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comehomeducklings · 4 years ago

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Present [Part 1] (Obsession)

A/N: Please don't copy, redistribute, and/or post my work on this site or any others. This has taken my time and creativity to come up with the story's characters and plot.

Also, I swear my writing gets better. It's a little rough right now but I'm planning on rewriting them.

Tom Riddle's Moodboard

Main Character's Moodboard

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1943 ~ 6th year

No sound above whispers could be heard throughout the great hall. The food on the table hasn't been touched by a single hand. The very thought of eating churning all our stomachs. Not during these times. Our heads turn every now and then, afraid of what might sneak up behind us. The death of Myrtle and others has shaken the entire school. A murderer is among us, trust is such a foreign concept now.

Dark purple eye-bags lay beneath every single student's eyes. No one is allowed to go home for the holidays. They aren't allowing us to leave, we are stuck in this cloud of darkness and uncertainty. No owls are supposed to be sent out. As the head girl, I'm responsible for every student's life and responsibilities. I have to know where everyone is at all times. It gets tiring at times, but necessary nonetheless.

A nightly routine consisted of all my dormmates huddling around each other. No sleep would come to us all night. We wouldn't move from the same spot until light shown from the windows. Our beds are all pressed together in the farthest corner of the room from the door. Our wands never leaving our hands in case of danger. Every little sound made from the outside provoking us. Even to the point of going mad. Potions used to stay awake, slowly wearing off as the morning arose. No sleep, we can't afford that luxury anymore.

I would leave the dorm to wait at the portrait for our assigned house professor to come. They would tell me it was safe for everyone to head to the great hall to get breakfast. As soon as they were done I quickly went to everyone's dormitory to wake them up, if they even slept at all. I would then inform them that it was safe to step out of their dorms. After everyone got situated I would have the students form a line and lead them towards the great hall. 1st-3rd years would occasionally hold the folds of my robes. Fearing that when they blink I would be gone. Leaving them alone to deal with the dangers that lurk in the school.

Not once have I lied about how they are going to be all right. That would be cruel. These students don't seek pathetic nurturing words, they want a protective force watching over them. So many clubs and activities have been canceled. Hogsmede and quidditch proving as a prime example. No one complained though, quidditch players too afraid to even step out of the castle's walls even if they were allowed.

Back to the present, I hold my good friend's hand as she slightly shakes from anxiety. I can see it in her eyes, the doubt of making it alive eating away at her brain. The spark once present in her shiny green eyes being blown out. Amelia, her name being. She's been biting her nails again, to the point where it had bled. This can be backed by the dried-up blood that is present at the tip of her finger's nail.

A booming voice can be heard, "You are now being dismissed to head to class, your houses head girl and boy will be assigning the group you'll be heading off with."

First period has been removed from every perfect and head's schedule. During this time we search the whole castle for any wanders. We make sure everyone is where they are supposed to be. If someone got lost or went to the wrong class we escort them to where they need to be.

After every class, students have a limited amount of time to get to their next lesson. Although, perfects and heads get more time to make sure everyone is where they are needed quickly. Then we hurry to our class after scanning the halls swiftly.

The once safest school of the wizarding world giving birth to the dark ages. More bodies have been found littering the schools. Most of them not found until their ghosts appear before us. Every single one not knowing how they died. Like the murderer is invisible upon meeting the victim. I originally suggested it could have been done by poison. When the bodies were checked, no traces of poison had been traced.

Professors have been waiting for the person who is responsible to slip up, to give us a clue. I don't think that will happen though. The process of these killings has been too thought out and well planned. I wouldn't be surprised if these mass killings have been planned months before, even maybe years. I've been talking to the ghosts to try and gather all details, even the potentially useless ones. When our headmaster made us heads keep tabs on everyone, the killings stopped for a short amount of time. It was like the mastermind was creating a way to best us, to get past the "little inconvenience." It didn't take long for them to find the weak parts in the plan.

What we have got though, is that every single student killed has been a muggle-born. A classic case of an unfair stigma around the poor wizards and witches. They never were able to catch a break. Amelia, one of my close friends in the friend group. She's a muggle-born, hence the shaking of her hands. I've been keeping a closer eye on her, she doesn't leave my side. She comes on my patrols so I can keep her in my sights, with of course the permission of the teachers. There are only two times that I can not watch over her. Those two times are covered by my other friend Devyn, a pure-blood. She also helps keep her safe, not letting her go anywhere by herself. The two times are because she's in two different classes than I am. One of them being a study hall.

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"Professor, how will this class help us now? Reading teacups for predictions should be the least of our worries right now," a student at the back of the room exclaims.

"The said predictions could lead us to the future before it happens. Our worries lay exactly what will happen in the future. If anything, this is one of the most important classes we'll take this year," I say, continuing to read the teacup.

"Precisely, thank you. Now go back to studying, I'll be coming around to view your interpretations."

My tea leaves look more like a blob with a cross going through them. A weirdly shaped blob. I already know there is a cross, but what about the blob? I tried shaking it a little, looking at the leaves from different angles. I already crossed off a club, falcon, and the sun. It could be an acorn, but I see a slight hole in the blob.

Could it be...

"A skull that is." I jump at the sudden voice near my ear. My teacup almost falling from my grasp.

"Pardon, a what?"

She points towards two holes in the blob, one of them I just mentioned, "I saw you already found one hole, there's the other. How it's shaped could be a little difficult to see since the cross is through it, but it's there."

The professor takes the cup from my hand and lays it on her desk. Some of my classmates look at me in curiosity, but they soon lose interest and go back to their own tea leaves.

A cross and a skull, that sounds about right to how my school year is going so far. I scan my book to see exactly what they mean.

A skull, danger in your path.

A cross, trials and suffering.

"What d-did you find?" A Hufflepuff boy to my right asks.

I don't want to scare the poor boy, he's already frightened enough as it is. If my future got around to the school, everyone would start being concerned about me. I'll barely get any of my duties done if I didn't already get it taken away for my safety. Last thing I need right now is even more panic.

"Nothing much, the future is still a little foggy."

"That's, um, good. I couldn't really read mine either," he chuckles lightly, almost seemingly forced.

Our professor claps her hands together, "Class is dismissed, read up about your predictions if you haven't already. No homework today."

I gather my books and push in my chair. Right before I could reach the door where other students are waiting, the teacher stops me.

"I'll have to tell the headmaster about this, I shouldn't keep it a secret."

"No, please don't. If you must, only tell Albus. I can't have this messing anything up, I'll become vulnerable."

The professor looks around the room, her eyes wandering franticly. I'm sure I am asking a lot from her. I really need her to keep this a secret.

"Oh alright, you're my best student. I just would hate to see anything happen to you. I'm informing only Albus to see if he can keep an eye on you."

"Thank you so much, I swear I'll be careful." A huge weight is lifted off my shoulders. I can't be worrying about my future when I have to worry about everyone else's.

I leave the classroom and start heading to my next class. Potions have always been one of my favorite classes. Mixing a bunch of toxins into a pot is a specialty of mine. I'm quickly scanning the halls for any wanderers, making sure everyone is at class. My feet take me to Potions in a hurry. I don't want to miss much, trying to make the class as informational as possible.

"You shouldn't be running, you still have 3 minutes of checking the school."

It's always him, I even tried changing routes to avoid him. His idiotic smirk, thinking he actually did something. All he did is waste my time and train of thought.

"I'm allowed to run Riddle, it's not a rule. I already checked the halls I was assigned, did you?" I really have no energy for this.

Tom peers down at me, somehow still wearing that infamous smile. Eyes bright, filled with mischief and knowledge.

"I have, double-checked as well. I'm sure you only checked once. Such irresponsible actions, I still wonder how you nabbed the head-girl spot."

I choose not to answer, not giving in to his baiting. Does he think I'm that stupid? That easily bothered by a simple test of my patience.

"You could have just said you wanted to walk me to class Riddle. No need to be shy with me."

"Shy, a concept I would not know of. Might as well bring you to class, since I'm heading there myself. Wouldn't want you to be in danger, since you consistently prove you can't handle a simple check of the hallways."

"I told you Tom-"

"Once is not enough, you should know that by now," he interrupts me, feigning a sudden serious facade on.

We start heading towards Slughorn's room. I'm a little behind his figure. Mostly looking down to make sure I don't step over his feet and fall. He sometimes walks with me, very confusing if I may say. Hating my skills, probably still hates me. You can often find us arguing if we are ever partners in class together. The usual game we play, how many questions can we get right by the end of class. Last time he won by one point, my sour mood not helping the atmosphere.

"You look rested, more than me at least," I smile tiredly. My whole body slightly sagging forward from exhaustion. He looks as proper as someone could be. His skin is a little pale though, brighter than usual. Almost like he was sick, his eyes look darker too. More sunken in, the shape of his skull more prominent. His looks still annoyingly well presented.

"Yes, you do look rather tired. I see other things have prioritized above your looks."

This man, the audacity of this man. The only reason I'm not at the top of every class. Our number 1 student count being evenly split. I have to bite down on my tongue forcefully to not say anything back. I'm too tired to truly come back with anything witty, so I choose to save myself from the embarrassment. Instead, I slightly step on his robe on the ground causing him to trip up a little.

He quickly sends a warning glare my way and then continues walking. I smile slightly, knowing even if it was petty, it was worth it.

Riddle doesn't even hold the door for me when we walk in. Causing it to slam dangerously close to my face.

"There you two are, I was afraid you weren't going to make it," Slughorn exclaims excitedly. "Turn your textbooks to page 246, we are going to learn how to make a Polyjuice potion!"

I glance at Tom, his eyes only focus on the words before him not realizing my gaze is on him. I wonder if he'll make this a competition as well. Knowing him, as well as me, anything but competition is out of our character. He looks up catching my eyes, I tilt my head. Trying to silently communicate from afar.

His head turns to Slughorn, then back to me. He nods his head and that's all it takes for both of us to come to an understanding. Whoever can answer the most questions, and create the best potion gets bragging rights.

I don't intend to lose.

#tom riddle x oc #tom riddle imagine #tom riddle #tom riddle x reader #lord voldemort #hogwarts #wizard #post wizarding war #enemies to allies #enemies to lovers #angst #oc #poc #Oc is any race #horcrux #moldy voldy

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akawrites000 · 4 years ago

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hot vs cold

Hero groaned, pulling on that black tie with curled, tense fingers. They've never been a big fan of formal wear, but this particular assignment had called for such a situation. They looked up at the gloomy sky, mind wandering about to how many side jobs heroes actually had to do. People would think being a hero would consist of mostly fighting off villains- and that's true, but villain was the least of their problems right then; in fact, it had almost been a week since they had a face off with villain. When they weren't paying attention, their thoughts would sometimes betray them, making hero think that they almost missed villain. Almost.

Sweat pooled on their brow as they waited under the hot sun, dearly missing the comfort and familiarity of their hero costume. This particular job requirement was that they act as a bodyguard and protect a high profile individual while they attend some sort of a party that hero couldn't be less concerned about. They preferred being the hero and not a bodyguard for someone who they didn't even know.

Just then, a black limousine rolled out and stopped right in front of the hotel they were staying in; a huge man with sunshades got out from the back, waved their hands at hero, signaling them to get in. That must be my ride.

They got into the car without any fight, and took one look at the rear most seat to check if this was in fact their employer or just a fancy way of kidnapping.

"No staring."

"Wha-

Hero didn't have a chance to speak out before they were crushed by the huge man sitting to their left. They couldn't believe it, why did they have to be squished, with no concept of personal space in a limousine?! This was just absurd.

Hero felt another lithe body press to them on their right, that person in turn being squished by another big man to their left. Hero groaned internally, they were just really bad with close contact with people in general, they could never understand why, but it just felt foreign to them. It's like they never knew how to act, and their mind would settle on the default "freak out" option.

Hero was dragged out of their head when they felt themselves being pushed further to the lithe person on their right, because the big guy decided to squirm in his seat. The sweat pooling on their brow slowly slid down their cheekbone, and hero was feeling hot... everywhere. There were too many sensations ramming into them all at once- their tight suit, which felt like it was glued to their body now thanks to their nerves; being pressed to another person; feeling their body heat. Hero had always had a high body temperature so all of this contact was making their head spin.

They just sat there silently, wishing for this agony to just end.

Villain was in high spirits, this was a job that paid well, so they enthusiastically got dressed up in a suit that was the dress code for a bodyguard and got into the assigned limousine. They had a mask plus voice changer on for good measure, and nobody questioned that which was good. They were thinking how ironic it was that they accepted this job request, because this was what the heroes did- protecting people, not villains.

So it was an understatement to say that their jaw almost dropped to the floor when they saw hero getting into that same limousine. Villain found themselves gaping at them, their mind betraying them and caring for their nemesis who they met almost every day, in a fight of course.

I can't believe that hero is actually here, so now we have to work together? Do they even know that I'm villain? And they're not even wearing a mask to hide their identity, how irresponsible. Oh, they look good in a suit-

Villain had to stop their mind right there, willing themselves to focus on anything else other than the hero sitting next to them. But these two gorillas on either side of them made that almost impossible as they kept pushing each other closer in this seat that was too small for all of them.

Villain couldn't help but glance over at hero every few minutes, they were being too quiet. The hero they knew was noisy, always running into a fight before thinking, a person that kept jumping around all the time. So seeing them this calm was just... weird.

By now villain was pretty sure that hero didn't recognise them, so they were mentally prepping themselves to talk to them when the gorilla to hero’s left pushed them further into their body. Villain immediately froze. Too close. Hero might as well be practically sitting on them now, villain could feel everything- their breathing, heartbeat, and their body heat, they were practically burning... wait, burning?!

Villain whipped their head towards hero and took in their slumped figure. Their head was downcast so they couldn't really see their face. Hero was practically leaning on them, making no effort to even hold themselves upright and villain was a little worried... okay, a lot more worried than they let on. Hero’s breathing was ragged and villain felt like they had to do something, anything. But hero beat them to it.

"H-hot". Hero breathed out, weakly, pathetically.

Their voice was so low, villain almost didn't hear them.

"Sorry, what did you say?"

Hero propped their head up on their shoulder, lips parted as they gasped in some air, bangs stuck to their sweaty forehead and villain shamelessly drank in those visuals, despite their thoughts clashing with one another. Hero’s eyes were shut tight, while villain’s eyes were wide open, staring at them.

"S' so hot, I can't-" they croaked.

That's when villain painfully realised that hero was having some sort of a panic attack and they needed space. Villain haphazardly pushed at the big man to hero’s left, glaring at him so that he doesn't attempt to move any closer. Then they draped a protective arm around hero, activating their powers and felt weirdly proud when hero almost moaned out at the cold sensation.

Villain brought up their other hand to hero’s face comfortably nestled on their shoulder and gently touched their forehead, cheek and neck.

Hero blinked up at them in slight surprise, eyes opening and then closing as they went limp in their arms, all of their tense muscles relaxing and villain just felt so powerful.

Hero finally looked up at them after regaining a bit of their energy, their face a palette of red, when the car screeched to a stop.

The two of them were ushered out of the car and hero wobbled after the 'mysterious masked person who had saved them' . They were pulled upright by the same person when their balance toppled and they almost ended up kissing the floor, with a "be more careful" from them. Hero felt their face heating up, just how many times did they have to be helped today? A behavior totally unbefitting of a hero.

"Um!" Hero called out and the 'masked person' stopped to turn around and look at them.

Hero was already bowing, words sounding like apologies and gratitude steadily spilling out of their lips in a messed up heap, as they bombarded villain’s ears. Villain wanted to understand, they really did, but all they could pick up were hurried sorries, shy thank you's and the word stranger that kept popping up here and there and how hero was so embarrassed by their own behaviour.

Villain simply scoffed, they had seen far more embarrassing sides of the hero and secretly enjoyed them, their nose scrunching up every time hero called them a stranger and villain couldn't stand it anymore.

As fun as this was, it was time to reveal their masked identity-

"But I'm no stranger to you darling." Villain mocked and the 'goldfish expression' on hero’s face was oh so worth it.

Villain turned around with a smug smile as hero caught up with all of that information and was by their side in a second, screeching into their ears.

"Villain?!"

"Yes, that's me."

Hero groaned, Villain's voice dripped with so much amusement that made hero’s heart flare with embarrassment at that moment.

"I'll punch you after this job." Hero hissed.

Villain smiled, "Is that how you thank people? But lucky for you, I'll accept it and punch you back."

Hero rolled their eyes. "Just shut up. Please."

Villain chuckled and hero couldn't get that voice out of their head. While they were distracted, villain took the opportunity to close in next to their ear and spoke in a sinful tone which should be illegal-

"I-im hot~"

Hero simply tripped on air, falling face first to the ground this time. There was no getting that voice out of their head now. They looked up and glared at villain, who made a funny face and walked away.

Hero hid their face in their hands. "Shit. That's unfair, you shitty villain."

Hero felt another large hand tapping their shoulder and looked up to see one of the gorilla men looking down at them, sympathy written all over his face. Hero took the man's outstretched hand and let themselves be pulled up.

"That was cute, didn't know you both knew each other. But my partner and I," he pointed to the other huge man standing next to the limo and grinning at them, "are totally on your side. That was one underhanded move."

Oh, if hero wasn't embarrassed enough a few seconds ago, they definitely were now.

"Wait, what, how did you-

"I have superhearing." , the man simply said as hero gawked at him, and then started wishing for the ground to swallow them up whole.

BONUS: Every time hero overheated during a fight and felt faint, villain would use their powers to cool them down, and hero would lean into that touch like they could never get enough of it. It attacked villain’s heart every time.

So yeah, my brain decided to give you hero x villain squished together in a limo instead of a bed? New trope? xD

Thank you so much for 260 followers, you all are so precious 🥺❤

#hero x villain #hero #villain #bodyguard au #the gorilla men are best wingmen #fire and ice powers #their employer really doesn't care #they just want to be protected lol #creative writing #writing snippet #my wriitng #writeblr #so everyone ships them #poor hero #lol #the gorilla men are just big softies xD

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station26 · 2 years ago

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can you tell me more about the year zero arg? i love these kinds of games and would like to know more about it!!

