#know thyself and all that hmm? yeah

[tathrin]

Okay but the Dunedáin. They've been roaming the western wilds for years and years. And then Aragorn goes off and gets himself made king of Gondor, huzzah ring the bells sound the trumpets etc.

But.

The Dunedáin. Do they all go to Gondor with him? I feel like that's the implication of things. But like...do they all want to? And if/when they do, how does it go?

(There has to be a significantly higher number of them than the 30 we see represented by the Grey Company, too, right? Like even assuming the addition of wives-elders-and-children to those numbers, there has to be a much larger population than that if they're maintaining a population. Even with intermarrying of the other locals. Like, even with Magical Noble Lineage going on to keep things from getting wonky, they can't be interbreeding that much or else everybody would be an Heir To The Throne Of Gondor by now lmao. Those 30 have to just be a fraction of their folk. The "good riders and good warriors who could be gathered on quick notice" fraction.)

Is everybody excited to leave their lowkey wilderness-with-the-occasional-vacation-in-Rivendell existence in favor of the Fancy Shiny White City Full Of Other Humans? The Dunedáin have been living like this for hundreds and hundreds of years. It's not just a "we spent a few decades in exile, but taught our kids Our Ways to preserve them, so they'd be comfortable when they went home" situation. They've been living like this for so long that this is their way of life. This is their home. And now they're supposed to just pack-up and go to Gondor and be fine?

And how do the Gondorians react to having not just a new king, but a new king who brings along a whole bunch of scruffy Rangers for his retinue? Are they welcomed eagerly by a people who've just endured great loss of life and need hands to help them rebuild? I mean tbf probably at first, sure; but how long does that welcome endure without starting to cool when these Rangers prove to be not just Gondorians From Elsewhere Who Nonetheless Act Just Like The Rest Of Us And Know Our City And Its Ways As Well As We Do? Because they don't! They don't even know which hall is used for banquets and which for dancing! They don't know that on Aldëa we wear carnë! and so on.

(Do they all just go to Ithilien with Faramir out of sheer what-the-fuck-am-I-going-to-do-in-this-bigass-city-ness?)

Yes they're all of the Blood of Westernesse and all that, shared Numenorian heritage blah blah blah...but imagine you've been living off-the-grid in the forests of Pennsylvania, and all of a sudden you're dropped in the middle of NYC and told this is your home now, enjoy? How weird would that be? How bizarre, how overwhelming?

Maybe you like it, maybe you thrive there! Maybe you find that Gondorian Civilization is what you've been looking for all along! But what if you don't? What if you find you really hate crowds, and the politics of the city are stifling, and you didn't spend the last seventy years travelling all over Middle-earth learning everybody's ways and culture, thanks, and frankly you'd rather be back in Bree making small-talk with simple farmers and Hobbits, where everybody knows your (nick)name and you're comfortable? Even if you do like it, even if this is All Your Hopes Come True, it's still got to be enormously disruptive. And if you don't...yikes.

(Again, sure, there's Ithilien. But even though that wild-land-recovering-from-the-scars-of-the-Enemy would be more familiar ground to you than the city itself, and Faramir is a great guy and all, Ithilien still isn't your home.)

Like...you don't get to just go back, do you? (Do you?) Maybe but even if you do, even if some of them did, their way of life is still kind of broken; because most of your fellow Rangers are in Gondor now, and you aren't even allowed into the Shire, and the Enemy you've been guarding folks from all this time is gone...

And sure, it's good! This is a good result! This is the Best Case Scenario Ending, really!

But still. What about the Dunedáin?

[the1975attheirverybest]

Education

Lesson #1: Know Thyself

A/N: first installment is finally here! Let me know what you think. warnings: smut. read the prologue here. ———

“okay, so, should I-“ Amelia’s trembling fingers reached for Matty’s belt buckle, attempting to undo it. He laughed softly, shaking his head and reaching for her wrist to stop her. “No need to rush. Hold on a minute. Why don’t we talk about this first, hmm?” he leaned against the headboard patting the space next to him, urging her to sit by his side. She felt embarrassed for acting a tad too eager. Exhaling and blowing at the hair that had gotten in her eyes, she crawled over to his side of the bed and sat next to him, thankful that the dim lighting in his bedroom gave her some cover. “what’d you wanna talk about?” She asked, her voice frail and clearly exerting considerable effort into acting cool. “well, I just- wanna set some ground rules. Make sure we’re both on the same page….”

“if this is about to be a lecture on consent- look, I’m just saying, I know what we’re doing. I want this-“

he chuckled, again, making her feel silly. “I just think we should have a way of communicating. You know, so we’re both comfortable.”

She rolled her eyes, already starting to wonder if this was a mistake. Perhaps she’d given him the wrong impression. The last thing she wanted was for Matty to think of her as some kind of helpless, fragile creature. It would ruin their friendship if he started treating her differently. “do you do this with all of your hookups?”

“mostly, yeah.” He nodded instantly. “oh.” She hadn’t expected that kind of answer.

“what? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“No, I just- didn’t picture you as the chatty kind of guy…”

“chatty?”

“you know, I mean-“ she felt her cheeks grow warm as the words left her lips. “Kinda thought you liked things pretty rough and heavy…I never thought you were the ‘sit down and talk’ kinda guy”

Matty grinned at her words, “you think about how I like to have sex?” He was practically gleeful at this news. “No! I don’t! I didn’t mean it like that!” She tripped over her words, flustered by his reaction.

Matty leaned in close, his face almost touching hers. “For your information: I do like it rough.” He whispered in her ear “but I like to get to know my partner first. Know their body. What they like. What makes them moan. What gives them pleasure. So I can use this knowledge to my advantage.” She swore she almost felt a whimper leave her lips, goosebumps prickled her skin at his words. He backed away slowly, his eyes never leaving hers. “don’t be shy. Tell me what you like. What your limits are. Wanna make sure I give you exactly what you need.”

Her words got caught in her throat. She stared up at him, her mind vacant. “What- umm, what I like? Like- like positions, or?”

“Sure, yeah…” Matty shrugged. “I… don’t know that I have enough- umm- information to give you an answer.” she felt her lack of experience making her seem thoughtless, so she began to get defensive. “I mean, if I’d known there would be a- a quiz… a questionnaire…what? Am I gonna fill out a customer satisfaction survey at the end of the night?- I thought you were gonna show me how to suck a guy off properly. I didn’t do homework.”

Matty sensed that he’d broached sensitive territory, so he seamlessly brushed off her comments, taking a deep breath and deliberately keeping a relaxed smile on his face, so as not to make her feel bad. “Alright. That’s fair enough. We’ll get to sucking guys off later. But, why don’t we start somewhere…more basic, first? Before you can feel comfortable giving someone else pleasure- it might be good to know what you like. Can we do that?”

“You- want me to-“

“touch yourself for me.” He confirmed, bluntly. “I mean- that’s- okay. It’s just not the most exciting thing in the world-“

“why don’t you let me be the judge of that?” “but-“

“pretend I’m not here, okay? When you’re alone and you’re feeling….on edge. What do you usually do? Go on. Show me.” she felt hot under the thin layer of fabric that covered her body. Matty’s eyes watched her with lust as she slowly relaxed into the mattress, looking at him hesitantly. He gave her an encouraging nod as she nervously fumbled with the waistband of her skirt. “mhm, slide it off. Good.” He spoke softly. “I- umm…don’t really do anything exciting.” She whispered, feeling the need to give him as many warnings as possible. There was really nothing enticing about her touching herself. She never thought about how it looked to other people, and, embarrassingly, the word that currently came to mind is ‘bland.’ She didn’t want to disappoint him. Her hand reached underneath her underwear, but Matty immediately clicked his tongue.

“give yourself a minute. Why don’t you- umm…take off your top if you’re comfortable with that. Is that alright?”

there was an unusual tenderness to his voice. She’d never heard him so uncertain. In a strange way, it made her feel safe. Like this territory wasn’t only weird for her. Knowing that they were both treading unsurely felt good. she peeled her top off her body. Tossing it to the ground.

“wow.” Matty muttered. “Sorry. You’re just- gorgeous.” He said so casually as if he’d apologized for bumping into her or accidentally cutting past her on the street. she blushed, closing her eyes to hide away from his intense gaze. “play with those tits a little- that’s it. Just like that.” His voice guided her hand as the moves up and down her body, caressing her nipples first, then slowly traveling further down. “Go ahead, darlin.’ Can see you’re wet.”

She jolted at her own touch, even though she knew it was coming. Her lips squeezed together to trap a pitiful moan in her throat. “oh, don’t hold back on my account, honey. No need to be polite in here.”

she whimpered as her fingers moved the way he’d instructed, his praise egging her on. “Good girl, just like that. Yeah, keep going darling….ready to add in another finger, baby? How’s that feel?”

“oh- Matty-“

Matty had to admit that hearing her call out his name as she worked herself up was one of the hottest things he’d ever seen. He swallowed, harshly, keeping his focus on her pleasure. “good girl, baby. That’s it. Go a little faster now…perfect. You’re perfect. So…perfect.”

Her panting filled the hot air of the room. Matty found himself slowly inching closer and closer to her body as it writhed and ached for release. “I’m gonna- I’m so- close…”

No longer able to hold back, Matty’s hand slowly took over hers. “You’re doing good, baby. I’ve got you. You can let go now…”

the initial surprise of feeling his touch turned into just the element she needed to push her over the edge, she came, trembling around his finger inside her, his other hand rubbing her clit. for a brief moment, she felt her entire body go numb. Her ears ringing. Her lungs gasping for breath as she laid there, Matty’s arms around her, feeling like she could melt into the mattress. He ran a hand through her hair, speaking gently. “You did so good, darlin.’ You’re a quick study.”

she smiled up at him. Was it the post-orgasm haze or has he always been this beautiful?

“th-thank you.” She managed, feebly. “this is gonna be fun. Not that I doubted the idea…” he laughed. “What’d you think? You feeling alright about it all, or?”

she nodded. “Yeah- that- that was amazing. Feeling great.”

She liked this. Him being there. Taking her through the experience, encouraging her, telling her how well she did. She could get used to it. She definitely wanted more of it. He reached into his pocket for a cigarette lighter and then took one out of the back next to his bedside lamp. “Want one?” He offered to her and she quickly accepted. She smoked in silence, next to him watching as the smoke disappeared into the air, bringing him back into focus after every puff she blew. “shit!!” Smoke blew out of the side of his mouth as he cursed and scrolled through his phone.

“what- what is it, Matty?”

“I- umm… forgot. I’m meant to be meeting this girl for drinks. I- fuckin hell.”

he jumped off the bed, looking around the room for his wallet. “Listen, I’m so sorry. I- I’ve gotta go. Feel free to stay as long as you need, yeah? Just lock up when you’re done, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah- umm..of course. You should- just go.”

the sinking feeling in her stomach at the sight of him walking out of the room surprised her. This wasn’t the first time that she’d watched him get ready to go meet some woman he’d had met at a party and swapped numbers with for a random “drink.” So, why does this feel different? She shook her head, swishing the cigarette bud into an ashtray, and hoping to squash those strange feelings away with it.

[hooty-1-6-svu]

Okay, here it is, the last of KKKOHD.... The Lumity part!

Luz: Okay, little mouse. If you don’t want to tell me about Phillip or how he made his portal, maybe you can tell me how to ask out a cotton-candy haired goddess?

Luz: Amity’s smart, cool, and classy. Asking her out should be breathtaking! Emotional! And real! Everyone back home said I was cheesy. Can’t let Amity think the same!

Luz: As we stumble through life, gloom knows no bounds. You’ll only find love… when you’re in the ground?! Ugh. P.S. I mean the basement. Hooty, I don’t have time for this! Also, we have a basement?

Amity: Listen. About what happened, at… my place. I kinda… if we could just forget about the whole thing? Maybe? I-

Luz: Hey! Uh! All I care about is getting you out of our dirty weird basement!

Luz: I’m so sorry, Amity! This is not supposed to happen!

Luz: This… was a nightmare.

Amity: Yeah… it kinda was. I’ll… get out of your hair.

Luz: Amity, wait! This wasn’t me, this was all Hooty’s stupid idea!

Amity: Yeah, this was stupid. I mean, us? Dating? Heh. That’s stupid, right?

Hooty: NOOOO! I DID IT AGAIN! I CAN’T HELP ANYONE! OUT! OUT, VILE OWL! RID THIS HOUSE OF THYSELF!

Hooty: I FAILED YOU ALL! I FAILED YOU ALL!

Harpy Eda: No no no, Hooty! You actually weirdly helped me! I’m like a harpy woman now!

King: And I can explode things with my voice powers!

Hooty: BUT I STILL FAILED LUZ!

Luz: He was trying to help me ask Amity out.

Harpy Eda: Oh, whoa. Do you wanna?

Luz: Mm-hmm.

Harpy Eda: Then do it!

Luz: Like this?!

Luz: Amity? Oh my gosh, Amity, are you okay?

Amity: I’m all right.

Luz: I was just… I’ve been wanting to ask you something for a while. But I wanted to do it in the best way! And in the tunnel of love, I thought: “Amity’s too cool for this.”

Amity: I’m not as cool as you think.

Luz: Okay. Everything is so crazy right now, and I have no idea what my future holds, but it would be so cool if you were in it. So… uh…

Amity: Do you wanna go out with me?!

Luz: Nooo I was so ready…

Amity: I’m sorry, I’m sorry, you can say it.

