#mockingbird blessing :)

[adissonsss]

PT1: Headcanons(SFW) How dating Tokio Hotel would be like

Notes; I started crying while listening to Mockingbird by Emniem, so I decided to finish this

•Since I already did a seperate Bill post, his section is shorter(😢😢)

•This is bordering NSFW, some mentions of sex

•Sorry I was gone for a while, I was busy w/ helping around the house+some other personal things

•Enjoy, much love!💜💜

Tom Kaulitz

•With Tom, he thinks you're a godsend. He won't even breathe near another woman again if it means you smile at him.

•He just loves you so much. You've totally stopped his playful, flirty personality towards other women.(not towards you)

•Y'alls relationship is spontaneous, fun, laughter-filled, and light-hearted.

•^And I quote, he "doesn't like girls who overthink."

•No doubt he jump-scares you everytime you come out of the bathroom, crossing a wall corner, or tired and dazed and having Tom breathe on the back of your neck while falling asleep.

•Flirty & inside-joke pet names!!!

•^I can imagine Tom staring at you whilst you sleep👁👁. You wake up and turn your head, and see Tom wide-eye staring at you not expecting to be caught.

•^ I wouldn't blame you if you got scared or shy. Or both!

•Tom loves food. Cooking, ehh, not so much.. You, cooking? YES! You, cooking for him? HE WANTS TO MARRY YOU AND BE BURIED TOGETHER💗💗.

•^ If you can cook, or bake, or both, he has heart eyes rn😻. He will devour anything(including you😘), but your food he actually cherishes and enjoys, feeling grateful and blessed you and your skills.

•He will make a song about and/or w/ you. Singing into the mic while he plays guitar on stage, standing close to him, making eye contact.

•Y'all know that thing he does w/ his guitar? Yeah, he does it with intentions of doing that to you tonight. If you're in the crowd, he makes eye contact and licks his lips, letting his mind run wild.

•He kisses you any chance he gets, any body part.

•^On your neck while your head is turned? No problem!

•^On your hand while stretching it behind your head? Yeah, he loves it.

•^On your lips while your venting to him if your stressed? Sure!

•He will never not do it.

Imagine

Sitting on his lap while he softly plays guitar, dozing you to sleep.

He hums along with the beat, and notices the extra weight on his chest. He sees you sleeping, and a smile erupts onto his face. He doesn't move a muscle, enjoying this special moment with you.

After a couple of moments, he does slowly grab his phone from his pants pocket and snapping a(or about 20) picture of you.

Bill Kaulitz

•He loves physical affection, and will hug and touch you at every moment.

•He loves you, and your attention!!!!!

•He loves praise, but praise from you?? His clothes are off.

•Honestly anything from and about you is just so... He just loves you and your being and everything.

•If you have color-treated hair or a texture which you have to take special care of it, Bill is learning how to help you ASAP.

•If you read or write, Bill loves reading w/ you, and honestly just endorsing your hobbies+skills.

•(I saw a similar idea to this on Tiktok) If you both have stuffies, he makes them be both of y'alls kids to take care of, feed, and bathe. Turns them away from the bed whenever when it's the adults alone time🙈.

•Romantic pet names.

Imagine

Laying next to Bill in bed, both of you just staring up at the ceiling, extremely tired after today's events of being on stage.

You feel Bill's hands creep around your waist, you now becoming the little spoon. Bill places his mouth close to your ear, and whispers softly, knowing your close to a nice night of sleep,

"Goodnight, schatz."

Gustav Schäfer

•This wonderful man is loving, romantic, and soo sweet😻.

•He loves holding your hand, and just feeling your body on him(take it any way you want to)

•He loves dancing w/ you, holding your body close and spinning you around, feeling the rhythm of the song.

•I'm tryna keep it clean in this post, but DAMN. This man's muscles, he can and will use it for helping you w/ heavy lifting, grabbing you, picking you up on his shoulder, advantages in bed, stamina, anything to be honest.

•He is a bit submissive, wanting to keep you close to him so doing anything and everything for you is a daily part of this man's life.

•Y'all saw that clip where he took his shirt off on stage? Yeah, you tried to do that once(if you wanna be apart of the band, idk), lil bro gave you the death stare and a little more in the bedroom later that night❗

•Look, he may be nice, but if someone deserves to be judged, Gustav is gonna judge.

•You and Gustav shit talk and give certain people the stank face if they deserve it, laughing about it later on🤝🏻.

•If you have a large family, siblings, or relatives in general, he will want to put on his best impression for them! Shaking hands, bringing a side, dressing up nice, being the most polite he's ever been, all or you🤗.

Imagine

Gustav is in the gym working out, without a shirt, and he catches your eye. You admire him flexing and working his muscles. He decides to act like you aren't staring and does extra reps, pushups, and lifts more than what he usually does.

He spills some water on his face on purpose, and uses the bottom of his shirt to wipe it off his chin🥰.

Georg Listing

•The first thing this guy notices about you is your body. A literal quote.🙈

"The first thing I notice about a girl is her butt!"

•He loves your shape and size, curves and crevices, marks, scars, pimples, scabs, whatever makes you, you.

•He loves your laugh! He's always cracking jokes and laughing w/ you.

•He will admire your body in bed, seeing it covered in a sheen of sweat, in all of it's beauty and kisses all over your skin, feeling blessed and grateful that you chose him to be your boyfriend!

•He loves taking care of you, and you love taking care of him(you better), so making eachother breakfast, giving eachother daily vitamins or medicine, all of that.

•MOVIE. DATE. NIGHTS. Cuddling up on the couch w/ popcorn and candy, sharing a warm blanket and falling asleep not in 1 hour in. He ignores the movie and probably falls asleep admiring your peaceful face.

Imagine

Georg usually wakes up earlier than you, being a early-bird. So, with that, he either makes or buys you breakfast, ordering your favorite drink and items, ordering stuff for him and the others too.

When he gets back and your still asleep(damn), he softly wakes you up, holding back a "awe" at your sleepy face, setting down the drink and food on the nightstand, getting into bed w/you, and talking about anything and everything.

---------

Taglist;

@ilovebill-and-gustav

@doll-bite

•I love these sm!!!

•Much love!💜💜

[puckleberryfinnie]

covey!reader in the quarter quell (opening ceremony!!)

read these first for this to make a bit more sense!

original idea post: click me!

introduction story: click me!

thank you to anyone who showed support in any way on the first introduction for this, it means a lot <33 there’s a lot of just reader content in this (mostly because I’m still working on doing a large amount of dialogue between characters), so if you want, you can skip to later down into this to find more interesting stuff!!

summary: reader goes through the opening ceremony process, meeting people along the way!! - reader meets a bunch of the characters! (Finnick, Johanna, Katniss and Peeta)

warnings: fem!reader, slight mention of ptsd?, alcohol, really bad writing (specifically dialogue)

“Get to know those new winners, the lovers. It’ll be good for your image,” she had said, pouring herself another cup. “It’s not lookin’ too good, kiddo. I’ll miss ya’, if I’m honest.”

