#my contribution to the dash height conversation

[daemondaes]

the shortest character here is cherry at 4'11" but her bde exceeds that of the tallest here, hansel, who is 6'5"

[corvidinthewoods]

a new philosophy tube video came out and i have a lot of thoughts. i left this all as a comment on youtube, but i figured i might get better discussion elsewhere so im posting it here too. i put it under a readmore cause its kinda long and i dont want it to clog up ppl's dash, especially if discussion turns into a reblog chain (which would be nice!!!)

specifically this is thinking about what she said regarding gender dysphoria and pathologization and stuff

i started hrt in february 2020, so before any changes could be easily seen the world went into lockdown. i also got top surgery in april 2021, less isolated but still not especially opened back up yet

i don’t see my extended family very often just due to geography, so with covid it became even less frequent. the first time i spent time with some of my aunts after starting T, I think was thanksgiving or christmas 2021. So, at that point a lot of changes had happened and I imagine for my extended family it was much more sudden than for my immediate family and friends. That probably contributed to why gender and transition came up in conversation.

One of my aunts is fairly tall for a cis women, and she wondered why people choose transition over a different way of being their agab. she shared a memory of hers from growing up, how she felt like she wasn’t Correctly Female because of her height. But at one point she joined a tall womens social group, and was actually only just over the minimum height requirement. There, she was actually shorter than most of the other women and it helped her feel better in her own womanhood.

That’s a very nutshell retelling of it, but her full explanation sounded to me just like gender dysphoria, based on both my own experience and on what i’ve read of the experiences of others. It wasn’t the point of her question so I didnt bring it up, but it did (and obviously still has) stuck with me

Later, I went into a trans-focused discord community and asked others whether they thought cis people could feel dysphoria. The consensus from answers i received was ‘no’, and that surprised me.

For a while now I’ve also been feeling that the line between ‘cisgender’ and ‘transgender’ is a false binary, just like with the male/female binary.

I’ve recently been going back to Contrapoints videos, and in one of them she talks a bit about how her conception of gender and transness has changed, particularly with regards to trying to categorize it. She said her current mindset was that some things about human existence are just irrational, and will always defy attempts to group them. So rather than endlessly try and make them make sense, it’s better to just accept them.

I feel like this could apply to gender dysphoria, if we approach it in the more linguistic sense like when Abby Thorn used the word to summarize her feelings when someone asked “how are you”. Sometimes when a person is feeling dysphoric, the solution is adjusting her view on tall womanhood. Sometimes the solution is taking bioidentical hormone therapy. Sometimes it’s hormone replacement therapy, sometime’s its surgeries to change sex characteristics like breasts or genitals. Sometimes it’s just a feeling that we have to cope with and eventually let pass, like nervousness or sadness. There’s no way to systematically decide ahead of time what the outcome of ‘feeling dysphoric’ should be, and when you try to make that system you can end up with the clusterfuck going on in the uk.

[faith-in-democracy]

Unleashing the Art of Criticism: A Masterclass in Undermining Confidence

Welcome, dear readers, to a scintillating exploration of the fine art of criticism. Today, we delve into the mystifying realm of disparagement, where opinions reign supreme and confidence crumbles at the mere flicker of a scornful eye. Brace yourselves for an exquisite journey through the labyrinth of undermining. We live in a world where everyone's a critic, and boy, aren't we grateful! Who needs uplifting support and encouragement when we have the luxury of unsolicited judgments? From the way we dress, to the way we speak, to the way we breathe, there's always room for disapproval. Now, let's appreciate the sheer brilliance of armchair critics - those self-proclaimed experts whose wisdom is only surpassed by their audacious ability to pass judgment from the comfort of their pyjamas. Because, let's face it, nothing screams authority like someone who's never actually rolled up their sleeves to tackle the very thing they're criticizing. But fear not, my friends, for the art of criticism is not meant to be confined to experts alone. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry can join the bandwagon of belittlement. It only takes a dash of arrogance and a sprinkle of condescension to establish oneself as a master in this field. Why offer constructive feedback when you can opt for the blissful route of snide remarks? Remember, it's not about helping others grow or fostering a nurturing environment, but about asserting your intellectual dominance. After all, what good is a conversation without a sprinkle of sarcasm and a generous helping of backhanded compliments? But let's not forget the pièce de résistance – the wonderful world of online criticism. Ah, the internet, where anonymity reigns and civility kisses the curb. A platform where the art of tearing down others is elevated to unprecedented heights. Where one can effortlessly unleash the power of keyboard warfare, forever leaving scars on sensitive souls. So, my fellow critics, let's hold our heads up high as we continue to belittle, mock, and undermine. Remember, true artistry lies in our ability to crush the spirits of those who dare to express themselves. After all, without our invaluable contributions of disparagement, the world would be a terribly encouraging and uplifting place – a nightmare for all. Until next time, keep those critiques flowing and spread the joy of undermining with an unwavering dedication!

[alliancecorporationsblog]

Vhf Radio Signal Booster | Alliance Corporation

 VHF radio signal booster For the past ten years, Electronics & Innovation has been designing and manufacturing robust RF power amplifiers. The frequency range of our very high frequency (VHF) and ultra high frequency (UHF) amplifiers is between 1 MHz and 500 MHz (with low power up to 1 GHz). Military communications, antenna testing, transmitters, AM/FM repeaters, and linear particle accelerators all make use of these VHF and UHF RF power amplifiers. These rack-mounted, aluminum-enclosed amplifiers are CE-marked and RoHS-compliant and are used for OEMs, industrial applications, and the research industries. RF power ranges from 1 to 1000 watts, with an input of 1 mW (0 dBm).

Vhf Radio Signal Booster is largely determined by your antenna's performance, which is influenced by three key parameters: length, height, and gain. The radio signal's strength and range increase with the gain (decibel rating). Mounting your antenna as high as possible, such as on top of your boat's hardtop or radar arch, can also increase distance. An antenna with a longer length and a larger radiating element can also provide greater range.

Also, keep in mind that not all Vhf Radio Signal Booster are the same. Their ability to "hear" weak and far-off stations, as well as filter out noise and interference, contributes to their maximum range in part.

Depending on the radio you use, the quality of your transmitted signal may vary. It is not difficult to produce a robust, sustained 25-watt output from better fixed-mount radios. Radios that aren't as expensive may struggle to produce more than 25 watts of power, which may even lose power over longer conversations.

For communication to take place, weak and distant signals must be received. If you are unable to hear the other party, there is no such thing as two-way communication, regardless of how powerful the transmitter on your radio is. A radio must have a sensitive "ear" that can amplify weak signals and cut out noise and interference from signals. This is typically found in marine VHFs of higher quality. Your communication range will be improved by using radios that have a selectivity figure of 75 dB or higher and a receiver sensitivity specification of less than 0.25 microvolts (uV). Radios with a more sensitive receiver will likely cost more.

Power and Installation The actual voltage delivered to your radio is determined by the state of your batteries and their charge. A crucial component in generating a strong signal is supplying your radio with 12 volts of power that is both solid and stable.

For antenna cable lengths greater than 20 feet, use coax cable with a low loss, like RG-8X. When pulling antenna cables through the boat during installation, avoid stress and sharp bends. Use an adapter with a 90-degree angle to connect the antenna if there isn't enough room behind your radio. UG-646, $10) to avoid giving the antenna cable a sharp bend.

Connectors without soldering I dislike using connectors without soldering for antennas. They outperform the soldered variety in terms of signal loss and failure, according to my findings. Consider the Digital Antenna 500 series VHF antennas, which range in length from 4 to 16 feet, if you are hesitant to attempt to solder on the radio's PL-259 antenna connector. They come with a connector that has already been assembled and has an outer shell that can be removed, leaving the centrepiece of the connector, which is slightly smaller than the cable itself. Passing the cable through a dash, panel, or wire way is made simpler by this.Uhf Vhf Antenna Booster

Visit boatingmag.com/how-to-solder-marine-vhf-radio-pl-259-connector for video instructions on how to install a PL-259 connector.

[chitsangenthusiast]

ok so back in june i was blessed with getting to see @ducktollers's touchy-feely zukka art on my dash again, and i ended up getting a burst of creativity to write this lil snippet for it!

(then completely forgot to share it until now lmao anyway thank u ant for the food and i hope you enjoy 🧡🧡)

—

Sokka is in the middle of expounding on some point about boat mechanics to Katara when he drapes himself over Zuko’s back.

It’s not an unexpected surprise; Zuko knew it was coming the second Sokka took his usual step back to get behind him, and with the many years of their friendship he’s long gotten used to all the casual touching that the move happens so easily, so naturally he barely blinks.

But knowing it’s going to happen and being internally normal about it are two completely separate things, and he’s extremely grateful for the unspoken understanding that he’d be able to contribute absolute squat to this particular conversation because any meager attempt in following along goes right up in smoke.

His heart rate instantly goes into overdrive and his lungs constrict a little from the sheer force of how much he likes feeling that comforting warmth on his back—and from knowing just how much Sokka likes doing this too.

“No no no, Katara you’re completely off the mark—” Sokka starts, briefly catching Zuko’s eye in amusement before continuing on with his point, and he’s suddenly shifting his stance as he talks, making himself at home and angling his body so that the only thing Zuko’s shoulder needs to hold up is his chin. Hands then slide around his waist to settle on his stomach, Sokka’s fingers weave together, thumb and pointer finger even lightly pinching at his hoodie to keep themselves from slipping, and Zuko can’t stop himself from tensing up.

The entire move has caused him to fall back slightly into Sokka’s chest, and this—this is new. This is a different kind of held that Zuko hasn’t experienced before, hasn’t prepared himself for, and his utter shock over it has him standing as still as possible despite how staccato hard his pulse is running, because he swears he can feel Sokka’s own heart against his spine through all their layers and he’s not about to do anything that would make him let go.

He wants to savor this—in fact, he wants Sokka to pull him in even more, to snake his arms completely around his body to hold him tighter. He also wants to rest his forearms against Sokka’s own instead of leaving them awkwardly hanging at his sides, and his hands twitch in aborted desire.

He especially wants to work up the nerve to be able to hold Sokka like this too, so that he knows what it feels like to be so grounded within his arms.

“Zuko, hey, you agree with me, right?” Sokka suddenly asks, shaking him slightly to bring him back into the conversation. Not that it’s all that successful, because he had tilted his head to instead rest his cheek on Zuko’s shoulder as they started swaying, and his attention swiftly derailed at the barely-there brush of lips so close to his neck.

“Huh?” His skin feels like it’s burning where the ghosting breath of Sokka’s soft chuckling lands, and the fact that he’s inordinately jealous of his own neck receiving such nice treatment compared to where he really wants it is stupid. “Wait, what?”

Sokka laughs just a bit louder and gently presses his clasped hands into his stomach. “Just say yes if you agree with me.”

“Yes.” It goes without question.

Katara’s immediate noise of disgust is what finally rockets him back to reality, though any flaring embarrassment is quickly tamped down by quickly rising bewilderment at her obvious exasperation. “That’s cheating, Sokka. You can’t do that!”

“It’s not cheating, it’s two against one!” Sokka crows back, and then he is pulling Zuko into him more, wrapping an arm entirely around his chest to support him as he tilts them forward and points a goading finger at his sister. “Zuko just knows when to admit I’m right, is all!”

Zuko’s hands fly up to find purchase on his arm, sharply inhaling at all the extra contact between their bodies, and then chokes even harder when Sokka presses their cheeks together as a sign of unity. His nerves are thrumming, there’s a pretty solid amount of nervous excitement swirling in his chest, but his voice doesn’t betray any of that because—again, years of practice.

“Alright well now I’m siding with Katara if you’re going to start exaggerating.”

“See?” she demands, throwing out a hand his way to emphasize his point, and rolls her eyes hard at Sokka’s returning scoff.

“Nope, he already said he was on my side! No taking it back, I win this, Katara!”

“Oh, you are so full of it!” she shoots back, and Zuko thinks he might actually side with her anyway just to make everything more dramatic. But then she’s drawing herself up to her full height, planting her fists on her hips, and when she firmly meets his eye he inwardly groans because he knows that look. He’s about to wish that he had made his escape earlier when their argument had first started picking up traction.

“Zuko, go ahead and repeat Sokka’s last point was for me then. Here’s a hint, it has to do with seasonal constellations,” she says, and heat instantly explodes over his cheeks.

When the hell did she get Sokka to start arguing about astronomy, of all things?

“Uh—”

“Don’t fall for her trap!” Sokka hastily cuts in, craning forward to shoot him a pleading look before going back to nestling into the junction of his neck and shoulder. “Don’t answer that, just simply bask in the awesome feeling of sweet, sweet victory with me, dude.”

And—it’s the small charming smile thrown his way, the prolonged eye contact, and the pure, steady confidence in continuing to hold him that has Zuko breathing out a slow, pleased exhale and reaching backwards to carefully fold his hands over Sokka’s hips.

“Yeah,” he mumbles. A few of his fingers sneak through the belt loops on his pants, and Sokka beams at him. “Okay. I can do that.”

[that-wimpy-cowboy-doll]

Dialogue prompt: Shieldshock (duh) and "You weren't supposed to see/hear that" (whichever version speaks to the muse more)

💕😘💕😘💕😘

Whoo baby this is late but I went with “You weren’t supposed to hear that.”  Hope you enjoy, bb.  Regrettably the overtly sexy stuff is only mentioned

Darcy did her best to stifle the flush burning its way up her neck, diverting her eyes from Steve Rogers marching his handsome heroic ass into the latest Stark Industries company party.

“He wasn’t even supposed to be here,” Darcy hissed, and brought her glass of champagne up to her lips, draining it.  ���The last time I saw him, he said he wasn’t coming…”

But there he was, in all his tall glass of Captain glory.  Not unnoticed by many of Darcy’s coworkers, men and women alike, who weren’t even trying to hide the lust in their eyes as he made his way through the glass doors from the hallway into the event space. 

Not that Darcy could blame them. He looked damn good in a suit.  Looked damn good out of one, too, the last time she’d shoved his dress slacks down his thighs on her couch so she could take him in her mouth, make him lose control with his huge sexy hands in her hair and her name hoarse in his throat.

That was beside the point, though. The point of avoiding her famous fuck buddy in public was, well, 1) to protect his Super Duper Hero Complex by preventing her from being used against him by supervillains, 2) to keep the fuck buddy dynamic on a professional, non-work-involved basis, and 3) perhaps most importantly, to keep either of them from catching dreaded fuck buddy feelings. Any kind of public interaction lent toward making them feel obligated to each other, and that was something Darcy’d proclaimed absolutely not happening when they’d agreed to this.  No strings attached sex was fun, as long as they kept their passions strictly below the belt.

“I mean,” Jane started, as she always did, to remind her best friend of how stupid she thought the whole arrangement was, “it’s not like you’ll burst into flames if he says hello to you in front of other people.  That’s kind of...acting like a human being?  The last time I checked?”

If it was possible, Darcy blushed harder, not watching him be accosted by Tony near the bar.  “I don’t know, it’s possible I might spontaneously combust if he even fucking smiles at me in public...when we’re alone I can do whatever the fuck I want, but here…”

“You’re a whole-ass baby, you know that?” Jane deadpanned, hunting for the cherry at the bottom of her drink with the tip of her straw.  “Just be casual.  Like you are for the debriefing meetings.”

This was different, Darcy wanted to huff, knowing that she would sound like a whole-ass baby if she did.  Being casual with the person she rang for casual sex in their workplace, in the moment, was one thing.  They were still technically at work, sure, but this was a party - she was supposed to enjoy herself.

It was hard to enjoy herself in the same room as Steve Rogers without his lips on some part of her.

“I have...a problem,” she admitted slowly, her champagne glass far too empty for her liking.  Jane, meanwhile, wore an expression somewhere between unsurprised and unimpressed.  “I think I want to be exclusive.”

“Are you not already?”  The incredulity in her best friend’s voice was clear, but Jane propped a hand on her hip anyway to add to the effect.  “I haven’t heard about any of your Tinder escapades lately, and from what Thor’s told me, Steve doesn’t really have his eye on anyone else…”

“Just because we haven’t been fucking anyone else doesn’t mean he wants to be with me, too.”  He was closer now, shaking hands with some fundraiser coordinator Tony had invited; God, every bone in Steve’s body seemed more warm and genuine than the last.  “If I talk to him in public I’m going to want to kiss him in public, and that...crosses a line I don’t know that he’s cool with.”

“There’s this magnificent thing I’ve read about,” Jane said, her PhD voice in full effect, “called having a fucking conversation, Darcy.  I love you with my whole entire heart, don’t get me wrong, but I think if you just talked to him...you wouldn’t be on the fence with all this anxiety.”

That was easy for Jane to say.  The best sex of her life had wanted her pretty much the moment he’d laid eyes on her, had done his best to make up for his absences in the time they were able to spend together, and Jane’s heart, though preceded always by her big, sexy brain, lived on her sleeve.  She and Thor sorted things out without much fuss.

Darcy had known she was several leagues below Steve when they met, and had made an idiot out of herself walking directly into his giant rock-hard chest with an entire tray of coffee that splattered on his Very American uniform.  God only knew why he’d agreed to be her bang buddy a month or so later, but she had a distinct feeling it had more to do with what lay on top of her chest rather than the dumb dorky heart that beat under it.

He was making rounds, coming closer, so she changed the subject quickly, Jane performing her mightiest eye-roll while Darcy rattled off something inane about some singer who’d donated to the literacy foundation Tony and Pepper were heading.

“I heard Pepper wants to get Lady Gaga to perform at the ribbon-cutting,” Jane added helpfully, glancing into her emptied glass.  “Sounds pretty cool.”

“She was the one who got Weezer for tonight.”

Darcy’s heart stammered in her chest at the voice that had contributed that delightful tidbit of conversation, and the tall, muscular, suited body that accompanied it.  Steve’s smile glinted from under his perfectly trimmed beard, the velvet blue of his jacket and pants doing absolutely nothing for the growing whirlpool of want in Darcy’s stomach.  Christ almighty.

“Was she?” Jane prompted, looking, to her best friend’s dismay, like a cat with a mouthful of canary.  “Darcy loves Weezer, you know.”

Was this it?  Was she dead?  Had the gala all been some elaborate ruse planned by Stark Industries to murder her fucking dead on the spot in front of the hottest man she’d ever met?

If this was it, Darcy mused, at least she looked really fucking good.

“I didn’t know that,” Steve said, and now he was making eye contact with her, that knowing smile on his lips that could only be held by someone in his exact position.

