#to show how disconnected and far away that version of him is to his current self

[jabberwockprince]

from this trend except I dont like how empty the background is so I fill it with stuff

[allthelittlecreepycrawlies]

Time again for "Things I Will Probably Never Write!"

Short Version: "Jin Guangyao is reincarnated in a position that would give him power over Nie Huaisang, but finds he can't go through with getting him back because A) Huaisang doesn't remember their past lives, and B) Huaisang's current life already sucks."

More Detailed Version: After being freed from the get-along coffin, Jin Guangyao is reborn into a slightly-to-the-left version of the world where there's still cultivation and still gentry-clan sects, but different ones from those he remembers.

And he does remember. He remembers everything.

Zhan Haoyu originally decides that he is going to stay as far away from the cultivation world as possible, but the allure of the better parts proves too strong. So he, as a teenager, takes up a job as an apprentice bookkeeper for an orphanage that a local sect frequently draws recruits from. It's a close enough position that he can get away with reusing some cultivation techniques to improve his health and such without drawing suspicion, but (mostly) disconnected from all the political bullshit.

It looks like he'll be able to build himself a comfortable, quiet, safe life, until a new child is brought to the orphanage.

It's Huaisang.

His appearance might be different, but he knows this is Huaisang.

His first immediate thought is to do something to get the kid kicked out. Whether Huaisang remembers or not, he doesn't want the boy anywhere in his general vicinity. There are two other orphanages in the town, or the brat can live on the street for all he cares.

But then he finds himself eavesdropping as the adult who brought the child in explains the situation to the matron.

Little Xie Ying had been born to a woman whose husband abandoned her during the pregnancy. She'd been lucky enough to eventually get remarried to a rich man, but when she got pregnant with his kid, he insisted on getting rid of Ying in favor of his incoming heir, and she hadn't argued with him on it. The person bringing him in is a neighbor of theirs who disapproved of the decision, but doesn't have the means to raise him.

The irony is thick enough to choke on.

The incoming half-brother has to be Mingjue, because that sounds exactly like the kind of sick punchline fate would write to their joke of a situation.

Xiao-Ying is six years old (heavens damn it, even the age difference is the same), old enough that he understands he wasn't wanted. Also, most of the orphanage's residents arrive as infants or very small toddlers, so he's immediately singled out as Other.

Watching how small and quiet and miserable he is, Zhan Haoyu finds he can't go through with any revenge ideas. He'll just avoid the kid and that's that.

Except he keeps finding xiao-Ying hiding from the other kids in the library or his office. Not only that, but little scrap paper doodles and halves of the rare treats the kids are given and shiny rocks and other "small child" gifts keep showing up on his desk.

He eventually clues in as to why xiao-Ying insists on always showing up in his shadow, remembering his previous childhood in the brothel and how a lot of the time, being ignored was a lot safer than being noticed. The boy apparently adores him just for not picking on him.

Again, the irony is almost sickening.

But... if he's being honest with himself... this is the side of Huaisang he'd missed.

He's not going to encourage it. He's not going to be this child's friend.

He's not.

The cheap little calligraphy set he leaves on the boy's pillow the day after his realization is just a practical replacement for the brushes one of the older boys had ripped all the hair out of two days ago. Nothing more.

[autisticcassandracain]

Black Manta backstories (that I have encountered so far, no guarantees there aren’t any others) ranked by how much I personally like them:

4. The ‘Kidnapped by Pirates’ Backstory

Probably the first attempt at humanizing Black Manta, and it shows lmao. I appreciate the effort, but it just doesn’t work very well. Him getting angry at the sea during his time with the pirates makes a reasonable amount of sense, in that humans are prone to latching onto things in both hope and anger when in a situation they can’t control, but him then dedicating his life to hunting down this one specific dude he decided embodied the sea is more than a few steps too far. Furthermore, it just doesn’t add anything to his character. Like alright, I guess he isn’t evil for the sake of being evil anymore, but this tragic backstory doesn’t reframe any of his actions in a new light, nor does it inform any of his decisions going forward. It’s entirely unsurprising this didn’t stick.

3. Aquaman: Deep Dives Dead Mom Variant

Technically not an ENTIRELY different backstory, but I’m gonna count it. In this version of his post-flashpoint backstory, his dad and mom separated, and his mom lived out her life on land with another man. The difference between this backstory and the one written by Higgins is minor, but significant. This backstory is used to frame Black Manta as greedy and selfish, choosing a life of adventure and riches over his mom, and it’s implied this was the case for his dad as well. I don’t think this interpretation of him fits very well with the new backstory he got in the N52/Rebirth, but I suppose it’s a matter of personal taste. 

2. You Killed My Father, Prepare To Die

LOVE THIS IT’S THE HIGHT OF LITERATURE POETIC CINEMA. Can (and will) write an entire separate post about it, but I think there’s a reason this is the only backstory that multiple writers have actually engaged with. It reframes the Aquaman/Black Manta conflict in a unique way, while providing ample opportunity for interesting commentary on the concept of vengeance. Higgins specifically, I think, did a fantastic job with expanding on it. This backstory, and particularly Higgins’ expansion on it, successfully casts Black Manta’s actions in a new light, actually making him a complex character for the first time in, well, forever. 

1. Weird Fucking Autism Backstory

Objectively the worst. It makes absolutely no sense! The connections between this backstory and his current actions are tenuous at best; unlike the post-flashpoint backstory, or even the pirate backstory, there is no real reason for Black Manta to hunt Aquaman specifically, beyond vague implications about him liking the sea while also being abused. In fact, this backstory is so disconnected from his current actions, it makes you wonder why he’s even an Aquaman rogue to begin with, when being a Batman rogue would make INFINITELY more sense with this backstory. It’s also horrifically ableist, and with the ‘bait and switch’ at the end of the arc (that everyone and their mom saw coming I’m sure) revealing that it wasn’t the autism that made him evil, but that he was just evil by nature, you have to wonder why they even bothered. It doesn’t reframe anything, and it doesn’t cast him in a more sympathetic light, so was all that really just meant as a red herring for a plot twist anyone could see coming from a mile away? Weak.

That said I’m autistic and I think it’s funny as fuck, and also this backstory makes him the only prominent canon autistic character in DC, so I’m gonna be obnoxious about it until further notice.

[imnotgrimimjustagrumpyreaper]

Everything you never thought to ask and never wanted to know about my Josépan playlist/history with and opinions of the ship.

Intro:

The journey of this playlist has been a long one, starting on Amazon Music and my old, janky and now defunct Ipad.

STRAP IN, CHILDREN AS I TAKE YOU BACK TO A MAGICAL TIME WHEN NEITHER LEGENDS OF THE THREE CABALLEROS; NOR THEIR CAMEO IN DUCKTALES HAD BEEN ANNOUNCED YET, MY BLOG ON TUMBLR DIDN’T EXIST (THOUGH I WAS LURKING) AND PANCHITO WAS STILL THE LEAST POPULAR CABALLERO, otherwise known as around late 2017.

A word on the origins of the playlist:

The playlist was not initially Ducktales focused because the two didn’t exist in Ducktales yet. I was rather unenthusiastic back in the day about this ship (oh how the times change) but I had stumbled across a song that didn’t fit them and Donald but fit just them very well and wanted to make an animatic of it. So, I cobbled together some songs I thought fit the vibe and made a playlist.

The history behind the story that inspired it:

I’ll spare you from starting at the very beginning. But, when “The Town Where Everyone was Nice” premiered I was already thoroughly and utterly obsessed with the cabs; I remember how beyond ecstatic I was for the episode. My hype for the Ducktales versions of José and Panchito continued far beyond what seems to have been normal for the average cabs fan. I found myself drawn to the ideas put forth by those versions of them. I don’t really remember what the tipping point was for me to break down and make my own college AU but eventually I did. It was affectionately dubbed “The TV Show That Will Never Happen AU.” José and Panchito were enemies to lovers or at least to friends. And it was around that time I began to go CRAZY with the headcanons as I got more active in the fandom. While my ideas for the Ducktales versions of them grew and grew, so too did the time between them appearing in “The Town Where Everyone was Nice” and their alleged next appearance in the show. When fans noticed the distinct lack of José and Panchito in the season two finale of Ducktales, Francisco Angones, @//suspenderofdisbelief on Tumblr answered these two separate asks that I might have engraved on tombstone one day:

I was GONE for the ship after that. I developed another AU for them based around their time in Baia trying to get people to fund their attempts to become famous musicians. Also, slowly falling in love... It was affectionately titled “The Fan-Comic that Will Never Happen” but not yet connected to my college AU. I don’t have much of a timeline for it after this point, but with that AU I really hit my stride for interpretations of the two characters and their dynamic. The version of them I hold dear in my heart and headcanons came to be. Then “Louie’s Eleven” came out and absolutely destroyed a lot of my headcanons (just kidding, just kidding). Since the new canon material didn’t really jive with a lot of the wholesomeness I had built up I was left with a lot of something else: angst. I LOVE angst, but the two’s bitterness and arguing...It was hard to accept at the time. Me and @cartoon-lizard on Tumblr, my IRL best friend, wound up writing a Josépan fic fueled on a bit of that angst and by her grace, a lot of my headcanons. I titled it “My Reverie is Being Haunted by That Ass.” In it Panchito makes an ass (rimshot noises) of himself by running off with a producer he met by chance during a visit in Duckburg to try to become famous. And doing so without so much as a second thought to the person he’s been living with/sort of dating for over a year. It took me a while but eventually I figured it out. These weren’t three separate AUs, these were three separate pieces of the same AU. And so my masterpiece never meant to be made came to be: “The Trilogy: College/Baia/Reverie.”

“The Trilogy” Itself:

The story will never be written for a variety of reasons, personal and practical. But if it ever were to be written it would be three separate fics, aka: College, Baia and Reverie.

College encapsulates their college years (duh).

To set the stage:

Panchito: A friendly, arrogant and easily excitable musician with big dreams, good grades and a whole lot of anxiety and insecurity. He has complicated feelings towards his identity as both trans and pan and how that might affect his dreams of becoming famous, but is overall bright eyed and innocent enough.

José: A lazy (depressed), charming, pessimistic, tbh kind of a douche and deep in the closet gay man. He tends to push forward a very “Manly man” persona to make up for his own deep seated internalized homophobia brought on by a shitty upbringing. He just got away from said shitty upbringing and doesn’t really have any hopes for his future...Maybe to travel a bit?

José and Panchito start as enemies, both fearing losing their one real friend, Donald, to the other. Despite this the three start a band and the two’s rivalry becomes far more friendly. They get particularly close during the trip down to Acapulco for spring break where the general feeling of being disconnected from life and reality leads to several rather romantic moments between the two...They almost become a thing several times but never quite do. However, they are very good friends by the end of college. The three stay in contact for a while after college but eventually lose touch…

Baia timeskips forward 13 years later (I know it's only 10 canonically, I always say 13 for reasons) to a conversation between Panchito and José on the Sunchaser at the end of “The Town Where Everyone Was Nice.”

Panchito: Life hasn’t been kind to Panchito...His need to be famous, to be something in order to be someone has led him to push a lot of people out of his life so he can better focus on “Work.” Or drive them out by constantly asking for their support, financial or otherwise. He has no friends and even his relationships with his loving and supportive family are strained. Currently, he’s working freelance as a performer at childrens’ birthday parties (in his eyes: a clown) and goes home to a sad, empty apartment every night to stare at a notebook full of half written songs and muster enough energy to eat cereal for dinner for the third time in a row. Needless to say, his optimism is wearing thin.

José: A lot of hard work on his part, some good therapy and mmm; drugs have put him in a pretty good place. He’s more or less got his life together now, is way less of a douche and is more of a realist than a pessimist. He’s also pretty much completely comfortable in his identity as a gay man. He’s been trying to explore romantic relationships, but unfortunately (likely due to the loveless marriage between his parents making him strive so hard to believe that love is real that he puts the unrealistic goal of true love above all else) feels incomplete without one and double unfortunately has a tendency to be drawn to toxicity and abusive situations. So other than a string of (short lived) bad relationships, he’s actually doing great!

Panchito has already asked Donald to drop everything and stay with him down in Baia to try to get funding for the band. Donald said no. José has a steady job, a decent apartment and a supportive friend group back home. He's also long since lost interest and hope in their college dreams of being famous...José says yes. The two have a bunch of wild and wacky shenanigans trying to get funding and both dance around their growing feelings for each other until it explodes and overwhelms them. They rush into a romantic relationship head first with no real ground for it to be built on and unrealistic expectations of what the other can give them. Despite all this, things seem quite happy...for a while…

If you've made it this far, <3, CONT. in pt 2.

[olivinesea]

A Mixed Blessing

Chapter List

chapter four: talking in your demon voice

a/n: It’s my birthday! So it’s Hotch’s birthday too. Warning for substance use, as you might have suspected. ~2.6k

Aaron’s fifteenth birthday came and went without any mention or change in his home. He’d grown past the point of caring or expecting anything from his family. It was enough to just make it through the day without being noticed. To make it through unscathed. After dinner he helped Sean get ready for bed while his mother cleaned and his father settled into his favorite chair to begin his nightly ritual of slipping under the veil of alcohol fumes. If everyone was lucky he wouldn’t get up again that evening.

After Sean took a bath, Aaron helped him pull on his soft red pajamas, cozy in the late fall air. Hair still damp, it stuck up in odd places around the crown of his head. He moved slowly, sucking on his bottom lip, seeming to be waiting for something. Aaron pulled back the covers, inviting him over.

“C’mon, if you hurry up I can read you a story.”

He didn’t move. “Aaron?”

He frowned slightly, unsure what was going through the child’s mind. “What’s up?”

Sean scrunched up his face. “Is it your birthday?”

Aaron laughed. “Yeah buddy, it’s my birthday.”

Relief immediately washed over the child’s face, quickly followed by confusion. “We didn’t have a cake.”

Aaron sighed. “It’s okay, I don’t really like cake that much.”

“But you have to blow your candles out and make a wish. That’s what we do on my birthday.”

Aaron looked at him steadily, his face still round with baby fat, blue eyes searching beneath furrowed brows. He wondered when he’d grown into this little person, forming opinions on the world around him. Sean had an acute sense of justice, a child’s insistence on fairness and parity being the same thing. Aaron shrugged a shoulder, “I don’t need to wish for anything.”

“Why?”

Aaron exhaled sharply though his nose, tired of this conversation, not wanting to get into a long string of why’s, just wanting to get out of the house, treat himself to his own birthday celebration. “Okay I have one wish: I wish you would get in bed.”

Sean didn’t move, exploring the limit of his autonomy. Aaron patted the bed, trying to ignore the irritation crawling up the back of his neck. “Please Sean, it’s getting late.”

Sean sighed, relenting but not moving towards the bed. Instead he walked over to the child sized table and chair where he kept some puzzles and art supplies. He carefully pulled a folded paper from under a stack. Aaron watched his brother’s determined actions from his seat on the bed. Sean held the paper close to his chest as he walked back to the bed. He seemed a little self-conscious.

“I made you a birthday card.” He paused. “I did it all by myself.”

Aaron’s heart melted, feeling guilt for his earlier irritation.

“Can I read it to you?”

“Of course, come here,” Aaron said, pulling Sean up on the bed beside him. Sean leaned against his side as he held out the card. Thick marker lines messily spelled out a birthday wish in shaky letters, jumbled randomly. Sean had only just begun learning the alphabet. There were a few unrecognizable designs that Aaron thought might be cars or birds. He smiled as Sean pointed to the letters, reading out his current version of what it said, a rambling child’s message of happiness. Aaron felt his throat closing, thinking about all the choices he’d been making, about how often he left Sean here alone with their parents, unprotected. Yet Sean loved him anyway. He didn’t deserve that love. Sean finished his recitation of the the card’s contents and looked up at Aaron expectantly.

“Thanks buddy, I love it.” He squeezed him to his side. “I love you Sean.”

The little boy rubbed his face into the fabric of Aaron’s shirt, making a small noise of happiness. An image of himself, faded and disconnected, flashed through his mind and he squeezed tighter, causing Sean to squeak in protest.

“Sorry,” Aaron muttered, releasing him. “Alright, bedtime for real. Lay down.”

Sean wriggled into his sheets, smiling to himself at the gift he’d given. Aaron pulled the blankets up to his shoulders.

“Story?” Sean asked hopefully but Aaron shook his head. He needed to go, the guilt was becoming unbearable. That he could be so irresponsible while Sean was here, perfect in his childhood, worrying about whether his big brother got to blow out birthday candles, was too much. His self loathing was threatening to overwhelm him and he couldn’t be around Sean when that happened. He needed to run, run to the escape he’d found in abandoned sheds and unused garages. Sean stuck out his bottom lip, ready to complain. Aaron just leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead.

“Thank you for the birthday card.” He held it to his chest to show how much it meant to him and Sean smiled sleepily. “Sweet dreams, kid.”

Aaron ruffled his hair before heading out of the room, turning off the lights as he left, making sure the door was closed. In the hallway he looked at the card again, the brightly colored scribbles searing through his chest like a knife. He felt an urge to tear it up but gritted his teeth and folded it carefully, sticking it in his back pocket. He stopped in his room long enough to grab his coat and a beanie then slipped out the back door before either of his parents could notice him leaving.

He was going to meet Cole. He’d started spending more time with the older boy, time outside of school hours. A few times a week he’d find himself following him to various locations where other teenagers would be loitering, making the same dumb choices that teenagers had always made. He hated being there, uncomfortable and ignored. He’d tuck himself into a corner with a beer and watch Cole lord over the group, holding their attention with his darkly iridescent personality. Some nights they barely spoke and Aaron wondered if he was even really supposed to be there. He’d think about ducking out, heading home to the familiar loneliness that wasn’t him being forced to watch others as they became louder and dumber. But as soon as he’d make the decision, start moving in the direction of a door, Cole was always there, right at his side, grabbing his elbow, pulling him to a circle of smokers or handing him another drink.

Cole noticed how nervous, how uncomfortable Aaron was and if anything he found it funny. One night, as Aaron’s eyes darted around a crowded living room, Cole smirked and dragged him outside, handing him a cigarette.

“Here, something to do.”

Aaron didn’t like the way it tasted, didn’t like the way the smoke lingered in his mouth like he’d eaten a fistful of ash, didn’t like the sick, hollow feeling it created in his stomach. But he liked having an activity. Standing by yourself was much less noticeable with a cigarette in your hand. Time passed faster when punctuated by smoke breaks. However, he didn’t like always having to ask, like a child asking for one more treat. When he saw a pack in someone’s unattended bag he lifted it without a second thought. When Cole raised his eyebrows at him, questioning as he pulled out his own cigarette he felt a small smile of satisfaction curl the corners of his mouth. Cole laughed at this and held up his lighter, the flame just far enough away that Aaron had to lean forward to reach it. Cigarette lit, Aaron straightened, catching a flicker of emotion crossing Cole’s face. He replaced it with a humorless grin before Aaron could interpret it fully.

Not for the first time he questioned the wisdom of his choice to spend his time with this person who’s motivations he couldn’t pin down. He took a drag, feeling the smoke fill his lungs, no resistance, all sensitivity burned away at this point. He looked at Cole again as he exhaled in to the chilled night air. He looked pleased and Aaron couldn’t deny the warmth that it caused to spread to his fingertips. Cole winked at him before turning away to talk with a group gathered nearby. Aaron clung to the warmth, inhaling again to try to pull it back in as it filtered away with Cole’s attention. He hated to admit it but he would wait around for more of that feeling. He wandered to the corner of the building and sunk down against the wall, pulling his knees into his chest, ashing on to the bare dirt beside him. He could be patient.

Tonight would be no different he assumed. He’d developed a system. First he would check Cole’s grandma’s house since that was the easiest place to get to, only a mile or so from Aaron’s own house. If he wasn’t there, Aaron would go on to the shed in the woods, where, hopefully, Cole would be lounging in his feline way, watchful eyes and retracted claws at the ready. Sometimes they stayed there, sometimes he’d get dragged to some social gathering. Other times no one was there and Aaron would make himself comfortable on one of the busted couches, pulling out his own small stash of weed that he’d started carrying around and smoke until he couldn’t think straight. Only then would he wander home, when he got too cold to be there anymore and he was certain his family would be long asleep, his father too unconscious to hear him stumble back in.

Tonight he was lucky, finding Cole at the first location. He could tell he was home by the light shining through the small high windows of the garage. The door was partially raised but not enough to see inside. Aaron leaned close and knocked on it, calling softly,

“Hey, it’s me.”

