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canyouhearthelight · 3 years

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The Miys, Ch. 139

Day Two of the Food Festival! This one has a specific request from @baelpenrose, which was fun to play with in the Low-Stim session (always on day 2).

To everyone who has reached out to tell me how much they are enjoying getting to see Sophia actually relax and just have fun for once.... Y’all are the best! It’s been fun writing it, too.

New reader shout outs go to @corvallis, @penguin--person, @amphibiousuprising, @chip5-0, and I think @lostsoul8822. I think that’s everyone... If I missed you, please DM me, and I’ll add you to the next chapter.

On with the show!

The first day of the Festival, Conor and I ended up staying through not only Maverick’s shift but the one after, just so we could drag him to our favorite spots. Day two, however, Conor was on deck as Support Personnel as well as Maverick, and neither were assigned to me - for the first half of day two, we were in the Low Stim Mode, so I was pretty sure I could brave it on my own with everyone else’s proximity alerts and my own personal hyper-alertness preventing accidental bumps.

For me, the most exciting part was the different foods offered, and the fact that I could focus on just the food. Not having to ignore the other stimuli was a completely relaxing experience. The visual of the mural, with everything present, was still completely different in the even, indirect lighting. The dual nature of it was toned down significantly, leading to the overall feel being softer and overall more pleasant without being distracting.

Halfway through a very good pad thai, I spotted Derek and Sam sitting with Ivan and poking at something that Sam was clearly excited about and Derek was equally doubtful of. I circled around so they could see me approaching, and made a point to wave. “What do you think?” I asked, trying to sign as I spoke but hampered by the food in my hands.

“It was a good try,” Derek confessed, cheeks stuffed with something that had previously been on a plate to his left as a backup plan.

Setting my food down, I grinned mischievously. “Doing my best,” I signed, leading to laughter on all sides.

“You just told him you do him the best,” Ivan murmured, my face immediately flooding red.

“That is NOT what I meant,” I tried to explain out loud, over-enunciating while I clenched my hands in embarrassment.

To his credit, Derek signed what he seemed to understand I meant, emphasizing each sign. It was clear that I had gotten several out of order and added one that changed everything overall.

After repeating the signs and getting confirmation, I shook my head and sighed dramatically. “I tried.”

Ivan was trembling with laughter. “You. You did,” he admitted. “But that was… wow.” His head dropped on his hands as he shook silently.

“Souffle pancakes?” I offered, finger spelling the word souffle since I had no freaking clue how to actually sign it.

“Egg pancake,” Derek explained, poking the one I offered and contemplating the jiggle.

“It’s cinnamon sugar, and not gooey,” I explained.

Apparently I got that one right, because Derek immediately stabbed a piece and shoved it in his mouth. The only judgement I needed was the fact that he dragged the entire remaining pancake onto his plate.

Sam watched his roommate before contemplating his own sample. Before he could even ask, I held up a cup full of macerated berries. “And fruit topping for you, sir.”

“Are those my berries?” he asked, skeptical.

I shook my head. “Bog standard, from the consoles. Your vegetables and fruits are being used in the other shifts. We didn’t want to give anyone here unexpected tastes.”

He nodded and dumped the entire cup of fruit over his pancake, digging in happily.

Ivan batted his eyes at me until I explained. “Sam’s produce has… unexpected pairings. Tomatoes that pair with cheesecake and wines, strawberries that really go well with steak…”

“The mango that goes with beer but not fish?”

“Yeah, that one. Von soil does strange things to produce, turns out.”

“Those matcha-edamame are amazing though.”

“For ice cream, yes. For tea, less so. They’re like… cooking matcha, almost.” I laughed. They actually worked better for ice cream than matcha did, oddly - reducing the sugar content but still giving the same flavor.

“One vendor on the last day is using nothing but my produce,” Sam announced happily. “They asked my permission.”

“That’s good!” I encouraged him. “They should always ask your permission to do things like that.”

“People ask with requisition forms,” he agreed. “Mona asked in person.”

Note to self: much more patronage at Mona’s normal spot, I swore in my head. She specialized in vegetarian dishes, and honestly made some of the best fried cabbage I’d had in my life. Knowing that she was so considerate of Sam cemented her as my new favorite takeaway place.

After a little more chat, I finally waved my goodbyes to everyone and strolled slowly to the next tempting stall. I wasn’t really in any hurry, and did more people-watching than I did eating. Latkes were infinitely more interesting when I could overhear people arguing over family recipes. A small bowl of udon was delicious, but not nearly as flavorful as the discussion around hot versus cold, what to top them with, egg or no egg… the only thing anyone seemed to agree on was that the smiling vendor ‘obviously’ ground their own flour, because the flour provided by the consoles was the wrong texture.

Another mental note: don’t learn to make udon. Despite what I had previously believed, it takes a lifetime to make it right, turns out.

Wandering further down, I was delighted by the discovery of something that was very clearly Hannah’s doing: demonstrations of older food prep techniques. Simon winked at me as he carried on a demonstration of - insanely - how to hand pull toffee. I didn’t know he could do that. Muna was demonstrating the correct way to make chapatis and handing them out as fast as she was making them. Clearly, she had been making them her whole life, because at no point did I actually see her look at them, but every single one was perfect.

Laughter erupted over my shoulder, and I whipped my head around to see the source. After wading through a crowd of smiling faces, I couldn’t help but join in. There, right in front of the entire Ark, was Maverick trying to flip takoyaki as fast as the person demonstrating, and ending up with just a mess of octopus and batter on his side. Both Maverick and the person guiding him were smiling, though, and in the end, the vendor handed Maverick four perfectly-round balls and quickly devoured all of the - less shapely, so to speak - ones on my partner’s side. With an exuberant cheer and extending his arms wide to the crowd, the man exclaimed “The first takoyaki of a new student are always my favorite! Nothing tastes better!”

After bowing to his sensei, Maverick turned and spotted me, face still flushed with laughter. He offered his food to a smaller man I did not recognize, who must have been the person Maverick was Supporting, before waving to me and continuing on. Despite the urge to crush him in a hug, I forced my feet to stay in place and reminded myself that he was working.

By the time I trusted myself not to race after him, I realized someone had been trying to get my attention and had resorted to messaging me rather than shouting. “Phee, I don’t know what la-la land you are lost in, but look 100 yards to your four.”

The hell was Arthur doing here? He wasn’t scheduled to work this shift, as far as I was aware. Craning my neck over my shoulder, I turned to see… Apparently a hallucination. It had to be. There was no chance in any of the nine hells that Arthur Farro was dishing out spaghetti, much less smiling while doing it.

Almost dreamlike, I found myself drifting over to confirm that I was wrong, only to be startled when he shoved a plate with not only spaghetti but two gorgeous pieces of garlic bread under my nose. “Special plates, you can’t smell anything unless it’s on purpose.”

“You… Spaghetti?” I asked, eloquent as ever.

“Family recipe.”

“Leaning into the stereotype a bit, aren’t you?” I asked carefully before shoving as much of one thick, crusty piece of toast in my mouth as I could.

He shook his head. “Anyone who tells you their family is Italian and denies having a family recipe for anything is a damned liar.”

Skeptically, I took a bite. It was amazing. “Ah ee deh rehahee,” I tried to get out around the heap of pasta I was steadily shoving in my mouth.

“Maverick is a very bad influence on your table manners,” he observed drily, plating more portions and handing them out. “And no. Not happening.”

“You know I can cook.”

“Not the point. I also know that you will fiddle with it until it is unrecognizable, so there’s really no point in giving it to you.”

Defiantly, I took a smaller bite and chewed carefully. “Garlic, onions, obviously. Sausage and minced… Lamb? But that’s probably just for this session, knowing you it’s spicy sausage regularly. I’m not getting carrot, though, so no soffritto? Unexpected…. Is that thyme, I’m tasting?”

“Rosemary, you heathen. And you’re still wrong.”

I mumbled to myself. “What did I get wrong? It’s gotta be the lamb… maybe he does usually use the lamb? I’m certain it is lamb…”

“It is lamb, and no, I don’t usually use it. But you left several things out.”

I stared at the plate again, confused. “I didn’t think I needed to mention the tomatoes….”

“Basil… oregano….” he drawled.

“Duhhh?” I poked through the last bite on my plate, sniffing it, trying to figure out what I was missing. “Fine, you win, I’m lost.”

“Mushrooms, Sophia. There’s mushrooms. Jeezus. It was an easy one, too.” He showed me a bowl full of what looked like cooked and crumbled sausage, only for me to realize it was the tiniest diced mushrooms I had ever seen in my life.

“I am dying to know how you got them that small.”

“With a knife?” He arched an eyebrow at me as he turned to start another batch of sauce.

“Yeah, no shit, Arthur.”

“Correct, there is no shit in the spaghetti,” he confirmed cheekily as the vegetables started sizzling.

“Asshole,” I laughed, scraping the remaining sauce from my plate with the piece of bread I saved just for that purpose. Just as I was frowning at the sauce-less plate and remaining half-piece of bread, a scalding hot dollop of fresh sauce invaded my vision.

“You love me, because I won’t let you frown at your bread like that.”

Fiiiinnnne I sighed in my head as I shoved a piece of saucy, saucy bread into my cheeks and waggled my fingers to let him get back to work.

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#the miys #found family #humans are weird #science fiction #aliens #apocalypse #humans are space orcs #humans are space fae #earth is space australia #post apocalypse #post post apocalypse #original science fiction #original sci fi #original writing

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angelinasway · 3 years

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Regaining Hope

Chapter Eight

Pairing: Clark Kent/Buffy Summers Warnings/Triggers:Torture, Violence, Mention's of Major Character Death, Bad Language, Sexual Tension, Eventual Smut, Mentions of Sexual Assault Summary: Takes place during Man of Steel. When Buffy discovers the U.S Military trying to keep quiet about an object buried in a twenty thousand year old glacier, she immediately thinks the worst. However, when a surprise visit to the Canadian Arctic puts her in the path of a mysterious stranger her whole world is changed forever. Authors Notes: Thank you all so much for being so very supportive. You guys have been absolutely wonderful. Seriously I couldn't ask for a better group of readers. I need to warn you all that this chapter has quite the graphic and gruesome scene in it, so if that's not your thing I highly recommend skipping the part where Clark starts to watch the video. Some major questions answered here. Hope you all enjoy, and keep the reviews coming. Special thanks to my ever amazing beta Hipkarma. She always helps and inspires me. Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Previous Chapters: [Chapter One] [Chapter Two] [Chapter Three] [Chapter Four] [Chapter Five] [Chapter Six] [Chapter Seven]

[TTH] [AO3] [FFN]

Chapter Eight

Dawn smirked as she saw the caller ID flash. So, Buffy had talked to Wes. That was good. She really didn’t want to have to break into the Watchers Council just because she was nosy and worried for her sister. Buffy hadn’t told her much when they talked yesterday, just that there was some sort of prophecy about her and this Clark guy, which just raised all sorts of red flags for her. Dawn had insisted on seeing a copy of the prophecy and her hackles raised even more when she found out how quiet Wes and Willow were trying to keep this. Looks like big sis came through however, and now it was time to give the man on the other line hell for keeping something this important from her.

“Xand, honey, can you take Abby? Wes is on the phone and it’s time for her nap anyway.” Dawn said, reaching for the phone.

“No!” Her one and a half your old screeched at the top of her lungs, making Dawn cringe. When they coined the phrase, ‘children are your parents secret revenge,’ they weren’t lying. Abigail was just like her too, even in looks.

Xander came out of their shared office, a crooked and amused smile on his lips. “You should know by now not to say that word in front of her,” He said, kissing Dawn on the forehead before reaching out and swooping up their toddler. “Come on Abby,” he said as Dawn answered her call. “Daddy will read you your favorite story.”

“Try to get Joyce down too,” She added, before saying into the phone, “Hello Wes, so good of you to finally call me.”

She heard the groan on the other end of the line and smiled. “How much do you know?”

“That there’s a prophecy about my sister and some uber-powerful guy she’s been spending time with, on your instruction I might add.” Dawn said in a mockingly sweet voice.

She heard him sigh. “Yes, that is all true. Look Dawn, I’m going to send you a copy of the prophecy through your secure fax now. We’ve been able to translate some of it, but there are certain areas where…I don’t think the language is of this world. It’s nothing like we’ve ever seen in any human or demon writings before.”

Dawn got up and walked into the office, a frown on her face. “You mean like interdimensional, there’s gotta be a reference somewhere Wes.”

There was silence over the line and for a second and she thought Wes had hung up. She’d just opened her mouth to see if he was still there, when he finally said, “No Dawn, that’s not what I meant at all.”

Her frown deepened as the first page spat out of the machine. She slid it off the rack and looked at the prophecy. There were several different languages written on the copy, Etruscan, Ancient Sumerian, Ancient Greek, and Latin. At the top were strange symbols unlike anything she’d ever seen before, almost flowing together like cursive. The next page that came out was Wesley and Willow’s translation of that page. She bit her lip, walking over to her desk and went to work making sure what they had translated so far was correct.

“So,” she began casually, “what I’m getting from the first page is that this guy is much farther from home than just another dimension.” She paused, huffing in annoyance as she snootily added,” It was Sun God by the way, not Star God.” She sighed. “Who are you using anyway, Basile?”

“Vonten,” He answered and Dawn rolled her eyes. Of course, he was using that moron’s guide.

“Vonten is an arrogant prick Wes, that book confuses people more than it helps. Burn it, it’s better as kindling. Bachman is the best at Etruscan and Ancient Sumerian, and you already know Ancient Greek and Latin enough not to need a reference.” She said, before frowning as she came to the part about the soulbond. “Wes, what the hell is a soulbond, and why is this referencing my sister and Mr. E.T. having one?”

As Wesley began to explain what they knew so far, Dawn's face began to pale. Oh, this was not of the good. Buffy was gonna wig to the nth degree when she found out.

"Does she know any of this?" Dawn asked, turning around and grabbing more of the pages that were still spitting out of her printer.

"She knows about the bond. I told her this morning." He answered.

"And what, you’re waiting until she gets pregnant before you tell her the rest?" Dawn asked angrily. "You know this is gonna freak her out..."

"Which is why I decided not to tell her." Wes interrupted.

"If you'd let me finish," Dawn snapped, slamming her hand on the desk. "I was going to say this is gonna freak her out, but it would be better if you tell her now." She huffed in frustration. "This just proves how little you guys know my sister. She absolutely will freak and she'll probably fight it at first. Just the idea of her own children having to live the life she has, is not gonna be a happy, joyous moment for her. She's already worried that Joyce or Abby, or maybe even both will be called one day.” Dawn said, before emphasizing her next words, "However, my sister is not stupid, and when push comes to shove, she'll make the right decision like she always does. I get that you’re worried about the Slayer line Wes, we all are, but keeping this from her is not the right way to go about it.”

She heard Wes’s sigh, “I realize that Dawn, but with the bond itself needing to be fulfilled, I thought that was more than enough for both of them to handle at this time.”

Dawn looked at the pages covered in the strange flowing script, similar to the symbols on the first page. Wes was right, it was a language. "We need to find a way to translate this. Do you think this is Clark's language from his home world?"

The line was silent for a moment, before he said in annoyance, “Yes, that’s what I meant when I said I don’t think the language is of this world.”

“Do you think Clark knows how to read it?” Dawn asked.

A sigh came over the line, “I honestly don’t know. I believe he just discovered where he came from, so I don’t see how he could.” He paused in thought and then murmured to himself, “But even if he can’t, perhaps the ship has a historical archive or maybe there is some form of AI technology that could translate it for us.”

Dawn frowned, “What ship?”

As Wesley explained how Buffy and Clark met and the danger Buffy had recklessly put herself in, Dawn found her ire sparking at Buffy’s stupidity. “I’m gonna kill her!” Dawn growled. “She hasn’t done something that reckless since Joyce was born. God fucking dammit, she promised me!”

Wesley sighed. “In her defense, it could have very well been her fate that made her act so rashly.” He paused before saying, “In any case, Clark was there and according to Buffy, he saved her and watched over her after she went into a healing sleep.”

Dawn was quiet as she processed that information. So, she didn’t die, which meant Buffy actively tried to stop it from happening. That was good, she was still getting smacked when Dawn saw her, but at least she hadn’t completely broken her promise from three and a half years ago. It was also good to see that this godlike Champion the prophecy spoke of wasn’t just a creature with a penchant for destruction playing at being a white hat because of a curse. That was a nice change.

“What else do you know about him?” Dawn asked. “I’m assuming you started trying to find him as soon as you started translating this.”

“Well,” Wesley began, “We first caught wind of a possible candidate about a year ago. We’d been monitoring airwave chatter for possible beings with superhuman strength when we caught a lead. A distress call came in about an oil rig off the coast of Canada in flames and about to explode. In that communication there was talk of a man rescuing the crew members aboard the rig and preventing the tower from collapsing on the rescue helicopter with his bare hands.” He paused for a moment, before saying. “We managed to find a few other incidents of him saving people, one that happened when he was thirteen. According to the incident report, his school bus went off a bridge and into the river. Three witnesses stated that a young Clark Kent managed to push the bus out of the water and rescue his classmate.”

Dawn whistled, “So this guy really is the real deal white knight, huh?”

“It would appear so.” He sighed.

“Wes we’re gonna need to access that ship.” Dawn said, looking over a small section of Sumerian that talked about a trial of choice. The rest of the page was in the alien script however, so any clue as to what that meant was beyond her.

“I know,” Wesley agreed.

“Which means, we’re gonna have to tell Buffy and Clark everything.” Dawn reiterated.

She heard Wesley groan, but he conceded nonetheless. “Alright fine, Willow needs to bring them some pendants to stave off the worst of the compulsion the bond is creating. I’ll have her stop by and get you on her way, unless you want me to tell Buffy myself, that is.”

Dawn shook her head, “No, no. I think it will be safer for everyone if I’m the one to do it.” Then she bit her lip in thought, “And don’t bother with Willow, just call me when she gets back. I think I need to do this one on my own.”