Both of you knew your partner- the 50 year old, previous farmer, current jobless winner, would be no help to you. He’d made it known very early on that he hated you- hated the Covey as a whole, if we’re being honest. No amount of kindness, no amount of cheerful smiles could make this man like you. If he saw you in the games, he’d kill you. No hesitation, especially if it meant his chance at survival.

The predestined goodbyes made your heart ache, but in reality, they were better than none at all. Getting one last word in was something of importance to you, with anyone you loved. The games had forced you to realize the value of human life more than ever.

Those lovers, though. Katniss and Peeta- You’d have to understand them, before you arrived. Even if you couldn’t make it out alive, you’d like friends in your final moments. Someone to talk to. The last games had been filled with sleepless nights alone, humming melodies to the mockingbirds in the trees. “K-A-T-N-I-S-S,” typed slowly into your search engine device, one implanted into a high-tech table on the traveling train, headed for the Capital. Millions of articles popped up, lighting up the screen with bold titles, attached with colorful images. This Katniss girl, she was something different from the tributes you’d met. There was no determinable factor to it, she just had something about her that made you curious. You dismissed the thought, closing out the browser before turning your head, looking out the fast-moving train through the pristine, freshly cleaned windows.

It didn’t take too long for you to arrive at your all-too-familiar destination- the Capital buildings towering over you, providing shade for your short trip to the training/housing facility. There were people calling out your name as you walked along the gold paved path, asking you questions. All of them wanted to get the inside scoop on the nearly-dead, newly returned tributes, getting their last words before they reached the end of their life. You smiled, waved, said hello to the reporters before escaping them through the front doors of the tall building in front of you.

The outfits available to you for the opening ceremony were better this time around. Your stylist, bless her heart, knew nothing of Covey fashion, and struggled with finding something with farmy-like elements of District 11 while still reaching the level of luxury an event like this one required. This year’s selections were much better- she took the Covey’s bright colors, taking inspiration from patterns found in the little art markets that used to be found in District 11 and 12, tended to by Coveys looking for some extra money for dinner. You picked the one you found the most suitable for yourself, knowing you’d at least semi-match with your partner.

Exiting the building into an area close to the path for the ceremony, you saw many familiar tributes standing around. Johanna Mason. Finnick Odair. Beetee and sweet old Mags. Despite the screaming from the crowd who’d catched a glimmer of your appearance, you calmly walked towards your pair of horses, placed in front of District 12’s. Katniss was standing there, brushing her hand along her horse.

Walking up to Katniss wasn’t a problem- your mama raised you to be confident like that, knowing that’s the only way to live the Covey life. Smile raised, you prepared to give a classic Covey welcome, sure to draw anyone in!

“Katniss, right? Y/N L/N! I love the dress.”

Poor Katniss had been a bit frightened, not planning for anyone to approach her during this experience. She’d seen you before, though- in the games before hers. She’d remembered Prim saying something about her wanting to win the games like you had- no killing, no violence perpetrated on her part. It’d stuck with Katniss after her own games, knowing she’d played against her sisters ‘morality rules’ with her ever-lethal bow and arrow.

Haymitch had mentioned the girl, too- “she’s not much of a threat- that voice of hers is her only weapon when it comes down to it. But she’s smart- slick and sneaky in the arena. An ally like her would mean more sponsors (her adoring fans) and better hiding places.”

Before Katniss could even get in a word to you, a large arm was wrapped around your shoulders, making you tense up slightly before relaxing at the slight of the boy next to you. Finnick. Finnick Odair. You didn’t know him very well, but whenever you sang for those Capital parties, he’d make sure to send a compliment your way, sauntering off after talking for a moment.

“Now, what’re you girls talking about? Me, I’d suspect?” Finnick gave Katniss a nod before looking down at you, smirking.

“You wish, golden boy,” you laughed, taking a closer look at his ensemble of clothing (or lack thereof) for the evening. You turned back to Katniss, still very aware of the touch between you two.

Katniss gave a strange look to the two of you before saying “Yeah, definitely not talking about you… maybe that ridiculous outfit, though.”

“Ouch! I think it looks pretty nice, don’t you think, singer girl?”

“It’s alright, I guess. Not much to look at, though.” You answered.

“Oh, believe me, singer girl, there’s plenty to look at.” He winked, before walking off with a smile on his face.

You watched as he walked away, realizing what he was insinuating. You slowly turned back towards Katniss, shaking your head before resuming your conversation, the one left unattended when Finnick had blessed the girls with his presence. Now, however, a new person has joined your duo- Peeta. Peeta looked a lot kinder than Katniss, his overall aura more inviting.

“Anyways- I wanted to come meet you, given we’re the two newest winners.” You smiled before lowering your voice to a quiet whisper, leaning closer to the pair. “Covey has loved what you’ve done so far, with the movement and everything. I’ll help in any way I can.” Noticing the cameras pointed right towards you three from above you, you ended the conversation as quickly as possible with: “Well, thank you for your time! I better get to my ride before it leaves without me.” You waved before walking quickly to your place in line, fixing your outfit before getting ready in your pose.

The opening ceremony was the same as last year, for the most part. Not as much smiling, though. A lot more frowns and angry faces were found on the faces of tributes highlighted on the giant projector screen. You kept your smile, though. Smiling and waving is what you knew best. Before long, the event was over, and you found yourself heading to your assigned room. Considering your living space was the second highest floor (District 11 bonus!)taking an elevator was your most efficient mode of travel. There weren’t too many tributes left on ground floor level, most of them had found their way to their rooms at this point.

“Mind if I step in, Songbird?” Johanna Mason, leaning against the elevator door, smiling expectantly at you, waiting for an answer.

“No, no, I don’t mind. Come on in!”

Johanna strutted into the elevator, standing awfully close to you, both of your shoulders almost touching.”Thanks. Johanna, by the way.” She said, turning towards you.

“Lovely to meet you, I’m Y/N.”

“Oh, believe me, I know your name. I see you singing those songs of yours all the time. Pretty good, if you ask me.”

“Oh? Well, thank you! It’s… disappointing that my music will be going away pretty soon… with the games and all…”

“I think there’s some more song left in you, Songbird.’ Johanna sent a slight smile your way before stepping forward with the ding of the elevator. The doors open to her floor, and she steps out before turning around again, “Nice talk, Y/N. See you soon.” The doors close, leaving you alone in the elevator.

