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teshamerkel · 2 months

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Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Seekers of Soul

[Chapter 53]

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After a tense conversation in the cafeteria, Nia and Tobias make plans with Team Evergreen for a team-up mission.

Conversation bubbles up naturally between Team Scarlet and Team Shellshock as they head down the Lexym Tree in search of food. Nia is delighted when Tobias even joins the conversation of his own volition, bantering with Xander about nearly taking him down with dragon rage during their joint training session. When the group stops by the nursery to grab Xander’s siblings to join them, the shinx cubs tackle first Xander and then Tobias with shrieks of excitement, rubbing their faces against the two with loud purrs.

On the cafeteria floor, Xander’s team splits off to the far end of the room to join the other food line, calling that they’ll grab a table. Nia and Tobias enter the closer line, picking up trays and stepping into the queue behind a weasel-like Pokemon balancing on two paws. Her long fur is tan with streaks of darker brown, and her blue eyes are sharp. The Pokemon scowls at Nia as she gets into line, muzzle twitching, before looking forward again.

Nia tries not to let the brief look bother her, but lowers her voice as Tobias plots how to beat Kry the next time the two of them spar. As the two of them chat, the line slowly moves, Nia holding out her tray to accept food from the grass type behind the counter. She hasn’t noticed the fiery chicken Pokemon working as a chef since the first time she ate here. Maybe they were just working here temporarily? Tobias is still the only fire type she sees regularly around the Haven.

The humanoid Pokemon behind the counter today has olives in her hair (or maybe they are her hair?), and plops two large spoonfuls of something onto Nia’s tray. Usually, Nia doesn’t even question the guild’s meals anymore since the cooking is always delicious, but the food today throws her. Rice, paired with what looks like veggies or berries in an orange-brown sauce.

“Is this…curry?” Nia whispers, just loud enough for Tobias to hear. She pulls her tray closer to eye it. The rich smell of the sauce makes her mouth water.

Tobias squints at his own serving, then shrugs. “Dunno. Smells good.”

Nia hums, fascinated, and shuffles sideways to keep up with the line. “Any idea what it’s made of? The smell kind of reminds me of—"

She’s so distracted that she bumps into the weasel Pokemon in front of her.

Before she can apologize, the weasel bares her teeth in a snarl. “Watch it!”

Nia jumps back a step, startled by the animosity in the other Pokemon’s voice. “S-Sorry! Sorry. I didn’t mean to bump into you. I wasn’t paying attention—”

“Clearly!”

“Sorry! I was just, um. I’ll be sure to look out better in the future so I don’t bump into anyone. I mean, I wasn’t trying to right now, of course, but—"

“Just watch where you’re walking, human.”

Human. While Nia is long since used to eager Pokemon running up to ask if she really used to be human, this feels…different. This feels like Ghatha. Like Fort Asra. Maybe there’s a reason why this Pokemon seemed to drop into a foul mood as soon as Nia stepped into line.

“Lay off,” Tobias says, tuning into the conversation. “She already apologized.”

“I wasn’t talking to you, wisp!”

There’s a notable drop in volume from the voices around them.

…Wisp?

Tobias’ expression darkens further. “Oh, so it’s gonna be like that. You really want—"

“I-I’ll be more careful!” Nia cuts in, ready for this conversation to be over. “I’m really sorry again.”

“Stop apologizing!” Tobias hisses. “You didn’t do anything wrong!”

“Her being here is wrong,” the weasel snaps. “And if you’re really sorry you’ll go back where you came from and leave us alone.”

Nia takes another panicked step back, nearly toppling both her and Tobias.

“That’s it,” Tobias says, a bit louder. He shoves his tray towards Nia. “Nia, hold my tray.”

“What?! No!”

She doesn’t want this to escalate. Already Nia can hear the quiet murmurs around them growing louder, can feel a tension building in the air as the weasel’s striped fur spikes. So Nia panics and backs out of line, pulling Tobias with her despite his protests. They’re only missing dessert, anyways.

Even if that is her favorite.

The weasel snorts something that sounds suspiciously like coward before continuing forward in line like nothing happened. Nia's eyes stay glued to the weasel’s back as she moves away. Her heart beats loud and nervous in her ears.

She…wasn’t ready for that. Wasn’t ready to for that kind of hostility in the guild. Sure, it was from someone who clearly wanted a fight, but still. The weasel had decided that Nia being human was enough to make her a target. That because she's human, she's allowed to be a target.

Nia thought it was safe here.

They've ran into scared Pokemon taking their fear out on humans a couple of times now, namely in Ghatha and Asra. But not here, where everyone has been neutral towards her humanity at worst. She heard August, she knows the sentiment has been spreading, but…

It isn’t even our fault, Nia thinks, hollowly. Now that she’s talked to Giratina, now that she knows it isn’t anything the humans have done, knows that their displacement is just an unfortunate side-effect of the dimension’s borders breaking down, the accusations hurt even more. They aren’t doing anything wrong. They’re just existing. Trying to fit in and find somewhere to belong until they can go home.

Nia sniffs, blinking back tears. Her throat is tight. She stares down at her tray and the cooling curry. She isn’t so hungry anymore.

Tobias, who had been grumbling insults at the weasel’s back, turns to Nia. “C’mon, you can’t take anything that idiot says to heart. She was a jerk to both of us so she probably walks around everywhere with that terrible attitude.”

That does remind Nia of a beat in the conversation that had confused her more than it had upset her.

She frowns at Tobias. “You mean when she called you…wisp? Is that bad?”

Tobias' expression twists. “Maybe don’t say that too loud. It doesn’t bother me anymore, but it’s, uh…kind of an insult for fire types. Like…saying that we’re so weak our fire got snuffed out.”

Nia’s eyes widen. “That’s horrible! B-But Azami calls you Spitfire. And Andyn calls you flame-brain and stuff—are those..?”

Tobias snorts a laugh and shakes his head. “Nah, those are fine.”

Nia knows she looks as unsure as she feels. Tobias elaborates.

“Seriously, Nia. You’d know if they were actually insulting me. It’s more…playful than that, I guess? They poke at me being a fire type, sure, but they aren’t really implying anything…bad with it.”

“Flame-brain doesn’t sound very nice.”

“Neither does ‘kindling,’ but Arceus themself will not stop me from calling your stupid deerling friend that. It’s not any worse than us just calling each other dummy. Wisp just has…a different tone to it.”

Nia slowly nods, brow knitting. So it’s something about the social context that makes it different. Makes one worse than the others. She supposes human slang is equally confusing, if she really thinks about it.

“C’mon,” Tobias says with a jerk of his head. “We still need to eat.”

Nia takes a breath and nods. Not like they can do much about the weasel right now anyways. They could go tell Maggie or August, she supposes, and August did say long ago to let him know if anyone gave her trouble, but…

“Should we tell August about this?” Nia asks.

Tobias shakes his head immediately. “No. August means well, but all that would do is make that linoone angrier. Much as I’d love to set her stupid pelt on fire, we don’t need to be dealing with a fight on top of everything else.”

“But he could tell her to stop, right?”

“Trust me. When I was younger, telling only made them get better at doing stuff like this quietly.”

And isn’t that a loaded statement. Nia stares at Tobias for a moment, suddenly far more upset about how easily he brushes off any insults thrown his way. It speaks of practice.

She thinks of his aura earlier, of how desperately he wanted to hide it away from her, afraid she would hate him. Does he even realize how much his isolation from the rest of the guild these past eight years has affected how he sees himself?

Tobias raises a brow at her, so Nia gives a weak smile and gestures for him to lead the way. She’d been so excited to come down here to eat with everyone, and now it feels like her heart is hanging heavy in her chest. But they might as well join their friends.

Tobias takes the lead and Nia trails after the charmander to the table, where Xander’s team and the shinx kids are already sitting with their food, talking as they eat. Tobias moves around the table to sit by Laine, giving the cub a noogie as he sits that makes her shriek and duck away.

Nia heads for the empty spot on the closer side, next to Felix. The wartortle is seated oddly on the wooden bench, one short leg thrown over it so he’s perched sideways as if he’d been about to get up. He meets Nia’s gaze as she approaches, his usual jovial expression subdued.

Felix leans closer as she sits, brow furrowed. “You all right?”

Nia blinks, surprised. Is it that obvious that she’s still upset?

“Heard what happened in line,” Felix whispers. His fluffy ears wiggle. “These aren’t just for show. So. You okay?”

The concern make Nia smile a bit more genuinely, some of the tightness wound up in her gut loosening. There may be rude people even here in the guild, but at least there are also sweethearts like Felix.

“I’m all right,” she murmurs. “Thanks for checking in. It just…caught me off-guard, you know? I’m used to the guild being a place I don’t need to worry about that. It’s getting worse, I guess.”

Felix returns her smile, though there’s a crook to his brow that belies his lingering worry. “Well, let us know if anyone starts giving you trouble. Xander and I would be happy to put them in their place—" He winks. “—and I have a feeling we could do it a bit more subtly than your partner.”

Nia laughs and nods. Felix turns back to his food, but Nia sees him send Tobias a covert look, as if to check on the charmander while knowing he wouldn’t want to be fussed over. Nia smiles, warmed by the concern, as she starts picking at her meal—the curry is good, even if it takes her a moment to get used to the soft texture.

Soon enough, both Nia and Tobias are swept into the conversation at the table. Kry is slamming a fist against the wood, the fraxure arguing that yache berries are objectively better than nanab berries, and Avery is fighting an uphill battle against her. The kirlia offers up well-worded reasoning for why nanab berries are superior, but Kry shoots down each argument with counterpoints of, “But they’re pink!” and “They taste like rotten river water!”

Avery stops pointing out that those are subjective opinions after the fourth rebuttal, changing strategies instead to point out the physical benefits of each berry. Xander gives Kry a scolding look (that she promptly ignores) after the third table-rattling slam of her fist, and the shinx cubs laugh and laugh as Felix jumps in to suggest mago berries are actually the best choice, making both Avery and Kry turn to him with offended expressions.

Throughout the lively debate, Nia glances at Tobias to try checking in on him. He seems all right, although Nia can’t help noticing that he isn’t using his flames to cook his berries like he sometimes does. Maybe he just isn’t feeling like cooked berries today, or maybe that Pokemon’s comment got to him more than he wanted to admit.

Eventually, Felix moves the conversation on to regaling both the shinx kids and Nia and Tobias with the daring tale of Team Shellshock’s latest dungeon crawl. Nia has a feeling a few embellishments were made to make their team sound extra cool—Xander rolling his eyes and Kry’s snort all but confirm it—but she enjoys it all the same.

