#her face in the second panel hahahaha

[meshlasolus]

House Of Memories (46/?)

Obi-Wan Kenobi x Padawan!reader

Warnings: just fluff, enjoy it while it lasts

Summary: Padme is all too happy to keep you occupied on the ride to Naboo, and you find it very enjoyable.

A/n: I'M BACK BABIES HAHAHAHA any who, i am very much excited for the next few chapters as they are quite possibly the last chapters we're gonna get with happy times.... so enjoy it.

also y'all if you like the story, maybe consider buying me a coffee :)

Words: 2.5k

The lift off was smooth as silk and given that this was a formal meeting on Coruscant, Padme had a personal pilot helping to make the trip. She was glad to rest in the luxurious seating area with you, and you were just happy to be on a ship for once that didn't have a million men on it. Not that you minded the clones, because you loved them dearly, each individual being considered family to you. It was simply nice to relax amongst a dear friend, to uphold civil and intelligent conversation.

"You must be relieved that the council now sees you fit for the trials," she commented, very invested in the story you'd told her, the one about your rather stressful adventure with Master Mace Windu. "It is about time they recognize your gifts."

"I am... excited, but also a little weary, as it may present new challenges of its own. Obi-Wan has trained me well, like he did for Anakin. The only problem is, I'm not Anakin."

Your weariness about the trials seemed to be getting you down, so as the fun, loving, dear friend that she was, it had to be her job to lift you up.

"You should not speak such things. Anakin, as wonderful as he is, doesn't have half the mind to think before he acts, which is a skill you have always possessed. I have no doubts that you will soar above all expectations," she complimented, and you smiled, looking off to a corner to remember what your Master told you. You could take the trials at your worst and still succeed.

"I hope you're right."

She could see that already the topic of conversation over the trials had grown tired, and you were not so keen on telling her more. It was natural for you to be nervous, sure. But to second guess yourself and the readiness of your being to take these trials and worry about failure should not be such a crucial think cycle for you. She was ready to change the subject, as there were far more interesting things she longed to know.

"I am, but since I've just had the thought to ask," she paused, scooting closer on the seat next to you and checking that the pilot's door panel was shut. "How are things with Obi-Wan?"

The smirk that crawled across her face was amusing, and you couldn't help but laugh, dropping your head to hide the blush that seeped over your cheeks. She was onto you, that was for sure. You shook your head and rolled your eyes, the smile never leaving your face as your raised it back to her.

"Things are very good."

She gasped, her eyes widening in excitement over your admission. She'd been hoping that perhaps if you both hadn't professed your undying love to one another before, this lovely trip could be the thing to move it along, but from your answer she could tell there was much more she had not been told.

"He told you?" She asked in excitement, practically bouncing on the cushion in which she sat to try and contain the emotion.

"Not exactly," you paused, laughing again at the memory, which seemed so dark at the time. "I told him."

"You've always been the bold one," she replied, although it was only partially true. Bold you were, yes, but not the bold one. Obi-Wan was very overly confident and fearless most often, you'd say that it was him. "When did this happen?"

You took in a deep breath before sighing it out. She was probably ready to hear about your sweet and romantic confession, likely in a place that you both held dear, but that was not what took place, so you laid it out for her straight.

"Remember the day of his funeral?"

She nearly choked on her own saliva at the surprise your words gave her. She nodded, her jaw slack, mouth unable to bring forth a response in words.

"I went to see him before it took place. I was unaware of the fact that it had all been a set up in a grand scheme, and I obviously didn't think he could hear me, but I told him I loved him," you shifted your glance to your hands as you let out the second part, unsure if you could handle yet another shocked reaction to your words. "And I kissed him."

"And... he knew?"

The complications of the memory were vague, and you didn't feel the need to explain all the tiny details about the nerve paralyzers, or the vital suppressants that Obi-Wan took to appear dead, so you answered as simply as you could.

"He did," you smiled, the happy part of the story now coming to light. "And when he came back, he told me he loved me too. Even after I had just slapped him."

She chuckled, understanding the exchange that took place was probably very emotional, but the way you'd said it was humorous. She was glad to hear it, that you'd both admitted the feelings. She had known Obi-Wan for a long time, and hoped that maybe he could find happiness, and when she met you, she somehow knew you were it. Even when the facts were not laid before her, she knew you made him happy in some aspect. Before, she brushed it off as perhaps just pride in the training he brought his Padawan, but now she could see it clear as day, he was in love.

"So, you're together then, I assume?"

Honestly, you had to ponder this for a moment. You'd never put a label on anything, because you didn't see the need in doing so. Your heart was not meant for another, and neither was his, and that was the purity of it all. The love was not to be labeled, to be contained or have a set expectation of what it should be.

"We haven't really discussed that part, actually. I suppose you could describe it that way," you furrowed your brows as you spoke, trying to put into words an explanation that didn't sound ridiculous. "Since that night, our relationship has been that of an idea... to love, and to be loved in return."

"That's beautiful," she said, her eyes going soft in admiration of you and Obi-Wan. She understood the problem of labels, as her marriage to Anakin lacked many of them. The Jedi Order was a complicated thing, and robbed you all of many simple commodities.

"To tell you the truth, I think I've loved him my whole life. Since the day I met him, he had something about him that made me drawn closer. It wasn't love at first sight; I believe I was too young to even grasp the concept at the time," you wanted to convey the feeling, and a moment later, you found the perfect words, and they flowed just as effortlessly, which meant they were the right ones. "Even though I'd never met him before, it was like a certain familiarity that came over me at the sight of him. Almost like saying 'oh, hello... it's you. It's going to be you.'"

"I imagine growing up beside him, it must have felt strange to finally realize what those feelings meant."

"Stranger than you could believe, but at the same time, it brought me a sort of peace to find it all out. It only drove me to work harder for his sake, I trained to protect him at all costs, and strived to make him happy whenever I could. It was the most important thing to me then, it still is."

All of this was being said for the first time aloud, and most of it was just your thoughts being voiced into the air, another pair of ears just so happening to obtain the information and her be in awe over it. Her relationship was something out of a storybook, but yours was something that was never heard of before. A cosmic force of love that connected two people in a beautiful way with only their minds, and their hearts. The intimacy in that was undeniable.

-

The ships were hovering closely over Naboo, and before landing, Obi-Wan stood in the hull of the cruiser with Cody, waiting for the giant ramp to be lowered. All the men that hadn't fallen asleep during the ride made themselves busy with gathering their belongings and preparing to disembark. This was the first time they had been invited to a formal event of any kind, and they were happy to be honored this way, as they had put in so much devotion to the protection they provided for the republic.

Obi-Wan was quite thrilled to let his men have a break. The tortures of war were far too many, and they had been the ones to see the worst of it.

"You look anxious," Cody said softly to his General, scanning his face for any other signals of his distress, or rather, impatience. "You'll be by her side again within minutes, you know."

Obi-Wan snapped his head to the Commander, unsure of what he meant by that. Surely, he was unaware, wasn't he? Even if he was, Obi-Wan couldn't really tell, as it was nearly impossible to read Cody when he set about such a stoic expression.

"I know."

His response was short, but he couldn't bring himself to say anything else in regard to Cody's comment. He was far too focused on keeping himself tuned into the ship, to hear the patterns in the engines, and the movements beneath his feet. He was simply just ready to be on the ground already, so he could be in your presence again. Cody had known exactly why he was so on edge, and he found that a little concerning, but also very endearing. He was glad to know the Commander knew him well enough to make assumptions like that.

When the ship touched down, Obi-Wan didn't even wait for confirmation from the pilot before he hit the button on the panel beside him, lowering the ramp to the ground.

"You don't waste any time, huh General?"

It was a bit mocking, and Obi-Wan only rolled his eyes at it, but it was true. He was not going to let a second of time stand in between you and him, because he'd been planning to give you something since before you left. A gift of sorts before the big celebration. He'd been hiding it from you for a while, now, and was awaiting the correct time to bestow it upon you.

As the men began to exit the craft in droves, Obi-Wan took only a single moment to admire the planet. The last time he was here, he was undercover, and unable to look upon the place in its full beauty. The sun was nearly set, with only the afterglow of its presence making the sky burst with orange and purple and pink shades. He looked across the landing pad, to see you standing with Padme, doing the exact same thing, looking upon the scene with the upmost attention. He took swift steps and was soon beside you, although it took you a moment to notice.

"How was your flight, little one?" he asked, a smile on his face just by being at your side again. He hated whenever he had to part from it.

"Absolutely divine, Master," you said sweetly. It was funny, even though you'd just told Padme everything about your unending love for the man, you couldn't seem to shake the habit of calling him master whenever other people were around. He of course, did not mind. You were addressing him, and that was all he thought of.

"I'm glad to hear it. Malady, I am very thankful to be here, as are all my men. Naboo has always been such a wonderful place to visit," he spoke, and you all fell into a slow stride towards the palace. She waved him off and shook her head.

"Please, it is our pleasure to host you all. We hope the troops will be comfortable in our accommodations, we were hoping it would all be to their liking."

"I assure you; they are already very happy just to be here, anything you've prepared will be perfect," he noticed that the walkway you all entered had been rather cleared out, with only an occasional staff member walking by. He nudged your hand with his before inconspicuously lacing your fingers together.

"It is my greatest hope that they will enjoy their stay, as well as the festivities planned. I may have forgotten to mention this earlier, but I have also arranged special accommodations for you both," she began, and it was almost comical how fast both yours and Obi-Wan's eyes met hers. "Tonight, I have a suite prepared for you, Master Kenobi, and I hope you'll forgive me, but I'll be requesting your Padawan to stay in my personal apartment."

You had been made aware of this arrangement on the flight here, and you knew she was plotting something, but you couldn't tell what. You only agreed with her on the terms of the accommodations for the night after this one.

"Of course, Malady," He replied, though only a small bit distraught by the news. It was true that he had had grown used to sleeping beside you, and often times he found himself unable to rest when lacking your presence, but he would never voice that aloud, nor protest her arrangement.

"It will only be for the night, as tomorrow evening, everyone will be moved into the lake country where the celebration is to be held. I've prepared a lovely villa for you that has a beautiful view of the water by the mountains."

Now, that sounded perfect.

"Thank you, senator, for everything. I'm truly grateful beyond words at your generosity," Obi-Wan let out. He had called the young woman by her name several times in his life, and yet, in this moment, he felt her title was the only thing he was worthy enough of calling her. She had done so much to honor him, you, and the battalion, and honestly, he didn't know if he deserved it.

"It is I who am grateful; you have served the republic with your lives, and it is the least I can do to show my planet's gratitude," She had sensed upon his arrival that he'd wanted a minute with you to himself, so she excused herself politely before taking her leave. "I will leave you alone for a moment. When you are ready to retire, you can find me in the grand hall, and I will escort you personally."

You watched as she turned the corner, out of view, and not even a second later, you felt the hand connected to yours pull you in closer.

He'd been waiting all day to give you what he hid in his other hand, and now that you were here beside him, he couldn't wait any longer.

"Close your eyes, and hold out your hand."

-

@spencerrxids @sawendel @fandomstanner24 @i-shall-abide @officialjellydoughnut @whatshxrname @darkened-writer @superavengerpotter @cutiepoo16 @hypnoash @softlymellow @howlerwolfmax @mephistominion @honestlywtfisgoingon @anakinskywalkerog @mandiiellen @je--a-n @guyinachair27 @avenger5-a55emble @amelia-song-pond @kaminanii @the-abyss-of-fandoms @queenofnightdreamland @world-dominating-kitty @mandowhatnow @ella-error505 @annahalo @infinity-witch @beetlejuice-stuff @liueski @solarbxby @sirianisrock @lxdyred @endless-warrior-always-fighter @iloveinej @msjb2002 @shoochi @itsilvermorny @gingerrosecosplay @sebschicken @loversjoy @argentinemango @1-800-vader @house-of-kolchek @marierg @graciexmarvel @ttzamara @truly-madly-nerdy @molieux @majahu @dyzlks @pancakefancake

#obi wan x padawan #obi wan kenobi #obi wan series #obi wan x reader #obi wan kenobi x reader #ewan mcgregor #obi wan x y/n #obi wan x oc #obi wan x you #obi wan kenobi x padawan!reader #obi wan angst #obi wan fluff #obi wan imagine #obi wan smut

[pancake-breakfast]

Second week, second volume! Trigun Book Club!

Archive

Trigun Volume 1: Covers + 1-3, 3 Detailed Thoughts, 4, 4 DT, 5-6, 5-6 + DT, 6 DT, 7-8, 9-10

Stream-of-consciousness thoughts for Trigun Vol. 2, Covers + Extras, below.

Trigun Volume 2 Covers

The cover for this volume is so pretty, what with the plant all coming out of Vash's gun there.... Pretty and strange and kinda disturbing.

I wonder what's in those jars floating around the hairy-legged plant man thing. Are they even jars? Blood bags? Hard to say.

Hey! Wolfwood's on the back cover! WOLFWOOD IS ON THE BACK COVER!!!

Also, Legato Bluesummers. Shit.

Aaaand there's a blow-up doll on the fake back cover. Because why not.

There are a LOT of familiar faces on the back of the Japanese Volume 3 cover. I don't like it. They mean bad things are coming.

Ok, Legato's getting eaten by a shark on the fake version of it, though, and I think that's hilarious.

BUT NOT AS HILARIOUS AS MERMAID WOLFWOOD'S SEASHELLS AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I'M DYING!!!! Nightow's obsession with this man's tits confirmed.

Extra 1: Day In Day Out

Ooh, a glimpse into the daily life of Mr. The Stampede? Why do I suspect donuts are part of it?

I'm gonna be honest; I did NOT peg Vash as an early riser. Then again, it might be important if you're on the run all the time.

LOL, I remember him not being very good at meditation.

I'm imagining that egg is hard-boiled. Or hollow. Like, this is still a good trick. No need to waste breakfast on it if it fails, though.

Three HOURS?? Dang, no wonder the guy's got skills. I can't do much of anything before breakfast.

Oh, fine. I guess it was a raw egg.

LOL, "John P. Smith." The most boring alias he could come up with. I wonder what the P stands for. Pseudonym, perhaps?

Psh, Vash can be plenty sneaky. But only in fights. Or when fleeing insurance agents.

Serious Vash expression! I seriously love all his expressions.

Gambling at chess. Ok, man. Whatever floats your boat.

LOL, he lost all his money. I take it back; he needs a new hobby.

Yeah, he's definitely letting the kids get him. As we see with how fast he switches to being the person in power when the motorcycle comes through.

Funny how much trouble one can stay out of by simply foregoing revenge.

Vash would like oldies....

Ew, this bike guy's kinda creepy.

"Sonic Sodom." Yyyyyeeeeaaaahhh, that's not exactly a name that inspires trust.

I love the irony in this panel. They're talking about how dangerous Vash is while he's (apparently) being taken down by a small child.

Dude. Who fires a gun to get people to shut up like that?! Rude.

LOL, the bleeping.

Props to this lady. She's like, "I don't care who you are. If you're gonna come in here, shoot things up willy-nilly, make threats, and swear at us, then you take your ass elsewhere." Like, this happens after this guy does all these things. Mad props.

They bleeped out all that stuff, but he still calls her a bitch....

Hahahaha, that's a wonderful way to take care of the issue. Good job, Vash!

Extra 2: Pilot

(Fair warning: I'm in a Mood as I write this due to some real life stuff, so apologies if it's overly vague or anything.)

Post-Hiroshima environment?? Damn.

Heck, I'd take two years of food as a form of payment....

Ahhhhh, this jacket! It lacks the sexy leg slits, but I still love it. Also it still somehow manages to show off his waist. And throwing the Love and Peace fingers with his clearly mechanical hand!

I'm in love with this first line. "We fell from the sky like droplets of rain." Poetry. MAJOR props to @trigun-manga-overhaul for their choices in both flow and rhythm for the words.

The second sentence is a lovely contrast, what with the rain versus the sun. But also a lovely parallel, as both images are destructive.

Covering a few additional elements here: metal, wind, sand/earth.

He can't ever escape being surrounded by graves, can he? Babygirl here needs a break. I love how small he is relative to the field of death.

HEY. The right alcoholic drinks are GREAT with ice!

Oh, shoot. I recognize this story from '98.

LOL, look at him go. This was my favorite Vash entrance in all of '98. It's very memorable. I hope Johnny Yong Bosch had a blast doing the voiceover for it.

He's just dancing away from the bullets, as if it's all just luck.

LOL, three guns. It's Trigun!

Goshdarn stupid flip-up glasses....

I love how quick his reaction goes from this (Seriously, what is he, a teenager??)...

...to this.

Psh, as if Vash the Stampede needs a measly pistol to wreak havoc.

Ah, the return of lecherous Vash. NGL, was kinda hoping that moment was an anime-only. Though they really took it and ran with it, though, didn't they?

You don't get to say, "That's no way to treat a lady!" to others when you were just looking up her skirt.

LOL, I love her response here. Perfect.

Huh. Something tells me these guys are after a bit more than a rich guy's "pocket money." Is it the fact that one of them shoved a gun in the daughter's mouth? Could be. Could be....

Distracting table-crash provided by... Vash the Stampede. I told you he didn't need a gun to wreak havoc. Though of course the whole incident gave the guy's friends time to restrain him and get him away from the girl before he did anything rash.

Look at him. He's just a little guy....

Vash, not taking any chances. Distraction might not be enough. Use Advanced Projectile Gum Technique!

This sure is a colorful cast of characters....

I'm just saying, they don't really seem like the type of folks the sheriff should have on speed dial.

I love how pissed off Vash looks as they're talking about how he'll kill them all if he shows up. This is the face of a man who's had it with your lies and slander.

Dude, the rich guy was like, "Just so long as my daughter lives," and the sheriff was like, "They'll do the job so long as you pay upfront," but girl's gonna get taken down in the crossfire.

Or, she would if Mr. The Stampede wasn't there.

The girl is physically ok, but mentally, she'll be scarred forever. That's some Hellsing/AoT-levels of, "This character is definitely dead."

Aaaand three panels later, Vash realizes he forgot to continue pretending to be tied up and tries to remedy the situation.

Bossman here (I mean the gang leader, not the actual character named Bostalk) was already suspicious of Vash. Now he's extra-suspicious.

Somehow, Vash revealing his identity has not made the Bossman less suspicious.

Vash, the multi-talented. He can fight and preach at the same time.

Oh, so the field of graves at the beginning isn't Vash's fault somehow. That's... good.

I mean, dear old dad might care a lot for his daughter, but he clearly stated he didn't give a shit about the lives of anyone else in the building.

Vash is disappointed in Bossman's life choices.

BTW, Vash's hair in this whole chapter just makes me think of thistle flowers.

Yes. Refusing to do so just leads to more cruelty.

Vash just let the guy shoot the man, huh?

Oh, he's not happy about it.

Ah, yes. There's the greedy sheriff I remember!

This sheriff mentioned his hired help didn't think anything of taking human lives, but it seems they're not the only ones.

Oh, no. Sheriff triggered Angry Vash.

Not really sure what happened in this panel save that Vash was at the center of a bunch of destruction. Again.

Ah, gun arm. I thought it might be gun arm. I couldn't remember.

I love the sheriff's expression here. Like, he literally has his own gun to Vash's face, and he's effing terrified.

Vash, dodging bullets again.

WTF, he shot him right in the badge. Talk about insult and injury. My boy knows what he's doing.

LOVE AND PEACE!!!

Hahahaha, everyone else just looks sooooo confused. Hopefully, they'll get it someday.

#thanks trigun #i was having a bummer of an evening #but i feel somewhat better now #trigunbookclub #trigun manga #volume 2 #pancake thoughts

[dangerkeith3000x]

I just discovered this gem and about lost it.

#birthday #mom #daughter #birthday party #pony #horse #comic #webcomic #her face in the second panel hahahaha #horse meat #my little pony #mlp #kids #funny #humor #humour #dark #dark comedy #lol #discovery #gem #time travel #steak #meat

[wasongo]

I posted 108 times in 2021

86 posts created (80%)

22 posts reblogged (20%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 0.3 posts.

I added 122 tags in 2021

#fanart - 25 posts

#dgm - 17 posts

#komui lee - 15 posts

#d.gray-man - 13 posts

#bak chang - 12 posts

#art - 10 posts

#komubak - 10 posts

#karamatsu matsuno - 8 posts

#mangacap - 6 posts

#osomatsu-san - 6 posts

Longest Tag: 123 characters

#are you sure you don't mean my art is recognizable because i've drawn the same two characters for over 5 years now hahahaha

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

Sharing these early cause I wanna celebrate Komui’s birthday with everyone!

It was always customary for me to post birthday stuff for Komui and Bak the night before it is actually the day in my timezone, because Eden lived 12 hours ahead of me. So I'll continue to do this in her memory. 

I drew two things for Komui this year to make up for not being able to draw anything last year. The second one is a bit of an homage to one of my favorite drawings of Komui that Hoshino has ever drawn. This one:

See the full post

573 notes • Posted 2021-06-13 03:51:08 GMT

#4

Realizing I never posted this 6 fanarts thing i finished august of last year.

669 notes • Posted 2021-05-18 05:39:24 GMT

#3

didn't want to wait 4 months to post this either.

i wanted to do the nakamura-kun cover too, with komubak obviously. resident bi disaster bak chang was just perfect for it. took the opportunity to include komui’s B> face in one of the hearts.

also, does anyone happen to have raws of "The Black Order's Reunion Party" novel? the one very OLD fan translation that's around of it has komui saying "Bak-chan, go for it~" at one point, which is hilarious and also makes this practically canon. but i would love to confirm komui’s actual phrasing in it.

high-res PNG of this image will be in my April patreon pack!

