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fruitcoops · 4 years ago

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If you're still taking requests, could you do one where someone is making Remus really uncomfortable and someone from the team helps him out? (Preferably Sirius, Leo, Logan, James, or Dumo but everything you do is so good so it really doen't matter 😂❣)

Yep! Please take a look at the TW below before reading, since there are parts of this that are a bit intense. SW credit goes to @lumosinlove!

Combined with protective Sirius and Leo/ Loops friendship!

TW for a super creepy guy, unwanted handholding, unwanted flirting/ not taking no for an answer, innuendo, moderate panic attack, and alcohol

The folding chair next to Remus creaked as a tall man in a perfectly-tailored suit sat down hard in it. He was clearly a drink or two past tipsy, and something in Remus’ throat itched at the way the man’s eyes flickered across his chest and arms. “You’re Lupin, right? The new Lion?”

Remus set his drink down. “That’s me.”

“Stan Martin, nice to meet you.” Stan held his hand out and Remus shook it; his palm was clammy, and he held on just a second too long. Remus was the first to pull away after he felt a light squeeze from wrinkled fingers.

“Pleasure’s mine,” Remus said with a polite smile. Sirius was nowhere in sight, and everyone else was occupied in their own conversations. He swallowed hard. “Do you own a team?”

“Nah, I just fund ‘em,” Stan snorted. “Too much work otherwise, not enough time for play, if you know what I mean.”

Remus forced a laugh. “Right, yeah, totally. Are you involved with the Lions? I’m a bit new to the whole administration thing.”

“Even after being a PT for so long?” Stand gave him an incredulous look, but beneath it there was a shadow Remus didn’t like.

“Yep. I was pretty contained to my tape pallets and charts.” Joke it off, Lupin.

A hand, heavy from alcohol and lack of inhibitions, fell on Remus’ forearm with a few clumsy pats before settling on his wrist. Stan looked directly into his eyes. “If you ever need someone to, ah, show you the ropes, give me a call.”

Remus cleared his throat and tried to pull his arm away, but the hand didn’t budge. “I don’t think that will be necessary, but thank you for the offer.”

“No, really. The NHL is a complicated world. I’d be more than happy to take some of that weight off your shoulders.” Stan leaned closer and Remus tensed as his eyes roved his face. “Your freckles are much more striking in real life, Lupin.”

“Please let go of my arm, Mr. Martin.”

“Call me Stan.”

“Let go of me, Martin.”

An awful little grin spread over his thin lips. “You’re a spitfire, aren’t you? Too much for Captain Solitude, I bet.”

He jerked his head to the side of the room, where Remus saw Sirius making polite conversation with a woman in a long dress. A spike of fury bubbled up. “Are you talking about my fiancé?”

“Easy, tiger, I’m just saying—” He hiccupped and Remus tried to pull away, but Stan’s grip tightened by a fraction. “—I’m just saying, you could do better with someone who knows how to handle you.”

“I can handle myself just fine. If you don’t stop talking shit about my fiancé, I’ll—”

“What? You’ll do what?” Stan leered at him and Remus paused to shove down his nausea. “You know, you were much prettier before you tried to be like the rest of these jocks.”

“I’m leaving now.”

“I’m just being honest,” Stan huffed, never releasing Remus’ arm from his hold. Remus could feel his shoulders starting to shake. “You’ve got those cute little cheekbones. Very delicate, like—almost feminine. Those training regimens they put you on ruined it, in my opinion. Look, Lupin, when you get tired of tall, dark, and boring over there, gimme a call and you can be pretty aga—”

“What’s going on over here?” a falsely bright voice cut in. The chair on Remus’ other side clicked at its joints as Leo sat down, looking between them with icy eyes. “Am I missing out on all the fun?”

“Hey, Knutty,” Remus managed, wincing as his voice cracked. Stan leaned back in his chair and Remus quickly yanked his arm away, tangling his fingers together.

“Lupin and I were just having a chat,” Stan said, glancing back down at Remus’ lap until he tucked his hands under his thighs. “Nothing big and important.”

Leo’s knee pressed against his own. “Sirius was looking for you a minute ago.”

Stan’s jaw tightened. “What, we can’t finish our conversation?”

“No.” Remus channeled all his roiling discomfort and the urge to knock the creep’s teeth in as he stood up. “No, this conversation has been done for a while. Have a nice night, Mr. Martin.”

Leo’s arm was steady across his shoulders as they walked away; Remus’ vision tunneled, sparkling black at the sides. “Are you gonna be alright?” Leo asked under his breath, his accent soothing. Remus nodded. “You’re shaking, Re.”

“No, I’m not.” He grabbed a plastic cup of water off a nearby tray and nearly sloshed it all over himself. “Jesus fucking—”

“Re.” He could feel his teeth starting to chatter and sweat rolled down the too-tight collar of his shirt. Leo’s hand closed loosely around his own and took the cup. “C’mon.”

“Sirius was looking for me,” he protested as Leo led him down a side hall.

Leo shrugged. “Probably.”

“…he didn’t talk to you.”

“Nope.”

“You came to get me anyway.”

“Yep.”

The clog in Remus’ chest grew and he nearly tripped over his own feet. “Thanks, Knutty.”

A sharp puff of air cooled his burning face. “I’m sorry I didn’t get there sooner.”

“I tried to leave.” The words tangled around his tongue as Leo pushed open the bathroom door and led him to the sinks, dampening some paper towels. “I—fuck, Leo, I’m stronger than him but he was holding my arm so tight and I was so fucking freaked.”

“Easy, Re.” Leo sounded like he was trying to calm a spooked horse.

The towels were a balm in Remus’ hands and on his face as he pressed them over his mouth to muffle the wheezing noises. “I’d rather be called a slur to my face than have that happen again.”

The gentle circles on his back stopped for a second. “Do you want to talk about it?”

He shook his head. “I don’t—no. I just wanna go home.”

“Deep breaths.” Leo handed him a new towel to blow his nose, then pulled his phone out.

“Has anyone told you that you’re a kickass friend?”

A weak smile pulled at the corners of his mouth, but his face was still troubled. “Once or twice.”

Remus’ lungs were tight with a mix of fear and disgust; he felt a little like he wanted to throw up, and while Leo’s hand on his back was an anchor to the world, the rest of him screamed ‘don’t touch me’.

Barely two minutes later, the bathroom door swung open. “Honey? What happened?”

“Holy shit,” Remus managed as gray eyes swam into his field of view. Sirius. Sirius meant safety. Reality zoomed back at double speed and the dam broke—tears poured down his cheeks as his whole body began to shake again. “Holy shit.”

Sirius shushed him softly, pulling him close with a kiss to the top of his head. “D’accord, mon loup, je t’ai.”

“I love you,” Remus sobbed. The fabric of Sirius’ suit was probably wrinkling under his tight grip, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. “I love you so much for exactly who you are, okay? Don’t ever doubt that.”

“I know.” Confusion edged his voice, but he kept it low and gentle. Remus loved him for it, wildly. The door creaked as Leo left, and then there was silence.

He finally pulled his face out of Sirius’ chest, kissing his jaw, cheek, and lips before resting his forehead in the curve of his neck. “Thank you.”

Sirius’ hands eased through the curls above his ears as he cupped Remus’ face in his hands. “What happened, Re?”

Remus shook his head as revulsion rose again. “There was this creep and he wouldn’t let me go. Said some shitty stuff.”

“He was homophobic?” An angry furrow appeared between Sirius’ brows.

“I wish.” Stan’s words rang in his ears and made his mouth bitter with shame. Remus closed his eyes. He didn’t want to see Sirius’ face during his confession. “He, uh—he propositioned me. Kind of.”

“He what?”

“I didn’t catch on until he already had my arm.” Remus sniffled, pressing the heel of his hand below his eye to stem the tears. “He followed it up with some bullshit about you, and then some bullshit about me, and just wouldn’t shut up. I just froze. I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for, mon amour.” Sirius’ touch was so gentle on him, warm and broad compared to the crushing discomfort of Stan Martin. His hands were heavy, but they let Remus move however he liked.

“I love you,” Remus said again.

“I love you, too. Are you ready to go home?”

“I need a minute.” He rubbed his face against the soft lapels of Sirius’ jacket, desperate for comfort around the guilt wedged in his chest; his next words spilled out before he could choke them down again. “You still like me, right?”

“I love you so much—”

“That’s not what I’m talking about. You—am I still nice to look at? Now that I’m not, y’know, pretty and kinda twink-y.” There was a long stretch of silence. “Is that a yes?”

“Sorry, I had to take a second and stop myself from putting that fucking idiot through a table.” Sirius took a step back and met Remus’ eyes, fixing him with a hard look. “First of all, I love everything about you, and you will always be the most beautiful man on earth. Second, your muscles are the hottest goddamn thing I’ve ever seen. Third, you’ve never been—what word did you use?”

“Twink-y. It’s like…delicate. Femme. Etcetera, etcetera.”

More anger sparked in Sirius’ eyes. “Yeah, and you’ve never been delicate. You are the strongest person I know, Re. Whatever he said to you, it wasn’t true.”

“Can we go home now?”

“Absolutely.”

The ballroom was still crowded with high-end management and people Remus never wanted to see again when they finally left the bathroom; thankfully, the throngs of sparkles and dark suits made it easy for them to slip away with minimal human interaction. Stan Martin was over by the water cups, dabbing uselessly at a large wine stain across the front of his crisp white shirt—Remus saw Leo watching him like a hawk with a suspiciously empty wineglass in his hand and internally vowed to give him the biggest hug of his life at the next practice.

Remus slowed down to take in the fresh nighttime air, holding Sirius’ hand tight in his own as they crossed the parking lot. He paused at the passenger door and tugged him in for a slow kiss. “I love you,” he mumbled, breathing in the scent of his shampoo and cologne.

Sirius’ arms wrapped around him and Remus melted into the hug. He felt him trembling slightly, and he was pretty sure it wasn’t from the chilly breeze. “You are the best part of my life, Re,” he whispered, his voice thick. “The best part, no matter what. I’m so sorry for what happened tonight.”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“It wasn’t yours, either.” Sirius kissed the top of his forehead once before giving him a squeeze and going to the other side of the car. “I’m sure Hattie will agree with me once we’re home.”

Two hours, one hot shower, and thirty minutes of puppy cuddles later, Remus curled up against Sirius’ ribs and felt his chest rise and fall under his palm. “I love you,” he said quietly.

Sirius let out a slow breath and entwined their fingers, kissing the inside of his wrist. “Love you more.”

“Love you most.”

“Impossible.”

He could hear Sirius’ smile, even in the darkness of their bedroom, and fell asleep to the steady sound of his heartbeat.

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kanohivolitakk · 3 years ago

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Miserix!

YOOO I was hoping someone would send me Miserix for the ask game. He's one of my favorite characters ever since I was a wee lass yet I almost never talk about him for one reason or another. So this is good opportunity to give my Miserix related thoughts.

Content warning for suicide mention in one of the last points btw.

For starters, I find Miserix to be a rather interesting character. This is due to his backstory of being the disgraced former leader of Makuta who was overthrown by Teri and being exiled, desiring. Miserix has this...certain aura of intrigue and mystery due has this...aura of mystery and superiority surrounding him. He isnt a mysterious character by any stretch of imagination, but he def has a vibe of mystery to him.

I love his design so much...Hes a big large dragon with such a kickass design, can you say no to that. I also love how he was designed by a 12 year old girl.

Speaking of...CAN I JUST SAY I LOVE HOW MISERIX CANONICALLY HAS HIS DEFAULT FORM BEING A GIANT RED DRAGON BECAUSE HE FEELS THAT WILL GIVE HIM A SENSE LF SUPERIORITY (+ he likes dragons and feels comfortable in being a dragon form as such). This is why I love this dragon man so much, talk about a chad.

One of the reasons Miserix sticks with me is because of him being one of the few truly neutral characters in the series. Like sure he is a big angry dragon who hates Teridax and wants it all to be destroyed but I don't necessarily think he's evil per say, just someone whose mind was warped by revenge (and even if youd count him as a villain hes different from most other villains). Helps a lot that the object of his revenge was the main villain by say.

Him being an angry dragon who wants revenge is so fucking cathartic and I love it. Since like, sometimes you just want to go apeshit at those who hurt you, ya know. You Miserix, kill Terry like you want to!! Again what a chad!!!

Miserix is one of the most tragic characters in the series when you dissect him. Like, guy was loyal to his duty and mission, was betrayed by his most trusted lietnuant and then almost killed. And that betrayal and isolation degraded his mind to the point he's jusr a mindless beast who wants revenge at this point. And its so sad, especially when you wonder how much he changed due to these experiences.

Speaking of....I think about pre!exile Miserix a lot. Given how the Miserix we see in canon is...heavily affected by Teridax betrayal I wonder what he was before that. What did he value, how did he operate the Brotherhood? Was he deeply focused in his duty or did he have time for other interests and having meaningful relationships? What was his relationship with Teridax like before the latter betrayed him? What about the rest of the Brotherhood? How much did he change, did he have any values or was he just a mindless rage monster? There's so much room for interpretationand speculation and to headcanon and I love that.

The mainthing I can think of is... Pre!Exile Miserix is very driven by duty. Like, in Mutran Chronicles its made clear how he was very invested in his duty and believed in balance and order. It made him having this sense of ...goodness I guess??? Or at the very least that his arrogance was kept in check unlike the rest of the Makuta.

When I was younger I was very "UWU Miserix was good the other Makuta were evil f*cktwits who betrayed him" for a very long time but honestly rereading Mutran Chronicles made me realize that while he certainly had some kind of moral code he was messed up too (see how he convinced Takadox to act as a spy). Like, Miserix was like, lawful neutral at best (chaotic good if you want to stretch it) Def had a moral code to an extent but was not above shady actions.

Speaking of...I kiiinda ship Miserix/Takadox because of those lines that established Miserix hired Takadox to act as Barraki spy in Mutran Chronicles. Like the way Takadox looked at Miserix with concern when the Barraki were leaving the meeting w the BOM just really made me interested in their dynamic despite the fact we know NEXT TO NOTHING ABOUT IT. but the little we know gives so much potential for them to hacing a really interesting dynamic. Its a shame that Takadox yeeted off in FOF before he could interactwith his former emplyoer, it wouldve given interesting insight into the two.

I aggressively headcanon that Miserix was the first Makuta ever created, and possibly one of Mata Nuis first creations [since iirg MN created the Makuta while Great Spirits and Artakha created most of the GSR species ]

As a kid I seriously thought Miserix was a girl for a while because his name + design were kinda feminine for my child mind fsr. Because of this misconception I had of him as a child, I have ended up in headcanoning him as nonbinary (either genderfluid or bigender to be more specific, leaning towards the latter tbh). He would more or less default to he/him pronouns due to being more used to them but wouldn't mind being refered with feminine or genderneutral pronouns. That being said, he would probably be VERY against being refered with it/its pronouns due to seeing it as dehumanizing.

Also on a "baby me saw Miserix design as androgynous" I heavily hc his voice as androgynous too. Angry, low and booming yes, but in a way that doesn't sound too masculine. This is tve main reason I'm mixed on his voice in the Ignition stop motion: its too masculine for my taste (that being said the voice sounds super jnique and I always hcd Miserix having a rather unique sounding voice soo)

Break from headcanons and thoughts to say: MISERIX HAS SOME OF THE MOST BADASS LINES IN THE SERIES. So much of his lines are so badass and he def has a lot of my favorite quotes in series. Just so much confidence and badassness oozing him.

I find the fact Miserix was turned into a painting by Teridax incredibly funny. Also cant believe paintings are canon in Bionicle.

I think about post-canon Miserix a lot. Now that Teridax is dead, what now? Where would he go there? Would he still be rage-filled monster ,now just having no purpose for his rage? Or would he just wander purposlessly,feeling like theres no reason for him to exist? Regardless, there would be this emptiness... At some point Miserix whole existence became fixated on Teridax so like....When Teri died it was kinda..what then. Post canon Miserix is by far one of the more interesting post canon characters given how much it wouldve affected him. Eh, knowing how Greg writes hed either done "Miserix is driven mad/still rage filled" in the laziest way possible, come up some really stupid and convoluted thing that was out of tje blue or have him being killed off by Velika or one of his cronies instead of exploring his character in any meaninful way.

On a related note, can we talk about how its canon that in one universe Miserix loosing his purpose made him so depressed he killed himself? I think about that sometimesand just...man guy really was driven by having a duty and purpose.Again, makes me wonder what happened with prime!timeline Miserix post canon.

All in all ,Miserix is great and criminally underrated. Hes both a character thats incredibly simple(angry dragon who wants to kill Teridax) but has potential for complexity in him thanks to all the potential his story has. His story is a tragic one, being given a duty he was willing to commit to his fullest, only to be betrayed by his kind and casted away, this slowly turning him into a rage-obsessed monster we see today.Miserix is such a great and interesting character, and I wish more of the fandom paid attention to him.

#Ask game #Bonkle Meta askgame #bionicle

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obscure-sentimentalist · 4 years ago

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merlyn boys (any flavor). “This is an intricately constructed blanket fort. It’d be a shame if it went to waste.”

[...This somehow turned into nearly 1.4K of brotherly banter, and never managed to gain an actual plot.]

From the Comforting Cuddles Starters list

Old enough ‘verse

August 2012

“Tommy.”

“Mmhmm?”

“When you said you wanted to stay for the week, I was more than happy to have you, but I did stipulate that you’d need to help out a bit while I’m at work.”

There’s a faint clank of metal on teeth, then a popping noise as Tommy frees the spoon from his mouth. “And I was more than happy to comply,” he points out, waving both the spoon and the now-empty yogurt container. “See? Did a grocery run, per your request.”

