand for a frame or two as it swung over that Zone.  I’ve masked his hand over my edit now, so that’s fixed.

Episode 38 (Original release post listing the original fixes that were done)

After Judai summons Wildman in Defense Mode to start the duel and the lights suddenly go out (prompting the “duel of darkness/duel in the seas” mixup...), we see Wildman’s in Attack Mode on the field despite its Defense posture.  I fixed it by applying a proxy there, then masking Wildman’s lower body and the shadow coming from his sheathed sword on top of it.

Episode 46 (Original release post listing the original fixes that were done)

As Judai reminisces about the past year, he flashes back to his duel with Ryou in episode 8 and his Featherman being vaporized by Cyber Dragon; I added back the fix I did to Judai’s Disk in removing his destroyed Featherman for the few frames it’s onscreen.  Because the flashback fades to white right then too, I also added a quick mostly-transparent layer of white over the blanked zone to replicate the start of the fade to white so it blended in.

As Judai then looks over at Shou and Hayato and he remembers his first encounters with them (a bit reanimated, too), there’s a quick frame where Hayato’s gritted-teeth mouth disappears before it closes into a line for his mouth.  Fixed by just reusing a frame of his mouth in the same position and moved it into place in the panning shot.

Episode 51 (Original release post listing the original fixes that were done)

As Ryou notes that Judai’s studied up on him by choosing to go second, Judai slides in on a split-screen, but the top of his hair’s miscolored.  Fixed by recoloring it in Photoshop, then working it into the footage in Vegas by moving it into place as he slides in.

As Ryou uses Time Capsule to hide away his Fusion Undone/De-Fusion for later and Judai thinks back to his move in episode 8 leading to his activating Power Bond, I added back my fix to Ryou’s Disk to add on his missing two Cyber Dragons and the one Cyber Dragon in his hand, grayscaling it and adding visual noise to it to blend with the flashback.

Episode 54 (Original release post listing the original fixes that were done)

After Chronos pins his hopes on Manjoume, as Gokaido draws for his turn, we see an error where his Disk apparently partially vanishes for two movement frames--it seems the animation staff forgot to put the background layer behind his Disk there or something, lol.  I fixed this by actually filling in the rest of his Disk in Photoshop for those two frames, first by filling in the Disk itself and then painting on the rest of the Monster Zone at the edge of the frame, and then just added them to the video in Vegas.

Episode 59 (Original release post listing the original fixes that were done)

After Shining Flare Wingman returns while Ed explains Misfortune’s effect, of the D-Heroes on his Duel Disk, we see Diamondguy and Diehardguy reversed.  I originally slapped on proxies for them positioned correctly in AfterEffects on the frame after the slow zoom-out stops, then in Vegas I used that frame to re-do the initial zoom-out, but while I usually add a slight blur to the proxies, I noticed that they were��a bit too blurry as the zoom-out started.  So I redid it and lightened the blur, while also touching up the bit as Misfortune’s light envelops Ed and his Disk so the light over them blends in more.

Episode 62 (Original release post, though I didn’t do any fixes before)

As Judai uses Dandylion’s effect to summon his two Fluff Tokens, Cocoon Dolphina--visually in Defense Mode on the field--is in Attack Mode on Judai’s Disk in the panning shot to them.  I fixed it by first blanking the Zone in Photoshop, then placing a proxy in the Zone for one frame in AfterEffects before I re-panned that frame for the shot.

[hongism]

not your typical flower shop story

Pairing: Taehyung x Reader

Genre: Flower Shop Owner!Taehyung, College!Reader, College!Taehyung, Fluff, Slight Angst, eventual smut

Word Count: 7751

Rating: M

Warnings: mild language

Summary: You always goes to the cute boy next door’s flower shop across the street because hi yes he’s the cutest damn person you’ve ever seen, until one day a guy with tattoos and a severe obsession with the color black shows up in the shop asking for the ‘usual’ and you find out that your cute innocent little flower boy has a dirty little secret.

A/N (edit): okay lol i know i don’t need another series but i seriously can’t let this be a one-shot or a stand alone piece SO we’ve got a new series lads

⇐ previous | next ⇒

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“The usual, Miss L/N?” You smile at the red tulips beneath your nose before shifting to direct your grin at the young man speaking to you. He wears his typical white apron, still stained brown from the dirt on the back counter, and that precious boxy smile he blesses you with every time you visit. 

“Surprise me, Taehyung-ssi,” you respond. Taehyung laughs under his breath as he turns back to his counter. “Also, how many times do I have to tell you that you can call me Y/N?”

“Sorry, Y/N. It’s an unbreakable habit. I’m too used to calling all my other clients by their last names.” Taehyung begins to hum as he works, taking flowers from their holders in a seemingly random manner. “I guess I should be better at remembering to call you by your first name since you come so often.” You blink at Taehyung, eyes wide. Has he caught on? Does he know why I visit? He just keeps smiling and humming, trimming the ends of his freshly picked flowers.

You don’t think you can tolerate the embarrassment of him finding out why you come so frequently, and if he were to confront you about it, you don’t think you could have an excuse off the top of your head. Maybe say something stupid like oh I just love flowers so much, and not I come every week because it means I get to see your face and you’re simultaneously the cutest and hottest damn person I’ve ever seen so I’ll keep buying flowers from you if it means your shop stays open for me to see you more. Yea, that would not be the best thing to say, so you may have to start working harder at coming up with good excuses.

“I think violets would look pretty in your windowsill. Should I set aside a second bundle for you in addition to the bouquet?”

“U-Uh, pardon? My windowsill?”

“Yes, you kept the daffodils from last time there for a while. I think you forgot about them though, because last I saw, they looked a little dead.” Taehyung glances at you out of the corner of his eye. When he sees your expression, he seems to realize how strange his comments are. “Uh, n-not that I’m like stalking you or anything! I swear I’m not! That would be weird, and um…I just noticed that you—I—this is really awkward, isn’t it?”

“Slightly awkward, ultra creepy,” you laugh back, scratching at the back of your neck.

“Well, the thing is—I, uh, saw you putting the daffodils in the window sill. But I wasn’t watching or stalking you! It’s just because business was slow at the time, and I was looking around. I just happened to notice you...I mean, your apartment is just across the street, right?”

You nod slowly as Taehyung fights to make his case. “Yes, that makes sense, I guess.”

“Haha, please don’t stop coming because I seem creepy.” Taehyung stops trimming the flowers and turns to you. He stretches his arms in your direction, palms facing upwards as though pleading you to stay. A smile twitches at your lips. Dammit no, Y/N. Don’t think about how cute he is. He’s not cute. Or hot. He’s neither of those things. C’mon get a grip. You bite your bottom lip to keep the gesture from coming to life. 

“You want me to keep coming?” You ask, and the smile breaks through. Taehyung stands straight again, laughing as he does.

“Well, yea! You’re my best customer after all.”

You’re glad Taehyung can’t hear your heart plummet at his small statement. It shouldn’t bother you — no, it doesn’t bother you. Not one bit. He doesn’t know you after all, and you don’t know him. It’s just an owner-client relationship based around your ridiculous reasons for spending hard-earned money on flowers you can’t even keep alive.

Taehyung turns back to his work table before your smile crumbles, and you go back to staring at the red tulips. He takes his time in trimming and selecting the flowers for your bouquet. Neither of you makes an effort to attempt conversation again. One minute, two minutes, then five pass you by like the breeze in the air. 

“You’re quiet today,” Taehyung comments through the silence.

“I am?” Of course you are: you don’t really want to talk more after Taehyung’s shutdown that hurt for no reason. You aren’t going to admit it though, because that’s admitting defeat, and you hate that.

“You normally ask me about my day, how I’m doing, if the shop is doing well...all sorts of stuff.”

“Sorry, I’m just feeling quiet today.”

“I guess I’ll have to wait until next week when you come by for another bouquet then?” There’s a small lilt in Taehyung’s voice that sounds a bit like teasing. It bites at your skin, and you chew the inside of your cheek. A blush covers your cheeks now, embarrassment at your routine visits to the flower shop hitting, and you’re grateful Taehyung isn’t looking in your direction. When you fail to respond, Taehyung spins on his heel to look you in the eye. “Is everything okay? It’s not like you to be quiet.”

“How would you know what I’m like?” you ask out of the blue, unsure where the somewhat scathing question comes from yourself. Taehyung takes a step back at the question.

“A-Ah, you’re right. I don’t really know what you’re like. I’m sorry that I made an assumption. It’s just, well, you’ve been coming for quite a few weeks now. I figured — nevermind.” Taehyung drops his chin. The sight of his forlorn expression makes you equally as upset, and you rush to make up for your mean words.

“I’m teasing, Taehyung-ssi! Please don’t look so serious. I didn’t mean to offend you.” You hear his laugh before you see his rectangular smile.

“No worries, Y/N. It takes a lot more than that to offend me. You just caught me off guard. Reminded me of someone I know for a second.” Taehyung points at the wall of flowers to your left, a pink dahlia still in hand. “How do you feel about Peruvian Lilies? My most recent batch have been doing really well, and I think they’ll look nice with the other flowers.”

“I trust your choices! They are gorgeous, though.” You blink at the delicate flowers and their details, grinning as Taehyung analyzes the batch and selects a few for the bouquet. There’s a nagging sensation in the back of your head, reminding you how rude you were earlier.

“Aren’t they? I was surprised by how well they’ve been doing because the weather is so finicky nowadays. Either lots of sunshine or gloomy rainy days.”

“You grow most of them yourself, right? How do you find the time to do that? What about school?” You’ve been desperate to ask the question for at least three weeks now, so much so that you nearly came three times in one week just to ask Taehyung that. 

“School? Oh, I’m in my last year. I have a few early classes, which is why I open the shop at 4:00,” he laughs. He must sense the next question on your lips, because he follows it up with, “I am studying business, but the corporate world isn’t really my pace so I decided to do this instead. Thought that it’d be nice to be my own boss and make my own business the way I wanted to rather than letting big headed corporate people do it for me. Make sense?”

“Absolutely, yea!” You respond with enthusiasm. 

“What about you? I’m assuming you’re in school?” Your willingness to make conversation seems to please Taehyung, so you keep up with it despite the slight dejection lingering in your gut. 

“Yes, I’m in my third year right now! Ready to be done, honestly. It would be nice if it were my last year too; you’re lucky to be so close to getting that degree and being done with it.”

“Hey, you’re almost there! What are you studying?”

“Linguistics with a minor in psychology!”

“Wow, that sounds so fancy. What exactly do you wanna do with that? It seems like you have something specific in mind.”

“I’m hoping to be a speech and language therapist. I’ve always wanted to do something that lets me help people, and languages are fascinating to me. I thought this was the best way to combine my passions.” Taehyung pauses his work with the flowers, shoulders slumping forward. You blink at his back, curious as to why his mood shifted all the sudden, and are about to question him when he speaks.

“Wow…that’s — uh, you’re a really good person. That’s amazing how you want to help people and do good things for others. I...I can’t imagine.” Taehyung fumbles over his words and clenches his fists around his apron, tugging the fabric into a tight grip. What does he mean by that?

“Oh, um…” you trail off. The sound of cars whizzing behind you distracts you from whatever you were going to say. Taehyung silently returns to your bouquet, and you notice how he picks up his pace with the work. A few minutes of quiet pass between the two of you. 

“Here’s the bouquet and violets for your window.” Part of you feels responsible for the change in Taehyung’s mood, so you rack your brain for ideas on how to fix this issue. Taehyung passes the flowers your way as you rush to pull cash out of your wallet.

“H-How much for the violets?” You ask while you flip through the measly amount of bills in your hand.

“No extra charge.” Taehyung grins and stops you in your tracks, but it only serves to make you feel worse. You pass your wad of cash to Taehyung in exchange for the flowers, sliding a few extra bills his way and hoping that he won’t comment on the extra. “Wait, Y/N, this is—”

“Please, it’s a tip! Just consider it to be a tip, okay? For all the trouble I caused you today.” You scratch the back of your neck, and heat starts to rise to your ears.

“You didn’t cause me any trouble though,” Taehyung laughs. “How can you be so kindhearted?” He shakes his head, almost in disbelief, before waving his hand as though to dismiss the topic. “Anyways, I’ll see you next week then? Hopefully?”

“Yea! Yea, for sure. I’ll come again next week.” You clutch the flowers a bit closer to your chest. Taehyung smiles and turns to return to his counter at the back. You know you should leave now and not risk overstaying your welcome, but you can’t bring yourself to move quite yet. Even with the small tip you gave Taehyung (which technically isn’t even a tip because he gave you violets as well as the bouquet), you still feel bad about your earlier snippy attitude and rudeness. The anxiety bubbling in your stomach tells you that you may regret this decision later but… “Wait, Taehyung-ssi!”

“Yea, Y/N? Is there something else you needed?” He loops his thumbs through the string around his waist, head tilted to the side in question.

“What—um, are you busy tonight?”

“Pardon?”

“Do you have any plans tonight?” Your repeated question comes much fainter and weaker this time as your confidence ebbs away, and you debate turning to flee rather than staying to hear his answer.

“Hm, not that I can think of. Why?”

“Could I treat you to dinner or something then? I mean, I still feel bad for being so rude earlier…and the extra flowers. It’s the least I can do!” You think that you’re starting to sound a bit desperate, but you have no other ideas in mind.

“Y/N, you’re the one paying me every week for flowers. I should be treating you.”

“No, no, I insist! Please, if anything, just to have a change of scenery for a bit?” Taehyung brings a hand to his chin, tapping the skin there as he looks at the wall of flowers on his right. After a few tense seconds, he finally relents.

“Sure, Y/N. If it’ll make you feel better, then I’d be happy to go! Why don’t we meet here around seven o’clock? I close the shop at 6:30 today. How does that sound?” You beam back at him, nodding your agreement a few times. “Okay, sounds like a plan then. Now shoo before I give you more flowers and make you feel even worse!” Taehyung makes a few shooing motions with his hands, smile never leaving his lips, and you grin back as you relent and start to walk away from the shop. 