805 notes • Posted 2021-04-18 20:47:56 GMT

#2

I was gonna throw these into my previous long karamatsu post, but i think mom and kara deserve their own post.

the sliced pears he never got. i think about it often.

853 notes • Posted 2021-09-04 06:38:46 GMT

#1

a comic i finished back in june, based on this post, with some writing help from @bakchang!

If anyone is wondering, I wrote "Jyushimats" in that blue panel to emphasize Kara's pronunciation to be like in the “Jyushimatsu and Secrets” skit, which is one of my favorites hahaha.

1764 notes • Posted 2021-11-03 22:34:31 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

#figures my top post wouldn't be komubak 😭 #but third place is not bad #long post

[vaguely-concerned]

The Mandalorian Chapter 15 rewatch thoughts

- mayfeld does hear when the droid talks to him the first time, you can see him pretending not to like he hopes he’ll just go away haha. I also guess he’s had a lot of time to think, picking apart pieces of the large fascist machine he used to be a part of and going over everything he clearly regrets 

- hahaha fennec and boba are in the back intensely keeping watch the entire time they’re on the prison planet. I suppose a good two thirds of this crew is uuuuh extremely wanted by the new republic lol

- the thing din’s voice does at the end when he says “but you still know your imperial clearances and protocols. don’t you.” is beyond fucking words, it sends a chill right through me

- 

1) din fiddling with that panel; I think he’s phenomenally nervous behind the helmet here, that’s the sort of keeping his hands busy he does when he’s anxious and 2) why the hell does boba have this many chairs instead of like space for cargo haha does he throw bounty hunter parties in here or what

- ngl boba correctly guessing at a glance what sort of ore they’re mining and informing everyone in his sardonic deadpan voice is Big Sexy  

I love how he and fennec are standing together when they’re both present in these opening scenes too, first at the very back when they’re keeping a lookout: 

and then in the foreground while they discuss the scan 

it’s a nice subtle way to get across that they already have a dynamic, they’re somewhat used to working together as a unit at this point. (she’s also looking over at him when she asks what they might be mining in there, like she’s mostly asking his opinion instead of opening it to the floor. they’re talking the mission out between them before din enters the conversation)

- the inside of slave 1 when the ship’s moving makes me a little bit motion sick, I really love seeing it but I hope we don’t stay in here too often haha

- aaaw the small weary sigh din gives upon realizing none of his bros can go with mayfeld. I’m sorry about basically your entire life buddy

-

the awkward way din adjusts the helmet like he’s trying to get used to the way it feels ;______;  

- ah the distinct implication that mayfeld is needling din about this because he’s actually feeling super uncomfortable being back in empire gear and he needs to transfer that discomfort over onto someone else so he won’t have to feel through it... very psychologically understandable and such a fucking piece of shit asshole character trait to give in to haha

- din’s level of side eye is so epic you can see it straight through the helmet fhaskjfhd

- neat detail: din’s head turns slightly toward mayfeld when he calls mandalorians a ‘race’. (it’s sort of cool  that we as the audience know why that bothers him, but mayfeld probably didn’t even pick up on it). also shows that mayfeld doesn’t actually quite understand what he’s talking about, even when he makes decent points he’s caught up in his own myopic nihilistic point of view. ‘we’re all the same’ ------> ‘everyone’s secretly as shitty as me deep down’. (which also betrays a lot of self loathing, since we see later he does have the capacity to NOT be that shitty when he chooses to. rick famuyiwa manages to get a LOT of really interesting nuanced stuff into this character in two short episodes, that’s super impressive)   

the bright sunny look on mayfeld’s face when din finally gives in and takes the bait tho fsajdkfhasj he’s awful but that’s very funny

- rip all these excellent dudes who really only wanted to accomplish the noble goal of ruining the empire’s entire day and didn’t know they were also trying to blow up My Dad Who Does Not Deserve Any Of This, it’s honestly just really sad that there’s no moment to talk that out

well at least they blew up the entire refinery on their way out, I’m sure that’s the way they would have wanted their memories honored lol

- the comedy beat of din running out of ammo for the first time ever and the music briefly cutting out for it is so so good for me 

hahahaha din seems to actually take a moment to be a little aghast at that dude who ends up crushed under the treads of the tank thing, he’s just sort of staring for a few seconds too long and that’s how pirate nr 2 takes him by surprise and shatters his shoulder armour 

- I feel a bit bad -- two of the ‘pirates’ try to hold on to each other for balance and then din punches them apart and off the tank :( I mean it’s not like he could just let them murderate him either but like. ouch I’m guessing this one might haunt him for a while for several reasons huh

(the sequence is actually this guy, let’s call him pirate 3, swings the spear at din and misses, instead hitting his buddy who’s trying to get to his feet, then looks horrified and grabs for him to make sure he doesn’t fall off, and then... mando’s forehead happens to them haha)

- poor fennec and cara just running up that hill while everything’s on fire, they must be wondering what the FUCK is going on (at least cara knows that things blowing up is a sure sign din djarin is in the middle there somewhere)

- everything about carano in real life aside for one second -- I do like that we get this contrast in build between our main female characters of the episode and the way their costume designs enhance it

 - awwww the little gesture din does with his hand after he removes it from mayfeld’s chest after stopping him from leaving, it’s just so... sweet. it’s a little bit appeal, a little bit reassurance, it just lightens/softens the tone of what he says a bit (he has quite a lot of like... not conciliatory mannerisms exactly, but small touches here and there that are there to communicate that he’s not angry/aggressive or trying to be a dick about it even when he’s emphatic. I keep wondering how much that is just him being him and how much is him being practiced at settling other people’s hot tempers)  

- this shot is just... genius

it’s din seen entirely from the outside, with nothing of what we’ve learned to recognize as him for almost two seasons now in view -- not even his face, which we have at least a tenuous fledgling attachment to from before. it’s like we get introduced to him almost as if anew again and again in this episode, just like he’s getting introduced to new aspects of himself and what he’s willing to do and having to struggle to find ways to have that fit with who he is. his discomfort and stress is our discomfort and stress. it’s so interesting 

- I can’t stop cackling at this moment even in all the tension -- you only get a sliver of din’s profile but you can feel the sheer MURDER radiating off him sdhfasjk

- aaaaaaaagh the way you get a whole different view of din’s habitual impassiveness when you can actually see his face... the way he keeps appealing to mayfeld ‘just don’t make more trouble, just shut up’, the way he goes completely silent and watchful and frozen..... those are all really obvious trauma responses, and it leads you to wonder how often he touches into that even when he’s in his element, when he’s got the full armour on. hmngh my heart  

- ‘the believer’ is such a galaxy brain title for this episode, because it could be referring to either of the three men around this table or all of them at once. (and crucially the only person whose beliefs aren’t in a living, breathing state of adapting to the world around them is the empire officer, with his horrific inhuman ideology. mayfeld thinks he believes in nothing, and proves himself explosively wrong by the end of the episode, and it’s redeeming for him in some capacity. din is facing a more internal dilemma of different parts of his (and his culture’s) beliefs/values clashing and having to decide which one’s more important, to his identity and to how to exist in the world as a person (and love for the baby wins out supremely in the end. of course it does Y_____Y). the empire dude only sees the same sterile fascist world at the end of his shit rainbow that he’s clearly always done, even when faced with proof that it’s untenable. (I mean he wouldn’t give a fuck that it’s immoral because he’s y’know evil, but he’s not even fazed by the fact that the empire provably FAILED, and failed so quickly) his belief is a dead and deadening thing to contrast the others. man when this show goes off with the themes it goes OFF haha) 

- love the triumphant heroic mando music kicking in as we’re finally getting to pick off imps, love that for us 

- din’s protective instincts at work again, he helps mayfeld to his feet and makes sure he’s safely on board before going further in himself ;_______;

- fennec’s professional approval at mayfeld’s shot hahaha. well I guess he was supposed to be a sharpshooter back in the day huh

I do Not think she likes mayfeld even after all that, though, the withering look she sends him on her way past... should have killed him stone dead on the spot

- seeing din back in the armour is like a physical relief, I can breathe again haha

- tfw you catch yourself thinking ‘at least when all this is over we can go back to the razor crest and everything will be normal again’ and then you rEMEMBER 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

#star wars #the mandalorian #the mandalorian spoilers #the mandalorian meta #honestly I could add a lot more of my boba thirst in this lol (idk din is always Dad not Daddy to me but boba's Doing something for me haha)

[razorblade180]

KH Among Us

Vanitas:Hey Ventus, did you do your stupid-

Ventus:*holding a knife*.....

Sora:*dead*

Vanitas:......

Report!

Ventus:Vanitas killed Sora and vented!!!!

Vanitas:Don’t listen to his lies! He’s an imposter! A traitor among us.

Ventus:How could you accuse me of killing a person.

Chirithy:*watching silently*

Riku:Vote Vanitas off!

Everyone votes him off and launch him out. He can faintly see Ventus smiling and waving.

Vanitas:I’m never reporting a body again.....

xxxx

Roxas:*doing wires* (What are the odds it was Vent-)

Ventus:*crawls out of vent* (Sorry Isa, should’ve went l-).....

Roxas:.....*sweating*

Ventus:I can explain.

Roxas starts sprinting out of the door and runs past Namine.

Namine:Why are you-

Roxas:It’s Ven!

Namine:Oh....

Namine starts running with him runs all the way to button but the reactor starts melting down. Ventus is nowhere in sight.

Roxas:Namine, go left. I’ll go r-agh!

Namine:*stabs him*Sshhhh...

Roxas:Of course!

She casually skips towards a vent and goes on about her day. Roxas becomes a ghost and looks at his fallen friends.

Saix:They’re totally going to win...

Sora:I didn’t even get to play. Ventus went right for me!

Roxas:Aqua can figure this out. She’s smart.

Report!

Xion:Aqua’s dead near the left panel...

Ghost Aqua:....

Sora:Ventus?

Aqua:I feel so betrayed...

xxxx

Axel:Who do you think is doing all of this?

Xion: *across the room*.....

Axel:Me!?

Xion:One of your titles is assassin.

Axel:Pfft have I ever hurt a person on my si- okay... yeah I’m suspicious. My track record of hurting coworkers is incredibly high, but it’s not me.

xxxxx

Vanitas:Ten munny says Riku dies next.

Sora:Riku would never let down his gaurd! He’ll win.

Namine:R-Riku? I’m scared, can we stick together please?

Riku:Of course! Where’s your task?

Namine:Med Bay.

Sora slowly pulls out his munny pouch as he watches the sterilization doors close the two in a room. A second later, Riku’s ghost appears face palming.

Vanitas:Did you even consider for a second that you were being played?

Riku:Shut up.

Aqua:They need two more kills.

Saix:It’s about to be one.

He points to Terra, who’s trying to swop his card; completely unaware of Ventus who just hopped out a vent. The boy slowly walks up to his closest friend, then swipes the card for him.

Terra:Thanks.

Ventus:Anytime!

Aqua:He’ll kill me but not Terra!?

Vanitas:Hahahaha!

Riku:Maybe he can’t bring himself to be completely evil?

Ventus:Yeah so I saw Lea vent but can’t find a body. If I press the button will you vote for him?

Terra:Oh you caught him!? Good job, he’s going down.

Kh ghost: Terra! You gullible-

xxxx

Ghost Axel watches with everyone as Siax pats his back. Vanitas is cackling his head off while the others are yelling at Terra, even though he can’t hear them. Except for Sora. He’s watching Kairi finish her tasks with Xion.

Kairi:You know, I’m starting to think Vanitas wasn’t lying.

Xion:Yeah, but Terra is alive. It could be him using Ven?

Kairi:If I trust that you’re not an imposter, then that only leaves Namine left. Where is she?

Xion:Guarding the button.

.......

Kairi:Xion, there’s three innocent, two imposters. If we’re fine, then that means one is at the button and the other-

The door opens behind them. Namine and Ventus casually walk in and lock the door. They pull out knives.

Namine:We win.

Kairi:All you needed was Terra! Why us!?

Ventus:We wanted to try to get everyone that looked alike; a personal challenge!

Namine:Yep! There can only be one. *smiles*

Kairi and Xion:That’s so cruel!!!

Both of them die and become ghost. They silently join the rest of the friends watch take out all the trash and carry the oxygen containers until the screen fades to black.

Terra:Huh? Oh..we lost? Well, better luck next time, right guys? *smiles*

KH crew mates:*physically can’t stay mad at him* Sigh....better luck next time.

Terra:Oh by the way. Ventus, who was the final imposter?

Ventus:Kairi...

Terra:I knew it!

Kairi:But I- I’ll kill him! Let me get imposter next round! *reaching Ventus*

Ventus:Imposter twice in a row? How greedy can you get Kairi.

Namine:Yeah, give us a turn.

Kairi:*frustrated screaming*

#kingdom hearts #ventus #vanitas #terra kh #kh aqua #sora kh #riku #kairi #axel kh #roxas #xion #saix/isa #chirithy #namine

[goldenraeofsun]

just say yes

The latest installment of this verse... or 5 times Dean tries to propose to Cas.

Dean bites his lip as he scans the menu. What the hell is branzino, and where the fuck are the prices? He flips the flimsy piece of cream-colored paper over, but no dice. 

Thank god there’s a steak listed among the five lone entrees. It’s probably five times his normal dinner price tag, but Dean already made peace with putting off buying that 30 year anniversary Rush album. It’ll still be there after his next pay check. 

Cas eyes him over the top of his own menu. “What are you thinking?”

Marry me.

Dean doesn’t say that, though. He has plans. Keep his trap shut until dessert. Tell Cas he’s going to hit the head. Pull a waiter aside and ask for two glasses of champagne. Return to Cas. Hopefully not shit his pants as he proposes. Drink champagne. Go home and have fantastic engaged sex.

Dean has high hopes for the last part of the plan.

“Dean?”

Belatedly, he says, “The steak.”

Cas hums. “That does look good.” He ducks back behind his menu. “I was thinking of getting that too. But maybe not.”

Dean takes a hasty sip of water. “Get the steak if you want it, man. We don’t go to places like this often.”

“I think I’ll get the honey glazed salmon.”

“Sounds good,” Dean says lamely. He drinks more water. At this rate, he won’t have to fake the bathroom run.

Aren’t they supposed to have alcohol by this point? They’ve been sitting at their fancy-ass table in this fancy-ass restaurant for nearly fifteen minutes.

Maybe he shouldn’t have picked the newest five-star restaurant to propose to Cas. He’s already on edge from the pressure, and the pristine white tablecloth isn’t helping. He can already see five ways he’s gonna stain it. There are several forks in front of him. For fuck’s sake, this place has an actual chandelier. Dean hadn’t honestly thought they existed outside of billionaire mansions and Disney movies.

The live music is nice, though. A sedate piano tinkles in the background, barely audible over the buzz of polite dinner conversation.

Dean catches a glimpse of himself reflected in the dark windows to the street. He looks a little sweaty, but not as nervous as he feels, thank god.

This is stupid. He shouldn’t even be nervous.

They’ve talked about marriage before. They’re adults in an adult relationship, so popping the question out of the blue would go down like the time Dean swept Cas away for a surprise camping trip. Turns out, Cas did not like camping. Which Dean would have known if he had asked anytime in the past four years.

But… that marriage conversation was two years ago. Dean wasn’t ready then; they both weren’t. Cas was still in a bad place with Jimmy and Claire, and Bobby had just died, so they weren’t about to roadtrip to Vegas anytime soon.

Now, Claire can have a civil dinner with her parents, and the hole Bobby left in Dean’s life can go unnoticed some days.

The deal is, Dean can’t chicken out tonight. He already told Claire to make herself scarce. She can sleep at her parents’ or at Krissy’s, Dean doesn’t care, as long as she is not crashing on their sofa when they get back from dinner.

Dean would rather read a hundred plagarized student essays on The Very Hungry Caterpillar than admit to Claire he failed to ask Cas to marry him. 

So, proposal time.

The waiter comes by with their drinks and takes their orders. Conversation is a little stilted, but hopefully Cas chalks it up to Dean being outside his comfort zone in this fancy-ass place. There’s no steady thunk of darts hitting a board or clack of pool balls in the background to put him at ease. Just that lame piano.

Cas makes porn noises over his salmon at first bite, which Dean totally doesn’t get. It’s fish.

“How’s your steak?” Cas asks as he surfaces and dabs his mouth with his cloth napkin.

Dean belatedly slices off a piece of his meal and pops it in his mouth. A generically bland compliment dies on his tongue. Jesus Christ - that’s some good cow. It practically disintegrates before he can chew. “Great,” he tells Cas honestly.

Cas hums in contentment.

“And since you’re practically at third base with that salmon,” Dean starts, “I take it-”

“Oh my god!” a woman’s voice squeals behind them.

Dean reflexively turns his head in the direction of the commotion. A few tables over, near the center of the restaurant, a man is down on one knee, and - son of a bitch.

Dean watches, his mouth hanging open, as the woman shouts, “Yes, of course, yes!” Waiters walk past their table with a whole fucking bottle of champagne. People at nearby tables fucking clap.

Dean resolutely turns back around to face Cas, at a loss for words that aren’t extremely loud swears.

“Isn’t that nice?” Cas says mildly.

“Yeah, very nice for them,” Dean says through gritted teeth. 

Of all the goddamn nights. Of all the goddamn restaurants. What are the goddamn chances?

Dean slices into his steak with extreme prejudice. If he could murder the happy couple, he would. With zero regrets.

Fuck it all, Claire’s gonna be insufferable.

  A CHARMING B&B IN VERMONT

Dean wakes up delightfully cozy with Cas spooning him from behind. No memory foam, but the bed is delightfully springy anyway. It was definitely what they needed after a full school day and a nine-hour road trip. Luckily, the owner of the bed and breakfast, a charming older woman actually named Mrs. Butters, was happy to wait up for their late check-in last night. She even had hot cocoa waiting.

Dean had held out a slight hope they could christen their room before they turned in for the night, but Cas passed right out before Dean turned on the lights. Poor guy had to deal with three sets of angry parents, and it was only the second week of school. Something about how their supposed-genius kids should be in AP Latin instead of the Fun Latin class - aka the one for dumbass seniors.

The mid-morning sunlight filtering in from behind the plaid curtains casts everything in a warm glow. The room itself is beyond charming. There’s a legit fireplace next to the bed, and they’re currently nestled under a patchwork quilt. The wood panelled walls give a distinctly rustic feel to the place, despite the reasonably sized television screen mounted on the far wall.

Dean turns over in bed so he’s facing Cas instead of the door. He resists the urge to poke him awake, and instead prods with a gentle, “Cas.”

Cas grumbles wordlessly. Fucker doesn’t even open his eyes, although Dean can tell from how his breathing changes that he’s awake.

“Cas.”

Cas wrinkles his nose and shoves his face into the pillow. “What, Dean?”

Dean can barely make out the words, but he gets the gist from the million times Cas has done the exact same thing. “I smell bacon.”

Cas’s eyes slit open. “So?”

“Don’t you want bacon?”

Cas huffs, and Dean can tell the exact moment he resigns to waking up. “Then go get the bacon. Nobody’s stopping you, Meat Man.”

Dean wiggles in bed, jostling the whole mattress. “Come on, babe.”

“I was sleeping.” Cas raises his head to look squint out the window. “It has to be before ten am. Since when are you a morning person?”

Since today is the day Dean is going to propose.

Instead, Dean reminds him pointedly, “Bacon.”

“Ugh,” Cas groans as he sits up. “I expect at least a blow job after breakfast if we’re leaving bed this early.”

Dean slaps his ass and jumps out of bed before Cas can retaliate. “Up and at ‘em!”

“I hate you.”

“Love you too, Cas.”

* * *

Claire 11:02 Did you ask him yet? If he said no I’ve got chunky monkey waiting

Claire 11:31 That was a joke Uncle Cas will say yes Theres no way he wont

Claire 11:40 If you’re not answering because of sex don’t tell me

Dean sighs as his phone lights up with Claire’s latest text. In the bathroom, Cas hurls again. 

Dean 11:41 No proposal

The bubbles showing Claire’s typing start almost immediately.

Claire 11:41 Are you serious? He’s not goin to turn you down!!!

Dean 11:41 Food poisoning

Claire 11:42 HAHAHAHA

Dean scowls at his phone.

Dean 11:44 Not now, Claire.

Claire 11:44 Wait Seriously?

Dean 11:44 We think it was something he ate at breakfast

Claire 11:44 Oh fuck I’m sorry for laughing

Dean rereads her text. He hasn’t ever received a straight-up apology from Claire before. Unsure of how to respond, he sets down his phone and gently pushes open the bathroom door. “How’re you doing, babe?”

Cas, slumped over the toilet and looking like death warmed over, raises his head an inch. “It seems to be easing up.”

“Really?”

Cas vomits into the toilet again. He groans.

“Shit,” Dean mutters as he crouches next to Cas. He rubs his back with one hand. “Do you think you can get some water down?”

Cas nods, so Dean straightens and fills a glass next to the sink.

As Cas drinks, Dean runs a hand through Cas’s sweaty hair. His forehead has a sickly sheen to it, and the back of his neck feels hot.

“Dean -” Cas breaks off to cough the water right back up into the toilet. “I’m sorry.”

“Hey, no,” Dean says quickly as he refills the glass. “Don’t be sorry. This isn’t your fault.”

“But you had all these plans,” Cas moans as he takes the water to try again.

“We’ll do ‘em some other time.” He wets a washcloth and wipes down Cas’s forehead.

“Before Thanksgiving,” Cas rasps, “we’ll come back. I don’t want to miss the leaves changing.”

“Of course,” Dean says soothingly. He moves the washcloth to the nape of Cas’s neck. “On the bright side, you’ve been puking for, like, an hour. There can’t be much left.”