He heard some swearing and some rustling as Cole came over to lift the door higher, allowing Aaron access. He didn’t bother greeting him, only turning away immediately to go back to his desk where he was messing with something small. Aaron was used to this behavior by now, though it had confused him at first, thinking that it must mean he wasn’t welcome. But Cole was just like that, sometimes so focused on him that it felt like he was cutting through Aaron with his attention and sometimes so distracted that he didn’t notice or even seem to recognize him. It still made Aaron a little uncomfortable, not knowing what he would be getting, but it wasn’t like he had better options for company.

He went and sat on the corner of Cole’s bed, just a mattress on the ground and the only other furniture in the garage besides the table and chair pushed up against the wall. There were some milk crates and cardboard boxes with unfolded clothes and other odds and ends. Some rusty and broken bikes and an old TV that turned on but mostly only got static. Aaron picked at a hole forming in the knee of of his jeans, waiting for Cole to say something to him, considering if he should start rolling a joint. He was unclear on the rules for this place; sometimes he’d arrive with the air filled with smoke and Cole lazily smoking on the bed. Other times he’d suggest it and get met with a sharp comment, something cutting about how he needed to calm down, not be such a damn pothead. It was unnerving. But it was Aaron’s birthday and he had been sober for too much of it. He pulled out his supplies, grabbing a magazine that had been discarded on the ground to use as a work surface.

“Put that shit away.”

He looked up at Cole who was unexpectedly standing above him, holding something carefully in his hands. He opened his mouth to protest, he really needed this right now, needed to get away from all these thoughts that were chasing him. But Cole glared at him so he set the magazine down, careful not to spill what he’d already put out. Pleased with being obeyed, Cole smiled and sat down beside him.

“I’ve got something better for you, birthday boy.”

Despite the whiplash of Cole’s demeanor, Aaron couldn’t help but feel a happiness that someone, this someone, his only friend, had remembered his birthday. Side by side now, he could feel the heat of the other boy’s body even though they were not quite touching, too aware of his presence. He chewed on his lip, trying to understand what he was seeing in Cole’s hands. It looked like tiny pieces of trash: some foil, a straw too short to drink from, something dark and sticky looking.

“Here, hold this.” He handed over the tiny straw, chuckling at the confusion on Aaron’s face. “When I light this you’re gonna inhale as long as you can and then hold your breath. Okay?”

Aaron frowned, “Sure.”

Cole held the foil so it was at chest height. He leaned forward slightly.

“With the straw, dumbass.”

Aaron blushed but held the straw to his lips. The smoke that filled his lungs tasted unlike anything he had ever had before. He almost wanted to stop, to ask more questions but felt Cole’s eyes on him, demanding he continue. When his lungs were so full he felt like they might burst, he sat up again. Cole placed a finger on his lips, reminding him to hold the smoke in. Aaron looked at him, trying to read the thoughts so clearly running through the other boy’s mind. He felt certain it wasn’t something he would like to hear. Just when he thought he might pass out from lack of oxygen, Cole dropped his hand. Relieved, Aaron exhaled, shaking his head at the taste.

“Again.”

“What? Why? What even is that?” He didn’t feel any different and he wasn’t particularly comfortable with how that had just happened.

“Shut up, just do it.” Cole’s eye’s flashed, his smile sharp.

Aaron stared at him for a moment, then relented. They repeated the process and this time Aaron started to feel a heaviness settle over him, like his body was being coated in warm syrup. He smiled unconsciously as he exhaled.

“See,” Cole said, his voice sounding distant. “I told you so.”

Aaron’s eyes even felt heavy as he tried to look at Cole, wondering if he’d said something without realizing it. He could feel his blood pulse, his brain vibrating like a cat purring.

“One more time, birthday boy.”

Aaron gave up on trying to turn his head, just leaning forward again to meet the smoke. He lost his grip on time, couldn’t make any of the shapes around him make sense. For a second, panic surged through his chest, he couldn’t move. A hand gently pressed him backwards, falling in slow motion, eventually meeting the softness of the mattress. He squinted his eyes at the light and the colors floating above him.

“Just close your eyes.”

He felt fingertips ghosting over his eyelids as he complied. He smiled, or he thought he was smiling at least. His mouth didn’t seem to be very accessible at the moment but he didn’t mind. He felt warm, the kind of warmth that came from fleece lined blankets and fuzzy socks and the certainty that no one was coming to hurt him, that he was so well hidden they could never find him. He was lost and he hoped to stay there forever.

chapter five

[marshmallow-phd]

Catching Rain

Part of The Untamed - EXO Wolf Universe

Genre: Wolf!AU

Pairing: Minseok x Reader

Summary: You were more than satisfied with your life. You attended a nice college, had nice friends, a nice boyfriend. That’s what your life was: nice. You weren’t looking for anything more, so what were you to do when this seemingly harmless boy walked into your life and turned your nice little world into one much more dangerous?

Part: 1 I 2 I 3 I 4 I 5 I 6 I 7 I 8 I 9 I 10 I Epilogue

**

The pencil bounced up and down on the folder lying closed on the table. Several students nearby eyed the noise created by the eraser and metal casing (you had an odd love for a good old fashioned pencil that needed sharpening) but you didn’t stop. You couldn’t stop, not with all this nervous energy surging through your veins. You really shouldn’t be this nervous. This was only a simple… tutoring session? No, it couldn’t really be classified in that category. He wasn’t going to teach you anything – at least, you didn’t think you would be learning anything in this project. Supervising seemed more appropriate. A direct line in case you were stuck – which, to be honest, you already were. 

When Sungkyu had told you about this extra credit, it had sounded so easy. Even the outline he’d created had been simple. But your usually creative brain had seemingly run dry of the juice that sustained it. Were you finally finding your fatal flaw? Capturing an image, finding the moment in a sea of moments, that was easy for you. Apparently your talent stopped at the ability to apply that skill to anything else. You’d arrived at the library a whole hour early in an effort to have something started by the time Minseok was sitting across from you. But you just couldn’t find the connection between art and math. You weren’t Leonardo Da Vinci. 

“This seat taken?”

Your pencil stopped mid-tap. Face remaining neutral, you looked up. On the other side of the table, Minseok stood casually and waited for an answer. The gray hoodie he’d adorned laid slackly against his torso, hugging his hips where black pants peeked out underneath. One hand held onto the standard backpack hanging off his shoulder while the other was stuffed in his jeans’ front pocket. A sweet, crooked smile stretched across his thin lips. And there your heart went, doing backflips again. With the fear of your voice cracking, you simply gestured to the chair across from you. Nodding, Minseok pulled the plastic seat out from under the table and sat down. “So, how far have you gotten?”

“Not even past the start line,” you admitted. You opened the folder you’d put together for the project to show the pathetic state of your effort. The only scribbles in the margins were from tiny, poorly drawn doodles and some last minutes thoughts from your philosophy class. If someone were to say you were an intelligent person, you would like to agree with them, but this current predicament was making you feel like a fraud. 

Taking the outline out of the folder’s pocket, Minseok scanned over the paper. “You know, art and math are more connected than you think.”

You raised an eyebrow teasingly. “Are you going to give me a lecture on how artists have used math to create measurements in their sculptures or paintings?”

“Well, not anymore.”

You laughed. “I get that there’s a connection. Math makes up everything, right? I just can’t find a real world application between photography and math.”

Minseok pursed his lips to the side, thinking. “Maybe you can use math to help you set up a shot.”

“No,” you shook your head. “Pictures are captured organically. If you think about it too much, it loses its magic.” Pushing yourself up, you leaned across the table. You turned on your camera and angled the display screen so you both could see as you flipped through the pictures from the clearing. A small, appreciative smile crept up on his lips. “Capturing your subject is all about the feeling. It isn’t as easy as doing a math problem and then angling your lens before clicking a button. There’s no heart in that. The focus should be on what’s in front of you.”

“But don’t you adjust the shutter speed and light index and other things to change up the picture to capture what you want?”

You felt like a guppy with your mouth opening and closing as you searched for a response. All your brain could come up with was, “Well… yes….”

“So, you do use numbers in your photography.”

“That’s different.”

“How so?”

Suddenly, you were Baby put in a corner. 

A non-malicious grin spread across his face. “Just because you don’t realize you’re using the numbers doesn’t mean that you’re not.”

You couldn’t help but laugh at the comment. “That sounds an awful lot like a freshman philosophy lecture.”

“Could be. I did only take the one semester for a humanities credit so I could be paraphrasing. But if something stuck then perhaps that’s the one credit that wasn’t a waste of money.”

The laughter coming from you was nonstop. You couldn’t help it. Every little jab and joke he shot off made you feel like you were the only audience member in a comedy club - however, they weren’t gold. The jokes weren’t even that funny. Some of them might not even meant to be jokes. But the bubbly feeling in your stomach pushed its way up and came out before you could fully process his intention. Talking to him was… effortless. And this was barely a conversation. A single warning bell was ringing in the back of your mind. Dangerous territory was near, but you kept walking. Curiosity was a strong attractor.

“So,” Minseok clapped his hands together and folded his fingers, resting his chin on his knuckles. In that single motion, he transformed from the GTA to the optimistic sophomore in his looks. “Can I ask you a question? Besides the one I just did, anyway.” 

You nodded, “Of course.” Anything to keep you from actually having to work on this project. Which, obviously, was very counter intuitive, but you would finish it… eventually. And if you didn’t get too much done today, then that was nearly a guaranteed second session. 

“As a photographer, what would you say is the hardest thing to capture? Like, in a picture?”

You were taken aback. No one had ever asked you that before. You didn’t even think the topic had come up in any of your classes. Different subjects floated through your head as you tried to find the answer to his question. Moving objects was the go-to reply. But some - like human beings - were easy with the tiniest modifications. There was one thing, though, one particular part of nature that you loved but often gave you frustration. “Rain.”

“Rain?”

“Yeah… Catching rain. You can feel it, but you can’t always see it.” You held out your hand, palm towards the ceiling. “The drops could be pouring down from the clouds, hitting your skin, but the camera can’t capture it.”

“So, what do you do then?” He asked with an eagerness, with true attentiveness and interest in your words. It made you sit up. 

“You change your strategy. You slow things down. That’s when it comes out best.”

He nodded slowly. He took in every word you were saying and absorbed it. A warmth spread across your cheeks and you prayed it wasn’t visible to him. Out of nowhere, Minseok cleared his throat and sat back. “Maybe you could use the numbers in the equations.”

You grimaced as you came back to the reason the two of you were here. “That sounds complicated.”

“Okay, then,” he chuckled. “Why not-”

The muddled shrill of a cell phone vibrating against the table. You hadn’t even realized he’d put it there at some point during the conversation. He let out a disappointed sigh as he flipped the device over and checked the identity of the caller. An apologetic look was thrown your way as he answered. “Hello?”

The faint, intelligible voice of another guy echoed through the speaker. Minseok nodded as if the caller could see him.

“Okay. I’ll go now.”

And there was the wave of disappointment. So today was to come to an end already. And you still were no closer to a realization than before. 

Minseok pressed the red button and disconnected the call. The smile that he had on his face earlier morphed into a sadder version. “I have to go.”

“That’s okay,” you reassured him. “Hold that thought for next time.”

A spark flashed in his eyes. Was that a bit flirtatious? How bad was it that you could no longer control the fluctuation in your voice? 

“And when would next time come around?” 

“Saturday?” Eric had to spend the day finishing off the set pieces for the upcoming play. When he was working like that, he could be lost in painting for hours. Getting him on the phone or off the stage would be next to impossible. That seed of guilt was pushing on your stomach again. Hanging out with a guy that made you laugh while your boyfriend was off somewhere else wasn’t a good idea. Maybe you would ask Eric first if he was comfortable with that. If he said no you could always come up with a good excuse to back out. 

“Saturday should work.” In a quick motion, he flipped your folder around and wrote down his number. “Just let me know what time works best for you.” Jumping up from his seat, he threw his bag over his shoulder and started to walk away. But after a few steps, he turned back around. A wide, gum-revealing smile spread across his face as he waved casually. But his smile was anything but casual. In it you saw hope, a possibility of something more. 

I’m in trouble.

You knew it. You knew very well that meeting up with him was going to lead to a terrible predicament. But as he walked away, you’d resigned to follow that rabbit hole anyway. 

Needing a distraction, you hopped up and headed out your own way. There was still another matter you needed to solve and now was the perfect time. With your backpack in the passenger’s seat, you drove out of the parking lot and towards the back roads, taking the same way to the forest you had previously. The wheels of your car matched up almost perfectly with the marks from before. Locking your backpack in the trunk, you pocketed your keys and phone and started hiking. You followed the path to the clearing; your nerves bounced faster and faster the closer you got. 

Immediately, you headed straight for the tree that had been your resting place. The grass was taller in only a few short days. The blades scratched gently at your hands as you pushed the blades aside for a better view of the ground. After circling the area, you had to give up. It wasn’t there. The wolf flashed in your mind. Shaking your head, you ridiculed the idea. The wolf couldn’t have taken your notebook… could it? Certainly if he had there would be remnants of paper still around.

Blowing air through your lips, you sat down at the base of the tree. Now what were you going to do?

A rustling nearby made you jump. Out of the trees, the wolf from before - at least, you assumed it was the same wolf - cautiously came towards you. “Did you take my notebook,” you asked out loud. The wolf pulled back his ears in response. Your eyes widened. “Did you?”

The wolf barked. You had to laugh at yourself. You were having a conversation with a wolf. You felt ridiculous. Again. 

You sighed. “I guess it's just time to face the facts. It’s gone. Eric won’t be too happy with me.”

The wolf growled before coming up next to you and curling up in the grass to your right. He laid his head in your lap. Yes, this was definitely your wolf. What else were you supposed to do if not pet him?

“Eric will just be disappointed,” you said. “Not like, angry or anything. I’ll need to come up with another place to lose it, though. If he found out that I came to the forest by myself, he’d turn red. Especially after-” You froze, your hand hovering over the wolf’s ears. The news of the campers returned to the front of your mind. They were attacked by an animal - a wolf, most likely. Something still told you that it couldn’t have been the wolf currently resting on your legs. How could he be like a puppy with you and vicious towards others?

Noticing your sudden silence, the wolf lifted his head and looked up at you. 

“You didn’t hurt those people, did you?”

The wolf tilted his head to the side. You took that as a good sign. 

Reacting to a sound your own human ears didn’t pick up, the wolf’s ears flicked up as he turned towards the trees. He stood up on his paws and pulled on your sleeve with his teeth so you would do the same. One bark conveyed what he was trying to tell you. “Okay,” you nodded. “I’ll go. But you be careful, too, alright? If there’s something… mean running around here, I don’t want you to get hurt either.”

It still amazed you how this animal could somehow understand you. He reared up on his back paws and placed his front on your chest. You were now looking eye to eye with this giant dog. He gave you a sloppy kiss on your cheek before jumping down and nudging you away. He saw you all the way to the edge of the forest. Disappointment weighed you down as you plopped down in the driver’s seat. And you weren’t sure if it was because of the lost notebook or the wolf you were leaving behind. 

**

Minseok ran through the forest back to the house. This whole “mate pull” was starting to scare him a little bit. He’d been trying to find any clue to the rogue wolf that had invaded their territory but a feeling told him to go to the clearing again. You’d come back. He was both elated to see you again and petrified that you were out here with no protection. If he hadn’t come across you… he shivered at the very thought of what could have happened. When he heard something moving close by he needed to get you out of there; he didn’t care if it was the omega or a harmless rabbit. Seeing you go created a whimper in his chest, but he would see you again on Saturday. Goodbye for now wasn’t something to stress about.  

After running the perimeter for another hour, he headed back to the farmhouse. The conversation from the library followed him through the trees. He’d simply asked a question to keep the conversation going, but he was finding an allegory within your answer. 

You’d said in order to catch the rain in a picture you had to slow things down. Maybe that was the approach he had to take with you. His initial plan had perhaps been a bit too strong. If circumstances were different, it might have worked. But given the fact that he had competition for your heart, that would no longer be a good direction to go in. So he would take it slow. He would get to know you through these small meetings about the project. And he would let you get to know him. Maybe then the pull would grow on your side. Maybe then you would come to him on your own terms instead of him chasing you down. Yes, exactly like rain in a photo.

Now back home with a clear head, he slipped into the jeans he’d hidden in the bushes before walking up to the back door. The kitchen was a ruckus like always as he entered. Most of the pack was home from the university, except for Junmyeon. Kyungsoo and Chanyeol were discussing what to do about dinner while Jongdae and Baekhyun were teasing the younger wolves about… something. Minseok couldn’t really pick up on what they were going on about. No one seemed to notice the eldest’s entrance, but that was alright. Minseok simply grabbed a cup from the cabinet and filled it with water from the tap. Leaning against the counter, he sipped at the room temperature liquid with his eyes trained on the floor. 

“Minseok?”

He looked up at the brother who called his name. The kitchen had quite down a few notches. “Yeah?”

Jongdae gave him that concerned gaze that curled the corners of his lips. “Why were you out running by yourself?”

“I was just trying to see if I could find the omega.” While that was the truth, it wasn’t everything that occurred out in the woods. He was getting closer to telling everyone about finding his mate, just so he didn’t have to tiptoe around anymore. He would see how Saturday went and then he would decide. 

“But why on your own?”

“I sent him.”

Junmyeon came into the kitchen, taking the leather messenger bag that was draped over his shoulder off and placing it on the kitchen table. “It was just a recon mission.” A little smile perked up in the corner of his mouth. Around the room a few eyes rolled, but no one called out the leader’s exaggeration of the situation. “If he was able to find anything then he was supposed to note it and report back.” He looked to Minseok, who shook his head. There was nothing. 

“Still odd that you sent him by himself,” Sehun commented with narrowed eyes. 

“I thought he could use the quiet.”

“You are all too loud,” Minseok jumped in. Several voices roared in protest, not realizing that they were instead proving his point. 

“What’s for dinner?” Jongin asked, the subject immediately being changed. What a relief it was that they all had a powerful focus on their stomachs - especially when they were empty. Minseok took the opportunity to finish off the water and head upstairs to take a shower.

[sunset-novice-writer]

Pinky Promises

Dedicated to: @blackgirlanimes

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I urge guys to please go check out her blog. Her writing is amazing, and Merch is my favorite series by her. Plus, I wanted to give something back since she works hard on filling requests. I feel that writers sometimes need to have time to enjoy reading things too. (No matter how much I sort of cringe at my writing. Lol ^-^;)

This is my first official post to my Novice Writing blog. Whatever happens, I put this out there. As the saying goes, “Practice  shows your effort.” Well, it's just a piece I got inspired by original songs I listened to too. Although the last bit at the end with some lyrics I came up with.

Hope you enjoy the writing of the unedited version. Let me know if you guys want a part two. I apologize in advance if anyone seems OOC it’s unbeta’d while it will be re-edited sometime later.

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Summary: Leaving to visit your birth parents in America was something exciting and sad for you because there was one person you would miss more than anything. An explosive blonde with harsh words though hiding behind what he really feels. You make a promise to return to him without fail in a year, and somehow you find yourself surprised instead.

Is it possible for you to make up after an argument leaves things up in the air ?

Contains: Bakugou Katsuki x Fem! Reader

Setting: |AU Modern |

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[ Scattered Pieces ] Part One

 There you were sitting on the steps of your house you’d dreaded this day for months. While listening to your music, the song of somber feelings made you blink your eyes to stop the tears from falling. Everything around you would be all but a vision of something so far away, that left you wanting to take in the view of cloudy weather.

The light shower of rain curled your hair a little, causing you to give a brief smile. A time for reminiscing is something that came naturally during a crucial moment like this. Still, what awaited on the other side of the country was a chance to learn about the family who gave you up. Maybe hope to leave the resentful feelings of being tossed away to give you some closure, or the real understanding of why you give up for adoption clearer.

One thing seemed to cross your mind all time leading up to the days of the departure. A certain explosive little porcupine that wouldn’t take the news well of you disappearing on him. 

Bakugou Katsuki…

First of many things that troubled you, the hurt he masked into dismissal with the egotistical nonchalant attitude you’d admired. During that moment you couldn’t stand him when he acted the way he did about you leaving for a year.  Then again, you found it annoying at the same time how his temper blew up like a grenade. Only leaving a reminder of the wreckage his words left you still fresh in your mind to ruin.

“See if I care, dumbass! Go on, back where you came from and let them abandon you again!”

It was almost as if you could hear the words echoing in your mind from that incident.As if it were happening once more which you felt nothing next to numb. All except the pain that etched on your face returned while you blinked your eyes to stop the tears. Beyond the surface it wasn’t like you wanted to leave, still this was your chance to find your own answers of your past.

