#but I can see Roman actually trying to follow a recipe and just being incredibly dumb about it lol | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

oliviaischillin1204 · 3 years

Text

jelly cookies

Pairings: Platonic LAMP

Word Count: 2,106 words

despite Crofter’s being a main influence on this fic, it wasn’t inspired by the most recent video (which is why it doesn’t reference it at all). in reality, this is based on this one random ask that someone sent to August like,,,,, 11 and a half months ago LMAOOOOO. so yeah. fun times!

(also i guess tw for minor references to over eating, but it’s not graphic nor does it last long)

Logan was minding his own business as he made his way to the living room, when something grabbed him by the tie and yanked him into the kitchen.

“Ack-- what?” he stammered, before someone shoved a finger to his lips.

“Shhh!”

Loagn pulled back, eyeing the other side with irritation. “Roman, what are you doing?”

“I said shush, Pocket Protector!” Roman insisted, pointing to the kitchen counter with intention. Logan followed his gaze to see a tray of cookies on a cooling rack, freshly made and definitely delicious.

Logan turned to Roman, eyebrow quirked. “And you decided the two of us need to spy on Patton’s batch of cookies because...?”

“Because,” Roman replied, leaning close and speaking lowly, “I overheard him telling Virgil about these cookies. He said they’re jelly cookies, Logan!”

Logan’s eyes darted back ove to the counter, and now that he was looking closer, he noticed a nearly-empty jar of Crofter’s Jam sitting on the counter next to his other ingredients.

“... Ah,” Logan stated after a moment. “I must admit, the idea of jam-filled cookies is ingenious, and... incredibly tempting.”

Roman nodded slowly. “Patton said it was a surprise for us. We should-- we should probably wait for him and Virgil to come back before we eat them, right?”

Logan blinked, dragging his gaze back to Roman’s face. “Right. Of course. We should... wait. Definitely.”

They nodded at each other for a few beats. The scent of warm Logan’s Berry jam wafted through the air.

“... Or we could try a couple--”

“-- To ensure that they are satisfactory, yes, I agree completely.”

That was how Patton and Virgil found them 10 minutes later: Logan and Roman hunched over the tray, crumbs scattering the counter as they shoved the last two cookies into their mouths.

“Oh-- oh! Kiddos, what are you doing?” Patton’s voice made them look up, guilt and jam all over their faces. Patton and Virgil stood in the doorway, Patton with his hands on his hips, Virgil with his jaw hanging open.

“Dude, did you guys seriously eat all of the cookies Patton made?” Virgil asked incredulously.

“We--” Roman started, before looking at the tray with befuddlement. “Did we really eat them all?”

Logan coughed, wiping a bit of jam off of his cheek and licking his thumb clean. “We apologize, Patton, truly. We didn’t intend to eat the entire batch without you. We merely... got carried away,” he finished, slightly embarrassed.

Virgil scoffed. “And to think Patton wanted to do something nice for you,” he said, crossing his arms and shooting the cookie thieves a faux-stern look. “You two better be sorry.”

“Oh, I think they’ll be sorry soon,” Patton said softly, a strange look on his face. Something about his tone made all three of them look at him.

Logan furrowed his brow, one hand idly rubbing his full stomach. “I beg your pardon, Patton?”

Patton met Logan’s eyes, a small smile on his face.

“I said,” he repeated, “I think the two of you will be sorry you ate all those cookies very soon.”

Logan opened his mouth, probably to reply that he had already apologized for the both of them, but suddenly his entire body twitched, his hand gripping his stomach a little tighter.

“What--?”

“I was going to tell you,” Patton said in fond exasperation, waving a hand around, “that that was a brand new recipe, with a special ingredient just for you two!”

Roman’s hand went to his stomach now as well. He felt a strange warmth bubbling up inside of him, making his stomach flip in an oddly familiar way.

“I-- um-- what ingredient, Padre?” he asked, aiming for casual but failing, feeling his legs start to go a little weak beneath him.

Patton hummed. “A little Crofter’s.” He looked between Logan and Roman, and his smile grew even more. “And a little magic.”

Logan and Roman jolted in unision, confused smiles coming to their faces.

“Sorry, what--?”

“What do you mean, magic?”

“Oh my God,” Virgil said suddenly, eyes widening in delight. He pointed between Roman and Logan, laughing a little as he announced, “They’re tickle cookies!”

Both Logan’s and Roman’s eyes widened. They looked at Patton, whose small shrug and cheeky smile provided them no reassurance.

“Well, I know you two get too embarrassed to ask for tickles,” Patton explained, smile growing as he watched Logan begin to shift his weight back and forth, while Roman’s breath started coming faster and faster, “so I wanted to make it a little easier for you to get them! Why did you think I called them ‘Jel-Lee Cookies’?”

Logan and Roman froze. They slowly turned to look at each other.

Roman grinned sheepishly. “Hey--”

“You-- you are figuratively dead.” Logan’s threatening words were completely ruined by the huff of laughter he let slip halfway through his sentence. His hands gripped his stomach, but it was useless: it was like he could feel a wave of tickles rippling across his midriff from his very core, and no amount of covering his skin could protect him from those sensations.

“Can I just say? This is pretty fucking hilarious,” Virgil interjected from where he sat atop the counter, his chin in his hand as he watched the chaos.

Roman shot him as much of a scowl as he could muster. “Oh, be quiet, you Hot Topic re-eject!”

He leaped forward, his body moving instinctively as he felt something fluttering at the back of his ribs. But, of course, there was nothing there; the tickles were coming from somewhere deep inside him, and he couldn’t escape himself. He wheezed, hands belatedly slamming over his mouth, as he crumpled to the ground in a flustered heap.

Logan was quick to follow him to the ground: he, too, rocked back and forth in a desperate attempt to ease the tickles coming from inside his core, but unlike Roman he couldn’t pry his arms away from his sides. He knew, logically, that he couldn’t protect himself from the waves of tickles running across his sides, ribs, and stomach, but that knowledge wasn’t enought to keep him from clawing at the invisible tickles over and over again.

“So...” Virgil said with a shit-eating grin. “What’s gonna happen now, Pat?”

“I don’t know, Virge!” Patton replied. “I didn’t plan for them to eat them all at once! Gosh, I wonder if that’ll make the tickles even more tickly? What do you think, Logan?”

Logan couldn’t answer; he was too busy squealing and desperately kicking his legs, despite knowing that there was nothing he could do to distract himself from the tickles.

“Pat-- Pat-- Patton!” Roman giggled, writhing on his back on the floor. “Please-- please, help us!”

“I don’t know how!” Patton replied, not looking bothered in the slightest. “I didn’t put enough in there to actually hurt you guys, but it looks like you’re just gonna have to wait this one out, gang.”

Logan shook his head, his entire face taken up by a giddy smile. “Cahahan’t! Can’t wait! Plehehehease!”

Virgil hummed, suddenly leaning forwards to cast a sly smile down at the two gigglebugs.

“Hey, Pat, what was that Logan was telling you a few nights ago?” he asked, speaking to Patton as if there weren’t two helpless lees laughing their hearts out on the floor. “Something about a study he read, about how digestion can be sped up by ‘tactile stimulation of the abdomen’?”

Patton quirked his head. His gaze darted between the two lees on the floor, wriggling around and squealing like pigs.

“Do you mean when he got Roman to hold me down while he tickled all over my tummy?” he asked slowly. “Cause I remember that very well. They said it was just to help my stomachache after eating too much at dinner, but I think they were just being meanies, huh?”

Logan and Roman shot each other frightened looks through their laughter, especially as Virgil hopped off the counter and Patton crouched down to the floor.

“Maybe we can help them?” Virgil asked, rolling up his sleeves and cracking his knuckles. Patton was already nodding, arms reaching for the closest lee on the floor, which just so happened to be Logan.

“Time to help your tummy-ache!” he cooed sweetly, but Logan gasped, weakly crawling backwards.

“Nohohoho-- no! Dohoho-- dohohon’t--”

He couldn’t even manage to get his pleas out through his laughter, instead collapsing back on the floor as he gasped for breath.

But to their surprise, Roman was already nodding, smiling wide as he practically pulled Virgil closer to him by his hoodie.

“Hehehe-- help me! Hehehelp mehehehe!” he begged. Virgil blinked for just a second before his face split into an evil grin.

“Oh, you don’t even have to ask, Princey,” he said darkly, and then he pounced, fingers digging and wiggling into the middle of Roman’s tummy.

Roman howled, head dropping back as his arms jerked to push Virgil away.

“Nahahaha-- huhuhurry-- plehehehease!” he pleaded. He threw his body from side to side, but Virgil followed him all too easily, massaging his stomach and cooing over his blushing face.

Logan watched the two of them through his own gasping laughter, so he was wholly unprepared for the feeling of two hands gripping him just above his hips. His laughter spiked dramatically.

“Nohohoho!” he begged Patton, who was kneeling above him with a half-sympathetic, half-evil look on his face. “No, nonono, dohohon’t--”

“Aw, Logan,” Patton cooed with a teasy smile. “You just need to relax, bud. It’ll be over sooner if you do.”

He paired the reassurance with massaging his thumbs deeply into Logan’s lower stomach, right above his pantline. Logan shrieked, hands shooting down and shoving desperately at Patton’s tickly grip to no avail.

“Tickle, tickle, Logan,” Patton sang. He rubbed small circles into Logan’s tummy chub. “That’s right, get all those little giggles out. Let it out, there you go.”

On the other side, Roman gave a particularly loud snort when Virgil tazed either side of his bellybutton. His arms finally jerked down out of his control and shoved the hands away.

Virgil scoffed. “You asked for my help, Princey,” he reminded him as he pried Roman’s arms away from his torso and pinned them under his knees. “You begged me to help you get rid of all the tickles, and I won’t stop until you're all tickled out."

Together, Virgil and Patton wiggled and buzzed their fingers all over Roman's and Logan's tummies, keeping them begging and pleading through their squealing laughter. For Logan and Roman, they didn't know which was worse: the teasy tickles coming from Patton and Virgil, or the pulsing tickles coming from within themselves. They couldn't get away from either of them, and both were driving them metaphorically crazy.

Luckily for the two tickled-out sides, Patton and Virgil’s theory proved to be correct: the more they tickled all over Roman and Logan’s abdomens, the less they felt the waves of magic tickles coming from inside them.

“Ssstohop,” Roman panted, weakly batting at Virgil’s hands. “I’m gohohood-- I’m good.”

Virgil immediately acquiesced, pulling his hands back and propping his chin on his hand to give Roman a shit-eating grin. Paton pulled away, too-- only to shoot down to Logan’s tummy and give him a sudden, noisy raspberry, shocking him into giving one last shriek of laughter.

“Sorry, sweetie,” he said, not sounding sorry in the slightest. “I couldn’t help it.”

It took several seconds for Logan to catch his breath enough to respond. “Whyhyhy?”

Patton beamed as he sat back up. “What’s wrong, Logan? I thought you liked raspberries.”

His words made both Logan and Roman whine again, both from the tease and from the reminder of their cookie mistake.

“We learned our lesson,” Roman insisted. He was busy covering as much of his face as possible, although his flushed cheeks were still visible behind his fingers.

“And what lesson was that, tickle addict?” Virgil asked, smirking when Roman peeked out to glare at him

“No more stealing random cookies,” he said sullenly. Logan nodded, arms still clutching his midriff like he still felt the phantom tickles.

“Apologies, again, Patton--” he started, but the moral side waved him off.

“No need to be sorry, ticklebugs!” he chirped. “Besides...”

He drifted off as he leaned back, craning his neck to look at something on the counter. The others followed his gaze to a small kitchen timer.

“The second batch will be ready in about two minutes,” Patton announced. He turned back to the lees on the floor, smile as sweet as Crofter’s jam.

“Who’s ready for a second helping?”

#my posts #my writing #tickling #tickle fic #tickle community #sanders sides tickling #jelly cookies #lee!logan #lee!roman #ler!patton #ler!virgil #THIS HAS BEEN A WIP LITERALLY SINCE LAST APRIL LMAOOOO #this is fun i've forgotten abt some of these wips

116 notes · View notes

an-apocalypse-of-magpies · 3 years

Text

Asterix and the Legacy of the Original Authors

So I finally saw Asterix and the Secret of the Magic Potion (2018). Significantly, this is the first Asterix story I’ve experienced since the retirement of Albert Uderzo, the original co-creator of the characters and creative lead follower the death of Rene Goscinny.

And it was brilliant.

The plot, simply summarised, is that Getafix (Panoramix in the original French), venerable and wise village druid, slips and falls out of a tree for the first time in his long career. He begins to worry that he’s getting too old for this (indeed, Getafix’s age has always been ambiguous, but he’s easily the oldest recurring character after the appropiately named Geriatrix/Agecanonix, who’s certainly over 80), and that he needs to find a successor, not least of which because only he knows the formula for his legendary magic potion that gives the Gauls the super strength needed to hold off the Roman invasion (the film makes a running joke that druids never write things down). While on the search, an old rival of Getafix’s, Sulfurix (dubbed Demonix in the Canadian English dub, in case it wasn’t clear that he’s evil) is desperately trying to steal the formula, seeking to liberate the Gaulish lands from the Romans and not merely one village. Along with Asterix, Obelix and tagalong kid Pectin(/e), the heroes must find a successor, but is there a Gaulish druid worthy of this most sacred knowledge?

The animation is excellent, as it was in the previous animated outing Asterix and the Mansions of the Gods (2014), really capturing the look and feel of the comic albums. I feel like too much cartoon media these days is afraid to really exploit squash-and-stretch for expressive and dynamic purposes, and with Asterix’s trademark slapstick being Roman soldiers clobbered so hard their torsos sail off into the air before their feet have entirely realised what happened, it was necessary for this. The film is bright and crisp, and the light effects suitably dramatic (and with many a magical zip and zap, it’s crucial to have good lighting).

The story has many of the familiar beats. Alexandre Astier is clearly playing it a little bit safe, but considering he’s writing his own Asterix story, it’s safer to stick with that than to try and push it too far and risk alienating the audience. A crisis emerges, Asterix and Obelix and miscellaneous tagalongs leave the village, shenanigans happen, Asterix and Obelix have a falling out and become separated temporarily, there’s an ominous moment when the magic potion runs out, Romans attack the village, everyone gets back in time to save the day, Romans get punched a bit, big feast under the stars. What I liked, though, is how this story tried to do something interesting with the side characters. While Getafix is a very important character for the story, he rarely gets involved in the actual plot, so it’s nice to see more of him and in particular his character flaws - namely his stubbornness and attempts to do everything himself, even to the detriment of those around him. Even being confined to a primitive wheelchair for a lot of the film due to an injured ankle doesn’t stop him from taking a part, and it’s nice to see more of him than merely ‘wise wizardly old man, keeps calm and lectures people’. Unhygenix the fishmonger (Ordralfabetix) gets an amusing background arc where he believes that he could be Getafix’s successor and tries dabbling with druidcraft in the background, with amusing results. For once, his role isn’t just ‘gets in a fight with Fulliautomatix the blacksmith (Cetautomatix)’, and we get to see that he’s an interesting combination of surprisingly intelligent and thick as two short rocks. Fulliautomatix himself gets to have some humorous musing at his alchemical antics, and at one point the requisite Unhygenix/Fulliautomatix fight is successfully quelled, with Fulliautomatix admitting that he has a short temper and that this was unnecessary aggression on his part. Vitalstatistix (Abraracourcix) leads the village men (apart from the perennially unpopular bard Cacofonix (Assurancetourix)) to accompany Getafix halfway through, leaving the womenfolk to defend the village with a backup supply of potion. Happily, this means we also get to see more of the village women - headed up by Impedimenta (Bonnemine), Mrs Geriatrix (Geriatrix’s unnamed but incredibly young wife) and Bacteria (Ielosubmarine) - than just ‘being someone’s wife’ - Impedimenta plays a vital role in corralling the women for war and appears to be keeper of the potion reserves, while the others get more speaking roles and are able to participate in fights. It’s not much, but in a world of Gaulish men, the women tend to fall by the wayside unless they get to be a sex symbol or someone’s harridan wife. Cacofonix himself gets to play at being a chief, where his cowardly nature makes for an amusing contrast Impedimenta’s more no-nonsense practicality. We also get to see some of the Gaulish children for once! They make fun of their elders and play around with stolen Roman warrior stuff. When the going gets tough, though, the first thing the village defence team do is make sure the kids get somewhere safe, and Cacofonix gets a slightly tender moment where he tries to assure them that he’s going to be okay ... with a long winded speech rather than just getting on with it.

The real star of the film (well, alongside Asterix, Obelix and Getafix) is Pectin. Pectin is a scrappy little girl from the village who’s into inventing and engineering, and her establishing scene is ignoring the other kids playfighting so that she can finishing what seems to bee some kind of automatic watering machine. She’s smart, creative, appropriately afraid of the dangers that crop up but wants to do right by Getafix, whose wisdom she deeply admires. It’s fairly clear even from the outset what her role will be. Eventually, in the darkest moments, Getafix teaches Pectin the secret recipe - including Getafix’s secret ingredient - in order to save the village. She assures Getafix later that she will try to forget the recipe, so that she won’t accidentally reveal it to the wrong sort, but just as the credits roll, Getafix muses what we’re all thinking - that this girl might be worthy to be his successor. Pectin’s important because of the series’ ... shaky history with feminism. The film sets out that only men can become druids, and women are even forbidden from the woods where they meet. When taking Getafix to the meet, Pectin has to wear a hood and hike her dress up to look more like a boy appropriately. To allow Pectin to become a druid would defy ... well, some lofty ideal that only men can become druids. Like so many old sexist tropes, the reason has become ‘... well, they just don’t’. So it’s good that this is addressing that, as well as forcing more female characters into the limelight. The most prominent female character in all of Asterix is Impedimenta, followed maybe by the heartthrob and Obelix’s crush Panacea. I’ve elaborated above the problems there. In Asterix classic, women are to be desired or to be overbearing wives to henpecked husbands. It’s likely that Goscinny and Uderzo meant no malice by this writing; they were two French men writing a humour comic, and played on the popular tropes accordingly. But they (or rather, Uderzo) did attempt to tackle feminism in this comic before. It was ... well, it was a bit clunky.

Asterix and the Secret Weapon (1991) was a rather dated and fearmonger-y take on feminism, having a feminist activist outsider called Bravura comes to the village, encourages the women to rise up against their husbands (the men, out of chivalry and hen-peckedness, do not resist), seizing control of the village. Asterix, being both a bachelor and bit of a firebrand at perceived injustice, confronts Bravura, whereupon she flirts with him to try and seduce him into marrying her, whereupon he (shock horror) strikes her out of reflex. But Gaulish men do not hit women! Asterix is banished to the nearby forest for his insolence, eventually joined by the other men, fed up with the overbearing women. When the Romans (knowing that Gaulish men will not attack a women) send a detachment of female soldiers to the village, the women have turned it into a primitive shopping centre, where the female soldiers can shop and get their hair and make up done and forget all about attacking the village. Yeah. Feminists are salacious witches who would enthrall men and subjugate them, women love nothing more than shopping and beauty, it’s ... it’s bad. Secrot of the Magic Potion at least attempts to fix this by questioning male dominance in a role without being so weird about it, and having the women be just as much proud, organised village defenders as the men, arguably more so, given they lacked the weapons or numbers they normally had with the men around. (I know that the most recent album, Asterix and the Chieftain’s Daughter (2019), kinda deals with this too, but I haven’t yet read that one)

Putting aside the feminist rant, the key theme of this film seems to be the passing of the torch, clinging to past glory, and stepping up to take responsibility. Getafix isn’t getting any younger, and as much as might hurt his pride, he needs to train someone to take his place. The other elder druids, it transpires, are foolish, complacent and irresponsible, getting too used to just messing around and partying. They’re getting senile too, shamefully admitting to keeping crib sheets to remember which apprentice druids are any good. Druids not writing things down seems to be a metaphor for old masters, well versed in their craft, who know it all so well that they don’t need notes ... and then struggle to teach others, so they keep doing it all themselves. Sulfurix is bitter that, despite his magic fire being useful, Getafix is held up as the better druid. Way back when, they were finallists in a druidcraft competition, and being able to conjure flame from nothing is certainly a useful talent that won out over Getafix’s useless but dramatic and very complex magic. Getafix is implied never to have held a grudge over this, especially given that he would eventually develop the magic potion that makes his people so formidable. Sulfurix, meanwhile, found his ‘useful’ parlour trick get weaker and less reliable over time, and he seems to have very few tricks under his belt by the present, so fixated was he on this one thing. His Villain Rant at Getafix at the end is pure projection - he’s become irrelevant, because his one thing became all he was known for. Finally, with Cacofonix being acting Chief, the women defending the village, and Cholerix (Teleferix) the apprentice druid and later Pectin striving to create the magic potion and fill Getafix’s footsteps, there is a theme of people, even wildly unprepared people, stepping up to take responsibility because it’s what needs to be done, be it for the sake of a legacy or simply because this operation won’t run itself. Such a theme rings loud in, I remind you, the first original Asterix story on film since the death or retirement of both of the original creators. They’re on their own now, with a great and beloved legacy to continue, and I think they’ve done a wonderful job. The film was not perfect by any means - the English dub lip-flaps weren’t that well aligned (my DVD didn’t have French language options), the story’s quite formulaic if you’re a fan of the series, and Sulfurix is ... not subtle as the villain - but if you like Asterix, you’ll like this. And if you don’t care for Asterix, it’s still enjoyable.

#asterix #asterix and the secret of the magic potion #not often a film makes me want to immediately write a review

17 notes · View notes

sleepless-in-starbucks · 4 years

Text

if love was a snake, it’d have bit you

Ao3

Summary: Remy, Patton, and Drew are dating. This is a fact. Remy, Patton, and Drew refuse to admit they are dating. This is also a fact. Guess it's up to Roman, Virgil, and Emile to force them to acknowledge the truth. Content: Some swearing, kissing (mostly face kisses, but some lip kisses too), nb!Patton + nb!Emile, genderfluid!Remy, oblivious gays, seriously guys, so much obliviousness, the obliviousness might kill you, gods know it killed me, Disneyland cast member AU Pairing: Romantic Mosleepceit Additional notes: So many additional notes -Big thanks to @emo-disaster for beta-ing for me and confirming the gays in this fic are wayyyyyy too oblivious -This fic is almost 11k words. it was meant to be around 3k. I’m so sorry. -Inspired by, but not actually based upon, this disneyland cast member au -This is probably hella inaccurate to real Disneyland but i don’t care alright -This fic is a (late) b-day gift for the one-and-only @notveryglittery !!! She’s an incredible person who I’m extremely happy to know, and I’m really hoping she even kinda likes this mess of a fic dsfbcdsjf

“-and if you’ll just sign here, I can finalize that upgrade for you.”

The woman smiled at Remy as she accepted the pen he offered her. She looked tired, her entire appearance screaming ‘overworked mom’ even without the literally screaming (playfully, but still screaming) kids behind her. She definitely needed the vacation.

“I can’t thank you enough for this,” she said gratefully, quickly signing the paper Remy offered her.

“It’s no problem, ma’am,” Remy said, smiling politely as he took the paper and pen back, hitting a few keys on his computer as he did. “Just happy to make your stay as magical as possible. Here’s your keycard.”

The stressed mother accepted the keycard from Remy with another smile. “Thank you.” She reiterated the sentiment before convincing her children to give her their hands and heading off for the elevators, her wife following with the luggage. Remy smiled after them, briefly letting the last of the room change form sit unfinished on his screen.

“You’re going to get yourself fired for that eventually, you know.”

Remy’s smile only grew at the sound of the all-too-familiar voice. He turned back to his work then, enough of Roman in his peripheral for Remy to tell he was strutting his stuff as a friend of Flynn’s. “Ah, you know they love me too much for that.”

“More like they don’t look hard enough to catch all your illegal ‘on-the-mouse room upgrades.’” Roman corrected, leaning against the back of the receptionist desk. “Though if they ever do? You’re screwed.”

“Shush, I’mma be gay and doing crime til Disney falls.” Remy responded cheekily. “And speaking of people who are going to get themselves fired, shouldn’t you be over in the good ol’ Disneyland already?”

Roman shrugged. “Shift doesn’t start for another half an hour. I’ve got time.”

“Time for what, exactly?”

Roman grinned at that. “Gossip, of course!”

Remy grinned now, too. “Well, if you’re looking for tales, a little birdy’s been keeping me updated on a blossoming relationship between one of the friends of Rapunzel and one of the friends of Snow White-”

“Oh, not that kind of gossip.” Roman interrupted, waving his hand dismissively. “I’m talking the good gossip- preferably about you and your boos.”

Remy scoffed, shaking his head as he hit the enter key and finished out the form. “Hard to gossip about those which I do not have, hun.”

Roman groaned, slumping against the desk and throwing his head back. “Oh, please, Remy, don’t tell me you’re still in denial.”

“Denial about what?” Remy asked, finally turning his full attention to Roman. “The fact that I’m single?”

“The fact that you have not one but TWO partners!” Roman answered, dramatically holding up two fingers. “Not only are you being a proper partner HOG you are refusing to admit as such.”

“Well if you’re just looking for someone to be the soul to your mate, handsome, I think I can hook you up.” Remy said teasingly, briefly lowering his sunglasses to wink at Roman.

Roman met the wink with a deadpan stare. “You’re a taken man.”

“Only if you make it so.”

“You can’t keep pretending your partners don’t exist.”

“I can if I don’t have any partners.” Remy told him, finally pushing his shades back over his eyes and giving up at his mock attempts to seduce Roman. “Now, of course, I have two very close friends with whom I do many things with, but given I’m not dating either of them, calling them my ‘partners’ seems a little much, don’t you?”

“I get it, I get it, I have good friends too.” Roman said, as if he were going along with what Remy was saying until he quickly added, “Except I’m not obviously DATING them!”

“You’re hopeless, princey, truly hopeless.” Remy said in response, smirking as he patted Roman’s cheek. “Ya gotta stop finding romance where it simply ain’t.”

“The only thing I am finding is the truth behind all the bullsh-”

“Remy!”

Both Roman and Remy turned from each other, gazes moving to the entrance, where the voice had originated from. The owner of the voice was hurrying over to them, their blond curls pulled back into a loose ponytail, keeping their hair out of their face and allowing them to smile brightly at both Roman and Remy. They stopped in front of the receptionist's desk, taking a moment to catch their breath and straighten their relatively small red tie.

“Heya sunshine.” Remy greeted easily, smiling at Patton in a way that was a little too soft to be a proper smirk “May I ask what brings you here in the middle of your shift? You’re gonna get yourself fired.”

“‘Worth it for a chance to see you.” Patton told him sweetly, giggling just a bit and ignoring Roman’s expression of self-confirmation. “Buuuuuuuut I'm on lunch break. Just came over to ask what you wanted for dinner. I know the plan for tonight was take-out, but I just realized that we have all the ingredients to make lasagna- aside from the noodles, which we can pick up on our way home- so I thought it might be fun to make that tonight instead!”

“Sounds wonderful to me.” Remy answered. “We’re going to keep it a secret from Dee though, right?”

“Of course!” Patton agreed. He leaned over to stage whisper to Roman, “It’s his favorite.”

“Oh, you guys know each other’s favorite dinners, do you?” Roman asked, smiling in a knowing way and wiggling his eyebrows at Patton. Patton tilted their head to the side, clearly confused, while Remy answered casually,

“Of course! You can only live with someone for so long without picking up on what they like to eat. Dee’s favorite is lasagna. Patton’s favorite dinner- which is coincidentally their favorite breakfast, lunch, and dessert as well- is waffles. And mine, of course, is a nice big cup of espresso-”

“Don’t lie!” Patton cut him off, smiling as they leaned on the counter and ended up within an inch of Remy. “Your favorite dinner is chicken soup!”

“Remy hates soup.” Roman said, raising a suspicious eyebrow.

“Not chicken soup.” Patton confirmed, not looking away from Remy. “That’s his favorite, no matter what he says.”

“Mmm, nice try, Pat, but that’s not it.” Remy denied. Patton pouted at him then, and almost immediately Remy relented with, “My favorite dinner is your chicken soup. You’re the only one who knows how to make it right, hun.”

Patton giggled. “I make it just like anyone else would!” they insisted, though their smile brightened even as they spoke.

Remy’s smile grew as well as he leaned forwards just a bit, pressing his forehead against Patton’s. “Nah, honeypie, you got somethin’ all the other recipes don’t.”

“And what’s that?” Patton asked.

“Loooooooove.” Remy answered, grinning broadly, seemingly happy to ignore how cheesy his answer was.

Patton didn’t mind the cheesiness. “You’re too much,” they said, too playfully to be chastising.

“Better than being too little.”

Patton just grinned at that. “I have to go.”