BOY CAN I! i actually wrote an essay on this here that is much more coherent and put together https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QfzGikESAmN7bLziVdxd5n5KoXE7JjlfsF1HW36JY-U/edit?usp=sharing and its more indepth + theres a whole timeline for the arg but ill sum everything up here in case u dont wanna read 11 whole pages

so, "year zero" is an album by industrial band nine inch nails that was released in 2007, and the album is somewhat like a concept album in which theres a plot. basically, due to a number of "terrorist attacks" from foreign countries, america shuts down completely and a strong christian fundamentalist theocracy takes hold of the country, along with police brutality, mass surveillance, propaganda, censorship of art and resistance, etc etc etc. while all of this is happening, there are reportings worldwide of people seeing a supernatural massive hand coming down from the sky. the massive hand (called The Presence) gives a message to all of mankind (lyrics are from "The Warning"):

We been watching you with all of our eyes And what you seem to value most So much potential Or so we used to say Your greed, self-importance and your arrogance You piss it all away We heard her cry We have come to intervene You will change your ways and you will make amends Or we will wipe this place clean

basically, humanity has to fix the damage theyve done, or The Presence is gonna come down and wipe the earth from existence.

before the Year Zero album itself was released, nine inch nails was touring for another album (With Teeth), and people started to find strange clues: there were usb drives in the venue bathrooms, and weirdly bolded letters and numbers on merch. the letters and numbers from these clues led to various websites, audio clips, files, etc etc that went much more in depth into the Year Zero story, exploring a plot that the music didn't cover-- there were websites for corporations that drugged water supplies to induce apathy and compliance in american citizens, audio recordings of people getting raided by police, log-in pages where if you put in specific codes you'd get a pop-up that would declare you as "A CONSUMER OF DISSIDENT MATERIAL" and "Any attempts to view, consume, or distribute un-american content will result in the loss of citizenship increments and/or the imposition of fines, penalties, or imprisonment.", and SOOO much more. on one website, there's a post about a "resistance meeting", where people are encouraged to come and wear something that would show theyre apart of the "resistance". when people showed up, they recieved a kit that included things like stencils, pins, stickers, and for some kits, a prepaid cellphone. when the cellphone was called, a person was on the other end that asked them for their name, and to keep the cellphone on them at all times and to take the game seriously. people who kept the phones got a call to attend another meeting in LA, and the meeting had a brief speech by resistance members before a live nine inch nails show that was raided by a swat team near the end of the set (link is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBkomMom4Y0&ab_channel=StockAvuryah ). eventually, the arg came to a close with the last website found being a message from a high government official to his unborn daughter, written in the moments before The Presence comes down the wipe the earth from existence (HIGHLY recommend reading, link is here https://web.archive.org/web/20070529113854/http://hourofarrival.net/ ).

all in all i recommend reading that essay because its way more like, readable, but my god even today i look through the arg websites and find something new cause its so expansive and complex. absolutely the most underrated arg for the best album ever

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trilliastra · 4 years ago

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[Phupha x Tian. Phupha has a lot of feelings. So much fluff, like so much.]

The first time Tian calls him ‘love’, Phupha chokes on his food.

“See you tonight, love.” He had said, one hand touching Phupha’s shoulder in passing as he left to the school.

It’s been three months since Tian moved in permanently, three months filled with good morning kisses and good night hugs under the covers of the, now, too small bed they share. Three months of Tian teasing him while he changes into his military uniform, pressing a kiss in between his shoulder blades in apology before Phupha turns around and kisses him properly, deeply, just because he can.

Three months of eating together, sleeping together, living together, arguing about nothing and everything, making up a few minutes later before collapsing on the floor in between laughter and kisses and whispered promises of love.

Three months, and the first time Tian calls him ‘love’, Phupha is eating lunch with Yod, completely unprepared for the word and the feelings that would accompany it.

They haven’t discussed much about their relationship, they didn’t really have to. Tian came back, Phupha wanted him to stay, they are now living together. Simple, easy.

And yet, nothing feels easy now.

“Pet names.” Yod wheezes, Rang leaning against his shoulder laughing equally as hard. Nam – at least – is trying to hide his smile behind his hand. “They have pet names now.”

“We don’t.” Phupha says, but they aren’t listening anymore. Rang and Yod walking ahead of them, laughing as they start coming up with stupid pet names, one more absurd than the other.

“I think it’s adorable.” Nam says, resting one hand on his shoulder.

His good-natured smile makes Phupha finally drop his defences. “Do you think he wants me to give him a-a pet name as well?” The word is stupid and voicing his concerns out loud makes him feel incredibly dumb, but he doesn’t have much experience with relationships, and more – he doesn’t much experience with men like Tian.

Nam blinks, surprised at his sudden outburst. “How should I know?” He asks, confusedly.

“You’re married.” Phupha points out.

“Not to Tian.” Nam gives back slowly, as if talking to a child. Phupha doesn’t take offense, he does feel like a child now.

“But do you—”

“Talk to him.” Nam interrupts. “He’s the only one who can answer that.” He says before turning around and joining Yod and Rang by the car. Phupha still takes a moment, thinking about his words.

It makes sense, obviously, but this—their relationship is new. Love does not magically solve everything, Phupha understands it, and communication is still something he’s trying to work on. Yet this entire thing—pet names, god, Phupha can’t even understand that word. It sounds cheesy, childish, and the concept is foreign to him, but Phupha doesn’t want to give Tian the impression that he doesn’t have any input in their relationship.

And in the end, being called ‘love’, the thought of being Tian’s love, it feels good. Even now, hours later, when Phupha remembers the way Tian said it—directed at him—his heart picks up speed and warmth spreads through his body.

The concept might still be foreign but, like everything when it comes to Tian, it makes Phupha feel loved, cherished.

The only problem is—Tian can say it as much as he wants, but Phupha doesn’t know if he can say it back.

He starts with ‘darling’. That same night, before going to take a shower, Phupha says “darling, can you hand me the towel?’. Tian arches an eyebrow, hands him the towel wordlessly, but Phupha can practically see the smoke coming out of his head as he works the word over and over in his brain.

Phupha then tries ‘dear’ and the result is the same, Tian looking at him weirdly and Phupha feeling his cheeks getting red in shame.

It sounds weird coming out of his mouth. And even in his head, though he spends most of his free time thinking, every word sounds stupid. Sweetie? Sugar? Angel?

Nothing can convey what exactly Tian means to him.

“Honey, hand me the—”

“Okay.” Tian says. They are fixing the ceiling before the rain arrives, but when Phupha turns around, confused, Tian gestures for him to drop the hammer he is holding. “Sit down.” Tian is sitting on the porch steps and when Phupha gets closer, he pats the spot next to him. “Honey?” He asks, reaching out for Phupha’s hand. “Angel?”

“I—I thought you wanted me to—” he doesn’t know what else to say. Words never come easy to him and he knows it’s unfair to expect Tian to do all the talking in their relationship, but his mind goes completely blank and everything, even the conversation he had with Nam the week before simply disappear from his brain.

“Is this about me calling you ‘love’?” Phupha nods. “I can stop if you—”

“No.” He rushes to say. “It’s not—” he groans, frustrated. Tian squeezes his hand, waits for him patiently. “I liked it, when you called me ‘love’, but I—I can’t say it. Pet names or—yeah, that.” He finishes, closing his eyes as he feels his ears burning with shame.

“You don’t have to.” Tian says and Phupha looks up, startled. His Tian smiles at him, kind, soft, ever so patient. “Not if you don’t feel okay with it.” When he notices Phupha’s confused expression, he huffs out an amused laugh. “I like it when you say my name.”

This man, Phupha thinks—not for the first time today—is incredible.

“You do?”

“Yes.” Tian answers. “It reminds me that I am here with you. That you are the one I’m sharing a life with.”

“Oh.”

Tian laughs again. “Yeah.” He presses a kiss on his cheek, leans his head against his shoulder. The sun is setting again and soon they will have spent four months together. Phupha can’t wait for the next four months, the next four years.

“I love you, Tian.” He whispers.

Tian listens anyway, will always listen, even the words Phupha doesn’t know how to say.

“I love you, too.” He whispers back. “Love.”

#phupha x tian #phutian #a tale of thousand stars #atots #my fic #hi look its phutian again #oops

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chemicalpink · 5 years ago

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Starry Night♡ Jimin x Reader

Pairing: Park Jimin x Reader; shifter!Jimin, familiar!Jimin x witch!reader

Genre: fluff, implied smut, hints of humor and angst

Word Count: 3.4k

Warnings: there is a bit of talk about family issues & implied smut

Summary: Every witch is supposed to have a familiar by her side, except you seem to be the exception to the rule, until a certain calico cat enters your life and not only is he your familiar but he might just be the love of your life

The one where Jimin is a calico cat shifter that would like to enjoy the finest things in life, but that is not how you roll so he finds himself falling for you and your weird ways

A/N: Hello! I’ve been thinking about familiar! Jimin for so long you have no idea, feedback is always appreciated, also, tell me if you would like me to do a Part 2. Hope you like it! The original photo is not mine, credits to owner.

There are a few things about Magic that people just don’t realise, for once, it is real, but also, it is far more complex than any human mind can conceive.

Your first approach to magic could be described as anything other than easy, there always seemed to be something new to learn about it, and every time you thought it couldn’t get any weirder, the universe decided to grant your wishes and throw something far more bizarre than the last.

Now, the existence of familiars wasn’t quite a foreign concept for you, you’ve seen your coven full of animals when those witches assemblies took part every time the moon went full or during the massive festivals that took part on Samhain, truth be told, you couldn’t help but feel a sting of jealousy reach you every time you encountered one of your superiors walk by and try to diminish you for having no familiar at all, a rare occurrence for a full witch that had already ended her training.

Although come to think of it, there were a lot of things that made the witches in your coven point you out, whether it was your lack of familiar, your withholding of using magic at all times or the fact that you much preferred to live a much more human life than theirs; Mrs Grimm, the veteran witch that was in charge of the cosy cafe you worked at, had gladly taken you under her wing, constantly reassuring you that having a familiar is such a complicated matter, you had nothing to worry about.

You could distinctly remember the one time she lectured you on how hunting for a familiar was pretty much like hunting down your soulmate, except that every time you came close, they would run away, plus, there was no telling whether they would be a cliché black cat or a spider, the only thing sure was that once they were ready, they would find you, not the other way around; you had wanted to ask her at the time if, after all her years on Earth, she had found her familiar, but you feared the answer would be a no, mirroring yourself on her, since no animal seemed to ever be around her.

“Yoongs, are you sure you can close the shop by yourself?” you told the boy as you wrapped the scarf tighter around your neck and stepped outside to the cold weather, it wasn’t even winter but somehow the Earth decided to play pretend during summer nights that year.

“Yeah, I’ve done it plenty of times before, Y/N” Yoongi was that handsome dude you would encounter once in a lifetime, working odd hours at the cafe on a night where you had a paper due and were rushing to the nearest cafe to recharge and after crushing on him, you would never see him again, he just had that kind of vibe to him, everyone knew it, which is why Mrs Grimm seemed to keep him in the shop to attract costumers, though he had started working a few months after you, you had never come to know exactly how he came into the picture, one day he was just...there, behind the counter, delivering the most perfect lattes you had ever tasted “Go on then, you don’t want to keep your gram waiting” he flashed you one of his infamous gummy smiles as sarcastic as he could to get you going, which you did.

Okay, perhaps you shouldn’t have lied to Yoongi, or taken advantage that Mrs Grimm, who could tell from a mile radius when you were lying, wasn’t working the shop just so you could get a night out of the shop, but some days were better than others, the past ones had been the worst ones in a while, but you couldn’t just say that you weren’t feeling up to it, as much as magic was a thing, bills were bills and they needed to be paid somehow.

Clutching the scarf tighter to your body as the wind picked up, a loud hissing caused you to stop dead in your tracks and turn your gaze towards the left side of the sidewalk, a calico cat catching your attention as it stepped backwards, forced by two other cats that were hissing ferally at him, within a second you found yourself shooing them away once one of them took its paw off the ground and launched towards the three-coloured feline, crouching down and offering your hand out, you tried calling for it, only to notice how uncomfortably he limped towards you.

“It’s getting colder out here, and you’re hurt” you observed while scratching its chin, the cat closing its eyes contentedly “Wanna come home with me?” at that the cat opened its eyes almost comically, but let you cradle it between your arms nonetheless, the soft bumping of your heart along with the warmth from your scarf lulling it to a much-needed sleep.

The first few nights with Jimin, which you soon found out was the cat’s name noticing a small name tag while bandaging his limping paw, were hard to get accustomed to, finding his eyes shimmering in the darkness as he lay awake near the couch during one of your trips to the kitchen for a glass of water in the middle of the night.

“Try not to get to comfy, yeah?” you used to say, thinking that maybe, since he had a name tag, even without information, and with him being fully recovered, you could somehow find his owner in no time, cats don’t stray too far from their home right?

Wrong. For all you knew, perhaps Jimin had walked all the way from another continent, no one in a decent radius had even ever seen a calico cat before. Jimin’s gaze always seemed to mock you when the usual midnight ‘try not get comfy’ phrase left your lips, a routine of some sort.

You see, Jimin had soon found out that you were actually a very, very heavy sleeper–except for your regular trips to the kitchen somewhere between 2 and 3 am, and he planned to use that to his advantage. With all honesty, at first, he thought you were dense, not noticing that he didn’t have an actual owner, not noticing that you were in fact, his witch; he had been prepared to present himself in a fancy way– a very characteristic asset of his– but getting jumped by not one, but two familiars gone rouge, and having to get cared for, yeah, that was most definitely not in his plans.

A second thought then occurred to him after the second night at your apartment, it wasn’t supposed to be, but then again, the universe had never really been on his side ever since he slept through that Ostara ritual a few years back, what if, and that’s probably only him overthinking, what if you weren’t actually a witch? what if you were just a good samaritan that happened to witness his state of need for care and offered yourself? You hadn’t even once tried to use magic on his dislocated paw, after all.

And that’s exactly how he decided to roam around your apartment, at night, while you took those weirdly long baths, while on the phone with someone he couldn’t quite place.

“Come on, come on Y/N, there has to be something, anything” he mumbled to himself while unlocking the door to the only room that was left for him to roam, he couldn’t really tell what exactly he was looking for; at first, he thought you might have had some of the weird ingredients witches kept on their cabinets, but after opening and closing the kitchen cupboards, he gave up; right now, presented by the sight of tons of books scattered everywhere in the stuffy room, he could only hope to find your book of shadows, witches weren’t supposed to stay away from them right? then again, you might not even be a witch yourself.

He also wasn’t sure when exactly he had passed out on the floor next to some old philosophy books, but he sure thanked that he had done so in his cat form as morning came and you took him in your arms hurriedly “Hey, how did you-never mind, we have to get going”

The route wasn’t long, and he could soon tell where he was as his nose was met with perfectly roasted notes of coffee grounds, you had placed him on top of the counter as you went to talk with the old witch that owned the place, he could instantly tell she was one by the pendant hanging off her neck, but what he wasn’t counting on, was to encounter him.

Watching Yoongi serve clients those pretty, heavy coloured pastries while he was dressed in black and directed a small shy smile at them, was probably one of your favourite parts of working at the cafe, today it was no exception; until he came across Jimin and stood beside him, locking eyes for a little too long, and- did Yoongi just hissed at the cat? Surely your mind was playing tricks on you. You had spent a few hours early in the morning just sulking in bed, deciding that bringing Jimin to work was the perfect way to get people to recognise him, if no one claimed to be his owner by the end of the day, you would just let him stay home with you, you had grown fond of the feline after all.

The clock had barely struck eight as you got home, cat in hand and gently placing him on top of the kitchen aisle, ready for the daily routine of feeding you both before binge-watching whatever on Netflix. You turned your back to him as you washed your hands when a loud noise of something falling from the counter resonated in the apartment

“Ah! Jimin! You scared-” the towel you held between your hands dropped to the floor and was followed by a whole five seconds of screaming as your eyes opened as big as plates as you saw this blond-haired man sitting prettily on your kitchen counter, legs dangling off the edge, well, this was definitely not how he pictured it “Who are you and what did you do to Jimin?”

“Well- if you promise not to scream again, I’ll tell you” followed by silence from you, he felt you were ready for his explanation “I’m Jimin! hi, Y/N!” his eyes grew into crescents as he smiled and brought his hand up to wave at you, and if he thought that you screaming at him shifting was unexpected enough, the thought of you launching forward and throwing hands at him hadn’t even crossed his mind “No wait wait wait stop- ah!”

“I CHANGED IN FRONT OF YOU!”

“Yeah… such a sight, you know?” it didn’t even take you a whole second to launch yourself again against him, but this time he only laughed it off

“Wait so- you’re my familiar then?” he cautiously formed a flower cup with his hands and rested it against his chin, smiling at you “What took you so long to shift? I thought you were a normal cat!”

“Yeah well, I could ask the same thing, you didn’t even use magic when you saw me hurt! I thought you were a human!” he pouts and finally jumps off from the counter, deciding to just let his weight rest against it “Yoongi told me- you know, you’re technically witch royalty, Y/N”

“I know”

“I can’t wait to tell Jungkook! Oh dear, he is going to lose it!” his over-joyful tone of voice really contrasted the inner thoughts going on inside your head at the time, it was no secret you were one of the most powerful young witches of the era, but that just wasn’t you.

“Jimin, no” your voice was so quiet, it was surprising that Jimin had caught it from the way he was currently pacing around, a smile plastered on his face as he went on and on about his plans now that he knew who his master was, but he was your familiar after all, there was this fate-driven understanding between the two, it only took his a couple seconds to understand that your magic was not something you were comfortable with.

“Oh, that’s okay then” he smiled at you, every drop of energy drowned from him and you couldn’t help but feel guilty. You could only picture how much it would mean for a familiar to get to know they were paired with a high ranking witch, only to have it taken away from them by the witch herself, being completely honest, now that he had walked into your life, you couldn’t help but feel like you were dragging him down to a non-magic world like you were stripping him away from everything he was.

But Jimin was the sweetest anyone could be, whether he was in human or cat form, he never left your side from that day on, Jimin had soon found out that there were bad days for you, days where he was grateful you had let him in, not just your life, but yourself as well, he had tried to assure you, he had just been thrilled to learn he was your familiar, that it didn’t matter to him whether you prefer to stay in the human world or in the magic realm, he was just glad to be by your side.

On the better days, he actually liked to tease you enough for you to begin training magic again, up until you had gradually become more powerful than before. A few weeks in, you both fell in a comfortable synergy where you began enjoying magic like you used to when you were younger and Jimin had learnt to stay away from magic, as much as shifting even less than before; even though if you had, for any reason, denied him cuddles while on his human form, he learnt you wouldn’t deny him if he looked up at you with teary eyes in his cat form.

Somewhere of a few months into him being practically a roommate, Jimin started working at the café, taking over baking duty, bickering non-stop with Yoongi when they were both needed to serve costumers.

It was a usual Saturday in the afternoon where Jimin secluded himself a few minutes before closing time to get things ready for Sunday baking, just the two of you in the shop without much to do, his phone started buzzing non-stop with incoming messages, you walked to where it was, and you truly did knew better than to take a peek at it but curiosity got the best of you as the first message you saw was a

“Hey, how’s the plan on getting to the Royal House going?”

If you didn’t knew any better, you would have sworn your sould had just left your body as you reminded yourself of all the times Jimin had helped you with your magic, how he had managed to convince you that he had no ill intentions behind all those hours you both had spent coming up with new spells, he had you fooled saying that he had adapted to a much more human life.

“Y/N?” Jimin walked out from the baking room, noticing how tightly you help onto his phone “Y/N what are you-”

“So it was all part of some wicked plan, huh?” you rose your gaze to fix it on his, anger clearly seeping from your eyes, he wasn’t sure how, but he instantly knew he had fucked up “All of- ALL OF THIS WAS JUST FOR YOU TO GET YOUR ASS TO THE ROYAL HOUSE? HUH?”

He couldn’t even get to you on time as he stood frozen facing the glass door through which you had just walked out, as he reached for his phone that was left by you on the counter, everything made sense, he had once told Jungkook about it, overly excited by learning he was your familiar, but things really did change, he didn’t even remember the text, it wasn’t his fault that guy literally took months to answer!