The sidewalks and streets are bustling at this time; workers rushing to get home after their long days and students moving to wherever they please. You shuffle across the street alongside some other students, narrowly avoiding rushing cars. You hesitate outside the door to your apartment building, however, and take a moment to glance back over your shoulder in the direction of Taehyung’s small shop. He stands at the front, one hand clutching some of the pretty Peruvian Lilies he added to your bouquet, and uses his free hand to wave at people as they pass his stall. A laugh rushes through your body as you realize that you basically asked him out minutes ago and he agreed. The bitterness that once resided from his comment about you being only his customer is now replaced by the joy and excitement of spending one on one time with Taehyung. 

You hurry up the stairs, the three flights feeling particularly long today as you’re eager to place the new violets in your windowsill.

“More flowers, Y/N?” 

You roll your eyes before even turning to look at the owner of the voice. It’s your neighbor from across the hall: the young woman not much older than you who holds a steely gaze sixty percent of the time and the other forty percent consists of her bloodshot and hazy glances that can’t ever seem to focus on anything in particular. You don’t make a habit of talking to her, but she often finds you before you have a chance to escape. You plaster a fake grin across your lips and spin on your heel so she can see your expression.

“Good afternoon, Hifumi. Not looking so hot right now, are you? Have a rough night?”

“It was just fine actually. Thanks for asking, love. Extra flowers from your dearest flower boy, I see. Did you find the courage to tell him why you visit so often?” Hifumi brushes her dark hair over her shoulder before placing her hand on her hip and sending a sickly sweet smile your way.

“A gift for my windowsill since the last batch was dying,” you bite back, “and that’s none of your business.”

“Not the only thing dying, huh?” 

The plastic containing your bouquet crinkles as you grip it tighter, Hifumi’s words digging their way until your skin, and you face the door to your apartment rather than giving Hifumi the pleasure of seeing your reaction.

“Right back at you, Hifumi. Right back at you,” you hiss the words through gritted teeth. You fumble with your keys a bit, unable to get away from your neighbor’s annoying presence as quickly as you would like.

“No need to be so harsh, Y/N. I offered to help you out with money. Gave you some options for work, even said I could whisper your name in a few people’s ears. You’re the one who said no. Just remember that when the money gets tighter and tighter. Maybe you’ll learn that wasting those bucks on stupid little flowers won’t do you any good.” 

“Your suggestions were vile, Hifumi. I’d rather be a decent human being and earn money in a good way than resort to what you do night by night.” The lock springs open at last, and you swing your door open, more than ready to slam it in Hifumi’s face and end the conversation there. Before it can snap shut, a pale hand lands on the wood, and Hifumi’s face peeks through the crack.

“You call me vile now,” she says with an odd sense of serenity to her tone, “but you’ll find out soon enough that we can’t always do good things for the people we love. If it means saving someone, there is no line between good and evil. Keep that in mind, love.” Her lips quirk upwards in one corner. You can’t stand the sight of her taunting expression anymore and forcefully shut the door, snapping the locks as soon as it closes. You place the bouquet on the kitchen counter and huff. Your backpack slides off your shoulders, relieving your back of the weight and hitting the wood floor with a thud. You make your way to the bedroom with dragging feet. Tattered converse join your backpack on the floor as you kick them off.

“As if I don’t know that I'm wasting money,” you mutter to yourself as you cross the threshold into your bedroom. “Acting like she knows me, the smug bitch.” You tug the blinds over your small bedroom window up to reveal the dead daffodils in a foggy vase. Just under the withering and crumbling petals lies the sight of Taehyung’s shop and the boy in his apron, still chatting with people as they pass him by. You don’t bother changing the water in the vase. Instead, you toss the dead flowers into the waste bin near your desk and place the new violets in the dirty water without thought. 

Moving and doing something productive would be a good idea.

But no, you don’t feel like indulging in that kind of life right now. It’s nicer to sit on the floor and stare out the window beside the vase, chin resting on the windowsill. Leaving the flowers on the kitchen counter probably wasn’t the best idea, but it’s not like it will make a difference in the long run. You slide your palm under your chin to offer a bit more comfort. At least you have something to look forward to tonight before the weekend strikes and your time becomes consumed by homework and responsibilities. The only good thing about this weekend is that your parents aren’t coming to town. Not that it wouldn’t be nice to see them, but their arrival is never under good terms and it always heralds the depressing reality that you so desperately try to avoid all the time. 

This won’t do, you think and pull yourself to your feet rather than stay wallowing in the windowsill like a fool. Despite your claims about it not mattering, you spend twenty minutes placing the bouquet on the counter in a vase and arranging them as best you can. The dullness from talking with Hifumi is diminishing by now, and the previous excitement and anxiety of having dinner with Taehyung returns with full force. It’s not a date but… You can’t help but to start laughing to yourself as you think about it, tied between the embarrassment and excitement, and you tug your phone out of your back pocket to send a text with the news.

from y/n, 5:47 p.m. unread

    - remember the cute boy from the flower shop i told you about?? i’m getting dinner with him tonight!!! i’ll let you know how it goes~

You hold the phone to your chest after sending the message.

“Okay, Y/N, try to get some work done before getting ready for dinner. Don’t think too much about it. This is chill. It’s chill. Chill.” You snatch your backpack off the floor and lug it to your room, tossing it onto your bed while you sit down at your desk. “Chill,” you repeat once more as you stare at the empty desk. Needless to say, you can’t focus much even after you set your psychology book down and try to read it, spending the next thirty minutes staring at the same paragraph while bobbing your leg up and down. Once you shut your book, determined to work on something else to occupy your time, you still sit and stare at the cover of the textbook blankly.

When you finally tug yourself back into reality, the clock reads 6:52, and you realize that you’ve almost run out of time to get ready.

“Shit!” You cuss, pushing your chair back and rushing to your closet. “It’s a chill thing, Y/N. Remember that. You don’t need to dress up or anything, just at least look presentable.” You frown at the selection of clothing before you, suddenly upset with your taste in fashion. Your palm connects with your forehead, and the sound of the slap echoes through the small closet. “Ah, I don’t have time to be worrying about this right now!” 

Within the next five minutes, you are tugging knee high socks up your calves and hobbling to the kitchen while trying not to slip on the wood floor. You nearly stumble as you snatch your converse off the floor. When you slide them onto your feet and reach the door, you realize that you’ve left your phone on your bed. A loud groan of frustration escapes your lips. The rush back to your room seems to take forever, and when you finally lock your apartment door behind you, the clock reads 6:59.

"You're heading out late, aren't you?"

"Do you just wait out here to bother me?" Your question is accompanied by a frantic anger, and Hifumi laughs at your response.

“Calm down, Y/N. I’m heading out as well, although for different reasons no doubt.” You take in Hifumi’s outfit — if you can even call it that based upon the lack of material over her body — and bite the inside of your cheek. “Should I drop by and say hello to your flower boy as I go?”

“Please no.” You don’t mean to sound desperate, but you also didn’t mean to be late to meet with Taehyung. Hifumi cackles, tucking a sparkling clip into her dark hair.

“I’ll see you later, Y/N. My offer always stands, by the way. You just need to stop letting your ego get in the way of what really matters.” Her heels click against the floor as she walks away, heading for the elevator rather than the stairs. You should already be on your way down the stairs yourself, but the curiosity bubbling in your gut prevents you from moving an inch without asking the question at the forefront of your mind.

“And what would that be?”

Ding. The metal doors of the elevator slide open, and Hifumi steps inside. Her dress ruffles around her as she spins to face you, a coy smirk stained red by dark lipstick.

“I can’t answer that for you, love.” The smile stretches as the doors close over her face. You blink at the dull metal for a moment, then snap back to reality and start jogging down the stairs. Stupid Hifumi. What the hell is that supposed to mean? Why did I even expect her to give me an answer? 

The later time provides cold breezes, and that makes you realize that you forgot to grab a jacket on your way out in the rush to not be late. Jokes on you now, because you are both cold and late, leaving the apartment building with arms tucked under your armpits. Just across the street is Taehyung’s shop, one light keeping the stall alight. Taehyung isn’t the only person standing beneath the canopy, however, and you spot a shorter man across from him, back facing you. You hesitate by the road, an odd sense of foreboding striking before your foot touches the asphalt. 

The man accompanying Taehyung is shrouded in black. Black hat, black leather jacket, black skinny jeans, black combat boots: he’s worse than you, and that’s saying something because you have way too many black articles of clothing in your closet. Taehyung doesn’t wear his trademark boxy grin either, which is another source of discomfort for you, but you don’t have time to dwell on it. Taehyung starts glancing around, and you can see his lips moving in haste even at this distance. His scanning gaze finds you across the street. 

Eyes widen. 

Mouth freezes halfway open.

You blink, and Taehyung is shooing his companion away while waving at you. You force a smile in return. Checking for traffic, you jog across the street to join Taehyung on his side of the pavement. Instead of making eye contact with him, however, your gaze finds the man alongside him. Now that you’re closer, you realize that he isn’t nearly as short as he seemed to be from a distance, Taehyung is just tall enough to make him seem short. He also has a black shirt under his leather jacket, adding the already existing obsession with the color. The low cut nature of the tee provides a clear view of his collarbone and a bit of the space below it, but you can’t see much skin behind the spread of black ink across his pale skin in a design you can’t wrap your head around with staring closer. You aren’t going to get any closer, or stare any longer, because tension spikes between the three of you now. Silence is present, Taehyung seems caught, and neither you nor the man across from you have anything to say.

“Y/N! This is a…friend of mine from school! Studies music and yea, uh. He was just leaving.” Taehyung laughs a few dry chuckles then send a pointed glare in his “friend’s” direction. You get the sense that there is more to the story than simply that, but you don’t want to press the topic too much because of how intimidating this guy is. “Leaving,” Taehyung repeats, pushing the man with his left hand. “I didn’t tell him that I was busy tonight, so he thought we were, uh, gonna — you know, hang out or something. Like friends do. Yea, uh, but I said I was busy. So he’s leaving. Now.” You drop your chin, the discomfort rising to new levels.

“Right. Leaving.” The man’s voice is low and raspy, far different from Taehyung’s low tone that is warm and inviting. No, this person’s voice holds a coldness to it that sends a chill down your spine. “The name’s Yoongi, by the way. In case we end up…running into each other again, Miss?” He seems to be asking for your name, but you don’t get the chance to respond. Taehyung steps in front of you instead, cutting off Yoongi’s line of sight to you, and motioning to the street. You glance in the direction his hand points, noticing a motorcycle parked next to the sidewalk that must belong to Yoongi.

“You won’t! I mean, you probably won’t run into each other any time soon ever again, don’t you think? That’d be weird. Say, I’ll see you in class, Yoongi! Or at the library tomorrow night with the other guys, okay?” You squint at Taehyung’s back. He said he’s a business major, didn’t he? And Yoongi studies music? Why would— Your train of thought is cut short when Taehyung snatches your wrist. “Are you ready to go, Y/N? I have the perfect place in mind for us to eat!” Taehyung seems a bit frazzled and frantic, as though he’s in a rush to get away from Yoongi now that you’re here.

“Oh, yea! I’m sorry for being late, by the way!” You let Taehyung tug you down the sidewalk and glance over your shoulder to where Yoongi is climbing onto his motorcycle. 

“No worries! It’s not a problem at all. I had an unexpected visit from my friend there anyways, so it all worked out in the end, didn’t it?” 

“Yea, your friend…” You look away from Yoongi when he looks up at you from the motorcycle. The trailing off of your words sends Taehyung into a panic.

“We don’t hang out much! I was surprised he came by, because we aren’t the closest of friends. You know? Well, no, you probably don’t — uh, I mean, we all have those friends, right?”

“Of course!” You’re quick to agree, eager to see that precious boxy smile find its way back to Taehyung’s lips in a genuine way rather than the forced manner it is in now. A sigh of relief passes through his lips. “So, where are we going?”

“I hope this isn’t too plain or boring, but there’s this amazing diner down the road that I go to every Friday night. I normally go alone but…you know, since we’re — well, I think we should go there.” You can’t contain the laugh that rips through your lungs, and soon enough Taehyung is laughing along with you. You vaguely conscious of his grip on your wrist that won’t go away, but honestly you have no complaints. 

With the levity now hanging in the air between you, Taehyung seems much more at ease and comfortable. The two of you reach the diner within a few minutes, a quaint yet busy place that you recognize all too well. 

The red door with the round window on it, white awnings hanging a bit lower than you remember but still bearing the dead leaves and twigs on top of them. You haven’t been here in a long time, before you moved into your apartment down the street and well before you started buying flowers from Taehyung’s small shop. 

Taehyung is saying something, but you can’t hear him. It’s as though you are stuck underwater, drowning in an endless dark ocean, and you pull your phone out of your back pocket to open your messages again.

from y/n, 5:47 p.m. unread

Unread. It’s always unread. You sigh under your breath, making sure that Taehyung doesn’t hear the exasperated noise leave your lips.

“Now that wasn’t very fair, was it, Y/N? C’mon, you gotta play fair!”

“I am! I haven’t done anything unfair. You’re the one who is supposed to be good at games, aren’t you?”

The memory stings, cuts too deep, and you wish Taehyung had chosen any place other than this one.

“Now that wasn’t very fair, was it, kid? Why don’t you play fair with me?”

Pressure on your chest, the constriction of your throat, and at some point, you must forget to breathe because the world is starting to swirl around you.

“Y/N, it’s okay. It’s gonna be okay.”

“Y/N!” Taehyung’s shout pulls you out of the water, and you gasp for air. You touch your chest with a shaky hand, fully expecting to find the clothes there soaked, but they’re dry. “Are you okay? Is something wrong? You look really pale. Are you cold? Here, let’s get inside so you can warm up.” Taehyung drags you along while you struggle to catch your breath and find a way to get a grip. “Hi guys!” Taehyung yells as you two step through the red door, and his greeting is returned by a few cheery shouts from the waiters behind the counter. “Is it better in here?”

“Huh?” You respond, eyes darting from the interior of the diner to Taehyung’s face where he bears furrowed brows.

“Is it warmer in here? Are you still cold?” There must be goosebumps across your skin, and that’s why he’s asking. At least, you boil down the reasoning to that. 

“No, no, I’m fine,” you reassure, placing a hand on his arm. He grins back at you, seemingly convinced by the small white lie, and leads the way to a booth over in the corner. “Oh, uh, Taehyung?”

“Hmm?”

