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ja3yun · 5 months

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Stitch Me Up | L.HS

underground fighter!heeseung x nurse!reader

warnings: smut (mdni), ex heeseung, unprotected sex, cream pie, weapon and blood mention, if i missed anything lmk!

wc: 4.5k+

synopsis: after a tough shift in the hospital all you wanted was to rid yourself of the tension and your ex turns up just in time

a/n: hi! hope you're all doing well. a quick one shot from me so i hope you like it. not much to say on this one <3 ilysm

Dragging your feet behind you, you unlock your door. Everything that went wrong today could have gone wrong; first, you caught your fingers in the mobile hoist, a patient spat in your face, and you spent the last 30 minutes of your shift cleaning shit from the toilets.

No one ever said being a nurse was a glamorous job, but on days like these, you wish you picked something a little more dignifying.

You kick your shoes off and head to your bedroom to grab some pajamas. Every bit of you is emotionally and physically drained, this past month has been exhausting. Working 70-hour weeks and being underpaid for it was starting to take its toll on your fragile body.

Nights like these you miss Heeseung, you shouldn’t but you do.

Picking up scattered clothes that made a mess of your bedroom floor, you groan when your lower back aches. Someone in their 20s shouldn’t be in this much pain. They should be living their best life, staying up late, going out at the weekend, and having a healthy social life.

You love your job, it’s rewarding and you love to take care of people. Seeing people who are in your ward get better makes your heart feel full like your life is actually worth something and doing some good in this shitty world.

You used to have balance. Heeseung was your balance.

Sifting through your drawers you find some pink shorts with white love hearts and a cropped white tank top. Usually, you would settle for a set of sweats and a baggy t-shirt but after practically spending 3 days straight in unflattering scrubs you wanted something pretty.

When you walk you can feel the pain in your feet, and blisters start to form. You needed this shower asap. Luckily the bathroom is less than 5 steps away from your bedroom door so you can keep your hobbling to a minimum. The shower is so enticing as you switch the button on and set the temperature just right, or in your case, scolding hot.

A roasting hot shower is what you need to forget today. You need Heeseung’s hands to melt away the pain.

You miss him.

Heeseung and you have been broken up for precisely 1 month and 13 days. For some reason today you can’t shake him off your mind.

The water cascades down your skin, tiny droplets sit on your face as you wash your hair. The smell of coconut fills the tiny box bathroom and for the first time today, you feel content.

After you rinse the conditioner from your hair and wash your body with a matching scented soap, you pull the shower curtain back and step out carefully - the last thing you need is to fall and break a bone.

Wiping the mirror to rid it of the steam you stare at yourself. The dark circles under your eyes and the redness of your cheeks showcase just how tired your body is. Nothing an overpriced and overrated skincare routine can’t fix. You grab the cleanser and start your regime. It reminds you of him, how he used to always help you, the pads of his fingers gently rubbing the product into your skin, and when he had any left over he would use it on himself. He looked so cute and sweet during those times.

What is with you today? Why do you keep thinking about him?

Quickly, you dry your hair and body with the towel and get ready for bed. Typically, you would sit up and watch an episode or two of Brooklyn 99 but honestly, you’re too burnt out to enjoy it.

As you leave the bathroom there is a knock at the door and you freeze on sight. It’s late and none of your friends would come over, so your brain goes into panic mode. Being a girl alone in her flat was scary enough these days never mind taking in the factor of the time. All the lights are off so hopefully if you just stay still, they’ll leave.

Another knock.

Grabbing a coat hanger from the clothesline in the bathroom you arm yourself with it, it would do enough damage to the person on the other side of the door if you had to escape.

So you couldn’t second guess yourself, you briskly tiptoed to the door and swung it open, hanger tightly in your grip ready to swing.

The figure turns around and jumps, backing up when they see the coathanger ready to be lobbed at their face.

“Woah, Y/N. It’s just me.” He puts his hands in front of him in defense.

Heeseung.

You breathe out and relax, dropping your arms to your side. Although your exterior seems to have gotten over the fright, your heart is thumping still. That could be because when you look him in the eyes finally you register who he is.

“Heeseung it’s past midnight, what are you doing here?”

He steps forward and you see his face battered and bruised, his lip has been bust open and a black eye forming on the left side of his face, he was a mess. There have been countless times he’s looked like this, it’s how you two met.

A year ago there was a knock on your door, not unlike tonight, except that time your friend Jongseong was carrying a half-to-life version of Heeseung. The boy couldn’t stand on his own two feet.

“Y/N, sorry, I didn’t know where to go, he didn’t want to go to the hospital,” Jongseong explained, although it didn’t clear anything up.

“What the fuck, Jongie, who is this?” You grab the other side of the spent boy and sit him down on the couch, “What happened to him?” Looking at the guy in front of you, you see the blood on his t-shirt, slash marks on his arms, and his face is blown out.

Jongseong rushes to get the first aid kit from your bathroom, “He was fighting tonight and some arsehole pulled a knife on him, and got him in the stomach a few times,” You lift the fabric covering his torso and see wounds bleeding, “I tried to pull him out of the fight but he wasn’t having it.”

You don’t know a lot about Jongseong’s work life, all you know is that by day he’s a simple office body, filling, paperwork, a pen pusher of sorts. But when night came he was an underground fighter, all of it illegal, but he fell into it with some guys at the gym. From what you hear he is pretty good at it.

“Heeseung, buddy?” Jongseong slaps the boy's face a few times, “Stay awake, this is Y/N, she’s a nurse.” So his name was Heeseung.

“Jongie, these are pretty serious, he needs to go to the hospital.”

“No hospital.” Heeseung coughs out. You suppose if you take him to A&E how could any of them explain what happened?

You rub his legs to soothe him, “Okay, no hospital.”

That night you stitched his wounds and cleaned him up. Obviously, he survived, and you took him in like an injured winged bird. Let him stay at yours for 2 weeks, and by the time he was ready to fly away back into the world, you wanted him to stay forever.

You look him up and down to take in his outfit, he wasn’t wearing sweats so this wasn’t a scheduled fight, instead, he was clad in jeans, a White Stripes t-shirt, and a loose-fitting leather jacket, “What the fuck happened, Heeseung?”

“Is it lame if I say you should see the other guy?” He laughs but nothing is funny.

Stepping aside you let him into your flat which he does like second nature, his shoes left exactly where they used to go, “Heeseung you can’t just come here looking like this and not tell me what happened.” On autopilot, you go to get the first aid kit.

He takes a seat on your kitchen counter and looks around, “Nothing much happened, some guys being dicks.”

You come back from the bathroom and see him atop your kitchen, “Eh, get down from there. Now.” He always perched himself on anything but a seat. It didn’t bother you too much but right now after your shift, you couldn’t be arsed to pander to it, “Try and treat my place with a bit of respect please.”

Heeseung jumps off and walks to take a seat on the edge of your couch. It might be wrong of you to think it but he does look beautiful like this. You blame Leon Kennedy in Resident Evil for your attraction to busted up men.

As you open the first aid kit you feel his eyes on you, “Why did you come here, Heeseung? You could have treated this yourself.”

“I missed you.” He confesses and it’s true he did miss you.

For the past month he’s been throwing himself into fights he knows he won’t win just to feel something other than heartache. In spite of his cold attitude and reckless behaviour, he held your love so gently in his heart that he couldn’t even act tough around you. From the first day he laid eyes on you, he knew you had to be his, and if that meant opening up his heart, that’s what he did.

A first he thought it was because you were fixing his wounds and he owed you something but that thought quickly vanished when you fixed more than that.

“Heeseung, we broke up. It’s done.” You say coldly. With the thoughts of missing him earlier still fresh in your brain, you had to nip this in the bud.

When you broke up with Heeseung it wasn’t exactly because you wanted to, it was to protect yourself. His lifestyle and yours don’t mix, he was always getting into trouble and you were trying to avoid it at all costs. But more importantly than that, you couldn’t see the man you love come home every night exactly how he is now, broken and beaten.

The deeper into the fight circuit Heeseung got, the more dangerous it was. People were pulling knives, guns, and bringing back up, all for the sake of making sure their bosses won the bets. Your ex-boyfriend was a great fighter - or so you’ve heard, he never let you come to any of the fights - but these other guys played dirty and it was a threat to his life.

So when you asked him to stop and he said no, you did what you had to and called it off. You lost sleep, precious never to be taken for granted sleep, every night he fought and it was taking its toll on you. You tried to compromise with him and pleaded with him to go back to the regulated (if you could even call them that) fights, the ones where the stakes are lower.

However, Heeseung was above that now, too much of a hot commodity.

“Baby, I’m making us enough money so you don’t have to do so much overtime.”

“Seungie, I’m a nurse, all we do is overtime. Plus, this shouldn’t be about the money, it’s about your safety.” Your voice is cracking with every sentence you have uttered tonight, but he still won’t listen, “I’m not asking you to give it up, but please stop taking these high-stakes fights, you’re going to get killed.”

Heeseung scoffs and places a hand on your shoulder, “I won’t die, I’ve got you to stitch me up.”

“No, Seungie, you don’t. I can’t do this anymore.”

It was a brutal way to end it, none of you walked into that conversation expecting that outcome, but for you, it was the only thing you could do.

Soaking a cotton pad with some anti-septic, you place it gently on his lip, a hiss from him following your action, “Sorry.” You whisper. A sorry for the pain but also for breaking up with him. No matter how much you knew it was right for you, you knew it was hard on him. Opening himself up to love you wasn’t easy for Heeseung.

“I’m used to it, baby.” Your heart cries as he calls you baby, it always sounded so perfect coming from him.

“What did the guys do?” You ask and he looks at you with those beautiful eyes, masked behind purple and blue, “You said guys were being dicks, so what did they do?”

He didn’t want to waste energy on it, the fight being over in a flash anyway, “Just stuff. They got a jump on me hence the mess.” He moves his hand to gesture to his face but while his hand is already there, it engulfs yours, the one that’s cleaning the blood from his mouth, “Baby, I didn’t start it.”

“I know, Seungie.” You feel yourself falling back into how it used to be, his thumb running circles into your hand.

Once you finish up, you place a skin closure strip on his mouth, your thumb rubbing gently to secure it in place. He takes the opportunity to take your thumb into his mouth and you nearly moan at the intimate act.

But this isn’t how it is now.

“Heeseung.” You warn him.

He releases your thumb and sighs, “Habit.” He was a man of few words, you knew that, so there was no need to say anything more.

“You should go. Keep it clean, and put some ointment on that black eye.”

“I miss you so fucking much, Y/N.” Ignoring him, you walk into the bathroom to return the first aid kit, “Don’t you miss me?”

It almost makes you laugh. You missed him more than anything, so much so that after the shitshow that was today all you could think about was him. All you wanted was for him to wrap you in his arms and tell you everything is fine, but that is a wish that can’t be a reality anymore.

“It’s not about missing you Heese-”

“I’ll quit.”

You turn the bathroom light off and brush past him, “No, you won’t. We both know it so don’t lie to me, don’t start that now.”

Heeseung is a beat behind you when you walk into your bedroom, “Y/N, believe me.” He knew you didn’t need to believe him, there wasn’t even a reason to believe him because he had said this before. But this time is different, “If you just listen to me,”

“No, I don’t think I will.” The stare you have on him is angry, “I offered you a solution for all of this, and honestly? I am so tired of this conversation now. I need you to go.”

Hurt flickers in his eyes, “Baby, I’m miserable without you.”

Agitation builds up inside you. He’s acting like this is solely your fault, like you were the one that caused all this. Granted, you broke up with him but it was after giving him every solution to stop it, “This is not my doing, Seungie, okay?” He wants to retaliate but you snip in before he gets the chance, “You love fighting those losers more than you ever did me, you made that clear.”

He sees red at your allegation. How dare you even think for a second you weren’t his number one. Sure, he didn’t want to give up fighting, it was who he was, but he also didn’t want to lose you, he sees that now. He has to prove to you just how much you mean to him.

Heeseung takes two long strides to you and kisses you hungrily. It’s been so long since he felt your lips in his. The stinging from his wound is dull compared to how he feels to have you like this again, he has a whole month of kisses and fucking to catch up on and nothing will stop him.

“I love you so much don’t you dare fucking say that.” It was a rarity for him to say that he loves you out loud. You knew he did, it was his actions that showed his love more than words, but hearing it made your eyes well with tears. Because he didn’t say it much, you cherished every single time he did.

You fall onto the bed behind you, his weight crashing onto you as you both lose yourselves in the kiss, all that anger and hurt dissipated each of his kisses.

Wrapping your arms around his shoulders you try and deepen the kiss but he pulls away. He takes off his jacket and t-shirt and that’s when you see the bruises dispersed along his chest and torso. This fight must have been a lot more brutal than he let on.

Sitting up you kiss each bruise while he straddles your lap, gently showing love for each one. The nurse in you wants to tend to them right away, they really did a number on his stomach and you’re slightly concerned about the damage done to his insides. But right now all he needs is a few kisses to make it better.

“They don’t hurt, promise.” He assures you, but if you kiss him too hard, which isn’t hard at all, he winces. To fixate on something other than the pain he whips off your tank top and just the sight of your breasts has him feeling a-okay, “Missed you so much.”

You could laugh at his obvious ogling but with your burnt out body and his just the same, you just needed to feel him, “Seungie, please,” You whine into his right peck as you kiss him over his darkest bruise again.

Heeseung understands your pleas and pushes you flat against the bed before undoing his jeans and not so gracefully kicking them off, “What do you want, baby? I’ll do it all.”

To quit fighting. That’s what you want to say, but you can’t risk the idea of an argument, not when you’re so close to having him inside you again, “Fuck me, Heeseung. Please.”

This is all he’s been dreaming about since you told him to go. Your love wasn’t the only thing he craved.

Dipping his head down to yours he kisses you again, his hands dipping into your cute pajama shorts to pull them down, “Can I eat your pussy baby?”

You would love nothing more than to feel his tongue all over you but you are truly exhausted, “I have had such a hard shift Seungie, just need your cock to make me feel better.” You’re lifting your hips into his as you say this, staring into his eyes to let him know he has to do this soon or you’ll crash.

“Okay, baby.” He brings two of his fingers to your folds to assess how easy you could take him. You’re wet but you could be wetter for him. Heeseung is an average size but if you’ve been without sex for a month like he had hoped you’d need a little more.

He clambers over you to reach the top drawer and grab some lube. His cock is basically in your face so who were you to not have a taste of it? You sit up on your elbows and your mouth engulfs his member. He's so shocked by the sudden action he nearly drops the bottle, “Shit, baby.” His free hand finds its way into your hair as you bob up and down his shaft, “Missed that mouth of yours.” He breathes out, “Missed it sucking me off, missed it saying my name, fuck I even missed it bossing me around.”

Pulling back you look at him with an unamused look but he uses it as an excuse to kiss you once again.

Slithering down to his previous position he coats his cock with some of the lube, sparing some for your hole, slipping a finger into you to slick your inner walls with it. You turn into a moaning mess as you feel his fingers for the first time in so long, your hips involuntarily buck up.

“I’ll only be a minute, baby.” Once he feels satisfied you won’t feel any pain, he slides his finger out and rubs the head of his cock on your pussy. He isn’t even teasing you but you feel like he is with how long he is taking.

Abruptly, he pushes into your heat, the feeling of you around him makes his head spin. No one will ever feel as good as you, that’s why he’s willing to do anything to have you, “So good,” he exhales, “So fucking good, baby.” Bottoming out, he can’t stop a loud groan from erupting out his mouth. You’ve missed the sound so much.

He starts to thrust into you at a fast pace once he knows your walls have settled, each hit making the room fill with sounds of skin slapping and curses. With the way he’s fucking you, you would think you hadn’t seen each other in years, but he craves you so much that even one day without the option of you around his cock was unbearable.

“Shit, Seungie please go faster.” He listens to you and picks up the pace, knowing how tired you are he needs to get you off quickly.

Between your thighs, his hand finds your clit as he starts to rub it harshly. You look unreal right now, with your mouth open and head thrown back into the mattress.

