#me seeing a box of mystery BOOKS: ooh! ooh!

[televinita]

Today I learned about publicsurplus.com, and specifically the fact that this is where K-12 schools tend to offload their library discards in bulk, and also the fact that some of them are from my state and very much within my driving comfort zone, which is EXTREMELY BAD NEWS FOR MY ABILITY TO RESIST CHEAP YA & CHILDREN'S BOOKS!

The good news here is that it's too late for most of the books I once loved, and also anything in today's school libraries probably only holds about a 5-10% rate of personal interest to me, and so is easily matched by library sale stock while not having to buy a massive amount of random books at the same time.

But also.

I will Continue To Look.

[ineffableigh]

Timeline of Suspicious Events Brain Dump - PART 3

You know the drill at this point. Off we goooo! [Part 1][Part 2]

"Maggie and Nina are depending on me!" Azi's really drunk his own Kool-aid at this point, or he's putting on a complicated show to pretend this is a serious endeavor. Giving away a valuable book just to trick Heaven? Something's really not adding up.

Another weird noise for the logs: A bassy 'whoosh/boom' noise right after Mutt says he has anniversary dinner with his beloved spouse and the camera pans to Crowley. Not sure it means anything, but it did stand out to me lol.

Something that stands out to me a lot as well, assuming it was done deliberately (I don't know the actor) - Mutt seems to be having an awfully hard time handling the cards he's currently sorting. Like, after he says 'no' at first, I cannot figure out what he's trying to do with his right hand.

Also of note: The mysterious Bird Box is nowhere to be seen in the shop, even though MANY of the set items are identical to the 1941 scene. Where that bird at??

"Under no circumstances can I there be for tonight." ... what? This has to be on purpose, right? I'm digging, I know, but that's what we do here lol.

Big sad empty warehouse for the Demon Legions. Why on earth (or in Hell) is Hell so short staffed? Where them demons at?

DANGER...osity!

"I can only be there 'til 7" so that's a half hour window for the meeting, at least for Justine. Fair, she can only handle so much of Azi's painful French lol.

The metal barrier just outside the cafe is... awfully snake-y isn't it?

"Looking where the furniture isn't..." is definitely going to be VERY important. Crowley absolutely knows something about losing AND regaining memories and it's been telegraphed all season.

Michael has eye earrings! This feels like a huge tie-in with Maggie's all seeing eye necklace.

Skimming through the rest since I've gone through it multiple times through other posts, but quick takeaways include...

Ms Cheng looking at the Pub before she goes in. Suspicious given we know that's the Hellevator, but have no reason to believe she'd be looking for someone else coming from that direction as the cafe AND record store are the other way.

Mr Brown has to be suspicious because we HEAR him getting mulched by demons when he's taken, but he survives? WEIRD.

Maggie's main character moment as I mentioned in my 'Thoughts about Maggie' post.

Azi seems very genuine when explaining the Coffee Shop Love Plot to Nina, so maybe he really did believe he was helping. I don't get why they steamrolled past her already having a partner, both the lads knew it. It's weird for that much.

Maggie blankly standing by the open window in range of trash is weird, especially since she like Activates and Becomes Brave right after.

I do wonder... how does Shax know Maggie couldn't pay the rent? That seems awfully specific. Like REALLY specific.

Throne, Dominion or Higher Crowley - what a way to drop that info! That moment hits so hard lol.

"Institutional Problem" I wonder if we'll learn more about The Fall next season. What was it that actually triggered it (in this universe)?

I love that the archangels clearly interact with each other SO LITTLE that no one even knows if Gabriel actually has his own bloody desk lol. Talk about isolation.

Huh. I wonder why Shax didn't get discorporated by the Exploding Halo...

You know who else is wearing a damn turtleneck? SARAQUAEL. OOH. COVERT AGENT? HMMMM

No one looked at the damn box, I still can't believe it. Everyone was so busy Being In A Story that they didn't think of it lol.

Analysis of the last chunk of the episode has been done to death, so I'll finish by underlining that it's SO awfully convenient that Maggie INSISTED that she and Nina talk to "them" while Aziraphale was waylaid by the Metatron.

In fact, it's Very Fortunate that the Metatron made a point of going and sitting at JUSTINE'S CAFE out of sight of the bookshop AND Nina's Cafe. Otherwise Nina might have been like hey you, get in on this chat! Like he knew that was the plan...

Plus the fact that they do that even though Justine's cafe is clearly CLOSED. I doubt she'd be chill with that so I guess she's not around.

Anyway that's enough so here's the TLDR:

The Metatron pretty much just LETS Gabriel escape, knowing that the Archangels will go down and muddle about trying to investigate.

We still don't know why Michael thought they had the right to strike people from the Book of Life. The Metatron seems to think that's out of the question, so where did that idea come from in the first place? It was a major driver of the early plot this season.

It seems convenient that Maggie cried about Nina RIGHT before the Angels arrived to inspect the Jimbriel miracle, and then RIGHT AFTER THAT, Mr Brown (of Brown's World of Carpets) shows up to set up the venue. That alone, all happening in the span of maybe 15 minutes, is a LOT.

It really feels like much of the plot was specifically orchestrated to keep Aziraphale and Crowley apart and NOT TALKING to each other. They keep hiding shit from each other to protect each other, but just hamstring themselves.

[antvnger]

There's a big, Christmas themed wrapped package outside Scott's door. Inside, there's a smaller box and more wrapped gifts. Inside the small box is a coffee mug with Best Evel Knievel Knock-Off written on it. Next to that, there's an oversized Star Wars themed T-shirt. Stacked on top of each other are different sets of paint brushes and different kinds of paint. Then there's a book of short mystery stories. Lastly, there's a letter.

Dear ScottAnt-Kid,

Merry Christmas, Scott. I might've gone a little overboard here. Look at it as a thank you present throughout the year, not just a Christmas present. And don't complain about the oversized shirt. I bought it like that on purpose. I don't know if your dryer shrinks clothes, so I didn't want to buy a normal sized shirt just for it to shrink. You're welcome for being considerate. It's also come to my attention recently you like painting, so I thought I'd buy some supplies. I don't know what type of paint you use, so I bought watercolour and acrylic. Hopefully something's useful. Mike also says hi and Merry Christmas. Anyway, this is the longest letter written and my hand's cramping. Happy holidays.

-From your not friend, anti-friend, somewhat friend, half friend, Harvey

The big, Christmas-themed box certainly catches Scott’s attention, and when he sees his name on the box, that makes him extra excited. “Oooooooh, it’s for me!”

He quickly rips into the wrapping and gasps when he finds more wrapped stuff in the box. “Multiple presents! Yay!”

He unwraps each one and oohs and aahs over them, inspecting each and admiring them all. “Man, these are great! I love all of these. Why is the shirt so big though?”

Then Scott finds the letter and starts to read. He recognizes the script, but the Ant-Kid nickname was definitely a dead giveaway as to who this is from. “Holy crap, he wrote me a letter.”

He reads a little bit before laughing. “Ohhhhh that’s why about the shirt.” Then he laughs some more. “Merry Christmas to Mike too!” Then he laughs yet again. “Yeah, I bet your hand’s cramping, Pops, you poor thing,” he smirks.

He looks over everything and then rereads the letter and smiles softly. There was a lot of thought and care put into this. A lot more than Harvey’s letting on. It felt like one of those soft, “And the Grinch’s small heart grew 3 sizes” kind of moments. It was sweet, but Scott wouldn’t dare say so in front of Harvey.

“Merry Christmas, ya old softy,” he mumbles with a small smile.

[shipaholic]

Episode 3: “I Know Where I’m Going” / “The Resurrectionists”

I’ve slept for about two hours, so it’s episode 3 liveblog time! Spoilers under the cut.

- Goob gets his own hand-stencilled mug and hot chocolate powder. What a life.

- The mysterious Mrs Sandwich...! I know nothing about her whatsoever, and I still don’t.

---

- When Muriel sits down with the box visible over their shoulder, it feels less like they might see it and more like it’s watching them. I think the box itself is a good deal more important than any characters seem to be aware of.

- And now Aziraphale and Crowley have left Muriel alone with the box. HMM.

- “I don’t know how you lot have managed to stay in charge all this time.” “I’m not sure we have, have we?”

- “That’s how you lot measure miracles? How many times you could have brought someone back from the dead?”

- (Re. Nina and Maggie) “One fabulous kiss and we’re good” HMMMM. Something tells me Crowley is going to attempt one fabulous kiss himself and things afterwards will decidedly not be good.

- What was Muriel going to say about humans falling in love? They started to say, “Oh yes, especially -” gesturing back into the bookshop, and then Crowley finished the sentence for them. Especially what, Muriel? What opinions can you have already formed? Did you read all of Pride & Prejudice in the last three minutes?

- Crowley is so whipped it is actually embarrassing for him. Anyone less nice than Aziraphale would tease him about this until he disintegrated.

---

- Number of people meddling in Nina’s love life in first three episodes: Aziraphale + Crowley + Maggie  + Mrs Sandwich + Muriel = 5. She is the world’s foremost meddled-with woman.

- AZIRAPHALE DRIVES WORSE THAN CROWLEY THIS IS NOT A DRILL

---

- I realise that Aziraphale is very English (as am I), but it was still jarring to hear him pronounce it “A - Zed - Fell”. I have to admit A Zee Fell flows much better.

- Did. Did Aziraphale just shoot a dirty look at Crowley because he described Gabriel as beautiful. Guys. You cannot both be jealous of the same terrible man. No-one has ever been less of a romantic threat to your relationship.

- So far, in all the scenes set in the past, Crowley has been having a whale of a time, while Aziraphale slinks along miserably under the weight of one moral crisis after another. Meanwhile, in the present, Aziraphale is darting around absolutely having the time of his life while Crowley sulks and fumes in the background.

---

- Aziraphale gets to pick the tunes, and he immediately goes for Danse Macabre. Neither of them are beating the goth allegations.

- Ooh, Crowley taking over the radio and twisting it just like Hell used to do to him.

- The yellow Bentley: perfect no notes.

---

- Beelzebub seems surprised that Hell has no news about Gabriel. Admittedly that’s a dent in the theory that they want Aziraphale and Crowley to successfully hide him.

- Aw. Beez is having an emotional crisis. And confiding in a random demon about it. And not punishing him. You’re in charge, Bzzbzz. If you want people to have more job satisfaction in Hell, the change starts with you.

---

- My Best Games Of Chess. That is definitely a book that Gabriel can get nothing out of besides demonstrations about gravity.

- Crowley carefully carrying armfuls of books around the shop, only to toss them over his shoulder when he loses focus. He’s as much of a menace as Jim.

- Is this the most dressed-down we’ve ever seen Crowley? It’s a good look, tbh. Very slinky.

- Are those. Elbow slits. To show off his elbows. ?

- Crowley. My dear one. Please stop saying “Vavoom”. Even Jim is mocking you now.

---

- This is a contender for being the worst thing Aziraphale’s ever done. Just. Piously, obliviously cruel. Didn’t undo any of the ‘wickedness’ Elspeth committed that night, just ensured she wouldn’t get paid for it. I expected her to splash him with a good dollop of pickled herring-corpse soup.

- Ohhh we’re acknowledging that only Crowley is capable of stopping time. I’m prepared to wait patiently for an explanation of why he and only he has that power.

- Aziraphale won me back by tearfully rocking the jar with the tumour in. He just loves so much, and he lives surrounded by mayflies.

---

- OK this is a lot of clues all at once!! The publican mistook Gabriel for a mason (why a mason specifically??), and assumed so was the person he was with. And of the two of them, Gabriel was the most memorable. Who’s that going to be then? Not Beelzebub, surely? The Metatron, perhaps??

- When I paused the video, the notes on Amazon say re. the jukebox, ‘This is a Multi-Horn High-Fidelity Record player. Another definition of fidelity is “degree of exactness with which something is copied or reproduced”.’ So, Nice And Accurate, then?

---

- The laudanum is sold by “C.M.O.T. Dibbler”. Haha, nice.

---

- Crowley what in the world is this Alice in Wonderland shit.

- David Tennant is doing his utmost, but I cannot handle the cringiness of laudanum-drunk Crowley, I’m sorry. This is like “ETERNITAAAAAAAAY” on crack.

---

- Oh noooo oh myyy they’re walking along and Aziraphale has his arm around Crowley’s waist hellllp this is cute as all get out you guys stoppp I mean it

- Oop there he goes.

- “And then I never saw Crowley again (for many many years)” ERM. Oh God. That’s a bring-down. How. How long did Hell torture Crowley for this. ...Is this minisode set before the Victorian holy water scene in S1. Is it. ???

---

- I LOVE Aziraphale sweetly and with great prepossession handling himself like a boss around skinheads. Yeah he has nothing to fear from Mr NO RECEPTS. I wish good things for the grindr guy, though.

- All he’s doing is calling Crowley? No selfie with the Gabriel statue?

- Considering it was the whole point of this Edinburgh excursion, Aziraphale has been MISERABLE at bringing back clues. He didn’t ask anything useful about the jukebox or about the statue. This was basically just a nice holiday for the Bentley.

- He is the MOST cute though. His little face. <333

---

- Nina. How can you resist Maggie’s beautiful blue eyes.

- “Did they vavoom?” No Goob. They vavoomn’t.

- EEP, the one-two punch of Gabriel doing a creepy possession speech and Shax banging on the window got me. Whose voice was that underlying Gabriel’s? It didn’t sound like God - it was American and female, but different to anyone we’ve heard so far, I think. Tempests? A Leviathan reference, maybe...? We haven’t seen any weird weather so far except caused by Crowley. And God and Satan in the Job episode.

- The shot where Gabriel’s eyes go back to normal *chef’s kiss*

- The thing about Shax, is that even though she is an antagonist, she is completely honest and straight-up about everything she’s doing. There is no manipulation here. She is not just honest about her actions, but her limitations, too. She freely acknowledges she can’t enter the bookshop. (Or fix the boiler!) I still find it quite endearing.

- Also. Is Shax a vampire???

- Another puzzle piece about Beelzebub... after being told by another demon earlier in the episode that there was no new intel about Gabriel, Shax turns up with the apparent news that Beelzebub knows Gabriel is in the bookshop. Either Shax is bluffing (which she doesn’t seem capable of doing), or... Beelzebub is lying to other demons but letting Shax into their confidence. Not all the way in, I imagine, but more than Demon Bob or whatever he was called.

- Oh god. Crowley being so protective of Aziraphale, and at the same time so fatalistic. “It’s always too late.” That’s the third time he says “too late” this episode, and it’s clearly a reference to the time it always is in Hell. I guess it makes no difference having the ability to stop time, if it’s already too late.

---

- Bagpipes theme song is another winner.

---

General thoughts... I wasn’t really feeling this minisode, to be totally honest. I found it a bit cartoony. I think I prefer when Crowley and/or Aziraphale drive the action rather than tagging along behind someone. I greatly enjoyed the bits set in the present day, though.

[laxibbeb]

Hi!

I’m working dutifully on your gift and man, is it angsty. I won’t tell you too much…because some things should remain a surprise.

It’s sad. I’m throwing a little bit of toxicity in as a treat(for you), but mostly it’s just sad.

It’s a few thousand words long so far! Is any of it readable? …No! (But we’ll get there 😂)

I’d genuinely be surprised if you guessed who I was before I reveal myself. And I don’t mean this in any sort of way, I think we’ve just existed in two separate corners of the fandom(but I’m so happy to get to know you now! You seem really cool!)

Ooh so for genres I do love books based in mythology(any kind!). I also sometimes like a slight mystery with a focus on drama (ask me for specifics and I’ll give them), and rom coms are cool too. Oh and high fantasy, if I’m in the right headspace to have a massive book hangover, which doesn’t happen that often.

And there’s nothing wrong with being pretentious. I am, too, about certain things.

I think in terms of superpowers I’d like shapeshifting. That seems pretty cool.

Questions!

Can I lean into morally dubious Rhys?

Who’s on your hear me out cake? (I can’t take credit for this one)

What’s your favorite piece of artwork you’ve made? (Brag about yourself!)

hello dear santa i am SO SORRY, i know you've been waiting in my ask box forever! i finally have the time to write out my reply :((( GOOD, the angst!! don't tell me too much, i can't wait to scream in pain in your comments i, as an angst connaisseur, adore sad but i love you for putting a little of toxic just for me <333

i'm sure it's a work of art ok

DO NOT WORRY, i'm not taking it in any kind of way if anything, i'm even more excited to find out who you are 😼 (i'm happy to get to know you too! i've really been enjoying our talks)

ooh, i really enjoy mythology as well! i'm not that into rom coms, though i've read a few; i like romance but i also like when other things happen around it so i don't tent to seek them out and i also agree with you on the high fantasy, my preferred ones read almost like a made-up history book but it does involve massive hangovers

i mean, it's been over a year since i've read the first baru book and despite the fact that i loved it i'm still not ready to get into the second one 😜

(please tell me the details of the drama/mystery genre)

okay, now i really want to know what you're pretentious about! we can be pretentious together

okay shapeshifting IS cool, a top tier choice, a classic one too —

QUESTIONS!

ABSOLUTELY you can lean into morally dubious rhys all you want, i love rhys at his shadiest motherfucker and i love him at his daddiest husband, so go whichever way feels right for you

OKAY, i have never thought about this before so here are my unfiltered thoughts on the matter: i am putting an acotar character on my hear me out cake and it's the weaver.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A POPULAR TAKE LMAO i'm scared to answer this question because i know somebody will be like "well, actually this is the most common answer and totally ordinary." and then i would be crushed. so i'm going to be very cheeky and say jagna from "the peasants" is on my hear me out cake ✌️😗 and since i know for a fact that, save for me, only like 2 other people in this fandom even know who i'm talking about, the only people that would disagree AND be genuinely mad about this take are polish literature teachers and the peasants in question.

and my favourite piece oh gosh!! i love mucha elucien from elucien week. that one destroyed my wrist but i've done some really cool things i haven't gotten the chance to try before AND it came out looking so good 😌😌 i'll be riding that high for a while still

dear santa, i hope your halloween is stellar and full of spooky goodness! see you next time 🎃🎃

[onlydreamofmysoul]

Speak Now

This.... was supposed to be short. But then it spiralled. I hope you guys like it! Characters and their world by @lumosinlove

Julian

“Re?”

Julian’s voice was quiet, but his brother heard him anyway. Remus always heard him. Sitting out on the porch under the starlight, just like they used to do when Julian was very small and Remus would let him sneak out of his room after their parents put him to bed. They would sit on the porch swing under a pile of blankets, usually with a mug of hot chocolate and just hang out. Sometimes they were quiet. Sometimes they laughed at jokes, but no matter what they were doing, Jules treasured every memory. 

It was fitting this was how he was spending the night before his wedding. 

“Yeah?” Remus half hummed, tilting his head, tearing his eyes away from the stars to his brother. 

“Were you scared? The night before your wedding?”

Remus smiled softly, cupping his mug. “I was a hell of a lot of things before my wedding. Nervous? Sure. But not scared.”

Julian nodded, the heavy knot in his chest twisting. Maybe he really was making a mistake. 

Then 

“Hi, I’m Katie.”

Julian grinned and shook her hand. “I’m Julian, but you can call me Jules if you want.”

Katie nodded, a funny little business -like movement as she stood in her fairy costume, wings poking over her shoulders. “We’re all playing downstairs, wanna come?”

Julian nodded eagerly, pulling away from Remus and his parents and rushing down to the basement. His feet halted when he reached the bottom, his eyes wider than dinner plates.

“Woah,” He breathed. “You have a rink in your house!”

Katie nodded, giggling. “Oui. Jouez-vous au hockey?”

Jules blinked, looking at her in confusion. “Oh, I uh, I don’t speak French, sorry.” He said as his face flushed a little but Katie just grabbed his hand and pulled him over to a wall of skates.

“That’s okay. Do you play hockey?”

Now this, Jules understood. 

“Yes!” He said, bouncing on his toes in anticipation, noticing all the other kids playing on the ice and realising that he might get to as well. 

Katie looked pleased as she pulled a small pair of white skates and took off her shoes. “My brothers have lots of skates, you should look and see if there’s some in your size.”