“Alright, sweetheart.” Remy said, expression seemingly not changing, though a close observer (aka Roman) might have noticed his smile dip just the slightest. “See you at six?”

“Mhmm!” Patton confirmed with a hum. They pulled away from Remy, pressing a quick kiss to his forehead before they ran off, waving one last goodbye as they reached the doors before disappearing outside. Remy lazily waved his fingers after Patton, watching the doors a moment after Patton was through them before turning back to his computer and his work.

“Ready to admit you’re definitely dating at least one of your partners?”

“Nope,” Remy replied without missing a beat. “Though if you really want me to have a partner, you’re single… I’m single…” Remy waggled his eyebrows at Roman.

Roman ignored his advances. “The chemistry between you and Patton is so strong I’m surprised nothing’s exploded yet.”

“That was weak.”

“Shush.” Roman waved his hand dismissively. “I mean, for the love of Apollo, they kissed you goodbye!”

Remy half-shrugged. “They do that with all their friends.”

“They didn’t give me a kiss.”

“They were in a rush.” Remy explained away. “But if you really want a kiss-”

“-I will get it from my darling friend of Rapunzel,” Roman finished for him, having leaned over to check the time on the bottom of Remy’s screen. “I got so distracted trying to get you to tell me the truth I lost track of time.”

“What truth?” Remy asked, tone light. “The one about us making a perfect couple?”

Roman smiled sweetly at him, as though Remy was naive. “Maybe in a universe where you didn’t literally live with your soulmates,” he said, patting Remy’s shoulder before he turned and headed towards the door. He raised his hand over his shoulder without turning back, half-waving at Remy as he added, “Call me when you’re done being in denial!”

Remy just let out a light huff of amusement, shaking his head and turning back to his work. Roman could say whatever he wanted, but the fact remained: Remy was (un)happily single and most certainly not dating his roommates.

Yeah, sure, maybe he could’ve mentioned that his ‘best friends’ were also his crushes, but, hey, it wasn’t like that was that important, right?

Patton was staring intently at the floor. Well, more technically, they were staring intently at the mess on the floor and trying to convince themself they were supposed to be cleaning up said mess and not doing anything else with it.

The bell near the front of the store rang as the door swung open, but Patton ignored it. Plenty of people filtered in and out of the store. They did, however, pay attention when the sound of approaching footsteps got closer than the signs should have allowed.

“I’m sorry, this aisle is currently closed, if you don’t mind-” Patton started immediately, tone polite as they looked up, fully expecting to find an angry customer who refused to go over one extra aisle for whatever sweet treat they were looking for. They stopped when they saw who it was, polite-but-fake smile being replaced by a genuine one. “Oh, Virgil, hello there!”

Virgil smiled back, half-waving before he turned his focus to the floor, careful to step around the mix of glass shards and chocolate-covered balls of something as he came up next to Patton. “Busy day?”

Patton shrugged. “It was fine until someone didn’t put the jar fully back on the shelf. I’m just glad no one got hurt.”

Virgil nodded. “That’s good,” he agreed. “Waste of some perfectly good candy though.”

“It is,” Patton bemoaned, looking sadly at the mess. Virgil side-eyed them.

“Pat, you haven’t been considering eating the fallen candy, have you?”

“Maybe?” Patton tried, looking at Virgil only to find his expression completely disbelieving. They sighed. “Yes. It just looks so yummy! Even mixed in with all the glass! Because the glass sparkles and makes it kinda magical looking and it couldn’t hurt to have just one-”

Virgil put a hand on Patton’s shoulder, stopping them from bending down and grabbing one of the candies before they could move an inch. “All the candy here’s magical. Eat some of the candies that aren’t also glassy.”

“Mhmm,” Patton hummed in sad annoyance. “But it’s such a waste… I can stop it from being waste…”

“You could, but should you?” Virgil asked.

Patton groaned. “I shouldn’t,” they said. “But I want to…” They sighed, turning their gaze from the tempting mess to Virgil. “Distract me. Why are you here?”

“Other than to stop you from making poor dietary choices?” Virgil asked rhetorically before going on, “I’m avoiding Roman.”

“Avoiding him?” Patton repeated. “I thought you two were getting along. Don’t tell me he started another prank war-”

“No, he’s just being annoying,” Virgil answered. “He wouldn’t stop bothering me while I worked, because Remy apparently hadn’t been in the mood to entertain his gossip, thereby making me the person stuck listening to it. Guess Kev’ decided letting me walk it off for half an hour was better than me tearing a costume in frustration.”

Patton nodded as they moved to once more hold their broom, beginning to sweep up the mess as they said, “What was the gossip?”

Virgil leaned back on the shelf behind him, waving his hand pointlessly. “Oh, same old same old. Just talking about you and your partners, mostly how oblivious Remy is- which, I get it, Remy can be obtuse, but that doesn’t mean I want to hear about it all morning-”

“What?!” Patton cut him off, voice a higher pitch than they had intended, stopping halfway through a sweep to look at Virgil in disbelief and confusion. “My- what partners?!”

“...Remy and Drew. Duh,” Virgil said slowly, blinking at Patton as if they were missing something incredibly obvious. “You know. The people you live with. And are clearly dating. Those partners.”

Patton laughed, a weird hybrid sound of amusement and awkwardness. “I think you’re a little confused there, kiddo. I’m not dating Remy or Dee- they’re just my friends!”

“Yeah. Friends you’re dating,” Virgil said, raising an eyebrow at Patton. “Don’t tell me you thought I wouldn’t notice. It’s fairly obvious.”

“I don’t know how it can be obvious if it isn’t true.” Patton responded, going back to sweeping as they looked away from Virgil. “We’re just friends. At least I am, anyways.”

“What does that mean?”

Patton briefly looked up from their work to look at Virgil instead. “Aw, shucks, Virge, you’ve seen how Remy and Dee look at each other. If anyone’s dating, it’s them.”

“And you?” Virgil pressed, prompting Patton to look down again at their work. “I’ve seen how Remy and Drew look at each other, but I’ve also seen how you look at them. They’re pretty similar looks, my dude.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Patton answered, even as their cheeks flushed a light shade of pink. They risked a glance at Virgil, only to find him looking at them disbelieving. “Okay, maybe I love them a little more than just as friends.” Continued disbelief. “A lot more! But that doesn’t mean we’re dating.”

“And why does them looking sweet at each other make them dating, but you doing the same just makes you just friends?”

“Because I think I’d know if I was dating them, silly.” Patton responded simply.

Before Patton could continue, or Virgil could speak up, they were interrupted by the sound of quickly approaching footsteps and the slight crunch of glass as the newcomer misstepped and stepped on the mess. “Well this looks… delightful.”

“Dee!” Patton said, dropping their broom against the shelf as they carefully (but still hurriedly) stepped around the mess to approach their roommate. He was dressed as a friend of Aladdin’s, wearing baggy pants and a raggedy shirt-vest combo, his small red hat carefully hiding his bun, presenting the illusion of him having short hair. Slight touches of make-up highlighted the scar running from beneath his left eye to the bottom of his jaw, Drew always happy to tell the very dramatic tale of how he got it in a sword fight (when the truth of the matter involved a very long story having to do with toast, ferrets, and the reason why he wasn’t allowed to use the ice machine anymore). “What’re you doing here?”

“Why, unhappy to see me?” Drew asked sarcastically, though he was smiling at Patton.

“Never!” Patton responded resolutely. They wobbled a bit as they got closer to Drew, almost stepping on a particularly ugly shard of glass, but Drew reached out and grabbed one of their hands before they could fall, stabilizing them and helping to lead them right up in front of him. Patton giggled at his help, not releasing his hand even once they were done moving. “Just curious. Shouldn’t you be at the wishing well?”

“Oh, I was,” Drew told them, free hand rising up to tuck a stray curl behind Patton’s ear. “But then I wished to see the loveliest face in the world and found myself here with you.”

Patton giggled again. “The wishing well must be broken if it didn’t just provide you with a mirror.”

A touch of pink coloured Drew’s cheeks at Patton’s words, and in the background Virgil turned from watching the two of them to stare blankly at the shelf across from him, as though it was a camera and he was in The Office.

“Trust me, angel, it made no error,” he said, despite his minor blush. “But to better answer your question, have you noticed how bright it is outside?”

“Of course I have,” Patton answered. “It must be warm out there.”

“It is warm,” Drew confirmed, sounding as if there was more he wasn’t saying but wanted Patton to pick up on anyways. “Some might even say it’s hot.”

“Just like you?”

Drew’s blush grew. “I think you’re missing the point.”

Patton’s smile turned a shade mischievous. “I’m not. I’m just waiting for you to admit to it.”

“Cruel, sweetpea, cruel.”

“Just admit it already!”

Drew sighed dramatically. “Alright! I fold! I admit that hydration in the face of the harsh sun is important.”

“Andddddd?”

Another sigh. “I admit that I forgot my water bottle, which I likely wouldn’t have done if I had simply used one of your sticky notes.”

“I even doodled a snake on your reminder!” Patton said, lightly hitting Drew’s chest. “It was cute AND helpful.”

“Just like you,” Drew commented, moving his hand from Patton’s hair to cup their cheek as they flushed. “And I’m sorry, dear, I really didn’t think I’d need it.”

“And yet, you’re here,” Patton teased lightly before turning towards Virgil, extending a hand. “Virgil, there should be a water bottle behind you- think you can hand it to me?”

Virgil did as he was asked, glancing behind him and finding that, yes, perched on the shelf was a metal water bottle covered in snake stickers. He grabbed it and turned back towards Patton, passing them the bottle. Patton took it and turned back to Drew, offering it to him.

“Oh, must I take it?” Drew asked, looking reproachfully at the bottle. “You’re so much nicer to hold.”

“Mmm, you need to get back to work before they catch you slacking,” Patton told him. “I’ll still be around to hold later.”

“Is that a promise?” Drew asked, even as he let his hand fall from Patton’s cheek to take his water bottle.

“Even better,” Patton answered, letting go of Drew’s hand so that they could loop their pinkies together instead. They raised their now joined hands so that they were in easy sight of Drew. “It’s a pinky promise.”

Drew smiled. “Good,” he said, bending his pinky a bit to squeeze Patton’s. “I’m holding you to it,” he punned before reluctantly stepping away, letting his and Patton’s pinkies remain linked until he was forced by distance to let go.

“So,” Virgil spoke up, slightly startling Patton, who had been waving at Drew until he walked out of sight. “You’re not dating them, you lied?”

“I didn’t lie!” Patton defended, moving back towards the broom as they spoke, once more careful to avoid the glass as they stepped. “I’m not dating him! Or Remy!”

“Oh, yeah, because calling each other petnames and trading compliments til you’re both blushing and not wanting to let go of each other and looking at each other like you’re the other’s world is really just ‘best friend’ behaviour,” Virgil said, voice thick with sarcasm.

“We’ve lived in the same apartment for months, Virgil, we’re close!” Patton said as they went back to sweeping. “That doesn’t make us partners.”

Virgil let out a breath. “I know, Pat, but you really should see the way you two were looking at each other. It sure as hell wasn’t plain-ol’ friendly.”

“Language.”

“Stop dodging the point.”

Patton stopped their work, turning to look at Virgil as they rested their chin on the broom handle. “I don’t know what point you think I’m dodging, kiddo. Dee- and Remy- are my friends. They’re dating each other, but I’m not dating them. It’s not that hard to understand.”

Virgil didn’t respond to that at first, instead just blinking slowly at Patton a few times. “I’m starting to understand why Roman was in such a mood,” he finally said as he pushed himself away from the shelves. “If Remy’s half as oblivious as you are, I’d be complaining too.”

“Oblivious about what?” Patton asked, confused. “They know who they’re dating and who they’re not.”

Virgil didn’t answer, instead just chuckling and shaking his head. “I should get back before Kevin decides to be less lenient about my wandering time. See you later, pine-on.”

“Bye, Virge!” Patton said cheerily. “And good pun!”

Virgil responded with a half salute behind his head as he wandered off. Patton watched him off as they resumed their sweeping, focusing on their work and not any of the interactions that had just occurred. Say what he would, Virgil was wrong- Patton’s relationship with Drew and Remy was strictly platonic, and they had no plans to mess with what the three of them did have (an amazing friendship) anytime soon.

Drew dropped his bag before he collapsed against the wall, sliding down it halfway as he let out a huff. Though the day had been no longer than any other, the sun had been much more annoying than usual, and he was ready to be home and surrounded by not only air conditioning but also people he could stand. Absentmindedly he rubbed at the remains of make-up on his face, the only part of his costume he was still in since having changed out at the end of his shift.

“Are you suffering from heatstroke, or just bored?”

Drew looked up, finding Emile in front of him, smiling in amusement.

“A bit of both,” Drew answered truthfully. “Forgot my water bottle at home, though Pat had grabbed it for me at least. But neither their shift nor Remy’s is over for at least another fifteen minutes, so…”

“So I’m just someone to distract you until one of your partners can take over?” Emile asked, teasing.

“My partners in crimes, you mean?” Drew said. “Because I’ve told you before, Em, I really shouldn’t be talking about them here- you’re going to ruin our plan to invade ‘Beauty’s palace and get the treasure.”

“And what treasures are you going to find in there?”

“Hopefully, the key to a full hundred years of rest,” Drew told them before adding, “And gold. Mostly going for the gold.”

“Mhmm.” Emile hummed. “Happy to hear you’ve got your future set. Your criminal enterprises sound like they’re going to go over very smoothly. Now, as to your actual partners…”

“Do you think I’m cheating on my current criminal partners?” Drew asked, sounding offended. “With whom, another team? Emile, I thought you knew me better than that.”

“I think we both know I’m referring to your romantic partners.”

“Ah, yes.” Drew crossed his arms and leaned further back against the wall. “You’re referring to my roommates, who somewhere along the line you got confused as also being my romantic partners. They’re not very good at crime, you know.”

Emile grinned. “Not even good at stealing your heart?”

Drew just waved his hand dismissively. “Patton steals the heart of everyone they meet. Remy is not subtle at all when they go for the steal. Neither of them would make it a day in the world of crime.”

“But you admit that they’ve stolen your heart.”

“I admit they steal everybody’s heart.”

“But not like they’ve stolen yourssssss.”

Drew sighed, pulling his water bottle out of his bag and taking a sip of the water while he waited for Emile to stop. “Don’t be like Virgil and Roman, Emile. You’ve been given the precious gift of actually having a brain cell. Don’t waste it.”

“You can say whatever you want, Drew, but that doesn’t change the truth, even if you’d like to pretend it would,” Emile replied calmly, sounding smug. “We’ve all seen the way you three look at each other. You can’t lie your way out of love truer than that of Tiana, Naveen, and Charlotte’s.”

“Don’t have to lie to tell the truth,” Drew responded, returning his water bottle to its place in his bag. Before Emile could rebuke his words, the door that led outside of the first aid station opened, and two people walked in.

“Excuse me,” Emile said politely to Drew before they headed towards the people. After a brief moment of conversation, Emile walked further into the building with one of them while the other came over towards Drew.

Drew smiled when the newcomer was close enough for him to identify. “Hello, darling.”

Remy returned his smile, leaning against the wall and facing Drew. Remy was clearly off-shift, both costume and nametag removed, and was now sporting a sea-green bracelet. “Good evening, charming. Miss me?”

“Constantly,” Drew answered effortlessly. “I assume the same to be true of you?”

“I miss you every second you’re not in my presence more than the moon misses the sun,” Remy answered, maintaining veir composure for a moment before veir expression broke and ve laughed. “Like that one? I heard someone in the lobby tell it to their husband.”

“It is unbearably cheesy,” Drew told ver. “Though I’m sure also very sweet, if you mean it.”

“Good thing I mean it then,” Remy said jokingly. “People suck. I got yelled at twice today. I missed you and your not-yellingness.”

“Is that all you missed about me?” Drew asked, smile turning sly. “Because I know I miss you for more than just your sometimes-not-annoyingness…”

“Oh really?” Remy asked, shifting so that ve was facing Drew even more. “Well, I miss you for your not-yellingness, and for your looks- scar most certainly included, hun, it makes you look roguish- and for your mind, and your charisma, and, of course, your snark.”

“You flatter me.”

“Look in a mirror, sugar, you make it easy,” Remy told him. “Now I’m dying to know why you missed me.”

“Oh, how could I not?” Drew asked rhetorically. “There’s your charm, as sarcastic as it may be, your humor, your refusal to stand down against idiots, and your sense of fashion- though I must confess, I consider it a sin to hide such dazzling eyes.”

“Compliment my charm when you’re the real charmer ‘round here- I see how it is,” Remy said playfully, smiling.

Drew returned the smile. “I’m just telling the truth.”

“Mhmm,” Remy hummed non-committedly, though veir smile didn’t drop. Ve reached forward, brushing some of Drew’s hair behind his ear before moving to run veir fingers through it. Drew leaned his head closer, allowing ver easier access to his hair as ve pulled it over just one of his shoulders. “Your hair’s a mess.”

“It’s been in a bun all day.” Drew explained, closing his eyes and focusing on the soft and calming feel of Remy brushing through his hair, occasionally scratching at his scalp. “It got tangled.”

“Too lazy to fix that problem yourself, sweetheart?”

“I like it better when you do,” Drew admitted.

Remy chuckled as ve continued, veir attention turning more towards gentle touches against Drew’s skin as ve worked. “I should braid your hair tonight. Might not tangle as quickly that way.”

“If we do that, we’ll need to stop at the store on the way home,” Drew said. “Our beloved sunbeam will want to put flowers in my hair, and I do not believe we have any at home.”

“We already needed to stop for some dinner fixin’s anyways,” Remy told him. “We’ll just add ‘flowers prettier than your face’ to the list, though I’m afraid if we go looking for those we’ll never find them.”

Before Drew could return the compliment, the sound of approaching steps stopped him. He opened his eyes just enough to see that they belonged to Emile, who was smiling broadly and just a touch satisfiedly at them, before he closed his eyes once more.

“Hey there, babe,” Remy greeted. “How you?”

“I’m peachy keen!” Emile answered enthusiastically. “Yourself?”

Drew didn’t need to see Remy’s face to know that ve was smirking. “I’ve got the prettiest man in the world melting into my touch, so I’d say I’m doing pretty swell.”

“Bold words from the most gorgeous being to ever grace this planet’s surface,” Drew countered, opening his eyes so he could return Remy’s smirk. “And I’m not ‘melting into your touch,’ I’m giving you easier access to the hair you so wish to tame.”

“Whatever you say, sugar.” Remy responded casually, right before ve ran veir hand through his hair again, stopping halfway through to press veir fingers against the base of his neck, rubbing just the slightest of circles into his skin, which was cheating, because ve knew perfectly well that was one of his weak points. The motion alone had Drew leaning closer towards Remy, letting out a small sigh that morphed into a huff halfway through.

“That’s cheating,” Drew said, trying to sound accusing but only succeeding in sounding tired and slightly whiny.

Remy laughed. “Don’t care, darling, not even a little.”

Drew hissed at ver, only earning himself another laugh.

“Well you two certainly seem happy,” Emile pointed out, the slightest hint of trickery in their tone.

“I’d like to think we are, yes,” Remy said.

“Not that it’s surprising,” Emile continued, failing to sound very innocent. “I’m sure anyone’d be happy spending time with one of their partners.”

“I’m sure they would,” Remy said neutrally. “Not sure what that has to do with anything right now-”

“They’re talking about my partners in crime.” Drew interrupted. “I told them earlier about my plan to raid Sleeping Beauty’s class and steal her secrets to a hundred years of sleep.”

“I see. Well I do hope you plan on sharing those secrets because goodness knows I could do with a good century of napping.”

“Goodness and me,” Drew agreed, reaching forward and pushing Remy’s sunglasses up a bit, frowning at how dark the bags under veir eyes were. “Why else would I steal the secrets if not for you?”

“Awwww, you care,” Remy cooed, tone a mix of goodheartedly mocking and sincere. “And what do you mean, ‘goodness and me’? Hun, you are goodness.”

“You’re sweet, but we both know that’s Pat.”

“I don’t see why it can’t be both of you.”

“This is getting ridiculous!”

Drew and Remy turned towards Emile at their outburst, Remy tilting veir head to the side in confusion while Drew asked,

“What is?”

Emile waved their hands at the roommates. “You two! You three! This!”

Remy and Drew glanced at each other before looking back at Emile. “This?” Remy asked.

“You’re so oblivious it puts the Scooby Gang’s obliviousness to Shaggy’s godhood to shame!” Emile said, thoroughly exasperated.

“I’m sorry what was that-”

“I mean, look at you two!” Emile said, gesturing at where Remy’s hand was still running through Drew’s hair. “All you do is compliment each other and worry over each other and know exactly what to do to make the other melt into your touch!”

Drew shrugged. “So? We’re friends.”

“And we’ve lived together for months,” Remy added. “Kinda hard to not pick up stuff about each other.”

“This moved past friendship weeks ago,” Emile told them, crossing their arms. “You can pretend to be sly, but you aren’t.”

“We’re not pretending anything,” Drew replied, raising an eyebrow. “Are you alright, Em? No offense, you seem a little... agitated over this.”

Emile squinted at them. “You’d be agitated if you were me.”

“Huh. Vaguely ominous,” Remy commented idly, unperturbed by the conversation. “You should really talk to Roman though. He’s been having the same misconceptions about me and my roommates’ relationship. I’m sure you two lovelies can find the truth if you talk it out.”

“We’ve already found the truth,” Emile said confidently.

“If you say so,” Remy responded, reaching into veir pocket as ve spoke, pulling out veir phone and checking the time. “Patton’s shift should be over in a couple of minutes. Wanna go greet them?”

“The only sunshine I always want to see,” Drew answered. “Don’t tell them we’re going to braid my hair just yet, though, alright? I’d prefer to surprise them.”

Remy grinned. “Of course, hun.”

Drew returned the grin before shifting over so that he could pick his bag up, ignoring Remy’s protest at his hair moving out of playing-with range. “You do know that going to Patton requires moving, right?”

“I do, but that doesn’t mean I have to be happy about it.”

Drew chuckled as he straightened up, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “You can play more with my hair when we get home, starlight, don’t worry. Come on, let’s go get Pat.”

Remy pouted, but ve still lifted veir arm and allowed Drew to slot himself in against veir side as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Remy’s arm wrapped around the top of Drew’s shoulders, holding him close as they headed towards the doors.

“Have a goodnight, Em,” Drew called over his shoulder right before they left, door lightly thudding as it fell shut behind them.

Emile let out a little huff. “Night-night lovebirds,” they said, even though they knew the couple in question couldn’t hear them. They waited a moment after they left before pulling out their phone, flicking to the group chat they, Roman, and Virgil had lovingly nicknamed ‘operation Get These Gays Together’ (originally known as ‘operation if they don’t get together I’m going to shoot them and then myself’ when Virgil named it) and sending a quick but vital text.

Usually, Emile preferred the passive route. They preferred to push people towards the solution, help them subtly, let them figure it out for themselves with only a bit of their help.

But that method was driving Emile (and Roman and Virgil) insane. They had tried the easy, passive way.

It was time to be aggressive.

The first thing Remy registered upon waking up was that they’d really rather not. The little bit of sun that made its way through their half-open eyelids was already too much and they were almost a hundred percent certain they still needed another five hours of sleep to be anything close to well-rested.

Therefore, immediately after opening their eyes, they shut them once more, rolling over and pushing their face into the surface beneath them to try and drown out all possible light. While this did solve the immediate problem of ‘too much light,’ it presented a new one for them to deal with- the fact that something close to him was warm and moving.

The discrepancy between where they remembered falling asleep last night- on the couch, alone- and where they must be now- somewhere big enough for more than one person to be sleeping, and apparently not alone anymore- was enough to convince Remy to open their eyes again. It was easier if only for the fact that the sun was now behind them, illuminating the sight in front of Remy instead of blinding them.

Remy was unsurprised to find the warm moving ‘thing’ was, in fact, their roommates- Drew curled up against Patton’s back, arms wrapped around their chest, one of Patton’s hands resting on top of Drew’s and their other sprawled out across the bed, almost touching Remy.

The sight made Remy smile. They reached out to lay one of their hands over Patton’s outstretched one, gently rubbing circles and nonsense patterns into their palm while they waited for them to wake up. While they would like to figure out how they ended up in bed instead of on the couch, and while they knew all three of them would eventually have to get up for work, they didn’t see the point in rushing anything. If they were already late for work, hurrying now wouldn’t change that, and Remy had decided long ago that there were few things in the world that mattered to them more than seeing both Drew and Patton rested, relaxed, and happy.

Slowly but surely, Patton began to wake up, shifting around in Drew’s grasp for a moment before their eyes fluttered open and they saw Remy. Upon seeing them, Patton smiled a sleepy but fond smile.

“Good morning, sweetie,” Patton greeted them, yawning partway through their sentence. They twisted their hand a bit so that they could hold Remy’s, beginning to rub circles into the back of Remy’s hand. “You look nice.”

Remy found it doubtful that they, in all their sweatpants, ratty t-shirt, and disheveled hair glory, were looking like anything more than a mess, but they were loath to reject any compliment that came from Patton.

“You look just as cute as always,” they returned, smile growing at Patton’s small giggle at their response. “I am, however, a little curious as to why I’m seeing your beauty right now.”

Patton’s brow furrowed in confusion for a moment before smoothing out as they realized what Remy was asking. “You fell asleep on the couch last night, right?”

“Last I recall, yes, and I’m sorry to say I don’t remember coming to… wherever this is.”

“It’s my room,” Patton answered. “I was cold, and I had pinky-promised Dee we could cuddle. We were goin’ to ask you to join, but you fell asleep while we were putting away the lasagna and we decided we didn’t want to risk waking you to move you. You’re such a light sleeper… and Dee said you hadn’t been sleeping as much recently.”

As Patton finished speaking, they reached out to brush a thumb underneath one of Remy’s eyes, as if they could erase the bags that were there.

Remy reached up with their free hand to catch Patton’s, gently pulling it away from their face and intertwining their fingers instead. “Don’t worry about me, sunshine, I’m fine. Just a few more sleepless nights than usual.”

Patton hummed, clearly not satisfied, but they didn’t say anymore on the topic. “I know I didn’t bring you in here,” they said instead, looking forlornly at the space roughly a foot long between them and Remy. “I wouldn’t have brought you in here for cuddles and then not cuddled you,” Patton explained, sounding melancholy.

In an attempt to at least partially console them, Remy scooted closer to Patton, narrowing the gap to only a few inches. They kept themself from moving all the way against them only because they knew exactly what would happen, knew Patton’s arms would wrap around them and hold them close, trapping them in the cuddle pile they’d have no will nor want to escape, and, as nice as it sounded to let reality drift away as they sank back into sleep so close to their two favorite people in the world, Remy knew they couldn’t, knew they had to be at least a little bit responsible and wake up and go to work and do more than just waste the day away holding each other.

Though damn if that wasn’t a tempting thought.

“So does that mean Dee moved me?” Remy asked.

“He must’ve,” Patton answered before frowning. “Though I don’t ever remember him getting up… here, I’ll just ask him.”

Patton turned over slightly, letting go of one of Remy’s hands so that they could gently shake Drew’s shoulder. “Dee? Dee, honey, do you think you could wake up for me? Please?”

In response, Drew half-groaned, half-yawned, and shifted so that his head was pressed into the crook of Patton’s neck, effectively hiding him from both his roommates and the sun. Patton giggled quietly at his action before they titled their head around and pressed a slightly awkward kiss to the top of Drew’s head. “I know you don’t want to, love, but you’ve gotta get up.”

Drew didn’t respond for a moment, but eventually he sighed, lazily lifting his head away from Patton’s shoulder. He returned Patton’s kiss atop their head before shifting his attention to Remy, blinking blearily as he focused on the third person in the bed.

“Mornin’ darling dearest Dee,” Remy greeted. “Sleep well?”

“Mhmm,” Drew hummed noncommittally, but from the way his arms tightened around Patton, holding them closer, Remy could guess he had slept very well curled up with Patton. “What’re you doin’ here?” he slurred, awake enough to realize Remy should still be out on the couch if not awake enough to speak properly.

“We were kinda hoping you could answer that one, hun,” Remy said. “Because I don’t remember coming in here, and Patton doesn’t remember moving me.”

Drew frowned. “I didn’t move you. Wanted you to sleep.”

“So I’ve heard,” Remy commented, now frowning themself. “So. If none of us put me in the bed, and none of us have any sleep walking and/or possession problems we haven’t told the others about…”

“How did you end up here?” Patton finished for them, completing the trifecta of frowns.

The unanswered question finally convinced Remy to sit up, squinting as they looked around the room for some explanation. It did appear to be Patton’s room, from the animal posters hung on every wall to the rainbow they had painted onto the light switch cover with nail polish, so it was unlikely they had all been kidnapped, which Remy was going to consider a good thing. Something did stand out to Remy, however.