Lifting your right leg over your shoulder he reaches a deeper spot, his cock pounding into you with ferocity it makes you squeeze around him, “Oh fuck, baby, do that again.” You squeeze his shaft with your walls again, “Fucking pussy feels like heaven.” He whispers to himself.

His hips keep a harsh rhythm, the sharpness of each thrust sending you more and more over the edge, “Close.” Is all you say.

“Yeah? Gonna cum for me, baby?” he smirks, happy knowing that he’s about to feel your ecstasy around him, “Cum for me, Y/N.”

And just like that your pussy comes undone on his dick that is still mercilessly pummeling into you. A loud mewl draws out your mouth and your hands grab onto the duvet under you, he’s making you feel bliss right now.

Heeseung can feel himself getting closer and if he wants full satisfaction he needs to cum now while your walls are contracting thoughtlessly, he needs you to milk his cock dry.

Feeling him lose his rhythm a little you know he just needs a little something to bring him over the edge, “Seungie, need your cum so bad.” He loved it when you begged for his seed.

“Yeah? How bad?”

“I’m starving for it.”

The last few words have his hips stuttering and ropes of his cum shooting into you, filling you up just how you like it.

You’ve finally regained composure from your own high and just in time to see his slack jaw and eyes screwed shut. He was one of the few people that looked good when they orgasmed and you loved when you got to see him in all his glory.

Heeseung falls onto you briefly to catch his breath, the pain from his stomach coming back slowly but that doesn’t matter right now, “Let me clean you up.” He slides out of you and goes to get supplies to look after you.

Because your job requires you to look after everyone around you, it was nice how Heeseung would do aftercare so well, making sure you’re okay.

He takes a while but as he comes back he’s holding a damp cloth and bottle of water in one hand and a cup of tea in the other, “Sit up for me baby.”

After placing the tea and water on the bedside table he starts to run the cloth along your sensitve area. He loved to see you full of his cum, every time the white substance would leak from you he felt a bit of pride so washing it away like this was mourningful.

“I have quit.” He says lowly, “Fighting, I mean. I quit this morning.”

“But you only said you would quit earlier?” You question, recalling the previous conversation.

“I wanted to see if you would believe me.”

You’re dubious, not understanding what he’s saying, “You can’t just quit like that, Seungie. You told me it wasn’t that easy.”

And it wasn’t. It’s not like you can hand in a two week notice and call it a day, there are too many stakeholders involved, too much money being thrown around to just up and off.

“Yeah, you can see it wasn’t so painless.” He finishes cleaning you off and goes to place the rag in the washing basket.

“What do you mean?” As he walks into the room you see his bruises again and it all hits you at once, “The guys being dicks…”

Heeseung nods and jumps back into his boxers but not anything else with the hopes you want him to stay, “Told them I wasn’t doing it anymore and next thing I know I’m on the floor.” He laughs embarrassed at the memory.

This was technically your fault, you asked him to stop the high stake fights and this is what happened.

Seeing your face, Heeseung sits on the bed next to you and cups your cheek, “Hey, no, I know what you’re thinking but you didn’t make me quit. I chose too. This is my doing”

“But I asked you to.” You look down and trace over his bruises lightly.

“Yeah, but I said no at first.” His hand runs into your damp hair, “I decided to quit this morning because losing you isn’t worth it. I meant it when I said i’m fucking miserable.”

Sighing you fear this happiness in your chest is going to disappear at any moment, “It’s what you love though, Seungie.”

“I love you.” He hates that you have this preconceived notion that somehow he loves fighting more than you, “And I know I should have said it more when we were together but, baby, give me another chance so I can keep saying it.”

You want to cry again, “Have you actually quit? No more fights?”

He places his hand on his heart, “I quit, promise. The only fights now will be with guys who stare at you too long.”

Laughing, you remember a time he clocked two guys out for even offering you a drink. Heeseung has always been protective of you, that’s why you missed him so much today. Coming home after a grueling shift made you want nothing more than for him to hold you.

He’s offering you that chance again and you can’t turn it down, “I love you, Heeseung.”

“Fuck, baby, I love you too.” His lips are on yours again as he pours his love into you, his devotion.

Heeseung wasn’t letting you go again. Not for any fight in the world.

#enha smut #enhypen smut #heeseung #heeseung smut #enha x reader #enhypen x reader #heeseung x reader #aj writes #posted it early bc i'm feeling generous #enhypen angst

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whore-era · 1 year

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little orange bottle

☁︎ modern!ellie williams x fem!reader, fluff/comfort ☁︎ themes/TW: depression/depressive episode, prescription medication use, mental health, crying, appetite issues, etc, established relationship, girlfriend!ellie, use of fem nicknames ☁︎ summary: in which your girlfriend always reminds you to take your meds and supports you through your mental health journey. ☁︎ a/n: this is a little bit self insertion bc i may or may not have been late on taking meds (take your MEDS!!) n this is a comfort fic for us babies who do take meds for mental health purposes or whatever reason. experiences described in this fic is solely based on mine :) ☁︎ word count: 1,809 - not proofread

"make sure you take them, as directed, and on time. sound good?"

you nod, biting your lip, rotating the small, orange bottle in your hand. god, who could even pronounce a name like that? the name of the medication sounded so....chemical.

"that's also a 30 day supply, alright? when you run out, make sure you contact me or the pharmacy, and we can get you a fresh batch," the doctor spoke. but you could barely respond, overwhelmed with emotion. you couldn't help the tears watering in your eyes.

"hey. depression is a manageable condition. you will be able to live life, as long as you know how to manage it in a way that works for you," the doctor puts her hands on top of yours, "sometimes its medication, sometimes its self care, sometimes its journaling or going for walks.."

you sniffle and wipe your eyes with your sleeve, "thank you, means a lot."

"of course. you can do this. i believe in you." i can do this.

as you make the walk from the doctors office to ellie's car, a bundle of nerves bubbled in your stomach. you weren't sure how this new medication would affect you and ellie's relationship. surely, there was nothing to worry about, as ellie had been extremely supportive of you during this turbulent time. she was the one who suggested to get help in the first place, an idea you'd forever be grateful for.

"please, ellie, i just want to be alone," you murmur.

she just came home from work and was shocked to see you still in bed, with the curtains drawn and all the lights closed, laying in the dark.

"baby...what's been goin' on?" ellie whispers softly, sitting on the edge of the bed, her fingers slowly stroking the bare skin on your shoulder.

"jus' don't feel like doing anything anymore, called out of work for this week," you mutter, burying your head back in the deep fluff of the pillow.

ellie's brows drew together in worry. she was starting to feel concerned for you. at first, she thought it was just sadness that you were feeling as you sulked around the house in your pajamas with your messy bun, shoveling your favorite ice cream in your mouth.

but as the weeks progressed, ellie would soon observe that what you were going through was much more than simply 'feeling sad'.

when you would come home from work, you would just lock yourself in your shared bedroom, reeling in sleep instead. when you were off, you wouldn't want to do anything but stay cooped up under the covers of your blanket — as if you lost interest in all the hobbies that gave you joy. ellie noticed that you barely ate or drank water, only coming out of the bedroom to use the toilet. it wasn't until she noticed that you weren't even changing your clothes or showering, than she comprehended the gravity of the situation.

"come here, sweet girl. tell me what's been on your mind," ellie laid on the mattress, pressing her body against yours and wrapping her arm tightly around your waist.

"i don't know what's been going on with me, els," you mumble, a slight crack in your voice, "i jus' have no motivation to do anything. i don't look forward to doing anything— i'm just tired all the time and—” tears begin to fall down your cheeks, "i don't know what to do anymore."

it pained ellie to see you like this — hopeless. she knew she had to do something, to be there for you.

ellie kissed the skin behind your neck, blinking away her own tears, "alright, baby, i hear you," she whispered against your hair, "i think you need to get some help, professional help. you have to talk to someone."

"i think so too, els."

ellie lifted herself off the mattress with her elbows, hovering over your body, "we'll worry about that in the morning. tonight, we'll take a nice, warm shower, get some hot food in your belly, and watch a funny movie. sound nice, pretty girl?"

after thinking for awhile, you nod, and ellie plants a soft kiss upon your lips, and helps you get up to the bathroom.

she peeled off your clothes, and you both got in the hot, steamy shower. ellie was careful and steady in handling you. she massaged your scalp with your favorite shampoo, lathering it in suds, and making sure to moisturize the ends of your hair with a hair mask after rinsing off all the shampoo (a step she knew you would've cussed at her for if she forgot). her hands squeezed body wash onto the shower cloth, gently massaging the frothy fabric all over your skin, covering it in a layer of fragrant, bubbles.

after cleaning both of you up, ellie helped you dress in some comfy clothes (her clothes), and cooked one of your favorite meals, filling up your belly with some much needed delicious comfort and turning on a funny film as you both dug in.

opening the passenger seat door of her car, you plopped in the seat.

"how was it?"

"was okay. cried in front of the doctor, but besides that, she was really nice about it," your hands opened the paper bag, taking out the little orange bottle, "she prescribed me this.

ellie took the bottle from your hands, giving it a gentle shake, and reading the label, "holy shit, sounds like a fuckin' harry potter spell or something."

you shrug, "doctor says i have to take it everyday, same time."

"good thing you have a very loving and annoying girlfriend to help with that."

you were sitting on the couch, cuddled up against ellie, watching reruns of your favorite show and snacking on your favorite chips. her phone began going off, playing that annoying default 'radar' alarm. she took her phone from her pocket, and smiled.

"time to take your meds, baby!" she enthused, showing you her phone, the screen reading 'medication time 😎'.

you groaned, not wanting to move from your comfortable position, "uuugggghhh, ellie, i'm comfy right here. i don' wanna get up."

"then i'll go," ellie says, standing up, leaving you to plant face first on the cushions of the sofa.

what a sweet girlfriend you had.

ellie had been wanting to try this new brunch place that just opened, and just by the luck of the draw, you had secured a reservation for sunday morning.

perusing through the menu, you settled on the idea of having the strawberries and cream french toast with eggs and sausage. your mouth was already watering at the thought of the sustenance hitting your taste buds.

"what are you getting?" you prod, looking up at your girlfriend.

she appeared to be deep in thought, like she was contemplating a life-altering decision, "i have no idea. i'm stuck between the nashville hot chicken and waffles or the kitchen sink omelette. fuck, didn't think this was gonna be so hard."

you giggled, "if your appetite allows it, maybe get both?"

as ellie was about to respond, that dang alarm went off again. she opened her phone and showed you her screen, 'medication time 😎'.

you rolled your eyes, and unzipped your bag, rummaging through its contents. biting your lip, the realization settled into you.

"i didn't bring it with me, i think i forgot it, els," you mention, worry in your tone, "ugh, i'm so dumb. i think i left it on the kitchen counter? i dunno— maybe if i leave right now i can—"

"babe." ellie snaps you out of your thoughts, taking out the little orange bottle and placing it on the table.

your heart swelled in your chest. she remembered to bring it?

"you...brought it?" you questioned.

"of course, had to make sure you took it. gotta take care of my girl."

the side effects of the medication took you by surprise — especially heightened emotions.

all it took was watching one tiktok video of a very fluffy australian sheperd celebrating her 12th birthday, and you were a goner.

"ellie! she's an old lady!!" you babbled like a baby, and all ellie could do was hold you and stroke the spine of your back as you cried into her sweatshirt.

"yeah, baby, i know, i know," she cooed in your ear, rocking you back and forth.

"she's all gray and old— and, and— she moves so slow, ellie. w-why—" you used a tissue to blow your nose, "—w-why do d-dogs have to get o-old?"

"because, sweet girl, they age like humans too," ellie grabs your face and kisses your wet cheeks, "but hey, think of it like this, she spent her very long, long life being loved by her family. love is all shes ever known."

you look up at her with big glossy eyes, calming down from your little breakdown, "y-yeah, i guess you're right."

"besides, she's still alive, baby. don't worry. she's not gone, yet." oops, ellie shouldn't have said that, knowing too well you were a ticking time bomb.

you exploded into a ball of tears, sobbing louder than ever before, "ELLIE!!! WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT!!"

ellie scrambled around, trying to calm your nerves, and also hoping that mrs. chu, the little old lady in the apartment next door, couldn't hear you through the thin walls.

after a difficult day at work, you unlocked the door to your apartment.

luckily it was friday, and you were off for the weekend.

the doctor said on days like these, self care is important.

you treated yourself to a lovely bubble bath with a glass of wine, and then you ordered take-out from you and ellie's favorite mom and pop shop.

as you waited for ellie to come home, you opened your journal and wrote down some affirmations.

i am confident.

i am strong.

i am beautiful.

i am loved.

i am protected.

i love myself unconditionally.

"hey, pretty thing, what'cha doin'?" ellie greets you with a kiss on your cheek, plopping down on the sofa next to you.

"just had a hard day at work today— needed to remind myself of some things," you say, closing your journal and placing it down on the coffee table.

"yeah? any way i can help, babe?"

you shake your head, "nope, just you being here is enough for me," you chide as you lean over to press your lips against hers.

"i can definitely do that," ellie says, smiling as she pulls away, "just remember, healing is never linear, okay? there will be easy days and some will be harder than others. as long as you take care of yourself and surround yourself with support, it'll be okay. and if everything isn't okay, that's fine too. just as long as you move forward."

if u deal w a mental health condition or something of the sort, remember ur not alone and help is always there when u need it! u are very loved and appreciated <3 and if u take meds, remember to take them!! ily bestie

xoxo frankie <3

#ellie williams #ellie tlou #ellie williams tlou #the last of us #the last of us ellie #ellie williams x reader #ellie williams x you #ellie x reader #tlou #ellie x fem reader #ellie williams x female reader #ellie williams fluff #ellie fluff

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copperbadge · 6 months

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[ID: Three images; top left, a spray bottle of clear liquid, labeled PRO SPRAY, sits on a gleaming cutting board; top right, Dearborn the tortie glares at the camera from the work desk's copilot basket. Bottom, a white rug with blue patterning in my hallway, surrounded at the edges by dark dustbunny-looking lumps.]

NaClYoHo Day Two! Pardon my grossness.

Yesterday afternoon I did the first of what is usually several trips to the hardware store; I bought spackle, gnat traps, and a PROFESSIONAL spray bottle. PRO SPRAY. It has an adjustable nozzle and measurement marks on the side, so I can dilute the vinegar pretty accurately. Last night I filled it up with vinegar water and laminated the kitchen, and this morning found and killed several weevils it drove out of hiding. It's sitting on the wooden cutting board because I had taken ALL the cleaning supplies out from under the sink and was reminded I should oil my cutting board with some Walrus Oil.

Dearborn is very skeptical about this morning's activity: carpet cleaning.

I threw on an episode of A Date With Dateline, popped in my earbuds, took down my Tineco One X vac and vacuumed for the first time in Slightly Too Long. I didn't get all the way through the house because I was running it on high which drains the battery, but usually vacuuming is a multi-day process. For what I paid for the Tineco I could have a high-end corded vac that does a better job, but I know that I won't use corded vacs because I hate the cord, so I'm okay vacuuming more often with the cordless. In any case, I hit the rugs because the next step was to break out the Hoover Powerdash Pet carpet cleaner and figure out how to use it.

I know I'm dropping a lot of brand names but just because I usually get asked; I don't make money from affiliate links or anything.

Anyway, the Powerdash came to me secondhand from friends who were moving, and for a long time it sat in my hallway in its plastic wrapping because I was intimidated by it. We never had one growing up and I've never really seen one in use. But it turned out that it was super easy to use, you just add water and cleaner to the tank and go; you go over the rug once with the trigger down, to spread water/cleaner, then a second time without the trigger to rinse/dry. I only hit about half of the rugs in my home, just to see how it went, and then stopped because they all seemed to remain very wet after cleaning. (They've since pretty much dried and I'm assured by the internet that's normal.)

The white patterned carpet above is the cats' favorite place to roll around and shed on, and as you can see, those dark dustbunny looking things around the carpet? That's cat hair and other dirt the cleaner pulled up. Gross but visibly effective.

