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tangledstarlight · 3 years

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oh all of this silence and patience (oh im pining in anticipation)

listen it’s still august in some timezones so this totally counts as posting something in august okay? okay! i hope people like this, it took me far too long to finish, but also special shoutout to the wonderful @ourstarscollided who really helped me with the whole first section of this fic, without her i truly would still be working on it, so thank you eunice, you’re the best!💜 okay enjoy!

the first firefighter!luke fic for anyone who wants to read that first, though it can be read alone: ao3 / tumblr

also on ao3!

lil disclaimer: i’m still not a firefighter and i also know that they dont use fire poles anymore but lets just ✨pretend✨ for the visual okay. this takes place between part 4 and 5 in the original fic!

trigger warnings! lots of swearing, implied sexual content.

RATED T –– there’s no graphic scenes but there’s a lot of kissing and fading to black, so rating might change if anyone needs me to 😬

Word count: 6,072

“Look who it is!”

Julie feels a grin pull up on the corners of her mouth as she spots Luke’s station captain coming around the end of one of the fire trucks Julie is walking between, sending her a wave of the clipboard she’s holding. “You’re here early.”

“Yeah, class ended early and I thought I'd pop over to see if I could get some extra time with Luke,” Julie shrugs, holding up the pale grey burlap bag that Alex had packed their food into.

And there’s a sympathetic look that crosses over Harrison’s face, because she knows that the younger woman knows she’s in charge of Luke’s shifts and the reason why Julie comes over every Tuesday to have lunch with her boyfriend.

Because that’s why she was here. To have lunch with him like she did every Tuesday between her classes and when the fires of LA would allow. Sometimes Alex would text her to stop by to pick up a packed lunch for them, sometimes she made something herself, sometimes they just ordered in. The food wasn’t really the point, it was just getting to spend some time together. Julie had never really thought about it before, but there was always something, someone, somewhere, trapped or hurt or on fire. Luke was a very busy person, and it meant sometimes their lunches got interrupted by blaring alarms and him pressing a quick kiss to her lips before rushing off.

Tuesdays were apparently very busy days for a firefighter.

“What’s the master chef prepared for you this week then?” Harrison asks, crossing her arms and clipboard across her chest and lifting one brow, “Y’know Alex used to cook for us, he’d send Luke in every Saturday he was on shift with all sorts of goodies.”

Julie bites her lip to try not to laugh at the exaggerated sigh that leaves the older woman's lips as she shakes her head sadly. There was something about Vivian Harrison that just— put people at ease. The first time Julie had officially met her there had been a warm hug and teasing remarks and there was just something that had viscerally reminding Julie of her aunt Victoria that it was kind of impossible not to like the station captain after that.

“He was pretty busy so it’s just some sandwiches,” she wrinkles her nose a little before smiling, “I’ll tell him how much you’re missing his cooking though, I’m sure the blame will fall completely on Luke.”

Harrison laughs, and tilts her head slightly as she shrugs, “That boy of yours is just very easy to blame.”

She feels a sudden flush to her cheeks at ‘that boy of yours’ that she hopes can be played off by how warm it always is in the station. She can see Harrison’s lips twitching, like she’s about to say something teasing, but Julie is saved from it by two people walking past them and a change of mind.

“Morales, can you tell Patterson his lunch is here.”

“Sure thing Cap,” one of the guys says, shooting her a wide smile that Julie feels compelled to return quickly before he’s rushing off, past the fire engines and up some stairs. And Julie’s about to ask Harrison if they’ve been busy today and if she’d found time to visit the farmers market they’d talked about last time, but another voice interrupts, and Julie hadn’t even realised the other guy hadn’t followed his friend.

“So you’re Patterson’s girl, right?” The blonde asks, eyes scanning her up and down in a way that makes her want to hide behind someone. There’s something vaguely familiar about him, probably because she’s seen him in passing for the last couple of months but never talked to him. Which wouldn’t have been weird if most of the other people in the station hadn’t introduced themselves the first time Luke had invited her to one of their station parties, and made an effort to talk to her whenever she'd stopped by since.

“Yeah, I’m Julie,” she smiles politely, trying to put emphasis on her name. She doesn't mind being known as Luke's girl by people at the station who have actually made an effort to get to know her.

“Right, right, nice to meet you Julie. I’m Nick, I’m sure Luke’s mentioned me,” he grins, teeth showing and shoulders pulling back like he’s expecting her to — what? Clap? A small furrow works its way between her brows as Nick starts up a conversation without even waiting for her response and she suddenly understands what Luke means about him. Because he has mentioned the condescending, stereotypical blonde frat boy before, and never in a good way. It was mostly followed by some very creative swear words and a mumbled ‘he’s going to get either himself or one of us really hurt one day’.

She tries to follow along with the conversation, nodding politely and laughing whenever Harrison forces one out, but Nick only seems interested in talking about himself, and normally she can feign interest, but right now all she wants is to talk to one person in particular.

There’s the sound of too many voices heading in their direction and Julie turns around, eyes searching for one person, but all she’s met with is a collection of firefighters she vaguely knows and tries not to let her disappointment show too clearly on her face.

“Wow Molina, don’t look so excited to see us!” An elbow nudges her side and Julie glances up to see Carrie Wilson has appeared in the place that Nick had just stood, eyebrows raised and a blinding smile as the other blonde frowns from behind her, still trying to carry on his conversation.

“No! I am glad to see you all it’s just—” Julie starts, eyes a little wide as she looks at the other girl because Carrie had only ever been nice to her, but Luke had a lot of stories about the blonde being ruthless and rude to people she was mildly inconvenienced by.

(One of Luke’s favourite stories was about Carrie loudly telling some girl that Nick was flirting with how he had used the same lines on her two months before. Luke told it every chance he could get, sparing no details on the look of horror that has taken over Nick’s face.)

“You’re here for Patterson,” Carrie cuts her off with a wink, elbow nudging her lightly again, “Don’t worry, we all know. He should be down soon.” There’s something about how she says it that raises more questions than answers for Julie, furrow between her brows and mouth opening to comment when Carrie just nods her head behind her, and Julie turns around to spot Luke.

It’s impossible, Julie knows it’s impossible, but she could swear time slows down. Like she’s in some rom-com movie where the main character sees their love interest for the first time.

Only she’s not in a film, she’s stood next to a fire engine and trying to care about what the people around her are talking about and it’s far from the first time she’s seen the love interest. But the world still feels like it’s in slow motion all the same as she looks up as Luke calls her name from the second floor, grinning at her from over the banister and holding up one hand in that universal signal for ‘wait’.

And Julie waits, not that she could really do anything else with the firehouse blurring at the edges and Nick's voice fading into the background. Focus entirely on Luke.

She’s never seen someone slide down the pole before, didn’t even know that they still used them in firehouses, but Julie’s pretty sure it shouldn’t be as hot as it is. Though, she supposes, it could just be Luke. His hand wraps around the metal and Julie swallows as her eyes are drawn to his arms, to where his top pulls tight and his forearms are on show. If this was a film, there’d be some stereotypical song about sex playing in the background right about now. All her slightly hazy brain can supply is the chorus to Lady Marmalade on repeat. His legs wrapped around the pole, ankles crossed and thighs pressed together, comes into view as he slides down the metal, all cool and in control, and Julie's throat goes dry.

She knows how much strength it takes to slide down a pole. Her and Flynn had taken a few pole dancing classes a few years ago in an attempt to add some sort of exercise into their day. Julie can still remember how much her arms ached and the bruises that littered the insides of her thighs after even the simplest of moves.

It was hard, and Luke was making it look so easy.

His feet hit the ground, and even though she’s too far away to actually hear it, she’s pretty sure they must make some sort of thudding sound. Because that’s what happens, right? You slide down the pole and your feet hit the floor with a thud that shows you’re ready for action. Only Luke isn’t going off to put on his uniform and fight a fire or save a life.

He’s walking towards her, suspenders swaying and smile widening and eyes never leaving her face.

And look, she knows that she’s seen Luke fully naked, fresh out of a shower or panting on his back. But seeing him slide down that fucking pole in his white t-shirt, suspenders by his knees and hair a mess? Hottest thing she has ever seen. And he knows it if the way his teeth sink into his bottom lip as he gets closer is anything to go by.

“How long did it take you to practice all that, Patterson?” Carrie asks, and Julie can hear the teasing tone in her voice and would normally enjoy seeing Luke stammer and blush, but right now she’s the one feeling too warm and is pretty sure if she started speaking right now all that would come out would be a high pitched noise.

“About the same amount of time it takes you to do your hair,” is his easy reply and Julie watches as Carrie rolls her eyes, hair flipping over her shoulder, and because he’s momentarily not looking at her, Julie tries to pull her thoughts together. To get a hold of herself. This is not the first time she has seen him in his uniform, she has seen in him in far less, and she will not turn into a blushing mess right now!

“Alright you lot, back to work!” Harrison interrupts before anyone can say anything else, and everyone starts walking away, some nudging Luke as they go, some giving her a wave, and she thinks she must smile back, at least she hopes she does. Her brain is still very much focused on Luke and how his thighs probably looked coming down that pole without the heavy duty trousers. “You tell Alex I’m still a fan of the flapjack he makes,” Harrison says as she walks past, dropping an eye into a wink and giving Luke a look she doesn’t understand.

A tense smile pulls at Julie’s lips that she hopes comes across as genuine and not just her unable to speak because of her incredibly hot and infuriatingly knows it boyfriend.

“You alright, Jules? Looking a little flushed, need me to get one of the EMT’s?” Luke asks, all innocence and anything but subtle as he rocks back and forth on the balls of his feet, teeth still chewing on his damn lip.

“Just—” she clears her throat, trying to glare up at him, but already knowing it’s ruined by the heat in her cheeks and how she can’t stop staring at his arms. God, she hasn’t been this distracted by his arms since their first date. Blowing out a breath, Julie drags her eyes away from where his arms are crossed across his chest — which, she’s like, 80% sure he’s doing on purpose right now, the little shit — and up to his face just as he raises an eyebrow at her.

“It’s just a little warm,” she finally manages to get out, raising her hand that’s clutching the reusable grocery bag too tight, “Alex sent me with lunch.”

Luke’s eyes light up at the mention of Alex and food, hands dropping from his chest to eagerly reach for the bag and Julie can’t help but giggle at how quickly he can switch from cocky to cute.

“Swee-et! Alex is best,” he grins down at her, drawing out the first syllable of the word and bobbing his head at her. “You wanna eat outside?”

Julie doesn’t respond, just nods her head and links her fingers through his empty hand, letting Luke lead her out of the fire station and to the little grassy area outside. There’s already a blanket on the ground, two bottles of water and a warmth spreads through her for a different reason as Luke pulls her down to the ground and spreads out the food Alex has given them.

They get an hour.

An hour to eat lunch and curl up together to talk and giggle and try to keep their hands visible at all times. It’s both her favourite and the most tortuous hour of her week so far. And Luke’s just leaning in to whisper something in her ear, his breath against her cheek sending shivers down her spine when the alarm starts blaring from inside and his head drops to her shoulder with a sigh that mingles with her own groan.

“I gotta go,” he mutters into the fabric of her t-shirt, and she can imagine how his lips would feel brushing against her skin if they were somewhere else right now.

“I know,” she sighs and carefully moves her shoulder so he has to lift his head up, eyes apologetic as they meet hers. “Be careful?”

“Always am,” Luke smiles gently at her and then he’s getting up and leaving her on the blanket and feeling the loss. Julie watches him go, knees pulled up to her chest and blowing him a kiss when he turns around to wave one last time like he always does when the alarm inevitably ends their lunch date early.

Which normally Julie was fine with.

He was at work. He had a job. He had an important job.

Running out in the middle of lunch was fine. And it would have been fine today, if he hadn’t slid down that damn pole and filled her head with all sorts of ideas and left her fidgeting in her seat. It doesn’t help that Luke clearly knows, if the way he presses a kiss to her forehead and mutters a sorry, eyes a little wide and promises to see her later.

Which is all well and good, but Julie can’t help but feel like he did it on purpose and wonders if there’s a way for her to make him feel just as flustered as she had an hour earlier.

It takes her a while to form a plan of revenge, and then it takes a while longer for her to gather all the things she needs. And okay, maybe at some point she forgets why she’s doing all this, and then Luke mentions the pole at the station and how it makes his muscles ache sometimes as he says he’s going for a shower and Julie remembers the sight of him coming down and redoubles her planning.

The hard part comes when she has to pick a day. Because she can’t lure him to her house, not while her dad is working odd hours and her brother is home and Victoria still has a tendency to show up unannounced. Which leaves finding a time when his apartment is empty.

Not an easy feat when Reggie works from home part time, and can’t actually be trusted to stick to his word when he says he’ll be out and Alex has a weekend routine he’s hard pressed to change and likes to get home from work and relax. Plus she has to check when Luke isn’t working on a weekend, which turns out to be the easiest part, because it turns out Harrison really likes her and was happy to schedule Luke a weekend off when she asked.

Sure, she could have enacted her plan while one or both of them were home too but, well Julie knows the boys are all very close, and she knows that they’ve accepted her into the closeness with welcome arms. But she’s not sure she wants to have sex while they’re eating leftover lasagna down the hall. Feels a little too close for her liking. Plus, she has a plan that might end up involving their bath and she’s not sure they’d want to be there for that.

So Julie bides her time. Changes her mind on what clothes she wants and practices different poses on her bed at night and drops little hints about a weekend alone together.

Alex makes plans first, announces that he’s going with Willie to an out of state kids skateboarding competition to help cheer on Willie’s little proteges. He makes a big deal out telling them all the dates and how they had plans to go to some couples spa on their way back and how his restaurant would be ‘more than happy to supply any meals for two that you two might want’.

It had gone over Luke’s head, just nodding and asking about the competition. But Julie had gotten the hint.

And then a few days later Reggie said he had ‘big plans’ with her dad and brother of all people. He’d said it one afternoon when she’d stopped by to see Luke before his week of night shifts, how they were going to go camping so her dad could take some photos for a project and Reggie could teach Carlos to fish, and then he’d dropped his eye in a dramatic wink when she’d asked if that was the same weekend Alex was also away.

(Julie knew that she probably should have found it a little weird how often Reggie seemed to talk and hang out with her family, but the first time she’d gotten home to find him sitting at the dining room table, helping her dad edit photos and offering to order pizza, had felt strangely right.

Like he had always been a part of their family.

Luke had asked her once, a few weeks after they first started dating if it was okay. If she didn’t mind that Reggie had seemed to attach himself to her family. He never explicitly said anything, but she’d known him long enough by then to see the hints, the secrets she wasn’t aware of yet. Of lonely childhoods and something lacking. The hints that he’d found that with her family. And even if she hadn’t been fine with it already, she wasn’t about to stop Reggie. The Molina’s had never been shy about taking in lost souls.)

So apparently she hadn’t been quite as subtle as she thought she’d been with her hints. Both boys clearly conspiring to get her a weekend alone with their best friend. Julie’s just glad that Luke clearly hasn’t noticed. Or if he hadn’t, hadn’t teased her about it.

And that their apartment is empty when she uses her key to let herself in on Friday evening, Hotdog already waiting by the shoes for Luke, head tilted as she looks up mewling softly in disappointment.

“Sorry sweetie, he’ll be home soon though,” Julie mummers, bending down to scratch behind the cat's ears before stepping out of her shoes, which Hotdog happily moves to sit on top of instead. “Be sure to make a big fuss when he gets in so I know, alright?”

Hotdog doesn’t respond, just fixes her eyes back on the front door to wait for Luke, and Julie moves further into the apartment, laughing quietly at the plate of brownies Alex or Willie have clearly left out for them on the counter, blushing slight as she reads the short message scrawled on a post-it note,

‘Don’t mess up my kitchen ;)’

She tries not to let herself think too hard or long about how clearly they all knew about her grand plans for the night. And the next day, and hopefully the whole weekend if things went according to plan.

Picking up the plate on her way through the kitchen, Julie shrugs out of her coat to leave on the back of one of the kitchen stools, because if Luke missed her shoes in the hall, he won't miss this, and she’s really hoping he’ll get the hint to head towards his bedroom. By the time she’s made it to Luke’s room she’s lifted the cellophane off the plate and taken a bite from one of the brownies. Definitely Willie who’d baked them, he was always doubling up the chocolate content. Where Alex was experimental in the kitchen, Willie was a traditionalist who believed chocolate was the best way to set a mood. Julie couldn’t really fault his logic as she moves into Luke’s room.

His room looks the same as it had the first time she’d seen it. Only now there’s a bottle of her perfume on his dresser, and some of her clothes on his ‘laundry’ chair, and polaroids of the two of them stuck in the corners of the photo frames of him and the boys. And Julie knows if she thinks about it, that her room at her dad's house is also littered with pieces of him as well, and she knows it’s only been a few months, but it feels like years. Like her life had been full of all these little gaps she’d never noticed until they were filled with Luke.

Putting the plate down, she starts moving around his room. Pulling out the firefighting coat he’d brought home a few weeks ago because he’d found a rip in the shoulder, rooting through his wardrobe for the plain blue cut off she’d seen the last time she was over and laying them out on his bed. Tilting her head, Julie mentally puts together her outfit one more time. Shorts, suspenders, Luke’s cut-off, coat, maybe the shoes? She bites her lip and decides to come back to it, to see how everything looks on.

It’s strange, Julie thinks as she clips one side of her suspenders to her shorts, how nervous she is about this. It’s not like this is the first time they’ll have slept together, but it is the first time she’s done anything like this. Dressed up in something other than a pretty dress for dinner that he’d taken great care of taking off her.

What if he didn’t like it? What if he thought it was weird? What if he got home and was too tired to do anything? He’d been at work all day, after a long week of working, maybe she should change her plans and do it tomorrow night? What if—

She cuts her own thoughts off with a groan, sitting down on the end of Luke’s bed to take a breath and fiddle with knee high sheer socks dotted with little stars that she’d ordered online. Logically, Julie knows that Luke will like this, that he’ll look at her with those eyes of his that can’t hide a single emotion and smile at her slowly and call her beautiful.

Because he’d been complimenting her since their first date, and every day since. Little things and big changes and all the between. He really did seem to like her just as much dressed up and with make-up on as he did when she’d just woken up on a morning with her hair a mess and pillow creases still on her cheeks.

And that in itself was scary.

Because he liked her for her and didn’t need her to change. She’d never really dated anyone before who didn’t want her to be less invested in music or spend less time with her family or who didn’t like Flynn or even one guy who thought she should try a different scent of shampoo. They’d all been relationships littered with red flags, big and small.

But not even Flynn could find a real warning sign about Luke. Maybe he was a little co-dependant on his friends, but neither of them could say anything because they were a little co-dependant too. And maybe he could be a little over enthusiastic, but he also knew when to give her space. He had a stable job and good friends and was cute and lived in a nice area and he had a cat.

And, once upon a time, he had had a similar dream to her.

One of the things Flynn had managed to dig up on him during her ‘background’ check was an old low quality video on youtube of three boys in a garage playing instruments that looked too big for them but taking the whole thing seriously. Voices cracking on the cover of Summer of ‘69 they were playing, but Julie had seen the way they grinned at each other, at the way a younger Luke had bounced around the small space and Reggie had rocked on his feet and Alex had thrown a drumstick in the air and caught it again. They were kids, but they were talented and it's at that moment that Julie realises Luke was right. They could have made it.

She wonders what would have happened if fate hadn’t intervened in the form of a fire. She’s pretty sure Luke has wondered the same thing too. He doesn’t talk about it much and Julie’s never sure how much to push because he seems happy in his life and choices. And plus, if it hadn’t been for a fire in a record store, there’s a chance they wouldn’t have met.