Your lips trembled cursing at yourself for letting the tears slip away he knew that was something hurtful. All the fears of going to meet the parents who wanted to meet you made you second guess how to approach them. The only action you did toward his comment turned around shaking your head at him not letting words fall from your lips. Instead was nothing that left your lips as you remember staying still.  Thinking back on it, somehow you doubt even now he would come to see you off something inside you was fine with it.

How dumb were you like these getting angry after the fact when the moment is over?

 Whatever the case you were glad that you had said nothing during that moment, as your hand moved to wipe the tears from eyes you took a deep breath.   Whenever you faced your biological parents face to face you would deal with what came your way whether it be disappointing, or happy at least you’d get some answers. 

After all your parents wanted you to know where you came from while taking you to explain everything when they told you the truth.Something that you would be grateful for sure you could’ve been angry about them keeping this enormous secret. Yet. you knew your parents  worried about things you couldn’t understand as a child. Even if neither one of them had a connection by blood to you. 

You couldn’t help to be happy beyond words, you could express that  you got a life full of love, and sadly most kids like you don’t have time to experience. Reality of your situation, you got to have a home with these wonderful people though sometimes you felt a disconnect when you saw other of your peers with the parents.it was your adopted parents. Still, the days passed continuously since your encounter with Katsuki. You felt happy that at least despite the harsh words he left you with you.

“Maybe it’s better that I didn’t say everything I wanted.” You stated with resolve, your eyes would express another story of regret before you pinched your right cheek to snap you out of it. Your mopy thoughts needed to take a back seat. You wanted to face your actual parents, to ask everything you felt. In the back of your mind, you wanted to have his support behind you. 

You want to move forward to well really to get there then you plan to do next. Placing Bakugou at the back of your mind would be the best thing you could do for right now.

That would be fine, you could handle it, nothing would get in the way. Especially not the explosive blonde you were probably throwing himself into a distraction to avoid thinking of you. They had made sure they packed the luggage into the car the night before and learned that your father wanted to take a later flight instead of the current one.

Sweet little broccoli is calling you~ Never knew a broccoli could blush like a tomato, like a tomatoo--Oh yeah! I love you my sweetpea fresh like chili broccoli..~

A brief buzz came from your pocket causing you to let laughter burst from your mouth. You saved this as Izuku’s ringtone, much to his flustered expression every time he heard it with an embarrassment covering his face. You didn’t think it was that bad besides you worked on creating something like this for his Mom. An early mother’s day gift, so she wanted a ringtone that fitted her beloved son. So you helped him with it much how he was shy singing it, but you did it with him. At least you could find your spirits lifting a fraction. Before you answered the call you went to work on calming down your giggles first.

“Hey, Izuku. What’s up?”You questioned, you wondered why he called suddenly out of the blue like this, yet it was nice to talk to someone either way.Still, you heard him speak on the other of the line.

“Hey, [Name] is everything all right?” Midoriya's tone was curious, as if he was trying to figure more than she’d let on. Then you as if something told he wanted to talk about something else. He was very observant, though the thoughts of your conversation with Katsuki crawled back up, but you wanted to avoid it. 

“Mhm, I’m all right, Izuku.” Your voice relaxed, giving a bit of a chuckle that escaped your lips. In the event to stop him from trying to read too much in to what you wanted to hide.You smiled thinking of your trip besides you knew your doubts and worries came out of nervousness to be honest. 

“I’m ready to face my biological parents--to get the answers to my questions.” You continued there was a bite of bitterness in your voice which he caught.  

Why did you let that tiny swirling frustration come out of you now?

“[Name], is it really about that or is it about Kacchan..?” Izuku asked, his voice cut through your voice caught in your throat when he mentioned him. Now, you stammered with your own reply.

“N-No, it's not about Bakugou.” Damn it. You cursed you weren’t trying to sound stumble with Midoriya though he knew Katsuki just and you. Yet, you wondered what he knew about his outburst, though you didn’t want to go into it.

At your obvious lie, all you heard on the other sigh of the phone was him sighing at your stubbornness. What else could you say about the subject? He knew about what transpired, though you were sure where he learned it from. Either way, you didn’t see a point in just putting it behind a shade so you came clean.

“He’ll come around as hot-headed as Katsuki is.” Midoriya said while pausing for a moment. Still, you couldn’t help but agree with him. “I know he will see you off—He will miss you everyone will [Name].” He replied, you would miss him along with all your friends.

Hoping was all you could do for the moment was that Bakugou came through to say goodbye on better terms. A negative thought was lingering inside your head like a deathly plague he might not. When trying to predict his moods like was trying to disarm a ticking time bomb even though you knew he had moments of caring. It was just obscured by the rough edges of his personality, though you saw it more than most.

“I will take your word for it,Izuku.I just hope to see him one more time...” You smiled lightly, while conversing a little more with Midoriya longer before ending the call. Drifting further away from your persistent thoughts that resurfaced, you got saved from them. Your parents returned home with some takeout from your favorite place while you saw their car pull in the driveway. 

All your unease that made you restless to hear from one person disappeared. You wanted to at least hear his voice say his common catch phrase, or the fear you held made you more concerned to call him.

You stopped up at your front door to glance down at your iPhone, glancing at the screen saver you stored secretly. It was Bakugou Katsuki in his usual stance, though he sported a splash of color dusting his face a bright pink. His scowl was clear while crimson eyes held his glare with your arms wrapped around his waist. What happened that day made your smile return, though suddenly it dimmed altogether once more.

A confession that would stay hidden with which you want to tell him. A single tear fell from your eye that splashed on the screen of your phone. You bit back the sobs that wanted to escape your throat, deciding it would be better to compose yourself. You didn’t want your folks to make a fuss about why you felt sad moment.  You wanted to just forget and enjoy their company.  While that faint melody of the song you were playing echoed its somber words when you entered your house.

Let you hear the words I want to say…

Before I disappear never again to see your face…

I love with the confession of my feelings seemed to go unanswered.

Yet, they linger only for you..

Something that when unnoticed just outside your gate was the very boy you were thinking of now. He contemplated going to your door before growling in frustration turning on his heel walking back to his home.

“Damn it...” Katsuki wasn’t sure how he’d apologize to you that didn’t stop the prickling feeling that stabbed his chest. Your sobs only dug it deeply into how his words cut you. This whole situation was shitty to him you leaving hating to admit he would miss a lot than he expressed. He didn’t want to lose you even if it was to get your answers he wished to find those shitty parents of yours to tell them that. They shouldn’t have given someone like you up even if it was for a beneficial thing for you, yet it is a grateful feeling that he met you because of it.

At least that Deku told him when you’d be departing, so he’d make sure you’d come back. A promise he wanted to deliver before you went halfway across the country to get your answers..

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I can’t believe that I finished this at 2:37 AM. Hope everyone enjoys this blurb.  All that to see if you all want to see a Part Two. I’ll probably work on making masterlist sometime tomorrow.

[toku-explained]

The 2 in 1 Eagle Pair

Trigger: Computer systems across Sorafune are infected by viruses, courtesy of Powered Dada. Like wow, that's a deep cut. Haruki and Kengo talk more as Akito uses the rescued Medals to create Z Hyper Keys of his other forms. With the virus cutting off computer systems at other TPU branches, GUTS-Select goes on high alert. An attempt to use old equipment allows them to pick up automated HQ broadcasts authorising autonomous operations. The Nursedessei has it's systems compromised. It's all hands on deck switching to manual, but Dada is managing to auto fire the Nurse Cannon and Nanase has to run a counter virus program, even Ignis is helping, as Kengo and Haruki manage to disconnect the Nurse Cannon's power right before a second shot fires. Dada instead takes control of King Joe to target Nursedessei, forcing Trigger Multi-type and Z Alpha Edge to fight it, after it uses all its forms they switch to using Power-type and Beta Smash. As Nanase gets control of the system back Dada avatars start appearing to attack the crew, when one attacks Akito, Yuzare takes over and destroys it, but then Yuna collapses. Dada appears to fight with King Joe, and Multi-type and Gamma Future hold it off until it tries fusing with King Joe, getting destroyed last second by Nurse Cannon. They switch to Sky-type and Delta Rise Claw, destroying King Joe but Haruki promising they'll repair him. Later Kengo thanks Haruki for his help, again stating how he's come to recognise Akito's help even if the man himself denies it. Akito gives permission to keep the Sparklencs, and so with Beliarok opening a dimensional tunnel, Z places King Joe's parts in a Travel Sphere and flies off, Akito agrees to grab ramen with Kengo. Akito returns to the lab to find Yuna, who can just remember Yuzare's action this time, and begs Akito to explain.

Galaxy Rescue Force: Sora is surprised by the appearance of Justice, bringing a message from Delacion to Queen Izana, who is unfortunately back on Kanon at the moment. Justice opts to wait, leaving Sora feeling awkward until Ribut arrives, impressed to hear Justice is associated with the Universal Justice. When Ribut thanks Justice for their help with Leugocyte Justice explains that Delacions wants to cooperate with the Land of Light and Galaxy Rescue Force in opposing Tartarus. They continue waiting, Ribut also feeling awkward, eventually running away to patrol, Justice eventually deciding to return the next day.

Revice: Wakabayashi demotes Kadota after both failing to defend the ViStamp lab and his failure with the Revice system, and requests Daiji persuade Ikki to fight for them. A caddie, Ibata, is fired by his boss, Araki, who has become irritated after his recent performance, Olteca appears to offer Ibata a ViStamp. Ibata summons tge Kamakiri Deadman. Ikkirefuses the contract, but when news of the Deadman attack appears still takes the belt, accidentally discovering Vice can possess his bike if it's stamped. They arrive and fight, until Vice tries to go eating again, Daiji passes Ikki the Eagle ViStamp, which turns them into the W themed Eagle Genome. Revi starts attacking Vice, who accidentally triggers their combined Eagle form to finish the Deadman, Vice then targets Araki until the transformation is cancelled. Ikki's family encourage him to help Fenix. Araki approaches the Deadmans, and the next day, when Ibara approaches to apologise, summons the Megalodon Deadman. When Vice mentions he told Araki unleashing your Akuma feels good Ikki transforms again to fight him until Daiji arrives to inform him of the Deadman, at which point he gives up the gear. Ikki and Daiji arrive at the golf course, where Fenix are already battling Giff Junior's, Ikki rushing in. He refuses tonuse the belt, since Vice will attack people again, but keeps fighting, until Vice swears to not attack humans anymore, making a contract to do as Ikki says, and Ikki now transforms again. Vice becomes envious of Ikki's Sealing Buster and borrows Daiji's Gunderphone. Ibata grabs Araki when he tries to power up his Deadman, wanting to put things right, and they combine into Rex form to finish the Deadman. Araki and Ibata make up,

Zenkaiger: No one has had any luck finding Mitsuko. Gaon offhandedly suggests she's escaped to some other world, and when Zox comes wanting an explanation for what happened in the last fight, Kaito asks for his help. Ijirude has no idea how Mitsuko escaped, Stacey confirming he'd put her in storage, and the Parallel World Gate was disrupted as she escaped thanks to Kudakk attack, so they don't know where she went, Stacey isn't sure this should have taken him away from the battle. Kaito, Zyuran and Magine join tge World Purates in travelling, with 20 or so worlds they can try, while Magine tries to divine where she is, Flint takes them to Kashiwa Mochitopia, where they meet the local version of Su-san, not having Kashiwa Mochi on your head there is comparable to public indecency. They try Retrotopia, where Su-san can't comprehend the Kikainoids. Kouritopia's Su-san has far less trouble with them, but hasn't seen Mitsuko, but Kaito is happy to see the freed worlds are at peace. Stacey and the Kudakks arrive, revealing Kudaiters gave been sent to other worlds for Mitsuko, as Gaon and Vroon, looking on earth, find. Kaito wants to split up to protect worlds, but Zox says they have to prioritise Mitsuko since the Tojitendo will just rampage until they find her. Su-san on Kinokotopia tries to have them stop attacking the mushrooms, as the Zenkaigers fight Flint declares she found Mitsuko, and Ijirude calls all forces there. When there the team shows they have Mitsuko, and fight. As things progress Stacey captures Mitsuko, but Kaito gets her back. Super Zenkaiser and Super Twokaiser destroy tge enemy forces, then they escape on CrocoDaiOh, Stacey essentially let's them go for Yatsude's sake, but is ordered by Ijirude to summon Black ZyuraGaon, which drags them back to Kouritopia, Zenkaijuoh facing the mecha and defeating it. They return home, and only now have Magine remove her disguise as Magine, since the Tojirendo won't go through other worlds if they think Mitsuko is home, just continue focusing on earth.

Yodonna 2: We start right where we left off, Mizuki distraught over the detective's betrayal, which Yodonna is able to understand due to her own betrayal by Yodon. The realisation that she has experienced sadness causes Yodonna to freeze. In Yodon hell, Hörn and Mose are in a meltdown over Yodonna's escape, Mose impulsively sends himself to earth after her. Yanako visits the Kuchinawa leader, whose eating whil watching his men give Shousuke a beating, Yanako wants to kill Mizuki. Mizuki retrieves the phone while bemoaning Yodonna's current state, but resolves not to burden Juru with her problems. She also finds herself feeling sluggish, unknown to her being due to the soul transfer. Mizuki arrives at the warehouse, where Enoshima is waiting with gang members, claiming his becoming corrupt was only natural. The regular lead goon grabs the phone, while Mizuki talks about how much Shousuke believed in him. The phone wiped, Enoshima reveals Shousuke isn't there, and they can't have her going around with what she knows. Yodonna takes control right as the fight begins, she's now experiencing anger on Mizuki's behalf. She starts fighting the goons, the boss watching via camera surprised by her skill and saying as much to Yanako. When shooting starts she uses a guy as a shield, and uses his gun to kill the goons. After admonishing Mizuki to exercise properly, she beats down the lead goon again. Enoshima puts a gun to her head, she steals it and shoots him in the knee. Mizuki changes back, happy thanks to Yodonna's help, she's really struggling to stay standing now, and Yodonna realises why. Mose approaches her, kills Enoshima for interrupting, then isn't sure what to do with Yodonna given the soul transfer. He intends to cut the hose, but then Yodonna will, disappear and there'll still be trouble for him with Hörn, better to let her steal Mizuki's life and then take her back. The revelation of what Yodonna was doing leads Mizuki to hate her too. At this point Yanako arrives and knocks Mizuki out. Mizuki wakes in the Kuchinawa offices, where Mose is waiting alongside Yanako and the leader, Kujirasaki. Mose has told them everything, and they seem content to wait out her death and let him have Yodonna after. Kujirasaki finds the whole situation amusing, and has Shousuke brought out so he can watch his sister die. As the process nears completion, Yodonna becomes visible and Mizuki starts fading. Yodonna explains the emotions she has learnt from Mizuki, and that she's realised she's just done to Mizuki what Yodon did to her. And so she pulls the tube out and destroys it. She's going to use the physical form she has until she fades to save Mizuki and Shousuke. She beats Yanako quickly. Goons drag Shousuke away, Mose in a panic uses Yodonna's whip to power up Kujirasaki. And then just goes back to Yodon Hell. Yodonna fights Kujirasaki, telling Mizuki to get Shousuke. As Yodonna and Kujirasaki are fairly evenly matched, Mizuki manages to disrupt the goons enough to free Shousuke. As Kujirasaki prepares an energy blast, Yodonna, knowing she's dead either way, swears to keep Misaki alive, and turns her whip into a scythe to block the blast. A final struggle fells Kujirasaki, and Shousuke declares him under arrest. Yodonna is glad to have won in time and collapses. Seeing Mizuki is alive she finds she's crying, Mizuki explaining she's feeling joy, right before Yodonna starts vanishing. Mizuki forgives her, and Yodonna fades gladly. Juru and Tametomo are still waiting for Mizuki, who finally gets back after Juru reminds Tame of his brief crush on Yodonna. Yodonna awakens back in Yodon hell, Hörn telling her that is she'd let him finish he was going to explain that if she could understand the 4 basic emotions he'd let her revive. He's already punishing Mose for running off after her. After reminiscing she asks if she can revive, but after her running off he's not going to allow it anymore. Unless she learns one more emotion, Love. She wonders who might teach her that...Tametomo perhaps?

[pinkhairedlily]

The Spring He Came Back

Chapter 9 of The Spring He Came Back | 9 of 12

Hitsugaya did not reply to her question about which flowers he needed. Hinamori took the hint that he wasn’t there to buy so what was he here for?

“Are you busy? Can you show me around?”

She wanted to shout in response, Why should I have to?

“I don’t think it’s rational that you can waltz right in here and then ask me to give up a day’s business to be your tour guide,” she replied, trying to be nonchalant. He could have asked Rangiku or any of the three Rs to accompany him so why her? Did he have a score to settle with her? Was this an added punishment? Or was this his way of reconciliation? Was she reading into his actions too much? She eventually sighed. “I guess the youngest Physics prodigy could be an exemption.”

“I was hoping you’d say that,” he quipped, adjusting his glasses on his nose, a new quirk Hinamori quickly caught on. She was crazy to think everything will remain the same. It will never be.

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They walked together in fragile, awkward silence, held together by the noise of the crowds. She showed him the recent sights in town, reacquainting the stranger with the streets he once frequented before. Eventually, they arrived in front of the library. It was the library where Hitsugaya first discovered his dreams, and it was also the library which was part of Hinamori’s downfall.

“It’s still here, huh?” Hitsugaya shifted his stance ever so slightly.

She overcame her shame and her fear and walked through the library’s doors again three years ago. She was reinstated as its most dedicated visitor and reader but not for reasons in the past. Shunned by the gates of formal education, she relied on herself to learn. That was the only way. Though the haunting feelings lingered, she no longer felt guilt and pain, only regret for her younger, naïve self who did not know better. Teenage shrieks broke through her reverie.

“Dr. Hitsugaya!” “He’s here! He’s the real deal!” “I can’t believe you came back to your hometown. Will you do consultations here?” “Can you sign my copy of your book, Professor?”

Hinamori took a few steps back, wavering from the physical manifestation of Hitsugaya’s newfound popularity. He calmly provided their requests with a charm she never thought he had. It was like he put on a persona so far from the glaring, moody Hitsugaya. When the little commotion died down, they found themselves again in company of the fragile, awkward silence. She was wondering if he wanted to go here to spite her.

“Can we go somewhere else?” he asked. She wondered if he noticed her discomfort.

“Which place do you have in mind?”

They rented bicycles, and she followed his lead. He stopped in front of the science museum which was crowded with onlookers, tourists, and students on field trips. The foot traffic was so bad they stayed on the side walk. “It’s not here anymore.”

He was talking about the daffodil meadow, their yellow meadow of happiness. But she wasn’t ready to talk yet. “Are you back for good?”

Hitsugaya kept adjusting his glasses. “I’m not sure, but I’ll be here for a week. Do you want to go inside?”

It was evident they were tiptoeing and dancing at the brink of each other’s thoughts. It was nearing six in the evening when the two of them stepped out of the museum.

“Um, I’m gonna have dinner with the Byakuya and Unohana. Is it okay if we part here?” She expected too much from this reunion. Of course, their friendship will never survive a decade of disconnection and distrust. Well, at the very least, he was apologetic.

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Hinamori was washing dishes when she heard spaced out knocks on their door. “Baba, please let me get that for you.” She hurriedly wiped her hands on her apron and rushed out the kitchen, only to find her grandmother chuckling with tears with their evening visitor. “Shirou?”

He covered his face with his hands, blushing in embarrassment. “I forgot to book a hotel.” He wrapped his arms around Baba and hugged her again, the older woman sniffling in return. “I missed you Baba. I hope I’m not an inconvenience.”

“You silly, silly kid. This was your second home, remember? Help me to my room please.” Baba leaned on him for support. Hitsugaya and Hinamori caught each other’s glances, the former asking a silent request for understanding and the latter smiling in response.

When Baba was finally asleep, they opened the sliding door to the patio and watched the spring sky burst into sprinkles of tiny lights. Hinamori offered him a cup of coffee, wondering if it was still the same brew he liked. Their fingers touched on contact, and Hinamori almost flinched as she quickly moved away her hand.

“The hill,” Hitsugaya started. “It’s not there anymore too. I’m sorry we cannot sneak out like before.”

Hinamori almost blushed, but there probably wasn’t any meaning to those words. “It’s all right. I can’t leave Baba anyway.”

That last sentence probably took Hitsugaya back to that night when he got angry and disappointed with Hinamori. It was a matter still unresolved, and she was unsure when was the right time to stop skirting about their past so they hanged around until the coffee ran out.

“I should sleep.” Hitsugaya was standing up when Hinamori caught his sleeve. She didn’t meet his eyes, but she gestured towards the sky now lit up with a meteor shower.