I got a slightly late start so I had myself on a hard time limit; I started at 7, finished up at 8, and still had half an hour left on A Date With Dateline (they sometimes run a bit long). The cleaning solution definitely adds a certain chemical smell to the air, so I'm running the HVAC's fan and I've added "scented candle or incense" to the shopping list. Which I wanted to do anyway; some people always have such nice smelling houses and scent never seems to stick around in mine, but I've never gone hardcore on Making This Place Smell Nice. (Yes, I promise to be careful about what scents I use, I know diffused scents can harm cats.)

Disposable nitrile glove count: Still just 1!

Hardware store trips: 1.....so far.

#naclyoho #national clean your home month #cleaning #carpet shampoo #dirt

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osiris-iii-bc · 2 months

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Terzo, the unlikely vampire - A brighter night.

As predictable, I’m struggling to keep these episodes short and light, but everything is under control, for now. A new episode for my clumsy Terzo vampire. A little less clumsy in this one.

>> Ep. I: Tumblr, AO3

>> Ep II: AO3, down here 👇🏻

>> Ep. III: Tumblr, AO3

It’s night again over the Ministry, and as you prepare to go to bed, your sixth sense tingles with the sensation of being observed. Just as you slide your habit down your shoulder, you turn to the window and find a pair of eyes peering out from the lower corner, one green and one white.

"Terzo? Again?" you sigh.

The window is closed, revealing only half of his head, as if he believed that was enough to go unnoticed. He tries to retreat quickly, but you're faster. "What did I tell you about windows and doors?" you scold gently, opening the window.

He looks up at you, holding on the cornice of the window. Fortunately, your room is only on the first floor, and the ivy crawling on the walls makes it easy to climb. "Well, I wasn’t actually spying, I just-just happened to pass by!" he stammers.

"Passing by... through the window?" You raise an eyebrow, helping him into the room, making sure his outfit doesn’t get in the way again. You ask him what he was doing there, reminding him that spying on girls in their rooms isn't appropriate.

"Well, sometimes I'm lucky... I see them undress." he boasts, to which you quickly react with an afflicted "Oh, Sthanas…" massaging your temples.

"Uh, anyway... It's a beautiful night, and I was going out for a walk." he suggests.

"For a walk?" You ask him, skeptically.

"Yes, would you... join me?"

You hesitate, it is quite late, but at the end you ask him for five minutes to get ready, and as you exit the room together, you don’t notice him quickly grabbing your panties left on the bed, putting them into his pocket.

You’ve never seen the Abbey under that light.

Yes, you’ve been up till morning with your friends, at midnight masses or parties, but you had never focused on all those little details Terzo is showing you tonight.

He guides you through the empty corridors, inviting you to just hush and listen to all the echoes, the sounds and what he calls music of the night, reverberating through the stones. To you, night time had always been a useless timespan to fill with rest, thinking that nothing really happened during the dark hours, but now you start to feel something different, as if the walls seem to breathe with a life of their own, whispering secrets of centuries past, of all the feet that clicked on those floors and the thousands of words the walls have absorbed. You realize that in that silence, even the smallest water drop falling on the floor has a distinctive sound, different from the others.

He moves you gently, moving closer and farther away as if in a dance. His voice in the silence resonates like a melody, warm on your skin when he whispers in your ear, as if not wanting to disturb the quiet by speaking too loudly, manifesting his charm like a bat who is at his best in flight during the night.

“The night holds secrets untold, mysteries waiting to be unraveled. Each shadow hides a story.” You hear him say. “Night is when everything slows down, revealing its true essence...” He continues, letting the light of the lantern he holds closer to his face draw shadows on him, before blowing on the candle, “… or hiding it in its safe embrace.” and you only hear his voice, his body now one with darkness.

“Do you feel it?” He asks, reappearing behind you, or at least you feel his breath through your hair, his hand on your arm, “Do you feel this magic in the air?”

As you see all the shadows and faint, natural lights dance around you, It seems like everything comes alive - just a different kind of life - under the moonlight. It is something you never noticed.

“…Yes.” You only manage to say, feeling your heart beating in your throat.

You take his hand and move to the garden, and as the hours pass you finally open up, sharing stories of your past, your childhood, and your journey to the Ministry.

He lets you talk, while he just seems to enjoy your tales, sitting next to you on the stone bench. You’re not even sure if he is actually listening to your words or just enjoying the sound of your voice, as you share your story of a life lived in the lights of the day.

At some point, when night delves into its darkest hour, he notices you shivering lightly at the cold air. It takes a bit for him to realize you are cold, but as he does you promptly find yourself enveloped in his cloak.

When words go missing you simply find solace in each other’s company, accompanied by a shared, comfortable silence, just letting time pass by itself. Sometimes a beast’s verse, louder than the others, startles you, or a rustle in a bush makes you flinch, but Terzo reassures you that it’s just life going on while humans sleep.

“It doesn’t stop when the sun goes down.” He says “Nature swarms with no rest. Isn’t it beautiful? Nothing really stops, everything flows endlessly.”

And that is that, something once frightening to you, like strange noises in the night, becomes music you now listen to from a different perspective.

The night passes quickly until you start to yawn, struggling to keep your eyes open.

“Are you bored?”

“No, no…” you reassure him. Your head comfortably resting on his shoulder “it’s just very late for me, I’m not as nocturnal as you. I’m just a bit tired.”

“Oh, well… It's getting late for me too. Dawn is close.” he says, glancing at the sky. You quietly go back to your room, saying goodbye at your door.

“Thank you for keeping me company. This night was brighter.” he says, putting a little smile on your tired face. “To the next walk, so…?”

“To the next walk.” You agree.

He moves away, but after a few steps he turns back again, “Tonight?” he asks hopefully, pointing at you with both indexes.

“Tonight.” Nodding, you agree again, and finally enter your room, unsure if that night had been real or just a dream.

Only a few hours later you find your friends in the refectory. You woke up a bit late, but not enough to miss breakfast.

“Oh wow, I know what those are.” A friend says with a rather suggestive tone, pointing at your eyes, puffy for the lack of sleep, “Someone stayed up all night…”

“Terzo invited me for a walk tonight.” you quietly admit, biting a brioche. It is not a mystery that Terzo seems obsessed with you lately. “I found him spying on me through the window.”

One of your friends shrugs, “I know, I have Dracopia following me now…” as she says it, she stops eating when she notices your eyes, all pointed in the same direction behind her. “He’s behind me, isn't he?”

You all nod, looking at Copia’s head disappearing quickly behind a wall. Dracopia, you learnt, is just a nickname the Sisters have given him.

You spend the lunch discussing whether or not your friend should give a chance to Copia, and what you should do with Terzo, gossiping about how cute and odd he is with you, and the magical night you just spent with him.

The decision is an easy one anyway, and as you return to your room to prepare for the night, you notice something is missing in your drawers.

You shrug, trying to remember where you put the panties you were planning to wear.

#ghost band #the band ghost fanfiction #papa emeritus iii #terzo x reader #dracopia #Vampire terzo #cardinal copia #copia #terzo #vampire

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inmyhorrorsera · 9 months

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S5E8 "The Roast" thoughts:

Ok, I watched this episode three times and I'm still smiling. I love when you think and episode is gonna be about something because of its title and then surprise you when its all a misdirection (see also: Succession's "Connor's Wedding").

At first Laszlo's err… state intrigued me, love everyone projecting and imposing their own insecurities (Guillermo's secret, Nadja's hex) as a reason on why he is behaving like that. And of course it's a stupid reason 😭.

"And a flat pepsi for Guillermo". Oh Nandor, that's the worst thing you ever done to Guillermo, that's the worst thing you could do to anyone. And yes, I remember a certain S4 episode.

I screeched like a bird when Colin mentioned dreaming about being a baby under Laszlo's care, not only because I wanted this shit to happen since the past finale, but also I really thought the episode was going on that direction (and also bc its another W for my predictions).

Having said that, LOVED the nonchalance of Nadja and the others when they were like 'no, it wasn't a dream, that totally happened'.

I mentioned it in a separate post: they really had a Sweet Dee in IASIP moment when The Guide gave the roast idea, only to be ignored and then the same idea being stolen by a dude who is celebrated.

Seanie's poor brain it should be soup at this point, we don't know if he can hazily remember the event like it happened before.

What can I remember is his line after Nadja's roast because it was one of the biggest laughs for me: "Women CAN be funny!" I fucking loved it so much, it's the perfect condescending shit straight men say all the time, even when they're trying to be complementary to you they can't stop being garbage. It was a simple line but Anthony nailed the delivery and timing. Seriously, rewatch that part.

At first I was confused why all the jokes were so mid, but shortly I realized this episode wasn't about the roast at all, lol.

Just by watching screenshots of other users I noticed that in the scene of Nandor resting his head on Guillermo's shoulder there's a BIG flame between them. LMAO. There's no way that is unintentional.

Good for The Guide being the catalyst of Baron Afanas learning the truth. I was demanding more screen time for her lately, so having some incidence in the main plot goes on the plus column.

The other guests present at the roast being shocked at the knowledge of Guillermo killing vampires surprised me; I always assumed Guillermo being a familiar/slayer was a known fact in the vampire community after his very public massacre at the Théâtre des Vampires.

Fuck yeah when I realized this is a Doug Jones spotlight episode, I just fuckin ahgdjkaksdf, love him, perfect, no notes.

The Baron being terrifying!! Guillermo was seriously scared for the others and he barely tried to show off his Van Helsing abilities.

Nandor and Nadja begging the Baron to not hurt Guillermo!! 😭 Them being dragged while grabbing the cape!! 😭 They're spiritual siblings to me!! 😭😭

They really reminded me a little bro and sis begging their mom to not hit their beloved older brother with the chancla for talking back or something.

I fell for the two fake-outs with the sack lol I'm so gullible when it comes to vampires I guess.

NANDOR PAINFUL SOUNDS (MOANS???) WHEN HE BELIEVED HE WAS IN FRONT OF GUILLERMO'S INERT BODY. IT WAS SAD BUT ALSO A LITTLE HORNY!!!

"At least he died doing what he loved: beating off in the toolshed."

A wonderful small detail: After Laszlo opened fake Guillermo with the knife he cleaned his hands on The Guide's dress.

Idc if you think its dark, the whole 'Nandor will kill you and then kill himself' bit becoming a recurring joke it's peak writing.

I wish I can say something more serious about Baron Afanas' sadness over how boring his life is now. But I just keep thinking that the way he talks about his homelife with The Sire and the Hellhound sounds exactly when a dude has a middle life crisis and suddenly he doesn't enjoy his marriage anymore. They're husbands!! And I loved how cunty he looked at the end all half-charred (see posted gif) Queen!

Now, the Nandermo of it all: What more can I say than incoherent screaming and foaming from the mouth? Episodes 8 are all about them again!! Nandor on the window looking all cliched melancholic heroine of a romance novel?? How relieved he was when he found him in the coffin??? Him still remembering Guillermo's card word for word???!! Knowing that this toxic dark sided devotion goes both ways???!!! Borrowing the words of Fleabag: THIS IS A LOVE STORY.

Seriously, I know all these soft Nandor moments are here so the heartbreak when he learns about Guillermo being turned it's even bigger. But still denying that there is a romantic undertone between these two it's just being purposely adamant at this point (i'm looking at you wwdits reddit). Even if nothing explicitly romantic happens on screen, just by watching these moments, I know, we know.

Now, go listen to the ending song again. You will not regret it.

#i wish nandermo enjoyers only good dreams tonight!#to the others sorry err for me keep winning and being right #nandermo #wwdits #what we do in the shadows #wwdits thoughts

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mrslankyman · 5 months

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Do I Wanna Know?

Wrote this a while ago - 2,906 Words

Daryl Dixon - Prison Era (Not based on any episode in series)

February 12, 2012

As far as I know today is February 12. That's what Carol tells me. She keeps the days tracked. I guess she does a lot around here.

She's pretty reliable. Rick's been out scouting for a while. We're running low on supplies. Might have to make a trip to the closest town.

I head out of the main corridor of the prison where we've been staying. Pulling my pistol out from my holster and switching it into my dominant hand.

I opened the door that lead outside. The sun hit my face and I squinted. Living in the dark of the prison sure as hell made your eyes sensitive to any bright lights.

I passed Glenn and gave a curt nod. He was heading to the watch post for his daily steak out. I walked up to the fence. Looking out into the field. Only a few walkers today. Better than yesterday. There was a whole hoard out there. Thank god for Daryl. Him and his cross bow. That damn cross bow. He loves that thing more than anyone.

Speaking of the devil the familiar sound of a motorcycle filled my ears. I turned to the gate as Glenn pushed it open. Daryl came riding into the prison. Stopping his bike and taking the keys out of the ignition. He unwrapped the three rabbits he had killed. Of course he was out hunting. When wasn't he doing something? He barely slept because he refused to be useless.

"What ya catch out there Daryl?" Carol asked walking out of the Prison. Daryl looked up at her and held up the three rabbits. "Nice." She smiled and took them from Daryl. Forgot, the cook and the hunter were best friends. I groaned and looked back out into the field. Everyone in the group seemed to have someone.

I was just left out. I joined late and it felt like when you joined a friend group but the kids before had been friends for years. I was always the odd one out. At least I can survive here. That I am grateful for.

"What are you doing just staring off into the field?" A low voice asked behind me. I'd be lying if when I first joined that voice didn't set me off. In a good way.

Now it's just a constant reminder that I'm just lonesome. Daryl never cared for me. I knew from the day I joined. At first he tried to come across as friendly. In his own way. He just said Hello. Which was more than anyone else did. After about a week I guess he got tired of it.

"Yes I am. Does it bother you Dixon?" I asked not looking at him. My voice was laced with attitude. Hoping he got the point to leave me alone. It was what he did best. Ignoring me.

Daryl must've gotten annoyed. At least I assume because I heard him turn away and head inside. I let out a sigh and put my pistol in its holster on my waist. "I hope this shit ends one day." Such an idiotic thought. It was never going to end. The world was over.

-----

"Alright, we need to plan out the group's going out for supplies tomorrow." Rick said as we all sat down to eat. "We need more canned foods, medicine, and first aid supplies. Ammo too if we can find any." As Rick carried on I looked over to Daryl.

He was sitting next to Carol on the floor. They were talking about what I don't know. I rolled my eyes. He was starting to get really close with Carol. It was annoying seeing him make friends. I don't know why but it did.

"Y/N did you hear me?" Rick's voice pierced through my ears. The angry dad tone. I looked up at him. "What?" I asked. "You and Daryl are going out to Greens Burrow to search the market place up there for food." Rick said pinching the bridge of his nose. "Ok everyone else listen up." Rick said gathering everyone else attention again.

I looked over at Daryl. He was looking back at me and chuckling.

I guess me getting scolded is what made a almost 40 year old man laugh now a days. I rolled my eyes and ate my stew.

----

After we all ate dinner everyone headed to their cells to sleep. Besides Rick. He headed out of the prison. I assume to go on watch or snoop around somewhere. I don't really care.

As I headed down the short walk way to my cell I bumped into a broad shoulder. I looked up and groaned. Daryl. "Watch where ya going." He huffed out. I rolled my eyes and went to walk past him. "Annoying asshole." I mumbled under my breath.

A hand grabbed the back of my shirt collar and slammed me into the cement wall. I groaned as a slight rush of pain pierced my head.

Daryl looked down at me. His hand holding my shirt to the wall. He leaned closer his eyes squinting at me. "Wha'd ya call me?" He asked in a low whisper.

I glared at the man in front of me. No way in hell he was talking to me like this. "Wha'd ya think?" I mocked him.

I smirked a little in sanctification as the annoyances crept its way onto his face. "Is the big hunts man mad?" I teased as his hand bunched into fist. I took the opportunity before he could speak to flip our positions.

I slammed him into the wall. Watching as his eyes widen in shock. "Before you go around shoving women into walls.." I leaned into his ear. "Make sure shes not a professionally trained wrestler." His face scrunched up.

I laughed as I let go of him. "Ass hole." I cooed as I walked off to my cell. Completely satisfied for once.

----

"I seriously cannot believe I have to go with you. Rick could've chosen anyone." I complained as I fixed my pistol in my holster.

Daryl was getting his bike ready. "Stop complaining." He grumbled in annoyance. He got on his bike and looked at me. I stared at him confused.