“Hey, Pat, you haven’t put any random notes on your door recently, have you?”

Patton shook their head in confusion. “No. Why do you ask?”

Remy didn’t answer them immediately, instead sliding out of the bed and heading towards the door. Tapped to it was a folded note, ‘to the oblivious gays’ scrawled on the front of it. Remy pulled it off the door, unfolding it and quickly scanning the message inside. When they finished, they groaned.

“I’m disowning all of our friends.” Remy said, tossing the note to the side in annoyance as they grabbed the door handle, trying (and failing) to turn it. They groaned again. “Fuck.”

“Language.” Patton said automatically as Drew pushed their glasses onto their face for them, Patton blinking a few times as they stopped needing to squint at everything. “What is it?”

Remy ran a hand through their hair as they moved to the only window in the room, attempting to open it for a moment before deeming it a lost cause. They sighed and turned back towards the bed. “We’ve been locked in.”

This got both Patton and Drew to sit up, both looking more awake as they frowned at them. “What do you mean, we’ve been locked in?”

“Exactly what I said,” Remy replied, leaning back against the wall behind them. “Our most lovely friends have locked us all in a room together and apparently won’t let us out until we ‘confess’ or some bullsh- bullcrap, because this is 2012 and we’re a story on fanfic-dot-net.”

“Confess?” Patton repeated before realization dawned on their face. “Oh. I- Virgil was talking about that yesterday, but I didn’t think he actually- well I didn’t think he really meant anything by it.”

“Same with Emile,” Drew said. “They talk about it so often I just figured it was some sort of joke for them.”

“Roman was talking about it too,” Remy added unhappily. “He pointedly ignored all my advances as well, which was rude. I like to think my distractions are at least worth one returned flirt.”

A moment of silence stretched out between them before Drew sighed and said, “So they did this, huh.”

“That’s why I’m disowning them, yeah,” Remy informed him. “Also on the list of disownments is my cousin, because apparently he’s the one who gave them the key they used to break in here and set this whole mess up.”

“Logan’s not usually the type to go for this sort of thing,” Drew pointed out.

“He isn’t, but I think he’s still annoyed about that one time I stole all his Crofter’s.” Remy said. “Though now he’s indirectly keeping me from my coffee, so who’s the real monster here?”

“At least you’ve got us,” Drew offered.

Remy smiled at that, annoyed expression softening. “Yeah, that I do,” they agreed, pushing off of the wall and padding back over to the bed, joining the semi-circle and leaning against Patton’s side. Drew wrapped an arm around both Patton’s and Remy��s backs as soon as they were settled, holding the three of them together.

“So now what?” Patton asked after a moment of comfortable silence. “Should we call in to work sick?”

“The note said they’d cover it,” Remy answered with a scoff. “No clue how they plan to do that, but they’ve made it into a them-problem.”

“And when are they going to let us out?” Drew followed up. “Because we’re going to have to eat soon.”

“I have a bag of emergency cookies in the closet, if worse comes to worst,” Patton added.

“Of course you do,” Drew said, though he sounded only fond.

“They said they’ll swing by around lunch to free us and, I quote, ‘congratulate us on the proposals,’” Remy laughed. “Roman’s words, if you couldn’t guess.”

Drew chuckled. “And if we try to break out of our makeshift prison?”

“They’ve stolen our phones and tapped them to the door, so if we break it down, we risk breaking our phones.” Remy explained. “Logan also reminded us that glass is sharp and dangerous when broken so we shouldn’t even think about shattering the window.”

“So no breaking out,” Drew summed up. “Guess we really are stuck here ‘til they return.”

“Yep,” Remy agreed. They turned their head so that they could plant a kiss against the side of Patton’s head. “At least I’m stuck with y’all. Better be trapped with angels than free with demons.” Remy smiled when Patton blushed a shade of red that Remy thought just made them look even prettier.

“Well someone’s getting awfully poetic,” Drew quipped, though he was also blushing.

“It’s what happens when I don’t have my coffee,” Remy said offhandedly. “Deal with it.”

“Only if you accept that you yourself are also an angel.”

“Oh, rude, babe, real rude to ‘u-too’ my own compliment back at me.”

“If you want to make this easier on yourself, just accept it, my dear,” Drew advised. “I can wax just as poetic as you can, and will if I think I must.”

Remy sighed, holding out the sound for a moment before they folded. “Fiiiine, I’m an angel.” They leaned around Patton, getting close enough that they could press a kiss to Drew’s forehead. “But you’re still the prettier one.”

Drew gasped dramatically at that, but before he could respond, Patton sighed, sounding fond and vaguely melancholy. Remy pulled back from Drew just enough to look at Patton.

“Aw, our sunshine feeling left out?” Remy asked teasingly, kissing Patton’s forehead as well and wrapping their arms around Patton’s waist. “Don’t worry sweetheart, you’re just as pretty as Dee.”

“Oh, no, it’s not that, I promise!” Patton reassured them with a laugh. “You two are just so cute together, that’s all.”

“We’re all cute together,” Remy said, pressing a quick peck of a kiss to Patton’s chin. “Helps that we’re all cute.”

Patton laughed again. “No, I mean- together-together, you know? You’re a good couple.”

Remy and Drew reacted to that, both glancing at each other in confusion and uncertainty. “Couple as in two people, or…?” Drew asked.

Patton raised an eyebrow, now looking confused themself. “I mean, I guess that too, but I mean- well, I mean romantically.”

Another uncertain glance between the supposed ‘couple.’ Remy laughed awkwardly. “Hate to break it to ya, hun, but I think I’d know if I was dating such a cutie.”

“Same here,” Dee echoed.

“Oh. Oh!” Patton said, blushing red now in embarrassment. “I’m so sorry, you just- the way you act together, I- you’re so comfortable together-”

“We’re all comfortable together,” Drew pointed out, albeit quieter than he had been speaking a moment ago.

“I know, you just- I- oh, I’m so sorry!” Patton repeated, hiding their face in Drew’s shoulder. “I feel so silly,” they added, their voice now muffled.

Remy chuckled, reaching forward to card their fingers through Patton’s hair. They scooted a little closer to them as they scratched at their scalp as well. “Don’t worry about it, honey-love. Everybody makes mistakes.”

“No, it’s not that, I just…” Patton cut themself off before actually getting to their point, shaking their head a bit before they pressed their face even further into Drew’s shoulder.

“Oh, come now, beloved,” Drew coaxed, rolling his shoulders and trying to convince Patton to lift their head. “You don’t have to hide anything from us, much less your beautiful face or heavenly voice.”

“It’s silly,” Patton whined, just loud enough to be understood. Remy laughed gently, brushing their hair to the side so they could kiss the back of their neck.

“That’s okay. We’re not going to make fun of you or anything,” Remy assured them.

Drew leaned over and kissed the top of Patton’s head, pulling back only a little. “What’d you say, love? Can I see those pretty, pretty eyes?”

It took another moment of Remy playing with their hair and Drew sweet talking Patton before they were convinced, slowly lifting their head up just enough so that Drew could see their eyes. Drew smiled at them. “There you go. Isn’t this nicer?”

A little smile slipped onto Patton’s face. “Your eyes are much, much more gorgeous than the fabric of your shirt, yes.”

“I should hope so,” Drew replied, leaning his forehead against Patton’s. “Now, I’m sure both me and our lovely moonbeam are very curious as to what’s got you trying to hide from us.”

“Yeah, sugar, you’re not usually like this,” Remy added, though they didn’t sound worried, just sweet. “What’s got you feeling so silly and shy?”

Patton rested their cheek on Drew’s shoulder, looking between their roommates. “Promise you won’t hate me?”

“We could never,” Drew and Remy said at the same time.

Patton nodded, took a breath, squirmed a little in place, and finally said, “Y’know how I’ve never really said that you guys are together, even if I had no reason not to say it?”

“Uh… yes?” Remy answered, sounding slightly baffled by the question.

“Yeah, well… there was a reason for that.”

“...Okay?” Drew said, tone matching Remy’s.

“It’s because I didn’t really want to accept the fact that you two were together.”

Twin silence from Drew and Remy. Patton let out a little sigh, sounding more amused than annoyed.

“I didn’t like acknowledging the fact that you were both taken,” A pause to give their roommates a chance to finish for them; when neither of them spoke, Patton continued, “because I didn’t want to acknowledge the fact that you were both taken but neither of you were taken with me.”

Another pause, another stretch of silence as Drew and Remy each processed Patton’s words, the confessor themself once more hiding against Drew’s shoulder. Then- dawning understanding.

“Oh,” Remy said first, looking at Drew with wide eyes. “Oh. Patton, I-”

“It’s really okay if neither of you feel the same, really, I don’t even expect you too, we’re friends, and that’s what we’ve always said we were and always been, and that doesn’t need to change I just-” Patton laughed, slightly breathless as they tried to fit everything they wanted to say in only the space of a few seconds, “I just feel silly that I never even bothered to tell you guys because I thought you were dating, that’s all.”

It was quiet as Drew and Remy processed that, Drew looking at the bed as he thought while Remy looked off at the wall, clearly lost in their thoughts. It only took a moment for them to sort them, however.

“Hey, Patton?” Remy said, getting Patton to lift their head once more from Drew’s shoulder and look at them, Patton’s expression a mix of pained and hopeful. Remy reached forwards, cupping one of Patton’s cheeks with one of their hands, smiling a little stupidly as they did so. “Wanna hear a silly little secret of my own?”

Patton's eyes widened, suggesting that they knew exactly what the secret was, but they still said, in a quiet, almost awed voice, “What?”

Remy giggled, just a little, reaching out with their other hand as well and holding Patton’s face in both their hands as they answered, “I have a crush on both my roommates too,” they said in a mock-whisper, as if they were at a sleepover and they were all twelve. “I never told them because I thought they weren’t interested in me like that, but recently I’m starting to think I might be wro-”

Remy’s confession was cut off by Patton letting out a little squeal of excitement, pushing themself forward so that they could wrap their arms around Remy’s midsection, knocking them over and ending up with them both sprawled across the bed. Remy had just barely recovered from the action when Patton started peppering kisses across their face, going over their forehead and both their cheeks before they ended with a kiss on their lips, one that was brief but still sweet and loving and warm and undeniably Patton.

“You jerk.” Patton said, though there wasn’t a hint of heat in their tone as they laughed. “Why didn’t you tell me this three months ago?!”

“I had this whole friendship thing going on that I didn’t want to ruin!” Remy defended with a laugh of their own. “Though, if I had known that’d be your reaction, I’d have gone off and ruined our friendship long ago, sweetness.”

Patton’s smile broke into a grin and they kissed the tip of Remy’s nose, eliciting a quick but joyful giggle from them. “You’re forgiven for your slowness in telling me for how utterly perfect you are.”

“Why thank you, angel,” Remy said, pushing themself up just enough to give Patton a fast nose kiss as well. “But don’t you think we’re missing something- or, better put, someone- from this ‘perfect’?”

Patton’s eyes widened at the reminder. “Oh my gosh, you’re right!” they said before turning around to look at Drew. He was still sitting in the same spot he had been. It was clear he had been watching Patton and Remy, but upon them turning their attention to him, he seemed to suddenly find the entire rest of the room much more interesting to look at.

“Dee?” Patton said, forcing the aforementioned to turn his attention back to them or risk being rude to one of the people he was currently locked in a room with.

“Yes?” Drew asked, trying to sound aloof and neutral. He failed horribly, however, his voice coming out as something closer to mock-formal.

“Me and Remy have both made our confessions… do you have one of your own?” Patton asked, once more sounding hesitant.

When Drew didn’t respond instantly, Remy rushed to add, “It’s completely alright if you don’t, of course. No pressure whatsoever, we can still be friends, it’s just- well, not to sound like the people who locked us up in here in the first place, but I kinda feel like that’s not really what we should be.”

“I-” Drew started before cutting himself off, looking down as he fiddled with the hem of his shirt. “I do love you guys, really; I mean, who couldn’t after living with you for so long, you’re too incredible not to love, but… I don’t know how I love you.”

“...Care to elaborate?” Remy pushed after a minute stretched in silence.

Drew shifted in place. “I guess… we’ve spent our entire friendship doing everything a couple might do- spending time together, learning each other’s favorite things, getting stupidly domestic, literally sleeping together, cuddling, sharing little kisses, and I just… don’t know if I love you romantically or not.”

“Alright,” Patton said slowly, nodding their head before frowning. “I’m… not sure how to figure that out.”

“Me neither,” Remy admitted. “There must be something romantic we haven’t done with you, right?

Drew shrugged. “I don’t know. We’ve covered all of the bases, as far as I can tell. No wonder everyone thought we were dating…”

“Not all of them,” Patton said, pulling Drew out of his barely started musings. They smiled at him, softly and sweetly and just a bit shyly. “Dee?”

“...Yes?”

“Do you want to kiss us?”

“Kiss you- I already have kissed you, what do you…” Drew cut himself off as he realized what Patton meant, his cheeks quickly turning a crimson red.

Remy chuckled as they sat up, Patton shifting a bit to their side so that they could properly sit up. “Hate to put words in your mouth, sweetheart, but I’mma guess that means yes?”

“I… yeah, yeah it does,” Drew conceded, chuckling a little awkwardly. “That sounded awfully charming.”

“Everything you say is charming when you’re a charmer,” Patton responded, and Drew’s cheeks turned a shade darker as the awkwardness in his expression relaxed into something more akin to soft adoration.

Patton patted the bed directly in front of them and Remy. “Come over here, lovely.”

Drew did so willingly, pulling himself over so that he was once more part of the group. Patton smiled tenderly at him as he settled himself before reaching out and gently taking his face in their hands.

“Stop me if you need to, okay?” Patton said. Drew half-laughed, half-scoffed.

“I doubt I’ll want you to stop, much less need you to,” he told them, and Patton smiled wider at him before leaning in, their careful and loving hold on Drew’s face holding him still until their lips were connected.

The kiss was longer than Patton and Remy’s had been, more planned, but it was still just as welcoming and comfortable, as if this wasn’t their first kiss but instead their hundredth; somehow both oddly familiar and excitingly new.

Without even realizing it, Drew found himself leaning it, placing his hands on Patton’s waist to hold steady as he did so, more than happy to drown in the kiss as much as he could.

Patton pulled away when he was reaching the edge of breathlessness, smiling brightly at Drew even as they moved back, still holding his face. “How was that?”

“I love you,” Drew said as an answer, letting out a laugh in the form of a huff as he went on, “Oh, god be damned, Patton, I love you.”

“Language,” Patton chided lightly, though they both knew it meant nothing.

“Hey now,” Remy spoke up, drawing Drew and Patton’s attention. They were pouting, though amusement flashed in their eyes. “I’m feeling a little forgotten over here.”

“Forget you?” Drew asked, normally suave tone now simply breathless and incredulous. “I could never.”

“Then prove it,” Remy demanded, reaching out and making grabby hands at Drew despite the fact that he was barely two feet from them. Drew didn’t mind it, however, simply laughing at the display of affection. He gently took Patton’s hands off his cheeks, kissing the back of both of them (to the delight of Patton) before releasing them and closing the small gap between him and Remy.

“There you are,” Remy said, as if Drew had been hiding somewhere far off and not simply kissing their partner (their partner, not just his partner but Remy’s too) instead of Remy. “Do I get kisses now?”

Drew laughed. “Yes,” he said, not bothering to drag the moment out as he reached forwards, cupping one of Remy’s cheeks in his hand and pulling them closer. “You get kisses now.”

He kept to his promise as he kissed Remy, not holding it out for one long kiss like he and Patton had done but instead kissing them over and over and over again, quick little kisses that lasted seconds but still meant worlds to the both of them, that were still caring and inviting and loving even if they were brief. It worked better that way, Drew decided, especially when Remy evidently grew bored of just kissing his lips and moved on to covering the rest of his face with kisses instead.

“I’m starting to think I really am a jerk for not confessing anything sooner,” Remy said when they had, apparently, deemed Drew’s face properly kissed, now pulled back so that they could look Drew in the eyes as they grinned lopsidedly. “I’ve been severely neglecting giving you- and Patton- all the kisses you two deserve.”

“Not that that ever stopped you when we were friends,” Patton pointed out, leaning against Remy’s side and reaching out to hold one of Drew’s hands as well.

“That’s because even then I knew I was making a mistake,” Remy said, happily taking advantage of the fact that Patton was once more close to them to kiss their forehead.

“I just can’t believe the people who locked us up had it right,” Drew said, squeezing Patton’s hand as the hand he had been using to cup Remy’s cheek moved to hold one of Remy’s hands. “We really have been horribly oblivious, huh?”

Remy laughed. “I’d say that’s pretty accurate, yeah,” they agreed before smiling mischievously. “We’re not going to let them know that though, right?”

“Oh, goodness, of course not,” Drew responded. “Otherwise they might start thinking locking people up will always work, or, even worse, they might get an ego boost.”

“I think Roman will explode if that happens- his ego’s already big enough as is,” Patton added. Drew’s and Remy’s attention immediately turned to them, both looking shocked, to which Patton defended, “What? I can be petty towards our friends too!”

Drew chuckled as he quickly kissed Patton’s cheek. “That you can, dearheart, that you can.”

“It’s not like you’re wrong either,” Remy pointed out. “Really, letting Roman know this planned work might kill him. We’re just going to have to pretend it didn’t, for his sake.”

Patton and Drew both nodded as solemnly as they could given the circumstances. “I vote that we tell them this experience has really brought us closer together in our friendship instead,” Drew offered. “That way we can still be horribly obnoxious-” Drew paused to peck quick kisses to each of his partners’ noses to prove his point before continuing “-and also keep Roman and his ego safe.”

“A perfect plan,” Patton agreed. “Though… what do we do if they catch us calling each other partners?”

“We tell them how we decided we really felt like ‘friends’ no longer properly described how close our friendship was, so we decided to start using partners,” Remy answered immediately with a grin. “Really, we can turn anything into just another extent of our ‘friendship’ is we try hard enough. The real question is for how long do we do that? When do we give them their satisfaction?”

Drew hummed in thought for a moment before he said, a wicked smile racing his face as he spoke, “I’d say we’ll have to wait them out at least until we get married. We can tell them it’s for tax benefits.”

“We’re going to get married?!” Patton exclaimed, eyes shining at the thought.

“Well, I mean-” Drew floundered for a moment, clearly having gotten so caught up in how to best taunt their friends that he hadn’t even considered the implications of what he had said “-we’ve only just got together, but- if this lasts and we don’t regret anything, well-”

“We’re going to get married!” Patton repeated, this time with no question in their tone, tugging Drew closer to themself and pulling Remy closer as well so that they were all squished against each other. “We’re going to get married and we’re going to move out and find a better apartment with one huge bed- oh, or we could get a house with one big bed, and we’re going to adopt a dog- no, two dogs- no, ten dogs!- and-”

Drew gently stopped Patton’s rant by kissing them until they were breathless, resting his forehead against theirs when he finished. “And we’ll drive our friends absolutely insane with what a lovely life we’ll be living,” he added softly.

Remy moved to press their forehead against both of their partners’. “And we’ll be in love forever,” they added, which was an extraordinarily cheesy thing to say, but in the moment, it also felt like the right thing to say.

In fact, pressed against the two most important people in the world to them, still feeling giddy at everything that had happened in the span of barely fifteen minutes, Remy felt as if, for the first time in a long time, absolutely everything was just as it should be.

They were looking forward to getting used to that feeling.

#mosleepceit #ts patton #ts janus #ts remy #ts sleep #ts roman #ts virgil #emile picani #ts logan mentioned #the cryptid speaks #fanfic #fanfiction #ts sides #sanders sides #dani #argo #this fic is a huge mess but hopefully it's a decent one sbdfcsdjf

158 notes · View notes

sanders-specs · 4 years

Text

Patton’s Playlist Analysis

A/N: I’m back again with Patton’s playlist analysis!

So this is definitely my favorite playlist. I know at this point both Logan’s and Virgil’s have come out, and i still just like Patton's the best, and honestly i think this analysis reflects that. It’s also very long, so I apologize for that. And again, disclaimer: This is entirely my own opinions. I’m not trying to speak for Thomas or Joan or anyone else who helped put together the playlist. it’s okay if you don’t agree with me! In fact, I’d like to hear your thoughts if you don’t!!

It does go song by song, like with Roman’s, so you can divide it up if you want. but for those who don’t want to/can’t read an analysis of 20 songs, I’ll put the summary above the cut and those who want to dive deeper can enjoy.

Let me know if you want to see Logan’s!

Roman’s Analysis

Analysis summary/conclusion(?):

Patton is a bright, bubbly optimist. he sees the best in everyone and in the entire world. He believes in kindness and love and wants to make the world a better place with it.

But he also wants to be loved and feel loved. By the other sides, by Thomas’s friends and family, romantically. He craves that affection and attention almost as much as Roman does. He wants so badly to help (like with Virgil), but he feels like he doesn’t quite do enough.

Still, though, he’s determined to spread that love and kindness, even if he doesn’t get much in return for it.

Like with Roman’s we’re going to start with the first song sooo here we go!

Camp Fire Song Song.

None of us should be surprised and honestly, I had forgotten Patton’s answer to the favorite song question in the Q&A video until I hit play on the playlist.

There’s not too much to analyze here. It’s a really short song with only a few lyrics (if also iconic).

Honestly, though, listening to it for analyzing purposes, it reminded me of Learning New Things, when Patton and the others were trying to get Logan to sing along with them and join in on the bit. Also, in the Christmas episode when Patton and Roman are trying to get Virgil to sing his line with them. Squidward being a good representation of both of them in the moment in their respective videos.

After all, Spongebob and Patrick were just trying to have a little fun, and they wanted Squidward to join in, even if it was obvious that he didn’t want to. Still, though, Spongebob wasn’t deterred by his silence. He just kept going and having fun.

Patton’s a bit of the same way. Even though he wants the others to join him in his ideas of fun, they don’t always do. Still, though, Patton keeps trying and smiling through it all and having his own fun. Making puppet puns, doing impressions, mixing up the way he was singing his part in the twelve days of Christmas. he has his own fun, even when the others don’t really participate but you know…

It’ll help if you just sing along

Turnaround is so cute. I haven’t watched The Little Prince, but if the whole soundtrack is as good as this song then I just might.

This song, like many on Patton’s playlist, is about living life and enjoying the good things. Everything from the lyrics to the happy-go-lucky music to the scat singing just has a tone of optimism and happiness.

Straight (Straight), how can you be so straight? (Straight) Life is everything but straight (Straight) It's going up and down

Life has its ups and downs, so you shouldn’t be so focused on one path or one plan. Not everything is going to go right, sure, but there are so many things that will. Focusing too much on making things go the way you want them to will prevent you from learning and living life how it’s supposed to be lived.

Far (Far) Happiness isn't far (Far) Not far from where you are (Are)

A lot of people live like their looking for happiness, when in reality if they stopped looking, they’d find they would be much happier.

Now, of course I can’t speak for everyone or their situations. In this particular instance, I’m talking about the people who go through life thinking “as long as I do/have/accomplish this then I’ll be happy” when they already have so much or have people around them that could give them the happiness that they want so badly.

It goes well with the Growing Up video. What Patton was trying to tell the others all along, and what the ultimate conclusion of the video was. Happiness isn’t far.

Watching your life go by (By, by by) Now, why don't you sing out loud? The tune you keep inside?

Really most of this song is saying to enjoy the now. Who you are, what you like, the person that you are. Not to hide yourself.

Shy (Shy) How can you be so shy? (Shy) Hiding below the stars (Stars) Under your neon light (Light) Hi (Hi) Don't say hello, say hi (Hi) Hi to a higher sky (Sky) Hi to a higher ground Loud, why don't you sing out loud? The words you keep inside?

Listening to this verse in the context of Patton is super interesting to me. We all know those people who are all “Just be happy! You’re alive, the sun is out, what else could you need?” While I don’t really think Patton is too in that category, he’s up there. He loves rainbows and sunshine and everything about life (see: his verse in Recipe for Me). He’s excited-able and very Maira-running-through-the-hills-singing-about-how-the-hills-are-alive-with-the-sound-of-music.

All that being said, comparing this to, say Virgil, who is arguably the polar opposite is interesting. Patton being the way he is, really doesn’t understand being shy or social anxious. Of course he would want you to sing out loud! Why would you want to hold that in when you can just let it all out and have fun with it? He’s much more likely to give a stranger a hug than he is to duck his head and look the other way.

But he doesn’t want you to just suddenly change. He wants to help! The very first lyric of the song says just that.

Turn around, I’m right behind you

He’s there, he’s with you, he’s going to help you break out of your shell and be free. He wants you to turn your views of life around to be as happy as you can be.

All of the songs on this playlist are super chill and it’s really nice. Jim Croce has such a nice voice which makes I Got a Name just really nice to listen to. Also, the music itself is amazing (I’m huge on aesthetically pleasing things, especially in songs so I have to gush. There will be a lot of that in this one).

This one goes along with Turnaround a bit in the sense that it’s about living. Moving through life like you move easily (in…some places) down a highway.

Like the pine trees lining the winding road I got a name, I got a name Like the singing bird and the croaking toad I got a name, I got a name

Everything in the world has a name, a title, something that we call it by. If it doesn’t, we give them one. It’s part of just being alive on this earth, having a name. In so many cultures, names are some of the most important things. They mean things, for some, they define who they are. Honestly, look into why we have middle names, or all the different titles the Greeks have for love, or why Queen Elizabeth had to full on change her name when she became queen.

Maybe I’m just song analyzing at this point instead of putting it to Patton Context or heck, maybe I’m just taking the lyrics too literally. But, I mean, he is the side who cares the most about….everything. Thomas is an incredibly caring person and all of that is Patton. He’s the one who would have names for every single toy he has, because names are important, everyone has to have a name! it’s something he would care about.

Movin' me down the highway, rollin' me down the highway Movin' ahead so life won't pass me by

I find this…ironic. I don’t know if it’s meant to be, honestly. But when you’re on the highway you are…literally rolling past life. The trees, the birds, other people. You are literally passing by entire towns and neighborhoods.

I dunno, I just find irony in this, intentionally or not. I know it means trying to get ahead of life so you can properly live it or something, but…you’re still missing it.

Huh. Maybe that is what it means.

Like the north wind whistlin' down the sky I got a song, I got a song Like the whippoorwill and the baby's cry I got a song, I got a song And I carry it with me and I sing it loud If it gets me nowhere, I'll go there proud

I love the comparisons here, because it’s not talking about an actual song, but the sounds of life. The wind, a baby’s cry, a whirlpool. There’s quote that I love be Cecily Morgan (at least according to Google), “Music is life and that’s why our hearts have beats.” We all have a song inside of us, the way our hearts beats (don’t science me, that’s for Logan’s Playlist). The phrase “follow your heart” is what I’m pretty sure this verse is referencing. Even if you follow your heart and it leads you nowhere, at least you can be proud that you got there, which not many people can say.

Patton is a huge part of Thomas. I’m not saying the others aren’t, because they are, but he holds his morals very highly. Patton’s input in anything, especially the big life decisions, is one of the most important next to maybe Logan. He knows what Thomas wants maybe even more than Roman. Sure, Roman holds Thomas’s hopes and dreams, but Patton gives him the motivation to go after them, to act on them.

Thomas’s choice to pursue Vine and then YouTube could have lead him nowhere. It really could’ve. But he followed the song of his heart and got there.

That’s allllll Patton.

Like the fool I am and I'll always be I got a dream, I got a dream

There’s some self-awareness here with the fool line. Patton’s not an idiot. He knows the others don’t think much of him. He’s the perfect definition of someone who may not be book smart, and therefore everyone else thinks he’s stupid. When in reality, he’s just not very good with words, so he expresses things the best way he knows how. This song is a really good example, because of all the nature comparisons in it. It doesn’t get too literal until this verse

They can change their minds but they can't change me I got a dream, I got a dream Oh, I know I could share it if you'd want me to If you're goin' my way, I'll go with you

Thomas has big dreams. We’ve all seen Roman, we know that. But like I said before, Patton is the one who can really get Thomas to go for those dreams. Like in Learning New Things, when Thomas was feeling self conscious because of one comment an old friend made, and Patton led the conversation that helped him to understand that there was nothing wrong with Thomas or his dreams, there was nothing wrong with feeling sad about the comment. How, in the end, it takes a lot to figure ourselves out and that without his YouTube career, he wouldn’t be where he is now.

So, yeah, others can change what they think about him, his career, and his dreams, but that’s not going to change what he does or the fact that he loves it. In fact, he’s willing to share that dream with others, and to help them on theirs, as he has done. Look at his team (or, I suppose, what we know of of Character Thomas’s team). It’s full of his friends and it seems like whenever they bring someone on, they’re welcomed with open arms. Now, I’m only talking from a fan’s perspective here. That’s just how it looks to me. He’ll help others achieve their dreams as much as they’ll help him achieve his.