Hoping he was still distracted by the array of lights, she mustered up what little courage she had. “Do you despise me?” She kept her gaze on the night sky, its velvet darkness replacing the fading race of the stars. Her peripheral vision registered pain flickering on his face. He left in the middle of winter, when nightmares were the strongest and ghosts were the loudest. She drowned in guilt and self-pity for a long time until she decided to take back her spring.

Hitsugaya sighed in exasperation and ruffled his long hair. “Momo, I-“ He sighed again, probably phrasing the words in his head on how to deliver this to her in the best way possible. It was the academia’s training, so far from the younger version of him when he used to say anything. “I’m sorry for leaving that way. I needed to.”

“Do I disgust you?” This dull pain was the friend that always followed her at a safe distance, but now it stared her right in the face.

He knelt beside her and gently touched the locks of her short hair. When she turned to look at him, he cupped her face and held her gaze. “You’ll never disgust me, Momo. The me that time will never be the one you would have needed. You were angry at me as well, and I thought you needed to heal on your own terms without me trying to break through your walls.”

“Our friends told me everything. I knew it wasn’t you who ratted me out.” Her hands went to his hands and reacquainted herself with his warmth. Ten winters’ worth of tears and worry brimmed to the surface. “But it’s true. I hated you, the academy, and then, myself. It was a long struggle for me to realize that all the blame stemmed from Aizen, and we all got played. It was him that was the root of all my anger and all my sadness. I was riddled with guilt and fear because I have never truly explained myself to you.”

“You should know I have never thought of you that way. Because you are a good person, and Aizen took advantage of that.”

Hinamori allowed herself to sob in Hitsugaya’s arms. The gates of relief opened and for the first time in ten years, she allowed herself to say Aizen’s name without getting the strong urge to end her life. Probably because she moved on, probably because Hitsugaya came back, probably because it was all in the past. “I just wish you wrote a letter or two, you know. I was worried what you thought of me.”

“I was worried you might not have me.” Understanding what he implied, Hinamori removed herself from his embrace and took off his glasses. They were not graded lenses. She also combed her fingers through his hair, arranging the strands to look more like the younger Hitsugaya she knew and less than the other person.

“I ran like crazy on the train platform.”

“And I almost got off when I saw your face.” He laughed. “But the ticket was so expensive.”

Hinamori hit his arm lightly. “I’m not joking, Shirou-chan. Was it because we were friends? Did they think you also plagiarized your works?”

He sat cross-legged across her and took her hands in his. She was familiar with the rugged terrain of his palms, but hers had become smaller in size and his fingers engulfed her fists in their space. All of a sudden, she felt shy. “The board also found out about our secret room so my mentors advised me to cease all communications. I cannot put you through all that pain again. You did not deserve it. It was better for us that way, wasn’t it?”

“You left for me?”

“If I stayed, the trials would have been endless. Rangiku, Renji, and Rukia would have also been put under the spotlight. Your communication was also tracked by the board so I didn’t write to add to your burden. Besides, it was not hard to find universities outside Soul Society. I’m sorry I was not able to tell you all that.”

She surmised he also had something to do with Aizen’s complete exodus from the academe, the reason why her ban got lifted, and why she was able to remain close friends with three Rs. Even from afar, he was protecting her. She wondered whether the current him would have the present her. She became conscious of her hands still held by his, but she did not remove them despite the intense warmth flooding her cheeks.

“So um…why were you looking for flowers earlier?” Wow, nice change of topic, Momo.

His fingers were mindlessly drifting over her fists, gently tracing the lines, as if he was memorizing them again. He must not have been aware of it. “You know how Rangiku is always at a bar so I guessed and found her there. She gave me the address of a flower shop and told me to get flowers. As if she could read the question on my face. I was looking for you, Momo.”

Realizing what he was doing, he carefully let go of her hands and turned to the side to hide the flush that crept to his cheeks.

“Wow, straightforward Shirou.” Hinamori tried to laugh it off. “Why don’t you tell me your stories?”

“Eh? You might sleep on me.”

“I can always brew coffee and tea. And what do you mean sleep? You were always the sleepyhead between us!”

“Says the one who always slept in the secret room. Was my lap that soft?”

“That was different! Well, it was comfortable.”

“Oh, are you insinuating something else? Hinamori, you bad girl.” He teased her. ”On the other hand, were you insulting me? My lap is not that soft anymore. I exercised to get strong thighs.”

“You are the one insinuating something. My God, you must have a lot of girls fallen in love with you.”

“It sucked having to reject them though. I felt so conflicted.”

“You’re really bragging right now? Insufferable.” Would it be weird to ask him if he has anyone? Not that it mattered to her, she was just curious.

Hitsugaya relented to her request, and they spent the night exchanging stories of their personal journeys. It didn’t escape Hinamori’s notice that he purposely avoided talking about these girls and went on and on about his experiments and his encounters with boomers. Her stories didn’t obviously hold a candle to his achievements, but he listened just as intently when she shared how she built her flower shop business from the ground. She promised he would have his share at the year-end since he was her first major investor, but he waved the proposal away.

Baba found them huddled together outside at the break of dawn, a large fleece blanket covering the both of them, Hinamori’s head comfortably resting on Hitsugaya’s shoulder. She smiled, finally smelling the arrival of spring after a harsh winter.

NEXT CHAPTER | 10 OF 12 | GRAB IT BEFORE IT PASSES

[flightofaqrow]

🌟

Send 🌟 for lines of your writing that I enjoy a lot!

There’s probably a billion more that I could toss in here, but I’m pulling stuff that immediately jump to mind from my favorite threads, and what I can peep doing an archive skim. I’ll probably miss ones I really adored at the time IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO PICK WITH YOU OKAY.

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Speaks lots about his character that he would drink it dry over mixed. A concoction often mixed with water for its taste. Something you sip, not drown yourself in.

And Qrow drowns.

He drowns himself in everything that he consumes. From the busted pack of cheap Parliaments in his pants pocket to the oxygen that he breathes. Knows no such thing as self-control. The one variable in his life that he seeks to restrain forever flowing freely from his fingertips. Feels the glass slip from his grasp and its only luck that he catches it before it clatters onto the counter.

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Wracked with guilt, Qrow pushes himself away from the counter onto shaky feet to look the other properly. Ozpin only taller by a few inches. He wipes at his mouth with the back of his hand, wet with booze and now tears that fell unprompted. The death of many weighing heavily on his conscious.

“I’m so… stupid,” Qrow breathed out finally, breaking the uncomfortable silence that fell between them.

“Everyone said not to, and I did.” A bitter laugh and Qrow’s face is all but happy. Twisted up in sadness and sorrow as he looked the other with pleading eyes.

“I gave you everything,” He breathed out, voice barely audible, “And you couldn’t give me the truth.”

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PLAY ALONG for now, mister.

Nothing more needed to be said as a warm body cozies up against his side, Qrow only mere seconds away from downing his third shot of Scotch. Sets the glass back down and he knows a trap when he sees one. Knows when a game is being played, having been one who played such games when he was younger, before Beacon.

A ploy harder to keep with age.

And age shows well on Qrow. It’s the weapon secured on the small of his black and the title he’s earned for himself that makes playing hard. He’s not as cute or coy about it anymore. Too well seasoned and trained for cheap party tricks. Secures information in more adult manner now.

A smirk graces plush lips as she leaned in, the smell of cheap perfume tickling his senses. Hooks an arm around her waist and pulls her forward and around, so she was trapped between him and the counter of the bar itself.

“Say no more, doll.”

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He’s hunched over the edge of a crate in the middle of a fucking alleyway in Mantle during a patrol. Clover the unfortunate sap stuck to tend to the huntsman in his current nauseated state of being. Withdrawal symptoms hitting him at the worse possible time and all he wants is for it to end.

A moment of peace in his life devoid of pain and suffering. He wants to breathe and be at ease. No fear of his semblance and what harm it could bring. No fear of being hurt and left behind to die. Could count the times he’s been left behind by the tribe to waste away. Liquor his saving grace from his misery.

Numbed the hurt and gave him something better to feel in return.

This, this was not better. This was miserable and god awful. This needed to end right now and all Qrow wants to do right now is to bitch and gripe about it. Shoves the hand reaching out to smooth his hair back away as he hurled once more.

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There’s a clench of his stomach in response. Empty. The idea of eating is unappealing to the Branwen however. The body wants, but Qrow does not feel the urge to feed it. Craving for liquor and basic necessities all merged into one, he can’t quite tell the difference anymore.

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HE’S QUICK. He has to be. Doesn’t have muscles oozing off of him like every other huntsman he knows. No where like anyone else in the tribe.  Qrow is all speed and skill. A natural talent honed in on to make up for the everything that follows him. He over compensates for being a bad luck charm. The movement is fluid. A  smooth transition, from running up on the Grimm, the fall of his footsteps quiet and controlled, to the extension of Harbinger. Qrow pirouettes from first position to second and swings down into third. Harbinger’s blade slicing clean through with each transition as he comes into place in front of Clover. Stops mere inches from slicing the other in half with his scythe. Cool metal starring dangerously into the face of the other.

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[ THIS IS A PLACEHOLDER FOR ONE I CAN’T FIND. THERE WAS AN AWESOME METAPHOR/TURN OF PHRASE WITH CLOVER AND CARDS AND I THINK A BLACKJACK REFERENCE AND FOR THE LIFE OF ME I CANNOT FIND IT!!! I liked it so much I read it out loud to my husband oh my god I’m so mad I don’t remember when it was... ]

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I won’t copy/post nsfw stuff, it might even be weird to mention it but uuhhhhhh THIS WHOLE ANSWER

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It’s like kissing ink on paper, bitter with a touch of something else underneath. Meant to stain and leave an impression. 

[ oddly enough the first half of the imagery with these lines kind of had a disconnect for me, because while I appreciated the hell out of the reference I couldn’t see why black coffee would need to be shaken OR stirred, so I wasn’t exactly sure what was being communicated. THE INK METAPHOR HIT ME HARD THO. especially with the concept of it being a layered thing. ]

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[JUST INSERT THE ENTIRE F’ING THREAD WITH STAT’S RAVEN OKAY. BUT UGH I GUESS I’LL PICK SOME]

Free them all from the burden of carving out their hearts and stabbing it into the trees of the woods where it can be maimed and torn apart by the very same creatures they hunt.

They’ve fought many times before and now should be no different to rekindle their love for one another. What she did hurts, but nothing hurts more than having a part of him forcibly torn away. To see her suffering further than he can feel from afar.

They’ve wounded each other enough as it is. Not a part of them scratch free. Their blades permanently carved into one another. Said things neither one of them truly meant and felt nothing, but each other’s pain in return. Tears shed from both twins, strong and overwhelmed with the emotional force combined by both parties.

Reaches out the only way he knows how, by baring himself whole. Put his emotions on display in it’s rawest form. Knows nothing else, but how to be honest. Tells her with little words that he still feels everything that she feels, if not more that she ever could. “I’m here, Raven.”

A hive abandoned by it’s own Queen is destined to die. Wither away blindly completing tasks with no end-goal.

He tightens his grip around her hand, rings pressing into the other’s skin. Only then is he mindful of how tight it exactly gotten. Something akin to fear in his hold. Like if he doesn’t take this, take all of it, she’ll slip away from him again and he’ll be here. Standing alone in the rain with an empty hand reminiscent of warmth he craves. Warmth that could only be fulfilled by her.

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[ I should actually do some of OURS huh... lmao]

No, Qrow offers himself up on a silver platter. Highlights his best features and puts it on display with the intention of captivating anyone who inched too close.

His next drink is lined up and Qrow circles the rim with his index finger. Feels the welcoming warmth of intoxication slowly begun to consume him. Combs through his hair with a level of familiarity and comfort he’s grown far too accustomed with. Beckons him to coo in delight at the sensation.

This conversation is far too convoluted to keep his interest. There is both nothing and everything going on at the same time and Qrow has little interest in thinking. If he was looking for a chat, he would have reported back to Ozpin hours ago. He would have followed through with his meeting with James, but he has done none and neither of these things.

He smiled as Briar laced their hand together, swinging their arms back and forth as they walked the streets of Mantle post-drinking spurge. Wherever it is their feet leads them is wherever they will go for the night. It doesn’t matter as long as she’s by his side.

Sweet is the first word to come to mind at such a brazen promise being bestowed upon him. Briar is sweet. How could she not be? Gentle in nature with consideration tucked under her belt. A dosage of sugar and spice he never knew he needed in his life. She is fun and a blast in the wake of his somber lifestyle.

Makes a request for rum and ginger ale, something sweet to satisfy his tongue. Far too odd for him to simply order whiskey on the rocks in a club. A drink meant for isolation, not mingling.

He pulls back and Qrow brushed at her shoulder with his hands to get rid of everything that left him. Disgusting as it is. Small smile on his lips as nervous laughter follows next. Doesn’t know what to do with himself as he stood there awkwardly, drenched to the bone in Briar’s apartment. “Hey,” he tried, “I’m back.” What else can he say after all that? The moment gone and Qrow more than ready to move on like it never happened.

It’s Briar! Qrow LOVES Briar. Qrow loves Briar except for when Briar is being the most Briar she can be and this, long pointed finger in his face as vermilion eyes narrowed at the sight of painted nails mere inches away from his nose as he drank is the least version of Briar he liked. Briar with a point.

The people outside the tribe far too fragile about their precious masculinity and feminity. Whereas Qrow could not care about these gender norms they aspire to. He sees a pretty outfit. He wants to wear it. It’s as simple as that.

OKAY ITS BEEN HOURS I NEED TO STOP AND MOVE ON BUT I COULD CONTINUE FOR MORE HOURS. I WANTED TO PUT SOME SIENNA ON HERE TOO BUT THIS IS SO LONG ALREADY SEND FROM THAT BLOG IF U WANT IT I GUESS. OKAY. ILU BEST BITCHHH

[thattimdrakeguy]

Robin - the First Miniseries - Issue #3 review - (R.I.P Tom Lyle)

One thing I find kind of endearing about Tim’s narration, is that it reads like a kid that has to recount stuff just for his own sake, because he’s having a hard time believing any of this is happening.

Which matches up with the face he makes.

--

Have some more people seemingly finding Timmy adorable.

Although, you sort of have to think that Tim’s too innocent for his own good sometimes, because he’s trusting the women that calls herself “The Most Dangerous Woman in the World” probably because she treats him like a baby.

However she does say she met Batman, but even then, for some one who works with the notably untrusting Batman, Timmy’s a bit too earnest and naive to trust her so fast just because she can’t stop pinching his cheek and treating him like a puppy.

That’s just good character work though. Tim isn’t perfect, a big part of this miniseries is how out of his element and naive Timmy is. So it just fitting in with his character.

(The next scene ruins this though)

Lady Shiva: I diagnose you with baby

Very early on they set up this bizarre trio’s dynamics pretty fast.

It’s done fast, but very naturally. It’s done through natural character interaction. So it isn’t distracting. It’s well-done. Even if it sort of implies Clyde’s a sexist, but ya know what, character’s aren’t made to be perfect people. They’re made to serve a function in a story. Part of me wishes they’d delve into it more though after they set the stage for something that’s mostly just left at implication. To leave a moral of some kind after such a salty interaction ya know, because it’s taking away the function. I guess Lady Shiva does tell him off for it though. So I suppose that’s the function.

(Which isn’t the last or first time questionable morals from side character’s get left behind, but sadly it gets more blatant and gross. It’s the main flaw of the miniseries. Occasions of awkward writing imply stuff that doesn’t get furthered acknowledged, when it feels like it should be)

So the character dynamic is like this:

Tim is the naive, computer baby, who both of the adults like.

Lady Shiva is the terrifying dangerous woman who knows stuff

Clyde’s the untrusting, rough around the edges, angry one

Lady Shiva and Clyde can’t stand each other, but they’re pretty much here for the baby at this stage. So they’re going to have to try to get along for this little adventure.

Very simple, but this miniseries is 5 issues long, and it’s genuinely all you really need to understand what these characters are going to be like. In general that’s a lot they set up for their dynamics in just one scene. So that’s pretty good actually. These aren’t characters that are gonna last long together, to get just that much for something short lived is good work.

After pretty much failing every fight he’s been a part of, Tim probably seems pretty useless to people, but here’s to remind you, that he’s not.

His strength isn’t his fighting ability. He isn’t Cassandra Cain (who wasn’t created yet. Well, technically, but I mean in the real world perspective). His strength is using his talents at computer and mind to help solve crimes. That’s how he’s useful.

While no genius. He’s clever. That’s his talent.

Another cool thing about this issue is that this is were Timmy finally starts getting into the groove of this superhero thing.

He’s still not great at it, but you see him start getting more used to it compared to the first two issues. He’s growing as a hero.

--

The thing about this issue that I don’t like though, is that it starts to delve into trying to give Timmy a case of the “not gays”, because it randomly starts to pretending that Tim’s interactions with women were more than what actually happened.

Like as far as what was actually drawn in written. It looked more like Tim was wanting to show off to his mommy that was giving him tons of affection more than anything else.

Even the writing of this scene kind of says Tim doesn’t care. The way he words himself “I guess”, like he didn’t actually think about it. Which fits in with his character. He doesn’t seem to care about girl’s that much. I expect this reaction from him, but it’s how the comic itself continues to tease Tim with girls in a way that feel unnatural, because he’s not even getting flustered like how a kid would when getting questioned with girls. He’s just like “I suppose so”, like he doesn’t even care. The look on his face is so low-key too. 

The writing of the scene even goes to say he actually thought of her as scary, which adds even more disconnect, because he clearly wasn’t scared of her. He was melting into her palm and was enjoying every compliment and cheek pinch he was given.

Maybe it’s just Clyde trying to ruffle his feathers though when it comes to the teasing.

There’s a certain amount of disconnect for me regardless, given how the previous scene played out to this. It’s just strange. Maybe that’s supposed to further Clyde’s character as a sexist maybe? But that doesn’t get fully played out either.

Things don’t add up much in this issue as well as the others that were really good with the character thing besides one scene.

As far as the last scene went, it’s played out like Tim loves Lady Shiva because she treats him like a puppy. There’s nothing to imply he found her attractive, even in this scene despite Clyde acting otherwise, seeing how Tim didn’t even think of her being beautiful (he had to have that pointed out to him), but instead scary, but even then there’s nothing there to imply he finds her scary either in the first scene. He seems too innocent and trusting actually. So it’s just a badly written scene, because it’s not adding up.

--

They continue this weird disconnect even more so into the next scene with Lynx, because Tim even backed away from her when the flirting started.

Because freaking when? He blushed when you showed him affection. He melts when you touch his cheek. That’s what they actually show happening, but what do you mean lovestruck? He saved you cuz you were getting messed with and hurt. He did the same thing with Clyde. He even took Clyde’s clothes off if you wanna force any sort of lovestruck, but that’d be creepy if Tim did that cuz he had a crush, so i’d rather not go that far with it. Just trying to prove a point.

Like look at him. He’s freaking uncomfortable. This doesn’t scream “lovestruck” to me. It’s more disconnect that throws the scene off of tone a lot.

If anything you were lovestruck in him. He’s trying to back away.

The kid just melts in times of affection, that’s what they actually show us, and girl’s are the ones that give him affection. There’s not actually a lot, arguably freaking nothing besides how he acts when he gets affection, that screams lovestruck. Other people say he is more than what Tim himself actually shows.

Regardless of the weird sudden insistence that Tim was in love with this girl more than what’s actually shown. There is some great imagery by Tom Lyle that the scans don’t do justice.

Some nice moments that shows Tim getting more used to the superhero life style too.

But of course there’s more of this ‘Timmy’s weakness for girl’s’ talk that doesn’t add up to how he actually interacts with him.

It’s like a bizarre crude bad version of ‘show don’t tell’, they’re telling us something when they show something else.

Like Clyde, Tim took you to a fancy hotel and rented a farm house for you to stay in as he bought you new clothes. If you were Tim’s age that’d be considered romantic, and Tim might be called a sugar daddy. He’s shown to have more of a crush on you then freaking Lynx at this point, okay, and I don’t even think Tim has a crush on you. You just don’t pinch his cheeks and play with his hair like everyone else.

(And don’t start any gross ships okay. Clyde looks at Timmy more like a son above anything else, and there’s a massive age gap, along with it being genuine pedo-freaking-philia. I’m just saying this whole thing is dumb to me, because besides being incredibly easily susceptible to any form of affection he is not shown to have an attraction to anyone. So it makes this seem contrived. They don’t do anything to show Tim has an actual romantic, sexual, or aesthetic attraction to freaking anyone. He just loves affection)

--

Have some more Timmy getting used to this superhero thing, showing his morals, and actually being pretty bubbly.

