writelikeyouarerunningoutof

[writelikeyouarerunningoutof]

There's a steadiness to Oliver that wasn't there when they were younger. It's not just in his gaze but in his bearing. It's been there for a while, slowly growing until he's here now, not running, hand on hers. Laurel thinks her heart should be racing even more with the way he's looking at her but the quiet certainty in them makes her shoulders loosen.

"Then stay." She breathes it out, an exhale, a release of the tension and fear she holds. Laurel smiles, a slow unfurl of incredulousness, of rightness, of you, of course it's you spreading across her face. "You'll stay."

It lands in between them gently, as do the implications of his words. Her smile widens further, something like wonder on her lips. "It's a choice." She nods, her eyes on him, the heat of his hand on hers grounding her. She thinks of the different choices they've made over the years, the ones that took them away from each other and the ones that have brought them back here. Always in each other's orbits, always tethered to each other - there's always been love here even if the way they've loved each other has weathered different storms. "And I want to choose this every day." Him, them - full circle and back where they started, a little more broken and battered but still fitting together.

Once upon a time in what feels like a lifetime ago, Laurel thought she and Oliver would be forever. And then she thought, maybe their forever would just be as friends. They're tied together by experience and loss and love - but not the kind of love that stories are made of.

Except maybe it's come back to that again. Maybe it never went away. She's always loved Oliver, in some way or another, even when he broke her heart. Even when she wanted to say she hated him. Oliver is - Oliver is.

Still, her heart pounds in her chest at his words because a part of her will forever be terrified that she'll lose him the way she's lost him before. Or the way she's lost Tommy, and Sara, and - they're not the same people they were that lifetime ago though.

"And if I say -" Laurel takes a breath, a plunge, heart on her sleeve and ready to be broken. "- forever, does that make you want to run?"

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"That's usually my job." The joke is said wryly, a small smile playing on Rory's lips as he looks warmly at his daughter. Never fails to make his heart swell with pride and heartbreak both to know how brilliant she is, and also that he never had a chance to see her grow up, not really. "Odd little role revers - ow!" He doesn't flinch, the pain already subsiding as quickly as it flared. Rory lets out a light laugh at his own reaction. "Thank you, River." Looking at his arm and then at her, he knows he has to ask. "And you're sure this is safe for humans?"

@writelikeyouarerunningoutof gets a starter !

River levels a smile at her father. "Hold still," she orders, holding a needle in her right hand. "This won't hurt a bit," she assures. She injects him with a vaccine that will protect him from common ailments on Ophure. "All done!"

[writelikeyouarerunningoutof]

Nothing about the person in front of him should ping Rory as out of place except - well, everything pings Rory as out of place. And if there's one thing Rory's learnt in all his time knowing the Doctor, and his wife, and his daughter, it's that he should trust his instincts. Two thousand years as a plastic Roman will do that to you, he supposes.

Still, they're not dangerous, he doesn't think. "Rory." He pauses, realises that's really abrupt and clarifies with his ears turning red, "Rory Williams." Rory pauses again, his eyebrows furrowing just a little. Something about the look in their eyes is familiar... "Have we met before?"

@writelikeyouarerunningoutof liked here for a starter from The [Redacted] Doctor for Rory!

The Doctor pauses. They remember Rory, of course. They remember all of their companions. But they're unsure if they should reveal their identity to him or not. Is he still traveling with their past self? That might lead to some complications.

Of course, they've run into their eleventh incarnation in the past. So perhaps it would be alright. Still, just to be on the safe side, they'll use a false name for now. "Hello! I'm Alex. Alex Smith." A pause, a bright smile crosses their face. "What's your name?" They ask, pretending to be a total stranger.

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Her eyes are twinkling with the laughter she cannot suppress. Darshini knows Kie might hold this against her forever, but honestly? Worth it.

The mirth slowly subsides into nothing more than twitching lips and an ever-present smile. She nods. "Yeah, I read up on it a little. Honestly, what a banger move to then have a video that is just himself and it going on to be such a huge hit. The video might be this side of ridiculous but the song is so catchy and danceable I've seen white guys make videos to it."

Oh, boo, Kie doesn't seem to remember the title of the song either. Darshini pouts, just a little before shaking it off. "If there's one Daler Mehndi song, I'm sure we can find the other." Waving a hand, she furrows her eyebrows and amends: "Or scroll through YouTube or Spotify and find it."

