#love tags saying 'i don't try to date trans people it just happens because we are hot' apparently being chaser shit

[arsonforcharlie]

:/ Your tags on that t4t post make you sound like a chaser. Cut it out.

buddy are you aware of the meaning of t4t because like not to judge or anything but uhhhhh i am one of the ts in that. i'm a transgender. i'm transgending right now actually. i think it's okay for me to think that trans people are as a group so hot that i'm just gonna keep datin' em. thanks for the feedback tho

[jedi-enthusiast]

My [completed] CodyWan Fic Masterlist

This is going to be a very long list of all my favorite CodyWan fics that are completed. Later on today or tomorrow I'll make another list for all of the CodyWan fics I enjoy that are currently ongoing/incomplete (because we, in fandom, need to start supporting authors during the writing process instead of only after, but that's a whole other post).

The fics are gonna be separated by Modern AU, Canon-Divergent/Canon-ish, Crack, and Canon But a Little to the Left. Full Disclaimer: this is going to be a very long list, so the triggers and descriptions will be brief--make sure you read the tags and warnings before reading!

I don't know who these authors are on tumblr, so I can't tag them, but I recommend that you guys tag them if you recognize them--because they deserve all the love <3 and I think, especially now, we need to let fic authors know that we appreciate them.

Modern AU

212th Street Coffee by thosewhowanderwithfire 

Cody runs a coffee shop, Obi-Wan comes in frequently with a different members of his friends/family and Cody learns a lot about his crazy life by eavesdropping.

bury me beneath the tree i climbed when i was a child by stormwarnings 

Obi-Wan's family life is messy, to say the least. Cody and his family work as firefighters/EMTs/etc. and Obi-Wan kinda just gets adopted into the family by constantly needing to call the firefighters/EMTs/etc.

Coruscant Story by TyeDyeBoogers

A mafia AU thing where Obi-Wan and Cody are both in different mafia families, but then they date each other pretending to be regular normal people (bc neither of them know they're in the mafia, much less different families), and then a bunch of stuff happens and drama ensues.

TW: Murder, Violence

cradle my name on your tongue by jynx 

Running from an abusive ex, Obi-Wan and Anakin move to a small town where they set up their tattoo and piercing shop. Obi-Wan quickly falls for Cody, the florist across the street, but bad things happen when Obi-Wan's ex just won't give up.

TW: Violence, Abusive Relationship, Drugging, Attempted SA (this doesn't go into detail, but it's still there)

Foreign Affairs by ro_moray 

Obi-Wan and Anakin come to America as foreign ambassadors, Cody is one of their bodyguards. Both Obi-Wan and Cody fall head over heels quickly, and there's some political drama via Maul.

TW: Violence (I think?)

Hey Bartender by Wxlves 

Obi-Wan and Cody both work as bartenders at Dex's, they become FWB, and feelings ensue.

I've Served My Time In Hell by TheSleepingOne (SleepingNebula) 

There's a zombie apocalypse going on and Obi-Wan is repeatedly fucked over by the universe in the form of being forced to spend time around his ex, Cody, and Cody's very protective family.

TW: Violence, Gore

Liminal Beings by ChubbstheFish 

Cody is the lighthouse keeper in a small town with his family. Obi-Wan and his family move into said small town and become close with Cody's family, but it quickly becomes clear that Obi-Wan and his family aren't exactly what they seem--aka human.

Not Denial by spqr 

Obi-Wan is a PI and Cody is the sorry moron who falls head over heels for him after meeting him exactly once.

TW: Violence

Seeker Prospector by brigitttt

Cody is a bounty hunter looking for his father, Obi-Wan is just trying to study dinosaur bones. The two meet, fuck, and then catch feelings.

TW: Violence, Mild Gore (I think)

We’ll Do This Together by MageOfCole 

Obi-Wan and Cody have a one night stand and Cody accidentally gets Obi-Wan pregnant (of the trans variety, not the a/b/o variety). Obi-Wan tries to hide this from Cody and his family, but Obi-Wan's family doesn't know how to mind their own business. Family hijinks ensue.

