#they’d give each other insanely terrible relationship advice.

[apple-of-my-pie]

this might be a niche crossover but i do believe in my heart of hearts that greg house and rebecca bunch would be BFFs

[i-love-ninjago-kai]

I'm watching s7 and was very excited to see Skylor again even if it was only for that little bit. I didn't ship Kailor the first time around but now I really do! If you dont mind, what are your thoughts on their relationship at that point? Both in general and specifically how they help each other with their issues. like Kai coming to her for advice about thinking his dad is evil. Love your analysis of kai so much <3

Hi friend, thank you so much! You’re such a sweetie :)

Let’s see... This is a bit hard to put into words. Kailor, if we wanna be basic, is in essence, the “hot couple” in the group, they’re both pretty, and they know it.

At least they would be... If they were actually together. 

Skylor and Kai have this thing where they flirt, and give eachother bedroom eyes almost constantly, and they know that they like each other... They’re just too afraid/awkward to actually like, do anything about it. 

The two of them both have insane intimacy issues, 

 Kai having trust issues that run so deep he has trouble making actually meaningful relationships. He loves attention, sure, after losing his parents at such a young age, he’ll take any he can get. But actually letting someone in? In a romantic sense, being willing to be vulnerable? Kai doesn’t know if it’s possible, and that terrifies him, because Kai does, honest to FSM, love Skylor.

But Kai has been hurt by people, over and over again, he’s been betrayed even by himself, when he allowed himself to be corrupted by the staff. And he’s reminded of that every day, because that corruption still lives inside him, like a virus.

All he’s ever wanted to do was protect, and if he fails to protect Skylor, if he truely acknowledges how deeply he feels for her, and then something happens to her? He wouldn’t know what to do, a part of him would die with her, and it would never come back.

Sky has her own inner demons as well. Sure... She runs a multimillion dollar restaurant chain, and could buy pretty much anything she wants... But her dad also tried to massacre ninjago by turning his employees and his own daughter into a snake. 

And she went along with it. Did she want to? No, somehow along the way Skylor managed to develop a conscience, and never liked doing what her dad wanted, but her fear crippled her, and she did whatever he wanted despite her own morals. And that in itself scares Skylor, because she doesn’t want to think that she’s capable of that amount of evil, but deep down she knows she is. 

She hasn’t full realized who she is, partly because she also has no idea who her mother was, either, did she actually like her father? Or was it some kind of forced marriage? Sky doesn’t like either option, but the thought that both of her parents could have been malicious, terrible people, keeps her up at night. 

Her father didn’t start out insane, it had to grow over time, and Skylor is terrified that over time, it will grow in her. And it’s selfish, but her first thought, her first fear, is if she’ll hurt Kai. 

Because Kai is different from anyone she’s ever met. He saw her, even after she betrayed and saw him chained to the floor to have his fire stolen from him, he saw her heart. When she had neuro’s element, she looked into his mind, it’s an invasion of privacy, but Sky’s moral compass when it comes to minding her own business is kinda broken. 

She saw everything, felt what he felt for her, and she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t whipped for him.

So... They love eachother... Like, a lot, but they’re both dancing around actually being together. 

At this point, they are each other’s lifelines, they can talk to eachother about anything, and this is shown in s7 especially. Kai desperately needs to open up to someone, and while he adores the ninja, even his sister... He’s not very good at being open with them either. But with her... With her he can be real, because she doesn’t see the big tough firecracker front he puts up, she sees Kai, big brother who had to raise his younger sister and had to grow up too soon. Because she had to grow up too.

Sure, at the time, he went to her because she was the daughter of an evil figure... But he didn’t need to come to her, Lloyd is right there and would have been happy to be a sounding board, But Lloyd isn’t Skylor. He loves him and would to literally anything to protect him, but being with Skylor... It’s freeing.

She listens intently, never judging how he feels, never trying to fix everything. Her red hair framing her face as she gives him the most caring and attentive face he’s ever seen, proving that she is listening to him, totally any completely.

It’s the same way for Skylor, she feels light as a feather listening to his dulcet voice, and watching his hair bounce when he talks. Kai is the only person to make her blush. No, really... She’s flirted with tons of guys, done tons of things with guys, (Although really, it was always some scheme to get something from them for her father.) and none of them make her feel the way he does when she flirts.

She goes red and speechless for a second, blinking away trying to make it less obvious that she is completely and utterly enamored with this guy.

They are all of these things, feel all of these things... And They’re still terrified to make the next move. They yearn to touch each other, be closer in a way that’s more than just sitting across eachother in a booth, or walking in a park. They wanna kiss and hold hands, do other things and just be together, always.

But fear.. Fear is stopping them, and the only thing that would work to get them to finally get their head’s out of the clouds is if one of them gets hurt.

Revealing the possibility that they could lose each other... Now that would do it, and once they go in for it, they go all in. They’d be engaged by like three months in.

All of this drives the Ninja crazy, because they waited so freakin long.

Speaking of long... This is really long, sorry about that. I kinda cut it off at the end because of it, but I hope this is what you wanted! Thanks again love.

[shimmershae]

My thoughts on Episode 3--Hunted.

 Most of you lovelies already realize this, but my thoughts tend to zig and zag quite a bit, lol.  So.  To save some of you the headache and spare you from seeing spoilers you’d rather not see yet, I’m again placing them behind a cut.  

First things first.  I have totally turned into Yvette Nicole Brown with her TWD notebooks, lol, and I’m not even sorry.  I just felt like it would be fun to go back when the final episode is in the books and see how well my thoughts from these early episodes line up with what I’m feeling when we say our (not-so) final goodbyes.  

But that’s enough about that. Let’s get to this thing.  

It really is insane how very much I love Melissa McBride.  Just hearing her doing the previously on TWD recap voiceover makes me ridiculously happy.  

Cole!  Dude!  We hardly knew ya.  

Not gonna lie.  That first shot of Maggie in all the chaos reminded of a shirt I’ve seen.  It says--”Well, well, well.  If it isn’t the consequences of my actions.”  

I have to hand it to Angela and the rest of her team.  These opening scenes--on all 3 episodes--have been BOMB so far.  They really hook you in right away.  At least IMHO.  

I realize I’m behind the game on this little tidbit, but how much do I adore the fact that Dog is now in the opening credits?  

Okay.  Alexandria might look like it’s been on some kind of post-apocalyptic bender but all our girls are looking beautiful as ever.  Maybe it’s Maybelline, lol.  

I love to see Kelly and Carol still gravitating toward each other.  It really speaks to each woman’s heart.  Carol wants to make amends so badly and Kelly just has the most lovely, warm, forgiving heart.  

Carol’s point about Alexandria still needing the horses to help with the heavy lifting and pointing out the walls and rebuilding won’t matter quite as much if they’re limited by their  hunger and what they can physically lift on their own isn’t wrong.  But I’m sure the same viewers that were okay with Daryl and Co. going out on Maggie’s suicide mission (using the same reasoning) and saying it made sense for the bigger picture will pretend not to recognize that the same element is there in Carol’s desire to go out there and look for the horses.  You know.  Because it was Carol’s idea and not that of their fave(s).  

Aaron, Man.  Or maybe I should say Angela.   You just had to put a pit of dread in my belly mentioning Buttons like that.  RIP, Buttons.  You deserved better.  I’m still traumatized.  

Look at all the babies bonding.  Look at RJ getting to sit at the big kid table.  

“My mom always comes back.”  She damn well better.  Those babies need her.  Until she does, though, Uncle Daryl and Aunt Carol (and Aunt Rosita and everybody else) are going to be there.  

Anyway.  Poor RJ.  He barely ever gets any lines, lol.  

Hershel and Judith are obviously the mini-adults in this group and baby Rhee is already more cynical and jaded than his sweet daddy was until they reached Alexandria and the wheels started to come off.  

So.  Does Maggie just think everybody’s already dead here or what?  Hmm.  

You know.  Any building can be creepy AF when the lights are off and it’s dark, lol.  Any building.  

So much darkness so far this season.  I’m going to have to invest in some blackout curtains.  I just know it.  

Where are all those stairs leading?  Why am I thinking of Hitchcock?  Am I mixing up my scary, suspenseful movies?  Probably.  

Of fucking course, Maggie dropped her flashlight.  Thank goodness she had that lighter at the ready just before Ghost Face Reaper took a swipe at her.  

Is that Father G with a screwdriver impaled in his thigh?  Listen.  These people deserve a Mega Bottle of pain killers and a week just vegging out in a soft, luxurious bed.  

All these horror movie tropes.  Some of them are cheesy, yes.  But I’m totally here for it.  

LMAO.  That’s it, Maggie.  A good old punch in the nuts works every time.  

Alden really is having a terrible, horrible, no good very bad day.  

Negan is still Negan.  Self-serving and looking out for number one.  But I believe the man really does feel the group is his group too.  He’s like that long lost, sketchy uncle nobody wants to acknowledge much less invite to the dinner table, but that bond?  However thin?  Is there.  

I am both hating that Maggie is being forced to work with the man that murdered her husband (my baby Glenn) and finding it fascinating the lengths she’s willing to go to survive.  This your plan, Angela?  

Rosita and Carol!  How sad is it that the last really significant scene I can remember the two of these women sharing was way back?  Before Rick and Co. attacked Negan’s outpost and Maggie and Carol were subsequently taken?  If only the show had done more of these kind of scenes.  

How much do I love all the girls working together?  Gimps would never.  They’d all be stuck back at Alexandria minding the kids and the community.  

Shallow aside--Rosita is so pretty in this scene.  

Rosita being worried about Carol honestly makes my heart hurt, because it’s about damn time more of them actually did.  Her saying Abraham is trying to tell her something in her dreams is interesting.  Angela sure loves her dreams, doesn’t she?  

Where are Daryl’s dreams, hmm?  No.  Seriously.  I guess they want to give some viewers plausible deniability until the bitter end.  

“Really?  We’re just gonna go toward the screaming?  Cool.”  Hahaha.  You know.  Even the smart people in horror movies sometimes bite it, Negan.  Just saying.  Maggie really does need to “stop running up the staircase” when she could just run out the front door though, lol.  

Poor Duncan.  I think you could have been another Tyreese, Jerry type for me.  

WTF does this show have against horses?  Those poor creatures.  

Kelly is totally me right now.  I’d be freaking inconsolable.  

Carol needed that hug.  Thank you, Magna.  From the bottom of this tired fangirl’s heart, thank you.  

Why give us that beautiful, golden shot with the horses when you’re planning to stab us through the heart later and twist the knife.  Oh.  Yeah.  That’s exactly why.  

Oh snap!  Father G’s delivery when he tells that Reaper “I’m not.  God isn’t here anymore.”  Cold as ice.  

Judas.  That the Reapers’ work.  Or.  Damn.  Either way, that’s harsh.  

Back to what Alden was saying.  All these oprhaned children.  Who’s going to take on Adam if he dies?  That poor kid has had a rough go of it.  Knowing that, makes you wonder what Alden was thinking volunteering for the suicide mission.  

Omigosh.  There went Agatha.  Terrible way to go.  Right, Beatrice?  

I’m sobbing.  Carol with the horse.  That hurt my baby so much but she hurt herself for her family the same way she has been doing since the Prison.  Melissa Mcbride?  When she cries, I cry.  Every effin’ time.  Aaron being there just made it hurt more.  But at least someone was there to see how and really take in how she continues to break pieces of herself off to keep her family as whole and safe and happy as she can.  

Rewinding a minute--that Magna and Carol conversation.  I get Magna’s reasoning too.  I do.  But Angela is just making everything so dire right now so that the sun when Connie is ultimate found shines a ltitle brighter.  

Those babies know they’re eating horse.  I could never.  

That’s got to be a different Coco.  She’s even smaller.  But she’s gorgeous.  

Fucking finally.  Angela having the other characters notice after an eternity of being blind to it, just how much Carol sacrifices of herself for them.  It’s so long overdue and I imagine Rosita’s even more worried for Carol now.  It’s a shame it’s taken 11 seasons.  My baby’s had blood on her hands trying to keep her family safe and whole and happy and fed for a long damn time.  So heartbreaking watching her try to scrub the blood away.  

Sweet, sweet hug that Kelly gave Magna.  She’s such a sweetheart kid sis to all of them, isn’t she?  

Interesting place of refuge.  A gutted church.  A visual symbol, Angela, of where Maggie and the rest of our people are now perhaps?  

“It’s easy for you, isn’t it?  Being reckless with sombody’s life...”  Maggie.  Maggie.  Those words would have hit so much harder if we hadn’t spent the majority of the last 2.5 episodes watching you ignore sound advice just because it came out of the mouth of somebody you (justifiably) hate.  

But will Alden be there when Maggie and Negan get back?  That is the question.  Or will he eventually Lucille himself?  

That little bit of lineup Negan music to remind the audience of Negan lovers and sympathizers that he once took great pleasure in murderously swinging a bag at people’s heads was a nice, subtle touch there.  Like agree with her or not, Maggie  is literally left to rely  on the hope, however small it is, that Negan has changed just enough that he won’t try to finish a job he taken on years before--killing what’s left of her.  

Oh lawd.  Next episode sees the return of a character literally nobody asked for.  How excited am I not?  

Dog better not be harmed or so help me.  

Now for Angela’s weekly explanations of WTF she/there were thinking because they been doing this plausible deniability thing so long some people out there watching with biased, muddy stan glasses can no longer separate head canon from canon.  

Is Maggie worried at all about Daryl or does she just assume his superhero powers are in full effect in this episode?  

“You can’t really say it wasn’t going to happen anyway.”  Not Angela pointing out that simply laying the blame for literally everything bad that ever happens at Carol’s feet isn’t the answer.  Say it louder for those in the back.  Alpha was going to do what Alpha wanted to do.  

“There is love there.  There is respect there.  However, there’s also frustration...”  You damn skippy.  Friendships and human relationships are complex AF.  Like Carol. She’s honestly one of the most complicated characters on this show and any show, IMHO.  That’s what makes her so memorable and such a lightning rod for discussion.  

I know I might be in a minority, but I really feel like they need more of those little scenes between the kids to keep things real.  

Kang saying she always feels like she’s going to get murdered in a staircase or parking lot is relatable, funny, and sad all at the same time.  It’s a girl thing.  

Why is Carol’s story giving me Dark Knight vibes?  Like I feel like she’ll gladly shoulder the burden of their distrust, their hate, or their judgment as long as the hard choices she makes keeps them safe.  And she’s still ultimately going to come back to save their asses even when they forsake her.  Just like Bruce Wayne/Batman.  Am I reaching too far, lol?  Because sometimes I do that.  

Anyway.  This is the third episode of the season and the third episode in a row that I mostly enjoyed.  I don’t know if I’m just so relieved and happy to have all the characters and my show back or what, but overall?  I’ve been pleased with the episodes and found something to love in all of them.  

There’s a much stronger horror vibe woven throughout Season 11 so far.  I feel like it’s a return to the roots of the show and I like that.  Literally none of the characters are making perfect choices and this viewer is here for it.  My only complaint so far is there hasn’t been enough Carol but what we’ve been given has felt like a gift and significant in a way that Gimps’ version was not.  Also?  I really hope the trend of the ladies working together and supporting each other continues because they rule the TWD world, lol.  

Hope you enjoyed at least some of my TWD word vomit.  

Until next episode.  

[retvenkos]

"i fell in love with you a lifetime ago”

requested

BEING DUCKIE AND ANDIE’S BFF AND FALLING FOR DUCKIE??? MY FRIEND, THIS IS GOING TO BE A RIDE...

you, andie, and duckie have been friends for longer than you remember

and for as long as you’ve known him, duckie has been in love with andie

and  l o u d l y 

it’s just always been knowledge that one day, andie and duckie would be together and you would be the one to tease andie, joking about how there was once a time when she didn’t think it was going to happen, or duckie would eventually move on and it would be something that you and andie could tease him about later, when he had someone of his own

and for a while, pesky little feelings weren’t a problem - duckie and andie were still your friends first and foremost, and nothing would change that

things only started to get bad at the end of junior high and the beginning of high school

all of you were growing up, and love were becoming more defined

and, as always, duckie loved andie and she just didn’t love him back

and you didn’t realize it then, but duckie started to become more important to you

you never really took a side in this whole andie vs. duckie debate, because you knew you didn’t need to - you could talk to duckie about andie and talk to andie about duckie and still have your friendships stay in tact

and with both of them, you talked

every day duckie was obsessing over andie and you gave him advice - give her space, don’t press her about it but remind her you’re always there if you need her, etc.

sometimes you felt like you should write for a magazine,  get one of those columns and name it “ask cupid”

and every weekend, andie would joke with you - telling you your efforts to keep duckie on a leash weren’t working, but neither were your attempts at helping him out

“you need to change the advice you’re giving duckie, (y/n), i can’t count how many terrible pick up lines he’s used this week.”

“i told him to give you space!”

“you’re not going to get through to him that way.”

“maybe you need to get a boyfriend and he’ll back off.”

“you really think he would?”

“sure. i mean, he’d be sour about it for weeks, but he’d eventually come around. he loves you, andie - even if that means just being friends.”

and it was a joke, almost, which would happen first - duckie meets someone new, or andie falls in love?

“what do you think, (y/n), what are the odds?”

“i think i’ll die of insanity, first.”

“very funny - but i’ll need you to be alive for our wedding.”

and maybe you started to feel differently about duckie when you started high school - maybe you started to notice how funny he was, how charming he was, how sweet he could be, and...

damnit

you knew that no matter what happened, neither andie nor duckie could ever find out about your feelings - they’d laugh, right? how pathetic do you have to be to fall in love with your friend who’s already smitten for another?

so you decided to take your own advice - give him space and don’t mention it, but remind him that you were there for him... even if that meant you were giving him advice on loving someone else.

you and duckie were quite the pair, falling in love with a friend - just not the pair you hoped to be

and then blane came into the picture

and, to be quite honest, you liked blane

he was fine enough, he made andie happy, and he was always polite to you

but duckie

by the time blane is into the picture, your feelings for duckie are getting a little harder to hide

andie suspects something, you can tell by her not-so-subtle prodding. but, at the very least, she’s not telling duckie. dealing with him had always been your job

that was only getting more difficult, wasn’t it?

god, if it were someone else, you’d just throw in the towel, at this point.

and, one day, after he and andie are no longer talking, you ask him something

“duckie, i know you love andie, but what are you going to do when she moves on?”

“moves on? what are you talking about? that richie is gonna break her heart before they get in too deep - you know that. and i’ll be here, like i always am—”

“talking to me about how much you love someone who doesn’t love you back.”

“doesn’t love me back? (y/n), andie and that... boy are getting in your head.”

“duck... i don’t think they are.”

and the silence is  d e a f e n i n g

and duckie is pacing, specifically not looking you in the eye

but you eventually speak

“I just... i’ve seen you love andie we were kids, duckie, and she... i care about you. i love you, duckie, and i can’t keep telling you to chase something when i know it’s not going to work out the way your hoping.”

“so all this time you didn’t think andie could love me?”

“that’s not it. i know that andie loves you - just not in that way!”

“and what? she never will?”

“i... i just want both of you to be happy.”