“I wish we could go exploring already,” Laine sighs when the story is done.

“We’ll be a team soon too!” Luca says, little paws on the table so he can stand up in his seat. “Me ‘n you, Lainey!”

“Oh? What about Leor?” Avery asks.

As all eyes turn to the shyest shinx cub, Leor squeaks and huddles down on the bench, wide gold eyes peering over the table.

“He’s gonna be a medic,” Luca says, chin tilted proudly.

“Like Fen!” Laine adds.

Xander looks as surprised about this news as Nia is, leaning down to meet his younger brother's eyes. “This true?”

Leor looks nervous, but glances over at Tobias before giving the barest nod.

Xander grins, one giant paw squeezing the cub closer. “That’s great, Lee! You would be a fantastic medic.”

“Really?” Leor asks, looking unsure.

“Of course! You three can do whatever you set your minds to. And I’m not just saying that because I’m your brother.”

Luca and Laine cheer while Leor leans into Xander’s side. The luxio purrs and nuzzles the top of his little brother’s head.

It’s a sweet moment, but Nia can see the instant Leor’s eyes crack open and he registers most of the table watching the exchange. He squeaks and wriggles free of Xander’s hold. Xander laughs and lets him go, and the cub almost tumbles himself right off the bench.

“Leor’s gonna train under Fen, and Laine and I are gonna make a Seekers team together!” Luca says, little tail lashing. “Team Thunderspark! And we’re gonna be stronger than any other team!”

“Even ours?” Felix goads, grinning.

“Duh!” Laine says. “You’re a water type! You won’t stand a chance!”

Felix laughs, then tilts his head towards Kry. “True, but our team’s also got the meanest ‘mon this side of the continent.”

Kry looks torn between taking that as a compliment and an insult, and eventually just flicks a piece of rice at the wartortle as punishment.

“You’re going to be great Seekers,” Xander agrees, popping a berry into his mouth. “When you’re old enough.”

Laine and Luca whine in unison, the latter plopping his chin down onto his tray.

“Do we have to wait that long? We’re already strong!” Laine protests.

“Yeah! We should be able to make our own decisions by now,” Luca grumbles, batting a berry around his tray.

“Those are the rules,” Xander says, giving them both a stern look. “It’s only a few more years. If you two can stay out of trouble and stop tormenting poor Arlo, that is.”

The kids groan again, and Nia bites back a smile as she chews. Xander is sweet with his siblings. Sometimes he acts more like a father to them than a brother, but Nia supposes that’s to be expected, between how they were brought here and raised in the nursery their whole lives, plus Xander’s protective nature. It reminds her of her own brother, in a bittersweet way.

Nia feels lighter by the time they finish eating and part ways with Xander’s team. Both Avery and Xander give her a hug before leaving, and Felix offers a fist bump and an easy grin. Kry lightly smacks Nia’s legs with her tail as she passes, and outright punches Tobias in the arm. He glares at her back, but Nia thinks the exchange is a friendly one, somehow.

After the stressful morning talking to Maggie and August, aura training with Val, and the moment in the cafeteria—not to mention the exhaustion still present from their journey—Nia is ready for a nap when they finally make it back to their room. Tobias starts unpacking their bag and taking inventory of their items, so Nia forces herself to write back to Hazel before crashing. She thanks the raichu for the offered discount on a human bed, but explains that they’re pretty busy right now and need to save on money. She’ll absolutely be buying one in the future, though! She also mentions meeting up with Beck and asks her to tell the floatzel and his crew hi.

By the time Nia is finished, her letter sealed up and placed back into the mailbox with the flag up, she's practically asleep on her feet. Tobias has moved over to the window, leafy curtain pulled high to let fresh air and sunlight flood the room. He’s propped against the wall and framed by blue sky, guitar in hand as he starts plucking at scales.

Nia yawns. “I’m gonna take a nap.”

Tobias spares her a glance. “I’ll wake you for supper.”

Nia hums her thanks and moves to their nests to flop down, wiggling to get comfortable on the bed of moss and straw. It’s soft enough, not scratchy at all with her fur as a barrier, and her muscles relax.

Quiet falls over the room, save for Tobias’ playing and the whistle of the wind. A gust blows directly through the window and skims over Nia’s side, making her skin prickle with goosebumps. It’s a little chilly, with fall in full swing and winter fast approaching. Over the past few weeks, even sleeping outside hasn’t been a problem, but…well. Usually Tobias is sleeping at her side, and he gives off heat like a little campfire.

Whining, Nia picks up her head and looks at Tobias, squinting against the bright light of the window. Normally she would be more hesitant about being so needy, but she’s tired and she’s cold so she pushes herself to her feet and stumbles over to him, rubbing her arms. It’s even chillier by the window with the wind wrapping around her.

Tobias stops his playing, looking up.

Nia shifts on her feet. Her brain is mushy with fatigue and tantalizing snatches of sleep. All she manages to say is, “Cold.”

Tobias snorts. He glances at the window. “Want me to close the curtain?”

He doesn’t sound upset about the prospect, but Nia can guess that he likes the chill of the breeze combined with the heat of the sun. His orange scales glow in the light, like embers. Even with her fur, Nia just isn’t built to stay warm like a fire type is.

Nia’s mouth presses into a line. “Can I just sleep by you?”

Tobias blinks, and a flush rises to his cheeks. They usually sleep next to each other nowadays, and Nia hasn’t made it a secret that she enjoys the warmth he puts off, but she admittedly doesn’t usually…ask. Out loud. Somehow putting it into words does make it sound more embarrassing.

But she’s tired, dang it!

After a moment, Tobias wordlessly flicks his tail over to make room. Nia doesn’t let herself hesitate before sinking into the empty spot, curling heavily into his side. Immediately, heat seeps into her fur to warm her up.

“Sure, just make yourself comfy,” Tobias grumbles, no bite to his voice even as she accidentally elbows him in the ribs.

Finally, she settles, melted against his side with a happy hum. It’s like falling asleep cuddling a heater. Even lying closer to the window, she’s immediately warmer.

“Why don’t you guys use blankets?” She mumbles. “We had blankets in Asra. I miss blankets.”

Tobias snorts. “We do use blankets. We just keep them in storage until the end of fall when they’re actually needed.”

Nia picks up her head to give Tobias a despairing look. “I could’ve had blankets this whole time?!”

Tobias visibly bites back a smile. Jerk. “We’ll get you a blanket later if you’re that upset about it, you big baby. I didn’t realize it was a problem.”

“Stupid warm fire types,” Nia gripes, flopping back against Tobias. She’s absolutely getting herself a blanket. For now, Tobias’ heat will suffice.

Slowly, sleep washes over her brain like bathwater, soothing and inviting. Before she slips under completely, she hears Tobias start playing his guitar again, shifting his posture just enough to accommodate her. The cords he picks at are slow and gentle.

She’s asleep in seconds.

She feels like she’s only been asleep for seconds when the door to their room slams open with a bang. A harsh note from the guitar follows, as well as a yell of, “Nia!”

Nia bolts up. She blinks away the haze of sleep, cringing at the late-afternoon sunlight painting their room in bright tones and deep shadows. She must’ve been asleep longer than she thought.

“Ever hear of knocking?” Tobias hisses.

Nia rubs at her eyes, following his voice to look at the doorway, where Andyn, Ezra and Jaz are frozen in the middle of what looks like a grand entrance. The sneasel and stufful seem remorseful despite their comically stiff poses. The deerling, on the other hand, seems strangely flustered, gaze flicking from Nia to Tobias.

“Sorry,” Jaz finally says. “Are we, uh…interrupting?”

“Nia was asleep, you idiots,” Tobias says, sitting back and clutching his guitar close.

Nia yawns. “‘S okay. I shouldn’t nap too long or I won’t sleep tonight.”

The trio that makes up team Evergreen still seem oddly hesitant to enter the room. Nia laughs at the shy behavior and waves them in.

Finally, slowly, they do, sitting down in front of the window as well and getting comfortable.

Ezra’s ruby eyes land on Tobias’ guitar and stay there, going wide. “Whoa, you play guitar?!”

“No,” Tobias lies, removing the instrument from his lap and tucking it behind himself.

“Aw, c’mon!”

“I think it’s great to have a hobby outside of Seeker duties,” Jaz says, meeting Tobias’ sour expression with a smile.

Andyn just looks weirded out, although Nia can’t tell if it’s from the idea of Tobias playing an instrument or something to do with how she keeps looking suspiciously between Nia and Tobias.

Tobias crosses his arms. “What do you want?”

Ezra and Jaz turn to Andyn. The deerling jolts. With a stomp of her delicate hoof, she says, “Right! Since someone didn’t even bother to tell us she was back—honestly, Nia, I had to find out from Kry of all ‘mon—we decided we’d come see you instead!”

“We haven’t even been back a day,” Tobias huffs.

Nia shrugs with an apologetic smile. “I figured you'd still be on a mission."

Andyn narrows her eyes, then lifts her nose into the air with a dainty hmph. “Fine. You’re forgiven.”

“Forgiven?” Tobias says, annoyed. “For what? Not checking in? You’re not our mom.”

Andyn gives him an acidic look. “That attitude is why Nia is forgiven and you are not.”

“You have to be trying to pick a fight. Is Kry kicking your tail on the daily not enough for you, you masochistic little—"

Nia claps her hands together with a single sharp sound. “No fighting until I’m awake enough to deal with it!”

Her voice is firm, but she’s more amused than irritated now that she knows Tobias enjoys the bickering on some level. Andyn has to enjoy it too, considering how often she instigates.

“We didn’t come here for Andyn to pick a fight, believe it or not,” Jaz sighs.

“We wanted to see you as soon as you got back!” Ezra adds. “I feel like you two travel a lot more than most low-level Seekers.”

There’s a question in that sentence, subtle enough to decide whether they want to answer it or not. And for a moment, Nia wants to share everything, just like she wanted to with Xander and Avery in the training hall. It would take some weight off her shoulders, to be able to vent about it. To get her friends’ reassurances.

But those same fears hold Nia back. She doesn’t want to be the reason these three lose that playful spark of adventure they bring to every room they enter. She doesn’t want them to feel weighed down as heavily as she does every time she recalls Giratina’s words.

So Nia just smiles and says, “I-I like getting to see more of the Pokemon world, that's all. You know, since I’m not very familiar with it.”

Which isn’t strictly untrue, but the words still leave a bitter taste in her mouth.

