#zippy answers

[zippityzap]

Hmmmm.....we know Sonic is scared of water, do Manic or Sonia have any sort of fear, may or may not be rational?

(for a drawing, maybe an aftermath of Sonia and Manic trying to get Sonic in the water X'D)

Had a bit of a think about it; I don’t think either of them have phobias on-par with Sonic’s aquaphobia but there are things they are adverse to.

Sonia (especially a show accurate Sonia rather than Remixed universe Sonia) would HATE getting dirt on her. Now she does build up a tolerance to it over time but I could definitely see her insisting on showering at least twice a day even when on a road trip in the van. If she gets covered in dirt I think her brain kinda freezes and she kinds it difficult to concentrate on anything else. Now that I’m typing that out it sounds kinda like a neurodivergent sensory aversion response.

Manic would find sleeping in a room all on his own off-putting after growing up with Farrel’s gang. He doesn’t need to share a bed with anyone but to him having someone else present in the room feels more secure. I think he’d also grow adverse to flying insects (tiny ones, not mobians!) after the events of the ‘Bug!’ episode

[yellow-for-speed]

PUNY AUTOBOT

YOUVE STOLEN MY HIGH GRADE. THAT I STOLE FROM YOU FIRST!? I WILL BE TURNING YOU INTO A DECROTIVE PEICE OF WALL ART!!

(Also here's a miku :>)

*Bumblebee laughs nervously, transforming and starting to speed away.*

"GOOD LUCK CATCHING ME, BLITZBRAIN!! I'M THE FASTEST THING ON FOUR WHEELS!!!!"

[papaseidon]

Antinous x Eurylochus.

Thought?

- Zobody

I blame @zippyskyfalls and @buggeyez for it

[vexic929]

shippy or not, any thoughts or hcs on EoBarry? i hope this ask is okay, i'm curious hihi

oh this ask is absolutely okay I looooooove to think about EoBarry!!

Eobard rapidly oscillates between loving Barry and hating him and he genuinely never knows himself how he'll feel about Barry in the moment when they see each other again

on a related note, Eobard does his best plotting against Barry when he feels enamored with him - the hatred blinds him too much to plan well

the easiest way to get Eobard to completely shut down and stop for any length of time would be for Barry to return his affections, he wouldn't know what to do at that point

Eobard all but had a shrine to Barry as a child and teenager, he got rid of most of it after becoming disillusioned (he regrets getting rid of any of it)

Eobard and Barry did have a brief fling in the future before Eobard went completely off the rails and started screwing with the timeline - Eobard has never been able to recreate that future since

Eobard absolutely planned to seduce Barry as Harrison Wells knowing how much Barry admired him

Eobard has been multiple one-night-stands in multiple timelines for Barry without Barry realizing it

[sportacusnumber10]

HELLO FELLOW ASK BLOG Today I took!! A WALK also stocked up on some BodyArmor recently, you wouldn't be able to drink the regular stuff bc they put sugar in it but it has electrolytes and vitamins and there IS a diet version ( you MAY be interested in V8 Plus though, they sweeten it with just a lil Sucralose in addition to their fruit juice blend 👀 ironically only 10 grams of the stuff per can don't share it with the kids though bc it's got all the caffeine of your leading energy drink )

That's amazing!! I'm not sure if it's cold where you are as well, but either way, stay warm while you're at it! Be sure to take breaks if you need it and stay hydrated to keep your energy up.

And as for the energy drinks, as much as I'd love to try one, they basically send me into an energy rush! Too much energy for me. Thank you very much for offering though!

[paintedscales]

What are some of your OC's comfort foods?

I wanted to answer an ask before I went to bed, and because there's a lot of stuff in my inbox just sitting, waiting so patiently for me to get to them! Thank you, @zippy-elly, for the ask! I very much appreciate it!

; w ; ♥♥

Warm and Cozy OC Asks

For certain, Nomin really likes suutei tsai, or Steppe salty tea. It's just a comfort drink from her homeland, something that she can take a sip of and be reminded of the Steppe -- more the beauty of it and the things she appreciates about it. It's certainly an acquired taste for those unaccustomed, but she also enjoys sharing it with people she's close with -- people she trusts that she also believes will appreciate the taste of her homeland like she does.

Outside of that, plums. Specifically dawn plums, but plums were one of the first fruit that she had when she got adopted into the Sagahl, specifically with her adoptive brother and sister. So having plums reminds her of them. She has a lot of appreciation for them as an adult -- guilt as well -- but a lot of appreciation nonetheless.

Plums are the taste of home. Not just because they're a fruit that grew somewhere within her homeland. But because they're some of the first bits of vegetation she learned about, the first fruits she associates with people who took her in, and it just makes her feel warm and a familial sense of love because of those people.

[thehallstara]

🌤️🌤️ :D

:D ty cedar!

🌤️Share your favorite piece of dialogue from your WIP.

ZIPPY: I think I have to see this through.  BRIGHT: You really don’t. ZIPPY: But I do! I didn’t pick up that bat just to give up. BRIGHT: It’s not giving up, Zippy. It’s self-preservation. ZIPPY: Yeah, well. We’re not exactly good at that, you and me.

[howetragic]

Thank you so much. I really feel like I always take for granted my ability to mind my own business, and I won’t do that after this. / from ziphrane

Nathaniel harrumphs, crossing his arms over his chest as he narrows his eyes at her. 

     “I don’t think it’s too much to ask,” he says tensely. “I simply wish to know what your relationship with the assassin is. If you insist on having a Crow in the Keep, shouldn’t you at least disclose what your intentions with him are?”

[raiiryuu]

✔

Do I know your muse(s):  yes | no | a little | tell me about your muse

[ELFMANNN I am so excited to see him on here, hello!]