Luz: Okay. Amity Blight, do you wanna go out with me?

Amity: Yes!

Luz: Okay! Why is this still so scary?

Amity: I don’t know.

Hooty: They're adorable and deserve all the happiness!!

Hooty: Everything solved! No more mysteries!

Possible relative of King: I beg your pardon. Would you see this finds its way to King Clawthorne?

Hooty: OH MY GOSH, A BUG! Ahhhh. Whoopsie! Hope that was junk mail

[mcufox123]

Table 5 (Chapter 5)

Summary: It’s your first night not working by the stove, you were very nervous. What happen’s when a group of well known people show up to your restaurant? And what is going through Wanda’s head?

Warnings: None I don't think?

A/N: So I tried to write Wanda’s POV this chapter so there is a POV shift. It’s not my favorite chapter for sure but oh well! Hope you all enjoy! Be prepared for the next chapters!

Chapter1 Chapter2 Chapter3 Chapter 4 Chapter6

Wanda’s POV Wanda got back to the compound at around 11 and she hoped nobody was in the kitchen. Wanda was disappointed when she walked in to see Tony and Sam, however. The two people who she did not want to be there.

“Look who finally came home! Good morning witchypoo how was your night?” Tony said with a smirk on his face.

“Wouldn’t you like to know.” Wanda continued to walk to your room to get ready for training. She put y/n’s clothes on the bed before changing into her training gear. She left to meet Natasha and Steve and the rest of the crew.

They ran through what she would be doing and paired her up with Natasha for hand-to-hand training. She tried to stay focus but kept imagining y/n face and how she was excited to see her again. Natasha slammed her on the mat for the 7th time in a row.

“Are you good Wanda?” she asks concern clearly written on her face.

“Yeah, I’m good. Let’s go again.” Wanda said out of breath.

“I just beat you numerous times and you aren’t going to try and get better?” Natasha questioned walking off the mat and untaping her hands. Whenever Wanda usually got beat down the next time, she would come back with a vengeance that made her opponent regret taking her down in the first place.

“I’m just out of it today I guess.” Wanda shrugged while grabbing her water.

“Does it have to do with you not coming home last night?” a mischievous grin appeared on Natasha as she teased the young woman in front of her.

“It has everything to do with why I didn’t come home last night.” Wanda had a small smile playing on her lips as well as she pictured your face. She wasn’t afraid to hide you from her best friend.

“Oh, is this thing an it or is it a he?” she asked wiggling her eyebrows.

“Yeah, sure I’ll go with that.” Wanda said sitting on the bench. She didn’t know why but she was nervous to tell her teammate about her new discovery about herself.

“Ok, ok. Now I am going to get all serious with you but remember it’s for your own good.” Natasha said staring the young girl in her eyes to make sure Wanda knew that. “Do they know how intense your job is? Long hours? Life or death situations? The possibility of going to other worlds?”

“Yes, she knows I’m an Avenger and all of the things that go along with that.” Wanda talked about Y/N. In truth they barely brushed upon the topic. Being with Y/N was so calming and it took Wanda out of the superhero world. It made Wanda feel normal. So, the topic was never brought up.

“Oh, she is a she?” Natasha was shocked.

“Yes, she is a she.” Wanda repeated.

“That’s amazing Wanda I’m so happy for you! And I’m so happy she is understanding! Do I know her? What’s her name? Can I meet her?” Natasha continued with the questions. Wanda breathed a sigh of relief at how her friend was truly excited for her.

“Her name is y/n. You have probably heard of her, but I’m not telling you how I’ll let her tell you. She gets very excited about her line of work. And you can she is coming to movie night Wednesday night.” Wanda informed Nat who squealed with excitement.

Training went on better after she told Nat about y/n. She was able to focus more on her technique. After training and showering Wanda went to the kitchen to see what the plans were for dinner only to run into Steve and Vision.

“Hey Steve! Hey Vis! What’s for dinner? Am I cooking or are we ordering out?” Wanda asked her friends.

“Hello Wanda. I was actually just telling Steve about that restaurant we went to. Where the kitchens are on the floor. What was it called again?” He asked and Wanda froze because she knew he was talking about Contento.

“Hmm I have no idea Vision.” She said trying to cover up and think of a different restaurant.

“You know the one I proposed to you at? I had the steak, and you had the fish. The Chef walked it to our table.” Vision continued. It wasn’t weird for them to talk about that night. The team teased them about it all the time now that things have cooled off.

“Oh, right that restaurant Contento? I think they are super booked all the time though.” Wanda said hoping to sway them in a different direction.

“Nonsense I’m sure Stark can work his magic and get us a table I’ll send him a text right now.” Steve said as he sent the text and Wanda’s stomach dropped.

“Perfect he got us a table for tonight at 7.” Steve said as he looked at both Wanda and Vis.

“Perfect!” Wanda forced a smile on her face. “It’s 5:00 now I should go get ready.”

As she ran to her room Wanda sent y/n a text to give a warning but knew that it would be of no use as the restaurant had already opened.

As she got ready a million thoughts ran through Wanda’s head. She had to have the whole superhero talk with you as soon as she could. She didn’t want to hurt you in any way and wanted to be as honest with you as she could.

Wanda picked out an outfit that would be sure to shock you and did her makeup before meeting the team to go to Contento.

When Wanda arrived at the restaurant her eyes immediately went to the kitchen counter to where you both had spent countless nights cooking. She was shocked however to see you in the wrong spot. You were at the counter instead of cooking by the stove like you should’ve been. She followed the team to a big table set up for them.

Y/N POV You were on the other side of the table making dishes look presentable, lining them up with their tickets, and helping servers run their food. All of the years watching Bill you thought he had the easy job but boy were you wrong. You were just getting ready to run a porkchop and a salmon to a table when your eyes met with a pair of all too familiar green ones.

She looked beautiful in a maroon dress. She took your breath away. The way it hugged her body, and she wore her hair down almost as beautiful as the first time she laid eyes on you. She gave a small smile before walking to her table and that is when you noticed the rest of the avengers were also eating at your restaurant.

“Hey Bill, all of the Avengers are here.” You say over the counter, and he just looks up and swallows. He was nervous you could tell.

“Alright we will finish the orders we have up there now before we get their order.” Bill ordered the team behind the counter. You were proud of your best friend taking over his new job seriously.

“I am going to go greet them.” You say as Bill just nods and continues to work. You make your way over to their large table standing right across from Wanda.

“Good evening everyone! My name is Chef Y/N and welcome to Contento. I hope you all have a wonderful evening and if you need anything I will be right over at that counter.” You say trying to look at everyone, but your eyes kept falling on the beautiful girl in front of you once again. You ended by pointing to the spot you have been working all night.

You felt her eyes burn into your back as you made your way back across the restaurant. Once back at the counter you fix up the plates that were waiting for you and run them.

About 5 minutes later you have a lull before the Avengers put their order in and you look across to see not one girl but two girls now staring at you from the Avengers’ table. The first with a look of curiosity and the second was trying to assess your every move. The latter gets up and decides to walk over to the counter where you were working.

“Chef Y/N let me just say it is so nice to meet you! I have heard so much about you.” Black Widow walks closer to you, and you start to feel nervous. You have never interacted with an Avenger outside of Wanda and Vision.

“Black Widow, nice to meet you as well! Thank you so much for choosing to eat here tonight. It is such an honor to have you all here.” You say glancing around the restaurant to find your girlfriend having a conversation with Sam but also glancing at you every few minutes.

“Please call me Natasha. Chef Y/N, can I ask you a question? Why do you keep glancing at our table and why are you so nervous talking to me?” she asks with a smile still on her lips.

“I'm just so happy you guys are here! I can’t believe earth's mightiest heroes decided to eat at my restaurant.” you say avoiding eye contact. She is still trying to read you though.

“I know who you are. I know you are close with her,” she says nodding her head back to the table where Wanda is sitting. “Let me just tell you that I have not seen her this happy since her brother passed. Take care of her. But also keep an eye out for yourself. Our job takes a toll on us and the people we are close with. If you can’t handle that, get out now.” You stare at her in shock, your mouth goes dry, and you just nod your head slowly forgetting how to speak.

“Can’t wait for movie night Wednesday! See you then.” She finishes before walking away. You digest her words for a moment before Bill is leaning across the counter snapping in your face.

“You ok in there? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” He says plating the salmon dish.

“I’m dating the Scarlet Witch and I’m terrified.” You say honestly. He freezes for a minute as he looks out at the long table then back at you.

“That’s ok we can talk about it after work. I’m here for you but right now we have to get these orders out.” Two more dishes are put on your counter. In that moment you were grateful for Bill keeping you on task, but you were still thinking about the words the scary woman said to you.

Taglist:

@b0mbdotc0m @yeetus-thyself @ineedafinghug @madamevirgo @when-wolves-howl

[fanfictiondreamscape]

First Kisses (Haikyuu - pt. 3)

Title: First Kisses (Haikyuu - pt. 3) 

Genre: even more fluff. prepare thyself, for you will be passed out due to the cuteness overload.

Pairing: Kageyama/Hinata/Yamaguchi x Reader (all separate)

Notes: Here we are! Part three, and there may still be more to do. Depending on how these are received, I will try to do some for some lesser known anime (that reside within what I will write for). Otherwise, I’ll end this with a little note: 

Got a request? They’re open! All I ask is that you read the request rules before requesting.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Masterlist

Tobio Kageyama

ok let’s get one thing straight

this man is BAD with his emotions

he wouldn’t know how to handle them, but he would be able to generally understand that he would be emotional

(consider that a forewarning to this mess lol)

otherwise, his s/o? 

very passionate about something, but also very aware of their capabilities 

may have an interest in volleyball, but wouldn’t necessarily play

would also be an outgoing person

not particularly overly trusting, but not shy

as for the kiss? 

school, after practice

OR

school, during lunch

y’know when he gets his milk from the machine?

yeah, that time. 

so

he’s by the machine, he’s waiting

you came with him as you had met up with him after class had ended

and while you were typing a text to your friend 

he was pouting

with a glare

(i think you know the face, do i really need to explain it?) 

once the ‘text sent’ sound came, you pushed your body off the wall

and decided, on a whim, to tease the living crap out of kageyama

that thought now being thought of,...

you jump-hugged him

he didn’t fall, but he did nearly topple over

that made you happy, (but we don’t talk about that)

he was blushing bright red

“w-what? what are you doing?”

you giggled, “hugging you. isn’t it obvious?”

he continued to stumble over his words before giving up 

(that’s what you get for trying to portray ‘tough guy kageyama’ all the time, my man-)

eventually, he had to pry you off to get his milk carton

he got it, but you clung to his arm 

he was frozen

it was cute, and it was driving you to keep up the teasing

as for him? 

he found it adorable, but he had an act.

he can’t be acting like this in front of his classmates.

so he had to do something to leave you speechless. 

that ‘something’ he thought of, you ask? 

your first kiss! 

he used his strength to pull your body from his arm

but instead of there being some pause, 

it was simple.

a small peck. 

something unexpected, but an indicator of his love for you 

despite how annoying you could be when you wanted to get him to blush.

though you weren’t talking much, you were clinging

you froze, he smirked, and the both of you let out some varying levels of laughter

after the event, you grabbed his hand with a smile on your face 

and on the way back, you were thinking

something along the lines of 

‘if that’s how he wants to stop me from clinging to him, i’m okay with that.’

honestly, the overall experience is very short and very miniscule 

but the impulsivity of the kiss and the simplicity of it was perfect for you and him

and it would be so cute too, just imagine that. a short peck with kageyama? oh my-

Hinata Shoyo

okay, little baby bean here doesn’t know how to handle this well

he loves his s/o, he really does, but him and kissing? 

he’s a mega shy bean

that being said, i imagine he’d go for someone very caring and sweet

someone intelligent and athletic (to an extent). 

he would just get along with someone like him, though more calm

and possibly a manager for the team

either way, i imagine that the kiss itself would happen 

on the way home after a practice

it was dark, he was sweaty

but he was still just as upbeat as before

he was riding his bike, of course, and you were following beside him

practice was brutal on the both of you, and you had some things to organize 

“hey, s/o, how do you think i did?”

“oh? great, hinata, just need to focus on your receives.”

“that’s what they’ve been telling me. would you help?”

“sure, carrottop.”

“s/oooooooo!”

the laughter and whining most definitely got on some people’s nerves

(joke’s on them, though)

(curfew wasn’t up yet, they could whine about the noise all they want)

either way, the night was very well spent between the two of you 

since you two lived close to each other, things were easier between you two before 

the both of you had made it to your homes eventually

but the night was gorgeous

the stars were sparkling 

and the streetlights were casting a light on the both of you that made you glow 

almost as if you were an angel, 

just as much as he is

though his focus was more on the ground, yours was on him

his smile was gleaming 

and you couldn’t help it

“hey, hinata?” 

“hmm?”

you kissed him.

passionately and lovingly

he froze up, but eventually warmed up to it and kissed you back

he was also the one who wasn’t able to move very much at all after

you had to cup his cheeks and pull him closer in order to prolong the magic moment just a little bit

yep, the purest form of magic just burst when you two kissed

when you pulled away, you beamed at him and ran to put your bike away

he stood there, shocked

blushing a tomato red

and it wasn’t until he put his bike away and went inside that he realized his little sister was watching

(though you didn’t know, he got teased relentlessly by her-)

overall, shy bean is a great kisser

and his kiss was messy, immature, and inexperienced. 

on your part, though

you were controlled

it was the perfect sense of controlled chaos and was just beautiful for the both of you.

