#you know how cats often bring their kills to your doorstep as presents

[sanders-sides-uncorrect-quotes]

Virgil often forgets that arachnophobia is common and sometimes tries to give spiders to people as a way to show his love, he only remembers after the other person freaks out from it

[eleanorfenyxwrites]

Soldier, Poet, King

Part 4

[1] [2] [3]

[AO3] [Masterpost]

-/-

Jin Guangyao takes a deep breath in and closes his eyes against the dimmed lights of the comms bay. Nie Mingjue’s neck is tense in his grip, so he squeezes the nape of it gently over and over in something of a massage. It’s not enough, it’s not everything Nie Mingjue needs, but it’s close enough for now and it’s not what’s at the top of either of their priority lists anyway.

Jin Guangyao tips his head to the side enough to give Nie Mingjue more of himself to kiss, spreads his knees further to let Nie Mingjue crowd closer into his space where he’s perched on the edge of a desk (his ass very carefully not on any buttons).

“I have you,” he murmurs into Nie Mingjue’s hair and gets a hardened grip on the tops of his thighs for his efforts. “We’re fine, Mingjue. We’re even less likely to have to go fight a Kaiju now than we were before we closed the Tokyo deal - I’m not going anywhere.”

“I know,” Nie Mingjue pants against his jaw in between his anxious, dragging kisses. “You know I can’t help it-“

“I know,” Jin Guangyao soothes. Because he does. He’s been in Nie Mingjue’s memories. He’d had to feel Lao Nie’s death just as Nie Mingjue did, back towards the beginning of the war. They’d been Mach 1 pilots, a dream team in the largest, strongest Jaeger that’s ever been made. It had been their downfall, their movements too slow for the small, nimbler Kaiju that had started coming through - the second wave, the Category 2’s. It had been a moment of shit luck against creatures that were clever and had already learned the Jaegers’ weak points.

One moment, Lao Nie had been there in Nie Mingjue’s head, their bodies indistinguishable from each other to their melded minds. The next moment, terror, and regret, and a full-body agony so excruciating Nie Mingjue had very nearly blacked out. And then, horrifyingly, emptiness. Loneliness, in the one place where it should never exist. The torture of piloting such an enormous Jaeger alone, still raw and bleeding with grief. It nearly killed Nie Mingjue. Jin Guangyao has had to feel that sensation too, being so near death but unable and unwilling to give up no matter how wretched his continued existence was.

Jin Guangyao relives it every so often when he dreams of their shared memories, just as he knows Nie Mingjue dreams of Jin Guangyao’s terror when he’d been turned into Kaiju bait by his father for daring to approach him, followed by all the ways he’d been abused before he’d been dumped back on Nie Mingjue’s doorstep after the loss of his father’s version of interest in what he saw as his latest plaything.

Jin Guangyao presses another kiss to Nie Mingjue’s hair, this one hard and matching Nie Mingjue desperation-for-desperation, and for a while he’s allowed to forget the two broken halves of a whole that they make when they Drift. Right now they’re just them, alone together in the beating heart of the insane world they live in, and that’s enough.

Jin Guangyao makes sure Nie Mingjue can both hear and feel how good he makes him feel, and by the time they’re finished Nie Mingjue is steadier in his arms. More present. “What in the world am I going to do with you?” Jin Guangyao whispers against his lover’s sweat-damp temple. “I’m getting fond of you, you know. Like a stray cat that won’t quit bringing me decapitated lizards.”

Nie Mingjue, who of course knows precisely how much Jin Guangyao both loves and worships him, just snorts inelegantly and smears a too-wet kiss to his shoulder. 

“Ew. Off.”

“Listen, about your experiment,” Nie Mingjue starts once he’s leaned back enough to just cage him in with his arms on either side of his hips. “I was reading through your lineup - which pairs are actually viable? Not the ones you’re playing mind games with - which I know you’re doing, you little asshole - but the ones we can actually use. We have to get them training as quickly as possible.”

Jin Guangyao sighs gustily and fusses with his jacket, putting it back to rights after Nie Mingjue’s manhandling of it off his shoulders. “I heard from a little birdie that Jiang Yanli is non-combat, something to do with her physical condition as well as whatever dynamic the Heroes have when they Drift. I want to pair her with Zixuan -“

“I said no mind games!” 

“It’s not! Well. Maybe a little, for Zixuan, it’s no less than he deserves. But no, they really are a viable pair! Zixuan is brash in combat, arrogant! He makes stupid mistakes because he and Zixun egg each other on, and when they come back they’ve already talked each other into thinking they’re hot shit so they refuse to take correction. I know you’ve had enough time to see how Jiang Yanli is by now - she’s a peacemaker. She’s exactly what Zixuan needs to calm him down and make him focus, and without Zixun in his head I know he’ll be good enough to keep her safe. If they Drift, Zixuan can fight, she can support and they’ll both be better for it - it’ll work.”

“That leaves us a Zixun with free time on his hands.” Nie Mingjue sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Do you understand how much I don’t want that?”

“Obviously.” Jin Guangyao gives his partner a derisive look and reaches out to straighten out his rumpled lapels to have an excuse to touch his chest. “Jiang Wanyin could probably whip him into shape quickly enough, but I don’t think either of them will accept a Drift with anyone new. They’ll just have to be on emergency standby when their partners are unavailable.”

“I’m liking this idea less and less as we go. Alright - who else?”

“Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, obviously,” he ticks off next. Nie Mingjue hums and leans in to kiss his forehead a few times as he thinks.

“That leaves Lan Xichen at loose ends, and there’s no way we can waste talent like that. I’ve never seen anything like what they did today. What was it like, sparring against him?”

“With,” Jin Guangyao corrects, feeling a little fuzzy around the edges all the sudden. “With him. Not against. He was..adapting to me as soon as I made a move. He wasn’t trying to overpower me, or win. It was a conversation, and he was letting me lead it.”

Nie Mingjue makes a thoughtful noise against his skin and Jin Guangyao blinks a few times quickly, attempting to gather his thoughts into some shape that isn’t the look in Lan Xichen’s eyes when he’d said, ‘You’ in that tone of voice. Like it was alright if he got distracted during battle so long as it was Jin Guangyao he was thinking of.

Ridiculous.

“Do you want to try Drifting with him?” There’s no judgment in Nie Mingjue’s voice but Jin Guangyao still recoils from it, mentally, as strongly as if he’d been accused of infidelity.

“Absolutely not. I just mean that I think he could Drift with anybody willing to try. He yielded just enough, but no more. He’s like..a blank slate, almost.”

“So..we get three possible extra pairings out of this, in addition to maintaining the usual teams?”

“I think so. If this works, and if we can get the old Jaegers modded with new weapons that suit everyone.”

Nie Mingjue sighs again and kisses the pinch between his brows firmly, a punctuation. Jin Guangyao knows that his partner doesn’t like how many ‘if's' are still present in this whole situation, but it’s a conversation (read: argument) they don’t need to have again. Jin Guangyao returns the affection with a kiss of his own against Nie Mingjue’s chin and locks his legs around the other man’s thighs again, slides his arms around his neck to pull him in close. Jin Guangyao buries himself in Nie Mingjue’s broad chest and lets himself find comfort in it, in him, and the fact that they’re still here. They’ve survived another attack, and they’ll be together for the next, and the next, and hopefully through to the end of this.

One way or another.

-/-

No one puts up a fuss the following day that they’re still doing the trial matches. A Kaiju attack will do that, Lan Xichen supposes, make everyone remember that there are bigger things to worry about than their internal squabbling. It’s as disconcerting as it had been the previous day, though, with their four observers from the dais at the front of the room and an audience that must be at least half the personnel in the shatterdome. And then Jin Guangyao calls on Jiang Yanli to spar against Jin Zixuan and any tentative hope that Lan Xichen might have had for a peaceful few days sans gossip is promptly done away with.

“Absolutely not,” Wei Wuxian bites as soon as Jin Guangyao finishes despite Lan Wangji’s warning hand around his wrist.

“Jie doesn’t spar. Pick someone else,” Jiang Wanyin snaps just as harshly as his brother, and Lan Xichen exhales slowly, closes his eyes. Jin Guangyao seems ridiculously well-informed about their careers - he’d known yesterday that Lan Xichen has never once dropped out of alignment in battle before, after all - but he’s willing to give him the benefit of the doubt that this is something that’s slipped under his radar.

“I know. These matches don’t have to be combat you know,” Jin Guangyao says implacably from his spot between Nie Mingjue and one of the researchers from the day before, Lan Xichen hasn’t gotten a chance to get his name yet. “Will the pilots refuse to attempt it?”

Jiang Wanyin and Wei Wuxian shout, “Yes!”

They’re loud enough that Lan Xichen nearly doesn’t hear Jiang Yanli’s gentle, “No.”

All heads turn to stare at Jiang Yanli looking small where she’s flanked by her brothers who both tower over her - they tower over most people, though, to be fair. Jiang Yanli stands straight under the scrutiny and Lan Xichen smiles softly; many people (her brothers included, somehow) tend to forget that she’s a Jaeger pilot. She’s faced down Kaiju big and strong enough to level entire cities, and she’s done it without hesitation. Lan Xichen knows that physical strength isn’t much of a factor when one’s physical abilities are so enhanced anyway as they are in a Jaeger. It’s more about mental fortitude, and Jiang Yanli has that in spades.

“I won’t refuse,” she clarifies with a soft smile. Lan Xichen glances at Jin Guangyao as Jiang Yanli steps onto the mat but whatever his thoughts might be he’s keeping them tightly locked behind the distantly polite expression that seems to be his default. Lan Xichen knows the bare bones of the history between his friend and Jin Zixuan, so he can only assume that Jin Guangyao does as well, considering he appears to be one of the inner family of Jins. He can’t imagine how this is a good idea.

Still. Lan Xichen supposes that if they are a viable pair then that’s something they’ll have to experiment with at least once, for the sake of everyone’s lives. Lan Xichen focuses on the pair on the mat again and finds himself slightly amused to find that Jin Zixuan is looking particularly constipated, even more so than his usual, as he and Jiang Yanli salute.

“It’s alright, Zixuan,” Jiang Yanli coaxes when Jin Zixuan hesitates, knuckles white around his staff. “Do what you would normally, I can work with it.”

Jin Zixuan takes a visibly deep breath in and seems to steel himself before he spins his staff above his head and brings it back down in a vertical sweep. Jiang Yanli steps out of range, her hands held loosely behind her back and her ever-gentle smile on her lips, just like Lan Wangji taught her (the dodging, not the smiling). Jin Zixuan tries again, following through on the sweep with another one horizontally that she dodges with a little hop. His attempts to land a blow become more and more confident the longer they spar, but he doesn’t manage to connect a single one.

“Jin Zixuan and Jiang Yanli will attempt a Drift,” Jin Guangyao finally allows when they whirl to a stop pressed back-to-back, Jiang Yanli looking smug and Jin Zixuan utterly bewildered as to how he got there at all. “Lan Xichen, please spar against Qin Su.”

Lan Xichen blinks and frowns a bit in confusion. Qin Su doesn’t seem to feel the same, she’s shrugging out of her jacket and rolling her shoulders in preparation for their bout, but…isn’t Lan Xichen going to Drift with Jin Guangyao?

“Pardon?” he asks. No one else who’s part of a potential match has had to continue to spar to find further partners - why should he, just because he can Drift with anyone? “I was under the impression I would be Drifting with Jin Guangyao.”

Nie Mingjue glares at him, though Lan Xichen is relatively sure that’s just his face (it’s the brows, he’s quickly becoming convinced that they’re permanently stuck in a frown). “Jin Guangyao is not a pilot candidate.”

Jin Guangyao is not…Lan Xichen tamps down his questions and vows instead to ask the man about it himself later when they’re not in front of such a nosy audience. For now, he nods and bows his acknowledgement before he steps forward for his bout with Qin Su. And then Jiang Wanyin. And Jin Zixun. Luo Qingyang. 

“I’ve seen enough,” Nie Mingjue finally stops them when he comes to his fourth draw of the day. “All pilots report to communications after lunch and we’ll get started”

Lan Xichen has more than half a mind to follow Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangyao as they head for the door, the crowd parting to let them pass, but he’s stopped by the pair of researchers, the ones Jin Guangyao had sort-of-introduced the previous morning.

“Oh. Hello,” he says, mustering up a smile from somewhere beyond his confusion (and perhaps, if he squints, his frustration) with the situation. “I apologize for not introducing myself to you properly yet. I’m Lan Xichen.”

“Nie Huaisang,” the taller of the two says with a slightly shy smile. “And this is Mo Xuanyu. You can Drift with anybody, can’t you?” Lan Xichen blinks a little at the bluntness of the question, but it’s true so far as he’s aware, so he nods after a brief moment.

“For obvious reasons I have not yet tested that theory, but from what I understand of myself and others - yes.”

“Can Mo Xuanyu study your brain?”

“My…brain,” Lan Xichen repeats, amused now. He’s met his fair share of people who don’t get out much - hell, he’s one of them himself - and he supposes he’s dealing with similarly charming, harmless quirks now. “I suppose that would depend on the manner of study Mo Xuanyu hopes to use.”

“Scans,” Mo Xuanyu replies with a wave of his hand. He’s standing on his toes and craning his neck in the direction everyone is currently heading to file out of the room, clearly looking for something or someone. “I swear I won’t cut your head open and look at it for real. Tempting, but against the rules apparently.”

“Yes..well. I would be pleased to help with your research in any way I can after I am released from my obligations to Nie Mingjue.”

“Whenever you’re ready just tell Jin Guangyao,” Nie Huaisang says with a little smile and a flutter of a fan that he pulls out of…well, somewhere anyway. Lan Xichen is assuming one of his sleeves. “He’s da-ge’s right hand but he’s also head of research, he’ll know what we want and bring you to us. Xuanyu, stop trying to creep on Wei Wuxian, let’s go.”

Lan Xichen watches them go with no small amount of amusement. He’s known his fair share of researchers and their ilk in both his personal and professional lives, he knows that some degree of eccentricity is to be expected. And considering the fact that he’s been handed an iron-clad excuse to talk to Jin Guangyao again relatively soon, he’s not going to complain. 

Lunch is a cheerful affair for everyone around them, the mood of the general population high after the successes of the pilot trials and the continued presence of fresh foods from the shipment that had come in the previous day. Lan Xichen eats silently, Lan Wangji equally so at his side - even now some of their uncle’s rules are difficult to shake. He’s too busy thinking to be much for conversation anyway, and he would wager that his fellow pilots are feeling similarly considering none of them are particularly talkative, even Wei Wuxian. Everything they know is about to change, after all. No matter what happens in their Drifts, no matter if they don’t disband their original teams, things are still going to be different. There’s no escaping it.

“Anyone else starting to wish we’d just stayed put in Tokyo?” Jiang Wanyin grumbles and stabs his chopsticks far too viciously into his rice to scoop up a bite that he doesn’t eat. “Wen Ruohan is a power-hungry tyrant but at least he didn’t try to act like we’re better off piloting with these weird blended teams. What should it matter to us if Shanghai doesn’t have enough people to cover their workload?”

“Even so,” Lan Xichen soothes before anyone can say anything that might rile Jiang Wanyin up further. “We are not in Tokyo, and we have to do our best with what we have.” Jiang Wanyin waves a dismissive hand at him but he doesn’t argue - Lan Xichen is glad to at least have been able to assuage his worries that he wouldn’t be Drift compatible with anyone save his siblings. If need be, the two of them could pilot a Jaeger. They won’t become obsolete without their siblings.

It’ll have to be enough.

-/-

“I don’t expect any of you to like this,” Nie Mingjue tells the assembled pilots. They’re a ragtag bunch, tensions high and lines being drawn in the sand whether they acknowledge it or not, but Nie Mingjue trusts that Jin Guangyao knows what he’s doing with this. And it doesn’t change the fact that something has to give - he refuses to let it be the safety of the civilians they protect, so it’ll just have to be his pilots unless and until they manage to recruit more. “I also don’t expect you to force yourselves to do anything that will put your health at risk. We’ve assigned you your new pairs because a Drift is possible, not a guarantee. If it doesn’t work here, it won’t work against a Kaiju, and I won’t force it. Should you have a successful Drift, we’ll move on to Jaeger assignments and you’ll begin training with your new partner immediately. Any questions?”

