#perhaps its cuz its been 3 weeks since i saw him
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consultingfujoshi · 12 days ago
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vanishingcherry · 2 years ago
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❝ my heart desired for your love then. ❞
❝ why did you love me now ? ❞
With sirius black cuz he's known to be a notorious playboy
TOO LATE
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send in a prompt from this list with a character/driver and ill write a blurb!
masterlist
๑ ⋆˚₊⋆────ʚ˚ɞ────⋆˚₊⋆ ๑
"My heart desired for your love then." Your words cut through the silence, the emphasis on the word 'then' echoing in his ears. You no longer loved him.
He expected that, it had been years and he treated you like shit. If anything he deserved this. But hearing it out loud, hearing you confirm his greatest nightmare, hurt him a million times more than he thought possible.
He had been contemplating visiting you for over a month. It had been 3 years since the two of you had graduated from Hogwarts. 3 years since he broke your heart, dating you for a few months and then throwing you away for what, at the time, he considered better.
You were walking to the great hall together for dinner, talking to one another about your respective days. When he paused in the middle of his monologue, you turned to him in confusion, before following his line of sight to a Ravenclaw girl from the year below.
"Sirius?" you say, lightly shaking his arm, keeping your eyes downcast, not wanting to make eye contact with the girl.
"Huh? Oh yeah sorry! Anyways, as I was saying..."
The week after that, you watched Sirius grow more and more distant, spending a suspicious amount of time in the library and near the Ravenclaw corridor. You knew what was happening, the very same thing had happened to you. But for some reason, you held on to hope, the naivety of your heart growing day by day.
Of course the bubble burst not too long after. He came up to you one day, claiming that it was over.
"Y/N, darling, we both know this relationship has run its course. Theres no point dragging it out any longer when we obviously aren't meant for each other. I've found someone else, and I think she's a better fit for me."
His words left no room for argument. He had walked away before you could even come up with a reply.
If there was anything he knew, it was that he regretted that moment more than anything. Regretted the way he treated you. Regretted the fact that he saw your swollen eyes and washed out face the next day, and chose to ignore it, cracking a joke with James instead.
It was killing him on the inside, knowing that he had let perhaps the most beautiful thing in his life go. That he stood back and let it happen, and didn't realise his mistake till it was too late.
When he realise he loved you, he knew he had to talk to you. Which is what led to him knocking on your door on a chilly Tuesday night, praying that you would at least be open to listening to him.
You hadn't seen him in years, actively avoiding him at gatherings you knew he would be at. Hence, it was a surprise when you opened the door and saw his face staring back at you.
Once the initial shock passed, he explained to you what he was doing at your door. He explained his love for you, his remorse. He apologised over and over. Which is what brought you back to the present.
"My heart desired for your love then. Why do you love me now?" Your tone is soft, almost pitiful.
Sirius felt embarrassed under your gaze. His confidence ripped to shreds at the realisation that his popularity at school meant nothing now. No one owed him anything, least of all you.
"I- I don't know." His voice quivers, mouth opening and closing repeatedly as he tries to think of something to say. "I'm sorry, i'm sorry it took me so long to realise what I wanted. But I know now, I want you, only you."
You look down at your hands, trying to think of something to say that wouldn't hurt him. You knew better than to hold grudges in these trying times, and had forgiven him a year after your graduation. Sure, you didn't go out of your way to interact with him, in fact you did the opposite, but in your heart you had forgiven him. Nonetheless, you didn't love him anymore, didn't want him anymore.
Before you are able to respond, Sirius hears a voice call our your name. You turn your head around briefly shouting back a "coming!" to the mystery person.
Turning back to Sirius, you see his expression and try to explain.
"Sirius I- thats um-"
"It's okay." he cuts you off. "I uh, should have known. Do they make you happy?"
You give a small smile and nod at the thought of your partner.
"I'm glad. You deserve someone who treats you well." He pauses. "I'll go now, I think."
You nod once more, taking a step back to close the door. "You deserve someone who loves you too, Sirius. It may not be me, but that person is out there, I promise."
Sirius stares at your closed door for a few seconds before apparating away, a new phrase echoing in his head. I was too late.
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kat-katsuki · 4 years ago
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Sunflower and White Rose | Bakugou Katsuki x Reader Part 3
Fantasy AU
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Masterlist
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 4
Warnings: Swearing (cuz bakugou)
tags: @jazzylove​ @whalerus​ @angie-1306​
WC: 3.1k
"AAAAHHHHHHHHH!" Kirishima had to hold his hands over his sensitive ears when Bakugou started screaming over the cliff. Bakugou wasn't a dragon shapeshifter, but his roar was almost as loud as one. "FUCK!!!!" He growled at the valley. "FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!"
"Calm down Katsuki!" Kirishima shouted.
"How the fuck do you expect me to fucking calm down!? How?! She's fucking partnered! And of all people, she's partnered with that shitty Deku!" Bakugou whirled around, flailing his arms in the air as if he were going to slap someone. "NnggggGGGRAHHH!" He threw his fist into the ground, denting it as well as injuring his knuckles. How he wished he could go to you, so you could heal his hand, but you were now someone else's partner. "Why...?"
"Well you didn't exactly give her a choice," said Kirishima. "Izuku was the only one who asked her."
"She asked him!" Bakugou reminded.
"Well of course she would. He gave her his flower! It'd be rude not to, considering he's the only one willing to give her flowers."
"I'm willing! What the fuck did you think I was saving that flower for?" Bakugou howled.
"BUT YOU DIDN'T! YOU RAN AWAY!"
Kirishima's words were like knives that stabbed right into Bakugou's already wounded heart. That's right. He ran away. He didn't even try. Why? Why didn't he try? Was he afraid? Afraid of what? Getting rejected? That's hilarious. Who in the right mind would reject him? You would. You definitely would. After all the harsh things he's said to you, after all the names he's called you. Why would you even accept his affection? You were afraid of him. He could tell by the way you cower in his presence.
"Fuuck..." Bakugou grabbed a fistful of his bangs. He sank down to the ground, squatting as he tried to hold back the tears in his eyes. He messed up. He really messed up. He's such a horrible person. He doesn't deserve you. He doesn't deserve to be king.
Kirishima pretended not to notice the little streams gliding down the prince's cheeks. In their culture, crying was looked down upon. As royalty, he must never cry, not even when in pain. However, as his friend, Kirishima understood that Bakugou had it harder than anyone. He had to be dauntless, had to be strong. He had to be free, and he had to be perfect. Maybe that was why he was so attracted to you. You were the opposite of perfect. You were a scaredy-cat, and you were clumsy. You were bounded to the ground, and was hella weak.
But perhaps you were the one who was truly free. You were free from expectations, free from traditions. You were always out there learning new things, and being yourself without worrying that others might change their impression of you, since their impression weren't so great to begin with. In a way, he envied you. But what he envied you the most, was that kindness.
He gets mad easily, and always ends up saying hurtful things. He holds grudges, and he makes sure to return them tenfold. You, on the other hand, accepted all the negativity of others, and only returned with respect. You show empathy to all creatures. You possess qualities he secretly wished he had but never will have.
He tried his best to change for you. Ashido, Sero, Kaminari, and Kirishima can all prove that. For the past few weeks he's been doing his best to control his swearing and refrain from calling them by the mean nicknames. It was all practice so he could talk to you normally. He can't believe all that practice went to nothing.
"Hey man, it's not over yet. You still have a chance," Kirishima placed a hand on Bakugou's shoulder.
"How? She already accepted his fucking flower," Bakugou grumbled.
"Come on man! The flower exchange isn't the main event! It's just an excuse for people to confess to their loved ones! The main event is the fire dance! Remember? Only true lovers who dance together at the fire dance will be blessed by the fire god, and their love will last for lifetimes to come!"
"What are you getting at?"
"What I mean is there's still time! The dance isn't until tomorrow night! You just have to confess your feelings and get her to dance with you by tomorrow night!"
That sounds easy, but how was he going to do that? Beat Deku up and take you by force? That would just make you hate him even more. Plus, what if you reject him?
"Stop thinking about the what-ifs!" Kirishima exclaimed, as if reading his mind. "You don't know how it's gonna turn out unless you try Katsuki! If you don't pursue her you're really going to lose her! Do you want that?"
The idea of getting rejected by you was humiliating, but the idea of losing you because he never bothered to try was even worse. "Alright....." A ghost of a smile appeared on Bakugou's lips. "But I'll need some preparations."
Kirishima's face lit up with excitement. "You got it man! Mina, Denki, and Hanta and I are ready to help any time!"
It was almost sundown. You were grinding the herbs you had collected earlier today. When you saw the sun start to set, you quickly picked up the Alstroemeria that you had picked for Midoriya. You didn't have a flower for him yesterday, so you planned to return one today. You hoped he'd like it.
Midoriya showed up right on time. The sky was a beautiful orange red, a sign that the fire god had descended from heaven.
Legend says that thousands of years ago, the fire god, Hino, descended from heaven, and fell in love with a mortal, Nue. They married and had a child. That child was the first fire breather, the dragon. When Hino's mortal wife passed away, he was very sad. In order to see her again, he bound their souls together, and descended from heaven. It is said that when two souls are bound, they will always be able to find each other, in all of their lifetimes. And they will fall in love, over, and over again, for eternity. To celebrate their love, their descendants would hold a festival every year on the day the fire god was said to have descended to earth. And it is said, true lovers who dance the fire dance together will get their blessings from the fire god, so they too can bind their souls for eternity.
"Ready?" Midoriya asked.
"Before we go, I want to give you this," you said as you handed him the Alstroemeria. "I'm sorry I didn't have a flower for you yesterday."
"That's okay, and thank you. I love it," Midoriya smiled as he accepted the orange and yellow flower from your hand.
The two of you headed into the depth of the village, where the festival was being held. Torches were set up all over the sides of the streets, and there were games and competitions, food and dances!
You and Midoriya went to the carpenter's yurt, where he had set up a floor full of dragon masks. He gave you and Midoriya each a dragon mask, which you two wore on the side of your faces, and the two of you headed to the next yurt.
When the two of you finally made it to the banquet, you were starving. The fire festival is the biggest event of the year, and the food of the banquet is hunted by the best hunters of the tribe, prepared by the best cooks too. Each year they'd prepare three days worth of food for the entire village. You swore you'd eat a whole year's worth of meat, because after this day you'll have to wait for the next year.
"(Y/N)! Izuku! Heyyy! Finally found you guys!" While you and Midoriya were grabbing food, you heard a familiar voice call out your names.
"Eijirou-kun? Mina-chan? Hanta-kun and Denki-kun too?" Midoriya raised a brow. "Why were you looking for the two of us?"
You noticed how Bakugou wasn't with them, and there was a hint of disappointment in your heart. However, on the bright side, he may have found a partner, and was currently with them right now. Wait, why does that hurt even more?
"Well we were going around the festival as a group, and we wanted to ask if you guys wanna join us!" Ashido said. You're brows lifted in surprise. It's not uncommon for friends to travel in groups, but the fire festival is really a couples thing, so you were surprised to see Kirishima and Ashido traveling with Sero and Kaminari.
"I guess I'm okay with it! What about you (Y/N)-chan?" Midoriya asked you.
"Yeah! The more the merrier!" You replied. In truth you weren't close with any of them, but since they were Midoriya's friends, you didn't want to be rude.
"Great! Wait... (Y/N)-chan why aren't you wearing your fire dress?" Ashido asked, looking up and down at your plain, grey thin strapped dress which ended at your knees. You had a tight belt on your waist with some accessories dangling, but it was nothing different from you normally wore.
The dragon women don't normally wear dresses, but the fire dress was different. It is a traditional outfit especially for the fire dance. It's usually made by the mother for the daughter. Everyone's fire dress is different, but it is generally always in brilliant shades of reds, orange, and yellows. Ashido's fire dress was very similar to her normal wear. It was a red and black zebra print breast cover, and she wore one metallic breast plate over her left breast, as she normally would when she was out riding dragons. She had two long sashes flowing down in front and behind her legs. The sashes were a beautiful red, mixing into orange and yellow at the end.
"I...don't have anyone to make one for me," you told her. Your mother passed away when you were very little. Ashido quickly placed a hand over her mouth, regretting asking the question. "Plus, Izuku and I don't plan on doing the fire dance."
"Why is that?" Kirishima asked.
"Well, the fire dance is a lovers thing. We're just friends, so we think we'll just stand by and watch," Midoriya chuckled.
A soft smirk made its way to Kirishima and his friends' lips. Suddenly, Ashido clapped her hands together. "Ahh! I suddenly have the urge to relieve myself! But it's gotten so dark, it's not safe out here! (Y/N)-chan do you wanna come with me?" she asked.
"Eh? Uh...sure...." You couldn't say no. Ashido winked at Kirishima and grabbed you by the wrist. Without warning she dashed off, dragging you with her. "AAHH!" You were not a good runner. Especially not against the strongest female warrior of your tribe.
You noticed how she dragged you straight out of the village, which was weird because there were multiple places in the village where people did their business. The dragon mask on your head fell to the ground, but she didn't give you a chance to pick it up. But she didn't give you a chance to ask because you were busy trying to breathe while running through the meadows.
When she finally came to a stop, you immediately fell to the ground. You let go of her hand as you fell to your knees and gasped for air. Your sweat dripped onto the hard soil in pitter patters. Your chest expanded and shrunk exaggeratedly as you tried to intake as much air as possible. "A-....Ashido...-san....why did you....bring me here?" you panted.
She didn't answer you, instead she called out to the darkness. "Hey! I brought her! Make sure you don't fuck up this time!" she shouted. You felt your blood go cold. What did she want with you all the way outside the village? Was she gonna kill you?
You were about to scream, but you heard a familiar voice shout back, "SHUT THE FUCK UP RACOON EYES!"
Ashido chuckled before turning to you. "Sorry I tricked ya! Please forgive me. If all goes well, that guy will bring you back," she pointed her thumb towards the dark outskirts of the meadow.
"What?" You asked. You couldn't see a thing in the darkness.
Ashido's chest expanded. She blew out puffs of fire all around them, each puff of fire landing on a torch, lighting it, until ten torches were lit all around them. Your eyes widened at the sight before you. White roses. White roses everywhere. You thought you were taken to a meadow, but this was a sea of white roses. But for some reason there were no thorns poking at you. Why is that?
"Alright, I'm out!" Ashido suddenly disappeared.
"What?" You stood up, turning around, but she was gone.
"I'm sorry... I got those shitty bastards to help me, but removing the thorns took some time." A familiar voice said in an unfamiliar tone. You turned around again, this time to face the torches. At the very center, stood a familiar spiky ash blonde man with breathtaking crimson eyes. He wore earrings made of the red hawk's talons, necklaces made of the great howlers' blue claws. Each bead on his neck was a proof of the number of battles he's won. A furry red cape slung over his shoulders, covering the back of his bare torso. It was none other than your prince.
"Prince Katsuki? What are you doing here? What about the fire festival?" you asked in disbelief, still trying to make sense of the situation.
Bakugou slowly made his way towards you through the roses. "Yesterday, I messed up and lost my partner to someone else. Right now, I'm getting her back," he said.
"Partner? To who? Ashido just left though!" You pointed to the direction behind you. Your eyes expanded at the same pace as him getting closer to you. Finally, he was standing right before you, his figure towering over you like a tall and almighty dragon. It was rude to look royalty in the eye, but for some reason you couldn't take yours away from his.
"I know I said a lot of mean things to you... I never thanked you for saving me, and keeping my secret... I'm not the nicest person, and I'm not worthy of your kindness...but still... I want to tell you that I love you... I love you (Y/N). I want to be your partner. I want to get the fire god's blessing with you." Under the torch light, you could vaguely see a hint of red over Bakugou's cheeks. His beautiful rubies gazed right into your (e/c) gems.
"What...." You were utterly lost for words. Did your ears play tricks on you? Because just now you felt like you heard your prince ask you to be his partner. "M-...Me?!" You pointed at yourself, gawking at him for confirmation.
Bakugou clicked his tongue impatiently. "Well who else in the village has a shitty name like (Y/N)?!" Crap! "I-I mean- You're the only one named (Y/N).... Your name isn't shitty...." He looked down in guilt, and then lifted his eyes back up expectantly. "So.... What's your answer?" His face was turning as red as his eyes.
Little streams started pouring out of your confused eyes. Your prince, the one who you've been in love with, just told you he loved you. This has to be a dream. But if it's a dream please don't let you wake up. "B-But..... That's impossible... I'm just.... These white roses, you must have prepared them for someone special! Because that flower means- I'm-"
"These are your favorite flowers right? I prepared them for you!" Bakugou gently took your hand in his. He searched in your teary eyes trying to look for the answer he needed. "Is it not?"
"F-...For me?"
That's when you realized, there's no way Bakugou would have known the meaning of these flowers. The dragon tribe don't give meanings to flowers like the people of the south do. They just picked whatever was the most colorful and vibrant. A light chuckle escaped your lips, for you felt so silly for forgetting such a thing.
Now it all made sense. The white rose he brought to the flower exchange, and why he suddenly ran off. But you still couldn't believe it. "It is...." You nodded softly to answer his previous question.
"Why do you...like the white rose?" Bakugou asked.
You covered your tearful eyes with your free hand. Your breaths became staggered as you started to sob, "Because....I'm in love with a man." Bakugou felt his heart stop at your words. "He's the bravest, strongest, most handsome man in the tribe. He's of royal descent..... He's someone I shouldn't even dream of being with...." Huh? Brave... Strong... Royal descent... Why does Bakugou feel like you're talking about him? You're talking about him, right? "These flowers...have a special meaning in the south. They symbolize the words I want to tell him but would never be able to...."
Bakugou removed your hand from your beautiful (e/c) orbs. Even with tears in them, they were still so breathtakingly beautiful. His heart pounded in his chest as he leaned his face closer to yours, eyes wide and anticipating. "What do they mean?" he asked, so softly that even right next to him you could barely hear his voice.
Your eyes trailed down, almost in shame.
"I'm worthy of you."
Your voice was so soft you could barely hear yourself. The moment you uttered those words you wish you hadn't. How could you say such a thing to Bakugou? Just what exactly do you have that makes you even think you might be worthy of him? You started to chuckle nervously, not noticing the wide eyed look on the ash blonde prince's face. "S-Silly right? How could a failure like me ever be worthy of your highness... I'll just go-"
Before you could finish, Bakugou grabbed your face with both hands and smashed his lips on yours. He couldn't put words together to tell you how wrong you are, so he had to show you through action.
You are not a failure.
You stood wide eyed, too shocked to move a muscle. You and Prince Katsuki were kissing.
For the longest time the only thing you could hear was the heart of your own heartbeat. After what seemed like a hundred beats, Bakugou finally released his lips from yours. "Don't say that...." he whispered. "Don't call yourself a failure. You're more than worthy (Y/N)."
"D-Do you mean it?"
"Be my queen (Y/N)." Bakugou brushed his thumbs under your eyes, wiping away the tears. "Like my old hag is to me old man. Like Nue is to Hino. Let our souls be bonded for eternity."
Tears flooded down your face, for you could no longer contain the happiness you felt. You nodded. "I love you my prince. I also want to be with you for lifetimes to come!"
You closed your eyes as his lips captured yours once again. For that moment everything seemed to have disappeared, leaving you and Bakugou, the only two souls in this world. It was just the moon, the fire, the roses, and the two of you.
You were filled with disappointment when his lips parted from yours. However, a soft smile spread over your lips as he pressed his forehead against yours. "Let's go get our fucking blessings."
Flower Language:
Sunflower- Adoration
Hydrangea- Gratitude for being understood
Alstroemeria- friendship
White Rose- "I'm worthy of you"
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 4
Also on AO3! A kudos would be greatly appreciated!
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muthaz-rapapa · 4 years ago
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Let’s talk TroPreCure! (^∀^ 🌺)
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i’m so stupidly proud of this dumb pun “tropurikyua~”, hahahahaha
Last post of the year and wow is there are lot to be excited for!
I even had to make a list for the stuff I want to talk about and I’m sure I already forgot one or two things but we’ll get to them as we continue to float~ along the wave to February 28th, mmkay? :)
Now for what has peaked my interest so far. And yes, we have to talk about the following first:
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1) HealPre the shortest Precure season??
Unless they plan for double features in February (which I doubt but you never know), HealPre is likely going to reach only 45 episodes long instead of the usual 48~50 before TroPre I’m using this shortening of the title for now so if there’s a better alternative, tell me and I’ll switch out begins its broadcast.
Understandable because the producers probably want to get back to their normal scheduling as soon as possible (toy sales, y’know) and I suspect pushing the start of the new season back by a month is the most they’re willing to compromise.
As for me, I’m quite happy about this since HealPre’s lost its hold on my attention a while ago so the sooner TroPre gets here, the better. Though the downside might be a scrambled climax and a rushed, underwhelming ending for HealPre (I dunno if it’s January’s titles that feel a bit messy or if the hiatus is still throwing me off) but whatever. We’ll refresh ourselves with the new blood Cures so it’s all good.
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2) Tropical movie announced for Autumn 2021, no All Stars??
(source)
First saw this mentioned on Youtube somewhere but it’s all over the fandom forums by now. I mean, HealPre’s movie is set for March, the usual time slot for All Stars release. If Toei intended for there to be an All Stars in 2021, there’s no way they would announce the seasonal movie before it so speculations of them skipping it this year are probably true.
To squeeze it somewhere between March and October-ish would force them to readjust their budgets as well and I don’t think even Toei wants to go through that extra hassle after all the trouble the pandemic’s caused for everyone already. It’s just easier to resume All Stars in 2022.
That, and I think Laura being a major character in TroPre despite not having a Cure title (yet) would make for an awkward situation when the three latest teams gather so perhaps that’s also one of the reasons. But I’ll get back to Laura in a bit.
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3) Cure Summer is a RAINBOW Cure
So god help me if I see anyone calling her a Pink Cure.
Yes, she’s the lead Cure for this season. NO, she is not a Pink Cure.
Look, even the official website has a rainbow overlay for her profile pic and text font while everyone else’s respective theme colors are a solid hue:
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Therefore, RAINBOW.
In promotional material and merchandising, they’re probably going to advertise her primarily with pink bah and at worst, she might occasionally be labeled as a White Cure with multiple subcolors (her outfit is not pink-dominant) but definitely NOT. PINK.
...also, this goes without saying but f***yea, we finally got a lead Cure practically and unabashedly wearing the LGBTQ flag and you cannot tell me otherwise, Toei!
Own up to it! Declare Manatsu/Cure Summer as the Precure queer icon!
I’m not gonna stop yellin’ until you do! 😠
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4) Laura = obvious midseason Cure is obvious
First of all, Laura is a babe. I already love her the best and she’s not even Precure yet. <3
Anyways, the set-up is pretty much in the description. Important main character who’s not a mascot, stated to have a self-confident personality and just speaks her mind (oooh, I like~ :D), magical/foreign being from another world looking for Precure to save her home, possesses her own special item(s), has aspirations to become the next Queen (so she’s a princess-candidate or something to that effect, I suppose).
We’ve seen various combinations of these traits in past midseason (and a few starter) Cures so nobody should be surprised when we all guessed that one of the Cures would be a real live mermaid.
The only question is why not just make Laura a Cure from the get-go if she’s introduced to us at the beginning (like Hime or Lala) and having a team of five with no unnecessary extra add-ons later on (like Smile).
Well, there’s a simple answer for that: formula.
Toei is afraid that if they don’t spit out some new animation sequence at the halfway and third quarter points of the show, the kids will lose interest and abandon the series altogether. Which means failed toy sales. Oh nooo... [/sarcasm]
...Yea. 
And this way they can also have Laura available in the Cure lineup for the next All Stars in 2022 instead of making her sit the fight out if we were going to have one in 2021. I’m convinced that’s gotta be one of the reasons. *shrug*
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But ok, whatever. Her debut is gonna be later, that’s all. She’s a delayed Cure.  Midseason Cure, same difference.
Moving along to the more important stuff now like what’s her Cure name gonna be, y/y?
Well, knowing Toei, a translation of the term “mermaid” into another language is the most predictable route even though we already have a Cure Mermaid. Not like that ever stopped them from repeating words before (ex. Cure Happy vs Cure Felice). Though if they do go down that road, I hope they opt for the Spanish/Italian “sirena” and not the French “sirène” because the latter sounds too close to how Cure Selene is pronounced in Japanese. And, putting it nicely, we all know Japanese pronunciation of foreign words is as off kilter as can be.
Hell, even the the Portuguese “sereia” sounds aesthetic as hell so it’d be nice if they can just remember there are other languages that exist out there besides Japanese, English and French when making the final decision at the writing table! *stomps foot* >:/
Alternatively, “nereid” or “naiad” are good choices too but they remind me too much of Greek myths and Laura’s from the Grand Ocean which covers more than just a couple of seas (Greece is surrounded by three, btw) so...
I dunno. But whatever it’s gonna be, she’s definitely got a strong association with water and her powers will probably be based on that.
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As for theme color, since there’s noticeably no blue or green Cure in the starter lineup, it’s likely she will take up that spot when she debuts around ep 20.
Pink is also open since Cure Summer, again, is technically not a Pink Cure and Laura’s hair and tail fin are hot and light pink respectively but looking at Laura’s design and concept, does anyone seriously believe that?
Her upper torso consists of aquamarine while the body of her tail is definitely some shade of cyan, implying they’re aiming for somewhere around the middle of green and blue on the lighter spectrum.
And yea, I’m aware that green and blue are considered exchangeable in some perspectives with how close some of their shades are to each other but officially, I think Laura’s gonna be grouped with the Green Cures.
Cuz of the hair. If Laura’s gonna keep it the same or a similar shade after transforming, that is. The Blues have always had cool-colored hair so putting Laura in with them might disrupt that harmony whereas if you put her with the few Greens there are (including Parfait), she’d fit right in.
I mean, we’ll see but that makes the most sense, doesn’t it?
On another note, I just want to say that I love how they added frills to her arms instead of letting her elbows go bare naked. It definitely makes her look more like a genuine mermaid than if she didn’t have them (remember, half fish doesn’t mean half the body :P).