Cas, the dramatic bastard, nearly brains himself on the toilet seat with the force of his next hurl.

  HOMEMADE DINNER

After the disastrous fancy restaurant and B&B, a homemade dinner has to be the way to go. They’ll be in their own goddamn house - that has to cut down on the number of things that can go wrong.

Dean spends a whole week deliberating on what to make. He could do his usual burgers and fries routine, Cas’s favorite, but it should be special.

He settles on beef wellington. Pie for beef!

It’s a bitch to make - both because puff pastry from scratch is no joke, and hiding his first experiments from Cas means inventing increasingly convoluted reasons to get him out of the house. And, sure, every Youtube chef and Great British Bake off contestant has said store-bought puff pastry is fine, but Dean doesn’t want fine, he needs perfect. 

Dean picks a day when Cas has Model UN afterschool. It’s in the middle of the week, but at least Cas is guaranteed out of the house until six at night.

By 5:58, Dean is ready. The Wellington is cooling on the counter; the red wine has been breathing (whatever the hell that does) for the better part of an hour; and he’s showered and made himself presentable.

His phone pings at six pm on the dot. 

Heart sinking with foreboding, Dean taps the screen.

Cas 6:00 I’m going to be late for dinner. There was an accident with chemistry club a few minutes ago. The building had to be evacuated.

Dean 6:00 Are you OK?

Dean takes a moment to hammer the heel of his hand against his forehead. One fucking break. That’s all he’s asking for. One goddamn evening to go right.

Cas 6:00 Yes, and the kids are too. They’re airing out the halls now, but we won’t be let in for another half hour.

Dean picks up the wine with the hand not holding his phone. 

Dean 6:01 What time do you think you’ll be home?

Cas 6:01 7:30 maybe? I’ll keep you updated.

Dean swigs back a gulp straight from the bottle before he can answer. Fuck this.

Dean 6:02 Great! I’ll order pizza when you’re on your way back

Cas 6:02 Meatlovers?

Dean 6:02 Unless you’d like something else

Cas 6:02 No thank you :)

Dean flips on a recorded Jeopardy! episode as he cleans up the kitchen and texts Charlie. He has a free dinner waiting for her if she can hightail it to his place in the next hour and never speak of it again.

  HOMEMADE DINNER #2

If Dean is anything, he’s stubborn. John Winchester raised no quitter. Try, try, and try again. And try a fourth time, when the first three go sideways.

Burgers, this time. They don’t need a days’ worth of prep. And they’ll go over well.

“Dig in,” Dean says as he sets the plate down in front of Cas.

“This looks delicious, Dean,” Cas says sincerely as he picks up his burger.

Dean waits, and he can see the moment Cas tastes the molten cheese stuffed in the middle of the patty. His eyes go wide with surprise.

“Like it?”

Cas nods vigorously and inhales the rest of his burger in record time.

“There’s enough for us to have thirds,” Dean says smugly. 

Cas smears ketchup all over patty number two, and beams at him. “These make me very happy.”

Dean laughs. “That’s the goal-”

Cas’s phone rings.

Dean falters.

Cas stares at him expectantly, waiting for Dean to continue.

“You should get that,” Dean says, his shoulders slumping as he sets his burger down. It’s probably a bad sign he was already half-expecting things to go south. “It’s probably important, or whoever it is would’ve texted.”

“We’re in the middle of dinner,” Cas protests even as he reaches in his pocket to pull his phone out. “It’s Claire,” he says, baffled, before he picks up. “Hello?”

Cas sets down his half-eaten burger. He listens, his brows slamming down forbiddingly as Claire’s voice gets louder and louder, but still not loud enough for Dean to make out actual words. Silently, Cas takes his napkin off his lap and pushes his half-empty beer in Dean’s direction. Finally Cas says, “Yes, of course, Claire.”

Dean frowns as Cas lifts his gaze up to meet his. “Jimmy and Amelia?” he mouths.

Cas shakes his head, speaking into his phone,  “Does Kaia need a pick up from the hospital?”

Dean goes cold. Kaia was actually one of his favorite students. While she was in his class, she won a Scholastic Gold Key and honorable mention for two of her horror novellas and always did the reading. But Dean and Cas haven’t seen her since she broke up with Claire the summer before college.

“Is she okay?” Dean asks quietly.

Cas’s mouth thins. He gives a short nod.

Dean sighs and picks up the plate uneaten burgers. He can probably reheat the patties. The fries won’t keep, though, so he leaves the plate in front of Cas. He shoves a few in his mouth and gets to his feet.

He’s halfway through cleaning the frying pan when Cas gets off the phone with Claire.

“Are you heading out?” Dean asks gruffly while he gives the iron a particularly hard scrub.

“Yes,” Cas rumbles as he wraps an arm around Dean’s waist. “I’m sorry to cut dinner short.”

“Hey, it’s Kaia. ’Course we gotta help.” Dean forces an understanding smile on his face. “I’ll make up the couch while you pick her up?”

Cas squeezes him gently before moving away. “Thank you.”

“You got time for the cliff notes on what happened? Why’d you get the call?”

Cas leans against the counter next to the sink. “Kaia was in a car accident. She’s a little banged up, but mostly fine. A few bruised ribs and a possible concussion.” He shakes his head, disbelieving. “You know Kaia was never especially close with her foster family, so Claire got the emergency call.”

“Huh.” Dean grabs a plate to clean. “It’s been two years since the split.”

Cas shrugs. “I’m not sure what their situation is. I know Claire was surprised. She’s already in her car, and she should be here by midnight. Hopefully she recognizes Kaia’s injuries,” he frowns, “and they won’t try any… any ‘hanky panky’ tonight.”

Dean laughs, and if it’s slightly higher than normal, Cas doesn’t seem to pick up on it. He grabs Cas and kisses him square on the mouth. “You are ridiculous. Nobody says hanky panky. What the hell is wrong with you?”

Cas scowls. “They have to be well past kissing at this point.”

Dean snorts a laugh. “Yeah, that ship has long sailed, dude.”

Cas throws his hands in the air. “We don’t have enough sleeping surfaces to separate them.”

Dean sets the dirty plate down to face Cas fully. “Do you really think they’ll get back together? Kaia broke Claire’s heart not too long ago.”

Cas throws him a look like he wonders where the hell Dean’s logical brain has flown to. “Are you asking if I think couples can get back together after a harrowing break up?”

“… no.”

Cas shakes his head ruefully. “You’re more like Claire than I ever was, and you took me back.”

“Huh,” Dean wipes his hands off on a dishtowel, “you might have something there.”

“You do call me the smart one,” Cas says as he pushes off the counter and heads to the doorway. “It has been known to happen.”

“Smartass,” Dean corrects loudly as Cas grabs his coat and keys.

“Semantics.” Cas doubles back to kiss Dean a proper goodbye, and it’s just as electric as it was when they were seventeen. Cas tastes like Dean’s cooking, and he’s been letting his stubble grow out, the short hairs rasping against Dean’s palm as he cups Cas’s cheek.

“I love you, Dean,” Cas says as he draws away.

Dean grins. “I know.”

Cas huffs an almost-laugh as he heads back towards the door. “Now who’s the smartass?”

  IN BED

Cas, the son of a bitch, falls asleep before Dean can wring out a second orgasm out of him. Such a godamn shame. Just goes to show, they really aren’t teenagers anymore. At least Dean got to use the new vibrator he bought for the occasion and the edible panties. 

Dean flops back in bed. Maybe he should put the proposals on pause. Clearly, marriage isn’t in the cards. He can be a bit dense when it comes to Cas and him, but there’s dense and there’s denial.

It’s been two and a half months. Five proposal attempts. They’re nearly halfway through October, and he’s no closer to getting a ring on Cas’s finger than he was in late August, sweating bullets in that stupid fancy restaurant.

He can’t keep planning and failing to propose to Cas every other week. One, he can’t handle the stress and constant brainstorming. And B, he’s way behind in writing college recommendations and grading his freshman’s essays on Animal Farm. 

Cas isn’t going anywhere. Dean isn’t going anywhere. So Dean can cool the proposals for now and start fresh in January.

  SCHOOL ASSEMBLY

“I hate these,” Dean mutters to Benny. He frowns across the top rows of the bleachers where the seniors are supposed to sit. There are a few notable faces missing, but nobody that belongs to Dean’s homeroom, so he couldn’t give less of a shit. Below them, sit most of the juniors, and pretty much all of the sophomores and freshmen.

“It’s thirty minutes, brother,” Benny says, patting his arm. “You’ll live.”

“Shows what you know,” Dean grumbles back as Jody strides to the middle of the gym, microphone in hand. He asks Benny, “Do you know what this one’s about? Bullying? Cliques? Hugs not drugs?”

Benny shakes his head.

Jody sighs loudly into the mike. Clearly, she wants to be here just as much as he does. “Thank you all for coming,” she starts like any of them had a real choice. “First things first, Halloween is in two days, and while costumes are allowed and encouraged, don’t be racist.” She grimaces. “God help me, I don’t know why I still have to say that. If you are unsure if your costume is racist, it probably is. Wear something else. Secondly…”

Dean tunes her out. Instead, he scans the bleachers again, this time looking for Cas. He should be with the other sophomore homeroom teachers, but there’s no sign of him. Dean frowns. He can’t remember the last time Cas played hooky. And never without Dean. Dick move, Cas.

Movement at the edge of the gym catches Dean’s eye, and he watches, puzzled, as two students roll out one of the old projectors. The overhead lights turn off.

Is Jody seriously going to make him sit through a slide show? They’re wasting a prefectly good Friday morning on a goddamn PowerPoint?

The projector flips on, and the first photo is… of Dean. 

What the fuck? His mouth drops open in horror. In the picture, he’s in his junior year of high school - he can tell from the hair - with a bunch of people he hasn’t seen in fifteen years. Plus Cas, who’s at the next table over in the cafeteria, head bowed over a book and slightly out of focus.

There’s a click, and text scrawls along the bottom of the screen, Destiel Met in Edlund High School Fifteen Years Ago! 

The projector flips to the next photo, this time showing Dean’s senior yearbook picture.

More than a handful of students peer excitedly in his direction, undoubtedly hoping for a reaction.

Scowling, Dean cranes his neck to search the crowd for Charlie’s flaming red hair. She’s the only one who refers to the two of them as “Destiel”. Everyone else uses their names like sane people.

But the projector clicks to a photo of Cas, and Dean can’t help getting distracted. In the picture, Cas is alone at a table in the library. God, he was cute back then. His cheeks were a little fuller, and his hair was curlier. He still had the same intense blue-eyed stare, though. Patented Cas.

It all started with a tutoring session. Young Mr. W needed help in Latin, and our future Latin teacher, Mr. N, was up to the task!

Dean is going to kill Charlie. He tries to get to his feet - maybe she’s hiding behind Jo or something. But Benny’s hand grips his upper arm, holding him in place. “Don’t,” Benny says softly.

“What?” Dean demands as he tries to shake Benny off and fails. “Do you know what the hell is going on?”

“Stay.” The corners of Benny’s mouth twitch like he’s fighting a smile. “Watch.”

Dean huffs a breath and turns back around. If it was anyone else, Jo or Charlie, he wouldn’t trust a word out of their mouths. Benny, though, he’s not the type to make Dean sit through this without a good reason.

But that’s all ancient history. Destiel really got started five years ago, in this very gym.

The projector shows a picture of their class reunion, when Dean met Cas after ten years of no contact. They’re standing pretty close together (but that doesn’t mean much with Castiel What-Is-Personal-Space Novak), and they appear deep in conversation.

Since then, they have been inseparable.

Dean and Cas at a softball game. Dean and Cas at homecoming. Dean and Cas at GSA’s pride party.

Here’s to fifteen more years of Destiel!

The students clap and cheer with more than a few laughs.

Musical Interlude! flashes in front of a picture of Dean playing guitar to a group of pajama-clad students at last year’s Senior Lock-In.

The lights flip back on, and Dean blinks as his eyes adjust. By the time the spots have cleared from his vision, the projector has been wheeled away, leaving the main floor of the gym empty.

A staticky crackle echoes around the gym. And - is that Def Leppard playing on the speakers?

As the intro to Rock of Ages plays, the cheerleading team troops out from the locker rooms. 

They start a routine Dean’s never seen before. To Rock of fucking Ages.

The cheerleaders sings along with Joe Elliot, “What do you want?”

Dean’s mouth falls open as the entire high school chants back, “I want rock and roll. Long live rock and roll!”

By the time they get to the “Rock of Ages” chant, all the students are on their feet, clapping along with the beat and cheering.

The song dies down soon after, and Dean, a broad smile on his face, turns to Benny. “I don’t know what the hell is going on, but I dig it.”

Benny laughs. “Good. He’ll be pleased.”

Dean’s just about to ask who he is (he’s 99% he knows), when Cas walks out from behind the bleachers. 

Cas takes the microphone from Jody. He coughs nervously, waiting for the students to settle back down. “Thank you,” he says to the cheerleading team. “That was... awesome.” He glances up at the assembled students and teachers. “Dean-” he pauses as the cheers and clapping start up in earnest “-can you please come down here?”

But Dean’s frozen to the spot.

Benny gives him a not-so-light jab with his elbow. “Go on.”

Dean shakily gets to his feet and makes his way to the gym floor, and he swears his legs are about to give out from under him.

“Alright, you got my attention,” Dean says with forced bravado. “What’s up, Cas?”

The students hoot and holler.

Cas reddens as they die down again. Clutching the microphone in a death grip, he says, “Dean, we have been together for a number of years.”

Dean grins, a wonderful, all-consuming giddiness filling him the longer he stands in front of Cas. “I know, dude. I was there.”

The students laugh and someone, probably Jo, wolf whistles.

Cas swallows. “I wanted to do this here, where we first met, where you first asked me out on a date, where we had our first kiss.”

“Don’t tell ‘em about all our firsts on school property,” Dean says in a stage-whisper, “or Jody’s gonna have an aneurysm.”

Over a fresh round of student laughter, Jody puts her head in her hands. Donna, the school guidance counselor, pats her a few times on the back.

“Dean Winchester,” Cas says, and, shit, his hands are shaking. “I have loved you for more than half my life, and I look forward to far more than fifteen years by your side. Will you marry me?’

Dean’s not stupid. He had a strong hunch, ever since Rock of Ages played - aka the cassette he put in the Impala the first time he took Cas for a drive fifteen years and a lifetime ago - that this was what Cas was leading up to. 

He’s mostly surprised Cas had the guts to pop the question this way. There was a reason Dean tried to keep his proposal plans mostly to the two of them. One of them is practically a social hermit, and it’s sure as shit not Dean.

“Just say yes, jerk!”

Dean spins around, nearly tripping over his own feet in surprise. Fuck, that’s Sam. His giant of a brother is hovering right outside the gym’s double doors, beaming at the pair of them. Claire gives a little wave from where she’s half-hiding behind him.

Dean turns back to Cas. He can’t think about Sam right now. Or Claire. Or the five hundred students with their eyes on them. 

Only Cas.

“Cas,” he says, and it feels like the whole room is holding their collective breath, none more so than Cas, who looks like he’s about to pass out. “Man, I’ve loved you since I was seventeen. Of course I’ll marry you.”

Cas lets out a shaky exhale of relief, and Dean laughs. He takes the microphone from Cas’s now slack grip, steps all the way into Cas’s personal space, and kisses him.

The cheers from the assembled students are nearly deafening.

#destiel fanfic #fanfic #destiel #teacher dean #teachers au #teacher castiel #profoundnet #established relationship #fluff #the story of us verse #5+1 fic #rae writes fic

[nialledfromfics]

The Dating Game | Chapter Nine

~~

The door closed. Niall stood motionless, his blue eyes transfixed to the painted wood panelling half expecting it to open again and for her to rush back through and jump into his arms like she had many times before. But he knew that wasn’t going to happen. He knew that beautiful, wistful, carefree part of their story was over. More over than he had failed to realize. His chest rose high with his quickened breaths and he swallowed hard, not wanting the slow blink of his glassy stare to move off of the door. His mind tried to rattle around the single thing that sparked the very reaction he couldn’t escape from: the look on her face. 

He didn’t understand why she had looked so defeated, so anguished upon seeing Lila, maybe she was just shocked. He would have been too, he decided. He had been, many times. But that still didn’t explain to him, why. Her gorgeous light brown eyes peering up at him, wide and with a hint of sadness that Niall had only seen one other time over the course of their friendship. It felt like his heart was breaking all over again. 

“Are you ready to go?” 

Breaking him from his thoughts, Lila ran her touch down the center of his back. “Uh...yeah,” he sputtered.

The girl smiled at him. “That was Joey, huh?”

Niall pulled in a sharp breath. “Yeah.” His stare hadn’t left his closed front door, his jaw clenching slightly as he felt Lila’s fingers intertwine with his. 

“She’s pretty.” 

His eyes snapped over to the girl standing next to him, his lips just barely falling to a part. “Yeah,” was all he could muster in response. 

Lila huffed out a short chuckle. “So what did she want?” 

With his stare sliding back over to the door, Niall briefly shook his head. “I...dunno, to be honest…”

“Hmm...weird,” Lila mumbled as she shifted her body to stand right in front of Niall. His blue eyes, their entanglement with the closed door interrupted, locked with hers. “We should get going now so we’re not late.” 

He tipped his head down slightly, running his hand through his hair and down the side of his face in a faint sigh. “Yeah…” he mumbled, a half smile pulling at his lips before he leaned in and pressed a kiss to her mouth, “yeah, sorry, babe. Let’s go.” 

•

Of course he would be dating her. She was exactly who Joey had always pictured as his type. Irritatingly gorgeous with perfect bone structure and pore-less skin, beamingly white teeth and that model-slim body shape. She was athletic and perky in all the right places with not one ounce of body fat to be seen. Her hair was perfect, her smile, her nails, her clothes…

She was blonde, stunning and looked like she had stepped straight out of a damn magazine centerfold. 

Lila was everything Joey wasn’t. And on top of that, she had him.  

If Joey hadn’t felt like the biggest fool to walk the earth before, she definitely did after meeting Niall’s new girlfriend. The entire following week was spent cursing herself out for being so deluded into thinking he had even a fraction of feelings for her, and trying her hardest not to stalk Lila’s Instagram every five minutes like some kind of masochist. She had called Alexis on her way home from Niall’s house, tears streaming down her face, her voice cracking with the inability to stop crying enough to choke out how dumb and ridiculous she had been to even show up to his place like that. By the time she arrived back to her usually empty and lowly apartment, she had her best friend, her brother and his girlfriend there waiting to cheer her up. It was an unexpected welcome, and they spent the evening drowning Joey’s problems in cheap beer and greasy pizza and laughing until their cheeks hurt and they could no longer breathe. It was a nice distraction. 

But the next morning Joey woke up to a text from Niall. And another later that night. And then again the following morning. She received 10 texts from him within that week. And Joey ignored every single one. She felt stupid and embarrassed and even if she were to answer him, what was she going to say? She couldn’t pour her heart out to him like she had planned, she couldn’t tell him how the thoughts of him kept her up at night and how badly she wanted to kiss him over and over and how no matter what...she could not get him out of her head. Joey couldn’t do that, and it wouldn’t be fair if she did. He was obviously with someone else, he had feelings for someone that was not Joey and she just needed to accept that. 

But that didn’t mean she had to like it. It also didn’t mean she had to talk to him. Or see him. Or be around him. 

Joey wasn’t sure she could ever be around him as long as he was with Lila. 

It took another few days for her to really get a footing on the situation, and to come to terms that Niall actually had a girlfriend, and that person wasn’t her. Joey was jealous, she was a big enough girl to admit that, and she was heartbroken but most of all, she was beyond humiliated. How on earth she could have thought that someone like Niall would ever be into or want to be with someone like her, was enough crazy to send her to the looney bin. She was, once again, right back to square one. 

Alone. 

Taking what had happened to her over the previous six weeks as a sign, Joey decided to just let Niall do his thing, and she would do hers. It was well into springtime and the summer season was quickly creeping up on everyone, school would soon be out, and Joey thought her best bet was to immerse herself into her work and her students for the last couple months, and forget about everything else. 

The following five weeks breezed by. Well, as much as it could breeze by when the only thing on Joey’s mind was the one thing she was trying not to think about. But she powered through, focusing on getting her kindergarteners ready for the first grade, spending some needed time with her bestie and giving her love to the only one who really deserved it; Sadie. Niall had stopped contacting her by the third week of Joey not responding to his texts and calls and while it did make her heart hurt to read over his pleas of wanting her to answer him, she knew it was for the best that she didn’t. At least not at that time. It was too fresh, like picking at an unhealed scab to just reopen the gnarly wound. Joey knew it was the right thing to do. But that didn’t mean it didn’t send her heart racing and make her knees weak and have that knot tie in her tummy every time she saw his name pop up on her screen. Because it did, every single time. 

It was only a couple days later that Joey got hit with the most gut wrenching thing that could happen to her in this kind of situation: paparazzi pictures. 

And not just any paparazzi pictures; lovey, cutesy, vomit-inducingly sweet kissing paparazzi pictures. Had she not been standing in the middle of the coffee shop’s line waiting to order, innocently scrolling through Instagram when she was assaulted with the shots of them, she probably would have screamed bloody murder and thrown her phone against the wall. But as she clicked on the post of some random celebrity gossip site, flicking through the two full sets of photos, she could feel the sweat beading up along her hairline and the heaviness invading her heart. Holding hands, his arm around her shoulders, his lips pressed to hers. Her hands on his face, on his chest, curling into the back of his dark hair.