Setting: our verse | my verse | your verse | modern | alternate universe | other

Pre-established relationships? yes | no | depends on the relationship

Possible relationships: friends | classmate | co-worker | roommate | family, real or adopted | dating or blind date | married | friends with benefits | unrequited love | lending a hand | teacher - student | rivals | allies | partner-in-crime | enemies | protecter - guarded | business partners | spy - infiltrated | manipulator - manipulated | star-crossed | first meeting | other 

I’m in the mood for: fluff | angst | horror | romance | humor | crime | hurt / comfort | action | supernatural | slice of life | crack | dark threads | light threads | any genre | multi-para | shorter para | one-line | any length | plotted threads | unplotted threads | other

Feel free to: message me ooc | message me ic | tell me your ideas | write a starter | answer one of my opens | send a meme | reblog this with your preferences - let’s find common interests!

[zippityzap]

Coatimundi would be super cool!!!

[goobstars]

𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐀 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐄

summary : after caine and bubble found out about jax's crush on you, the two attempt to get you both together by taking you both on adventures, and as if things couldn't get worse, the adventures were insanely bad disney parodies.

tags : romance, censored profanity, and if i don't update soon mickey mouse jumped me.

note : this idea came from @w1tchy-b1tch97, and i saw a lot of people saying they were going to write it as well, but i have no clue if they did or not. i rushed this a bit so i do apolgize for any errors, but i really liked the idea, so here it is!

how did they find out?

that was the question jax had been repeatedly asking himself for the past hour.

it all started with caine observing how jax acted around you, for he had started to note the way you both had gotten closer. why was he paying attention to you both so much? because he wants to make sure all the members get along!

but you both got along a little too well.

at first, caine couldn't put a finger on it. why were you both so close? why were you both constantly around each other? why did jax appear a bit saddened when you weren't around?

so, like any good war criminal would do, he decided to interrogate jax.

the rabbit was placed in a chair in the middle of the tent and was questioned, but no matter how many queries caine threw his way, jax barely gave him any answers.

it seemed hopeless, but that was until bubble popped up.

"maybe he's in love!" bubble spoke as he slightly spun to the side, "he's a loverboy!"

why couldn't the bubble just shut up?

jax's eyes widened as he opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, caine snapped his fingers. "zippy, loverboy!" jax's mouth was zipped up, and he hastily stood up from the chair as he grasped at his mouth. he tugged on it, but there was no luck.

"you're right, bubble! this boy is clearly in love and he needs our help!"

jax hastily shook his head as he flared his arms around, but he was only ignored as caine grasped his cane before pointing it at the man. "say, bubble, what do we do when our cast members are in love? we take them—"

"to a therapist to figure out why they're into pixels!"

caine paused while he stared at bubble, and his cane was let go as it started to float midair. "bubble, we take them on a date..."

"oh, right, right..." bubble muttered before nodding, and caine only turned his attention back towards jax. "ARE YOU READY FOR A DATE, LOVERBOY!?"

no matter how much jax shook his head and screamed through his zipped mouth, it was pointless. caine put a hand up next to where you would assume he'd have an ear before shrugging. "i'm not hearing a 'no'...DATE TIME IT IS!"

with a snap of his fingers, everyone was teleported to the middle of the tent—including you.

jax only tugged at his mouth harder while you looked around in confusion, and caine swiped his finger to the side, and the zipper vanished. "i guess you'll be needing that if you want this...adventure to go well!"

"another adventure?" zooble remarked, and ragatha slightly nodded. "didn't we just have one earlier?"

whispers erupted from everyone while caine's eyes only flickered around, and he shook his head before speaking up. "these adventures are made specifically for two of our lovely cast members!"

the perplexion everyone felt was evident in the air, and pomni cleared her throat. "adventures? plural?"

"who are these adventures for?" zooble's question was filled with irritation, and caine only clenched his hands together. "oh, zooble, you contrasting figure of puzzle pieces, STOP BRINGING THE MOOD DOWN—it's for jax and [name]!"

the anger in his voice vanished as he pointed at you and jax, and the rabbit only scowled at caine while you pointed at yourself. "me and jax?"

"indeed, my dear!"

"why?" it wasn't every day that caine made an adventure for just two people, and given how you all already had an adventure today, it didn't make sense as to why he was doing this.

"because..." caine paused as he tapped his chin for a moment, and he seemingly perked up once he thought of a good answer. "bonding moments between cast members! that's definitely what this is and i have no knowledge of any other reasons as to why i may be doing this!"

you wanted to question him more, but zooble got to it before you could. "if it's just for them, why are we all here?"

"because given how such short notice this is, i don't have the time to create new npcs! and i need some characters to make this bonding moment memorable!"

"bonding moments!" bubble repeated, and you only blinked at the bubble for a moment before slightly nodding. "okay, then..."

"NOW THAT EVERYONE'S ASKED QUESTIONS, LET'S GET TO THE ADVENTURE!"

as soon as caine's words were comprehended, you were already in the adventure he was talking about.

and for some reason, you were now sitting on a boat with jax.

fireflies flew around you both as the boat slowly drifted through the water, and you examined your surroundings before your eyes met jax's.

the sound of crickets filled your ears while you just stared at jax, and you noticed how he attempted to avoid your gaze. now that you actually had time to think, jax had been rather quiet throughout this whole ordeal. all you've seen him do is glare at caine.

you thought you were close with jax, but you were starting to question that idea the more you both floated in silence. of course, you understood that this whole 'bonding moment' thing happened rather quickly, but you at least expected him to make a comment by now.

"are you alright?" despite the fact that you had whispered, your words sounded loud in the silence of the river.

jax partially tensed at your question before letting out a sigh, "never better..." he mumbled while his attention rested on the water below you both.

silence once again fell across the lake while you noticed the fish swimming in the water, and the boat swayed with each chirp a cricket gifted you as a soft sigh left your throat.

not too far from you both rested caine and bubble, and they both looked down at you both from a tree.

the other members were at the end of the river with flowers, but with the way you two were currently acting, caine didn't know if you'd make it to the end of the river.