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5) Magical Items
Frankly, I’m tired of seeing the transformation device being a compact again even though one of the main motifs is make-up this season. But at least, as far as Precure compacts goes, the Tropical one is my favorite cuz of how cute and delightfully colorful its toy version looks! So I guess I’m okay with it.
The Heart Rouge Rod, though? ...I dunno. I think it would’ve been fine without that...straw (?) jutting out at the top. It looks weird, doesn’t it look weird? :S
As for the collectible clip-ons, I can live without those for the rest of my life. Yeesh.
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Laura’s items, the Aqua Pot and the Ocean Prism Mirror.
Again with the portable, travel-size housing. *sigh* 😩
Alright, I can let this year slide cuz Laura (I’m so soft for her, omg) probably won’t be getting legs for 20 weeks so she’s got to move about on land somehow. But unless they’re really thinking about turning this idea of carrying your apartment around in your bag/pocket/purse into a reality (cuz that would be effin’ awesome), please be more creative with your toys.
On the other hand, I’m much more interested in the Ocean Prism Mirror but from what Kusyami (the Precure merchandise reviews I follow on Youtube) said in his latest vid, this is the ED dance item so don’t know if it’ll actually have an relevance to the story or not. But I did hear him mention it having something to do with the Queen as well and since Laura wishes to become Queen, maybe it’ll be important after all? Maybe it’s her transformation device?
That’d be super cool. Let’s continue the trend of the midseason Cure having a different transformation item than the starters. Honestly, we should alternate every other year or two but we’ve gone three seasons with all of them using the same henshin gimmicks up till HealPre and I just want a break from that.
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6) Fin sleeves??
These look so impractical for combat so maybe it’s exclusive to group attacks.
And/or a sort of precursor to the super forms?
*GASP* Does that mean they all eventually turn into mermaids? 🤩
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7) Yui finally became Precure!! 😭
lol, it’s all crack from this point on so don’t take it too seriously but man, after Yuni’s deceptive braids, I thought I wasn’t gonna see anything that reminded me of Yui for a while and lo behold, Sango.
kehehehehehe xD;
Though Yui might be closer to Minori in terms of personal interests (fairytales and storybooks).
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8) Akira, the actual Onee-chan version
I didn’t think this when I first saw her but once I read “Onee-san” in her profile, there’s no saving you now. Sorry, Asuka. 😅
Also, damn, do her sandals make her feet look big! Compare them to the heels she wears as Flamingo. Are they even the same?! lololol
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9) ...this sounds awfully familiar...
Translation:
Tokimeku Tokonatsu! [Exciting/Thrilling Everlasting Summer!] Cure Summer! Kirameku Hoseki! [Sparkling Jewel!] Cure Coral!  Hirameku Fuurutsu! [Flashing Fruit!] Cure Papaya!
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Japanese reiteration:
Mallow/Mao: Pink no tokimeki! Lillie: Blue no kirameki! Lana/Suiren: Yellow no kagayaki!
….........
@Toei 
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Care to explain yourselves, punks?! 
୧(ʘ ∀ ʘ ╬)
25 notes · View notes
lipstickbisous · 5 years ago
Text
the lion and her sun. (3)
PRODUCT OF LOVE
notes: fuck it, i’m posting it now....we get to meet ellaria!! but just to warn u, aurane is a bit of a bitch to her at first but she warms up. we also get to learn a little bit more about aurane’s love life (lil surprise in there) and a few--VERY FEW--soft moments between her and oberyn. i was watching harry potter while writing this so if some parts sound harry potter-ish..that’s why.
also this is what aurane wears in her walk with oberyn (if u want to see it i’ll still describe it)
it felt weird writing doran as someone who walks (no offense).
and yes i know that my timeline does not add up according to the show but that’s because i’m writing my own timeline cuz i can. (sry for attitude)
basically, we just don’t pay attention to timelines in this fic :)
pairing: oberyn x oc
summary: with her wedding on the way, aurane meets a new friend and visits the water gardens.
word count: 6k
masterlist
aurane’s horse had now been returned to the stables as she stood, feeling particularly small, in front of the great castle. it had been made of clay and marble and concrete, a bright white color completing contrasting the gardens it sat on top of. there were towers in various parts of the land and perhaps it being so disarrayed without symmetry is what made it so interesting. on the edges and hemming of the towers were intricate designs, similar to the ones she admired on her dish. 
the most aurane could say at the moment was that this castle was nothing like the one in casterly rock or in king’s landing. it intimidated her.
behind her as she stood with her head practically facing the sky, oberyn began to chuckle. “shall i walk you to your room?”
aurane had half a mind to refuse and let herself find wherever she would be staying, soon to realize that this place was completely new, and two minutes inside she could’ve easily gotten lost. without saying a word in response, she nodded and bit her tongue, just to make sure that this was still very real.
the walk to her new bedroom was longer than aurane had wanted it to be, especially with the stares of sers and ladies that had been dressed in the finest silks and linens while walking in the gardens. she could’ve sworn she heard whispers but they were so silent that none of the guards or even prince oberyn noticed, but aurane was a lannister, so she rose her head the slightest bit and ignored them while walking by. 
while oberyn led aurane around the halls and rooms of the castle, casually walking past them as if they were not a sight to see, there was a falter in his steps. he stood in a great room with paintings on the ceilings and that smirk on his face. “perhaps i should show you to my brother.”
one single mention of the oldest martell and aurane felt shivers. surely he would be even angrier over the death of their sister and wishes a worser fate for aurane. “prince doran?” she asked, gulping with fear. hopefully, oberyn hadn’t noticed it.
he only nodded and swiftly turned to his left and aurane hesitantly followed. the soldiers behind them continued to march with their wooden spears in hand, which did nothing to ease the anxiety in her bones. aurane hadn’t heard much of prince doran from her family, only rumors of his little brother. but if oberyn had been so intimidating to aurane...what would doran be?
in front of the soon-to-be married couple stood in front of a pair of doors, both decorated with golden patterns on top of the wood. aurane, still dressed in her itchy clothing (only worse in the heat), began to breathe heavily, noticing that her corset was still extremely tight. it was also then that she realized she hadn’t broken a single sweat since their arrival. but now, as they stood in front of what she guessed to be the throne room, she felt a droplet trickling down her temple.
oberyn chuckled. “don’t be so nervous, lion,” and with a single push against what looked to be extremely heavy doors, aurane was met with the sight of the most beautiful room she had seen. inside sat two thrones crafted of wood and more clay. on the back of the throne stood a two tall wooden poles holding up a piece of honey-colored silk. it saddened aurane to think that at one point, there would’ve been three thrones, but in one of them sat a man wearing a robe similar to oberyn’s, with dark brown hair to his chin. “brother!” 
prince doran looked as if he were always somewhat pissed off. his lips naturally curved into a small sneer, and with the way his hands gripped the wood of his throne, aurane felt as if she could sense his anger. “aurane lannister,” he spoke while standing from his throne. “or aurane hill?”
the princess smiled graciously though both dornishmen in the room saw right through it. there were very few times that aurane had been called by her rightful bastard name, but her family had always reassured her that it didn’t change thing. it was something that aurane never understood because why should it change a thing? “i suppose it’s neither now.”
aurane wasn’t precise on how anyone in the throne room would react to her remark in the moment. everything about it had been true--in a week, she would be a martell. prince doran began to chuckle before standing, “she’s witty, i like that,” nodding his head and walking closer. oberyn’s smirk from behind aurane was practically radiating. “not like your family. i can appreciate it.” there wasn’t much to say in response so aurane simply nodded in gratitude for the first semi-compliment of the day. doran noticed her discomfort at the moment and looked to his younger brother. “i think it is time to show the princess where her room is. the journey was long and eventful, i’m sure.”
long? yes. eventful? just the opposite. 
“thank you, my prince,” she curtsied and turned around along with oberyn to exit. in her last moments in the throne room for what she hoped to be a long time, she finally let the paintings and plants and decor on the walls sink into her mind. aurane belived she would enjoy drawing them, even if it was from memory.
and again, aurane was being led through the unrecognizable but yet insanely memorable walls of the hallways. aurane felt a certain prick about oberyn’s attitude--it was almost as if he thought he were better because he knew every single entrance, exit, and hall of the castle. little did aurane know, the prince thought nothing of the sort. 
her fingers absentmindedly traced over the marble walls, skipping over the leaves of tropical plants she had never even seen before in casterly rock or king’s landing. her eyes were dancing in every direction, and oberyn noticed but made no comment or remark. it was just a simple smile as he watched her interest suddenly peak when the walls stopped and the balcony to the west wing of the castle began. there aurane could see the perfect view of the gardens below, the palms swaying in the light breeze that contrasted the heat on aurane’s skin. 
when oberyn’s footsteps stopped, resulting in him standing in front of a smaller pair of doors, but with the same golden design, aurane let out a sigh. much to her dismay (which was a surprise to her as well), her little silent tour of the castle was over.
oberyn gently pushed the door open and allowed aurane to walk inside. it had definitely been bigger than her room in king’s landing, more like the one in casterly rock, but it had been so long ago that she was in her original home that could barely remember it. on the opposite side of the room was a long balcony that stretched from one wall to the other. the curtains were made of fine white linens but aurane was much in need for them--the view was nothing more than the golden-sand beaches and the long stretch of blue oceans.
her bed was also made from wood and marble and when pressing her hand against the sheets, aurane could’ve sworn she had almost melted. she had felt silk before, when the starks visited her family they’d brought along some of the softest furs, but the fabric she’d been gifted with was simply pure. there were two candles, one on both sides of her bed, along with large plants similar to the ones in the hallways.
on the other side of her room three large dressers, each with four drawers, and a two beautiful, large wooden wardrobes painted white. a mirror hung over the dressers and next to the mirror, on a marble hook connected to the concrete walls, held an outfit. it had been two pieces and was already a lot more revealing than anything aurane had ever worn before. her stomach and cleavage were always covered, along with her legs. this outfit showed her waist and hips with a small top in a triangle-cut and a skirt down to her feet. the fabric had already been quiet transparent, even with its coloring as a bright shade of orange. aurane wasn’t sure if the color would look good on her but she hadn’t noticed the fact that her jaw had dropped.
a chuckle arose in the silence. “in the wardrobe are undergarments, along with plenty of other attire. they will be helpful with the weather,” oberyn advised and aurane closed her mouth. her shoes tapped against the polished floor and she opened the wardrobe to reveal just that--eight wraps for around her breasts and eight for her legs. she shut the wardrobe after noticing the other outfits folded on the bottom and thinking of whatever was inside the dressers. “if you worry they don’t fit, we do have tailors here in dorne.”
it was a smart comment, yes, but aurane didn’t completely care about whatever the prince had to say. “they’re fine,” she pursed her lips. aurane now stood at the door, where oberyn had been standing in the frame. 
“i can help you unpack your things,” he offered, motioning to the guards behind him that held aurane’s many bags and belongings. there was a slight curve in his lips and part of aurane wanted to believe it was a kind smile. but in her head, she scoffed. another way to try to seduce her? did he think she was really that dimwitted?
she shook her head and turned to look out the window, staring across the sea. the air was full of the salty smell and inside of the small palm forest that surrounded the beach sang birds so loud aurane could hear them from her room. “no, thank you,” she answered, turning back to the prince, who remained in the doorway. “you already have every girl here on their knees to be fucked by you. you don’t need one more.”
and with that, aurane shut the door and locked it before anyone could push it back open.
it had at least been one day, but aurane wasn’t completely positive how much time had passed. she had watched the sun set and the sun rise once so it must’ve been the second day of the week--or, had she seen them twice?
aurane hadn’t left her chambers at all since she’d spoken to prince oberyn. she’d locked the door and no one had even tried to knock or break down the doors. the only time she’d opened them was when the guards had brought her luggage last night. 
now, it was around lunch time and aurane had finished the complimentary dish of nuts and berries and wine. her stomach began to rumble but since she’d awoken that morning, she had ignored it. her corset and dress from king’s landing were displayed out on the floor--for the night, she had sat naked in her chair, not because of the heat, but simply because she could. she still had not donned the dornish clothing that prince oberyn had gifted her with, but, of course, aurane didn’t know that it was an act of his kindness. 
instead of the revealing outfits or her itchy dress, aurane wore the silk robe she’d found in the back of her second wardrobe. it had been colored golden, and until this moment where aurane was playing with the hem, she hadn’t noticed the embroidery on the bottom. a cup of wine sat on the table next to her as she poured herself a third drink of the day, enjoying the scent and feeling of the air. 
then, a knock on her door. 
part of aurane smiled inside. she’d gone almost twenty-four hours without any sort of bother. with one sip of wine, she asked, “yes?” she noticed her voice hadn’t been so hoarse and raspy from not having anyone to converse with, but it wasn’t much of a shock considering there were moments she’d talked to herself or even began to sing. 
“i have your lunch,” the other voice spoke sweetly. perhaps it was the dornish accent or the mention of food or the aroma of the food through the door, but the want to be left alone suddenly faded. 
aurane tied the front of her robe to cover her bare body and set her wine down. she stood up from the chair and felt the cold of the marble floor against her bare feet as she walked to door and quietly unlocked it. 
outside of aurane’s room stood a tall and thin woman with tan skin just like hers. she had short black hair that naturally curled down to her chin and thin soft lips, holding a tray with a single plate of food and a cup of some sort of juice. the woman wore an outfit similar to the one aurane had been gifted with and aurane immediately knew who this was.
she chuckled breathlessly. “you’re that whore he runs around with,” she leaned against the door way. as soon as she said, aurane could see that the woman’s kind smile faltered the slightest bit. aurane shook her head. “i’m sorry.”
the woman’s smile grew again as she nodded. “it’s alright,” she spoke so unaffected by aurane’s hateful words, and the princess couldn’t help but admire it. “but, yes, i am the whore he runs around with.”
aurane winced at her words being spoke back to her and stood away from the door, allowing the woman to walk through. “please,” she looked to floor and shame and sighed. “you don’t look like a servant to me.”
“no?” the woman spoke with such a smile that aurane had only seen on boys. she felt something in her stomach flutter. “too old?”
the sudden accusation caused aurane to laugh nervously. she felt her cheeks heat up as the woman bent over to set the tray of food down on her table near the window. “no,” aurane trembled and closed the door. she walked over to where the woman was standing and looked at what was in the cup. it was a liquid, but not a transparent red like wine. instead, it was opaque and orange. “too pretty.”
aurane sat down and scanned over the food the woman had brought her before noticing that she’d sat down across from the princess. “thank you,” she grinned before pouring herself a cup of wine. the intrusion hadn’t been a problem but it was slightly awkward considering the ways aurane had been raised. 
“i don’t think i’ve gotten your name,” aurane spoke, picking at the grapes placed in a clay bowl. with a fork in her hand, she jabbed at the thin slices of meat and placed one in her mouth. it been seasoned with fresh and ethnic spices that were new to aurane’s taste buds. it was a strange flavor but as soon as she swallowed it down, there wasn’t much to hate about i.t
the woman watched in wonder. “ellaria sand.” she mused and took a sip of wine, her eyes focused on aurane’s lips as the princess devoured another piece of the beef. 
aurane only chuckled. “a bastard,” she whispered to herself, inhaling the small group of vegetables that she had never seen before. “just like me.”
there was a certain flavor about the food that kept drawing aurane to consume more and more of it. in king’s landing, the only seasoning the cooks used in the kitchens down below the castle was salt and pepper and perhaps a bit of garlic from the crop gardens. although aurane had longed to explore the city below, visit the markets, and trade with farmers, her father had denied her any freedom of such.
“pardon me,” ellaria spoke up through her cup of wine and aurane stopped eating for a second. perhaps she had been insanely hungry and this meal was a sort of satisfaction. “you must be some sort of dornish, your grace” the princess furrowed her brows and began to feast again. “no pink person could ever eat that food.”
aurane shook her head and dove her fork down to her plate before noticing it was empty. “and why not?” she chuckled, padding a napkin against her lips. 
the other woman shrugged and imbibed more of her wine. “those,” she pointed to the empty plate, holding only crumbs. “are the strongest spices in all of westeros.” aurane looked down at her dish and chewed on a stray piece of food that had remained in her mouth.
she laughed before reaching for the cup on the tray and bringing it towards her view, swishing around the orange liquid inside. “what is this?” she questioned.
ellaria’s eyes were skeptical at aurane’s wonder with the drink. in king’s landing and casterly rock and almost any other city in the land, the only beverages being marketed were wine and water--the latter usually being disease-ridden or still obtaining bits of salt. “orange juice, your grace.”
before taking a sip, aurane shook her head. “please don’t call me that,” and swallowed down a mouthful of the juice and was surprised when the sugars complimented her taste buds. aurane looked back at the cup with widened eyes. ellaria laughed.
“it’s good, right?” the older woman spoke, finishing her wine and setting her cup on the table.
aurane nodded happily and drank the rest of her juice in one large gulp. “i’ve never had oranges,” the princess mimicked ellaria’s actions and placed the goblet back on the tray, throwing her napkin on top of the plate. she sat back in her chair and let the silence flood into the room. she found that if she was completely still and no wind threatened to blow, she could hear perfectly the waves against the shore and the birds in their trees. with her stomach now satisfied, aurane began to play with her robe again. “you birthed him several children, am i correct?”
there was only a few seconds of silence before ellaria answered. “i did,” she smiled, brown eyes gazing off across the see from aurane’s window. “three bastard daughters.” the younger princess laughed humorlessly, to which ellaria grew confused.
“how am i to marry a man who has already been given three children?” with her last word, her index and middle finger accidentally tore the edge of her robe. aurane gasped and ellaria immediately crouched to her knees on the marble flooring and held the ripped hem of the silk. “i’m sorry.” aurane apologized
ellaria gently shushed the princess and began to slip it off of aurane’s shoulders, but the younger woman’s hands caught hers. “has no one seen you bare before, sweet girl?” aurane didn’t move--yes, a few man had seen her in all of her glory--but yet she remained hesitant as ellaria pulled the robe from her completely, leaving her revealed in the warm air of dorne. “you don’t have to worry. we share the same sights.” she hung the robe on one of the hooks near aurane’s wardrobe and opened its doors to reveal the many outfits and robes and undergarments. ellaria grabbed one of the blush-colored robe and handed it over to the princess. “besides, this material is very delicate.”
with the pink robe in her hands, aurane hesitantly stood from her seat, her entire body on display to whoever could see through her window, but with ellaria standing next to her there was a part of the princess that didn’t care. aurane slipped the soft sleeves onto her skin and tied it so she was covered once again.
before she could take her seat, ellaria spoke. “have you ever been in love?”
aurane didn’t like the question. so sudden and it was completely off topic. in the back of her head, aurane knew the truth but hadn’t paid any attention to it in years and didn’t want to. the simple question that the lovely woman across from aurane had brought up the thought and it hurt inside. “yes.”
interest piqued in ellaria’s head as she took her seat and leaned forward. “who?”
“you’ll laugh.”
she shook her head. “i won’t.”
it had been silent again while aurane contemplated the outcome of her answer, whether she decided to give it or not. it had been a short summer love that didn’t waver in strength. “robb stark,” the mention of such a person made ellaria widen her eyes and she sat back as a sign for aurane to continue. “the starks had come to casterly rock when we invited them for a celebration of their son, bran,” aurane began to play with her robe began but soon caught herself and let her fingers stay by her side. “we were both sixteen. it was the normal age for a girl to be married off into another family, but as a bastard, no one seemed to want me. i say that with no complaint, though,” she noted. “they had stayed for the summer. they weren’t too used to the warm weather and i didn’t mind robb’s company.”
ellaria smiled warmly. “he was your first?” aurane nodded. the older woman once had a summer love when she was younger. a sweet boy who shown her nothing but kindness. but summer loves were not those meant to last--only those to remember. “when did they leave?”
“when the nice weather ended and the days grew shorter,” aurane smiled. she hadn’t seen the prince of winterfell in year and could imagine how different he looked now at the pristine age of twenty-five. “we wrote letters to each other that took unbearably long to send. one day, i’d forgotten to write back. and i hadn’t remembered it for a few months. i tried to write one and i sent a pigeon to winterfell hoping he would receive it. either it got lost on the way or he just hadn’t bothered to respond.”
both eyes met each other, sharing the same smile. it stayed like that for the next hour as familiar memories and daydreams about aurane’s first lover flooded into her head. it was the first time she had gone without a drink after reminiscing her past. aurane could’ve possibly fallen asleep even but if she had, ellaria was kinda and let her rest. but now, aurane was awake and very much content.
the older woman tapped the table and stood from her seat. aurane found that she enjoyed ellaria’s company and furrowed her brows. “i think you should put on one of those,” ellaria pointed to the open wardrobe. “perhaps you’d like a walk in the garden. just to get out of this room.” she held the tray on her forearm and walked to the door, holding it open with her foot before chiming another thought in. “also, i forgot. prince oberyn has eight daughters.”
dinner had been served and oberyn had made sure a dish had gotten to aurane’s locked room, just like he had with her lunch. he would’ve taken it to her himself if ellaria hadn’t offered. and when she came back two hours later, dropping off the tray that now held an empty plate and cup, she told him everything.
“robb stark,” ellaria repeated. she rested lazily on oberyn’s bed, pressing a pillow closer to her face. something about that girl wove its way into the woman’s heart and ellaria couldn’t say she wanted to complaining. “she didn’t say anything of anybody else.”
oberyn nodded and sat himself at his desk. he had a numerous amount of crumpled up and discarded papers across the surface. his quill out of its case and ink missing its lid. “and you mentioned the gardens?” he asked, crossing his legs and holding his chin in his hand. 
his lover sighed. “yes, my love,” she disclosed. “now come lay with me. enough poetry.”
in her room, aurane stood insecurely in front of her mirror, watching as any move she made was imitated by her reflection. aurane had been told many times by men that her body had been perfection--it might’ve been from wearing those cursed corsets underneath her dresses--but that late afternoon, as the air grew cooler but remained somewhat insanely hot, aurane was poking and prodding at every part of herself she found as imperfect.
she had to admit that she had found the coloring strange, but it complimented her skin well. a mix of browns and oranges and greens it was, all morphing into a light beige. the material wasn’t as transparent as some of the other dresses and tunics but if it weren’t for the decorative beading her entire breasts would be exposed to anyone who looked. 
on aurane’s neck hung the golden chain, her last memory given to her in casterly rock from such a long time ago. dark brown waves of hair hung to her waist with two braids pulled to the back. her coloring complimented the entire setting of dorne, but still it didn’t feel like home.
when ellaria had mentioned a walk through the gardens it had sounded pleasant to aurane. it didn’t matter which city she was in--king’s landing, casterly rock, highgarden, or here in dorne--there was nothing better in the princess’ mind than walking along dozens of trails covered by different trees and plants and bushes and flowers. 
but now, moving around to face different directions so she could see herself from every angle, aurane was starting to reconsider her choices. 
perhaps leaving my room after a day might be nice. she had thought. there are so many new plants and flowers to draw.
now aurane only saw flaws. and if there were people in the gardens, and they already didn’t want a lannister in their home, she could imagine the type of remarks and comments they would whisper around.
aurane began to undo two of the buttons the front of her tunic before hearing a firm knock on her door. because she already answered the knock before for dinner, she wasn’t expecting anybody.
“it’s unlocked,” she yelled with a shaky voice, leaving the buttons alone and placing her hands at her sides. the tunic hadn’t been itchy like her dress while on the ship but still she poked at her stomach.
the door opened and aurane looked up in the mirror to meet dark brown eyes and a smirk. it hadn’t been necessarily seductive but something about it sent a wave of heat through aurane. “well, my sun,” along with the temperature of the summer air in dorne, the princess’ cheeks felt warmth at the name. “i cannot say you don’t look striking in dornish clothing.”
what a gross comment. aurane first thought, her mind immediately flashing to how much skin she was showing in her outfit, soon to realize that compared other woman in sunspear, aurane was dressed quite reasonable. “thank you, my prince.” she bowed her head.
oberyn tutted from behind and closed to bedroom doors. “lion,” with aurane chewing on the inside of her cheek and it was obvious that she had begun to strip, he could that she was reassessing her decisions. oberyn’s arms gently wrapped around aurane’s waist, and his fingers danced over the loose buttons before slowly popping them back into the other side of the tunic. “don’t use the formalities, just speak normal to me.”
her jaw clenched as his fingertip accidentally touched the inside of her cleavage before unwrapping himself from around her and reaching into his pocket. “what’re you doing?” aurane instantly cautioned, leaning against the dresser. at any moment, the prince of dorne could easily pull out a dagger or some small weapon. he was the red viper after all.
instead, he rose one hand in defense, the other revealing a small vial that contained an amber-colored liquid. he held it out to her as she gently eased away from the dresser. “you rub it on your skin,” he spoke quieter than before and while it soothed aurane it also piqued her concern. oberyn popped open the cork and placed his palm on the open top of the vial, flipping it over so that a tiny a amount remained in his hand. one simple look of an eye for permission and aurane nodded. she looked down to the floor as his fingers reached over to her neck and pressed his palm against her skin, soon rubbing the liquid in. exposed in the air, aurane noticed it’s certain aroma of cirtus and sugar. when she looked back up at the prince, he spoke raspy, “it will keeps the bugs away. it may be sunset but the air remains the same.”
she smiled thinly and muttered, “you don’t have to tell me.”
oberyn chuckled and held his arm out to aurane, hooking it so hand remained at his hip. the princess was hesitant. she knew her only option was to take it, placing her arm inside his, because if she wouldn’t it would only be slightly suspicious but what was this? the prince had no reason to spend even a morsel of time with her so why would he waste a perfect night for a walk in the gardens with a lannister? was it to poison her?
he could lead to somewhere secret and beat you, rape you. she thought as she hesitantly took his arm. they exited her room, shutting the door behind them. it was then that aurane noticed the two guards walking close on their trail. perhaps he’s gotten others to do it for him.
the walk to the gardens was not as long as the walk from the docks and to aurane’s room had been. if anything, sauntering down the hallways again had been peaceful and unnerving. the designs on the walls were the same and the plants stood generously. only this time, aurane felt her heartbeat quicken as oberyn pulled her into an unrecognizable staircase. 