So from what I’ve seen around, people really like Oranges. Or, well, me. I really love Oranges. The song, not the fruit. Not a big fan of the fruit (the texture is eugh).

And it’s such a Patton song!

That thing about him not being book smart? It applies here too. It’s a bit of a nonsense song at first listen, I’m not going to lie. A really fun nonsense song.

But then, I have to read the lyrics along with listening to the song when I do these because otherwise I just can’t pick up on every word. My attention span and memory is not that good, and I tend to focus a lot more on the music part than the singing part the first few times around. So maybe this is just my experience.

It's funny how nobody sings about oranges The reason's no rhyme, I'm starting to mind How we take our ideas and put them in storage But peel back the rind, who knows what you'll find

Take the same risks as if you're afraid If life gave you an orange, would you make lemonade And it's funny how nobody sings about oranges When you've got one in the palm of your hand

Lots of metaphors here. I think Patton just lives in a state of metaphors.

I’m pretty sure we’re talking about suppression here. Suppressing ideas, feelings, whatever, because of pretty superficial reasons. Once you strip those reason away, you can be unstoppable. We’re back to that idea of living the life you want, going where your heart takes you. Using what life gives you and running with it. Take some risks with it, if you must. But you have it. Use it! I mean if you’re given an orange, would you make lemonade?

No.

You’d make orange juice.

Crazy how nobody sings about chocolate Seems there would be nothing so sweet Like we're living in the boxes of someone who's locked it How can that be, it just ain't for me

Is…is the chocolate metaphor referencing Forest Gump?

Anyway, people like pushing others into “boxes.” Titles, positions, identities, whatever. They don’t like it when you step out of that box.

Which this is interesting to me, because as we’ve seen in the videos, Patton doesn’t like change too much. Stepping out of that box would involve change. He has gotten better at it since the changes video, but that’s not really something that goes away.

But on the other hand, the heart changes it’s mind all the time. It can be fleeting as much as it can be stubborn. When it comes to your wants and needs and dreams, that can change all the time. That’s why Thomas is a creator. Not just a YouTuber or a singer or an actor. He’s all of those things, all of which would have involved individual decisions on what to pursue and focus on. Which motivation would be the focus of the day or hour or minuet.

We're curving our motions and faking our bets If you don't open a chocolate, who knows what you get And it's crazy how nobody sings about chocolate When you've got it in the palm of your hand

Yeah, I’m pretty sure it’s a Forest Gump reference.

Which is a reference to life. How you’re never going to know what you’re going to get, what life is going to throw at you. But until you take it and uncover it, you really won’t know what it is.

I think this is a bit of Patton accepting that life is unpredictable and throws curveballs. Accepting that he needs to take whatever flavor of chocolate he’s going to get, whatever filling, no matter if it’s one he’s going to like or not.

We run in circles and just like this stay Now purple's got us blue and silver's going grey, hey hey Is there nothing else to say

Staying in the same place, always doing the same things, gets old. Without taking those risks or making what you can out of what you have, even if it’s not something that fits exactly what you think you need, just makes life fade away.

When you follow your heart through life, that doesn’t mean that you won’t be thrown some curveballs. Actually, it almost guaranteed that you’re thrown curveballs. That’s something that Patton has to be ready for, and ready to deal with, and not just making Thomas stay in the same state of mind.

It's funny how nobody sings about oranges Yeah it's funny how nobody sings about oranges Oh, imagine a world where we don't play this game With apples and oranges, nothing's the same

This game of staying still, comparing apples to oranges when they’re inherently the same (or at the very least have a lot in common). Where people follow their hearts and don’t duck away when things start to get a little tough.

While we know that Patton doesn’t like change, he is also the heart and he has to help Thomas deal with those changes as they come. It’s not easy or fun, but it’s something that he has to do.

I Don’t Wanna Pray is a song that grew on me the more I listened to it. It’s definitely got a fun tempo to it.

Also I want to go ahead and say that I have a kinda complicated relationship with religion. I have grown up with a religious family and have been to church a fair few times (we weren’t the kind of family that went every week, it was really only when I spent the night with my grandmother that I went). So I have some familiarity with the teachings of Christianity. If I don’t hit every beat on this, then I’m sorry. I did my best.

It’s not too surprising that a religious song like this made it onto Patton’s playlist. After all, we’ve seen how Thomas’s religion means a lot to him and how he lives his life by his morals. It wouldn’t make much sense if this type of song wasn’t on the playlist.

I love my God, God made love I love my God, God made love I love my God, God made hate I love my God, God made hate I love my God, God made good I love my God, God made good I love my God, God made bad I love my God, God made me (Yeah)

Normally I wouldn’t include so many repeats for the sake of length, but the one word changes here is worth looking at. It goes from love to hate to good to bad and then instead of repeating bad, it says “me.”

Could it be that the singer thinks they’re bad? Maybe, but I think the point of all these repeats is to say that “me” (humans) are composed of love, hate, good, and bad. That God made all of those things and then made man with them. And despite that, the singer still loves God, because He made all those things, even if it’s something we consider to be bad.

And everything listed goes under morals and feelings. Love, hate, good, bad. Everything that Patton is (“I’m the core of a lot of your feelings”) is those things, and then some.

But I don't wanna pray to my maker I just wanna be what I see Not just who I am but the pink and darling land And that fiery wild sky over me Help me through the sun Hey I'm lookin' everywhere See I'm looking to become not the pray-er but the prayer

---

I don't wanna pray to my maker I just wanna be feelin' free Not like in a book, or the leaves of trees that shook From a word that means only not a thing Pardon god and mom, what I'm sayin' isn't fair See I'm looking to become, not the prayer but the prayer

I pretty much translate this to “I want to be the good I see in the world.” That instead of praying and hope that God will fix something or make something better, that they want to go and do what they would pray for. To take all the good and love and bad and hate that God made them out of and do something worthwhile with it.

Not much good to talk, better to walk it Not much good to take, better to give We are gone forgiven and forgotten of our sins I promise you my friend all that dies will live again Pardon god and mom, what I'm sayin' isn't fair See I'm looking to become, not the prayer but the prayer

This verse really drives home that idea. Better to give the good than to take it from others. That, yeah, you’ll sin (bad and hate are included in that beginning verse, remember), but God will forgive them.

Honestly this whole song just reinforces a lot of what we already know. Patton, out of all the other sides, holds the religious teachings Thomas had closely. It’s how he has determined to live his life. And Thomas is a good person. He wants to do what is right and do exactly what the song says: give good and love, practice what he preaches. Maybe it’s not always fair, but he firmly believes in how he lives, maybe even to a fault.

I personally relate to New Soul and honestly this is another song that’s a very obvious Patton song and why it would be on this playlist. I know that’s the point, but still. It’s good.

I'm a new soul I came to this strange world Hoping I could learn a bit about how to give and take But since I came here Felt the joy and the fear Finding myself making every possible mistake

Gosh, we’ve all been here right? Going into a new situation or stepping into a new part of our lives and just messing it all up and tripping over ourselves as we go along.

Yeah, I know that’s how life works, but I’m still going to complain about it.

I don’t know if it’s the voice or the way it’s sung or the music but this song just reminds me of those scenes in movies where the MC or someone makes this new creature and the creature comes out and we have to watch them stumble through the world and learn about all the good and bad things about life.

But, like I said, we’ve all been there. Where we’re just feel like we’re thrown into this unknown world and have to stumble through it blindly.

I'm a young soul in this very strange world Hoping I could learn a bit bout what is true and fake But why all this hate? Try to communicate Finding trust and love is not always easy to make

This is a super hard lesson. There are people out there (myself included) who are just very trusting. We want to see the best in people and give them the benefit of the doubt. But it’s so hard, because other people see that and take advantage of that. It’s a hard lesson to learn and it sucks.

We’ve seen that Patton is like this. In Accepting Anxiety, he didn’t think anyone would break into Thomas’s car, even though it’s a very real possibility. He’s a bit like a little kid who doesn’t understand the “don’t talk to strangers” rule in that regard.

And as Logan said in that episode, it’s good for him to trust people, but he’ can’t always afford to. And man, sometimes you have to learn that the hard way.

This is a happy end Cause' you don't understand Everything you have done Why's everything so wrong This is a happy end Come and give me your hand I'll take you far away

There’s a bit of naivety here. Of being oblivious to the bad stuff and thinking that everything is still good and happy, but things are still wrong. The last part of it makes me think that it’s the singer telling another new soul to come with them, that they’ll protect the other new soul.

Another thing that just so Patton. He can be naïve, but he also wants to protect those around him from the horrors he’s endured (however sever those horrors may be).

And he makes mistakes. Sometimes irreversible mistakes. Remember, sometimes the heart leads us nowhere.

I can’t decide if Better Together is on there as a song to all the sides and Thomas or if it’s just to Roman or just to Thomas.

Now, yes, it’s a love song. No, we’re not going to talk about shipping in these, since I highly doubt that’s what Thomas and Joan were thinking when they put these together.

There is no combination of words I could put on the back of a postcard No song that I could sing but I can try for your heart Our dreams and they are made out of real things Like a shoebox of photographs With sepia-toned loving

Love is the answer At least for most of the questions in my heart Like why are we here? And where do we go? And how come it's so hard? It's not always easy and Sometimes life can be deceiving I'll tell you one thing It's always better when we're together

See, my first thought is Roman.

Patton and Roman have to work together in order for Thomas to be happy. Without Roman’s ideas and his hopes and dreams, there’s not much Patton can do to make Thomas happy. And without Patton giving Thomas motivation and having that love, Roman can give idea after idea, but Thomas can’t act on them.

They’re an important pair.

And in that second verse? It makes me think of Why Do We get Out of Bed in the Morning. All those questions? Why are we here, where do we go, why is it so hard? Of course Patton’s answer to that would be love. Thomas’s love for his job, his friends, his family, his fans. But Roman couldn’t really see that because he and Logan negated Patton’s input. I bet you that conversation would have gone differently if Patton had been there.

You can’t really have dreams and aspirations without having heart behind them, right?

And all of these moments Just might find their way into my dreams tonight But I know that they'll be gone When the morning light sings Or brings new things For tomorrow night you see That they'll be gone too Too many things I have to do But if all of these dreams might find their way Into my day to day scene I'd be under the impression I was somewhere in between With only two Just me and you Not so many things we got to do Or places we got to be We'll sit beneath the mango tree now

Okay so I’ve sat here listening to this part over and over again trying to get a read on it. Here’s what I think, and you know, I could be totally wrong.

There’s a balance between dreams being realistic and then them just being fantasies. We know that Roman doesn’t really know where that line is. Patton does. He helps to keep Roman in check and brings him back down to Earth when he needs to. But’s it’s good for them to be somewhere in between. Sometimes having crazy dreams and aspirations is good, just as long as you don’t get too lost in them.

I believe in memories They look so... So pretty when I sleep --- But there is Not enough time And there is no... No song I could sing And there is no Combination of words I could say But I will still Tell you one thing We're better together

Patton is big on memories. This has been made very clear in his room. Thomas can use those memories in order to want to continue to follow his dreams. Like the first time he saw a Broadway show, or the first time he stared in a production, and using that nostalgia and fondness to pursue his acting career. Roman goes crazy over those memories in Patton’s room, and we saw that at the end of it, he was psyched up to get back to the theater. Patton holding onto those memories did that. They can act as inspiration and motivation.

Patton and Roman can work so well together. They’re a creative team, they need each other in order for the other to strive. They help to balance each other out and keep Thomas creating and passionate.

And now, Vienna.

I almost feel like I don’t need to analyze this one. Everyone seems to have already done it.

But you know what, I love it so I’m going to dive into it.

After I gush about it.

The piano, the tempo, the softness of it. It’s an amazing song.

Okay okay I’m good.

So.

This song isn’t even about Patton. It’s about the others. It’s him talking to each of the other three sides. It’s him trying to tell them what he sees in them. Does it make me emotional? Yes.

So as always, let’s start at the beginning

Slow down, you crazy child You're so ambitious for a juvenile But then if you're so smart, tell me Why are you still so afraid, hmm? Where's the fire, what's the hurry about? You'd better cool it off before you burn it out You've got so much to do and only so many hours in a day-ay But you know that when the truth is told That you can get what you want or you could just get old You're gonna kick off before you even get halfway through, ooh When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?

Logan. He is ambitious. He wants order and structure in Thomas’s life, and he works so hard to get there. But he’s afraid of failing. So he works harder. Patton’s trying to tell him to slow down. Don’t try to get everything done at once and to take his time. That it’s not the end of the world if Thomas doesn’t accomplish everything on his To-Do list. And if he keeps pushing, Thomas isn’t going to have any energy left for anything at the end of the day.

Slow down, you're doing fine You can't be everything you want to be before your time Although it's so romantic on the borderline tonight Tonight Too bad but it's the life you lead You're so ahead of yourself that you forgot what you need Though you can see when you're wrong You know you can't always see when you're right You're right

You've got your passion, you've got your pride But don't you know that only fools are satisfied? Dream on, but don't imagine they'll all come true, ooh When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?

Roman. Oh Roman, Roman, Roman. This one is my favorite.

He’s so ready to get to where he wants to be. He just wants to go go go, do everything so he can finally achieve what he’s been working on for so long.

But he’s ambitious. He needs to stop, take a step back, and breathe.

And Patton sees his self-confidence issues. He sees that Roman acts like a big brave prince but underneath it all he’s scared. He’s so hard on himself when he’s wrong, but he doesn’t celebrate when he’s right, when he’s on a roll.

Like I said before, Patton keeps Roman grounded. The passion, the pride, he helps to keep that in check. And as much as Roman may hate it, he has to be realistic about Thomas’s dreams.

Slow down, you crazy child And take the phone off the hook and disappear for awhile It's all right, you can afford to lose a day or two, ooh When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?

This one is short, but I think it speaks a lot for Virgil. He has kind of been the side that determines he’s on his phone a lot, maybe checking Tumblr and twitter to see what people are saying about Thomas, who stays by his phone to make sure that Thomas doesn’t miss anything, that he responds to emails and texts and phone calls right away so no one will be upset. So they don’t think any less of him.

But Patton wants him to realize that he can take a break. It’s not the end of the world. Like Logan, Virgil stresses about Thomas being on time and keeping to his schedule. Not because of order or structure, but because he doesn’t want Thomas to be a failure or to lose what he’s worked so hard for.

In a way this one goes with Logan’s. taking a break isn’t the end of the world. His friends and family will be okay if he doesn’t respond right away. It’s okay.

It’s You I Like is another song that I feel like it just Patton talk to the other sides. I don’t really know if Thomas and Joan had an idea of who. My first impression was Roman (what with his confidence issues) but looking at the lyrics I can really see it being to anyone.

It's you I like Not the things you wear Not the way you do your hair But it's you I like

The way you are right now Way down deep inside you Not the things that hurt you Not your toys; they're just beside

You

'Cause it's you I like Every part of you Your skin, your eyes, your feelings Whether old or new

Hope you will remember Even when you're feelin' blue It's you I like It's you yourself It's you It's you I like

It’s supper short song, so there’s not too much to break down. Honestly I think this is just Patton saying…yeah, he loves the other sides. He loves Thomas. No matter what any of them decide to wear, he’ll be supportive. No matter how they choose to present themselves, he’ll be there. No matter how they feel or think, he’s not going to go anywhere or turn against them. He likes them for them, no matter what.

Thomas and Joan have already said that Little Shadow is about Virgil. But they didn’t say why so that’s what I’m going to try to do.

Have you ever had a younger friend, maybe at school or as a neighbor, who kinda follows you around because they don’t know what else to do? Heck, have you ever been that friend? Or maybe you have a little cousin or sibling who watches your every move to learn how to be.

That’s kinda how I see the start of Patton’s and Virgil’s relationship. Virgil is new to the “Light” sides and he just got Thomas to start really listening to him and taking him seriously, but he’s still unsure of his place. So Patton guides him a little by being completely and undoubtedly supportive of him. To a fault, as we’ve seen.

But this song reminds me of that beginning, of Patton reaching out hand to Virgil and helping to lead him.

Patience, shadow For all your sight, there's no sight to see Little shadow, little shadow To the night, will you follow me? Pardon, shadow Hold on tight to your darkened key Little shadow, little shadow To the night, will you follow me? Closer, shadow For all your strikes, still, we're caught between All this sorrow, little shadow To the night, will you follow me? Every shape and size Deep and deep, we dive Turn and turn aside To a fantasy Little shadow Into the night, will you follow me? Little shadow To the night, will you follow me?

This whole song just makes me reinforces the “Patton wants to protect Virgil” thing. For a while there, yeah, Virgil needed Patton’s support and probably even relied on it. If this song is Patton’s point of view of Virgil (Thomas’s words) then we can really see why Patton treats Virgil the way he does. The song has this little shadow who needs a guide into the scary unknown. Maybe Virgil was like that at one point, but he’s not anymore. Patton still sees him like that, though, which is why he was still treating Virgil the way he was in the Phases video.

That brings us to Sad.

Thomas has said that this is the song that inspired him to make the playlist. That he imagined Patton singing it about Virgil. So to go along with the last one then…well.

You're just too good at being sad I'm just a Band-Aid on a broken heart Yeah, I'm the best at making you laugh For a breath, and you're back in your head, you're so sad You're so sad

Don't know if I'm hurting or helping It's just so damn hard to tell when You're just too good at being sad

Virgil is anxiety. He’s a huge part of Thomas and the fact that he’s there at all means that Thomas does have anxiety issues. He’s been open abut his social anxiety before, and Virgil encompasses that (among other things).

Patton tries to help. He wants to make Virgil comfortable, to get a laugh or even just a smile out of him. And maybe he does, but Virgil always ends up back to where he started. Anxious and sad.

All I wanna do is take the sad from you, but I can't and you wouldn't let me anyways

I think Patton feels a little helpless. His job, in his mind, is to keep Thomas happy, and to do that the others need to be happy as well. That’s why he tries so so hard. But in Virgil’s case, that’s hard. Not only can he not change who Virgil is or Thomas’s anxiety (and depression? We’re unsure at the moment), but Virgil wouldn’t let him change it. Either out of stubbornness or a fear of the huge change that would be.

The song goes on to repeat, so I won’t put any more lyrics here. I just think this song sheds so much light on how Patton is feeling right now, after Virgil’s rejection of the nicknames and the ask that Patton completely change the way he treats Virgil.

Then there was the whole thing with Deceit and Remus. The two haven’t really had much of a chance to reconcile. Virgil got his feelings out to Patton, but Patton is still sitting on his own.

There’s still a lot those two need to work on and talk about. Thomas seems to be in the middle of reevaluating himself and that includes the relationship his has with his anxiety. I, for one, am looking forward to see how it plays out.

Oh Heart is one of those nonsense songs I was talking about earlier. I love it, it’s so fun, but it’s also kkiinndddaaa hard to analyze. For me, anyway.

But looking at the lyrics literally all I can think is that it’s Patton singing to Logan, trying to get his attention.

I'm a bee. You're a tree on a moon cloud in the sea. --- Oh heart, Oh Heart, stop making a fool of me. (fool fool fool fool fool fool of me) Maybe I'm a monkey in the a tree running with the hope and possibility Throwing pennies down the wishing well Hoping and wishing Male monkey just to look at me. Look how quickly i can climb a purple tree. I’m gymnast, chemist, centric mathematician. You should look at me. Look at me!

This honestly looks like it’s Patton saying stuff to get Logan’ attention. Like saying “I know big words too!” and trying to impress him. And I can’t blame him! If there’s one side that ignores Patton the most, it’s Logan. He doesn’t think Patton is serious enough, when really he just doesn’t understand Patton’s reasoning. I'm great. I'm green. I'm gorgeous. I'm every thing that starts with a "G" I'm goofy. I'm gargantuan. I'm going to make you laugh again. Got one smile and I'm gone. I live in a horn

Again, a lot of him trying to show off his own knowledge in his own Patton-y way. He wants to get Logan to loosen up and have fun too, which is why he gets so excited whenever Logan makes a pun. I'm everything that a flower is I plan to make about 30 kids I got sink for his and hers and hers for his. One well where my cotton is I'm a Baby and I'm basically The B girl who's been baking your heart in my stove hungry for your love

Patton’s desperate for Logan’s approval. He wants the validation by the embodiment of knowledge, to know that who he is is okay. That his feelings and everything he feels is normal. If anyone would know that, it’s Logan. One day you have to show me How you do that thing when you ignore your heart. Oh, One day you'll have to teach me how you do that thing when you forget about the Sun Sun Sun Sun?

Logan’s able to ignore his own emotions so well, and Patton being the embodiment of emotions, likely doesn’t understand it. How Logan is able to just ignore those things. To ignore Patton. Those two have had such a silent tug-o-war going on, and they have been since Heart vs. Mind. No wonder Patton snapped at him in Moving On, Logan had been ignoring him for so long. Why couldn’t he understand the feelings were too hard to deal with?

The Flame is the type of song that is so soft it can easily put me to sleep.

You know I think this is my favorite playlist so far.

Anyway, The Flame is definitely about Roman.

Hold on to the flame That only you can hold That keeps at bay the darkest cold Another light could never make you whole

The flame here could be passion, motivation, an idea. Something that keeps the light of creativity alive. Roman, being pride, is easily able to be discouraged and dissuaded. Patton acts a bit like a cheerleader in that regard. I know I’ve said this before on a few other songs, but those two really would not be whole without the other. Their jobs would be a lot harder.

Softly but sure The story that you weave Will be the gift that sets you free The ashes of a tapestry

Patton knows that the creative process takes a long time. He’s there for all of it. But Roman’s the one who weaves the stories, so he sees the work put into it, helps with it.

There will be times That it seems your world and wants collide But hold on for your heart to beat inside To be your guide

Roman has to learn to let Patton really help him. They’ve worked together before, on the Mind Palace, on the Christmas sweaters. So we know that they work well together. It just seems to be on Roman’s terms. Patton is telling him here to let him help, especially when the world throws a bunch of stuff at them. The good and bad.

Hold on to the flame That only you can touch That lights the path it must The journey is a game of trust

Roman has to trust him. Learn to accept the help of others and humble himself a little.

There will be times that grow darker with the dusk But light will still remain in us The longest night is but a shadow's blush

Creating is hard. It takes up so much brain power and a lot of times you fall into this slump and you feel like maybe this time is it. I won’t be able to find that spark of creativity again. And it seems like it takes forever, but eventually it comes back to you.

Patton doesn’t want Roman to burn himself up. He doesn’t want that burn out to happen, because that affects not only Roman, but Patton too. So he wants him to hold onto the flame, don’t let it go so they can keep going.

Is Landslide considered country? I think so? I dunno. I don’t know why people were mad about it, it’s a good song (says someone who grew up in the south).

But like? Listen to the lyrics. Thomas and Joan didn’t put it on the playlist for no reason. You people want angst and this song provides it.

When I looked into what this song meant to the songwriter, I honestly couldn’t think of another reason it would be on Patton’s playlist. This was a song written after a breakup, and I don’t know if Thomas and Joan knew that or not, but after Moving On, I think it’s perfect.

I took my love, took it down I climbed a mountain, and I turned around And I saw my reflection in the snow-covered hills Till the landslide brought me down

Patton puts his love out there for all. We know this. We see it. Thomas loves so much and so hard, because of Patton. So when that love isn’t recuperated or the love that was given back and taken away, it’s crushing. Heartbreaking, literally. So when the breakup happen, imagine how he felt. I mean, I know we saw a bit of it in Moving On, but that was months after the fact. I imagine that, yeah, it felt like the ground came out from under his feet and pulled him down.

Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love? Can the child within my heart rise above? Can I sail through the changing ocean tides? Can I handle the seasons of my life?

Well, I've been afraid of changing 'Cause I've built my life around you But time makes you bolder, even children get older And I'm getting older too

This verse more than anything else in the song just screams Patton to me. He is the children within Thomas’s heart, for one. Heartbreak is hard, and reminding yourself of being a child, when such a thing didn’t happen (I’m talking serious heartbreak, here. And also just in general. To those of you who did have to go through heartbreak as a child, I’m so sorry and I hope you’re doing okay). Moving through a big change in life, standing on the borderline, you could say, is difficult. For someone like Thomas, whose morality keeps literally everything in Thomas’s life he can’t let go of which is to say…everything, it’s super hard for a big change to happen. To having to relearn how to live again, basically.

We saw it, in Patton’s two parter. How hard it was for him to accept that he needed to move on, and that it was okay to be sad. But as time went on, as he got older and learned how to live without his ex, it got easier. Or it will, I should say. I don’t really know the time period in which all this took place between episodes since apparently we’re on a timeline now that’s different to just present day.

Life can be a bitch and sometimes it crashes down on you and hard. Patton, out of all of the others, can and will feel the biggest impact of it.

If Roman was the bruised ego in Logan and Virgil’s debate episode, I’m not really sure what Patton would be like right after a heartbreak (as opposed to months after).

I feel like we all need the optimism that Float On has in our lives.

But yeah, this strikes me as Patton too. He tries to find the good in everything, even really shitty situations.

Backed my car into a cop car the other day Well he just drove off sometimes life's ok I ran my mouth off a bit too much oh what did i say Well you just laughed it off it was all ok

Oh the optimism. I feel like if this were Virgil’s POV he would be freaking out, but Patton’s just trying to keep things calm and look on the Bright Side. We all have these kind of people in our lives right? Either they’re really helpful or really annoying?

And we'll all float on any way well

Well, a fake Jamaican took every last dime with that scam It was worth it just to learn some sleight-of-hand Bad news comes don't you worry even when it lands Good news will work its way to all them plans We both got fired on the exactly the same day Well we'll float on good news is on the way

Again, the optimism. Taking the chance to remind yourself that yeah, you learned something out of this shitty situation. Good news comes with bad. Something good will happen even if something bad does as well.

And we'll all float on alright Already we'll all float on Alright don't worry even if things end up a bit to heavy We'll all float on alright Already we'll all float on Alright already we'll all float on Ok don't worry we'll all float on Even if things get heavy we'll all float on Alright already we'll all float on Don't you worry we'll all float on All float on

At this point, I don’t know if this is supposed to be Patton comforting Virgil or himself. Or both.

But in the context of the sides, this is really just how you have to calm your anxiety. It’s just constantly what my therapist tells me to do when I start to feel anxious, just tell myself “it’s okay, I’m okay for xyz reasons, this’ll be okay, it’s all good, that situation didn’t go as bad as you think it did, it was actually pretty chill, it’s fine” while doing some deep breathing.

So Patton being like this with Virgil makes total sense to me. Him being Thomas’s morality also makes him be the “dad’ friend and therefore the more comforting side. When Thomas gives comfort, it’s the Patton shining through, so this song is one that definitely highlights that.

You know, I’m not sure if putting a Beatles song on here was purposeful, or if the lyrics just fit, but The Beatles is such a dad band. And I don’t mean that as an insult to anyone who like The Beatles, they’re a good song but like…how many of us have parents that grew up with The Beatles in their prime? I swear there’s a club of Parent Artist: The Beatles, Elvis, early Michele Jackson. There’s probably more.

A n y w a y

With a Little Help from My Friends is a cute and fun song, honestly. I guess you can’t have a Patton playlist without having at least one song about friends. We all know how much Thomas loves his friends (*insert gif of Logan saying “I think he cares about his friends* here)

What would you think if I sang out of tune? Would you stand up and walk out on me? Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song And I'll try not to sing out of key

Back to Patton being a dad character, this verse just kinda reminds me of a dad. Someone who would randomly burst into song and it probably be a little off key just to either 1) embarrass their kid or 2) make them laugh.

And I don’t mean an actual parent, necessarily. A friend or partner can be the same way. It also shows a bit of insecurity, like trying to make sure that the person he’s singing this to doesn’t leave if he ends up not singing that well.

What do I do when my love is away? Does it worry you to be alone? How do I feel by the end of the day? Are you sad because you're on your own?

This is another show of insecurities. Thomas’s lack of a romantic partner not only affects Roman, but Patton as well (see: the Moving On two parter). Roman wouldn’t be the only side feeling sad and lonely. Patton, needing that attention and validation just as much or maybe more than Roman, shares some of the same feelings.

No, I get by with a little help from my friends Mh, get high with a little help from my friends Mh, gonna try with a little help from my friends

I’m just going to go ahead and say that I’m not sure Patton would understand the high joke. I’m not even sure I understand the high joke.

But anyway, unlike Roman, Patton—being the source of Thomas’s love for his friends—would absolutely find that solace and validation through his friends. There’s a difference between platonic and romantic love, but as we see in the next verse, Patton just needs the love. He needs to be loved by other people in order to feel happy. Not to go all Logan, but looking at Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, that kind of support is something you literally need in order to function as a human being.