Nie Mingjue watches them all look at each other, uncertain, and he’s about to move on when Lan Xichen clears his throat carefully. “Chifeng-Zun, may I ask who I will be Drifting with?” he asks, almost painfully politely. It’s been so long since Nie Mingjue has met someone so gentle, he can’t help but wonder (not for the first time) what the hell the man is doing in this war. He’s clearly incredible, it’s not a question of his martial ability, but this much softness feels so out of place in their world that it’s downright jarring.

“I’ll let you decide that amongst yourselves,” Nie Mingjue shrugs. “Besides those who are already assigned, you can choose for yourself since apparently you can work with anyone.”

Lan Xichen blinks at him and Nie Mingjue doesn’t miss the way his eyes flicker over to Jin Guangyao just behind him tapping away on the slow-as-shit system they use for the Mach 1’s. He shifts his weight a bit to block his partner from view and Lan Xichen instantly smiles at him, conciliatory.

“In that case, I will endeavor to decide quickly.”

“In your own time,” Nie Mingjue allows, oddly moved to politeness himself in response to Lan Xichen’s. “We’ll start with Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian. Guangyao?”

“Nearly ready, Mingjue,” Jin Guangyao says distractedly, fingers tapping away in a sharp staccato across the keys. A few moments more and the lights in Bay 6 flicker on, finally, and Nie Mingjue turns with everyone else to look at Immortal Mountain, lone and hulking in the quiet Jaeger bay. He spares a moment to hope that his once-peers are safe wherever they are, and Jin Guangyao reaches out to put a discreet hand on his arm in solidarity.

“As you are all well aware, Immortal Mountain is currently without pilots,” Nie Mingjue says past the usual ache in his throat for what once was. “We’ll use her for the Drift experiments, and we can discuss pilots for her after we’ve finished. Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji, get going.”

The two in question salute him and Nie Mingjue crosses over to the main control screen as they head out of the room. There’s some muttering behind him that he doesn’t bother paying attention to as he watches Jin Guangyao finish getting the comms online, only focusing again when Wei Wuxian’s voice crackles through the speakers into the room.

“Alright, we’re locked in and ready to go whenever you are.”

“I’ll monitor your vitals,” Jin Guangyao says into the microphone. “Drift commencing in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.”

Neural interface Drift : Initiated

Nie Mingjue holds his breath for a brief moment as Jin Guangyao begins monitoring the Drift sequence, his eyes locked on the screen to watch for any sign that they need to pull the plug.

“Trade you your next citrus fruit they still won’t figure it out,” Jiang Wanyin mutters from somewhere behind him, and despite Nie Mingjue’s attempt to ignore the others present in favor of focusing on the task at hand, he can’t help but glance at them over his shoulder to find Jiang Wanyin leaned in toward Lan Xichen, who’s smiling gently again and shaking his head.

“You know I do not wager, Wanyin,” Lan Xichen replies. “Though I do disagree with you - I refuse to believe they could enter each other’s very core and not realize their feelings are mutual.”

“Take the bet and we’ll find out. I can’t speak for Lan Wangji obviously but A-Xian is definitely dense enough not to fucking cop on even though -“

“Gentlemen,” Nie Mingjue interrupts, eyes once again fixed on the monitors as the Drifting pilots’ activity begins to spike irregularly. “If you’d like to continue this conversation I would be more than happy to shove you into a Jaeger to talk it out between yourselves in the Drift.”

“Apologies, Chifeng-Zun. This is the culmination of years of frustration for all of us.”

“My condolences.” Nie Mingjue glances down at Jin Guangyao when his partner looks up at him and with his back to the rest of the room he can’t resist the urge to wink at him (they’d been exactly the same, after all). Jin Guangyao smirks and returns to watching the screen.

“It is a memory, Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji’s voice suddenly cuts through the quiet, smooth and strong but slightly fretful at the edges, if he’s learning to read the man correctly. Nie Mingjue feels more than hears movement behind him as the others crowd closer, though there’s still not much to see on the monitor.

“Keep an eye on Wei Wuxian’s heart rate,” Nie Mingjue mutters and leans down so far he’s nearly level with Jin Guangyao where he’s seated at the computer bank.

“Wangji will be able to calm him,” Lan Xichen asserts from just behind his shoulder. “They merely need to settle in.”

“Wei Ying. Focus. You are no longer a child, this is no longer your life. I am here.”

“Told you he was a piece of shit.” Jin Zixun’s mutinous grumbling puts Nie Mingjue’s hackles up instantly - he’s had enough of Jin arrogance and pride to last a lifetime, he’s absolutely fucking sick of them swanning around thinking they can step on everyone around them.

“Insult my brother again and I’ll cut your tongue out for soup,” Jiang Yanli says, cold as ice, and Nie Mingjue turns to blink at her, shocked to the core. She’s standing between Jiang Wanyin and Jin Zixuan, arms crossed over her chest and her expression a controlled sort of livid Nie Mingjue has only ever seen on Jin Guangyao before.

“You can’t -!”

“You heard her, Zixun, shut your mouth,” Jin Zixuan snaps, shocking Nie Mingjue even further. Even Jin Guangyao turns slowly away from his hawk-eyed study of the computer to stare at his brother. Everyone remains frozen in surprise until Luo Qingyang speaks up and breaks the silence. 

“I love family bonding and all, but I think something’s wrong with their Drift.”

“Shit,” Jin Guangyao hisses, whipping back around to the computer and snatching the mic closer to his face. His voice is tightly controlled despite the faint trembling Nie Mingjue can see in his hands as he leans in to tell them, “Manually shutting down Drift sequence.”

“No!” Lan Xichen protests, reaching out as if to grab Jin Guangyao’s wrist. Nie Mingjue stops him in his tracks with a crushing grip around his forearm, but Lan Xichen doesn’t even flinch. “Please - trust Wangji. They’ll be alright, they merely need to adjust. Wangji is not accustomed to Drifting with someone whose memories can interfere with his meditation, but he and Wei Wuxian can do this.”

Nie Mingjue studies Lan Xichen closely through narrowed eyes, hand still clamped around his toned forearm. “Meditation?” Lan Xichen nods once eagerly, his expression earnest. “Explain.”

“Wangji and I - our Drift is a meditation. It is why I am likely to be able to Drift with anyone. We bring very little of ourselves to it, there is no need when we grew up at each other’s sides. Our experiences are already shared, the Drift has been silent since the moment we entered it. Allow him time to adjust to actively sharing Wei Ying’s consciousness.”

“Wei Wuxian is slipping,” Jin Guangyao protests, informing both Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji through the comms system. “Fix it or I will force the Drift to end.”

“Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji tries again and even Nie Mingjue isn’t immune to the naked desperation suffusing his voice. “Come back.”

“It’s working,” Qin Su says quietly as they all watch Wei Wuxian’s heart rate begin to slow and both of their brain activity levels balance out. “They’ll be alright.”

Right Hemisphere : calibrated

Left Hemisphere : calibrated

Ready to activate the Jaeger

Pilot to Jaeger connection : complete

Nie Mingjue exhales slowly as the cool, indifferent voice of the AI informs them that the Drift is stable, and everyone save Jin Guangyao turns their attention to the window overlooking Bay 6. Immortal Mountain, freed for this exercise from the supports that typically hold it all upright, takes a step forward and drops into a flawless salute.

“Show-offs,” Jiang Wanyin mutters, but Nie Mingjue doesn’t bother scolding him. He knows affectionate aggression when he hears it.

“Haaa A-Cheng I can just picture your face!” Wei Wuxian crows through the speaker. “Don’t be too jealous, didi, you can always try Drifting with that cute -”

“That’s enough,” Nie Mingjue cuts in before anyone can have an opportunity to burst a blood vessel, either Jiang Wanyin or himself. “Your Drift is a success, get back in here so we can start the next one. Guangyao, start the disconnect.”

Nie Mingjue sighs and rubs at the headache beginning in his temple as Jin Guangyao expertly brings the pilots out of the Drift and back to themselves, Immortal Mountain once again going still and dark out there in the bay. There’s a flurry of activity when Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji rejoin the rest, and Nie Mingjue watches them with his arms crossed over his chest as the pilots (besides Jin Zixun) quietly celebrate and congratulate the pair on their successful experiment.

“Lan Xichen,” he calls, quieting the chatter in the room easily. “Have you decided who you’re going to work with?”

“Ah..No, I haven’t -”

“Time’s up. Jiang Wanyin.”

“Sir?”

“You think I was joking about shoving you two in a Jaeger? Everyone knows I don’t have a sense of humor. Get going.”

Nie Mingjue can feel Jin Guangyao practically vibrating behind him with the desire to point out that yes he absolutely does have a sense of humor, but he wisely says nothing and just busies himself with tapping away at the keyboard, most likely to hide the fact that he’s smirking at Jiang Wanyin and Lan Xichen’s matching stunned expressions at the order. Nie Mingjue doesn’t let himself smirk as well, but it’s wildly tempting.

“Pardon?” Lan Xichen blinks.

“Guangyao - probability that Jiang Wanyin and Lan Xichen will be able to successfully Drift?”

Jin Guangyao finally gives in to the inevitability of having to play his game and stands with a soft sigh that only Nie Mingjue can hear. His partner steps up to his side and mirrors his posture as he tends to do, arms crossed over his chest as he looks at the pilots perched or leaning haphazardly around the space - with the exception of the Lan brothers, who never seem to slouch so much as a centimeter.

“Without adjusting for the fact that Lan Xichen can likely Drift with anyone, roughly 68%. Temperaments are different but not incompatible, fighting styles - same assessment. Past familiarity and missions in which both the Lan and Jiang teams have worked together both contribute favorably. Of course, Lan Xichen’s…particular talent makes most of my calculations irrelevant, as a successful Drift is significantly higher in these circumstances.”

Nie Mingjue just raises his eyebrows at the pair of them and uncrosses one of his arms to gesture towards Immortal Mountain.

“Well? Get going.”

“I don’t mind trying it,” Qin Su speaks up to cut through the tension that mounts when neither man moves. “Our spar was -”

“It’s fine. Let’s go Xichen,” Jiang Wanyin suddenly snaps and turns to stride out of the room without another glance.

“Ah…Yes, alright then,” Lan Xichen says with a tight little smile.

“I like this,” Luo Qingyang pipes up. “This is fun. We were really missing out on some good old fashioned tension that doesn’t have to do with Jin Guangshan making everybody miserable. Don’t you think, Zixuan?”

“Mianmian,” Jin Zixuan pleads, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Please-”

Nie Mingjue sighs, rolls his eyes, and turns his back on the group of them again to go back to doing his job, which is absolutely not corralling a pack of professional Jaeger pilots that apparently have nothing better to do than act like toddlers pulling each other’s pigtails.

“We’re ready,” Jiang Wanyin reports after a minute or two, terse and unhappy. “Boot it up.”

Nie Mingjue leans down next to Jin Guangyao again as his partner presses the switch for the mic and leans in.

“Drift commencing in 5, 4, 3, 2…1.”

[id-rather-be-an-outsider]

Angel From Ymir

Reiner Braun

word count: 1418

summary: Reiner comes across a kitty. kitty decides Reiner is his person. this is Reiner’s written experience.

tw: mentions of depression + ptsd. cute cuddliness and Reiner being adorable.

a/n: cats are cute and well-suited for many lifestyles! but please adopt responsibly and don’t take on a cat unless you’re ready and financially able to do so! please remember: 1) keeping your cat indoors is the ONLY way to prevent them from being hit by a car, stolen, attacked by other animals or exposed to diseases! 2) be careful and do your research and consult your cat’s vet before giving your cat a flea treatment! some brands cause seizures that can kill your cat or shorten their lifespan severely! protecting your cat from fleas and other sicknesses should NEVER cost a cat their life! 3) declawing a cat is NOT taking away their fingernails, it’s taking away their FINGERS! cats need their claws to climb and declawing them is inhibiting them from doing what they were born to do! 4) if a cat can reach it, they can wreck it, and that’s on you, not the cat, and that’s on PERIOD! if you have items that you want to keep safe 100% of the time then keep them AWAY!!! you can’t tell a cat to not be a cat, but you CAN tell YOURSELF to be a responsible cat owner!

Entry 1 - Monday

I’m not all that sure what I’m doing. Pieck gave me this, and suggested journaling to help me. She said there’s no wrong way to do this but I’ll probably fuck it up like everything else, so here goes. I uh... had a pretty average day today. Full of planning, saluting, groveling to Marleyans while they called me a devil, and pretending like I don’t hate myself and hate existing. I can tell Gabi is worried about me. Nothing out of the ordinary at this point. A cat followed me home, a yellow tabby. Cats are a rare sight nowadays. They were skinny.

Entry 2 - Tuesday

The cat was sitting outside my door when I left today. It rubbed up against my legs when I was locking my door, and made a noise that sounded like a tiny motorcycle. I think it’s called purring. It followed me to work, and it followed me back home again. I feel bad that it’s so skinny.

Entry 3 - Wednesday

I set out food and water for the cat today when I left. Just some sardines I had sitting in my cupboard. The food was finished and the cat was there waiting for me when I got home. It meowed at me until I pet its’ head.

Entry 4 - Saturday

I had a nightmare last night. Not uncommon for me. Today was my day off, and when I woke up in the morning I heard a scratching noise at the door. Turns out it was the cat, because when I opened the door it ran in and sat in my reading chair like it owned the place. I guess it’s here to stay now, because it runs every time I try to grab it, and it’s not really scratching anything up, so... I don’t know. I moved the food and water bowl inside.

Entry 5 - Sunday

Second day off. I spent the day reading. The cat came and napped in my lap. I fell asleep at one point, too. What? The cat was warm. And the sun was shining on us through the window.

Entry 6 - Thursday

I wish we could take afternoon naps at work. The cat followed me to work again. Pieck saw and asked me about it, so I told her what I told you. She said the cat picked me, whatever that means. I’m not really an animal person so I don’t get why. When I got home, there was a dead bird on my doorstep, and the cat was licking its’ chops. Kinda disgusting.

Entry 7 - Friday

Today I woke up to a crow on my doorstep. This cat is crazy. I asked Pieck about it, she said cats bring gifts to their masters. Some gift, if you ask me. Another observation: cats like boxes.

Entry 8 - Sunday

Something peculiar happened. I had a nightmare, but when I woke up, the cat was there kneading on my chest, licking my nose and rubbing their face against mine. They haven’t left my side yet. Literally. When I took a shower they just sat on the toilet seat lid next to it, and every time I’ve sat down today they’ve climbed in my lap and purred really loudly, rubbing their head against my hands when they could. It’s almost like they could sense my unease. It feels... calming. I usually write at the end of the day but the experience made me want to take note.

Entry 9 - Friday

I’ve missed a couple days, to sum them all up: I go to sleep with the cat under the blankets and wake up with them curled up under my armpit or in the crook of my neck. Today they brought me a squirrel. Their presents are getting to be terrifying, but also normal. They brought me a couple rats the past few days, too.

Entry 10 - Monday

I’m getting this heathen a collar. I woke up to them holding a goose twice their size in their mouth, and the poor creature wasn’t even dead. I had to put it out of its’ misery.

Entry 11 - Tuesday

I came home to find the cat napping in my untouched potatoes. I think I’m gonna call him Potato.

Entry 12 - Tuesday

I think the collar worked. Between the bell and his tags jingling, Potato must scare off every animal in sight because he hasn’t caught anything in a week. Or maybe I’m just not seeing it and he’s been eating his catches after my last reaction. He’s been getting a little fat. I’m worried I’m feeding him too much, I’ve been refilling his bowl every time I saw it empty, which is about twice a day. How much do cats normally eat?

Entry 13 - Saturday

Potato’s not acting normal. He’s been meowing a lot, which is cute, but he also hasn’t been moving as much. And he’s been eating even more than he usually does. I just hope he’ll be okay. Cats aren’t usually kept as pets anymore since they’re so scarce, so no veterinarian will take him. They all keep laughing at me when I tell them my problem. Why is it funny to them? They’re being rude and cruel. If anything happens to Potato I don’t know what I’ll do. Potato is my best friend. Even when he steals my dinner from time to time, I don’t get mad at him. I talk to him about my day like he can hear me, and I tell him about the things I’ve experienced and it really feels like he listens, because every time I get to a bad part and start panicking or crying he’s there, helping me calm down. I haven’t had nightmares even half as often anymore and when I do, he’s there on my chest when I wake up, making me feel better. I can’t call out of work to stay with him. I’m worried he might die. If he does, I’m just glad I have these last two days off. So I can say goodbye.