“And I appreciate that,” Connor says, keeping his voice level. His gaze lifts from his brother sitting cross-legged on the living room carpet and scans over the cloth monstrosity that’s consumed his furniture. “But ‘take every sheet and blanket I own and toss them all over the place’ was definitely not one of the suggestions I had.”

Tommy points the spoon again in acknowledgement, before setting it and the yogurt on top of the paper towel on the coffee table. “No, no it was not. This was something I decided to throw in free of charge, because I am such a considerate brother. I can assure you, it’s the most beneficial thing I could possibly do for you.”

“Do enlighten me.”

“Oh, I will. Because this?” Tommy sweeps his arms dramatically over his head, grazing the heather gray flannel sheet canopied above him. “This is an intricately constructed blanket fort. It’d be a shame if it went to waste.”

“A blanket fort,” Connor repeats slowly, crossing his arms. The corners of his eyes twitch after a moment’s consideration. “Well, you’ve had stupider ideas.”

“I… am not going to deny that,” Tommy jabs his finger at Connor to punctuate, “but I do resent the implication that this counts among them. After all my hard work…” He sighs, more for dramatic effect than out of actual hurt, but otherwise doesn’t budge from his spot.

Alright, Connor’ll bite.

“So, what’s your pitch?” He steps closer, slow and careful, and stops just shy of the fort’s opening. “How is this supposed to be helpful for me? From where I’m standing, it only looks like a hassle to clean up.” Connor pauses a moment, craning his head to peer under the canopy and into the depths of the fort itself. “You better not have dismantled anything in making this, by the way.”

Tommy holds up his hand in solemn promise. “As much as assembling furniture has a way of bringing people together…”

“Tearing them apart, more like it.”

The raised hand turns into another sharp finger-point. “That only happens if you let the incoherent instructions win.” Tommy calmly lowers his hand to his side and gets them back on track. “But we don’t need to worry about that, because no bookshelves were harmed in the making of this fort. Moved some chairs and appropriated the couch cushions for other purposes, and that’s it—simple enough to put back in order.”

Connor just responds with a flat hum: accepting the conditions, but still not sold. “Again, the point of this?”

Something goes soft in Tommy’s expression, and he leans back against one of the repurposed couch cushions. “Did you ever have one of these, growing up?”

Connor has to actually take a moment and think back, brushing through the thick cluster of cobwebs that’s obscured a number of childhood memories (and which he hadn’t exactly taken measures to prevent). “We would have still been really young, both under ten,” he starts slowly, brow furrowing as the sun-faded recollections surface, “but I think Claire and I made a couple small ones in our rooms, on rainy summer days. D- Cornelius felt strongly about keeping the living room as pristine as one would look in a showroom, so our options were kind of limited.”

He can’t help the bitterness that slips into his tone at that detail, a telling depiction of the man who (in a very loose sense of the term) raised him and his preoccupation with the Rhodes family’s image.

Tommy closes his eyes and nods sagely at that. “So, about what I expected—it’s been a long time, and you never really got to enjoy the full experience.” Eyes opening once more, he spreads his arms like a showman, complete with a matching grin. “That changes now.”

While that does get Connor to crack a smile of his own and crouch down—not quite ready to duck under the blanket tent, but more receptive—Tommy still hasn’t answered his question in full. “Why now?”

The cheery entertainer’s mask falters like a buffering video, before Tommy lets it slip for good to reveal the quiet, earnest face underneath. “I know I didn’t time this trip well,” he starts, settling against the cushion to look back at Connor.

Sensing where his brother might be going with this, Connor cuts in with a hasty shake of his head. “We planned this all out well ahead of time. I took a few extra shifts last week in exchange for some of mine being covered while you’re in town.” He shrugs. “I just wasn’t able to take the full week off, and that was beyond our control.”

“Still,” Tommy is quick to fire back, “you had a week with a heavier workload, and no downtime between that and my blowing into town.” He makes a V with his fingers and flicks them between his eyes and Connor’s. “Look me in the eyes and tell me that you’re not burnt out and need a quiet evening.”

That’s a challenge if Connor’s ever heard one—especially given the truth of the accusation—and for as natural as it is for him to rise to it… maybe he’ll let his twin have this win.

(Just this once.)

“Alright, move over,” he sighs, exaggeratedly grudging, as he drops to the carpet and scoots back to join Tommy. “Like you said, could at least get some use out of it before taking it down.”

Tommy’s grin is all too smug as Connor settles in the fort, but he holds his tongue and instead reaches for a small bucket of beer bottles tucked to his right.

Connor’s eyebrows shoot to his hairline as Tommy rolls back to center and offers up one of the two beers in his hand. “Pretty sure this isn’t part of the usual blanket fort experience.”

“It’s an adaptation,” Tommy amends, passing the bottle and opener. “If this were truer to form, we’d have a much more expansive—and probably structurally unsound—fort on our hands.” He purses his lips in the facial equivalent of a shrug, accepting the bottle opener from Connor and popping the cap on his own beer. “I decided to go for something more sophisticated, better suited to us in our advanced age.”

Connor comes uncomfortably close to discovering how it feels to shoot beer out of his nose, but manages to avoid it with a hasty swallow. “You. Sophisticated. Right,” he ekes out, voice strained as he clears his throat of rogue alcohol.

Tommy meets that comment with a friendly shove. “And here I was going to leave you the honor of naming our beautiful fort.”

“It gets a name, now?” Another deep cough, and Connor turns towards his brother with an eyebrow arched in suspicion. “What, are we going to spend the night hanging out in Fort Kickass, or something equally refined?”

Tommy’s face goes disconcertingly contemplative at that. “I think I just changed my mind.”

“Wait, no…”

“I mean, I had ideas, but look at you, Connie, coming up with a real winner right away!”

“That was a— !”

Tommy definitively cuts off Connor’s rebuttals by hoisting his beer and shooting Connor a pointed glance. “To Fort Kickass, and an evening of just chilling.”

As chagrined as he is that the name sarcastically thrown out is going to stick, it just doesn’t feel right for Connor to leave his brother hanging.

“To Fort Kickass,” he finally agrees as he lifts his own bottle, “and to looking out for each other when we need it most.”

Connor can’t fight the smile that comes to his face at the approving clink of their glasses, especially when he sees it mirrored back at him on Tommy’s.

#obscure-sentimentalist writes sometimes #merlyn boys #tommy merlyn #connor rhodes

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bonkers-4-hatter · 5 years ago

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Barry Allen X !Fat Reader - A Flash Of Love Ch.2

---

"(Y/N)...(Y/N)..."

You vaguely heard your name being called, but only snuggled into the warmth of whatever was wrapped around your plush form. Before you could lull back to your dream land filled with fantasies that you wished were real, a soft nudge to your forehead busted that dream.

"Ah, there she is!" Your eyes blinked open, sleep still calling you, but that damn nudging was getting on your nerves. Bleary eyes focused upon the culprit: Barry.

With a huge grin on his face, he held out his hand for you. Needless to say, you were surprised at the sweet gesture; not having been shown this kind behavior from a man before. Shrugging the blanket off yourself, you grasped Barry's warm hand and stood up.

Your legs were a little wobbly from sitting so long that getting out of the aisle was a bit of an issue, but thankfully Barry noticed and helped you out. With his hand still holding onto your smaller one and wrapping his other one around your soft waist.

Once free and in the somewhat spacious plane aisle, Barry still held onto you, as you sent him a smile in thanks. It was a cute and sweet moment, until a throat cleared making you both jump away from each other as if you were caught doing something you weren't.

Glancing up, Bruce stood there, arms crossed with a brow raised and behind him stood Diana who just had a wide grin on her face, her eyes darting between Barry and yourself.

"Now that the googly eyes have stopped, let's get down to business."

Your cheeks flushed at his words, your eyes gliding up to Barry's face, seeing he was in the same state as you right now.

Bruce and Diana started out as Barry and yourself followed, silence hanging in the air like some disease. Walking down the stairs of the plane, the sun shined and beat against your skin, waking you up fully as you made your way to the car.

"Sorry if I made it awkward back there," Barry followed in step with you, walking right beside you. "I tend to do that... a lot actually, you know, that might be my other superpower." Laughing, you shook your head.

"Trust me, the only one who made it awkward was Bruce and his serious face."

The speedster laughed at your words and nodded. "Wouldn't be the Batman if he wasn't always wearing the serious face." He breathed out just as you got to the car. You wanted to say something witty and funny, but with Bruce right in front of you; you didn't want to chance it because if he heard, you'd get a personal butt kicking from the Dark Knight.

"After you, milady." Barry bowed down, swooping his hand across the air, presenting the open door to you. Giving a curtsy to your "Red Knight" per se, you climbed into the car, seating yourself on the far left side.

Barry slid in right after you and plopped himself down beside you as he slammed the door shut. You could feel the warmth of his side as it brushed against your soft one gently; the feeling sending a shiver up your spine.

To your left, Diana was seated next to Bruce as they shared a glass of what looked like wine. Of course Bruce still liked the lavish scene and well, you knew Diana enjoyed a nice glass of wine once in a while. "Here," Her voice cut through the silent air as she presented two glasses of the same beverage she and Bruce were enjoying.

"Can't forget you two, now can we?" A smile played on the hero's lips.

Barry cleared his throat and accepted the two glasses. "Of course not, who else is going to liven things up while we're here?" Diana chuckled as she took a sip from her glass and turning back to Bruce to continue their conversation. The glass of sweet looking white wine was suddenly in your face, your chubby hands grasping the thin, glass stem.

"Cheers," Turning to Barry in your seat, you left the glass lifted as you waited for Barry to finish. "Cheers to making new friends, my first time on a private plane, fancy wine and actually getting to meet someone who isn't brooding all the time to socialize with." Grinning at his speech, you both clinked glasses and took a sip – the sweet wine sliding down your throat, the taste making you smile, but then again, that was also due to Barry's face when he drank his glass. His face scrunched up in mild disgust, as he took a bigger sip than intended.

"You know," You started, taking a tiny sip to prove your point. "Wine is usually for sipping, not for chugging...just a heads up speedy." Barry scoffed, scooting closer to you. Your legs were flushed against each other's at this point.

"Speedy, huh?"

"I mean, if you can come up with another name, by all means, please do."

"Alright, you're on (Y/N), how about we make this a little bit interesting?"

Finishing off your wine, you were feeling good, the awkwardness gone as you looked up at Barry who had a playful grin on his face.

"How exactly do you mean by making it a little bit interesting?" Before he answered you, he handed you his glass of wine which you gratefully took. With both of his hands free, he shrugged, placing his hands on his knees, the side of his hand was gently rubbing against the side of your knee as he repeatedly rapped his fingers against his. He most likely didn't notice, but that was fine.

"How about if I come up with another, much better name, I take you out for a night on the town – dinner, dancing, crime fighting, whatever you want to do, how does that sound?"

The offer was wonderful – a chance to hang out with Barry, getting to know him and the fact that he even wanted to take you out was great. You've been so busy with work and traveling with Diana that the thought of actually having a legitimate relationship was so farfetched to you, it seemed like a dream.

But, looking up at Barry's silly grin, you thought that maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't be a dream. Sticking your hand toward him to seal the deal, he shook your soft hand with a wide grin, like he won the greatest prize on Earth. "You got yourself a deal... speedy."

"Okay," Barry tapped his chin in thought. "Now to think of the best superhero name ever for a once in a lifetime chance to take a pretty girl out on a date... no pressure at all." His ramblings were adorable honestly and he was taking this little deal so serious; it was interesting to see it all unfold in front of your eyes.

As the car came to a stop, you glanced out the window, seeing unfamiliar surroundings, tall buildings, bustling streets and the annoyance of blaring car horns. The car door opened, the driver ushering you all out, Barry slid out with ease, offering his hand to you to help you. Once outside and still holding onto the speedsters hand, you took in the large building in front of you.

"Welcome to Gotham City." Diana's cheerful voice brought you out of your gawking as you glanced over your bosses face, a knowing smile playing on her lips as her eyes darted down to yours and Barry's intertwined hands.

Your little group headed into the fancy hotel, Barry still holding onto your hand while looking around in wonder at the grandness of it all, well, you weren't any better, your eyes darting around like a child in a candy store. Of course you've stayed in nice hotels before since you traveled for work with Diana a lot, but this... this was on a whole different level. Glittering, crystal chandeliers lining the ceiling as if they were a mere party decorations. The walls you swore were painted in gold and silver itself and the décor put everything you've even known about interior design to shame.

"If you two keep gawking, your jaws might fall off." Bruce's deep voice boomed against all the chattering happening around you as it brought you out of your slack-jawed state.

"They looked so cute like that though." Diana's words brought a flush to your cheeks. Bruce only raised a brow at Diana who just shrugged, keeping her smile on her face as usual.

"Anyways," He handed out separate room keys before continuing. "Here's everyone's room keys, numbers are on the back." Flipping yours over, the numbers '549' were etched onto the expensive looking plastic that was lined with a fancy black design.

"We meet up with the rest of the league in the morning, tonight, rest or explore the city, whatever you'd like to do, but remember to always have your guard up." With those words, he was walking away, but what did you expect from brooding Bruce in the first place. With the three of you still standing around the lavish lobby, you felt Barry finally let go of your hand.

"If you'll excuse me you two, I have some documents to look over before tomorrow." With a small wave, Diana went toward the elevators, but not before giving you a sly look. You just knew once you and your boss were alone tomorrow, she'd be asking for details or whatever and you weren't looking forward to it one bit. Your mind was a bit on overdrive, because what details were you going to give, was anything going to happen, would he even come up with a kickass superhero name, I mean there were too many 'what if's' in this situation.

"The Flash."

Your head snapped to the grinning speedster. "Huh?"

"The Flash," Stepping closer to your form, you could feel the heat radiating off his lithe body. Placing his hand on your shoulder, he went on.

"That's my awesome superhero name; The Flash, much, much better than speedy, don't ya think?"

You nodded at his words, the name having a certain ring to it. I mean, that's how you met him on the plane; in a flash. Yeah, it was catchy for sure. "Okay, I admit defeat," Throwing your hands up in mock defeat, your fingers grazed up his clothed abdomen lightly as you could feel the outline of his muscles, leaving a tingling sensation on your fingertips.

"That is a pretty awesome nickname Barry... I mean, Flash." You could see his cheeks light up at you saying the new superhero name out loud.

Clearing his throat, he grabbed your hand again and this time, you didn't flush up, you just smiled at the sweet gesture.

"So, since I won fair and square, how about dinner and a drink or five at the bar down the street tonight?" His thumb was running across your knuckles lightly, making a shiver go up your spine at the contact.

"Dinner and those 5 or so drinks sound great Barry, meet you right here at say, eight o'clock?"

He nodded and pulled you toward the elevator. Out of curiosity, you glanced down at his room key and silently laughed because etched onto the plastic was the number, '550'. As the elevator door closed on the both of you, your mind was reeling because now, there weren't any 'what if's' as the clock ticked closer to eight.

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talkingismylifewrites · 6 years ago

Note

babe.... bAbe..... u can’t give them the Good Dad Rog shit and the. not follow up with the hot space angst.................... it’s what the people Deserve

i copied this verbatim from our chats so like, if its choppy that’s why. also, this is like….part 1 of what is really 85 pages of hc’s all about hot space so like…more to come??? sorry for the angst

it begins with brian having cheated on chrissie

and dom, who is pregnant with baby #5, takes Offense to it

basically dom gets chrissie her divorce and sets her up with crystal, who has always had a Thing for her

and while in the middle of handling this shit because dom is kickass, dom comes to the decision that Brian Is Wrong and Needs To Be Taught A Lesson

so she convinces ronnie to her side and is like, we do not interact with brian for as long as it takes for him to realize he fucked up

so basically hot space is such shit because dom and ronnie are like for however long you support brian we will not have sex with either of you

like you want to be there for him? fine but your hands gonna be there for you instead of us

john immediately is like good luck brian hope you figure your shit out

kinda backfires actually

roger and john are like uhhhhh

well this is a shame certainly bc we love u

but also

ig we…. gotta fuck each other

Oh No

they’re so smug about it until they receive an envelope from home

its pictures of both women together in various positions

john gives in first but roger is annoyingly stubborn when he wants to be

And that’s why John don and Ronnie all get to go to Bali

they come back

And roger has moved out

and he’s like. uh. can i? am i allowed to see the kids

and they’re like wait what?

and they’re like OF COURSE WHY DID YOU MOVE OUT???

and he’s like. you uh. u said? that if i stuck with brian that we were like. done. and like brian’s a fuckhead and chrissie deserved none of what he did but uhhhhh he’s also like. my best friend and he’s going thru some shit even if it’s self inflicted u know and um. you guys have each other i guess so like i knew you’d be okay but i just.

i’d really like to be able to see the kids

and fucking miami ends up at the door

with all the NDA’s and legal shit they sorted out

like ok so, here’s how separation is going to work

and they’re like wait no no no we just–we were just upset???

but roger is like but you threatened to end our relationship and withhold sex unless i give in to what you guys want and i’m sorry but i…i can’t do that

and miami is literally like you. you all. left. and you took the kids with you. you left a NOTE

what the fuck did u think he was going to think?

and they’re like WE TOLD HIM WHERE WE WERE

WE THOUGHT HE’D COME

miami is like

“bali” is not an invitation

like no you thought you could manipulate him into bending to your way

that doesn’t COUNT

miami is Team Roger

which is how they know They Fucked Up

and roger just kneels down before their little army of kids and gives them giant hugs and is like no matter what i will always love you guys

and then miami like takes him outside and is like i will take you all for everything he’s owed

and roger goes and lives with freddie

brian ofc has NO IDEA any of this is even fucking happening

maybe thats when roger starts The Cross

and its all angsty heartbroken shit and Johns like HE’S QUIT THE BAND

and the three of them are like shit

we do not work together without roger

miami ends up being like the weird go between who picks up the kids for their weekends with roger

and they beg miami for information

and miami is like you do not deserve to know how he is

and crystal is like look, i get that you’re supporting my girlfriend but now you’ve hurt my best friend and my boss like…do you understand how your actions have fucked me???