That does it. The dramatic noooo that immediately brings to mind a dramatic nahin from any Bollywood movie ever that Kie emits causes Darshini to lose the battle with the giggle-snort she's been having. It's loud but thankfully, Kie's too busy complaining about her. Darshini slaps a hand over her mouth anyway, shoulders shaking not so subtly.

Yeah, this had pretty much been her reaction when her dad had brought it up in the first place. "Look, if I need to know it, so do you." And now the song's ruined for both of them.

"And hear the story behind that video." Something about someone telling Daler Mehndi the only reason he was so popular were the skantily clad women in his videos. Proved them wrong, didn't he? "Oh, and that other one! I don't remember the title but the one that goes -" She sings - passably enough - a few lines from the song. "- hoy, hoy, saade naal?" She thinks it's called Na Na Na Na, or something along those lines, but that just would make anyone think of Batman, she's sure of it.

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"Right?" Devi's eyes widen as she all but exclaims. "It's like, I get it, ma, you've been cooking forever so you've got instincts for it but I -" She gestures at herself widely, empathically, and then to Kie and corrects herself. "- we, are amateur hour here. Give us some guidance in the form of, I don't know, a written recipe?"

She shakes her head, exasperated and amused and so very fond in equal measures. She loves her mother more than anything, really, but this is a gripe she will hold forever. It amuses her father to no end.

Devi pauses as Kie moves on to talking about life after high school - something she thinks about very rarely if only because of the swoop of anxiety it never fails to give her - and tries to center herself. "I can just see my mom's reaction to that." Her lips curl into a teasing smile and she affects a little bit of a high pitch. "Beta, what's the use of moving out so close to home when you'll just come home for dinner all the time? You'll come home to make me do your laundry, you'll want your appa's chai instead of making your own. Just stay at home, na?"

Even though she still has no idea what she's planning to study - Devi's pretty sure influencer is not a course in college - she knows she does want to do higher education. It's an opportunity little afforded to girls from her village, not so much because they're girls but because they're on the poorer side. Devi's one of the lucky ones - her parents have always been well off because of her father's position and even if they hadn't moved to the States, she would have had the chance to study. She's going to take it, for herself and for the kids she only vaguely remembers.

Devi's nodding in agreement because yes, tea is always good. She'd kill for a chai right now. Spiced, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger - a good, steeped karak adrak chai. Nothing beats a good cup after sambhar idly. She looks down at her empty plate and sighs in disappointment. She'll have to wait for later.

"I mean, I'll take your word for it." There's a wrinkle to her nose that is more amusement than judgement. "Let Magenta learn her lessons. I've seen Layla's flavour combinations and sometimes they're -something else." She'll give the other girl props for being adventurous though. Always ready to try something new. Devi can respect that.

Closing the lunchbox, Devi sighs again. "I wish." She pouts, taking out a napkin to wipe her hands - she'll wash them later - and puts it aside to throw. "I can never get the ratios for the mixture right, and my mom is no help. She's got zero measurements and zero patience for me trying to figure it out." Devi loves her mom - and her mom's cooking - but she has no idea how either of them are going to handle the separation when she moves away for college or work.

[writelikeyouarerunningoutof]

her words spark as sincere against his senses and scott can't help but smile at her gratefully for that. "yeah, yeah, she's doing good." his grin grows a little, clear pride at the strides malia's made to catch up with her peers, to live in the world as a were and not just as her coyote half. "you'd never know it to see her, she's really settled fully back into her skin, human and coyote both."

kie starts speaking about people's heat signatures - which, if scott's honest, is so much cooler than recognising people from their scents and heartbeats - and scott's invested. heartbeats can be feigned and controlled, scents can be overwhelming - he's gotten good at being able to parse out his pack's even when the world is too much, but the way she talks about recognising her friends? he wishes he could visualise it more clearly. "that's - that's so cool." he shakes his head, grin on his face crooked and warm and impressed. "can you find your friend like that or does the signature change when she shifts?"

he wishes he was more helpful, but she doesn't seem to be annoyed. rather, appreciative, which scott's relieved by. "um." he pauses at the amount of information she gives him and then laughs a little self-consciously, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck. "i mean, i know someone who was stuck as a coyote for - well, many years? but..." yeah, that had a lot of trauma attached to it. malia now switches forms much easier and quicker, and scott's not even a full shifter. he doesn't think that's what she means though and shakes his head. "i don't know about anybody else in the pack though. it's usually instinct?" at least, once you've mastered having an anchor to focus on.