“well i don’t think that’s going to happen.”

and duckie leaves, with the two of you not on the greatest of terms

and that weekend, the two of you don’t talk

you hang out with andie , both of you sulking over guys who don’t deserve you, tbh, who you love more deeply than you realize

and andie comes in with some friendly advice, telling you that maybe you and duckie need to talk about the relationship between the two of you rather than duckie and her because only one of those has potential

“and it always has, (y/n), you and duckie are way closer than we ever were.”

"well, right now everything’s falling apart.”

MEANWHILE...

duckie is having an existential crisis of his own

oh, don’t we love 80′s teen movies

because he’s never been without you

sure, andie kicks him out every other week because of some spat or another, but he can always go to you

and a lot of the times, you don’t even talk about andie!

all of his boring habits or fears or abstract thoughts belong to you - and now they have nowhere to go

and so one day, duckie walks up to you

and he  a p o l o g i z e s 

and he says he’s been an idiot, and he may not be over andie yet, but he doesn’t want to ruin your relationship over something dumb like his feelings

“your feelings aren’t dumb, duckie, and you can always talk to me about them. i just...”

“care about me.”

and he’s smiling and it makes your heart skip a beat

“you’d be the first.”

“the one and only.”

and oh my god this list of headcanons is getting long, forgive me.

BUT

you are a good friend™ and you are not about to abandon andie on prom night

so both of you get dressed together, and the plan is for the two of you to go together

duckie already told you prom was overrated, so you weren’t planning on seeing him, even if you did want to

“who needs boys, right?”

“that’s the wish.”

and the gang has the sweetest reunion at prom, don’t @ me, the hug is legendary

and duckie compliments you on how you look, and it’s just vvv sweet.

and we know how the rest of the dance turns out, but you and duckie dance together at least once bc you always have each other’s back

and in the following months, andie and blane are going strong, and... duckie isn’t talking about it?

i mean, he’s definitely teasing andie about it while she’s there, but when the two of you hang out alone, he never mentions andie and blane anymore other than just casually asking about/mentioning them

so you resolve to ask him about it

“hey, duckie, are you okay? you don’t really talk about andie and blane that much.”

“i’m fine. they’re fine, right? am i missing something? did andie tell you something?”

“well, no... i just...”

“worried about me?”

“yeah, i guess.”

“well, now you’ve seen what it’s like for me to have moved on. awfully dull, isn’t it? who do you think i should pick to be the new object of my affections?”

“i’m sure you’ll figure it out.”

and you laugh and shake your head, completely missing how his gaze lingers on yours

and for the next couple of weeks, it becomes the source of jokes between your group (which now includes blane. he’s still getting used to the dynamics, but he’s a champ for trying.)

“hey, duckie, whose house are you driving past later?”

don’t get me wrong, the stalking is creepy and duckie grows out of it fast.

“only yours, (y/n).”

“write any sonnets, lately, duckie?”

“you know me.”

“what poor girl has stolen your heart now, phil?”

and blane calls duckie phil for the rest of his life, you can’t convince me otherwise

“oh, you’ll see.”

“sing any love songs recently?”

“very funny.”

but you and duckie still manage to get a long of hanging out in where it’s just the two of you, and one day you’re walking to go get something to eat after studying for a test duckie is definitely going to fail, and he tells you he’s been a real idiot this past year - almost losing you and andie? he doesn’t know what he’d be without you.

“well, you didn’t mess up things too badly, duck, andie still puts up with you.”

“and what about you, (y/n)? i mean, i’ve never really been without you.”

“oh, you don’t have to worry about that, duckie, you can’t get rid of me. you know i love you.”

“but do you? like, really? because we always say it to each other all friendly, but i wouldn’t mind it being deeper than that.”

and you are  s t u n n e d 

“you... what?”

“well, we’ve always been there for each other - i don’t think i’ve ever loved someone the way i love you.”

“i love you, too, duckie - and like, really love you.”

“really? because i—”

and you cut him off by putting your hand on his cheek

and you kiss him, and it’s like everything comes together

“wow.”

and you just laugh

and you both walk hand in hand to get hamburgers

AND FLUFF ENSUES.

-- taglist: @brokenandheadoverheels // message me if you want to be added to the taglist!

[steve0discusses]

Yugioh S4 Ep21: Duke Puts on Duel Disk, Immediately Takes Disk Off

So last time we ended, Yugi and Tea were stranded in the middle of an ancient warfield that was hundreds of feet off the side of this cliff topped with a seldom used railroad track.

And yes, this is all somewhere in what should be one of the most populated parts of the Bay Area.

Amazed that this school uniform can go through such rugged terrain. But then again, last season it got hit squarely with a fireball, so...this school uniform is essentially a Batman suit.

But I just want to point out that Yugi didn’t take the duel disk off before vaulting up this cliff. Tea has a bag youknow...but gotta sweat up the duel disk that our entire world relies on.

It would be very funny if this season ended abruptly because Yami either dropped this thing on the ground and finally broke it, or just plain forgot he needed to charge it’s batteries.

And so now we just walk...kind of in the direction where they hope Joey and Tristan are?

I do appreciate that although Pharaoh is completely lost in a foreign country, he will not admit it.

(read more under the cut)

On the other side of the tracks, Joey is dragging his Sisyphean stone.

Please admire that this entire scene takes place somewhere in the Grand Canyon. Like it’s episode 20 and I just still can’t get past how they went to California and didn’t include a single beach.

Mai has decided she’s done screaming off the back of a motorcyle, and has decided to come over to Dartz’ lair to scream where the traffic isn’t quite so bad.

And she just rage quits.

Is this the first rage quit we’ve ever had in this show about games? Incredible.

Also, I didn’t realize you could just quit the end of the world cult in the final hours of ending the world, but I guess it doesn’t really matter much to Dartz. Whether Mai ends up killing Joey or doesn’t end up killing Joey, it’s still a soul in the Leviathan bucket so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Now, in the actual dialogue of the show, Dartz tells Valon that Mai’s basically going to get what she deserves and no one here needs to even do anything to change or stop it. But, it was still somewhat surprising that this 10,000 year old serial murderer world destroyer was so down to shell out some relationship advice. Almost like maybe he has somewhat of a fatherly concern for his stupid ass murder boys. Kind of. Sort of.

Enough to try and tell Valon to leave this one alone because she’s gone maniacal pixie dream girl and there’s no coming back from that.

In order to have motorcycle gangs, you have to have bearable enough traffic for said gangs. That’s why we just don’t have a motorcycle gang problem in real deal California like a lot of 70′s-80′s movies would have you think. They’d only be able to drive in like...one lane, and they’d get constantly cut off and driven off the road by Google buses.

TBH the Google bus is our true modern motorcycle gang, there are just so many of these damn buses. And also, I deleted a lot of text right now when I went off about the ongoing bus war, which is absolutely a thing here. The motorcyclists are just doing me a solid by not being a car on the road and staying out of my lane.

In a more realistic version of this show, Mai would have never made it to the desert, she’d be too busy watching only one single car able to turn right onto Octavia every light cycle because of all the damn private buses and uber cars flooding our itty bitty one way streets.

And to try and tame Mai, Valon decides to do this...motorcycle stand off?

It’s like he’s trying to catch a feral cat.

At some point one of them stops, and like I was focused too much on how good their brakes are to pay attention to who stopped first.

Probably Valon, because Mai is completely insane.

And so then he just...

Y’all I know they had to give Valon motivation to be in love with Mai, but this kids show jumped through so many hoops to make this very unhealthy relationship appear like Valons love was pure and true while still showing that this is a very unhealthy relationship. Kind of a hard balance.

It’s actually interesting how much work they put into Valon’s very tragic and problematic relationship after they’ve dodged every other problematic relationship this show has brought forth.

Like the villain with a heart of gold is a trope, but it’s a trope that works. There is no hope in the world that this relationship could pan out. They’re not a misunderstood pair like he thinks they are. They’re freakin terrible and they don’t deserve each other. But he’s gonna try and do it anyway.

We get to watch Valon bargain (mostly with himself) about how this relationship (which exists mostly in his head) is going to absolutely work out, because to him, if he feels so intensely, eventually she’s gotta feel the same. Most people haven’t murdered people, but it’s still a very relatable type of situation that the show displays without getting too preachy about how it’s clearly bad news. They just introduce it for the audience to come to their own conclusions, and I was really surprised by that level of maturity.

I’ve been sitting here saying “There’s no way this show could balance Tea with Yugi and the Ghost in his head. There’s no way they can really touch on Kaiba and that paper card. There’s no way that this show knows how to do a relationship because they don’t want to get involved with that weird gray area.” and you know what? Maybe they can.

Like they’re doing it right now. Did they just need 4 seasons of people complaining to go “Fine! I’ll write out the problematic relationship! I’ll do it!” because--this works for them. They finally did it.

Now, I’m not saying it’s Oscar worthy or developed beyond a trope, I’m just saying I’m genuinely surprised to see it on this show, and they should have done it more often. It’s a super weird pairing, but way more interesting than like...all that time we spent with Serenity because I actually have something to look forward to. (which will be when Valon inevitably dies in a ball of tragic glory)

So many romance stories give me nothing to look forward to, y’all. You have to give me something. Like, I’ve been reading a lot of not great romance in my life, and you have to have some sort of time limit in place for me to care about your couple. To have only have so much time before the other person gets married, moves, ends the world--I don't care--but man that time limit is crucial and so much romance just...forgets.

Like Bonnie and Clyde, Romeo and Juliet, and other ill fated couples, Valon and Mai end up being interesting because we just love seeing people fall into pieces. Hell, I just finished watching Tiger King and damn, what makes that show so good is that you are just waiting on that time limit to see how bad it gets. (and it’s crazy, super recommend Tiger King, although it’s very clear that they pushed the drama a little beyond realism but man. Good TV.)

Of course there’s always the chance that maybe Valon just got bored. But, youknow.

Anyway, it IS a romance on Yugioh, so we do have to very quickly drive a truck through it.

Man.

What are they DOING here?

It took me kind of a while to remember that Mai would be going where Joey would be living, which is most likely where Raphael dropped off Arthur Hawkins. But, if you don’t remember that fact, this is the most random thing ever.

Like you got this huge ass desert in the Califorizonado mesas, and then BOOM enter Rebecca Hawkins, just omnisciently lording over all of the West and just so ready to fight you.

Every girl interested in Yugi Muto has this thing where they’re normally pretty chill and then they just snap and get angry as hell.

PS she’s in a different outfit now, but I don’t feel like changing her font color. I’ve had some Photoshop.......incidents.......and I don’t think I have this plaid pattern anymore and I don't feel like making a new one yet.

I mean Valon’s got the green outline on his text, so I figure we’re good.

Also, Rebecca wears a tie clip?

This 12 year old girl wears a tie clip.

And like don't get me wrong, this was 2003-4, alt rock was big, and yes, we did have tiny Avril Lavigne ties at American Eagle. I will admit that I very much considered getting an Avril Lavigne tie at one point in my life, but didn’t want the commitment of needing to pair it with a skirt.

But either way, old man tie clips aren’t alt rock. The only thing that makes Rebecca’s outfit not exactly that alt-grunge Avril Lavigne look is that tie clip. They were SO close to making her look cool. Just so close.

Also the bifocals. But anyway...

So Valon was going to straight up ignore Rebecca, because he has a warped sense of morality and will not kill a 12 year old (but will kill a 17 year old). But, Mai did ask nicely.

Thankfully, because of Valons weird sense of morality, he did not pull out the Oricalchos. Instead he pulled out...a new mechanic!

OK.

Fine, whatever. I don’t go over cards in this show so I don’t have to even worry about this.

And Rebecca and Duke freakin lost, because Duke is never allowed to win. Rebecca may have won if Duke didn’t join this battle with his ass luck, just throwing that out there.

And Mai is like “wow, Valon is doing a really good job. He’s right, he IS amazing”

and she bolts.

And back on the tracks, we see another group of our protagonists sprawled on the desert floor.

REALLY lucky that this train track only has one operating train that is currently out of commission because you should not lie down on a track like this. Probably goes without saying that this is a great way to die. But youknow...the world is also ending so sure, why not? Getting killed by a train is probably more pleasant than the Leviathan.

And then, because we MUST talk about commuting, lets see Kaiba’s commute on this huge ass very normal plane.

I know.

That’s just a normal ass plane.

Even Kaiba needs to take a break youknow? And maybe since he hallucinated last time he drove a plane he decided to just...not drive one for a while. Probably a good move.

On the way, we get to see Seto’s form of parental advice. It was weird.

Like in the actual dialogue of the show Seto is just SO CLOSE to giving good advice and then just slips in these chestnuts where it’s like...well that’s gonna be like 12 years of therapy for Mokuba in the future Seto, thanks for that.

Also lets welcome back Seto’s dueling jacket. Been a while, big sleeves.

Also, the Aurora Borealis has also hit the plane, which is very Twilight Zone of them.

...

Correct me if I’m wrong but Alister was in Dartz’ room during that convo with Mai.

like...just a few hours ago?

Was that a hologram of Alister in Dartz’ boardroom or did the animation team forget?

Oh Alister.

Also, I just want to point out that the same day Seto sent Roland out to fix his problems, was the same day that Kaiba got hella abducted, just a few hours later. Man, Roland. Turn around for like 2 minutes and Seto’s back into cards, they’re both abducted by cultists, and they’re both half-way across the world to California. It must be hard to be Roland.

Anyway, if you just got here this is a link to read the rest in chrono order. All four seasons.

Hope y’all are staying safe in this Pandemic time, goes without saying. Been a weird couple of weeks, but thankfully the internet is still here to help us all keep sanity.

[splendidlyimperfect]

Thank you so much to everyone who has been so patient with me and this story! I know it’s been forever since I updated and I appreciate you all <3

-----

When Natsu’s morning commute gets interrupted by a cute guy helping a turtle cross the road, Natsu thinks it’ll just be a funny story to tell later. But then Sting shows up at Natsu’s café, with his cute accent and sweet smile, and Natsu starts to fall in love a bit. Which wouldn’t be a problem, except that Natsu already loves Gray. Then Natsu introduces them, and Gray starts falling too.

Sting’s always been easily infatuated - with the cute air steward, the scuba instructor, the pretty guy at the grocery store - but he’s never loved anyone other than Rogue. So when Sting meets Natsu and Gray and starts to feel like maybe this time, the infatuation is more than just a crush, he’s not sure what to do, even when Rogue feels the same way.

Chapter Summary: Gray meets the cats at the zoo, Natsu sees Rogue with a ponytail, they all spend more time together and feelings are confusing.

Chapters (3/?): 1 | 2 | 3 Pairings: Gray/Natsu, Sting/Rogue, Gray/Natsu/Sting/Rogue Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Aged-Up Character(s), Polyamory, Friends to Lovers, Mutual Pining, Crushes, Fluff, Flirting, First Kiss, Relationship Negotiation, Sting and Rogue have accents and Gray and Natsu can’t handle it, Dorks in Love, they’re all such awkward flirts, and they’re so gay for each other

-----

Tuesday came faster than Gray expected, but the day itself crawled by. He alternated between looking forward to seeing Sting again and panicking about the bright bubbly sensation in his chest that he hadn’t felt since he’d met Natsu.

Breathe, Natsu texted him halfway through the day. I can feel you freaking out from here. He invited you, you’re gonna be fine.

Gray sighed, rubbing his face and trying to take Natsu’s advice.

By the time he got to the zoo, it was only an hour before closing. When Gray told the ticket-taker that he was looking for Sting, she waved him through without paying and pointed him toward the large cat exhibit.

Gray’s shadow stretched out in front of him as he wandered down the well-tended paths. The zoo had changed so much since he was a kid, and even with the directions from the information desk, it took Gray nearly twenty minutes to find the glass-walled enclosure on the other side of the park.

There was a crowd of people around the window – mostly young children that were squealing and jumping up and down – and Gray moved around them curiously until he was able to see what they were all looking at.

At the front of the enclosure was a natural-looking swimming pool, crisscrossed with logs and ropes and surrounded by enormous toys. Sting was waist-deep in the water, holding his arms out to a frightened-looking tiger cub that was pacing back and forth along the bank.

“Carla’s a little more nervous than her brother, so we’re gonna give her a hand.” Sting’s voice came through the speakers and Gray realized he was wearing a headset. “Tigers are one of the big cats that love the water, so once we get her in, she’ll be just fine.”

Gray felt his heart melt as he watched Sting move closer to the cub, making a soft purring sound to soothe her. Carla looked uncertainly at him, dipping one paw into the water and then backing away, shaking it off.

“C’mon, darling,” Sting murmured, making the gentle sound again. “You’re all right.” The gentle lilt of Sting’s accent captivated Gray, and he couldn’t help the soft smile that crossed his face as he watched Sting stroke the tiger cub’s fur.

Continue reading on AO3

“Carla needs a bit of encouragement,” Sting said over the headset, turning to look at the kids in the crowd around the enclosure. “I’m gonna give her a little ride and introduce her to the water.”

Carla pawed uncertainly at Sting and he made the purring sound again, nudging her until she clambered up onto his back like a child taking a piggyback ride. Then he slowly moved into the deeper water until Carla’s paws were touching it, making gentle sounds of reassurance.

“There you go,” Sting said, slowly turning around and guiding Carla into the water. “See? Not so bad after all.” Carla’s eyes were wide, but she reluctantly started to kick her back legs while Sting held onto her front paws. “Good girl,” he said softly.

Once Carla was happily swimming with Lily, Sting stepped out of the water and waved to the kids gathered around the glass. The rest of the presentation consisted of facts about tigers, but all Gray could focus on was the way Sting’s wet shirt clung to his chest. It made Gray’s stomach twist in ways that made him think of Natsu, followed by the low, thrumming guilt that had been following him around since Natsu had brought Sting home for dinner.

~

“Come on in!” Sting opened the gate for Gray, squeezing Gray’s arm as he stepped into the enclosure. It was hot and humid, and Gray’s shirt was already sticking to his back. “It’s good to see you,” Sting said, pulling Gray into a hug. The gesture was so comfortable and familiar; like they’d known each other for years instead of days.

“This is amazing,” Gray said as Sting headed toward a small building at the back of the enclosure. The area was filled with tall trees, and on the other side of a glass wall, Gray could just make out a large white tiger settled next to the pool from earlier. “Is that Frosch?”

“Yeah!” Sting looked at Frosch fondly as she flicked her tail back and forth, yawning and basking in the sun. “I’d love for you to meet her – I've known her since she was a cub – but once they get that big, they’re a bit too dangerous for strangers. I still play with them sometimes, but they know who I am.”

Gray sighed wistfully and Sting laughed, nudging his shoulder. “The cubs are a lot smaller though,” Sting said, opening the door of the small building and gesturing for Gray to step inside. He locked it firmly behind them, then asked, “You wanna meet them?”

The lights in the building were dim, and Gray followed Sting down a short hallway that opened into a larger room with glass walls and several ropes and large toys strewn about. The two tiger cubs from earlier were wrestling with each other in the center of the room, nipping at each other’s necks.

“Carla! Lily!” Sting made the same soft purring sound as earlier and both cubs immediately perked up, separating from each other and running toward the gate. “C’mere my loves,” Sting said, reaching out and letting them sniff his hand. “I brought you a friend.”