Joey swallowed hard and she tried to resist, tried to tear her eyes away from the pictures, but she couldn’t. Her fingers were trembling, almost losing grip on her phone and the noisy space around her dissipated into a long drone of static as her mind jumped back to when she had felt Niall that way. Touching his pretty face, his toned chest. His arms around her, his big hands wrapped around her body as he held her tight. His warm breath against her ear, his soft skin pressed to hers. Easing her eyes closed, Joey quickly turned off her phone and dropped her arm down to her side. She could feel her chin start to wobble as the faint sound of her name being called out waved over her ears. It took another minute before Joey peeled her eyes open to see the barista repeatedly calling out her name, a puzzled look on her face. 

Sucking in a jumbled breath, Joey threw her shoulders back and plastered on a smile, stepping up to the counter to retrieve her coffee order. 

She didn’t mention the paparazzi pictures, or her reaction to them, to anyone. Not even Alexis. And her blonde friend knew better than to bring them up even if she had seen them. Joey was very grateful for that. 

Not more than two weeks after Joey had been visually assaulted, she was curled up on her couch watching tv late one Saturday night with Sadie in her lap and her second glass of merlot, when a text came through her phone. Assuming it was Alexis sending her some useless Facebook link or her brother with another dumb meme, Joey mindlessly picked her phone up from the couch cushion beside her and glanced down at the screen. 

N: Hey stranger

Her heart skipped three solid beats, her phone dropping into her lap and onto Sadie’s backend, making the little dog jump. “Sorry,” Joey managed to say, giving the pup a pet as she rested her head back down. Picking her phone back up, Joey pulled in a slow steadying breath, her hazelnut eyes flicking about her darkened living room for a moment before she decided to go ahead and shoot him a text back. 

The first one in nearly 2 months. 

J: Hey. 

N: Holy Shit . . you answered me hahahaha

J: Lucky day, I guess. 

There was a slight pause from Niall after Joey’s last text, and she thought maybe she was coming off a bit too harsh. She clearly didn’t hate Niall, in fact it was the total opposite, but it was like every time she even saw or heard his name, she pictured him with her. Him kissing her and touching her and it drove her absolutely insane. Joey swallowed hard as she stared down at the lit screen, watching those three little text bubbles flickering…

N: I miss you .

And there it was. Three words that Joey was dreading but also yearning to hear. She was so confused, so entirely fucked up from the entire situation, she wasn’t even sure what she was doing anymore. All she knew was that reading those words from him made her chest tighten and her fingers go numb and her skin bleed with a heat that could melt a glacier. Swallowing hard, Joey bit at her lip as she carefully constructed her next text. 

J: Did you need something?

She was not about to let him know the hold he had on her. 

N: uh haha yeah. . I just wanted to let ya know Im havin an album wrap party this Saturday and i really really want ya to be there .

N: Please , if you can

J: I don’t know. I might be busy. 

N: Okay . Its at my place at 7 if you decide ya wanna stop by .

Joey thought for a moment, her teeth sinking further down into her bottom lip. 

J: Can I bring someone?

There was another slight pause, almost as if Niall wasn’t sure how to answer or what she really meant by ‘someone’, and Joey’s stare drifted over the screen as she waited to see what he was going to say next. 

N: Yeh , sure. Bring anyone ya want .

J: Okay. I’ll think about it.

And that was it. He didn’t respond, and Joey puffed out a long sigh and tossed her phone to the coffee table. 

That was unexpected. 

•

Joey immediately decided that there was no way she was going to go to Niall’s album wrap party. There was no way she was going to be able to hang around his house with people she barely knew, and watch him being lovey and cute with his perfect girlfriend. It sounded like pure torture to her. 

But somehow, some way, Alexis had talked her into going. She promised that it would be good for Joey, it would help her heal and move on, confront the situation head on instead of hiding from it and pretending it didn’t exist. Joey knew she had a point. Alexis offered to go with her, to not once leave her side and if at any moment that things got too weird or too hard for Joey to deal with, they would leave. And Joey agreed. 

That Saturday came without a hitch. The nerves surging through Joey, however, were as prominent and irritating as ever. It took her nearly two hours to just pick an outfit, something she usually had no issue with and it almost made her angry at herself for caring so much about what she looked like when obviously Niall didn’t care in the least. After applying her makeup, blow drying her hair into soft waves, and fussing endlessly with the tiny hairs that wouldn’t cooperate, Joey was finally ready to go. 

Walking out into her living room where Alexis was waiting, Joey heard a low whistle come from the blonde. “Damn, girl,” she remarked, “you planning on sending this man to his grave?” 

The girls both giggled and Joey looked down at her outfit. She didn’t seem to think she was that dressed up, but a pair of skin tight white ankle jeans, a low cut beige wrap blouse that showed off her ample cleavage and a bit of her midsection, finished with a pair of heels obviously was doing her lots of favors. 

She smiled at the thought and peered back up at her friend, tucking some hair behind her ear. “Guess we should go get this party started, huh?” 

•

Her anxiety only escalated the closer they got to Niall’s place. Her hands slowly rolled into tight fists in her lap as she stared out of the passenger side window of Alexis’ car. Her heart was pounding, like an annoying uneven beat of a drum in the back of her ears, as a dryness crept to the back of her throat. Joey nibbled at her lips, any trace of her lipstick long gone by the time they had pulled up to the front gate. There were at least two dozen cars parked along the main road, Alexis managing to squeeze her Toyota Corolla next to an old tree. Taking in a settling breath, the two friends climbed out of the car and started to make their way up the street to his house. 

By the time they stepped into his kitchen, there were already at least forty other people spread throughout his house and outside, drinking and chatting and laughing. Music was blasting through the integrated speakers, Niall had his large patio doors swung all the way open onto his pool terrace and down by his grill and picnic area which was all perfectly aglow by hanging lights. There was wine, beer and liquor arranged along his kitchen table and the two young women had just shuffled over to help themselves to a beverage, when Niall walked up. 

Joey didn’t even have to look up to know he was right beside her. She could sense him, and even though he wasn’t standing super close, she could feel the heat radiating from his body and the burn of his eyes on her, and the distinct scent of his skin. The air stuck thick to the back of her throat, trapping any kind of ability to function normally with it, as she slowly looked over at him. 

“Hey, Jo,” he said, a sweet smile tugging at his lips. She hadn’t heard his voice in two months, but the low gritty baritone slid like warm caramel over her ears and made her knees just as weak as ever. 

Joey breathed out a smile in return, lowering her stare for a moment as she nervously reached behind her neck to sweep her red hair over her one shoulder. It was Niall’s turn for his knees to go weak. “Hi, Niall,” Joey replied, glancing back at him.

“It’s been awhile,” he went on, clearing his throat as he dragged his stare down the length of Joey’s body. “You look...really good.” 

She scraped her teeth across her bottom lip. “So do you.” His gaze was intoxicating, searing like lava into hers the longer they stood there, still and wordless. They just stared. Soaking each other in, relishing in the silent scorching heat that wafted between them, not sure what to say or what to do next. Alexis had grabbed a beer, quietly sipping on it as she stood off to the side of them and curiously darted her eyes back and forth between the two. Then Lila stepped up. 

Swallowing hard as her stare shifted over to the blonde that was slipping her hand into Niall’s, Joey shook herself out of the trance she had succumbed to. “This is my best friend, Alexis, by the way,” she said, introducing her friend to Niall. 

Niall looked over at Alexis and promptly stuck out his hand for her to shake. “Sick! I’ve heard a lot about ya,” he stated, “glad you could come.” 

“I’ve heard a lot about you, too,” she replied with a smirk. 

Niall pointed a finger at Lila. “Eh, this is my, uh...this is Lila.” 

“Yeah,” Joey spoke up, “we’ve met.” 

Lila nodded her head. “Yeah, we have.” The girl turned her attention to Niall, holding his hand in both of hers as she gently pulled on his arm. “Can you get me a drink, babe?” 

“Sure,” Niall replied, tugging his hand away from her grasp as he stepped just past Joey and grabbed a stemmed glass from the table, pouring his girlfriend a drink. “Would you guys like a drink?” 

Alexis held up her beer bottle and Niall glanced at Joey over his shoulder. She shook her head. “I’m okay for now, thanks,” she mumbled. 

“Alright,” he said to Joey, stepping back over to hand Lila her glass of wine. “Well, there's plenty of stuff to drink as ya can see, and tons of food, we’re grilin’ out and shit so...please just have fun. Enjoy yourselves.” 

Joey nodded lightly, giving him a soft smile. Niall reached out and gently rubbed over her upper arm. “It was good to see ya, Jo,” he went on softly, “I’m glad ya came.” 

“Me too.” 

Niall licked over his lips and stuffed his hands down into his shorts pockets, Lila whispering a whiny ‘babe, let’s go outside’ as she clutched his bicep and proceeded to pull him away. 

The two friends watched as the blonde led Niall out to the open terrace, forcing him to engage in conversation with a small group of people. “Well, she's an insufferable bitch,” Alexis scoffed, taking a sip of her beer. 

Joey pushed a shaky breath past her lips, and rolled her eyes as she twisted her head to the side, glancing at her friend. “I don’t know if I can do this,” she whispered. 

Swinging her arm up around her friend's shoulders, Alexis leaned in slightly. “Just don’t let either of them see that it’s getting to you,” she said, her voice low as she held her beer bottle close to her lips, “let’s just…forget about them, get some drinks and have fun being in this big ass house with all these people who are way cooler than us.” 

Joey chuckled, dropping her head in her hand for a moment. “You’re right,” she admitted, looking back over at the blonde who took another big swig of her beer, “let’s get wasted.” 

“That’s my girl!” Alexis cooed, tugging her friend over towards the table full of alcohol.

•

After a couple of hours, and about three drinks in, mostly everyone had moved out onto the picnic patio area. Niall had hired a chef to grill and prepare a plethora of foods, while all the guests hung out and drank and had a good time. Joey tried to keep her mind open, she had tried to keep her eyes off of Niall and Lila but as the night drew on, it got harder and harder to ignore them. Alexis had taken off somewhere to converse with some partygoers, leaving Joey standing alone near the sliding doors and taking small sips of her expertly made margarita as her eyes stayed glued to the couple. Niall was sitting at the end of the cushioned bench of his huge patio table, his head tipping back in his loud but infectious laugh with a smile swept over his entire face as Lila sat perched happily in his lap. 

Joey couldn’t help herself but to stare, wondering and wishing, the knot in her tummy clamping tighter every time Lila leaned in and brought Niall into a kiss. She watched as his big hand gripped around her hip, holding onto her so she wouldn’t fall, and by the fifth time Lila had her arms tangled around his neck, her tongue slipping past his lips, Joey just couldn’t deal with it anymore. The jealous heat had found its way to her cheeks, a sick feeling bubbling up from her stomach and she pushed out a groan, stomping her way inside. 

Niall had heard her. Niall had seen her. He had peeked up at the red headed girl that was standing by herself near his sliding glass doors, more than once while he had been sitting there uncomfortably engaged with the girl in his lap. He could feel the undeniable tension in her gaze, the slight scowl that was sitting on her pretty face as her stare stayed focused on him and it wasn’t until he opened his eyes, Lila’s lips still pressed firmly to his, that he saw her storm off inside his house. 

Excusing himself and leaving Lila sitting at the table, Niall made his way inside in search of Joey. She had found her way into the main living room, the only room that was quiet and a bit further off from the bustle of the party. Her eyes had eased closed as she frantically paced in front of the massive open windows by the end of his grand piano. She was trying to settle her breaths, trying to fight off the urge to want to vomit but also break down in tears and she was so overwhelmed and fixated on the thoughts whipping around in her mind that she didn’t even hear Niall walk in. 

“Jo...what’s wrong?” 

The sound of his voice ripped her from the jumbled mess inside her head and her feet halted on the wood floor. Looking over at him, she saw the concern written across his face. His brows pulled in, his lips parted slightly. He was standing but ten feet away from her, but it felt like he was so close that she couldn’t properly breathe. But there was no way Joey was about to tell him anything that she was feeling. “Nothing,” she blurted out, shaking her head as she began to pace again, “nothing, I’m perfectly fine.” 

Niall chuckled. A more nervous reaction than not. “You don’t seem perfectly fine.” 

Joey felt a piercing anger start to over take the misery. “Really, Niall?” she shouted, her feet once again coming to a stop as she darted her stare with his. “How would you even know how I seem? I haven’t even spoken to you in over two damn months.” 

Niall was taken aback by her outburst, his face scrunching up at her words. “And whose fuckin’ fault is that?” he snapped back. 

“Excuse me?” 

“Give me a fuckin’ break, Jo, I have tried to call ya, to text ya, to fucking see ya and hang out and I got nothin’ back,” he told her, holding his palms up as he spoke. “You’ve been the one ignorin’ me every single time I’ve tried.” 

“No, I haven’t.” She lied. 

Niall rolled his eyes. “Seriously, Jo? Jesus, I had to practically force ya to come tonight, to me own wrap party. I’m surprised ya even showed up at all.” 

Joey crossed her arms over her chest in a huff. “As if it even matters that I came…” 

“It does fuckin’ matter!” Niall yelled, his voice rising louder than Joey had ever heard from him. She lifted her eyes back to his, watching as he shook his head in disbelief at her. “This is a big deal for me, Jo and I wanted ya to be here, okay? I wanted to celebrate with ya.” 

Joey flicked her eyes away from his, turning her head to rest her chin on the round of her shoulder. “You don’t need me here, Niall,” she said quietly. 

Furrowing his brow, Niall pushed out a sigh. “What would ya say that?” 

“Because you have Lila.” 

“What?” Niall said, bowing his head to rake his fingers through his dark hair. His mind was reeling, any words that came to his head were instantly stuck on the tip of his tongue. “What-...what does Lila have to do with anythin’?” 

Turning her face back to his, Joey caught his stare. Her brown eyes dragged over the gorgeous blue of his, and she stood silent, her jaw twisting as she pulled in a heavy breath. “Jo…” Niall desperately urged, his voice straining his throat and his brows raising as she remained quiet, “what the fuck does Lila have to do with us?” 

“Nothing,” she finally said, fluttering back the wetness that was forcing its way to the brims of her eyes, “she has absolutely nothing to do with us.” 

Her words spit out harsh, like rusty barbed wire cutting through exposed flesh and Niall was left stunned, his mouth hanging agape and his head ready to explode with confusion as Joey rushed past him and right out of his front door. 

•

What in the hell was she thinking? 

Alexis, who had caught the very last of their little argument, along with nearly everyone else at the party, ran after her friend, trying her very best to calm Joey down as they hopped into the car and drove back to Joey’s apartment. Dropping her off, Alexis was willing to stay with Joey, to talk or just hang out so she wouldn’t be alone, but the young woman told her good friend that she was okay, she just needed to be by herself that night. The past three months had been one humiliating disaster after another, and at that point, she didn’t even want to think about it anymore. Curling up in her bed with her little sidekick and a crappy tv show playing in the background to drown out the busy noises in her head, was all that she wanted. 

An hour after Joey had changed into a pair of tiny cotton shorts and an oversized worn sweatshirt, she had settled down in her mound of cozy blankets with Sadie. She had dimmed all the lights and was flipping through the tv stations to find anything decent with just the flickering white glow of the screen glinting across her bedroom walls. A faint knocking sound made Sadie’s ears perk up, alerting Joey who, at first, brushed it off and assumed it was something on the tv that made the little dog react that way. But then there was another louder knock that made both of their heads turn towards Joey’s open bedroom door. 

Creasing her brows, the redhead clambered out of her bed in an annoyed groan, Sadie right at her heels already barking as they both shuffled into the main living area over to the front door. She slowly eased it open, half expecting the person on the other side to be Aleixs coming back by to lovingly force company upon her, but it wasn’t. 

It was Niall.

Her eyes met his, and for a moment she found it hard to breathe, hard to pull herself away, but then she remembered how upset she was, that she was hurt and mad at him. Mad at herself. He didn’t say a word, and Joey just watched as his heavy lidded stare dropped to the ground at their feet. His back swelled beneath his linen shirt as he pulled in a long breath, and for some reason it irritated Joey and she pushed out another groan, cocking a hip out. “What do you want?” she snipped. 

Niall glanced up at her, his brows wrinkling slightly at her tone as he licked across his lips. “I wanna talk.”

“There’s nothing to talk about, Niall.” 

It was Niall’s turn to get irritated. “That’s some bullshit right there, Jo, and ya know it,” he grumbled, darting his stare over hers. The red haired girl rolled her eyes in haste and spun around, shuffling further into her apartment. Niall took the invitation and followed her inside, easing the door closed behind him. Sadie was already at his feet begging for a pet and Niall glanced down at the precocious little dog for a split second before he trailed after Joey into her semi-dark living room, only illuminated by a small lamp in the corner. “Why did ya have a go at me like that? And then storm outta me house all pissed off?” 

Joey crossed her arms over her chest, peering down at her toes to watch as she curled them into the fibers of her living room carpet. “I don’t wanna talk about it,” she quietly detested. 

“I wanna talk about it, Jo.” 

The frustration and pettiness was boiling inside her and it was as if she would implode at any second. She just didn’t see the point in having this conversation with him, it wouldn’t change anything. But she gave in. Because it was Niall, she gave in. And she was not happy about it. “Fine!” she fumed between slightly gritted teeth. “You wanna talk about it? Then tell me, why did you send me those flowers?” 

Niall questioningly peered at her out of the corners of his eyes, his hands perching on his hips. “What?” 

“The flowers, Niall,” Joey repeated, darting her light eyes over his, “like...two and a half months ago, you sent me flowers while you were in London.”

Niall’s face softened as he realized what she was referring to and he let out a long sigh, reaching up to comb his fingers through his hair. “I...I dunno,” he stuttered out, catching Joey’s stare again. “I was tryin’ to be nice. You’d just gone through hell with that fuckin’ idiot and I didnt like the thought of you feelin’...alone or-...or sad or whatever.” 

“So they were pity flowers...” Joey scoffed, turning her head slightly to coax her eyes on anything but his. She fought to keep her chin steady as she chewed on her bottom lip. 

“No,” Niall quickly argued, “no, I was tryin’ to show ya I was thinkin’ about you. That I-...I care.” 

Glancing back over at him, Joey pursed her lips tight. “That you care…,” she mumbled with a shrug, “right, okay.” 

Niall shook his head as he struggled to comprehend anything that was happening. He could tell that Joey was obviously upset with him, but he still had no clue as to why she was so upset. Taking a small step towards her, Joey averted her stare but Niall kept his eyes on her, his brows lightly wrinkling. “Now I’m really fuckin’ lost, Jo,” he said, his voice noticeably softer, “why are ya askin’ me about the flowers?” Joey remained quiet, lowering her head as she clamped her arms tighter across her chest. “Jo…” Niall went on, raising his brows at her demeanor, “why did you think I sent the flowers?” 

Joey glanced up at Niall for a split second, enough to cause a rush of emotions to crash through her entire body before she eased her eyes closed and sunk her teeth down into her bottom lip. Really it was the only thing she could do to hold in the words that were sitting like a ticking time bomb on the tip of her tongue. She knew exactly why she thought he sent the flowers, she knew exactly what she wanted–needed–to say to Niall, and she struggled with wanting to let all the words flow like a burst dam that had been holding on with just a tiny crack in its foundation, or swallow it back down and keep it to herself forever. She wasn’t sure how he would react to any of it, and that was her fear, and what was holding her back. 

Niall took another tiny step closer, the blue in his eyes becoming darker and filled with more perplexity the longer he stared at her. He swallowed hard. “Jo…”

“Because!” Joey snapped, finally meeting his gaze again as she held out her hands to him, “ ‘cause...I thought you liked me, okay?” 

The words tumbled off her tongue like a slippery stone that you couldn’t get your grasp on, no way to control it and Joey’s eyes went big, her mouth hanging open as her outburst hung idly in the silent air between them. Her chest was heaving, her breaths so quick she had started to feel lightheaded and all she could do was dart her eyes over Niall’s as she forced herself to choke out the rest of what she needed to say. “And...and that day, the day that I stopped by your house and was going to tell you something?” she paused, looking for the change in Niall’s expression that confirmed to her that he remembered. “You were...you were there with her, this...perfect blonde gorgeous model who was fucking all over you, and of course I end up being the complete idiot that was going to run over there and confess all my feelings to you and pour my heart out like you would even care in the slightest–”

“...wait–”

“...but no, I’m just that big of a fucking dumbass to think you could ever have those kinds of feelings about me.”

Joey pushed out a long breath upon finishing her rant and she half expected Niall to start laughing, or even to say that she was being ridiculous and walk out. But he didn’t. Niall, instead, just stood there facing Joey, his eyes dragging over her features with his jaw hanging open as her words floated breezily through his ears like a lost melody he had been dying to hear his whole life. His heart was pounding in his chest and his knees nearly buckled under him as he tried to regain his sense of what had just flown out of her mouth. “Jo…” he whispered, his tongue shakily running across his lips, “you...had feelings for me?”

Joey rolled her eyes, a low breath hissing past her lips. “Niall, why do you think I’ve spent the last two months trying to avoid you?” she told him, furrowing her brow. “Because every time I see you, I see you with her and it fucking kills me, I just...I can’t do it. And I tried tonight, okay, I tried for you ‘cause I miss you and I really wanted to be there for you and I thought I’d be alright,...but...seeing her all over you, I–” Her voice waned as her words cut short and Joey peeked down at the floor as she carded her fingers through her red hair and swept it over her one shoulder. 

Niall fell quiet again, his stare searching over her face, bathing himself in each beautiful little nuance of her that he could. But then it hit him, like a ton of bricks it hit him. Why she was so upset, why she had run off, why they were having that very conversation at that very moment and an alleviation instantly poured over him. “...you still have feelings for me.” 

“Niall, even if I did,” Joey paused and shook her head, watching as she nervously picked at the edge of her fingernail. “What would it even matter?”