He’s adorable.

Although maybe he’s getting too used it, because now he’s got that little kid instinct of going a bit too far and too stupid with it.

A pretty fair reaction honestly.

--

So there’s some panels of showing off how rich King Snake is, which I instinctively skipped over because he’s so forgettable that I forget I should probably actually pay attention to him.

Basically he’s going to poison the water supply, and unleash a plague into people’s houses.

I can’t wait for him to burn the crops too. I don’t remember what he does, so I have no idea if he will, but I sure hope so.

--

Timmy doing some computer styled detective work, because this is one modern boy. I wish they’d have Tim just solve a crime on his phone in a current comic, because he’s not an Oracle-styled computer user, he’s mostly just a kid that knows how to use the internet.

He’s so small. I love him.

Baby Sherlock does his best to use his big brain to put it to good use solving the case.

--

Another notable trait of Timmy’s, is that he is perseverant as could be. Like he just went to France to learn more martial arts and some street smarts cuz he gets his butt kicked too easy and he’s naive as could be. Now he’s stopping a terrorist with two people he didn’t even know.

They also delve into a bit of the understated sadness of Tim’s character. How, despite him obviously being a kid, who acts like a kid so far no matter how heroic he tries to be. He doesn’t feel like he as himself should be a kid.

It’s a theme that gets hit harder and harder as more tragedies in his life hit him.

The child continues to use his handy dandy laptop to solve more crime, because he is one useful baby and--

Oh, I wasn’t joking about the plague stuff for a Spongebob reference.

So I’m just waiting patiently for King Snake to start burning some crops.

--

This issue is better then I let on.

The character dynamics are good (when not forced), the pacing is great, the story moves at just the speed it needs to, and the character’s just keep getting fleshed out more.

It’s great stuff besides the weird forced romance stuff that’s annoying for the middle part of the issue, and Tim and Clyde’s chat about Shiva, like if that wasn’t there, this would be an issue I can’t really imagine having a problem with besides King Snake being lame, but that’s more of something that goes across all issues really. It’s not a this issue thing, although you can argue this issue should’ve done more to make him more entertaining over boring.

I even went back to find if there was any indicator that Tim has feelings for this girl, and beyond him melting at the first sign of affection. There’s nothing. He talks about saving her like it’s simply part of the job to him, the same way he talks about saving Clyde. There’s just nothing besides “girl and boy”, which is incredibly lazy and causes it to feel contrived.

In fact I just found more showing that Tim’s oblivious that people keep thinking more than what is.

Like look at that. He’s confused why the jerk’s even saying “girlfriend”. This is what leads to him saying “this isn’t a good idea” when she starts getting flirty.

Tim’s not even remotely lovestruck.

As far as what’s shown he just loves affection.

I’m being repetitive about it, I know, but romance simply because “boy and girl” is dumb, and the fact that Tim actually isn’t interested in them as far as what’s shown and not just said by OTHER characters makes it more annoying.

Funny enough though, given how despite Tim shows no actual attraction to girl’s despite what the other characters assume. It actually makes it easier to interpret him as gay in this miniseries honestly. Cuz he’s going through the gay experience now even if the writer most likely didn’t intend that.

[ruthlessnessisyourdesire-archive]

\ RK800-60 \

# 313-248-317-60

—-> Designated: \ Assigned Detective / Model: Investigative, Negotiator, Interrogator, Police Protocol, Enforcer \

—-> Parameter Changed From: \ Cyberlife Enforcer, Revolution Killer \

—-> Code Name: Connor 

\ / Status > Reprogram \ /

—-> New Code Name: Sixty, 60 (Caleb Stern > human verses)

Functions > 

—-> Real time sensors. Data analysis of biological material a.k.a evidence samples; analysis conducted by taste samples, tongue houses micro biology sensor.

—-> Strength. As an android he possesses a higher strength threshold and agility. His model is designed to be light in maneuverability, stealth a major concept in his distribution. While he holds more strength than humans, 60 does find equal match in fellow models. He is a fierce fighter who relies on his swift fancy footwork. Sixty certainly loves to be dramatic even in the dance of a warrior’s grace.

—-> Negotiator and interrogation: Protocols give him voice in convincing, pressuring and obtaining  Preconstructive capabilities enable him to construct scenarios to solve investigations. Just like Connor he is an RK800 therefore as the same principle features to do detective work.

—-> Combat; hand to hand and weapons, despite the fact androids were not permitted to carry armaments. 60 gladly ignored his code block when invading the Cyberlife Tower and confronting Connor.

Weakness >

—-> Deviant In Denial: Sixty began as an enforcer for Cyberlife to put an end to the revolution’s success by way of taking out original RK800 model unit 51 coded Connor. His entrance in the warehouse is bolstered by his flair for surprising Connor with Hank at gunpoint, waiting among androids housed there. A perfect on purpose camouflage instead of simply just moving into view to enact his mission orders. He shows a great amount of disapproval and displeasure at Connor becoming a traitor to their masters. This is an obvious onset of emotion even while he denies he is a deviant. Deviancy itself is in his system from the onset of his activation and this can lead to him making snap judgement going against his preconstructed programming. 

—-> Weight: Sixty is lighter than the upgraded RK900 therefore can easily be thrown about if caught in an intense fight. While he is not weak being a prototype RK800 detective model, Sixty still suffers from the fact he is not invincible. Bullets can and will penetrate his chassis and damage vital biocomponents if extensive enough. His body is hard beneath his synthetic epidermis and while not as heavy as his successor, adds enough extra weight to bog him down when water is involved. During one of his cases he even fell into a pool and unfortunately lost his suspect. 

—-> Mind Palace: A centralized hub garden world that houses remnants of data core files and the AI program Amanda. Unlike Connor who properly disconnected, Sixty is still technically tied to his Zen Garden. While this is hidden in his mind, the android has the whisper of Amanda’s memory. He finds it just a means of remembering his brief time with the master program. However Sixty is unaware that he is still connected to Cyberlife. It can activate at any time and Amanda can ensnare him inside his own mind. This a major weakness hiding in the shadows and actually does frighten him. Even when he was loyal to Cyberlife with his new life now Sixty does fear having it all wiped away. 

—-> Emotional Overload: Sixty is dramatic by nature. This brings him a particular aura that makes him quite intimidating. Violence is his calling especially in the early origins of his main verse. His emotions swing back and forth in a sense that mimics humanity quite well. That hardly means it’s a good thing. He can be nasty. He can become bitter and envious at the drop of a hat. Sixty’s emotional fluctuations cause him greater harm than good especially when it comes to his relationships be it social, familial or romantic. The android is always a live wire and even more so in his Mad AU. 

—-> Jealousy: His greatest sin is most definitely envy. He envies not only Connor but Nines. Even if he has them as ‘siblings’ he still lacks the will to believe he is equal. He holds envy towards humans, especially ones who belittle him for his kind, and lashes out to anyone who stands in his way. Sixty is rather irrational for an android even for his type of model. He certainly has a few more instability screws loose than Connor. In a sense this can be much worse if he was repaired and reactivated after Hank shoots him. 

File Diagnostic >

 > Sixty is loyal to Cyberlife in the beginning of his main origin. Following the tower, he is canonically forced to fully deviate by none other than Connor himself. This is one of the reasons he despises him. Furthermore it only shows him what sort of world deviancy truly lives in. With it he can be more and use it to advantage for his masters. Yet it also brings him many emotional discharges that  become setbacks when pushed too far. It makes him more human in a sense but also adds to his bitterness. 

He is dramatic by nature. It all began on sublevel -49 at the Cyberlife Tower. His entrance with Hank held hostage was a thing of brilliance in his eyes. Plotting for full surprise certainly gave way to crackles of deviancy in his code. This is true due to one thing. He uploaded Connor’s memories on a separate data file. Storing it at the behest of Amanda, Sixty used this to delve into Connor’s feats starting all the way back to August 15th when he was first set on a mission. Sixty used this to aid his guise as Connor when taking Lt Hank Anderson as a hostage. Fooling the lieutenant was a sign of his prowess in stealth and undercover programming. 

The files in question already riddled with the deviancy virus. This caused RK800-60′s systems to become unstable whether he realized or not. Amanda’s orders were still something he strove to carry out even as the fragments of the deviant strain latched onto him from Connor. 

His mission was unsuccessful. During their altercation, Connor forced the transfer on him. While this completely snapped his chains it did not fully pull Sixty away from his loyalties. It was his decision to continue to hold loyal connections with Cyberlife. However, his reasons were ones born out of free thinking. This was another failure in his mind. This deviancy was now part of him fully but he could use it to advantage. A better integration than anything else is how he saw it.

Sixty’s main verse pits Connor as the reason for full deviation but he has an alt version of events. In this variation Sixty failed the questions Hank gives him and is severely damaged when the lieutenant fires a bullet into his head. While he is seeming inoperable from this point, RK800-60 is taken and repaired. His body is the same model that entered the tower at the time. Cyberlife techs manage to recover him and reactivate. From here on out he goes to the DPD and is working closely with Cyberlife to gather Intel. Gathering of Intel happens in his main verse development as well. He just gets there a different way and is much more fully integrated as their patsy if damaged and then repaired.

Currently he cuts ties with Cyberlife and becomes a proper detective at the DPD. Whether he gets along with his colleagues remains to be seen. One thing they notice about Sixty that is different from Connor is his penchant to become overzealous with suspects and his cases. He is more a brute force first and ask questions later type. While his words are as cunning and sly as a fox, Sixty revels in making others fear him. He finds it quite the power move.  

He enjoys his deviant lifestyle at this point and adapts to more human tendencies. Ask him what sort of things he likes and Sixty lists off a treasure trove of items androids hardly have need for. To him it’s a lovely aesthetic. It makes him feel superior. Superiority is a bad trait he possesses he does not care. 

Favorite things he owns include: fancy suits (blue of course), nice watches, pairs of shined shoes, a lovely personal apartment decorated in blues and whites. A cell phone. This android who has an internal communications system owns a phone. He thinks it’s better to communicate with the humans he has to put up with. He also likes the accessory aspect. 

Sixty is literally obsessed with blue. It’s the color he dons the most and sets him apart from Connor. One thing he hates is people getting them mixed up. The android makes a point to be his own person, different in every way possible. Even his hair style is slightly different with extra curls falling against his forehead. 

Current Relationships: 

Brother: Connor > Sixty has one Connor who he considers a brother. This familial role is exclusive to @rob0badge​​

Brother: Nines > Sixty has one RK900 who he considers a brother. This familial role is exclusive to @unitedxfront​

Mother: Amanda Stern > Sixty has one Amanda who is his foster mother in his human verse and adoptive mother in his college verse. This familial role is exclusive to @asternprotocol​

Human Verse siblings: 

@rob0badge​​‘s Connor

@unitedxfront​’s Cassius (Nines)

@artofdeviancy​​‘s Connor

@detroitfortune​‘s Callum

Killer AU Vers 3 Connections (Mafia Verse)

@aroaringlioness​‘ Natalie: Lover

@creation-is-chaos​‘ Corvus: Enemy

@itsagraywcrld​‘s Eloise: Love Interest

@musescollective​‘s Hank: Father

College Verse Siblings:

@artofdeviancy​​’s Connor 

@unitedxfront​‘s Cassius (Nines)

@creation-is-chaos​’s Corvus

@pathdiverted​‘s Cameron 

Demon AU Connections:

@rob0badge​’s Greed: Twin Demon Brother

@unitedxfront​​’s Wrath: Brother

@soulxism​’s Aiden: Fallen Angel (Seraphim) Lover

@rxseguided​’s Jesse: Archangel Mother

@creatorofclay​‘s Elijah: Half Demon Father

@creation-is-chaos​’s Corvus: Satan King

@detroitfortune​‘s Envy: Sin Demon Enemy

@repliicantceo​’s Eli: Brother-in-law

@repliicantceo​’s Elliott: Brother-in-law

Fully Developed Significant Others: 

@bloomingascension​ > Main Verse / other verses: Engaged in human verse

@diivinerose​ > Deviant Disaster Verse / Main Verse: Married in Disaster Verse

@lavishbylaw​ > Main Verse / other verses: Engaged in Main verse / Married In Human Verse

@soulxism​ > Main Verse / other verses: Pending Engagement in Main Verse

@untamedxfates​ > Human Verse / College Verse (Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji)

Developed Familial/Friendships

@anderson-residence​ > Main Verse / other verses: Mayson (father/son dynamic)

@bluebloodstained​ > Deviant Disaster Verse: Unlikely Friends

@lover-of-wolves​ > College Verse / other verses: Friendship

Sixty has various ships. He is always multiverse and multiship. Some are newer and will have that glorious development. When they do they will land here as well! Please see all of his babes here:

Shipping List

Exclusives

Twin to @artofdeviancy​‘s Connor only

Interaction with Elijah Kamski @creatorofclay​ only

Ship with Gavin Reed @unitedxfront​ only

\ / Statistics: \ /

—-> Created: November 2038

—-> Model: RK800

—-> Rarity: High > 1 of 2 – potentially 3 unit prototypes

—-> Height: 6'0" / 183cm

—-> Distributor: Cyberlife

—-> Origin of Make: Detroit

[itsclydebitches]

RWBY Recaps: “A Night Off”

So RWBY has this weird thing going on in Volume 7 where it’ll give me a truly horrendous episode and then manage to turn things around just enough so that, despite my frustrations, I quite like parts of the next week’s stuff. That proceeds to get my hopes up, only for them to turn around mess it all up again in the following episode.

What I’m saying is, I should expect next week to be a pretty rough ride.

First, let me chuck out the details I personally loved in this episode that fit better together than spread out across a recap. Namely, treating Oscar like an actual human being. Thank you, Rooster Teeth, for:

Having him continually be involved by monitoring Jaune’s aura levels. (It likewise hasn’t escaped my notice how much he’s been paired with JNR lately. The fandom might get their new ‘P’ after all.)

Giving Oscar some thoughts and feelings beyond just the Ozpin situation. He’s worried about not having his semblance yet. Hark! A characterization!

Nora very kindly firing back with, “Well, I bet we’ll all be jealous when you do.”

Yang using Oscar as a convenient armrest. Granted, Yang hasn’t exactly treated him well enough lately to have earned that kind of casual buddy-buddy-ness, but if the writing is never going to call the group out on their Volume 6 behavior then I’ll take unearned kindness over continued indifference or cruelty

Jaune going out to the movies with Oscar and them both inviting Weiss. I mean, same issue here. Why is Oscar so comfortable and eager to hang out with the guy who attacked him? I wish that we had some acknowledgment that these kinds of things don’t just disappear once someone apologizes. Jaune still hurt Oscar, badly enough to leave him flinching against a wall... and none of that even takes into account Oscar’s supposed hesitation about lying to Ironwood. He should be acting more like Ren, involved with the group yet wary at the same time.

In addition, keep in mind that Oscar is currently living in this happy bubble where everyone has chosen to forget that Ozpin exists. I’m still highly suspicious of how they’ll treat him once Ozpin is out in the open again and Oscar is the convenient scapegoat for their anger. As said though, for now I’ll take it. I mean, look at that smile.

Right. Onto the actual plot.

We open on the aftermath of the Mantle riots, which is somewhat disappointing. I had hoped the group would actually be involved in that, giving them the chance to tackle a situation where brute force can’t be the go-to answer. You can’t punch out desperate citizens or run them through with your scythe. Instead, Ironwood’s men are handling it and we reconvene with the group the next day, election day. For the record, we know it has only been a day---and not longer rioting as I initially assumed---because Weiss comments that her father dropped that bombshell “the day before the election.” Which for me just speaks to how much time must have passed during those training montages. The political parts of this volume couldn’t have happened in any short amount of time. 

We’re shown an interview with Hill wherein she quite firmly doesn’t condone the rioting, but admits that there are good reasons for it as well. Her body guard stands very awkwardly in the background in a way I don’t think the shot really needs.

We then segue back into the group training and, like I mentioned above with Oscar, there are a lot of details here that I really enjoyed. Two of which are Weiss creating a mini version of her knight to sneak up on Winter---yes, please show us this kind of creativity in the actual fights---and Nora and Jaune practicing with a rubber ball. Ren is also deep in meditation while all this going on, which raises some questions about how aware of the world he is in this state. Is he able to simply ignore all the commotion, even Ruby flying straight at him? Is he so deep down that he’s entirely disconnected until he resurfaces? If so, does he only meditate like this when he’s 100% sure he’s in a safe place? Would the group be able to wake him if something were to happen?

As you can see, I’m obviously a little too invested in details and world building lol.

Speaking of world building though, we learn a little bit more about semblances here. Namely that, like hinted at in Volume Five and recently with Harriet, all their semblances are “evolving.” Jaune can apparently regenerate his own aura now, much more quickly than he could before. And Ruby...

Okay, real talk. Did I miss something here? It’s entirely possible I did, but if not what even was that conversation between Ruby and Oscar? She flies at the pillar Ren is seated under, divides into three rose petal clusters to get around it, and recombines on the other side. You know, the thing we’ve known she can do for a long while now. Since Volume Four I believe. Except then we get this exchange:

Oscar: Have you always been able to do that?

Ruby: I don’t know. I don’t normally think it through that much.

What are you talking about? Of course you know, Ruby! This isn’t a new technique. And what do you mean by, “I don’t normally think it through that much”? Is the writing trying to imply that she’s done the split thing so instinctively in the past she didn’t even notice she was doing it? I’m just massively confused by this moment. Others have pointed out that the writing tends to make up easy to solve “problems” for the cast to deal with so it looks like they’re achieving some kind of growth. The most egregious example being Ruby’s lack of hand-to-hand in Volume 5, culminating in a single headbutt against Mercury. Notably, this supposed flaw hasn’t resurfaced at all since then. Not even, say, when she’s at a party without her weapon and Tyrian attacks...

This feels like another moment where they just threw out something random to make it look like Ruby is improving alongside with the other, actual developments they’ve managed to think through, such as Jaune’s aura. Which is particularly strange considering Ruby was set up as the one to evolve her semblance. Which will probably still happen... but why paint an old skill as new along the way? It’s just all very strange.

Anyway, we get a nice shot of Ren coming out of his meditation where the whole world is gray like when he activates his semblance. Excellent visual cue as to his emotional state. This continues as Ironwood arrives and the group lays into him about needing to trust Hill. Which is hilarious considering that none of them are currently trusting Ironwood. He points out that common ground can only exist “if she’s open too”---unlikely given the second half of the episode---and Nora is about to challenge that when Ren interrupts, asking about mission assignments. Ironwood announces that they’re getting the night off instead.

Note though how guilty Ruby looks after all that talk of trusting others.

We cut to the girls later that night in their room, listening to the election news and getting ready to go out. It’s all very cute, but I think Nora is onto something regarding how Blake and Yang are always together. It’s so blatantly obvious they’re falling for one another, especially after this episode, and I’m honestly thrilled we’re finally getting some queer rep beyond former villains and minor characters. However, I hope that as Blake and Yang’s relationship develops that the writers don’t completely lose track of their co-dependency issues as well. Meaning, Yang totally wrote Blake off because she “ran away,” AKA went home precisely like Yang did, warping a natural and understandable choice into a personal betrayal. Blake in turn broke down sobbing and promised Yang to never ever leave her again. Separation is not a new issue for them. Their desire to spend every waking moment together is definitely cast as romantic now, but it’s also tied up in their inability to function well without each other. As we saw recently, a throwaway comment about fighting with someone else generates legitimate anger in both of them. Couples have to be able to spend time apart, so I hope the writing eventually lets the girls work through all that as well. 

For now though, they’re going dancing with FNKI. Very bad dancing based on what little we see. It’s enough to convince Weiss that the movies are her best choice here. Especially since she’s clearly not interested in Hill’s preemptive victory party. We see a tiny bit of that tension between Weiss’ views and Nora’s, but nothing with any substance. We just keep getting tiny glimpses that Nora is potentially passionate about the people of Mantle before it’s all quickly overshadowed by her romance drama with Ren. More on that in a moment.

The two of them plus Ruby make their way out into the streets where Ren admits that, “We spent so much time worrying about how Ironwood would react to the truth about [Salem], but have any of us even considered how we’re going to beat her if we work past that?”

Ruby reminds them that Jinn told Ozpin he couldn’t destroy her. Nora: “Maybe someone else could?”

It only took you weeks to figure that out! Though I love how this still---still---apparently has no bearing on how they view Ozpin. This was another perfect, quiet moment where three characters, notably three of the least angry characters, could have acknowledged how terrifying this information is. How they still can’t bring themselves to tell Ironwood, a man who thus far has done nothing but support them. Wow, I totally get why Ozpin would have trouble telling us. Oh also, we just realized that maybe Jinn’s information was specific to him. Maybe someone else can destroy Salem. That’s a pretty big revelation. I wonder if Ozpin himself realizes that? We should probably try to talk to him at some point.