Gray’s eyes widened as Sting gently took his hand and moved it toward the cubs. The pass of Sting’s thumb across Gray’s palm was electric, and Gray was glad when one of the cubs sniffed him and he could pass his sharp intake of breath off as surprise.

“Good girl,” Sting murmured, letting go of Gray’s hand and stroking one of the cubs behind the ears. Gray immediately missed the contact. “They’ve been hand-raised so they’re pretty used to humans,” Sting explained. “Their mom passed when they were born so the zoo’s been taking care of them. Once they’re big enough, they’ll be integrated back with the others, but they’re only nine weeks old, so they’re basically big kittens.”

“They’re adorable,” Gray said, laughing when one of the cubs headbutted his hand and made a noise that was almost a meow. “Not going to lie, I am insanely jealous of your job.”

Sting laughed, scratching underneath one of the cubs’ chins and running his thumb over her nose. “I wouldn’t want to do anything else,” he said.

Once the cubs were used to Gray, Sting opened the gate and the two of them sat down on the floor as the cubs climbed on them curiously. Carla ended up in Gray’s lap, making the strange purring sound that Sting had been making earlier.

“It’s called ‘chuffing,’” Sting explained as Lily ran off to grab one of his toys – a knotted rope that he brought back to Sting and tugged at playfully. “If you do it back, it’s like saying hello.”

Gray’s cheeks flushed as he attempted the sound. Carla seemed pleased, pawing at his arm before jumping off his lap and onto Lily. The movement pushed Gray a little closer to Sting so that their knees were touching, and Gray swallowed before relaxing against him.

“Thanks for letting me visit,” Gray said, smiling as he watched the cubs play. “Natsu’s a pain in the ass, but he’s right, I really do love cats.”

Sting laughed, leaning back on his hands but keeping his leg pressed against Gray’s. “You and me both,” he said. “And you can visit any time.”

“Oh,” Gray said, biting his lip to hide the grin that threatened to appear. “Thanks.”

“Yeah.”

A gentle silence grew between them, interrupted only by the soft growls and playful sounds of Carla and Lily. It reminded Gray of the quiet evenings he and Natsu spent together with Happy, and the confused, guilty sensation started to swell in his chest again.

Luckily, his phone vibrating saved him from the feeling, and he pulled it out to see a text from Natsu.

Rogue came by the café and he’s got his hair in a fucking ponytail, I’m having a gay crisis. Is it a terrible idea to invite them over again?

Gray snorted, then looked over at Sting, who was watching the cubs with a soft smile and bright eyes. He sighed, then typed out, Maybe, but when has that ever stopped you? I’ll make burgers. He hit ‘send,’ then sighed and added, Also, Sting has dimples, you’re not the only one having a crisis.

Then he turned to Sting, nudging him with his knee and asking, “You wanna come over for supper?”

~

Dinner together became a regular occurrence. Rogue and Sting started joining them at Thursday trivia nights, and they were welcomed eagerly by Lucy and Erza. Saturday nights were spent showing Rogue and Sting around the city, and Gray started visiting the zoo every Tuesday to spend time with Sting and the cubs.

At first, Natsu felt guilty. He and Gray would spend the time after their get-togethers talking quietly about their mutual attraction to Sting and Rogue and what it meant for the two of them. But neither Sting nor Rogue mentioned it when Gray complimented Rogue’s hair, or when Natsu wrapped an arm around Sting to celebrate a win at trivia night.

In fact, both of them reciprocated. More than once Natsu found Rogue’s foot resting against his under the table at the restaurant, or Sting would lean into Gray while he laughed, tipsy from a few too many glasses of wine. Casual touching quickly became normal, and Natsu found himself looking forward to those soft, gentle moments of intimacy between the four of them.

~

“Is it starting to feel like home?” Natsu asked after a few weeks. He nudged Rogue, who was sitting next to him at the café. The editing office where Rogue had started working was just around the corner, and he’d taken to visiting Natsu for most of his lunch breaks.

“It’s getting there,” Rogue said, taking a sip of his coffee. “I like it. People stare at us less.” Natsu frowned in confusion. “I’m black, Sting’s white,” Rogue elaborated. “And we’re gay. We lived in a small town, people were conservative... apartheid wasn’t really that long ago. Most people were nice, but sometimes it sucked. My parents haven’t talked to me since Sting and I started dating.”

“Shit, I’m sorry.” Natsu played with the rim of his coffee cup. “I never really thought about that.”

Rogue shrugged. “Sting’s worth it.” The smile that crept across his face made Natsu’s stomach do something complicated that he didn’t quite understand. “What about your family?” Rogue asked.

“Gray’s parents are great,” Natsu said, shifting his feet and resting them on the edge of Rogue’s chair. “His dad works in business and is always texting me asking how to say stuff in Japanese to impress his clients.” Rogue laughed. “My parents took a while to come around – mostly ‘cause Gray’s a guy, not ‘cause he’s black. But they’re fine with it now.”

They spent the rest of Rogue’s lunch hour together, and Natsu couldn’t stop thinking about how easy it was to talk to him. At one point, Rogue shifted his foot on the stool and his calf brushed up against Natsu’s. Neither of them mentioned it, but neither of them moved away, either.  

When Rogue finally left, kissing Natsu’s cheek and heading up to his office, Natsu could feel Lucy’s curious eyes watching the interaction. He stared at the door for a long time after Rogue left, taking deep breaths and desperately trying to understand the feelings he couldn’t control.

~

“You’re telling me you’ve never seen ��Star Wars?’”

Natsu sat on the couch at Sting and Rogue’s place, gesturing at both of them with his empty glass and giving them an incredulous look. It was nearly two months after their move, and Sting had insisted on Natsu and Gray coming to their place for dinner this time, even though they still didn’t have a kitchen table.

Sting laughed, nudging Rogue with his shoulder.

“Nope,” he said. “We’re probably the only people on the planet who haven’t, at this point.” He grabbed another slice of pizza from the box on the table, then settled back onto the couch, kicking his feet up over the armrest.

“We’re gonna have to fix that, right, babe?” Natsu said, looking down at Gray, who was sitting on the floor next to the couch. Gray tipped his head back and hummed in agreement. “You guys have Netflix?” Sting nodded, gesturing to the remote on the coffee table. “You wanna watch the first one right now?”

“You’re lucky he’s only asking about the first one,” Gray said, rolling his eyes. “When we met, he was so affronted that I hadn’t seen it that we had to watch the original trilogy in one sitting.”

“You liked it,” Natsu grumbled, flicking Gray’s ear.  

“To be fair,” Gray said, laughing as he ducked out the way, “I didn’t really pay much attention to the second two. We were a bit preoccupied.”

Natsu was about to argue when he noticed the pink blush that had spread across Sting’s cheeks. An affectionate feeling bubbled in Natsu’s chest at the sight and he bit back a sigh, running his fingers through Gray’s hair instead.

“Shush, you,” he grumbled, nudging Gray toward the remote. “Maybe this time you’ll pay attention.”

~

Halfway through the movie, Natsu realized his mistake. Sting, who had been previously curled up against Rogue, yawned and stretched, and when he settled back onto the couch, his shoulder pressed up against Natsu’s. The touch sent a thrill through Natsu, and he held his breath, trying his best not to move.

“They’re gonna end up together, aren’t they?” Sting asked, tipping his head toward Natsu as he gestured to Han and Leia on the screen. His voice was low and soft, and it sent a tight, hot feeling straight to Natsu’s stomach.

“Can’t tell you that, ‘s a spoiler,” Natsu replied, holding in a sharp breath when Sting’s hand shifted towards his and their fingers brushed. “They, uh…” He trailed off, torn between leaning away from Sting and moving closer.

Sting made the decision for him when he moved again, and this time his hand ended up on Natsu’s knee. Natsu’s heart jumped at the touch, and he peeked guiltily over at Rogue from the corner of his eye. Gray, who was still on the floor, had shifted over, and Natsu realized that he’d tipped his head back against Rogue’s leg. Rogue’s hand hovered not far from Gray’s hair, and Natsu could see his own hesitation mirrored on Rogue’s face.

The uncomfortable sensation that Natsu would have felt if anyone else had wanted to touch Gray never surfaced. Instead, all Natsu could think about was how much Gray would enjoy Rogue’s fingers in his hair, and how much Natsu wanted to hold Sting’s hand.

Natsu swallowed, making up his mind. “Rogue, I think Gray’s got some—something in his hair.”

Rogue blinked, looking over Sting’s head at Natsu and then back down at Gray’s hair that definitely had nothing in it. “Here?” he asked quietly, fingers brushing uncertainly through the hair behind Gray’s ear.

Natsu watched as Gray tensed for a second, then sighed happily and leaned back into the touch. Rogue was tentative at first, but when Natsu didn’t say anything, he grew a bit bolder, sliding his fingers gently through Gray’s hair.

Sting was watching too, quiet and warm beside Natsu, and Natsu took the opportunity to gently run his finger against the side of Sting’s hand. There was a moment of hesitation, and then Sting slipped his hand into Natsu’s.

A warm, comfortable sense of contentment and rightness settled into Natsu’s chest and he let out a quiet sigh, relaxing against Sting. Out the corner of his eye he watched Rogue’s face light up with a smile as he drew his fingers gently through Gray’s hair.

Sting yawned, shifting again and sliding his fingers between Natsu’s, then tipping his head onto Natsu’s shoulder. Natsu hummed happily, running his thumb along Sting’s as a warm thrill ran through him.

It was exhilarating and terrifying, and Natsu just wished he knew what it meant.

[itsclydebitches]

Battle -  Pepper has some opinions regarding Madame Tracy's new look.

“Here we are. Isn’t this lovely?”

Pepper, as a rule, hated when grownups lied. There was nothing ‘lovely’ about the apartment complex she was currently getting dragged into. Everything was painted in shades of beige and it smelled exactly like her Nan’s place: mothballs and hand cream. On second thought though, it made a certain amount of horrible sense. She’d seen the decor of Aziraphale’s bookshop, so it was entirely possible that he did think this place was some kind of lovely.

She would have rather he lied.

“Do I really have to stay here?” Pepper asked, but she already knew the whine was going to fall on deaf ears. They’d all been playing hot potato with her since this morning. First Dad said he couldn’t drive her into the city for her dance lesson because he’d been called into an unexpected meeting. Then Mom said she couldn’t either because Mrs. Miller down the road was ill and you know she has no one else to help her. Each left the house that morning not realizing that the other wasn’t picking up the slack. So she’d ridden to the Young’s house, only to be told that Mr. Young was already at work and Mrs. Young would love to take her, really, but she’d just put a stew in that needed watching up until dinner. Why in the world do you need to go out during winter break? Pepper was about to head down to Brian’s when Adam suggested calling Crowley instead, their discussion producing the same passively bemused expression on Mrs. young’s face that appeared whenever something Armageddon related got mentioned. She’d handed Adam the phone without fuss.

Except instead of a demon in a Bentley she got an angel on a bus, one that definitely didn’t have a route out this far. Pepper was left scrounging up change for a very confused driver while Azirphale miracled her into a warmer coat and Adam snickered at the door. To quote the bastard who’d abandoned her, could she get a wahoo?

Now Pepper was getting fostered off on this lady.

“Terribly sorry about this,” Aziraphale was saying, puttering into Madame Tracy’s apartment and pulling her along for the ride. “Crowley went and got himself discorporated, can you imagine? Really, he never takes care of the bodies he’s given. Normally I wouldn’t pay him any mind, let the fool stew for a couple of decades, that's what I say. But given everything that’s happened I hate the thought of him down there for any considerable length of time.” Aziraphale looped the chain of his pocket-watch round and round his finger. For the first time that day Pepper decided to keep her mouth shut. “I intend to put a bit of pressure on Below with the hope that they’ll assign him a new body sooner rather than later. Perhaps even perform a summoning if necessary. If us angels are capable of a discorporated existence on this plane then it should be old hat for a demon of Crowley’s age. Oh, but of course you already know all that—”

Madame Tracy took Aziraphale’s twitching hand, giving it a pat. “He’ll be just fine. As will Pepper.” For the first time today an adult actually looked at her. “We’ll have great fun until your Dad picks you up, won’t we?”

“Eh,” said Pepper.

“You go off and give Crowley a hand. Tell him he’s more than welcome to share my body if he needs a place to stay.”

That brightened Aziraphale considerably. He gushed a couple more thanks, saying that yes, they just might take her up on that offer, before bending to sweep a hand through Pepper’s hair. She squirmed—what, did he think she was five?—but by then Aziraphale was already out the door, muttering something about occult incantations and misplaced books.

Kind of amazing. That this was her life and all.

“Well,” Madame Tracy said, surveying Pepper with the same look a butcher might give a yet ungraded cut of meat. “This is a surprising way to spend one’s Thursday.”

“You’re telling me,” and Pepper chucked her dance bag into the corner.

“Ballet?”

“Tap.”

“Can I see a bit?”

“...No.”

“Fair enough.” Madame Tracy chuckled. “I’d show you some of my burlesque, but I don’t think you’re old enough for that yet.”

Pepper was left with her mouth hanging open as Madame Tracy wandered into the kitchen.

Actually, it wasn’t that surprising now that she thought about it. Pepper cast her mind back to that day at the airbase, picturing the woman who’d drawn her attention by arguing with herself before trying to shoot her best friend. That woman had fit in perfectly with the rest of the insanity around them, flaming swords and dying whales and Adam with glowing eyes. Pepper remembered thinking, in the disconnected way you notice things when everything else has gone to shit, that her wild hair was a much better red than that War lady’s. Her dress was objectively horrible, but it suited her, somehow. Pepper didn’t even know how she could say what suited a woman she’d barely met, but out of everything she could question that day, this wasn’t something Pepper was inclined to put much energy towards. The point was Madame Tracy had looked fun. Kooky, but fun.

“What happened to you?”

This Madame Tracy, the one whose hair had been washed of that fiery color, whose shirt matched the beige walls, no more makeup or big, sparkling jewelry, she paused in the act of making tea and hunched her shoulders, silent. Pepper wasn’t stupid. She’d heard all about Madame Tracy getting together with that guy she’d arrived with. The ‘finger guy’ as Brain called him and the horrible implications of that nickname were precisely why it had stuck. He’d been all critical and blustery. Calling Madame Tracey a ‘whore.’ Pepper might have said something if they hadn’t all been preoccupied with other things.

But hell, she could say them now. Pepper looked at the laundry pile on the kitchen table, a man’s shirts stacked on top. Looked next to Madame Tracy’s equally bland top. She put two and two together and came up with something like four.

She crossed her arms, all her weight settling into one hip. Pepper wished she had gum so she could pop it. “Right. You love this asshole?”

“Pepper.”

“I’m just calling it like I see it. Do you?”

Madame Tracy’s bright, artificial, I’m-suddenly-interacting-with-a-child-and-trying-too-hard smile melted into something soft. “Yes.”

“Well, can’t account for taste. But I’m gonna tell you a story. You listening? Because I charged Wensleydale five Wonder Woman comics and a chocolate bar for this same advice. Be grateful you’re getting it for free.” Almost free anyway. She might not have gum, but there was a selection of muffins on the counter. Pepper grabbed one on top before hopping up next to it. “Once upon a time my uncle told my mom she was too old to get another tattoo. She told him to flush his head in the toilet. The end.” Mmm, poppy-seed.

Madame Tracy, meanwhile, was wringing her hands. Huh. Kinda looked like Aziraphale. “No, no. It’s not as if Mr. Shadwell has ever said I couldn’t—wait. Why were you telling Wensleydale this?”

“He wanted his ears pierced. I did it for him. It’s super easy. I mean, as long as the guy you’re doing it on doesn’t squirm that much. Wensleydale kinda has two piercings on his left ear now.”

“Oh good lord.”

“Are you sure you and Aziraphale aren’t still sharing a body?”

“Now see here, young lady.” Madame Tracy marched up with what she probably thought was an intimidating air, but after an hour of Mrs. Rogenspern’s tap instruction no beast could have scared Pepper, let alone a friend. “You seem to be fond of making snap judgments, so let's set the record straight. Mr. Shadwell and I are very happy together and part of being happy means making accommodations for the person you love. It... unsettles him to have me be so,” she gestured at the whole of herself and Pepper dutifully imagined something other than that horrible wool skirt. “Flamboyant. A few sacrifices are a part of a healthy relationship. You’ll—”

“If you say ‘understand when you’re older’ I’m filling the toe of a shoe with peanut butter. And no, you won’t know which one until you’re wearing it.”

Madame Tracy blinked.

“Besides, if a healthy relationship is all about sacrifice how come Mr. Shadwell isn’t making any? If you can put up with his stupid, misogynistic comments then he can damn well put up with your wardrobe.”

“Language,” she said, but it was an automatic response. The kind of thing adults said when they didn’t know what else to say so wahoo. Progress.

Pepper jumped down from the counter. She came up and took Madame Tracy's hand, tugging. “Listen to me for just half an hour. That’s it. You can pretend you only did it to entertain me, if it makes you feel better. Tell him the same if you want.”

Insults aside, there was a comfort between them. Pepper guessed that’s what happened when you were two of three women in a six men set. Which meant that later, when Madame Tracy went rigid over the sink and started speaking in what some might term tongues, Pepper just went on eating her third muffin. When it was over—damn but possession took time—Madame Tracy looked back up into the mirror and yellow, slit eyes stared back. Crowley blinked.

“Kid? What are you doing here? We’re babysitting for a bit. Lovely to have you back among us! Eh, thanks? Wait, are we dying your hair purple?”

“Uh huh,” Pepper said, tossing the muffin wrapper at their chest. They caught it with a fumble. “Purple’s gonna look great with your eyes. Now help me talk her into a nose piercing before my dad gets here.”

Pepper wasn’t sure who was smiling at her then. Didn’t really matter.

"Nose piercing? Nah, they're out of style nowadays. Trust me, we want one in our brow."

Point was she’d won.