“what’re you doing?” she asked in hush tone.
oberyn didn’t stop their wandering about the stairs despite her whispers. he only smiled until they arrived at a small door that seemed out of place in dorne. its handle was rusted and dirty and the wood seemed to be wasting away over the years. oberyn pushed the door open and the sunlight aurane was blinded with caused her to squint.
the prince smirked and bowed. “the water gardens, my sun.” 
more beautiful than the ones in casterly rock and the ones in king’s landing, that was for sure. hedges and bushes had been cut so perfectly, from every angle to side, and grown in a pattern that of a labyrinth although they only rose to aurane’s hips. in each center of every small maze stood a palm tree almost as tall as the castle. certain bushes were ornamented with pink and orange flowers, others with small little red berries. the scent was nothing like the beach outside of aurane’s window. citrus, like the liquid oberyn had massaged onto her neck, spices like the ones in her lunch, and a breath of fresh air that aurane had never tasted in her former homes. 
it was everything to aurane. this place was now her home? she’d seen the gardens from afar as oberyn had led her to her room the day before but up close, everything seemed to be so ethereal. she could imagine the days she would spend there, sketching in her books to recreate images she could only dream of--but now, there they were, portrayed out in front of her as if they were heaven. 
there was a chuckle snapping aurane in her gaze. she had noticed her eyes had softened, her brows curved, and her lips parted. “something tells me you like it here already,” the prince laughed, and for once, aurane found herself enjoying it. before beginning to walk again, oberyn held his arm out for the princess to wrap herself around again. she only shook her head and strolled down the garden pathways by his side, holding her hands behind her back. “you have a strong manner,” his eyes tried to catch aurane’s but she was intoxicated with the sight of this new world. “all you lannisters seem to have that.”
aurane rose her brows and smiled tightly. “as you said in our first meeting,” her footsteps were quiet against the stone paths. there were other couples roaming about and to any person, the prince and princess could’ve looked like any couple. “i’m not a lannister. i’m a bastard,” she looked to her soon-to-be husband. “my name should’ve been aurane hill. born of secrets and rumors.” deep laughter and sighing was the only response she was given. she furrowed her eyebrows. “you can’t possibly think my father raped my mother?”
the prince shrugged and aurane’s eyes widened. “why would a lannister, especially one such as your father, fall in love with a dornish maiden?” a couple passed by them, looking up and down at aurane. despite her dark hair, dark eyes, and tan skin, it was clear she was not local. her posture said so, her expression said so. “i am not saying it is your fault, lion. your father ordered the murder and rape of my sister and her children. i feel as if i can rightfully accuse him of such crime.”
aurane chewed the inside of her cheek and scoffed out a single laugh. how could the prince say such words in such a calm tone? nonchalant he was, but that would be an understatement. “do i look like a product of rape to you?”
a smile and a halt in their stroll. “you look like a product of love to me, lion,” he cocked his head and continued to walk.
it was a compliment, aurane knew that, but he couldn’t possibly mean it? so why was it sending a trembling feeling through her body? inside, her skin was crawling, the contents in her stomach from dinner were shuddering and her legs wanted to collapse in the middle of the garden right there and then.
“come, my sun,” he looked back to her as she stood in the same spot. “my paramour tells me of your relationship with robb stark.”
aurane scoffed and smiled humorlessly. ellaria had been a beautiful woman and regarding aurane’s disrespect she had shown in their first minute together, ellaria had manifested nothing but kindness to the princess. while catching up to the prince, she muttered, “i can’t fucking trust anyone here, can i?”
the prince arched an eyebrow. “and what is that supposed to mean?” such words should’ve given at least some sort of blow but they didn’t seem to bother oberyn.
shit. she thought. he wasn’t supposed to hear that.
“why else would a martell want a lannister?” she questioned the prince, earning herself furrowed eyebrows and slightly shocked expression. she pursed her lips and dragged her fingers against the petals of the flower and the leaves of the bushes before they stopped in their footsteps again. “since my father has committed ‘such crimes’,” she paused. “why would dorne welcome his daughter?”
the prince laughed, but this time, aurane didn’t feel the shiver in the warm heat, or a blush across her cheeks. the tension between them was visible and it seemed that any couple who had been enjoying their evening in the water gardens had suddenly disappeared. “you think we would...” oberyn couldn’t bring himself to say it. his hand reached to aurane and rested and her lower back. “you think we would hurt an innocent girl?”
aurane wanted to cringe in disgust at his contact with her, drawing so close to her backside. her hand met the back of his, her fingers so soft against scarred and calloused skin. oberyn would be lying if he said it hadn’t felt heavenly.
ethereal, even.
but as much as he enjoyed the slight touch she had made, she pushed his hand off of her waist and turned on her heel to return to her room.
tags: @pascalpapi @heavenbarnes @zeldasayer @ohpedromypedro @absurdthirst @ithinkhesgaybutwesavedmufasa @pedropascalito @pedropascalonline @qveenbvtch @cyarikaaa @honeychicanawrites @vintagethereal @pedropascalispapi @wakalas @fleetwoodmactshirt @otherthingsinhead @forever-rogue @arianawills
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smolbeandrabbles · 5 years ago
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One Thing Right - Andrew ‘Pope’ Cody x Reader (Animal Kingdom)
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Author’s Note: So, whilst this is a stand alone - it can also be a little re-imagining of ‘Last Habit’ (Specifically how long it takes her to forgive him) - and was actually part of Last Habit, before that story took me another direction and left me with this-!
Heavily based on the restaurant scene from both the movie and episode 1 of the show (If you’re here for the Show!)
One Thing Right - Marshmello & Kane Brown
Disclaimer: Animal Kingdom characters/plot not mine / lyrics & gifs not mine / leap from “Last Habit” idea based on discussion with Ms. @mandy23b​  
Premise: Still frustrated with Andrew from a continuing argument, you’re determined to hold it together for a dinner event. In reality though, can you help doing anything other than forgiving him? Even if he doesn’t apologise?
Words: 6469
Warnings: Swearing / References to drug taking
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I've cheated and I’ve lied I've broke down and I've cried I’ve got nothing to hide no more I've loved and I've hurt Broken people down with words More grace than I deserve, for sure Known to be crazy, known to be wild Mama had herself a little devilish child Ain't no stranger to the troubles at my door You saw right through my pain Kept us patient while I changed Never even crossed your mind to walk away  When I was gettin' crazy, reckless, and wild Actin' like my mama's little devilish child It took a heart like yours to find its place I’ve been at the wrong place at the wrong time Chasin' all the wrong things most of my life Been every kinda lost that you can't find But I got one thing right Been the kinda guy girls' mamas don't like Runnin' with the wrong crowd on the wrong nights 'Cause I've been wrong about a million times But I got one thing right... you Yeah, I got you ---
It all started with a nervous, little, nonchalant proposal. The same way that Andrew always asked you to do anything with him. Like a ‘no’ was no big deal… As if you would ever say no in the first place, but the alternative never really seemed to cross his mind. “So, uh, the guys are doing some… wives and girlfriends thing next week… I dunno…” He tapped the sideboard and wouldn’t meet your eyes, “If you wanna come, then…” You raised an eyebrow; “Who are the ‘wives and girlfriends’? Surely that’s just me and Cath…? Cuz Kelly is no longer around…?” “Nicky…” “Who!?” Was Craig onto someone else already? Perhaps Darren, he was a sweetheart. Who else? “Jay’s girlfriend.” Ahhhhhh!!!! Jay. Yes, you misremembered for a moment that Andrew’s nephew was living with them now. In fact you hadn’t been over since then, so you hadn’t met him either. “Oh! Yeah, of course… Well, do you want me there?” He still wasn’t quite meeting your eyes but he nodded, “Yeah, I think so.” You smiled sweetly with a nod of your own; “Then, honey, of course I’ll come!” ***
Andrew drummed his fingers on the back of the empty chair next to him; and Baz knew it wouldn't end there. "She'll be here, mate. She wouldn't miss this." Andrew only stared at him across the table with a look that clearly asked him to shut up. This kind of thing was awkward enough for him, without worrying about where you were. He had been having second thoughts about going - only you wanted to be there, so he would put up with mundane social interactions for you. Also, if you were there and his social battery ran out - which it so often did - you usually came up with brilliant excuses to leave, or let him just find protection and comfort in your presence. Andrew, you've done enough... It's okay... You were always fine alone; more than confident with answering all the questions for him when it was clear he was no longer going to actively participate.
 Only you hadn't shown up yet, and he had to shuffle awkwardly in his seat, almost wanting to blurt out that you were an actual real person, you were just late. But why? You hadn't given him a reason. Andrew was getting more anxious by the minute, and his best friend had to watch this unfold growing exceedingly uneasy himself. What would Andrew do if that battery ran out and you weren't here yet? What would he do if you were a no show…?
 **
DAMN. Today, of all days, was clearly not meant to be yours. Not only had you been called into work to fix something on a weekend, but now traffic back into the city was beyond a joke and your cell phone provider decided that this particular route had next to no signal on it.
 So, by the time you got to the restaurant you were flustered and frustrated, and thought you couldn't possibly have made a worse first impression. It wasn’t just the first impression either, it was what you knew would be going on in Andrew’s head that worried you more. You’d been fighting- Well, okay fighting was pushing it because you and Andrew didn’t really fight, mostly because you couldn’t help but be a little worried about exactly what may happen if you really did get to fighting with him. But his brothers had a nasty habit of doing drugs – and Andrew wasn’t ever want to miss a little bit of participation, despite the fact that you’d told him time and again that you weren’t happy when he did so. When he’d invited you to this event last week you had been excited about it. You hadn’t exactly ever hung around his family in a group like that before, and the more you thought the happier you got. Andrew never invited you to things like this because they weren’t even his scene (you supposed you might have to thank Baz for that later), so to be included at all very suddenly added a new dimension to your relationship. So, now you were super excited to meet Jay and Nicky – and finally have another Cody Girl™ to hang out with. That was until yesterday morning when you’d caught him in your apartment with drugs and subsequently thrown him out, telling him you didn’t know if you were coming today. And if you were honest with yourself you were still mad at him. But you also knew Andrew, he’d probably quietly indicated you were coming ‘no big deal’ and he certainly wouldn’t have told anyone that you’d thrown him out, suggesting you weren’t going to make it – mostly because that would have been too big of a confession. You could imagine the questions, the ammunition it would give his brothers. Selfishly you supposed your reputation was on the line here, and you didn’t want to let him down. Even if he’d let you down, Andrew just meant too much to you. Honestly, you just really really wanted to meet the kids. Besides you could sit here in traffic and reason with yourself – it was dinner, which meant a maximum of 3 hours interaction - if you were still pissed about the drugs (you would be.) then you didn’t have to go anywhere with him afterwards. Seeing everyone else was a little more important than not going just to spite him. You took a deep breath, checking your phone again – still nothing. Well, if you were late then you were shaving yet more time off having to interact, if you were prepared to see it that way.
Baz, facing the door, spotted you first and was off like a rocket. Thank GOD for that! You were holding your mobile in one hand, bag slung over your shoulder, oversized white shirt unbuttoned nearly all the way to reveal a black vest top, tucked into a work mini-skirt. But you’d slipped from your heels into your pumps to drive, and your shades were in your hair. All in all, your face said you’d had better days, but really Baz was just glad you were here. He enveloped you in a warm hug, which you were only too happy to return. "Oh, Baz! I'm so, so, SO sorry!" "What the hell happened!?" "Work-! IT. When isn't it IT?" You huffed and folded your arms, "I feel like us casing the place that one time ought to have told ya it was time to leave." You scoffed, laughing, "It's a good place to work, I just can't believe today of all days it was such a MESS - and traffic!? I haven't see it that bad when it's rush hour! I mean what the hell!!" “Aw, honey, I’m just glad you’re here – we were worried.” – about Andrew, who was worried about you. You bit your lip, looking everywhere but Baz’s face and the table, “How is he?” “He’s… Andrew. Why?” “He didn’t tell you did he?” “No.” Baz would never go for the ‘tell me what?’ if it was something so obvious as the way you looked back to him. You took a deep breath, throwing your phone into your bag, “Okay.” And then more to yourself than to Baz, “It’s gonna be fine.” “Woah, you… you wanna talk about it-!?” He stepped backward with your step forward and held his hand out, concerned. You shook your head, “Not right now, thanks Baz.” And you really did appreciate his concern, “I just wanna meet everyone!”
 Andrew looked just as relieved as Baz did, swivelled in his seat now to watch you both walk through the restaurant, by this time Baz was already trying to lighten your mood and he’d made you laugh more than once; you were smiling – he was good at that. Andrew vacated his seat to take the last few paces to hug you himself; that movement was important – he knew exactly what he’d done, and you weren’t sure if you were supposed to accept his PDA as an apology. But something about him holding you in his arms softened you for a moment; "Oh, baby, I'm so sorry!" You mumbled into his shirt, "I really... I really AM sorry! It's been the morning from hell..." He shook his head, almost not caring; loving the feel of you holding him this close, your nails digging into his shirt. You gave him just the energy shot he needed. "It's okay..." He mumbled, though you felt that was probably far from the truth, "I'm just glad you made it safe..."
He let you slip from his arms, PDA wasn't his thing, so you knew this was because he needed it desperately only. Or you were right and it really was in apology. You kissed his cheek gently, feeling that would be the most comfortable, and rounded the table quickly to hug Darren. He was the baby, and looked and acted like it. He was like the good natured one who had yet to be fully dragged into this mess. You might have been a complete outsider, but Andrew told you as much as you were prepared to hear... Or that he knew you had to know. Usually that came with his more protective nature. That put you in solidarity with the youngest Cody sibling, and you felt you probably liked him the most – Darren liked you too; though you knew he was a little wary of your relationship. "What they got ya in for on a Saturday!?" He was referring to your attire, and you noticed Craig linger a little too long on the fact your white blouse had buttons undone to just the wrong side of inappropriate. "Oh. You know the company has to be running smoothly Monday morning and that’s that..." You sighed, “I’m so sorry.” He laughed, “Aw, you don’t need to apologise to me.” “No, only the whole damn table…” But Darren patted your back gently, “Well! Get on with it, we’re starving-!” You skirted the table while saying ‘Hi’ to Craig, Smurf and having an animated five minute conversation with Cath that had Baz rolling his eyes and sighing; "GIRLS! She's late enough!" Cath pushed him with a laugh, as you bashfully kept running around the table to where Andrew was still standing up, leaning on the back of his chair. At least there was something resembling a smile on his face as he watched you interact with his family. "Sorry, honey..." You almost smacked yourself, but realised there wasn’t really any stopping you, your heart was starting to overrule your head. You’d have to try to keep yourself in check – then again… He squinted slightly at the cute nickname, but pulled your chair out for you, to which you thanked him again as he pushed you in and reseated himself. "Can we EAT now!?!" Craig huffed, clearly on the less kind side of annoyed; "I was ready to order, like, 50 minutes ago!" You flushed and covered your face with your hands, "OH GOD!! I'M SO SORRY!" "He's just being a prick... Y/N... You're fine..." Baz's voice at least held a laugh, but you weren't sure it helped your feeling. Like he hadn’t already commented on it-! Andrew placed his arm around the back of your chair and shook his head at his sibling. Say something like that again and just wait until we get home. You liked that movement, it made you feel safe and comfortable. It was an assurance you sometimes needed in situations like this. Yet you knew you should still be mad at him; you were about to spend this meal incredibly torn…
"So!" You referred to the two teenagers sitting at the far end of the table. "You must be Jay and Nicky? I confess, what I know is little, although I have heard a bit. It's nice to meet you! I'm Y/N!" "Guess they might know a little about you, too..." Baz gave you an amused look that told you they'd be lucky if they'd even heard your name before you said it. Andrew shuffled in his seat in response to this, he needn’t have reacted at all - you had that kind of hunch yourself. The teens bashfully introduced themselves in answer to you as everyone ordered – in the back of your mind you were already thinking they were way too sweet to be involved here, and that adoption should be the way to go. You supposed that attitude shouldn’t surprise you, given the state of your family – your parents would have signed on the dotted line about 5 minutes ago. Still, you supposed you, in the remnants of a business suit, looked like the odd one out around the table – but that’s exactly what you were, and you were strangely comfortable with that. They were very sweet and shy, meaning you tried to make every question you asked kind and open – they didn’t have to answer if they didn’t want to. All you really wanted them to know was that you were decent; they were safe and you’d protect them at all costs. Besides, you reckoned Jay should know by now you were dating the most volatile man at the table. You’d like to say you knew that Andrew wouldn’t lay a hand on them – yet you also knew that he was capable of anything. You’d also like to say you were capable of stopping him, truth was, you were scared of what might happen if you got between Andrew Cody and something he deemed necessary to do. As you kept talking throughout dinner, and you tried to keep questions off yourself, you were aware of how close you were getting to Andrew. That was all subconscious because he’d barely moved an inch, but it was an act you loved doing. There was something very powerful about Andrew’s aura and you liked orbiting it; right now he was calmer – sure, his eyes still shifted around the room and to everyone in the table, yet everything about him was saying he was protecting you. Because even you were just waiting for Craig to come at you; he wasn’t exactly a fan of the fact that you didn’t come from the same place as them, that you came from a different class and social background. No prizes for guessing where he might have got that from. You got the feeling Smurf thought that you felt you were too good for them – not necessarily…. You’d seen the way she treated Andrew; the lost cause. The idea of wanting to get him out of this was something you thought about often. Though you also thought it was pointless when he was in your house doing drugs – but you would digress. In fact, you loved most people around the table. Really you felt a lot of them were better than the positions they found themselves in – if she really wanted your honest opinion. But you could only date one of them. And he was work, you’d give him that.
"What do you do, Y/N?" Eventually questioning did get back around to you, and you were trying to figure out how to answer before you were cut off. "Here we go..." Craig scoffed "What, jealous!? You can go it for me if you want!" Your eyes narrowed, arms folded He at least laughed; "No, No, I think I'm good - thanks!" You shook your head at him and turned back to Nicky's question, "I do IT." "Do IT?!" Baz repeated in a mocking voice "What? I do." He leant forward, "Nicky, she's just being polite and modest." "HA-!" Andrew shifted impatiently, which made Craig shut up again before he even started. Baz was allowed to finish his sentence; "She's a CIO." You leant on your hand with a small smile, "And CISO. If we're getting technical." "And that-!" Baz pointed to you, "Whatever the hell that is-!" Chief Information Security Officer, if he really wanted the answer. "That's why I said IT!" you laughed, “I head IT for a very small company, Nicky, it’s nothing.” “Enough to drive a Lamborghini.” This was exactly where things got complicated; where the divide showed, even though it didn’t matter to you. You were always uncomfortably aware of what it looked like to everyone else. “Will you guys stop!” You pushed Baz’s arm, but he was smirking and that only sent them all off laughing again. Causing you to hide in your hands for a second, shying towards Andrew – who despite still daring Craig to say another word with a frosty glare, had a hint of pride about him and the way he sat. Somewhere in the back of your mind you could almost hear the ‘That’s My Girl!’ that every other man around this table would likely say; his eyes flicked to yours, lips pressing themselves into a line that very nearly threatened smile. You were glad Andrew never got that far; not that it would have mattered anyway – because of course, you smiled back. Before you remembered why you were mad and your smiled faded for a moment. You lowered your eyes from Andrew’s face tracing them down his neck to his black buttoned polo shirt, then looked away from him entirely – realising you were just making yourself sad thinking about it. Still, he didn’t let you go; the slope of his body and the tip of his head as he watched the way your eyes traced him, he leant into you to keep you close – but he didn’t reach out. You didn’t expect that from him either. Andrew knew you were still mad at him; he could think about removing his arm from the back of your chair opting simply to pull you closer, but he wasn’t made that way. Andrew wouldn’t – at least not publicly and certainly not here.  Right now, he wasn’t even sure you wanted that – or if you’d simply push him away. Nevertheless, he noticed how torn you were and hated that it was him that had caused it. What a mess for a quick fix. Wasted and pointless. He ran his hand over his cheeks – suddenly imagining the feeling of your nails embedded in them as you lowered your voice to a sexy level of threatening. Andrew shifted in his seat again, this time away from you, and kept his hand there for a moment – you couldn’t help but notice the way his breathing change abnormally. You also realised all that had triggered in you was a smirk, absentminded enough for you to be shocked at yourself – yet you knew exactly why, and hell if you wouldn’t call it useful information…
Dinner continued until you were stuffed and couldn’t eat anymore, pushing your knife and fork neatly together you sat back, nestling gently into his arm that was back around your chair. Finally comfortable enough to seek the warmth of his body. By now he was staring at you, and he had been for quite a while, because that’s what Andrew did. You’d long since given up trying to guess, or even ask him, why he would choose to stare at you in the particular way he did. It was never any less intense than the way he would look at everyone else… yet it was so different – and this stare was strangely hopeful. You supposed he was considering whether or not you’d forgive him – then again, so were you. Turning your eyes on him you couldn’t help but gaze back; lost in another beautifully silent conversation. I’m here for you. But don’t you dare think I forgive you for what you’ve done just yet.   You knew he needed you here, and he must have known you knew that right now. You brushed your forehead gently to his, resting your hand reassuringly on his knee. It might take you a while to excuse him, but that didn’t mean you couldn’t love him. Everyone still pushed for dessert; at which point you swapped seats with Craig, bowing out – not without brushing your lips to Andrew’s cheek first, which very nearly startled him - to learn a little more about Jay and Nicky. Cath joined you a little later and with Jay joining in with his uncles, Smurf joined you in a girl’s conversation. It was nice to learn some more about her, and talk just a little about yourself without the whole table either wanting you to flaunt it, or scoffing at you for being a show off. You liked that you had the opportunity to chat with her in the quiet, which became quieter as Smurf and then Cath left you to it whilst they went back to the boys – clamouring for attention once more. Andrew was back to watching you, into his usual habit of making sure you were safe at all times and you were quite enjoying catching his eye every now and then. It’d make you smile and look away; a simpler form of flirting, but one you felt you probably both enjoyed. When he and Baz got up to pay the bill, Andrew walked behind you, brushing his hand over your shoulders. Fingertips pressing into your skin in a way that had you fixating on his touch and looking up at him as he walked away. You’d quite forgotten what you were saying and instead Nicky was left witness to that way you stared at each other, before he turned and they strolled to the counter – although you didn’t look away. Blinking a few times you cleared your throat; “Hey guys-!” They swivelled back, “Yeah?” You pulled your card from your purse and held it out, “I was late, it’s the least I can do.” Andrew waved away the suggestion, “No, Y/N, it’s okay…” “We got this – you can owe us later.” Baz added with a wink, and you figured he might spend the next five minutes trying to persuade Andrew onto a double date; which he would love of course.
Instead you watched them talk seriously at the counter for a minute as they split the bill; with the glances they both kept throwing to you, and the way Baz very nearly clipped him (about the only person who’d get away with it), you assumed that it was really an integration about the previous morning, causing you to look away quickly for fear of being dragged into it. Nicky giggled gently, and you realised she had continued watching you, “You really love him, don’t you?” You continued focusing on the table, although even her words had you smiling, and you very nearly laughed. “Yeah.” “How long have you been together?” That made your eyes raise to her - suddenly you realised you didn’t even know the answer. It wasn’t like Andrew was ever going to keep track of your anniversary – and to be honest being held up in a parking lot was not exactly something you wanted to remember the date of. “…Oh, uh…” You also couldn’t believe someone would want to ask you outside of your family; a lot of your friends thought Andrew was strange at best and would probably rather forget you were with him. You were grateful your parents foster kids more than made up for that. “…Just over a year?” you squinted, no, it felt longer than that - “Maybe closer to two?” then you smiled, genuinely, “Thank you for asking.” “I thought that was normal?” She tilted her head, making you laugh, “I don’t know if you’ve met him before today, but,” You looked around her to watch them still in heated discussion, “Andrew’s not exactly…” you paused, “He’s a little different. I think that’s probably why I like him so much. Then again, it’s not exactly something that gels with a lot of people,” you bit your lips together, “it’s a real shame - you know, if he was given the chance…” you trailed, “Sorry! That’s a lot for… the first time I’ve ever met you.” You place your head in your hands again, “Late and rambling, man, I must have made one hell of a first impression!” But she was smiling, and reached out to touch your hand, “I think it’s sweet – that you care about him like that, and I see the way you look at each other, he cares a lot about you too I can tell. He doesn’t take his eyes off you.” You weren’t sure if you should set her straight or agree with her; “That’s also a very Andrew trait, something to get used to for sure. I guess it’s okay if it doesn’t bother you…” “Does it?” God bless her innocent curiosity. “No. Except, nothing about Andrew bothers me.” “Should it?” Your eyes flicked back to him and then to her, and you said it as honestly as you could without really telling the truth; “He’s just… a lot to unpack.” ***
He stopped by your chair as they walked back, and everyone else started to rise, so you supposed dinner was over. As he’d helped you in, Andrew also helped you out. “You okay?” “Yes…” You gave him a gentle nod, “Thank you…” and you realised all at once that you really hadn’t had a verbal conversation yet. You wondered how you could just get back in your car and drive away after that. Andrew had to know you were still reeling a little – but it didn’t sit right with you, to just say goodbye and leave him to his own devices once again. Especially considering that could just drive him back in the direction you were trying to pull him from (or drag him – kicking and screaming if necessary). As you made your way from the restaurant - close but not touching; he wasn’t even trying to take your hand to keep up appearances (and sometimes Andrew did) – it was clear he was thinking along the same lines. Baz was the first one to turn to you, “How about it, Y/N? Drinks? I mean you can just park the car up and take off tomorrow if you’re worried about getting a DUI.” “Oh, no I really… I’ve had a day, you do not want me to take up any offer of drinking.” You waved your hands hoping he might drop it. “Aw come on – what!? You know how bad we get-!” No such luck. You indicated to the teens, “I would rather keep up appearances!” “It's cool, guys, I'll take her home." Andrew cut in before anyone else could protest your objection. You turned to him, wondering if a conversation in the place he’d done the crime was even a good idea. Maybe it was the only good idea. Of course, no one argued with that; "Okay, Andrew, see you later!" Although he waited for you to hug Nicky goodbye. You were good at bonding with people, and there weren't a lot of females in Andrew's life beyond his mother and Cath. So he knew you'd be particularly receptive to this teenage girl who had no idea quite what she was getting into. And that you'd likely want to protect her from that. Afterall, he’d watched you talk to her for at least the last hour, with that same sweet, caring smile on your face that you often gave him. Not that he thought he deserved it ever, perhaps even less than usual right now. And here you were again, being as naturally kind as you always were. "...It'd be cool to hang out too! I mean I dunno, maybe you're a little too cool for me!" You gave a gentle laugh that made her smile; "No, I'd like that!" "Awesome, well, you have my number now. Do not hesitate to call me. Especially if you happen to have to hang out with these boys again... In fact, Cath, you and I should have a girl’s night - Good Lord." "Don't tempt me!" Cath yelled from behind you, which made the three of you burst out laughing and all the boys look on a little confused. You hugged her tight and protective; she was so cute and utterly sweet. As the only other real outsider (and completely in the dark) you wanted to keep her on that side of things for as long as possible. It was your choice not to know anything, you didn't want her to have to know there even was a choice.