“Would it be alright if we sat closer to the door?” Taehyung squints, eyes flicking around the diner and from booth to booth. 

“This booth back here isn’t next to a window, so the cold won’t hit through the glass. Is that alright?” You relent and press your lips into a thin smile, but when Taehyung sits on the side of the booth that faces the door, another surge of panic hits. 

“Y/N, don’t turn around, okay? When I tell you to, slowly crawl under the table. Got it?” 

You lower yourself onto the booth, barely placing weight on the cushion as you settle down. 

“You seem a bit on edge,” Taehyung comments.

“What? No! I’m fine. Just exhausted from school today.” Taehyung nods along with the excuse, and you cheer to yourself for the successful diversion. 

“Speaking of school, you mentioned you’re a third year, right? I’m assuming you go to the main university.” Taehyung drums his fingers against the table, nails creating a soothing rhythm that calms your heart rate a bit. You nod along with the rhythm and affirm Taehyung’s assumptions. He’s about to continue his train of thought when a waitress walks up to the booth.

“Hi, Taehyung! It’s strange seeing you with a friend, or…?” The older lady trails off, sending a wink your way. You flush immediately, certain that your cheeks are now ten shades redder than they were moments ago. Trying not to look at the man across the table, you bring a hand up and cover your face.

“No! Ah, no, no, no! Not — not, no, uh friends! That’s what we are. We’re friends.” The waitress laughs at Taehyung’s fumbled attempts to clarify the situation. “Ugh, you know what, can we just — let’s just forget this happened. Can I get my usual?”

“Of course, of course. I won’t pester you two anymore about that, don’t worry. What can I get for you, dear?” The waitress redirects her attention to you.

“Um, let’s go for a surprise actually. I’ll get whatever he’s having too.”

“Coming right up! Drinks will be out in a few!”

“How do you know that my usual isn’t something disgusting like a bunless cheeseburger with extra mayo?” Taehyung asks once the waitress walks away from the booth. You laugh, settling into the booth a bit more.

“Hm, you don’t seem like the type?”

“Is that a question?”

“Well, I don’t know. From what I can tell, you don’t seem like a heathen who would do something so controversial. I think you’re a bit more traditional and classic.”

“Traditional and classic? Is that a way of calling me old?”

“No!” You can’t contain the smile on your lips any longer, surely looking like a grinning idiot at this point, but Taehyung beams back at you with such warmth in his eyes that you don’t care what you look like. “No, you aren’t old. Gosh, Taehyung. What kind of person do you think I am?”

“Someone too good for this world,” he responds without a beat of hesitation, smile faltering a bit as he speaks. “You…you are a person who has seen a lot of terrible and evil things, but you still see the good in the world nonetheless. You want to expect the best from people, and yet you’ve been disappointed so many times that you aren’t sure anymore. That’s why you’re studying linguistics and psychology. So that you can do something good in the future, something with an impact, something meaningful. You’re too good for this world, yea…no doubt about that.”

“Sorry, what?” Your hands are shaking in your lap. How could he…what? How did he figure all that out?

“I’m just assuming things!” Taehyung puts his hands up in defense, leaning against the back of the booth, and releases a huff that sounds like forced laughter. “I guess I said all that because I knew someone very similar. Projecting, that’s all. I’m projecting old thoughts and feelings. I should change the topic, yea? This is getting weird and creepy again. Have I always been so creepy?” Despite the nervousness swirling through your system, you revel in the levity Taehyung’s question brings.

“Yes,” you tease.

“What? I have not!”

“On occasion!”

“What does that mean?”

“Commenting on the flowers in my window qualifies as creepy!”

“Okay, but that was today. What about before today? I haven’t been creepy before now, right?”

“I’ll have to think about it, but I’m sure I can dig something up.”

“Oh, now you’re just playing games with me. That’s not fair, Y/N!”

“Now that wasn’t very fair, was it, Y/N? C’mon, you gotta play fair!”

You aren’t sure who you’re looking at anymore, who sits with you at this booth, what person laughs across the table — whether it be Taehyung, or some buried figment of your memory that digs its way out of the grave you stuck it in so that it can haunt you now — but it feels comfortable. Warms your body, makes you forget about the panic in your bones and the cold outside.

“I haven’t done anything unfair,” you counter. A grin plays at your lips as Taehyung tsks and shakes his head. The waitress returns to your table at that moment, interrupting the tension to deliver your food.

“Alright, you two. I’ve got two cheeseburgers with fries and two chocolate milkshakes. Enjoy, but not too much!” She scurries off before you or Taehyung can say anything about her cheeky comment.

“Traditional and classic enough for you?”

“I expected nothing less from a guy who sells flowers out of a small shop on the side of the road.”

“Wow, rude! I’m so offended, Y/N. My heart is hurt. I don’t know if I can recover after this. Maybe I’ll have to drop out of school and quit my business. This is too much.” Taehyung holds his hands over his heart, faking being struck by your words.

“Why did you set up the shop there anyways? It seems like a random spot, especially since there are lots of other places good for shops like yours.” You nibble on a fry after you ask the question, genuinely curious as to why Taehyung chose the spot he did. Not that you’re complaining because look where you are now haha. 

“Oh, I live nearby so it seemed like the only logical option for me.” You tilt your head to the side. Are there other apartments nearby? I looked all over when I bought mine, but I don’t remember seeing any others.

“If you don’t mind me asking…where do you live?”

“Look who’s being creepy now,” Taehyung teases. He flicks the toothpick on top of his burger at you, and you shield yourself with a fry.

“At least I’m asking! You just started talking about where I live with no context.”

“Okay, okay. I relent. You may be right, but you’re gonna kill me when I tell you.”

“Why?”

“I live in the same building as you.”

“You—what?” You nearly choke on the fry now lodged in your throat as Taehyung reveals the bombshell information. He scratches the back of his neck.

“Honestly, I thought you would figure out sooner because we’ve nearly run into each other multiple times. Also, I spilled a bunch of dirt on the stairs once when trying to re-pot some plants, and I definitely heard you complaining about it a few minutes later.”

“Wait, that was you?”

“Yea, I’m sorry about that by the way. I tried to clean it up with a rag, but then I realized that dirt plus water equals mud. So yea, that’s why there’s a dry patch of mud on the stairs.”

“Wait, that’s on the third floor set of stairs…” You think aloud, trying to put two and two together. Oh god. “Do you live on the third floor?”

“Hi neighbor?”

“Neighbor?” You do a double take, and your elbow connects with the edge of the table a bit roughly because a searing pain shoots up your arm as it hits.

“Surprise?”

You doing your best to think about who lives on your floor, the people who live on your left and your right, but to be honest, you don’t run into many people at the building. The only person you’ve come into contact with is Hifumi, and it’s always been unwilling encounters. You have no clue who you live next to.

“Wait, please tell me you don’t live in the apartment to the left of mine.” You press your thumbs against your temples in attempts to alleviate the pressure building there. Taehyung’s sheepish smile gives you the answer you don’t want. “I’m so sorry.” How many times have you slammed your fist against the thin wall because there’s been an ungodly amount of noise at an ungodly hour in the night? Or loudly cussed him out because of said noise? 

You really don’t want to think about the one time you brought a one night stand home just so that you could be as loud as possible to get revenge on your neighbor for the noise. 

Yea, no.

That would be a nightmare.

“I mean, I should be the one apologizing because I make a lot of noise some nights.”

“It’s fine!”

“Your response to it tells me that it really isn’t, but—”

“No, ha, no, it’s okay!”

“Although, you’ve been loud too on a few occasions. There was one night where I almost went to knock on your door because—”

“God, please, Taehyung! Let’s not talk about that. That was…a low point in my life, okay?”

This is a nightmare.

“This is not how I imagined meeting my neighbor.” Taehyung laughs at the exasperated expression on your face.

“What were you expecting?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Something stupid like “oh hey neighbor, I ran out of sugar for the cookies I’m making, got any extra?”. I can’t believe this.”

“Is that how you invited that guy over?” He’s snickering behind his hand, trying not to show how amused by the situation he is, but you are melting under the embarrassment. “He seemed to have a lot of sugar to give.” You slump further down in the booth and squeeze your eyes shut.

“Please, Taehyung, can we please drop it? I was — it didn’t mean anything.” Behind you, the door dings, signaling either the entrance or exit of a customer. You keep your eyes shut for a few more moments as though it’ll make the embarrassing situation fade. When you open your eyes, Taehyung is no longer looking at you. He isn’t smiling or laughing either. No, he’s staring at something behind you, something off in the distance. Eyes wide, and in his dark brown irises you see a reflection that feels all too familiar.

“Y/N, don’t move. Listen carefully, okay?” His voice has dropped an octave, if that’s even possible, and you can barely hear him through the sound of your heart beating in your ears. “Don’t turn around. Don’t do anything unless I tell you to. I need you to trust me, okay? I am going to pass you my phone. The code is 4488. You are going to pull up the messages — try not to look at any of the conversations. Type in Yoongi’s name and send him this message: I’m working on homework at the diner, wanna come hang out. Okay? Tap your index finger against the table twice if you can do that for me.” 

There are far too many thoughts running through your mind right now, and all of them relay memories that you never want to revisit. You can barely process Taehyung’s words. Nothing he’s saying is making much sense. People are yelling behind you, but their words bleed together into an incoherent mess. Still you manage to do as Taehyung says and tap your finger against the table twice. He slides his phone over to you and pushes his way out of the booth. You want to stop him, to grab his wrist and tell him to sit back down, because dammit. Dammit this can’t be happening now. Of all times, why now? 

“W-Wait, Tae—” 

“Trust me, Y/N. When you send the message, crawl under the table and keep your back against the wall as best you can. This will be over soon, I promise.”

“I-I can’t, I, Tae—” You can’t finish your train of thought, so you instead fumble with Taehyung’s phone. You can barely type the code in, and typing Yoongi’s name is another mess of its own, because you accidentally catch a glimpse of one of Taehyung’s messages.

They asked for 16 kilos to bank.

“Shit, shit, shit,” you cuss to yourself, feeling pinpricks in the corners of your eyes.

from taehyung, 8:02 p.m. unread

    - i’m working on hw at the diner, wanna come hang out? 

 A tear hits your cheek as soon as you send the message. You don’t glance behind you to see what Taehyung is doing now, the yelling continues, and you slide under the table while cradling the phone to your chest. It buzzes, vibrating against your skin.

read 

That’s all. 

No response, just a small notification saying “read”.

You dig your own phone out of your pocket, hastily typing a message of your own and sending it without double checking. You wouldn’t be able to see the words anyways because of the blur of tears. The shouting is intensifying, growing louder and louder, and you can hear a series of clicks resounding alongside the yells. Another buzz, and you glance at Taehyung’s screen only to find it dark. No, the buzz came from your phone instead. You want to throw up. The fry still stuck in your throat is giving you lots of good reasons to force it to come up.

from y/n, 8:06 p.m. read

    - i wish we’d never gone to the diner that night, i wish it never happened, i wish we never met so that i didn’t have to go through any of this. i wish you were here rn because it’s like a sick repeat of what happened that night and i’m so scared to lose another person the way i lost you. please please please don’t let this happen again. i can’t take it again

The fry does end up on the floor, along with the other contents of your stomach. It comes out with a quiet heave mixed with your silent sobs.

read

...

written by: jungtaeyoongles

a/n - WHOOPS that’s a cliffhanger so uhhhhhh new series i guess??? why do i do this to myself ;-;

consider sending me a ko-fi!!

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

[murasaki-murasame]

Oh boy that sure was a whole lotta stuff going on in the 1.5-year anniversary digest video, huh?

I was hoping to post some of my predictions and hopes for it beforehand but life stuff got in the way so here we are, lol.

Anyway there’s a lot I wanna talk about across the board so it’ll go under a cut.

When I saw that this digest was like 20 minutes long I figured it’d be padded out, but lol it’s actually even more dense with material than the last one we got. This really makes up for the recent drought of news and content.

Firstly, they immediately showed off Gala Alex, since she’s a given at this point and we all knew it was gonna happen. Funnily enough she actually seems like she might more or less be bait for the banner happening afterward, which also seems to be a shadow element banner.

In general Gala Alex is a weird and complicated character and I’m not sure what to make of her. At first glance she doesn’t seem super essential or game-breaking, but she has poison infliction and buff dispel, so I’d probably benefit from getting her since I don’t really have good units with that sort of utility in my shadow team yet. But I’m not gonna bother doing more than the free daily tenfold summons on this gala, since as a whole she doesn’t interest me much and I think I could live without her.

On top of her weird skill chain mechanic which I’m struggling to wrap my head around, she also introduces the chain co-ability feature, but I’ll get to that later since it’s a whole big thing.

Hopefully she’ll at least let people start accepting sword units into eKai, lol. That fight has a very open and accepting meta, unless you’re a sword unit in which case you’re fucked because there’s currently no meta shadow sword units people want for that fight.

We’re also getting two separate platinum summons for this gala that cover the past gala units, which is honestly kinda tempting to me since I still don’t have Gala Elly, but I’d just have a 1/3 chance of getting her instead of the other two gala units on her platinum summon, who I already have, so it wouldn’t be worth it.

Then there’s a whole bunch of free summons and wyrmite from new endeavors and co-op rewards getting reset. Which will be helpful in building my stash back up, but I’m probably still gonna avoid spending any resources on this gala.

I’m happy that this gala seems like one I can skip, since I went all in to get Tobias, and I didn’t want to end up regretting that.

Anyway, we also got a look at the next raid event, which will start at the end of this month. It looks like it’s another shadow element one, which just reminds me even more how much we need another wind element raid event, but it looks cool. Aldred has a fun, edgy design. I hope he’s actually worth using. As a shadow unit, he’ll at least be competing with the most stacked element in the game. It also looks like the event’s story is gonna involve the Syndicate, which we’ve actually known about via wyrmprint lore since the game came out, but they’ve never come up until now, so that’s interesting.

They also showed off the banner units, who look cool, but it’d take a lot for me to want to summon for them since I have so many good shadow units as it is. They also said it’ll be another two-part banner, which is getting really annoying.

We’re also getting a rerun of the FEH collab event, along with some sort of a new part two event for it, so that’s cool. I started playing the game at the tail end of the FEH collab originally, but I didn’t actually take part in it since I had performance anxiety about doing any of the co-op stuff, lol. So this means i’ll at least finally be able to get Alfonse.