[texanredrose]

Dear Diary - June

aka “Useless Lesbian Observes Other Useless Lesbians, Featuring Blake Belladonna, Who Is Both the Only Sane Woman And Too Much of a Gay Mess To Make Use of That”

June 1st- Dear Diary, I know I said I outgrew you years ago, but I find myself in the unique position of being surrounded by idiots. Moreso than usual, at any rate. Yang- that brute from the boxing team- has become a dear enough friend to me since graduation that I decided to invite her to my birthday party earlier this year. Her sister, Ruby, has truly been the best friend I could’ve hoped for- barring a few... unfortunate incidents... that we swore to never speak of again- and I’d thought she’d come along as a plus one anyway, but the personal invitation seemed to be the better route and while I wasn’t disappointed by including her, it’s quickly devolved into a constant source of frustration for me. At the party, she met Winter, and they are quite possibly the gayest, most oblivious twits on the face of Remnant. I am positively suffering, Diary. I can only stand them dancing around each other for so long! Not to say they wouldn’t make a cute couple- Winter somehow appreciates Yang’s terrible sense of humor and Yang’s always been the supportive sort, and she doesn’t seem the least bit put off by Penny, something I can only take as a good sign- but I’m caught in the precarious situation of full well knowing they could be together but not being able to convey that effectively. Yang’s too hardheaded to do anything other than what she wants to, when she wants to, and Winter possesses the same aversion to ‘good natured advice’ as I do, so I’m forced to be subtle. Yet, the hints I’ve already tried dropping to both of them may as well have been given to a brick wall and a statue, respectively. I don’t think they’re intentionally being obtuse but I’m forced to wonder how metaphorically blind someone must be to miss the signs of attraction between them. How long until they drive me insane? Or until the sexual tension suffocates the rest of us? I’ll let you know, Diary.

p.s. I suppose I should mention this, if only to try to work it out for myself. For the past few months, I’ve been discussing the whole ridiculous issue with Blake. I know Ruby would rather not be privy to her sister’s romantic pursuits, even if she did make it known that she holds the same opinion as I do regarding a potential relationship between our sisters, so my options have been limited when it comes to frank, open discussion. But I’ve noticed she’s acting a bit... odd, recently. I mentioned that, were I Winter, I would absolutely consider Yang’s ‘friendly gift’ of a hand-picked flower bouquet- regardless of the excuse- a romantic overture. The next day, Blake showed me a collection of flowers she’d picked when Yang went and let me have them- a beautiful collection, I might add; she certainly has a tasteful eye for compositions. When I reminded her of my words the day before, she just... turned around and walked away. Quickly. I’m not quite sure what to make of it.

June 4th- Dear Diary, I decided to be proactive. If Yang and Winter deign to continue dancing around each other, than I’ll simply have to coax the two of them together myself, now won’t I? Unfortunately, it’s easier said than done.

I thought it would be easiest to give them a comfortable, casual setting, so I cajoled Ruby and Blake into helping me organize a dinner of the sort Ruby and Yang recalled from their childhoods- a bar-bee-queue, though I’m not sure if that’s the proper spelling. While the food itself was delicious, the mingling portion attracted a few more people than I anticipated. First Jaune showed up, which I probably should’ve anticipated seeing as he remained close friends with Ruby, and he’d brought Pyrrha along. On its own, innocent enough, but I should’ve expected Yang’s penchant for showboating to turn a game of horseshoes into a competition and that Pyrrha would be too polite to decline, and one should never introduce a Schnee to something competitive and expect things not to escalate. Although I’ll admit it’s the most I’ve seen Winter smile in a long while- perhaps since she finalized Penny’s adoption- things quickly got out of hand when Nora and Ren showed up, mainly because of the former and not the latter. Long story made short: there were firecrackers involved, a debate on the proper ratios of gunpowder, the fire department eventually showed up, and we are never letting Ruby ‘prove a point’ in such a fashion again. Thankfully, Winter’s extensive research into first aid ended up being quite useful, though I still believe she’s being a touch paranoid in regards to Penny. She babies the young woman so very much- and much to the contrary of what’s been implied by others, I’m not, in the slightest bit, jealous that Penny’s being treated with kid gloves while Winter gave me more of a ‘tough love’ treatment; our situations are entirely different and we’ve come to terms with the difficulties of our pasts, and I honestly wouldn’t trade the bond we have now as sisters for anything in the world- but I suppose it does have its merits. And watching Yang’s absolutely lovestruck expression while Winter tended to everyone’s wounds, that dopey grin that makes her look like she’s just waking up after a surgery... I’ll admit, I’d rather like for someone to look at me like that. Not in public, perhaps, because she probably should have paid more attention to the firefighter asking her questions, but I’m quite certain Yang would worship Winter if given the chance, and I am trying very hard to ignore the double entendre, dust damnit, I’ve been hanging out with that buffoon too long.

What I mean is, I know Yang would be good for Winter, and Winter’s come so very far in showing open affection since she became Penny’s guardian. I just don’t know how to make them see that. It was positively comical watching them amid the chaos- every time Yang would be wearing that dopey grin, Winter would be entirely focused on the task at hand, while whenever Winter anxiously looked her way, Yang would be trying to cheer up Pyrrha or Jaune- which reminds me, I should check in with them, they seemed a bit shaken up after the explosion- or joking with the firefighters, and watching the relief and softness that came to her expression...

For all our difficulties in the past, I love my sister deeply, and I am resolute in helping her get together with Yang. I truly believe they could be the exact sort of supportive partner the other needs. Now, if they’d only stop being oblivious idiots and assist me, that’d be swell.

Also... well, I didn’t get a chance to mention this during the party itself due to all the excitement but... Blake wore this stunning summer dress and earrings in both sets of ears and I am once again awestruck by both her inherent beauty and her knack for bringing it out in such a subtle way. If I hadn’t been so focused on watching Yang and Winter, I’d probably have found it difficult to look away from her. If there is a bright side to this whole mess, it’s that I’m getting to spend more time with Blake. I’m rather peeved at myself for not doing so before; she’d absolutely delightful company- witty and reserved but passionate and dedicated. I think I should invite her to the mall the next time I go; I’d love to have her opinion on a dress for the gala in a few months.

And hasn’t that given me an idea.

June 13th- Dear Diary, So far, my attempts to convince Winter to ask Yang to the gala have been met with reactions varying from stammered excuses to outright refusals. Apparently, Winter’s of the mind that Yang would absolutely detest such a stuffy affair, and while I don’t think she’s wrong, I also know that Yang is a woman of many skills, and blending in when she wants to happens to be one of them. However, all my efforts on that front have been met with limited success, so I’m forced to try cajoling Yang into giving her opinion on the matter without being quite so obvious in setting her up to do so. Thankfully, Blake’s been a true friend and brought it up during our game session the other night. Oh, she tried avoiding the question at first, but very quickly, Yang stopped dancing around and said that she’d always wanted to go to a ‘fancy party’ but lacked the funds for an appropriately stylish gown. She expressed a sincere concern that her concept of ‘fancy’ and the standard fare for the gala were worlds apart but, other than that, seemed rather interested in attending- which is more than I can say for either of us who are invited.

Well, if there’s one thing the past few years have taught me, it’s that good friends can’t be bought, but money can make the lives of good friends much better. Naturally, when Winter brought up going shopping this weekend for our outfits, I invited along Yang and Blake as well. The four of us doing a little bonding and shopping, what could go wrong? Winter perhaps saw through my attempt at feigning nonchalance with the suggestion, but agreed all the same. Even if she won’t admit it, I think my suggestion is taking root.

I will keep you updated, Diary. Right now, I think it’s the only thing preserving my senses. Oh, and I’m rather looking forward to what sort of attire Blake might opt to wear. I floated the idea that I can’t possibly keep tabs on both Winter and Yang throughout the night alone and asked if she would mind accompanying me. She responded to the idea positively, and I’m glad Yang as such a stalwart friend to look out for her. Maidens know she needs a few, with the way she carries on. I think I might start keeping a closer eye on her; with a friend like Yang, she’s bound to need someone to lean on herself from time to time, and while I have no doubts as to Yang’s abilities to look out for her best friend, I’m sure Blake could always use a little extra support. And, really, she deserves it. Our outing to the mall turned out rather nice; perhaps she’d like to join me for a run through the park one of these mornings? I realize she’s not as interested in maintaining the rigorous fitness regimen she’d kept while a member of the track and field team, but a little job in the morning isn’t too much, right? Considering her figure, I’m sure she’s still athletic enough for it.

I feel like I should at least make the offer and hope for the best.

June 17th- Dear Diary, On the one hand, success. It took only one look at Yang in a beautiful white gown that accentuated her figure while remaining modest- so much like the one she wore to the Spring Formal during our Sophomore year at college- and Winter could hardly form words. I’ve never seen my sister so gobsmacked in twenty two years of being on this planet. Some part of me is absolutely ecstatic; when I suggested Yang attend the gala with Winter, no one objected. Winter just nodded, as if the power of speech eluded her completely, and I’d be willing to wager Yang had a similar reaction to Winter’s choice of a white tuxedo with blue accents, even if I personally find it a bit... cliche, at least when it comes to Winter. She never did take a liking to dresses, for some reason. Anyway, Yang’s eyes positively lit up, but she retained the power of speech rather effortlessly. She’s always been the resilient one, bouncing back from even the hardest hit.

On the other hand, I... believe I may have miscalculated on something. Blake looked absolutely gorgeous in her selected gown- purples and blacks that made her amber eyes pop out like freshly polished gemstones- but she seemed almost shy when I said as much. I’m concerned; being around Blake is so easy, effortless even- it’s not like Ruby’s high energy or Yang’s sustained exposure, or even Winter’s strong insistence or Penny’s genuinely clueless demeanor. I’m not sure if her sudden shift to being more distant is a sign that my company is unwanted- the very thought puts a pain in my chest, to be frank- or if there’s something else. Perhaps she’s self conscious? It was just a few years ago when we were... less than cordial with each other, and now she’ll be hopefully attending the gala with me to help get Winter and Yang together. It might put her in an awkward position.

I’ll simply have to ensure there’s no lingering discomfort.

6 - 20

Okay. So, like, I haven’t done this in a while- like, a LONG time- but I remember it used to help me figure things out when I was younger, kinda like a to-do list for processing the things I could barely understand after Mom died. I think some therapist suggested it to me, I dunno- not the point.

What IS the point? Straight up: I am falling faster than a sky diving elephant with a tungsten parachute and I have no clue what to do.

I guess I could go back to the beginning, just real quick, because maybe mapping it out will show me what to do next, like, as if I could just draw out a time line and figure out when would be a good time to make the next move- provided I even COULD to begin with, because I’ve been a mess recently, lemme tell ya.

Anyway, so this chick, Weiss- great gal, a bit uppity at the start but that’s mostly passed, a real sweetheart once you get past the frosty exterior- invited Rubes and me over to her birthday party. I figured no big, bring a gift, eat some cake, try not to get kicked out, the usual when it comes to dealing with people who’ve yet to embrace the sacred art of The Pun.

Well, there I was, minding my own business, when I turn and come face-to-face with Weiss’ sister, Winter. She’s mentioned her before- taller, more severe, more exacting, the product of too high expectations and military training pushing her to the limits and her somehow not breaking but coming out jagged and jaded, all in all a rough sounding customer- but this is the NEW and IMPROVED Winter, after they’d reconciled and started fresh, and I’m just. I’m still not over it. I’ve almost steamrolled people before on accident- that’s what happens when ‘each muscle group has its own zip code’ as Blakey puts it- but I bumped into her and almost stumbled myself! Apparently, she’s been keeping up with the military physical regimen now that she’s out. So of course, my next thought is ‘this chick’s gonna deck me’ and I swear I saw it flash in her eyes, but then she just smiles that little Schnee smile, and apologizes- can you believe that! Straight up said the word ‘sorry’ like it was nothing! Geez, hard enough to get Weiss to say that, must run in the family (though, I should give the little frosty some credit, she’s gotten A LOT better since she started hanging out with us).

Well, anyway, I figure I should be polite, yeah? So, we start talking, and she mentions her daughter- she said ‘ward’ is a better term, but after I asked her if that meant she was secretly Batman, she laughed and agreed the word sounded a bit ridiculous out loud.

And, yeah, her laugh? It sounds R I D I C U L O U S. I swear, it’s like she’s so unused to actually LAUGHING that she hasn’t figured out how it’s supposed to sound. Ah, that probably sounds mean, but it’s not really a bad thing! Listening to how her laugh changed, became more natural as I kept telling jokes- honestly, I’m digging it!

So, anyway, I mention how I basically raised Ruby, and the convo started gettin... kinda heavy I guess? We started talking about regrets and stuff- things we wish we’d done differently, how proud we are that our sisters turned out so good after the hell they were put through. I get the feeling Winter blames herself for a lot of it and well... yeah, I can see that, but I can also see she’s trying to do better with Penny. Gave her some tips, told her to not lose faith in herself.

Look, I know it’s not much, but when she looked me dead in the eye and said she appreciated my advice, that it sounded smart and heartfelt? It got me. It’s been a while since someone didn’t take a look at either the muscles or the hair and assume I’ve got less between my ears than there is water in a Vacuon desert. Hell, even BLAKE gave me shit when I tried giving her advice, and she’s my best friend!

Anyway, that’s all a few months ago, and between then and now, I think I’ve gotten a pretty good read on Winter. She’s still trying to figure out how to be supportive without being abrasive and while she’s not super crazy about being called out on it, I think I’ve figured out how to do it without ticking her off. It’s worked a few times, anyway, and it made me feel good that I could help her out, like a friend would.

But, ya know, I’m also thinkin... maybe we could be more than friends? She’s smart, she’s strong, she’s dedicated almost to the point of being self destructive, and while she’s got some rougher areas, she’s genuinely trying to be a better person- for Weiss’ sake and Penny’s. I noticed she’s hugging both of them more than she used to, anyway, but that also might have something to do with a... kinda... near death experience that I had no part in whatsoever, nope, I did NOT start that. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!

Maybe it’s just my ego getting into it a bit but... I dunno. I mean, part of any relationship is growing together, while also growing as individuals, and everyone I’ve been with in the past romantically I’ve left in the dust. With Winter it’s like... yeah, she’s ahead of me in some ways, but way behind in others- she does know her way around an engine, though, lemme tell ya- and it’s a nice change. Because there’s things I can teach her and there’s things she’s teaching me, like how changing my posture helps improve my mood and stuff. She says half the work is mental but I dunno, I think she’s onto something.

Geez, now I’m even more confused. I mean, she laughs at my jokes, like REALLY laughs, and she doesn’t act like I’ve got some sort of reputation to live up to or stereotype to abide. I can just be ME and she seems to really like ME. But she doesn’t sugar coat ANYTHING; she definitely isn’t the type to beat around the bush. I’ve gotten so used to people just avoiding the bad spots in my past- I mention my bio mom abandoned me as a baby, and they stop mentioning moms altogether, even though I had a GREAT mom for a long time! It’s just little stuff like that- but Winter’s not the type of person to avoid the parts that hurt. When I started going off at the BBQ about finally getting a hint about Raven, she listened and encouraged me- cautioned me, too, because it’s been over twenty years and I get it, it’s not like I’m expecting a happy ending- but ya know. I can’t even get Dad to talk about her, and Ruby never knew her, and Qrow’s too drunk to speak any language more than half the time so... having someone to just talk to about the things that bother me who isn’t going to try and turn it around or something... it meant a lot.

But also, like... have I mentioned she’s drop dead gorgeous? Because she is. For whatever reason, Weiss invited me and Blakey on a shopping trip, looking at fancy dresses for this big party they have coming up, and I thought, ya know. I look good, I know it, so might as well try and hedge my bets, yeah? Picked out a nice dress- that I wouldn’t be able to afford if it wasn’t for Weiss spotting me the money, gotta figure out how to pay her back, I’d almost forgotten that part- and, yeah, I rocked it.

But Winter. Holy- there’s no words. I never really thought about it before but I have a weakness to women in suits, I’ve suddenly discovered, because my knees went WEAK. Like. 

Yeah, so writing this out isn’t doing me ANY good, obviously, because I can’t even figure out HOW TO WORD right now just remembering it. I just.

Winter ticks a lot of boxes for me. Blake says that’s an awful way to put it, like people are just a series of traits that can be easily put in boxes rather than a complex series of emotions and tendencies, but there’s no better way to put it! She’s not perfect by any means but I’m starting to see the woman beneath the rough exterior- it’s just like how Weiss took some time to open up and not be a total brat. 

And I really wanna be there to see it, up close.

I dunno. It’s probably me getting ahead of myself- wouldn’t be the first time- and I should cool my jets. From what Weiss has said, she’s still adjusting to life outside the military and they’re both getting used to freedom away from their family. Maybe I’m just excited- I love meeting new people, and Winter’s definitely a character in her own right, and Penny’s absolutely adorable, I think she hit it off with Ruby and they’re, like, best friends now.

I guess I’ll see where things go. I mean. I like her, but it’s only been a few months, so maybe this crush is entirely superficial and it’ll die out.

Oh, but I am going to the fancy party with her! I guess bringing someone along is a pretty big deal and it’d be a shame not to wear this dress somewhere. Probably won’t ever have a chance again.

Not sure I can curtsy in those heels, though. I think I’ll practice that and just get through the party, then worry about the rest. Think I’ll go pick some wildflowers for her again; she really seemed to like that.

Maybe there’s some merit to this ‘writing shit down’ thing after all.

20170623

Some part of me vehemently disagrees with the notion of recording my thoughts and feelings anywhere they might be found but I find myself at an impasse. Traditionally, if I encountered a problem, I would construct a sand table with whatever materials were available to me and work things out from there, but this isn’t the sort of problem that can be flanked or out maneuvered. I can at least take comfort in knowing that Penny won’t stumble onto this, so long as I keep it in my desk.

It’s been just over a year since I left the military service. Reintegration to civilian life has been... bumpy to say the least but progress is being made. I have a decent job, I have means of transport, and I make enough to support myself and Penny comfortably. By all accounts, I’m doing rather well and even James agrees. I certainly wouldn’t be this stable had I remained in the rotation, so leaving has proven to be the best solution to fit my needs.

However, I know there’s a long way to go in many respects. Weiss and I have begun repairing our relationship but I feel like there’s much more work to be done, especially after seeing the way she puts a mask on when Penny’s around. It hurts, knowing that my past transgressions will likely forever haunt me, but I can do little to change the past. Recent months have been better- Weiss has taken rather well to being called ‘Aunt’ and I think she’s just as ecstatic as I am regarding Penny’s development. She’s improved by leaps and bounds in several areas, such as conversation and picking up on social cues. How she survived for so long cut off from civilization is a mystery we may never be able to solve but I’m glad she has a home now. It’s given me a clear goal to focus on and has made the transition smoother.

Of course, trying to forge this new family dynamic isn’t the only source of... mixed results in my life post separation. Sometimes, I feel far too young to be raising a nineteen year old while simultaneously being too old to date casually. At twenty six, I realize I should probably be looking for a long term partner; the chance to ‘party’ and ‘sow my oats’ never interested me, so I let it pass me by. Unfortunately, this has left me rather... unprepared for finding long term companionship.

Upon reflection, perhaps the fact I’m calling it ‘long term companionship’ is a sign I might be... skirting the issue.

I want a girlfriend. There. That’s as direct as I can be.

I sound like a child.

It never came up while I served. It would be impractical to maintain a long term commitment with someone I’d hardly see. Dating within the ranks never worked out well for anyone- with the few exceptions, but even they had their tribulations to overcome. Any dates I went on prior to my tenure were borne of social obligation and nothing I, personally, wanted to do.

So the question becomes... where do I begin?

I’m tempted to default to what I know- it’s a goal to strive towards, which means it fits the definition of a mission, and I know how to accomplish those- but Yang’s encouraged me to step away from that mindset. The advice is sound but actually applying it... I’m not so sure.

Yang’s probably the only reason I’m entertaining any of this, truly. A friend of Weiss’ from university- we met earlier this year and she’s... been on my mind more and more as time wears on, truth be told. Lurking behind a brash personality is a very tender soul and I find myself drawn to how effortlessly she pours compliments and support to those she cares about, how quick she is to help even strangers, and how she’s a constant source of joy- even of the exasperated sort, though I can tell Weiss is more fond of her antics than she lets on- but I also see something beneath that. She acts unafraid yet there is fear; she acts strong enough to take on the world yet there is weakness; she puts on a mask but it’s for the benefit of others and not to protect herself. She gives gifts freely- she gives so much freely. It’s something I greatly admire.