and roger isn’t really? doing well? but he also know he can’t afford to fall apart because if he goes to shit there’s an excuse for him to not be able to see the kids???? and like he doesn’t wanna think they’d do that??? but he only has legal rights to like. three of them.

and the thought of never getting to see all of his kids keeps him up at night and he spends a lot of time drinking

like a lot a lot

and he writes all the kids letters from where he’s holed up working on the cross and he makes it sound like hes! doing! so! well! on! his! own!

the kids get little gifts delivered? like all the time

bc he’s always thinking of them and he has the money to just.. send them trinkets

ugh ok so they’re separated for a while then like. just under a year maybe?

rog moves out of fred’s after two months

when it becomes apparent that uh

this isn’t

he gets his own little shitty house

this might be for Real

and he tries to get one with rooms for each of the kids

and when they come to visit he’s like look here’s something for you and bunkbeds for the twins that aren’t twins and a pool and maybe we can get a dog?

but the kids just want to pile into bed with him

but one of them like is crying? and john’s like whats wrong? and she’s lke do you think papa is lonely in his big house who’s going to cuddle him at night he’s all alone

and johns like……….. fuck

like not only have we broken the best relationship we’ve ever been in but we have broken our children too

the kids asking roger in the big puppy pile in his bed and he’s like well i cuddle you all SO MUCH while your here that it it keeps me warm even when you go home

that why i hug you all as soon as i see you!!!! i need a top up of your love!!!! gotta keep me toastie warm :)

and freddie is a fucking liar he’s like roger is doing BETTER THAN EVER he is so FUCKING HAPPY NOW and hes like ROGER IS THIRTY FLIRTY AND THRIVING AND YOU GUYS ARE MISSING OUT ON HOW HOT HE LOOKS NOW

like POST BREAK UP HE’S TONED AND FIT AND HE LOOKS AWESOME

flash to roger sitting on the floor of the kitchen in his boxers without a shirt on just sobbing into a pint of rocky road ice cream

roger: vaguely emaciated, surviving on cigarettes and gin and tonics

he hasn’t shaved but the man can’t grow a beard so its jsut ugly patches of hair

but!!! like the other three really only see him when the kids are around and??? yeah??? he looks good!

because no one can KNOW because as far as he’s concerned they didn’t want him

like he’s dressed nicely. he’s lost a bit of weight but well he’s hit his thirties so maybe not the Worst thing even if they did Love His Pudge

and he would never ever ever scare the kids by showing them how he looks

freddie’s like oh yeah roger’s GREAT

SO BRILLIANT

and you can’t tell he doesn’t sleep and has massive bags under his eyes because that is the dawn of the prescription sunglasses

TRIED TO HAVE HIM AROUND FOR SCRABBLE THE OTHER DAY BUT HES JUST GO GO GO THESE DAYS

freddies like you should hear the songs he’s written like that stuff is GOD

(the songs are just him weeping over a guitar track)

cut to the other day: freddie and roger playing scrabble for thirteen hours in between crying jags

the next day: chess, but the pieces are shot glasses

freddie is like in bed next to jim like i dunno how much more alcohol we can drink i’m running out of ways to make him drunk enough to forget

so jim makes him garden with him bc it gets him out of the house so he even gets a TAN but they just drink SO MUCH WHISKEY

then ronnie and dom and john are like look at him he’s golden tan he looks gorgeous

but the kids are like DAD HAS A STRAWBERRY PATCH!!!! AND WE PLANTED SUNFLOWERS TOGETHER

and jim is like he’s only evenly tanned because when he passed out in the garden i rolled him over so his back would get tan too

and yeah they’re like??????????? he looks so good????

and miami lowkey thinks hes helping but he is NOTbecause every time he sees him he’s like okay we can get you think much from your combined fortunes and the beach house and i can make it so you have custody of your legal kidsroger: they’re ALL MY KIDS MIAMI

but rogers mainly like i’m not gonna separate any of the kids that’s????? no. like. they belong as a family

even if i’m not……. part of that family….. any more…….

roger is like look i just want to be able to see them. i won’t take them form their parents and miami is like roger..you’re their parent too

and roger is like no i’m just like, their uncle now?

like i’m not in that family they made i clear that i am not allowed

A N Y W A Y S

ronnie is the one who sorta caves first

she’s lke look we started this and i kinda pushed for us to end it so i’m gonna fix it

john wont bc of the band dynamics, dom is top aware that it could splinter the group back into two couples, ronnie is really the only one who can

yeah and ronnie sorta. just shows up at his house in the middle of the night

and like (luckily for him) he’s just got in from a thing for the cross

so he Doesn’t look fucking awful

but he’s also fucking exhausted so he opens the door and is like FUCK are the kids okay!!! shit!!!! dom??? john???

and ronnie’s like everyone’s fine i just. i missed you?

and roger’s like. he’s so tired he’s just like ronnie….. i can’t do this right now. you can’t. you can’t just show up here

that’s not fair.

and ronnie’s like…. well. she wasn’t sure how she was really expecting it to go because. yeah. they’re literally not been within about 50m from one another in fucking months

but she was. hoping at least for an “i miss you too”

but roger’s like. it’s really late, i’m… gonna go to bed. i really, really cannot do this right now. i’ll see the kids on friday.

and so ronnie goes home and bawls her eyes out to john and dom who are…. also kinda shook?

like. they were NOT expecting roger to turn her away like that, that’s… yeah. but like roger has been mostly by himself this whole time. like they’ve had one another but he’s. just been sorta trying to learn to keep his head above water by himself again and. it was actually a dick move showing up there unannounced. like, they basically left him with little to no warning they can’t just try and walk back in the door y’know?????

and anyway on friday miami comes to pick up the kids and ronnie is like uhhh i’m coming with

and miami is like uh. disrespectfully speaking? you fucking are not

and she’s like oh :) ur not taking my kids then

which. is just. another bad move? tbh

miami is like. right. fine. can i use ur phone to call the other father of ur children to tell him that one of their mothers won’t let him see them

and ronnie is like go right a fuckin head

and dom and john are sorta there like ronnie ronnie wtf are u doing ronnie

but ronnie’s like nah i’m calling his (miami’s) bluff

and dom is like no, uh, roger can have the kids

but. miami calls

and ronnie is like not mine he can’t its all or nothing

he’s stood there in their parlour

and like obviously they can only hear his side of the conversation

dead eyeing ronnie like i fucking hold this band together out of sheer will

i can outlast you no matter what

Miami: Hi Rog, Miami. Yeah, yeah, the kids are fine. I’m at your old place right now, actually. No, yeah. No. Well, actually, Rog. Veronica says you can’t have the kids this week. No, she didn’t say anything to me about it before. No, no. I’m sorry, Rog. I know, I’m so sorry. She hasn’t said anything about next week yet. Yeah. Yeah. It’s alright, it’ll be alright. We’ll work something out. I’ll come right around, okay? Alright. Okay. I’ll let them know. Yeah, I promise. Just like you said. Won’t change a word. See you in a bit.

and ronnie is like what did he want you to say to us?!!!!

and miami just straight up blanks her and dom and john

and walks into the living room where the kids are, all ready to go

and is like hey rugrats!

(which is totes rogers nickname for them)

and they’re all like!!!! uncle miami!!!!! are we going to see papa now???

Veronica is like ho don’t you fucking say it

and he’s like i’m really sorry guys (and ronnie goes to interrupt but he stops her) but daddy has the flu

and the kids are like!!!! oh no!!!!

and he’s like so you can’t go see him this week :( he’s really really upset about it, and he HOPES he’ll be better next week because he misses all his little nuggets so much

and the eldest is like???? but!!!! our hugs keep daddy warm!!! if he’s sick he needs to be warm he can’t be cold!!! who’s going to recharge his cuddles???

and miami is like well he said if you all hug each other reaaaaally right he can feel it! so long as you all keep giving each other lots of hugs he’ll keep tight and cosy

and he goes to leave and is like to the three of them like…. i cannot believe that you are actually doing this. i didn’t know you could be so cruel

and off he trots

and ronnie is like. fuck

fuck

FUCK

and the other three would be like ronnie what…what the fuck was that???

they end up having…. a huge fight over it

like giant

like “hi chrissie can you take the kids for a couple of days” fight

and chrissie is like uh…. i can take a few? but crystal is. away

work emergency

and johns like????? queens on a break????????????

and dom’s like???? ROGER, JOHN. ROGER IS THE EMERGENCY

so they’re like trying to find babysitters so they can fight it out but also maybe go to roger???

because the work emergency is code for roger is trying to destroy himself via alcohol poisoning

like miami knows the second he hung up that roger as going to just drown himself in whisky

so he used a payphone to call freddie and crystal

and is like i don’t care what you have to do or how you do it but you need to be at roger’s yesterday

but brian isn’t looking after their fucking kids

freddie isn’t home

and jim has heard what they did

and hes like that was fucking cruel

crystal isn’t home

miami is gone

fucking RATTY doesn’t pick up

phoebe straight up was like freddie told me if i watched hte kids he’d kill me

he was like i am not even allowed to be speaking with you thank you and goodnight

so they call mary and they’re like please mary

and mary is like as far as i’m concerned if you’re that worried about roger watching his own fucking children i do not know why you would call me as the better option

like fuck you you think roger can’t be with his kids and now you want to DUMP THEM ON ME??? “and anyway, i’m just stopping at home for the booze i have here. we’ve all been banned from the liquor stores with in a ten mile radius of…… a place.”

eventually they manage to scrounge enough family members on john and ronnie’s respective sides

but it. genuinely takes like over a day

everyone is either straight up just not answering or, if they are at home, not willing to step in

[meanwhile miami is on the fucking warpath he is like you wanna play chicken? i’ll roast you for dinner VERONICA he’s writing up a custody agreement so tight it will tie them up in court for years like he sits down at roger’s kitchen table while roger is profusely vomiting up all the alcohol he had and then some and he’s like they’re gonna fucking pay

he’s getting the kids and the houses and over half the money and the royalties and here is a list of available bass players because HE GETS THE BAND TOO]

but yeah john ronnie and dom end up having a giant, fuck off, end all fight

and dom is like. u realise we just took his fucking kids away right

and johns like for fuck sake chrissie is FINE do you really think she wanted me to tank my career and for all of us to blow up our entire family because of her????

but the problem is. it’s BIGGER than the chrissie thing now

johns like she knew what she was getting into and she knew he was a cheater when they were fuckign dating

but really it was like, six different fights that all boiled over in the name of Chrissie’s Honor and then

the biggest thing is that like,

when they were in bali

they did fully think roger would come

and but then he didnt and the spent 3 weeks getting angrier and angrier at the situation and him and brian and it spiraled into this black ugly mess of shit

and they didn’t realize how vital roger was to keeping them together like he’s the fun dad so the kids have been acting out more becasue he’s not there to get them to blow off steam

(plus like, the kids just lost their dad??? like he doesn’t live there anymore he’s at a different house and that is big)

and he’s the peace keeper (surprising despite his tempter but everyone else like stews he’s the only one who’s like lets talk it out)

and he makes them all coffee in the morning so they’re all vaguely caffeine deprived

and now ronnie has fucked it all TWICE first by showing up and then by TAKING HIS KIDS and dom was like when we had baby#2 and it was clearly rogers we promised him we SWORE that he would never ever ever take them away from him

like we said that as long as he was their papa that was IT he was their father and we would never ever take that from him

and ronnie’s like i didn’t MEAN IT he should KNOW I WOULD NEVER MEAN THAT

and johns like. ok. but uh. how would he know

i mean. we sorta

did take his kids away from him

when we went to bali

when we went to bali for a month

and again

and then

now

five days of the week

and now?

i mean

we have been… slowly taking the kids away from him

three weeks ago we made him give them back a day early so that we could do to the beach

bc we could only do it…. as a family…. on the weekend

and then two of the little ones (one of which is his) was sick and we kept them home

because. him seeing his kids is inconvenient to us

and we had them on the actual day of his birthday

which you know is his favorite day of the year because the kids make him breakfast in bed and wake him up singing happy birthday

so. us just pulling the plug isn’t… really all that unrealistic is it?

and dom and ronnie sort of get defensive and backing each other up

dom is like no!! we have NOT!!

and ronnie like how dare you

and johns like. ok. but see this is the problem

this was the problem in bali too

like its us vs. him

we all get caught up in defending ourselves

when he’s NOT HERE TO DEFEND HIMSELF

that everything we do seems right

and he should… just be grateful?

to have us?

to see the kids?

and that we have proven that if he doesn’t agree with us he doesn’t haveus?

like originally it was just sex yeah

but then it was clear that you wouldnt budge

and neither would he and why should he have brian has been there for him longer than he’s even known me

like brian is terrible for cheating but he’s roger’s brother and we literally made him choose his family and when he wouldn’t

we chose for him

and, as we’ve established, chrissie is FINE

and a grown woman

and roger knew that better than any of us because crystal was filling him in on EVERYTHING

she probably didn’t fucking need the two of you, and then me, ripping apart our family, the band, and the various social circles we run in

or even WANT us to do that

and dom’s like……. i really miss him

i’ve been trying really hard not to

bc it’s easier to be angry

and i didn’t want it to seem like i love him more than you guys

because i know it can be hard sometimes like not falling into those couple-y behaviours

and i didn’t want to do that

but i really really miss him

but like, roger is my first

he is my first real love and i love you both so much but he’s my roger

and. it’s been really hard watching [youngest] hit milestones and rogers not here to see them

(and they tried to be nice and send videos and pictures but its not the same!!

so they just stopped telling him hoping that the kid would do it there and roger would think it was the first time

but that just made roger feel like they didn’t care enough about him

to be like oh hey your kid’s walking sucks that you had to learn form the older kid insead of the other parents)

and dom’s like. and it’s made worse because. he wouldn’t have let this happen if it was one of us

and john is like. uh

and ronnie’s like fuck. no. ur right. he wouldn’t have

dom’s like. right back at the beginning he was always saying that he’d make sure we were all involved in the kids lives no matter what that this wouldn’t happen he wouldn’t let it

and we did it to him

and ronnie is like. how the fuck do we fix this

bc shit like that. like their youngest hitting milestones???? like that feels like something they stole from him bc they can’t give that back

for like the first time john actually cries

and is like what have we done

and yeah. the fight just sorta ends with all three of them in tears and just. sort of silent

because maybe that was the biggest issue

because. what the fuck

because chrissie was pregnant and maybe dom was pregnant and they were like imagine this was us

and we got cheated on

and so when the whole Bali Thing happens the kid is like maybe 6 months?

so roger genuinely misses over half of this kids life

and kidlet just. doesn’t have the same bond with him???

because there’s so little you can be there for when you get every weekend

and roger knows

but the other three don’t because they haven’t seen him with the kids?

but the kid just cries the whole weekend and wants his “daddy”

kidlet isn’t really comfy around roger and neither, really, is their second youngest who is withdrawing

and roger is just like???? these are my KIDS

and the second youngest is roger’s

and i’m a STRANGER to them

and he tries so hard! but the other problem is like, we have so many kids

and i am one person

like he is stretched so thin

so he can only do so much like if hte baby is crying he has to take care of the baby sorry oldest ones i can’t go play outside with you

and the three of them just realize, like, what have we done???

cut to roger’s house he’s just lying on the floor not even crying just laying there his bedroom is ruined because he hung up with miami and just trashed it

and is laying on his floor like i want to die here

john calls while the Roger Stomach Pumping Emergency Squad are on day three of their duties

and crystal picks up which is. it’s not the BEST he could have hoped for, which would have been freddie, but it’s the second best bc crystal still nominally works for him

(crystal is like i’m gonna fucking quit like i will take the cross to the NEXT LEVEL even if i have to KILL JOHN TO DO IT)

and johns like ok this is. i’m just calling to say that i’m going to come around tomorrow? i’ll be there are 12. i’m not asking for permission, but i’m just calling to give you a heads up. to give roger a heads up

and so. they uh. sober roger up. do their best to make him somewhat presentable? (does not work. he refuses to shave or shower or get changed out of his Depression Pajamas. he swills some mouthwash, they call it a win)

(depression pajamas are john’s pants and the joke shirt ronnie and dom bought him for his birthday years ago thats like save a drum bang a drummer)

and then. they go upstairs, just leaving miami downstairs except he’s Not Allowed To Talk

he is there, strictly, as roger’s legal representation

miami just holds all the papers for legal divorce and separation the papers that are going to FUCK THEM UP if roger says so

and john shows up and he’s like. oh. um. this isn’t. this isn’t really a legal talk?????? and miami is like yes well y’all do have a history of Technical Kidnapping so

can’t be too careful 🙃

and roger just. doesn’t give a shit

he’s like miami can you shut the fuck up

like what the fuck do you think johns going to do that’s worse than break up with me and refuse to let me see my kids?

what, have you all gangbanged my mum too? just for a giggle?

and john is like. uh. no. winnie is. un-gangbanged. as far as i know.

and rog is like well there you go, everything appears to be Just As Shit as it was yesterday and no worse

and johns like look. i just. ronnie honestly didn’t mean that you couldn’t see the kids, not at all. she just. she just wanted to see you and the kids were… leverage? sort of? which sounds awful

and roger is like. yeah. that sounds pretty fucking awful, actually

and he’s like where’s my alcohol and miami is like as your legal representative and your medical emergency contact i must advise you not to drink anymore as i do not believe your liver will survive

(miami [visibly jots down john calling the children leverage])

but yeah rogers like. well. here i fucking am.

and johns like. this is all. it’s all fucked up. we love you? we never stopped loving you? this has all spiralled way out of control. the girls were just mad about chrissie and

and roger is like?? do u think i give a FUCK about chrissie???? none of this was EVER about chrissie on my side. this was about the three of you deciding that our relationship with acceptable fucking collateral for you to throw about to win arguments and get me to do what you wanted