“Very well,” Wes agreed. “Willow should be finished within the next few hours. I’ll call you as soon as I know she’s returned.”

“Alright, in the meantime I’m gonna go over this and make sure all the parts I can read are translated correctly.” Dawn said, adding, "Talk in a few," before hanging up.

She sighed, rubbing her fingers along her forehead. "Well fuck," she muttered to herself.

"Everything alright?" Xander asked, coming into the office.

"No, not really," she answered handing him the translated first page of the prophecy.

She watched his eye scan the words before he blew out a breath. "So, this guys an alien?"

"Looks like." She answered.

Xander snorted, "Man the Buffster really knows how to pick 'em, doesn't she?"

Dawn mock glared, before she couldn't contain her amusement at the absurdity of the situation. "Well, you know Buffy. She doesn't do anything by halves."

****<S>**<S>****

As Clark followed Buffy down the hallway, his thoughts were a jumbled mess. He knew she had been trying to reassure him, but her words only had the opposite effect. Were they only feeling any of what they were because of the prophecy and furthermore, given the choice, would she even choose him? She had basically confessed to falling in love with her best friend. The history they had both shared, as disturbing as it was, was an important one to her. She had cared very deeply for this man. How could he ever live up to the memory of a man who had essentially changed a piece of himself for her? Part of him wanted to erase Spike’s memory from her mind, to do whatever he could to drive this man, this demon from her past and another part of him just felt wholly lost. He didn’t want to be anyone’s second best and he certainly didn’t want her to want him only because some guy thousands of years ago decided they were destined. God, he wished his dad was still alive. This would definitely be the type of thing his dad could help him through.

She stopped at a large set of double doors and turned, catching his expression before he had time to school it into a much more neutral one. She blinked in surprise, "Clark...what’s wrong?"

He shook his head, “It’s nothing Buffy.”

Her frown deepened, “Oh no, you definitely have something face. Talk to me. I promise whatever it is, I’ll try to understand.”

Clark shifted uncomfortably, before finally admitting, “I’m just feeling a little unsure about all this.”

Her eyes widened slightly, “Because of Spike?”

Clark sighed, “Well I mean think about it Buffy. You basically told me that you fell in love with your best friend and were willing to marry him for eternity, but the only reason you didn’t is because you were too scared. Would you even look twice at me if he was here now? Are the feelings I’m having for you even real, or is this just destiny trying to force us together?”

Realization flooded her expression, and she quickly shook her head. “I can’t speak for what-ifs, because I would be lying if I answered that either way…” She swallowed, “As for how you’re feeling, I’ve been under love spells before and granted you usually don’t know you’re under one when you are, but if the feeling’s part was being fabricated, we…we wouldn’t be able to fight this like we are. We would have probably already slept together.” She blushed, looking down. “Fabricated feelings they’re false obviously, but they’re very strong…strong enough to make people dangerous. If what we were feeling was a manifestation, you wouldn’t have these doubts Clark, you wouldn’t even realize there was doubts to be had.” She met his eyes then, her expression serious and stoic. “And as for the fear part, I didn’t want to get into it because…” She sighed again. “You remember how I told you that Angelus showed up right when I was starting to get my life back together?”

Clark nodded, “I remember.”

“Well, what I didn’t say is that I was planning on retiring.” She rolled her eyes, “I had this grand plan of going back to school and getting a degree in Art History and moving to Hawaii to open a gallery.” She shook her head, “It was stupid, I know.”

He immediately shook his head, “That doesn’t sound stupid at all.”

Buffy blushed. “I just mean it was stupid that I ever thought it could happen.” She shook her head, “Anyway, I started training a girl named Rayanne when we were first getting the new Watchers Council on its feet. She was bright, witty, resourceful and she already had the makings of someone who could be an excellent leader.” She looked at her feet, her hands clenching. “Me and Giles had agreed, in three-years-time, when Ray was eighteen, she would step in and fill my shoes. Faith didn’t want the position and the only other possible candidate that actually did, I flat out refused due to her inability to get along with just about anyone but Willow. I mentored Ray for over a year and she became…well, like a little sister to me. After the whole General Voll fiasco, I was ready to promote her to Senior Slayer status. She had been on it more than any other girl at the compound, helpful and demanding when need be. She’d fought through a horde of zombies and we came out of it with zero losses. The attack was completely unexpected and if she hadn’t been there, I don’t know what I would have done.” She met his eyes, “I was so proud of her.” Buffy sighed, “A few months later is when the first girl, Alicia went missing, and by the time Ray disappeared, there were already six that seemed to have just dropped off the planet.” She swallowed, “Angelus revealed himself and killed Giles a few weeks later, and almost three weeks after is when we found Alicia. She was the first and youngest to go missing and she was the first he dropped on our doorstep.” Buffy shook her head squeezing her eyes shut, “I knew what he was doing to Rayanne then, and that she would probably get the worst of it because of her association with me. Alicia was just a taste of what Angelus was capable of.” She opened her eyes, meeting his. “I wanted to have Spike claim me so we would be strong enough to save her and the rest of them, and I was scared because I knew I’d be asking for the wrong reasons. I was afraid Spike would know it too and I would only hurt him by asking. Does that make sense?”

It was Clark’s turn to avert his eyes. “Yes,” he said quietly.

She pulled out her phone and began to scroll through it, “Well just in case you have any doubts…” She swallowed, “I don’t even know why I kept this. Angelus loved tormenting me and we didn’t know it at the time but there were several Watchers from the old regime who were very unhappy with the way we were running things. Some of them made deals with Angelus, gave out my email and phone number and my location.” She looked at him, her lips pursed in anger. “One of them would even take video or pictures, documenting my pain for him when he couldn’t be there hiding in the shadows to see it.” She handed him her phone, “I’ve never watched this one, it’s the morning I found Rayanne, he saved her for last. I don’t need to see it, I lived it.” She nodded at her phone, “When he sent it, I didn’t even open it. I just dropped it in an archive and it’s been there ever since.” She shook her head, “I highly recommend only opening the third video file, the one that says, ‘Are you broken yet?’ She met his eyes then, “The first two will be what he did to her. So, unless you feel like throwing up, I would skip those.” She gestured with her chin at the double doors. “I’ll be in there beating on a bag, meet me when you’re done.”

She turned without another word and went through the double doors not looking back. Clark looked down at the phone swallowing heavily, before opening the file. The video began with the image of the front of a house, not unlike the one they were in now, except there was a large tree in front and something very obviously dangling from it. It looked to be sometime in the middle of the night or perhaps early morning, but he couldn't tell either way due to the lights on the house illuminating everything.

The person carrying the camera ran towards the house and a refined British voice in distress yelled, "Ms. Summers, come quickly. I think it may be Miss Stevenson."

The front door flew open and there she was, except she looked nothing like she did now, her eyes were wild, feral even, and she was so pale and sucked up. She looked hollow, worn-down, nothing like the girl he’d spent the last couple of days getting to know. The scream that tore from her lips and the look on her face when she saw what was hanging from the tree, tore through him like a tidal wave of emotion. Clark felt himself growing angry at the Watcher, who was obviously playing both sides. Another man with bleached hair and nothing on but a pair of black jeans came flying through the door next, his eyes wild and worried.

The camera panned and followed Buffy as she ran out to the tree, falling to her knees and screaming again. Clark saw what was in the tree then and his stomach almost rebelled right then and there. It was a young girl, no older than sixteen and the only skin left on her body was on her beautiful face and near her pelvic region. The girl’s expression was frozen in a horrified scream that no one who cared ever had the chance to hear. A large white sheet wrapped itself tightly around the girl’s wrists and tied over the lowest branch, the excess linen draping behind the dead girl as some sort of sick backdrop silhouette for the body hanging lifelessly from the tree. There was hardly any blood to speak of, just a pinkish residue from where the body had touched the clean white linen, which told Clark she had been dead for more than a few hours. It wouldn’t be visible to a human through the recording, but because of his enhanced vision Clark could even see puncture wounds in places and deep gashes from where the girl had been restrained.

The blond man came into the picture then and the Watcher came towards them, circling around so he could see Buffy’s expression, or at least that’s what he assumed the person with the camera was doing. Buffy's mouth was open in silent gulping sobs, giant tears dripping down her cheeks.

“Love,” The blond man whispered in an apparent British accent not nearly as refined as the Watchers Clark had heard so far. The man fell to his knees behind her looking up at the tree. He shuddered as tears sprang to his electric blue eyes. “Don’t look Buffy…please kitten, please go back in the house.”

The man placed his hand on her shoulder, and Buffy turned at the gesture and Clark could no longer see her face as she flung herself into the man’s arms and began to sob harder. “It’s Ray,” she howled. “Oh god, it’s Ray.”

“Shh,” The blond man hushed, rubbing hands along her back in a comforting gesture. “I know,” He choked. “I know, love.”

“We…we can’t leave her like that.” She sobbed. “I-I have to get her down.”

Clark watched the blond man close his eyes and shake his head, “I’ll do it. Go back in the house, please Slayer.”

“No,” Buffy shook her head as Clark caught the silhouette of another man flying from the house and over to them. The sound of retching could be heard, and it took Clark a second to realize the sound came from whomever had just come from the house and seen the body. “It has to be me. Don’t you see, don’t you get it? I knew,” she sobbed. “I knew what he was doing to her and I didn’t do anything.”

“Oh, sweet girl, you’ve been trying to find her. We all have. This isn’t your fault.” The man choked.

“It’s not good enough,” She screamed, shoving away from him and falling on her rear, “And it is my fault, all of it! They were called because of me, because I was too chicken shit to just except the power that was offered to me!”

A sob broke from her lips, and she turned looking directly at the cameraman a sudden realization dawning in her hollow eyes. “You!” She snarled, her eyes flashing. “It’s you, isn’t it?” She started marching towards the cameraman.

“Ms.…Ms. Summers,” Whomever was holding the camera stuttered and then she was there, a well-aimed kick flying towards the camera before Clark saw sky for a few seconds.

“I’ll kill you, you son of a bitch!” She screamed suddenly hovering over the man, the wild fury in her eyes telling Clark that she had every intention of killing this man, and part of Clark couldn’t agree more. “No one else but an Angelus minion would have called me out here for Rayanne! Everyone else would know better!”

Clark watched as she threw a punch, the sickening sound of cartilage breaking ringing through the speaker as the guy howled in pain. The way her arms were angled next and the gurgling sound through the phone told him she was choking the man before three sets of arms suddenly grabbed her, pulling her off. Clark could hear the man wheeze as he tried to catch his breath while Buffy screamed and fought the three people who had pulled her away. Faith was one of them, and then the blond man, which Clark was pretty sure by now was Spike, and another man, tall, brunet, with an eyepatch. He saw Willow in the distance coming towards them and when she reached them, she touched Buffy’s shoulder before she could react and muttered a few words that sounded like Latin. Buffy suddenly collapsed and Clark realized Willow had put her to sleep. All eyes then turned towards the cameraman.

“Get her in the house, Xander.” Spike growled.

“Uh, Spike–” Xander started to say when Spike turned on him.

“Get her in the bloody fucking house, now!” He snarled, a sound like grinding bone emanating from the man as his voice altered to something more sinister. “I’m not going to kill him.” He said turning back towards the camera as two glowing amber eyes stared at Clark.

“Speak for yourself,” Faith said marching towards the man. “I’ve been getting those fucking emails too.”

“So have I,” Willow said, her eyes black as she stared the camera down.

“We won’t have to kill him,” Spike clarified as he fell in step with Faith. “Angelus will do that for us.”

“How you figure?” Faith asked, her eyes just as enraged as Buffy’s had been.

Spike suddenly sprung forward, his arm reaching out and a ripping sound emanated as the man screamed. His hand came back with what looked like a wad of hair. “This enough Red?”

“Plenty,” Willow said, sudden realization dawning in her black eyes.

“Now,” Spike said, a sinister grin stretching his fanged mouth, to the whimpering man. “The way I figure it, you got three options. The first being, you can go back to Angelus and give him this tape, at which point he finds out we now have a way to track you, and oh trust me Marcus, he will most definitely kill you for that.” Clark heard the man begin to sob, and part of him wanted to turn off the video at that point but couldn’t look away at the furious amber eyes that stared back at the camera. “Option number two, you can destroy the tape and run, which if we’re being honest would be the preferable of the three, but I’m sure you are well aware of the kind of wrath he would bring down on you if he didn’t get to see his almost masterpiece complete, so I’m sure you won’t.” Spike’s hand suddenly flew forward and the man screamed in pain, “Or option three,” He growled, “Where you run like a coward and keep the tape for leverage, hoping that your usefulness hasn’t run its course.”

He suddenly had the camera in his hands, staring directly into the screen his eyes burning into the lens. “Looks like your mole got ousted. This is your last one, Angelus. We’re coming for you and when we’re done there won’t be anything left.” The screen suddenly went black as the video cut off.

Clark let out a trembling breath looking around him and realizing he had slid to the floor at some point, his heart pounding in his chest. God, he didn’t know, he didn’t understand until that moment. That poor girl, no wonder Buffy was desperate. How many girls did she find like that before this one was left for her? How many videos did she force herself to endure before this one was sent, even Faith and Willow had said this wasn’t the first one? Clark squeezed his eyes shut, she had told him, so had Gunn but to see it. She was driven half-crazy by what that vampire had done and he could not blame her for that. What would he do if it was his mother in that position? God, he could only imagine.

He shakily got to his feet, listening as he heard the sound of a fist hitting leather, he walked to the doors and threw them open, not stopping when she paused to look at him. He had to reassure himself that she was okay, that she wasn’t that angry creature that he saw in the video. He went straight to her, his arms coming around her in a crushing embrace before his lips met hers. God, she was so strong, he didn’t realize how much until that moment. Buffy immediately melted into him, her lips parting for him as he slid his tongue into her mouth. She was such a small woman, everything about her was deceptively tiny, except her strength and fortitude both physically and emotionally. To go through what she had and still be able to function on a normal level was just short of a miracle.

He pulled away and looked down into her green eyes, haunted by her past but not dead and hateful like in the video. He bent down and laid his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. “I…” He started, “I didn’t…I’m so sorry Buffy.” He whispered, and he could still feel himself trembling. “I didn’t… You hear words like torture, rape, and murder but–”

“They’re not real until you see it for yourself.” She finished in understanding.

Clark sighed, hugging her closely, her head resting against his chest. “I get it now, not…but I understand how desperate you must have been to try and save the girls from that.”

He heard her sniffle, “I didn’t know what else to do. I watched all the others you know, even…even what he did to them. It was my fault, you see; those girls lost their lives because they had a connection to me.” She shook her head, “If they hadn’t been called, they would still be alive today.”

Clark pulled away and used his hand to raise her chin so he could see her eyes, “You blame yourself for every one of them that dies no matter how it happens, don’t you?”

She closed her eyes a shuddering breath hissing through her lips, before she opened them, meeting his gaze head on. “How can I not?”

He sighed, hugging her close again and shook his head. He had no response to that; he didn’t think she should. He didn’t think it was healthy, but he didn’t want to get in an argument about it with her right now either.

They stayed like that for a little while before she whispered, “You’re shaking.”

Clark nodded. “I know, the video…I’m still upset.”

She pulled away, meeting his eyes again. “Do you want me to show you how to throw a punch properly? The heavy bags have been warded well, we can start there.” She looked down, “It will…it will help relieve some of what you’re feeling at least.”

“Yeah,” He nodded in agreement. “Yeah, okay.”

****<S>**<S>****

To say Clark was a fast learner when it came to training would have been the understatement of the year. He was an absolute natural. He moved with precision and grace, sometimes striking so fast she almost didn't see him move.

As of now she was simply holding the bag for him as he got comfortable with the rhythm of landing punches and even with the wards on the bag, she could feel the impact of his strikes. At this rate she would need her suit within a few days to let him get the feel of fighting a moving target. At some point she might even bring him back to Cleveland to put him up against multiple fighters and see how he did.

"Remember to move your feet,” She reminded. "A moving target is harder to hit."

He nodded, bounced on the balls of his feet and struck, the impact of the punch making her bones rattle. "Whoa, nice one Clark." She laughed, "Felt that one in my toes."

He grinned, striking the bag again harder. "You were right," he said casually in between punches. "This does help."

She grinned, "Nothing like getting your aggression out with a bit of violence." And then she blushed, smirking, "Well almost nothing."

He chuckled as he threw a few more punches in quick succession, his own smirk forming on his lips. He had a mischievous look in his eyes and had just opened his mouth to comment when Buffy’s phone rang.

Buffy sighed, releasing the bag. "That will either be Wes or Willow."

It was now around three in the afternoon; Clark had told her he had to pick his mom up at six and it was an hour drive to Smallville from where they were. So, she was grateful that they were going to be able to get this taken care of before meeting his mom.

Buffy walked over to her phone and answered. "Hey Wes," she said in greeting. "What's the haps?"

He was silent for a moment and she could almost hear him roll his eyes at her butchering of the English language. "Willow," He began, "should be there shortly. Dawn would also like to see you. I told her I would call her once Willow was done securing the pendants."

Buffy frowned, “What? Why?”

“Dawn and I have come to the conclusion that one of the languages in the prophecy that I have been unable to identify, is most likely written in the script of Clark’s home world.” He paused, “We are going to need access to the ship, unless of course Clark can read it.”

Buffy looked at Clark and raised an eyebrow, but he quickly shook his head. “Only a few words,” He confirmed. “I think the computer on the ship might be able to translate it though.”

“That’s a negative, Wes,” Buffy answered, beginning to pace. “But he agrees that the computer on the ship should be able to do the job.”

“Very well, I’ll inform Dawn to dress accordingly. The ship is still in the same location I presume?” He asked.

“Whoa,” Buffy said halting her steps, realizing what he was suggesting. “You want us to go tonight? Clark has to pick up his mom from work, Wes.”