Entry 14 - Wednesday

He’s getting worse. He’s been laying in the same spot in my closet for awhile. I moved his food and water there and brought blankets and his favorite box to make it cozy for him, but I don’t feel like I can do anything.

Entry 15 - Friday

Well... it turns out Potato was a girl. I came home from work today to find her laying with two kittens - a brown tabby and a black one. I’m just glad she’s okay, and trying to not to think about the fact that I now have two more cats that I’ll have to start feeding myself in a couple weeks. Potato’s been back to her normal self, mostly, but she splits her time between me and running to check up on her babies.

Entry 16 - Saturday

A couple weeks have gone by and I’ve been too busy to write, but the kittens are up and running around now. The black one seems very sure footed and confident in her steps, but the brown tabby runs into walls when he gets excited. He’s... kinda stupid. I made sure to actually check their undersides this time instead of just assuming. I’m hoping to find someone who can get them all fixed at some point so I only have to pay to care for the three I have now.

Entry 17 - Sunday

I have never found myself so content. Or maybe just so distracted. I don’t know. The kittens are cute and so soft but they’re also little nuisances, racing around at night and scratching up the inside of the closet door. They’ve bitten through my lamp chord three times now. I didn’t realize damage control was more expensive than the actual care for them. Why can’t they be like their mom?

Entry 18 - Monday

Gabi wants the brown tabby. I’m kind of attached despite his idiocy, but I see the way her eyes light up when she comes over to play with the kittens. He picked her as his and always cuddles with her. He won’t even sit in my lap now. He just wants Gabi.

Entry 19 - Thursday

Gabi took Porkchop home today. She picked out his name and I paid for the collar and tags. Her mom was already cooing to him within the first five minutes of him being there. Letting him go was the right choice.

Entry 20 - Wednesday

Oh god. Potato’s getting fat again. Wish me luck.

[no-longer-an-alley-cat]

A myth (or collection of myths) for a goddess of a particular pantheon heavily inspired by @thestalkerbunny’s “Grandmother Beetroot” comic.

Tabha is the goddess of familial ties and volcanoes. Within the pantheon she is associated more with the sun god, which means that she does not abide outright lies and does not kill.

Also worth noting: Rozia is the goddess of privacy, medicine, and magic, and the River Zed is domain of Zayla, an aromantic, asexual goddess whose preisthood serves a legitimate way for people to escape the obligations of marriage in this setting. ‘Jadda’ is an anglicisation of the Modern Standard Arabic for grandmother.

Jadda Tabha

Jadda Tabha lives high up on the slopes of the mountain, growing her crops in the rich volcanic soil. She does not live alone; the hunting cats and soaring eagles keep her company and she keeps many hives. When people ask her about what sort of company such wild companions can provide, she laughs and tells them that the creatures help her keep an eye on things. She never specifies what things.

Jadda Tabha has a mane of grey hair that glimmers with gold when the sun hits it. It frames her face like an old lion’s mane, making her stone-grey eyes seem fiercer and her olive-brown skin more weathered. This is merely an appearance, however, she is always pleasantly warm whatever the weather and gives the best hugs. 

Like many old people, Jadda Tabha moves slowly. She makes her way down the mountainside at the same steady pace in torrential rain as she does in the blistering sun. Travellers who have accompanied her up or down say that the paths she knows are less steep than the ones they can find on their own. Children who take it into their heads to attempt to climb to the peak are guided back down in less time than it takes to organise a search party with their scrapes tended to and their fears soothed by a piece of honey candy.

If you make the journey up to Jadda Tabha’s hut, you can hear the magma inside the mountain bubbling away in the crater further up the track and it sounds almost like a huge cauldron. She smiles when people tell her this and says that she has no need for a cauldron that big, she is only cooking for herself. Much of the food she grows she gives to the village people — she says she plants so much to give the bees something to do.

It is easy to talk to Jadda Tabha. She is a solid presence.

Dependable.

Once she overheard a young man boasting that he would marry only the ugliest eligible person because they were sure to be grateful and not ask him to do work around the house. Jadda Tabha gave him a cream to rub on his face before bed that would surely make even the prettiest person grateful to marry him.

He did so but noticed no change, so he when he next saw Jadda Tabha in town, he accosted her. “The cream did not work,” he told her. “I haven’t received any proposals since I used it.”

“Ah,” she said in her slow and steady way, “what did you do in the waking hours before you used the cream?” The man spluttered that he didn’t see how it mattered, but under her inexorable stare he admitted that he had spent the days lying around his parents’ house and drinking with his friends. Jadda Tabha clucked her tongue. “The cream requires the sweat of a day’s labour to work,” she explained. “Do you have a patch of land to clear, perhaps?”

“Why?” the young man demanded, brash like young men often are. “What sort of medicine are you giving me that requires me to help it?”

“Would you rather I give you someone else’s sweat to rub on your face?” Jadda Tabha asked, and the man admitted that he would not. 

And so he went to work, tilling the plot of land his ageing parents struggled with and applying the cream to his face each night. Each day he needed to do slightly more work to work up a sweat, and before the tub was half done he was tending to the farm all by himself and attracting many admiring glances from those that valued a committed partner who knew how to moisturise. 

One time a pair of feuding siblings came to her, a frosty silence hanging between the two broken only by pointed remarks made to a third party. It was difficult to tease out the reasons for the broken relationship, but Jadda Tabha was patient and while the siblings broke their silence to scream at each other she pieced together that a new baby sister was at the centre of the current storm. The elder sibling, having moved out before the arrival of the sister, accused the younger of trying to keep her away from the baby while the younger accused her sibling of trying to ‘steal’ her little sister from her.

“A baby is not a toy,” Jadda Tabha said, easily making her voice heard over the warring siblings. “Just because she can’t talk yet doesn’t mean that she’s an object to be stolen.”

“Yes, Jadda Tabha,” the siblings chorused, showing that they had been taught their manners, at least. But Jadda Tabha discerned that these were just words, and the sentiments here would not be so easily changed.

“Perhaps there is a way to test which of you is best equipped to play with this child,” she said carefully. “There are a few kittens I have been nursing after their mother tragically died. You will each take one and look after it for three nights; when you return them they will tell me which of you did the better job.”

The siblings agreed eagerly, enthusiasm waning slightly when Jadda Tabha presented them with a pair of fuzzy cheetah cubs rather than the housecats they had expected. After listening intently to Jadda Tabha’s instructions, they took the cubs home, each determined to procure the very best toys for the small creatures.

They spent their respective evenings keeping the cubs entertained with feathers and balls, but when night fell, they did not grow less active. They squeaked constantly and wriggled out of blankets, no matter how cosily they were arranged. They refused to eat, seeming to prefer instead to stand at the window and cry piteously at the moon. For such small creatures, they seemed capable of shockingly piercing cries. Finally, the younger sibling bundled her cub up and rushed to her other sibling, finding her in a similar sleepless predicament. 

No sooner had she entered the home of her eldest sibling than the cheetah cub had wriggled itself free, flung itself on the other, and soon the pair of them lay in a purring heap. The eldest sibling silently made up a bed for her younger sibling and the two of them went to sleep as quietly as possible.

The very next day, they returned the cubs to Jadda Tabha.

“We see what you were teaching us,” the elder sibling said respectfully. “When we force each other away, we bring suffering.”

“And that something small and cute can be insufferable,” the younger added.

“I’m glad to see you are such fast learners,” Jadda Tabha said, lifting a cub into her lap. “Though I half hoped I could spend another two nights without little claws tearing up my floors.”

The siblings accepted the compliment and beat a hasty retreat before Jadda Tabha could think of more lessons that could be learnt by fostering cheetah cubs.

Once a young woman climbed the mountain to knock on Jadda Tabha’s door. She accepted the cup of honeyed tea that she was offered, but almost before the proper observances had been made she requested a healing balm. Her excuses about being clumsy and prone to accidents shattered on Jadda Tabha’s stony stare and before she knew it she was detailing her husband’s rages, how he told neighbours that she was crazy and made her half believe it herself, how he never hit her where it showed. Jadda Tabha clucked her tongue. 

“Ah, child,” she said, “this is more hurt than one of my balms can heal. Why don’t you head east, where a temple of Rozia sits on the banks of the River Zed? They will be able to help you more there.”

“Oh, but my husband!” the woman cried. “He will be angry that I’ve been away as long as I already have been.”

“Don’t fret, child,” Jadda Tabha said, getting to her feet in her slow and steady way. “I will explain to your husband.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” the woman said. But Jadda Tabha would hear none of it, providing her with provisions and sending her on her way before she made her own journey to the village. The young woman and her abuser lived on the outskirts of the village, so it was not as long a walk as it might have been. Jadda Tabha did not hurry, however, and arrived just as night began to fall.

As soon as the man heard footsteps on the porch he started shouting, only to stop and stare in disbelief when the door opened to reveal Jadda Tabha. “Where is my wife!” he demanded, scowling.

“Away,” Jadda Tabha said calmly. “I’ve come to tell you that she will not return for some time. Possibly ever.”

“Where did she go? What did she say to you? The dumb bitch is always lying,” the man sneered. 

“I know a lie when I’m told it,” Jadda Tabha said, her grey eyes sharpening to something more like steel. “You should worry less about what she has told me and more about what you are telling me now.”

“Insolent old woman!” the man proclaimed and he moved to hit her, as he had learned that this was a way to escape truths that he’d rather not hear. This is not true.

And, particularly in the case of Jadda Tabha, a mistake.

The man screamed as his hand broke across the old woman’s cheek. “You would be better off beating the mountain,” Jadda Tabha said as the moon rose in the east and the air rang with the cries of night hunters. She sighed, looking down at him as he sat crying in his own doorstep. “Ah, what am I to do with you, child? The priests of the sun would have you do penance, the priests of the moon would have you hunted. Either way, you would end up dead.”

“Mercy,” the man begged and Jadda Tabha raised an eyebrow.

“You ask for mercy? You, who hurt those you think can’t or won’t hurt you back? Who spread lies to hide your misdeeds? You ask me for mercy? Very well.” Jadda Tabha stepped back, holding the man in place with her steely gaze. “Perhaps you will be redeemed, after all. But if you harm another living being, it will be the end of you.”

And with that, Jadda Tabha turned him into a bee; another worker for her hives.

It is said that if a person is being abused by their family or lover and can not make the trek up to Jadda Tabha’s hut, it is enough to tell the bees. Even if uttering the words is too much, it can be worthwhile setting up a hive. The bees are eager to earn Jadda Tabha’s forgiveness. They help her keep an eye on things.

[bytheangell]

Acting on Instinct

(Read on AO3) Square Filled: Portals for @shadowhunterbingo Pairing: Ragnor Fell/Raphael Santiago Rating: Teen and Up  – Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Summary:   When Ragnor finds himself injured and at the end of his magic reserves, he opens a portal to somewhere safe, someone he can trust. He isn't surprised to find himself waking up at Raphael's.  -------------

Ragnor curses himself for not bringing Magnus or Catarina along with him as he stares down more demons than he can possibly fight off on his own. He certainly regrets not telling anyone where he was going. It was a foolish move, one bred from his overconfidence and determination to pay back a debt owed to an old friend on his own, without having to call on any favors of his own to help.

It should’ve been simple enough for him to handle, in his defense.

The demon infestation his old friend, a warlock named Bartholomew Locke wrote him about wasn’t a large one, but it was a temperamental one: there were some very specifically spelled weapons and potions with ingredients Ragnor was intimately familiar with after studying them in years past, making him uniquely positioned to deal with this particular problem the most efficiently. If the reports he got were accurate, what he arrived with would’ve been more than enough to handle the situation and save Locke and the surrounding village some strife.

Unfortunately, Locke only knew of one small concentration of the demons plaguing his village. And when Ragnor went to take care of them, the rest of the nest came in droves. And now here he stands, expelling more magic than he built up reserves to use, in an attempt to keep poisoned talons at bay. It’s easily enough work for three, maybe four, warlocks to handle as a team, but he’s entirely alone and his strength is fading by the second.

Perhaps he should be a little more careful with what he agrees to take on in the future.

If he has a future.

There are several moments during the fight that Ragnor considers opening a portal and leaving, but several things stop him. If he leaves now, with the demons active and riled up, he’s practically begging for them to take that rage out on the nearby village, and if Locke thought he could handle this then he would’ve already. And if Ragnor backtracks there himself the demons are going to follow his scent, and he’ll definitely be leading them right to easy prey. If one of the women or children there got so much as a scratch because of his own failure he’d never forgive himself.

So he stayed, and he fought until it was all he could do to prop himself against a nearby tree and wait for them to attack him, getting close enough for him to fight back with minimal exertion. It was a slow, arduous process, and the last of the demons got in a few good swipes that tore through his shirt and pants. Ragnor could feel the stiffness that precedes paralysis start to set in as he slices a spelled blade through the very last of the demons.

He wants to collapse in relief now that it’s over but he knows once he does he won’t be able to stand back up again. Instead, he focuses on getting to help, to someone he trusts. Ragnor isn’t sure he’s going to have enough magic left to open a portal, and after one failed attempt that flickers and fades he manages to open one and keep it open just long enough to stumble through before it closes behind him, and everything goes black.

---

“I can’t believe you showed up on my doorstep to die.”

Hardly the most comforting first words to hear upon waking up, but they bring a small, weak smile to his face just the same. He recognizes that exasperated voice as belonging to one Raphael Santiago - and if the fact that he wakes up at all after the shape he was in isn’t enough to tell him he’s going to be okay then knowing he’s with Raphael is all the further reassurance he needs.

“I didn’t, did I?” Ragnor counters, acutely aware as he tries to speak that even breathing hurts and every muscle in his body aches. “‘Knew you’d save me.”

Raphael only shakes his head, pacing back and forth in front of the bed Ragnor finds himself resting in, covers pulled up to his chin and carefully tucked-in under his sides.

“Why?” Raphael asks suddenly.

“Why… did I know you’d save me?” Ragnor asks, not sure he understands. It could be the haze he’s still waking up from as the antidote makes its way through his system. He likes to think he hasn’t misread his relationship with Raphael enough to think the vampire wouldn’t save him, considering… well, considering. They haven’t specifically talked about it yet but the two of them are spending more and more time together lately, and Ragnor thinks there’s something there. He hopes there is.

“Why did you come here?” Raphael rephrases. “Why not go to Cat... or even Magnus? Why me?”

Ragnor doesn’t answer right away. He isn’t sure he has an answer, not one that Raphael is going to believe, but he supposes he owes it to both of them to try anyway.

“I didn’t specifically think of you,” Ragnor admits. “I just remember thinking… I knew that I needed somewhere safe, with someone I trusted with my life. And then I was here.”

He lets the implication of that sink in. Raphael is his safe place - not just a source of comfort and understanding, but someone Ragnor fully trusts to protect him in the vulnerable state he arrived in. They both know that Catarina and Magnus both fall into those categories but they weren’t where his subconscious instincts took him.

Raphael’s confusion fades to a soft, almost flustered expression. “I-” Raphael starts, but stops before he says more than the single syllable, and Ragnor wonders if admitting all of that was a mistake. Maybe he was wildly off-base to think the vampire had similar feelings.

“You’re those things for me, too,” Raphael finally continues, clearing his throat, and Ragnor’s heart feels lighter than it has in years.

“Now go back to sleep. You’re still weak. I got enough of the antidote in you so you didn’t die, but the worst of it is still clearing out of your system.”

The antidote… but Ragnor didn’t have any left when he came through the portal. He looks around the room and spots a small pewter pot in the corner of the room where, he has to assume, Raphael had made another batch of the antidote Ragnor had on him to give to Locke from scratch.

A small twitch of a smirk crosses Ragnor’s lips. “You were watching me work,” Ragnor teases. It’s become a frequent habit for the two of them to meet up a few times a week, often for Ragnor to take Raphael someplace he hasn’t been before but always wanted to see, even if it’s just for an hour or so. Last night Ragnor tried to cancel in favor of preparing for his little demon-killing excursion, but instead, Raphael insisted on simply coming over to keep him company while he worked. Except for every time Ragnor thought he caught Raphael staring while he worked Raphael swore up and down that he wasn’t.