[miami in the corner scribbling it all down]

that’s now how relationships fucking work, john. and i never thought you’d take my children away from me for it.

and johns like. i know. i’m sorry, we’re sorry. it honestly just grew out of control. when we were in bali we thought you would come and then it would have been fine, but you didn’t and we got angry and

and rogers like?!! i didn’t do what u wanted so you ran away with my children for a month

i couldn’t have come even if i WANTED to

“gone to bali” is not a fucking address, john

(and the thing is when they wrote that? it was tongue in cheek. it was a “come find us”. but, well. that didn’t work out as intended, did it?)

like they thought of course roger would like, call miami to find them or hell ratty or something like they all have the same credit cards they could figure it out…right?

and johns like. i’m sorry. can you. would you be…. interested? in talking to all three of us? we love you, and we miss you. we want to try and save this

and roger is like i dont know

i don’t know if it can be saved

and well. that’s enough to get a foot in the door because. his kids. roger would grin and bear his way thru 16 and a half years of painful awkwardness on his part of it means he gets to be with his kids as they grow

but he’s not saying yes

he’s saying he’ll talk to all three of them together

but miami will be there

and miami is like 💅

and so they set a date for the next monday

and this time roger is wearing like. a fucking suit, he’s all scrubbed up

and they’re like???????? what the fuck

(john totally went home and told the other three how terrible he looked)

but this time like. it’s…. it’s make or fucking break like if they walk out of this and he can’t see it being salvaged then… that’s it

he’ll be giving them the (kindest) separation and custody agreement’s that miami has drawn up

miami has like three all drawn up and ready depending on how it goes

one is niceish one is harsher and the last is scourged earth

nice: they get half his assets, he gets friday evening-sunday afternoon and ¾ of all school holidays

harsh: ¼ assets (minus property and future royalty income from existing tracks), friday afternoon school pick up- sunday evening, and all school holidays apart from three days beginning and end, weekends, and potentially visitation right son Public Holidays (such as christmas day)

scourged earth: ½ present cash assets (nothing else), friday afternoon pick up - Tuesday morning drop off, all school holidays minus weekends (excepting public holidays. so if xmas day falls on a sunday? too fucking bad)

miami is like i will wipe the board with you if he asks and i will not hesitate

and he WILL be going to court to attempt to win rights to have ALL of the children involved in those custody agreements (miami thinks they have a case given how many interviews they’ve given over the years referencing how the children view each other as brother and sister)

plus there’s like squatter’s/commonlaw rights

yeah basically miami is. uh ready to destroy

like roger is the common law parent because he has lived with these kids in that house for 7 years

roger’s one request was just can i have enough to buy a house big enough for all the kids to come visit and can i just see them? like even if its once a month i just want to see them

miami is like i gotchu fam you’re my favorite tell the others

BUT YES SO roger is like i’m really just here to see if there’s anything to salvage.

and like

dom immediately bursts into tears

she hasnt seen him in person since he LEFT

and because??? how could there not be??????????

dom is willing to give ANYTHING to fix it

and ronnie is like. horrified. she keeps going to reach across the table to hold his hand before catching herself

and she starts. she apologised for what happened the other day, for crossing that line

and rogers like… it’s been coming for a while now

because he always knew one day the kids would stop coming

like either they wouldn’t let him see them

or the kids wouldn’t want to come see the guy who was once their dad but now just has his own home

like the two youngest already don’t want him

so it makes sense

yeah.

and dom’s like… do you still love us?

because i still love you

and rogers like. i. i could never stop loving any of you???? but i also cant ever forget the past year and the things that have happened either

That’s what makes it hurt the most is like I still love you?? I will always love you you’re the mothers of my children and John you’re their father like you’re raising my kids

and johns like well. love is a start, yes?

and roger’s like. yes. but i love my kids more, and. i spent the last year hoping we were just… going to work it out. that this was going to stop, but it hasn’t. it’s got worse. and i suppose it’s a good thing that you did what you did last week because instead of the kids being slowly taken away from me and me having to accept it over time, it happened all at once and i can’t take that. i Won’t take that again. and so now i know that if this isn’t going to work out that i am Going to have a relationship with my kids, if i have to fight you all in the courts for it

and ronnie’s like we’re not? we’re not going to fight you

and miami that sneaky bastard pulls out the SCORCHED EARTH custody agreement and is like so you’ll sign this?

and dom’s like what the fuck is it?????? and he’s like custody agreement. in the event of your separation from roger, dominique, and/or his departure from the home you share with john and veronica he would be entitled, by contract, to have the children (ALL OF THEM, those children being those who were born between 1974 and 1983) from friday school pick up to tuesday morning school drop off, and the entirety of school holidays apart from weekends.

and johns like fuck. that’s. a lot of time

and roger is like? i haven’t had all of the children together in over a month

and ronnie is like fuck. you haven’t, have you? there’s been….

and miami picks up another piece of paper and starts listing off reasons

Because he’s been picking them up and dropping them off and every single time one of them isn’t there he writes it down

dentist appointment, flu, stomach bug, school trip, trip to the beach “as a family”

They watch a roger visibly flinches at the “as a family” comment

and dom just signs it. plucks it right out of johns hand who is trying to read it (or the first page) and flips to her page and signs

and johns like fuck!! dom!!!

and she’s like. roger wouldn’t ask us to sign anything that would be detrimental to the kids OR to us

we used to fucking know that, john

She’s like Roger is their father first and foremost and he has the right to as much time as he wants from them. If they miss us I will PERSONALLY but them their own phone line to call us but he gets as much time as he wants with them

and like. john and ronnie aren’t going to sign, not without their lawyer there to check it out, but. that sign from dom? is enough to get roger to agree to try

to agree that maybe there’s something to salvage there

Even if it’s just with dom

Because she was like I have faith in this man and I do not plan on ever losing him again so I’ll sign anything because it’ll never come down to it

Yeah because. well. he can live with that if it means he gets his kids

he can live with knowing that he’s not wholly Wanted in this relationship

if he’s… wanted a little bit and he gets to watch his kids grow up every day

it’s 16 and a half years

that’s doable

He will do what he needs to for his kids

he loves those rugrats so fucking much

he stays at home SO MUCH for the next like. year. bc he is BUILDING that relationship with the youngest two

Like the rest of the break? Is because roger will not leave the house

He is like nope not working I’m with the nuggets

And Freddie is like bring them to the studio just come

Like it’s just him with the kiddos

Writing and trying to get his babies to love him again

And he’s like I’m never leaving you ever again

That first tour? Is ROUGH

like it is hard for roger to leave and he almost is like I can’t do it I can’t leave them what if they forget me again??

Which just adds to the angst because they did that to him

they made him doubt that his kids really love him

so then like, fast forward six-eight months???

oh my god even when they get back together? and get comfy with one another to start having sex again (which takes A WHILE) roger is suddenly. really adamant about using condoms

ugh he’d be sneaky about the condom thing at first too. like. he distracts them? clever fingers, clever mouth, encouraging them to help each otherlike it takes. a Distressing amount of time before finally dom is like I Want You To Fuck Meand that’s when That Whole Thing goes down

she’s like c'mon like how we used to

and roger is like uhhhhh i can’t do that

because you might get uh, pregnant

and the other three can’t think of anything better like yes this will reunite us

an roger can’t think of anything worse because the thought of losing another baby?? he wouldn’t, uh, he wouldn’t survive that

and they’re like????? look if u slept with someone else like. ok that…. hurts. but. get tested and if ur clean it’s fine

and rogers like. no

that’s not the problem

dom has straight up a breakdown about it when she realises what the issue is

because roger is GOOD with kids

roger LOVES babies

but he’s like i do not want to have babies with you because i cannot guarantee that you won’t take the baby from me again

and roger is just sitting here uncomfortable

while dom weeps and john and ronnie are like what the uck is going on

but. he’s not. he’s not comfortable? this doesn’t feel like a family he’s

building for keeps anymore

not really

it feels like something that can, might, will be taken away

he’s like look we can call it what we want but i get it i’m here for sex

and that’s great!! i love sex!! but i’m not going ot risk it

and the baby starts crying and roger sorta. automatically goes to get up before being like. oh. uh. it’s probably better if one of you goes. she. she’s not comfortable around me, she won’t settle if i go in

its not fair to the kids (because that’s who he’s really messed up over)

like they were so upset and it’s not fair to have them have to like, be separated form their homes and from their parents

roger is just so natural around the kids?

like u honestly wouldn’t even notice that he’d been gone

he slips right back in

he’s a bit distant for a few days, learning the new routines, new schedules, new favourites, new dislikes

but once he’s got it? he’s back in there

but just. flinching away from the casual touches that pass between the four of them

so later dom fucks john and forgets a condom and has a pregnancy scare

and roger is like. weirdly……. fine

and dom is like??????? what the hell ur ok with this??? if i am pregnant?

and roger is like…… i haven’t decided yet

and dom’s like wtf do u mean? and he’s like. it would be a dick move of me to just leave ig. so perhaps we could separate but i’d stay living here in a separate room from the three of you?

and ronnie is like? those are the only two options for you

we’ve been back together for like eight months

and rogers like? and we were separated for over a year

i’m still not sure if this is real

AND THEN

freddie calls john one night like. a month or so after the condom revelation (which they’ve all been. sorta sadly going along with? like it ruins the mood a little bit each time bc it’s a reminder that something’s a little bit broken here), and is like. look. i. i really shouldn’t be telling you this? but i think he’ll end up regretting it because i. god knows WHY but i have faith that you guys are all gonna pull thru this. but rog’s munich trip next week for the cross? yeah he’s booked in for a vasectomy.like he wouldn’t say anything because he doesn’t want them to make it a Big Deal

and they’re SO UPSET but they’re like we can’t tell him not to because…if he wants to, he wants to

So when he comes back from munich

they think he had a vasectomy

John is like how does one check for that?? Does his penis look different???

Does his sperm taste different?? How would we know???

but one night he just goes to ronnie Just bends her right over and is like let’s do this and it’s the hottest sex they’ve had

like they have INSANELY HOT SEX and they’re all. laying there. happy and sated. rog is curled up in the middle super asleep and the three of them are just all wide awake staring at the ceiling like huh. what feels weird

and then they realize and they’re like he didn’t use a condom so that means…..

and then they just PANIC

Like ROGER

ROGER YOUR CONDOM

and he’s like oh my godddd shut up i’ve gotta be up for swimming lessons in like. five hours oh my god

and ronnie is like maybe he did maybe he didn’t but like YES YOUR SWIMMERS ARE THE ISSUE RIGHT NOW

THEY MIGHT BE SWIMMING

IN ME

ROGER

and roger is like is…that a problem???

and like they’re panicked bc!!!! he REALLY didn’t want any more kids!!!! they don’t wanna fuck with that they’re finally in a good place again!!!!!

and roger is like, sorry, guess i should have talked to you guys about having another kid???

but ye he’s. secure again. and their youngest is like. older now. he misses babies. and also miami still got all the old paperwork

and they’re like wait….so you didn’t get the vasectomy???

and roger is like lol no

so like, oops, ronnie, you uh, might be uh…pregnant

and they all just sort of fall on top of him because while they’re still not perfect

it’s a start

they have like, five more kids afterwards

also

veronica, the trooper, still having fucking babies into the mid 90s

god bless her

Veronica’s uterus is the real MVP

#hit me up if you want the other 85 pages lol #john/veronica/roger/dominique #John Deacon #roger taylor #dominique beyrand #veronica tetzlaff #caro writes #hot space angst #answered asks

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sole-cuore-amore-e-droga · 6 years ago

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Tel Aviv 2019: Straight outta Romania to Eurovision with an edgy plea for a return of special someone

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To be honest, I wasn’t that on board with Selecția Națională 2019, like, at all. I get that scandals happened and three songs withdrew from the comp. at various stages due to various reasons, but Romania is just Romania to me somehow. Well there were a few overall gems (some of them out of the finals too), but I just couldn’t be bothered to waste my Sunday evenings on a single broadcast of it. Plus, I was never that swayed by the two big fanwanks from here anyway, so I’m glad they flopped lol.

But maaaan did I have a bone to pick with the people reacting to it. Especially towards the Wiwi jurors. Look, there’s such a thing called as “song growing on you” and “performance elevating the song”, as well as the one that goes “getting over it”. Surely these aren’t make belief concepts of life, hmm? I’m not one of those people who prefer a song more or less thanks to its performance, but there are some good ones that occasionally change my opinion on a song, especially a ‘boring’ one! And thanks to those terrible people, some of Wiwibloggs videos were unfairly attacked with dislikes, and mind you, not only on the Romanian NF interviews that don’t have the current Romanian subject of choice, no - both first-reaction-after-qualifying-to-A-Dal-2019-final interviews (that were of these two) too. And it’s not even the first time a televote winner doesn’t win the NF so you should have SHUT. THE FUCK. UP. (- Penn Jilette) Clear? (:

(lol this is all directed to the people from like three months ago, obviously now that the writeup is late the drama has cooled down A LOT, especially in the light of Ukraine’s events and the actual dust of this Euroseason where everyone made amends with everything, but I can’t help but keep what I thought of this initially because I just wanted to write something for Romania as I didn’t have anything else to say until I remembered the drama so)

So here’s that one controversial subject that unexpectedly slayed the poor man’s “Fuego” and that one homophobic teen by hitting it hard by an extremely unbalanced jury vote (and 24 points to it coming from that core Wiwibloggs duo, no less) and her on-stage couch possessing - the half-local half-Canadian little to no known artiste, Ester Peony, who conquered all in her homeland “On a Sunday”, as her songtitle says (haha bad puns whoop.) Is it any more mesmerizing over the two fanwank fanflops, or is it, just like Wiwi said at first, ‘boring’? Hmm...

It starts of bluesy, with the Western-movie-sounding-pop guitar twangs accompanying the sound, and Ester begins reminiscing her love that left her on a Sunday of September, later followed by snap percussion. And deep inside she wants that person to come back “to [her], to [her], to [he-eeee-eeee-er], eh, eh, eh, eh”. She begs and pleads for the return for her loved one, as I believe the absence deeply upsets her (smoke from the ashtray, everything’s so cold an gray, loving is a hard price to pay) and eats her up from the inside to a degree. I never had someone to leave me like that on a whatever the day was, but I feel for Ester’s song’s protagoniste.

Here are some interesting things I find in this song: its progressive intensity; the decision of putting a 3rd verse up in the place of the bridge; right after some additional “eh eh eh eh” after the chorus (bridges are usually of completely different vocal line ways); cool voice of the singer’s; the strings; the beat... and the fact that it’s described as “electro-pop”. Pop I might get, in fact it sometimes reminds me of those older Billboard chart topper songs from mid-00s por so, or that it could have been one of those kind of songs. You needed just to give it to a popstar relevant of the time and voilà - a hit! Electro... not quite sure on this one. Maybe the bass that occurs in the 2nd and 3rd verses indicates something on it but that’s all.

And man do I hate to say this but the song's attitude is something that makes me wanna scream sometimes. It occasionally happens when I stop feeling so happy clappy for a song a few listens later because I just don't feel like caring about it anymore and that it starts making me feel some sort of a soulache because I trusted it in the first place. Kinda like "Funny Girl", Latvia 2018: I actually didn't mind it at first but its desperation got on my nerves a whole lot that I got completely irritated. "On a Sunday" has enough elements that I like to keep the irritation feeling at bay, but I doubt that even they will not make me want to smash a chair everytime I hear that chorus again... you think you can suppress your smugness overtime, song? Think again about it later

Oh and there's a supposed revamp, I doubt I would be able to feel any better about that song that way, as long as my mind just automatically recognizes Ester's singing as "whining" for some reason. It probably will make me feel less worse if I see a stage show similar to the absurd mess one from the NF where shit happens and Ester's just chilling on a chair. Game of Loans? Student loans? It was random but I definitely appreciated the scarlet madness all surrounding it. I hope to maybe see something similar in Tel Aviv - edgy imagery, why not. Bring on the candles and the ravens.

To summarize, I don’t think it’s a bad song at all. It’s daring, it’s badass, it's kickass, it comes right at you, grabs you in and you adapt to it however you can be able to. However...

Approval factor: I still have mixed feelings about passing it off as something approvable, but objectively I would like to do so. Good for you to try something different, Romania.

Follow-up factor: Anything at least half-decent is a fine follow-up after The Humans’s mediocrisms (I’m helping the dictionary to have more words, one construction at a time!). I liked the Humans more though and Ester... sort of? But in general context, Ester’s a fantastic successor.

Qualification factor: Somehow this did not sound like a definite Eurovision qualifier to me, so at one point I thought it would be just missing out... but it’s a complete effing borderline of a song. At one point it sounds good enough for a filler qualifier, at another it’s just not qualifying somehow. We’ll see how she rehearses it up in two days, though.

NATIONAL FINAL BONUS

I think there’s nothing more I can say about Selecția Națională (refered to as SN from this point onwards) than I already said in the intro, so let’s get to the moments, shall we? ;)

• So what else do I have to say about the fanwank-esses that hasn’t been said? Well, on one hand you have an Amazon-jungle-tribal version of “Fuego”, “Army of Love”, performed by Bella Santiago (who had one of my favourite SN entries last year lmao), who went all out with body paint and wild choreo and a rap bridge in Tagalog (one of Bella’s native languages) to make it all sound slightly different than “Fuego”, but still, that pre-chorus just feels like a pitched-down “Fuego” from a B minor to a G flat minor, with the same acoustics and the beat, and the drop is some limp-ass Amazon flutery magic. On the other hand you have a 16 year old Laura Bretan with an poperatic ode to her “Dear Father” which was praised for her insanely good vocal skills (I forgot what’s that called... an alto? soprano? mezzo-soprano? sorry I know a lot about music but not a lot about those ranges) more than the song itself... there’s a big problem about Laura though as people found out that she does not believe and/or condone a marriage between same-sex people. For Eurofans that’s a major red flag as as of lately Eurovision is very LGBTQ+ friendly and having had Laura next to people like Bilal or Mahmood would have probably been concerning if she knew of them having had boyfriends... Like I said, neither of those are special. Imo people loved Bella’s song because of the “Fuego” vibe and people loved Laura’s song because of her voice combined with her age. I said what I said. (Oh and there was a missed opportunity for Il Volo and Laura to reunite this year in Eurovision had they only been chosen in their NFs.)