"what do we do?" caine quietly questioned, and bubble only thought for a moment before speaking. "sha-la-la-la-la-la, my oh my—"

as bubble started to—quite awfully—sing, caine noticed how you and jax froze. was it in a good way?

once caine noted the way jax's face slightly cringed, he leaned towards bubble.

"bubble, i don't think it's working..." he mumbled, and as he noticed you turning your head to peer up at him, he quickly shot up from the tree branches. "NEXT DAT—ADVENTURE!"

before anyone could disagree, caine snapped his fingers, and you found yourself in a pit of darkness before everything lit up.

you were now sitting on the ground in front of a makeshift table, and a candle was set off to the side as a plate of spaghetti rested in front of you.

the stars hung over you while you looked around, and you froze once you realized what was beside you.

everyone was off to the side with an instrument in hand, and caine soon appeared with a microphone in hand.

caine clapped his hands together, "MUSIC, PEOPLE!"

everyone started play their instruments while looking at each other in confusion, and you flinched at the violent sound of everything mashing together. couldn't caine at least have made the instruments play by themselves, or given everyone the ability to play them for this adventure?

caine only continued to sing while you narrowed your eyes at him, and your eyes flickered back towards the plate of food as you noted bubble practically inhaling the noodles.

the music abruptly cut off as caine eyed bubble, and he hastily moved over to pop him before snapping his fingers. within an instant, more noodles appeared.

what was going on?

you couldn't figure out an answer to your question as the music continued, and you let out a quiet sigh before resting your elbow on the table. you placed your chin on your palm before you looked up, and you noticed jax sitting in front of you.

his arms were crossed while a pink flush was practically stained onto his face, and he glared at the food in front of you both. the heaves of breath that left him were loud enough to be faintly heard over the music.

he looked livid.

"JAX!?" you questioned in a shout, but after realizing that your volume no longer mattered due to the fact that the music was only getting louder, you slammed your hand on the table to get his attention.

he peered up at you, and you gestured towards an alley. he raised an eyebrow as he glanced at caine, and once it was decided that he was too invested in his singing to notice anything, you and jax slowly stood up before sneaking over towards the alley.

everyone watched you leave the scene, and you shot them a look that pleaded them to not inform caine.

though, given how caine was holding the microphone tightly and practically shouting with his eyes closed, you didn't think he'd be able to hear them anyway.

as soon as you turned the corner of the alley, and you could finally hear your thoughts, you let out a quiet sigh. "caine is sure doing a lot for this bonding moment..."

at your words, jax looked to the side with a frown, and you furrowed your eyebrows. "you okay? if it's bothering you, i can try and get him to stop—"

"it's not that," he replied, and you were pretty sure that was the second thing you've heard him say this whole adventure. he really wasn't talking much, and when it same to jax, that was concerning.

you stared at him in hopes that he would take the hint you were gesturing for him to continue speaking, and he did as his eyes finally met yours. "it's just—" his frown only deepened. "i don't think dentures over there is going to stop if we just nicely ask him..."

"why wouldn't he? we could just tell him we bonded, and we'd get to go back to the tent."

"he didn't send you and me on these adventures to bond." mockery drenched jax's tone, and you blinked at him in confusion. yet, jax seemingly got more annoyed due to your confusion. "do you really think he'd plan these type of adventures for bonding moments? a candle-lit dinner? a boat ride?"

you only shrugged, and jax let out a groan before placing both of his hands on his face. he dragged them down while you thought for a moment.

a candle-lit dinner?

a boat ride?

after a few seconds of thinking, it clicked in your mind.

these were dates.

"why is he sending us on dates?" you queried, but instead of being met with one of jax's classic remarks, you were only met with silence.

but that silence oddly enough gifted you your answer.

you stared at the embarassed look on jax's face before smiling, and you shifted a bit so that you could peer over the corner of the alleyway.

caine was still singing, but you didn't know for how much longer.

you didn't know how much longer he would keep singing, or how much longer everyone else could take his singing. zooble looked like they were about to hit caine with their instrument.

"so, you think caine will let us go back home if we tell him we're in love?"

jax appeared shocked at your suggestion, and the hue on his face seemingly darkened whlie he shrugged. "i don't know, probably..."

you thought that he was starting to feel uncomfortable, but when a smirk flashed on his face, you couldn't help but let your smile grow. "you gonna tell dentures you're in love with me, dollface?"

"yep, and you have to tell him you're in love with me." at your reply, jax only playfully rolled his eyes. "pretty sure he already knows that."

you held out your hand before opening and closing it a few times, and jax placed his palm on yours as he gripped your hand.

you both walked out towards caine, and surprisingly, he was still singing.

"ON THIS BELLA NOTTE NIGHT!"

the last word dragged on, and you and jax stood glanced at each other with grins before caine went quiet. his eyes opened before they flickered to you both, and his shoulders slightly slumped while he blinked a few times.

you watched as his attention fell onto the fact you and jax were holding hands, and caine pointed his finger before gesturing to you both. "are—are you two in love, now?"

"yep!" you agreed, and you ignored the looks everyone gave you while caine only gasped, and he snapped in fingers.

the colours of the tent filled your vision while instruments and people cluttered behind caine, and he floated in front of you and jax with wide eyes.

"REALLY!?"

caine's question was slightly muffled due to everyone's groaning, and you gifted caine a nod while he clapped his hands. "I DID IT!"

"sure, sure..." jax mumbled before he wrapped an arm around your shoulder, and he looked at you while tilting his head. "you wanna go get something to eat?"