Julian went to them immediately, looking at them in awe, all of them far more elegant and expensive than any he had ever owned. He found a pair in his size and pulled them out gingerly, even though they looked well worn. 

“Are you sure it’s okay for me to borrow them?” He confirmed with Katie, even as he pulled off his shoes. Katie just nodded impatiently, having already laced up. 

“Oui, it’s okay I promise. Now come on! I wanna go skate!”

“You can go,” Jules said, rushing to tie them up, “I’ll catch up.”

Katie looked at him like he was crazy. “Don’t be silly.” She said, reaching a hand out to take his. “We can go together. Come on.”

Julian finished tying his skates, stood up and took Katie’s hand. Together, they stepped onto the ice. 

Now

“Are you scared?” Remus asked, his concerned voice cutting through Julian’s thoughts. “Because it’s not too late you know.”

“No, no it’s fine.” Julian said, hoping it sounded reassuring to Remus. It didn’t to his own ears. “Just nervous I suppose, but you said that’s normal.”

Remus tilted his head the way he did when Julian would pretend he hadn’t eaten the last chocolate bar, even with the evidence all over his face. 

“You know you can tell me anything, right?”

Julian sighed, resting his head on his brother's shoulder, hearing the heartbeat that used to rock him to sleep. 

“Yeah, yeah I know.”

Then

“Hey Katie.” Jules said, still a little shy but glad to see a friendly face in the locker room. 

“Jules!” She beamed, bouncing over in her ‘Dumais’ jersey. “Whose number did you wear today?”

Jules flushed as he lifted up his number six shirt to reveal the number twelve underneath. “Both.”

Katie nodded, impressed. “Cool. Hey wanna go get some snacks?”

Jules didn’t even respond, just told his mom where he was going and raced her down the corridor to the kitchen, running past the rows and rows of framed photographs and dodging photographers and reporters. 

“Ha! I win!” He yelled as they burst through the door to the kitchen, racing through the doorway at the same time. If they had been a little bigger, they might have gotten stuck in the frame.

“Nah ah!” Katie protested, “It was a tie.”

“My foot went in first”

“You don’t know that for sure.”

“Yes I do.”

“No you don’t.”

“Wanna bet?”

“Whoever wins the race back to the locker room is the actual winner.” Katie proposed and Jules nodded, satisfied. 

He climbed onto the counter to reach the high cupboards, only to discover the cabinet stocked with mugs and glasses. 

“Over here,” Katie said, giggling as she opened the fridge, scanning for something good. “Ooh, chocolate!”

Jules jumped down and went to her side. “Can we just take it?”

Katie nodded. “Oui. Plus, they’re not supposed to eat chocolate, so we’re doing them a favour by taking it away.”

Julian donned a matching smirk. “Katie, I like the way you think.”

Now

“Oh here you are!” Sirius half-whispered as he poked his head out the front door. “I’ve been looking for you two everywhere.”

Remus pulled back a corner of the blanket and patted the bench beside him. “Wanna join us?”

Sirius looked to check with Jules first, before nodding and sliding in next to Remus. Julian had long since overcome his starry-eyed obsession with Sirius-the-hockey-god but he’d never be over the love for Sirius-his-brother-in-law. Sirius who had come to all of Julian’s big games. Sirius who tended to be awake whenever Julian couldn’t sleep, so he would wordlessly take him out for midnight drives. Sirius who had later taught Julian to drive in that same car Julian accidentally crashed one icy morning. His brother in law hadn’t even gotten mad, not for a second. Julian had personally seen one of his friend’s parents red with anger after spotting a scratch in the paint, but Sirius hadn’t even blinked at the massive pole shaped dent in the hood of his car, just run to make sure Julian was alright. 

“Sirius?” Jules asked into the soft silence. Sirius just hummed in response. 

“Were you scared? When you were getting married.”

Sirius seemed to still for a moment, a gentle breeze rustling his curls as he thought. “Non.”

Remus’ chin ducked towards his chest, his eyes flitting to Sirius. “Really?”

Sirius scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. “Well, I was scared for sure, but I was scared of messing it up, or that my family would make a surprise appearance at the reception or that we’d lose the rings. But I was never scared of a life with Re.”

Remus laughed softly. “We did lose the rings.”

“Oui. But it didn’t even matter, it all worked out, ouais? So really I had nothing to worry about.”

Julian and Sirius chuckled too, all three of them remembering back. Julian had nearly forgotten about that - surprising since it had been partially his fault. His and Katie’s. They had become inseparable by then and the two of them together had gained the name ‘JK Chaos’. 

Then 

“Come on, let’s see what’s in here!” A nine year old Katie whispered to an eleven year old Jules as they crept through the country house that was being used as the staging house for Remus and Sirius' outdoor wedding. 

Katie rattled the brass door handle, but it was locked. “Do you have a key?”

Julian gave her an incredulous look. “I don’t have a key to my own room, why would I have a key for here?”

Katie shrugged, her dress swishing gently, the bluebell shade bright against her skin. “I dunno - groomsman duties?”

Julian laughed but shook his head. They walked down the corridor a few paces, stopping at the window that overlooked where the ceremony would take place. Chairs bedecked the grass, all turned to face the focal point - the beautiful ivy arch, bedecked in flowers. Everything was immaculate, untouched. Any guests staying in the country house were still getting ready and the rest had yet to arrive. Jules lifted on his toes to see a little further out the window, but a tall sturdy tree to the right blacked his view. 

He turned so quickly he nearly got whiplash, grabbing Katie’s wrist unconsciously. 

“Look! A tree!”

Katie raised her eyebrows at him. “Jules, I’m pretty sure they have trees in Wisconsin too.”

Julian shook his head, too excited to even roll his eyes. “No, look where that tree is! If the window to the locked room is open…”

Katie’s eyes lit up, her mischievous grin returning.  “We might be able to get in.” She breathed. “Jules, you genius.” She grabbed his hand and began rushing down the corridor. “Let’s go!”

“Is it open?” Julian called, a couple of branches below Katie. 

“Un moment.” She muttered and he smiled, knowing she was concentrating too much to even have listened to him, never mind switch to a language he actually understood. She paused and grabbed the silky top layer of her dress, gathering and tying it in a knot around her waist, leaving the white underskirt hanging. “Allors,” She said, sounding much more satisfied. She climbed onto the branch that extended towards the window and shuffled along it, craning her neck. 

“It’s open!”

Jules let out a whoop of victory and climbed the rest of the way, careful not to stain his suit as she slid her fingers into the small gap, prying the window open so they could both clamber in. The room was unimpressively empty. Lovey, like all the other rooms, perhaps a living room if the several couches were to be trusted. A wall of shelves boasted an impressive amount of books and everything seemed to be edged with gold. Other than that though - Julian couldn’t see any reason why the room should be barred. 

“A mystery.” Katie said as she trailed her hand along a bookshelf. Julian agreed with her as he sat down on one of the luxurious chairs, a little side table with a lamp on his left. 

“What’s this?” He voiced as he picked up the little black box that had been resting in the light streaming in from the window. Katie wandered over to peer at it as he opened it carefully to find two gold rings resting inside. 

“Oh.” Jules whispered, finally understanding. “That’s why it’s locked.”

They both picked up a ring, looking at them curiously. The metal glinted in the light and Jules angled the one in his hands to read the inscription. 

“Mon voeu.” He muttered. “What’s mon voeu?”

“How would I know what you wish for?” Katie retorted, before she read the engraving on her own. “Oh right I see. ‘My wish’.”

“Oh.” Jules repeated. “That’s really nice.”

Footsteps and voices came from down the corridor and Julian and Katie froze. 

“Did you see the cake?” 

“It’s literally all I’ve been thinking about since the tasting.”

Julian met Katie’s eyes, both of them hardly breathing as they listened carefully. Lily and James. 

“The tasting was months ago!”

“So you can guess I’m pretty excited about it.” Lily chuckled. “Do you have the key?”

Julian rushed to put the box back on the table and he and Katie half flew in their rush to get back out the window. Katie went first, Julian close on her heels as they scrambled down the tree. 

“Where did they say they left it?”

“On the side table with the lamp.”

“Oh I’ve got it, come on, let’s get back.”

Julian let out a sigh of relief while Katie looked at him in horror. 

“Jules…” She whispered as she pulled a gold ring out her pocket. “We have a problem.”

Julian felt his heart speed up as he pulled out the matching ring. They had been in too much of a rush to put them back. 

“We are gonna get in so much trouble.”

Now

“You were so scared.” Remus laughed, tears forming in his eyes, matching ones already wetting Julian’s cheeks as he lost himself in the memory. It was true - to this day, Julian remembered the way their hands trembled and they stuttered through the explanations, but in the end, no one had cared. It became a funny story to tell at the reception. 

“You laugh, but we dropped them in the grass on the way to bring them back and it took us so long to find them again, we were seriously trying to come up with something to replace them with.”

They burst into a new round of laughter, Hope coming outside at the racket. 

“Boys!” She scolded as if they were all little kids. “You should be in bed - it’s a big day tomorrow.” Despite her commanding tone, her eyes were soft. Time was a fickle friend to all but Hope Lupin, who looked just as lovely today as she did twenty years ago. And perhaps even twenty years before that. 

“We’ll be in soon.” Sirius promised and she nodded satisfied, vanishing indoors again.

“Suck-up.” Julian teased, elbowing Sirius. “Always wants to be the favourite.”

“I think he is the favourite.” Remus grumbled. “You’re the youngest Jules, so you’ve got that going for you. I, however, have been replaced.”

Sirius chuckled, a low sound from his chest and curled an arm around Remus. “You can be my favourite.”

“You can’t cook like she does.” Remus lamented dramatically, but grinned to show he wasn’t serious before kissing Sirius’ cheek. 

“We probably should get to bed though. Especially you Jules, you need all that beauty sleep you can get.”

“Hey!”

Then 

Hey Jules! 

You got a phone! 

Yup! JK Chaos can finally go viral! 

Thirteen year old Julian chuckled as he sat in the passenger seat of the car on the way to practice. 

Sirius says hi. Katie texted and Julian sent a picture of him waving in response before tucking his phone into his bag and climbing out of the car. 

“Thanks mom!” He half yelled as he closed the door and ran inside to the rink, waving at his friends. 

“Hi Julian.”

Julian turned to see one of the members of the girls team - Anna. They were the same age group and the two teams often had to share the ice if the rink was busy. 

“Oh hey Anna, how’re you?”

She grinned, her light hair tumbling around her face until she scraped it back into a ponytail as she chatted to him. Julian was never sure how girls managed to tie their hair back so quickly with so little effort but it was pretty cool. He wondered if maybe he should learn so he could do Katie’s sometime.

“I’m good! I’d better run though, I’m late for practice.” 

Jules nodded and with that, Anna was gone. He blinked and continued his way to his own locker where many of his own team were already gathered. 

“Hey guys!” He grinned, and just like that, his head was back in the game. 

Now

Julian stared up at the ceiling of his childhood bedroom. The glow in the dark stars were still there, although their glow was very faint now. Not that Julian needed their light to guide him, he had looked at those stars all his life, he could map them out better than a sailor. 

He was getting married tomorrow. 

And so, he did as he so very often did. He texted Katie. 

Then 

The Christmas party was loud and busy, people seemingly in every nook and cranny in the house. Julian looked around for Katie, he had been here for at least an hour but he had only seen glimpses of the other girl and she had always been busy, whether it was helping Celeste put out food or chatting to others and once even putting out a minor fire she had certainly not caused by tipping over a candle  but so far, she hadn’t been able to talk to Julian. 

Julian finally caught her eye and they managed to slip away going out to the garden, past the pool and down to the swing hidden by a great big tree where they had always plotted and planned. 

“We need a code word.” Katie said by way of greeting. “So we can say it and the other knows we need to talk, just us.”

Julian agreed. He couldn’t believe it had taken this long to think of something like that. At fifteen, he and Katie had been best friends for at least six years now. 

“What should our code word be?”

Katie shrugged, sitting on the swing and rocking back and forth gently. “Pancakes?”

Julian laughed, but he nodded. “Yeah that works.”

Katie grinned, but her face quickly became more serious. 

“Hey Jules?” She asked, her voice softer than he had heard it in a long time. 

“Yeah?” His tone matched hers, but he didn’t know why. He hadn’t planned it. 

“Have you ever kissed anyone?”

Julian froze, his heart stuttering. In the moonlight, Katie’s hair glowed, silver catching on the dark strands braided back, her jeans and jumper not suitable for the weather, nor were Julian’s own but they hadn't planned on coming out here for long. “No.” He whispered. 

Katie nodded. “Yeah, me neither.”

She stood up, shivering a little. “Come on, we should get back inside.”

Julian could only blink, but made to follow her. “Yeah okay.” He followed, taking a few quick steps to catch up with her when Katie turned quickly and they collided. 

Katie reached out and steadied herself with Julian’s shoulder before surging forward and pressing their lips together. Julian stayed frozen where he was, her lips warm against the cold night. 

Katie pulled away and stepped back, nodding to herself. “I just wanted to know what it’d be like.” She explained and then launched into a description of what new drills her hockey team were learning. It was funny, everything was different, but nothing had changed. 

Julian thought about the things they were learning in science, all the calculations. How there always needed to be a constant. 

He thought maybe Katie was his constant. 

Now

You up? 

Is this a booty call? Cause I gotta say, it seems like inappropriate timing.

Julian laughed, then covered his mouth, hoping he hadn’t woken anyone. Katie’s quick wit had never once failed to amaze him. 

Darn, there goes my plans 

Why are you still up?

I just can’t sleep

So you’re texting me?

Who else?

Then 

Julian got his first girlfriend at seventeen. 

Anna was lovely and bright and sweet. They had been dating for around six months already when she finally met Katie, the Dumais girl arriving in Wisconsin for a weekend visit. 

Julian didn’t know why he had been nervous - they both got on really well. He had had no indicators to suggest otherwise and yet the entire week leading to their meeting, his head had been full of anxious ‘what ifs’. Not to mention the knot in his chest. 

But there was no reason to be nervous… right? He just felt like this because Katie was his very best friend. He wanted them to get along. Yeah, that was it. 

“I like her.” Katie commented as Anna left the Lupin house. 

“Yeah, me too.” Julian said automatically, laughing when Katie elbowed his side. 

“Well duh. That’s why you asked her out.”

Julian shrugged as they walked back inside waving to his dad who was on the phone in the kitchen. “Actually it was the other way around.”

Katie barked a laugh as she threw herself on Julian’s bed, tucking her arms behind her head, lounging as if she owned the place. “Why am I not surprised?”

“I’m not sure if I should be insulted or not.” Julian said as he lay down next to her, staring up at his stars. 

Katie was the one to shrug this time, shifting with the movement. “Neither. It’s just an observation I suppose.”

“And what would that observation be exactly?”

Katie tilted her head to look at him. “You’re careful. Not with other stuff, mon dieu, we all know you’re a reckless idiot on the ice but with this kind of stuff. You’re gentle I guess.”

Julian smiled, that warm rush of feeling known to your core washing over him. “And you’re the exact opposite.”

Katie grinned, some of her dark curls coming loose. “But of course! JK Chaos wouldn’t be balanced if I wasn’t.”

Julian smiled, holding out his hand and they performed their super secret, super complicated, super cool handshake. Katie had named it when she was ten and it had stuck. 

“Well we need balance.” Julian agreed and Katie nodded, blue eyes meeting his for a moment before she turned away, biting her lip. 

“Ouais.”

Now 

Julian looked at the words on the screen, his heart clenching. 

So you’re texting me?

Who else?

Your soon to be wife for one

Julian didn’t know what to do. He felt like Katie was the only one who could help him figure this out, but Katie was the last person he should ask. 

Ha ha. He said, because even that was better than the turmoil inside him. Guess I’m just nervous. 

Why?

Why am I nervous? Cause I’m getting married. I know I call you Katie Kat but I sure hope that brain isn’t made of chocolate.

We should get you up on a stage. Katie responded and Julian snorted,  practically hearing her sarcasm even as he lay alone. 

But what do you have to be worried about?

Um.., How about the terrifying concept of making the wrong decision?

Katie was quiet for a long time. Julian thought maybe she had fallen asleep when a reply finally came through. 

Do you think you’re making the wrong choice?

Julian paused. Was he?

I don’t think so?

Do you love her?

Yes. Julian wrote back, even as something thundered in his chest. 

Well then, you have your answer I guess. Katie responded.  I’d better get to sleep. 

 Jules held his phone close to his chest. 

Yeah, me too. Night Katie Kat

Then 

“Do you love her?” Katie asked out of nowhere as they passed the puck back and forth in her basement. 

“We’ve been dating for two years.” Julian replied, sending the puck back to her harder than he meant. From her raised eyebrows he knew she had noticed, but she didn’t comment. 

“That’s not what I asked.”

Julian shrugged, taking the puck and dragging it around the goal. 

“I guess? How do you ever really know you’re in love.”

Katie raised her chin, blue meeting brown as their eyes focused on each other. Julian could have sworn she was staring at his soul. 

“I suppose it’s something you just know.” Katie said. “My maman and papa are in love. And Re and Sirius. Leo, Logan and Finn. Your parents. They all seem to know pretty well.”

“Yeah.” Julian whispered, his mind reeling. Remus and Sirius were his role models for just about everything, including the love he wanted to have. Was that what he shared with Anna? How had they known? How would Julian know?

Now

Then Jules crept into Remus’ room once more. 

“Re?” He whispered into the dark. The light from the hall dimly lit the room and Remus stirred, Sirius sleeping soundly next to him.

“Jules?” Remus whispered, even as he threw back the covers to climb out of bed, tiptoeing so he wouldn’t wake Sirius and following Julian back to his room. “Hey Jules, what’s up?”

Remus climbed onto the bed with him, just like he used to do when Julian was small and had a nightmare. 

“How do I know for sure?”

Remus didn’t have to ask what he meant. “I guess you never do. You just have to trust that you love someone and they return that same love back to you.”

But what wasn’t quite what Julian meant. He didn’t doubt that Anna loved him. He was just never sure if he loved her the same. 

He thought he must. Julian was twenty six years old, they’d been dating for nearly ten years. Although sometimes… just sometimes Julian thought that was maybe why he had proposed. Because that’s what everyone expected from them, particularly as they had been together for so long. It was the logical next step. 

“Right, yeah.” Julian muttered. “That makes sense I guess.”

Remus held out his arm and Julian hugged him tight. 

“I can hear you mind whirring.” Remus murmured, but Julian just tucked his face into his brother's chest. “It’s not too late Jules.”

Tears burned Julian’s eyes but he refused to let them fall. It was too late, it was all too late. He was on the ice and he could see the collision coming but there was nothing he could do to stop it. 

A song he had heard a long time ago rang through Julian’s head, one line playing over and over again on loop. 

And I asked my friend, what’s a fella to do? Cause her hair was black and her eyes were blue.

So Julian held his big brother close, and fell asleep. 

Katie

Now

“I still can’t believe it.” Marc laughed as they ate breakfast at the hotel, his plate piled with food from the buffet. “Little Julian getting married.”

“Yeah.” Katie agreed, taking a big drink from her coffee. “Neither can I.”

Marc continued eating, oblivious to the storm raging inside Katie’s heart. “Why aren’t you best man?”

Katie raised an eyebrow. “Well for one, I’m not a man.”

Marc rolled his eyes, pausing to take a sip of orange juice before shovelling another forkful into his mouth. “Y’know wha- I mean.”

Katie covered her face with her hands. “Okay ew, first of all don’t talk with your mouth full. You’re not five. And second of all, Remus is his best man.”

Marc tilted his head, accepting the answer and Katie could have sighed in relief. She was already tense enough, two people had already come up to her for a picture and at least three had ‘discreetly’ photographed her as she just tried to have her breakfast. She hadn’t even showered yet so she was not looking forward to what the media would come up with later. 

Then 

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Katie grumbled to Adele as her sister finished pinning her hair. “Why am I doing this again?”

Adele didn’t miss a beat. “Because prom is fun, and even if it’s not, hanging out with your best friend in fancy clothes is always funny.”