“They were actually my first concert.”  She swallowed, her throat dry.  “Right after ‘Pork and Beans’ came out.  I was in college and I wore...way too much eyeliner, but in fairness I think I was in the majority there.”

Jesus Christ, stop fucking talking.

Jane smirked at the empty champagne flute in her hand.  “Here, I’m out, too, let me get you another one.”

Against her better judgment, Darcy surrendered the glass with only a furtive version of the eye-daggers she wanted to send her best friend.  Jane sent her a sly wink before tailing it toward the bar.

“Weezer.”  She swallowed again, doing her best not to notice the way his tongue dashed out across his lower lip, his eyes boring down into hers through those stupid long eyelashes.  “When do they come on?”

“You haven’t been seeing anyone else.”  It wasn’t a question, he was smiling a stupid cocky half-smile that she thought stupidly would look much better between her thighs.  “What was it Jane said…’no Tinder escapades’ - was that it?”

It felt like the blood had drained from her body.  “You...weren’t supposed to hear that.”

He stuck his huge hands in his pockets, gathering himself up to his fullest height.  Fuck, he was so big.  She couldn’t get enough of it.  “Well...you’re both right about something.  I’m not seeing anyone else either, and kissing in public could definitely cross a line.”

Great.  If the mortification wasn’t enough, now her heart felt like it had dropped into her stomach.  “Yeah?”

He stepped forward, his hand sliding to her favorite place, the small of her back with his pinkie just brushing into her ass.  When they were alone, this always felt like him laying his claim, showing her where she belonged, where he belonged.  But they weren’t alone.  Not even close.

“Yeah,” he murmured, dropping his lips to hers, slotting their mouths together.  Her eyes flew shut of their own accord, melting into him, the smell of his pine soap and fresh linens filling her nose.  Steve kissed like he fucked, like he did anything: full of passion, vigor, life.

For a moment, Darcy forgot they were in the middle of a gala, lost in his warm body pressing up against her, but when she brought her hands to his collar he pulled away slowly, releasing her bottom lip from between his teeth with a sly smile.

“Now that that’s out of the way,” he whispered, his nose still halfway touching hers, “you wanna dance to some Weezer with me, Darcy?”

She closed her eyes again, a tiny laugh escaping her in a short breath.  “Yeah, I’ll dance to some Weezer.”

[caffeinated-cryptid]

bishop to castle; check.

3.8k words | AO3 link | tags/warnings: suicidal behaviour, risk of falling from a height, talking someone down from a ledge, hurt/comfort, platonic roceit, positive ending.

“After weeks of moping post-POF, Janus goes into the imagination to find Roman. They end up having a much more intense conversation than he could have ever planned for.”

-------------------

Janus hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Roman since their last argument. It was fine, probably, he justified to himself, despite how Patton had returned from their talk with pursed lips and worriedly furrowed eyebrows. He likely just needed time to process everything that had happened, and Janus wasn’t going to push that. 

(His reluctance to address the issue had nothing to do with the fact that he dreaded another confrontation. Totally not.)

After all, forcing his presence on Roman now could potentially only make things worse. So instead he would just have to wait for him to come around first-- to calm down enough to be willing to hear him out without resorting to name-calling.

Janus was plenty busy anyway, what with his new position in Thomas’ life. More than smoothing over one less-than-steller relationship with a side (which Janus was collecting like pokemon cards recently, it seemed), he elected to focus on ensuring Thomas held true to his promises of self-care, which meant working with Patton more often.

That wasn’t so terrible, at least it wasn’t as bad as the him from a year ago would have expected; the side was trying harder to welcome his contributions which he appreciated. Though inadvertantly through this new partnership, he found himself being dragged into more casual hang-outs, where they would do nothing but...chat. Sharing daily anecdotes and worries and secrets about themselves. It was strangely open and the sort of thing Janus had to adjust to, but with this new friendship he had found himself in, he did his best not to ruin it.

“I’m getting worried.” Patton admitted one day, setting down the tv remote after a finished screening of some Air Bud spinoff. How Janus had been wrangled into watching that ceaseless dog series was beyond him. “I think the others might be starting to come around to you, but Roman...”

Patton didn’t need to finish his sentence, because Janus already knew what he meant. With Virgil and Logan, he’d been making an effort to try to prove his worth as a member of the team (whether or not that was working was yet to be seen, despite Patton's generous assertions that it would all work out eventually), but he hadn’t even gotten the chance do to that with the creative side. As much as he had first assumed that time and space would do the trick, it seemed like that wasn’t the case after all.

 “I suppose a confrontation is inevitable.” He grimaced, knowing that this had been put off for long enough.

“Would you do that?” Patton asked suddenly, looking to him with relief. It made Janus realize that it sounded like he had signed up to go talk to Roman himself.

“Uh...” Janus tensed, his previous concerns surfacing again. “I don’t think I would be the best suited to have this conversation-”

“Oh- Pleeease? You two need to talk most of all! Besides, when I went, he wouldn’t even...” Patton trailed off, biting his lip with a pout. “...Could you try, at least? Maybe you could get through to him.”

“...Alright. I’ll go before lunch.” Janus agreed begrudgingly, rewarded by Patton’s grateful smile. Stupid puppy face. That would have to stop working eventually.

-------------------

That was how Janus found himself in the lawless lands of The Imagination.

It had filled him with dread, knocking on the red and gold door and recieving no response. Even more so when he risked intruding anyway and seeing the wrecked state of the room, and then noticing the entrance to The Imagination wide open.

Unsurprisingly, that was where he found the side in question. More surprising was when he did, finding him sitting on the edge of the tallest turret of his castle, like he had decided to overlook his kingdom in the most dangerous way possible. Janus wasn’t so naive to assume that was all it was though.

Roman probably saw him approach as he ran the rest of the way to the castle, and that pushed him to go faster, dashing through the lonely walls of the old building until he was climbing up those spiralling stairs all the way to the top. When he finally made it, he stood there doubled over and completely out of breath as he adjusted to the high altitude winds that bit at his cheeks. He used the seconds he took to catch his bearings to figure out what to do-- his eyes never once leaving Roman’s back, who luckily hadn’t moved at all during his frantic dash. Perhaps his insticts had been wrong and there was nothing dangerous going on here. Every part of him screamed to stay and stop whatever this was though-- so he did.

“Roman.” He ended up saying once his breath had evened out, and nothing more. There was too much going on in his head to break whatever balance they currently had; too much to ask, too much to say, to explain, to defend, to try to understand.

Said side turned his head slightly to make eye-contact; not facing him, yet it was acknowledgement at least. “Deceit.” He said after a beat. His voice was cold, but not angry, and for some reason Janus would have prefered it if Roman were upset with him. Anything but this odd indifference that made him feel guilty for not summoning up the courage to check in sooner.

“Janus.” Janus corrected in an invitation to use his name. He intended it as a sign of goodwill, but Roman’s face twitched and he looked away again, this time his focus on the ground directly below.

“I came to talk.” Janus said in an attempt at a distraction. He was disheartened when Roman made no move to acknowledge him again, so he continued despite his uneasiness. "Would you please come down?”

“What? Scared, Deceit? I'm not doing anything. I'm not going to either, so you can go back to whoever sent you and tell them I’m fine.” Roman scoffed and the string of lies felt bitter in the fridgid air, enveloping him like an unwanted hug. If possible, Janus’ heart begun racing even quicker.

He wanted to protest and say that he had come of his own volition, but Janus knew that lying right now wouldn’t do either of them any good. “In that case, would you do it for my peace of mind?” He tried instead, and it earned him a wry smile, sent from over Roman’s shoulder.

“What ever gave you the impression I care about that?” Roman shot back, standing up only to turn on his heel to step down into the crenel next to him, then back up onto the the next merlon. He continued, going up and down and slowly circling around Janus like a predator would it's prey, but somehow he didn't feel like the one being hunted here. Actually, it was more like he was trying to convince a mouse that the cheese on a trap wasn't worth it. And being a snake himself, that simile was especially ironic.

“...That’s fair. We can talk like this, then. I wanted to apologize and hopefully make amends.”

Roman’s footing twisted haphazardly and Janus all but shot forward to steady him until he was given a deadly glare that froze him in his tracks.

“Stay back! You're not fooling me again. As far as I know, you'll just try to convince me to take a swan dive right of the side of this tower. No greater depth to plummet to than that, huh?"

“I- that's the complete opposite of what I want.” Janus stressfully replied, fighting against the urge to pull Roman off of the edge and end this whole thing himself, instead holding up his hands as a sign that he wouldn’t come closer. God, where had he gone so wrong go end up in this situation? He should have convinced Patton to come with him when he had the chance-- at least he probably would have had a better idea on how to get through to Roman when he was like this. Comparitively, Janus had no clue. He didn’t have the trustworthiness or the years of friendship.

“I believe you. You've already made it so clear just how much you care.” Roman replied sarcastically. Janus felt his hackles rising.

“I’m not lying! I didn't want any of this.” Janus gestured around. “There's so much I wish I could take back, but especially whatever I did to cause this.”

“Oh, Janus.” He felt a small dose of hope when Roman finally used his name, which was quickly dashed as he huffed out a laugh. “Always thinking you have a finger in every pie. Isn't it enough for me to come to this conclusion by myself?”

He continued bitterly, practically stomping his way around the edge of the tower now. “It's not like it was hard. Even an idiotic egomaniac prince like myself can tell when he's not wanted anymore. When the dream has died.”

Janus, despite the silver tongue he may possess, struggled for words in the face of Roman’s insecurity. He had wanted the anger because he had assumed it would be easier to prove that he wasn’t as evil as Roman was so keen to accuse him of being. He just hadn’t expected this issue to be so deeply sensitive. (Though perhaps he should have picked up on that hint when he saw the other side looking ready to jump to a temporary death). “Thats not true at all, you’re incredibly important and all of us need you. Perhaps we’re operating under new rules now, but that doesn’t mean you’re not wanted.”

But it seemed that wasn’t the best thing to say. Roman stopped in his tracks, his expression unreadable as he began shaking with fury or perhaps something else. “...If I’m ‘so important’, why does it never feel that way? Why am I the only one who has to change constantly for rules that can never stay the same? Why do I have to make sacrifices and tone down my voice?”

His controlled tone got louder and more stressed. “Why are my best efforts never good enough? Why are my doubts ignored? Why is it considered fair to disparage my work? To ignore the blood, sweat, and tears I put into everything?”

Janus stared in horror as Roman kept going, yelling over anything he could have possibly wanted to say.

“Why does it take this to be be fucking noticed?!”

Both of them paused when his rant reached a screaming crescendo and fat angry tears rolled down Roman's cheeks.

"...Forgive me if I'm having a little difficulty trusting what you say right now.” He sniffed, ducking his head away to wipe his eyes. The words were distant despite the soft way they were uttered.

Once again Janus was lost for what to say as he watched Roman compose himself. There was simply too much there to unpack, too many years of built-up stress and resentment. What in the absolute hell had these sides been doing all this time? “...I do wish to take some responsibility for that, though. Your hesitancy to trust again.” That seemed like a good place to start, if any.

Roman only snorted humourlessly at his efforts though, voice tired and unenthused. “I'm sure you would. It's a lot easier to sweep aside a broken vase rather than acknowledge its cracks when they’re forming, after all. That was the lesson you taught us, right?”

Janus winced at the callback to his first appearence to Thomas. He didn’t necessarily regret that day, but having it thrown back now made it feel like something to be ashamed of; seeing his lessons interpreted in such a way. “...Is that how you see yourself? Broken?” He asked instead, squashing down his indignation.

He only got silence in return. Janus swallowed, definitely regretting his hesitance to resolve this issue now.

“Roman, even though I doubt you’d trust my words, I promise that we're not trying to simply ‘sweep this aside’. If we're going with the vase metaphor, all of us want a chance to try to glue the pieces back together. Make right on all of the ways you’ve been wronged.” When that got no response, he tentatively asked, “Have you ever heard of Kintsugi?"

“...Broken pottery fixed with gold, I'm aware. But trying to apply that right now is sloppy, even for you. People are never so beautiful after being so thoroughly broken, nor is it that easy." Slowly, Roman sat down on the edge, and even though his legs were dangling over the wrong side, Janus' heart finally felt some semblance of rest. He took a step forward.

"I disagree. Kinstugi is rarely an straight-forward process either, and yet it achieves such splendid results with just a little patience and care. Which is to say... while it may not be the easiest thing to do, there’s undeniably beauty and strenght in survival. Trying again even when it feels impossible.”

“Of course you'd think that, Mr. Kill or be killed. You have no choice in whether you get to continue forward. But I do.”

Janus paused at that, only four paces away from Roman now. The creative side startled when he peered backwards and saw him so close, and then he glared at Janus as he stood up again, this time facing him fully. His foot slid backwards until the worn-down structure crumbled under his heel, sending rocks tumbling down below. It was a warning, Janus realized as his blood frooze in his veins.

“Don’t look so shocked. I control everything here, or did you forget?” Roman smiled. It wasn’t a happy smile or even a smug one; it only looked like he was stretching his mouth unnaturally, all pretenses of putting on a convincing performance stripped away. “If I want, I could have a Pegasus fly by and save me at the right moment. Or I could expand the moat to catch me. Or..."

Roman looked frustrated for a second when he couldn't think of anything else, even more so when Janus patiently waited for him to think of another example. In the end, he gave up.

"The point is, I call the shots about what happens to me."

"But would you? Save yourself?" Janus questioned hesitantly. He knew he was treading on thin ice, so he left it there. Roman raised an eyebrow at him and he returned it, making it clear that he wanted an answer. He recieved it with a scoff.

“Of course I would. What kind of question is that?”

Lie.

Janus winced. “Roman... You are aware of my ability to detect lies, yes?”

The creative side blinked in surprise and then looked at him with wide eyes, as if he hadn’t expected to be called out. Like it had been so natural to brush aside the question that he didn’t even realize his own feelings. Fortunately, Janus’ ability was too keen to be fooled by one’s own self-deception. He could see below the surface like that; pull people’s hidden truths from them and keep them for himself, like a keeper of forbidden knowledge (Though in moments like these, sometimes he wished he couldn’t. Ignorance truly is bliss).

“Should I ask again?” He pressed. “Are you really planning on saving yourself?”

This time Roman’s face screwed up in confliction and he directed his gaze to the floor of the tower. It was an awfully clinical way to ask, but it felt necessary to stop dancing around what was important-- this casual show of self-destruction.

Eventually, the other cracked with a tired huff of laughter. Sadly genuine this time.

“...It's certainly nice to think that I could.” Roman admitted as he rubbed his face, apparently not mad at being called out this time. “Finally being a hero again, even if it's only to myself.”

Janus paused in shock. Was he still misinterpreting that moment?

“That wasn't a lie.” Janus blurted out, taking even himself by surprise by the thoughtless exclamation. “Thomas still thinks of you as his hero. There’s no need to do things like this to prove it.”

Romans eyes went watery and he avoided his gaze.

“At this point I don't think it matters, when I haven’t been acting like it at all lately.” He whispered coarsely, uncharacteristically quiet compared to the wind. “Frankly, I'm surprised you're even trying to stop me."

Janus eyes softened and he took another tentative step forward, then another when Roman didn't react badly. “Why wouldn’t I? I’m not just Deceit, you know. Part of my job is to help you.”

“...Because you hate me? At this point you have more reasons to than not.” Roman explained warily, looking at him like Janus were seconds away from snapping and shoving him over the edge. It hurt to have that sort of mistrust placed on him, but at the same time Janus understood it. He had often been in that sort of situation before; doubting the safety of opening up to other people. That was just part of his job, to be doubtful and wary in order to protect the self. Yet to see it so openly on somebody else felt like a punch to the gut, even though he should have been used to that feeling of being distrusted by now.

“Do you think me so sensitive that a schoolyard insult would make you my archenemy? Or being called evil? That is...sort of what I’ve been going for.” He cracked a joke, gesturing to his outfit. When Roman kept staring at him he sighed. “Of course I don’t hate you, Roman.”

Roman shifted doubtfully. “That doesn’t mean you like me, either. Maybe it doesn’t mean much to you, but you should know how- how being called that hurt me.”

"...Yes.” It was Janus’ turn to be uncomfortable. “Perhaps at first I felt attacked and wanted to make you feel the same hurt, but I would never have said that had I known just how deeply it would have impacted you. I’m sorry for that.”

Roman’s expression turned incredulous, like he couldn’t believe Janus had apologized. “...You know, I wanted to make you upset. I wanted you gone.”

“I figured.” Janus nodded.

“And that doesn’t change anything? Even though I acted so...” Roman bit his lip. “So unheroic?”

Janus stifled a sigh. By now, he really hated that word with a passion. It had caused so many high standards, so many instances of self-sacrifice, so many misguided attempts at selflessness and perfection. Perhaps later they could talk about it all and lay out why it had done so much harm, but for now he decided not to push it, not when he felt so close to getting a breakthrough.

“Believe it or not, but I think that you've been plenty heroic already. This whole time you've been fighting for something you thought was valient and noble, and that means something, even if it was for a misguided cause.”

That took Roman off-guard. He moved his foot away from the edge subtley, and had Janus not been focused on his face, he would have considered it a small victory.

“...What’s the point of all of this, really? Is this some... some dastardly plot?” Roman questioned skeptically. He was looking even more cornered now that he was letting Janus’ words sink in.

“All I'm here for is to offer the helping hand you need, if you’ll accept it.” Janus said softly as he extended his hand up to him. “Really, my only plot right now is to get you off that ledge before you give me a heart attack. Please?”

Roman stared at him, desperately trying to find some sort of mistruth in his eyes before his gaze lowered to the outsretched hand. It felt like time slowed in the seconds he was making his decision and Janus held his breath, waiting...wating... until finally the other side nodded and took his hand.

With Janus’ help, Roman stepped down, looking confused and lost now that he was away from the edge. The expression pained Janus’ heart, so he opened his arms half expecting rejection, only to be taken back by how quickly Roman latched onto him. Janus wasted no time clinging back, so relieved that he actually suceeded that he didn't want to risk ever letting go, like this moment could be torn away at any second. It was no surprise when he felt the other’s chest jerk with held-back sobs until there was a wetness on his shoulder, and he didn't say anything about it. He didn't need to either, because Roman spoke up first.

“It didn’t mean anything. Really!” He exclaimed through messy tears. “I was only thinking about it!”

Lie.

“...It's okay if it was more than that.” Janus soothed, patting his back. “It's okay to feel low and in need of help.”