• Screw these gals, now here come on the real faves of mine - another rock band, obviously, and that’s Trooper. No but for real, could at least ANY country have sent a rock song this year? It could have even been San Marino for all I cared but this year is so MoR without a rock entry... Trooper’s “Destin” sounds like something coming out from an epic fable about legendary heroes fighting for their glory of the nation by slaying goblins with wearing medieval costumes (with a sleeveless top and metal armor for the chest), bearing their long hair and looking strong and hunky. Lai-lai-la-la-la-lai!

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• Now what were the other competing entries I liked? There were quite a few like the folk bop titled “D A I N A” and sung by Letiția Moisescu and Sensibil Balkan, then Teodora Dinu’s captivating pop tune “Skyscraper” and a really catchy non-qualifier entry by a band Steam, named “The Way It Goes”... no really Romania, why’d you let that flop... and why did you also let 2 Gents flop... and moreso importantly WHY DID YOU LET THE FOUR FLOP??? That’s like the best football-anthem-esque song I’ve heard in a while... such a shame it didn’t appear on the national selection’s final. Oh well. Poor those 4 young souls.

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• Now what were those 3 (actually 4) withdrawals? First one was concerning the first ever Romanian representative Dan Bittman and his own problems so he couldn’t return to a NF and be one of the potential returning artists to Eurovision. Then there was this Australian-Romanian chick named Xonia who withdrew for seemingly no reason, all last minute. There was one more withdrawal from a semi-regular SN participant Xandra too, as well citing unknown reasons. And then there’s Mihai (or as he likes calling himself nowadays, M I H A I) who once again wanted to return to Eurovision (no wonder his Eurovision 2006 song was called “Tornero” lol) with an entry, and this one is called “Baya”. And then he went on an epic quest of flopping - firstly by withdrawing his song last minute from SN claiming that it’s corrupted, then considering to return as a wildcard, then thinking on to latching on to Eurofest in Belarus, but gotten sick last minute and therefore perma-cancelled his NFs journey this year entirely by not appearing on the Eurofest auditions. <3 Not to mention he’s a bit of a creep by subjecting people to his nude pictures with just him in his underwear. dude you’re almost 40, stop doing that to the kids. you’re not even a “daddy”. just look how alien you look on your song’s thumbnail:

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• Netta continues her guest appearances on various NFs, such as in UK and in Spain (in spirit, as it was just the Triunfitos singing “Toy” at the beginning of the ESC OT Gala). This one even had her singing her newest song “Bassa Sababa” alongside “Toy”. Oh and there also was one of the Festivali i Këngës 56 alums coming by, Inis Neziri, to perform something for Romania after having won a music competition in Romania, and here’s her performance. But did she even have anything interesting in her backdrop as this?

We know you did Netta sweetie but do you honestly need to reminds us? I did not see Eleni doing shit like this and I don’t want you to do the same. Well if anything I am glad Netta only gracefully performed “Toy” on EYD 2019 (which I missed in my “National Final bonus” section for the UK’s review (as well as them reminiscing Eurovision’s best moments) but frankly I don’t think you cared anymore about it when you learned I was gonna write so many long-ass paragraphs, so yeah)...

• So what was the exact thing again that made everyone such bitter Betties? Well, everyone foresaw Bella and Laura battling it out in this NF, having succesfully qualified together. They even did well in the televote. But then the jury vote happened, and it included the God-forbidden Wiwibloggs duo voting separately and usualy picking all the similar favourites based on performances. They were very pleased with Ester Peony’s on-stage chair prop and her dramatic mess so they gave her their 12s. INDIVIDUALLY. And that’s one of things that pushed Ester higher for the win, despite only having 3 points from the televote lol. But the worst part about it is their opinions: they have praised “Dear Father” so much for mostly the same reasons others praised it so much as well, and were stunned. A what they thought of Ester’s song? That it’s boring. And their mindset switched when voting on this NF, with 12ing Ester and only giving a few feeble points to Laura. That’s where the backlash ensued - not when Emmelie de Forest (yep she was in the jury too) did not give any points to Bella Santiago’s song - just for that notion alone. Maybe it was because of a REASON. Laura’s song in the end is just an uninteresting pop ballad with some additional vocal exercising (too flawless that you even tire from flawlessness), Ester at least brought something to liven up her song, and maybe Wiwis changed their opinion accordingly by not being enthused by Laura anymore! And what’s the problem with that, eh eh eh?.. oh right, y’all accusing Wiwibloggs having rated Laura down because she’s a homophobe. Real friggen’ obviously because of that, you guys. NOT. Grow a brain a bit, will ya. (and even a contestant named Linda Teodosiu was pissed about Wiwibloggs not giving her enough points lmao... her song was a typical ”rent a NF songwriter” spiel so she has no effin’ reason to be mad her ‘originality’ wasn’t awarded lol.)

Worth noting that one of the other reasons people were mad that the juryvote points overpowered the televote big time (like 7 juror votes against 1 set of televotes - inequal) and therefore did not even listen to what they had to say (again, Ester had 3 freaking televote points lol). It’s a thing y’all should get used to - juries overrating an act one way or the other, against the televote’s will. It’s a given nowadays, remember. I know y'all Romanians wanted to scream "ESTER IS NOT OUR WINNER WE HAVEN'T DECIDED HER WE WANT BELLA/LAURA!!!" but that's the truth with the juries.

And thankfully, that is, what I think, all you need to remember from the SN headache this year. Fortunately it’s much smaller than the last year’s headache that, aside from 60 songs in total for 5 semis (!!!), also had a very strictly eliminative system that had 3 qualifiers each from a semi decided by juries ONLY (geez not even A Dal does that!), only to soften things up by having everyone fall down on televote’s hands only during the final. And then the final had the drama on its own. But if I reminisced it all on here, we’d be taking more than just all day, so it’s best that I stop this here and now, for all of ya who are already tired of all this waffle.

Good luck to Ester! and may all of your fans see you performing on a Saturday :)

#eurovision 2019 #tel aviv 2019 reviews #romania 2019 #ester peony #on a sunday #romania

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saltwukong · 6 years ago

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I’m finally gonna do it.

I’m finally gonna @roosterteeth.

The thing I wanna say is, Volume 6 Chapter 4 is the episode that has convinced me that the reports--that Miles and Kerry hired people to critique their writing as they wrote--are true. And no, I don’t think they hired ass-kisser critics, either. I think they hired candid, kick-you-in-the-balls critics that tell you exactly what’s wrong with your product.

And the reason I think that is because from the first moments up until the end of the latest episode, it’s been one long non-stop train of nothing but the show itself acknowledging what’s been wrong with it so far. I mean, RWBY’s always done these little wink-nudge lampshades in response to complaints (i.e., Nora complaining in V6 about how long they’ve been sitting around a house doing nothing in V5), but it’s been real in-the-face this year.

I mean, think about everything that’s been talked about by the characters since this Volume started:

Sun talking about how he’s been a shit leader his team vanished off the face of the planet (see me go nuclear about that here).

Weiss mentioning that she had an entire arc of her own with considerable effort expended on her part in order to get herself out of Atlas.

Aforementioned scene of Nora complaining about them being in a house doing nothing.

An offscreen White Fang member shitting on Adam for folding so easily under Blake.

Yang dragging the shit out of Ozpin for being utterly terrible at being a good leader and still concealing things.

Everyone finally getting fed up with Qrow’s shit and making it clear they won’t tolerate any more damage-control by him for Ozpin’s lack of accountability (aka why I love Weiss).

The prompt exiting of the show by SSSN (what was left of it), Ilia, JNR, and most recently, Ozpin himself--fans had always rightly complained that the show was trying to juggle too many characters.

And most recently, and egregiously:

Salem having an incredible meltdown about the villains losing so badly in Volume 5, echoing us all.

Qrow having a depressive episode about the fact that he’s been a yes-man and a lapdog to Ozpin for....no discernable reason.

Ozpin straight-up admitting he has no plan whatsoever to take down Salem. This is clearly at odds with everything the past three volumes were leading us to, but it’s open acknowledgement of the fact that the writers are locked out of what his original plan was supposed to be and have so far been unable to fill in the gaps.

I’m quite sure each and every one of these was a result of critics honestly informing Miles and Kerry of the problems with the show so far. For better or for worse, they’re listening to the criticism now.

But the problem is that it’s still too late.

The show is, as I said, running on fumes. Simple acknowledgement of the flaws, while providing a good energy, doesn’t actually help fix those flaws. And I can’t much blame the writing team for their inability to do so (EXCEPT OZPIN BEING A RAPIST, WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT ROOSTER TEETH.....) because sometimes a product just shatters beyond repair and all the work in the world won’t fix it. Volume 5 was that breaking point for RWBY.

The tepid reaction to the Adam short is all the proof you need. That was a very transparent attempt at damage control, an attempt to fix what people vocally complained about, and yet everyone I talked to that saw it said it failed to really salvage Adam (or Sienna, for that matter) even if the fighting was (sort of) good. That’s because Adam can’t be salvaged. That reaction went from tepid to indifferent once the leak of the unfinished Adam vs. Yang fight came out.

Rooster Teeth. Miles, Kerry, Gray. I very much doubt you’re reading this (but who knows, a guy can hope), but if you are, I’m begging you: make RWBY Volume 6 the last volume. There’s less shame in putting an end to a weak project than there is in starting a new one, and Rooster Teeth has a new flagship in GenLock. In the politest way possible, ending it is about the only way to preserve it at this point. If you really do want to continue RWBY’s legacy, put the effort into video games where you can create your own scenarios around which the game revolves.

Let RWBY fade away. The fans of the show are quickly becoming outnumbered by ex-fans and critics. It was a good thing to try to continue the show in Monty’s memory, but that doesn’t have to be a binding commitment to keep it going if you don’t have the notes and plot details he carried to the grave. I’m not bringing him into it to shame you, I’m just saying that good intentions are only intentions and won’t write and animate the show on their own.

There are people out there that apply the Sunk Cost Fallacy, that say that if you quit now, everything you did so far is in vain. That isn’t true. Plenty of people still love this show and a lot of the ones that don’t--I’d go so far as to say 99.9% of them--still remember it as a kickass, wonderful product. That fact won’t go away just because the show ends.

Keep those critics on your roster and keep them well-paid. They’ll help you avoid mistakes in future and on future works and apply what was learned from watching the process and the product with RWBY.

But get on the lifeboat. Don’t sink with the Titanic.

#rwde

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boopaladoop · 7 years ago

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How to Ruin Valentine’s Day, by Agent Melodrama

Tucker has big plans for Valentine’s Day. He should’ve known better, really.

Written for @agentfrecklelancer!!!! Happy Valentine’s Day!!!!! <3

At first, Tucker thought, ‘Clearly, I have to go overboard here, balloons, flowers, chocolates, probably some kind of sex toy, a date to the nicest restaurant on Chorus—which still wasn’t great, but hey, you only got so much to work with here.’ And he planned it all out, without even asking Donut for help. Which was kind of impressive, since Tucker usually skipped the “wining and dining” part of the evening and got right to the fun stuff. He even set up the reservation, and he had had to get on that like, a month ahead of the day. But about three weeks ahead of the big event, he trashed the whole idea. The more he thought about it, the less…Wash it seemed.

Wash was the kind of guy that got nervous in crowded restaurants, didn’t like not having his back to the wall, wouldn’t really care about flowers—I mean, the chocolates and sex toy were still in (bow chicka bow wow), but the balloons were definitely out. So, he started over from scratch. No big deal though, he had seduced the man in the first place, he could obviously handle Valentine’s Day.

His cooking skills were, um, subpar, but he was sure he could figure out one dish. So he had Caboose subtly ask what Wash’s favorite food was. That resulted in a couple of weird looks and an incredibly high-pitched voice, but hey, it got the job done. Chicken alfredo was a perfect Valentine’s Day meal to make, and he still had plenty of time to practice. He wanted to make everything from scratch but after only one attempt at making fresh pasta, he decided that was very much out of the picture. It took a few more tries to get it just right and as a bonus he only lit the kitchen on fire once, Wash, one time isn’t so bad.

The next problem to deal with was what to do besides just dinner. You know, you can’t just have a nice-ish meal and call it a good date. At least not on Valentine’s Day. His first thought was ice skating, but that was a definite no. He didn’t mind looking like an idiot, but he knew that Wash actually had some small measurement of shame. On second thought, Wash was probably a first-class skater as part of his amazing freelancer training somehow. But still, he wasn’t going to bank solely on that. So in the end he settled on getting some candles, wine, and a few rom-coms that he knew Wash would deny liking but secretly enjoy. Tucker kind of wanted to go for something more exotic, but you had to play to your audience. He just really, really hoped that it was going to be enough.

After the plans were finalized, he just had to find a way to execute them. Getting Wash to cancel his routines for the evening was going to be…difficult, to say the least. Tucker didn’t think his boyfriend actually slept, his schedule was always so packed. This wasn’t even his damn planet and still he was constantly running missions, training the troops, or meeting with Kimball and Doyle. So, giving two weeks’ business notice, he made his approach.

“Hey Wash, what’s up?” he leaned as casually as possible against the wall near where Wash was bench pressing about four hundred pounds like it weighed nothing. God, he was kind of dating a tool.

Even though Tucker knew his boyfriend had seen him enter, he still made a show of looking surprised that Tucker was there, “Captain Tucker. To what do I owe the pleasure? I don’t see you around here very often.”

Definitely dating a tool. “Very funny, asshole, I have a serious question for you.”

Wash set the bar back on the rack, “Okay, but if you set the kitchen on fire again, I hope you at least put it out before coming to get me this time.”

“Dude, how was I supposed to know Caboose didn’t know how to put out a fire? He literally lights them twice a week, you think he’d know by now.”

Wash sighed, “Okay, but you didn’t light the kitchen on fire, right?”

“No!”

“Okay great, so what was the question?”

“I need to you clear out your evening schedule for the fourteenth. You can still do your regular bullshit for the rest of the day, but you have to reserve from like, 5pm to noon the next day.”

“And why should I do that?” Wash frowned suspiciously, which was actually a good sign. Freelancers in general seemed to forget about holidays, and if Tucker actually managed to surprise him with a Valentine’s date it’d be even better.

“Uhhhh dude, I can’t tell you that. It’s for really important shit though.”

“Tucker, I’ve told you, I can’t just ask off work for no reason. I don’t know what you’re trying to do here, but I have important things to do.” He opened his datapad, presumably to look at his schedule for the day, “I have a mission early that morning, that I’ll only be back from at three, and after that I’ve got debriefing, then training. I can’t just miss whenever you ask me to.”

“Come on, Wash, I’m not asking for the full day, just cancel training that night, I promise it’ll be worth it.” He gave Wash his best big doe eyes, which were truly impressive, and he knew it. Not as good as Caboose’s , but still really fucking good.

After a long pause, Wash finally caved. “Fine, but this had better not be for something stupid,” he sighed.

As his boyfriend deleted the events from his schedule, Tucker grinned, “Dude, do you even know me? Of course it’s for something stupid.”

Tucker couldn’t help it, he was really fucking excited. It was about time the two of them had gone on an actual date. The last one had been in like, September or some stupid shit like that. And they’d only been dating since August, so really they had only ever done anything like, once. It was just a night in and all that, but it was still a lot more than they usually got by a long shot. Tucker was honestly surprised, he’d gotten Wash to ask off work, especially since the guy apparently had no idea it was Valentine’s Day. So not only were they gonna have a kickass date, it was going to be a surprise kickass date.

*****

Wash absolutely knew it was Valentine’s Day. Tucker had all the subtlety of a cat in heat, for one. He didn’t know exactly what his boyfriend was planning, but he was definitely up to something. He was careful to be just resistant enough to cancelling training that Tucker would think it was going to be a surprise—he didn’t miss the way his boyfriend’s eyes lit up and he tried to hide a smile when he thought Wash didn’t know what Valentine’s Day was. But really, it would be nice to finally do something fun with him. And might as well give the troops the night off anyways, it’s not like they didn’t deserve it.

He almost forgot about the whole thing over the next couple of weeks, until the morning of the mission. It was a supply run to a warehouse only a few hours from Armonia, so there should be no complications. He just had to get it over with, and then he could see what Tucker had planned for the evening. Maybe he should buy flowers on his way back from debriefing. Tucker liked flowers, right? Who doesn’t like flowers?

*****

Tucker had everything pretty much set up by the time the mission was supposed to be done, and took a step back to admire his work. Pretty fucking amazing, as usual. He was gonna get major fucking brownie points for this shit. Now if he could just pull off dinner, he’d be set.

He was so preoccupied he almost missed the quiet noise his datapad made, letting him know he’d gotten a message. Grinning, he picked it up, ready to read some kind of corny message from Wash letting him know he got back safely. Asshole always insisted they give each other status updates, which, hey if it made him happy…

It wasn’t from Wash, but Carolina. Slightly disappointed, he opened the message. ‘Captain Tucker, you’d better get to the infirmary. The warehouse wasn’t abandoned, and there was an attack…’

Blood running cold, Tucker didn’t really remember reading the rest of the message. He wasn’t entirely sure how he ended up at the infirmary doors, and he didn’t know exactly how long he’d been waiting, but it felt like an eternity. From what he’d gathered, they’d gotten all the way into the building before realizing that it was a setup. There were no casualties yet, but several were wounded, including Wash. Because of course he saw one of the lieutenants (Palomo, it was actually fucking Palomo) about to be killed and jumped in between him and the bullets. Like an asshole.