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“ turns out there’s more than just one way. ” ~Hoa for Devadarshini

meme: j.maya lyrics status: accepting (from mutuals)

Her fingers flex unconsciously as she stares at the fix Hoa's managed. It looks precocious but sturdy, and slowly, Devi exhales and flashes the other woman a bright smile. "You're good at this." Glancing back at the device between them, she shakes her head in impressed disbelief. "And everyone said it couldn't be done."

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he wishes he was more helpful, but she doesn't seem to be annoyed. rather, appreciative, which scott's relieved by. "um." he pauses at the amount of information she gives him and then laughs a little self-consciously, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck. "i mean, i know someone who was stuck as a coyote for - well, many years? but..." yeah, that had a lot of trauma attached to it. malia now switches forms much easier and quicker, and scott's not even a full shifter. he doesn't think that's what she means though and shakes his head. "i don't know about anybody else in the pack though. it's usually instinct?" at least, once you've mastered having an anchor to focus on.

there is soft wrinkle to his nose - not so much confusion as thought, scott wracking his brain trying to remember if he saw any magenta on the shifter animal. "i think so," he says slowly, but there is doubt threading through his voice. "i can't say for certain though. i didn't get as close to them as i wanted." scott shrugs, self-deprecating and apologetic in one move. "some shifters don't do well with a wolf near them. there can be - reactions."

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lou doesn't cut kira off or try to talk around her or redirect her. instead, the other girl agrees with her, something that - if possible - makes kira light up further. "didn't we all." she's beaming, really, because here's someone who gets it about the asian influences on star wars, who is not talking over her or denying it and is in fact ready to jump in with her to discuss it. "she was my idol. still is, actually." she grips the strap of her bag as the conversation turns to the newer star wars and kira shrugs one shoulder, a slight wince on her face. "i did not." the admission would sting except she heard how lee jung-jae's character was treated and thought of her dad, and really, it was like all the asian influences on the original six movies were gone. she does really appreciate the casting but - not even manny jacinto's very pretty jawline can get her to watch it. "i wanted to at first and then i made the mistake of reading some interviews. i did, however, love deborah chow's kenobi." now that was an asian director making a star wars show. she tilts her head as the conversation goes back to comics and nods understandingly because, yeah, wonder woman. she gets it. "stephanie brown's my second favourite robin." she'll fight anyone who says stephanie does not count.

it's rare for kira to talk to someone about the more nerdy things she enjoys - and she enjoys a lot of nerdy things - without them getting condescending or weird about it. because she's east asian, so she's supposed to only be into anime. because she's a girl, she's only in it for the clout or the boys. like she can't be into these things just because she thinks they're fun or cool or the animations or the story is fantastic. talking to another girl about it? makes kira pretty much light up because she gets to just gush and lou won't look at her in silent judgement. "what am i not into, is the real question." she bites her lip to stop from immediately babbling about the recent expansion of final fantasy xiv. "comics, i mean, i'm a dick grayson girl first and foremost and a comics fan second. the trauma you can fit into robin number one?" actually, come to think of it, that sort of explains her type, huh? she brushes past that, it's not important unless she says something weird to scott. "then there's - well, i do like star wars? my dad used to sit me down and we'd talk about all the east asian influences on the jedi, it was great." except when people she went to school with got all funny about it. got significantly less great, and she stopped using her favourite princess leia lunch box. elementary school kids are mean.

[writelikeyouarerunningoutof]

STAR WARS APPRECIATION WEEK 2023 May 24th: Quotes → Canon Finnpoe Quotes Finn stood up. He embraced Poe briefly. Emotion passed between them that neither needed to articulate. Finn returned the slap on the shoulder, and the two headed out of the Millennium Falcon (Resistance Reborn, 2019)

[writelikeyouarerunningoutof]

ULTIMATE SHIPS CHALLENGE - Established Relationships [3/3] ↳ The boy who waited. Good on you, mate. (insp)

[writelikeyouarerunningoutof]

Despite her words, Rip sees exhaustion. He sees for a brief moment a look of hauntedness in her eyes he recognises if only because he's seen it in the mirror often enough. Rip can't say he understands what it must be like, to die and come back. He doesn't know what it must take from her and he wouldn't disrespect her by saying he understands.