"Get on the fuck are ya doin?" He asked as I still stood there. In utter silence. "I'm not getting on that bike with you." I rolled my eyes.

He leaned his head back in exasperation. I was making this hell for him. I could tell. I kinda liked it.

"I'm gonna leave without ya." He kicked up the kick stand of his bike and revved it up. "Fine! But only because I don't feel like walking." I saw him smirk slightly from the side mirrors on his bike. Our eyes caught each other and he stared at me for a second before looking away.

I walked up to the bike and threw my right leg over the seat and sat down. "You're gonna have to hold on." He said as he revved the bike up again. "I think I can balance." I rolled my eyes. "Sure." He chuckled as the gates opened.

He revved the bike up one more time before shooting out of the prison and onto the road ahead. My body wobbled and I flung my arms forward. Wrapping them around Daryl's waist.

Daryl Pov

I knew she wouldn't be able to balance. I felt her arms wrap around me and bit my lip. The breeze of the wind flowing my hair felt nice. But not as nice as this. I'll admit it's been a while since someone has ever touched me like this. Maybe that's why I don't mind.

Or maybe I just wanted to prove her right. I closed my eyes slightly. It was nice to get out of the prison. Even with the dead being all over.

My thoughts slipped to last night. Her slamming me against the wall. Her face as she leaned into my ear. Her voice.. I felt a shiver run down my spine. No I couldn't like this snobby woman. She was also keeping to her self. A strange woman in a now strange world. Not so strange at all If you really think about it.

I'm too hypocritical.

I was and still am like that. Sure I've gotten closer to a lot of our people but I still keep my distance. I opened my eyes. Watching ahead for any walkers or living people.

I could see in my right side mirror Y/N looking around. She looked nice with the wind blowing her hair. A carefree look on her face.

I looked ahead and kept going. All the way to Greens Burrow. Trying my best to ignore the thoughts I had of the woman behind me. I'm just going crazy. This world has changed me.

----

I stopped at the local market. I kicked down my bikes kick stand and waited for Y/N to get off. Once she did I got off too.

She grabbed a stray shopping cart and headed inside. She better not fill that shitty thing up. The two bags on my bike only had enough room for a few things. If we found any.

I shoved open the door. Carts and random shelves blocked the entrance. We climbed over them and got to the main center of the store. Empty shelves and random new papers littered the room.

I looked over at Y/N to ask her what we should do but she was already walking off. Pushing the cart down a random isle all the way at the back of the store.

"Is she dumb?" I asked myself as I followed her. I left my cross bow back at the prison. Fuck. I pulled out my pistol from my holster and lifted it up. Checking each isle as I walked over to her.

This idiot could've been eaten. I guess not everyone is as smart as you think.

Once I finally made it to her I saw the cart. Stock pilled of random canned goods and chips. "We can't take all of that." I grumbled as I lowered my pistol.

"We can just take some and then come back for the rest." She shrugged like it was no big deal. She is starting to really piss me off.

"I do not wanna be stuck running around all day with an idiot." I pinched the bridge of my nose in annoyance. I felt her hand pat my chest and I looked down at her. "Get over it." She smiled but her tone was rather angry.

I shoved her away and headed off down the rest of the isle. Checking for walkers so this idiot of a woman doesn't die.

----

Regular POV

It's been about a week since me and Daryl's run. He has been avidly ignoring me. I guess I really pissed him off when I said this walker with the ugliest fucking face looking like him. I thought it was funny.

Today I was out checking the other cells around the prison. Killing any walkers that I stumbled into or that stumbled into me. I had finally made it to the end of cell block E.

I was going to be late for dinner. Oh well. I headed back to the front of the prison and walked into the main cell block we were all settled in. Just as I thought.

Everyone had ate and there was nothing left. I groaned and mentally cursed Rick for giving me the worst jobs. I lowered my head and started walking up to the stairs.

"Not gonna eat?" A familiar deep voice asked. I looked over at Daryl. He was holding a bowl of stew. I rolled my eyes. "No." I huffed and turned to keep walking.

"Come on and eat. I don't need you to starve." He insisted. Talking to me like he cared.

"Why do you care if I starve?" I sneered. He just gave me a look. The 'you better do what I say.' look. I gave up and walked back down the steps and over to him. He held out the bowl to me and I took it.

"Thanks.." I say unsure. Should I be thanking him or telling him off? He had ignored me for a whole week.

Why do you care about me so much all of a sudden? You ignored me all week." I antagonized him. He just stared at me. Bitting his bottom lip.

"I didn't ignore you. Now good night." He turned away and began to walk up the stairs to his cell. I rolled my eyes and started to eat my stew.

Then it hit me.

He wasn't ignoring me. At least he was verbally.

He would purposely bump into me and give me a rude look. Even if it was his fault. He'd look at me anytime we all ate dinner together. Constantly pick the same time to do guard duty as me. Even if he didn't speak to me.

I shook my head. Maybe I was just over thinking it. We were in a prison after all. With maybe 10 people. It's bound that we bump into each other and have the same shifts.

———

Again. Today I had to check Cell block A. I groaned as I walked down the hall. I was always chosen for the dumb jobs. I headed into a cell unit. Checking each cell for any sign of life .. or death. As I got to the end of the cell block a hand grabbed me and pushed me down to the grown.

"Ah- what the hell.." I looked up at the walker infront of me. It's jaws slammed together as I pushed it away with my hand. Keeping its mouth away from my face and neck. "ah- fuck!" I looked over to my side. My gun had fallen out.

"Shit shit shit! I kicked at the walker. It didn't budge. I tried shoving it off. No use. My arms grew tired and I trembled under the weight of the dead. This can't be how I die. No way.

As the Walker lowered its self. Close enough to take a bite out of my flesh. I swear I could've felt the pain of teeth bitting into my skin. A loud 'phew' echoed and an arrow pierced the Walker through the head. It flopped down. I pushed it off my quickly and scrambled away from it. Catching my breath.

Daryl stood at the end of the corridor. His crossbow in hand. He lowered it and walked over. Pulling the arrow out of the walkers head.

"What are you doing here?" I asked still trying to recover from the shock.

"Saving you. Dumb ass." He grumbled and set his cross bow down. He walked over to me and held out his hand. I hesitantly held my hand out and took his. He pulled me up and I stumbled into him.

He looked down at me as I looked up at him. "I heard you. I was walking around tryna find you to tell ya dinner was done. Since you missed it the day before." His voice echoed in my head. This time it wasn't annoying.

"Oh really? What makes you care so much if I miss dinner? It just mean more food for you. I don't get why you're trying to be so nice to me but stop."

He stared at me. His eyes narrowing slowly. "I just saved ya. Doesn't it prove I are about ya?! Do I have to spell it out!" He yelled flipping his arms into the air and back down.

"Why did you save me? Aren't I just an annoyance to you?" I went on. His hands bunched up into fist. "Maybe you are!" He sneered.

"Good I like being the reason you're so mad." I smirked and pushed him against the wall. He stared at me. Slowly catching onto my game. "Agitating you makes my day." I clicked my tongue in his face at the end of the sentence.

He bit his lip and glared at me. His hands grabbing my sides slowly but firmly. My heart rushed slightly. I pushed the feeling down. I wanted him to make the first move.

"Maybe I like that you agitate me." He added on, pulling me closer by the waist. His voice was deeper now. More low and quite.

I pressed my body against his. My arms wrapped around his neck. "I like that you like it." I whispered in his ear in a slow, low tone. I could feel him growing hard as each one of my silky smooth words touched his ear.

I pulled away and looked at him. I laughed slightly. Who knew a women could make a grown man melt at a few words so easily.

"Maybe I'll-"

He cut me off and pressed me against his chest. "Just shut up and kiss me." He demanded. I smirked and gladly listened. Pressing my lips against his cold chapped ones. His stumble rubbed against my face and I'd be lying if I said it didn't turn me on more.

We stayed like that for a few minuets. Just kissing and saying things I'm sure he wouldn't want the others to know about. Men get embarrassed so easily.

#the walking dead #daryl dixon #twd daryl #the walking dead daryl #daryl fanfiction #daryl x reader #daryl x y/n #daryl x you

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dustedmagazine · 2 months

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Listening Post: Kim Gordon

Kim Gordon has long been one of rock’s female icons, one of a tiny handful of women to get much play in Michael Azzerad’s underground-defining Our Band Could Be Your Life and a mainstay in the noise-rock monolith Sonic Youth. It’s hard to imagine that quintessential dude rock band without Gordon in front, dwarfed by her bass or spitting tranced out, pissed off verses over the storm of feedback.

Yet Gordon’s trajectory has been, if anything, even more fascinating since Sonic Youth’s demise in 2011. A visual artist first — she studied art at the Otis College of Art and Design before joining the band — she continues to paint and sculpt and create. She’s had solo art shows at established galleries in London and New York, most recently at the 303 Gallery in New York City. A veteran of indie films including Gus van Zant’s Last Days and Todd Haynes I’m Not There, she has also continued to act sporadically, appearing in the HBO series Girls and on an episode of Portlandia. Her memoir, Girl in a Band, came out in 2015.

But Gordon has remained surprisingly entrenched in indie music over the last decade. Many critics, including a few at Dusted, consider her Body Head, collaboration with Bill Nace the best of the post-Sonic Youth musical projects. The ensemble has now produced two EPs and three full-lengths. Gordon has also released two solo albums, which push her iconic voice into noisier, more hip hop influenced directions. We’re centering this listening post around The Collective, Gordon’s second and more recent solo effort, which comes out on Matador on March 8th, but we’ll likely also be talking about her other projects as well.

Intro by Jennifer Kelly

Jennifer Kelly: I missed No Home in 2019, so I was somewhat surprised by The Collective’s abrasive, beat-driven sound though I guess you could make connections to Sonic Youth’s Cypress Hill collaboration?

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The more I listen to it, though, the more it makes sense to me. I’ve always liked the way Gordon plays with gender stereotypes, and “I’m a Man” certainly follows that trajectory. What are you guys hearing in The Collective?

Jonathan Shaw: I have only listened through the entire record once, but I am also struck by its intensities. Sort of silly to be surprised by that, given so many of the places she has taken us in the past: noisy, dangerous, dark. But there's an undercurrent of violence to these sounds that couples onto the more confrontational invocations and dramatizations of sex. It's a strong set of gestures. I like the record quite a bit.

Bill Meyer: I'm one of those who hold Body/Head to be the best effort of the post-Sonic Youth projects, but I'll also say that it's very much a band that creates a context for Gordon to do something great, not a solo effort. I was not so taken with No Home, which I played halfway through once upon its release and did not return to until we agreed to have this discussion. I've played both albums through once now, and my first impression is that No Home feels scattered in a classic post-band-breakup project fashion — “let's do a bit of this and that and see what sticks.” The Collective feels much more cohesive sonically, in a purposeful, “I'm going to do THIS” kind of way.

Jonathan Shaw: RE Jennifer's comment about “I'm a Man”: Agreed. The sonics are very noise-adjacent, reminding me of what the Body has been up to lately, or deeper underground acts like 8 Hour Animal or Kontravoid's less dancy stuff. Those acts skew masculine (though the Body has taken pains recently to problematize the semiotics of those photos of them with lots of guns and big dogs...). Gordon's voice and lyrics make things so much more explicit without ever tipping over into the didactic. And somehow her energy is in tune with the abrasive textures of the music, but still activates an ironic distance from it. In the next song, “Trophies,” I love it when she asks, “Will you go bowling with me?” The sexed-up antics that follow are simultaneously compelling and sort of funny. Rarely has bowling felt so eroticized.

Jennifer Kelly: I got interested in the beats and did a YouTube dive on some of the other music that Justin Raisen has been involved with. He's in an interesting place, working for hip hop artists (Lil Yachty, Drake), pop stars (Charli XCX) and punk or at least punk adjacent artists (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Viagra Boys), but nothing I've found is as raw and walloping as these cuts.

“The Candy House” is apparently inspired by Jennifer Egan's The Candy House, which is about a technology that enables people to share memories... Gordon is pretty interested in phones and communications tech and how that's changing art and human interaction.

Andrew Forell: My immediate reaction to the beats was oh, The Bug and JK Flesh, in particular the MachineEPs by the former and Sewer Bait by the latter. Unsurprisingly, as Jonathan says, she sounds right at home within that kind of dirty noise but is never subsumed by it

Jennifer Kelly: I don't have a deep reference pool in electronics, but it reminded me of Shackleton and some of the first wave dub steppers. Also, a certain kind of late 1990s/early aughts underground hip hop like Cannibal Ox and Dalek.

Bryon Hayes: Yeah, I hear some Dalek in there, too. Also, the first Death Grips mixtape, Ex-Military.

It's funny, I saw the track title “I'm a Man,” and my mind immediately went to Bo Diddley for some reason, I should have known that Kim would flip the script, and do it in such a humorous way. I love how she sends up both the macho country-lovin’ bros and the sensitive metrosexual guys. It's brilliant!

This has me thinking about “Kool Thing”, and how Chuck D acts as the ‘hype man’ to Kim Gordon in that song. I'm pretty sure that was unusual for hip hop at the time. Kim's got a long history of messing with gender stereotypes.

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Bill Meyer: Gordon did a couple videos for this record, and she starred her daughter Coco in both of them. The one for “I'm A Man” teases out elements of gender fluidity, how that might be expressed through clothing, and different kinds of watching. I found the video for “Bye Bye” more interesting. All the merchandise that's listed in the video turns out to be a survival kit, one that I imagine that Gordon would know that she has to have to get by. The protagonist of the video doesn't know that, and their unspoken moment in a car before Coco runs again was poignant in a way that I don't associate with her work. And of messing with hip hop!

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Tim Clarke: “Bye Bye” feels like a companion to The Fall’s “Dr Buck’s Letter.”

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Bill Meyer: From The Unutterable? I'll have to a-b them.

Tim Clarke: That’s the one.

Jonathan Shaw: All of these comments make me think of the record’s title, and the repeated line in “The Candy House”: “I want to join the collective.” Which one? The phone on the record’s cover nods toward our various digital collectives — spaces for communication and expression, and spaces for commerce, all of which seem to be harder and harder to tell apart. A candy house, indeed. Why is it pink? Does she have a feminine collective in mind? A feminine collective unconscious? The various voices and lyric modes on the record suggest that's a possibility. For certain women, and for certain men working hard to understand women, Gordon has been a key member of that collective for decades.

Jennifer Kelly: The title is also the title of a painting from her last show in New York.

The holes are cell phone sized.

You can read about the show here, but here's a representative quote: “The iPhone promises freedom, and control over communication,” she says. “It’s an outlet of self-expression, and an escape and a distraction from the bigger picture of what’s going on in the world. It’s also useful for making paintings.”

Gordon is a woman, and a woman over 70 at that — by any measure an underrepresented perspective in popular culture. However, I’d caution against reading The Collective solely as a feminist statement. “I'm a Man,” for instance, is told from the perspective of an incel male, an act of storytelling and empathy not propaganda. My sense is that Gordon is pretty sick of being asked, “What's it like to be a girl in a band?” (per “Sacred Trickster”) and would like, maybe, to be considered as an artist.

It's partly a generational thing. I'm a little younger than she is, but we both grew up in the patriarchy and mostly encountered gender as an external restriction.

As an aside, one of my proudest moments was when Lucas Jensen interviewed me about what it was like to be a freelance music writer, anonymously, and Robert Christgau wrote an elaborate critique of the piece that absolutely assumed I was a guy. If you're not on a date or getting married or booking reproductive care, whose business is it what gender you are?

There, that's a can of worms, isn't it?

Jonathan Shaw: Feminine isn't feminist. I haven't listened nearly closely enough to the record to hazard an opinion about that. More important, it seems to me the masculine must be in the feminine unconsciousness, and the other way around, too. Precisely because femininity has been used as a political weapon, it needs imagining in artistic spaces. Guess I also think those terms more discursively than otherwise: there are male authors who have demonstrated enormous facility with representing femininity. James, Joyce, Kleist, and so on. Gordon has always spoken and sung in ways that transcend a second-wave sort of feminine essence. “Shaking Hell,” “PCH,” the way she sings “I Wanna Be Your Dog.”

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Jennifer Kelly: Sure, she has always been shape-shifter artistically.