Do you need anybody? I need somebody to love Could it be anybody? I want somebody to love

Would you believe in a love at first sight? Yes, I'm certain that it happens all the time What do you see when you turn out the light? I can't tell you, but I know it's mine

I…really don’t want to talk about that last line. I’ll leave it there for your own interpretation.

Let’s just focus on the love at first sight line. Again, very Patton. He seems to me like someone who falls in love easily. And in this case, love at first sight doesn’t necessarily have to be romantic. Meeting someone who you just immediately click with is something that, yeah, happens all the time. Some of those people end up being lifelong friends (hi Kai).

Also I may be talking just from an ace perspective. It’s always been easy for me to love my friends (I relate very highly to Thomas in this regard).

But from a romantic (and I guess sexual??? But in my mind, that’s sorta Roman/Remus’s area. Also very uncomfy for me to talk about so we’re just not going to touch on it) perspective, yeah. Wanting romantic love is a hell of a drug. And in my opinion, romantic love at first sight is 100% possible and happens more than we probably think it does. And again, Patton (Thomas) strikes me as someone who falls in love easily, so it makes sense to me that he would relate to this idea.

Do you need anybody? I just need someone to love Could it be anybody? I want somebody to love

I feel that it’s important to note that at this point in the song, the singer sounds very tired. Like yes I just want somebody to love stop asking. It also strikes me as an affirmative to the questions asked. Yeah, it can be anybody. But in the repeated chorus that comes after, they also reiterate that they get by with help from their friends. Their friends are there and they help, even if they don’t fill the romantic hole. They still provide that support and love that can fuel someone who loves as strongly as Thomas does.

What Makes The World is another song I just love. It’s so fun to sing along with and it’s catchy and fun and it’s just great.

Also, and I know I probably sound like a broken record here, but it’s such a Patton song! And like, I know that’s the point! But still! It’s so good!

Oh, I heard that spreading hate is easy And kindness is beneath me But that ain't so And I heard that God ain’t worth believing And hearts are made for keeping But that ain't so Fear can be found in the heart of the proud Peace runs it out without making a sound

Patton’s such an optimist. He’s also stubborn, as hears can be. So believing in what these lyrics are saying is 100% him. Believing that kindness is easier than spreading hate, believing in God and knowing when to let go of someone, living in peace instead of fear. It’s all so Patton. It makes so much sense to his character and that these lyrics would speak to him.

What makes the world What makes the world What makes the world What makes the world keep spinning? What makes it all What makes it all What makes a life worth living now? Love makes the world go 'round

This is the only time I’m going to put the chorus, so let’s talk about it.

For someone like Thomas, who, as we’ve established, seems to love so easily, believing that love and kindness is what makes up the world and gives life worth makes a lot of sense. Thomas, as people would say, has a kind heart. He reminds me of characters like Steven Universe or Mable Pines, both characters who care a lot about those around them, their friends especially.

Also, just for lyrics themselves, they have a ring of truth to them. Being cynical and full of hate gets no one anywhere. Spreading love and kindness and happiness makes life a lot better, both for you and those around you. And it’s a mindset Patton has. It’s why he tries to keep the peace between the other sides. Having inner peace and inner kindness is super important, and I think it’s something he tries hard to keep up, even when things get rocky.

Oh, I heard to turn away a neighbor Is living without danger But that ain’t so Love is so much more than just a feeling It's comforting and it's healing For our souls

It’s really hard to analyze where there’s not much to analyze. Or sounding more of a broken record than I already am.

This just furthers the idea that Patton holds this kindness mindset close. Helping others is an important part of that, even and especially a neighbor. And maybe it does show a little bit of him being quick to trust, because while helping a neighbor out can be good, you should also be cautious because people are crazy. But in Patton’s mind, of course you should help! They are your neighbor after all!

Now the next verse is something that strikes me as something directed at Virgil and Logan, both of whom are reluctant to admit they love someone. But love is more than a feeling, it’s something that can encompass all of us. it’s a strong power, one that can be wielded for lots and lots of good.

And hey, loving oneself is important. Being loved by others is important. It’s really not something any of us could live without.

I could know the future I could tell you what it holds I could own the world And all its glitter and its gold I could have the faith To move mountains and the sea Without love, I don't have anything

This is a verse that pretty much translate to the last line in it. You can have all the power in the world, but without love, do you really have anything? It your life really whole?

And you know, I think Patton would remind himself of this a lot. Especially when Thomas is having another one of his dilemmas and Roman and Virgil or Roman and Logan are fighting again, when Thomas (and himself) start to feel down and doubtful. It’s a small thing, to some. After all, love can’t cure anxiety or depression. Love can’t solve every problem.

But it helps, even a little bit.

Do I even really need to put the lyrics here for Somewhere Over the Rainbow/It’s a Wonderful World? Don’t most of us just know these lyrics already?

Also can we just all appreciate the amazing talent of Israel Kamakawiwo’ole??? Such an amazing voice.

Anyway yeah I’m going to put the lyrics, because I know most of you aren’t going to want to look them up. Which is valid.

Somewhere over the rainbow Way up high And the dreams that you dreamed of Once in a lullaby Somewhere over the rainbow Blue birds fly And the dreams that you dreamed of Dreams really do come true ooh ooooh Someday I'll wish upon a star Wake up where the clouds are far behind me Where trouble melts like lemon drops High above the chimney tops that's where you'll find me Oh somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly And the dream that you dare to, oh why, oh why can't I?

The Wizard of Oz honestly feels like a movie/show Patton would really like. Dorthy seems like someone he would relate to. Her kindness and optimism I feel like would speak to him. Also, she has a super cute dog.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow is a very wistful song. It’s a song that promises that things will be better, one day. That you will achieve your dreams, even if those dreams aren’t wild. I think it really shows that Patton has dreams too, but not necessarily as big as Roman. This song is a lot more chill than the multiple on Roman’s playlist that talked about achieving your dreams. And this is the only song on here that really talks about dreams. And honestly in Patton’s case, it seems like his dream is to just be happy, however that may be.

Well I see trees of green and red roses too I'll watch them bloom for me and you And I think to myself What a wonderful world Well I see skies of blue and I see clouds of white And the brightness of day highlight the dark and I think to myself What a wonderful world

The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky Are also on the faces of people passing by I see friends shaking hands Saying, "How do you do?" They're really saying, "I...I love you" I hear babies cry and I watch them grow They'll learn much more Than we'll know And I think to myself What a wonderful world, world

The entire meaning of What a Wonderful World is to marvel at all the little things that exist, like flowers blooming, the rainbow, the kindness people show one another. Of seeing the good in the world and really appreciating it.

That’s something Patton absolutely reminds Thomas to do. Think about how the generations after him will learn so much more about the world, everything that had to have happened for the sun to shine today, the beauty of everything around him. Really “stop and smell the roses” kind of vibe.

And maybe because it’s such a chill song, but it makes me think of sitting outside on a warm but not too warm spring day, breathing in the fresh air and enjoying the sounds of nature. Or driving down a winding road in the mountains, appreciating the beauty of everything around you, how big the world is and how vast. Watching the birds fly overhead, watching people as you sit at a red light as you pass through a town. Wondering what their lives are like, if they’re doing okay, hoping that they’re in a good place.

Okay, I may have some experience with this.

But it’s also something I can imagine Thomas doing with some goading from Patton. Logan might be the “there’s a ton of stuff that had to have happened in order for you to exist so you should appreciate that” but Patton is the one who actually appreciates this (and the more I think about it, the more I think it’s a tragedy that Patton couldn’t be in Why Do We Get Out of Bed in the Morning).

Besides, if anything can appreciate being alive, it’s the heart.

Alright everyone, last two songs here we go

I honestly had no idea what Golden Slumbers brought to the playlist, other than it being a nice soft song that goes well with the transition to the end. then I realized this version of it was a cover of a Beatles song (I’m not that familiar with them okay?). So I wondered why they didn’t’ just put the original song on the playlist (I know there’s already a Beatles song on there, but they went to the trouble of putting the original version of I Need a Hero on Roman’s playlist and YES I am still salty it’s not the Shrek 2 version).

Turns out the cover is from a movie called I am Sam, and it’s about a disabled father raising his daughter to the best of his abilities. Now, I haven’t seen the movie, and I did just a little bit of research, so it could be totally missing the mark here. But the fact that the movie is about a father-child relationship felt a little too on the nose to ignore.

Now, as we all know, Patton is not really a father nor is he disabled. But a movie with such a moving plot and a high focus on the father’s determination to be a good one for his daughter seems to me like something Patton would very much, well, take to heart.

Once there was a way To get back homeward Once there was a way To get back home Sleep pretty darlin' Do not cry And I will sing a lullaby Golden Slumbers fill your eyes Smiles await you when you rise

These lyrics just repeat so…really this is all there is.

This song just brings comfort to the mind. I mean, that’s what lullabies are, right? Something to sing to your child when they can’t sleep in order to soothe their mind.

However, and allow me to get a little angsty and kinda headed into headcannon territory, it also seems like something one would use to comfort oneself. Maybe when they’re crying at night because some emotions are just too overwhelming, or they had a really bad day. A soft and sweet song to soothe the mind could be really helpful.

Now I’m not saying that that’s even remotely what Thomas and co were thinking when adding this song, but it was just something that popped into my head.

It’s so fitting that the last song is from Winnie the Pooh. I just love that. And be honest, how many of you are just now realizing it’s from Winnie the Pooh because you didn’t see the cover art at first? Huh? Huh? Just me? Okay.

I can’t decide if So Long is talking about Virgil or not. Like, I want it to be, but I don’t know if that’s actually it’s purpose.

It's not complicated but very hard to grasp But every time I see you I laugh I won't get too sappy, I've had no epiphany I just enjoy your company

See? Seems like Patton’s version of his friendship with Virgil. I mean, really, Virgil is the only one out of the other sides who Patton actively calls his friend. It’s clear he wants that relationship with Logan and Roman, but Patton and Virgil are really the only ones with any kind of clear friendship

You test my nerves, it makes me stronger So can you bother me a little bit longer? Hate to say goodbye, goodbye Hate to see the end, the end 'Cause it's been so long since I've made a friend

I feel like in the beginning, Virgil really did test Patton’s nerves. Patton wasn’t the number one Virgil fan until after Accepting Anxiety. Likely because Thomas had made the realization Virgil wasn’t the bad guy, but we’re getting off topic. Looking back at times before that arc, Patton seemed to only tolerate Virgil like the others did, though he did grow to Virgil faster than the others, even Thomas.

Hate to say goodbye, goodbye Hate to see the end, the end 'Cause it's been so long since I've made a friend like you Well, I could dot the I's and you could cross the T's 'Cause letters alone are lonely

God that’s so cute.

Anyway, yeah, very Patton imagery there. Kinda reminds me of the puppet episode, the simplicity of it. But giving the letters a “buddy” makes me think of Patton being Virgil’s buddy. It also makes them complete, and Virgil completes their little group.

Well, I could be the blossom and you could be the bee And then I could call you honey

Again, two things that go together, making something better.

Also, again with the very cute imagery.

You test my nerves, it makes me stronger So can you bother me a little bit longer? Hate to say goodbye, goodbye Hate to see the end, the end 'Cause it's been so long since I've made a friend Hate to say goodbye, goodbye Hate to see the end, the end 'Cause it's been so long since I've made a friend like you Some like to be alone, independent and on their own All alone, I guess they're free but not me, not me

Yeah, Patton being a loner isn’t really something that adds up. He’s very sociable and likes to be around the others. I mean, Thomas loves being around his friends, so it makes sense that Patton would be bored being alone, or just straight up dislike it.

Hate to say goodbye, goodbye Hate to see the end, the end 'Cause it's been so long since I've made a friend Hate to say goodbye, goodbye Hate to see the end, the end 'Cause it's been so long since I've made a friend like you

Okay i’m actually going to address the phrase that’s repeated a thousand times.

Remember how Patton said he likes to leave his room when they have to have a T party because he gets to see the others? Well it was kinda implied that he doesn’t always like going back. He likes interacting with the others and hanging out with them. A lot of times in the episodes, he seems excited to see the others when they come up (or appear, in Virgil’s case).

Or, there is one more conclusion I can make to this song.

This is Patton talking to…well, us. the listeners. We’ve spent the past hour listening to his songs, ones he put together (look at the descriptions of the playlists. They’re all implied to have been together by each side). So, after to listening to all these songs he “used to listen to when {he} was {our} age…and {his} age now” it would make sense in my mind that he would then consider us friends and this is his way of saying goodbye.

“I had a good time with you, kiddos, I hate to see you go! Come back some time. So long!”

#sanders sides #patton sanders #roman sanders #logan sanders #virgil sanders #thomas sanders #patton's playlist analysis

28 notes · View notes

a-woman-apart · 3 years

Text

Astrological Compatibility

After experiencing all that I have this year, I definitely believe that astrology does play a role in compatibility, in the sense that astrology is a pseudoscience based around how time of birth, planetary cycles, and place of birth affect personality. It was developed by human beings at a time when scientific methods of interpreting data were not developed to where they are today.

If we take a look at how this might play out from a more scientific perspective, think of the “nature vs. nurture” argument. Nature applies to traits that develop either from genetics or during fetal developmental. Nurture applies to external social and developmental factors that contribute to personality after birth.

There does seem to be a correlation between what season and month people were born in and certain personality traits. It is definitely true that levels of sunlight can have a huge impact on human health and development, but light exposure and seasons can be vastly different across the globe (especially in moving closer and farther away from the equator), which is probably why detailed astrological charts involve looking at birthplace.

It also provides perspective on why there are differences between the Western and Chinese Zodiacs but there are still some similarities in the way traits are applied. For example, in the Western Zodiac we have “Earth, Air, Fire, and Water” and in the Chinese Zodiac we have “Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water” because human beings across cultures understand how valuable these elements were to our survival.

Human beings are pattern-seeking creatures, so it isn’t any surprise that they personified these elements and began correlating them to aspects of human personality. It was just another way of trying to make sense of the world, and I am not surprised that when astrologers examined the natural world and the cosmos (as better astronomical tools became available) they began to make connections between children born in certain seasons and certain personality traits, and I don’t believe the correlation is completely nonexistent.

The issue we see is that some people tend to think that personality is a fixed thing, and that when someone is born a certain way [nature] their traits are entirely resistant to change [underemphasizing nurture].

Even if astrology can offer us some predictors about how a person’s character might develop, we have to remember that personality has nothing to do with whether someone is a “good” or “bad” person. Some people may be more or less outgoing than others, more or less athletic, more or less organized, more or less playful, and more or less “nice” than other people, but that has nothing to do with their morality or ability to be a good romantic partner, friend, sibling, or parent.

The strength of a relationship is almost entirely dependent on the values of the parties involved.

Whether “star-crossed” or “star-aligned”, the strength of peoples’ relationships is entirely dependent on whether or not they are based on honesty, mutual respect, and compassion. We all know that some people we love have habits that may occasionally-- or frequently-- grate on our nerves, but our choice on whether to continue living with and loving that person is rarely just down to personality.

We all have that person in our lives with a grinchy, McScrooge disposition, but we love them because they keep their word and you know deep down that they’ve got a good heart even if they don’t always show affection as easily as other people do.

We also all know someone that is the life of the party, loud, fun, almost obnoxious in their zest for life, but we wouldn’t trust them as far as we could throw them when it comes to any major responsibility. But we still love them anyway.

And with have to admit to ourselves, that sometimes love is not enough.

Love is never an excuse to allow someone to run roughshod over your boundaries, devalue your ideas, and monopolize your time. Love alone will not save any relationship where either party lacks respect, trust, and compassion.

After ending many relationships this year (including one that I held in very high value) I found out that it isn’t about personality. “Ugh, she’s such a Virgo!” is not a mature answer for why you can’t get along with your best friend, boss, or mother.

I know that Kati Morton used to say “some relationships are bad recipes” and I don’t really believe that anymore. I don’t really believe that people share mutual blame like that for why things fall apart. It’s fine to admit that someone annoys you or gets on your nerves, but when there is that much bad blood with someone you used to be associated with, I think that boundary violations-- either on your part or theirs-- are to blame.

I used to lean towards a belief in “star matches” but now I truly believe there are no incompatible signs.

I know that I tend to lack romantic chemistry with most of my fellow Air nomads, but I always have amazing conversations and a kind of instant connection. I know that from experience, Water signs are amazing listeners. I know that I tend to have a shared drive with so many Earth signs, and that Fire signs have a unique capability to humor and delight.

Fire signs can also burn your whole life down if you let them. Water signs can be secretive and vindictive. Earth signs can be so stubborn that they won’t admit a single flaw. Air signs can be unreliable and aloof.

But guess what? So can everyone, because we all have aspects of each element inside of us. Leaning a certain way does not make us more or less bad or good. It just makes us human.

As I reflect on my experiences this year, I am far more interested in how systems of meaning develop, than the systems themselves. Astrology, just like religion, was developed by humans who desperately wanted to provide an explanation for the mysterious workings of the cosmos, our planet, and the human heart. I think whether or not astrology is “real” is far less important than the history and traditions associated with it.

Each of the signs in the Western Zodiac has a unique mythological creature and story attached to it. It was only this year that I found out that Capricorn is represented by a half-goat, half-fish creature (essentially a mergoat), and I learned that my sign (Libra) was only introduced into the zodiac later, because there was too much intensity going on between The Virgin (Virgo) and Scorpio (the Scorpion, duh) and Libra was brought in to balance things out. That is the reason why Librans are the only members of the zodiac family to not be represented by a living creature.

I also found out that this might’ve been part of it because human beings have been liking the number 12 for a good minute, so we had to even out that odd 11 sooner or later. In my numerological deep dive I also found out that Romans were freaked out by the number 17, because it was written “XVII” and that, along with the fact that it was a weird prime number, really upset their sense of symmetry. In general it seems humans are not fond of numbers that cannot be divided by anything other than 1 and itself. So 9 is in, but 13 is out, and its probably more this, rather than the fact that we don’t want a snake sign in the Zodiac, that so many astrologers soundly refuse to recognize Ophiuchus. Obviously we make an exception for 0 (both a number and not a number) and also 1 and 2.

I “wiki-walked” more and found out that a number of prominent musicians have superstitions regarding numbers, probably because our profession is way more about keeping time and counting than most people realize.

Also, it’s been fascinating to find out about “the ages” which require incredible math to calculate. We are apparently just beginning the “Age of Aquarius” and a lot of changes that were predicted using past data seem to be “coming to pass.”

Full disclosure: you can’t use astrology to predict the future of the planet anymore than you can the future of your relationship.

I use astrology to help me understand the past, but I do not trust the validity of horoscopes because it is impossible to know the future. I have developed a saying “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it echoes.” Economists, political analysists, climate scientists, and other experts in their field do not make their predictions based on “hunches” or mysterious esoteric knowledge, they make their predictions based on interpretation of data, and even if these predictions can be incredibly accurate, they are not completely infallible.

In other words, you aren’t going to experience relationship troubles during “Mercury in retrograde” unless you expect and believe you will, or some other unrelated event causes it. The only difference then is that because you were hypervigilant, you shifted your own behavior in a way that exacerbated the issues, i.e. “a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

If your marriage or friendship is failing, “astrological differences” likely aren’t the main culprit. Similarly, you should never dismiss your intuition that something is wrong just because your horoscope said, “You will find true love in December” and that is when you found it. That’s called a coincidence, and they’re everywhere. Trust yourself and trust your instincts. Your own personal patterns matters much more than what a stranger or an algorithm has predicted about you. Don’t try to “follow the signs”, test things out and see if things you find in your chart actually line up with what you’ve been experiencing.

I really do believe in some kind of carnal divinity, a common life-energy that is connecting all living beings to one another. Don’t let your natural light and vitality be dimmed by people who enjoy burying their own light under a bushel. It isn’t a matter of “good” and “evil” in so many cases, but it really is about what kind of life each person wants and/or is willing to tolerate.

That beings said, welcome to Sagittarius season! I hope you all find your inner flame archer and ride on your metaphorical horse legs right into your destiny.

#moon sign in Sagittarius #star sign compatibility #history of astrology #toxic relationships #setting healthy boundaries #horsocopes #why you're not star crossed you just have a shitty relationship #loving yourself #time to centaur it up in this place

6 notes · View notes

airiervessel · 5 years

Note

65, loceit

65. one small kiss, pulling away for an instant, then devouring each other - from this list

Ships: Loceit, background Remile, implied MoxietyWord Count: 1,294Warnings: Sympathetic Deceit, alcohol, kissing while drunk i guess? drink responsibly kids

College AU, Deceit’s name is Damien.

Despite his protests and insistence that he does actually need to study, Logan is secretly glad his friends dragged him to this party. It’s one of Roman’s, and so of course he insisted on everyone showing up, though there’s hardly a face here that Logan doesn’t recognize. It’s a benefit of the pride club all hanging out together as often as possible, and therefore throwing parties together too – knowing everyone here helps Logan relax and feel safe drinking the punch Roman pushes into his hands.

He makes a little game of trying to figure out what’s in it – he knows Roman’s preferences, of course, but he doesn’t recognize any of those flavors in the drink. In fact, the punch hardly tastes like alcohol at all, though Logan knows that it’s full of the stuff. Remy probably helped make it, actually, so he should ask him if he remembers the recipe – but no, he thinks with a small snort of amusement, he can see Remy in an armchair on the other side of the room, his boyfriend Emile in his lap and his focus clearly not about to be pulled away.

“Care to share the joke?” A quiet voice comes from next to Logan, and he turns to see Damien standing there, holding a red solo cup identical to Logan’s.

“Nothing too funny,” Logan assures him. “I was going to ask Remy how he made the punch, since he usually helps with those kinds of things, but he seems a little distracted at the moment.”

Damien’s eyes flick to Remy and Emile, then back to Logan, who thinks he sees them flick downward for half a second before moving back up to meet Logan’s eyes. Logan blinks once, trying to ignore the way his heart skips a beat by taking another sip of his drink, the sweetness filling his mouth and the alcohol settling in his stomach and making him further understand the phrase liquid courage.

He moves a bit closer to Damien, their shoulders barely brushing together. He thinks he feels Damien respond from the way their elbows touch, and Logan smiles to himself as he looks down at the other. “Looks like they’re having fun,” Damien replies, still looking at where Remy and Emile are now fully making out on the armchair.

Damien suddenly turns to Logan and meets his eyes, and Logan is struck – not for the first time – by their difference in height; Damien is the perfect height so that if they were to hug, Logan could tuck his head under his chin and rest his own chin on top of Damien’s head. He blinks, realizing too late that Damien has asked him a question. “Sorry, what?”

Damien laughs, and Logan feels his stomach leap into his chest. “I said, do you want to go outside? I could use some fresh air.”

Hoping that the dim lighting doesn’t show his furious blushing, Logan nods and follows Damien through the familiar house, navigating through their friends and acquaintances until they reach the back door and exit onto the porch. When they pass an end table, Logan sets his drink down on it, deciding that he’s had enough. At any other party he’d be nervous about leaving it for others to clean up, but he knows that Roman will likely make him help clean tomorrow anyway, so he hardly even thinks about it. Once they’re outside, Damien leans against the wall of the house, looking up at the sky. Logan follows suit, the position familiar after so many nights of stargazing.

“Oh,” he breathes, unaware of Damien’s eyes on him.

“What?” The other asks, their voices quieter now that they don’t have to talk so loudly to be heard over the music.

“Oh, sorry,” Logan says automatically. “I spoke without meaning to. It’s just…I can see Orion. You cannot usually see it from the city. I have…missed it, I suppose, as odd as it sounds to miss a constellation.”

He feels Damien’s hand brush his, and the motion of interlacing their fingers feels so right that Logan wants to burst into song.

( He really needs to ask Remy what was in that punch, so he can know to avoid it in the future if it makes his thoughts this unreasonable. )

“Tell me about it. The constellation,” Damien says softly, and Logan can feel his blush rising again, but he nods and begins to speak.

“It is most easily identifiable by the three stars that make up its belt, as they’re arranged in a straight line, and the Pyramids at Giza were actually built aligned with the three stars of Orion’s Belt. It isn’t visible tonight, but the second star in the sword is actually not a star at all, but a nebula, which is a cloud of gas and dust that will eventually form into a star.”

There’s motion on his left, and he looks away to the boy next to him, who leans forward and catches the corner of Logan’s mouth in a quick kiss. They both freeze, but Logan is all too aware of the fact that their hands are still connected, and that this close he can count the flecks of yellow in Damien’s one green eye.

They stare into each other’s eyes for a moment that somehow feels like both a second and an hour, and the next second both of Damien’s arms are around Logan’s neck and Logan’s hands are on Damien’s waist, keeping both of them stable as their mouths press together. The kiss is fiery and intense, and Logan somehow manages to move backwards without breaking the kiss until he reaches the couch Roman has on the porch.

Logan has countless memories of hanging out with his friends on this couch, but he instantly has a new favorite one as he sits down and Damien straddles his lap, his hands going into Logan’s hair and drawing a whine from his throat.

Logan quickly loses himself in the sensations – the weight of Damien on top of him, the feeling of fingers pulling and combing through his hair, the taste of Damien’s tongue in his mouth, the sound of Damien’s pleased hum as Logan’s hands slip under his shirt to run over his bare skin.

“Oh, finally!” A voice comes from the door to their left, and Damien and Logan break apart to see Virgil standing there, a giggling Patton pressed to his side. “It took you idiots long enough. Roman owes me twenty bucks now.”

“He owes me fifty,” Patton grins, and Damien laughs, grabbing one of the throw pillows from next the couch and throwing it at them.

“It’s rude to bet on your friends’ love lives!” He exclaims, and Logan would normally add something here, but he’s still speechless after that incredible kiss, and Damien is still straddling his lap and it is very distracting.

“Not when your friends are being dumbasses!” Virgil responds, sticking out his tongue and turning to go back inside as Patton pulls him by the hand.

“We’ll leave you to it, guys,” Patton says with a wave of his free hand. “Be safe, no sex while you’re drunk!”

“Patton!” Logan exclaims, his face turning beet red as he turns to stare at their friend, who just giggles again as he and Virgil disappear back into the house, the screen door swinging shut behind them with a clang. Damien, at least, is also red, but he giggles and hides it in Logan’s neck, so Logan figures he hardly has anything to complain about.

#sanders sides #loceit #logan sanders #deceit sanders #ts logan #ts deceit #hickory-dickory-doc-k #ask #not gonna explicitly tag remile or moxiety since theyre background #kate writes

131 notes · View notes

winterknight1087 · 4 years

Text

Flower from the Fae (ch 33)

Chapter Title: A Mountain of (Platonic) Love

Summary: Virgil likes plants, but when he goes to investigate a plant his friend, Remy, tells him about, he doesn’t exactly check out the plant. Little does he know that the handsome man he meets there is a fairy who is about to challenge the world Virgil knows.

Word Count: 2595

Chapter Warnings: Sympathetic Deceit, Sympathetic Remus, cursing, implied homophobic comments by unaccepting parents

Chapter Pairings: LAMP, Sleep/Picani, Demus

AO3 Link My Writing

A/N: this is chapter 33, so read the first chapter here!

You all better be taking care of yourselves! *Patton-style glares at all of you like he does to Virgil after saying 'no one talks bad about my child'* 💜💜💜💜💜

“Come on, VeeVee! I know you can do it!” Patton cheered.

Gritting his teeth, Virgil concentrated on the plant. “Surgere!”

“No, it’s the imperative form, Virgil. It’s surge, not the infinitive surgere.” Logan stated, from where he was looking over Virgil’s plant notes.

Roman splayed out on the empty worktable. “Ugh, I thought when teaching someone the basics of magic, it would be easy. This is boring.”

Logan looked up from the notes. “What, did you expect the deal would just give Virgil all the knowledge required to use magic? No training whatsoever?”

“Uh…”

“No, do not continue that, your highness.”

“Oooooh, ouch. You got ‘your highness’ed. Logan is done with your shit.” Virgil grinned as he flopped into a chair, exhausted.

“What, and not yours?”

“If he were done with me, he’s be screeching ‘damn it, Virgil’ like everyone else.”

Logan rubbed his eyes, tiredly. “Plus, Virgil is actually doing extremely well. From what Joan told me, you should be glad we’re still not trying to light a match. He’s already attempting some of the more complex stuff.”

“I think RoRo just wants to do more traveling!” Patton giggled.

“Puh-lease!”

“Roman, we literally spent the entire afternoon in Paris. We have plenty of time to travel. Virgil getting control over his powers is quite a bit more important than planning another adventure.”

“Mrrph.”

“Thank you, Gala!”

Logan groaned but moved the notes he was looking over to the worktable. “Looking over these, I do question why you took so long to learn about magic, Virgil. These are extremely detailed in properties, uses, and side-effects of many plants. My understanding was that a botanist looked into the best care for different plants.”

“Believe it or not, those notes are only basic uses for different plants. Even those of us extremely dumb humans will use aloe vera for a burn.”

