#juuuuust saw the news so had to share it with you all

[whumpypepsigal]

GUYS WE WON!!!!!!!!

me thinks this is the fastest renewal announcement netflix has ever made lol, im so damn happy rn!

[markantonys]

time for my end-of-tfoh post!! this one is LONG but i just had so many thoughts on the last few chapters

i LOVE nynaeve nerding out over healing and elayne over making angreal. they are so cute and powerful!! it’s nice especially to see elayne develop her Thing™ the way nynaeve has healing and egwene dreaming

min and elayne reunion! interesting to finally see 2 of rand’s gfs acknowledge to each other that they both like him. and good for them for not wanting it to affect their friendship and for trying to make the best of it, though elayne is understandably less than thrilled at the prospect of sharing rand (when as far as she knows she’s still the only one of the 3 who’s had any sort of actual relationship with him)

“i saw that you’d fall in love with him, i don’t know what he feels for you” wow min no need to make elayne feel more insecure than she already does. min is just not buttering my bread this book i have to say.

“who was the third woman? aviendha had better be keeping a close eye on him” that’s some delicious dramatic irony and my first reaction was to laugh, but also, it really hits home how scummy it was that aviendha and rand slept together. like, elayne has put so much trust in her! at least aviendha is very aware of the wrong done and plans to make amends for it, from her mention of having toh to elayne now. and elayne’s conflicting letters give rand juuuuust enough plausible deniability regarding her feelings and intentions towards him that it MAYBE doesn’t count as cheating. still, doesn’t sit right with me and my elayne-loving heart.

back to cairhien. poor rand, he’s got so many problems, and to top it all off everyone in cairhien (still) wants to fuck him. the show better have some cairhienin lords as well as ladies thirsting over rand or else it’s a coward

“moiraine smiled. ‘you learn quickly. you will do well.’ for a moment she looked almost fond.” MOMRAINE 😭

“[mat’s] green coat hung open, and his shirt was half unlaced, exposing the silver foxhead dangling on his sweaty chest” someone get rand a glass of water, he’s thirsty

rand intentionally letting mat be scared by the 3 aes sedai (well 2+aviendha) to make him more susceptible to what rand needs to order him to do 🗡️💔 1x06 rand “pulls a sword on moiraine to protect mat from her” al’thor would be horrified. oh it hurts to see who my sunshine boy is being forced to become

mat insulting elayne and in the same breath saying he’s glad she’s not here to hear the news of morgase’s death. matlayne rights!

i never believed even for a moment that she was really dead, but rand’s guilt over it hurts!!

mat straightaway advocating for finding elayne and putting her on the throne. matlayne rights!

“i will see you tonight or i will see you dead” rand you can’t just summon asmodean for a bootycall right in front of your girlfriend and your boyfriend and your ex-girlfriend and your mom

“you will never choose what risks i take, rand al’thor. never. know it now.” obsessed with this line, i want it tattooed on my brain

“‘i said, shut up!’ rand drove the foxhead against mat’s chest with a hard finger.” mat internally: [chanting] top me top me top me

“the stormy meeting with rand had gone on till the sun set” i wonder what happened in mat and rand’s fade-to-black stormy meeting that lasted until sunset 👀

melindhra is evil [pretends to be shocked] (i’d already been spoiled on it but i’m certain i would’ve been able to guess even if i hadn’t) poor mat is so traumatized from having to kill her :((((

“i am the car’a’carn, remember.” “you have shaving lather on your ear, rand al’thor.” they are so married

aviendha defending her brother-husband when asmodean suggests that mat killing melindhra is the reason the maidens are mad 🥰

“amazingly, [moiraine] gave mat a warm smile” MOMRAINE

“you have changed from the boy i first saw outside the winespring inn” MOMRAINE

lanfear really said If I Can’t Have Him No One Can

“he could end it. only, he could not. he was going to die, perhaps the world would die, but he could not make himself kill another woman.” interrupting my bullet list because only a picture can express my feelings about this:

thank god moiraine has a braincell and yeets lanfear through the ter’angreal

i’m 100% confident that moiraine is fine. no body no death! and i’ve heard about things she does that have not happened yet therefore she’s still alive

lan and rand’s reactions though 😭😭 but please lan, i know you’re Going Through It but please don’t give rand your terrible “you and i bring nothing but pain to the people we love, you should push everyone away” relationship advice as your parting words, the boy is emotionally fucked up enough already

moiraine’s letter to rand 😭😭😭 MOMRAINE!! and rand crying 😭😭😭😭

sulin’s verbal ear-boxing to rand over his dumb hangups over women in battle was much needed, but sadly it didn’t really change his opinion, only convinced him there was no point arguing with the maidens. rand’s concern for the maidens and valuing their safety over the other societies’ would be so touching if it came from a place of them being his Family and the aiel he’s closest to instead of just being because they’re women

“i thought maybe they were going to go in one at a time and kiss you out of your miseries” mat you’re projecting, i know you’re the one who wanted to go in and kiss rand out of his miseries

mat saying “i like canoodling as much as the next man but don’t you think there are a few too many people watching” when rand and aviendha are having a Moment jdkfjg he really said “are you serious? right in front of my salad?” and this from mat of all people who you would think wouldn’t give a shit about other people’s pda. he’s totally jealous

there are some sort of matrandlayne rights here in the fact that mat and rand are breaking into elayne’s palace together the same way they both did separately in the past

“now i find i truly like the sight of you on your knees” moghedien that’s gay

“nynaeve took hold of the silvery leash where it joined the collar and pulled the forsaken’s face close to hers” nynaeve that’s gay

fat little man angreal my beloved. if rand ever loses that little guy i’ll be devastated.

so rand can enter tel’aran’rhiod without a ter’angreal? and i believe mat will eventually reunite with elayne and nynaeve who have ter’angreals that can be used even by someone who can’t channel. are you thinking long-distance cauthor because i’m thinking long-distance cauthor! no i don’t care if nynaeve says rand loses part of himself by entering tel’aran’rhiod this way, how else is he supposed to call his boyfriend, nynaeve?

i was so convinced rand was gaslighting me when he kept insisting he’d entered tel’aran’rhiod back in tear because i had 0 memory of any such thing, but as i was typing out my complaint i remembered that must’ve been what he did in his final battle with ishamael lmao fuck man too much Stuff happens in these books, my memory cannot possibly retain it all. also that battle with ishamael was confusing as hell to me and i don’t think i realized that entering tel’aran’rhiod was what had happened, i was just kinda like “all right rand left this plane of existence somehow, cool, moving on”

nynaeve and rand’s reunion healed and hurt me at the same time. they’ve both changed so much since they last saw each other 😭😭

i already made a post weeping over rand reuniting with not-dead aviendha and mat but i simply must reiterate how much it made my heart swell!!!!!

also, certain book readers were seriously complaining about nynaeve’s “fakeout death” at the end of 1x08 when the entire ending of tfoh is the way that it is LMAOOOO possibly the best example yet of “turns out things book readers criticized the show for were already present in the books but so much worse” (not that i’m bothered by fakeout deaths personally, if i had it my way no characters i like would die ever) (the other biggest example is certain readers saying that the relationship drama in the show was petty and immature. how someone could say that with a straight face after reading the way LITERALLY EVERY RELATIONSHIP IN THE WHOLE BOOK SERIES is written is beyond me)

rand protectively watching over mat and aviendha chatting by the fountain together ❤️❤️❤️ randwich rights!

rand granting amnesty to male channelers and deciding to start a lil school! this is going to be a fun plotline

ASMODEAN!!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

oh asmodean we barely knew ye. gone far too soon. rip king. i’m genuinely so pissed off about this actually, there is so much wasted potential!! he had the potential to be SUCH a fascinating character with SUCH a fascinating relationship with rand, but it was barely explored. URGH!!! curious to know who killed him tho, you would assume it was another forsaken but that almost seems too obvious............