Katie couldn’t argue with that. Sighing, she stood up and turned to Adele, her floor length gown comically out of place in her room cluttered with hockey sticks and signed pucks, helmets and polaroid's of her with her team. 

“How do I look?”

Adele beamed and kissed her cheek, being careful not to smudge Katie’s makeup. “Comme un ange.”

Katie rolled her eyes but smiled and began to leave her bedroom, hearing the doorbell ring. 

“Wait, shit I can’t go down now!” She said in a mild panic. “Jules is here, if I go now it’ll be like some dumb movie when the girl comes down the stairs as the guy just stares at her. It’s weird and awkward.”

Adele bit her lip as if she was trying to suppress a smile. “Okay, I’ll go and distract them and you can sneak down, ouais?”

Katie nodded gratefully. “Ouais. Merci.”

Katie waited in the upstairs corridor, hearing Adele lead her family into the kitchen. When the voices had dimmed a little, she gathered her skirts, her sneakers peeking out at her as she crept down the stairs. 

“Oh, wow.”

Katie whipped around to see Julian walking out from the bathroom, eyes wider than Katie had ever seen them. 

“I thought you were in the kitchen.” Katie groaned as she let her dress drop inelegantly around her legs once more. She looked him over, eyeing his blue suit with a careful eye. “You don’t look half bad.”

Julian laughed and took a step closer, holding his hand over his heart dramatically. “Wow Katie Kat, you sure know how to flatter a man.”

Katie raised a single eyebrow, a power play of there ever was one. “I mean, you’ve said nothing about how I look so really I think I have the upper hand here.”

Julian quirked his signature goofy smile before finally pulling Katie in for a hug. “You look incredible.”

Now

“Katie, ma cheri, es-tu prêt?”

Katie looked up from where she was rooting through her suitcase to see her mom, stunningly beautiful as always in a deep red dress. 

“I’m ready.” She cleared her throat, standing up straight. “You look amazing.”

Celeste waved her off with a flick of her wrist. “Oh non, look at you.”

Katie blushed, her forest green dress fluttering around her. “Merci.”

Celeste took a step forward, cupping Katie’s face in her hands. “You love him.”

Katie didn’t even have it in her to be surprised. Of course her mom knew. She felt tears well up in her eyes but tried her best not to let them fall - it had taken her long enough to do her makeup, she really didn’t want to have to do it again. 

“Oui.”

“Does he know?”

Katie shook her head sadly. “Of course not, he loves someone else.”

Celeste carefully wiped away the stray tear that had danced down Katie’s cheek. “Are you sure?”

Then 

“I think I have literally never seen it rain so hard.” Julian commented as the two of them stared out the car windshield as the rain poured around them. They faced the hotel where the dance was being held, but even stepping out of the car would have them soaked instantly. 

“See, this was a sign that I wasn’t supposed to come.” Katie commented, her tone dry. Julian side eyed her, not saying anything for a minute before he turned up the car radio. 

“I have an idea.” He said, opening the door and stepping out into the car park in the lashing rain. He ran to Katie’s side and opened the door, holding out his hand. 

“Come on! Come dance in the rain.”

If she had been Adele, she might have refused or protested. She might have even taken off her dress to protect it. 

But she was not Adele. 

So Katie took Julian’s hand, laughing at his curls, already flattened against his forehead and shut the door behind her, watching splotches of water darken her dress until she was fully saturated, tilting her head back into the sky. 

She opened her mouth, sticking out her tongue to catch the raindrops, Jules giggling as he followed suit, the two of them looking absolutely ridiculous and getting very strange looks from passer byers who had made use of the wonderful invention that was the umbrella, but they didn’t care. 

Katie connected her phone to the car speakers and pressed play to a song, grabbing both of Julian’s hands and spinning them in a fast circle, round and round until they fell together, laughing as hands slid over slippery skin and hair stuck to them better than any tattoo. 

And I don't know how it gets better than this

You take my hand and drag me head first

Fearless

And I don't know why but with you I'd dance in a storm in my best dress

Fearless

Now

Katie couldn’t help but think about that day lying on Julian’s bed. She had said he was careful and she was not. She was supposed to be his counterbalance. 

Katie had been too careful, she hadn’t been doing her job. 

“It’s not too late.” Her mom had whispered. 

Speak now or forever hold your peace. 

Heart thundering, Katie picked up her phone. Six hours until Julian’s wedding she pressed his contact and texted him one word. 

Pancakes.

Then 

Was it just Katie or did Julian seem nervous? Julian was never nervous with her. Maybe it was just the connection of the phone call, she should move to a place where her signal was stronger-

“Katie, I um.. I’m gonna ask Anna to marry me.”

Katie’s eyes snapped to his face. “Quoi?”

Julian swallowed, and Katie watched from miles away as he pulled out a ring. 

“Yeah, I figured it was time.”

“Romantic.” Katie teased as she tried to quell the feeling that she was going to throw up. This was not how it was supposed to go. It had taken her a long time to figure out her feelings for Julian, but at twenty four she had finally worked it out. And he was going to marry someone else. 

Now

“Hey Katie Kat.”

Katie smiled weakly, shoving her hands in her coat pocket to hide the trembling. She felt overdressed in her outfit for the wedding when Julian was still in jeans but that couldn’t be helped. Katie sat next to Jules on the Lupins’ porch swing, glad she was wearing makeup because maybe it would help hide her blush. 

“The weather’s really nice today, huh?” Jules prompted, but Katie just smiled, steeling herself. She couldn’t idly talk about the weather, she would lose her nerve. So she threw back her shoulders, raised her chin and-

“Julian, I love you.”

Julian frowned, taking her hand. “I know, I love you too Katie, what-”

Katie shook her head. “No, Jules, listen. I’m in love with you.”

Julian froze and Katie’s heart beat over a hundred times a minute. Or maybe it had stopped completely. Either way it certainly wasn’t doing what it should be and Katie’s hands shook and she bit her tongue to stop herself from blurting out more when Julian obviously needed to process things.

Julian stood up abrupt, taking his keys out of his pocket. “I have to go.” He said and took off, getting into his car and driving away. Katie sat frozen where she was, alone once more, lost in the place where she had always felt found. Julian drove away, the world spun around and Katie stayed right where she was. 

Then 

Katie opened the door to Sirius and Remus’ house with her key - she had been given one for when Julian had come to stay, so she could come and go as she pleased. 

“Salut, it’s me!” She called into the empty hallway as she dropped her bag and ventured in a little further. Sirius was in the kitchen pouring a cup of coffee and he just smiled at her as he pulled out another mug. 

“Hey Katie, you here to get into some more JK Chaos?”

Katie chuckled and accepted the coffee with thanks, cupping it with both hands and holding it close to her face. “What else would I do?”

Sirius just smiled as Julian came into the room, wordlessly greeting Katie with their super secret, super complicated, super cool handshake.

“See you later!” Julian said to Sirius and Katie waved goodbye before they went out the door, getting into the car and driving away.

“What’re we doing today?” Katie asked as she drove. Julian shrugged in the passenger seat. 

“I don’t care, as long as I’m with you.”

Now

Someone was knocking on her hotel room. 

Katie had made her way back, she hadn’t even said goodbye to the Lupins - she didn’t think she could without crying. Instead she went home alone and straight to her room, knowing she couldn’t miss the wedding no matter how much she may want to. If she didn’t she knew that one day, she’d look back and wish she were in the pictures. Wish she was there for her best friend. So she was going to go and smile and be happy because she loved Jules and she could do this for him. 

There was another knock on the door and Katie rolled her eyes. “I’m coming, jeez calm down.” She muttered, the door handle cold on her skin as she opened the door. 

Julian was waiting on the other side. 

“I called off the wedding.”

If Katie had been holding anything, she would have dropped it. As it was, she took a step backwards, blinking. “What?”

“I called off the wedding.” Julian repeated, running his fingers through already very mussed hair. “I love you. I’ve always loved you. I’m a blind idiot, but I love you.”

Katie was beginning to wonder if any of this was real when Marc came up behind Jules, completely oblivious. 

“Hey Katie, did you get that text saying the wedding’s off? Weird, what’s that abou- Oh hey Jules.”

Katie turned to her brother. 

“Marc, I love you, but if you don’t leave right now I might have to kill you in your sleep tonight.”

“So that’s why the wedding’s off.” Marc commented before backing away, no doubt rushing off to tell everyone what he had seen. 

“Come in before anyone else sees.” Katie said as she took Julian’s hand, pulling him in and shutting the door. 

Julian’s hands were shaking. “Am I too late?” He whispered. “Please tell me I’m not too late.”

Katie smiled as she brushed a stray curl out of his eyes. “You’re right on time.”

And then she kissed him. 

Once upon a time, there had been a girl who kissed a boy in her back garden at midnight. She had been young and inexperienced but even then, she knew the kiss had been magical. 

Today, there was a girl who kissed a boy in a hotel room on what should have been his wedding day. She was still young, but much more experienced so she could now say with much more confidence that if their first kiss had been magical, this one was earth shattering. 

“I love you.” Julian whispered again and again between deep kisses that made Katie feel like her soul was bared. 

“Took you long enough.” Katie grumbled, but kissed him again, twining her fingers through his hair like she always dreamed she would. “I love you too.”

Soon

Katie blushed as she sat in a room, surrounded by both their families. Her dad kissed her on the cheek before handing her a drink and proposing a toast. 

“To JK Chaos,” Dumo said, his knowing smile nearly splitting his face. “For finally getting their shit together.”

Everyone cheered while Katie just laughed, lifting her hand to show off the engagement ring and tilting her head a little to give Julian a chaste kiss. He grinned down at her, hand resting delicately on her waist. 

He surveyed the crowded room for a moment, before ducking down a little to whisper in her ear; “Pancakes?”

Katie was pretty sure her eyes sparkled as she winked at him. “I’ll meet you outside in ten.”

The End.

[neverdoingmuch]

Wangxian prompt: They see each other constantly. Like, maybe they're neighbors, or is a "my kid's teacher" situation. Maybe they meet at the bus stop, or work in the same company but different offices. So they're aware of each other and they exchange glances, maybe little inside-joke smiles about things they both notice. They see each other being brave, competent, kind, so so handsome. And when they actually talk to each other months later the first thing they say is "Marry me" and "Yes"

ooh!! this sounds like a lot of fun, i love it so much. i think office workers would be the best bc then we can contrast the banality of the rest of their lives to the quirkiness of their relationship so to speak.

okay so it all started when lwj decided that he wanted to eat breakfast on his apartment balcony

he takes his bowl and goes to sit in the chair outside and he’s prepared to just enjoy the cool morning air but when he looks up he sees a man sitting on the balcony exactly opposite his

wwx, by some strange luck, has the apartment across the street, and always goes outside to try and wake up bc he is not a morning person at all and the 9-5 job is killer for someone who likes to go to sleep at like three in the morning

anyway, lwj looks up and sees this kinda cute guy just sitting on the floor miserably blinking at the rising sun and is like oh weird and tries not to stare too much

but after that first time lwj sees him, he starts seeing mystery balcony dude everywhere, like everywhere and no amount of not staring is gonna save him

he goes down to his favourite cafe to get a cup of tea after breakfast and while he’s enjoying his tea and reading the newspaper he hears someone laugh loudly and glances over to the muffin display to see balcony man chatting with one of the staff as he orders his own coffee 

balcony man must have noticed his attention because he looks over and for a moment he looks confused but then he’s smiling brightly at lwj and it’s this absolutely amazing smile and he’s even hotter when he’s not sitting in a ratty t-shirt across the street and lwj panics, chugs the rest of his tea, and immediately leaves

he ends up arriving at the train station fifteen minutes early and is stuck awkwardly waiting while avoiding the grandma who likes showing men pictures of her granddaughter who is very beautiful and very single apparently

the train arrives and lwj gets on, finds a seat and pulls out his phone to respond to emails. then, just as the doors are about to shut, who should rush in but balcony man

he’s kinda sweaty and red but the guy makes it look good and he ends up sitting down a few metres from lwj, not that lwj notices because he’s very busy responding to his emails about how one of the teams in sales is having difficulties with one of their projects, so busy that he spends the next thirty minutes staring at the email unable to get past the second line

lwj and wwx end up getting off at the same stop and to lwj’s absolute horror they end up going to the same building

lwj tries to do the thing where you speedwalk past the person so they don’t think you’re following them but then wwx did the same thing to him so they end up arriving at the same time

they get in the elevator together, lwj near the door off to the left and balcony man in the far corner, leaning against the wall and looking down at his shoes

it’s kind of awkward but thankfully wwx gets off at the fifteenth floor - software design and tech support or something while lwj gets off at the twentieth floor - sales maybe?

he doesn’t see the man again until the end of the work day when they get into the elevator at the same time and go back down. they’re the only two people in there bc they’re working late or the stars aligned or something

and that’s just the first day. after that, every day the same thing happens and they keep seeing each other as they’re going to and from work. 

but also lwj goes to do the grocery shopping and when he’s paying wwx is in the next line across and when he goes to buy new strings for his guqin wwx is already in the store buying a new mouthpiece for his dizi

this goes on for a few weeks and then one morning, while wwx is trying to shock his system into waking up and lwj is just enjoying breakfast, they hear familiar shouting: the couple downstairs is breaking up again

lwj rolls his eyes, aware that come next week they’ll be dating again, and just blocks it out when the boyfriend comes stumbling out of the building with his shirt half on and the girlfriend still yelling

he looks across the street to see what balcony man thinks of it all and sees that he’s mouthing along to the argument (it really is exactly the same speech every time but it’s incredible that he’s memorised it). lwj snorts. it’s unseemly and rude but balcony man is over there acting out the break up as well as mouthing along and it’s the funniest thing lwj’s seen all week.

wwx notices him laugh and decides to wave at him. lwj tentatively waves back and with that the magic of their relationship sets in

now when lwj goes to the cafe in the morning wwx will look around the store until he spots lwj and wave at him, and lwj will lift his mug up in greeting which always make wwx laugh

then when they get on the train, they always get seats opposite each other and while they never actually say anything, sometimes lwj will glance over to see wwx sneaking a look at him. they both blush and look away but moments later they’re doing it again

when they walk to work, lwj crosses the street so they can walk at the same pace and not have to actually be right next to each other and despite having to cross back over, wwx is always still waiting to catch the elevator with him. 

now when they go up, they still don’t talk to each other but wwx always hums and lwj taps along with whatever tune he’s picked. 

same thing when they go back down in the evening and catch the train back

over time it starts to become more than just staring and smiling, now when the couple downstairs breaks up, wwx will hold up like three fingers and lwj understands that balcony man thinks they’ll get back together within three days

(wwx’s always right btw)

when they go to the cafe lwj will send wwx a thumbs down if the sports mum with eight kids gets in queue first and wwx will always make hearts with his hands whenever the baristas start flirting. 

when they get in the train and hear the angry businessmen argue they’re sitting there making funny faces at each other,, well wwx does and lwj just tries to keep his face blank. he usually succeeds but sometimes he smiles and wwx will always do a little victory wiggle which is honestly so cute lwj is dying

the elevator? they don’t even have to say anything. whenever a coworker they don’t like hops in they just find subtle ways to explain why they don’t like them and how

the best time was when lwj saw su she get in and immediately pulled a face like he sucked a lemon and had to try and mime “he always takes really long lunches and is really bad at sales but we can’t get rid of him because he’d whine too much and no one wants to put up with that” but he’s lwj and doesn’t really do miming. in contrast, when wen chao gets in wwx just holds up his thumb and pointer finger like he’s measuring something, and holds them only a few centimetres apart. 

they both get really good at reading each other like that

when they catch the train back home it’s always really late so lwj ends up reading a book while wwx sketches and, just as lwj always holds up his books so wwx can see the cover, wwx will show lwj whatever he’s drawn

at one point in time lwj comes home and sees a stray kitten hiding in a box near the entrance to his building but he can’t take it in bc of his rabbit so instead he goes out onto his balcony and just points straight down and holds up a cardboard box he has in his own apartment

without even hesitating wwx goes downstairs and crosses the street, still dressed in his pyjamas, and takes the kitten home. 

lwj kinda expected wwx to take the kitten to a shelter or something but within a month their morning routine changes to allow a kitten to climb all over wwx as he tries to wake up and it’s ridiculously adorable but also lwj is sitting there in absolute awe of how good balcony man is to just take in a stray like that 

there’s probably a few other scenes, like wwx and lwj going out to a dinner with their teams and they get seated at nearby tables and end up sending each other commiserating smiles whenever the conversation gets particularly dull and the time when lwj gets caught by the well-meaning grandma who always tries to set people up with her granddaughter on the train and he taps out sos in morse code and wwx just replies rip and stares out the window for the rest of the trip 

anyway this is getting a bit long so im going to say jump forward a year (doesn’t have to be a year i guess). they’re still enjoying this whole thing they’ve got going on and they know each other so well that when lwj sees wwx some mornings he knows to go to the cafe early and order an extra strong coffee for wwx and wwx will sometimes sketch pictures of rabbits when lwj seems a bit annoyed after work

(wwx will fold them into paper aeroplanes and throw them across the train to lwj and lwj always takes them home and flattens them back out and then shows them to his rabbit before before putting them up on the fridge)

one day the trains break down and they’re stuck waiting at the station in the morning and for once lwj feels genuinely sad that he might not get to work on time. like work is whatever but he doesn’t want to miss out on the half an hour on the train with balcony man and the way they speedwalk to see who can get to the office first and the awkward waiting outside the elevators where wwx bounces up and down and lwj taps out a rhythm against his thigh until wwx notices and starts humming along

but then he notices wwx walking over to him. he seems kinda nervous, hesitating at first but he puts on a confident smile and saunters over and lwj is panicking because they haven’t done this before and he doesn’t know what to do

wwx opens his mouth - he’s going to make the first move and ask out his mystery man, but then lwj takes one look at wwx, who’s standing right next to him and it feels different to all the other times they’ve been together, and he panics

wwx barely manages to open his mouth to say good morning when lwj blurts out will you marry me?

wwx blinks, blushes bright red, and immediately goes yes! (it’s a bit too loud and people around them turn to stare but neither of them notice)

lwj immediately whips out his phone and sends in an email saying that he’s taking a sick day and after he sends it off, he slips his phone back into his pocket, takes wwx’s hand in his and asks him what’s your name?

it takes wwx like fifteen minutes to stop laughing by which time they’re back at their cafe and this time, they both sit down at a table after ordering their drinks and it’s the baristas making hearts with their hands at them

[marimopeace]

there's a limit on how much you can be an isekai intellectual...

a bunch of analyses have been popping up before me all day so i wanted to throw my hat into the ring. all love to ppl who are exercising their creative minds + ppl like geoff here who just talk about these things because of fan interest but i feel like there reaches a point where exploring the "types" of isekai is pointless? i've seen ppl list out the different types of villainess revenge isekai or fantasy mmorpg isekai but eh why fit them all into separate boxes like that?

i think it's easier to think of isekai as a "type" (genre) of itself with only two categories: 1) a focus on isekai (lit. another world) 2) tensei (lit. to be reborn). this allows for a variety of applications and thus tropes that ppl see so many trends of!

with isekai - in another world

you see everything from:

pure fantasy (inuyasha, digimon wait maybe not the best example but in my childhood mind i count digimon as pure fantasy, fushigi yugi)

mmorpg inspired fantasy/adventure (.hack//legend of twilight, sao ugh, log horizon, overlord (LOVE OVERLORD!)

otome game-esque worlds >>> this is where it gets complicated with "villainess routes" since i admit there are multiple villainess tropes but this is why it's nice to not think of this as a "sub-type/genre" bc it frees you from those complications! (the saint's magic power is omnipotent, the white cat's revenge as plotted from the dragon king's lap soso cute!, the savior's book cafe in another world, i'm a villainous daughter so i'm going to keep the last boss wait i can't remember if she's reborn in this one lmaooo see this is why rules make everything hard)

with tensei storylines - being reincarnated/reborn in another world as *insert character/role*

you see...

the same tropes!!