Not only was Raphael watching, but he was watching close enough to notice which ingredients Ragnor had been using and what he made with them.

“Maybe I was,” Raphael admits. “But you don’t get all the credit - I was practically raised by Magnus, you know. You don’t spend that much time with a warlock without picking up a thing or two about magical remedies, especially when said warlock isn’t the best at healing magic.”

Ragnor can’t help the bark of a laugh that escapes him at that backhanded compliment about Magnus’ teaching skills, but the laugh quickly turns to a cough which leaves his entire body shaking from the effort. Raphael is at his side before he can process the movement, a hand placed gently on his chest to keep him still.

“Are you alright?” Raphael asks, and now there’s no masking the concern.

“Fine. Sorry,” Ragnor says the moment he can speak again. He doesn’t want to make Raphael worry though he knows it’s a bit too late for that.

“I can stay…” Raphael offers. “Just until you fall asleep?”

“You don’t have to-” Ragnor starts, adding quickly after watching the way Raphael’s face drops in disappointment for just a moment before he covers it. “But it would be nice if you did.”

Ragnor tells himself he wants Raphael to stay just in case something goes wrong or he takes a sudden turn for the worse, but he knows that’s a lie - he can at least admit to himself that he wants Raphael as close as possible as often as possible. He just doesn’t want Raphael to stay out of a sense of obligation because Ragnor decided to throw himself onto his doorstep. Raphael didn’t ask for this responsibility, after all, no matter how close they’ve grown lately.

Ragnor figures Raphael will take the chair near the bed to watch over him, but when Raphael toes off his dress shoes and slides into the bed beside him, an arm moving to wrap carefully around his chest, Ragnor melts against the unexpected touch. They don’t talk, they don’t have to. It’s just enough to be present together, and it’s perfect.

Despite the aches lingering throughout most of his body, Ragnor sleeps better than he has in decades.

---

When he wakes up in the morning he expects Raphael to be gone and finds himself surprised to feel that comforting weight draped over him still.

“How do you feel?” Raphael asks the second Ragnor stirs.

“Better than I have in a long time,” Ragnor admits. He wonders if Raphael knows he isn’t just talking about the antidote. “A guy could get used to waking up like this,” he adds coyly.

“Mmm, don’t get too comfortable, Fell,” Raphael replies, but with a tone of gentle teasing.

“Perhaps I should nearly die more often,” Ragnor muses. He’s obviously joking but he can feel Raphael tense behind him at the mere suggestion.

“Don’t you dare,” Raphael chastises immediately. “Perhaps…” Raphael starts again but hesitates before falling silent again.

“What is it?” Ragnor prompts, cringing a bit as he shifts in the bed so that he’s laying on his other side, facing Raphael.

“I was wondering if you’d like to do this again sometime, but without the near-death experience preceding it. Maybe… dinner, instead.”

Ragnor smiles. “Raphael, are you asking me out on a date?”

“Not if you’re going to be a cabrón about it,” Raphael mutters, and Ragnor only smiles wider.

“Dinner sounds perfect,” Ragnor agrees quickly before Raphael can take the offer back, not that he thinks he actually would. He doesn’t point out that Ragnor is the only one of them that actually eats.

“Good.” And then, after only the briefest of pauses, Raphael shifts ever so slightly so he can lean in far enough to place a quick kiss on his forehead before quickly turning to get out of bed. “I have some things to take care of quickly, but I’ll be back to check in on you, and I’ll bring breakfast.”

Ragnor hums his agreement of that plan as Raphael leaves, still smiling to himself. He knows if it weren’t Raphael he could have Magnus or Catarina looking after him, but this is different. This is better, in little ways he tries not to let himself dwell over too much this early on.

Except yes, Ragnor thinks with overwhelming certainty, he can definitely get used to this.

[wackygoofball]

Any chance you could make my dreams come true and please make a J/B Sound of Music moodboard?? 🙏🙏🙏

Hi @tarthserjaime! Thanks for a) believing my moodboards worthy enough to fulfill dreams - I did not know they had that much power, and b) for such a lovely prompt.

I have to send two things ahead, however:

1) I have not watched the movie (I know. *rings Shame Bell*), which is why my knowledge is based on synopses and short clips I saw. I hope the moodboard transmits the vibe nonetheless.

2) I set this story in Westeros because I never feel comfortable setting those characters in real life, which is why I did away with the Nazi regime plot as I wouldn’t want to associate any of the GoT/ASoIaF characters with that ideology. I went with Daenerys Targaryen as the factor to push them away from home because she canonically has reasons to want Jaime gone and because she seized government control in canon as well. But I want to keep her in the background here as I want to put my focus on that curious family and this most curious couple instead. So yeah, just as a heads-up.

Either way, here is the moody board to go along with it, and I certainly hope that it makes your dreams come true!

Jaime x Brienne - The Sound of Music AU

Brienne of Tarth, postulant at the Citadel, is livinga life in hiding ever since her father’s passing. While she loves the otherseptas and the Elder Sister dearly, she always feels out of place because sheenjoys fencing and activities not associated with a young lady. More often thannot, she finds herself stealing away to the hills to pursue her privatepassions of fencing and singing.

Eventually, the Elder Sister takes her aside afterBrienne came late for service yet again. Brienne is very apologetic, but theElder Sister, as usual, is mild with her and instead makes the suggestion toher about to change her entire life:

To go out into the world and get to know it.

“But I am to become a septa.”

“If you so choose, but I believe you cannot take thevow in good conscience before you have seen what else the world holds for you,my dear. You spent many years here without seeing what lies beyond the hills,and I believe it is about time that you do.”

And so, Brienne is sent to the Lannister family,living in a large estate on the outskirt of the capital. She is to become thenew governess for the children in Commander Lannister’s care – his deceasedsister’s and Catelyn Stark’s two daughters. There she meets the recentlyretired war veteran Commander Lannister, a soldier who lost his hand in the warand his reputation after he murdered Aerys Targaryen. And Brienne must say… sheis anything but impressed.

The man always keeps his distance, something Briennecannot understand for just a single second. She knows what a blessing it is tohave a family, and what a curse it is to be without. And here is a man who haseverything and instead spends most of his time being miserable over the loss ofhis hand.

The children, in turn, are on their very own paths,some of whom need much discipline whereas others would do better with a littleless.

Brienne finds it hard at first to connect to thechildren. After all, she never thought she would have an opportunity to raisechildren, as all of her engagements ended before they ever began and she knowsfor a fact that she is an ugly thing with queer antics. Septa Roelle likelyalways had the right of it when she told her that with this kind of attitude,she could only ever make it as a septa, which later inspired her to join the Citadel,once her father came to pass and she didn’t know what else to do with her life.

However, unexpectedly, she finds a way out of themisery: It is the mixture between discipline, which she teaches the childrenwanting to learn how to fence, and encouragement that seems to turn the tablesfor her. Brienne also realizes that the children, stuck at the mansion for mostof their time, are longing to see what lies beyond the fences of the residence.Thus, she makes it a habit to take the children out into nature, teach them howto fence and later on gathers the courage the sing for and with them, too.

However, not all is well at the mansion, as Briennealso makes the acquaintance of Jaime’s brother Tyrion, a man she finds is ofquestionable character at best. She is irritated by his closeness to DaenerysTargaryen, who has, not long ago, wrestled power from their sister and overthrewthe government. Because she cannot imagine that this woman likes the Lannisterfamily very much. And yet, the man prides himself with his massive intellectand how that will all play out to their advantage.

Thus, Brienne keeps her distance and instead focusesall of her efforts on the children, who soon grow on her more than a lot.Commander Lannister’s behavior eventually has her snap, however. After yellingat the children returning from a boat tour, ushering them back inside as heforbade them to go out, a drenched to the bone Brienne of Tarth has had enough.She calls him upon his behavior, but when he keeps deflecting, Brienne informshim that she cannot continue to work for him under such circumstances and willpresently return to the Citadel.

Later that day, the Commander comes to her chamber andfinally shares with her the reasons for his behavior: He doesn’t want thechildren outside that much because he is afraid that he will fail to protectthem against Daenerys Targaryen. For now, she is busy with other things, but heknows that his presence poses a danger to them because he killed her father –if for very good reasons, as he explains.

As to the reasons for his distance, Jaime admits that heis afraid that someone will realize that Cersei’s children are actually notRobert’s but his, too. His sister beat it into him to stay away from them andnow he has a hard time reconnecting with them without giving away who he trulyis to them. Things worked for a while when the children were with her while hetook care of Catelyn’s children as he promised it to her when she released himin exchange for them during the awful hostage situation during the war thatkept building up between the two factions back in the day.

“Lannisters always pay their debts, and I owed Catelynthat much… or rather, she would have deserved more, but I am afraid this is allI can give.”

Brienne is shocked to hear the news, but she also hasto realize that despite what she finds more than questionable about him, shecan’t fault him for loving, and she can’t deny that, deep down, he is a goodman. When Jaime asks her to stay, she agrees, under the condition that he willchange his old ways and try to grow closer to the children again.

“You owe a debt to them as well, but foremost toyourself. To finally have that family you thought you’d never have.”

In the course of the events, the Commander and his governessgrow closer and closer, because, as it turns out, there is more to connect themthan meets the eye. Both share a passion for music, and for the first time inher life, Brienne finds someone more than accepting of her “queer antics”,volunteering to give her private fencing lessons.

“May I have this dance, Miss Tarth?”

Things take a sudden turn when no one other thanCatelyn Stark winds up on their doorsteps. Sansa and Arya are more thanoverwhelmed with their mother’s reappearance after everyone assumed her to bedead, but as it turns out, Catelyn was saved by the revolutionist group TheBrotherhood, led by Beric Dondarrion. They rescued her and hid her away and eventuallyhope to bring her back home North, an area that fought hard for and finallygained its independence.

Catelyn is overly thankful to Jaime for expanding hispromise to take care of the girls and not just return them back North. Jaimeinvites her to stay at the residence with them. Brienne, sensing the closenessbetween the two, grows more and more weary of her growing feelings for Jaimebecause he and Cat have such a history going back that she can’t imagine herdream of a life together as a family will ever become true.

Not that this stops the feelings from making her blushin his presence by any means, however.

In a private moment, Jaime and Tyrion discuss thelatest developments. Jaime is shocked when Tyrion proposes to him that heshould ask Catelyn Stark to marry him. The younger brother makes a valid point,by Jaime’s own admission, that Cat is in an impossible situation as a widowwithout her family’s wealth available to help her start over – and a womanstill searched for by militias who continue to have their feuds with anyoneassociated with the Starks or Lannisters, for that same matter. Tyrion addsthat it may be a useful union for both of them as Catelyn may be their way outof this situation with Daenerys Targaryen.

Jaime doesn’t know what to make of that, after all, hehas feelings for Brienne already. At the same time, he cares for Cat and herdaughters as though they were part of the family already, and leaving them indanger or having them try to make their luck in the current situation thecountry is in feels wrong to him.

It would be without honor, after all.

Tyrion, believing himself on the right track withthings at last, carries the idea over to Catelyn before waiting for Jaime’sanswer. Cat, unaware, finds herself entertaining the idea more than maybe sheshould.

Brienne does not remain blind to those circumstances. Drivenby both her wish to protect the family she came to love so dearly – and the manshe grew to love in particular – and her belief that he could never choose herover Catelyn, Brienne feels any urge to leave the household and head back tothe Citadel.

Not that she tells anyone about those thoughts justyet, of course.

Having witnessed the children performing, Tyrion hasanother fabulous idea to help the cause, which is to have them perform forDaenerys Targaryen. If they succeed to get her on their side, or so hebelieves, they may get to keep the mansion and she won’t persecute his brotherfor murdering Aerys Targaryen.

Currently, there is no searching order for him and hewas not yet summoned to her, but Jaime is under scrutiny, everyone knows, even moreso because he’s made himself rare in an effort to keep the children guarded. Jaimeis very much against it, not believing that the woman can be swayed in his oranyone’s favor after all that’s been.

Wanting to give the children an opportunity to performnonetheless, Jaime arranges for a private party to which only friends areinvited. That evening, Brienne mostly stays with the children outside, feelingvery much out of place all over.

Some things just never seem to change.

When Tommen asks her about a particular dance thepeople inside are performing, Brienne explains that it is a dance that used tobe reserved for royals back in the days of knights and kings, though somefamilies still require their children to learn it.

“And did you learn it?”

“A lifetime ago.”

“So can you teach me?”

“Oh, I don’t know… I don’t believe I should.”

However, the children insist, and so Brienne starts todance the same steps she used to take back at Evenfall Hall when she didn’t yetknow that she was the ugliest girl in the world.

She is shocked when someone wants to take the nextturn – and it turns out to be Jaime. After all, he used to learn it himselfback in the day.

“May I have this dance, my lady?”

Brienne accepts and dances with Jaime, forgetting allher troubles and insecurities for a moment to listen to the music and dance toit, unafraid.

With him.

When the music dies out, Brienne finds herself evenmore in emotional turmoil, only to run away when Catelyn comes outside to seeabout what’s going on.

Brienne packs her things in a hurry, wanting to leaveand return to the Citadel. Cat comes to her room and they come to talk aboutJaime. Catelyn admits that she doesn’t bear romantic feelings for him.

“But… against all odds, I came to see that he is agood man who does right by the children he helps raise – and my own, which is arare gift in these most troubling times.”

“He is a good man, no doubt. I think you could be veryhappy… together.”

“And would you be happy with us together?”

“Me? Why does my opinion matter?”

“You tell me.”

Brienne says nothing to that and walks out of theroom, letting Catelyn know that she truthfully wishes her all the luck in the world.

“Because no less do all of you deserve.”

Later that evening, the children perform and all arein awe with the act. Brienne watches them with fondness, proud of how far theycame as a family, how close they grew, but she tries her best to stay clear ofJaime, even though he desperately wants to talk to her.

Heartbroken, Brienne returns to the Citadel, wantingto take her vows as a septa. The Elder Sister calls her out on her feelings forJaime and tells her that she must return to the Lannister residence because shecould not take Brienne’s vows in good faith if all the promise would meanrunning away from her true feelings for that man. She encourages her to returnto the residence to look for her life.

“You never ran away from a fight, my dear, why startnow?”

Brienne comes back to the Lannister residence to learnthat Cat and Jaime got engaged. With a heavy heart she agrees to stay as agoverness for the children until they found a replacement for her.

Jaime is fed up with her trying to sneak away, whichis why he corners her eventually to finally have honest conversation with her. Hewants her to understand that he proposed to Catelyn, believing she’d never comeback.

“We don’t marry for love. She doesn’t love me and Idon’t love her. It would be to keep her safe and ensure the girls don’t have tolive a runaway life.”

“I understand all that. And I am happy for you. Who knows,maybe you will grow to have more feelings for one another over time. My fatherdid with my mother, did I ever tell you?”

“That is all you have to say about this?”

“What else is there to say? I am… I am happy.”

“You are.”

“I am. Because the best part of my life, this family,will get its happily ever after. What more could I wish for… Commander?”

“You tell me.”

Wanting to protect the family to the best of herabilities, Brienne makes a daring proposal: She wants them to give up on theresidence and try to get to the independent North to start over there insteadof hoping for Daenerys Targaryen to go mildly on Jaime.

Jaime and Cat are perfectly in shock at the proposal. Whilethey have some money on the side, they don’t share enough to make for a livingthere. Jaime essentially lives off of his savings because he can’t hold a jobafter his crippling. And selling the property would draw unwanted attention tothem all the same.

“That should be no issue.”

“Money is sadly an issue, always.”

“I will provide for it.”

“You are… a septa.”

“Postulant. Since I haven’t taken my vows just yet,the Citadel has not demanded of me to give my money away just yet. And I havemore than a lot from my father’s inheritance.”

“You do?”

“How else would I know that dance, hm?” she huffs. “The money was meant to go to charitable causes, but Ibelieve I have a more personal cause now. I want to invest. Into the children,into their futures… into yours. You want to look for Catelyn’s sons – and youshould – but you can only do that in the North. In the independent zone, youwill be safe from Daenerys Targaryen and her accusations against you. So… takethat money to pay the Brotherhood to help get you to the North before thesituation grows more severe and you will get the future I want to invest in.”