The lyrics are super interesting, but almost obliterated by noise. I’m seeing a connection to our hyperconnected digital society where everything is said but it’s hard to listen and focus.

Bill Meyer: Concrete guy that I am, I’ve found myself wishing I had a lyric sheet even though her voice is typically the loudest instrument in the mix.

Andrew Forell: Yes, that sense of being subsumed in the white noise of (dis)information and opinion feels like the utopian ideal of democratizing access has become a cause and conduit of alienation in which the notion of authentic voices has been rendered moot. It feels integral to the album as a metaphor

Christian Carey: How much of the blurring of vocals (good lyrics — mind you) might involve Kim’s personal biography, I wonder? From her memoirs, we know how much she wished for a deflection of a number of things, most having to do with Thurston and the disbandment of SY.

Thurston was interviewed recently and said that he felt SY would regroup and be able to be professional about things. He remarked that it better be soon: SY at eighty wouldn’t be a good look!

Andrew Forell: And therein lies something essential about why that could never happen

Ian Mathers: I know I’m far in the minority here (and elsewhere) because I’ve just never found Sonic Youth that compelling, despite several attempts over the years to give them another chance. And for specifically finding Thurston Moore to be an annoying vocal presence (long before I knew anything about his personal life, for what it's worth). So, I’m in no hurry to see them reunite, although I do think it would be both funny and good if everyone except Moore got back together.

Having not kept up with Gordon much post-SY beyond reading and enjoying her book, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this record. After a couple of listens, I’m almost surprised how much I like it. Even though I’m lukewarm on SY’s music, she’s always been a commanding vocal presence and lyricist and that hasn’t changed here (I can echo all the praise for “I’m a Man,” and also “I was supposed to save you/but you got a job” is so bathetically funny) and I like the noisier, thornier backing she has here. I also think the parts where the record gets a bit more sparse (“Shelf Warmer”) or diffuse (“Psychic Orgasm”) still work. I've enjoyed seeing all the comparisons here, none of which I thought of myself and all of which makes sense to me. But the record that popped into my head as I listened was Dead Rider’s Chills on Glass. Similar beat focus, “thick”/distorted/noisy/smeared production, declamatory vocals. I like that record a lot, so it's not too surprising I'm digging this one.

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Jennifer Kelly: I loved Sonic Youth but have zero appetite for the kind of nostalgia trip, just the hits reunion tour that getting back together would entail.

Jonathan Shaw: Yeah, no thanks to that.

RE Christian's comment: Not sure I see deflection so much as the impossibility of integration. We are all many, many selves, always have been. Digital communications interfaces and social media have just lifted it to another level of experience. Gordon sez, “I don't miss my mind.” Not so much a question of missing it in the emotional/longing sense, more so acknowledging that phrases like “my mind” have always been meaningless. Now we partition experience and identity into all of these different places, and we sign those pieces of ourselves over, to Zuck and the algorithms. We know it. We do it anyways, because it's the candy house, full of sweets and pleasures that aren't so good for us, but are really hard to resist. “Come on, sweets, take my hand...”

Bill Meyer: I would not mind hearing all of those SY songs I like again, can’t lie, although I don’t think that I’d spend Love Earth Tour prices to hear them. But given the water that has passed under the bridge personally, and the length of time since anyone in the band has collaborated creatively (as opposed to managing the ongoing business of Sonic Youth, which seems to be going pretty well), a SY reunion could only be a professionally presented piece of entertainment made by people who have agreed to put aside their personal differences and pause their artistic advancement in order to make some coin. There may be good reasons to prioritize finances. Maybe Thurston and/or Kim wants to make sure that they don’t show up on Coco’s front door, demanding to move their record or art collection into her basement, in their dotage. And Lee’s a man in his late 60s with progeny who are of an age to likely have substantial student loan debt. But The Community is just the kind of thing they’d have to pause. It feels like the work of someone who is still curious, questioning, commenting. It's not just trying to do the right commercial thing.

Justin Cober-Lake: I’m finding this one to be a sort of statement album. I’d stop short of calling it a concept album, but there seems to be a thematic center. I think a key element of the album is the way that it looks for... if not signal and noise, at least a sense of order and comprehensibility in a chaotic world. Gordon isn’t even passing judgment on the world — phones are bad, phones are good, phones make art, etc. But there’s a sense that our world is increasingly brutal, and we hear that not just in the guitars, but in the beats, and the production. “BYE BYE” really introduces the concept. Gordon’s leaving (and we can imagine this is autobiographical), but she’s organizing everything she needs for a new life. “Cigarettes for Keller” is a heartbreaking line, but she moves on, everything that makes up a life neatly ordered next to each other, iBook and medications in the same line. It reminds me of a Hemingway character locking into the moment to find some semblance of control in the chaos.

Getting back to gender, there’s a funny line at the end: one of the last things she packs is a vibrator. I'm not sure if we're to read this as a joke, a comment on the necessity of sexuality in a life full of transitory moments, as a foreshadowing of the concepts we’ve discussed, or something else. The next item (if it’s something different) is a teaser, which could be a hair care product or something sexual (playing off — or with — the vibrator). Everything's called into question: the seriousness of the track, the gender/sexuality ideas, what really matters in life. Modern gadgets, life-sustaining medicines, and sex toys all get equal rank. That tension really adds force to the song.

Coming out of “BYE BYE,” it's easy to see a disordered world that sounds extremely noisy, but still has elements we can comprehend within the noise. I don’t want to read the album reductively and I don't think it's all about this idea, but it's something that, early on in my listening, I find to be a compelling aspect of it.

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#dusted magazine #listeningpost #kim gordon #the collective #jennifer kelly #jonathan shaw #bill meyer #andrew forell #bryon hayes #tim clarke #christian carey #ian mathers #justin cober-lake

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chloe-caulfield94 · 8 days

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alt Chloe has a gift for alt Max

Max and Chloe went to the bow of the cruise ship, to enjoy the setting sun. Max noticed that there was a small present box resting on Chloe’s lap, wrapped up in a bow.

“I have something for you, Max. Open it!”

Max untied the bow and removed the lid. Inside there was a wreath made out of dark green oak leaves, with a few acorns still attached.

For an obvious reason, Max watched a lot of movies with Chloe. Some weeks after moving to Seattle, they started watching “Rome”, an HBO series taking place in the ancient days of the Eternal City. There had already been multiple seasons made and more were on their way. Max and Chloe liked the series very much and they steadily devoured episode after episode, season after season.

In one of the early episodes, young Julius Caesar, still a mere footsoldier, saved the life of a comrade-in-arms. For that he was presented with a “civic crown” - a wreath of oak leaves. That prized award was handed out as a symbol of ultimate achievement - saving a fellow Roman’s life. It was made out of leaves, not out of gold or silver, because saving a life was considered to be an award in its own right. Max remembered that she geeked out hard after watching that episode, because the battle in which Caesar earned his civic crown took place at the city of Mitylene on the island of Lesbos, which was the home to the famed poet Sappho. The island is also the place where the novel “Daphnis and Chloe” by Longus is set, which is a story of two young souls who were raised together, but just as they were about to understand that they loved each other, were separated by cruel fate. But in the end, after many, many hardships, including an abduction by pirates, they were reunited and married.

At Chloe’s side Max quickly learnt that geeking out was okay. In her Vortex Club days Max mistakenly believed that one should be blase about everything to come off as cool. Now she knew that caring about things and especially about other people was not only cool, but it was the only way to gain meaning in life.

Listening to Max’s geekout about Lesbos, Sappho and ancient romance novels, Chloe smiled and nodded. But Max noticed that she wasn’t smiling with her eyes. At the time, she thought that Chloe was simply tired or that she had another one of her headaches. But now she knew what was the reason. Seeing young Caesar carrying his friend’s limp body, a rain of arrows falling all around them, must’ve reminded Chloe of the Storm.

Chloe explained the contents of the box: “It’s an award for saving a life. Like you saved mine. In more ways than one”.

Max touched the wreath with her fingertips.

Chloe continued: “Obviously, I didn’t pick them myself. Remember how a few weeks ago Kristen and Fernando took me to the park when you had to stay late at work? They helped me pick the leaves. And make them into a wreath. And tie a bow on the box. While it was customary to use leaves from the place where the deed took place, you don’t have to worry. I know you don’t want anything to do with Arcadia Bay, not after the revelations about Jefferson and Nathan. These are decent Seattle leaves”.

Max gazed at the wreath, as if mesmerized.

Chloe fretted: “I’m sorry, I know it’s silly …”

“No! It’s not silly”.

Looking her wife deep in the eyes, Max placed the wreath on her own brow. “I feel like a triumphing emperor. Your life, our love - those are the only things worth fighting for to me. Thank you for this gift, Chloe. I will never stop fighting for us”.

Chloe smiled and said: “During a triumph, an emperor always had a servant at their side, telling them that they were only human. That was to remind them that even in their moment of triumph they were merely mortal. Now, in your moment of triumph, I’m telling you - you are more than a human. You are my angel”.

“Chloe, I don’t know what to say”.

“Kiss me, then”.

After their lips parted, Max kept gazing at her wife. Chloe’s head was crowned with a golden halo placed on it by the light of the setting sun. On the day of her wedding reception, Max should feel joyous and hopeful. She should dream about the future. She should feel like it was the first day of the rest of her life. And she did feel that way. She was full of joy and hope. She imagined all the beautiful moments of love ahead of them. But she also felt fear and unease. She knew they were living on borrowed time.

She grabbed Chloe’s hand and placed her other hand on her wife’s cheek. Chloe, who had been looking over at the sea, smiled, finding Max’s face to be an even more pleasant view than the sun rays dancing on water.

Max spoke, utmost determination on her face, honesty and power in her voice: “Chloe, we already swore to be with each other until death parts us. Now I’m taking another oath. I swear to be with you always. I won’t allow anything to part us. I won’t let our love be broken by death. I won’t let it take you. I don’t know how, but …”

Chloe wished she could touch her wife. To reassure her. But she couldn’t. She could only use her words.

“Max, you have already saved me from death. You have saved both my body and my soul. Before you came back, I wished only for death. Now I only wish for life and love. Life with you. Your love. You’re right, what we have is too strong to be broken, even by death. So I swear to be with you, always, too”.

They kissed again, two silhouettes against the setting sun, their dresses blue as the sea.

Continue reading: https://archiveofourown.org/works/51515176/chapters/130195735

#chloe price #max caulfield #alt chloe #alt max #pricefield #life is strange #lis #fanfiction #life is strange fanfiction #my roman empire

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br1ghtestlight · 6 months

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they're wearing their raincoats so for me this is already a 10/10 episode. love when they wear their raincoats!!

not big bob and tina going on the toddler rides at amusement parks together. LESS THRILL MORE CHILL. truly two autistic peas in a pod <3

big bob is seventy five (at least according to louise) this is important lore. also this means bob's dad is the same age as his gayass old man landlord who flirts with him every other day FJDMDJDKSMS according to my caculations big bob would've been 29ish when he had bob which means he met lily when they were in their early twenties. that also means (assuming that lily was the same age as big bob) lily would have been around 43 when she died although the math doesn't add up 100% if you consider her being born in 1941 because it would mean this episode takes place in 2016 which it doesn't. am i overthinking this one-off line where louise guestimates big bob's age??? yes i am thank you VERY MUCH.

LMAOO NOT THE BIG BOB REPUBLICAN DOOMER ARC OH NOOO

big bob making conversation while spending the day with his very young grandchildren: so have you considered that the world is terrible and people are awful and we should all kill ourselves? thoughts?

(im sure that isn't what bob meant its just funny to imagine big bob depression posting circa 2013 tumblr @ his grandkids all day)

ALSO this implies bob has been talking to big bob more regularly lately which is great. they're working on their relationship. a little bit :)

BIG BOB FOR REAL BEING A QANON TRUTHER EXCUSE ME???? THE FUCK. ohh he's literally a doomer he's watching videos about the upcoming apocolypse and how to ration food. HE'S A CLIMATE CHANGR DOOMER ITS SO OVERR im sorry thats so funny im obsessed w/ him

also our first time ever seeing (what im assuming is) bob's childhood home!! very cute. and he made them cookies

BIG BOB COMING TO VISIT BOB AT HIS RESTAURANT???? HUGE WIN???

why is big bob calling bob randomly to talk about how the world is ending and tigers are going extinct what is GOING on. at least he believes in climate change??

"like he's getting ready to..... leave the party. so he doesn't feel bad about telling everyone how much the party stinks" DONT TALK ABOUT HIM LIKE THAT if there's an episode where big bob dies its over for me. like its done <- there won't be but i would be very very sad IF THERE WAS. to be fair we gotta kill off linda's parents too though

aww they're texting regularly <3 i like how you can ALREADY see how much bob and big bob's relationship has improved since the start of the show where bob Literally thought his dad hated him and that he was a disappointment. see what actual open communication can do for you!! im happy bob has at least one parent he can talk to kinda sorta? HE SHARES HELPFUL TIPS SO THAT BOB CAN SAVE HIS FAMILIES LIFE HES TRYING TO HELPP :(

"and today its just gonna be him. and them. and the giant cloud of darkness that follows him wherever he goes" funnily enough thats also what people say when talking about me :3

GRANDPA HUG!!!!!!!

"pop pop how much cotton candy is TOO MUCH cotton candy" "i dont know. three??"

LMAO FOR SOME REASON THAT REMINDS ME OF THIS FUCKIGN QUOTE. big bob when gene comes out to him as genderfluid like

wharf day with pop-pop!!! wharf day with pop-pop!!!!!

grandpa needs a little bench time. im ALWAYS saying this tbh

"don't get any tattoos that your parents can see" FUN GRANDPA he's definitely a better grandpa than he is a dad bcuz he was not doing this shit w/ bob when he was young i can tell you that much

OMG I LOVE TEDDYS RAINJACKET?? sorry i live in a rainforest its my god given right to comment on people's rainy day fashion. its like my one job

"i need to ask you guys A HUGE favor. can you try to take a good picture of me" teddy u are literally always hot this shouldn't be a problem. you're DRIPPING sex appeal. except this is for a handyman website so maybe less sexy?ANY PICTURE I TRY TO TAKE OF MYSELF I LOOK LIKE A MURDERER FJFMDNFJDKDNDJXHXH

louise shows up whenever she goes and figured out the best way to Cause Problems and i respect that about her. that takes real talent and dedication

one thing about the belcher kids they WILL end up locked inside a fortune telling clam in wonder wharf

he's sooo baby

everything is so okay bob dont even WORRY. big bob is asleep on a bench and the kids are stuck inside a giant clam they've done more dangerous stuff like twice this week already. at least they're inside??