You waved them all off and walked with Andrew back towards the car park; he fell into the rhythm of your walk, studying every single other person on both sides of the road. He didn't hold your hand, but your skin was millimetres apart, his shoulder brushed against yours every few steps - as if to make sure you were still there; as if you'd be anywhere else. You were used to this by now, and if you were honest you loved it. There was something unvoiced about it all, how you were both aware the other was there and close, but there was no needed physical contact. Andrew was the most comfortable you'd ever been with a man in your entire life. And you weren't sure if that was ironic or not. "Are you driving?" "I don't have my car." You held out your keys, "Are you driving?" He took them gently, suddenly falling out of step with you, and then behind as he stopped. You paused a little further down the sidewalk and turned with a raised eyebrow; "What-?" He held the keys up, "You drove your Lamborghini to work!? AGAIN!?" This only went back to every other time he’d told you to be careful driving it around, should some opportunists try to car jack you… again. You folded your arms, somewhat impatient with his lack of answer; "Oh, I didn't realise I had to stop on the weekend too - now are you driving or what-!?" You knew he could stop the excited smile from crossing his face, but it escaped into his voice; "Yes!"
 ** Even though you still hadn’t spoken to him properly, it was all in his body language. For him it was the same, all in your actions. You didn’t have to let him do this – in fact you could just have turned to him and said that he wasn’t coming with you. Yet here he was, driving your gleaming silver Gallardo through Melbourne to your apartment. You noticed Andrew was making the most out of the opportunity by taking you the scenic route. All you could do was watch him. How comfortable he was – just you and him and driving. How careful and in control – a real force to be reckoned with, not that Andrew ever wasn’t that, but the whole aura of it was different. This time he couldn’t keep that small smile off his face – tiny sure, and if you weren’t looking you were bound to miss it, but it was there. You liked that he was comfortable, because you often watched him be so uncomfortable with everything. The social situations he was forced into especially; for that matter, Andrew didn’t often talk in social settings. He could still be the one in the room in control and be uncomfortable, his body language would tell you such. Here and now though, his energy was confident – and though he was alert to the conditions he was surrounded by on the road, Andrew was the most relaxed you’d seen him in a long time. You let yourself actively enjoy it. Because you wanted to revel in him when he was like this. It was a glimpse, a rare thing that you weren’t about to let slip away from you. You knew how much he loved this car, even when he was sitting passenger side, and when he actively showed it that was even better. Andrew was letting himself enjoy the moment as much as you were; just by watching him you’d been persuaded to smile, to coax your hand from your lap to entwine with his fingers. He didn’t look across to you – but his lips twitched and for half a second that smile was visible, before it dropped away again. Still, Andrew Cody didn’t let your hand go. ** You were back to being cold and silent by the time you were in the lift to your apartment; perhaps not by choice, but because you just couldn’t figure out exactly what to say. You weren’t sure how to approach it, and certainly hadn’t had time to think of such things. After all, you did kick him out of your apartment yesterday after screaming then using Andrew’s own ‘quiet & threatening’ tactic against him. You just knew that you couldn’t keep up the silence; part of you worried that if you did  Andrew would switch from understanding why (as you were sure he did) to thinking screw this and heading back home – where all that really awaited him was his brothers, alcohol and more drugs. Certainly not what you wanted. He was looking at you again though, and Andrew thought that maybe the air of friendliness you’d been displaying this evening had been for his family only. Just for dinner. He supposed it made sense, but Baz had told him in no uncertain terms that he needed to apologise to you, quickly. Andrew was just trying to figure out how best to do that – of course he’d been thinking about it, but you’d been regarding them both and he didn’t want it to come out like the only reason that he was saying sorry was because Baz had asked him to. No, he wanted it to sound as sincere and genuine as he felt. Usually silence was good for Andrew, he found a comfort there that he could seldom find anywhere else. Even around you. This wasn’t comfortable – not when there was so much unspoken between the two of you. You would often communicate without using words – but that wouldn’t even save you both now. He let you have it, 5 minutes of total silence, how you stood with your hands down on your kitchen counter staring at nothing. You could tell exactly what he was thinking, considering he was pacing up and down the room, and wouldn’t take his eyes off you. Until eventually Andrew sighed, making you raise your eyes to him; “Why… Why even bother turning up? Why would you want to be there today? With me. Why are you even okay with me?” He looked away from you, squinting in thought, “I understand the reasons you hate me right now. Which makes me not understand why you would…” He trailed, finding it hard to describe how he could know you weren’t happy – but you could still look at him like he was your world… Was there even a way to describe that? “Oh. Andrew…” You almost sounded desperate, but exasperated, your face softening and for a moment your heart bled for him – because he always felt like everything had to be understandable and logical; it was just how his brain processed. Just once sometimes you wished he would realise that your feelings for him really weren’t logical at all. You could never really hate him. “Look. I love you. And that’s never going to change, it’s just sometimes you make me SO mad!” You ran your hands through your hair with a small exhale, settling your eyes back on his infinite stare; “Because I see the good in you Andrew. And I want more people to see that. YOU might think he’s gone, and your family clearly do, but not me. I KNOW it’s there. I wouldn’t be with you if I didn’t see it. But you do things like this, and I just…” You gave a gentle shrug, unable to even explain it for yourself; “If I don’t believe in you, who will? It hurts me when you hurt yourself. And I feel sorry for you and… that is that.” His stare was measured, and his blink slow. You knew he wouldn’t say anything, Andrew just wasn’t built that way. But you wanted him to, right then more than any other moment you wanted words to spill from his lips. Andrew’s blue eyes left yours and he looked to the floor - that was a lot, all at once it was a lot for you to just say to him. It would be a lot to not respond to; then again, he wasn’t sure what he could say. He wasn’t good at expressing his feelings for you, Andrew never had been, but he knew he felt something – things he’d never felt for any other person, not even his own family. They were just so hard to say with conviction that sounded like he really believed them. You stepped from the counter and walked across the room to him, although he took several paces back, shying away from your touch. You wouldn’t take that as an answer, because you needed him right now – he needed you too. You took Andrew’s hand in yours; allowing him to maintain the gap but letting him know you weren’t about to let go. He shook his head slowly, still not meeting your eyes, and his next sentence was murmured – a thought to himself that maybe he hadn’t meant to say aloud; “I don’t deserve you. But you’re the only thing I’ve got right so far…” You tipped your head, unsure where exactly that had come from; “Andrew, I-” “I shouldn’t have done it. I know that.” Sorry. He was saying sorry, in a typically Andrew way of saying it. It’d take time for the actual word to come – or else maybe he’d simply show you. You framed his face with your free hand, tilting his head back up so those haunting eyes could meet yours once more. “…What…?” Andrew’s lips parted, no words came, before he swallowed and placed his hand over yours. For a moment you thought he might pull away once more, but he didn’t. His eyes simply searched yours for any way he might get away with never saying something so honest again. “I know you heard me.” You didn’t quite roll your eyes; instead pulling yourself to him, forehead against his – gently humming your agreement. I Did. You closed your eyes to the silence and lost yourself to the sound of his breathing. You knew exactly who this man was, and everything he was capable of – no matter how much you tried to burry that beneath your love for him, and no matter how hard you tried to save him from it. But, more importantly, Andrew Cody was yours - and you weren’t about to ever let him forget it.
---
Thank you for reading-!😍
@happyskywhale @wltz-bby #MendoTagSquad
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nekoannie-chan · 5 years ago
Text
Universus
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Pairing: Brock Rumlow X Reader
Word count: 1777 words.
Summary: It seemed like a normal training day for you and Brock until Johnny came to ruin the day
Warnings: Angst, this is an Horror AU.
A/N: Universus means Universe.
This is my entry to the @star-spangled-beard-burn ‘s Season of Fiction Writing challenge 2020 with the fall prompt #1:
“I TOLD you I can’t do haunted houses”.
Also my entry to the @marvelgirlonamarvelworld ‘s Val’s 500 Writing challenge with the dialogue prompt #3:
“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the one who fucked us all up. What trouble did you get yourself into now, sweetiepie?”
And my entry to the @anika-ann ‘s 500 Celebration Challenge with the Arrow prompt #5:
“You tell anyone about this, I will kill you”.
“…That’s just an expression, right?”
Is a horror AU.
My native language is Spanish so I wanna improve my writing skills in English if you notice any mistake please let me know and I will correct it.
I don’t give any kind of permission that my fics be posted in other platforms or languages (I translate myself my work) or the use of my graphics (my dividers are included in this), I did them exclusively for my fics, please respect my work and don't steal it. There are some people here who make dividers that anyone can use, mine is not this type, please look for the other's people. The only exception is the ones I gifted 'cuz now belong to someone else. If you find any of my works on a different platform and is not one of my accounts, please let me know. Reblogs and comments are always welcome.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Marvel's characters (unfortunately), except for the original characters and the story.
My other media where I publish: Wattpad, Ao3, ffnet.
If you like it please vote, comment, and give me feedback to improve my skills and reblog.
Tags: @navybrat817
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You slipped and winced; Brock turned around and saw you on the floor, he went back to check if you were hurt.
“Are you okay?” He asked offering his hand to you.
"Yes, it's nothing, I just got distracted," you answered taking his hand and standing up with her help.
“Are you sure? You've had a lot of accidents and been distracted all week,” Brock commented with concern.
You dusted yourself off and looked at your boyfriend smiling.
"Come on, we've managed to survive that guy with the weird cloak and the girl who takes daggers out of her hands, as well as the group of weird kids who have a dinosaur."
"I still don't understand why they have a dinosaur," Brock questioned, putting a hand on his beard.
"After all we've been through, are there still things that surprise you?" You questioned incredulously.
"Not exactly, rather it surprises me that without having powers, I am still alive," he replied.
"That is because I’m healing all your wounds in the missions with my powers, but your destiny would probably be different if I didn’t do it," you agreed with satisfaction.
"Always so modest," he said wryly.
“Of course, well next time I won't heal you and I don’t know who’s gonna help you.”
"I don't think you will be so cruel ... are you?" He asked nervously.
"Challenge me and you will see," you threatened.
"You know I love you so much, right?" Brock replied, trying to sound friendly and approaching you.
"Don't even think about it," you stopped him by putting your hand on his chest.
"Don't be mad, babe, but as soon as the fair will be in the town, I will take you to the haunted house."
He got closer and started kissing your arm.
"Noooo, you know I hate haunted houses, let me," you said laughing, you knew what he was trying.
If you let him continue, he would achieve his goal and you could no longer pretend that you were upset with him, although obviously, at night you were going to take revenge. You saw the time and decided it was better to return to compound before they will start looking for them or they will find you in a "compromising" situation.
 Baxter Building
 Johnny saw the object in his hands, he had heard Ben talk about it, and obviously, Reed had created it, although he could not understand what it was for, he shook it a little, but nothing happened.
Maybe he could take it with Y/N and Wanda and see if they could find out what that item was doing or what it was for.
He immediately saved it and went to the compound, it would surely be a very fun visit, as long as the three of you were there you used to have many adventures.
 Compound
 "Hello ladies," Johnny said, entering to the place.
“What are you doing here?” Brock asked.
Johnny and Brock didn't get along at all since Brock thought Johnny liked you.
“What is that?” Wanda asked when she saw what Johnny was holding.
"I don't know, I found it in Reed's lab, but you two are very smart and I know you'll help me find out," Johnny replied, ignoring Brock.
"Well ... it seems ... something Reed is probably going to be very upset if he doesn't find it when he looks for it," you said.
“Oh come on! I don't think…!”
At that time the Multisect activated and everything went dark for a few seconds.
 Unknown place
 You opened your eyes confused, you felt stunned, you assumed that the others were too, you turned looking for the rest, who were lying in the place, you did not know where they were, and you did not even seem familiar.
“Is everyone okay?” Johnny asked, getting up.
“Where we are?” Brock asked sulkily, he was sure you were going to have problems.
"This place is very dingy," Wanda said scared.
"I just hope a madman with a machete or an electric saw doesn't show up and wants to kill us," you said.
"Well, Tinker Bell, take us back to the compound," Brock ordered.
"Yes, of course," Johnny muttered as he waved the Multisect.
You and Wanda exchanged glances, you knew Johnny, and so you would have to find another way to return to the compound… although perhaps you should first find out where you were. Johnny seemed nervous, he didn't know how said object worked.
“Well, well, well. If it isn't the one who fucked us all up. What trouble did you get yourself into now, sweetie pie? ”
“Brock, this is not the time for sarcasm, we must find out where we are supposed to be and, above all, how to return to the compound…”
“Your idiot friend brought us who knows where, we have no weapons apart from those we carry for training, or anything to defend ourselves as we know, we will have to improvise and worst of all, we have not the slightest idea of what the ground, ”Brock interrupted.
"We have Wanda who has powers, Johnny has powers, I have powers, we will be fine, and apart from that is what training is for, right?"
Brock growled disgruntled, he did not like what was happening at all, of course, he could have hand-to-hand combat, which was his speciality, but he knew well that for some things, having some kind of power was more effective and weapons they were a great help too.
“Johnny please, don't lose that thing, I don't care if Reed scolds you, but we surely need it to return home…”
You heard a sound nearby as if someone was dragging chains and stepping on leaves, the four of you put themselves in a position to defend yourselves if necessary.
“What was that?” You asked scared in a whisper.
"I think your question is rather where we are?" Wanda corrected.
"We have two options, or we stay here like idiots while Tinkerbell tries to fix that shit or we start walking to find a way out, obviously we shouldn't separate," Brock suggested.
You turned to see Johnny, who smiled nervously.
"I don't know how it works," he admitted.
Brock sighed exasperated, you would have to walk without knowing what dangers there were.
"I don't know who is more useless if this one or Rogers, although at the moment I think we already have a winner," Brock mumbled.
“Then what do we do? “You asked.
Johnny pushed himself to be able to fly, however, it did not work, just as Wanda tried to use her powers creating a field, there was no success either.
"Okay, we are screwed, I think we will have to walk to get to the highway ... or somewhere that can bring us closer to a populated area, maybe there we can get a phone to call the others and come for us," you said while you were looking for the compass in your pockets.
Once you found it, you started walking towards where the compass indicated that it was the north, Wanda took your hand to try to control the fear that both of you felt, Brock had an angry and Johnny tried to make a flame appear in his fingers.
The forest seemed huge and endless, you lost track of time, you no longer knew if you walked for hours or minutes, each time the place became gloomier.
“Are you sure it's the right way? “Wanda questioned.
"I don't know, I don't even know where we are, I'm just following where the compass tells me its north," you replied.
Suddenly Brock stopped them, you looked at him asking for explanations; however, he put a finger to his mouth to silence everyone, you hid behind a huge tree.
A group of people with masks passed by, it seemed that they had some hostages that they were taking somewhere.
"We should help them," you whisper.
"We cannot care about others."
"Although I never liked him, your boyfriend is right," Johnny said.
you began to walk slowly so as not to attract attention and to run away when you were far enough they ran into another guy wearing another mask, so Brock and you shot him, you did no harm him, he began to chase you, you separated into two groups, you and Brock, Wanda and Johnny, without realizing it.
After you made sure you weren't chasing them anymore, you stopped, turned around looking for your friends while trying to catch your breath.
"Brock ... where are Wanda and Johnny?" You asked raggedly.
"I don't know ... I thought they were coming after us."
“Do we look for them or what do we do?”
"First, not to separate, second, we have to walk trying to avoid those damned fools and find them."
You held hands and began to walk, it was difficult to determine if you had already walked through the place or not, at times you had to run again when you were being chased.
"I TOLD you I can't do haunted houses".
"This is not a damn haunted house, it is a fuckin’ haunted forest," Brock replied.
"Anyway, Brock, I'm seriously scared, we must find Wanda and Johnny," you whimpered.
You were surrounded, it seemed that there was no escape, you tried to run until you ended up crashing into the other couple.
“Are you okay?” Wanda asked terrified.
“We are still alive, but I don't know how long…”
Impulsively Johnny threw the Multisect at the attackers, which activated at the exact moment when it looked like they were going to attack you.
You saw the others without understanding, nobody knew how you came to the compound, and the only thing that mattered was that you were safe. You and Wanda hugged each other while Brock grabbed Johnny by the collar of his shirt to threaten him.
"You tell anyone about this, I will kill you."
"... That’s just an expression, right?"
"No jerk, I'm serious ..."
“Brock is enough, Johnny already learned the lesson, he is going to return the object to Reed's laboratory, right Johnny? “You broke in separating the men.
“Yeah, yeah, of course.
"You know what, we're going to go with Johnny," Wanda said.
You entered the laboratory and Johnny left the Multisect where he had found it, then you went to the hall and there you found Reed.
"Hi guys, haven't you seen my Multisect?" Reed asked.
“Your…what?”
“The Multisect, it serves to travel to other universes… you know, forget it, I don't want you to get into troubles.”
"Doctor Richards, if you knew ..." You spluttered as he left.
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exmateriadead · 5 years ago
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Just this once, the Universe responds. / dilone + nithael
the night within | @armsdealing
"Dilone, can you tell us what happened?"
                                                    ***
She wanted to kill him. Perhaps killing wasn't the right word now for what she was capable of doing or what she wanted. Devour? That sounded too sensuous as if she was empty without him- without it.
Dilone wanted nothing more than to break free, she thirsted but couldn't drink, she wanted to look at the sun yet the canopy of the tree's shielded her eyes. All she knew was the dark that surrounded her, the emerald green gloom, the webs and roots that measured from as long as a river to as thin as a loose thread that cradled and coaxed in,-deep within the forest and within her. For so long she melted in with the umber soil, her skin a perk of ebony brown was now riddled with the purest earth, she was darker more precious somehow.
Dilone was planted into the forest, the roots of trees growing around her, keeping her still, foliage and unknown plants growing from holes that were wounds that were his doing. Her cranium was now stalked with beads and patches of archaea as her body now lives like a storm of extremities.
And all she can think about is him.
It's not like she can think, first of all, she's dead. It's more of a sentient concept like right until a chick in an egg knows it needs to hatch, that type of thinking, that type of knowing so intrinsic so molecular Dilone knows after some time that she needs to breathe and she can't breathe if she's planted if she can't grow.So, she does. Everything builds on itself and then it becomes uncomfortable all of a sudden. She cannot stay planted. The roots around her body are cages and every movement, every bug exploring her new body, every drop of soil, the dark vines that construct themselves as earthly fleshy umbilical cords start to hurt.  It hurts being born, this time around.
And it's not like she knows who "him" even really is. She was viciously  eaten you see, killed, devoured, left as scraps for later but never meant to survive. She remembers that much when she crashed her car into the ditch and then he came for her.Maybe he was always coming, perhaps that’s where she was wrong.
"You got what I want, I got what you want." She sings to herself softly."Dilone, do you know what year it is, where you are?"
His voice called her out by name in a way that when he spoke it was human and inhuman all the same she could swear of it. Her name in his voice it was so familiar she didn't know whether to run to or away from him.
Anyway, now she hatches.From the earth, she grows out of the soil and hears a scream that cannot belong to her but it does. When she gains vision she sees hands and feet, and thighs and breasts that cannot belong to her but they do. This time, he's just inside her. She can feel it, however minuscule it may be her killer is a part of her new body crawling around its new home.
She cries again loud almost like an animal but no such animal could contain a sound like this, a shrill new to the ears of the earth. Her throat is raw already with it, the forest yields its movements and listens. Her tears of blood coming out of bony white sockets where her eyes should be, and through all of it, Dilone does not know if she's crying from the pain, from the loneliness or for him.
Ten years pass, she hasn't gone hungry since she's come back. Of course, it's the passing humans she uses to feed on, biting and pecking through them like a crow, tearing them apart, strings of flesh and organs, that's all they are to her so she eats them that way too. Dilone learns of differences in taste as when she was human, like when you realize apples and tomatoes don't taste the same even if they're both red. Humans don't all taste the same either, that's for sure. But those thoughts, the memories she had before aren't gone they just aren't as important now.
"Your name is Dilone Giselle Silva. You were born in Lovelocke, Nevada. You had two sisters and a baby brother. You and your family took in your cousin Noa after her mom was sent away. You were gifted in school in everything you did, you ran track, you were in the debate team, ranked at the top of your class, graduated college with a BAs in linguistics and criminal justice joined the FBI. And on March 3rd of 2010, it says in your file here, you went missing driving from Louisiana to Nevada. You called 911 dispatchers at 3:07 am but hung up after 45 seconds. Dilone? Do you not remember any of this?"
Now as she lured a wandering thirty-something-year-old man with a straggling mustache and a buzzcut out from the Rainier Bridge and down the passway near the hiking trail. This feeding is messy but she doesn't eat all of him, just enough that when she latches on to his broken throat there isn't a sound, she eats him like a bear would and promises to come back for him when she can, to burn the rest of his body, that way the forest can't claim him. Because who wants to come back like this?
Dilone looks around the room, there are three windows and all of them show a grey sky, one of them the one on the far right lightens a little. She sees a small slash of sun peaking between the looming clouds.
"Sun, the sun...don't shine on me." She whispers, "rain, the rain don't rain on me." Dilone sighs looking at the agent who'd been questioning her for hours now, "what am I?"
At the river, she washes from the blood and the clots of flesh between her sharpened teeth. No one has taught her this except maybe the forest, it talks to her at times. But she's figured out the basics on her own, the hard stuff earned her hunters and humans and all kinds of things trying to understand a creature as herself- as itself. But, she hates to disappoint before they can get an answer so she eats them too.
She looks upon herself in the reflection of the river Dilone molds like moss and refracts she sees herself, the dark skinned woman with no eyes, the hips shaped like danger, her fingers soft lines that can burrow through anything, she sees what could be, and she sees him and the faces he wears and the faces she will wear. Looking away from herself now there are no questions in her head, all she knows now is that she's passed an outlier, creatures like her should not be alive. And of course, she was coming for him she had to, didn't she? What world was he living in, if he didn't think of it?
"I hope he thinks of me as I think of him." "Who?" The interrogator asks with a shroud of delight, it's the first sentence she may have said that had made any sense all day. Dilone smiles wearily, how was she supposed to put the words together in this human language? How was she to describe him, the indescribable?
                                                     ***
It's the first night in a week since they've put her into the holding room, she hasn't touched the water or eaten the food they've given her, it goes mostly unnoticed. Dilone never questioned being locked in the room after she was found, because she knew what the humans were trying to do. What questions are running through their minds. Which terrorist group, which cult, does the Bureau need to know about this? All questions that don't matter to her now. It slightly bemuses her to think that she was this particle in the universe that she was so microscopic she needn't see her reflection or ask how much space she was taking in the world because as a human it wasn't much. But now she was the space between, she was the unknown.
Now she saw the room widen, the world as many. Dilone looked out one of the three windows in her room and down to the forests below it was dark now and she could hear they were whispering. Their voices creating a current she could see with her own new eyes her long lashes blinking up at the moon. She didn't have to close her eyes and feel or guess what was out there, she could look out these windows and know everything she wanted to know. She could see even as a dead girl, she could see it all and take it.
No doors needed to come off the hinges, no keys were required for her to escape that room. She wanted out so she was out. Dilone walked the path outside the Venetian Isles satellite station outside New Orleans. She walked and walked until she found it.
A gas station of all things that didn't serve as such, an indicator being with the "NO GAS" sign nailed on the front door, but she walked in anyway and wandered the isles. She saw no one of her interest, even the cashier didn't seem appetizing enough, all the humans here looked off. They weren’t ghostly perhaps gangling, looming figures poor souls that always waited for something to come. 
Even with the watchful eye of the cashier, she strutted around the front of the store and leaned over the counter which drew him by surprise. "Blacks, and a lighter please." She asked with her soft voice. He obliged, rang her up and Dilone paid with cash she took from that guy she fed on back by the Rainier Bridge.
She left the store promptly and started to smoke, not that she was good at it or that she ever did smoke before, but just because.
She was throwing away the bud before she heard the lyric singing in her ear.
Forever mine, cuz I'm so glad cuz it gets better with time...
And just because the universe listens, there he was. Standing by his car parked next to the gas pumps that didn't work. He leaned against his car as if he had meant to be as if he was there all along and she didn't notice before.
The music glinted into the night air as it grooved from the stereo of his car, she faintly smiled listening to the last song she heard when he came for her that night.
Dilone was already walking to him right up to him, toe to toe.
They looked at one another and there he was. Her murderer. 
She knew it was him even if it wasn't his true face. She knew him from the outside in, from his black hair that lightly grayed at the sides, the wide-set eyes and the crinkles set around them as if he'd grown up laughing and smiling most of his life, and the thick eyelashes that decorated his doe eyes, his long nose and grainy beard she knew him. She even knew him from the voice he had yet to speak with.
Dilone tore her eyes away from him and looked at his car that played one of her favorite songs as she stood next to the thing she wanted to kill. Unsure if the feeling would subside she ignored the initial lure to light him on fire. Through his knowing face instead she took out her hand from her pocket and gave it out for him to shake. "I'm Dilone." She said because he ought to know, right? Even if he didn't care, he'd hear her name and never fucking forget it. Be easy to- maybe. But it would have been easy to forget him if she wanted but she hasn't for some reason. Guess it's just time to find out
I need what you need, you need what I need, we were made for each other.