“It does matter.” 

Joey shot her stare up to his, her head tipping to the side. “Why? Why would it matter if I still have feelings for you?”

A gentle smile tugged at the one corner of his mouth. “ ‘cause I still have feelings for you.” 

Her heart stopped. Her chest tightening as her lungs twisted like rope around her breaths and it was all Joey could do but keep herself from succumbing to the dizziness that was filling her head. “What?” she sputtered, her brows folding in. 

Niall pressed his eyes closed for a moment, taking a few steps closer to the girl standing before him. Gathering the words he wanted to say, he stuffed down the nerves that were raging through his body and finally peered back up at her, trapped by the sparkling light in her eyes. “Joey, I’ve had feelings for you since the first night we met. The second I laid eyes on ya...Jesus Christ,” Niall paused, rubbing over the back of his neck before he continued, “but I never thought ya saw me that way. You were always goin’ on all these dates, and even that night that I stayed over here with ya after your break up...you just kept tellin’ me how you felt so lucky to have me as a friend...and it broke me, Jo.” Niall swallowed hard, shaking his head slightly as he glanced down at the floor. “I knew after that, that I didn’t stand a chance to be with ya and it’s why I left. I couldn’t be where you were. I had to get away.” 

Joey let her stare slide over Niall, every heartstring tugging inside her the longer she immersed herself in his words. “I-...Niall, I don’t even know what to say,” Joey finally spoke up, “this whole time you’ve had feelings for me and I’ve been...going on and on about my stupid love life and other guys with you...why didn’t you say anything?”

“What was I gonna say, Jo?” Niall faintly chuckled, darting his eyes with hers, “I knew how you felt, or at least I thought I did, so I just...dealt with it ‘cause it was better bein’ your friend than nothin’ at all.” 

Joey dropped her shoulders, bringing her fingernail up to her mouth as she peered down at Sadie, who was curled up on the couch behind Niall fast asleep. There were a million different thoughts crashing through her head, a million different feelings and just when she had decided that it was time to get over Niall, to move on and leave that part of her life behind...he was standing in front of her confessing the very same feelings that she had for him. It was startling, electrifying, overwhelming and frightening, all at once. Her heart was going wild in her chest, swelling with each tiny breath that left her lungs and she peeked up at Niall and a single, excruciating realization swiped all of it away. “But...you’re with her. You have a girlfriend.” 

Niall sighed, lowering his head as Joey kept her stare glued to him. “Niall, do you know how fucked up I’ve been these last couple months watching you with her?” she softly confided, “I can’t even breathe when I’m around you…”

“Yeh, I do know,” Niall quipped with a brashness, his eyes rising up to look at her as he cocked his head back slightly. “I felt the exact same way, watchin’ ya go out with all those guys who weren’t even worthy of bein’ with ya.” 

Joey pulled her face in. “So...what, you’re just dating Lila to be vindictive?”

“No! Jesus fuckin’ Christ…” Niall rolled his eyes as he ran his hand over his forehead in a sigh. “I was tryin’ to move on.” 

“Move on from what? We weren’t even together.” 

“From you, Jo, from my feelings for ya,” Niall paused, shaking his head as he held his palm to the front of his chest, “I didn’t date Lila to hurt ya or make ya jealous, I swear. I didn’t know ya felt that way about me.”

Joey bit at her bottom lip. “I didn’t know you felt that way about me.” 

Stuffing his hands down into the front pockets of his shorts, Niall’s shoulders bounced in a light chuckle. “Well, love, we proper fucked that up, didn’t we?” 

She pushed out a faint giggle, shaking her head as she reached up to tuck some hair behind her ear. A soft quiet had fallen between them, Joey bringing her stare up to Niall’s. “So...what now?” she then asked him. 

“Um...dunno really, though, I guess it’d be a good time to tell ya that I broke up with Lila,” Niall told her. 

Joey’s brows pulled in. “What?” she questioned. “Wait-...when did you break up with her?”

“After ya left me house.” 

Her hazelnut eyes darted over his, and Joey almost couldn’t believe what he was telling her. It seemed a little too good to be true. “You broke up with her after I stormed out of your house? Today? Why would you do that?” 

Niall gave her a shrug. “ ‘Cause I knew in that moment, after seein’ how upset you were, that I had to tell ya how I felt.” He paused, licking across his lips as he pulled in a deep breath. “There was somethin’ in your eyes when ya looked at me, Jo. Somethin’ inside me just...I dunno. But I knew I was done pretendin’ that I didn’t feel nothin’ for ya. That what we have between us could be real, whether ya felt the same way or not.” 

Joey felt a warmth pulse to the top of her skin, curling in her belly and whipping through her veins. Her stare flitted over his, almost helplessly as she fought off the smile that was trying to break across her mouth. “It was the way I looked at you?” 

“It’s always the way ya look at me,” Niall said softly. “It makes me heart stop dead in me chest. You said before that ya can’t breathe when you’re around me? I can’t breathe when I’m around ya either…” 

Joey bowed her head down, a sweet smile spreading over her lips and a ruddiness punching to her cheeks as the heat swam through her body. Niall caught a hint of her expression and it made the same befall him. He couldn’t help himself; this girl, this beautifully exquisite, smart and captivating girl in front of him, made something inside him come alive. It made him want to burst at the seams and never be whole again without her. His blue eyes fawned over the long strands of her red hair that fell down the side of her face, to the soft slope of her neck and with his heart practically thumping out his chest, he wanted nothing more than to wrap her in his arms and never let her go. 

Easing in a breath, Joey caught his stare once more. “What’d you tell Lila?” she asked him, her curiosity taking over. 

“I just told her it wasn’t workin’ out,” Niall admitted with a shrug.

“Did she believe you?”

Niall shook his head. “I don't think so. She heard us fightin’, so I think she knew the real reason I was breakin’ up with her.”

Crossing her arms over her chest, Joey tipped her head to the side. “And what reason is that?”

“You.” 

She lightly rolled her eyes in a tiny smile, the flutters in her tummy going wild. Niall smirked at her playfulness, overwhelmed by how damn cute she was and he slowly shuffled closer to her. Joey’s chin tipped up to meet his stare as Niall stood right in front of her. “I really like ya, Jo,” he breathed out, reaching up and using his fingers to delicately brush her hair away from the side of her face. “And I know ya really like me too…”

Her heart was racing, her legs nearly turning to Jello the longer they stared at one another and Joey could see the softness in his eyes, feel the heat penetrating from his body as his chest moved fast below the tan-colored buttons of his blue shirt. Her fingernails twisted into the material of her sweatshirt at her inner elbows, anticipating whatever was about to happen next as her eyes darted fast over his. The room was dead silent, burning and swirling around her ears like a tornado of fire and Joey tried to catch a decent breath, but all she wanted was one thing. One simple thing. 

With her stare slowly moving down his features, over the prominent tip of his nose and the dusty shade of his grown-in beard, it settled on the one place that she had been dreaming of. His lips. Joey’s eyes fluttered and she anxiously shifted on her bare feet as she bit down on her bottom lip. “Niall?” she barely choked out. 

“Yeah?” 

His touch had fallen from her skin by then, his hands hanging down by his sides and Joey glanced back up to the darkening pupils of his eyes that were held steady on her. “Can you stop staring at me and just kiss me already?” 

A short chuckle rumbled from his throat and he gave her a smirk. “Yeah, baby, I can do that…” 

Hooking a finger underneath her chin, Niall slowly started to bring her mouth to his. Joey rushed to pull in a breath, her eyes easing closed as she felt Niall’s parted lips gently cradle around her own. With his hand moving from her chin to cup around her jaw, Joey fell into him; her hands pressed to the front of his chest, feeling the banging of his heart against her palms as his mouth slowly moved over hers. 

His lips were soft, smooth and he had a hint of gin on his breath and as his head tipped further, Niall deepening the kiss, Joey felt as if the ground below her was fading away. She was floating, floating up and up, her hands slowly sliding over his shoulders to encircle his neck as his tongue slipped between her parted lips. Fireworks burst unstoppable in her tummy, sparking recklessly from her rising chest to the ends of her bare toes and Joey roughly tangled her fingers up into the back of his dark hair, not even willing to let him go if he tried.

She hummed against his open mouth, Niall tasting the sweetness of her breath on his tongue as he reached up with his other hand and curled it into the thick of her hair. He kissed her harder, not meaning to but not being able to hold back any longer. He wanted her; wanted her soft kisses and her fiery touch, he needed her; every bit of her trembling body and her enrapturing soul. Tiny whimpers edged from her throat, the feel of her fingers gently pulling at the ends of his hair every time his tongue swept over her own with the heat of her body pressed taut to the front of his, it was all more than he could have ever imagined. 

It was only when Niall could feel himself fully reacting to her, that he was forced to pull away, their eyes slowly peeling open. Joey lightly ran her tongue over her lips as she rested her forehead against his to catch her breath, and just a few more heart-stopping moments passed before the young woman had urged him back into a kiss, peppering his lips with hers over and over. 

#niall #niall horan #niall fic #niall fan fic #niall horan fan fic #niall fanfic #niall smut #ou #slowburn #tdg #chap 9 #YALL THIS MIGHT BE THE ONE YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR!!!!!!! #ahhhhhhh #okay pleas pleaseee read and SHARE!!!! #let me know what you think #i love hearing yall's thoughts or yells or whatever lol #enjoy!!

[tineechi]

Kono Oto Tomare Chapter 92 English Summary

Hey! Sorry for the delay. Here's the summary for Kono Oto Tomare Chapter 92.

*Insert all disclaimers about me not being a Japanese native speaker here.*

The chapter starts off with Chika running to go to school very early while remembering Chiharu and Satowa's words from the last chapter.

He arrives in the club room first and starts practicing. After morning practice, Chika is shown to be really sleepy (with his soul leaving his body) and Takezou is surprised when they found out that Chika started today's practice 2 hours earlier. Sane kind of teases him and says that he's an idiot.

Chika tells him to shut up and explains that he remembered something important so he wanted to play the koto earlier/immediately. They ask him "Something important"? Everyone is now listening to him as Chika continues on to say that Baa-chan said before that sound is another form of language/another way to communicate and that his grandfather said that sound resonates/shows the heart. He says that recently he has been thinking a lot about the technical aspects of playing and he forgot about these things. Sane and Kota realize this as well and agrees with him.

Chika thinks to himself that "also...it is not right to forget and remember the important thing constantly..."; with Satowa in the background of the panel, his thoughts continue with "...I have to learn it like second nature." (Not sure about this specific line. Sorry! Native speakers, correct me if I'm wrong. :p)

Takezou thinks to himself that Kudou is amazing. He thinks that Chika, compared to him, always aims to understand things in a  deeper level. He also thinks that he, being the club president, can't lose. He looks more serious and Chika smiles at him.

The scene moves to Hiro and her thinking about what she should do. She thinks that right now the club's atmosphere is really good. She agrees with what Chika has just talked about and she knows that everyone is just positive and looking forward. But she can't help but be worried about Satowa and Chika.

She remembers the scenes in Baa-chan's place and thinks "But that thing happened and that thing happened and Chika went to Satowa's house alone!" She also remembers a scene earlier when Sane asked Chika about what happened yesterday (In Satowa’s house) and Chika answered with "It was great! I learned a lot!”. She feels that these are inadequate information. She continues to be torn about wanting to ask about it and thinking if everyone else is not worried about what had happened. While deep in her thoughts, Satowa calls out to Hiro and asks if she is okay. She asks if Hiro isn't feeling well.

Hiro is touched by her concern and answers with "Sorry. I am okay." while thinking that she can't tell Satowa that she couldn't sleep last night because she was worried about the two of them.

Satowa answers with "If you say so... but please don’t overdo it." Hiro is a bit shocked and remembers when Satowa also said that she won't burden the club anymore. She thinks to herself that maybe Satowa is sorting out her feelings and maybe she shouldn't say anything about this/she should just mind her own business but she remembers Satowa's embarrased and pained expressions. Hiro decides that she doesn't want Satowa to feel those feelings; to feel like her emotions are troublesome/burdensome to the club. T_T

While everyone is going out of the club room, Hiro calls out to Satowa and asks to talk to her. Sane and Kota ask what it is about and if something happened. Hiro tries to explain but is unsure how to tell them. Takezou, understanding that this topic needs privacy, convinces everyone to go because they'll be late for homeroom. (Major brownie points for a sensitive Takezou!!! <3)

Hiro starts off with apologizing for suddenly holding Satowa back but she says that she needs to talk about what happened with Chika. Satowa is obviously taken aback. Hiro tells Satowa that yesterday she said that she won't be a burden to the club anymore. She tries to explain that maybe she was shocked when she was swayed by Chika but Satowa interrupts with "SORRY! I understand. It was really the worst! It was childish and I only thought of myself. I even worried you Hiro-senpai. I'm sorry. But it is okay already".

Hiro takes her hand and shouts out that she thinks that it is good to cherish it. Satowa is astounded and they look at each other seriously while holding hands. T_T

Satowa says "Eh?" and Hiro smiles. Hiro hugs Satowa and says that "Ah. So you were really thinking like that... I understand. I definitely understand". She tells Satowa that everyone is working hard for the club and she also felt like she shouldn't have those kinds of feelings. Satowa is a bit startled and pulls away a little from the hug to look at Hiro's face. She says "Hiro-senpai... you too?" Hiro smiles widely and tells her "But it's a secret, okay?"

She tells Satowa that she is the same. She explains that she fell into self-loathing and wanted to throw away those feelings and emotions. She said that she thought that she had to lose it but Suzuka-chan-sensei found out about it. Satowa reacts with "Eh?!" XD

While smiling widely, Hiro tells Satowa that Suzuka-sensei said "In any case, let's use that power". :D (SUZUKA SENSEI FTW)

Hiro assures Satowa with "If it is you, you can definitely use it as a power for the koto". Satowa is still a bit apprehensive because she remembers the past with her Mom and Akira-sensei (when she used the power of her emotions to play the Koto and she hurt them accidentally). She sadly tells Hiro that she might make a mistake again and someone might get hurt. T_T

Hiro remembers the scene where Satowa misunderstands the reason for Chika trying to avoid touching her and Chika saying that he was trying to avoid touching her because he might want to touch her all the time and that he doesn't want her to feel bad about it. She smiles gently and tells Satowa that Chika and her are very much alike. Again, Satowa is unsure about what Hiro meant. But Hiro thinks to herself that to the both of them, the club is very important (I think it was unwritten in Hiro's internal monologue but she knows that Satowa and Chika like each other but the club is also very important so they hold back.)

Hiro just tells Satowa that "It's okay. Houzuki-chan, you're not alone. Even if Chika's every single move may make you happy, make you sad or may make you angry, those are feelings that won't shake/affect our club (I think she meant affect the club in a negative way; IMHO, people in love can be more expressive in their craft. HEHEHEHE. So pour out all that love in your performance Satowa! XD) . So, be at ease/relax. Houzuki-chan, it is good to cherish your own feelings!"

The bell rings and Hiro says that they should go. Satowa calls out for Hiro-senpai and sincerely tells her "Thank you!". Hiro smiles and tells Satowa to hurry. Satowa remembers Chika's face, thinks about Hiro telling her that it is okay for her to feel that way and that it is good to cherish that feeling and a tear falls from her eyes.

Hiro enters the classroom and apologizes for being late. The teacher says that Kurata already told him that she had to do something for the club. Hiro looks at Takezou and is extremely touched by his gesture while thinking "Kurata..."

She sits on her chair and thinks "Thanks!". Takezou throws a note on her desk that says "Is Houzuki doing okay?" and Hiro shows a thumbs-up. Takezou smiles and throws another note. This one says "Wonderful Vice-president!" and Hiro smiles to herself. (HAHAHAHA. I love these two! This is too wholesome!)

Closing notes say "supporting each other... the Nationals competition is a month and a half away".

-END-

I wonder if next chapter Chika will say something to Satowa when she comes in late into the classroom with teary eyes. :D

#この音とまれ！ #この音とまれ #Kono Oto Tomare #KOT #Kono Oto Tomare! #Chapter 92 #THESE KIDS ARE SO SWEET #WE WANT COUPLESSSS #<3

[ashfangirllisa]

It's Been A Year (Part 2)

Continuing my Galaxy Con experience from my last post, here are some more photos, courtesy of the Galaxy Con website.

After they answered my question, I added one more thing, because I wanted to praise David's portrayal of Scrooge. And I said that I loved his alliteration. ❤

They were sitting pretty far back on stage, and David couldn't hear me that well. The host repeated what I said, and David responded with, "Alliterations. Yes, yes."

Then, he looked at Catherine and said to her, "I don't write it." And she laughed. LOL. XD

The Autograph Session and Photo Ops

The next day, July 27th, was when I actually met David Tennant. I bought a few autographs, and he signed my DuckTales: Destination Adventure DVD and my DuckTales book (Solving Mysteries and Rewriting History). And yes, he remembered me from the Q and A panel. Haha. XD

Later, I went to the Photo Ops area, to get my picture taken with David Tennant. And I didn't know how Photo Ops worked. So I only bought one.

Apparently, they go by super fast, and you only have a few seconds with the celebrity. But I had a very funny exchange with David Tennant during that time. 😂

I said, "Ooh. Can you do a Scrooge pose?". And David said, "A Scrooge pose? I don't know what that is... What is a Scrooge pose?"

I said, "Well, usually, he has his cane with him." And he said, "Yeah, I don't have a cane." So, when they took our picture, David made this hilarious face. XD

And oh my gosh. It's very Scrooge-like!! 😂

Hahahaha. XD

And that's all for now. I hope you guys enjoyed my Photo Op story!!

As for my autographs, I'll be putting photos of my autographs in my next post, because I'll have a lot to talk about. I actually got to chat with David Tennant while he was signing my stuff. And that was great. So, please look forward to my next post. 😄

#scrooge mcduck #david tennant #DuckTales #ducktales 2017 #galaxy con

[makeste]

BnHA Chapter 251: Help I Love a Manga Too Much

Previously on BnHA: Horikoshi answered the age-old question of “can the Todorokis ever be together for more than five minutes without lapsing into a daytime soap opera?” with a resounding “HAHAHAHA.” Fuyumi and Shouto sat down with Kacchan and Deku and told them all about their super-dead brother Touya, whose death -- and you’ll be shocked to hear this -- apparently had something to do with Endeavor. What exactly happened, though, we don’t actually know, because they didn’t tell us, because of course they didn’t. Anyway, so then Fuyu bid everyone farewell and they piled into the Endeavormobile and started to drive away. Except they didn’t get very far, because all of a sudden some guy was like “HEY ENDEAVOR I’VE KIDNAPPED YOUR SON, NATSUO” and Endeavor was like “!!!” and the guy was like “AND I’M GONNA KILL HIM, WHEEEE” and then the chapter ended. Anyway so we all agree this family is cursed, yes?

Today on BnHA: Ending, who really doesn’t have much depth to him beyond continuously screaming “SO ARE YOU GONNA KILL ME ENDEAVOR?? HUH?! COME ON AND DO IT! I FUCKING DARE YOU TO DO IT! COME ONNNNNNN”, keeps on doing that. After about three seconds, the Terror Trio gets bored of sitting around not kicking ass, so they explode out of the car to join in the action. Since they all have impeccable senses of narrative timing, they simultaneously choose this moment to figure out all that shit Endeavor was trying to teach them a few chapters ago, with the end result being that (1) Shouto uses Flashfire, (2) DEKU USES BLACKWHIP YESSSSS, and (3) Katsuki rockets himself at fucking lightspeed to save Natsuo in the nick of time. Then Endeavor wraps Natsu (and Katsuki lmao) in a big ol’ panicked dad hug, which fully destroys me, and the chapter ends! So that was pretty quick, actually, but it sure was intense!

lmao -- what?? -- are you --

ME, TALKING TO A FOREST WITCH: so you’re saying that once I peer into this cauldron, the spell will reveal the thing I love most?

WITCH: yeah basically

ME: [peers, sees this]

WITCH: ...