I think the part two event is probably gonna involve more Fire Emblem characters who’ll be on their own banner, but like with the existing FE units, i don’t really have any attachment to that franchise so I probably wouldn’t be interested in pulling for them.

Though on that note, they did say that all of the four existing FEH units will get mana spirals, which might be interesting. But since I already have Euden and Xainfried at 70MC, as well as Gleo, I don’t think I’d be interested in pulling for Marth, Fjorm, or Veronica, lol. It’s at least interesting to set up this precedent, though. I guess we can assume that if Megaman ever gets rerun, he’ll get a mana spiral too.

If we get new FEH units in a part two banner for the event, I feel like they might end up being a bit underwhelming, since they probably won’t come with mana spirals built into their kits, but we’ll see how it goes.

We also got teasers for the next three main story chapters, which isn’t what I expected at all. We already knew when they’d be coming out since they’re on a fixed schedule now, but I didn’t expect actual teasers of the story content in them. Though tbh the thing that intrigues me the most is the gameplay clips of chapter 14 that involve unique maps based around the Alberian capital. I didn’t think we’d get to actually do stuff there, so that’s cool.

Also, them teasing at Leif showing up in chapter 13 is making me think that either he’ll be the next gala unit, or a welfare unit. Hopefully the latter, since he’s obviously a light sword unit and we already have Gala Euden as a light sword. If he’s a welfare unit, though, I hope he’s not super weak like Laxi.

We’re also getting the event replay feature, but sadly it seems like there won’t be any raid events in it at first, and the facility events included from the start are ones that have gotten reruns relatively recently. So that’s a bit lame. I’m glad they said that they plan on adding raid events to it, though. It looks like you can at least get the facilities from the facility events, so I hope we can also get the welfare units from raid events.

With the new version update they’re also apparently introducing a new currency called fafnir medals which can, to some degree or another, be exchanged for different materials. There’s a whole list of them, but let’s be honest here. The only one that actually matters is the gold testaments, lmao. Unless there’s a really rigid cap on how many of them you can trade for each week/month, that’ll probably be the main thing people trade for. Hopefully it can help address the need for more testaments [especially now that co-abilities are a bit more important]

Then there’s a few bits and pieces to the 1.18 update that they didn’t even mention in the digest. Like how there’ll be adjustments to daily endeavors, the addition of normal endeavors related to using skip tickets on your daily stages, and the ability to check your summon history. But the biggest deal they didn’t mention is how they’re standardizing drop rates in e/mHDTs, and adding horns to the weekly bonus chests for eHDTs. Which is basically exactly what people had been asking for.

We’re also eventually gonna get our encyclopedia feature, which will be nice, especially since it apparently comes with rewards based on how much stuff you have. Which will probably provide a huge batch of rewards to old players right off the bat.

They also showed off two more Agito bosses, who will probably be the next two ones. They didn’t say which would come out next, exactly, but we at least got their names and full designs, which also spells out what elements they are. I can’t actually remember their names at the moment, but the Sylvan lady is water, while the twins are flame. Since wind units have been getting some attention lately, I think the Sylvan lady will be next, and then the flame twins afterward, but we’ll see. One way or another I think the final Agito is gonna be the shadow element one. Which is a bit lame, since my light team really needs a boost. Oh well.

Oh, and they also teased at the Agito, or at least Volk, being formally introduced in chapter 14 of the main campaign, so that’s interesting.

And of course one of the biggest things in this whole update is the huge changes to co-abilities in general. Chain co-abilities are the main thing, but I’m also really intrigued by how in co-op matches, you’ll now take on the effects of your own team’s co-abilities, rather than the co-abilities of the main units your team-mates are using. On the one hand it means you can more comfortably run multiple units of the same weapon type in co-op without feeling like it’s a waste, but I feel like it’s also gonna introduce new ways to cheese some fights, like how 4-Gleo comps can now benefit from stuff like defensive co-abilities from AI units. I think that sort of situation was an intentional choice on Cygames’ part, though. It seems like their way of helping to make end-game content easier and more accessible. It also means that you have to depend less on your team-mates if you need stuff like defensive coabilities to survive an opening blast or something. So you can control that yourself and not worry about what co-op room you end up in.

But the real star of the show, whether or not it ends up being more game-changing than the change to how co-abilities are applied in general, is the chain co-ability feature. Which basically just seems to be a straight up second co-ability that every unit gets, but with the unique quality that they can stack with each other. I don’t actually know how often you’d bother stacking them, though. I looked through all the units I own and what chain co-abilities they have, and it seems like in each element, it’s usually units of the same weapon type that have overlapping chain co-abilities [like Mitsuhide and Fritz getting combo time]. So most of the time I don’t think you’d bother. It also looks like they’re kinda under-tuned, stat-wise, probably to compensate for them being stackable, so I think they might ultimately not be a huge deal, but hey, it’s just a straight up bonus set of stats on top of everything else, lol.

It’s a bit overwhelming since literally EVERY character has a chain co-ability now, and there’s way more variety in them than with regular co-abilities, but there are a few that stick out to me.

-Water seems to be the only element with units that have buff time chain co-abilities, from what I can tell, with Renee, S-Estelle, and Cibella having it. I think this might make S-Estelle a more valued AI team-mate for water teams, since buff time is a pretty big deal, and she also brings the skill damage coability.

-Light seems like one of the main cases where you might stack chain co-abilities, since S-Luca, Annelie, and Fritz have the same one that gives a strength buff whenever you get an energy stack [with a cooldown]. Which I think has a lot of potential, depending on how exactly it works.

-On a similar note, Lucretia has one that gives her a chance to get inspiration stacks when she gets energy stacks [I forget if it applies to just her or the whole team, though], which is interesting. I had a feeling they’d start adding inspiration mechanics to light to complement the amount of energy mechanics going on with them.

-OG Xainfried gets Dragon Claws VI, which seems like it’ll probably be a pretty huge deal for him. Pipple also gets about 18% dragon haste when he’s maxed out, which seems like it’d complement really nicely with Xainfried’s kit.

-Mitsuhide and Fritz’s combo time chain co-ability is gonna be REALLY nice for Gala Luca, since he kinda struggles to keep a high combo, but part of his kit relies on it.

-There’s a whole lot of units who get defensive chain co-abilities which will probably help people get by in HDTs even more. Including units with offensive co-abilities like Mikoto and Valerio.

All in all it seems like a really overwhelming and potentially game-changing mechanic. I also think it’s gonna be just about impossible to properly reflect the implications of it in the DPS sims, lol. This introduces way too many variables. And even then, the DPS sims won’t account for any of the more defensive ones, which have their own value.

Since the chain co-abilities seem to be tied to the regular co-abilities with how they get upgraded, it sounds like this is gonna incentivize getting more people’s co-ability nodes, which will also involve more use of testaments.

The chain co-abilities are one thing, but there’s also some interesting uses for how you benefit from your own AI members’ co-abilities in co-op. Mainly for characters with unique co-abilities like Tobias, H-Mym, and V-Melody. I think Ezelith is gonna basically always want to have an H-Mym on her team, Lin You is gonna want V-Melody on her team, and any wind buffer other than Tobias is gonna want a Tobias on the team to give them more buff-time.

Oh, and I almost forgot that they also casually mentioned that they’re gonna be bringing back defensive battle event types in the future. They didn’t go into much detail about it, but I assume it means that we’ll get more random events once in a while with the same sort of format as the FEH one. Hopefully that’d help alleviate the feeling of stagnation that comes with constantly alternating between raid and facility events endlessly. Since I didn’t actually participate in the FEH event I don’t know what that whole event type entails, though.

I’m probably forgetting lots of stuff they talked about, but they talked about a LOT of stuff, lol. It’s hard to keep track of it all. I wasn’t expecting such a substantial update for the 1.5-year anniversary, but I’m happy with it.

[purplesurveys]

626

HI BELATED HAPPY NEW YEAR

First things first, did you have a good year? I would say most of it was good. I did most of the stuff I said I was going to do so I’m giving myself pats on the back for that. Things just kinda took a turn for the worse by the end of the year what with an ambiguous end to my most recent semester (I don’t have two of my seven final grades yet because my prof likes seeing her students suffer, I guess) and losing Nacho, so it all balances out.

How old did you turn this year? I turned 21. Which means legality in the US, but I’ve been legal in the Philippines for three years now so it doesn’t warrant much of a celebration lol.

Do you feel your age? I guess. There are days where it’s very tempting to feel inadequate because there are many 21-year-olds in my social circle who have their own business, are grabbing opportunities here and there (they’re in a successful band, are junior radio jocks, hired as emcees, serve as UAAP courtside reporters, to name a few), already make their own money, etc., but I just have to remind myself that everybody is moving at their own pace and that in my case, at least I’m not behind and that I’m moving remarkably fairly for my age.

Did your appearance change in anyway? Nah I BARELY did anything to my look this year. I did not go for a haircut at all in 2019 and now my hair is crazy long. I’m keeping it untrimmed until my grad shoot, so the long hair will stay with me for a while.

Post your favorite selfie. I would but Tumblr doesn’t really work the same way as Twitter where I’d feel more free to share photos of myself haha.

If you traveled, where did you go? My family went to Pangasinan, Bicol, Tagaytay, and Cavite this year. I also took my friends on a day trip to Nasugbu shortly before school started in August as sort of a last hurrah for our summer vacation.

Which fashion trends did you love? Which fashion trends did you hate? I initially liked chunky sneakers until everyone bought their own pair solely so that they’d feel like they’re one of the cool kids – it quickly became uncool after that. I was a fan of mom jeans (still am), high-waisted jeans, culottes, and tops in muted colors and had cute little bows in the chest area. I hated bike shorts and scrunchies, and slowly got tired of off-shoulder tops by the end of the year. I never understood tracksuits and never bought one of my own, and was also never a fan of hype fashion like DBTK shirts.

What was your favorite article of clothing this year? Post a pic if possible? I looooooooved the floral romper and the two-piece ensemble I was both able to snag at Feliz.

What song sums up this year for you? Buwan by juan karlos, the two reasons being that the song exploded in 2019 and because it was Nacho’s favorite and he made a million jokes about it.

What album came out and has been on heavy rotation since then? This question is a little vague so I’ll answer it in two ways. In my case, I definitely played Beyonce’s Homecoming album TOO MUCH last year. But radio-wise, it looked like Ariana Grande and Camila Cabello had stellar years.

What was your favorite movie of the year? I had several favorite movies, but here they are put in order: Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Midsommar, and Toy Story 4.

Did an actor/actress catch your attention for the first time this year? Florence fucking Pugh. Also I just realized how attractive Timothee Chalamet is, although I’ve been aware of him way before 2019 and haven’t watched any of his material.

Favorite new TV show? I watched the first few episodes of Stranger Things but I found it too slow-paced so I let it go easily. Other than that I didn’t really get into any 2019 shows because I’m not a big TV person, but I did recently get into Descendants of the Sun so that’s new for me! Queer Eye will also always have a place in my heart.

Which new ship/fandom has taken over a lot of your time, attention, and tears? I’m a little too old for that now but I did heavily get into the Try Guys. I don’t ship any of them together but I just genuinely love each of them, them as a group, and all the content they put out.

What food did you try for the first time? Ooh there’s a lot. Foie gras, aligue (crab fat) ramen, Bloody Mary, pistachios, a vanilla frappe from Starbucks, Tim Hortons food, ji pai (Taiwanese fried chicken) and pad thai, to name a few. I’m so so so pumped to try out even more new food in 2020.

Did you make any big permanent changes this year? I stopped talking to my brother.

What was one nice thing you did for someone else? Being one of the only two people in my org who can drive, I’ve always offered lifts to my friends. I don’t say anything even if where I’m taking them is entirely off my normal route, which frustrates Gabie, but honestly I just like helping my friends and making their commute easier for them. I also checked up on Nacho a day before he passed. I regret being too civil, but at least I checked up on him. Not a lot of people did that in his last few days.

What was one nice thing you did for yourself? Ok so one thing my org does is hold journalism workshops to schools across the country. The org is a bit small and not all the members are reliable, so what usually happens is that the same group of people attend the workshops and teach and facilitate – me being a part of that same group of people. Given that we have class during weekdays and these workshops happen on weekends, the schedule can be very demanding, especially if these schools request a shit-ton of topics for us to teach them. I sort of looked out for myself more this year by declining to go to a couple of the workshops, so that I can experience actually having a full weekend to myself.

Did you develop a new obsession? I discovered a YouTuber who is insanely good at Mario Kart 8 and I watched a ton of his playthroughs in 2019. Oh, and MUKBANG ASMRs. It’s an insanely unpopular opinion but I love chewing noises, dude.

Did you vote? It was the senatorial elections this year and yes, I did vote. None of my votes got in, of course, because unfortunately the rest of the Filipino electorate don’t know any better. I was part of a real-time fact-checking group that day for extra class credit, and I will never forget the collective groan and moan that came out of that room when the first batch of results came out on the news and we saw the same corrupt, power-hungry, money-hungry, anti-poor politicians top the polls.

Did you move? No. I’ve lived in the same house since 2008.

Did you get a job? I did not, BUT I did get an internship which I was pretty stoked about.

Did you get a pet? I did not. I don’t want anyone else but my dog, who I’ve had also since 2008.

Do you regret not doing anything? Sure. I have never taken Gab’s mom out on a girls’ night kind of date, and I always told myself that I was going to finally do that in 2019 – which I didn’t. I’m so going to make sure we do it this year. I’m also sad that I didn’t get to see Angela more times last year. And that I didn’t do more for Nacho, so now I have to live with the loss of him forever.

Do you regret doing something? Nothing is coming to mind so I guess nothing major. <-- Pretty much, thankfully.

Have you done anything that scared you? Tried vaping, did shisha for the first time, walk alone in Katipunan, be stuck at a restaurant table with Gab’s (very stoic) dad while she went to the washroom, to name a few lol. On a deeper note, I was a bad girlfriend several times over 2019 and it rocked the relationship quite a bit.

Did anyone/thing make you so mad it stayed with you for days? Yeah absolutely. I hated the people who went too far when it came to Nach, especially his ‘friends’ who didn’t hesitate to turn his back on him. And when things finally crashed and burned, I was too fucking pissed at everybody to even say something about it.