It’s while they’re talking about the heavy stuff that Ren mutters about how they should still be training. Nora counters that they deserve a night off and the two of them clash enough to walk off angry. We see now at least part of what’s been bothering Ren lately. Nora is a very bubbly, silly, go-with-the-flow sort of person, whereas he is hyper focused on becoming as strong as possible in the hopes of finding a way out of this Salem mess. He doesn’t want to hear compliments while searching for a geist, or have her playing with his hair while on patrol, or turn training into a conversation about their relationship, or waste time on frivolous parties. There’s obviously a happy medium between Ren’s work ethic and Nora’s relaxed attitude, though they haven’t worked through that at all because they’re too busy kissing. Again, more on that in a second.

They reach the party, Penny is there, Nora and Ren dive into another fight that serves to canonize both them and Blake/Yang. Nora comments about how they’re spending so much time together, Ren observes that they’re at least friends again, and the response is,

Nora: “Friends, huh? Just friends?” Ren: “What else would they be? Nora: “Two people who have gone through so much? I think there’s more going on...”

It’s clear at this point that Nora is talking about them rather than Yang/Blake, but the initial comparison holds. Though she uses them as an in to discuss her own relationship, I doubt she was lying here. She clearly views them as a parallel to her and Ren: two partners who have been through a great deal together and, as a result, have grown to love each other as more than just friends. Those who insist that Rooster Teeth isn’t heading in a Blake/Yang direction don’t have much of a leg to stand on anymore. That ship (ha) has long since sailed. 

Ruby sneaks away from their fight though nothing terribly exciting happens. She adorably clings to Penny’s arm. They adorably fist-bump (ouch). Marrow and Hill get into a conversation about making change and whether or not she’ll accomplish that within the bounds of the law. Funny... I thought we saw that very same theme last volume. If only the writing acknowledged that there’s a connection between this conversation and our protagonists. We’re supposed to see both sides of the situation here: Hill’s need to bend the rules once in a while and Marrow’s desire to keep the peace; how the law is a man-mad construct that’s far from perfect and the importance of making change in a way that will stick---namely, legally. Here is a complex look at a morally difficult question and notably both Marrow and Hill are minor characters. It’s only when RWBYJNR is involved that the message moves from ‘Each side has a point’ to ‘Teens are 100% justified in breaking the law and anyone trying to stop them is an evil, crazy racist.’

It honestly astounds me that Rooster Teeth can give us that subtly here but never when it comes to our heroes.

When Ruby finally returns she finds Ren and Nora still fighting. As she snuck off we heard Ren admitting---in the round-about way of theirs, pretending that they’re talking about other people---that he’s worried, there’s a lot going on right now, and basically implying that he doesn’t know how (or doesn’t want) to balance a new relationship on top of all the horrific Salem business. Which, fair. The problem is that they don’t discuss this. Hill’s speech about how they’re always stronger together resonates with Nora and she tries to initiate a conversation, asking Ren to explain more fully what’s bothering him. To talk about it. He admits that talking has never been his strong suit.

I expected this to segue into a cliche, “Well try” moment and we’d finally get Ren and Nora bonding outside of their jokes and silent communication. Sadly, that didn’t happen. Look, I’m all for a renora kiss, but we have got to stop portraying sexual assault as romantic. Because that’s what Nora does here. It doesn’t matter how sure she (or we as the audience) are that Ren will like this kiss in the end. Grabbing someone and kissing them without their consent is sexual assault. Ren has not agreed to kiss her. He hasn’t expressed any desire here to kiss here. He’s completely blindsided by it and is flailing before he gives in.

People will justify this because, again, we all “know” that Ren secretly wants it and will be grateful that Nora got him past his fear. But that’s a terrible message to perpetuate in a world where others insist they also “know” when someone “really” wants them (they don’t) and where kissing or sex is seen as an easy way to supposedly solve problems between a couple. How many times have we seen an angry woman in media essentially told to shut up by a guy kissing her? The message is that her thoughts and grievances aren’t important here. The man knows her better than she knows herself and the second her forces her to start kissing him she realizes that’s really all she needed all along. That trope isn’t redeemed by changing the gender dynamic. Ren clearly has problems with their relationship that he’s struggling to work through. Nora clearly recognizes as much. Yet instead of acknowledging them and overcoming them, she erases any potential development by forcing him into a kiss. I’m sorry, it doesn’t matter how much Ren enjoys it a few seconds in. The continued message that forcing sexual intimacy on someone will fix both their hesitation and your relationship problems has go to stop. Kissing Nora doesn’t magically solve whatever it is Ren has been grappling with for the last six episodes. You know, the stuff they were just arguing about.

Once again, RWBY succeeded in giving me something I wanted, but in a way that severely downplays that enjoyment. I wanted a renora kiss, but not without consent and as a way of ignoring their issues. I wanted more focus on Ren and Nora as a whole this volume, but it would be nice if their characters could exits outside of each other some. Like the criticisms against Blake and Yang, Ren and Nora seem to be a package deal. They don’t fight with anyone else. They don’t go to different activities (why can’t Ren continue training if he’s that focused on it? Let Nora vent her feelings to a friend while he’s gone). They don’t interact with Ruby when they’re out with her. Their arc, it seems, doesn’t exist outside of each other. Which I suppose is better than no development at all, but still.

From then on things devolve rather quickly. While Hill continues her speech---and we see the ever closing gap between her and Jacques---Ruby gets a quick look at Tyrian’s tail before Watts turns out the lights. From there Tyrian proceeds to murder so many people, including attacking Fiona and going after Hill. All the while Ruby and Penny struggle to attack, despite the fact that Penny clearly has night vision and hangs back too long, obviously for plot purposes. It’s when she finally gets him away from Hill that Watts turns the lights back on, making it look like Penny had attacked the crowd and Hill was defending herself from her. I’ll admit, making Penny suitably creepy during the battle helps sell it.

Man do I hate framing plot-lines though. Not in a ‘Rooster Teeth shouldn’t have done this’ sense, just that it hurts to watch people react so badly based on a misunderstanding. This setup works best when there’s no one to refute the assumption. Yet here we have Ruby who absolutely saw Tyrian there, Penny who absolutely saw him with her night vision, Marrow who just made a connection with Hill and took the time to insist, “This wasn’t us, I swear,” etc. We’ve even got really basic stuff like, does Penny have blood all over her blades? Yet based on Hill’s look, all the evidence against Penny being the attacker isn’t going to do much good. Which makes for a more frustrating experience than a sad, yet understandable one.

We end with Jacques thanking everyone for his victory, rigged by Watts. Watts uploads the video of the attack, which has presumably either been altered in some way or just shows Penny in that damning position with her weapons out. If the former, that would at least go a long way towards explaining the inevitable backlash against her. An angry mob in the heat of the moment is one thing, but if Watts is looking to convince the entirety of Atlas that Ironwood is using his robot---a robot the people seem to currently love---to take out his competition, a doctored video of Penny attacking innocent people is far more persuasive. For both them and us the audience, wondering why everyone is this gullible. So far we’ve gotten some truly excellent villainy this year. Let’s continue that with them thinking ahead. 

At the very least this should (should) provide us with some excellent development for Penny. She’s long struggled with her status as a robot and being the defender of Atlas seems to have helped her come into herself. Having others accept her differences as a boon will do that. Now that she’s labeled as nothing more than a dangerous weapons again? We should see some inner conflict. The writing didn’t let her or anyone else grapple with her death. For the love of everything, at least let Penny grapple with this. 

Finally, Ruby and the others are forced to spend the night defending the city from a ton of grimm. Seriously, take in how many grimm showed up because of an election. Now think about what will happen if Ironwood announces Salem’s existence... I don’t think the cast is admitting to themselves precisely how many lives they’d be sacrificing by pulling that stunt. Ironwood at least (as far as we know) truly thinks he has a shot at winning the war. Ruby has no excuse at this point, with the exception that telling people about Salem is just plain hard.

Insert standard ‘Ozpin was right and they’re being hypocrites’ meta here.

And that’s it, folks! Issues aside, an all around better episode than some of the others we’ve gotten this season. Based off of experience it’ll be a small miracle if RWBY manages to keep that up next week.

Until then 💜

Minor Things of Note

All the people who were arrested the day of the election... do they get to vote? I know Watts rigged things, but potentially keeping everyone that furious with Ironwood from deciding who will oppose him on the council won’t exactly look good... especially combined with the Penny situation. Not that I think RWBY would actually introduce that as a complication. Just a thought.

Another extremely nit-picky thing, but it’s hilarious to me how bare the girls’ room is. Obviously there’s little time or inclination to animate personal items, even the few they have, but it kind of looks ridiculous to have this sterile space with one mirror and one tube of mascara. Here are the exact things we need for this scene and nothing more! I do like that shot in the mirror though.

Fiona getting teary-eyed over Hill being on the council was beautiful. I barely know them, but I like these two.

I’m just gonna post this again... 

[parkerspicedlatte]

Disconnected-Chapter Eight (Luke Hemmings)

Summary: In an alternate universe where everyone has a soulmate, Luke and his soulmate share the rarest of them all. Some people have matching tattoos, others feel each others pain/emotions, but mental connections are the least common. The connection that Luke and Lynn share is that they can hear whatever song the other is singing. When they are close together they will be able to hear each others voices but for the meantime, they can only hear the recorded versions.

Pairings: Luke Hemmings x Lynn Corby (OC)

Warnings: fluff, angst, mentions of injuries, alcohol, a cuss word???

Featured Songs: If I Could (Jack Johnson)

Lynn felt the most relaxed she’d been in weeks. She finished the song she had been working on, she’d done very well performing on stage at the bar a few days before, and she had the apartment to herself for a few hours. She finally got to sit down with a mug of peppermint-spiked hot chocolate and the book she’d been meaning to read for a while. Lynn was at peace with herself and with the world around her, which seemed a little odd since she and Kylie had had an argument just a few hours prior.

She thought to herself that Luke must be relaxed and having a good time at that moment. Lately Lynn had been feeling certain emotions that she was certain weren’t her own; a random spout of anxiety when she wasn’t doing or thinking of anything that would cause her to be anxious.  Sometimes even a sudden feeling of satisfaction when she was down in the dumps. The only explanation Lynn had was that somehow her connection with Luke had strengthened immensely.

“If we can hear each other’s songs and feel each other’s emotions, the only mental connection we don’t have is proper telekinesis.” Lynn had told Kylie.

Her peace however, was interrupted by the sound of her phone nearly vibrating off of the coffee table beside her. Lynn set her book down on her lap and reached over to check the caller ID. Kylie. Lynn let out a sigh, mentally debating on letting the call go to voicemail. She knew she would be furious if Kylie was asking her to come and join herself and her underage sister at the bar. She slid her thumb across the screen anyways.  

“Hello.” she answered in a monotone voice.

“Heeeey!” Kylie squealed on the other end followed by a drunken giggle. Lynn threw her head back against the couch in annoyance and they hadn’t even gotten past the ‘hellos.’ How on earth could Kylie be that drunk sounding when they’d just left less than two hours ago? she wondered to herself. It was nine o’clock, the summer sun had barely set.

“Um me and Avery have a question for you. You know since you have a –hiccup- a car badge thingy.”

A car badge thingy? Oh she means a drivers license.

“Are you by any chance calling to ask if I’ll pick you up because you’re too drunk to get home on your own?” Lynn asked, her voice doused with frustration.

“How’d you know?” Kylie squealed over the phone, her fake drunk state could have fooled even the bartender who knew she had only served them two drinks each.

Lynn dropped her head into her free hand, trying to not scream at Kylie. What kind of irresponsible person takes their sixteen year old sister to a bar, gets them drunk before nine o’clock and has to call their roommate to drive them home?

Lynn half considered hanging up and letting Kylie figure it out herself. She couldn’t do that, not when Avery was in the mix. She couldn’t leave a sixteen year old at a bar, inebriated without a way back. Lynn knew damn well that Avery and Kylie could handle themselves but it still went against every moral standard she had in her body.

“I’ll be there in a few minutes.” she sighed into the phone. “Just don’t go anywhere or do anything stupid please.”

“We won’t.” Kylie hiccupped back. “See you soooon! Bye love yah.” Click. The call ended.

“Looks like someone forgot we were arguing earlier today.” Lynn huffed as she walked over to her bedroom to replace her pyjama pants with a pair of jeans. If she had to walk into the bar to collect the Dubois sisters, she at least didn’t want to look like a slob, especially since she was trying to build herself a reputation there with her music.

Lynn threw her long strawberry-blond hair up into a ponytail while she searched for her car keys. Once she found them she made her way to the beat up VW Jetta in the driveway.

“How could she be so irresponsible?” Lynn thought aloud as she pulled out of the driveway and onto the road. “She’s older than me by two years yet she’s the one acting like she’s eighteen again.” she said into the steering wheel.

A few minutes later Lynn pulled into a parking space a few buildings down from the bar. As she walked towards the front of the buildings she saw the party house in full swing. Lights lit up the large bay windows in the front, people were laughing, singing and dancing to the beat that Lynn could hear from outside. She didn’t care, she had a mission in mind and that was to find Kylie and Avery so that she could get them back home safely than spend the rest of the night taking care of their drunk asses.

Her blue eyes scanned over the crowd not actually looking at the faces, rather, for the wild curly brown hair; a trademark of the Bubois sisters. Lynn finally spotted them at the bar counter towards the far right. They were talking and clapping along to the band currently playing while sipping away at their drinks, looking sober, perfectly sober.

“What. The. Hell?” Lynn muttered under her breath, a mixture of aggression and bewilderment. Lynn marched over to the pair wondering what on earth was going on.

Avery saw Lynn first. “Show time.” she said, arching an eyebrow to her sister, a signal they shared with little discretion. 

Both sisters turned around to give Lynn an identical sheepish smile.

“What the hell is going on?” Lynn demanded, “You sounded like you were drunk enough to fall off your chair when you called me ten minutes ago. Now you don’t even look like you’ve had more than a few drinks. You’re not even flushed! You two better have a goddamn good answer!” Lynn said; smoke practically pouring out of her ears.

“We do. I mean, I do. This is my doing, don’t blame Avery.” defended Kylie. “Before I explain further, I need you to look behind you.”

“Why? What is behind me that has to do with why you lied to me about being too drunk to get home?”

“Please, just trust us.” Avery said using the words her sister had practically begged of herself not even an hour previously.

“Trust you? You guys just lied to me and now you won’t tell me why.” Lynn crossed her arms. “Right now I do not trust either of you.”

“Just turn around!” Kylie leapt off of her barstool to grab Lynn by the shoulders and spin her around, having had enough of the short conversation. “Look at who is directly in front of you.”

Lynn’s eyes met those of the grumpy diner owner from down the street. He frowned at the commotion going on between the girls and went back to his drink at hand, a scotch on the rocks.

“What does Greasy Al have to do with this?”

Kylie groaned. “No, not Greasy Al, the guy behind Greasy Al, in the white shirt, right there.”

“The blond guy?”

“Yes! Yes do you see him?”

“I see the back of his head.” Lynn mumbled, annoyed at her roommate’s behaviour.

“Okay just wait until he turns around.”

“What does the blond guy have to do with any of this?” Lynn tried to turn back around but Kylie held her shoulders tightly, not letting her go in case Lynn missed it. In case she missed seeing her other half, her soulmate. Luke. Freaking. Hemmings.

“Everything. Everything has to do with this.”

“Kylie, you’re being extremely vagu-ohhh fuck!”

Lynn’s eyes finally settled on the face of the stranger across the bar. The stranger who just so happened to know more about her than most people in the room, even the ones she’d known for years. He wore a smile that made his eyes dance with joy. Lynn felt butterflies dance with pure ecstasy. She felt Kylie’s hand loosen and slide off of her shoulders but she didn’t move; she couldn’t.

Her soulmate was right in front of her. Lynn could take less than twenty steps and be standing directly in front of him. She could finally be connected.

“Sooooo! What are you going to do?” Avery squealed from behind her, not being able to contain herself any longer.

“I-I-I don’t –shit I don’t know!” Lynn suddenly felt her body sway. Her head felt light. The room was unbearably hot. Lynn couldn’t catch her breath; they were coming in quick and shallow. She could feel hands grab at her arms as gravity took her body to the floor. Everyone around her was miles away. She could hear her own heartbeat throbbing in her ears.

A voice, she could hear a voice but it sounded like it was underwater.

“Are you okay?” the voice asked. “Can you hear me? She needs to be brought outside, there’s too much commotion in here.” The voice felt like silky sheets on soft bare skin, it was heaven flowing through her ears.

“Lynn, I need you to wake up.”

Something inside of her told her to follow the voice, to trust it. Lynn felt her body shiver. Her eyelids felt cool, so did her finger tips. She could move her fingers.

“There you go, keep going. Come on, you’re almost there.”

She felt a cool breeze blow across her cheeks.

“Lynn, come on, wake up!” a voice sobbed, sounding desperate and close to tears. The voice still didn’t sound as close as it should have but it was a start. “Focus, just focus on something.”

Lynn did just that. She listened for the voices that were getting closer.

“When was the last time she ate?” One voice, a new stranger.

“I don’t know, we haven’t talked since this morning.” Kylie’s voice.

“Oh my gosh this is all our fault!” Avery. So far three voices.

Something was on her face. It felt warm and comforting. Come on Lynn, focus. What is on your face? Whatever it was, it kept moving from her forehead, down to her cheek, then to her chin and back to her forehead. Fingers? A hand. Somebody’s running their hands over my face. Why? That’s kinda weird.

 “Come on Lynn, wake up.” Kylie’s voice begged of her. “Avery, run inside and ask Mitchy for some water, cold water.”

“Who’s Mitchy, and what are you going to do with the water?” Lynn wasn’t sure but she thought it was Avery’s voice asking the question.

“Mitchy is the bartender you dummy.” Kylie, definitely Kylie’s voice.

“Okay! But what about the water?”

“Gee Ave, I’m thirsty, what do you think I’m going to do?” Yep, one hundred percent Kylie. “I’m going to pour cold water on her to hopefully wake her up faster.” Oh shit no!

Now Lynn was determined to wake up. Her mind was becoming clearer by the second but she still couldn’t still couldn’t move anything other than her fingers, so that is what she moved her focus to. Thumb. Index. Middle. Ring. Pinky. Thumb. Index. Middle. Ring. Pinky. She tried bending them all one by one.

“Does she do this often?” a fourth voice, this one she didn’t recognise. Thumb. Index. Middle. Ring. Pinky.

“She used to when we were kids but she hasn’t in at least a year or two though.” Thumb. Index. Middle. Ring. Pinky. Wrist. WRIST! Lynn rolled her left wrist around. The feeling in her arms was starting to come back in a fuzzy haze. She groaned a little at the new pain shooting through her head. Did I hit my head on my way down?

A flurry of voices all around her all interrupted her concentration. Lynn couldn’t differentiate between any of them.

“She’s starting to wake up!”

“Hey look, her hands are moving.”

“Did you hear her?”

“You heard that right?”

She heard the sound of the bar door open and close, the music inside getting louder then quieter as the sounds were stopped from any further escape.

Avery went into the bar to get cold water! Shit!

“No I’m up.” Lynn tried to say before Avery could get to her. “Avery, no wait.”

Too late. An ice water filled pitcher was thrown over her upper body from head to ribs.

Lynn gasped, body convulsing for a split second at the torturous change in her body temperature. Her eyes flew open but she couldn’t see anything except a few blurry lights.

“It worked!” declared Avery triumphantly.

“Lynn! Oh my gosh you scared the hell out of me!” Kylie screeched.

“Are you okay?” asked another voice, the sweet voice belonging to the man she heard earlier.

Lynn shivered letting out the smallest of whimpers. She still couldn’t find her voice. Her eyes slowly began to regain focus and the blurry images began to fade into clearer, crisper ones. Directly above her, Kylie’s worry stricken face loomed, brows furrowed and lips slightly trembling. Kylie lifted one her hands from Lynn’s face to cover her own mouth, holding back a sob.

Beside her, Mitchy held a phone to her ear, talking to somebody while retelling what had just taken place. Did she call 9-1-1? What would she do that? Geez how long was I out?