pure fantasy (a returner's magic should be special, reminiscence adonis, the lady and the beast, light and shadow, i can't think of a manga off the top of my head for this ah)

mmorpg inspired fantasy/adventure (so i'm a spider so what i stan kumoko so hard, her majesty's swarm, can't name another off the top of my head ah i hate lists shorter than two things...)

self-insert based games/novels (fiance's observation log of a self-proclaimed villainess, who made me a princess, death is the only ending for the villainess, the villainess wants to marry a commoner, honestly games vs novels are different applications but i'm not in the headspace to try to remember a bunch of both lol)

*insert line break to give random ppl a break from scrolling but tl; dr just enjoy things for what they are no need to micro analyze*

similar variations occur in both genres (if ppl want to be super technical i guess i'm arguing that isekai itself is a massive genre that has the "another world" subgenre and "reincarnation" subgenre tl; dr) so i think it's honestly a huge pain to try to separate all these trends into so many different types of stories. for me personally it's easier to not get overwhelmed by this gigantic umbrella of "isekai" that spans light novels, manhwa, manga, and mobile games by just stripping each story down into its trademark tropes (aka character archetypes, story structures) and slapping "oh this is a person going to a world that's not ours" and "this person gets reborn as blank in another world". none of this "omg this power fantasy is such a this kind of isekai moment" or "there are 14 different types of villainess revenge stories and this series fits into this" bc AH labels! limitations! circle-jerks via ppl trying to compartmentalize everything and sound smart for leaving a comment on story analysis instead of ooh-ahhing over a character's face! dividing things into light novel manga vs manga vs korean manhwa ft. female characters!

the last bit is mainly why i feel frustrated by ppl's insistence to group everything?

the video linked at the beginning of the post (honestly good video essay, i enjoyed it, i just kept thinking in my head the whole time "marimo these are tropes do not take the genre talk literally") has a baby comment thread talking about "korean isekai manhwas" as a genre featuring nothing but reincarnated villainess' and i can't.

like i cannot acknowledge that as a genre of any sort. the energy i felt reading through some of those insights takes me back to 2012 when all yt americans discovered k-pop and deemed all korean music k-pop from then on! (ppl still do this now, yes you are seen and don't talk to me pls i don't like you. k-pop is korean pop music and nothing less and nothing more. take a few seconds and try to parse apart aspects of korean culture instead of slamming everything into a monolithic label that has the letter k and a hyphen.) it feels so odd to see a bunch of young ppl on ig and tiktok acknowledge korean media that happens to be in the form of a webtoon as "oh stories all about young girls becoming villains in stories they made/played" bc it feels so reductive u.u

(positionality disclaimer that i'm praying isn't actually necessary: i am a 3rd-generation korean of japanese descent do not fite me i am exhausted irl of ppl asking for validation/verification bc massive shove off.)

breaking news! korean manhwa...is just as multifaceted as japanese manga...bc how can comics as an art-form not have multiple genres...huh such a shocker?!?! same likely applies to media in other parts of the world like chinese manhwa and french comics--not my place to explain either of those i just know those industries exist bc of wakfu and donghua shows by Tencent.

at the end of the day it's not like analyzing any kind of isekai is wrong--absolutely not!! i think it can be super fun to think about how isekai elements complicate a story (MCs trying to go back home, ppl from the og world, reincarnation plot-twists) or maybe even bash a series for including some kind of other world element when they could have just written a super fun fantasy.

insert marimo's brief ramble that hey you can get sick of truck-kun's hitting disillusioned guys who happen to be super duper smart or girls who happen to be master chefs/craftsmen but transporting a fully-grown being into a fantasy setting is the ultimate cheat code for making mundane modern technology seem cool and overpowered, and being reincarnated as a fully grown person in a world with a pre-made story/game set-up completely bypasses the need for an author to slowly flesh out world-building in a natural progression so isekai is actually a really smart writing tool it's just that there are some series where the author didn't use it well at all and it's cheesy or clearly isekai was misused as a vehicle for character/story development and it was pointless *DEEP BREATH OUT*

in this essay i will argue...lol i am such a culture studies major!! if i were an english major i would be talking all about writing but here i am having a side-tangent about world-building via someone being reborn wow i love this for me (don't get me started on when an author has someone reincarnate as a baby and the story is mostly them having warm fluffy moments with their family--typically father figures--and getting lots of powers i could and would and probably will rant about east asian toxicity)

but anyway am i crazy????? like yes for being passionate about the technical use of a word like genre (i am a scorpio rising let me be fussy pls) but i don't think it's a lot to ask for ppl to not unironically see "villainess revenge isekai" as the definition of korean manhwa.

idk as someone who resonates with why japanese isekai is so popular domestically + why a lot of korean manhwa feat. the same tropes (it's not for great reasons lads it's actually depressing tbh) i'm just starting to feel kind of pained by the generalization and need to separate "cute japanese girl in an otome game"/"japanese boy finds a harem in another world" from "korean girl dies and comes back as a villainess" bc they are just! applications to the same story device!!

recommendations for any who makes it this far down below <3

// also gladly recommend any of the examples i've listed in the above rant as i've read/watched all of them and adore them v much! //

save me princess

super refreshing fantasy manhwa ft. a princess and her ex-boyfriend having to save the world!

the beginning after the end

an AMERICAN web novel turned into a comic (but see it being not korean/japanese doesn't really matter when you just consider isekai as a genre...isn't it nice to not overthink it?) ft. a super-powerful wizard king reincarnated into another world and starting from scratch--gives mushoku tensei vibes but huge twists!

the reason why raeliana ended up at the duke's mansion

love love LOVE this story--read the title and you'll learn how this girl reincarnated as the character raeliana in a book gets married to a duke!

trash of the count's family

such a good novel!! a guy gets reborn as a lazy oaf and he takes the hero of the story under his wing...plot twists come up later on!

this time i will definitely be happy!

v good and refreshing for a shorter series! she's been reborn 3 times and remembers every time the hero's stabbed her in the back, and now she just wants to break up with him!

silver diamond

older manga but v good adventure w intrigue! a boy who loves plants get sucked into a desert world with demonic lizards and a mysterious bodyguard by his side. shonen-ai not BL but wonderful vibes nonetheless + great side characters!

the princess imprints a traitor

adore everything in this from the world (not in that way this society makes me so angry) to the machinations at play and the dynamic between the fl and ml

[sapphire374]

Soy Sol: Chapter 5 (Lighting Up in a Rainy Town)

Wattpad Link

Ch. 1 / Ch.2 / Ch.3 / Ch.4 / Ch.6 / Ch.7 / Ch.8 / Ch.9 / Ch.10 / Ch.11 / Ch.12 / Ch.13 / Ch.14 / Ch.15 / Ch.16 / Ch.17

Luna and Matteo stunned by the announcement stare at each other with worry and unease. “What do you mean the Jam and Roller is shutting down?!” Luna blurted out right before Simón and Ámbar came rushing in. “Ok I think this is all a misunderstanding everybody. You see the Jam and Roller isn’t shutting down, here’s just a…. guy who does finances and is just checking up on the place. I think what he meant to say was that the Jam and Roller will shut down if nothing is kept in order with the payments, which it obviously has been cause I have my binder with all the receipts in them. So, no need to panic alright; everything is ok,” Ámbar announced to the gang pulling the man with the suit, who now has a confused expression on his face.

A wave of uncertainty is felt in the room. “Luna I’m worried this doesn’t add up right. The guy never mentioned any of those reasons. He said he came to do the final paperwork cause the Jam and Roller is closing,” Nina whispered to Luna. “You’re right Nina, this doesn’t add up. I think it’s time for Watson and Holmes to get on the case.” Luna and Nina each give each other a smirk cause the dynamic duo is back into investigating on a new mystery.

Matteo grabs Luna’s hand, takes her away from Nina, and pulls her out the door. “Where are you taking me, Chico Fresa?” Luna asked curiously. “Remember I told you I had a surprise. Well, it’s in the car.” Matteo and Luna walk to his car and stop at the Black Lamborghini in the parking lot. He opens the trunk and reveals a pair of shiny new skates. The pair is glittery pink and are laid on top of their box. Luna gasped at the thoughtful present Matteo displayed to her. “Matteo I... I…. I LOVE IT,” Luna exclaimed before running up to Matteo and giving him a bear hug. “And that’s not even the best part. The wheels light up. I purposely got this cause your Luna and Sol. Eres la luna y brillas como el sol. You’re Luna (Moon) and you shine like the sun. So, whenever you roller skate, the glitter will shimmer while the wheels light up just like you. Te quiero Chica delivery. I love you,” Matteo professed to Luna. Luna was in awe of Matteo’s gift and how he still remembers the exact same words he told her right before he kissed her at the Sky Concert. As tears were slowly falling on her cheek, she gave another hug to Matteo right before he kissed her.

Ámbar flips through the multitude of pages in her binder as the guy in a suit looks at her with a stern look in his face. “Sorry sir but are you sure we can’t wait any longer. Maybe we can still negotiate a deal with Vidia.” The guy immediately shakes his head and states, “I’m sorry but that’s not possible. Vidia doesn’t want to be a part of the Jam and Roller anymore, they have other ideas in mind for the future and those ideas do not include this place.” Simón holds Ámbar’s hand when he notices her teary eyed as she puts her other hand over her face in disbelief. “Look I’m sorry Ms. Smith but the deal is done. The Jam and Roller is now in the market to be purchased,” the guy responds to Ámbar. She swiftly looks up. “Mr. Tobias, What do you mean the Jam and Roller is up for sale? I thought Mr. Trabeck was going to buy it to turn it into a club and bar. Also, you can call me Mrs. Álvarez from now on.” Simón and Ámbar glance and give a smile to each other.

Mr. Tobias thinks for a second and replies, “Mr. Trabeck pulled out his offer and decided not to purchase this place so it’s currently up for sale.” Ámbar and Simón immediately look at each other with hope in their eyes. Yeah, the Jam and Roller is being sold but maybe, just maybe, the owner can preserve its originality and keep it the way it is.

Luna dashes inside with her new roller skates in hand. Nina notices and approaches her. “Luna are those new skates? They look beautiful!” Nina compliments. “Thank you, Nina. Matteo bought them for me! I’m so happy right now. He got me specific ones just for me and the words that he told me inside reassured my trust for him. I love him and he loves me. Ooh I can’t wait to try them on. I’m planning to head to the rink right now and skate in them so I can easily break them in and get well acclimated,” Luna stated to Nina with exhilaration in her voice. “Alright than I’ll leave you to it. See you later Luna. It’s getting late and I want to go home quickly so I can read the book that’s been waiting for me!” Nina gives Luna a hug and heads towards the exit as Luna runs to the rink with her new pair of roller skates in hand.

“Jim, I think we should go back to school so we can finish packing up our things to bring them back to our apartment,” Yam said to Jim. “Really…. Can we please stay a little while cause I’ve been dying to skate.” Yam shook her head in response to Jim and replied, “We shouldn’t, the quicker we get it done the quicker we can come back to roller skate tomorrow.” Jim nodded in agreement. “I can drive you guys back since I’m also going to head out,” Ramiro stated. The three amigos (friends) headed out the door.

As Matteo closes the trunk of his car, he notices at the corner of his eye Gastón walking towards him. “Hola Matteo. Wow nice car, didn’t know my buddy was already going to spend some of the cash he earned from his big sold-out tour.” Matteo laughed at Gastón’s compliment. “Originally I wasn’t planning on it, but I decided to treat myself after seeing how huge of a success the tour became to be,” Matteo boasted with excitement on his face. “Makes since, you totally deserve it.” Gastón than showed a worried look on his face. “Que te pasa? What’s the matter,” Matteo asked. “The thing is Nina got a call from Eric today. She’s planning to meet up with him tomorrow morning. She said they’re only friends, but I know Eric. He’s probably still heartbroken that Nina broke up with him. What if he tries to get her back? What if he's still not over her and tries to steal her away from me? This is not good! I should’ve told Nina that was a bad idea for her to agree to have a meeting with Eric,” Gastón pondered right before freaking out.

Matteo looked at his distraught friend. “Don’t worry too much about it. Remember Nina broke up with Eric because she didn’t have feelings for him in the first place. She’s always been in love with you. If your still super worried about her than… maybe… spy on them. See how the date goes,” Matteo suggests. “Spy on them? Heck no I’m not going to do that. What if she catches me,” Gastón immediately rejecting the idea. “If you do it right, she won’t find out. I once spied on Luna when she did that music video for Sebastian Villalobos and she never caught me. Trust me bro you’ll be fine.” Matteo’s advice calmed Gastón down as he contemplated on whether or not he should spy on Nina.

The phone in Matteo’s pocket starts ringing. Matteo picks it up. “Yes hello…. Oh hi Viviana…. Yeah I’m a little busy does it have to be right now…. Alright fine I’m on my way.” Matteo hangs up the phone and says goodbye to Gastón. “It seems like I have to go. Viviana apparently needs help with this song. I can’t reveal much other than the fact that she wants to release a collaboration soon. Rafael thinks it’s a great idea, so I have to help her,” Matteo revealed to Gaston. “Like I said before, I think Viviana is bad news and you should try to stay away from her as much as possible. I understand that your manager keeps pushing for you too to hang out more frequently but don’t trust her,” Gaston advised Matteo. “It’s ok. She means no harm and I only see her as a friend. Plus, now that my tour is over, I can finally hang out more with Luna.” Nina comes running to Gaston. “I’m ready mi amor.” Gastón and Nina say goodbye to Matteo as they all head to their cars and leave the parking lot.

Simón enters the rink and sees Luna skating with light up, shimmery roller skates. “Hola Luna! Love the skates. They finally glow just like you,” Simón cheered to Luna. She skates towards Simón and gives him a hug. “Oh, Simón I am just so in love with these skates! I won’t lie I still prefer my other ones, the pink and orange ones since I have so many memories with those, but I don’t know these new ones give me hope. Maybe someday the Roller team can get back together. I know we’re all very busy but who knows! It is the summer, and anything can happen,” Luna bubbled to Simón. Simón scratches his head and swallows hard. He feels bad keeping a very important secret from Luna but doesn’t want to break her heart. He knows how much the place means to her and doesn’t want to bring her down. “You never know Luna. Maybe Juliana comes back, or maybe when we have time, we can enter a competition,” Simòn swallows hard. “Oooh that would be incredible Simón. Truly a dream come true, but I guess I have to wait to see everyone’s decision, but I will propose it to them. Hopefully they say yes,” Luna gushed. “You never know.”

Pedro comes walking in with Delfi. “Simón, it’s getting late and me and Delfi are really tired. We just came back to say goodnight and don’t forget to lock up,” Pedro reminded Simón. “Yes of course Pedro. Buenas noches! Goodnight,” Simón replied. Everybody told each other goodnight and left the rink. Simón heads over to Ámbar in the cafeteria while Luna heads to the lockers to grab her stuff.

Simón sits down over to where Ámbar’s table is at and talk about the Jam and Roller. “Mi amor I don’t know whether to feel hopeful or worried that the Jam and Roller is for sale on the market. What if someone buys it to only remodel the place and get rid of the rink? Keeping this secret is just too much for me knowing how much this place means to all of our friends.” Ámbar holds Simón’s hand after admitting what’s been worrying her. “I know exactly how you feel but hopefully someone does buy it to keep it the way it is and don’t shut this place down. We just need to keep having hope and faith alright.” Simón caresses Ámbar’s face and hugs her as she lays her head on his shoulders. Little did they know Nina had entered and overheard their conversation.

Nina secretly sprints to the lockers to get her journal and sees Luna there. “Luna you would not believe what I just heard. So Simón and Ámbar were talking and apparently the Jam and Roller is up for sale and they may shut it down!” A terrified look is plastered on Luna’s face hearing Nina’s big news.

[yellowkeychain]

it’s 3AM 🥱

!!Sub!! Daichi Sawamura x !!Dom!! (gender neutral) reader

Disclaimer: aged up.

Genre: NSFW

Warnings: Overstim, Praise, Handjob, and Toy Play

Word Count: 1,900+

—————————

You’ve been seeing Daichi for a while now and you’re living with him in a studio apartment. The both of you are pretty comfortable, however, you haven’t done ‘it’ yet.

“(y/n)? I’m home!” Daichi yells from the doorway as he shuts it behind him, walking inside to find you sitting on the couch with your earbuds pushed into your ears as you doodling some, questionable, sketches of Daichi in your sketch book. You didn’t realize that he called for you until he taps your shoulder from behind, you take out an ear bud to listen to him as you keep doodling, not realizing that he’s actually behind you since you’re still in that ‘keep working’ phase. “Hey, hey (y/n),” he smiled softly peering over at your pencil, “whatcha drawi- uh- oh~,” he purrs into your ear as he leans down.

You start to panic, “Oh! uh- Hi Daichi!” You feel your cheeks flush red as you try your best to close the book before he can see anymore. You spring up from your seat and turn around to look at him while hiding the book behind your back. “W-Wh- heh- what are you doing home?” You stutter.

“Well, I got off early and thought I’d surprise you, but it seems it’s the other way around this time~,” he smirkes and walks around to you, placing his hand on your shoulder, “mind showing me the sketches you were doing of me just now? hmm?” He knows all too well what you were, planning, on doing before he walked in.

You look at your feet and slowly pull your hands out from behind your back, handing him the sketch book, only becuase you’re proud of how the sketches came out.

“Ooh~,” He dragged the word lowly, “Oh really.. you think it’s that big?” He switched to making eyecontact with you.

You look back confused, “what are you saying?”

“Well let’s just say you’re not wrong but not necessarily right either.” he winked and walked off to the bedroom, still clutching the book in his hands.

You stood there in confusion for a good few minutes before following him to the bedroom, wondering what the hell he was doing with your sketch book.

It was laying on the corner of the bed when you walked in. But where was Daichi? you wondered. You scanned the room and realized that the bathroom light was on under the door. Your curiosity got the better of you in that moment. And next thing you know you’re on your hands and knees with your cheek pressed against the carpet as you try to peek in through the bottom of the door. all you can see are his feet, and then you see his black joggers drop around his ankles. You still can’t quite make out what he’s putting on but you’re very exited to find out. he opens the door unexpectedly and stares down at you

“what do you think your doing, little pervert~” he squints his eyes softly and bends down to grab your arm and yank you up to his level.

You gulp and realize what he’s wearing. A white and black plaid skirt, just like how you drew. You bite your bottom lip and look down, “Are you wearing underwear under this?~” you put your hands on his hips, backing up to the bed and pushing him onto it. He lands on his elbows, looking up at you, biting his lip with want in his eyes.

“Go ahead.” He consents as he agusts his posture. leaning back onto his hands and shifting his legs softly as the tent in his skirt grows

You smile, knowing full well what you’re going to do. you sit beside him after taking your pants off, leaving you only in your underwear, You don’t heasitate to start teasing him over the fabric “keep eyecontact with me okay?”

He nods and moans softly. “can i hold your hand?..” He whines quietly.

You grab his hand in response and rub it with your thumb as you tease him more over the fabric.

“(y-y/n),” He stutters and squeezes your hand, rubbing his knees together.

“Yes baby?~” you grinned as you relax your hand over his hard-on.

“you’re not gonna- make me hold it, are you?~” he whimpers and squeezes your hand again.

“no, no baby~ I’d never do such a thing,” you reassured him, “well, that is unless you deserve that kind of punishment darling~” you smirk and finally move your hand under his skirt. You wrap your hand around his length and begin pumping your hand slowly, maintaining eyecontact to memorize the faces he makes.

“(y-y/n) i-” he moaned softly.

you pick up your pace a bit faster, “you what?~ hmm?~” you lean in and kiss his neck, leaving a bright red mark on his jawline.

“i- i want you~” He stuttered quietly and let his head fall back in pleasure.

“Oh?” You ask against his neck as you pick up the pace a little more, “I love it when you moan my name like that,~” You smile against his skin and start to bite along his shoulder.

“(Y/n)” He moaned louder and bit his lip.

You smile and rub up his hard on and kiss the tip before standing up and walking to the closet, “I’ll be back okay? don’t touch yourself while i’m in here~” you wink and close the door, grabbing a fairly large box.

Meanwhile, Daichi fights hugs urge to touch himself, trying his best to obey you, becuase he didn’t want that punishment that you had mentioned before.