Did you lose anyone close to you? Yes.

Did you fall in love? For most of 2019 as with 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018, yes.

Did you fall out of love? Nope.

Did you start a new relationship? I did not.

Did you go through a break up? I almost had to, but we sat each other down several times in the year to fix what had to be fixed, and it’s been very smooth sailing since.

Did you have to cut ties to someone? They weren’t people I was close to in any extent, but I’ve blocked several people from a certain elite school because I hate that school.

Who was important to you this year but wasn’t important last year? No one strongly comes to mind since I basically just retained my circle, but I did meet Gab’s closest cousin this year for the first time, and anyone who’s family to her is automatically important to me, so I’d go with him.

Who wasn’t as important to you this year as they were last year? This is going to sound completely awful, but I guess my college blockmates. I was always sort of the ~black sheep in our small batch of 7 while all of them are incredibly close with one another. 2019 was the year that I stopped trying to hang out with them, because I realized that no matter how hard I try, we’re really just on different wavelengths and I can’t keep faking my expressions and mannerisms just so I feel accepted or so that I can survive a day with them.

If you could have a do over on one thing you did, would you take it? Yeah, I definitely wish I cut some of my classes much less.

What was the best moment of the year for you? What was the worst? There were a lot of high moments from 2019 if we’re being honest. I liked taking Gab and her dad out for a ONE Championship pay-per-view back in January, I liked being invited to her dad’s birthday dinner, my road trip to Nasugbu, every day that my dad was here, going to the beach, partying for Halloween with friends, seeing old friends again in our org Christmas party, that one night Gab and I went to BGC just to bar-hop, our fancypants date that was also in BGC, and I’m sure there’s a bunch more that I’ve forgotten to mention. The absolute worst moment came at the very minute I pieced it together and found out *surprise surprise* Nacho was gone forever. I don’t think I was able to speak for two hours. When I did, I ended up crying the rest of the night until I passed out.

Did anything happen that you were sure would change you as a person but it really didn’t? Not-so-serious answer, but I thought I was gonna live my entire life without needing injections to my mouth, but lo and behold I went to the dentist in December and got THREE. I thought I was going to pass out, I thought it was going to hurt, I thought I was going to thrash around my seat in terror... I ended up not even feeling anything. I dunno if it’s because I got a lower dose of whatever, or if my dentist is just better than others, but the whole experience went much better than I expected. This may sound shallow but I have the biggest needle-and-any-sharp-object phobia, so this is a lot coming from me hahaha.

Did anything happen to you that you were sure wouldn’t change you as a person but it did? Watching Portrait of a Lady on Fire. Gab just needed a companion to the cinema that night; I had no idea what the movie was going to be about and even read the entire plot while trailers were showing – in the end, it’s been me who’s been talking about the movie way way more than she.

What are you most proud of accomplishing? Not killing myself. The 2010s was just me internally betting on when I’d finally pull the plug, but I had what it took to get me to 2020, apparently.

What have you learned about yourself this year that you didn’t know in the years prior? That everything you do and say on the internet is permanent, and you’ll forever have to live with the the consequences that come from them.

Did your opinion of anyone change for the better? Andrew. Before 2019, I found him so horrifyingly clingy, so chatty, and he was always trying to be close to everyone (he still does). It drove the introvert side of my ambivert-ness absolutely NUTS. At one point I realized he wasn’t going to change, so I just gave him a chance and turns out, he’s a great friend and an even better co-worker hahaha.

Did your opinion of anyone change for worse? Everybody who claimed to be Nach’s friend but didn’t find it hard to say vile stuff about him.

If you make resolutions, did you complete them this year? I told myself I was going to make a one-photo-a-day private Instagram dump for 2019, but I stopped as early as January 27 LMAOOOOO. I’m doing it again this year and I’m much more determined to keep it going.

If you make resolutions, what will your resolutions be for the coming year? Keep my 2020 Instagram active, be able to travel... and be happier, basically.

If you could go on an adventure during the remaining days of the year, where would you go and what would you do?  Who would you go this? A little too late my dude. I’m typing this out in 2020.

What do you wish for others for the coming year? What do you wish for yourself? I just hope everybody on here feels a little bit more warmth and happiness, dude. We all deserve it.

[shadowsong26fic]

Coming Attractions!

First Monday of the month, woohoo!

(And also kind of a NaNo roundup post because that was last month, after all…)

NaNo:

Sooooo I didn’t finish, lol. Not that I was…super expecting to, exactly, but I was hopeful! I think I just missed too many days in a row and lost all my momentum.

In terms of my goals, I was hoping to write:

1. 20-25k on Precipice 2. 20-25k on our faces like a mirror 3. 10-20k on Other Projects. 4. 50-70k total

In terms of what I actually accomplished:

1. 9,241 on Precipice (Sooooooo....about half of what I’d hoped, a little less. But I still got a fair amount done/prepped for upcoming chapters, plus a couple chapters actually posted, even while doing other stuff, so...go me!) 2. 9,043 on our faces like a mirror (Again, a bit less than half of what I’d hoped for, but I got enough done for the story/etc. to take a real Shape in my head. ...ish. See the specific OFLAM stuff later on in the post...) 3. 10,601 on Other Projects (Hey, I actually met this goal! ...barely, but still! Mostly thanks to the Nikita/Rebels crossover, lol...) 4. 28,885 total

Original Fiction:

I got a decent chunk of a big backstory piece for Lux done (in the form of a “then” and “now” set of scenes/vignettes for the five Archangels)--that being said, I’m not sure I actually like what I have there, lol. I know more or less what I need to cover, but the details are fiddly. Also not sure whether I should refer to Lux by her current name, for consistency’s sake, or use a different name (either Lightbringer or just Lucifer) since she does technically reshape her name after being released when the main Apocalypse storyline kicks off…also debating whether Lux should be/present as female way back when--angels don’t really do gender the way humans do in this ‘verse, but the closest human term for Lux would be genderfluid, sooooo IDK. Also also, for the ‘Now’ part…ehhh, I’m not sure I should have this be the first thing I post involving Trixie…but I’ll keep poking at it and see what comes out.

(I’d also planned to work on the big Kesshare character study saturation for The Farglass Cycle this month, and maybe go back to my untitled first-contact story, but neither of those happened, lol.)

Precipice:

We’re in the home stretch! Kinda. So to speak. Probably three to four more chapters in Arc Seven, which I’m hoping-fingers-crossed I’ll finish by the end of the calendar year??? (But given how much other stuff I hope to work on (see Other Fanfic Projects for more details…)

At that point--and I know I’ve said this before, and I’ll probably put it in an A/N in the next chapter or so, but following the end of Milestones, I’m planning to break off into a second/sequel fic, working title Protectors. This is at least in part because length (over 200k wtf I was anticipating 50-75k, maybe 100k, for these seven arcs @.@), but also was sort of planned even without the Length issue, due to some thematic/structure shifts following a six-year timeskip. Which, if you do the math, you can probably figure out where that’ll land us and why I might be structuring it this way…

Anyway, I’ve increasingly realized that there’s some stuff I should probably set up that I’ll need for later arcs in Part 2 involving some Rebels characters, more with the Last Batch, plus a Sith Apprentice who needs to turn up and die (although the gap between Infernalis and the next apprentice I actually care about/have a name and some kind of Plot for is only about four years in my mental timeline, so maybe there isn’t an active Apprentice in that period*…hmmmmm…), some background about the Hands, etc. But I feel like it’s all a little too disjointed for an entire additional arc. So, Arc 7.5, tentatively titled Preludes, is also going to be a thing XD I don’t think I’ll have a fixed schedule for that vs. the main storyline--and, honestly, it’ll probably work more like a collection of one-shots taking place during the timeskip than a proper Arc, but a little more Relevant than stuff that goes in Bonus Content, if that makes sense? It’ll probably be posted alongside at least arcs 8 and 9. Which, incidentally, take place more or less back-to-back and cover a fairly short period of time, but there is A Lot of plot/setup that goes into them. Like. If I tried to do it all as one arc, it’d be at least twice as long as any of the other arcs I’ve done, possibly including Arc Four--certainly over twenty chapters, I think--plus there’s a good (and by good I mean Horrible) place where I can split the arcs, so…we’ll see how that goes.

(…still not sure what to do with Maul, lol. He may just be Sir Darth Not-Appearing-In-This-Fic, or he might turn up in arc 10/11/13, which are the sort of vaguest of the next seven arcs which make up Protectors, in terms of how much I have planned out…)

(*On a semi-related note, I’ve been asked about Inquisitors a couple times in comments lately, and…well, I’ll probably mention this when I reply to the commenter in question, but I figured I’d set it out here as well, in case anyone else was wondering the same thing but doesn’t read other peoples’ comments. Like I’m pretty sure I mentioned at the start, when I plotted out** the bulk of this fic, I hadn’t seen Rebels yet. I’ve since decided to integrate a few characters/plot points (Kallus and Zeb will feature prominently in a subplot in arcs 13 and 14, for example), but, as a rule, characters and plot points from Rebels haven’t been taken into account unless I Really Like Them and/or they’re a good way to fill in a plot hole in a later arc, as with Kallus and Zeb. So, for example, when I include Thrawn, I’m writing more towards Legends!Thrawn in terms of personality, though the two have blended a bit in my head and I do reference specific events in Disney!Thrawn’s personal timeline; and b) more relevantly, I hadn’t made any plans to include Inquisitors, and that…hasn’t really changed. So, I might have them in Preludes, but they almost certainly won’t show up on-page/be super-relevant in the main arcs of the fic, sorry :/ )

(**Loooool I say “Plotted Out” like I’m the kind of author with a Master Plan or at least an outline. But I did have a general idea of the Major Plot Points going in, such as when Rex and Ahsoka would turn up, Luke’s storyline with Lavinia, how many Apprentices I would need to make them work, etc., and I’ve had parts of Arcs 8, 9, and 14 written for like at least two years now, so I know more or less where I’m going--though they’ll be edited once I have more of the connective tissue in place, in case I’ve accidentally Jossed myself…or I change my mind, which is becoming A Possibility with a major event set to happen in Arc 14, so…we’ll see.)

Aaaaaanyway. Exciting times ahead, I hope!

Other Fanfic:

This month, I finally posted another AU outline, woohoo! …I mean, it was a super-niche Nikita/Rebels crossover with a handful of OCs thrown in but who’s counting XD (I do actually intend to finish Let’s Go Steal a Crossover and update the Ventress one at some point but…yeah).

I also put out a Kallus one-shot that I think turned out really well. May do more of those at some point, who knows…

I made some significant progress on our faces like a mirror, as mentioned above! But now I’m waffling a little bit over structure. Basically, the fic covers Bo-Katan’s backstory from the time Satine becomes Duchess, through the Civil War, and eventually leads to Bo’s eventual break with her sister to join Death Watch. It comes in two pretty distinct halves--what I call the Fugitive arc in my notes, which covers the Civil War, and the Breakdown arc, which is everything after her return to Sundari.

So, my original plan was--prologue covering at least part of the final Epic Screaming Match that leads to Bo’s departure; jump back to the Fugitive Arc; and then follow through until we catch up to the prologue, with a coda/epilogue with her and Pre Viszla. The problem is, there’s…really not a lot to connect the two halves??

I’ve got a couple options on what to do about this, but I’m not sure which would be best.

Option One: Keep the structure as-is and just let it be episodic.

Option Two: Keep the structure as-is and find some way to connect the two halves (i.e., a recurring antagonist; I do have an idea of who this could be, but the problem is, it takes away a good chunk of the focus from Bo and Satine’s relationship for the Breakdown Arc…which I don’t really want to do.)

Option Three: Remove the framing device and focus on the Breakdown Arc, and include the Fugitive Arc as flashbacks, since the Breakdown Arc can’t really stand on its own. (The main issue I have with this one is that, if I want to actually write out future chunks of Bo’s life later--meaning, her time with Death Watch, and getting her from TCW to Rebels--I won’t have these flashbacks and I don’t want to change the structure too radically for any eventual sequels? Also, I’m not sure how I feel about a flashback structure for this fic in general…)

Option Four: Remove the framing device and focus on the Fugitive Arc, ending the story with Bo’s return to Sundari. (Two issues with this one--I really do want to go into the Breakdown Arc; that’s where my interest in this story started. Also, due to the constraints of setting and so on, Bo interacts with…like…two canon characters over the course of the Fugitive Arc? And while I don’t really have a problem writing a story that’s essentially a Backstory Epic for a tertiary character, populated by about 90% OCs, I’m not sure anyone actually wants to read that, except as the lead-in to the Breakdown Arc??? But maybe I’m overthinking…)

…so, yeah. Any thoughts/opinions on which option would be Best? (I may make a separate post asking the same question later, but figured I’d lay it all out here, too!)

Also, I’m working on a Secret Santa project, and probably not going to use OFLAM for SWBB, which means I need to come up with and write a different plotline of some kind, so back to the drawing board on that one…

Also also, I do genuinely plan to get Distaff off hiatus At Some Point, especially since I’ve gotten some new comments/responses lately…but given how much else I have on my plate, writing-wise, that probably won’t happen until next year, alas.

Anyway, the long and short of it is--lots of writing planned for this month! Now let’s see how much I actually get done XD

What about the rest of you? What’ve y’all been up to/what do you have planned for next month?

[fenrir-drifter]

Inktober and projects updates

Edit: I dont know how to put a cut in a post on mobile. Sorry for the wall of text.

I'm getting super behind. Sometimes I can sketch stuff out, but I dont feel like inking it. Idk. I got the time, can't go back to work still, still looking for something new and better.

Shadow, Cyan, and Gau are all ready to be inked. Terra, Locke, Edgar, Sabin, and Celes are all done. I'm debating about when to post them here. Maybe do two batches of six drawings. I won't be drawing Umaro or Gogo until the very end, and that's also a big maybe. Maybe add General Leo and Kefka to that list too. After I get Setzer, Strago, Relm, and Mog inked, I'll start working on the Chrono Trigger cast.

As far as personal projects go, I've kind of taking a break from all of them. Between Inktober, stressing about bills and when I can go back to work, finding another/new job, and painting, it's hard to find time. Especially when you lump anxiety, depression, and RL chores and surprises into all of that.