[seriouslysnape]

hi! i saw your requests are open and i wanted to ask about something that has been on my mind for a while now

could u please write about harry dating a ravenclaw girl who is into music? she plays the piano and sings and harry is basically her biggest supporter and he is always praising her, i haven't seen anything like this before so it might be nice :)

Harry Potter x Fem! Ravenclaw! Reader

Warnings: None.

Word Count: 1.1k

A/N: I tweaked this request juuuuust a tad, Anon. Also, I’m going to count this as a one-shot instead of a drabble. I’m pretty sure this is too long to be considered a drabble.

“I never knew...”

Harry’s feet automatically carried him towards the source of the angelic sounds that were currently registering in his ears. He wasn’t even exactly sure what part of the castle he was in, because his ears had led him to a section that was unfamiliar to him. Harry had always been the curious type. Most people would say that his curiosity is what got him into trouble most of the time.

But he just couldn’t help but seek out the noise that was drawing him in. He could identify the sounds of a piano being played with ease, but he was a bit fuzzy on WHO could have been playing a piano in such a talented manner. None of his friends were much of musicians (although Ron would argue that he had perfect singing pitch), and he was pretty sure none of his enemies were musically gifted. 

He suddenly found himself in front of two dark, wooden doors that were acting as a barrier between the corridor and the room inside. The musical notes had gotten louder as he grew closer, but the music was still muffled from the wall between him and the room. 

He debated on whether or not he should enter. He wanted to hear more. He practically needed to hear more to satisfy the itch that was bugging him to get closer to the noise. But for all he knew, it could be Professor Snape behind those doors playing the keys as a form of stress relief. Harry wasn’t sure that he was keen on walking into the middle of that.

He pressed his ear against the wood for an even better vantage point, his eyelids gently shutting at the melodious music. The classical music brought a sense of ease and comfort to him. It came crashing over him like tidal waves on a coastal beach in the dog days of summer. He was sure that he had never felt anything like whatever he was feeling right now. It brought a flutter to his heart, like a million little garden butterflies being released from captivity. He was sure that this was as close to dancing amongst the stars as he’d ever get.

Just as he was preparing to depart, a new sound was heard from within the mysterious room. He pressed his ear back up to the door like a magnet on a refrigerator, his gut doing an excited roll at the sudden noise. It took him a moment to decipher what he was hearing, and then it hit him.

Whoever the mystery pianist was had a voice of gold...and also one that was strikingly familiar.

He was sure that he was mistaken, because surely no one he knew was this talented with the piano. It was a female voice for sure, which ruled out his Professor Snape theory. She sounded young, her voice not sounding aged or wise like Professor McGonagall’s did. It was definitely a student, and likely someone that he had at least seen around before. Suddenly, his curiosity was too strong to ignore.

He had to see who it was.

He turned the knob of the right door as quietly as he could, not intending to disturb the musical peace. He half expected to see a halo of light around the girl sitting at the piano, based on how wonderfully celestial she sounded. Instead, his eyes were met with a set of blue and bronze robes sitting at a bench in front of a massive piano. It was set conveniently in the middle of the room, and it wasn’t accompanied by much else. There was one massive window against the back wall, casting a certain glow into the room that settled onto the girl sitting just twenty feet or so from him. 

He stood halfway between the doorway and the room, still soaking in the beautiful music being bestowed upon him. She was still singing perfectly and quietly, her nimble fingers dancing from key to key with extreme precision. 

That voice...

He abruptly realized that he did know that voice. He knew that voice and those hands anywhere. They belonged to someone that he cared about so very much. Someone whose presence and heart in and of themselves were music to Harry’s soul. He couldn’t stop himself before he had time to think about it. Her name fell from his lips rather loudly, stopping her completely.

“[Y/N]?” 

He mentally smacked himself just as fast as her name left his mouth. He blushed at the sudden intrusion of privacy, but it melted away when she turned back to face her boyfriend.

“Harry. I...what are you doing here?” She asked, suddenly very aware that she had been caught in her secret hobby.

Harry took that as an invitation, closing the door behind him and making leisure strides to the piano where his lover sat like a deer in headlights. Harry knew his girlfriend well. He knew her favorite food, her favorite Muggle movie, and had even learned her morning routine. 

But this? This was something that had completely taken him by surprise.

“I heard you playing from a few corridors over.” He explained, his hand resting between her shoulder blades when he made it to her.

Harry noticed that she hadn’t even a scratch sheet of music. She had been playing purely from the heart and memorization. He was floored at his new realization of his girlfriend.

“Oh.” She said meekly, her embarrassed eyes avoiding his astonished ones.

“I never knew...” He whispered out, almost a little hurt that there was something about his girlfriend of almost two years that he didn’t know, “You’re positively brilliant, darling.”

He was gushing over her as if she had just been appointed to be the next Minister of Magic. He was impressed, stunned, and even more in love all at the same time. He knew that she kept things to herself sometimes, and he always respected that.

But he was sure that her talents needed to be shared with the world...or at least with him. He sat down next to her in a bubbly manner, his core practically vibrating with excitement.

“Play something else!” He shrilled, his eyes shifting back and forth between her and the piano.

Her cheeks burned deeper, but her smile was blinding. 

“Really?” She breathed out, her fingers finding their positions again.

His hand rested on her thigh, his thumb running back and forth in a careful manner. He pressed a kiss to her temple, smirking underneath the kiss when she giggled. Her laugh was the best sound that he’d ever have the pleasure of hearing.

“Absolutely.”

[the-blind-assassin-12]

Mad About the Boy

Word Count: 1,345 Character: John Whittaker 

(ARTIST APPRECIATION SUBMISSION)

Hi friends! Juuuuust sneaking in before the weekend officially ends here on the East Coast so I can stick to my #WhittakerWeekend schedule. Really- whose demeanor is better suited for weekends than John’s? No one’s, that’s who. So this submission is admittedly a little different than the others that I have written for, because I am actually tying it to Let’s Face the Music & Dance (hope you don’t mind!!) as a sort of side piece, though you do not need to know anything about that story to understand this...or to understand that it is a SERIOUSLY stunning piece of art. When @alraedesigns​ sent me this submission by @pheedraws​ we both admitted to thinking it was a photograph the first time we saw it, and then we talked about how we each freaked out over the fact that no, it is not a photograph, but a painting- a flawless, intricate, beautiful painting. Of a flawless man with a stunning smile. 

So Phoebe, from @alraedesigns​ (and I) and let’s face it anyone who has seen your work: THANK YOU FOR BLESSING OUR EYES WITH THIS MASTERPIECE. YOU ARE TALENTED. YOU ARE APPRECIATED. YOU ARE OUT OF THIS DAMN WORLD. 

(His smile is everything that is good in this world. Prove me wrong, you cannot.)

Mad About the Boy 

There were certain books she read depending on the time of year. The majority of her literary consumption consisted of things she’d never read before, usually new works from her favorite authors, or else recommendations from friends with similarly discerning taste to her own. Mattie’s reliable, but I simply can’t get through the drivel that Angela enjoys. She ran her fingers over the spines of the leather and cloth bound titles that graced the shelf she’d deemed only for her favorites; Madame Bovary, Tess of the D’Ubervilles, A Doll’s House, A Room with A View. Each had their time to shine in her cycle of new and old reads. But she passed them all up in favor of another, one she always read in the final days of Summer, when golden sunlight melted and dripped from the sky to gild the leaves of trees instead, when she was reminded how quickly things can change and how important it was to live now. Lawrence understood. 