"didn't we technically already eat?" you and jax only started to walk while he shook his head.

as you and jax walked off, caine floated in the air proudly while bubble randomly appeared beside him, and he firmly nodded.

"WE DID IT, BUBBLE! OUR LITTLE LOVEBIRDS ARE SOARING!"

"the lovebirds are #%*# #*@($(#*@($ $(#((%* # #*(%*#&@."

caine stared at bubble as his shoulders slightly slumped, and he slowly shook his head. "why are you like this...?"

[elodieunderglass]

Thoughts on "Are the Redwall Animals Monarchist"

I could see them being like, pro-monarchy but wanting to not have an actual monarch. Like identifying stuff as "the Queen's royal navy" or "the crown jewels" or celebrating "the kings birthday". But without having an actual person in that role. .

Maybe they're holding the spot for King Arthur to return? IDK

They're just singing "God save the King" very earnestly but aren't thinking about Charles at all

Reference here: https://www.tumblr.com/elodieunderglass/787508796589228032/i-think-the-thing-that-does-come-through-is-that

It would definitely be on-brand for the “abbey” concept to not align with a monarch’s desires (hence the irl dissolution of the monasteries) but be pro-monarchy where it suits them and Special Little Free Thinkers when it doesn’t.

I think their stance would be WHATEVER IS EASIEST FOR AUTHOR and their author was powerfully, admirably lazy.

Ultimately: while it’s fun to make jokes about, and have fun with, the Redwall texts are too insubstantial and weak to be politically serious about (and it’s unfair to them to expect more.) they’re good at exactly what they say on the tin: zippy little adventures for babies, with uneven politics and a very poorly articulated morality. very typical of that kind of author popular at that kind of time (yes, even the ones we still like.) whatever questions you ask are going to be answered: ultimately Brian Jacques was a nice-mannered pleasant old reactionary working in a time when an old white man sitting on his ass in England generating infinite samey mousey stories could literally pay the mortgage.

Even just by joking about it, we are putting infinite more thought and brainpower, and burning more calories, than Brian Jacques ever did when he sat down at his Mouse OC Generation Machine. Man was NOT operating at high gear, and why would he. He was not required to have a single complex thought in his pretty little baldy head in order to pay his bills, so he did NOT waste his TIME. Slap some meadowcream on it and send it off in an envelope, it’ll do well enough. His audience was KIDS who wanted NEW BOOK. Even by considering a single religious or political implication we are being more intellectual than he could bear.

So we should ONLY care about it for as long as it is FUN and we are having fun, because there are no answers, and the question I posed (“are Redwall animals monarchists?”) is a very low-value question and ONLY worth answering if it’s FUNNY.

In which case: they DO very intentionally uphold the Squirrelkingdom AND restore Gael Squirrelking to power after he is deposed in a coup. and their national security is dependent on the feudal militaristic nation of Salamandastron.

So whatever that is - upholding monarchy in other states because it secures their national borders and keeps their own hands clean, and their own political situation a pretense of ethical democracy? It’s certainly SOMETHING. And the author who penned it fully believing it to be politically neutral.

[herinsectreflection]

Bored Now (Doppelgangland)

Doppelgangland is a very good episode.

There’s a version of this essay that is nothing but that sentence over and over again, phrased in different ways. It’s a nearly self-evident truth – this episode is uncontroversially and near-universally beloved. IMDB’s ranking has it as the best episode of Season Three, and 8th overall. It’s regularly mentioned as a season highlight by dedicated and casual fans alike. Vampire Willow is one of the show’s most memorable villains, and she only gets this episode to shine at all, after being criminally underused in The Wish. Even Joss Whedon ranks it among his own top 10. Fan ratings aren’t everything – the fact that Restless comes in at #33 is a clear indicator of the voters’ collective lack of taste – but when a fandom so clearly agrees on something, I think it’s worth asking why.

In one way, that question has a very easy answer: this episode is very fun to watch. Alyson Hannigan dazzles as the quietly charismatic Vampire Willow, dominating the screen with a very specific almost-awkward swagger. She then channels her inner Tatiana Maslany and delivers sparkling turns, first as Willow-playing-Vampire-Willow and then as Vampire-Willow-playing-Willow. She gets such joy from playing up the differences and similarities between both characters – perhaps my favourite bit coming in her demonstration of how terrible both Willows are at improvisation acting. Hannigan has been quietly improving as an actor since Welcome to the Hellmouth, and now shows herself to sit comfortably beside Gellar and Head as one of the strongest members of the cast.

And it’s more than just Vampire Willow – the whole show is singing. The humour is bright and zippy. Every character, now settled in the roles they’ll fill for the rest of the season, gets moments to shine. Anya is starting to emerge as a character who is recognisably Anya. The climactic fight in the Bronze is probably the best group action scene so far, and might have a shout to be the show’s best ever. Even the tertiary characters are in form: Devon’s insistence that only “fruity jazz bands” know more than three chords is quietly one of the funniest moments of the episode. This is an episode that starts being fun early on, and never stops.