The Witch's son - I had originally planned for this to be a webcomic and I have the plot outline more or less finished. I just got hung up on environment art and character designs. That being said though, I also have to rewrite the entire outline because I changed one key character for another. But really, those changes will be minimal. The biggest issue holding me back is probably a lack of confidence of my drawing ability for comics. After the character art and reference sheets are done, I need to thumbnail the entire outline, and work on paneling. I think I can do it, I'm just too nervous. On top of that I also keep thinking about prequel and sequel ideas, but I know I need to focus on this one project. My ultimate goal right now is to just get the prologue done. If it looks good and it gets some attention, then I'll keep working on it, if not then I'll come back later when I feel better about my drawing ability and work on it some more.

The Dirigible - I haven't worked on this project in years, and I don't know what I want it to be. I had thought about setting it in the same world as the witch's son, just to cut down world-building, locations, and all that, but I'm not 100% sure yet. I don't know if I want this to be a comic, or a short story, or a novel, or something else.

Fenrir Drifter - I've been doing some world building for this for quite a bit, but I'm getting hung up on key details that may or may not be relevant, I'm not sure yet. Things like race, origin stories, and deities. I had originally planned for there to be four races: human, dwarf, elf, and a winged race (like from Breath of Fire), but then I wanted to add an ancestor race to give the world more depth. My four main races would have evolved from these races and these four races were created by four Guardian deities who were in turn created by the Divine Beings (Gods) of the world. The ancestor races we're going to be more animalistic than normal, but I was having issues with that. The elves were going to evolve from a race of deer-men that I had called Wakiti, the winged race (which I have called the Wyn race) was going to evolve from a race of birds who live on floating islands (called the Seva), and I was going to have humans evolved from a race of wolfmen, and dwarves evolved from a race of black bears.

But I'm not really sure about any of this now.

I also had a magic system in place that would mimic some ideas from Saga Frontier 2, where magic is a natural life force that's in everything and sometimes condensed in physical objects called quells. These quells could be anything from a necklace to an axe, a suit of armor, or a ring. I would have divine quells that are direct blessings from the four Guardian deities. On top of this I would have a champion of each deity who would wield a quell.

I was also working on a world map, but I got bogged down in that too because I wasn't sure, everything looks too perfect, too clean. On top of this I had issues determining history, I don't like the idea of any race being evil, that just parallels racism in the real world imo. But I know it's not true because you could make a race of monsters and they would just be that, literal monsters. But I had issues with their creation, because every diving bring (god and guardian) is good. I didn't want to corrupt any of them either. I'll figure it out though, in due time, I'm sure.

Castlevania 1 hand drawn guide - My main goal is to just get stage 1 complete. A fully rendered map with every item and secret marked, custom art for monsters and bosses, tips for bosses, a splash art for the stage, and some other things. It's basically a glorified Players Guide/Manual. I got the idea from a guy that made guides like this for Contra, Ninja Gaiden, and is working on a Legend of Zelda guide. Really cool and inspiring stuff, imo.

I also have some ideas for altering some FF6 stuff and making it a custom story. After I read Seven Blades in Black, I felt really inspired to write again, and take my own twists on things. Along with that, I'm reading the Witcher books and replaying Witcher 3, and I want to write some fanfic with my own OC Witcher of the Griffin School.

Aside from that, watercolor landscapes still happen, but not very often. I haven't posted any of them anywhere yet though. I kind of want to build a backlog, I'm also feeling kind of both gunshy and disheartened about posting stuff anymore. Trying to power through that for Inktober.

Idk, felt good to ramble for a bit like that. I don't do it anymore and can't really do it on Twitter without feeling guilty for spamming people. Health's okay, still healing from surgery. Mostly just mental and social issues at this point. There might even be a chance that my student loan will be completely wiped out. If I could just fix my car (hit a deer), find my cat, and seek therapy, things would be too good to be true, lol.

One step at a time.

[bangtanficrecs]

Lost & Found Batch #19

Can’t start up the blog again without posting the newest batch! As always, if you happen to know the fic the ask is looking for, reply to this post or send us an ask with the request number and title/author. If you happen to know any fics from Past Batches, those are more than welcome as well. Thank you!! ~ Admin P

1)  There are werewolves and hunters. Jungkook and his dad are hunters. The rest of BTS are like a pack. The people close to Kook and his dad Is VIXX 95% sure. Hunters have jobs like police and Kook started his job. Meet Jin who works in the morgue also meets v. Accidently finds out jin is a Wolf. Jin dosent come in for work. Meets V again eventually falls for him. Dad locks him in his room. Escapes from window to save the other BTS. His dad shoots him making VIXX distrust his dad. VKook/Ao3

I'm only human (after all) by Lalaithwen

2)  Hi! I want to ask if you know this fic. The members where assassins or something? And they were separated into groups with OCs or other idols. There were three people in a group with a person from rach classification. One of the classifications was named epsilon(?) Like I think the classifications were based on eyesight, accuracy, and intellect. I would really love if you find this!

3) Hello! I have lost a fic I was reading. It is a mafia au with supernatural elements where suga is the boss and rest is working for him and jimin was a succubus working in his brothel and then he was a witness suga was protecting him in his apartment so its mainly yoonmin and taekook was a side pairing. It was a long and chaptered fic and was soo good. had bunc of other kpop characters. Can you please help me find it thank you so much 😊 🙏🏻

浮世 U K I Y O by Sharleena

4) hi loves ♡ I'm hoping you could help me find a fic? it's basically namjoon/everyone but each chapter is a different storyline with a different pairing. in each story namjoon is homeless or really really poor and the member in that chapter helps him and they fall in love. and joon is always rlly bad at his jobs. one chap I remember was with hobi and he owned a dance studio that joon worked at and joon started sleeping in hobis office ^°^ hope you can help find it ~

Phosphenes by CynoDemure

5) Hi, I’ve been trying to find a fix where Taehyung isn’t a part of BTS, but suddenly they respond to his tweet and shit goes down and they offer him a ticket to tour and room with them. Tae is a YouTuber or has a channel and he lives in a really nice apartment and blasts BTS music to the point where someone comes up and yells at him? I think that happens, and BTS watch his videos. It’s on AO3. If you do find it then thank you so much.

Perfection by orphan_account

6) Hi hi! I was trying to find a fic. I think yoongi had gotten a tattoo and it was of a tiger?? And I think kookie was the artist??? That's all I remember sadly :<

watercolor by TheHalesNyx

7) Hi! I'm looking for a fic I lost track of a while ago. It was Namkook, & what I remember is that they didn't get along bc NJ makes JK feel inferior, but ot7 go on a trip & they end up rooming together. They all get drunk, & NJ ends up offering at some point to have sex with JK. It was ongoing, & the last part I remember is JK going off on NJ & walking onto the balcony & NJ follows. Super vague & probably unhelpful but does anyone know?? Any help is appreciated please & thank you!! ♡

8) Hi! Can you help me find a story?? I’m looking for a story where Jungkook moves into an apartment building where the rest of BTS lives after leaving a traditional family, might have been ABO. He meets taehyung and eventually lives with the rest of them, I remember that two of the members adopt two children and jungkook accidentally gives one of them food they’re allergic too. Thank you for the help!

dust by lotuschae (orphan_account)

9) Hi! I'm hoping you guys could help me find a fic? i'm looking for a taekook fic where they meet again at an event and taehyung didn't expect jungkook to present as an alpha. in the fic mates mark each others with scars and jungkook still has the scar that tae gave him when they were young (tae didn't have a scar cos they got scared from the blood). In the fic jimin is an alpha and the very start of the fic was vmin rushing to the event cos they fell asleep.  [cont] seokjin and namjoon are betas in the fic if i remember correctly. Also, i'm not sure if this is the same fic but jk set suga's contact image as yoonji and when he bumped into taehyung and jimin at the market yoongi called him to ask him to hurry and jimin saw the contact photo and was interested lol so he asked jk for yoongi's number thinking he was a girl. When tae and jm go to jk's dance studio he sees yoongi there with jk and thought they were twins lol. [cont] SORRY FOR SENDING SO MANY MESSAGES but i would be really grateful if you guys knew which fic (might be separate fics?) i'm looking for. I've tried searching tags and scrolling through my history but i couldn't find anything :( thank you so much in advance and sorry for spamming your inbox :')

10) Hello! I'm looking for a fic I read last year. It's a Namgi that I think is set in college. I don't remember much but it has a scene where Namjoon is getting beat up in a locker room/gym at high school and Yoongi finds him because he's going to basketball practice. Yoongi runs to get the principal and the bullies get expelled. Namjoon tells Yoongi/he figures out, that Namjoon planned it to get the bullies expelled. It's a how-they-met story. I think Yoongi was class president too. Thank you! :)

11) I looked through you tags and tried to find it on ao3 too but I can’t :( can you help,,,, it’s a junghope where (I think) Jungguk is having a hard time in college and Hoseok is like “hey make a bucket list of things you want to do” and so they do and then find feeling along the way. I very specifically remember two of the items on the list,, 1) riding a Segway 2) being fucked against a wall Thank you!!!❤️❤️

12)  Hi! I've been looking for a 1 (or 2) chapter jikook fic. Jimin recently broke up with an asshole. Jungkook works at some kind of gun range/shooting place. JM is convinced to take a class there, and JK asks him on a date. After the date, JM never calls JK, and it upsets JK because he feels like he was led on. Actually, JM's ex had been bugging him and emotionally abusing JM into thinking he wasn't good enough. In the end, JM explains it, and jikook get together. Thank you for your help!

13)  Hi, I'm looking for a age swap fic where the members wake up with their ages swapped. I remember the first one was Jimin and Jungkook waking up with their ages swapped, and then after that it was Yoongi and Taehyung, and then they would eventually forget that they weren't actually that age, and the other members were the only ones who knew that they weren't actually that age. Also there was Taekook (I think). Can anyone help me find this fic? Thanks

im not gonna call you hyung by aprofessorstale

14)  Hi! Could you please help me find a fic? I read this awhile ago and I can’t stop thinking about it. It’s a Yoonseok fic where Yoongi and Hobi got into a fight because I think Yoongi had a soft spot for Jimin and tried comforting him and Hobi was jealous or so. They decided to take a break from the relationship and all of the members urged them to talk it out but they were stubborn not to. Also Jimin and Yoongi were never dating. I’m sorry if it’s vague and not making any sense.

15)  Hey! Looking for this Jikook fic where they're both sons from rival companies but have been in a sexual relationship since boarding school? Can't remember the name. Thanks!

All Your Glory by eumorious

16)  Hi I'm not sure if you can help me find this since it's a smau and now a fic. Its jikook, hs. I think jm is rich and jk is a hockey player or something. But jm likes tae and asks jk to teach him how to do sexual stuff but also fake dates him and they end up real dating.

17) Hello, I've been searching for this one fic on AO3 where Jimin gets betrayed/stabbed? by Taehyung. Taehyung seemed to be really skittish and was freaking Jimin out. I also know Jungkook ends up marrying a detective? If you guys don't know it's okay!

18)  Hi! I’ve been looking for this one fic- I think it was Yoongi/Hoseok/Jungkook? And Yoongi was a tattoo artist along with another kpop singer (not BTS). I also remember at some point Yoongi gets a birthday cupcake that says “Hyung loves you” and he ends up attempting suicide too? Thanks for any help! 😭

Pati by signifying_nothing Note: The fic is locked and requires an AO3 account to view

19)  For the love of my sanity please please help me find this fic. Its taekook, bottom kook top Tae. Its either a two part chapter fic or two part serious. The first part I belive is a fic where taehyung does freaky ass shit to Jungkook so in the next part, jungkook gets revange on Tae. But more importantly, the second part features Taehyung being hand cuffed to the bed, and Jungkook is teasing him. Taehyung is very dom and frustrated at his sub. (A03) Thank you

Things To Do Before You Die by SevenSoulmates Note: The fic is locked and requires an AO3 account to view

20) I'm not sure if this account is still alive, but I'll give it a try. I'm looking for a bangtan fic where one of them lost his pregnant wife and after her funeral he went to the bar. He got drunk and got into one night stand and that person got pregnant. I don't remember the paring, but Jungkook might be one of them. I'm sorry for my English.

21)  hello! im looking for a series of one shots all in the same universe, its ot7 smut and was on ao3, with i believe 60+ parts? and it had hoseok as straight in the first few parts. ive been looking for ages but cant find it 😭

[franchescacruz]

Unboxing: StyleGenie’s Surprise Me Express Smart Casual Box

Note: This is a post that was in my queue way back November 2017 and StyleGenie has up their game. I'm thinking of availing a box again just to compare it from this first try, haha. Anyway, please keep in mind that I wrote this months ago which makes the possibility of StyleGenie having a different service (probably better) than the time I tried it!

Hello, friends! This is a blog post that is different from all my other posts, but this is just something that I’ve always wanted to venture into as a blogger. This is a Surprise Me Express Smart Casual Box from StyleGenie, which claims to be the first ever style subscription box in the country. Being someone who always dresses for comfort, I wanted to try something different and let the stylists from StyleGenie pick an outfit for me to wear.

Before I get started on the unboxing part, I’ll give a quick run down with how I managed to receive this box. My curiosity for this service has been in my mind for weeks already and then one random day, I read a Facebook post of theirs saying that from a box of 899, I can get an Express Smart Casual Box for only 500! I got it for a total of PHP 599 since the shipping fee was PHP 99.

Alright, first thing’s first: creating a profile. You can either click the “Get Styled” button from their homepage or the “Create a Profile” option from their menu. On to the Create a Profile option, you will be asked if this is your first time filling out the quiz, if you’re updating your answers, or if you just want to order again. You will then be asked of the reason why you’re opting to try StyleGenie out. I personally chose option C: “It’s time to update my look”. Because like what I said earlier, I wanted to try something different. I wanted to see how other people will style me without staying with my go-to comfort clothes, which are usually consists of a shirt, jeans, and a pair of sneakers.

The next steps include the basics and it even asks for your skin tone (which helps the stylists maximize the potential of the outfit), size (self-explanatory), height, and even the specific sizes of your bra, shirt, and pants. This will really make sure that the size/s of the outfit you get, if not perfect, is near perfect fitting. The next batch of questions include your preferences. This section includes the features you’d like to emphasize, and other body parts you’re a bit uneasy to show. They’ll also ask you with colors and patterns you love and not love wearing. To be even more specific, you can provide links of outfits you really like and even your style icon!