“Are you planning on heading out again soon?” Jaz asks, either not catching onto the half-truth or choosing not to call her out.

Andyn sticks her lip out in a pout and drops her ears, giving Nia the most pitiful baby deer expression possible. Oh no. She’s like Bambi but even sadder. How can you be sadder than Bambi?

“We are,” Tobias says, totally unaffected by the face. “We plan to stick around for a few days and do some missions. Then we’re heading back east.”

Andyn’s pout drops for a genuinely worried expression. “Ghatha again?”

Ezra shifts uncomfortably. “Didn’t you two get caught up in that fire last time you were there?”

“Not Ghatha,” Nia says. “We’re going to find Will. The yamask I told you about? We’re hoping he can help us with something. Um. Human stuff.”

Andyn’s gaze slides to Tobias, as if expecting him to protest. He’s too busy glancing over his shoulder to notice, probably debating whether or not to get his guitar back out even with their current company. Nia knows he’s been trying to get comfortable with the basics again and he hates leaving things unfinished.

“Safe travels,” Jaz finally says. “Especially over the sea. The winds have been rough lately.”

“What hasn’t been rough lately?” Andyn groans. “The world’s unhappy and she’s letting us know it.”

Nia swallows against the lump in her throat. “We'll be careful. But enough about us! What’s going on with you three? What have you been up to?”

Ezra sighs. “We've been even busier than usual. Since more and more disasters and dungeons are popping up, it feels like we're constantly on the go.”

Nia gives the sneasel a sympathetic look.

“We’re racking up Seeker points, though,” Ezra adds with a grin. “And cash.”

“We would have more than enough points to reach C-rank if we could just get another team mission finished,” Jaz says, her dark little eyes trained on Andyn.

The deerling looks away, frowning.

“Oh!” Ezra sits up, feathery red ear flicking. “Right! Remember what we talked about last time you were home? While you’re around, you guys should do a team-up mission with us! I know you’re only E-Rank, but you still need both of your team-ups, right?”

“D-Rank, actually,” Tobias corrects, smug.

“What?!” Andyn’s jaw drops, outraged. “You’re already D-rank? How?!”

“Got an upgrade from the second-in-command in Ghatha,” Tobias says, clearly enjoying every second of this exchange. “For helping in the fire.”

Andyn glares at him, looking like she wants to snap something rude. Then her gaze flicks to Nia and she backs down, huffing.

“Well, congratulations then,” Jaz says, giving her teammate an amused glance. “That’s impressive, considering how recently you formed your team.”

“This means you definitely need to do a team-up with us!” Ezra says, leaning forward. “Since we’re the same rank now we don’t need to worry about trying to find a mission ranked somewhere in the middle!”

“We do need to do our team-up missions at some point,” Tobias grumbles, clearly reluctant. “Cordelia wasn’t impressed by our rank and most other ‘mon won’t be either. We need to keep rising so we don’t get turned away from anything important.”

“Awesome!” Ezra says. “We could—"

“I didn’t say we’d do it with you,” Tobias growls.

“Yeah, Ez,” Andyn agrees. “I mean…technically they’re D-rank but they’re still pretty new, so—"

Uh-oh.

Tobias straightens up at Nia’s side. “You think we can’t keep up with you?”

Andyn scoffs. “I didn’t say that, but if you’re thinking it—"

“You didn’t say it but you sure meant it—"

“Stop,” Nia and Jaz say at the same time, exasperated. Tobias and Andyn shut their mouths.

“Are you really worried we won’t be able to carry our weight?” Nia asks, a little hurt. “I know we’re new, but we are still the same rank as you guys.”

Not to mention Nia and Tobias been through a lot more than most other Seekers their rank. At least from what Tobias has said.

Ezra and Jaz look to Andyn, clearly the one taking issue with the idea. The deerling winces, posture uncharacteristically small.

“It’s not…I do want you there, but it’s just…”

Ezra speaks up. “Andyn’s parents are a bit, uh…tough on her. High expectations. If we ever mess up a mission, then…”

All three members of Team Evergreen shudder.

Nia blinks at them, surprised. “Your…parents?” Honestly, Nia had never given them any thought before.

Andyn nods, looking miserable but trying to hide it. “Yeah. They’re great, really! Just, um. They’re really high-rank Seekers so they kind of expect me to uphold their legacy, you know?”

“Who are your parents?” Tobias asks, brow furrowed. “I’ve been here eight years and I don’t think I’ve ever seen them.”

“You have,” Andyn sighs. “Just…not often. And probably not, um. With me. They’re both sawsbuck so they kind of blend in with all the grass types. They’re Team Sequoia.”

The name doesn’t ring any bells for Nia, but Tobias’ brows lift. He almost looks impressed.

“Yeah,” Ezra laughs. “Big prints to fill. They’re pretty strict, too, so we have to make sure we do our missions well or Andyn gets an earful. Sometimes all of us get it.”

Andyn shoots Ezra a look that clearly says to shut up, so he does.

“That…seems like a lot of pressure,” Nia murmurs, doubly glad now that she didn’t tell Andyn anything about Giratina or the dying world. The deerling clearly doesn’t need more things to worry about.

Andyn suddenly seems to register the gloomy atmosphere and Nia’s concerned expression, because she sits up with a strained laugh. “Sure, but it’s really cool, too! Everyone knows my mom and dad since they’re such amazing Seekers.”

Nia frowns.

“But since they’re so great and they expect me to be great too,” Andyn adds. “That means you two have to keep up with us if you’re going to join us on a mission. Got it?”

Nia wants to push, but Andyn is clearly trying to move the conversation along, so eventually she just nods. Tobias rolls his eyes and finally pulls the guitar out to settle in his lap again, but he doesn’t argue. He refuses to look up from his tuning as he asks, “What kind of things do you even do for a team-up mission?”

“Pretty much anything,” Jaz answers. “At least for D to C rank. It can be dungeon work, cleanup, construction, escort missions, foraging, even guild tasks. As long as both teams do the mission together, it counts.”

Tobias gives her a doubtful look. “That seems...”

“Too easy?” Ezra laughs. “That’s what I said. But I guess they save combat missions as a team-up requirement for B to A rank. This is just getting teams used to working with other ‘mon they usually don’t.”

“That makes sense,” Nia says, purposefully not looking at Tobias as he starts plucking at the guitar strings in a scale. Ezra didn’t get the memo and is watching Tobias’ hands like a transfixed cat, his claws twitching like he wants to try it too. “What kind of mission should we do, then?”

“Easier missions would be, well. Easier. But my parents wouldn’t be impressed.”

Something about that sentiment rubs Nia the wrong way, but she doesn’t interrupt as Andyn goes on.

“And a dungeon would look good but that’s a bit of a risk if we aren’t already familiar with each other’s fighting styles. I don’t trust flame-brain here not to char me to a crisp.”

Tobias stops playing long enough to shoot Andyn a glare.

“So something in the middle,” Nia surmises.

“I guess that would work,” Andyn hedges.

“One average mission will be fine, Anne,” Jaz says. “We don’t need to take on the most difficult mission on the board every single day. Even with your parents.”

Andyn visibly stops herself from retorting, probably with something sharp. She sighs. “Fine. Just don’t be late! Meet us at the job boards at dawn, okay?”

Nia snorts. “I wish I could make Tobias sleep in past dawn. He’s a morning person.”

Ezra’s face screws up. “Gross. So is Andyn. Must be a grass and fire-type thing.”

Andyn and Tobias look disgruntled about being on the same side of something for once. Nia laughs.

With their plan in place, Team Evergreen heads out soon after for an early supper. Nia, now wide awake but not yet hungry enough to eat, turns to Tobias with her best puppy dog eyes.

“What?”

“Blankets?” She says, hopeful.

Tobias seems unimpressed by her pleading expression, but after a moment he sighs and puts his guitar aside to get up. “Fine, fine. Come on. We’ll have to go down to storage to pick ‘em up.”

Nia cheers and hurries to follow him out of the room. They're only halfway down the hall when a thought occurs to her, and she steps up to his side to better see his face.

“Hey, storage is on a lower floor, right? Could we stop stop by the archives on the way back? I bet they have some music books you could check out."

Tobias has been figuring out the basics of his guitar-playing pretty quickly, and she can only imagine he'll want to move on to more actual melodies soon. He just looks so content when he plays that she can't help wanting to encourage the renewed hobby, even with the world teetering on the brink of destruction. Maybe especially because of that. She wants to make sure he takes the time to check out some books before they have to leave again.

Tobias looks thoughtful at the suggestion. Hesitant, but definitely interested. "We could.”

Nia beams.

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

That night, Nia wakes to the ground rumbling beneath her.

For a split-second, she thinks she’s back in Asra, the desert town cracking like broken porcelain beneath her and bringing buildings down with it. She scrambles to free herself from the net of her blanket. Out of the corner of her eye she sees Tobias doing the same from the wild movement of his tail flame.

But no—the sliver of moonlight peeking out from the bottom of the curtain isn’t right. The room smells of forest instead of dusty desert. The sound is different, too—a distant rumble, a loud creaking, muted cries of alarm from next door that are higher than Granite and Takeo’s voices.

It takes Nia a few seconds while her brain rattles around inside her skull to realize that they’re at the guild, in the Lexym Tree. It takes a beat longer for her to register that the slowing vibrations are, however, still an earthquake.

Slowly, so slowly it’s hard to tell if it has actually stopped, the earthquake stills. Nia, heart racing, looks wide-eyed at Tobias. The charmander stares back in the dim light of his tail, brow furrowed and expression cautious.

“You okay?” He whispers.

She nods. “You?”

“Yeah.”

Voices start up, quietly, in the hall. Wordlessly, Nia and Tobias stumble to unsteady feet and poke their heads out the door.

Many of the Seekers who live on the floor are standing in the hallway, talking to one another. Some have shaken expressions, while others just look quietly concerned. Nia picks out a few sentences amidst the babble.

“—earthquakes now. I thought the winds were bad enough. How—"

“Do you think there’ll be any aftershocks? What if some ‘mon were down in the tunnels? I don’t—”

“—I’ll be all right. Just scared me, mostly. Terran bumped his head but—"

“What if they get worse? I can’t—"

Nia tunes out the conversations then, everyone else’s nerves and uncertainty only piling onto her own. It looks like in this hall at least there weren’t any serious injuries, but what about everywhere else?

“What should we do?” Nia whispers to Tobias. “Seekers…help, right? Are we supposed to go check on everyone?”