What…a sleep over? by Wixiany

Cody's family decides to host a party, but he needs to study, so he heads over to Anakin's brother's house to get some peace and quiet. He wasn't ready for how pretty Obi-Wan was.

You Gave Me the World that I Wanted by Legogirl22 

Cody has to take care of his family, so he swears up and down that he won't fall for the cute bookkeeper he keeps seeing. He fails. Miserably.

Canon Divergent/Canon-ish

A Ghost or a Man by smallandangry 

Obi-Wan makes a life for himself on Tatooine, eventually Cody finds him, and the locals get attached to both.

A New Life by cwiptids 

Rex and Echo hear about a clone on Tatooine...guess who they meet and take another guess as to who they're married to.

end of the road by adiduck (book_people)

Obi-Wan and Cody spar before Utapau and make unfulfilled promises.

Glimpse Of Us by fingerstripesofchaos 

Post-Order 66 angst fic, just like...loads of angst. This is not a happy fic at all, it made me cry.

TW: Suicide Mention/Reference

Haven’t Felt Like This My Dear by Bluebellstar

Cody gets a hangover and is a total baby about it, Obi-Wan is very amused.

little white truths by imperiousphasmid 

Obi-Wan gets injured and only family and spouse(s) are allowed to see him...I think you know where this is going.

Made by Walking by piotsa  

After Order 66, Quinlan finds Cody and then Cody finds Obi-Wan.

not dead yet by keylimemagpie (QuickSilverFox3)

✨ smut with emotions ✨

Our children our future (that we didn’t know of) by Feniksiara   

After Order-66 Cody finds out that the Kaminoans decided to use Obi-Wan and Cody's DNA to make Force-sensitive clones...then the Mandalorian dad genes kick in.

Standard Operating Procedures by galateaGalvanized

A mission goes wrong and suddenly almost the entire 212th is in love with Obi-Wan...except, it appears, Cody. Y'all know exactly where this is going.

all the world in my arms by biscuityskies 

Obi-Wan has nightmares after Kadavo, then shit goes to hell on a mission, and Cody worries--also Anakin and biscuityskies' OC Hex are little shits.

where the fields are painted gold by biscuityskies

The 212th end up crashing in the forest, so Obi-Wan and Cody get some "camping out in the forest" cuddles and also banter.

night spar by cabezadeperro (minigami) 

Obi-Wan and Cody spar at night, and there is a lot of tension. Not of the fun kind, though.

chain of command by cabezadeperro (minigami) 

Obi-Wan and Cody are undercover and eventually have to find some way to keep the people tracking them from finding them. If you've watched Marvel, you know where this is going.

In the Treetops by ebw_writes499 

After a mission on Kashyyyk everyone needs to go to bed, which they do...all the way up in the trees.

Caretaker by ebw_writes499 

On Tatooine, Cody gets sick and Obi-Wan has to take care of him. Obi-Wan is a worrier.

Love Despite the Distance by ebw_writes499 

After the war, Cody and Rex comm each other to catch up. Also Cody became a senator against his will.

Overworked by ebw_writes499 

Obi-Wan and Cody both had the same idea and that idea was "sneak off to take a nap."

Compartment Syndrome by elwenyere 

After a bad crash, Obi-Wan is knocked out and Cody is injured. Cody carries Obi-Wan through all the danger while reminiscing, certain that he'll be decommissioned after due to his injury.

TW: Mild Gore? (of the "description of injury" variety)

Good Soldiers by elwenyere 

A story about Obi-Wan and Cody throughout the War and after Order 66, with a happy ending.

Don’t Worry It's A Very High Threadcount by goldleaf1066 

Obi-Wan uses a blanket to warm up instead of Cody and Cody is very fussy about it. It gets a little angsty near the end, but things end good.

And Our Faces Toward the Sun by goldleaf1066 

The War ends and Cody and Obi-Wan share a kiss.

I'll Bend Your Light Around Me (A Sunrise At My Back) by goldleaf1066   

A sweet little story about Obi-Wan and Cody throughout the war, with a happy ending!