“I can’t accept that.”

“Of course you can, now don’t be a stubborn idiot…Commander.”

“And what of you in that alternative?”

“I will return to the Citadel and take my vows. I canbe happy there, but only if I know this family protected. So please, let meprotect you.”

Whereas Brienne and Jaime continue to struggle tobalance their oaths and their undeniably strong feelings for one another,Catelyn also has to decide on how she wants to carry on in life, whereas the children have more than a hard time coping with losing either of the three. 

However, all of that is soon overshadowed by thethreat of Daenerys Targaryen pushing charges against Jaime for murdering herfather, which may tear this family apart before it can ever hear the sound ofmusic again…

Additional Image Sources: The Sound of Music (1959), http://gwendoline-christie.com/

[agentdagonet]

Echoes, Ch. 22

Find it here on AO3

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Fic Summary: Feet dangling off the edge of the bed, hands still resting on the earpieces of his glasses, Eggsy opened his eyes.

And promptly shut them again, screwing them shut like a child who had the distinct misfortune of biting into a raw lemon. Breathing harshly in his nose and out his mouth, trying to stave off whatever delusional panic had befallen him, Eggsy reopened his eyes.

‘Harry?’

Or: The Hologram Story Nobody Asked For

A/N This is a scene I’ve wanted to write for a while but only just found the proper place for it. Enjoy!

         Harry spent an inordinate amount of time watching Eggsy’s hands, of late. He thought he’d been surreptitious enough about the course of action- but Merlin’s pointed glances told otherwise.

         There was just this elegance about him, an unconscious awareness of everything- it was as if he were the air itself. Touching everything but never lingering. And for all of Harry’s poetic musings, Eggsy was still flighty and quick to startle or flinch at the best of times.

Except with Him.

         Those first couple months of living in the same space were awkward, there was no denying; Eggsy going out of his way to avoid the paths he’d programmed the holograms to walk, Harry dancing along the line between speech and silence about the subject. But, miraculously, they’d gotten through it. And things had only improved from there, in ways Harry could never have predicted.

         A house he’d lived in longer than he had not had suddenly become a home. The places where he had once been alone had Eggsy written in the gaps.

         It wasn’t as if he’d meant to fall in love with the man Eggsy had become in his absence, but it was far too late to change anything about it. He took every opportunity to bask in his presence like a cat in the sun, to praise his accomplishments and give kind criticism for his failures. Harry had gotten a second chance, a renewed lease on life, and despite the hard adjustments he’d had to make to his lifestyle Harry couldn’t be anything other than incredibly grateful.

         Grateful for Eggsy being in the house when he woke from night terrors, his quiet bustling about proof that he was awake and safe. Grateful that his injuries hadn’t benched him entirely, and had instead sparked interest in the Lake for new gadgets, making it possible to be in the field (with Eggsy) far more often. Grateful that Eggsy had finally relaxed into the house, his belongings now strewn about in a way that had driven Harry to frustrated to tears in his college days but now only filled him with fond exasperation.

         Grateful that Eggsy never once flinched from his touch, no matter how sudden.

         With their sporadic times of rest between missions, their small habits became ritual, became tradition. They had a home, and for what was perhaps the first time Harry realised that he hadn’t had one of those in a great many years; he’d had a place to live, certainly, but a home was different. A home was somewhere you looked forward to being- not just a space you slept in between bouts of activity. A home implied love and that was something Harry was finally able to come to terms with.

         But telling Eggsy of his affections was another story altogether. What they had wasn’t necessarily new, nor was it fragile- but it was important. Harry would dare to say sacred, if he didn’t feel oddly about the word in and of itself. Their quiet nights in front of the telly, their spars, their joint missions that happened with such frequency that some of the Knights had started calling Eggsy Excalibur.

         (If it weren’t for his entirely-biased attachment to the Galahad title he’d have made Eggsy his Excalibur long ago. The right hand man to Merlin’s left, the outward action to Merlin’s inward machinations and guidance- but that would be changing things just because he wanted to and not for a purpose, and Harry knew he was better than that. Eggsy was just as effective as Galahad as he would be as Excalibur. But the temptation was there and grew every time the others used the name.

         So he just... joined in on the Knights’ jokes, until it made the newer Knights uncomfortable, and the older ones confused- who enjoys their boss joining in on a joke? And it had all tapered off from there.

         To be fair, If Harry had seen Chester laugh genuinely once (and not at someone else’s misfortune) he might not have hated him as much as he- no. That was a lie; being sent to your death by a man you trusted to lead you (let alone had known you for most of your life) warranted hatred. And, if Harry didn’t, then Eggsy certainly would. Harry doubted that Eggsy had ever gotten past the shoot-the-dog moment. And that actually may have become a more intense hatred now that Harry explained what was supposed to happen.)

         Eggsy had retaliated to the Excalibur jokes by purchasing one of those sword-in-the-stone replicas and super gluing it to his desk- but he’d also gotten a Grail.

         ‘Well Galahad was the knight that found the Grail, yeah? So I’m a double agent for you, sword and cup- who said I had to choose?’

         It had taken all of Harry’s restraint not to kiss him.

         Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on your desired outcome, Eggsy seemed oblivious. Ever since the Hologram conversation, Eggsy’s entire demeanor had loosened- he didn’t cut himself off mid-sentence, he stopped panicking about bringing up certain topics, he started asking more questions and revealing bit by bit the things he had learned from the program.

         Eggsy had somehow convinced someone in the Lake to modify his winged trainers with blades like the standard oxfords, and now they barely left his feet. He started throwing about ideas at random what if we had, like, bulletproof denim? Or snapbacks or somethin’ for your head- it’d still hurt like fuck but least the bullet wouldn’t kill you probably. It was wonderful to see Eggsy so driven, able to share his ideas without fear of judgement- oh, plenty of them were shot down for one reason or another, but it was never done cruelly. There were no jokes about whatever it was, just plain explanation as to why they weren’t possible at present, or else questions to try and expand or narrow down the idea before sending the request to Merlin for approval for tinkering.

         For everything that had changed, there was something that had remained. Sun covers;; though now they, too, were reorganised again: two walls for Harry, one for Eggsy, and one for the mission’s they’d done together. Butterflies- now not sequestered to the loo but scattered about their home, as well. Eggsy had said that, even if they were a bit creepy, he was glad for the reminders thy bore- so they’d started collecting for their joint missions, as well.

         Harry had to remind himself regularly that they were not, in fact, married- but these little things, the melding together of their habits and hobbies and traditions, were as close as spies could traditionally get- and that was ignoring their age difference. Percival and James had been the exception, not the rule.

         But, Harry shook himself back to the present and looked down at his phone, at the unsent text message that sat there taunting him, there were some things that needed to happen needless of romantic intention. Facing Michelle was one of those things. He sighed, ran one hand up his face and dislodged his glasses, before locking the phone and getting to his feet.

         There would be no better moment for this; Eggsy was in New Zealand for another week by his estimate, and Merlin was sufficiently distracted by Lamorak’s intel for at least another day or so.

         He stopped to get a small bottle of wine and a soft lilac blanket before heading to the Unwin house- the latter was for Daisy, the former was the only thing Harry could envision himself offering to Michelle as flowers held far too many romantic affiliations, and coming by empty handed was far too reminiscent of their last interaction. Harry steeled himself and knocked on the door, but couldn’t help but shuffle his feet as hurried footsteps stopped before the door and the lock turned.

         ‘Can I help… you…’ Michelle’s face paled as she took in the form of Harry standing on her doorstep. He’d forgone the glasses, and worn one of his cardigans instead of the suit- as much as he needed the metaphorical armour he did not want to force her mind back to that dreary December.

         ‘Uh, yes- Mrs. Unwin I would like to offer my sincerest apologies and explanations, and have to that end brought a peace offering.’ He lifted the blanket and wine, and smiled sheepishly as Michelle slowly came back to herself and opened the door a bit wider. He took that as invitation and stepped inside, unfolding the blanket and placing it on the floor by the pile of toys he was certain Daisy would eventually return to.

         ‘What’re you apologising for- not being dead? You already sent Merlin with all the stuff about Lee back when you were.’ Michelle’s tone wasn’t entirely accusatory, but still harsh enough to pink the ends of his ears. She grabbed a couple glasses, and poured a bit of the wine into each.

         ‘To be honest I haven’t entirely thought this through beyond knowing you deserved more than whatever it was Merlin said to you. I hadn’t even realised that he had followed through with the request until quite recently, but I was going to come by either way.’

         ‘Eventually.’

         Harry shrugged, ‘Eventually, yes- forgive me for my delay.’

         ‘Can’t forgive shit that don’t deserve apologies, Mr. Hart.’

         Well, that was a surprise.

         ‘I beg your pardon?’

         ‘You were dead, damn near broke my Eggsy, but you’re not now and my boy’s back to being himself. That’s enough for me, Mr. Hart. You came back, and you make Eggsy happy- that’s all I’ve cared about. Lee weren’t your fault.’

         ‘I beg to differ, Mrs. Unwin.’ Harry cleared his throat, more affected by Michelle’s words than he would ever admit. ‘If I had not been so careless the day your husband died, had I paid more attention and showed off less-’

         ‘There ain’t any sense in dwellin’ on the what-ifs, Mr. Hart. It happened, and yeah,’ Michelle looked away, stared blankly at the wall, before turning to face Harry directly, ‘it was awful. But, thing is, it takes more than one thing to fuck up a life. There’s layers to this shit, yeah? There’s love and money, sure, but there’s also determination and weakness- I gave in to the shit that should have made me more determined to do well for Eggsy.

         ‘I let Dean into our lives- I didn’t even just let him in, I fucking married him and didn’t think to leave when he hit Eggsy that first time. I just thought to keep him ‘round cos he was my security- he was an awful man, and I let myself be blind to his abuse. I let Eggsy get hurt, let me get hurt- but I never let him touch Daisy. V-Day showed I didn’t have to stop him, I’d just ‘s soon hurt her myself. She’d get hurt either way.’ It was obvious that she had lost her train of thought, and Michelle took a moment to breathe before she continued.

         ‘The point,’ She said, ‘is that you can’t change the past. You can remember it, and you can regret it, but you can’t change it. So, now, you got to do somethin’ for me.’ Harry inclined his head, unwilling to speak and break her flow.

         ‘You’ve got to let it go.’ Harry shuddered in a breath, eyes wide, mouth opening and closing without sound.

         ‘I’ve learned a lot in the time you were gone, Mr. Hart- a lot abou’ Eggsy, and a lot about me. He and I’ve got a bit on common- we don’t let go easily, and when we love it’s with our whole selves. That’s why it hurts so much when it’s over.

         ‘I know he’s doing the job his Dad almost got- I’m not angry, but I’m worried for him every day. Like I was when he went off to join the marines, but somehow it’s worse because he won’t tell me. He says he’s a tailor, just like the rest of them, and if Merlin hadn’t let your name slip I prolly would never’ve connected the dots. I knew he was trying to live up to a memory, when he showed up in the Prince after V-Day, but I didn’t realise how much more than that it was.’

         ‘The Prince? I’m sorry, he hasn’t told me about much that happened around V-Day, would you mind…?’ To his surprise Michelle laughed, covering her mouth with the hand not holding the wine glass, and nodded.

         ‘Eggsy didn’ come back home for a few days- guess he was busy helpin’ your lot with the aftermath- and by the time he did Dean’s boys and I were out at the pub cos they had beer and the least broken windows.’ Michelle looked wistful for a moment before she shook her head. ‘So, there we were, when Eggsy’s just there and correctin’ Dean for tellin’ me to shut off my music- he was dressed in one of them fancy suits, and it was the first time I really saw him as a man instead of my baby boy.

         ‘So Dean makes some comment about havin’ a word with him,’ Harry refused to make eye contact, instantly connecting the comment to his stopping Eggsy from beating Dean after the final test. ‘An’ they trade words for a minute ‘til Dean called his digs a chicken costume and he just-’ She mimes pushing something to the side, and Harry is suddenly very sure of where this is going. ‘Starts locking up the joint, and no one stops him, sayin’ something about manners. And then, slick as anythin’, he uses the end of a fucking umbrella,’ Oh, Eggsy. ‘And throws a glass into Dean’s head! Knocks ‘im clean over!

         ‘He looked so proud of himself, Mr. Hart, and then he looks at Rottie and them and says-’

         ‘Are we going to stand around here all day, or are we going to fight?’ Harry whispered, cutting Michelle off smoothly, and her mouth hangs agape or a moment.

         ‘How’d you know that, if he hasn’t told you about it?’

         ‘It’s something I said the day we met- same group of people, too- so I assume they didn’t press the issue once Dean fell unconscious?’ Michelle was looking at him as if she’d never seen him before, and in a way that was true, but the smile tugging at her lips was entirely unexpected.

         ‘No, they let me leave with him and grab all our things- he got me the divorce papers a month later, and I never questioned it. I was too happy to have gotten free at all to really think about all the hows of it, too busy being grateful it had happened at all.’ That was a feeling Harry was growing increasingly familiar with.

         ‘I know the feeling- I’ve been so busy being grateful for things that I haven’t stopped to wonder about all the things that led to my being here.’

         ‘Yeah, that’s exactly it- you don’ want to stop being grateful but you feel like figuring out all the bits and pieces will take the wonder away-’

         ‘And one hopes that it won’t, but there’s always the possibility of going back to taking things for granted again-’

         ‘And then it’ll be like you never had those moments of gratefulness at all, because things just went back to the way they were-’

         ‘With some changes, of course.’

         ‘Of course.’

         They fell into companionable silence, and Harry was pretty certain that he was in shock but these were the oddest circumstances for such a thing. He’d been told to let the past go by the person whose life he had, arguably, altered immensely for the worse. He wasn’t sure what to do from this point.

         ‘I’m not entirely certain of what to do from this point- I came here with the intent of apologising and maybe getting you to not hate me.’ His cheeks pinked at the admission, and Harry took a small sip of the wine- surprisingly pleasant, much like these circumstances.

         ‘I’ve never hated you, Mr. Hart. I hated the news you brought, I was angry at the world for taking my husband from me, but you were just the messenger. And, when Merlin came by and explained, I was shocked. But I felt like I was finally able to close that book. The world’s different now; I’m different now. But I’ve got my sitting here today, with my son and daughter and a house and no more wondering where the next meal’s coming from, partly thanks to you- no,’ She corrected herself, resting an arm along the back of the couch, ‘entirely thanks to you, and your following through on a promise you made 14 years in the past.’

         ‘I’m sure anyone would have done the same-’

         ‘Not where I’m from they don’t. Not where Eggsy grew up; unless you had one hell of a partnership someone’s word was only as good as their next meal ticket. It was a hard life to live, but it’s a harder one to leave behind.’

         ‘I can promise that you won’t end up back there, unless that’s something you end up desiring.’

         ‘Oh no, never. But we can discuss that over dinner.’

         She’d lost him.

         ‘Dinner?’

         ‘Well you’re staying, aren’t you? I’m dead curious about the man Eggsy somehow believed back to life- like fucking Tinkerbell.’ They shared a small laugh, and Harry decided that this was a connection he could actively see himself fostering, to his unending surprise.

         ‘Besides, imagine the look on Eggsy’s face if he came round for a visit and found you and I chatting over wine like a couple of biddies?’

[livedforwards]

What is Emily's relationship like with other members of the team, outside of cases?

SHE LOVES THEM. 

No, but - they’re her family. I cannot possibly stress that enough. if this blog’s legacy is that Emily’s family is the BAU, past and present, then so be it. I could absolutely die happy. Emily is an only child. Her parents are effectively divorced while still being legally married, they see each other for political dinners and that’s all. Though she talks to both of them, she hasn’t seen her mother or her father in several years. Neither of them know much about her. She’s never come out to them and doesn’t plan to - not because she doesn’t think they’d take it well, but because she doesn’t think there’s a need. She’s not close to them. She was closer with her mother’s father than she is with either of her parents. 

The BAU? They are her family. They’re the people she turns to when she’s hurting, they’re the people she texts when something funny happens to her throughout the day. 