She found the book she’d been looking for and pulled it from the lineup. Lady Chatterley's Lover. A door closed somewhere in another room and she sighed, swiping one hand over the cover and greeting it with the sort of smile one would share with a close friend. He needs his time to himself, and I need mine. I don’t ask what he… where he goes. And he doesn’t ask what I… While some… let’s face it, most… women would find their arrangement deplorable, Larita found it quite agreeable, and so did Jim. 

She wasn’t sure if she loved him, and she honestly wasn’t sure if she wanted to. With him it was always more about being seen and heard and respected than it was about physical attraction or romantic feelings. The fact that they happened to have good chemistry was somewhat of a cherry on top of what they’d both come to accept was the best case scenario for a pair such as themselves. If I’m putting myself out to pasture at least the company will be good. She knew that the third time rarely was the charm, and he knew that whatever part of him might have made for a good husband the second time around never made it home from the front. No need to push our luck on love. 

Crossing the parlor, she curled herself into the tufted armchair in the corner, opened her book and began to read. With Jim, she never had to abide by the staunch rules that other men- American, English, I imagine it wouldn’t make a difference where they came from- would enforce on her through marriage. Long lists of expected skills and hobbies, none of them useful in any real way, and short lists of appropriate clothing styles; even shorter ones of acceptable reading material. If that was the price to pay for love, then perhaps love wasn’t what she needed anymore. 

She’d loved her first husband, deeply and completely and he’d loved her too, fiercely and unquestioningly, and it still ended in a heartache she’d never fully heal from. Affection, interaction, physical touch... they could all be had without-  Turning the page, she sucked in a breath as a photo slipped out and into her lap. Larita let the book fall closed against her thighs, thin fingers plucking the photo from where it had landed, unfolding the crease across the bottom from where it had been pressed against the book’s binding. Oh, John… 

It was a photo from their wedding day, his young face lit with excitement, his dark eyes shining like the small but clear diamonds that once graced her left ring finger.  His smile on any given day was the most genuine she’d ever seen, but the way he’d looked at her that day, when he naively promised her forever… No one will ever look at me that way again. She let her fingertips slide over his face in the photo, a wistful smile forming on her own lips. No one ever could. When he’d told her that he couldn’t have loved her more than he did, she knew that he was telling the truth, that he believed with all of himself that he was giving her all that a person could give, all that a person could love. She loved John- loved his light heart and free spirit, adored the wide-eyed wonder with which he viewed the world. She loved the way she felt when they were together and she loved him for making her feel it. But I was foolish to think that it would be enough- that she would be content with what someone else deemed all the love that they were capable of, but only a fraction of the understanding that came with that word. Oh, John, it wasn’t your fault, not at all. Whereas some women- no, most- might turn bitter in the face of a failed second marriage, Larita felt only well wishes towards her ex-husband. I hope you find someone to give all that light to, John, someone who your love will be enough for, someone who’s mad about you.

Unsure of what to do with the photo- I can’t put it back in the book...I’ll only be surprised by it again next year, but… she looked down at it...I can’t throw it away either- she tucked it into the pocket of her trousers just as she heard her name, Jim announcing his return and calling out to find her. “In here,” she responded, closing her book and setting it down on the cushion she’d just vacated. He stepped into the room, expression much more tense than it was when he left only an hour or so earlier. “Everything alright? You look-”

“Hilda’s engaged to be married. Did you know?” His hands went straight into his pockets, a deep frown cutting across his face and she stepped closer to lay a hand on his arm. Perhaps she wasn’t in love with him, but she cared for the man, cared about the things that upset him. 

“Of course I didn’t know, I wouldn’t keep that from you, you know that.” It was true and he knew it. And I know that he knows it. It was easier, avoiding tiffs when emotions could be de-escalated before they came to a head, and Larita saw that she was right, Jim’s brow unfurrowing. “How did you hear the news?”

“There’s to be a party next month at…” he sniffed, “Well at the estate. I’ve just run into Martin Horning and he relayed the message.” Larita winced at the hurt that only she would have caught in his tone- the hurt that he hadn’t warranted an invitation. “Larita? Do you think...should I, should we go?”

Blinking quickly she felt her lips drop open. It had been one thing to see John’s picture unexpectedly, but seeing him in person when things had been left the way that they had… that was something else entirely. She let out a breath and shook her head slowly. “No, Jim, I...that’s not a good-” 

“She’s my daughter! Don’t I...shouldn’t I?” 

“And she didn’t invite you.” She said it as calmly and as soothingly as she could, real empathy in her heart as she took his cheeks between her palms. “Maybe the best gift you can give her, give all of them is…” She thought of John’s face, smiling in her pocket and how he deserved a chance to find someone to bestow it on. She thought of Hilda’s innocence and charm and how she deserved the happiness that came with those things. “Is just to let them move on from…” She felt a tear in the corner of her eye and didn’t even try to blink it away. “From us.” 

Jim brushed his knuckle over the apple of her cheek, ridding the tear as she knew he would. He sighed, the sound sad and low, but his face softened. “As usual, darling,” another deep breath came from his lungs as he conceded, “I believe you’re right.” 

.

.

.

Thank you a million times to all of you fabulous artists! If you are an artist in the Ben Barnes fandom, or you want to surprise an artist with a quick drabble based on their art, send me a message and link me to the posted artwork. Let’s show these talented folks how much we appreciate them and the things that they create!

[arcanawildcard]

How about shuann soulmate marks au? First meeting and no powers?

taking requests here! (be prepared for a wait tho orz)

read on ao3

By the time ‘来栖 暁’ appeared on Ann’s wrist at the age of 16, she had her type nailed down to a T. Her reasoning was that if she was going to live her life without a soulmate (like 95% of the world’s population) she was doing to make perfectly sure that the guy she did fall for was as close to a soulmate as he could get.

He had to be about her age or a little younger. Good-looking and strong and smart and brave. A romantic. He had to be able to make her laugh and always cheer her up when she was feeling down. Taller than her, but only a little, with broad shoulders. Kind, gentle, reserved, but a bit of a rogue too. The perfect gentleman with a hint of mischief and a sliver of danger.

(”You might as well start on hair and eye colors with a list like this,” Shiho told her when she found Ann’s notepad.

“Oh! That’s a good idea.” Ann retrieved her notepad and tapped her lip with her pen. “What do you think about grey eyes?”

“Don’t ask me.”)

He couldn’t be fair-haired because there was only room for one dumb blonde in their relationship, she didn’t have the best impression of redheads for various reasons, and brown was just so... normal, you know?

(Shiho had been muffling snickers at that point, but she helped Ann come to the conclusions of dark grey eyes, curly black hair, preferably Japanese without further commentary.)

It was kind of silly, she knew, but it felt like a talisman. She’d have a soulmate, or she’d have a guy who was perfect for her anyway. Her standards didn’t have room for the likes of Mr. Kamoshida or that one Photography Club member who kept trying to get creepshots of her when she passed by. The girls could call her a bimbo and the boys could call her a frigid bitch and it would all be fine because she was just waiting for Mr. Right.

So her perfect guy had to be good with kids and kind to animals. He had to be a little bit noble and a little bit sly. He had to hold her hand in public. He had to want her—not her looks, not her body, not her connections or status, but her—more than anyone else.

He had to listen to her. He had to hold her but couldn’t coddle her. He had to support her in her dreams. He had to want marriage and children one day. He had to—

And then, one sunny afternoon in April, three kanji hastily inked themselves across her wrist, and no amount of scrubbing washed it away.

‘来栖 暁’

After so much time spent wanting to know who her soulmate was, it was kind of a shock to find out that he’d actually gotten close enough for their souls to, well, brush.

Maybe he’d moved to Tokyo, or maybe he’d just come to visit, or maybe-maybe-maybe...