You fell asleep promptly after arriving in your room- the day had been quite tiring for you, and you needed to prepare for the next day ahead of you, too. You’d begin training tomorrow, and soon enough you’d have your all-too-stressful skill evaluations. And there always was the impending doom shadowing over every thought in the form of the start of the games, just a week away. As you drifted off, you thought of relationships you’d form in these next days, vital to keep your ever-falling spirits from reaching rock bottom.

ooo they’re flirting with youuuu

I hope you guys liked this little part of the story, let me know if you want more or want to be added to the tag list for this series <33 I’m soso sorry this took me so long, too!! I already have some parts of another chapter started, so it should come sooner!! hopefully my writing had improved just a little, I promise I’m trying <33

INBOX IS OPEN FOR REQUESTS OR CHATS <33

tag list (love you cutie patooties so much 💋💋)

@randomgurl2326

@marvelescvpe

love ya!!

[pluck-heartstrings]

H

Ok so my first thought that all the H's were bricks that were stacked vertically which would kinda make sense for the castle but then my logic took over and was just like.... Maybe mockingbird really likes H's.

Either way thank you for this blessing and the conundrum

[just-my-latest-hyperfixation]

📚 🔮 🎨 i love u

Love you too!!! 😍💖🌸

📚 Is there a fanfic or fanfic writer you recommend? Aaaargh, you know that I forget any opinion I've ever held the second anyone asks me for one! There's so many incredibly talented ppl in this fandom, and so many fantastic fics, how am I to choose one??? Here's some I've read and loved recently:

hunter's moon by mourningshowers: a very intriguing werewolf AU with a cool, unique spin on pack dynamics, and stunning prose - the descriptions of ppl's scents in particular stuck with me, they're so vivid and evocative! butter, sugar, and northern mockingbirds by @thefreakandthehair: the most perfectest, soft, mushy, sweet bakery AU. If you're in need of a fic that will leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy and happy inside, this is a definite rec! Never coming down (with your hand in mine) by @eyesofshinigami: the latest instalment in their omega!Eddie series, which I adore. If you're into a/b/o and omega Eddie, give this one a read!

🔮 Any advice for writers working through burnout or writer’s block?

Some things that work for me, personally:

Just write! I sit myself down, set a word count (100 words, 200 words, doesn't matter, it's about getting started) and don't get up or hop on socials before I have written that word count down. Maybe I'll find my flow and keep going, maybe I'll think it's garbage and leave it for the day. I never delete what I wrote, even if I hate it. Instead, I come back a day or two later and look it over with a fresh pair of eyes. Most of the time, I'll realize that it doesn't suck as bad as I thought it did.

Write something small! If my large WIPs seem too daunting atm, I'll try a microfic or drabble - something small and relatively low effort. Those also have the added bonus that I can yeet them out immediately after they're done, and the reactions I get usually give me the serotonin boost I need and motivate me to write more. (Bc I'm an attention whore like that! XD)

Let the brain run idle! I take a walk. I craft or doodle something. I play with my kid. I watch a movie or go out with friends. The main thing is, I don't write. I try to not even think of writing. That's often when my best ideas hit me out of nowhere.

🎨 If someone were to make fanart of your work, what fic or scene would you hope to see?

I am blessed enough to have a bunch of incredibly talented mutuals who have made so much wonderful, gorgeous, incredible art of my work. I look at it daily, it makes me feel so incredibly loved and cherished. I couldn't wish for more! That being said, if someone asked me, I'd probably pick for a scene from Someone who cares because that's my oldest fic (my baby, my firstborn, etc.) and it doesn't have any art yet.

Fic writer asks

[azspot]

Turns out, everything on the internet—every blessed word, no matter how dumb or benighted—has utility as a learning model. Words are the food that large language algorithms feed upon, the scraps they rely on to grow, to learn, to approximate life. The LLNs that came online in recent years were all trained by reading the internet. This thing that we’ve been doing collectively with our relentless blog posts and pokes and tweets and uploads and news story shares, all 30-odd years of fuck-all pointless human chatterboo, it’s their tuning fork. Like when a guitarist plays a chord on a guitar and compares the sound to a tuner, adjusts the pegs, plays the chord again; that’s what has happened here, that’s what all my words are, what all our words are, a thing to mimic, a mockingbird’s feast.

Rise of the Ghost Machines

[althea-and-alcestris]

Things I associate with Alce and Baul as a pair

Songs:

Beautiful Creature - MIIA Mockingbird - Eminem Monsters - Katie Sky Two Birds - Regina Spektor Secret Garden - EmpathP Diamonds - Rihanna Fourth of July - Sufjan Stevens Army Dreamers - Kate Bush As It Was - Harry Styles See You Again - Wiz Khalifa, Charlie Puth Hello - Adele Umbrella - Ember Island If We Have Each Other - Alec Benjamin Somewhere Only We Know - Keane 7 Years - Lukas Graham In The Name Of Love - Bebe Rexha, Martin Garrix My Family - Addams Family Alone - Alan Walker Whenever, Wherever - Shakira The Nights - Avicii Sing Me To Sleep - Alan Walker Stand By You - Rachel Platten Halo - Beyoncé Birds - Imagine Dragons Don't You Worry Child - Madilyn Bailey Beautiful Boy - John Lennon Just Hold On - Steve Aoki, Louis Tomlinson My Love All Mine - Mitski Slipped Away - Avril Lavigne Gone Gone Gone - Phillip Phillips Az Én Apám - Pápai Joci Baby Mine - Betty Noyes

Flowers:

Forget-me-nots - Represents the immortal love we have for those who go before us

Hyacinth - Symbol of Sorrow and also celebration of life. As we mourn a loss, the hyancinth reminds us to take in all the blessings our loved ones would surely want us to see.

Hydrangeas - Symbolizes forgiveness, regret, deep sorrow, family

Delphinium - Indicates strong bonds of love

Lilacs - Symbolizes the loss of great love

[trailofleaves]

Mockingbirds - Mary Oliver

This morning two mockingbirds in the green field were spinning and tossing

the white ribbons of their songs into the air. I had nothing

better to do than listen. I mean this seriously.

In Greece, a long time ago, an old couple opened their door

to two strangers who were, it soon appeared, not men at all,

but gods. It is my favorite story-- how the old couple had almost nothing to give

but their willingness to be attentive-- but for this alone the gods loved them

and blessed them-- when they rose out of their mortal bodies, like a million particles of water

from a fountain, the light swept into all the corners of the cottage,

and the old couple, shaken with understanding, bowed down-- but still they asked for nothing

but the difficult life which they had already. And the gods smiled, as they vanished, clapping their great wings.

Wherever it was I was supposed to be this morning-- whatever it was I said

I would be doing-- I was standing at the edge of the field-- I was hurrying

through my own soul, opening its dark doors-- I was leaning out; I was listening.