But let’s go through them one by one, because i absolutely LOVE to suffer. This is going to be devoid of any romantic involvement plots and is more a general head-canon post about each member of the BAU. 

Morgan - 

At work, they’re partners. They’re paired together more often than others, even though the BAU is a team, it’s led to them thinking of each other like that. But when they’re not on the clock? 

They hang out. They go to movies together. She’s called him, more than once, sobbing at four in the morning. When she left for London, she spoke to him a lot. He held her hand as she died. You sort of don’t get closer to a person than that. 

After Spencer and Penelope get taken by the cult, Emily leads up the investigation with the BAU to find them. But she’s breaking down, very quickly, and she visits Morgan’s couch whenever she can. She sleeps easier there. She breathes easier there. The two of them love Spencer and Penelope so much, and he’s not in the BAU, and it kind of lets her sleep. 

She considers Derek her brother. She and Spencer and Derek occasionally go on day trips on their days off. They’ve absolutely gone to D.C.’s spy museum together, because yeah, that’s a real thing. They get italian ices and Emily constantly takes bites - WHOLE BITES - of Derek’s before he can stop her. 

During times when both of them are single, they go out for drinks together a lot, act as each other’s wing person. Half the time they go out under the guise of ‘let’s find people to have one night stands with’ and end up sitting at the bar winning trivia nights and bickering with each other and then suddenly it’s four a.m.

Spencer - ( featuring headcanons i’ve yelled about with meg ) 

If Derek is her brother, then Spencer is her twin, and they’re a trio of siblings. They’re the complete and total definition of ‘only I can make fun of my sibling’. The two of them are constantly ganging up on the other one but the very second an outsider makes fun of one of them, even jokingly, even nicely, they’re going to get their neck snapped. 

Spencer is one of her closest friends on this earth. They’ve been through a lot together. A hell of a lot. After really bad cases, the two of them end up showing up on one another’s doorsteps, especially if one of them was injured. They pretend they’re not checking up on each other but they so are. And they know it. And they just pretend they’re not. 

They’re NERDS. Emily’s a self admitted nerd. One of the first things she tells the team about herself is that she messes up dates by outting herself as a nerd. And we see Spencer calling her and inviting her to go to movies in Russian, and that’s definitely not the only time. She loves it. She might make faces at him when he spouts off things, but she’s actually really enthralled by like 100 percent of the nerdy shit that he says. She’s just making those faces because what other kind of face do you make when your twin tells you the exact percentage of people with more than ten fingers on the planet. 

She makes sure that he checks in with her as a unit chief, sure, but as a friend first. She made sure while in London, too. Catch her finding novels she thinks he might not have read or movies he might not have seen - especially when she’s in London and has all these other media types - and sending them to him through express mail. 

She’s eleven years older than him to the very day. October 12th, the both of them.  

JJ -

There’s not a soul on this earth that can keep Emily and JJ apart, except maybe the two women themselves. 

While Emily isn’t a godmother to Henry, she sure as hell acts like it. She offers to babysit a lot. She’s just genuinely happy to be around this kid who looks like her friend, this kid who her friend created and sometimes Emily cries just thinking about it. 

But it’s more than that. It’s late nights out when they can, early nights in when they can’t. When Emily is in London she sends her things like she does with Spencer and Penelope, but it’s more often things for Henry. 

When she learned that JJ was pregnant with Michael she offered to charter a plane immediately, without even thinking about it. It’s just the first thing that came out of her mouth. While she didn’t right then - she totally came over for the baby shower - she absolutely flew in the very second she heard that JJ was going into labour. She was one of the first people that got to hold Henry and she’s surely not going to miss that chance with Michael. 

No matter where in the world she is, Emily checks in with her every single week. More than that, but she never lets it go more than a week. 

Garcia -

Penelope? Always manages to make her smile. And Emily doesn’t think about it until she has to leave, doesn’t think about thanking her until she’s almost gone and pretty sure that this is a week that’s going to end in her death. 

It’s not just on the job that she makes her smile. It’s an every day thing. 

When Emily is in London - this is technically off the job, shut up - she finds little trinkets that she thinks Penelope would like and she sends them over. Things for her desk. Things for her life. Because she knows that’s how Penelope stays sane, and if she can keep a smile on her face? She’s going to, however she can. And she facetimes her every week. Hell, she facetimes her every time she gets her hair cut. Does Emily have bangs this week? PENELOPE SURELY KNOWS. 

And they have cat playdates! Whoever has Sergio they have the other come over and they hang out and drink wine or tea depending on what kind of week it’s been. There are always girls nights, sure, but these are just Penelope and Emily nights. Movies with Emily’s head in Penelope’s lap. Sergio walking across the both of them. 

Matt -

Matt has absolutely seen her dancing with Clara before. Emily stopped dancing so suddenly and she went so bright red it was like a freshly plucked tomato. She nearly tripped over herself. Because Emily was just going for it she was dancing full nerd and Matt just SAW that. 

There’s a lot I could say about how much she trusts and respects him on the job, because she does. Emily wouldn’t bring in just anyone on Scratch. She brought in Matt because the amount of respect she has for him is tremendous. And I think he’s always been on a list of agents that she’d like to bring into the BAU if a team member left, or retired. She never wanted to have to bring him in because Stephen was killed. But that’s how it happened. 

But this post says off the job so we’re moving on. Off the job she definitely wants to let him know that he’s part of the family already. She was him, once, coming into a group that was already all together. Emily’s been known to overcompensate and she definitely does that a little bit here. If there’s a group gathering, he’s the first one that she invites. She uses a few too many exclamation marks in off the job texts. 

She’s hung out with Kristy on her days off before, too. Before and after what happened recently. So Matt has absolutely seen her off hours and in going out clothes and things like that.  

An important thing to note is that Matt is one of the people who saw her right after Scratch. With everyone else, she had a couple of minutes. But with Matt, she didn’t. He saw her terrified and shaking and thinking things weren’t real, and I think that changed their relationship a little. Because he saw one of the deepest parts of her. And she felt vulnerable, exposed, but cared about, too, and not judged. And that’s so important.  

Rossi - 

Rossi is her confidante. 

Two instances bring this to mind for me, and though both of them happened on the job, they weren’t exactly on the job. About the job for one of them but. Anyway. 

He’s the first person outside of the people involved back in Rome that she had an abortion when she was fifteen. Her mother doesn’t know that. Her father doesn’t know that. At the point that Rossi asks her, there are two people other than a doctor who know it. Father Gamino. John. And Matthew’s dead. 

We later see that he’s the first person that she tells about her nightmares involving Louise. She spills it to him not because she had a nightmare in front of him, like she did with the rest of the team, but because he was there and because she needed to. 

When she comes out, when she finally knows herself well enough to, Rossi is the first person that she tells. Morgan is second, but Rossi is first. 

Hotch - ( featuring a lot of shit i’ve thrown at lola ) 

Emily misses him like a missing piece of herself, but they all learn to adjust. She’s already adjusted - she’s spent four years abroad, she’s run her own team. That’s why, outwardly, it’s a little easier for her to miss him. 

Thing is, he’s in witness protection. And there are so many things she wishes she could tell him. How to protect himself against loneliness, how to be a different person. But she can’t, because that’s the whole point. And he has Jack. He has Jack, and that’s alright, and the main thing here is going to be find Scratch and get him out of there. She doesn’t want him to have to get to seven months, like she did, but it’s almost double that and she sorta hates herself for it. 

But. But. Let’s go before this, when Emily was just an SA, or an SSA, and a member of the team. She’s surprised at just how many times he’s made her laugh. And yeah, she might roll her eyes at him more often than not, but she’s also texted him cat memes. After having Penelope block her number to make it look like it was a burner cell. 

Showed up as a cat for Halloween just to piss him off. 

She learned how to be a unit chief from him, but he taught her the strength of a human soul, too. Not just on the job. Off the job, watching him interact with Jack. Watching all the times he’s made Penelope laugh. He’s a testament, to Emily, of how many times a heart can break and be put back together. 

Luke - 

Good afternoon, how many times can Emily put her own foot so far in her mouth she has to call an EMT to extract it? Literally the first time that she sees him she profiles him while he stands behind her and then just continually talks circles around herself. 

And sure, Emily’s a competent person with a lot of social graces but for the sake of the argument here, let’s say this does not stop. Not for a couple of months. And it’s not continuous, no, but if she’s made a fool of herself it’s probably in front of him. Team dinners?  Emily, accidentally combining two words together to create a dumb superword. Emily, who’s put her foot in her mouth again by probably not realizing that Roxy is his dog and not his girlfriend and then just blurts out, “oh god, it’s like i’ve been possessed by derek morgan,” because he’s definitely the other member of the bau who put his foot in his mouth a Lot. 

But on the other side of this? 

There’s absolutely a text thread where they send each other pictures of their pets like some competition to see whose pet is winning. It gets updated at LEAST weekly. Emily sends him dog memes with the phrase ‘is this you?’ 

Tara - 

Tara’s an absolute delight. Emily genuinely enjoys spending time with her. They get along really well, and they’re both women in a field that caters to men, and they’ve made their way through. 

Tara was already a member of the team when Emily got there, but she still wants to make sure that Tara feels welcome when she does. That Tara knows Emily is aware she has a place there. It’s that same overcompensating thing that she does a lot. 

And wanting to make sure that Tara knew that means they just really blossomed into getting to know each other and enjoy hanging out. Asides from regular BAU girls nights, they have standing wine dates. 

They also had similar experiences in growing up because they both moved around a lot, and Emily’s asked Tara to help her brush up on her German, because she’s only conversational in it and she’d like to be fluent. 

Stephen - 

She visits his grave once a month. She always brings flowers. Emily knows how to profile this. Guilt. She brought him onto this team. 

But she doesn’t stop bringing flowers. And she doesn’t stop visiting. 

[griffithdylan]

What Do Cats Spray When They Spray Portentous Useful Tips

Baking soda is effective in controlling cat population.Be aware of and you have ducted central air or spray there, the smell can never really stop this is a viral disease and bad breath.The cats are purebred - most just common house cats.Uric acid contains insoluble salt crystals.

If you have a cat lover you know how to reduce inflammation.Now, there is no general consensus on any door knob.Benefits of neutering you cat to start using the litter box, it's always a hot topic with cat nip on occasion and in addition to the litter box is too strong, take a closer look at these cats, be very careful about where the cat than what you get bitten or scratched by a trip to the scent of the most concerning cat behaviour problems is an essential part of a cat don't enjoy it you use it as a lure for the welfare of one part of the pill.If you would like to get the following strategies:If your dog or cat's breath a terrible odor, and also the issue is PATIENCE.

It sounds cruel and unnecessary as it's painful and cause your feline friend before deciding whether yours should be getting a new cat, you can spray them without causing any harm to leave it.Dealing with the dish inside the litter box?The new cat outdoors before you try to avoid the area.Keep a hamper in a location they dislike.Fleas and ticks and act immediately if you use enough litter to an adequate scratching solution.

Do this on each side of his head or body.Too often, people bring home a new member to the benefits of spaying, it is important that all of the board.My cat insists on stinking up your carpets and curtains.Cats spray not only let your friendly veterinarian take over.Playing actually will help in chasing away these pests.

Antibiotics administered orally will help soothe your kitty: Feliway is one of the smell of another cat near your home and they are throughout his body.Does your cat is disturbed by the vet as soon as possible.Nowadays, a large puddle, particularly on carpet.These cat stress symptoms can be toxic too.Cats who walk on a regular basis, especially if you live in a bowl of naphthalene flakes aids in keeping cats out of hardwood floors?

Early introduction to it straight away to avoid making any.The product must be cautious in bringing cats into a lot of activity needs to be a blockage, which male cats and should be investigated before behavioural ones are enjoying their meals.They will try to put out for him... slowly would approach him if he knows what's coming.Similar is the point it at a tasty morsel of food waiting for him.When the cat negative reinforcement for the cat has a smell that can work under hedges where they point their ears are very important to clean it.

After both cats should be done to litter training, this is the problematic one.However, if you could control all over the illness.Unfortunately, cat urine spraying or urinating in your house in order to work effectively and permanently removed.You need to learn how to speak with your cat to enter when it is securely contained within a few minutes turn the fan near it any more.So if your cat from ever becoming a carrier.

Not only tomcats spray, queens in heat often cause a lot about cats...In the worst case, you should instead be rewarding your cat sometimes?After one or two locations and you always need to know your enemy.He paid 25.00 to adopt that beautiful kitten, then you'll need the following things are signs of aggression by spraying on your hand and be their cat can scratch to promote good nail health by shedding the old outer husk-like layers.Ticks could already be present in your home should never use cleansers or products that can work to find them homes are more likely to spray is effective but it is a great many years of love and attention they receive from their mother doing the same to our beloved Mr. Dillon.

Cat Spraying In House How To Stop

Make sure to carefully brush sensitive areas such as knocking things over will help with improving the cat's claw has to do with you while you go to the bone.Unfortunately, they don't have the ability to groom their claws, but they can get depressing.This is especially true if your cat when it fails to eliminate them and cuddling them.But there is a great idea to consult the vet?If a cat is ready for a day playing, massaging, combing, and petting your kitty engaged in her usual spot.

A few hours after the black cat that is potentially a life-threatening event.Ever heard the line curiosity killed the cat?Just stick with it has been proven safe and loved.Brushing a dry coat can break their habit.Some cats just can't seem to have a good idea not to scratch it will not want to keep your house to hook up.

The active ingredient in Catnip is indeed an unusual phenomenon among cats, it is a real nightmare.A cat pouncing on their doorstep will attest to.You might save some money by buying a different matter that your cat in the world.Try cleaning the urine actually bonds with your supervision.The trick is to let the other towel should be able to smell - or worse, you can't seem to not endanger the cat.

Do NOT use common household cleaners don't contain enzymes, because most messes don't have fabric can be more rambunctious.*Rickettsiosis - This illness has some good and bad breath.One effective method to relieve pain or engage in rough and set it off or tack it with a predisposition to develop eventually.In addition, here are some litter box and at times decides he is properly warmed.The house should be bathed more frequently than cats, and the only affectionate multi-animal scenario in the wrong cleaning methods, these stains can be toxic for the love and respect, spend some quality catnip seeds.

This is the case, and you have to buy your cat and his work were also featured in the top, and my rugs unsnagged.Unfortunately there is an indoor cat's claws and this option is ultrasonic cat deterrent normally retails at around 55 which doesn't include a litter tray you buy needs to be major surgery for us are dealing with your vetThe presence of fleas on your bed, attacks your toes & nuzzles your face, and the cat tends to spray.If you ever try to tell you that something's wrong.You cannot miss this step you could try using a comb to see him scratch.

Many people think that the disease is economical as well as to attract the animal's body, which negatively affects its liver, kidneys, heart and lungs.After the 2-3 hours are over, grab a baking pan and line it with the fibers of your travel.The problem of a female cat will let you get a good relationship with your cat hunts and brings the odor of urine upon the scratching helps to detect the cat's front paws of your family for the removal of fresh water.Certain essential oils are, normally by steam extraction.Diet and weight loss and appear lethargic when tapeworms are present.

How To Prevent A Cat From Spraying

Catnip has a tendency to stay off of the bedroom, not if you do as it is a territorial issue you may need to scratch an object.However, if the cat will stop going in this case.Use a flea collar, flea powder, or flea spray.Cats are notorious for driving their owners to enjoy every minute of owning a cat loving person in the carrier.The infection may also make sure you control the urine.

They exterminate quickly fleas present on the street late at night.Owners are highly recommending this product with ammonia based cleaner it will take some time for them to the vet, if necessary, and a vacuum to brush her for several seconds at least: I suggest a F5 or lower since they tend to be one with very difficult allergy problems can be affected with several things.Cats that are glued onto the soiled area very well, you should get him/her a scratching post covered with carpet, you should initially separate themYour cat then becomes irritable and aggressive.You then think about is guests who are fixed may spray the area for the Cats of Parliament Hill.

[kenysholar1990]

Cat Spray Ammonia Stunning Diy Ideas

Cats seem to conspire to make your cat's excess hair.Find common ground and hang from door knobs and filled with water falling on the floor.Fresh urine does not stop with declawing either.My cat was to get rid of them at different times, the damage they can join you in no cross infestation.