Read More

[vexic929]

this is super random and i know you’re more of a Tom Eobard but have you seen the Doom World episode in Legends of Tomorrow? i'm obsessed with it and the whole concept and i always wondered what it would have been like with Barry in there. might you have any thoughts on Eobard rewriting a reality where Barry's not dead, he's his... however you want to picture that. or if you don't, it's okay :)

I actually haven't seen that episode (I've missed out on a lot of Legends episodes lol) but I'm now obsessed with this concept and if Eobard hasn't already tried to make Barry his (lover, slave, pet, child like he threatened that one time, you name it) in at least one timeline I'll eat my hat

Eobard would have to start very early, that much I'm sure of, molding Barry's life circumstances to lead him directly to Eobard, breaking him down mentally and emotionally so he's more amenable, getting rid of the positive influences in Barry's life and ensuring he's isolated - then it's just a matter of what does Eobard want from Barry; does he want to own him like a trophy or to form some sort of twisted relationship with him? I think it depends on the day, personally, but I'm inclined to think it leans more towards the latter as technically Barry wouldn't need to be alive to be Eo's trophy (although that is another interesting concept to explore later)

either way, Eobard would ease in to the relationship initially, offering Barry friendship, a confidante, maybe a mentor like with Dr. Wells (this concept would work very well with EoWells and that I definitely would like to write sometime lol) and slowly over time Eo would gain more and more control over Barry - not by force, though, I feel like he'd prefer it if Barry granted him the control himself, or at least most of it; sure he likes a good fight but this is his Barry, not the usual Barry after all - and without a support group, I think Barry would give him that control willingly if he asked; after all he trusts Eobard

[inhabitant-nefarious]

Too Bitter, Too Sweet (part two)

Leon finally takes you on that date he promised... it doesn't go as planned.

Part One .......... Masterlist .......... AO3

Warnings: none

Words: 4k

PLEASE reblog and comment if you enjoy this! Your interaction fuels my creativity and inspires me to write more! Thank you!

Leon picks you up in a purple Mustang convertible. It's not the car you expect at all. Leon has always seemed more of a sportscar type of guy, something sleek and speedy, like a Porsche. In college, he'd had a Jeep. The vintage muscle car sat grumbling at the curb doesn't seem very… him.

 But he does look very smug when you say, “Cool car.”

“Thanks,” he says, holding open the door for you. You kiss his cheek as you pass by and Leon chuckles bashfully. 

He shuts the door for you and you lean back in the seat, looking around the cab. You hadn't been lying when you'd called it a cool car. It's low to the ground, with a full leather interior, and you can feel the engine purr under your feet.

You don't know much about cars, but this one is clearly vintage, clean and well-maintained, and you resist the urge to snoop in the glove box. You tilt your head back to look at the CD holder on the sun guard, and feel a little baffled by what you see. Brittney Spears? Shakira? 

That doesn't seem like Leon's music taste. You're even more confused when you spot the rosary hanging from the rearview mirror. Leon doesn't strike you as the religious type.

“You never struck me as the muscle car type,” you say as he slides into the driver's seat.

He shoots you a lopsided grin, bucking his seatbelt. “What? Why not?”

You trail your fingertips over the center console, the leather smooth under your touch. “I don't know… I just took you for more of a sports car guy. Something sleek and zippy.”

Leon laughs outright, leaning on the console. “Sleek and zippy, huh?”

You shrug. “Yeah. When did you buy this car, anyway?” 

Leon suddenly looks a little nervous, leaning back a bit and glancing away from you. “Uh, a couple years ago…”

You raise an eyebrow. 

“Yeah? What made you choose this car over something else?”

“It was… cool?” He says, buckling his seatbelt and still refusing to meet your eyes. 

“Yeah, I figured that,” you answer, “but be more specific. I don't believe you bought a car just because it was cool!”

He withers under your questioning stare.

“It's not my car,” he mutters. “I lied. It's my roommate's. I borrowed it to impress you.”

You're struck speechless for a second, staring at Leon like he's grown a second head. He shrinks down in his seat, clearly embarrassed. 

After a few moments of silence, the humor of the situation hits you and you burst out laughing, doubling over in your seat.

Leon immediately turns bright red, from hairline to neck, and that's even funnier. You haven't seen him blush like that since college. The sight of this strong, badass man turning red with embarrassment has you practically wheezing.

“Okay, okay!” he cries. “It's not that funny, come on!”

You double over, gasping for air, reaching across the center console to grab his arm.

Leon mutters something under his breath, but grabs your hand. He gives it a little shake. “Sweetheart, come onnnn,” he groans. “Stop laughing!”

You suck in a desperate breath, peering at him through watery eyes. “I can't believe you!” You gasp around the last dregs of your laughing fit.. “What's wrong with your car?” 

Leon pouts, and you want to lean over and kiss it away. “My car sucks,” he admits. “It's really old and makes a weird sound.”

You giggle.

“So you borrowed your roommate's and tried to pass it off as yours?”

“Yeah,” he mutters, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. “Sorry. But come on! This is a cool car. You were impressed there for a second, right?” He gives you a hopeful look, like he's searching for validation.

“Yeah,” you giggle, dabbing at your eyes. “Very cool. Your roommate seems like a pretty nice guy to let you borrow it.”

“She,” Leon corrects gently, opening the center console and revealing a small box of kleenex.

“She?” You ask.

Leon grabs one of the tissues and reaches out to wipe a bit of mascara out of the corner of your eye. “Yeah. You kinda met her, actually.”

You did?

Leon seems to sense your confusion.

“Well… not exactly. You spoke to her on the phone last week. April? She dragged me back to work.”

It's nice to have an identity to go with the woman that stole Leon away that night (at 4 AM no less!) at least. Who does that, anyway?

“At 4 AM?” You challenge, not liking the jealousy surging in your gut again. 

Leon doesn't seem to notice your envy. He just smiles at you.

“Yeah. Letting me borrow her car is her apology.”

You aren't sure you want her apology.

“Right,” you say, unable to stop a frown. An awkward silence ensues and Leon clears his throat.

“Let's get moving,” he says. “Don't want to be late.”

He's clearly trying to change the subject and you're grateful for it. It's weird to be talking about another woman while on a date with someone. 

You lean back against the cool leather of the seat, pushing your hair back as the wind, blowing in through the open windows, whips it around. “Where are we going?” 

Leon glances at you briefly before pulling out into traffic. “Dinner,” he says. “Then a movie.”

You smile. He's keeping it classic, then. You like that. 

Leon taps the sun visor above your head. “You should pick out some music,” he says. “I don't know what you like these days.”

