#valley still believes she's straight btw

[valleyxrose]

There was a glimmer of something painfully recognizable in the stranger's eyes for a second. Just a split second, but Valley could tell that something she'd said had triggered a memory, or otherwise poked a sore spot. But, like almost everyone who noticed the same look in Valley's eyes, she politely ignored it. Perhaps if she were less of a stranger, she might ask. But not quite yet.

"The cello," she said instead, rather wistfully. "How lovely. There's something so warm and romantic about a cello." She'd met only a few musicians in her life, but she knew that more often than not, a person matched their instrument pretty perfectly. This stranger seemed not to want to match those descriptors, but something about them did, anyway.

She watched as the stranger's fingers expertly flipped through the records until they found the one they wanted. The record was offered to Valletta and she accepted it gratefully, holding it and looking it over as though it were something very precious. "I'll listen to this tonight," she smiled. "Maybe I should get your number so I can tell you what I think when I do."

"Valentine," she repeated. "No, I've only been here a few months. Still staying in a hotel, actually. I'm from... well, a lot of places, but most recently Los Angeles. How long have you been in town?"

You must be very good—the compliment slid off the stranger’s tongue with practiced ease, though its landing hadn’t been as smooth sailing. Valentine’s mask of courtesy had slipped if only momentarily, recalling their memories in the orchestra that was colored by nostalgia and more than a sliver of hurt. “Ah, yeah,” they said, letting out a small peal of laughter, “I’m not on tour at the moment.” Their leave of absence had stretched out a bit too long that their employment status–and, admittedly, their entire musical career—was in stasis. Like their marriage, they thought. Or like their own place in the world, really. “But I play the cello,” they continued. Cello, at least, came easily. It was everything else about life where they had a problem. 

Ah. A novelist for a husband, then. They were never much of a reader, but Valentine could appreciate how words sprung, that metrical formation of lines and diction that similarly resembled the composition of music. “Oh. Yeah, I only meant that he gets played in coffee shops a lot as background music. I think both can be true though,” they said, “but if we’re talking film scores, I much prefer Philip Glass…” Again, they perused the stack, a hand sifting through the records expertly until they landed on the G names. 

Their attention diverted from the brunette and to the records, Valentine continued, if a bit absently, “It’s nice to meet you, Valletta. My name’s—oh!” They took out a vinyl record of Philip Glass’s film score of The Hours, “This one, you might like.” 

“Sorry. Right. My name’s Valentine,” they extended the record toward Valleta, in place of a handshake, “Are you from here? I don’t think I’ve seen you around before.” 

[captnjacksparrow]

Why do I ship SNS?

It is a known fact that when people experience a good media, they like to discuss various things they liked, hated, interpret what the creator trying to say and get something from what they have consumed. Eventually people end up in a shipping war if there are multiple possibilities. 

I started watching Naruto on a whim, hoping to see some ninjas in action with some revenge as a background (after all when you have power, there will always be a revenge). Am a sucker for revenge, btw. I am a person who hates romance in media. Because, every movie, book, novel, series has this same recycled romance plastered into every story even though the story don’t need at all. So, I am very tired of it. Every media portrays romance as something inevitable, necessary and something we can’t live without. That’s wrong. 

Usually, romance goes like this... Person A sees Person B... they hate each other and add some possessiveness, jealousy... they magically gets attracted through some shared experiences eventually... they kiss and make babies. There’s nothing wrong with this. It’s just very tiring as I’ve seen million forms of this same repeated trope. I always cringe and yell “Can you give us something different? Grrr.....”.

And also, my motto is that love can happen with any person. It can’t be restrained into certain boundaries. So, I don’t like to put some relationship under an umbrella called Gay, Lesbian, Straight or whatever. Of course, illicit relationships and incest are not normal and am not okay with it.

With all that being said...

My experience after watching the Shippuden series until episode 478 was “Wait, do they love each other?”. I know am very late to realize this, but I have never even viewed them with any romantic lens throughout. 

On my first watch, I was always under the impression that “They are friends”... But there are certain moments I felt “Wait, why are they doing like this which could’ve been handled in a different way!!” I will get to this later in this post. But those moments were overlooked by me because of my curiosity of “What happens next ??”. 

And on my rewatch, it only confirmed my view. 

The other popular ships like SS and NH put forth many points to invalidate what SNS represents. The most common being “They are reincarnated brothers” or  “They are best friends”. Am just going to debunk them from my point of view. 

Naruto and Sasuke are like brothers.....

Nope. 

The best brotherhood title, in this series, should officially go to Itachi and Sasuke. 

You can argue as much as you want that Itachi mindfucked Sasuke and killed his parents....yaada yaada.... 

It is repeatedly shown why Itachi put a curtain on his own clan. The reason is, Uchiha clan decided to forcefully take over the village. No matter how much innocent you are, you cannot take over something with force. Dot. I will write about this in a separate post.

In short, Sasuke realised how his clan members were wrong after hearing the story from the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju. That’s why he openly proclaimed “I am going to protect Konoha and become Hokage”. 

Back to the topic, Itachi and Sasuke are blood brothers. If I ship them both, then what you claim is very valid. 

The above gif says, “Sasuke, I know, I made a mistake by filling you with hatred. But whatever you decide to do from now on, I will love you always”. Meaning, He stopped treating Sasuke as a kid and accepts that Sasuke has his own path to walk.

This is exactly how brothers behave. I would do the same to my kid sister. You can see a fraternal instinct from Itachi’s eyes realizing that this is their last time together.

Another thing, Brothers trope always has this hierarchy.... Protect the younger sibling no matter what. It is evident from Madara/Izuna and Hashirama/Tobirama.

Not convinced?

If you pull the Indra and Ashura bullshit, let me tell you one thing. Indra and Ashura were separated and formed their own clan long ago. They eventually branched off into Uchiha and Senju clans. No way you can relate a century old blood relation as brothers. It’s just their chakra got reincarnated over and over. 

Don’t pull up an incest angle between Naruto and Sasuke. Because they never shared a womb. Dot. 

Naruto and Sasuke are Best Friends only.

You know what, you are almost right. I thought that for a very long time. Remember I never wore any shipping goggles ON. 

There are two types of best friend categories. Best Friends without a reason and Best Friends through rivalry. 

Best Friends without a reason in Narutoverse are: Shikamaru/Choji. 

They just became friends and became BFF. They won’t fight or hurt each other. But when you have something to share...you would go to that person and share everything honestly.

Best Friends through Rivalry: Kakashi/Obito, Hashirama/Madara, Naruto/Sasuke

I really cannot provide more proof for the first two pairings as Best Friends as it is not the scope of this post. Although the latter two also qualifies for shipping category. Why?

Because, the common thing among them is that all the three Uchihas awakened/reawakened their Sharingan for their best friend. But Hashirama/Madara and Naruto/Sasuke are the only pairings to awaken or evolve Sharingan when trying to break their bonds with each other. 

Special Brownie points for Madara. He had 4 brothers and lost 3 but still couldn’t awaken his Sharingan but when trying to break up with Hashirama, his eyes were brimming red. 

Sasuke’s Sharingan matures in the first Valley of The End.

That’s why I excluded Hashirama/Madara and Naruto/Sasuke from this Best Friends list.

Because to the both Uchihas, the other person meant something special which cannot be comprehended into a mere term called ‘Best Friends’.

Which is exactly why Kakashi/Obito would perfectly fall into this category.

The way they quarrel, fight with each other, protect each other are perfect scores for a friendship. What makes them best friends is when Obito decided to give his Sharingan despite Kakashi was always putting a cold air around him and most importantly asked him to protect his love ‘Rin’. Also Kakashi carried his friend’s will to his heart and passed on to Team 7.

It all falls under ‘In the memory of my Best Friend’ trope.

Obito may be a trash but he is a good friend. Because after Rin was killed, he massacred everyone around him except for Kakashi. He could have killed him. Understandable. Or he could have plucked his Sharingan back (because he literally plucked most of the Sharingans from the Uchiha clan massacre and kept those eyes as a reserve). This could have enabled him to use Susanoo. I believe Susanoo can only be used with Mangekyo Sharingan in both eyes. But for some reason, he didn’t. 

So what makes me think Naruto and Sasuke love each other, not as a brother and not as a friend but something beyond which I can’t term?

My way of shipping is not about marriage, sex and rearing babies. Because literally everyone does this as an obligation. 

So, I don’t ship them in terms of living together in my headcanon and having sex daily. Nope. But it is not wrong though if you ship in that sense.

In this Narutoverse, Women are just some stow away pieces whose sole existence is to fawn over their dreamboy and cry for them. (Usually literally nothing useful comes out of them). Me being a girl, as much as I hate this setup but I have come to terms with whatever it is and have accepted it. If you are a girl looking for a strong female character...... this is not the place. Watch something else. 

But I draw inspiration from male characters who are characterized deeply for which I have to applaud the creator. Reason being, the very first character which I connected with was Itachi. It was when Sasuke thinks about his past with his family in the flashback before the first VotE battle in part I. I will be writing a separate post about Itachi in this week. 

In short, If you are a person who wants inspiration, draw it from male characters. Not in a single moment, you stoop so low for characters like Hinata and Sakura. That’s not how I envision myself or any woman. Dot.

With all this being said, I ship them as a couple who necessarily don’t have to get married or have sex... But they each other has some special allowance towards each other in their hearts which no one can touch, not even their wives or children. 

This doesn’t mean I accept what came after episode 478 as they are literally something they made for $$$$$. 

There are some basic traits which are absolutely necessary for a ship to sail successfully. They are Acknowledgement, Reason, No Hierarchy, Influence, Owning each others rights and Privilege. (All these reasons should come from both the sides for the ship to be worthy)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Acknowledgement, I mean here, is to accept and acknowledge what they are to each other.

They both agree that they are Bonded/Friends verbally as well as emotionally.

To me, this is essential in any relationship especially for the ones you are trying to ship. I didn’t see this in any other ships like SS or NH where it is always one sided. Sakura confessed before the village entrance to which Sasuke said “You really are annoying!!”. Hinata proposed in Pain arc. Naruto didn’t even acknowledge her confession. He went on to beg for pardon for Sasuke. Again she proposed in the War at the expense of Love Cupid “Neji”. Naruto went on to joke with Minato that Sakura is his Girl Friend. 

If I were in both of these girls place, I would literally be mad and drop this shit right away.

Wheras in SNS, I saw both the people I am trying to ship were asking “What am I to you?”, to which they reply “You are my friend”. To me this is very important.

Reason

To those who are saying “Love is blind”, “Love is Madness”, “Love needs no reason”, you all need self-evaluation. This is not some K Drama situation where you don’t need any reason. You should know why you love someone and why you need the other’s presence.

Naruto’s reason is very simple.

I could provide many reasons. But here, Sasuke, without any reservations... knowing full well of the consequence if he feed Naruto but still extended the helping hand to someone who was always hostile. It is just like what Iruka did. And many incidents which happened during Land of the Waves arc are evident.

He wanted to be friends with this lonely Uchiha boy way back when he was around 7 or 8 for a simple reason that he understands his pain more than anyone. But he really became friends when they were grouped together for Team 7.  

Sasuke’s reason goes even way beyond when Naruto series started.

“Because he felt relief”.

Imagine a young boy who witnessed a massacre before his eyes and lost everyone he loved. But somehow another young boy of his age made him feel relieved. This explains why Sasuke went all out of his way to make friendship with Naruto despite being aloof. 

Isn’t this what we want from someone we love?  

Rather than being completely insensitive about an orphan life or just stalking from the distance and never offered any support, I would prefer someone who understands my pain from their heart and try to reach me. Sasuke reached out to him by offering the lunch and Naruto reached out to him by making him his rival and bug him.

NO HIERARCHY

This is pretty self-explanatory. Unlike blood brothers, there should be no hierarchy in a relationship I want to ship. 

We saw Naruto yells at Sasuke many times absolutely for no reason, despite Sasuke bearing this cold attitude. Probably he is the only person who can call him by such variety of names. 

Sasuke always calls him by his trademark ‘Usuratonkachi’. Sometimes he calls him fool just like everyone. But was never insulting or mean towards Naruto. Except for that time in the final battle, he made fun of his Shadow Clone jutsu citing his loneliness. 

In short, be it a physical fight or verbal offense.... neither of them wilts like a flower. They equally give back. 

The only other person who can verbally assault Sasuke is Karin and probably the only girl who never addresses him as “Sasuke-Kun”. 

U-SU-RA-TON-KA-CHI..... Why do Sasuke spend such an effort to call someone with a 6 syllabic word, instead NA-RU-TO, a 3 syllabic word which is way more convenient to call?? I always wonder.

POSITIVE INFLUENCE

I don’t have to spell out anything here. There are many obvious examples but will try to keep it short. 

Naruto became strong because of Sasuke. He trained hard for 3 years with Jiraiya , a month with Kakashi developing Rasen Shuriken and controlled Kurama’s power with Killer Bee. Except for Sage Mode jutsu everything he learnt was all for bringing Sasuke back. 

In short, Sasuke is Naruto’s predominant strength. 

Though Naruto was not the source of strength for Sasuke, but he brings out many vibrant emotions in Sasuke which he really needed for his traumatic mind otherwise he would always be that cold angry brooding doll without any emotions and I am sure Sasuke enjoys to banter with Naruto.

LOL!!! I don’t know why Sasuke feels competitve here. It’s pretty childish even for Sasuke.

Friendly tease :-) I think he also protected Sakura in this scene. He can also ask her the same, isn’t it? I mean as a friend. 

The best one is yet to come

It’s incredibly hilarious to see how Sasuke pouts when he was with Naruto. Sakura!!!! You third wheeling joker :-D :-D

Throughout Shippuden, Sasuke never shows his emotions with anyone. He either looks very cold or angry.

Reminiscing his Team 7 days, for a split second. 

Probably the only positive emotion is this, in all of the Shippuden. I mean not counting Episode 478.

I don’t think Sakura brought any kind emotions in Sasuke except annoyance when they were together in Team 7. Or Hinata too. These girls just moan “Sasuke-Kun”, “Naruto-Kun” but brings nothing to the table. Total wastrels!!!!!

OWNING EACH OTHER’S RIGHTS

This section is exactly where SNS moves on to a whole different level.

Sasuke wanted to inflict his pain over everyone who lives in peaceful Konoha for what it did to Itachi. (though I don’t really accept with Sasuke here since he never even bothered to question about his clan’s history, but what he was doing is understandable. Just like Naruto tells him).

But the context here is Sasuke is on a murder rampage. Starting from the Kage Summit, killing Danzo, unnecessarily hurting Karin and almost reached a point where he could not be stopped anymore. Then Ms.Annoying appears. She literally have no fucking clue what Sasuke is going through. So started to spout nonsense that she wanted to go with Sasuke-Kun with an ulterior motive to kill him without a strong resolve. 

The interesting SS dynamics here is Sasuke asks Sakura “Do you know what I want?” and to which she gives a carefree-shitty-pathetic answer “I don’t care. I will do whatever you want”. Geez!!!

If I were Sasuke, I would think, “This person standing before me don’t even care about what I want but coming with an intent to kill me and not only that... she is a kunoichi from Konoha where I planned to inflict my pain by slaughtering them.. I better ram my Chidori and be done with it”... He doesn’t see her as his former Teammate. He just want to kill that person.

However, Kakashi deflects the attack and saves Ms.Useless. 

( Me : I am a Sasuke fan through and through. But, Sakura..... You always says you will do this, do that.... But you never succeed at anything... Why is that? Why are you even continue being a ninja? No one asked you to kill Sasuke, you decided to. But why don’t you kill him. Probably you would’ve earned my begrudging respect... Pffft” ****sighs with a heavy second hand embarassment)

Anyways, Sasuke becomes an unstoppable maniac at this point because he was very irritated on seeing Kakashi and Sakura spouting some unreachable nonsense. So he started to attack Kakashi as he is even more irritated on seeing his Sharingan.

Again, Ms.Idiot wants to kill Sasuke when he is at his weakest point due to chakra exhaustion and that too from behind his back. (You!!! Gutless wrench). Sasuke sensed this and attempted to kill her again... (Naruto!!! You idiot. Why did you save her...)

However, Naruto appears and saves her. Naruto and Sasuke’s eyes meet each other.

But somehow Sasuke calmed down and hears out Naruto for what he has to say. He says, “Whatever you are doing until now, it’s understandable”. 

Kakashi wanted to kill him and Sasuke got riled up and prepare his Chidori. Anyways, Naruto intervenes and they go to some meta physical plane and talks privately. And Naruto comes up with his idea and announces as below:

Me: Naruto!!!! Sweety..... Do you realize that you have a big dream of becoming a Hokage which you have been shouting from Day 1? But still you want to overthrow everything for that one person who is in unbearable pain. It’s alright. But you don’t want to go alone or send him alone. No Best friend would go this far. And to those Sakura shippers.... Why didn’t Sakura try to bear the burden? Why didn’t she come up with this Idea? Afterall, you spout nonsense like ‘Sakura saved Sasuke from Darkness, isn’t it?’ And, Naruto.... Who gave you the right to take his hatred and shoulder the burden? And what makes you think you are that only person to do it??? Sasuke, might have other special person in those 3 years. How can you decide on Sasuke’s behalf??? Aren’t you going overboard ?