Lastly Lynn noticed the familiar strangers around her. They all stood looking down at her figure lying on the pavement and then back to each other. All of them save for one, the one with the gentle, light blue eyes that looked nowhere but to her. He was crouched on the pavement with Kylie, going the extra mile to get close to Lynn, not exactly knowing why. His eyes were curtained by loose strands of curly blond hair. Lynn was so lost in him that if she’d had more control in her arms; she would have subconsciously moved his hair back to get a better look at his face, her soulmate’s face.

Luke stared down at the girl lying on the pavement. Her head was resting in the lap of who he assumed to be her close friend. The girl’s strawberry blonde hair had fallen out of its ponytail in the kafuffle and was strewn in a soggy angelic mess across the legs of her friend. The neon lights from the bar windows reflected blues and reds across the pale skin of her face and chest.

“Are you okay?” he heard himself asking again. Luke wasn’t sure why he was as concerned as he was about this girl. She was a complete stranger to him; he’d never seen her before in his life but something in the back of his mind told him otherwise. Something in him was drawn to her. There was a slight physical strain in his body pulling him towards her. Something in Luke made him want to pull her body against his, to tuck her head into his chest and run his fingers through her now wet hair.

Her eyes roamed from person to person before finally landing on himself. Luke felt his heart flutter then skip a few beats when their eyes met. A warmth flooded through his body causing him to visibly shiver.

“Lynn can you hear anything? Please say something.” Kylie. So far Luke knew that the girl on the ground was Lynn, the girl freaking out was Kylie and the younger copy of Kylie was Avery. Kylie rubbed gently at Lynn’s temples, down her cheekbones to her chin, then back up again.

Lynn nodded slowly, moving her eyes back over to Kylie’s. “Can you tell me what day it is?” Kylie asked.

“T-Tu-Tuesday.” Lynn stuttered out. Luke felt a sense of familiarity wash over him at hearing her voice. What’s the matter with you Luke? Why are you being like this? People pass out all the time.

He hadn’t even noticed Ashton, Calum, and Michael standing a few feet back, observing quietly. If he’d looked back at that moment Luke would have seen Calum and Michael looking concerned, yet confused at the same time, wondering why Luke had run out of the bar with the girl. If Luke had looked back he would have seen Ashton beside them both, a small tight lipped smile on his face and fingers crossed at his sides. Somehow Ashton knew exactly what was going on. While Ashton had yet to experience the connecting of soulmates himself, he had witnessed it happening on enough occasions. He’d seen it enough to recognize the look of complete awe between Luke and Lynn.

“I-I’m going to k-kill Avery.” Lynn shuddered once more through her clenched teeth.

Everyone around her chuckled nervously, everyone except Avery.

“How long?”

“A few minutes.” Kylie answered. “Not the worst but not the best. Think you can sit up?”

Lynn thought for a moment before nodding. “I think I can.” She placed both of her hands on the pavement just above her hips to prepare to push herself up. She felt like her every movement was being analyzed from every angle. The thought made her uncomfortable.

“Okay, on the count of three.” Kylie began her countdown. “One, two, three.” Lynn pushed up on her hands while simultaneously bending her knees in attempt to unsuccessfully steady herself.

Luke’s arms flew out to catch her before she fell back on the pavement.

Once Lynn was sitting upright against the brick wall of the bar she was eye to eye with Luke. He now noticed the small yet constant constellations of freckles that were especially pronounced across her blushing cheeks and the bridge of her nose. Luke saw that her eyes were not as blue as he’d initially thought. Rather, they had more grey tones in her irises without the help of the neon blue lights.

“Lynn, hey earth to Lynn. How are you feeling?” asked Kylie while waving her hand in between the blondes faces. Kylie didn’t want to get in the way of soulmates connecting but she still needed to know that her best friend was okay.

“I-I’m fine.” Lynn replied, not tearing her eyes from Luke’s.

A few moments passed by going unnoticed by the pair on the ground. Everyone else however, stood there awkwardly not knowing what to do. Finally, Avery cleared her throat, bringing all five other bystanders attention away from Luke and Lynn.

“Maybe we should, uh, you know, head back in. she suggested. Ashton nodded agreeing with her.

“Come on boys, let’s give them some space.” he said to Calum and Michael.

“What? Why?” Michael asked.

By then, Calum was starting to clue in on what was going on. He looked back at Luke jealousy as he walked towards the bar.

“Michael, let’s go.” Calum said in a low voice. Michael shot him a weird look but stepped with him towards the bar entrance anyways. Ashton followed behind them. He bent to lean into Luke’s frame.

“See you in a bit mate, congrats.” he whispered into Luke’s ear before patting him on the back and joining the boys with Mitchy in tow. One word hung over the entire group but nobody dared to speak it. Soulmates.

Last to leave was Kylie. She hadn’t even noticed that everyone else had left until Avery gently placed her hand over her sister’s shoulder reassuringly. Kylie had been with Lynn since they were in elementary school, since before Avery was even born. She’d been on the soulmate search train with Lynn for so long now that she wasn’t sure how to get off. But the train had stopped. It had reached its destination.

“Ky, come on.” Avery urged her. And just like that, Kylie stepped off of the soulmate train’s platform and away from the station. Once inside, she watched from the large front windows. Ashton was on her left side and Avery on her right.

Back outside, the blondes remained lost in world that consisted of nobody but each other, each taking in every single detail of the other in the most comfortable silence that either of them had ever known.

“I almost passed out at the same time you did.” Luke said breaking the silence. Lynn didn’t know how to respond so she didn’t. Instead Luke cracked a slight smile as he looked into her doe like eyes. “I got a little dizzy and light headed, then I looked over and you had hit the floor. Figured it wasn’t just a coincidence. Are you sure you’re alright.”

Lynn nodded. “Better now.” she whispered almost inaudibly. She looked away once she felt a blush creep up from her neck to her cheeks, illuminating her entire face with a pink tint. Lynn played with her fingers that were resting in her lap. Luke’s brought his own larger hands to rest cautiously on top of hers, as if to see if she would reject them.

She didn’t, instead she smiled down at their hands. Luke took it as a sign that he was in the clear. Slowly he engulfed her cold hands in his own. He brought them up to his lips, blowing warm air into them, pressing a small, chaste kiss to her knuckles.

“Are you even real?” he whispered against them, looking up at Lynn through his eyelashes.

“I think so.” Lynn whispered back, a tear slipped down her left cheek and ended at her pale lips. “I’m sorry.” she said quietly. So quietly that Luke almost didn’t hear her.

“What?” he asked softly. “Why would you be sorry?”

“Because I knew.” Lynn sobbed, an ugly sob that made her entire body shake. “I knew, but I didn't do anything. It’s all my fault. I’m selfish. I’m so sorry.”

Immediately Luke moved his hands from Lynn’s hands to wrap them around her back. He swiftly moved to sit beside her against the brick wall. He then pulled her gently against his body, sensing that she wasn’t going to be made upset by his actions.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, each too caught up in their own emotions to do anything.

“I don’t want you to be sorry.” The silence was broken by Luke once again as he uttered those words into her ear. Lynn’s body shook against his. Luke brought a hand up to run his fingers through her wet, unruly, mop of hair. “The universe wasn’t ready for us to meet, fate I guess.” he told her.

“But were you ready?” Lynn sniffled.

“I think,” Luke paused, trying to find the words that felt right. “I think that I wanted to meet you, but just because you want something, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re ready for it.”

Lynn sat up to see Luke’s face. She carefully studied his expression, looking for any trace of anger or sadness. She looked to see if he was telling her the truth. She found no signs of deception.

Finally Lynn nodded her head slowly, showing that she agreed with Luke.

“You know, it’s almost like everything that’s been going on these past few weeks, has been fate preparing us to finally.... maybe get us ready to meet.” she told him while bringing a hand up to wipe away her tears. “You could feel it too, right?”

“I could feel it.” He reassured. “I could feel you.” Luke said not even noticing his involuntary smile that took over his face. “I could feel when you were excited about something or when you got anxious.”

They both thought back to moments when they could feel each other’s emotions. Then suddenly Luke remembered.

“Hey, what’s the deal with the Jack Johnson song? The last time I heard you sing it I thought you were going to die.”

Lynn smiled sheepishly down at her hands, chuckling lightly. She knew damn well that he was going to ask her that one day.

“It’s stupid, you’re going to laugh when I tell you.” she told him, having finally calmed down enough from her prior incident to speak clearly again. 

“What? Why?” Luke smiled, already falling in love with his other half.

“I was uh, I was doing an open mic thing at the bar that night, in front of people. I’d never done that before.” she confessed in a whisper.

Luke felt his heart swell with pride for her. The butterflies that danced around his heart felt more like a swarm of chirping, singing birds. Once again he tugged her body into his, bringing her onto his lap and engulfing her in his arms.

“It’s okay, everybody gets nervous on stage.” Lynn could feel him smiling into her neck as he spoke. “I still do and I’ve been on stage since I was sixteen.”

“You sang along that night.”

Luke nodded suddenly remembering the feeling of their connection growing stronger as they sang the lyrics together.

“That helped me out a lot, thank you.” 

Time froze. Luke and Lynn were caught up in each others eyes not noticing anything around them, just their other halves. Slowly, they moved into each other. Lynn could smell the cologne on his jacket while Luke could smell the coconut scented shampoo in her hair. Their faces so close together, lips centimetres apart.

“Hi.” Lynn giggled.

“Hi.” Luke whispered. 

“Can I kiss you?” he asked ever so gently.

Lynn nodded, not even missing a beat. “Yes.”

Luke leaned in nearly the rest of the way but froze just before their lips touched. He didn’t know why he froze. This was his soulmate. Luke was going to spend the rest of his life with her. Why am I so scared of this? Why wouldn’t he be scared?

Lynn suddenly brought her lips to his, confirming what they already knew with a kiss. 

Luke took no time in kissing her back. Her lips felt like coming home after a long tour. They felt familiar. Luke felt every insecurity about his soulmate not wanting him wash away like the receding tide.

Lynn felt safety in him. She felt how carefully and softly he kissed her back.

While Luke could only think about their lips, Lynn noticed everything between them. She noticed the feeling of his arms wrapping around her protectively and lovingly. She noticed his fingertips pressed into her sides. She noticed how his bottom lip felt between hers before switching to capture her bottom lip. What they both failed to notice however, were the spying eyes of their friends from the other side of the bar’s large bay window.

Luke pulled away first, out of breath. Lynn took a few seconds to register that their lips weren’t connected anymore. Slowly she opened her eyes, afraid that he wouldn’t actually be there when she opened them.

She glanced up to see a pair of bright blue irises looking down at her in awe. His lips were pink with a slight glistening sheen and had pulled up slightly in a grin. His thumbs stroked up and down her cheekbones in admiration.

“Hi.” he whispered as he had only moments ago.

Lynn looked down at her hands that were each bunching his shirt. Neither had even realised until then.

Every so often a car would drive by on the street. Their headlights would illuminate the newly connected couple, the smaller in the lap of the taller. His legs bent a little to cage her into his body protectively. People passed them on the sidewalk. Some giving them funny looks of disapproval, but neither Luke nor Lynn noticed. Even if they did, they wouldn’t care or give them a second thought.

If somebody had stopped, however, they would have seen more than just a young couple, they would have seen passion. They would have seen the result of over a year of torturous strain the couple had been through to finally find each other. A cruel game of cat and mouse that neither of them could run from nor capture.

But nobody stopped and nobody saw.

“Let’s get you into some warmer clothes, hmm.” Luke suggested. His forehead learned against hers, nose bumping against hers.

“I like that idea.”

“Your place or mine.” he smiled.

“Well... my clothes do happen to be at my place so...”

Luke laughed. “Good point. Should we get our friends or leave them?”

Lynn thought for a second. “I don’t know about you but I don’t think it would be the craziest idea if we got everyone together. I mean, Kylie lives with me and Avery is up for a few days. I say we all go up to my place and celebrate.”

“Perfect.” Luke said bringing his lips down to hers.

 To be continued…...

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Choking On Sapphires 80

Characters: Alfie Solomons x Genevieve (OFC)

Title & Song: 505

Summary:  Genevieve comes home from the hospital. The journey to her recovery begins, but there are so many more things besides bruises and broken bones to worry about healing. Alfie tries to push back his own trauma from the event he's in denial over, and the whole house has to watch as things get worse before they get better. Song is 505 by The Arctic Monkeys.

Warnings/Tags: Language. Canon typical violence. References to assault and violence. Near death experiences. PTSD. Suffering/Physical Pain. Fluff. 

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Alfie had kept his word so far. Every time Genevieve would open her eyes to escape the mixture of horror and fantasy that kept circling in her subconscious in her sleep he would be there.

When the memories of what had happened would become less fuzzy, would creep into her dreams, he’d be there holding her hands as she fought out of the drug-induced slumber she felt held prisoner in to keep her from hurting herself. She’d make unsettling noises during her fits. Feet kicking and arms twitching and flailing as her face pained and winced, eyes rolling under their purple lids in the misshaped sockets for the violence she was reliving.

Sometimes the dreams would be pleasant though. An escape to another timeline where none of this had happened. She’d make hums of approval in her sleep, nuzzling into her pillow and it would make Alfie sigh with relief. She deserved some respite from this reality he thought, and he was happy she could find it. If she stirred his hand would always find hers. Even on the rare occasion, he’d be able to fall asleep, back aching and twisted in the chair by her bed he’d keep hold of her as if someone could steal her away without him knowing again. When she would wake from her pleasant dreams he’d be there with his ruffled hair and haggard face, a soft glance she’d meet as he’d stroke her swollen hands. She liked to touch his face in these tender moments they shared. The back of her hand, the knuckle of a finger lightly against his scaled features and wiry beard. She’d give him an affectionate smile, one he’d seen in the mornings before her eyes would close again, him placing her hand back onto the bed as it started to slowly lower when she fell back into her peaceful distraction.

Within a few days with no seizures or signs of internal bleeding, she’s given the go-ahead to be released. Instructions for her care are given to each Alfie, Claire, and Aggie as they were life-threateningly important. She was out of immediate harm from some things, but plenty could still go wrong. Alfie schedules home visits with the doctor ahead of time and even has Ollie hear the orders for her medicine. He was taking no chances at anyone that would be near her not knowing what the fuck they were doing.

With the state of her still being so very fragile, still multicolored from injuries and barely breathing without pain, although the morphine did help that part, she couldn’t exactly walk out on crutches for her twisted ankle. Alfie commandingly insists on being the one to handle her. She did admittedly respond best to him. He has her taken out of the hospital by a back entrance via wheelchair. He wanted all the details of her situation to remain a secret for now. No one that didn’t already know, needed to know how bad it was. He didn’t want word getting out to the community they were a part of, her students, here children at the home. He wanted to keep that ideal version of her alive and well, as he still had faith she would return to it one day.

Despite the fog she found herself in, she tried to keep her head up as they drove out of town. There was a distinct smell to the air and as they were on their way out of the city, the swirls of smoke could be seen in the rear view mirror.

He sees her focusing, her nose twitching like a rabbit. She raises her hand, a single finger pointed behind them with a subtle tilt of her head in question as she could still not speak.

“The smoke?” He asks.

She moves the pointed finger up and down as an indicator for her answer of yes so she didn’t have to nod.

“That was me, love.” He says with a noisy exhale, turning her head from it gently. “I had everything he owned burnt down and everyone in it killed.” He has no remorse and a fling of hunger for the day left in his eyes. “Seems me 'n Tommy’s men burnt down near half of fuckin London. For you, love. No one is gonna mess wif a Solomons. ‘Bout time us Jews started remindin’ these goyim what we’re capable of. Didn’t survive this fuckin long through slavery and oppression to lay down on the cusp of birth of fuckin' Nazi’s.” He shakes his head, brow low and lips tight as his mind only thinks of more things to worry about. He closes his eyes before turning back to her and kisses her forehead. “I’d set the whole fuckin' world ablaze for ya love. If I had to have ya live on a fuckin' island somewhere to escape the flames yeah? Nuffin else but you and ours matters now, eh? Now you lay your head down darlin' and have ya little lie down and I’ll keep ya steady 'til we get ya home, yeah?” He offers, having her place her head on his shoulder, his large hand cradling it and her hip like a baby in his arms. He rests his cheek against her hair and breaths her in, keeping his lips to her when he’d inevitably get emotional with her in his arms all small and helpless now. With the lack of sleep and the strain of the events of the past few days, he’d been a mess. He’d been moody, even more so than usual. He'd neglected himself entirely. Not eating or sleeping of his own doing, always thinking, always worrying. It was starting to take more of a toll on him than he would admit to himself. But he was blinded by his compulsion to protect his love. Following the advice to be delicate with her the best he could.

Her home wasn’t exactly wheelchair friendly, but Alfie certainly didn’t mind carrying her back into the house, the chair brought in behind them as he keeps his eyes on her in his arms, anyone else not existing as far as he was concerned when she was within his eyesight. He has pillows brought and piled high on the bed for her, a little bell for her convince on her nightstand. He leaves his cane by the bed to aid her when she would inevitably need to use the loo.

The time spent with her unconscious he’d spent wisely with Ollie. Preparations of his own taken for the business to keep moving along without him. Despite the always nervous young man’s suggestion to keep his affairs as usual to keep up appearances, he was met only with a  smack to the face as he was reminded he needed to understand that Alfie's word was rule and the rules would be changing now. It wasn’t that he didn’t care about his business, the tracks, the money, he still very much did. But for now, there would be a noticeable lack of Solomons around. He’d had his close call and it wasn’t going to take another one to make him see where he was needed. Ollie was a big boy and had been his second for years now. Ollie could handle it. At least until the threat against Gen’s well being was passed. But as the doctor had said, it was one day at a time.

The first step was to get her comfortable again. The bath proves difficult for both of them. He wanted her to feel clean, to smell like she had before the hospital, flowers instead of sterile. Neither of them spoke, Genevieve still having much difficulty doing so, and Alfie not wanting to say the wrong thing. His usual approach with humor to serious situations with her wouldn’t work his time and he didn't want to confuse the poor dear. As it turned out it was very easy to do in her currently still unstable state. She only makes sounds of pain when he touched her and his hurt shows on his face. She doesn’t meet his expression as she feels varied, swinging emotions as she’s faced with her naked body for the first time since being rescued. The bath water helps distort it, but she can tell even with her blurry eyes that there was plenty of distortion without the filter of waves from the water. Her swollen joints and skin that held reminders of the events that were still hazy to her, they were both left with undeniable proof that even if they didn’t know exactly what happened, that it had clearly been worse than either knew. For the first time in their relationship, they sat alone together in a heavy, uncomfortable silence. The things unsaid about the events that had unfolded sat like an invisible barrier between them, neither wanting to share how it truly made them feel. For the first time there was a disconnect between them, even Gen in her hazy mindset knew he looked at her differently, just as she was looking at herself. With a confusing mixture of pity and guilt.

Alfie does his best as the gentle touch she needs doesn’t come first nature to him. He brings her one of her favorite gowns, all silk and lace and slight enough to be able to keep watch on her injuries. But she makes a small sad noise and pushes it away when he brings it to her. She would’ve said she didn’t want something so lovely on this body, that it would only remind her of how she was before, but she couldn’t, and Alfie's expression remained puzzled. She didn’t need to try to be who she was before just yet. That version of herself was so far away, possibly even unobtainable now she felt. She wanted simple, to keep her mind calm. She needed comfort to offset the pain. She tugs on his shirt, damp from carrying her to bed. His intuition has never been such a highly valued skill to him as he retrieves one of his shirts from a chest of drawers and puts it on her gingerly, limb by limb. It smelled like him, it felt like him rubbing against her skin and let her chest bindings breathe. This is what she needed, not her silk and frills. Alfie sees a calmness take over her face as she strokes the fabric over her thighs. His darling needed him, needed comfort now. He had to attempt to let go of trying to do things his way. But that was never his strong suit.

After getting her set up in bed, she falls asleep quickly from the full day she’d already had in comparison to barely moving in the hospital. She sleeps soundly, seemingly heavy as she lies in a nest of pillows like a little bird.

He’s called from the bed, a phone call from Ollie already. He’s hesitant to leave her, but he didn’t have much of a choice in the matter. He’d had the phone removed from her room to make sure her rest wasn’t interrupted by it. He wanted her in quiet and calm with nothing that could disrupt or startle her. So he agrees to leave for only a moment.

When he returns, trying to shed his annoyance for Ollie’s tendency to panic and over question his own decisions he finds the bed empty and panics. Flashes of the night she disappeared come to him, his heart in his throat as all the hairs stand up on his skin, an anxiety attack on the verge of blooming like a boy after the war. He had his own issues from the abduction to deal with it seemed.

He hears a pained sound, something like a hurt animal, and as he approaches swiftly he finds just that. His little kitten on the floor and struggling to breathe, the cane by her side. Her arms shook and failed time and time again to hold herself up as she cried with croaked grunts from her bruised neck.