“I think it would be for the best. The sooner we get this prophecy translated, the better.” He paused. “Lorne told me I needed to send out more Slayers to India, Kansas, and Metropolis within the next two weeks and I would very much like to know if I should be sending two or a few hundred. If this prophecy gives any indication of what’s to come, I would very much like to know what it is.”

Buffy and Clark exchanged worried looks. “He only told me something was coming for Clark, and we’re gonna need all hands-on deck when it does.”

Buffy watched Clark swallow nervously. “He told me my time for hiding was almost up, but he said it was in the coming month.” His eyes widened in realization. “We need to translate that prophecy.”

Buffy nodded in agreement, “And I need to train you harder than just beating on a bag, which means it’s gonna be eight-hour days from here on out.” Clark opened his mouth to argue and she held up her hand, “We’ll get as much as we need to do in the mornings done, but if for whatever reason we can’t, I would loan you the money before I would let you lose your home.”

Clark frowned, “Buffy–”

“Take it from someone who knows what those kinda money troubles feel like,” She interrupted again. “I think in the scheme of things saving the world is a little more important than pride, don’t you?”

His frown deepened. “You think it’s going to be that big?”

“Lorne said all hands-on deck and it’s you. Someone coming after you has got to be as powerful, if not more.” She watched his face fall and reached out her hand out running it down his arm, “You’ll be ready, and now that we have a general idea of where this stuff might take place, we’ll all be even more prepared.”

“Wes,” she said, addressing the Watcher once more. “Were gonna need Willow to keep close, and I would call Illyria back from Cairo.”

“I agree,” Wesley said, just as a portal opened up and Willow walked through. Her smile melting away at the look on both Buffy and Clark’s faces.

“Uh-oh,” Willow said nervously. “I know that face.”

“Is that Willow?” Wesley asked over the line.

“Yeah,” Buffy said.

“Let me speak with her, please.”

Buffy held out the phone to Willow, who frowned but took it anyway. “Hey Wes,” Willow said in greeting as Buffy walked over to where Clark was standing looking more than a little worried.

“Hey,” she said quietly.

He attempted to smile but he couldn’t pull it off. “Hey, yourself.”

She bit her lip watching him, seeing the turmoil play across his face of having an unknown enemy out there that could be responsible for hurting others when they decided to rear their ugly heads. She didn’t blame him, if she needed to pull out her big guns as Lorne hinted then it could definitely get bad. She was optimistic however, because of what she’d had to face in her past. Clark didn’t have that same luxury.

“I-I know you’re not exactly used to going up against big bads, or having to fight gods,” she started. “But I promise you Clark, no matter what it is we’ll deal with it together. Tonight, I’ll have my sister meet us at your place and we’ll go to the ship and find out what this prophecy says. Whatever’s coming, we’ll deal. I promise you; we won’t lose.”

“How do you know?” He asked, a bit of hope showing in his eyes.

She stared at him seriously, “Because I don’t lose when it’s the world.”

His lips quirked slightly, and he opened his mouth to say something when Willow walked up to them. “Wes wants me to fit you for a suit,” She said to Clark, handing Buffy her phone before saying, “And, he wants to talk to you.”

As Buffy reached for the phone Clark said, “I already have a suit and it’s Kryptonian.”

Both Buffy and Willow blinked in surprise at his words, their voices ringing out in unison. “You do?”

He nodded, “Yeah, it’s on the ship still, but I have one.”

Willow smiled, “Well then, that’s gonna make this quicker. Can you bring it to me? I can enhance it with magic, add some safety features and protect you against the mystical.”

“Will that still work, even if the material isn’t of Earth?” He asked.

“Yeah Wes,” Buffy finally said into her phone, pulling herself away from the conversation. So, Clark already had a suit, she wondered what it looked like.

“So, for the time being I’m going to send fifty Slayers to each location, but keep the others on standby incase things go pear-shaped.” He said, already planning ahead. “I’ll also be moving quite a few closer to all three locations, that way all the girls have backup nearby. I think Willow should stay there at the safehouse that way she’s not far from either of you.”

“And Dawn, Xander, and the kids? They live in Metropolis after all.” Buffy asked.

“Perhaps you should explain the situation to her when she gets there. Staying there at the safe house with Willow might also be a wise move for them.” Wes said, adding, “As well as a few Slayers. I know Faith’s been itching to get out of Cleveland for a mission, maybe she and a few of the other girls should accompany her.”

“Just as long as it’s not Tanya, that girl’s a liability and she doesn’t listen to anyone.” Buffy said.

“I concur,” Wesley agreed. “Only the girls who are focused and dedicated will be allowed to participate in this mission. I would like as little casualties as possible.”

“I agree,” Buffy nodded, “What about the mystics, how many of those can we tap?”

“I have sixty-eight on file, I’ll start making phone calls now.” He sighed. “I’m just glad we have this much to go on.”

“Me too,” Buffy agreed. “I’ll call Dawn when Willow gets done here and tell her where to meet us and to put on her suit and a warm hat.”

“Very well,” he said. “Call me when you know more and I’ll begin the preparations.”

Buffy hung up, walking back over to Willow and Clark as they spoke to each other a bit awkwardly. “So, let’s get this over with Wills.”

Willow quickly nodded opening a small bag she brought with her. “So,” she said quickly. “These were a bit difficult to make since from what we’ve read the compulsion itself seems to be based purely on hormones as well as a need to unite your souls.” She looked at them both, “It took me a little while to find what I needed and even longer to put the spell together.” She sighed, “The pendants themselves will be made out of several crystals used to block compulsion, amethyst, ametrine, chrysocolla, and ruby.”

Willow pulled out two small corked vials filled with multicolored stones and handed them to both Buffy and Clark. “Now, hold out your hands and link your free ones together.”

Buffy and Clark did as she asked, holding their hands out palm up. Willow placed a vial in each of their hands and then covered them with her own hands, closing her eyes and beginning to chant. Buffy immediately began to feel her hand heat up and for a second it almost became unbearable and Buffy even watched Clark wince from the heat. It was gone just as quickly however and in its place were two hard looking marble like multicolored stones with a dark metallic chain that would hang from each of their necks. Buffy heard Willow mutter one more spell that she recognized to be a ward against breaking.

“Well go on.” Willow said smiling happily at her work. “Try them on, see if it worked.”

Buffy quickly slipped the necklace over her head and a sigh of relief left her lips. The sexual tension that had never fully abated her all day finally easing enough to where she wasn’t thinking about sex every few seconds.

Clark had a similar reaction, his face seeming to ease slightly, but Buffy was surprised when he turned to Willow and asked, “You said the compulsion is only based on hormones, does that mean any feeling we have that aren’t sexual are real?”

Willow nodded, “Of course, real love is something that can only be based off of free will. Its why love spells don’t ever work. You can’t force someone to love you.”

Buffy watched amused as Clark seemed to sigh in relief, and then quickly blushed when he noticed her watching him. “Come on stud,” she said hooking her arm through his and dragging him towards the door of the training room. “Let me go grab my stuff before we go get your mom,” a grin creeping over her face as she turned and wished Willow a good night and a promise to catch up tomorrow. “And for the record”, she added quietly as they walked out of the training room. “I still want to jump you, that hasn’t changed even with the necklace on.”

He quickly reached out to grab her arm, but she easily dodged him and took off down the hallway, a blush and a giggle leaving her lips.

Clark was suddenly there in front of her, a crooked and devilish smile on his lips. “Is that so?” And then his lips were on hers, his tongue sliding into her mouth as she squealed in surprise.

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queenxxxsupreme · 2 years

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OKAY. I watched the latest season of The Witcher and.. WHAT THE FUCK. Excuse me, but I will cry for years over it. HOW DID THEY DARE. HOW COULD THEY DO THIS TO ME.

The Witcher series are my childhood books! I grew up with those stories, with Geralt and rest of Wolves. I was waiting for this season! And what did I get I am asking??! A freaking sci-fi series without any logic.

Kacey, I don’t know what to say.. Geralt? Okay, I liked him way more than in the first season. I loved Vesemir, because he was like he should be. But Lambert and Eskel? WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM?? Where is my asshole Lambert? Where is my sweet and gentle Eskel? I mean.. netflix!Lambert and netflix!Eskel were good, I liked them. But not as Lambert and Eskel but as totally different characters. I liked Eskel’s aggressiveness and boldness, not gonna lie. I also liked Lambert’s sarcasm, I liked how he trained Ciri.

I loved Jaskier's character and his relationship with Yennefer. However I didn’t like what scenario they prepared for her.

My heart and soul hurt and I dont know what to do with myself now. I am looking forward to your stories with their netflix!personalities, but I think it will be really hard to change their personalities and behavior. What do you think?

Sorry for chaotic message, but I ended watching this yesterday and I cant get over it so I am not able to think and write properly.

🌻

Hi babe!! So glad to hear from you<3

I'm going to put a keep reading thing here cause this is a long post and has some spoilers for season 2 of the Witcher :)

This season..... I am still very, very upset with how Eskel was portrayed. But I have tried to keep to the positive side of things.

I do think that Lambert didn't get enough show time so therefore we didn't get to truly see him. What we did see was good in my opinion. Was it the jerk with a soft side that we know and love here? Of course not, but I do think we got to see him being their version of Lambert and it wasn't terrible. It is managable and I, as a writer, can definitely work with it and make netflix!Lambert content easily without (hopefully) changing too much of his persona that we see on the show.

I think Vesemir was done pretty good! And Jaskier and Yennefer's friendship was the absolute highlight of the entire season. I love them so much!!! They're such a power couple but not even in a romantic way! Just ugh they're perfect. I'm still undecided if I ship them romantically or just platonically.

Geralt.... I have some issues with him. While I do whole heartedly love how he is with Ciri and this season he was everything my dad!Geralt writing self could ever want, I would have liked to see more conflict between him and Ciri. I haven't read the books, but from what I have heard and seen and done some research on, they don't get along perfectly at first and that makes sense! Just because they are bound by destiny does not mean they need to get along 24/7. I would have preferred to see conflict in their relationship and to see Geralt struggle to make the right decision, and even to see him make the wrong decision at times because I absolutely love the angst. But in the end, I do love dad!Geralt so much and I love how he is with Ciri.

And that brings me to Tree Man. I had this gut feeling that they were going to fuck Eskel's character up the second I saw that Basil was going to be the new actor. And that isn't because of Basil at all! I know he most likely had nothing to do with how Eskel was written as a character and he just did what he was told. I am in no way shitting on Basil. But I knew from the moment Thue was no longer Eskel that we were going to lose any potential of a good Netflix!Eskel. Thue was perfect for the role. Absolutely perfect. And call me dramatic but it breaks my heart when I look back at Eskel fan art made with Thue's face.

I do agree with you that I do like Basil's aggressiveness but that's another story for another post. I think that there was potential for Basil!Eskel but they shattered that with shitty writing. I've seriously started to think of Netflix!Eskel and game/book!Eskel as two different characters so that I can begin to write for Netflix!Eskel because I do feel that there's potential for him. He just needs to have some.... alterations done to his character.

As a character across the entire board, Eskel deserved better than what he got. I intend on making Netflix Eskel better.

#eskel is my favorite witcher #hissrich and co can fucking fight me #the witcher s2 #twn s2 spoilers #kacey answers #🌻anon

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maggielindemanns · 4 years

Text

all mixed up - an elu social media au

summary: it’s simple really - eliott meets a guy at the bar, that guy gives him a fake number, and that fake number just so happens to belong to lucas. the rest is history.

[note: let me tell you guys, i fought w this formatting for like . HOURS . before getting it to look nice like idk man this really gave me a run for my money LMAOOO but without further ado here is the 80:20 writing to sm chap 25 of amu !!!!! i hope the cropping and stuff is okay and thank you for EVERYTHINNNNGG i cannot thank you enough or put into words how much i love love loveeee you guyssss🥺💛]

7:27 PM

As the four of them walked into the restaurant, Lucas felt actually okay for the first time in a few days. A lot was on his mind - his final grades didn’t all go in yet, he had to pack and head back to his mom’s in a week and a half, and he couldn’t stop thinking about Eliott. But when he walked through the doors with his three best friends bantering around him and a mini birthday hat on his head supplied by Basile, everything felt okay.

Arthur told the hostess they had a reservation under ‘Lallemant’, and she grabbed some menus before leading them to the table. As they got closer and closer, he realized the hostess only set two small menus down at a smaller square table rather than four in their usual booth setting.

“Guys,” he started to say, “this is a table for two.”

“Oh, we know,” Yann told him, him and the others seeming unbothered by the idea.

“You know? Then where are you all gonna sit?”

“At my house.”

“At your—what?”

“We’re going to Yann’s, Lulu,” Bas repeated, guiding him to sit in one of the chairs. “You’re gonna sit here and look gorgeous, per usual. We love you, okay, this is out of love.” He kissed Lucas’ cheek before starting to walk away with Arthur and Yann, giving Lucas no chance to oppose.

Great, he thought to himself, on the one day I thought I could catch a break, here they come throwing another curveball. Just fantastic. He pulled the hat off of his head, putting it on the table in front of him, thinking about how his birthday was proving to be a stark contrast in comparison to Eliott’s.

Eliott. His mind kept going back to the thought of him, the thought of their first date. His bed, his terrible attempt at making eggs, his shirt Lucas went home in, kissing him, the way he’d stare before just reaching out to touch him. My muse, my love, and my life, he said. My soulmate, if you will. Always and forever. Lucas couldn’t believe he really messed up with him this bad. He’d give anything for a second chance, for a chance to take it all back and just keep things easy.

He heard someone pulling the chair out across from him and that snapped him out of his thoughts, making him look up. His eyes widened when he realized what he was seeing — none other than Eliott Demaury sitting across from him and looking through the menu casually. As if the sight of him wasn’t enough to knock the breath out of Lucas’ lungs after all this time. He was scruffy, as if he hadn’t shaved in the last few weeks, and his button down and blazer combo was really doing something to Lucas.

“Eliott...” he said finally, making Eliott look up at him. Words left Lucas’ brain as soon as their eyes met for real.

“Did you order already?” he asked in lieu of an actual explanation for this. Lucas just stared at him, and Eliott started smiling. For what, Lucas was unsure. “You’re blushing so much, are you okay?”

“What? Yeah, yes,” he assured, shifting in his seat. “You just—I don’t understand.”

“That I’m having dinner with you on your birthday? Surprise.”

“No, that you’re here right now. I...fucked up so bad with you, Eliott, and you’re...here.”

“You didn’t. We’ll talk, okay? I just...wanted to see you.” Lucas’ heart panged at that, thinking about how all this time, that’s probably all Eliott wanted in the very least. To see him. Eliott probably sensed that Lucas was thinking too hard about that, because he added, “More importantly, that look on your face.”

“What look?”

“Your dumb, smiley one.”

“I do not have a dumb, smiley one, stop,” he bantered, picking up his menu. Eliott looked down at his own and started to smile, thinking Lucas wasn’t looking. But he was, of course he was. He didn’t want to miss another moment with him.

8:42 PM

“One shot for the birthday boy, c’mon. I’m driving, you can do it.”

Lucas ran his finger along the rim of the smaller glass, squinting at Eliott challengingly. Eliott squinted back and Lucas sat back in his chair.

“Trying to get me drunk, Demaury?” he asked teasingly.

“I am not, I would never. Just...was it even your birthday if you didn’t take a shot?”

“I guess not.”

“So make it official, baby, seal the deal.”

Baby. Lucas’ brain felt like it short circuited at that, and to stop himself from dwelling on it, he threw the shot back, making a face afterward. Eliott gave him a small applause and he shook his head, smiling.

“That was awful.”

“You just thought about it too hard.”

“I think about a lot of stuff too hard.” It came out before he could think to not say it, and Eliott raised an eyebrow at that. He didn’t say anything, but that was enough for Lucas to know he agreed. “I really get in my own head about things, and then I think I’m helping myself by being fifty million steps ahead out of sheer...panic and stupidity.”

“You don’t have to...do this, Lucas,” Eliott started to say, “I know I said we’d talk, but—“

“I want to, please let me,” Lucas interrupted, and Eliott did. “I told you, good things fail out on me. When I felt like you were someone I really wanted, I panicked. I felt like I loved you, and it freaked me out. The thought still freaks me out, because I still feel it. But...I shouldn’t have pushed you away because of it. You said you wished I talked to you, and I wish I did too. Because everything was just...a million times worse when I didn’t. And I really could’ve lost the best thing that happened to me because of it. So I guess this is my long winded way of telling you I’m the most sorry, ever.”

Eliott didn’t say anything at first, just held out his hands across the table. Lucas hesitantly placed his hands in Eliott’s and took a deep breath, not looking at him.

“Hey,” Eliott said, giving his hands a squeeze. “Look at me.” Lucas lifted his gaze from the table to meet his eyes. Eliott’s face was soft and his eyes were attentive, letting Lucas know he had his undivided like always. “It’s okay. You’re okay. You’re not a bad person for being freaked out, you’re human and I get it. You don’t have to be sorry, at all. But...I want you to know that I’m in this with you for real. Like...I can’t even explain how in love with you and in this with you I am.”

“I’m in love with you, too.“

“Present tense again,” Eliott said, more like a comment than an actual response. Lucas tilted his head a bit, furrowing his brow, and Eliott picked up on him needing clarification. “You’ve said you loved me in the present tense twice now.”

“Because it’s...true. I do love you, really. Guess you could say I’m on a roll tonight.”

As much as it was a scary idea for him, it really was true. He loved Eliott then and he loves him now. It was a little overwhelming to admit it out loud and a heady feeling to know it was reciprocated. But he liked it. A lot. And the smile that grew on Eliott’s face made it all the better.

“Guess you could.”

”We should leave,” Lucas suggested after a few beats of silence, and Eliott seemed confused for a moment.

“You wanna go home already?”

“In a way.”