"its fun when your dad shows up to. check on your grandpa"

ITS SO EASY FOR YOU BOB WITH YOUR CHARMING LOVEABLE FACE

do you not trust me with the kids :( noo big bob they literally (kinda) trusted GAYLE with the kids for AN ENTIRE WEEKEND u cant be worse than her at taking care of them. she was making them do some shit that Kids should not be doing. anyone remember the pretty paws

??? why was he just randomly like oohh we should win that gorilla for the kids. he loves them SO MUCH im gonna cry <3 he literally loves them and wants them to be happy. he SPOILS them. he's such a good grandpa and such a terrible dad lmfao

"are we being punished? for being helpful and delightful??"

if i was walking around an amusement park and i heard a robotic fortune telling clam SCREAMING for somebody to help it escape i would get the fuck outta there so fast sorry kids. you might be on your own w/ this one

i dont know why bob is acting like he doesn't lose the kids four times a week MINIMUM those mfs will run off anywhere if given half the chance. they live for the thrill

"we lose 'em and then we find them. that's our thing" ?? what did he mean by this

WHY ARE THEY LOOKING FOR "CUTE" TOOLS this subplot is so funny im kinda obsessed. mechanics for the girlies

HOW DO YOU MAKE A TAPE MEASURER LOOK SCARY........

teddy is scaring the hoes nooo. its okay teddy i would hire you maybe(??) well. yknow

IM A GENTLE PERSON :( teddy i will always be your biggest fan wtf he's literally so sweet. he wouldnt hurt a fly

silly <33

LMAO not louise just lying there and saying help us. help us. help us into the microphone she's so cute and SOOO over this whole situation

TEDDY IS HAPPIEST WHEN HE'S EATING BOB'S BURGERS THATS SO SWEET WTF

he's a good grandpa :(

SOMETIMES YOUR GRANDPA CAN BE A LITTLE DARK ABOUT LIFE AND NEGATIVE. YOU MEAN LIKE YOU LMAOO

if you keep saying stuff like that around your grandkids they're gonna believe you.... and then it might actually come true. so maybe don't say horrible stuff about the future to people who will have to live in that future </3

IM NOT ALWAYS WORRIED ABOUT THE FUTURE AND THATS **BECAUSE** OF MY GRANDKIDS what if i cry right now. he literally loves them so much he's such a good grandpa!!! wtf Anyone else thinking about amelia right now. the ending

AAWWW THIS EPISODE WAS SO CUTE IM OBSESSED WITH BIG BOB he was such a terrible father but he's the best grandpa and he loves these kids SO MUCH. genuinely. and im so happy that his relationship w/ bob is getting better and that they're on better terms. also the subplot with teddy was adorable i always love teddy and linda subplots. they're BESTIES. maaaybe my favorite episode from this season so far but honestly they've all been so great that there's like five different episodes competing for that spot. and we're still only eight episodes in!!! absolutely everything i wanted from an episode with big bob (even if lily wasn't mentioned. SAD!! oh well there are other episodes) and i loved learning more abt his relationship with his grandkids and that dynamic ^_^ <33

#txt #bob's burgers #episode review

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meshlasolus · 2 years

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House Of Memories (49/?)

Obi-Wan Kenobi x Padawan!reader

Warnings: fluff, just fluff

Summary: The festivities have begun, and the anticipation is getting to Obi-Wan.

A/n: ATTENTION PLEASE, since I updated so late, there will not be another update tonight, or tomorrow since I have to work super late... BUT there will most definitely be a very long episode dropped on Saturday and oop- 50 is going to be a massive win for obi and his little one

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

Words: 2.5k

"Are the curls too flat?"

The stylists had been poking and prodding about your face and hair for the last several hours, and you weren't sure if you'd ever make it to the event for how long it was taking. Padme's stylists, experienced with her look, had finished long before you, and it seemed like now she was just feeding them more ideas.

"No, they look angelic, let the small pieces frame her face and twist the rest back on the sides," she instructed, and they did just that.

You couldn't see a thing that was happening, so for all you knew, this could be a big joke, and you'd show up looking the same as you always did... of course Padme would never do that do you, but the thought still crossed your mind.

It was rather strange that they never once let you look in the mirror. They claimed that 'we're the ones who need to see, not you.' Which was simply infuriating, but you digress, it was a little fun being able to pretend just for the day that you weren't a Jedi.

"That's lovely Juri, she's absolutely stunning," Padme came back in the room, bringing the dresses for you both to fit into.

The stylists gawked and awed at the beauty of them both and it was only now that you caught a glimpse of padme's dress. It was a lovely dark navy, with strings of iridescent stones laid over it, the way they shimmed in the light made them look like stars against a night sky. Whoever made Padme's dresses, they sure knew what they were doing, the girl was never dressed less than a princess, and you loved that about her. She was easily seen in a crowd, she always stood out. She was one of the loveliest beings in the galaxy, and you always felt it an honor to be in her presence.

"Alright, it's time."

Obi-Wan was unsure about the formal set of clothes. They didn't look bad, perse, but the person staring back at him in the mirror wasn't the General Kenobi everyone was used to. He looked far more refined, and regal. He looked like he probably descended from royalty, and he had that of great riches beyond compare.

The trousers and boots were about normal, but from the waist up, it was like a whole different person. The dark undershirt, borderline black, but there was a hint of the darkest green embedded in it. Over that was the formal shirt, much tighter and restricting than his robes were, but he supposed it was a nice contrast to the light shades of them, as the deep brown looked so earthy and warm. The last thing to adorn his body was the vest, made of some sort of leather, and the glossy black only faintly reflected the light as he pulled it to rest over his shoulders. He did look nicer than usual, he could admit it, but it still didn't feel like him.

He supposed he would brush everything aside and wear this outfit, for the sake of Padme, and for the sake of you, whom would also be forced to wear garb outside of your normal pickings.

He left the room and headed to the main hallway, following after many of the 212th members who were on their way outside. The large hovercraft that awaited them were decorated with some of Naboo's prettiest flowers, including the ones you loved so much and had told him about. The sparkling blue ones that glowed in the light. You'd said that they reminded you of him, and had been nearly the exact shade of his lightsaber. Looking at them now, he knew that you were right, it was uncanny.

He'd pick one to present to you, however he felt he should not shorten it's life by doing so, as you'd want to see it grow to its full potential.

He approached one of the palace staff, seeing as though he wasn't busy with anything, and was simply overseeing that the clones were loaded on the hover-ships that would carry them over the water. The man was quite surprised to see the Jedi in such an outfit that made him near unrecognizable. He had always liked the senator's taste, though.

"General Kenobi, how may I assist you?" The man bowed in reverence, and Obi-Wan ducked his head shyly in response.

"I'm looking for my Padawan, I was sure I could find her here, but it appears she hasn't shown up yet," he explained, his hands fidgeting and likely giving away how anxious he was to see you. It's not like was was trying to hide it, anyway.

"Oh yes, I remember I was to tell you she will be arriving at the venue separately, as she will be accompanying the senator."

Obi-Wan, though massively patient in quite literally any other circumstance, had to restrain himself from arguing with this man over the situation, and walked away before he could even think of demanding to see you.

"Thank you, if it is alright, I'll board with my men," and then he was on his way.

The trip over the water was beautiful, very scenic and calming, actually. He'd never truly experienced a tour of this planet, although he'd been here several times on account of the senator, and back then queen. He'd seen Theed, and he'd been in the forested regions, even exploring the underwater world of the Gungans, but this? This smooth ride over the lake country where he could see the lovely outline of the cliffs and the mountains against the sky, with every little detail now pointed out to him through the attention they drew, this was paradise. A real vacation if he could swear it was one. Now the only thing missing was you.

"Excuse me sir, I don't believe we've ever met," one of the clones came up behind the general, teasing him to see if he'd respond to the joke. Some of the others laughed at him, and Obi-Wan sighed as he turned around. "General Kenobi, is that you? You look uh... a little different."

"Trapper, if you're going to mock me, please do so outside of my vicinity."

But of course, having heard his annoyance, they only wanted to poke more fun at him, so for the rest of the journey, he was no longer able to simply enjoy the landscapes around him, but endured being made fun of by the men he lead on almost everyday.

Reaching the port, he was able to see another hovercraft in the distance, and hoped you would be here soon, but having seen the festivities that awaited, he was able to relax and disembark with his clones until then.

The décor was amazing, as it always was, and he knew that this time Padme had outdone herself. There was not a moment where that woman was not the most decadent person he'd ever met. He could hear music as he approached the venue, and it was lovely, the sounds were peaceful and serene, the stringed instruments in harmony with each other really set the mood of this celebration, and although his men were all rough and normally very boorish, they seemed to be exuding their most refined courteousness. If this party could turn his soldiers into gentlemen, it could do anything.

He was ushered in by the other hosts of the night, being greeted by the large doors of the hall and shown inside where the refreshments were. He walked slowly down the large set of stairs that lead to a wide dance floor, open to anyone who may take part in such an activity. He was obviously not known for dancing, although he was sure it wouldn't take much convincing if only a certain someone would ask.

"You look tense, General. You nervous?" Cody, ever the reliant commander, seemed rather troubled about his superior, as he hadn't seen him clench his fists that tight since the last mission.

"I'll be fine, I think I just need a drink," he all but joked, following Cody over to the bar, which had been ever so generously provided for them.

As more people began to pour into the room, the party seemed to grow more alive. The people of Naboo were a very hospitable people, and welcomed them all with open arms. There was not a clone unoccupied in the large celebration hall, as the guests kept them busy, telling stories of their successes in the war. The people found it fascinating, and of course the soldiers themselves were all to happy to comply with their requests for stories and recalled memories of victory. Obi-Wan was happy to see them so happy, enjoying the celebration he truly believed was meant for them. He was not a leader without them, and they were the reason for all his achievements.

"The senator is here," the in-tuned Jedi heard someone behind him, and turned around, seeing a small clustered group at the top of the stairs.

He set his unfinished drink on the countertop, waiting for the group to finish greeting the hosts at the top so they might come down. He knew you were with her, which is why he was paying such close attention.

It was all so quick, the way Padme lead her assistants and yourself down the stairs, and he first saw you... his jaw nearly went slack on the floor.

Your dress, though modest to some extent, showed off your most pleasing attributes. It was green, and blue, representing the earth and waters of this planet, with the ever so small bouts of pink to accentuate the plant life. The broadness of your shoulders were looking divine with the shimmer of the satin vines that cascaded around them, holding the rest of the dress together. Your skin was glowing, and he couldn't help but notice the stretch of your legs, coming through the slits of tulle that surrounded them. Crystal looking shoes you wore that were adorned with vines and flowers that crawled all the way up your knee and stopped right under your thighs, which were also halfway visible. You had your head ducked parallel to the stairs while you walked down them, and if he knew you, and he did, it was because you were utterly terrified you were going to trip and fall down them. He was not yet able to see your face, but your hair was lovely. Normally wild and untamed atop your head, it had been smoothed into gentle curls which laid effortlessly on your shoulders. The sides were pulled back and up, into twists on the back of your head, held in place with light pink flowers like the ones on the dress.

He started walking towards you when you were nearing the bottom, and his heart was racing before his steps even moved him forward. There were couples that had stopped on the dance floor to watch the senator come in, but nothing could stop him from getting to you, now on the ground where he stood. He finally stopped before you, and you lifted your head, not at all surprised to be meeting his eyeline. You could feel his anticipation from a mile away.

He almost couldn't breath, yes, you took his breath away. He dared not look away for even a second, even as Padme greeted him with a 'good evening, General Kenobi.'

"It's lovely to see you, malady," he spoke, sparing her a single glance, but his eyes were drawn back to you like magnets, and it was completely free from his own will of controlling himself.

You smiled cheekily, observing him in his entirety. He cleaned up very nice. Of course, you preferred the ragged Jedi you knew, but this was a nice change from the normal.

"Obi, you look very handsome," you told him, stepping closer to admire how completely royal he looked. Like a prince of a far away planet. His cheeks turned red, but he was quick to return the compliment, although a bit flustered from yours.

"And you look beautiful," he felt that word didn't compare to how you looked, and he didn't want to settle for it, but he did, knowing he would look foolish if he kept quiet long enough to think of something else. This galaxy had not seen such a marvelous wonder as you, therefore the word for your beauty did not exist, and he decided on that.

He his hand to you, and you took it, watching closely as he raised the hand to his lips and kissed the top of it delicately.

"You must excuse me, I should greet the other guests," she said, backing away slowly, but she knew that her presence would not be minded to leave, as you both seemed rather... entranced at the moment. She was very happy, however, to see that her hard work had paid off.

The music started back up again, and it was only this moment that Obi-Wan had noticed it stopped, for when you entered the room, in his mind it seemed to continue, even more astounding than it had been before.

He pulled you along with him to the side of the stairway, avoiding causing traffic in the area.

"You really are beautiful, little one," he said, still admiring every little detail about you. It was clear that work was put into this, and he wanted you to know that he was appreciative, even if you didn't mind so much.

"I'll admit, I feel more seen in this dress than I ever have in my life," you chuckled, taking and deep breath and releasing it. You weren't used to having more than one set of eyes on you at a time, at least not for good reasons.

"Oh, but little one, I always see you."

His hand that still possessed yours lead you back backwards, towards the edge of the dance floor, and you were worried that perhaps this attire was not the best thing to be wearing at the moment.

"Obi, you know I can't dance," you shook your head, but didn't show any other signs of protest other than that. If you truly did not want to dance, he would not make you, but he did feel the need to correct your statement.

"You've danced with me before," and it was true, but those were different circumstances, if you remember correctly.

"We were alone, and no one could see us, then."

He pulled you flush against him, a hand on your waist and the other in your hand, his head tilted slightly to look at you in close proximity. He sent into your mind the feelings that coursed through him, and in your bond of the force you felt every single thing he did. It was overwhelming really, like a beautiful chaotic storm of emotion.

"It's just us, my love," he whispered in your ear, and right away you knew it would take no more convincing, and you'd dance with him the whole night through. "It's just us..."

@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

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drewzelle · 4 months

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“nine mutuals you want to know better” tag game!

Tagged by @sarenhale ! I didn't have access to my computer the past couple days so I'm a bit late, but this was a lot of fun!! Thank you for the tag <3

Last Song: lately I've been relaxing to the Hollow Knight OST (City of Tears best track) but in terms of lyrical music, I recently rewatched the music video for "Little Dark Age" by MGMT because its vibes are fucking impeccable and mesmerizing (I can watch it on repeat for hours)

Favorite Color: purple is my go-to answer (especially blue-ish purples), but I also really love dark greens and desaturated earthy colors so much

Last Movie/TV Show: I feel like I haven't been watching movies lately (I'm more of a show person because I like longer form narratives) but I think the last one I watched was "Better Off Dead" while I was visiting my family for the holidays. It was a weird/surreal but good time! As for shows, I finally got around to watching Scavenger’s Reign!! Every aspect was just amazing, especially the worldbuilding and visuals. 2D animation is probably my favorite medium, so I'm really glad we're seeing more animation for adults that wants to tell a story instead of being a delivery device for lame sex jokes and cringe humor. OH ALSO DUNGEON MESHI!!! For a lot of the same reasons! Excited to watch the new episode tonight :>

Sweet / Spicy / Savory: I have a HUGE sweet tooth, so if I had to pick one, that would be it. Savory foods are great and I love them, I just have a leftover "now's your chance!" impulse from not being allowed much sugar as a kid that I can't seem to get rid of. I'm also weak to the "I deserve a lil treat" trap if I've got a bunch of sweet snacks around, so I have to be careful. As for spicy….I am SO completely unable to handle spicy food it’s almost funny, but really it’s just tragic because I LOVE cuisines known for being spicy, like mexican and thai. If I eat out, I always have to be like “can you please make it mild?” and even then, if it's not seasoned for the babiest of babies, my mouth will burn and my weak, white-person tummy will hurt.

Relationship Status: I keep forgetting I’m getting married in less than six months. My partner and I got engaged like two years ago and have lived together for almost five, so my brain just defaults to "there’s probably a guy nearby" and doesn’t think much deeper on it than that.

Last thing I googled: "morels" because I was discussing mushrooms with my friend and those are some cool lookin' guys! Shaggy ink caps too!

Current Obsession: …….One Piece 😅 I was a big fan as a teen but only got as far as the Skypiea arc before I fell off reading/watching it. The hype over the new live action version reminded me the series existed, so I’ve been not so slowly making my way through again, picking up where I left off. I love how absolutely bonkers, there-are-no-rules, anime-ass-anime it is, but also how genuine and heartfelt it can be. I also enjoy how character-driven so much of the plot is which works because of how interesting the characters are (Chopper, Robin, and Franky are my favs). I just got to the timeskip, so I’m maybe…halfway through? between this and BG3, RIP my free time lol

Last Book: I've been reading through Seiji Yoshida's "Houses with a Story" (slowly, because I want to really take it in and savor it) and it's been a delight. Very relaxing and inspiring :> (up next, I finally got copies of the Locked Tomb series, so soon I will be enjoying The Space Lesbians)

Looking forward to: Being able to organize and enjoy my "new" office space after some hectic days! My partner and I realized we barely spend any time in our bedroom except for sleeping, so we swapped my office into the bigger room in our apartment! There were some complications with getting the internet working on my PC, but we finally got it all smoothed out. Now I finally have all my books and sewing/crafting/creative stuff in one place without it feeling cramped or hiding things away in storage :>

Thank you again for the tag! I'm tagging @justagoos, @icicleteeth, @lunarliart, @saltsparkle, @fael-draws, @juliedillon, @ninamodaffari, @crabdominalpain, and the final slot for anyone else who wants to join in - but please don't feel obligated, this is just for fun! :>

#thanks again for the tag Saren :D #it was fun to read yours and I'm excited to read some for the people I tagged!#drew says words #personal.txt #tag game #long post

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wellntruly · 1 year

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M*A*S*H - Season 11, misc. notes

It’s the last notes! Well, let’s be specific: the last notes I took as I was watching the show for the first time, THAT'S ALL.