The answer to all the above is simple, Naruto can risk anything for Sasuke. And he clearly knew that Sasuke’s only living bond is him.

And what happened next was almost unbelievable and for the first time I thought ‘What is it with these two guys?’. 

Sasuke agrees with Naruto’s proposition to not destroy Konoha before fighting with Naruto. 

Me: Sasuke!!!! You have every right to reject his proposition. Since, he was not in your life for the past 3 years, your side of bond with Naruto should have been cut-off long back, right? Sasuke??? Well, at this point he was just your former Team 7 member. You don’t need to honor your proposition. You can attack Konoha anytime. Why did you accept?

Also Me: Sweety!!! Why do you always question Naruto ‘Who am I to you’? Why do you need his opinion always? There is an annoying princess standing behind Naruto vying for your attention. And yet you didn’t even ask her this question at any time. But before Naruto, you completely calmed down from your rampage and willing to wait for what he has to say plus asking for his validation. After all you don’t care about anything, why just Naruto???

And the reason being, Naruto is still his closest bond which he couldn’t cut off despite trying very hard. After all, Many years ago, Sasuke was the one, who readily jumped in to protect Naruto knowing full well that it’s a trap. He was ready to throw away his revenge for this boy back then. Sasuke is afraid that he will give in to this bond once more and Naruto is his weakness which he wants to eliminate so badly.

This is definitely not any Best Friend would do..... Fix that in your mind.

The purpose of these GIFs is not show how protective Sasuke is..... Well, I can talk about it all day. Let’s save it.

Me: Yo!!!! Sasuke..... You wanted to kill Naruto.... You said so yourself under the bridge. Meaning, He is the only person standing between your goal and your resolve and Naruto is always known to weaken your resolve. And yet why are you protecting him here? There is absolutely no need. Because, if there is a situation like Kaguya where both of you are must needed to save this world , then there is a reason to save him. But why now? Plus do you know, if Naruto dies, then Madara’s plan may not succeed because if a Jinchuriki dies, tailed beast also dies. It is perfect for your Revolution, isn’t it? Who gave you the right to own his life? Obito has his reason to kill Naruto, why not let him?Why is it that you want to personally remove him from your life? If he is dead by an external factor, you can carry on your path without any interference and pain. Why go so far to protect him ?

The answer is Sasuke values Naruto’s life more than his own even during his Team 7 days. He has this high esteem for Naruto and almost consider it to be a shame if some worthless fool takes his life. And Sasuke never hated Naruto. He once hated Itachi and his resolve to kill was real and intense. But when Orochimaru asked him to kill 1000 people for practice, Sasuke never killed anyone. He even implemented no kill policy for his team “Hebi”. So, someone like Sasuke who never liked to kill random innocent people, how could he let some trash take away a life, he considers dearly to the same level of Itachi? That’s why in this situation, his body moved on his own to protect something special for him. He may not agree it, but he always shows it.

But some other ship wankers try to say Sasuke may have said “You are annoying” but inside he deeply loved her which is why he was smiling. If so, Why didn’t Sasuke never showed his care not even once? He not only tried to kill her twice when she was defenseless but also let her die twice or didn’t bother at all during the war. Or show me where these soul level connection happened between SS or NH

In short, Sasuke and Naruto own each other’s rights unconsciously. Because they are the only ones who can understand each other’s soul which nobody can reach.

Me: Oh, by the way Sasuke, I think Susanoo should be used like this. You really don’t need your hand to protect Naruto. Susanoo can do it’s work for you. Minato would be proud though!!!!

PRIVILEGE

Most of the points I written above are in and of itself is a privilege they give for each other and not for anyone else. Privilege is essential in a ship. Because it shows how different a loved one is from normal people. 

For Naruto, 

I originally want to put how he begs for forgiveness on Sasuke’s behalf before Raikage and weeps immeasurably before hyperventilating. But this one trumps the other. Naruto literally broadcasted everyone how important Sasuke is to him and how he regretted not offering his friendship at that time and how he couldn’t stop Sasuke from reaching Orochimaru. 

If you want to inspire Alliance shinobi forces, you should have shown how you worked so hard from the bottom to top. Projecting Sasuke as your regret and inspiring people shows how deeply you prioritize this person which affects you after so many years and hence, you don’t want any more regrets. 

It’s very unconventionally romantic which passes the shipping category in flying colours. 

For Sasuke,

The following is the Land of the waves arc which was novelized in the name of Innocent Heart, Demonic Blood released in 2006. 99.9% of the material is exactly as it happens in Manga/Anime. 

This is the privilege Sasuke provides for Naruto. “ But coming from Sasuke, It almost counted as a hug”... 

BROWNIE POINTS:

Now, the following are the scenes which add a mysterious flavour to this ship. I sincerely don’t understand why Kishimoto put this. I mean I am absolutely happy with it, but why? What was he thinking while drawing these scenes? 

It’s also strange that, whenever they clash a Chidori with Rasengan..... They always gets repelled to their own sides and fall with a loud thump. But Naruto’s posture looks very perfect, I mean it looks like someone carried him and laid him down. Anyways, What’s Sasuke doing on Naruto’s side?? He should have fell on the opposite side. Why didn’t he walk away? There is absolutely no reason for Sasuke to come over to Naruto’s side and have an intense meaningful gaze. 

This is another mysterious plus intense scene. I am still wondering, Is this really Sasuke? He is a person who avoids casual touches with anyone other than his brother. I’ve seen so many times Sasuke rejecting hugs from Sakura. I can’t even imagine what Kishimoto was thinking. 

If you people pass these scenes off as Brotherhood or Best Friend chemistry... Then you lack basic human emotions. That’s all. 

Me: Well, Sasuke, If you really want to kill him, you should have shovelled your sword right through Naruto’s vital point when you made that exuberant landing. There is literally no need for you to draw a long sword in close quarters. And what about the Personal Space??? With your speed, you can land without leaning on Naruto’s shoulders... 

Also Me: Yo, Naruto... You were panicking when Sai does the same....but you don’t even flinch when Sasuke invades your personal space????

Anyways, it’s funny that both the intense scenes I have mentioned here were initiated by Sasuke. Quite strange and thrilling.

So, to conclude.... All these scenes I have mentioned  made me unconsciously ship them as a pair. With all these being said, I believe all the ingredients for a good romance were laid perfectly. A moment of impulsive tension or affection, say a hug, between them after a difficult battle could mess with both and make a romance happen. And I don’t think either of them will deny especially Sasuke. 

I don’t see any of this aspect in other popular ships such as SS and NH. If I am Sakura or Hinata in this universe, I will not be okay with my pair doing all these things with other person. I intentionally left scenes from Episode 478 as it is so intense and require a separate post. I am happy that even without Episode 478, SNS ship sails high. So, I believe both Sakura and Hinata are still fourth wheeling their respective pairs in Boruto universe also, I guess. 

P.S: I don’t watch Boruto

Final memento:

No way a friend will look this mesmerized on seeing the other one. 

[to-hell-and-beyond]

“On The Inside”

Samantha LaRusso x Female Reader

Requested: Yes : No

Request: Sam x fem! Tory’s sister! reader? Enemies to lovers please! Btw, I’m Cherry anon, but call me Cherry!- Cherry

OMG! A Cherry Anon ask! Sorry this took so long, I’m actually pretty proud on how this turned out.

Summary: What first starts out as protecting your sister turns into a full on Karate Battle. Little did you know what a kiss can do...

Words: 2375

“Y/n!” Your sister screamed. She had never wanted this to happen to you. Karate was her thing, in order to protect you. But here you were lying on the cold hard floor, bleeding. It was her fault, if she had just let you go and not drag you into this you could still be ok. It all started with a fight…

“I just don't want to treat Miguel like you treat everyone else!’ Sam shouted at your sister, as  she pointed her finger at her.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?!” Tory shouted enraged. How dare this brat come here and mess with her love life and then accuse her?

“Tory?” You called out from the back door. Both girls then turned their attention to you. Standing there before was a girl, with the most beautiful hair you have ever seen. She kinda looked like a goddess. You both locked eyes before your sister interrupted.

“It’s nothing Y/n, let’s go in now.” She told you as she pushed you past the LaRusso girl. You tried to ask your sister more about her but she wouldn't budge.

“I just want to be no more Tory.”

“You want to know more?” Tory asked as she got up from the couch. “Shure I’ll tell you more. That girl is one of those rich stuck up girls, I tell you to stay away from. She’s a bitch that thinks she’s better than everyone else and can get all in my face.”

Tory then finished her rant and walked away, leaving you to stand in the middle of the living room. Was Sam really all those things? Guess beauty is really on the inside.

You were walking to school like you always do before you looked to see some of the popular students. With them was Sam. You frowned, still thinking about what your sister had just told you about her.

“You’re Y/n right? We have biology.” Sam said as she came up to you. One hand on her hip as she flashed an award winning smile at you.

“Um, Yes. Can you, um leave me alone please?” You quietly asked as his smile turned into a frown. 

“What? Why?” She kept on asking as she blocked your way. She had just met you now, why did you want her to leave?

“My sister told me to stay away from you.” Just as you said those words clicked in her mind. You were the girl that called Tory’s name, Tory must be your sister that’s why you must have wanted her to leave.

“Wait, your Tory’s sister?! So you're just gonna listen to every word that comes out of her mouth? Like some sort of pet?” You were outraged that she had even said those words. 

“Excuse me? My sister told me to stay away from you because she knew you would act like this, and it's really disgusting that you do.” You told her as you pushed past her to make your way to school.

From that point on you and Sam were enemies. You weren’t as bad as her and your sister, but you two still had bad blood. What was worse is that no matter what she did you still had feelings for her. Even when she said those bad things to your Sister you still liked her. And for that you hated her.

“I have another Karate practice, so make sure to pick up Mom’s pills ok?” You’re sister told you as she grabbed her bag and handed you the prescription.

Next thing you knew you were standing in front of West Valley pharmacy. You waited for it to be your turn as you looked and checked your texts on your phone. The line wasn’t moving that fast  as you would like so it looked like you were going to be there for a while.

“Yes Mom...Don’t worry...I’ll be fine...Love you to.” You heard the familiar voice of Samantha LaRusso behind you. Yu locked eyes as she moved to stand behind her.

“What are you doing here?” You asked. Why on planet earth would a spoiled rich girl be standing in line for medication. Maybe she was a drug addict?

“I could ask you the same thing.” She fired back as you two waited for the line to move.

“Hey Rick.” You said as you passed the familiar pharmacist the prescription. He smiled up before handing you the orange bottles.

“Make sure your Mom takes it twice a week right?” You nodded as he flashed you a smile. Sam looked you way as he mentioned your Mom but you ignored her. You didn’t need to add fuel to the fire.

You waited outside as you texted your sister when practice would be over. She had the car and the next bus wouldn’t be available till 8. The ringing of the bell chiming, made you look up from your phone to Samantha LaRusso coming towards you.

“I’m sorry Y/n. I had no idea that your Mom was so sick.” You looked down as she apologized. You didn’t really believe that it was from her heart and you really didn’t need her sympathy.

“Well it's not like I wear a shirt saying “Hello, my Mom is super sick” Sam.” You fired back. She looked down before looking up to meet your eyes again.

“I-I just want to tell you Y/n that the way I’ve been treating you is wrong. My fight is between me and your sister. You're being the good sister standing up for her like that, I’m the one at fault and I’m so sorry.” She apologized, but this time it seemed to be from her heart.

“Tell that to Tory then.” You spat as you turned around to go back to your phone. If she really wanted your sympathy, that apology thing she was doing was not going to work.

“I promised my Mom I would drop this off at my friends house. She lives close to you, I can walk with you if you’d like. I know how scary those streets can be when you're alone.” You thought about it for a minute. It would be nice to not have to wait for your sister and if anything ahppens there’s always Tory to help you.

“Alright.” You agreed as the two of you began to walk. It was silent for most of the walk until Sam suddenly stopped walking and turned around to face you.

“I know this is probably really personal and you don't have to answer it. It’s just-there’s a few rumors going around that you like girls and well...I was wondering if it was true.” You scowled as she asked you the question.

“I do, so what?” You snapped as you crossed your arms to look as intimidating as you could. You couldn’t care less what this girl thought of you.

“What did Tory think about it?” Sam asked.

“Why the hell do you care!?” You shouted outraged. Couldn’t she keep all these questions to herself? It's not like you were playing 20 questions here.

“S-sorry I just wanted to now…” She turned around as you both began to walk. She actually kinda looked hurt. Maybe she was actually sorry?

“She was ok with it.” Your answer surprised Sam as she looked up back at you. “That’s actually the reason she joined Cobra Kai. One time a bunch of homaphobic guys came and they beat me up. Tory was mad that she couldn’t protect me so she joined Cobra Kai. Don't get me wrong I was happy, but I just don’t need her to protect me all the time, you know? I’m my own person.” She nodded along agreeing with you.

“But seriously Sam, why do you ask?” You turned around to face the girl as she stared down.

“W-well, there’s this girl at school and I t-think I might like it. I’m just kinda scared. I thought I was straight but here I am.” You felt sympathy for the girl understanding how hard figuring out one's Sexuality’s can be.

“Well I’m here if you need anything.” And true to your word you were. You and Sam began to hang out more and more in private and next thing you knew you actually had formed a crush on the girl. You weren’t sure that she also felt the same way but your feelings were there. 

“Moon’s hosting a party, If you want to come.” You sister invited you. You had actually become kinda close with her fellow Cobra Kais. They were really nice and you felt like a part of their dysfunctional family. 

You guessed the alcohol had taken a toll on you as you found yourself in the backyard of Moon’s home. You didn’t want to be a part of the Cobra Kai vs Miyagi-do energy that was inside. You supported your sister and the rest of the Cobra Kai’s but you didn’t want to be a part of that.

“Hey Y/n.” Sam said as she came over to you and sat down beside you. You flashed her a  sweet smile. You had seen her with Robby and you were kind of jealous. You had liked her longer than that guy had been now she existed.

“ Are you and Robby a thing?” You asked as you took a sip from your cup. Jealous friend/crush mode was now on.

“Robby? Oh no, he’s like my Brother to me and I didn’t tell you this but he totally swings there other way.” You both laughed. Yes you may have been jealous of the guy, but you were glad he knew at least who he was when it came to that. Just imagine the double dates you guys could have…

“Y/n?” Your dreams about dates were interrupted by the sweet voice of Sam. You looked at the way his lips were slightly parted and the way his hair was flowing in the wind.

“Yah Sam?” You breathed as you moved to be closer to her.

“Remember I told you about my crush on that girl?” You nodded, it was the same day you had become friends. What a wonderful day that was…

“That girl...it was you.” Sam whispered as she captured your lisp in hers. There were sparks flying everywhere as you two go more and more passionate about your kiss. Little did you know that you weren’t the only ones there…

Tory was uspatires looking for the extra cups Moon had asked her to get. She was interrupted by the view of her sister making out with the one and only Samantha LaRusso. Tory’s hatred of the girl had ever been as bad as it was at that very moment. That little rich girl and corrupted her sister, brainwashed her. This was just the beginning...that it was.

You were seated in biology class, sitting right beside your new girlfriend Sam. You both mindlessly listened to the announcements before it started to break up. You looked at each other wondering what was going on.

“Samantha LaRusso.” You both froze as you heard the familiar voice of Tory. “You know what you did, and now you’re going to pay for it.” The students around you began to whisper as all the color drained from your face. Had Tory seen you kiss Sam?

“I’m coming for you, bitch!” You were frozen to your seat and Sam rushed out to go find Tory. You knew one thing for a fact...This was not going to end well…

“I saw what you did at the Party.” You pushed past people to try to get to your girlfriend and Sister before a fight broke out but the people around you wouldn't budge.

“You kissed Y/n.” You stood frozen as the students around you began to “Oooh”. Your sister knew for a fact that you never wanted your school to find out you like girls. But she was telling everyone as she looked like she was stalking her prey. 

“Tory!” You screamed, but that apparently I did nothing as Sam froze to look at you as Tory tried to kick her. And just like that an entire fight broke out. People all around you pushing and kicking and punching as you tried to make your way to the girls fighting on the stairs. 

You were worried that Tory was going to hurt Sam or worse. You loved your sister but this had to stop. Nobody needed to get hurt.

“Tory! Tory c’mon stop!” You yelled on the top of your lungs as you pushed past more people. You saw that Miguel and Robby were fighting on the top of the staries, and that Hawk and Demitri were always fighting. Everything seemed to be going to hell.