You crouched down on your sidewalk as a black cat meowed by, disappearing from your line of view, followed by a presence on your side “Jimin is a good kid, you know?” Yoongi said in a hushed tone “And he really, truly cares about you”

“Yeah, that’s apparently not true” you scoffed “I’m just an easy ticket for the highest magic rank”

Yoongi exhaled loudly from beside you and knowing him, he just most likely rolled his eyes “Y/N, I’m talking here as a familiar, not as some empathetic being, we just want what is best for our master” silence followed and he took it as a signal to keep talking “He was spoiled rotten, I’ll give you that. But now? he can make the perfect latte, no magic involved. I fear he might take my spot as the preferred barista”

On second thought, perhaps you let your family problems get the best of you, whether or not Jimin had been excited about being a highly ranked familiar, he had every right to be, it was you who had no right to overthink his actions and instantly blame him for trying to take advantage of you. You would like to think for the past months by his side, you knew better than that.

Frankly, the art of apologising was never one you would consider yourself good at, which is why you found yourself silently doing your routine around the apartment, this time not a single peep could be heard from Jimin either, as he tried to respect your space as much as you wanted it to last.

You walked further down the hallway to where the rooms were, surely Jimin was keeping himself in there “Hey Jimin have you seen-” your words were cut short by said blond walking ethereally out of the shower, towel hanging low on his hips as time seemed to stop and you couldn’t pry your eyes from the way the steam emanated from behind him, or how his hair kept on dripping down the front of his body, some drops making it to the wooden floor, he looked up surprised as he breathed your name, rapidly glancing down at his almost naked form and blushing furiously but somehow gains enough confidence to reach out for your hands “I’m so sorry, I really am. I used to be an asshole, trust me I know and I don’t deserve to be your familiar at all bu-”

“It’s okay, Chim” you look up to meet his eyes, full of pleading in them “It was wrong from me to accuse you of something that didn’t even happen in the first place” you smiled softly and it took no time for him to mirror you, both of you enveloped in a much more comforting silence as his gaze fixated on your lips and back to your eyes as if asking for permission, butterflies that you didn’t even know were there, making a mess inside your belly as you brought your right hand to cup his cheek and helped him lean into you, eyes closed, placing his soft plump lips against your own, hair dampening the front of your shirt when his left thumb caressed your cheek as he deepened the kiss running his tongue to part your lips, right hand placed on your side in an attempt to bring you closer to him, making you hyper-aware of the warmth in which his body enveloped you in; after separating for air and him casting one of his most adorable smiles as both of you kept locking eyes, his mouth started leaving a trail of wet kissed down your jaw to your neck, exhaling a moan, both of your hands found themselves on the small of his naked back, lightly scratching the exposed skin; his nose brushing a eskimo kiss against the bit of skin where your jaw and neck connected which he had just marked with pink blooms all over.

“Well that was most definitely a better way to make up than what I had in mind” he whispered in a breathy voice against your ear

“What did you have in mind?”

“Turning into a kitten until you forgave me?” he chuckled lightly

“Well you might just like this one better” you said as you took his hand in yours and led him towards your bedroom

#bts imagine #jimin imagine #bangtanarmynet #bts oneshot #jimin oneshot #jimin fic #bts fic #bts headcanon #bts drabble #jimin drabble #bts scenarios #familiar!jimin #shifter!jimin #bts witch au #jimin scenario #bts fluff #i am a sucker for witch bts okay

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princesskokichi · 5 years ago

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kokichi meeting a mermaid s/o

all i used to write was fantasy aus a long time ago, so i got a little bit excited oops

i haven’t written fantasy in such a long time, it’s just romance nowadays - mod kokichi

- alright, to be fair

- this was not / his / world

- he didn't know where he was, but this wasn't his world

- when he was by the sea, playing in the sand as if he was a child

- he knew that something was off, even from the moment he woke up

- and then he met you by the sea, a timid and almost strange person

- you must've been swimming for a long time because he hadn't seen you on the beach at all

- even though the beach is completely empty today, for some reason

- you rose up out of the water, your legs dripping water for a few seconds, before they were perfectly dry

- he was a little confused at how your skin was so dry even though you just got out of the water

- perhaps you had waterproof sunscreen with a lot oil that just slicks off water, but you didn't look oily

- and you were wearing a whole formal outfit, including a satchel

- before he realized it, you two were making eye contact

- and then you rushed back into the water, as if you were supposed to be out of it at all

- but,, while he was staring at where you disappeared, a large tail broke the water surface as whatever animal with it pushed itself deeper into the sea

- that was,, weird

- no matter how weird it was, it wasn't the weirdest thing he saw today

- his phone wasn't working at all, and he couldn't contact shuichi or kaede

- and he swore, he SWORE he saw a large bird flying across his window

- but it wasn't a bird,, it just had the wings of a bird

- it was a person

- or a person with the wings of a bird

- so you running into the water in full apparel was not at all the weirdest thing he witnessed today

- kokichi was a little upset, because he and his friends had made plans to play at the beach today before school starts back up the next day

- ten minutes later, while he was fuming that no one shwed up, you arrived out of the water again

- your skin repelled the water as before, and your hair was dry before you even reached him

- oh god, he was going to have to talk to you, wasn't he ?

- s / o : " hello ? who are you, and why are you dressed weirdly ? "

- kokichi scoffed. you just met him and you were saying he was dressed weirdly ? look at your own outfit, god

-kokichi : " i'm dressed in my swim suit. what are you dressed in ? "

- s / o : " my marriage clothes. "

- kokichi : " you're getting married ? then why are you at the beach and not the church ? "

- s / o : " church ? what would i have to do with the church ? "

- kokichi : " most people in japan get married at the church, duh. "

- s / o : " japan ? is that your tribe ? "

- kokichi : " its our country ?? where are you from ?? "

- you sat down beside him, looking at his little sand castle

- s / o : " i don't know where you're from, but this is ******. "

- kokichi : " oh. i'm pretty sure this is japan, but okay. "

- s / o : " here, i'll prove it to you. "

- fumbling around, you pulled a paper from the satchel you wore

- opening it up, he noticed that it was a bounty for a person

- s / o : " see ? some witch named kokichi is wanted for murder, here in ******. "

- kokichi : " huh,, that's,, uh, that's wild. what are they wanted for ? "

- s / o : " no idea. i just know the government wants them. "

- you stared at the picture, and then back up at kokichi

- s / o : " hey, you kinda look like them,, "

- kokichi : " oh, so i do. "

- s / o : " so, traveller from this " japan " that you speak of, what's your name ? what are you doing here ? "

- kokichi : " haha i don't think my name is very relevant. "

- he was very confused, please pardon him being so awkward

- he's been a part of weird situations, but this ?

- alright, this was teetering over the edge of what he knew and how to deal with it

- s / o : " then what are you doing here ? "

- kokichi : " i had a beach date with my friends. but i don't think that's going to happen very much anymore. "

- this kind of talk lasted for about twenty minutes ( i'm running rather long with my words so i gotta shorten the scenes a little )

- did you know that kokichi was the same witch as on the wanted poster ? yes

- did you particularly care ? no, not really. he seemed harmless.

- you two talked about a lot of things, even your marriage you ran away from

- you were a captive for a very long time, and were forced to marry someone you just met

- of course, you managed to escape, but when you came to the surface, you thought kokichi was there to catch you, so you ran away again, watching from the ocean

- midway into your story, kokichi spoke up

- kokichi : " speaking of,, isn't it a little hard to breathe in the water ? "

- s / o : " why would it be hard ? can't you breathe in the water ? "

- kokichi : " i could, but only once. and then i'd never do it again. "

- s / o : " oh. i can breathe all the time in the water. air and water feel very different in my lungs though, so it's a little weird for the change sometimes. "

- kokichi : " why ? "

- s / o : " what do you mean, why ? "

- kokichi : " why can you breathe underwater ? "

- s / o : " uhm, to foreigners,, i think,, i think the word is, uhm, mermaid ? is that the word ? in my tribe, i was called a siamese fighting fish, or just the word betta. "

- kokichi : " oh. a mermaid. makes sense. "

- s / o : " what a strange reaction. have you never seen a mermaid ? "

- kokichi : " we don't have mermaids where i come from. "

- s / o : " we don't have you where i come from, either. but i don't react strangely to you. "

- kokichi : " you said i was dressed weirdly. "

- s / o : " oh, so i did. nevermind then. tell me more about japan. "

- kokichi spoke about japan, about the people there and the way of life. the good food ( although he tried to stay away from the whole concept of sushi, for your sake ). how school sucks sometimes, but you learn a lot so you deal with it. how the park looks so pretty at night. pretty much everything.

- in the end, you decided to follow in his footsteps

- s / o : " can i accompany you ? to japan ? "

- kokichi : " i'm sure you could, uh, but why would you ? "

- s / o : " well, i'm the only one left alive in my tribe. if i come back to the ocean, i'll just get kidnapped over and over again. "

- kokichi : " why don't you just go to another ocean ? "

- s / o : " it doesn't work like that, dummy. "

- kokichi : " well SORRY for suggesting something, geez. "

- you laughed, standing up

- s / o : " alright, it's decided. take me back to japan with you. "

- kokichi : " i'm going to be pretty honest with you right now. i have no idea how to do that. i woke up today and was in your country. "

- s / o : " oh, so that's why you're considered a witch, kokichi. you're not from here. "

- kokichi : " so it may be. "

- s / o : " i would suppose,, you just go back to bed ? and then when you wake up, you could be in japan. "

- after agreeing with your terms, he took you to his little apartment

- you fell asleep in his bed, wearing his clothes, completely unaware that that was not the norm in japan

- but, you weren't in japan, so there wouldn't be much of a problem there, would it ?

- except his face was / very / red, which you thought meant he was getting sick

- eventually, you two somehow fell asleep,,,

- , , , , ,

- he woke up to the sound of his phone buzzing loudly, charged on his bedside table

- he reached his hand to grab it, but before he could, he accidentally smacked something in the face

- holy shit, that wasn't a fever dream

- kokichi : " huh ? s / o ? you're still here ? "

- he shook you a little bit, to wake you up.

- s / o : " if you shake me one more time i will personally send rain your way for fifteen years. "

- kokichi : " alright, sorry, geez. "

- did he,,

- did he just bring a mermaid from a different world to japan ?

- he looked at you as if you were the most amazing thing in his life

- no one was ever going to believe this one.

#danganronpa #danganronpa v3 killing harmony #killing harmony #kokichi oma #danganronpa kokichi #danganronpa imagines #imagines #mod kokichi

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kaesaaurelia · 4 years ago

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the pit is prepared, the fire is made ready

For @whumptober2020 day 31: Today’s Special: Torture (specifically "experiment")

This fic has a companion piece about Crowley’s angel friend here and what happened to her after the war, but you don’t need to have read that to read this.

Satan/Crowley; brief mention of an ill-fated OC / OC pairing. Content warning for body horror, abusive/toxic relationship with an enormous power differential. Also, it’s not so much that Crowley doesn’t consent to any of this, it’s that Satan doesn’t care what he wants and Crowley tells himself after the fact that This Is Fine. This is in addition to the torture implied by the prompt.

"It's not too late to stay here," Vehuel told Gadreel, and he suppressed an eye roll.

"No, no, I have to go, Lucifer wants me there," he reminded her. "I'm his favorite."

Vehuel was irritated with him, he could sense it easily. She was so ridiculously prudish about him and Lucifer, as she was about everything, as if she and Len always making eyes at each other and vanishing to take their long romantic walks around the galactic center or whatever stupid thing had been objectively less bad, somehow. At least Lucifer was interesting. He had ideas, which was more than anybody, even Vehuel, could say about Len. "I'm sure he wouldn't want you to get hurt for his sake, then," said Vehuel, snottily. "Since he likes you so much."

Gadreel suppressed his reaction to that; it wasn't Lucifer's fault he sometimes got hurt, it was only that Lucifer trusted him to do dangerous jobs and not whine about it if things got a little hairy, and she was envious of that. "I'll be fine," he said. "And besides," he added, trying to make peace, "I'd love to see the look on that wanker Gabriel's face when we storm in and take Heaven. Aren't you looking forward to that?"

"Yeah, I guess," she said, not sounding as enthusiastic as he would've hoped. "I'm just worried something bad will happen to you."

Poor Vehuel; she was always so concerned about everyone but herself. Gadreel knew things would be all right, though. It was a good thing Vehuel had him around, really, otherwise she'd never get anything done. "Besides, God told you not to worry, didn't She?" Tormenting Vehuel with that never got old; it was the only thing God had said to her, and of course, she'd worried about it a lot since then.

She snorted. "I thought we were disobeying Her now?" she asked.

"I'm just saying," he said. "Anyway, why don't you lend me some of your eyes? Then I could see trouble coming." God had run out of eyes when She was making him, so he barely had any compared to Vehuel. Well, no, he had seven at this point, but only because he'd bothered Vehuel until she'd shared her bounty of eyes with him early on in their existence.

Her halo flared, which it always did when she felt very strongly about something, and she drew her wings over herself. "I really don't want to, sorry. I'm kind of worried I won't be able to take care of myself?"

"What? No! Why?" he asked, because Vehuel had a lot of flaws, but if there was anybody who could take care of herself, it was Vehuel. She'd saved him from falling into the sun once! And she'd stopped a wayward comet from striking the Earth at the last minute, sacrificing her wings! (Then some officious bastard from Heaven had yelled at her, because it was supposed to hit the Earth, apparently, and nobody'd told them. Heaven was so useless.) And she'd always jumped between him and people who were trying to push him around, which was a little embarrassing, but also... well, it was nice, to know somebody cared that much about you. "You're bigger and meaner than me," he pointed out, "I need the eyes more."

"No, you're definitely meaner than me," she said. "Remember what you did to poor Len?"

Len had broken her heart, and he'd ruined those two gas giants, from what Vehuel told him. Of course, her account was very biased, because she still loved Len, but Gadreel could see through all that. "He deserved it! It was justice. It's not really meanness if it's deserved, is it?"

"I don't think anyone really deserves to be tied to a comet and left for a few million years until he's missed at the next all hands meeting," Vehuel said, because sometimes she wasn't any fun at all.

"Sure they do!" he said. Especially if they were Len, who had been laughing at her behind her back and making up stories about her, and Gadreel wasn't going to tell her that, but when she found out hopefully she would beat Len up and he'd be very sorry. "Anyway, you're still bigger than me."

"By a smidge, Gadreel, it won't matter if either of us has to fight -- I don't know, Michael or someone like that. Listen, how about you stay in front and I go behind you and watch out for anyone trying to sneak up. We'll work together," she said, brightly.

"Oh, fine," he said, rolling his eyes. "But you'd better pay attention." She would; he was just being an arse about it.

"I'm not gonna let anything happen to you!"

"You'd better not," he said. "I won't let you forget it if you do."

"I know, that's why," she said, and she shoved him. "You'll be fucking insufferable for eternity otherwise."

That, at least, was something he was great at. "I'm going to be fucking insufferable for eternity anyway," he assured her.

On the long flight to Heaven he felt her rage; her halo was bright, and you just couldn't hide feelings that strong, no matter how you tried. But he had assumed it was anger with Heaven -- against their cruelties and injustices, and the stupid rules they'd make up whenever something wasn't going their way, and how boring and bland they were -- and he'd let his anger mix with hers; a silent yes, I agree; yes, we will fix this; God made us and She will regret it because we may be small but we are clever and angry and a force to be reckoned with.

Having her behind him made him confident, and gave him the courage to launch himself at the first Heavenly angel they came upon. He knew what he was doing; knew how to disrupt the delicate balance of the archangel's gravity and collapse her in upon herself so that she couldn't attack them, and he knew with Vehuel behind him, the archangel couldn't possibly get at him first.

But then a terrible feeling -- pain -- spread across his body, before the archangel even noticed anything amiss, and Gadreel looked back, only to see Vehuel holding something long and sharp; a line of pure force. It glowed with a light that was not Lucifer's, but God's.

He stared at her; stared at the thing she held. She must have been carrying it this whole time, and it hurt, and she had used it to hurt him, and --

A seraph bumped into her, and Gadreel used the moments to gather himself together and hide from her. Had she... had she been angry at him all along? He watched her throughout the battle, keeping his distance, keeping away from her, and saw her slash at all their friends -- well, all his friends, they hadn't really liked her -- had she been envious, maybe, that he'd had other friends? Was that it? And then he saw her speeding towards Lucifer, something bright clutched in her hands, and Gadreel knew that she must hate all of them so much to put herself in danger from a fucking supernova just to kill everyone else. He sped away before the flash of heat and light, and avoided any damage, but he saw her, furious and hurting and burning as Heaven's forces dragged her off the battlefield.

Vehuel's trick with the supernova hadn't killed Lucifer, but it had cost him a lot of his forces, and Heaven -- who had been outnumbered at first, because apparently half of them were stuck in a meeting with Gabriel -- had defeated them easily after that. God, in Her infinite cruelty, had relegated them to some lower place, some other plane, which was somehow both uncomfortably chilly and unbearably hot at the same time. Gadreel lay in that place, having barely made it out of the pit of boiling sulfur. Everything hurt, and he felt bound by gravity, of all the stupid things, and the spiral of his body was unwinding as he made his way away from the lake of sulfur, pulling himself with his hands.

Gadreel could see others crawling out of the sulfur around him, and a few even still falling into the lake with horrendous splashes. "Come on, come on, get moving!" snarled somebody, and Gadreel thought she looked like one of the cherubim who'd been at some of Lucifer's meetings. He couldn't remember her name, but he was pretty sure she hadn't had scales before. It was clear she thought she was very important, on account of being a cherub, and Gadreel instantly disliked her.

Still, she seemed to know what was going on. "What's happening?" he asked. "Can you help me? I think I'm... broken," he said. Ugh, his whole core was trying to stay curled, but he'd been absolutely maimed so it was just lolling out weirdly to the side. It wasn't comfortable at all.

"No! Too much to do," she said. "And besides, that would be counterproductive. We're supposed to be being evil now," she said, sniffing.

"Evil?" The concept was foreign to Gadreel, and he waited a few moments for it to filter into his understanding. "That's stupid, though, isn't it? God kicks us out and claims to be Good so we've got to be Evil in defiance?"

"Yeah, that's right," said the cherub. Well, obviously not a cherub anymore. What was her name? Dagana, that was it. Something like that. Ugh. When had she got scales? "What's wrong with that?"

"Well, isn't it playing right into God's hands? If we really wanted to stick it to Her shouldn't we be Good?" he asked.

Maybe-Dagana scowled at him, and shoved him along with several clammy hands. He hissed in pain as the edges of his being scraped against the rough rock of the cavern. "Get moving!" she snarled. "Line starts back there!" She pointed to a line that was already forming; it looked like Gadreel had a ways to go before he could even start waiting for... whatever was happening.

People around him were chattering about names, about forms, and Gadreel had thought those things weren't supposed to matter anymore, like ranks -- or, well, they wouldn't have, had Lucifer won. Perhaps that was why they still did. They seemed pretty cheery about it on the surface, but all Gadreel could sense was other people's pain, and impatience with the line, and their anger at God. "What's this about getting a new name?" he asked the person in front of him.