Stepping In, Stepping Out by goldleaf1066   

Cody and Obi-Wan take turns covering for each other when they oversleep.

With Both Our Hands Around It by goldleaf1066

Obi-Wan and Cody discuss their relationship while also participating in some extracurricular activities.

Crack Fics

Compulsive Honesty by afoundling 

Cody, Obi-Wan, and some of the 212th get dosed with truth serum and just have to let it run its course.

Fools and Idiots by BehindBrokenWindows 

Somehow everyone gets it in their heads that Obi-Wan and Padme are fucking, and Anakin is not happy when he finds out. We all know who he's really fucking.

Operation “who’s kriffing the General” by Sweet_bubbs 

Everyone finds out that Obi-Wan is in a relationship with someone, but they don't know who--but boy do they want to find out.

Resignation in more than one sense by BitterChocolateStars   

Obi-Wan tries to resign, Mace is a little shit (affectionate) and says no, and hijinks ensue.

Time to Celebrate by Kurosaki224   

Kurosaki's OC just wants to talk to his superiors after the war and ends up seeing a lot more than he wants to.

Rex finds out by The_neurodivergent_nerd   

Exactly what it sounds like.

The Trickster by The_neurodivergent_nerd  

A long dead Sith lord has a great sense of humor.

Canon But a Little to the Left

closed together by numbika 

Obi-Wan is blind AU where Obi-Wan and Cody get stuck in an elevator together.

I Got My Head Checked by frostbitebakery   

Sith Obi-Wan AU where Cody falls in love with Obi-Wan and Obi-Wan changes the course of the War because Cody and his brothers make him realize he still has his heart.

TW: Violence, Self Harm (of the "making a sith" variety)

Marriage in Disguise by bjjones   

Oops! Looks like to make peace with Mandalore, the Jedi will just have to send Obi-Wan to get married to Cody, son of Manda'lor Jango Fett. They totally weren't dating before this.

We’ll Meet Again by little_dumpling

Obi-Wan doesn't become a Jedi Knight and instead works in the MediCorps and becomes a doctor, then he ends up meeting Cody on Geonosis.

TW: Medical Gore (I think?)

What came after by galateaGalvanized  http://archiveofourown.org/works/29595831 

Obi-Wan has gone full Sith and is on Mandalore, Cody and the 212th go to get their general.

[twopoppies]

I just have this feeling that Harry’s not going to say out loud that he’s bi because he doesn’t actually identify that way, but his team is marketing him as that and so he’s implying it. I think they have been on this road since Medicine, but he consistently changes things to HIM in that song instead of them. And the way that we consistently see the rainbow flag and trans flags and colors around him naturally and repeatedly but not almost ever the bi flag except when just grabbing flags to run with on stage. And from what I saw from Coachella he waved that pride flag over his head DRESSED as a pride flag and was a bit more like almost impassive about the bi one and just walked it out over his shoulder like it was his job then dropped it? I’m just not and never have gotten the bi feeling from him at all, but I can see his team marketing him that way as available to everyone but still the female orgasm song guy. I don’t think the idea is necessarily Harry’s to imply bi, but I do think he’s trying to shape it in a way that if he isn’t bi, gets done what the label wants with the least amount of damage or “stepping stone” aspect to it because I think he gets it’s not great to use and also I think he’s proud of what he is. Almost like he’s now having to hint gay through the bi instead of just through the straight. Ultimately I do just want him happy, and I’m not going to blame him if he comes out as bi and isn’t or comes out as bi and is. But I will acknowledge the industry and label pressure to use bi and that it’s not a great thing to do. But right now the implied bi is stronger than ever and does, unfortunately, not rub me in a comfortable way.

Hi sugar. Yeah, I hear what you're saying. I'm always a bit uncomfortable dissecting his sexuality because we obviously don't know anything. Although, the one time he did answer directly was to say he was "pretty sure" he wasn't bisexual.

