#still ouch lololol

[rius-cave]

Lucifer: Want to help me go three for three on my Eden Originals? // Adam: Do you really want me to be the third person from Eden that leaves you?

AND THEN LUCIFER JUST FUCKING STAMMERS, NOT KNOWING WHAT THE FUCK TO REPLY LMAOOO

[tarisilmarwen]

Rebels Rewatch: "Stealth Strike"

In which, Character Development! and other exciting features.

I mentioned the husband loves Star Wars ships right? This is another one of his favorite episodes, he loooves the Interdictor class.

Always liked this little musical flare at the beginning, already conveys a sense of urgency and danger.

Sato sounds so aggrieved that he has to have Ezra along, lol.

I mean from his perspective Ezra's just an overconfident plucky kid, he hasn't been around Ezra long enough to know how competent the boy is.

Love the staggered Force Theme prelude in the strings there, all broken up and disjointed. Once again Ezra is sensing impending danger.

Still adore the kaleidoscope color effect Rebels uses to mark being forcibly ejected/yanked from hyperspace.

Bbbyyyyyyyy. :((((

Worried Spacefamily be worried.

Hera wisely understands that the best way to infiltrate a top-secret Imperial project is to keep the aliens off the mission lol.

Kanan is being predictably petty about having to work with Rex.

"I sent Ezra... this is the only way." Ouch. I bet Hera is feeling pretty guilty and has thought a lot about this since they learned about it, so you know she's run it through a million times in her head. Probably why Kanan acquiesces to her judgment.

I wanna know the thought process behind the Imps' decision to haul Ezra and Sato in to see Titus. Like, Sato I get, he's the obvious commander of the unit but I wanna know which trooper saw Ezra and was like, "Hmm, he seems Plot Important, I better drag him along too."

Sato still very much Not Impressed with Ezra's posturing.

Hi Brom Titus!

It's hilarious that Ezra's sarcastically used "Jabba the Hutt" so often it's been logged as a known alias of his lololol.

The Giligan Cut between Rex complaining that he'd never wear Stormtrooper armor and Zeb bringing them unconscious troopers to steal the armor from. <3

"I thought it was the same one we used before." LOL. Okay, I gotta stop before I quote every line in this episode.

Can't help it, it's just so fun.

We cut to the shuttle mid-hyperspace and Rex and Kanan are still bickering, but even in the middle of that we get some lovely worried Papa Wolf Kanan hyperfocusing on Ezra as his priority.

I swear it was explained somewhere what the specific codes Rex gives meant but I can't for the life of me remember where now. Pretty sure one of them meant the shuttle was going to explode? Anyway...

Rex seems like he's having just a grand old time. This must feel just like the old days for him.

Lol Kallus getting excited about Ezra's capture and warning Titus "[...]do not underestimate that boy." He knows firsthand how much of a threat and nuisance Ezra can be.

A little variation on the Death Star theme here, kind of appropriate given this is a very similar-feeling kind of infiltration and rescue.

Maybe that's why I like this episode so much, has a lot of A New Hope vibes.

Subtle animation appreciation moment: Chopper's legs jerking as he rolls over the hump in the doorway.

The ANH vibes continue with this turbolift scene, which is just hilarious. From Rex not knowing which button to push to the Imperial officer snarking at our hero duo, it's just... *chef's kiss*

They are a disaster pair and I just love them.

Cut to the troopers that are escorting Ezra to his "secure cell" and I'm sorry, I adore this whole sequence. Ezra being a little hyper-competent badass is my whole jam, okay?

This is so clever. <3333

Ezra makes very short work of his guards, without really hurting them (something that would contrast in S3 after the whole Malachor Loss-Of-Innocence thing) and then immediately shoots his intended rescue party lololol.

I love how smoothly he moves through this whole scene. He's obviously been practicing and of course the Force operates on a principal of "the more at peace and in tune you are with yourself, the greater strength you can channel" so after his whole soul-searching in "Brothers of the Broken Horn" deal he's come to some kind of serenity within himself that lets him be just super awesome here. Love it.

<333333

Chopper immediately rats Ezra out lol.

Kanan reluctant to split up from Ezra, aww.

Subtle animation appreciation moment: The way Ezra raises his hands in aggravation when Kanan and Rex get into it again.

Ezra finally chews the two of them out for all their bickering and takes charge of the mission and you can't even tell me he didn't make Kanan just a smidge proud, with that comment about how, "He takes after Hera sometimes." <3333

No but seriously, fandom of course loves Kanan and Ezra's whole "like my father before me" vibe but let's not forget how it was Hera who first took a shine to him, who saw potential in him, who knew that he wasn't as selfish as he pretended he was, drew out that inner spark of compulsive compassion planted by his parents and has been influencing him on the Rebellion side of things to complement Kanan's Jedi teaching.

Found Family liek woah. :)

Brom Titus looking a little less confident now that the scrawny fifteen-year-old he was specifically cautioned not to underestimate has given them the slip lol.

*cries* He was so TINY!

Very glad Ezra learned binary, it enables hilarious conversations like this.

This is yet another music cue recycled from the Death Star sequence in A New Hope. Like I said, they're really leaning into that this episode.

This little troll I love him so much.

Bit of the "Shenanigans" theme as Chopper rolls up.

Can I just appreciate how well Ezra rolls with blocking shots in zero gravity?

I think Chopper enjoyed all of this a too much lol.

Remember, giving people grief is how Chopper shows affection. :)

Love how they lampshade the terrible vision quality of Stormtrooper helmets.

Sato all ready to square up with this random trooper until he sees it's Kanan.

And his anxious worry over Ezra's welfare is really sweet. Sato does care, he might find Ezra bit aggravating but he's still just a kid in Sato's eyes, someone who was under his protection. (One wonders if Ezra reminds him of Mart a bit.) It's not Sato's fault he's only now learning what a precocious badass Ezra is lol.

This move of Kanan and Rex's is slick.

Lightsaber Naruto run.

I've been told this horn cue is Rex's theme. Makes sense.

Heeeeey remember what I said about Rex's deathseeker tendencies? Yeah.

Subtle animation appreciation moment: The drifting smoke in the hallway from the firefight holy cow. Attention to detail.

"I serve the order you put into place, Captain." Ohhhhhh Imma dent his face in.

*hurts in Order 66 feels*

THEY WERE JUST TOOLS TO PALPATINE, THEY HAD A SINGLE PURPOSE AND HE JUST DISCARDED THEM ONCE IT WAS ACCOMPLISHED.

This Hitchcock Zoom with Kanan as if he's sensing Rex's pain. <33333

Character growth! <33333

Ezra one-manning this hallway with Skill and Confidence. <33333

My gosh look how smooth and effortless this is for him. No wonder Sato was impressed.

Nice to see more classic lightsaber positions creeping into the choreography here.

Ezra being all, "OH HECK NO, THERE WILL BE NO SELF-SACRIFICING TODAY!" over the comms. He's very tired of them doing that lol.

The dolly shots this episode are tight.

Aww Ezra still looks really worried tho.

Don't think about him remembering, "I'll take the next one." and "I'll be right behind you."

Aaaaaaaand Chopper just scored the highest body count on the show, lol. (Up until the finale anyway with the Dome explosion and the purrgil-ening.)

My gosh this show even makes total destruction look pretty.

Yeah, getting a top-secret Interdictor prototype imploded is pretty demotion worthy ha ha.

Love how Kallus is basically perfectly fine assigning all of that chaos to Ezra in particular. XD

KANAN SALUTING REX NOT ONLY AS A SIGN OF FINALLY BURYING THE HATCHET BUT ALSO TAKING UP THE MANTLE OF SOLDIER HE WAS SO RELUCTANT TO AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON.

This is one of the best episodes of the season, no joke. It's fun, it brings the nostalgia without being kitschy, it lets Ezra and Sato have a little bit of nice interaction (underrated relationship, fanficers have let me down), it shows how Ezra's developing in combat, it finishes the whole Rex and Kanan animosity plot, and Chopper murders three whole Imperial cruisers effortlessly.

Love it.

[angst-in-space]

december '23 writing progress (and yearly wrap-up!)

december progress:

words written: 19.4k

most words written in a day: 1.8k

least words written in a day: 0

yearly total: 187.2k

projects worked on:

ya sci-fi book rewrites

misc notes

works published in december:

none

december goals [i did not complete a single one of these LOLOLOL]:

write ~1k a day (except on holidays)

write like 100ish words of other projects a day (fics, planning projects, etc.)

write about 33k total (to meet my yearly wc goal of 200k)

finish…..ya sci-fi book rewrites… please….

finish editing ch 10 of sylvix dreamscape (idk if i’ll be able to post it by end of the month/year but… maybe lol)

finish edit letter for friend

january goals:

sigh. finish ya sci-fi book rewrites. please. please i'm so fuckin tired.

start working on line edits?

work on query package

errrrm maybe send out like. one query. just for funsies.

edit sylvix dreamscape fic ch 10

WRITE FANFIC!! HAVE FUN GODDAMMIT

finish edit letter for friend

maybe work on outlining adult sci-fi wip again

notes:

well uhhh uhhh i did not meet a single one of my december goals. so that's....not great! i had really hoped to finish my ya sci-fi book rewrites by end of the year but alas, i still have 9 chapters left *sob* (i thought i only had 7 but recently realized i need to add two more chapters. cool. cool cool cool coolcoolcool.) but it's fine!! it's fine!!! i rewrote about 14k of my book in december and i'm finally entering the final arc so AAAAA. IT'S HAPPENING.

that is still gonna be my main priority for january (rewriting my book, that is). i'm hoping i will FINALLY finish but then again i've said that for like the last six months so we'll see lmfao. and if i DO finish rewrites, hoping i can delve into line edits woooo!!!

i'm hoping to also start doing a bit of querying prep this month (*screams internally*) by which i mean i just wanna at least start refining my query package—i technically have one already that i used to apply to mentorships and whatnot, but it's badly outdated now so uhh need to fix that! i had told myself i'd start querying by end of this month (even if it's just like, sending out One Query for the heck of it). not feeling like that's very likely but... who knows!

but also....i've been so burnt out on my book lately, i really just wanna write at least SOME fanfic this month. i want to write things for fun again, i miss it. :(

2023 wrap up:

total words written: 187.2k most words written in a month: 25k (november) least words written in a month: 9k (october)

works published/updated:

"are we going somewhere" ch. 2

"you're a dream, i'm never waking up" ch. 9

"altea rising" ch. 15

other wips:

ya sci-fi book rewrites

adult fantasy book

sylvix pacific rim au

mathablossom bedsharing fic

red skies ch. 8

altea rising (editing ch. 16 and writing ch. 19)

planning sapphic princess/pirate book

planning adult sci-fi space western dads book

kazurei post-canon fic

2023 goals:

write every day

write at least 200k words

finish more drafts of my ya sci-fi book

send ya sci-fi book to betas

start querying ya sci-fi book

make progress on adult fantasy book (possibly try to finish a first draft)

outline another book

finish editing/posting sylvix dreamscape fic

finish editing/posting renga fic

finish writing altea rising and maybe start posting the unpublished chapters

start working on red skies again

work on sylvix pacrim au

work on at least one of my wenzhou fics

finish at least a draft of matchablossom bedsharing fic

keep working on twiyor practice kissing fic, maybe finish a first draft?

a huge maybe but perhaps start sylvix 50s/spy au if i have time/energy

notes:

*scratches head* well uhhh damn i did not really...do anything i wanted to get done this year.... LMFAO. and even the few things i checked off are things i like barely worked on/started. so, ouch 😅

in my defense... i did not foresee how much work i'd have to do with my book revisions this year. at the beginning of the year i thought i was going into line edits—but around april i realized i needed to do a full rewrite. so i essentially had to start over, and rewrote *checks notes* roughly 83k of it so!! as you can imagine...that was rather time consuming and i did not have much time to work on anything else.

but... i'm trying to look on the bright side: the reason i started over is because of how much i've learned about writing from my mentors and my critique group etc. and looking at my draft from last year vs. this year, i can see a huge improvement! there is still a lot of work to do on this book—but i do feel like in 2023, i fell more in love with the story and characters than ever before (like to the point where i essentially have brain rot for my own ocs... LOL). and i feel like after 2.5 years of hard work, i am starting to see the "real book" starting to emerge from the chaotic mess it was before. so, that's very exciting!!

which brings me to: i'm hoping to maybe....MAYBE...dip my feet into the querying trenches in 2024. i had kinda hoped to do this by end of 2023 but...once again i grossly overestimated how ready my book was at the beginning of the year lololol. but i do feel like once i finish this big rewrite, i'll have less structural/overarching things to fix and more scene-level and line-level edits which (fingers crossed) hopefully will not be quite as involved as, yaknow, rewriting my entire book word by word! SOOO i may be sorta sending out the occasional query as i work on line edit-y stuff (esp bc querying is so slow nowadays haha) so yeahhh haha *sweats profusely*

there are a few other original projects i hope to make progress on this year. firstly, i'd love to continue working on my first draft of my adult fantasy arctic monster wip (maybe...finish a draft? i kinda doubt it but maybe!!). i also hope to keep working on planning a couple other projects, including planning sapphic princess/pirate wip and space western dads wip—both of which i'm very excited about. :)

AAAAND I WANT TO WRITE FIC AGAIN!!!! i really neglected my fic writing in 2023 and i miss it terribly. 😭 i have a lot of wips i want to continue/finish—but i think main priorities will be editing/publishing the last chapter of sylvix dreamscape fic, trying to finish posting at least one of my other ongoing multichapter fics, working more on sylvix pacrim au, aaaand... finishing a draft of one of my other wips perhaps? i don't know, i'm trying to be gentler with myself since i think i had too many specific goals for 2023 and could not meet any of them haha. sooo re: fic writing the general goal is "just have fun and see what happens."

here is to more progress in 2024!!!! 🥳

2024 goals:

finish ya sci-fi book rewrites/edits

work on query package

send out at least one query

start a writing blog/newsletter

continue first draft of arctic monster wip

finish outlining space western dads outline (and start a draft?? maybe?)

continue planning sapphic princess/pirate book

post last chapter of sylvix dreamscape fic

update one of my other ongoing multichapter fics

work on other misc. fic and JUST HAVE A GOOD FUN TIME!!!!