"Oh, you don't know?" they said. "Satan's remaking us."

"S..." He hesitated on the sibilance. "Satan?"

"The Adversary of God! Lucifer is an old name," they informed him, cheerfully.

Gadreel didn't really like where all this new branding was headed. It seemed awfully God-reliant, and he didn't much fancy being on Team Hello, We Lost To God. Lucifer could explain it to him, though, he was certain of it. They'd probably misinterpreted everything he'd said, Gadreel decided. Lucifer had this way of making complicated things easy to understand, but unfortunately that meant sometimes the morons got it all turned around when they passed it on.

"Do you... do you want a new name?" he asked his new comrade.

"Well, why wouldn't I? God gave me this one, it's bad news. Stands to reason."

"Yeah. Yeah, no, got to get away from that rubbish," Gadreel agreed.

"Although I did hear he made somebody called Leonard keep his name," they added. "Feel a bit sorry for that poor bastard."

"Oh, Len's an arsehole, if anyone deserves to be stuck with the name God gave them it's him." He warmed to his subject, appreciating something to be furious about that he wasn't personally still wounded from. "D'you know what he did to my friend?" he asked. And then he remembered.

"What?" they asked.

"He..." Gadreel didn't have the heart. "He... Nothing. Nothing, he didn't do anything to any friends of mine. But he's a bastard, steer clear."

"Well, all right, if you say so," they said.

The line was interminable and Gadreel grew more and more miserable by the hour. Occasionally he tried to convince some of the people in front of him that he was actually Lucifer's favorite and should be allowed past them. Sure, he wasn't the only of Lucifer's favorites, but Gadreel knew he was Lucifer's favorite favorite. He could tell. Lucifer cared greatly for him, and would want to know he had survived. But they all laughed at him and told him everybody said that, and so, Gadreel stayed in the line, crawling gradually past deep pits so black it hurt to look into them, and rivers of pitch.

Finally, finally he came to the front of the line, and there was Lucifer, sitting on a throne in front of a great ocean of molten lava. He was beautiful still, but there was something... slightly off about him now. Gadreel couldn't pinpoint what it was, exactly; he didn't see any specific difference. Maybe he was imagining things. He didn't seem to be leaking light anymore, although Gadreel could see a trickle of it leading to a larger puddle, which -- oh. Which had flowed into the lava -- had maybe made the lava?

That was a lot of light he'd lost. No wonder he looked different. Gadreel felt awful now, acting like his own wounds were all that serious.

Gadreel made his way painfully to a spot at the base of the throne. "Gadreel," said Lucifer, scintillating with what looked like approval.

But it was approval Gadreel couldn't feel anymore, and he wondered if he'd done something wrong. And he realized he had; he'd vouched for Vehuel, like a gullible idiot, and --

"Come here," said Lucifer, gently, reaching out a hand large enough to encompass galaxies, and Gadreel remembered what it was to trust again. "You're very upset."

"We lost," said Gadreel. "We lost and it's --"

"Your fault. Yes, in a way," he said, cradling Gadreel.

Gadreel, who had been barely hanging onto some important pieces of himself this whole time, almost wished he had shaken apart on the way down. "I. I'm sorry."

"We all are," said Lucifer, gently. "But sorry doesn't do anything, does it? Still. I'm here to put you back together, and I'm sure you can work to --"

"Yes! To make things right!" said Gadreel.

Lucifer laughed, and it sounded wrong. "Oh no, haven't you heard?" he asked, with that sort of glimmer that meant he was going to say something that Gadreel understood, and most people did not. "We're in the business of making things wrong now." And Gadreel, for the first time, didn't understand it; there was a joke in it, somewhere, but -- "But we don't really have time to discuss all of that, do we? I'm going to have to remake you." And without waiting for an answer, he seized Gadreel by his central spiral -- the one that had been hurting him so much all this time, because it was very much not in the center of him like it was supposed to be -- and yanked.

Gadreel thought he had known pain when Vehuel had carved him up, and then he thought he'd understood pain when he fell into the pit of boiling sulfur, and in the hours after that, he'd assumed he had become used to pain, waiting in the line for Lucifer to see to his wounds, but none of that was true, it turned out, because none of that pain was in any way comparable to having your very essence pulled out and your whole self unspooled in Lucifer's hands. Lucifer chuckled to himself. "Most people scream when I do that," he said, pleasantly, as if it was a funny little joke.

Gadreel had been too startled to scream at first, and then in too much pain after to make any sort of sound, and now that Lucifer was twisting him and laying him out and tugging him this way and that, ripping him to pieces and smoothing over the rips with careful fingers digging into his being. It was all he could do to just hang onto existence.

He didn't say anything; he didn't trust himself not to say the wrong thing. Lucifer laughed again, and Gadreel realized he didn't need to say anything; Lucifer could see right through him, see everything about him. He was reminded of the times he'd communed celestially with Lucifer, and it had been -- it had been so much, he had never been able to see all of Lucifer's thoughts, but Lucifer had come away understanding him better than he understood himself. Only this time he couldn't see into Lucifer at all, and he was completely at Lucifer's mercy.

He shivered, and pain shot through him in all the places Lucifer had wrenched apart or pushed together.

"What shall I name you?" Lucifer asked, several eyes looking him over impassively. He felt strange and hollow. He felt wrong. Lucifer watched him become tangled in on himself and untied him patiently, saving him from himself. "Hmm. How about Crawly? It's very descriptive."

"Crawly," said... Crawly. It was a fitting name, he told himself. It was the right name. Lucifer, his friend and leader, had given it to him, not God the tyrant.

"I'm glad you like it," said Lucifer. He grasped Crawly around the middle and plunged him into the pool of lava in front of him, and all the pain he'd felt in the process of being remade repeated itself, but worse. He was in agonies for what felt like days, years, centuries... and then Lucifer pulled him out again and placed him gently on the ground. "I will find you when I need you, Crawly," he said, and then he was left to slither off, and Lucifer had moved on to tend to the next of his fallen army.

When Lucifer needed him next, Crawly had already been bullied into doing a lot of fetching and carrying for other people. Bigger, stronger people; mostly ones who still had limbs, and could therefore both fetch and carry more easily than Crawly. He learned many things in this period; he learned that sometimes bits of the outside of himself would slough off, but that there was more new Crawly underneath and that he wasn't actually dying. He learned that people didn't like it when he called Lucifer Lucifer, and they didn't believe him when he said he'd worked with Lucifer, or done special, important things for him. He learned, also, that God had cut them all off from Her love, which was fine, because who wanted it anyway? Several people theorized that this was why none of them could feel each others' joy anymore; several others, more morosely, suggested that perhaps they had lost the capacity for joy. But they would win it back, of course, when they overthrew God later.

Later couldn't come soon enough for Crawly; he was cold all the time, and he missed his halo.

Eventually, Lucifer found him. He looked different now; he wore the form of -- was it a human? It might be. Crawly hadn't seen the designs up close, but he'd heard them described, although the rumor mill in Heaven wasn't always very reliable. Whatever his shape, though, he was Lucifer, and it was a relief to see him again. Crawly felt a jolt of affection for Lucifer, that he should stoop to taking the form of something so weak just for fun, and he slithered up to Lucifer eagerly. "I have sssome problemsss," he said.

Lucifer bared his teeth in a way that Crawly thought was a smile. "I have some solutions! Why don't we find out if they match up with your problems?" And he picked Crawly up and wrapped him around his person, and for the first time since the war, Crawly felt safe. Safety was oddly nervewracking, but it was still such a relief to feel it.

Lucifer took him to a private, quiet place, then, and reshaped him once more, breathing him gently into a form much like his own. It hurt less than being remade, but Crawly was pretty sure he'd got something wrong about the hips, because they didn't feel very sturdy.

As soon as he mentioned that, Lucifer had insisted on testing the form out, making sure that it worked, because, he explained, he was going to be the first demon sent up to Earth to cause problems for God. Filled with pride, Crawly tried his very best; if he could do what Lucifer asked of him, maybe he could be instrumental in winning their next fight with Heaven.

The tests could be fun; Crawly found that sometimes he enjoyed the human equivalent of celestial communion, for all that it was much less overpowering than the real thing. But sometimes his human body would begin to fall apart, when Lucifer pushed him too far. Lucifer reminded him that there was value in knowing these limits; it was much better for him to know when the body would fail before taking it out into the field.

But a lot of the tests were pretty tedious, and Crawly hadn't liked them at all. Being strangled, for example, hadn't been any fun at all, and drowning had been awful. Lucifer had insisted on doing that five or six times, because he was certain he'd done something wrong with the way the lungs connected up to the mouth, but it turned out humans were just laid out very strangely. "Gabriel designed them," Crawly reminded him, and this earned him warm laughter and burning fingers threaded through his new hair, a lovely sensation, before Lucifer pushed his head under the water another time, just to be sure.

Crawly still wasn't entirely sold on this whole being evil to contradict God thing -- if they were going to be evil, it should be for its own sake, shouldn't it? -- but Lucifer had explained to him that there was going to be a rematch, another war, which they'd win handily if only they worked at doing everything they could to thwart God's plans, to weaken and demoralize Her forces and their resolve, and Crawly thought he understood it better now. So when Lucifer declared that his body was probably working well enough to head up to Earth, Crawly had been eager to get started.

"What do I do now?" he asked, wide-eyed.

Lucifer raised a gentle hand to caress Crawly's face, and Crawly was almost, not quite but almost over the shock of not feeling his affection viscerally. This touch, Crawly told himself, this gentleness... it would have to be enough, for now. "You get up there," he said, "and make some trouble."

#whumptober2020 #no.31 #today's special: torture #experiment #good omens #anthony j crowley #satan good omens #crowley x satan #body horror #abusive relationship #fiction #text #kaesa op

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kittensjonsa · 5 years ago

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Otherwise, Engaged

The Proposal AU: Fake engagement turned real attraction turned hot snogging ( slight deviation from the movie, with a sharp corner towards the exit that says 'M18+/E territory' and staying there the rest of the journey.. *ahem* )

Chapters 1 - 5

Chapter 6

“Why were you in my bed?!” Sansa shrieked.

“Get out!”

Jon couldn't breathe. Shit. Shit. Shit!

“I wasn't! I swear I was sleeping on the couch!” Jon scrambled out of the covers from Sansa's bed. How did I..? It was all a blur. He only recalled getting up to use the bathroom once and that was all.

“I..I just got up to use the bathroom, Sansa. That was it. I mean.. I couldn't have.. I-Iwouldn't..” Jon's voice trailed off as Sansa, still groggy and squinting from the bright rays quickly lighting up the room - plonked back down on the side of her bed.

“Oh my god.. I can't believe you! Ugh.. okay, Jon, you know what? Just.. don't talk right now. I really, really can’t deal with this right now,” Sansa groaned. Could it get any worse?

Sighing, Sansa rubbed her eyes, still slightly heavy - though she caught something peeking out as her eyes flitted down. In a daze, Sansa peered but as soon as her vision cleared, she jumped up, her hands covering her eyes.

“Oh my god, Jon! Wha- Cover yourself!” Sansa yelled, looking away and pointing at him.

“Wha- Oh shit! Sorry!” Jon seized a pillow to cover the front of his boxers.

“Jesus! What is that?!”

“Really?! You gotta ask? It's… it's the morning!”

“The what?! Oh hell no! Jon-”

“Yoo-hoo! You two love birds having breakfast or what? Been at it long enough.” Talisa's voice came from the outside their door. Sansa could hear the smile in her voice. Glad someone finds all this funny.

“Yep, we're up! Be down in ten!” Sansa hollered back, glaring at a red faced Jon.

“Not another word. We're never.. ever going to talk about.. this,“ Sansa put a finger to her lips and headed wearily to freshen up.

Shit weekend starts now.

“Well, glad you could join us!” Ned greeted them as Sansa and Jon shuffled into the dining hall.

“Good morning, everyone,” Jon smiled weakly at the table, mentally taking note of the large family convened before him. All of them had their eyes on him. Especially Catelyn's cold stare. Right, a script would actually be good right about now.

“Sansa, Jon! Sit with me!” little Rickon called out as he beckoned them to the empty chairs next to his.

Talisa and Robb watched as Sansa and Jon took their place at the table.

Talisa leaned over as soon they sat, grinning. “So… you two might want to keep it down a bit. I mean.. we could hear you two.”

Sansa choked on her juice. “Wha-Oh.. no. That was not.. no-no we were not.. you know.”

Talisa only winked back and Robb returned his attention to his eggs, red-faced. Sansa wanted to scream. Last thing she had in mind was doing that with Jon.

“So.. um.. what's the plan for today?” Jon asked meekly as he nibbled politely on some broken toast Rickon had haphazardly buttered for him. Rickon was adamant on giving whatever food that was on his plate to Jon and he found it endearing. Jon was only glad he had a friend in Rickon. He didn't mind it, Rickon was adorable and possibly Sansa's favourite sibling. Besides, Sansa had reminded him too many times to just play along, and after what had happened earlier he was more than happy to oblige. Though he found it oddly comforted now, instead of dread realising it was Sansa's body next to his the entire night.

It was probably not a good time to recall the memory of her soft curves leaning against his torso and the tickling of her hair in his face. But her smell, he could not forget. Jon remembered breathing in deeply as he snuggled in closer and tighter as the night wore on. The thought unsettled him, though not in a bad way and his boxers were suddenly a little too tight.

Yep, not a good time, idiot.

It had been too long, probably decades that he had an experience like that. Perhaps, he had never felt that way with anyone. With Ygritte it was an on-again off- again, friends turned to friends-with-benefits sort of arrangement between them and he knew deep down, they weren't a thing at all.

Casual, she mentioned it countlessly and slowly she disappeared, drifting into her own wild world of travel and deep sea diving. Jon was comfortable in his own world of books and writing and thought it was best left that way. He never thought they were meant to be. But Sansa? In bed with her, as gorgeous as she was, possibly the most beautiful woman he had ever set his eyes on; he had never thought he would see Sansa in a different light.

“Sansa?”

The mention of her name rang in his head loudly like a bell. Jon glanced at her as Sansa perked up at Ned calling her. Was she always this beautiful, every day and every morning?

“Yeah?”

“So, you all right with me taking Jon fishing? You know, with the guys? We haven't done a proper Stark introduction,” Ned asked with a friendly, knowing grin at Jon.

Sansa looked over at Jon who was nervously stirring his coffee, and shrugged. “Sure, why not? I mean, I'm all for male bonding.”

“Oh, no Ned, I am sure-”

“Wonderful! I'll rally the boys!” Ned quipped as he stood up to clear his plate and gave Sansa's head a kiss.

Jon only smiled back at Ned, watching him leave with the rest of the Stark brood. Jon calmly stretched out his arm onto the back of Sansa's chair and pinched her ever so slightly.

“Ow! What was that for?”

“You know I don't fish! Or do any sports that's water related ever! Don't I get a say in this at all?!”

Sansa raised her eyebrows at him in disbelief. “You do know, you promised to play your part, right? And that part includes spending time with my family. The least you could do after what you pulled this morning.”

Jon rolled his eyes. “Oh my god, I said I was sorry! Nothing happened! I wasn't going to... It won't happen again okay? Are we going to do this all weekend?”

Sansa only stuck out her tongue and ignored him as she picked at her scrambled eggs.

“Do what all weekend? What are you two kids whispering about?” Catelyn interrupted, sauntering back into the kitchen.

“Just… spending time together. Told him it'd be good to be apart for a bit,” Sansa winced as the lies rolled off glibly. Even in the morning.

“Hmm.. yes I agree. I don't understand why you can't be away from each other even for a day. You spend working hours together, at home together. Goodness,” Catelyn scoffed, her voice dripping with ripe disdain.

Again, Jon felt it was time for him to leave the table. He had no idea how to deal with a woman who disliked him even more than Sansa did. And he did not wish to try.

“Well, you're right Mrs Stark. Absence does make heart grow fonder. I'll.. uh..see you later, honey,” Jon nodded as he made his move for the living room. Catelyn's watchful eyes were making him sweat that cold early morning. Panicking, he gave Sansa an anxiety-ridden, long peck on the lips.

Shit. Oh my god. Why the hell did I do that?

“Uhh right.. okay bye.”

“Careful out there, don't drown,” Catelyn added jokingly, amused at how her presence made Jon squirm uncomfortably every time their paths crossed, much to Sansa's horror. It was a clear sign of guilt, in Catelyn’s eyes.

“Mother!”

The sudden kiss had thrown her off but Sansa had never seen Jon so flustered and anxious before and though her usual self would relish such a moment, she realised she didn't enjoy it as much as she thought. In fact, how her mother behaved around Jon had been downright appalling. He was still a guest in the Stark household. Mother had no right.

“You need to apologize,” Sansa stood up to leave the table. It was just her and Catelyn now.

“Honey, it was a joke. I'm sure he'd take it as much. I mean, if he can dish it, I'm sure he can take it too.”

Sansa shook her head at her mother's bemusement. “No, Mom. He has been nothing but polite and respectful to everyone here since we came. I know you don't like him but guess what? I do! And he's putting up with all this for me! Why can't you see that? Look, you just have to accept the fact that he's my fiance, I love him and we're getting married, okay? End of discussion.”

Catelyn only sighed and kept silent. She found it hard to believe Jon showing up as her daughter's fiance when some things just did not add up; but having Sansa stand up for him like that, perhaps she really had gone too far. And to her dismay, facing the fact that Sansa actually grew to like Jon despite what she said about him.

Love him, the words stung her. Catelyn did not expect that at all.

“I'm going for a run.” Sansa left the kitchen and Catelyn alone. She hoped to run into Jon along the way, probably to explain and apologize for her mother's inhospitality. For all that he was, Jon still didn't deserve such treatment. Sansa was going to make sure of that, from then on.

“Jon? Are you in here?” Sansa closed her door behind her. A light rustle came from behind the curtains.

“You have a great view from here. I'd love to wake up everyday to this. I won't leave if I were you.”

Jon appeared from the balcony, with a tiny bottle of vodka in his hand. She realised she forgot to take some freebies for herself from their first class flight.

“Look, Jon, I am sorry about just now.. what my mother said to you. I swear, it's just me and her and I'm sorry you're caught in the middle. I really am. And if you don't want to go fishing, that's fine too.”

Jon sighed. He wasn't sure if it was the vodka talking or making him feel funny about the entire situation but for some reason, he didn't mind all of that. In fact, hearing Sansa's outburst, standing up for him to her own mother, pretending and lying through her teeth was something he didn't count on. No one would do that for him. Putting themselves on the line for him. He had never known anyone who would do that. But Sansa. She would.

Weirdly enough, the 'dreaded in laws' were no longer a myth nor a foreign concept to him. It came with the whole package that he clearly had customised, signed up for and now had to deliver. This time, he had to make it right. For Sansa's sake.

“Sansa, no. I am sorry for all this. You agreed to do this and you're doing your part. I respect that. I respect you for a lot of things. I just don't say it at all. And I guess, thank you for doing this. For me. I know I never say enough but thank you for all that you do. For everything.” Sansa could almost taste the vodka on his breath as his face neared only inches from hers. Sansa didn't want to move away as she stood facing him. Jon's earnestness, the heartfelt speech tugged at something in her. Maybe it was because she hadn't seen this side of Jon, ever.