[snippy-tano]

so this one hit me in the middle of night last night and I woke up in like a cold sweat and finished it off tonight. I hope you all like it! it is a part 2 to the Hunter x Senator!Reader. consider it an early present for you guys since my birthday is tomorrow ;)

hope y’all love it! let me know what you think!

s/o to @quizznag who commented on ao3 and said they should get their meal together and then hunter and reader sneak off to a balcony to have a chat. Bless u

(also apologies for no page break, I’m doing this on mobile and Jfhshdhf it sucks sometimes. I’ll fix it when I can get on a computer I promise y’all)

taglist is here!

masterlist is here!

tagging: @pro-fangirls-unsocial-life @marvel-starwars-nerd @mackstrut @dissapointingpancake @ahsokatano-thetogruta @welcometothepedroverse @lightning-wolffe @fractiouskat @mandaloriandin @lussyyung @lowkeyodinsong @str-wrs-fics @bantha-shit @badbatch-simp24 @katelynnwrites @s1st3r @leotatombs @torchbearerkyle @rain-on-kamino @the-navistar-carol @bombshe77 @arctrooper69 @social-mockingbird @isabelle-99 @dangraccoon

——————————————————————

Of Sergeants and Senators: Part 2

(Part 1)

After your stint as an investigator who brought down the spice smuggling ring on your home planet, things died down a bit for you.

You were still incredibly busy. Your side project had caught the attention of other senators and you suddenly found yourself involved much more heavily in politics. People took you more seriously and that made things both easier and more difficult.

But you didn’t mind. You finally felt like you were making a difference within the Senate and it was all thanks to what you were able to accomplish on your home planet.

Speaking of your accomplishments, you couldn’t have done it without the help of the Bad Batch.

Ever since they left to continue their specialty missions, you had kept tabs on them. You had given the Sergeant your comm link and you had kept in contact with him. It started as messages here and there, sometimes conversations left for days only to be picked up like no time had passed. Then it turned into calls when you had time, the duration of the calls gradually increasing. Then it was holocalls where you could see him. You had grown close with him over this time period, learning more about him and worrying when he didn’t reply.

Your calls didn’t occur as frequently as you may have liked, but you were both busy with your own jobs. Hunter was out there saving lives and fighting in the war and you were fighting your own battles on the Senate floor.

It was hard. But you lived for those quiet moments when you could message or speak with him. He had a way of making you forget what was going on in your life and you craved every second you got to speak with him. It was getting harder and harder to keep ignoring the tugging at your heart every time you had to say goodbye, but you did your best to ignore it.

Occasionally, you would send them a package for when they were back on Kamino with some things you found at markets on Coruscant. It wasn’t much, but you hoped that it showed your gratitude towards them and how much you valued them.

It had been hard to coordinate a time for you to treat them to that meal you promised them because they were hardly ever on Coruscant. You were like ships passing in the night. And you were convinced the war would be over before you had your opportunity.

But as luck would have it, you had a free evening and the Batch happened to be in the system.

It was only one night. But you were going to make it count.

Hana had insisted she drive you, which you had insisted she didn’t need to. You were perfectly capable of driving yourself.

“Hana, I can handle it. It’s like you don’t trust me.”

Hana only laughed as she started up the speeder. “That’s because I don’t.”

Ouch.

But you had to admit it, you made it to your destination much sooner and without any major incidents with Hana at the helm.

The Batch was already waiting for you when you arrived. Wrecker waved wildly when he saw the two of you approaching and it brought a smile to your face.

��I’m glad you made it!” You called as you approached.

Hunter let out a laugh. “We almost didn’t, but the boys were excited and we were going to make it no matter what.”

You smiled at him, taking a deep breath to calm your rapidly beating heart.

“Any reason we’re meeting down here and not on the surface? I didn’t take you for one to mingle here.” Crosshair said and you crossed your arms.

“What? You think a senator should be too afraid to come here?”

“Just an observation.” Crosshair replied, fiddling with his toothpick.

“I did have a reason for meeting here and not on the surface. And the reason is right there.” You pointed across the street and the Batch turned to follow your gesture.

“Oh no way!! I’ve heard about this place!” Wrecker cried, punching Tech on the arm. “Let’s go!”

You watched as the Batch and Hana moved towards the entrance, Hana and Tech already in conversation and Wrecker and Crosshair right ahead of them.

“Dex’s?” Hunter asked, crossing his arms. You smiled softly.

“I wanted to take you all to a meal that reflected my thanks to you, but I thought you might be more comfortable here. Besides, Dex is an old friend and I am always willing to provide him with business.” You replied, motioning with your hand. “Come on.”

“Senator!” A loud booming voice greeted you the moment you stepped inside the small diner. “It’s been too long! I’ve missed ya!”

You smiled broadly. “I’ve missed you just about as much as I’ve missed your food Dex. Do you have a booth open for us?”

“For you, I’ll make room. Head on over to that booth in the corner, I’ll be right there.” Dex waved you on and you raised a hand in response. You headed towards where Dex had motioned, the Batch and Hana following behind you. It was going to be a tight fit, even with a corner booth, but you’d make it work.

You ended up sandwiched between Wrecker and Hunter. Hana had somehow secured the edge of the booth and you had a sneaking suspicion that Tech was behind it.

Dex kept by a moment after you’d gotten settled, taking drink and food orders. One positive about Dex was the food was excellent, and fast. Meaning before you knew it, all of you were digging into some of the best food on the entire planet.

But you may be biased.

The night passed without a hitch. Even though you hadn’t spent much time in a casual setting with the entire Batch, it was easy to have a conversation with them, all of them. You talked to Wrecker about food and found you shared a love for all things sweet. Tech and you had a long conversation about book you’d both read on the floral and fauna of Naboo, and everyone else ended up cutting you off before it could really get in-depth. But you’d make sure you continued the conversation later because it truly was just getting fascinating.

Crosshair was a tougher nut to crack. You tried a few times throughout the course of the night but he never seemed to bite. The only time you got him to say more than a few snarky words was when you made a joke about Separatist droids and you’d gotten a sincere snicker from him. You only knew it was sincere because he immediately cleared his throat and refused to make eye contact.

Hunter and you didn’t talk too much, just a few short words here and there. But neither of you seemed to mind. It had been a while since you’d been in each others presence, but sitting next to him in a crowded diner with some men you’d developed an affection for was enough.

He was enough.

The night was drawing to a close much sooner than you had expected. Dex had insisted you could stick around past closing, but you knew he had a long day and would have a lot to do after you left. So with some fond farewells and promises to come back very soon, you were back outside in the streets of Coruscant.

“Well boys, I think our night of leave is almost up.” Hunter said, which made Wrecker groan.

“Aww! But I don’t want to go yet! We never get a night off!” Wrecker whined and you looked at Hana who shrugged.