“In a—oh. Oh. Oh, yeah, we can go home, yes,” Eliott agreed, and how immediately flustered he got at that made Lucas laugh. He made a mental reminder to let the guys know that they would not be seeing him later, but tomorrow. And to thank them for making this the best birthday ever.

[TWENTY FOUR || TWENTY SIX]

taglist: @that-one-meh @a-french-disaster @fallout-of-my-chair @menamesniall @iamshannonmcfarland @yesyoutubeisruiningmylife @yackgrace @moschinobra @xomywonderwallox @jacwena @awake-dreamer18 @noorakviigmohn @lost-inside-fantasy @myverybigmoodboard @ariavds @ididntgowithgrace @laurenkmyers @sunshineyou27 @nanidice @orangefizz4 @blanxkey @bodizzy @q-branchminion-nr43 @nova-on-standbi @boysrunaway @anothergayhpblog @mlhalbertt @valenschmidt @skamchokehold @mostlysh1tposting @lucassdemaury @oceanicinception @yellowballoon @fallinglikeafoolforyou @bluronyourradar @painfully-oblivious @alwayskissmeatnight @katzen-kinder @howlingsaturn @luxandobscurus @anotherplaceintheuniverse @aly-kazam @quint-cssential

#skam france #elu #elu social media au #elu au #elu fic #lucas x eliott #my fic #skamfr #skamfr fic #skamfrfic #amu

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remedialpotions · 4 years

Text

An Artistic Rendering, part 2

I couldn’t stop myself. (But also, I had a lot of fun writing this so... here. Have it.)

Wednesday night art classes were typically followed by a casual dinner at a nearby restaurant. Usually, Hermione enjoyed this post-class debrief session with her mum, but that had been under normal circumstances, when they’d been working on drawings of flowers or cats or bowls of fruit. Tonight, Hermione was not totally sure how she would tolerate sitting across from her mother for an entire meal, nor if she would ever be able to look her in the eye again.

“So, what do you think you want to order?” asked Mum cheerfully, opening up her menu. “I’m rather hungry, aren’t you? Maybe we ought to order a starter - the bruschetta here is supposed to be excellent.”

“Sure,” Hermione said, staring blankly into her own menu. Words like ‘carbonara’ and ‘pomodoro’ and ‘rigatoni’ floated meaninglessly in front of her. “Whatever you want.”

“Ooh, let’s get some wine, too,” Mum added. Had Hermione possessed the wherewithal to look at her, she would have been goggling in disbelief. How on earth was she so cheerful after what had just transpired? How was she, too, not completely disturbed? “How about Chianti? I never know what’s supposed to ‘pair well’ with something else, I just always get what I like-”

“Great,” interjected Hermione, eyes fixed on a description for chicken marsala. “Sure. Whatever.”

Mum set down her menu; in her periphery, Hermione sensed her leaning curiously toward her. “What’s going on, dear? Are you all right?”

“‘What’s going on?’” Hermione repeated back, incredulous. “‘Am I all right?’”

“Well-” Mum blinked, taken aback. “I know there were a couple other drawings that the instructor liked better, but she still thought yours was rather good - and you’ve always been better at things like science and maths anyway-”

“It’s not that.”

Just as Mum opened her mouth to inquire further, a young woman in a crisp white blouse and black pants arrived at their table. “Good evening, ladies,” she greeted them. “My name is Nicola and I’ll be your server this evening. May I get you started with something to drink?”

Mum ordered the bottle of Chianti (Hermione privately thought they might need more than one by the time the night was over) and the bruschetta, and Nicola flounced away.

“Mum,” Hermione said, once she was sure that their server was out of earshot. “You drew a picture of Dad.”

“Well, of course I did.” Her voice was infuriatingly casual. “He was the obvious subject, wasn’t he?”

“So you don’t think that was awkward for me at all?”

“Yours was of Ron,” Mum pointed out, leaving Hermione to briefly wonder how she was possibly related to someone so level-headed. “I’m certainly not interested in seeing my future son-in-law like that.”

The discomfort of the evening was dulled, at least momentarily, by this implication that she would be marrying Ron. While they were not yet engaged - Hermione was in no rush, and perfectly happy to cohabitate - she was also quite certain that she would be spending her life with Ron, and it was nice to know that her mum was so certain of it too.

Though, perhaps that made the events of the evening even more bizarre.

“That’s different,” replied Hermione finally.

“How, exactly?”

“He’s not in his fifties, for one-”

“One day he will be,” said Mum, “and I’m sure when that day comes, you’ll find him just as attractive as you do now-”

“Oh my God,” groaned Hermione, squeezing her eyes shut against the barrage of unwelcome mental images that her mum had just conjured up for her.

“Well, really.” Hermione forced herself to open her eyes, only to see a knowing, almost smug sort of look on her mum’s face (perhaps they had more in common than she thought). “Am I meant to believe that this was the first and only time you’ve ever seen it?”

“Please stop-”

“And don’t think we don’t know what happened in Australia.”

Before Hermione could inquire further about this - Australia was a topic that almost never arose between her and her parents, for obvious reasons - Nicola returned with a bottle of wine in one hand and two glasses in the other. The instant the wine was poured, Hermione seized upon her glass and drank deeply from it.

“What were you saying about Australia?” Hermione asked, once she had stopped to catch her breath.

“Just that it was clear what had… transpired between the two of you.”

Hermione paused, considering this, hoping her face was not giving anything away. It was true that she and Ron had had sex for the first time in Australia, just days before locating her parents and restoring their memories. And she did not expect her mum to be under any illusions about the nature of her relationship with Ron; they lived together, and before that, she had been quite unabashed about spending the night at his. But it was one thing to know, and quite another to discuss it.

“You could tell?”

“A mother always knows,” said Mum blithely around her own, more reserved sip of wine. “And really, it was just a matter of time. I always knew that.”

“You did?”

“It was always clear to me, and to your dad, that you had a certain connection with him,” said Mum. She had grown thoughtful now, introspective. “Actually, I imagine it was clear to everyone but the pair of you at times.”

“You’re right about that.”

“It’s why we were always happy to let you spend summers with his family, or spend your Christmas at Hog - at school,” she finished lamely, eyes darting around the restaurant. “You had such trouble fitting in when you were younger, and we were so happy that you found someone who… who understands you, the way he does.”

Hermione nodded, thankful that Nicola had swept over to them with a plate of bruschetta, because she was at a rare loss for words. She always knew her parents had liked Ron, and they’d made no secret of their gratefulness that she had found friends at last in him and Harry. But she hadn’t known that they had seen the depth of their relationship, or understood its uniqueness. Most people questioned what she and Ron saw in each other… but her parents had always known.

“And he really must love you,” Mum went on, helping herself to a piece of toasted bread piled high with chopped tomato, fresh basil, and grated parmesan. “To have done what he did for you.”

Myriad events flashed through Hermione’s mind: Ron, at twelve, vomiting up slugs; at thirteen, telling off Professor Snape; at fourteen, begrudgingly pinning an SPEW badge to his robes; at eighteen, offering himself up for torture in exchange for her. Posing starkers for a figure drawing ranked rather low on his running list of self-sacrifices, and yet it was not lost on Hermione how lucky they were that this was now their biggest concern.

“You’re right,” replied Hermione, taking her own slice of bruschetta. “He really does.”

***

Ron was at the sink, scrubbing a sponge over a dinner plate, when Hermione walked through the door of their flat. “Hi,” Hermione greeted him brightly, approaching him in search of a quick kiss hello. “I’ve brought leftover spag bol if you want it.”

“You know I do.” Ron shut off the faucet and picked up a small towel to dry his hands, then bent to touch his lips to Hermione’s. “A departure from your usual, innit?”

“I didn’t want anything too fancy,” replied Hermione, handing the styrofoam box to Ron, who immediately opened it to peer inside. “I was a bit put off my appetite to be honest with you.”

“Uh oh.” Ron fished a fork out of a drawer. “Dare I ask how it went?”

“You were very well-received,” Hermione assured him, making him grin as he twisted strands of pasta around his fork. “But erm…”

“Yes?”

“My mum… she, er…”

“Oh, no.” Ron paused with his fork in mid-air. “She didn’t have… comments, did she?”

“She did, actually, but that’s not the problem. She…” Hermione waited while Ron chewed his mouthful of pasta. Unlike her, his appetite only increased during times of distress. “She drew my dad.”

To her surprise, Ron burst into raucous laughter. “Yeah, I expected that she would have done.”

“You could have warned me!”

“And you could have warned me that a group of twenty people were going to see my todger before you had me starkers in the sitting room,” Ron grinned, “but you didn’t, did you?”

Though she was outwardly scowling at him, Hermione had to work to keep a smile off her face. “Again, it’s not like I took photos-”

“Merlin’s pants, I bet that’ll be next-”

“And really, it’s quite different when it’s your own father - I didn’t look at it or anything,” Hermione was quick to state, “but even just knowing…”

She broke off with a shudder. Ron set down the container of pasta and folded her into his arms, where she laid her cheek automatically against his chest.

“That sounds traumatic,” said Ron, gently kissing the top of Hermione’s head.

“It really was.”

“Should we sign you up for therapy?”

“Yes, please.”

With another little chuckle, he kissed the top of her head again, and she settled in against him. Her mum had been right: she did have a connection with him that was unlike anything else. She had always known that they would end up exactly as they were now, even when they hadn’t been able to see it themselves.

“So you said your mum had some comments?” asked Ron after a few minutes’ easy silence. “I’m a little scared to ask.”

“Not about the picture,” Hermione said. “Mostly about how… how good you are for me.”

“Yeah?”

“She referred to you as her future son-in-law.”

Ron loosened his grip on Hermione just enough to look down at her with surprise. “Did she really?”

Hermione nodded again. “Does that… freak you out?”

It was not a question of whether he loved her, or was wholeheartedly committed to her; she knew without a shadow of a doubt how he felt. But with marriage came things like babies and home loans and joint vaults at Gringotts, and it was not unreasonable to think that at nineteen, he simply might not be ready for it.

But he just shook his head, and moved in to kiss her again - this one soft, warm, lingering. “Nope. Not at all.”

Happily, Hermione resumed hugging him.

“Maybe next time,” said Ron, his hand rubbing idly up and down her spine, “you lot could do something a little more… you could join a book club, maybe. Something like that.”

“That could be fun,” responded Hermione. “Only, my mum’s got a bit of a penchant for romance novels.”

“Oh. Perhaps not, then…”

#romione #rhr #ron weasley #hermione granger #so just to be clear Hermione's mum did not look at the drawing #she's not a creep lol #also nobody should take the mention of bruschetta as 'excellent' as an endorsement of raw tomatoes

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midzelink · 4 years

Note

I hate to send two asks consecutively but Navi from the Future has me enticed. Spill the beans.

(Additional context: I was asked for my thoughts on many things in this post, among which included what I think happened to Navi at the end of Ocarina of Time. My answer? That she was sent into the future. I must stress that this is not a theory, but a headcanon, as it is based on almost nothing in canon and in some places even contradicts it. But I digress.)

All right. So.

I don’t remember exactly when I first conceptualized this; it’s one of those things that’s been floating around in my head for quite some time, but I only started taking it seriously a few months ago, to the point that I decided it would be a plot point in a fully-fleshed out and realized novelization of Twilight Princess, if I were ever to write such a thing (I almost definitely won’t). It’s ridiculous and ham-fisted and fanservice-y, but the emotional payoff for me is worth it, so I’m willing to let all of that slide in the grand scheme of shoving it haphazardly into my ever-growing non-existent binder that would presumably be labeled “Basil’s Expanded Zelda Universe”. Now, I may not remember the when, but I definitely remember the why - so now that I’ve got all that prattling out of the way...

...let’s actually talk about Navi.

Her departure is as abrupt as it is heart-wrenching, and it’s to be assumed that Link feels the exact same way that the player does. He doesn’t know why she left or where she disappeared to, as his entire journey in Majora’s Mask is built on the premise of him leaving Hyrule in order to find her. And based on how much regret he felt upon his death - regret enough to live on in the mortal realm as the Hero’s Shade - we can assume that he never found her, for all of his searching. (All of this is a given, and isn’t exactly particular to this headcanon, but I felt it was worth saying nonetheless.)

But let’s go back to the moment she actually leaves Link. After Zelda sends him back into the past so he can live out the youth that was robbed from him, he places the Master Sword back into its pedestal, and in the moments that follow, she flies up and away...towards a rear-facing window in the back of the temple.

It’s completely inconsequential. It doesn’t mean anything. It is simply a sign that their time together has come to and close; that their journey to save Hyrule has ended, and Link no longer needs her to guide him. But if you spend as much time as I have putting the same games under the same microscope over and over ad nauseam, you start drawing connections where none should rightfully be made, and in this case, the whole why of the matter...

...is this freaking window.

It’s stupid, right? But there it is again. And it’s not just any window - it’s a portal to the rest of the Temple of Time, a temple that is filled from top to bottom with the symbol of the Sage of Light. But what’s significant about its appearance in Twilight Princess is that this isn’t how the temple actually appears in this time - in fact, it’s completely fallen to ruin - and we as the player have to go back in time in order to even access the inner depths of the temple at all. It’s never specified exactly how far back in time that is, so we’re free to use our imaginations here - like, say...around the time a specific fairy companion left her dear friend without a word or warning.

I’ll just cut to the case.

After the events of Ocarina of Time, Navi ventured into the depths on the Temple of Time, where she awaited and eventually met up with the Hero of Twilight.

Y’see, Rauru was aware that something awry would happen - was happening - in the depths of the temple he himself had built, a small piece of a much larger puzzle that would take at least another century to come into view. As a Sage, he Knows Things - and in Knowing Things he was able to know that Navi had at least one more role to play in saving the Hyrule of tomorrow. Navi never had any intention of leaving Link at the end of their journey; she didn’t want to say goodbye, and in a way I suppose that’s why she never did. When Link - her Link - drew the Master Sword from its pedestal and slept for seven years, Rauru was able to talk to her throughout all that time and inform her of what was going to happen and what she needed to do. Because, as it turns out, if not for Navi’s help, Link and Midna would have never been able to make it out of that place alive...and Hyrule would have, once again, been doomed. (I’m fuzzy on exactly what role she plays in helping them, but I’ll figure something out soon enough; I always do.)

So, she leaves him. The Hero of Time. In the sword chamber. And she doesn’t say goodbye, because she doesn’t want to, and it’s painful, but it won’t be forever, right? Once she finishes what she has to do, she can go back and be with him again, explain why she left, why she had to leave. Except...

...something goes wrong.

And she can’t go back.

After Link and Midna retrieve the third fragment of the Mirror of Twilight, they’re forcibly removed from the temple - they don’t belong in this time, after all - and once the door to the past closes behind them, it closes for good. And Navi...gets swept up with them.

She’s a nervous wreck, of course. So much about Hyrule has changed in the years she’s been gone. (”I’ve seen the future before, but not like this!”) But, nervous and fretful as she is, she’s also quite resolute, and no matter how much time has passed, there’s still something she needs to do. Or, rather, someone she needs to find. She bids the Link of this time farewell, and goes on her way.

Sometime shortly after the events of Twilight Princess, we know that Link returns the Master Sword to its pedestal in the ruins of the Temple of Time; we see as much in the final credits. I’ve always liked to think that, when he did so, he got to see the Hero’s Shade one...final time. For all the regrets the spirit had eased - Hyrule was safe, now - there was still...one thing he had left to reconcile. It was here that he last saw her, after all. Of course he would find his way back to this place. And maybe - maybe she would, too. Maybe...

...she could find him waiting for her...

...right where she left him.

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juviin · 4 years

Photo

Here’s literally all the rosie lore.

(template 1) (template 2)

Name: Rosemary Nare Etana Alias: Ro, Rose, Rosie Personality: Rosemary is very open about her emotions. She takes a while to warm up to people, but when she does, she loves people very strongly. Relatives: Father (estranged), Mother (deceased), 4 older siblings, 2 younger siblings. Status: Alive Species: Human Gender: cis female Age: 19 Eyes: Gold Hair: Pink Appearance: Rosemary is 5′5 and has short pink hair. She has two scars, one along her back and one on her lower right abdomen. She also has a tattoo on her calf of a lily. Birthday: July 30th Constellation: Leo Height: 5′5″ or 165 cm Blood Type: O Occupation: Magic Knight -Squad: Black Bulls Country: Clover Affinity: Lava Magic (On a scale of 0-10: 0 being terrible and 10 being the best) Physical Strength 5/10 Magic Amount 7/10 Magic Control 9/10 Magic Sensing 6/10 Cleverness 9/10 Growth 8/10 Equipment: none

(this next one is all in first person which i am NOT used to writing in but...)

Part 1: The Basics

What is your full name?--Rosemary Nare Etana

Where and when were you born?--I was born on July 30th in a large city in the Common Realm, however we moved to a small town shortly after I was born.

Who are/were your parents? (Know their names, occupations, personalities, etc.)--

Lily Etana was my mother’s name. She worked several jobs while raising us, like waitressing and being a maid. She was very kind too, but a lot of people took advantage of her for that. I guess that’s why Val and I have taken to being aggressive about how we feel, and aggressive in sticking up for her. When I was 12, an assassin killed her and gave me the scar across my back. I’m sure he was sent by my grandparents, but they played the fool and even sent an advisor to her funeral. Since then, that advisor has scheduled meetings with me monthly to make sure I haven’t told anyone.

My father’s name is Andranik Typhos the fourth? something like that, but I don’t know very much about him. I know he’s a noble, but I’ve never met him. I don’t hear that many complaints about him, and Mother says he was a wonderful gentleman, but I’ve met his parents, and I find it hard to believe that they would raise a lovely son.

Do you have any siblings? What are/were they like?--I have four! On my mom’s side, at least.

Valerian is the oldest. He’s sixteen years older than me, so he’s a lot more mature than me, and very protective of us younger siblings. He has three kids, too, and his wife is Eli’s cousin. They have been married since I was only three, so she’s been in our lives forever. The two of them basically became my parents after our mother died, so I couldn’t be more grateful to them.