That made him cry harder and Janus was relieved to see the excess of emotions finally pour out. While waiting for Roman to calm down, he had to fight for his own tears to not spill over. Inevitably, the stress of the situation finally caught up when the adrenaline wore off, and he sagged into the hug, sniffling quietly and trying not to fall over on his aching legs. He really just sprinted up multiple flights of stairs, didn’t he? Belatedly, he realized that he must have lost his hat at some point during the journey because he could feel the wind tousle his hair.

It would have been funny if it weren’t for the absolute rush of emotions he had just gone through.

The two of them stood there for what would normally be considered an awkward amount of time, except the act of simply hugging on solid ground was the biggest comfort in the world, too much to ruin the moment. They waited until they got through the worst of their tears before they dared speak again. Once again, Roman went first.

“Sorry for laughing at you back then.” He said, voice reflecting the yelling and crying he'd been doing. It felt genuine. “I actually really like your name...the mythology suits you. Very dramatic.” 

Janus laughed wetly, finally a true statement. “Why, thank you. And I apologize for where I’ve wronged you.”

Finally, they straightened up. Roman took one look at him and summoned hankerchiefs for them both. Janus accepted it and wiped away his tears as gracefully as he could.

“Hopefully we can have a more in-depth discussion on this later, but for now Patton and I prepared lunch, if you’d be willing to have us.” Janus asked, hopes raised.

“...That sounds good.” Roman smiled.

Janus smiled back.

Together, the two of them descended down the steps of the tower, and the imagination was the slightest bit sunnier when they reached the outside.

[littleindigochildx]

Did you get any sleep? [prompt]

Death /noun/: The action or fact of dying or being killed;  the permanent ending of vital processes in a cell or tissue.

----------

At six years old, Savanna already had more run-ins with death than she liked. If it wasn’t a stray animal she found that was too far gone to save, it was someone near and dear to her. First David. Now Ted. The men in her life were dropping like flies and she was terrified this was only the beginning.

“Did Savvy tell ‘ya ‘bout the art show this weekend?”

Timmy asked Victoria over a toaster strudel and some orange juice. Their school did seasonal art show and selected a few pieces from each grade level to showcase during parent conferences. Two of Savanna’s paintings had been selected. She was so excited and so proud of herself that Timmy thought she would have told Victoria by now, but the puzzled expression on the brunette’s face led him to believe this was news to her.

“She is the only student in the whole school who has two paintings in the art show.”

The little boy went on to explain. Savanna rest her elbow on the table and had her head propped up with one hand. Her eyes were open, but just barely, and she was oblivious to the conversation taking place in front of her.

“Tell her, Sav.”

Timmy gave a gentle nudge which roused Savanna from her zombie like state.

“Tell her what?”

Savvy asked through a yawn. She hadn’t been sleeping well since she found out about Ted. No one told her how he died, they only told her that he was dead. Suicide wasn’t a topic Victoria wanted to discuss with her two youngest. They didn’t need to know all the details.

“Baby...Did you get any sleep last night?”

Victoria asked with concern. She got up to check on the kids a couple times during the night because she could hear Savvy crying. Victoria stayed with her until she calmed down. She assumed nightmares were keeping Savanna awake, but she couldn’t get the little one to talk about what was upsetting her. Savvy didn’t look well. She had slightly swollen eyes but no fever, and there were no other obvious signs of illness. Victoria knew her daughter was tired, but she didn’t see any reason to keep her home from school.

“I’m ok, mama.”

The little brunette replied. She knew her mother had enough to worry about and she didn’t need to pile more on her plate.

“I’m gonna’ go brush my teeth.”

Savanna abandoned her breakfast, which she didn’t even touch, and headed for the bathroom.

“If she’s not gonna’ eat that...Can I please have it?”

Timmy asked. He was very much like his father when it came to food. He loved leftovers, especially Savanna’s because she always left the best part.

“Yes. You can have it.”

Victoria said reluctantly. She wanted Savanna to eat it, but getting her to eat much of anything had been an ongoing battle these days. Instead of fighting her, Victoria swapped out the granola bar in her lunch box for a strawberry Pediasure.

“When you’re finished eating, please put the plates in the sink and brush your teeth. We need to get moving or we’re going to be late.”

The one good thing about living at Oasis was how much closer it was to school. When it was cold or rainy Victoria would drive them, but most days they walked [or scootered].

“Savvy, are you finished yet? I still need to fix your hair.”

Victoria said as she went down the hall. It wasn’t until she rounded the corner that she spotted Savanna fast asleep on the floor with her toothbrush in her hand and toothpaste on her cheek. The brunette didn’t wake her up. Instead, she wiped her face, put her toothbrush on the bathroom counter, and gently lifted the sleeping child off the floor. Hopefully Ransom was home and could do her a favor by walking Timothy to school. Victoria would bring Savanna in later that morning.

----------

“Feeling a little better now?”

Victoria asked as she woke Savanna up a couple hours later. She looked much better. Energetic, even as she nodded.

“Sleep helped.”

Savanna confessed. She was still exhausted, but Vic was really trying to prevent her missing a full day of school, especially since she and Timmy would be missing two days for their grandfather’s funeral. Victoria checked her watch and looked back to Savvy with a smile.

“What do you say to a quick lunch at Dine-N-Dash before I take you to school?”

At this point Vic would have tried practically anything to get her daughter to eat a decent meal. She was already falling behind on the growth chart in height and in weight. Hopefully the picky eating was just a phase. Her poor diet was certainly not helping Savanna’s lack of energy. If anything, it was contributing to the exhaustion.

“Mm…”

Savvy said like she was giving it some serious thought. She tried to be serious, but her soft giggles and tiny dimpled grin gave her away.

“Can I get waffles an’ ice cream?”

Internally, Vic was screaming the word no, but her kids had just gone through another devastating loss and she didn’t see the harm in letting them have junk food for lunch every once in a while.

“You can, but you’ve got’a get up.”

That was Savanna’s cue. She got out of bed so Victoria could do her hair while she brushed her teeth. It didn’t take long, and before long they were locking up and heading for the car.

“Mommy?”

Savanna said as she buckled herself into her booster seat. She wasn’t sure how to approach the subject, but if there was one thing she picked up from her therapy sessions, it was that sometimes she needed to talk about her feelings. Even if she didn’t want to.

“Do ‘ya still see grandpa sometimes?”

Vic raised a brow as she peered at her daughter through the rearview mirror.

“What do you mean, baby?”

The brunette questioned. Savanna broke eye contact to look out the window. She was quiet for a moment because she didn’t know how to explain what she meant.

“I still see grandpa sometimes. ...Or someone who looks like grandpa.”

Maybe it was hallucinations from lack of sleep, but ever since Ted’s death, Savvy felt like he was following her. She thought she saw him mopping floors at her school, pushing a shopping cart down the aisles at Target, swinging at the park...She even saw him in her dreams.

“If grandpa went to Heaven ‘ta be with daddy...How come I still see him?

[desafia]

7. What is one overrated roleplay trend?

my fav sending questions about fav things ||  @seesgood

my answer to this question probably varies day to day and i always worry about answering it in case anyone takes it personally 💀 but i do kinda wish the dash only trend would go away and ONLY because tumblr is too broken for it to be practical anymore.  like you don’t have to do a whole fancy theme.  even just leaving the default theme up so people are able to search for tags.  dumblr pls fix the mobile theme search function 2k22

23. your favorite fandom to write in? 

i feel like i’ve been in so few fandoms for long periods of time it’s hard to answer this.  but i will say i was probably at my happiest in a fandom at the height of the netflix mcu era.  i loved it so much.  it’s part of why i’m so excited there’s a resurgence going on and desperately hope it lasts a little while longer that most marvel hypes do in rpc. 

18. what is one thing you’d wish to see more in the rp community?

the first thing that comes to mind is communication/ooc interaction?  i feel like as a whole the rpc has progressively gotten worse at it and i’m not sure why.  it can be extremely difficult to get people to contribute when plotting.  often times,  a lot of ooc issues could be resolved if people weren’t afraid of having an honest conversation with each other.  and even just on the dash there can be a very isolating silence.  i do mean overall though.  i think on this blog specifically i’ve managed to craft a more interactive space than i have had the past 2 years which is SO refreshing.  but i sometimes see my mutuals getting ignored ooc wise.  edits go unliked or commented on.  it seems discouraging and saddening. 

[goteamanalysis]

Hello! I would like your thoughts about Akane please ? owo

Canon Information for this Character

-She is a manager and a 2nd year

-She really loves anything science-fiction

-She is a good artist, she is the one who created the Inazuma Eleven Stickers i.e

-Game Description:–A slightly enigmatic sort of girl. One of [Shindou’s] biggest fans.“

-To Recruit her you need:–1st game—Item: Seishun no Onigiri—Manual: Eternal Blizzard—Item: Puromaido—Topic: Valentine–2 game—Item: Second Raimon’s Theme Song—Item: Sewayaki Towel—Record: Photographer–3rd game—Coin: 2 Blue—Item: Miniature Caravan—Item: Sewayaki Towel—Photo: Timework Refridgerator—Photo: Old Fashioned Broom

Name MeaningHer surname Yamana 山菜 can also be read as Sansai, a Japanese word translating literally as ‘mountain vegetables’. This term refers to vegetables that were foraged in the wild, as opposed to being grown and harvested from a field.

Her given name Akane 茜 translates as the color rose madder, a shade of red, and fits the manager’s theme of being named after colors.

OverviewShe’s friends with her fellow second year manager Seto Midori, and since Midori has a tenancy to act before she speaks, Akane sometimes helps stop her from getting carried away.

She’s a huge fan of Shindou Takuto. She refers to him as Shin-sama and during soccer practice she’ll utter things like ‘Shin-sama is wonderful,’ and ‘Shin-sama is so dashing,’ etc…

Photography seems to be her hobby and she constantly carries a pink camera around with her.

In the Sengoku era arc, she’s portrayed as being a little bit jealous of Okatsu, the girl Shindou became close to. However, in the game version she understood his feelings towards Okatsu, and in order to give the two time to have their final conversation, she contributed to postponing the departure of the Inazuma Caravan. This shows she’s a kind and considerate girl.

While she does admire Shindou a lot, she doesn’t purely focus her attention on him - she cares about the team as a whole, such as when she showed Shinsuke a photo she had taken when he made his special move.

According to the games, she originally bought her camera to primarily be used to take photos of Shindou, but she’s gradually come to take photos of everyone and now it’s full of pictures of the whole team.

In the drama CD she took photos of Shindou from underwater, surprising Hakuryuu and Tsurugi.

AppearanceShe has large violet eyes and wears her hair in thick plaits. The color is light purple (or a red so light it looks brown?). Her uniform ribbon is blue. Unlike many of the girls who wear white socks, she wears dark purple tights.

She is not very short for her age, even being considered average height. She is almost even with Shindou and Kirino in height.

PersonalityShe’s described as very gentle, a bit air-headed, and mysterious. She’s quiet and often speaks in fragments rather than full sentences.

She can be considered a Romantic or even a Hopeless Romantic, this is implied with the way she talks about Shindou and the fact that you need the Valentine topic to recruit her in the games.

In Chrono Stone it’s revealed she has an interested in science fiction. When the talk turns to SF she lights up with enthusiasm and shows great knowledge for her favored subject. This also marks the start of her displaying her interests outside of “admiring Shindou”, allowing her to develop as her own character.

One of the chapter of the Ciao Inazuma Eleven GO anthology is based around her. Her personality is altered to become more like a typical shoujo protagonist. She speaks a lot more and while she uses normal, casual Japanese with the others, her inner monologue is in keigo (polite Japanese).

She is commonly seen clasping her hands together/entwining her fingers in front of her.

“Clasping and squeezing hands together is a self-pacifying gesture. A person does this to show that they are either uncomfortable, nervous, or even fearful. That or they are trying to assure themself, “Everything’s going to be alright.” A variation of this is rubbing the wrist. Clasped hands with interwoven fingers indicate great anxiety or frustration.“

This contributes to her meek and gentle nature, showing weekness and uncertainty in how she holds herself. While she never seems to worry about much, she could still be displaying that she is a nervous or even anxious person.

Her eyes always look very dreamy as if she is always in her own little world.

This is probably a visual reminder of her “Air-headed Nature” as when she is focused on she usually says something strange that exasperates the people immediately surrounding her. She speaks very softly and doesn’t say very much when she does talk, this feature about her capitalizes on her meek nature the same way that her hand gestures do.

Note:[more Manga info will be added later on a separate post or ask if someone expresses interest in more depth]

Misc

In an interview with her voice actor Yurin, she wonders what club Akane would join in the parallel world in Chrono Stone. She brings up that she could have a laugh with Midori in the ping pong club, but ultimately decides that Akane will follow Shin-sama to whichever club he chooses to join.

There’s a joke among the voice actors that her camera is indestructible. She can take photos underwater and in the movie when she drops her camera it still doesn’t break.

Originally, the script of the drama CD called for Shindou to refer to her by Akane, her first name, but on the day of the recording the staff announced that he would instead call her by her surname, Yamana. Her voice actor comments that she must be disappointed because her dream of Shin-sama calling her Akane still hasn’t come true.

Her voice actor Yurin regrets that she didn’t take a photo of Shindou in his Japanese-style clothes when she had the chance. She comments that every time Akane has a chance to get closer to Shindou she never takes it. ((Perhaps out of shyness?)) When Okatsu makes a bento lunch for Shindou, Akane comments ‘I want to make a bento for Shin-sama too,’. Yurin comments that she should, and show her appeal by making something other than tofu.

Character Trope Associated with this CharacterCloudcuckoolander - A character with their head in the clouds. They are strangely oblivious to things that everyone else takes for granted. This character, by definition, isn’t stupid. They can be highly intelligent and very insightful or even geniuses, it’s just the things they sometimes say and do may come off as weird, awkward, over-the-top, illogical, eccentric, etc. And because imagination often runs wild, they tend to be Easily Impressed.

((Mod Thoughts:Yozakura: She’s pretty great. I think she is my favorite manager in GO.Araceli: Her crush on Shindou is cute afLina: I really love her, she is talented and she fantasize a lot/ is obsessed with something and we can relate to this))

[dipulb3]

2021 Audi E-Tron Sportback first drive: Slipstream SUV serenity

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/2021-audi-e-tron-sportback-first-drive-slipstream-suv-serenity-3/

2021 Audi E-Tron Sportback first drive: Slipstream SUV serenity

Make no bones about it: Audi’s all-electric E-Tron SUV may have received high marks from professional auto reviewers and new owners alike, but it hasn’t moved the automaker’s sales needle in the US. In all of pre-pandemic 2019, the Audi sold fewer than 5,400 E-Trons here — less than an average month of Q5 sales. It’s amidst this frustrating backdrop that the 2021 Audi E-Tron Sportback model whirs into dealers, its racier slope-back roofline hoping to catch both eyes and sales.

Based on visuals alone, the E-Tron Sportback has undergone the now industry-standard four-door-coupification process more successfully than most luxury crossover SUVs — EV or not. From the windshield header forward, the Sportback looks the same as its more traditional two-box sibling and indeed, it has nearly the same height. However, owing to its dramatically plunging rearward greenhouse and frameless windows that clean up its roofline, the Sportback looks simultaneously lower and arguably more stylish, adding in a dash of athleticism. The Sportback isn’t just slipperier to the eye, it enjoys a 0.28 coefficient of drag, 0.02 better than its boxier relation.

Audi E-Tron Sportback First Edition is one slick electric SUV

See all photos

Range and charging specs are only part of the story

On the performance front, the Sportback is all but identical to the standard E-Tron, but a number of incremental improvements across both body styles increase appeal. Among the changes, Audi upped the available battery capacity slightly, increasing the customer-accessible portion of this 95.3-kilowatt-hour pack to 86.5 kWh — nearly 3 more than first-year E-Tron models. This translates to 218 miles of range and EPA estimates of 76 MPGe city, 78 highway and 77 combined. (The rest of the pack is held in reserve to preserve longevity.)

When it comes time to juice up, the Sportback supports Level 3 150-kW quick charging, which can jolt the battery from 0% to 80% in around 30 minutes. More common Level 2 chargers (like those most EV owners install) can replenish an entire pack in around 10.5 hours. Each E-Tron also comes with 1,000 kWh of complimentary charging through the Electrify America network.

Speaking of filling up, the Sportback is available with dual charge ports, one on each front fender. Especially for city dwellers who live in condos or apartments with tight access to charge points, this unusual bonus feature could be a major quality-of-life enhancer.

This Plasma Blue E-Tron Sportback First Edition is one of 200 coming to our shores.

Chris Paukert/Roadshow

To be clear, the Sportback’s aforementioned range figures are unremarkable — a base, Tesla Model X Long Range Plus has a 351-mile claimed range, but starting at around $80,000, it’s nearly $10,000 pricier than a 2021 E-Tron Sportback (more on pricing in a minute). Of course, while smaller than the Audi, the Model Y Performance comes in at 291 miles for far less money (around $60K) and there’s a slower, less-expensive Long Range spec with 316.

In my experience, however, with both this Sportback and with previous E-Tron testers, Audi EVs achieve their range estimates with relative ease, almost regardless of driving behavior or ambient conditions. Conversely, Tesla’s stated ranges usually feel like best-case scenarios. As with all things, your mileage may vary, but the real-world range gulf between these rivals is likely far smaller for most drivers than these vehicles’ window stickers would suggest.

Performance beyond the numbers

I start with these performance comparisons if only to get them out of the way. For better or worse, it seems impossible to review a new premium EV of any stripe without acknowledging how they numerically stack up to offerings from Elon and Friends. That said, I’m likewise here to propose an alternate view, which I think delivers a fuller picture of luxury electric life in general, and this E-Tron Sportback specifically.

You’ve likely found that all EV reviews from the humble Nissan Leaf to the Porsche Taycan wax rhapsodic about the instant torque and silent running inherent in battery-powered vehicles. Especially for those coming out of a convention internal-combustion-engined (ICE) model, that’s certainly a valid first impression and it’s absolutely the case with this E-Tron Sportback. And while that notion speaks to the innate serenity of electric power, this Audi takes that sense of wellbeing to a higher level, both in the way this SUV goes down the road and the way its cabin and tech make you feel.

As is typical for EVs, there’s not much to look at under the hood. Lift that plastic lid and you’ll find the charge cord.