"Where are you going?" She smiled gently, so gently the hinds of her molars were so oddly sharp, “And where’ve you been?” 
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cruddyborderlandstheories · 6 years ago
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i have so many theories!!! theyre all screaming at me!!! i must write out them all!!!!! 
so here’s one that’s been knocking around my head since finals week began:
the Writing 3 Playlist on Spotify 
I think this bad boy is a hint at the game’s timeline
maybe not 100% explanatory, but I think we can guess certain parts of the game through this
and i just wanna tell y’all now, almost all of this is speculation, as honestly im 90% sure the playlist was created bc it had borderlands-y songs in it (although the last few have me scratching my head)
lemme explain why im writing this, though I’m very thirsty for lore
tl;dr: game goes like this: lilith powers stolen. go to promethea, go to jungle, find brick mordy and tina, get into a fight, lose fight, go find other VHs, get into another fight, Krieg shows up to save Maya, maya die. (oh no she ded), the twins have their we are GODS moment, the VHs get summoned to the Eridian homeworld, there’s a huge ass final battle, someone attempts to create an end-of-the-world scenario
so the playlist itself was created to help one of the authors of the game get into their borderlands jam 
it starts with a Cage the Elephant song, “Trouble”, the band of which we all know wrote the first song used in BL1. Not really much else to say here, but we do know the opening cutscene of the game involves our current team of Vault Hunters being attacked by the Children of the Vault. this is, of course, not indicative of any songs used in bl3, but we can assume it captures the general feeling of the game.
Second song: “Fire” by Barns Courtney (holy shit I love this guy so fucking much!! if you’ve never listened to his music, PLEASE do so! I really recommend “Rather Die”- I am in the process of making a bl3 animatic to it actually lmao). 
So anyway, I’m just sayin’, the lyrics of this song...
“Oh, a thousand faces staring at me Thousand times I've fallen Thousand voices dead at my feet Now I'm gone... And my mother told me son let it be Sold my soul to the calling Sold my soul to a sweet melody Now I'm gone... Oh gimme that fire ...”
Honestly, I would not be surprised if this song was about Lilith’s loss of her powers. I mean, she used to call herself the Firehawk because she burned the shit outta bandits. c’monnn.
The man, the myth, the legend himself even says that "[The song is] quite defiant as well, like this cannot be how it ends, it cannot be my situation."
Mooooving on
“Majesty” by Apashe and Wasiu
holy fuck i love this song so much. and its so very obviously about the Calypso Twins- at the very least its Tyreen.
“All the stars and galaxies address me as your majesty So better say your majesty, I might react erratically Throw you in a fire, purify you I'm the sire, my empire's on the rise You better find yourself a place to hide Your place to find, but say it twice My name divine, I'm aimin' high Don't look in my face or eyes Take a bow and save your life Glory to the emperor, my temperature is risin' Always hot, it's getting violent”
I mean come on if its not when we meet the twins for the first time after they steal lily’s powers, then its definitely when they do something absolutely badass and really show us why they’re revered as gods. Possibly related to the Holy Broadcasting Center?
“The Way I Do” by Bishopp Briggs 
this one honestly had got me stumped as to its purpose, i lowkey kinda think its getting Sanctuary 3 up and running (and possibly meeting Maya for the first time- still not sure about that). I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a whole thing for Scooter and this song fits pretty well. I imagine we also meet Vaughn and the Children at some point, so maybe here?
“Greeting the Menace” by Zack Hemsey 
yeah i uhhhh dunno. This sounds like a song about a dude getting tortured which scares me a bit lmao. 
I thought maybe this song and the next 2 could be VH-based songs, as the next 2 have no lyrics whatsoever and the third is called “Best Friends”, but who knows... If this is the case I could make the argument this is about Zane or Moze, leaning towards Zane cuz he’s pretty covered up, plus I think “Best Friends” would be more Moze’s style lmao
I could also see this being a song about Troy... could explain all the ‘body mods’ and the missing arm.
“ProtoVision” by Kavinsky
If we’re going with the idea that these next few songs are about the Vault Hunters, then I imagine this would be Fl4k’s. It’s got that synth and some guitar which I think fits perfectly with his robo-hobo aesthetic lol
Other than that, I truly have no idea what part of the story this song could reference since there aren’t any lyrics. Maybe Promethea’s city? I could kinda see it, it sounds pretty high-tech
Similarly, “diatribe.” by Oliver Michael
the beginning gives me a whole meditation vibe which I kinda associate with Amara and her phasecast skill which “sends out an astral projection” of herself. 
Then again, this could be the outskirts of the Promethean city... I could see myself wandering around the huge ass foliage and discovering an abandoned research base to this song idk
“Best Friends” by grandson
aaahh i love grandson. I think this could be a Moze-based song. I just get that vibe from her leather jacket... anyway
I also could totally see this as discovering Brick, Mordecai, and Tina in the research base (if that truly is where they are). Cause we saw them in the trailer hanging out there. 
tbh the lyrics themselves kinda remind me of pre-Tales Rhys and Fiona and all their friends
“All of my best friends Like to go and get fucked up Then they talk about all the lives they never got to live Oh, they're still waiting for some sort of invitation It's never coming along, oh no, you'll get just what you give”
but idk if that’s what its meant for
“Bap U” by Party Favor
hmm another ‘lyricless’ song. not really lyric-less but uhhh the lyrics are pretty nonsensical lol
I could see there being a fight scene with Brick Tina and Mordy as AIs helping out here, maybe exploring the abandoned research base?
“Not Human” by elegant slims 
oh you know what im going to say here hahaha
monster troy p l e a s e
i wouldn’t be surprised if Tyreen started accumulating more powers here, like perhaps the previous fight scene was over the Vault on Promethea and the twins were able to access it before us? and Tyreen gives the Vault Monster the succ
“Crack in the seams You're breaking through The animal inside of you You're not human anymore... Your eyes go black electric blue The animal inside of you Life on a string Watch it swing Hide your teeth”
and one (or both) of the twins start going feral lol
“Way Down We Go” by KALEO
one (1) fear and that’s that someone dies during the scene that corresponds to this song
hopefully its just the boys being depressed over a loss instead of a victory, but oof
anyway, you know what they say: “sometimes you gotta fall before you make it big” ;) thats a typhon deleon quote
“I’m a Wanted Man” by Royal Deluxe
I want to believe these next few songs are us recruiting the rest of the Vault Hunters not seen yet
I kinda associate this one with Axton since his whole History with DAHL, but who knows! It could be Gaige, too. or Maya since she looks like she’s being incredibly gay criminal on the Maliwan Monastery planet. Maybe both Axton and Gaige? I would love that
“The Devil You Know” by X Ambassadors 
Could also be Axton! I lowkey think its Salvador or Timothy Lawrence. The reason I think its Timothy is cuz the whole song gives me huge Handsome Jack vibes, but it could also be Sal cuz I totally imagine him becoming a bounty hunter to fund his gun addiction lmao
“00000 Million” by Ella Vos
this one also gives off Maya vibes imo. I wouldn’t be surprised if this one is about her and the introduction of Little Blue. I could also see Athena and Janey here, just living their lives out in a cottage somewhere. awww
“Jungle” by Tash Sultana
Ahh a love song [pukes] Hopefully this one is about Athena and Janey, cuz there is a depressing lack of both of them in all the trailers we’ve seen! It sounds lowkey sad, though. I hope nothing happened to them D:
“Don’t Wait Up” by Dustbowl Revival
this one gives me very big Fiona and Sasha vibes. 
Of course, there’s also the fact that the song is about a dad, and we still don’t know who the heck “the Father” is on all those Calypsos posters. We also dunno who in the heck “Mother” is, either. Sounds like Father left the cult, though, oof, and Mother stuck around. Wonder what that’s all about, maybe he felt like the twins were working fast/efficient enough and left to do things himself? Very lost on this idea tbh. the song seems very out of place, but it has to connect to something, yknow?
“Dies Irae” by Apashe and Black Prez
For those of you who don’t speak fluent Latin (the fuck guys?? lmao jk), the title means "Day of Wrath". Nice, nice, nice. 
the lyrics, you might be asking:
“'Cause I'ma beast. Where you at? I've been unleashed. Whatchu doin'? Sink my teeth. Y'all can't fathom I'ma beast”
me: [vibrating in my seat] monster twins monster twins monster twins monster twins
at the very least this is definitely a fight scene here. Probably with the twins again (hopefully). Maybe they found some way to imbue the cultists with fucked up powers and are sending them against the VHs as giant demon things and as we fight through the temple (apparently with some Guardians) we realize the final one is Troy and/or Tyreen?
I like to imagine this is where Maya gets her powers stolen, if only because the next few songs... I think she’s around because she’s now the only person with Siren powers on the side of the Crimson Raiders, so they might need her help with the Vault in some way
“RAMPAGE” by GRAVEDGR
y’all wonder why I seemingly forgot about Krieg in the above songs? Well, this is why. 
The only lyric for this entire song is “Bitch, I'm on a rampage- mask on my damn face”
I mean come on, Krieg with his psycho mask on, the fact his action skill is literally called “Buzz Axe Rampage”, the fact he loves Maya as shown in his introductory trailer... it’d be so perfect. And I bet badass psycho Krieg would be the only thing able to beat back whatever’s attacking at the moment. I’m just imagining him smashing down a wall and going apeshit
“Black Out Days” by Phantograms
Another song I think is about Krieg and Maya. I don’t think Maya does too hot in this game, I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if she gets the Roland treatment if you know what I’m saying. I wonder if this causes Krieg to devolve back into insanity cause the whole song seems to focus around that. I hope not D:
“Hide the sun I will leave your face out of my mind You should save your eyes A thousand voices howling in my head Speak in tongues I don't even recognize your face Mirror on the wall Tell me all the ways to stay away”
To be honest I could also see it being that Maya gets her powers stolen and thoughtlock-ed by the twins to fight on their side (as she’s seen fighting with the big demon elemental things), and maybe we have to kill her or hurt her in some way to get her to stop attacking us. God I hope not.
Let’s hope this is someway about the twins and definitely not about our favorite Siren and/or Psycho
“The Finishing” by Stavroz
oof i think somebody dies... If its not Maya, my best guess is Krieg or Lilith. Maybe Mordecai or Brick? Oh I hope not, I love both of them way too much for it to be healthy. But, hey, at least Tina learned some coping mechanisms :(
“Intro” and “Apocalypse Please” by Muse
merged these into 1 because Intro is like 15 seconds long and is literally the introduction to Apocalypse Please. 
Definitely reaching the end of the game here... 
“And it's time we saw a miracle Come on, it's time for something biblical To pull us through And pull us through And this is the end This is the end Of the world Proclaim eternal victory Come on and change the cause of history And pull us through”
I think the twins (or whoever may have become the main villain- perhaps the Eridians?) have claimed victory/gotten the ultimate power in one way or another, and/or this is the Crimson Raiders getting themselves ready for a final stand-off with the big bad evil guy. 
I would really love if there’s a scene right at the end of this where the Twins have their huge “BOW TO ME” moment and then they just get COMPLETELY obliterated by a new villain. Just absolutely decimated.
New villain, like if they opened a Vault and whatever was being imprisoned there just wipes the floor with them (something like the Destroyer, if not the Destroyer itself), or fuck shit maybe even Tannis? or the Eridians looking for help in the war. or the Eridians bringing war. Who knows!
Again, could just be the Twins having gotten their hands on the end-game material, like realizing they can turn troy into big demon fuck (no i am not letting this one go) and we are kinda fucked now.
“Free Animal” by Foreign Air
I... have no idea lol
maybe Krieg getting rescued, maybe (one of?) the twins getting recruited by the Raiders for the final fight? It could fit into the ‘Beast’ imagery. Fuck, maybe even rescuing/finding Typhon or something? Idk, im kinda in the party that Typhon is going to be coming back some way or another lol, I’d love to meet the guy
“Dreams” by ZHU and Nero
This definitely sounds like a new BBEG has just been introduced or the big bads just entered the final phase of their plan, like the Crimson Raiders just learned about something life-changing and this is their “oh shit” moment
i wanna believe that the Eridians or another alien race (like the Seraphs!) are going to come in at the ‘end’ of the game and the Watcher is gonna be like “bitch did you really think I thought these dumbass ECHOnet streamers were the epitome of War??” I imagine we’d be on the side of the Eridians here, since y’know, the Watcher came to us for help.
Of course, the twins could still be the BBEG and have gotten their hands on that universe-destroying power that was described on the website (”to recover a map to ancient Vaults and prevent a universe-destroying power from falling into the wrong hands”) so maybe the Eridians called us in in order to meet and get help against the COV?
“Beyond the Fray” by Cassandra Violet
personally i think this one is about the Eridian homeworld
“I'll mark the day When we can meet beyond the fray Don't lose the will to see your home You find the way so we can meet beyond the fray I'll fight to see that you get home Consider this small clue Look beyond your point of view Make a space for honesty hide“
Wouldn’t even be surprised if someone made a sacrifice so we could get there... I imagine its hidden somewhere in the alternate dimension or wherever the Vaults lead to so it couldn’t be found, so maybe Lilith’s got her powers back at this point and she sacrifices herself to send us there?
idk...
“Outside the Realm” by Big Giant Circles
ah yes, another reason I think the end of the game involves the Eridian homeworld in some way. Have you heard this?? huge “we just stumbled upon a long-lost-alien-planet” vibe. I love it. Maybe even just a shot of Sanctuary III slowly gliding over the giant planet, having just exited phasewalk. God yes
“Battle Royale” by Apashe
another reason i think the final fight is some giant battlefield/wave fight instead of just against 1 or 2 enemies. not to mention the fact that the VH skills we’ve seen so far are crowd control based instead of raid boss focused. 
Its likely the VHs against the Cult of the Vault, but if we defeat the Twins halfway through the game, then the Cult will dissolve on its own. Either way, I really really really really really want a huge fight against an army. I don’t care if its against the Children of the Vault, the Eridians/some Guardians, or if its against the Seraphs or a new set of aliens we’re gonna get (maybe whatever the Destroyer was/is?). idk idc i just want a huge battle. I imagine we’re on the Eridians’ side, as I said above, but who knows, maybe the Watcher went rogue. 
oh and also, the next song:
“Doomsday” by NERO
oh hey, I recognize this song, it’s giving me major BL2 flashbacks lmao
Also the last song in the playlist, which is giving me the big fear (tm)
I imagine that we wouldn’t have been brought to the Eridian homeworld if it wasn’t kind of a huge deal, and what’s more of a huge deal than the end of the universe?!
that’s what i’d call doomsday, anyway.
could be the reason the Eridians are coming out of hiding after all this time. Either to stop our dumb human asses from opening the Vaults, or to get help against these alien fucks because our dumb human asses keep destroying their first line of defense- the Vault Monsters.
If the twins actually DO remain the main villains throughout the whole game, then I imagine this is them prepping to destroy the universe
but maaaan i really want some aliens... maybe the universe destroying power IS the aliens? aw hell yeah
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comicteaparty · 6 years ago
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May 13th-May 19th, 2019 CTP Archive
The archive for the Comic Tea Party week long chat that occurred from May 13th, 2019 to May 19th, 2019.  The chat focused on Damsels Don’t Wear Glasses by J Alice Bown.
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RebelVampire
COMIC TEA PARTY- WEEK LONG BOOK CLUB START!
Hello and welcome everyone to Comic Tea Party’s Week Long Book Club~! This week we’ll be focusing on Damsels Don’t Wear Glasses by J Alice Bown~! (http://damsels-dont-wear-glasses.com/)
You are free to read and comment about the comic all week at your own pace, so stop on by whenever it suits your schedule! Remember, though, that while we allow constructive criticism, our focus is to have fun and appreciate the comic. Below you will find four questions to get you started on the discussion. However, a new question will be posted and pinned everyday (between 12:01AM and 6AM PDT), so keep checking back for more! You have until May 19th to tell us all your wonderful thoughts! With that established, let’s get going on the reading and the chatting!
QUESTION 1. What has been your favorite scene in the comic so far? What specifically did you like about it?
QUESTION 2. In so far, what aspect of the world-building catches your interest the most? Why is that so? Also, what theories do you have in regards to differences between places like Persephone and Hestia?
Delphina
For serious scenes, I think I gotta go with the big swordy magic scene where she saves Jake from being crushed by the statue (http://damsels-dont-wear-glasses.com/?comic_id=202) because the lighting effects are gorgeous and seeing Lave doing big magic stuff with her sword was really really cool. For silly scenes, the one that always sticks with me is Lave trying to be a host and failing miserably. (http://damsels-dont-wear-glasses.com/?comic_id=123)
keii4ii
2) I really liked this page. http://damsels-dont-wear-glasses.com/index.php?comic=20180423 How she just asks a random person on the street for a magic shortcut and gets an answer right away. While it's always been clear that magic is an ordinary thing, this kind of little details really shows exactly how ordinary.
Capitania do Azar
I really like the prologue, particularly the part where they climb the lamppost. There's just so much character into the entire scene, and the exchanges are really cool. It's a very strong beginning for a story too, imo!!
2) http://damsels-dont-wear-glasses.com/index.php?comic=20130423 I really think this part has a lot to show about world building like, here's this weird magical event going on, but everyone is just "I was just trying to show you something cool urg" and "well this ain't it"
duskglass
for the worldbuilding, i especially love the variety of creatures/nonhumans we've seen so far, and how well integrated they are with the setting! it's got a classic urban fantasy vibe while also being very fresh and unique
RebelVampire
QUESTION 3. At the moment, who is your favorite character? What about that character earns them this favor?
QUESTION 4. What do you think Lave’s backstory is? Do you think she got all her scars from her job, or might some of them predate her job somehow? How do you think Jake will change the way Lave handles and deals with her life?
ClauseArt
heeey I just saw this! This is my comic! Thanks for taking the time to read it! c8
RebelVampire
1) i definitely gotta go with the scene where jake is in dream world like place with aishe. I really love how this scene just suddenly adds 1000 layers of mystery. Plus, i really just love the change in color scheme. It really gives it this other worldly feel that gives me goosebumps. Plus, I also just like Aishe's design. 2) I've really been enjoying the differences in magic. Like, for example, how most zombies actually suck cause ya know...theyre dead. I feel this adds such a great twist what we expect, cause every change I feel fits a more logical setup for what the magic does. Again, like how the zombie thing makes 1000% sense cause dead bodies are not the sturdiest. I am curious about why Lave had such a reaction to Hestia magic schools, but I don't have any theories outside of magic must be viewed very differently in places.
3) Kestrel because he's such a precious failure at life. Like...he just cannot catch a break and for some reason that makes him super endearing to me. Plus now hes got the whole aishe connection thing going on so that makes him double interesting. But mostly I want to boop him for all his failures. 4) I would think some of her scares would have to predate her job. Cause she's...she's got a lot of them. And considering she mentioned having been in jail, I'm kind of struck with the idea that maybe she ran with a gang or something. She super gives me the impression of someone who mostly raised herself and didnt have a huge loving family involved in teaching her how to deal with life. I think Jake will be a good influence on her though and teach her to be more careful. Cause she seems very fun loving and reckless, and while that can work when youre solo, its not great when you have other ppl. Like i think the Kestrel thing was a good example cause I felt Lave perhaps was too loose cannon with it, which semi resulted in Kestrel almost kicking the bucket. And Jake is like 1000 times more fragile, and I think it'll force Lave to see that she cant protect anybody if she goes around without a plan.
ClauseArt
@Capitania do Azar that scene with Kest and lave interacting around the lamp-post was actually the moment I decided Kest worked well as a main character. He was honestly going to die in the original draft. @keii4ii thanks! I super love just....the mundane feeling of everyday magic. @Delphina Honestly Lave just being a f--k up is probably my fav part of writing her character, especially for comedic effect XD Next to drawing glowy magic scenes of course.(edited)
@RebelVampire Oh wow this is a lot. Thank you! ;-; dammit I really can't respond to these kind of questions cus spoilers. But I'm glad you noticed a lot of my characters having...well a habit of messing up (and Lave did not handle that first chap well cough) XD Also Aishe is my fav character to draw, because Kest is my fav character to draw only its + because glowy effects. I do really like when more real world logic is put in fantasy, like corpses making for bad heavy hitters unless they're in a swarm. So I'm super glad you liked that!
Capitania do Azar
4. If Lave's style has always been what we've seen so far, then all those scars don't surprise me at all! They'd be the natural consequence of past encounters, work related or otherwise. It just kinda feels that everything ends with someone getting punched around her
3. I've really liked pretty much everyone, but I think Lave's my favorite cuz she's sturdy but messy and I feel there's a lot to be learned about her aha
And also she prolly also has a lot to learn
RebelVampire
QUESTION 5. What has been your favorite illustration in the comic so far? What specifically about it do you like?
QUESTION 6. Why do you think Jake is in Persephone with no guardian? What theories do you have on Jake’s hatred of non-humans? Will Jake be able to overcome his prejudice?
Capitania do Azar
6. Jake feels a lot like is somebody important's family but important could mean a lot of things. And has for his discomfort, I think it mostly stems from not knowing/being used to all this magic, which gives me the idea that some of these cities are less magical than others
5. Not an illustration, but I really love how in the last pages, as the sun rises, the colors become brighter and the sky becomes pink!!
It really helps bringing home the feeling that the night is over and the quietness of early morning, which is kinda fitting since they also stopped fighting
Delphina
I think I gotta go with Lave as my favorite character too because competent + ridiculous + magical +swordy is my entire jam so she's sorta the best of all worlds. Gena holds a special place in my heart too because she's clearly trying to keep a lot of things together.
Illustration-wise, I love how things like Jake's anxiety (http://damsels-dont-wear-glasses.com/?comic_id=198) or Chirovision (http://damsels-dont-wear-glasses.com/?comic_id=237) or Aisheland (http://damsels-dont-wear-glasses.com/?comic_id=225) traveling through magic spaces (http://damsels-dont-wear-glasses.com/index.php?comic=20170501) make the palette and rendering different depending on the mood. Really good use of a more abstract style to convey tone and worldbuilding.
(Now I want there to be a DDWG theme park where there's weird places like Aisheland)
varethane
Lave is my fave!!!! I love her goofy attitude paired with how much butt she kicks when it's necessary. I love seeing people underestimate her and then get surprised, haha.(edited)
My favourite illustration is.... hard to pick, but probably this page: http://damsels-dont-wear-glasses.com/?comic_id=206
Capitania do Azar
oh yeah, I really love the color work for those scenes, it carries out the emotions very well
RebelVampire
QUESTION 7. Which characters do you enjoy seeing interact the most? What about their dynamic interests you?
QUESTION 8. For what purpose do you think someone sold Kestrel the cursed orb? How does this tie into the axe theft mystery Lave is asked to solve? What overall is going on regarding these illegal items, and how will it tie into the story?
Capitania do Azar
7. Anything that comes out of Kestrel's mouth is gold, but when he and Lave bicker it's even better!!!
Please just let them bicker more for my amusement
8. It really feels like someone's around trying to spread SOME mayhem and if one object was possessed then maybe it's not the only one... could be a tricky situation
Delphina
Will second that Lave and Kest definitely need to bicker more
RebelVampire
5) im kind of cheating by saying i really like the extra page about the leylines http://damsels-dont-wear-glasses.com/index.php?comic=20160620 its really simplistic yet i think the illustrations work super well to help convey all the world-building information. its just a nice combo of huge info drop with some pleasant visual accompaniment 6) I assume Jake is probably an orphan from some important family? Or that Jake's family is super high up in rank somehow and just went "nah man we dont want this kid no more." while i def think some of jake's hate comes from ignorance, i also get the impression that jake had a bad experience with non-humans. something about jake's reactions just really strike me as ptsd. overall yeah, i think jake is gonna have to overcome it. plus, exposure breeds familiarity. its hard to be in the lion's den and continue to hate the lions.
7) jake and basically any non-human. I really just enjoy seeing jake's various reactions of "eww no" and then having to be confronted with the fact that not all non-humans are bad. It just makes me more and more curious about jake's past. plus, all these interactions really serve as a great tracking devices for how jake evolves in opinion. 8) With Kestrel, I kind of think someone is trying to draw Aishe out. I mean Aishe does have pretty neat butterflies and powers, so I can't blame them. Though I assume its a revenge thing cause I get the impression ppl arent all that happy with Aishe. But thus why other illegal items are being involved because you need powerful stuff to get to the powerful people.
Desnik
That leyline page is gorgeous and informative, I love the combo of worldbuilding and infographics
RebelVampire
QUESTION 9. What sorts of art or story details have you noticed in the way the comic is crafted that you think deserves attention?
QUESTION 10. Who exactly is Aishe and what are their goals? What does this have to do with the undead from the first chapter? Why did Aishe help Jake? What will Lave do when she learns about Aishe?
RebelVampire
QUESTION 11. What do you think are this particular comic’s strengths? What do you think makes this comic unique? Please elaborate.
QUESTION 12. What do you think the story with Chiro is? How did he wind up as Lave’s roommate? Will Chiro and Jake learn to get along? Also, do you think there might be anything special about Chiro that might affect the story?
AshAngelV
6. I think he's come from an entirely different world that doesn't have non humans and magic.
AshAngelV
11. The world building and color scheme are definitely strong points. It feels fully fleshed out and magical, but also very grounded like it's this amazing magical place that's also totally normal. Also, the characters. Having a bunch of flawed characters with baggage is always more interesting than having perfect characters with no problems and even the bit characters feel dynamic. Like they have their own story and interests rather than being part of the scenery exsisting only for the MCs to interact with.