(on another note, this one is probably my favorite one and idk why send help-)

Yamaguchi Tadashi

OK LEMME SAY THIS

shy bean is attracted to someone like yachi

(it’s canon, don’t @ me - he found her cute) 

someone shy, someone charming, someone intelligent

BUT

i would also suffice to say a lot more confident in their actions once they’re done

they won’t shy away from something they know that they can do, they’ll shy away from talking to people

AKA quiet when you first meet them, talkative when you know them

the kiss itself?

another volleyball game

this time, though, before the game starts

yamaguchi is panicking

like, borderline crying in the bathroom at an away game

you were waiting for him with the rest of his team.\

when time cuts really really close, though

that’s when daichi or suga ask you to go find him

luckily, you know what he does 

you were worried beforehand, but you didn’t know where he’d go 

it is an away game - where would he go? 

you were sure that he wasn’t aware of any really hidden areas

‘unless it was the bathroom before a game.’

“i’m going, i’ll get him to the game. go on ahead, you guys.”

the rest of the team went to the court to prep, 

you went to the men’s bathroom

you could hear crying coming from behind the door, extremely muffled

you still heard it, and you knew you just had to get in there and help him

it was only after you did a check of the hallway that you decided to jump in the restroom

safe to say, he heard the door opening and got quiet

when you were inside, you cleared your throat

“yamaguchi? it’s s/o, could you please come out?”

he sniffled and hesitantly got out of the stall he was hiding behind

(he only got out because he heard your voice)

with you being his rock, he just walked up to you and wiped his tears

likelihood? you’re shorter than him by a fair amount

so when you hug him, you let him cry into your hair 

you just stand there in silence for a period of time

but it takes you to break it

“yamaguchi, you’ve got this. your team believes in you, i believe in you.” 

he nods, and his tear stained face makes you want to cry and cuddle with him right then and there

reassure him of his abilities

boost his confidence

‘boost his confidence. that’s it.’

you knew how much he has wanted to get closer physically 

with him that translates to a kiss

your guys’ first kiss

so, on a whim

you pulled him down by the collar of his uniform 

and just kiss him

though the two of you are a little tense, you two do warm up 

the kiss is messy and inexperienced

it’s loving and a little long though

it is reassuring to yamaguchi, boosts his confidence A LOT 

(that’s the effect you have on him)

when he responds, you move your hands to cup his face

and he moves his hands to cup yours

you two definitely got caught in the moment

(it was magical, what else could you do, y’know?) 

there’s a catch, though

when the two of you pull away and actually let the atmosphere calm

you look around and realize

‘oh. we kissed in the boy’s bathroom. oh my god.’

the two of you burst into laughter at the thought, but

yamaguchi has a game to get to.

so you brought him out and to the team before heading to the bleachers.

yamaguchi was blushing when you did this, though

(he got teased to hell and back by the second and third years. RIP yamaguchi.)

to conclude,

his kiss is easily the most comforting thing to the both of you

it’s gentle, it’s sweet, and it’s also very calming

in yamaguchi’s opinion

100/10, please kiss him before games.

he needs it.

anxious bean loves your kisses from this point forward.

[lumoshyperion]

thank you for the answer! I know what you mean about theatre being vulnerable, even as an audience member I think you get some of that too, and the way you all share the theatre space together and it's so fleeting! You said that Albus will likely never act again, why is that? :( 🎭

Yes, exactly! It's such a specific, special moment in time? And a play you see now will mean something different than it did years ago when you saw it for the first time. Whenever I see a performance, particularly one with a large audience, I'm always struck by how different everyone's experiences are? We all bring different baggage and biases to the theatre. Something that makes someone else feel nothing, may strip me down to the very core - and it doesn't mean that person didn't watch the play properly, it just means that it meant something different to them. There's no right or wrong way to view and enjoy theatre. And this is especially true for Shakespeare. His works have been adapted over and over and over again. Hamlet in particular will never grow old, its universal themes leading to productions like "Globe to Globe Hamlet", where their aim was to visit every country in the world. We all take something different from the melancholy Dane. Even the companies who adapt the play all have their own concerns and biases in mind when bringing it to the stage - and so will Astoria and Albus and the rest of the team.

Speaking of Albus - he's just not an actor. This is something he mentions, constantly, throughout the process of the play. He's also an introvert and being the centre of attention like he is when onstage, and especially in a leading role, just isn't something he copes with? And I think that - he could be an excellent actor, if he wanted to, but the key word here is "want". Because regardless of how good he is, regardless of how much depth and care he brings to Hamlet - he still doesn't want to be an actor. He doesn't handle the vulnerability well at all, and he's so empathetic that he just - gets lost in the character? And someone like Hamlet is incredibly difficult to inhabit. You constantly hear stories about actors who struggled with the role - Paul Gross said that he often zoned out during scenes, he hallucinated while onstage and sometimes even offstage. It was just too much? Especially for a person like Albus, who has this immense, unyielding sense of empathy and compassion. It stops being a performance, because Albus is out there living every part of Hamlet. He doesn't know how to approach it any other way, because he just... cares too much. He never does things by halves. And he loves Hamlet. He knows Hamlet. Anything less than his whole self just wouldn't be enough. Hamlet deserves more than that.

Here's an excerpt from later on in the fic, when things are starting to get heated. Albus found out that the company has been talking about him behind his back, and he didn't take it very well. He vanished from rehearsals and wouldn't answer anyone's calls. He shows up to the fight call, trying to pretend nothing happened. I've popped it under a "read more" because it's rather long.

Albus went through the stage door rather than the front entrance, not wanting to make a fuss when he arrived and hoping that he might just slip in quietly. But he heard the cast talking onstage as he walked through the wings, and he paused.

“Where else could he have gone?” Yann asked. “We’ve checked all over campus. We’ve checked his favourite cafes, we checked the library.”

“Maybe he went home?” Scorpius suggested, and was met with silence. “I mean, his parent’s home.”

“No, he wouldn’t have done that,” Yann replied, calmly. “He must be at his apartment, we just don’t know where that is.”

There was another silence, before Scorpius spoke, “And you’re sure you never walked home with him? He never mentioned where he was staying?”

“I’ve never been to his apartment. I never even saw the building,” Karl responded, a weight in his words that Albus couldn’t place.

They went quiet again, so Albus stepped out of the wings and put his bag down. Karl, Yann, and Scorpius were standing onstage, while Craig was at the lighting booth loudly talking to someone on the phone. They all stopped and looked at him and Craig said, “Uhh, he’s just arrived. Yeah, no, he literally just walked in… Rose! I’m not going to say that -”

“Where the hell have you been?” Karl snapped.

Albus flinched. Karl never raised his voice. “Is this everyone?”

Craig, who had come down from the lighting booth and joined them onstage, crossed his arms and said, “Rose canceled rehearsal. She’s out looking for you with Astoria.”

“We don’t need them to block the scene. Yann knows what they’re doing.”

Yann put their hands on their hips and frowned. “We should wait until they get back and then decide what to do.”

“We don’t have the time. We open in two weeks, your show opens next week,” He explained, already taking his coat off and eyeing the rapiers. “We should get this over with.”

Albus tossed his coat aside and stared at Yann, who stared back. He knew they wouldn’t be able to argue with his reasoning. Yann was spread thin. Between uni work and his job and choreographing two shows, it was almost impossible to find the time to work on Hamlet’s blocking. Yann raised an eyebrow and Albus inclined his head, trying to communicate that he was fine and that he just wanted to get this over with.

“Alright. We’ll do it,” they relented. But before Albus could say anything, Yann leaned in and added, “But we need to talk afterwards, okay?”

He nodded. He’d expected this. “Fine.”

With that, Yann cleared his throat and addressed everyone, “We’ll do 5.1 first and ease into 5.2. Hopefully by the time we’ve started 5.2, Astoria and Rose will be back.” He looked over at Craig, who glanced up from his phone and shrugged. “Or not. We’ll see.”

They hadn’t covered much of 5.1 yet in rehearsals. It was a handful of scenes that took place in the graveyard, as Hamlet returned from England and Ophelia was buried. Laertes, distraught with grief and anger at his sister’s lack of burial rights, leaped into her grave so that he might hold her one last time. And Hamlet, seeing this, made himself known and declared that his love was stronger than his. They fought over her body and Laertes had to be dragged off Hamlet before he murdered him on sight for his father’s death.

It was an intense scene that Albus had been dreading for a while. Yann had only come in once before to look at the blocking for it, hoping to cover it a lot more thoroughly at the fight call. Without Polly to stand in for Ophelia’s body, Craig offered to take her place, and Albus watched in silence as he climbed into the grave. He could feel everyone looking at him, but he still refused to make eye contact. He just wanted to focus on the play. I loved Ophelia, he recited, in his head. Forty thousand brothers could not with all their quantity of love make up my sum...

“Hold off the earth a while,” he heard Karl speak, and finally glanced up at him, where he stood staring down into the grave. He hadn’t realised Yann had started the scene, he was so wrapped up in his thoughts. “Till I have caught her once more in mine arms.” He wiped a sleeve over his eyes and climbed into the grave, gathering Craig into his arms and holding him to his chest, before glaring up at Yann and Scorpius. His eyes were full of tears, but his mouth was set with determination.

“Now pile your dust upon the quick and dead, till of this flat a mountain you have made,” Karl continued, breathing ragged sobs into Craig’s green beanie. “To o’ertop old Pelion or the skyish head of blue Olympus!”

“What is he who’s grief bears such an emphasis?” Albus asked, approaching the grave just as Karl looked up at him with fury. “Whose phrase of sorrow conjures the wand’ring stars, and makes them stand like wonder-wounded hearers? This is I, Hamlet the Dane.”

Albus climbed into the grave and Karl was immediately upon him, his hand on his throat as the other clutched Craig ever closer. “The devil take thy soul!” He growled.

“Thou pray’st not well -” Albus struggled under his grasp, snatching at his arms and chest as he feigned an attempt to force him off. But Karl was vicious in his hold on Hamlet, glaring at him with a fire in his eyes that shocked Albus to his core. “I prithee take thy fingers from my throat! For, though I am not splenitive and - and rash, yet I -” He stumbled over the words, and Karl’s grasp weakened. Albus took advantage of the momentary lapse and tried to shove him away, but Karl was relentless. “I have in me something dangerous, which let thy wisdom fear! Hold off thy hand!”

“Pluck them asunder!” Yann read for the King, as he and Scorpius dragged Karl out of the grave. He kicked and howled as Albus glared up at him, holding Craig to his chest.

“Good, my lord, be quiet,” Scorpius hissed at him as Horatio.

“Why, I will fight with him upon this theme, until my eyelids no longer wag!” He gasped, shifting his hold on Craig, wrapping his arms around him and pressing his face into his shoulder with a barely suppressed sob. He waited for the Queen’s line, or for Yann to call the end of the scene, but they never did, so he continued, “I loved Ophelia! Forty thousand brothers could not with all their quantity of love make up my sum!”

He glanced up and only saw Karl’s expression of growing concern, and it made him furious. So he set Craig down against the wall of the grave and stood up, wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his jumper. He was going off script, ignoring lines and the horrified looks of Yann and Scorpius, but he had to get it out. “What wilt thou do for her? Hmm?” Karl blinked and looked away, which only antagonized Hamlet even more. “‘Swounds, show me what thou’t do! Would weep? Would fight? Would fast? Would tear thyself? I’ll do it! Dost thou come to whine? To outface me by leaping in her grave? Be buried quick with her, and so will I!”

“Albus!” Yann shouted, and Albus flinched as he looked over at them. “That’s enough.”

“Sorry,” he said, taking a step back and looking down at his feet. His heart was pounding in his chest and he could feel sweat dripping down his neck. “I got carried away.”

Somewhere above him, Yann sighed and flicked back through their notes. “It’s fine. But our stopping point for tonight's rehearsal is Horatio’s line - ‘Good, my lord, be quiet.’ And Hamlet climbs out of the grave on the Queen’s line - ‘This is mere madness.’ We can do a full run through of the scene once Astoria and Rose get back, if you want.”

Albus nodded and sat down on the edge of the grave. Craig stood up and joined him and, if he saw the way that his hands were shaking and his bottom lip was trembling, he didn’t say anything about it.

Yann tapped his pen against his chin and stared down into the grave. “I’m just not sure about the way Hamlet is jumping in after Laertes. It doesn’t feel natural,” he mused.

Craig cleared his throat and raised a hand. “I know I’m supposed to be dead, but…” Albus chuckled at that, in spite of himself, although the sound was hollow. “Could Laertes pull Hamlet into the grave? Rather than jumping in after him?”

Yann considered, for a moment. But then their phone went off and they sighed. “Can we take five? Erin is calling me.”

As Yann took the call, Albus waited for a comment from Karl about Erin - the director of the musical Yann was working on, and the “villain who kept stealing their choreographer” - but it never came. He glanced over and watched as Scorpius and Karl spoke to each other in hushed tones, near the front of the stage. He knew they were talking about him, from the way they kept stealing glances at him. Something about the sight of it made his heart clench in his chest - made him want to get up and leave again.

But then Craig suddenly rested his head on Albus’s shoulder, distracting him from Karl and Scorpius’s secret conversation. “I don’t know how you actors do it,” he said, with a yawn. “It’s very exhausting, being dead.”