Weiss has tried encouraging me recently to... get to know Yang better by inviting her to the upcoming gala. While the idea itself sounds amusing I’d hate to burden Yang with the dull pageantry of ‘high society’- a clever way of describing those with their heads buried up their ass.

Penny, if by some chance you find this, never repeat that last word. Never repeat any of this, in fact, and come find me right away. You know you aren’t supposed to go through my desk.

At any rate, Yang agreed to go, for no better reason than to show off her beautiful gown, and I must say, I never put much stock in fictional descriptions of love interests before. The way authors like to wax poetic about a prospective match for the protagonist- I found them laughable.

But I would be lying if I said I didn’t lose my breath when I saw her.

I find myself at a loss. Yang seems like the sort of person to have her choice of partner; all she has to do is look. Yet, she’s single, so there must be a reason. I’m not sure if I’m considered a close enough friend to inquire but she seemed rather insistent about not having a girlfriend or a boyfriend during the... barb EQ? I’m admittedly unsure how that’s spelled but whatever that gathering was... it brought to light a few things about Yang that make me at once more sure I would rather like getting to know her in a romantic sense and even more hesitant. She speaks of traveling to find her mother but I have a duty to stay here and help Penny through school; Ruby’s been a blessing in many ways and it’s good to see Penny with a friend her own age but, still. I think it would be good for Yang to get that closure but I’d be worried about her going alone.

I’m getting ahead of myself. I probably shouldn’t be acting as if a relationship is even viable without talking to Yang first, and doing that presents a number of issues itself.

My wrist is beginning to cramp and I’ve come no closer to figuring out where I stand. I like Yang and I enjoy her company but I’m not sure if things between us will or even can develop nor how to go about nudging them along.

I am, still, at an impasse.

June 30, 2017

I guess part of the appeal when it comes to blogging is the anonymity inherent in the design. Yet, it’s a double edged blade, because it wouldn’t take someone who knows me exceptionally well to put two and two together. Still, enough of you lovely readers seem invested in the real life soap opera that my personal life is turning into to warrant an explanation for my sporadic shouts into the void, so... here it is. More under the cut.

I mentioned how I’ve been getting closer to Princess these last few months. If you’re just tuning in to the drama, she’s the one I mentioned in my author’s note for Ninjas of Love: My Katana and how we’d... well, not started off great, but had significantly improved our relationship by the time I graduated. An enemies to friends sort of arrangement. Recently, it’s become... more than that. I knew she had her hang-ups and her issues- don’t we all?- but now it’s almost like she’s a completely different person- or rather, she’s finally the person she’s always wanted to be. She’s not being held back by outdated ideals and terrible misunderstandings of the world...

... but she’s a meddler.

You think I’m kidding but I’m not; she meddles. Her heart’s in the right place but there’s only so much that can be done about some things. You can lead a horse to water but you can’t force the horse to drink, as the saying goes, but she possesses the sort of will to make me sincerely doubt that age old wisdom.

Anyway, the whole issue is with Princess’ sister- hmmm, I’ll call her... Ice, I guess- and Dragon, my roommate from college. (Actually, we’re switching pseudonyms. Dragon is Fire now, for thematic appropriateness.) Princess is convinced that Ice and Fire would make a cute couple and, honestly, I agree. They’ve got the sort of dynamic that compliments the other’s faults really well- one’s an ex-military hardass trying to be less of a bitch and the other’s a grown-up-too-fast mom friend with a mischievous side who won’t let others take care of her- and they’ve got that aesthetic appeal, too. One’s tall and lean muscle, subtle and stern, while the other’s shorter and built like a tank, all vibrant smiles. So, yes, I admit, this is one of those times when Fire and Ice go rather well together.

However. There are limits in what I’m willing to do for friends.

It started at Princess’ birthday when these two dolts- her terminology, though I can’t fault its application in this particular situation- met and hit it off, apparently. I was... distracted at the time, a bit too anxious about whether or not she’d like my gift (she did) but she noticed. Ever since, it’s nearly all she can talk about.

Which... okay, I get it. Princess and Ice might be sisters, but they had a pretty rocky relationship growing up. It’s not my place to unpack someone else’s baggage, but we’ve talked about it before. I know they’re trying to make amends and be better going forward, and they’re doing a pretty good job on most fronts. Princess just wants to see her sister happy.

But it feels like, recently... she’s kinda oblivious to everything else around her because of it? She gets that way sometimes- so focused on a certain task that the rest of the world falls away and I... absolutely love it. I really didn’t realize it until last month, but being the one she talks to about the whole thing... if she wasn’t so utterly oblivious when she gets like this, I’m pretty sure she would’ve caught me staring at her like a lovestruck fool. Which, while it sounds great in fiction and is something I tend to use... real life isn’t as forgiving. There’s no summary and “angst with a happy ending” tagged on it; it’s a gamble. Considering we’ve just reached a point where we’re on pretty good terms, I’m hesitant to put that in jeopardy already for the sake of sating my curiosity.

I thought maybe creating a little distance would help. It would suck but it might help me figure out if I’m just seeing things; a few attractive traits don’t necessarily make for a good relationship.

Of course, that didn’t... quite pan out like I’d hoped. I mean, I can’t cut contact entirely- both because it’s completely uncalled for and because I don’t want to- so we’ve still talked and seen each other since. I went to a barbecue where Princess tried yet again to get Ice and Fire on the same page- failed in that respect but, on the upside, I now know who to never trust around holidays with small children- and she’s... just something else. She shouldn’t look so pretty in summer- she’s more of a colder seasons person if ever there was one- but she wore a tank top that showed off her collarbone and shoulders and I might be much thirstier than I previously thought because I’m definitely blushing just thinking about it.

And it’s not like I haven’t tried hinting at us getting together. I tried giving her a bouquet of flowers (something she told me she would take as a romantic gesture!) and all I got was confusion in response. Not... negative, entirely, though I didn’t stick around to find out too much how that reaction went, but it wasn’t met with a smile and a kiss and a ‘yes, I’d love to go out with you’, so not exactly encouraging.

But somehow (and I swear, I’m still trying to connect the dots on how) I’m going to be her date for a party. Not “date” as in “person I am actively seeing”, though, more like “accomplice” because I’m pretty sure she only invited me to help her spy on Ice and Fire, who will also be going.

I just... I want to support her. She’s been there for me in ways I never would’ve expected. I feel like we’ve grown- both as people and closer to each other- since those... well, admittedly terrible first impressions we had of each other. And while I want to know how things can continue to develop, I worry about losing such a good friend.

On top of that, I’m dealing with Fire talking my ear off about Ice. They might be sisters but Ice and Princess are two very different women, yet they share just enough in common that listening to Fire gush... I keep wanting to agree or disagree, but I’m keeping my mouth shut for now, and it hurts not to talk to my best friend about this, but she’s... well. She’s over the moon for Ice- she tries to play it off like it’s just a crush, but it’s clearly not- and I don’t want to detract from that. Fire’s the sort that, if I told her I have a crush, too, she’ll completely drop everything to help me get together with Princess. I love her like a sister, but sometimes it’s hard to get her to focus on her own problems instead of everyone else’s.

So, yeah, I’m kinda stuck between a rock and a hard place, and while that’s a situation I’ve written as being rather nice in certain circumstances, living it is hell and I want off this ride, pronto.

I’m probably going to be sporadic the next few weeks until this party. I don’t know why but something in my brain keeps saying ‘learn to dance! Fancy dance! Then ask her to dance!’ and it’s not being cooperative on why that’s an obviously dumb idea.

On the upside, Fire (somehow???) knows ballroom dancing, so we’re going to practice. Maybe one of us can get a happy ending in this mess.

[ecotone99]

(RO) The choice

Sam paced back and forth in his room. He'd been summoning the courage to do this for weeks, still unsure if telling his best friend's girlfriend he loved her was a good idea. Cara was after all, his most trusted sounding board. It was exactly that reason that he needed to get it off his chest so badly, and exactly why even though he didn't want to he needed to tell her.

"This is so fucked up, I can't believe I let this happen." Sam thought as he watched Andrew, his best friend of 6 years, pull out of their driveway for a family weekend in the Shenandoah. Normally Cara would have gone with him as they'd been together since Freshman year of college, but she had already made plans for a friends birthday on Sunday. So that left Sam, Cara, and their newest roommate David at home. David, would be heading out in a few minutes too for a date with his girlfriend and so it would be just Sam and Cara at home tonight which was not odd or unusual at all. Sam, Andrew, and Cara had lived together for 3 years now and had been best friends since they met 6 years ago.

As Sam waited for David to head out, he sat down and read his letter to Cara again to organize his thoughts. "Cara, you are one of my best friends in the entire world and you know I would do anything for you. I can't count the number of times you've talked me through break ups, off ledges, or soothed my anxiety. Unfortunately, I realized recently that I've come to lean on you as I normally would a girlfriend. I thought that I was just confused but I've realized that my feelings for you are real, and so as much as it pains me to ask for it I need some space to sort this out. I value my friendship with both you and Andrew too much to let my feelings get in the way of them or your relationship. I'm sorry."

As he finished reading, nearly tearing up at the thought of what he had to do, Cara walked into his room and jumped onto his bed. Sam quickly tucked his letter under his leg and returned her easy going smile. "Hey! I was going up to open up a bottle of wine and maybe get some Chinese or something, you want in?".

Cara, knowing Sam as she did, knew that asking him was just a formality. Sam loved red wine and Chinese take out perhaps more than the two loved watching low budget romantic comedies and laughing themselves silly over the bad acting. Sam, knowing Cara as he did, knew that the "or something" phrase of her question meant exactly one of those movies. And so, knowing each other as they did, it was quite the surprise when Sam said no.

He wanted so badly to have one more night like that with Cara, and he nearly said yes. But just before he drew breath to say so, he heard the sound of David leaving and was brutally brought back down to Earth. "Cara, I'm actually going to be a bit busy tonight." He lied for no reason. "And actually there's some stuff I need to get off my chest." He said as he got up from the bed and sat down at the office chair in front of his desk. Cara bristled a bit at the unexpected no and his sudden cold response, but she knew him well enough that he can be a bit cold when something is bothering him. So she inched a bit closer to his chair, looked him in the eye, and with her kindest smile she said "Of course, what's up?".

As her bright green eyes and her soft smile bore into him, Sam swallowed and again tried to steel himself. "Look, I uh. I recently realized that I have feelings for you." Her smile faded and her face transitioned into a look of concern.

"Sam...I"

"No." He cut her off abruptly, and she flinched a bit. His voice was already beginning to crack. "I just need you to listen for a sec, okay? I'm sorry Cara I really am. I thought that maybe I was just confused because I've leaned on you more than usual lately. But the more I thought about it the more I realized that my feelings for you were always there. I think that I pushed them aside, suppressed them for a long time, and I can't ignore them any longer. But I respect you, Andrew, and your relationship way too much to let myself interfere. So I need space for awhile. It's not your fault, it's nothing you did and I need you to know that. And I also need you to understand why I'll be distant for awhile. I'm not sure if these types of feelings ever go away, but I hope that they do so we can go back to the way things were one day."

Her eyes had filled with tears which was unusual. Cara didn't often give away too much of her own emotions. She was tender and soft, but she was hard on the outside unless you really knew her. After a moment and a deep breath she finally spoke. "Are you sure? Maybe if you tried to find someone else.."

Sam again interrupted, a tiny bit of anger rising to the surface. "That's just the problem Cara. I have been trying! Last weekend I told you that I felt empty after fucking Alyssa because I didn't have feelings for her. The real reason was that she wasn't you. And as I laid there I realized that it doesn't matter how many girls I fuck, because they'll never be you. I just need the space, I'm sorry."

In the tense silence that followed. Sam watched Cara started to rub her temples, she did that when she got stressed. Her long, shimmering brown hair, rippled from the movement. That hair was one of the things he loved about her, it was so beautiful and long that it had grown all the way down to the small of her back. She kept saying she should cut it, but Sam kept telling her that he liked it, and so she kept it. He looked away quickly, mentally chastising himself for getting lost in the memory.

Cara, with her piercing green eyes, watched Sam as he cracked his knuckles, his nervous habit. Her gaze drifted down to his forearms and followed his veins to his upper arms. He had such pronounced veins that it was easy to follow the path up from his tan forearms to his sinewy biceps. Cara couldn't bring herself to leave, and so after a moment of gathering her emotions she looked at him. He was now scratching his closely cropped beard, another nervous habit. And after a moment he used his own hazel eyes to look back at her.

With a slightly broken voice she whispered, "I just...I don't want to lose you. You mean the world to me for so many reasons, Sam. I know that you lean on me but I lean on you too and I'm worried that I won't be strong enough to deal without venting to you all the time. I love you too you know, I just can't." Sam smiled ruefully, looking at the ground.

"I know that you can't and I would never ask you to. Of course I know I just...I didn't want you to be upset when I distanced myself. I didn't want you to think it was something you did." Sam again returned her gaze, and Cara started to sob quietly. He rushed up and gathered her in his arms, her head tucked under her chin as he moved his hand slowly across her back in circles feeling her soft hair as he did so, smelling her mango scented shampoo.

And as she sobbed she breathed in the scent of him. The smell of the shampoo he used in his thick, wavy brown hair. Sandalwood, lemongrass, and his own natural musk. She had always thought he smelled how a 40 year old man who drank bourbon and read books would smell, which made sense because he loved both of those things. After a few minutes, she managed to summon the confidence she needed to and croaked out.

"I know Sam. I always kind of knew. When we first met I saw the way that your eyes lingered when I came over to your guys house. I saw the way you looked at me." She held him a bit tighter. "And as the years went on I saw how your stares changed. You looked at me the way that I always wanted someone to. I saw the way you would look when I did something that impressed you, made you proud, when I aced that Finance final." Sam's jaw clenched, his nerves were going insane with anxiety. Cara drew back from him a bit as they both sat side by side in the bed, her hands still holding his, her green eyes looking into his hazel ones.

"Cara look I don't know what you think you saw..."

"Stop that, you're a terrible liar. I always know when you lie." Suddenly those green eyes of hers seemed even more piercing than usual as Sam looked into them. "I know that even though you kill the spiders in my room when Andrew is gone, you're afraid of spiders. I know that when you make us cheesesteaks and I ask for the smaller one you always give me the bigger one. I know that when we're low on coffee creamer you use milk instead because you know how much I look forward to it. I know that a few weeks ago when you gave me my birthday present you lied and said they were cheap. I noticed that you skipped a few meals. So I know that you had feelings for me all these years."

Sam was looking at the floor again, he couldn't look her in the eye. Cara laid one of her hands on his cheek and turned his face towards hers. "I know that you're afraid of spiders but that sometimes you need to feel needed. I know that you gave me the bigger sandwich because you want me to get a bit more of my favorite things. I know that you felt that food was less important than those birthday gifts because you wanted me to be happy. I know because I felt it too Sam. I let my gaze linger on you and I felt the nature of that gaze change with time too."

Sam had expected this to go a lot of different ways. Some bad, some horrible, some more heartbreaking than others. What he did not expect, or did not let himself think about, was if it would go this way. Cara's hands returned to his as she looked him in the eyes.

"I saw it Sam. I saw it in your writing, I saw it in the way you held me when I was upset, the way you gave me advice when Andrew and I were having problems. I saw you whiten your teeth a few weeks after I mentioned how much I loved guys with nice teeth. I tried for so long to get Andrew to love me that way. To care about my that genuinely. He is a great person Sam, but he just isn't you. When guys grab me at the bar he doesn't shove them away. When someone takes a joke at my expense too far he doesn't growl at them to stop. He just isn't you."

Her bright green eyes had hardly blinked the whole time, and he hadn't stopped looking at them. She took her hands away from his and moved hers back to his cheek. As she went to pull him in, Sam beat her to it. He pulled her close and kissed her with a fierce yet tender embrace. She felt all 6 years of their feelings for each other explode at once. Waves crested and fell continuously. Suddenly he pulled back.

"Cara, I can't. I can't do this. To Andrew I mean. I love you but he's my best friend."

"Please Sam, I need this. I need you. I always have and I always will and if I have to pick between you I chose you. I choose you every day because I think that you'll choose me too every day for the rest of your life. And if you don't then I still choose you. Because I want those days even if they're not forever. I want each and every one. I choose you Sam."

This time she grabbed his face and pulled it close. They lingered for a while, lips barely touching each other and finally Sam kissed her again. In that kiss she tasted him and he tasted her. Each of them tasted 6 years of feelings they had repressed. 6 years of longing and waiting. Sam kissed her again, and Sam chose her.

submitted by /u/edwardswrites [link] [comments] via Blogger https://ift.tt/3iVHkPi

[killjoy-lynz]

“We’re not just friends and you fucking know it.” "You can’t keep pretending it didn’t happen, cause guess what? It did!” “Just please be my best friend right now, not the guy I just confessed my love to.” "I think I’m in love with you, and that scares the crap out of me” "Do you want to kiss as bad as I do right now” “Stop biting that fucking lip!” “You’re blushing” Any combination of these with Party? Doesn't have to be your current time line, and you definitely don't have to use all lf them.

FINALLY

I honestly can’t express how sorry I am that this is so late. I didn’t exactly complete it either, I had most of it done and then school got in the way. It was constantly on my mind and I wanted to post it many times before now but it was around 2am when I was able to and I wanted to make sure whoever submitted this saw it. And I used only about half of these right now, I have the rest of them in a sort of continuation of this. That might take a little longer to post but hopefully not too long since this semester is almost over.