Then is Dahlia. Dahlia is 12 years older than me. She’s very calm, and there have been more than a few times where Valerian has been freaking out and Dahlia always keeps her cool and fixes the problem. She’s the best at makeup.

Basil is in the direct middle, and they’re 9 years older than me. They are very energetic and mischievous. I don’t think Basil wants a spouse, but they’re very dedicated to their craft. I blame them for the multiple scams of my father’s estate, but who’s complaining? Basil also has a scar along their right cheek, running from their nose to their chin

Azalea is the closest to my age, she’s 25. She’s a lot like our mom. She treats everyone with kindness, but I worry about people taking advantage of her for that.

Also, I know that my father has two children younger than me with his wife, but I’ve never met them and I probably never will.

Where do you live now, and with whom? Describe the place and the person/people.--I live with the Black Bulls! The base is really crazy and always changing, but there’s always something going on, so everyday is fun.

What is your occupation?--I’m a Magic Knight, but I have also worked some other jobs in the past.

Write a full physical description of yourself. You might want to consider factors such as: height, weight, race, hair and eye color, style of dress, and any tattoos, scars, or distinguishing marks--I’m 5′5, and around 150lbs. My skin is pale, so I tend to burn very easily, and my eyes are yellow and my hair is pink. I like to wear warm colors and clothes that aren’t very tight, as well as boots. I have two large scars, one is about three inches and is a slash along my stomach, while the other one is about eight inches long and runs across my upper back, both from assassination attempts. I try to hide both of them. I also have one tattoo on my lower calf, so it’s usually covered.

To which social class do you belong?--I believe I’m considered a commoner. I likely wouldn’t be considered a noble unless something happened to my father’s legitimate children, though I have no interest in being taken in by his family.

Do you have any allergies, diseases, or other physical weaknesses?—I get nosebleeds often because of an injury when i was younger.

Are you right- or left-handed?—right handed

What does your voice sound like?—If I had to describe it, I’d say it’s medium in pitch and kind of airy.

What words and/or phrases do you use very frequently?--nothing particularly?

What do you have in your pockets?—um. a handful of flowers, a pocket watch, and assorted candies.

Do you have any quirks, strange mannerisms, annoying habits, or other defining characteristics?—I sometimes bite my nails.

Part 2: Growing Up

How would you describe your childhood in general?--Average for the most part, I’d say. I had a loving mother and 4 great siblings. Still, my mother’s death hit all of us very hard.

What is your earliest memory?--Sadly, my first assassination attempt. That one was when I was around five and it was sent by my father’s family. It gave me the scar on my stomach, and also gave Basil the scar on their face from them protecting me.

How much schooling have you had?--I went to the small schoolhouse in town up until I was 12, and then I started going less so I could work more.

Did you enjoy school?--I enjoyed learning, but I’ve found that I learn more outside of school.

Where did you learn most of your skills and other abilities?--I learned basic first aid and how to identify certain plants and herbs from my siblings. I mostly learned battle from experience and assassins.

While growing up, did you have any role models? If so, describe them.—my siblings, especially Basil

While growing up, how did you get along with the other members of your family?--We all got along very well as kids, though they were all a lot older than me so that did strain our relationships a bit, especially as the youngest.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?--As a child I wanted to work in medicine, even though my magic is ill suited for it. I only decided that I wanted to become a Magic Knight after my mother’s death.

As a child, what were your favorite activities?—i used to love helping my mother garden.

As a child, what kinds of personality traits did you display?--I cried a lot more than I do now. I was always scared, as I knew from a young age that my father’s parents wanted me dead.

As a child, were you popular? Who were your friends, and what were they like?--My only friend was really Eli, but she hung out with all the kids from town, so i vaguely knew them.

When and with whom was your first kiss?--also Eli, when we were about 12 and 13.

Are you a virgin? If not, when and with whom did you lose your virginity?--I’m not. After Eli left town I kind of lost myself for the next two years until I became a knight.

Part 3: Past Influences

What do you consider the most important event of your life so far?--My mother's death perhaps?

Who has had the most influence on you?--Eli. I think if not for her, I would be a very different person.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?--The amount of nobles I’ve insulted to their faces on official magic knight business.

What is your greatest regret?--being born.

What is the most evil thing you have ever done?--I don’t think I’ve ever done anything “evil”, only some malicious things, but I don’t regret them.

Do you have a criminal record of any kind?--No, but I probably should for extortion.

When was the time you were the most frightened?--The first attempt on my life.

What is the most embarrassing thing ever to happen to you?--My elder brother catching me lying about my profession.

If you could change one thing from your past, what would it be, and why?—i would be stronger.

What is your best memory?—probably the first few months with the black bulls. It was genuine happiness for the first time in a while.

What is your worst memory?—the aftermath of my mother’s death. I don’t remember the actual event, some mix of trauma and head injuries, but I do remember the weeks following.

Part 4: Beliefs And Opinions

Are you basically optimistic or pessimistic?—i think i’m more pessimistic, but i'm trying to be an optimist.

What is your greatest fear?--My greatest fear is once again being too weak to protect the people that I love.

What are your religious views?--I’m not religious.

What are your political views?--I think that the Clover Kingdom’s nobility is corrupt, and the whole system needs to be fixed.

What are your views on sex?--I think nothing much of it.

Are you able to kill? Under what circumstances do you find killing to be acceptable or unacceptable?--I think I’m a hypocrite on this. I think killing is unacceptable, but I wouldn’t hesitate to kill the people that harm the ones I love.

In your opinion, what is the most evil thing any human being could do?--In my opinion, the most evil thing one can do is to habitually hurt and abuse others.

Do you believe in the existence of soul mates and/or true love?--No. I don’t think that anything like that is real.

What do you believe makes a successful life?--I think that money plays a large part of success.

How honest are you about your thoughts and feelings (i.e. do you hide your true self from others, and in what way)?--Very open. My emotions are very easily read.

Do you have any biases or prejudices?--Yeah i hate nobles.

Is there anything you absolutely refuse to do under any circumstances? Why do you refuse to do it?--I try to stay out of the public eye as best I can. I also refuse to do jobs near my grandparents’ home.

Who or what, if anything, would you die for (or otherwise go to extremes for)?--Finral or Eli. I’d do anything for them.

Part 5: Relationships With Others

In general, how do you treat others (politely, rudely, by keeping them at a distance, etc.)? Does your treatment of them change depending on how well you know them, and if so, how?—I try to keep people at a distance, but when I become close to someone, they become one of my People. I’d do anything for the people I’m close to.

Who is the most important person in your life, and why?--Right now, it’s probably Eli or Finral. They’ve positively affected me in more ways than I can count.

Who is the person you respect the most, and why?—Captain Yami is the person I respect the most. Joining the Black Bulls changed my life so much for the better, and I’m so grateful that he gave me that opportunity.

Who are your friends? Do you have a best friend? Describe these people—Eli is my best friend. She’s loud and always smiling, but I worry about her. I’m also pretty close to Magna. He’s a great friend and brings out my mischievous side more.

Do you have a spouse or significant other? If so, describe this person.--Finral is great. He’s a little goofy, but he is very loyal and loving.

Have you ever been in love? If so, describe what happened.--I think I’m in love right now.

How close are you to your family?--I’m very close to my older siblings.

Have you started your own family? If so, describe them. If not, do you want to? Why or why not?--No. I think I’d like to at some point be a mother, but not for a while longer.

Who would you turn to if you were in desperate need of help?--I think I would find it hard to turn to anyone, but if I was so desperate, probably Eli or Magna. I’m too afraid to show Finral my weakness.

Do you trust anyone to protect you? Who, and why?--No. I need to be strong enough to protect myself.

If you died or went missing, who would miss you?--I think that the bulls would.

Who is the person you despise the most, and why?--My father. My mother spoke kindly of him, but he abandoned her.

Do you tend to argue with people, or avoid conflict?--I argue more.

Do you tend to take on leadership roles in social situations?—depends who I'm with, but I’m more likely to take a leadership role.

Do you like interacting with large groups of people? Why or why not?—I’d prefer a smaller group, personally, but i’m not bad with large groups.

Do you care what others think of you?—yes. immensely

Part 6: Likes And Dislikes

What is/are your favorite hobbies and pastimes?--I enjoy reading romance novels, and spending time in nature. Flower fields remind me of home and give me comfort.

What is your most treasured possession?—my pocket watch. my mother gave it to me, since it was a gift to her from my father.

What is your favorite color?—i like warm pale yellow

What is your favorite food?—I like crepes!

What, if anything, do you like to read?—I like to read romance.

What is your idea of good entertainment (consider music, movies, art, etc.)?--I enjoy reading. On days off, I often spend hours at a time sitting outside and reading.

Do you smoke, drink, or use drugs? If so, why? Do you want to quit?—I generally don’t, but I will drink sometimes. I probably drink an average amount.

How do you spend a typical Saturday night?—generally hanging around the Bulls hideout. If I have a day off I often go visit home to see my mother’s grave and give her flowers.

What makes you laugh?—My squadmates! I’ve been told my sense of humor is bad..

What, if anything, shocks or offends you?--I hate the prejudices of the Clover nobles.

What would you do if you had insomnia and had to find something to do to amuse yourself?—When that happens (because it has before) I will usually walk around the base, sometimes I eat a snack. I also like to head outside and look at the stars when I can’t sleep.

How do you deal with stress?—I will usually end up letting it out, whether emotionally or magically. I don't like to bottle things up.

Are you spontaneous, or do you always need to have a plan?—I prefer having a plan.

What are your pet peeves?—people talking over others.

Part 7: Self Images And Etc.

Describe the routine of a normal day for you. How do you feel when this routine is disrupted?--I wake up at about 7 every morning, and get ready for the day. If I have a mission, I’ll leave for it early. On days I don’t have a mission, I will either go visit my mother’s grave or go see my grandparents or their advisor.

What is your greatest strength as a person?--I’d say my strength is supporting people. And also throwing lava.

What is your greatest weakness?--I lie a bit too much, and I am a bit indifferent towards people I don’t care about.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?--I would want to be more caring.

Are you generally introverted or extroverted?--I’d say introvert.

Are you generally organized or messy?--Organized. I don’t like disorder.

Name three things you consider yourself to be very good at, and three things you consider yourself to be very bad at.--I’m good at lying, cleaning, and fighting. I’m bad at controlling my emotions, sewing, and cooking.

Do you like yourself?--No, I really don’t.

What are your reasons for being a magic knight*? Are your real reasons for doing this different than the ones you tell people in public? (If so, detail both sets of reasons…)--I am a magic knight because I want to protect people.

What goal do you most want to accomplish in your lifetime?--I want to heal from my past.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?--I hope to still be a Magic Knight, and hopefully a higher rank.

If you could choose, how would you want to die?--I would want to die swiftly if I could choose.

If you knew you were going to die in 24 hours, name three things you would do in the time you had left.--I would try to isolate myself from the people I love, so that they wouldn’t have to deal with grief. I think I would generally be calm.

What is the one thing for which you would most like to be remembered after your death?--I want to be remembered for my strength.

What three words best describe your personality?--open. loyal. decisive.

What three words would others probably use to describe you?--Rosie is loyal, smart, and loving!!-Eli

#black clover #black clover oc #bc oc #oc rosemary #my art #fhdjksfhk this took so LONG im dying jim #im also doing this Whole thing for eli but shes nowhere near done yet #nini ocs

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ayellowcurtain · 4 years

Text

Elu having actual healthy communication skills and talking about Elliot needing space or how good it is for each of them to have their "own thing". Maybe even Lucas going on a little vacation with le gang, sans Eliott.

would you write about the boys looking after eliott in a depressive episode now that they know?

Now that they’ve talked about their issues, Eliott is second guessing himself, wondering if he felt like he needed space for the right reasons. Coming home to an empty house doesn’t feel right. Lucas is gone, even if just for a couple of weeks. Deep down, Eliott knows this isn’t what Lucas wanted.

He tried to look away, to avoid acknowledging that this decision was more his than Lucas’, it wasn’t what Lucas wanted and maybe it wasn’t what he wanted either. He tried to ignore the look, but he knows Lucas looked at him for too long after their conversation.

“I’m going away with the boys for a few weeks after we’re done with our exams...” he said as his result of their long conversation. And he waited, but Eliott didn’t say a thing because he thought this is what they both needed: space away from each other. Lucas was clearly hurt, way too quiet to his normal, but Eliott was selfish, stupid and he ignored Lucas’ oversensitivity yet again.

When the day came, Eliott couldn’t help but check just one time.

“Are you sure we’re okay?” He held Lucas’ face with both his hands as gently as he could and Lucas nodded his head, but his hands came to wipe some tears away before they could escape his eyes.

“You need space and time and I guess I need to figure some stuff out too.” Eliott wanted to explain that he didn’t exactly needed time or space away from Lucas, but he didn’t know if that would be another lie or not so he watched as Lucas took his hands away from his face and grabbed his suitcase instead, kissing Eliott on the cheek before leaving their house.

And it’s been ten days since and Eliott is still overthinking their last few days together, searching for any clues he might have overlooked.

They were fighthing a lot lately, but obviously, thing got really difficult after his film. Eliott tried to explain over and over again, they argued so much about it he even caught himself going back to that night, trying to see if Lucas was right when accusing him of cheating, lying, being a selfish fucking asshole. Eliott couldn’t believe he didn’t see the signs that kissing someone else for a movie was actually not ok with Lucas. After a week of waiting for Lucas to calm down, they finally sat down on the couch and had the last conversation.

“I love you, Lucas. And I’m sorry I didn’t see that you weren’t okay with not being a part of the movie, you should have told me. I thought you were too busy with your exams. The role was for you and-”

“It wasn’t. If it was mine, Lola wouldn’t be perfect for it.” Eliott took a deep breath in, instantly remembering his words at work. One thing that he clearly missinterpretated.

“It was made for you, yes. You reminded me of your exams and I asked you if I could offer it to someone else. I couldn’t do it on my own.”

“Do you think Yann, Arthur, Basille, you think they’re my friends that you hang out with or that they’re our friends?”

“They’re our friends, but you’re a lot closer to them.”

“You should tell them that then, because they think you’re family too and not just colleagues. And Alexia and Sofiane and Idriss. You don’t reach out to ask for their help because you don’t want to.”

“Yeah, because I’m not close to them anymore, can’t you see?” Eliott stopped himself, he was getting angry at all those accusations and Lucas didn’t say a thing either, waiting for Eliott to speak his mind. Lucas could tell his brain was overworking.

“You act like you’re fine on your own, that you need to be alone sometimes and yet, you go around constantly looking for connections. I just don’t get it.” Lucas started again, a lot calmer, but also hurt and Eliott didn’t know what to say to that.

“I wasn’t planning on being friends with Lola, but I saw she was struggling and I couldn’t help but try to help her.” Lucas accusing eyes quickly came up, looking at Eliott.

“You kissed her.”

“She kissed me. For a movie and she was freaking out again, trying to make her girlfriend jealous.” Eliott sighed, thinking about his own shock and about Maya’s face while helping them film.

“I don’t care, don’t wanna hear it, if possible.” Eliott had to really look at Lucas, how hurt he was and Eliott didn’t get why.

He grabs his phone and throws himself at the couch they were sitting when they talked, it felt like a break up, but it wasn’t, somehow. Even their conversation through their cellphones feels cold, too formal. Eliott clicks on Lucas’ photo, zooming in with his fingers, Lucas is making a face, like always and Eliott smiles to himself, letting go of the picture and clicking on their conversation, quickly typing his feelings out.

to Lucas: I miss you. I’m sorry for everything.

Lucas is not one to answer right away and it just got worst this time, but the bubbles appear and Eliott waits excitedly.

to Eliott: I miss you too.

Are you ok?

to Lucas: Missing you too much. Other than that, I’m okay. You? How is the trip? The boys?

to Eliott: It’s been good, but I guess Baz is missing Daphné too much and maybe Arthur realized he still likes Alexia. So I guess it’s kinda depressing.

And you?

to Lucas: Me what?

Eliott sits up, putting both feet back on the ground, the soft, vintage carpet keeeping him present.

to Lucas: Do you still like me?

to Eliott: Eliott

Yes.

to Lucas: I’m sorry for everything, Lucas. I really am.

to Eliott: How are you really feeling? You’re alone, having the time and space to do whatever as you’re pleased

to Lucas: Feeling like I can’t do anything if I don’t have someone to come home to and share about how my day went. There’s no point, is there?

to Eliott: I don’t know...

to Lucas: Please talk to me

I hate this.

This fucking cold conversation like we haven’t been together for over a year, like we don’t love each other.

to Eliott: We both agreed we needed time apart

to Lucas: But did you really? Need time away from me?

to Eliott: No, but you did and what you want matters to me and maybe you were seeing something I wasn’t.

to Lucas: Was I?

to Eliott: Why are you suddenly filling me with these questions, Eliott?

to Lucas: Because I feel like I didn’t hear you for some time and now i want to know everything. I’m not afraid.

“This is different...” Idriss walks around slowly, looking around the kitchen for the first time, sitting on the chair, pulling it closer to the small table around them, looking at Eliott and then at Sofiane. They have a whole conversation through their eyes and Eliott can’t understand them anymore.

“Yeah...” Sofiane exhales his laughter and Eliott feels guilty. Apparently, they were both waiting for him to contact them like Lucas suggested they were.

“I’m sorry. For not calling before. I didn’t know it was expected.” Eliott messes his hair up and rest against the back of his chair, crossing his arms against his chair. Even though he doesn’t know how to act or what to say, he feels at ease being around his two old best friends.

“We were friends, Eliott. There’s no expecting or not, mec. We just thought that things were finally good between us, that we would go back to hanging out, but it’s okay. Are you okay?” Sofiane exchanges some looks with Idriss as he talks and Eliott bites the inside of his cheek.