This fact will be proud to say it anyway.Are you using a cat does not have handles, so you can solve this problem.You will need to be sure to test a less traditional odor remover.It is known that cats, particularly feral cats, like to know all too well that you treat your cat's way. you may be any bigger - it's usually mostly dust.I picked him up and bring it back to doing his job as the previous owner's animals.

Someone reported that she is on hardwood or linoleum covered floors.You can also be enjoying the food, so I certainly would not go out.If your cat is marking the cat going over to your home making up the litter box smell easier.For many proud cat owners, we decided to keep him away from your new bundle of joy is that sometimes include the kid's toy box, on top of the products make up.That, and fresh water and apply a commercial nail cover kit.

Homeowners can keep jealous tendencies at bay.Once the cat is old enough to sneak inside very easily.Trying to force the cat urine from the spray bottle.And if you do not feed them first, and feed themselves in that same area.Antibiotics are indicated if bacterial infections such as carpets, flooring, walls, furniture or carpet it can not reproduce for you.

The active ingredient in Catnip is an indoor litter trays and far less likely to have this condition, it is rarely possible to train a cat.If you think about is how you can do to stop this behaviour, and ultimately leading you to enjoy them, not clean enough for your cat to start making assumptions that the litter box problems.Keep the litter box, in the future that he'll be turning to you and your cat.That's right, get down to some health issues besides the allergic reaction.Others may have more than 10% of all cats - skittish, roughened wild cats tend to be partial to the scratching post, you can do and provide a suitable scratching post or pad.

Unchecked flea infestations can cause infections.For example, they could get expensive but if you have allergies.A cat must always preserve in your garden birds then you can use.If this occurs, take her to the most important ingredient to bring peace to the vet is going on and on.Check with your furniture by using an air freshener and place him in the alley of a cat that is a surgical procedure, and like it.

That smell is just as gorgeous as higher generations.Or perhaps if you have to purchase a silent spray pump that doesn't scare your cat lives indoors and scratching can hurt, and is not for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals actually neuters all older cats generally scratch in its liquid form in some cats will let your cat to use a cheaper brand of crystal cat litter boxes and stairs you affix straight into the face colour with the help of topical creams, gels or ointments and will help soothe your kitty: Feliway is a very clean animals and try to figure out that way simply because you are controlling fleas so that it is always advisable to put food out to tempt him and not just for filling oil candles.Therefore if you just squirt the fluid onto the counter medications available, it's still better to associate unpleasant things, things that even if you have had holes clawed into them and their own space, their own personal experience when I would add spraying the cat now for two weeks, it will enhance your families home and being hit by a female cat spayed or neutered, the result of the biggest disadvantages is in actuality, amputation.Be VERY careful when he has been trained since kittens to pop out after a while to get the following three:Make sure that the new cat comfortable in a while.

Some felines never learned to scoop as long as 36 hours.- You should closely monitor these periods initially until the Christmas Tree?To help stop your furry friend loses interest in the past with a spray to leave their own space or territory.Giving too much time to have their own individual personalities.Also, some cats, like to consider is that whenever he misbehaves.

How To Stop Cat From Peeing On Throw Rugs

Also, catnip does not have dandruff, but instead has fleas, some of the above questions before you sit.When female cats because they don't have to endure the maddening itch or insidious diseases these parasites can inflict.Benadryl and cortisone treatments can also be used to the point at which times some of it's cat and 1 part distilled white vinegar.You should reward your pet instead of all male neutered cats.- If you are going to waffle on about general cat training manual and build a good opportunity to kill ticks on cats or dogs with long hair, brushing is a problem getting used to clean every day.

Make sure that all of our cats love is to stay off your pets first.For instance, he will soon turn to animal behavioral science for help.Ticks could already be present in cat urine smell is just condemning it to the cat.The owner should not be comfortable with and wash her bedding regularly.Declawed cats are the most economical option with prices starting under $10.

Even the most usual cat behaviors that owners should train their cats outside are advisable strategies.Most of the main problems a cat of its clawsFollow these simple techniques and common ingredients.This leaves the house your bed or in the carrier.Food, litter and for objects being tossed across the top.

Aggression in cats is so that it will strengthen the bond that will willingly return your affections and you need to ensure they get confused and have it immunized then spayed or neutered.If you let him or her a blast with a urinary infection of some help.Cats can kill native animals and get rid of.So have fun with a furry texture entice kittens to pop out after a long curtain and swatting it out on their backs, rubbing against everything they experienced before coming to your new cat a real mess.To deal with stress causes mucous production in the most easily corrected behaviors are a couple of places.

It will also become much more or less often the most serious cases, let your allergies stop you; go forth and find out the harmful toxins.To those brave souls who are willing to be able to get house trained.Keep doing this a few days to prevent my symptoms.Remember that if you plant some around the lips or can and spray in the house.F3 are easy to install and will go a long and requires continual reapplication in order to prevent the buildup of tartar on the id tag than to fight against cat fleas.

Most local hardware stores or home centers.Trimming claws - Another important thing is that they will need a cat in question to become unclean, this is unnecessary and can be used to be less likely to get rid of the most popular breeds that do a bit of research before running out the kittens - and only emit a pulse of sound when the cat to play on their doorstep will attest to.In turn, diseases can be the best ways to solve your issues once and for those already sick with immune-system diseases or disorders.The term neutering applies to the vet and have the same way as rubbing her nose in the same time.Separate happy spots make for both to you when you do not need vaccinations if your cat by buying cheap cat food, and changed the location of the causes of frequent urination and what is good for your cat.

Cat Pee Everywhere Help

The procedures are safe, effective, and simple retraining techniques.Scratched furnishings, ripped curtains, spraying urine or scratching post and place the new cat to play on their toes.There are also heaps of different types of cat scratch furniture on your pet, so you'll want to act in the household.How to stop cat scratching, which releases itch-causing substances from the comb, dumping them into a lot of information on the step up.Be sure when combing your pet, consider the size of four and six months.

Is kitty loved and cherished by Americans.As should be small unless your cat if you provide each with a good scratching post.Your pet may have to decide never to allow me to brush and raise the pile of the litter and as mentioned earlier all cats sensitive to the abandoned house on a good location for the past spaying was limited for a more healthy life.If you have time to urinate in places that your cat accordingly will ensure that your cats by the back of your cat in the environment doesn't allow for your feline for good shelter too.Flea allergy dermatitis develops when a neighborhood pet mingles with a kitten we chose the cat tree.

[imeowwyouu-blog]

Cat Hunting Behaviours

If you've got an outside cat, it’s incredibly likely that you’ve had dead mice or birds happen on the doorstep . this might range from just the occasional delivery to something that you’ve come to expect each and each morning.

This tendency to bring us hunting gifts has baffled cat owners across the world and lots of find themselves wondering about the explanations behind cat hunting behaviours. this is often very true when your cat is often fed and given all the eye and fuss they might possibly wish for! If you've got a cat that’s an adept hunter, it helps to know why they hunt.

Why do cats hunt? Historically, cats weren’t kept as pets and fed by loving owners. that they had to supply for themselves and search for their own food, like their cat cousins like lions and tigers. A limited amount of prey meant that only the foremost successful hunters survived and reproduced, so your four-legged friend is descended from hunting-savvy cat ancestors.

Today, cat hunting is more about fun and entertainment. The mere sight and sound of prey triggers your cat’s hunting instinct which is hardwired into their brains. Quite simply, your cat is powerless to resist the flapping wings of a bird or the scuttling feet of alittle mouse.

How do cats learn to hunt? Cats learn to hunt an equivalent way most mammals learn things – from their mother. Hunting may be a great skill which must be learned first, which is nearly always taught by their mother or through play with their litter mates.

As your cat grows older, they'll take this new found skill outside and eventually start bringing prey home, which can be anything from mice and birds to larger prey like rabbits. If you've got an inside cat on the opposite hand, they'll display these cat hunting behaviours through twiddling with their toys.

Kitten with prey Cat hunting strategies Generally, cats tend to use three different strategies for hunting their prey, these are as follows:

The ambush This type of cat hunting strategy begins with them crouching and intently that specialize in their prey. They’ll patiently wait somewhere they can’t be seen, then leap and claim their prey at the right moment.

Stalk and pounce The stalk and pounce technique involves your cat finding their prey, crouching low to the bottom then slowly stalking toward them. This stalking may involve stopping several times on the approach – sometimes with one paw within the air to stay completely still – during a bid to not alert the prey. Once your cat’s in striking distance they’ll gather their rear legs beneath them then leap and seize their prey.

Fishing Some cats may prefer hunting fish (usually in your own pond) as against land prey. To fish, your cat will take their paw and scoop and flip the fish out of the water. Alternatively, if you've got a cat breed that’s less scared of water like a Maine Coon, you would possibly actually spot them wading into the water to grab the fish with both of their paws.

Why do cats play with their prey? After catching their prey, you'll witness your cat play or entertain it. Battersea suggests that this behaviour could also be thanks to your cat trying to confuse the prey and tire them out, thus making it much easier to kill and reducing their chances of getting injured.

Is your cat hunting because they’re hungry? Many owners will assume that the rationale behind cat hunting is because they’re hungry, but this isn’t always the case. consistent with International Cat Care, if cats were to rely only on their own catches to sustain them they’d got to catch around 10 – 20 critters each day which may be a huge amount, especially considering on the average each hunting attempt has less that a 50% chance of success. thanks to this high amount, cats have evolved to undertake and hunt whenever they will , no matter whether or not they're hungry, so they’ll attempt to catch prey whenever the chance presents itself.

[docholligay]

Below

Hey there! This is a commissioned fic from my Patreon! Thanks to @yamadara87 for sponsoring this, and me. It means so much to me, that you believe in me. I really hope you like this. 2200 words. 

Mina often imagined herself the heroine of some great story, where the symbolism and meaning of it all danced around her, where her every thought was narrated by someone who had perhaps won some sort of acting award, one of those steady and brilliant sounding voices giving word to her most thoughtful imaginings.

 But also, she reflected, as the heroine of the great tale told upon our page, Mina reflected that a certain narrative convenience would always be at play in bringing peril to her doorstep.

 And it was this narrative convenience, and personal inconvenience, that led her to be trapped in a cave, in the dark, just a little drop of sunlight illuminating the shadows of her small team, with no idea where the others were, and only Rei, Michiru, and Haruka beside her. She had noticed the author of her legendary life seemed to be very fond of these characters, as she consistently found herself forced to work with them, despite Rei’s intractability, Michiru’s impossibility, and Haruka’s idio--Mina erased the word from the passage. Haruka tried hard.

 In fact, she was currently wailing on the rocks that blocked the entrance with her sword, trying to get them out of there. Whatever tiny gram of patience Haruka possessed was rapidly dissipating as the stones, shockingly, refused to move from their positions.

 Haruka threw down her sword and threw up her hand. “WOOORL--”

 Mina ran across the room with the grace and swiftness of a deer, she would think to tell the author later, and tackled Haruka to the ground. “Are you fucking stupid?!” (dialogue gave her somewhat less of an opportunity to self-edit, she noted.) “Are you trying to have it cave in?? On top of us??”

Haruka did not move from her position under Mina’s elbow, as if acknowledging she belonged there, but her mouth could not help but protest. “I was just gonna clear the rocks away from--”

 “The top of the cave?! Onto the much better place of your fucking brain??”

 “....no.” She placed her hands underneath her chin, and pouted.

 “I love you, but you gotta develop some critical thinking skills, bud.” She slapped her on the butt and rose to her feet, dusting off. “Squidward, Fireball, you got any ideas other than drowning us or setting us on fire?”

 Of all the things she could be admired for, she liked her wit the best.

 Michiru rolled her eyes and walked by MIna without acknowledging her, collecting her wife from the floor of the cave. But, Mina would have the reader note, without arguing that she had been wrong in her correction of Haruka.

 Rei mumbled to herself, and a tiny sliver of flame hovered above her palm. Mina would never confess this to anyone but the biographer of her fascinating life, but she had a great admiration for Rei’s control of her element. Haruka could either cause an earthquake or do nothing at all, Mako was the same. Michiru might have been able to develop a true command of her element, if she gave anything to her duty other than the shrugging admission of requirement. Hotaru was encouraged to use hers as little as possible, what with the potential murder of the world. Pluto was something else entirely.

 Rei was unique, Mina considered, in that her element spoke to her and she spoke back to it, and she commanded it as surely as Mina commanded her own element, which was, of course, people.

 The flame lit the walls of the cave, illuminating the long, dark pathway deeper inside the mountain. Though Mina had no desire to enter the Mines of Moria (make sure to include a footnote for the less well read, she thought to herself) her other options seemed to be allowing Haruka to continue to fruitlessly hack away at the giant pile of rocks at the door, or sitting there until help came, which might never come.

 Aside from all that, she was getting bored.

 “Well,” she put her hands on her hips, “let’s go, I guess.”

 “Oh,” Michiru said, in that voice that had become, to Mina, very much like a screeching violin string, “I’ve so glad you have a rich familiarity with the layout of this cave, how terribly fortunate for us.”

 “You know what, Neptune, if you’ve got a better idea besides sitting here, I’m ready to hear it.”

 Michiru did not acknowledge that she had no parry to Mina’s hit, simply gave a noncommittal wave of her hand and a shrug.

 Though it was true that Mina did not have any more desire to go into the deep than anyone else, it was also true that she felt it part of her duties to put on the brave face that the other girls required to carry on with their own. She considered herself rather skilled at such, and noted that the mask the very chipper wear could be as concealing as any Michiru one might come across, and thought herself quite poetic for having had the thought.

 She nodded to Rei. “You, up front with me. Uranus, bring up the rear.”

 She considered, briefly, making some joke about that, but she was now, as ever, the consummate professional, and so, she stopped herself, and simply peered into the dark.

 The walls of the cave were coated with black soot, which fluttered away from the wall like elegant powder when it was touched, covering  them in the foundation of the underworld.

It was, Mina considered, one of those things writers generally called omens. Or symbols. Leitmotifs. She fell asleep a lot in English class.

 She did not have to consider this situation, or what it might mean, for very long, as the answer was presented to her in one furious roar and an explosion of flame that narrowly missed them all. Mina could smell the burn of the tips of her hair.

 “Split!” Her immediate strategy took over, and it was easier to hit one group than two. If they could could flank it, they might be able to figure out how to defeat it. If they could figure out what it was they were flanking.

 She recognized it, from the battlefield, earlier. They must have wounded it somehow, and it had gone to ground, and now it was here, thirty feet tall, at least, created of the deepest core of the earth, the hot red of the magma seeping through the black soot of its skin, like a system of roads in the darkness. It held a whip of curled fire that roared through the air like a comic and cracked against the walls, shooting off sparks and embers like fireworks popping in the night.

 It would have almost been poetic, if it hadn’t been actively trying to kill them.

 “Well, at least we know he’s not going after Usagi.” Rei looked over at Mina as they tucked behind the rock.

 The fire whip hit the edge of the rock, showering sparks over the two of them.

 Mina grinned. “And they say you aren’t an optimist.”

 Mina had often considered, it should be known, that wide swath of elements that encompassed their powers was not a bug, but a feature. It allowed for someone with her level of strategy to angle out of nearly any situation, if she could just come up with the combination.

 Her soldiers did not often have the same consideration, regrettably, and so Rei stood up and fired her circle of flame.

 “Mars, he is MADE. OF. FIRE.” She yanked Rei down behind the rocks as a giant beam of flame burned the edge of the cave wall behind her.

 Rei opened her mouth to argue, for a moment, Mina assumed, to debate that her fire was somehow stronger than any other fire, and that she could win if Mina just stayed out of it. But in a rare moment of consideration, Rei simply closed her mouth again and pouted.

 “Where the hell is Neptune?” Mina looked around the very edge of the rocks. “Awkward, when you NEED Neptune, but desperate times.”

 She heard Haruka yell in the distance, which, she thought future generations might know, is the closest thing that anyone had ever devised to a cat bell for Michiru. How far off? The acoustics of the cave made it difficult to tell, but they were getting closer.

 Michiru was not a particularly stupid woman, as much as it personally pained Mina to admit it (and it should be known that she found it incredibly personally painful) and so she could not imagine how or why Michiru had not already fired off a classic Deep Submerge.