Well, it wasn’t like she had any idea how to find him—at least not yet. The name would probably pop up online, if nowhere else, and he might even come looking for her first, but right now, at this moment, he could be just another face in the crowd shuffling through Shibuya Square and she’d never know.

It was an odd feeling, but she didn’t have the time to dwell on it. Her agency had her weekend packed and she barely even had the time to make an attempt at her homework before it was Monday again.

Monday was misleadingly clear until it started pouring down right in the middle of her walk to school, and she found herself ducking under an awning with another unlucky student who’s forgotten his umbrella.

She was just contemplating making a run for it (she’d look totally lame, but it would probably be even lamer to turn up soaked through) when she felt a stare burning into the side of her face.

The other student was the culprit, eyes wide and lips parted in that kind of open awe she got sometimes, that kind that didn’t feel hungry or creepy the way some did, just... admiring.

It was a warm feeling, one that bubbled giggly in her throat—and then she registered the actual look of him

And blinked.

Dark grey eyes, curly black hair, definitely Japanese, a little bit taller than her, handsome and broad-shouldered and somewhat reserved—

Ahahaha, no way.

It was ironic that she’d meet a guy that looked like a perfect 10 on her (slightly joking) list of requirements only a few days after finding out her soulmate was nearby, but that just had to mean things were looking her way, right?

She smiled at him, then resettled herself and went back to contemplating the rain. Inconvenient as it was, it was also really pretty.

Mr. Kamoshida was... nice enough to give her a ride to school and save her from looking flustered and lame or soaked and lame, and she made it to class without further incident.

And then, just slightly late, the boy from under the awning walked in after Ms. Kawakami.

He was a transfer student, Ms. Kawakami said, and he’d be studying with their for the rest of the year.

He wrote his name on the blackboard and murmured his greetings in a low, velvety voice that she could really get used to hearing, but she couldn’t fully appreciate it.

‘来栖 暁’ he’d written. Pronounced as Akira Kurusu, he’d said.

That was her soulmate.

Akira’s soulmate was in Tokyo. He was pretty sure, anyway.

Somewhere, somehow, ‘高巻 杏’ was or had been close enough to ink their name on his wrist in the space of a nap on the train.

It was one more new thing in the whole slew of new he was walking into, and it should have been a shock, but he was traveling out of his hometown for the first time, he was alone in a big city, he had narrowly escaped a prison sentence for a crime he hadn’t committed, and he was barely acquainted with a picture of his new guardian, much less the man himself—

Well. Tokyo was the biggest city in Japan. There were over 9 million people here and more passing through on the daily. His soulmate could be... anyone, really.

Well, no. They were Japanese, he knew that much, and 杏 was generally a female name—an Azu, or Anri, or Kyou, or Suume...

That was about it, though. He should probably start looking for her while he was in Tokyo; much more convenient and accessible than his hometown, if nothing else.

Just... maybe not right now. Right now, he needed to sleep for a week.

Forgetting an umbrella on his first day at his new school felt like just par the course for his current string of luck.

The girl who joined him under the awning he’d taken shelter under did not.

Pale gold hair like starlight, eyes blue enough to make up for the muddied sky tenfold, quiet melancholy on a face so beautiful it was almost ethereal. She stood with casual confidence and enviable ease, like this was just another day to her, like she’d been like this so long she didn’t even notice that the world was hers anymore.

Which she didn’t, he guessed, but meanwhile his breath was caught in his throat, pulse throbbing in his fingertips, because oh, wow...

He’d known people looked like that in magazines, but seeing the real thing—seeing someone who was about as flesh and blood as divinity could get with his own two eyes—now this was something else.

She met his eye with a much milder surprise than his own, her confusion unfurling into a warm smile (oh) and quiet giggle (oh), and then looked away while he gaped like an idiot.

Just proof that there were all sorts of people in Tokyo, he supposed once he’d shut his mouth and scrambled his wits back together. It was a crazy city to put people like the two of them side-by-side.

Not that it really mattered.

He’d probably never see her again, and he was one of those lucky few with a soulmate he had to find besides.

Tokyo was a crazy city, but maybe... maybe it wasn’t all bad.

He saw her again.

And, for all intents and purposes, he’d be seeing her six days a week for as long as he was in the city.

Since, you know, he sat in the seat behind hers in homeroom.

Their homeroom.

The homeroom that they shared, being in the same class and the same year and the same school and all.

The school that was now buzzing with rumors about his probation and what kind of cruel, evil, morally bankrupt deeds he’d done to earn it.

Not that it... really... mattered...

It wasn’t like he’d ever had a chance in the first place, but he’d give just about anything to be entirely invisible in her eyes (and the rest of the school’s, if he was being honest) if that would mean she didn’t look at him with quite so much... alarm.

Ugh.

Oddly, it was her best friend who was the first person after Ryuji that didn’t look at him askance.

“Hey,” she said after he’d bumped into her just inside the door to the courtyard. “Don’t let them get to you. This school loves rumors.”

“What rumors?” he deadpanned, though the words were very, very welcome, he couldn’t lie.

She smiled, genuinely relieved. “I’m glad you’re doing okay.” Then the smile dropped as she looked behind him. “Ann? What’s wrong—”

The girl—Ann Takamaki, professional model at the age of 16—gave him a contorted attempt at a smile of her own and unceremoniously hauled Suzui-san away.

...Juuuuust his luck.

He was really going to go get his lunch and try to eat away his sorrows, but on his way to getting a drink from the vending machines, he heard Suzui-san’s voice from the rest area within and paused to eavesdrop.

“What do you mean, ‘don’t know how to talk to him’?”

Huh?

Apparently it was Takamaki-san she was talking to, because it was her voice that answered, “What if I mess it up?”

“Don’t you just go up and say hello? Ask how he’s settling in? This is small talk, not rocket science.”

Were they talking about... him? No way, right?

“I can’t do that!” Takamaki-san squeaked. “It’s gotta be, like, special! D-Doesn’t it...?”

“I don’t think so. He seems lonely. I bet he’d be happy even if it wasn’t special.”

“Mm...”

Right, so, it definitely wasn’t him they were talking about because he was pretty sure he wouldn’t be able to take the disappointment if he thought they were talking about him and they weren’t. Maybe they were talking about one of Takamaki-san’s coworkers or something.

Maybe. Probably.

Definitely not him.

“Well, if you really want it to be special, you could always start off by shoving your wrist in his face,” said Suzui-san. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”

“Sorry... It never seemed to be the right time.”

“It’s fine. I’m going ahead, okay? And talk to him the next time you see him.”

Takamaki-san groaned with a shluff of fabric that suggested she’d slumped in her seat, and then Suzui-san was rounding the corner and Akira had nowhere to hide.

She slowed to a stop when she saw him, pursing her lips and blinking big puppy-brown eyes.

The look faded into wry acceptance after about two seconds. Walking closer (out of Takamaki-san’s earshot?), she murmured, “You heard all that, huh.”

He nodded cautiously. No sense in denying the obvious.

She studied him for a moment, then decided, “That makes things easier... I think. Follow me for a second?”

He nodded again, still mentally trying to catch up with this new turn of events.

Suzui-san led him... in a circle. Back into the school building and out another door, then back to the vending machines, where Takamaki-san was still sitting at the table.

“Look who I found,” Suzui-san announced, and then looked at Akira expectantly until he entered the rest area.

Takamaki-san, for her part, was just as gorgeous and just as alarmed as ever. Akira was of the private opinion that the way the light played over her face and throat belonged on the silver screen... preferably aiming that look at someone who was not him.

“Ann wanted to talk to you,” said Suzui-san, the blatant liar. “I’m going back to class now. See you later!”