Albus gave him a weak smile. “I’m still not an actor,” he replied, aware of the irony considering his outburst just moments ago. “Say the word and I’ll come running back to the design department.”

“I wish you would. It’s lonely up in the rigs and the lighting desk without you.” He paused and rested his chin on Albus’s shoulder, staring up at him with those dark eyes. “Where did you go last night? We were worried about you.”

catch the irony of Craig's role in this scene :')

[440mxs-wife]

Sweet Nothings

Pairing: Gabriel x Reader

Warnings: Mentions of cheating, implied violence

Word Count: 3876 or so

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Oh, come on, you have to go out with us! I'll just bet that you haven't left the house except for work since you broke up with Connor. That's not healthy, and you know it!" scolded your best friend/sister Ruthie.

You let out an exasperated sigh. "All right, all right, I'll go out with you girls. When is it again?" you relented.

"This Saturday night, 8:00 p.m., Bluestone Bar on 7th Avenue and 8th Street. I can pick you up if you want," she offered.

"Yeah, that sounds good. See you Saturday," you said as you hung up the phone.

The rest of your work week passed pretty closed to normal, or what passes for normal as a high school English teacher. You had term papers to grade and lesson plans to prepare, but nothing too major. On Wednesday, you had a meeting with the principal. He asked you to take over for the drama teacher in putting together the annual variety show.

You knew it would be a lot of work, but you agreed. You loved the opportunity for your students to shine as they show off their hidden talents. As soon as you left his office, you did the funkiest happy dance anyone had ever seen. You definitely had reason to celebrate on Saturday.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Okay, chickies, first round is on me!" you exclaimed. Your friends, Ruthie, Charlie, Donna and Jody, all picked a chair after giving you their drink orders.

"I don't believe it! Just this past Monday, I thought I was going to have to threaten to kidnap you in order to get you to leave the house. Now you're all cheerful and ready to party? Who are you and what have you done with my sister?!?" Ruthie joked.

"Ha ha, very funny, Sis," you retorted playfully. "What can I say, I had a pretty good week. AND, the principal asked me to cover for the drama teacher and run the Variety Show. So, excuse me, but I feel like I have reason to celebrate!" you finished.

You left the table to put in your drink order, laughing and trading jabs with your girlfriends as you walked backwards. You didn't see the man before you bumped into him, and almost caused both of you to fall. When you turned around, you were met by the warmest pair of whiskey-colored eyes you'd ever encountered. His mouth was turned upward in a playful smirk as his strong, capable hands kept you from taking you both down.

"Hey hey! Looks like you got a live one, Gabe, and we haven't even had a drink yet!" one of his friends remarked as they set off to find a table.

Ignoring his buddies, Gabriel turned you around to face him. "Are you all right?" he asked. His hands were on your upper arms as he bent down to look into your eyes.

"Y-yes, I-I think so. I think I'd better watch where I'm going next time. S-sorry for almost knocking you over," you stammered as you introduced yourself.

"Believe me, Cupcake, it's always a pleasure bumping into a beautiful woman every now and then," Gabriel quipped. "Name's Gabriel."

You ducked your head to hide the rising color in your cheeks. "Thank you, Gabriel. Always a pleasure being rescued by a true gentleman," you replied with a small curtsy. "I'd love to stay and chat, but I promised my girlfriends"-you turned and waved at your table-"that the first round of drinks is on me. I was on my way to place my order when I quite literally ran into you," you giggled.

"Then I shall impede your progress no longer, milady," he grinned as he bowed gracefully. "Please continue on thy mission to procure sufficient alcoholic libations for thyself and thy lovely contingent of lady friends," Gabriel finished.

You had to chuckle at his exaggerated performance. "I appreciate your kindness, good sir. Perhaps we'll meet again under less, shall we say, ‘injurious’ circumstances?" you replied with a wry smile.

"No harm done, fair lady. Till we meet again," Gabriel said softly. He kissed the back of your hand, then left you to join his friends at their table.

As soon as Gabriel left, Ruthie was at your side in an instant. "What was that all about?" she demanded. "You sure were talking to him for a long time, he was HOT! Did you at least get his phone number?" she asked.

You stared off in the distance, watching Gabe take a seat with his friends. When he caught your eye, he winked and gave you a little wave, breaking the trance. "Hmm? Sorry, what did you say?" you asked.

Ruthie groaned in frustration. "Ugh! Never mind, let's just order our drinks and get this party started!" she declared.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"So, Gabe, who was that woman we saw you talking to earlier? You know her or something?" Sam asked.

Gabe shook his head. "Nope, just met her here, tonight," he answered.

"She's pretty, and she's got good-looking friends," Dean remarked. "I wonder, if I told her that she had a beautiful body, if she'd hold it against me," he smirked, giving a high-five to Castiel.

Gabriel shot Dean a look that told him to back off. "Careful, Dean, your inner caveman is showing. You'd better reel it in if you expect to have any kind of chance with one of her friends," he retorted. She’s mine, he thought to himself.

He sat back in his chair and thought about his brief but enchanting encounter with you. Lovely eyes, so expressive, he thought. Definite sense of humor, stunning smile, and a gorgeous body with curves in all the right places. Gabriel assured himself that he liked what he'd seen so far with you, and that he couldn't wait to know more.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A couple of hours later, you were still sipping on your second drink, while your girlfriends were on either their third or even fourth rounds. Some of the guys from Gabriel's table had filtered over to yours, and had asked your friends to dance.

Donna was dancing with Dean, Ruthie was dancing with Sam, and Castiel was with Jody. Charlie was finishing her third cocktail, when a woman from another table named Gilda asked her to dance. Charlie grabbed Gilda's hand and practically ran all the way over to the dance floor.

You were staring at your glass, wondering whether or not you should order another drink. You could go home, having fulfilled your promise to Ruthie by joining the girls for a night out. Too bad they had all left you behind to go dance with Gabriel's friends.

"This is stupid," you muttered under your breath. "I'm going home. They're all having too much fun to miss me anyway," you murmured.

"I'll miss you if you go home now," a deep and honeyed voice remarked with a grin. You looked up and smiled to see Gabriel taking the seat across from you. He reached over and took your hand in his, gently brushing his lips across the back of it. "Hi."

"Hi, Gabriel," you returned shyly. "Nice to see you again. Why aren't you out dancing with the others?" you asked.

"Because my dance partner is right here, debating on whether she should stay or go home," he replied. He stood up with his other hand held out for you to take. "What do you say, Sugar?"

All you could hear from the dance floor was a thumping beat in a song that you didn't recognize. For this reason, you almost decided not to take Gabriel up on his offer. But, you also still had a little bit of liquid courage in you, so you found yourself taking his hand. As you threaded your way to the dance floor, Gabriel's hand left yours and slid to the small of your back to guide you.

Just as you set foot on the dance floor, the song with the thumping bass ended, and a slow song came on. Courage evaporated, you tried to pull away from Gabriel and leave the dance floor, but his hand was locked on yours. "Ah-ah-ah," he said, wagging his finger back and forth at you. "No, no Baby Girl, I've got you. Dance with me, sweetheart. Please," he implored, reaching for your hands.

One look in his honey-colored eyes and you were lost. You nodded and stepped close enough to Gabe so that he could slip his right arm around your waist and draw you nearer to him. He placed your left hand on his chest, while his left hand settled on your hip. Your right hand slipped up to cradle his neck, your fingers slowly venturing into the ends of his light chestnut hair at his collar.

"Mmm, careful there, SweetCheeks. You're venturing into dangerous territory with what you're doing," Gabe softly warned. "Might lead a man to do something like this," he whispered. He dipped his head down to capture your lips in a tender, sweet kiss.

When you broke apart from the kiss, you were both trying to catch a breath. "I'll take it under advisement, you know, future reference and all that," you remarked. With the hand that had been so recently been running through his hair, you gently tugged him forward for another, deeper kiss.

The need for air caused you and Gabriel to momentarily pause in your kissing. You touched your forehead to his and grinned. "Wanna get out of here?" you asked. "You could walk me home. It's not that far. Maybe we could hang out on the porch for awhile. I-I don't really want the evening to end quite yet," you added shyly.

"Sounds okay to me, lead the way, darlin'," Gabriel took your hand in his, intertwining your fingers as you stepped out into the warm night air.

Neither of you noticed that Connor, your ex-boyfriend, was sitting at a corner table. He gripped his beer bottle tightly, glaring as you and Gabriel danced, then left the bar. You broke up with him over another woman, but he wasn't with her anymore. He had decided that maybe he wanted you back, and then he saw you dancing with someone else. Connor was determined that you would be together with him again, and he wasn't going to let anyone stand in his way.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

You and Gabriel walked around the city, stopping in the park for awhile. You sat on a bench near the fountain in the middle of the park, talking and getting to know each other better. You told him you were a high school English teacher, while Gabe shared that he was a sales manager for a major candy company. Even though Ruthie was like your sister, you grew up an only child, whereas Gabriel had four brothers.

Soon, you and Gabriel arrived at your house. You lived in a well-kept, 3 bedroom carpenter-style house with blue siding and a spacious front porch. Still holding Gabriel's hand, you reluctantly climbed the steps, not wanting the evening to end.

At the top of the stairs, Gabriel drew you into his arms. "Well, pretty girl, I'd have to say that this has been one of the best evenings I've had in a long time. I met someone that I'd really like to see again, I danced with her, and I got to do this," Gabe remarked. He reached up to cup your cheeks and captured your lips with his.

You admitted to Gabe that tonight was the first time you'd gone out for fun since breaking up with your boyfriend, Connor. "I really should call Ruthie in the morning and thank her for this. If she hadn't pestered me about going out tonight, I never would've met you. I'm so very glad I did, because I'm having a wonderful time with you," you remarked shyly.

"Aw, Cupcake, that's not fair. You made me blush, and guys aren't supposed to do that," he teased. "For the record, though, I should probably call Ruthie and thank her as well. I hope that this is but one of many opportunities I'll have to go out with you," he added.

He hooked one arm around your waist and held fast to your hand as he guided you over to the swing. Once you were both seated, Gabe pushed off with his foot to gently rock you both back and forth.

"About that, about going out I mean? If I consulted my Magic 8-Ball, it might say something like....'concentrate and ask again'," you replied with a wry grin.

Already holding your right hand, Gabriel captured your left hand. Without breaking eye contact, he slowly kissed each fingertip one by one. "So, I was wondering....if you're not busy next Friday night....would you like to go out with me?" he asked.

You took a deep, shuddering breath before answering. "Yes, definitely. You may rely on it. Without a doubt. Signs point to yes," you rambled.

Gabriel chuckled. "Well, as long as you're sure, SweetCheeks. I'm looking forward to it," he replied softly. His left index finger traced along your jawline, turning you so that you were directly facing him. He closed the gap between you by pressing his lips to yours in a lingering kiss.

"You know, I should get your phone number, just in case. Here," you said as you handed Gabe your phone. He typed in his contact information and gave you his phone to do the same.

"As much as I would love to stay, Cupcake, I left my car back at the bar, and I should go back and get it. But don't worry, I'll be back to pick you up for our date," he promised. Gabriel stood up from the porch  swing, pulling you with him. "Friday night, seven o'clock," he said   softly, his finger tapping the end of your nose. He dropped another kiss to your lips  before descending from the porch.

"Mmm, Friday night, seven o'clock," you replied dreamily. "Get home safe, Gabe," you said.

Gabriel  turned to look back at you standing on the porch, watching him walk  away. He winked, gave you a mock salute, then blew you a kiss. "See you  Friday, Sugar," he called.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

From your front porch, you watched as Gabe walked down the street until you couldn't see him anymore. Your phone rang in your pocket, with the Caller ID showing it was Ruthie. She wanted to know where you had gone, so you explained how you and Gabriel left the bar after the dance.

"He walked me home, then the two of us sat on the porch swing for a little while. We talked, and kissed...." you mentioned, a wide grin on your face.

Ruthie could hardly contain her squeal of delight. "See? What did I tell you? I told you that going out with us was way better than staying home!" she remarked.

"Yes, Ruthie, you were right. Happy now?" you retorted playfully. "Getting a little sleepy, so I'm gonna say goodnight, Sis. Talk to you later," you replied. She wished you goodnight as well, then you disconnected the call.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Leo Webb locked up the Bluestone Bar after finishing his closing duties. As he was walking out to his car, he heard someone groaning in pain. He was shocked to see a man sitting on the ground and propped up beside what had to be his own car. Leo recognized him as Gabriel, the guy you were dancing with and had left the bar with tonight. "Hey, Buddy, are you all right?" he asked Gabe while, looking around.

Gabriel turned his head to the sound of Leo's voice. "Did you happen get the license plate of the truck that ran me over?" he asked weakly. Gabriel had a cut above his eye with the blood trail mingling with the one from his bloody nose. His knuckles were scuffed up, leading Leo to believe that maybe he got in a few defensive jabs. Gabriel tried to stand up by himself, but was unsuccessful in his first attempt.

"Come on, man, let's get you standing up. Then we can get you some medical attention," Leo said, grunting as he helped Gabriel to his feet.

Gabriel mumbled that he wanted to be taken back to your house. He couldn't tend to his injuries alone, and he knew they weren't serious enough for the hospital. Leo reluctantly agreed and carefully laid Gabriel across the backseat.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

You awoke to the sound of someone pounding on your front door. It was unusual for you to have visitors at 2:30 a.m., so you grabbed your baseball bat that rested next to your dresser. In a voice that was much braver than you actually felt, you demanded, "Who are you? What do you want?"