Also this will be very long, so I apologize right now for that. Thank you so so so much for your patience, and I hope to have the rest of this up soon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Linds, I wanna help, alright? I know you're scared, but I-… we should figure this out.”“But you're scared too. Right?”“I-“ Poison sighed. “...yes, I just-““That's just it. How am I supposed to do what scares me if you're scared of it too?”Poison knew she had a valid question, but he didn’t have an answer for her. “I don't know if I can talk about it now-“ Poison began to say.“Why not?”“What's there to say?!” Poison snapped. “I can't throw out some half-baked idea out there and pretend that's how I feel about everything.”“How long ago did it happen, again?” Lynz raised her eyebrows. “Hasn't there been enough time to think-?““I don't know!”“I don't know either!” Lynz’s eyes started to sting. ”And yeah, I don't know everything I want to say, and it freaked me out to even think about bringing this up, but I don't want to stay quiet about this forever. If we don't talk now, when will we?”Poison was still at a loss for words, trying to keep the situation from getting worse.Lynz took a sharp breath. “You kissed me and I kissed you back. We were sober and in a perfectly fine state of mind and we both kissed. And we can't keep pretending it didn't happen, ‘cause guess what? It did!”“You never told me how you felt about it!”“I know!! And neither did you!! You know how hard it is to think about when we’ve kept telling each other we’re ‘just friends’ for /ages/ now? …You know, if we can’t even have a fucking conversation about it, maybe we are just friends-”“We’re not just friends and you fucking know it!”There was complete silence for a few seconds. Neither of them wanted to yell. Poison immediately felt deep regret, and tried hard to hold back tears.“Just-…“ Lynz’s voice caught in her throat for a second, and she took a deep breath. “Whatever we are, can you just please be my best friend right now, not the guy I might have just confessed my love to?”Poison nodded slowly. “Okay.”“I don’t know…” She spoke slowly. “Both of us don’t know if we’re only friends or if we’re more than that. But I also don't want to pretend it didn't happen, and neither do you.”Poison paused and nodded in agreement, but kept looking at Lynz so she knew he was paying attention.“Can we please just talk?” she sighed. She continued to speak quietly, each word carefully chosen so they wouldn’t start yelling again. “Yes, it’s a scary thing to be this vulnerable, but it'll just get worse the longer we act like not talking is the better option. And I know you're scared; I am too, I promise. And I want to be honest with you, but you have to promise to do the same.” Her eyes began to sting again. “...I'm terrible at this. Talking terrifies me, especially this kind of conversation, so I /need/ to know the truth, or else we're both gonna be in that constant state of uncertainty. I hate being there and I know you do too.” She waited for another second. “So…can we both be honest?”“Yes,” Poison said, finally speaking with confidence. “Yeah, I…I want to be honest. If…if we go through with this now, we don't have to keep holding it back…right?”Lynz nodded. Poison had felt the urge to tell the truth for so long and kept quiet to make sure he wouldn’t hurt Lynz. After hearing her, he knew that was exactly what he’d done; she deserved to hear his true feelings.“Good,” Lynz sighed again. They waited in another few seconds of silence before Poison gestured over to the couch. Without a word they both sat on the couch and waited for another moment.“You’re right, by the way.” Lynz spoke up.“Huh?”“We’re not just friends and we both know it.”“…what does that make us?”“No clue. But at least we agree.”“What does that mean?”“It means we both know something’s up. When both people feel differently but don’t admit it, things fall apart.” Lynz leaned back into the couch, her eyes half shut. “I tried to use that fucking excuse once. Even though I knew, I kept brushing it off like we were friends.”“Back in the city?’Lynz nodded. “I knew how scary relationships were. Even though I felt happy whenever I was with him, I never told him I wanted to actually be in a relationship. I was too afraid to be honest and kept telling him /and/ myself all I wanted to be was friends.“After a while he got mad. I don't know if he was under the impression that we were dating or not. He felt like he had to force me to show any kind of affection. He kept telling me I was being distant. Fucking hated that word. After that I was desperate to show him attention, but he wouldn't listen to me.”Poison almost didn’t want to ask, but he could tell there was more to the story. “If you don’t mind me asking, what happened?”Lynz shrugged. “No clue. But he's gone.”“Ghosted?”“Maybe. I stopped hearing anything from him. Not even his name. I lost my chance to even be friends with him. And if he is dead, he died hating me.”“He didn’t hate you.”“Then he had a pretty shitty image of me in his head.”“…Did you love him?” Poison quickly hated himself for asking, but Lynz’s response was still easygoing.“I think so,” she nodded. “But I never knew for sure ‘cause I kept fucking denying it. Hiding any kind of feeling for that long…it's not good for you. It hurts.”“It hurts,” Poison repeated, agreeing.“That was a few years before I left the city. I took my time focusing on helping my mom, eventually hanging out with my crew. I didn’t give much of a thought to anything else. It crossed my mind a few times; I’d see someone looking at me a little differently and thought of introducing myself. I’d wonder if they actually meant it or it was just by chance. Sometimes I thought about whether or not I’d seen them before and what my first impression was. But things were tough, and there wasn’t time for relationships. I didn’t have the freedom to explore until I was out in the zones. And even then…” She swallowed hard. “Sometimes I was too impulsive.”“What happened?” Poison asked.“To put it simply, I got careless. I didn’t care if I actually loved someone or not, if I slept with them or didn’t, if we were just friends or more than friends. I didn’t know if I was in love and I didn’t care.” She looked down and picked at her fingernails nervously. “And that all went to shit. If I didn’t care whether or not I was in love with someone but still told them I did, someone’s feelings always got hurt.”“Every good feeling felt like love. Didn’t it?”Lynz nodded sternly. “Usually. Or they’d feel pressured into saying it back. That’s…that’s part of the reason I didn’t want to say anything. I didn't want to pressure you into saying something back if you didn’t mean it. Especially if I wasn’t sure of myself in the first place.” She turned to him. “This…it makes sense, right? I don’t sound insane?”“No,” Poison quickly responded. “Not at all. It makes sense, it’s fine.”“Good.” Lynz half-smiled for a second, then turned back and scoffed. “It’s weird seeing both ends of the spectrum like that. I loved someone and didn’t admit it, I didn’t love people and said I did and…” She shrugged and shook her head. “I don’t know, now I don’t know what to say. Figuring out if I’m lying to myself or not is harder than I thought it would be.”         “Well…it’s not easy.” Poison wished he had some kind of advice, but agreeing with her was still enough.“Okay,” Lynz mumbled, taking a deep breath and looking at Poison. “You’re up.”Poison nodded, then paused for a minute. “What do you wanna know?”“What made you afraid?”“...”“Anything?”“Yeah,” Poison responded. “A lot of things.”“I think it’s safe to say we’re both afraid of a lot of things,” Lynz said, trying to make him feel a little more comfortable. “Can you tell me one of them?”“…Saying "I love you" too soon.”"You speak from experience?”“Yeah,” Poison nodded and bit his lip, remembering the experience. “I mean, we were both kind of young. But it still kind of turned to shit.”“What happened?”“I lost them. They couldn't look at me the same way after that. And even if we were still young, I thought I could mend things up with them, maybe get a second chance to just know them, love or not. But they didn’t want any of that.” Poison waited another few seconds, and Lynz kept looking at him, waiting for the next part of the story. “I always go back and forth on whether or not I was actually in love or just excited. Like you said, I don’t even know if I actually meant it and I still said it too soon.”“When is it too early?”“I don't know. That was the problem, I never knew when it was right to say it. I didn’t wait until I knew for sure, I said it too soon, and I lost them. And I didn't want to lose you too.”Lynz half-smiled again. “Thanks.”Poison nodded.“So that’s why you’re afraid to say it now, right? Just saying it too early?”“Part of it, yeah.”“Part of it?” Lynz looked at him, confused.“Yeah, I mean…it’s not exactly…” Poison stumbled through his words. “It’s not always fear. Part of it is knowing whether or not I actually mean it. There’s a lot of self-doubt, and it really sucks.”“I get that.” Lynz faced forward again. “Where’d the self-doubt come from?”“Well,” Poison sighed, “some of it’s just there naturally.”“Mm-hmm,” Lynz agreed.“And…you know, the rest of it’s kind of a complicated story.”“Isn’t all of this complicated?”Poison paused, then nodded. She had a point, after all.“After my last girlfriend in the city...i-it took me a long time to know for sure I loved her and felt safe enough to tell her. She knew I didn't want to say the word love until it lost its meaning, that’s why I was always afraid to use it. And why it took so long. She always said she was okay with that, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that she wasn’t. She said she loved me first, and it took me a little while to say it back. And the same thing went for sex, too. But that wasn’t just waiting until I knew I wanted it, I didn't want to sleep with anyone until I was married and she knew that too.“Anyways, you know, we broke up. Not long after that, I came out here and something...something changed, I guess. Whether it was just the atmosphere or my own impulsive decisions or whatever, I became kind of alright with sex and love, and most of the time I knew that fucking someone didn't mean I loved them. But then this problem came...”“It got harder to tell when you actually loved someone?” Lynz asked, then repeated his earlier question:  “Every good feeling felt like love?”Poison looked down at the ground. “...yeah. Even without the thought of sex, I’d see people and hang out with them and I’d wonder if I loved them or if I just thought they were interesting or attractive. Should’ve been easier than it was. I-I mean, I can still feel and understand a /family/ kind of love. Kobra and Ghoul and Jet and everyone, I love them. But love always felt different with someone that wasn't my direct family. Maybe it's supposed to feel the same, but…I don't know. I just don't want that change of heart or…morals or whatever, I don’t want it to mean I can't find someone.”Lynz nodded. “I get that…” They both paused for a moment until Lynz spoke again: “Relationships are hard.”“Damn right.”They both laughed a little bit, the first time all night, and Poison let his head fall back.“I used to think relationships were easy and happy all the time. Like a little kid, you only see the good stuff. But if that was actually the case everyone would always be doing it. Even thinking like that, though, I was still scared.”“Sometimes I feel like it can happen too fast, and that seems a little dangerous. You see someone and you think you're in love with them. Really the mindset of a kid.”“Right.”“…Is that the end of our sob stories?”“Unless you have anything else to say.”“Nothing else comes to mind. You?”Poison shook his head. “Nope.”“Alright.”The two sat in silence for a moment before Poison spoke up again. “Do you feel like we didn’t really get an answer too?” he asked.“Yeah,” Lynz responded. “Good conversation, still, but no answer.”Poison blinked slowly. Even after their talk he still couldn’t answer if they were only friends or more. “Do you want to be friends?” he asked.“I’d rather not be anything below friends. Whatever happens, we can still be friends, right?”“Right,” Poison nodded. There was another long moment of silence, but they could both tell it was much more comfortable than before.“Even if there’s no label of any kind…” Poison took a deep, quiet breath. “I think we’re a little more than friends. Right?”Lynz nodded. “Yeah.”It felt good that they both agreed, but there was still an uncertainty that hung in the air.“…but I don’t know if that means it’s love,” Poison finally admitted, almost speaking for the both of them.“Me neither.”Both of their hearts were heavy from all the confessions they’d let go. Poison sank back into the couch, and so did Lynz.“It’s just…” Lynz started to say. “There's so many people I've said I loved, but...our relationship or whatever you wanna call it, it wasn't love. Far from it, really. Sometimes we both just needed someone's touch, but that's not love. That’s why I was afraid if I said we were more than friends, I would just think of you like I thought of them. Just like you said, I didn’t want to throw the word around like it meant nothing.“But I do like you,” she admitted, then paused. “A lot more than just a friend. Not in the way I said I liked all those other people. When we first met I wanted to really get to know you. And after that I kept wanting to know you more. I wanted to be a part of life at this diner, and I still do. Whether that's love or not...I-I don't know, maybe time's just gonna have to tell. Just…all I know is I like you.” Lynz still felt a certain tightness in her chest, but knew she had told the truth.“…I like you too,” Poison whispered. “I'm afraid I might love you too, and that scares the shit out of me. Because if I don't know for sure but I tell you I do, that just makes it worse for both of us in the long run. I’m-I'm scared of hurting you…hurting myself, or losing you. I've been though it before and I don't want it to happen again.”“If it means anything, we’ve known each other for a long time and we’re still here.”“True…”They both stayed silent for a minute, letting all the words sink in. Poison sighed and his head felt heavy; admitting that he might love Lynz made him feel even more drained than reliving his entire love life in the city. But he was glad that all his cards were on the table.For a moment he didn’t realize his head was sinking to his shoulder. Lynz looked over to him. “Tired?”“Not exactly.”Lynz tapped her own shoulder invitingly, and Poison rested his head. They thought in silence for a little while longer, then Poison spoke up.“You know…it seems like we keep going back and forth between ‘friends’ and ‘not friends’, like nothing exists outside of either one of those.”“…you’re right,” Lynz realized. “There’s more than two answers; something like this complicated can’t be a ‘choose one or the other’ situation.”“Everyone makes it seem like that, you gotta cherry-pick everything..”“Yeah.”“Maybe…you know, maybe this is one of those times where we don’t have to pick and choose. I mean, we could be friends and be more than friends too, right? They're not exclusive. We know each other as friends and we can get to know each other even better, we don't have to choose. Just figure it out as we go.”“Don’t have a choose…I like that.” A slight smile crossed Lynz’s face.“Sounds good?”“Sounds good.”Poison started to smile alongside Lynz. “I usually hate the thought of waiting or taking too much time, but…this feels pretty right."“Well I don’t want to rush it; that’s when mistakes happen and I don’t want to chance any mistakes if we’re both still sorting this out. And can…”“What?”“…just make sure you /stay/ honest with me. Right?”“Of course.”“This isn’t just gonna be us pouring our guts out and then closing back up? I can’t go back to ‘distant’, I hated that.”“I’ll stay honest, I promise.”

[evenstevensranked]

#29: Season 2, Episode 18 - “The Thomas Gribalski Affair”

Tom starts bonding with Steve and Louis quickly starts to become extremely jealous of their relationship. Meanwhile, Ren volunteers to lead the school bike safety demonstration even though she doesn't know how to ride a bike.

This one starts with Louis and Twitty at the Stevens house playing “Stinky Sock Ball” — some ridiculous game they created with a bunch of nonsense rules. I don’t even know. Tom is over and sitting the game out. “Pass. The last time I played Stinky Sock Ball I got a concussion. It’s been six months and I’m still a little woozy.” Gotta love Tom. This episode has his name in the title (a play on the film The Thomas Crown Affair I’m assuming), so ya know it’s gonna be good. Just then, Steve comes waltzing in super excited about this leprechaun whittling kit that came in the mail. He had plans to carve out the block with Louis, but of course.. Louis would rather play Stinky Sock Ball. Priorities. Tom seems interested in the weird hobby, so Louis suggests that the two of them hang out instead. Little did he know that one small decision would send him spiraling into jealous insanity. I’d also like to mention that the leprechaun’s name is “McStinker, The Town Drinker.” Okay, Disney Channel.

Next, we cut to Wexler’s office for the subplot. Ren and Larry are competing against each other once again. Wexler is looking for a student to lead the next safety demonstration and they’re both desperate to be selected. There are a bunch of other students there who are also willing to volunteer until Wexler says they’d have to give up a Saturday. Literally everyone leaves except for Ren and Larry. As an adult, this just makes me laugh tbh. One little Saturday in your Junior High career means nothing in the grand scheme of life. But, god forbid! We all need that precious Saturday to do.... nothing... instead. 

Wexler picks Ren by default and doesn’t even consider Larry, which is totally not playing favorites at all. We learn that the demonstration is going to be for bike safety, thanks to Louis and Twitty running Wexler over because they were too preoccupied with eating chips and salsa. 

Are these screenshots fantastic or are they fantastic? I’ll wait. 

Ren is definitely apprehensive about leading the demonstration now and we don’t know why. She clearly doesn’t want to do it anymore, but the thought of Larry getting the gig instead motivates her. 

At lunch that day, Louis and Twitty are playing yet another ridiculous and frankly freakin’ [Raven voice] NASTY game called “Extreme Meat Hoops” where they catch extra gooey meatballs that drip from the ceiling. Who thinks of this stuff?! HONESTLY. Tawny is disgusted as usual. 

This literally looks......... awful. 

Tom joins them at their table, ranting and raving about the funniest joke his friend Steve told him. When Louis questions who the heck Steve is, Tom says “Steve Stevens is the real deal” which is such a great line I can’t even explain it. Louis being Louis takes a minute to register that Steve Stevens is his dad’s name lol. He finds out that Tom and his dad have been hanging out a lot. In fact, they’ve been hanging out so much that Steve gave Tom his direct phone line to reach him at work. Louis didn’t even know Steve had a direct line, haha. It’s actually kinda sad. We start to see Louis’ jealousy emerge here. 

At home, Eileen absolutely hates the newly-carved leprechaun. Steve wants her to find a prominent place for the thing, but it looks like a total eyesore everywhere she puts it. This reminds me of Lizzie McGuire and her dad’s obsession with lawn gnomes. This montage actually makes me laugh. It’s set to upbeat Irish-y stock music which contrasts Eileen’s distaste perfectly lol. Ren walks in and goes to Eileen for help with the bike demonstration. We learn that she was too embarrassed to tell Wexler she doesn’t know how to ride a bike. Whooop, there it is. Eileen promises to help teach her. 

Ren in a crop top?! Why does this seem so... out of character? I noticed this before in Swap.com. Idk. To be fair, it was 2001. Showing your bellybutton was ~all the rage.~ God help me. Also, Ren’s shirt is purple-y once again and she’ll pretty much wear anything if it’s purple so. 

Louis and Twitty are hanging out by some lake and Louis starts reminiscing about how he and Steve used to ride the paddle boats together when he was little. He says they used to sing this cheesy father-son song and “I can almost hear it now......... I CAN hear it now!” Lo and behold, Tom and Steve are riding in a paddle boat singing said cheesy father-son song. Louis’ jealousy has hit a new level. 

This would be a little much. If I saw my mom doing such personal things with one of my friends I would literally be so concerned??? Like, what the heck Mom?! It’s just weird. 

Immediately following this, Louis invites Tawny over for one of their little therapy sessions, lol. I love how this is something we’ve seen a few times throughout the series -- Whether it’s a serious talk like this or just Louis going to Tawny for advice. Like I’ve said before, he values her opinion A LOT which is lovely. This scene always stood out to me because they completely cleared out Louis’ room to look like a clean, cold therapist’s office or something. This is one of the only times it doesn’t look like a tornado ripped through it: 

His bed looks sooo much smaller when it’s made? I could’ve sworn he had a full bed this whole time lol. 

He tells her that everything went downhill when he was 5 and pushed Steve out of a paddle boat:

They gave Steve a curly brown mullet in this flashback. It’s wonderful. 

Tawny says the symbolism is obvious: Louis has been pushing his father away forever. She suggests taking an interest in something Steve likes to do. 

Next we cut to a montage of Ren’s bike riding lesson with Eileen. She’s literally terrible at it. They make a point to keep these random fencers in the shot. Like, really.. who goes to the park to fence? I’ve personally never seen that before but ok. I also just need to include this accidental screen cap of Ren about to fall because it’s great. 

Ren and Eileen leave the park after a day of failing miserably, and one of the fencers enters the frame and takes off their mask............. plot twist look who it is:

It’s Larry Beale smiling maniacally because he thinks he has tea to spill about Ren being bikely challenged. 

Now we move on to what is probably the best sequence in the episode. Steve is out golfing and Louis surprises him by showing up at the course! He’s so excited to spend one-on-one time bonding with Steve the way Tom has been lately, until Steve asks “Would you like to join us? Me and Tom!” And Tom shows up in his ~golfing threads~ which look ridiculous. (Cover image) There are so many fantastic lines from this point on. Kicking off with Tom saying “Say, Mr. Lou! I didn’t know you were a duffer.” And Louis gets SO OFFENDED. I’m assuming he thought Tom was swearing at him or something lol I can’t. Well, technically.. he might’ve been. Steve claims that duffer is just another word for a golfer. Out of curiosity I decided to google it to see for myself and well:

It’s not another word for any’ol golfer -- but rather a golfer that doesn’t know what the hell they’re doing. It means stupid too, so. There are also articles debating whether or not the term is offensive in the golf world. 

Of course, Louis sucks at golf and hates the sport, but he’s trying so hard to win Steve over! The nail in the coffin is Steve casually calling Tom “son.” Yikes. Louis is at a loss for words at this point. 

The next bit is one of my favorite moments in THE ENTIRE SERIES. I have to embed the scene. 

From the opening lines between Louis and Steve, to “bend your knees” to Louis’ face at the very end. This is all gold. 