Julie frowns a little at that thought as she rolls on her second sock over her knee and stands up, straightening out her shorts and twisting the side of Luke’s cut off up and tying it into a knot. She’s never been the biggest believer in fate since her mom died but she thinks there’s something a little like fate that’s pulled them together. And she thinks they’d have met with a fire or without a fire, with music or without.

She wrinkles her nose at herself in the mirror at that thought, rolling her eyes at how cheesy it sounds even to herself. Fate and destiny, who did she think she was? They were just two people lucky enough to find each other.

An alarm goes off on her phone to tell her she’s got half an hour before Luke is due home and this is her last chance if she wants to change her mind.

Tilting her head a slightly to the side, Julie takes in her high waisted shorts, red suspenders dangling by her thighs, the way her t-shirt cinches at her waist and reveals just a strip of skin above her shorts where she knows Luke likes to rest his hands when he pulls her close. She’d taken extra care with her curls and all she had to do was apply some lipstick and touch up her eyeliner and she’d be ready.

It’s Flynn’s voice in the back of her head as she tucks curls behind her ears to lean a little closer to her reflection and, as she pulls back, smacking her lips once before letting them rest in a pout, she can’t help but reiterate it, “I do look hot.”

The front door shuts and Julie can hear Hotdog meowing and Luke’s muffled voice down the corridor as she’s pulling his coat over her shoulders. It’s far too big for her, hanging below her knees and she has to roll the sleeves up three times to free her hands, but the collar smells like smoke and metal and Luke and his last name is written across the right hand side and his station across her back.

That was the part that Flynn had said would really get him — his name on her. Luke wasn’t exactly possessive, but she and Flynn had agreed there was just something about it that was A Lot, in a good way. (Unlike buying a pole and installing it in Luke’s room for a weekend, that was A Lot, in a bad way. Her plan had gone through many different phases before settling on this one. Luckily, it was also the cheapest.)

“Jules?” Luke calls and Julie bites her lip as she carefully climbs on to his bed, and kneels in the middle before changing her mind and crawling off the other side to stand next to it instead.

“I’m in here,” she calls back and she hears something dropping to the floor, probably his bag she guesses, and then his footsteps sounding down the hall.

Julie’s glad she opted for the shoes, just simple black heels, but they give her an extra lift and something more for Luke to look at as he opens his bedroom door. She has one knee slightly bent and resting on her toes, coat sleeves hiding the way her hands are balled up at her sides and one shoulder raised a little higher than the other as she tilts her head at him, biting her lip.

He freezes in the doorway, mouth partly open like he’d been about to say something only to get lost somewhere between his brain and vocal chords as his eyes seem to lock on to the coat she’s wearing before traveling down to her bare legs and Julie watches him swallow, adam's apple bobbing. Just as his eyes get back up to her face she moves one hand to tuck her coat behind her hip and hook her thumb under her suspenders in a way she’s seen him do countless times.

And it gets the reaction she wants, his eyes zeroing in on her hand and tracing up the line of red that covers her chest. Luke’s tongue darts out to swipe across his bottom lip as he blinks and finally drags his eyes back up to her face, pupils blown wide and she watches as he lets out a heavy breath.

“Hi,” she breathes out, and almost immediately regrets it. She's trying for sexy but thinks it just comes across as gasping. Which she hopes she’ll be eventually at some point tonight, but would at least like to be touched a little first.

“You—” Luke starts, and his voice is rough like he’s not used it in hours so he swallows again and Julie’s momentarily distracted by the way his throat moves before his speaking again, “Is that my coat?”

“Maybe,” Julie shrugs, turning slightly so she can pull at the collar of the coat to peer down at the name stitched in the fabric, “Oh look, it does say your name. Would you like me to take it off?” She blinks up at him with a soft smile.

Julie doesn’t know if it’s the smile or her words or just everything about the moment, but Luke lets out a low groan and before she can even blink he’s stood in front of her, hands on her hips and fingers brushing against her strip of visible skin, just like she knew he would. And she’s thankful for the heels all over again when it gives her the little extra height that means Luke doesn’t have to bend down quite so far to brush his lips across her cheek.

“You’re fucking gorgeous,” he mutters, lips ghosting along her jaw and Julie has to rest her hands against his chest to steady herself as her legs already feel wobbly. If she didn’t love him, she’d almost hate him for how easily he can affect her.

“Luke,” she whines as he continues to avoid her lips and trails one hand up his chest to wrap around his neck, fingers winding into his hair to tug lightly which only results in making him huff a laugh against the skin below her ear before giving in and pulling back.

“So,” he starts, press a light kiss to her cheek again again, “fucking,” he kisses the corner of her lips, “beautiful.” And he finally presses his lips to hers, soft at first and then she nips lightly at his top lip and he flexes his fingers against her hip, tugging her a closer with her suspenders to deepen the kiss.

Julie walks them backwards until the backs of her knees hit the edge of his bed and Luke takes the lead from there, lowering her down without breaking the kiss. He pulls away just enough to gasp for a breath, and she looks up at him, chest heaving and takes her chance to start her own teasing trail of kisses up his neck and across his jaw.

“Fuck,” he mutters and Julie smiles as she sucks lightly at his neck and sees the red mark her lipstick has left behind. She just hopes it lasts long enough for her full plan.

“This was because of the pole thing a few weeks ago, right?” Luke asks a few hours later as they lie in the middle of his bed, blankets half pushed to the floor and Julie’s spent the last five minutes kicking her legs back and forth to try and dislodge the reminder from covering her legs without having to turn around or sit up. She’s perfectly comfortably lying on her front, licking chocolate off her fingers from one of the brownies that Alex and Willie had been correct in leaving for them.

“Maybe,” she tries to shrug, but it’s awkward in this position and she quickly gives up to just look at him from under her lashes with a smile.

Luke laughs, his fingers trailing up and down her arm and over her shoulder a few times before he sits up slightly and leans over to press a kiss to her shoulder, “If I’d known it would cause such a reaction I would have slid down that pole in front of you months ago.”

“It might have still taken us months to get to this. Your roommates have very annoying schedules,” she shakes her head sadly and she thinks her hair has to be hitting him in the face, but he doesn’t say anything, just carefully gathers it in one hand to drape over her other shoulder, his lips still brushing soft kisses across her skin.

“Yeah. I’d get rid of them if Alex didn’t feed me for free and Reggie didn’t get us so many free tickets to stuff,” he sighs, breath blowing against her skin as his nose nudges over her shoulder blade until his lips follow and his rest his chin on her shoulder, and all she has to do is turn her head a little to find his eyes on her lips. “Though it would be so worth it for weekends like this.”

“Guess we should just make the most of this one first, huh?”

It’s a little awkward, and Luke must be uncomfortable with his torso twisted like it is, but it’s easy to kiss Luke, and to roll over until she can push him back down until his back hits the mattress and she can hover over him instead.

“You sound like you have a plan,” Luke comments, and his hands rest on her hips, fingers tapping against her as he looks up at her with those damn eyes of his. The ones that can’t hide a single thought or emotion. And all she can see is love, and okay yeah, probably a lot of lust.

“There might have been some bullet point list involved,” she shrugs one shoulder, her hair slipping over as she moves and Luke’s fingers flex against her, squeezing one hip as he lets out something that sounds halfway between a laugh and a groan.

“That shouldn’t be this hot,” he shakes his head, but his eyes are still shining and Julie loves him.

So she tells him. And kisses him. And wonders if it’s too soon to suggest they spend all their weekends together forever.

#julie and the phantoms #jatp fics #julie molina #luke patterson #jukebox #jatp #firefighter!luke au #serioulsy what else am i supposed to tag fics on here ghfj #*fics #i post this then i go to bed. enjoy and goodnight 😌

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cloudykaii · 4 years

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pairing: bts x eighth member!reader [platonic]

summary: omg i just real some of your eight member scenarios and eveerything was so good!! i wasnt into eight member things before but now.. im super in! 😭 can you do a scenario about compilation of the members little caring act on stage, backstage, when theres camera or not, something like that to the eight members?? if you make it then i would be so delighted. than you !!

warnings: none, it’s just really fluff :( some of it might not make sense, but i really love this

A lot of things could be said about your brothers. Each and every one of them had their moments and mistakes, just like you did. Some people would call them rude, or selfish amongst other things, but the one thing they could never say, is that they didn’t care about you. ARMY pointed it out all the time; they even had compilations of moments the eight of you cared for each other, but your favorite were the ones titled things like: “six minutes of proof that bts’ world revolves around y/n.”

Jin jumped as your head fell against his bicep. You were at an afterparty for an awards show the eight of you had been asked to present at. The music wasn’t too loud- you used to joke that it was because everyone knew rich people liked to brag. You had no idea where the rest of your brothers were but you and Jin had been perched on the oddly comfortable sofa as he socialized. He could feel your hairpins digging into his shoulder.

“Y/N, are you okay?” You didn’t answer and he moved slightly so that he could reach across and tap your arm, but you moved with him. He felt your even breathing and sighed. You still had around two hours left before they could leave.

One of the girls he had been talking to chuckled as you gave a tiny shiver in your sleep. “She must be tired.”

He smiled at her before slipping off his blazer to cover you with it. “She works hard, sometimes I think she works harder than the rest of us,” he chuckled, pulling you closer so that he could make sure she was comfortable.

No one knows how a fan account had that video trending on twitter under the hashtag #BabyY/N three days later.

✦✧✦✧

One bad thing about being the only girl in an idol group, is that sometimes you get the least amount of consideration. Not because they didn’t respect you or anything like that, it’s just that after styling for seven boys, you think sometimes the staff tends to forget you are not a guy, or maybe they had never seen a girl in real life.

Or at least that’s what the short dress you were wearing had you feeling like. It’s not like it wasn’t pretty, a black skirt and connected by a thin, white lacy strip that wrapped around your abdomen. It was gorgeous, and the silky ribbon of a choker around your neck made it look even better, but it was just.. so short.

You powered through like a trooper, despite the fear in the back of your mind that you were flashing the entire audience while you danced. The minute the song stopped and everyone moved to get a drink of water, Yoongi was taking his jacket off and tying it around your waist.

Not speaking into the mic, you let him do as he wanted but asked, “Are you even allowed to do that? Won’t the stylist say something about how you ruined her outfit?”

Tightening the knot of material, he rolled his eyes. “Honestly, I don’t give a fuck what the stylist has to say right now. Not only is your outfit not okay, but it’s obviously making you uncomfortable. You can wear this until the next outfit change.”

“Thank you,” you hugged him briefly, glad he had your back.

✦✧✦✧

There was a time where you guys were recording a live during a long break while at practice. Fans talked about it for ages afterwards. Taehyung sat against one of the mirrors, holding his phone, while Jimin was in the picture beside him.

“Basically, that’s it. We haven’t really-”

“Y/N, stop running around, you’re going to hurt yourself!” Jimin’s voice cut in, making the other man look over.

“What is she doing?”

Jimin huffed, “I have no idea, but she’s going to- Y/N, at least t- no actually come here, I’ll do it for you.”

And when you bounced into the view of the camera, only for all the fans to see Jimin pulling your foot to him so he could tie your shoe. “Be careful this time, even if you’re playing tag.”

✦✧✦✧

Jeongguk laughed at the camera, the comments being ridiculous. He was doing a live, answering questions about the embarrassing moments he chose to talk about. “No, it was funny! He fell, but then he tried to play it off by doing pushups, but he feel while trying to do that, so-”

He heard the door open in the background, and the camera saw him turn to the side just before he let out an “oomf.” The side profile of your face was visible to the viewers as you moved to curl against him on the bed. You rubbed your eyes sleepily, and he frowned. “It’s really late, you’re supposed to be asleep.”

You mumbled, “I was, but then I got scared and woke up. I didn’t want to be alone.” He pouted at that. You tended to have nightmares whenever you were stressed, and since he was the one who found out about them first, he was usually the person you ran to.

“Do you wanna sleep in here?” He asked softly. Everyone tuned in could hear everything, but your brother barely remembered that he was even recording as he fussed over you. You nodded, already drifting off on his shoulder. He smiled down at you before turning back to the camera. He read the many comments of everyone cooing over you. “Yeah, she’s alright. I’ll tell her to tell you guys herself tomorrow. Anyways..”

✦✧✦✧

Of course, there were incidents that were more serious.

The sun was setting, which made the perfect picture for the shoot you guys were about to do. The rooftop everyone was on was beautiful and stone, the kind of background you saw in movies. The sun seemed to glitter, and the wind made everything sway until the lake’s seemingly glittering waves caught your eye. “Whoa,” you gasped, moving closer to get a look.

“Y/N-”

You waved off Taehyung’s warning. “I’ll be careful! I just want to get a closer look!” You walked back over to the edge, admiring the way the sun sparkled on the water. You subconsciously leaned closer, moving your body a little too far against the thin railing, but before you could topple over, a hand grabbed the back of your jacket with a tight grip, yanking you back until you were a good distance away from the railing.

Your back hit someone else’s and you recognized Taehyung as you turned to see him. He stared down at you. “I said be careful!”

“I’m sorry,” you said a little shakily. Taehyung sighed before pulling you back into a hug. “Having a little sister is so hard, you’re not leaving my sight for the rest of the day.”

✦✧✦✧

Another moment fans loved to talk about actually happened at a fansign. You smiled brightly as the next fan came up to you, following the line. “Hello!” you greeted happily.

Something about this girl threw you off though, and the look in her eyes had you unintentionally leaning away from her. You couldn’t decipher it, but when nothing happened, you told yourself you were just overthinking it. She was probably just excited to meet what could have been her favorite artist group, right?

You stood by Hoseok as the fansign ended, moving to follow him out of then venue. He chuckled as he looked at you. “You have that look.”

You wrinkled your nose. “What look?”

“The one that says you’re hungry,” he teased, poking you in the stomach, making you whine. “Well, maybe-”

“Y/N!” You turned around, cutting yourself off mid sentence, to see the fan from earlier. “I found you.” Her smile was a little too bright as she reached for you, only for Hoseok to push you behind him as you stuttered out, “I’m sorry, we really have to go.”

You moved to attempt to leave after that, but her demeanor quickly changed. Her face changed from too happy and delighted, to dark and angry. Her eyes narrowed, and she reached for you more aggressively this time. “Don’t be son ungrateful,” she squeezed your wrist painfully and you cried out as security finally made their way over.

Hoseok immediately pulled you to him, looking at the rapidly forming bruise on your wrist. Even though at the moment, it was just a large red mark, his face still tightened. “This never should have happened,” he cursed when he noticed tears in your eyes.

He pulled you into a hug as he waited for the rest of your brothers to show up. “It won’t happen again,” he promised you.

✦✧✦✧

The moment that was probably the most talked about, was when a talk show host felt the need to ask you how it felt. Namjoon shared a glance with you.

“Excuse me?” you asked timidly, straightening up.

The interviewer turned to you. “Oh, you speak English! I was just asking how it felt to be so similar to a child all the time.” The man’s tone of voice didn’t even change, but the idea that he had expected Namjoon to translate this to you, and now casually asked you as if there was nothing wrong with the question. “You know, they’re always taking care of you, it makes it seem like you can’t do anything by yourself. Does it ever irritate you?”

You tried laughing it off, the chuckle leaving your lips as you ticked a strand of hair behind your ear awkwardly. “Not really. They’re not doing anything to be condescending, and I know that.”

“Do you feel like that is because you need their help?”

“That’s enough,” Namjoon cut in, his jaw clenched as he slid forward a little in his seat as if to help get his point across. “Y/N is perfectly capable of taking care of herself. We pitch in to check on her because we love and care about her, and she does the same for us. She is not a child but a grown woman who we love and care about enough to make sure she’s okay and gets the nice treatment she deserves. With all due respect, if you insult our sister again, we will be forced to cut this short.”

You looked over to him, offering a silent thank you as the interviewer coughed, trying to recover. The bad news was that this interview was live, so he really couldn’t do anything but sit there and realized he had just embarrassed himself.

Honestly, what else is there to say? You loved and cared about your brothers, and they loved and cherished you.

#aimee grace writes #bts #bts eighth member #'bts 8th member #kim seokjin #min yoongi #jung hoseok #kim namjoon #park jimin #kim taehyung #jeon jeongguk #bts imagine #bts x reader

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sundaeserenade · 3 years

Text

okay! so the pokemas legendary event: father or foe. I have things to say so I will say them. and if you don’t want spoilers, uhmmm don’t read this! okay thanks okay.

first of all, i like how ghetsis just. shows up. like he’s just there. that’s great, A+ Second of all, I know the point of that battle between N, Silver, Brendan and Norman was to showcase how strong Brendan and Norman’s father-son bond was. but it’s so fucking funny to me that they’re fighting against two legendary pokemon. and they’ve got a fucking slaking and a fucking uhh sceptile like. Ho-oh is fucking fire/flying, but Norman and Brendan won??? but whatever, moving on.

glad that they put silver in this. like even with the plot point later on with giovanni, i just like that silver is here. i like silver. i like his way of speaking. because in a world of pokemon protagonists that are naive and idealistic, silver’s realism and straightforwardness is very needed. so thanks silver, for being that bro.

anyway, I love N’s answer to Ghetsis’ proposition for them to be father-son again. He says he just needs time to think. That shows such maturity. And the fact that they put that alongside Nate’s very black and white (lol) way of thinking, is good. Nate is like “Ghetsis did some fucked up shit. get him outta here” but N has history with Ghetsis and is hesitant.

and y’know what, Nate is right honestly, because Ghetsis did some fucked up shit!! I know a lot of people have not played gen 5 but Ghetsis is a BITCH!!! He’s manipulative and abusive, he said some fucked up shit to N, he tried to fuck over unova TWICE, he’s not a good dude. And it’s interesting! bc in bw2, y’know, former team plasma members are trying to make up for their crimes from the first game. and they point out that all they can do is apologize and do better, like they can try and make up for what they did and do what they can to make things right. and that’s what some of them are doing. and they acknowledge that this doesn’t like erase people’s pain or make them entitled to forgiveness.

but on the other side of that, you have ghetsis, who is not at all interested in that shit. he doesn’t think he’s done anything wrong, he doesn’t want to change, fuck unova, fuck everything and everyone! So yeah! Nate is like FUCK GHETSIS and honestly, everyone should be like that but they weren’t there in unova so they get a pass.

and N is just hesitant. Because he sees that father-son bond and he wants that. he wants that connection. and think about how that resonates with so many people playing this game. like it fucking resonated with me! you want a bond with a family member that’s hurt you, and they come to you to try and make amends... and say it’s idealistic or naive or stupid, but there’s hope that it could work out this time.

ghetsis has manipulated and abused N in the past, and N knows this most of all, but he’s willing to move forward with their relationship if Ghetsis has truly changed. DAMN! that hits me hard. too many times we try and give people a second chance when they say they’ve changed, but it turns out they fucking haven’t and they hurt us all over again.

But I like that N takes the time to decide. He talks to Alder and gets his opinion, and I like that Alder is just honest as fuck about it. And N takes that into consideration, but still makes the choice himself, just like Silver advised him to. This is a choice he made after weighing his options and the outcomes.

And honestly, I was like... Ghetsis could go either way. They could keep him evil and have this be him trying to manipulate N again, OR they could pull a lusamine and have the story and the characters just forget about the abuse that he put N through and the chaos he put unova through. And I’m so happy to see that they kept him evil because HE IS evil and! He’s as fucking heartless as ever, being honest about how everyone is a tool to him.

That’s refreshing as fuck to me. After lusamine, i had no fucking hope for this game but DAMN let’s go, okay, Ghetsis staying evil? teaming up with giovanni? nice nice nice. love it.