His casual words just serve to remind you that despite your history, the two of you are closer to strangers these days. You swallow down the melancholy threatening to choke you and turn your attention to the CDs. You aren't sure why there even is a CD player in a classic car like this, but you suppose Leon's roommate added it in after she bought it. 

“Is this all the music?” You ask.

Leon shakes his head, eyes still on the road, and points to the glovebox. “There's more in there.”

You can't deny the fact that you're a little excited to snoop. You've always been nosy. That's part of why you became a lawyer. You open the hatch and peer inside. 

It's cluttered in there, and you push past a couple of pads and a small bottle of lotion and a car manual, trying to find the CDs Leon spoke about. Your hand brushes something cool and metallic. You push aside a stick of deodorant and a package of dried fruit and your heart stops at what you see. You yelp and quickly slam the glovebox closed.

“Leon!”

His head whips around toward you, eyes wide in alarm. “What?!”

You grab his arm. “Leon! The road!”

He serves back into your lane at the last second, the car overtaking you on the left blaring its horn as it whips past. 

“Jesus— fuck—!” Leon gasps, gripping the wheel so hard his knuckles turn white. “What the hell did you yell for?!”

You slowly let go of his arm, putting your hand over your chest, your heart pounding. “Sorry,” you gasp. “I just… there's a gun in the glovebox.”

His eyebrows nearly disappear into his hairline. “Really?”

You get the distinct impression he thinks that is not worth yelling over.

“Who keeps a gun in their glovebox?!” You hiss, feeling indignant.

Leon shrugs. “Lots of people. Is it loaded?”

“I don't know! And I don't want to check!”

He's quiet for a second, then he sighs and flicks on the blinker. 

“I'll take a look.”

You sit in silence for a couple minutes as he pulls off the highway and into a gas station. He parks near the entrance and you scoot your seat back as he leans over the center console to dig around in the glovebox. 

He finds the pistol quickly and your heart makes a funny little lurch as he pulls it out. Leon handles it expertly, trigger finger resting along the barrel, muzzle pointed at the ground, and sits back in his seat. You've seen guns on the hips of bailiffs and police officers, but never this close and never out of a holster. 

Leon turns it over in his hands and checks it over. 

“It's fine,” he says after a moment of silence. “The safety is on and it's not even loaded.”

He looks up at you, smiling reassuringly. “You're okay.” 

“Okay,” you agree. “Sorry for… freaking out. I'm just not used to guns.”

He stares at you for a few seconds as if processing that. “Yeah,” he says. “I figured.”

You wonder what he really means by that.

.

The rest of the drive passes in relative silence after that incident, music playing softly over the radio. You had found a Nirvana CD and decided to play it, and Leon didn’t have any objections. He’s always liked rock music. 

He breaks the silence first. “You like burgers?”

You glance over at him questioningly. “Burgers? Yeah.”

He nods. “Good. I know I promised pasta and wine last time but finding a good Italian place last minute is harder than it seems. I thought we could do something a little more, uh, casual.”

“I don’t mind casual,” you assure him. Leon smiles.

.

The two of  you end up at a cute little diner and are served some of the best burgers and milkshakes you have had in ages. You chat casually over your food, reminiscing over your college years. It’s nice to look back. Leon asks about your old friend group and listens with genuine interest as you regale him with stories of your roommate’s wedding and show him pictures of your sister’s new baby. 

“Why didn’t you do any of this?” he asks quietly, smiling down at the small picture of your nephew. 

“Do any of what?” you ask.

“Get married,” he clarifies, “have babies, that stuff. You said you were going to after you got established as a lawyer.”

You take a sip of your milkshake to hide your frown. He’s right about that, of course. In college, you’d had your life all planned out. Graduate, get a job, get married, have 2 kids, and live a nice, cushy life as the primary breadwinner of your future family. A future family you had always imagined having with Leon. 

“I don’t know,” you say. But you do know. The reason was that you and Leon had broken up. It wasn’t supposed to happen, but you had gotten a scholarship to UCLA and he had decided to join the police force in Raccoon City. Neither of you had been ready for a long distance relationship. “Why didn’t you?”

Leon shrugs, dipping a french fry in ketchup. “I don’t know.”

.

You finish up your dinner and return to the car. At first, you think Leon is going to drive you back to the hotel, but he turns the opposite way when pulling out of the parking lot.

“Where are we going?” you ask. Leon smiles. 

“Somewhere fun. You didn’t think this date was just getting dinner, did you?”

“I mean, I sort of did,” you reply with a teasing grin, “you never were the best at planning outings.”

Leon gasps dramatically and clutches his chest. “What?! You wound me!”

“You took me to Buffalo Wild Wings on our first date!”

“Yeah, in college!” He protests, “Ten years ago! I didn’t exactly have a ton of disposable income!”

“Oh, and you do now? Mr. ‘My Car Makes A Weird Sound’?”

Leon shrugs. “Well, enough to plan out a decent date for my girl.” He winks at you and turns off the road onto a dirt path. “Look, this will be fun. Trust me.”

“A drive-in theater?” You ask incredulously as Leon pulls into the line of cars lined along the path. He grins. 

“Yeah. You ever been to one?”

You lean out of the car to peer at the screen towering over the trees. “No,” you reply. “Never.”

“They're fun,” he says. “You'll like it.”

“What's playing?” 

Leon points at the letterboard outside the entrance of the theater.

It reads: 

Playing Tonight:

Hitch

Batman Begins

Screening Begins At Sundown

You've already seen the rom-com with Will Smith, but you haven't had a chance to see the new Batman. Of course Leon would want to watch a Batman movie.

“Batman?” You tease. “You're taking me to see Batman?”

“What's wrong with Batman Begins?” He asks slightly defensively. You laugh, shaking your head. 