You slowly open the door and walk out of the closet with the mysterious box under your arm.

“What’s that?” He asks raising a brow.

“Oh just some things that I’ll be using on you,~” You wink as you set it down on the bed, “Go ahead, take a peek.”

He nods softly and opens the box slowly, exited to see what’s inside. His eyes widen. Inside the box, there’s a relatively large dildo along with some slightly smaller ones, a small bluetooth vibrator, a ball gag, a pair of comfortable handcuffs, a small bottle of lube, a leash and collar, and a rope.

“I see someone has come prepared.-“ He gulps and reassures himself that you wouldn’t do anything horrible. He smirks and grabs largest dildo in the box shifting to make eyecontact with you and pressing the tip of it to his lips, kissing it before opening his mouth and pressing the tip to his tongue. He grabs the collar and leash next, shaking them softly as he looks you in the eyes. “I’m ready when you are, Master~” he purrs and sits up straighter.

You smirk and take the collar from him, loosely clipping it around his neck, then you take the leash and clip it onto the collar. “I’m going to make you cry. I’m just letting you know now.”

He nods softly and pushes the dildo further into his mouth, it hitting the back of the roof of his mouth.

You smile lightly and wrap your fingers around the bases of both Daichi’s length and the toy. You take the toy out of his mouth and slide it into your own, as you play with him. You soon take it out of your mouth and set it next to him. “Hands and knees for me baby” you command sweetly.

He nods and gets into the position you asked for. He smiles and lets his eyes fall to your waist line, there the hem of your underwear lay.

You smile and tilt his head by pushing his chin up slightly with your pointer and middle finger. You kiss him lightly, “Kiss for good luck,” you wink and grab the leash, tugging on it lightly.

He whined softly and bites the inside of his cheek. “mmmm~ master~” he moans with want in his voice.

You waisted no time, grabbing the large toy and coating it with lube, “Who’s a good boy for master?~” You tease as you walk around to his side, rubbing his entrance with the tip of the toy.

“M-me- I’m a good boy for master~” he whined.

You shove the toy in about half way without warning “that’s right~”

He yelps and chokes out another Moan, louder than before.

You grab the leash again, pulling it around behind him, tugging on it so it hits his Adam’s apple. You push your right hip against the base of the toy and grab his left hip with your free hand. You push the toy in and out with your him, making slow thrusting motions, and falling in love with his moans

“Ooooh fuck~” he whines, his eyes already filling with tears of pleasure. His abs tense up due to the feeling of pure bliss. He arches his back and stretches his arms out underneath him, letting his chest his the mattress, as you continue to tug on the leash.

You squeeze his hip and start moving your hips a bit faster, you pull the leash back as you leave a few hickeys on his lower back and waist line. You smirk and pound the toy into him harshly without warning causing him to cry out and the make the tears fall, “Master!~” he cries.

“Yes baby doll?~” you purr and move your leg upward so your thigh rubs his swollen length at the same pace as you’re thrusting.

“I-I’m gonna~ mmmh~” Daichi moans as he pulls a chunk of comforter in his mouth to quiet himself down. He moans into the fabric still very loudly as you play with him.

You take that as your que and stop, taking the toys base in the hand that was holding daichis hip, and start pumping it in and out of him quickly as you adjust his needy cock to the opening of your mouth, kissing the tip a few times and lick a line from the tip down to the base and back up again, before shoving it into your mouth, tending to it with your throat.

He moans loudly into the sheets. His moans become rather breathy and very close togeather as he eases into orgasm. “MAstEr!~” his moans crack as he shoots hot ropes down your throat. You moan around his length as you swallow the warm, thick liquid.

You slide out from under him, tugging the leash once more as you pull the toy out. Some of the remaining substance drips onto the sheets as he pants and whines into the cloth. You place the toy back in the box along with the leash and collar once you take them off of his bruised neck.

You bring his face up once more and kiss him on the lips deeply. “You were so so good for me baby~” you purr in his ear before you grab the box to put the box away.

“T-thank you~” he shutters and lays down, panting.

You walk around the bed and lay next to him, grabbing his hand and smiling, “I always knew you’d be whiny” you said under your breath and kiss his cheek.

He smiles and squeezes your hand. “Is it that obvious?” He says back with a nervous giggle.

You shrug and chuckle as you muzzle into his chest, “You are so pretty.~”

He blushes a deep red “thank you” he smiles.

“I love you Daichi.” You hum against his chest

“I love you too (y/n).” He yawns and kisses your forehead.

And before you know it you’re both asleep.

[thebrotherssalvatore321]

Keeping Secrets Ch. 11

Keeping Secrets Masterlist

Pairing: DamonxOc, TylerxOc, ElijahxOc, KlausxOc endgame. Warnings: Mental and physical abuse.

She woke up to Damon tickling her sides “You turned my alarm off again didn’t you?” she groaned as she rolled over then pressed her lips to his. He hummed as positive answer and rolled on top of her. When he nibbled on her neck she tilted her head to the side. “You can if you want.” Katie sighed as she slid her hands up his back and looped her arms around his gripping his shoulders.

Damon sighed and kissed her neck then nibbled on it. She thought he was going to bite her like she told him he could, but instead he started kissing her chest and looked into her eyes as he kissed down to her inner thigh. She watched as the whites of his eyes turned red and the veins under his eyes popped to the surface. A quiet whimper left her lips when he bit her and he slid his hand over hers, his way of telling her he was sorry that he hurt her.

Thirty minutes later Katie was getting dressed for school. “So Stefan has offered to help us open the tomb.” He told her from where he laid on her bed with his hands behind his head and his feet crossed.

“I thought he was totally against you opening the tomb.” She said as she pulled a black Linkin Park shirt over her head.

“Yeah, well, he’ll do anything to get me out of town. Including letting Katherine out.” Damon said with an eye roll as he sat up and spun to hang his feet off of the bed.

“And you believe him?” Katie asked as she walked over and grabbed her jeans off of the bed next to him.

“Nope, not for a second, but…” he stood up and watched her put on her pants, “I’m going to play along and let him think that I trust him.”

“So I’m guessing that I need to play along as well?” she asked and he hummed a positive answer then picked her up and walked her over to the roll top desk that had taken the place of the nicer one that had been in the room, and set her down on it as he started kissing her. She sighed and wrapped her legs around him when he started kissing her neck. Once again those three little words made their way to the front of her mind and were on the tip of her tongue, but she bit her lips closed. Eventually he kissed his way to the other side of her neck and threaded his fingers through her loose waves. “Do you know how badly I want to ditch school and lock myself in here with you all day?”

“Mmhmm.” He hummed then stopped kissing her and turned his back to her. “Hop on.”

She rolled her eyes at him, but jumped on his back without question. He held her legs around him while she held on to his shoulders. “Where are we going?” she asked with a small laugh.

“Somewhere.” He answered playfully as he left her bedroom.

When she realized where he was taking her she spoke up. “Why are you taking me to Stefan’s room?” she asked as he came to Stefan’s door at the top of the stairs.

“Because he and Elena are probably having as good of a morning as ours and I want to ruin it.” he answered honestly. “Plus the four of us need to have a little chat. Now be a dear and open the door for me.” Katie just laughed as she let go of his shoulders and opened the door. “Rise and shine sleepy heads.” Damon chimed as he walked in and set Katie down on the floor.

“What are you doin’?” “Damon, please!” Stefan and Elena said at the same time.

“Katie, what are you doin’ here?” Elena asked when she noticed Katie behind Damon.

“Has Stefan not told you that I live here now?” Katie asked with a tilt of her head and a look at Stefan.

“Not here in this house here. Here as in Stefan’s bedroom.” Elena cleared up as she pulled the white sheet higher up her body.

“Apparently the four of us need to talk so…” Katie answered with a shrug then motioned at Damon.

“Seriously, get out of here.” Stefan told them.

“If I see something I haven’t seen before, I’ll throw a dollar at it.” Damon said as he walked in and sat down on the bed beside where Stefan was laying. Elena raised her eyebrows at him and Katie snickered as she walked over and leaned against the foot board of the bed. “Now listen. We have some very important business to discuss.”

“And it has to be right now?” Elena asked upset about them ruining their morning. Katie felt bad about it, but then she remembered the fight they’d had the other night and she no longer felt bad.

“Well, we have lots to do now that we’re all friends and working toward a common goal.” He said then stood up and wrapped his arm around Katie’s waist. “So in order to open the tomb, we need to find the journal to get the grimoire to undo the spells. First thing first,” he looked at Elena and pointed at her, “Since you are Elena Gilbert, you’re on journal duty.”

“Since when am I helping?” Elena asked as Katie watched Stefan resituate in the bed, the white sheet sliding down his nude torso.

“Well, Stefan’s helping and since you’ve taken up residence in Stefan’s bed, ergo…” Damon told them then looked at Katie to see her looking at Stefan. While Stefan was talking to Elena Damon snapped his fingers in Katie’s face. When she gave him a frown he gave her a what-are-you-doing look. She just smirked and shook her head at him.

“I’ll look for it today.” Elena told Stefan then covered her head with the sheet.

“Thank you.” Damon told her even though he couldn’t see her.

“How do we know that this journal will hold the location of the grimoire?” Stefan asked. “We’re really going to take the word of this vampire? He seemed like a bit of a dimwit.”

“Do you have any better leads?” Katie asked earning a stay out of it look from Stefan and a smirk from Damon.

“Ok, what exactly is a grimoire, anyway?” Elena asked coming back out of the covers.

“It’s a witch’s cookbook.” Damon answered.

“If Wikipedia is right it contains instructions on how they create talismans and how to perform spells and charms.” Katie spoke up. “Basically it like the little recipe boxes that most moms put their super secret recipes in.” Katie answered earning an impressed smirk from Damon.

“Every spell that a witch casts is unique unto itself. So every witch would document their work.” Stefan answered in a less metaphorical way.

“Yeah, cookbook.” Damon said brushing off how Stefan described it.

“What about our mystery vampire?” Stefan asked. “Dimwit obviously wasn’t working alone. So whoever’s out there knows who we are.”

“And I don’t like that disadvantage, so…” Damon clapped his hands, “Chop, chop.” He turned his back to Katie and kneeled down with his arms out to the side for her to jump back onto his back. She smiled and jumped as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “You know, I really like this whole ménage-foursome team thing.” He called as he walked to Stefan’s door. “It’s got a bit of a kink to it.” he said then laughed, “don’t screw it up.” He sing songed then tickled Katie’s leg making her yelp then laugh as he walked down the stairs.

After having a small breakfast Katie grabbed her bag and her phone, but couldn’t find her keys. “Damon, do you have my keys?” she called as she headed into the living room to find him sitting on the couch with her keys dangling from his finger and a smirk on his face. She smirked deviously and tapped her chin in thought trying to come up with a way to get them from him. “Hmm.” She hummed as she walked over, straddled his lap and pecked him on the lips then started kissing his neck. He sighed and placed his hands on her shoulder blades where she wouldn’t be able to reach her keys. “Please give me my keys?” she begged quietly. He laughed breathily and shook his head no. “Give me my keys and I’ll…” She leaned down and started whispering dirty things in his ear.

“Ooh, I like the sound of that.” His husky voice that made her insides shiver. She smiled and held her hand out for her keys. “You are lucky I like you so much.” He smiled and slapped the keys into her hand.

“Thank you.” she whispered as she leaned down and started kissing him.

“Seriously guys, not on the couch.” Stefan said as he and Elena walked in on them. Elena just stared at them with wide eyes never having seen her friend in such a position with a guy before.

Katie just laughed and slid back off of Damon to land on her feet and stood up. “Will I see you at the grill later?” Katie asked as she straightened her book bag on her shoulder and looked down at Damon.

“I’m probably still going to be busy looking for this stupid Gilbert journal.” He sighed and stood up and followed her to the door. “Have a good day at school.” He smiled and kissed her before he walked out of the door and shut it behind her.

Later that day Katie stood at the bar washing glasses and putting them away because Ben had decided to take the day off and go on a date with Bonnie. When she looked up from the sink she saw Ben and Bonnie walk in and sit down at a table in her section. So she pulled her note pad out and headed over to their table not bothering to grab menus since they both probably knew them by heart now. “What can I get you guys?” Katie asked as she walked over. They told her their drink orders and said they had already eaten and wouldn’t be ordering food. She was giving them their drinks when Damon and Jeremy walked in. Damon sat at a table by himself and Jeremy met up with a girl she’d seen at the grill with him a few times. She pulled out her phone and texted Damon. “What’s up? I thought you were tracking down the journal.”

She saw him pull out his phone and text her back. “I am. Jeremy’s little girlfriend has it.” she read then looked at him one more time then got back to work to keep from distracting him. As soon as Jeremy and Anna left Damon did too. A few minutes later Katie was finishing up putting away the glasses when she looked up and saw Bonnie kiss Ben then pull back as if he had burned her. Bonnie looked at Katie and they frowned at each other. “What’s wrong?” Katie mouthed but Bonnie turned back to Ben. She watched them until Bonnie stared toward the bathroom then took a quick turn for the doors.

Katie’s eyes went wide when she saw Ben whoosh in front of Bonnie and put his hand over her mouth as he pulled her out of the grill. She stopped what she was doing and headed for the back exit, texting Damon as she walked. She was about to hit send as she opened the back door, but Ben came out of nowhere and hit her in the back of her head, making her world go black.

TVDTVDTVD

The sound of the bathroom door shutting woke Katie up. “Katie?” Elena asked and Katie opened her eyes with a groan as she grabbed the back of her head.

“Elena?” Katie asked as she looked around and saw Elena standing near the door and Bonnie still passed out in the bathtub. “Where are we?” she asked looking around the small, hotel looking bathroom. “God, Bonnie...” Katie groaned and pointed at her witch friend. “Check on Bonnie.”

Elena wet a rag and started pressing it to Bonnie’s head. “Bonnie?” Elena asked when she saw Bonnie’s eyes start to open.

“Elena?” Bonnie asked as Katie appeared behind her. “Katie?”

“You’re okay.” Elena calmed her.

“Ugh, my head…” Bonnie complained then realization hit. “Oh my god, Ben is a-“

“Sush.” Elena cut her off, tapped her ear and pointed to the room. “They can hear.”

Katie stood up, turned on the faucet then put the toilet seat down and sat down. “I was so stupid!” Bonnie whispered as she sat up.

“No, he had all of us fooled.” Elena told her quietly.

“What’s going on? Why are we all here?” Bonnie asked.

“My guess is it has something to do with Emily’s grimoire. Anna had the Gilbert Journal so she wants that tomb open too. In order to do that they need a witch to do the reversal spell i.e. you.” Katie explained as she closed her eyes in pain and pressed a hand to the back of her head.

“What?” Bonnie asked with a look between her friends. “Why didn’t I know about any of this?”

“I don’t know why Katie didn’t say anything, but I was trying to keep you out of it, hoping it would never come to this.” Elena answered not looking at Katie.

“Yeah I’m apparently slow, I didn’t put two and two together until now. You’re a descendant of the witch that put the spell on the tomb, it would make since that you’d be the one they want to break it.” Katie said as she sat up and put her head in her hands.

“No way, I won’t do it.” Bonnie said with a shake of her head. Ben busted in making all of them jump. He turned the water off and glared at Bonnie. “You’re wasting your time. I’m not gonna do it.”

Ben just smiled and grabbed Elena and Katie, holding them by the backs of their shirts. “That’s why they’re here. Motivation for you to behave.” Ben smiled at Bonnie. “You know, you shouldn’t be so desperate. You made it too easy.” Ben threw Katie to the side and opened the bathroom door. “She wants to talk to you.” He pushed Elena out the door then shut it behind her staying in the bathroom with Katie and Bonnie.

After a while Anna knocked on the door and Ben grabbed the two girls by the arm. “Hey, I’m leaving. Keep them buttoned down.” She told Ben then glared at him. “Compulsion won’t work. Just use violence.”

“Right, I got that.” Ben told her aggravated then pushed Katie and Bonnie to sit on the bed next to the one Elena was sitting on. “Sit. Behave.” Ben practically barked at them then looked at Bonnie. “So you’re the key to this. Literally.” He took his jacket off and put it on the back of the wooden chair that sat in the middle of the room. “Tell me, how long have you been a witch?” he asked Bonnie as he sat on the arm of the chair.

“Is there anything to drink here?” Elena asked taking the heat off of Bonnie.

“Are you offering?” he asked standing up to tower over her with a smile. “There’s water on the night stand.”

Elena grabbed the glass and was about to take a drink when Bonnie asked, “Hey. Can I have a sip?” Elena gave her a questioning look. Katie, who’s face was hidden from Ben by her red waves, mouthed the word fire and Elena handed Bonnie the glass. Bonnie threw it on Ben and set it on fire. While he freaked out the three girls ran for the door.

Bonnie and Katie got out, Katie leading the way, but he got the fire out and grabbed Elena. “Come back in, shut the door!” he yelled.

Bonnie and Katie looked at each other before Katie looked at Ben. “Please, don’t hurt her.” Katie asked.

“Don’t make me!” he yelled. Katie and Bonnie looked at each other to see what the other thought they should do. A part of Katie wanted to run and leave them behind, but another, much bigger, part knew that if she ran Ben would most likely hurt both of her friends and she couldn’t let that happen. So she gave Bonnie a nod and they both went back inside. “Lock it!” Ben yelled so Katie turned her back on him and locked the dead bolt and the chain. Ben grabbed Bonnie and threw her into the bathroom.

Katie and Elena were sitting on separate beds when the door was kicked in by Stefan who threw the curtains open making Ben yell and dive for shade. “Stefan!” Elena yelled and ran to him while Katie ran to the bathroom and got Bonnie.

“Get outside.” Stefan told them and Katie and Bonnie ran out of the door behind Elena.

Stefan said something that Katie couldn’t make out to Ben then came back outside and they started walking. “How did you figure out where we were?” Katie asked running to catch up to Stefan’s quick steps.

“Bonnie’s grandma did a locater spell for me.” He answered as they walked into the town square.

“Did Damon know where we were?” Katie asked wanting to know why it wasn’t Damon who had just rescued her.

“He knew you were missing and he couldn’t have cared less about finding you.” Stefan answered uncaringly.

Katie walked quietly behind the rest of them with her arms crossed over her chest until they got to Bonnie’s gram’s house. “So what do we do now?” Elena asked as they walked into the dining room of Grams house.

“Well for now you need to stay here.” Stefan answered.

“A prisoner, in my own home? I don’t think so.” Grams said from where she and Bonnie sat at the dining table while Katie, Elena and Stefan stood around them.

“I can’t protect you if you leave the house.” Stefan argued.

“We’ll protect ourselves.” Grams argued back.

“Katie, I know you’ve been helping him, but we need you to switch teams.” He told her with his usual brooding face. “I know you think he cares about you but he doesn’t. He’s manipulating you.”

“We need to let him have Katherine back.” Elena interrupted getting confused looked from all of them. “He’s not gonna stop until her gets her. If we help him, maybe that ends it.”

“No. He doesn’t deserve to get what he wants.” Bonnie argued with a look over her shoulder at Elena. Katie bit her lips in order to keep herself from starting a fight.

“What other choice do we have?” Elena asked and Katie couldn’t help but wonder why she was actually on Damon’s side.

“Witches being pulled down by vampire problems… As much as we try to do to say out of it.” Grams said with a mad look at all of them then turned her eyes to Stefan. “I’ll open the tomb. You get your brothers girl and destroy the rest with fire. Then this will be all over.”

“We still have to get Damon to agree.” Stefan said with his arms crossed over his chest.

“He already agreed once.” Elena pointed out.

“Yeah, and then we double crossed him.” Stefan replied making Katie frown.

“How did you double cross him?” Katie asked making Stefan and Elena look at her.

“We found the grimoire, without him. He force fed me his blood and threatened to kill me in order to get it back.” Elena told her with her snooty face on.

“So now he’s angry.” Stefan added with a shoulder shrug. “Katie, do you think you can get him to agree to our plan? He trusts you, he’s said so himself.” Stefan asked.