But also, hold on, because Silver is a hero in this event. I loved hearing what he had to say, but this line that he had is so fucking important.

IM STILL IN SHOCK THAT THEY ACTUALLY SAID THIS LIKE??? idk i just wasn’t expecting it at all, and im SO GLAD they brought it up. Silver? Getting frustrated with Nate that he’s not trying to see things from N’s point of view? Nice. Very Nice. This is why I’m glad Silver’s here, because what other character would have the guts to say this? We need that blunt honesty a lot of the time. We need that straightforwardness to put some harsh truths out there.

I like that Nate stops and considers that now, they he apologizes and is like “I was thinking more about unova than about your feelings, N” and he APOLOGIZES!! LET’S GO!

There’s some good nuggets in this event, it’s so fucking GOOD.

It keeps getting better because with Alder reassuring N and offering advice, he shows that he’s more of a fucking.. father figure than Ghetsis will EVER be but he also just says that N’s grown and he’s got a good heart and N is so shocked...! He is still 100% suffering from what Ghetsis said/did to him before! because that trauma is still there! And he needs to be surrounded by people who really and truly care about him to support him now.

Okay but moving on, the Ghetsis and Giovanni team up was cool. I like how they kept summoning team break members out of nowhere?? fantastic. and of course giovanni was gonna backstab him. fucking. ghetsis you idiot, but anyway! N seeing that ghetsis is about to get his whole ass kicked and STILL stepping up to help him out?

Mm i have some mixed feelings about it, but N CAN talk to pokemon and he didn’t want anything to happen to Kyurem. And I’m glad that they put that in there and remembered that about N’s character because otherwise i’d be like “why would he help him, Ghetsis has revealed his true colors for like the third time there’s no reason to” but it also ties back into N just feeling sorry for this mother fucker and also just wanting a father figure.

but! after the battle, they leave. and Silver just glares at Giovanni and tells him to fuck off... this poor boy, but! we also have this comparison between silver KNOWING that his father will never change and that he’s not interested in changing, and now N coming to that conclusion with ghetsis. those two are not going to change. they don’t fucking care. they’re terrible people. and it’s a hard pill to swallow but silver’s already swallowed it. and now he’s helping N to get through what he’s already gone through.

so N just saved ghetsis’ ass and now they’re outside. And N says that he knows Ghetsis hasn’t changed, and if he causes trouble N will stop him. And Nate tells Ghetsis he hates him LOL and then is like why can’t you just fucking be a better person to N like for real.

and Ghetsis continues to be a sack of shit. and Nate gets upset and says something really touching, that N just wants a normal relationship with the man he calls his father. and Nate is real sensitive to this stuff, he wears his heart on his sleeve, y’know. but a lot of male pokemon protagonists are like that (gold, brendan i think?) but it’s just touching to have Nate be really invested. to have Nate and Silver both wanting to help N, and Nate is the more sensitive and idealistic of the two and Silver just adds that touch of realism. y’know, black and white?

but N is a bit of both, now. That’s what he gained on his journey, this understanding that problems aren’t so simple and that complexity is a part of life and that sometimes there isn’t a clear right answer. and sometimes things don’t go the way that you want, no matter how much you hope or wish for things to change.

and at the end... N understands that. He understands that while Ghetsis is a piece of shit and will ALWAYS be a piece of shit, he has people and pokemon around him and that’s all he needs. he doesn’t need a father. he’s just fine without one. Silver agrees, everyone fucking agrees. and it’s fucking touching. N’s got people in his life that care about him genuinely and that’s all he needs.

and that’s a real good message because first of all, Alder is right there and found family is abound, but also, it’s not pushing this fucking narrative that you should always, always forgive your family or the people who hurt you. sometimes, your family is shit! and you cut them out of your life for your own well being! many, many people have to do that. and instead of ignoring that every family isn’t the same and that people have shitty relationships with their families, this event is like “hey, everyone’s upbringing is different” and “if people who’ve hurt you aren’t going to sincerely apologize and make the effort to change, they aren’t worth your time” and “fuck ghetsis”

like those are good messages! and im mad because WHERE WAS THIS with the lusamine event??? lusamine abused both lily and gladion, but she’s okay?? she fucking almost drove the alola region into chaos but she’s forgiven?? no. i will never be about that. lily and gladion are both better off without her because i didn’t see an apology in sumo or in pokemas, the bitch just showed up and was like “okay!! we’re family!!” and even with the sumo endgame thing of lily taking lusamine to kanto to give her treatment, i need to SEE an apology and a genuine want to change

and you know what even if there is an apology? lily and gladion aren’t obligated to forgive her. it’s their choice, sure, but i think it was a choice forced onto them instead of it being something that they, as characters, seriously consider. and?? lusamine should be in jail. so.

like there’s no obligation for these kids to forgive their abusive parents. none at all. and N’s speech to ghetsis saying “i don’t think a true father-son relationship can happen between us so easily, but if you’ve had a true change of heart, show me through battle!” is so important because he wants to see for himself if there’s been a real change. N will decide AFTER the battle and after seeing ghetsis’ motivations if they can move forward.

and where was this with lily and gladion?? what did they ask or talk about with lusamine so that they know she’s being sincere?? and y’know what, where is the distrust?? especially for lily, because lusamine did some real fucked up shit!! it’s just not handled as well, and it could’ve been a great example of “kids need to get away from their abusive parents even if they promise change” because N made a choice and was hesitant but we didn’t get to see that development with gladion and lily. i know it’s pokemon, but i definitely think there’s a way they could’ve written them,, cutting lusamine out of their lives and it being like “okay, this is the best for both of us” because lusamine was a shit mother and also gladion and lily have found family in the selene, elio, hau and professor kukui and professor brunet SO.

but this event was pretty good and there were some very good moments in here. I’m glad ghetsis will stay evil and i’m glad they put silver in there as well, thanks. BUT WHERE WAS HILBERT????? WHHHHYYYYYY!!!!!

#text #pokemas rants #dude i just love n #at the end of the day that's all i can say #with his long green hair

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rohad93 · 4 years

Text

Worth the Fight

Medival Au, cause i am nothing if not predictable in what i like to write about. dont expect these updates as quickly as MM. im still working out the plot.

Trees, fields, and more, big surprise, more fields. Sometimes she spotted the occasional wild animal scampering through the grass, though that was the most interesting thing she’d seen so far.

”Are we there yet?” Luz asked for the third time in an hour as she and Eda trudged along the dirt road they had been following for two days as it wound through the fields and forests of the countryside.

“Do you see the city?” Eda asked as she glanced at her apprentice out of the corner of her eye.

“No…”

“Then we’re not there yet!” Eda threw up her arms. “Kid, relax, we’ll get there when we get there, I know you’re tired, I’m tired, hell, King is tired.” She gestured to the demonic dire wolf trotting along beside them, tongue lolling out of his mouth. His black fur shined in the sun but was near blinding against the white fur on the top of his head that created a distinct skull-like pattern across the top of his face.

“Poor baby…,” Luz cooed as she reached out and scratched the space between his horns, making his tail wag.

“He’ll live….” Eda rolled her eyes. “but you might not if you ask me if ‘we’re there yet’ one more time,” she grumbled, adjusting the light plate armor on her shoulders. It was the height of summer and as used to traveling in the stuff as she was, she was still baking under the sweltering midday sun.

Luz just pouted as they walked along. The leather of her boots was rubbing raw spots on the soles of her feet with each mile they walked.

Two days ago Eda had shaken her awake from where she and King had been lying curled up in a pile of hay. The seventeen-year-old had been half asleep and had missed most of what the older woman had been saying to her, just trying to keep her eyes open as Eda rambled on and shoved their meager belongings into an old rucksack.

What she managed to glean from the rapid-paced, one-sided conversation was something about a job, money, and leaving town, which did catch her attention.

They had been to a lot of towns over the years she had been training under Eda, and some were definitely better than others in terms of how the locals treated humans, but the one they had been staying in for the last year was probably the worst of them all. It got to the point that when Eda went to meet potential clients for jobs, Luz had to stay behind because they would take one look at Luz trailing behind her and decide that no matter the older woman’s reputation with a blade, they didn’t want the human girl around.

They’d see her rounded ears and sneer, glaring down their noses at her. Surely any self-respecting witch or sell-sword worth her salt wouldn’t be letting a human follow her around. Eda would say something snarky that almost always resulted in a near brawl and Luz would stick her tongue out at them as Eda stomped away, grumbling colorful words under her breath.

Eda was on her side, but it eventually boiled down to being able to eat and Luz decided it was best to just stay behind, even though it meant she wouldn’t get much in the way of training in swordsmanship or the combat magic that went along with it, not that she could actually do the same kind of combat magic that was natural to Witch’s anyway, being human.

As Eda had once explained it to her, witches had an extra organ, a bile sac, she wasn't entirely sure that's what it was actually called, she learned a long time ago that Eda had a tendency to make things up if she didn't know the answer. Supposedly it was an extra organ that allowed witches to absorb the natural magical energy of their world and use it to add powerful effects to items, especially weapons. Those that did were witch knights, the strongest and some of the most respected members of society, and Luz wanted so badly to be one, to prove that she was worth something, human or not, but without a bile sac, she was lacking the magical aspect, which left her at a distinct disadvantage. Heck, she didn’t even have a real sword, so she couldn’t even do the most basic jobs to help Eda feed the three of them, King alone ate like a horse, with Luz trailing behind him. She was a growing girl after all! Eda always said she’d get one when she thought she was ready, not before.

She’d usually just use the dull-practice blade Eda had given her to work on her stances and strikes, beating the living tar out of whatever trees she happened to come across in the woods while she waited for her to come back with King trailing along behind her.

To say she was glad to be out of that town though was an understatement, even if Eda still hadn’t told her where they were going, and as glad as she was to have left the dreary little town of Beldville, she was so tired of walking!

She pulled at the collar of her violet-colored tunic, sweat was making it stick to her clammy skin, but she knew better than to say anything, they were both hot and tired.

They continued the silent trudge beneath the sun, which thankfully was slowly, but surely sinking closer and closer toward the horizon, though it didn’t lessen the heat any. Eventually, the sun had moved to dip just below the horizon, nearly blinding her with its bright orange rays, as it sank and dark blues were starting to rise up over the horizon line in response to the waning light.

Luz shielded her eyes with a hand and glanced into the distance. The dark smudge in the distance was slowly growing into the silhouettes of buildings and she grinned.

“Is that it?” she pointed excitedly toward the end of the road.

"Nope," Eda said, popping the 'p'.

"Whadda ya mean 'nope'?" Luz whined. "That's a town!"

"It's a town, and we're going to spend the night there, but that's not where we're going," she informed her and Luz groaned, shoulder slumping.

"Where ARE we going?" she huffed.

"Patience, apprentice." Eda wagged a finger and grinned at her, making Luz grumble.

Eda always said that when she didn’t feel like explaining herself, which was often.

It was a small town, and although it was nearly dark there were still a number of people milling about the streets.

A few people glanced at her and Luz frowned, pulling up her hood to cover her distinctly rounded ears from view. There was no need to draw any unneeded trouble when they were only going to stay one night.

Eda noticed the motion but said nothing as she dug through a pouch on her belt.

"Here, Kid." She held her hand out to Luz, who held up her upturned palm as Eda dropped a handful of coins into it. "Go get yourself something to eat and I'll meet you back here at this inn." she hooked the thumb over her shoulder to the worn building behind her.

Luz broke out into a wide smile at the silver coins in her hand.

“Thanks, Eda!” She turned and dashed off down the road with King hot on her heels. Eda just smiled as she watched her disappear around the corner.

Luz trotted down the street, she didn’t know this place, but she knew most towns had pretty similar layouts and the market was always at the center of town, and sure enough, she soon found herself walking through the market with King at her side, most people gave the cloaked girl and the demonic creature a wide breadth, understandably. Usually, creatures like King were wild, bloodthirsty monsters that would just as soon rip off your arm, and she’d seen him do it the last time she’d been attacked by a villager with a human problem.

Luz had never feared him, he’s always just been Eda’s silent companion and her big baby ever since she’d started traveling with the gray-maned sell-sword.

She reached over and scratched that certain spot behind his right ear that made him let out a low growl that almost sounded like a happy hum to her.

“Hungry buddy?” she asked, smiling as they walked and he snorted.

There were days Luz was almost sure he understood every word she said. There was just a certain, almost intelligent look in his rusty, red-colored eyes when he looked at her.

“Let’s get some food then!”

She glanced around at the different shops and a few stalls before her eyes fell on a storefront and lit up.

‘Tomes and manuscripts’

“Book shop!” Luz whispered excitedly to herself and made a beeline for it. “Wait here, King.” She turned to the beast, who snorted and plopped himself onto the ground outside the shop. She pushed the door open and grinned as the smell of ink and old parchment filled her nose.

Luz loved books, though she rarely had access to them. Having to carry everything you owned with you at all times meant that you just couldn’t have some things, and books were heavy and took up space that could be put to better use, for food or supplies, that’s what Eda said anyway. Luz would reluctantly admit she was right, but she didn’t have to like it!

“Welcome!” a voice called from her left. She looked over at the old witch peering at her over his spectacles at her. “Can I help you find anything?”

“Uh, thank you, just looking.” she waved a hand.

He nodded and she walked down the many shelves packed with worn leather-bound tomes, grinning to herself as she ran her fingers over their spines, feeling the smooth, cool bindings beneath her fingertips. So many stories, knowledge, and wild adventures aplenty crammed between two hard leather covers. Luz adored books, a lifelong love affair lit aflame by her mother, who had taught her to read and write at a young age. Something uncommon among the lower classes of witches and unheard of for humans in the Empire of the Boiling Isles, who were the lowest class citizens of them all, but her mother hadn’t been from the Isles. She’d always told Luz about a beautiful place across the sea, with fine grain, white sand beaches, and tall trees very unlike the ones here, that dipped and swayed with the wind, their leaves long and few, but still perfect for blocking out the strong rays of sunlight on a clear day.

Luz sometimes wondered what it might actually be like to see it with her own eyes, she doubted she ever would, her mother had always told her it was far away and she’d left to escape a war, bringing only her native tongue and a sack of food.

Luz hummed to herself as she continued browsing up and down the dimly lit rows of books with rapt interest. She turned a corner and glimpsed a small table covered in old, worn books, and felt drawn to them.

They were all hefty tomes and she flipped through the first few on the stack, nothing of any real interest, some play scripts, and something about treaties on the great war. She set them aside and picked up the last one in the stack. It had a dark brown cover with gold inlay around the corners and spine. It’s worn leather bindings were pockmarked with scratches and divots, some worse than others. She flipped it open and found some of the pages were yellowed and crinkled in places as though they had gotten wet and been left out in the sun to dry at some point.

The pages were full of runic writing that she couldn’t even begin to guess at, but as she flipped through the pages she stopped on one with a drawing, a perfect circle with several lines that made up some kind of symbol.

There was very little text in the book that she understood but one set of runes did stand out, the symbols meaning ‘light’. She’d learned them years ago when her mother had told her that her name meant light.

She ran a finger over the crisp, inked lines of the glyph.

They glowed.

“Augh!” she nearly tossed the book across the room, it clattered across the floor with a heavy thump and she grimaced as it landed on the wooden floor. She held her arms up in defense, but the book only continued to lie there.

After a moment quickly scooped it up and gazed at its gold bindings before she flipped it back open to the page with the illustration. She hesitated a moment, hand hovering over the illustration before pressing her fingers over it, skin running across the rough parchment beneath.

The lines began to give off a pale light as she traced them, till eventually, the entire thing was awash in soft glimmering light.

Luz stared at the glowing drawing with open awe and wonder.

“Magic…,” she breathed.

She’d done magic, she wasn’t sure what kind or even what it was supposed to do, but for the first time in her life, magic!"

She needed to look through this, all of it.

"I'll be closing shop in a few minutes!" The shop keeps voice carried out through the store making Luz jerk.

A few minutes wasn't nearly enough time! Her mind raced with thoughts before finally deciding as she slapped the book closed and hurried to the front counter where the shopkeep was still standing.

“How many snails for this book?” she set it on the counter and he eyed it for a moment.

"This? Bah, ten snails, it has little value to any witch, merely theories on old magic.

"I'll take it!" She slapped half the money Eda had given her on the counter.

Only King would be eating tonight it seemed, but the chance at magic? Worth a hungry night.

He nodded and accepted the coins as he pushed the book back toward her, but as he did, got a glimpse under her hood and spotted her rounded ears.

Luz knew what happened the second it happened. His brows crinkled between his eyes and his once, disarming smile, curled into a sneer.

"A human, in my shop!?"

Luz snatched the book off the counter and bolted for the door.

"No take backs!" she squealed as she burst out the door, making King jump up as she did.

She dashed back the way they had come, the black beast loping along behind her with an excited, rumbling bark.

It didn't take long for them to get out of sight, turning the corner and ducking into an alley.

She pressed her back to the wall, clutching the book to her chest, and waited until it finally seemed like she wasn't being chased; she peeked her head out and found the street clear.

She turned back to look at the worn leather-bound book in her hands and grinned.

She couldn't wait to look at it better later.

King whined at her side, scratching at her with his paw.

"Ah, right, right. Let's get you some food, buddy." She smiled at him and snuck toward the other end of the market, spending the rest of the money Eda had given her to buy meat for the beast, who wolfed it down in record time, practically swallowing it whole before they made their way back to the Inn.

"Get some grub?" Eda asked from her place sitting in one of the beds when they walked into their rented room. King immediately trotting over to the empty bed and jumping up on it and curling up into a massive black ball of fur.

"Fed King, yea." She nodded, pulling off her cloak and kicking off her boots before she climbed into bed, shoving King over.

He growled at her but she just shoved harder till there was space for her to lay. He snorted in response but never lifted his head as she laid next to him, book in hand.

“What about you?” Eda narrowed her amber eyes at her, noticing how she only mentioned king. “And where’d you get the book?”

“Uh…” Luz stalled and Eda sighed.

You bought the book instead of eating, didn’t you?” It wasn’t really a question.

“Yeah…,” Luz mumbled and Eda sighed.

"Well, what was so much more important than eating? If it's another flowery love story, kid, I swear…," she trailed off, rolling her eyes.

"It's not!" she insisted. "It's a book about magic!" She flipped it open and opened to the diagram and ran her hands over it, creating the same glow as it had in the bookshop, which made Eda sit up.

"Well, look at that…" she tilted her head. "What's it do?" She looked back up at Luz.

"I'm… not sure yet…" She shrugged. “I need more time to read it." Eda hummed, looking at the glowing glyph on the paper before shrugging and plopping back down on her bed.

“Whatever kid, just don’t stay up all night looking at it,” she grumbled, rolling over and pulling the blanket up over her head.

“You go it, teach!” Luz promised as she snuggled back against King and flipped through the pages.

She really wished she could read any of the writing around it other than the runes for light. She flipped some more pages and found another diagram, a sketch of a sconce, or something similar with a circle drawn above it and little lines indicating rays of light. She hummed to herself.

She had only the basic knowledge of how Eda did magic. She could just kind of think about what kind of effect she wanted to apply to an object and would press her hand to the blade of her sword and it would glow for a second before taking effect, she’d made her show her enough times to know.

Luz pursed her lips and leaned over to her satchel sitting on the floor by her bed and dug out a piece of charcoal she liked to use to draw when they were on the road or she was waiting around on Eda, ignoring the angry rumbling of her empty stomach. She pulled her training sword out of its sheath and looked at the blunt, reflective weapon for a long minute before carefully drawing out the glyph across the flat of the blade.

she glanced back and forth between the book and her blade, humming to herself when the last line was completed. She hesitated a second before pressing a fingertip to it and the glyph glowed before the bright light spread across the entire length of the blade, lighting the room up.