Tucker had truly come to hate the silence near the hospital wing after an attack. There were quiet murmurs, of course, and the usual shifting and clanking noises that accompany dozens of soldiers in power armor. Twice, someone walked out of the doors and the silence was shattered by as many people firing off questions at once as possible (Tucker among them) but they were only gathering supplies and wouldn’t answer questions about any of the patients. Tucker was pretty sure he saw Carolina, red team, and Caboose at some point, but he wasn’t really in the mood to talk so he kept his head low.

What seemed like hours and hours later, they finally started allowing visitors. Tucker made his way back to the curtained off area that was functioning as Wash’s hospital room. He sat down in the chair, breathing a sigh of relief when somewhat dim blue eyes met his own, “Hey Wash, what’s up?”

Wash snorted weakly, “Oh, you know. The usual.”

“I wish you were lying, dude. They got you on the good stuff, don’t they?”

“Yep,” Tucker wished his boyfriend wouldn’t sound so pleased with himself about it, at least.

“I heard you jumped in front of a bullet for the literal worst soldier ever.”

“Is Palomo okay? I remember him saying something, but…” Wash trailed off, probably not wanting to say something super dramatic because he knew it would piss Tucker off.

“Yeah, just as annoying as ever. Also, no one died, so. That’s good. Not for lack of trying on your part, apparently.”

The gray soldier actually looked guilty, “I ruined Valentine’s Day, didn’t I?”

Tucker blinked in surprise, “Shit, you knew that was today?”

“I’m not an idiot, Tucker.”

“Could’ve fooled me.” The joke fell short, but he tried for a smirk anyways.

“I’m sorry. I thought, you know, it would be nice. I know we don’t have a lot of time to do things, and—”

“Okay, I’m gonna stop you right there. You’ve seriously got to stop apologizing for stupid shit that isn’t your fault.”

“It’s kind of my fault.”

“Are you serious? Babe, no. Shut up. You’ve gotta stop being so hard on yourself.” He snorted, “Hard on. Bow chicka bow wow.”

“Tucker, listen. I know you’ve been planning this for two weeks, and I feel really bad. I wanted to be there for this.”

Tucker smiled, “You’re such a dumbass. I mean, you’re definitely not off the hook. We’re going on this stupid date whether you like it or not. But, I dunno,” he trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck with a wince, “It’s not really important. What’s important is that you’re more or less okay, and to be honest I really don’t give a shit about the rest.”

Wash had that sappy look on his face that made his stomach do flips, “Tucker, I… Thank you.”

Tucker rolled his eyes, “Okay, Agent Melodrama. Don’t make it weird.”

“I’m on drugs, I can do whatever I want.”

“That’s—I don’t think that’s right.”

“I am your superior officer, Captain Tucker, don’t tell me what is and isn’t right.”

Suddenly, all the pent up anxiety and tension from throughout the day melted off of Tucker, and he felt exhaustion hit him full force. He closed the small distance between them, carefully taking Wash’s hand in his own and leaning over to press his forehead onto the back of his hand. His throat was starting to close up, and he really didn’t want to start crying here and now.

Wash went to gently cup Tucker’s face with the hand he was holding. Or at least that seemed to be his intention, but he ended up flopping his hand into his boyfriend’s cheek, poking him in the eye and nearly sticking a finger up his nose simultaneously.

“Ow, what the fuck!?” the aqua soldier laughed, snorting a little.

“I…don’t have very good control over my hands.”

And that did it. The tears were flowing, and Wash was looking very distressed.

“I didn’t hit you that hard, did I?”

“Oh, just shut up and scoot over.”

The two of them snuggled close together, and Wash’s breathing soon turned shallow. Tucker buried his face into his boyfriend’s shoulder and just laid there, listening to the sound of his breathing. It was nice, and warm. He never wanted to leave. Never wanted to let go. And he wasn’t going to. No matter what stupid bullshit this war, or anything else put them through, you could be damn well sure that they would at least always have each other.

#rvb #rvb fic #tuckington #lavernius tucker #agent washington #big thanks to my sister for editing this!!!#she’s so helpful this wouldn’t have even happened without her encouragement #also Happy Valentine’s Day babe!!!!#I’m sorry it hasn’t been great so far!!!!#<3

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daishannigans · 7 years ago

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To be fair, and in the scheme of things, just story-wise, I get the decision about Roxy. It doesn't mean it didn't tear my heart to pieces. I can't properly process my feelings yet, nor find a way to be come across completely articulate about it. In complete Kingsman fashion, I'm not showing emotions outwardly, but I'm actually ugly-crying.

oh, yeah I get it, too. I get that the central part of this film is that poppy can and is taking away everything eggsy loves and has worked for, and that’s fine. it’s his motivator and it shows us that she’s dangerous; that there’s an even deeper risk involved in this mission. they have to convey that for tension’s sake, and I completely understand that they need to do that...

but it just feels dirty. it doesn’t completely ruin the film for me, because I’m too attached to this goddamn franchise to let go that easily, but killing off beloved/important characters to raise the stakes doesn’t work when you’ve set a clear precedent that people can and have come back from the dead (or near death) - and matthew’s even said, “nobody really dies in kingsman...” so what’s the point? will people eventually get fed-up with being tossed around like a rag-doll for caring about these characters? will death and the threat of it become meaningless in this universe? have we really eliminated the possibility of any meaningful addition to the genre, at the expense of upping the stakes? of making enough room for the severely underutilised a-listers?

I won’t sit here and pretend I can come up with a better movie, because I probably can’t, but there are ways they could’ve upped the stakes and kept her alive for any future films. could roxy have survived the attack, but if they’re so insistent on her having a lesser role in this film, why not just have her infected? if it’s man pain they want, fine, but why don’t you make it eggsy’s fault (at least, in his eyes?) what if she was at brandon’s party, where they were all sharing that big fucking bag of poppy’s pot? eggsy sits there, makes a vague comment that work is making her too stressed, and that she should let loose for tonight. have a drag, you’ll feel better. you deserve a break, rox - how long’s it been since you’ve done this? and she does. she wouldn’t usually, but fuck it. she does. and it’s that time when she gets infected. once her virus becomes a real threat, then you have eggsy trying to deal with the fact that if they fail, she dies. and if she dies, it’s on him -- he’s the one who encouraged her to take a break; that there wasn’t any shame in getting help sometimes, and that wrecks him? he’s already lost his house, J.B, brandon, his job security... then he has tilde, who’s infected too and who he just cannot bare the thought of losing, and roxy... whose death did wreck him in the film, but even more so if there’s the implication and guilt that he’s the one who told her to smoke it. and they don’t get the vaccine until the very last moment, at the very last stage, so there’s the tension there of, “oh god, will they get the vaccines to them in time? she won’t die, will she?” the stress is even more devastating in that scene when their only vial of it is smashed and poured all over the floor - could that have been their last chance at saving her? at saving everyone? [since it’s eggsy’s story...] the people he loves?

they managed to stir enough tension and fear in us for years about her fate, and it didn’t let up for a second, especially during promo. no one knew if she’d make it through the whole film. that tension and that engaging fear absolutely could’ve continued throughout the film had she’d only been infected, and would’ve made for something a lot more effective in the long-run than blowing her up and giving her absolutely zero opportunity to really show herself off; to show us, “oh, yeah, of course she won the lancelot position - she’s a bonafide, kickass spy.” (eggsy even believes that she’s a better spy - so Show Us That, or at least leave room for it to happen in the final film, if it ever happens.)

though, even if she does come back, by some miracle, it’s empty. it’ll an empty, overused device at that point, and would’ve been for pretty much nothing?

I really wish I could pick their brains about this. I just wanna figure it out.

#sorry I can't help myself writing long ass replies #kingsman 2 spoilers #here for you though <33 #it's almost 3am does this make sense? probably not but I've been talking about this ALL DAY #anonymous #ask

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gold-from-straw · 7 years ago

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Hallows part 5

Here’s chapter 5 for my @gradencetrickortreat for @wouldieforherson. Chapter 6 will be almost entirely NSFW so I’m not going to post it directly here, just a link to my AO3 account, just heads up! Also, this chapter mentions gaslighting and past abuse, but the characters are shown/discussed breaking out of the situation, so I’m hoping it may feel more empowering than not? I hope you enjoy it!

Credence spent the first three days after Albus’ visit pacing around his living room, or his office, or the kitchen watched by Modesty and her raised fucking eyebrow. How was he supposed to even find Percival? He’d tried his phone number, but the old one no longer existed, and since Hallows had broken up it was like he’d disappeared.

Eventually his frustration settled into intermittent flares of excruciating embarrassment at the memory of every interaction he’d ever had with the man. He was able to function for a few minutes before he had to put his head down on the desk and groan or pull his hair out. There was a little part of him that was nudging him, telling him not to get his hopes up, that Percival Graves would always be the one who got away. He’d never get his chance again.

And then, a few weeks later, Newt knocked on his office door. “Can I come in?”

“Sure,” he said, dumping a pile of proofs off the chair and onto the floor. “You’re the boss, boss.”

He did his awkward eye flickering thing and picked up a rubiks cube to fiddle with. Credence turned back to his computer. Newt was always more at ease if he didn’t have to make eye contact. He remembered worrying about him when he was still a teenager, wondering if his aversion to eye contact stemmed from the same sort of place as Credence’s bowed head and hunched shoulders. It had taken him months to draw up the courage to ask, and Newt had burst out in hysterical giggles and apologies, and explained that he’d just always been like that.

“Percival Graves is back in New York,” Newt blurted, and Credence’s fingers froze on the keyboard.

Newt looked up at him through his fringe. “He’s joined MACUSA.”

“That metal band with Seraphina Piquery?”

Newt nodded. “He sent me an email. He was extremely polite, as it happens. Said he wanted us to do some new studio shots for the publicity, but he said, and I quote, he understands entirely if we want to refuse.”

“What did you say?”

Newt smiled, freckles ripping into dimples on his cheeks. “I don’t know yet, I’m checking with my best human photographer first.”

Credence giggled, hysteria and possibility bubbling in a panicked swirl under his skin. “You make it sound like your pets take the rest of your photos.”

“I’ll have you know Dougal’s a wizard with composition.”

Credence bent over with undignified snorts, laughing way more than was warranted.

“So…do you want to see him again?”

He took a deep breath. “Yeah…I have to. I owe him an apology, just…do you think I should be doing this while I’m meant to be taking his photos?”

Newt considered for a moment while Credence tried to quiet the screaming maelstrom of anxiety that was trying to tear holes in his skin. “Why don’t we book Percival in for the last session of the day,” suggested Newt. “That way you can take all the time you like and you won’t be cutting into anyone else’s session.”

“That could work.”

He nodded and flicked through the calendar on his phone. “How’s Friday?”

He glanced at his own organiser and laughed dryly. “Halloween?”

“Oh. Yes. So it is. Is that OK?”

“Yeah,” he sighed. “Kinda poetic, I guess.”

***

On the plus side, he only had four days to stress out about the shoot. The whole ‘seeing Percival again’ thing, on the other hand, was so large that it transcended stress and came out the other side. Four days had been plenty enough time for him to vibrate almost completely out of his skin.

And then Percival walked in, and all the air disappeared from Credence’s lungs, and for a moment he was fifteen again and terrified of everything, before he could snarl and snatch at the pieces of himself and stand tall again.

Percival’s eyes had flown wide and his jaw dropped when he saw Credence. “Hi, Percival,” he said, tucking a long curl behind his ear.

“Credence,” he breathed, then blinked several times and cleared his throat. “Oh, uh, is this OK? I didn’t think it would be you. I mean, I can come another time, I don’t want to make it awkward for you—“

“Percival, no, it’s fine. I actually requested this.”

“You did?”

He nodded. “Please sit?”

He did so, dark blue jeans creaking against the leather sofa. Credence sat on the other side, one knee bent up on the seat and his body turned to face him properly. Percival’s hands were pressed together between his knees like he was afraid of touching anything. Or making sure Credence knew he wasn’t going to touch anything.

Credence took a deep breath. “I saw Albus a month or so ago,” he began.

“Look, Credence, first I just have to say I owe you an apology. I knew I was crossing a line, and—“

“No, no, please,” he begged. “Oh God, please don’t apologise, you’ll just…I feel ashamed as it is.”

“You have nothing to be ashamed of, Credence, nothing. I took advantage of you.”

“Oh my God,” Credence groaned. “You really didn’t. You did the opposite, you stopped as soon as you noticed something was off and - fuck. OK. Just…” He took a deep breath and got his thoughts in order. Percival just sat quietly and frowned at him.

“We were played,” he said. “Both of us. I saw Albus, he said Gellert fucked both of us over.”

Percival glared at him for a few seconds, then closed his eyes and shook his head. “I guess I’m not actually surprised,” he grunted. “But how?”

“After you left my flat,” Credence said, now unable to look at him, “I got a message from Gellert. A picture of you in bed with someone else. The, uh, the caption said something like I was obviously sexually unsatisfying.”

“What?” Percival’s voice was a bass growl.

“I’m sorry, Percival, I shouldn’t—“

“I didn’t,” he snapped. “I wasn’t with anyone after you, not for fucking months. Over a year, Credence, I swear—“

“I know,” he wailed. “I know now, and I’m so, so sorry I didn’t have more faith in you, I just…I felt like such an idiot - such a tease for turning you down. I thought of course you’d have to find someone else. I told myself it was understandable, but I just…I couldn’t, I couldn’t go back there. And if I’d just been a little bit braver, or, or trusted you a bit more, we wouldn’t have spent two fucking years being angry and—“

He sobbed his next words into Percival’s shoulder as the man wrapped his arms around him, hushing and rocking like he’d done himself to Modesty when she woke screaming in those first few months.

“I’m sorry,” he said at last, leaning back and rubbing the wet patch he’d left on Percival’s shirt.

Percival cupped his cheeks and wiped the tears off with his thumbs. He smiled sweetly and said “I’m going to fucking murder Grindelwald.”

Credence burst out laughing and sank back against the sofa. “Slowly and painfully?”

“No, the bastard would find some way of fucking with my head just before he died. So quickly and from a distance.”

“He really was a manipulative bastard.”

“You have no idea,” Percival growled. “Albus got the worst of it. Jesus, the way he treated him.”

“I can’t feel too sorry for Albus,” said Credence, his eyes narrowing. “All it would have taken was one word from him—“

“And Gellert would have known where it came from” he said softly. “He would have denied it back then, but Albus was scared of him. And scared of losing him.”

Credence snorted. “Come on, Gellert didn’t smack him about.”

Percival scrunched his face a little. “No, he was very rarely violent. But you of all people know there’s more to it than that.”

His back straightened and he could feel Tina and Modesty’s borrowed defiance flash in his eyes. “If a partner ever treated me like that I’d be out of there. How could he let Gellert make him feel so worthless?”

Percival opened and shut his mouth a few times, obviously thinking his words through very carefully. At last he took Credence’s hand and said “did you ever make excuses for your mother’s actions?”

His jaw dropped and shame flooded his system, because while it wasn’t the same, the situation was transferable. He slumped as he remembered how he’d internalised everything Ma said to him until that last time. How he’d blamed himself for every belt lash and prayed and prayed for forgiveness as the blood soaked his sheets. And no, he still couldn’t see what Albus must have been thinking when he let Gellert’s stupid prank stand for two fucking years, but maybe, maybe he could see how he’d got there.

“Oh, God,” he groaned, burying his face in both hands. “I’m such a hypocrite.”

Percival put his arm around his shoulders. “Nah, you’re just looking at things a little differently now.”

“Fuck, I was so mean to him, and his little sister just died, and—“

“Ariana died?” He sighed, his breath warm through the curls on Credence’s temple. “Shit. I knew she was bad. That’s why the band broke up, Gellert wouldn’t let him go to her. It was fucking tearing him apart.”

“What happened?”

He laughed mirthlessly. “I tried to get involved, tell Gellert he was being unreasonable. At first Albus was pissed at me, said it was none of my business. But then Gellert said something - it sounded innocuous to me, just like every other sentence that’s ever come out of his mouth. Something patronising and putting him down. Oh! I know, he said I sounded like Aberforth. Called him a little goat-fucker.”

“Pretty standard from Gellert.”

“Exactly, but Albus just turned round and punched him. Full in the face, broke his nose. I’ve never seen Gellert so fucking terrified in his life!” He grinned. “It was beautiful.”

Credence laughed and leaned his head into the side of Percival’s neck. “Go Albus.”

“How’s Modesty?” Percival asked, fingers starting to comb through his hair.

“Good,” he sighed, relaxing into his touch. “Tina’s sister Queen’s a kickass lawyer, she got Ma into an institution, and proved I could take care of Modesty. My other sister, Chastity, comes over regularly, too. It’s hard, but Mod’s in therapy and she’s screaming at me a lot less now. And she doesn’t flinch when I yell back at her, I think she prefers it. I dunno, she’s always been very different to me, she seems to seek out conflict.”

“Maybe it makes her feel braver. Or in control, because she gets to choose when people are yelling at her.”

“How did you get so wise?”

“I always have been,” he replied primly. “Why do you think I kept my mouth shut around Gellert Grindelwald so much?”

Credence laughed, then sighed as the self-recrimination hit him again. “I’m sorry I didn’t have more faith in you.”

He shrugged. “It’s understandable. That was the evidence you had at the time. I’m sorry I didn’t make more of an effort to contact you.”

“Why didn’t you?” he asked. “It must have seemed really sudden.”

“I texted you after we got the email from Newt.”