“I… I guess.. you're welcome? So… listen about the fish-”

Sansa's eyes flew shut as she felt Jon's warm lips crash on hers, his arm draping around her waist and pulling her in tightly against him. The vodka on his tongue was no more intoxicating than how he bit at her lips and how his hands slowly roamed up to the back of her neck and tugged gently at her ponytail.

When he released her, Sansa gasped for air, shocked yet felt as if she was floating. She hadn't been kissed like that for a long time. Actually, maybe never.

“Sansa.. I.. oh god. I'm sorry.”

“Jon.. I.. why… what was that...”

Sansa struggled to find the words. She struggled even more realising she didn't want Jon to stop.

“I should go. You know… fishing,” Jon fidgeted nervously as he ran his hand through his hair. While his other hand was firmly gripped on the soft curve of her lower back, where if he went any lower, he would be cupping the lovely roundness of her behind. One he had noticed and admired from afar many times admittedly, the past three years.

Nothing would stop him now, with Sansa softly panting, her ocean blue eyes begging him not to go.

“You.. don't have to. If you.. don't.. want to,” Sansa whispered.

For whatever the vodka had gotten him into, Jon couldn't decide for the first time in his life. This had gone too far already, and in too deep. One more move, Jon knew it would be the end. Of what, he wasn't certain of just yet.

But one thing was for sure. He wanted to kiss her again, gods be damned.

“No.. I don't.” Jon closed his eyes once more.

#jonsa #jon x sansa #the proposal au #we're approaching 💦 ahead #it gets hotter #a kinkier version of the movie

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fizzingwizard · 4 years ago

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So I played Snowy Escape this week! It’s my cup of tea! I watched LGR’s review (and Plumbella’s too) and yeah, as usual, I agree with both of them. The pack doesn’t give us a lot that’s really new, especially in terms of gameplay, and I really wish there had been even small interactive moments aboard trains and ski lifts. However, I also agree that it’s a really aesthetically beautiful pack. The way tourists who haven’t gone to Japan yet think of Japan might be like Tokyo Shibuya area, or Osaka shopping streets... but uh, Tokyo and Osaka are only two cities in all of Japan, and pretty much the entire rest of the country isn’t like that. The majority of Japan’s tourist attractions are nature- and history-based, after all.

The big question for me was just how touristy “Mt Komorebi” was going to come across. Sims is pretty noticeably America-centric, and Western culture is the norm. They put out Jungle Adventure and it’s like stepping into a 90s action movie. The most progressive thing you can say about the locals in that pack is that, due to being governed by the same rules that apply to all Sims, they don’t come across “different” enough to be straight up othered. The area they live in, of course, is underdeveloped in spite of the “culture” skill, and very much is meant to be an exotic adventure for Indiana Jones.

Komorebi’s not that bad though. I was impressed at first by the amount of detail there seemed to be. I never expected we’d get space heaters and kotatsu and nabe in-game without downloading CC. Taking off your shoes to go inside, using chopsticks, sliding doors (which I’ve wanted more of for SO LONG), are all true to life as well as modern and also just nice to have. There’s some weird bits, like how when sims sit at the kotatsu they don’t sit on their knees, their legs just disappear into the floor... I guess we can assume there’s a hole underneath (which is the case with some kotatsu just not usually the at-home kind). I also would have liked more every day interactions, like doing homework at the kotatsu or watching TV or even taking a nap.

The patterns for yukata/kimono are pretty awful though. The more understated ones I can live with, but anything with a splash of color is a fashion disaster.

The look of the houses in the towns are really nice. The interiors, not so much, but that’s easier to fix than the facade and landscaping for most of us. The non-interactive backgrounds areas really do look like Japan. It’s a pity we can’t explore it at all. (I would have LOVED just one interactive conbini. That’s one Japan staple that it’s simply weird to leave out. They probably figured conbini wouldn’t have anything the vending machines don’t have, but personally I’d rather have conbini than vending machines. Unless they made it rabbit hole, in which case fuck it)

Also liked the snow festival and the lights festival. It’s true there’s not a lot to do at them, other than take pictures, and it was really hard to get good pictures with my sims in them... When I went to snow festivals, you could do things like light candles in little snow cubbies, or have a meal in a kamakura, etc. That would have been nice. Otherwise it’s just look at the pretty sights and make normal snowmen. Same with the lights festival - it’s gorgeous, but... They do have food stalls but the variety is limited. You can get four different kinds of yakisoba and ramen but no okonomiyaki, no ikayaki. There’s no festival games. I’m currently festival-starved due to covid-19 so my hopes were a bit higher. Still... like I said, I enjoyed them. I guess I just like pretty things. And I do spend an inordinate amount of time just taking pictures of my Sims doing things anyway xP

The Youth festival is pretty dull. It seems more like a not!Pokemon festival than anything else. The crepes, however, are great. Also it’s really WEIRD that the koinobori (the carp flags) are out all the time, like a normal decoration, in the city. That’s one culture thing that I think got confused.

So as far as it goes... it’s not as touristy as I expected it to be. I give it props for that. It’s definitely still got a vibe of “non-Japanese foreigner goes for a visit,” as in, I think if a Japanese company made a Sims game with Japanese players in mind, they’d have done a ton things differently. But we got a more robust cultural depiction than we ever have before, so, nice.

The winter sports are fun! I weirdly didn’t get bored even though like LGR says, it is just watching the Sims do the same thing over and over again without any player interaction. That does suck but is also par for the course with Sims 4. Since I play multiple Sims at a time, it’s easy for me to stick one on the bunny slope and just let them ski until they level up while I do something else with another Sim :P (Sims is more fun when you cheat!)

The onsen is a let down. It’s nice, sure. It’s just a spa though. And it’s WEIRD that you can have sex in the onsen while other people are in it, even children, and they are not freaked out, but you can’t skinny dip in front of children. All they get is an uncomfortable moodlet afterwards because now the onsen water is dirty x’D I wonder if that’s an oversight that will get tweaked in the future...

However, onsen is very pretty too. I would have liked a smaller building and better landscaping with two or three hot springs to pick from. Also, there are gendered entrance curtains, but they don’t actually divide Sims by gender and all lead to the same place... I guess it’s good to have for pictures at least. If you want to put in the ladies room and mens room doors you could easily make his and hers as well as a mixed hot spring baths. I think this is one we just have to let the Sim builder greats take on.

So HIKING is awesome! I loved it! It’s relaxing for me. Some might find it dull, but it’s really just so pretty, and for me brings back a lot of memories. Hiking in Japan is pretty much like that (although a lot more mountainous of course). It’s somewhat dependent on your graphics settings - mine aren’t that high so like the bamboo forest vanishes as I cam through it.. can’t get that sense of really being inside it. Also when I came across the cemetery I had my spellcaster try to Necrocall the one grave that has interactions, but it didn’t work, even though the option came up. ?? I was expecting some sort of cool ghost. Oh well.

I’m interested in climbing. I don’t have Fitness Stuff so I never did it before. It’s way more boring than leveling the winter sports though. But I think the mountain climb will be worth it.

There are little kodama and sprites you can come across and interact vaguely with. I’ll accept that as a Ghibli nod. It’s more cute than cultural but it’s also a bit of fun surprise, though I haven’t noticed any real effect beyond a moodlet. (Was told one gave me a present but I couldn’t find it in my inventory so I think it was just the moodlet.)

Also the bugs!! That’s very Japan! And you can buy insect repellent hahaha that’s a level of realism I didn’t ask for but will take

I’ll talk about lifestyles and sentiments too. I don’t need them personally. The sentiments are kind of nice to see, but they’re predictable. You get the same ones if you do certain things. They give you a moodlet when the Sim shows up, which I guess I do like, but... tbh it’s damn inconvenient sometimes. For ex, I played by Tsubasa family to explore Mt Komorebi, and I noticed many conversations were inexplicably becoming “awkward.” The reason was - even though no one was saying or doing anything flirty - Kurogane and Fai were getting in the mood by just looking at each other thanks to sentiments, and Sakura and Syaoran were like -___-; I mean, it’s hilarious, but also annoying!

Lifestyles... eh. So far all my Sims just get the same ones. They all seem to get Adrenaline Seeker just for playing winter sports. Also I find the pop-ups warning me when a Sim’s going to lose their lifestyle annoying, and if a Sim gets a lifestyle I don’t want for them, it’s annoying to watch their mood change for dumb reasons like “didn’t spend enough time outdoors today.” It’s the same concept as traits. It’s kind of nice that you can change them around by doing different things, and since we’re limited to three traits I won’t say no to more (for example, instead of giving a Sim the “Loves the Outdoors” trait, you can try to get the Outdoorsy lifestyle and use the trait slot for something that influences their personality more). But all in all I find my Sims still just act the same as usual and the gameplay is all in pop-ups, so it’s just not exciting for me.

Also had a glitch where Sakura would take off her shoes to go inside but when she went out, she put on a pair of snowboots that I never even equipped her with, and she wore them with every outfit. Editing in CAS didn’t help. A reboot did though.

So pretty much, I definitely think they could have done more with this pack, BUT that’s been the case with literally every pack since the base game. There are no expectations for me anymore, that’s why I really just genuinely like this one. I’m happy they picked North Japan rather than Tokyo or Osaka, I think we got a lot more detail because of that.

#sims #sims 4

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fandom-necromancer · 5 years ago

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905. Why are you constantly carrying that thing around with you?

This story was prompted by an awesome anon! Your prompt will have several stories to it, mainly becasue you had too cool ideas to just write one. Also, someone added a few more ideas. I hope you enjoy!

Fandom: Detroit become human | Ship: Reed900

Nines had reserved a special space in his databanks for the reasons of stress and a human’s reaction to it. At first, he had been convinced stress had to be something humans wanted to avoid at all cost, having created androids for this very reason. Less work to do equalled less stress. But also, it was a fascinating aspect as androids shouldn’t be able to be stressed. They could work full day if needed without tiring. It was a bit of ironic that they completely forgot to count in emotional stress, what in the end had become the downfall of their whole project.

Less philosophically was a different aspect of stress. A more personal one. A stressed human was not well, and Gavin tended to get lost in his work repeatedly, loading too much on their shoulders and not realising his rising stress levels until he snapped. Nines cared to deep for this man to let him destroy himself. A deep analysis and abundant data on this topic were the key to caring for his human. Still he had a lot to learn.

It had started with sliding little snacks over their table since that case several months back, when Gavin had forgotten to eat during the investigation and expressed an emotion Tina had described as “hangry”. The snack now brightened the mood of the Detective, helped him concentrate while munching away on a cereal bar and had at least some nutrients, should he forget entire meals again. Another successful course of action had been to drag the man away from his work, to hide the documents he smuggled home and invite him out to the city. Seeing just how much healthier Gavin looked had made Nines thinking the word “work-life-balance” was foreign to the Detective.

Their most recent case just proved he had more to learn. Because his normal course of action wasn’t always applicable. Small, easy cases allowed time away from work and distraction. But the bigger ones held Gavin and Nines captive without a way to relax. And this one was the biggest one yet: A serial killer that seemed interested in playing their little twisted games with the police. Every time they lost a person would die. Gavin never had more than a few hours of sleep in between and Nines hadn’t had a full stasis-cycle in weeks. Maybe that was why he had only now discovered the little stuffed animal on the table in front of Gavin. He held it in his hands, squeezing and petting it absent-mindedly while looking at his screen. They had both stared at the pictures taken from the last place where they had found the body: The victim chained to a fire escape surrounded by little pieces of paper. It had taken them hours to collect all the snippets and puzzle them together only to find a damn riddle for them to solve. Nines knew the text by heart by now, he didn’t even have to access the document saved for this case: I have rivers without water, Forests without trees, Mountains without rocks, And cities without buildings. What am I? Look into the Elmwood Central Park, the target is marked. Have fun, Detectives.

Whoever had written the note had included a damn smiley in the corner, as always. Everyone who wasn’t directly involved jokingly called their killer Smiley because of that, but Nines couldn’t catch onto that sentiment. At least now his thoughts didn’t circle around the riddle for once but regarded the little stuffed animal. Apparently, he had stared too obviously, as Gavin stopped kneading the fabric and held the animal out for him. ‘You want her for a while?’ Still not understanding why, he accepted it. The cloth was incredibly soft and only now the android identified it as a stuffed cat with grey and white fur and green eyes, much like Gavin’s own. He squeezed it too, trying to figure out the reason why his human had done it but couldn’t feel any difference in himself. He wanted to ask the Detective but was interrupted by Tina before he could say anything.

‘Shit, that bad, Gav?’, she spoke in a deeply worried tone. ‘You got no idea, T’, Gavin sighed and leaned back. ‘I mean, come on, read that shit. You could have self-destructed the earlier androids with that paradox.’ ‘Looks like Nines isn’t far from it either, if he needs the help of Mrs. Meow’, Tina chuckled but read the riddle. ‘Nah, sorry. No idea. I’m really bad with riddles. The team back from Elmwood already?’ ‘Not yet, but so far they haven’t found anything.’ Nines nodded at that and handed Mrs. Meow back to Gavin, reminded they too hadn’t found anything yet.

An hour later they were still clueless and increasingly desperate. The stuffed animal was looking worse for wear by now, sitting next to several empty cups of coffee. ‘How long till the deadline?’, Gavin asked. ‘Four hours’, Nines delivered. Gavin groaned and hit his head on the table plate, accompanied by Nines LED striking red. His self-destructive tendencies surprised him time and time again. 'Gavin. Stop. Let's go for a walk.' 'What?' 'Stand up. We are going.' 'Why?' 'We won't get anything done staring at our screens. I have the riddle memorised. We need a new perspective.'

Gavin had grabbed his stuffed cat and followed him outside. Now they were walking through the park the killer had mentioned in the hopes of finding something their colleagues hadn't yet. 'Okay, a model city. You know, like these model railroad installations.' 'Could fit. Although some use real rocks or trees in them', Nines answered, already checking the networks. 'This park unfortunately never had any connections with that hobby. There had been a few flea markets for toys, but nothing recently. 'Ah, phck. I have no idea.' 'Why are you constantly carrying that thing around with you?', Nines asked out of the blue then. 'Hmm? Mrs. Meow?' He chuckled. 'I got her as a present from Tina after a case that made me break all of my pens while fiddling with them. You are not the only one. Don’t give me that look. I know what you are doing, handing me snacks and keeping me grounded.' Nines tensed, feeling weirdly caught. He hadn't thought Gavin to ever realise what he was doing.

'Hey, relax, I appreciate it. But before I got a huge softie as a partner, I just had her to calm me. That's why I keep carrying her around with me right now. It helps having your hands occupied. Also, she is good luck!' Nines frowned at that. Luck was a concept he refused to accept as real although some things in life could only be explained with it. For example, him meeting the human. 'How?', he put that existential confusion into one word. 'I don't know. She is just a lucky charm, that's all. Every case that was difficult enough to require her I solved in the end.' Gavin shrugged. 'Also, she is cute as hell.' Nines nodded letting his gaze wander over the park. Roughly two hours left now. At this rate he was ready to believe in the human's antics and hope on the lucky cat. Gavin may have misinterpreted his silence and cuffed him in the side. Hey, you are phcking cute too! And I believe you are good luck too!'

Nines quickly stopped in his tracks. 'I believe I am', Nines mumbled, pointing at a sign by the side of the pathway. ‘I have rivers without water, forests without trees, mountains without rocks, and cities without buildings. It’s a map!' 'Holy shit, you are right! We need a phcking map of this park asap! ‘I have on up’, Nines reported, activating the holoscreen in his palm to show Gavin. ‘The target is marked’, Gavin mumbled. ‘Do you think that was related? Or just him telling us there will be another body for us to find.’ ‘I am not sure’, Nines answered. ‘But this is a public map from the internet, how could he mark something on it?’ Gavin scanned the tiny map and hoped Nines had more luck looking at it in his head or something. Until something caught his eye. ‘Hey, could you enhance this bit?’ Nines did what he was told and looked on his own palm curiously. ‘Hah! Got you you bastard! X marks the spot!’ Nines noted a system instability as he realised how obvious it was: The symbol of a church, a little X. ‘Hold Mrs. Meow and call this in! We are in time, the victim is alive and we got this case in the bag!’ Nines didn’t want to stop the man’s enthusiasm and called it in, requesting backup already, just in case the killer was still at the scene – an assumption they had been working with so far, as the bodies had all been still warm, their death only happening moments before they found them. But it was unlikely they would catch that killer today. He hurried after the Detective, holding the stuffed cat close to his chest. Maybe he should start believing in luck.

#detroit become human #dbh #Reed900 #RK900 #Gavin Reed #I would die for Mrs. Meow #Also sorry I looked on maps and thought Elmwood park is just some park. Turns out it's a big ass cemetery #with a little river called bloody run #excuse me whoever named that is worse with naming things than I am okay #Turns out the actual park is small but there is a church there I checked #why do I research stuff no one would fact check for a android story about stress and fluffy stuffed cats and a serial killer

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moviepower · 5 years ago

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Why do people criticize Jojo Rabbit?

We'd say that this is uncharted territory for distributor Disney, but the company did previously give us their futures face. Hmm. I saw Jojo Rabbit in the best place I could for movies, in my opinion.

For this list, we're looking at why Tyco ITTS 2019 black comedy has proven. So polarizing for critics just to clarify the critical reception thus far has been mostly positive and even watch mojo gave the film a rave review following its TIFF premiere.

Nevertheless, we can definitely see why a movie like this. Wouldn't win audiences over everywhere. Hey Joe, Joe, my old friend. Hi adults. Number 10, the controversial premise. I don't think I can do this last. Of course you can simply by reading it synopsis, you can tell why Jojo rabbit has stirred up so much controversy.

In the midst of world war II, a young German boy named Joe Joe dreams of becoming a Nazi upon learning that his mother has been harboring a Jewish girl in the attic though, Jo Jo begins to reevaluate his outlook on life. I tell them you will be in big trouble throughout this coming of age journey. Our titular character is guided by his imaginary friend.

youtube

Is it worth to watch Jojo Rabbit full movie

Who just so happens to be a flamboyantly incompetent, Adolf Hitler, as inventive as the premises, it was guaranteed to ignite passionate feelings. Critics are unsurprisingly split as to whether the film's premise is inspired or irresponsible. I wish more of our young boys had your blind fanaticism. Okay.

Number nine, how it stacks up to other satires and this world is ruined for everyone and the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way Jojo rabbit. Isn't the first film to satirize Hitler or Nazis 1940 twos to be, or not to be was criticized upon release for its farcical, spin of Nazi occupied Poland.

But today is viewed as a comedy classic. I know you're quite famous in London kernel. They call you concentration camp Earhart. Yes. Yes, we do the concentrating and the poles do the camping Hitler. Technically isn't the protagonist and the great dictator. It's obvious who Charlie Chaplin was parodying. We can learn more about actress playing mother Jojo on Wikipedia.

Arguably the most famous sendup of Nazi Germany is Mel Brooks. The producers. In which two con men put on an intentionally horrible musical entitled springtime for Hitler. Practically a love letter to this own run a week week. Are you kidding display? It's got the close on page four. Some critics are ready to place Jojo rabbit alongside these revolutionary respected comedy.