Luz stared at it in awe, before a bright grin stretched across her face, empty stomach forgotten.

She’d done it.

She’d done magic!

#the owl house #worth the fight #eventual Lumity #Luz Noceda #King #Eda Clawthorne #toh #medival AU

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thiswasinevitableid · 3 years

Note

For a writing prompt, Indruck post apocalyptic au (preferably everyone is human?) Indrid is infected by some sort of alien parasite, and the only way they can save him is to cut it out of him without anesthesia? Feel free to be as graphic as you want, but if it’s too whumpy for you, no pressure to write it! Thanks as always!

Here you go! It’s mid-level graphic: if it were a movie, you wouldn’t be seeing guts everywhere, but you would see the wounds. Also, content warning for body horror, namely the kind where a fungus takes over your body, and referenced suicide (no suicide actually occurs, don’t worry)

He should have seen it coming.

The tell-tale dampness and smell in the air, like battery acid and rotten milk, the fact that he’d made it the whole trip without seeing any Mycilioptera (that was, according to Joseph, the scientific term for the for the cat-sized, skittering alien creatures looking for someone to sting).

The creature was on him with a droning, high whine, scratching his face, smearing stinging mucus across his eyes and mouth. He made a rookie error, following his instinct to rip off the the substance dulling his senses, rather than feel sweep his arms over his body, locate the creature, and hurl it as far away as he could.

When the stinger hit his stomach, he screamed. The noise was useless; this quadrant of the city was abandoned months ago. He collapsed to the ground, clutching his sides as the pain seeps through them. His eyes cleared enough that he forced his fingers to work, grip the handle of his hatchet, and cleave it with a crunch.

Now, clutching the steering wheel of the Winnebago (in this world you do not need a fast car; you need something with thick sides and room for supplies and friends), he knows there are only two ways this can go.

If he is lucky, the parasite will be slow acting enough and he will stay lucid enough to reach the ranch in time for someone to remove it.

If he is unlucky, he will run out of time, and the parasite will take control of his body, manipulate him zombie-like to an advantageous location, and burst from his chest, mouth, and eyes in milky-white stalks, sending spores into the air, which will either grow in to adults or be inhaled by any other humans in a two mile radius, subjecting them to a prolonged version of Indrid’s fate.

He leans on the gas pedal, hurtling down the empty backroad. They found an abandoned, un-pilfered gas station and filled all the vehicles, with some left over for scouting and supply runs. And, if it came to it, an escape.

From the passenger seat, his backpack meows. A familiar black and brown head pokes out, the ratty collar still reading “Winnie.” Winnie, the reason he ran into that abandoned parking garage during a salvage mission in the first place.

Because she’s Duck’s cat, the one he thought he’d never see again after she fled out the door when the city evacuated. And Indrid loves Duck Newton more than anything in the world.

They’d been friends before everything went to hell, inching towards a confession of deeper feeling and Indrid still remembers the way his heart felt when he spotted Duck at the evac staging shelter. He hadn't even opened his mouth when Duck was hugging him, holding him tight and saying he was so fucking glad he was okay.

When three, then five, then ten infected humans burst in the evac center, Duck had Indrid’s hand they were running before almost anyone else knew what was happening, bandanas over their mouths because Josephs last message before the cell towers were overloaded was to keep their noses and mouths covered.

They made it, against all odds, out into the countryside, Thacker’s Quonset hut and Mama’s farmhouse as safe as they’d hoped. The others trickled in one by one or two by two; sometimes bringing other survivors with them. Other survivors found them later, though the humans they saw became fewer and fewer with each day.

Mama took in everyone who wasn’t infected, while Joseph, Dani, Duck and Thacker operated and sewed up the infected who could be saved (if removed before it takes over the host, the parasite will die when exposed to air). Those who could not were given choices; most chose a swift death, especially when they learned that dying before the parasites emerged would kill the alien inside them.

And every night, Indrid and Duck shared a small bed, clinging to each other and telling jokes or stories until they could sleep. Two months in, Duck kissed him in the dark and Indrid kissed back, and when Duck asked if it was only the end of the world driving Indrid’s affection, Indrid shook his head

“I’ve wanted this for awhile. And I don’t know what’s coming. All I know is I want to be with you when it does.”

At the front of the Winnebago Indrid wipes his eyes; what a foolish thing to say. He doesn’t want Duck here for this, that’s for damn sure, and yet he drives towards him anyway,

He’s feverish, sweat running down his face and arms shaking, and while his veins are still blue, he can see the parasite rippling under his skin; it’s not wasting any time.

He’s not going to make it. And if he tries, he’ll put all his friends in danger

There’s no choice but to pull to the side of the road a few miles from the farm and step from the trailer, leaving the door ajar so Winnie can escape into the wild. He’s crying all the while, breath coming in shaky gasps; just because he’s doing the right thing doesn’t mean he isn’t miserable and terrified.

Indrid pulls out his pistol. He won’t be an incubator, he won’t spread this, he won’t help the things that took so much of his world from him.

He won’t ever see Duck again.

He sobs, once, then wretches as the fever grows and his vision goes spotty. He has to do this, even though every time he looks at the weapon his whole body shakes with fear.

“‘Drid!”

Duck’s voice, just audible over the thrum of an engine. Then tires screech into view, Aubrey piloting a jeep. Duck jumps to the ground before she’s even stopped.

“‘Drid, don’t you fuckin dare-”

“Nono, stay back!” He scrambles on his hands and heels, slamming into the side of the trailer, “I got stung, I already have a fever, I can feel it moving-”

Duck drops to his knees, lifting Indrid’s glasses.

“Your eyes are still brown. It ain’t too late.”

“But the veins near the wound are going white” Joseph stands behind Duck, “we won’t be able to get him back in time.”

“Th-that’s why I pulled over, I, I can’t get the rest of you infected, please, please just go-”

“You got the field kit?”

Aubrey tosses it to Duck.

“We can still save you, sugar. And I’m sure as hell gonna fuckin try.”

Duck and Joseph haul him to his feet and carry him inside, laying him on his back on the table. Aubrey follows him, sitting down on one bench and taking his hand.

“We got no anesthetic, so this is gonna hurt like a motherfucker, but you can do it. Okay?”

Indrid nods weakly.

“We’re gonna get you through this. You’re” fear flickers across Duck’s face, “you’re gonna be okay.”

Aubrey braces Indrid’s upper body, Joseph his lower, as Duck cleans around the puncture in his stomach and sterilizes his tools. Aubrey holds up a hand,

“We need something for your mouth, right?”

“Good call” Duck retrieves a wooden spoon from a drawer, setting it between Indrid’s teeth.

“Okay” Duck takes a deep breath, meets Indrids eyes, “okay. I’m gonna start cuttin. Ready?”

Indrid just manages a thumbs up.

It hurts, because a blade cutting into your skin will always hurt. And because it hurts Indrid screams.

“That’s good” Joseph is trying to sound reassuring, but even he looks worried, “scream if you need to, research suggests it helps with the pain.”

“It’s not too deep, thank fuckin christ.”

Indrid stares at the ceiling and yells when Duck widens the incision.

“Almost can see ‘im. Yeah, there, he’s startin to shrivel already from the air.”

Relief mingles with the pain in his tears. Aubrey pets his head, “you’re gonna be okay, see?”

“C’mere you, you fuckin monster, you fuckin think you can take him from me” Duck hisses, then says gruffly, “Joe, need you to hold it open, go wash your hands.”

Once Joe is in position, there’s a horrible, wet sound as Duck places his hand inside.

Searing, blinding pain as he pulls the parasite free, Indrid’s blood running down Duck’s arms. He bites the wooden handle and it cracks. The creature wrinkles and dies in Duck’s hands and he hurls it outside.

“Shit, shit you’re bleeding a lot. Okay, fuck, okay, that was the hard part, this is just stitches. Just stitches.”

Indrid whimpers, clinging to Aubrey’s hand and scraping his nails against the formica table. Duck hits too deep on a stitch and Indrid winces and cries as his boyfriend curses.

“Here, Duck, trade with me.” Joe holds out his hand and Duck passes him the needle. The shorter man settles by Indrid, taking his other hand. He’s still bloodstained, and Indrid can feel him shaking, but he brings Indrid’s knuckles to his mouth and kisses his knuckles again and again.

“I’m here, darlin, I’m here, I got you, it’s almost over.”

Indrid focuses on his voice, pretends they’re in bed together, counts the kisses on his hand and wrist while the pain fades to the background. Dimly, around kiss number thirty-five, he hears Joseph sigh in relief.

“Done.”

--------------------------------------------------

Indrid curls up under the covers, clothes sticking to him with sweat and his stomach throbbing with pain.

“Easy, sugar, easy” Duck sits up from a makeshift bed on the floor, “here, lemme get you some painkillers.” He comes back with a glass of water and two white pills. Indrid swallows them, lets Duck help him from his shirt and wipe the sweat away with a cloth.

“How did you know to come look for me?”

“Just had a feelin. I kept lookin out at the road, saw the ‘Bago weavin, goin a million miles an hour, and just knew somethin was wrong.”

“Thank you. For coming for me.”

“I always will. Thanks for not deckin me or kickin me while I was workin on you.”

“Duck you saved my life, kicking would be rather rude.”

It’s a weak goof, but Duck smiles and kisses him.

“Oh, uh, here, someone else wants to say thanks.”

“Mraoow?” Winnie stares at him from Duck’s arms.

“We scared her burstin into the trailer. Poked her head out right after you passed out. So you, uh, missed me bawlin like a baby seein her again.”

“Awwww” Indrid rests his head on Duck’s shoulder, ruffling Winnie’s fluff.

“I mean, that and it hit me how close I came to losin you. Poor Aubrey was tryin to comfort me in the Jeep while Joe drove you back here in the ’Bago.”

Indrid strokes his cheek. He understands; the thought of never seeing Duck again was the worst thing to happen to him all day, sting included.

“Come to bed?”

“You sure? Might not be too comfortable.”

“I want to be held by you. I want to remember we’re both still here.”

Duck joins him under the blanket, Winnie curling up on their feet.

“Yeah, yeah we are. And I love you so goddamn much.”

“I love you too. And I promise to cut a parasite out of you if the need arises.”

“God I fuckin hope not.”

“Me too. There were...fewer of them this time. I think they may be dwindling.”

“Fingers crossed. But even if we got a long ways to go towards rebuildin a world, I still got you, and you still got me. And that’s worth a whole hell of a lot.”

Indrid kisses him, inhaling the smell of clean skin and scratching his cheek against Duck’s stubble.

“You’re right, my love. It is.”

#indruck #indrid cold/duck newton #taz amnesty #whump #reader requests #post apocalyptic au #body horror

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abloomntime · 3 years

Text

A Bloom In Time Ch15 Poppy’s Spaceship Tour and Meeting Cooking Cat

(Warning: Poppy cries near the end.)

The pour woman was shaking all the way to the small clearing looking around her with newfound fear as she did so from the scare. But at least now they could take off and get her to a warmer place with food now....Or at least they would've if Bow hadn't grabbed her hand and jumped when Poppy flinched and yanked her hand away from the girl. The poor flesh still tender and sore from the rope suddenly yanking her up. She gave the girls an apologetic look and it occured to Hattie they couldn't teleport her together now if they couldn't hold her hands. Not to mention she was shaking and she didn't want to risk accidentally letting her go in the middle of teleportation again. So what did she usually do in these kind of situations? Go back and bother Snatcher for help of course! The purple ghost was NOT happy when the small girl yanked on his tail and told him about their situation. PECK NAB IT!! Couldn't he get one moment of peace around here?....Then again, it was rather responsible of her to come to him instead of trying something reckless with Poppy, and he didn't really want a repeat of Poppy crashlanding from space somewhere. She was VERY lucky the first time as it was. So, that's how the ghost was talked into coming over and transporting all four of them back to the ship. Wasn't anything like Poppy expected at all. Much to Poppy's still shocked state, he held the girls in one arm while grabbing her good arm in the other and asked her to close her eyes while the spell took place to keep her from freaking out anymore than she already had to which she gladly did so. Curling into him and pressing her face into the fluff around his shoulders. The movement made him stop and stare for a moment...before he cleared his throat and looked away slightly flustered. The teleporting worked as quickly as any other time he did it. Purple energy completely took over the world around them like the many times he's done this before and swallowed them all whole. He's donw this plenty of times before teleporting himself places or taking the girls home against his will when they fell asleep in his forest. But what was one more trip anyways? Especially since it'd help ease the nerves of his beloved-...beloved FRIEND. Just friend. One moment of dark black-purple later the four of them ended up inside of the kid's ship. The control room to be more precise. The controls to the ship were there as well as her Tv and the giant vault of those menacing time pieces.So imagine Poppy's surprise when she reopened her eyes and blinked at the foreign home to her. But was put back down on the ground by Snatcher again before the spook mumbles something about wanting to take a break and to not be bothered again as he gave a firm look at the girls.

"Stay HERE and do NOT bother me again unless it's actually a real emergency until I say so. I mean it."

"AH! But why?"

"Because Im the pecking adult! That's why!" Was all he said before purple energy oozed from his being like living fog and wrapped itself around him. Poppy watching in almost horror as it shrank in size until it was either too small to see or actually disppeared from the ship entirely.

Well.....That was a fast one way trip wasn't it? She was just SO so glad to be out of that nightmare forest she was happy to welcome this.....Space ship. Where was she in here anyways? Looking around she found herself sitting upon a giant pink round rug and a the rest of the floor was covered in green carpeting. Around her were all kinds of strange gadgets and gizmos she'd never seen before. Looking over she was the strangest thing. A child's toy train set and landscape. The cute little engine was making circles around some plastic mountains, a few mountains, and fake plants. WHich for some reason was on a giant metal pillar and blocked off by rope and pillars. An odd television set sat in the corner where a puppy wearing overralls was trotting across the screen. ....She blinked and looked over to her other side where another similar pillar was there but it had some kind of plush??.......Something. It was a hamburger but she didn't know what the heck that was. Beyond that was brick like walls a yellow thing sticking out of the wall, and a couple doors here and there-

"oW!"

Something poked against her foot and she looked down. Immediately a small spooked squeal came out of the woman and she scrambeld back and onto her feet as she stared down the little roomba as it continued to just sweet harmlessly past her. But the woman had never seen a robot vacum so her fear was understandable as she pointed at it.

"W-W-WHAT IS THAT CREATURE!?"

"It's ok. He's perfectly safe." Hattie smiled at Rumbi as he harmlessly swept past them towards the ramp near the far wall.

She didn't look convinced but silently watched him sweep away before looking around her more...before slowly looking behind her to the gigantic windows behind her. And. Her. Jaw. DROPPED!! As she looked out the giant windows, she could seethe darkened purple land of Snatcher's forest and A giant chunk of white which was vanessa's frozen abyss of the planet. Placing a cold hand to the cool glass and watching as it slowly ticked by and just....watched it. Her blue eyes widened at the sight of thousands of stars twinkling....The world! Her world! It was right there! Big, bold and wonderful! The round planet seemed to have an aura of it's own and glowed perfectly. The perfect gentle blue of the sea, the bright tan yellows of the desert. Many islands. The highest mountains surrounded by pure white clouds even looked as if she could reach out and grasp it almost. It was so much more peaceful and beautiful looking when she wasn't falling through space that was. A sense of being so small came over her and she let out a shaky sigh as she did so. So this was really reality huh?

"It's pretty isn't it?," Bow asked walking up next to her and smiling down at the world too and pointing at one small place on the planet. "That's Nyakuza City! I used to live there."

".....Yeah. I-I heard about the Nyakuza Kingdom," Poppy stated softly, "It was supposed to be inhabited by a whole race of cat people."

"It is!" Bow smiled brightly at her that she knew that. "Kitties are the best! They're so soft, and fluffy and really, really cute!!"

Despite herself, Poppy smiled at the cute smile the little girl had on her face. Children always had the ability to make her smile with their adorable nature and innocence. It was just to precious, turning back to the window and staring out she sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. She was really feeling .......confused? Right now. There were too many emotions going through her right now and not enough of it was ok..She didn't have a feeling of being ok. Not after what just happened. She looked back to her slightly scrapped arm. She guessed that's what she got after not listening to a ghost's warnings-

"ACHOO!" Bow flinched and looked up to Poppy who shook her head and looked back to the window sniffing.

"Bless you!"

"T-Thank you." She shivered from her body's still cold feeling. She almost forgot she was still from falling in swamp water and she had been running around all soaked for who knows how long now. She should change out of these soggy rags and warmed up before she caught a cold. So she turned around to ask where the bathroom was so she could scrub the dirt off herself- BAM!! She jumped at least a foot back smacking into the glass window and all three of them looked up towards the ramp area where the pair of swinging doors to the kitchen had been pushed open and small soft footsteps like a child's came scattering out. Another child?? She couldn't see anything past the banister. But all of that was answered when a chef hat and pointy cat ears came into view. All of that was attached to a small plump cat standing on two feet with calico patterns and orange fur.

What the WHAT?!

"COOKIE!!", both girls shouted and rushed towards the cat who giggled and held her arms open wide for the two to go skittering into her embrace as she did so. The giggling of the cat and girls filled the air as Poppy watched and then blinked at the small cat in chef wear-

"Oh how are you girls? It's been so long since I've been up here!," she cooed at the little children her size. By the voice it was easy to tell it was a lady and had a slight country accent. She smiled as she leaned back and examined the girls before her. "I thought I heard a pair of hungry little tykes scampering around hungry."

"We missed you," Bow answered honestly as she smiled at the cat with adoration.

"Did you make cookies?," Hattie asked practically sparkly eyed as she looked hopefully at her making the small cat laugh.

"Well you two haven't changed a bit. Always so sweet and hungry for sugar." She shook her head. "No. But I did make some roasted bird and mashed potatoes! Perfect for two little adventures! Now which one of you sneezed? It sounded like you caught a whopper of a cold." Both girls looked at each other for a moment, before looking behind them at Poppy who still watched silently as they all stood there, as soon as 'Cookie' saw her, the cat gasped and one paw came to cover her mouth as she caught sight of the messy grown, shivering woman in front of her. In a blink of an eye the plump cat carefully pushed past the girls and walked right up to Poppy. The red head could only blink and again feel kinda awkward seeing a giant talking talk on two legs......Wait. Was she a Nyakuza citizen? Was she one of those cat people she heard so much about? Well she didn't have much time to wonder until she stopped right in front of her and grabbed a part of her dress and pulled the material heavy and wet from dirty swamp water into her paws to examine. Sniffing at it before snorting and shaking her head, scowling up at her. She felt oddly small under the scowl of the small cat in front of her but still didn't move besides her shivering. "You look absolutely aweful! Look at this!'' She held up the material to her. "Look at your hair! You look like you went rolling around in the mud during a thunderstorm!"

She blinked stunned by the cat's bold and blunt move only responding with, "Uuuhhh....It's....Swamp water??"

"Swamp water?" She eyed the human up and down before shaking her head and dropping her dress, hands....uh..paws coming to stay on her hips. "I've seen plenty of country folk in my time for sure that don't mind to get a lil dirty, but you're the first one I've seen soaked romping through a swamp."

"It...wasn't really my intention to be soaked by gross water, but I crashlanded in some when I landed." She gave a small look to the little hat girl behind her who smiled nervously at her words. But was soon looking back to the cat when she made a small hum.

"So you landed here to? Does that mean you're another alien?"