His team has absolutely been seeding this possibility as far back as 2016 with the androgynous rock star label and all the references to Bowie and Freddie Mercury. Medicine and all the syndicated articles about it being a "bisexual anthem" was a very clear indication that this concept was supported by him and his team. The fact that he brought Medicine back at the end of the US leg of Love on Tour was surely not an accident. This, plus the fact that My Policeman is most likely going to be out this year, plus how hard they've been pushing his image as a man who has a girlfriend, many girlfriends, all the girlfriends... just says to me that if he's going to be seen as bisexual, he's still "bisexual but really loves the ladies".

I have to quibble with one part of your comment and that's what you said about him barely raising the bi flag during his tours and that indicating that he's perhaps less connected to it. That's not how I remember it. I have a BI FLAG tag and you can see he's actually interacted with them a lot. Probably second only to the pride flag. But I honestly don't think there's a message in that; more that it's just what fans nearest to the stage happen to bring. I could be wrong, but that's how I read it. Additionally, this is just a reminder (in general) that he could identify as bisexual and still only change lyrics to "him" and still only be dating a man. Personally, I don't think he's bi, but I think it's easy to forget that someone can be and still only have dated people of the same sex.

I agree with some of the discussion that's going around that whatever he's decided to do, is what he feels is best for him as an individual, and as an artist. We all just want him to be happy. I worry about the "stepping stone" thing because it's often used, and IMO it's such a slap in the face to actual bisexual people. But my hope is that if he is bisexual, he does what makes him happiest. If he's not, but his team will only allow that speculation, my hope is that he doesn't make a comment more specific than just acknowledging he's a part of the community (if he's going to acknowledge it at all).

Honestly, if you'd told me in 2016 that we'd be having this conversation I'd have laughed in your face. But he's come such a long way. I hope it continues to go smoothly.

More discussion here

[hangmansradio]

I am someone who was "cancelled" in the MCR fandom, but not one of the people who reached out to you yet. I spend very very little time on social media and despite writing in the MCR fandom, I dont follow any of the members or keep up to date with latest news. So, I missed the memo that Grant had said they are non binary.

Instead of informing me of their pronouns change, I was absolutely hounded by a particular circle of people on twitter who I believed to be my friends. I was not perfect, far from it, and at first didn't want to change Grant's pronouns in my existing fics and instead, said I would do so going forward. Safe to say, this was the worst thing I could have said and... cue the witch hunt.

I too had death threats, and was branded a turf. My works on AO3 never gained much attention, so luckily the hate I did receive was on a very small scale that didn't appear to surpass the hellish gates of twitter.

I haven't returned to MCR fic, and I never will. I now write for another fandom, and I'm much, much happier.

You're not alone in what you've gone through. It is shit, and it shouldn't happen to us, but it did and in a way, I'm not entirely regretful. It opened my eyes as to what certain people in the fandom were like, and how toxic it had been getting.

I hope that like me, you can try to take some positives out of a shitty situation. All my love, H x

I'm so, truly sorry that happened to you. It sounds almost identical to what happened to me and so I know how very painful it is. I too was branded a Terf which all "my real life" trans and non-binary friends had a good, hard laugh about. If it weren't for them and their support, I don't know how much deeper into darkness I'd have gone.

I found some peace by reaching out with the Discord chat, offering to talk in person to those who were trying so hard to hurt me. My friends wanted to be in there too, just to offer support because at the time I made so many excuses for the hate I was receiving - clearly these people are hurting deeply and maybe some older friends from the queer community would help ease some pain. But in the end no one took me up on the offer to talk in person and that started me thinking perhaps they weren't so willing to listen, and just wanted to be angry.

Since then, I've heard so many stories from other targeted writers that now I'm certain in my assessment. Sadly, a small group exists within this fandom who just want to bully, hurt and tarnish other writers. They punch down at people they know can't fight back, instead of punching up at the actual systems and websites that do harm LGBTQ+ communities.

I've always loved AO3 for its wonderful tagging system. And the number one rule of fanfiction was always 'dont like, don't read'. There's no reason why my fics, or anyone elses, should be targeted for anything, because it's not the writers' jobs to cater for their readers. It's our jobs as readers to use the tags to read what we like and ignore what we don't.

I still don't know if I'll ever return to MCR. But at one point I thought I'd never write again at all, period. It made me sick to even think of it. But hearing from so many others who have been left feeling that way because of hate directed at them has filled me with a fire to get back writing.