“I don’t know,” Tobias admits. “Nothing like this has happened at the guild before. At least that I can remember.”

The reminder of the increasing number of natural disasters makes Nia’s stomach sink. The linoone’s words from earlier echo in her head. It’s not her fault. It’s not any of the humans’ fault.

(But the other Pokemon don’t know that, do they?)

“Can we go check on Xander and Andyn’s teams?” Nia whispers. “A-And maybe Maggie?”

She won’t be able to sleep if they don’t.

Tobias nods, then leads the way out the door and down the hall. Nia can’t tell if she’s imagining the way some of the other Pokemon send her wary looks as they spot her. She steps closer to Tobias regardless.

Thankfully, everyone seems to be physically fine, save for Felix startling himself right into Team Shellshock's cabinet and knocking off some knick-knacks. The rest of Xander’s team—down one luxio after he ran off to check on his siblings—is unusually quiet and pensive. Andyn, Ezra and Jaz seem equally rattled, trying to cover up their unease with light tones and jokes that fall painfully flat. The tight hug and comforting smile Maggie gives Nia and Tobias helps a little, but not enough.

Eventually, Nia and Tobias try to get a few more hours of sleep before dawn. Their floor of lower-level Seekers was assured by Verene a few minutes prior that the higher ranking ‘mon would take care of checking on the Haven for now. Lower ranks will take the dawn shift.

Nia almost wishes they were asked to head out now. She can’t seem to get her mind to settle despite the exhaustion tugging at her fur and the soft warmth of the blanket around her. From the way Tobias shifts throughout the night at her side, she doesn’t think he gets much rest either.

#pmd #pokemon mystery dungeon #pokemon #deerling #sneasel #stufful #pmd seekers of soul #tesha writes #tesha draws #team evergreen

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broflovski-brah · 2 months

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dunno abt ideal vacation hcs but I am absolutely certain that kyle hates the beach. cartman too. if they have to go they would spend the whole time under one of those giant umbrellas bitching abt it being too hot, how the sand is annoying, and people are gross etc. while kenny, stan, & butters have a delightful time

absolutely!

kyle gets burnt really easily and it’s painful when he does. cartman just doesn’t like the beach probably because ‘there are too many minorities’ or smth, so him and kyle are bickering about why cartman is just a racist piece of shit and cartman ends up taking kyle’s umbrella if he falls asleep. kyle gets hella burnt and can’t even put a shirt on because his stomach and back got burnt so bad. cartman probably drew crude things in sunscreen all down his back, so he has burns everywhere except he has slurs and dicks that aren’t burnt because cartman drew in sunscreen on his back. so kyle’s gonna be wearing dark tshirts to ensure nobody sees until it’s fully healed. Cartman purposefully talks about how much piss there is in the ocean, not just from people, but from animals too, so Kyle probably avoids it because of that too.

kenny loves the beach. probably insists on taking karen (i kinda like to headcanons that karen and ike are best friends, so kyle brings ike along, who’s having a delightful time as well). kenny likes the water a lot. he’s actually a pretty good swimmer and probably has no concept of coldness and is just in the ocean up to his shudders all ‘guys it’s not even that bad!’ (the water is like-45°) kenny also likes chasing the seagulls, but he probably gets his eyes pecked out by the end of the day.

stan probably likes to watch the sun set and stuff. he doesn’t LOVE the beach (least not like kenny and butters do) but he’s not bitching under an umbrella like kyle and cartman. he’s there for the scenery. I kinda like to headcanon that him and Shelley got closer after a few years, so in his teenage years him and Shelley would go up together. She’s still a bit a passive aggressive and will sometimes purposefully shove him into the water but she’s not trying to beat the absolute snot out of him. Stan is sedimental and sensitive sometimes, so he kinda associates the each with mending his relationship with his sister.

Butters LOVES the beach. He probably either tries to get Kenny to leave the seagulls alone or he joins right in. He builds a sandcastle empire and claims to be the ‘king of the sand people’ or something. He’s the kind of person to wear dad bathing suits (like the brightly colored ones with the flowers or smth). He probably does what he did as Prof. Chaos and pretends he’s a giant after he’s done with his little sandcastle empire. He can get surprisingly tan tbh. He doesn’t get burnt easily. He feeds the birds but then wonders why there’s suddenly 50+ seagulls swarming him. Him and Kenny have a splash war and he probably splits his lunch with Kenny. “Aw, Ken, all that swimmin’ seems to have worn out your poor tummy. Let’s split a lunch, okay?” (probably in response to Kenny saying he’s kinda hungry or smth)

Anyway. The boys (for the most part) love the beach. Headcanon adjourned.

#south park #skipper speaks #eric cartman #stan marsh #kyle broflovski #kenny mccormick #butters stotch #shelley marsh #ike broflovski #karen mccormick #south park headcanons

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peachyloveswriting · 1 year

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Hey, can I possibly get a scenario with Lupin where he says to his crush playfully “I know you love me” and his crush is just casually confessing in agreement like “Yea. I do”. And then they leave it at that unless Lupin says something again or he keeps staring at them and crush is like “what?” I’m asking for a scenario after this and this is the start of the scenario?

"You do?" --- Lupin III

SUMMARY: A casual confession from you leaves Lupin stunned.

NOTES: Very short

/ / / /

You reach your hand back, pulling your pack of cigarettes from Lupin's greedy hands. He smiles sheepishly at your glare, a hand moving to scratch the back of his neck. "You know you love me." He pokes.

Taking the now crumpled back of cigarettes, you pull one out and set the pack to the side. It's no lie, you do love Lupin. He just has funny ways of interacting with you that make it hard to tell sometimes. You speak as you mend the bend in your cigarette.

"I do love you. Can you hand me a light?" You're too busy fixing your cigarette to see it but Lupin freezes. The heat in his face begins to rise and he finds his heart beating loudly in his ears. Was he hallucinating, or did you actually just tell him that? Feeling like he hasn't responded in a minute, you glance over to see him staring at you in awe. His eyes are open wide with shock, while his lips are slightly agape. The tan pigment to his skin has turned a deep red, the kind that makes worry bubble in your gut at the sight.

"You do?" He finally says.

Incredulously, you stare at him. It's uncommon to see Lupin so flustered and caught off guard, but eventually a smile creeps onto your face at the sight. "I do. But do you have a lighter?"

Lupin blinks at you, his hand subconsciously searching his pockets. The whole time his eyes never leave yours. "How can you say that so casually?" He questions. Taking his hand from his pocket he extends to you a small, bright yellow, lighter. Gladly, you take it.

"Dunno." You shrug. Bringing the cigarette to your lips to light it. "I guess I just accepted it a long time ago."

Quietly staring at you in wonder, Lupin smiles. "Well I guess I love you too then."

#lupin the third x reader #lupin the third headcannons #lupin iii x reader #jigen daisuke x reader #jigen daisuke

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loonylooly · 8 months

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no because literally anything that happens in the next few ACOTAR books won't even be based on logic, it'll just be whatever SJM feels like doing, cause we already know she retcons like everything that she grows tired of

I dunno man, I too end up deciding to go in completely different directions with my stories, but I don't just...do it willy nilly like that?? It needs a purpose and a believable way to go about it, not just immediately contradicting yourself with no explanation why (If she really wanted to make Tamlin suck...she could've slowly built up to it..? not just tamlin completely changing personalities between books?)

I'm sure she has reasoning in her head for why she makes the changes she does, but it almost never is explained and it's just...meh

anyways everything should have a reason behind it, a believable one too. Not just "oh tamlin suddenly decided to be bad" or "oh rhys is suddenly tan cause....sunlight!" or hell even the drawer shenanigans. I'm of the opinion that Elain's drawer was originally Feyre's and she switched the name (I forgot exactly who i first saw say that, but i believe them wholeheartedly). Feyre's and Nesta's both allude to an important part of their futures, Elain's is just her damn hobby. So SJM kind of retconned herself into a pickle there, cause Elain's clearly doesn't fit with the other 2, so it's either 1. Make it fit or 2. Leave it to rot. Aaand it'll probably be 2 cause SJM seemingly got bored of the spring court, she sidelined Lucien (BUT PLSS STILL HOLDING OUT HOPE FOR ELUCIEN), and she made Tamlin an asshole to prop up her bat bitch

Anyways i'm getting sidelined because I love Elain

SJM's probably retconned herself into a corner at this point, maybe that's why she's doing the crossover thing (I haven't finished CC so i don't know the specific circumstances of what's going on with that, sorry ya'll)

#rereading and absolutely none of that makes any sense #my brain is a mess that was like 5 different trains of thought #lord help me #acotar #sjm #anti sjm

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uncxntrxllable · 5 months

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A VERY DESCRIPTIVE PROFILE OF YOUR MUSE. Repost with the information of your muse, including headcanons, etc. if you fail to achieve some of the facts, add some other of your own!

NAME: Charlie

NICKNAME: Coyote

TITLE(S): she doesn't really have any titles

AGE: over 1000 years, but, appearance wise you can say she fits late 20s

SPECIES: spirit shaper

SEX: female

NATIONALITY: Ancient? I don't know. Was American a thing 1000+ years ago? I have no idea. But today she'd be considered American

INTERESTS: can stealing be an interest? reading, sight-seeing, hiking, camping, anything to do with being in nature, drawing or painting, fire, humans, animals, other supernaturals, running around as a coyote

PROFESSION: being a nuisance to society

BODY TYPE: tall ish, thin / slender, well-built

EYES: brown

HAIR: blonde

SKIN: more tanned, I'd say

FACE: Madelyn Cline

POSTURE: shoulders and head up, she's confident and it shows in the way she carries herself

HEIGHT: 5' ft 6

VOICE: I don't know how to describe voice tbh so 👍 watch outer banks I dunno

SIGNATURE OUTFIT: she doesn't have any signature outfits in most of her verses but I mean, in her Fallout verse she's always got a leather jacket with her gang symbol embroidered on the back of it. but in general she likes to dress casually with just a little style.

SIGNIFICANT OTHER: well in present day? nobody. but her best SO was Sonya

COMPANIONS: Fang, but he's not technically a companion. he's her soul so I mean, but he's still someone to talk to. you can consider him a companion.

ANTAGONISTS: she still holds a grudge against her own kind even though they are now basically extinct. if you are a spirit shaper, immediate hostility, high risk of death for simply existing as a spirit shaper in her presence.

STRENGTHS: confident, brave, loyal, very dedicated... her dedication extends to good things and bad things... affectionate / loving and compassionate, smart, protective

WEAKNESSES: an absolute bitch, a bit of a bully, egotistical, stubborn, prankster or mischievous oftentimes in the worst way.