"W-What? N-no. I'm from here I promise! I just....happen to be visiting their space ship is all," she clarified.

"Oh!" The small cat lady finally smiled at her like she had come to some brilliant conclusion. "Oh now I see. You must be one of their little friends! They have a lot you know."

"You could say t-that- ACHOO!!" Poppy turned her head to the side before sneezing again and sniffing. Her body still fairly chilly. Which didn't go unnoticed by the cat.

"Bless you! By the temperature of your dress, you must be soaked n cold right down to the fur." Her light scowl came back, "Didn't you ever think to change into a dry pair of clothes?"

"I g-guess it must've slipped my mind."

She was cut short when the small cat jumped up and grabbed her hand yanking her into a leaning over position when she pulled her back a few steps. "Well. There's no sense in you staying like this any longer than needed. You all go get cleaned up before you eat a single bite." She made a grimace looking back over Poppy's soaked self and taking in all the dirt covering her body and how tangled her hair was. "And YOU definately go bathe and get a good change of clothes." One of her paws ungrabbed Poppy to shoo the girls off towards the right side of the control room as she lead Poppy towards it-

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGG!!!

Poppy Jumped and they all snapped in the direction of the ramp leading up somewhere and the cat let go of her hands. "OH!! The oven timer. Bird's done." She looked to the girls. "Now you go show her where the bathroom is and wash up. I gotta go make sure that birdy doesn't over cook. You know how much I despise burnt food." The girls nodded and the cat smiled again before running to a small green ladder right below the vault and climbed up it, running back through the double doors with another light slam to them as Poppy blinked.

"Who..was that?"

"Hattie grabbed her still extending hand a smile on her face. "Cookie! She's like a REALLY good chef! The best in the world!" Her steps were jumpy and happy like any child making a small smile come to her face as she was lead over to a small door next to the green ladder Cookie climbed. "She visits a lot and makes a lot of food for my fridge!" She licked her lips. "Her cookies are they best! But she's been really busy with her cooking show after finally leaving Mafia Town."

"Mafia.....town?"

Hattie nodded. "I met Mustache Girl there!"...She frowned a little bit. "She's not very nice.....HEY!" Her face brightened again as she got an exciting idea. "Now I can show you how COOL my ship is!"

"But Cookie said she needs a bath." Bow leaned sideways from behind her and blinked.

"But Snatcher said to show her my ship! We're still going to the bathroom, but exploring too!" Bow rolled her eyes as Hattie tugged Poppy over towards the small blue glowing door. A small blue rug with a wave patterned on it stood before the door and to the older woman's surprise it opened automatically by itself giving her a little jump. Technology had really advanced since she was a little girl didn't it? "Come on, come on! I wanna show you the potion room!" She went through the kid sized door no problem....but Poppy had to literally lean down to look down the long mini hallway.

Bow also looked down it with a worried look. "Hattieeeeeeee!! We're gonna get in more trouble! Knock it off and lets go wash!"

"Y'know we can show her the metro room too," came the sing song voice from down the hallway and an instant Bow's expression change.

"FINE!! But then we wash our hands! I'm hungry!" She called back before also bounding down the hall and poppy lowered more to look in "......Come on Ms Poppy!"

.......She hesitated but braced herself. It couldn't get any more worse than it already was, and she doubted there was any headless statues or dangerous stuff here on a child's chip. Coming down to her knees she went to start crawling as she couldn't stand to walk through these small halls- Which ended with her doing a yelp and leaning back up onto her knees to clutch her sore wrist which throbbed out a course of pain when she put the slightest bit of pressure on, still pretty sore from the giant yank the noose gave her- Poppy shivered from remembering that encounter. One of the children called out to her again sounding impatient..and if this was indeed the direction to getting cleaned up, then she might as well not complain anymore and suck it up. That's what she always did growing up in a poor farming community. Sucking it up and being grateful for what you're given. Even if it means crawling down a hallway with only one hand, which she did. It was....Kinda embarrassing and time consuming, but a couple little children probably weren't going to judge her for having no choice but to squeeze through these blasted tunnels. As she crawled along she took in the details of the walls and especially the carpet. There was some very impressive details in the blue carpet, they were so beautiful. Some grand weaver must've put a lot of work creating these wave patterns and she briefly wondered how many pons it cost the little girl to buy and put in here. In her day it would've cost a pretty penny. It took a bit more but before she knew it. The other door opened and she was allowed to crawl on through and stand to her feet again. Shivering as a blast of cold air hit her freezing body and opening her eyes to a-.....Very strange sight.

"What IS this place?" The air was chilly, and down below was a dark blue water which could've been mistaken for water on first glance and a few things like random barrels and chests, with some furniture. A tall closet like space with the words saying Dirty Laundry Cleaner 3000, And a ladder leading up to a different doorway above them there.

"The storage room," Hattie replied before regrabbing her none hurt hand and tugging her towards the left, making her blink down as the two girls excitedly pointed towards another small door to the left. Unlike the one she just came through, this one glowed purple and had a bottle like shape on it. "I wanna show you around!" She wasn't sure what to do but didn't fight against her as she pulled her towards the door which opened with another Whoosh like noise and Hattie disappeared within it's hallway excitedly. Poppy didn't feel like arguing anymore than she already did today, and again leaned down to look down the hall. Unlike the first one, with one has a lighter blue rug with dark blue gear patterns when she looked down it. The children waving at her from the other side of the tunnel as well, excited grins still on their faces as she blinked. "Come on! Don't be a slowpoke!"

With another sigh, guess who did more slow crawling down another cramped hallway, but she'd be lying if she wasn't curious about an alien space ship. I mean who else from her time would've gotten the honor of being given a tour of a real flying space craft by a real alien no less? She was curious to see what mechanics and insides made up this thing, and besides it'd be rude to say no to someone who's offering to show you they're home so excitedly and if it meant she was going to be staying here for a little while then she might as well know where things were. By the time she got to the other side and was finally able to stand back up, she sighed at the feeling of warmer air at least. Warming up was definately on her to do list. But the almost emptiness of this room compared to all the other rooms Surprised her to say the least. This one was much more open and tidy looking with more stone walls, a couple metal pillars, and equipment you'd see inside a labratory. Right dead center of it all was another metal table thing blocked off by rope like in the control room, but this time it had a giant box of crayons sitting on it. The crayons were a simple green, blue, and red color.

"This is my potion room!," Hattie announced proudly pointing at the room itself, "But don't touch anything. Snatcher dropped one of those pink potions once and it turned him pink for days. He said we shouldn't mess with weird potions."

"Potion room?" Poppy gave the children another curious look. "Are you sure you're not a witch?"

"No. Only when I wear my brewing hat! But I don't know any magic."

.......That only confused Poppy more so why would a child have a potion room? But she again didn't get the chance to relax before Bow ran over towards the other side of the room and towards a small door like hatch on the floor, the small girl grabbing one side of hatch and pushing. Bow strained and after a few seconds a metalic screeching noise rang out as it opened, both women wincing, cringing back at the fingers on chalk bourd noise, and clapping their hands over their ears in some attempt to block out the screeching noise. Poppy was SURE the creaking, screeching noise could be heard everywhere on the planet from their place in space from how loud it was. Up, up, up the hatch went and one giant push Bow managed to push it over. With a giant metal banging sound, the hatch's round metal door SLAMMED and I do mean slammed against the floor with enough sound to be mistaken for a cannon going off. For a moment nothing happened and both Poppy and Hattie stood there still hands clamped over their ears and eyes shut closed.......before slowly reopening their eyes and after a moment of silence, uncovering their ears to the smiling curly haired girl standing there pointing at the the now open hole in the floor.

"Geez, Kid! I think you were loud enough to wake the dead all over space!......ACHOO!!" She sniffed again at the third sneeze.

Bow's smiling didn't waver, instead pointing to it. "Come on! You'll like it promise!" With another smile the tiny curly haired girl turned and jumped down the hole.

"HEY!! KID!!" Poppy ran down the small set of stairs and ran over to the hole in the floor, the fear of the child getting hurt randomly jumping into a hole taking over and immediately looking down the opening. At first she saw nothing. Nothing but a ladder leading down it and some kind of wooden circle thing....but she could definately hear giggling and someone shouting for her to come down as well. ......DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD AND UNSAFE IT IS TO CLIMB DOWN A LADDER WITH A SORE HAND?! Poppy wouldn't recommend it to anyone but the fear of just seeing Bow dive down here and the looming presence of an angry ghost made her do the crazy thing and start to decend the ladder to her uneasy feeling. Which doubled MORE when Hattie fell past her making her cry out for the child only to watch the hatted kid bounce on the round wood circle and catapult herself like a spring out of eye sight. Panic coursed through her as she went down as fast as a sore bodied woman with one good hand could and paused on the ladder when she could actually see the inside of the room. To her relief, Bow wasn't hurt at all but giggling and laying face up at the opening in a pile of weird green paper. The small girl giggled as she made a snow angel in the pile, and Hattie was luckily safe as well looking through another telescope on top of the weird gigantic pile of green paper. Poppy sighed and noticed breifly another small metal table with another small item on it. This time some kind of white dummy and pretty looking gold necklace. With a shake of her head the frazzled woman slowly climbed the last of the steps down and stood by the ladder leading back up. Looking around the room she noticed it looked at it she was on one of the town's busy streets, with plants along the wall behind the metal table, glowing eletric things she was sure only an alien would have mysterious shaped like a blue cat, and behind her by the wooden circle on a spring was a rack with newspapers of all things. .......She blinked. "What is this strange place?" She paused seeing more in color tv screens on fans hovering about and jumped as something rumbled past the window on the far side of the wall flashing yellow making her scramble back. "W-WHAT WITCHCRAFT IS THAT?!"

"That's the illusion created by the monitor," Bow happily replied sitting up now and smiling around the room with a bigger grin, "Hattie said the time pieces add stuff to the rooms on the ship to help show where most are located. *sigh* It....reminds me of home...Without all the crime and bad things. I like it here."

At that little sentence Poppy paused. Before looking away with a guilty look, feeling bad over being about to scold the little girl for scaring her like that being so excited to show her home and the place that reminded her of it. Taking a second look around the weird room, she couldn't understand any of it. Were the Nyakuzian people technicalogically advanced too? Or did all this technology form as she slept? She may never know but the face of longer on the little girl's face hit home almost immediately at her. As far as Poppy knew Bow's home still existed just with 'crime and bad stuff' as she put it. Has she fled the country under a war or something? So many questions buzzed about her skull it was starting to give her a headache as she leaned into the cool metal of the ladder next to her. This was all too much too soon. And she wasn't sure how much more she could take at this pace-

"What are y'all doing down here?!" Poppy yelped and ended up accidentally hitting her forehead against the ladder. Instantly her good hand came to clamp at the sore area as she hissed and looked up above her and saw a pretty familiar orange calico face scowling down at them all, one dark orange paw holding onto the chef hat as she did so. "I thought I asked you all to go get cleaned up. I could hear all that ruckus right through the kitchen floor!"

Instantly the children had froze at the annoyed cat's voice and now sported a pair of guilty looks at one another. "We were just showing her!" Hattie's voice answered back for them.

"Well then. The next room she sees is the bathroom! Now you all get up here before I take my cooking back for Conductor to eat."

At the threat of their delicious dinner being taken away both children scrambled for the spring pad kicking up more dollar bills in their way. And Poppy watched with slight surprise as both jumped onto the spring pad one by one catapulting themselves all the way back up as Cookie leaned back to not get knocked over by the two shooting girls. ....Poppy briefly looked down to the spring pad then back up the hole.....Yeah. She was taking her chance with the ladder. The slow climb back up was agonizing but by the time she poked her head at the top she witnessed the older cat lightly scolding the girls for taking so long, but as soon as she saw the head of Poppy, Cookie turned and grabbed her good hand. Pulling with surprising strength of a small plump cat and helping her crawl the rest of the way out, sighing when she was able to climb to her knees.

"Are you alright, Pumpkin?," Cookie asked placing a paw on her shoulder before letting go quickly. "Goodness! You're colder than my home made ice cream!"

"ACHOO!!" Poppy sniffed again and looked up to the tiny cat giving a tired smile. "Y-Yeah. I guess I am a little chilly...And tired...and sore. And now that you mention food-" Her stomach gave out a rumble and she winced. She didn't even know she was hungry."

Cookie gave her a sorry look before sighing and looking back towards the watching children. "Ok you two. I think this young lady's had enough exploring for now. You two go wash your hands in the kitchen and eat your plates I placed in the fridge. I'm going to show your friend here to a room where she can get tidied up and warm." The two girls gave excited smiles at the mention of food and with an excited cheer they scampered off towards the hallway with another sigh from the cat who turned her attention back to Poppy. "I'm so sorry. They can be a little over excited sometimes."

Poppy smiled back and waved a hand. "Oh. No, no. It's ok. I should've expected that from children.....ACHOO!!''

"Well, I expect we need to get you all better before you catch a cold instead of just sneezing." Cookie gestured her up at Poppy slowly stood and made a grab to her hand- Fur suddenly bristling when the human yelped and pulled her still sore hand away from the grip of the cat....Which was immediately pulled back with a pained whimper from Poppy as Cookie frowned and held up the sore limb to her eyes. "....You're hurt."

"J-Just a few scrapes. I-I'll be fine."

"That's no excuse young lady. You should get this under some ice!"

"Yeah...That Snatcher ghost told me too."

Cookie hummed before tugging her and walking towards the small hallway with her in tow. "So I see you met this ghostly friend of theirs too."

Poppy blinked at the small cat. "Wait. You know who he is?"

"I stumbled across him a few times coming up here to visit. Hmph! He's very rude and always steals any dish I make with bacon when he's around me cooking. Quite the oddball out if ya'll ask me." The door whooshed open as soon as they were close enough and she walked on through gesturing for her to follow. "But never fear! Cooking Cat is here! I'll have you all better in no time flat. We'll just get you a change of clothing, a hot meal, and some ice then you'll be good to go!"

Poppy could feel her stomach drop a little as she bent down and proceeded to slowly crawl through the hallway after the cat. "Uh...About that. I-I don't have any clothing for myself really."

Cookie stopped mid step in the middle of the hallway before looking over her shoulder at the slowly crawling woman behind her and reached a paw up to rub to her head. "Well aren't you more forgettful than a penguin on the sun? *sigh* Alright then. I suppose I'll just have to borrow the girls' washer and dryer."

"What? Oh n-no! You don't have to go through all that trouble for me, Ma'am! It's fine."

"Nonsense! I'd be ashamed of myself if I didn't offer a hungry person like you some help and this wouldn't be the first time I helped a person get better...OH! That reminds me. You never told me ya'll's name."

"Oh..I-Im Poppy. Poppy Rooo- ACHOO!!....Rose Bloomington, Ma'am."

Cookie smiled at her. "No need to call me ma'am. Just Cookie. Cooking Cat's only mah stage name you know. Nice you meet ya." She smiled and turned to continue walking down the hallway with Poppy right behind her.

A curious question bubbling in the young lady's head and she blurted out, "So...Since you're a..cat. Does that mean you're a Nyakuzian?"

Cookie didn't stop walking or smiling but her tone shifted a little bit to the sad side. "Well, yes...But not anymore I suppose. The city became too crowded for my liking and too many crimes were comitted. Mostly theivery."

"Yes, I think Bow might've said something about that."

"Poor girl. No child should have to grow up in a place like that."

"So ....you two fled the country?"

Cookie chuckled as the door back to the storage room opened up and she walked out. "You could say that. No. I moved to Mafia town persuing my own dreams of being a master chef a long time ago. You see where ah'm from there's lots and lots of food carts and cafe's so I knew I wouldn't stand much of a chance if I just stayed, and even if I did I would've just become another small store in the piles of stores around myself." She stopped a little aways from the door just as Poppy was nearing the exit staring at the ground. "No. I never wanted to be just like the crowd. I knew I wanted more for my nine lives, so after saving as many pons as I could, I moved far away to Mafia town. I heard it was a big fishing community and they sold most of the city's fish to us. There were rumors about their leader being a chef too. So I thought it was the purrrrfect oportunity for me......I wasn't too right about that though."

Poppy was all wars by now as she slowly climbed out at last and rose to her feet. Giving Cookie a sympathetic look as the cat looked back up to her, her body shivering from the cold air again. "I-I'm....I'm so sorry. What happened if you don't mind me asking?"

Cookie chuckled again. "Don't mind a bit. The mafia hired me on bourd straight away in their kitchen....But it turns out they only did so because they wanted me to chase down all the mice they were having a problem with." Poppy made a scowl and Cookie waved her off. "I know. I was disappointed too. You see usually us cats don't have a very good reputation because of all the theives who happen to coincidentally be cats, but it wasn't too bad. I decided to become an under dog hero of cooking if that made sense. I thought I would be doing a good thing if I switched all their bad food for my good food and maybe spare a few taste buds, but I knew I was wasting my talents there." She turned and began to walk again with Poppy following politely listening interested. "Eventually I did grow tired especially after meeting the cute lil alien. And I just couldn't help myself with all the questions. Was alien food really better than ours? Was there advanced tools to better cook with? My curiousity got the better of me and before I knew it I had so rudely snuck into her bridge using some moon penguin's teleporter to get themselves to and from the moon."

"So....Does that mean Bow fled with you?" They had both reached the ladder that lead down to the storage room floor that would let anyone get to the washer and dryer to use and upon reaching it Cookie turned around and descended the ladder. Poppy slowly doing the same but with her sore arm it was still a little slower. "What happened?"

"No. Honestly I have no idea how she ended up in mafia town herself, but that's a different story. Turns out an alien's kitchen is exactly like mine. In the long run I guess I was hoping for some kind of miracle to help me out of my rut but it didn't matter. I got fired by the head boss as soon as I came back for comspiring with traitorious aliens."

"Oh my goodness. I'm so sorry." Poppy's foot touch the ground and she watched as the calico waved her and made her way towards the Laundry Cleaner 3000.

"No. I was sick of working for those brutes anyways."

"So...What did you do next?," she asked as she followed.

"Well....I stayed home and felt pretty bad for a long time, but then I found an ad in the newspaper for a cruise ship needing a cook! So obviously I took the chance. It was....not better than the mafia to be honest. Those seals were decent cooks but they were so accident prone and their kitchen was so dangerous. I'm almost glad the ship sank, but it just meant I was back to square one again.....I was so about to give up and go back home. Better a small cook like the rest than not being a cook at all anywhere." Her smile grew as she just waltzed right into the closet like space and turned to poppy. "That little alien is more resourceful than you might think."

"Why? What did she do?"

"Why?...She introduced me to the man....or penguin that made all my dreams come true. We met up again by chance when she was on the same cruise, talk about coincidence. She saw how unhappy I was and wanted to help. But I didn't beleive she could do anything about my situation having already had so many set backs." She made almost a happy purr as Poppy finally walked in next to her after gesturing for her to stand next to herself. "So imagine my surprise when one day Mr. DJ Grooves himself arrived on my doorstep and asked ME of all people to star in a cooking show series! He said his little star told him all about the delicious food his staff received on their vacation and my cute face was absolutely perfect for it! IT WAS A HUGE HIT!! Turns out those moon penguins LOVED all my fish recipes and tips! Next thing I knew I signed a business contract and finally saw my dream take off right before my own eyes. I'll NEVER be able to thank them all enough for making it come true."

"A...cooking show? I didn't know they made those."

"Really? I guess swamp people wouldn't have tv. Oh. Push the red button there to take us down." Her paw pointed to a red button on the inside of the machine they were in.

"A-Actually...I grew up on a farm. W-We were pretty poor." She frowned and reached over to push the button like Cookie had asked. Wobbling a little when the ground beneath them suddenly lowered and she looked up to watch as the light disappeard.