“Y/n!” Tory yelled. She had kicked Sam making her hit the banister where you were, meaning kicking you off. They say that falling is like rewatching your life. But it wasn’t like that, you were watching a different life. A life where Tory and Sam got along and there was no Karate War. A good life you wished you had.

The crack echoed through the school as you landed on the staries. Blood escaped from your head, you knew you were going to die right then and there. Everyone stood frozen as they looked at your body laying on the ground. Sam was the first moving pushing past Tory to get to her girlfriend.

“Y/n! Y/n! C’mon wake up!” She cried as your body lay flat like that. The only sign of life was your small breaths and the fall and rise of your stomach. Tory stood there speechless as she watched the paramedics make your way to you. This was not supposed to happen. She was supposed to help you not cause you harm. 

Everyone stood still as they transported your body to the hospital. But doing so they left a bunch of morning students. A heartbroken girlfriend, a guilt ridden sister, Karate students wishing that none of this had happened. But no matter how much wishing they did, you were still unconscious, in the ambulance on your way to the hospital. 

[rattlung]

aight homie i just finished a sandwich, let’s fucking go

(I have this thing where i firmly believe that crypto’s drone is like find familiar in dnd. just the idea of him sitting in a room with his squad and feeling secure enough to log onto the drone and get all this information and relay it to them, only to log off and find that they left already gets a cheeky little laugh out of me

also you’re gonna have to forgive all the inconsistencies with the areas such as building layouts in this compared to the game. i’m just rlly missin kings canyon and my brain refuses to process the new map well enough to remember what half the stuff looked like lmao)

and why are crypto and mirage always on the same team but their third gets switched out all the time? who knows. let it be a mystery 

i chose established relationship btw :^)

----=----

Mirage hated when the ring closed in in Fuel Depot. There were just too many angles to watch for, too many buildings to hole up in, and too many points of interests to rotate from. Ending up there before the ring caught up usually meant fighting too many squads at once without a break in between.

At least one of the teams had Pathfinder on it. He and Mirage were both perched on separate roofs across from the other, using the back wall and AC units for cover, keeping an eye on each other through the thick plexiglas. Every so often, they’d peek out and fire a few shots off, sometimes hitting, most of the time not.

Once, Mirage had gotten him good, the sound of Path’s shields shattering after two direct hits with his Wingman. Pathfinder immediately fell back into cover, but he upped the volume on his speakers to call out, “Amazing shots, friend!” 

Mirage laughed and ducked behind his own cover to reload the pistol. “You’re not so bad yourself, for a bot!” 

He couldn’t see him anymore, but he could still hear Pathfinder’s cheerful, “Thank you!”

Shaking his head, Mirage settled down to check his ammo. He could stand to continue his and Path’s weird little competition, poke him down some more to whittle away at his meds, but he wanted to be sure he had enough for the last fight. With the way things were, it was going to be a big one. He could see the alarming red glow of Wattson’s fences through the windows of the building Pathfinder had been standing on. There was no sign of Wraith, but Mirage knew she’d be close if not already knocked out of the match.

Caustic, his other teammate, had hunkered down in the smaller, single-floored house off to Mirage’s right. Every door was blocked off, denying entry to any enemies - and teammates, something Mirage was sure he did on purpose. 

There wasn’t any movement anywhere else in Depot, but there were two more teams left that weren’t accounted for. Capitol City was close, but the amount of space that wasn’t being burnt up by the ring was small. If both teams were out there, they would have clashed by now, thought the only shots Mirage heard so far were his own and Pathfinder’s.

Crypto had muttered something about hunting them down a while ago. He’d hopped up onto a desk left behind on the top floor of Mirage’s building, tossed out his drone, and focused on the holo screen in front of him without another word. That had been about ten minutes ago and he still hadn’t said anything yet. Every so often, Mirage would catch sight of a green light zipping in between the little valley separating Depot from Capitol City, so he assumed the chase was still on.

Mirage looked back out over his AC unit and saw Pathfinder doing the same. Quickly, before he could tell himself no, Mirage fired his Wingman once, twice, and didn’t find his mark. Pathfinder ducked back again, anyway.

“Those were warning shots!”

Behind him, through the open door, he could hear Crypto speak. “Gibraltar’s squad,” he announced shortly. “Racing the ring.”

“Loud and clear,” Mirage replied even though he knew Crypto couldn’t hear him. Anything the drone couldn’t see or hear, neither could Crypto, at least when the remote was active. And the drone was way out there, toward Capitol city right where Mirage had expected a team to be. All three teams accounted for.

Wait, four teams. There were four teams left.

That was probably why he could hear footsteps beneath him.

Mirage jolted up to his feet and sprinted back inside, flinging the door shut behind him before Pathfinder could get any crazy ideas. He headed for the stairs rather than alert Crypto, because it might have been Caustic, and he didn’t want to look stupid and panic over a false alarm that would aggravate both of his teammates.

The door downstairs swung open and Mirage could hear the hollow clanking of metal canisters, the sound of boots hitting metal too fast to be Caustic.

Bangalore, then. Mirage had spent too long running from that sound to not recognize it. It was a little lucky, though. He’d fought her enough times to know that she could get a little too eager for a kill; seeing a target with its back to her tunneled her vision. Mirage could handle her, he just needed to take the fight downstairs and away from his stationary teammate.

Who knows, maybe the fighting would draw Caustic out of his little rat hole and he’d actually contribute on his own volition for once. Doubtful, but a man could dream.

Mirage picked off a grenade from his belt and rolled it down the stairs after pulling its pin. He hoped the tapping of metal on metal was enough to grab the soldier’s attention, but if not the following explosion would do the trick. Mirage ran to the door at the opposite end of the room, using the noise to cover his movement, and vaulted over the railing.

He dropped in front of the open garage. Seeing no sign of Bangalore, he sent in a decoy to test the waters for him. It ran calmly in at its own pace and stopped the second it hit a wall, appearing as if it were looking out the window. He almost thought Bangalore had retreated to another building when a single shot cut through the decoy’s head and Mirage heard the ping of the tech on his left shoulder go out as the decoy shimmered away.

Still in the building then. 

He pulled another grenade off his belt and threw it toward the corner he’d seen the shots come from. This time, Bangalore answered with the thumping pop of her smoke launcher dropping a thick cloud that smothered the first floor. Mirage cursed, hearing steps cross the room right before the grenade went off - steps that went toward the stairs.

Mirage ran into the smoke toward the sound, ignoring how he couldn’t see a foot in front of him, and pulled his Carbine out from where it’d been resting along his back. Once out of the garage area, the room beyond it was small so it didn’t take more than a few seconds to come across Bangalore through the haze; she let him know he’d found her by swinging out with the butt of her Scout. Mirage ducked under it narrowly and came back up using his shoulder, shoving Bangalore back. If it was hand-to-hand combat she wanted it, it was hand-to-hand combat she was not not going to get. She’d win that any day of the week. What Mirage needed was distance and enough room to aim without firing from the hip.

A blue light began to glow through the slowly fading smoke and Mirage heard the mechanical whirring of a Peacekeeper warming up just in time to lurch away. The spread was more controlled and easy to avoid thanks to the attached choke, but if Bangalore even got one shot in on him, he’d be in a lot of trouble.

The smoke was mostly cleared now and Bangalore rose her Peacekeeper to aim at the first figure she saw, blinking before she could pull the trigger. Mirage stood in front of her, one hand on his hip and grinning like he’d done something to be proud of. To his right, Mirage fired off a round from his finger gun, pretended to blow smoke from the barrel, and winked at her. In between the three of them, Mirage seemed to be checking the state of his hair in the reflection that wasn’t there in the glass of the window. Somewhere off in the back, Mirage waved over the shoulder of Mirage almost like he was trying to get her attention.

Bangalore scowled harshly. “Son of a - “

Behind her, Mirage thumped the back of her head with his Wingman. “Quite the prebi - predippa - “ He winced at himself, pulled the trigger. “Bad situation,” he finished as a purple death box clattered to the floor. “Bad situation, got it.”

“What happened?”

Mirage turned to see Crypto at the bottom of the stairs. He didn’t seem particularly panicked, just eyed the several Mirages that littered the room and the door that was blown out - presumably from one of the grenades he’d thrown earlier. Mirage looked around, too, like it was his first time seeing the chaos himself, then down at the crate Bangalore had left behind, and finally back to Crypto.

“Oh, nothing, honey,” he said, waving the other off to match with his put-on dismissive tone. “Just another one of those salespeople, don’t worry about it. I told them we weren’t interested.”

Crypto’s brow rose and if it wasn’t for the small, tiny snort, Mirage would have thought he wasn’t amused. “Good work.”

The smile dropped from Mirage’s face. “What?”

Crypto’s head tilted. “Good work,” he repeated slowly, coming off more like a question.

“Oh,” Mirage said, though he still sounded confused himself - or maybe shocked. He pulled himself together quickly. The showy grin returned and he shrugged. “Oh, yeah, well, of course. What else did you expect?”

Crypto’s curious look didn’t fade away, but he must have decided to spare Mirage any questioning. “Two teams left. We are almost through.”

Mirage nodded and pulled off his pack, mostly as an excuse to get out from under the scrutinizing gaze. “Right, yeah, just gotta patch myself up real quick.”

“Take your time,” Crypto told him, heading back for the stairs, hands in his pockets. “Caustic isn’t going anywhere.”

----=----

Usually when Crypto ventured out further into the drop ship it was when he knew no one else would be in the halls, and even then he liked to have his drone with him. Elliott jokingly referred to it as the “buddy system”. Any time Crypto would leave, Elliott would notice that the drone would lift from its docking station to follow him and he’d call out, “Wait, don’t forget your buddy!”, like maybe the drone was following him as a preference rather than just being programmed to track and follow Crypto’s position.

But that was Elliott, always putting personality and character into anything. 

Today, though, that wasn’t possible. Not after it’d been shot down late in the match earlier that day. He’d been forced to leave it back at it his dorm, laid out on his desk waiting for repairs. Ones that would probably take up the majority of the evening if he got distracted, which he probably would. He still showered quickly, because it was best to get started even if it was tedious.

The mess hall was loud when he passed it and full enough that no one noticed him when he slipped by. They weren’t landing that night as the morning block schedule started tomorrow for the games, so everyone must have gathered to make a mess in the kitchen together rather than spend the night alone. Crypto remembered hearing Gibraltar mention Pathfinder’s stew during the day, but had shrugged off the invitation despite the general interest of seeing how well the robot could pull it off.

He was more interested in the quiet of the dorms. With Octane gone, there was bound to be plenty of it. Every time he even thought about the speakers Octane had set up, pointing out of his room, Crypto felt the corners of his mouth twitch down involuntarily. He never said anything, though, because Octane was nice. Actually, joining the Apex Games forced him to learn several different skills; most were for survival, like how to tune out a lot of incessant noises.

However, when he crossed into the threshold of the dorms, there was still music blaring through the sitting area - music that came from his room. Crypto ventured closer and stopped in the doorway, coming across the sight of Elliott stretched out on his bed, and waited for the other to notice him.

Which didn’t take too long. Elliott let the magazine he’d been reading drop onto his chest then onto his lap when he sat up to smile at Crypto. “Oh, hey. I figured you’d be sneaking around somewhere.” He leaned over to paw at the remote left on the desk and the thundering rock lowered into a more bearable volume. “I fixed your drone, by the way. There wasn’t much I could do about the casing - that’s one gnarly bullet hole. It’s up and running, though, but I would still run diagnostics. Anyway, I was wondering what you wanted to do for dinner, because everyone’s in the mess, but there might be some of Path’s stew leftover by the time they all leave. If not, though, lemme tell ya, I got the best recipe for - what? Oh god, what?”

“You fixed my drone?” Crypto asked, voice tight despite his efforts put into appearing unworried.

“Well.” Elliott threw a look over to where the drone was docked, its eye glowing a faint green. He looked back at Crypto nervously. “Well, now I’m not so sure because you’re acting like maybe me doing that wasn’t very intellella - a very good idea.”

Crypto moved over to the desk, picking up the drone’s control cube and effectively putting his back to Elliott. He didn’t want the other to see his expression or to let on how genuinely worried he now was. There were a dozen different kinds of firewalls he’d implemented into the drone’s software, ones that - if they weren’t passed through carefully enough - could brick the entire system entirely. It was for safety, mostly, since the drone stored quite a bit of data that he technically wasn’t supposed to have. If Elliott had hit even one of those, it was likely Crypto would have to reboot the entire drone. That could take hours depending on how severe the damage to the hardware was. Which, like Elliott had said, was pretty severe. If that were the case, he probably wouldn’t be able to use the drone in the games tomorrow, but - 

But besides a slightly distorted screen, the remote communicated to the drone with maybe only a quarter of a second of lag. On the dock, its green light grew more intense and buzzed with power.

Crypto’s shoulders slouched and his head tilted quizzically.

“I’m sorry,” Elliott burst out suddenly. “I probably should have asked - or just, y’know, not even touched it. I just stopped by to wait for you and saw it laying there and thought I’d do you a favor, but - “

“It’s fine,” Crypto told Elliott, and also himself.

The other seemed hopeful, yet still a little unsure at the surprise lilting in Crypto’s tone. “Yeah?”

“Ya,” he assured, turning just enough to show off the functioning holo screen before he snapped the control cube shut. He wanted to ask how he’d managed it, but judging by the shocked expression on Elliott’s face Crypto imagined he wouldn’t get much of a straight answer. In a sense, the trickster still managed to create more work for him, since he now worried about the effectiveness of his security protocols, but he’d work on that later. For now, Elliott really had done him a favor. He pocketed the cube and aimed a small smile at him. “Thank you.”

For a split second, Elliott’s features lit up. A genuine, relieved smile curved his lips and Crypto knew that if something actually had been wrong, he wouldn’t have told the other. That scared him a little bit, implications of what that could mean caught him off guard, but in favor of enjoying Elliott Witt’s smile, he decided he just wasn’t going to think about it.

Because it was gone soon enough, replaced by a cheaper grin that still wasn’t bad to look at. “Don’t mention it,” Elliott told him with a nonchalant shrug. “All in a day’s work. Actually, mention it if you want to, I’m not gonna stop you.”

Crypto scoffed and rolled his eyes. “I think I’ll restrain myself for now.”

“If that blew you away,” Elliott continued, pointedly ignoring him. “Then wait until you get a load of my pork chops.” He paused and gave Crypto a considering look. “That kinda sounded suggestive and weird - but I promise, they’re really good.”

----=----

“We need to push someone.”

Mirage pulled back around the rock he’d been looking out from behind to level his teammate with an annoyed and disbelieving look. “Yeah. Yeah, okay, Wraith, let’s push someone - here’s our options.” He pointed down further into Thermal Station where he’d been watching the boxed in, electric hum of fences. “We got Wattson and Gib’s fortress of solitude, or - “ He then jerked his head to gesture up toward the train tracks high above them, “ - Bangalore’s fun and interactive ‘Shooting Fish in a Barrel’ game. Let’s just push one!”

Wraith narrowed her eyes at him, teeth gritting at the sarcasm. “The ring is closing, Mirage.”

“What do you want us to do, Wraith? We can’t go left without giving Bangalore a clear line of sight. There’s no way we head into Thermal without Gibraltar calling down his bombardment on us on our way in, and even if we did make it, we’d be walking straight into Wattson’s fences. She probably has her weird, generator thing set up, so it’s not like we can just flush them out with ‘nades. No matter what, we’re caught out.”

It really was an unlucky circle. They had landed out at Epicenter and had too many fights that lasted too long; most of the match was spent running and out-healing the burn of the ring. By the time they’d caught up and were able to catch their breath, they were left out of position as the other teams made it there before them. If it hadn’t pretty much cost them the game, Mirage would have found petulant joy in the fact that Wraith really couldn’t prove him wrong.

She looked over at Crypto, who’d been passively watching the argument and looking like he had no intentions to intervene. Wraith rose her brow very pointedly in a nonverbal question Mirage couldn’t catch. 

Before he could snap, ask, What are you looking at him for?, Crypto shrugged one shoulder. “I’ll take care of it.”

That seemed to satisfy her, because she threw a thankful look up to the sky.

Mirage looked between them. “Take care of what?”

Neither answered him. Crypto’s hands pulled from his pockets and his focus went into the control cube, his drone buzzing to life and zipping around their cover.

Wraith stepped passed Mirage to follow it. “Get ready to move,” she told him, blue sparks crawling around her right arm. She clenched her fist and the air around it popped in a high pitched, suctioning sound. Left behind was a small, pulsing orb with a trail that connected it to Wraith as she took off in a sprint around the very edge of the ring. Straight for Thermal.

“Uh, team?”

The popping of a G7 above them startled Mirage and the dirt kicked up at Wraith’s feet, but she was too fast. Weaving in and out of boulders and using the haze of the storm to her advantage, she was able to avoid the shots until it was all downhill into the factory. Just above her was the green light of Crypto’s drone, keeping pace.