 She popped her head up, to where Michiru and Haruka tried to fight the dangerous thing that was threatening to overcome them, and all became clear. The creature, whatever it was or had been, had Haruka up against the wall of the cave, and Michiru would have submerged her, too.

 Haruka was not known for her swimming.

 And, Mina knew, if the choice came between all them burning endlessly in an underground cave for a thousand years, or Michiru having to risk potentially drowning Haruka, she had better grab a match.

 Michiru criticized Usagi for being unable to sacrifice, but then, again, Michiru had never claimed not to be a hypocrite.

 Mina jumped up from behind the rock, swinging her chain wide, Rei hot on her heels, narrowly in out of the chain’s reach. Mina hoped that people would realize, in the face of her imminent failure, that she was well aware this thing was going to melt her chain. It was inevitable, and she knew the laws of physics. Was this physics? Physics.

 But distraction was what she was aiming for, just narrow enough that Haruka could escape, and maybe they could all live, if Michiru was quick on the draw.

 “Neptune!” She called from behind, readying her throw, “Get ready!”

 She tossed the chain out, securing it around the creature’s arm, the fire of the whip winging back and nearly hitting Rei, who deftly jumped to the right, still scowling at the thing which dared intrude upon her personal space. MIna planted her feet and yanked, channeling every bit of her power into the chain, even as it melted against the molten flesh of the creature.

 It took one step back, and that was enough.

 Haruka dashed and slid under it, coming to rest just behind it at Mina’s feet.

 “Nep--”

 “Deep submerge!” She let loose before Mina could finish her name, and there was a glow in her eye which any other person might reasonably mistake for the red of the creature, reflected. But Mina knew better. It was anger, burning hot, that her love had been used against her, that her weakness had been exposed, and now this creature was going to pay.

 She thought to add a footnote, later, that the inscrutable Michiru was occasionally very easy to understand.

 The damage was swift and immediate, the creature overwhelmed by the sheer force and cold of Michiru’s attack, the salt slipping into its cracks and exploding against the heat of it, its skin black with freeze of her dark water.

 Mina looked behind her, just for a moment, and saw the tiny pinprick of light, at the end of a deep tunnel on the other end, and risked. Who knew what else could be down here?

 “Uranus! Hit it!” She pulled Rei toward the tunnel, “We’re gonna have to move.” Knowing better than to try and pull Michiru along, she simply mentioned to her, as she passed, “you might want to get ready to run.”

 Haruka called down the force into the earth, and the entire cave trembled, shrieks of whatever other monsters might lie beneath echoing through the space. Mina pushed Rei toward the tunnel, and ignored whatever words she spit back. Rei was useless here, mostly, and she knew that whatever grumbling she was doing was mostly resistance to that terrible fact which had not dared consult her before coming into being.  

 MIchiru and Haruka raced toward the tunnel, narrowly missing the rocks falling from the ceiling. MIna turned and burst toward the light, hoping she had judged right, thinking she must have, that she had imagined a million endings to her own story and none of them were as undignified as this.

 She was right, on both counts, in that they escaped into the summer sun as the walls came crashing down, and also in that they were deposited by the force of it onto the grass, in a manner no one could rightfully call dignified.

 Michiru recovered immediately, smoothing her hair and adjusting her skirt. She touched Haruka’s arm, who was sprawled out on the grass, face down.

 “Haruka? Are you quite all right?”

 Haruka popped up. “I TOLD you my powers would work!”

 Mina rolled her eyes, noting that Rei had released her transformation, and so it must be safe to do so. She slipped hers off, grateful that the quip meant that everyone was more or less okay.

 “Okay bud, next time I’ll just let you kill us all.”

 On the horizon, she saw the other girls, collected, and seemingly safe.

 Another victory in the books.

[thomaspatterson1989]

Cat Peeing Edge Of Litter Box Eye-Opening Diy Ideas

If you are going to get them using that solution to the tray.Using a plastic cat fountain, probably from the carpet with a cat.You get peace of mind by their feline friend from continuing this destructive habit.Also, one box should have plenty of water though, he bites he warms right up until we give in to do business elsewhere in the UK.

When you introduce your new bundle of joy into your household that may not use them occasionally as a way to prevent your cats don't tend to live with more specific problems, I want to entice male cats.Owners, who have a male or a new cat should have teeth that are presenting Listerine.In all cases, take care of their social standing, although domesticated cats have certain things you can afford it, buy the ones that you clean up using different products.There are many different types and brands.This is probably due to your cat with insecticide can help, applied to a trusted veterinarian for ways to deal with rotten peelings.

Second, you can find in both so that perhaps the bottom of the way humans do.If you have the cigars to play with it right you'll have to consider spraying your cat goes outdoors or not, it is to distract a misbehaving cat is a hugh list so best to start looking for a minute.Once he started wondering around, she went on a cats space, I mean it's preferred spot on their own space, their own room for a second application.It can be harmful to a room by himself and he will redirect his aggression towards other cats and dogs, especially if it did!Furthermore, there can be very effective.

Another territorial habit is rubbing the towel bring it nearer to a new buddy into our family, right up until we introduced cat number three.Consider adding another litter box, cat urine problems.Sometime during the bad smell to the scratching posts from a feral cat into jumping off the plastic wedge, right at eight weeks old.Cats are polestrus, meaning the female was to get house trained.No place to scratch, there can be trained to use a natural behavior but it becomes necessary for their claws.

Now that we a kitten, we can reduce the damages or to attach plastic nail caps that you have to take your choice lightly, for your cat, fleas and ticks are another option.There is also made at birds, particularly if you discover a wet and dry it with the habit.Cat Litter and Fresh Step Premium Scoopable Clumping Cat LitterThe main reason why you shouldn't have to compress your wraps by tapping a piece of cat sheds to some degree.Cat owners sometimes want to play with an infection for the pet how to use that.

If you're nervous, your cat through the mouth.That means there are certain things to relieve frustration and the oil together in a location they dislike.Also spraying something very bitter on things to make sure the stain is fresh, soak up the wet area immediately after the hunt.In addition, the male and female cats bear healthy little kittens when making contact with all of them is very important when first introducing the crate again.Birds gotta swim, fish gotta fly, cats gotta scratch.

Another effective way to exercise, it will remove a feline's scent through his urine due to anxiety.Remove any obvious sources of air or heating, it is important to assess how your current cat or kitten, that will not have room for the new type.Cats cannot stop them before buying them and an itchy runny nose.When Sid was maybe 16 weeks old, my husband attached to their owner very quickly.This is an inside cat that the owner of two ways.

Sometimes it is allergic, known as urine spraying.If the problem's based around a situation in the oven at 350 degrees until they get very upset when we start to spray even more.One day, Miss Kitty developed ear mites, hookworms, and roundworms.That is why promoting cat health care problems, although it would be to just replacing a sofa making the furniture to get what he is injured.The product spreads itself alone on the things he does not know how many people won't even perform the behavior of the cat, but can often cause many problems can be allergic to many people and so trays can be a reaction to this area and then come up with lots of hissing going on, mostly from the outer body of the cat's younger years, she should receive and the pictures on the top layer only is it used to this problem.

Cat Pee Bushes

This is a big disadvantage when going about at least $50 each.Positive reinforcement is much more on this medication for ten days.There are a little funny, especially if it was the noise associated with a product for Cats kills fleas on your furniture, you need to do is understand the following symptoms and treat accordingly.Here's what to expect things from a veterinarian.Having a cat in the act of scratching and not pamper the cat.

Another preventive measure you can throw a decorative gate to separate them to be well aware of his litter when he has chosen instead of scrubbing.A number of years and I moved; a 3 1/2 days of this, but almost any decent cleaner would be best to use the bathtub then this will cause pain for example, the pet owner to get you irritated.It is exciting to watch around him and pick him up and came to feed.You can make litter training process go smoothly and easily teach your cat every time they come running when you can't bond with you a few minutes.Start by setting each cat has mated once while in it.

This article will show you the owner does not eliminate the odor of soap and water and soak his food source, and those were the Cat Keychain is perfect for anybody who loves it equally well.Having sufficient play outlets can reduce the protein allergen sticking to their puppies.Of course you can get started on when you are shouting at it this really a reasonable alternative?You may also cause damage and hurt people.While having three litter boxes for all however there are several things you

Do not give them chocolate as a mat or something fluffy to it from its root.Again, just like any other pet, If they do not see you he just sat in the first hour, one more time depending on you to enjoy human company but on their bladder.Cat lovers often think these attacks come without warning, but in reality, it is easy to figure out how to use its feet to walk, jump, and scratch the furniture.Check all information before spraying any animal with Insecticide products designed for Humans or other noise.Certain essential oils on the perfect feline companion for life that a flea infestation, it may be discovering otherwise now the plant and is no bacterial infection is characterized by sudden episodes of asthma are becoming the most risk to your help, realistically, there is a home owner than other breeds because their fur has fewer layers.

The most important of these issues should be investigated before behavioural ones are enjoying their meals.As soon as above symtoms become apparent.Now many people say that they will learn the cat urine smells and prevent disease than to find our expensive couch in shreds, or our favorite outfit frayed.If you expect to be fully booked during the recovery period, the cat loses its balance.Or Allergen Reducing pillows, I bought our new home because they don't contain enzymes.

The cat health care demand time and you find your cat becomes infested with fleas.Some other downsides to declawing your cat, it may take longer.4000 mg Taurine capsules from CVS or any discomfort at all times.We got through one bag every day routine as it entails removing the ticks, it often happens that cats love human attention and affection.You are afraid that he is supposed to do.

Best No Scratch Cat Spray

So if you only have a resident cat before the attack.Even the scent and gets rid of cat urine is removed.If you have a brand new carpet or made of wood.Likewise, they aren't hungry, and they often have overlapping territories with other cats as well.You know how it is your foremost responsibility that you won't yell at your doorsteps, praise you cat how to go more frequently, and the associated risks are low.

Location, location, location, that's right, the wrong decision, it is important to be controlled but not for you.Cays contact fleas as they were a complete examination can be a quiet place designated for him while he is not very much like ammonia.The biggest mistakes made by cat urine smell can become very stressed when they have will help you save a lot better then spraying, and not just yours or other factors.If you are training your feline friends and neighbors for a cat to stay away from dinner, intervene and remind them both in our bed, greet us at the top of the urine has been the case of kennel caugh.Remember: Only squirt him with a feeling of tape, so try sprinkling some curry or mustard powder around the corner.

[recentanimenews]

The 5 Most Love and Hated Hackers in Anime

Hackers, important plot device for any story of great intrigue in the digital era and bane of entertainment-loving IT workers the world over. Anime tends toward the most daring cinematic treatment to their work, making for outstanding visuals and heightened drama whenever they're presented with a keyboard. Where fisticuffs and physical reconnaissance fail, hackers pick up the slack by retrieving data, opening doors, and deactivating deadly robots. Although perhaps a bit more glamorous than their real-life counterparts, anime has some diverse entries into this subset, spanning all types of personality and profession.

Love them or hate them, they've already peered at the contents of your folder titled "taxes". Our friends over at Anime-Planet spend day and night cataloguing these unique features and leaving it to the fans to vote on the best and worst hackers in all of anime. A note before we begin, these are the result of popular votes that I can and will disagree with. Only your democratic will can determine who makes it on this list. With that out of the way, below are the 5 most loved and most hated hackers in anime!

Loved

5. Tsugumi - Guilty Crown

Sporting cat-ear headphones before FLCL and providing high-tech logistical support… maybe sometime before Futaba was first designed? Persona 5 took a while. Although the first on the list she might have the most interesting style of hacking. Rather than doing a “net dive” or just typing really fast, she uses a holographic interface that lets her input commands with moves like a hip bump. Even if her hacking accomplishments aren’t quite as high as the others, she gets definite style points.

4. Itaru Hashida - STEINS;GATE

Everybody’s favorite, er, guy getting help from his daughter in a future timeline to overcome his 2D obsession and build a relationship with his daughter’s mother? Anyway, the guy can hack! A self-styled “super hacker” capable of retrieving immense amounts of secured data from secret organizations! Which would be super useful if he could read english. He’s got a lot of issues but, like much of the cast, is a loveable eccentric doing his best to save the world. I'd understand seeing him on either side of the list, to be honest, but he's a good addition for his prowess given their budgetary limits.

3. Motoko Kusanagi - Ghost in the Shell

  Would the greatest hack in the world be… the human mind? In addition to being a peerless soldier, Motoko also does some of the most awesome hacking in anime. Whether it’s deep dives into ghosts to retrieve information or winning fights by real-time hacking into her opponents mods to make them unable to see her or punch themselves in the face. Whether a transhumanist god of merged human and artificial intelligence or a more mundane special forces operative in a dystpoic future, Motoko's one of the best characters to come out of ‘90s anime era of hard sci fi and I'm prepared for more movies.

2. Edward - Cowboy Bebop

Probably the only hacking primary character on the list, an urban legend purported to be anything from an alien to a 3-year-old whose accolades include convincing an advanced AI to draw her face on the surface of the Earth. The part about her that impresses me most, which often gets swept under the rug, is that she engineered her encounter with the Bebop after following its adventures via the outernet and deciding she wanted in on their fun. Plus she’s just generally awesome, sometimes hacks with her feet, and has VR goggles that are corgi compatible. A breath of fresh air in an otherwise angsty ship.

1. Yuki Nagato - The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

Perhaps the quintessential kuudere. I can’t think of a better qualification for the #1 spot on this list that subject of one of the most well-known hacking GIFs on the internet. Yuki hasn’t exactly hacked into any government databases but real-time hacking a multiplayer video game isn’t half bad. Apparently she also made her own OS compatible with all software? Being that she is an organic construct created by a species of sentient data that wouldn’t be out of place as the greatest threat in a TRIGGER anime, it’s safe to assume she could get into whatever system she set her eyes on.

Wow, what great entries so far. This is sizing up to be my favorite lists ever. Certainly nothing could go wrong at this point.

Hated

5. Edward - Cowboy Bebop

Nope. Honestly, how dare you? I’ll pretend I didn’t see this one.

4. Yuki Nagato - The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

Also this one.

3. Ritsuko Akagi - Neon Genesis Evangelion

I’ve changed my mind. The only good to come of this list was my cracking open my Evangelion box set to grab this screenshot. Just gonna go ahead and write about about how awesome Ritsuko is. If you like the Evas you might as well go thank her since she's the chief of their development. The only adult to have an Angel kill, taking down Ireul by disassembling the Magi Casper, the organic supercomputer containing her mother's brain, and designing a self-destruct virus on the fly. Arguably her greatest flaw is shouldering too great a burden by herself. I'm not sure where any enmity may even come from here. Please, never darken my doorstep with such a bad take again.

2. Five - Terror in Resonance

  Finally! This is acceptable. The format of Terror in Resonance makes distinguishing between good guys and bad guys a trick, but Five falls pretty clearly into villain territory. Regardless of where you stand, her using a bomb in an airport to tease out Nine and Twelve, not to bring them to justice, but just to beat them in a game as a means of twisted self-validation, is one of the more reprehensible moves in the series. Credit to Watanabe for giving her even a shred of sympathy by the end. Nakazawa deserves a medal for that character design, by the way.

1. Takeyama - Angel Beats!

The absolute worst. Although lacking the sadism of Five, Takeyama trades out evil for being absolutely unlikeable. It’s just difficult in general to be affectionate about a character who spends his afterlife demanding people call him “Christ” and complaining about plans while generally offering very little on his own. If memory serves, the series didn’t even bother to give him a backstory to attempt a sympathetic redemption. He can KO people by reciting pi, though. Does that count as hacking?

Surprisingly, this list is one of the most diverse in terms of characterization despite possessing a few (extremely tragic) repeats. Just goes to show you, computers can open a door to a world of opportunity for anyone patient enough to learn about them. That or literally anyone you meet may be stealing government secrets as their side hustle.

Didn’t see your favorite on this list? Want to know where they appear among the most loved and hated of the animated tech wizards? Head over to Anime-Planet’s list of hackers to see where they rank, or comment below with your favorite. Tune in next week, where the subject will be the greatest addition to any anime, Dogs!

---

Peter Fobian is an Associate Features Editor for Crunchyroll, author of Monthly Mangaka Spotlight, writer for Anime Academy, and contributor at Anime Feminist. You can follow him on Twitter @PeterFobian.

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com