"Oh. I'm so sorry. I had no idea," Cookie apologized with a paw placed gently on Poppy's arm. "You poor thing."

"Uh...N-No. It's ok.....You can't change the past." Her frown saddened even more at that.

Cookie's smile came back as she looked at her. "That's true. I can't change how said and how much I struggled then, but that don't mean we can't have a happy future."

".....Heh. Y-Y'know...Y-You're the second person to r-really....t-t-tell me that." When light came back up Cookie's smile vanished seeing the older woman starting to cry but quickly trying to stop once light hit her face." I-I'm sorry. I s-shouldn't get so emotional. I-It's just that so many big bad things have happened recently a-and I.....I-.."

She stopped when a paw grabbed her and Cookie gave her a slightly stern and determined look. "Honey, there is no reason not to cry if you feel like you want or need to cry about it. Now you go on right ahead and don't mind me. Because I'm not gonna stop someone if they need to cry out their emtions. It's unhealthy to keep that bottled up."

That's just what she needed to hear. With watery blue eyes Poppy stared at this little cat for a long silent moment before she sniffed again and finally small little tears began to drip down that face one after another and before she knew it she was on her knees sobbing harder and louder than a baby. Cookie shushing her and rubbing the poor sobbing gal's back as all the pent up emotions finally came out as she cried and cried.

"IT'S NOT FAIR!!," she wailed out to no one between chokes. Her good fist coming down to hit the floor in frustration and anger. "IT'S NOT FAIR!! IT'S NOT FAIR!! WHY DID IT HAVE TO HAPPEN TO ME!? I WANT TO GO H-HOME!!" She hiccuped hard and reached her arm up to wipe at her heated face. "I JUST WANT TO GO HOME!! B-B-BUT I C-CAN'T B-BECAUSE EVERYTHING'S GONE!! *hic* AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO DO!!"

"Shh. There, there. I know it must be tough not having a home. Feeling so lost and scared having no one around. But it'll be ok. You just let it all out, Sugar."

"H-How do y-you know?," she hiccuped again and looked to the cat in question with tears blurring her vision.

Cookie smiled sadly. "Because I have a little blonde girl living with me who felt the same way. Sometimes these things happen and we just need a little help." The paw came up to her shoulder as Cookie pulled a small hankerchief from her chef's pocket and offered it to her to which Poppy was rather grateful. "Feel better?" She hiccuped and nodded wiping her face with that small tissue. A little relief coming to her from letting all the emotions out. "There, there. Come on. I bet you'll feel even better after getting all this dirt off your pretty self and getting a bite to eat."

Her stomach rumbled again at the mention of food and Cookie chuckled. Slightly pushing her body upwards to help motivate the sniffing gal to her wobbly feet once again and have a look around the room once those tears were dried away. ....Oh. This must've been the bathroom they were talking about it was all very clean with sea themed things everywhere. Starfish shaped handles on the drawers, sea shell covers for the lights, towels, a sink, mirror, bottles of soap, laudry soap, and shampoo on the shelves along with the towels, bath toys, and anything and everything else a bathroom would have including what looked like an extra set of washing machines with one right open with what looked like warm water and a stepping stool in front of it. There was even another metal table like thing with a tray of fake cakes on it. But funnily no showers or a bathtub in sight. Perhaps she was supposed to use the sink to wash her face but was surprised when Cookie lead her over to the full washing machine.

"Alright. Here. I'll get you a nice herbal shampoo, those work wonders for silky, soft hair."

"I-.....B-But this is a-

"Washing machine? Oh heavens no. It was recycled into a bathtub. Something the aliens call recycling. Fascinating isn't it? Now go on. Wash up. You don't want to be filthy forever do you?"

Well......She was in really no position to argue about anything anymore was she?

#a hat in time snatcher #snatcher #florist x snatcher #snatcher x florist #The Florist #florist #a hat in time florist #ABloomInTime

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jungle321jungle · 4 years

Text

The Origin Of Chaos

Have some of my original writings cuz why not im tired and bored and gots nothing better to do. This thing is the start to a long wip i have.

~~~~~

One of her hands was around his neck, but it seemed to be there more to control him than to hurt. Her grip was tighter than he’d like, but given the fear in her eyes he couldn’t blame her. Her other hand held his hands rubbing her thumb over the back of them. His mother’s eyes were wild with worry and fear so he didn’t dare ask what was going on. Rather he focused on the feeling of the water around him. It was cool but not cold thankfully, his mother knew he hated when his baths were too cold, or maybe it was a habit he had picked up from his sister. Despite her age she would throw fits, refusing to get in the basin and he would sit and watch their mother go after her like some kind of game. It had been fun to him, but now he knew it would never happen again.

His gaze flickered up to his mother’s but she didn’t appear to be seeing him. Her eyes drifted around their room as she kept on alert for reasons he did not know, but prayers spilled from her lips continuously as she did. He caught the name of the goddess Meryu within her words, but everything else had fallen on deaf ears. Despite his position Father didn’t like his children to learn of the gods, he pretended though. A great many of times he had watched his father’s wives lead prayers, and place hands over the common blooded. He had heard of his Father letting them send the accused to the Soolyeri, but he never did himself. Perhaps that was the reason that a week ago Mother had brought him before the Soolyeri under the cover of night.

But that didn’t explain why the Women of the Temple hadn’t killed him.

It was rare an accused left their presence alive, because all with magic were supposed to succumb to their sins. Perhaps Father had spoken to them long ago, told them to leave his children to him. But even as King, he only had so much power over the Soolyeri. Regardless of why he was glad to be alive, the Soolyeri had poisoned him with fear and dread, something Father always said a Prince wasn’t to ever express- legitimate or not.

“Jahai?”

He let his thoughts fall away into the cool water as he gave his mother his attention.

Her eyes were wet with unshed tears as she spoke. “I love you. I truly do. You know that right?”

He gave a nod. “I love you too.”

“And I want you to know that I’m sorry,” she continued. “I will not have you end up like Ye-Yelsny... your sister deserved life and more as do you, but I will not let you become your Father’s child.”

“Mother-”

“This is a time to listen not to speak,” she told him, but he noticed her voice was missing the usual irritation that came with scolding him.

“You’re wise beyond your years, Jahai.” Her voice was quiet and as tears began to fall from her face, Jahai’s focus shifted to the other sounds around them. To the sound of what sounded like armored footfalls, he opened his mouth to tell her as such but she spoke before he could. “And I’m sorry to rob you of them.”

One hand was on his throat, and it was shoving him underwater. He gasped in surprise water filling his mouth and he felt as some involuntarily went down his throat. Her other hand had pinned his hands to his chest and she had used his shock as an opportunity to maneuver herself into the basin- her weight keeping his legs where they were. But it didn’t stop him from trashing. His lungs ached as he tried to push back with his arms, her solution was to press harder on him. His lungs were burning now- as was his throat and nose as water rushed in. He gagged on it only succeeded in taking in more water. He wanted to cry, to scream, to shout, to live, but Mother had made her choice when she had taken him to the Soolyeri. In her mind he may as well already be dead.

White light was encasing him. Hovering over him like a cocoon. His magic was trying his best but without air it could do no healing. It was just slowing his death. The darkness was creeping at the edges of his vision as he was forced to look up at his mother’s distorted but determined face. So he let go of his fight. He let go of his magic. Rather he just stared into his mother’s eyes hoping to burn the image of him staring back into her memory. So she could fully enjoy this sin she usually rebuked.

“Do you want to die?”

He wasn’t sure where the voice had come from, was it his own thought or was he being asked?

“Do you want to die?”

As it sounded the second time he answered, “No.”

“I can save you,” came the voice- a woman’s voice. “I can save you if you let me.”

“I can’t be saved.”

“You can.”

“My own mother wishes me dead.”

“Then kill her yourself.”

“I can’t.”

“Because she’s your mother? Or because you're powerless?”

“I can’t.”

“You’re a majel, you don’t care for your mother. If I were to give you power would you kill her to save yourself?”

“You’re me you are not? We’re both dying. There’s no magic I have but to heal.”

“I am not you, and if you’d like to make a deal with me, I can save us both.”

“A deal?”

“I give you power and you fulfill my wish.”

Life was in slow motion. Here he was with only milliseconds to live, and yet in this time it felt like eternity. Here he didn’t see his mother, he didn’t see anything, he just floated harmlessly and painlessly amongst the nothingness listening to the sound of her voice. It seemed better than reality, so he’d live in it as long as he could, even if it meant giving into delusions.

“What is your wish?”

“To be found and be reunited with my sisters.”

“And if I don’t fulfill your wish?”

“You’d die. But you’re already dying, so what more do you have to lose, Jahai?”

“How do you even know me?”

“I watched you at the Temple. I watch everyone at those many Temples and I’ve always tried to approach any who survive. The others were scarred and broken, not you. You are still young, a child, and instead of breaking you gained knowledge and wisdom beyond your years. You're my best shot Jahai.”

“Are you a goddess?”

“I know you don’t believe in such fantasies.”

“But then what are you to know all?”

“I am ancient, I’m powerful, and most importantly I’m bitter towards this world.”

“And who are you?”

“My name is Dedanya. Would you like to make a deal with me, Little Prince?”

“Yes.”

Jahai found himself slammed back into the present as if he had just fallen from a building. He choked on the water as he vision continued to give way- before it was gone entirely. But he could still think, process, feel, he could blink. This darkness wasn’t his fading consciousness, it was something else. It was in that moment he felt his mother’s force lessen on his body and all he wanted was to push her off but his body lacked the strength.

But the darkness didn’t. It surged upward as through his muddy vision he watched as black light shoved his mother back off of him entirely. It forced itself around his mother and it seeped in through her lungs and mouth. She moved from view but he knew she was choking on it- dying from it. He knew that now she knew how he felt. Was this the power Dedanya had given him? If so how would it help him out of the basin when he no longer had strength to move?

His vision was truly gone this time. He couldn’t even feel the chill of the water against his skin. He would die despite that delusional dream. But at least he wouldn’t be alone in it.

His eyes opened slowly and he had to squint to adjust to the light. His father was above him- having the audacity to look worried- as if Father had ever cared. He gave an awkward smile of relief and said something but to Jahai he may as well still be underwater. His eyes drifted slightly around the room. Beside his father were a few people, and further away were knights who had forced his mother onto her knees- he silently wondered why they would bother with a corpse when her head snapped up to meet his gaze- she was alive.

The burning of his chest returned, but this time he couldn’t pinpoint why. His thoughts and his body seemed to have disconnected, but even so he found himself reaching a hand towards her and as he did he found he could hear her pitiful pleas.

“Oh Meryu, goddess of mercy! I beg you to take my son to your holy realm! Oh Meryu goddess of mercy! Oh Meryu-”

Her prayer was stopped short as the dark light returned. It was flowing down her mouth into her body. And this time it would do what it was supposed to. He watched as the knights dropped her as she fell to the floor writhing and screaming in pain. But she didn’t stop her prayers-

“Meryu! Goddess of mercy and demon of cruelty! Blessings to my son! Meryu-”

And her words didn’t stop.

Not until Jahai stopped her heart.

The dark light left her just as quickly as it had come and Jahai found himself out of breath but somewhere deep inside him he felt a joy he couldn’t describe.

“You’re a majel,” his father breathed out.

Jahai saw no point in responding. Instead he pulled himself into a sitting position as he watched all eyes on him. He said nothing. He did nothing. He barely had the strength to do anything besides sit where he was.

“What is your sin, majel?”

Jahai wasn’t sure who had asked, but he forced himself to answer. “I killed the woman who tried to kill me. Call that a sin if you wish.”

“Magic is a sin!” Shouted a man who stood by the door.

“How did you know?” He asked instead of answering. “Did you all know she planned to kill me?”

“Answer the question you disgusting-” but just words faltered as Jahai raised a hand toward him in silent threat.

Father cleared his throat and tried to put back his usual Kingly persona. “Your mother left a note in my chambers.”

“Did it-did it say why?” He asked quietly.

“No.”

Jahai gave him a nod, “What happens now? The Soolyeri failed to kill me once, and now my mother, who is next?”

Father gave a swallow, “Decisions will be made. For now we’ll leave you here. And as long as you don’t use your curse, none shall bother you.”

When they had emptied the room taking his mother’s body with them Jahai still hadn’t moved from his spot.

“You’re alive just as promised.” Her words were warm, and almost kind as they reverberated in his skull. It hadn’t been a dream afterall.

Jahai gave a hum of agreement. “You were right.”

“I often am.”

“It was easier than it should be to kill my own mother.”

“That power is yours as long as you work towards my wish.”

“How do I find you?”

“You’ll need to travel.”

“I doubt Father will let me leave.”

“I can wait. I have nothing but time. And as long as you never forget my side of the deal you will live.”

He nodded once as he pulled himself to his feet. He was unsteady as he moved but slowly but surely he managed to leave the room and go to his own. He was changing into dry clothes when he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror and the small black symbol in the center of his chest- that hadn’t been there previously. A withering flower.

“Proof of our deal.”

Jahai didn’t argue as he pulled on a shirt and laid in his bed. He had expected sleep to come readily, but after it eluded him he spoke.

“Do you know why she did it?”

“I don’t.”

“She said it had something to do with Yelsny. But, but her death was an accident.”

“I might not know the answer, but I feel you’ll gain one someday.”

“Thank you Dedanya.”

“Don’t thank me just yet. This journey is one which will be long and hard. Are you ready for that?”

“No. But I’m not ready for death either.”

He could hear as she gave a slight laugh, “Sleep well Little Prince. You will need your rest for what's to come.”

~~~~

tada a thing

#jaz's things #other writing things #death #murder #killing #magic #fiction #writing

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xsecretblastsx · 4 years

Text

2x03 - The Dark Night

I'm actually surprised this recap came out faster than I thought it would, that's rare but I'm glad, also this episode is a fun one, or rather that's how I remember it.

Anyway, as usual recap under the cut:

Thoughts I had while watching the episode:

I know AC is a thing but it's kind of weird to have GG voice over be like: the last days of summer and the heat... and then there's this shot of Chuck drinking scotch in pajamas that look more suited for fall/winter

So I guess we're still on the Dan and Serena can't keep their hands of each other train.

Poor Blair, the Lord ain't into that, gotta love her for mentioning that Atonement scene in the library... she could totally rock that green dress.

Blair a delicate little flower, please. I do like how it's a constant the various fact that all her boyfriends never really got her, and have this fake image of her.

Jenny starring in her own version of the Devil wears prada, slaving it all around NYC

The Nate and the Duchess scene are giving me the creeps.

Compared to her season 1 looks, I'm kind of liking Vanessa's outfits so far.

No one likes to hear the hard truths of life, but Blair's words to Serena about her relationship with Dan were really spot on.

Fun fact about myself: purple is my favorite color. I guess that's why like Chuck's robe even if it makes him look like this weird junior version of Hugh Hefner.

This is the first time we see the minis!!! I loved everytime they popped up like mini cosplayers.

That outfit of Blair is one of my all time faves. Particularly the colors of the skirt

Oh Nate, even if he knows Blair's motives are never pure, he stills accepts her invitation. Go figures.

This has got to be Chuck and Serena's most funny conversation ever. Both of their expressions during the whole thing are hilarious.

"I don't have a romantic body in my body. Least of all that one" Honestly who came up with these lines 😂😂

Looking back there were many sings of how obsessed Dan was with public opinion and his weird behaviors' for example take this throwaway line from Rufus: he still reading those Dan and Serena should they or not threads. Like what?

Dan: turns out I'm an ass but a passionate minority thinks I'm just and idiot. Yep pretty much the public opinion nowadays too.

This is so one of my fave chair lines! "The thing that always fascinated me about you: the cool exterior, the fire below" 😉

The whole scene honestly, from the way her eyes roll back to his smug smile at the end 🔥🔥🔥

Considering what happens in the second half of this season is kind of interesting to note that so far every single interaction between Blair are Nate is really passive aggressive.

Gotta give it to Vanessa even though she's freaked out after finding out Nate is sleeping with Catherine, she stills gives him a chance to explain

That scene between Catherine and Blair was actually good, because they both are right, Catherine can't stop Nate from doing what he wants, and there are things that Blair can't give up on, even if she thinks so.

Is there an emergency box for Serena Van der Woodsen? Well she lives there douche. But even if there was, what's the problem with that?

The whole Jenny & Eleanor storyline makes me feel lowkey sad for Blair, like this epiaode shouldn't Eleanor be at that party? It was parents/students thing, but Eleanor is at her atelier accepting from Jenny the kind of honest commentary she would never take from Blair

It's almost depressing to see Blair throwing herself at that Marcus guy

Chuck's "fake" accent, except it wasn't 🤭

And finally!!! All that pent up sexual frustration had to went somewhere

I'm living of Serena having moments like this one: "Fine, you know what? Life is not fair because it doesn't fit with the way you, Dan Humphrey, think it should be. But why are you always right?" Because this is it, the real crux of it, and why they keep having the same fight

Im so done with the Marcus storyline, because yes she wants his tittle, but she ain't also wrong because he kept treating her in a way that was so meh. Poor Chuck, though, but then again he kind of puts himself into this situations by ignoring his feelings at first and then they explode in his face anyway

I felt for Vanessa the whole episode, not used to that.

This Dan and Serena break up is so frustrating to watch because basically they're ending because Dan just won't meet her halfway. She's not asking him to give up all his ideals, only that he don't judge her for who she is.

I feel like Vanessa was more understanding to Nate's situation than Dan could have ever been with Serena.

For an episode that started quite sunny and happy it sure had a sad ending. Almost everyone ends up feeling pretty miserable.

This episode was one I remember mostly for that Chuck and Blair scene at that party were he's trying to seduce her, also the whole blockade thing was hilarious, this time around however while I still love those Chuck and Blair bits, I did find myself getting more invested in Nate and Vanessa and even more surprisingly on the argument between Dan and Serena, their break up scene really frustrated me.

Let's go first with the Nate, Catherine and Vanessa storyline. This is such a messed up plot, then again most of Nate’s plot that involved his family had a tendency to be that way. I may not like the details sometimes but what I do like about is how these kind of plots really showed the amount of pressure Nate’s family put on him. At this point in the show Nate’s only seventeen and yet he has to find a way to keep his mom’s head above water, so he falls prey to this woman who is just awful. Is no wonder he wanted to be with Vanessa again because she’s literally a breeze of fresh air, so far removed from his messed up world which is exactly what he needs, and yet is inevitable that she gets caught up in all the scheming and nastiness in the end. She lies to him in order to help him which is sad because help him still leaves him as prey to this woman, but that’s what I really like about this plot, Vanessa’s willingness to be there for Nate and also how understanding she was of the situation.

Vanessa, same as Dan, tends to be judgmental of others and comes from a background that has a more black and white view of morality, she was also raised by a family who despises everything the UES side represents. So imagine what it must have been for her to find out that Nate is sleeping with an older woman for money, that goes against her morals and her beliefs, she’s disgusted by the situation, and yet when Nates begs her to let him explain, she does and she ends up while not exactly approving of the situation, he understands why he’s doing it, and she tells hims that this can only bad for him and that whe should stop it, becaause he’s better than this, and she says it mainly because she in fact is concerned about him and see the best in him. This is why I like her relationship with Nate, because I feel they gave each other some needed perspective, through him she learns that not everything is black and why and that’s there a reason of why people does certain things, and through Vanessa Nate’s gets in touch with a much saner world were he can be himself.