ME: ... I can explain

[wiping away tears] yep so anyways. that’s my son. that’s my boy. so handsome. and talented

anyways so I guess that answers the question of whether or not the kids are gonna get involved lol. the title presumably refers to the one week of winter break that they had, which was also their time limit to try and beat a villain before Endeavor. GEE I WONDER IF THEY WILL DO IT

so Ending, our friend from last week (who apparently isn’t the “Takami” guy he was monologuing about, so so much for that), says that even under the most extreme circumstances, heroes will never choose to kill someone. and god I am so tempted to say something snarky about real life law enforcement here. but you know what, I’m not even gonna go there because this is supposed to be my happy weekly manga reading time, and lord knows Horikoshi is good enough at fucking that up himself without me adding on to it

anyway, so Ending says that despite that principle, Endeavor chose to kill that Noumu at Fukuoka. so I guess he assumes this means Endeavor just doesn’t give any fucks nowadays and will just kill ANYONE, ANYTIME, WHENEVER! sound, logical deduction there! airtight fucking reasoning

anyway this guy actually sounds seriously depressed though, and yeah this is getting dark real fast you guys

a few people pointed out to me last week that this guy is manipulating the lines painted on the road, and that’s what his quirk is (and it was also pointed out to me that he shot himself up with something akin to Trigger before he got started, so presumably he’s hopped up on those quirk roids at the moment), and now that I know I can see it actually should have been really obvious lol. anyways so yeah, looks like he’s been busy. I’m sure the three buckos strapped into the back seat of this vehicle know when they’re beat, and will use this opportunity to just take a nap or something

honestly, I could have predicted this coming even without that thumbnail lmao

also is anyone else dying at Katsuki being all BOOM!! while Deku and Todo are just “BANG” further back by the car. just a slight difference in intensity, here. it’s subtle but you can spot it if you look real close

anyway if I were Ending, this right here would be the point where I said “OH SHIT” real loudly, and screamed and dropped Natsuo and turned and hightailed it out of there with my road stripes whipping out behind me in the wind like tin cans dangling from the back of a newlywed car

LMAO CHAUFFEUR ARMSTRONG IS ALL “YOU FORGOT THESE!” AND YEETING THEIR COSTUMES OUT AFTER THEM, AND FUCKING LOOK AT THIS SERIES OF PANELS OMG

Endeavor’s face is fucking SENDING ME, man, oh my god. the man has gone FULL SURPRISED PIKACHU, someone help me I can’t breathe dfklsk

AND WHAT ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO DO, CATCH THE BRIEFCASES AND THEN THEY’LL JUST MAGICALLY UNFOLD THEMSELVES OUT OVER THEM LIKE IN IRON MAN 2? actually, scratch that, that’s exactly what should happen. please do this. I promise I won’t even poke fun, I’ll just accept it unconditionally

LOL IT KEEPS GETTING BETTER HOLY SHIT

“911, what’s your emergency?” YES HELLO PLEASE HELP, I LOVE A MANGA TOO MUCH. “ma’am, that’s not a real emerg –”  NO, LISTEN, YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND

Kacchan doesn’t even look back, he just reaches his hand out and knows exactly what Deku is doing without looking, and trusts his aim to be perfect. I’m so fucking weak for this teamwork I fucking sighed in real life you guys, it’s unbelievable

I can’t tell if this is Deku using “Shouto” the hero name, or if it’s now “Shouto” as in his actual name lol. because he’ll keep on using “Kacchan” no matter what, in any and all circumstances, so we can’t even use that to try and gauge lol. but anyway I’m choosing to believe it’s “Shouto” the name because they’ve now graduated to the next level of friendship after that dinner, and after Fuyu clasped his hand in both of her own and was all “I want you to know that I approve of the two of you together with all of my heart” or whatever it was she said, but it was basically that. so anyways yeah after that they’re now on a first name basis. YOU HEAR THAT, SHOUTO?

and then, with these bottom three panels, I know this is supposed to be all “click/bzzz/whrrr/other high tech costume-changing sounds” and it’s supposed to be a near-instantaneous costume change, presumably while still in motion because THEY’RE JUST BADASS BITCHES LIKE THAT, but like. in reality I pictured them all instantly grinding to a halt, and unclicking the locks on the briefcases, and Kacchan just giving his a shake to spill all the contents out haphazardly on the ground, while meanwhile Shouto is much more fastidious and respectful, and kneels on the ground and opens his case with both hands, and Deku is hopping around on one foot trying to drag his gloves on with his teeth while putting on his metal shoe-thingies, and the entire time Ending and Endeavor are just staring at the three of them like, “.....”

so anyway that’s what I choose to believe is actually happening. lastly, you also need to understand that pretty much this entire time, I’ve had the Powerpuff Girls theme playing in my head AT FULL INTENSITY on repeat, including during the part where they stop for five minutes to suit up. so there’s that, too

moving on!

TODOROKI SHOUTO, AFTER STOPPING TO CLICK OPEN HIS BRIEFCASE, RUMMAGING AROUND FOR HIS SHOULDER GUARD THINGS, LOOPING THEM OVER HIS ARMS, PAUSING TO WIPE THE SWEAT OFF HIS FOREHEAD, AND THEN FINALLY STANDING BACK UP: Natsuo!

lmao so anyway, now Endeavor is fully engaged in the fight once again, and thinking that Ending is “A FOOL” for letting himself get temporarily distracted by the interns’ shenanigans. but like. is he, though? seeing as he’s flat-out admitted to you that he wants to lose this fight? because he wants to die? did you hear that part? like, ??

so now there are some very intense closeups of Endeavor’s eye, and Natsuo’s face, and Endeavor’s feet

intense

(ETA: actually in hindsight of the hug, I fucking love this, because this is the moment where, right after he psychs himself up and is all, “now’s my chance!”, he sees Natsuo’s face and he sees the fear in his eyes, and all of a sudden he’s frozen in place, terrified of making a wrong move when his son’s life is at stake.)

-- oh snap, look who’s getting beaten to the punch!

do you guys remember that season 3 anime filler where Deku somehow beats Iida in a race and everyone just accepts it like that could ever actually possibly happen, like...?? if he can’t even keep up with Kacchan and Shouto, I hardly think he could pose a challenge to the guy who’s basically the Usain Bolt of heroes. but it’s not like that still keeps me up at night or anything. anyway!

so Ending here is giving the Todorokis a run for their money in the drama department, which is really saying something

okay, but what exactly is he supposed to do, then? you’re saying he should focus on killing you to save his son? so what, just like try to fry you and hope he doesn’t also hit Natsu? it seems to me like he has the same chance of success here whether he aims for lethal or nonlethal. so idk but go off I guess dude

oh damn, but in the meantime it looks like Todo is having some sort of badass awakening moment

YESSSSS SHOUTO UNLEASH THE INFERNO

(ETA: so Shouto just burned off his entire uniform, yes? boy you’d better keep that fire going now for modesty’s sake until you figure something out sob.)

lol so anyway I just had a flashback to Shouto’s fight against Tetsu back in chapter 205, and I realized that if Ending really wants to fight someone who absolutely doesn’t give a fuck, and will straight up kill a bitch with his quirk if they test him, then HERE’S YOUR GUY LMAO

now Ending’s saying “because you took your time...” and I have no idea where this is going, but I’ll take this as confirmation that they really did take a time-out for five minutes to gear up

oh damn

friendly reminder that gravity in BnHA tends to follow normal rules, unlike in most shounen manga. but even so, I’m finding myself hard-pressed to be concerned considering Kacchan and Deku are on the job. you’re gonna have to do better than that Ending my dude

wow is he shoving Natsu right into oncoming traffic?!

where the fuck did all these fucking cars come from out of nowhere like this?? the highway was like empty two minutes ago, geez

anyways now we’re seeing another “condense it!” panel, and is this one Bakugou??

I mean it looks like his gauntlet there, and I’m pretty sure Shouto was wearing sneakers in the panel earlier, and those obviously aren’t Deku’s shoes, so...!

YEPPPPPPPP

listen you judgey forest witch, I don’t need to justify myself to you, okay?? just!! I LOVE HIM END OF STORY

(ETA: and hey can we also just stop for a second and talk about how insanely fucking fast that was, though?? and Kacchan was fast to begin with -- remember how quickly he saved Jirou during the joint training arc. anyway so he’s basically moving at teleportation speeds now, and I’m here for it, and also terrified that he’s going to blow his fucking arms off at some point because holy fuck though.

also, once again I would like to express my gratitude for Horikoshi for once again giving Katsuki the big rescue moment, rather than having him go immediately for the bad guy. this is such an important thing to show. he’s really giving his all towards this “saving people” thing and trying his hardest and I’m so proud.)

and now it’s Deku’s turn to get to work!

that guy gripping his steering wheel for dear life has the most perfect expression I’ve ever seen, like that’s exactly the face I would be making in that situation. this chapter has had so many great facial expressions overall. I feel spoiled

[LUNGES TOWARD THE SCREEN IN ANTICIPATION!!] MOTHERFUCKER, ARE WE ABOUT TO SEE SOME BLOOP ALL UP IN THESE PAGES!?! PLEASE!!!!?

I FUCKING CAN’T WITH THIS BUILDUP?? THIS IS PAGE ELEVEN OF THE CHAPTER, AND I JUST KNOW WE’RE ABOUT TO END IT WITH A TWO-PAGE SPREAD ON THE NEXT PAGE. THIS HYPE IS TOO MUCH, I’M GONNA LOSE IT

OH SNAP NO IT WAS JUST A SINGLE PAGE!!

THE TRIUMPHANT RETURN OF BLACKWHIP YESSSSSS

lmao Ending looks so fucking shocked at being completely taken apart by these three kids with basically no effort. and I see that ice creeping up around him. oh, son. you tried

and then the last page is -- oh

I mean, Deku and Shouto being complete badasses (ETA: and I so wasn’t kidding when I said that Shouto will straight up murder a bitch omg), but then

aaaaand there goes my heart. hey would it kill you to give me a heads up before you just go and STUFF IT FULL OF FEELS like that?? like

just. Endeavor just ran up and gathered him up in his arms, and he’s holding him with this desperation that we’ve never seen from him before, and just... wow. it’s completely disarming and I’m almost at a loss for a coherent response. meanwhile poor Katsuki nearly got wrapped up in it as well due to proximity, but it’s not like it’ll hurt him to see this moment up close. I still have another essay I’m working on for you, you little honey badger

(ETA: on closer inspection it seems like poor honey badger actually has been fully included in the hug lmao. and at first I was thinking it was just the proximity as I said above, but you know what? if some punk kid flew in out of nowhere and saved my child’s life, you can bet I’d be wrapping them up in a bear hug too. so maybe it’s just the dad emotions getting the better of him. either way Katsuki you just gotta put up with it!)

anyways don’t mind me, I’m just sitting here thinking about how Endeavor has already lost a child (and yes I know, but like I said last week, I genuinely believe it was a tragic accident. to me that makes infinitely more sense than all of the darker/more sinister explanations. but anyways we’ll see eventually), and his family has been in shambles for so long and he’s been estranged from all of them (for good reason), and I think he finally even is coming to terms with that, and the fact that it may always be this way for him because of what he’s done. but to then almost have a second child taken from him, right before his eyes, and knowing that once again it would have been his fault, was apparently more than he could handle

and then, just the fact that he reacted in this of all ways. by openly showing tenderness and emotion, without even thinking about it, because he was so shaken up by the whole thing. this from Todoroki Enji, the most stoic, impassive, closed-off motherfucker to ever walk the earth! like, even after he clearly established that he was on the redemption path, he still never showed this kind of vulnerability. we’ve had a window or two into his thoughts and reflections, so we know he’s been experiencing remorse, and we could see it also during some of the quieter moments like him thanking Fuyumi or kneeling at the shrine for Touya. but I will tell you that I never for a moment could have imagined a scene like this. and I know it’s probably going to make some people angry because they feel like he hasn’t “earned” it or whatever. but I’ll be fully honest, at this point I’m kind of over feeling like I have to put a disclaimer every week explaining that yes, I like the Endeavor redemption arc lol. just, yeah. I like it. and anyway, so this was feels all over the damn place. fuck

(ETA: and I feel it’s worth adding here that even though Endeavor didn’t do anything to save Natsuo himself directly, it’s his guidance that enabled those three padawans to reach the next level so quickly. so in a way he did save his son: by finally moving past his self-centered mentality and taking these three kids under his wing and helping them grow. this wasn’t a victory he could have pulled off alone. but because he finally learned to see past himself, they were able to win the day and save Natsu.)

anyway, so now that all this has happened, I’m curious as to whether this is the end of this little arc! if so it’s much shorter than I expected. though obviously their internship is going to continue even after they head back to school, so it’s not like the action is just gonna come screeching to a halt. but maybe we’ll take a little break after this to catch up with the rest of 1-A, and maybe follow up with All Might to see who the great-great-grandfather of One for All is, oh snap

AND MAYBE A CERTAIN SOMEONE CAN HIT US UP WITH HIS THOUGHTS AND REFLECTIONS ON WHAT HE LEARNED DURING THIS WINTER BREAK, AND WHETHER OR NOT HE TOOK AWAY ANYTHING FROM THIS THAT MIGHT STEER HIM A BIT MORE TOWARDS HIS NEW HERO NAME. THAT WOULD BE SPLENDID. JUST PUTTING THAT OUT THERE

and having said that, I don’t really have a clean way of ending this recap this week lol so just. uh. I liked it a lot, thank you, good night

#bnha 251 #endeavor #todoroki shouto #bakugou katsuki #midoriya izuku #todoroki natsuo #bnha #boku no hero academia #bnha spoilers #mha spoilers #makeste reads bnha #kacchan's day just keeps on getting more awkward #it's really something #first the dinner #then the drama #then the 'thanks for being shouto's friend' and he was RIGHT THERE but whatever #then the car #and then this. *hug*. omg #the single most undignified thing that has ever happened to him #and then when he finally elbows his way out of it gasping for breath #he turns to see todoroki shouto blinking at him in his goddamn birthday suit #free as the day god made him #anyways just end him now please

[wackatoshi]

just my ‘underwater’ thoughts

like I do not know where to begin this fic is 35k of absolute goodness GOD this is one hell of a literary masterpiece...like?!?? it’s engaging in every aspect, the language/tone is absolutely impeccable - there’s this perfect balance between gorgeous and not overwhelming description but maintains a wittiness to it?? which is v central to the reader, or rin’s, personality. i just adore this fic so much like words could really not do it any justice lmao but I will try and condense all my favourite parts into this post <3

chapter 1

“But I can pass for 18, right?”

“No,” he turns to look at the vendors. “You look exactly your age.”

10/10 for smooth flirting, absolutely incredible work ushijima 🙏🏼 AHAHAAHHAAHAHA

MY FAVOURITE OF THE EMAIL CORRESPONDENCES NO JOKE THIS ONE MADE ME LAUGH SO HARD...honestly if I was a journalist in japan I would be exactly the same lmao like  LOOK AT WHAT I ATE TODAY!!!!! IT WAS GREAT!!

THEFRICKFIJF SENDAI STORY WAS THE HIGHLIGHT FOR ME ALRIGHT LIKE WHOOOOOOOPIEEEEE I LOVE A GOOD CHILDHOOD SWEETHEART STORY AND THE WAY THIS ONE WAS DONE WAS PHENOMENAL... HOW THIS STORY BECOMES SUUUCH A THEME THROUGHOUT THE FIC TOO I CANNOT I CANT I JUST CANT DEAL ok

chapter 2

the morning jog is hands down one of my favourite scenes in this entire story...it was just so frickin cute when he stopped at the bridge aisheieusishwi also the sharing of the earbuds AAAAHHHHH GOD that was just. perfect

“You may not be able to keep up.” I LOVE THIS LINE ITS MAYBE ONE OF MY FAVE LINES HE SAYS HEGEHEHE

Sun’s up.

It hits only half of his face as he wears a smile that looks like it’s divorced somewhere between hope and relief.

LISTEN THIS LINE IS SHEER LITERARY EXCELLENCE...the way you can use the visual description of the sun but simultaneously reflect it as something much deeper n emotional?!?!? WOW

“Why didn’t you say anything at dinner?”

“You seemed like you had somewhere to be,” he says.

GODODUEIDHDIDHDUDJDHSJS ITS SO SIMPLE BUT THIS PART AFFECTED ME SOOO MUCH AHAHAAHAHAHAH FRIFK ONLY TWO CHAPTERS IN AND I WAS SIMPING SO HARD FOR THESE TWO SJSJSJSKSJ

“Nah, he’s a model athlete—perfect record, perfect references, perfect everything. His only crime is his grades were abysmal, but does that even matter when you’re a professional athlete?”

ok true but also this part cracked me up coz I’m just thinking about that panel where ushijima and kageyama are like ?!?!?! hinata is on the other side of the earth??? training how to hang on???? LMAOSAOOA DUMBASSES

"I'm happy we met again," he says, looking very solemn, as if he's reading a sermon at a funeral.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAH I LAUGHED SO HARD YOU HAVE NO IDEA I ACTUALLY HAD TO PUT DOWN MY PHONE FOR A SECOND BC THIS WAS JUST WAY TOO ACCURATE

chapter 3

He doesn’t listen to music, doesn’t speak unless spoken to first, and doesn’t budge a muscle even as the train goes 300 kilometers an hour across the track. Inside these walls, the world looks slow, but his face is unchanging—nothing could faze him, not even the world hurtling forth at—ah, that’s not quite right. You’ll have to fuss with that line later.

this part will forever stick with me like wow the tone of this fic was just SUPER unique, I mentioned this in my rant post but I just wanted to bring it up again bc I just adoooreeee the tone here. the whole premise of this fic is that ur a journalist, writing an article about ushijima — and I just love how reader’s POV genuinely feels like her thoughts? the last part “ah, that’s not quite right. You’ll have to fuss with that line later” it JUST MAKES YOU REALLY FEEL LIKE YOURE RIN/READER LIKE IT REALLY IS SOO IMMERSIVE. from this point I was just completely submerged in their world. it’s probably bc that exact line is my thought process 99% of the day, so yeah!!! it hit home HAHA. but i love the tone of it all yeah it’s so fitting for the story :)

You ask him a question--he throws it right back at you. It gives the same impression as playing a very exhausting game of tennis, in which the volleys never end because the questions never end.

FRICK this is brilliant as well I just love the way you compare things...they’re always so apt and relevant ahhhh 😭😭😭😭😭

okay but the whole sequence with Ushijima’s mother WOOOOOOW I felt like I kNOW her. have you seen Crazy Rich Asians??? the Eleanor energy she exudes with her expensive jewellery and pressed pantsuits AHHHH. I love that they developed this sort of mutual respect for each other though, always made me so happy!! I reckon that would’ve just oooft made wakatoshi so much more in love w rin lmao. his mother would def be a tough mother-in-law but rin has the mental strength and also the discernment to deal with it well :D

THENFIRICIFJFJFIRND THE YUKATA AAAAAHHH I SCREAMED I HAD TO PHYSICALLY RESTRAIN MYSELF FROM THROWING MYSELF INTO THE SKY LMAO. do u know how BADLY I want a yukata...i went to Japan three years ago and when I saw all the girls in their yukatas (mostly tourists haha) I just. UGH I wanted that so bad HAHAHAHA

chapter 4

“It’s hideous,” you say. “The fabric’s cheap, design’s trashy—I don’t think it’s more than $20.”

HAHAHAHAHAAH OHHH MAN!!! plausible deniability my ass....also CAN I JST SAY I LOVE GORO SO MUCH OMG

...only realizing then that this is what your morning routine would look like if you and him—‘ah, shit, this is exactly why Goro was worried’

yooooo genuinely this line might have actually had the strongest emotional impact on me bc I felt so NERVOUS hnnngh. my stomach did that weird flutter ?!!! I also had that OH FRICK moment along with rin so yeah op you did ur job 😖

“Contrary to popular belief, I’m pretty good in water."

He blinks, “Why would that be contrary to popular belief?”

“Because—” You look at your twiggy little arms and sigh. No use in dissecting a joke when all the humor is lost upon release. “Never mind. I was just joking.”

He pauses. Nods a little. “What was the joke?"

OMFHHAGAAHAHAHAHAH I CRIED LAUGHING SO MUCH OVER THIS EXCHANGE GOD HE IS SO ENDEARING LMAO BUT RLLY SUCH A BLOCKHEAD SOMETIMES

Ushijima is right. All the world could burn and Murata would stay the same. Grandpa and grandma look exactly how they did the last you saw them—dragging you across the finish line at the train station to say goodbye. It’s hard to believe they’re still playing the same game of shogi with one another, even 15 years later.

ok I keep changing my mind over what my favourite lines are bc THIS made me OH WOW out loud. it made me feel sooo nostalgic!!!! SO NATSUKASHII!!! i don’t know if that’s the right word but I instantly felt at home reading that, it just. THAT RUSH OF COMFORT

“He’s the one I told you about! The one who found me in Sendai.” You practically burst, having held onto this secret for so long while waiting for them to finish their assessment of him. “Grandpa said I probably made it all up because I was bored.”

ok this ENTIRE exchange was just sO CUTE!!!! SO ENDEARING!!!! the whole thing about grandpa not believing her, rin remembering the bet, ITS SO ADORABLE I LOVE THEIR DYNAMICS SIHDISEIISSJ

He studies your outfit—a full-body wetsuit, a pair of goggles on your head, along with a pair of flippers in your hands. “I thought when you said fishing, you meant with a pole,” he goes on...

ok maybe I was just sleep deprived but I FOUND THIS HILARIOUS WHEN I READ IT LMAO IT JSUT READ LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF A COMEDY AHAHAAH. just the whole “gonna go fishing, wanna come?” and him being like “ok” but then the scene just cuts to you, decked out in serious scuba gear, head-to-toe, w ushi just standing there like WTH. IT JSUT MAFE ME LAUGHHHHH

chapter 5

“Or the red thread of marriage,” grandma tacks on.

You resist the urge to bury your face in your half-eaten bowl of rice, “Grandma, please.”

HAHHAHAHAHA YES GRANDMA YES!!!! but seriously this just reminds me of the grandma from mulan- “WOULD YOU LIKE TO STAY FOREVER”

There’s a shadow on dad’s face that’s stemming from the last bastion of sunlight against your back.

another absolutely piece of description right here, and the tone of this fit perfectly with the sobriety of this scene. aghhh this scene hurts so much especially the part “because you were a child, because you didn’t know any better” yeahhhhh ahaa that hit close to home aye

He catches sight of you and immediately turns red.

*clutches heart* HOOO ALEXA PLAY HELPLESS BY PHILIPPA SOO

if any of you, ANY OF YOU, mention thE KiSs to me I will not hesitate to lose all my inhibitions!!!!! DO NOT TALK TO ME ABOUT IT!!!! 😭😭😭😭😭 frickfjeidjdirkfjfjdififj I was such a wreck LORD. also the fireworks thing about seeing it twice like what the hell how is this so goRGEOUS!!!! I want to have a countryside childhood with beautiful places and experiences like this HAHSSJJSSJ

chapter 6

You hop into the space where the doorway should be, “Okaeri nasai.”

He shields his face and blushes.

"Tadaima."