So that’s the whole quiz experience. It then follows the usual steps of ordering online: personal information necessary for shipping, payment details, order confirmation, payment confirmation, and the actual shipping of the box. It took a week after ordering and 4 days after payment confirmation until I finally received my order.

Ta-dah! I love the personal touches of the box. It gave me that special treatment kind of vibe. It’s really simple but it let me know that this service really is hands on with every order they get.

The box isn’t the sturdiest but it’s an okay quality kind of packaging. If you look closely, you’ll see a few creases on the top part. I guess it all depends on the courier’s handling. The thing about the packaging though is that it’s not sealed, and you can easily slide it and open the package. This could be an issue but I guess they trust their couriers so much so I guess that’s fine. Or maybe it’s because I’m from Metro Manila and it doesn’t take much time for the actual shipping. I don’t really know, hahaha. Anyway, opening the box reveals this wrapping paper with the pattern of their logo, just like the box.

As you open it further, you’re surprised with a handwritten note personally from the stylist plus a bonus of a discount code when subscribing to a monthly plan! The handwritten note was a lovely touch. Knowing my sentimental and old school self, I’m such a sucker for these things and this definitely made my day, besides the thrill of receiving my order.

For the Express Smart Casual box, I received two items for an outfit. A pleated velvet skirt and an off-shoulder top. This is what the stylist, JP, called in his note as a “classic-romantic” look.

Each of the item has a tag that says “Do not remove this tag. Items can only be returned if tag is still attached and garment is unworn except for trying-on.” The bottom part has a link for more information on their exchange policy. (Yes, no refunds, just exchange.) When I ordered this, they used to have a 7-day allowance for the request for exchange. But they recently updated it to a 30-day allowance. You can read more about it here. 

The first item from the box is this gray pleated velvet skirt that runs from my waist to a few inches under my knees. It has slits on its side and adds a more feminine touch to the clothing. It also has a layer of thin, somewhat sheer, black cloth underneath and runs until the start of the slit. I do have a few issues about this piece, though. The garter is like an inch and a half thick and it looks distracting for me. It just looks bulky when worn. The garter also sometimes twists in a really awkward way and I had a hard time trying to fix it back. But like what I said, I’m all for trying out something new that’s why I decided to keep this in my wardrobe. I thought of wearing this for Halloween (I went as a generic witch, lol) but I can’t find a top I already own that I can pair with this skirt.

The next item is a black off-shoulder top. I’ve always wanted an off-shoulder top and it made me kind of like this piece. The details on the sleeves were a cute touch too! You can tie the ends as a ribbon and adds a bit of character to the outfit.

One thing to note is that the material is sheer so even if it’s black, you can still somewhat see through the fabric. I’m not in love with this piece but it’s something new to my wardrobe and I know that there is a big possibility that I'll use it in the near future.

If I were to wear both pieces in an outfit, I don’t really think I’ll be comfortable wearing them. To be honest, I’m quite confused if they’re really meant to be worn at the same time because I don’t see it forming a cohesive outfit. I’d insert a photo of me wearing the outfit, but I haven’t had the time to do that, hahaha. I did try it but I didn’t like it. But I’m open to trying the pieces on separate outfits.

The whole experience was really fun and I’d love to do it again. It was such a thrill to order something not knowing what you’ll receive. It’s like buying yourself something for Christmas with the actual element of surprise in it. It’s also such a lovely experience knowing that actual stylists evaluated your quiz and your style; and that they came up with an outfit that they think would look great on you.

As an overall review of the whole service and the items, I’d give it a 3 out of 5 because despite it being such a fun experience, I honestly think that the materials aren’t the best. It’s okay that I got it on sale but if I were to buy it for the regular price with this quality, I’d opt for something else. But on another note, it’s the actual experience that I really value from this service. I just hope they’ll up their game when it comes to the quality of the items. But, yes, I’ll be on the lookout for more discount codes and promos and I might try their other boxes as well.

[wanna1things]

Prince!Ren AU

this was such a GOOD look for ren please bring this back amen thank u

Genre;; royal!au ++prince!au fluff uhhhh aka my fave

Warnings;; none,, i mean not that i know of??? It’s pure fluff?? maybe a tiny bit angsty idk but if u dont like boys who can’t cook dont read??

Pairing;; Choi Minki/Ren x reader

Requested;; yes (by anon)

Summary;; Ren is a prince who has moved to your country to study to be a King, and he happens to be your neighbour. Things don’t go too smoothly when you find out his identity...

Style;; bullet point + stuff

Word Count; 2530

AHHH i love royal aus so expect this to be;; long and detailed;; because i also stan minki,,, and he is already a prince,, coming up with a plot for this wasnt hard lmfaoooo;; i got my big ass 2litre bottle of water ready its 1am and its WRITING TIME

Ren was born into the royal family of a small country in East Asia

He was originally second in line until his brother Minseok gave up his right to the throne so he achieve his dream (that didn't involve being king lmao;;)

So little 8 year-old Minki is now thrust into the spotlight

Up until this point he’s had like;; no training on how to be a King

So he decides when he gets to his twenties he’ll go abroad to study politics and languages and stuff

So he can still be a good king when the time comes;;

But he doesn’t want to be treated like a prince wherever he goes so,, he instead decided to go by his real name rather than his royal name when he’s abroad (which less people know)

(okay it is a thing like prince harry’s name is actually henry FUN FACT)

But he’s super talented like;; he has a way with words and he’s really popular in his country

Because not only is he really beautiful but he’s also amazingly funny with a great personality

Like I mean it when I say he could probably make friends with a brick wall

He’s a little;; weird;; but it just makes him even more loveable sdjhfgjsd

He’s honestly treasured by his country because he just seems like a normal human he doesn’t try to act better than anyone else uh BLESS how kIND

ANYWAY

So the time comes for him to go;; and he chooses on going to your country!! (and your university what a coincidence am i right)

Now you’re just a lowly university student living in a block of flats not far from the campus

And it’s a nice block of flats but you’re on the 8th floor and the lift doesn’t work;; yikes

I mean at least you’re not on the 10th floor right??

So when you see someone moving into the flat next to your with boxes and boxes of stuff you are overcome with pity like;;; yeah you did that once before too

And you muster up the courage to go and help out this guy who is reALLY struggling with his suitcases

He nods a thank you as you pick up one of the suitcases and carry it up the last flight of stairs,, too tired to even speak (i feel u bro)

When you both reach the top he points out which room to take his bags to and guess what

He’s your new neighbour! (yay)

You help him put all the bags in his room and after about 3 minutes of trying to get all his breath back he manages to whisper a ‘thank you’ and offers you some tea

Obviously you take him up on the offer I mean you’re a uni student free sustenance is v good

BUT you have to go back to your room because;; well;; a welcome gift??

All you have in your room that's suitable are like candles and stuff but… don’t get me wrong but this guy doesn’t seem like the biggest fan of candles especially after walking up 8 flights of stairs

So you decide on giving him some of your sweet potatoes and a cute little keyring that your friend gave you that you’ve never used

It’s a little rabbit with a tiara on how ;; cute ;;

When you return to his apartment suddenly the shaggy looking guy who you helped carry his stuff up the stairs is now;; this beautiful man;;

Hes mid-way through making the tea when he notices you’ve returned

And he looks up and flashes you the cutest lil eye smile lol

Oh my god are they the same people even

He finishes making the tea and walks over to shake your hand

‘It's a pleasure to meet you!! I’m Choi Minki~’ he smiles, taking your hand in his

Shfsdhfjgshdjfh his hands are soft what (listen my fave hc is that minki has super super soft hands @ me on this gn)

‘Ahhh hi yes,, i’m y/n and i’m your neighbour!! I got you a present’

His face lights up when he sees the present sdfhdjhf

‘How did you know i love bunnies??’

You both sit down on the sofa in the middle of his flat surrounded by boxes

Drinking your tea and talking about life

You discover he’s attending the same university as you;; studying politics and modern languages

He’s like;; super smart but he doesn’t show it off at all??

But there’s something about his face that seems really familiar

Like as though you’ve seen him before but you don’t know where

So you just assume he reminds you of an old friend or something

As time passes you get really close

You walk with each other everyday to campus and back, you tell each other absolutely everything and you even cook for one another on alternate nights

One night when it was Minki’s turn to cook he was making some food from his home country;; cold spicy noodles (i love those pls omg)

And ahh he is not at all good at cooking but he tries hard so;; let’s let him off yeah

But he concentrates so hard but he genuinely just;; burns everything like idek how he does it don’t let minki cook;;

In the end he just;; gives up so you cook together!!

And as you’re quickly making a batch of pancakes together he decides yeah good time for a food fight

Proceeds to chuck flour all over you

And as he’s laughing at your pain you realise wow okay yeah his laugh is cute oh nOOOO you got a crush on your weird neighbour????

Obviously you ;; don’t make this known and eat your damn pancakes in peace

After chucking flour right back at Minki of course

Over the next few days he just suddenly stops coming into uni because;; he’s in a couple classes with you let’s just say you’re a politics student lol

You try knocking on his apartment door a couple times and nobody replies even when you call his name

You basically put 2 and 2 together

And make 5

And assume that he’s deliberately avoiding you because he realised your crush

In reality there’s been a minor problem in his country;; a law is being passed through government that’s quite controversial to do with like;; minority rights and stuff;; so he’s had to return to fight to get it passed and he didn’t really want to leave without saying anything but;; he also didn’t want to reveal who he was to the whole world

It’s a constitutional monarchy and democracy thing okay pls; i can’t explain political systems;

One night about a week after Minki’s sudden disappearance

You decide to turn on your tv because damn life is boring when you can’t go to Minki’s house and play snap lol

And on the news they’re talking about minki’s country bless where the spicy noodles come from

But the news report tells the story of this brave prince who is attempting to pass a law to protect the rights of the people of his country and wow this prince is a nice guy

And they show a clip of a press conference he held earlier on in the day

And

Wow

Okay

That prince looks suspiciously like your neighbour Minki???

Wait

THAT IS MINKI??!!

Minki = Prince Ren what the ??

Not long after this the law is passed and Minki returns back to his apartment next to yours and oh my god

You see him walking up to the entrance and you freak out again because

You have a crush on a prince???

He didn’t even tell you he was a prince???

What??? Is???? Going????? On??????

He comes and knocks on your door like usual and as you swing open the door he quickly pulls you into a hug

‘y/n!!! I missed you so much!!! I’m sorry for disappearing i had family stuff but I’m back now!!!’

And you just tense up a little because oh god this is a prince who basically lied to you for your friendship so far

‘Hello, Ren.’

Uh oh

You can feel Minki just tense up slightly and pull away from the tight hug

And he kind of just stands there awkwardly looking at the floor wondering what to say next because oh my god how did you find out

‘Y/n, please don’t treat me differently now you know who I am… I wanted to tell you I really did… How did you even find out?’

He looks into your eyes like he’s searching for something because uh oh the girl he’s liked for a while and the only girl who treats him like a normal human being is reallllllly pissed off with him and he,, doesn’t have any idea how to fix it

‘You were on the news, Minki. How long were you going to keep it from me? Were you even planning to tell me at all?’

‘Listen, I was going to but there was never a good time and honestly, I thought you wouldn’t want to be friends with a Prince?’

You just sigh heavily at his answer and go to slam the door in his face but he stops it with his foot and holds on to your wrist tightly

‘Please, y/n, can we talk properly?? I’ll make food.’

You take your hand off the door and stand back to let him into your flat and he immediately heads to the kitchen and pulls out a ramen packet

He starts to cook it all while you sit at the kitchen counter, watching him as he tries desperately to not burn everything sdjhfgsjdgh poor minki

He manages to,, kind of make it (well done minki)

And he places the bowl in front of you and sits down next to you in complete silence like ok this is getting a little awkward

So perk up the mood he just managed to cook without burning the whole block of apartments down

‘So, the prince can cook ramen but nothing else hm?’

He giggles slightly at your comment and nods

‘Yeah my parents always tease me about it too, especially since my brother is amazing at cooking’

He laughs again and picks up his chopsticks to shove in a whole load of ramen

So you finally turn to look at him and you notice his eyes are red and oh my god you made him cry??

Part of you is like yeah but listen he deserves it he lied to you for like 6 months

But then again;; it is understandable that he wouldn’t want everyone knowing he’s a prince

And it doessssss make you feel a little special that he didn’t want your relationship to change at all

So

You do what your heart tells you to do

And you pat his head and ruffle his hair a little

He looks comPLETELY BAFFLED LIKE,,, WHERE DID THIS COME FROM

But he smiles really wide and giggles again

‘Is this how you show your forgiveness?’

‘No way Minki, I want at least 5 more meals cooked by you before I can get over this’

And omg

He doesn’t get that you’re joking at first

And you just see this look of absolute terror go across his face like

Ohhhh no if he even tries to cook another meal the whole building is going up in flames like

Ramen was hard enough he had to keep checking the packaging every 5 seconds to make sure he was doing it right

Then he realises you’re joking

And he laughs because oh my god

What kind of gullible-

Sooo as time passes from here you get even closer

Some people suspect his identity but you vouch for him and say that ahh no he’s no prince lol i know he’s beautiful but nooo you’re mistaken

And minki is sooo thankful for you and you both just fall in love with each other even more compLETELY OBLIVIOUS TO EACH OTHER’S FEELINGS (idiots)

That is until one evening Minki announces out of the blue that he’s going back to his country

And he wants you to come with him

And you’re leaving tomorrow

He leaves you with a ‘pack quickly~~’

Like wow thanks for the suddenness of this i hAVE TO PACK EVERYTHING IN LIKE 3 HOURS

But you manage;; somehow

And you get on the flight and Minki is so damn nervous for some reason

Like is he scared of flying??

What??