Before the demonstration, Larry tries to intimidate Ren by dropping hints that he knows her secret. But, Ren takes the high road and says she has nothing to be ashamed of. I love when characters do this! Never let anyone make you feel inferior. So Ren comes rolling up with training wheels and says “The first rule of bike safety is if you don’t know how to ride a bike, use training wheels.” YAAAASSSS, GIRL. Larry gets on the mic and tries to turn it into a giant embarrassing scene, but it just doesn’t work when the person you’re trying to embarrass isn’t embarrassed at all lol. Ren is totally owning the situation and it’s great. Larry just looks like a fool up there beating the dead horse “THE GIRL NEEDS TRAINING WHEELS!!!!!!!!!” 

She rides the bike through the obstacles, training wheels and all, and everyone roots for her! Yay.

Things get emotional back at the golf course. Louis finally hits the ball and it’s pretty incredible. He’s so excited and runs over to Steve and Tom like “Dad!! Did you see that?! I hit it in from way over there!!” and of course, Steve is all “Sorry, Son. I missed it.” You can just feeeeel Louis’ spirit deflating. This is the last straw for him. He starts ranting “You know what, Tom? I give up. You win.” It’s so sad oh my god. You can hear the heartbreak in his voice. Shia is so great, god. He basically starts handing his entire life over to Tom. Dang. Side note: Shia takes off his visor which made his hair stick up. He looks so different. I remember thinking he looked so cute like that hahaha. 

Steve catches on and Tom decides to give them some space. “You two should talk. I know how my mother must feel. I canceled 3 games of Pinochle with her this week... I’ve got some fences to mend.” Tom is seriously the best. Obviously, Louis and Steve make up. It ends with the two of them playing Stinky Sock Ball together. It’s sweet. 

I really like this episode. A lot. Y’all know I love Tom, so I had to rank this one a little higher just because he deserves some more love. But aside from that, this is a really good plot. It’s great to see how much Louis actually cares about his relationship with his father and how they eventually end up bonding a little bit more. I also like Ren’s plot here as well! It’s a nice stick to your guns sort of message that you can apply to anything really. There are honestly no specific reasons why I like this one so much... I just do lol. It’s a solid episode overall. 

Well, guys. We made it. Officially at #29. Holy crapoli. Soon we’ll be at 25, and then 20, and then 15, and then 10............ you know how a countdown works. I just can’t believe how little we have left to go. I got all emotional about it here because I’ve also been running this blog for a year now. What the heck. 

Thanks for reading!

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[crushingonrazz]

Numbers and Questions

@ollie-oxen-free @queenofbiscuits @gallifreyan-pal @beckyshecky I CHOOSE YOU (you’re tagged and now you have to do this too) But honestly everyone who sees this is now tagged, go!!!!

So I may have stolen this idea from a thing on FanFiction.net. If you are tagged, randomly assign your 12 favorite characters (I stuck purely to the skeletons) to numbers like this:

Pink (ULP)

Red (UFS)

Sans (UTS)

Lust (ULS)

Ink (IS)

Error (ES)

Stretch (USP)

Papyrus (UTP)

Fell (UFP)

Blue (USS)

Razz (SFS)

Slim (SFP)

And then take the questions that I have below the cut and put in your own answers to them with your new list of characters (it works best if your list is truly random), then tag some new people and post it! (tag me too because I really want to see all of your answers and the characters you pick). (also tumblr totally messed up the formatting but whatever you guys get the idea right) I’m going to also post mine in cosos because why not, but I thought it’d be fun to post here!

If anyone has any more questions they’d like me to answer, feel free to send me an ask (i.e. would 3 and 7 make good friends, what would happen if 11 introduced 10 to a life of crime, etc). The questions I have here are more randomized, copied right from the thing, but I definitely don’t mind more purposeful ones being asked.

(1) and (7) are in a happy relationship until (7) dumps (1) for (9). (1), brokenhearted, goes on one date with (11), has an unhappy breakup with (12), then follows the wise advice of (5) and finds true love with (3).

Pink and Stretch are in a happy relationship until Stretch dumps Pink for Fell. Pink, brokenhearted, goes on one date with Razz, has an unhappy breakup with Slim, then follows the wise advice of Ink and finds true love with Sans.

Sounds like the kind of drama some of ya’ll would love.

 If you wrote a Song-fic about Eight, what song would you choose?

(Papyrus) Me Too by Meghan Trainor, probably. That’s gotta be Paps’ theme song.

 3 told you that she will soon be getting married to 2. What is your reaction?

(Sans and Red) Either a lot of hand-flapping or a sort of “duh”.

 When was the last time you read a fic about Five?

(Ink) It has certainly been a minute. I think I read at least part of Fixing Your Errors by SansyFresh last week? I don’t think I’ve read one about him since.

 6 kidnapped you, why is this?

(Error) Probably because he’s fucking insane? Also it’s not like he’s never kidnapped anyone before.

 Does anyone on your friends list consider Three hot?

(Sans) I’m gonna go with yes because duh. Nope, not at all, no one I know thinks Sans is at all hot.

 If you wrote a One/Six/Twelve fic, what warning would it have?

(Pink, Error, and Slim) Oh fucking Christ almighty… I don’t even want to think about it.

 6 is extremely pissed off about something, why is this? And what will you do?

(Error) When is Error not pissed about something, honestly? And I would get the hell out of his way.

 Five/Nine or Five/Ten?

(Ink/Fell or Ink/Blue) Ink/Blue because InkBerry is kinda cute but I’ve never even seen anything about Ink/Fell)

 You and 9 get trapped in an elevator together. What happens? And who are the other random people with you two?

(Fell) Honestly probably sitting in opposite corners playing on our phones or something. I’m not about to bother someone who could and would shut me up in a not-so-fun way if he was feeling like it.  

 Would 2 and 6 make a good couple?

(Red and Error) Uh...no? Probably not? I haven’t really thought about it too much but the idea doesn’t appeal to me.

 8 confessed to be a part of your family.

(Papyrus) I’m just gonna go with it, honestly. Papyrus probably adopts people all the time.

 4 and 5 are having an argument. Why is this?

(Lust and Ink) Knowing Lust, he probably walked up and asked Ink if he could taste the rainbow, and Ink may or may not have threatened to let Error take out his AU.

 Is there any such thing as One/Eight fluff?

(Pink and Papyrus) Oh man I hope so, that would be sweet as fuck. Especially since I headcanon Paps as aro/ace so it would be like a brotp thing probably. But I could see Pink being discouraged at his lack of success with the royal harem and Papyrus would make him comfort oatmeal and they’d watch Ferris Bueller or something.

2 writes you a love song, plays it for you, and then kisses you on the cheek.

(Red) CRUSH.EXE HAS CRASHED

 What would happen if Seven walked in on Two and Twelve kissing?

(Stretch, Red and Slim) Depending on his mood? Either back out slowly, or really loudly go “WOW GUYS ARE U GONNA BONE?!” because he’s an obnoxious motherfucker.

 Do you think Four is hot?

(Lust) I don’t think I really have a choice in the matter have you fucking seen him?

 7 cooked you dinner.

(Stretch) What the fuck did you put in it, is this a prank?

 Suggest a title for Seven/Twelve hurt/comfort fic?

(Stretch and Slim) Uh… Beautiful, it’s True. This question can fuck off.

 9 and 1 accidentally get hooked up on a dating website and are forced to go on a date together.

(Fell and Pink) “Accidentally”, huh, Pink?

 8 gets angry and starts cussing at 6 very loudly. 7 is watching it all and is interested...but why is this?

(Papyrus, Error, Stretch) Because holy fuck Papyrus is cussing someone out, lemme get the popcorn man.

 Do you recall any fics about 9?

(Fell) Oh, y’know, one or two. There’s the occasional UnderFell fic here and there.

 You are about to do something that will make you feel very embarrassed. Will 9 comfort you?

(Fell) Awkwardly and in his own way. He doesn’t quite know how to respond to something like that.

 Does anyone on your friends list read 3?

(Sans) idk guys, have any of you ever read a fic about Sans? Sans the skeleton? Heard of him? He’s the little nerd that loves astronomy and Red and ketchup?

 Would anyone one of your friends list write about Two/Four/Five?

(Red, Lust, Ink) Honestly, Galli would probably write any combination of any of the guys up here. Ollie might if there was a meme involved.

 You're lying on the beach peacefully, and then you turn your head to see 1, 2, and 9, by the water wearing speedos.

(Pink, Red, Fell) I’m honestly not even surprised.

 It's storming outside and 4 allowed you to stay with her at her place until it blows over. And your reaction to this kind gesture is?

(Lust) My reaction to this kind gesture with definitely no ulterior motives at all? Hmmm…..I’d have to think about it…

 Have you read a 6 / 11 fanfic before?

(Error/Razz) Nope and I honestly do not have the inclination?

 5 wakes you up in the middle of the night.

(Ink) Dude I’m sure the multiverse can wait until the morning leave me alone.

 1 asks to talk to you privately. When you are both alone, he admits to you that he is gay.

(Pink) ….Are you absolutely sure because im not really sure you’re sure that outfit is pretty straight dude and im pretty sure ive never ever seen you fuck another dude before sooooooooo (I wouldn’t actually say that don’t get mad at me)

 5 gave you a teddy bear.

(Ink) ...k then????

 You and 10 go out for a picnic. Everything is peaceful until 2 crashes it by showing up and inviting you to go hang out at a cafe. Would you go with 2 or stay with 10?

(10-Blue, 2-Red) WELL FUCK. Way to give me an impossible decision???????? I mean of course I’m gonna go with Red but I’m gonna feel really bad about it for like a whole hour!

 1 walked in on you while you were showering. What is your reaction?

(Pink) This is the third time this week, dude.

 What would happen if Twelve got Eight pregnant?

(Slim, Papyrus) He’d step up and be a good dad and Papyrus would go EXTREME BABY SHOPPING.

 You catch 10 looking at questionable material on the internet.

(Blue) I’m not terribly surprised but I am giggling madly every time I look at him or his significant other for like a month afterwards because oh my hell that is so funny to me.

 Make up a summary of a 3/10 fanfic.

(Sans/Blue) Blue never expected his first patient to be quite so upbeat and full of jokes, especially when his clipboard was telling him that this patient was on suicide watch. (oh my god what do I have to do to get someone to write this, I need it now????)

 All the listed characters get into a very epic and all-out battle. Who will be the last one standing?

Okay first of all fuck yes?? Secondly, it’d be Papyrus. Sans is the most powerful person in the multiverse, especially since Ink and Error would be focusing all of their attention on each other and would then narrow down that power. So Sans would be able to take the rest of them out, but would protect Papyrus more than he protects himself. And if it was left as just the two of them? Sans isn’t about to let himself be the one left.

 7 is having relationship problems, 4 tries to help him out but her advice isn't helpful. Your thoughts about this predicament?

(Stretch, Lust) Lust, you can’t just tell everyone to “suck their dick under the table”, that is not a way to solve most problems.

 Do any of your friends write or draw Eleven?

(Razz) *Narrows my eyes most especially at Ollie*

[theorangestar]

The Lives and Times of Bolin and Opal - All I Wish For You Is Happiness

Mako loves his little brother; he just wants him to be happy. And nothing seems to make Bolin happier than being with Opal.

Or, Bopal throughout Books 3 & 4 as viewed by Mako.

Truth be told, Mako used to think Bolin and Opal’s relationship wouldn’t last.

Now, he would never admit that to anyone. If Bolin ever found out it would break his heart. Mako would take that secret to the grave.

It’s not like he thought they were a bad couple. They were a very sweet couple. The problem was he knew his brother, and his brother… well, he didn’t have the best luck in relationships. Of course, Mako didn’t really have room to talk, considering his own history, but for a long time, Bolin never seemed to get far enough with anyone to call them “relationships.”

He’d flirted with many girls over the years, or at least what he called “flirting” (Mako would curse Shady Shin for years for teaching his brother all those terrible pick up lines). It only got worse when they formed the Fire Ferrets, since fangirls threw themselves at the chance to meet a professional pro-bender. Most of these fans were superficial, only caring about Bolin the Athlete and not Bolin the Person, but he ignored the warning signs and flirted with every fan who made an advance. Mako knew Bolin didn’t mean to come off as a player; Bolin was a romantic at heart, and every girl he met he imagined was “The One.” This, of course, led to a series of broken hearts and yet more awful pick up lines.

And then came Korra.

It took a while for Mako to understand what Bolin saw in her, but when he did… well, he had to agree. It all spiraled from there.

Now, his first kiss with Korra he did not regret, even to this day. It was the circumstances surrounding that kiss he regretted, especially the part he played in crushing his brother’s heart. He supposed he deserved that long walk across town from Narook’s back to their attic, a drunk Bolin and Pabu on his shoulders and tears and puke soaked into his jacket. Thankfully, Bolin couldn’t hold a grudge to save his life, and he forgave both Mako and Korra soon enough, something Mako would have taken a lot longer to do had their roles been reversed. A part of him admired Bolin for that, even if he felt he didn’t really deserve that forgiveness.

Eska was next. Could Mako have handled that a little better?… Yeah, probably. Could he have given better advise to his brother when he was clearly in distress? Um…maybe? He had never been good with expressing feelings; why would Bolin come to him for help? In retrospect he could see Bolin was clearly unhappy and needed help getting out of this destructive affair, but it was hard to worry about other relationships when his own was teetering on the brink, combined with the threat of an all out civil war.

Then when Bolin started with Ginger, the brothers were barely talking, so he never found out how far that relationship got. Probably not that far, considering Bolin hardly ever mentioned her.

After a very long conversation on the boat ride back to Republic City after Harmonic Convergence, one spent mourning over heartbreak and love lost for both brothers, Bolin decided he was done dating for a while. Mako was secretly relieved. These almost-relationships had really given heavy blows to Bolin’s confidence, and the poor boy needed a break to recharge and focus on other things. Mako was also relieved because he wouldn’t be getting himself involved in his brother’s love life again. He was much better off keeping his hands clean.

A few weeks later, Team Avatar arrived in Zaofu.

When they first met Opal Beifong, Mako immediately liked her. She was sweet, welcoming, intelligent, and down to earth. When she and Bolin introduced themselves, her cheeks turned pink, and her eyes stared wide at his smile. Mako had to do a double-take. Did she…. did she like Bolin? He wasn’t sure until his gaze met Korra’s, and her mischievous smirk confirmed it. This new airbender had the hots for his brother. Wow.

Luck was with Bolin that evening when he and Opal got to sit together at dinner; Mako took the seat next to them. He chatted contentedly with Asami while keeping an ear to his brother’s conversation. Of course he wasn’t eavesdropping, don’t be ridiculous. It’s not like Bolin could whisper anyway; it was harder not to listen. To his pleasant surprise, the two seemed to hit it off really well. They hung onto each other’s every word, their eyes bright and smiles wide. They leaned into each other. Their hands would occasionally brush, and they’d shyly pull away.

It was so sweet it was cavity-inducing. He had to do something.

Now, Mako had promised himself that he wouldn’t interfere with Bolin’s love life again, and he was sure it wouldn’t last. Opal was either going to be stuck in Zaofu or would go train with Tenzin; neither scenario was conducive to a romantic relationship. Besides, somewhere along the way Bolin was likely to screw this up, probably whenever he finally broke out the pickup lines. It was only a matter of time. Still, it was impossible to ignore the chemistry between the two, and Mako genuinely wanted to help. Maybe a summertime fling with Opal would help Bolin’s confidence. However, as much as they were drawn together, it was obvious they would need a little push.

That night in their suite, Mako slyly tried to bring up the subject of Opal. “So…” he started as he ran gel through his hair. “You and Opal seemed to hit it off at dinner. I think she’s really into you.”

Bolin was startled for a moment; his cheeks burned as he continued to shove his toothbrush in his mouth. “Yeah, I know. She’s sweet, and pretty, and super nice…” His tone was wistful but soon dropped. “Too bad she’s not my type.”

Now that was just silly. Mako noticed the sad slump to his brother’s shoulders and decided to keep pushing. “Right, I forgot. Your type is dumb mover star or psycho ice princess.” That was a little harsh, considering how recent those were, but it had to be done. He purposefully left out their shared attraction to Korra, and it thankfully went unnoticed.

Bolin spat out his toothpaste and pulled out his dramatic flare. “You know, that really hurts a little bit. Right. Here.” He clutched his heart and stuck out his lip in a pout. Okay, the lip was a good sign; that usually meant the drama was purposeful. Bolin looked back at himself in the mirror as thoughts tumbled in his head.

Come on, Bolin. Give it a shot! Mako pretended to go about his business, but kept Bolin in his peripheral. Just another moment…

“Hmm… Maybe you’re right, Bro,” Bolin said as he adjusted his spit curl. “Maybe Opal is Bolin material. Thanks!” Then he struck a pose in the mirror with a cheesy wink. “Yeahhh!”

What have I done? thought Mako.

However, an hour later Bolin came back into their suite, eyes distant and smile dreamy. “She likes me!” Bolin bubbled as he collapsed on his bed. “See, first I tried to go in all smooth-like…”(Oh, please, Bolin, no!) “And she didn’t like that at all. (Smart girl, Opal.) “Then she was just like… ‘be yourself.’ And she smiled at me… Mako, she has the best smile!… And yeah, we’re giving it a shot. Mako! She likes me!”

“Be yourself.” Of course, brilliant! Why hadn’t he thought of that?! That’s great advice! Again, Mako was not very good in the expressions department. He’d work on that.

Well, at least that little push was a success. Bolin and Opal were almost inseparable the rest of their time in Zaofu. Apart from their airbending/metalbending training, they spent as much time together as possible. Mako would often catch them holding hands as they walked the grounds, erupting in fits of giggles. They sat together during all their meals, sharing awkward glances and flushed cheeks. At least once he caught them stealing kisses hidden in a dark corner of the estate late at night. But curiously enough, most often they sat around talking. Just...talking. Mako didn’t think Bolin could just sit still and talk so long with anyone, but that’s what he saw. Hushed whispers exchanged, hinting at stories and jokes that only those two would know. It was amazing how closely they had bonded, and so quickly, but that was Bolin for you. He loved people with everything he had, and when he fell for someone, he fell hard. It just so happened that this time the feelings were reciprocated.

Of course the day came at the end of their week-long visit when Opal had to leave for the Northern Air Temple to join her fellow airbenders. Poor Bolin was crushed, but it was inevitable. They had all known that Team Avatar was going to continue on their adventure, and Opal would either go up North or stay in Zaofu. All day they had been overly sentimental and Bolin’s dramatics doubled. “Every time I eat raw kale, I’ll think of you.”  “Every time I feel a breeze, I’ll think of you.” “See that hedge over there? It makes me think of you.” While Opal wasn’t quite as dramatic, she was still quick to indulge in his theatrics, her smiles a little less bright as they stared longingly at each other.

When it came time for their final goodbyes, they stood at the foot of Opal’s airship clinging to each other almost desperately. No one could hear what they were whispering, but they were left alone. Let them have their moment. When they pulled away, Bolin’s eyes shown with unshed tears. He was trying so hard to stay calm. Opal leaned in to peck him on the cheek before continuing her goodbyes with her family. When the airship finally took flight, Bolin slumped forward with a defeated, heartbroken sigh. Korra wrapped an arm around his shoulders and led him back to the Beifong Estate; Mako came up on their other side and pat Bolin’s back sympathetically.