What do critics write in reviews about Jojo Rabbit?

Others, however, would claim that the film has more in common with the bridge sit-com Hile, honey I'm home, which was so misguided and tasteless that it only lasted one episode. Oh 10 night. You will make an schnitzel. What a joke. You must be real mad at me, honey. I'm a very, very bad Hitler. Number eight, what's going on in the real world right now?

Fuck man. The house, although world war II is in the past. The same, unfortunately can not be said about bigotry. Nowhere was this more apparent than at the 2017 unite the right rally in Charlottesville, which attracted several hate groups, including neo-Nazis. Since prejudice and discrimination remain prevalent in today's world.

It's obvious why various critics would object to a film that makes light of Nazi Germany. Nevertheless, satire can reflect modern times as well as history in ways that straightforward drama can't. Some might argue that now isn't the right time for a Nazi satire, but others would debate that society needs a movie like Jojo rabbit. A great story about the Irishman is here.

Now more than ever, you're not to nuts. Jojo, tenue kids likes dressing up in front of you. If somebody wants to be part of a club. Number seven, the humor, the best weekend ever.

Soundtrack in the highest level of production

Wow. Your enjoyment of Jojo rabbit will hinder on how hard you laugh. Or of course, if you laugh, the film didn't tickle. Roger Freedman. Funnybone who wrote in his showbiz four one, one review Jojo rabbit is actually borderline antisemitic offensive on many levels and not even funny. Sam Adams of slate couldn't have disagreed more proclaiming for Jojo rabbit comedy.

Isn't a means to minimize, but to analyze wise, to pry at the way, hateful ideologies can be embraced as a comfort and how beneath their promise to. Blame how the world really works is an understanding no more sophisticated than a child's it's time to buy some books. Since humor is subjective, we guess there isn't always going to be a clear line between what's offensively funny and what's just plain offensive.

Oh God. Number six. Jewish jokes. Did you know, Jews can Z to each other's mind. So tell us, you know, who saw one? They could look just like us of Tyco. ITT satire is clearly the Nazis. However, the director who's of Jewish and Maori heritage also pokes fun at Judaism. Hi, well, the real Jordan Rumi was horrified by the audience's reception at the screening he attended.

Writing, you have no idea how it is to be surrounded by thousands of people laughing at jokes, specifically directed at Jews. That being said, Rumi seemed to be in the minority of a group that found the film. Hilarious. As with Borat and South park, many would argue that the humor and Jojo rabbit isn't intended to mock the Jewish faith, but to criticize how ignorant and Semites are a cute number five, the life is beautiful comparison, right?

Jojo Rabbit's reaction to mom's death

Yeah. Critics have stocked a Jojo rabbit up against numerous other films. But life is beautiful. Seems to be the one that's invited the most comparisons this 1997, Italian dromedy also presented world war II through a lighthearted lens, centering on a Jewish man who uses humor and imagination to shield his son from the horrors of the Holocaust. It's interesting what they write about this movie on Amazon.

Well, the film won an Academy award for best foreign language film, and even got nominated for best picture. There were those who found the movies comedic tone, inappropriate. Over two decades later, we will continue to debate if the movie is a life affirming fable or a dated misfire. It's actually eerie how much these two films have in common, especially since both one TIFs peoples choice award.

That is the strongest thing in the world. Number four, is it shocking enough? I was your age. I had an imaginary friend come in so much stuff even before the first trailer dropped Jojo rabbit was being built up as one of 20 nineteens most controversial movies. Weirdly enough though, some critics have expressed disappointment that the film isn't more shocking.

Well, audiences have arguably gotten more sensitive with time. There are still patrons who crave comedy that pushes the envelope to its limits. It's time to burn some books. Brian Talarico of the Chicago sun times felt Jojo rabbit played it too safe. Writing the final scenes of Jojo rabbit are too easy for a film that needs to be dangerous and daring.

Are the best scenes already included in the trailer?

Even if the film doesn't go all out with its edgy concept. Seeing Tyco, ITT dresses, Adolf Hitler will be more than enough to make a few jobs drop. What am I going to do? No idea. Going down the house in Glen Winston church one, negotiate number three. It's depiction of Nazis. The playlist Charles romesco took issue with the films, humanization of antisemites writing.

YTT concedes that a good percentage of Nazis really do hold hate in their heart. But maintains that at least some of them aren't you two seem to be getting on. Well, it doesn't seem like a bad cost. How much pain and suffering the Nazis caused many audiences will understandably struggle with this message.

However, if Ron Jones proved anything with his third wave social experiment in 1967, it's that even ordinary people can get swept up in the dangerous ideals of fascism. Likewise, Jojo rabbit poses, a challenging question. If we're not willing to acknowledge the bad and the good in people, how can we ever rid ourselves of prejudice?

Nothing makes sense anymore. Yeah, I know. It's definitely not a good time to be a Nazi. Number two it's message. And mother took me. She's kind me like a person, whatever your thoughts on Jojo rabbit, Tyco ITT clearly wanted to spread an anti hate message. YTT also claims that he started writing the screenplay before Nazis regained relevance in the media.

There's little doubt that why TTS intent was noble, whether or not the final product successfully gets his message across is where critics are split. A doubt of the a V club felt that making fun of Nazi Germany had been done before. Thus taking away from the movies, broader anti hate theme. Peter Howell begged to differ in his Toronto star review writing Taika YTT knocks it out of deer park with the meaningful lunacy of his anti hate satire, which is equal parts.

Adolf Hitler's thread in the movie

Mel Brooks, West Henderson, and own whimsical brilliance growing up too fast. Ten-year-olds and the celebrating war and talking politics. Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified a better latest videos. You'll have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.

If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications. Number one it's depiction of Hitler. Well, they call me a scared rabbits. Okay. Let's address the giant rabbit in the room. Tyco YTT spends most of his screen time prancing around in a Nazi uniform and toothbrush mustache. If you want, you can read here about preparations for making a movie and other curiosities.

Without a doubt, YTT, didn't set out to deliver a serious or dignified portrayal of Hitler. Rather YTT aspired to make the fewer look as goofy and idiotic as possible. Oh, . Just painting Hitler as a wacky, even likable buffoon desensitized us to the atrocities. He committed though. Some may say yes while others may argue that it leaves audiences more informed and open-minded.

At the end of the day, everyone is going to have a different opinion of Jojo. Let them say whatever they want. People used to say a lot of nasty things about me. Oh, this guy's a lunatic. Oh, look at that psycho. He's going to get us all killed. Do you agree with our picks, check out this other recent clip from watch mojo and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.

#jojo rabbit #movie #movies #netflix #hbo

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ettadunham · 5 years ago

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A Buffy rewatch 6x20 Villains

aka if murder is so wrong why does it feel so right

Welcome to this dailyish (weekly? bi-weekly?) text post series where I will rewatch an episode of Buffy and go on an impromptu rant about it for an hour. Is it about one hyperspecific thing or twenty observations? 10 or 3k words? You don’t know! I don’t know!!! In this house we don’t know things.

And in today’s episode the final Big Bad of the season is revealed, and Dawn and I are on the same page about murder.

You know, I think I managed to desensitize myself for season 6 in advance, but Villains is really setting me up to cheer for some murder, and it’s hard to resist. Not that I want to resist.

There really aren’t many characters more hateable than Warren in television. And that got me thinking about him, what he represents, and how that’s portrayed on the show.

Warren is not a foreign concept of a character or person for anyone who’s been aware of the internet in the last 10 years. It feels sometimes like our world is just full of Warrens, who are then indoctrinating more and more insecure dudebros into the mysteries of hating women, and blaming minorities for all of their problems.

But twenty years ago these communities haven’t had their current platforms yet, and nerds were mostly just made fun of in general. As a result, I find it kind of fascinating how Buffy put its finger on the pulse on a now much discussed subset of people, and let the Trio’s actions be truly vile and dangerous while portraying them as pathetic misogynists.

The latter might take away some of the power of these fantasies, while the acts of murder and attempted rape show the real dangers and consequences of not taking their threat seriously. And part of that feels counter-intuitive, after all, being taken seriously is what these guys want… so maybe it’s good that this portrayal is a combination of the two? I don’t know, guys, I don’t know how to fix society.

I’m also starting to come around to Jonathan and Andrew in this context. Because if we truly want to be able to improve society, we have to allow people to change and grow.

But also, make sure that their actions have consequences on them. Like, say… by murdering Warren?

XANDER: “Warren’s a dead man if she finds him.” DAWN: “Good.” BUFFY: “Dawn, don’t say that.” DAWN: “Why not? I’d do it myself if I could.” BUFFY: “Because you don’t really feel that way.” DAWN: “Yes I do. And you should too. He killed Tara, and he nearly killed you. He needs to pay.”

Hey, remember when I said that there’s a straight line you could track through Giles, Willow and Dawn?

I love a good lineage of murder nerds.

This is also a good time to remind you all that Dawn stayed with Tara’s body all day. Alone. Because she didn’t want to leave her. It’s fucking fine.

Xander passively agrees with Dawn, but his comments don’t go nearly as hard as her “I’d do it myself if I could”. Me and Dawn really are on the same page.

Buffy of course has a counter-argument. (While somehow having perfect hair??? Tara just died, Buffy, I can’t deal with your magically-perfect-in-a-crisis hair right now.) She argues that they should stop Willow for her own sake, and because they don’t kill humans or whatever. And because they don’t and shouldn’t have power over some things.

BUFFY: “We can’t control the universe. If we were supposed to, then the magic wouldn’t change Willow the way it does. And we’d be able to bring Tara back.”

Okay, some of that is weirdly deterministic, like, “if we were supposed to have the power to bring Tara back then we’d have the power to bring her back”, but the line before is kind of interesting. Especially if you replace what magic really means in this context.

“We can’t control the universe. If we were supposed to, then having so much power wouldn’t change Willow the way it does.”

So, ultimate power corrupts? But isn’t that weird coming from Buffy, the most powerful person in the room?

Well, yes and no. Buffy’s story is more in line with the comic book-y “with great power comes great responsibility” mindset, so more often than not, she’s the one limiting her own reach. She’s the one holding herself responsible.

Which usually doesn’t apply in the real world. If people with power aren’t held responsible, then they won’t do so to themselves… But Buffy’s power is unique in it that she’s the only one able to fight the demons in her own universe. Therefore, she has a moral obligation to take that responsibility. Because if she doesn’t, no one else could, as she can’t transfer that power onto someone else.

(That’s why the season 7 finale is such a cool thematic end for the show!!!! But I’m getting ahead of myself.)

Willow meanwhile doesn’t give a shit about all that. She’s running on pure fury. And she’s not coming back.

How could she though? Coming back would just mean feeling all the pain, and fuck that. That’s why Warren’s line about how killing him would mean losing her friends only strengthens her resolve. This is her point of no return, and she’s ready to cross it and burn all her bridges.

She’d rather see the whole world burn than be left alone with the pain.

And Anya with her newly re-acquired vengeance demon powers can sense that. When I wrote about Triangle, I said that that episode helped Anya and Willow tolerate each other more, but they never really became close… Which actually isn’t true.

Upon this rewatch, I’ve come to the conclusion that Anya and Willow do manage to form a pretty solid friendship following Triangle. Just look at that picture of the two of them in Buffy’s room for instance.

Ever since D’Hoffryn tried to recruit Willow as a vengeance demon, it became painfully obvious that there are plenty of ways Anya and Willow could find to relate. And eventually, they’ve figured that out themselves.

So in this episode, when Anya says that she’ll help Xander and Buffy find Willow, but that she’s doing it for Willow? That’s some good shit.

They arrive late of course. Willow already got bored with torturing Warren, and is ready to direct her fury at her next target.

One down…

#buffy rewatch 2k19 #btvs talk #btvs

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leggigoesabroad · 6 years ago

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we’re only here on borrowed time

Sitting on a lovely, smooth, high-speed train from Nuremberg, Germany to Paris. Yesterday was a day from hell which I'll lightly get into but not dwell on, but for now, I'm so happy. I'd be remiss to not mention why!! Part of the reason I decided to book the train instead of flying from Prague to Paris was for many uninterrupted hours to listen to this new book my doctor recommended for me, called "Stress Less, Accomplish More" but Emily Fletcher. It obviously sounds like a typical self-help book, but I have a crush on my doctor and she really sold it for me. (BTW she's no older than like, 32, is married with two kids, super pretty, and totally gets me. She's very female-centric and one time said 'I'll never let you leave here without a prescription for more birth control, we will never let the system be the reason you're struggling with something' after asking if I had enough for the foreseeable future. Joke's on her, I'm single AF, but it really spoke to me.) She said it's a book about meditation and although I've tried meditating before, I am a little bit of a natural skeptic as to allllllllll of its listed benefits. She said this super simple technique helps you sleep better, greatly reduces anxiety/depression, get sick less often, be more effective at work, eliminate jet lag, on and on. She said she honestly can't say enough about it and it completely changed her life. I took this as a way to be more like her and immediately bought it. Also because I wanted her to like me. Incidentally, she texted me a few days ago inviting me to a new women's group she's developing for people in my demographic who are going through the same things. Because like of COURSE she did!! She also tells me to call her Casey instead of by "Doctor" and man I should stop now this is getting weird.

Anyway, this book is by an ex-Broadway performer who noticed she was going grey at age 28 (cough cough I am too) and was sick of all the medications she used to treat these symptoms and wanted to get more at the root. She talks about how simple this meditation method is - 15 minutes twice a day - and how it is literally the best thing she's ever done for herself in her life. After her course, she asks people how much money it would take to stop meditating. They all say something between "500 million dollars" and "no amount of money in the world, because what would be the point without everything else meditation gives me?" I booked the train so I could set aside several hours to listen to the book, especially on this trip, because we all know from the Thailand blog era that being far away in new countries is often what helps me make decisions in life and really self-reflect. Yes, I hear how extra that sounds, but I'm fine with it. I'm only on Chapter 5 and I keep intermittently crying!! We haven't even gotten to the part where she tells me HOW to meditate! Just her background on why it works and the entire theory behind it. The author talks about one case in which a guy with advanced Parkinson's started her sessions and after literally the first one, his tremors disappeared during the entire 15 minutes and for 5 minutes after. She said when they both opened their eyes he asked if she had noticed, and she said she did, and started crying because it was arguably the most profound moment of her career. I'm crying typing this. Ugh. She doesn't claim that meditation will cure chronic illnesses of course, but rather that it's the best thing one can possibly do to supplement medical instruction and for some ailments, it can indeed end up replacing them. She said after she started the practice, she didn't get sick again (cold, flu, anything) for EIGHT AND A HALF YEARS!! Because when the body can use sleep at night to fully rest and not just as a band-aid for stress relief, your immune system can work at its intended level and not allow any of these small things to come into play. You'd think I'd be getting paid for this post, but alas, I'm only 5 chapters in and get ready for me to be even more insufferable than usual when I get home.

Onward. Last I left off I was in a cafe with Lizzy in Prague. We stayed for a few hours and actually got a lot of work done! Turns out my freelance deadlines don't disappear when I go to Europe, hmm. We then walked to an area called Petrin, which from afar just looks like a tree-covered hill. It's actually an uphill path in an expansive park that ultimately overlooks the entire city of Prague. The more we went up, I kept thinking "we must be at the top by now" and then new buildings and castles and paths and orchards would appear. It felt like a hidden fairyland with twists and turns and new beautiful sights along the way. I posted a pic on the gram, but at one point we came to a clearing and there was a picture-perfect snapshot of the entire city through the trees. With the red roofs and striking architecture I again almost felt like crying. Also saw a bunch of couples making out in the orchards with no shame all, so that was something. Good on 'em, ay. We stopped for a glass of wine at the top (duh) and ended up chatting about work/management styles/feelings about jobs/etc. Something great about Lizzy is that it turns out for everything I'm interested in, she's in grad school for. I felt like she was the manifestation of all things fascinating to me. Kinda like when you meet someone really smart who is able to vocalize all the things you feel about things, but better. Like Hilary, but not my sister. Like Jay Wong, but not my boss! We talked about Kitty and her job search and then got into the concept of finding a job by figuring out what you love and what comes naturally to you, and then seeing how you can get paid for it. She loved hearing about Kitty and SpotX and the proposal she had to do about team-building and customer engagement, and we chatted all about different marketable skills. I remember crying to Hil many years ago (Hil if you read this, do you remember??) about how I *thought* I was smart but I hated studying/learning/school and my grades reflected that, and how I've squandered all my potential, I'm actually really dumb, etc. BTW in retrospect I now see a lot of that as my undiagnosed ADHD and I wish I had understood it earlier to get ahead of it, but it's okay. Hil at the time told me that she may have great grades and a good job, etc., but that she can't walk into a room and command attention or just become friends with everyone, and that skills come in all shapes and sizes and one isn't better than another. I'M GETTING EMOTIONAL AGAIN. Remember when my blogs used to be carefree and funny? Me either.

After that, Lizzy and I walked all through the grounds of the Prague Castle and wound our way down the hill to the Charles Bridge, and stopped for another drink. Then we got into a whole discussion about relationships and sexuality. Later, when we were hanging out with her husband, Rob, I found myself saying over and over: "It's like what Lizzy and I were talking about earlier..." and he was like "how did you guys somehow talk about EVERYTHING today?!" Females, man. Eventually she went back to her place to shower and I checked into my Airbnb across the street. Got SO EXHAUSTED and almost fell dead asleep while waiting for her before dinner, but rallied, and so glad I did. We took the tram up the hill to a nice restaurant for dinner, then went to an Irish pub to watch the Liverpool/Barcelona game. No one there remembered the epic call from 2010 World Cup that Ned and I quote all the time, but hey, we do and that's what counts. ("AND YOU COULD NOT WRITE... A STORY LIKE THIS.") We got there at halftime and were ordering drinks at the bar when a guy sitting at the bar was a real dick and says to me and Lizzy, "just so you know, when the game's on again, you've gotta move. I sat here on purpose for a good view, so make sure you move." Then turned to his partner and we could clearly hear him saying things like, "Fuckin' ridiculous they're standing right there during the game... I'm not going to let that happen... no fuckin' way" Um, a) it's half time. b) it's a bar and we're at the bar ordering drinks. c) WE KNOW. d) fuck off. He kept talking about us after we moved and she and I briefly thought about starting shit but you know, foreign country and all that. Luckily he was cheering for Liverpool and they got stomped in the second half to lose the game and we rejoiced. :)

Went to a weird, dark "Books" bar after that and we were almost the only people there. There were condoms in the bathroom and I took one as a joke to show Rob and Lizzy, but now it's still in my bag and freaks me out every time I reach for my Chapstick. We went back to their house afterwards and I kid you not, just watched Harry Styles videos. Turns out they both love him, especially Rob, which is so rich to me. He was like "this guy is just like coolness personified and he's so talented and he's weirdly attractive in kind of a feminine way but also masculine and he has such a nice voice and swagger...." you'd think I planted Rob to say this to me, but no. We watched the entirety of his Carpool Karaoke as I told them all of my favorite parts ("I was back middle." "Why am I always Julia Roberts??" "I cry in like, a cool way.") It's like when someone says to me, "you know, I'd love to know more about the meanings behind Taylor Swift's songs but I never learned, what are all of the albums about?" And I look around expecting that I'm being Punk'd. Parted ways with them and thanked them for everything and told them I was very grateful for our summer camp relationship. You know, the kind that is intensely strong, and very brief. I may never see them again and yet we spent 15 hours straight together on Wednesday and I had one of the best days ever. See you in another life, brotha.