I'm glad you've managed to take some positives out of your experience, and I truly wish you all the best for the future 💜

[soda-kazuichi]

WELCOME !!

Heya! I'm Kazuichi! (Not a screen name or delusion, I am an introject.) We have been unsuccessfully trying to get into witchcraft and magick for nearly a decade. A while ago, we started this sideblog to try to help, but not much came of it. I'm revamping it and trying again! Please use xie/xiem, zie/zir, and he/him pronouns for me. I am not a man, but I am not female either. I relate to my femininity and womanhood through witchcraft. You don't have to read everything on this post, but please just read the Do Not Interact!!

Before you follow !!

I will frequently use fictional imagery of magick, witchcraft, the occult, etc. This is not because I view magick as fictional or to be taken lightly, but simply because I experience my world through fictional and other interests due to my autism. Using imagery such as that can help me maintain my interest and practice.

I AM AUTISTIC!! This heavily affects everything I do! I'm not self-aware of that when it happens, though!

I am dating Gundham Tanaka, so I use a lot of his photos here! I'm also in a queerplatonic relationship with Sonia Nevermind, so I'll use her here, too! I got interested in witchcraft because of Gundham and Sonia, but it's difficult for me to admit that. I will rarely use imagery of myself. (Yes, I understand that they and "me" are fictional characters. I am capable of discussing my source material. However, I genuinely have lives with them.)

I am an incubus and hyena therian. This is otherkin, however, Gundham genuinely believes me to be an incubus.

I'm a rather eclectic witch, however I especially enjoy anything that is with more "solid" objects (i.e. tarot cards, mechanics, plants, candles, etc). I also love incorporating common things or daily things into witchcraft such as bathing, clothing, and makeup.

I have been vaguely studying for almost a decade but have never been able to cast any spells besides one and actually really get into magick. It might not be for me, but I want to keep trying! This is one of my many attempts.

I can tag triggers if needed but I cannot tag anything from the video game series Danganronpa (as in the game and characters) and I cannot tag Gundham, Sonia, or Gundham and I's relationship.

I am okay with people who practice whatever types of witchcraft they want. Even if it's "evil". Their life, not mine! As long as they're not doing stuff like harming animals or using closed practices.

My Gundham is @azuremist 💕💕!!

Do not interact !!

You are a TERF, radfem, or anything similar in any shape are form. Trans women ARE women and are fully welcome in the craft.

You are a transmed/truscum, gatekeep trans people, etc.

You are a queer exclusionist.

You don't believe people can reclaim and widely use queer if they wish to. (I use being witchcraft with being queer a LOT. My magick is inherently related to being queer.)

You believe witchcraft is exclusive to those born into it or by lineage

You use closed practices of cultures or groups you are not a part of

You believe witchcraft is exclusive to women, females, those who are fem-aligned, and/or femmes (that isn't to say it doesn't have a strong focus on feminism, womanhood, etc., just that you can be a witch no matter your gender).

You don't support "different" or modern types of magick. Magick is a very broad practice and adapts and changes. Magick does not have one definition and is a personal journey to every person. You do not have to understand someone else's way of doing magick to respect them. Some examples are: emoji spells, technology/websites, and makeup. I don't understand emoji spells at all, but it means something to other people!

You support cringe culture! I love many "cringey" things and am totally proud of it!

You ship Sondam (Sonia x Gundham). Neither Sonia nor Gundham are in a relationship with each other outside of queerplatonic, which Sonia is also in with me. It's extremely triggering for me!

TAGGING SYSTEM BELOW CUT !!

#kazuichi crafts : original posts that pertain to putting out magickal information (spells, correspondences, etc.)

#kazuichi posts : any original posts at all!

#kazuichi reviews : magick book reviews!

#general : general posts about witchcraft that don't really have a category

#misc : misc posts about magick/witchcraft (funny posts, art, etc.)

#[type of magick] magick : posts that pertain to a certain type of magick like green magick or kitchen magick

#masterpost : masterposts

#baby witch : posts meant for or are useful for baby witches

#tips : magick tips!