[geronimomo-spd]

OK SO SCHERZO

OK ITS ALL SPOILERS SO ITS ALL UNDER THE CUT TODAY

i really adored!!! the first scene!! them just lying down underneath the console while he is telling her of all of the things he is afraid of, and she talks to him while they almost die!! peacefull!! so nice!!!

UM???? UM??

I CAN'T BECAUSE WHEN YOU ALL SAID HORROR I ASSUMED PHYSICAL HORROR OR PHSYCOLOGICAL I DIDN'T KNOW THEY ARE GOING TO FUCKING EAT COSPSES LIKE WHAT EXUSE ME?????? HELLO??????

IM???????? GOODBY TO MY AROMANTIC DOCTOR HEADCANON I GUESS??  to be honest i will say it took me out a little because its a headcanon i really hold into, but at the same time the story works so much!!!! because, as i said before, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME HE HAS FALLEN IN LOVE WITH A COMPANION AND THE STORY AGNILIGES THAT!!! AND HE DOESN'T LNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT!!!! AND AND AND AND HE IS JUST, OF COURSE I LOVE YOU!!! I KILLD MYSELF FOR YOU DIDN'T I??? OUCH OUCH OUCH OUCH DFGDGFSDF

NO BUT WHEN HE WAS SO MEAN TO HER!! SO ANGEYR!! AND I WAS WAITING FOR HIM TO BE LIKE "OH ITS THE ANTI TIME, ITS STILL THE ANTI TIME I AM SORRY-" BUT IT WASN'T!! THIS WHOLE EPISODE WAS JUST THE DOC BEING ACTUALLY ANGRY!!!! YES YES YES THANK YOU!!!!

lol but flashback when i was like damm i really need an episode where Charley and the doc are not separated and you all all said SCHERZO I GENUALLY DIDN'T THINK ITS ABOUT THE FUCKING FACT THAT THEY WILL BE PHYSICALLY THE SAME FUCKING PERSON AND THEIR HANDS FUSED OMG ONG OMG

ALSO I SEE YOU ALL WITH THIS EMOJI FUCK FUCK FUKC UFKC UFKF JFHFJFJCFKFJCJF :handshake:

JESUS

i do gotta say that i got to relisten to it because the first time i got a genuine autistic shutdown because of the first very load noise JESUS CHRIST, and then i was suck in my bed recovering so it took me a while to get into it, and i couldn't find the time stamps for the jumpscares so i was just really carful, and i think it might be a reason for the fact that it was good, just not mind blowing, i completely understand why people are calling it the best doctor who story ever, it really drives home the meaning of the show itself but espeshelly Charley and the Doc, which is why im saying that i think that i need to relisten to it, now that i know that the doc is not affected by any outside sources for his anger of Charley!!

ALSO HOW CAN I NOT TALK ABOUT THE ENDING HOLY SHIT, SHE DID IT!!!! SHE FUCKING DID IT!!! SHE FINALLY MIRRIORED THE ENDING OF CHIMES!!! SHE PROVED THE DOC HE SHOULD LIVE!! YES FUCK THAT SUICIDAL DOCTOR IN THE HEAD SHE JUST DID IT SHE JUST DID IT!!

NO BUT AFTER ALL OF THE I LOVE YOUS, AFTER THE KISS TO BECOME ONE ORGANIZEM, THEY HAD THIS WEIRD VISION WHERE THE CREATURE WAS TRYING TO MAKE THE DOC AND CHARELY KILL THEMSELVES BECASE- WAIT OMG BECAUSE THEY TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THEY DIED FOR ONE ANOTHER WOWS WOW WOW OK. SO AFTER THE FUCKING KISS WE WENT TO A VISION WHERE THEY MADE PAUL MCGANN CALL CHARLEY MAMA IT WAS SUCH A WIP LASH LOLOLOL I WAS LOSING IT, IT WAS SO FUNNY

IT WAS SO HARD GETTING FAVE QUOTES FROM THIS BECAUSE I STARTED JUST QOUTING ALL OF THE FUCKING LINE SO I WLL TRY TO MAKE THIS NOT JUST EVERY WORD THEY WERE SAYING OK OK COOL

ALSO YES OK AS FAR AS CHARLEY AND THE DOC TOGETHER FOR THE WHOLE EPISODE EPISODES GOES THIS ONE WAS THE BEST ONE OMG OMG OMGGGGG YES YES FINALLY I NEVER EXPECTED ANY OF THIS!!! THE KISS!! THE METAPHORE OF THEM LITTIRALY BECOMING THE SAME CREATURE LIKE WTFFFFFFFFF OMG!!!!

i probably need to understand that metaphore better, and ||IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO GETWITH THE PROGRAM OF EATING CORPSES LIKE JESUS CHTIST LOLOLOL

LOLOL IM LOOKING THROUGH MY NOTES AND ITS JUST, MOST OF IT IS JUST ME FREAKING THE FUCK OUT OF THEM EATING CORPSES LOL also i will say that my aromantic headcanon for the doctor finally took his final hit with this which made me pause, which is i think is a good thing, its diffrent for how i see the doc usually but it makes sense within the nerative they are setting and after a whle it did hit me emotinally, just not torn me apart, when i see people raving about this episode i somehow got the impression its because of the romantic and emotinal stuff, so i assumed i had to connect with it emotinally on that level for the emotinal bits to hit me, that i needed to cheer for them to be together after all of this, but its really not that true, its just a sad situation in general, the horror is gripping and i do like actual emotinal comunication in doctor who, even if it had to be foreced out of the basturd.

the talk is the thing that breaks me!! the fact that the doctor is as suprised of his own emotions and puts prioraty!! it is fuking annoying that Charley is not getting the calling out the doc's motive she had in Ebrace the Darkness, where she littiraly said "you think secrefing yourself is the nobel act?? you think leaving me to people i don't know in a centery i know nothing about just so you can play hero?? you wouldn't be happy until they kill you for it, and that is so selfish of you!! like, she got to do that!!!! why not now!!!! she is just too blinded by the fact that she loves him now, both of them trying to hold into each other in a world hat just wants them to be gone, and its getting pretty unhealthy for both of them not gonna lie

the ending littiraly mirrored Chimes, and i assumed that Chimes's endind of the doctor reminding Charley to choose life was a good thing, but now its like, i assumed it made the ending of Scherzo "good", but now i am not so sure, it is lovely to see that she did for the doctor what he did for her, but argggg i don't know

calling the other companions "momento mory " though i do really like how they pulled the edning and the creature is like "you would secrefice yourself not just for Charley, you would secrefice yoursef for most of your friends", so the ending was soft of one of his friends finally being like NO, BECAUSE I WILL DO THE SAME TO YOU, SO FUCK OFF WITH THAT

anyway apart from the love shit, this one was frightening, corpse eating and a dash of Paul Mcgann calling Charley mama, and a complicated emotinal core! people say its the best, and get why do say that, broke my heart, made me happy and concerened, a really good case for the dark shit big finish can do, i think i really like it, but im not sure :)

OK AFTER A FEW DAYS

This story is fucking cool, you really understand what he is going through, and its not pretty, as the story is not pretty my emotional hurting wasn't because of my headcanon, it was because I was witnessing an earthkwake, of the fundamentals of this show

We have never seen the doctor act like this, we have never seen him, absolotly, say he's in love, but WE NEVER SAW HIM REJECTING LIKE THAT, WE NEVER SAW HIM GETTING TO DISECT AND INTERJECT THE LOVE HE FEELS OR FELT

We get a lot of the doctor secrefying and putting asaide his feelings, but we never get the doctor letting GO, letting his emotions be fully expressed!! That is as terrifying and cool as you can get in doccy who

its an earthquake, and we are Charley, flowing and buzzing around, not knowing what will happen next because our intire foundation has been lifted from beneath out feet. They physicaly can't get rid of each other, and so THEY BECOME THE SAME CREATURE, hurting each other and almost destroying each other in the prosses, like what??? Everything is breaking apart and smshing around, and the sound creature is just there, and we loving to his tune. Its awesome just for that and after all that these two have been throhyg its fascinating still

ALSO ALSO OMG THAT FAIRYTAIL IS SO BRILLIANT OMGF OMG OMG, I loved it, wow

ok fave quotes lets goo DOCTOR: But Charley, you have lost a lot. You have lost everything. Your family, your friends. Charley, you will never see another of your kind. Never. You will never fall in love with a man, get married, have children. Hang on to your losses. They make you what you are. Even if we spend the rest of our lives here, and I'm rather afraid we will, don't let them take away that regret and that pain. All that identity. Don't settle for this existence when once you've tasted life, because you are Charley Pollard, and you deserve better than that. MY HEART I LOVE THAT, YES DOCTOR WE ARE ALSO DEFINED BY OUR LOSES AND ITS LOVELY TO HEAR THAT, I love every time this doctor gets to explain how emotions are so important to us

CHARLEY: Listen. A little while ago, you made me realise I mustn't accept my fate too readily. Stop my brain from finding the easiest and most painless way to cope with all this.

DOCTOR: Is this relevant?

CHARLEY: And now your brain is doing the same thing.

DOCTOR: What are you talking about?

CHARLEY: You need there to be a mission. You need there to be an enemy to face, mysteries to solve.

DOCTOR: And I have solved it, Charley. I'm sure of it.

CHARLEY: So what if you have? We have been walking this corridor for weeks now. It could be months, even. We simply can't tell. And have we found any way out in all that time?

DOCTOR: There has to be one.

CHARLEY: How do you know this entire new universe isn't just an over-lit glass tube which goes on and on for ever? Doctor, we are no closer to getting out of here than we ever were, and it does us no good to pretend otherwise.

DOCTOR: (big sigh) You're right.

CHARLEY: You're calmer?

DOCTOR: Yes.

I don't have anything to add to this I love it

So you love me.

CHARLEY: Yes. Yes, I do.

DOCTOR: And is that it?

CHARLEY: Isn't that enough? If you knew how hard it was for me to say that

DOCTOR: Not half as hard as it was to listen to. Tell me, Charley. What good do you think your love will do me?

CHARLEY: I don't know.

DOCTOR: Do you think it makes this situation any better? Do you think it makes me feel any better?

CHARLEY: I hoped. I don't know.

DOCTOR: I don't want your love, Charley. I have no use for it.

FUCK??? ABSOLOTLY FUCK??? OUCH OUCH OUCH????? WOW, WTFFFF

And of course the famus:

DOCTOR: Of course I loved you! I killed myself for you, didn't I? Of course I loved you. Of course I love you.

CHARLEY: Doctor.

DOCTOR: Quiet. Just listen. But you're not safe, are you. You followed me in, so what was the point of my sacrifice? What was the point after all these years of memento mori to find myself finally loving a friend, someone who meant that much more to me? What was the point of that journey if I died for nothing? I killed myself for you so you could live. And yet here you are.

CHARLEY: I'm sorry, I didn't realise.

DOCTOR: You betrayed me. You betrayed all that I gave up for you. And I can't forgive you that. Not yet. I. Well, I'm not sure I can ever forgive you that.

fuck i finally reached that and i don't know what to feel anymore, it doesn't feel like love anymore, it feels... hollow

genuinely don't know, i thought i was on board for this, he loves her

but it doesn't help any of them!!!!!

wow

but he loves her, he genuinely loves yer, no yes or no about it and... it hurts

and it doesn't really matter in the end doesn't it, like fuck

DOCTOR: And now, Mama, dearest Mama, who gave me life, who gave me everything, I think it's time that you left.

CHARLEY: Oh, so soon?

DOCTOR: I think so. Look at yourself. You're an old woman now, getting older and older by the second. But you needn't be afraid. You will live on through me.

CHARLEY: Well, that's all right, then.

DOCTOR: The parent lives on through the child. Years of evolution. Children becoming parents giving birth to children. Each time the child becoming stronger, more perfect. Your job is done. You can rest now.