"It's me, Leo, the bartender from Bluestone Bar. I have your dance partner from tonight, and I think he's going to need your help getting put back together," he explained.

You set aside the baseball bat, disengaged the locks and threw open the front door. Standing on your porch was indeed Leo from the bar, his left arm supporting Gabriel. You gasped in shock at seeing Gabe's injured face and hands, and at how difficult it was for him to stand on his own. You rushed out to the front porch and went to Gabriel's right side to take his other arm.

Between you and Leo, you managed to get Gabriel into the house and seated on the couch. Leo told you to sit with your patient while he looked for your first aid supplies. He returned with bandages, peroxide and a basin of warm water with a washcloth. "In the morning, I'm going to check the bar's security camera footage," Leo declared. Before he left, he pointed at you and asked, "You good?"

You nodded. "I'm fine, Leo. Thanks for taking care of my dance partner," you replied with a quick smile. You continued working to clean up Gabriel's wounds as you heard the front door close behind Leo.

"Hiya, SweetCheeks," Gabe mumbled and gave you a weak smile.

"Shh, shh. Gabe honey, just relax and I'll get you patched up in no time," you soothed. "Want to tell me what happened, love? What do you remember?" you asked. Gabriel hissed in pain as you cleaned up his knuckles with the peroxide. "Sorry, I know this hurts," you murmured.

Gabriel explained that he got back to the bar about 20 minutes after leaving your house. "I was getting in to my car when this brick wall of a guy grabbed my arm. He punched me a couple of times in the face. Then he started talking about how he saw us dancing and that it made him angry. I told him that he should get his own dance partner, that you were with me. That earned me a punch in the stomach," Gabe finished.

You stopped what you were doing and pinched the bridge of your nose with your thumb and forefinger. "What's wrong, Cupcake?" Gabriel asked, taking your hands in his.

"I think I know who did this to you. My ex-boyfriend, Connor, must have been in the bar and saw us together. I'm so sorry, Gabriel that he hurt you," you said softly, tears shining in your eyes.

"Hey now, it's not your fault, Baby Girl, none of this is," he assured you. Wanting to know more, Gabe asked, "So, what happened with you and Connor?"

You swallowed a sob before you continued. "He and I broke up about six months ago. Found out he was cheating on me, but somehow the blame for that was on me," you muttered. "Connor and I were together for about three years. But it was during the last six months of those three years that we didn't....you know....," you trailed off. "Guess he went and found someone new to fill that need.

"I've been so busy with my regular workload lately. Now it's only going to get worse, because I'm in charge of the school's Variety Show," you continued. "You should probably run for the hills far away from me, Gabriel. I mean, psycho ex-boyfriend and workaholic doesn't exactly scream 'stable relationship material'," you finished.

"Pfft! Are you kidding me?" he scoffed. "Last night was about the best date--no--it was THE best date I've been on in years," Gabriel declared. He squeezed your hands as firmly as his wounds would allow. "Honeybun, I don't know what it is about you, but I already feel like I've known you my whole life. We have the same sense of humor. It's cheesy, but it works for us," he explained.

You giggled. "And at least we have a cute story to tell people about how we met," you pointed out, to which he nodded.

"Dancing with you in my arms was like...coming home. When we were out there on your porch swing, I felt like I'd spent every summer night for years doing that with you. And kissing you is an otherworldly experience, Sugar. Connor didn't know what a great thing he had with you when he betrayed your trust," Gabe said, softly stroking your cheek with his index finger.

"I guess in a way, I should be grateful about what happened between Connor and me, because it put me on the path that led to you. Gabe, I love that I can be myself when I'm with you, that I feel comfortable around you. It's like we've already been together for years, even though I know we've only just met tonight. You came along at just the right time in my life," you told him.

"One question, though. Can I kiss you?" you asked softly. "I promise not to cause further damage," you remarked.

Gabriel chuckled quietly. "Of course you can, Cupcake," he replied. You reached up to gently cradle his face in your hand and slowly draw him towards you to close the gap. Your lips met in a tentative kiss, because you were trying desperately not to hurt Gabe. You let him take the lead, and as your mouths moved with each other, the kisses grew more insistent, driven by desire.

"Whoa," you whispered, trying to catch your breath. "Gabe, that was amazing," you remarked.

"Not so bad yourself, sweetheart," he replied, also trying to catch his breath. "By the way, I'm so glad I have such a lovely nurse taking very good care of me. I think I'll need to be on bed rest for a while, though, and I would love to do that here," he suggested, waggling his eyebrows.

You tapped your index finger on your lips as if deep in thought. "Well, that depends. Do you think the best medicine is eggs and bacon, or pancakes and sausage?" you grinned.

"Let's decide in the morning, Honeybun. Wait and see what we're hungry for," he replied seductively before capturing your lips in a heated kiss.

"Hmm. Maybe if you're a good boy, I'll even set you up with a sponge bath, courtesy of yours truly," you grinned slyly.

Gabriel's eyes nearly went back into his head with bliss at the prospect of a personalized sponge bath. "Aw, Cupcake, you say the sweetest things," he replied.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Tag(s): @wayward-mikaelson​

[therainroguefanfiction]

🔥 ℝise Ⱥbove I̾t ◈ Chapter 023 [Sports Festival?]

📑 Table of Contents | ◂Backward

Word Count: 2,750

⊱ ────── {⋅. 🔥 .⋅} ────── ⊰

〈“Are you gonna die today or make it out alive? You gotta conquer the monster in your head and then you’ll fly. Fly, phoenix, fly. It’s time for a new empire.” Solence, “Phoenix”〉

⊱ ────── {⋅. 🔥 .⋅} ────── ⊰

“Aizawa-sensei, what are you doing here?!” The class chorused.

As soon as I saw him, I jumped from my seat and rushed to his side, lowering my voice. “Oi, Shuota. Are you okay to be here like this?”

“Woah, what a pro.”

“Aizawa-sensei, I’m glad you’re okay!”

I glared at Iida. “Does he fucking look okay to you, you twat?”

“H-How dare you refer to me as such a thing!”

“My well-being is irrelevant,” Aizawa commented dryly as he made his way to the podium at the front of the room, me close behind. “What’s more important is that your fight isn’t over yet.”

“Our fight?”

“Don’t tell me…”

“Not more bad guys!”

“The U.A. sports festival is about to start,” he announced.

I sweatdropped. Man, he really likes to be dramatic with these announcements, don’t he? What is this sports festival anyway?

“Why would you scare us like that?!” The class chorused again.

“Let’s go kick some ass!” Kirishima cheered.

“Is it really such a good idea to hold the sports festival so soon after the villains snuck in?” Punk questioned.

“They could attack once we’re all in the same place!”

“Apparently, the administration thinks this is a good way to show that the threat has been handled and our school is safer than ever,” Aizawa explained. “Plus, they’re beefing up security compared to past years. This event is a huge opportunity for all students at U.A. It’s not something we can cancel because of a few villains.”

“Umm, I’m sorry, but why not? It’s just the sports festival!” Mineta complained.

“Huh?” Izuku turned around in his seat. “Mineta, don’t you know how important this competition is?”

I don’t. For once, I’m hoping he goes on one of his ‘too much information’ muttering sprees because I’m feckin’ lost.

“Of course I do! I just don’t want to get murdered!”

I scoffed. “If you’re scared of getting killed, you’re in the wrong line of work, kid.”

“Why are you so mean to me?!”

“Because I hate you,”

“Ouch…” Sparky muttered.

“Our sports festival is one of the most-watched events in the entire world. In the past, everyone obsessed over the Olympic games, but then quirks started appearing. Now, the Olympics have been drastically reduced in terms of scale and viewership. For anyone that cares about competition, there’s only one tournament that matters – the U.A. sports festival.”

“That’s right,” Momo added. “And top heroes everywhere will be watching! This is where you get scouted!”

“Sure, unless you’re dead.”

God, this kid is annoying as fuck.

“She’s right!” Sparky grinned. “After graduating, a lot of people join pro agencies as a sidekick!”

A fucking sidekick, really? Isn’t that just a glorified coffee grabber? Fuck that shit.

“Yeah, but that’s as far as some people go. They miss their chance to go Indie and stay eternal sidekicks. Actually, that’s probably where you’re headed. You’re kinda dumb.” Punk deadpanned at him.

“Brutal,” I grinned at her. “I like your style.”

She smiled back.

“It’s true that joining a famous hero agency can garner you greater experience and popularity and that’s why the festival matters. If you wanna go pro one day, then this event could open a path for you. One chance a year, three chances a lifetime. No aspiring hero can afford to miss this festival. That means you better not slack off on your training.”

“Yes, sir!”

⊱ ────── {⋅. 🔥 .⋅} ────── ⊰

The bell for lunch finally rang.

“That villain stuff sucks, sure, but I’m pumped for these games!”

“If we put on a good show, we’re basically on the road to being pros!”

“Yeah! This is why I’m even here in the first place!”

“We get so few chances, we have to make the most of this.”

I tuned out the excited chatter of the others, scratching my cheek. I don’t really have any interest in going pro. The only reason I’m here, to begin with, is because of that stupid deal Nezu made with the commissioner. Sports have never really been my thing, either. I’m more of the type to sit on my ass munching on tacos, downing Dr. Pepper, and playing a racing game.

“Everyone, I’m gonna do my best!”

I raised a brow at Ochaco. The hell’s gotten into her? What’s with that aura?

She snapped her head to the side. “I said, I’m gonna do my best!”

I sweatdropped at her intense expression. Girl, calm thyself.

“You okay?” Kirishima asked in concern. “You kinda look like you’re losin’ it…”

I second that.

“And once more for the kids in the back! I say I’m gonna do my best!”

I sighed, stepping out of the classroom and toward the cafeteria. Everyone is getting so fired up for this shit, I really don’t get it. And I still don’t even know what the sports festival is. Like, are we gonna play some American football then a round of soccer? Oh god, what if they make us play golf? I refuse to acknowledge that boring shit as a sport.

I noticed Peppermint a few feet in front of me. Hmm, I guess it couldn’t hurt to ask him. Stuffing my hands into my pockets, I picked up my pace. “Oi, Peppermint.”

He paused, glaring over his shoulder at me. “My name is Shouto Todoroki.”

“That. Right,” I stopped beside him. “Tell me what the sports festival is.”

His eyes scanned my face, looking confused. “You were standing beside Aizawa-sensei when he explained it.”

“Okay, like I get that it’s this super important event to get scouted and everyone watches, whatever. But what is it? Are we gonna have a fucking tennis tournament? Shooting some hoops, maybe a game of HORSE? Just please don’t say golf. Table tennis is a better alternative. Not much movement there. Why the fuck are you laughing at me?”

He covered his mouth, shoulders shaking as his voice filled with amusement. “Sorry, I’m just surprised. You really don’t know?”

“Obviously fucking not if I’m here askin’ you,” I scowled. “Forget it, I’ll go find Izuku.” I turned to walk away, but his fingers gently wrapped around my wrist, stopping me in place.

“No, I… I’ll explain.” He looked away, quickly removing his hand. “The U.A. sports festival is an annual tournament for all students, divided by grade. Different events are chosen in which students must overcome in order to advance. The events are chosen at random and are different every year. Last year, the events were a scavenger hunt, capture the flag, and then a foam sword fighting match.”

“Che. ‘Sports’, my fucking ass.”

“I’m surprised that you don’t know about it. I thought everyone knew… Even if you don’t watch it, it’s hard to avoid because of how popular it is.”

A bead of sweat rolled down my cheek as he regarded me curiously.

“Young Jen!” Toshi stuck his head around the corner, holding up a lunchbox wrapped in a light blue cloth with white bunny heads.

I deadpanned. “Ain’t you too old to be carrying somethin’ like that?”

He waved his free hand, smile not faltering. “Come eat lunch with me~”

“Geez, you’re a glorified kid. Thanks for -” I stopped short when I saw the hostile look on Todoroki’s face as he stared at the ground. Without a word, he turned and continued down the hall. Is he fucking bi-polar or what?

“Young Jen?”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m comin’,” With a sigh, I followed the large man down the hallway toward one of the teacher’s lounges.

“Head on to the lounge. I’m going to go get young Midoriya and I’ll be right there!” He patted my shoulder before taking off down the hall. I entered the lounge, plopping down onto the green sofa. Three cups sat on the table next to the boiling pot. Toshi returned a few minutes later with Izuku, who chose to sit on the stool across from us.

Toshi popped out of his muscle form and sat beside me, pouring hot water into the teapot. “I thought I’d let you both know that my time has been shortened to fifty minutes.”

“Only fifty minutes?” Izuku echoed in disbelief.

“Yeah, that’s about how long I can use my power now. I overdid it too many times. That Nomu was a real tough customer. He took a lot out of me. At this point, I can barely even look like All Might for an hour and a half.”

“I’m so sorry, I should’ve just…”

Toshi started laughing loudly, blood spurting from his mouth. He is so fucking lucky he turned his head away from me. “You don’t need to apologize for anything! Man, we are alike, you and me.” He poured the tea into the three cups, setting one in front of Izuku and one in front of me. “Have some tea,”

“Thanks…”

“I brought the two of you here to talk about the festival. The problem is that you,” he pointed to Izuku. “Can’t fully control One for All yet. And you,” he moved his finger to me. “Can’t fully control Infernal Blaze, either. So then, what do you two plan to do?”