“Even if you don’t talk, bro, Imane told him that Lucas is not doing well and Sofiane told me.” Idriss says easily and Sofiane sighs as loud as one can sigh, shaking his head. Idriss looks at him and opens his arms. “What? She tells you everything and you tell me everything, it’s obvious!”

Sofiane doesn’t explain to Idriss, just looks back at Eliott.

“How are you? Honestly.”

He always had this way of talking to you, with the kindest, most understanding voice and Eliott can’t believe how Sofiane can always keep himself like this. He looks at Sofiane for another moment, trying to thinking on how to explain how much his mood depends on rather Lucas is phisically around him or not.

“I fucked up, like I always do. That didn’t change.”

Idriss laughs and Eliott smiles and Sofiane rolls his eyes. This is also still the same. How Sofiane doesn’t think is that funny when Eliott thinks so little of himself and how Idriss thinks it’s funny, doesn’t take his words that seriously.

“Imane didn’t tell me what happened...” Sofiane looks at Idriss as he emphasises his words and Idriss rolls his eyes in return and nods his head, clearly not buying it, “she just told me that he’s not really happy right now. But I’m sure he loves you, Eliott. I saw you two together a couple of times and even from afar, I could tell he was happy and you were happy.”

Eliott inhales sharply, raising his eyebrows. They were happy or at least Eliott thought they were, but Lucas was hiding parts of himself and Eliott didn’t see it. He didn’t see how unhappy and uncomfortable Lucas was getting. He’ll never believe his fucked up unconscious looked away when all Lucas wanted was for Eliott to see him and his insecurities. Eliott loves Lucas. And he loves that they can find comfort in each other, to be themselves fully, all the time. Eliott took that away from them without realizing.

“Stop...” He looks up and Idriss sighs, talking seriously now. “Stop beating yourself over it. You’re overthinking it and we call smell it from here. If there’s trouble in paradise, my friend, you just have to fix it. To talk to him and wait that time will heal this stupid drama, whatever it is.”

Eliott frowns, it does sound like Idriss knows more than he’s telling, but Eliott doesn’t dare asking either. If what happened between him and Lucas and Lola reached him, Eliott doesn’t want to know, doesn’t want to know what Sofiane thinks of him being a cheater. He’s sure Idriss would find any excuse to tell Eliott how it wasn’t that big of a deal.

“I don’t think he wants to talk to me right now.”

“He loves you, Eliott. Stop being dramatic. If it was over, then you two would have broken up about it, but you’re still here and I’m assuming he’s just travelng with his friends.” Sofiane guesses and Eliott nods. Lucas will - supposedly -come back home, to him, in a couple of days.

“You don’t know Lucas. He can be really stubborn when he wants.”

Sofiane nods his head, back to being understanding and calm again.

“But I’m sure he loves you. Because, like you said, he’s stubborn, I heard a thing or two about it from Imane too. So if he had made up his mind, I’m sure you would know if this was a break up.”

Eliott looks up, covering his face with both hands, counting the days, the seconds until Lucas is home.

“Do you have beer, mec? I feel like this is going to be a long conversation and I’m thirsty.” Idriss gets up, streching himself and Eliott points to the fridge.

“There might be some, but I’m not sure.” Idriss goes to the fridge, searching for it and Eliott looks at Sofiane and his comforting smile, putting his hand on Eliott’s shoulder.

“You guys are cute together and he loves you, I’m sure. Everything is going to work out.”

Eliott smiles as a thank you and grabs his phone, texting Lucas.

to Lucas: I love you. I miss you, can’t wait for you to be home <3 I love you

#skam france #elu fic #Lucas Lallemant #eliott demaury #lucas x eliott #elu

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raisingsupergirl · 4 years

Text

A Recipe For a Pho Night

Okay, this typically isn't a food blog, but guys, if you've never had pho, you're missing out. And now that 2020 quarantines have made it even harder to sit down at a Vietnamese restaurant, how will we ever enjoy this most excellent of savory soups? Well, by making it at home, of course! And now that winter's creeping in (it's currently a cold, rainy Sunday as I write this) there's no better time to fill the house with delicious smells! But before you freak out over the ingredients list, don’t worry! Pretty much everything can be substituted, altered, or just left out based on your preferences and availability (I happen to dislike sweet broth, so I didn't use much brown sugar). Even the measurements are only there because SOME of you can't make anything without having exact amounts spelled out (hey, nobody's perfect). The whole point of pho night is to have fun, so get creative, and let your family join in. My daughters absolutely loved picking out their ingredients for the spring rolls and the soup, and watching it all cook right before their eyes really sealed the deal (though they needed my help rolling the spring rolls). And now, without further adieu, here's my recipe for fresh spring rolls and pho (because of their similar ingredients and fun, do-it-yourself assembly, they pair perfectly):

INGREDIENTS

Marinated beef: • 1 brisket (sliced thin) • 4 tbsp oyster sauce • 1 cup soy sauce • 2 tbsp minced garlic

Broth: • 16 cups beef stock (or 3 soup bones if making from scratch) • 1 large onion • 2 golf ball-sized chunks of ginger (what? That's totally a legit measure) • 3 cinnamon sticks • 5 star anise • 4 cloves • 1 tbsp coriander seeds • 4 garlic cloves (optional) • 1 tbsp brown sugar (or to taste) • 1 tbsp fish sauce (or to taste) • 2 tbsp soy sauce (or to taste) • 1 tsp salt (or to taste)

Noodles: • 1 box rice noodles (I used thin in this recipe) • sesame oil (or any oil)

Garnish: • ½ package medium shrimp (raw, deveined, no shell) • 1 bunch of cilantro • 1 bunch of rosemary (because I couldn't find Thai basil) • 1 bunch of mint (because it grows in my back yard) • 6 whole baby bella mushrooms • 2 serrano peppers • ½ red bell pepper • ½ yellow bell pepper • 6 green onions • 1 can bean sprouts • 1 lime (cut into wedges)

Spring rolls (because you're not going to cut up all those delicious veggies and NOT wrap some in rice paper!): • 1 package spring roll wrappers • ½ package medium shrimp (cooked, deveined, no shell) • ½ cup matchstick carrots • ½ cucumber • ½ avocado • any other veggies/herbs you’ve prepared for the pho garnish

Serve with: • Soy sauce • Sriracha • Hoisin sauce • 1 bottle of sake (to drink!)

INSTRUCTIONS

First, let's start with the brisket. You'll need to prepare it earlier in the day so it can marinate. And it's worth noting now that pretty much everything you cut up for this meal will need to be SUPER thin (so it can cook in the broth in your bowl), and the beef is no exception. And because of that, it's easiest to slice it with a sharp knife while it's STILL FROZEN. First, cut the fat off of the top, then slice/shave it perpendicular to the grain (to make it more tender) as thin as you can. Then cut the slices into 2-inch pieces (or smaller if you prefer). Prepare the marinade (oyster sauce, soy sauce, garlic) and combine it with the beef in a sealed container or bag. Set aside for at least three hours and no more than 12 (to avoid getting too mushy), and mix it occasionally throughout the day.

Next, lets talk about the foundation of this recipe: the broth. Because it's so important, you want to make sure to start out with a high quality beef stock. I made my own the day before by boiling 3 soup bones in about 2 gallons of water (it reduces) for 4 hours on low heat (then refrigerating it until the next day so I could skim the fat off of the top), but buying it significantly speeds up the process. Whichever way you choose, pour the broth in a large stockpot and set it to high heat. While it's coming to a boil, preheat your oven's broiler, then slice the onion and ginger into large chunks. Spread out the chunks in an oiled, oven-safe pan. Then, place the cinnamon sticks, star anise, coriander seeds, and cloves in another oven-safe container (these spices are all complimentary in flavor—along with cardamom pods, which I couldn't find—and give pho it's signature taste, so try to find as many of them as you can. Also, whole spices make them easier to remove later for a clearer broth), and pop it all (onions, ginger, and spices) in the broiler until they're all lightly toasted—about five minutes for the spices (until they're just aromatic) and ten minutes for the onions/ginger (until they get a good char).

Once your stock is boiling, throw in the onions, ginger, and toasted spices, then cover and reduce to medium-low heat for at least twenty minutes (and up to an hour while you're preparing everything else). Strain/scoop out all the solids after thirty minutes or so, then either keep the broth on low heat or just turn it off for now.

Now's as good of a time as any to cook your rice noodles according to the instructions on the package (they don't take long, so don't overcook them!). When they're done, rinse with cold water (so they don't keep cooking and fall apart) and toss with a couple tablespoons of sesame oil (or whatever oil you prefer) to keep them from clumping. Dump them in a bowl and set aside for later.

Now it's time to start slicing the vegetables! Like I said before, everything should be super thin so it cooks quicker, so take your time and enjoy the process (hopefully with a glass of sake and some good conversation… heck, you can find some more knives and put your dinner guests to work). Full disclosure, the veggie bill is totally up to you, but in this case, I recommend green onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, hot peppers (jalapeño or Serrano), bean sprouts, lime, cilantro, mint, and Thai basil (though I couldn't find any basil, so I substituted rosemary, which actually worked great). Remember to slice everything thin and 2-3 inches long (with the obvious exception of the sprouts and herbs, which can be left whole, and the lime, which can be quartered) so they work with the pho AND the spring rolls.

And since we're talking about the spring rolls, go ahead and cut up everything (carrots, cucumber, avocado) for those, as well. And if you're putting shrimp in them, go ahead and throw half of the bag of medium shrimp into your boiling pho broth for 20-30 seconds (to flavor the shrimp AND the broth), then scoop them out and put them in a serving dish (side note: I almost cooked my rice noodles in the broth, as well, then remembered that the noodles leave behind milky, starchy water, which would have ruined the broth. Crisis averted!). While you're at it, fill a pan or other container (it has to be slightly larger than the size of your rice paper) about an inch deep with cold water (or pho broth, if you're feeling really adventurous!) and set aside.

Place all of your a la carte ingredients in little piles across a large cutting/serving board or in individual bowls and set them in the middle of your dinner table. You want to show off all of your hard work!

Speaking of the dinner table, time to turn to the final (and most fun) phase. Other than your garnishes, set up the table with your raw brisket (yes, raw), raw and cooked shrimp, noodles, optional sauces (sriracha, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sweet Thai chili sauce), rice paper, pan of water, plates, bowls, soup spoons, forks/chop sticks, and your preferred drinks. Crank the covered broth to a rolling boil on the stove and direct your lucky guests to their seats—the show is about to begin!

SPRING ROLL ASSEMBLY

As your broth heats up, start with the spring rolls. Place one sheet in the pan of cold water for about 30 seconds or until soft (like Goldilocks, you don't want them too hard or too soft/brittle. If this is your first time, you may waste a sheet or two before you get it right). Remove it, place it on a plate, and fill it like a tiny burrito with whatever ingredients you prefer. Be sure to experiment with all of the herbs, veggies, and cooked shrimp (do NOT use the raw shrimp or beef. Yes, I have to say this. Yes, there are people out there who need to be told the obvious). You want your filling to be about the same size and shape as a hotdog, and it should be offset to one side of the rice paper. Now it's time to try your hand at rolling that bad boy. Fold the sides first (each end of the "hotdog") to seal it up. Then fold the short side of the rice paper over your "hotdog" and tuck it under the ingredients to tighten them up. Lastly, roll the whole thing up. If you get a little tear (shredded carrots are sharp), don't worry. You'll have a couple layers by the time it's completely rolled, so it should seal. If not, who cares? You're about to dip it in your favorite sauce and devour it. Remember, have fun!

PHO ASSEMBLY

By the time you've had a few spring rolls, your pho broth should be boiling. Time to assemble the main course! Place about a half-cup of rice noodles in the bottom of each bowl, then top them with the same amount of raw beef or shrimp (or both!). Now, carefully bring in that big pot of steaming, delicious-smelling broth and ladle it over each bowl of rice/protein. Sit back and enjoy the oohs and aahs as the shrimp turns pink and the beef turns brown (that marinated beef really helps elevate the pho broth). NOTE: Cooking in the bowls is the fun/traditional way to do it, but briefly pan frying the beef instead actually gives a slightly better flavor. Alternately, throwing the protein into the pot of broth before ladling is just fine, too, but be careful to not overcook it! Anyway, you do you.

Now that your protein is cooked, instruct your guests to fill the bowl with anything and everything their hearts desire. It's best to go quick and start with the "harder" (mushrooms, herbs) ingredients first, so they have the best chance of cooking through and imparting those delicious flavors. Also, it's possible to put in TOO much stuff (know from experience...), which will cool the broth down too much, so when it doubt, do several smaller bowls to try out different combinations.

Take a few pictures of your masterpiece, stir it all in, let it steep for a couple of minutes, and then dig in! Like everything else with this recipe, there's no wrong way to eat pho. Chop sticks, forks, soup spoons—go at it however you like. And finally, when everyone has tilted up their bowls to drink those last, irresistible drops of soup, store the remaining ingredients in separate containers, and your leftovers will make a delicious stir-fry later in the week!

Well, that's all I've got. If this isn't the perfect recipe for a dinner party (whether it's with friends or a quarantined family, rain or shine, winter or summer), I don't know what is. My family loved getting creative with all of the possibilities, and their end results were (almost) always delicious. Pho night is sure to become a regular at my house, and hopefully it will at yours, too!

#pho #pho night #pho recipe #recipes #cooking #home cooking #dinner party ideas #dinner party #momblr #mumblr #dadblr #vietnamese food #asian food #foodie #foodblogger

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vexedtonightmares · 5 years

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prompt via @draymalfoi: Could you please write a friends AU of the scene where Chandler kisses every one after coming from London because he doesn't want to reveal his relationship with Monica!

The One With All the Kissing

Lucas was hanging out with Eliott and the boys, playing video games mindlessly the first time they slipped up. He and Eliott had only been dating a few weeks after pining for years, and none of their friends knew yet. They didn’t want to have to deal with all the questions that would come with the announcement, so they decided to give themselves time to navigate their relationship without outside input for a while.

It was a good idea, in theory, but sometimes they forgot that it was a secret. Lingering looks did more than linger and they had to pass it off as zoning out so often that their friends probably secretly thought there was something wrong with them.

“Fuck,” Eliott whispered to himself, frowning down at his phone from where he sat beside Lucas. They’d been discreetly holding hands, crossing their legs just so to make it impossible for the other boys to see them. Not that they were paying attention anyway.

Lucas furrowed his brows and looked at Eliott. “What’s up?”

“Nothing.” Eliott shook his head. “Just a study session I forgot about, which means I’ve gotta run.”

“Booooo…” Basile called from the floor, pausing the game to focus his attention on the conversation. Arthur and Yann nodded in agreement, looking at Eliott with understanding sympathy. Eliott subtly released Lucas’ hand from his grip.

“Yeah,” Eliott agreed, “It sucks, but if I don’t go I’m not passing my exam, so…”

“Well, know that we’ll spend our time crying until you can return,” Arthur reassured him, and Eliott laughed, throwing a pillow at him as he stood up. He made his way around the room to gather up his things before returning to where Lucas was sitting and leaning down.

Before Lucas could register what was happening, their lips were pressed together. It was a great kiss, and he might have enjoyed it if his eyes weren’t frozen wide open in shock, the look reflected on Yann, Arthur, and Basile’s faces. Eliott broke away with a soft, contented look before seeing Lucas’ face. “See you later,” he said, then realized his mistake.

Lucas blinked rapidly and Eliott did the same. He could tell they were both thinking the same thing: fuck.

Eliott recovered more quickly than Lucas expected and he had to do a double take to make sure that what he was seeing was actually happening. After blinking again and rubbing his eyes, he confirmed that it was.

Eliott was bent down over Arthur, pulling his face up to meet his for a brief kiss. After they broke apart, Eliott moved on to Yann, then Basile, giving each of them a kiss. He cleared his throat after straightening up, giving them all a two fingered salute, rushing out the door before any of them could say a word.

Arthur looked a bit dazed, Yann confused, and Basile kept touching his lips as if he wasn’t sure what had just happened. Lucas didn’t know what he looked like, but he could bet it was a mixture of the emotions reflected on his friend’s faces.

Arthur was the first to break the silence. “What the hell was that?”

“Eliott… he just… did he… we…” Basile was stammering, and Lucas might have laughed had he not been paranoid about what everyone might say about the whole thing. He’d have to nip it in the bud before they thought about it too closely.

“Maybe it’s something he picked up when he was travelling,” Lucas suggested with a shrug. Eliott had been away the month before school had started up again, touring various countries in Europe with his parents. It had been at that point that Lucas’ feelings had reached their climax and when Eliott got home they could hardly stay away from one another. Absence did, in fact, make the heart grow fonder, and though Lucas had been upset when Eliott had said he would be away for a month, the month apart had allowed them to reach a conclusion about their feelings for one another and everything had been amazing since then, so Lucas had no reason to complain about it after all.

Yann raised his eyebrows in disbelief. “He travelled around the continent, not to a different planet.”

“Still,” Lucas argued, “We don’t know everything about various European customs. Have you ever even left Paris?”

“I have, as a matter of fact, and no one kissed me randomly,” Yann said with an uptick of one of his eyebrows. Lucas didn’t know what to do but shrug again.

Basile’s eyes widened. “Maybe he has a crush on one of us.”

“Oh, come on Baz,” Arthur laughed, hitting Basile on the upside of his head. “First of all, I think Eliott is straight, and second of all, he’s literally the least subtle person in the world. If he liked someone, especially one of us, we’d know.”

He knew there were other things to be focusing on, but Lucas couldn’t help the surge of satisfaction that had arisen in him. Everyone thought Eliott wore his heart on his sleeve to quite the extreme, and it just wasn’t true. Sure, Eliott did express his emotions in much more visible ways than most people would sometimes, but the deeper part of his love was only visible to the person he had those feelings for. Lucas was just lucky enough that person happened to be him.

Plus, it meant that they’d been surprisingly good at hiding their feelings for one another.

“Why aren’t you freaking out, Lulu?” Yann asked with genuine curiosity. He definitely would have been, if Eliott’s kiss had come from nowhere, and Yann knew him enough to know that.