CHARLEY: I've been out-evolved.

DOCTOR: Exactly. And much as I love you, Mama, that makes you something of an embarrassment.

CHARLEY: It's time I died, then.

THIS FUCKIMG AUDIOS THIS FUCKIMG SHOW I CAN'T THIS IS FUNNY AS FUCK

CHARLEY: A daughter. I've had a daughter after all, and I'm so proud.

DOCTOR: I'm the best daughter who ever lived

PLEASE SO GENDER OF YOU SO GENDER LOLOLOLOLOL

i would call it more Suicidal I LOVE THAT THIS STORY IS FINALLY AGNILOGING THE DOCTOR'S SUICIDAL TENDENCIS YES YES YES

YESSS YES SHE DID THE SAME FOR HIM LIKE HE DID HER Y4S!!!!!! FUCK YEAH YES YES YES YES URS YEX

[rekishi-aka]

Good Omens Season 2

I've been looking forward to this for entirely too long. I hoarded a lot of my spoons for new input over the past week and change to be able to watch and enjoy Barbie and this. (There's a post for the whole post viral fatigue thing waiting to be written as well.)

I was lucky to be able to scream at @lu-inlondon (💖) and throw my very incoherent thoughts at DW as well. Putting it under the jump so you don't have to actually read them. I have some speculative thoughts as well, but I'll bring those up later, I think.

Episode 1

OMG they knew each other before the beginning.

I'm sure I've read this in fanfic. Like I mean the whole plot from the trailer I've read in fanfic, but I have definitely read this piece where they knew each other and involved in the creation in fanfic. And where Crowley was responsible for making stars. Neil............

The hair, Crowley, omg.

Asking questions is never good.

OMG WITH THE WING IT'S A MIRROR.

Of course the shop is closed, Aziraphale, of course.

Wait, Aziraphale owns the building?? Really? What? Explain! I mean it totally makes sense, all things considered, but this...I want all the backstory.

Ah, St James Park and the agents, lovely.

It's fun that the new representative of Hell is actually having clandestine meetings with Crowley. "Your contact in the bookshop", right. Also, they're not talking? Who shall believe that?

Oh. Gabriel. Oh my. Naked John Hamm is quite is a sight though. XD omg the butt shake. what. what (did he make the Effort?)

I.....sort of love Crowley's new neighbourhood. It's very...quaint?

omg, Crowley's plants are in the trunk?! I love it.

Awww, Crowley knows Aziraphale that well to have his three reasons for calling down. The second applied to me for a long time as well.

He calls him angel. <3

Flirting between Maggie and Nina is cute. <3

LOLOLOL John Hamm in a toga and Crowley freaking out it's wonderful I love it.

Awwww Crowley, he's so in love. Aziraphale too, just.....with more agape for everything that lives mixed in. Oh Crowley come on, as if you'd ever really leave him. Ohhhhhhh, Crowley and his lightning. Awesome.

Oh no, Crowley in hell. He's quite a decent actor isn't he. And very worried about Aziraphale, naturally. Which <3

Jesus that's heavy flirtung.

QUEEN SOUNDTRACK OMG THANK YOU

Aziraphale, no one believes you about how not relieved you are. Omg they're talking. (Apology dance??? ooooooooomg jfc, what)

sooo, no miracles for our boys. Interesting. the question is, how do they handle money? because well. in the end, neither of them will have invested. did Adam take care of that as well?

the hand holding is cute. "I am not your friend" well XD no

(if they perform miracles together, are they like....joined? XD)

Episode 2

I love the backstory bits. "I have a permit" what even. Ah. That story in the bible. Yeah. oh Aziraphale. Crowley would never kill children. (John Hamm with that mich hair, what)

omg is he invisible?

omg no. no Azirapahle. don't set them up. noooooo. omg Neil, I love that you're doing this but noooo lol

"get humans wet and look into each other's eyes" omg Neil I love you but....omg

lol Crowley and his Jane Austen thing.

oh. ouch. "the angel you were". but of course Crowley would never kill the kids (of the...kids). lol the children. no one's listening to Aziraphale. I love the banter between him and Crowley. Oh no. ohhhh. *Crowley* tempted Aziraphale into food??????? I love it.

ohhh, God has they/them pronouns!!

oh what, those two are such a tag team, children from the ribs lololol oh and Aziraphale lying, ohhh

oh no. "our car"? what????? Yeah, Crowley is not having it. "we both get plenty if use out of it [the bookshop]" omg. Aziraphale. you just want to get away from Gabriel. and I'm here for it.

"I'm not taking you to hell, Angel" omg I'm melting ;_; 

Episode 3

Crowley is bringing is plants inside?! :D he's moving in?? :D :D

They're sitting quite cozily. I know this was in the promo pictures, but it's still very....domestic.

.....their joint miracle could have brought someone 25x back from the dead????? What *even* ist that love. And I bet they have no clue those two.

I love the fact that David is bringing out his brogue a little bit in the Edinburgh scenes.

Since when can Crowley himself talk through the radio? I thought he could only do that passively. OMG THE CAR OMG. I love them.

Crowley explaining gravity to Gabriel is.....I mean. Yeah. It's very on brand.

I love it when Aziraphale and Crowley are working together together. That surgeon plot sounds a lot like the premise for "Anatomy: A love story" btw. Which I know has some foundation in truth. But still!

Als have I mentioned how much I miss Edinburgh? I haven't been there in twenty years and I feel that yearning so much. (Yeah, I should just go.)

Okay........tiny Crowley.....giant Crowley....is weird. The thug on the graveyard uses his phone for Grindr. I love it.

(Crowley, the books!! Noooo lol)

Nina and Maggie are sweethearts, just....Crowley didn't get that entirely right. XD

Episode 4

I love that Crowley is actually locking the shops. Does Aziraphale even know how considerate he is? (He probably does.) Also.... Hmmmm, Shax can't enter the shop w/o invitation? Interesting. Of course Crowley has long been issued one but... hmmmmm.

"if any harm comes to Aziraphale" awww Crowley. You're such a sweetheart.

"I heard you and Crowley were an item" whaaaaaat

The Blitz scene!!!! oh, it was so clear that Arizaphale realizing a few things would come to bite them. omg we're getting the ride home after that. through the Blitz. and no Aziraphale. Not your magic tricks. oh no...

Not sure on the zombies.

Aziraphale in a magic shop is a sight XD

Also I'm very sorry, but I still see Mycroft Holmes there.

Somehow, ep 4 is the weakest one and was also the weakest one in Season 1 (imo). I mean, I can't say for the rest of the episodes, but somehow...I'm not big on this episode. It's toooooo long winded.

The shared bottle of wine is nice, though. <3

The Bentley and Aziraphale both survived the trip to Edinburgh!

Crowley, you needn't move out again... I'm sure the plants feel right at home at the bookshop!

Episodes 5+6

"Can I watch?" Yes, Crowley, please do. Pretty sure Crowley has a competency kink a mile wide and very specific to Aziraphale.

"You gave away a book!" Yes, Crowley, he did. XD

NO THE FEZ OMG DAVID

Crowley's following Aziraphale like a loyal dachshund, it's sorta sweet. It's smote. But Aziraphale would know that, no? So the smitten was........a very low key pun? :D

And of course Nina thinks they're an item. Everyone does, of course, but damn, Crowley is thinking things now.

Crowley talking to Gabriel is sort of ominous. Oh, he's so mad that Gabriel was mean to Aziraphale. Oh my. And him making hot chocolate is... Yeah.

Aziraphale what are you doing with the chandelier....

Crowley, you really are weirdly sweet for a demon. <3

Crowley coming in to tell his Angel about the demon horde outside and......Aziraphale is hosting a ball, omg. Honestly though, I love Crowley in worried mode. He was like that in S1 also, but it's even more now.

Crowley has his priorities straight, no? Demons outside, Crowley worried, Aziraphale wants to talk about it while dancing..."You don't dance" and....they dance. XD Which is sweet but also. I mean! Definitely has his priorities in order. XD Also goes along with what Aziraphale wants, mostly.

....I love the fact that Crowley uses bureaucracy against the demons. XD

"I've got your mail." Quite civil, really.

"Rescuing me makes him so happy"?!?! DID I HEAR THAT RIGHT?! omg Aziraphale. They're so much in love. And Crowley is just sauntering vaguely upwards now.

Aziraphale just showing off his magic in front of Maggie and Nina...

I love it when Aziraphale starts putting steel into his voice. "You're not welcome here."

Oh Crowley, that heavenly outfit is just...idek. But nice detail how he covered up the facial tattoos. Lolol "they haven't changed their passwords" I love him.

"There was a fire here once" awwww Aziraphale <3 Still very protective of his books, our angel.

Aziraphale...is that a halo? oh it is. Aziraphale please don't start wars.... How is Crowley now suddenly the leader of a motely crew of angels? "I did the thing with the halo" and Crowley is *so* here for it.

Ewwwwwww with the fly!!!!

Gabriel and Beelzebub finding common ground? Hmmm. Pretty sure I read that fanfic as well. XD

"It's bigger on the inside"?!?!?! how many more Doctor Who references?

Awww, Gabriel and Beelzebub holds hands and Aziraphale grabs Crowley's arm <3

Crowley talking again about Alpha Centauri and looking at Aziraphale ;_;

Awww Crowley. "When Aziraphale comes back, I think we'll need a little us time," and then neatens the shop. ;_; Srsly, how much more in love can he be.

And now he's getting a stern talking to from Nina and Maggie, wonderful. Awww.

Is the Metatron offering Aziraphale Gabriel's job right now? Because I'm mostly sure Aziraphale doesn't want that.

Oh, I was right.

But

But

Why would Crowley want to be an angel?

Ah he doesn't.

;_;

Boys. Boys srsly.

Crowley are you crying?

You're crying.

"If they can go off together, so can we" ;_;

Oh it's reversed now. Previously, Crowley wanted to run away with him And now...

"No nightingales" omg ;_;

THE KISS

NEIL YOU SADIST OMG

"Nothing I can think of [to take with me]" what. Aziraphale. srsly, you don't want this either.

yes, you idiot, Aziraphale, you brought that second coming upon yourself. AND NOW CROWLEY NEEDS TO RESCUE YOU AGAIN.

a HUNDRED MILLION FIXITS PLEASE

srsly this is how they'll end this season and leave is hanging how long? do we have S3 even greenlit??? (probably not)

omg

[seelestia]

LIALIALIA!!

hru????

I'm so happy today. why? cos it's raining<3

I love the rain cos its soooooo romantic

(kaveh holding my umbrella then slipping in the rain lololol we love a clumsy architect)

My club members were being chaotic. They were using Heizou an Zhongli and trying to see who can get me to blush first.

(You'd be surprised how good of a Zhongli impression my friend Alex can do! Li's VA who??? I only know Alex Maron of 12th Grade)

the year's drawing to a close... couple months left, exams, then FREEDOM!!

but that also means Gaming Club will be temporarily disbanded T^T

I'm sure we'll still hang out tho, on genshin or among us or irl.

OOP bus is here

Love u lots Lia!! Chu~

-Your Dearest Michikinonnagonn

MICHIKIIII! <3 i'm doing okayyyy but senior year is just smth else, aaaaaa. i hope school is better for you tho <//3

oooo, a rain lover!! although i cannot relate because i prefer windy days over rainy ones (a depressing fact ik 😞 /j), but i totally get the romantic ambience <3 AND KAVEH MY GUY LMAOOAOA. "an architect is good with his hands, not with his feet—" but at least, he has good intentions! (even if he plopped face down onto the wet pavement. ouch /j)

OKAY BUT SERIOUS QUESTION. which one succeeded tho?? 👀 people who can do impressions are on another level fr! trying to match the voice is smth else, but you also have to match the chara's cadance. tell alex to say osmanthus wine for me (/j)

FREEDOM FROM SCHOOL SOUNDS SO NICE RN 😭 i have faith in the "temporarily" in your sentence, so dw about it! heh, i feel like the proudest cousin ever seeing your gaming club grow <3

[campirebitesarchive]

I just saw ‘grieve the love you couldn’t give’ or something and lol wow makes sense that’s why the ungiven gifts at the back of my closet make me so sad I just need to donate them to goodwill

[wetfeline]

SCARS

bakugo katsuki x reader

warning; someone dying, fluff, angst, cussing

notes; I KNOW YOU GUYS SAW THE MHA CHAPTER 362 BRUH 😭 i cant believe it im in denial fr but yeah this fic is sorta inspired by it? lololol have fun reading :)

YOU DIDN'T mind scars, because you've always have been a careless and curious child. Small cuts and bruises on your arms and knees everytime you come home due to you wandering far just because you wanted to find that one little rare bug you've once read—your parents tried to stop you, but that only fueled your curiosity further.

You can't count how many times you've been bruised, nor remember how you got that small scar on your thumb but you can still vividly remember that one specific day. For some, it wouldn't be special, you didn't get a major scar or something and didn't bruise for the first time.

You guess you can that day a lucky day; not just because you didn't get any injuries, but because it was the day you met him after all.