What do I plan to do? When have I ever planned anything ahead before I did it.

Izuku was thoughtful for a moment. “Wait, I did once! When I landed a smash on that brain villain, there was no backlash at all!”

Wasn’t that just because of his absorption, though?

“Oh, that’s right, you did mention that. What was different about that smash?”

“Let’s see… we were facing real villains and I didn’t have much time to think, but maybe that’s part of it since I knew that this wasn’t just more training…” he clenched his fists. “This was the very first time… ever that I used my power against a person.”

“Hmm,” Toshi gripped his chin in thought. “Sounds like you succeeded at sub-consciously putting on the brakes so you wouldn’t kill anyone… Hey, that’s some kind of progress, at least. Tea’s getting cold.”

“Oh right, thank you.” Izuku picked up his cup but didn’t drink from it. Bitch, why pick it up?

Toshi glanced at me and I met his gaze with a blank expression. “I hate hot tea, bro.”

“Huh?!” He jumped up, blood spurting from his mouth. I jumped off the couch, lip curling up in disgust just as blood splattered where I had been sitting. “But… all those times I made you tea… you never said anything about hating it!”

“I was trying to be polite.” I scoffed, plopping onto the floor beside Izuku’s stool.

“Wait, is that why my plant died?!”

“No, I drank the tea after it cooled off.”

“Oh…”

“The plant died because your curry was too fucking spicy.”

“Young Jen!”

“What? I don’t like spicy shit.”

“You should’ve told me,” he sighed, slapping his hand to his forehead as he walked over to the window. He was quiet for a moment before speaking up again. “To be frank, I don’t have much time left as the symbol of peace. Soon, I’ll have to put that title to bed.”

“No way…”

“And some villains out there are starting to notice that. Someone has to step up and keep the people safe.” Izuku stood up at these words. Toshi turned around, holding his hand out. “I gave you my power for one reason – because you will be the hero that takes my place! Do you still feel the same way you did when we met? Do you still want to be a hero?”

“Yes!”

“Excellent! Time has come for you to prove it. This sports festival… it’s something that the pros, no… the entire country will be watching very closely! I want you to think of this sports festival as your debut! You are the fletching symbol of peace! The next All Might! Izuku Midoriya… I want you to introduce yourself to the world and proudly say, ‘I am here!'”

“But, All Might, that’s your catchphrase… besides, what can I do?”

“You know how the sports festival is set up, right?” He headed back to the couch, plopping down beside the blood.

“Well yeah, of course. Students are separated by class year and then the support, business, general studies, and hero courses all fight against each other in a bunch of preliminary trials. Whoever makes it through the initial games face off in the finals. It’s basically a big round-robin tournament.”

Hmm, so it’s basically every man for himself? Great, more effort.

“Right! Meaning you’ll have plenty of opportunities to sell yourself!”

“I guess…”

His lackluster response made Toshi fall back hard against the couch, tipping it over.

“I’m sorry! I mean, what you’re saying is absolutely correct, All Might!”

I stepped around the couch, raising a brow at him. “You dead, bro?”

Izuku started to mutter to himself and we exchanged a look. “But, honestly, it’s kind of hard to get excited about this after everything that just happened at the USJ. Plus I’ve already got the world’s greatest hero teaching me so the festival probably isn’t my only hope of getting scouted by an agency. And besides, I don’t know if I can stand out right now considering I did so horribly on the fitness tests and can’t control One for All very well.”

“Man, nobody is better at spouting word vomit than you, kid!” Toshi spoke up.

I scratched my cheek. “Maybe he’ll get lucky and one of the events will be talking circles around your opponent.”

“I doubt it,”

“Uh, hey, are you okay?” Izuku peered over the fallen couch.

“Some heroes always aim for the top while others happily settle. The difference between those two mindsets has a big impact on how far you go in the real world. I understand how you feel, and I may even be projecting a bit of myself onto you -”

There’s no ‘may’ to it, you definitely are, chief.

“However, I hope you haven’t forgotten the emotions you felt back on the beach during our training.”

“I haven’t!”

“Good,”

The bell rang to signal the end of lunch.

“Fuck, I didn’t get food!” I cried, kicking the wall.

“We should get back to class…” Izuku stood up, glancing at me.

“Go without me,” I muttered.

“A-Are you sure?”

I narrowed my eyes at him and he nodded, rushing out of the room. Toshi held his arm up and I sighed, moving to stand between the couch and the coffee table. I grabbed his hand, putting my foot on the bottom of the couch. In one swift movement, I got the couch upright with Toshi sitting atop it.

“Thank you,”

I grunted.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Look, I ain’t sayin’ you’re wrong or anything, but maybe ease up on the kid a bit? I know he’s your successor and has this all-powerful quirk, but… he’s still just a fifteen-year-old boy, ya know? You just put a shit ton of pressure on that kid, and he’s already a nervous wreck, to begin with.” I shrugged, heading for the door. “Just some food for thought,”

Instead of heading to class, I made a beeline for the deserted cafeteria.

Lunch-Rush held up a hand in greeting when he noticed me approaching. “Shouldn’t you be in class, Winchester-san?”

“Should be, but Toshi needed to speak with me so I missed lunch. I didn’t eat this morning either, so I’m fucking starving. I could eat a feckin’ cow right now.”

He sighed, shaking his head. “Have a seat,” I did as he asked, choosing the table closest to the front. He appeared a few minutes later, holding a tray high enough that I couldn’t see what was on it. “You really should stop skipping breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day and provides you with essential nutrients a student needs in order to fully take in the lessons that they are taught.”

“Even when I do eat, it’s usually just sugary cereal or leftovers from the night before. Not exactly a nutritious meal.” I commented, leaning back in the chair.

“Honestly, child…” he shook his head.

“I know, I know.” I grinned. “I’m just too awesome for words, Lunc – ow!”

He smacked the back of my head lightly, setting the tray down in front of me. “Hurry up and eat so you can get back to class and learn.”

“Lunch-Rush…” My eyes sparkled, filling with tears. “You made me tacos! I fucking love you, man!”

He chuckled as he headed back into the kitchen to finish cleaning up.

⊱ ────── {⋅. 🔥 .⋅} ────── ⊰

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[osmw1]

Poison-Wielding Fugitive   Chapter 66

The next day.

“Pardon me, but I must depart once again.”

We were in the middle of breakfast when Celes announced her departure.

“That right?”

Wayne curtly responds to Celes.

“I am wondering about the sword if—” “We’ve finished work on the prototype already. The protection ain’t quite right but take it with you. Not like you can do much with that broken sword of sword of yours.” “But—” “Just shut up and take it.”

It may seem like Wayne snapped at her, but he likes to eat breakfast and read his newspaper in silence.

“… understood. I am in your debt.” “Cohgray, yours is ready too. The boys were messin’ around and whipped something up for the mushroom too. You can use it until the real deal gets completed.” “Mu!” “Oh, thank you very much.” “You’ve brought a whole lot of different kinds of materials with you and I’m itchin’ to work on ‘em. Take your time eatin’.”

With that, Wayne heads to work. … is it just me or is he bulking up and getting bigger every day?

‘Yea, the blacksmith looks to be more muscular than yesterday to me as well. This is just like the innkeeper.’

What on earth is up with that?

‘Dost thou believe that he is so eager to forge because of his fears of contracting another disease? Or perhaps that he is excited to see such quality ores?’

Man, I hope it’s the latter. I think he’s too energetic for his own good. Anyway, we finished up our breakfast before heading for the forge. We step inside and as soon as his apprentices noticed us, Wayne comes over with our newly crafted weapons. Celes’ gorgeous sword catches Veno’s attention.

‘Hmm… what an exquisite blade. Mine dragon senses are tingling!’

Veno has his attention on her sword, but I focus on my crossbow.

Rapid Elba Orichalcum Crossbow +6 Quality: Superior Required level: Base level 45 Bonus effects: Rapid Fire, Auto Reload, Increased Mana, Faster Projectile Speed, Bonus Damage, Improved Poison Arrow Loading and Damage, Accuracy Compensation, Limiter A crossbow with a focus on rapid fire and damage for all purposes. Its extraordinary rate of fire more than makes up for its slightly heavier weight. Damage output and projectile range have been remedied. The user can choose to automatically enchant projectiles with poison. The crossbow can shoot projectiles other than bolts but at a reduced rate of fire. The action has also been simplified, granting ease of maintenance. However, the crossbow draws the user’s Mana, necessitating a great Mana pool. As powerful as it is, the crossbow tends to be picky with its user and so its true might heavily depends on the wielder.

Wow… talk about overpowered. The Magic Iron Crossbow that Wayne lent me feels like a toy bow in comparison.

‘Aye, this is quite the fine piece. It should cost more than for what thou hast paid. However… it may be difficult on thine stats.’

What do you mean? I hold the crossbow in my hands. Hmm… it’s got some heft to it. But I don’t think it’s so much the physical weight as much as it would overload me mentally.

‘Thou meetest not the required level. With the lass’ cooking, thou mayest just narrowly be able to wield it… but the Limiter effect can only be overcome by thine strength. ‘Tis quite the nuisance. It would be unwieldable without first bypassing the Limiter.’

There sure is a lot of stuff packed into one weapon. I guess only high-rank adventurers can use this thing. And to think that even they aren’t a match for you, Veno… it really drives home how weak humans truly are.

‘Deprecate not thyself. Masterest the weapon and thou canst slay beasts like Safkrym or Elba with nary so much trouble.’

Well, you’ve got a point.

“Mu!”

I look away from my crossbow and see what Muu is up to. Looks like he’s bouncing with joy getting a new axe, helmet and armor. That armor is like… a stab vest or something. And its helmet looks more like a shield on its head. Muu looks like its cosplaying or something, but it looks good on them. Then, Muu goes clink clank.

“Muuu?”

Muu tilts its cap to one side as if asking Arleaf how she thinks of his new clothes.

“It looks great on you, Muu. Hopefully it is not too heavy though.”

Arleaf’s approval and doubt makes it seem as if she were Muu’s big sister. Well, it’d be troublesome if the armor is too unwieldy.

“Mu!”

Looks like Muu’s fine.

“We made sure Muu’s armor would be easy for it to move around in.”

Did Rurika forge this just for Muu? It really gives of a Warrior vibe. I wonder if we look like half-decent adventurers now. Oh, right, I almost forgot about the weapons we picked up in the sewer. I should show Wayne now. It might be a little tough to repair, but he says it would make for good materials for upgrading equipment.

“Now, then…”

Celes slings the sheathed sword to her hip. She doesn’t seem to have the time to check over Wayne’s handiwork. But judging by Veno’s reaction, it’s definitely made well.

“Oh, let me send you off.” “Hmm? I appreciate it.” “I do apologize, but I must help Gramps with his work…”

And so Rurika declines.

“Fret not.” “Yeah, the rest of us can send Celes off.” “Yes, we shall. Thank you very much for everything. Grandpa Wayne is only so healthy thanks to your help.” “The medicine I brought him is but a drop in the bucket.” “You were instrumental, Celes. Let me pray to the Holy Dragon for you before you leave.”

Rurika bows her head down and starts praying. Celes, though, has quite the forced smile on her face.

“Then, if you will excuse me. I shall try my best to see everyone again.” “Okay, take care now!”

Celes and Rurika say their goodbyes before headed off together to the stagecoaches. Walking through town with our new weapons on our backs really makes me want to go and try them out.

‘I feel the same way when test out new spells. Perhaps we shall take the chance to go out for a hunt.’

Sounds great. But let’s see Celes off first, alright? She’s probably from somewhere in Saint Yggdra. Somewhere we definitely shouldn’t step foot in.

“I extend my thanks to you all.” “That’s our line, Celes. Really, thank you for everything you’ve done for us.” “No, let me thank you. The time we had spent together had been very meaningful. You have reminded me of what my original goals were, and I am now able to head towards the right direction. Our adventure together had been utmost splendid.”

It feels good to know she thinks so highly of us.

“I pray that your wishes to be soon granted.” “?”

Arleaf looks at us, confused by our exchange. Though I think she’s got some clue.

‘Her family has been cursed. That prayer is for it to be lifted and for her to be able to safely and swiftly return by their side.’

Arleaf’s expression changes after listening to Veno speak. It’s at times like these where Veno comes in handy.

“Ah, if you ever run into any troubles, you may rely on me. I shall help you to the best of my abilities.”

Celes holds her hand out. I grip her hand and give it a firm shake. However, in the middle of this refreshing moment comes a squadron with armor-clad warriors and robe-wearing mages storm in with battle standards in hand. They rush in and encircle us. We’ve been surrounded.

contents: /ch001/ /ch002/ /ch003/ /ch004/ /ch005/ /ch006/ /ch007/ /ch008/ /ch009/ /ch010/ /ch011/ /ch012/ /ch013/ /ch014/ /ch015/ /ch016/ /ch017/ /ch018/ /ch019/ /ch020/ /ch021/ /ch022/ /ch023/ /ch024/ /ch025/ /ch026/ /ch027/ /ch028/ /ch029/ /ch030/ /ch031/ /ch032/ /ch033/ /ch034/ /ch035/ /ch036/ /ch037/ /ch038/ /ch039/ /ch040/ /ch041/ /ch042/ /ch043/ /ch044/ /ch045/ /ch046/ /ch047/ /ch048/ /ch049/ /ch050/ /ch051/ /ch052/ /ch053/ /ch054/ /ch055/ /ch056/ /ch057/ /ch058/ /ch059/ /ch060/ /ch061/ /ch062/ /ch063/ /ch064/ /ch065/ /ch066/ /next/

(how about leaving a tip for me?)