Then, the sky darkened after the low, rumbling call for mortars and Mirage heard himself crying out, “What was the plan, here?”

Before the ground started shaking and explosives started blasting the dirt in smoke and fire, Wraith slid down the decline for the extra momentum and kicked off the ledge right above the platform.

They’ve got a shot on you.

The barrel of Wattson’s Devotion glinted from the glow of the lava when it lifted to aim at her. She could hear the energy start to burn as it fired up. 

You’re in danger - move!

“Phasing,” Wraith called into the comms, and with her left hand she pulled. Like a curtain, reality opened for her and she slipped right through.

A few seconds behind came the drone, its green aura already shifting to something much more intense, to blue, to white. It hung above the fortified platform, pulsing, pulsing, until it burst out in a massive wave. Fence nodes sizzled, circuits fried, and the electricity buzzing between them died out. The dome shield Gibraltar had thrown out at the first sign of an oncoming attack fanned and faded away. Even the Interception Pylon hidden behind a stack of crates went dark.

Wraith stepped back through and the second she did, she punched a hole to finish the tunnel. “Portal’s placed.”

The air distorted as something passed between it, and out from the roiling black exit came Mirage, Peacekeeper preemptively raised and ready to fire. Gibraltar’s shields shattered easily on the first hit, knocking him back against the platform’s railing and sending his own EVA-8 blast wide. On the second hit, Gib was down. Mirage cocked the shotgun and turned, but Wraith was already standing above the electrician’s deathbox.

“Only the two of them,” she remarked, twirling the kunai in a competent flip, showing off a job well done.

“That,” Mirage went to add, “must have looked so cool.”

Another surge announced Crypto’s arrival through the portal and Mirage rounded on him instantly.

“Babe, that was sick! That’s gonna be in the highlight reels for weeks, no doubt about it. I didn’t even know you could do that with your drone.”

Minutely, Crypto’s eyes widen and his mouth opened, but nothing came out. Quickly, he snapped it shut and just tried to school his expression when too much time had passed in between the intention to speak and actually speaking. Mirage still stared at him expectantly - shrewdly, even - so Crypto escaped by cutting his gaze away entirely, purposefully focusing on nothing but the deathbox Gibraltar had left.

Huh, Mirage thought, perhaps a little too excited. He sidled up next to the other to pick through some ammo for himself, but mostly so he could reach around Crypto to get a better look at his face and barely hid the fact that he was doing so. Mirage was utterly delighted to find that the apples of his cheeks were a good shade or two darker than usual and he couldn’t help but grin at the sight. 

Crypto caught him staring soon enough and glared. He snatched the scope off of Gibraltar’s dropped EVA and ditched the box entirely, pulling the collar of his coat up higher to block Mirage out as he stormed away.

Mirage would have to make it up to him later, definitely. But for now? For now, he was just going to enjoy knowing that fact that maybe he wasn’t the only one who enjoyed showing off. 

======

plot twist, they BOTH like getting praised.

anyway sorry for the weak ending. was caught up on it for some reason and i tried like five different versions and didn’t like em but i figured getting it out there was better than staring at it. the prompt itself even kinda lost its way tbh but we be out here y’know we’re just chillin

also after wraith’s short i just imagine her and crypto as those types of friends that you had in high school when someone says some dumb shit and you immediately find each other’s eyes across the room and just give each other that long suffering look. 

proof read once, so if there’s mistakes let me know - and thank you for sending something in, sorry i barely followed it !

[aragornsrockcollection]

TIME TO EXPLAIN MY USERNAME

When they are being chased by nazgul, he is waffling over using the bridge openly, in cause it is a trap, and he decides they’re going to trust it because he finds a pretty rock. Which he calls an elf-stone, like the name he’ll eventually take, but obviously this is not THE elf-stone.

And Glorfindel had cleared that bridge earlier. And he was like “hmmm what symbol can I leave that Estel would definitely notice, and make known to him the way I’d safe? I know! A pretty rock! Estel loves cool rocks.”

And literally this was not an agreed upon symbol, Aragorn just goes “An Elf stone! These are good luck!”

And I am now convinced that little Estel growing up in Rivendell, would bring Elrond or his mom or any elf who he wanted to make friends with a rock he found that he thought was neat.

And of course, all of the elves are like “oh no, it’s cute!” Because here is this solemn little boy who wants to share the things he likes with them, and Elf children are rare at this point on middle earth, so all of these ancient elves are like. These garden stones. Are treasures.

And Elrond encourages his hobby, and helps teach him about types of rock and geology, because he is absolutely the Learning is Fun! Dad, but also he’s the heir to the Kings of the Noldor on middle earth, married to the niece of Felegund, who lived among the Gwaith i Mirdain for a while. Knowing about all types of rocks is probably, like, the Noldor equivalent of learning about all sorts of animals in kindergarten.

And because he absolutely unknowingly has the entire valley wrapped around his finger, elves start hiding interesting rocks around Rivendell. And uncut semi precious stones.

And Estel brings them to Elrond to help him look up in a book, and the Lord of Rivendell has to look at a young boy with a straight face and say, yes, it’s possible for raw emeralds to show up on the banks of the Bruinen, elves live here, lots of special things pop up around elves.

And so he calls them elf-stones, and is very happy with his little collection, and he shows all his friends who are all very impressed, some of them are rare and some are just odd shapes, or an interesting pattern, and not all of them got left around by elves in the longest Easter egg hunt of all time.

So Estel grows up, and becomes chieftain of the Dunedain, and has to leave his collection behind because he can hardly carry around a bunch of rocks as a Ranger, but sometimes he’ll bring one back when he visits, because collecting rocks and sharing them with his friends is a very happy memory for him, though what he finds is rarely as nice as the ones he’d find in Rivendell.

And all this to say, Glorfindel, who was absolutely one of the elves who hid rocks for Aragorn, is thinking of what to leave as a sign that won’t be too obvious, but he will definitely notice… and well, Glorfindel is also a Noldo, and he has a green stone in his pocket that DEFINITELY doesn’t belong among the stones on the bank here, but Aragorn will be sure to spot it and know a friend was near.

I have not decided if Aragorn legit still believes cool rocks pop up around elves, or is looking for any sign and it’s the only bright happy thing in a desperate world, but he totally got the message either way.

And that’s my Aragorn’s rock collection headcanon.

Arwen loves his rock collection btw. The first present he gives her when he has nothing and falls for her in Lothlorien is the small stone he’d carried in his pocket for miles.

He tells her how he started picking them up and giving them away as a child, and how now he only lets himself carry one he finds on his journeys. And so if he finds another he likes he has to choose between them. But because of that each stone is both a memory of his journey, and a reminder of his homecoming.

And she looks at this smooth white river stone- she is also a Noldo, this is a completely valueless piece of impure sedimentary quartz and calcium carbonate- in the palm of her hand. It came out of the pocket of this greasy man who called her her great-great grandmother’s name completely unironically, and looks into his hopeful grey eyes and just thinks “goddamnit I’m going to marry this poetic idiot and be so fucking happy.”

She gives him the most important stone of his collection, THE elf-stone, (at least she tells her grandmother she wants him to have it), and it’s slightly important to his fate or something, and he literally names himself after it so it’s kind of a big deal but he still insists completely straight faced that the one he gave her was better.

do NOT be normal about aragorn around me ‘oh he’s such a badass he killed so many orcs’ yeah idc i’m here to talk about him all alone sewing up holes in his socks next to a campfire in his ranger days singing elven songs from his childhood and he sort of has a terrible singing voice but the ents love it and then later when he joins the fellowship and everyone’s up late singing goofy songs he’s so happy to have a chorus with him now and his voice keeps breaking and boromir is laughing so hard at him that he’s crying but not in a mean way and aragorn knows so he just sings louder and worse and he thinks he could get used to this

[221bshrlocked]

Your ask box is gonna be full Of panties and screams for Seb!

Once again I lost the ask for the archaeologist Seb one but you know who you are who requested this so I hope you enjoy it :) NSFW gifs under cut…this came out longer than expected btw.

He was being an asshole. He knew he was. But he also knew that he couldn’t show any signs of preferences towards the TAs. It’s not like any of them worked under him to begin with or needed to be on his good side to get a job. On the contrary, none of them ever even took his courses before. But he was replaced last minute as the linguistics pro on the dig team. So in reality, he didn’t even have the right to criticize your work.

But he just couldn’t stop himself. He wanted to see that blush going down your neck so often and sure as hell wasn’t about to compliment you to see it. Whatever he could do just so he doesn’t stare at your sweaty skin for too long. God damn every time you were in one of the dig holes, he’d see you moving so eloquently around and making sure everything was perfect and it was such a weird turn on. The way you ordered the less experienced students around or helped them with something they were about to royally fuck up.

The things he’d do to have you moaning beneath him. He thought for a split second you were interested as well, the way you licked your lips whenever he blurted out those stupid ‘fun facts,’ but there was no way. And then there was the shameless checking out when he lifted the tools and set them in the cars. He’d hate to admit it but he always put on a show whenever you were around, choosing to do extra work just to show off. It was so stupid though because you wouldn’t look at him while there were guys your age here. Right?

He was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard you laughing and joking around with another TA, beer in one hand and books on the floor while you kept on fanning yourself.

“It’s a bull hunt not a fucking war with the goats Matt!” You recorded some more stuff before smiling at something he said. “Oh you can’t possibly believe that do you.”

“All I’m saying is, he’s just comparing himself with the ‘victorious bull’…doin the nasty business with the great royal wife. I’m telling you, there are some inuendoes in there.”

“Okay first of all, no. Just no. The Bull Hunt Scarab of Amenhotep III has nothing to do with whatever the fuck you’re saying alright. Now, if you really want to read some sexy stuff, check out the letters with the Hittites. Oh man, I ship those kings so hard.” He splashed water on you and you started laughing again, eyes falling on Sebastian and suddenly losing your train of thoughts because the things this man could do to you just from giving you the death stare.

“What’re we talking about?” He came and sat down opposite of you, making Matt straighten up and snort before he shook his head.

“I was just telling Y/N over here that the Egyptians liked to hide some personal things in their stelas.”

“It’s a scarab not a stela.” You corrected him, not wanting to look up or say anything else because of course Sebastian was going to tell you that you’re wrong.

“The one from his 2nd regnal year?” He kept on looking at you writing stuff down, his eyes following the sweat dripping between your cleavage.

“Yeah. I was just telling him that Queen Tiye’s name appears in many inscriptions like this one because she was deified.”

“Well, she was deified later in Upper Nubia but not during the time this scarab was made so I wouldn’t say that.” He chuckled, blinking and looking away when you gave him that look.

“She was the most influential woman during his reign…is that a better reason?” You couldn’t help but slap back at him, the heat going straight to your head. “I- well I was just saying…” Sebastian stuttered, making you mentally pat yourself on the back.

“But yes you are right. It’s for that reason that he called her-”

“bi3it.” You cut him off again, finishing your beer before standing up and excusing yourself.

“What does that mean?” Matt wasn’t following along to any of what just transpired. He did, however, notice the way Sebastian looked at you when you walked back into the house.

“Marvel.”

“You know-” Matt was about to say something when he held up his hands as soon as Sebastian gave him the ‘shut the fuck up’ look he gave the other new students when they didn’t know what the hell was going on.

“Good night professor.” Matt grabbed the rest of the drinks and walked away, leaving Sebastian meditating by himself in front of the fire. He really should apologize he thought to himself. But how? Another few minutes passed before he decided he’ll just do it now before he chickened out.

Putting out the fire, he said goodnight to the workers and told them to take care of the rest of the drinks before walking to your room nervously.

You had the entire third floor to yourself, the other TA’s choosing the second floor where the rooms connected. Sebastian made sure to stay quiet, not wanting to alert anyone at such a late hour. He was about to knock on your door when he heard sighs coming through, his mind frantically thinking of so many scenarios.

Was he too late? Did he misunderstand your conversation earlier and you were actually flirting with Matt? Were you and him a thing? Fuck what if he was in there right now?

He kicked himself and was about to walk away when he heard it. It was so breathy and low but he was sure he heard his name. Pushing the door open just a little, he stopped breathing as soon as he saw what you were doing.

“Yes…yes oh shit Sebastian right there. Want you so bad- ‘m so wet please…please.” Your hands were rubbing furiously through your panties, fingers pinching and rolling your nipples before you moaned his name over and over again. “Got me so wet professor…I want your cock Sebastian…want you to shove that thick, hard cock in my mouth…in oh fuck yess…m-my pussy…any- ahh oh god yesss yes- anywhere you want.”

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. You were pleasuring yourself to the thought of him using you. Pleasuring you. Fingering you. Fucking you.

Sebastian’s eyes widened when you rolled over and cried into the covers, almost screaming his name as soon as your fingers punished your clit.

He was so lost into watching you he didn’t notice when you’ve already come and arched your back before you pulled your hands away. But then you kept on grinding against the mattress, wanting a second release and praying his name.

Sebastian couldn’t take it anymore, walking in and making his presence known. As soon as you heard him clearing his throat, you rolled over and sat up, grabbing the covers and throwing them over your chest before your breathing picked up.

“Tsk tsk tsk…I didn’t tell you to do that sweetheart.” He locked the door and approached you slowly, eyes lingering on your still wet fingers before he kneeled in front of the bed. He knew you probably wanted the earth to swallow you at this moment but the refused to pass up an opportunity on teasing you.

“It’s so difficult sometimes…being your professor. Oh wait- I’m not.” He spread your thighs open, fingers inching slowly down your knees before he winked at you. “Which means…I can do this.” Leaning forward, he took your lips in a dizzying kiss, tongue licking and teeth biting at your skin. You so willingly opened your mouth to him, moaning and dropping the covers to pull him by his neck. Within seconds, he was on top of you, hands roaming your body and making you more hot and bothered.

“Do you have any idea how much I thought of pushing the back of your head and your mouth on my cock? Fuck baby girl…and your nose touching my groin.” You couldn’t believe your ears. Here was the man that acted all professional and quiet, whispering the filthiest things to you and cupping your boobs. He leaned down and took a nipple in his mouth, harshly sucking before letting go and licked a stripe between the valley of your breasts.

“You’d like that wouldn’t you? Sliding my cock out of your mouth? Seeing my cock hard and glistening with your spit…answer me!” Sebastian pulled on your hair, a quick ‘yes sir’ escaping your lips before you thought about it.

“Hmm…good.” He pushed off of you, hands trailing down to your panties before taking them off and shoving them in his pocket. Laying down next to you, he kissed you again before shoving two fingers in your mouth and reclaiming your lips after. Too busy thinking of how amazing of a kisser he was, you didn’t notice his fingers massaging your thighs before attacking your clit again. He had you crying his name within seconds, already sensitive from before.

“God baby you’d take my cock so well too…I just know it. The way you lick your lips when you look at me. It fucking turns me on so much when you walk around in those shorts and tank tops. Making me hard in front of all those students. You enjoy your little teasing don’t you love?”

“Right there Seb ple- oh fuck yes please I’m so close so so close-”

“You’re making me so hard right now Y/N. Feel what you do to me.” He pushed his crotch into your hands, moaning your name when you palmed him through his jeans. “So beautiful Y/N. You ready for my cock? I’ve wanted to feel this pretty little pussy for so long baby you have no idea…fuck you like I own you.” He kissed you again, this time more aggressively than before, like he was a parched man and you were an oasis in the middle of the desert. You felt his hands squeezing your neck before he completely pulled away and started stripping. You kept on playing with yourself, watching him taking his clothes off and suddenly feeling self-conscious because damn he was built like a god.

“I’m gonna make you feel real good Y/N…” As soon as he stepped out of his pants, he gipped your thighs and pushed them wide open, rubbing his hard cock on your wet slit before pushing in agonizingly slowly.

“You want this so bad don’t you? You want it as much as I do…you gonna let me fuck you hard baby girl…shit you’re tight- no-” Sebastian felt one of your thighs shutting slowly, smacking one of them and making you shiver from the contact/ “Keep those legs open…ahhhh fuck yes yes baby.” He drove his cock right into you, hips slamming and making the filthiest sound when they met your ass.

“Oh yeahh….r-right there Seb..you’re so hard for me sir!” You laid your hands on his, holding tightly onto them as he squeezed your hips and dragged you down the bed. He filled you over and over again, the sounds of skin slapping on skin along with your moans the only thing he wanted to hear. “Ohhh fuck- your pussy feels so fucking good on my cock.”

Your legs circling around his waist, heels digging into his ass and pulling him further into you.

He couldn’t get the sight of you rolling beneath him out of his mind, still not believing this was real. You threw your head back, hands scratching his head when he leaned down and bit your nipples. He slid in and out, his groin rubbing your clit and before you knew it, you were coming on his cock, pussy clenching and gripping him so tightly he was sure he was going to die.

Sebastian managed to pull out just in time, about to pump his cock when you smacked his hands away and pushed him to lie on his back, getting on your stomach before sucking on the tip of his cock and massaging his balls. He shut his eyes and bucked his hips, coming down your throat and enjoying the feeling of your silky tongue rolling around the tip before he pushed you away.