RebelVampire
9) The thing I appreciate the most details wise is just the physical flaws. Especially Lave's scars. Adding details like that can be really tedious, yet it really helps deliver so much character that I always enjoy when the time is taken to include things like that. 10) I feel like Aishe is probably some necromancer from the past who is trying to rectify a mistake that was made. I think Aishe helped for the reason they said: Jake did a kindness and gotta pay that shit forward. I feel like Lave is 100% not going to trust aishe and basically just encourage everyone to do the same. Maybe suggest Kestral seek professional help. But yeah, I don't see a green butterfly person flying with Lave XD 11) I think this comic's strengths lie in two areas. First, the implementation of magic. There are clear rules, there's enough deviations from the standard to be interesting, and the fact its presented as a normal culture thing is well-integrated. second, the color palettes are really amazing and suit the tone and atmosphere of each scene really well. 12) I feel like Chiro might be a bit special since that one person did wonder what species Chiro was or something like that. And that because of this specialness Chiro was outcasted. Hence why he wound up with Lave cause ya know, outcasts gotta stick together. I think Chiro and Jake will bond for sure down the road. Cause i mean Chiro did just help save Jake's butt, and thats gotta earn him some Jake points right?
AshAngelV
12. I think Chiro might be a vamp that just stays in bat form or maybe only has bat form.
RebelVampire
QUESTION 13. What are you most looking forward to in the comic? Also, do you have any final thoughts to share overall?
QUESTION 14. What do you think Kestrel’s role will be in regards to the larger story? Can Kestral and Aishe be detached from one another, or is the attachment permanent?
AshAngelV
14. I think he'll be the guy that's in a constant state of terror and peril. And I think the detaching will be up to Aishe.
ClauseArt
man its super hard not to chime in on these ahhh D8
Delphina
Rebel makes such good questions XDD
varethane
I am looking forward to several things! - what is Jake's deal and how is he linked to aishe -Lave's bite mark scar!!!! what is it!!!!!! -what will Kest do next -more Lave plz(edited)
RebelVampire
@Delphina thank you for saying so~!
13) im looking forward to more aishe doing aishe stuff just cause i dig that aesthetic a whole lot. im also looking forward to learning more about jake so more concrete theories can be made about wtf jake's deal is. and also why nobody else could take jake besides lave cause i mean seriously...theres gotta be more sane choices XD 14) Kest is gonna become a real mage and do magic stuff. also ya know, hide out with lave cause now the ppl he owes money too are probably gonna be out for blood. as for detaching...maybe not so much. i more feel like once Aishe is done with their tasks, their essence will just kind of disappear and merge with kest.
AshAngelV
Hang in there Clause.
ClauseArt
@AshAngelV I will try D8
I can at least promise a lot of these theories are gonna be answered sooner or later
RebelVampire
COMIC TEA PARTY- WEEK LONG BOOK CLUB END!
Thank you everyone so much for reading and chatting about Damsels Don’t Wear Glasses this week! Please also give a special thank you to J Alice Bown for volunteering the comic and creating it! If you liked Damsels Don’t Wear Glasses, make sure to continue to support it via some of the links below!
Read and Comment: http://damsels-dont-wear-glasses.com/
J Alice’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JAliceBown
J Alice’s Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/A732E2D
J Alice’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlicesBrainPad/
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attract-mode-collective · 6 years ago
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An Arcade Grows in Brooklyn (Or At Least Is Trying To)
Perhaps it's still the case... perhaps it has always been the case.... all I know with absolute certainty is how, during a certain point, circa the early 2010s, a decent number of people were very much interested in opening and operating their very own arcade around these parts. These parts being New York City and surrounds areas.
Said individuals would, understandably, seek advice from an expert. And for reasons that may seem obvious to some, one person who was often enlisted was Kotaku's editor in chief, Stephen Totilo. And cuz it ain't quite his domain, Steve would then pass everyone along to someone more knowledgeable, that being me.
I spoke to a variety of individuals, each with their own unique vision...or so they thought. In reality, they were all essentially identical: everyone just wanted a place to hang out and play video games with their friends. They also figured that there would be enough other people wanting to same, enough to quit their day jobs and make a living off of them. To each and every one I said the same basic thing: don't do it.
Hey, I love arcades, I really do, and wish there was more of them. But I also don't like the idea of someone completely wasting away his life savings, just for a place for him and his buds to play Halo 3 or Rock Band 2 all night long. To be more exact, I don't like the idea of being someone who could have prevented such a thing from happening.
Just the other week, My Life In Gaming was in town; before swinging by Connecticut for some retro gaming con, there was a pit stop in NYC. Am assuming Coury wanted to catch up with family, being a Brooklyn native and all; perhaps to maximize his time, a meet-up was also planned. At an arcade. One that I had never heard of before.
The oddly named I Fix Machine Arcade was located in my old stomping grounds of Sunset Park, around three of four blocks away from a former residence; when I left in 2007, that part of Brooklyn was just starting to become gentrified, so I was hardly shocked to discover that the location was inside some freshly erected and ultra-trendy office loft space.
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Once inside the front door, I was immediately lost; as with similar spaces, you’ve got an ultra-chic decor with zero signage, cuz that would either clash or something. A guy then walked in after me, saw that I was clueless, and pointed towards the fourth floor. Where there was no arcade. This led me to going up and down the entire building (via stairs since I feared the lack of security codes would impede my search), until I finally came across it on the first floor. The door was manned by the proprietor... the same guy who led me astray. Guess I didn't look like an arcade goer or something.
Anyhow, once again: it's an arcade! In an office space! Most of the games are running off of Japanese candy cabs, Versus City machines to be exact. You also have a Neo Geo MVS, an exposed NAOMI 2 attached to a Raspberry Pi (supplying the roms) and a Sega Saturn (doing what I have no idea), a high-end PC running Steam, plus more. There's even an area for live-streaming... quite the impressive set-up.
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And near the entrance is a table, where the aforementioned proprietor had an open PC in front of him. Christopher is an energetic, buoyant fellow, whom I had a hard time understanding, though his enthusiasm clearly came across. I asked quite a few things and received many answers. Kinda, sorta.
My first question, of course: what's this arcade about? Christopher immediately went into his sales pitch, about it being a home for gamers, hearkening back to a time in which arcades ruled supreme, before the internet & online gaming, where you breathed the same air space with other players, yada yada yada, the same thing I've heard legit a hundred times before. I then asked, seriously, what's the deal here.
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First, a bit about Christopher: I was surprised to learn that he was in his mid-to-late 30s, given his youthful appearance, though even more impressive is how he taught himself to repair computers in the late 90s, before the advent of YouTube.  I'm not sure what came first, the computer repair business or the arcade, but I did discover out that he owes everything to a guy named Jose Cruz. The way Christopher reverentially addressed Jose, it was like hearing the Pope refer to Jesus Christ Himself.
At the very least, Christopher acted like I should have known who Jose was... cuz I guess he's kind of a big deal? A combination of clues and blind guesses led to the assumption that the legend of Jose Cruz was somehow connected to local fight game scene and associated territories. Specifically the original Chinatown Fair crew, which later made a home for themselves at Next Level. Speaking of, I asked if there was any competition between I Fix Machine Arcade and Next Level Arcade, and the response was a somewhat sheepish "no... not anymore”.
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Not long after my visit, I would discover that I Fix Machine and Next Level are in the same neighborhood, just a block away (the latter had initially chosen Brooklyn’s Chinatown as its new home-base). Again, no idea who came to the area first, but after some unspecified turf warfare, it would appear that everyone is friendly for now. I get the impression that one will go to whichever Arcade depending on one’s interest in a particular fame and the associated community built around it. I got the impression that I Fix Machine was the place for Tekken devotees.
Back to Jose: I would also discover that much of his fame... from what I was able to discover after the fact myself... is due his technical prowess. He knows his way around the back of an arcade machine and has produced a number of noteworthy mods. As such, Jose also taught Christopher everything he knows about servicing arcade cabs. I asked if, in addition to PCs, arcade games could also be repaired, since I know a few owners who might appreciate such a resource… didn’t get a straight answer. I then asked what the hours were: “2am to midnight”. I assumed he meant 2pm to midnight. Days of operation? Wednesday through Sunday. Cost of playing games? $10.
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While asking questions I noticed a steady stream of patrons trickling into I Fix Machine Arcade, all clearly regulars. It then hit me, the similarities between this place and all the others that had been proposed to me, which I had nixed: these customers all seemed to know each other... they were all friends, friends who were paying to hang out with each other. I suppose seeing it in action made me realize that such a business model wasn't that insidious after all. Or entirely unique; it's no different than a club house or lodge, where the members pay dues to help keep the lights on. It just so happens that the doors are opened to the general public.
Yet the question remains: how many more friends can such a place attract? I was also reminded of my initial visit to Next Level several years ago, when Henry Cen had just begun operations. Someone close to Cen at the time divulged to me plans for a Next Level in Queens after the Brooklyn location. Then another one in the Bronx. Of course there would be one in Manhattan, with NJ to follow. I wondered back then if Cen had enough friends to fulfill such a master plan. Last I heard, the move from Brooklyn Chinatown to Sunset Park resulted in a reduction of square footage.
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Back to Christopher: I asked how long I Fix Machine Arcade had been in business: about 6 months. I then asked how promotions were handled, and Christopher explained that he had been extolling the virtues of his haven for hardcore gamers “everywhere”: Twitter, Facebook, Twitch, Discord, etc. It’s at this point in which any objectivity as an investigative journalist began to wash away and my years as a promoter for events began to take over. I explained that online forums can only go so far… to really get the word out, especially on a local level, one had to do it the old fashioned way. And that’s the plaster the city with stickers and flyers, as well as make appearances at events. In the flesh. Places like Penny Arcade Expo, New York Comic Con, AnimeNYC, and especially MAGFest.
Christopher admitted to me that he had heard of those places, but never been to them (at least to conduct business). At that exact moment, a person who had just put down his $10 for the entrance fee also noted that he had just put down money for a MAGFest hotel room, which had just become available to the pubic earlier that afternoon. This unidentified individual told Christopher, “Hey man, it’s hype; you need to go there, tell everyone about IFM!” Christopher smiled and nodded in agreement.
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I figured it was time to ask the hardball questions. First… any trouble with the neighbors? Not surprisingly, other offices in the building have called the cops to complain, resulting in several visits. But Christopher glossed over the details and offered a positive spin, by saying that each visit ends with cops hanging out and playing games. Quite the positive outcome, far more so than similar visits by the fuzz to other DIY venues I’ve been at or associated with.
I asked other questions, like what was the age range of his customers (Christopher claimed between 6 to 60, which I found a bit hard to swallow) and what was the average number of customers on a given day (he stated about 10, and given the number of regulars present, I found that to be a tad bit more plausible). Eventually, it was time for the hardest question of them all: is I Fix Machine Arcade making any money?
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The answer was surprisingly honest and to the point, given the numerous canned responses I had been give: no. Yet... he and Jose (who I believe is the co-owner) know that it takes a year or two for any business to get its footing... or so they say. And I was told that they were ready for the road ahead. Now, given the surprise response to my inquiry about MAGFest, I have to wonder about that. Then again, I suppose things are truly only getting started.
Objectively speaking, the pieces are all there: I Fix Machine Arcade has the space, one that’s fairly accessible (it’s close by a major subway hub in South Brooklyn), it definitely has the gear (I honestly can't recall a larger assortment of Japanese arcade hardware in the Big Apple), and thus far, it has a loyal legion of customers. I hope I Fix Machine Arcade, I want it to survive, but do I believe it will when all is said and done? Well…
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I almost forgot: the meet-up. It was actually a combination My Life In Gaming/RetroRGB gathering. Which is also when RetroRGB sat down with Jose Cruz himself for an hour long chat, for those interested...
youtube
... I was expecting an Antiques Roadshow-type gathering, but with modded retro gaming hardware, and that's basically what I got. Here's my buddy Jessen showing off some wacky RGB mod for the Super Famicom that sends its signal via the cart?
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Eventually, when the party was officially in full swing of course, I remember how long my subway ride back home to the Bronx would be, so it was time to head out...
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yiminsuu · 3 years ago
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Your Goddess (1/3)
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Pairing: Dream/Morpheus x F!Reader
Warnings: Angst, unrequited love, reader was attacked by the Corinthian, anxiety issues, depression, forbidden love, sexual tension, Matthew tries to cheer reader up, mentions of Calliope and Orpheus, reader is a Virtue.
Author’s Note: Writing a miniseries because I love him so much, also cuz we’re all hungry, and sorry because in this first part there’s no Dream.
↳ Part 2
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My eyes stare at the hot chocolate in my arms, a small present from my brother, he was on his way to the second job of his eternal life, to make sure a little boy stops bullying a classmate. It wasn't awkward, but I knew he could feel my energy decreasing and it made me panic because I didn't want him to tell Father. I'm fine, I have to, but with each passing day my miracles seem to not affect humans, and so I shut myself in my apartment.
An angel? Depressed? Yes, I think so.
It has been a long time since I came to the realm of Humans, and job after job I would see how different they are from how I initially thought. Very... Very different... Perhaps that's my reason as to why I don't stay with a human for long, I didn't stay with anyone. Until I met him...
An Endless, the King of Dreams and Nightmares. Morpheus.
The Hierarchy is to stay away from Demons, Gods, and the children of Mother Night, it has been like this since our dear Samael was banished.
It was a strange encounter, I ridiculously believed he would attack me, but he didn't and instead required aid to catch one of his nightmares, the Corinthian. Years ago, one of my sisters had taken an opportunity with a man which 'collected a certain body part', she begged to go back to our siblings.
Dream appeared cold and humorless, and can be insensitive in some instances, yet there was something that forced me to stay by his side, and I was so scared when he went to Hell I wouldn't stop passing around. He caressed my (H/C) hair so sweetly when he came back safe, my chest felt like it was about to burst open, and millions of butterflies would embrace our forms as if dancing joyfully.
I remember the first time I experienced a dream, a gorgeous and serene ambient that left me breathless when I woke from it. Angels are forbidden to have these pleasures, so I haven't slept for a month after that, distressed regarding how many more nights he influenced me to sin. I smiled nervously. Dream is doing that on purpose, and I was happy even if his intentions were for me to fall from divinity.
I carried on the job of finding the 'collectors' many of my siblings spoke about as Dream restored his realm, and after weeks of not hearing from him, I grew anxious, so anxious that I felt shameful of looking at my brother in the eyes.
Then... The Corinthian found me.
Brutal, intense, teeth, that's all I remember after escaping, my wings leading me home. I needed an hour to heal completely, never before has it taken so long and where the pain was gone, all I wanted was to be with Morpheus. My brother obliged because Dream was in the house where his next job was supposed to be, and when I saw the scene in front of me, my heart was crushed.
"Brother... My chest hurts. Like broken ribs. Like a flower was just cut. Like a bird who lost its wings..."
My dear sibling took me to my apartment, and I stayed in bed for the rest of the week. I was left alone with my wandering thoughts, something like this shouldn't hurt me, but it does, so deep it was like a wound. Is this bitterness? Every time my mind flashes back to that moment, I am left with a sour taste in my mouth, and my lips were unable to open to taste the chocolate. Dream and Calliope, together, both physically and emotionally. Their expressions of soothing love affected me in multiple ways, lovers reunited after millennia of suffering from the death of their son, Orpheus had died when my brother was born.
The gods and demons have no rules on who they should marry or love, or even have sex with. I'm jealous, SO, SO jealous. And I feel malicious.
For the first time, I cried. And didn't stop weeping.
My white wings and star halo revealed themselves to the darkness of the living room, illuminating even the darkest corner. Now I understand why Father is strict with his children, sentiment and emotion are only reserved for those that live below, for us it's harmful and poisonous. Angels live to solemnly protect humans, nothing more.
I heard tapping in the window, a raven was hitting the glass with its beak, and I opened it with a movement of my wing. The raven flew to me and we stayed quiet as we watched the lights of the city. "I'm sorry if I offend you, but how long has it been since you slept?" My head turns to Matthew, the emissary of Dream. I never needed sleep, not since I was born, and now something has changed. "Weeks. He can watch me when I sleep, and I hate that he makes me dream."
"Uuhh, why? There's no way someone can hate dreaming." I let out a small chuckle, but the smile quickly vanished from my lips. "I am a Virtue, an angel is prohibited from dreaming. Morpheus knew this... And he still delivered me dreams."
"Gee sounds like being an angel sucks." He's not wrong, maybe a few months prior I would have denied that, but knowing everything I'm missing while the other realms can have them... "You know that-- I have to tell him you are not in the greatest shape right now. Maybe he can come over and help you." I shook my head, my wings shaking panicky. "Don't. I don't want him near me, he ruins me in every way possible. If he really worried he would've been here and you know that." Matthew stood quiet at my rash honesty, but it's something he knows it's true. I exhaled softly. "What I'm feeling is love, and if I stand around like this I will fall, never again see and care for my siblings, or my father, I will lose everything... And it would be Dream's fault."
"(Y/N), you have to speak with him, or perhaps send a message, knowing that I am, you know, HIS messenger or some sort??"
"I refuse to seek him, there's nothing in this world that will make me. I will break as soon as I look into his eyes... And my wings will turn black." Matthew flies in front of me, landing on the table. "You worry more about your wings than your feelings? Look, everyone at some point in their life is going to experience love. And, you know what? It's probably one of the most painful things a person has to go through. I'm not going to lie, when you get your heart broken it feels like it shattered into million pieces, it feels like your heart is being shredded to pieces, cut up, and thrown in the trash, left to rot. You cry, and cry and wish it wasn't like this, you wish it was a temporary nightmare. But, the sad truth? It's not, it's reality, and you're going to have to accept it." Matthew backed away from me and my eyebrows furrowed, sympathizing with him to an astral level. He spoke again. "Calliope was imprisoned, and he went to the rescue because, well... She was the mother to his son, from what I heard she was someone special, and still is."
I remained silent for a small amount of time, staring at the moon. "She was beautiful... A beauty that truly belonged to a muse. A star that accompanies the night sky until the end of time." None of us said anything else, and I glanced at the raven once more. "Even before I met Dream, before I had the chance to influence humans... I was promised to another..." A single tear fell down my cheek. Matthew looked astonished about this, opening his beak to speak, but he closed it quickly and flew out the window. He looked bothered, but I didn't think much about it.
I dedicated myself to preparing to go back to Paradise for the rest of the night, all while wishing he would come to me, somehow...
Why...? Why couldn't I be the one...?
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dramallamadingdang · 7 years ago
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Question Meme: The Run-on Sentence Edition
Hi! I hurt myself again yesterday. No, not in an "self-harm" kind of way but more in the usual (for me) "mountain-climbing incident" sort of way (I hate scree; I was so close to that summit) and got lots of deep bruises and lacerations for my troubles and was in a world of hurt by the time I saw a doctor, and I cracked something that isn't supposed to be cracked and it all hurts enough that I got prescribed narcotics again for a week and I really, really hate narcotics but I really, really like to be able to breathe without feeling like my lungs are being ripped to shreds, so...narcotics it is. 
It might make the answers to this latest iteration of Ye Olde Question Meme rather entertaining, though. Maybe. Maybe just incoherent. Well, whatever, @nekosayuri tagged me, so it's her fault, and I'm bored and my sleep schedule's all outta whack and I haven't even turned on my Simming computer in like three days and am posting this from a non-Simming laptop, so I have nothing else to post and....yeah. So, I'm like high as a kite right now. I mean, it's not totally unusual because I live in Colorado and weed's legal here, but narcotics is a totally different and much less coherent high for me. So, like, fair warning.
I'm not tagging anyone, though. I've no idea who's done this lately...
Name: Katrina
Zodiac Sign: I don't know why I answer this because astrology is a huge crock of BS, but everyone always wants to know so...Taurus. Barely. (Birthday is April 23.)
Height: Still ~6'0"/~182cm. Yay, not shrinking yet!
Languages Spoken: Fluently? At this point, only English. I used to be pretty fluent in Italian and German, but, you know, the saying "use it or lose it" applies, and since I've not had occasion to use those languages much....Well, there we are. I could speak quite a bit of Russian at one time because I spent a chunk of years there, in the late 80s when it was the Soviet Union and shortly thereafter when things were sorta nuts there. But, again, I have lost much of what I once knew. And there are smatterings of other languages that I can speak mostly-useless bits of. I can ask where the restroom is in many languages because I've traveled a lot. :) I do speak fluent bullshit, though...
Nationality: 'Murican. And since 'Muricans are really, really into their "ancestry" for some bizarre-o reason because ‘Murican apparently isn’t good enough...Like, 95% dirty Welsh peasantry (plus some Irish and Scottish thrown in for flavor) on the paternal side and on the maternal side....Well, one of my great-grandfathers was a first cousin of the English Queen Victoria. So basically, my maternal ancestry is the very confused inbred multinational mutt that is European Aristocracy. God only knows what’s in their genes, though my particular bit of it has lots o’ German. 
Favorite Fruit: Okra. It is a fruit. Look it up. Then again, much of what people call "vegetables" is, in fact, fruits, so there's that.
Favorite Scent: I've never really thought about this except when this was a question on a previous iteration of this meme that I did, and I don't remember what answer I came up with then. So I'm just gonna say...Vanilla-scented candles. Not cheap ones that just smell sickly-sweet sort-of-vanilla-y, but these ones that I buy online that smell...well...NOT sickly-sweet and like how vanilla really smells. Alternatively...snickerdoodles when they're baking. Hubby is baking me some snickerdoodles as I speak. Type. Whatever. The house smells really good. Baking bread is good, too. Before the snickerdoodles, hubby was baking the twice-weekly loaf of sourdough.
Favorite Color: Green. And/or orange. I go back and forth about which is really my favorite.
Favorite Animal: Elephants. Or hyenas. Or cats of all shapes/sizes. Or alpacas. Or llamas. Or snakes. Or spiders of all kinds. Or dragonflies. Or...Um, yeah,  I'm pretty much a fan of all vertebrates and terrestrial invertebrates and some aquatic/oceanic invertebrates, too, so...take your pick.
Coffee, Tea, or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate all the way. I don't drink coffee because A) I think it tastes and smells disgusting, but even if that wasn't the case B) I can't have caffeine. Tea is OK. Hubby's way into herbal tea, grows/collects and dries herbs and makes his own blends and shit, and I'll drink it mostly to make him happy, but I'm not into it. I do like hot chocolate, though it's hard to find premade mixes that don’t have powdered milk in them (because I’m vegan), so I generally have to make it from scratch, so to speak, and when I do I use cashew milk as the base and I usually add either peppermint or vanilla extract for zing.
Favorite Fictional Character: Can't really pick a fave. So, have a list, probably but perhaps not really in preference order. Spock from Star Trek, who's been a fave of mine since I was 3 and was watching the original Trek in its initial run, and I announced I'd marry Spock one day. Rodney McKay from Stargate: Atlantis and Vala Mal Doran from Stargate SG-1. (Basically, if you cut up those two and glue various bits of their characters together -- and not necessarily their good bits -- you have...me. So I relate really well to both of them, so I like 'em.) Also Jack O'Neill from Stargate SG-1, but he's mostly for reasons of estrogen. (Especially if you stick 'im in dress blues. HUBBA!) Garak from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine because Cardassians Are Love. Jayne from Firefly, also for reasons of estrogen. Big, hairy, dark hair, blue eyes, solid but not too muscle-y...Yep, that's how I likes my men. And Zoe from Firefly, 'cuz OMG she's how I likes my women. HUBBA!
Dream Trip: *sigh* Still Antarctica. It's the only continent I've not been to, and I will get there before I croak, but...not yet.
When was your blog created? IIRC, it was, like, the middle of December 2013. So, I'll have had this thing 5 years soon.
Last Movie You’ve Seen: I couldn't sleep one day like a week ago, so I put on Miss Congeniality, which is one of my favorite movies because Michael Caine. When I can't sleep, I'll usually put on a really familiar movie or TV show and it lulls me to sleep, but it didn't work that time. :(
Song You’ve Had on Repeat: Englishman in New York, by Sting. I have no idea why, but it's been on repeat in my head, though I haven't actually played it lately or anything.
Favorite Candy: Not much of a sweets kind of person. I prefer salty-crunchy. I can eat a whole big bag of crisps (Like, the British ones, which are way better than American potato chips, but American ones will do) easily, but I can't even get through a whole candy bar because, ew, too sweet. That said, I do like Flake bars, but I have to go up to Canada to get 'em. Or else buy 'em online but then usually by the time I get them they're kinda smashed. Or melted. Or both. Better to go up to Canada. Where they have real chocolate and not this sickly-sweet Hershey's crap. *shudder*
Favorite Holiday: When in Canada, Canada Day is quite fun. It's like July 4th only not so...well...chest-beatingly, yahoo-y, "patriotic" 'Murican. (I really, really dislike nationalism and "patriotism" in general but especially the obnoxious 'Murican brand of it.) When in the UK, I have a fondness for Guy Fawkes Night. I guess I like fire and fireworks and things that go boom and shit, only without the "YAY AMERICA!" yelling of America's own "things that go boom" holiday. Other than that...Can't really say I'm into 'em much. They're not even "days off from work" since...Well, I've never had a "real job," and I'm pretty much retired from my unreal job these days.
Last Book You’ve Read: *cough* Does a really long and smutty and slashy Stargate: Atlantis fanfic count? I'm sad to say that, though I was a voracious reader of books when I was younger, I'm really not so much these days. Haven't been for the last decade or so, really. Not of actual books, at least. I do subscribe to and read a number of academic journals, some having to do with science and medicine and some having to do with history, but they're not books. 
Favorite TV Show: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, mostly because it has Cardassians, who are all uniformly awesome, plus all the gritty political and religious goodness and stuff. Except that its last season kinda sucked and did totally WTF things with my second-favorite Cardassian. Close runner-up would be Stargate: Atlantis. Except that its last kinda season sucked, too, and did totally WTF things with McKay, so hmmm. Stargate SG-1 is good, too, except that half its team annoys the piss outta me...although this is largely made up for by the hotness that is Jack O'Neill so there's that. I like Firefly a lot but it was so short-lived that it's hard to really be a favorite because I can watch the whole thing, including the movie, in less than a day. (And believe me. I have.) I like the other Star Treks, too, especially if I'm in the mood for the "goofy soap opera in space" that is Voyager. TNG's shiny-happy Roddenberryness kinda bores the piss outta me, though it does have a few really good episodes, and the original show...Hmmm...Well, I both love and hate it. I love Spock, as I said, and I also love McCoy and all of its secondary characters. The problem is that I hate Kirk. Like, viscerally hate him. Like, I want to punch his face in every time it's on-screen. If he'd just, y'know, been eaten by a salt vampire and Spock and everyone else was OK and went off and had cool space adventures battling giant space-going amoebas and shit, I'd be totally happy and that's what fanfic's for *cough*, but since Kirk doesn't get eaten by a salt vampire...well...