Katie sighed and placed her forearms on the table as she leaned down and rested her forehead on them. She didn’t know what to do. It was a given that the vampires that were in that tomb needed to be killed. There were enough vampires in town as it was, but they were offering to get Katherine out first, the only reason Damon wants the tomb opened at all. She stood up and ran her hand through her hair pushing it out of her face. “How do I know that you’re not lying to my face right now? How do I know that you aren’t just saying all of this to use me to get him on board then when the time comes you kill Katherine too?” she asked.

“Katie we wouldn’t do that to you.” Elena stepped up trying to make Katie understand.

“You and Bonnie might not,” she turned her green eyes to Stefan’s, “but I don’t trust you Stefan. I’ve heard too much from Damon about the kind of person you can be and I don’t blame him for not trusting you.”

“Katie, please, I am begging you. Help us and I promise we will let Katherine out.” Elena put her hands on Katie’s shoulder and gave her a light shake.

“Fine, okay? Fine.” Katie brushed Elena hands off of her. “I’ll go talk to him, but I’m not promising anything. Especially if he cares for me as little as Stefan says he does.” Katie left them behind and walked to the grill where her car had been left.

She found Damon in the library of the boarding house. He grabbed his jacket off of the back of the chair and started to grab the grimoire when he spotted Katie standing in the doorway. “Hi.” He told her with a smirk.

She crossed her arms over her chest and didn’t smile back. “Did you know that Anna and Ben were holding me hostage?” she asked as she walked down the steps and into the library to stand across from him. He hummed a positive answer. “So you were just going to leave me there?”

“No, I was going to get you back tonight, after the tomb is opened.” He told her as he set the grimoire down and placed his hands on her hips.

“So after you get your vampire girlfriend back?” she asked knowing that once he has Katherine back he’ll no longer care about her.”

“Yep.” He answered popping the p at the end of the word.

“Right, well despite the face that you were going to leave me to be tortured all day, I convinced Bonnie to help you.” she told him as she placed her hands on his chest. “The plan is: Open the door, break the seal, get Katherine out and torch the rest of them.”

Damon pressed his forehead to hers and looked into her eyes. “Can I trust you?”

“You’ll always be able to trust me, Damon. No matter what happens I’ll always be on your side.” She told him as she slid her hands up to rest on each side of his neck.

“Thank you.” he whispered then pressed his lips to hers and what almost felt like a goodbye kiss.

“So tonight’s the night huh?” she asked as she let go of him and picked up the grimoire.

“Yep.” He answered and took the book from her when she held it out to him.

“Okay. Then let’s get this over with.” She grumbled and headed for the front door with Damon on his heels.

The car ride to the church was quiet so Katie started talking realizing that this might be the last time she was ever alone with him. “So I’ve been thinking.” She started making him look across his shoulder at her. “I’m going into the tomb with you and I’ll give Katherine my blood.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” He argued.

“I know you grabbed a blood bag, but wouldn’t it be better for her to have the fresh stuff?” she asked and he couldn’t understand how even though she loved him she was still trying to do right by the other woman.

“Katie I really don’t think you should go in there. There are going to be ugly desiccated vampires everywhere.”

“Like it or not I’m with you until you’re with her.” she told him stubbornly.

He smiled and rested his hand on the back of her neck, rubbing it with his thumb lovingly. “I love” he almost said you, but he paused.

“If you want to say it just say it.” she told him without looking at him.

“You sure?” he asked with a glance over at her.

“Yeah, tonight’s going to hurt regardless. I might as well know how you really feel before it’s over. Stefan seems to think it’s all been an act to manipulate me into helping you and having sex with you. I want to know the truth.” She told him still not looking at him.

“Katie look at me.” He told her, but she couldn’t make herself do it. He pulled the car over and stopped. “Look at me Katie Cat.” She finally looked at him fighting hard to keep the tears from her eyes. “I love you.” he told her looking her in the eyes as he cupped her face in his hands. “I’m I am so sorry I’ve done this to you. I never wanted to hurt you.”

“Then don’t.” her words came out broken as a tears slipped down her cheek. “Leave her in there and live the rest of my life with me.”

Damon squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his forehead to hers. “I can’t do that. You deserve so much better than any life I could ever give you. You’re supposed to become a doctor and have kids and all the things come with being a human.”

“I don’t want any of that.” Katie argued.

“That’s a lie and you know it.” he told her as he let go of her face and pulled back out onto the road. “I owe it to her to get her out of there.” He told Katie in a firm voice that let her know their moment was over and there was nothing she could do to keep tonight from happening.

When they pulled up near the church Katie saw that there were a bunch of cars around and when they got out of the car they could hear music. Of course a party would be going on tonight of all nights. They ran into Caroline and Matt on their way to the church, but Caroline could tell that Katie wasn’t in a good mood and kept the conversation short.

Damon whistled when they got within earshot of the church. “Brother.” He greeted Stefan. “Witches.” Damon walked past them.

Stefan turned to Katie. “Everything okay?”

“Peachy.” Katie popped off with a sarcastic smile. Then headed down into the tomb herself.

Not long after, Bonnie, Grams, Elena and Stefan joined them. “Air, earth, fire.” Grams said as she lit three torches.

“Water.” Bonnie added as she held up a bottle of water and handed it to her grams.

“That’s it, just water from the tap?” Elena asked.

“As opposed to what?” Grams asked.

“I just figured maybe it would have to be blessed or mystical or something.” Elena answered earning a smile from the older woman.

It was quiet as they all watched Grams and Bonnie getting ready. Damon walked over and stood behind Katie wrapping his arms around her shoulders as he leaned over to Stefan and said, “Admit it, you can’t wait to get rid of me.”

Stefan gave him a small smile and a head shake. “I can’t wait to get rid of you.”

Damon hummed and leaned around Katie and pecked her on the cheek. “We’re ready.” Bonnie told them from where he and Grams stood in the middle of their circle. The two of them joined hands and started speaking an old sounding language. After a few minutes the flames of the torches spiked and the stone door that Damon and Katie stood in front of opened. “It worked.”

“Of course it worked.” Grams replied to her granddaughter not looking at her but at the door.

“I’m gonna go get the gasoline, I’ll be right back.” Stefan told Elena then headed up the stairs.

“You ready?” Damon asked as he held his hand out for Katie’s.

“Yep.” Katie smacked her hand into his.

“What?” Bonnie asked with a confused look between Damon and her friend.

“Did you really think I was going to go in there by myself so you can seal me in?” he asked and Bonnie looked at Katie as if she had betrayed her.

“That wasn’t part of the plan.” Grams told Katie with a look that told her not to go in.

“It’s part of my plan and it looks like I was right not to trust you guys.” She looked up at Damon and jerked her head to the open stone door.

“Don’t take her in. I’ll bring the walls down.” Grams warned him.

“You’ll bring the walls down if I don’t. You think I trust you?” Damon asked.

“Only as much as I trust you.” Grams popped off.

“Enough!” Katie stopped them. “Both of you. We’re going inside and I’d really like it if we both survived it. We stick to the original plan and everyone wins.” Katie told them then disappeared behind the door, dragging Damon in behind her. They wandered the dark tombs. She had a flashlight and him a torch, but he let go of her hand and left her behind. “Damon?” she called as she slowly navigated the tomb, trying not to trip over desiccated vampires. “Damon?”

Someone grabbed her from behind and she screamed as she was turned around and her flashlight landed on Anna’s face. “You really are stupid enough to do anything for him aren’t you?” Anna asked her and Katie took a step back from her only to stumble over someone’s leg. “Mother?” Katie shined her light on a vampire woman who was leaning against the stone wall. “Mother.” Ana rubbed her shoulder then turned to Katie. “Your boyfriend did this you know.”

“His father did this not Damon.” Katie argued. “But I’ll help her if you’ll let me.” Katie pulled a small pocket knife out of her back pocket and opened it.

“Why would you help me?” Anna asked from where he kneeled next to her mom. “What’s the catch?”

“Because I’d do anything to get my mother back.” Katie answered. “The only thing I ask is that she doesn’t drink me dry and you don’t tell anyone that it was my blood that got her out of here.”

“Okay, we have a deal.” Anna nodded so Katie kneeled down, wrapped her hand around the blade of the knife and quickly pulled the edge across her palm. Anna’s mom started stirring as the scent of Katie’s blood.

Katie cupped her hand and held it up to the woman’s mouth that opened wider as her blood slipped between her lips. “Come on, Anna’s mom, drink up.” Katie told the woman not knowing her name.

“Her name is pearl.” Anna told her.

Katie nodded then looked up when Stefan appeared, “Katie, I heard you scream.” He told her then realized what she was doing. “What are you doing?” he asked with frown.

“Being cooperative.” Katie replied and wiggled her fingers in an attempt to get more blood flowing and Pearl closed her mouth over the cut, the color flooded back to the woman’s skin. So Katie pulled her hand back. “If that’s not enough to get her out of here I’m sorry. I have to find Damon and Katherine.” Katie told Anna and stood up, pressing the bottom of her shirt to her hand.

“Thank you.” Anna told her then turned to her mother who said her name.

“Get out of here, Katie, I’ll find Damon.” Stefan told her and put his hand on her shoulder to push her out of the tomb, but Katie pulled back.

“I told Damon I would be with him till the end of us an I meant it. You go if you want, but I’m finding him.” She turned from him and ventured further into the tomb not paying attention to where he went.

“Katie, Damon and I aren’t coming out.” Stefan told her looking sad. “Bonnie and her grandma didn’t break the seal, they just opened the door.”

“Does Elena know you’re trapped in here?” Katie asked with creased brows.

Stefan nodded. “I heard you scream. I had to make sure you were safe.” he answered and Katie looked at him realizing that maybe he cared about her more than he let on. “Let’s go find Damon. They’re working on breaking the seal, but it won’t last long.” He placed his hand on her back and they started walking the tunnel until they found Damon.

“Damon?” Katie asked seeing him kick the wall in frustration.

“She’s not here.” She told her walking the room like a trapped tiger.

“What?” Stefan asked, pushing Katie behind him.

“She’s not here!” Damon yelled and threw the blood bag he had been planning on giving Katherine against the wall causing blood to splatter everywhere.

“Damon we need to get out of here.” Stefan told him.

“It doesn’t make sense. They locked her inside.” He said more to himself than Katie and Stefan.

“If we don’t leave now, we’re not getting out.” Stefan tried to get through to Damon, but he wasn’t listening.

“How could she not be in here?” he asked still pacing the room.

“It’s not worth spending all of eternity down here!” Stefan yelled at him. “She’s not worth it!”

“No!” Damon shoved Stefan.

“Damon!” Katie finally untied her tongue getting Damon’s attention. “I can’t lose you. Please.” She held her hand out to him.

He shrugged his jacket sleeve that had slipped off of his shoulder during his rampage back on and walked past her, not taking her hand. She and Stefan followed him out of the tomb. The door slammed shut behind them and Elena threw herself into Stefan’s arms as soon as she could. Elena and Stefan ran up the stirs to outside where Jeremy was lying on the ground knocked out while Katie followed Damon up the stairs. Elena walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist before Katie had the chance to. “I’m sorry.” She told him while Stefan and Katie just watched the weird exchange.

When Elena let him go Katie walked over and got his attention. “Come on, I’ll drive you home.” He shook his head no but handed her his keys.

“Take my car home.” He told her numbly and she just nodded.

She drove Damon’s car to the boarding house and left his keys in the seat then got into her car and headed to Bonnie’s grams house. As she let herself inside she heard Bonnie crying and Elena talking rushed and tensely to someone on the phone. Katie followed their voices to Grams bedroom to see Bonnie crying hysterically holding her grandmothers hand. As Katie looked at the older woman she realized she wasn’t breathing and tears started slipping down her cheeks. “Oh my god, Bonnie.” Bonnie looked over her shoulder at Katie who fell to her knees and wrapped her arms around her friend. Elena hung up the phone and joined them in their group hug.

It was two in the morning when the ambulance drove away with Gram’s, who had been pronounced dead at the scene, in the back. The three girls stood on the porch as it drove away. “Do you want us to stay with you?” Katie asked from where she stood beside her friend.

“No, I really need to be by myself right now.” Bonnie said with a shake of her head and Katie looked at Elena to see what she thought about it.

Elena nodded. “Okay, well, don’t be afraid to call one of us if you change your mind.” She told her.

“Or both of us, we won’t care.” Katie added as she walked down the porch steps.

“Thank you guys.” Bonnie told them then went back inside.

“You think she’ll be okay?” Katie asked as she wiped her stuffy, sore nose with a tissue.

“Not for a long time.” Elena said as she walked past her.

TVDTVDTVD

Katie walked into the boarding house and was greeted by Stefan. “Hey, I heard about grams. You okay?” he asked as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

“Not really.” Katie answered as she walked past him.

“Well, you know where my rooms at if you ever need to talk about…anything.” He told her as he moved up to walk beside her. “Just…knock, next time.” He told her referring to how she and Damon burst in this morning.

“You got it.” she told him as he parted ways, him headed to his room while she headed to the living room where she found Damon with a glass of bourbon in his hand as he stared at the fire in the fire place.

“So Katherine’s alive.” He told her where she stood between the couches that sat on either side of the fireplace.

“What?” Katie asked with a creased brow.

“Yep. She has been this whole time.” He told her. “Apparently she was in Chicago in 1983.” He said as he stood up and finally looked at her.

It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that Katherine didn’t give a shit about Damon. “I’m so sorry.” Katie’s hand fisted her necklace.

Damon downed the bourbon then went to the set of crystal on a table that set behind one of the couches and refilled the glass. "You're welcome to keep staying here, but we're over."

"What?" Katie asked, staring at him with wide, shocked eyes as her heart leapt into her throat.

"You heard me." He said as he grabbed his glass and walked over to her. "We're done, just like we planned all along."

"The plan was for you to be with Katherine and that didn't happen. So no, were not over." Katie argued.

"Yes we are!" Damon yelled and threw the glass against the wall then whooshed over pinning her to the wall with her hands in his on each side of her head. "Get this through your thick little skull. I...don't...want you."

"Damon." Stefan's voice pulled Katie's eyes to him where he stood behind Damon at the end of one of the couches. "Let her go."

She turned her eyes back to Damon and leaned as far forward as she could to get in his face. “And you get this through yours. I…love…you.” she glared into his eyes that kept glaring into hers. “I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone.” The only thing keeping her from crying was her anger. “But you should know, if you push me away right now, I will not come back to you. No matter how much you beg me, how much you say you miss me it will…not…work. So think long and hard about what you’re doing right now.” She leaned her head back against the wall and stayed quiet for what felt like forever, glaring at him, giving him time to think, before she said, “Simple question. Simple yes or no answer, are we really over?”

Damon leaned down to get in her face and said, “Yes” then let go of her hands and backed up not breaking eye contact with her. She moved around him and gave Stefan a nod of thanks then went to her room.

That night she cried herself to sleep feeling more alone than she had in a very long time.

TVDTVDTVD

The next few days seemed to be a messy blur of helping Bonnie with her grams funeral, and Damon dragging multiple women to the house and partying with them at all hours of the day and night.

After Grams funeral Katie came home to see Damon with a blond on his lap as he drank from her neck. As always the sight sent a dagger through her chest and she had to bite back her tears. "Katie!" Damon called her name in a cheery voice seeing her watching him from the entry way. He pushed the girl to the side and walked over to her. "You look hot in black. Who are you all dressed up for?"

She just looked up at him with eyes that were red from crying and put her hand on the table to her right that had shards of broken glass that used to be a vase on it. She didn't know what happened and she didn't really care. "Gram’s funeral." She answered coldly as she discreetly inched a piece of the glass into her hand.

"You should join us, have some fun." He suggested with a smile, his face smudged with the woman’s blood, as he put his hand on the table next to hers.

Katie smiled back then let the smile turn to a sneer as she slammed the glass into the back of his hand. His face didn't show the slightest hit of pain. "Fuck you, Damon."

That night, after she had changed out of the black lace funeral dress, showered and made sure her school work was in order for Monday, she heard a knock on her door. She closed her journal and walked over to the door, but paused when her hand grabbed the knob. "Who it is?" She asked suspiciously.

"It’s just me, Stefan." She heard from the other side so she pulled the door open.

"Hi." She said with a forced smile. Real ones didn't come easily anymore. She left the door open and sat down in the center of her bed.

"I know Elena's a mess, but how are you?" He asked as he moved her desk chair over to the foot of the bed and set down.

"Oh I'm walking on freaking sunshine." She quipped as she moved around to sit cross legged. Stefan smiled at her sarcasm. "Every time I walk in and see Damon with some compelled slut in his lap it’s just another ray that gets added." She said as she turned her eyes to her hands as she picked at her cuticles.

"I wasn’t just saying it to be nice when I told I was here if you ever needed to talk." Stefan told her as he leaned forward putting his elbows on his knees. "I want us to be friends, Katie."

"The last guy that told me he wanted to be my friend ripped my heart out and keeps repeatedly stabbing it." Katie replied looking up from her hands in her lap to seeing him looking at her with an extra crease in his always brooding brow. "You want to know how I'm doing?" She asked turning her eyes back down to her hands. "Three months ago I lived with someone who would randomly beat me for shit that I didn't do. Now I live with someone who hurts me every time I walk through the door."

"I'm sorry." She could tell when she looked at his green eyes that he meant it.

"When we were packing my stuff Damon found my parents will, hidden in my father’s old desk. According to it my parent’s house becomes mine when I turn eighteen.” Katie hadn’t told anyone about her parents will. There hadn’t been a good opportunity. “So I’ll only be here until February. After that I’ll kick my grandfather out, get my house back and be out of your hair.”

“You’re not in my hair.” He told her with a shake of his head. “You know I was the one that suggested that you stay here, right?” he asked.

Katie gave him a suspicious side look. “Really?”

“Why is that so hard to believe?” he asked. “You need a room, we have plenty.” He said with a motion around him.

“I guess I can believe it.” She said as she looked down and started picking fuzz from her comforter. “I mean you did run into a tomb that you didn’t know if you could get out of just to save me.” She pointed out. “Thank you by the way.”

“How’s your hand?” he asked with a nod toward her left hand.

She held it up showing him the two inch slash mark that had scabbed over. “It’s healing.”

“You will too, you know. It’s just going to take time.” He told her.

“Yeah, but I cut this one earlier when I stabbed Damon with a piece of broken glass.” She said as she held up her right hand. “How’s that for an analogy?” she asked as she let it fall to her lap and he just shook his head.

“First loves always hurt the worst.” He told her as he leaned back in the chair.

“Who said he was my first love?” she asked and he just rolled his eyes at her. “Yeah, okay, I guess it was obvious.” She said with a roll of her own eyes.

“Okay, I may be a vampire, but I still need sleep.” He said with a sigh as he stood up and walked over to her door. “Goodnight Katie.”

“Night.” She called as he walked out and shut the door behind him.

[deepwaterwritingprompts]

ooh ask day! are you working on any of your own writing at the moment? what excites you about it? is your writing similar to your prompts in any way? or do the prompts fulfill something else for you?

mainly im working on getting my first novel published, which you can read about HERE. otherwise, the sequel, an adult fiction project, and an urban fantasy type YA about a town called florida. in florida. Florida, florida.

Florida project, working title BORDERLINE, is the most in line with my general prompt vibe here. a little cosmic horror, bent reality, just generally odd.

I never write stuff based off the prompts, but I DO write prompts based off my own stuff, very occasionally. for me, writing prompts is like scales for a musician. keeps my brain well oiled.

*still taking asks, no requests please*

anyway, ive been working on Florida project a lot lately. have an excerpt:

Backpage:

Lin O’Leary was born and raised in the town of Florida, Florida, tucked away into a corner of the state’s forgotten coast. All the locals know Florida is a strange place, rumored to stand on a borderline, where the veil is thin and mysterious forces wander alongside the human population. The daughter of Irish and Mexican immigrants, Lin knows you can only find trouble if you go looking for it, and like the rest of Florida’s residents, lives comfortably alongside the supernatural. This is before Momoko Kasahara disappears into thin air, frightening the town of Florida into a new, ultra-cautious existence. Five years after Momo’s disappearance, Lin is seventeen, a highschool dropout now working at a convenience store, her once vibrant town still plagued by fear. The days drag by, mundane as they come in Florida, occasionally punctuated by unpleasant visits from Bo Kasahara, brother to Momo and full time asshole. Then, one fateful late shift, Lin sees the missing Kasahara twin standing in the aisles, gone as quickly as she appeared. Meanwhile, a stranger arrives from California, claiming to be a paranormal investigator hellbent on uncovering the mysteries of Florida, and suddenly Lin is faced with a choice. Be smart and keep her head down, or dive headlong into the strange mist that so often covers Florida, to rescue Momo Kasahara, and return her town to the way she remembers it.