You both laid there panting, limbs tangled and chests heaving for a good while before he stood up and walked to the bathroom. For a second, you thought he was about to leave. But then he came back with a washcloth and dabbed your skin, smiling when you raised an eyebrow at him.

“Would you look at that, he can actually smile.” You joked, giggling when he shook his head and threw the washcloth on the floor. “Only for you sweetheart. Only for you.”

[ariadnasdiary]

Arino’s children: Áaron.

Character’s sheet:

First Name: Áaron

Japanese Name: Kyoya

Last Name(s): Koizumi “Martínez”

Kanji:  小泉 アーロン (not sure though^^’).

Áaron= “high mountain” Koizumi= “small valley” Martínez= derivates from the name Martín and means “from the war god: Mars”

Nickname(s):  

Áaron: just Áaron…his name doesn’t have a diminutive anyway. Kyoya: Kino gave him that name. Kino and Yuuri are the only ones that calls him by that name, since they can’t pronounce “Áaron”. Áa-kun / big brother: by Victoria

Sign:  Libra

Birthday: “October 23″ (the day he was found)

Age: 20 (Physically)

Status: Alive

Race: half wolf / half vampire

Ethnicity:  Japanese

Gender: Male

Height: 170 cm (5′7).

Weight: 62 kg (136 lbs)

Blood Type: A+

Eyes: golden

Hair: black, straight and messy.

Any scars, birthmarks, etc: a small scar on his left hip.

Occupation: 1st year college student. He’s studying finances.

Relatives:

Biological mother: deseased

Biological father: unknown

Adoptive mother: Ariadna Koizumi Martínez (alive)

Adoptive father: Kino (alive)

Younger adoptive sister: Victoria (alive)

Hobbies: fencing, videogames, swimming, cooking, riding his motobike and community service.

Favorite Food: Mexican food and Arabic food.

Fave Colors: grey and blue.

Skills: charming, persuasive, likes helping others, smart, hard-working, constant and he’s good at cooking.

Curious Facts:

knows how to cook really good

he’s really healthy and sporty

can turn into a wolf

uses contact lenses to hide his golden eyes

very organized, always carries a small agenda

extrovert, but gets tired of being surrended by people

hates being touched by strangers

observant

sarcastic

speaks Japanese, Spanish and English.

he decided to learn Spanish so he could pronounce correctly his name…plus it wasn’t like an option since Ariadna would scold them in Spanish when she was really angry.

likes to ride his motorbike

helps Ariadna a lot with the ghouls

likes little children

always carries a knife…to Ariadna’s dislike

Personality:

Strenghts:

smart

helpful

responsible

honest and direct

protective

Patient…with children

Weaknesses/flaws:

way too honest cold towards strangers sometimes has troubles controlling himself a little manipulative hates being lied and will know when someone does more under the cut~

Is not like Áaron is completly cold towards strangers…he’s very cautios with them. At first he’s just polite with everyone, but as time goes by he becomes more friendly and funny. Likes to make people laugh (just like his mother) and since he cares for his close ones, he’ll be honest and direct with them. Sometimes people think he’s mean and just like to point out their mistakes, but that is a sign he cares for them.

However, just recently has earned a bad reputation  in school for is his cold and mean attitude towards girls in general. He dislike girls approaching him and even though he’s polite with them, if they keep insisting on trying to talk to him or flirt he’ll snap and tell them to get lost and stop talking to him. That isn’t just in the human world, but also in the Mekai during balls and demon women try something with him.

Áaron know he’s adopted yet that doesn’t bother him at all. He was told when he was old enough to understand and since Ariadna never had preference over him or his sister Victoria, he never felt out of place. Ariadna devoted herself to Áaron and spoiled him before the arrival of Victoria, but it was Kino that place him in line by being strict with him. Áaron just as Victoria are trained so that one day they’ll be responsable of the ghouls when the time comes. Áaron likes interacting with the ghouls rather with demons of higer ranks, he bores acting polite and as a prince all the time, when he’s with the ghouls it’s different and he feel like he can be himself. Just as his father with his uncle Yuuri, he has a friend in the Mekai called Thomas.

He’s very protective over his sister, his family and friends in general. He’s grateful with his family, because they gave him another opportunity to live and have a family he was denied when he was born. If he feels his family or friends are in danger he won’t doubt to act. Sometimes if that means get physical he wouldn’t mind, and there was a time in which Áaron lost control and turn himself into his wolf form and almost kill somebody that was threatening his  friend Thomas. He once got in trouble as a child by punching a girl in the stomach, since she was talking shit about the ghouls.

Other than that…he’s pretty smart and knows when to act.

Background:

Áaron arrived to Ariadna’s and Kino’s life after six years of marriage. During that time Ariadna and Kino tried having children of their own, but never succeded. Ariadna felt really sad that she couldn’t have a baby and so dedicated herself to help the ghouls. During one night, they heard an explotion in a nearby village. Ariadna sneaked out the house to see what happened and when she got there she saw a huge catastrophy. The houses were on flames and no one seem to have survived. Yet Ariadna heard the cry of a baby and when she follow it, she found a woman from the wolf clan in a terrible state. The woman was the baby’s mother and had used her own body to shield her baby. Yet a group of rebels found them and since the baby was the product of an unwanted relationship, the rebels were ordered to kill him and all witnesses. The woman before dying asked Ariadna to take care of her baby since he was supposed to be dead, she died assure and happy her baby would be safe.

As time went by no one seemed to claimed the baby and Ariadna couldn’t help but getting attached to the baby as her own desire to be a mother. Kino wasn’t very keen of the idea, but Ariadna convince him since they themselves couldn’t be parents. Ariadna spoiled Áaron and was so patience and loving that soon people truly believed it was her actual child. Three years later Victoria arrived showing that Ariadna and Kino indeed were able to conceive, but no one knows why they couldn’t earlier.  Áaron was fascinated with Victoria and might be the reason as to why he developed a liking to children.

Time passed and Áaron grew as a normal boy and met his girlfriend Kyoka, a human girl which he loved dearly… until the day she passed away due to a terrible accident. Since then Áaron understood why demons and human shouldn’t bond and decided to never get himself into a similar situation…besides no one seems to be like his beloved Kyoka and that’s for the best. From that day forward Áaron became more protective over his family but mostly over Victoria which is very naïve and reckless sometimes…he needs to constantly save her from some situations. Ariadna still hopes for the right girl to break down Áaron’s walls and heal his broken heart.

If you were wondering…yes, Áaron looked for his biological father, but only Ariadna and Áaron knows what happened. Áaron hated finding the truth, but decided it was for the best to forget about it. His life was difficult enough as to make it harder.

Relationships:

Victoria: unlike his sister he knows how to behave and not to stand. He’s always sent to look after his sister and saves her butt whenever gets in trouble. Best friends, he knows everything about her and seems to be the only one that completly understands her…teases her nonstop and won’t hesitate to tell her the crude truth. Hates that she always has a “friend” that only uses her to try to get close to him, but he always know how to identify them and tells them he isn’t interested and to leave her sister alone.

Ariadna: EXTREMLY CLOSE TO HER. Don’t mess with Ariadna or you’ll get in trouble. Since he has memory Ariadna is loving and understanding with him. He admires her: not only raising two children, while himself wasn’t even hers, but helping the ghouls and finally working. She always makes time for them and he knows she’s always for him, he always go for her for advice and was his support during his process of healing.

Kino: At first Kino was a little distant with Áaron and was constantly alert, since he thought Áaron was like some kind of bait to harm Ariadna. Once he saw Áaron literally had no one left, he started to warm up. When he was little he spent a lot of time with Kino, yet Áaron chose Ariadna in the end. He was strict with him and during his “difficult time” he always put him in line. Although Kino was the one that introduced him to the videogames and encouraged his liking for motorbikes…by accident to Ariadna’s dislike. He goes to him when is something men to men related stuff. Kino still tries to convince Áaron to name him his favorite.

“Áaron: give up dad…You have Victoria already!

Kino: It doesn’t matter! I’m better than your mom.

Áaron: Nah~ Mom is cooler

Kino: Who was it that bought your motorbike?

Áaron: Are you blackmailing me? Btw it was mom~

Kino: But thanks to whom you start liking them?

Áaron: If I’m not incorrect mom still doesn’t forgive you for that idea…I think you shouldn’t presume it in front of her ¬¬“

Girls: STAY AWAY FROM HIM IF YOU DON’T WANT TO PASS FOR A BAD MOMENT. Ariadna always got angry whenever she was called due to his bad attitude. She made him promise to improve and if she was ever call again she would sell his motorbike specifically to a girl.

Yuuri: He sees him as an uncle and he’s greatful for him being around all this years with his parents. He admires his patience and loyalty and helps him cook whenever he cans.

Any of his cousins: He’s the cool cousin~

“Want to go to a party? Cool I’ll take you”

“Want to have a ride? Sure, I don’t mind. But ask for permission, it’s annoying dealing with angry parents”

Children: Áaron has a weak spot for children…something unusual and contradictory.

“random little boy: Áaron! Someone is bulling me at school!

Áaron: who is it that is bothering you? *takes out his knife* Just show him this and problem solved~

Ariadna: Áaron! what the hell are you doing?! Be a good example!

Áaron: It was a joke mother ¬¬

Random little boy: I’ll tell them I’m your friend and he’ll leave me alone!

Áaron: That works too…”

END.

*Mun Ari: That’s it! So yeah~ technically you are now welcome to ask Áaron whatever you want~ I think I have issues since I can’t help myself to write some tragic and drama…LOL ^^'

[shitloadsofwrestling]

Anthony Carelli issues statement regarding Jim Cornette incident [October 10th, 2017]

In 2005, an incident occurred at Ohio Valley Wrestling that ended with student Anthony Carelli (later known as Santino Marella) being slapped by Jim Cornette, which led to Cornette being fired from OVW. 12 years later, after a multitude of burials from Cornette, he finally came face to face with Carelli last weekend at the XICW Cobo Legends convention, in an incident that was caught on camera. Carelli later issued the following statement:

Hi everyone, ok so here’s my one-and-only official statement regarding Cornette. He can definitely dish it out so lets see if he can take it too.  You will soon identify a reoccurring theme here, he’s complete bullshit, from head to toe.  My original stance from day one was to just let him rant and NOT to stoop to his level, and I tried to for a long time, but sometimes a brother gots to set things straight.  Its important to note that Cornette has been lying for so long about all this stuff that he actually believes it like an actually memory.   Some would say he’s a good bull-shitter.  But it’s actually called being a compulsive liar.  

12 years ago I moved to Louisville to train at OVW, after a month of the beginners class I was invited to the intermediate class where I would train with the legendary Rip Rogers.  At that time I was also invited to come and watch an OVW TV taping.  Upon arrival to my first ever TV taping I was told I could sit in the student area in the audience.  Keep in mind I’m with my daughter and simply a member of the audience, or so I thought.

The show starts, its great, and then there’s the debut of the bogeyman who was supposed to leave the arena through an emergency door directly behind us, no one gave me the 411, so as bogeyman was leaving he turned right towards us and I thought he was gonna do me a solid and scare my daughter thus creating a memory that she would never forget, so as a dad I was pretty stoked, and yes I was definitely smiling.  The bogeyman then jars the guard rail, we all run, and he exits out the door.  It’s all on YouTube if you care to see it. Actually I encourage one to do so, so you can see for yourself that I’m not laughing.  Hence BS #1.  There was never any agenda to the whole thing.  I wasn’t trying to be anything other than a fan.   I wasn’t part of the show, heck it was my first time there for show.  Gosh when I look back now I was so green to everything but I was definitely enjoying a pro-wrestling show with the rest of the audience.  The eagerness, the learning, the dedication, they’re all fond memories.    

I’m then summoned to the back where Cornette is flipping out and proceeds to slap me several times.  He claims 17 but lets just call that Bullshit #2.  I had no idea what he was even talking about.  I remember saying just that, which of course got him even more mad.  I remember him saying “you are nothing in this business”, and I’m like yeah no shit I literally just signed up here a month ago lol.  He knew I couldn’t do anything, he took complete advantage of the situation, and he assaulted someone, period, and probably should have been arrested and charged for that matter.  He acted completely unprofessional and very much disrespected the business he claims to love, I say claims to love cause all he ever does is go on completely negative rants about various aspects and his personal opinions.  All that hatred and negativity must be such a heavy burden to carry around all the time.  He has become his own prison sentence, left to marinade in his own negative filth.  Thank God he has become a non-entity and quite frankly irrelevant for some time now.  His overall contribution to the industry has been quite damaging and by no means, is he an authority.  He was merely tolerated and permitted, by real men, to be around the business during one of the best eras in history.  Hey don’t get me wrong I’m not an authority either but I’ve been around great men in this business that truly are and trust me he is NOT on that list.  Most people in the industry generally think him of as an asshole and loser today.  Most, but not all.  There are those few that do like him and that’s 100% fine by me.      

He also said that Bogeyman was furious at me and wanted to kick my ass, so years later and after I got to know Marty pretty well I asked him about that night and he said he was just upset at his “wardrobe malfunction”.  They failed to calculate the effect that the ring lights would have on Bogyman’s makeup and it was proving to be an issue.  Thus the original source of that segment��s frustration is what I always thought.  So what are we at now, BS #3?

Cornette was subsequently fired and pretty much resented me ever since.  I don’t hate him. I don’t hate anyone but he was in the wrong and everyone knows it, especially him.  That is why he so desperately tries to put me down and make excuses as to why he acted the way he did.  The answer is simple Jim, because you are and insecure poor excuse of a man.  

I would get asked about it from time to time but mostly down played it as it really didn’t bother to too much.  I’ve endured much more than a slap, or 7, in my life.  I actually do have a few friends in the business that still like Cornette so I thought that perhaps we could have had a good working relationship if things had been different.  I was not opposed to learning from him, in fact I regret not being able to.  I was taught to respect my elders in life in general, and my seniors in the pro-wrestling business, and until this moment I have.      

Fast forward 10 years and I’m now forced to retire due to 2 neck surgeries.  My WWE career was a dream come true, an amazing 10 year chapter in my life, and I am forever grateful to all the fans all over the world.  I sacrificed everything important to me and risked it all to make it.  I gave it more than 100% and am quite proud to say that I made it on my own merit.  When I got hired almost 2 years after the incident and thanked Johnny Ace for not holding the incident against me he didn’t even know what I was referring to.  I had to actually remind him, which was nice cause it reassured me that my employment was by my own hand.   So trying to say that I was gifted my job is a big pile of BS, #4 in fact, and Cornette knows that too.  I get it, it’s quite simple, he’s just trying to press my buttons and stay relevant.  However it’s the time I spent away from my daughter that I will not allow him to diminish.        

My intention was not to be a comedy wrestler, (check out my Boris Alexiev videos on YouTube) but I was given a once in a lifetime opportunity and I ran with it, just like anyone would do in my position.  Looking back I actually love the fact that I was able to bring laughter into people’s homes, and for so many years.  It’s entertainment.  It’s my absolute favorite thing to hear from fans, that I made their family laugh.  I think laughter is the greatest indicator of having a good time.  I don’t know if he was just jealous because he was not athletic enough to make it in the ring as a wrestler or what, but he’s definitely made some poor comments over the years.  I actually heard through a pretty good source that he can’t even cast a fishing rod.  Now that’s uncoordinated.  You might as well hand your balls in if you can’t cast a fishing rod.  Look I’ve been given the stamp of approval by people that actually matter so I’m able to rest well at night when it comes to my in ring ability.  Sorry buddy but comedy is an essential component of Sports Entertainment.  Honestly shouldn’t you actually know that?  And btw Kay Fabe was ruined long before I ever laced up my boots.  I too wished it hadn’t been, but it is what it is.   We work with what we have, whenever we get our chance to do so.  The business has evolved, and it will continue to evolve.  Those that can’t adapt, can’t evolve, get left behind.  And please don’t hate on WWE, it makes you look really pathetic.  Vince has done a million times more for this business than you will ever be credited for.  Bottom line is he is one of the most successful people in the world, and well you are definitely not Vince.  Put it this way, when I grow up I wanna be like Vince, but if I ever end up like you, I will consider my life a failure.  

Little does Jim know that all those countless negative comments and rants just make him look like an unconfident bitter person that has no class.  That is why I never made a big deal about it because he was already doing a great job of tarnishing his own legacy.  He shits on the comedic component and my in ring ability but duh I’m from OVW so he’s actually shitting on himself and the company that he partly owns.  He’s also shitting on his “friends” Rip, Danny, and Al, that all had a hand in my development and training, plus I can list off many great and iconic comedic wrestlers, 1st and foremost however is the late great Bobby Heenan.  Now you try and tell me that he had no place in wrestling and well I would have to say that you really don’t know as much as I thought you did about Pro-Wrestling Mr. Cornette.        