Who’d You Most Like to Have Lunch With? @holleyberry :) Dude, we should totally hook up (No, not THAT way!) when I'm in SoCal next. Which won't be soon if I have my way, but when I am there....
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bluebirdzykaysies · 4 years ago
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5.14 - day before momma leaves
Goddamnit I hate to admit it but I’m already thinking and crying like a baby in my head once my mom leaves me to go back home to sf. the feeling is mutual like melissa said cause she’ll probably be just as a wreck and all this time I’ve been spending with her, I’m cherishing even more. I’ve never felt like this and Victoria said the same thing; expecting that while I transition. But everyone needs to experience this. I DO, especially. I need the time away for a bit to miss them and I already miss those interactions with my brothers too of just lounging in the living room watching NBA games all night, or youtube videos like its judyslife or ustheduo.
Our lives have changed already and itll be so hard as I am bawling my eyes out, sitting in my newly mounted dining table my mom and I put together, facing outwards my window with the Chicago sun, beaming through at a whopping 54 degrees.
This is my life now, I will be on my own and making decisions on my own. Ive told a few folks that I’m sad yet annoyed my moms time here was a bit much. But I know it was perfect for what it is. We’ve been tired each and everytime, her actions speak volumes and our conversations arent as deep as I want, but I know this quality time was one that will impact my life forever. Even though I hate to admit it or will say this to her face. i love my mom. so much, she means so much to me and my brothers. The amount of things she does unselfishly aka drive my freaking car with just her and hector for 5 days cross country. do what she did to make me help settle, there is no one like her. and I will forever appreciate her and love her.
She is opinionated and still felt like I couldnt decide for myself but this will be also a time where I speak up and use my voice. Saying NO.
ugh the tears keep falling down but some highlights from this past week were:
- Silly vlog videos that I actually may put together when I get the time
- 5/6; arrived - went to container store to buy my elfa shelving for my closet. Super nice lady that worked there Hector spoke to. Went to world market to check out their furniture and standing mirrors. TJ Maxx/HomeGoods and picked up some bathroom essentials, shower curtain, mats and beddings, Facetimed Yan/Ronz/Brent+Rick at night (10pm CST) 
Mom stayed with Hector at Courtyard Marriot til Saturday 5/8. So I wanted to stay at the apartment for the first time alone and enjoy the moment and soak it all in. Parking at my garage alone, randomly waking up to the SUNRISE at 545am and just being in awe of my new city... I could just cry
Didn’t get my wifi set up yet so the struggle was real a bit. The air mattress we got from costco has been tough to sleep on but eventually Ill get my mattress. Just have been torn with my furniture not being here since everything was rushed and happened so quickly. Learnings from the move thus far:
-Write a damn list, I DID NOT. Aka thats why a bunch of junk and unnecessary things were with my mom and hector in the car. All couldve been bought here. I ocouldve taken more clothes and shoes
-Alot of my clothes aka my favorite jean jacket and pink/mauve henley was left at home. My running shoes - I decided not to prioritize idk fucking why *rolls eyes* and alot of my other valuables. Brendan is nice enough to ship it. Its not worth to buy a RT flight and go there and take it all back with me... no. :( I would though tbh if I was in LA. lol make couple trips but I’m far enough that its like.... whewww is it worth but one day I will come back and visit. For now, its slated for Oct
5/7 Friday; I had it off started the day late at 12pm and booked my mom, hector and myself tickets to the skydeck. my mom was HILARIOUS, she was scared at first and thought it would be a huge platform to see under but once she saw its just a small piece of glass over 105 floors, it wasnt THAT bad. Her and hector are hilarious together and annoying a little LOL. but I guess they’re cute
Went to Wrigley Field while there was a game and that was an experience. Fans at the top of their houses, Security all over the block, streets closed, fans everywhere. Its such a historical building in the middle of a freaking neighborhood so it made itself unique vs att/oracle park being so secluded down in mission bay.
RPM Steak for dinner in River North. Valet’d the car and Hector treated us to a Missouri Steak? it was bomb though but I wanted Medium and he wanted medium rare... cream of spinach, mac and cheese, asparagus and for dessert topped with a Baked Alaskan. Whatever that is. (It was good) and my first time trying it.. me and mom. Our waitor was a nice lady in her 30s, gave me tori kelly vibes. Then another worker stopped by our table who looked filipino for sure (Rox’s ex Dennis look a like) but I already for got his name. He told us how he lived in West Town too and would eat at this bomb restaurant called “Uncle Mikes” maybe the ‘superstar’ of chicago :) hectors jokes were a bit much saying climbing up the coconut tree and asking if he can make halo halo in the back for dessert. No sir....
5/8 Saturday; Plan was to visit Macys downtown to check out furniture at around 930am. But they werent open til 11am. We checked out the Bean at Millenium Park and my mom got to see all the tulips and flowers. We waited in line for a while at Stans Donuts since Wildberry was just too WILD and packed, so we walked a block down and had ourselves some coffee and donuts for the day. After we headed to Macys and were greeted by a tall man name Hilary. he’s THEEE BEST. he knew we didnt have to buy anything from him at macys but he’s such a sales guy and has been in this business for so long that he kept tlaking about Quality of furniture and making yourself feel comfy and at home. Being in a small apt, or living out alone for the first time, separating each section once winter hits so you’re not bored out of your mind in the small place. He was so friendly and nice, I took his business card. Went to Ashley’s on the way to the airport and got gas. Feel in love with the small dinette table they had but the one I’m sitting on now I feel like is just perfect. Soletren couch will forever be out of stock and I will never let this go :( honestly dont know how itll fit in my door but i guess i will settle for something reasonable and decent in size
IVE BEEN SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY. . . . . . . I cant even. I got paid today so todays check will be sponsoring all of my credit card funds. Gna just pay it off in full so I dont have to deal with it. But going forward a budget will be set. and luckily some of the things I bought work can reimburse so I’ll do expenses sunday perhaps.
Saturday evening after dropping off hector, we did errands in the suburbs and went to a walmart. a bit ghetto lookin but its fine. Decided to go to costco after but had an incidentn with this white man who bumped my car and didnt apologize. I was going to say something but we’re so far out in the suburbs Idk what the hell he wouldve done to me. And if they’re racist out there. took the long way home and it was prob not through the safest neighbor hoods but my mom didnt have to know since traffic on the freeway was just ALOT. omg and the roads are just so bumpy, my poor car. Becca said she has a guy at a shop her family always goes to so hopefuully I wont need him but just nice to know the option is there.
Went to the costco up by roscoe village and bought food and more essentials like medicine i have a whole pharmacy.  again throughout all this, my mom is the MVP. I wouldve been like, Ill go get it when I need it vs mom stocking up beforehand. We ended up setting my living room with a japanese style seating using my elfa shelving as the table and a towel over it. Leftovers from RPM for dinner and ribs/salad from costco. (I keep eating, and we’re not walking alot so....... I’m def gaining wait and will need to lose this asap)
I’ll be back more to cover this past week; mothers day, ikea, seafood city, hanging with becca, azul mariscos, drunk at ross and dollar tree, pants falling (mom) unbuttoned pants cuz we’re so ‘stuffffffed’ hanging with the boys via facetime cause I do miss them :( I need to havea schedule with them.
kk toodles. time to go back to work. no more crying (maybe) then an architecture tour with my mom <3 and dinner at a steakhouse at MJ’s on Michigan Ave BYeeeee
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choupetit · 8 years ago
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GOT Recap: The Spoils of War
Airdate: 8/6/2017 ; Season 7, episode 4 
 So, I don’t mean to be dramatic or anything, but…OMG, THIS WEEK’S GAME OF THRONES WAS FREAKIN’ AMAZING!!! This episode was a beautiful gift from the TV gods with more reunions, more Jon and Dany, more Littlefinger side eye, and dragons galore! I’ve managed to gather up my jaw from the floor to bring you the recap of “The Spoils of War”, so let’s not waste another moment! 
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But Jaime, I Want A Castle NOW! 
Ah, the spoils of war, indeed! The Lannister army has packed up all the goodies and gold they’ve won after their surprise attack on House Tyrell and they’re on their way home from Highgarden. Jaime Lannister grabs a hefty bag of gold from the money wagon and hands it to Bronn, then sends the driver on his merry way to King’s Landing. Mopey Bronn has a bad case of First World problems as he bitches and moans about how he wants a proper reward, like…oh, I don’t know, a castle…maybe even the one they just stormed. Jaime is all, “Seriously, dude? Quit yer whining, you just got a load of cash. Daenerys Targaryen would probably evict you in a week. And besides, castle upkeep is pricey.  Once you’ve paid the whole Downton Abbey staff and fed the moat monster, there’s barely enough money left to fill your Olympic-sized pool with champagne every day. You’ll get your pick of castles once we’ve won the war.” Bronn musters up the strength to silence his inner Veruca Salt as Randyll Tarly and Dickon (whom Jaime keeps calling Rickon) appear, and Jaime sends the three men off to shake down the local farmers for their harvest.
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 Meanwhile at the Red Keep in King’s Landing, Queen Cersei tells the Iron Bank representative that she’s able to repay the full debt she owes. The money is on its way as they speak. The rep is duly impressed and informs Cersei that the bank will be happy to make a new loan for her next venture: Restoring her rule in Westeros. Cersei shares that she’s growing her army and has reached out to the Golden Company in Essos - your basic mercenary placement agency. As soon as the gold arrives, the rep assures Cersei that she’ll have the Iron Bank’s full lending support to pay for her hired guns. 
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I Know What You Did Last (Long) Summer 
At Winterfell, Petyr Baelish aka Littlefinger has a one-on-one meeting in Bran’s chambers to give him a gift: The dagger that was used in the assasination attempt against young Bran shortly after his tower-falling accident. The blade is made of Valyrian steel, btw. Littlefinger muses that it could be argued that this dagger launched the War of the Five Kings. He claims that it is his mission to protect the Stark children - anything Bran needs, Littlefinger is his guy. Gee, coming from a slimeball who arranged the worst marriage ever between Sansa and Vile Ramsay, I’d have to say that’s a hard pass. When Bran asks Littlefinger if he knows to whom the dagger belonged, Baelish says no. Littlefinger goes on to ponder that it’s so weird, doncha think, how the dagger led to all the craziness that happened to the Starks, and made Bran who he is today. He remarks that Bran must have seen unfathomable things beyond the Wall (cue laughter) and sympathizes that it must be odd to return to Winterfell among so much chaos. To which Bran flatly replies “Chaos is a ladder.” A hint of alarm flashes across Littlefinger’s face, and luckily for him, Meera Reed appears at the door and he has the perfect excuse to leave. 
Quick side note: If you, like me, were totally confused by Bran’s line, then rejoice for the interwebs! Apparently it’s a callback to a conversation Littlefinger had with Varys back in season 3, when the former said “Chaos is not a pit. Chaos is a ladder.“ 
Bran just out-creeped the resident creeper! Looks like Lord Baelish is going to have to recalibrate all those battles he is always fighting in his head to predict every scenario that could happen in real life! 
 As for Meera, she’s come to bid farewell. She tells Bran that she’d like to stay, but she needs to return to her family what with the snow zombie apocalypse coming, and Bran is about as safe as it gets now that he’s home. Bran goes, “K, cool. Gracias. Bye, Felicia.” Dumbfounded, Meera is all, “Really?! That’s all you’ve gotta say? Wtf, dude. Lots of people died or almost died helping you.” And Bran’s all, “Yeah, so…I’ve got a lot of data uploaded to my brain and it’s kinda hard to keep track of emotions and personality and stuff. But hey, girl, I vaguely remember what it’s like to have feelings and the old me is stoked that you were there for me, but the new me just can’t do this whole attachment thing right now.” Meera’s face crumbles and she says what we all have been thinking, "You died in that cave.” She fails to add “You may want to tone it down on the voyeuristic creepazoid thing, which is freaking everybody out." 
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Just outside of Winterfell, Arya has arrived and is trying to convince some a-hole bouncers at the gate that this is her home. They don’t believe her and tell her to eff off, but she talks them into letting her into the courtyard while she waits for them to get Sansa. The guards squabble amongst themselves and when they turn, she’s gone. 
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When the guards give Sansa the news of her little sister’s return, she knows exactly where to look for Arya. In the underground mausoleum, Arya stands at her father’s grave when Sansa arrives. It’s a sweet reunion as Arya’s first words are "Do I have to call you Lady Stark now?” And Sansa replies, stone-faced, “Yes.” She breaks into a smile, and the sisters hug warmly. Each hints to the other that they’ve been though hell since they last saw each other. Arya is eager to know if Sansa really killed King Joffrey, and when Sansa says no, Arya tells her he was at the top of her kill list. Sansa thinks she’s joking and Arya lets her. Sansa informs her baby sister that Bran is home, too, and the look on her face screams “Gurl, things are pretty cray around here." 
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 The sisters meet up with their brother at the Godswood Tree, which is Bran’s version of “Central Perk”…without the friends, java, or general joie-de-vivre. Arya throws her arms around Bran, who looks like he’s absentmindedly trying to recall typical human interactions, and gives her an awkward emotionless hug. He tells her he saw her at the crossroads to King’s Landing and Winterfell, and seems a bit surprised that she is here. Wait a second, did he only briefly flip to the Arya channel and not bother to see what came next? I thought this guy was all-seeing/knowing! Harrumph! He shows both sisters the dagger he received from Littlefinger. Arya immediately notes it’s made of Valyrian steel while Sansa warns that Littlefinger never does anything for anybody without wanting something in return. Bran don’t care. He gives the dagger to Arya, saying she’ll get more use from it than a cripple. I can’t help feeling he knows that Arya is going to have a run-in with some Whitewalkers and will find that dagger mighty handy. 
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Then I Saw His Cave, Now I’m A Believer 
At Dragonstone, Queen Daenerys and Missandei are walking down to the beach to meet up with Jon Snow, who has found a cave full of Dragonglass, which he’s ready to mine. Jon calls Dany over. "Yo gurl…I wanna show you something inside this dark cavern…” and everybody immediately goes “Oooooh, Ygritte be spinning in her grave!” But this is Jon we’re talking about, and he legit wants to show her a bunch of cave drawings that he believes were made by the Children of the Forest. I'mma start to call them Toddlers of the Forest because they draw on walls, make rash decisions, and leave ginormous messes for others to clean up. 
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 Dany is amazed by the artwork in the cave and marvels that it could have been made before men even existed. But Jon’s all “Nuh uh, look over here.” And we see crude drawings of men and then…Whitewalkers. Jon’s all, “See, queenie? Living proof! They worked together to defeat their common enemy. Case closed! You believe me now?” I cannot properly express just how badly I wanted the camera to pan down to his hand holding a piece of chalk, or show a close-up of the tiny initials J.S. etched underneath the Whitewalker stick figures. 
Dany tells Jon she will fight for him on one condition: Bend the damn knee! But Jon is all “Yeah, but no, ‘cuz my people won’t accept a Southern ruler, so that’s not gonna fly.” To which Dany goes, “They will if their king tells them to. It would be a shame for them all to die, just because you couldn’t get over yourself.”
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 They emerge from the cave to bad news from Tyrion Lannister and Varys: Casterly Rock is won, but…oopsies, Dany’s fleet was destroyed and Highgarden is toast, too. Oh, and Cersei has made sure that all food has been removed from The Reach, so Dany's army of Unsullied will starve on their way back on foot. Daenerys is furious.  She’s lost all her allies and it seems the conversation she had with Lady Olenna about ignoring advice from clever men is really speaking to her. She wants to hop a dragon and go nuclear on King’s Landing. Tyrion strongly advises against it, but Dany points out that he’s been pretty sucky in the advice department.  She even suggests that perhaps Tyrion is purposely giving bad counsel to protect his family. Burn.  She turns to her Northern visitor and asks “What Would Jon Do?” and the reply is “Well, if I was trying to win the love and loyalty of all of Westeros and set myself apart from all previous and current rulers, I sure as hell wouldn’t lay fiery waste to an entire city, killing thousands of civilians.” You can practically hear Tyrion’s inner monologue screaming “Yes!!!! Thank you, Voice of Reason!" 
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 Back at Winterfell, Brienne and Podrick are sparring in the courtyard, when Arya comes along and tells Brienne she wants to train with the woman who beat The Hound in battle. We get a sweet sequence of Arya showing off her badass fighting skills while Sansa and Littlefinger look on from the mezzanine and Sansa seems to be wondering "Wtf is going ON with all my siblings?!” Arya has an exhilarated smile on her face as she fights and eventually bests Brienne. When Brienne asks who taught her to fight like that, Arya grins and says “No one”. She looks up and sees Littlefinger and her smile fades fast. Is he on her kill list, I wonder.
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 Hundreds of miles away, Jon and Ser Davos are walking the walls of Dragonstone and Davos asks what Jon thinks of Dany, hinting that she is a hottie. Jon’s all “Dammit, man, I don’t have time to date right now, I’m trying to save my people and all of humanity.” They encounter Missandei on their walk and she tells them what an inspiration Dany is to all the people who follow her. They notice a Good Greyjoy ship and head to the shore where Theon arrives by boat. Jon tells Theon he would kill him if it weren’t for the fact that Theon helped Sansa escape from Ramsay Bolton. Theon tells them he needs Dany’s help to rescue his sister from Uncle Euron, but Jon replies “Dany ain’t here, yo." Hmmm, where could she be? 
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Don’t Mess With The Dragon Mama
On an open field, still a distance from Kings Landing, a large group of the Lannister army is taking a rest while Jaime and Bronn look on. Commander Randyll Tarly rides up and informs Jaime Lannister that the gold has been safely transported to Cersei. He says the soldiers need to catch up with the front end of the regiment at the Blackwater rush and asks for permission to flog any stragglers as motivation to get moving. You get the sense that he considers flogging others a perk of the job.  Ugh, Randyll is such a miserable guy. 
Jaime and Bronn ask Rickon - I mean Dickon! - what he thought of his very first battle at Highgarden and he confesses it was hard to fight men he grew up with…and surprisingly stinky. Bronn smugly points out it’s the smell of men pooping their pants when they die. Lovely imagery there, dude. Suddenly Bronn realizes things have gotten too quiet. Jaime is on high alert and shouts to the soldiers to get into formation, because something’s a comin’. 
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The tension is palpable. In the distance we see a horde of Dothraki closing in. Hurrah for Team Dany! Although, it’s kind of a conflicting feeling of triumph, because I hate Queen Cersei, but I’m also rather fond of Jaime and Bronn.  Maybe they’ll be aight…hopefully. I know the term "epic battle” is brought out often, especially where Game of Thrones is involved (deservedly so), but believe me when I say what follows truly is an epic, heart-racing battle scene. Words can’t do it justice, but here are some of the need-to-know highlights: 
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 The Dothraki ride in like the unhinged, badass warriors they are, and as they get closer and closer to the Lannister army you just know a dragon is gonna appear soon. And appear it does! Drogon swoops over the horde, taking the lead, and we get a close-up of Dany on his back as she says “Dracarys!” and her Dragon spews out a stream of fire onto the shocked Lannister army. Total chaos ensues as burning men flail and run and we get lots of breathtakingly awesome shots of Drogon just shooting out flames like a laser beam, making a barbecue of any poor soul who happens to be in the line of fire. Meanwhile the Dothraki are handling things on the ground. 
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 Amidst the madness, Jaime instructs Bronn to get to the wagon with Cersei’s secret weapon: Qyburn’s jumbo dragon-slaying crossbow. In true Bronn fashion we get the retort “Why me?” -“Cause it takes two working hands, ya jerk, DO IT!!!" 
 A Dothraki warrior singles out Bronn as he makes his way through the burning hellscape, and there’s a sad moment for all animal lovers when Bronn’s horse loses a leg.  Bronn eventually gets the upper hand when he reaches the giant crossbow and fires it at his Dothraki assailant - skewering him. I mean…they ARE at a barbecue, after all. 
 As Dany continues to soar over the disoriented mass of soldiers and Drogon sets things ablaze, Bronn takes aim at the creature. He misses the first time, but the second shot hits Drogon in the chest. It’s not an immediately fatal shot, but the dragon falls from the sky.  Somehow the beast manages to regain enough control to land with Dany still safely perched on his back. Jaime is about a football field’s distance from where Dany and Drogon have landed, and Dany is trying to remove the massive spear from Drogon’s chest. 
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Tyrion and Varys look on from a great distance and Tyrion mutters "You effing idiot!” when he sees Jaime charging toward Dany on horseback. Just as Jamie is mere feet away, Daenerys turns around and Drogon turns his head to blow a giant stream of fire at Jaime. But before the inferno can engulf him, somebody rides up and knocks Jaime from his horse and both men fall into a conveniently-placed body of water. Jaime sinks deeper and deeper into the water and…the credits roll. 
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 Holy Mother of Dragons! What an intense final 20 minutes that was! The music and camerawork were simply perfect and I loved the sequence of Bronn making his way to the dragon-killing weapon - it was shot beautifully and conveyed the disorienting horror of the battle. I was covering my face for the whole battle scene, cringing and shouting expletives at the screen, praying that no Dragons would die. 
 Man oh man! Still kind of recovering from the excitement. I’m hoping desperately that Drogon’s wounds aren’t fatal. Dany can’t lose her favorite dragon-child! Perhaps it’s time to invest in some dragon-sized chainmail. 
Pretty sure Jaime will survive - at least till the next episode - and my guess is that Dickon saved him, and will be getting more screen time. Even though this was a set-back for Cersei, I’m sure she’ll return with a vengeance once her hired hands from Essos come to town. 
 It’s great to have all the legit Stark kids back home and I’m loving the buddy pair-up of Arya and Brienne. Although poor Sansa is all “Damnit, I’m stuck with Littlefinger while everybody else gets to have all the fun.” What will Baelish do next? I feel like he probably wants to peace out of Winterfell, considering there is a highly trained assassin in the hizzy and a know-it-all who likely has seen every scheme and backstabbing thing Littlefinger has ever done. I think it’s high time for Bran to start giving people some useful info instead of just being all “I’ve been working on this cool time traveling Peeping Tom hobby lately” with everybody he meets; giving Arya the dagger is a good start. 
 Next week it looks like we’re getting some Whitewalker action, or, at the very least, an update on the Wildlings at East Watch. Will Jon finally “bend the knee” in order to get a dragon on loan from Dany to help out his pals in the north? He’s just gotta suck it up and do it, right? But will Dany even be able to spare any of her Unsullied what with Cersei’s sneaky outmaneuvering at Casterly Rock? So much can happen! With only three episodes left, every minute is precious and I’m pretty optimistic the final episodes are going to deliver mucho good times! Hang tight until next week, my dears!
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tijuana-blues · 8 years ago
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I waited until i got to work to type this.
The end of this month crosses the 1 year mark. only one year ago my world was completely different, and on the Verge of Collapse. A little backstory is needed before i continue.
Yesterday was a normal Tuesday for me. Work didnt stress me, no problems arose. My parents texted me and my brother to eat steak for Dinner. The Food was delicious, and i was preparing to head home, hit a Nice Big Dab, play a round of Smite, and hit the sack, seeing as how i hadnt slept in over 24 hours, and the only thing fueling me was the Gram of Coke i bought on Monday lol.
So as i Get up to Put away my dishes and say goodbye, i get a FaceBook Message. Its my Cousin, Isaiah.
He says he got into an Argument with his dad and got kicked out. He needed somewhere to sleep for the night. 
Sure, I tell him. I cant just ignore him if he has nowhere to go. He meets me at my house 5 Minuets later with a backpack full of beer, a bottle of Vodka, and half a loaf of bread and sandwhich meats. My Cousin is crazy lmao, he has the Apache Blood in him more than me. Anyway, since hes staying, i ask if he can find some Wax, so i wouldnt be taking from my Brothers Stash. We meet up a half hour later and pick it up.
so were in my garage, passing the rig back and forth while i Showed him how Smite Worked. And then suddenly he pulls a rolled up baggie out his pocket.
A rolled white Baggie full of powder.
“well we can finish this off, then. since youre letting me Crash here.”
Im not one to ask for payment to crash at my place, but i wasnt gonna say no either lol.
he pours it out on the glass i had been using myself and began to chop it fine with the razor blade i used too.
i had taken a couple pretty good sized dabs in quick order, so i was pretty toasted when he handed me the glass and rolled up dollar. I only saw the 2 lines he had cut on it, so i just assumed he cut two for both of us and i was going first. So i just aim the dollar at the line on the right and Snort away, dragging the dollar quickly, then my Nostril Burst into Flame. I had made a mistake, he cut one line for Me from the PILE on the left.
The PILE i just Tornado’ed up my nose, and was now drinking water to keep my throat from going numb from the river of coke mucus running down it.  I hear my Cousin laughing next to me.
“youre a maniac, Cuz! you railed that whole Fat ass pIle!”
Well Fuck. so much for sleeping. Lighting Coursed through my Veins 5 minuets later, and i started drinking Beers to fight the Drip.
Now Isaiah told me that it was Good Shit, but i hardly take his word for it Nowadays. hes off mark most of the Time. Not this time, Though.
15 Minutes Later im Chainsmoking Cigarettes out front of my Driveway Drinking beer and my Jaw was shaking in my Head.
You know its  Good Shit when it makes someone who spent the last 24 hours doing Coke often, gives him the Jabber Jaw.
me and Isaiah just began to talk bullshit into the NIght. at Around Midnight he was talking about a girl he knew for awhile now liking him. And him liking her too but he didnt think a Relationship would be good at the Time.
Then Youre Face appeared in my Head. Like it always does. I havent Gone a day yet where i dont see you in my head.
I dont know what caused this, Perhaps it was the Coke in my System with the Beer. Or Maybe it made me finally push past my Insecurities.
i Began to talk about how i Felt the Same, how i couldnt really talk to other women or really want to because of the Luggage i was Still Carrying with My Ex, Maria.