"Who are you?"

A boyish kid-like voice suddenly spoke and instead of being frightened, you foolishly turned your head around, forgetting the "becareful of strangers" thing your mother has always told you. But you were sure it wasn't a kidnapper or something, why would there be one in the woods? A no trespass area at that.

Turning around, you saw a boy who was most likely your age and someone behind them too.

Maybe his friend, you thought.

You didn't reply and instead chose to observe them both- you don't really see children your age wander around in the woods like you would.

The blond one looked like he was angry, for what? Was he mean? You don't know, maybe it was his natural resting face. Your father told you to not judge people based on their looks.

But maybe this time he was wrong since the kid looked even more angry when he noticed you didn't respond. You were probably right about him being angry, and well, mean.

"Are you mute or what?"

"Kacchan.. I don't think you should go around and ask people that," the green haired one spoke. Oh, right he was also there, you kind of forgot about him to be honest.

Finally, you chose to respond, "No, I'm not."

He furrowed his brows, internally curious on why you were also here. You looked fragile and weak and you probably didn't have a quirk yet. Why were you here in a no trespass area?

"Hey, why are you here?"

"I could say the same to you," and that somehow ticked him off.

"Answer me properly!" He pursed his lips angrily, holding his hand up to show his quirk.

So he had a explosion based quirk. How powerful, you thought, but at the same time he looks like an angry pomeranian. You've seen those dogs sometimes, and the similarity almost made you giggle.

"Hey, how old are you?" You asked.

"7." He replies.

"I'm 8 I'm older than you."

"You are in our grade, though." The broccoli haired child peeks behind the blond's back, and you notice how his hair is also the same shade as his eyes and you also see his freckles. How adorable, you hum.

"I started school late."

"Ha! What kind of idiot does that?"

"Kacchan!"

Is his name, Kacchan? That's kind of.. cute. You couldn't imagine an angry kid like him with such a cute name so you were sure it was just a nickname. But still, it wouldn't hurt to tease him a little bit.

"Is your name Kacchan?"

"No! No way!" He replies defensively, looking to the side, and you can barely see a pink hue starting to form.

"Then what's your name?"

"Bakugo Katsuki!"

"Nice to meet you, Kacchan, I'm Y/N."

"OUCH," you whisper, and somehow your bestfriend hears it because he says he has super amazing hearing and you doubt it. You're sure it was just an excuse from him being attentive and caring for you. It's somehow endearing.

"Did you get injured again?"

"Aww, so you do care for me, Kat!"

"You're such an idiot," you hear him mutter softly and that surprises you. "Of course I do,"

It's been 8 years since you met Katsuki. You've been with him all those years. You grew close with him and even though you guys bicker and argue, your close bond would always remain. Your parents even knew about your close relationship. You guys were together to enroll for U.A- you guys entered the prestigious school together in the same classroom.

He was always there to treat your wounds whenever you injured yourself again. He was always there. And, you were too.

Bakugo Katsuki was no doubt your other piece. In any shape or form, you would always fit together. Through arguments and doubts, you guys would always come back together. Your bond is so strong, the universe would always bring them back together, no matter how long it is. You're certain.

"Katsuki," you trail off, shocked by the turn of events because he was never a person with words, never a person who would directly admit that they care for you. Until now, and he said that to you.

You hugged him tightly in your arms, your hands clasping behind his backs, and not even after a minute, your bestfriend hugged you even tighter and you let him. You paid no mind to it and continued to embrace him, softly brushing his hair with your fingers. He feels so close and you suddenly feel your cheeks warming up.

Why are you feeling this way? You don't know, but you could only hope he doesn't feel the way the beating of your heart sped up.

You also don't know why he's acting like this. Is he gonna die? You hope not. Though you don't complain, you can't complain when he feels so comfortable in your arms, when you could smell his natural scent, when your fingers were fiddling with his fluffy hair. You couldn't complain.

His eyes, the eyes you see even in your sleep, those very eyes that makes you flutter when you guys make eye contact. His sand colored hair, the ones you've grown to love. Every part of him, you can say with confidence that he is beautiful.

Little did you know, he was thinking the same to you.

You guys aren't sure what your official relationship are but even though you guys never said it to eachother— you both knew.

YOU didn't mind scars, but that didn't mean you wanted to get them.

Everything feels dizzy, you feel like your legs will give up on you every second now, you tune out the terror filled shouts as you can only focus on one thing.

Katsuki. Your one and only love.

The late night conversations about growing old together until you guys are all wrinkly and crippled, dying together. What happend to that? You thought it was a promise, and he never broke promises. Until this one. Why? You don't understand. Maybe this was all just a dream. A fucking nightmare. You wish to wake up.

This whole war was so, fucking, cruel. You guys were only children. Eighteen year olds fighting on the front lines. You could accept it, you accepted it, there was no other choice anyways. But why must fate do this to you?

Katsuki. Your one and only love.

You're staring at his injured body. You can't breathe at all, everything feels so suffocating. You can't feel anything but at the same time the ring he gave to you on your birthday was feeling oh, so, cold.

Why was it him and not me?

"Y/N.." his voice snaps you out of it and you immediately run to him, not caring about the other people calling other doctors.

You caress his head with such gentleness, forcing to stop your tears because you don't want him to see you in such expressions. It should be him crying and not you.

"Katsuki. Just hold on," the sheer desperation in your voice was enough for the man in your arms to tear up.

He musters enough strength and caresses your cheek with his left hand, staring at you so fondly like the world was ending. Actually it probably is ending. You can't imagine life without him. He was always there, and now suddenly he wouldn't be. Bullshit. This was all fucking bullshit.

Mixed in his eyes were fear, fear as he realizes he can't see another sunset with you. Realizing who will be there to take care of you now that you're gone? They don't know you like he does. His eyes finally let go of the tears he has been holding and he sobs weakly.

He is afraid of dying.

He is afraid of losing you.

You are afraid of him dying.

You are afraid of losing him.

You want to force yourself that there was still hope, hope that he can live and you guys can carry those stupid endearing dreams you wanted to do. You guys even had a bucket list.

But even though no words were said— you both knew.

I'm dying.

I know.

I love you.

"I love you too, Katsuki," you whisper softly, watching as his chest finally stops going up and down, watching as he takes his last breath, watching as he finally closes his eyes.

You finally allowed yourself to sob.

He may had treated your scars, but what he didn't know was the mental scar he gave to you that you had to carry 'till your very end.

[harunayuuka2060]

Barbatos: "Don't you think remaining as their friend would be a better option."

I---

this hurts asdfghjk

As someone who's been inlove with their bestfriend for 4 years and been indirectly (sometimes directly) friendzoned a couple of times, this hit me like a truck asdghkl

If it's ok, can you make a friendzoned!mc (back in the human realm) who tries to lessen their time with the bros and side characters became they might get attached again and they already know what would happen next.

Friendzoned peeps, let's raise our glass for being cowards lololol

Ouch bruh. 

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

Mammon: Oi! MC! Why do you rarely answer the phone?! Do you know we are getting worried whenever you don’t answer our calls or texts? What have you been doing up there, huh?!

MC: *troubled laugh* I-I’m just busy with stuff, Mammon...

Mammon: Busy my ass. You have promised before you went back there. Now what? 

MC: *smiles* Sorry. 

Mammon: *sigh* By the way, Lord Diavolo will be visiting you today, so make sure you don’t leave your house.

MC: Huh? L-Lord Diavolo? W-Why?

Mammon: Why did you stutter?

MC: N-Nothing...

Mammon: Tch. You’re acting weird. Well, anyways, make sure you answer my next phone call next time. Have a nice day, MC. Bye!

MC: *puts down their phone and sigh* 

MC: ...

MC: Why does he have to go here...

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

Diavolo: I’m glad you listened to Mammon, MC. *smiles*

MC: It will be rude going out when I’m expecting a visitor. Please come in. I have prepared some snacks for us.

Diavolo: *chuckles* Ready as always. Sorry for my intrusion.

Diavolo: *takes off his shoes before entering the house*

MC: L-Lord Diavolo! 

Diavolo: *looks at them* Hmm?

MC: Why did you take them off? Please wear them. 

Diavolo: It’s fine. It’s your house so I can be comfortable here, right?

MC: ...

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

MC: *watches him as he eats snacks* 

MC: So... Why did you decide to visit?

Diavolo: Well... About that message you have sent me.

MC: *gulps*

Diavolo: *looks at them with a serious expression* Do you mean it?

MC: Yes. Every word that I have said. 

Diavolo: I see. 

Diavolo: ...

MC: ...

Diavolo: *sigh*

Diavolo: I came here... to properly reject your confession.

MC: ...

MC: Oh. 

Diavolo: You are important to me as a friend, so rejecting you through a message seemed inappropriate for me. 

Diavolo: Though I’m hoping that our friendship would still remain as how it is used to be until now.

MC: ...

MC: Yes. I understand.  *smiles* You shouldn’t have bothered coming this way. A simple message would be fine.

Diavolo: But still- *eyes widened* MC... Why are you-

MC: *tears falling from their eyes* If you hadn’t come here, I would be able to hide that I’m hurting. 

MC: *smiles* It’s fine. Just like what you said... I want our friendship too, to remain as well.

[ticklygiggles]

Violet grass predicament | Aether, Diluc, Childe & Zhongli

Collab with @otomiya-tickles

A/N: *maniac laughter in the distance* beautiful Ginny and I are still on hiatus, lololol, but I showed her this wonderful art I saw on Twitter and we just exchanged ideas and we found ourselves writing this out, huhu~ we hope you enjoy it! Also this is my first time writing for Genshin and it was a pleasure to share this moment with my beautiful girl 💕

Summary: Diluc is pleased to welcome Aether with his Liyue friends Childe and Zhongli at the Angel's Share, and even offers his help in the thing they are investigating. Hunting violet grass is serious business after all. Or is it?

Words: 2,751 (under the cut)

____

"Heeeh? Violet grass? Again?"

Diluc had to fight back a smirk when he heard Aether gasping, even over the loud sounds of the tavern.

"What do you mean again?" The traveler asked, disbelief dripping from his voice. "Do you know how hard it is to get?!"

Aether sounded extremely offended by the words of his Liyue friend, and this time he really cracked a little smile that was easily mistaken as a polite one as he grabbed a pair of dirty plates from the table where a young couple were dining.

It was not the first time he's brought them around. A few months ago, Aether came into Angel's Share, telling Diluc that he had brought someone from Liyue that really wanted to try Mondstadt's best wine.

Of course Diluc had felt proud and he eagerly introduced himself to the visitors. He liked them, one more than the other, though. Zhongli was a nice visitor, he always knew what to say and was enchanted by the delicious wine, claiming that it was, in fact, one of the best of Teyvat.

Childe, on the other hand, was loud and a tease and Diluc couldn't help but have his defenses up when he was around him, but as much as Childe was a little childish, he was also fun and Diluc had teeth marks on the inside of his cheeks from holding back his laughter every time he heard Childe talk.

Now it was a common thing to have this trio over at the tavern talking about food, commissions and some other matters around Teyvat. Diluc frequently found himself sitting with them, enjoying a nice talk and drink as he took orders from the other clients and cleaned up tables as the good owner he was.

Tonight was no different and, as he walked around with a tray with some empty glasses, he couldn't help himself and quickly stopped by the table where Childe, Aether and Zhongli were dining.

"There are quite a few around here," Diluc said, his fingertip touching a spot in the map between Aether's hands. "Around the Archon's statue in Mingyun Village."

"Ah, certainly," Zhongli declared with that deep voice of his as he looked over the area in the map. "Diluc is right. I remember seeing a path of violet grass during a walk on my own. Unfortunately it does grow in cliffs and is hard to get if you don't have a good condition," he said and both Aether and Diluc nodded, but the traveler also let out a soft whine that made Childe giggle.

"Oh, but how is it that Diluc knows this? Isn't he always in Mondstadt?" Childe asked with a playful smile as he rested his chin upon the palm of his hand, looking at Diluc with curious eyes.

Diluc shrugged. "I've been trying to make a drink with violet grass, so I often come and get fresh flowers there. There's a whole path as Zhongli says, you see," he said, glading his finger over the map. "Here, here and here. Can you mark it?"

"Ah, yes! Diluc is the best!" Aether said excitedly, quickly marking all the spots on his map as both Diluc and Zhongli mentioned them.

“Don’t exaggerate. I was just -- AHh!” Diluc spazzed suddenly, almost dropping the glasses as he felt a finger poke his side. He looked where the random tickle came from and saw Childe smirking at him.

“Don’t be modest when our Traveler compliments you,” he teased. The young Harbinger then casually held up a finger, “Ah by the way Diluc. Please pour one more glass of your finest wine to Mr. Zhongli here. And some Wolfhook juice for our traveler here,” Childe ordered, and he held up his own glass which was still full and winked. “I’m still good.”

“I could order myself,” Zhongli said calmly, and Aether stuttered, “J-Juice?” but did not seem to object, so Diluc rolled his eyes fondly at the trio and went to fetch them their drinks. Behind him he heard the three express their admiration of Diluc’s knowledge and Aether was eagerly noting the route for his violet grass hunt.