“Alright, follow us. I have an idea.” You said, starting to walk beside Hana. The Batch hesitated and you turned, continuing to walk backwards. “Come on, you’ll love it I promise.”

Wrecker moved immediately and you grinned when you saw the rest of them begin to follow the big guy’s lead. You skipped once, turning back around.

The walk was a short one and before you knew it, you were standing in front of a nondescript building with a neon sign in the window.

You looked at the Batch with a smile as they stared in confusion. “Come on. You’re about to try the best cryo-treats in the galaxy.”

Wrecker whooped and you smiled, leading them inside. Hunter had protested against your footing the bill again, but you insisted and he didn’t fight you on it. Thanking you with a soft “thank you ma’am” and nudging the rest of the Batch to do the same.

Everyone split among the small shop, taking up chairs and tables. You met eyes with Hunter. You motioned for him to follow you and you stepped through the doors leading to a small balcony in the shop. You could hear the rest of the Batch’s lively conversation until the door shut behind the two of you.

“Wow.” Hunter breathed and you smiled as you walked up to the edge of the balcony, leaning on the railing. The balcony was secluded. Well, as secluded as Coruscant could be. The lights outside were dim, letting the light of the city planet be the main source of light. Vines native to the planet of the owner of the shop wove in and out of the railing surrounding the balcony. A few small tables and chairs filled the space, giving people who visit a quiet place to come and enjoy treats and company.

“Some senators like to frequent concert halls, or bars, or restaurants as a break.” You said. “I like to come here instead.”

“It’s quiet.”

“Surprising right? I’m not sure how they do it, but the city isn’t quite as loud from here. It’s calming.” You replied, taking a bite of your treat. “I don’t mind sharing my secret space, so feel free to come back here any time you’re planet side.”

“Thank you. For everything.” Hunter said, eyes fixed outwards.

You took another bite and shook your head. “I should be thanking you. You helped me and my people when you didn’t need to and continue to help the people of the Galaxy. I’m not sure I will ever be able to fully express my gratitude towards you.”

It was Hunter’s turn to shake his head. “We were just doing our job. We’re soldiers. It’s what we were bred to do.”

“I know the clones really didn’t have a choice in all of this, but there are people out there who are grateful for what you do. You’re also people who deserve to experience things the rest of us take for granted.” You finished your treat and set it aside. “You should have a chance to live a life without war.”

“I’ve never known life without war. I’m not sure I ever could.” Hunter said and you let out a sigh.

You had touched on this conversation before, during one of your many calls through the last few months. But Hunter had almost always dodged your questions or changed the subject. He clearly didn’t want to talk or think about it, so you never pushed him. This was the furthest you’d ever gotten along this line of thinking. You knew this was your chance to find out more and maybe convince him his life was worth living without war.

You turned towards him, placing your hand over his gloved one as it rested on the railing. His eyes snapped down, but you remained focused on his face.

“Hunter, I don’t know what you’ve been through and I cannot begin to understand. But I do know that you are standing in front of me, living and breathing. I can’t guarantee the war will end in our favor, but if it does, you deserve to live a life that you want with the freedom of discovering it for yourself.” You said. “And I will be around to help you figure it out. All of you.”

“We clones can’t really imagine thinking that far into the future. We’re designed to be expendable.” His voice was quiet and your chest tightened.

“Not to me. Never to me. You and all of your brothers deserve a life and I will do my best to make sure that when the war ends you’re given that choice.”

Hunter let out a sigh. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” You smiled, you moved to remove your hand from the top of his, but he held fast. You froze, shoulders tensing.

“Being a clone does have its advantages.” He said, looking out at the city, seemingly unbothered by the fact his hand was still clutching yours.

You swallowed. “Really? All of you, or just you?”

Hunter’s mouth lifted in a smirk. “Right now, just me. Wanna know why?”

No. Yes. Maybe? Your heart was pounding in your chest and you were trying to keep your hands from trembling.

“Yes.” You breathed and he turned to face you. He switched hands, only to tug off a glove and set it down on the railing. Then his bare hand engulfed yours.

Your stomach swirled as Hunter stepped closer and leaned down slightly so he was hovering near your ear.

“I can hear how fast your heart is beating.”

You stopped breathing as a shiver went down your spine. You could practically feel him smirking beside you and as much as you wanted to punch him for being so smug, you were absolutely frozen in place. Hunter straightened slightly so he was now looking down at you.

Your mind was racing. There were so many instances when the Batch was assigned to protect you where you found your heart rate increasing when you were in Hunter’s presence. You knew he had enhanced senses, but you didn’t think they were that enhanced. Does that mean every time you felt a little off in his presence that he knew it??

Hunter seemed to be following where your train of thought was going, because he chuckled softly. His hand tightened around yours.

“There is something I’ve always wanted to try that I think you can help with.”

Your eyes met his and you let out a breath. You trusted him completely.

“Really?”

He hummed in response as your eyes searched his face.

What could be possibly-

Oh.

It dawned on you what he likely meant and your face warmed involuntarily. You could feel your heart thump in your chest and you cleared your throat, knowing he could hear it now had your stomach flipping.

“Okay.”

Hunter hesitated for a moment, eyes searching yours. You met his gaze and gave his hand a squeeze.

You’re not sure you breathed the entire time Hunter was leaning closer to you, but the exhale you released the moment his lips touched yours was one of relief. Your eyes closed immediately and you sagged against him. There was some shuffling and then two bare hands gently touched your face, his fingertips weaving into your hair.

Knowing you were in danger of losing it entirely, you grabbed onto his wrists, holding them as tightly as you dared. Right now it was the only thing grounding you. His lips moved incessantly and you found yourself chasing every single movement. You hadn’t been kissed like this since…well ever. He wrapped an arm around your shoulders, dragging you closer and you went willingly, practically melting into him.

Before you were ready, he pulled back. You started to lean back in, but he laughed and pressed his forehead against yours. “I hear the boys talking, they might be heading this way any minute.”

You let out a breathy chuckle. “Aah. Right.”

“Trust me, if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have stopped.”

Your stomach did a somersault and you looked up at him, lifting a hand to brush against his cheek. “I would have liked that.”

“To be continued?”

“To be continued.”

Hunter returned your smile, leaning forward to press one last chaste kiss on your lips before taking a step away from you. He adjusted his chest plate and you brushed at your slightly wrinkled clothes. Just then, the door opened.

“Oh, here you are.” Tech said. “I fear that Wrecker is rapidly approaching a sugar crash and I suggest we return to the Marauder before that happens.”

“Alright, we’re coming.” Hunter replied and Tech nodded before shutting the door behind him.

Hunter looked back at you, after he picked up his gloves. He reached forward, gave your hand one last squeeze before putting his gloves back on. You both shared another smile before heading for the door, side by side.