But he's on the other side of the spectrum, it feels. Mortality is such a strange thing. He's seen so many people hurt and die, through time and life both. People he barely knows, people he killed, people he loved - all dead around him and somehow he's still here. Always the one standing in the aftermath as if death itself is avoiding him.

So now, he does not come close to understanding what Doctor Donovan is going through but he does understand ghosts. Hers, he thinks, speculates, might be herself. His, well - everyone knows them.

Rip lets her deflection lie between them for a moment, considering. He wants to know how she is, in truth, but if she is not comfortable... "It is all sorted." He unclasps and reclasps his hands, out of sight, the only sign of nerves he allows himself. "And you, Doctor? How are you feeling?" If she chooses to deflect again, he will respect that. But Doctor Donovan is a member of his team, someone he brought on to the Waverider. No matter his reasons, no matter how little he told himself he would care for the team - they were meant to be a means to an end, not lodge themselves under his skin and make him bloody care again - they are his responsibility. She is his responsibility.

@lookedinfinite

What seems like a lifetime ago, Rip would have bristled to knock on the door on his own ship. The Waverider isn't just a vehicle, a time machine - it's his home. Has been since he lost everything. Miranda, Jonas, his convictions, his aims - all gone in a wash of death and betrayal.

He's finding himself again these days, a purpose that used to be more about revenge than it is now. The team helps, though he'll admit that only under pain of death. Rip knocks now, softly on the edge of the door frame and then looks up on instinct for Gideon to let Doctor Donovan know he wishes to speak to her.

It's only after the woman in question turns to look at him that Rip steps into the lab, hands clasped behind his back. "I wanted to check in on you." He inclines his head, letting down some of his mask so that his concern bleeds through. "This was a difficult mission for all of us, I think, but..." Rip trails off, an apologetic wince on his lips. Doctor Donovan was the only one to get hurt.

[writelikeyouarerunningoutof]

you scared? (remy @ faye)

meme: leverage quotes status: accepting (from mutuals)

"I was born scared." Faye knows exactly how that sounds, but at the moment she doesn't care. She's eying both the man and the situation warily, and even the dry sarcasm in her tone sounds just a little too serious. "How sure are you about this?"

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Devi's nodding in agreement because yes, tea is always good. She'd kill for a chai right now. Spiced, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger - a good, steeped karak adrak chai. Nothing beats a good cup after sambhar idly. She looks down at her empty plate and sighs in disappointment. She'll have to wait for later.

"I mean, I'll take your word for it." There's a wrinkle to her nose that is more amusement than judgement. "Let Magenta learn her lessons. I've seen Layla's flavour combinations and sometimes they're -something else." She'll give the other girl props for being adventurous though. Always ready to try something new. Devi can respect that.

Closing the lunchbox, Devi sighs again. "I wish." She pouts, taking out a napkin to wipe her hands - she'll wash them later - and puts it aside to throw. "I can never get the ratios for the mixture right, and my mom is no help. She's got zero measurements and zero patience for me trying to figure it out." Devi loves her mom - and her mom's cooking - but she has no idea how either of them are going to handle the separation when she moves away for college or work.

@freezegirl | from here.

"It can't be that bad." Devi's hesitating though. Kie's utter hatred comes through loud and clear and while the other girl can occasionally - most of the time, really, especially when they bounce off of each other's energies - be dramatic, there's something in this that makes Devi pause. "But - I mean, lavender tea's pretty good. Why wouldn't the ice cream be too?"

Though she supposes something about ratios, and she's watched enough baking shows to know that even a drop more flavouring can make or break a dish and - okay, maybe she'll stick with chocolate. Devi wrinkles her nose down at the last bite of idly in her lunchbox before picking it up and popping it in her mouth. "I will try it someday." It's a vow if only because her curiousity has not been satiated. "That day is not today."

[writelikeyouarerunningoutof]

Flamingo? Devi's eyebrows go up, because that's not the one she's talking about but now she wants to check these shows out. "I think it was Kyunki something? But what's this about Deli Boys and flamingos?" If she's leaning forward a little in her chair, well, can you blame her?