Heading back to them with the drinks, Diluc first handed Zhongli his drink and then stood by Aether to put down the juice. Right at that moment, there was that sudden ticklish touch again. This time on his back. A single finger traced a quick path down his back, and he arched up so suddenly he dropped the Wolfhook Juice all over Aether’s lap.

“AH!” Aether twitched in surprise, and Zhongli looked up with mild concern, letting out a simple “oh” in realization that Aether was covered in juice. Meanwhile Childe… did not stop tickling Diluc.

“Look at what you did Diluc~” Childe mocked, his hand lowering to Diluc’s side and squeezing him there a couple of times, making him bark out some involuntary strange ugly laughs, in his opinion.

“GAahaha! H-hey q-quit that!” He made odd dancing moves to squirm his way out of there, but the grip and strength in the innocent touch of Childe’s hand was quite strong.

“Please go get us something to help him clean,” Childe said, his hand continuing to assault Diluc’s side.

Diluc tried to bite his tongue to prevent making a fool of himself in front of everyone inside the Angel's Share but, thankfully, the tavern was rather empty and most of the people around were beyond past their drinking limit, so he was not too worried when he felt Childe's fingers giving his lower ribs a firm squeeze that had him letting out a bright cackle before he pushed Childe's hand away from his body.

"Ouch!" Childe whined, rubbing the spot where Diluc had slapped him.

"I said stop," Diluc said, narrowing his eyes just as Zhongli said: "You deserve it. Now look at what happened to Aether."

He gently pointed at the poor traveler that was trying to save his precious map from the juice that had splashed on the table, not caring about the liquid covering his lap and even some parts of his bare middle.

Diluc winced a little. "I apologize, Aether. Give me one second, I'll bring a towel."

Aether hurriedly shook his head, holding his map up, "please don't worry! I know this was not your fault," he said, sending a glare to a certain Harbinger who only giggled, lifting his hands and showing his palms.

"What~? I was just wondering if Diluc was ticklish!" He said, smirking playfully as Diluc rolled his eyes and made his way to bring a towel for the traveler. "He was looking so serious, the idea suddenly popped into my head and I just couldn't help but do it!"

"You're going to pay extra for it," Zhongli said, drinking some wine as he took the map from Aether's hands and carefully settled it on the other side of the table where it could be safe from the purple-ish liquid.

"Heh? But I always pay, Mr. Zhongli!"

"Here's the towel. If you feel too sticky you can take another one and go wash a little in the bathroom," Diluc said gently, placing a refill of juice on the table. "This one's on me."

“Thank you Diluc! I’m sorry tha-- EEhp!” Diluc looked down in surprise when Aether yelped; Childe had taken the towel and started rubbing it against Aether’s middle.

“Hm? So noisy, right Diluc?” Childe said, but Diluc could see he was resuming his tickle antics on purpose as he moved it all over Aether’s bare midriff to rub off the sticky juice.

“Seriously?” Diluc muttered, but what followed after was Aether’s loud bubbly laughter. He squirmed, trying to fight off Childe with cute flailing movements.

“C-Chihihilde! N-not like thahahat! G-give me t-the tohohowel! S-stop!” Aether jumped and squirmed. Diluc could even see Childe use his other hand sneakily to ‘keep Aether in place’ but it just pinched and squeezed a little to add to the traveler’s predicament.

“This won’t do. Diluc, Mr. Zhongli, help a hand?” Childe whined, but Zhongli ignored the request and Diluc, blushing a little, turned around quickly to tend to some other guests with Aether’s sweet laughter in the background.

“Stahaahap~!” Aether giggled and Diluc saw from the corner of his eye that he tried to get up, but Childe's hand squeezing and pinching his side, really held him in place.

He felt his cheeks getting warmer and warmer then more he heard Aether's laughter growing louder and hysterical.

"Ahahaha! Not thehehere!" Aether cackled, kicking his legs when Childe helped him 'clean' his thighs by squeezing them with the towel.

"Stop moving so much," Childe said and Diluc could hear the smirk in his voice. "I can't help you if you're squirming like this!"

"I dihihihidn't ahahask for your hehehelp!" Aether said and Diluc nodded as he walked to get the freshly poured jugs of liquor.

"Mr. Diluc, what is all this ruckus about?" Charles asked, lending him a couple of drinks. "Is that the traveler laughing?"

Diluc blushed even more and he swore under his breath. "Don't mind it. I'll go take care of it."

"Oh, okay. It's not a big deal, though. I was just curious. Sounds like they're having fun."

Thankfully, they hadn't noticed that the reason for that laugh was because Aether was being tickled to death.

Diluc placed the orders with a gentle smile on one of the tables before rushing to where the trio was causing a scene.

"You, rascal," Diluc said, shivering when he saw Childe full on tickling Aether. "Could you quit your stupid game? You're disturbing everyone."

Childe clicked his tongue before looking up at Diluc as his fingers purposely moved to squeeze at Aether's ribs. Diluc felt the faint tingles wrapping around his own ribcage, but he stood there, trying to seem intimidating.

"Now, Diluc. I don't think that's true. I bet everyone is enjoying hearing the traveler's laughter, don't you think?"

"I certainly don't," Diluc said and he waited a few seconds for Childe to stop, but when he didn't, he sent a pleading look to Zhongli. "Zhongli, please? Could you do something?"

Zhongli let out a long sigh, raising a hand toward Diluc. "Rest assured. I've got this."

Diluc thanked him silently before leaving again, keeping an ear perked up to hear the man put some order.

"Childe."

To Diluc's surprise, Aether's laughter slowed down to soft giggling right away, and sending a quick glance to their table, he saw Childe pouting as Zhongli held the towel in his own hands.

"You're disturbing the diners," he said, carefully patting Aether's arms and stomach to properly dry him up. "You're going to make Diluc kick us out of here and we haven't had the chance to chat yet."

Hmh. Good. Diluc nodded in satisfaction, impressed how Zhongli put an end to the tickly chaos right away, and he turned back and continued to work.

“All good,” he told Charles. Then… They both looked up when suddenly a remarkable sound was heard, and Diluc turned around. His eyes widened when they confirmed what he was hearing. Zhongli was laughing.

“Q-quihihit that, C-Childe!” Diluc watched the scene with raised eyebrows. Childe had found his next victim, and oh how he was going at him with full strength. Diluc was shocked to see Childe had his hands on both sides of Zhongli’s waist, fingers digging in playfully as he made the radiant man stumble and let out some huffy laughs.

“Childe stop!” Aether hissed, still blushing as he tried to pry his hands off Zhongli, but the Harbinger had a mission and knowing how this went with Aether and himself, Diluc was afraid this was going to take a while.

“Aw what’s wrong, Mr. Zhongli~? So serious,” Childe whined with pouty lips, his fingers digging into Zhongli’s slender waist before pinching and squeezing their way upwards.

Diluc could see that Zhongli was doing his best to keep himself from laughing, he even covered his mouth with one of his hands as the other desperately tried to push Childe away from him, but goodness, that kid was strong and persistent and Diluc knew, deep inside him, that Zhongli would eventually lose his fight.

Surprisingly, it took less than he thought. Zhongli was suddenly throwing his head back as deep, rumbly cackles poured out of his mouth as soon as Childe's fingers found their way right under the man's arms.

"I s-sahahahaid quihihihit it!" Zhongli laughed, now using both hands to try and push Childe.

"Childe!" Aether squeaked. "Diluc is going to get mad! Quit it!"

"Diluc should lighten up a bit," Childe said, chuckling to himself as he slowly tickled Zhongli apart. "Mr. Zhongli was being too serious, I just wanted him to lighten up too."

Diluc sighed, massaging his temple as he heard Childe's words. Charles cleared his throat and Diluc tensed up.

"Ah, so it's that," he said, chuckling softly and Diluc couldn't feel more mortified. "It's no big deal, Mr. Diluc. I'm sure a few customers seem happy to hear Mr. Zhongli laughing," he chuckled, pointing at a table with a movement of his chin and Diluc saw how a few ladies were blushing as they looked over at Zhongli.

He sighed. Walking to the trio one more time. "Last chance before I throw the three of you out."

"Eh?! But why me?!" Aether whined, pulling at Childe's arms, trying to save Zhongli from the armpit tickles that had him all uncoordinated. "Childe!"

“Hm~?” Childe hummed, even increasing his tickle attack.

“AHaha- s-stop! N-not there, Childe!”

“Last chance!” Diluc huffed, very aware and embarrassed that everyone was watching them now. Oh… Everyone was watching? Diluc clenched his fist. So be it then. He stood behind Childe who continued to playfully cackle along with Zhongli, and he grazed both sides of his ribcage slightly in hesitation before digging in fully, tickling him hard.

“HEYAh!” Childe didn’t let go of Zhongli yet but even clenched onto him, his fingers continuing to dig into Zhongli’s sensitive torso. Childe’s laughter was instantly louder than Zhongli’s, though.

“Are you going to quit now, huh?” Diluc asked, his fingers digging furiously into Childe’s sides by now. Childe flailed and threw his head back.

“Ahahalright! H-hahang on- hehehey!” No one, not even Childe had obviously expected Diluc to resort to the ways he did. Not even Diluc himself, actually. But it seemed to work. With Childe’s grip weakened, Zhongli could finally pull himself free, and he stood on Aether’s other side to catch his breath while Diluc continued to punish Childe.

Agh, honestly. Doing something like this in front of everyone! Mondstadt was a tiny town, he knew the rumors about him tickling someone from Liyue would quickly reach everyone's ears and what would he say when people ask him about it?

"S-Stahahahap!" Childe laughed, shrieking when Diluc's fingers grazed that path of uncovered skin on his side. "I'll behahahahave, I'm sohohohorry!"

Well, of course he'd say he did it because Childe deserved a taste of his own medicine, and he should be thankful Diluc didn't actually kick him out and exile him from the Angel's Share!

Besides… this was kind of fun, but he still had work to do. "You'll behave? Is that a promise?" Childe nodded, his face going a bit pink with all that laughter blooming past his lips. "Very well," Diluc said and he stopped, leaning back up as he fixed his clothes. "Now excuse me."

He left without a word and heard Childe getting the giggles as he sat back on his chair, Zhongli also taking his seat back after catching his breath and relaxing with a sip of his wine.

"Childe, you're insane," Aether sighed, throwing the towel at Childe.

Childe laughed, "maybe a little but hey, you guys had fun!"

Diluc turned a little to look over at the trio and found that they were smiling softly, cheeks flushed as they started to talk again about the violet grass locations.

Only after a few minutes, Diluc noticed that he had also been smiling softly the whole time and even though that made him feel a little flustered, he couldn't help but think that he, in fact, had lots of fun when these three came to visit the tavern.

"There are a few in Stone Forest too," Diluc said, placing a plate of snacks on their table.

"Aaah, Diluc really is the best!"

Diluc wondered if he should visit Liyue from time to time as well.

[tarisilmarwen]

Rebels Rewatch: "In The Name Of The Rebellion"

In which you owe your crazy conspiracy uncle an apology. XD

Live reaction version.

Ya-vin, Ya-vin, Ya-vin, Ya-vin. :D

Per the dialogue we are setting down on Yavin for the very first time. Apparently I was confused about this the first time around but it's very obvious now that Kanan, Sabine, Ezra, and Chopper broke off from the flotilla at some point in order to head to Mandalore while Hera and Zeb et. al. continued on to Yavin.

As I noticed in my first watchthrough there's a bit of the Rebel Sullust cue in here.

Ezra worrying about Hera crashlanding while Kanan has complete faith in her aww.

"I've seen worse landings." Fpfpfgkjhkf Kanan plz. It should not have taken this long to crack a blind joke.

This time through it's much more obvious to me that Ezra's expressing sympathetic leanings towards Saw and his methods out of frustration over Lothal, a niggling desire to hit back at the Empire hard out of anger. He keeps bringing up the fact that they've promised to help Ryder and his cell and he feels let down by the Rebellion's new hesitance to take action, to defer liberating his planet to "later".

Oh ouch this moment with the map resonates more painfully now with Jedi: Survivor's release and Cal's paralyzed despair over just how big and overwhelming the Empire is.

Ezra's signature is so troubled Kanan can pick it up from feet away. :((((((

Love this soft moment of the two meditating and talking.

I think I've already said my piece about the whole "How we choose to fight" theme, as it is contrasted by Saw "He Who Fights Monsters" Gerrera and Mon "Lawful Good" Mothma so I'll just enjoy this and move on again.

Sabine backing Ezra up on his sentiments about hurting the Empire. <3

"If we destroy the relay the Empire will just build another one." Mmmmmm that kind of depends. Do they have the resources and manpower to spare for that kind of construction project ready and available on the fly? That thing isn't exactly small. Wasting the Empire's resources and buying yourselves time is in fact a valid strategy.

Given that Hera shares Ezra's feelings completely but can't disobey orders, it's arguable that her line here is self-justification or what she's rehearsed as the expected excuse.