The journey forward would be hard, probably one of the hardest. But knowing Hunter had your six and you had his, it would be worth it.

[feely-touchy]

My magpie prince,

I bring you charms and fine jewelry

Bartering, beggarly

That you may stay with me

Please bless me permanently with your great peerage

I know it's not much,

But my love, it's my everything

I've written you songs

And recitations in my broken voice

For I am a mockingbird

And all of the love in the world is dedicated to you

[geekhombre]

Iqi Qoror, Blue Underneath Mondrian, 2022. Mixed media, acrylic, thread on canvas, 72 x 79 in. Photo by: Artplex Gallery Los Angeles, CA.

Seen at Mockingbird in Blessed Perplexity.

[ad-hawkeye]

got hit by the artem truck out of nowhere and now that he’s jumped to my favorite rn i was wondering if you had any card stories you would recommend(recent or old is fine if you answer this)

Come On In To The Artem Truck

oh gosh! oh uh, okay okay okay! i got this! i got YOU! pulling out the tot app for this. my recommendations are below. bolded cards are my absolute favorites, but the rest are cards that while not my favorites, are very good and do have important relevance to artem or his future cards. also worth noting, these are only cards on global. i plan on making a list of future card recommendations soon! i think i talk about a few on this blog as well!

any cards not on this list aren't awful per say, just not as good or important - in my opinion, anyways!

BASE GAME CARDS (RECOMMENDATIONS)

loving memories (SSR): showcases pre development artem well. good neil lore. the haunted house also gets mentioned again in future cards.

focus fire (SR): good neil and artem lore. not exactly groundbreaking or anything, but i think it's worth a watch.

sparks (SR): you'll be seeing a lot of bold early on. sparks is a classic and favorite of many people. recommended.

in sickness or in health (SR): the og. this made me an artem stan.

autumn dreams (SR): while not a "must watch" imo, it is very cute and worth it if you have the time. also the final card art is artem's background on his tablet (you can see it on artem's tablet skill item)

thin veil (SR): paywalled but up on youtube. this is a MUST watch. introduces mockingbird and artem's whole deal with movies. also artem sucks at hand crafts and its a treat to watch him panic

unusual love (SSR): paywalled but up on youtube. this one is just rly fun to watch. it's fake dating AND angst! fun fun.

-

EVENTS (RECOMMENDATIONS)

lost gold: just. lost gold. love artem's route so much. also if rosa tries to use her little gun, it references artem teaching her how to shoot in focus fire.

artem's first birthday event: this one is so cute! recommend.

-

EVENT BANNER CARDS (RECOMMENDATIONS)

entwined fate (SSR): yeah you saw this one coming. it sets up a lot of stuff for the artemrosa dynamic. also it's just very cute AND you get amazing neil and artem angst! for what is probably the last time ever!

dreamful melodies (SSR): artem is so deeply pathetic and incompetent in this. please watch it <3

fixated on you (SR): very cute and one of my personal favs! marks a shift in their dynamic towards them being good friends AND has artem sucking at art

wandering heart (SSR): one of the classics. artem tricks rosa into eating some shitty chocolate to make her laugh and feel better.

two hearts as one (SSR): artem cries in this one and it's great!

sunshine after the rain (SSR): i just wrote a whole block of text about this one and it's one of my favorites. trust in meeee

winning ball (SR): not groundbreaking but watching artem talk about his absentee father is always a win in my book

eternal yearning (1st anniversary SSR): well yeah this one is a requirement for reasons. it's very good! i wouldn't say it was life changing but they do get together here and it's very nice imo.

new skies (SSR): i like this one a lot. playful artem makes a reappearance and the ending is super cute

masquerade passion (SR): love this one a lot!! this is also a classic artemrosa card, imo. its very in character and also includes theater boy artem again. cant go wrong with that!

paired blessings (SSR): this one is honestly a little boring, but they go back to the temple from entwined fate and talk about life and stuff. also worth a watch!

heart listener (SR): this one references loving memories! artem also heavily relates to the kid they have to babysit who is struggling with busy borderline absentee parents.

the weeds (SSR): probably one of artem's better au cards, which is why it's making it on this list. this is the one to watch if ur in an au mode.

day and night (SSR): this one isnt my favorite but it's his second bday card and does have some interesting stuff in it, me thinks. worth a watch.

[lunchboxpoems]

DURING THE PANDEMIC I LISTEN TO THE JULY 26, 1965, JUAN-LES-PINS RECORDING OF A LOVE SUPREME

The first familiar, know-them-anywhere notes bless me this savage morning. Coltrane’s horn racing up and down every alley, in and out of veins and over the faces of lakes and into the heart of stones. And when he repeats A love supreme again and again, it’s as though, if he says it enough, he can ease that mercy down into me, into the tiny ossicular chain, the chemical rush, the spark, and my brain getting it—if even just for this thirty-two minutes and forty-eight seconds. My daughter’s been sick seven weeks with the virus. Yesterday she felt a little bored, she texted. And I grab that like a shopping cart. I load it up with hope. Make it prayer. When the day’s portion of the Torah is recited, someone stands by to correct mistakes. The words must vibrate precisely in the air. So I open my door to the breath of his instrument that refuses nothing, lavishing the grass, gutters, and trees, concrete, cars, the gopher pulling down the new lettuces. This generous sound that can mean anything, nothing, whatever you need. And isn’t that god? Isn’t that it? This shivering? This fall to my knees? Gods do walk among us. But humans are, after all, a broken promise. And yet, these humans seem to be trying to enter . . . what? I can almost hear it. This old planet. Worms passing earth through their tissue. Orchids, corn, mockingbirds throwing themselves into song like there’s no tomorrow. Which there may not be. Yet, still a mountain. Still wind. And Coltrane still offering the same four notes like a teacher who is infinitely patient. He’s telling me it’s worth it to be in a body. He’s telling me I’m alive in a beach town in California and my daughter in a high-rise in Vancouver, my girl, lying feverish on the couch she’s been lying on forty-nine days and forty-nine nights, still alive.

ELLEN BASS

[putah-creek]

The mockingbird was up past midnight Singing: ”This nest is mine, brother This nest is mine, sister See the moon, see the stars They bless this life They bless this night This nest is mine, and I Will sleep here through The rest of the night” Sleep when you’re weary, little friend I will listen along until then

James Lee Jobe

[insurrection-if]

Who are your favorite characters to write?

Oh goodness, when it comes to writing them . . . Aha, that depends on my chosen criteria for favorite! And thank you for such a wonderfully interesting ask! (๑′ᴗ‵๑) I’ll put it under the cut for the sake of scrollers wishing to pass on by!