FRUITS: any kind of berries but especially blackberries, and apples

DRINKS: water, tea or coffee, lemonade, anything carbonated

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES: wine, but will say yes to literally anything

SMOKES: nope, she doesn't like it, never has and hates the smell

DRUGS: none

DRIVER'S LICENSE: she knows how to drive, but when cars were first invented she didn't need no driver's license and has never bothered to get one because then she'd have to explain why she never ages and who wants to do that just to get it renewed, she drives without a license if she does drive

tagged by: @caracarnn tagging: @coveitous (cross ofc) @fvrsaeken (judith but make it her famous au), @herbalwarlock @rocklandjbrin @rowan-revelry (valgrim), @ayakoito @cicero-the-assassin @escapedfromthevoiid (dani) @paleobird @wexarethewalkingxdead (sophia)

#THANK YOU FOR TAGGING ME GJNDKJH #charlie & fang study ; 𝑏𝑒𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑠

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tinywitchgoblin · 11 days

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Hey wassup, I’m delusional (and insane) and I saw your past posts, so which bad batch member would you ship me with?

Im Hispanic (Dunno if that’s important lol). Brown curly hair and brown eyes. Tan skin but I have low iron so I kinda look pale but not too pale. I got two little moles on my chin that I’m insecure about but sometimes I’m confident about them. I’m 5’5. I struggle with anxiety but I’m coping with my depression, I occasionally have really bad depressive episodes. I’m bipolar. Sometimes I act so confident in myself and other times I get insecure and try to hide my stomach.

Some things about me is that I love to write and make poetic shit, like I will sound like a insane hopeless romantic. I like to use cheesy pick up lines when I get comfortable enough. Music is my life and savior. Will legit make a whole playlist or CD dedicated to someone. I LOVE to dance to literally anything, usually if I try to get someone to dance with me is because I just wanna have fun with someone and be able to laugh and feel alive. Dancing is just a way to express myself and have someone alongside me. I love painting, cooking and reading. I adore romantic poetry. My friends consider me as the mom of the group. I’m loyal and I’ll always put other before me ( it’s a curse). If you need anything, honey I’m right here like a genie. I hopelessly devote myself to others. I LOVE taking care of others though, maybe it’s because that’s what I’ve been doing for majority of my life.

I Love cinema. Like deeply love cinema. I’m always up for a night or day full of movies and shows and being lazy on the couch or bed. My definition of Netflix and chill is to literally Netflix and chill, we are watching movies only! Will use quotes from movies on a daily basis and expect someone to get it and finish the quote. Kind of a introverted but I can be social if I know enough people in one space. I’m always up for adventure and thrill in life, like wanna go on a roller coaster? Heck yeah. Wanna dance? Aint gotta ask me twice. Try new things? Might be nervous but I’m up for it.

My standards for love and a relationship can be described as Melanie Martínez’s song High School Sweethearts.

Alright that’s it. Thank you and have a blessed day! <3

Thanks, you too 💚

I ship you with...

Wrecker!

You'd actually met Omega first, but once she introduced you to her brother Wrecker, the two of you were inseparable. You would write him love letters and make playlists for him, and he would shower you with compliments and support you in every aspect of your life. Once, he tried to write you a romantic poem back because he loved the ones you gave him, but it... didn't go as well as he wanted. When you asked him about it, he told you he wanted to make you feel the happiness he got when you gave him a poem or a playlist, but nothing was working. You reassured him that you felt his love in other ways, that his love was as unique as him.

One of Wrecker's many love languages is quality time, and he wants to spend it all with you. Sometiems you'll end up in the kitchen, attempting a new recipe (or maybe just dancing while some pasta is boiling away in the background). Other times, you're just relaxing on the couch, watching something on Netflix. If you're into it, he'll pull you into his lap and keep you close especially if you're watching a horror movie. Both you and he get super frustrated when Hunter has to drag Wrecker away because he needs help with something, but there's always the promise of hanging out again later.

Wrecker doesn't know much about mental illnesses in the clinical sense like Tech does, but he's really good at not only telling when you're not feeling well, but sussing out what the underlying issue is. He's very in touch with emotions (both his and yours), so he's usually able to tell if you're anxious, depressed, insecure, or any of the above. Wrecker doesn't like seeing you in any type of pain, so he will do anything he can to make you feel better. He'll sit with you, talk with you, make you some good, make sure you take your meds and/or get appointments scheduled (if applicable), etc. He isn't someone who does things halfway, and that includes loving you; making sure you feel your best is only a small fraction of that.

Thanks for reading! If you want a ship request like this one, drop it in my ask box, and don't forget to reblog 💚 it may take a little bit, but I'll get to it eventually!

#the bad bois #the bad batch #wrecker bad batch #wrecker the bad batch #wrecker x reader #wrecker #tbb wrecker #wrecker tbb #star wars x reader

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melonisopod · 1 year

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Fate/Apocrypha doing same-face characters: Amakusa has white hair because he’s been 16 for 60 years. He’s tan because he spent years in the desert looking for the perfect catalyst to summon his goth gf. His red cloak alludes to the fact that he died as a martyr. All of these relate to him throwing himself whole-heartedly into his lifelong dream to save everyone, at the cost of his humanity and happiness. And by sheer coincidence he kind of looks like Archer Emiya from the hit visual novel Fate/Stay Night, who also did that kind of thing!

FGO doing sameface characters: Kama wears a hair ribbon just like Sakura Matou from the hit visual novel Fate/Stay Night! Who gave her the hair ribbon, you ask? Idk she just wears it. Why does it start to burn up as she slowly descends into Beasthood? Well it’s a metaphor for her losing her humanity! Why? Well um...I dunno...she’s not even human she’s a god...but she’s losing her humanity and the ribbon signifies that because...um...reasons I guess? Why’s losing the ribbon significant? I dunno, go read Fate/Stay Night if you want context!

#not to shill fate/apocrypha cause it's far from perfect #but fate/apocrypha continues to be my favorite installment with an anime #even if the anime is a glorified ad for fgo

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gravity-knight · 16 days

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Ok DFF finished and I’m mad

Started off so good, I was hooked. But that ending… 😒

Story was definitely interesting. The concept. The characters. All good. But the direction from possible supernatural, to whodunit, to a delve into the human mind kinda fell flat.

I guess it’s my fault for expecting something that just wasn’t gonna happen. I stopped my investigaytions when I realized what was happening. But it was still fun picking characters apart

Por. Poor spoiled little rich kid. Had you been a better ring leader things wouldn’t have escalated

Top. I dunno I thought there could’ve been more to his shitty actions. Thought he was secretly in love with Tee or White. Thought he was a secret agent for Tee’s uncle. Thought he would have some kind of secret. But nope.

Tee. Oh man there was a lot going on for this kid. I really went in liking him but when he started to manipulate Non I took a step back. I still felt bad for him for some reason. Then we find out more and how he and White met and started to pity him. Even his ending is just sad.

White. Poor Snow White did no harm. He came to play in the woods and had his heart stabbed. Finding out that someone you loved isn’t the person you thought they were hurts. Then having to go through all that stuff in the cabin ESPECIALLY when you didn’t even want to go? He really gave off final girl to me but in the end just an innocent bystander. Had he mustered up some courage though, ALOT of things could’ve gone differently.

Tan. Idk guys, manic is definitely a good look on this man. The irony of playing the older brother though. I think he may be first on the list of who had the most fucked up experience. Coming back home to your family like that. Leaving you all alone. Nothing but revenge on your mind.

Non. This guy really did a number on me. All he wanted was to make his movie. I don’t think he even really wanted friends. I think he just wanted to be needed. Cause if he wanted people around him who cares about him he would not have done that to Phee. I really didn’t think we’d get a character like that from Non. I thought he’d be painted as a troubled weirdo and that would be it. And to find out that was his fate? I really thought he’d just appear in the end. Or wake up somewhere in the forest. Also Mr. Keng too?

Jin. Omg did you guys see that hallucinoJin (😉) so much ass. Jin definitely has the most secrets out of the group. The rawness of it all. Boy is obsessed. I’m glad that he confessed what he did to Non and why he did it. I was afraid that would be swept under the rug or suffer a premature conversation interruption. Also there’s something kinda nice about falling in love with your crush’s boyfriend. Like you both loved the same guy. That’s not weird right? I mean sure but it’s like poetic weird right? Ironic? Am I using that right?

Phee. Boy. Like. What? He was soooo in love and so hurt. He helped Non and was betrayed. He had every right to feel the way he did. And still he. Blamed himself. His hallucinations showed Non dying in multiple ways. All suicidal. And him not being able to save him no matter how many times he tried to. Sorry I’m still standing by JinxPhee. Need them in like a gay killers sort of project

(Dead) End. Ok so I’m wtf. Like that was so unnecessary. It made no sense really. Everyone was drugged and Tan placed weapons all next to them to which they ended things. Now Fluke. Top and Por I had already lost all hope for, for a long time. Tee and Phee was up in the air, so were White and Jin. I ultimately thought Jin would be the last one standing or atleast one. He felt very main character out of the main characters. And I thought the film’s end with him being the only one that made it out the house was foreshadowing. White being as submissive as he was I thought he’d power up in the end at the critical moment. But when it turned out to be Tee. I thought Tee would pull a Romeo and Juliet. So now this two year jump confused me.

I was already thinking why none of them are in jail and why we don’t see the aftermath of Jin’s hand. And why would Tee just be at home

Phee pulling the “maybe we never left” card got me so upset. Because why. Was the drugs actually poisonous? Did they all consume too much? Why are Jin and Phee connected and with Tee? Was the antidote actually fake? Phee told Jin to wait for him while he went back for Tee. So was Phee “waking” from his hallucinations actually not him waking up? Because I questioned why the smoke wasn’t affecting him after he woke up. And then we hear the puff. For all we know there was never an antidote

I just wished they gave us a bit more than a shot of the house for an ending. Like the ambiguity wasn’t needed. Just say they all died and show all the bodies.

#dead friend forever #dff the series #this was definitely an experience though #I’ll say it again it was pretty Grand Guignol #was there something I missed that could’ve hinted off the ending

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hemmohaze · 20 days

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the one with the party

Word Count: 1,288

Warnings: Cursing and Alcohol consumption.

November 2019

Bianca and Luke having been hanging out with each other for about 2 months now. She's quickly became friends with his band mates in due time and Micheal's fiancée, Crystal has become one of her very close friends.