So one day I see that I got a voicemail from my friend Josh in Tennessee, then I get a text saying “omg I’m so sorry I didn’t know he was going to do that” then I get a call from Josh and he’s all upset about Jim Cornette tricking him in to calling me and then taking the phone from Josh and going on one of his classic rants.  Keep in mind I’m still in bandages fresh out of neck surgery so yeah I’m a little shocked that he could actually stoop this low.

So I mention the message he left in my shoot interview with Rob Feinstein and after it circulated a few people left messages for Cornette on social media letting him know what they thought of what he did.  So now his panties are all bunched up, yet again, and he goes off on his podcast actually denying the whole thing.  A blatant lie told to all of his loyal listeners, BS #5.  I guess he was ashamed of what he did so he just pretended it didn’t happen, and then proceeds to say again it anyway, lol, duh you just stooged yourself off shmarts.  Anyhow no skin off my back, it is what it is, and then he proceeds to call me midget, goof, etc. lol come on Jim you are known for a tennis racket, please tell me you are kidding me when you call me a clown, you were a red nose shy of being the biggest clown in wrestling history.  I think they call that “projecting”, like when he accuses me of disrespecting the business, when in reality its all he ever does.  He also stated that he will slap again the next time he sees me.

Fast forward to the Cobo Centre in Detroit last Saturday and his table is just 2 tables down from mine, so I know at some point we will have a chance to meet, as in actually meet, for the first time, since I don’t consider our first interaction an actual meeting, because no greetings and pleasantries were exchanged etc.

As I’m heading back down the hallway after I got a bite to eat, its Jim and I walking straight towards one another and no one is around, what a perfect opportunity to talk it over and hopefully hash things out.  I say Hello sir and I extend my hand to shake hands.  After all why not, peace is better then enemies right?  Its funny he looked shocked to hear my real voice, lol, mark.  He then proceeds to try to tell me about what happened 12 years ago like I wasn’t there lol, insults me, disrespects me, and then tries to walk away.  I remember being disappointed in how poorly he was dressed that day.  He made no effort at all to make himself presentable to meet his fans, visibly dirty clothing and in poor health I actually felt bad for him, until he decided to be a piece of garbage once again.  I said to him that I was hoping we could walk away from this with a new found respect for one another after possibly talking it out, and that I always regretted not learning from him.  I always hope for the best in people, like my mom.   He laughed and said that he had no respect for me, called me a joke, and that he should slap me again, that’s when I said to myself fuck this guy, there is no way in hell he’s going to punk me off after what he did all those years ago, so I said “do it” “please”, “slap me again and see what happens” trust me Jim it was not so that I could “sue” you. That’s what you see in the video.  Me cutting him off and saying “do it then”.  You cant make a claim like that and then walk away, at least not where I’m from.    It was at that moment that I saw his true colours.  He tried to run away and actually cried out for security.  I guess his wrestling instincts kicked in because he was a classic heal, brave guy when back up is around, but when its just him and the baby-face alone at the end, he begged off.  What happened to slapping me the next time you saw me Jim?  Then when he saw a fan and or security personnel his mock bravery started to kick in and he started to put on a show, Cornette style.  He was a complete bitch as I expected he would be, if it ended up going down this way, and when it was just the 2 of us, nose to nose, eye to eye, quite frankly a coward.  And believe you me I called him those exact words to his face “coward” and “bitch” and all he did was turn another shade of red.  He knows in his heart that I saw it in his eyes.  He can never say anything about it again because he backed down after shooting his mouth off so that’s BS # shit I lost count.  He also said publically that he decided to leave when we all know he was kicked out, escorted out in fact.  Taken out like the trash that he is.  So don’t forget to add another one to the BS list.   It was the perfect ending, the bully got what he deserved in the end.  

Sorry to all the fans that came out to the convention and show.  I really tried to put it all behind us.  Cornett had other plans.  Sometimes we just have to take a stand.

I hope the show was still a blast, well I’m sure it was because there were a great bunch of guys performing that night!

So I now get to have some closure from the original incident.  I get to return to my wonderful Canadian life, and come home to my hot Polish fitness model wife.  This week we are going camping up north to enjoy the beauty of mother nature, kayaking, hiking, fishing etc . . . . . let me guess you’re gonna go on a few rants this week.   Truly pathetic bro, sad, but hey enjoy them cause for a brief moment people are taking about you.  And we all know how important that is to you.  In the wrestling business you are always one headline away from having your spotlight taken away.  And since the shield has reunited . . . .well I guess its gone.

The End!    

Sincerely (so help me Jesus)

Anthony Carelli

[otome--gokoro]

Yaaassss! NSFW request

@han-pan THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE ONLY NON-SLBP REQUEST I GOT. Kenichiro is my Okko bias please send them my way!! Btw I’m reading Kakeru’s route right now and I want to slap him lmao

skin to skin

Summary: Separation leads to desperation. [Kenichiro/MC, NSFW, 1662 words, title from Ariana Grande’s Dangerous Woman]

He slowed down his thrusts, making her whimper and rake her nails down his back in frustration.

He had been away on a business trip for nearly three weeks, and the timezone difference had prevented them from speaking much. His plane had landed in the afternoon, and after dropping his luggage off and taking a shower, he had headed straight to office. The sexual tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife the moment their eyes met, only to dissipate in an instant at the sound of Natsume clearing his throat pointedly.

She had come up to him, smiling shyly, cheeks pink from Natsume’s teasing amusement. He brushed his fingers against her wrist lightly in return. He wished he could do more, but the other employees were coming over to welcome him back, chattering away cheerfully.

Later in the evening, he had spotted her on the way back from the storage room, arms full of files. He couldn’t resist. Pulling her into a nearby deserted meeting room, he grabbed the files from her and dumped them in a haphazard pile on the table. Before he could step closer to her, she was already pressing against him of her own volition, her arms winding around his neck. She kissed him fervently. He put one arm around her waist and placed his other hand on the back of her head, refusing to let her back away.

“Mm- Kenichiro, we’re still at work!” She murmured reproachfully. He loosened his grip and smirked down at her.

“Fine words from someone who attacked me.” He raised an eyebrow suggestively. She swatted at his shoulder, shaking her head vigorously in protest.

“You pulled me in here!”

“Well, I wasn’t the one who started the kissing,” he chuckled, burying his face in her hair. He breathed in the familiar smell of her floral shampoo, savouring it.

“Uh, still, what if someone sees? We can’t go any further, this is the office!” She avoided meeting his eyes.

“…then let’s just go home,” he breathed into her ear, making her squirm. It wasn’t that late yet, but it was certainly past official work hours. She didn’t reply verbally, but he felt her nod.

They started making out the moment Kenichiro’s apartment door closed behind them, clumsily kicking off their shoes and dropping their bags on the floor. They stumbled over to the couch together, her hands tugging at his tie while he pulled her hair tie off, fluffing her hair out. He loved making her disheveled. His girl always looked so trim and calm and perfectly put-together, and he liked ruining it. Her messy hair, smudged lipstick, crumpled clothes - it was all because of him, and him alone.

They stripped each other impatiently, craving the sensation of bare skin on skin. There was a time for taking things slow and savouring the experience, but this wasn’t it. He teased at her breasts while she ran her hands all over him, making her way down his body. Her fingers closed around his cock and he sucked in a deep breath, shuddering as she began to pump.

“Kenichiro…” she looked up at him flirtatiously, fluttering her eyelashes. He groaned. He was a complete sucker for that look, and she knew it.

“Mmm… Someone’s eager today.” He slipped a hand in between her legs. She was already slick, and probably had been since their kiss at the office. He rubbed around her entrance teasingly. She squirmed in protest and retaliated by letting go of him.

“Well, if you don’t want to-” He interrupted her with a passionate kiss, thrusting his tongue into her coy, sulky mouth and pushing two fingers into her simultaneously. She whimpered, wrapping her legs loosely around his waist as he pushed her down onto the couch.

“I do, you know I do, of course,” he released her with one last nip at her lower lip, admiring her kiss-swollen mouth. He left a trail of kisses from her ear down to her jaw and neck. Red marks bloomed at this places he sucked and worried at with his teeth, and he eyed them appreciatively. Nothing that wouldn’t fade by morning, but still intensely satisfying.

She spat into her hand and gripped his cock again, jerking him faster this time. He couldn’t resist thrusting into her hand, but tried to concentrate on stretching her around his fingers.

“This is going to be over really soon if you keep doing that,” he groaned, nuzzling his face into the valley between her breasts and inhaling. He could smell a slight hint of her body soap, her perfume, and sweat- sweat that she was working up because of him. A sense of primal satisfaction surged through him.

“Then come on, let’s do it already, I’m ready,” she gritted her teeth, holding back her moans as he withdrew his fingers and began toying with her clit. She tried to twitch away from him, but he had her pinned firmly. He looked down at her, admiring the flushed smoothness of her skin and the defenceless way she sprawled beneath him.

“So that’s how you want it today, huh?” He certainly wasn’t going to protest. He pushed her legs wider, pinning her hands above her head with his other hand. He thrust into her in one quick movement, and she squealed.

He fucked her, hips pumping rapidly. She felt so good around him, clenching tight around him reflexively. The dry spell of the past three weeks had him on the edge already, primed and raring to go. But he didn’t want to come so quickly, not when he hadn’t satisfied her yet. He slowed down his thrusts, making them long and deep.

She cried out in protest, scratching hard at his back. Caught up in the moment, he barely felt any pain, but there would probably be some nice nail marks to admire the next morning.

“Don’t tease me, Kenichiro, please!” She cupped his face in her hands and pulled him towards her, kissing him desperately. Her tongue flickered out and toyed with his. She wrapped her arms around his back and pulled him down towards her, arching up to press her breasts against his chest. She whined and rubbed against him, needy.

“You know I can’t deny you when you’re acting like that.” Raising his body, he pulled out and flipped her over quickly, enjoying her anxious cry of protest. He settled her on her hands and knees as she panted for air. “Let me take care of you.”

He draped himself flush over her back, maximising skin contact. He fucked her just the way she liked, steady and strong and deep. Her cries of encouragement only fuelled his desire further. When she was teetering on the edge, he rubbed her clit, whispering for her to come on his cock, to come for him, and she did, screaming. He groaned as she tightened around him, and before she had even finished coming, she was on her back again.

She shuddered in overstimulation, sensitive as he thrust into her hard and fast, intent on chasing his own orgasm. She didn’t mind.

“You always feel so good, Kenichiro,” she sighed sweetly into his ear. He groaned at her praise, biting down on her shoulder as he spilled into her. He lay on top of her, limp and content as she kissed his forehead, his eyes, his nose, his cheeks, then finally his lips.

“I missed you so much. I love you,” she whispered, resting her chin on his shoulder. It was hardly the first time she had said it, but he always felt an answering rush of love well up in him when she did.

“I love you, too,” he replied. He rubbed his cheek against hers affectionately.

“Now, carry me to bed.” She laughed, and he smiled.

—

He was rudely awoken by her shaking his shoulder and patting at his cheeks urgently.

“Oh my God, we’re late, we’re late, wake up!” She barely paused to make sure that his eyes were open before she was off the bed, making a beeline for the bathroom. He rubbed his eyes, yawning, before the weight of her exclamation sank in. Glancing at the clock on his bedside table, he winced. They were definitely already late.

He raced through his morning routine, using the bathroom and brushing his teeth, until he was interrupted by a shriek. She was rummaging through the drawers desperately.

“Where’s my underwear?! I changed clothes here the last time I came, there should be at least one pair!” She looked horrified, searching the drawer designated for her use again and again, as though it would magically turn up. He frowned. She straightened up and turned towards him, an identical frown furrowing her brow.

“Did you… not do the laundry before you went off?”

He winced. It was possible that he hadn’t. Actually, he definitely hadn’t. Seeing the guilt on his face, she flew at him, pounding his shoulder.

“I don’t have any underwear! What am I going to do!?”

“Um… Buy some?” He lowered his eyebrows apologetically, catching her fists in his palms. She glowered at him.

“We’re already late, we don’t have time to stop and buy them!”

“Then… Go without?” He suggested brightly. Her jaw dropped.

“That- I can’t possibly do that! Plus I’m wearing a dress today!” She flushed, but he couldn’t tell if it was out of outrage or embarrassment.

“You could think of it as punishment for me? You can walk around all day without your panties, and I’ll have to watch you and know exactly what’s going on, but I won’t be able to touch you…” His lips curled in a mischievous smirk. He was much older than her, but he couldn’t control himself around her, and honestly, he didn’t really want to. She brought out aspects of him that he never wanted to show to anyone else.

She swatted at him again, huffing in protest.

[thechroniclesofanoverpacker-blog]

Week 1: Pisaq

It has been a crazy few weeks, leaving very little time and energy to force myself to sit and write about my experience here, but I have finally successfully forced myself to wake up early before work to at least get something written down onto virtual paper. SO, here it goes...the continuation of this epic story...

It took three flights to get to Cusco. I have to say, I was super super happy with the experience. Usually I am the absolute worst flying parter. I get scared and anxious, I jump at the smallest piece of turbulence, and i’m just packed with an unnecessary amount of nerves. BUT, these flights were all smooth (!!!), giving me hope that so would this trip. 

Quick Summation of my flights: Got to airport, met Katie (pictured) who is super sweet and awesome and will soon be a good friend on this trip, get &pizza (huge mistake should have gone for five guys because I would soon learn that the burgers here are seriously lacking), sat on a plane, watched some movies, got my bag checked for free (heck yea), met the others in Miami, flew to Lima, got to check out Lima (JOKES we stayed there for approx 25 min with like the sister or cousin of our program director and her husband??? Idk they helped us get through the maze that is Lima airport (guardian angels actually because there is no way we would have made the flight)...btw the air is pretty smoggy there, not like China, but would have needed a lung salt treatment again, flew to Cusco on a small ass plane (should have been scared but the Gods blessed me with sleep exhaustion so fear was not a  thing, arrive in Cusco and I am immediately offered these dry leaves that I would soon learn would save me in more ways than one.

OK so we are in Cusco.... THEN WE LEAVE CUSCO hahaha tricked you. We board a bus, get our first cup of Coca Tea (remember those green leaves? Yeah tea made from those) then we are driven right out of the city to a small town called Pisaq. Apparently, if we had stayed in Cusco that night, even with the altitude medicine (that continuously woke me up in the middle of the night with numb fingers and toes) we would have been screwed up with altitude sickness and unable to do anything until we got used to being thousands of feet above sea level. FUN FACT: DC is 410 feet above sea level and Cusco is 11151.575!!! ELEVEN THOUSAND HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE (looked this up while typing this...still overwhelmed and been here many a day)!!!

Anyway Pisaq is a lit little city in what is called the Sacred Valley. It is Sacred because the biggest mountains you have ever seen create a valley in which the Incans believed gave life to a piece of land that had sacred soil, soil given to them by the sun god. This strip of land in the valley makes up the little towns of Pisaq and Ollantaytambo and is extremely hot with the direct sunlight that the mountains offer. The Incans believed the land was given to them by this Sun God in order to have sacred crops to feed their people. (Pictured)

When we arrived in Pisaq we stayed in a beautiful hotel called the Royal Inka Hotel and when we arrived we were embraced in the grandeur of an Incan statue holding a rainbow flag!! I was like WHAT!! This is the most liberal South American city I have ever been too! Soon I would realize that the Cusco’s flag is apparently the opposite of the gay pride flag, my sister made sure to make the distinction so I would not be confused in the future. 

Once settled and at the hotel we all crashed, the altitude sickness is real I tell you, and we all felt it hard. We slept for hours until our orientation class started. Our orientation classes were taught by our directors: Milli, Alex (pictured), Anita and Julia. It went over everything we needed to know from host families, to bus safety, to general safety tips and guidelines. 

HOWEVER, one of the orientation lessons was straight out of a What Duke Wouldn’t Let You Do Handbook...and it happened to be one of the funnest experiences while in Pisaq. Pretty much, our directors told us to wake up early one day and meet in the lobby of the hotel. They gave us phones, precharged, a list of instructions and a city to visit to complete these instructions and some money...then they were just like GO find your way there my young children, and we were off!! Every four people had a different town to visit outside of Pisaq and somehow we had to get there using public transportation (which is wild btw) and complete our task and meet back at the hotel. This was MISSION IMPOSSIBLE type of shit for us...believe me. We crammed into a small mini-bus, which we HOPED was a real bus, to be honest we had no idea, but now I know transportation here is all mini buses. We all got on, and what we didnt know was that we had to yell BAJA when we got to our stop, but we ignorantly thought just telling the driver beforehand was enough....it wasnt...we missed our stop and had to take another bus in the opposite direction...A LEARNING EXPERIENCE!!! Fortunately we all got to our towns safely, however our task was to buy fruit and absolutely none of them were in season so we went home empty handed....not salty or anything. 