“But you have several directions on preparing a combination of herbs to treat more severe issues such as anxiety,” Logan answered, waving at a page with Virgil’s chicken scratch.

“Yeah, but those never worked.”

“Because you didn’t factor in the need for magic to complete these. Let’s move from making a flower grow to try this.”

Virgil winced away a little. “I…uh… I’m currently not allowed to try any more potions.”

“Who told you no?”

“Dee. Basically, one thing led to another and Remus and I may have set Dee’s study on fire.”

“Damn it, Virgil, not again.” Remy’s voice said from the greenhouse door.

“Really, if you think about it, it’s actually your fault for handing my spellbook to Remus and telling him to test me, Ocean Dirt.”

Remy peeked over the top of their sunglasses at him. “Gurl, you’re walking on thin ice.”

“Aren’t I always? Anyways, what’s up, Remy?”

“Emile is having an off day, so we’re having a movie marathon. Dee and Remy are already on their way. You weren’t picking up your phone, which I can understand why seeing you’ve got a couple of cuties with you.”

Patton gave them an apologetic grin. “Sorry! We kidnapped VeeVee from Dee to go on a trip to Paris for the afternoon and his phone ended up dying.”

“Which how dare it! We had more pics to take!” Roman announced.

Remy slowly blinked at this information Virgil willingly went into a major city? Wait, Virgil went to PARIS!! They may have been chill with his magic, but they were going to need some time to adjust to the idea of Virgil, their anxiety-ridden best friend, going off and spending an afternoon in some random place with his partners.

“Paris? Paris, France?” they asked.

Roman sat up excitedly. “Of course! It’s the world capital of romance! We’ll eventually go back as a single afternoon was not enough time.”

“Forget that, Rem. What kind of off day is Emile having?” Virgil asked.

“Parents called.”

Virgil was immediately on his feet. “OK, yikes. Give me a minute to get my phone and charger.”

He quickly went inside, leaving the fairies and sand being alone. “You three are welcome to come as well. Regardless of whatever Dee tries to convince himself of, you three are officially a part of our little family and that means you are welcome to join us in stuff. I’m not sure that was made clear between Dee’s insistent hissing and our talks about the fae deal.”

“If Emile is having an off day as you say, would it be more prudent for us not to come?” Logan asked, uncertainly.

“Like I said, you three are now a part of our little dysfunctional family,” Remy answered. “Best way to help him of these kinds of days is hanging out and reminding him that there are people who love him without denying any part of his identity. So, lots of food, games, and entertainment surrounded by his friends. If you three feel uncomfortable coming, it’s alright.”

“If it’ll help Emile, then we’ll come,” Patton answered, though he was still uncertain.

“Alright, got my phone,” Virgil said, moving to his worktable. “Hop on up, Gala.”

“Anything we should avoid discussing?” Logan asked as the group left the greenhouse.

“Emile has asked that we don’t discuss that for him. Even if it hurts him, he’d rather address those issues himself, on his own terms.” Virgil answered. “That said, you three just be yourselves and you won’t even touch any of those topics. Just respect Emile in who he is and what he does in his life and you will not even enter that ballpark.”

“Alright,” Logan looked around the small town. “So, are there plans for tonight then?”

“Lots of Disney/Pixar movies, fun, and love,” Remy answered. “Oh, Vee. Emmy will still be at his office for a little, so maybe you could…”

“Of course, what theme this time?”

“Disney animal sidekicks?”

Virgil nodded, thinking. “No problem. Hey, you guys want to help me make cookies? I usually just make a bunch of sugar cookies, but I have a feeling that it’s some kind of crime not to ask Pat for baking help.”

“Of course I’d love to help! Is anyone allergic to anything?” Patton asked, smiling brightly at the idea of baking with Virgil.

Ding!

Remy glanced at their phone. “Nothing for us, are you three allergic to any kind of Chinese? Dee and Remus are stopping to pick up dinner.”

“No.”

They sent the message off, listening to Patton discussing the various cookie recipes he had, all of which made Remy’s mouth water hearing about. Virgil grinned as he offered to let Pat take over the actual baking while he and Roman started discussing the animals to design on the cookies.

Remy caught Logan watching his three partners chatter with an amused look. “Hey, nerdy boi, you ever build a blanket fort before?”

“How is it that even with beings who do not fully know me know to put me on fort duty?” Logan commented to Patton.

“Because it’s a complex engineering problem. You have to understand what can go where for its maximum potential. I was asking as these three seem set to go on making a bunch of cookies and I need help turning my living room into a soft cozy fort.” Remy answered.

Roman snorted. “You just managed to make throwing blankets around a room sound nerdy.”

“At least they seem to understand that there is some kind of planning in making a fort,” Logan stated, giving the red fairy a look.

“And there’s the added issue of making sure our beloved cold-blooded shifter doesn’t steal all the blankets the first chance he gets.”

Virgil laughed. “The literal downfall of so many forts. And then the eventual kidnappings by the blanket monster.”

An intrigued look entered Logan’s eyes. “I’ll help you, Remy.”

They got to the house and all went to work. Virgil, Patton, and Roman went into the kitchen to start on the mountain of cookies they were planning and Logan followed Remy to collect every sheet and blanket they owned. Remy discovered quite quickly that they had picked the right fairy for this. Logan quickly took over on designing it. Remy just grinned and followed the fairy’s directions.

“Hey, Queen Bitch, you gotta try this!” Remy rolled their eyes but let the anxious man force some cookie dough into their mouth.

Remy’s taste buds were right to mouth-water listening to the discussion earlier as the cookie dough was already amazing and they just wanted to curl up in bed with a tub of it. They nodded which was enough to make Virgil laugh and head back into the kitchen, where they could hear the two fairies and Virgil arguing about the best animal in Disney. Remy caught a glance of Logan’s face, before smiling softly.

“You three are incredibly special to Anx.” Remy found themselves saying softly to Logan as they continued. “Only other being he’s warmed up to that fast is me.”

Logan glanced into the kitchen, smiling at the sight of his partners. “And I can promise you that he is incredibly special to us as well, Remy.”

Remy wasn’t sure what else they wanted to say, but they didn’t have to think of anything as the front door was thrown open to reveal Dee and Remus, both laden down with food. Logan and Remy immediately went over to take some of the bags and help carry them into the kitchen. It took a moment to find some free space, but Virgil was already condensing the cookie factory for the food.

“Great, the pests are here too,” Dee commented, off-handedly.

“Great, the snake is here,” Roman answered, not even glancing up from the cookie he was designing with Pua.

Virgil raised an eyebrow at Dee. “I thought you finally agreed to an ‘I will tolerate them’ truce?”

“Doesn’t mean I’m excited to see them.”

Dee and Remus started to properly set up the food and then the plates and utensils. Logan and Remy got the blanket fort finished, listening to Dee and Remus jump into the argument. Soon, all was finished and they started discussing what movies they should watch tonight, waiting for the final being.

Emile sighed as he climbed out of his car. It had been a long day and he was just glad to finally be home where he could cuddle his partner for the rest of the night. He could hear Remy moving about inside, with the clang of pans. He quietly entered the house and shut the door. He leaned his head against the frame, sighing. Emile took a deep breath, relaxing before he realized there were lots of different smells.

He turned around and found the living room converted into a giant plush room of blankets and pillows. Standing in the middle of the room was Remy, who was smiling at him. He glanced into the kitchen and saw six additional faces, peeking over at him, waiting with smiles. Remy moved forward and gently took his bag and set it aside. With that out of the way, they pulled the surprised man into a tight hug.

“Surprise,” they whispered to him.

After having to deal with his pretty much everything-phobic parents and just a whole mess of things, it didn’t really surprise him when his eyes started to tear up. “W-hat?”

“Come in here and get yourself a plate so the rest of us don’t feel bad about eating without you!” Dee called.

Remy laughed as they laced their fingers between Emile’s. “Well?”

“What is all of this?” he finally managed to ask as Remy gently dragged him into the kitchen where he saw a Chinese buffet and a mountain of cookies.

“Lots of love piled up for your pleasure!” Remus announced, smiling brightly and excitedly bouncing as he waited for Emile’s reaction.

Dee offered him a plate. “We heard about the call. We’re here to remind you that your parents may be biologically your family, we are just as much your family, who care and love you, Em.”

Emile gave Remy a look. “Rem, you didn’t need to…”

“Oh, hush. It’s not a matter of needing to do anything.” Remy answered. “We all love you and we want to spoil you.”

“And be here, however you need us, Emile,” Virgil added.

He smiled. “Thank you.”

“Now, let’s get this party started!”

The group got their food before moving into the living room. Logan started dictating where everyone should sit. Emile couldn’t help the grin as Dee got into an argument with him, knowing that by now it was just for the sake of arguing over real hatred. Everyone else had taken the spot Logan referred them to before Dee finally giving in and plopping down where the fairy told him.

Once he had done so, though, Dee froze, shocked. “What?”

Everyone but Remy and Logan watched on in confusion as Logan started rambling about thermodynamics and airflow. Roman called out that he needed to explain in English rather than in Nerd. Logan made a face but explained that where Dee was sitting was the warmest spot in the entire fort.

“MOVIE!” Remus screeched before Logan could start rambling again.

They managed to get through three movies before Remy and Roman got into a discussion of Disney’s weak LGBT representation. “Like come on! They could do more than have some character glance at a boy at the end of a movie for representation!”

“Exactly! They need to deck out a bunch of characters and send them to Pride or something.” Remy agreed.

Roman waved a cookie at them. “If they want a real prince version, they can steal mine! A young prince goes with his dads, completely decked out, to an anti-LGBT aunt who was talking bad to the family about her daughter being ‘badly influenced’. The evil aunt tells the young prince he will never find love and the prince ends his story with not only finding one love but three amazing princes of his own!”

“Huh, that sounds like something my uncle and his family did for me,” Emile commented softly, startling the prince. “My parents weren’t able to see more than two colors together for a month afterward because they had rainbow everything. All because I was questioning whether I was straight or not. They still blame my uncles for how far I fell from their idea of a ‘perfect’ child.”

“Oh,” Roman answered, shocked. “I’m sorry that your parents aren’t so accepting. If you would like, we can storm their house in rainbow everything!”

Emile laughed. “No, it’s alright. While they aren’t exactly as accepting as I might like, they’ve started to relax about it all, though slip up and make some not nice comments. Still, thank you for reminding me of that memory though. I should try and contact that uncle again. I haven’t heard from him since my mother banished him from ever visiting again.”

“So…” Remy commented uncertain of whether Emile was done or not. “Can we at least agree that in Mulan, Shang is absolutely bisexual?”

“No! He’s demisexual! Did you not see how disappointed he was when he learned that Mulan wasn’t Ping?” Remus screamed.

“Bitch, he’s bi!”

Roman joined in the argument, siding with Remy but also claiming Mulan was demisexual. Emile smiled as he snuggled in closer to Remy, with a blanket he somehow has managed to keep longer than a movie. He was lucky to have his friends and partner. The most recent joining fairies had already found their place in the group and he loved all of them.

Next Chapter

Taglist: @that-one-nb-kid, @hufflepuffxfox

#Flower from the Fae #sympathetic deceit #sympathetic remus #deceit #remus #cursing #implied homophobic comment #tw homophobic parent #Sage writes

5 notes · View notes

queercode-my-minecraft · 5 years

Text

Fireworks

Also, called Fireworks | four times Virgil almost kissed Roman and one time they actually did or When Virgil Realised he was Fucked (althought, the only thing that could make this Rating T is all the swearwords). Anyway, this was an nexchange gift for @1-800-im-not-ok, i started writing it during Christmas which means this is Christmas themed, I hope you like it V

A big thanks to the amazing and fantastic @daring-elm for having beta-d this, ily <3

Words: 3441

Relationship/s: romantic Prinxiety, background romantic Logicality

Warnings: swearwords, kissing, fireworks, caplocks, if you see anything please tell me!

Virgil had only planned one thing for the looming Christmas vacation. And it was sleeping and catching up with everything that College had stopped him from enjoying.

In his humble opinion it was a great idea, not even the greatest strategists could devise such a masterplan. Although, in every masterplan there was a faulty factor that would be mistakenly forgotten.

For Virgil it had been Roman and Patton’s willingness to follow his plan. They had in fact rented a small chalet in the middle of nowhere and had decided to pass the 24th of December to the 5th of January without doing much else than spending time together.

At the beginning, it had even sounded an ideal situation, but Virgil realised he was fucked when he woke up the day of Christmas, earlier than intended to obviously.

In the living room, where he and Roman had been propped up to sleep, a sweet scent of cookies had invested him when the sun had just begun peaking through the mountains, showering the world in a soft pink light. Groggily, Virgil turned around, a loud groan escaping from his lips, followed by a chuckle.

“Good morning to you too, Sleep and Sound.”

At the voice, Virgil opened an eye, finding the bed next to him empty. Maybe it was the sleep still clouding his judgement or his anxiety kicking in, however, this didn’t change the fact that Virgil squealed concerned finding his side empty, jumping on his feet.

Roman chuckled once again, drawing Virgil’s gaze on him.

“Wha-?”

“I got up early to prepare, uh, breakfast for- all of you. Yeah, all of you.” He said, turning redder the more he talked.

“For being an incredibly talented actor you suck at lying, Princey.” Grinned Virgil, moving towards the kitchen.

“I am not!” Sputtered Roman, flaring as Virgil passed through the kitchen door smirking.

“Not what? Not a good acto- Oh.”

Roman turned to look at the kitchen and at Virgil, who had wide eyes and was staring at the numerous trays of cookies displayed around the room. He bit his lip nervously, hoping he hadn’t tragically messed up.

“They’re- they’re my favourite cookies…” Virgil turned to look at Roman, wonder and surprise so clear in those grey eyes that he had fallen so hard for. “How did you know the recipe and all?”

Roman guilty stared at a tray of biscuits. “I might have asked Logan to give me his recipe.”

“And he gave it to you so easily? Do you know how much I asked and I /still don’t have it?”

“Well, I pleaded, a lot. And, I promised I wouldn’t start singing Disney songs once here.”

Virgil chuckled, his low voice making Roman’s heart miss a beat.

“I- I just hope it was worth it.”

The smile that Virgil offered him was small, quiet and sincere. So Virgil, that it made Roman want to hug him and place a kiss on the top of his head, as told him how much he was gay for him.

However, he knew that Virgil would probably hate him if he ever tried doing hugging him or kissing him without consent. And that would be if he was interested in Roman, and there was a high chance he wasn’t, which was disheartening, to say the least.

Virgil took one of those cookies, a tiny one, and ate it quickly before offering another smile.

“Yeah, it was worth it.” He murmured, low enough that, even if there was someone in the room, only Roman could hear him.

Roman’s breath hitched when Virgil took an inside step towards him, sneaking his arms around him in a hug. They remained in that position for couple seconds, both hearing the other’s fast heartbeat.

“Can I kiss you?”

The words were just a whisper, barely audible to Roman’s ears, but they made his heart soar.

Roman nodded, before leaning down, eyes fluttering closed and-

“Hey guys- Oh my gosh!”

When Roman opened his eyes, staring into Virgil’s grey ones, both of them felt as their dream had been shattered. The two remained a couple of moments hugging each other, basking in the contact and not wanting to leave the other.

Virgil was the first to walk off, coughing awkwardly, taking a few cookies and walking out of the kitchen red faced.

“‘Morning Patt, I’m gonna go wake the nerd.”

Quickly Virgil disappeared, leaving Roman staring at a grinning Patton.

“I’m glad you two are finally dating!”

Between all the things he could’ve said, he said that?

“We’re not dating, Padre.” Answered Roman, turning to make space in the kitchen, finding that without Virgil’s warmth around him he felt empty.

“But, you were kissing!”

“No, we weren’t.”

“You totally would be if it wasn’t for me busting in before you could eat each other’s face!”

Roman turned towards his friends, uttering his famous trademark offended noises, only making Patton giggle.

“Okay, then. You aren’t dating. I have a plan that might help.”

“Oh?”

“Logan! I love your boyfriend, but, he shouldn’t be left entering rooms alone.” Exclaimed Virgil, sitting on the bed.

The previously mentioned man, turned to look at his friend, glaring.

“Why the fuck are you waking me up at the ass crack of fucking dawn?”

“Don’t let yourself be heard by Patton, or I won’t have a friend to ramble about my gay crush to.”

“What the fuck did that dipshit do this time?” Grumbled Logan, his voice muffled by the pillow he had hid his face in.

“He baked me cookies! With your secret recipe and they’re so good. Anyway, I hugged him and asked to kiss him and he nodded, which thinking about it, would that be a sign that he likes me. Probably not. But! We were about to kiss and I was dying, when your boyfriend came down and entered the kitchen and- fuck. I left the dad down with the handsome boy I was about to kiss.”

“That’s- that’s a lot of words uttered extremely fast, which I didn’t hear, or understand, half of.”

Virgil groaned, falling next to Logan.

“I am so gay, my heart can’t survive this.”

“I’m glad that you’re aware that you’re gay, Virgil.”

The second time Virgil knew he was fucked was after realising that it was snowing outside, when Roman and Patton had enthusiastically decided that they had to have a snowball fight.

It’s fair to say that Logan and Virgil are weak for the other two. It took puppy dog eyes and a couple of kisses to get Logan outside, and only a smile from Roman to get Virgil too.

Leaving the two men, raccooned in their heavy clothes, throwing snowballs at the others and trying not to swear.

During the fight, as it got more intense, Patton disappeared behind the enemies walls, bringing Roman with him. After moments of eerie silence, where Virgil and Logan could do nothing but look helplessly at where they had disappeared, fearing of what was going to happen, the two returned at full force.

Patton ran to his boyfriend, tackling him in a hug and peppering his face in kisses before giggling gleefully under Logan’s fond gaze. Instead, Roman, simply tackled the other in the snow in an impromptu snow fight. Rolling in the snow, until Virgil managed to pin Roman to the ground, sporting a smirk.

He looked down at the man, brown eyes wide and a red blush covering his handsome features.

“Hello there.”

“Get off me, prick.”

“Oh? So I’m the prick now?” Whispered back Virgil closing the gap between them, enjoying as Roman became more flustered by the second.

“No. Well, yes? I think- I don’t know, it’s hard to think when you’re close.”

“Is it now?” Asked teasing Virgil, a hand falling in the others hair and beginning to play with a few strands of hair, at Roman’s dismay, who blushed profusely. Humming Roman said:

“Oh yeah, those eyes are what I dream about and those lips…”

This was Virgil’s time to flush bright red, as Roman’s eyes fell on his lips.

“Would you mind telling me, or showing me, how these dreams about me are?” Virgil managed to stammer, slowly closing the gap between the two.

“Of course.”

Said Roman in a whisper, before his eyes fluttered closed.

However, it was too good to be true and Logan had still a surprisingly good aim, which he brought to use to throw a snowball at Virgil.

“Lo! They were having a moment!” Exclaimed Patton and both men on the ground turned to observe the scene.

Logan shrugged. “No PDA aloud.”

“Unfair, you make out with Patton at every opportunity!” Argued Virgil, flopping on the snow next to Roman who barked out in laugher.

“FALSEHOOD!”

The shout startled all three of them, making them jump back and turn towards Logan, who quickly recomposed himself. His cold demeanour returning before their very eyes.

“I’m sorry for my outburst.”

The statement was followed by a curt cough filled with awkwardness, before he continued.

“I would recommend we return inside before the snow storm starts. And, since we have to refill the pantry and /someone decided to bake cookies…”

“Hey!”

“... to demonstrate my guilt for having shouted earlier, I offer myself to go down to the town and buy enough food to, at least, survive another few days. We might get snowed in, it’s better to be cautious than reckless.”

Throwing a glare towards Roman, who grinned amused, Logan began walking towards the house, Patton close to his heels. Once he reached him, he took Logan’s hand, turning him to look at him, a fond expression on his face.

“It’s okay, Lolo. You don’t have to go. But, if you really want to go I can come with you to keep you company, honey.”

Logan’s face softened, leaving a tiny kiss on his forehead.

“Of course you come, starshine.” He murmured barely audibly, taking Patton inside.

In the meantime, Roman had gotten up on his feet, offering a hand to Virgil, who was following with his eyes the couple, still sat on the snow.

Smirking Virgil took the hand, getting up and intertwining their fingers together.

Sharing a smile the two returned to the warmth of the chalet.

The third time he knew he was utterly and irremediably fucked was hours later, Logan and Patton nowhere in sight, lost in the storm that surrounded the mountains. Leaving Virgil and Roman alone in the house.

They had been huddled next to each, softly chatting, as they ate some of the cookies and the fire of the fireplace warming them.

Virgil didn’t remember what they were talking about, something about tea and coffee and hot chocolate, but, when he turned towards Roman he froze. For once, his mind was silent, taking in the man before him.

His dark eyes were shining in amusement, a lopsided grin - the same that made Virgil weak to his knees - was bright and his hair had curled up in irresistible locks that made Virgil want to sink his hand in and kiss him senselessly.

“Uhm, Virgil? You’ve been staring at me for nearly two whole minutes. I know I’m stunning, but if you want, you can take a picture of me.” Said Roman, his grin widening.

Oh god, he’s amazing.

Virgil shrugged, leaning on Roman, his face flushing bright red.

“It’s nothing- just- what- can you repeat what you were saying?”

Roman chuckled, placing a kiss on Virgil’s hair. “I was simply stating that hot chocolate should only be drank with small marshmallows in it. Nothing more.”

At that, Virgil scrunched his nose.

“I’d rather prefer the treasure that is hot chocolate without disgusting marshmallows to ruin it.”

Roman gasped at his words, utterly betrayed by the man he thought he loved.

“How dare you? How dare you say that you hate marshmallows? Especially in hot chocolate? Do you hate love, you demon without a heart?”

Although, Virgil snorted at his antics, he couldn’t stop a fond smirk from appearing.

“But… I could forgive you.”

Quirking his eyebrow, Virgil, tilted his head to look at Roman’s equally red face.

“You could?”

Roman smiled softly, cupping Virgil’s cheeks and failing to not lose himself in man before him and those grey storming eyes, that reminded him of how Virgil had swept in his life like a storm. Absolutely changing his life upside down. God, had he fallen hard for this emo.

“Yeah, I could.” He whispered.

Virgil’s eyes fluttered closed as he felt the ghost of Roman’s lips on his.

The next thing he knew was someone, or rather Patton, shouting from the other side of the door:

“KIDDOS! Please, open the doo- IT’S SNOWING!”

When Virgil opened his eyes once again, he saw his disappointment reflecting in Roman’s eyes.

“We gotta go save those two idiots, don’t we?” Asked Virgil, with a defeated sigh.

Roman chuckled, placing a kiss on his forehead before getting up to open the door to their two friends.

“Couldn’t you just come two minutes later? I was about to kiss my boyfriend!” Grumbled Virgil, following Roman and reaching to help to the two.

Patton squealed, letting the bags he was holding fall to the ground.

“You got together?”

Roman’s eyes fell on Virgil, who had flushed bright red and had started stammering incoherently.

“Well, no, I mean- sure, yes, if-“ then he turned towards Roman, offering a hopeful smile.

“Would you be my boyfriend?”

Roman grinned at the words.

“That was the most unromantic way of asking me and you don’t like marshmallows in your hot chocolate, but- holy shit. I’d love to be your boyfriend.”

Taking Virgil, his /boyfriend, in his arms, the two were only left to bask in the others presence. Observing the quiet glee that resounded in Virgil and the boisterous joy that Roman didn’t dare hide.

That was until Logan cleared his throat, divert their attention to him.

“I’m glad you finally sorted through your romantic shenanigans, however, the door is still open, the snow storm is still raging and we need to bring everything inside before the snow makes it impossible to get back outside.”

Virgil separated from Roman smiling brightly, turning to help Logan bring everything inside.

He might not have gotten a kiss, but, he had a boyfriend now and that was enough for him.

Virgil knew he was fucked the next day, when he woke up from his boyfriend’s warmth, the snow storm still raging outside. Cold and seemingly without wanting to stop.

He shuffled closer to Roman, his boyfriend- it was still unbelievable that such a handsome and amazing person like Roman had chosen him. The steady breathing, the warm secure arms around him and the falling and rising of his chest grounding Virgil.

As Roman slept, lost in the land of dreams, he was left gazing at the other man. Trying to remember his every trait and detail. How his curly hair adorned his handsome face, the expression of pure relaxation painted on his face, his perfect jaw calling for Virgil’s lips in an impulse hard to resist.

“You’re staring again, stormy angel.” Slurred Roman, eyes pressed together and tightening his grip around his smaller boyfriend. Virgil giggled softly, letting a kiss on the others nose.

“Can you blame me? I’m trying to immortalise this moment, how gorgeous my boyfriend looked when he woke up for the first time in my arms.”

At his words, Roman snorted opening his eyes. The pale blush that had started spreading on his cheeks was obvious, soft like the petals of a rose. A rose, such a perfect metaphor for Roman.

“That’s- you’re so perfect. But, you don’t have to immortalise me, I’m here. I’m not going away, I’m not going to abandon you because you- you deserve so much, my lovely and stormy angel.”

Hiding his flushed face in Roman’s chest, he hugged him tighter, willing his eyes close.

“Thank you, my handsome prince. I- what did I do to deserve you?”

A ghost of a smile appeared on Roman’s face, as he caressed with a thumb his boyfriend’s cheek.

“Except being a fabulous boyfriend?” He chuckled, “Nothing. You don’t have to do anything to deserve love. You deserve it no matter what.”

Virgil opened his eyes slowly, staring quietly in Roman’s dark brown eyes, the colour of fresh earth, and of the sweetest of chocolates.

“Uhm, you- have very pretty eyes.”

Roman’s chest thundered with laughter at his words, making Virgil swell with pride. Between stolen glances whenever he could, Virgil had come to the conclusion that when Roman laughed he was beautiful.

“Gosh, I could kiss you.” Breathed out Virgil, still caught in the awe of the view.

“Then please do.”

The gap between them closed once more, this time though he managed to press his lips against Roman’s before a clang interrupted them.

“FUCK!” Came the following remark by none other than Logan.

“Oh come on!” Grumbled Virgil, hiding his face in Roman’s shoulder, followed by another laugh.

This was honestly getting ridiculous, why could the fates or destiny or whatever just align so he could fucking kiss the hell out of his boyfriend?

“Do you think he needs help some there in the kitchen?” Roman wondered, moving Virgil’s fringe from his eyes.

He snorted, clinging to Roman. “He’s a fucking baker, I hope he can survive enough to not burn the housel. Plus, there’s no way in hell anyone is getting me out of this comfortable bed where I’m cuddling my wonderful and comfortable boyfriend.”

Roman chuckled, placing a kiss on his forehead.

“Alright, I think I understand.”

“You better because I’m not moving.”

A few hours later, Roman had successfully managed to get Virgil out of bed, despite the others threats and whines. They were now in the kitchen, staring at the scene before them, Virgil perched on the counter legs dangling and Roman casually resting next to him.

“It’s disgusting. It’s like watching your parents.” Groaned Virgil, taking another bite of the heavenly cookies Logan had prepared.

It seemed that after Roman’s baking spree the morning before, Logan had decided to bake some cookies too. Except he had overdone it, probably because he was worried he would let down his cookie loving boyfriend, and now the whole kitchen and living-room was filled with batches of cookies of all kind.

When Patton has seen it, his eyes widened, his bright smile appearing and flinging himself in Logan’s arms, proceeding to kiss him senselessly. In front of their two friends.

“Are we like that too?” Asked Roman, turning to look at Virgil.

“I don’t think so. I, mean, we have never went at one am in the morning to a cinema only to have a steamy make out session that resulted in being banned from the cinema and having your best friend come and fetch you.”

“What the fuck? Have they actually done that?”

Virgil turned to look at Roman’s wide, incredulous eyes. “Yes. It was a week after they got together, after that they just chose to do- who knows what when I wasn’t in the apartment.”

“Holy shit, the nerd isn’t as stuck-up as I thought.”

They had been lucky, soon after breakfast the snow storm had cleared up.

It was still impossible to get back to town, however, they could get out of the house. In the time for that night's show.

The sky had gone dark, stars shining brighter than they have ever seen, a guidance maybe, it surely was for those who first mapped them and that Logan was now excitedly telling Patton about. Roman and Virgil had decided to stand a few meters of distance, their fingers intertwined together as they awaited for the beginning to fireworks.

“It’s- breathtaking.” Whispered Roman, gaze lost in the white mountains that surrounded them like giants. Virgil hummed in agreement.

That was when the fireworks started.

Bright colours obscuring the dark sky, making the white giants shine with a bit of more colour. Roman turned towards Virgil, eyes shining from the overwhelming emotions that those incredible colours brought. However, his voice ideas in his throat at the sight of his boyfriend.