And with that, she left Akira alone with Takamaki-san’s steadily growing horror.

The seconds stretched out like eons as the blood drained from her face and tried to rise in his, his mind pinwheeling as he tried to grasp why Suzui-san thought Takamaki-san wanted to talk to him when she was so blatantly terrified of him.

“Um!” she finally squeaked. “Hi!”

“...You feeling okay?”

“M-me? O-oh! yeah, I’m- I’m fine!”

She was a terrible liar. That would have been adorable in any circumstances but these.

When he didn’t immediately reply, she flushed, gaze darting away as she blurted, “So! Um, how are you liking Tokyo?”

“It’s alright,” he said slowly, the eavesdropped conversation dancing through his brain. “Kind of hectic. I never knew trains could be that packed.”

That was about three times what he’d normally say, but Takamaki-san looked borderline desperate.

Seriously, what was going on here?

“Oh yeah, that shocked me too when I first moved here, y’know? I grew up in Finland and it was way quieter than here.” She was gaining her composure back piecemeal, and she managed to look him in the eye with a shy, unsteady, but real smile. “Speaking of trains, have you had the chance to check out the Underground Mall at Shibuya Station?”

“No, not yet.” Suzui-san hadn’t honestly led him here for small talk, had she?

“Oh man, you totally should,” she said, still pink-cheeked and breathless but blossoming into a vivid expressiveness that had butterflies sparkling to life in the pit of his stomach. “They have, like, everything there—you have to see it to believe it.” She scratched the back of her head, suddenly bashful. “I could, um, show you around sometime... if you want.”

His heart lodged itself in his throat, and he had to clear it to speak. “I’d like that.”

Takamaki-san actually glowed, which was putting a whole lot of holes in his theory that she was scared of him. “Great!”

(It was also putting a fair number of holes in his heart and his cool, because there was only so much a guy could do with a smile like that aimed at him and Cupid wasn’t blind.)

“Was there something you wanted me for?” he asked then, because this was good but he probably needed to leave to go cool his head down soon.

Takamaki-san sat bolt upright and flushed again. “No, well, just- just this, I mean—I really did just want to talk to you, and see how you were doing because transferring is hard, I should know, and I know I’m a little late with the welcoming committee but you should definitely check out the city, and... ugh...” She buried her face in her hands. “I’m babbling, aren’t I?”

“It’s cute,” he offered.

She shrunk in her seat and blushed right down to her collarbones. “I... don’t think this qualifies as cute.”

“You’re right; it’s adorable.”

Her head jerked up, and even her mortification was beautiful.

“That... not fair,” she said weakly.

He tilted his head with a half-smile, entirely unrepentant. Making her blush was a way bigger ego boost than he ever would have guessed.

(...If this maybe-definitely crush didn’t die a quiet death soon, meeting his soulmate was going to be a mess.)

Almost as if echoing his thoughts, Takamaki-san wrapped her hand around her wrist and squeezed. There was an enigmatic little grin on her face, her eyes bright and distant. “Guess Shiho was right after all.”

“About what?” he said, wrong-footed by the non-sequitur.

She didn’t seem to hear him. “Hey, so, um...” She dropped her head, shoes scuffing against the ground in a fidget. “There... there was something else that I... wanted to ask you about.”

He waited.

She took a deep breath, then jumped to search her pockets, muttering ah, shoot, and eventually pulling out a crumpled receipt and a pen.

He had a brief moment to think that maybe she would suggest trading numbers, but then she started sketching out a kanji.

“Y-your name...” she said, and his stomach flipped clean over. “It’s, um. It’s spelled like this, right?”

She’d written out ‘来栖 暁’ with astonishingly neat penmanship.

“Good memory,” he said, and his voice came out rough. Especially good considering that she’d only seen it once.

(Unless she hadn’t only seen it once...? whispered something in the back of his mind.)

“Y-yeah,” she said, and exhaled slowly. “And... my name is written like this.”

‘高巻 杏’

...Oh.

Oh.

Oh.

(Maybe this rapidly growing crush wouldn’t be that much of a mess after all.)

He wasn’t sure what his face looked like at that moment, but it was enough to make her chest shift in a gasp in his peripheral vision. He was still kind of stuck on the 高巻 杏 part.

Then she started shifting her sleeves, and the glimpse of skin under them had his full attention.

And, there, like a dream, was his name.

“April ninth, around two P.M.,” she said, this actual goddess with a shy smile and his name on her wrist.

“I... was asleep on the train,” he croaked dumbly, then belatedly thought to offer his own wrist to confirm.

The look on her face made him wish that he’d done it ages ago. Timid trepidation met honest joy and unfiltered relief, stained-glass hues of emotion painting her face like art.

The sleeve slipped to cover his name when she went to push her bangs to the side, then rub the back of her head, then, mind apparently made up, she stood and walked over to face him.

“Nice to meet you,” she said, offering a hand—for him to shake, for him to leave his heart in—and meeting his eye, endless wells of sky blue and just as open, just as enticing. “I’m Ann Takamaki, and I’m your soulmate.”

It took three weeks for Ann to dig her old list back up.

She went through the whole thing, checking off almost all of them, then adding amendments to the rest and then checking them off.

Shiho, who was hanging out to borrow Ann’s 3DS, button-mashed what sounded like a combo and said, “I still can’t believe you managed to get the hair and eyes right.”

Ann flushed, pen hovering over the page. Her most recent memory of ‘the hair’ was the way it felt tangled in her fingers and the low groan that had rumbled in his chest when she tightened her grip just so, and her most recent memory of ‘the eyes’ was how the looked when they were glazed and dark and a little bit wild.

“Oh, well, y’know. I have a type.”

“Or psychic powers,” said Shiho, teasing.

Ann sat up. “Oh man, you think?”

“Better start picking out your title now,” Shiho agreed, then muttered, “Ah! Darn...”

Ann flopped back on the bed and held the list high above her. “Ann Takamaki, finder-of-the-Perfect-10-who-is-also-her-soulmate!”

“Rejected. It’s too long.”

“Guess I’ll have to think on it.” She let out that sigh sitting high in her throat.

Then she rolled over and grabbed her phone, because Akira might have some good ideas (or some funny ones, or some intended to make her blush down to her toes), and she really wanted to see if she could make him smile again (coaxing them out was becoming her new favorite pastime), and she had a really funny story to tell him about looking out for the perfect guy and finding out that she'd been unknowingly looking for her soulmate all along.

She was pretty sure he’d be able to appreciate the humor.

fun fact for those who don’t know already: kanji generally have a few readings, but that number goes through the roof when it comes to names. you could name all your kids the same kanji with different readings and they’d hate you for life, but like,,,,, you could do it. both ann and akira’s names have 11 common readings each, at least according to jisho.

[greg38mcall]

DIY Sliding Closet Door

A while back we did a lot of work on our teen boy's bedroom closet which included widening the doorway to allow for a large, built-in storage unit. His room isn't all that large or "roomy", so maximizing his closet to allow for both drawer and hanging storage was extremely important and has proven to be a great way to give him more space for reading, working on projects, having sleepovers, and doing his homework. We knew there were so many benefits to widening the doorway to his closet, but then the problem solving began in terms of how to cover it all back up.