Oh, sweet, clueless Leon. 

“Nothing,” you assure him. “It's just not very romantic.”

He scoffs. “Hitch is a rom-com. Plenty romantic. Besides, who doesn't like Batman?”

He's got a point there. You just shake your head, laughing under your breath, as Leon purchases tickets. 

You rest your arms on the top of the door, taking in the sights as he pulls through the rows of vehicles. He finds a space near the middle of the lot and parks the car. He starts fiddling with the radio to tune it to the theater’s station. 

“You want popcorn?” He asks, brow furrowed in concentration as he works. “They have some for sale back by the ticket kiosk.”

You unbuckle your seatbelt. “Yeah. I can run and grab it.” 

Leon reaches into his back pocket and passes you his wallet. “Here. Use the VISA card. I’ll get set up here.”

You nod and slip out of the car, holding the wallet to your chest. It's made of black leather, soft from use, and sits oddly heavy in your palm. By the popcorn station, you get in line behind a pair of highschoolers and a family of five, and flip open the wallet.

Sitting right inside the fold is a badge you’ve never seen before, official-looking, made of golden metal, showing a gauntleted hand over the shape of the United States.

‘United States Strategic Command?’ You think, ‘That’s military, isn’t it?’ 

You glance around, suddenly feeling paranoid. How on Earth did Leon go from regular cop to working for the United States military? Cautiously, you move the badge, wondering what else he’s hiding. You catch a glimpse of an I.D. with Leon’s picture, but before you can read the logo on the I.D. (not at all a Washington D.C. driver’s license, but something else), someone snatches the wallet from you.

You gasp and whirl around, ready to give the culprit a piece of your mind, only to find Leon standing there, clutching the wallet to his chest with wide eyes. He looks… scared. 

“What are you—”

“Sorry!” He says quickly, interrupting you with a forced laugh. “I handed you my work wallet by mistake!”

He shoves a different wallet in your hands, this one smaller and lighter. “This is the one with the credit card.”

“What— Leon!”

But he just shakes his head, putting his work wallet back in his pocket. You can tell from his face that you won’t be getting any information out of him.

.

Your curiosity grates at you all through the movie. You’re driving yourself half-crazy trying to rationalize Leon’s actions. You’ve heard of USSTRATCOM, it isn’t exactly a top secret organization, but you wouldn’t say you’re familiar with it. You know it’s military, at least. But why would Leon switch from law enforcement to military?  He’d always talked about taking a job as a cop so that he could really be down on the street, interacting with people and changing their lives in the little ways. Soldiers don’t have that opportunity. Maybe the career shift has something to do with the terrorist attack that destroyed Raccoon City. Maybe Leon felt like he could do more good at a federal level. Maybe.

You adjust your head on Leon’s shoulder, shifting closer to him. The Mustang has a bench seat in front, meaning you two can cuddle while watching the movie. You wonder if Leon planned this. Probably. You feel his hand slide down your arm, gentle but callused, before his fingers weave through yours. 

“Are you mad at me?” he asks. You frown, tilting your head back to look at him. He’s leaning over you, peering at you, and your noses brush when you turn toward him. The proximity makes you blush. 

His eyes are so blue and so close and so vulnerable.

“No,” you find yourself saying. 

He frowns, just slightly, as if unsure you really mean it, then a little smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. “Alright. Good to hear.” 

The next thing you know, his lips are on yours.

.

Leon stops the two of you before your make out session goes too far. Partially because of the movie drawing to a close and partially because he says he “doesn’t want to have sex in his roommate’s car” which, fair enough. 

“We could head back to my hotel,” you mumble, shivering a little as he nibbles your earlobe. 

Leon hums softly in agreement. “Yeah… sounds good.” 

After a few long seconds of him kissing your neck, he finally pulls back, his cheeks flushed and his eyes blown wide. “You mind if we stop by a gas station on the way back?” he mumbles, between soft kisses to your mouth. “I promised I’d fill up the tank before I gave the car back.”

“Okay,” you agree, stopping him with one hand to his cheek. “Also, you should probably pick up condoms while we’re there.”

Leon smirks. “Way ahead of you, sweetheart.”

.

You leave Leon at the gas pump and make your way into the convenience store, passing rows of packaged food and cheap candy as you head toward the restrooms. The drive-in only had porta-potties and you drew the line there. Thankfully, this store has relatively clean bathrooms. You hear the bell by the door ring as you step inside and lock the door.

The store is oddly quiet when you emerge from the bathroom, wiping your damp hands on your jeans. Outwardly, nothing looks different, but something just makes the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. Cautiously, you circle around a potato chip display and finally you have a clear view of the check-out counter.

Your heart sinks.

The young woman behind the counter is shakily stuffing money from the register into a paper bag, a man in a hoodie, standing on the other side of the counter, threatening her at gunpoint. A gasp escapes you, unbidden.

The robber spins around. 

“Hey!” 

You gasp again, stumbling back, only to fall against someone’s chest. 

“Easy, there, little lady,” an unfamiliar voice croons, and a strong arm locks around your chest. You whimper and try to thrash against the hold, but something cold and hard presses to your temple. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” the man holding you murmurs, his breath hot against your ear. “Just hold still, okay?”

What else can you do?

You freeze in place, your breathing coming in shallow, terrified pants. Where is Leon? Is he okay? What if they hurt him and he's bleeding out in the parking lot? Would these guys really kill someone over a couple hundred dollars from a cash register? 

The man holding you shifts, his arm adjusting his hold as his hand comes uncomfortably close to your breasts. You flinch and he snickers. “What?” He mocks, “Am I making you uncomf—”

He never finishes the sentence. What happens next happens so fast you can barely understand it. The robber’s groping hand is torn away and you stumble forward, landing on your hands and knees. There’s a thud as his body smashes into the linoleum next to you, then the crack of a gunshot. 