Lucas blinked a few times to stall as he thought of an excuse. “Because it’s not the first time he’s done that since he got back. That’s why I assumed it was a travelling thing.”

Arthur choked out a cough. “Excuse me?”

“The other day,” Lucas lied, realizing he was digging himself quite the hole, “We hung out and Idriss and Sofiane came over too and he did the same thing when we left.” He should have just pretended to freak out as much as Basile still was.

“He’s not…” Yann trailed off, but Lucas caught where he was going. He bristled unintentionally, but it was Basile who answered.

“Just because he did one little weird thing it doesn’t mean he’s having a manic episode,” Basile stated plainly.

Yann bit his lip, “I didn’t mean—”

“Yes you did, and it’s natural to think that, you can’t imagine the amount of times I thought that when my mom made too much food for dinner or woke up too early it meant she was having an episode, but people with bipolar disorder can still have some quirks without it meaning that something’s not right,” Basile explained, and Yann looked at his hands.

“I’m sorry, I guess I’m just not that knowledgeable about bipolarity and all that,” Yann apologized, but Basile shook his head. “Like I said, it’s ok, you just have to try to become a bit more knowledgeable, especially when one of your friends is bipolar himself,” Basile suggested gently.

Lucas was and wasn’t surprised that Basile had jumped so readily to Eliott’s defense. Of all of them, he’d been the most receptive when Eliott had told them he was bipolar a few months after they’d met. Lucas, Yann, and Arthur hadn’t even known Basile’s mother was bipolar until then either. The part that did surprise him was that Basile was still so willing to step in and try to educate them when they were either being ignorant or complete dumbasses without realizing it. He probably would have gotten fed up with it after a while. Actually, he knew that he would, because he had to do the same fielding questions and assumptions about his sexuality.

“We can all still agree that was weird though, right?” Arthur clarified, and Lucas was sure to nod along with the others. Thankfully, the subject was dropped, but Lucas knew that he and Eliott would have to be more careful from then on.

***

The second time they slipped up, Lucas and Eliott were taking a bath together. They had the flat to themselves for the night, or so they thought, so they decided to make a romantic evening out of it. Eliott had even brought over some mini battery powered candles and a bottle of sparkling apple juice they could pretend was real champagne.

They’d barely had time to clink their glasses together, giggly love drunk messes that they were, when Lucas heard a door slam. Eliott widened his eyes. “I thought you said no one was home for the night.”

“I thought no one was home for the night!”

“Well what do we do?”

Lucas considered their options. If it was Lisa, they didn’t have to worry about anything, she was so oblivious that she probably wouldn’t even notice if they made all the noise in the world, and if she did, Lucas could convince her he’d just had a one time hookup. Manon might cause more trouble. She wouldn’t barge into the bathroom or anything, but she would definitely notice that Lucas had someone over and definitely question him about it until he gave in. If it was Mika, they were screwed. He had no qualms about barging into the bathroom and would probably want to sit there and talk with Lucas until he was done in the bath, especially if Eliott was there too.

“Kitten! You better be decent!”

Fuck. He and Eliott communicated with a wide eyed gaze before Eliott dove his head under the water, just as Mika walked in. Mika opened his mouth, then closed at as he took in the sight. Lucas was sure it looked quite odd, him sitting in the bath alone surrounded by fake candles and fake champagne. Mika looked at him sympathetically. “Did a grindr date stand you up?”

“What? No!” At least his reaction was genuine, that had most definitely not been the question he’d expected from Mika.

Mika gestured to the scene. “Then…?”

“Can’t a guy treat himself every once and awhile?” Lucas scoffed, realizing that Eliott was still underwater holding his breath. Lucas poked Eliott’s foot with his to make sure that he was still alive down there. Eliott poked him back and he nearly let out a sigh of relief.

Mika nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, of course, you do you. I guess I just didn’t think that this was… you.”

“I’m trying to get more in touch with my softer side, break down the barriers of toxic masculinity, you know?” He felt Eliott kick him gently and he wondered if it was an accident or if Eliott could hear his bullshit.

Mika was eating it up, though. “Oh, of course. I do things like this all the time. So sorry for interrupting, kitten, I’ll leave you be.”

“Thanks, Mika, you’re the best,” Lucas smiled, hoping it appeared genuine. Mika turned to leave and Eliott had almost raised his head to the surface when Mika turned back around and Lucas not so subtly pushed him back down. He tried to cover it up as if he’d been shifting into a new position in the bathtub.

Mika narrowed his eyes again, but then thankfully decided to ignore Lucas’ weirdness. “I almost forgot, I came in to ask if you wanted anything from the bakery on the corner? Manon will kill me for eating something she hasn’t baked, but their chocolate éclairs are to die for.”

“I’m good, thanks Mika,” he said hurriedly. Eliott was going to kill him if he wasn’t already dead. Mika waved over his shoulder as he finally left, closing the door behind him.

Eliott resurfaced with a loud gasp and Lucas shushed him, earning a look that screamed Really? After I almost drowned for your dumbass? When Lucas heard the door slam again, he slumped against the side of the bath, laughing weakly.

Eliott flicked water onto his face and Lucas scrunched up his nose in outrage. “Seriously!”

“Yes, seriously,” Eliott said, flicking more water, “I just won the world record for breath-holding and you sit there and laugh.”

“You didn’t win a world record, it was like, a minute,” Lucas pointed out, even though it had probably been longer.

Eliott raised his eyebrows. “Oh really? You weren’t scared I died?” His eyes glimmered with mischief and Lucas could feel himself falling more and more in love.

“No way, you suck at holding your breath.”

“Oh, I suck?” Eliott challenged, and before Lucas knew it, his feet were being pulled so he slid closer to Eliott, head falling below the water in the process.

“Dick!” he exclaimed in outrage when he popped his head back up. “Asshole!”

Eliott nodded. “Yup, those are both things you probably saw down there.”

Lucas couldn’t contain the scandalized laugh that bubbled up in his chest. Eliott laughed too, pulling Lucas closer still, more gently this time. “And I believe you’re the one who sucks at holding their breath.”

“I wasn’t even trying, you ass,” Lucas said as he folded his arms around Eliott’s shoulders. Eliott leaned his head in and hummed against Lucas’ mouth. “Even though you suck at that, I’m still going to make a movie about you,” he said. He’d been saying it since they first started dating, coming up with ridiculous fake titles every time Lucas did something embarrassing.

Lucas drew away slightly, smirking. “Oh yeah? What’s it going to be called this time? Lucas Lallemant, boyfriend extraordinaire!”

“No… not catchy enough.” Eliott paused, leaning back in for a small kiss. Lucas happily obliged. “I was thinking The Boy Who Couldn’t Hold His Breath Underwater.”

Lucas scoffed, splashing Eliott in retaliation. “Fuck. Off,” he said, but he couldn’t stop giggling, melting into Eliott’s arms.

***

The third time, they really should have known better. The foyer was definitely not the most private place, but they generally had a hard time keeping their hands off one another as it was, and the foyer was empty at the time of their arrival.

Lucas had his arms thrown around Eliott’s neck, bodies pressed together so very closely. Eliott’s mouth searched his, and he searched back with even more passion, forgetting where he ended and Eliott began.

The door banged open and they shot apart, looking at the stunned faces of Daphné, Alexia, Arthur, and Imane. Eliott closed his eyes and Lucas could see the moment he came to a decision, realizing exactly what that decision would be the moment before Eliott said, “Well, see you later, then,” and stepped forward, pulling Daphné into an equally passionate kiss. Lucas fixed his hair in the meantime, pretending that this was all normal.

Once he separated from Daphné, he moved on to Alexia, who looked shocked but not entirely opposed to the idea. He supposed he couldn’t fault her for that, Eliott was hot. Daphné looked at Lucas in a daze and Lucas shrugged nonchalantly.

Arthur got another kiss too, but at least he was expecting it this time. He pulled back first, looking at Eliott with a crease between his eyebrows. Eliott turned to where Imane stood right in front of the door. She pointed her finger at him, opening the door. “Don’t even think about it,” she said, and Eliott nodded hurriedly, ducking his head before bolting out the door.

“He’s still doing that?” Arthur asked Lucas, and Lucas nodded.

“He’s done that before?” Imane asked incredulously.

Arthur looked between her and Lucas. “Yeah, once the other day when it was me, Lucas, Baz, and Yann, and then another time before that with—” he cut off when he saw Lucas’ look of warning. The last thing he wanted was for Imane to learn that he’d lied about Eliott kissing Sofiane and Idriss.

Imane narrowed her eyes and Lucas jumped in. “With Mika, Lisa, and I.”

“I can’t believe Eliott Demaury just kissed me,” Daphné said, touching her lips gently. Alexia laughed at Daphné’s reaction. “I wouldn’t get used to it,” she said sorrowfully, placing a hand on Daphné’s shoulder.

“I didn’t mind it,” Arthur said casually. Lucas stared at him in alarm. “I mean, the first time was a surprise, but kissing Eliott isn’t too bad.”

“Join us on the dark side,” Alexia pleaded, gesturing between herself and Lucas. Arthur shrugged again, licking his bottom lip absently. Dear god, the last thing Lucas needed was for Arthur to develop a crush on his boyfriend. Of course, if anyone was to trigger Arthur’s sexual awakening, it had to be Eliott.

Lucas put his face in his hands, wondering what exactly he’d done to deserve this sort of karmic revenge.

***

All the boys and girls were hanging out at the colloc and Eliott and Lucas were sitting a few feet apart, mostly for their own sanity. Lucas briefly wondered if Eliott was going to kiss every one of them before he left that night.

Basile cleared his throat during a lull in conversation and placed a hand on Eliott’s knee. Eliott startled slightly and gave Basile his attention, eyebrows cinching in confusion. “Listen, bro, we gotta talk.”

“Oh?” Eliott asked, looking briefly at Lucas, who shrugged.

“You can’t keep kissing everyone when you leave the room. It’s getting weird,” Basile said seriously, and Lucas choked on his drink.

Eliott’s eyes widened in discomfort. “I’m sorry?”

“No, it’s fine, man, really, we get that you probably picked it up from somewhere you travelled to over the summer, but we don’t do that here. Save the kissing for whenever you get a girlfriend.” Basile patted Eliott’s knee once, and Lucas almost laughed at how extremely uncomfortable he looked.

“Or boyfriend,” Arthur suggested, winking, and making Eliott look even more confused and uncomfortable. Lucas tipped his head back, trying to hold in a sigh of exasperation. How did he get himself in these sorts of situations? Really?

“I won’t lie, I didn’t hate it,” Alexia added, “But yeah, you should stop.”

“It’s just a weird thing to do,” Yann explained.

“Really weird,” Lucas found himself saying, earning a bemused glance from Eliott. Shut up, asshole, he told him with his eyes, I’m doing this for our benefit. Then again, maybe it would be easier to just come clean with their relationship, but when had either of them ever gone about things in an easy way?

“Ok,” Eliott said warily, “I’ll, uh, stop.”

Yann clapped his hands once. “Now that that’s cleared up, who wants more beer?” he asked, forcing a bright smile. Emma and Manon, the only ones who hadn’t been privy to all the kissing, still looked slightly confused, but they were, thankfully, willing to drop the conversation.

“I can grab them,” Eliott said, standing up. Everyone looked at him in alarm, and he rolled his eyes. “I’m not going to kiss any of you, but I could use a hand. Lucas?”

Lucas hopped up immediately and joined him, following about two paces behind. Fortunately, no one found it odd and they resumed their conversations. Once alone in the kitchen, Eliott doubled over laughing. Lucas smacked his arm. “Eliott! Shh! They’ll hear you!”

“Do I even care anymore?” Eliott asked between gasps of laughter. “They already think I’m weird.”

“You are weird.”

“Ha ha.”

“Are you serious, though?” Lucas asked. “Do you think we should tell them?”

Eliott shrugged, pulling Lucas in by the waist from where he’d leaned against the counter after his laugh attack. “It’s up to you.”

Lucas raised himself up on his toes and kissed Eliott hungrily, hands running through Eliott’s tangled, perfect hair. Eliott cupped his hands around Lucas’ face like he always did, and Lucas smiled into the kiss, teeth clanging clumsily. He pulled away slightly, eyes heavy as he turned his gaze up to Eliott. “I don’t care if they know.”

Eliott’s eyes softened, then widened in surprise as he looked up slightly. He pushed Lucas away a bit abruptly and coughed into his hand. “I think they already do?��

“What?” Lucas asked, then turned to see what Eliott was looking at.

All of their friends were standing in the entrance to the kitchen, looking not at all upset that they’d been caught. Imane held out her hand to Yann, who grudgingly handed her some money. Lucas didn’t catch how much, but it was enough to make him scoff. “Really?”

Imane shrugged. “You guys were asking for it.”

“To be fair, I totally thought it was some weird cultural thing,” Basile chimed in needlessly.

“But how— why did you—” Lucas stammered.

“Manon pointed out that she’s been all over Europe and no one goes around randomly kissing people, and Imane pointed out the common denominator of all the kissing occurrences,” Alexia explained, gesturing to Lucas.

Lucas crossed his arms. “So you decided to spy on us?”

The eight of them looked back and forth between one another, then nodded. Eliott laughed softly behind Lucas, and Lucas glowered at him. “It’s not funny.”

“It is,” Eliott said, pulling Lucas back by his hips and folding his arms around Lucas’ stomach now that he could do so in front of everyone. He dropped his chin onto Lucas’ shoulder and Lucas instinctively leaned his head on top.

“Ugh,” Emma said, “If we’d have known you two would be this gross we would have let it be.”

“Seriously? We’re not even doing anything!” Lucas exclaimed incredulously.

Alexia squinted. “No, but you do look sickeningly in love which is, frankly, an affront to the rest of us.”

“Yeah, I thought we had something, man,” Arthur smirked, and Lucas couldn’t tell if he was joking or not. Eliott ignored him and kissed Lucas’ cheek. “Sorry not sorry,” he said, and Lucas could hear the mischievous smile in his voice.

“You’re still weird,” Imane called over her shoulder as she turned to leave the room now that the show was over. Everyone followed behind her, but Eliott and Lucas stayed together a moment longer.

“She’s right, you know,” Lucas said, turning around and pressing a hand to Eliott’s chest. Eliott laughed, eyes sparkling. “So I’ve been told. Can I show you one of the other weird things I picked up in Europe?”

Lucas nodded and suddenly Eliott was picking him up by his thighs, wrapping Lucas’ legs around his waist. Their heads were now at an even plane, so they could kiss without Eliott having to bend down or Lucas having to stand on his toes. “You picked this up in Europe?”

“Mhmm,” Eliott said, leaning closer so their noses brushed together, “We’re in Europe, I just picked you up. And you’re weird.”

“I hate you.”

“You love me.”

“That too.”

“Kiss me.”

Lucas was more than happy to oblige.

#skam france #elu fic #friends au #eliott demaury #lucas lallemant #elu

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jebentnietalleen · 5 years

Note

Tara my love! I love your writing so much!!💖 How about this for a prompt: 22. “I’ve seen the way you look at me when you think I don’t notice.”

“I’ve seen the way you look at me when you think I don’t notice.” - or: the lifeguard au nobody asked for.

It should be illegal, to have a summer that is this hot. All he did today is get up, ate some cereal, and took a cold shower before putting on his swimming trunks and a tanktop, and yet 5 minutes into his bikeride towards the pool he is already soaking with sweat. He can feel his face glow despite the fact that he is wearing a snapback. At least there is a breeze, although it doesn’t seem to help him cool down at all. He can feel his phone buzz in his pocket. Probably Yann, texting to tell them he is 5 minutes late. Or maybe it’s Arthur, asking what’s taking them so long. He grabs his phone with one hand while he tries to keep his bike straight and fails. Good thing it’s still early, there is hardly a soul on the streets. Turns out he was wrong: it was Basile, letting them know he would bring some beers for this afternoon. Lucas doesn’t get why Basile feels the need to text them that, that has pretty much been their daily routine ever since school ended: they go to the swimmingpool, Basile is in charge of beer duty, Lucas brings a frisbee and speakers to play some music, and the rest takes care of water and snacks.

Lucas texts back a quick thumbs up emoji. Just before he wants to put his phone away Arthur sends his predictable ‘why are you guys always late?’ text in the groupchat. Lucas rolls his eyes. Yann is typing something. He can already feel it coming. Yep, there it is: ‘We wouldn’t be late if Lucas wouldn’t make us go across the city for this specific swimmingpool.’ God damn it. He can’t type with one hand, instead he leaves them a voicemessage: ‘Stop complaining, it’s the best pool in Paris and it’s not that far. Anyway, I’ll be there in a minute’ he puts his phone away just as he arrives in the street where he’s suppose to be. He can’t believe they are giving him crap for this. He’s not that obvious, is he? His pocket vibrates again. It’s Arthur: 'best swimmingpool in Paris? You mean that it has the hottest lifeguard, right? Because otherwise it’s just a pool, Lucas. You can’t fool us’. Shit. Maybe he wasn’t as subtle as he wanted to be. Okay, yes, fine, the lifeguard might have been the most gorgeous guy Lucas has ever seen in his life. And yes, he was hot. Very hot. But, like, there were other reasons for coming there. It wasn’t as busy as other pools, and it opened up at 10:00 instead of the usual 12:00, which meant more time to cool off in the pool. He really didn’t see what the big deal was.

He walked towards the pool, stopping right before entering, grabbing the strap of his bag a little bit tighter. It’s fine, it will be fine. He has seen him almost daily. Eliott. Just thinking about his name makes his inside do flipflops. Get a grib, Lucas. You’ve got this. He sees Eliott before he sees Arthur: sitting on the lifeguard stand, reading a book. Lucas glances up to him while he walks past him, hoping his sunglasses will hide his gaze. Eliott is wearing the swimming trunks he loves the most: a dark red, paired with a white t-shirt. Well, that shade of red matches my face nicely, Lucas thinks to himself. Arthur waves him over, Lucas shoots him a quick nod and makes his way to him. They exchange some words of greetings and fist bumps. He let’s himself fall onto the towel he’s spread out next to Arthur’s.