Credence winced. “Ah. I smashed my phone up. Not my best moment.”

“It wouldn’t have changed anything though, would it? Anyway, I sort of came to the conclusion that I’d been coming on too strong the night before. Especially when you froze up.”

“I don’t even know what was wrong with me then,” he groaned, pressing his face furiously into Percival’s collarbone so he couldn’t see the blush.

“Hey, no, don’t say that.” Percival tilted his face up, a crooked finger under his chin. “You don’t have to have a reason. Not wanting something isthe reason.”

“But I did want it.”

“Some part of you didn’t.”

Credence pursed his lips and considered his serious brown eyes for a second, then swung his leg over Percival’s thighs so he was straddling him on the couch. “That part’s pretty damn on board right now,” he murmured, and kissed him.

#credence barebone #credence/graves #percival graves #fantastic beasts and where to find them #gradence trick or treat #my writing #origin of stories #Hallows

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seenashwrite · 8 years ago

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Nash’s 200th Follower Celebration Challenge!

Get your spy gear ready.

We’re gonna take inspiration from Archer, y’all.

I haven’t personally seen this used in a challenge [at least in my circle]. It is so full of potential, from snark to sexy times to knock-your-socks-off shock. Even if you aren’t familiar with the source, the prompts are so very tasty, I can’t imagine each & every writer won’t find at least ONE to gobble up.

*** 120 Prompts! So just one writer apiece *** ---> YOU KNOW WHAT?? SCREW IT! Send me THREE!!!!

But! There’s a challenging bonus at the bottom [#121] with NO LIMIT TO THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO TRY IT!

I’d recommend just a “scene” versus an entire fic, or tack it on to your actual entry in a weird prologue or epilogue, something of that ilk. It’s nuts. I’m not overselling the nuttiness, here. Weave some magic. EXAMPLE

Full guidelines at the bottom.

THE ONES THAT TOTALLY COULDA BEEN IN AN SPN EPISODE:

1. "Team Live Badass"? That's the best you could come up with?

2. Oh, I thought we were laughing at the dead people we set on fire. @wrenwritesometimes

3. AHHHH! The dust! It's like being shot in the eyes by a glitter gun!

4. Oh, you don't look like a whore... an idiot, maybe? Or both! Yes! A whore-diot! @jalove-wecallhimdean

5. --- What is this herpes business? --- Bad joke... and a false alarm. @itswitchcraft-not-googlemaps

6. Wanna try yanking on the pipe?

7. You ass, for the love of all that's green, take me and the rabbit to the lettuce store! @wrenwritesometimes

8. Eat a buffet of dicks. @hannahindie

9. --- And now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go kill some evil clowns. --- [long awkward pause] --- Do you have an erection?

10. You're just gonna leave him with a grenade stuck up his ass?

11. It would be rude not to eat her pie, which I assume is not only hot, but also moist... although hopefully not flaky.

12. Nothing can make up for almost killing me over a briefcase of what I can only assume is either plutonium or a human soul.

13. Oh don't worry. He may be a vain, selfish, lying, and quite possibly alcoholic man-whore, but gambling is one vice he doesn't have. @fanforfanatic

14. I want it on record that I think this is a terrible plan.

15. They say the devil's in the details... and silk pajamas.

SNARK-A-PALOOZA:

16. All I've had today is, like, six gummy bears and some scotch. @wrenwritesometimes

17. For I am a sinner in the hands of an angry God. Bloody Mary, full of vodka, blessed are you among cocktails. Pray for me now and at the hour of my death, which I hope is soon. Amen. @butiaintgonnaloveem

18. --- Every single time we come here, we have to help you get rid of a dead body. --- Well, you've only been here twice. @senselesssamii

19. Swear to god, you people make me want to pump nerve gas through the vents. @impalaimagining

20. Why is your instinctive response to run toward explosions? @impandagrl

21. On second thought, I very much prefer to be taken alive. Just let me clear the ol' browser history aaaand...

22. Is it murder if they were my own clones? I'm seriously asking. @littlegreenplasticsoldier

23. I've always wanted to fight on top of a moving train. @amanda-teaches

24. I've never seen an ocelot! You guys, look at its little spots! Look at its tufted ears!

25. If this doesn't work, we just paid a hundred bucks for liquid fart.

26. Oh my god - I'm gonna die in a toilet stall, just like the gypsy woman said!

27. I swear, if you throw that computer on the floor one more time, you’ll wake up in a mental ward with total amnesia under someone else’s name! @idreamofhazel

28. You just killed, like, ten pirates.

29. -- Grilled cheese. -- What? -- Grill me a cheese. -- I'm not grilling you a cheese. ME!

30. The Russians turned me into the unholy abomination of metal fused with flesh that now stands before you.

31. --- I swear, if anyone saw me in this awful van... --- How could they, with this illegal-ass window tint? Dude, this van is like, rolling probable cause.

32. Not really the explosive climax I thought it was gonna be.

33. There's a zoo here?

34. What in the name of pre-paid venereal disease do you think you're doing?!

35. Are you not rampaging? I thought you were rampaging. ---> AVAILABLE AGAIN!!!!

36. Hundred people surveyed, number one answer's still on the board: Name the douchebag who's in charge! @roxy-davenport

37. Why would you think it's okay to share that?

38. You do realize there's a finite supply of Vaseline in the universe.

39. --- So then it's settled. We're a-go on Operation... what should we call it? --- Dick Sledge.

40. I saved her life! Go ask that dick I set on fire!

41. You want me to take a baby to a murder? @impalaimagining

42. You do realize you're in huge trouble - and now I have to spend my first Friday off in forever devising some bizarre punishment for you? ---> AVAILABLE AGAIN!

43. Have you no sense of decency? That bathroom’s like a… a war crime.

44. Hey, you awake? ‘Cause this is about to get weird. @klaineaholic

45. That's disgusting - if I wanted to look at your bare feet, I'd sneak in and do it while you were asleep.

46. Better pill up - you're assisting with the surgery.

47. --- Frickin' head's poundin', I'm sweatin' booze and my mouth's killin' me! --- You're the one who stuffed four pool balls in it.

48. Holy shit, you geeks are badass. @uselessace

49. You're ruining your life, you idiot! And making it hard to drop a deuce.

50. Right, because you walked into Strippers’ Discount Warehouse and said, “Help me showcase my intellect". @butiaintgonnaloveem

51. I've had good results with Ether.

52. Hey, will you choke me a little bit? @littlegreenplasticsoldier

53. That stolen lemur bit one of your prostitutes right in the face and she says she can't go to the hospital because she's, quote, "tripping balls”.

54. --- Jeez, you're still taping bum fights?! --- No, now I'm into something... darker.

55. That is my foot in your face - smell the embarrassment.

56. Oh! And, uh, by the way, try not to be unconscious for too long - it's super bad for you. @withstarryeyes

57. Both of you imagine shutting up! @uselessace

58. Idiots doing idiot things, because they’re idiots.

59. --- Please tell me that's a smoke grenade. --- Okay... it's not, though. ----> AVAILABLE AGAIN!!!!! :)

60. Sorry - I was picturing Whore Island. @kayteonline

61. Somebody smells like they ate the ass-end out of a northbound cow.

62. I don't know... sometimes I think I'd like to adopt a little baby... so I could abandon it at a mall.

63. Well, he died doing what he loved - getting shot. @withstarryeyes

64. Baby, I was emotionally shattered - which turns out to be kind of a panty-dropper. @hannahindie

65. Now what am I going to spread on my toast? Your tears?

66. Sorry, that’s just a, uh, sympathy boner. @pinknerdpanda

67. Holy shit! Yogurt is amazing! Why have I never tried yogurt?! @littlegreenplasticsoldier

68. Seriously, call Kenny Loggins - 'cause you're in the DANGER ZONE. @kayteonline

69. I’m afraid the lemur got into the pudding cups.

70. I'm sorry, are you addressing me? Because your authority is not recognized in Fort Kickass. @kittenofdoomage

71. Does internet porn know you're cheating on it? @klaineaholic

72. No, it's too dirty - it's full of whatever alligators shit out, which I can only assume is people.

73. Oh my god! What shade is that? Crack whore red?!

74. Man, if I don't get some spaghetti and meatballs, I may literally die.

75. You used-panty vending sons of bitches!

76. Thank you both for all that you did do which, again, was nothing. @pinknerdpanda

77. Damn, dog! That’s inappropes!

78. If a single one of these has left the building, I will personally sew you into a canvas bag full of rats and throw that bag into the river. @littlegreenplasticsoldier

79. Who do I have to murder around here to get this damn thing to make some ice? ----> AVAILABLE AGAIN!!!! :)

80. I'm sorry, what's that? I can't hear you over the sound of my deafening awesomeness. @amanda-teaches

81. Don’t try to body-shame me, dog tits.

82. Is it just me, or does it smell like finger?

83. Ahahaha, man, you never rent a mule - ya lease that surly bastard.

84. When we first started going out, I may have... injected a tracking device into your body. @fanforfanatic

85. And I don't want another one of your sullen whores using my medicine cabinet like a Pez dispenser.

86. Because I've been lying in scorpion piss for two hours in the sun-blasted shit-hole which is Texas, waiting for a stupid truck.

87. If I cared about what you do on the weekend, I'd stick a shotgun in my mouth and pull the trigger with my toes. ME!

88. Punk-ass bitches! ----> AVAILABLE AGAIN!!!! :)

89. And instead of doing my job, I was here - half-drunk and having amazing sex.

90. Well, no wonder this all went tits-up.

91. Right? And I know it sounds crazy, but I like them as much as cocaine!

92. Next time, remind me to get shot in the head. ME!

93. You were the one yapping your head off about my damn teacup pig!

94. Who wants their ass beat first? And before you decide, keep in mind that I'm gradually going to get more tired, but also gradually more Berserker.

95. So you're not planning to blindfold me and hide me in a bomb shelter with limited oxygen and send my family cryptic notes about how to find me in a race against time for my life?

DEFINITELY CLASSY:

96. Who are you supposed to be, Topper Bottoms? Stern yet sensual skipper of the U.S.S. Rough Service?

97. You better pray to god it wasn't you who hit me. Because whoever it was hits like a little bitch of a girl, who was born with some kind of bitch of a birth defect, so that instead of a fist, she just has this tiny bitch of a nubbin.

98. I don't care! Having said that, would you please come into this dirty toilet stall and have sex with me?

99. Because you - prolapsed rectum that you are - are infatuated with her, whose cobwebby old snooch, by the way, I can smell from here! @butiaintgonnaloveem

100. --- The thought of me dying gives you an erection? --- Just half of one - the other half would have missed you. @kayteonline

101. I swear to god, you could drown a toddler in my panties right now. ME!

102. Stop - my penis can only get so erect. ME!

103. Can you not rub your dick in my mother's pantyhose, please?

104. --- Oh my god! You killed a hooker! --- Call girl! She was a---- --- No, when they're dead, they're just hookers!

105. Vincent Van Go-fuck-yourself.

106. Okay, we're off to get our scrotums waxed!

107. --- Well, maybe you're lame! --- Maybe you should shut your dick holster.

108. You’re a large-diameter dickhole.

109. First, see if he wants a beej...

110. Water? Oh, never touched the stuff. Fish fuck in it. @kayteonline

111. --- Oh god, it tastes worse than it smells! --- Man, if I had a nickel for every time I heard a guy say that.

112. Who, me?! No! No, I've been up here the whole time, having some phone sex! Just jackin' it, on the telephone. @fandommaniacx

113. I am literally wet with jealousy. @klaineaholic

114. Why does this chair have no seat... and WHAT IS IN HIS ASS?! And unless it was the creepy-old-people-bondage-sex police, why would anyone break in here and shoot him?!

115. Because I have sex with actual women! My girlfriend's not equal parts the internet, a tube of Kentucky jelly, self-loathing, and a sock. @hannahindie

116. And what part of your job, exactly, is groping my ass? @wideawakeandwriting

117. --- Maybe you should've thought about that before you blew it! --- I blew jack shit! --- Name-dropper.

118. After this, I am going to go home, watch NCIS, and masturbate until my fingers bleed. @itswitchcraft-not-googlemaps

119. --- Was that before or after you got caught fondling a teenager? --- Well, obviously before - after, it was all French Armed Forces and dick stitches.

120. You can't put a price on good pussy. @wideawakeandwriting

AND IF YOU ARE UP TO THE CHALLENGE:

121. No no no no - Like, a big, sweaty fireman carries you out of a burning building, lays you on the sidewalk and you think – Yeah, okay, he's gonna give me mouth-to-mouth – but instead he just starts choking the shit out of you, and the last sensation that you feel before you die is he’s squeezing your throat so hard that a big wet blob of drool drips off his teeth, and just – flurp – falls right onto your popped-out eyeball.

Bravery incarnate(s): @kittenofdoomage @fanforfanatic @uselessace @butiaintgonnaloveem

1. Supernatural only, please-and-thank-you [adjacent is fine, too - such as having O.C.s carry the bulk of the dialogue weight because we’re seeing the story through their eyes while, say, being hunters working with S & D or Jody & Donna or whatever your heart desires]

2. Pick your faves & any back-ups [and if you’re gonna take a run at #121] ---> shoot ‘em to me at DEAR NASH & I’ll hit you back with a confirmation

3. Write & post your thing ---> don’t forget to tag me somewhere & use this in your first handful of tags: #Nash200

4. Have it in between June 11th - June 17th [about 6 weeks from original posting] ---> TAKE TIL JULY! SOUND GOOD???? ;)

5. Definitely Do: the “theme” you are most comfortable with / feel you write the best / have the most fun on - these prompts lend themselves to snark and/or sexy times, but lord knows y’all angst-devotees will find a way [that’s fine, too!]

6. Hard Pass: dom/sub; “kinks”; alpha/beta/omega; Wincest/any incest; real person fic [no Jensen/Jared/Misha/etc.]

7. Length can be anywhere from haiku to vignette to... well, keep it around the max length that you’d want to read if it were your challenge, ‘k? And don’t you dare spend more than a weekend on it - if it becomes laborious for you, holler at me, we’ll find you another prompt or you can drop out, no worries.

PS: If you wanna stick Archer characters into the mix? Bring. It. On.

PPS: Walls of text & bulk of text not behind “read more” = An Unhappy Nash + An Unhappy Dash

P3S: And because it’s my party, if Dean is in your story and he calls someone “Sweetheart” ? If it isn’t in a jerk-face, patronizing manner, I’m gonna foam at the mouth

THANK YOU for coming along with me on this ever-evolving funtastic SPN fandom ride! -Nash.

#supernatural fanfiction #spn fanfic #SPN Meets Archer #Archer Meets SPN #Nash200 #SeeNashWrite's 200th Follower Celebration

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shsl-shipper-gamer-fangirl · 8 years ago

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Prompt: class 77 wakes up and their reactions

A/N I finally wrote this. I don’t know why it took me so long when I just wrote Afterlife Theater on the spot (probably because I’m bitter that Nanami’s the only one dead)

here’s the sequel/reconcilation

Beyond This Point - the sdr2 kids wake up

“The only thing beyond this point is a bright and shining future!”

Brightness. That was the first thing that greeted them when they first woke up from the deepest slumber that lasted for weeks. Or perhaps greeted may not be the right word to describe it. At the final trial, while they were all in the throes of despair, a ray of hope pierced through the darkness. A hope bright enough to outshine the darkness of despair. It was with that brightness that they all decided to vote for the future. And they carried that brightness with them even as they woke up.

But brightness does not exist by itself. Just as there is light, there are also shadows looming over. The hope they had within them was the brightest but at the same time, they carried the darkest of despairs. They were former SHSL Despairs. All of them were. They woke up painfully aware of this fact. A year filled with horrendous acts, all of which done by none other than themselves, all of those memories had suddenly burst forth inside their heads.

They had only been victims of a mutual killing game for the past weeks and now they rediscovered that they themselves were perpetrators of despair.

Whether it was the five of them or the rest of the fifteen of them, they all suffered through the shock of their own sins. It was especially harder for the original five survivors who first woke up. They had just barely accepted the facts during the final trial but to be faced with them with no hope of ever denying this horrendous truth, they had to bear with it and carry on.

Because amidst the despair was hope and not all memories were horrible.

They remembered. They remembered all of the events that happened in the “game”. They remembered how they bonded and trusted each other. They remembered the very few and fleeting moments wherein they were just genuinely happy and enjoying each other’s company. They remembered far more. They remembered their days at Hope’s Peak Academy. They remembered how innocent they were and how much fun they used to have. They remembered how a certain someone had brought hope into their lives.

They remembered Chiaki Nanami. Both of them.

They remembered and they also lived. Unlike her, they were given a second chance to live and even a shot at redemption. And they’d be damned if they don’t honor her sacrifices.

The first one to wake up was not Hinata. In fact, he was the last one to regain consciousness. There was a logical explanation for this and he struggled to hold on to the fleeting dream that he chased after.

“I’m happy… and also proud…” Everything was fading fast and that included Nanami who seemed less solid with every passing second. And yet despite this, her smile was still bright and unfaltering. Hopeful. “Good job on making it this far… Thank you… for protecting everyone…”

“But I didn’t do anything! I couldn’t even protect you!” Hinata shouted as his voice choked on a sob. He tried to reach for her but his hands never quite reached her for some strange reason. It was just that she was within sight but out of reach. And soon, she’d be out of existence. More tears prickled his eyes as he desperately yelled, “I could have saved you but I didn’t!”

“That’s because I… don’t need saving.” She calmly replied with a gentle tone. “From the very beginning… my existence was born to save you and not the other way around…” She gently placed a hand over her chest and smiled softly. “But I’m happy… because you still tried… You’ve already done so much… and that’s more than enough for me… thank you…”

“But that’s not enough! You deserve better!” He objected with all his might. Maybe if he just yelled with all his emotions, she’d be able to stay with him. He knew it was futile though. Just seeing her lose her tangible form was terrifying him because he could practically see her existence being wiped out right in front of him. “Don’t go! Not yet! I… still don’t know what to do! We still need you! I need you!”