Everything would be fine, he said. Bolin would see Opal again. Things really weren’t so bad.

After the insanity of the Red Lotus came and left destruction in its wake, Bolin and Opal were reunited and picked up right were they left off. You could hardly find one without the other. If Bolin was home when Mako got off work, Opal would be there too. If he wasn’t home, Mako would have to take the long ferry ride to the Air Temple to drag him back to their new apartment. Honestly, it was starting to get a little annoying. He wondered if this was how Bolin felt when Mako and Korra and been dating their first few months.

Slowly, however, Mako started to see changes in his brother. He didn’t sleep in as late anymore; he made a conscious effort to keep the apartment clean and to start chewing with his mouth closed. He started taking things more seriously and did less talking and more listening when conversing with people. Could this all be because of Opal’s influence?

Bolin was adamant about Mako and Opal spending time together. It was awkward being the third wheel, but this was Bolin after all. It was crucial to him that the most important people in his life got along. The three would go on lunch and dinner dates, and to pro-bending matches (with the occasional detour to visit Toza, who gave Opal his stamp of approval). He watched as she was formally introduced to Grandma Yin and the rest of their family. He was pretty sure that right then and there Grandma had adopted Opal as one of her own, because she spent the entire visit cooing over her. On long walks around the city Bolin would point out various spots and highlights, noting parts of their not-so-grand childhood. Opal didn’t sneer or balk. She asked questions and held tightly onto Bolin’s arm as if to act as a barrier against the memories. For that, Mako was thankful.

If only things could have stayed that way. Unrest in the Earth Kingdom grew, and Bolin, desiring to help those suffering, joined Kuvira’s campaign. When the day finally came for him to leave, emotions were high. His departure for the Earth Kingdom was hard for everyone, especially Opal. This was back before Kuvira had gone off the deep end, and Opal’s anger towards the older woman hadn’t grown into the rage it would in the future. Even still, this would be the first time Bolin and Opal were at ideological odds, and also when their relationship changed to long distance.

Mako and Bolin said their parting words back home in private, so he stayed back and watched the young couple share their final moments: a few whispers, a tight embrace, and a longing kiss. Tears were in their eyes but refused to fall. As he, Opal, and their loved ones waved goodbye to Bolin at the train station, Mako let out a deep sigh. He was going to miss his little brother so very much. One glance at Opal, however, reminded him that the two boys weren’t alone anymore, and he wasn’t the only one to feel Bolin’s absence. He hoped this didn’t spell the end for his brother’s new found love.

Bolin’s letters came consistently every few weeks, and Mako tried his hardest to respond to them all. He wasn’t the only one receiving letters. Grandma Yin and Asami both received a few, as well as the airbender family while they took care of Pabu. He was sure Korra was getting some as well down at the South Pole.

The one who overwhelmingly got the most letters was Opal. It seemed every other time Mako visited the island she could be found  reading Bolin’s newest letter or writing one in return. He’d pop over to say hi and she’d struggle to hide the letters, her face red and flustered. She’d flash a sugary grin and try to deflect the subject, looking everywhere but his eyes, similar to Bolin. It finally occurred to Mako that his brother wasn’t the only one whose behavior was influenced by this relationship. It was a two-way street.

Mako couldn’t exactly say when he started seeing Opal as a sister instead of just his brother’s girlfriend. It was probably a little after Bolin’s departure, and this tiny airbender was left to fill the earthbender shaped hole in his life. She was enthusiastic about spending time with him, frequently dragging him out to lunch away from the police station. Every once in a while they’d go see a pro-bending game together where Opal’s personality did a complete 180 from calm airbender to Bruiser Beifong. (Wow, airbenders’ lungs were powerful!) When the pro-bending seasons were over, the arena was changed into a mover theater, and Opal hauled Mako to see the repeats of Nuktuk: Hero of the South. While they both agreed that Bolin’s performances were fantastic (Opal’s words. Mako just called it “entertaining”) they diverged on plot twists, the hokeyness of the villains, and the special effects.

Mako pretended not to notice after the first night that Opal bought a mover poster and kept it hidden behind her back. This girl was smitten.

But what they really bonded over, to their equal surprise, was reading. They both enjoyed the feeling of being whisked away from their worries for a while and the smell of bound paper and ink. Mako didn’t get a chance to read much as a child, so he didn’t have a lot to say when asked about his favorite book (in that moment it’d been The Tale of Avatar Aang, a history book loaned to him by Jinora). At hearing this, Opal provided Mako with a huge list of her favorite books that she insisted he check out from the library. She refused to give him spoilers, but often looked full to bursting when asking how far along he was, who his favorite characters were, what did he think of this plot twist or that action scene. She was like a bundle of Bolin’s excitement wrapped in Mako’s calm and cool head. He would’ve loved to have had her as a sibling. And the more he thought about her and Bolin together, the more it felt right.

So it hurt him to see Opal and Bolin’s relationship strain as the Empire began to rise and tension between countries grew. Mako wasn’t allowed to respond to Bolin’s letters once he was assigned as Prince Wu’s bodyguard (security reasons he was told), but he saw with Opal that the letters were becoming less frequent as the support for Kuvira divided.

Opal had become more and more furious with Kuvira and Baatar Jr’s actions the more she listened to the news and talked to her mother over the radio. With her fury, Bolin’s letters became a source of tension. It was clear she still had feelings for his brother; she assured him so once when he dared to ask. But she couldn’t see Bolin participating in the awful things she was hearing about in the Empire and was so confused. Mako understood the feeling.

Prince Wu’s disaster of a coronation brought with it a bittersweet reunion with Bolin, and Mako could clearly see Opal had been right. Bolin had changed. He was sterner, more serious, more mature. Too bad he was too blinded to see why Kuvira was heading down a dangerous road and dragging him along with her. He was in too deep.

He was furious with Bolin during their last conversation after the Coronation, but he regretted their fight every day. He wished they could’ve talked it out. He wished he could see what Bolin saw in Kuvira, or that he could have convinced Bolin that the Empire wasn’t the beacon of hope he thought it was. He wished he’d stay safe. Well, if Mako couldn’t talk some sense into him, maybe Opal could.

When he heard from Lin that the Earth Empire had made its way to Zaofu’s door, he knew Opal and Bolin would meet and talk. Opal was always levelheaded, and Bolin held Opal in such high regards. Surely she’d make him see reason, make him come home. Wishful thinking, of course; he knew getting away from Kuvira wouldn’t be as easy as saying, “I quit.”

Eventually a sky bison made its way from the Empire to Air Temple Island carrying Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo, as well as… Korra?! What? Opal was also with them. No Bolin.

After Mako and Asami had their “eventful” reunion with Korra, he set Wu up in Asami’s mansion with his family, then sought out Opal on the island. He had avoided asking Korra about Zaofu, since it was clear she was in no mood to talk about it, but he knew Opal would answer his questions.

When he found her, his heart burned. Her eyes were rimmed red and her lip quivered, but she still led him away from the temple so they could talk. “Was he there?” Mako didn’t have to specify who.

“At first.” Opal wiped at her eyes as they huddled near the cliffs where they wouldn’t be disturbed. “He was with Kuvira and my brother when they came to talk to Mom. She was using him to butter Mom up, but it didn’t work. He was so sure she was right, and I was so mad…” Mako handed her a handkerchief to dab her eyes and cheeks. She nodded thanks, but her voice still quivered. “Then Mom and Wing and Wei tried to get into their camp, and they were captured. He wasn’t there the next morning when we met out on the field for Korra’s duel. I didn’t see him anywhere. Kuvira said he was working on something with Junior, but… I can’t believe it, Mako, I can’t! If Bolin had seen that fight with Korra, if he knew she had captured my family, he never would have been okay with it. He’s too good for that! That’s not the man I lo—“ she stopped herself, Mako raising his eyebrows, before she continued. “She must be distracting him so he won’t interfere, or he found out and she… she…” She buried her face in the handkerchief. “Either way, he’s in trouble. I’m so worried about him. And now my family’s captured and no one knows what to do!”

He wouldn’t lie and say it would all be fine, he couldn’t guarantee that, and it wasn’t what she needed to hear. Mako wrapped an arm around her shoulders. It was a little awkward, even though they were friends. But if there was one thing he knew how to do, it was how to be a big brother. He could do that for her.

She sniffed and leaned against his side. “Thanks, Mako.”

He gave a nervous smile. “Sorry I’m not too good at the whole comforting thing. That’s more Bolin’s department.”

Opal let out a wispy chuckle. “You’re not bad at it.” They sat in comfortable silence before she let out a shaky breath. “I miss him.”

Mako gave her shoulder a squeeze. “Me too.”

Bolin’s return to Republic City was loud, unexpected, and a bit confusing, just like Bolin himself. After the mass rush of bewilderment and information that Bolin and Varrick brought with them, Mako fully realized, Wait, Bolin is here! And he’s alive! Once Wu took his eyes off him, he and Korra caught up with Bolin, who had taken off after a frustrated Opal.

This was it, Mako thought. The inevitable destruction of their relationship. Bolin was really going to have to make it up to Opal, but he had a habit of pushing when someone really needed space. Opal was already on a short fuse, and she was bound to snap at any moment. Even though Bolin was sorry about Kuvira, it was too little too late.

Bolin was clearly not okay, with his kinda-sorta break-up on top of the mess that was the Kuvira situation and his part in it, and even a reunion with Korra didn’t seem to bring him much joy. As they sat around trying to cheer him up, Asami drove by to check on them and the four finally had their first official Team Avatar reunion, and even that didn’t help Bolin feel much better. His mind was far away from City Hall, and by the way he kept scratching at his hair and tugging his jacket, he was sure to have a break down any moment.

“Maybe you should head to Asami’s mansion, Bro,” Mako told him after their fourth or fifth group hug. “Calm down and rest, you look like you need it. Let Grandma know you’re back; she’ll take care of you.”

Bolin shook his head, determination shining in his eyes. “Sorry, Mako. As much as I want to see Grandma and everyone else again, I can’t. Not until I’ve settled things with Opal. I’m gonna go to Air Temple Island, find Pabu, then we’re gonna think of a plan. I’ve got to make this up to her, Mako. Opal is so important to me; I can’t let it end like this, I can’t!”

Of course, Mako didn’t want to see Bolin’s heart broken, even if it was his own doing, but he didn’t see Bolin’s attempts at reconciliation ending well. Still, he couldn’t stop him from trying. “At least get cleaned up. You look like you haven’t bathed in weeks.”

“You know what? I haven’t.” Well, those hugs from earlier weren’t so warm and fuzzy now.

“Let’s include some new clothes with that clean up, hm?” Asami nodded to Bolin’s muddy and torn uniform before dragging him to her car. “You can’t make things up properly still dressed as the enemy, now can you?” Bolin couldn’t argue and was soon shoved into the passenger seat and carted off to Air Temple Island.

While Korra and Mako watched them leave from the front steps of City Hall, Korra glanced at him. “So… you think she’ll take him back?”

Mako shrugged. “Honestly, at this point? I have no idea. I’ll hope for the best and prepare for the worst. They make each other so happy; I want them to work it out.”

What he hadn’t prepared for was the note Kai gave him when he went to the island that evening. “It’s from Bolin,” the boy said. “And don’t get mad at me; I’m just the messenger.” Then he disappeared into the depths of the temple. Mako grimaced as he opened and read the letter.

“Dear Mako,

On secret mission with Opal & Chief. Be back in a few days, don’t worry. Feed Pabu for me!

- <3 Bolin”

Mako was going to kill him. That is, if Kuvira didn’t kill him first.

As angry as he was that his brother had once again gone off and dived right into another life-threatening situation, Mako still worried about him, because that’s what he did: worry. All the time. Just part of the job of being a big brother.

A few days later he couldn’t do anything but heave a sigh of relief when Bolin finally came back hand in hand with Opal, along with most of the Beifong clan and a rattled Zhu Li.

“I see you two are still together,” Mako said as Bolin dragged all three of them into a big hug.

“Because Opal is the most forgiving and wonderful person in the whole world!” His brother’s smile was wide enough for his face to break, and he was so light on his feet he could’ve flown. “She is the sun, the moon, the stars. Blessed by The Great Yue herself, so gracious, and compassionate, and wise, and humble, and beautif—”

“You can tone it down there, Bo.” Opal rolled her eyes. “I appreciate your compliments, but Aunt Lin was not kidding about locking you up for disturbing the peace if you didn’t shut up.”

“Right, okay…” he shuffled away. “I’ll just… go now… I’m taking Zhu Li to see Varrick… And I still need to say hi to Asami and Grandma, so… yeah, bye.” And he was gone.

“So, you took him back.” Mako gave Opal a smirk. “He must have really begged.”

Opal rolled her eyes. “He didn’t ‘beg.’ At first he tried to ignore the entire mess and threw a picnic.” Mako smacked his forehead. “And after I chewed him out, he gave a heartfelt speech. He really was remorseful…” Her eyes softened.”But after everything that happened outside Zaofu and that camp, saving my family… Kuvira was a terrible influence on him, but his heart never changed. I’m grateful for that. I think he deserves a second chance.”

Hm… He shouldn’t pry. He really shouldn’t. But this was big brother territory. He just had to know. “Have you told him?”

“Told him what?”

“All those nice things you said while he was gone. You know, your real feelings?”

Opal blinked before turning completely red. “I, what? What are you…? I have no idea… You’re just as bad as Kai!” She huffed and stormed off to join her parents. Mako just laughed. Opal was stubborn, just like all Beifongs, but he knew she’d say something eventually. It was only a matter of time.

Technically he didn’t have to wait long — only a week — but it felt like forever. Bolin, as it turned out, had already confessed his love to Opal before their rescue mission, so the whole week they prepared for Kuvira’s arrival to the City, it was all Bolin could talk about.

“… And I poured my heart out, you know?” Bolin droned on and on. “I actually thought it was a good speech. And when I said, ‘I love you,’ she got this look on her face. I’m still not sure what it meant; she was pretty upset at the time. What does this mean? Do you think she feels the same? I mean, we’re still together, but she hasn’t mentioned it. What if she’s still with me out of pity? I mean, she said, ‘Thanks!’ What does that meeeeaaaaan?!”

“Bolin, calm down!” Mako grumbled. “Things are hectic right now. We’ve all been under a lot of stress, and we’re preparing for war. Give her time. You two will have plenty of time to talk if we survive. Aren’t you supposed to be helping Varrick and Zhu Li right now?”

“Mako, their relationship right now makes mine and Opal’s seem like a vacation on Ember Island. I’m staying away as much as I can until they resolve it.”

The day of the confession finally came with the arrival of the Colossus. Opal was dealing with a head injury and staying at Asami’s office to recover while their group headed out with one final charge. The airbender stuck her head out a window and called out to his brother. “Bolin!”

“Opal?”

“I love you!”

Mako was certain that if he’d touched Bolin in that moment, he would have exploded. His eyes were the brightest he’d ever seen, the smile splitting his face was almost painful yet contagious. “R-Really?”

“Yes! So you better make it back to me, you got that?”

“Yes! Crystal clear!” Bolin grabbed Mako’s shoulders and shook him so hard Mako thought his head would fall off. “Did you hear that?! She loves me! She loves me!” It took both Mako and Korra to drag the lovesick boy away as he called back to his sweetheart. “I’ll be back! I promise! We’ll kick Kuvira’s butt in no time!”

“You better!”

The couple was cut off by distance, but that didn’t stop Bolin as he babbled on and on about Opal, and suns, and stars, and birds in the spring. “I feel like I could climb every mountain! Ford every stream! Follow every rainbow!”

Mako rolled his eyes as he shared a smirk with Korra. “I’m really happy for you, Bro, but lets hold off celebrating until after the battle, shall we?”

“Right, right, battle! I feel amazing! I’m invincible! Kuvira won’t know what hit her! Ha!” He spun out of their grip and almost danced after the rest of the group.

The battle was long but ultimately ended in triumph, and Bolin and Opal were reunited. Mako didn’t remember much of those first few days afterwards (he was only conscious half the time while recovering from that spirit vine core), but what he remembered from their bedside visits, they were steadfast, close, and occasionally sickeningly sweet. That could’ve been just the painkillers that were forced down his throat, but it was hard to tell. But when he was finally well enough to get out of bed, he would find them off in corners together speaking quietly or giggling just as they had three years ago. It was a little different this time, though. The nervous jitters were gone, the shy stolen glimpses had been replaced by solid confidence and grounding glances. It was as if they understood each other in ways they hadn’t before. Also, more often than before, they’d be out in the open, side by side, partners in everything.

He was still unsure exactly what all had happened during the Beifong Rescue, but between then and the Battle of Republic City, something had shifted and for the better. The way his brother looked at Opal and had her eyes match him back; Mako couldn’t be happier for them.

At Varrick and Zhu Li’s wedding, he watched Bolin and Opal spin on the dance floor and hilariously fail at party games. Mako nodded to himself. This felt right.

“How you doin’ over there, Bro?” Bolin asked as he and Opal glided up to him. “Your arm doing okay? Not too bored standing on the sidelines?”

“I’m fine, Bolin, don’t you worry.” Mako shot his brother a grin. “You two sure seemed to enjoy yourselves out there. You’ve got some moves.”

“All thanks to Opal, of course,” Bolin beamed, wrapping his arms around her waist. “She’s an amazing ballroom dancer.”

Opal rolled her eyes. “I’m not that amazing. I’m not my mother. But I know a few things, and Bo’s a fast learner.” She tugged lightly on Bolin’s suit jacket.

“I’ve got to say, this wedding has been quite the event. Varrick and Zhu Li really did go all out, and on such short notice.” Mako gestured to the expanse of lights, tables, and guests. “Are you two taking notes? You might want to remember some of this stuff for your own wedding.”

“Well, there’s an awful lot of blue, which is more of a Water Tribe color. I’d go with more greens and yellows—wait, what?” Bolin sputtered. His cheeks flushed bright red as Opal’s eyes darted everywhere but the brothers. “W-Wedding? Oh, Mako, Bro! Isn’t it a little early to be thinking about a wedding? I mean, we just got back together. Who’s thinking about a wedding?” He noticed Opal now staring at him. “N-Not that marrying you isn’t a nice thought! I’d love to marry you! Oh wait, no! Now I sound desperate! I mean, it’s too soon to think about it! I mean… Hey, does anyone want something to drink? I’m thirsty!”

Opal’s cheeks were pink, but she nodded with a smile. “I’d like a drink.” She pulled Bolin towards the bar and waved to Mako. “It was nice talking to you, Mako. Save us a dance, okay?”

“Will do!” Mako called, and the couple disappeared into the crowd.

He shook his head with an exasperated sigh. Oh, what was he going to do with those two? Ah well. There was plenty of time to think about weddings. If things kept going as well as they were, a wedding was imminent. Those two were perfect for each other. Mako couldn’t wait.

That wedding did eventually happen two and a half years later. Everyone expected Bolin to cry at the ceremony, and he did. Oh, he did. He always had a tissue within arms reach. He was incredibly predictable.

What no one predicted was that Mako would be the first to cry at the wedding and the last to stop.

Oh, he did.