On the other hand, we have Dan and Serena, who for the last two episodes have been avoiding the fact that they have issues and they must be faced if they want to move forward, and it’s pretty easy to see why they were putting it off, because the moment they do it obvios that they can’t really solve them. The source of the conflict is the same as always, they keep having the same fight, except to me there’s a difference this time around, at Bart’s brunch and at the wedding Dan’s issues with Serena’s world were also framed with the fact that he discovered something about Serena he feels he can’t deal with, it annoy me both occasions at the Brunch because they had barely met and he was mad because she wasn’t the girl he thought almost as if she had deceive him, and it was like dude you guys met like yesterday, chill. At the wedding he had more of a right to be mad, because she had lied to him a lot, so one could understand his resentment with the UES in the sense that it had shaped Serena to be the kind of person that acts wildly and lies and whatever else he wanted to claimed. This time however he gets mad because the elevator situation serve as reminder of how she’s “more important” than him because she’s part of the 1%. They start arguing literally because they won’t help him as quickly as if she was her. Is it unfair? Yeah, but If we’re goint go be objective about it the mere existence of a 1% priviledge class is unfair to the the other 99%. But that’s life, and the majority of us have to deal with that, and that doesn’t mean we can be assholes to people that have been nice to us.

When he meets Serena he already knows she’s an UES princess, so if he really has a “eat the rich” mentality, why did he got involved with her? And is not like Serena was condecending or mean to him because he wasn’t rich as her, and yet he acts as if he had dated S2 Blair who was an elitist bitch to him every single time they interacted. He may also be not extremely rich as Serena, but he wasn’t poor at all. Correct me if I’m wrong but the kind of loft he lives in, at Dumbo ain’t cheap. So the way Dan acts if he had dated said a girl from a lower income background she had the right to be a total bitch to him, because he was more priviliged? Serena herself says it the best: "Fine, you know what? Life is not fair because it doesn't fit with the way you, Dan Humphrey, think it should be. But why are you always right?” and this is prove that theirs is not a relationship problem, is exclusively a Dan problem. Serena says to him she can’t change who she is, and is not like she’s saying I won’t change the way I act, is not related to that, because their “problem” literally refers to who she is: her last name, the family she was born to. To that Dan says, I can’t change who I am either, and that's the thing Dan! hers is a matter of being, his is a matter of thinking, and she can’t change her family, but you can change the way you think, and it’s not even a drastic change, he doesn’t have to change his ideals, rather just be understanding and accept her for who she is. If one thinks about i Vanessa did a better job with Nate on that topic this episode than Dan ever did, so it can be done, it can be resolved, he just refuses to do it Serena doest thing through the series that definately add to their problems, their parents situation doesn’t help either, but this episode really shows that the root of their issues is Dan.

Finally, there’s Chuck and Blair, who keep having the most amazing chemistry ever, and the sexual tension in their scenes is off the charts. This episode really relays on the fact of the amount of desire they feel for each other, which seems super fitting at this point in the series because while it’s clear they have deep feelings for each other, desire was what first brought them together, yet they both believe this episode that desire isn’t as exclusive as feelings, it’s easier to feel desire and so they think they can easily find it in other people, but what they discover this episode is that sadly that wasn’t the case. In Blair’s case it has to do in part with the fact that Marcus doesn’t really sees her that way, which makes me sad because here she is again dating a guy who refuses to be passionate about her, but even if he did, she’s forcing the passion, is not really there and can she honestly live like that? Like something is missing? Sadly, no. Oh she’s going to try, not only this season in fact, but is never going to fully substitute the one she has with Chuck.

Chuck faces the same issue, in quite a very literal way, which is hilarious. Chuck Bass playboy extraordinarie is suffering from a “blockage”, a very PG-13 way of saying that he can’t get it up, which is obviously a big tragedy for a guy like him, that amuses Serena to no end even if she can’t quite believe it. Anyway, this is the way that Chuck learns that feelings can win over desire, and that ther is more to sex than just a momentary physical pleasure, which is something he really need it to learn. As long as he can frame what he feels for Blair as mere desire, nothing beyond really good chemistry, is easier for him to see his pursuing of her as only a matter of seduction, easier to ingore that it hurts that she’s with someone else, and his regret over the fact that this whole situation was his own doing, at the end he finally admits to himself that is more than seduction, which is why I believe all his plots from here on are more based on getting her to go to him, not because she desires him, but because she needs him. But that’s for the next episode.

Random bits I’ve noticed:

Because later on this show got to the point of being like Chuck had no culture whatsover, and as such Blair couldn’t possibly have any intellectual talk with him, I would like to point out that he mentions madame butterfly as a reference to the Japanesse flight attendant, which means he knows the opera. And I can totally picture him, listening to opera from time to time just because, he’s dramatic and larger than life sometimes. It fits him.

He also mentions Little Lord Fauntleroy which is a children book, and I like to believe he at least got one decent nanny while growing up and that she gave it to him.

Finally a pic of the minis, because I love them

#gossip girl #gossip girl recap #gossip girl rewatch #2x03 #the dark night

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avintagekiss24 · 4 years

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1/? I always get so disheartened when everything in media and fanfics cater towards white women. God, I remember being a toddler, and wishing I was white. I hated my brown eyes, black hair, tan skin and asian features, hell, I was ashamed. Jesus christ, even now, there are times where I do still feel like "wow... I hate being asian, i want to be a pretty white girl so who blushes a pretty pink color and can give birth to other white babies"

2/? im sorry, I just have a lot of pent up frustration with xReader stories where you're being described as a white girl, and maybe its cause im on my period, but now i wanna cry and smack some racist ass hoes... I always want to point it out though, but I'm scared of being attacked by a bunch of karens, ya know?

3/? Racially ambiguous readers are what we should strive for, but I feel like so many people just assume that being white is a 'default' or the 'norm' in fanfics, so when someone is finally like "you know what? Imma make a fic for specifically poc" so many people who are blissfully ignorant about what we woc struggle with, will cry and complain

4/ Like... Come on, I think people can handle a few fanfics directed towards black women, especially when woc as a whole has been forgotten and tossed aside with these "reader" inserts and mainstream media...

5/ ok wow, im sorry, im annoying, i just have a lot of things i want to get off my chest.. And i do want to ask some authors about their choice of wording, or the pictures they use, but I feel like I can't, and that I don't have a voice.. i dont know where im going with this, but i just needed to air out my feelings before i go tumbling down the same hole i went down as a kid.. m sorry, ily and ill stop clogging up ur inbox with my dumbass rambling

Don’t ever apologize for stating how you feel, babe. It’s good to let it out and I’m always here to listen.

I think every person of color has struggled with these feelings - namely, wanting to be white. My brothers and I went to predominately white elementary and high schools and my parents have said that all three of us at some point came home one day, down in the dumps, and said that we wished we were white. Being “white” has become the norm. It’s been shoved in our faces since we were babies that being light/white skinned and having blonde hair and blue eyes is what beauty is and anything outside of that is undesirable.

I understand what the original intent of reader inserts was - but it’s not what it’s supposed to be. WOC are different than white women. We have different struggles. We have different coping mechanisms. For instance, for black women, having short hair is not revolutionary like it is for white women. I remember when the chick from Harry Potter got that pixie cut and all the hoopla that surrounded it. How brave she was for cutting, how freeing it was for her... it’s not that for us. Also, having natural long hair as a black woman is not as easy as it is for white women. We can’t just wash that shit and go, lol, it’s a three hour process from getting in the shower to wash it to finally being ready to go out for the day/night. A lot of us can’t just throw it up in a messy bun.

By reading those things, it instantly excludes me, so, I can no longer view myself as reader. I wanted to change that. I try to not add specifics into my stories - hair length or texture, wig, weave, skin tone, eye color - because we all vary, but I just wanted my fellow black girls to know instantly that this piece is for you. Feel free to finally be able to read something that is geared towards you. Feel free to finally be able to immerse yourself in this world without wondering when the “whiteness” is going to creep up on you.

I just find it odd that people can suspend their beliefs for the MCU as a whole - I mean, there are two 100+ year old men, one with a metal arm, who were both frozen for a good period of their lives and then sudden de-thawed like pieces of chicken, a guy who turns green when he’s angry, another guy who eats a purple flower to make himself stronger - but they can’t relate to a black!reader insert. It’s insane. It’s small minded. It’s racist.

I’m not going anywhere. I’m not changing how I write or what I write. They can send me all the anon messages they want about it. I’m. not. budging.

You’re not annoying! You can always come here and get this stuff off of your chest. I’m actually really glad that this has happened, it’s opened up so many meaningful conversations for readers and writers of all shades. Don’t be afraid to speak up, either. There is a polite way to message a writer and let them know how you feel without being rude. Maybe they don’t realize that they’re words are exclusionary. Maybe you could be the one that helps them improve/be more aware of how they come across and how they sculpt their words. Most writers will understand and will do their best to try and be as inclusive as possible. The MCU fandom is incredibly lucky to have as many passionate, loving, talented, compassionate writers and artists as it does, and most of them want to know how they can be and do better.

I love you, darling. Thank you for trusting me enough to vent your frustrations to me. You are always welcome here.

#asks #answered

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kyouxa · 5 years

Text

Diabolik Lovers Chaos Lineage: Ayato Sakamaki (Story 12)

In terms of the gameplay: The black choices lead up to a bad ending, the white choices lead up to a good ending. Please no reposting onto other sites, ask me before translating this into another language too! I’m an amateur translator, but I hope you do enjoy it anyway!♡

Monologue

After leaving the burning scarlet mansion, we hid ourself in the woods.

We found an abandoned house on our way, we’ll take a rest in it and settled down.

I was relieved that Shu and Reiji-san‘s memories finally returned. But right now, I‘m worried about Ayato-kun he’s been silent for awhile.

Even though they don‘t know about the situation, Laito, Subaru and Kanato-kun are following us ...

I’m so relieved that they are together now.

Now all the Sakamaki brothers are gathered together, while we walked I told Reiji and Shu-san about what happened so far—

end Monologue

Place: Outside — Abondoned house

Yui: … The next thing I remembered was waking up in that church.

(I suddenly talked in various ways, and I confused my own head... but I don't have much time left...)

Reiji: I see. While I listened to your story, I understood how strange this situation is.

Shu: I can’t fully remember everything, but this isn’t something which happens naturally.

I guess somebody did this artificially. But, who is it and what’s their benefit of doing this?

Ayato: I know the purpose, though. I also know who did this to us!

Yui: Oh, is that so?

Shu: Who?

Ayato: Heh, it can’t be anyone else than that old sack of father!

Yui: (Karl Heinz-sama who is the father of Ayato-kun and the head of the Sakamaki family ...?)

Ayato: Changing everyones memories, moving us to such a strange place, it‘s not like a normal person could do this.

Yui: I see, that may be true.

Shu: *sigh* ... It’s as simple as ever. But the possibility is the highest.

Ayato: Right?

Reiji: If this is really our fathers doing, why would he do something like this?

It’s not like only the Sakamaki family got here, the Mukami’s and even Tsukinami’s are also involved.

I don‘t want to think that our father is the cause, but it’s probably the work of someone who is at least as strong as our father.

Shu: If so, we should end this tea ceremony as soon as possible. We can’t stay here forever like this.

Reiji: I think we could understand the clue and the solution if we could grasp the purpose of the masterminder, but our current situation is in a state of not knowing anything.

Yui: (I see, it seems like we’re gathered here for a specific reason and we need to figure it out)

...huh?

(Oh, my view is getting blurry… what’s wrong with my body?)

Ayato: Hey, whats wrong Yui? You look pretty bad.

Yui: ...ngh

*Yui faints*

Ayato: Hey, are you okay!?

Reiji: Calm down, Ayato. I assume she’s just tired. This day was pretty long.

Ayato: ... If you say so...

Reiji: You should let her rest somewhere. I can’t garantee that this is a comfortable bed, but it will be possible to rest at least a little.

Yui: ...No, I don‘t need that

Ayato: Be quiet, I didn’t as you! Here, I'll carry you now, so please hold into me.

Yui: Thank you, Ayato-kun...

*Ayato grabs Yui*

Ayato: I'll take care of her now, so nobody should interrupt!

Reiji: ...Oh my, they never grow up.

*time passes*

Ayato: Here, I‘ll lay you down now

Yui: ...Sure

Ayato: I'm going to wrap my jacket around you, because it's a little more comfortable. You should warm up like that.

*Ayato puts off jacket*

Yui: ...Thank you, Ayato-kun. It’s really warm.

(And the smell of Ayato-kun really calms me down)

*Ayato blushes*

Ayato: And uhm... gimme your hand

Yui: My hand? S-Sure

Ayato: Your hand, I’ll never let it go

Yui: (Holding hands like that … I’m so happy we can hold hands like real lovers again)

Holding Ayato-kun’s hand, it feels cold but I like it.

Ayato: Shaddup. You should go to bed and sleep now.

Yui: Yes

(I feel relieved by now. It seems like the tension between me and Ayato-kun returned...)

*time passes*

Yui: ... Zzz... Zzz...

Ayato: ...You finally fell asleep

Yui: ... Zzz... Zzz...

Ayato: Hehe, how funny. Your face is really adorable when you sleep

...sigh... i’m sorry I didn’t notice

(This woman, was so tired she fell asleep so fast. I wasn’t aware of her health at all... )

(Damnit... ! Why didn’t I know how the person I treasure the most felt the whole time!?)

(Even if her body was tired, she tried to get along with my selfishness. You really...)

... Thanks for everything, Yui. *kisses*

Yui: ...Zz...

Ayato: I'll never hurt you like that again. I promise

*time passes*

Yui: (....Ngh... ?)

(....Ahh... Ngh... why am I on a bed in an abandoned house?)

(I remember, I fainted on the ground and Ayato-kun carried me here and wrapped his jacket around me)

Ayato: Oh, you woke up?

Yui: Ayato-kun!

Ayato: Hehe, what’s with that reaction? I was here the entire time.

Yui: So you mean, you watched me the entire time while I slept?

Ayato: As if I’d do that. What would be wrong, if I did that tho

Yui: It’s fine, thank you. I’m happy you stayed with me here.

Ayato: I’m glad about that. I hope you’re feeling better by now.

Choices

1) — became better (white) ♡ ♡ ♡

2) — somehow dull (black)

— became better ♡

Yui: Yes. I’m feeling better by now. Because Ayato-kun was by my side the entire time .

Ayato: — Don’t lie to me.

Yui: Hm...

Ayato: Your skin is all pale. You should rest and sleep more.

Yui: (Ayato-kun saw right through me. He’s right, I still feel a little dull...)

Ayato: Don’t try to hide anything from me anymore. Tell me everything. Because if something happens to you, I can’t forgive myself.

Yui: Yeah, that's right. Thank you! But it’s true that it has improved considerably. Is it because I slept a little?

Ayato: ...I guess

— somehow dull

Yui: I think I feel a little dull?

Ayato: Well then sleep a little more. Don't wake up until you get better.

Yui: ...but, I think I can handle it. I’ll just not overwork myself for now.

Ayato: ... Fine.

end Choices

Ayato: Jeez, don’t try to make me worried about you every time you breathe.

Yui: I just don’t want to bother everyone and be a burden to Ayato-kun.

Ayato: Idiot. You don’t have to worry about unnesesary things like that.

Yui: But...

Ayato: ...I know, this is mainly my fault.

Yui: ...Ayato-kun?

Ayato: I thought about it while you were asleep. I noticed how bad my behavior was the entire time...

Even when I went to the scarlet mansion and you were tired, you still decided to follow me and I got you in danger.

Yui: (I made him worry the entire time. I just handled out of my own selfishness...)

I’m very sorry. I was silent because I tried to not bother you ...

Im sorry I made you worry like that,

Ayato: Oh, I wasn’t that worried! Just don’t do anything stupid anymore.

*Ayato sits down*

Yui: I... uhm... Ayato-kun?

Ayato: It was bad from you to hide your true feelings from me, I can‘t just forget that Chichinashi!

I’ll punish you for making me worried all the time, prepare yourself... Ahh

Yui: (He’s sucking on my neck... Ngh—!)

(I wonder how much blood he will suck? But I haven‘t returned to my full strength yet ...)

*Ayato hugs Yui*

Yui: ...!? What’s wrong? You don’t want to suck more of my blood?

Ayato: So you don't like being hugged by me?

Yui: No, I don’t dislike it! I was just not expecting...

Ayato: ...Just what are you thinking.

Yui: Hm?

Ayato: I care so much about you and yet you can’t say anything to me. I tought we’re true lovers.

Yui: Ayato...kun...

(Oh, that’s right ... I hurted him so much while hiding it)

(Because I already regained my memory before him, I didn’t thought about him like I usually did...)

(I was just being selfish the whole time, I thought I needed to do this for myself...)

(I wasn‘t able to handle anything on my own, I was just so stupid)

Ayato: I won’t bother you with it anymore, but if you’re hiding your feelings again I won’t forgive you.

Yui: Yes... I’m sorry I made you worried.

*Yui hugs Ayato*

(I‘ll hug him too. I need to try to understand Ayato-kun’s feelings again, even if it’s just a little)

Ayato: You...

Yui: (My heart beats so fast ... You can hug me as much as you want, because we are —)

Reiji: Hmh

Yui: ...Ngh! Reiji-san!?

*Yui backs off*

Reiji: It seems like I was interrupting you two, I‘m highly sorry.

Yui: (I thought they went away, but they were just watching us)

(I‘m so embarrassed... my cheeks are hot...)

Ayato: Thanks for interrupting, table-ware otaku.

Reiji: I’m highly sorry for interrupting you, but it seems like we have to move soon.

Yui: Oh... ?

Ayato: ... Oh, looks like that. I expected those other vampires to catch up with us soon.

*everyone enters*

Laito: Oh, you finally got up. Good morning, Eve

Subaru: Is it okay if you get up already?

Yui: I‘m fine. I feel way better after that nap. Sorry for making you worried.

Shu: ...So everyone‘s gathered.

Reiji: That’s correct.

Ayato: Well then, let's get away from here! Before those guys come.

Shu: No, wait. There’s still time until the enemy arrives.

Reiji: I personally think, the enemy will attack us anytime soon. But before that, let's talk about all possible hypothesis about this situation.

Ayato: What? Hypothesis?

Reiji: Yes, it can also be said as plan for what we should do from now on.

From that point, I asked Subaru to cooperate and inform me about the current situation.

Each reconnaissances members, the situation when we were living in the mansions, we tried to find any match to our thoughts.

Yui: (Oh, I wonder why Subaru-kun, who has no memories also helped us?)

Subaru: To be honest, it's a strange thing for me to cooperate with the enemy.

Yui: ... Yeah, thats true, but are we still enemies? You already helped us.

Subaru: The meaning behind your words still aren’t clear for me. Memories and the original world...

Why did the enemy, Reiji and Shu attack us and now we’re suddenly working together?

But, as long as Eve can choose the king I don’t mind helping any of you.

Surely, I don't know if there's something secretly going on, but I will go along until I know it

Yui: Subaru-kun...

Laito: Well, in this situation it's not necessary to compete with Eve

Ayato: I have no specific problem with that. But, we need to know more.

Reiji: The strange upper ground we’re standing on right now, is likely to be a space created by magic.

Yui: What do you mean ...?

Reiji: Have you seen any other life besides familiarity here? For example, other humans and animals?

Ayato: I haven’t.

Shu: It seems like there’s nobody besides us and those guys. There are no birds or insects either.

Land of nature they say, how hilarious this is.

In addition, there are three uniformly arranged houses and a towering church in the middle of this.

Those positions, they also feel like they were on purpose like someone prepared it

Reiji: In other words, someone created this place, placed us here and made us think we’re in a different world.