“It’s okay… you don’t need to worry… everyone’s with you…” She smiled at him one last time and it was her brightest and warmest yet. She waved him goodbye. “Even… me…”

When Hinata woke up, he was Kamukura and there were tears in his eyes and a hairclip was clenched tightly in one hand.

He blinked the tears away and once his vision cleared, so did everything else. There was no lag time between his awakening and his regaining of his memories. There was no need for an inner turmoil on his part despite waking up with two personalities. He was the helpless Hinata and he was also the emotionless Kamukura at the same time. And somewhere in there was the Hinata of the game who found the courage and strength, and hope to carry on.

He didn’t have time to dwell on the past because he was too busy working on their future. The future they fought and won for.

Five was not a number that he was satisfied with and so he worked out a way to get it up to fifteen. If there was any order as to who woke up first, then it wasn’t intentional. The first one who woke up was Twogami who informed them that he had full memories even if he was skeptical of some of them. Not long after was Teruteru who woke up more terrified than the former. They figured out a pattern from there and welcomed Koizumi when she woke up confused and afraid.

Pekoyama woke up to Kuzuryuu crying over her.

Her gaze immediately softened at the sight of him. “I’ve returned, young master.” She said with a smile she didn’t know she was wearing.

“Idiot. I know you fucking remember! So stop with this master bullshit!” Kuzuryuu scolded her but despite its harshness, it sounded endearing in her ears. “You’re a fucking person and dammit, I’m your friend!” He bawled over when he saw her take in a sharp breath. “And goddammit, don’t ever do anything that stupid again or I swear I’ll kill you!”

She felt the air knock right out of her lungs when he lunged forward and held her in an embrace. It was odd how she was the one who died but he was clinging on to her as if his life depended on it. She let herself cry over the fragile action. Tools don’t cry when they break but she was not a tool. She was a person, a person who was broken far too many times and so for the first time in a long while she allows herself to break in a different way. She broke down. And together, they’d pick up the pieces after.

When Saionji woke up, Koizumi was there to soothe her anguished screams.

“It’s over. It’s alright now. Sshh.” Koizumi whispered in her ear as she held her. Her voice sounded strained from holding back her sobs but the warmth seeped through as Saionji almost melted in her arms. “I’m here now.” And although Saionji cried out like a kid, there was no shame in that, only hurt. She cried and cried until she could only whimper, and then it was Koizumi who cried in her place. And when their tears dried, the faintest flickers of a smile shone on their faces.

Ibuki woke up not long after that and followed by a guilt-ridden Mikan.

“I’m s-sorry! I’m s-so sorry!” Mikan wailed as she knelt as soon as she could and her forehead hit the floor with a loud thump. Unlike everyone else who cried out of sorrow mixed with relief, Mikan cried for forgiveness. “Please, f-forgive me!”

“A second life! What sorcery is this?!” Ibuki had a more energetic reaction upon waking up. She took it all in stride despite the worry that etched her features. “Tsumiki mouse! Enough with the drama bomb. Let’s just reload our save file and be besties again! Ibuki lost an extra life no biggie and Hiyo-yo is fine too, see!” Mikan wanted to protest against that but it was hard to do just that when she was overwhelmed by three girls hugging her. She stopped crying for forgiveness and then just started simply crying. She cried harder when everyone else chipped in to comfort her.

Nidai was the only one who woke up grinning.

“Hahaha! It looks like all worked out well! Good job, everyone!” He laughed, so full of life and the rest couldn’t help but be infected by his good vibes.

“Uwaaah! Old man! You’re finally back!” Owari cried as she tackled him to the ground just as soon as he sat up. “I missed your kickass ass so much! Waaah!” She practically bawled all over him as she held him in a lock. Her arms unconsciously gripped around him tighter at the feeling of warm flesh unlike his cold metallic body from before.

“Excellent grip! It’s good to see you so full of energy!” He praised her as he laughed again, the sound bounced off the walls with much zeal. They don’t dwell much in tears and not even half an hour later, they’re already out in a bout. Unlike everyone else, they talked through their fists and so they poured their feelings into their first match since they woke up. It was a long overdue fight and they fought with the promise of more to come.

Everyone had expected Gundam to have a long-winded speech for when he rose from the dead.

However, before she could even utter a single word, he was fighting for breath first since Sonia had him pinned in his pod. “Oh, Tanaka! You have finally returned to us! I missed you so much! Thank the gods for bringing you back!” She breathed as she squeezed the breath right out of him.

“M-My lady! Nggh… She-cat! Release me… my Dark Queen!” He grunted out his words and it took an audible gasp for Sonia to come to her senses and ease her hold. She had quite the surprising grip despite her misleading appearance. Once he was able to catch his breath again, he smiled triumphantly. “We meet again, dear mortals! I, Tanaka the Forbidden One, have descended into the fiery pits of hell and rose from it again to rule this mortal realm! Bask in the glory of the ressurection of your king who not even death could hold back!”

Sonia barked a laugh as she wiped away her tears at his usual display. It was a tremendous comfort to hear his actual boisterous voice and the deep rumble of his trademark chuckle with her ears rather than with her mind. It was just like him to leave with a dramatic exit and to return with just as much grandeur. She clutched onto his scarf and her heart drummed an extra beat when she felt the steady rise and fall of his chest. He was so full of life now as he tried to live up to his image.

With much tenderness, he reached a hand forward and cupped her face. She leaned towards his touch without hesitation. She couldn’t tell if it was her heart or his which was beating faster and louder. His voice was lowered until a certain softness could be heard in it as he murmured, “I applaud your tenacity, oh queen of darkness. You have fought well and lived accordingly to the will of causality. It gives me joy to see your fighting spirit bursting in flames.”

She cried harder at this and the tears just soaked through his bandages. When she felt the soothing rub of his thumb on her cheek, she was practically bawling over. His other arm snaked to her back where he patted her comfortingly. Sonia vaguely remembered when she sobbed over his trial and when she first woke up but he didn’t. Both were painful memories for her. But this was not painful, at least not in the same sense. This time she cried and she could feel the pain subside with every sob and hiccup. He was too tough to show his tears aside from the scarce few that trickled his cheeks but that’s alright. Yes, it would be alright, they would be alright.

She could feel the rumble in his throat, a sign that he was about to say something, but he was interrupted first. “Alright, alright. He’s alive. We get it. Join the rest of the ressurected club.” Souda said flippantly as he crouched next to his pod. Despite the tone of his voice, tears shone in his eyes and the smile on his face was genuine. “Welcome back, you pretentious bastard.”

“Ah, so the pathetic mortal lives.” Gundam quipped with a smirk.

“Pathetic?” Souda looked absolutely taken aback by the unexpected insult. And so he immediately fell back into old habits. “Dude, look who’s talking! Seriously, you talk like a kid with 8th grade syndrome even though we’re past high school! If anyone’s pathetic here it’s you and your demonic crap!”

“What is a god to an ignorant non-believer? Still all powerful and less benevolent that is. I would choose my words carefully if I were you, foolish mortal.” Gundam retorted haughtily. Souda looked like he was about to burst and Sonia laughed at their usual banter. This was safe and familiar. This was how they used to be. This was how they were supposed to be. This was how they knew that they were going to be alright.

Finally, Komaeda was the last one to wake up.

“Hey! Can you hear me?”

When Komaeda woke up, the first thing that registered his vision was a pair of mismatched eyes staring. “Ahh… Izuru Kamukura?” He asked tentatively. But when his vision cleared somewhat, the blurriness revealed a familiar face. “No, you’re Hajime Hinata, right?”

“They’re both me.” He said as he offered a hand.

“I knew you’d make it to the lowest stratum. I believed in you.” Komaeda replied with a heartfelt smile as he accepted the helping hand. "How are the others?“

He smiled and as if on cue the doors opened behind him to reveal the rest of their classmates. "You’re the last one out.”

Brightness. That was what he thought when he saw all of his friends right before him. They were all shards of hope shining brightly and overtaking his vision. They were hope bright enough to outshine the darkness of despair. It was with that same brightness that they all decided to vote for the future. No, maybe not exactly the same. They seemed brighter now, radiant even. It was a brilliant brightness full of hope towards the future.

Komaeda couldn’t have been more grateful than to be a part of this hope. He smiled brightly as reunited with them. “Sorry to keep you waiting. I overslept a bit.” They welcomed him back just as brightly in their own unique ways.

And as the whole class set off towards the future, they still carried with them their past.

In the back of their minds, buried not so deep, were precious memories of her. And if they listened closely with their heart, they could still hear her voice encouraging as always. “I’ll never forget about you guys… I’ll be cheering for you guys from now on… from somewhere. ‘Cause… we’re friends, after all.”

They move on. They move forward. They move without looking back because everything they need is already with them, beside them. Beyond this point was the future they worked hard on, her in particular. She’s still with them just unseen with eyes. She’s with them in spirit. And with everyone together and whole again, they take the first step towards the future.

“If you guys carried the burden of both hope and despair, you should even be able to create the future! Come on, let’s go. We’ll make our future together!”

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nukyster-blog · 4 years ago

Text

Changing Course chapter 21) Forty minus one

Ivar awoke by the first sunlight of dawn. The white rays were watery and cold, like the temperature in the dungeon. Frost had slowly allowed itself to enter the castle’s walls and inched inside, ridding Ivar’s prison cell of the last bits of warmth.

Ivar did not recall if he slept or lost consciousness due to the cold. He guessed the latter, as the bitter cold had chilled his fingers into useless numbness and crept further down into his body. It spread painfully from his toes into his feet robbing his skin of all color.

“Maybe”, he thought, “this is not the worst day to die”; he honestly didn’t believe he’d survive the winter.

The cold of night had robbed him of strength, but not of spirit. He would not fight his death but he’d do everything in his power to keep his jaws locked and mouth shut. He’d undergo whatever punishment those Christians thought proper for his crime and die with dignity.

A gust of frigid wind wrapped around him like a shawl woven by ice itself. His teeth chattered as he tried to warm his body by rocking back and forth.

Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. He began to lose his sense of time. Back and forth, back and forth. Hunger gnawed a hole in his stomach. Back and forth, back and forth.

The dead rat slowly but steadily became a reasonable meal. Back and forth, back and forth.

“Ivar?”

Ivar glanced up to the barred window. It was Piglet; in order for her to peek into Ivar’s prison cell she had to lay her head on the ground.

“Piglet?” Ivar crawled underneath the window and stared up, squinting his eyes. The young woman above reached back for a moment and managed to shove her arm through the bars.

A polished, red apple dropped into Ivar’s lap.

“Ivar…” her voice was brittle and soft; she reached further down into the cell as a desperate attempt for a last connection.

It was impossible. Even if Ivar had been able to stand, the walls were too high.

“I guess this is it then Piglet, we had a good run,” Ivar spoke toneless, watching her hand reach and wave, “we were a proper match you and I. It’s a shame you believe in a false God…” and that was where he stopped himself from becoming sentimental. Because both of them were aware they would never see each other again, there was no reason to voice the truth.

“A shame,” he ended and shut out all of her weeping. For a while, her arm remained reaching and waving, but as Ivar remained silent, Piglet eventually gave up and left.

He’d never know if she’d spoken any last words of goodbye for him, because he blocked everything out, all while eating her apple. Even the core, because he did not want her to get in trouble and he could use all the strength given.

.-.-.

Overnight the lessers of the castle had placed a beech wooden pole in the centre near the well. It wouldn't be the only silent witness of Ivar’s punishment. The rest of the bystanders were already buzzing and whispering about what was to come.

The Giant hadn’t been pleased with Ivar’s forehead statement and had wiped off the Runen R with spit and his sleeve.

The cobblestones bruised his knees as Ivar was shoved, poked, and kicked in order to get into the centre.

The three rulers and the fair maiden had taken place nearest the pole, seated on wooden chairs. Their place had the best view for the spectacle, although Lambertus and his wife, Haedwien, did not look pleased with being present. The fair maiden had her hand pressed against her mouth, cheeks pale and on the verge of getting sick.

And Ludolf, sat sunken on his seat, bored and maybe even a bit embarrassed. For it was due to his “wound” that the slave had to suffer and be an example for the rest. The bystanders were on foot, nudging and pulling to get to the front row.

For some reason Ivar was pleased to see the Christians fight for the best spot, at least those soulless bastards had some sense of bloodlust. Maybe they were more Viking then they’d like to admit.

Ivar was forced on his knees, facing the pole. His arms were stretched far above his head and tied to the beech wood. A knife was dragged jaggedly through his humble tunic, tearing the fabric open, baring his back, shoulders and neck completely.

“Will they Bloodeagle me?” Ivar wondered stunned, as he pressed his cheek against the wood in an attempt to pick up everything that was happening behind him. But his arms were tied too high, leaving his face and most of his upper body pressed against the pole, minimizing his mobility.

The Giant spoke some biblical nonsense; Ivar concluded from the Giant’s tone. Ivar’s assumption was completely confirmed when he heard the book slam shut.

The first lash came completely unexpected and Ivar broke his solemn rule—to keep his mouth shut. A pain plagued hiss managed to escape through his teeth. The second lash managed to hit the exact same position as the first and cut through Ivar’s skin. A tortuously slow pattern emerged, one of two lashes and then a moment of ease. Ivar later learned that moment of pause wasn’t for him, no, it was for the Giant, so his arm would not tire.

The lashes seemed to rip Ivar open to the marrow, like rigged daggers the leather dug deeper and deeper into his skin. Time did not matter anymore; all that remained was the rhythm of the lashes.

A scream from deep within forced its way from Ivar’s mouth, it was not one of fright, but one formed entirely of anger that unleashed itself like a demon. It took two more lashes to silence him, fists clenching and teeth locking up all of his remaining sound. Now that his anger escaped him, there was only despair.

Ivar lost count after fifteen, his ears were ringing and he could no longer see clearly. His mind seemed afloat; his body a vacant, aching shell. There was a low indistinct sound, almost animalistic. It took him a moment to realize those where his own hoarse moans.

The cobblestones wore more and more spatters of Ivar’s blood. It did not take many more lashes for his battered skin to peel loose, falling down at his knees like bloody autumn leaves.

A deep, raspy caw called down to him. Ivar’s eyes were able to focus enough on the top of the pole to see the black silhouette of a raven, contrasting against the milky white sky.

“Father—“ Ivar watched the bird as his front teeth scraped over the beech wood.

The raven cawed again, its beady eyes mercilessly taking in the scene beneath it. With wings black as tar, it gracefully landed near Ivar’s knees. Ravens were known for their curiosity, but even they knew their limits. It wasn’t common for birds to come so near such a large crowd of humans. But the raven did not show any hesitation and pecked at the remains of Ivar’s skin. It peeked up again, taking a piece of Ivar before lifting off, heading off into the milky white sky.

Ivar inhaled a sharp breath as the leather tore at his skin again, but this time he felt elevated.

“You can beat every inch of my body,” he whispered hoarsely, “but you cannot kill me. Not today, because I am Ivar the Boneless, son of Ragnar Lothbrok, and I have my father’s blessings.”

His eyes rolled back as his body was close to giving in to the immense pain scorching his entire back. The crowd had grown silent; most faces contorted with plagued expressions. The fair maiden had fled the scene. Ludolf’s lips were twisted into a satisfied, lopsided and sadistic smile.

Pain prevails over every emotion. It conquers lust, hunger, envy, hatred. Pain can divide brothers by blood; it can drive wise men mad.

To triumph over pain, you need to be extraordinary—near Godly.

In between the last few lashes, Ivar had an epiphany: he could not die before he’d fulfilled his destiny. And, although he did not know what lay in his future, he wholeheartedly believed the Gods had laid out an exceptional path for him. It became quite clear; he had beat death too many times to simply die by the hands of a Christian commoner.

Maybe he deserved this punishment, for he’d questioned the Gods too many times and cursed them for turning him from a cripple prince into a slave. His mother had been a Vülva, able to see the past, present and future. But interpreting the will of the Gods was hard, maybe she’d seen his death wrong and had it merely been a rebirth.

He’d been resurrected from death, by his father, time after time. So for today, Hellheim and Valhalla had to wait for his arrival, for he had his destiny to fulfill.

.-.-.

In the bible Moses’ Law referred to flagellation; the law itself meant forty lashes less one; thirty-nine lashes. The term was meant as a biblical one, in that 40 lashes were determined enough to kill a man, according to the Old Testament and thus 39 lashes was the most you give a man without declaring a penalty of death.

Today the crippled slave of de Haar survived forty.

.-.-.

A/N: I’m not going to lie, I’ve been so impatient to write this chapter. At the start, I only had a few guidelines: hurt, massive hurt and excruciating hurt. But then I figured I had to keep Ivar’s spirit intact in order for him to survive. So yes, once again Ragnar in the form of a Raven reappeared. As I’ve mentioned before, you can see this every way you like, spiritual, emotional. Is it just a young man in desperate need of comfort, or is there truly a link between Midgard and Valhalla? Pick whatever you please. And in case you wonder, I’ve made up Ivar’s entire path towards his destiny like the moment I started writing this story. In my head, it’s all written out, wrapped into a trilogy. Now just the time to drabble it all out. The 40 minus 1 is a true thing btw, I’ve done some (too much) research, it’s believed that Jesus received 39 whippings and since I’ve thrown Christianity into the mix I figured I might as well add some information as well.

So that was it for today, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, or sat there cringing in your chair, either way I’ve done my job well.

Xoxoxo Nukyster

The kickass beta: @Sarahh-Jane

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@youbloodymadgenius

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#ivar the boneless #ivar fanfic #alex hogh andersen #vikings #vikings fandom #vikings fanfic

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