Chris Paukert/Roadshow

The Sportback’s two-motor powertrain routes 355 horsepower and 414 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels by default, rising to a temporary 402 hp and 490 lb-ft in Boost Mode. The latter setting is enough to whoosh this 5,750-pound softroader to 60 mph in a drama-free 5.5 seconds. That’s reasonably quick, but again, not headline- or Instagram-worthy stuff by today’s EV standards. What makes the Sportback impressive is the utterly placid manner in which this performance is conjured. Yes, it’s quiet. Yes, it’s linear. And yes, it feels endlessly repeatable without apparent degradation in performance during hard driving.

While it feels uncharacteristically new-age-ish (and somewhat nebulous) of me to say, the tactile quality of the E-Tron’s cabin materials and the precision of their assembly contributes to that aura of slipstream serenity. There’s no doubt about it, the fit and finish of the E-Tron Sportback’s interior is worlds more luxurious and of noticeably higher quality than something like the Jaguar I-Pace, let alone anything Tesla has ever made. The last new Tesla Models X and Y that I drove dazzled with their accelerative urgency, but their high-performance spells were momentary broken by surprising amounts of wind noise and the occasional mysterious creak or graunch from beyond the firewall and rear hatch area. By comparison, even with frameless windows, the Sportback is one of the quietest vehicles I have ever driven.

The E-Tron’s other performance attributes are tuned harmoniously, too. The standard adaptive air suspension is remarkably compliant over greater Detroit’s indifferently maintained roads, even riding atop this example’s upsized 21-inch tires. With the Drive Select controller set to its firmest detent, the E-Tron’s ride is more than livable and cornering attitude is flat, doubtlessly aided by the weighty battery pack slung low in the chassis. I prefer keeping the steering set to Sport for a heftier feel when charging down a winding road, but no matter the setting, the steering is precise but numb.

Like other modern Audi models, the E-Tron Sportback feels tech rich and very well assembled.

Chris Paukert/Roadshow

A word on omissions and creeps

A note about the braking: Audi worked particularly diligently to blend the EV powertrain’s regenerative braking with traditional friction binders and the results do nothing to erode the Sportback’s air of overall effortlessness. Unlike some EVs, they’re easy to modulate thanks to consistent feel.

However, there’s one key thing the brakes don’t do nearly as well as many other EVs: one-pedal driving. While Audi worked in a user-selectable setting with stronger regenerative braking than early E-Trons, it’s not close to being enough to enable one-pedal driving. According to company officials, Audi engineers deliberately chose to limit lift-off regen in the name of maximum efficiency. Admirable as that may be, lots of EV drivers tell Roadshow they quickly fall in love with single-pedal driving and not offering a driver-selectable setting to accommodate this popular customer preference feels like more than a minor exclusion — it feels both shortsighted and needlessly overbearing.

Similarly, it’s also odd that Audi’s coders haven’t made a forward-creep setting available. Manual-transmission cars aside, nearly every modern vehicle rolls forward slowly from a stop when the brake pedal is released, as when pulling away from a stop sign or inching forward in a left-hand turn lane. Not the E-Tron. You have to nudge the accelerator. You get used to this, of course, but if the goal is to make transitioning from a traditional ICE model as easy as possible, this is an omission.

The E-Tron comes with standard 360-degree, top-down camera coverage for easy parking.

Chris Paukert/Roadshow

Interior and infotainment tech

The cabin certainly feels a bit more intimate and racier, but that’s mostly when looking in the rearview mirror or if you’re seated in the second row. TL;DR: Plenty of leg, knee and toe room, but headroom is a bit tight for those over 5 feet, 9 inches and the windows don’t roll down very far.

As far as cargo volume goes, it’s largely unaffected by the coupification process. The Sportback offers 27.2 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats, or 54.5 with them folded (decreases of 1.3 and 2.0 versus the standard E-Tron, respectively).

Beyond that, the Sportback’s insides are pure modern Audi, which is to say impeccably assembled, tastefully decorated and rocking an impressive tech hand. Thanks to a trio of large displays, one for the Virtual Cockpit gauge cluster and two for the touchscreen MMI infotainment system, when the power is off, the E-Tron Sportback’s cabin look is almost eerily minimalist, particularly when rendered in darker colors like this one. That doesn’t mean it’s boring inside, though. By comparison, the Model Y’s pared-back dashboard and single display may nail the minimalist yoga-studio-on-wheels aesthetic, but thanks to its significantly cheaper materials and occasionally frustrating controls, Fremont’s finest doesn’t deliver the same sense of serenity and solidity as the Sportback. 

You take the Tesla. Namaste in this Audi, friend.

Second-row space is quite good, though those taller than 5 feet, 9 inches may want to slouch a little.

Chris Paukert/Roadshow

E-Tron Sportback model years and pricing

Earlier, I mentioned that the E-Tron Sportback sits between the Tesla Model Y and X in price and indeed, it does. That said, further explanation is necessary. Due to COVID-19-related production and shipping hiccups, both 2020 and 2021 model-year Sportbacks are trickling into dealers more or less simultaneously and unlike Team Elon, all E-Trons remain eligible for the full $7,500 federal tax credit.

A very short 2020 model-year run consists of two models: A midrange Premium Plus spec that include features like adaptive cruise control, 360-degree camera suite and 16-speaker Bang and Olufsen 3D audio for $78,445 (including $1,045 for delivery). The other choice is an all-boxes-checked 2020 Edition One like the example seen in these images. It adds the Prestige Package, which includes features like the aforementioned twin charge ports, head-up display, massaging contour front seats, full leather (including dash, armrests and center console) and even an air ionizer/fragrance dispenser. Just 200 Edition One models will be sold in the US and you’ll be able to spot them on the street by their special Plasma Blue metallic paint and the 21-inch bi-color wheels shrouding orange brake calipers. Price? A heady $89,540 with destination.

Interestingly, for the 2021 model year, Audi significantly retooled the E-Tron Sportback’s model line, enabling a much lower starting price. A new entry-level Premium trim starts at $70,145 delivered and it’s rather well equipped, including standard features like four-zone climate control and 20-inch alloys. Mid-trim Premium Plus models add ventilated 12-way power seats, matrix LED headlamps, B&O audio, wireless charging and a driver-assistance package, among other features for $79,045 delivered. Go whole hog on a Prestige to net nearly all of the features from the Edition One and you’re looking at $83,345 in your driveway before any federal, state and local tax incentives.

Modestly slicker than its more upright E-Tron sibling, Audi is hoping this Sportback can jumpstart their EV sales.

Chris Paukert/Roadshow

It’s worth noting that a base Sportback is $3,700 more expensive than a regular E-Tron, a strategy that’s in-line with the industry’s “four-door coupe” SUV pricing trend: Same vehicle + different style – usable space = more money. While this value calculus perplexes your author, consumers have been supporting this type of math since the 2008 BMW X6, so more power — and profits — to ’em.

Overall, the new E-Tron Sportback combines impressive luxury with a fluid, unflappable feel. What this SUV doesn’t really muster, however, is an experience that’s materially much different than the standard E-Tron. The idea that the Sportback is sportier is largely an illusion and it would’ve been interesting to see what might’ve resulted had Audi elected to give this model its own driving character. Regardless, if you’re looking for luxury, quality and serenity now, the E-Tron Sportback delivers like few vehicles — electric or otherwise. 

[singtotheskiies]

Eight Summers

pairing: john laurens x reader modern au words: 7000 (yeah I got carried away a bit) warnings: fluff summary: follow yourself and John through eight summers as you become friends and mAyBe even fall in love. a/n: I've been wanting to do this forever (I can't believe I haven't done a John x reader yet) so let's see how this goes. the second summer contributes nothing whoops 

❇❇❇summer one❇❇❇ You sighed, flopping back onto your front porch. You had been so excited for this summer, and now, midway through June, nothing was happening. "I'm so bored," you said to the clear blue sky. As if by magic, your thinking aloud was interrupted by the rumble of a large moving van. Sitting up, you watched as it came down your street, trailed by a blue SUV. Both the vehicles pulled into the driveway of the house across the street and diagonal from yours. The house had been up for sale for the better part of the year, and only recently had a sticker reading "SOLD" been slapped onto the advertisement in the front yard. It was a large, spacious house that edged a forest, and you had often wondered at its slow sale. The rumble of the two cars had dwindled to a stop, and two men got out of the moving van and proceeded to open the back of the large vehicle. Meanwhile, a couple emerged from the SUV. The woman had brown, curly hair and looked to be in her early thirties. Her husband, or so you supposed, looked to be a few years older and had the same shade of hair as the lady, except his was stick-straight and short. Both of them waved at you, and you waved back with a smile. Under normal circumstances, you would have gone over to say hi, but this was their moving-in time and you didn't want to distract from that. I wonder if they have any kids​​, you thought, and your question was soon answered when the back left door of the car opened and a boy stepped out. You couldn't see very well since his back was to you, but he looked to be about your height and had clearly inherited his mother's curls. They fell halfway to his shoulders, and you didn't think you had ever seen a boy with hair quite like that. He exchanged a few words with his parents, and his mom motioned to where you were sitting. He turned around and looked at you before looking back at her, but his hesitation was ended as she pushed him gently. Now he was headed across the street and up your driveway. You stood up. "Hi! What's your name?" you asked brightly. "John," he answered, biting his lip before looking at you. "D'you have a last name?" you inquired. "Doesn't everyone?" he pronounced the first word as if it contained no s. "I think so. What's yours?" "Laurens. I'm John Laurens." "I'm (Y/N) (L/N). Nice to meet you." You stuck out your hand and he took it with surprising firmness. You looked at him closer as you shook hands. His curly hair was shiny and soft-looking, and it framed a face with a honeyed caramel tint which was covered with a liberal dusting of freckles. His eyes were a vibrant green, and they met yours with an unwavering gaze. The features on his face were well-shaped and defined, although his cheeks still carried a roundness that hinted at youthful innocence. "How old are you?" he asked, releasing your hand. "I'm ten," you answered proudly. "So am I!" he exclaimed, his first real show of enthusiasm, and the two of you grinned at each other. His mouth quirked up to one side, bespeaking a hint of mischief that was confirmed by the sparkling in his eyes that matched his bright smile. His whole face transformed when he smiled, illuminating his face and stretching his freckled cheeks adorably. "But which one of us is older?" you wondered, and you compared birthdays. "Yes!" John exclaimed triumphantly, pumping his fist in victory when he learned that he was a full two months older than you. "It's only two months, though," you griped, crossing your arms as you felt some of the pride rubbing off. "Yeah, but I'm older!" he exclaimed. "I'm always one of the youngest in my classes and now I won't be the very last one!" "Oh, stop," you said, cuffing him playfully on the shoulder. "You'd think you won the Olympics or something." "Maybe I did," he retorted playfully. "The being-older-than-your-neighbor event is my thing." "Whatever," you said, rolling your eyes. "So this is your house?" he asked, looking up at it. "Uh-huh!" you answered proudly. "We'll be almost right across the street from each other, then," he observed. "I know! We'll have lots of fun," you resolved. "John!" A voice interrupted your conversation. The man was crossing the street. "Time to go. We need your help moving some boxes." "Okay, Dad." he sighed. "This is (Y/N). She's our neighbor and she's my age right now, although I'm two months older." Mr. Laurens smiled at you. "Nice to meet you, (Y/N)," he said. "I'm Henry Laurens. Thanks for being so welcoming. I know John was a little nervous that there wouldn't be any kids his age, but I guess that problem's solved, right, John?" "Yeah!" he responded. "Bye, (Y/N)! See you later!" "Okay! Friends?" you asked. "Friends." He smiled at you again before going back with his father. You smiled as you sat back on the porch. Summer just got a whole lot more interesting. ------ You didn't hear the conversation that went on between John and his father. "She's so nice, Dad, and friendly and pretty!" "I could tell, son. I'm glad you made a friend." Henry drew his son close to his side. "Yeah, me too." John couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the day. ❇❇❇summer two❇❇❇ You were lying next to John, your back against the firm wood of his tree house, which was really nothing more than a few planks nailed together to form a floor-like object which was placed in a crook of a tree. It was secured to the branch by nails and was surprisingly very comfortable. "I can't believe you haven't told me about this yet," you said, turning your head to look at him. "Yeah. It's pretty great, isn't it?" ​​​​​​ It was. The tree was a tall one and all sounds of other people faded, giving way to birdsong and the occasional humming insect. It was a hot day, but the heat faded, impeded by the canopy of leaves stretched out above the two of you. The sun would poke through at different times whenever the leaves would drift apart, lifted by the cool breeze wafting through the forest. All was peaceful and you smiled at the calm that filled you as you lay there, John by your side. "Those leaves over there remind me of your eyes," you said with all the innocence of an eleven-year-old, pointing over to a part of the forest that was dappled with shade. John hummed in agreement. That was one thing about John. The two of you could maintain perfect silence without it feeling awkward or strange. You could still understand each other just as well through words than you could through none. He always seemed to know what you were thinking and vice versa, which was one of the things that made him your best friend. He always understood. Even at this young age, you knew that that was important in any close friendship. John was special and you were glad to know him. He never failed to make you happy and bring a smile to your face. And as you thought of him, a stirring arose in your heart, a new, unfamiliar feeling that wasn't necessarily uncomfortable. You didn't know what it was, but the future was sure to tell. ❇❇❇summer three❇❇❇ "C'mon, John!" you exclaimed, pulling insistently on his arm. John and his parents had come over for dinner, and now the adults were just talking on the back porch which served as an eating area. You wanted no part in it—the fireflies were out tonight, and you had never seen so many. "Hey, that rhymes!" he quipped, smiling that smile you knew so well. "Wow, great observation." You rolled your eyes. "I know. Aren't you glad your best friend is brilliant?" "You're about as brilliant as—" you paused, trying unsuccessfully to think of something dull— "as, well, never mind. But let's go, please? Those fireflies are just waiting to be caught." "Okay, okay, I'm coming. Hey, Mom!" he called. "Yes, sweetheart?" Mrs. Laurens replied. "(Y/N) and I are gonna catch some fireflies." "All right. Have fun, you two." She gave you a sweet smile. "I'll get the jars," you told John. "I'm pretty sure we've got two with holes already punched in the top." You went inside and emerged in a few minutes, carrying a jar in each hand. "We should make this a competition of who can catch the most," John said, taking his jar and looking at you mischievously. "Oh, definitely. You're on," you said, matching his grin. "Ready—" you drew out the word. "Set..." "Go!" you yelled together, running in opposite directions to spots where the insects illuminated the night with their flashes of light. You found a great spot right away, and you quickly grabbed the small bugs and let them crawl off your fingers into your jar, slamming the lid down when they had entered fully. The bugs tickled as their feet made their way down your fingers, and you giggled at the sensation. "You're going down!" you heard John yell from somewhere in the yard. "Nuh-uh!" you retorted, continuing your mad dash through the grass. ------ As the two of you ran around the yard, your parents watched you with smiles on their faces. "They're such great friends," your mom said. "Yeah, they really have a special bond," agreed Mr. Laurens. "There's not a day that goes by that John doesn't talk about (Y/N). There's always something exciting with those two." "He better not steal her heart in a few years," inserted your dad, jokingly but also with a hint of seriousness. "Well, I'm afraid (Y/N)'s on her way to doing that with John," Mrs. Laurens said. "He always tells me how pretty she is, although he's never hinted at a crush." "Well, if I had to choose anyone for my son, it'd be your daughter," Mr. Laurens told your parents. "She's really a great girl." "We could say the same for John," your mother replied. "That he's a wonderful boy and all. Not that he's a great girl!" The four laughed and turned back to watching you and John. ------ "Okay, I think that's enough time," you called to him, breathing slightly heavier than normal. "Aw, are you just tired?" he teased, coming over to you. "No, but I bet you are," you shot back, trying to suppress your heavy breathing. "Nope!" he boasted, tucking a piece of hair behind his ear. His curls were long enough to be put back in a short ponytail now, and you teased him about it occasionally. "Okay, well, let's count the other person's fireflies, and whoever wins gets the last two cookies," you said. ​​​​​​ "Sounds good," he replied, and you switched jars and began counting, which was a tricky job since the bugs kept crawling around and many were on the bottom of the lid so you had to tip the jar up to see them. "Fifty-one," you said when you had finished. John was just finishing up, his tongue stuck out slightly as he counted. "You have forty-two which means I won!" he shouted in joy. "All right, good job," you said, sticking out a hand. "A for effort." "Effort starts with E, stupid. Now let's go get your cookies," you replied, smacking him lightly on the shoulder. "Sounds good to me," he said, yelling, "I won!" when the two of you reached your parents. "So he gets the last two cookies," you explained, giving the prizes to him. As he contemplated his reward in his hand, he looked up at you. "I'll give you one," he conceded. "I could never let my best friend go hungry." "I appreciate it," you said, and sat down on the steps, setting your jar next to you. John sat down as well. "We should probably let them go," he said, and you agreed, opening your jar as he did. The fireflies flew into the night, releasing light as they went, and you watched them go. John glanced over at you, your face illuminated by the soft glow of the bugs, and felt his heart expand inside him. What a best friend. ❇❇❇summer four ❇❇❇ The August afternoon was drawing on to evening, and a coolness stole into the air, barely noticeable but still there. Fall would come soon, along with school, and you wanted to savor every last second with John. He lifted his head from his sketchbook as a breeze blew through the trees at the edge of the forest, where the two of you were sitting on an old blanket that John's parents kept for picnics and outdoor use. You were still unaware of what he was drawing, and didn't hear the quick scribbling of his pencil as you looked upward at a few golden-tinged leaves that had fallen due to the wind. "It's so pretty out here," you said, turning back to look at him. He was drawing a long, curving line but that was all you could tell as he had his sketchbook tilted away from you. "Mhm," he replied absentmindedly, a look of intense concentration on his face. He had a certain habit when he was drawing—he would bite his lip on one side and poke out his tongue on the other. You never figured out how he did it, and it was one of the endless unique things that made him John. As you watched his pencil move, his eyes flicked upwards to yours and you looked away quickly, your heart racing inexplicably. You had noticed that you seemed more shy around John. He was still your best friend and closer to you than anyone else, but something was changing. He wasn't the same boy anymore. His cheeks were still sprinkled with freckles, but they had lost much of their roundness, showing hints of defined cheekbones. His hair had grown out to a bit longer than shoulder length, and was usually tied back in a ponytail. He had grown nearly a foot in the past three years and now stood a full head taller than you, a fact he never failed to tease you about. He'd call you "small one" often, to which you would cross your arms and pout. He was growing up remarkably, and you couldn't help but think that he was getting handsomer every day. Although you didn't want to believe it, you could feel yourself becoming attracted to him and hated yourself for it. He's your best friend, you'd think. What's wrong with you? But all the berating in the world couldn't stop your feelings from developing more and more. "They're still not right," you heard him mutter, breaking you out of your thoughts. "What?" "The eyes. They're not right." He turned his sketchbook towards you and you gasped. There on the page were five sketches of your head and upper body in different positions, and they looked as if they could have come from real life. Everything was perfectly proportioned, and you marveled at how he could add such reality to the images with just a few lines of shading. "John," you breathed. He looked at you, hopefully, a hint of anxiety in his eyes. "Do you like them?" he asked, genuinely nervous. "Oh my god. They're beyond words," you said, still looking at them with awe. He breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. I just couldn't get your eyes right on this one," he said, pointing to a sketch of you looking up. "There's a certain light in them that I just can't duplicate." You looked at his face next to you, inches away. "I think they're amazing." He smiled at you, no hint of cockiness or self-assurance, just a warm smile that heated your cheeks. "Thank you," he said. "No, thank you," you answered. "Wow!" "Ah, it was nothing, just a few sketches." He rubbed the back of his neck as he tapped his pencil almost nervously on his leg. "I'm just glad you like them." Hit with a sudden impetuous desire, you threw your arms around him. He hugged back after a moment, clearly surprised, and you smiled at the feeling, the rightness of it. "You're the best," you whispered. "No, you are." "I'll fight you." A laugh, a change in tone. "Whatever you say, small one." ❇❇❇summer five❇❇❇ "But it's so cold," you complained. "(Y/N), it's sixty-three degrees. That hardly qualifies as cold," John answered you with a shake of his curls. "It does when it's summer and there's no sun. It feels like forty degrees and I don't care what you say it really is." You crossed your arms and shivered, even as you were standing on John's screened-in back porch. "So you insist on not coming." "Not if I'm going to freeze my butt off!" He sighed. "Fine, wait here. I'll be right back." He vanished into the house and you stood there alone, tapping your bare foot on the wooden boards. You heard him coming down the stairs a few moments later and he came out the door with something in hand. "What's that for?" "You. It's just one of my old sweatshirts you can wear so you're not as cold. It's got fleece on the inside, see?" You felt the shirt and agreed to put it on, your heart warming even as your body did. It smelled like John, a hint of lemons swirled in with cotton. It came well to your mid-thigh area and the sleeves enveloped your hands, forcing you to push them up a bit. "Thanks, John," you told him. He was looking at you in his sweatshirt and seemed to snap out of a trance as you spoke. "Oh, yeah, anything for you," he said, ruffling your hair. "You look nice in it." "Yeah, right. As if I look nice in anything," you said, rolling your eyes. "You do. Y'know, I almost got you a pair of my sweatpants since you seemed to be the most concerned with freezing your butt off, but somehow I deemed that inappropriate." The soft look in his eyes was briefly replaced with a hint of their usual roguish gleam. "Perv. Now let's go look at the freaking stars because you wanted to." You bumped him with your shoulder and smiled at him. "I think you secretly want to look at the stars as well," he teased, holding the patio door open for you. "Thank you. And maybe, maybe not. You'll never know." (You did.) The two of you stepped into the night, shivering slightly as you did so. The stars were bright and shed a soft light on John's wide backyard. You picked a spot and lay down on the grass. "Ooh, look, the Big Dipper!" you cried softly, pointing at the constellation above you. John smiled at the wonder reflected in your star-lit eyes. "There's the North Star," he replied, and thought that even though he had seen these basic constellations a million times before, they had never been quite so shining and clear as when you were there next to him. After a few minutes of picking out the images in the sky, you remarked, "I'm still cold." "C'mere, then," John answered, and drew you close. The warmth from his body seeped into yours as fingers of electricity washed over your body at the contact. He felt amazing and right, and you closed your eyes as you leaned against him. ​​​​​His heart was beating; you could hear it, and his chest rose and fell gently. He looked down at your form and sat there with you, the girl who made the stars shine brighter. ❇❇❇summer six❇❇❇ You looked at John warily. "You want me to ride in this? You literally got your license two days ago." Your voice was teasing. "And it was well-deserved. C'mon, (Y/N), just for a bit? It'll only take a few minutes and the sun will start setting soon anyway." "I'm just kidding. Of course I'll go." "Ah, so you do trust me." "Shut up and drive, Laurens." He made his way to the passenger door and held it open for you, making a sweeping gesture that was coupled with a mock bow. "My lady," he said. "Oh, stop." Your heart was secretly bursting within you at the chivalrous action, however lightly it was meant. John closed the door after you and walked to the driver's side. "Are you ready for the time of your life?" he asked you. "Ready as I'll ever be," you told him, and he turned the key in the ignition. "Then let's go." And with that, he pulled out of his driveway. ------ ​​​​​​There was a road near your neighborhood that was mostly used for drivers' ed purposes. Since it was nearly school, classes in your community had ended and the road was empty. It was surrounded by trees on both sides and a few faint birds could still be heard deep inside the trees. As John turned onto the road, he looked at you with a smirk before stepping on the gas. "Oh my god, John!" you screamed as your hair was whipped every which way. "You're going sixty miles an hour!" "I know." "Just be careful!" you cried, even as a joyous whoop escaped you. John looked over at you again, and his heart flipped over. You were laughing, mouth wide open, and your hair was blowing around your face, tinted slightly by the now-setting sun. As you turned to look back at him, your cheeks were flushed and your hair was a mess, but John had never seen you look more beautiful. His gaze moved down your face, and he was unable to get enough of you. "Eyes on the road," you quipped. "Ah, yes, right," he nodded. "But I'd rather look at my beautiful best friend than a black stretch of asphalt." "Shut up," you told him, shocked inwardly at the compliment. "Watching the road will actually keep you alive." "Maybe I need you to live as well," he murmured. "What?" "Nothing." ❇❇❇summer seven❇❇❇ Every year, the Mulligans and Motiers, two families in your neighborhood, would get together and have a huge party. They would play music cranked up as loud as possible, and was audible on the other side of the subdivision, where you and John lived. Miraculously, none of the numerous complaints would deter them from their fun, and so the whole neighborhood suffered in unison for one long night. Tonight was the oh-so-joyful occasion, and you had invited John over, knowing that having him next to you was the only thing that would keep your sanity in one piece. He had had dinner with your family and the two of you were out in your backyard, where an old swingset stood. You were sitting on one, swinging your legs softly back and forth while John sat next to you, listening absentmindedly to the music while catching glimpses of you whenever you weren't looking. The current song ended and another began. "I love this song!" you cried, instantly recognizing "I Saw Her Standing There" by the Beatles. Well, she was just seventeen You know what I mean And the way she looked was way beyond compare "You're seventeen. Fancy that," said John. "And I must admit that you do look nice tonight." You looked down at your old clothes with a skeptical glance. "Yeah, right." "May I have this dance?" He held out a hand to you. "Of course." So how could I dance with another When I saw her standing there? You giggled as John twirled you around the yard, slowing when you were out of breath. He stepped with you slowly, your speed rapidly decreasing and then stopping altogether as you looked up at him to see him gazing down at you. Well she looked at me And I, I could see That before too long I'd fall in love with her She wouldn't dance with another Oh, when I saw her standing there "(Y/N)," he whispered, softer than you knew anyone could ever speak. "Y-yes?" "May I kiss you?" A shocked silence. "Of course." You finally overcame your shock. He bent down and you felt his breath on your cheek. And with a soft tilt forward, he captured your lips with his and the only thing that existed was him. It was pure and perfect and everything you had imagined and wanted it to be. As you pulled apart, you whispered, "I love you." "I think I loved you ever since I saw how adorable you were when you were mad at me being older," John confessed, rubbing his thumb gently over your bottom lip. You looked into his eyes, saw the love, the pure emotion, and knew you needed him, needed him desperately. He drew you in again, and the music was forgotten. ❇❇❇summer eight❇❇❇ "I can't believe this. Summer reading? Especially Shakespeare summer reading?" John lamented. "Well, some people actually like Romeo and Juliet and consider it a literary masterpiece," you commented. "And I happen to be one of them." "My own girlfriend," he groaned. After a year of owning that title, it never failed to give you butterflies when hearing it. The two of you were sitting in a clearing of his forest, and the sun shone in a dappled pattern on your languishing forms. "You should really get started on it," you told him. "I suppose you're already done." "I, for one, do not procrastinate." "Well, then, you leave me no choice but to begin." "You should read it to me." "Anything for you," he said, cupping the back of your neck and kissing your forehead before lying down and placing his head on your lap. "It'll be more comfortable this way." And with that, he began to read, and you listened to the voice you loved best read the classic tale of love. After the first act, your hands were begging for something to do, and so you gently pulled at his hair tie, releasing his long, bouncy curls which floated freely at their leisure. You wove your fingers through them, feeling their lush softness and kissing his shiny locks every now and then. After a few minutes, you parted his hair into three sections and began braiding, picking a few flowers to finish off the woven hairstyle. He was now at the balcony scene, your favorite part, and he paused. "You be Juliet. I'll read Romeo," he said. You laughed and held the book with him, your fingers entwining. The words were interrupted often for a kiss or two, and he smiled at you, thinking that you were the most beautiful thing to ever walk the earth. He finished the scene, and sat up slightly, running his fingers along the curves of your neck while you kissed his freckled cheeks. "How'd I ever get you?" he asked in pure, breathless wonder. You simply smiled before kissing him deeply, eliciting small noises from his throat. The book was pushed aside as he sat up fully, setting you on his lap. "I love you," you said. "And I you." And there you were, young and with your lives ahead of you. The future was yet unknown, but you could face it together as long as you were by each other's side. You looked into his eyes and both of you thought that you had never felt such perfect happiness. 