Eyyyy the Sabezra Halo jump! Accompanied by lovely music cue.

You know I gotta cap the mid-mission hand catching. <3 Oh and it's even punctuated with Ezra's theme, nice.

Lol Chopper just face-planting into the antenna base.

You know what? I'mma headcanon Chopper botched the spike install on purpose because he wanted to blow the disc too.

That he backs up Ezra's "idea" is only reinforcing that for me. Because this is a terrible idea, Ezra honey, no.

"Oh that is just so typical of our luck." Lol.

<3333

It's adorable how Sabine packed detonators just in case.

Music is really on point this episode.

Shut up and let me enjoy this.

Kanera trust flight moment. <333

Still love how Saw basically kidnaps Ezra and Sabine here and how pissed Hera is about it.

Aaaaaand goodbye Brom Titus. You could seriously make a drinking game out of how many named Imperial officers from previous seasons bite it in this one.

They look a LOT more uncertain despite agreeing to be here in the heat of the moment.

They are Not Impressed, lol.

Hey yet more evidence Sabine isn't Force Sensitive, she can't hear the kyber crystal.

Saw does sound crazy to the kids and to the wider Rebellion but remember, he's ultimately vindicated. The Empire was building a giant superweapon in secret.

Rebels said when in doubt always mistrust your government, I mean what.

Love the kalimba and xylophone in this track here.

LOL THE PERFECT COMEDIC TIMING OF THE SHRILLEST STORMTROOPER SCREECH RIGHT AS THE DOORS CLOSE ON EZRA LEAPING ONTO HIM LOLOLOL.

Saw's so hyperfocused on the actual weapon he doesn't realize these prisoners are yet more proof of his theory.

I'm amazed Saw is still using just stun blasts here.

Gotta say, very effective jump scare with the Deathtroopers here. Also love the horror movie vibes of our trio taking out the Troopers in the smoke here.

This is such a pretty sequence. It makes the kyber crystal seem like some kind of archaic magic artifact. Which, I mean, it is.

Chopper's interactions with the prisoners is such a fun running gag.

Love this little moment of Ezra clearing the Troopers for Sabine. What a gentleman. :)

Yeah so the number one way to get me to not like Saw is still to have him hurt Ezra.

Hi Slavin!

Saw being so obsessed with the big picture of his cause that it makes him apathetic to the plight of the people suffering under the Empire's hand. Thrawn parallels much?

(Oh hello moment that helped make "Reflections" wind up three times longer than planned.)

And the major difference between Ezra and Saw (and by extension Ezra and Thrawn)? Ezra is not willing to step on others in order to gain a victory.

Yeah no, regardless of how right he is, leaving Ezra and Sabine on an exploding ship was a dick move.

Still love Ezra getting to be badass against the Deathtrooper commander.

Shades of Season One "Breaking Ranks".

Aaaaaand bye Slavin.

I love them your honor.

At times I kind of wish this could have been the premiere because it's just so much fun. Has that nostalgic OT feel and sets up the new status quo much better. Ezra and Sabine get lots of lovely interaction and the themes of previous seasons are continued, with Ezra coming to an internal realization that he won't sacrifice the people in front of him now to some unseen "greater good". Which positions him perfectly to be a foil to Thrawn. <3 And sets up our return to Lothal, to fight the war the Rebellion thinks is still far off.

There's so much to like about this two-part episode. It's one of my favorites.

[infinitelytheheartexpands]

Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Bayreuth, 2017): Reactions, Part II

probably gonna take this one act a night lol

oh this is pretty (although that this is still the courtroom is not lost on me)

(also according to the projected info, this is chronologically before Act I here???)

a delightful little tune

oh for goodness sake

Eva is bored

I love these two

this is really pretty

Anger Management 101

sometimes innovation just be like that

funny bit of wordplay

not subtle at all

:(

ouch

this definitely won’t cause confusion

loverboy

oh look it’s an orchestra

this is lovely

time to elope!

oh buddy

some real chilling suspense in this music!

well this is awkward

this bops also this is just one of those hilarious “suspension of time/we’re not actually doing anything though we want to” scenes

Beckmesser, that is not in fact Eva

I mean, that’s a decent solution to me

...of course not you’re just being a jerk

literally that was exactly what Beckmesser just said

lololol

oof

oh buddy

this is both utterly hilarious and utterly sad so I feel conflicted

it’s a great song you’re just mean

poor Beckmesser

well that escalated quickly

(also what’s up with the clock turning backwards?)

oh this is just a MESS

LEAVE HIM ALONE HE WAS JUST TRYING TO SERENADE A GAL

a lot of people have said that this is heavily inspired by the riot scene in Act III of Les Huguenots and...yeah I can hear that

and also they both BOP

annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd y’all townspeople went THERE

someone help Beckmesser PLEASE

oh dear

SOMEONE HELP HIM OH MY GOD

antisemitism rearing its literal ugly head

are you helping? nooooooooooooooooo

in conclusion, Beckmesser deserved better

[rahleeyah]

Ouch, I miss SVU and all that nonsense already. Summer is depressing me already

i am trying to enjoy the break lololol emotions run so high while it's airing it's nice to just like. breathe. there's lots of fic stuff happening and i'm going to try to make more gifsets over the summer, and lots of people are still churning out lots of content and we just got new mariska content today so like i hope you find something to keep you occupied for the next few months lmao

[peachyproserpina]

Wickedly Domestic

John Wick x OC

Chapter 3: Meetings and Breakdowns

TW: none

Maria was sweating, not from her run, not from the meeting with the most dazzling person she had ever met. No, she was sweating because she was speeding trying to not be any more late them she already was with her meeting with the fucking CEO of her job. She pulled into a space in the underground parking lot before she threw on her heels and booked it to the elevator leading to the lobby. She could feel her calves complain while her tits were basically bouncing out of her bra. In her rush to get dressed and get out the door she didn't think to even put on tights or a good bra. The drive over had been a mess, she never understood while she bothered driving when she had to go into the city, there was always traffic. If there was something you could count on when it came to New York was traffic and tourists. She had managed to not rear end multiple people on the way into work but that did nothing to help her anxiety, adding the fact she was running late to this meeting and she was almost t-boned at an intersection she was panicking.

She could feel the anxiety build up in her veins and makes her blood run cold despite the fact she could run a hand down the back of her neck and come up with a bucket of sweat. Shifting her weight from foot to foot, tapping her nails on the screen of her phone, she checked the time and winced when she saw it was already half past 7. When the doors to the elevator finally dinged open she bit her lip and huddled in the back corner, there was only one other person she recognized in the elevator out of the 4 people already packed in. She couldn’t place a name to his face but his drab attire screamed ‘accounting’ to her. She let out the breath she didn’t realize she was holding and started to tackle the mess that was her hair.

She was still sweating and nervous and she could tell the other passengers in the car were getting tired of her tapping her toes. So busy freaking out about being late she didn’t notice when someone slid next to her and started picking at her hair with her; taking out the knots she couldn’t reach. She froze, someone was in her space, the elevator was filling up and if another intern thought they could feel her up because she was “new and fat” she was going to have a breakdown. She turned to face the intruder and let out a breath when she saw one of her friends. Arianna was working on getting the knots out of Maria’s hair, worrying her lip between her teeth before meeting Maria’s gaze and smiling.

“How’s it going dollface?” Arianna asked while she was rummaging through her bag to find her hair brush. Maria let out an audible breath before replying.

“Could be better, aren’t we like 30 minutes late to this meeting? As region manager you should be freaking the fuck out?”

“Maria, didn’t you get the email update? It was pushed back to 8 am. I told you to check your work email more often.” Arianna chided her, tugging playfully on Maria’s hair. Maria stuck her tongue out at her and moved onto working on her lipstick while her hair was being dealt with. Arianna fussed with her hair before giving up and dropping it back on her shoulders, she was the sole reason Maria has this job. Arianna was the one who vouched for her during the whole interview process, if it wasn’t for her she probably be washing dishes in a bar. While that isn’t a bad job it isn’t enough to keep up on her car payments.

“That’s good I guess. At least I can get something to eat and coffee before the meeting.” Maria unlocked her phone to a barrage of messages from her various group chats. She could feel her anxiety come back tenfold, usually her groups were quiet this early in the day. If everyone was up and making a ruckus someone was usually hurt, or in trouble. She furrowed her brow while she followed behind Arianna, letting her lead her to the line of the little cafe in the building. Opening her roommate chat she scrolled through the 100 plus messages she managed to miss in the short elevator trip up about 60 floors from the garage.

She started from the top, Tubbs, her cat got out again and hasn’t been home since Maria left for work. She cursed herself for leaving the front door unlocked in her rush to be on time. Tubbs was easily 20 pounds and had a knack for opening doors. She shuffled forward with the line,Bradley, her roommates dog would probably find Tubbs skulking around the property before her shift was done, so she wasn’t too worried. Her other roommate Libbie, who was woken up by the incessant ringing of the doorbell approximately 30 minutes ago had been messaging the chat since.

Libbie: I swear to FUCK Mari if you dont fucking ANSWER THESE I AM GOING TO KILL YOU MYSELF

Cooper: LOLOLOL calm down Libs, she was late to work

Mari: I have no fucking clue what yall are talking about.

Maria was brought back into the world by running into the order counter. She smiled when she saw her favorite barista working behind the counter. She rambled off her order before digging around her purse for her card. She was stopped when Mike, the barista stopped her.

“Don’t worry Mar, it’s on the house, you look like you need it.” Maria gaped like a fish and threw a $5.00 in the tip jar before walking away. Finding Arianna sitting on one of the plush couches she settled in next to her, turning her attention back to her phone. She was barraged by pictures of one of the most breathtaking flower arrangements she had ever seen. Delphiniums, peachy roses, purple hydrangeas, and dainty white bell flowers were all arranged in a huge black speckled vase. From the pictures it looked huge. At least a foot tall and she had no idea how big the round arrangement actually was.

Libbie: look, the guy said these were for you and and these are so fucking expensive. I’m pretty sure this fucking thing weighs 60 pounds. All the delivery guy, who woke me up btw, said it that it was addressed to you and needed to be delivered ASAP.

Mari: okay>>??? It could be like a stalker or something! Maybe it's my mom!

Cooper: We all know your mom is too fucking broke to order this many flowers for you. Maybe it’s your secret sugar daddy??

Mari: Okay Ouch,,,, ur right BUT still. I am not hiding a sugar DADDY from y'all. You think I would still be wearing walmart sports bras if i did have one???

Maria put her phone and silent before she got up and followed Arianna to the meeting room. It was in the executive offices, she they had another elevator ride up approximately 15 floors. Maria nestled herself in the back of the elevator and nursed her coffee.

“Rough morning?” Arianna ghosted her fingers under her own eyes, Maria gently touched her face, wincing when she could feel the bags under them. Maria shrugged, a noncommittal gesture she knew drove Arianna crazy.

“Yeah, my roommate is fucking the twink again and they woke me up at 4 am. I wasn’t able to get back to sleep so I went on a run, then I found this puppy on the trail at the swamp. Then I took her home and the owner was like, so fucking pretty.” Maria took a sip of her coffee before continuing, lowering her voice and the elevator filled with more people heading to the meeting filtered in. “Then Tubbs runs away because I was so fucking blindsided by how beautiful the guy was and I thought I was going to be late for this fucking meeting and apparently a huge fucking bouquet of flowers showed up for me like half an hour ago?” Maria pulled out her phone and unlocked it, shoving the group chat at Arianna. The other woman let out a gasp before she took the phone and scrolled through the chat history.

“Who do you think it was?? I don’t know anyone in the company, or you never told me about anyone you were seeing with the initials ‘J.W.’ and how hot was the guy with the dog?” Arianna handed the phone back before taking a sip of her own coffee. “Because like, your taste in men is trash, ladies you do a good job, but you would fuck a skeleton if it called you pretty.” Stepping out of the elevator, Maria slid it back into her purse before downing the last of her coffee and tossing the cup into the recycle bin by the meeting room door.

“I seriously have no fucking clue about the flowers, and he is like hot, like.” Maria tapped her finger to her chin, “like Adam Driver! But like, classically pretty. Like the kinda pretty you would find in an old painting from like the 1800’s or something.” Maria smiled and stuck her tongue out at Arianna’s shocked face before walking into the office and settling in her designated chair, which was thankfully next to Arianna’s.

“You are the only person who would think a painting from the 1800’s is pretty. Let alone Adam Driver. Him and his goofy fucking ears. So unless you can get a picture I am going to assume he is gross as all the other guys you've crushed on.” Arianna swiveled to look at Maria who was rolling her eyes. It was approaching 8 am. The room fell silent as the doors to the meeting room slammed open, the CEO walked in followed by the rest of the executive team. Arianna snapped her mouth shut before swiveling back to face the front of the meeting room.