There was a bit of planning and troubleshooting and decision making that went on with this project. Here are a few of the things we had to work through: To keep the trim or not? That was the question. I decided that if we kept the trim around the door, that it ultimately should be completely covered by the door when it was pulled closed. But that would also increase the size of the door by about 4-5 inches in width, and the door was already measuring pretty large. The alternative was to remove the trim, but that would require more drywall work and some fussy refinishing. Before making a quick decision, we thought we would install the rail to get a good idea of how far away from the wall the door would hang, and if the trim would interfere with it at all. Bryan easily had the rail installed in less than an hour and didn't even call me in to help (using the included installation instructions). Yay Bryan! Except I was instantly confused by the placement of the rail. He used the large bolts that came with the rail kit and installed them directly into the wall studs. Which made complete sense. But, this meant that the rail didn't go all the way to the corner of the room (it was just an inch or two short). If you want to be extremely specific about the rail placement, then you actually need to install a ledger board into the studs first, and then the rail can be installed anywhere into the ledger. Bryan knew I didn't want to use a ledger board if I could help it, so he just assumed going into the studs was the answer. But then I wasn't sure if I loved that the hardware didn't land exactly into the corner. And that led to another decision to make. We now knew that the door would hang out enough to clear the trim, so the trim was going to stay. But before making any more decisions regarding the rail placement/ledger board, I wanted to construct the door and see it on the rail. The advantage of a ledger board is that it gives you the flexibility to install the rail hardware wherever you would like. It also allows the door to hang even further away from the wall/trim. The disadvantage is that it is another distracting element that adds to the entire setup (although painting the board the color of the wall would minimize that). When coming up with the design for the door, I had a couple of inspiration pictures saved that I continuously referenced. This one and this one were my top two favorites. They both had a diagonal design that was trimmed out in a classic style. My son also really liked the design and gave me the thumbs up. With the hardware installed, we now knew how the rail system worked, where we wanted the wheel hardware to attach to the door, and the maximum thickness the door should be. Quick Tip: We taped a couple of pieces of paper together that were scaled to the exact width of the door that we had planned to build. Then we drew the top trim boards based on our measurements and "installed" the paper on the rail with the hardware. This was a GREAT way to visualize how the door would cover the closet door casing and also allowed us to confirm that the boards we were planning on using to trim the face of the door would line up nicely with the hanging hardware. I like to visualize things before completely committing whenever possible. Finally, my last but largest concern that I had was that the large door would be too overwhelming due to the smaller size of his room. The door was going to be just over 4' x 7' and I just didn't know of any other options in terms of closing off that wonderful opening we created. I told myself that sometimes larger things work best in small rooms to create more visual interest and to help balance some of the smaller accessories and knick-knacks. I also figured I could paint the door a similar color to the walls so that the pattern could be the focus, and the color would more or less fade away. Now that we had worked through all of those points, it was finally time to start building that dang door!

4' x 8' x 1/2" mdf board

1" x 2" x 8' primed boards

1" x 4" x 8' primed boards

5/16" x 5 1/2" pine lattice boards

large paint sticks

miter saw

circular saw

wood glue

brad nailer

paintbrush | paint roller

barn door hardware

door pull

cordless drill

speed square

wood putty | sanding block

Because our opening plus trim was over four feet, we talked through a few ways to achieve that width with as little wood as possible (to keep the door from getting too heavy). We began with a 4' x 8' piece of 1/2" thick MDF because the actual dimensions are 49" x 97". If we were to trim out the edges with 1" x 2" boards, then we would be exactly where we needed to be. With that in mind, we thought we would construct something similar to our son's DIY headboard project.

Because the rail was already installed, we had the exact measurements we needed and began by cutting the height of the door accordingly. Then I got to painting. I decided it would be easier to paint the back of the board, and the edges of the top boards, before assembly. I am telling you, doing this first was a major sanity saver later on! It made putting that final coat of paint on the finished door SO MUCH EASIER not having to get my brush down inside of every last groove.

For the diagonal pattern we used 1" x 4" primed boards that we cut to length. What is hard to see is that we drew a couple of pattern lines lightly in pencil to be sure our first few pieces went in exactly where we wanted, as those pieces would set the stage for all of the remaining cuts.

To affix the boards to the MDF, we covered the back of each board in wood glue and used our brad nailer and 1" brad nails.

We used a speed square along the edge to draw our cut line, everything was cut at a 45-degree angle with our miter saw.

While purchasing material and paint, we noticed some extra-large paint stir sticks and thought that they would make for the perfect spacers. And they did!

After we got going, we cut, nailed, cut, nailed, cut, and nailed... All the way until the entire door was covered in diagonal planks.

You may notice a couple of final pieces where the spacing doesn't look right, and that is because those areas were going to be covered by the decorative trim on the face anyway, we just popped boards in for backing. Also above you can see how we trimmed the perimeter of the door with the 1" x 2" boards we purchased. Bryan ended up ripping each one to be exactly flush with the depth of the mdf board plus the diagonal pieces. Again, we added those boards to get the door just wide enough to cover both the closet opening and the closet door casing. This also added a nicely finished edge on each side of the door. To finish off the design, I found some light-weight pine lattice moulding at Home Depot. It was the perfect width to frame out the door and hit the rail wheel hardware juuuuust right.

I know, I know... This is that awkward middle stage where it is hard to see just how amazing it is going to look until it is all painted in the same cohesive color. But first, I had to fill every last nail hole with putty. And then I went over the entire door a second time just to be sure there were no pits. And then a lot of sanding everything nice and smooth.

This step was worth every bit of time it took to really achieve the best finish possible.

The color I went with is Benjamin Moore Wales Gray. I felt like it was just different enough from the walls (Sherwin Williams Nebulous Cloud), and complimented the ceiling (Benjamin Moore Blue Dusk).

Once the door was up, I decided it wasn't worth it to move the rail to the corner of the wall and add a ledger board behind it. The fact the rail stops an inch short isn't all that obvious because the edge of the door goes right into the corner. Plus, the details on the door steal the show!

The rail is able to support up to 225 pounds, and our door came in under that so we could scratch that worry off of the list, and the stoppers on each end are completely adjustable.

Although the door still cleared the trim without a ledger board, we ended up having to inset the bottom bolt of the door hanging hardware into the back of the door to prevent it from rubbing against the white closet door casing. I found the handle hardware on Amazon here. I like that it is substantial and coordinates with all of the other matte black hardware throughout his room.

I put together a little motion shot of the new door opening and closing because we are just so excited to finally have this project checked off of our list!

As far as the organization goes, you can see that it is maintaining nicely! The only change is that all of his clothes have basically doubled in size. Oh! And we actually swapped the bottom shoe tray with a drawer we took out of our pantry cabinet (hoping to share more about that soon). We like that the drawer hides the shoes (yet they can still breathe), and that it can serve a different purpose all together down the road. You can read every last detail about his closet organization here.

Here is a shot of the door closed. It does leave a blank space to the left and I haven't decided if I want to do anything there yet (we could add something up to the thickness of the door trim without any issues, but are OK just leaving it for now). The color of the door works really great with everything else he has going on, and although the door is quite large, we all love the addition and interest it has added to the room.

I have one more big project I want to take on in this room (a DIY headboard), and then it will be FINISHED. Oh, what a feeling!

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You can catch up on our previous teen bedroom posts below:

Teen Boy Closet Planning

Patching the Walls and Carpet

Bedroom Progress: A Blank Slate

Quick & Easy DIY Drawer Organizers

Teen Workspace with DIY Wall Shelf

Organized Teen Closet w/IKEA PAX System

** Post Contains Affiliate Links **

from IHeart Organizing http://www.iheartorganizing.com/2020/01/diy-sliding-closet-door.html

[shemakesmusic-uk]

INTERVIEW: Aaricia

Emerging from the underground scene of Montreal, Aaricia is a young dark pop songstress. Hot off the heels from releasing her last single, the soulful yet sultry ‘For Two’, she dropped her first album in two years, Dry Water. The LP takes the listener on a journey of alt RnB and dark pop, including the sensual 2018 release ‘One Time’ and the addictive track ‘2M2H’.