Well that pretty much sums up the week and a half we were getting used to the altitude in Pisaq!! I mean there is a lot more but I can’t think of it right now. I’ll add some edited notes at the bottom if I can think of anything more interesting to say about this beautiful little town and my experience there!

P.S We ate every meal a t this tourist restaurant called Ulrike’s and the menu was in English so I feel like that is when you really know...especially because like 80% of the people inside it were gringos. Everything there food-wise is kind of EH but MY GOD the CARROT CAKE and Quinoa soup are the best things on the menu so just get that....you might be disappointed with the veggie lasagna. Who wants meatless lasagna anyways (besides Anna who is a vegetarian here...idk how she does it). Btw tried alpaca for the first time here....surprisingly good for the fact that it is 1) alpaca and 2) it is red meat with 0 cholesterol

ciao ciao 

[magicaltrapslover-blog]

Compiled Web Forums On Magical Traps (Mahou Shounen)

Greetings!

I've Googled and Binged this search term and constantly end up with scattered partial and often mislabeled references. I'm seeking any listings of boys/men who transform into Magical-Girls/Traps in Anime or Manga to compile a complete one. If anyone can direct me to such listings I'd be most grateful.

Thanks for any tips!

Location: Two Steps from Hell.

Kampfer - I'm a bit skeptical to calling this a true magical girl show but it has elements of that. It's largely a comedy.

Gonna be the Twin-Tail! - I actually haven't watched this show so I can't provide any thoughts.

There's also a show this season that is what you're looking for but I can't recall its name. . .

Ohg, there's also KoreZom (known affectionately as Korean Zombie Desk Car to fans) which is more a parody of the magical girl genre. It's not exactly a Magical-Girl/Trap thing but crossdressing (purposefully!) as one.

Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)

The one this season is Magical Girl Raising Project.

There's also Is This A Zombie? which may be the most infamous case since he still looks like a guy but is dressed like a magical girl.

Location: Frisco, TX

EmbraceMe wrote:

I don't know if the moderators will want us to post information/thoughts on the shows but I know of two (maybe a bit more). In the case they do want us to avoid listing, I'll edit this post later.

It's fine. It's not like we see very many requests for "recommendations, so opinionate away! Back to top  

DuskyPredator It...it's not like I post for you or anything!

Location: Brisbane, Australia

No mention yet of Cute High Earth Defense Club Love!, a parody anime which has a group of boys transform into girly magical girl like forms?

As mentioned above there was Kampfer and Gonna be the Twin Tail which had gender swapping with a transformation. Plus the big gimmick mentioned of with the main character of Kore wa Zombieturning into a magical girl with the costume to get power, but still looking like a dude.

I might count some jokes in Baka Test of a male character an magical girl transformation (plus guy who looks like a girl). I can't remember if it specifically had some, but I know that there is some crossdressing cute boy character and parodies including magical girls in Ebiten, but someone else would have to confirm it. Not sure if you would count it, but Gatchaman Crowds has some similarities to magical girls, although a bit more shounen, and Rui is a male character who almost always dresses as a girl. Chuunibyou's second season had a male character dress up as a magical girl, being noted as pretty I think. The short form Himegoto has a lot crossdressing, a male character does get dressed as a magical girl. The title male character from Hayate the Combat Butler has been made into a magical girl before.

There are a few others I am aware of that have crossdressing but not necesarilly anything that looks like a magical girl, or another that has a magical girl like transformation sequence but does not end up looking particularly feminine. Back to top  

maxlance

Thanks to you all! Your recommendations are just the leads I'm looking for to create a complete summarized list of this niche genre so don't doubt how accurate your suggestions were! You're hitting in the ballpark! Thanks all! 

Back to top

Dessa

 loathe to admit it, since it was such a horrible change from the manga, and Sensei herself hated it as well, but Sailormoon Stars.

The male pop idols the Starlights transform into female Senshi (note that their original form is female, the male human forms are the false forms). Back to top  

Newbie9

I vaguely recall one where there's a guy who's being chased by enemies of a warrior princess who he's the reincarnation of but not sure if she was magical. Back to top

Chiibi

Dessa wrote:

I'm loathe to admit it, since it was such a horrible change from the manga, and Sensei herself hated it as well, but Sailormoon Stars.

The male pop idols the Starlights transform into female Senshi (note that their original form is female, the male human forms are the false forms).

Personally, I think the Stars anime arc was WAY better than the one in the manga. Everybody had more personality and the last battle was just amazing.

What's horrible about that change? Unless you're a yuri fan. Which I'm not.

Three women tricking EVERYONE into thinking they are a boy band simply by crossdressing makes zero sense....besides, that's the opposite of what girls like. lol  

Location: China (Searching for Jusenkyo)

@OP: Since magical girl transformations are usually magical, are you interested in anime about boys that become female while they are magical girls? There are a couple manga titles (or perhaps more) fitting this description but in one of them the author never specifically reveals whether he actually becomes female or not. Back to top  

maxlance

Past wrote: @OP: Since magical girl transformations are usually magical, are you interested in anime about boys that become female while they are magical girls? There are a couple manga titles (or perhaps more) fitting this description but in one of them the author never specifically reveals whether he actually becomes female or not.

I'm avoiding from limiting the field and taking in the total concept that if the male appears to the public as a magic girl, whether via real transformation (finding surprisingly beautiful guy into magic girl henshin sequences like Twintails) or trapping it, it goes. Granted, there're more difficult plot reasons just why a guy would super-trap it though I do dimly recall reading from far back - and I'm sure the anime concerned was "Princess Knight" -- that one of its original concepts was a martial artist/swordsman boy who does Zorro trap style to evade any suspicion. (It harkens to my Eng Lit days when I learned the original Victorian-age manuscript of the "Blue Lagoon" novel had sibling main characters, not more conventionally palatable cousins...)

If there were a m-f counterpart to "1/2 Prince", that'd make one nice TG "henshin" show with more serious plots and deep characters; with VRMMO anime so hot I'm surprised this character device hasn't played out more by now like in Log Horizon. There're quite a few transgender henshin one scene gags in a few older anime that's very difficult to catch -- it'd mean literally viewing every anime made because such scenes were never "indexed" for the web. But whether via magic or VR, it'd like to see a TG henshin story played straight that would involve all kinds of personal and social complications than shy them.

Anyway thanks for the input!! Back to top

Past

Location: China (Searching for Jusenkyo) 

maxlance wrote: Anyway thanks for the input!! When you said TG it made me think of Jun from Happiness! While I don't want to say that any fanservicey or silly show about magical girls with traps represents the transgender experience in any way, Jun is without a doubt a boy who'd rather be a girl. In one episode where Jun is magically transformed into a girl it basically answers the question "What would happen if the prettiest girl in school, who is actually a boy actually became a girl?" Besides how could we not mention Jun Watarase in this thread? One of the epic traps in anime before traps became a thing. Back to top  

maxlance

Past wrote: maxlance wrote: Anyway thanks for the input!! When you said TG it made me think of Jun from Happiness! While I don't want to say that any fanservicey or silly show about magical girls with traps represents the transgender experience in any way, Jun is without a doubt a boy who'd rather be a girl. In one episode where Jun is magically transformed into a girl it basically answers the question "What would happen if the prettiest girl in school, who is actually a boy actually became a girl?" Besides how could we not mention Jun Watarase in this thread? One of the epic traps in anime before traps became a thing.

Good tip! Your lead that Jun did a magical girl gig (if only briefly in a OVA) made the list! Personally, I really believe that was really meant as a trial balloon to such a spin-off... By real-life experience I can see a trap being so insufferably cute that he becomes as popular to boys as girls. I recall a mention in Brazil where the teen trap was a mall lizard who got treated to movies and free video parlor games by schoolboys and it was (supposedly) a totally platonic date thrill thing. I think we're going to see similar here as social tolerances keep rising. Also your mention also prompts me to wish a show with a kind of "magical-girl guy" secret/clueless alter-life romance angle to stir the pot with, or even a club of magical-girl traps (secretly of ages up and down the scale) who uniquely have other things to do besides bumping another off. Back to top

Newbie9

At least one in The Magical Girl Raising Project. New. Back to top

Location: China (Searching for Jusenkyo)

Newbie9 wrote: maxlance wrote: or even a club of magical-girl traps (secretly of ages up and down the scale).

Works 4 me!! I think this is kind of what Mayo elle Otokonoko was supposed to be. A proposed anime series that never saw the light of day other than a PV that came with the opening song release. As far as I can tell it is either about a school comprised entirely of traps or has a trap club and permits male students to wear the girl's uniform but doesn't seem to have any sort of magical element.

Btw the song is totally cute and sung by the same person who sung the ending songs for other shows featuring traps such as Happiness! Otoboku and Steins;Gate.

Chuckbait wrote: At least one in The Magical Girl Raising Project. New.

Great catch! Thanks! La Pucelle about personified the ideal magical girl-guy philosophy. It's a shame La Pucelle skipped a Henshin sequence. (I'm seeking well done and tasteful guy into magic chick Henshin scenes on the side too.) I like Magical Girl Raising for bringing up the point that if the worlds inside anime/manga truly reflected their populations' sentiments and fantasies that there ought be a heck of lot more magical girl-guys than they portray. (Or maybe Kyubey doesn't know the sex switch trick like Favv does!  ) Back to top

maxlance

Past wrote: I think this is kind of what Mayo elle Otokonoko was supposed to be. A proposed anime series that never saw the light of day other than a PV that came with the opening song release. As far as I can tell it is either about a school comprised entirely of traps or has a trap club and permits male students to wear the girl's uniform but doesn't seem to have any sort of magical element.

Btw the song is totally cute and sung by the same person who sung the ending songs for other shows featuring traps such as Happiness! Otoboku and Steins;Gate.

Thanks for the really useful heads' up tip even though Mayo doesn't appear magical. It just seems peculiar to me that when yuri and yaoi and even sibsex are so pervasive in manga and anime that there's relatively so little dedicated work or even fan forums in the traps cuter than girls genre in general. Seems to me there's just as much meat for creative comedy and drama and offbeat variations there, especially when you include the VRMMO realm which kind of straddles reality and magical. (I have a gut feeling that SAO [and Log Horizon] willfully nipped any VR-trap storylines in the bud in the very first ep which I think was a mistake, as Magical Girl Raising shows can work well). An aside; I wish VR people educated people more that just attaching goggles to something optical doesn't make it "VR". There are pre-Xmas sales here in NYC of View-Masters and even binoculars being sold as VR devices.) Well, here's wishing for a anime trap convention OVA! Back to top

DuskyPredator It...it's not like I post for you or anything!

Location: Brisbane, Australia

maxlance wrote: Seems to me there's just as much meat for creative comedy and drama and offbeat variations there, especially when you include the VRMMO realm which kind of straddles reality and magical. (I have a gut feeling that SAO [and Log Horizon] willfully nipped any VR-trap storylines in the bud in the very first ep which I think was a mistake, as Magical Girl Raising shows can work well).

The second season of Log Horizon actually had something interesting with the character spoiler[Tetra]who could come as a surprise, but some like myself picked up the clues, that the characterspoiler[most like a magical girl, was originally a man]. Although the series kind of was always on the cusp of saying something. Back to top  

Newbie9 DuskyPredator wrote:

The second season of Log Horizon actually had something interesting with the character spoiler[Tetra] who could come as a surprise, but some like myself picked up the clues, that the character spoiler[most like a magical girl, was originally a man]. Although the series kind of was always on the cusp of saying something.

Yea, missed that! Luv s/he! Are VR traps like that way too flirty to really be straight? Back to top

maxlance

Greetings; I checked out DuskyPredator's Log Horizon tip and must say she-he is an interesting character, which brings up the fascinating psychology of how long and what a soul sealed up a different avatar over time will begin evolving into beyond their original personalities, maybe even becoming a new "backstory" to that character. To more directly answer Newbie, I'd guess the Log Horizon character in question was likely originally gay because I can't imagine someone else teasing and wildly flirting guys like that, though as I mentioned over time maybe that avatar and its social standing there will shape a new persona. Not really a magical girl-guy issue -- unless we have one trapped in Log Horizon to start with. VRMMO is the one "reality" way to have true magical girls and magical girl-guys. So the list goes on. Back to top

Errinundra Moderator

Joined: 14 Jun 2008 Posts: 4231 Location: Melbourne, Oz Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2016 4:49 pm

I've just watched this show. Birdy the Mighty has a school boy who shares his body with an alien female law enforcer. Normally he has the boy's appearance but, when necessary, transforms into the girl in order to deal with sundry villains. The show combines action and comedy. The transformations cause confusion for his family and his prospective girlfriend. They two personalities also hold internal conversations.

I haven't seen it yet, but I assume the remake - Birdy the Mighty Decode - has the same premise. Back to top    

ChibiKangaroo Birdy the Mighty is quite good. I'm not sure if it falls in this category just because i think boy + girl merging into one being or sharing a body is kind of its own thing, but it is similar.

Thanks for this head's up! Though not magic related the gender swapping aspect makes a list. Errinundra wrote: I've just watched this show. Birdy the Mighty has a school boy who shares his body with an alien female law enforcer. Normally he has the boy's appearance but, when necessary, transforms into the girl in order to deal with sundry villains. The show combines action and comedy. The transformations cause confusion for his family and his prospective girlfriend. They two personalities also hold internal conversations.

I haven't seen it yet, but I assume the remake - Birdy the Mighty Decode - has the same premise.

Thanks, a good mention, though not exactly a magical-girl theme, more like the "science girl" trap that's Twintails, but gender duality theme makes the honorable mention list. I'm kind of getting inspired to try doing a magical trap short myself, only I'm a lousy artist! Back to top

GoddessOtome I was gonna say La Pucelle from Magical Girl Raising Project.

Newbie9 GoddessOtome wrote: I was gonna say La Pucelle from Magical Girl Raising Project.

You mean Magical Girl RAZING Project!  

Happy New Year All!

I need help in an accurate translation for the titles of my listings for magical girl-guys and virtual girls/women. I'd appreciate any sage knowledge of whether the Japanese term "Mahou Shounen" actually literally translates out as either "male magical girls" or "males who transform into magical girls," and if there's a more accurate one please tip me. I found quite a few "male magical girls" are actually traps in magical girl guise which to me isn't quite the real deal though legit enough in topic.

Also for a parallel listing this topic has inspired, I'm seeking Japanese terms for "VR women who are men" and "VR trap" or "VR TG". I'm trying to discriminate in that you probably wouldn't qualify a male trapped as a female avatar in Log Horizon as actually being a trap which to me is more of a "lark adventure" situation (as originally happened in the 1st SAO ep) than a involuntary trapped "TG" situation as occurs in LH.

Thanks for any assist! Back to top

DuskyPredator It...it's not like I post for you or anything!

Joined: 10 Mar 2009 Posts: 11138 Location: Brisbane, Australia

Well "mahou shoujo" is literally "magic" and "girl", so "mahou shounen" should just be "magical boy". I think that I have seen it used to refer to a character like Chrono from Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, who is really a male version of what the titular character is. I think that if a male character turned into a girl they would be a full magical girl. But I still feel tempted to call Ayumu a magical girl despite his gender not changing.

@DuskyPredator

Some things in regards to KoreZom, I don't think they referred to themselves as Magical Girls (mahou shoujo). Instead the term was "masou shoujo" and the English equivalent translation of it, from the fansubs I've seen, was Magiclad Girl. So, yes, he's not a magical girl in many senses since he just, err, wears their garments.

@maxlance

I don't know of any Japanese equivalence for the terms you're looking for but the term I've seen used in papers and such is "gender swapping*" so hopefully that will aid you in finding a Japanese equivalence of the term.

*This terms refers to playing as the opposite gender in games.

EmbraceMe wrote: @DuskyPredator

Some things in regards to KoreZom, I don't think they referred to themselves as Magical Girls (mahou shoujo). Instead the term was "masou shoujo" and the English equivalent translation of it, from the fansubs I've seen, was Magiclad Girl. So, yes, he's not a magical girl in many senses since he just, err, wears their garments.

Oh, you're just splitting hairs here.  

Ayumu *is* a magical girl in every sense of the term. He's got a bloody HENSHIN SEQUENCE. Back to top

maxlance Greetings all and thanks for the feedback!

Can those in the lingo know straighten me out on phase usage? Google Translate is almost useless in providing me what "trap" (as in crossdresser) is In Japanese, never mind the full term "Magical Trap", or "Virtual Woman Man" like a guy's fem-VR avatar in LH, unless they have to be made up which ought be fun. Maybe some another language might be plastic enough to possess such terms! My listing does distinguish between true biologically changed guys into real magical girls (like Twintails) and those becoming "magical traps." I am also coming around to accepting fully mind swapped magical girl dudes as the real deal (say a brother mind-swaps his sis's to kindle her magical bod) if the situation calls it, along with multiple personality magical girl traps as being legit as well. Another category I might consider splitting off are "techno-magical magical traps" as in Twintails, as opposed pure magic magical traps as La Purcell in Magical Girl Raising. Supposedly there's a Sailor Moon magical girl guy in the works but have to dig that out.