A series of hiccups led to a very stressful morning on Thursday that I won't fully get into because my poor family already lived through it with me via WhatsApp... but it started with extreme random nausea, (the kind you have a serious internal talk with yourself about: "no. you are okay. take deep, slow breaths. do not throw up here. you are completely fine, this will pass. breathe. you're not sick. this is just random. you cannot throw up here.") and then I got on what was supposed to be a train from Prague to Nuremberg with a stop in Schwandorf, but there was a service interruption on the first leg and everyone knew but me. Probably because everyone speaks Czech and I, ya know, do not. BTW so far Czech is the least intuitive language I've ever come across. I could read an entire book in it and wouldn't be able to give you even the slightest context, like you can with French/Spanish/German. I know, romance languages and all that, but man I really underestimated how important it is to know some of the language when you're traveling through remote towns. I notice everyone in Plzen has gotten off the train and I think "well that's weird, but maybe they're all local commuters." A lady comes by and yells at me to get off, I say, "English?" She says, "NO. Bus." and shoos me off. In the panic I forget my suitcase from where I stored it - thank the heavens above, it was still there when I realized 15 minutes later and fought my way back on a closed train. I have such PTSD today and can't fathom what would have happened if the train had left. Imagine my suitcase just taking off on a train to the Czech countryside by itself. Zero percent chance I get that back. Work computer, my treasured leather jacket from Kathy that I swear I'd save in a fire, all of my toiletries and pills and prescriptions...ugh I can't even think about it.

No one spoke English except for a kind man at the info desk who spoke very little, and gave me directions ("directions" is a loose term here, I did a lot of critical thinking and problem solving to vaguely understand what I was supposed to be doing next) to take a bus in an hour that would take me to Stod, where I could then catch my train to Schwandorf and hopefully ultimately Nuremberg. After a series of mishaps and incredible uncertainty, eventually all of that happened. I walked into the hotel in Nuremberg and almost kissed the floor. I had big plans to wake up early and explore, but alas, I'm embarrassed to admit that all I did in Nuremberg was buy some wine/chocolate/gummy bears and stay in all night and sleep late this morning. Bodies need rest, y'all. My audiobook author would tell me that my body is in recovery mode after releasing an unnatural amount of adrenaline and cortisol. NEVERTHELESS SHE PERSISTED!

I'll be staying with rig friend Angie and her family in Paris, and seeing rig Aaron there too. He messaged me yesterday and said, "so do you want to see museums and such? Or I can show you my favorite brasseries?" I said, "I've been to Paris, I'd just like to day drink honestly." Luckily he is on board, shawoooooooo. Oddly there's no WiFi on this train like they said there would be, but it's not that bad because it's so smooth and comfortable and I still have my audiobook. Will post this blog sometime later when the WiFi shows up. Cross your fingers that I get the romantic countryside train ride I pined for. And happy weekend!!!

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imyourliquor-youremypoison · 7 years ago

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Hjem(løs) - Ivar x OC - Modern AU - Part 6

Hjem(løs) = Home(less)

Synopsis: It’s Juleaften and Silje walks home from a late Christmas shopping spree. On her way back to her apartment, she makes an unexpected encounter.

Word count: 7.6k

MASTERLIST

Part 5 <<< >>> Part 7

A/N: Now that I’ve lived in Copenhagen I can actually tell exactly where he’s sitting in this gif. It’s Ørstedsparken if you were wondering.

“Hey Silje, is it my imagination or did your friend Nicolaj flirt with me?” Ivar asked, breaking the surrounding silence.

They were walking home quietly. In the end their 'coffee' turned into a drink, then several drinks, and lasted well into the night. It was a fresh night but not so much as to be cold, and Silje and Ivar took their sweet time walking back in the still fairly busy streets of Copenhagen. Apparently they weren't the only ones who decided to go out today, and a lot of students celebrated the end of their exams too.

Silje scoffed and stretched her arms until her shoulders cracked slightly. Laughter fell from her lips, echoing through the street.

“My sweet innocent Ivar!,” She chuckled. “He was flirting so openly I was almost sorry for you,” she said. “And to be honest I'd be a bit worried if you hadn't noticed, he was all over you.”

“Just making sure,” Ivar grumbled, not happy about what she implied. “He could just be weirdly friendly, he looks like the type.”

Like me? Silje thought. But she suppressed the bitter thought as quickly as it popped in her mind. It wasn't Ivar's fault that he couldn't see she liked him. She should grow a pair and tell him point blank, except she was too cowardly to do so. She smiled wider to hide her sudden embarrassment.

“He does, right? And he gets friendlier with each drink too,” she told him. “I think it went well.”

“How so?” Ivar arched a brow and glanced at her, hands in his pockets. At this point it was that or risking he reaches out for her – a had one too many drinks and didn't trust himself to make the rigth decision.

“They like you,” she simply said with a little shrug.

Ivar stared at her, open-mouthed but silent. He didn't ask any further questions, nor did Silje provide a more detailed answer. He didn't need one though, he got it. It was important to her that her friends liked him, it was like an approval stamp. He hadn't realized what he got himself into earlier on, but he was glad he passed the test. He enjoyed their company too, Silje's group of friends was a merry troop of weirdos, but they were so much fun and seemed very close.

“Well what's not to like?” He ended up saying, easing away the slight tension in the air. “I'm tall, handsome, charming...” He enumerated his qualities, making large hand gestures for emphasis, before putting them back in his pockets. “Nicolaj has good taste.”

“I'll tell him that next time I see him,” Silje snickered, watching Ivar's grin disappear.

“Please, don't,” he winced. “Let's try to avoid a do-over of tonight.”

In Ivar's defence, Nicolaj really outdid himself with the flirting. Asmus pretended to gag several times throughout the evening, and Ava had to forcefully drag him away when they called it a night, while Nicolaj blew kisses to Ivar.

“I bet you secretly loved it!” Silje declared, poking Ivar in the chest with her pointer finger. They were now standing by the train platform, waiting for their ride home. “How long has it been since the last time you got hit on?”

The correct answer was two minutes before meeting her friends, when she once again behaved like a flustered schoolgirl around him, simultaneously hoping he didn't notice her odd behaviour and wishing he did. So maybe she didn't ask the right question. When was the last time Ivar realized he was being hit on, was better.

“Can't remember, I was a bit of a hermit between the moment I dropped out of uni and the day I met you,” he answered, unaware of Silje's quiet disappointment. “But I vaguely remembered how awkward it was to have someone rub against you when you're not into them,” he added, smiling somewhat embarrassingly, as if he was picturing something in his head.

“Don't you wish people were more direct when it came to these things?” Silje wondered out loud, looking to her left where the train was coming. It stopped, and when the doors opened they steppe in, finding two seats where they could speak freely. Her eyes then flickered to Ivar who gave her a questioning look. “Feelings. Attraction. Whatever you wanna call it.”

“Like pulling someone aside and making a grandiloquent love declaration?” He asked, a tiny smile tugging at his lips as though he was making fun of her – which he definitely was. Silje rolled her eyes.

“Not quite what I had in mind,” she said, pouting a little. “Just... if people could tell their feelings outright instead of dropping hints, hoping against hope that the other person will pick them up.”

“I see your point, but wouldn't it suck the fun out of it?” Ivar mused.

“The thrill is in the chase?” Silje replied, guessing what he meant. “I supposed yeah. But it would prevent so many people from being miserable. Haven't you ever pined after someone so hard it hurts?”

At this Ivar winced visibly, then smiled a little to himself, as if he was laughing at a joke Silje wasn't in on. Her curiosity pushed her to ask him what he was thinking about, but she swallowed down her questions. If he was thinking about someone in particular, she didn't want to know. After all, she was one of the pining miserable pining idiots. Her heart constricted in her chest and she looked away.

“Anyway, it was just a thought. I know it'll never happen, people don't have the balls for that,” she huffed after a moment of agreeable silence. They both seemed to have come to the conclusion that she was right, but her wish was unrealistic.

Ivar chuckled at her remark and he couldn't help but agree.

“Then why mention it at all?” Ivar asked, pushing his curiosity. This wasn't a nice question, it was nosy and irrelevant, and it forced Silje to tell him things that were none of his business. It was like asking her directly if she was pining after someone. Oh, and you know what? He might as well. “Is there someone you wish would do that?”

Silje blushed but tried to hide it as best she could with her hair, though the neons of the train weren't helping. However Ivar did not notice because he too was busy looking elsewhere, a little scared that if he looked her in the eyes she would see right through him.

She was so taken aback that she nearly spilled out the truth that she actually did want someone to tell her how he felt, hell, maybe she even wanted that grandiloquent love declaration Ivar spoke of minutes ago. But she quickly pulled herself back together and whipped her head towards Ivar.

“What kind of nosy question is that? It's none of your business Mister!” She told him when she was sure her voice wasn't going to betray her.

“Someone's getting defensive!” Ivar laughed. “I'll take that as a yes.”

This time there was no hiding the rising blush on Silje's cheeks, and Ivar saw it plain as daylight.

“So it's true!” He said, a wicked grin on his face – as if he wasn't handsome enough without that. “I was just teasing, but I'm right!”

Since when had he become so good at lying? He wasn't teasing at all – well, not only – but rather trying to fish out some information. If Silje liked someone he wanted to know.

His smiled fell. She did like someone. Who was it? Whoever he was, he couldn't be part of her group of friends, he saw the way she acted with them and it was nothing but friendly. Not to mention one of them was gay, and another one had a girlfriend.

The mood darkened significantly after that, both of them silently cursing their star for their one-sided feelings. Ivar sighed, and he thought about what Hvitserk told him – once again. It was haunting him.

You're lying to yourself if you think you still have valid reasons to stay quiet about your feelings.

After all, maybe he was right. One could argue that knowing Silje was interested in someone else was a good reason not to pipe word about his feelings for her, but Ivar knew better. Ivar knew that he could only blame himself if she walked away with another, because he was the one dropping hints and hoping against hope that she would pick them up.

She was right – of course he shouldn't be surprised, Silje was almost always right. People should stop beating around the bush, and thus prolonging their own agony. But she was right about something else too: he didn't have the balls to tell her.

It felt much easier when he thought about coming onto her a few months back, when he thought he was simply attracted to her, but wouldn't make a move for other very valid – or so he thought at the time – reasons. But now that those reasons were outdated, he had a much better one to shut the fuck up: self-preservation. Now... now his heart was in the balance.

“I had a surprise for you,” Silje said, bursting Ivar's bubble of melancholy. He blinked few times. Silje was standing now; they arrived to their station.

“A surprise?” Ivar asked as they exited the train to walk the remaining distance. “When did you find the time to prepare me a surprise before your exam?”

He didn't even question the fact that she had a surprise for him in the first place, that was merely Silje being her usual self. Sometimes he would come home and she would greet him with a 'SURPRISE' because she made his favourite dish, or found this awesome sweater in the local thrift store, or because she had a clay mask on and wanted to scare him. That last one worked unfailingly.

“I didn't prepare it yet, I wanted to make it after my exam but then...”

She didn't finish because they both knew what happened then, and they smiled to each other. Ivar was so glad his hands were in his pockets, he wanted to grab her waist and pull her to him so bad his fingers tingled.

“So what is it?” He inquired, wondering which kind of surprise it would be this time.

“Is the whole concept of a surprise foreign to you?” Silje replied with a snarky comment, which caused Ivar to send her a stinky look. “Don't give me that look! You'll know in less than an hour. I hope you still have a bit of room after all that beer.”

So it's a food-related surprise. He liked those a lot.

Ivar whined. “So long?” He threw his head back, his eyes focusing on the night sky.

“You are insufferable,” Silje complained, her voice laced with fondness. “Since you're so impatient I'm going to take my time.”

Ivar protested but seeing that his protests had the opposite of the desired effect he quickly stopped and grumbled some more to himself before letting it go. Silje smiled in quiet victory, smirking to herself. They reached their place, and Ivar was ordered to sit down and bit still – and quiet – while she prepared everything. If he cheated, she would eat it all herself – and the gods know Silje was going to carry out that threat, she would gobble it all down right in front of him.

So Ivar sat on the couch, arms crossed like a sulking child while the TV played some old black and white movie he had no interest in; however he needed to background noise to keep him distracted from the distinctive cooking noises coming from behind him. He couldn't tell what she was doing. He heard her open the fridge, use the electrical whipper, the clatter of glass, then it became quiet when she put whatever she was cooking in the oven, taking car of putting a towel before it, to hide what's inside.

“And now we wait!” She said proudly, apparently happy with herself. It had been quick, so Ivar guessed the cooking time was what would take most of the time.

“Already on it,” Ivar said, his biting remark forcing a giggle out of Silje who proceeded to wash the dishes and clean the counter.

“You're so grumpy, what is the matter with you?” She asked when she was done and joined him on the couch.

Any other day Ivar would have offered to wash the dishes for her, or help her with something, anything. Even when he knew she was going to say no, he still offered. She racked her brain to try and remember if something occurred earlier that upset him, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly when his mood darkened.

Was it her babbling about feelings? Was it Nicolaj's relentless flirting that wore him out? Could it be that he had something planned for them and had to abandon his plans in favour of spending the evening with a bunch of people he never met before? It was so unlike Ivar to act like that. Ever since he healed from his leg injury he was the light of Silje's life.

“Nothing...” He told her, forcing a smile on his face to ease her worries. Silje didn't buy the lie, but she dropped the matter anyway, not wanting to force him to say something he wasn't ready to share with her. “I need to take a leak.”

Silje's left eyebrow twitched when Ivar stood up, leaving her sitting there with her concerns while he took off to avoid further questions.

“You might be tall and handsome but you can scratch charming off the list!” She shouted at him after the bathroom door closed on him.

Laughter erupted from behind the door. Silje smiled to herself. Maybe all hope wasn't lost to salvage this evening, even if something bothered him.

When he came back he seemed to be in a lighter mood, though Silje knew it was forced on his part. Unbeknownst to her he hadn't gone to the bathroom to take a leak, but to give himself a pep talk in front of the mirror and get his shit together. He didn't like to worry Silje. He liked to see her smile because of him. He liked to make her life easier, and happier.

Fucking hell, he was so in love it was disgusting.

He only came out when Silje called his name again, asking if he needed help in there. Ivar rolled his eyes before walking out, smiling somewhat convincingly – it was the best he could do. Hvitserk's words still nagged him. They were like an chihuahua biting at his ankles: annoying, testing his patience, and hard to ignore.

“You can't help me with this,” Ivar said, leaning over the back of the couch. Silje twisted around and crossed her arms on the back of the couch to face Ivar.

They both knew that 'this' was not referring to whatever he was doing in the bathroom, and Silje accepted it. It was good to know that he only refused her help because she couldn't help him, and not because he didn't want it, though she had guess as much by now. It wasn't in Ivar's character to be aloof and cold.

“I figured that much,” she told him. “Care for a game of cards while we wait?”

“Happy Families?” Ivar laughed, looking at the deck she set on the table. “Finally you chose a game you have a chance to win.”

“Wait until I hand your ass to you before boasting!” She warned him, holding a finger out at him, which Ivar turned away from him.

“It's very rude to point at people with your finger, don't you know that?” He patronized her, knowing full well that it irked her.

“Oh I know,” she glared at him. “The game is on!”

There never was a more competitive pair than the two of them, even when they played children games. The need to win was present all the same. Maybe it was because his mind was elsewhere, or maybe Silje had gone about it in a smarter way than he did, but the result was undeniable: she won. It was Silje's turn to boast and rub her victory in Ivar's face – he wasn't a sore loser thank the gods, unlike Silje who sulked every time.

Her victory dance was cut short by the oven's alarm, and Silje bolted to the kitchenette to retrieve their midnight snack, because that's how late it was.

“Not too soon, I was getting old!”

“Shut up Ivar.”

He was going to retort something else but then Silje set down a tray with four small disnes, and two spoons, a huge smile on her face. She didn't say anything but instead waited for his reaction, which was slow in coming. When it became apparent that she wasn't going to get anything out of him like this, Silje spoke up.

“So? It's crème brûlée, you said it was on your list, right?” She prompted him to say something, and Ivar swallowed thickly, not sure what to say.

If he opened his mouth he might say something dumb he would regret later like “I love you so goddamn much” because of course she remembered his list, and she set to cross as many things off of it as she could. As if he needed another reason to be thankful for having her in his life. In all honesty, he didn't say anything because if he so much as tried to coax a sound out of his throat he might cry.

What he wouldn't give to be able to take off again, hide in the bathroom and turn on the shower so he could let the tears flow again. It had became a habit of his over the weeks, to just let it all out while he showered, so he could blame his red eyes on the shampoo if Silje asked him about them. Sometimes he wondered what would have become of him if she wasn't... Silje.

Ivar nodded and offered her a small smile since she was still staring at him in wait of a reaction. She expected something different, something a bit more enthusiastic. Instead she got a blank stare and complete and utter silence. For her own sake, she decided to take it as a compliment – Ivar was so moved that words eluded him. It wasn't far from the truth.

They ate in silence, the only sound in the small apartment coming from the tv and the spoon clicking against the glass dishes she baked the crèmes brûlées in. Meanwhile, Silje's imagination ran wild, wondering if maybe she had done something wrong. Did Ivar have a painful memory attached to this dessert? Should she have made smørrebrød? After a while she started recounting how her exam went, just to say something. But Ivar just looked awfully serious and lost in his own world, probably not listening to a word of what she said.

“Ivar?” She asked, tentatively. His name caught his attention and he looked at, staring her right in the eyes.

“I have something to tell you.” He had blurted out the sentence before he could stop himself.

It became too heavy to carry around his secret crush. More than anything he wished that Silje would notice and say something about it – it wasn't like she was shy – but he must have been better at hiding his feelings than he thought, because she was utterly oblivious. Hiding wasn't even the proper word because he didn't put much effort in it, he just tried to respect her boundaries.

Only one solution left in this situation: tell her outright. What she told him on their way back gave him food for thought, and it hadn't left the back of his mind all evening, making him question his approach to the issue.

The issue was that he considered it an issue. Having feelings shouldn't, and wasn't an issue. He had to own up to it, and tell her. Because she deserved to know, and he deserved a chance to let her know. She was staring back just as intensely, not knowing where his sudden jolt of awakeness came from.

“I-” She began but was immediately cut short by her ring tone.

She brought her lips in a thin line, frowning and pulling her phone out of her bag. If it was Ubbe asking to speak to Ivar again she was going to change number. But it wasn't.

“I did it!” The voice in the phone shouted so loud even Ivar could hear it, and Silje almost dropped the object. “I DID IT SIL!”

“Hvitserk would you mind turning down the volume?” She shouted back in the phone, holding it at a respectable distance from her sensitive ears. She pressed the speaker button so Ivar could be part of the conversation. “You're on speaker.”