She quickly realized she had feelings for the blonde musician. He's one of the most talented, funny, ambitious, and driven people she's ever met in her life. Being with or around her makes her feel at peace.

He was slowly realizing his feelings for the curly haired girl herself. She's one of the most hard working, kind, and loving people he's ever been around in his 23 years on earth. She always has a smile on her tan face and treats everyone around her with respect and love.

Even though they act and look like a couple, nothing between them is official, due to them being too awkward to tell one another how they feel. His fans have already figured out who she was. That was the only downside because some of them can be a bit rude but overall it's been a positive experience being with the rockstar.

They were currently cuddled together on his couch watching some old 80's movie, Petunia squished next to Bianca. She was giving the old pup some head scratches because she liked the feeling of Bianca's long acrylic nails rubbing her fluffy skin.

Lukes thumb brushed against the inside of her exposed thigh as his chest rumbled at the sound of his laughter, laughing at something in the movie.

"Do you even know what this movie is about Lu?" Bianca questioned as Petunia got enough loving and went to wander around somewhere else in the house.

"Duh," He responded. "It's about some kid who gets bullied and tries karate to defend himself and gets his ass beat." He confidently said.

"Anyway on a more personal note, do y'know whats going on with Ashlyn and Ash??" Bianca wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Umm. Pretty sure they're just feeling things out right now, they've gone a couple of dates. Honestly Ash is so weird when it comes to relationships, God himself wouldn't even know." Luke joked.

Bianca laughed through her nose as she lovingly stared at his baby blues. Awkward smiles decorated on both of their features. She slowly leaned in along with him and thought to herself that this would be the only time she gets to fully admit how much she likes him.

Their lips almost touched as they stopped as they heard Petunia scratching at the back door to be let out to go potty.

Luke dropped his shoulders, looking a tad defeated as he got up wordlessly and let Petunia out.

"Really Petunia." Bianca whispered once she noticed Luke was out of her ear sight. She was actually gonna kiss him.

A couple of hours passed by as the atmosphere changed around the two. It was more awkward and tense. Bianca looked up at the ceiling and made up the lie that she was gonna leave because she had homework to finish. Truly she just was embarrassed and needed leave before her embarrassment eats her alive.

He reminded her about the birthday party they were throwing Michel in a couple of days before she left.

—————

"Okay be honest, how do I look??" Bianca asked Ashlyn as she sat curling her hair. She wore an oversized white sweater and a black tennis skirt with her docs.

Ashlyn turned around and pretended to faint. "You look hot!"

"Are you sure I don't look too basic?" She examined her outfit in the full length mirror. She could’ve done something else with her makeup or maybe its her hair?

"You? Basic? I dunno if you know what basic means. Have you seen your piercings and tattoos??" Ashlyn unplugged the curling iron.

Bianca laughed at the comment over her tattoos. In total she has over 24. Piercings is definitely not close second, coming in hot at 6.

Bianca's trance got cut short whenever she got a call from Crystal.

"Olà," Yeah we're coming, yup I remembered. Okay see you in like 30 minutes." Bianca hung up.

"Who was that?" Ashlyn asked, fixing her blow out.

"Crystal, she wanted to know when the cake is arriving."

"Ah gotcha." Ashlyn stated as they walked out of their shared apartment, Micheal's homemade cake in Bianca's hands.

They both pulled up to Micheal's house and Bianca put in the code to his gate before parking next to Calum's car.

She rocked back and forth in her boots. She hasn't seen or talked to Luke since their almost kiss. That was almost 2 weeks ago. She hasn't even returned his countless calls and when he texts her, she gives one word responses. Mostly out of pure overthinking and embarrassment. It’s times like this she cursed herself having anxiety.

Ashton opened the door. He let out an excited laugh and pulled Ashlyn in for a quick hug and forehead kiss. Bianca wishes they'd just get together already but she has absolutely no room to speak.

"Hell yeah! Cake's here!" He shouted to everyone in the house as Bianca went into the kitchen and placed it in the fridge so the icing doesn't melt off.

Crystal found Bianca and handed her a Black Cherry white claw, the only flavor she'll drink.

"Aw you remembered." Bianca gushed to her friend.

"You're the only person who willingly likes Black Cherry. How could I not." Crystal pursed her lips into a tight line.

Bianca playfully rolled her eyes as she took a swig.

"Have you seen Luke around?" Crystal hesitantly asked. She was aware of the awkwardness between the two at the moment.

Bianca sighed. "No, but we definitely need to talk. I haven’t seen or talked to him in 2 weeks and I feel really bad.”

Just as she said that Micheal and Luke appeared from outside setting up beer pong for everyone.

He gave her a warm smile as he walked up to her and gave her a hug that she so gratefully accepted. She raised her head up from his chest and looked at him solemnly. "Can we talk?" She asked softly.

"Sure." He shrugged. Crystal and Micheal looked at the two and gave thumbs up behind their backs.

She found a stool at their makeshift bar and sat down. Luke doing the same.

Bianca took a deep breath and finally spoke up. "Look about that almost kiss. I'm sorry I don't know-"

"Bianca why are you apologizing??" Luke cut her off. Bianca bit her lip, "I've been ignoring all of your calls and texts because of my own feelings and didn't even a-count for yours. I feel like an ass."

He reached for her hand and grabbed it. "Well you're definitely not an ass quite frankly I've seen my fair share of ass and your's is top 10." He joked, making Bianca slap his arm.

"I understand where you were coming from. But we can start slow and tonight just have fun celebrating Mike." He softly said.

—————

Daddy Yankee vibrated off the walls of Micheal's house. Bianca had her back against Luke's chest as she swayed her hips painfully slow against him. He gripped her hips with one ringed hand as the other was holding the classic red solo cup with tequila. Her hands held onto her 3rd White Claw of the night. To say she was tipsy was an understatement.

She started rapped along to the music. Bianca turned around and wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders. He leaned his forehead on hers as she continued singing along.

"I dunno what they're even saying." He said into her ear making her toss her head back in laughter.

"You're telling me you've never heard Yo Voy before?!" She exclaimed in shock. "Everyone has heard it from that one Alexa Dieme video. It's one of the best Brazilian party songs ever. Our music is so much better than classic American party music."

“Well we both know I’m an old fart who can barely understand social media so I haven’t seen that video.” He laughed through his nose.

He did take note of that in his head and silently told himself to start listening to more Brazilian music if it made her happy. All he wanted to do was make her smile.

#luke hemmings #5sos #micheal clifford #calum hood #ashton irwin #micheal 5sos #5sos fanfic #luke hemmings imagine #luke hemmings fanfic

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bunbeeplays · 2 months

Text

The Lemon Legacy: Generation 1, Chapter 24 - Woohoo-ed Up

Becca has officially joined the Hot Girls Only fitness club! Becca went to UBrite on a soccer scholarship, and her body clearly shows she’s quite fit. Too bad she’s feeling a bit out of it today.

Becca: Ugh! I’m just gonna… not right now.

Ophelia: You okay, girl? You seem off.

Becca: I dunno. Maybe I’m still jet lagged?

Summer: From a loading screen? I don’t think so.

Libby: Did you eat at any restaurants while we were in Sulani? Maybe you have food poisoning.

Becca: No, I just ate what Travis and Mark grilled for us, and some açaí bowls for breakfast. I took some medicine but I still feel kind of sick.

Libby: Oh no.

Ophelia: What?

Libby: Do you think the Watcher accidentally clicked Try For Baby?

Becca: What are you talking about?

Summer: Don’t act coy, we heard you two clanking around together in the shower.

Becca: Yeah but… The Watcher wouldn’t be so careless, right? I mean, we even made sure risky woohoo was turned off!

Ophelia: Hey, let’s stay calm, okay? We don’t know for sure what The Watcher clicked. Besides, not every Try For Baby ends in a baby.

Becca: I have to go take a pregnancy test!

Summer: Becca, wait! At least get changed first! That tan looks ridiculous!

Libby: Poor Becca.

Summer: I know. She can kiss those abs goodbye.

Libby: I was more concerned about the potential baby part.

Ophelia: Girls, Travis and Becca are reasonable Sims. Whatever happens, things will be just fine.

It's Ophelia's last night performing at The Blue Velvet Nightclub before she starts working for the Laurents. Her friends come to support her, and even Hector Laurent himself stops by to pay his respects! After all, this job is the reason he discovered her in the first place.

Travis: Hey, listen, we didn't want to make tonight about us, so we're going to tell the others back at the house, but we wanted to tell you before it starts to show... Becca is pregnant.

Ophelia: That's great! Or horrible! Pick whichever is the correct response.

Becca: I know I freaked out at the gym and Trav wasn't much calmer when I told him, but we both want kids anyway. Sure, this wasn't planned, but we've got two steady income sources and we really love each other. We've been planning all day. We're both actually really excited.

Ophelia: Well, I'm happy for you two, and I mean that.

Travis: Thanks. We're happy too. We're looking for a starter home in Willow Creek, so let us know if you hear anything.

Becca: A lot of them were autofilled by MC Command Center. It's a tough market out there right now.

Ophelia can't believe it. One of her best friends is going to be a dad! What a perfect way to end spring. Things can only go up from here!

The Municipal Muses Museum. Once of the first places Ophelia came when she moved to Willow Creek. She remembers looking at this very statue, hoping some day she could... Hey, where did it go? I didn't even see her reach for it this time! She's getting good!

#The Sims #The Sims 4 #The Sims 4 Legacy #The Lemon Legacy #TS4 #The Sims 4 gameplay #sims 4 #generation 1 #ophelia #becca #travis #summer #libby #hector #technically

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darabeatha · 2 months

Text

/ I dunno if I can squeeze in some replies today buuuut! for now i'll drop this silly lil meme; Stuff that happens with my muses during spicy times:

Morgan: on one of her ascension looks, she has a blue spike protruding from the area where her collarbones meet, be wary to not stab yourself with it because it'll make you start feeling dizzy or sick! Also rarely shows expressions?? not impossible but she's not very expressive naturally so it's sometimes difficult telling how she's feeling.