#correspondences : correspondences in magick!

#divination : posts about divination (like tarot)

#basics : basic information!

#spells : any sort of things that are spells or instructions , even if they aren't spells

#potions : potions!

#ingredients : things that can be used as ingredients

anything else is given pretty basic tags of what they are like #crystals , #enchantment , or stuff like #honey

[fluidityandgiggles]

Sleep Is For The Weak - Chapter 8

Previous Chapters: Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 5, Last Chapter

Writing Masterlist - for previous chapters not otherwise linked, Read on AO3

Notes (I guess): I could not wait to post this. I know it’s only Wednesday but I couldn’t wait and I had to. I’m sorry... I’m sure the next chapter will bring us back to the regular schedule. This chapter is really weird, at least in my opinion (but it might just be that I read it again and again a million times over), but I’m really happy with it and... also not really. Some people in this chapter need to... I don’t want to say anything. It would only make things worse if I say anything.

Thanks to @broadwaytheanimatedseries for the original suggestion, to @whatwashernameagain for all her help and for being a sweet lil angel of a person, and to my little elves, @anony-phangirl, @asleepybisexual and @winglessnymph for dealing with my bullshit. A special one goes to Nicky this time, for being an adorable bean and reading this chapter ahead of time to help me figure things out. I am so grateful that I have this lovely group of people to help me and I can’t thank them enough.

Tag list (sort of): @bunny222, @ab-artist, @secretlyanxiouspersona, @your-username-is-unavailable, @virgilcrofters, @why-things-go-boom, @ilovemyspoopydad, @violetblossem, @prinxiety-an-chocolate

Trigger warning: period appropriate transphobia (the early 00s were not exactly trans-friendly). Especially in this chapter, and not necessarily period-appropriate, but... you have been warned.

—————

Wednesday, November 27th, 2002

Remy finally understood the point of existentialism and, more specifically, of the saying "Hell is other people".

He couldn't even take comfort in knowing how close India was. She didn't leave Boston for the holiday, and she wouldn't have anyway. Her family in North Carolina were horrible people and she told him that she hadn't seen any of them since she came to Harvard.

That meant that, for the next few days, he was stuck in Social Circle, Georgia. All alone. With no escape plan.

"Sarah, look, Remy's here!"

...and Leah.

She came down the road on her rollerblades, looking entirely too proud of herself, and their cousin Sarah on her trail. Sarah wasn't particularly bad, but Remy wasn't entirely comfortable around—

"A little bird told me you were going to be away this year."

"Gurl, you don't even want to know what happened."

"No I don't. I'm just glad you're here, Becca."

Becca. A cursed name. Yeah, maybe that's going a bit overboard, but… Remy wasn't called Becca since… well, Christmas of last year. But it's been a long time!

"I can rollerblade, right Remy?" Leah was holding onto his leg, almost dragging him down, and started taking her rollerblades off. "You saw me do it!"

"What are you doing?"

"I don't want Mom to see…"

"But you'll freeze!"

"But she won't be mad at me!"

"Becca, would you like to hear the holiday forecast?" Sarah tapped Remy on the shoulder as she said that. He didn't really, but… "Sunny. Way too sunny. With high chance of showers and a possible thunderstorm."

(Translated, it meant there will be fights. A lot of fights. And Remy was ready to deal with them, but… it didn't mean he wanted to hear it.)

"Wow, thanks for all the help, Sarah."

"No need to be rude, I'm just trying to prepare you. Everyone is coming. And some of us aren't as accepting of your ‘identity' as others."

That was incredibly true. Sadly. It took Linda no time at all to let everyone know that her daughter believes that she's a boy, and it took his grandmother no time to tell him that when she was younger, she had a very good friend who was born a boy, but lived as her true feminine self, and that she misses that friend so much because "there was no kinder or sweeter woman you'd ever meet, too bad we had to lose her to that wretched AIDS. We didn't have no cocktails or whatever back then, not like today. She died something like three years after you were born. You would've loved Celia."

It was going to be an insufferable holiday.