[chaldeluxe]

Remembrance of Scorched Earth ____________

// FLASHBACK CAMPFIRE SCENE. //

Vlad III:  What’s the matter? Can you not sleep, my friend? 

Vlad III: I told you to leave tonight’s watch to me. You’ve a body that needs sleep. It’s better to rest in preparation for the ‘morrow. 

Vlad III: Hm… ? You wish to hear a tale of my time before I became a Heroic Spirit? … I’ll permit it despite how whimsical you are.

Vlad III: I haven’t a single anecdote to recite about myself. Nor any boastful stories to tell. 

Vlad III: In order to purge those who carried out their own injustice, I donned this armor and became a beast that committed those very same atrocities. 

Vlad III: You won’t find a trace of Vlad III the sovereign in me. As I stand before you now, I am both a warrior and a voyvoda. 

Vlad III: I formed a contract with you as a Heroic Spirit simply because I could sense something smelled of sin. 

Vlad III: Your battle is one that walks with justice. There-under, I can’t allow my spear to waver even in the slightest. 

Vlad III: No principles, no ideals. Just this skewering tool of mine. That’s all there is to speak of me.

Vlad III: …. no. That’s right. I can recall one reason of mine.

Vlad III: A strange vision comes to my mind. Perhaps it’s the fault of this slowly dwindling bonfire. 

Vlad III: Unlike the Heroic Spirits, I have no need of a second wish. Even why I fight beyond death is still unclear to me.

Vlad III: I lost sight of the Lord’s mercy. What I once thought, wasn’t, and what I was had all been forsaken.

Vlad III: From my vassals and their retainers’ virtuous souls to my other half, my love who plunged herself from the tower.

Vlad III: I never doubted the grace of God’s love. However, I never imagined to bear witness to it ever again.

Vlad III: …. however. I witnessed a dream. 

Vlad III: Hahahah. Even a Servant can dream, you know? Though our dreams are merely adaptations of “incidents that occurred in our lifetime”.

Vlad III: … however. This was different. No matter how improbable it may be, I dreamt of an event that “didn’t occur in my lifetime”. 

Vlad III: … I dreamt of a lone woman. A woman so thin and deranged, she appeared as if at death’s door.

Vlad III: That woman’s beloved child was stillborn, and it was then that her heart and mind shattered.

Vlad III: She submerged herself in contradiction by refusing to eat out of despair, by only being able to consume that which she truly loved. 

Vlad III: … it goes without saying that she was banished from society. She was then left with naught but to embrace her heresy.

Vlad III: People perish without sustenance.

Vlad III: Killing and consuming others was simply one of the laws of nature. It’s likely that woman managed to deceive herself so.

Vlad III: But until the day of her death, she’d never known the taste of such love.)

Vlad III: … she valued those convictions over her own life. 

Vlad III: … it’s quite the strange tale. It was almost as if I’d caught a glance of the true love I’d lost in her form.

Vlad III: For if such a woman were to exist – I felt I would gladly let hell-fire scorch me once more.

// SCENE CHANGE TO THE PRESENT. //

Vlad III: Nnhn! 

Vlad III: Such hideous undead! Though dead, they yet yearn to eat the flesh of the living!

Vlad III: Sinners who left your prayers behind and for whom no one prays anymore! I won’t tell you to repent!  You’ll simply become prey to my spear instead!

Dr. Roman: Amazing. It’s just a storm of violence over there! His spear isn’t the only deadly thing about him. That armor’s pretty wicked too!

Dr. Roman: He’s like a hedgehog that caught on fire. No, wait, more like a rotating guillotine. Or a human mortar.

[CHOICE]

1. Like black paint dripped on a canvas? 2. Like a snowplowing train?    

Dr. Roman: Yup, yup! It feels like he’s racing straight through, no questions asked!

Mashu: Doctor, Master! That’s enough carefree metaphors! 

Mashu: Please stand back, Lord Vlad! The enemy readings are well over a hundred! We’ll have to withdraw at the next opportunity!

Vlad III: Heh. What are you saying, shield-maiden? You speak as if even a hundred men are enough to bring me down.

Vlad III: At worst a single spear might bore through my entrails and a hundred arrowheads might burrow into this body of mine.

Vlad III: Trifling. How truly trifling. Even a pick-me-up drink would hit harder.

// VLAD GETS ATTACKED. //

Vlad III: Ghh, nnnh – !

[CHOICE]

1. Lord Vlad… ! 2. Lancer… !

Vlad III: Phew, an outstanding blow! My eyes are wide open now! Allow me to return the favor and run my pike through your crotch up your skull!

Monster: FIGIIIIIIIIII

Mashu: ------

Vlad III: What’s the matter? Was this the only one among you with an ounce of courage? Are there none who dare take me on in a duel? 

Vlad III: Then there’s naught left but for me to mow you all down. Though undead, you indeed gave my spear a hard time.

Vlad III: Know that literally, no piece of bone shall remain!

Dr. Roman: Hmmmm, so this is the famed Lord of Impalement. Vlad Tepes was Wallachia’s demonic defender of the state. Once he repelled an army of 100,000 with a mere force of 10,000 men.

Dr. Roman: And it’s not like that story is hard to believe or so. Especially not with these first-row seats.

Dr. Roman: Right now, it’s do-or-die! If you fail to find means to escape, you’re bound to get annihilated!

Dr. Roman: As long as Lord Vlad is alive, there’s no way you can lose here!)

Mashu: This isn’t the time for idol worship! Master, your orders! I’m going in to backup Lord Vlad!

// FIGHT WITH SKELETONS & SHADOW HERACLES. //

Vlad III: They’ve been disposed of. Are you well, my friend?

[CHOICE]

1. Of course. 2. Are you okay, Lord Vlad?

Vlad III: Naturally. As if I could allow myself to offer you such an unseemly sight, my friend. Though that final enemy was tougher than I expected.

Vlad III: However… there’s something vexing about this town.

Vlad III: Though this place was certainly once the stage for a Holy Grail War… did that very same war truly exude this amount of corruption? 

Vlad III: This horrid landscape doesn’t suit this world. Some other catastrophe must’ve brought forth/led to this horrific calamity.

Dr. Roman: Well… I was pretty much wondering that myself. That maybe this is what it’s like when the grail goes totally out of control or something…

Dr. Roman: Actually, since Fuyuki’s Greater Grail had such a superb Magic Core, it’s highly likely that a worst-case scenario occurred here only to blow everything away.

Dr. Roman: But for everything to keep burning on forever like this… it doesn’t really make sense…

Mashu: … did you have any other unanswered questions? Did you notice something unusual and wish to investigate, Lord Vlad? 

Vlad III: I wasn’t carrying out my own investigation, no – I haven’t the means to do such a thing. The corruption that this singularity carries simply left me concerned. 

Vlad III: Something lurks here. A something that I absolutely abhor. I wish to discover the source and destroy it before – 

Dr. Roman: Sorry. We’re totally out of time.  And we’ve already retrieved the grail in that singularity.

Dr. Roman: We can’t just loiter about all we want. The surplus of mana circulating from Shiva is about to run out, too. 

Dr. Roman: I know this’ll feel like an unfinished job for you, but…  do you think we can head on back now?

Vlad III: Pay it no mind, man they call Roman.

Vlad III: While that cowardice is rather unseemly, your daily efforts in undertaking modest tasks haven’t gone unnoticed by me.

Vlad III: Honestly - if only most people displayed diligence like yours. But such is life,unfortunately humans aren’t this simple.

// RAYSHIFT HOME. //

Dr. Roman: Welcome back, Gudako-chan. Lord Vlad is… yeah, it seems he’s back on standby.

Dr. Roman: But, man. I can’t say that’s the sort of Servant I thought you’d ever thrust straight into the middle of our Fuyuki problem.

Dr. Roman: While investigation of the Fuyuki singularity was our focus this time, we’ve got to start prioritizing our efforts towards the next one.

Dr. Roman: It’s finally time for the Seventh Singularity, the ancient time of Uruk.  All of our staff are coming together to carefully investigate the….

Dr. Roman: Oh. What’re you thinking, Gudako-chan? I might be able to offer some advice.

[CHOICE]

1. … I don’t really get Lord Vlad’s reason for fighting…   2. I feel like you’ve explained this before, but…

Dr. Roman: … hmm. The kind of dreams that Servants have, huh.

Dr. Roman: They might be battle records carved into his soul from his time as a Heroic Spirit.

Dr. Roman: That doesn’t necessarily make this a sad story, though. “I felt I would gladly let hell-fire scorch me once more.” —

Dr. Roman: He doesn’t mean he “wishes to suffer once more”. What he’s trying to say is, “I wish to search for that light once more”.

Dr. Roman: Even if he were to die failing to kill his adversary, he still wouldn’t have chosen to take the brilliance he saw in that woman’s ways down with him. 

Dr. Roman: He’s not doing something like that for the sake of his honor or just because it’s a personal resolve.

Dr. Roman: To put it simply, “thou shalt love thyself as thy neighbor.” 

Dr. Roman: He’s always been a firm believer in the inherent good of human souls. Between now and back then, he really hasn’t changed.

[moriganshaw]

Indie-Author Adventures #9 - Gnothi Seauton

Let's get to work, writers. Welcome back to my fantastical journey in indie-authoring! Phew... today's episode is going to be a wee bit different in that it's more of a "rubber meets the road" installment. So let's jump in. For you just joining me, each week in 2019 I'll be making a new post on my adventures in indie-ing. What I learn, what challenges I face, what works, what doesn't (!), and hopefully some tidbits, tips, and tricks that can help other indie-authors out along the way. This Past Week Blah, blah, blah... tech work... blah, blah, blah... not enough writing. Yep, that's been pretty much my 2019 summed up so far. 😉🤦‍♀️ And - let's be very real here... I can "blame" that on my author-tech biz, I can "blame" that on life, I can blame that on whatever I want. But at the end of the day - that is still 100% on me. (Yeah, sometimes we gotta call ourselves out on our own bullshit - harsh, but necessary lol) So, I had to ask myself, whatcha gonna do about it? Whine? Or get to work? Whining takes too much energy and gives very little in ROI... so that's not really a viable (or common-sense) option. Let's start at the beginning and go from there, eh? One of the biggest complaints / challenges I hear from indie-authors the most is: "I don't have (enough) time to write!" I feel ya -- all the way down to my little, shadowy writer soul. That begs the question: How do I Write - Every - Single - Day? A writing ritual. Yeah, I know, I know... sounds contrite, forced... even "duh". But, don't take my word for it, look at every successful author out there, indie or trad-published. But... but... I have kids, a family, a job, a life, a this, a that, and one of those others, too! Uh-huh. Me too. Self-employed, single-mama with a chronic illness here... I feel ya. But - and here's where we get real and have to call ourselves out on our own BS again - if we want to actually DO this "writer thing", then we have to... you know... DO the writing thing. 😉 Your Personal Writing Ritual (& How to Find It) Just like with most things indie, there is no "one right way". No one-size-fits-all solutions. And finding your own personal writing ritual that works for you is no different. It takes some investigation, it takes some research, and mostly, it takes some trial and error. You'll see a lot of tips out there on the interwebz for what you "should" do during your writing ritual. And again - being real here - some of them are bollocks. "Schedule it" Great. I have words written on my calendar. My problems are solved! 🤦‍♀️😒🤦‍♀️ I don't know about you - but life tends to not care about my day-planner. So while this isn't completely bogus advice -- you absolutely will want to guard and protect your writing time -- but a simple "put it on a calendar" doesn't actually solve anything. "Set a daily word count and don't get up until you hit it" Riiiiiight. Now, this may work for you, I can't say. Personally, I have two thoughts about this one. I tend to not be my most free, creative self under the lash of the "word count whip". Um... life. If you are to the point of writing exclusively as your career, then this one may not be entirely possible or relevant. I will one day be like one of my favorite authors and have this set count - but until that day arrives, I still have to run my business, and take care of all those pesky little life things that happen all around us, all the time. "Keep a Writing Journal" Hmm... now we're getting somewhere.  Huh?! You may ask... write before I can start writing for the day? Kinda - but this actually is a GREAT tool for discovering your perfect writing ritual. Let's dispense with all the small-chat here, eh? Here's what you need to craft your perfect writing ritual: gnothi seauton (know thyself) You need to know when your creative brain is at its peak. Is this when you first wake up? The middle of the day? At midnight with candles casting a flickering glow over your parchments? The best way I found to figure this out is self-reflection -- and self-reflection becomes MUCH easier if you keep a simple journal and record your thoughts / feelings / observations throughout the day. Before long, you'll see your own patterns. Be okay with whatever words come out. Are they inspired? Are they utter crap? It doesn't matter, truly, it doesn't. You can edit and revise a badly written page - you can't edit a blank one. Create your "sacred space". You'll probably want to refer back to your journal for this one. Does your creative brain work better in an organized, clutter-free space? Do you prefer natural light? Do you need to keep a 'doodle pad' nearby to scribble or jot down random ideas? Sideline your electronics. I can't 100% stand behind the "turn off all electronics & internet" to minimize distractions advice. One - I run a biz, I have to have some level of availability. Plus, I prefer writing on my laptop AND I have writing music playlists on YouTube for whatever project / scene I'm working on. Again - this is what works for YOU - test out both ways and see which works best. Track your writing! This is hands-down the best way I found to perfect my writing ritual. But wait, isn't this the same as the whole "keeping a journal" thing? It is a part of it. Each day, jot down what time you started writing with a few short notes about the where, how, weather, how you're feeling, etc. You aren't writing a dissertation here, a few simple notes will do. When you are done writing - do the same thing and include your word count. This info is invaluable in finding what works for you. Go Pro - Casual Friday - or Naked Cowboy! WTH!? You may be asking. Are you able to get into the author-writing mindset better if you treat it as a professional gig, more biz-formal clothing, like a corporate meeting? Are you better able to get into the flow in more comfy, casual clothes? Or go full-on naked cowboy and let the words fly? Figure out what works best for you - it really does matter. Meditate, pray, call to your muses. This isn't about religion, this is about quieting your 'monkey-mind' so you can let your creative-self come through all the noise. Don't meditate or pray? No problem - Steven Pressfield is known to recite Homer's invocation of the Muses before he writes. (psst... it's about what works for you, remember?) LAST - but certainly far, far from least -- this one is so important that it needed to be kept separate from the list above... 🔥 HAVE ONE PAGE in your journal, taped to your mirror, whatever works -- and as you are experimenting with what writing ritual practices work for you, write down the ones that felt good on this sheet. Only the ones that felt really good, or where you got lost in the writing flow. The ones that felt forced or awkward - toss them out. 🔥 After a surprisingly short amount of time, you are going to have a mish-mash list of things that are the components of your perfect writing ritual. Your writing ritual is YOURS. Not mine. Not the Joneses next door. Not Stephen King's. Not J.K. Rowling's. Yours. And you'll know when you find it - it feels like coming home. ❤ What I Accomplished Blog updates Weekly author-biz review  (read Russell Nohelty's, Sell Your Soul book!) Author newsletter Website server migrations Authors Mojo PAWs - prepping for product launch Author customer work - book formatting (x2), website updates (x4) Podcast interview! 😮🥰 Author-tech coaching call & class Novella book cover completed Testing out new 'book plotting' method (details coming soon!) 😉 The Big Takeaway Read the full article