“Great! Listen to this Ivar you little shit!” Hvitserk snickered in victory. “I manned up and asked Inge out- I mean to marry me. I asked her to marry me, and she said yes.”

Ivar wanted to grab Silje's phone and throw it out the window. Hvitserk could not out him right now, right before Ivar did it himself.

“Now you-”

“That's fantastic news!” Silje cut him off, making Ivar nearly faint in relief. He was going to strangle Hvitserk, Inge will just have to find another father for her children. “How- when...” She stuttered out, unable to put order in her thoughts but clearly asking for details. “Wait why do you call in the middle of the night to tell me that? At least tell me you went down on one knee and didn't just pop the question during pillow talk!”

Hvitserk laughed nervously but elected to ignore Silje's question, as she had aimed right.

“You're the man!” Ivar said with genuine enthusiasm, though he was still ready to murder Silje's tactless brother with is are hands next time he sees him.

So much for the declaration of feelings, Ivar could hardly steal the scene now, and Silje was way too excited about the news to listen to him now anyway. She happily chatted with her brother while Ivar grabbed his second serving of crème brûlée, cursing Hvitserk to the pits of Hel.

“Going out?” Ivar asked, humming to himself as his eyes scanned the pages of the book he was reading. A heavy illustrated volume with laminate pages; the title red Medieval Scandinavia: Overview of Viking Warfare.

Silje, who was bent in two, putting on her shoes, looked up.

“Eh- yeah, meeting with Hvitty, Ubbe and Sigurd, he's decided to come out of his man cave and grace us with a few hours of his presence,” she snorted, rolling her eyes. “The gods know when he'll do that again, so I made some time to have a drink with my brothers. Besides they are rarely all back at the same time.”

“One's still missing,” Ivar said, absent-mindedly, biting down on his pencil while he read, until he found something worth jotting down.

“Are you complaining?” Silje giggled.

“Hey, I was wondering, how many more exams do you have?” He asked, this time looking at her.

“Oh- ugh, three. I still have to attend the classes until the exams are over, but in two weeks' time I'll be done,” Silje said, though not knowing why he asked. His eyes focused back on his book. He was biting the inside of his left cheek, as if deep in thought. “Do you want to come?” She asked after a minute of silence. “I think Hvitserk has yet to announce his engagement, it could be fun.” Ivar was so engrossed in his book that he could barely participate in a conversation right now.

“Mmmh, no thanks,” he hummed. “Have fun!”

Right. Silje smiled to herself and fought the urge to roll her eyes again. This boy was a history nerd, she found that out the moment he plunged himself back into his thesis and began to bring home thick volumes from the library, claiming that he had tons of things to catch up on. That was true for the most part, but he was clearly overdoing it.

“You too!” Silje took her keys and after a second of hesitation also grabbed a light scarf before going out in the windy streets. The sun might show his face during the day but it became chilly in the evening.

For once she needn't run to the S-train because the oldest of the three was waiting for her by the door when she walked out of her building. Through the windows she could see Hvitserk waving at her from the back-seat and next to him was Sigur, wearing his usual ticked off expression, like he was in the presence of a five year old – which wasn't too far off when you considered Hvitserk's mental age.

The greetings were warm and noisy, and Silje was thankful Ubbe let her ride shotgun instead of being trapped back there with Hvitserk and Sigurd. She loved all of her brothers, the gods be witness, but these two got along like cat and dog, and it was never a good idea to stand in between.

“Let's fucking go!” Hvitserk exclaimed, setting the general mood.

“Oh, you haven't met Ivar!” Ubbe said, suddenly getting why Sigurd seemed so confused when Silje recounted her latest adventures to her finally returned brother.

Catching up over a drink had become a tradition of sorts for them, and there was always much to catch up on given how Silje liked to go out and participate in events of all sorts. She still volunteered for the Red Cross, taught English to middle schoolers, and sometimes walked the dog of the old lady living on the ground floor. She shamefully admitted that she had been doing less since Ivar came into her life.

“Who's Ivar?” He said, squinting his eyes at the name.

“Silje's boyfriend,” Hvitserk said, earning a smack behind the head from the chief party concerned. “Ouch!”

“He's not!” She snapped, hand still in the air, ready to strike again if Hvitserk so much as showed a sign of thinking to reply. “He's a friend of mine, he's been crashing on my couch for a while now.”

Before agreeing to come to this reunion Silje, Ubbe, and Hvitserk talked about what they should say, and they decided not to share Ivar's personal life with anyone if it wasn't necessary. Sigurd was naturally uninterested in strangers' lives, he wouldn't ask any questions, therefore there was no need to lie, they would simply withhold the whole truth.

Furthermore, it might not be the best idea to tell their family. What they didn't know can't hurt them, and Ivar was a proud man, he wouldn't want his past to become public knowledge. If anyone asked who the hell Ivar was, he was a friend Silje met at University.

“Another stray dog you bring home? Don't you ever learn?” Sigurd huffed, crossing his arms like their mom usually does when she was scolding them.

“What?” Silje let out, her voice too high pitched to sound natural. “Take it back you fuck ass!” She growled, switching to defensive mode. She smacked him same as she did Hvitserk earlier, and both of the boys looked at each other like it was the other's fault they got hit. “And you-” she turned back to Hvitserk. “Be serious for a second. He's your friend too.”

“So is someone gonna tell me why the hell this Ivar guy is such a big deal?” Sigurd sighed. His left hand rested across the back seat while his right one now fiddled with his empty glass. Ubbe's eyes locked with it before raising an arm, gesturing the waiter to bring another pint.

“He's become Silje's shadow,” Ubbe put in. “Can't really catch up on what Silje's been doing without mentioning him.”

As if he had been waiting for an occasion to start chatting away again Hvitserk sat up straight and began talking again in this animated way of his. Silje knew it meant nothing good for her – and she couldn't reasonably smack him upside the head again, they were in a public place after all.

“They are always together – don't even deny it,” he added for Silje who found the bottom of her glass fascinating. “She took care of the fucker for weeks after he hurt his leg, and she cooks for him, and gives him her library card so he can borrow books freely. I can barely see one without the other!” Hvitserk sniggered in his glass of beer before taking a gulp down.

Ubbe didn't interject but quietly nodded to everything Hvitserk said like he agreed with all of it.

“So?” Sigurd asked flatly, not getting why his brother was loosing his shit over this.

“Friends don't do this kind of shit!” Hvitserk said, looking at Sigurd as if his brother had grown an extra limb. Sigurd looked back and shrugged, clearly not seeing what Hvitserk claimed was obvious.

“Since when are you so observant? I bet you're seeing things,” Sigurd argued, very clearly annoyed by his younger brother's far-fetched theories about their sister's love life or lack thereof. “Tell him Silje!”

“Yes, tell him I'm right Sil!” Hvitserk replied, also looking at her.

Silje smiled, shaking her head slightly. How many times had she been on the receiveing end of those stares? She couldn't remember the number of times she had to act as a mediator for these two. Ubbe seemed to enjoy the show, sipping his beer in amused silence.

“I'm not saying anything,” she eventually said, earning a round of groans and complains. “It's not your business!” She argued, raising her pointer finger to them both and giving them the Mom Look.

“Oh c'mon, now you're being ridiculous,” Hvitserk snorted. “You're our only sister, we make it our business.”

“You're meddling!” Sigurd now accused Hvitserk, earning an offended gasp in answer. “You're playing match making, and that's why you see signs everywhere!”

Silje wished Sigurd was right, because his theory was valid and actually happened before, but this time she couldn't say the same. Hvitserk might exaggerate a ton, but he wasn't dead wrong either, because Silje did bear feelings for Ivar, and she was not the best at hiding what she felt.

“I'm betting my money on Hvitty this time,” Ubbe cut in, joining the conversation. “They are very cosy around each other.”

The three brothers began arguing as though Silje wasn't sitting right there, blushing both out of fluster and second hand embarrassment – people were staring.

“Can we not go back to Hvitserk's proposal?” Silje whined, trying to change the subject but they didn't even hear her talk over the noise they were making and the background music in the bar.

“I've been with Inge since the dawn of time, your sentimental life is so much more interesting little sister,” Hvisterk said in a huff, resembling a gossiping schoolgirl as he leaned closer towards his siblings to recount Silje and Ivar's odd courtship rituals. Yes, he said courtship rituals, and Silje's eyes rolled so far back in her head she saw her brain for the briefest moment.

“No offence Sil, but the way you flirt is shameful,” he told her, increasing the blush on her cheeks. Silje willed herself to cool down, but the heat of her flaming cheeks didn't decrease in the least, and she inwardly cursed her fair complexion.

“I take great offence!” She barked back, glaring daggers at an oblivious and slightly buzzed Hvitserk who couldn't take a hint if it knocked him out.

Sigurd listened still, although clearly not interested and a little bored. He leaned his head on his right arm and stared at the golden liquid in his glass. Silje decided that today Sigurd was her favourite brother, and that she was going to give Hvitserk a piece of her mind as soon as she could corner him and have a little one on one with him.

Ubbe seemed relatively disinterested too, though he wore a constant little smirk, more amused by Hvitserk's behavior than by what he was saying.

“Let him have his fun, you can plan payback another day,” Ubbe nudged Silje in an attempt to make her relax.

She hadn't realized how tense she was up until this point, when she flinched at the contact of her brother's arm against hers. She gritted her teeth and breathed deeply, summoning what little patience she still had – it was going to be a long night.

After his failed attempt at confessing, Ivar clammed up. He didn't try to say anything again, and maybe this had something to do with the atmosphere that was a little off? Or maybe he was imagining things, and nothing had changed.

The point is, Ivar was restless, fidgety, and he wanted to grab Silje by the shoulders to shake her like a tree while yelling 'I love you dumbass, can't you see it?'. Except he knew that would be a bad way to go about it.

“Should've gone with her,” he grumbled to himself, having lost interest in his history book half an hour ago. “I could do with a beer.”

He couldn't pinpoint when exactly he picked up alcohol again, but he could count on Silje to tap his fingers if she thought he drank too much – the girl barely let him become tipsy, on the ground that she's “not dragging his piss drunk ass home”. It made him chuckle, picturing her stern glare as she pushed his half empty pint of beer over to Hvitserk because the boy had a supernaturally high tolerance to alcohol, while Ivar, who hadn't touched it in years, held his drink like a teenage girl. He wasn't proud of it, but that's what you get when you stop drinking for a long time – not that it was a bad thing, Silje often reminded him.

He didn't even know where they went, or he could have joined them. Out of sheer hope he checked him phone – sometimes Silje texted him where she went, just to be safe. Though he didn't know why she would need to when she was with her brothers. He was curious about this Sigurd, the one who supposedly hated everyone and wouldn't care for meeting Ivar even if he was being paid for it.

He sounded even more of a hermit than Ivar, he mused, sliding his phone out of his pocket. It lit up and and the screen displayed a couple of messages.

From Hvitserk

if you don't confess soon i'll do it for you!!!

From Silje

Kill me please, Hvitserk is the most annoying drunk

He ignored the first message and only opened Silje's. His fingers flew over the tactile screen and he sent his answer. Less than a minute later, the phone buzzed.

From Silje

We're at the Dubliner at Amagertorv

Come save me and i'll make you as many crème brûlées as you want

He smirked. She provided him the perfect excuse to come, he wouldn't even have to admit that he hated hanging out on his own at her place. He felt like a squatter, it didn't sit right with him. After all these months you'd think he felt like home, and it's true that Silje always managed to make him feel like it when she was around, treating him like he wasn't a parasite living on her couch for free, but whenever she was away, it felt... cold.

Now he was being mushy and ridiculous, he couldn't think this way. This apartment was totally fine, there was nothing cold or unwelcoming about it. Deep down, Ivar knew that he felt like this because he was crushing so hard on Silje that he was miserable when she wasn't there. Pathetic really.

Still, he got up and put on his sneakers and an old suede jackets – it had lots of frills and was two sizes too big but he liked it and bought it from a thrift store. Within a minute he was outside, strolling towards the right bus stop.

“Will you stop now? Can I at least speak for myself?” Silje groaned in frustration, her eyebrows twitching angrily while her brothers grew more and more inebriated and less and less reasonable.

“To say what?” Ubbe questioned – he had now joined Hvitserk in his teasing, and even Sigurd seemed to enjoy himself, though he could hardly know where the truth lied, having never met the chief concerned party of this friendly argument.

“You're just going to deny it all,” Sigurd said.

“Yes, because what he says it dumb. On what ground do you claim that Ivar likes me?” She shot back, her eyes switching to Hvitserk and his reddened face. He really was drunk now. “And you're done with beer, you get water from now on!”

“Oh don't be a buzz kill!” He complained, quickly emptying his glass as if he was afraid she'd snatch it from him. “I'm great, and I'm definitely right! You two are like... like... those weird exotic birds who dance for each other as a seduction ritual.”

“Right, because you're the expert in relationships of the family,” she replied, her voice holding an edge. “I'd give more credit to Ubbe's opinion in the matter.”

“What does that even mean?” All three of them exclaimed – Hvitserk offended because he was the one who had been with the same girl the longest, Ubbe vexed by what Silje's remark implied, and Sigurd pissed because he wasn't even considered for the position of lady's man. All as bad as one another. Silje sighed, once again feeling like she was the oldest of them all. If only Bjorn was here, he'd put an end to this silly conversation, claiming it was idiotic high school level gossip. Which it was.

“Oh wow, I think Silje was right,” Hvitserk suddenly said, looking past her and blinking a few times, as if he had something stuck in his eye. “This beer must be stronger than I thought, I'm having visions.”

They turned towards the front door, and sure enough there stood Ivar, looking dashing even in his casual second hand clothes, and his untamed hair. Silje had to summon an enormous amount of self control in order not to blush again when he scanned the place and finally locked eyes with her, his whole face lighting up.

“I see him too, brother,” Ubbe laughed at Hvitserk's dramatic attitude.

“See?” Hvitserk said to Sigurd, focusing again. “She's been away from him for two hours at most and he came over! They can't live without each other!” He whined, and the siblings didn't know if he was simply complaining or if he was seriously trying to demonstrate that Silje and Ivar were indeed soulmates. Like he was in physical pain from seeing them silently pine after each other.

“Does he ever shut up?” Sigurd groaned, pushing his younger brother away when he began to cling onto him.

“Just let him annoy you for a bit, it'll make him happy,” Ubbe sniggered in his beer, talking about his brother as he would a child.

“I'm the one who asked him to come, I needed someone who would take my side since you traitors teamed up against me,” Silje huffed, realizing a little too late that admitting to having invited Ivar only added to Hvitserk's point.

They all smirked but miraculously remained quiet. Silje braced herself for what was to come. Both relieved to see Ivar because she knew he at least would be on her side if her brothers decided to keep arguing about silly matters, and worried that Hvitserk wouldn't watch what he said. She glared at him for the briefest moment before greeting Ivar, introducing him to the third Ragnarsson.

Sigurd snorted and looked away, deeply unimpressed after all the fuss Hvitserk made about this dude who was supposedly Silje's future husband. Ivar, having been warned of the moods of the third brother, did not take offence. In fact his smile never even wavered as he sat down on the bench next to Silje, and to his left was Ubbe sitting on a chair. They managed to find a small corner table thank the gods, because it meant the whole pub couldn't hear their nonsensical blabbering.

“Did you finish your book already?” Silje asked, earning a sheepish shake of the head.

“Vikings can wait, I thought I'd socialize a bit instead,” he said, his fingers tapping the table, to Sigurd's utmost annoyance.

Not that Sigurd had anything against the sound, he just decided that this Ivar guy was annoying. Everything he did ticked him off for some reason. And he hadn't even had the time to do anything yet. He just look a bit too nice to be nice. If that made sense.

Ivar gestured to the waiter to bring him a pint, and asked what he'd missed. A chorus of unintelligible muttering answered his question, making him wonder if he had interrupted a private conversation or something of the sort, but he elected to ignore it. He came here to have fun.

“I guess I should start by drinking to you Hvitserk,” Ivar declared the moment his order came. “Haven't had a chance to congratulate you in person yet.”

Everyone at the table raised their glass to drink to the same thing they did all evening, though gladly doing it again. Hvitserk smiled a devilish smile that made Silje want to do something drastic like stab Ubbe in the thigh with one of the toothpicks they were brought when they ordered cheese and crackers, to create a distraction and quickly snatch Ivar away.

“Thanks man,” Hvitserk said, looking awfully sober now for some reason. Silje didn't put it past her youngest brother to pretend to be drunk merely to get away with his stupid behaviour. “Maybe I'll drink to you one day!” The idiot winked, he dared...

“Skål!” Ubbe shouted before Silje could kill the soon-to-be-married Ragnarsson, or before Ivar could add two and two together.

The evening carried on on a much nicer note, as if Ivar's presence forced the brothers to behave, and stop teasing Silje about stuff they had no business knowing about. Although she hated to admit it, they were right – not that she was going to voice that, she would sooner die than give Hvitserk this pleasure. Her heart did do some weird acrobatics in presence of Ivar, and her hands did become fidgety and sweaty. How many times had she rubbed her palms on her dress? The gods know.

However happy she was to be reunited with her brothers, Silje was still in the middle of her exams, so when the clock stroke midnight she called it a night. Of course that was greeted with a chorus of protests but when she explained they let it slide.

Claiming that they had their fiancées to go back to, Ubbe and Hvitserk agreed that it might be a good time to go home. Sigurd said he would stay a while longer. This allowed Ivar to take his place in the car. It was a short drive to Silje's building, and since Ubbe and Hvitserk lived in opposite directions, the youngest decided to walk the rest of the way, having nothing urgent to do, and claiming that the fresh air would do him good after so many pints.

Ivar looked at Silje chatting with Ubbe as they said goodbye, not noticing the little smile that formed naturally when his eyes fell on her. He was brought out of his daydream when someone nudged him in the ribs.

“What are you so afraid of?” Hvitserk snorted, amused by Ivar's constant worrying and postponing the inevitable.

It was a tough question to answer, not because he didn't know the answer but because he knew it and it was lame as hell. He was afraid that she didn't return the feelings, and that he'd put the break on a beautiful friendship.

“I guess you don't have to answer then,” Hvitserk said, defeated. “Hey, I forgot to tell you but we're having an engagement party! June 29th, and you're invited of course.” He smirked. “You can go as Sije's plus one.”

Ivar didn't say anything but he smiled and nodded. His eyes drifted back to Silje's form, unable to look away. He seriously could not help himself, she was beautiful. The skirt of her dress was wrinkled on the back because she sat too long, and her face was shiny because of how hot and damp it was in the crowded bar, but she was breathtaking.

“Alright...” Hvitserk said as he stretched. “I'm gonna go now. Oh and by the way, she likes you too.”

Ivar stayed still and blinked, not sure if he heard wrong or not. His friend had already turned on his heels, and distanced himself from the building, heading towards his own place. When Ivar came back to earth, he was already far.

“You can’t just say that and then disappear!” Ivar shouted at Hvitserk, but the young soldier didn't turn around and continued walking away, laughing to himself. The bastard really did just disappear without another word.

If you like my work please consider buying me a coffee <3

A/N: This contains only three of the prompts you guys gave me, but the fourth one will be in future parts :)

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