A dynamic record, Dry Water is a mixture of extremes; highs and lows, love and hate, all expertly delivered via Aaricia’s vibrant energy and attitude. Aaricia made her mark with her first album Figures released in 2017. Featuring ‘Wildest Dream’ and ‘Nothing’, Figures gained traction worldwide and charted in several European countries.

Influenced by the music of the 90s, she mixed her love of pop and RnB showcasing the tone of her latest album, starting with her single ‘Closer’. It was followed by a trilogy of videos including ‘Somebody Like You’, ‘One Time’ and ‘Dry Water’. Constantly craving creation and growth, she then released album tracks '424-620-****' and 'Judgy'.

We had a chat with Aaricia all about Dry Water, her influences, what she would change in the music world and lots more. Read the interview below.

You've just released your new album Dry Water. What's the story behind the record and what does it mean to you?  

"This whole record is much more than an album to me. It’s a chapter of my life. It’s ups and downs, relationships, friendships and thoughts all selectively hand picked from my brain and put on paper. When you’re only two people making these songs from scratch it gets and stays personal real fast."

How is Dry Water different (or similar) to your first album Figures? Were there any musical influences or sounds that you were able to incorporate on this record that you hadn't previously?  

"Dry Water is different simply because I’ve grown in the process of writing Figures. It’s a cycle really. The last project will make the next one what it is in a way. I saw what kind of songs I liked performing and went from there. I’m like a sponge, I love learning from listening to new and old music all the time but I feel like learning from yourself needs to be the first step. Your failures and successes define you not others."

What was your favourite part recording Dry Water? Did you learn anything new during the creative process this time around?  

"Honestly there’s no specific part. Imagine creating something you’re super proud of with your best friend. It doesn’t get better than that. Although Max was kind of annoyed with me at the end (I’m a little bit crazy on re recs and having it perfect without comping), I had the best time making and recording this album. I’d say (and I can already hear Max laughing) but I think I learned to let go. Being able to take a step back and have an objective opinion is really important."

Were there any other songs written during this period that didn’t make it onto the album, and if so, will you revisit them again in the future?  

"Oh for sure! There has to be some that don’t make it. Sometimes you go back and rework it cause you really like it but sometimes it served its purpose just by being written and helping write the next one."

What do you hope fans will take away from Dry Water?  

"I just want them to relate. If someone can feel better knowing I feel the same way they do then I feel like my job is done. Music really is a therapy and I'm lucky enough to be able to create it. I just want to share that."

Let's go back to the beginning for a moment. What initially led you to make music and who/what has been the biggest influence on your dark pop sound?  

"Since I was just 4 years old, I’ve always loved singing but the fact that my dad had always played music was a big factor growing up. I always had a piano and many guitars in my house so it was natural to turn to music.

"Growing up I listened to a lot of different genres. In pop, Kelly Clarkson was one and when she came out with ‘Behind These Hazel Eyes’ and ‘Since U Been Gone’ in 2004 I was 9 years old and I was like wow this is sad but I’m jumping on my bed. WHY? I think that was the beginning of my love for dark pop specifically."

Is there anything you like to do outside of music that contributes to your musicality? For example a hobby you turn to in order to rejuvenate your creativity?  

"Yeah definitely! I feel like it’s really important to be creative outside of music to be able to create this much music if that makes any sense. Sometimes I need to do something else and when that happens I love modifying clothes. Whether it’s taking some old pieces I don’t wear or going to a thrift shop to get stuff, I love giving them a new life. Also, I like doing nails (just mine lmao) but I like doing designs and stuff. I can’t draw to save my life so I do that instead and it’s a real training on patience cause I’m a perfectionist."

Which new artists/bands are you listening to right now? Is there anyone you would love to collaborate with?

"I’m really into Dominic Fike at the moment, Ant Clemons, (I don’t think he’s a new artist at this point but) Lauv and also I’m gonna plug the mtl scene here real quick; Miko.

"Someone I’d love to collaborate with is Lolo Zouaï! I love her vibe. I have a feeling we’d be friends, she looks like my type of person."

If there was one thing you could change about the music world today, what would it be?  

"The "fast food" era. I miss the 7 minute long songs. The space for progression within one single song, the feeling when you ask yourself if a new song just started. I loved that. FutureSex/LoveSounds bodied this era. I want that back."

Finally, what are your plans for 2020?  

"Exciting stuff for 2020! Shows, videos, features, new music as well but I won't elaborate on that cause I juuuuust released my album. Go listen to Dry Water!"

Dry Water is out now.

[ericsonclan]

Disco Broccoli Adventures

Summary: AJ and Telulah decide to make their own Disco Broccoli movie and plan to make it the best one ever!

Word Count: 2243

Read on AO3:

“You ready to rock with Kali Carot?” Telulah smiled up at AJ while he worked on Telulah’s green carrot top ponytail.

“I can’t wait! I just need to get this ponytail on juuuuust right,” AJ stuck out his tongue in concentration as his white disco jacket crumpled due to the sudden movement. The purple shirt underneath which Telulah and AJ had thrown glitter on was already dotted with green spray on temporary hair dye. AJ and Telulah wanted to make sure they looked as authentic to the characters as possible which meant that AJ had to have his afro green. Of course they hadn’t planned to spray the camellia flowers in the process. Now some of Lee’s white flowers were dyed green. Telulah and AJ had shared a worried look but quickly interlocked pinkies and swore a scallion secret.

Telulah was nearly all blinged out in her brown Disco Broccoli n Pals outfit. She had gone with her favorite veggie Kali Carrot, a chill root vegetable that loved jamming out and had killer eyesight. Something about her design - a jumpsuit striped with orange and purple along with her golden ringed belt and her badass keyboard - always resonated with Telulah. Now that she had found a friend who loved Disco Broccoli n Pals as much as she did, it meant that they got to geek out to their hearts’ content about them.

Telulah glanced up at AJ and felt her heart beat a little bit faster. AJ felt different from her other friends though; something about him just made Telulah feel a certain way. She watched him for another second then returned to studying her special notebook filled with their secret plans for today. They were going to shoot the greatest homemade Disco Broccoli movie of all time. They had the best outfits, a video camera and even awesome props to make it feel extra cool. Telulah’s fingers skimmed the pages as she looked at all the awesome drawings she and AJ had done in preparation for today. “We’re going to make the best movie today,” she declared, bouncing lightly in place.

“Yeah! It's gonna be the coolest,” AJ smiled down at Telulah then resumed his work when suddenly his finger slipped and he put a hair pin in the wrong spot. “Shit!”

The two of them froze for a second before AJ quickly corrected himself.

“I meant shoot. Don’t tell my mom and dad,” AJ gave big puppy dog eyes down at his best friend. Telulah was silent for a split second then lifted up her pinky.

“Scallion secret?” Her smile grew when she saw how happy AJ was that she wouldn’t tell.

“Scallion secret!” AJ interlocked his pinky with Telulah before pressing his thumb against hers. “A kiss to seal it!” AJ beamed at Telulah whose eyes grew large at that statement.

“A kiss?” Telulah’s tone made AJ pause, confused if he’d done something wrong.

“Yeah, my mom and dad always do that with their pinky promises.” AJ was silent for a minute. “That's okay, right, T? I didn’t do a bad?”

“No! I like it! A kiss to seal!” Telulah pressed her thumb against AJ’s one more time then turned to lean over and grab her keyboard. “I can’t believe you have Kali Carrot’s Kickin’ Keyboard! I ended up breaking mine during one of my seizures and Demetrius worked to fix it but I guess I really broke it.” Telulah smiled at the thought of her older brother then looked down at the keyboard as she struggled to get it on with her special new hairstyle that AJ had helped put on.

“I can help,” AJ offered and assisted Telulah in getting the keyboard strap on. His gaze turned to the ground for a few moments after he finished helping her.