So in my conclusion, this is a closed world where we can’t escape from.

Yui: (Why... ! Why did we get caught up in all those sorts of troubles)

Shu: If you think about it, it’s a funny story that the supplies were brought in by someone else.

Subaru: What? Isn’t it only natural that food was brought in?

Shu: Let’s see, you and others believe that it’s a natural thing. But I think this was also removed with our memories.

Yui: A place made with magic...

Ayato: I’m sure the guy who does that kind of thing is our father too!

Shu: Well, maybe that’s true

Yui: (But surely ... it only could be Karl Heinz who’s able to do such a thing)

(But, why did he lock us all in such a place like this?)

Ayato: I understand that it’s like a locked world. But, how can we finally get out of it?

Reiji: —It's just a guess from me, but if it's really a land made by someone's hand ....

There should be a core place to save magic.

Yui: ...Ngh!

Reiji: If this is really built up like a locked world, it should be equipped with a nucleus, which is supposed to save magic power and keep space here.

If we can destroy the core part of this locked world, there’s also a possibility to break the present situation.

Yui: Can we really get out of this locked world?

Shu: If the power of magic is turned off, the space of the locked world can’t continue. If it does so, we can escape from here.

Reiji: I can’t say anything yet. Even if we break it, it doesn't necessarily mean that we can escape safely.

It would be forced against the flow of magic. I don’t know what would happen if it does so.

Yui: (In other words —, if we don’t find the nucleus, we can’t find any solution)

Kanato: — Im sorry to Interrupt your talk but wasn’t there a noise outside?

Yui: What

Reiji: ... Be quiet. It seems like we reached our time limit

Ayato: ...Ngh! It sounds like someone is approaching!

Reiji: Well, before escaping from this world, it seems like our first step will be escaping from this situation

Yui: (Everyone is aiming for me, Eve. If we get caught now I...)

Ayato: What are you worried about? Your face turned pale again

Yui: Ayato-kun...

Ayato: I promised it already, I won’t let anything happen to you. I rather die before that happens.

Yui: Yes, thank you Ayato-kun. Thank you for encouraging me.

Ayato: Yes, you are finally smiling again. Make sure to walk right behind me.

This old man already played enough with us. We need to escape and scold our fathers face completly.

Kanato: He, is that so? That sounds exciting.

→ Story 13

← Story 11

#ayato #ayato sakamaki #chaos lineage #diabolik lovers #diabolik lovers ayato #chaos lineage translation #translation #ayato sakamaki translation #diabolik brothers #sakamaki #diabolik lovers translation #ayato sakamaki chaos lineage translation

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traiinedhard-a · 5 years

Text

[ CHARACTER STUDY; SAITAMA & GENOS ]

THE FOLLOWING ANALYSIS CAN GO EITHER PLATONICALLY VIEWED OR ROMANTICALLY FOR THE DUO. i don’t care how you interpret it. go nuts! just know this is long as fuck.

I’m so GLAD Genos and Saitama have each other now. Without each other,,, genos would be wrecklessly trying to push himself to the point of near death and saitama would be wallowing in his own depression but now saitama has something to look forward to talking wise and genos has someone who cares so much about his well-being that he refuses to let him try and basically kill himself like the way he used to. now genos has someone who actually worries if he'll make it through a fight instead of just trying to self destruct at everything he just about loses to. he has been given a safer and more realistic goal to look forward to and he's become more relaxed. saitama's been able to be more expressive since he's constantly with genos, and he doesn't feel as empty because he feels like he has a reason to live now. it's clear that when they're apart saitama worries endlessly for genos (and once worries that something horrific would happen to genos if he were by himself) but without genos around he immediately goes back to his old, lonely ways and feels so unbearably sad and lonely that even king's like "shit man. u ok". and guess what? the moment he sees genos is safe and not dead or hanging on by a string, he’s IMMEDIATELY far happier and even visibly cheers up, and king’s like “WOAH you look awfully refreshed” and saitama’s like “yeah dude my head’s suddenly clear” and if that isn’t love then i don’t know what is.

Of course kuseno cares if genos almost dies, but the thing is, kuseno seems to be just as bent on finding that cyborg as genos is. I feel like... though kuseno still cares for genos PERIOD, he seems to be pretty iffy on the fact that genos has been given more realistic goals to shoot for by saitama and even comments "you're seriously trying to aim for be s rank 1? is that what your master told you to do? what happened to getting vengence against the mad cyborg? where's your passion for that?" and genos is just. shocked and doesn't even reply for a moment and he's like "uh.. i mean.. OF COURSE i still want vengence but i gotta do what sensei wants.." etcBut I do think kuseno notes that this is for the better anyways, iffy feelings or not, because at least genos isn't basiclaly dragging himself in every single week and in tatters, because hell, while genos is strong even when saitama and him first met what was his solution to battles he couldn't win, and even sometimes now? use my core, self destruct, im not worthy of defeating the borg if im losing to this, time to end it, sorry dr kuseno, family, master etc Now Saitama steps in, and I was just REMINDED OF THIS SCENE IN PARTICULAR but like the arc where saitama knocks out genos in the middle of him and sonic’s fight? He was concerned for genos and as someone who rarely expresses concern or care for others, don't you think it's very telling that he stepped in on his own volition to make sure genos didn't get hurt to beat sonic's ass?even sonic comments "are you trying to protect him?" and saitama's like "yeah, of course" and he's clearly getting serious because he doesn't want genos hurt. hell, he even basically ghosted fubuki the moment he saw genos and sonic fighting! saitama really does worry a lot for genos and some of the things he worries about are really concerning.. but this isn't the first time he's been pretty scared for genos. remember the deep sea king fight? he was afraid genos bit the dust there for a it and even visibly relaxes when he finds out genos is okay and he says "Don't ever scare me like that again!" As for the saitama part of things, it's not hard to see the difference of before genos vs after genos. Genos brought color to his world and gave him company, and it's what he claims he never wanted but it's clear how much it helped him. I feel like if it weren't for genos, saitama would be just as shelled up if not more than he used to be -- he didn't really have much of anything to do and it's obvious he was starting to get bored of... life, to put it lightly. But when genos basically asserts himself into his life? he starts to feel again. he's not moping all the time, he has somebody to talk to instead of harmfully isolating himself. he's the kind of guy who was alone with his thoughts for too long -- we get glimpses of it every now and them, but we can clearly tell that he's got a lot of sad emotional baggage. it all stems from being too strong, ofc. but, still, he is DEEPLY troubled by it and life basically lost all meaning for him. any farther and i feel like he would've legitimately felt like existing was useless, though with a body like his i highly doubt he could take... action. And the longer he's alone with his thoughts, the worse he gets, and he just becomes so... mopey. forgive me if i sound repetitive, but like!! genos comes in, and all of that is GONE within a few days. He must've spilled about how lonely he felt to genos at some point before he started getting closer to him -- based on the canon info where saitama actually got genos to cry uncontrollably when he told him how lonely he felt which had to have been some serious shit because. genos does NOT cry. with someone else to keep him away from his thoughts, he started to lighten up. at the beginning of the series it's safe to say he was pretty damn standoffish -- but now? now he's actually attempting to socialize with other people, he actually hangs out with more people whether he wants to admit it or not. He's become a bit softer (not much) to those he doesn't know, and DEFINITELY more expressive -- ESPECIALLY AROUND genos. he's become more thoughtful -- he doesn't mope about his powers much anymore, he does anything and everything with genos because he can talk about it and lose himself in the moment. At least, that's what i like to think. and all around... he's found a new passion for life. the dude isn't just wandering around aimlessly now, he's hanging out with genos and he's living to protect the citizens and genos after he moved in. Yeah, he's always gonna have a strong moral compass and save people, but the joy and the meaning of such actions fall to black and white until genos shows up again. now he's got a reason to keep fighting. he has a reason to get out of bed and feel like his strength means something -- because he can use it to protect others and protect genos even if nobody but genos is thankful of it. As much as he detests the attention he gets from Genos -- think about it, don't you think it helps to have someone think you're not totally useless? That your work does mean something to at least one person even if the world basically gives you the finger? Because I don't think saitama realizes it, but Genos is the one thing keeping him going in the hero job. I honestly think he would have quit when everyone chanted at him to give it up after destroying that meteor if it wasn't for genos -- he saved everyone's lives, and genos was the only one to see it. genos is the one that gets him to calm down and realize that if they don't care, that doesn't matter -- he'd always be there for saitama And anyways, the gist of all this goes back to my first point -- it's amazing that they have each other now, because imagine all the development and all the ways they've been improving just never existing. Without Saitama, genos would still be the same wreckless kid trying to throw himself without thought into wreckless battles. Saitama has helped him heed himself on that, and to relax and stop taking everything so seriously. Genos still takes some things too literally., like the 10-20 word limit when talking to saitama, but I feel like half the time, Saitama couldn't really care less. Without Genos, Saitama would be the same old sad sack of hero he used to be, holed up and his depression worsening because he hardly ever leaves the apartment but for what? Sales? Manga? Sometimes Monsters if he happens to run into them? He doesn't do much of anything and it took a heavy toll on his mental health, but now Genos is there to get him out, to possibly even comfort him or just support him if he needs it. He gets Saitama out of the house, involved ina lot of other activities, and when Genos isn't around, Saitama... doesn't fare too well at all. //COUGHS LOUDLY@ THE MANGA REFERENCED EARLIER (( and personally, despite saitama coming off as almost always :^| i feel like the poor guy really really overthinks things. you may think there's nothing going on in there, but his thoughts really are dangerous for him to be alone with )) Romance or not, there’s no denying this. Like, I DARE anyone to try to say they would be good w/o each other -- I feel like so much of the fandom takes this kinda.. not seriously? It’s not really meant as a dig or anything, but a lot of ppl take what they have for granted..

Saitama just wants to be carefree and he’s still very much lax, and even though he knows he’s a shitty teacher, I think that he does a great job of teaching genos that there’s more to life than REVENGE, SELF DESTRUCTION, and FIGHTING. He teaches him to enjoy the little things in life, and Genos rejuvenates his passion for heroism. I feel like Genos wants to be strong physically and that’s why he so heavily admires Saitama, too, but that’s a bit off topic. It’s something Saitama’s been missing for a long time, and something Genos never had -- he just wants Genos to feel as human as possible, and I feel like he tries all too hard to get Saitama to open up as well. Genos may not be the best at therapy or whatever, but seeing as he’s the person Saitama is closest to, he definitely does want Saitama to feel like he’s never alone and I just. Cannot stress how IMPORTANT THIS IS. Saitama’s got a history of bottling everything up and avoiding confrontation, But Genos? The cyborg wears his heart on his SLEEVE, even if he probably wouldn’t view it that way himself. Thanks to him, Saitama can be himself. He doesn’t have to hide away what he really acts like -- not that he cared much for it anyways -- but around genos he can be.. childish. He can be difficult. He can be whatever he wants, and no matter what, Genos will be there to support him. And I really, really admire that. ONE & Murata did them the best justice i’ve ever seenwith a relationship like theirs. And if there was ever anyone to get romantic with for them -- not even as a shipper, but from a story pov -- saigenos makes so much more sense. They bring out the BEST in each other, and they live together, and... well,, THIS post sums up all my feelings on the matter.

Genos wants to help Saitama in whatever way he can. Saitama wants to make sure Genos lives out his life like any normal person would. You get the gist?

sO. IN CONCLUSION, Saitama and genos may not realize it.... but they definitely need each other. Them meeting was for the best of both of their lives -- and without each other there's no way in HELL they'd be doing as good as they are now.

#OKAY RANT OVER #I KNOW IT'S A JUMBLED MESS BUT HNNNNNNN #⌠jonesy speaks⌡#okay to reblog #⌠character study; jonesy rambles⌡

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trainedhard · 5 years

Text

[ CHARACTER STUDY; SAITAMA & GENOS ]

THE FOLLOWING ANALYSIS CAN GO EITHER PLATONICALLY VIEWED OR ROMANTICALLY FOR THE DUO. i don’t care how you interpret it. go nuts! just know this is long as fuck. This is reposted with some edits from my archived blog.

saitama’s been able to be more expressive since he’s constantly with genos, and he doesn’t feel as empty because he feels like he has a reason to live now. it’s clear that when they’re apart saitama worries endlessly for genos (and once worries that something horrific would happen to genos if he were by himself) but without genos around he immediately goes back to his old, lonely ways and feels so unbearably sad and lonely that even king’s like “shit man. u ok”. and guess what? the moment he sees genos is safe and not dead or hanging on by a string, he’s IMMEDIATELY far happier and even visibly cheers up, and king’s like “WOAH you look awfully refreshed” and saitama’s like “yeah dude my head’s suddenly clear”; of course, this is also because he got to release a bit of pent up rage, but considering how worried he was for genos.. i think that smile goes for the cyborg as well.

Of course kuseno cares if genos almost dies, but the thing is, kuseno seems to be just as bent on finding that cyborg as genos is for his sake. He’s surprised by the fact that genos has been given more realistic goals to shoot for by saitama and even comments “you’re trying to aim for be s rank 1? is that what your master told you to do? what happened to getting vengence against the mad cyborg? where’s your passion for that?” and genos is just. shocked and doesn’t even reply for a moment and he’s like “uh.. i mean.. OF COURSE i still want vengence but i gotta do what sensei wants..” etc. But I do think kuseno notes that this is for the better anyways, because at least genos isn’t basically dragging himself in every single week and in tatters. while genos is strong; even considering when saitama and him first met what was his solution to battles he couldn’t win, he’d default to saying use my core, self destruct, im not worthy of defeating the borg if im losing to this, time to end it, sorry dr kuseno, family, master etc. Now Saitama steps in, and I was just REMINDED OF THIS SCENE IN PARTICULAR but like the arc where saitama knocks out genos in the middle of him and sonic’s fight? He was concerned for genos and as someone who rarely expresses concern or care for others, don’t you think it’s very telling that he stepped in on his own volition to make sure genos didn’t get hurt to beat sonic’s ass? even sonic comments “are you trying to protect him?” and saitama’s like “yeah, of course” and he’s clearly getting serious because he doesn’t want genos hurt.

he even basically ghosted fubuki the moment he saw genos and sonic fighting! saitama really does worry a lot for genos and some of the things he worries about are really concerning.. but this isn’t the first time he’s been pretty scared for genos. remember the deep sea king fight? he was afraid genos bit the dust there for a it and even visibly relaxes when he finds out genos is okay and he says “Don’t ever scare me like that again!” As for the saitama part of things, it’s not hard to see the difference of before genos vs after genos. Genos brought color to his world and gave him company, and it’s what he claims he never wanted but it’s clear how much it helped him. I feel like if it weren’t for genos, saitama would be just as shelled up if not more than he used to be – he didn’t really have much of anything to do and it’s obvious he was starting to get bored of… life, to put it lightly. But when genos basically asserts himself into his life?

he starts to feel again. he’s not moping all the time (unless genos is away for a long period of time), he has somebody to talk to instead of harmfully isolating himself. he’s the kind of guy who was alone with his thoughts for too long – we get glimpses of it every now and them, but we can clearly tell that he’s got a lot of sad emotional baggage. it all stems from being too strong, ofc. but, still, he is DEEPLY troubled by it and life basically lost all meaning for him. any farther and i feel like he would’ve legitimately felt like existing was useless, though with a body like his i highly doubt he could take… action. And the longer he’s alone with his thoughts, the worse he gets, and he just becomes so… mopey. forgive me if i sound repetitive, but like!! genos comes in, and all of that is GONE within a few days. He must’ve spilled about how lonely he felt to genos at some point before he started getting closer to him – based on the canon info where saitama actually got genos to cry uncontrollably when he told him how lonely he felt which had to have been some serious shit. Granted, Genos IS softer and more emotional for those he cares about, but.. still. with someone else to keep him away from his thoughts, he started to lighten up. at the beginning of the series it’s safe to say he was pretty damn standoffish – but now? now he’s actually attempting to socialize with other people, he actually hangs out with more people whether he wants to admit it or not. He’s become a bit softer (not much) to those he doesn’t know, and DEFINITELY more expressive – ESPECIALLY AROUND genos. he’s become more thoughtful – he doesn’t mope about his powers much anymore, he does anything and everything with genos because he can talk about it and lose himself in the moment. At least, that’s what i like to think. and all around… he’s found a new passion for life. the dude isn’t just wandering around aimlessly and being mega depressed now, he’s hanging out with genos and he’s living to protect the citizens and genos after he moved in. Yeah, he’s always gonna have a strong moral compass and save people, but the joy and the meaning of such actions fall to black and white until genos shows up again. now he’s got a reason to keep fighting. he has a reason to get out of bed and feel like his strength means something – because he can use it to protect others and protect genos even if nobody but genos is thankful of it. As much as he detests the attention he gets from Genos – think about it, don’t you think it helps to have someone think you’re not totally useless? That your work does mean something to at least one person even if the world basically gives you the bird? Because I don’t think saitama realizes it, but Genos is the one thing keeping him going in the hero job. I honestly think he would have quit when everyone chanted at him to give it up after destroying that meteor if it wasn’t for genos – he saved everyone’s lives, and genos was the only one to see it. genos is the one that gets him to calm down and realize that if they don’t care, that doesn’t matter – he’d always be there for saitama And anyways, the gist of all this goes back to my first point – it’s amazing that they have each other now, because imagine all the development and all the ways they’ve been improving just never existing!

Without Saitama, genos would still be the same wreckless dude trying to throw himself without thought into intense battles. Saitama has helped him heed himself on that, and to relax and stop taking everything so seriously. Without Genos, Saitama would be the same old sad sack of hero he used to be, holed up and his depression worsening because he hardly ever leaves the apartment but for what? Sales? Manga? Sometimes Monsters if he happens to run into them? He doesn’t do much of anything and it took a heavy toll on his mental health, but now Genos is there to get him out, to possibly even comfort him or just support him if he needs it. He gets Saitama out of the house, involved ina lot of other activities, and when Genos isn’t around, Saitama… doesn’t fare too well at all. //COUGHS LOUDLY@ THE MANGA REFERENCED EARLIER

( and personally, despite saitama coming off as almost always :^| i feel like the poor guy really really overthinks things. you may think there’s nothing going on in there, but his thoughts really are dangerous for him to be alone with )

It’s something Saitama’s been missing for a long time, and something Genos never had – he just wants Genos to feel as human as possible, and I feel like he tries all too hard to get Saitama to open up as well. Genos may not be the best at therapy or whatever, but seeing as he’s the person Saitama is closest to, he definitely does want Saitama to feel like he’s never alone and I just. Cannot stress how IMPORTANT THIS IS. Saitama’s got a history of bottling everything up and avoiding confrontation, But Genos? The cyborg wears his heart on his SLEEVE, even if he probably wouldn’t view it that way himself. Thanks to him, Saitama can be himself. He doesn’t have to hide away what he really acts like – not that he cared much for how he comes off to others anyways – but around genos he can be.. childish. He can be comfortable. He can be difficult. He can be whatever he wants, and no matter what, Genos will be there to support him. And I really, really admire that. ONE & Murata did them the best justice i’ve ever seen with a relationship like theirs. Genos wants to help Saitama in whatever way he can. Saitama wants to make sure Genos lives out his life like any normal person would. Genos knows how to live again, and Saitama has a reason to live.

sO. IN CONCLUSION, Saitama and genos may not realize it…. but they definitely need each other. Them meeting was for the best of both of their lives – and without each other there’s no way in HELL they’d be doing as good as they are now.

#⌠character study; jonesy rambles⌡#this is just a repost from my archived blog but #it's fixed up a bit #please do not rb #likes are okay though #i'll compile edits and more content to this over time

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