As such, I’m taking this moment to editorialize on how I’ve editorialized, or perhaps, haven’t, so far. Namely, that I think Frequently about some of the things I wrote in public about BJ frickin Hunnicutt circa S4-5, and am like, honey who are you talking about! But the answer is, I have to keep reminding myself, that was BJ! He really was like that, in the early days! I have to leave them all, as an historical record. I will perhaps add a note on a note. “This was true then; it would not be true always,” that kind of thing.

For a little while I was definitely shying off from recommending some episodes due to strangeness from BJ, and that is where I could have failed as a viewguide-maker. By their nature, episodic shows can being picked & choosed, and through that, you can hide things. Or try to. I actually think that if I'd tried that would only have made it stranger, the way it would have still bubbled through just in these odd, off-handed moments, without the reference points of the wildest flights to allow you to say, ah yes, sometimes he is this way.

And sometimes he isn’t! And yes, in my initial episode list (though babe, are the B-sides ever comin’), I admittedly have gone from a six or seven episode run of probably the most lovable late-seasons BJ, culminating in one that really hammers you with sweetness (& obsession) and tragic mystery, to then plummet directly into his unhinged (& tragic mystery) behavior in ‘Goodbye, Farewell and Amen’, and I do think that will play pretty beautifully, for all that this does mean that I did skip folks past the episode in Season 11 that had me going, oh, so that man is insane-insane, and that angle on Beej has its value too (the darkness!!!)

Anyway more on that below, in the Final Watch Notes. (I keep laughing, this is so not final.)

— — —

Ohhh what the FUCK is this now. Every damn season with re-orchestrating the theme!

The gulf between the S3 episode where the nurses leave and the men are all so dejected because they wanna flirt, and this one where the nurses leave and the men are all losing it because they can’t do their jobs without them: cavernous

I love Nurse Kellye so, SO much, her monologue in this about her qualities and interests is The Greatest, the overall plot line that she has a secret crush on Hawkeye: no good. 😅 Resolution of that though, of her being too busy now hooking up with the young officer from the inspection: I laughed so heartily. Now that was a genius bit of writing.

If the Halloween episode’s turn into ghost and goblins stories gets properly eerie I’m gonna get mad, because that will be good, and then I’ll have to recommend this one even with the tedious beginning. [Ed. note: I didn’t]

Hoooooooohhhhhhh, spear bone is something I was Not ready for…!

Hey, it’s finally 1953

“He’s got a shoulder big enough for the whole world to lean on,” and other Hawkeye-on-Sidney lines that make my heart hurt.

Cannot express how much I want nothing to do with the shortened credits

It is so fascinating how they recycle the supporting actors. Personally to me this adds to the time-loop quality: things come back a little different this time, people are arranged a different way, but the cast of characters is the same. They’re all trapped in the snow globe, none of them get out when it shakes.

I think Charlie is like, fully in love

Wait a second, IS this Jeffrey Tambor???

Charles you gotta be kidding me

Here to report that I had an entire heart attack over the Japanese ‘Happy Days Are Here Again’ cover starting 'The Joker is Wild' like we were back in early days, and then [Mulaney voice] it got worse!

Hawkeye: [mentions that he and Trapper used to pull a lot of jokes together] Promptly, through my hands: “Don’t do this to me.” BJ, smiling too much: “You and Trapper were quite the pair weren’t you?” Hawkeye, relenting: “Yes! Yes, we were!” Hands now just hanging in the air like I’m being held up, rapidly: “Don’t do this to me, don’t do this to me, don’t do this to me!”

Klinger, eyes warm at Pierce: “Seems to me the pranks used to be more original in the old days.” BJ, still smiling big and cold: “Awww the good old days, you mean like when Trapper was here?” We can’t do this!!!! I’m literally shaking!!!

Hawkeye: “Well that would be incredible, because I would love to see you sing ‘You’re the Tops’ without your bottoms.” BJ: “Haha I can understand that, Hawk, because anybody who’d want to get everybody, would want to get you worst of all.” I think this episode is going to kill me?

I’m gonna come out of this one with WHITE HAIR, Jean Valjean style. THEY’VE SAID “TRAPPER” SO MANY TIMES. They SO rarely do and I can never take it even briefly and now to do this, in this context!! It’s maybe the most darkly jealous BJ has ever been and it’s the literal plot???!!

Oh my god wait it really is, it’s ALL against Hawkeye, I AM seeing what’s happening here, aren't I. And the “getting” just psychologically torturing him for 24 hours, oh honey!!! And for WHAT, BJ, just because he admitted a joke he was describing was one of Trapper’s? Oh no!!!!!! It’s the literal plot and it’s WORSE. I’m laughing and weeping, jesus!

I CAN’T SPIRAL ABOUT THIS. I CAN’T. BUT. The whole thing about Hawk & Trapper was that they were a pair. That’s what both BJ and Hawkeye were saying in the first scene, them joking around together. And now, BJ’s retaliation is to make Hawkeye feel entirely isolated. Can’t trust anyone, all on his own and persecuted. Hahahaha I CAN’T BELIEVE HOW EMOTIONALLY FUCKED UP THIS IS ACTUALLY. Who wrote this!!! The same person who wrote ‘Period of Adjustment’!?? Wait actually who did write each of these BJ eps…

O M G

I was making a joke, John turn your location on.

“Take it off, Hawkeye! I wanna see some skin!!” Father stop

Anyway this episode destroyed my mind.

Oh okay, so second episode in a row for Most Deranged Thing They’ve Ever Done contender: Hawkeye hooks up with a nurse and then she’s fucking killed by a mine. Nope?!

Are they suggesting Klinger invented the Hula Hoop

Oh, no, don’t read her diary…

My feelings about every part of 'Who Knew?' are just, 🙃 this was a mistake!

Charles and Hawkeye both vaguely gesturing to their shoulder: “You know, the- the wound.” The only reason I would want more seasons would be that we’re finally doing Hawkeye & Charles and it’s so dryly delicious.

Potter to Hawkeye: “You’re witty, swave [suave??], you lean toward handsome—” He leans.

Uh, that’s horrible. If BJ gets this medal all he’ll ever be able to think about is cutting the rope. Wow yikes.

Yes, yes, Charles & Hawkeye making phone calls, my favorite thing they do together. This Roxbury joke……now that goes out to the real ones (people who have lived in Boston).

BJ: “We sit around here in our Hawaiian shirts and red suspenders, thumbing our nose at the Army, drinking home-brewed gin and flouting authority at every turn and feeling ohh soo superior to those military fools who kill each other, and ohh soo…self-righteous, when we clean up after them. Well good luck to you pal, I hope you can...keep it up. The minute I cut that rope, that made me a soldier.” Haha good lord this season is miserable.

Margaret's phone performance is the greatest. This mortgage party plot is…odd. And meanwhile the sweet lieutenant plot is getting incongruously intense and not in the high-contrast way that usually works for them. Folks I am sorry but is this whole season mm, a Mistake?

Alright, time to get hawt

They have such LONG. LEGS. Why is it so much more apparent when they’re bare.

How come the lighting and color quality in the film distributor’s office is making me nostalgic for something

Potter is wearing Klinger’s Toledo Mudhens cap and has his bird pinned to the center, right over the T

Hawkeye: “Klinger it’s all in your head, just don’t be hot!” Klinger: “Don’t be hot??” He can’t ❤️

It’s great when Charles uses his power (intimidating baritone blue blood) for good

Margaret just doubling down on their betting scheme like well in for a penny, go big or go home, is sending me

Frankly all three of these visiting docs are babes

“Our summer home is in the Berkshires, just a baton’s throw away from Tanglewood.” Second Home Lane [REAL STREET], Lenox, MA, CONFIRMED Winchester residence

I like that Margaret and Charles both have crushes

[haltingly] It would, thrill me, beyond measure, if the kind silver fox Swedish doctor has a crush too, but it’s on Captain Pierce. Um, he needs that? I mean he’s sure not getting…. Don’t make me think about this…

[breathily] “So, you’re from Sweden. I’ve always loved Hans Christian Anderson.” Loretta help

Just gonna say: my idea of what the crushable Swedish officer plot could be, is honestly still plausible at this juncture! He’s laughing cutely at Hawkeye’s dumb jokes in the O Club! This injury-induced impotency story could be a careful lie, or rather, frankly, even a ruse, the carefullest of lies. If he asks for any sort of help with like, a pause, Hawk get your head on a swivel (and get on that, honey) (I'M NOT THINKING ABOUT THIS!)

Ohhh now the glasses…mega babe!

Mr. Dish and Margaret you guys are maybe being a little bit stupid though right, I mean you could still do a LOT

Thaaank you :)

Oh very fun, this actor’s last name was Holahan!

Hawkeye: “Charles, for the sake of our sanity, which is iffy at best—” Iffy.

First three minutes of this episode cumulatively more fond of everyone than the first 10 whole episodes of this season---hello Karen my girl

Wish the A and B plots were switched honestly

WOW perm! ’83 is here, baby

Loretta Swit invented Michelle Williams as Gwen Verdon after her vocal cord surgery

What are the void shoulder patches on some of these guys, kinda eerie and I've wondered

I really like Hawkeye’s vibes this episode. Not paying the expected deference to the general in such a classic Hawkeye way, meanwhile quietly very watchful of him and his injured son, and whatever is going on there.

This is definitely the most sophisticated thing they’ve ever done with a general. He’s humanized but also still a profoundly bleak representation of those who make war.

Charles is this really time for Mahler

Ohhh is the void just the I Corps patch?? Sick. The Voids are here.

Okay 11 seasons in it was time for me to finally find out what I Corps is anyway, and TURNS OUT they were already in my own fucking life, causing problems. They’re just an administrative corps, US headquarters at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, which straddles the major interstate that runs up Washington State, meaning I’ve gotten stuck in JBLM traffic For. Years.

Being Mad at I Corps

The 4077 🤝 Me just trying to get to my parents’ house

Karen’s flavor of scheming BJ continues to be the best of its type. Lets him maintain his early days detail of being good at people management, it’s just for crimes.

Margaret: “Perfume! Charles! Oh it’s just so…scented!” Oh em gee

This is very good. The two of them moving in on him, smiiiiling. The composition, Xtra Long BJ all folded up in this chair…

I spy: the cold weather coats

Margaret wants Charles’s book of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poetry, Sonnets From the Portuguese. Holy MO-ly!

Yeah :) it’s cold :)

“In the Bayou, legend has it that a selfish man will be possessed by demon bats, and never get no sleep ’til he does some good deed and mends his ways.” Rizzo…God bless u.

Beasts! Don’t throw beer on Klinger’s fur coat!

The B plot of the American soldier in the bed next to the North Korean he shot is very well done actually

Oh, full cassock, Father?

“Right on time. [points swiftly] I like that.” Harry Morgan :)

Wow that chopper pilot rules ass

I do quite like the Margaret v. Hawkeye time capsules thing, it feels very vintage them

OKAY! The fact of the M*A*S*H sleepover with Jody means I don’t actually have like, notes from the finale, I had a coupe glass holding a distressingly dry martini. But we’re cobbling, we’re cobbling! And that’s just a little cocktail shaker humor for you. (I actually have a Boston shaker.) (Charles looks up.)

I think the first thing I want to mention is that partway through Jody looked something up on her phone and was like hey, do you want to know who Soon-Lee is? And that’s how we learned that Klinger marries Keiko O’Brien. Yell!! Babe I hadn't recognized you!!! Anyway that whole plot, while sudden, nonetheless did have me going

And also unfortunately revealing to Jody that I do, in fact, do exactly this while watching this show. Always have! Never been more seen.

I also want to say just, thank god for Sidney Freedman. In every way. Imagine if we hadn’t had Sidney this whole time, if it was just some psychiatrist we’d never seen before treating Hawkeye? Weirdly, would immediately just feel, less real?? A fraction of the impact of how it actually plays out, where because it's Sidney, we know it's serious, but also because it's Sidney, we have something to hang on to.

Meanwhile, Hawkeye getting left by his best friend, again, no note, again, was like, this is nearly too much but also I’m falling fucking apart. Narrative cruelty in the way I 👍🏻 support. Top moments that have happened to Hawkeye Pierce that broke me in exciting new ways include: sopping wet in his clothes and Radar gives him Trapper’s goodbye kiss, and at separate tables in the mess tent, Hawkeye just trying to get BJ to say goodbye to him, and saying “What would you do if I was dying? Would you hold me and let me die in your arms, or would you just let me lay there and bleed?” and BJ just going “You’re not dying, you don’t even have a cold,” and walking away. And the way he goes “Goodbyyyye,” hey, I'm dying on the ground!!!!

Margaret is there for him at least. Yes, someone touch him, I thought, maybe said (Jody?), when she grabs his wrist in the scrub room and pulls him away with her. Y’know, I can tell you what I certainly said, and it was when they were standing there looking at each other and it’s time to say goodbye, and I sotto voce called out, because of the tightness in my throat, hand to the side of my mouth, “Make oout,” And They Do. And exactly in how I meant it: hold me bleeding in your arms, and I'll hold you bleeding in mine, here are my wounds pressed to yours, hearts, mouths, close as you can just for one last minute, it's the only way we know how to express it.

God, we won with that. Those two…my fucking heart !! I love them. They kinda secretly became everything to me? Oh god!

When I was rewatching the very end just now, BJ’s “I can’t imagine what this place would have been like if I hadn’t found you here” (found him there, he was just already there…), and then the ‘GOODBYE’ and the slow, minor key variation on ‘Suicide Is Painless’ started, just the simple horns like it was in the beginning, and rising up over the same view of the mountains as the ‘KOREA, 1950 - a hundred years ago’ opening golfing shot, and I sobbed. I know we say that a lot. I truly broke down crying, just set my hand to my face and cried so much. This show has been really, with me, you know? I started it so open, and it just, it got to me. I’ll never be able to shake you, either.

— — —

Season Viewguides

These

#M*A*S*H hours #Misc. MASH #Tarra takes notes

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pikespendragon67 · 1 year

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Work today was also...a thing, so for now I'll destress by talking about my current interests to see if folks wanna talk about them! Gonna list them individually

Anime seasonals:

Vampire Dies in No Time: It's fun knowing the seiyuu for this. Some jokes are hit or miss (such is the fate of comedies), and I like when it touches on more heartfelt moments. Usually watch the newest episode during my lunch breaks on Mondays

Vinland Saga: God seeing Thorfinn's character development is fucking beautiful. Canute's slowly becoming one of my favorite characters.

Revenger: Originally got into this for Teppa (if you know, you know), and I like the seiyuu cast, but it's...boring, I think? Either that or I've watched too many anime to really get hyped for this kind of stuff. Not wacky or bloody enough to keep my interest, so it's just background noise for Thursday lunches

Urusei Yatsura: Same with Vampire. I would have this as my lunch break anime if HiDive had a pop out player/mini player/whatever it's called

Hero Academia: HOOOOOOOOO DARK ARC SO GOOOOOOOOOD.

Trigun Stampede: Love how expressive the 3D animation is, and some of the new elements surprised me. I still miss Millie, and wish we had more time to really explore character dynamics/world building

Nier Automata: "hm not sure how they'd cover all the endings-IS THAT REPLICANT"

To Your Eternity just ended its second season last week. I didn't cry like I did with the first season, but this arc had a nice conclusion. ...Rushed a bit with the "where are they now?" part, but eh

Then I'm currently going through Iruma during the lunch breaks where a seasonal anime doesn't air. Pretty charming so far. I tried getting back into watching '98 Trigun, but I lost my place and I don't feel like starting all the way from episode 1 again. If HiDive allowed it, I'd probably watch the rest of Big O or Moribito next. I thiiiink after Iruma I'll have to figure out what to watch next.