[gotmilk5101520]

Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia Watch Episode 30 KanjigAaarrrgghh (Part 1)

Honestly this episodes name sounds like something Asta would scream. Please check out Black Clover everyone.

“Okay, get into character”

“Ah, guard person”

“Just returning to pick up a few things and such”

“Uh, carry on!”

“Awesome-sauce!”

Not sus at all.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“An imposter!”

“Guards”

“seize him!”

“No, dudes”

“Seize him! Only the real Imposter would try to accuse someone else right on the spot”

“Ahh!”

“Unhand me at once!”

Vendel was not the Imposter.

“Follow my lead”

“I’ve seen enough spy flicks to know how a handoff works”

“It’s a precise ritual of nuance and power”

“Not another step”

“Wiener Schnitzel!”

“That’s far enough!”

“Now throw us the antidote, and we’ll throw you the staff!”

“Are you serious?”

“Deadly!”

*Sighs in Changeling*

“Now what, Agent Toby?” Didn’t think this through.

Nothing can be handed over if you refuse to let go of the other has.

“Fragwa, open the door” Goblins love to cause trouble.

“Where might we find the tears of one untouched by”

”love’s first kiss?”

“Hmm...” Translation: “We need a lip virgin”

“Give my friends some time to find us”

“Then we’ll be back home”

“with a soft bed, and deep-dish pizza...”

“Soap...”

“Man, did i take soap for granted”

“We?”

“Yeah, you’re coming with me”

“You saved my life”

“The least i can do is save yours”

“Do you even know what you’re whistling?”

“I just thought it was catchy”

“What is it?”

“It’s Peer Gynt”

“I was just a young changeling when i first heard it...”

“alone in your human world”

“But there, opening night”

“when the curtain rose and the orchestra swelled...”

“Peer Gynt is a little boy, who stumbles into a mountain of trolls”

“He faces a troll king, who tells him”

“To thyself be true...”

“and who cares what the world thinks?”

“Oh, that hurts” Well we needed you to cry and your punches are as weak as your slaps. Just ask Claire.

“I don’t get it”

”What happened?”

“Nothing. It... It didn’t work” Maybe they were suppose to pour it on him?

“The amulet told us we could bring him back”

“He has to come back”

“I even did the tear thing”

“Aaarrrgghh...”

“Deya’s grace be upon us”

So what exactly happened to Aaarrrgghh here? No really. I’m confused.

“Whoa, Aaarrrgghh!”

“Easy, easy!”

“It’s me, your wingman!”

“Where are you, wingman?”

“You might have been one then”

“But you’re one of us now, wingman”

“Your life more important”

“Not pet”

“Wingman”

“Ditto, buddy”

“Tell Wingman”

“He family”

“I, family”

“Am home”

“Krubera not family”

“You are”

“Aaarrrgghh?”

“Wingman”

“Wing”

“man”

“Ah!”

“He’s back!”

“Oh, i knew he’d be back!”

“I see it, i don’t believe it”

“We missed you, you big brute!”

“I had all but assumed”

“i would never see you again”

“Old friend”

To be continued.

Part 2

[gretagerwigarchive]

My Goldie Hawn Moment: An Interview with Greta Gerwig

by Fred TopelApr 2nd, 2012.

source: http://www.craveonline.com/site/185907-my-goldie-hawn-moment-an-interview-with-greta-gerwig

The Damsels in Distress star on developing characters the Whit Stillman way, her upcoming Woody Allen movie and Noah Baumbach's TV series, 'Corrections.'

Greta Gerwig stars in Whit Stillman’s Damsels in Distress. She plays Violet, the leader of a group of college girls running a suicide prevention hotline. She speaks really proper and tries to get everyone to dance. We got to talk with her when she was in L.A. promoting the film, and also her upcoming movies: Woody Allen’s To Rome With Love and the wedding disaster comedy Lola Versus. She’s also working on Noah Baumbach’s HBO series The Corrections.

Crave Online: Where can I find a girl like Violet?

Greta Gerwig: I don't know, if Whit became a girl you could date him and he’d be like Violet. I think Violet is the kind of girl that only exists in Whit’s conception of the world. I don't think she necessarily exists in the actual world.

That’s what I’m afraid of.

I know, I know. It’s a sad thing. I love Violet.

Or Lily or Heather. They’re all great.

Violet’s the best though. [Laughs] She’s mine so I love her the most but yeah, I think my second favorite is Heather.

Mine too.

Isn’t she so funny?

Yeah, and I’m not usually into the ditz or “dumb girl” but there’s something so sincere about her.

I know, I know. And Carrie [MacLemore] is also the nicest girl just as a person. I loved Carrie so it became this other thing that I love Heather. She’s so funny.

She’s not trying to pretend she’s smarter like some of those characters.

No, she knows she’s dumb. Also there’s something about Whit does this thing with tropes. There is a trope of the stupid frat guy in college movies but only in Whit’s world would that frat boy who’s stupid be struggling learning his colors. It’s so absurd but it’s so perfect. It’s the specificity within this genre that makes it so special I think.

Did this way of speaking change everything else, down to your posture and the way you walk?

Yes, it did. I thought Violet was a very contained character. I felt that she wouldn’t be sloppy or excessive in her body movements. I had this way of running in the movie, with very small steps and my arms by my sides. I had a thing with her that she, when she’d speak she’d turn to the person she was talking to full on facing them and addressing them directly. Just the way she was, the way he wrote the dialogue, informed the physicality of the character.

Did you try lots of different things before you came to those?

Mm-hmm. I mean, I had a general idea of what they were when I started but I think a lot of acting is you have an instinct and you kind of go towards the thing that feels right and then if it stops feeling right then you try something else and the only way to do it is trial and error a little bit. I knew the direction in which I was going but I think the first week or two a lot of the particulars were worked out on camera. I was figuring it out as I went but I think that’s how most films go.

Have you ever had a film or character that was this extreme?

No, this is the most extreme I’ve ever played. It was also the most fun.

Does that change the process when you’re taking it to this level?

Each film is its own universe. I don’t feel like I have a [process]. I have certain things I like to do but I don’t have one set way of approaching each thing. I think every time I get a character, it’s like the first time. You don’t know. It’s like you’ve never acted before because you’ve never acted that character before so you don’t know the things that you need until you’re in there and doing it. Then you’re kind of building your parachute on the way down.

What if you did a sequel and got to play the same character again?

I would love to. I would just love to be in another Whit Stillman movie. I really loved working with him and I adore him as a human, but also as a director.

Do you wish you could talk like Violet in real life?

Yes, I do. I love the way she talks and I wish I could be as confidently right and confidently wrong as she is. She goes 100% in one direction but is completely ready for it to be torn down. I think I tend to hedge my bets more as a person.

This sort of dialogue is extreme but does it speak to the disconnect we’re seeing in a generation that says less and less and doesn’t connect?

Well, I think this movie doesn’t deal directly with technology, but I do think that the character of Violet is sad about the current state of people having limited chances for in person social interaction. She’s sad that people don’t dance socially. She’d like to start a dance craze. I think she would like there to be more opportunities for people to actually gather and be together and talk, as opposed to be isolated and in their own little world.

She’s trying so hard to help, does she also need to learn to just let some things be?

Yes, and also I think it’s a physician heal thyself moment. I think she also has a lot of the things that she’s worried about other people having.

Did you already know how to tap dance?

Yes, I grew up dancing all different kinds of dance and I knew how to tap. I tap danced for my audition so I was very excited about tap.

Have you just been waiting for a movie to unleash that in?

Yes. I have been. I love it.

Having a dance background, how easy was it to learn the Sambola?

Very easy. Anyone can learn it. If you talk to Whit, he would really like it to be an actual craze.

Are you a natural leader?

No, I don't think I am. I think I’m the sneaky leader. I think other people are more clearly the leaders but then I think I create counter-revolutions.

Was it hard to take on that aspect of Violet?

It was a bit in the beginning but it was really helped by the fact that I was on set every single day and I had the most to do out of any of the characters. I was in almost all of the scenes so it helped because myself as Greta felt like I was taking more of a leadership role and that helped with the character of Violet.

What was your college experience like?

I loved college. It was a wonderful time. It changed my life. I moved from Sacramento, CA to New York City and I met such smart, interesting people. I just loved it. I also met my five best girlfriends and we’re all still five best girlfriends. Even though we were nothing like the girls at Seven Oaks, there is a similarity in I think groups of girls tend to all become like each other a little bit. They mimic each other. That definitely happened.

What was your group’s “thing?”

We were really good students. We were really competitive students. We also were hard smoking, hard drinking, cussing kind of girls.

Really?

Yeah, we were a little unmanageable. We thought no one could tie us down.

But you kept the grades up.

That was part of it. We thought we were smarter than everyone else too so it was a lovely combination.

Did that lead you into the arts also?

Yeah, I always loved the arts but I didn’t grow up knowing anyone who was an artist or involved with film or theater in a professional capacity. So in college I acted a lot but I also wrote a lot. I wrote a lot of plays and sketch comedy. By the time I graduated I knew I wanted to be involved in film or theater professionally but it still felt like a long shot to be an actress, even though that’s actually what I wanted to do. I think my attitude has been the whole time that I just threw myself at it and whatever was available, whatever was going on, I was there. I was in it and I didn’t care if I didn’t get paid and I didn’t care what the job was and I didn’t care often whether it was good or not. I just was so hungry to do it and I’m so lucky that I have ended up where I have.

Was it always part of the plan to go out for big Hollywood movies like No Strings Attached and Arthur?

I mean, I don't know that it could’ve been. It’s impossible to think of something as being part of a plan because there’s no way to plan for that. You can’t say, “In my 10 year plan, I’m going to do Hollywood movies.” I was so lucky that they came my way. I think I was always open to it though. I love film in the art sense but I also like movies in the Hollywood sense. So I’ve always felt like both are really part of me so I get to do films like No Strings Attached and Damsels.

What do you get to play in the Woody Allen movie?

I play Jesse Eisenberg’s girlfriend and I can’t say anything more than that because I don’t know how secret things are. But it’s a vignette. There are three different stories I think in the movie and I’m in one story. The one story is me, Ellen Page, Alec Baldwin and Jesse Eisenberg.

Is it like we always hear where you only get your own pages?

Yeah. You only get your own pages.

Do you like that?

I prefer it actually. Sometimes it’s possible to overthink things if you have the whole script. I think it works really well. I’ve written and directed things and I only give people the pages that they are in, so I like it.

What is Noah Baumbach’s sensibility in a TV format with Corrections?

Well, I don't know because we just shot the pilot. That’s like a mini movie. It’s strange because it’s not an original of his. It’s him and Jonathan Franzen obviously. They wrote the pilot together and the 10 episodes that hopefully, knock wood, we’ll shoot. So it feels like one of his films but it feels like something entirely different also because it’s this work and this world and this family that Jonathan Franzen has created.

Is Lola Versus a very different take on a wedding comedy?

Yes, it is. It winds up in a totally different place than any other one that I’ve ever seen, so I’m really excited for people to see it. I had a lot of fun making it and I hope people have a lot of fun watching it because I think it’s funny and it’s true and embarrassing and vulnerable and female driven in the truest sense.

Do you get a lot of funny stuff to do in it?

I do get a fair amount of funny stuff to do in it. Physical stuff. There’s a notable scene in a strip club which felt like my Goldie Hawn moment.