You let out a little scream, squeezing your eyes shut, not wanting to see the poor cashier hurt. But the screams you hear are a man’s.

“Oh, shut the hell up,” Leon snaps, “if you can’t handle getting shot at, don’t point guns at people.”

Cautiously, you open your eyes and sit up. The robber who had been holding you is passed out on the floor, blood leaking from a cut on the back of his head. You yelp and scramble away from him, looking frantically toward the cashier and Leon’s voice. 

The young woman is on the phone, probably calling the police, and Leon is kneeling on the gunman’s back, tying a tourniquet around the man’s bleeding thigh. Leon must have shot him. 

“Leon?” you ask softly. He looks up at you, shaking his bangs out of his eyes. 

“Hey,” he says. “You okay?”

You nod. 

He nods, too. “Okay. Go find me something to tie them up.”

His tone is businesslike, as if taking down robbers and tying them up is a regular Saturday night activity for him. 

“Check automotive,” the cashier says, pointing to the left of the store. “We usually carry zipties.”

“Zipties are perfect,” Leon mutters, tightening the tourniquet with a grunt. The man beneath him yelps. 

You skirt gingerly around the robbers and the blood on the floor and make your way to automotive. The packages of zipties are easy enough to find and Leon talks you and the cashier through tying up the unconscious robber. He wakes up with a groan just after you finish.

The three of you don’t have to wait for the police long, soon, red and blue lights up the parking lot and three police cars and an ambulance pull in. The convenience store is soon teeming with officers and paramedics and soon you’re lost in the commotion. 

A female paramedic comes up to you and takes your arm, leading you out of the store to sit on the curb nearby. You barely register her, you just numbly take the bottle of water you’ve been offered, and answer the questions of an officer who comes to talk to you, once it’s been confirmed you aren’t hurt. Honestly, you’re probably the least helpful. You only saw the end of the robbery before immediately getting taken hostage and the officer seems to realize that, quickly leaving you alone.

You sit there on the cold curb, watching Leon talk to the officers. The gentle, awkward man you’ve come to know him as seems a hundred miles away. He speaks with the officers with authority and poise, carefully laying out what had happened. They want to know about the gun he’d used, and the car he’s driving, and why they aren’t registered under his name. Leon explains that they belong to his roommate, which, of course, opens a whole new line of questioning.

You feel your patience wearing thin. You just wish he’d stop talking and come over to you. You’re cold and scared and you just want him to hold you! You let out a shaky breath and put your head in your hands, trying not to cry. The adrenaline is wearing off and now your brain is conjuring up all sorts of ‘could-have-beens’. What if Leon hadn’t been there? What if that man had decided they would rather steal you instead of the money? What if—

“Sweetheart.”

Your head jerks up. Leon is standing over you, one hand out to help you to your feet. You jump up and throw your arms around his neck. He holds you close, rocking you soothingly from side to side.

“You’re okay,” he whispers. “You’re okay… shhhh…”

You don’t feel okay! You open your mouth to tell him that, but all that comes out is an ugly, wet sob. Leon hugs you tighter. 

He doesn’t let go until your tears are all dried up. You pull back first, wiping your eyes with your sleeve. Leon brushes your hair off your face. 

“Listen,” He says, “one of the officers is going to take you back to your hotel, okay? They want me down at the station to talk.”

“What? Why?”

He shrugs, playing with the ends of your hair. “Something about me using a gun that isn’t mine. It's just a precaution. They want to make sure I didn’t steal it.”

“Wait, the gun from the glovebox?” You ask, your eyes wide. You had assumed he had grabbed the gun off the guy threatening you.

Leon nods, waving his hand casually. “Yeah, but don’t worry. I’ll call April, she’ll sort it out. It’s her gun, after all.”

You feel a frown coming over your face. Her again. Leon’s roommate/work friend. Logically, you know it’s not true, but you’re starting to feel like she is sabotaging your relationship with Leon. “Right,” you mutter.

Leon misinterprets your expression. 

“Hey,” he says gently, slinging an arm over your shoulder and walking you toward one of the police cars, “don’t worry, okay? It’ll be fine. I’ll call you when it’s all sorted, alright.”

He pauses next to the car and takes your face in his hands, kissing you gently. “You go home and get some sleep. I love you.”

You swallow hard. “Okay,” you whisper, “I love you, too.”

Leon makes sure you are settled in the back of the police car and the driver knows where to take you before turning back to the rest of the officers. As the cruiser is pulling out, you see another car pull into the gas station. Confused, you turn to watch as the driver stops the car haphazardly and jumps out.

It’s a tall, Hispanic woman, who leaves the door open and the car running as she hurries up to Leon, grabbing him in a hug. Your heart sinks as he hugs back. 

That must be April, here to save the day, while all you can do is watch. The police cruiser pulls out onto the road and you lose sight of them. You’re left with a hollow feeling in your chest.

[bengiyo]

Caged Again Started Strong

Watched the first two episodes of this and I'm already having a good time:

This show breezed through a ton of its worldbuilding quickly to establish some baseline motivations from a charming cast.

It gave answers to some supernatural questions quickly so that we can follow some of the rules of what's going on.

Jaonine is actually so funny as Jod, and them trying to make him seem less beautiful is sending me.

Nokia's character politely leaving the surprisingly-inclusive secret porn club was a wild moment.

I'm obsessed with the ghost in the shrine and her meddling.

Junior not fitting in with penguins, and being so different that he doesn't fit in with humans, works so well. He doesn't even recognize that he's odd.

The giant NO on penguins in the North Pole had me cracking up.

Sun's fantasies are also a real treat.

I really loved how zippy this felt right out of the gate. They moved through a great deal of setup and got me emotionally invested in every character. I'm excited to see more.