THEYRE. SO. CUTE. STOP. IT!!!!!!!!!! STOP

chapter 7

You don’t have to speak to him,” he'd said—and gee, that’s a strange thing to say about an old friend.

the way I cried laughing lmao you will never know 😂😂😂😭😭😭

TENDOU TENDOU TENDOU TENDOU TENDOU

the whole sequence of him not hearing you BAGSHAHAHA IT WAS SO WEIRDLY IN CHARACTER I CANT I LAUGHED SO HARD I WANT THIS ANIMATED FR 😭😭😭😭

The match starts and you get an essay from Tendo -- even though you specifically asked for the SparkNotes version of the story...

AHSHSKHESISHWISHWJSUSJ I LOVE THIS ITS SO FUNNY ITS SO ACCURATE LIKE IS IT EVEN POSSIBLE FOR TENDOU TO GIVE A SHORT ANSWER LMAOOOO (but I rlly love him he’s so. I love him. he can talk to me all day I would listen to every word 🥺)

Tendo doesn’t budge, that smile sitting pretty on his face, “Meh. Either way, you pressured her—and that’s a pretty shitty thing to do, right?"

Not all men—yes, you’re right, Satori Tendou would NEVER—

Then he peels off his jersey, pulling it over his head until he’s standing half-naked before you. Completely chiseled. Cut like a fucking statue.

“It’s sweaty. Sorry.” He puts it in your hands, taking care to make sure you’re holding it before turning around and leaving.

UNBELIEVABLE. UNBELIEVABLE THE ABSOLUTE AUDACITY OF THIS MAN HOW DARE HE !!!!! HOW DARE HE!!!!!!!!! i choked here like what thefrifiidke

“I…like you.” He meets your gaze. “But it seems like you don’t want me to.”

HI IM CRYING HAAHAHAHAHA BUT COZ SAD NOT HAPPY 😭😭😭😭 + OMG WAKE UP USHIJIMA

There’s something of relief there, but you recognize that look because he’s seeing you like you’re an absolute reprieve from an otherwise painful world filled with unpredictability and chaos.

oh wow....MAAAN I WOULD DIE TO BE LOOKED AT LIKE THIS CMON 😭😭❤️❤️ this is peak romance writing by the way. “absolute reprieve from an otherwise painful world” AAHHHHHHH PLEASE THATS JUST. THATS WHAT I WANT PLS

chapter 8

They say an apartment is supposed to tell a story, but the only story you see is he lives simply, like a monk from the northern temples.

‘Or like a farmer from Murata,’ you muse, leaning in to press a chaste little kiss to his lips.

SO BEAUTIFUL!!!! sOOO gorgeously written kwjdksieisjs. the farmer from murata part made my heart go all warm and soft...like ohhh what could’ve been haha 😭❤️🥺

It’s your turn to pause this time, “…what do you think an IUD is, Wakatoshi-kun?”

LANSUAISHAIAHAIAJSOAJSJAJSNAOAJAOAKJDJSKSMSOSSI AUHAHAHAHAHAUAH THIS IS SO FUNNY WAIT NO I THINK THIBS ISS MY FAVOURITE LINE NONJOKE AUAHAHAHAHAHA

ahhhh FRICK grandpa :(( that made me sad ouchie it’s kinda one of my biggest fears too sonsjsjsjsj and I love him ... but I’m glad he is ok 😭

oh man rin’s mum...woooo that hurt so bad to read oh god. the guilt that would burden you with man I felt that...I felt that coming through from the fic and it just reached out and crushed my heart. agghh geez the pain :(

chapter 9 (the end *cries*)

WOWOWOWWO THE WAY THIS TIES IN WITH CANON OHMYGOD!!!!! I got way too excited over this BAHAHAHA but when iwaizumi walked in man my heart stopped that MAN. but also wakatoshi’s dad being a great wingman :’)

Staring at Ushijima like he’s at his wit’s end before it melts into something smarmy and coy like he's figured out the key to some all-powerful puzzle in the dunes of Egypt.

AHAHAHAAHAHAH THIS IS SO FUNNY AND ACCURATE LMAO. this frickin description is so on point iwaizumi just HAS THAT FACE

“Nice to meet ya too,” he says, grinning. “Man, wait ‘til Oikawa gets a load of this.”

“Who’s Oikawa?”

Ushijima frowns, “No one.”

iwaizumi says 1 thing in this fic and he is already so charming to me BAHAHAHAHAH. ALSO LMAO THE OIKAWA REFERENCE ushijima is like “that is a can of worms we will NOT be opening today”

He looks concerned, but his cheeks are being stretched like mochi so it's a pretty hilarious sight to witness.

CUTECUTECUTECUTECUTECUTE!!!!!!

I genuinely will never get over how good this ending is holy FRICK the airport scene had all my nerves on total edge, my heart RACING—

You clear your throat, hoping to break that reverie of his, "Wakatoshi-kun, how do you--"

He pulls you in and presses a kiss to your cheek.

I SCREAMED I SCREAMED SOOO HARD FROCKKRFIFKKFFIEIDJDIDDI I JUST I CANT IO BF KFONE THIS WAS SO ROMANTIC IMAGINE HIS SOFT EYES ON YOU LIKE UTTERLY TRANSFIXED AND UR TRYING TO BE PROFESSIONAL ON CAMERA EVEN THO UR HEART IS SOARING AND THEN HE KISSES YOU LIKE THAT ON LIVE TV EIDHDKDJDOSJDJEODJEOEIEOEJSJEIEIE THE NOISE I MADE THE NOISE I TELL YOU

the 5 months later scene. I can’t even pick out the lines for this part all of it is perfect and I couldn’t have thought of a better ending it’s so. the house...ushijima happy...rin happy...me....in love and in a puddle of tears in my room, at 3am :’) we r all happy!!!!! LMAO

in conclusion: @wander-lu5t I am indebted to you forever for this fic. it was so beautiful and I am so so so grateful I got to read it. you are such an incredibly gifted story-teller and your grasp of the words!!!!!!! THE WAY YOU PUT WORDS TOGETHER!!!! ugh I absolutely adore you thank you so much 😭😭

#winter rambles #i have no words like i tried to be coherent but #i cant even form a proper sentence lmao #im just #i just need to get it out of my system!!! these feelings!!!!

[f4liveblogarchives]

Fantastic Four Vol 1 #164 & #165

Mon Aug 12 2019 [06:58 PM] Wack'd: Please welcome guest artist and eventual Buckler successor GEORGE PÉREZ! [06:59 PM] maxwellelvis: *Genuine applause* [06:59 PM] Umbramatic: oooooh [07:00 PM] Wack'd: For once, we open with some play-fighting not between Ben and Johnny, but between Ben and Sue [07:00 PM] Wack'd: Who, as it turns out, has developed the capability to make her force fields completely unmovable [07:00 PM] Wack'd: Ben gives it his best shot and then bounces right off [07:00 PM] maxwellelvis: I was wondering when she'd develop the invisible walls thing. [07:01 PM] Umbramatic: oooooh [07:01 PM] Wack'd: Pérez is continuing the idea that Sue's powers emanate from her forehead

[07:02 PM] maxwellelvis: Wow you can instantly see the difference George Pérez brings. [07:02 PM] maxwellelvis: Dat implied hair movement [07:02 PM] Umbramatic: FOREHEAD [07:02 PM] Wack'd: No, Sue just has a little tassle now [07:03 PM] maxwellelvis: Ahh [07:03 PM] maxwellelvis: But yeah, I can see why he'd become one of the most beloved artists for Wonder Woman. [07:03 PM] Wack'd:

[07:05 PM] Wack'd: Lotta things to talk about this next panel-- 1. Oh my god Alicia's new haircut is hideous 2. Franklin is *way* too old for baby talk and also those dimples are horrifying 3. "God-child" is a good pun 4. BEN CAN *CHIP?!?*

[07:06 PM] Umbramatic: sure is a chip off the ol ben huh [07:08 PM] Wack'd: WHAT EVEN IS THIS OUTFIT

[07:08 PM] InbarFink: Bad Cowboy [07:08 PM] maxwellelvis: Did Johnny mug Elton John on the way to the Building or something? [07:09 PM] Umbramatic: MY EYES!!! [07:10 PM] Wack'd: So apparently Johnny and Valeria aren't going steady, nor are they exclusive

[07:10 PM] maxwellelvis: Hey hey, it's Frankie Raye! [07:10 PM] Umbramatic: nice hair and earrrings [07:10 PM] Wack'd: Red hair...purple shirt...you can kinda see how Johnny eventually ended up dating Medusa [07:11 PM] Wack'd: He has a Type [07:11 PM] maxwellelvis: Only difference is, Frankie doesn't have superpowers. [07:11 PM] Wack'd: Okay so I will need to remember this person [07:12 PM] maxwellelvis: Yes you will [07:12 PM] Wack'd: She's a UN translator, apparently. Neat [07:13 PM] Wack'd: So Johnny and Frankie's date is interrupted by a guy named the Crusader [07:14 PM] Wack'd: Who busts open a building and tries to murder one Calvin McClary [07:15 PM] Wack'd: Crusader has a thing that can render people blind, and so defeats Johnny and murders Calvin [07:16 PM] Umbramatic: F [07:18 PM] Wack'd: I have no idea what effect Pérez and Sinnott are going for here but it sure is distinctive

Mon Aug 12 2019 [07:21 PM] Wack'd: So Mr McClary is miraculously still alive after being hit square in the face with a massive chunk of cement last issue [07:22 PM] Umbramatic: well [07:22 PM] Wack'd: And his wife tells Reed she suspects the Crusader to be a WWII scientist Mr McClary once denied a grant for space research [07:23 PM] Wack'd: Mr McClary is president of a bank, you see [07:23 PM] Wack'd: So over the next week the Crusader starts demolishing all branches of said bank [07:24 PM] Wack'd: And each time the Four are too late [07:24 PM] Wack'd: Also apparently Frankie dumped Johnny because she didn't know he's a superhero [07:26 PM] Wack'd: Anyway Reed has set up a radiation-detector thingy so they can find out where Crusader is within seconds of his arrival [07:26 PM] Wack'd:

Reed: He's in the Bronx! Johnny: Wild! I didn't think anybody went there anymore!

[07:27 PM] Umbramatic: lol [07:27 PM] maxwellelvis: Everybody had to move out to those new homes in New Mexico. [07:27 PM] maxwellelvis: Y'know, after they were all ordered to LEAVE THE BRONX! [07:28 PM] Wack'd: hahahhahahaha [07:28 PM] Wack'd: Anyway Reed decides to stay behind and sends Sue, Johnny, and Ben up ahead [07:28 PM] Wack'd: I'm gonna be completely honest, I'm totally okay with this guy smashing up banks [07:29 PM] Wack'd: I guess it's kind of evil that he doesn't evacuate first [07:29 PM] Wack'd: But also, like...fuck banks [07:30 PM] Wack'd: Hrm. I...don't really remember this being Sue and Johnny's dynamic? But then I don't really remember them having a dynamic, so

[07:31 PM] Wack'd: BACKSTORY TIME [07:32 PM] Wack'd: During WWII Dr Grayson took his infant son to a highly advanced society on Uranus to live free of war [07:33 PM] Wack'd: Grayson Jr occasionally returned to Earth to be a superhero called Marvel Boy [07:33 PM] Wack'd: Who was apparently a real Marvel superhero in the 50s [07:33 PM] Umbramatic: oh huh [07:34 PM] Wack'd: Anyway Grayson Jr needed medical supplies for his dad but was denied a bank loan with which to buy them [07:34 PM] Wack'd: And in the time it took for him to scrounge up the funds himself, a natural disaster occurred on Uranus and destroyed his home and his father with it [07:34 PM] Umbramatic: oh no [07:35 PM] Wack'd: Anyway he was in suspended animation for most of the 50s and 60s thanks to a space accident [07:35 PM] Wack'd: But now is reawakened and ready to take revenge on the banks [07:36 PM] Umbramatic: REVEEEEEEEENGE [07:36 PM] Wack'd: Hahahaha he still talks like he's from a 50s comic

[07:37 PM] Wack'd: Or at least Thomas' ideas of what 50s comics sound like [07:37 PM] Umbramatic: "even doc doom don't talk that corny" [07:38 PM] Wack'd: Anyway turns out Marvel Boy's powers come from the sun so Reed shows up with a smoke machine he invented [07:39 PM] Wack'd: Giving Ben the advantage he needs to finish this [07:40 PM] Wack'd: Anyway, Marvel Boy tries to turn up his solar absorption thingies to maximum [07:40 PM] Wack'd: But the smoke clears up, he absorbs too much too fast, and is atomized [07:40 PM] Wack'd: Sure [07:42 PM] Wack'd: Also a bank executive gives Ben shit for damage done during the fight so Ben buries him in coins and tells the security guard to leave him suck there til closing [07:42 PM] Wack'd: Thus ends 1975

#1975 #Roy Thomas #George Pérez #The Main Book

[dirgeofcerberus111]

No Home: Chapter 8 - Unfamiliar Faces

Hoo boy, sorry for the wait, this one was a tough one for me to write. Funnily enough, I was almost done with it when Together Alone was released, was a interesting to compare these two. Strange how I usually seem to update after something big happens with the show. 

Hope you enjoy! The next two chapters should hopefully be easier to make. 

<== Previous Chapter | Next Chapter  ==>

Steven continued to walk around aimlessly. It had been a while since he had bidden the gang of Pearls farewell. He had expected something to happen soon after but, nothing had changed yet. “Sure is quiet,” Steven said aloud to no one but himself. "I'm not lost am I?"

Seriously, where WAS everyone? The Pearls may be using the discrete passageways, but you’d think that someone would be using all these giant hallways!

Wait.

Steven stopped in his tracks and lifted his nose up. That was odd. He could smell something. It was familiar...

Rain?

A bright burst of light erupted beside him and before Steven could even react, White Diamond’s massive heel sailed over his head, grazing his hair, and barely missing him before smashing into the wall next to him. The loud crack of thunder shook the halls less than a second later. By then Steven had fallen over in sheer shock. White Diamond was already crouching over him, grinning broadly like she hadn't just nearly kicked his head off.

“Hiya Rosie! Did you sleep well last night?”

“Yeah, no thanks to you,” Steven remarked as he picked himself back up and dusted himself off. “Oh yes, terribly sorry about last night,” she apologized unconvincingly. “It seems that some of my Gems didn’t quite understand some of my instructions.” She turned and motioned for him to follow her, her leering smirk almost challenging him to do otherwise. Reluctantly, Steven complied and began walking behind her.

“Shame that we couldn’t spend more time together the other day, I had to... reiterate some instructions to my Court,” she prattled on. “But don’t worry, that won’t be a problem anymore. And to make up for it, today, I’ve cleared my entire schedule, just for you!”

Steven could feel the hairs on the back of his neck begin to stand up. Whether it was from the static electricity that the Diamond passively gave off or out of fear he couldn’t say. Probably both.

“After all, it’s just been so long since we last saw each other. We have so much time to make up for!”

“But you saw me just last night!”

“Yeah and doesn’t that just feel like forever ago?”

They continued on a while into halls and corridors that Steven was certain he hadn’t been in before. White Diamond was looking ahead, but Steven could still feel her attention fixed firmly on him, almost piercing him. Was she waiting for something?

As if sensing his thoughts she spoke up again. “I do hope you got a chance to enjoy all the paraphernalia I left for you. I didn’t want you to get bored , so I left you some rather choice reading material.”

“Well that depends, what was all that?” he asked her.

“What?” she stopped looked back down at him rather suddenly.

“Your talking about all that Gem stuff on the screen, right?” he said. “What was all that?”

“What...was it... ?” she echoed with a strange tone in her voice. Was it just him, or did White Diamond actually look perplexed? If she was, then she recovered quickly. “Oh, hahahaha! I see how it is. Nice try, Rosie, but it’s going to take more than a dumb little act to fool me.”

“But, I can’t read Gem, so I don’t know what any of it said!” Steven insisted. “I couldn’t figure out how to use it. None of the little icons on the screen said what they did and I couldn’t tell by just looking at them. I mean, one of the symbols was literally just two little dots with a triangle under it. Like, what does that even MEAN! What is it, an arrow? A smiley face? A lamp ? I CAN'T TELL. So I tried clicking some of the things to see what they did, and some stuff happened but I had no idea what it actually did. There wasn’t even a keyboard. Do I type things out or do I have to write the words? Also, i’m pretty sure the computer kept auto correcting me, even though I didn’t know what I was spelling to begin with!”

Steven finally stopped to catch his breath. “Gem computers are so confusing…” he sighed, scratching his head. Craning his head to look up at her, he asked, “Does Homeworld have tech support?”

White Diamond seemed to be restraining a response, her face briefly distorting between several fleeting expressions, all ruthlessly suppressed the moment they surfaced. After a moment, she seemed to regain her composure and took a deep breath before continuing.

“No matter! I know exactly what we’re going to do today,” she said as she turned around and they continued onwards.

Eventually, they came to a set of great doors, two massive alabaster panels that guarded the way forward. With deceptive ease, White Diamond pushed the gargantuan doors wide open and ushered him in. As Steven stepped inside, White announced behind him, “Welcome to the Rotunda! Where my Court likes to mingle and play their little games.”

They entered in a great circular room with a domed roof. Inside it was unnaturally well lit, no small thanks in part to the huge oculus staring down them from above and the walls were punctuated in regular intervals by towering columns. The chamber radiated the same frigid beauty as the rest of the palace. In the center of it all was the icon of Homeworld emblazoned on the floor.

Crowds of Gems were milling about the place, murmuring in so many different tones. Steven could hear discussion, gossiping, laughing, arguing, and snickering, some in hushed voices, others in shrill ones. There were Gems of all shapes and sizes here, most of them he had never seen before, even on Blue Diamond's ship. Some were human shaped, others not so much. A few stood taller than the rest, though none as tall as White Diamond. Some had two eyes, others three, some only one, and a few he couldn’t see if they had any at all. He looked up and saw that there were some Gems perched high up on the ceiling, looking down on them with glowing white eyes and wings of fire on their backs.

Is this where everyone’s been hiding? It still didn’t seem enough to explain the whole palace being seemingly empty. Their arrival drew the attention of the crowds. In perfect unison, the assembled Gems all snapped to salute.

No one moved. In the air there was whispering, barely audible. It came from all around, the hushed sounds of questions, confusion, and even some snickering. Gems shared small glances as they watched him, whispering to each other. Steven felt a hundred eyes fixed upon him. It made him uneasy, being at the center of so much attention, and their gazes made him squirm.

“Who are all they?” he asked.

“Courtiers and sycophants of my personal Court,” White Diamond answered him. “They’re all here to see you, Rose! There are Gems here who would absolutely just kill for the chance to meet you again.”

It was different from Blue Diamond’s Court. The Gems here weren’t all as opulent and ostentatiously dressed as them, or acting carefree like they were heading off to a party. Though there were certainly some who seemed to be lavish, many of them looked more strict and business-like in appearance. Among them he could see soldiers, wearing uniforms, suits of armor, and carrying sheathed weapons. Ones who looked like scientists, in outfits that resembled lab coats, wearing mechanical limb enhancers and addressing floating holographic screens like Peridot did, and many many others who he couldn’t begin to guess what their jobs were just by looking at them, but all of them seemed rather important.

White Diamond put a cold hand on his shoulder as she knelt down to closer his level. “Look around you. See any familiar faces?” “Familiar?” He scanned the crowds. Nope. There wasn’t anyone he had met before. “You just brought me here, how am I supposed to recognize anyone?”

“Really? Not even someone in particular…? Like say, an old friend perhaps?”

“An old friend?” He looked back through the crowd. “No...I don’t see anyone.”

“Look carefully… ”

“I still don’t see anyone.”

“Try again!”

“I don’t see anyone!” he insisted.

White Diamond rose back up to her full height and let out a breath of irritation.

“Right then, the hard way it is.”

Steven didn’t like the sound of that. But before he could say anything, White had already picked him up by the back of the shirt and deposited him in the center of the room.

She clapped her hands together twice. “Now then, let’s finally get this party started!” Her teeth parted with anticipation.

A rather intense and severe-looking Gem stepped forward. She was tall and had a orange complexion and pale yellow hair that noticeably swept across her face. She wore a long military-style greatcoat, complete with shoulder tassels, heavy jackboots, and a flowing cape. Her eyes were sharp and intimidating, furrowed with displeasure. In her gloved hands, she gripped a saber and stood with both hands resting on the pommel.

“I’ll just let you two get reacquainted,” White Diamond said and she stepped back, leaving Steven with the new Gem.

The tall orange Gem spoke, “Rose Quartz...I bet you thought you had seen the last of me?”

“Huh?”

“I admit, I thought it was the end of me when I fell from the Sky Arena. I’m sure you thought me shattered. But you were wrong. I survived , and have spent everyday waiting for the chance to face you again.

Steven was confused. "I'm sorry, but, who're you?"

“Who am I ?” she balked. “Don’t mock me, Rose Quartz! We fought during the Rebellion!”

Steven blinked at the Gem. “Um, okay…?”

White Diamond leaned in from behind. “This is General Orange Spessartine ! She was on Earth during your little insubordination and has been absolutely dying to meet you again ever since.” “Oh. Hi Spessartine, I’m Steven!”

Orange Spessartine looked him over distastefully. “You’ve reformed since the last time we met,” she noted. “How repugnant. I never understood your obsession with organic lifeforms.”

“Sheesh, what is everyone’s deal with organic people?”

”It doesn’t matter. Organic or not, you’ve finally been brought to justice. But before you face your sentence, we still have a matter of unfinished business, you and I.” She took up her sword and inspected it’s blade. “We never got to finish our last duel, did we? I’ve been looking forward a long time to finally settling the score with you. This time, you’ll be the one on the ground humiliated.”

"Oh geez, it’s like talking to Jasper all over again..." Steven groaned.  “Only Jasper was a whole lot louder.”

“A Jasper?”