[miekasa]

I FEEL BAD THAT FORGOT TO SAY THEY AND SAID SHE

but you KNOW they are the one to devise A Plan for getting ms l/n and mr ackerman together... but surprisingly eren and armin are the ones who shut it down because they’re tired of the two losers too but they’d both get pissed if hange meddled

oh and principal erwin is SO clueless ajdhskd honestly it’s the talk of the teacher’s lounge but he’s just never been around for it

when Levi Ackerman decides to let his kids stay out ten extra minutes for recess because ms l/ns class came out when his class left? it raised eyebrows, even for the kids

and Levi Ackerman eating lunch in... the teacher’s lounge? phys ed teacher mike, hange, moblit, AND y/n get surprised. eren and armin just hovering at the water cooler

and y/n thinks levi is GORGEOUS and is pleasantly surprised when he talks to her. she’s pretty different from him, always in her dresses or jeans and school shirts because hey!!! kindergarten is fun!!! but she thought levi would be annoyed by her friendliness, think she was too outwardly soft for the kids, or maybe he had heard her singing with her class down the hall?

tbh he didn’t want to close his door when he heard it

AHHH i have so many ideas nd i think i should write it

Don’t worry!! We all make mistakes, myself included -- and I still don’t know if what I was correct, or which pronouns to use; I’m still trying to figure it out myself!

Erwin being clueless is so fucking funny. Side note, but I think that the kids make up the most rumors about Erwin because he’s so mysterious, plus he’s the principal; the younger ones treat him like a very elusive king lololol. Half of them adore him because he’s so tall and they kind of want to climb him like a tower, and the other half just kind of gawk at him awe. 

You know how teachers will have callouts for their class to get them to focus/be quiet/assemble? There’s a pretty standard one, the teachers will say “One, two, three,” and the kids go “eyes on me” when they hear it; and that’s what the majority, including Levi use. But you teach them fun ones. It’s in the middle of the playground and you’re ready to round them up after recess and very loudly you yell, “All my single ladies,” and your entire class freezes and very enthusiastically shouts back “Put your hands up!” And Levi just looks at you in awe, and in his head he’s like, “I will marry her on god.” (Eren in the background like, “Hey, Mr. Ackerman, maybe you should put a ring on it--OUCH! OKAY OKAY ILL GO COPY THE WORKSHEETS IM SORRY”)

[love-killed-the-superstar]

Pinch Hitter

Written for @codesecretsanta 2020!!

Hey, @nemesisadraste!! It’s me, your secret santa!! I heard you wanted a slice of samodd so I was ofc 100000% down to clown. Hope you enjoy!!!! It’s a little group chat heavy and I apologise, but there’s some actual prose around the halfway point haha

Can also be read here on AO3!: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28323549

ngl I would actually recommend reading it on ao3 because of formatting hahaha but anyway enjoy!!

Pinch Hitter

DIRECT MESSAGE: Odd Della Robbia

(11:43PM) Odd Della Robbia: SAMMMMMM

(11:45PM) Sam Suarez: yyyyea?

(11:45PM) Odd Della Robbia: XANA ATTACK. NUCLEAR SHIT. COVER FOR US PLSSSS SHOULDNT BE TOO LONG 🙀🙀🙀🙀🙀🙀🙀🙀🙀

(11:46PM) Sam Suarez: sure thing sure thing go save the world n shit 👍👍

(11:46PM) Sam Suarez: was only going to stay up late rewatching good omens anyway

(11:47PM) Odd Della Robbia: hero. incredible woman. love of my life

(11:47PM) Odd Della Robbia: and say hi to you know who for meeeee 😻

(11:48PM) Sam Suarez: crowley is a fictional character odd, he cant hear you

(11:48PM) Odd Della Robbia: but he's so sexy and strong 😻😻😻

(11:48PM) Odd Della Robbia: not as sexy and strong as you, ofc ofc

(11:49PM) Sam Suarez: jesus odd go save the world already and leave me alone

(11:49PM) Odd Della Robbia: SO COLDDDD 🙀🙀🙀

(11:49PM) Odd Della Robbia: still love you tho

(11:49PM) Sam Suarez: still love you too ok NOW GO

…

DIRECT MESSAGE: Jeremie Belpois

(1:24AM) Jeremie Belpois: Samantha?

(1:27AM) Sam Suarez: sup belpois

(1:27AM) Jeremie Belpois: Motion sensor went off. Pretty sure Jim is out and about. Try to buy us some time?

(1:28AM) Sam Suarez: shit alright. i'll see what i can do. b-team already know???

(1:29AM) Jeremie Belpois: They do. The four of you work something out, please? Thanks.

(1:30AM) Sam Suarez: ofc. hey btw hows odd doing??? ok???

(1:30AM) Jeremie Belpois: 80 life points and going strong, Sam.

(1:30AM) Sam Suarez: sweet 👍👍

…

GROUP CHAT: Lyoko B-Team REPRESENT

(1:31AM) Sam Suarez: what's our plan then home slices!!!!!!! 💪😤

(1:32AM) William Dunbar: Still don't know why I'm considered a b teamer but okay 😒

(1:32AM) Sam Suarez: don’t fucking complain william at least you get to be in the main group chat, 🙄🙄

(1:32AM) Elisabeth “Sissi” Delmas: ^^^^^^

(1:33AM) Laura Gauthier: Try getting added, then removed, and still being on the waitlist to rejoin

(1:33AM) Sam Suarez: ouch lol

(1:33AM) Laura Gauthier: ANYWAY, we need a plan of action. Jim’s doing the rounds. Any thoughts?

(1:33AM) William Dunbar: I’ll go stuff Jeremie’s duvet 🙋♂️ Laura you go to Aelita’s, Sam come up with some sort of distraction 👉

(1:33AM) Sam Suarez: hold on WHY DO I GET STUCK WITH THE HARD JOB?? 😠😠

(1:34AM) William Dunbar: to prove yourself, young one. how else do you plan on getting into the lyoko warriors group chat?? 🤷♂️

(1:34AM) Sam Suarez: SHIT U RIGHT… 👀

(1:34AM) Sam Suarez: its my chance… to shine

(1:34AM) Elisabeth “Sissi” Delmas: Why does everyone forget im fucking here?? Give me something to do????? 🙋😤🤦♀️

(1:35AM) William Dunbar: nobody forgot you sissi, shit 🙄 take odd and ulrichs room, if u think u can wrangle kiwi 🥝

(1:35AM) Sam Suarez: i would like it on the record that i did in fact forget about sissi 🙋🙋

(1:35AM) Elisabeth “Sissi” Delmas: FUCK NO. THAT DOG DOES NOT RESPECT ME 😤😤😤😤😤

(1:35AM) Elisabeth “Sissi” Delmas: Also RUDE..

(1:35AM) Sam Suarez: priorities babe or the fucking world ends. your call tho!!!!!! ✌️🤪

(1:36AM) Elisabeth “Sissi” Delmas: ………………. F I N E 🤦♀️

…

GROUP CHAT: Lyoko B-Team REPRESENT

(1:59AM) William Dunbar: @Sam Suarez What did you tell Jim?????? He’s 100% doing head counts now you dumb fuck 🤦♂️

(1:59AM) Sam Suarez: don’t take that tone with me dickbar, he’s looking for a sick GIRL. if you stuffed the fucking duvets properly we won’t have a problem, he’ll only be peeking into rooms anyway 😠😠

(2:00AM) Laura Gauthier: And what do you suppose happens when he finds NOBODY and comes to the conclusion that you lied to him? You have to think these things through, Sam, Jeremie’s not planning on doing any return trips if he can help it.

(2:00AM) Sam Suarez: yall are jerks, YOU put me up to the task of cooking up an excuse, don’t complain that it was shit!!!! geez!!!!

(2:00AM) Elisabeth “Sissi” Delmas: God you’re all useless. I can fake-cry, I took a drama workshop over summer. I’ll take the hit but you OWE ME. 😤

(2:01AM) Sam Suarez: there are no favours in this sissi, we took an oath. we are heroes of justice now and you don’t get compensation for saving the world, its superhero 101

(2:01AM) Elisabeth “Sissi” Delmas: Shut up Sam, you’re buying me dinner tomorrow. Take me somewhere nice 💅🙆😘

(2:01AM) Sam Suarez: but i don’t date girls who only save the world to reap the benefits, this simply won’t work out 😔😔

(2:01AM) William Dunbar: Take your flirting to private message, I don't want to be implicated in this sordid affair if Odd finds out

(2:01AM) Sam Suarez: ahahahahahahaahahahaha we got a funny man over here

(2:02AM) William Dunbar: Lololol

(2:02AM) Laura Gauthier: SHUT UP ALL OF YOU.

(2:02AM) Laura Gauthier: I can hear Jim coming, play it cool

(2:02AM) William Dunbar: Hahahaaha good luck 😂😂

(2:07AM) William Dunbar: You all alive……………..? 👀

(2:07AM) Sam Suarez: we sure are, listen to this

(2:07AM) Sam Suarez: sissi fake cried, told Jim she was having the worst cramps of her life and started listing off the side effects of the birth control she’s on. It was the greatest thing ive ever heard and im absolutely buying her dinner tomorrow, and yes it will be candle-lit 🍽️🍷💍

(2:07AM) William Dunbar: Holy shit. 👀 My deepest respect. 🙏 I will put in a good word with Master Belpois Himself, she deserves a seat at the grown ups table for this 🤷♂️

(2:07AM) Sam Suarez: no doubt no doubt

(2:08AM) Laura Gauthier: That was a close one. Sissi’s methods are unorthodox but hey, it worked. Next time find an excuse that doesn’t create more work for us, all right, Sam?

(2:08AM) Sam Suarez: shit you’re ungrateful as fuck. Damn . 🙄🙄

(2:08AM) Laura Gauthier: I’M JUST SAYING

(2:08AM) William Dunbar: Come on, lets not fight, I’m too tired for this shit 😴

(2:09AM) Sam Suarez: so go to bed, dumbass

…

DIRECT MESSAGE: Odd Della Robbia

(2:59AM) Odd Della Robbia: guess who just got DEVIRTUALISED!!!! 😹😹🔫🔫

(3:02AM) Sam Suarez: oh no, poor baby, you were doing so well

(3:03AM) Odd Della Robbia: right????? fucking megatanks, im telling you, they suck so much 😿

(3:03AM) Sam Suarez: well, if you’re out of points now, come by my room and we can play animal crossing together

(3:04AM) Odd Della Robbia: would that i could, sam, would that i could

(3:04AM) Odd Della Robbia: but theres a fucking building contractor lurking somewhere in the factory, xana-possessed, trying to take me the fuck OUT 🙀🙀🙀

(3:04AM) Sam Suarez: just tell him you’re not interested????? Its what i told sissi earlier

(3:05AM) Odd Della Robbia: ahahahahahahahaha

(3:05AM) Odd Della Robbia: first of all, WOW WE GOT A FUNNYMAN OVER HERE

(3:05AM) Sam Suarez: lololol

(3:05AM) Odd Della Robbia: second of all, i demand to hear that story as soon as i get back. Nobody turns sissi down and gets away with it 👀

(3:06AM) Sam Suarez: well, i cant help it

(3:06AM) Sam Suarez: my heart… belongs to another… a mr odd della robbia… im in the throes… of love… 💓💓

(3:06AM) Odd Della Robbia: OH!!! SAM!!!!!!! 😻😻😻💓💓💓

(3:06AM) Odd Della Robbia: luv u. So much

(3:06AM) Sam Suarez: same same lololol

(3:07AM) Odd Della Robbia: when i get back we ca

(3:07AM) Sam Suarez: ????

(3:07AM) Sam Suarez: odd????

(3:07AM) Sam Suarez: come in, funny man????

message failed

(3:08AM) Sam Suarez: odd if you die i will be so mad

message failed

…

DIRECT MESSAGE: Ulrich Stern

(3:10AM) Ulrich Stern: Hey Sam, it’s Ulrich

(3:10AM) Ulrich Stern: Einstein has another favour to ask

(3:11AM) Sam Suarez: first of all you dont have to tell me its you, the app TELLS me whos messaging me, this isnt a text

(3:11AM) Sam Suarez: second, tell me my boyfriend isn’t getting fucking murdered by a building contractor 😠😠

(3:11AM) Ulrich Stern: Huh???

(3:11AM) Ulrich Stern: Oh yeah. He’s holding his own but there’s not much time. You need to go keep watch outside Jeremie’s door while Laura transfers some files. If we get busted and she can’t complete the file transfer… well. The world does actually depend on it, so. Yeah

(3:11AM) Sam Suarez: isnt william the better option anyway?? Isnt he only like 3 doors down from you 🙄

(3:12AM) Ulrich Stern: He’s not answering. Probably asleep already, he’s a dumbass. Please, you’re our only option, Sissi isn’t answering either

(3:12AM) Sam Suarez: oh theres a GREAT story behind that but i’ll let her tell it tomorrow

(3:13AM) Sam Suarez: and fine, but seriously is odd okay?? If this dude is more than 5’5 he’ll have a problem taking him down, you know how scrawny he is

(3:13AM) Ulrich Stern: He’s tougher than you think, Sam. Trust me on that one.