Odysseus: can get a biiit sweaty, especially around the face, chest, and around the hip zone. This makes him feel a bit embarrassed

Oberon: might overtalk during moments where it's not necessarily contributing to anything which can lead to a total turn off. Gets easily tired and has to drink something afterwards, it's like a workout! P.owerade is nice

Barghest: has way too much armor! Before you can take it all off, the mood has probably shifted elsewhere! She gets impatient and embarrassed about that so she might start crying bc she thinks she failed her partner. Might compensate the frustration by binge eating or hard training

Tezcatlipoca: sometimes is a bit lazy and would rather have his partner take charge, also enjoys more casual -in the moment- than well thought dates with everything organized before hand. Couch rather than bed covered in rose petals and candles - kind of person

Constantine: can get quickly overstimulated by rather simple touches, his face gets flushed red as if he's got a sun tan! Edging gets him weak on the knees

Asclepius: gets turned off by verbally teasing partners, let him cook ! and just tell him what is working out or not for you, until he gets more used to having spicy times with someone, it might feel a bit impersonal like he's more focused on studying your reactions than feeling it himself

Kukulkan: a bit rough- in the sense of, 'hold on- are you pulling lucha libre moves on me right now!?' right in front of ur salad! Just when u thought u were getting a normal romantic moment!

#;headcanons #headcanons #only for some bc there are too many rip #tw: suggestive #new silly meme drops✨

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lazybakerart · 2 years

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(sorry i'm drunk) I don't know if modern!harringrove is up your alley, but. i've been thinking about billy being a popular camboy/content creator, and posting sex videos online to gain some money. maybe onlyfans i dunno. at first steve isn't into the idea at all, really needs to be persuaded into shooting their private sex scenes for complete strangers to see and doesn't want his face to be shown at all. maybe he's jealous because billy's hot and good-looking, maybe steve likes his privacy and feels uncomfortable with that kind of attention, or he's just really shy and thinks people wouldn't want to watch this pale, slim body next to billy's tanned, muscular one. however, in time, with billy's persuasion, steve begins to warm up to the idea. seeing how popular billy has become, and all the positive feedback steve has gained from their sex videos, steve starts showing his face more. billy's followers absolutely love steve, sometimes even more than billy, and steve gains more confidence. it makes billy hot, and he can't stop watching their videos together or showing steve all the positive comments he's got on their videos. billy keeps complimenting steve's body, how good his ass looks when he fucks billy or how good he sounds on the video when billy fucks him, and it makes steve blush all the way up to his ears. but it makes steve also proud because he's realised that billy's not just doing this whole sex video thing for the money or because he wants to show off and look for other people to fuck.

billy's doing this also because he wants to show his fans that he's happy with steve, that there's no one like steve, and only steve can make him come so hard that billy sees stars. steve doesn't think he ever fully gets it, but he's flattered and feels even more in love with billy.

(anyway ignore this if you don't like the idea kdjgj) <3

i'm here for this. i love this. billy and steve being lovey-dovey and horny as heck, showing the world they are the Best and Most in LOVE~

BLESS.

#I FUCKING LOVE THIS #harringrove #billy hargrove #i adore modern aus #and especially billy having an only fans because HE WOULD #and him pulling steve into it is skjdhfslkahf!!

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ollieofthebeholder · 7 months

Text

to find promise of peace (and the solace of rest): a TMA fanfic

<< Beginning < Prev. || AO3 || My website

Chapter 58: April 2004

Gerard puts the finishing touch on his work and steps back, brush in hand, to study it critically. It’s the most ambitious piece he’s ever attempted, and he’s been working on it so long his hands are cramping up, but he thinks he’s got it. He’s just got to get someone in to view it who hasn’t been staring at it for…how long has he been staring at it? His stereo, a joint gift from Martin and Melanie last Christmas, plays five CDs and will automatically cycle through them until he tells it to stop, so the fact that the music is still playing is no help, nor is it the fact that it’s only the second album in the rotation. The fact that nobody’s come pounding on his door demanding he shut off that godawful noise before I strangle you with the wires might be, but he isn’t sure.

As the thought crosses his mind, his door opens, and he whirls around. Paint flies off the end of his brush and very nearly misses Martin, who squeaks and ducks back behind the door.

“Shit, sorry! Forgot I was holding it.” Gerard drops the brush into the water jar, then turns the volume on his stereo down. “It’s safe. Come in and tell me what you think.”

Martin comes back in carefully, followed—to Gerard’s slight surprise—by Melanie, who has her coat folded over her arms. Both of them look like they’re up to something. They also look rather damp. Martin’s gaze locks with the canvas on the wall opposite the door, and he flinches back, obviously startled.

“Bad, huh?” Gerard asks, his heart sinking a little.

“Wh—? No, no, it’s great, it’s…wow.” Martin blinks hard and sidles in so Melanie can come in and close the door. “That’s so…realistic. It’s…it’s huge.”

“Well, I couldn’t have done this any smaller.” Gerard gestures vaguely at it.

Melanie drifts closer and peers at it. “Oh, cool. Martin, come look at it up close, it’s not as terrifying…did you use a compass or a ruler for this? Or, what do you call it, that Spirograph thing?”

Martin moves towards the canvas as Gerard shakes his head. “Nah. Freehanded it.”

“This is some utterly precise bullshit, this is. Look at that! And that’s—” Melanie’s finger hovers over a point on one side of the canvas, but doesn’t touch. “Is this Chinese?”

“Yeah. It doesn’t really mean anything, but I found this book that tells you how to transcribe different sounds into Chinese.” Gerard steps up beside her and indicates the characters as he sounds out the syllables. “Me, lan, ni…and then over here is mah, tan. It’s, uh, it’s kind of the closest I could get.”

Melanie socks him lightly on the arm, but she’s grinning. Martin’s eyes trace the lines and curves of the patterns, seemingly hypnotized. “It’s…brilliant, Ger. How long did this take you?”

Gerard snorts. “Dunno. What day is it?”

“Sunday. It’s just gone midnight.”

“Which Sunday?” Gerard doesn’t actually think he’s been in here for a week, but he’s hoping to make them both smile.

Melanie smirks and whips her coat off her arm with a dramatic gesture. “It’s the eighteenth, Gerry.”

Gerard blinks. She’s holding a parcel wrapped in bright paper—its neat, sharp corners speak to Martin’s precision, but the monstrosity of ribbon on top is one hundred percent Melanie—and, tearing his eyes away from the painting, Martin reaches under his jacket and produces a card.

“Shit,” he says, not sure what else to say. “That’s today?”

“It is,” Martin confirms. “Happy birthday.”

Gerard laughs and hugs them both. Before he takes the present and card, though, he pauses. “Wait. You said it’s just gone midnight. What are you doing here this early?”

“Spending time with you,” Melanie says pointedly. “We thought we were going to have to wake you up, but here you are.”

“Okay, but—is there a reason you didn’t wait until later?”

Martin shrugs. “School starts tomorrow. We can’t stay out late with you, so we thought we’d come get you early instead.”

“You two are nuts.” Gerard sits down on his bed and waves for the other two to join him. “Did Mum say anything when you came in?”

Melanie shakes her head, hitching herself up to sit on the edge of his dresser. “She’s down in the shop still, I think.”

Gerard stops with his finger halfway across the flap of the envelope. “How’d you get in without going through the shop?”

Martin produces a roll of half-rusted metal tools. “I bought these at a swap meet a couple months back. I’ve been practicing with them, so I figured I could jimmy a window if I needed to. But the one in the kitchen wasn’t even locked.”

“Did you two climb the walls?”

“What, like it’s hard? There’s what’s left of the fire escape that got us most of the way up. It’s fine. It’s not even raining that hard.” Melanie rolls her hand impatiently. “Go on, open it!”

Gerard figures that at this point, it’s a bit late to scold them for taking risks, and it’s not even like it’s the worst thing they’ve ever done. Instead, he finishes opening the card and reads it. It’s a sturdy, brightly colored card with metallic accents and pop-up components and glitter all over the place, and when Gerard opens it, it begins playing a cheery but shrill rendition of “Auld Lang Syne”. It also spills a great deal of confetti that looks suspiciously like the leavings of a hole-punch onto his lap, and subsequently his bed. He decides not to complain about that, but he does shut the card quickly, laughing.

“We tried to find one in black,” Martin says. “But all the black birthday cards were for turning forty, so…”

“So I suggested we go as far as possible in the other direction,” Melanie says brightly. “You can thank Martin for talking me out of the pink one with the princess crown on it.”

Gerard tries very hard not to look as though he’s going to throw up. “Thank you.” He sets the card aside and reaches for the wrapped gift. It’s surprisingly heavy, and he wonders how the hell they got it up the wall. “Gee…I wonder what this could be.”

Melanie shrugs. “Well, keep in mind that unlike somebody in this room, we’re not legal adults yet.”

Gerard stills as that realization sinks in. “Shit. I am eighteen now, aren’t I?”

“Depends on what time you were born, but yeah, Ger, you’re officially grown up,” Martin reminds him.

Gerard grins. “We’re so going to Venice next year.” He pries the tape loose and unwraps his birthday present.

It’s a box, perhaps a foot long and half as wide, made of some kind of wood, not particularly dark but not terribly light either. Except for the very edges, which are smooth and rounded, the whole thing is covered with an intricate pattern of vines and flowers. The hinges are cunningly hidden, barely visible unless you look closely. Gerard runs his fingers over the carving and looks up at Martin in astonishment, then at Melanie. “Did you…make this?”

“Oh, God, no,” Martin says with a slightly incredulous laugh. “Found it at the farmer’s market a couple years ago. Someone had a booth with all kinds of baskets and boxes and things like that.”

Which means there’s something inside it. It’s pretty, and Gerard loves it, but he also knows Martin and Melanie well by now and knows how much time and thought they put into their gifts (it’s made him up his game somewhat as well); if this box isn’t handmade, they’d have given it to him ages ago if it was meant to be his whole present. So he turns the box around, slides his thumbnails into the crack, lifts. And stares.

The box is full, almost to the brim, with colored pencils. Not just any colored pencils either, but the expensive, professional grade ones he’s been talking himself out of buying for months now, always reminding himself that he has his oils and acrylics, that colored pencils aren’t really suited for the large-scale artwork his mother encourages. It’s colored pencils that have always held his heart, though, and while Melanie and Martin certainly know he likes them—he still remembers the awe on their faces the first time he took the cheap set Martin had for school and drew a hasty portrait of the two of them sitting on his bed while he perched on his desk, kind of like Melanie is doing right now—he can’t imagine they knew he wanted these.

“How…?” he whispers, picking one up and studying it. Jesus, there must be every color of the rainbow in here. He’s always considered buying the smallest possible tin, but this looks like the full set.

“There, um, there are definitely a couple of duplicates in there,” Melanie says. She’s obviously striving for nonchalant, but there’s a little spark of anxiety in her eyes. “We couldn’t always remember what colors we’d already got and which ones we hadn’t. Martin finally made a list, but by then we’d already been getting them for a while.”