"Sarah, you're barely two years older than me. You don't—"

"I'm not mothering you. I'm just pointing out the facts."

Leah let go of Remy's leg, and instead grabbed onto his arm, the rollerblades in one hand. She was barefoot, she was cold, and he just wanted to hold her tight so she wouldn't freeze too much.

He was falling hard and fast for the sister he didn't want to meet a couple weeks ago, and he was struggling to understand what exactly happened.

"Sarah has a boyfriend now," Leah said happily as she led Remy (and his bag) to the house. "He's not very nice." She threw her rollerblades into a small shed near the door and quickly closed it.

"I'll bet."

"It's why she's being a bitch. I think. I don't know."

"It's how she's always been. Don't feel bad."

Leah decided to give him a house tour, and explained that nobody was there yet because everyone will come tomorrow and Stephen had a thing to do in Atlanta and Rachel had a play date. And Linda's house was… well, a house.

Remy was so used to the small and outrageously expensive apartment on West 106th, with the bad lighting and the closet-sized bedrooms, that the house seemed huge to him. The living room alone was - mismatched furniture aside - incredibly impressive. The floor-to-ceiling windows let in so much natural light that reflected off the shiny hardwood floors, the cream-colored walls and the needlessly large flat-screen TV, that Remy doubted they even needed the huge fucking chandelier (okay, maybe he was exaggerating a bit) that hung in the middle of the room. The walls were covered in crayon doodles and bright purple marks where the girls' heights were measured, and a few dark scratches. Obvious evidence that a certain scooter kept running into them.

Two black suede couches faced the brick fireplace (a fucking fireplace? Utterly pointless, much like a lot of things in this room), with dark blue and gray throwing pillows placed strategically on them. It looked incredibly comfortable. Between the couches and the fireplace was a small glass coffee table, "adorned" with misplaced toys and children's art supplies. A beautiful, blue-green glass vase full of white daffodils was right in the middle of the table. Leah proudly told him that she picked them herself.

Wooden bookcases covered the wall next to the entrance, and two light gray, plush armchairs, with the same dark blue and gray pillows, faced them. Remy was very familiar with those armchairs. They used to belong to his grandparents. He used to torture those chairs with Sarah when they were younger, draw on them with markers and put stickers all over the armrests. How his grandmother managed to remove the stickers was beyond him, but he knew for a fact that she put them through very intensive cleaning after every visit.

Two years ago they disappeared from their house in Red Bank, New Jersey. And nobody could explain to him why.

In the corner of the room, next to the bookcases, sat a sleek Steinway that Remy knew very well. It belonged to his grandfather. He wasn't even aware that it, too, made its way from New Jersey to Georgia.

(Nobody told Remy anything anymore, as it turned out. At least he could take comfort in knowing that Roger's piano was being put to good use.)

And that was just the living room. Remy didn't even want to think about the hallway.

"We moved here from Atlanta when I started going to school and my grandma and grandpa wanted me to go to where Dad went to school," Leah started rambling. "And I miss Atlanta. There's a lot more to do there, there's a lot more fun stuff to—"

"I know." The offended look on her face went away when Remy put his hand in her hair, to calm her down. "I live two blocks away from Broadway, I just need to take the subway and I'll be at Times Square, but I can't. I don't have the money for it and I don't want to take money from my dad."

"Isn't that annoying?"

"Leah, you're seven. Stop complaining about that kind of stuff," Sarah chided as she pushed past them, a glass of water in her hand, and went to sit down. "Just wait until you're in college."

"You mean, the place where everything is close by and rather affordable thanks to student discounts and the option of working on campus?"

"You're only a senior in high school, what do you know—"

"I go to Harvard, Sarah. It's been a couple months already."

"Oh… yeah. I'm sure you're doing great."

Yeah. Maybe this holiday he'll just stick to Leah.

——

"If there is a thing you should know about your mother," Edith Brigham told her grandchild in late 1992, "it's that she is too headstrong for her own good. It doesn't matter how much you try to change her mind, she'll never listen."

This was the reason Remy kept talking to his grandmother after the divorce. Why he kept visiting Edith and Roger after Linda left.