He too was captivated by them, lips slightly parted and eyes reflecting the colours that shone so beautifully. With a soft smile, Roman tugged on his scarf, making Virgil turn towards him.

“Prince-?”

The nickname, though, was never concluded as Roman kissed him.

Fireworks.

That was all that Virgil could describe the kiss as: fireworks at every touch. Colours and passion flashing above their heads and in their hearts, until they were left breathless.

#roman sanders #virgil sanders #patton sanders #logan sanders #prinxiety #logicality #sanders sides #sam writes #tw kissing #fluff

184 notes · View notes

milomeepit · 6 years

Text

21 Sanders Street Chapter Three: The Cafe

//Amazing art by the wonder @divinedrabbles can be found here!

First | Previous | Next

Story Warnings: Death, violence, crime, police, strained marriage, non graphic mention of torture, cursing, mental trauma, stabbing, gang, pregnancy Chapter Warnings: food, broken plates, Rating: Young Adult Ships: Endgame Logicality and Prinxiety

After Virgil Diaz went undercover, nothing was quite the same at the station. Sure, the squad still went to coffee at the cafe down the street, Logan still fussed over his wife, Roman still risked life and limb to get an adventure. Patton still made cookies on Fridays. But nothing was the same. Not really. The thing, though, was when Virgil came back. That’s when it all changed.

Logan pushed open the door to the cafe, holding it open for Roman to limp in and Patton to follow. Once the two were through, he trailed after them up to the counter, eyeing the display cabinet of savoury baked goods. Perhaps one of those single-serve pizza things appealed, actually.

Worst case scenario, he could just ask Patton to pick. Patton was incredibly empathetic, but he had a downright uncanny ability to deduce what Logan was thinking or feeling, sometimes even when Logan himself wasn’t entirely sure.

“Heeeey! Look what the cat dragged in!” The girl working the register beamed.

“Hello, Clara, my dearest,” Roman leaned against the counter and winked. “How is a beauty such as yourself on this fine day?”

Clara giggled, twisting her fingers through her ponytail. “Gosh, Roman, I’m doing just spectacular. Better since you walked in though~!”

Logan cleared his throat loudly, making the two both jump slightly.

Clara blushed, straightening her bright blue half-apron. “I’ll go get Miss Allistair for you guys!” She said quickly, vanishing into the kitchen.

Roman stood up, glancing over his shoulder at Logan. “You ruin all my fun.”

“You’re injured at the moment. You can hardly take her out on a date. You’d just ruin any chance with her if you pushed at the moment,” Logan countered.

“Au contraire, O Captain, my Captain.” Roman wagged his fingers. “People looooove injuries. The attached cool stories make excellent icebreakers.”

“It’s true,” Patton chirped. “Remember that time I broke my wrist in third grade? I think that’s the most popular I’ve ever been in my life.”

Logan frowned a little as he considered. “... Even so, Dawn would kill you. Clara’s a nice girl.”

Roman made a wounded noise, clapping a hand over his heart. “And I’m a nice boy- man! I am a nice man!”

“Roman RJ Prince, I swear to god, if you’re flirting with my employees again...” The three looked back over to the counter as the owner of the cafe emerged from the kitchen, flour-dusted across the front of her black apron, her long, curly, dark hair pulled back into two poofy ponytails.

“Me? Flirt? Never!” Roman smiled smoothly.

“Mm-hm. You can flash that all-teeth-and-bad-intentions smile elsewhere,” Dawn rolled her eyes. “Just tell me what you guys want to eat. I already got Missy started on your usual coffees.”

“Roman’s, too?” Logan raised an eyebrow. “With all his usual fixings?”

“I trust her.”

“I’ll have to give her my condolences.”

Dawn snorted. “Anyway, chop chop, boys. I got the lunch rush coming in, can’t clog up the counter.” She gestured to the quickly-growing line behind them.

“Mmmm... can I get an egg salad sandwich, please?” Patton asked.

“Sure thing, Pat! Plus your cinnamon, muffin, right? Lo, what about you, buddy?” Dawn punched in Patton’s order, then looked over at him.

Logan gestured vaguely. “Not sure.”

Patton peered at him for a moment, then the display case. “... Cheese and vegetable muffin?” He suggested, looking back to Logan.

Logan smiled. “As a matter of fact, that sounds excellent,” He agreed. “Thank you.”

Patton beamed at him, knocking his shoulder against Logan’s lightly.

“Ro?”

Roman stayed silent for a moment, crossing his arms. “... I’m not hungry.”

“Oh, my god...” Logan pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes.

Dawn raised an eyebrow. “Really, now?”

Patton giggled. “Crown donut. He’s pouting because me and Logan called it.”

Dawn grinned and shook her head. “For all you act like an action hero, you’re pretty predictable, dude,” She commented to Roman as she rang up the order. “Alright, pay up, scoundrels.”

Roman’s hand went to his jacket pocket before he paused. “Ah... I don’t suppose we could negotiate the cap on my tab, dearest darlingest Dawnie?” He plastered on a saccharine smile.

Dawn stared at back him, once again raising an eyebrow. “I’m running a business here, Ro. You gotta cough it up at some point.”

Logan rolled his eyes and dug his wallet out. “I’ve got it,” He said, pulling out some cash and holding it out to Dawn. “But you owe me, Prince.”

Dawn sorted the cash into the drawer, smiling as she printed out the receipt and handed back the change, which Logan immediately dumped into the tip jar. “You guys go sit down, I’ll bring your stuff over in a bit,” She gestured towards their usual table in the corner.

“Thank you, Dawn,” Logan nodded before turning to lead the other two over to the table.

It took a few minutes for them to sort themselves out, claiming a spare chair for Roman to prop his foot up on and settling their bags under the table. “There!” Roman smiled, picking up a napkin and fiddling with it absentmindedly. “So, what are you guys planning tonight?”

“Celine and I were going to try making a new recipe she found online for dinner, then we might watch a movie or something. I’m sure Arnold would like to curl up in our laps on the couch,” Logan rolled his eyes affectionately.

“That cat is evil, I swear to god,” Roman huffed.

“He is not. You’re too loud for him. You scare him,” Logan frowned a little. “Anyway, what about you?”

“Hm... I’m probably going to have a pretty quiet night. Play some video games or something. I might see if Vic or Molly want to come over and hang out,” Roman hummed. “Nothing too elaborate.”

“That sounds like fun,” Patton propped his chin up in his hands, leaning on the table. “Vic and Molly are both really awesome, I’m sure you’ll have a ball!”

“What about you, Patton?” Logan asked.

“Oh, you know... tidy up. Hang out with my pups. I might do some gardening.” Patton shrugged. “You know, the usual.”

“Dude, we need to get you out of the house,” Dawn appeared at Logan’s side, setting down a tray with their food. “Be right back with the drinks. Touch my cupcake and I’ll murder you.”

Roman rolled his eyes and poked the pink-iced cupcake, scooting it across the tray slightly. “Hah. She can’t tell me what to do.”

“You’re either brave or foolish. I’m still not sure which.” Logan said bluntly as he picked up his muffin, carefully peeling off the paper wrapper.

“Rude.” Roman frowned.

“Yeah, you are.” Dawn swatted his hand away from her cupcake as she put the drinks down on the table. She picked up her milkshake, flopping into the chair next to Patton. “So, how goes it, officers?”

“Pretty well,” Logan sipped at his latte. “There’s not too much interesting happening at work, aside from Roman being a halfwit.”

“Logan!” Patton scolded. “There’s no need to be mean!”

Roman scooped some of the whipped cream off the top of his frappuccino and rolled his eyes. “He’s just jealous I got to jump over the hood of a car,” He mumbled, taking a bite of his donut.

“You jumped on a car?!” A small voice shrieked, making the four jump slightly.

“Inside voice, Bugabear,” Dawn set down her milkshake. “You wanna come sit up here with me?”

Logan watched as two brown pigtails appeared over the top of the table, followed by a pair of wide, curious brown eyes. “Hi, Uncle Lo! Hi, Uncle Pat! Hi, Uncle Roro!” The little girl greeted excitedly as she scrambled up into Dawn’s lap.

“Hey, there, Becka!” Patton cooed. “How are you going, sweetie pie?” He set down his muffin and beamed at her.

“I’m good!” She giggled. “I helped Mia make cookies!” She pointed a finger towards the redheaded woman, who was restocking one of the display cases.

“Cool!” Patton grinned, glancing over and waving to Mia.

Logan smiled affectionately. “Good afternoon, Becka,” He greeted, nodding to the little girl. “I'm glad you're having an enjoyable day.”

Becka squirmed off of Dawn's lap and scampered around the table to throw her arms around Logan, laughing. “Looogaaaaan! You're talking like a teacher agaaaaiiiin!”

“Quite right. Loosen up a little, Poindexter!” Roman nudged him playfully.

“No uptight attitudes allowed in The Hole Nut,” Dawn wagged her finger, smirking. “This place runs on good eats, show tunes and smiles, Conroy.”

Logan rolled his eyes, awkwardly patting Becka on the head. “Right, right. But you can hardly expect me to start goofing around like either of these two.” He jerked his thumbs at Roman and Patton simultaneously. “That would just be preposterous.”

“Mm-hm,” Dawn poked her tongue out, then picked up her drink again. She took a long sip from it, coming away with a frothy chocolate milk moustache.

Roman and Logan exchanged a look, snickering quietly.

Patton just grinned. “Uh, Dawnie? You got a little something.. just...” He gestured at his own face, trying not to laugh.

Dawn blinked, then blushed faintly as she wiped her face clean. She punched him lightly in the arm. “Thanks, Pat. At least I can count on you to watch my back. Or, my upper lip, as the case may be.” She winked.

“That's what besties are for, right?” Patton pulled out his cookie necklace, waving it at Dawn.

Dawn tugged her matching necklace out of her shirt, fitting together the heart-shaped cut-out in hers to the shape on Patton's. “You're darn right, it is,” She grinned.

Logan smiled fondly at the two as he scooped up Becka to sit in his lap. “So, how about you, Dawn? Anything interesting in the past few days?”

“Oh, you know. Same old, same old.” Dawn rolled her eyes. “Make coffee. Bake. Sell coffee and food. Paint. Rinse and repeat. It's an exciting life, mine.”

Roman's eyebrow quirked. “You know, if you're so bored, you could always try to join the fo-”

“Nope.”

“Absolutely not.”

“No way!

Roman flinched back from the immediate chorus from the other three. “Okay, okay, just an idea.”

“Way too dangerous,” Patton shook his head. “I already worry about you boys so much, I don't think my heart could take it if Dawn was in the fray, too.”

“Plus, I have a whole business here! I got employees who rely on their paycheck from here. I can't yank the rug out from under them.” Dawn added.

“Not to mention,” Logan nodded to the squirming child in his lap. “Who would look after Becka during the day?”

“Alright! Gosh, no need to go all Golden Trio and gang up on me,” Roman grumbled, slouching against the table and pouting.

Becka giggled. “You look like a grumpy puppy, Uncle Roro!”

Roman drooped even further, growling faintly as he stirred his drink.

Patton slung an arm over Roman’s shoulders. “Aw, buck up, Roman! Puppies are cute!”

“I’m not cute!” Roman squawked, looking up towards the older man. “I’m handsome! And... and dashing! And suave and cool and strong!”

“Like a superhero!” Becka flung her arms out dramatically, nearly hitting Logan in the face. She wriggled off of his lap, holding her arms out as she ran around the cafe, making zooming noises.

“Don't run insi- oh, who am I kidding?” Dawn shook her head, laughing, and propped her chin up on the table, sipping her milkshake.

Roman grinned as he watched Becka zipping in circles. “Good lord, she’s bouncy today. What have you been feeding her?” He laughed.

Dawn shrugged. “Whole grains, fruit, protein. You know, healthy junk.”

“Healthy... junk. I could be wrong, but I think that’s an oxymoron,” Logan raised an eyebrow as he spoke.

Patton giggled and sipped his cappuccino, coming away with a strip of foam smeared on his upper lip. “Heck, it might be! Nevermind. We all know you’re the one who makes sense out of us, Lo!”

Dawn made a mockingly offended sound, pressing a hand to her chest. “Excuse you! I make perfect se-”

She was interrupted by a squeal, a crash, and a loud, siren-like wail. They all spun to see Becka sprawled on the ground, surrounded by dropped cutlery and pieces of broken plates. Clara was clinging to the counter, regaining her balance, holding tightly onto the tray she had been carrying.

“Miss Allistair, I am so sorry, I didn’t even see Becka, I’m so sorry, I’ll clean this up right away,” Clara babbled, her pale face a sharp contrast to the dark bangs framing her face.

Dawn and Patton didn’t even look at each other before they simultaneously shoved their drinks at Logan, rushing over to the two girls. Logan fumbled for a moment before he managed to set both drinks on the table without dropping anything.

“Clara, you’re fine, it’s okay, breathe for me, honey,” Dawn gently prised the tray from Clara’s grip and set it on the counter. “How about you go sit down in the back room, take a breather, get a drink of water? You’re okay. It’s okay.” She rubbed Clara’s shoulders gingerly in an attempt to soothe the panicked teenager.

Clara hesitated before nodding shakily. “I’m- I’m sorry,” She repeated weakly before Missy took her by the elbow and guided her through the doorway into the break room at the back of the cafe.

Patton, meanwhile, kicked shards of plate aside and dropped to his knees next to Becka, holding out his arms to her. “Aw, geez! Had a bit of a nasty knock, huh, kiddo?” He said gently.

Becka practically dived into his arms, her wails nearly deafening as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Patton cradled her close, stroking her hair as he rocked back and forth. “Yeah, I know, honey, I know,” He murmured. “Are you hurt anywhere? Did any of the broken plates cut you?”

Becka shook her head as she buried her face against his neck, muffling her cries.

“Bit of a fright, huh? Yeah, that can be pretty bad. You’re alright, though, promise,” Patton kissed the top of her head.

Dawn bobbed down next to Patton, smiling at him. ‘Thanks,’ She mouthed. ‘Want me to take her?’

Patton glanced down at Becka, then back up to Dawn with a nod.

“Hey, princess,” Dawn cooed, scooping Becka into her lap and cuddling her. “Mommy’s got you, you’re alright.”

Becka started to quiet, sniffling as she clung to her mother.

Logan appeared next to them with a broom, sweeping most of the debris out of the walkway and into a corner, humming a song under his breath- Cinderella? It sounded like Cinderella to Patton. It was probably Cinderella. They’d watched it last Friday.

Dawn slowly got to her feet, still holding Becka on her hip. “You wanna go play in your bedroom? Find somewhere a little quieter?” She hummed, brushing hair back out of Becka’s red face. She looked back to the table at Logan, smiling a little. “Duty calls, boys. Sorry to pull the mom card and bail, but I gotta help out Little Miss Muffet here.”

Logan nodded as he set the broom aside. “We should probably get going, too. We have to get back to work and all.”

Dawn returned the nod. “Talk to you guys later.” She turned to Missy as she reappeared from the back room. “Hey, I’m heading out of the cafe for a while. You good to hold down the fort?”

Missy flashed her a thumbs up. “Yeah, sure thing. I’ll come out back and knock on your door if we need you.”

Patton got to his feet, brushing off his legs to make sure there was no debris clinging to his pants. “You ready to roll, Ro?”

Roman grabbed his crutches and awkwardly clambered to his feet. “Absolutely. Shall we?”

Logan slung Roman’s backpack over his shoulder. “Duty calls,” He declared, leading the way out of the cafe as Roman hobbled along behind him.

Patton glanced over his shoulder with a smile, watching Dawn vanish through the back door behind the counter, before following the others out of the cafe. “Hey, guys, wait up!”

21 Sanders Street Taglist (let me know if you want to be added or removed! :o):

@pattson @royallyanxious @thesocialbookwormishere @wisepuma23 @redisawerewolf @lacrimosathedark @demonvirgil @lucifer-in-my-head @2queer2deer @crayonthegreat @rose-gold-roman @my-happy-little-bean @thats-kat-with-a-k @ultimate-queen-of-fandoms2 @davidthetraveler @just-a-random-word @wolfishhel @angelvirgil @romanussy @moxieties @the-no-name-system

#21ss #milo writes #sanders sides #milo's aus #big bang #prinxiety #logicality #thomas sanders

133 notes · View notes

chasholidays · 6 years

Note

You're awesome for doing this again! How about: Clarke is internet crushing on a food blogger and flirts with him over the comments, but he doesn't put his real name online and she has no idea what he looks like. ALSO, she's real life crushing on her BFF's brother Bellamy. Surprise - they're the same person. (please and thank you, I love all of your work!!)

Not to be completely shallow or anything, but Clarke starts reading Grumio’s blog because of a screenshot of his hands.

His hands are the only parts of his body that are really visible on any part of his website, but they’re more than enough for her to decide to follow up on him. She’s always had a thing for hands, and Grumio’s are basically perfect. Clarke is aggressively here for smart boys with perfect hands who know how to cook.

Granted, he knows how to cook in the dorkiest way possible, but Clarke’s kind of into that too. She likes people who are passionate and dedicated, regardless of what the passion is for or the dedication is to.

Unless it’s passion about racism or something. Fuck that.

But Grumio is passionate about Roman cooking. Well, okay, he seems to be passionate about Roman culture in general, but the focus of his blog is on researching and recreating historical cuisine using period-appropriate ingredients and tools. It’s not really the kind of thing Clarke is usually into but, again, he has amazing hands. Every once in a while, he’ll do a video, and even though he just plays music in the background instead of speaking, they’re still pretty much her favorite thing to watch.

And, yes, she knows how sad that is. But Grumio is interesting. He’d have to be, to have gotten the following he has. He’s a popular internet dork who cares deeply about history. She’s not the only one who thinks he’s cool.

Which is probably why she decides to tell Bellamy about him.

There is an irrational part of Clarke that feels wrong, talking to Bellamy about Grumio. After all, Grumio is her internet crush, and Bellamy is her real-life crush, and it feels as though talking about one to the other is crossing the streams. But Bellamy teaches Latin, so she’s brought him up a couple times in her comments to Grumio, and it seems only logical to bring Grumio up to him.

If she’s honest, it’s felt logical for a while, but she was putting it off, and Bellamy reminds her of exactly why as soon as she does it.

“Have you heard of Cooking with Grumio?” she asks, and he frowns in a way that suggests less that he isn’t familiar with the blog and more that he’s confused she that she is.

“Have you?”

“No, I put together a random string of syllables and hit a real thing. You know about it?”

“I’m a Latin teacher,” he says, voice gently teasing. “My students have mentioned it once or twice.”

“Okay, yeah. I probably should have seen that coming.”

“I appreciate the head’s up anyway.” He takes a drink of his beer, and Clarke’s worried it’s going to turn into an awkward silence, but instead it turns into an awkward question. “How did you find it?”

“How does anyone find anything on the internet? I followed a link and liked it enough to add it to my bookmarks.”

“Oh wow, it’s on your bookmarks,” he teases. “That’s the real sign of internet dedication.”

“What, do you not like it?”

He shrugs. “It’s cool, I guess. I approve of anything that’s educational but tricks kids into thinking it’s fun. I just didn’t think it would be your thing.”

“He’s a good writer,” she says, trying to be just as casual. “And it’s interesting. Just because I’m not an ancient Rome enthusiast, it doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a cool project.”

“I guess so. Well, thanks for letting me know about it.”

“Even if I’m the thousandth person to tell you.”

He smiles; the expression looks a little off to Clarke, but she can’t really figure out why. It’s not like they’re really friends. Clarke is friends with Octavia, and Octavia is close to her brother. They see each other a few times a month, and Clarke tries very hard to not be into him, because, again, Octavia is close to her brother. There’s nothing inherently wrong with dating a friend’s sibling, but given how Octavia and Bellamy grew up, it’s more like dating a friend’s surrogate father figure. Which is definitely a little weird.

None of which matters, because Bellamy’s not interested in her anyway. He’s just an incredibly attractive person she hangs out with sometimes, and they end up talking mostly by default. Everyone else is kind of paired off.

“Hey, you could always hit the Latin thing I haven’t heard about. Stranger things have happened.”

“Are there Latin things you don’t know about?”

“If there are, I wouldn’t know, so–”

She laughs. “So I’ll let you know if I find any other cool blogs.”

“Yeah, I’d appreciate it.”

Comments on post You Asked, Grumio Drank Until He Was Okay With It: Time to Bake Bread

Sea Geez Have you seriously never made bread before???

GrumioDon’t judge, I’m not much of a baker.

Sea GeezReally? Why not? Baking is basically all I’m good at.

GrumioI don’t know. It seems boring. I like trying to figure stuff out, and when I’m baking, I basically have all the answers. Add this much, and if you add any more, you fuck it up.

Also, yeast weirds me out.

Sea GeezYeast weirds you out?

GrumioIt’s ALIVE.

Sea GeezYou eat meat. You know what meat is, right?

GrumioAnd in a life or death situation, I’d probably be fine killing my own food. But I still feel bad for yeast.

Sea GeezThat’s actually kind of adorable.

GrumioThanks, I try.

“So, uh, did you see that Grumio post about Saturnalia?” Bellamy asks. He sounds so profoundly awkward, she can’t help smiling.

“Are you trying to make conversation? Because you’re a lot better at it when you’re not trying. That was so awkward.”

“Thanks. I was just curious. I thought it was pretty cool.”

“Yeah, I liked it too. If I were better at cooking, I might try some of it out.”

“Really?”

“I feel weird reading a food blog where I never try to make any of the recipes. Like I’m missing out.”

He rubs the back of his neck, looking oddly nervous. “I’m not a bad cook,” he offers. “If you ever found one you really wanted to try, I could probably help out.”

It’s the first time he’s ever made any offer to hang out with her one-on-one, which is simultaneously awesome and kind of–suspect. Which is ridiculous, obviously. She and Bellamy are friends. There’s nothing at all suspicious about his offering to help her with cooking. That’s a normal, friendly thing.

“Have you made any yourself?”

“Again, Latin teacher. I do them all the time for school events. The kids love seeing stuff they recognize from Grumio, honestly.”

“So, do you have any favorites? Anything you want to show me?”

“I could probably come up with something. I won’t be offended if you don’t want to,” he adds.

He’s so nervous. About offering to cook for her, of all things.

If it’s suspicious, it’s the best kind of suspicious.

“No, that would be awesome. Was there something in the Saturnalia post you thought would be good? Anything you recommend?”

“The Roman cheesecake balls looked pretty cool. I could probably come up with something else to go with them.”

“A full Grumio meal?”

He smiles a little. “That’s the idea.”

Comments on post Walk Like an Egyptian, Drink Like a Roman

Sea GeezTop three recipes you’ve ever made?

GrumioThat’s like asking me to pick my top three children.

Sea Geez1. Is it?2. How many children do you have?

GrumioI see your transparent attempt to trick me into giving out demographic information and I’m not falling for it. But good effort. Here are some of my favorite recipes for your effort.

Clarke’s never actually been to Bellamy’s apartment, but when she told him about the incredibly sorry state of her kitchen, he invited her over to his place instead. There is something of a datelike feeling to the whole evening, and she’s doing her best to not read into it. After all, they’re already friendly, and this is a logical way to take it a step further to being actual friends.

It’s not a date. Definitely not a date.

When she knocks on the door, he just calls, “It’s open!” and when she goes in, she finds him in the kitchen, apparently reviewing his giant pile of ingredients.

“Wow. You really didn’t have to go to all this trouble.”

“It’s no trouble.”

She makes a show of looking at his crowded counter tops. “Yeah, that’s just clearly a lie. You went to a ton of trouble.”

“I saved the receipts, you said you’d Venmo me.”

“Yeah, but–it’s still a lot of effort. Not just money.”

“I like cooking,” he says, with a shrug. “I don’t mind.”

“You say that now, but you haven’t seen how shitty I am at cooking yet.”

“You can’t be that bad,” he says, with the confidence of someone who has never witnessed her in the kitchen.

“Don’t jinx it,” she says. “What am I doing?”

It should be unspeakably awkward, being not just alone with Bellamy, but in his kitchen, but to Clarke’s surprise, it’s actually pretty fun. He really is a good cook, obviously familiar with not only cooking in general, but all the recipes he’s showing her. And even though she’s about the farthest thing possible from an expert, Bellamy is mostly patient, and at least amused when she fucks up.

The two of them agreed on a menu without much trouble, and it is cool, seeing the dishes she’s seen online come together in real life.

And as she watches him chop some herbs, she realizes exactly how much what she’s watching resembles what she’s seen online. Her jaw drops, and before she can think it through, she says, “Holy shit, you’re Grumio.”

He freezes. “What?”

There’s no going back, so she just has to plow forward. “I recognize your hands.”

“My hands?” he asks, incredulous.

She should have noticed before, honestly. Of course Bellamy has nice hands, he always has. She’s caught herself on more than one occasion watching the way he gestures when he talks, but it’s hard to really identify someone from their hands alone. It’s seeing the way they look in action, cooking, that’s so familiar, and somehow she’s sure. Bellamy’s list of dishes was very similar to the one she proposed. He was always a little shifty about the whole thing. It makes sense, for all it feels impossible. Grumio could be anyone, but somehow, he’s Bellamy.

“I was going to tell you,” he says, slumping.

“When?”

“When I figured out how. I didn’t think anyone I knew actually read it. O mentioned it once but just, you know, she saw a link.”

“So no one knows?”

“You know.”

“No one else.”

He shrugs, a little awkward. “I didn’t want my students to know, so it just seemed easier to not tell anyone.” He laughs, shaking his head. “Fuck, I can’t believe you recognized my hands. I didn’t think they were that special.”

“Maybe I’m just a big fan.”

“Are you? Do you comment or anything?”

Part of her wants to lie, but he easily could have denied his own identity, so it’s only fair. “Yeah, um. Sea Geez.”

He stares at her, and then starts laughing. “Holy shit. Seriously?”

“What?”

“You’re my favorite commenter.”

A warm glow of pride fills her chest. “Well, you’re my favorite Roman food blogger.”

“Thanks.” He turns his attention back to the chopping, deliberate. “This was, uh. The best way I could figure out to use it as a pickup. If I’d know you were Sea Geez I would have just asked you out, honestly.”

“Really?”

“You were definitely flirting with me.”

“You were definitely flirting back!”

He grins. “I was. So—did this work?”

“This?”

He gestures to his kitchen. “First date.”

“Does Octavia know it’s a first date?”

“Fuck, she always knows when I have a crush. It’s the world’s most annoying super power. She knows.”

“Then yeah,” she says. “Anything would have worked, honestly.”

“Awesome. Go check the meat, will you?”

“Romantic,” she teases, and he just raises one shoulder, smiles.

“I thought so, yeah.”

Comments on post First Anniversary Dinner for Poppaea

Helen of Troy, NYWow, that’s a really nice spread!! Poppaea is a very lucky woman. I hope she appreciates you ;)

GrumioYeah, don’t worry, I’m pretty sure she does.

Sea GeezWell, who wouldn’t?

#live-laugh-loaf

137 notes · View notes

mikejryan · 4 years

Text

“Informing Ourselves To Death” By Neil Postman. The following speech was given at a meeting of the German Informatics Society (Gesellschaft fuer Informatik) on October 11, 1990 in Stuttgart, sponsored by IBM-Germany.

The great English playwright and social philosopher George Bernard Shaw once remarked that all professions are conspiracies against the common folk. He meant that those who belong to elite trades -- physicians, lawyers, teachers, and scientists -- protect their special status by creating vocabularies that are incomprehensible to the general public. This process prevents outsiders from understanding what the profession is doing and why -- and protects the insiders from close examination and criticism. Professions, in other words, build forbidding walls of technical gobbledegook over which the prying and alien eye cannot see.

Unlike George Bernard Shaw, I raise no complaint against this, for I consider myself a professional teacher and appreciate technical gobbledegook as much as anyone. But I do not object if occasionally someone who does not know the secrets of my trade is allowed entry to the inner halls to express an untutored point of view. Such a person may sometimes give a refreshing opinion or, even better, see something in a way that the professionals have overlooked.

I believe I have been invited to speak at this conference for just such a purpose. I do not know very much more about computer technology than the average person -- which isn't very much. I have little understanding of what excites a computer programmer or scientist, and in examining the descriptions of the presentations at this conference, I found each one more mysterious than the next. So, I clearly qualify as an outsider.

But I think that what you want here is not merely an outsider but an outsider who has a point of view that might be useful to the insiders. And that is why I accepted the invitation to speak. I believe I know something about what technologies do to culture, and I know even more about what technologies undo in a culture. In fact, I might say, at the start, that what a technology undoes is a subject that computer experts apparently know very little about. I have heard many experts in computer technology speak about the advantages that computers will bring. With one exception -- namely, Joseph Weizenbaum -- I have never heard anyone speak seriously and comprehensively about the disadvantages of computer technology, which strikes me as odd, and makes me wonder if the profession is hiding something important. That is to say, what seems to be lacking among computer experts is a sense of technological modesty.