Relief floods Gerard. He knows how expensive these are, and he knows that the jobs Martin and Melanie pick up after school don’t pay much and they turn more than half of what they earn over to Uncle Roger and Aunt Lily for household expenses; they have precious little to spend on themselves, so it would have taken them ages to save up enough for the full set, or worse. On the other hand, he can’t help but ask curiously, “How long?”

Martin and Melanie exchange glances. “Two years?” Melanie guesses.

“Three,” Martin says. “We started after we got back from Poland. You remember, we watched the sun come up over the mountains and you said you wish you had the pencils to capture it with you?”

Melanie nods emphatically. “Yeah, yeah, I remember. I was taking that figure drawing course that term, so I asked my teacher and he recommended these.”

“Are they all right?” Martin asks, and unlike Melanie he’s not trying to hide that spark of anxiety. “Really all right? It’s, it’s not the presentation tin, a-and I know you’re really good with oils, but—”

Gerard closes the lid of the box. He gets up, ignoring the shower of paper that falls from his lap. He lunges forward, and he hugs Martin hard, then Melanie.

“They’re perfect,” he says, and he’s not ashamed to admit that there are tears in his eyes.

He manages to convince them they won’t lose out on spending all the time they can together if they rest for a while, and all three of them end up dozing off in a pile on his bed. They’re still up well before dawn, though, and they’re able to sneak out of the house before Gerard’s mother can spot them. The streets aren’t exactly deserted, but they’re quiet, and they don’t encounter many people between Pinhole Books and their destination.

Said destination is a particular spot on a particular bridge overlooking the Thames. It’s more or less at the halfway point between where the Blackwood-Kings live and the bookstore, so when they’re all meeting up, it usually involves them gathering here. It’s also perfectly situated for the three of them to stand shoulder-to-shoulder…well, more or less…and lean on the rail to wait for the sunrise. Probably in vain, if Gerard’s being honest. It’s raining to beat the band, and it’s not likely to clear up enough that they can see much. Still, Martin’s got a huge blue umbrella, and with all three of them pressed together they can all fit. Mostly.

As she always does, or always has since the disastrous Halloween party six years ago, Melanie wedges herself between Martin and Gerard, which means she’s stuck holding the umbrella high above her head. She’s caught up to her age in height, but she’s still a few inches shorter than Gerard. Martin, of course, outstrips them both; none of them are done growing yet, but he’s going to be tall when all is said and done. Gerard figures he’ll be lucky to hit six feet. His mother is barely five feet tall, if that, and…well, Gerard can’t remember his father too well. Of course he remembers a giant of a man, but he’s remembering it through the eyes of a very small child, so who knows.

“How tall was your dad, Martin?” The question pops out of Gerard’s mouth before he thinks about it, and he immediately wishes he could take it back. It’s been eight years since they met—to the day, actually—and the only time Martin has ever brought his dad up is at the wedding. It’s obviously still a sore spot.

To his mild surprise, though, Martin doesn’t seem upset, merely pensive. “I don’t really remember him too well, honestly. I think he was taller than Mum. He was probably big, because I remember my hand getting lost in his when I was holding it, but that’s all I know.”

“What did he do?” Melanie asks curiously. “Mum never talks about him.”

“Something to do with boats, I think. I remember being on the shore of the North Sea with Granddad once, he put me up on his shoulders and asked if I could see Papa’s boat from there. I must’ve been…three, maybe? Three or four? He took me for a week to Norfolk for something to do with the Jubilee.” Martin stares vacantly across the Thames. “Huh. I’d forgotten all about that.”

They fall silent, content to just stay in one another’s company. The rain doesn’t really stop, but there’s enough of a break in the clouds to the east that they can all see the first edge of the great disc of the sun peeking over the horizon, then slowly rising higher and higher until it bathes the clouds, the rain-spattered river, and their faces in a golden and rosy glow, at least for a few moments.

It’s not quite as pretty as a sunset, Gerard decides, but it’s pretty enough. He pulls out his camera and snaps a picture. Maybe he’ll try to recreate it with his new colored pencils.

Once the clouds close ranks around the sun again, they head back to Melanie and Martin’s house for breakfast. Uncle Roger greets them with a warm smile and a hug for all three. He seems surprised to learn it’s Gerard’s birthday, but once he finds out, he insists on making his extra-special birthday waffles. Melanie jumps up to assist him, and it has to be admitted they taste delicious. Even Aunt Lily, who comes in looking tired, doesn’t have any complaints about them. Gerard entertains her while Martin and Melanie clean up the kitchen, and they make their escape into the streets of London once more.

“It might be a bit wet for a picnic today,” Martin says, a little uncertainly.

“Pish-posh,” Melanie says, elbowing him. “There’s that shelter on the Broad Walk, it’ll be fine. And nobody’s going to be in the park today. We’ll have it to ourselves. Come on, Ger, what do you want to do in the meantime?”

Gerard thinks for a second. “Have either of you ever been to the London Zoo?”

It transpires that Melanie has, although not since her mum died; Martin, for as long as he’s lived in London, never has. Neither has Gerard, despite living there all his life. The three of them pay their ticket fees—Gerard tries very hard to pay for his ticket, especially since neither Martin nor Melanie will be sixteen for a few months yet and are therefore still getting the cheaper rate, but they won’t let him—and head inside. There are surprisingly more people about than Gerard would have expected, huddled under umbrellas, bundled into mackintoshes, and stomping through puddles, but it’s still easy enough to move around. The reptile house is the most crowded part, presumably because it’s indoors, and they give it a wide berth. Gerard gets some good pictures of the other two. He particularly hopes the one of Martin delightedly greeting, or being greeted by, a cow in the Children’s Zoo comes out well, although he also likes the shot of Melanie staring down a lion. He’s only aware that Melanie has taken a picture of him when he stands up from letting a small child who seems to consist mostly of big eyes peeking out from between a rain slicker and a sou’wester put their finger through the gauge in his earlobe when she hands him back the camera with a smirk, but he doesn’t mind too much.

They stop to purchase sandwiches and lemonades from a shop that seems surprised to have any visitors whatsoever, then head into Regent’s Park proper. As Melanie said, this part is pretty much deserted, save for the serious strollers and joggers, and there aren’t too many of them this late on a Sunday. The three of them make their way along the Broad Walk until they find the shelter—a small, octagonal structure with a couple wrought-iron benches in it. They eschew the benches, electing instead to spread their cloth on the concrete floor and have a true picnic of it.

“We could have skipped, you know,” Gerard says as he unwraps his sandwich. “I wouldn’t have been too terribly upset.”

Martin shrugs. “Yeah, but yours is the only birthday we’re going to get to celebrate proper this year, if all goes well, so…”

“Wait, what? What do you mean?”

Martin’s cheeks turn pink again. Melanie is the one who speaks up, though, once she swallows. “We’re planning for college in the fall, Ger.”

Gerard frowns. “Doesn’t your school have—doesn’t it go all the way to the top?”

“Yeah, but it doesn’t have the programs we want. My guidance counselor gave me a few schools to look into that’ll get me into the uni programs I want, and it turns out one of them is the one Mum went to, so I’ve got a pretty good chance at getting in. And Martin…” Melanie nudged him. “Go on, you tell him.”

The blush on Martin’s face grows darker. “Um, you remember that woman I told you about, the one who was at the Christmas concert and said she knew Granddad? She was telling me about the music program at Edinburgh College, and she suggested I apply. So I did, and…well, I didn’t expect much, but I got a letter the other day with a couple dates for auditions to choose from, so I’m going to be going up for that in May. Still no guarantee I’ll get in, but—”

“Of course you will,” Gerard says, delighted. “The woman was probably a recruiter for the program, her recommendation will go a long way.”

“It might’ve got me an audition, but I still have to be good enough to actually get a spot. But thank you.” Martin rubs the back of his neck. “A-anyway, the term starts in August, so we’ll be gone by my birthday and won’t be back until after Melanie’s.”

Gerard takes a quick breath as the implications of what they’re saying hit him. “So you’re managing it. You’re getting out of London.”

“For now, anyway. We hope.”

For now nothing. Gerard knows them both. If there’s nothing tying them to London, they might come back to visit, but not to live. And if the only thing tying them to London is Gerard…

Then and there, he makes a resolution. Once they’re settled, once he’s sure they’re good to go, he’s going to leave. He’s going to make the break once and for all, leave his mother and this world behind. He’ll make a new life for himself somewhere else, somewhere Mary Keay and her ilk will never find him, and then when Martin and Melanie go on holiday they can come stay with him. All of them can be free, can stop spending their lives chasing after Leitners and Fears and things that go bump in the night.

That’s for later, though. For now he turns to Melanie and asks, “What are you going to study?”

They chat and eat and toast one another, and then Melanie produces a square of pound cake; Martin pulls a candle out from his jacket and sticks it in the cake, and Gerard offers his lighter so they can sing him “Happy Birthday”. As they finish, Gerard closes his eyes and wishes harder than he ever has in his life.

Once the cake is gone—he insists on sharing with them every year and he doesn’t know why they still protest every time—they roll up the cloth tight and stow it in the deepest pocket Gerard has, then Martin puts up the umbrella once more and they head out into the rain. If anything, it’s raining harder now, and Gerard is already mentally betting against whether they’ll find anyone to help with the next part. Still, though, they make their way across Regent’s Park to Primrose Hill and make their way up to the top. Melanie arranges Martin and Gerard in their usual positions, fussing at them about the umbrella.

Just as Gerard is about to suggest they figure out a way to manipulate a photograph after taking it, a small family walking a pair of well-matched dogs comes up the hill, and Melanie accosts them. “Excuse me, would you be willing to take our picture for us?”

The man hands the dog’s leash over to the plump elderly lady and takes the camera. Gerard reaches over and takes Martin’s arm, forming a stable bridge for Melanie to sit on. Before they can bend down to give her better access, she runs at them and leaps, landing bang on target but knocking the umbrella free of their hands.

Gerard finds he doesn’t care. Instead, he throws his head back and laughs as Melanie’s arm loops around his neck. Martin and Melanie are laughing, too, and as they lean in for the dog-walker to take the shot, Gerard thinks this might be the best birthday he’s had in his life.

#ollie writes fanfic #tma fanfic #to find promise of peace (and the solace of rest)#gerard keay #martin blackwood #melanie king #housebreaking mention #mention of loss of a parent #birthdays #implied/referenced emotional abuse #scopophobia

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