Thanks for your input! Back to top

[dcnativegal]

Who is family? Who is my family?

Every year for something like two decades, I’ve received a Christmas card from Shizuko Saito. The card is always of high quality, sometimes opening into a 3D image like a Christmas tree. Who is she? The grandmother to my sister’s children. She lives on the island of Hokkaido in Japan. She has studied English, and although the translation is not perfect in her cards, the message gets across.

I send her something every year, too. I used to email her son, Akira, the words I wanted to say, and he’d translate them into Japanese and mail along with his own stuff. Lately, I’ve used google translator, and laboriously copied the kanji, knowing they probably look like barely legible chicken scratch to her. It’s appreciated, though, as I appreciate her effort, and her inclusion of me in her seasonal missives.

Her son and my sister have been divorced something like 12 years now, and have remarried other people. I haven’t seen Mrs. Saito in a very long time: the last time may have been at her first grandson’s funeral. He died of SIDS at 3 months in March of 1992. The Saitos hadn’t met Kazuki yet, alive. It was a very sad day.

I’d first met the Saitos when they visited Washington DC. They sat on our front porch on Sigsbee Place, a quiet one way street. It was before any of our children were born. As we chatted, suddenly Mr. Saito sprang up from the chair and ran downstairs to the side yard. It was twilight, and the lightning bugs were glowing in the grass. He fell to his knees, and exclaimed with joy. I believe he wept. His wife explained that he hadn’t seen fireflies since he was a child in prewar Japan. It was achingly dear to watch his delight. He passed away some years ago.

I have two nieces who are twins, born two days after my daughter in 1995. After their uncle and I divorced, I continued to acknowledge their birthdays with a card or a present. Mostly I sent them knit hats.  It’s been years since I’ve seen them in the flesh. My kids, their cousins, see them about once a year when they visit their paternal grandparents in California. One year, I gently demanded a letter of news in return for my gifts, and got two short but sweet notes in reply. Now there is Facebook, so I have a sense of what they’re doing.  Juniors in college, they just spent mind-blowing semesters overseas. It is a wonderful thing to watch them turn into interesting, progressive young women. (BTW, they are half-Chinese. It’s totally awesome that my kids’ cousins are all Asian.)

My kids’ father does not consider my sister’s children to be family anymore. I think that’s pretty common in divorced families. It’s usually the women who keep track of birthdays and probably do most of the gift shopping, isn’t it? I think of him as family, still. We co-parent beautifully, and couples counseling on how to divorce well really helped.  Sadly for me, i think he’d be fine with never seeing me again.  Sometimes one person in a two-person relationship considers the other to be family, and the other person does not.

Sometimes the designation of ‘family’ through marriage continues past the legal severing.

******

In August, I moved cat and possessions to what an old friend of mine calls Valville. There was nothing of mine in this county before I got here, although I do firmly claim 3 friends in Eugene (one of whom is Valerie’s first husband), a first cousin and a college friend in Portland. There is no one here in Lake County who is my legal or blood kin. In Valville, I am living within a few blocks of Val’s daughter, son in law, and grandchildren, when everyone is home from college or graduate school. There’s also a son of hers in the next county north, and another over the Cascades into ‘the Valley.’ There’s a kind and fascinating sister who lives in Klamath County, a few miles from a Valerie brother whom I met for the 2nd time in my entire life on the Feast of Stephen (12/26) just last Monday. Val has referred to him as ‘the holy brother.’ The youngest of her siblings, he evolved into the most conservative. His response to her coming out as a lesbian six years ago was one word: ‘stupid.’  I’ve been wary. But we were apparently invited to his traditional day after Christmas brunch. As she predicted, he was a gracious host, as was his wife, and his adult children, and his two adopted children who are being homeschooled. Valerie figures that his youngest son, who was born in Ethiopia, may have caused him to loosen up a little. Who knows. He exchanged about 10 sentences with just me alone. It was awesome fun to listen to Valerie and her sister tell stories about generations long gone.

Her blood kinfolks do not know me that well, yet. I knit or crocheted every one of them something for Christmas, including the new husband of Valerie’s niece, whom I hadn’t met yet.  I was hoping that they would know, from my labor on their behalf, that I respect and care about each one in their own right. Every single one is good people. I was surprised and delighted by their gifts to me, how included I was in the present-opening ritual. Christmas in Valville was great.

Sometimes, being ‘family’ is something one can earn, over time, if you’re lucky.

*****

On my drive west in August, my sister and I stopped to visit our first cousin who has lived in the “Disciplinary Barracks” at Fort Leavenworth Kansas since he was 19. He’s pushing 30 now. He is part of the tragic branch of my mother’s family. His parents are dead and two years ago his twin brother jumped off the apartment building he’d lived in. (We share a grandfather who was alcoholic, and a great grandfather who was a bigamist, not to mention the granduncle who killed himself, leaving 4 kids and a pregnant wife. I could go on….)  My cousin has a loving and generous half sister, and two cousins on his father’s side, that would be me and my sister, and one aunt and 2 cousins on his mother’s side. That’s it. In 2015, when he was granted a mistrial, and negotiated a plea bargain, I decided to drive all the way to Ft Benning Georgia to attend the hearings that would help determine his new sentence (which had previously been ‘life without parole’.) No other family member could come. What message would it send the sentencing judge if zero blood kinfolk bothered to attend?  Sitting on one side of the tiny courtroom, with three of his friends from high school, a surrogate mother who is a lawyer, and the people testifying on his behalf (a chaplain, a psychiatrist), it was dramatic to think that virtually everyone on the other side were related to the man he’d killed. Eight or nine people. His sentence was changed so that he does have the possibility of parole, someday. Will he ever be released?  It’s an open question. I imagine I’ll have to go to Ft Benning again for a parole hearing. Meanwhile, I write to him, as I have since the horrible thing happened, and send him articles on things like yoga in prison, or stories of successful adjustment by long-incarcerated ex-offenders once they get released. He looks like his dad, and my mother. He sent me his latest photo, and it sits on my home altar, along with a picture of my sister.

Sometimes, family is family, no matter how badly they screwed up.

******

I am a social worker, and I’ve spend the past 30 years looking for the social network that supports each of the patients or clients I am tasked with helping. I look everywhere for support, and I find some, usually. Rare is the soul with absolutely no one.

One of my patients was a man from Iran, a Persian, who had lived in a small house in what is now a very wealthy suburb of DC. He’d been in the US for decades, had gotten married and divorced. No children. He’d retired, and grew stranger. His across-the-street neighbor, also an immigrant but in his case, from Ethiopia, befriended the Persian. Brought him food. Talked to him.

One day, the Persian opened a window, and a bird flew in. He was delighted. He opened all his windows, and many birds flew in. Pidgeons, probably. He fed them, and shared his house with them for weeks, perhaps months. Never mind the bird poop. He had company.

The Persian was not well; despite the Ethiopian’s efforts, he was getting very skinny. The Persian refused to go to the doctor. The Ethiopian finally called Adult Protective Services. The APS report I read stated there were 27 birds in the house. I wondered, how did they count them? They still couldn’t force him to see a doctor, or clear out the birds.

Eventually, the Persian collapsed, and was transported to the hospital. He was diagnosed with end stage cancer. Eventually his pain was addressed, he was cleaned from head to toe, and lay in great weakness in an inpatient hospice bed where I met him. A long-estranged brother was located in Baltimore. I found a funeral home that buries in the Islamic way. And he died. The Ethiopian was at his bedside.

Sometimes a neighbor becomes family.

*****

Did you know that ‘family’ is a code word for ‘gay’? As in, are you ‘family’? Given that so many families are struggling to parent, and stay intact in a stable way, it is also ironic that the people who are most familiar, and practiced, out of hard necessity, to be good at building chosen family, are gay people. The very people that fundamentalists think are destroying the family. Nah. Straight people are doing that all by themselves. Given the numbers of single parent families, and step families, and families with adopted children, who could lead the charge, show the way? Gay people. Who’ve made and maintained families without legal support until very recently. For millennia.

Ask John Gottman, who studies which couples are likely to stay together and which will divorce. He observes them in real time. And he has observed gay couples, too. He has written that gay couples fight in healthier ways. In an article provocatively called “Are gay marriages healthier than straight marriages?” Dr. Gottman says, “The gay and lesbian couples were much more open and much more direct.”  [www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/06/gay-marriages-better-than-straight-marriages-119465]   In his study, “the gay and straight couples brought up the same sort of problems, but gay couples were, by a statistically significant margin, less defensive during fights and more likely to use shared humor to soften the tension of the conversation.” One reason is that the power differential, and the role rigidity in straight couples is missing.  Kids reared in stable same sex households do as well as stable opposite sex ones. [http://journals.lww.com/jrnldbp/Abstract/2016/04000/Same_Sex_and_Different_Sex_Parent_Households_and.1.aspx]     Gay folks are also much more likely to maintain good relationships with ex-lovers. Straight divorcing couples could really take notes on that one. [Check out https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/201503/gay-love-straight-sense for tips.]

Sometimes, loves makes a family.

*****

Years ago, when my kids were 5 and 6, and my marriage was strong, we went to Disney World in Florida. At the time, my father’s cousin, who grew up with him as a sister would, lived in Daytona Beach in a retirement community called a ‘fly-in’ because you could taxi your small plane right to a hangar by your house. My uncle was a pilot. We stayed with them for a couple of nights on our way to Disney. This couple have always been gracious and generous to me, taking an interest in us and our children.

In the late afternoon of our last night with them, their son, his wife, and their three children arrived in their car, having driven from New England for spring break. My kids were watching a movie and I don’t remember where their dad was. I was in the guest room. And I listened. I heard the joyful noise made by the arriving family and the adoring parents. I was suddenly struck in the heart with pain. I realized that THIS is what family can be. And that I hadn’t ever had it. I wept with the realization. It was as if I had been blind, and aware in an abstract way, of the color purple, only to have a glimpse of purple’s beauty, and to fully know my deprivation.

I couldn’t stop crying. Now I was trapped in this bedroom with a blotchy face. My kids’ dad found me, was puzzled, brought me a cold wash cloth. Eventually I emerged, greeted my cousins, feigned a headache, and returned to the bedroom.  The next day we left for Disney World. I now knew what I had been missing.

Sometimes people do not have parents who cherish them unconditionally.

*****

The first time I went to see a therapist, I was 16. I’d been attending a youth group at the Episcopal Church that happened to be on the grounds of the Washington National Cathedral. This youth group was very cool. It was 1975.

One of the volunteer group leaders watched me for a while and eventually told me that he thought I was depressed. He suggested I go see someone, a mental health counselor. I remember looking up in the DC phone book a place called the “Area A Mental Health Clinic”. I made an appointment and met with someone, who asked me a lot of questions. Then I was assigned to a psychology intern named Pat. I went to see her faithfully. She and I corrected the misconceptions and distortions I’d been carrying around. She asserted that it was not normal to think about all the ways I could kill myself. That my mother was not normal and my family life was toxic. Eventually, I ran away from home. And unlike most runaways, I was encouraged to stay away. And so I did. I rented a windowless room in the basement of a friend’s house, and I paid with my wages from Roy Rogers Restaurant. With my grandmother’s inheritance, I was able to go to Oberlin College, the only place I’d applied to, sight unseen. I never again slept under the same roof as my parents.

I saw Pat off and on through college, and for another 5 years after I returned to DC . She told me that I’d been the first self-referred adolescent her clinic could recall. She asked me to bring in my mother for one session, and so I did. I don’t think I said more than 3 words, and my mom went on and on.  At the next session, Pat told me that she thought I’d been exaggerating.

The fact that Pat had met my mother, and now fully believed what I’d been telling her, was a revelation. First it was a revelation that she thought I’d been exaggerating. Next that, in fact, my mother was as crazy as I thought she was.

Eventually, Pat and I stopped being therapist and client. She hired me to do some secretarial work for her, which, on top of my waitress salary, was a big help. She had some health scares. And one day, as I was visiting her in a hospital, she informed me that she’d like to pay the tuition for graduate school for me. I would have to pick something to study, then she’d pay. She had married wealth, and had 3 daughters of her own, slightly older than me, and well established. My 25 year old mind was blown.

Boundaries, schmoundaries.

So I spend a few months researching what I wanted to study. I looked into education, psychology, and women’s studies. I eventually settled on social work, and I am glad I did. It is a hugely flexible degree. My field instructor once told me, don’t go into social work for Power, Pay or Prestige.  Got that. I went into social work for meaningful, necessary work helping other people. Got that, too.

Pat is retired, living in Florida, volunteering at her huge Catholic parish as a psychotherapist. Sometimes she calls me on holidays. We always exchange Christmas cards. I write a long letter every February which is her birth month, telling her what I’ve learned in the previous year. She drastically improved my life, twice.

Sometimes family reveals itself in the most shockingly wonderful ways.

*****

I have a pretty small family now, the kind that shares my DNA. My ancestors include Mayflower families, an ancestor of Abe Lincoln, and dammit, some slave holders. My family of origin is small. My parents are dead. I have one sibling, my beloved sister, who is very different from me, and almost 5 years younger. We made a pact years ago that we would not let bullshit get between us. She has a big cozy house in the Philadelphia suburbs, and for the longest time, it has been the place where me, my husband and then my partner, and my kids, have been thoroughly welcome. The closest I get to feeling the joy that my aunt and uncle felt when greeting their son. She drove me out here in August. I am one lucky sister.

I adore her children. I still grieve for her first one, who died of SIDS, who rested in my arms that New Year’s night when he was born, 24 years ago. The one who didn’t wake up one day. The one whom I witnessed being carried by a weeping Jesus in my vision, the night of his death.

I also have two astonishing children. The son and daughter who survived their parents’ divorce since their mother figured out belatedly just how gay she was. Who benefited from the pact their father and I made to be awesome coparents, despite a lot of pain. Who’s father was a stay at home dad and ever present when they were not in school.  Parents who instilled in them a love of justice, and who reared them in a multicultural city, church, and schools. I am so proud of them. I am in awe of them. I miss them a lot, and it’s an expensive pain in the tuchus to get them to Paisley. But I will do it whenever I can.  I plan to ship my sister and her family out here, too, somehow…

Sometimes family looks like you.

*****

Maybe because I am a social worker, and maybe because I’m a worry wort, I wonder what the future holds as health declines for me and for my lover/partner/sweetie. She has multiple sclerosis, although you’d never know it unless you watched her closely as she gets up from a chair and starts to walk. She has normal blood pressure and takes only one medication, for MS. She is the poster child for ‘physically active senior.’  I, on the other hand, although a dozen years her junior, am obese, and have that deadly combo, diabetes and high blood pressure. I do hope to get healthier in this next year. As do millions of other Americans as 2016 ends and 2017 begins. Because I do not want to have a stroke. A nice quick myocardial infarction would be fine, ala Princess Leia. But a stroke, and the debilitation both physical and mental that goes with it, no. No thanks. Cancer would be fine: I know it’s wily ways after close observation. A progressive neurological disease would be fine, too, as long as it isn’t ALS. I’ve worked with too many patients with ALS. One of the worst illnesses on the planet. Dementia? Sigh, I hope not. I’ll probably die of something else long before I get dementia. Like Maude in classic movie, Harold and Maude, I hope to be taken out by age 80. After that it’s mostly indignity and debilitation, despite the cheerful outliers.

See where my head goes? Straight to drooling and adult diapers, size extra large.  Medical social workers have seen a lot of different kinds of death, and ways of dying. It would be great if we could choose. Alas, we cannot.

What I worry about is what “family” will care for me.  I know I am in it for the long haul with Miss Valerie. I worry not about being her caregiver. And here in Oregon, I will have help from her family.  I believe this town would help us, too.

But what if I become disabled before she does?

I worry about this.

Perhaps I’d move back east to my sister’s, if Valerie couldn’t or wouldn’t. The thing is, from what I’ve seen in my job, you can be poor as a church mouse or richer than Rockefeller: what determines the quality of life in those ‘golden years’ is social support, especially family. Go ahead, put me in a nursing home. Just visit me frequently, okay? Bring ice cream? By then, healthy eating won’t matter.

Between now and drooling, I will build up my family, and hope maybe that I will get healthier, and that there will be loving people who consider me to be family, who will care for me if I become disabled. I will be a good social worker and prepare with advance directives. I’ll case manage my own case, and obviously I am truly a case. Best not worry too much.

So, finally, family is who takes care of you when you need your diaper changed. They don’t need to actually CHANGE it themselves, mind you, but would supervise whomever is the certified nursing assistant who changes the diaper and who needs to do it gently, thoroughly, and with plenty of lotion, thank you very much. Family cares directly or oversees, but is present, often. Otherwise you are a person surrounded by paid helpers who may or may not care one iota for you.

And that is a very lonely state of affairs. In which case, pray for a kind Ethiopian to take interest, and sit by your side as you die.