“AJ? Are you okay? Does your tummy hurt?” Telulah asked with concern.

“No, it’s just...” AJ focused on his fingers. “I tried to get Clem to convince Mom and Dad to let me use the pillows in the backyard but they said they would get stained.”

Telulah didn’t have to ask why he had tried to do that. She already knew. Ever since the day that AJ learned that Telulah had epilepsy and could have seizures at any moment he promised to be her special bodyguard. He told her that he’d keep her safe and that she wouldn’t hurt her head on anything as long as he was around. Telulah felt super lucky to have someone like AJ who cared that much about her safety even though the seizures only came around twice a month. AJ must've thought that putting pillows all over the ground would mean that Telulah could run around just as wildly as he could. “It’s okay!” Telulah smiled brightly. “We can just get close shots and make it look like I’m doing cool moves while I sit.”

AJ seemed happy with that suggestion and nodded excitedly. His hand rummaged around in his pockets to get the last piece of his outfit in place. Opening up the purple shades, AJ slipped them on his face and struck a disco pose. “It's time for Disco Broccoli and Kali Carrot to save the world!” “Through music and punches!” Telulah added with a grin.

“Yeah!” AJ did a happy little dance. He could hardly contain his excitement about making the movie. First thing was first, they had to film themselves back to back while they sang the Disco Broccoli theme song. AJ quickly ran around this way and that in search of a rock to prop up the video camera. After searching for a few minutes and finding some cool worms to show to Telulah, AJ had found a suitable rock. He worked hard to get the camera just right while Telulah encouraged her new worm buddies that they’d find them the best patch of dirt soon enough.

“I got it!” AJ declared loudly and scampered over after he pressed the record button. Sliding on his butt into place, he leaned his back against Telulah’s and the two beamed at the camera. “I’m Disco Broccoli!” AJ gave a cool smile.

“And I’m Kali Carrot!” Telulah added and held up her keyboard.

“And we’re gonna save the world with our music!” The two said in unison and quickly Telulah began to play the Disco Broccoli theme. She missed a few keys but that didn’t stop the pair from belting out the song.

“If you want to eat our roots, you’ll first have to jam to our groovy tunes. Feel the rhythm, boogie right, all these veggies gonna show you a funky sight…”

Both Telulah and AJ had way too much fun singing the theme song that they sang it twice. After that was filmed AJ stopped the recording and worked on all of Telulah’s cool scenes. They got the riskier shots done first. Telulah gave a mighty kick in one take then moved her fingers up and down the keys on her keyboard.

“My groovy tunes will save you!” Telulah flashed a confident grin at the camera and AJ felt his heart pound faster. She was so awesome. Something about Telulah just felt special to AJ. “Was that good?” Telulah’s question made AJ snap out of his awe.

“Yeah, that was awesome!” AJ shot out his arms and beamed at his best friend. “Okay, my turn!” AJ made sure Telulah was safely sitting down then sprinted off to grab some more glitter for his clothes. Telulah got the camera ready and began to film AJ, capturing all of his epic punches and kicks and cool stunts like hopping down from some bricks that were a foot above the ground.

Telulah cheered AJ on with each one of his moves and bounced excitedly as he struck groovy disco poses. After that the pair did some stunts together, jamming out some mad tunes to defeat the evil before them: a pillow on a chair with a mop head, googly eyes and a deep frown made out of colored paper. Time flew by as the two of them laughed and created what they were sure would be the greatest home movie of all time.

Everything was going great until AJ tried to do a bit of a riskier stunt, jumping from a chair onto the brick sidewalk. “Watch out evil, you’re about to deal with the funky tunes of Kali Carrot and Disco Broccoli!” he exclaimed and was confident all the way throughout the stunt until he landed on his ankle funny. Telulah immediately knew something was up and ran over to check on AJ. AJ clutched his ankle and began to blow on his scraped leg. He winced in pain then looked over at Telulah. “Don’t worry, T.I’ll be okay and we can still defeat the bad guys!”

“Okay but I’m gonna get some help first!” Telulah ran off before AJ could stop her.

“Come on, Princess Peach, let's get that victory!” Lee encouraged his character as she rode forward in her cart. He was comfortably in first place when all of a sudden a blue shell zoomed forward and collided with the princess’ kart. “What?!?” Lee stared in disbelief as Mario nyoomed by him.

“Sorry, but I’m winning this round,” Carley smiled lovingly over at her husband and planted a kiss on his cheek but he saw the competitiveness in her eyes.

“Oh yeah? Well, just you wait and-” Lee was cut short as Princess Peach’s kart got hit by a green shell. “Who the hell?” Lee’s question was answered as Wario raced past him.

“Sorry, Lee, better next luck next time,” Clementine smirked over at her dad while Louis was snuggled comfortably in her arms.

“Well, I’m about to take the lead here, my darling,” Louis tilted his head back and kissed his wife then spammed the unlimited temporary mushrooms that gave him a speed boost. Yoshi shot forward, giving nonsensical exclamations as he tore through the race track until suddenly Louis didn’t turn a corner at the right angle and ran into a wall. “Damn it,” Louis’ smile immediately turned into a pout. He soon accepted that he wouldn’t be winning this round but Clementine, Carley and Lee all were still extremely competitive as they fought to get first place.

“Sneak attack!” Lee leaned over and stole a kiss from Carley. Carley froze for a second, genuinely pleasantly surprised by the tender kiss. So much so that Princess Peach bumped Mario’s kart off the track and claimed first place on the final lap.

“Hey, that was cheap!” Carley playfully swatted Lee’s arm who chuckled.

“All’s fair in love and Mario Kart and that move was true to both,”

“Oh yeah? What if I pulled the same move?” Carley leaned forward and Lee dodged her kiss. “Just accept my kiss!”

“In any other scenario I would but I have to defeat my daughter in Mario Kart right now!” Lee tried his best but soon Carley pressed a kiss to his cheek. The romantic gesture made Lee’s concentration slip for a second and a second was all Clementine needed to pull ahead. Before Lee even realized it he had lost the track.

Clementine smiled over smugly. “Looks like I’m still the best Mario Kart player,”

“Where did you get all this smug sass from?” Lee crossed his arms, a playful smile on his lips.

“Well, she is our daughter,” Carley put in and Lee nodded in agreement.

“That explains everything,”

Louis was about to jump into the conversation but the back door opened all of the sudden and Telulah jogged in.

“Hey, T, everything cool?” Louis asked the tween who shook her head.

“AJ twisted his ankle,” Telulah’s statement made the four pause the game and go outside to check on AJ. Carley had run to grab an ice pack and towel while Louis and Clementine got the Disco Broccoli bandaids. After a tough guy act from AJ that lasted all of three seconds before he saw the concern in Telulah’s eyes he accepted the bandaid and help. A few minutes later AJ was laying on the couch. Telulah wanted to stay and watch some episodes of Disco Broccoli but her older brother had showed up to pick her up.

“I promise I’ll work super hard to make the movie and I'll show it to you next time!” Telulah gave AJ a quick hug then headed home. AJ lay on the couch and glanced at his hurt foot. It would heal soon enough; he would just look forward to the home movie and seeing Telulah again to keep his mind off of it.

A few days passed before Telulah showed up again. Her excitement was barely contained as she barrelled to the TV to connect her computer. Carley tried to help but even after all these years she was still clueless when it came to setting up electronics. So Lee worked to set it up as Carley got some popcorn ready for AJ and Telulah.

Soon the home movie was all set and Telulah sat down right by AJ and began to bounce happily as the movie started. Instantly the two of them became lost inside the world of the home movie, both of them pointing out different action moves and gushing about how cool the other looked. Even though AJ had gotten hurt it had all been worth it. They really had created the greatest home movie of all time.