Games:

SO HELP ME I WILL GET THROUGH OCTOPATH 2-

Nah but for real, I always think I have enough time to play it on my Switch during my lunch break, but nope. Hour's too short I say. I just finished recruiting all 8 party members and I'm currently in the middle of Throne's chapter 2/intel digging. I like the spruced up mechanics like the day/night cycle, but god I wish we could change party members on the fly to make level grinding easier.

The game collecting spark rose again as I got reminded of the eShop closing on March 27th. I have a few titles I say I need for the sake of having them before it's too late, but eh, nothing so incredibly urgent that I gotta have it now (already got those games. Thanks 2020 Pikes for getting me into this hobby). I almost got 999 on DS, but I already have that on PS4 (I feel iffy getting the same game on different consoles unless it's like a remake for a game that's old) & I've already gotten some other games.

Paranormasight's really got me interested. I'm not really one for horror media, but I absolutely love the character designs

And then I've just been plushie collecting, too

so ye

#pikes rambles #long post #i think

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rainwolfheart · 1 year

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thoughts on absolution

it's got a similar vibe to the comics and i prefer that medium, but i like these intrigue stories they've been going for since inquisition

that said, i feel like they were borrowing a bit much from the comics. maybe a coincidence, i know shows like this take a long time to develop, but there's a lot of beats and themes that reminded me of blue wraith and dark fortress.

so many macguffins lately. there's gonna be so many items to track down in dreadwolf.

that ending tho.... her voice is so iconic. i hate her so much. i can't wait.

i fucking love that the most comic relief character of the show is a lady. we never get that. and "maker's titties" indeed. ashly burch i love you.

i also enjoyed the broody rogue protagonist being a lady. we have a few more of those but it's always nice to see more balance in that department.

wtf was fairbanks' deal though. why did they choose him of all characters to bring back for a tv show?? this had nothing to do with his plotline as far as i can tell and really doesn't make sense with his whole thing where he's about protecting orlesian refugees? he's not a thief. idk man if they really had to kill off a random inquisition agent there was probably a better choice

but i do like that he kinda looks like matt mercer. that's just matt mercer y'all.

i still don't get why the scene where fairbanks turns on hira plays out like he's the one betraying her. like yes for the drama but logically it doesn't seem to really hold up.

did hira teleport at the end there or am i missing something??? is that just a thing she can do????? on top of the tenser's floating disk trick. bioware don't go introducing new types of magic without explanation i need the lore

i am definitely a roland/lacklon enjoyer but tbh i think the buildup was a bit too subtle. if i wasn't gay and picking up on the Vibes that kiss would have come out of nowhere.

i spent way too much time looking at screenshots of the dragons from inquisition to see if the one in the show matches a known species. it doesn't. as far as i can tell its a close but not identical match to the one from dark fortress

i really hope a good chunk of season 2 takes place in kirkwall tbh. i miss that terrible city. give me a merrill cameo you cowards.

i find the writing a liiiitle lackluster in general. the dialogue is pretty predictable, but not in a fun comforting way.

as mentioned the shaky cam is really off-putting. did not like that.

i didn't find it quite as newbie-friendly as, say, legend of vox machina. idk if i'd recommend it to folks who aren't already into dragon age, there's a lot of lore to understand that they don't really explain. and yet they make matt mercer give a hokey exposition speech in episode 1 lmao.

liked it in general though! solid b+

#dragon age #dragon age: absolution #dragon age: absolution spoilers #absolution spoilers #da absolution #da absolution spoilers

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ravs6709 · 2 years

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This Is All I Have To Offer- Marigami

So this piece of fanart. has been living in my brain and I quickly wrote this in a few sittings

So this is a Revolutionary Girl Utena au, which is an anime about a girl who wants to be a prince who accidentally gets roped into a bunch of duels (which are won by breaking the opponent's rose that is worn in a chest pocket) to own the "Rose Bride", and eventually the MC tries to save the Rose Bride (kagami is the prince, marinette is the "Rose Bride", or in this fic, the "Ladybug")

The anime is much more complicated than that, but I literally could not explain more (its a fantastic anime, but please look up trigger warnings if youre gonna watch it).

I do think that not having knowledge of the anime makes this super confusing tbh, because characters will seem ooc and I played around with both rgu and ml lore, which will also make certain things inaccurate. But I really just wanted to rewrite the final 2 episodes of rgu with marigami because the vibes are just so good

Warnings: None? Maybe?

•~•~•~•~•~•

"Longg, open skies," Kagami murmured, and the detransformation washed over her, the extra strength fading.

"Are you sure about this?" Longg asked.

Kagami nodded, stretching to warm herself up a little bit. "As sure as I've ever been."

She took out her sword and stared down the dark hallway. Whatever awaited her in the next room, she needed to be prepared for it. She'd always had faith in her own fighting abilities, but fighting in the duels had forced her to improve, because if she hadn't improved...

A blank, pale face with blue eyes that shone with the briefest look of hurt flashed through her mind.

No. That was the past, and she had improved, she had redeemed herself. There was no point in thinking of that anymore. Her mother would have scolded her for being distracted like that.

Kagami took a deep breath, then slowly marched forward. She reached the end of the hallway and there was a door. She opened it with one hand, holding her sword with the other, ready to attack.

She stepped into the room and it was... empty.

No, not empty. There was one person in the centre of the room. Kagami wanted to instinctively relax, because it was just her, and she was reminded of all the moments that they'd shared together: the late-night conversations and the handholding but—

She was wearing that red dress. The floor length red dress with black spots that Kagami would have described as 'beautiful' on her, had she not known what that red dress meant.

"I told you not to come," Marinette said, and Kagami now knew her enough to hear the concern in her voice.

"I know, but did you think that would stop me?" She carefully looked around the room, watching out for a threat.

The room was ominously empty.

"If you weren't going to use your miraculous, you should have just renounced it last night."

"Then I wouldn't have been able to come here. And you know better than anyone else what the miraculous do."

Kagami moved closer, and caught sight of of the extra jewelry that adorned Marinette. A rose gold ring, hair comb, bracelet, she had not been wearing those before.

"Why are Plagg, Pollen and Sass with you?" Kagami asked.

They should have been with Adrien, Chloe and Luka respectively.

"They're not part of the duels anymore, so their miraculouses were recalled."

"Why are you wearing them then? Why are you wearing all of the miraculous from the miracle box?"

Marinette smiled, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "That's because I need to."

"Because the Guardians told you to?" Kagami asked, a little bitter. "Marinette, you can renounce them. You should renounce the ladybug too."

"I can't do that, you know that."

"Because you're the Ladybug," Kagami said flatly.

"Yes, because I'm the Ladybug. It's my duty to serve the miraculous."

Frustration surged through her, but she found it to be less compared to how it felt in the past. This wasn't the first time Marinette had said that, and Kagami knew that she meant it. Still, she wished that Marinette could do more of what she wanted, and express herself in that passionate way she did when she thought no one was looking.

The Marinette standing in front of her, wearing that dress with a blank face, it was a facade, and Kagami wanted to know more about her. Wanted to see those rare smiles more often.

Kagami wanted to set her free, but she'd realized recently that she hardly even knew what she wanted to save Marinette from. So she channeled that bitterness into determination, because Marinette did not need a bitter prince.

"Where's the final duelist?" Kagami asked.

Once she won this final battle, Marinette wouldn't be required to serve whatever agenda the Guardians wanted from her.

"Right here. The duelist to win this fight will be the one to open the door and use the Ladybug to grant the wish. But are you not even going to use your miraculous? What do you think your own sword will be able to do?" A voice said.

Kagami whirled around and found a figure dressed in black, the figure looked a little fuzzy and unlike the other people who had been wearing a miraculous, this person wore a mask. Not a single defining feature could be made out.

"I don't need it."

That was all the warning she gave before she made her move. Despite her words, she wasn't actually that confident. It was easy, with the enhanced strength and agility that came from using the miraculous. But without it, she had to account for the weight of her sword.

That was fine, she thought, parrying an attack, she was more than used to the weight of her sword. A miraculous wasn't enough for her to slack off in training. She'd beaten Adrien just fine when he wore the black cat miraculous.

"What purpose do you have here?" The figure asked. "Why do you want the Wish?"

"I don't need to tell you that," Kagami said, gritting her teeth as their sword slid right off hers.

"You always claimed to have no use for the Wish, but you've always wanted it to repair the relationship between you and your mother, right?"

A whispered confession to Marinette late into the night. She never mentioned the Wish, but deep down, that's what she had thought of. A miracle that would make things the way that they used to be. Marinette had probably known that too. She probably knew what they all wanted to use the Wish for.

"You don't know me," Kagami said, sidestepping and aiming with the intent to disarm.

What would they know about what she wanted?

(How could they know what she wanted, when she'd only just realized what it was that she valued most?)

One swing, and the opponent's sword was flung out of their hand. Another, and they were on the ground in front of her, their rose ready for her to break—

"Reality," Marinette murmured, and the opponent in front of her vanished.

Her entire world shifted, the dark empty room flickering between light and dark, an ancient temple and a modern room.

"Marinette," Kagami called out, wanting an answer.

She turned around, and then there was a tight string wrapped around her, compressing her, restricting her from taking anything more than a few breaths. She followed the path of the string as it led to a red yo-yo with red spots. A yo-yo that Marinette was holding.

"What are you doing?" Kagami rasped out, trying to control her breathing so she wouldn't choke.

Marinette tugged at the yo-yo, pulling Kagami close and causing her to fall to her knees. Marinette bent down and gently nudged her chin up. Kagami couldn't bring herself to glare, too lost in the feeling of that hand touching her chin and those bright blue eyes which were gleaming with unshed tears.

(Why was she crying? Marinette was... Marinette was betraying her, wasn't she? Then why was she crying?)

"Kagami," Marinette murmured, and her heart ached, "you've done a lot for me. You let me have the taste of love for the first time in a long time. I wish that you'd listened when I told you not to come here. You wish to save me, to be my prince, but you can't do that, because I have a role to fulfil."

The hand touching her chin trailed down to her neck, unclasping the miraculous that she wore. The string wrapped around her was loosed. Whatever measly strength she had left vanished, her head falling to the floor.

"Tikki, Plagg, Pollen, Sass, Longg..." Marinette began listing off each of the kwamis' names, "...unify!"

Lights flashed and blinded her. "Marinette, you can't... the miraculous..."

"I am the only one who can withstand them all," Marinette said solemnly.

Kagami couldn't move her head enough to look at Marinette's face, but she was able to hear her scream in agony. "Marinette. Marinette! Marinette!"

The screaming began to die down, but Kagami could see the trembling of Marinette's legs, could see the moment they gave out and Marinette fell to the floor in front of her.

"I thought I would be used to this," Marinette murmured, the words startling her. Used to wearing all the miraculous from the miracle box? "This is my duty, this is the price I need to pay for my past mistakes."

What mistake? Kagami wanted to ask, but then she realized that she already knew the answer. The pained looks that Tikki and Longg would give Marinette, the way that both of them had been ordered to never speak about it, when Marinette never gave orders to the kwamis. Something had happened to the kwamis once, and this was what Marinette deemed as a punishment for being unable to stop it from happening. And it wasn't wearing the miraculous that pained Marinette this much, it was her taking the power that was meant to harm the kwamis.

She should have remembered earlier. Should have listened more intently instead of being too self-absorbed. She could have stopped this, made things right.

"Marinette."

There had been way too many mistakes that Kagami had made. If she'd been stronger, smarter, more full of love...

"Marinette..."

This wasn't... this wasn't about her and her own shortcomings that made her unable to be the prince that should have saved Marinette. This moment—everything had been about Marinette, who had managed to make her home in Kagami's heart. If Marinette was suffering, and Kagami didn't have the power to save her, she would simply have to give herself that power.

"Guardians, if you're watching, you should help Marinette!"

There was no answer. Of course there wouldn't be, what did she expect?

She pressed her knuckles against the ground, slowly pushing herself up. If she needed to make the Wish to save her, so be it.

Marinette was no longer in front of her, but she could still hear her nearby (or maybe a little far away? Her voice seemed to come from above now, but Kagami did not question the miraculous when she'd seen how strange they were for herself.)

She stood up on shaking legs, determined to fix things. She took a few steps forward, fell over, then brought herself back up again. Then again.

"Marinette!"

She headed for that door, the door that she'd been told would allow her to make the Wish. There was no handle on the door, it was more of a wall than anything. She put every ounce of strength into pushing against the door.

"Marinette!" Kagami cried out, and she cried for the way Marinette had gone silent, but was surely still conscious, surely still bearing that pain.

The door wouldn't budge.

"I wish I told you this earlier," Kagami continued.

Her own heart had been as unbudging as this door, until she'd met Marinette and that door slowly opened, slow enough that she hadn't realized until Marinette had walked in. Kagami had tried to shut those doors, but now she was reaching in, slamming them open for the first time in her life.

"You've been with me for only a short time, but you've become someone so important to me. I've lived a lonely life before you, and now, I can't see a life without you being there by my side. Marinette," the name came out as a whisper, reverent, a prayer, "You've made me happy, and I want you to be happy too."

Her feet slid against the floor and she sank lower and lower, and just as her arms were to touch the ground, the door opened. She pushed herself back up again, and saw that beyond the door was a large version of the box that her miraculous had come in. Black and red, only that it was shaped more like a coffin standing up.

Whatever. Kagami began sliding the lid, relieved that it was easier to move compared to the door. Light from outside shone in the coffin, and deep down inside, she could see Marinette, curled into a ball.

Marinette looked up at her with wide eyes.

"I'm here," Kagami murmured, "I'm here to save you."

Marinette looked down, silent.

"I can't offer you much," Kagami admitted. "I can't promise you that things will always be happy. I can't promise that the world will always treat you nicely."

There were too many people in Kagami's life who didn't treat her with enough care. And Kagami was not a person who liked making false promises. Definitely not to Marinette. She was the last person who needed them. She reached downwards.

"But I can promise you that I am here, and I will continue to be here for you. I offer you my heart and my love, and I will try and take care of you. You can leave this world where only serve the miraculous, you can come into this world with me, and I will be with you through it all. It's not much, but this is all I can offer. Please Marinette, take my hand!"

Marinette gasped. "You should leave, this place will fall apart without me and you'll be hurt if you don't leave now!"

"I'm not leaving you Marinette!" She yelled. "Take my hand!"

"The miraculous—"

"Will still be safe!" Kagami said, and in her heart, she knew that this would be true. Marinette wouldn't be abandoning them, she would be making her own world for once. "Hurry!"

Marinette closed her eyes, her expression pained. Then she opened them, and began reaching up for her hand. Kagami reached further and further, their hands brushing, their fingers linking—

The room shook and crumbled. Kagami lost her grip and Marinette fell.

"Marinette!" Kagami screamed, her voice raw. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry I couldn't be the prince you needed, I'm sorry!"

Multicoloured light blinded her, and pain erupted in her body.

So this is what Marinette always had to go through.

•~•~•~•~•~•

Marinette opened her eyes, and quickly realized that Kagami was nowhere nearby. Kagami had failed to pull her out of the coffin, and because she was the only one still left in the room, she was the one who had to take the remainder of the punishment in her and the kwamis' stead.

"Is she okay?" Tikki asked.

"She is," Marinette replied, and she knew that to be the truth. Even if she wasn't here, Kagami was okay.

Kagami... you've done so much for me.

"What do we do now?" Longg asked. "She... she failed to make a revolution."

"No, she succeeded," Marinette said. The words that she'd said, the feeling of her fingertips sent sparks through her. "I want to go find her. I can bring you all with me, if you'd like."

The kwamis all flew in front of her, looking both relieved and apprehensive.

"What about the next set of duels?" Wayzz asked.

"There won't be. The duels can't be done without a Ladybug."

That was why that room had crumbled. Because Marinette, who had sworn to serve solely the miraculous, was making her own choice. A revolution had happened.

"I'm going to come find you, Kagami," Marinette whispered, "and you're going to show me what a world with you looks like."

Marinette started walking.

•~•~•~•~•~•

Ml taglist: @subrosasteath

Want to be added/removed from the taglist? Just let me know!

#kagami tsurugi #marinette dupain-cheng #marigami #ml #miraculous ladybug #ml fanfic #ravi writes a thing

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