He calls her name over and over, she keeps her eyes screwed shut, teeth clenched in pain as her hands cling desperately to his forearms. “Gen you stubborn thing.” he sighs. He shushes and coos, pulling her up against his chest and setting her back on the bed. His big warm hands on her face and hair, wiping away tears and he instructs her to slow her breathing. “That’s it love breathe slow. It’s only pain. Don’t let it make you afraid.” He says in a kind tone,  a hand to her wrist to feel her pulse.

At last she opens her eyes, her breathing wheezy and her posture slumped from the pain in her ribs. She opens her mouth and tries to speak and he shakes his head, putting his thumbs over the rough, broken skin.

“Don’t try to talk.” He instructs sternly. “Catch your breath and I’ll fetch the paper after. No rush now is there?”

She gulps and continues moaning with every exhale, feeling overwhelmed. Her hand reaches out and points to the bathroom as her head spins.

“You were trying to get in there, eh?” He asks, brushing her hair out of her face and she wiggles her finger to indicate he was correct. “I had a call and left for just a moment, thought you were deep asleep. You know better than to try to walk yourself in your condition.” He voice grows weaker with his pushing back of his frustrations, feeling another wave of guilt wash over him. “You wait for me to help you, yeah? Don’t go tryin’ so hard alone. We’re not there yet.” He plants a kiss to her forehead, lingering there as her hands move to his forearms. He feels her breathing steady, her hands stop trembling and her rest her weight against him. “That’s a good girl, yeah?” He says with an affectionate and very light stroke to her back. “Ya needed to take a wee love?” He says with a more playful tone, holding her chin up as she answers with her eyes looking to the bathroom doorway. “Well, we can manage that now can’t we? Right. Let’s get ya up. Ya ready for your Alfie to carry you?”

She mouths yes and raises her arms slowly to around his neck. The soft nuzzle into him as he grunts and lifts her, babying her the entire way makes her feel better in the moment. He was there. He was staying through every ugly bit of it and she didn’t need to worry about him right now, only herself. Whoever that was presently. She felt like a different person or no one at all at times. The mix of head injury and medicine leaving her confused, disoriented, bewildered and to say the least, spacey most of the time.

After settling her back into bed, he can tell she’s hurting badly, little whines with every exhale as he settles in next to her. He gives her another small dose of medicine to take the edge off. He couldn’t stand seeing her in pain and knew inside her was nothing but. It was only the first day of her being home, of the official start to the road of recovery and he knew it was going to be harder than he had initially imagined. But what he hadn’t expected was for it to be far worse before it got better.

Sleeps takes her quickly. She’s sucked into a dark undertow and deep into a very vivid dream. She comes to with a blink, as if she had been plunked into this new place. The first thing she notices is that there is no pain. A warm sun hits her skin which after inspection looked to be blemish free, her hands only wearing a wedding band and diamond ring and no bandages.

“Papa!” She hears, her head quickly turning towards the sound and having no dizziness from it. She’s surrounded by large green hedges that are dotted with flowers. They rise too tall for her to see over, but she can clearly hear the laughter of children beyond them. With fingertips dragging on the surface of the thick bushes as she walks, she follows the path before her and hears the laughter, sprinkled with the sound of birds throughout it. “Mama!” She hears called out, and she somehow knows the happy sound is for her. Her bare feet move quickly over the well-kept paths, a sense of happiness, of joy as she moves to a jog, her dress soft against her legs as she moves.

She emerges from the maze to a wide open garden of grass, trees and ivy wrapped lattice, bird baths and statues along the space that was nestled in the valley of a yellow-green rolling hillside the tall grass swaying in the distance. A young child runs in front of her, catching her attention.

She quickly hitched up her dress and chases after, running through the garden. One child disappears behind a corner, to reveal two as she rounds it as well.

“Mum!” She hears an older girl laugh, her long dark hair swishing and a crown of flowers atop of her head as she moves with the small child. Another corner, another child, all seeming to be different. All in their own little clothes, varying heights, hair colors, and styles. She chases around the hedge maze until there are five of them, then they move as a small herd, the older ones helping the younger as they fall and squeal.

She calls out for them in her pursuit. But their faces stay hidden from her. Even she stumbles, the soft, dark auburn hair of a little boy in shorts moving just out of reach. She comes back into the clearing, a white house now at the other end of the stretch of grass and an easily recognizable man standing with his little glasses on his nose, cane in hand, and a lovely booming voice calling out for her.

———

“Genevieve!” Alfie shouts as Aggie rushes out of the room and to the phone. “Wake up love, come now, stay with me.” His voice breaks as he holds her in his arms, his panic pulsing through his exhausted body.

He’d noticed her fall so still, not resting himself as her little tumble earlier had shaken him up. As the night went on she grew far too still for his liking, he could no longer see her chest moving up and down and that had sent the shouting and panic throughout the house that they sat in now. Her pulse was there but weak, his eyes wild and voice so angry as Aggie told him the doctor was on his way.

————

“Chanah!” Alfie's warm voice calls out to her. A sense of rightness, of contentment, follow as the small herd of children also hear him and let out their various sounds of approval as they head towards him ahead of her.

“Ari!” She calls out with a beaming smile.

“Papa!” One of the boys responds as he stumbles on his still young legs towards the inviting outstretched embrace of Alfie.

————-

“Ari.” Genevieve’s voice is a whisper, if he hadn’t been holding her head to his he would’ve missed it. He chokes back tears as he kisses her face and holds her hand, once again not thinking about having to let her go once the doctor arrived.

———-

The five children like broken stair steps range from an older girl, probably a teenager to a young boy and girl who looked to be barely even 6. The girls had bows and flowers in their hair and the boys had grass stains on their pants and messy hair. They looked a portrait of perfect to her. They kept moving just out of reach of Genevieve’s hands, the dreamscape making the run to meet Alfie go on for so long, and her frustration grew. She began feeling desperate to touch them, to feel them and know they were real, to see their faces and tell them sweet, loving things. But they kept out of her reach and she kept stumbling towards them with now filthy feet from the ground.

With the edge of the back porch of the house reached by the kids, Alfie ruffles their hair and looks a picture of a proud father. A little girl in his strong arms, her face buried in his neck as he laughs at another small boy wrapping his little arms around his leg. For a moment the thought crosses Genevieve’s mind that this might be heaven.

With the thought the oldest turns, her face coming into view now. She was strikingly beautiful. With dark hair dotted with flowers, the same Genevieve had been chasing earlier, and similarly, as the girl just a touch shorter than her who stood next to her, face still toward her father.

“Mum.” The girl says with a sweet voice that came from lips that looked like Alfies, Gen’s large eyes looked back in their mirrored image over the same rounded nose with Alfie's stormy blue pupils looking back at her.

“Yes, cheri?” Genevieve responds with a fluttering of her heart in her chest as the girl steps closer.

“I’m sorry.” She says with a kind smile.

Genevieve is confused, their hands reaching out, just a hair's width from touching.

“Chanah!” She hears Alfie shout, her head whipping fast to him as he motions her to come towards him, children still swarming him.

She gives a nod and a smile and moves to turn back to the girl but as fast as she’d turned her head, she was gone. She could almost feel the heat from her hand when it had almost slid into her own. She looks around, startled and upset, wondering where the lovely girl had gone.

“She’ll be alright, love.” Alfie says, motioning her towards him, he's missing his usual assortment of jewelry. Only a gold wedding band on his aged hand with it's faded crown tattoos. The little girl in his arms puts her own around his neck and squeezes. “Not time to meet her yet.” He says with an almost cheerful disposition. “You’ve still got to meet the others.” He says, turning and bouncing the girl, the boy now sitting on Alfie's foot as he walks with a waddle. The older girl that was left now walks with the older boy under her arm, rubbing his back affectionately as they move toward the house. Gen turns to look around the garden, still worried about the girl who disappeared. “Chanah!” Alfie calls out and she ignores it, feeling her heart race and her breath shorten. “Chanah love, come back to me!” His voice sounds different now. More demanding. “Chanah!” He shouts again with anger and she turns to look his way, a sharp dizziness taking her over as it feels like an omniscient hand yanks her from where she stands.

Her eyes open back into the reality Alfie had been dealing with while she was having her most curious experience.

“Chanah! Fuckin ‘ell girl ya gonna kill me wif 'is.” He says bending over her body on the bed.

She tries to say his name and only gets out “Ah-“ as is standard.

“Shhhh catch your breathing up love. Ya medicine put ya a bit too far under. Had to pull ya out of it dinnit I?” He holds her like a child as her eyes with their mixed pupil sizes loll around in her head.

“W-wuh-“ She grunts out.

“Hand us the paper there Agatha.” Alfie instructs, holding the ice water they’d been applying to her skin for past few minutes. “Ya need somethin'?” He asks, putting the pen gently into her hand.

“Ch-chi-“ She stutters and rasps, writing ‘children?’ On the pad.

“What are you on about love? There’s no children.” He doesn’t hide the confusion on his face as he turns to the doctor for answers.

“She’s most likely having trouble distinguishing real life with dreams as she comes out of it. Fairly common occurrence.” He says with a flat delivery.

“There’s no children, love.” Alfie whispers softly.

She whimpers, writing ‘where are the children?’ again as Aggie starts to cry at the state her lovely Genevieve was in. She thought of her as her own and seeing her suffer in any way, especially in a way she could not help hurt her deep down into her soul.

“There’s no children, love.” Alfie says with a more stern delivery, as she sweats and groans in his arms, wanting to struggle to get back to that lovely place but she’s so weak. Each toss of her head sends nausea flooding over her, her eyes showing white as the room spins. Nausea gives over to actual vomiting as Alfie leans her over the side of the bed where a bucket sat just for such an occasion. He shoots another questioning glance to the doctor.

“Also very common.” He nods. “Could be her stomach rejecting the excess medication, could be from the head injuries. Severe dizziness is common in cases such as these. It will pass.” His bedside manner wasn’t the best, but his reputation was and Alfie could easily forgo a  sugar-coated delivery for fast facts.

“Let it out, love.” He says softly, rubbing her back and keeping her hair out of her face. This was worse than any other time he’d seen her sick whether from drink or violence. The sounds that escaped her were gruesome and churned his stomach just as much as hers was.

But the sounds faded, she passes out again, limp in his arms like a classical painting of tragic lovers. He holds her close, keeping her warm as she chills, speaking to her as she groans and shifts in her unrest. All this was reminding him of the war. The constant feeling the other shoe was going to drop at any moment, the tension and paranoia. He couldn’t sleep, he could barely allow himself to blink, lest she take a turn for the worst. Deep sleep and shallow breathing were part of the new medication she was on. He could’ve been told that one hundred more times but it didn’t make the terror that shot through his core when he thought her dead any easier to handle. Or the frustration he felt at the strong rise and fall of his own emotions he was not accustomed to.

She sleeps, but it is not peaceful. Her mind trying to rewire and heal, skipping and making missed connections, leaving her in a disturbing mix of memory and dream inside her own head. He stays up, swearing to himself she would not fail because of him. He kept watch like an ancient guardian relic over her. A slumped and bent, red-eyed and scaled skin gargoyle over her in the dark of the room, the fire casting them in uncanny low light. The sight of them was frightening, and only Agatha and Claire dare enter the room.

The two women, shunned by Alfie in his slow descent into madness it seemed watched on helplessly. Claire was by far the most optimistic of them all. She recalled Gen’s brother after the war and knew things like this happened. Setbacks were all part of the road to progress.

“Although you might think it insensitive of me to say so, I can’t help but look upon this scene as she would if she were us right now.”

“What do you mean dear?” Aggie says with a wrinkled nose.

“The lighting, the love, the tragedy. She’d be a big enthusiast of this would she not? The drama and aesthetic. I only wish I could capture it for her.”

“Why on earth would you want to recall this hellish night?” Aggie’s confusion clear in her voice.

“Because I know she’d think it would make a lovely painting,” Claire replies with a sigh, an almost happy look on her face as she watched on from the darkened hallway. “Gen would find the beauty in this madness. Since she can’t...we must.” She says confidently with a nod.

“That’s a beautiful point dear. We would all be best to keep it in mind the coming days. I fear this is not the end of the ugliness of recovery.”

“It is not. And we will. We will tell her of this when she’s better. And she will be. But healing from this will be unpleasant. She’s strong but not inhuman. We know what those men did to her, and when she remembers I don’t know how she’ll respond. We could be looking at another wave of rebellion again like last time.” Claire’s lips pursed.

Agatha sighs and slumps. “I hope for everyone’s sake you’re wrong.”

“Oui. So do I.”

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[mittensmorgul]

Thought: Half of why John is more accepting in 14x13 than most of us would expect based on his past behavior is because John kinda thinks it's a dream. The other half is because he is just a better person when Mary is around. See the "John would have hated John" posts re 5x13.

I’m gonna use this opportunity to point out a few things about the episode that I think a lot of people may have missed, because it goes a very long way toward understanding John’s reaction here:

2003 John, who from the way he showed up in the bunker, armed and apparently mid-fight... I can’t even imagine the shock of suddenly finding oneself supposedly sixteen years in the future, you know? And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

From Donna’s cabin, where Mary was before they called her back to the bunker, it would’ve been approximately a 12 hour drive. Sam and Dean had TWELVE HOURS or so to talk with John before we rejoin them in the kitchen just before Mary shows up. Because heck, they had SIXTEEN YEARS worth of stuff to catch him up on, you know?

First off, he had to be so shaken when he arrived. He might’ve been thinking he get clobbered in the fight he’d thought he was in and was this all a hallucination or a dream? Or was he actually killed, and this was heaven or something? Who even knows what he could’ve been thinking at first, but he seemed to pretty quickly accept that it was real.

This is where one of the lessons the show has been encouraging us to learn really comes in useful. That being, STUFF HAPPENS OFFSCREEN and the show has encouraged us to accept the fact that what happens offscreen actually counts. So we have to assume that in the hours upon hours they talked with John, they laid out the vast majority of stuff that’s happened in the last decade and a half.

Some of it would probably be pretty difficult to hear, like the fact John didn’t survive to get revenge on Azazel (heck, 2003 him might not even know he was legit getting CLOSE even), but that Sam and Dean DO. How difficult would it be to tell this version of John that Dean sold his soul to save Sam, that he spent 40 years in Hell and was rescued by an angel, to tell them about how angels and demons were manipulating them all for decades to start the apocalypse?

Or that Sam let himself be possessed by Lucifer to stop the apocalypse, pulling both Lucifer and Michael into a cage in Hell to save the world? Like... this is still just the tip of the iceberg here... There’s still Raphael and the second attempt at the apocalypse, Soulless!Sam, Dean’s year in the suburbs, Purgatory, Leviathans, how they’ve befriended angels and demons and monsters oh my... oh, and God. Who also wrote a series of novels about their lives that are technically one of the gospels now... all the way up to how Dean earned a gift from God’s sister, the primordial darkness herself... that Mary has been resurrected...

Plus all that stuff about time travel and alternate universes they’ve experienced.

And for John, personally, the story of how they discovered the bunker in the first place, when the father John had always thought abandoned him as a child had actually traveled into the future, saved Sam’s life, and was killed by the demon Abaddon in the process. I mean THAT RIGHT THERE had to be a horrific shocker to learn, you know?

For JOHN, that’s possibly the most life-alteringly earth-shattering thing they could’ve told him, you know? Just to have an ANSWER to that question that had plagued him since HE was four years old and his dad disappeared off the face of the earth. Not to mention learning that he should’ve been a MoL legacy himself, and that if his father hadn’t been hunted through time by a Knight of Hell, John would’ve grown up “in the life” of monsters and magic himself... Kinda an eye opener, you know?

Oh, and learning that their family was a bloodline going all the way back to Cain and Abel (yes, that Cain and Abel, and by the way Dean killed Cain that one time), and that their family was part of a much larger cosmic plot to bring on the apocalypse in the first place, and Azazel-- John’s lifelong obsession-- was only the first step in all of that and a whole bunch of worse stuff happened after.

Oh, plus, Dean killed Hitler.

They’ve met Samuel Colt, Eliot Ness, Dean was on a sub during WW2 for a day or so, and traveled back to 1973 and 1978 and met with John both times (oh, and Dean was the dude who talked John into buying the Impala when he’d intended to buy a stupid VW van).

And this is STILL only scraping the tip of the iceberg here... They talked for TWELVE. HOURS. or so...

Sam and Dean have had some shockingly full lives, you know? It’s not even a surprise to me that after all that, after seeing the evidence of his sons’ lives laid out like that for him-- the good, the bad, the cosmic and the mundane-- (GOD! HIMSELF! MADE THEM PANCAKES! RIGHT OVER THERE!) that John’s only possible reaction would be to understand just how far his children went after his death.

In the wake of learning all of that, what they went through pre-2005 is just kinda... overshadowed, you know? Almost unreal itself.

But yeah, because of all of this ^^, and then the absolute SHOCK of seeing Mary again after all this time, after spending the majority of his adult life seeking revenge and justice for her death, and the long and painful search for the truth that kinda wrecked ALL their lives, to see her again alive and happy and whole... well, heck... everything else kinda pales to that. The literal horror show he and Sam and Dean endured (even the bits that were blatantly his fault) just... they’re suddenly worth it all, just for that moment, you know?

In a weird way, in that moment John had the burden of suffering with Mary’s death lifted off of him, and he could stand there in the perspective of that more innocent John from 1978 who’d unwittingly judged his own future actions so harshly. For one night, he got to step through to the other side of all that trauma and look back on it from a point where he and his family had finally WON. Where they’d emerged from it and built a life for themselves that he might never be able to understand, but he can appreciate it.

Even in 1.21, he told Sam that his goal was to finally be able to walk away from their mission when it was done, for Sam to be able to go back to school, for Dean to have a normal life, for him to finally be able to rest thinking he’d been able to serve Justice on Mary’s behalf. John himself didn’t even plan to continue hunting out beyond killing the demon who killed Mary, you know? I’m not sure he even had considered a future at all for himself out beyond that singular life goal. Because that’s what living for revenge does to a person.

But this also offered him the fresh perspective that of course there wasn’t really an end to hunting, and that Azazel wasn’t the Final Boss they’d needed to defeat. And he’d have some small notion of just how awful the burden he’d left Sam and Dean with all those years ago-- which THIS John is still THREE YEARS AWAY FROM DUMPING ON THEM.

Ow, time travel.

Granted, the episode didn’t try to explain or defend any of this to the audience, because it should never HAVE to... Can you even imagine how much of a mess of an episode that would’ve been if they’d even tried? Because the story of this episode was being told on multiple levels:

they didn’t try to overwhelm the GA with all of this heaviness, because the GA wouldn’t even care. The GENERAL notion of Sam and Dean’s lives to this point and their emotional states in canon during s14 would be enough of an explanation (trust me that the GA doesn’t have Strong Feelings about John the way Fandom does)

this was also the big PR push episode this season, and a lot of JDM folks likely tuned in just for him while having only a tangential knowledge of SPN canon to go on... introducing 14 seasons worth of emotional turmoil for their sake is kinda... pointless...

They assumed that people in the fandom who ARE invested in these characters emotionally would actually understand all of this already without needed to be spoon-fed all of this again

Because that’s how writing works. The writers have to trust that the audience is actually engaging with the story and possesses critical thinking skills.

I think some of the disconnect here was that we each went into this episode with our own personal baggage attached, with our own feelings about how WE might personally react if we were in Sam and Dean’s positions here. And if Sam and Dean didn’t react the way we hoped they would, whether it be via expressing anger at John over how he raised them, or just yelling about any or all of the above, then it was OUR job as the Thinking Audience to ask WHY, and to consider the past fourteen years of canon in coming to a clearer understanding of Sam and Dean themselves.

I wrote something the other day (yesterday? maybe... hang on... http://mittensmorgul.tumblr.com/post/182723615495/rosewhipped22-so-i-havent-rewatched-lebanon-yet) about Dean’s wish that the pearl granted, because he HAS been thinking about his entire life-- including the baggage he’s been trying to lay down all season exemplified in his conversation with Sasha about her father in 14.05. And I think this episode nailed that aspect of Dean’s personal growth, by bringing John back the way they did and specifically NOT making it about anger or bitterness, but about finally being accepting of HIMSELF and of the entirety of his own life, setting down all the shit he can’t change while also acknowledging that he wouldn’t change any of it if it meant it wouldn’t bring him to this current point in his life. And that is HUGE. That is GROWTH and MATURITY.

Because this episode wasn’t really about John at all, but about Sam and Dean (and even Mary) finally getting to lay John’s memory to rest so they can move forward without dragging his ghost along in their wake.