1. 100% humidity feels like breathing underwater.

L I N

Florida ate Momoko Kasahara on the most miserable day of the year, and washed her down with a thunderstorm. A lot of other important things happened that day, but Momo’s disappearance overshadowed them all. Momo was the coolest girl in our class. She had shiny black hair that ran down to her waist. She liked to wear a different flavor of lip gloss every day of the week, and could sing in Japanese. I was on my way home from the beach when I saw the police cars in her driveway, and her twin brother sitting on the porch, painted purple in the twilight. 

He shook his head, at me, slow, and all the sound seemed to drain out of the world. The flashing police lights distorted his face, as bright white clouds passed too quickly above us. The whole scene drove a stake of wrongness hard into my chest. Sometimes even now, I dream about it. Bo and I watching each other. The dead silence. The purple light. The too white clouds. And Momo, eaten.  For the first time in my life, I was afraid of my own town. 

My name is Lin O’leary. I live in Florida, Florida, a nothing sort of place crammed into an extra forgotten corner of the state’s already forgotten coast. Some days I can forget about Momo, and everything that happened in the hours before she vanished. Heff says I’m good at keeping my eyes closed, even when they’re open. 

I really wish he were right. 

2. Cloudy with a chance of hotdogs (haunted).

J U L I E N

I was standing in front of the worst building I had ever seen. Slab grey and full of sharp edges, additions had been slapped onto every side until it resembled an impossible puzzle piece. The front windows were crowded with signs for cold beer and hot food, but the glass itself was opaque. It was a convenience store from hell, a collection of stationary parts so nonsensical I was worried it might grow a few new alcoves if I blinked. Above the door, an unintelligible sign in complicated neon cursive flashed electric blue. There was a neon clock too, flickering wildly, just striking twelve.

I must have walked halfway across town, and as far I could tell this was the only place that sold food at all, let alone past three in the morning. Still, I couldn’t bring myself to go inside. My stomach was a mess, and haunted convenience store hot dogs could only make it worse. I fished my phone out of my pocket, but the little service I had was, like the midnight clock above me, barely clinging to existence, my map application nothing more than a collection of beige squares. There was no one around. The sky was intensely dark, a pitch black blanket of clouds. Water hung thick in the air, the night time street so quiet I could almost hear beads of sweat sliding down my already slick face. No, there was nothing for it. I needed directions. 

The bell above the door made a strange, flat sound as I pressed inside. If the building was weird from the outside, that was nothing to its interior. The shelves, tall and numerous, had been arranged like maze walls. The overhead lights were blinding, stark white, and every other tile on the floor was mismatched. Some were squares of carpet. The only thing really visible from the entrance was the register, a fortress made of dark wood and surrounded by lottery advertisements. Behind the counter, a girl was reading something intently. As I got closer, I saw it was the back of a box of oatmeal.

“Hi,” I said, adjusting the duffel bag that had been crushing my left shoulder for an hour. 

The girl nodded, but didn’t look up. She had thin black hair, pin straight and chin length. Her skin was a warm, golden brown. Her shirt said something in miniscule writing, but my glasses were a little foggy, so I would have had to practically press my face to her chest to read it, which didn’t seem like a great first impression.

“Can you help me? I’m looking for the Fahrenheit Motel. I think it’s supposed to be around here.” 

Finally, she glanced at me. 

“It’s just around the corner. See the glasses store across the street? Go straight past that and make the second left, you’ll run right into it.” 

She pointed out the window, and I realized they were one way. 

“Who built this place?” I asked. 

She shrugged. 

“We’ve had a lot of owners. Everyone adds something new.”

There was something off about her. Like we were talking, but mentally she was still 

reading the box of oatmeal. 

“I’m Julien,” I said, sticking out a hand. She raised her eyebrows before taking it. 

“Lin,” she said, with another small nod. 

Her face was round, but her features were knife sharp. I wondered what she looked like angry. Maybe that was a really weird thing to think. 

Not wanting to ask for a second set of directions, I wandered around the store for thirty minutes before returning to the counter with a gallon of chocolate milk and a bag of seaweed flavored potato chips. 

“I can’t believe you have these. I didn’t think you could find them outside of California.”

Instead of replying, Lin held up the chocolate milk. 

“There’s no fridge in your room at the Fahrenheit. You know that right?”

“I was told on the phone… ” I started.

“There’s a fridge, but it’s in the lobby, communal. Kimmy’ll drink this.” She gave the milk a little shake before scanning it. “Just warning you.”

“Thanks,” I said, as she stuffed my things in a smiling shopping bag. 

I paused on my way out.

“Goodnight,” I said, “Or, good morning I guess.” 

Lin stared at me, then glanced at the box of oatmeal and back. 

“Morning,” she said, with a sigh.

***

I followed Lin’s directions, and wound up at last in front of a long, low building sporting a vacancies sign. Even in low light I could see about a hundred sad looking plastic flamingos had been stuck all over the lawn, the bushes, even the gravel path that led to the front door. I had to pick my way around them on approach. 

There was no one at the front desk. The reception area was lit only by the green blue light coming from an enormous fishtank that didn’t seem to have any fish in it. As I approached the counter, I noticed someone had left the key to my room out for me, next to a scrap of paper bearing the wifi password. I picked up the key, old and brass, then watched the fishtank for a second, before turning around and experiencing heart failure. 

A very old woman with wiry black hair was standing there in her nightgown, arms crossed and frowning at me. She didn’t apologize for nearly sending me to my grave. 

“I’m up. I can check you in properly,” she said, shuffling past me. “I’m Kimmy, but you can call me Miss Kimmy. You got ID?” 

I dug it out of my wallet while she opened a dusty guest book. 

“The reservation is for Julien True,” I said. 

Miss Kimmy glanced at the ID I had just handed her. 

“That’s not what this says.”

“I know. It’s a stage name,” I admitted, “everything else is correct.”

She raised an eyebrow to herself, but didn’t ask any more questions. 

“Now listen,” she said finally, shutting the guest book with a snap. “I’ll be honest, there’s not much to do around here. There’s a bus runs to the state forest during the day, and the beach isn’t going anywhere. If you’re hungry that’s too bad for the most part, unless you feel like walking down to Morton’s.”

“Is that the weird looking building? One way windows?”

“That’s the one. Midnight Morton’s, never closes. This late at night you’ve got Lin at the counter, nice girl.” 

I don’t know what I would have called Lin, but it probably wasn’t ‘nice girl’.

“Thanks,” I said, glancing around for the hallway that led to my room.

I bid Miss Kimmy goodnight and lugged my things to Room 7, at the very end of the dark hall. Inside was simple, but stunningly clean, which I had in no way expected. The bed had a sunken spot in the middle, and there were a lot of paintings of tropical fish on the walls. Home sweet home. I changed into pajamas, and took a huge swig of chocolate milk before glancing at my duffel, still full of equipment. 

It could wait. I was exhausted, sweaty, and more alone than I had ever been in my entire life. 

3. Welcome to my grocery store how may I assist you.

L I N

“I want to drop out of high school,” said Roach. 

We were sprawled out on separate tartan sofas, both angled towards the ancient television. It was after midnight, and the only light in the room was coming from the nature channel.

“No you don’t,” I said. “You’re not even in high school.”

Roach was a weird little girl. Eleven years old, she wore oversized thrift store t-shirts, and big chunky glasses, and cut her own hair. I loved her the most in this world.

“Yeah, but when I get there, I want to drop out. You did.”

I sighed. 

“You’re smarter than me. You have to finish school and work in a laboratory anywhere but here. Those are the rules.” 

Roach crossed and uncrossed her skinny legs without arguing. I knew she just wanted to hear me say she was smart. 

We continued to watch the nature channel in silence. A documentary on the arctic ocean was playing, which I found devastatingly boring, but Roach was clearly glued to. I could hear dad snoring upstairs, a pleasant sort of nightly white noise, and tuned out completely until Roach clapped an inch from my face. 

“Jeez,” I started, pushing her hands away.

“You were way out there. It’s freaky.”

I had been practicing my zone out since I was Roach’s age. On my best day, I could have an entire conversation without hearing one word the other person said. Call it a life skill.

“You’re doing it again!” said Roach. “Don’t you have work soon?” 

That snapped me out of it. I looked at my watch. 

“Oh, yeah. Thank you.” 

I rolled off the couch as Roach sat back down with a huff. The arctic documentary was ending, and she picked up the changer to scroll through a long list of similar recordings. Roach loved animals, all of them, even fish that ate your insides, and grubs, and parasitic worms. Especially parasitic worms. 

“Don’t stay up too late okay?” I said, tugging gently on her massive ponytail. Roach got dad’s curly, reddish brown hair. I got mom’s.

“Mmhm.”

I glanced in the hall mirror to see if there was any food on my shirt. Then I stepped into the mosquito ridden, muggy Florida night, and headed to my shift.

***

You might be thinking: where does a seventeen year old high school dropout work after midnight? And the thrilling answer is: the grocery store, sort of.

You might be thinking: what? 

But that’s Morton’s. 

The sliding doors opened smoothly for me upon arrival, which was always a good omen. I straightened the newsstand and went to look for Barry.

My manager, a small, Dominican man who loved to party, was in the produce section with a woman I assumed was his latest girlfriend. He was chucking the moldiest vegetables into an open trashcan.

“Our fresh produce is a travesty,” I said. “When was the last time someone bought an eggplant here?”

“I’m thinking of moving the veg,” said Barry, “they don’t like the energy in this corner.”

Barry was constantly moving things around the small labyrinth that was Morton’s. At least once a month he would take an hour long stroll from shelf to shelf, while I wrote down what was going where. I made a new map of the store for every big move.

“What are you guys up to tonight?” I asked, as Barry followed me to the register, bag of moldy vegetables in hand.

“Dancing,” said his date, with an endearing round of jazz hands, as Barry broke into a stationary samba while he gave me a list of stuff to work on. He treated me to his own enthusiastic jazz hands, and a few notes of a Juan Luis Guerra song as he samba’d in the direction of the door. As it swung shut behind them, I let the intense silence of Morton's wash over me. The fluorescent lights hummed gently. The food sat well behaved in slightly crooked rows. I turned my brain down to its lowest setting, and consulted my list.

...

[beelsnack]

When MC Gives The Obey Me! Boys a Present

Lucifer: The Eldest had always been an early riser. Honestly, he wasn’t fully convinced that this habit hadn’t been the real reason behind his moniker “Morning Star.” Although there was no sun in the Devildom, and therefore no sunrise, he still liked the idea of sitting by the grand window in the living room with a cup of coffee, watching the sky change from inky black to a dusty lavender. He would steal this few precious moments of peace while everyone was still asleep.

Well, almost everyone.

It was common for the human to get up early as well. On occasion, his brothers would keep them up with some ridiculous scheme that tired them out, but almost every morning the human joined Lucifer for coffee. He would be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy having them to himself.

“Good morning.” they smiled as they entered the dining room. Their hands were clasped behind their back, and Lucifer regarded them with a raised eyebrow.

“Good morning. And whatever could you be hiding there?”

Suddenly shy, they kept their gaze on the cup of coffee Lucifer had poured for them. “Um, well...uh...” they cleared their throat, bringing their arms to their front to reveal what they were holding.

Lucifer studied the little box curiously. It was plain and black, made of velvet and looked like it came from a high end store. Well, now wasn’t that interesting?

Swallowing, the human pushed it towards him, quickly hiding their expression behind their coffee. “I-It’s for you. I didn’t want to give you it with everyone else around.”

“Oh?” he couldn’t help the quirk of his lips. “Don’t tell me you brought me something scandalous.”

“No!” they exclaimed. “Of course not, I just - it would - just open it, will you?”

He chuckled lowly. “As you wish.”

All teasing remarks died on his tongue as he opened the box. Nestled inside was a brooch, a brilliant ruby surrounded by delicate obsidian in a lace-like pattern. The gem caught the light and shone beautifully, and Lucifer was at a loss for words.

“You’ve been so kind to me.” the human’s voice, soft with sincerity, drew his gaze from the brooch. “I wanted to thank you. Asmo dragged me out shopping the other day, and I saw that. I had money left over from working at the bookstore, and I thought...”

They trailed off, flushing nearly as red as the brooch. Gently, Lucifer removed it from it’s box and affixed it to his uniform.

“I like it.” he smiled, catching their hand as they set down their cup. He brought their knuckles to his lips, watching as they squirmed. “I shall wear it with pride.”

Mammon: The human world was an exciting place. It had been a while since he dared to pop up in the mortal realm, afraid that one of the witches would catch wind of his presence and track him down. But the human had been wanting to take a visit to their world for a while, and someone had to make sure they didn’t get themselves mauled.

(Mammon was absolutely weak against the power of the human’s puppy-dog eyes and would probably throw himself into an active volcano if they pouted at him enough.)

After hours of exploring all the nooks and crannies the city had to offer, they eventually wandered into a coffee shop. After ordering their drinks - paid for by the human, of course - they tucked themselves into a table in the corner by the window.

“Man, I’m tired.” Mammon groaned, slumping back in his seat. “Followin’ you around all day is exhausting.”

They laughed. “Sorry. Maybe this will make up for it?”

They reached into the shopping bag at their feet and pulled out two little boxes. After carefully examining each one, they nodded to themselves and placing one of the boxes in front of him.

“What is this?” he tilted his head, picking the box up and shaking it. Something rattled inside.

“A blind box!” they grinned. “Remember those keychains we bought with Satan and Lucifer? These are from the same series, but their little figures. You don’t know what one you get until you open it.”

“Ehhh? Man, you humans are creative little things, aren’t ya?” he looked at the side of the box that had all of his options. “Aw, man, these are all the mythical creatures, aren’t they? Where’d you snag these, anyway? And when?”

“In the game shop, when you were trying to win the demo.”

“Hey, no one told me it wasn’t winnable, a’ight?”

The human shrugged. “Whatever. The sign for these things said ‘test your luck,’ and it reminded me of you, so I bought them.”

Mammon always did love a gamble. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s crack these bad boys open!”

Mammon basically tore the box apart. He ripped open the little plastic bag and a small plastic figure of a dragon tumbled out. It was even breathing fire!

“Hey, check out what I got! Betcha it’s cooler than yours, huh?”

When he looked up, the human was holding the exact same figure.

“Looks like we got our matching things after all!”

He felt his cheeks heat up, and he might have laughed just a bit too loud as he straightened up. “Look at that! How about it, human? Do you feel honored to be matching the Great Mammon?”

The bright grin they sent his way made his heart flutter a little bit. “Of course. I have to match with my first man, don’t I?”

Levi: He kept checking the time on his D.D.D. The stream was going to start any minute! Maybe they decided that didn’t want to watch it with him after all? Maybe they had just been screwing with him in the first place. They probably - 

KNOCK KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK KNOCK

“Levi, it’s me!”

He sat in surprise for a moment before he realized that he had to actually let them in. He scrambled over to the door, squaring his shoulders and taking a few deep breaths to try and appear cool before he opened the door.

“Where were you? The stream’s starting soon!”

“Sorry, sorry!” the followed him into his room, kicking the door shut behind them. “I couldn’t remember where I put it, I was tearing apart my room looking for it, of course it was in my desk drawer - “

“What are you talking about?” the human had a tendency to babble if left unchecked. Now that his heart rate had returned to normal, Levi noticed the thin piece of cardboard that they were holding.

“Oh, right, sorry!” Levi really wanted the human to stop apologizing for everything, but didn’t know how to say it without sounding like a dick.

They held up the mystery item for Levi to see. “Last time I was in the human world, I picked these up! They’re cool, right?”

Attached to the cardboard were two black-corded wrap-around bracelets. Both were decorated with a pixelated heart, one saying “Player One,” the other saying “Player Two.”

Well, so much for a normal heart rate.

“I - you - what - a-are you sure you want to wear something like this. With - with me?”

Levi didn’t want to think about how soft and kind the human’s face looked when they took back the cardboard and began taking the bracelets off. They remained silent as they handed the Player One bracelet to him. His hands were shaking as they dropped it in his palm.

“I don’t want to wear it with anyone else.”

Satan: No matter what he did, Satan always ended up losing his bookmarks. They got lost in books that he had forgotten he had, accidentally thrown away when he cleaned off his desk, he definitely saw a cat steal one and just couldn’t bring himself to take their new toy from them. Every time he turned around, a bookmark had gone missing. 

He was in the middle of searching for one - he absolutely refused to dog-ear the pages, he might as well rip the page out - when he heard the door to his room open. “Satan? Are you in here?”

He couldn’t help the small smile. The human was probably the only one in the house he didn’t want to punch in the face. “Up here.” he called.

The human began climbing the spiral staircase that led up to his bedroom proper. He still couldn’t find a bookmark, so he was forced to turn the small paperback over and rest it on the desk. He could practically hear the spine breaking and wanted to cringe.

“What’s up? I thought you were going shopping today.”

“I already did.” they were holding a small bag in there hands. “I couldn’t really find anything I liked, no matter what Asmo made me try on. But! I found something for you!”

Satan blinked as they handed him the bag. “Really? For me?”

“Mhm!” they looked quite pleased with themself. “Go on, open it!”

He reached into the bag and plucked out it’s contents. “A...what is this?”

It was made out of metal, shaped like a dagger with a green stone (there was no way it was real emerald) decorated the hilt. He moved it around in his hand, and felt it bend. It was a similar shape to a paperclip.

“It’s a bookmark.” the human grinned. “It clips onto the page, and the top part here sticks out so you don’t forget you have it in there! It’s just something litle, but I remembered you complaining about how you’re bookmarks always disappear, so..yeah.”

They lost a little bit of steam when Satan just continued to stare at them. “...You don’t like it?”

“Of course I like it.” he replied. “I’m just shocked you remembered something trivial I said weeks ago.”

Expression turning sheepish, they shrugged. “I guess I just have a good memory.”

Satan hummed, leaning down to press their foreheads together. “That you do. Thank you.”

Asmo: The best part of taking a long, luxurious bath was putting on his favorite bathrobe. It was soft and fluffy and felt like a cloud against his skin. And it always sent a little shiver up his spine as it was sliding off to reveal - 

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

Ugh. Someone always had to interrupt, didn’t they? His beauty routine was terribly intricate, and there would be hell to pay if he broke out.

“Asmo? Can I come in?”

...Okay, this was an acceptable interruption.

“Of course, darling, door’s open!” he briefly contemplated leaving his robe untied before deciding against it. Undressing was part of the fun.

The human stepped into his room, arms laden with shopping bags.”I wanted to show you what I got!”

“Ooh, yes!” he beamed. “Show me, show me!”

They set their bags down on the bed, digging through the bags to decide what to show him first. Asmo sat at his vanity, watching them search. They’re eyes lit up like jewels when they found what they were looking for.

“Ta-da!” they produced a length of dark magenta fabric. It looked soft, and caught the light in a way that made it shimmer. A silk scarf.

“Oh, isn’t that lovely?” he crooned, standing up to run his fingers delicately over it. “And so soft, too! What a find, darling!”

“So you like it?” the human asked. Asmo hummed, nodding. He couldn’t stop feeling the scarf. Silk always felt good against the skin ~

“Good! Because I bought it for you.”

He paused mid-stroke, bringing his eyes up to look at them. “Eh?”

“I saw it at the store,” they placed the delicate fabric fully in Asmo’s hands. “And I thought that the color would look sooo good on you. It was the last one, too, so I snatched it up.”

“Oh, aren’t you a treasure!” he wrapped his arms around the human and damn near squeezed the life out of them. “You know me so well! But, you know...”

He slipped the scarf around their waist and used it to pull them flush against him. 