So you hold his hand during the take off and landing just in case lol

Minki would never admit it but that made his heart race even more

As soon as you land he takes you straight to the palace and walks you into this big ballroom and asks the servants to call for his parents

And you just assume like ok yeah

He’s just introducing me to them as his friend from abroad thats cool

But when they turn up Minki suddenly stands up all stiff and proper which is like

Woah okay

And he kneels down before his mum and dad and starts to say something which is almost inaudible

‘Mother, Father, I have brought before you today the person I told you about, the one I am in love with. I intend to marry this person once the time is right but I thought you should meet them in person first. I am very sorry for rejecting the many royals you previously brought before me, but it is because of them that I felt I had to turn them down.’

Yo yo

Hold up a second

Minki??? Told his parents about you??

He is in love with you too okay what???

He turned down other royals because he liked you?? Okay wow

Shooketh

‘Please, let me introduce the light of my life, y/n’

Woah okay

You step forward to stand next to minki and oh my god his face is like a bright red it’s so cute

‘Your Majesties, it is a pleasure to meet you.’

You bow, curtsey whatever idk I’m not a royal person idk how this works

They smile and just say

‘Ahh, Minki you didn’t have to go to so much trouble!! We would’ve accepted pretty much anyone as long as you were happy!!’

And this look of relief washes over his face and he turns to you and grabs your hand, dragging you out of the room

You reach the palace gardens and you’re surrounded by cherry blossoms and roses

And he doesn’t let go of your hand but instead brings it to his lips and kisses it gently

‘I should’ve confessed to you first but I wanted to get this out of the way… In case you didn’t catch that, I am in love with you, y/n’

Ahhhhhhhhh

Heartbeat rises

‘You could’ve at least given me a hint! I almost had a heart attack!! But… yeah… uh… me too’

He giggles lightly and leans in to press his lips against yours

It’s a little cheesy but

It’s Minki what do you expect

And you couldn’t ask for anything better

DHSGJFHGSJDH I CANT DO A PROPER ENDING BECAUSE I’LL START BLUSHING SORRY;; i hope this is good lol ++ that yall enjoy it but it’s like time to sleep now here so goodnight!! other requests will be posted as soon as possible but i’m a little busy still so;;

[derpwithglasses]

Beatriz at Dinner Review (2017)

Directed by Miguel Atata, written by Mike White

Well that was interesting, and funny. I feel like this film can have such a deep analysis of cultural psychology, intercultural communication in relation to today’s ‘trump era’ society. I won’t do it justice, but I’ll give a summary and talk about what I liked and didn’t from a movie goer perspective. Salma Hayek plays Beatriz, an immigrant from a small town in Mexico. She lives in what appears to be the LA County area (Alta Dena) with her pets that consist of dogs and a goat. She works as a health practitioner, masseuse/massage therapist, healer, etc. in some cancer center/medical office in Santa Monica I believe. The movie starts off with Beatriz going to work and working with clients. She then has to drive to another client of hers out in Newport Beach by the name of Cathy (Connie Britton). Beatriz drives her small station wagon through LA traffic and into this big gated community with an ocean view. Cathy is a regular client of Beatriz and you soon find out that Beatriz cared for Cathy’s daughter during her battle with cancer. Cathy begins telling Beatriz about her daughter’s time so far in college while getting a massage, explaining about the ‘diversity’ of it all in a funny scene. Cathy already showing the bubble she lives in. Beatriz begins to explain her situation at home, without giving away any spoilers, involving a pet, she’s not having a good day. Beatriz ends up being invited to stay at Cathy’s place for dinner due to car trouble (It won’t start, and a friend of hers can’t come to fix it for a few hours). Cathy sympathetic enough, and seemingly cares about Beatriz has her stay for dinner having let her rather unpleasant sob of a husband Grant (David Warshofsky) know about her situation. From this point of this film, the viewer will learn that Beatriz is a very caring individual, loves her pets, her work, the comfort of her life, and seems to appreciate what she has. Now she is brought into this uncomfortable and different setting, and we see how she reacts to it. Bring on the ignorant one’s, just about all of them really. There is a younger couple named Alex and Shannon (Jay Duplass and Chloe Sevigny), a bit underdeveloped,but laughable and giving a good portrayal of rich kids through their early adult years. Then comes the main antagonist of the movie Donald..I mean Doug Strutt (played annoyingly but very well by John Lithgow) with his wife Jeana (Amy Landecker). Doug is a billionaire hotel owner, smug, ignorant, rude, selfish, and just overall prick of a guy lol. The differences between him and Beatriz are at complete polar ends of the spectrum, which makes for some very funny banter. Doug begins to show his careless and conniving ways as a business man, as Beatriz learns more about him. Will she react well to this? Is there a breaking point?  Lithgow and Hayek are very good in this, the rest did well and are funny but don’t stand out as much as these two. They did a good job of making Beatriz stand out from her small stature and the colors of her clothing.There was a nice shot of her walking along the other women in the film near the swimming pool, ocean behing them, looking small as can be in her tennis shoes compared to the ladies in heels. The mansion itself is huge, and everything and everyone looks just so much more larger than Beatriz. I take this as symbolic of the type of obstacle she has to face. Beatriz thinks she recognizes Doug from somewhere upon meeting which leads to the plot taking a detour into Beatriz communicating with someone from her past, or present who she doesn’t get to see anymore. Other than that, the whole movie revolves around dinner at Cathy’s mansion. There is a little more to be desired here. The movie was strongest when Beatriz is speaking to the other characters in the film, especially Doug. But it gets away from that a little too much. Beatriz makes some strong points toward the end of the film describing the good and evil of the world, and how fulfilling it is to spread good and to heal to counter everything stands for. But the final final act doesn’t quite deliver the punch many might want. Again, there just needed to be a little more here, but not exactly sure what. Salma and Lithgow will keep the viewer entertained and fascinated though. Still a good movie.

3.5/ 5 stars.

It is summer and I am so looking forward to a lot of films that are coming out very soon.

Can’t wait to watch “The Beguiled” , “Baby Driver”, “Bad Batch”, “Spider Man” possibly “Transformers” and “All Eyez on Me” 

Really want to review “It comes at Night” maybe “Wonder Woman”

[happy2bmyownboss]

Hey everybody… it feels like its been FOREVER since I’ve posted. I have really missed you all… that might sound funny but I love seeing the notifications from readers and reading the comments that others leave… it makes me feel like maybe, just maybe I am helping someone in some way.

I think my last post was on January 30th! I had written a little bit about this pregnancy and some of the surprises, stresses, and worries it has brought with it. We are so blessed to have this little one in our lives and we just can’t wait to meet her!

I also told about some of the unexpected events that had transpired with our new house which we still haven’t officially moved into completely yet although I might spend more time there than I do here right now.

Someone did end up coming out to fix the electrical and plumbing issues but yesterday when I went to use the dishwasher it wouldn’t work… HMMMM???!!! The girls were not thrilled when I told them this news today… lol. I told them we now have a very expensive new dish drying rack!

January was full of ups and downs with the house, an ultrasound, and some other family activities that I wrote about HERE. I stayed pretty busy and tried to get things a little bit more organized… you can read about that in this post… the time spent on getting organized has paid off in some ways as I couldn’t have seen the newest issues that were yet to come.

Our homeschool adventures have been on hold for a couple of weeks as we’ve been focusing on getting the house ready to move in and I’ve been dealing with some new pregnancy-related? health issues.

So where to begin? That’s a good question because SO MUCH has happened. February was such a blur that I can’t even believe it has come and gone already!

Well, let’s start with baby news. We had a doctor’s appointment on Valentine’s which was a bit crazy. Not long after checking in there was a FIRE DRILL! Well, it wasn’t a drill as the alarm had been triggered and the entire four-story medical plaza had to be evacuated!

Guess what floor we were on? Yep, the fourth! I’ve been dealing with a lot of heart palpitations and shortness of breath so walking down four flights of stairs was no fun… then we had to walk back up them when the firefighters cleared the building. I seriously thought I was gonna pass out.

I was still quite winded when the doctor came into the room (we had a new doctor as the previous one NEVER responded to my requests to have my medication refilled!) He was quite nice and we both liked him. We discussed the possibility/probability of C-section… I’ve never had one so it is a little scary to think about. He also had some blood work ordered for my thyroid and a glucose screening done.

The doctor also put in a referral for me to see a cardiologist and one for the baby to have a fetal echocardiogram done as there were concerns from the previous ultrasound.

The following morning, my 43rd birthday!, the doctor called to tell me to quit taking my thyroid medicine because it was too much. He also called in a new prescription for me to start taking later that week. This may or may not have been part of the reason for the heart flutters and shortness of breath which I still have. He also informed me that I had failed the glucose screening so lucky me gets to do the 3-hour screening at my next appointment… YAY!

The glucose screening was done a bit early this time as my last pregnancies have been large babies and the doctor just wants to keep a close eye on this baby and her weight gain… he wants to keep a close eye on the possibility of gestational diabetes as this can cause babies to be quite large as well.

Just a few of my birthday spoils… even little Ms. Priss got a few things that have me so excited to start shopping. Mr. Awesome also bought me several cute maternity shirts as my clothes have been getting a little bit snug. We have also been gifted a beautiful cradle and antique wooden high chair… I will try to walk over and get a picture of them a bit later today.

Since that appointment, I am still having tons of shortness of breath as well as frequent bouts of nausea. I have spent quite a bit of time resting in the recliner or laying on my left side. It is frustrating to not be able to get up and go like I want to do but I know that this phase will not last forever and it is so important to take of myself as I do have this special little blessing growing inside of me and I have to make sure to keep her as safe as I can.

Not being able to do anything without becoming winded has affected my square dancing. I still try my best to attend the dances and on a good night I might dance half a tip but I can’t do much more than that right now. We also did not get to attend the State Convention this year although I had greatly enjoyed it last year. The kiddos did go stay with their big sister and big brother for the weekend so we had a little break nonetheless.

I did have to run a few errands yesterday and at one of those, I was asked if I was trying to keep up with the Duggars and the Bates! Well… if I could get a TV show and make a ton of money… maybe… All jokes aside this will most likely be my last baby… I refuse to say NEVER because I have been proven wrong many times. You just never know what plans God has in store for you and I am constantly AMAZED at the blessings he has bestowed on us and the paths he has led us down so I choose to trust him even when things seem IMPOSSIBLE.

When I have good days I try to do a little bit of batch cooking/freezer cooking and this has saved dinner quite a few times lately. Mr. Awesome has been pretty good about helping out around the house and in the kitchen… even it is just bringing home some pizza or fast food for them to eat… you gotta do what you gotta do sometimes. I try to do my Walmart Grocery Pickup every so often to keep some healthy foods and necessities on hand. Yesterday I did go into the store and I was so exhausted by the time I finished all I wanted was a nap when I got home. You can find lots of Freezer Meal information HERE.

**This post does contain affiliate links to products and/or services that we use. If you happen to click through a link and make a purchase we may earn a teensy-weensy small commission (at NO EXTRA cost to you) if a purchase is made through these links. These links help to support our family, our blog, and our homeschooling mission. This means that we can keep bringing you great recipes, ideas, and tips for FREE! Click HERE for a full disclaimer.

  In other news, the house was coming along quickly until I broke the bathtub. It was completely accidental but a blessing in disguise. When Mr. Awesome went to rip out the old tub he fell through the bathroom floor! Yeah… the whole floor was rotted so it was just a matter of time before it became a HUGE issue.

      The bathroom has been gutted and the floors have been repaired so now we just have to put the bathroom back together before we can get completely moved in.

    The kitchen is 95% completed and it looks so much better than it did before. We are happy with the way it turned out and I have been trying to get it all organized… a little bit at a time. I’ll try to get a post together about the products we used for our kitchen.

We’ve been carrying things over a little at a time as you can see in the pictures above. This makes it easy to get things put away but it is such a slow process. I will be so glad when Mr. Awesome has a couple of free days so he can bring the trailer over and we can load it up with some of the bigger items.

This morning we carried a couple of loads of kitchen things over and we made and ate breakfast at the house… the kids were so excited! I had high hopes of getting quite a bit accomplished today but that idea quickly disappeared when one of the kiddos had a tantrum and meltdown.

As many of you know I have two special needs children who are greatly affected by the moon phases. We have a time change coming along with a full moon that is VERY CLOSE so things have been a bit trying this week and I don’t foresee that next week will be much better.

We ended up putting away the things we had brought over, cleaning up the breakfast mess, and then headed back over to the little house. I thought it might give me a chance to catch you guys up and I also started a pot of tea and put some chicken in the crockpot for dinner. I’ll probably add some sweet and sour sauce to it later and serve it with some rice and steamed broccoli.

We had expected to have our new washer and dryer delivered today but things don’t always go as expected. I got the scheduling call yesterday but they informed me that they had ‘lost’ our dryer! I’m not sure how that happened but they couldn’t locate another one so they have reordered it and we should have them Saturday morning.

I love hanging our clothes out but I will definitely appreciate these new appliances as I will be able to use my little spurts of energy in other areas right now. Mr. Awesome has a clothesline on his ‘Honey Do’ list but that is not at the top of the list right now and I haven’t even really decided where I want to put it.

You might be wondering about what type of washer and dryer we decided on so I’ll tell you a little about them… really I was just not into shopping that day so I let Mr. Awesome lead the decision. He found this Whirpool Load and Go washer that will let me load up to 20 loads of detergent into it and then, we believe, program a wash cycle so that the kids can just push a button to wash their laundry.

I prefer the front loaders right now as they allow the kids to be a little bit more independent in helping with the laundry. This pair was on sale when we bought them so we saved quite a bit of money. We did go ahead and purchase the extended warranty because this was quite an investment to make and we just wanted to make sure that we were covered in the event of an unexpected repair.

I’m sure that I will post some more about the features of this pair as I get to use them and learn more about them. We also like that they have the option to stack them which is something we may consider later on.

Another thing that happened last month was that Mr. William had the opportunity to attend one of the Night To Shine Special Needs Proms hosted by Tim Tebow. He had a blast and is looking forward to going again next year. This is a wonderful event and I encourage everyone to support it if you can.

Well, that about wraps up the past month or so… I hope you have all had a great month and I pray that this coming month is even better for you. I will try my best not to wait so long between posts and I will get to work on the kitchen update post soon.

As always we want to thank you all for your thoughts and prayers and we ask that you continue to keep us in your prayers… talk to you soon!

  Life Update: We’re Still Here! Hey everybody... it feels like its been FOREVER since I've posted. I have really missed you all...