[gymleadercheren]

anybody wanna read the first chapter of my crappy novel?? starring a bunch of losers in jail, failed flirtation attempts, and a forthcoming execution:

Well, this didn’t turn out as planned, Ari thought as she was roughly dragged through the halls of the city dungeon by a pair of human guards. Their grip was impossible to break and if she tried, she was sure she would get a merciless shortsword to the chest for her troubles. The fact that she was a pretty young elf girl didn’t seem to have any effect on the men, as they didn’t treat her with any particular measure of gentleness. She blew her long blonde hair out of her eyes in frustration. She had been so close… Just inches away from the most beautiful gem she had ever seen in her life. Why did she have to go and get sloppy right at the last possible moment?

Deep down, she supposed she deserved this, but those feelings were quickly buried as her annoyance with the guards grew. Surely her arms would be bruised when she took the time to inspect them. Did they really have to be so rough?

Before long, the guards had dragged her down a stone staircase, bringing her to the deepest level of the dungeon, a foreboding stone room that was dimly lit. She didn’t have to adjust her eyes to the darkness—for which she had her elven heritage to thank— but she didn’t get much of a chance to gather her bearings before the guards had thrown her into an empty cell and turned the key in the lock. Ari stood immediately, glaring at the men who had so cruelly treated her. They glared back, not the least bit intimidated.

“Do you have any idea who I am?” she asked, summoning the best royal voice she could muster. She hated to reveal her identity, but she would dearly love to see the shock and horror on the guards’ faces once they realized who exactly they had imprisoned. Unfortunately, neither of them looked impressed.

“A criminal,” one guard grunted before turning to leave. The other guard followed suit, but not before rapping the bars of her cell with his shortsword, a clear threat. Ari watched them leave, deciding not to shout after them. No. She didn’t need to reveal her identity to get out of here. That would only make the road ahead all the harder. She would find her own way out. But first she needed to see what she had to work with, and she began by examining the rest of the room.

The cell across from her was occupied by two other prisoners who seemed just as out of place as she was, for neither of them appeared to be human either. One of the men, with his short, bulky stature and long, wild beard, was unmistakably a dwarf—a rarity in the city. The other prisoner, who couldn’t have been much taller than three feet, appeared to be a young human child at first glance, but closer inspection brought Ari to the realization that he was a halfling—albeit the oddest one she had ever seen.

She hadn’t met many halflings in her travels, and certainly not in the elven kingdom she grew up in, but from the stories she’d heard they tended to either be modest farmers, sly merchants, or slight and dirty rogues. This one was dressed far too ostentatiously to be any of those things, with a bright green tunic, puffed sleeves embroidered with gold thread, and a fancy crimson cape obviously meant to draw attention. Unusual also were his smart leather boots—halflings were known to leave their furry feet bare. His unmistakably golden curls were also a far cry from the thick dark hair most halflings sported. He seemed to Ari fastidiously and fussily clean, with his clothing well-taken care of and his blond locks prissily maintained. She began to wonder if she wasn’t the only highborn imprisoned here, although she had never before heard of halfling royalty.

The dwarf, however, was another story entirely. Although also short, blond, and male, he couldn’t have been more different from his cellmate. His clothing suggested a somewhat wilder heritage, as his own dirty tunic was sleeveless to allow full view of his thickly muscled arms. His crooked nose suggested that it has been broken sometime in the past, but Ari doubted that whatever had broken it survived to tell the tale. His beard was messy and unkempt, separated into hopelessly tangled cords that hung loosely all around. His equally messy hair was pulled back into an odd topknot, presumably to keep it out of his face—although his eyes were so squinty that Ari marveled that he could see at all. He was gruff and mean-looking and very obviously just pulling out of the throes of drunkenness. The smell coming off of him was indescribable—and she knew it was him and not the halfling because of the green tinge to the latter’s nauseated face. Obviously disgusted with his cellmate, the halfling was pressed against the opposite end of the cell and breathing carefully and purposely through his mouth in an attempt to keep himself from vomiting. Ari immediately began to follow his example—the stench was like nothing she had ever endured.

The two prisoners did perk up and show interest in Ari when she was roughly dragged in, and once the guards had left, the halfling in particular fixed his gaze upon her and studied her intently (the dwarf simply grunted and began to pick at his fingernails). Ari suddenly felt rather self-conscious, as she didn’t particularly enjoy being stared at. She was made even more uncomfortable when it became obvious that the halfling liked what he saw, his eyes lingering on her smooth elven features and long silky hair. He stood (and Ari saw that she was spot on about her estimate of his full height) and leaned casually against the bars of his cell, an ingratiating smile crossing his face as the greenish tinge of nausea subsided, replaced with a rosy blush.

“Now what’s a lovely lass like you gone and done to end up in a place like this?” he asked good-naturedly, his lilting melodic tenor clearly meant to disarm. Ari studied his face a little closer, taking in his cherubic features, his bright eyes, the freckles scattered across his nose and cheeks. He looked every bit the dashing young rogue, and Ari supposed that she would have considered him quite handsome were she attracted to halflings—which she wasn’t. It was difficult to discern his age. Halflings were notorious for always looking somewhat like children no matter how old they became. He was obviously out of childhood, but to Ari’s knowledge he could have been anywhere from his late teens to well into his fifties or sixties.

“Sure and you didn’t tear apart a tavern and leave its good patrons scattered about to collect their teeth from the floor like this one did,” he continued, jabbing a thumb towards the dwarf on the other side of the cell. The dwarf chuckled darkly, unpleasantly, but otherwise contributed nothing else to the conversation, seeming uninterested in his companion’s attempts to engage Ari. Ari wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to enter a conversation herself, but the halfling seemed friendly enough and there wasn’t much point in hiding what she’d done. Or rather what she’d attempted to do.

“Wasn’t sneaky enough,” she answered, offering half a shrug. “Though if I could go at it again, I know I’d have grabbed it… now that I know they had rune wards.”

“That’ll do it,” the halfling said, nodding knowingly. “Still… you’re far too pretty to be a dirty sneak thief, aren’t you?” He grinned, showing off his perfect, pearly-white teeth. His front teeth were rather larger than the rest, however, giving him a distinctly rabbitlike appearance.

“I’m not a dirty sneak thief,” Ari snapped, insulted at the label. As far as she was concerned, she was simply… looking out for herself and her best interests. And if her best interests included any fabulously glittering gems she happened to come across, then so be it. The halfling didn’t seem at all put out, however.

“Too bad,” he said. “I like dirty sneak thieves.” He punctuated this statement with a wink and Ari felt her cheeks turn pink. The last thing she expected out of being thrown in the city dungeon was to be immediately flirted with by some sort of fancy halfling. Before she could think of a biting comeback, however, the dwarf offered one of his own.

“Aw, shut up and tighten your breeches, would ya?” he grumbled, not even bothering to turn towards his cellmate. “Even if you did manage to charm your way into her graces, there wouldn’t be much half a man like you would be able to offer.” Now Ari and her unsuccessful suitor were both blushing bright red. The halfling visibly deflated, and he slumped back down to the floor, staring sheepishly down at his boots as he began drawing pictures in the dust with the tip of his finger.

“Just making conversation,” he muttered to nobody in particular.

Ari shook off her embarrassment and took the time to examine her own cell, glancing around at the dismal little room. The bars were thick and iron and set so close together that not even the little halfling could even begin to dream of squeezing through. The lock, she noted, was large and clumsily made, although admittedly formidable without her specialized lockpicks. Unfortunately, the guards had stripped her of all her tools when she was thrown down here. She scowled, flopping down onto the small, uncomfortable bed that was provided. She had no intention of staying here for longer than a night, no matter what the guards said. But unless she could figure out another way to pick the lock, she was stuck.

And the smell wafting over from the other cell was becoming overwhelming. Yes, she would have to break out tonight, or she would surely die. Ari cast a piteous glance towards the halfling, who was looking nauseous again. He’d probably die, too. The dwarf, however, looked as if he were enjoying his own aroma. Ari noticed that he was breathing deeply through his nose, taking it all in. Disgusting.

“Where are my things?” she ventured to ask aloud, glancing towards the other prisoners. “My gear… Where did the guards take it?”

The dwarf chuckled again, but the situation didn’t seem at all humorous to Ari.

“How are we supposed to know?” he asked, glancing at her. “Not like they’re gonna be giving them back to us any time soon.”

“They’re in there,” the halfling piped up as he pointed down the hallway, apparently eager to start up conversation once again. Or perhaps he was simply eager to please Ari. She turned towards where he was pointing and noted a heavy wooden door at the end of the hall, also locked.

“You’re sure?” she asked, squinting at it.

“Sure I’m sure,” he replied, standing up yet again. “The guards were teasing me with my things earlier…” He frowned, his jolly face turning suddenly very solemn. “My Rosalina’s being kept in there,” he said somberly.

“Rosalina?” Ari asked. She frowned, wondering who this other prisoner must be—a halfling girl, perhaps. The halfling nodded and pressed his face against the bars, gazing longingly towards the door.