It's funny to think now Devi's the one searching for South Asian representation and culture and community where she was so - not ashamed, but scared perhaps of being different - desperate to be part of the people around her. Her parents tried to keep their heritage alive, and for the most part they succeeded even if Devi convinced them to keep it to their home. She doesn't want that anymore, and she's not going to hide away these parts of herself.

"D'you think I should do, like, South Asian shows everyone should watch or something?" She waves a hand, biting her lip as she considers it. It's not her usual, but it's not that much a segway. Devi shakes her head and shelves it. For now. Something to come back to.

Acting out America Ferrara movies would be more fun, and hey, if she gets reposted like Kie suggests? Devi's just going to perish. "God, I wish. I am so here for it, I don't - we should do Ugly Betty. Like. Iconic, okay."

A wrinkle of Devi's nose is Kie's first answer that no, that's a good thing. She follows this up by verbally confirming it. "Yeah, lucky you for forgetting it. It was - I mean, it wasn't the worst movie I've seen but it did not hold up." She leans back in her chair again, tilting her head up to the ceiling for a second. It surprises her that she knows exactly which show Kie is talking about. Almost contemplatively, she starts wondering when her mother got so invested in Western dramas. "You know, I don't think there's been an Indian show my mother's cared about since that one - the saas-bahu one, you know the one, right? Where the opening number is them opening the house door? - since it ended. She's been watching Hallmark a lot, and I think there have been some reality shows..."

Devi trails off and marvels at that fact. It's odd to think on it. Her mother still watches a lot of Indian cinema when she can, but it's not easily accessible here. And for so many years, Devi only wanted to assimilate. She'd asked her mother to do the same. She supposes this is a result of that. She shakes herself and sits back up, folding herself awkwardly in the chair until she's comfortable enough again.

"Right." She does not linger on it, because it's clear Kie does not want to linger on it. "I don't know if I want you to or if that would be so extra? But - oh, maybe we should do one of those TikToks where we recreate scenes from her movie and tag her! That's a little less weird, right?" And it would be fun, is what she's thinking. A chance to be her dramatic self, less brand more person, on her channel.

[writelikeyouarerunningoutof]

That does it. The dramatic noooo that immediately brings to mind a dramatic nahin from any Bollywood movie ever that Kie emits causes Darshini to lose the battle with the giggle-snort she's been having. It's loud but thankfully, Kie's too busy complaining about her. Darshini slaps a hand over her mouth anyway, shoulders shaking not so subtly.

Yeah, this had pretty much been her reaction when her dad had brought it up in the first place. "Look, if I need to know it, so do you." And now the song's ruined for both of them.

"And hear the story behind that video." Something about someone telling Daler Mehndi the only reason he was so popular were the skantily clad women in his videos. Proved them wrong, didn't he? "Oh, and that other one! I don't remember the title but the one that goes -" She sings - passably enough - a few lines from the song. "- hoy, hoy, saade naal?" She thinks it's called Na Na Na Na, or something along those lines, but that just would make anyone think of Batman, she's sure of it.

It really is some sort of miracle that nobody found out in the decades the Spice Girls have been a thing. "I wouldn't mind that superpower." Admittedly, she likes her own but being able to keep things private? Yeah, Darshini's whole shtick is being in the public eye but there are still boundaries that she'd like to maintain. It gets more and more difficult the more she puts herself out there.

She shakes her head, shakes herself out of it and grins at Kie. "Oh, for sure." A cheeky smile plays on her lips. "You know, my dad once sent me a joke about that song and how it's about peeing and now I can't unknow that. You know, tide is high meaning I need to pee, but you're holding on." So Kie clearly needs to know it too. Because Darshini's the best of friends, of course. She giggles, barely managing to keep a snort at bay at putting that thought in her head.

"Oh! Do you think this place would have any Daler Mehndi. I mean." She stops in her tracks, turns to Kie and holds her by the shoulders. Darshini stares at her friend as if this is the most serious thing she has ever said in her life. "I'll do it without the lyrics or the music if I have to, but we need everyone to listen to Tunak Tunak Tun."

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you're not supposed to root for the criminals. (remy @ rip)

meme: leverage quotes status: accepting (from mutuals)

Rip raises an eyebrow and stares at the man in front of him. "This coming from you is rather ironic." He knows who the man is, after all. Besides, as much as Rip doesn't like to claim it, he's not quite a white hat either. Hard to be when the good guys he thought he was working for turned out to be the ones to stab him in the back.