“You’re even orange and have a cape like her.”

“You...do remember me, don’t you?” “Of course not, we’ve never met before!”

“Never met before ?! I was in command of Homeworld’s forces in Facet-1 on Earth!” Spessartine bristled. “I foiled all your attempts to destroy the Galaxy Warp!”

"This is probably going to sound strange, but, your not going to headbutt me are you?"

The Gem General looked off-put by his remark.

“I held the Igneous Citadel for fifty-five days against your rebels! I fought you personally at the battles for the Corestone and the Abyssal Shrine!”

Steven could only stare blankly at them. Did these people seriously expect him to know about things he wasn’t there for?

Spessartine’s eyebrow twitched with irritation. “Your insane Pearl cut through half of my Imperial Garnets!”

“She did? I wonder if they’re anything like regular Garnet...”

“Those were my hand-picked elite troops!”

“Really? Wooooow, she’s so cool! I mean, I always knew Pearl was strong. But I’ve only ever seen her fight corrupted Gems before. Then again, she did fight Sugilite by herself and won...” he recalled. “Wait, they were alright afterwards right?” he asked, suddenly concerned again. “Your soldiers?”

Rather than respond, Spessartine seemed to totally deflate and sank to her knees.

“I...I couldn’t have been so forgettable, could I?”

“Well hey now, don’t feel so bad...”

“You don’t even remember me. After everything I’ve done, all my battles and accomplishments, am I worth not even a footnote?”

"No no no! I’m sure you were totally formidable! I mean, you were SUPER scary when you walked in here. You’ve got the cool cape and the sword so you’re already pretty intimidating. But I don't have any of Rose's memories because, like I keep telling everyone, I'm not Rose Quartz.” He gave the Homeworld Gem a pat on the back but she didn’t seem to notice.

What was the point of all this? He looked back and could see that White was watching him, her eyes following his face closely. The moment he looked, she locked eyes with him, bright and piercing.

What was she looking for?

She gestured to someone, to whom Steven couldn’t see, and several more intimidating figures step forward now.

There were four of them, all of varying heights and colors.

The first one to step forward was a very tall dark blue Gem. She was built like a Quartz, but taller and thinner. She wore some sort of band of spiked iron around her head, with an embroidered blue shawl draped loosely over her shoulders.

“I am Imperial Blue Topaz, Facet-2B7L Cut-7IX, Inquisitor of Blue Diamond’s Court,” The Gem glowered down at him. “And I remember you .” “I’m sorry, but I don’t-” “DON’T YOU DARE PLAY THAT GAME WITH ME!” She marched forward and stuck an accusing finger in his face. “We were the first loyal Gems to be struck down by your betrayal!”

The Topaz told him her story. How she and thirty-four other Imperial Topazes had been summoned to somewhere called the Matroneum. Apparently, Imperial Topazes were telepaths and were used to root out disloyal Gems. She said that Rose knew they would have discovered her plans, so she silenced them first. The sword stroke that started the war.

“Thirty-four Gems, cut down before we even had a chance to defend ourselves! You didn’t say anything. Didn’t explain yourself or even tell us why you were doing this, just summoned your rebels and wordlessly started cutting us down!”

Could she be mistaken? His mom couldn’t have poofed them without having at least asking them to join her, could she?

“Before you destroyed my physical form, I asked you ‘Why?’. Remember what you said?”

Steven didn’t get a chance to respond.

“Nothing. You didn’t even answer me! It was only until after we had been rescued that we learned that you used the opportunity to declare war against your own people!”

Another one stepped forward, this one shorter and fiery red with a temper match.

“I’m Commander Cinnabar, Facet-4F1C Cut-4HO, and I was in command of Homeworld’s forces during the battle of Magma Pyra,” she growled. This one told of a battle across a volcanic plain. In a furious tirade, she claimed that Rose Quartz that lured them into a trap. They had been laying siege to a volcanic Crystal Gem base, bombarding it with light cannons. When the time finally came to attack, the ground became unstable, which triggered a massive volcanic fissure which claimed many Homeworld soldiers. She claimed that Rose Quartz had set off the fissure on purpose in order to route them.

“But the Crystal Gems were trying to stop all the senseless destruction on Earth!”

“That is highly doubtful,” A new voice said.

She was taller than Cinnabar and colored brilliant green. In a way, she reminded Steven of Peridot, in how almost robotic she seemed. Her hair was geometric, a triangular block that shot forward at an angle. Her body was built like a stack of cylinders connect one to another, her robust chest sitting atop a narrow torso. On her limbs were what Steven thought were limb enhancers, but upon closer inspection realized that those were her limbs.

“Metatorbernite, Facet-13N5J Cut-5SC, and your rebellion was full of acts of senseless destruction,” Her voice clipped with a clinical tone.

She claimed that his mother’s rebellion that sent the Gem race spiralling into a resource crisis. According to them, Gems these days “couldn’t even function” without limb enhancers thanks to her. She also said that the rebels had hunted down freshly-made Amethysts in the Prime Kindergarten, simply to deny them to the Diamonds, and to further cripple Homeworld’s ability to offset their losses by using them to conquer another planet. A bunch of floating screens around her showed images of shards somewhere that could only have been the Prime Kindergarten.

“Most Metatorbernites have been tasked for the last 5,000 years with finding a solution to the crisis, without success. But now that you're here, maybe we’ll be able get some use out of you.”

Steven was in disbelief and shook his head. He just couldn’t imagine any of the Crystal Gems shattering anybody. “The Amethyst I know is from there! I don’t believe the Crystal Gems could DO something like that!”

“Oh don’t you now?”

He turned and saw he was being confronted by a black-colored gem with golden-brown bands across her face and body. Her uniform was simple, closer to what Steven had seen Peridot and Jasper wearing. Steven got the impression she wasn't quite as important as these other gems.

“I’m Golden Obsidian, my facet and cut don’t matter, because what I say goes for all Gems who had nothing to do with your war.”

She was a mid-level manager, directing lower level workers in their jobs. To bring the colonization of Earth to a halt, the Crystal Gems sabotaged something called the Alluvium, something Golden Obsidian called “a terraforming drainage network”. The resulting floodwaters washed away dozens of structures and construction sites, along with the workers who were building them. Many Gems were broken in the collapsing debris.

“We weren’t soldiers, or aristocrats, we just minded our own business and did our jobs. But we STILL had to suffer the consequences for your actions! Yeah, the meatbags got to stay dry, but our life’s work was destroyed! And some of us with it!” She leaned into him. “Was one planet of short-lived primitives worth all our lives? Was that fighting for our freedom!”

Steven tried to back away, trying put some distance between himself and the angry crowd, only to walk right into White Diamond’s leg. The Diamond had appeared behind him, cutting off his path of escape. Smiling, she put a foot under him, lifted him up, and tossed him back into the fray.

Steven landed back in the shadows of his accusers.

The yelling had grown louder. Each of the four were yelling something at him, what he couldn’t make out anymore over the din that was now deafening him. The Court had been inflamed by each round of accusations, each one whipping them further into a frenzy. They had surged closer now, mob-like.

As the mob began to close in around him, he happened to notice just through their jostling forms, a single gem was remaining completely still. For a brief fleeting moment, through the crowd he saw that there one person wasn’t baying for his execution. She was silently hanging near the back, arms folded across her chest. Instead of a look of cruel mirth or jeer, she looked upon the entire spectacle with distaste and disgust written across her face.

But he soon lost sight of her in the roiling crowd and his view was replaced by Imperial Blue Topaz as she bore down on him.

“Not so confident now that the tables are turned, are you?” Letting out a yelp of fright, he tried to run away, only to be face with Cinnabar, and then by Obsidian. They were pointing, in his face, shouting.

From every direction people were yelling at him, cursing and laughing. He couldn’t run, he couldn’t hide, couldn’t shut them out. Tears began to well up in his eyes. So many people angry, yelling at him. It was too much for him to handle. Steven finally fell to the floor and curled up crying, hands protectively over his head.

The accusers looked at each other confused.

“Are...are we in the right room?” Imperial Blue Topaz asked the others.

“We didn’t go through the wrong door did we?” Cinnabar added, turning to Metatorbernite.

“No, I’m sure this was the right one…” she replied uneasily, pulling up a holographic map.

“So it not just me, all these halls DO look exactly alike!” Golden Obsidian complained.

White Diamond laughed. “Oh don’t worry, darlings. Its her alright. Rose Quartz is just playing a horrid little game. Look! She actually thinks she can fool us with her pathetic act!” The four Gems looked at the Diamond, then at the shivering organic on the floor, and then at each other. No one seemed to certain what to do, but none could muster the nerve to say what they were thinking.

The feverish frenzy that had taken the Court began to fizzle out. Dissipate. The momentum evaporated as the Court started shifting and murmuring in confusion. There were hushed whispers again, questions and murmurs.

White Diamond stood there in the exact center of it all, having not moved from where she stood previously. She looked down on Steven, still snivelling on the floor, and her smile didn’t fade. But then she turned her attention and looked around the room, something flickering across her face. Whatever it was, it was well hidden. For a while she stood there, watching her courtiers, listening to their hushed chatter. Then, in a flash of motion, she clapped her hands together in two whip-like cracks.

”WELL! That will be all for today. Thank you all for participating, this session of court is now adjourned! Now all of you get back to work,” she commanded. Swiftly obeying, the crowds hurriedly began to disperse and exit the room. Within moments most of them were gone.

Imperial Blue Topaz approached her. "But, White Diamond, we didn't even get to the-"

"What did you just say to me…?" Her eyes flashed like daggers at the smaller Gem.

The big intimidating Gem suddenly seemed to shrink and quailed beneath the Diamond’s withering stare.

"I SAID AS YOU WISELY COMMAND, O GLORIOUS WHITE DIAMOND!" Imperial Blue Topaz terrifiedly bowed and beat a hasty retreat.

“That’s what I thought you said.”

White Diamond turned her eyes back to Steven.

“Hmm. You are committed to this little charade more than I realized. But don’t worry, I still have plenty of things in store for you. So don’t go wandering off too far. I would be very cross if I had to go searching for you.”

Steven, his entire body still shaking with sobs, picked himself up and began to make his way towards the door, holding himself as he did. He tentatively watched the Diamond as he walked away, looking for any signs of her deciding to have second thoughts. Just as he was about to reach the doors and breath a sigh of relief, her voice called out to him and made him jolt.

“I’ll be calling for you again soon. Oh, and just in case you decide you aren’t ‘feeling up for it’; if you don’t show up, consider your planet forfeit.”

Unable to stand more of her cruel taunting, Steven hurried himself out and away from White Diamond’s Court, and didn’t look back.

Next time on No Home: Tech Support!

#steven universe #my stuff #No Home AU #new home au #su fanfic #su fic #fanfic

[endofadream]

because it has been a week and because i’ll never shut up about it, here are some highlights from wizard world stl involving sebastian:

•i told him that he looked very walter white when he walked in and sat down. he laughed

•gave him shit because he didn’t know what the purpose of the arch was

•when i went to get the photo, he recognized me as “the girl with the cool hair” from ace (!!!!!!) and looked so genuinely happy to see me. i then told him to do his best walter white and he said he’d never seen breaking bad. i then pretended to walk away and he goes “it’s just a serious face, right?” and the photog laughs

•i found out that he used to listen to fall out boy and i almost cried. i then told him to listen to mania

•i was talking to netania about her earrings while in line for the auto and he goes “are you guys talking about earrings?” in such a put-upon way and it was great and i was like “uh, yeah. sorry you’re jealous”

•the while q&a session was just amazing. i loved the platinum package. totally worth the money

•my friend was sitting outside the room and when he left she said he got on a golf cart, saw she was taking a video, threw up deuces and chugged his coffee

•i was there for the pennywise photos and it was fuckin awesome

•i went into my friend’s photo so my vip could get us through faster and we were talking to the volunteers taking bags while we waited. they prematurely called us next so i literally get next to seb and get a hug and they’re like oh shit the girl before you had two photo ops omg so we got back in line and i was like damn y’all made me look like a fool and seb laughed

•seb was so sweet and gave us hugs at the end

•we got into line for the auto right after and as we’re sitting down going through our stuff we see someone in our peripheral and i ignore it at first because i’m so over random dudes coming up and talking to me. but then they say “hey guys” and i look up and i’m like ok i know that jacket. it’s fucking sebastian. he grins down at us and i’m sure i made a really dumb face and he walked over to the table laughing

•the people next to us were just as shocked and were like “are you okay” and i was like hahahaha nah

•i had him sign our photo from the platinum and he was like “this was one of my favorites!”

•i finally!!!!!!!! gathered the courage to tell him that if it wasn’t for him/the marvel fam i probably wouldn’t be here right now and he got so concerned and said “no, you’re too cool for that.” i asked him how he’d feel if i told him i was writing a screenplay with him in mind. he said that’s awesome, ambitious, some other adjectives i can’t remember, and told me to keep working on it. then he said to keep him updated and that he hoped to see me again and i almost cried. like he kept talking to me long enough after signing that my friend was like “you were there for awhile”

•at the panel i was in the second row and we made eye contact a few times at some of the regular and some of the really embarrassing questions. totally “look into the camera like you’re on the office” moments

•at the end as he was leaving he LOOKED OVER AT ME and POINTED AT ME AND SAID SEE YOU

•i then promptly died

•the end

#sebastian stan #wizard world st louis #wizard world

[keelymewett]

Zombie Movie: Cargo (2018)

Oh my gosh I finally realised why this movie is called Cargo and I finished it twenty minutes ago.

Before I begin, I would like to acknowledge that I’m posting this from the land of the Dharawal (Tharawal) people, and acknowledge Elders past, present and emerging. I would also like to note that this post may contain names and/or images of deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

I’m still crying after watching this so the first thing I will say is: please watch it. 

~~Rationing~~ (Picture: Andy’s wife Kay (Susie Porter) sitting in their house boat. Caption reads “So that means we’re down to quarter rations.”)

Cargo is a relatively chill zombie movie compared to movies like Train to Busan and I Am Legend, but because of this it’s able to take part so many other conversations - Aboriginal Land Rights and traditions, fracking, and for other zombie fans out there, new kinds of zombies!!

It is atmospheric, has tension in the right places, has an incredibly fresh plot, and is highly intelligent. Although, I do have to say, the lead of the Australian zombie movie is very British and that did make me laugh. 

This is an Australian zombie movie, and as an Australian I’m very proud to say that. While most of the movie follows our lead, Andy (Martin Freeman), traversing rural Australia (this is set in South Australia btw, found a license plate), there is a huge focus on Aboriginal communities and traditions, and their connection with country and the land. 

The sweetest frame in the whole film. (Picture: Andy holding his baby daughter Rosie, and gently brushing her hair aside while Thoomi (a young girl) applies a type of white paint to the baby’s face.)

So, this will be split into roughly three parts: zombies (because like I said, new zombies!! Very excited to talk about them!) before moving into the spoiler section with the plot and me roasting random things before ending up crying at the end, thinking I’d recovered from crying, then crying even more with the final shot. (I promise I’m okay this is a really good movie.)

Zombies!! Also small spoiler but the movie description kinda already spoils all of this so not really a spoiler??

Friends and enemies, want a fresh new take on zombies and the apocalypse? Cargo delivered. 

Ahhh new zombies!!! (Picture: Kay zombie-fied. She has amber sap covering her eyes and her mouth. Her mouth looks a little like tree bark covered in sap. She’s in a car with her seatbelt on, and Andy has turned towards her. Andy has blood dripping down the side of his face and on his fingertips. In the background you can see the blue coat hanger of Rosie’s baby toy.)

We have a 48 hour incubation period for zombies, we have new symptoms for people before they become zombies, we have a new look including sap (I believe it’s sap) as well as burying your head in the sand - literally. Nothing’s explained, but I love speculating and trying to guess for myself. Oh, they also hibernate? But the rules surrounding that are a little hazy cause they’re still out and about during the day, and also Australia doesn’t really have mammals that hibernate mostly just insects so I’m not quite sure on the inspiration for that. But yeah, the sap and the head in the sand thing is like zombie video-game levels of creepy and cool. 

Oh, also, unlike I Am Legend, we don’t have CGI zombies - we have special FX zombies!! Which is fantastic for anyone who wants to try and recreate the look and also makes it like 1000x more realistic. 

I also love the implication that the Australian government will give us free kits to help when you get infected, cause like... they would. We have free Medicare and COVID testing - I could literally pop over to the local dental place and get a free COVID test. This is funny in comparison to traditional American (referring to USA) movies where they’re like zombie apocalypse three years later? Ha here’s a gun fend for yourself mate. There’s also no army presence in this movie either. As in, the only army we see are some zombies from the local army base. None of that “the army’s coming to save you trope” (if you would like to know how this movie has a happy ending without army intervention, it will be near the end of the spoiler section).

Also, these kits are so interesting. There’s a poster with the symptom list, a mouth guard, an epipen looking thing that’s uh... if you watch it you’ll see. AND!! My favourite part: the countdown fitbit. 

Zombie countdown fitbit! (Picture: A white watch-bracelet with a 48-hour countdown timer on it. It’s on a woman’s wrist. There’s blood on her sleeve, her hand, and a towel underneath her hand. You can see her simple wedding ring on her finger.)

In terms of the name for the zombies, I don’t recall anyone calling them “zombies,” and Thoomi (Simone Landers) calls them “ghosts.” Now, if you’ve read my hill to die on post, I basically have a thing about people making up arbitrary names for zombies because like it literally doesn’t make sense and they don’t do it with other supernatural things like vampires, but, Cargo gets an exception because it makes sense. 

Okay, so, if you’ve learnt a little about Australian history, you’d know that Aboriginal people referred to the white colonisers as “ghosts” (for obvious reasons), ergo, it makes total sense for these zombies to also be called ghosts. They’re literally people without souls haunting the land. Therefore, the name “ghosts” isn’t arbitrary - it’s culturally significant and it makes sense. 

Now, spoiler time for the plot!

The plot involves Andy traversing and meeting several people in order to try and find someone to look after his daughter. I won’t actually say too much more, I’m just going to do some pictures with some key takes to try and incentivise you to watch it. 

The movie is rated MA15+, but I think that’s mostly just for the gore. There is a little violence towards the end but it’s mostly silhouetted so you don’t see anything. 

The literal embodiment of “wanna go, mate?” (Picture: A dad wearing a flannel shirt and jeans is discreetly holding a gun he’s just pulled from the front of his jeans, showing it to the camera. Behind him is his wife and kids, who are having a birthday party. There are pink, yellow and green balloons.)

That’s so smart what the heck. (Picture: Thoomi is using tree sap to stick leaves to the soles of her shoes. Presumably it’s to be both quiet from the zombies, and to stop her leaving footprints that can be tracked.)

Hahahaha nope nope nope nope. (First picture: Below deck on a small yacht. There’s wooden panels that presumably make up a wall, with a fire extinguisher next to it. Andy is off to the side in the foreground, looking down at what he’s doing. Second picture: There’s a small gap as the wooden panels open up. It is not in fact a wall, but a door. Andy suddenly looks up at the sound.)

But are you sure sure, tho? (Picture: Andy talking to Kay after being on the yacht in the aforementioned pictures. Kay asks, “You sure it was safe?” and Andy assures her, “Safe.” Sir, did you not see the wooden panels open?)

That is not baby safe! It’s a coat hanger with fishing lines! It’s the exact opposite of a baby safe toy! (Picture: There’s a crashed car in the background. Andy is standing to the side, only his hand and the top part of his leg are in frame. His hand is covered in blood. The camera is focused on baby Rosie, who’s wearing a bucket hat and is sitting in her little baby-carrying backpack that Andy wears to carry her around. Rosie is sucking on a baby toy made of a bent, blue coat hanger, decorated with fishing lines and plastic fish baits.)

Sad noises :’(  Also, why is Mommy spelt like that this is an Aussie film, it should be “Mummy.” (Picture: Andy holding Rosie in her baby-carrying backpack. The caption says, “I can smell Mommy too.” Mummy is spelt the American way for some reason.)

Racist prick (the guy in the middle). (Picture: Andy and Vic (Anthony Hayes), a random stranger he just found, are standing in front of a cage. From left to right, Vic’s car is in the background. Andy is standing next to a radio playing a song - the caption reads the song lyrics as “A crazy thing.” Vic is dancing along next to him. A white bucket full of blood is next to Vic. Inside the cage is the Clever Man (David Gulpilil). Vic has trapped him to use as zombie bait.)

It’s like a carrot on a stick for a minecraft pig!! 10/10 smarts. (Picture: Thoomi and Rosie ride on a zombie-fied Andy’s back. Thoomi holds out a stick with some meat on the end to steer Andy. Andy’s hands are bound and he has a mouthguard in.)

I take back everything I said about this baby toy. (Picture: Rosie’s baby toy tied onto a branch. A beautiful blue sky is in the background.)

Final things to say, I really liked Etta and Lorraine. Lorraine really got screwed over. 

There are mentions to fracking poisoning the land, and I know I’m going to go to my own research on it. I won’t talk about it here because I’m just looking at the movie and I’m also not qualified to discuss the issue. 

Also the ending is brilliant. The local Aboriginal peoples having their land and traditions and community and I know I’m not doing it any justice, but Cargo is a very considered Australian zombie movie, with Aboriginal peoples being very included. I apologise for not being able to phrase that better - just go watch it. 

Lastly, I was doing some quick research to find out if any Aboriginal people directed Cargo or worked on the screenplay - I haven’t found anything yet, but I did find that this was adapted from the directors’ short film by the same name, so I’m off to watch that now. 

Have a great night/day/morning/afternoon, and seriously go watch Cargo! (In Australia it’s on Netflix if that helps!)

#zombies #movie #Cargo #Halloween #Australian