“I can feel her,” he said. “They took her from me when they brought me in… No doubt they’re preparing to pull her apart in there… trying to extract her magical secrets.”

“You think they’d be so cruel?” Ari asked in shock, suppressing a shudder. The halfling nodded grimly.

“Oh, aye,” he said. “They threatened as much when I begged to be reunited with her.” The dwarf gave a truly mean-spirited chuckle at these words and the halfling glared, offended, but didn’t say anything. Ari glared too. How could the thought of some poor girl being torn limb from limb for her magic be anything less than disgusting? Horrifying?

But before she could either shame the dwarf or offer her sympathies to the halfling, the door at the top of the stairs slammed open again and the sound of a struggle drew all the prisoners’ attention.

“Busy day for these fellows,” the halfling remarked as the guards began to clang and grumble down the stone stairway. Ari frowned, realizing that the only other open cell was her own. If this newest prisoner was anything like the other two, she wasn’t looking forward to having a roommate. This feeling increased tenfold upon seeing the person—or rather, creature—being dragged towards her by no less than four guards.

Ari had never seen a dragonkin before, but there was no mistaking the species of this newest prisoner. He was huge—over six feet tall—and covered head to toe in shining black scales. His long snout housed several large razor-sharp fangs and his slitted pupils darted back and forth, his emerald eyes wide in confusion and fear. His long tail dragged behind him, swishing back and forth in what Ari could only assume was nervousness.

Dragonkin were near-universally reviled—the entire species the result of an unholy union between dragons and their various humanoid victims. They were feared far and wide as unpredictable and dangerous hybrids that tore their victims into bloody shreds just as easily as their draconic ancestors.

Naturally, Ari was not thrilled when the guards began to unlock her cell door and push the giant dragonkin inside. She backed off to the far end of the cell, her blood running cold. Her hands clenched defensively into fists (which the dwarf must have noticed and found amusing because he began to chuckle again) and she prepared to defend herself in any way she possibly could, although she knew that even the strongest punch she could throw would be entirely ineffective against the dragonkin’s thick hide. Maybe she would go for the eyes instead…

“Wait,” the dragonkin said, and Ari blinked in surprise. His voice was much softer and younger-sounding than she had expected, and it trembled slightly in hurt confusion. “I can leave… I’ll leave the city, I promise.” One of the guards scoffed as he gave the dragonkin a rough shove and slammed the cell door shut behind him, the loud clang reverberating throughout the room.

“What, so you can wreak havoc on the neighboring town? Eat a few of our merchants as they set out on the road?” The key turned in the large, clumsy lock.

“But I don’t eat meat,” the dragonkin insisted, his shoulders slumping in a thoroughly defeated manner. His tone of voice indicated that he knew his protests would fall on deaf ears. The guards looked between one another for a few seconds and then they all four burst out in simultaneous laughter. The dwarf joined in from the opposite cell, his own drunken laughter drowning out the rest. The guards paid him no mind, however, as they were still focused on the newest prisoner.

“Yes, I’m sure those fangs of yours do an excellent job of crunching all the leaves and berries in your diet,” one of the guards quipped once he had gained control of himself once again.

“They do, actually,” the dragonkin replied in complete sincerity. This was lost on the guards, however. They simply resumed laughing, a few of them smacking the bars with their shortswords to intimidate the dragonkin, causing him to recoil, wincing at the loud clanging.  Ari found herself covering her own sensitive elven ears. The guards were certainly irritating, and she began to wonder whether they were all a little drunk themselves. Eventually, when they’d all had their fun, they clambered back up the stone staircase and the heavy door eventually slammed behind them, leaving the four prisoners to each other’s company.

Ari turned to nervously regard her new cellmate, but the dragonkin looked even more nervous than she did. His long tail was tucked in between his legs in much the same way as a recently scolded dog. He was dressed simply, in a tan tunic and pants, suggesting that he didn’t have the money for much else. But then again, who had ever heard of a dragonkin going shopping for clothes? Ari couldn’t even begin to imagine where he had come from… Dwarves and halflings and even elves were rare enough in the big city unless you knew where to look—but dragonkin were beyond unheard of. Certainly this one looked hopelessly lost. He tentatively raised a large clawed hand towards Ari in a halfhearted gesture of hello. Ari found herself copying it, although she felt rather stupid about it.

“Hi,” he said. “Sorry. You can keep the bed. I’m used to sleeping on the ground.”

“Oh, uh… thanks,” Ari awkwardly answered, watching as the dragonkin immediately made his way to the opposite corner of the cell, turned around three times, and then settled down on the cold stone floor, curled up like a cat. The other three prisoners stared for several long seconds.

“Soooooooooo,” the halfling said, breaking the silence. “What are you in for, big guy?” He was examining the dragonkin with obvious interest. He didn’t seem nervous in his address, but Ari wondered if he would be so cavalier if he wasn’t safely sequestered in a completely different cell. The dragonkin lifted his reptilian head and gazed towards the other cell, eyes widening at the sight of such a diminutive creature.

“…I’m not sure,” he answered slowly. “All I did was come into town hoping to find some supplies to fill my bag… But people started screaming and they brought me down here.”

“What, did you miss the giant ‘No Dragonkin Allowed’ sign out front?” the halfling asked with a wry smile. The dragonkin obviously didn’t catch on to the sarcasm in his voice because he frowned deeply as he considered it.

“I must have,” he said, a troubled look on his face. The halfling snickered, slowly sliding down the bars of his cell and returning to a sitting position, thoroughly amused by the dragonkin’s naïveté. The dwarf, however, seemed completely fed up. The gruff man let out a frustrated sigh as he began to stretch his thickly muscled arms above his head.

“Yer all soft,” he grumbled, looking between the three of them. “In body and in the head. Not a one of you’s done anything worth keepin’ you locked away. I’ve been in nurseries with tougher inmates than you all.”

“You’d prefer being locked up with—?“ the halfling began.

“Especially you,” the dwarf interrupted. The halfling scowled. “’Course,” he continued, “that’s all the better for me. When those guards come back to choose a prisoner for target practice, they’ll be wantin’ one soft enough for their arrows to pierce.”

“Target practice?” the dragonkin asked, concerned. The dwarf grinned, nodding enthusiastically.

“Gotta keep their skills sharp somehow, don’t they?” he asked. “And of course they prefer live targets. Rabbits and deer and birds get boring after a while, though. So they come down here and—“

“Stop it,” Ari said suddenly, her eye on the dragonkin. He was obviously upset. She even imagined she saw him trembling a little. Her heart went out to him. She’d never expected to feel sympathy for such an imposing creature, but this one was nothing like the stories she’d been told. “You’re scaring him.”

That got a laugh from the dwarf. It burst out of him so loudly and unexpectedly that the halfling jumped in shock and banged his head against the cell bars.

“Imagine that,” the dwarf said. “He really isn’t as thick-skinned as he looks if he’s lettin’ nothin’ but words hurt him.”

“Words can hurt more than you think,” the halfling muttered under his breath, rubbing the back of his head grumpily. Ari was pretty sure she was the only one who heard him, her sensitive ears picking up on things most people couldn’t.

The door upstairs opened once more and all the prisoners fell quiet as they glanced towards the stone stairway.

“Not another one,” the dwarf grumbled. However, when the captain of the guard stepped into the room, his golden armor shining even in the dim light of the dungeon, he was completely alone. He glanced at each of them in turn, obviously unimpressed with them.

“I’ve a message to deliver,” he said eventually. When none of them said anything, he cleared his throat and continued. “Your crimes have been discussed extensively with the city council and a suitable punishment has been agreed upon.” Again, this statement was greeted with silence, each of the prisoners waiting patiently (or not-so-patiently in the case of the dwarf) for their sentence.

“…Well?” the dwarf asked, annoyed with the captain’s hesitation. “Get on with it.” The captain smiled, but there was nothing at all comforting about it.

“The council has decided that the city cannot afford deviants such as yourselves running loose. There is too much strife within the city as it is. Thus, stricter measures need to be taken in order to ensure continuing peace. Therefore, it has been decided that the four of you will be executed via beheading in the morning.”

[keepingupwithlinmanuel]

The Complete List of Lin-Manuel Miranda Projects

Where possible I have noted availability for purchase/viewing/listening. For future projects I’ve included as much detail as we have and I’ll keep updating the post when we have more. Cameos are listed separately at the end. If you think I’m missing anything, drop me a message/ask. 

This is a very long post because Lin works a lot, so I have saved your dashes and put the content behind a read more. Let’s go.

Freestyle Love Supreme (2003-)

What is it? Freestyle Love Supreme is an improv hip-hop comedy troupe started by Lin, Anthony Veneziale and Tommy Kail. It has had a long life playing clubs and comedy festivals all around the world and spawned a TV show in 2014. 

What did Lin do in it? Lin is one of the main MCs in the group.

How do I find it? For answers to all the FLS questions you’ve ever had, please see my incredibly comprehensive masterpost. The TV series is available for streaming if you have a Seeso subscription and can be purchased from iTunes/Amazon if you have US accounts.

In the Heights (2000, 2007, 2008, 2010)

What is it? In the Heights is a musical originally conceived, written and directed by Lin while a college sophomore. It was eventually developed into an Broadway show.

When was it on? Off-Broadway at the now defunct 37 Arts in 2007, on Broadway from 2008 to 2011. It had a US touring production from 2009 to 2011 and numerous authorized international productions since.

What did Lin do in it? He wrote the music and lyrics. He also starred as Usnavi in the entire off-Broadway production, the first year of the Broadway production and for the LA and Puerto Rico stops of the touring production.  

How do I find it? You can purchase the cast album wherever you buy music. It is also available on Spotify. If you want to see a production, there are plenty of regional/local productions running in the US, including the first authorized all-Spanish version in DC. Here are some clips from the Broadway production.

In the Heights: Chasing Broadway Dreams (2008)

What is it? Chasing Broadway Dreams is a fantastic documentary by PBS on the making of In the Heights. Handily it also contains performance excerpts from the show. 

How do I find it? Right here on Youtube.

Working (2008)

What is it? Working is a musical with a book by Nina Faso and Stephen Schwartz and music by a small group of composers that originally ran on Broadway in 1978. In the late 00s Schwartz put together a new version (known as the 2012 revised version), adding new songs and trimming characters. 

When was it on? The new version has had a bunch of regional productions and is about to debut in the UK (as at May 2017).

What did Lin do in it? He contributed two new songs, Delivery and A Very Good Day. The first is about his own experiences as a McDonalds delivery boy, and the second about an immigrant nanny and an elderly care worker.

How do I find it? You can go here to see Lin talk about writing the songs and there are some videos floating around Youtube from regional/local productions. The London production produced a cast recording which includes Lin’s new songs.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (with Karen Olivo) (2008)

What is it? A Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Junot Diaz about a nerdy Dominican boy growing up in New Jersey

What did Lin do in it? He read the UK version of the audiobook with Karen Olivo.

How do I find it? Amazon, Audiobook.com and an excerpt here.

West Side Story (2009)

What is it? The classic 1957 musical by Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim and Jerome Robbins, recently revived by the surviving members of the original creative team (Sondheim and Laurents).

When was it on? The most recent Broadway revival opened in 2009 and closed in 2011.

What did Lin do in it? Lin was hired by the creative team to translate the dialogue spoken and lyrics sung by the Puerto Rican characters into Spanish. This included translating iconic songs such as I Feel Pretty, Tonight and A Boy Like That.

How do I find it? There’s a cast recording which is available for purchase and on Spotify. Here’s a sizzle reel of performance clips.

Sesame Street (2009-2013)

What is it? You know.

What did Lin do in it? Lin made his first appearance as the villainous Freddy Flapman in season 40 and also voiced a lamb (Lamb-Manuel, ahem) and performed the theme song of the Murray Has A Little Lamb segment. He composed the music for 5 songs in seasons 42-45, including “Rhymes with Mando”, which was nominated for a Day Time Emmy.

How do I find it? Should you wish to explore this aspect of Lin’s career, here is the segment with Freddy Flapman. Here is Lin as Lamb-Manuel. Here is the Emmy-nominated Rhymes With Mando and here’s a very familiar voice singing the Murray Has A Little Lamb theme.

The Electric Company (2009-2010)

What is it? Classic 1970s children’s TV series from PBS, revived in 2009 for 3 seasons.

When was it on? The revival produced 3 seasons which ran on PBS from 2009 to 2013. Members of Lin’s hip-hop comedy troupe Freestyle Love Supreme were heavily involved in the production as musical directors, cast members, composer/lyricists and guest stars.

What did Lin do in it? Lin wrote a number of songs and appeared on the show to perform them. He also appeared briefly as a character in season 2.

How do I find it? Here are all the songs and clips I can find:

Hard/soft 'c' Silent 'e' is a ninja Hard/soft 'g' Bossy 'r'

Here’s One Bad Apple parts 1 and 2. (A rap battle between an apple and Lin as a hot dog. Yep.)

Here’s a cute BTS segment with Shockwave and Lin.

House (2009-2010)

What is it? A medical drama that ran on Fox from 2004-2012.

What did Lin do in it? Lin guest-starred in season 6 episodes 1 and 21 as Juan “Alvie” Alvarez. 

How do I find it? On DVD, Bluray and streaming, if you are that way inclined. Here is a BTS interview about Lin’s return in which he refers to Alvie as “the other woman” who comes between House and Wilson.

Sad Sad Conversation (2010)

What is it? Hard to explain. Lemme quote from my own masterpost:  Sadsadconversation was an experimental Youtube vlog series started by the comedian Michael Ian Black and the actor Josh Malina in which a bunch of semi-famous people trying to make it in the entertainment industry posted videos of themselves, in MIB’s words, “bitching about our careers and how badly everything was going”. The videos gained an interactive element as the “cast” grew - the participants responding to each other’s videos and to comments below the line. It became a bit of a group therapy session between internet buddies.

When was it on? 2011-ish.

What did Lin do in it? Lin was invited by Josh Malina to join and participated enthusiastically for a while, although as the other founder Michael Ian Black later said, “you never really fit in because you’re never sad.“

How do I find it? I have helpfully compiled a masterpost of all Lin’s appearances for your viewing pleasure.

Vivo (2011-)

What is it? An animated movie musical about a “capuchin monkey with a thirst for adventure – and a passion for music – that makes a treacherous passage from Havana to Miami to fulfill his destiny”, originally developed by Dreamworks Animation.

When was it on? Good question. Lin started working on Vivo around 2010, only for the project to flounder in pre-production. It was picked up again by Sony in 2016 and is now slated for a 2020 release, with a script written by Lin’s good friend and frequent collaborator Quiara Alegria Hudes.

What did Lin do in it? He wrote all 11 of the songs.

How do I find it? In movie theaters in late 2020, if all goes well.

Tonys Awards Closing Number (2011)

What is it? The closing number of the 2011 Tony Awards, a patter verse written by Lin with the help of Tommy Kail which recapped the events of the ceremony itself.

What did Lin do in it? You can see Lin and Tommy writing the thing during the Tonys in this BTS video.

Modern Family (2011)

What is it? A comedy that’s been running on ABC since 2009.

What did Lin do in it? He guest-starred in episode 22 of season 2 as a dodgy salesman named Guillermo. My favourite thing about this whole deal is that he looked way too respectable so they had to give him a dodgy haircut and weird glasses.

How do I find it? On DVD, Bluray and streaming, if you are that way inclined.

Bring It On (2011-2012)

What is it? A musical very very loosely based on the movie of the same name, directed by In the Heights and Hamilton choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler, with a libretto by Jeff Whitty and music and lyrics by Tom Kitt and Amanda Green.

When was it on? Bring It On premiered in Atlanta in 2011 and toured the US before playing a limited engagement on Broadway in 2012.

What did Lin do in it? Lin wrote about half the music and lyrics in collaboration with Tom Kitt and Amanda Green.

How do I find it? There’s a cast recording which is available for purchase and on Spotify. Here is a sizzle reel of clips from the Broadway production. Here is Lin and a few cast alumni doing selections from It’s All Happening at Ham4Ham.

The Odd Life of Timothy Green (2012)

What is it? A Disney fantasy comedy drama film starring Jennifer Garner.

What did Lin do in it? Lin played Reggie, a botanist who was old friends with Jennifer Garner’s character.

How do I find it? On DVD, Bluray and streaming, if you are that way inclined.

Merrily We Roll Along (2012)

What is it? A musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim that was directed by Hal Prince. It opened in 1981 to disastrous reviews and closed after 16 performances.

When was it on? In 2012 Encores mounted a limited concert production incorporating significant revisions which ran in February of that year.

What did Lin do in it? Lin played one of the main characters, lyricist Charley, at the request of Stephen Sondheim.   

How do I find it? Miraculously, there’s a cast recording which is available for purchase and on Spotify. You can see some clips from this production here and here.

Tony Awards Opening/Closing Number (2013)

What is it? Lin teamed up with Tom Kitt to write “Bigger”, the opening number of the 2013 Tony Awards. He also repeated his 2011 trick with the closing number, but this time with a twist - he and Tommy rewrote Empire State of Mind by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys to fit the events of the evening as they happened. (“Bigger” was an enormous success and won Lin his Emmy.)

How do I find it? Here’s the opening and here’s the closing.

How I Met Your Mother (2013)

What is it? A sitcom that ran from 2005 to 2014 on CBS.

What did Lin do in it? He guest-starred in episode 11 of the final season as Gus, a fellow passenger on the bus with Marshall. (Fittingly, an episode written entirely in rhyme.)

How do I find it? On DVD, Bluray and streaming, if you are that way inclined. Here’s a small clip from Lin’s appearance.

Do No Harm (2013) 

[Don’t ask me why this photo is the way it is. Let’s just say it made the series look a lot more interesting than it actually was.]

What is it? A very short-lived medical drama that was cancelled by NBC after airing only two episodes due to horrific ratings. There were 13 episodes filmed.

What did Lin do in it? Lin played Dr. Ruben Marcado, a pharmacologist who is friends with the main character (played by Steve Pasquale). In his own words:

Do No Harm was like a writing residency for me. It was a bad NBC show and I was sixth on the call sheet and I took the job because I was like, it shoots in Philly and you’re going to be killed off in the 11th episode. So it was like signing a potential seven-year contract, which I was not interested in doing or going to L.A. I wanted to have time to write. I would have days free in Philly to write.

How do I find it? Should you wish to watch it, the show is available on NBC.com, Hulu and Amazon. Here’s a clip of Lin doing technobabble like he’s been in sci-fi all his life.