Imka is the easiest to write. It’s so nice to have an immediate sense of how she might act or what she might say, uncomplicated and oh-so-relatable for me compared to her companions. Everything seems to flow out rather quickly once I’ve worked through her emotions, and that’s a blessing all on its own. Sweet, genuine, and well-intentioned is also a good headspace to enter after all the angst certain others have me muddle through, haha!

Curadora is by far the most sentimental character to write. She was the original protagonist of Insurrection after all, as far back as its earliest conception (which was a far cry from its current state), and any chance I have to dip into elements of her original narrative is an absolute delight since she is so near and dear to my heart. She is also rather easy for me to understand, though her current limbo state between two “different versions” of her—more harshly split into a defined ‘before’ and ‘after’ in the original narrative—makes her a little more unbalanced in her persona, swaying from one end to another during this turbulent time in her life.

Really, I simply love thinking about her, so it makes sense that I love writing for her too, haha! Her rationale for her actions, her conflict between her private and public affairs, and her relationships with others (especially the CARDINALS) which once held much of the dramatic weight in the story . . . She’s been with me for so long, changing in small ways over the years yet still retaining a certain true essence to her core, so writing for her can sometimes feel as natural as breathing!

Fyodor is my absolute favorite to conceptualize and imagine, especially when it comes to his past, but putting him into words is quite a challenge for me. He allows my imagination to run a bit wild, yet it’s his very ‘wild card(?)’ nature that makes me sometimes feel like I’m fighting to catch up to him and wrestling to figure him out in the midst of his internal chaos. (He is much more well-behaved when it comes to courting someone he adores. Take a look at him in his bachelorhood with the kind of friends he had back home. . . He goes off the rails pretty quick, haha!)

His tangled contradictions are a joy to explore, but harder for me to write from a perspective that does not have an omniscience towards what is going on in that head and heart of his (which is where I derive most of my fun with him). I guess I could say he’s a messy sort of fun to write as a way to sum it up!

Mishka, though they will have a slow introduction into the main narrative, is also becoming quite a joy to write as well. They do not willing enter “center stage” often, but when they do—especially by their own will—you can expect something unforgettable to follow. In truth, they are rather predictable for me due to how little they fear any consequence for their actions. Once they have wrested all control, unbound and unburdened by the will of Fyodor . . . Whatever they would think to do, they’ll do it; there is often not a moment of thought for what resistance or fallout they’ll face before they act. Mishka very much has no care for how others may perceive them— unless that person is Fyodor or someone who has romanced Fyodor / a Mockingbird they have developed a romantic longing for. And when you can do what Mishka can do, well, things escalate in pretty quick and unexpected ways!

Overall, this makes writing for Mishka a rather straightforward and liberating affair. They come in, make a mess of everything, declare themself “better than all this”, then go back to sleep for however long they feel like until someone or something needs to be put in its place. Simple, dramatic, bitter, and messy all bundled up into one holier-than-thou renegade. To sum it up in a GIF, Mishka’s antics in a nutshell:

Fyodor is carrying the pizza and Mishka is . . . everything else, haha!

Also, they’re basically a living gold mine for world-shattering truths, and once their trust is earned, they are considerably forthcoming about it all compared to Osvaldo (with more reliable, if semi-cryptic, information on top of that). It’s considerably fun to write from the headspace of their rather informed perspective, and to write their reactions to the theories around + the treatment towards different Gifted due to what they know. Plus, writing their general indiscriminate condensation and disdain for most everything around them is somewhat amusing for me as well, haha! d(･∀･○)

[variousqueerthings]

favourie movies i watched for the first time in the first half of 2024

(yeah I originally wrote this post in July and forgot to finish it, shhhhh ignore the date)

a death in the gunj: i went into this one not knowing what was going to happen. it's a profile of a young man who doesn't fit in the world around him, portrayed in a microcosm of familial events -- it was so intensely emotional and set off a lot of the underlying thematic thread of this year's watching

beau travail: this is one of the "top 100 movies lists" movies that i watched and i spent a good deal of it wondering where it was going and what it was exactly doing and we get to the final scene and my mind suddenly flips and goes "oh it's been doing it the whole time!!!" it's a film that felt like i was soaking in it, rather than watching something chronological or putting together a puzzle. white, colonialist toxic masculinity in djibouti and homoeroticism

maurice (vietnamese film club extended edition): i've seen maurice sans these scenes before, but then this youtube channel uploaded a version with the deleted scenes spliced in and ohhh my goodness it gives so much more Moreness to the whole story. i also read the book for the first time afterwards and truly the movie follows it so closely, but yeah. there's something special about maurice, on a meta level as well as quality. doubly so with the deleted scenes

to kill a mockingbird: yeah yeah i'd never seen it before, duh it's a really good movie. tbh i do think there's something in the water of more classic hollywood Cinema. a messy af place, but i'm a sucker for the beautiful acting, astounding scores, the sincerity of the story and the acting. it's a perfect film

the watermelon woman: interestingly, on the flipside of the "movies that mean something" scale, about as non-hollywood as you'll get, a movie about who gets remembered in movies, a movie about documentation, a movie that wanted to make a documentary, but instead is making a movie about trying to make a documentary (that isn't a documentary), a movie about black lesbians throughout history, a movie that was nearly impossible to find for awhile (god bless piracy), a movie about in/visibility

southern comfort: a documentary about the final year of robert eads, who died of what would have been initially treatable ovarian cancer, but who had been told he didn't need his ovaries removed and then later was denied treatment until it was too late. this is incredibly sad, yes, but it's also a movie about the trans south, a community documentation that feels incredible in its existence, a group of people who would risk being forgotten were it not for the hungry, beautiful need to document

the zone of interest: one of two oscar-nominated movies on this list, i had never heard of this term before, which was shocking to me -- but even moreso when i realised how few people in my life knew about the term either. this film is not-about auschwitz from the pov of its commandant, rudolf höss and his family, and about how easy it is to casually dehumanise. the director - a jewish man named jonathan glazer - faced censure for drawing parallels between his movie and the treatment of palestinians, especially considering Big Walls

fahra: a movie based on the real-life recollections of a survivor of the first nabka. fahra gets locked in a cellar while her village is overrun by troops and tries desperately to get out and find her father. the way it's told -- almost never leaving the cellar -- is both deliberate in that this is what happened, but it also serves as an intimate eye through which the audience is given perspective on some of the violence perpetrated during the first nabka and since

the advocate for fagdom: a documentary/portrait of bruce la bruce, the creation of queercore, queer punk scenes in the american 80s, tbh it's just a good time and a good insight into history -- particularly enjoyed the bit where they talked about queer already being not radical enough in the 90s and wanting to shake things up. *glances at corporate queer* oh little did they know (or maybe they did)...