“I can think of a couple different uses for silk.”

Beelzebub: There would be a world of trouble if they got caught. But you wouldn’t know that at all just by watching the human. They hummed to themself as they mixed the ingredients, like this was normal cooking duty instead of an emergency late-night food run.

Beel felt kind of bad. Not only did he ruin their bedroom over custard, he woke them up in the middle of the night because he had a nightmare. And instead of being angry with him like they should be, they offered to make him cake.

“You don’t have to. You can go back to bed.” he mumbled. Despite the cheerful expression they wore, he could tell they were tired. 

They turned around, pointing their spoon at him accusingly. “No, I can’t. I just put the cake in the oven.

“But...”

“Besides,” they shrugged, turning around to put the dishes in the sink. “I’ve been wanting to try out a new recipe for a while. What better way to shake of a nightmare than taste-testing, right?”

Beel had never heard that one before, but he wasn’t going to argue. Instead, he just folded his arms on the table and rested his head on top of them, watching the human work. “Can we call this nightmare cake?”

“No, that sounds like it’ll taste bad.”

“I’m calling it nightmare cake.”

They wrinkled their nose at him, and he couldn’t resist reaching out and giving them a little nose boop.

“Thanks. I’ll bet this is going to be better than any store bought cake.”

Belphegor: Honestly, he was trying to do his assignments. He had actually missed going to classes while he had been locked in the attic, and he was already on thin ice with Diavolo. But he was so sleepy...

A knock at his door jolted him awake. Damn, he dozed off again.

“Yeah?” he called, rubbing at his eye.

“Can I come in?” 

Oh. The human. “Yeah, door’s open.”

They stepped into the room and immediately zeroed in on him. “Did you fall asleep on your homework again?”

He lolled his head back without turning around in his desk chair to look at them upside down. “No.”

“Then why do you have ink on your cheek?”

“It’s a fashion statement.”

They raised an eyebrow. “What are you supposed to be stating?”

“...That I fell asleep while doing homework.”

Belphie didn’t want to admit how much he liked the human’s laugh. So, he focused on something else. “What do you have there?”

“Oh!” apparently, they had forgotten what they were holding. “There was one of those crane games at the arcade, and I won this!”

Belphie straightened up and turned around. They were holding a plush toy shaped like a black ram. It was kind of cute.

“It kind of reminded me of you, so here!” they held it out to him, but he only looked at them quizzically.

“Why did it remind you of me?”

“The horns, mostly.”

Upon closer inspection, those did look like his horns. “Huh. Yeah, okay, I see it.”

The human thrust the plushie out again, and this time, he took it. It was really soft and cuddly. He could definitely imagine falling asleep with this. But...

“Hey!” the human yelped as Belphie stood and shoved the plushie in their face. “If you don’t like it you can just say so!”

“I want it to smell like you.” he drawled. “So I can think about you before I go to sleep.”

“So you try to suffocate me with it?!”

Truthfully, Belphie just didn’t want them to see him blush when he muttered, “Thanks for the gift. I really like it.”

[nonsensegnomes]

thanks for tagging me @tiarnanafainne!! (i’m actually also looking at 32 words for field on my bookshelf right now, but i’ve never properly started it for similar reasons. being kinda-but-not-really able to read irish is so :/)

putting the actual answers below the cut for not-being-annoying reasons :)

favorite color: always love a purple! also like that one post says, i’m the only person who knows the good shades of green red, but when it’s good it’s GOOD

currently reading: i’ve actually been on a roll w/ my backlog of books recently so i can actually answer this, thank god! the most recent ones have been east of eden (altho i’ve kinda stalled out bc you have to be in a certain mood to read steinbeck’s 8 paragraphs on californian agriculture before you can get into a new chapter, imo) & the good man jesus and the scoundrel christ by philip pullman, mainly bc i really liked his essay about it in daemon voices (so far what he had to say about his writing intentions was unfortunately way more interesting than what he wrote, which is basically a retelling of the new testament :/ but re-reading bits of that essay book i really CANNOT recommend it enough, it taught me a lot about close reading way back when!)

       also paradise lost, but not really, bc it’s to mine quotes for horrible little spn edit reasons >:) oh, and the dcwt sequel i guess lol.

last song: deuteronomy 2:10 bc it’s on my cas playlist 😑🚬 altho the last thing i actually listened to was the bluff city messy business arc, which might have my favourite eps of the series so far? bluff just has SUCH summer vibes to me, and the combination of keith kinda playing the villain (?!!) & that theme tune had me sooo invested

last movie: rewatched pride (2014) the other day and let me say the montage at the end over “there is power in a union” STILL hits

last series: mythic quest!! it’s really very good, almost all the strengths of sunny with far less of its weaknesses (although still pretty Capital-L Liberal in places) + i don’t think i’ve seen anything quite like the poppy&ian relationship on a workplace comedy before, and i am FASCINATED.

       also re-watched “the legend of tennessee moltisanti” yesterday (the sopranos), despite still needing to finish s4, bc i wanted to put that dream sequence back in my eyeballs & i got sucked in :)

      also our spn rw is currently at 4.21 (we skip around, so we’ve already seen select eps from s4-10 + all of s11-15, and we’re currently watching all of s1-5; listen the system may be weird but it WORKS) and i am really happy that eventually sam got to see that panic room burn <3

sweet, savory, or spicy: sour!!!

craving: dried apricots from this market near me, i ate them religiously at the start of the lockdown but now they don’t stock them anymore :(

tea or coffee: i’m irish so i practically breathe tea

currently working on: ooh so about 12 dozen projects lmao! like everybody else i recently got really inspired to dip my toe into spn fic for Some Mysterious Reason asdjehdwdhefewj, which may never see the light of day but if it does i’ll link it lol. there’s one set pre-series about dean & tv (esp scooby doo) bc to boldly go opened my eyes about him being daphne-coded, and i think it’s fun when his gender is set to: weird! there’s also a cas&jack-centric one that’s s14 canon divergent bc “jack in the box” filled me with an INCONSOLABLE rage (although not for the reasons you might think? except for mary. definitely still mad about mary.)

       apart from that, i’ve got a quote compilation edit thing for cas that i should be finished with in a couple of days!! + i’m still working on that samsam & hadrian supercut, but i couldn’t listen to any more winter in hieron during covid 😔 so i might break it down by season and do aih & marielda first? also working on an original short story for myself so we’ll see how that goes! jesus that really is too many things 🙃 We Shall See ig

hate tagging people with a passion, but if some mutuals want to do it?  ABSOLUTELY no pressure tho <3  @queerangelic, @ishtarstripdying, @gaylittlejack, @doorwaystodoubt, @casgender, @8daysuntiltheapocalypseiguess (bc of the dean-is-daphne inspo lmao)

[dayables]

The case of DR and bad writing :)

This has been on my mind so here you guys go. Small warning for spoilers and the thoughts of someone who has 0 experience in writing anything but fanfiction (mainly) 

The first thing you really need to understand is that DR would never have been promoted and sold if it was bad. It may just be for books, but if DRs writing was terrible with writing all together it would not be on stock because it is a visual novel. So the writing is best described as good (not amazing) and when placed against other game seems bad. There is worse things on my pc, might be worse on yours and there are worse things on WattPad (/lh). 

The second (and final aha) thing is that there is more than one component to writing. There’s the setting, tone, characters, plot, grammar etc... and to be amazing at all of it is a skill. Which is what leads me to why people say DR has bad writing when it actually only doesn’t hit top marks in one of those boxes imo.

Characters and more specifically the bonds you make with them (and also tone and setting but they link too each other so I’ll get to that later) 

Danganrompa is a character driven game. What happens in completely up to the characters actions. They are in a school and if they want to escape, they have to kill one other at the expense of everyone else.

 That describes the plot of DR at it’s basics. (Well you could take it down to kids kill each other). There’s no monokuma, no despair, No Junko and no spoilers. The characters do not have to kill each other. One action sets the ball rolling and from there the characters do the rest. Occasionally the balls pushed again but the majority of the balls movements is made by the characters which is why characters are so important. 

And DR fell flat on it’s face. 

It’s not that the characters are not good. It’s that DR neglects them until they’re important. You the player, don’t get to spend breakfast at the dinner table talking, nor do you see the discussions. Every argument is deadly so no one argues. It’s not the characters are holding back arguing. It’s that they don’t get angry until they go to commit a crime. Unless you’re Mondo and always angry. But we don’t see much of Mondo until chapter two were oh yeah he’s the murderer. 

‘But the free time events!’ 

Feel more like a mini game you can do to collect goodies for the actual game. Nothing you learn in them is actually important as we see with it being left out all together in the anime. In chapter one, we have no mystery characters who we want to find out more about, so we spend our time with them and become friends and we get a line like ‘good luck!’ before trials. The relationships we form in the game are unimportant in a plot where the characters relationships make all the difference. 

Yes it would have been hard work, but it also would have made a huge difference to how real the characters feel if there are small changes. Everything the characters say in DR has plot relevance or are in a trial or are part of the look for Junko’s despair.

Every character has an arc all tied in a bow given to us for their death. You see their development then their bodies given to us on a plate. And it’s not I want their deaths mid arc, it’s that the game, the real setting waits for them. It feels their development is tracked and the second it’s full? Off the head. 

They feel more like plot tools like the trial system and for a story where the characters change what happen they feel scripted. I’m not saying different people die depending on your actions saying we get the same play through no matter who we interact with. Ignore Mondo and Tanaka but you’ll still get asked to go to the sauna with them when they could ask someone else and you hear about it second hand. 

Then we have tone and settings correspondence. With each death, the setting changes, there's one less cast member, a new motive in the air. As characters survive they have more than just one thing that has made someone snap over their head. They have several. Using 1 as an example. The final five:

-Have family members we assume are being hurt

-A secret over their head

-A secure future and more waiting for them.

-The potential someone else is a mole. 

And nothing changed after each case? The dynamics don’t change to make up for the hole there now. There doesn’t even feel like theirs a hole. As the setting gets worse, the character and tone stay as hopeful as they were back before Sayaka, Twogami’s or Rantaro’s death. For a game about hope v despair, the tone only changes at the end to fit the setting and it feels wrong and unsettling. But not in the ooh way. In the, these characters can’t see the outside world and haven’t mourned it once but once they know it’s destroyed they give a massive fuck and???

So yes, DR has amazing plot, mysteries, but it couldn’t hold up where it mattered for some fans thus, DR and bad writing

[woulddieforperrytheplatypus]

To distract myself from this awful political scene I'm forced to watch for history class: can you give us some obscure side characters (like, Dr. Diminutive, Newton the Gnu, type characters) you absolutely love for no reason? :) <3

Okay I am literally so late because I was doing my chem reading and my writing hw BUT I can’t refuse a chance to scream about my favorite characters (but y’all can refuse to listen to my scream about them so here’s a cut)

First of all, I want you to know that I haven’t even started listing characters yet and this ask has already lead me to spend almost $4 on Agent P’s Guide to Fighting Evil and that’s why I don’t look at the PnF wiki when I’m tired thank you for coming to my TED talk

I almost feel like I’m cheating by starting with Dr. Diminuitve but HOW CAN I NOT LIKE TELL ME THAT LIL MAN IS NOT THE BEST CHARACTER THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN OKAY FUCKIN DO IT JUST KIDDING YOU CAN’T I mean come on, one of his first lines was literally “I don’t have a Napoleon complex; Napoleon had a ME complex!” I had to check the wiki to see if that was his first line ever and I’m very disappointed that it wasn’t and then in OWCA’s Going Down when all the evil scientists were just vibin against the fence and they started doing that West Side Story snappy walk and Diminutive was so into the snaps that he just didn’t fucking move and then he opened his eyes and the rest of the gang was halfway off the screen fjdskhfkalsfhaskl I just really love him okay the more I think about it the more convinced I am that he’s actually my favorite character

Idk if this counts as an obscure side character but he is incredibly underrated so I gotta throw in: LAWRENCE FUCKING FLETCHER. He’s just such a pure and innocent lil dude. He sees the boys doing dangerous shit and he’s just like, “Well that’s happening,” or better yet, “Hey, that looks fun!” I mean, the airplace? The flying carpet? The monster trucks? He genuinely gives zero fucks and I love him for it. I wholeheartedly believe that Lawrence knows Perry is a secret agent -- or at least that he’s smarter than he acts -- but he’s literally so indifferent to everything going on around him that he never mentions it because life is full of fun and exciting things like that and he can’t talk about them all, you know? And he gets so excited about his antiques and he’s so passionate about history and ughhhh I love him 

I was about to say I feel like I’m cheating by using a special but it just occurred to me that that’s lowkey how I’ve prefaced all of these so no, fuck that, I’m using a special and that’s just how it’s gonna be. CARL FROM THE LAND OF INTERNUS WOULD HAVE MADE A MUCH BETTER ENDING THAN THE ACTUAL BOOK HAD AND FUCK YOU MONOGRAM FOR CUTTING CARL OFF BEFORE HE COULD TELL IT HOW HE WANTED TO

These two kinda go hand-in-hand but Bunka Da Bunkaquan and Sweary the Swan are my favorite alternative Perrys. As far as the specials go, Steampunx isn’t one of my favorites, but Sweary the Swan is just... How do you even describe Sweary the Swan? He is life. He is the reason I wake up in the morning. He is the only thing worth living for. And then Bunka Da Bunkaquan is just so fuckin cute and anyone who disagrees needs their eyes checked. And tbh while we’re talking about Tri-Stone area, I gotta throw in a mention of Doofengung no of course I didn’t have to google what his name was what are you talking about because I love how he just stares at the water and every time it drips he just fuckin cackles lmaooo

Okay one more special (maybe) but Doofenshmirtz in The Temple of Juatchadoon brooo I just googled it to make sure I spelled that right and I did woah my power is unmatched is lowkey my favorite Doofenshmirtz. I don’t know if it’s because I actually like him more than every other Doof or if it’s just because his first scene was with Phineas Ohio Flynn and they knew each other and they had actual interactions throughout the episode and the Doof/Phineas relationship is my favorite underexplored relationship, but Juatchadoon Doof makes the list anyway

The “what did you think, _________ was just going to fall out of the sky?” couple — who 100% deserved that cameo in catu

I’m almost afraid to say this in public, but I actually really like Roger. I was mostly indifferent to him at first, but then Delivery for Destiny happened and I was like wait a minute, why am I sleeping on his man who literally orders boxes just to give to his cat? And once I realized that he was kinda cool, it started sinking in that he was never actually a bad guy. Heinz never even really claimed he was -- if anything, his problem is that Roger isn’t a bad guy, and everyone in Gimmelshtump and Danville knows it. And I gotta give Roger credit for not being too harsh on his brother, because yeah, he can be a little stuck up (I’m looking at you, stupid golf game), but you can’t really blame him for thinking he’s better than Heinz, you know? But at least he’s not a dick about it like their parents are. Also the entire latter half of this paragraph was me trying to find a way to work in the other part of that scene with the cat box and it didn’t work so I’m just gonna tack it on to the end because this isn’t an essay for English class and I can do that lmao. Paul mentions that he just delivered something to a Heinz Doofenshmirtz, and Roger is like 😬 because let’s be real, no one wants to be represented by the type of dude to try to juice City Hall, but he’s obviously not going to say that because he’s still a respectful dude, so he’s just like “Charming... man... isn’t he...” and he’s literally so uncomfortable and it cracks me up every time but also it’s lowkey kinda wholesome because Heinz may make it his life mission to embarrass his brother but Roger doesn’t reciprocate. but I accidentally discovered a few weeks ago that John O’Hurley is a raging Trump supporter so I gotta dock points for that one

In the same vein, Paul the delivery guy. What more do I have to say?

If my love of Roger didn’t turn the world against me, this one probably will, but I’m going to say it loud and proud anyway. I LOVE PETER THE PANDA. He’s just??? so??? cute??? Like when he was tearing apart Doof’s inator and he was just... actually no scratch that I need pictures for this because I can’t explain this in words

THIS IS NOT EITHER OF THE PICTURES I WAS LOOKING FOR BUT LOOK AT THIS LITTLE GUY OH MY GOD

Peter really said “this bitch empty, YEET!”

okay but the ones I was actually looking for are...

I mean, how can you not find him adorable? And don’t even get me started on his relationship with Perry because Meapless in Seattle was just... B R O Perry flew halfway across the country (probably I mean idk where exactly Danville is but they use EST so Seattle is probably halfway across the country?) just to go grab a coffee with him. They went on a lil date at a fancy restaurant I know Dan said it wasn’t a date but he's been wrong in the tiktok comments before which means none of his opinions are canon lmao. They’re just? So? Cute? I don’t even know what to make of their relationship but I live for it.

And I can’t mention Peter without bringing up his nemesis, who, to be entirely honest, I also don’t know what to make of and he’s mostly on this list because I like the line “How did you get chorus girls in here?” and when I downloaded and cut a bunch of songs that you can download from Google Drive here if you want, I specifically kept that part in because I love it lmao (I do gotta point out tho because it’s been bugging me since I last watched the episode: I don’t think we have any proof that Professor Mystery even exists in the PnF dimension. I had just assumed he did for the longest time, but that entire episode takes place in a dimension where Lawrence is a polar bear. Who knows what other differences there are?)

I love all the grandparents and I don’t even have an explanation they’re just all adorable

Okay I know I said no more specials but TECHNICALLY at2d isn’t a special; it’s a movie. I am physically incapable of not brining up the muffin time Normbot and the “I use aggression to mask my insecurites” Normbot.

While we’re talking about Norm, his old head would 100% swear all the fucking time if it wasn’t a kids’ show and i gotta respect it

Dan Povenmire does one line for a dude named Vinnie in Mission Marvel and off the top of my head I don’t remember who he is but it was the beginning of the episode and I think (?) it was during the New York scene and he does it in the Vinnie Dakota voice long before Dakota was even a concept (I’m assuming) so he gets a mention

Jerry the Platypus gives me Paper Jam Dipper vibes and they are both valid as fuck (the fucked up Doof copy is not valid as fuck tho we’re gonna pretend he didn’t exist)

Don is literally the best part of Where’s Pinky and I’m not just saying that because I’ve been watching Whose Line for years and I was super excited to see Wayne Brady in the credits (and the fact that he was also in both the quarantine rap and catu makes me incredibly happy)

Ooh I almost forgot OWCA Files existed but Harry the Hyena playing the trumpet and the subsequent “you’re gonna be wearing that in a minute” is the best part of OWCA Files and tbh just Doof, Perry, and Harry could have carried an entire series by themselves (though I do also love Karen and Maggie)

WAIT A SECOND THE BUG TRIO FJDSAHFLKSAJD I was trying to pick a favorite last time I watched OWCA Files and every time one of them spoke they were my new favorite like I lowkey thought their plotline was boring but the characters themselves were hilarious

WAIT ANOTHER SECOND HOW DID I GET THIS FAR INTO THE LIST WITHOUT MENTIONING MONTY HOLY SHIT I’M SUCH A FAKE FAN BUT I LOVE MONTY OKAY HE IS LITERALLY JUST OZ FROM BTVS EXCEPT MONTY AND VANESSA HAVE BETTER CHEMISTRY THAN OZ AND WILLOW AND NO I WILL NOT BE ACCEPTING CRITICISM

Wait I forgot Vlorkel too omfg these two belong way higher on the list but Vlorkel is the love of my life (and I lowkey wish she had met Steve the giant chameleon because they would have become best friends)

I wanna keep going but it’s currently 1:45 in the morning (this is why I’ve been avoiding asks during the day: I get way too into them and spend a solid hour and a half on them and I’d never get any schoolwork done lmao) and it’s far from the first time I’ve stayed up this late but I figured it was fine because I have no classes tomorrow but it occurred to me like four seconds ago that I DO HAVE A CLASS TOMORROW SHIIIIT I had an anatomy exam on Tuesday during my usual class time (which if you read my tags you might have known about because I was having an existential crisis over it) so he moved our class tomorrow excePT IT’S NOT TOMORROW IT’S TODAY IT’S LITERALLY IN LESS THAN SEVEN HOURS FUCKING HELL I GOTTA GO TO BED ASAP