200 Cartas / Looking for Maria Sanchez (2013)

What is it? An indie romcom about a struggling Nuyorican comic book writer who falls in love at first sight with a woman named Maria Sanchez and goes on a journey to Puerto Rico to find her. Also starring former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres, and Jaime Camil.

When was it on? Limited release in 2013 in New York, Puerto Rico and the Philippines. The film also played a bunch of festivals.

What did Lin do in it? He played the main character, Raul.

How do I find it? It is available on DVD, although you will have trouble finding it. I have also heard that it is available on HBO Go and would appreciate confirmation. Here’s the trailer with English subtitles.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (2013)

What is it? An award-winning coming-of-age YA novel about queer Latinos set in Texas.

What did Lin do in it? He read the audiobook.

How do I find it? Here it is on Amazon, Audible and Audiobooks.com. Here is an excerpt of Lin reading it.

21 Chump Street (2014)

What is it? A 15-minute musical based on a true story reported by This American Life, starring Hamilton’s Anthony Ramos.

When was it on? One night only in 2014.

What did Lin do in it? He wrote the musical.

How do I find it? There’s a cast recording which is available for purchase. You can also buy the video of the live performance here. Here’s a taster of the first song. Warning: incredibly catchy.

…tick tick BOOM! (2014)

What is it? An autobiographical one-man musical by Jonathan Larson, adapted into a 3-actor piece after his death.

When was it on? Encores mounted a production starring Lin as Jon in June 2014 with the other parts played by Leslie Odom Jr and (at Lin’s invitation) Karen Olivo.

How do I find it? Unfortunately there is no cast recording. There are a bunch of clips on Youtube from the production though: here and here. And you want to watch this dress rehearsal video.

Hamilton (2015)

What is it? Hamilton: An American Musical began its off-Broadway run at the Public Theater in 2015 and moved to Broadway - you know what, if you’re here, I assume you know.

When was it on? On Broadway at the Richard Rodgers since 2015, in Chicago at the PrivateBank Theater since 2016, on tour in the US since 2017, and at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London starting in November 2017.

What did Lin do in it? He wrote the book, the music and the lyrics and co-arranged the music with Alex Lacamoire. He also starred as Hamilton during the off-Broadway production and the first year of the Broadway run, and in the #andpeggy company for the Puerto Rican stops on their tour.

How do I find it? See above. The cast album is available to purchase everywhere and on Spotify. Here are some clips from the off-Broadway and Broadway productions and from Chicago.

Ham4Ham (2015-2016)

What is it? In hindsight, difficult to explain. Ham4Ham was originally the name for the live Hamilton lottery outside the Richard Rodgers. Due to the number of people who showed up to the first one, Lin and Tommy Kail decided to do a little something for the waiting crowd. The frequency and medium of the performances varied over time and they’ve now stopped being a regularly scheduled thing but there are over 130 for you to enjoy in clip form. 

When was it on? The very first Ham4Ham took place before the first preview performance of Hamilton on Broadway. The very last featuring Lin was on the day of his last performance.

What did Lin do in it? He organised and hosted the majority of the Ham4Hams and performed in quite a lot of them.

How do I find it? I’m glad you asked. Here is a comprehensive masterpost for your viewing pleasure.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

What is it? Lin jokingly offered to write the cantina music for Force Awakens when he met JJ Abrams in 2015 and JJ Abrams took him up on it. (He did not tell the Moana people that he’d taken on yet another gig while he was starring in Hamilton and writing songs for Moana.) The song, as described by the Star Wars Wiki:

A lyrical song performed in Huttese, "Jabba Flow" was named after Jabba Desilijic Tiure, a Hutt crime lord. It's opening verse began by repeating "Oh, Jabba," followed by a repeated "No bata tu tu, muni, muni," which roughly translated as "No, lover, lover. It wasn't me," in Galactic Basic. The song featured mellow instrumentals, which included a hypolliope horn cluster, a seven-string hallikset, and a xyloxan.

What did Lin do in it? Lin co-wrote the song and sings on it.

How do I find it? The track is available for purchase and on Spotify. There’s also a Rick Rubin remix. Here’s Lin and JJ performing it on Star Wars Day.

Hamilton: the Revolution (2016)

What is it? Hamilton: The Revolution (aka the Hamiltome) contains both an annotated libretto of Hamilton and a moving, engaging account of the making of the show written by Lin’s good friend Jeremy McCarter.

What did Lin do in it? He contributed the annotations (which are not the same as the ones on Genius) and read them in the audiobook.

How do I find it? There is an ebook but I don’t recommend it. (This is a gorgeous book and the ebook doesn’t do it justice at all.) The actual book can be bought wherever you buy books. Here’s the audiobook.

Drunk History (2016)

What is it? A comedy series produced by Comedy Central which features comedians getting sloshed and retelling historical events, and having that retelling simultaneously re-enacted by other famous people.

What did Lin do in it? Unusually, the show devoted the entirety of season 4 episode 9 to Lin telling the story of Alexander Hamilton, being hyperverbal and giggly, singing loudly and drunk dialing people.

How do I find it? You can find the episode on DVD and via various streaming sites. Here are some clips from the episode.

Saturday Night Live (2016)

What is it? An American institution. For fellow non-US people, SNL is a late night TV sketch comedy/variety show which features a different celebrity guest host every episode.

When was it on? Lin hosted the second episode of season 42 which aired in October 2016. His opening monologue, which was built off My Shot from Hamilton and written the night before the show by him with the help of some of the SNL writers, went viral both because of its virtuosity and because it directly attacked one of the presidential candidates. Other notable sketches included one about Stranger Things, a sketch about a Latino immigrant which was almost entirely in Spanish, and an ode to high school cast parties.

How do I find it? If you are in the US you can watch the sketches and opening on NBC’s Youtube channel. I believe the episodes themselves are available for purchase on iTunes. The ode to high school cast parties is also available for purchase as a single.

Hamilton’s America (2016)

What is it? A movie-length documentary about the making of Hamilton and about Hamilton the man, featuring performance footage and interviews with everyone from Obama to Nas.

When was it on? Hamilton’s America premiered at the New York Film Festival and then on PBS in October 2016.

What did Lin do in it? He was one of the producers, featured heavily in the documentary as a performer and interview subject, and conducted some of the interviews in the film. 

How do I find it? If you are in the US you can stream it on PBS’ website. Otherwise here are a bunch of clips on YT.

Moana (2016)

What is it? A Disney animated movie musical set in the South Pacific and starring Pasifika/Maori actors in all the speaking roles.

What did Lin do in it? He co-wrote the music with Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foa’i and performs on the track We Know the Way.

How do I find it? The movie’s out on DVD, Bluray and streaming and as someone from that region I really do wholeheartedly recommend it. The soundtrack can be purchased wherever you buy music and it’s also on Spotify.

The Hamilton Mixtape (2016)/#hamildrops (2018)

What is it? A collection of demos, remixes and songs inspired by Hamilton, some with music videos.

What did Lin do in it? He co-produced the album, organised artists and basically oversaw the whole operation. He also contributed some unpublished Hamilton demos and a deeply personal verse to the track Wrote My Way Out. He performs on Found/Tonight and Cheering For Me Now.

How do I find it? The album can be purchased wherever you buy music and it’s also on Spotify. Here is a link to the Hamildrops.

Ducktales (2017-)

What is it? Reboot of the 80s animated series with an all-star voice cast.

What does Lin do in it? Lin plays Gizmoduck, aka Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera — a superhero who protects Duckburg, but also spends his days as an intern for Scrooge McDuck’s personal mad scientist, Gyro Gearloose.

How do I find it? It airs on Disney XD/Disney channel.

Curb Your Enthusiasm (2017)

What is it? HBO comedy starring Larry David.

What did Lin do in it? He guest-starred in 2 episodes of season 9 as an AU mean version of himself, complete with America Ferrera playing Vanessa.

How do I find it? On DVD, Bluray and streaming, if you are that way inclined. 

Gmorning, Gnight! (2018)

What is it? Collection of Lin’s good morning / good night tweets, illustrated by Jonny Sun.

How do I find it? Available in all the usual places books are sold. Also available as an audiobook read by Lin. 

Mary Poppins Returns (2018)

What is it? A Disney musical fantasy comedy film directed by Rob Marshall adapting more of P L Travers’ Mary Poppins books. (So it’s a sequel to the 1964 classic, not a remake.) The film stars Emily Blunt, Meryl Streep, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, Angela Lansbury and Colin Firth.

When does it come out? It is schedule for release on 25 December 2018.

What does Lin do in it? Lin plays Jack the lamplighter, a friend of Mary’s. He’s doing a lot of singing and dancing.

His Dark Materials (2019)

What is it? BBC/HBO adaption of the beloved Phillip Pullman trilogy with an all star cast and crew. Already renewed for a second season.

When does it come out? No idea at this stage. Season 1 was filmed in Wales in 2018.

What does Lin do in it? Lin plays the balloonist Lee Scoresby.

Fosse/Verdon (2019)

What is it? Limited series about the famous choreographer and his muse.

When does it come out? No idea at this stage.

What does Lin do in it? He is executive producer. The rest of the Hamilton Cabinet are also heavily involved.

In the Heights (2020)

What is it? The long-awaited movie adaption of Lin and Quiara’s show, directed by Jon M Chu.

When does it come out? June 26, 2020!!!

What does Lin do in it? Lin is co-producing and might possibly write a few new songs. (I say this because he wrote extra music the last time the movie was in development back in 2010.) He has the last word on casting.

Kingkiller Chronicle (?)

What is it? A series of fantasy novels by Pat Rothfuss which are being adapted into films and a TV series. John Rogers has been announced as showrunner for the latter.

When does it come out? No idea at this stage.

What does Lin do in it? Lin is the “creative producer” of the whole enterprise alongside Pat Rothfuss and will be in charge of writing all the music. Rothfuss has expressed a desire for Lin to also be involved as an actor. 

The Little Mermaid (?)

What is it? Disney’s live-action remake of the classic animated film. 

When does it come out? No idea at this stage.

What does Lin do in it? He’s not quite sure himself, although Alan Menken is going around telling everyone that he and Lin will be writing new songs for the movie. The rest is all rumour-mill stuff.

Tick Tick...Boom (?)

What is it? A film adaption of the musical by Jonathan Larson (the one Lin starred in a production of in 2014).

When does it come out? No idea. Filming hasn’t even started yet.

What does Lin do in it? This will be his directing debut!

Cameos and guest appearances:

The Sopranos (2007)

Legally Brown: the Search for the Next Piragua Guy (2008)

The Polar Bears (2012)

Submissions Only (2012)

Smash (2013)

Studio Heads (2014)

Inside Amy Schumer (2016)

Difficult People (2016)

Love Make The World Go Around (2016) (and video)

Speech & Debate (2017)

My Brother My Brother & Me (2017)

Residente (2017)

BoJack Horseman (2017) 

Bartlett (2018)

[squky]

MysMes Another Story ー Day 8 Phone Call Choices

Okay, before I do anything, I’m going to say this:

The Outgoing call to V after 1:07pm is very good and I highly suggest you do it.

Okay, moving on,

To avoid spamming yours or other’s dashes, as well as to avoid unwanted spoilers, I will use a read more line. Click to see.

*Note: Due to the HG cost of outgoing calls to Ray and V, and of loading your game, I am only going to go through one call tree for all Ray+V calls and all incoming calls per playthrough of the day. My choices will be marked with a  ✔ in case the conversation choices branches when you make your answer decisions in these calls.

Call times courtesy of Khaleecia’s Call Log, I’ve been printing it out and bring it to work with me for days now~.

Jaehee, Outgoing call, Day 8, after 12:44am chat

Recording...? How could you!? I wanted to talk about personal matters.

Yes, it it helps the intelligence unit...

That's possible as my entrance itself was suspicious.

Are you suspecting me?

I think V and Rika are entangled in a very complicated manner.

How is the party preparation going?

Cheer up as we will soon be able to get together safely!

Jumin, Outgoing call, Day 8, after 12:44am chat

Were you worried?

Were you waiting for my call?

No need for the helicopter! Take it easy first.

V isn't in a good condition.

How are the members?

I'll tell not only you, Jumin, but to everyone.

If that happens, I'll elope with V alone.

I understand, I'll do it.

Jumin, you believe in sueperstitions more than I thought.

I believe in you and the members, too.

I'll nurse V as best as I can. Believe in me.

What you said was interesting.

Ray, Outgoing call, Day 8, after 12:44am chat

Why do you ask?

It's a secret.

I trust V. ✔

Stop it. You were using me from the start.

That's what Rika thinks. I don't believe in that.

That's an interesting story. ✔

Zen, Outgoing call, Day 8, after 12:44am chat (He didn't say goodbye at the end of the call, so I didn't get to reset the app in time to go back and hear all the options. My favorite, Zen. OTL)

My heart is on fire...fire towards V...

You sound weak... Is something wrong, Zen?

Zen, you have a dream you're mving towards to. Don''t feel useless because of the current situation.

You're looking after Yoosing. Do you know how hard that is?

I'll prmise to call you!

Zen, you're already helping more than enough. 

 (Ironically, I got >this< right after my disappointment of not being able to hear all of this call.)

Yoosung, (calls you), Day 8, after 12:44am chat

For crying out loud! V's in the hospital right now!

I don't want to believe it, either...

....Everything Seven said is true. ✔

Yoosung, I'm sorry, but I think it's time you let go of Rika...

Yoosung...

Didn't you see what happened to V? It's too dangerous!

Take it easy and be rational, Yoosung....

Yoosung, Outgoing call, Day 8, after 12:44am chat

I'm okay.

Try to calm down and talk slowly.

His life isn't on the line, but he's in a lot of pain. I won't...tell you any moe than that.

He'll be okay as long as I'm beside him. His life isn't on the line.

Rika?!

She was cam...and beautiful.

Yoosung, it's natural for you to think like that...Start acknowledging that and slowly work out how you feel.

Time will take care of everything.

Ray, (calls, you), Day 8, after 1:59am chat

From now on, stop calling me.

I'm sorry, but I'm not playing. ✔

You're gravely mistaken.

I miss you, too. ✔

I'll come back to you. ✔

Ray, please! You should snap out of it!

V, Outgoing call, Day 8, after 7:13am chat

Isn't this...a bit weird? The UI and all...

V, are you okay?

I'll be waiting for that!

Focus on recovering for now!

Don't take a photo of me, but rather draw me.

Rika, (calls you), Day 8, after 9:27am chat

I don't want to hear you!

You sound so beautiful.

What's wrong with your voice? Did you cry? ✔

Rika, you should now regain your senses. ✔

I kind of want to go back.

V, Outgoing call, Day 8, after 9:27am chat

I called to freshen up my mind. ✔

V! it's me, [your MC's name here]!

No, but I do like looking at it.

Yes, it's my job.

I'm not interested.

I'm learning! ✔

V, (calls you), Day 8, after 11:00am chat

Yes. She has. ✔

No, not yet.

Stop blaming yourself! from now on, think of yourself, V!

Rika might have been like that, but I cannot agree with her faith.

I can take care of myself. Don't worry. ✔

Everyone now knows that Rika is a villian.

If you know that, then uou should stop making me worry -

We will win this together. I believe we can. Let's hang in there!

Ray, Outgoing call, Day 8, after 11:00am chat

I'm doing fine.

You're the one who tormented me.

It feels weird without you here... ✔

Ray, that's enough... From now on I'll stay with V. ✔

Rika is the real villain.

Ray...don't you wanna go to the hospital with Rika

There is no such thing as a paradise of dream and happiness. ✔

707, Outgoing call, Day 8, after 11:00am chat 

[No choices] 

 V, Outgoing call, Day 8, after 1:07pm chat. (This is a very good call and I suggest you do it.)

V, It's me! [Your MC's name here]!

Are you okay, V? ✔

I'm going in right now! V, hang on! ✔

V, you're not that kind of person. Trust me, please?

I'm going to you now! I'm almost there.

Because I like you, V! ✔

Because I want to be by your side, V...

Ray, (calls you), Day 8, after 1:07pm chat

In the room that I used to be at? ✔

No idea.

You're weird.

Ray, I hope you won't fall asleep like that. ✔

We shall meet again. ✔

Take care...

I'm not going back.

If I go there, you'll lit to me and feed me that strange med, won't you?

Ray, you look a bit pitful. ✔

Ray, (calls you), Day 8, after 3:21pm chat

What are you going to do to them?

How are you going to make then do that? ✔

Are you going to sike the fountain? ✔

Are you going to spike the drinks with that?

Please don't do that... Mint Eye isn't the right answer for everyone. ✔

I'll make sure they don't drink anything at the party! Not even a single drop of water will be allowed!

Rika, (calls you), Day 8, after 5:52pm chat

Maybe.

V is worried about you.

Are you jealous of me? ✔

This isn't the time for dating.

Don't you miss V's warmth?

Rika...you need treatment! So does Ray. ✔

What do you mean by that? ✔

707, (calls you), Day 8, after 7:02pm chat

Is V doing well? ✔

Seven, how do you feel right now?

He had white hair.

Height 173cm, weight 59kg, snow white skin, good-looking, sexy, and cute. ✔

He looked like my Prince Charming.

It looks like he hates you ✔

He hates V.

Ray, Outgoing call, Day 8, after 8:21pm

Are you sure you're awake now?

Your mother? ✔

Ray, snap out of it! Ray!

Ray...calm down. Easy... ✔

Rika, (calls you), Day 8, after 10:00pm

At least you're far from normal.

People's guideline for normal and abnormal are so random. ✔

Rika, I like you.

Is it because I'm with V? ✔

I'll see you at the hospital if you promise me that you;ll get your treatment. ✔

I'm scared of you.

Ray, (calls you), Day 8, after 11:16pm chat

S...scared? I, I, I'm not scared!

You gotta do more than that to make me scared. ✔

Who are you? ✔

Where is Ray?

You're dangerous. ✔

Are you that infamous destroyer...?

End.

Contributions  to the choices I don’t have listed here are more than welcome!

[historyrepeatsitself-phff]

Chapter Sixty-Eight

A/N: This chapter is a bit small, but I hope you like it. The next chapter is the last chapter of this ‘rat’ storyline, and then it’ll all be baby and fluff and back to normal, which I really can’t wait for 😊 That said, enjoy 💖

“I’m not happy about this,” Harry muttered, pouting as he followed Emmy down the corridor in the palace.

“You could’ve stayed home,” Emmy replied, throwing him a teasing grin. He looked at her in disbelief.

“And left you alone with that twat?” he said, shaking his head. “Nope.”