"Where's grandma and Roger?"

"They won't be coming this holiday, Rebecca. They're in Thailand."

Remy was absolutely not ready for this thanksgiving.

Stephen started a conversation with him about college while Linda was finishing things up in the kitchen that Wednesday. He asked him about his boyfriend, Remy did his best to avoid those particular questions ("is Ian playing any sports?" "She told me she was a cheerleader in high school, she wasn't allowed to do color guard"; Stephen choked on his beer when Remy said that), and things just seemed…

Overall, things seemed strangely calm.

Remy missed Edith and Roger.

"Who's she?" Linda asked from the kitchen.

"Never heard of her."

"Rebecca, please be serious."

"Remember when you met my best friend and she told you her name is Ian?" Linda made a choking sound. "Remember grandma's friend Celia?"

"That— you never even met her. You were too young. You don't even remember her. You are not the same as grandma's friend."

"I'm sure my best friend would love to hear that."

"So he's… he…"

"You can call her a she, you know."

"Grandma doesn't have a friend called Celia," Leah piped in from the corner, where she was sitting at the piano, trying to motivate herself to play it. Little Rachel was pressing all the keys, irritating Leah quite a bit.

"She died of a really bad disease before you were born," Linda said sharply. Something in her changed when talking to Leah.

"She was very nice," Remy added, trying to be softer than Linda. "Grandma says that she was a painter, and she spent a lot of time reading books, and that there was nobody sweeter than her. She died of AIDS."

"What's that?"

"Don't you—"

"Acquired immune deficiency syndrome." Leah hummed to herself as Remy said that. He could feel Linda glare at him. "You get it from contaminated blood or unsafe sex, and your immune system just doesn't work. I don't know a lot about it, so you should probably read about it—"

"Rebecca, she's seven years old!"

"She's a seven year old who knows that female hyenas have penises, Linda! She's old enough to know about AIDS."

"...you sound just like your grandmother."

"Thanks, I try to."

Leah just hummed again in understanding and left the piano in order to go painting. Rachel's key-pressing was getting too annoying for her. She said her hearing can't take it anymore.

Remy believed her.

"You can't just explain STDs to my child, Rebecca," Stephen hissed at him through gritted teeth, suddenly looking rather threatening.

"One of my professors said that if you can't explain it to a child, you don't truly understand it yourself."

"That's no excuse to—"

"Mom I have a headache can you tell Rachel to go away?"

"Deal with it. Rachel, sweetie, come here."

"Deal with it?" Linda just… shrugged. "Leah, come here, love. And bring my bag with you."

So she did. Remy took an ibuprofen pill out of the bag and gave it to her. And Linda...

"You're drugging up my kid?"

"She told you she has a headache. I'm having cramps right now, so I have painkillers on me. Shocker? To you, probably. You're the one who taught me that the cramps are just another sign that my body so terribly wants to have children, and—"

"Spit that out, Leah. You don't need anything."

And with that, Remy gave up on trying to talk to Linda. (Leah did not spit out the pill.)

——

Sunday, December 1st, 2002

The rest of the holiday was just as awful. Leah got overwhelmed by everything, Remy kept fighting with his aunts, and the alcohol didn't help in the least. Everyone felt Edith and Roger's absence and it only made things that much worse.

He should've stayed in Boston.

When he called India after getting off the plane, she told him to take comfort in the fact that Christmas is only three weeks away. And, yeah, she was right. But it didn't make things any better…

For now, he decided, he should focus on other things. Midterms were starting very soon. Next Tuesday was Emile's birthday. His dad started working on a new production—

There was a knock on the door.

"I heard you had a horrible holiday," an adorable, heavily-accented, quiet voice said once Remy opened the door. He could hear the smile in it. "Nothing cuddles and cookies can't solve, right?"

Thin, pale hands pulled Remy in for a hug, and finally. Remy came home.

——

"Umm… Emile, babe, you're crushing my lungs."

"Oh, oops. Sorry."

"Want to watch Nightmare Before Christmas and do absolutely nothing else?"

"Sounds lovely. Let's do it."