monkey man: i was not necessarily the only trans person at the screening of this film i was at, but i was definitely outnumbered by heterosexual couples and we'll never know what the other cinema-goers felt about it, but this being mainstream-but-not. mainstream, in that dev patel is a name that draws audience, not in that this was all his production and certainly not a massive budget film for what it was doing. mainstream in its cool action set-pieces, not in that it's politically right in your face. dev patel is hot, also

the holdovers: the other oscar-nominated film and one i feel went waaay under the radar. hearkened back to an older era of american film-making that wasn't in a hurry, that had a simple story with deep reservoirs of feeling to tell, with quirky (but real) characters going through things together. the fact that it's set around the vietnam war makes that image even stronger. i just felt things. movie emotions, the emotions you get when you're watching such a solid fucking Movie, yaknow? *harry styles voice* It's a Movie

desire lines: gay trans men and mascs and gay saunas and lou sullivan and documentary but also the story of a middle-aged iranian trans guy who meets a younger american trans guy in an archive and they bond and he gets invited to the trans night at the sauna, i was so emotionally overcome by this film that i couldn't go back to the film festival i was at the entire rest of the weekend (two whole days i missed after this film got to me!!!) where do you hear gay trans men and masc stories? ever???

femme: fucked up gay revenge story in which a black drag queen (played oh so fucking well by nathan stewart-jarrett who is getting what's his after being done dirty by misfits back in the day, oof my boy is killing it in angels of america, in candyman, in this gem!) is hatecrimed by a group of white homophobes, and then proceeds to meet the leader of them in a gay bathhouse... oh if you can deal with the delicious tension of it (practically nonstop) it's so so worth it

secretary: first of two james spaders i watched for the first time, making me come to the realisation that mr spader is a Freak and so so good. a young woman yet to uncover her latent sub-side (the great maggie gyllenhaal) leaves a mental health institution and gets a job as a secretary for an incredibly repressed dom... and youknow....

crash: the other james spader i watched for the first time, ngl i was building to crash because i need to know when sex is going to happen onscreen, i need to approach it from the side, i need to be analytical about it lest it get too discomforting for me. i actually don't mind sex so much onscreen anymore, because im quite desentised to its being "not-real," but it still needs a bit of build. point being, these people get off on car crashes and that part is hot. idk what that says about me (kinky ace)

kamikaze girls: two girls from two different worlds meet, one is a member of an all-girl biker gang, the other wishes for nothing more than to be a rococo era girl (helpless, feminine, prone to fainting, beautiful, cared for). it all gets very gay very fast. this movie was delightful, i had such a good time

angel's egg: i am getting more into watching animation on the whole and so far this is the one that's knocked me the most over the head this year. i cannot describe it, it needs to be watched. it's just visual poetry wrapped in a fairytale wrapped in a series of questions, but you've gotta just... bask. just live in its world

tetsuo: the iron man: feel like there's nothing I can say about this movie that other people haven't said much better. I don't know much about this period of film-making, this feels like the intro to it all (for me), and it's. I mean really I ought to just go out there and make some fucked up movies in black and white with a bunch of simple special effects that come together to leave you oh-so-disturbed. they all become machines and fuck and vore each other i don't know what else to tellya

love lies bleeding: idk what to tell you man. fucked up lesbians. greasy smoker butch stewart, who's jonesing the entire time and so fucking into her pretty bodybuilder girlfriend who you think is the reasonable part of the equation but truly truly not. there's some body-stuff in there i did not expect. everyone is kind of terrible, and the score is great. lesbian crime hits different, it just does

SO FAR TOP MOVIES FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR: Flee I Saw The TV Glow Death By Hanging It Must Be Heaven The Act Of Killing/The Look Of Silence Becket This Is Not A Film

[aubins]

Lambert had taken his time to read more into his students’ records and profiles. Of course, the documents were vague and didn’t offer that much information about them- which was expected considering their condition as abyssinians, where anything about one’s self as past are kept well under a veil, an unwritten rule to not pry. But at the very least, he wanted to know their birth dates.

Regardless of what they did or didn’t do, of who their true self is, of how their past developed- Lambert wished to at least celebrate the very fact that they chose to defy fate, persevere and now live.

“It is good to see you, Yuri.” The professor approached slowly, an easy smile on his features. “Not much going on today, I assume?” Which was a blessing. As much as the Wolves tried to function like an academy house, in the end they doubled as the Abyss’ main line of defense. Days where everything was peaceful and attempts to infiltrate the underground’s many tunnels were few to none were incredibly rare. “One must keep their eyes open at all times, but taking a moment to rest both mind and body is also a necessity.”

A wooden box was produced from under his cloak, the cover a deep brown and unassuming as he handed it to the house leader. “For you. To make an already good day even better, or so I hope.”

It was a board game- chess. Lambert had found it in one of his days walking around Garreg Mach’s marketplace, eventually coming across a small store of antiques. It was a chess game like any other, but such resources in the Abyss were difficult to come across and depended solely on the merchant's willingness to bring business underground.

“I thank you for everything you do for Abyss and its inhabitants. And for what you have done for me, as well. You are the best student a teacher could ask for.” He smiled fondly. "We may play a match later if you would like. Enjoy your day, Yuri.” Happy birthday.

It is a quiet day in Abyss, as far as days in Abyss go. Unusual, certainly, but never unwelcome. Yuri counts the minutes of their shift in silence, time ticking even when there is no clock to hear. Even still, despite the quiet, the approaching footsteps do not earn the mockingbird's startle.

No, they come from the wrong side for an intruder.

Lilacs turn toward the professor, lips twisting into a grin in greeting. Where Lambert's is slow and easy, Yuri's is sharp, its pointed edges more familiar upon their features than a warm smile might have been. “Hello, Professor Lambert,” they hum, perfectly at ease. “No, it seems our usual friends haven't been up to it today, but there's never any rest for the wicked. I don't suppose you're here to relieve me of my shift?”

They've memorized the schedules; they already know he is not. Either Constance or Hapi will come around in the next ten minutes or so, and Yuri will be free to wander off to their own business. But until then, they doubt Lambert is only here for some idle chatter. He must have some business.

And he reveals such from beneath his cloak, the box accepted with a curious quirk of their brow as steady hands work to pry it open and see what secrets lay within.

Then, Yuri laughs. Not unkindly— perhaps it is merely innocent surprise.

Ah, chess. They suppose they must have an old set somewhere, stored away in some dusty corner to be forgotten. This one is new and pristine, and they pick a piece— the white king— to twist between their fingers as they glance back at Lambert. He makes no mention of their birthday, but they doubt there's any other reason for it. How thoughtful of their dear professor.

Their smile warms, just a little. Really, if you've been on their good side for long enough, it's not such a strange expression on their face. “Now, now, professor. You flatter me, but don't let anyone else hear you say that. You might be accused of favoritism.” They let the piece drop back amongst the rest of its peers, the box snapping shut. “But thanks. I'll hold you to that game later.”