After all, anyone who has studied the history of technology knows that technological change is always a Faustian bargain: Technology giveth and technology taketh away, and not always in equal measure. A new technology sometimes creates more than it destroys. Sometimes, it destroys more than it creates. But it is never one-sided.

The invention of the printing press is an excellent example. Printing fostered the modern idea of individuality but it destroyed the medieval sense of community and social integration. Printing created prose but made poetry into an exotic and elitist form of expression. Printing made modern science possible but transformed religious sensibility into an exercise in superstition. Printing assisted in the growth of the nation-state but, in so doing, made patriotism into a sordid if not a murderous emotion.

Another way of saying this is that a new technology tends to favor some groups of people and harms other groups. School teachers, for example, will, in the long run, probably be made obsolete by television, as blacksmiths were made obsolete by the automobile, as balladeers were made obsolete by the printing press. Technological change, in other words, always results in winners and losers.

In the case of computer technology, there can be no disputing that the computer has increased the power of large-scale organizations like military establishments or airline companies or banks or tax collecting agencies. And it is equally clear that the computer is now indispensable to high-level researchers in physics and other natural sciences. But to what extent has computer technology been an advantage to the masses of people? To steel workers, vegetable store owners, teachers, automobile mechanics, musicians, bakers, brick layers, dentists and most of the rest into whose lives the computer now intrudes? These people have had their private matters made more accessible to powerful institutions. They are more easily tracked and controlled; they are subjected to more examinations, and are increasingly mystified by the decisions made about them. They are more often reduced to mere numerical objects. They are being buried by junk mail. They are easy targets for advertising agencies and political organizations. The schools teach their children to operate computerized systems instead of teaching things that are more valuable to children. In a word, almost nothing happens to the losers that they need, which is why they are losers.

It is to be expected that the winners -- for example, most of the speakers at this conference -- will encourage the losers to be enthusiastic about computer technology. That is the way of winners, and so they sometimes tell the losers that with personal computers the average person can balance a checkbook more neatly, keep better track of recipes, and make more logical shopping lists. They also tell them that they can vote at home, shop at home, get all the information they wish at home, and thus make community life unnecessary. They tell them that their lives will be conducted more efficiently, discreetly neglecting to say from whose point of view or what might be the costs of such efficiency.

Should the losers grow skeptical, the winners dazzle them with the wondrous feats of computers, many of which have only marginal relevance to the quality of the losers' lives but which are nonetheless impressive. Eventually, the losers succumb, in part because they believe that the specialized knowledge of the masters of a computer technology is a form of wisdom. The masters, of course, come to believe this as well. The result is that certain questions do not arise, such as, to whom will the computer give greater power and freedom, and whose power and freedom will be reduced?

Now, I have perhaps made all of this sound like a wellplanned conspiracy, as if the winners know all too well what is being won and what lost. But this is not quite how it happens, for the winners do not always know what they are doing, and where it will all lead. The Benedictine monks who invented the mechanical clock in the 12th and 13th centuries believed that such a clock would provide a precise regularity to the seven periods of devotion they were required to observe during the course of the day. As a matter of fact, it did. But what the monks did not realize is that the clock is not merely a means of keeping track of the hours but also of synchronizing and controlling the actions of men. And so, by the middle of the 14th century, the clock had moved outside the walls of the monastery, and brought a new and precise regularity to the life of the workman and the merchant. The mechanical clock made possible the idea of regular production, regular working hours, and a standardized product. Without the clock, capitalism would have been quite impossible. And so, here is a great paradox: the clock was invented by men who wanted to devote themselves more rigorously to God; and it ended as the technology of greatest use to men who wished to devote themselves to the accumulation of money. Technology always has unforeseen consequences, and it is not always clear, at the beginning, who or what will win, and who or what will lose.

I might add, by way of another historical example, that Johann Gutenberg was by all accounts a devoted Christian who would have been horrified to hear Martin Luther, the accursed heretic, declare that printing is "God's highest act of grace, whereby the business of the Gospel is driven forward." Gutenberg thought his invention would advance the cause of the Holy Roman See, whereas in fact, it turned out to bring a revolution which destroyed the monopoly of the Church.

We may well ask ourselves, then, is there something that the masters of computer technology think they are doing for us which they and we may have reason to regret? I believe there is, and it is suggested by the title of my talk, "Informing Ourselves to Death." In the time remaining, I will try to explain what is dangerous about the computer, and why. And I trust you will be open enough to consider what I have to say. Now, I think I can begin to get at this by telling you of a small experiment I have been conducting, on and off, for the past several years. There are some people who describe the experiment as an exercise in deceit and exploitation but I will rely on your sense of humor to pull me through.

Here's how it works: It is best done in the morning when I see a colleague who appears not to be in possession of a copy of The New York Times. "Did you read The Times this morning?," I ask. If the colleague says yes, there is no experiment that day. But if the answer is no, the experiment can proceed. "You ought to look at Page 23," I say. "There's a fascinating article about a study done at Harvard University." "Really? What's it about?" is the usual reply. My choices at this point are limited only by my imagination. But I might say something like this: "Well, they did this study to find out what foods are best to eat for losing weight, and it turns out that a normal diet supplemented by chocolate eclairs, eaten six times a day, is the best approach. It seems that there's some special nutrient in the eclairs -- encomial dioxin -- that actually uses up calories at an incredible rate."

Another possibility, which I like to use with colleagues who are known to be health conscious is this one: "I think you'll want to know about this," I say. "The neuro-physiologists at the University of Stuttgart have uncovered a connection between jogging and reduced intelligence. They tested more than 1200 people over a period of five years, and found that as the number of hours people jogged increased, there was a corresponding decrease in their intelligence. They don't know exactly why but there it is."

I'm sure, by now, you understand what my role is in the experiment: to report something that is quite ridiculous -- one might say, beyond belief. Let me tell you, then, some of my results: Unless this is the second or third time I've tried this on the same person, most people will believe or at least not disbelieve what I have told them. Sometimes they say: "Really? Is that possible?" Sometimes they do a double-take, and reply, "Where'd you say that study was done?" And sometimes they say, "You know, I've heard something like that."

Now, there are several conclusions that might be drawn from these results, one of which was expressed by H. L. Mencken fifty years ago when he said, there is no idea so stupid that you can't find a professor who will believe it. This is more of an accusation than an explanation but in any case I have tried this experiment on non-professors and get roughly the same results. Another possible conclusion is one expressed by George Orwell -- also about 50 years ago -- when he remarked that the average person today is about as naive as was the average person in the Middle Ages. In the Middle Ages people believed in the authority of their religion, no matter what. Today, we believe in the authority of our science, no matter what.

But I think there is still another and more important conclusion to be drawn, related to Orwell's point but rather off at a right angle to it. I am referring to the fact that the world in which we live is very nearly incomprehensible to most of us. There is almost no fact -- whether actual or imagined -- that will surprise us for very long, since we have no comprehensive and consistent picture of the world which would make the fact appear as an unacceptable contradiction. We believe because there is no reason not to believe. No social, political, historical, metaphysical, logical or spiritual reason. We live in a world that, for the most part, makes no sense to us. Not even technical sense. I don't mean to try my experiment on this audience, especially after having told you about it, but if I informed you that the seats you are presently occupying were actually made by a special process which uses the skin of a Bismark herring, on what grounds would you dispute me? For all you know -- indeed, for all I know -- the skin of a Bismark herring could have made the seats on which you sit. And if I could get an industrial chemist to confirm this fact by describing some incomprehensible process by which it was done, you would probably tell someone tomorrow that you spent the evening sitting on a Bismark herring.

Perhaps I can get a bit closer to the point I wish to make with an analogy: If you opened a brand-new deck of cards, and started turning the cards over, one by one, you would have a pretty good idea of what their order is. After you had gone from the ace of spades through the nine of spades, you would expect a ten of spades to come up next. And if a three of diamonds showed up instead, you would be surprised and wonder what kind of deck of cards this is. But if I gave you a deck that had been shuffled twenty times, and then asked you to turn the cards over, you would not expect any card in particular -- a three of diamonds would be just as likely as a ten of spades. Having no basis for assuming a given order, you would have no reason to react with disbelief or even surprise to whatever card turns up.

The point is that, in a world without spiritual or intellectual order, nothing is unbelievable; nothing is predictable, and therefore, nothing comes as a particular surprise.

In fact, George Orwell was more than a little unfair to the average person in the Middle Ages. The belief system of the Middle Ages was rather like my brand-new deck of cards. There existed an ordered, comprehensible world-view, beginning with the idea that all knowledge and goodness come from God. What the priests had to say about the world was derived from the logic of their theology. There was nothing arbitrary about the things people were asked to believe, including the fact that the world itself was created at 9 AM on October 23 in the year 4004 B.C. That could be explained, and was, quite lucidly, to the satisfaction of anyone. So could the fact that 10,000 angels could dance on the head of a pin. It made quite good sense, if you believed that the Bible is the revealed word of God and that the universe is populated with angels. The medieval world was, to be sure, mysterious and filled with wonder, but it was not without a sense of order. Ordinary men and women might not clearly grasp how the harsh realities of their lives fit into the grand and benevolent design, but they had no doubt that there was such a design, and their priests were well able, by deduction from a handful of principles, to make it, if not rational, at least coherent.

The situation we are presently in is much different. And I should say, sadder and more confusing and certainly more mysterious. It is rather like the shuffled deck of cards I referred to. There is no consistent, integrated conception of the world which serves as the foundation on which our edifice of belief rests. And therefore, in a sense, we are more naive than those of the Middle Ages, and more frightened, for we can be made to believe almost anything. The skin of a Bismark herring makes about as much sense as a vinyl alloy or encomial dioxin.

Now, in a way, none of this is our fault. If I may turn the wisdom of Cassius on its head: the fault is not in ourselves but almost literally in the stars. When Galileo turned his telescope toward the heavens, and allowed Kepler to look as well, they found no enchantment or authorization in the stars, only geometric patterns and equations. God, it seemed, was less of a moral philosopher than a master mathematician. This discovery helped to give impetus to the development of physics but did nothing but harm to theology. Before Galileo and Kepler, it was possible to believe that the Earth was the stable center of the universe, and that God took a special interest in our affairs. Afterward, the Earth became a lonely wanderer in an obscure galaxy in a hidden corner of the universe, and we were left to wonder if God had any interest in us at all. The ordered, comprehensible world of the Middle Ages began to unravel because people no longer saw in the stars the face of a friend.

And something else, which once was our friend, turned against us, as well. I refer to information. There was a time when information was a resource that helped human beings to solve specific and urgent problems of their environment. It is true enough that in the Middle Ages, there was a scarcity of information but its very scarcity made it both important and usable. This began to change, as everyone knows, in the late 15th century when a goldsmith named Gutenberg, from Mainz, converted an old wine press into a printing machine, and in so doing, created what we now call an information explosion. Forty years after the invention of the press, there were printing machines in 110 cities in six different countries; 50 years after, more than eight million books had been printed, almost all of them filled with information that had previously not been available to the average person. Nothing could be more misleading than the idea that computer technology introduced the age of information. The printing press began that age, and we have not been free of it since.

But what started out as a liberating stream has turned into a deluge of chaos. If I may take my own country as an example, here is what we are faced with: In America, there are 260,000 billboards; 11,520 newspapers; 11,556 periodicals; 27,000 video outlets for renting tapes; 362 million TV sets; and over 400 million radios. There are 40,000 new book titles published every year (300,000 world-wide) and every day in America 41 million photographs are taken, and just for the record, over 60 billion pieces of advertising junk mail come into our mail boxes every year. Everything from telegraphy and photography in the 19th century to the silicon chip in the twentieth has amplified the din of information, until matters have reached such proportions today that for the average person, information no longer has any relation to the solution of problems.

The tie between information and action has been severed. Information is now a commodity that can be bought and sold, or used as a form of entertainment, or worn like a garment to enhance one's status. It comes indiscriminately, directed at no one in particular, disconnected from usefulness; we are glutted with information, drowning in information, have no control over it, don't know what to do with it.

And there are two reasons we do not know what to do with it. First, as I have said, we no longer have a coherent conception of ourselves, and our universe, and our relation to one another and our world. We no longer know, as the Middle Ages did, where we come from, and where we are going, or why. That is, we don't know what information is relevant, and what information is irrelevant to our lives. Second, we have directed all of our energies and intelligence to inventing machinery that does nothing but increase the supply of information. As a consequence, our defenses against information glut have broken down; our information immune system is inoperable. We don't know how to filter it out; we don't know how to reduce it; we don't know to use it. We suffer from a kind of cultural AIDS.

Now, into this situation comes the computer. The computer, as we know, has a quality of universality, not only because its uses are almost infinitely various but also because computers are commonly integrated into the structure of other machines. Therefore it would be fatuous of me to warn against every conceivable use of a computer. But there is no denying that the most prominent uses of computers have to do with information. When people talk about "information sciences," they are talking about computers -- how to store information, how to retrieve information, how to organize information. The computer is an answer to the questions, how can I get more information, faster, and in a more usable form? These would appear to be reasonable questions. But now I should like to put some other questions to you that seem to me more reasonable. Did Iraq invade Kuwait because of a lack of information? If a hideous war should ensue between Iraq and the U.S., will it happen because of a lack of information? If children die of starvation in Ethiopia, does it occur because of a lack of information? Does racism in South Africa exist because of a lack of information? If criminals roam the streets of New York City, do they do so because of a lack of information?

Or, let us come down to a more personal level: If you and your spouse are unhappy together, and end your marriage in divorce, will it happen because of a lack of information? If your children misbehave and bring shame to your family, does it happen because of a lack of information? If someone in your family has a mental breakdown, will it happen because of a lack of information?

I believe you will have to concede that what ails us, what causes us the most misery and pain -- at both cultural and personal levels -- has nothing to do with the sort of information made accessible by computers. The computer and its information cannot answer any of the fundamental questions we need to address to make our lives more meaningful and humane. The computer cannot provide an organizing moral framework. It cannot tell us what questions are worth asking. It cannot provide a means of understanding why we are here or why we fight each other or why decency eludes us so often, especially when we need it the most. The computer is, in a sense, a magnificent toy that distracts us from facing what we most needed to confront -- spiritual emptiness, knowledge of ourselves, usable conceptions of the past and future. Does one blame the computer for this? Of course not. It is, after all, only a machine. But it is presented to us, with trumpets blaring, as at this conference, as a technological messiah.

Through the computer, the heralds say, we will make education better, religion better, politics better, our minds better -- best of all, ourselves better. This is, of course, nonsense, and only the young or the ignorant or the foolish could believe it. I said a moment ago that computers are not to blame for this. And that is true, at least in the sense that we do not blame an elephant for its huge appetite or a stone for being hard or a cloud for hiding the sun. That is their nature, and we expect nothing different from them. But the computer has a nature, as well. True, it is only a machine but a machine designed to manipulate and generate information. That is what computers do, and therefore they have an agenda and an unmistakable message.

The message is that through more and more information, more conveniently packaged, more swiftly delivered, we will find solutions to our problems. And so all the brilliant young men and women, believing this, create ingenious things for the computer to do, hoping that in this way, we will become wiser and more decent and more noble. And who can blame them? By becoming masters of this wondrous technology, they will acquire prestige and power and some will even become famous. In a world populated by people who believe that through more and more information, paradise is attainable, the computer scientist is king. But I maintain that all of this is a monumental and dangerous waste of human talent and energy. Imagine what might be accomplished if this talent and energy were turned to philosophy, to theology, to the arts, to imaginative literature or to education? Who knows what we could learn from such people -- perhaps why there are wars, and hunger, and homelessness and mental illness and anger.

As things stand now, the geniuses of computer technology will give us Star Wars, and tell us that is the answer to nuclear war. They will give us artificial intelligence, and tell us that this is the way to self-knowledge. They will give us instantaneous global communication, and tell us this is the way to mutual understanding. They will give us Virtual Reality and tell us this is the answer to spiritual poverty. But that is only the way of the technician, the fact-mongerer, the information junkie, and the technological idiot.

Here is what Henry David Thoreau told us: "All our inventions are but improved means to an unimproved end." Here is what Goethe told us: "One should, each day, try to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture, and, if it is possible, speak a few reasonable words." And here is what Socrates told us: "The unexamined life is not worth living." And here is what the prophet Micah told us: "What does the Lord require of thee but to do justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God?" And I can tell you -- if I had the time (although you all know it well enough) -- what Confucius, Isaiah, Jesus, Mohammed, the Buddha, Spinoza and Shakespeare told us. It is all the same: There is no escaping from ourselves. The human dilemma is as it has always been, and we solve nothing fundamental by cloaking ourselves in technological glory.

Even the humblest cartoon character knows this, and I shall close by quoting the wise old possum named Pogo, created by the cartoonist, Walt Kelley. I commend his words to all the technological utopians and messiahs present. "We have met the enemy," Pogo said, "and he is us."

0 notes

dailyaudiobible · 7 years

Text

07/18/2017 DAB Transcript

1 Chronicles 26:12-27:34 ~ Romans 4:13-5:5 ~ Psalm 14:1-7 ~ Proverbs 19:17

Today is the 18th of July. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian and it is good to be here with you - really good to be here with you today - as we take the next step forward in this journey that we are on together through the Bible and we're working our way through the books of Chronicles in the Old Testament and Paul's crowning jewel, the book of Romans, in the New Testament. We are reading from the Holman Christian Standard Bible this week. First Chronicles chapter 26 verse 12 through 27 verse 34 today.

Commentary:

Okay, so you see what Paul is doing here, right? I mean, we were talking about this yesterday with circumcision as Paul is deconstructing an understanding that everyone thinks is complete but, then as now, they don't know all they think they know, just like we don't know all we think we know. And since Paul was a Pharisee right? So, like a devout, respected Pharisee. Since he met Jesus on the road to Damascus he has had to go into a season of complete deconstruction of what he thinks he knows and it's being put back together, molded into the same faith but with an understanding of who Jesus is and what he did. So, it’s forcing Paul to go all the way back to the beginning, all the way back to Abraham, and kind of start there, which you can just…I mean…I imagine Paul. I cannot wait to shake that guy's hand and, I don't know, have some coffee or something at some point, just to go like, okay, so, you're killing the believers, like you're persecuting the believers and then you meet Jesus but you're also an educated Pharisee. You're studying this all the time, constantly, this is sort of your vocation. And so, once you meet Jesus all of the sudden everything you thought you knew starts to come apart like old wallpaper peeling off a wall. And so, where do you go? How did you do this? But we can see from his writings, he had to go back to the beginning of his faith, which originated in this person, Abraham, to whom the promise of this nation and this people was given. So, that's what Paul is doing here in Romans, going back to the beginning and saying, look, we have done everything we can to perfect ourselves through the law but, would it be heresy, might we consider just a simple truth? Abraham, our father, the originator, the one who entered into covenant with God in the first place, that has brought us to this place, might we consider the fact that he didn't have a law to obey? Might we understand that it didn't exist yet and still God was in covenant with him? Still, God was with him, promising everything that would come next. And there's even controversy within this because, in some ways, this is diminishing Moses and his activities that brought the law to be because he came way after Abraham and they all have to have a continuity. And so, they are saying, if you are saying this kind of stuff then what about Moses? And Paul’s just like, let’s just go back to the beginning and work our way forward again with, maybe, some new eyes here. The promise to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world didn't come through the law. It came through righteousness that came through faith. And so, if those who are trying to follow the recipe of the law are heirs, then faith is empty and the promise is cancelled because Abraham didn't have any of those things to put his faith and trust in. So, Paul is saying, Abraham didn't have any of this. He simply had one thing - he believed - hoping against hope in the impossible in that what God was telling him, that he would become the father of many nations, even though he was a hundred years old and his wife was not far behind, that against all odds, he was going to become the father of many nations. And he did not waver in that belief. He did not waver in that faith. He looked at the realities. He looked at the circumstances. But he did not waver or, to quote the bible, he did not waver in unbelief at God's promise but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God because he was totally convinced that what had been promised, God was also able to perform. If God promised something, he believed he could do it.

Now, do you believe that? Do I? Do I believe what God promises he can do? I think we would all say yes,. I do believe he can do. I'm just not so sure he will. And there is the rub. There is the disconnect. Because within that is doubt, not faith. He could but I don't know that he will. He said it but I'm not so sure he's going to come through.

And yet this story, I mean the human story, would be radically different if Abraham did not believe in the impossible. Not because he's simply believed in the impossible but that he believed in God's declaration, that what Abraham saw as impossible was in fact possible. So Paul is effectively saying, God can speak a promise and we collaborate by simply believing in an unwavering way, not denying the realities around us, totally understanding that what's being said is impossible, and hoping beyond hope, against all hope, and moving forward as if it's going to happen. And in all of that we rejoice in our afflictions, in are realities, because we know that all of it has purpose. Affliction produces endurance, endurance produces character, character produces hope, and we need this hope. This is rocket fuel and it will not disappoint us because God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who is given to us.

Now, I don't want to pull this out of context, because the context that Paul’s talking about is why we can have faith in Jesus, what this actually means - that Abraham had to have faith and that was what justified him before the Lord and he took God's promise and he believed against all circumstances that it would be true. That he, I mean, we don't know many 100-year-old fathers that are, like, having a brand new newborn baby, that that would actually happen and that because that happened nations would be born. But for us there’s all kinds of things that we have hope for and in that God has spoken to us and they will not happen if we decide they will not happen. If we decide we are not going to collaborate through faith and hope in an enduring way then they're not, then they won't. Many of us have had dreams that we've basically abandoned because we feel like it's too late for us now. But then we have to look at Abraham because it was most certainly too late for him. And none of this would be here if he had thought it's too late, this is bogus, I don't know what I'm hearing but it's not the Almighty. Nope, he would have died and disappeared from history. We would have never known his name. Paul is saying it's faith guys. It's hope that we need. It’s not recipes or traditions or rituals or laws. It’s faith and hope that we need. And in Paul's context, he’s inviting hope and faith in Jesus and it's no different for us.

Prayer:

So, Jesus, we put our faith and hope in you and you alone. And the thing is, we say those words but we're going to have to do that in 5 minutes. And we’re going to have to do it again in another five minutes or we're going to have to do it every minute, as long as it takes, until hope arises. And, so, we invite your Holy Spirit. Our hope is in you, in the face of the impossible. Our hope is in you. And we ask your Holy Spirit to give us eyes to see and ears to hear and that we are pulled away from the thing we are obsessing about even if it's your promise, trying to figure out how it's going to work and back away. I don't know how it's going to work. We don't know how it's going to work but our hope is in you and you alone. Our faith and trust is in you and you alone. It doesn't matter how it's going to work. Our hope is in you and we see how we’ve obsessed and how we've tried to make things happen only to be frustrated, which is simply an indicator that we lost hope. So, come Holy Spirit, fill us with hope today we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is home base. It's the website. It’s where you find out what's going on around here. So, be sure to check in and check it out. There's a couple of other things going on around here.

The Sneezing Jesus Discussion Group, which is just…some of the things you guys are saying and doing are just incredible and there’s really good discussion happening there. So, if you haven't had a chance to get into the group it's at facebook.com/groups/sneezingjesus. And you’ll want to jump in. We'll be doing a Facebook Live inside that group about Sneezing Jesus just a couple of days from now, on the 20th, which is Thursday at 7 p.m. Central Time. So, just maybe Google the difference between central standard time and wherever you are, so, that you have the right time. And I'll be sharing some thoughts and maybe taking some questions. So, I will look forward to seeing you there.

I mentioned yesterday the Sneezing Jesus tour. And so, we will be out on the road this fall into the winter and spring and if you would like to see that come to your area, go to sneezingjesus.com, scroll down to the bottom, and you see the just a little form there. And we'll see if that can happen.

The other thing around Sneezing Jesus is that the audio edition of Sneezing Jesus is available. I read that. So, it's my words in my own voice. And that is available, as I understand it, pretty much everywhere that you can get audio books in the downloadable formats. So, you may want to check that out. It’s on Audible. It's on iTunes and a lot of other places around the world. So, check that out.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, If what we are doing here, together, as a community around this global campfire, brings warmth and light and life and good news into your life, then thank you for your partnership, that it might continue to burn into the future. There's a link on the homepage of dailyaudiobible.com. If you using the app you can press the More button in the lower right-hand corner or if you prefer the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill, Tennessee 37174.

And as always if you have a prayer request or comment 877-942-4253 is the number to dial.

And that's it for today. I'm Brian I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayers and Praise Reports:

Hi this is CenCal, as in central CA. First time caller long time listener since ‘08. Responding to Grady from PA. This is July 14th podcast. The college student that’s worried about his friends. Man Grady, you can tell by just how emotional you’ve gotten talking about them, your heart’s for God, man. That’s awesome. Make sure that your friends don’t change you or influence you but rather change and influence them. Be the light in their lives. Let your light shine the way and I truly believe that you are there for a reason man. You are there to show them the way. God did put you there and put those people around you. So, make sure you are that positive influence in their life that they need. Ya know, we need more people like, you know, like you, that have a heart for people. And you were bold enough to make that phone call today. That’s awesome man. Just keep on doing what you are doing. Keep your friends in constant prayer, that God protects them, that he guides them, as well as yourself. Basically, just keep doing what you’re doing and let God handle the rest man. We’re praying for you. We love you man. Ya know, just keep on calling back whenever you feel God tugging on your heart that you need to reach out. I just want to thank Brian, Jill, and the staff for doing what you do and have a blessed day DAB family.

Hello my DAB family this is Max _____ from Sydney AU. Today is the 15th of July and I am ringing for massive praise report. I came back on Thursday last week from youth camp and the youth camp was amazing. It was really was. There was so much of Jesus’ love shared around to everybody and all the kids that I was looking after were absolutely a joy to have and be able to impart Jesus with them and spend some wonderful time together. So, the whole camp was a success. It was about 90 children and I think everyone experienced God’s love. And so, I do want to ring and say thank you. Thank you for all those who prayed for this camp, especially Candice who I heard call in but I know there was others as well, so, I thank you for everyone that called in. So, just looking forward to Sneezing Jesus. I’ve got my copy. I’ve got my download copy for my iPad. But I’ve got 10 books coming. But unfortunately, in Australia it will take until about the end of August for me to get the books but I am planning, nervously. I must say I am nervous about spreading the word but I know how that’s ____ coming against us too, so. And thank you Sarah from Nebraska for reaching out and praying for us too about sneezing. And I’m praying for everybody too, that we will have that courage, because I know that courage in me is feeling a bit weak at the moment. The Spirit is willing and I’m certainly going to get out there and start spreading the word. So, I am praying for myself as well, that courage myself, that I will have the courage to spread the word. And I’m praying for everybody out there as well that we’ll all have the courage to spread the word of God. Thank you my DAB family and I am praying for all of you. Bye.

Morning on Daily Audio Bible. This is a message for Hope. I call her Hope but you called yourself Hopeless. Anyway, you are dealing with depression and want to be freed in your mind and I’m sure many of us can agree we face this. So, I just want to help try to bring you out of it, not by my strength but by God’s. You say you have generational family patterns. I pray and hope you’ll be the one that breaks the patterns with trust, faith, and with God to bless the rest, that He’s given us what we need. Through the word we find the scripture. I’ve found one for you. It says, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is glistening, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy take that with you. That’s Philippians 4:8. So, hold onto that. I needed it. And I pray and hope your day is blessed and empowered.

Hi this is Tony N. I'm calling from Germany. I want to start off by saying hello to Brian, to Jill, to your children, and I would like to ask our community to please pray for this family as a unit when they are so out there on behalf of the Lord. They are under attack, so, please pray the Lord, protect this unit. If you were to give me a name or, if the Lord would, it may be facilitator of healing, mind, body, and soul and you'll see me post on DAB sometimes, DAB Friends, sometimes private messages just sharing what the Lord has blessed me with right where knowledge is concerned on health and healing. I want to especially call out Elaine from Victoria. I heard your cries, your ruinedness, your pain when you called and, it was very special. To hear that the Lord had reached out to you, specifically, and in a miracle, let you know you are His, yes, we are His. Most importantly He wanted you to know you are His and I'm very grateful for that blessing. Very happy to be connected with my DAB family. Bye-bye.

Hi family this is _____ from FL. I haven't called in a while and a lot has been going on but I can't really say in 2 minutes but I just wanted to call and thank you and thank God for intertwining me with such a beautiful community. The forgiveness that you all show, devotion that you all have. The love that is so clear is something that I know touches God's heart. So, I just wanted to express my gratitude to you and my praise to God, who is the source of all love. And, so, anytime you guys show your love, what you're showing, and what you're teaching is an aspect of God's character. So, I just, I thank you all for being such beautiful ministers and I’m just grateful and I just love all of you guys. God bless.

0 notes