“Harry, we’re not pretending to be in love anymore, remember?” she said, rolling her eyes. Edward had agreed to changing the plan to Emmy’s, but only if Zach still tried to kiss her or hug her – he was convinced that Kian would try and take a picture if the chance offered itself.

Harry was still angry at his secretary.

Edward and Zach were gathered in one of the drawing rooms in Kensington Palace, and Emmy threw them both a smile as they entered. Harry spared a smile only for his secretary – Zach got a warning glare.

“Okay, I think it’s best just to have a little practice,” Edward said to them. “You know, before tonight. We want it to be believable and natural.”

“Did you hire a drama teacher?” Harry asked dryly, sprawling himself on one of the intricate sofas, scowling as Emmy and Zach remained standing, ready for their “rehearsal”.

“Why are you here?” Edward retorted. “You aren’t needed.”

“I’d rather be here,” Harry answered, his narrowed eyes flickering to Zach’s face. Zach looked unaffected.

“We’re like the leading couple in a movie,” he said to Emmy, grinning. “This was certainly not in my job description.”

“It wasn’t in mine either,” she murmured, glancing over at Harry. His gaze softened as it met hers. “Okay, what are we doing?”

“How do you think we should start this?” Edward said, ready to make notes on his tablet.

“I mean, what should be the first thing that Kian overhears?” Zach said. “Me declaring my undying love for you?” He was grinning at Emmy again. Harry was seething.

“You have to remember that we don’t know exactly when Kian will start listening,” Edward said. “From the time when Harry texts you, we should expect about thirty seconds before Kian starts listening in.”

“If he listens in,” Emmy reminded. That was her main worry – that the whole thing would be in vain.

“Yeah, because if not we’re just roleplaying for the hell of it,” Zach added, and he smirked as his eyes swept over to Harry. He knew exactly how annoying he was being. Emmy wanted to chastise him for trying to provoke her husband, but she knew neither of them liked each other, and both of them knew it.

“So you need to appear to be in the middle of a conversation by the time Kian starts listening,” Edward said.

Emmy and Zach looked at each other, not really sure what to say.

“Emmy can keep saying things like, ‘For the last time, I’ve told you we’re not discussing it now’ and ‘I’ve already said…’,” Harry contributed, sounding bored.

“That’s a good idea Harry,” Edward said, taking on a playful tone which made it sound like he was congratulating a child. “Well done for making a useful contribution.”

Harry scowled at his secretary, not enjoying the teasing.

“Alright, shall we just go with it?” Zach said. “Let’s improvise.” Then he took on a simpering expression. “Emmy, my love, I need to be with you again.”

Emmy couldn’t help herself – she started to giggle.

Harry made a disgusted sound in the back of his throat. “I can see why you didn’t follow that acting career.”

Zach flashed him his dashing smile. “Because I’d win all the Oscars without competition, and that just wouldn’t be fair on everyone else?”

Harry glared at him and didn’t answer.

“Start again, Zach,” Edward said. “And properly this time. Try and get as physical as possible, you know. Reach for her hands or her arms or something.”

“Edward,” Harry growled warningly. Edward looked at Harry apologetically – he knew just how annoying this whole affair was for him.

“Emmy, why don’t you talk to me?” Zach began, more serious now, and he reached for Emmy’s wrist but she shrugged away, in character. She was struggling not to laugh again, this whole this was so absurd. “Baby, come on! Just hear me out!”

“Woah woah woah,” Harry said, standing up and moving between them. “Baby? I’m sorry?”

“That’s what you call her,” Zach said, shrugging. “Sounded affectionate enough.”

“Exactly, you said it,” he replied, glaring at him. “That’s what I call her.”

“Harry, go sit down,” Emmy murmured, gently pulling his arm for him to move away from Zach, and pushing him back towards the chair. “None of this is real.”

Harry nodded, swallowing the jealousy inside of him. He was infinitely jealous right now, not because he thought that Emmy might try something, but because he was certain that Zach would. Zach, who was currently cocky and flirty and far more handsome than Harry was, and was also declaring his love for Harry’s wife while trying to entwine his fingers with hers.

It was not a fun hour for Harry.

Emmy had a great time. She found it hilarious, laughing each time Zach got soppy or tried to be romantic, to win her over, and he was very convincing too – she was sure that Kian would believe him if he listened in. And, as the time went on, she started to get more confident too. She improvised better, and eventually she didn’t shy away from his touch as he caressed her cheek, trying to convince her to choose him over Harry.

Eventually, the rehearsal was over and Zach left them to it.

Harry got to his feet, stretching to his full height and glaring in Zach’s wake. Emmy entwined her fingers with his, trying to soothe him.

“That was funny,” she said.

“Hmm,” he disagreed. “He’s such a prick.”

Edward couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Harry, there’s a pretty strong feud there which I think we need to sort out once all this is over.”

“I just don’t like him,” Harry replied. “He’s a twat.”

“He’s not, don’t be so mean,” Emmy chastised, perching on her tip-toes to kiss his furry jaw. “Just think, once all this is over it’ll all be over.”

“As long as Kian listens in,” Edward pointed out.

Emmy threw him a scowl while Harry said, “Otherwise you’ll just be roleplaying for fun.”

“Don’t listen to Zach,” Emmy said, peering up at his bitter tone. “He’s just trying to annoy you.”

“It’s working.”

“Be the better person,” she said, watching her hands smooth over his chest. “Tonight, I’m not going home with Zach. I’m going home with you, aren’t I?”

He managed a smile down at her at that. “You certainly are.”

“And we,” she said, kissing along his jawline. “-are going to have a great time.”

“Oh yeah?” he said huskily, his fingertips tracing down her arms to entwine with hers. “What did you have in mind?”

“Want me to show you?” she teased.

Edward cleared his throat. To be honest, they’d both forgotten he was there.

“I’ll see you both tonight then,” Edward said. “I’m coming by for one drink to “celebrate you being home”, and then I’ll be gone.”

“Stay for some more, put your feet up,” Harry said, throwing him a grin. “I’ve never seen you drunk.”

“And you never will,” Edward replied, then managed a chuckle and left them to it.

They walked back to Nottingham Cottage together, hand in hand and content that it was just the two of them once more.

Or three of them. Depending on how you looked at it.

“How do I look?” Emmy asked, as Harry buttoned up his own shirt. He turned to look at her, at the figure-hugging dress she was wearing, at her curves, the curve of her abdomen. She cradled her baby bump naturally, beaming. Her hair was pulled up into an updo, which highlighted the slender arch of her shoulders and neck. She looked gorgeous. She looked a thousand different words that Harry could not string into a sentence.

“Like sex on legs,” he teased lightly, and she blushed as he grinned.

“Do you remember the last time you said that to me?” she asked, moving to perch on the edge of the bed.

“I didn’t realise I had said that to you before…”

“You did, Christmas before last,” she said. “You know, when we had just gotten engaged. I remember me, you and Beatrice going down to breakfast, and she told you to tell me that I didn’t need to diet for the wedding, or something like that, and you looked me up and down and said ‘oh yeah, she’s sex on legs.” She smiled at the memory. “And here we are.”

He grinned. “At least now I mean it,” he said, then paused. “Well, at least now I can be open about how I mean it.”

She rolled her eyes as she blushed lightly. “You nearly ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” he said, slipping his phone into his pocket.

“Oh!” Emmy gasped in surprise. He spun round instantly, terror rocking through him – was this it?! Contractions?! Labour?! Baby?!

Then she giggled lightly, her hand smoothing along her bump. “She’s just kicking me a little, that’s all.”

Harry broke into a relieved smile, crouching down before her and replacing her fingers with his own. He could feel the familiar flutter beneath the skin, telling them both that their daughter was alive and was getting comfy in the womb, and he closed his eyes, just enjoying the feeling of her movement.

“You thought that was it, didn’t you?” Emmy murmured after a while, and his eyes opened. “You thought I’d gone into labour.”

He grinned sheepishly. “Um…no?”

“You’re a shit liar, I saw it in your eyes,” she teased lightly, leaning down to envelop his lips with her own. He chuckled against her mouth, reaching up to cup her cheek and gently hold her to him, deepening the kiss. As his tongue softly found hers, she pulled away. Her bottom lip disappeared between her teeth as her blue eyes gazed into his. “I wish we could stay,” she whispered.

“Me too,” he said croakily, then cleared his throat. “There are so many things that I want to do to you right now.”

She giggled into him, kissing him again, and together they stood up, mouths not breaking apart as they did so. She tangled her fingers into the fabric of his shirt as his hands roved down her, reaching down to her backside and pushing her into him. She sighed, her blood warm as it coursed through her veins, her legs weakening. As he deepened the kiss, his tongue moving between her teeth to tease with her own, her arms curled up round his neck, and she melted into him. His kiss was so delicious. She moaned into his mouth.

“Shit, Em,” he said breathlessly, pulling only inches away so that he could gaze into her deep blue eyes. “We need to stop.”

“I don’t think so,” she teased lightly, perching on her tip-toes to kiss him again. Their shallow, desirous breaths were lost in each other’s mouths, and her heart was pumping so fast, her body yearning for him, parts of her throbbing with lust.

Slowly, they sank back down to the bed, Harry perching over her, never breaking apart. She cupped his furry cheeks with her hands, running her fingers over his beard, and then he was moving down her, pressing open-mouthed kisses along her neck, sucking on her pulse. She moaned out, before biting her lip to silence herself. The sound made him so much harder than he already was.

The doorbell rung.

“Fuck,” Harry groaned into her, closing his eyes for a second and summoning the will-power to go and answer.

“We could just leave it,” Emmy breathed against his jaw huskily.

“No, it’s probably Ed,” he replied, pushing himself away from her and running a hand over his face, trying to calm himself. “He’ll probably kick the door in if we don’t answer in the next two minutes.”

As though to emphasise his words, the doorbell rang again.

Emmy pouted, struggling to her feet with her bump. “God, he’s so impatient.”

Harry was brushing down his blazer and jeans, trying to act as though he wasn’t aroused beyond words. “I know, I’ll go let him in. You nearly ready to leave?”

“Sure,” she said, then smirked flirtatiously. “If we are leaving, that is.”

“Stop,” he chastised cheekily, as he made his way out into the hallway. “You’re such a bad influence.”

“Me?!” He heard her screech with mock outrage, as he headed down the stairs. He chuckled, and was still grinning as he opened the door to Edward. The secretary’s fist was raised ready to ring again.

“Oh good, you did hear me,” Edward said dryly.

“Sorry, we were just getting ready,” Harry answered, letting him into the house.

“Hi Edward,” Emmy called out from upstairs.

“Hello Emmy,” Edward replied, then looked at Harry. “How are you feeling about tonight? Not happy, I imagine.”

“Not at all, but I prefer Emmy’s plan to yours, I prefer that to Zach snogging her face off,” Harry said, somewhat bitterly.

“You just prefer it because it’s Emmy’s plan,” Edward said, rolling his eyes.

Harry was spared answering by Emmy’s arrival at the bottom of the stairs, her heels loud on their tiled kitchen floor. She strolled straight past them to the fridge and popped a strawberry in her mouth.

“Mmm,” she said, smiling at the taste.

Harry couldn’t help but smile affectionately at her. “Nice?”

“Mm-hmm,” she replied, mouth full, cheeks bulging. Both he and Edward chuckled. Harry raised an eyebrow.

“Ready to go?”

“Mm-hmm,” she mumbled, waving her purse to show she was ready. Harry laughed again, reaching for her free hand and gently pulling her after him.

“Aren’t the guests going to think that it’s weird Edward is here with us?” Emmy asked, as the three of them made their way across the grounds to the courtyard.

“If you don’t want me here, just say,” Edward said dryly. Emmy giggled.

“Well, my friends know why he’s here,” Harry said. “Skippy and Jake do, at least. But we’re only celebrating me coming home, so it’s not unusual that I’d want him there to celebrate too.” He threw Edward a smirk. “I am kind of fond of you.”

“Gee thanks,” Edward replied, grinning. “I’m just feeling the love from you two today.”

They all laughed again, but Harry’s smile was wiped off his face by the sight of Zach and Jamie waiting for them.

“Hi guys,” Emmy said, smiling at Zach. She was on better terms with Zach and Kev, only because she spent more time with them than she did with Harry’s POs. Zach nodded his head in greeting.

“Alright, ready for tonight?” Edward asked Zach, as the five of them slipped into the Range Rover. Emmy was in the back, squished between Harry and Edward. 

“For a party? I’m always ready,” Zach said. “What time are we doing it?”

“If we aim to do it about seven o’clock,” Edward said. “That way it’ll be done and out of the way and you two can enjoy the rest of the party.”

“So considerate,” Harry replied dryly, as they left Kensington Palace and Jamie started driving down busy London roads.

Emmy stared out the window, somewhat concerned. The success of this evening was relying on her being a convincing actress, and acting had never been her forte. She was worried.

“Hey,” Harry said, reaching for her hand and giving it a squeeze. “It’s going to be a good night, yeah? We’re gonna have fun with our friends, that’s all.”

Her eyes went to his, and she forced a nod, trying to believe his words. Her hand went to her bump to try and soften her little baby’s kicks. “Yeah,” she said. “Fun.”

Emmy sat on the decking outside, sipping her orange juice. Her heart was pumping, she was terrified of messing it up, of saying something wrong. Of not being convincing enough.

The French windows opened behind her – she listened for them closing, but knew that Zach had been told to leave them open – and then Zach appeared, throwing her a tentative smile. “I thought I’d find you here,” he teased.

She couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m so sorry about all this.”

“Shh!” he hushed gently, sitting down beside her and smiling reassuringly. “I just saw Harry, he’s probably getting Chris to send Kian right now.”

Emmy nodded, inhaling deeply through her nose. “I’m nervous.”

“Don’t be,” he said gently, then his phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out to look at it. “Okay, Harry told Chris, so we better get ready.”

Emmy giggled, feeling so absurd as she got to her feet. “This is ridiculous.”

“Come on, I’m offended,” he said cheekily, then contorted his face in heartbreak as he raised his voice. “Emmy, come on! What do you mean, you don’t want this anymore?!”

“Will you keep your voice down!” she hissed loudly, throwing his arms away from her. Then dropping her voice slightly, she added, “We’re not talking about this now!”

“Then when?” Zach pressed, his voice full of fake despair. “Emmy, these last few weeks…they’ve been amazing.”

She swallowed a retort, turning away.

“No, Emmy, wait,” he said, reaching for her arm. She shrugged out of his reach. “You said you loved me, why won’t you even talk to me?!”

“I don’t love you,” she snapped, trying to sound like she was keeping her voice down. “I never did. Zach, honestly? Open your eyes. I was lonely. Harry wasn’t here, I was scared because of the rat and you…you made me feel safe again.” She hesitated, then added, “I never loved you.”

There was silence for a second, and all Emmy could hear was the pounding of her blood in her ears. She hoped to God that Kian was listening. She hoped to God that he was stood behind the curtain, taking everything in.

“You used me,” Zach said, sounding hurt. His acting was a lot better compared to the practice session they’d done. That had been pretty amusing, but it hadn’t filled Emmy with confidence that either of them would be convincing enough.

Emmy sighed, turning away. “I didn’t want to,” she said. “You were just…there.”

Suddenly a door slammed in the kitchen, and both of them looked round to see Kian just approaching the French windows, acting very casual and looking like he’d only just got there. Emmy’s heart fell – maybe he didn’t even hear any of that.

“Oh hi Em,” Kian said, ignoring the PO in the way everyone tended to. “Chris just sent me to get his lighter.” He grabbed the lighter that had purposely been left on the garden table, then smiled, before hesitating in the doorway. “Are you, er, coming? I think Harry wanted you.”

“Just coming,” Emmy said, and then she gave Zach a brief look before following Kian into the house. Behind her back, she gave Zach the thumbs up and hoped that he saw it.

Both Harry and Edward’s heads shot round as Emmy followed Kian into the room, and Harry smiled, reaching for her. She settled onto the sofa beside him, and threw him a smile.

“Alright?” he asked her.

“Yeah,” she said. “I just needed some fresh air.”

“You feeling okay?” He looked concerned, but Emmy knew that it was all fake – Harry knew why she had been out there.

Beside Emmy, Edward was listening inconspicuously, and he seemed content with her words.

“Em?” Taylor said then. “Do you want a drink?”

“Just some orange juice, thanks,” Emmy replied, smiling at Taylor.

“So, Harry, what are your plans now that you’re home?” Guy asked, grinning. Everyone had branched off into separate conversations once they’d arrived, and Harry had spoken at length about his trek, but now everyone was listening, curious.

“Just baby baby baby,” he said, grinning at Emmy. “As I expect you’re plans are too.”

Lizzie was two months ahead of Emmy, and so her and Guy’s little baby was due in a matter of weeks. Lizzie smiled at Harry’s words.

“This time in two weeks, he or she will be here,” Lizzie said, beaming across her bump at all her friends. “Hopefully.” She made a scared face. “I hope it’s quick, I don’t want to be in labour for a few days.”

“Ugh, can you imagine?” Taylor said, coming back in and passing Emmy her glass. “Em, you and Lizzie should get one of those labour simulator things and try them out on Harry and Guy.”

“Er…” Harry frowned, not looking amused. “Er, no, I don’t think so.”

“Sounds like a stupid idea to me,” Guy agreed, shaking his head.

Lizzie smiled as she reached for Guy’s knee, giving it a squeeze. “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t do that to you.”

They leant over and kissed each other gently, as the rest of the group started to complain and chastise them, telling them to get a room. Emmy simply watched, slightly saddened by the sight. Lizzie and Guy had had such a smooth pregnancy, they were deeply in love and had decided themselves to have a baby without pressure from anyone. And Emmy envied them for their easy love and their easy marriage.

“You okay?” Harry asked later that evening, reaching up to brush Emmy’s hair off her face. She was sat beside him in the back of the car, staring glumly at her hands.

“Hmm,” she said, mustering a smile. “Just…glad that that plan is over now.”

“Now we wait,” Edward agreed, nodding.

“You sure it’s just that?” Harry said, his blue eyes scanning her face.

“Yeah,” she said, forcing the corners of her mouth up. “Sure.”

She could never tell him she was starting to wonder if she really was ready for a baby. She could never tell him how terrified she was. She could never say aloud how bitter she was starting to get about her life being controlled for her. Even though she was happy with the marriage now, and she was excited for Baby Clarence to arrive, the knowledge that something else could be forced upon them was forever hanging over her.

But Harry was happy – she supposed that should be enough.

And it was. She just wanted everything else in her life to let her be happy with him.