(3:14AM) Ulrich Stern: (Also I am about to go save him from getting his ass beat)

(3:14AM) Sam Suarez: all right all right

(3:15AM) Sam Suarez: but hey stern, when this has all blown over, we’re having a serious talk about promoting me to the big leagues

(3:16AM) Ulrich Stern: ...Big leagues?

(3:16AM) Sam Suarez: im talking main group chat, my guy. MAIN. GROUP CHAT. 👏👏

…

DIRECT MESSAGE: Odd Della Robbia

(3:30AM) Odd Della Robbia: im coming mi amore… i beat up a fully grown man with my bare fists… pushed him down some stairs… it was amazing 😼💯

(3:31AM) Sam Suarez: please say you didnt break any bones, belpois isnt planning on reversing time right???

(3:31AM) Sam Suarez: like even if was going to kill u he was only possessed by xana

(3:32AM) Odd Della Robbia: heh i broke nothing!! Im a hero of justice after all 💪😼

(3:32AM) Odd Della Robbia: ulrich may have given him some bruises tho 😹

(3:32AM) Sam Suarez: ehh i’ll take that over this guy waking up with fucked up limbs and shit

(3:32AM) Odd Della Robbia: no doubt no doubt

(3:33AM) Odd Della Robbia: …

(3:33AM) Odd Della Robbia: anyway, night sam 💞

(3:33AM) Sam Suarez: oh, ok 🙄

(3:33AM) Sam Suarez: night, stupid. love you ❤️

…

Despite his parting message, Odd shows up anyway.

He slinks into her dorm room as it draws to 4:00AM, half-heartedly kicking off his shoes at the door and closing it with a softness that’s surprising given how exhausted he looks; almost as though it is second nature at this point to keep quiet, avoid drawing more attention. Her boyfriend is a professional, after all, when it comes to saving the world on the down-low.

Samantha watches Odd from her desk, where she is sat up browsing Twitter and waiting for the inevitable ‘we need you to do something else before the night is through’ messages from Jeremie. She’s been listening to the same Jay Som song on loop for over an hour now, and it leaks quietly from her laptop speakers, a strange extra layer of ambiance to the puzzle that is the hour before birdsong begins. A Baymax-patterned blanket is thrown around her shoulders for warmth, and there’s an empty can of energy drink within arms reach.

“Wrong room,” she says in a low voice, expecting him to jump anyway; he doesn’t. Instead he squints at her in the dim light, leaning back against the door with a weary sigh. “Didn’t think you were coming.”

“Wasn’t, but… here I am.”

He doesn’t really elaborate further than that.

“Ulrich know you came this way?”

“He stayed behind to talk things over with Jeremie. The overbike got fucked up in Lyoko and they’re gonna upgrade it or something. Jer-bear needed to know the specifics about his experience driving it so they can do some fine-tuning, I think. Y’know, so he doesn’t drift too far and plunge into the digital sea. Shit can get real bad, real fast.”

“I’ll bet. So, you triumphed over evil tonight?” she guesses, shutting her laptop lid and rising to her feet. Her blanket trails behind her as she does. “XANA can’t attempt to destroy the world for another 24 hours?”

“You know it,” he says, yawning. “And now, it’s bedtime.”

Thank fuck they don’t have classes tomorrow. She’ll happily lie in til noon with Odd, catching up on these lost hours.

Sam steps over her skateboard and some laundry she kicked aside earlier, a little embarrassed that her floor is so messy, but she knows Odd is too tired to even comprehend the state of her room right now. As it is, he’s swaying a little while standing, stifling a yawn against his hand - it’s only a matter of time til he crashes.

“All right, guess you’re here to stay. Hop in.”

“Did you know? You’re a goddess. An angel. A truly spectacular woman among women,” he mumbles.

“Flattery won’t give me back the hours of sleep I lost sending Jim on that wild goose chase earlier,” Sam muses, wiggling under her covers, still bundled up in the blanket like a crepe. She doesn’t know the full story, nor does she imagine she’ll get it until tomorrow when the group meet up for lunch - something about XANA threatening to blow up a reactor on some nearby building site, creating some devastating damage to the local area - but at this point she’s too tired to listen and Odd is too tired to explain.

Odd flops down on the bed beside her.

“Thank you for helping us out,” he sighs, too tired to even look at her. His limbs are all floppy. If she nudged him off the edge of the bed now, he’d probably just fold up like a pair of pants and stay there til morning. “What did you do, exactly?”

“Told him I heard someone crying in the bathroom and thought maybe someone was unwell,” she says with a shrug. “Jim checked the girls bathroom and did room checks, which gave me, William and Laura some time to sneak into your respective rooms and act as extra head counts. Just being under the covers was enough, I don’t think he was doing anything more than cursory peeking into rooms with a tiny flashlight. Wasn’t the most innovative red herring to give him, but it did the trick.”

“If it keeps them off our backs, the creativity isn’t worth factoring in,” Odd murmurs, tugging off his jeans and chucking them at the wall opposite. The impact scuffs the wall slightly, but Sam doesn’t care. Delmas doesn’t give them shit about damages to the room unless it makes the room completely uninhabitable anyway, which is why there’s a literal hole in her wall through to the room next door that she’s had to artfully cover with a Front Bottoms poster.

“Anyway, Sissi distracted him. I’ll let her tell the story herself, it was fucking hilarious. Then Ulrich messaged to say he needed me to keep watch while Laura sent over some files from the computer in Jeremie’s room to the supercomputer, which - I mean, in this day and age, why the fuck doesn’t he keep everything on the cloud anyway? So I was stuck doing that, because apparently, William had already fallen asleep again, the fucking lug. Can you believe that? You’d think, being your Lyoko pinch hitter and all, he’d be better at staying awake.”

“Oh, I can believe it,” Odd drawls, tugging off his shirt and balling it up, sending it to land atop his crumpled jeans with a flourish. He rubs his eyes and peers around. “Got that old shirt for me to sleep in?”

Rolling her eyes fondly, Sam reluctantly peels back the bedsheets once more and pads over to her wardrobe, pulling it open and sifting through until she finds what she’s looking for; an old Hootie & The Blowfish T-shirt, handed down to her by one of her older brothers. It always hangs right off of her, so on Odd’s scrawny frame, it’s basically an Ebenezer Scrooge nightgown.

“Here.” She tosses it over to him and he wriggles into it happily. “You might as well keep it, these days you wear it more than me.”

“If I walked around in a band shirt that hangs off me like a smock I’d never hear the end of it from Ulrich,” he says with a laugh, flopping back against the covers and sighing deeply. “He makes fun of my little chicken legs enough as it is.”

“Well, I love your little chicken legs, so he can keep his opinions to himself.”

She slides into bed beside him and he’s cold to touch; the freezing factory, coupled with walking back in the chilly night air, must have really done a number on him. He snuggles against her happily, mumbling, “Can I warm my feet on you?”

“Will you respect my wishes if I say no?” she retorts. He grins as she sends him a knowing look, before placing his feet, two tiny, stinky blocks of ice, against her shins. They both pull the covers up over their noses, staring at the ceiling in dazed silence for a few moments, before she adds, “He won’t miss you when you get back?”

“Not likely, I don’t fucking spoon him to sleep, Sam,” he snorts. “He’ll be too tired to care where the fuck I’ve snuck off to, and he can handle anything Kiwi throws his way, so it’s fine. I’m sure he’s capable of connecting the dots.”

“Fine, shithead, I’ll drop it.”

She continues to stare up at the ceiling, but she can feel his keen gaze on her, and rolls over to face him. He watches her carefully.

“Are you mad at me?”

“What? No.”

“Even though it’s nearly four in the morning and you spent the whole night covering for us?”

“It’s what happens when you agree to saving the world, isn’t it?” she points out. Sam’s eyes adjust to the darkness, and she notices for the first time that there’s the beginnings of bruises around his neck. She reaches up to trace them with her fingers, and he instinctively wriggles away. Her breath catches in her throat. “…XANA did this to you?”

“Actually, it was a building contractor,” he corrects. “He started to choke me, but then Ulrich got him in a headlock and next thing you know… we pushed him down some stairs.”

“It must have been scary,” she mutters. At that, his face melts into a smile, and he prods at her face.

“You’re so serious! Sam, trust me, this happens all the time. I’m indestructible, so it’s fine.”

“How else am I supposed to react, huh? My boyfriend comes home with strangulation marks on his neck and you want me to be all cavalier about it…”

“Because I’m used to it.” Odd pauses. “Well, not strangulation in particular, but getting hurt on the job is kinda everyday stuff.”

Sam scowls. “You're not supposed to pretend like this is normal, Odd.”

“What, you want me to cry and be vulnerable on you?”

“No.”

“You do.”

“Okay, fine, I do! What about it?!” She fixes him with a stern look. “You have to be careful! What’s the point in me staying awake and making distractions and shit if you’re just going to fucking die at the end of it, huh?”

“I’m not going to die.” He cups her face in his hands and fixes her with his own stern look. “Look. I know you haven’t been doing this long, but this happens, okay? Not always, but it does. I mean, you remember the kind of fights you used to pick with me when I would come over with these bruises without telling you why.”

She thinks back to the months leading up to him finally telling her the truth. How scared and hurt she felt, seeing him with these cuts and scrapes, bruises, occasionally even a sprain. She’d gone through all the possibilities in her head - bullying, hate crimes, mugging even. Still, he refused to budge, until one day he just… stopped pretending it was all some big coincidence.

“It was scarier not knowing,” she decides. “At least this way I know what you’re up against, but… I don’t know.”

He leans forward and kisses her on the nose. “I promise you I’m fine. But look, part of being a Lyoko pinch hitter is knowing things get hairy sometimes. I’m gonna get hurt from time to time but if I don’t, the whole world explodes. Or, okay, maybe not literally , most of the time, but I’m like, a drop in the bucket.”

“Well, you’re a drop in the bucket who matters to me,” she reinforces. Staring into his eyes, she can feel her body relax slightly. “Look, I’ll drop it. I’m just glad you’re okay.”

“Good. Now, can we please sleep? I am so tired, I’m starting to forget who I am. You’re about to encounter Grinch Odd, and he’s no fun whatsoever.”

“Oh, is he the one who said my face looked like a beet that one time?” she wonders, raising her eyebrows at him. He groans and pushes her away, covering his face with his hands.

“How many times do I have to tell you XANA fucked with my speech?” he grumbles. “Completely scrambled my words. I was going for beautiful.”

“Sure, sure. When in doubt, blame it on XANA?”

“I mean it! I would never call you a beet! A potato, maybe…”

She shoves him and he both winces and laughs. “Oof, that guy did a number on me.”

“Yeah, well, I’ll beat him up for you then.”

“You’re going to beat up XANA?”

“Sure, how hard could it be? I’ll just like, reach into the supercomputer with my full fist-”

They both burst out laughing and fall back against the pillows.

Once it trickles out, she blinks sleepily at the ceiling.

“I never really thought about how long you guys have been going without us, though.”

Odd quirks an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“Us. The B-Team, the Pinch Hitters. The Lyoko Warriors’ freaking PR Team! Without someone pulling the strings you must have run into all sorts of trouble, right?”

“Oh, yeah,” Odd laughs. “We used to have the authorities trying to invade the factory. Almost got expelled by Delmas. I almost got sent to a psych ward before, that was fun.”

“Jesus, Odd. Why did it take you so long to introduce other people to the fray?”

He shrugs. “No clue, really. One day we just kinda realised… sometimes it’s better to have people around. No man is an island. That can apply to groups too, I guess.”

“And why would you trust me?” Sam presses on, arms folded over her chest. “Sure, I’m your girlfriend, but I’ve hurt you before. I mean really fucked you over. That whole thing with William…”

“You had no way of knowing,” he says firmly. “It was stupid and immature, sure, but how could you have known?”

She shrugs. “I’ve just been thinking about it, I guess.”

They both lapse into silence, but beneath the covers, Odd reaches for her hand.

“I trust you because I trust you,” he says eventually. “And because if we need some big Lyoko Warriors PR Team, I’d want you at the helm. Who else is going to keep William from swaggering off the side of the planet? He can be kinda self-absorbed.”

“Sissi,” Sam deadpans.

“And who else is going to keep Sissi from turning every XANA distraction into a fucking performative art piece?”

“...Okay, fair.”

“By the way, you still taking her out to dinner tomorrow?”

“Apparently. You should tag along as my date.”

He laughs. “No way, I’m no third wheel.”

Sam leans forward and kisses him gently, before muttering, “By the way, I told Ulrich to get me in the main group chat. Think he’ll do it?”

“Absolutely not,” Odd says cheerfully, kissing her back. “But nice try. Here’s to next time.”

…

GROUP CHAT: Into The Lyokoverse

(9:48AM) Jeremie Belpois added Sam Suarez to Into The Lyokoverse.

(9:48AM) Jeremie Belpois: @Everyone Look who decided to show up!

(9:52AM) Yumi Ishiyama: Oh Hi Sam

(9:59AM) Aelita Schaeffer: hey, look who made it to the big leagues!!

(10:10AM) Odd Della Robbia: SAMMMMMMMMM !!!!!!!!!!

(10:12AM) Sam Suarez: !!!!!!!!