And from there i began to talk and Talk and Talk. I couldnt Stop, the Words i had been saying in my head Every day this Past Year came out.  I sat in my Garage all night Long, Until 5:00 AM, Talking to Isaiah About Her.
I didnt hold back, and surprised myself as my eyes stayed dry and my Voice Stone Cold.
I told HIm about How every Woman i ever Dated All Cheated on Me and Left me without a Second Glance.  About How My First Girlfriend Megan roped me into a 3 year Lie and ruined my trust in people. I talked about how the girls i dated afterwards all did the same thing, and how i wished i was joking to him.
I told him about how i blamed myself for each failed relationship, and how id spend nights trying to figure out a way to fix myself. How i felt like i wasnt meant to be Happy with anyone and how i stuffed it all down deep and dealt with it only in my most private moments.
...And Then i told him about How I Met her in my Junior Year of High School. The Class was Anatomy, a class full of 24 teenagers with the worlds Laziest Teacher. It was the First Day, and I walked in to a semi empty classroom with kids walking around, picking out a seat for the rest of the semester. the desks all faced forward, in groups of twos in four rows across. I took a seat on the outside Left side around the Middle. I just dropped my Bag and sat in my Seat, waiting for the class to start, checking my phone every now and Again. 
And the seats began to fill up, the Desk next to me taken by a Tall Nerdy looking kid with blonde hair and Garth Glasses, A KId i Befriended. Daniel Butttruck. Thats not how you spell the last name but thats how it sounds lol. So i named him Butt Truck and thats his name to this day lol. 
The Chair in front of Daniel on the right was taken by a Friend of Daniels, A glasses clad Girl name Aly, And all you need to know about her is that she has a IQ just North of a Bedroom Slipper.
And lastly, A Girl In crutches slowly approached the chair in front of me, and slid into the Chair as the class started. She had a big black velcro Boot strapped to her Leg, and it stuck out into the walkway on our left a bit. She had Dark Hair that was cut into a really cute short style. At first i didnt really notice her until a few weeks into the semester where the Teacher flipped the front two desks around, making Pods of 4. So Now She Faced me and Aly faced Dan on the right. 
Thats When i noticed her.
She had Brown Eyes that shone slightly, like Fine Wood Tarnished to a Dark Brown Mixed with Lighter Browns. Her nose was a small little Button Nose between her prominent Cheekbones that raised when she smiled. She didnt Wear much Makeup, or at least looked like she didnt. I remember to this day about how i would see her smile and laugh a bit as we all got comfortable as a group, me cracking Jokes and being dumb some days, with Days. As time passed i began to Notice her more. I began picking her out in the hallways as i walked to class. Sometimes I would say Hi and see her reaction.She was like me in some ways, wasnt a morning person, and had the same sense of Humor. I remember the time Dan Told us about how he Broke his Leg at Blizzcon.
Yeah, if youre not 12 years old, Dan was the Kid who Broke his Leg in like 2006 at Blizzcon Dancing like a Zombie. He was on Tosh.O or was going to be? ill ask him next time i see him lol. Anyway, hes telling us this story and Maria and I are Freaking Out because we realized he is Internet Famous, and Laughed Like Crazy.
Soon enough, I went from saying hi when i saw her to stopping by her morning class to say hi and chat, since my morning class was down the hall from hers, then sometimes wed walk toward our next class. Mind You, i Was a Junior at 17-going on 18, and Maria was two years younger than me. I never tried to flirt with her, but i enojoyed talking to her. I remember clearly One Winter Morning as i walked in from the Bus Lanes to my Morning Government Class, I see her standing by her Morning classroom, i dont remember what it was. She had her phone and was tapping away on it. I quickened my Pace as i passed her, and called out, “Maria!” she popped her head up and looked at me, and i Flipped her off. She gave a look of Confusion and laughed, walking into her classroom as the bell rang. I remember giggling to myself as i sat down, then asking myself, “Why the fuck did i do that for?? Idiot!”
That was the beginning of my Senior Year, Graduated 2011. We didnt have much contact after i Graduated, while i did the little schooling i did do, and work at that God Awful Produce Factory that first year out of High School.It wasnt until about a year or so later, when i started my job at Wal-Mart and Moved in with Christian. i remember it being Spring When i Saw Her Again. I Was collecting carts to put back in the cart corral, when i heard a Girls Voice Call my Name out in the Parking Lot.
I look out towards Barros Pizza in the plaza and i saw her Again.
It was a Bright Sunny Day, Not too Hot yet in the Summer. Her Hair had grown a bit longer, but still had its shape. She wore a Bright Yellow SunDress with Sunflowers on it. I remember how Cute i thought it was on her. I remember this moment so clearly because it was in that moment i felt something inside my heart. Like a Spark running through it.
I smiled and walked out to meet her, she had two of her other friends with her, they had been eating at Barros. Maria Hugged me and Asked me how i had been, and i told her about how i started working there and i live on my own now, looking into colleges. We chatted for a few minutes before i had to go back to work. I asked for her number to text with and, she walked off. As i went back inside i remember the times in Anatomy with our little group, and how i used to enjoy chatting with her. it also made me Remember the day i flipped her off, Years ago. As i lay down in bed that night, I remember thinking of her and telling myself, “you know, i think she would be an awesome Girlfriend.”
Months Passed and i hadnt had much Contact with Maria. I had my own problems at the time and i remember that period of my life to be so unstable i didnt want to date a girl and Live there lol. But i would text her every now and then and wed talk for a bit. I remember her dating someone at the time, and living with them. One Night in Particular I noticed she was posting on Tumblr and it seemed like she was Upset. So i Texted her and asked if she was doing alright. She said she was fine, but shes too much like me, i say that just to get people to leave me alone. I text back that she can talk or vent to me, that i didnt mind. And she did. She began to talk about her Relationship with her BF and how they rarely see each other because of work schedules and School. She told me she was thinking of just packing her things and leaving while he was at work. I told her, “Do what you have to do. if you arent happy, why are you there?”
i texted about a week or so later. She left him. She Began talking about moving to Portland With a Friend, and Getting out of AZ. I remember being bummed out at the news, my feelings for her had began to grow. I decided to step away for awhile, let those feelings go away. It must have been around 3 or  4 months later, or longer? But anyway, i see her posting on Tumblr Again, and i send her a DM asking how shes been, and if she moved to Oregon. She replied back and said her Friend Flaked, and that she really didnt want to go anyway. She says to text her, and i Ask for her Number Again. 
From then on, we talked semi often every couple days, more and more often as time passes. Finally, one Day i ask her to hangout sometime, go to the arcade, play air hockey. We had been talking pretty often by then, but no obvious flirting or anything. We meet up at the arcade and we take turns playing different games, Giant Connect Four, Air Hockey, Ticket Games. She bought me a little T rex with her tickets, i named him Revan. Then we just sat on a couch and People watched those who walked in. I remember feeling her arm against mine as we sat together, and Me leaning in Quickly and kissing her cheek, and Seeing her Smile.
About 4 or 5 more little Dates Later, I ask her if she would be serious, because i wanted to be.
Her Face Brightened as i saw her give the biggest Smile i ever seen from her, and she said Yes.
I told Isaiah how as the first year passed, i had been drunk off the happiness i had at the time. As i learned more about Maria, the more attractive she was to me. She is unlike any woman ive ever met before, or have met since. I told him about how i talked about her to my friends all the time, how smart she was, how she volunteered at a Funeral Home Embalming Bodies and playing with Corpses like a Badass. 
Then came my 22nd Birthday, on the first year we were dating in 2014. I didnt even want a present from her, she was all i wanted any day. I dont know why i never told her things like that. She Baked me Fudge Brownies after work on the week of my birthday, and i was more than happy.
Then she pulled a box out of Nowhere, Smiled That Warm Smile i Had come to Adore, and Said “Happy Birthday Babe!”
Before that Moment, i Cant recall a time that i was genuinely Surprised like that. I remember the words stopping in my throat and jumbled with the ones i had tried to say Next. Genuine Excitement as i opened the Long Brown Box. I opened the top flap and pulled the Styrofoam Casing to the Rectangle stick inside, Bright White with a Black Line going Down along the Length of it. And inbetween the space in the Line at the Hilt, Was the Red and White Sigil of the Uchiha.  
A fucking Uchiha Sword! Like i was in actual Disbelief when i Realized. And what i explain next i never told anyone other than Isaiah that night.
I had to Try my Hardest to keep from Crying in that moment. Not because i loved the Gift she had gotten me, and how she made it a surprise, Something no one has done for me before. 
It was because i remember a couple weeks before,as we scrolled Netflix one evening, i Saw Naruto on the list. I geeked out and asked you if you ever watched it, and began geeking out about it to her. I Made her watch some of my favorite episodes, and she would playfully Tease me about it. As My birthday neared, i came home from work one day to watch some Naruto Myself, and Booted up Netflix.
Someone went about 4 episodes ahead of where we Left off Last. I was at Work, and it was her Netflix Account. She actually started watching it because of how much i told her i liked it. Then She picked out something SHE thought i would like, instead of asking what I wanted like My Lazy Ass does.
No one had ever shown interest in Me like that before, and it touched me right in that moment. I blocked all emotion and was all smiled as i Hugged her Maria and told her how much i loved it. That thing was glued to my hip for like 2 months straight, i would get high after work and watch old Samurai and Ninja Movies, and act out the sword fighting with it. I even slept with it for the first Week.
In the days after that, i saw Maria in a whole new Light. I always knew the Maria who had her walls up to Anyone, the “i really dont care,” attitude she had when she was grumpy in the mornings. I got a glimpse at the Maria That was Behind that wall, The Real Maria.
Who Was sweet, considerate, and Generous. Loving and who could make me laugh.
Ever since that i saw that small glimpse of Her, My heart swelled and pumped blood thrice as hard, and my hands would shake and my mouth would get dry.
I was Falling in Love with you.
Hours have Passed, its Around 2 AM. The Line of Coke has me at Full Speed still, having plenty to say still. Isaiah just sits and drinks, giving the odd acknowledgement every couple of Sentences.
The months after my Birthday have passed, and things seem great between Maria and I. If i only knew what i know now.....
If i had just Put more Faith in You, and in my Heart. It Kills me to know how things would be if i had just manned up and told you how you made me feel....
After the first year, the strain began. We both worked. I had the accounting Job with the Contracting Company, and Maria was Working at a local Kids clothing store, and Volunteered at the Funeral Home, Along with her classes, AND she tutored.
i understood she had a full plate alot of the the time, not to mention the headaches and pains she would have. And that time of the month the poor girl was in pain Constantly.  So i didnt get upset or mad when she didnt have time to visit or was too tired from work. we were always talking.
But eventually the Strain and My past would come to Signal the End. it was August, 2015. My brother had fallen Behind on his Mortage Payments on his house, and needed to make a payment ASAP or he would lose the House. Naturally i gave him all the spare cash i could to keep a roof over our heads.
Unfortunately, It left me Penniless during the Month of August, which Marias Birthday was in.  I Felt Like Complete Shit but i was in a corner. I apologized to her and promised to make it up to her. It wasnt a big deal to her, but i just hated that it made me look like i dont give a shit. 
I had an Ace an hole, Though. i Saved a link to a site that makes Custom Rings that Maria had posted in Tumblr that she really liked and wanted. I ordered it and did it early enough to get it before Christmas.  It was already Too Late.
Maria was beginning to grow distant, not replying as soon or as often before. the replies getting shorter and shorter, the tone colder and colder. As we approached My birthday again, I plan a Group event with my friends and family, cause last year we went Paintballing and Maria wasnt there, she had work and class.
So im thinking of what i could do for a group, and i see that Charlie Murphy is doing a show ON my Birthday, a Friday! It was Perfect. I called and Reserved seats for everyone, ordered Bottle Service, i was so excited!
I texted Maria Telling her About the Comedy show and Date of My Birthday. She says she cant make it cause of work, she gets off at around 12. I was Bummed, but I understood. 
The Big Day comes and it starts off great. Work was a Breeze, and Maria greeted me with a Warm Happy Birthday first. As the day progressed Everything seemed Normal. As evening sets, we all get ready to go to the show. 8 o clock, Showtime!
it was a Fantastic Show, me and all my Friends and Family drinking and Laughing our Asses off. The only thing missing was Maria. I texted her before the show saying id text her after it was over. it woulda been near to midnight, and she coulda met up with us. The show ends around 1040, and the manager says we can finish off the bottles in the bar. Me and my Friends stay, and start getting Tanked. 
Midnight Comes, and i text Maria asking if she was off yet and if she wanted to come meet us. Time passes, and no reply.
she probably went home and crashed, she was probably tired, I think, as it wasnt Abnormal for her to Nap during the Day or whenever she could. So i check Facebook, and it Hits me.
A friend Tagged her and some friends at Westgate, not Long ago.
My heart Goes into FreeFall in My stomach.
Why would she be at Westgate After work? did she Ignore my Text...? why...?
My insecurites flared, and i assumed the worst. I remember everything going Quiet around me, My heart Hammering in my chest, blocking out all other noise.
i Shouldve just called. i Shouldve had more Faith in you, and what i Meant to you.
When every girl you date cheats on you and leaves, in a Row, it was hard not to assume the worst, when the worst is what always happens to you.
I remember the tears welling up in my eyes as i get up to go outside the bar. She went to go out with her friends, and she knew it was my Birthday Today....
It didnt make any sense to me, it all seemed so unbeliveable. But ive been wrong before. And add the excessive Alcohol, you get a Recipe for a Terrible Mistake. 
I wasnt Dumb, I knew Maria and I were Drifting apart, Our schedules getting more and more hectic. My job stressing me the fuck out day after day, Marias Packed Schedule.
I was so fucking stupid. Why did i wait? Why didnt i just drop to my knees and tell her when i look at her eyes, i feel like i could do anything. That when she was in my arms i Felt like i needed to become a Better man for her. Why did i wait?
December. Jerkoff Hipster making her ring is falling behind, gonna need a couple more weeks. delivery date mid Janurary. I Threw A fucking Fit. i could feel it all slipping away, no matter what I did. Why did i Wait?
I was so Terrified of Opening up to you, and you not feeling the same way. The Thought of looking into your eyes and telling you that i was in love with you, and i wanted to be with you forever, or until i died. I was Terrified of looking into your eyes and Shooting me down. The texts got shorter and shorter. only strengthening My doubts and Fears. 
Christmas. The Ring wasnt Ready yet. Another Fucking Embarassment. She got me a Captain Phasma Painting and some Marvel Shirts. I tell you, “look, i ordered this is time to get it for Christmas, but the Guy Got Delayed and it wasnt ready yet, but... i showed you the Ring on my Phone. 
It was the last smile i Saw on you in Person.
So many oppurtunities, wasted. so fucking Stupid. I promise to make it up to you.
Down to One Word Answers, or no Reply at all.
Janurary 2016. Hiroshima.
Valentines Day is Coming, Ill have the Ring Then! and i ordered a Cute little Stuffed Corgi to go with Some Flowers and a nice Romantic Date! i order everything and wait. 
You came over one week, and seemed in such a foul mood, i couldnt place it. I thought you were in Pain Probably. I tried to cuddle you, kiss your cheek, you clearly dont want the affection. I try something alittle more...Adult. 
You Grabbed my Wrist, and Yanked my Hand away, throwing it off you. I was in Shock. I still remember the look you Gave me that night, Clear as day. That Piercing Glare, Looking Right at me. Pure Anger. and Pain.
Youre replies, in thier Rarity, lacked no padding for thier sharp edges. I believe its all Over Now.
Late January 2016.
You came over one Last time. We had Sex one last time. I remember grabbing you after the first go around as you got up and laid you back down. I was such a Fool.
The Ring was Delivered that Weekend. Monday i text you to see when your free to visit next, your ring is ready and i wanted to see if it fit correctly. You reply your busy tomorrow. i ask with what? you reply with: Concert. i ask What concert. You say: Tribal Seeds.
You stopped Replying After That. The Next Day i texted you again asking when can you come hangout and see your Ring? 
You Broke up with me after that. 
It felt like everything around me had fallen below me, and all that was left was the dark and Silence. Typing about it now makes the Hole in my heart Ache. I remember how hard the Rain Poured that Night.....As i Cried along with it.
And it was only the Beginning for me.
The first weeks after that day are a blur to me. Either Too Many Drugs Or too Many Drinks, take your pic. i was Broken. One moment you were there, you were mine, and i was gonna fix everything come Valentines Day. I had a Nice Romantic Dinner planned, then a Scenic Walk where i would show you the ring and tell you that even though were having a Rough Patch right now, that i loved you and i wanted to do everything i can to prove it to you.
But you Had other plans didnt you?
God i can still feel my heart when I saw pictures of you and Him....I dont know how to Describe how Painful it was to see. It was only Feb, and you were already with someone else? Posting Valentines Shit? I cried for hours, I begged for you not to be like the others, To just leave me for Someone Else so Fucking Fast, like i was Nothing to you.
But thats how it went down, though. Didnt it?
Friends for over 5-6 Years, Lovers for 2.
I couldnt even get a goodbye.....Just a Text. Was that all i was worth, to you?
You got with him within Weeks of Dumping me. Yet your Tumblr youre heartbroken and sad. It was like i had Entered into some NIghtmare.
within the First Two Weeks, I dropped four Hits of Acid at Once. I wanted to Escape. Instead i jumped right into it. I see you posting on Tumblr. Sad, Depressing things. Your Tags show how you deleted the texts from your phone, even though you didnt want to. How you could literally see in your texts of your declining Affection for me. In the end, It was my own doing.
With the Courage of Acid, I messaged you. I ask if your okay, and you ask why, like i dont see your posts, like i dont possibly know why you could be feeling so sad. Even then, at the end, you couldnt be honest with me.
I ask you Maria cant we please Talk?
You say About what? Like you thought i was stupid.
And thats when i just finally, for the first time, although Far too Late. I opened up to you.
I remember Anatomy.
I Remember You At Barros that Day
I Remember Air Hockey at the Arcade.
I remember The Birthday Gift.
The Words poured out then like they do now, The Spark you set in my Heart was the most important thing to me.
Whatever i needed to do to make it work, no matter what, just please dont give up on me.....
You may as well as shot me dead with your reply.
“if you had said that before, things would be Completely different.”
“saying it Now doesnt Mean Much to me now”
Those words still Haunt Me, A Year Later. And it is not even the worst to come.
You Had the verdict long before i even knew. You Found my “dating Profile” Online, and didnt say anything. just let it stew inside you. As we grew apart it hurt to see you just blatantly ignore my messages. So i used that profile to look at women, nothing else. It was only on My Birthday i Night i Made a Mistake i Will Regret forever. Maria wasnt there, she was with her friends. she didnt want to come here, or answer my texts. she chose to be with my friends. I was always the girls’ Second Choice. I got Drunk. I got Upset. I wanted Petty Revenge. I cheated. I Dont even Remember her Name or what she really looked like. Never should have done it.
A month Passes. March. I ask to still be friends, and how i missed you. We start talking again, almost like how it used to be. Tagging each other in posts again.But i also See him. Concerts, posts, tags. It tore me apart. Some Days i would wake up at 4 AM from my alarm for work, and Your Face would be the first thing i see in my head. The Tears would flow before i could even open my eyes for the first time. I try to get you to meet up with me, so we can talk. After i opened up that night you agreed we should talk. Then you just changed your mind....You Said give it time, walk the path, smell the Roses, and maybe we can start again...
My heart is Pumping like a cannon as i go into detail for Isaiah, how i became a madman, was so motivated by the mere notion that MAYBE there was a CHANCE we could work it out later. I couldnt be stopped. I drank Nothing but Water, ate only Chicken, Raw Veggies, Salmon and Fish, and cut out ALL sugar and breads. I dropped 30 pounds in a Month, and was in great shape for a fight at the gym i trained at. I would watch these Inspirational videos everymorning at 3 AM, just to run for an hour. I posted everything on Snapchat, Only Because i Wanted Maria to see it. I was so Optimistic...
April 2016.
Family Vaction in Mexico. A week with a private beachfront Villa and as much Booze as i can drink. i go in with Gusto. The Villa Has Wifi, can keep up with your posts.tagged me in some. Then the posts about him.
I hated how it made me feel to read them. He had what i wanted for us. Our own Place. Just Us. and a Dog.
He took My Place and it Ate me Alive from the Inside.
I stayed up all night, drinking tequila by the shot, playing Toro Y moi and Chain smoking. I watched the reflection of the moon dance on the waves, and thought of you. When i hear the Ocean, and nights when the Moon is Large and Beautiful, i think of you. 
I Broke that night......
I knew there was no Path, no flowers to smell.
There was no Second Chance.
I Lost her.
And i couldnt get her back. She didnt want me anymore.
she wants someone else now, and when i Think about it I have to imagine Flames burning the thoughts away.
I guess after that night, i lost my motivation, i Wised up.
And i knew i had to come clean to you. It was the hardest thing i ever did.
It hurts so much still, looking back. Im So sorry...
Even after i hurt you that day, i still saw a sliver of you come through your walls.
I begged for you in time to forgive me, and over time we could be friends again. Let me earn back your trust, understand i made a Terrible Mistake and im willing to do anything to make it work.
Most people would have told me to go to hell and never talk to them again.
But not you. Not even then.
You Said, “ Maybe in time i will forgive you. maybe i wont. Depends on how i feel. for now you should make yourself scarce.”
I was stunned,,,those words hung on me for months after.  Did you really mean that, Maria?
And that was the last time i heard from you for awhile...i remember Breaking down at work....The Silence hurt the most. No Texts, No Posts, Nothing.
Not only did i lose the woman i Love, I lost a dear Friend as well...
When i Returned home, i Quit Training, I quit the fight, I quit Dieting. That deep, Dark Hole you brought me out of, Maria.....when i saw you that day....I went Right Back in.
since May 2016 i was in a hole that i could not get out of. sure, i made it look like i was living the life on snapchat, but in reality, on the inside, i was so broken.  Then Life Decided to kick me while i was down, and Took my Bonnie away from me. As if it couldnt get worse. My Brother and I Bawled as they put her to sleep. I was so fucking Lost.....
So i texted the one person who maybe might put up with my Bullshit....You.
and you were nice, you coulda kicked me when i was down and wouldve been justified. But you heard me out....More of that Real you shining through.
It is 4 AM now. i have spent all night telling this story to Isaiah, who has listened intently this whole time.
I tell him how after the months of Bonnies Death, I just didnt leave the house. Tried my Best to leave you be and not see shit that would kill me on the inside. The days became Quiet and Lonely. your presence in Tumblr becomes less and less active. 
I hardly see you or your posts anymore...
i harden my heart and try move on.
Then i see your posts about your health. the doctor scare, Lupus.
I felt so bad, and worried i wanted to see if you were okay, even though i knew you hate my guts.But i worried and Worried and finally said fuck it and just sent a message saying i heard what youre going through, im sorry, i hope you get better soon, if you need anything, please ask
I wasnt expecting a Response, Yet you sent one : Thanks for Caring.
couldnt expect more than that, so i leave it be.
That Night, Maria makes a post.
Its About me. 
My heart jumped into my throat and got stuck. My hands shook as i held my phone.
I didnt completely erase you out of my life.
i still think about you, from time to time.
Thank you for texting me today.
thank you for still caring about me.
Despite the shit i post on here, I still Care about you too.
And No its not the drugs Talking.
I read and Re-Read that post thousands of times in the following months. On Bad Days, Days where i wanted to give up. I read that post and it kept me going. First time reading it i Cried for hours. It was as if God heard a prayer.
To see you say that you still cared.....you will never know what that did. how that felt for me. Even Now it makes me tear up.
My heart didnt hurt as much after that, it healed some of it. I was always confused with Maria. One moment she says she cares, then comes off as your nothing to her. i never knew which was which.
and now, as the year came to face my Birthday again. There was only one thing i wanted. truly wanted. and if i got it, getting nothing else from anybody wouldnt even fucking matter.
I just wanted you to say Happy Birthday.
I didnt think you would. i thought you would have moved on by now, enjoying youre new life with him. I couldnt bleed about it any longer. i took the pieces of my heart and piece it back together again. i began to accept reality. and the pain began to dull.
NOV. 20th 2016
Saturday.
Woke up Early and went out to the woods to do some shooting. all day there. Head back for some Missouri BBQ, and get ready to get Blackout drunk Tonight. Night Goes well, Got trashed, had fun, Fought a couple dudes, enjoyed myself.
Got back to Devins Late that night. Eat Chocolate BDAY cake drunk.
Head off for bed. I sit on the edge of the bed and look at the time. 9:40 PM
She isnt gonna say it. Oh well. 
go to your blog to lookup your post to make me feel better.
Read the words, smile and Remember. Pain Begins to set in. 
back out of tags to leave, see another tag you never seen before.
“C and I”
click tag link.
Heart Explodes in my Chest, Breath Frozen in throat.
Its a picture. of us. Smiling. 
the Caption Read:” I know i have trouble expressing my emotions and feelings and stuff but this guy right here means the world to me. Hes sweet, caring and Funny and---”
I couldnt read the Rest. I began to Cry Non Stop, Like someone Just Told Me my mother was Murdered.
I couldnt stop it, couldnt control myself. The pain was so much. Each one more painful to look at. How did i never see them? How??
I couldnt do it anymore. I couldnt keep taking the pain of it. I deserved to be Happy too..
its been two months since that day.
its been over a year since i last seen you with my own eyes, heard your voice....
And now we reach the end of this story. i force myself to block out the memories, remember nothing.
I have to move on with my life....
and yet....after saying all that Isaiah, which After i had finished,  8 hours had passed. 8 hours i poured out my soul. such a weight had been lifted, it felt so good for someone to hear me out...
so i finish this sad story, and Isaiah asks me one question: How do you feel about her now?
I stayed quiet for a good amount of time. i mulled it over. every memory. Good. the Bad. The Ugly.  and i finally settled upon:
I miss her, Isaiah. Not like a lover misses his spouse, but like a friend who helped another Grow.
I hope to see you again one day, Maria.
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