The rest of the gang arrives slowly but surely. Yann hardly takes the time to settle in, grabbing Lucas’ by his ankles and tugging him up to come swim with him. He tries not to look at Eliott as they approach the pool, he really does, but somehow his eyes always find him, even if he isn’t sitting on the stand, which happens to be the case right now: Eliott is making his rounds, walking up and down the side of the pool and lord help him, he has taken off his shirt. One thing Lucas doesn’t appreciate? The fact that swimming requires him to take off his sunglasses. He feels very naked without them, even more than he usually would wearing only his trunks. Eliott is fastly approaching, and if Lucas didn’t know better it would almost look like he is smirking at him? The heat must really be getting to him because there is no way Eliott would pay attention to him, let alone smirk at him. It’s almost as if Yann is reading his mind: 'Dude, he is totally checking you out’ Lucas turns towards Yann and glares at his smiling face. 'Come on, be serious. He is way too hot to even notice me.’ Yann keeps grinning, bouncing up and down: 'I am positive, man, and stop selling yourself short, you are a catch’ Yann looks at him pointedly before he jumps into the pool, leaving him to stand by himself just as Eliott makes his way over. Lucas feels himself grow even redder, feels Eliott’s eyes looking at him before he hears his voice: 'You should really put on some more sunscreen, you’re burning up.’ Lucas can’t believe this, is he… is he mocking him? Or is he serious? He turns to look at him, Eliott’s eyes are crinkling up, his smile taking over his entire face. It’s too much, he has to look away. Before he can say anything, Yann’s voice cuts through his thoughts: 'Lucas forgot his sunscreen, do you guys maybe have some in case of emergencies?’ Yann is avoiding his gaze, probably because he knows that he could kill him right now for this. He knows what he is doing and he doesn’t like it one bit. 'Of course, no problem. Come with me, Lucas’. Hearing Eliott say his name jerks his attention back to him, he almost looks shy, grinning at Lucas expectantly, holding his gaze as he walks backwards towards the mailbuilding. Lucas shoots Yann a deathglare before following him inside.

Eliott is rumaging around in some cabinets, and Lucas feels more and more uncomfortable by the second. 'You know, it’s really no big deal, I’ll be fine, I’ve been lying in the sun every day, I’m sure it can take it by now’ Eliott turns around at that: 'Oh I know, I’ve seen you around here a lot, but you should always wear sunscreen. It’s really bad for your skin to lie in the sun without it, and you don’t want to ruin your beautiful complexion’. Lucas doesn’t know what stuns him more: the fact that Eliott has noticed him or the fact that he just freaking complimented him. Eliott chuckles quietly: 'You look really surprised. You thought you hadn't caught my eye?’ Lucas glances up at him: 'Well, you must observe a lot of people, so no, I didn’t really think you would remember seeing me.’ Eliott looks down for a second before locking eyes with him: 'I saw you the first day I started to work here. You walked in with your friends, laughing, making jokes. It took you a minute to see me. But since then I’ve seen the way you look at me when you think I don’t notice.’ Lucas can’t believe this is happening to him, but it is. Wow. His nerves have calmed down a bit, somehow Eliott’s words are soothing. 'Great, not only did my friends figure out my crush, turns out you were onto me as well.’ He regrets his choice of words as soon as they’ve left his mouth. Eliott’s face brightens even more, Lucas didn’t think that could be possible: 'Crush, huh? Well I am glad to have that confirmed, because now I don’t feel weird telling you that you are all I’ve been able to look at ever since I first saw you. You know, I am not going to complain about seeing you here every day, but I was wondering if maybe you’d like to see me someplace else instead? For example, tonight, in a bar across the street?’ Lucas feels his grin grow wider: 'I would love that. One question: do they have airconditioning?’

#skam france #elu fic #so uhhhh this is probably not what you expected HAHA #whoops? hope you like it anyway <3

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infinitiesofbooks · 5 years

Text

Me rambling about S3 and being an emotional mess

Okay, I have feelings and I need to talk about them. This is not a constructive analysis or anything this is just me talking about SOME of my favorite clips from season 3 of Skam France because it's the end and i'm emotional.

I knew this season would be awesome from the second I saw the trailer.It was genius and I still watch it sometimes because wow.I love that we saw the I saw you the first day of school scene. I love that we were all fooled into believing it was Lucas. Because he's the main and i also think because of the clothes, that's something Isak could wear. But little did we know they were making their own thing.

"T'es pas comme les autres" + adding to this the minute par minute talk

Skam is a very emotional show, with very emotional scenes but I didn't cry cry as much as everyone did. And it's okay obviously. I teared up, thought I was going to die because of the pain, internally sobbed during the whole season. (For me it's 50/50 or I cry a LOT or I just can't because I just have too many emotions and my body is just dying, but it doesn't diminish the pain oh no) But the only two times where I really really really cried were during T'es pas comme les autres and the minute par minute talk. For mpm, I was expecting it. This is my favorite quote of the Skam universe, I use it everyday and it really helped me dealing with mental illness. I knew hearing it in my native language would wreck me. I was tearing up during the whole clip but I just bursted into tears when Lucas said it.

But I was not expecting the "T'es pas comme les autres" clip. I remember watching it, sobbing, thinking what the hell is happening to me. It's a mixture of Lucille's speech, the piano music (i tear up everytime i listen to it) and the images of Eliott. this.was.too.much.for.me. But I love this clip with all of my heart, and I cry as much everytime I rewatch it but I love it.

The piano scene

This scene. This freaking scene. It's unique,it's beautiful, it's a masterpiece. I have a thing with piano, it always gets me emotional and it's my favorite instrument, and I listen to piano music every day.But.this. this was incredible. And it's a scene nobody expected and wow it had so much impact. I can't find the words about how much I love this scene. And I won't ever be able to forget the T'es Suprenant. I remember not being able to sleep after this scene because I couldn't get over it.

Intervention

This is one of my favorite clip. First the acting, Axel how how how? I also love how it's as much as a sad clip as an hopeful one. Yes, it's sad but Mika and Manon are here for Lucas, he finally has support, and it's the clip where things are changing , Lucas starts accepting himself in the next clip and it's beautiful. And also some things that were said in this clip hit me so strongly and I think about them everyday.

Viens on en parle pas

god. Manon coming to Lucas? Her crying ? Him conforting her? And then when he started to cry my heart broke. This was powerful and I'm so glad this clip exists.

Also I didn't talk about Le premier, Combien de Lucas dans l'Univers, the painting/fucking, french o helga natt,not because I don't love them, because I freaking do, they're in my top 10,or even 5 clips (especially combien de lucas, if I did a top 3 it would be here with the piano scene and T'es pas comme les autres (this clip did something to me okay?) and the parallel universe talk with the music behind always get me so so so so emotional and tearing up) but because I've already talk so much about them and said pretty much everything I wanted to say.

Special mentions to Eliott following Lucas on instagram. So many of the instas udpdates are pure gold, so so so many, but I don't think I freaked out more in my entire life than the day Eliott followed Lucas. I literaly went home walking because I had too many feelings and needed to calm down.

Also a little list of my fav things from watching S3

-Lucas & the girl squad. Every. Single. Interaction.

-the millions french words the international fandom is now saying (please don't use them in french class)

-moi c'est Eliott + I can still remember Maxence and his chocolates bars on his insta story being so excited about the clip

-Lucas stalking Eliott

-the whole foyer subplot

-P. O. L. A. R. I. S

I got so emotional over a gifset the other day with the first kiss and O helga natt with the polaris quote

And the fandom becoming astronomers

-Alexia being a bisexual queen

-the dubstep is still making me laugh especially Lucas listening to it and saying he's into it to Chloé

-the unsubtleness. cf : how would you draw me

-Lucas and the marks on his cheeks during the foyer party

-i have an unhealthy obsession with the call your girlfriend scene, seriously, how many times can i watch a clip before it gets weird? Also when the music change when Eliott looks up ahhhhh

-Pas forcément une meuf (and the whole I want to be in a relationship thing ), I have a tattoo appointment to put this on my forehead.

-The whole Grillé clip was gold

-I love Pecholand too, it's so funny to rewatch because ahhh we knew it. Also just Lucas's voice when he's changing the subject from Eliott to something else. Everytime I watch it, I have this feeling, you know, when someone or something is brought up and you start panicking a little inside and you try to stay calm and like nothing is affecting but you're still trying to change the subject. It's a very specific feeling and he NAILED it, the tone of his voice is exactly exactly this.

-The beginning of Phase de Latence (ending ?? What ending?? This clip ends when Lucas steps out of the classroom)

-Emma and her lava lamp. Emma, my love. I see so much of me and my friends in Emma, and the more we have the more I love her. She just seems so real to me.

-The Isak reference

-Arthur&Basile + Daphné + Yann + Imane reaction and talk after Lucas coming out

-the J'ai tué ma mère ref. I knew it. I wanted it. They delivered. Thank you.

-the reaction to the mural monday morning omg. I really thought they were going to repaint it after. But these idiots didn't and they didn't even try denying anything. And I would have bet Daphné would have killed them but I'm glad she loved it.

-Eliott + Imane

-The boy squad Fangirl™ Moment to Elu. I wanna tattoo their faces on my face.

-Them hanging out in the park. This felt so nostalgic to me. It's exactly how I spent my 1ère afternoons in high school, lying in the grass with my friends, reading, talking and it's some of my best memories.

-Elu shotgunning omg

-Emma Manon and Lucas drunk = incredible

-Basile speechs and supporting Boy Squad

-Lucas and his mom AND THE FREAKING PIANO WHEN HE WROTE THE TEXT

-Him defending the mural, Imane being a queen and then Daphné after too

-Leave a light on hahahaha

-the realness of J'ai pas besoin de toi (just wanted to say, i'm still singing Joyce Jonathan every time, just because of the title, not any signification)

-Lucas and Eliott being THAT annoying couple

-All the drawings

-Raccons and hedgehog

-the acting. I just can't see Axel and Maxence, no matter how hard I try (i just tried it for the sake of this point and I just can't, they don't exist when filming)

-David making me cry with his instagram posts

-every single update from instagram

-David changing his profil pics and the fandom loosing it

-the scarf™

-Just everything the cast did. I could make a whole separate post for that.

-Wednesdays

-All the times we were fooled

-THE FREAKING JE T'AIME I'M STILL NOT OVER IT

-Eliott counting the minutes he's been appart from Lucas in the last clip, that dork

I feel like i'm forgetting so so many things, but I can't write down everything, especially the fandom stuffs and how much we freaked out over everything, and all the debates and theories but this has been my favorite part

I'm so glad for this season, and it had been an incredible ride. I also think i would not be this attached to it if I didn't discuss the clips with everybody on tumblr everyday. Thank you. You all made this special.

I wanted to start tagging people but the list was getting way way way too long and I'm afraid to forget someone and also the less people see my rambling the better it is. But if we talked even once,or if we’re mutuals, or If I liked your posts or you liked mine, i love you. So i'm just gonna thank my two friends I talk everyday with.

@praecise we've been talking since the beginning of the season and I'm so glad i was on that ride with you, you're the best

@aspewofnonsense we started really talking only after but i'm so so glad we did and i can't wait to meet you in may

I'm a really nostalgic person and I hate endings, and even if it's also a beginning because you bet i'm gonna follow S4 with the same energy ( I was already so hyped just by seeing Imane at the end of the last clip) , it's the end of Lucas pov and I will forever miss him. And seeing everybody in the tag saying goodbye and thank you to our boy ahhhh. Watching this season was an unique experience and it was so special. But i can't believe this is over. This morning i was listening to music when Remember attacked me without my consent and i started full on sobbing. The whole day i felt almost sick because i knew it was the end, in my last class i was really really feeling bad i couldn't do anything. But after the clip i was sad but also so much happy. I'm so thankful for this season and for Lucas's story.

(Also after the last clip, i was sitting on the ground in the train watching the landscape through the windows as the sun was setting, thinking about everything ,poetic cinema right there)

This afternoon I was like I should be less dramatic. But fuck it, I like being 300% invested in this. Being inside a fandom is my favorite thing.

I feel like I could never say everything I want to say, but (i was listening to music and my song just say i just wanna say thank you as I was writing this yes that's exactly this song) I just wanna say thank you. <3

#skam france #skam france season 3 #lucas lallemant #Eliott demaury #Elu #Me rambling

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ahomeganeyatsu · 5 years

Text

Ran Off in the Night (Part 4)

He got punched in the shoulder before he could even get a word in. Arthur and Yann looked betrayed, lips pursed as they took their seats. Basile looked to be the only one remotely thrilled to be here. He had been the only one who confirmed he would come that Monday afternoon—until they shot him down and made impromptu plans just to get out of it.

Basile was nearly bouncing in his seat and Lucas had to place a hand on his knee to keep the boy still. He wondered if it had been a good thing to bring him here. Then again, Imane had demanded that he bring all of his friends. So, Lucas' hands were washed free from this disaster waiting to happen.

“Seriously, Lucas? You said there'd be drinks!” Yann whisper-scolded, aiming his best I-am-very-disappointed-in-you-young-man stare.

“And girls! Don't forget he said there would be girls,” Arthur supplied, leaning over Basile and patting Lucas’ knee so he could get a front-row seat of his friend's displeasure.

He rolled his eyes at the two. “Are you guys blind or what?” the superior tone in his voice was clear as day. He jerked his chin to the front. “Look right in front of you: four girls. And if you want drinks, there’s orange juice right over there.” He pointedly stared at the table where the cakes and juice were set up. He was careful to keep his lips pursed, maintaining the cool—if a little exasperated at his friends—façade.

Arthur opened his mouth, but promptly closed it. Lucas hadn't exactly lied. It was all semantics really. They should have cleared things up. If they had, they wouldn't have been beaten by a fucking technicality. This was on them. And Lucas could see Arthur come to the same conclusion.

“Okay, you won this round Lallemant,” Arthur squinted at Lucas. He knew the blonde will be keeping a close eye on him. Waiting and ready to pounce on him for his revenge.

Lucas raised a brow and shrugged. Still affecting the devil-may-care attitude. This got him another punch from Yann. “You owe us Lulu.”

He gasped dramatically, placing a hand on his chest in mock offense. “I just scored you free food and drinks. What the hell is wrong with you?” Arthur reached out and poked him on the stomach while Yann, being closer, aimed for his hair and ruffled it. His mask slowly slipped and Lucas snickered at playing his friends like a fiddle.

In all of this, Basile remained in his own world. He was utterly engrossed in shooting heart-eyes at Daphne that Lucas grimaced at how sickening it was.

“Okay boys, big news. I think she just winked at me.” He relayed excitedly rubbing his hand together and smiling like the goober he was.

Arthur, ever the helpful one, took it upon himself to dash Basile's dreams and bring him back to reality. “Nope, dude. Not all. She's just rubbing her eyes.”

Yann snickered beside him and Lucas could only shake his head, a little smile tugging at his lips. Ah, Baz, the poor besotted bastard.

Lucas heard something clunk and reflex demanded him to look and see what it was. He felt dread pool in his stomach and the smile he was sporting had dropped off from the face of the earth. He met Chloe's eyes and quickly looked away.

He could practically feel her stare boring into him. He should have expected this. She was at Emma's party. There was a high possibility that she would have come to an event organized by the same set of girls. Lucas sighed internally, Well shit, there goes not seeing her again.

He wasn't known for being smart when it came to dealing with people. So, being the dumbass he often denied of being, Lucas had to check if Chloe was still actually staring at him. And big mistake. There was a pleased smile painted on her lips, eyes bright and hopeful before she shoots him a wink.

He had hoped that none of the boys had seen it. But Arthur, since he was really out to get him, had been watching her and seen the whole exchange happen. “Oh fuck, now that was a wink.”

“She's so into you dude.” Yann noted. “Did you two hook up on Saturday?”

The guys began to pepper him with questions. Questions that Lucas had no interesting in answering. The light feeling had completely evaporated, anxiety taking its place. It was at that moment where Lucas—not wanting to meet his friends’ eyes, trying to gather his wits in how to answer them—turned to the door and saw him.

The world had suddenly gone silent. He could hear nothing except for the beating of his heart and the rise and fall of his breathing. At the back of his head, a piano piece, one he had tried to recreate in the music room he had snuck into a few days ago, came to life.

Lucas watched him saunter into the room. Steps light with confidence, eyes sharp and guarded with a certain curiosity. There was a barely there smile on his lips as he surveyed the gathering of students. Lucas waited for him to take a seat.

He didn't.

Instead, the guy took a spot in the corner and stood there like a shadow—an apt description considering he was clad in black from head to toe. Lucas continued to stare at him. Caution thrown to the wind, the thought of getting caught staring intently at a boy far from his primary concern.

There was something about him. Lucas couldn’t pinpoint what, but the guy just stood out in Lucas’ mind. The teen wondered who he was. If he was a hallucination or not. Lucas subtly checked if anyone was acknowledging his presence. Because, really, with that face, people were just bound to do so.

Except, no one was looking at the guy. None of the girls at the front had their eyes straying to where the stranger stood. They were completely ignoring him. Or maybe, they just couldn't see him.

He glanced at him once again and felt himself stiffen as he met the stranger's eyes. A familiar set of stormy-grey eyes.

“You're going to be okay. Just stay with me, come on.” A hand pressed carefully on his neck and Lucas grunted in pain. He could only see the blue sky being overtaken by storm clouds.

Lucas blinked and he was back in the common room. He had seen them before. That glimpse of something more before it's ripped away from his grasp was telling. There was just no way he could forget them. In the light, the grey seemed more prominent, the blue left into the edges. Like a storm brewing in the distance. He wasn't sure how long that connection lasted. Only tethered in this world by that gaze. Just like in that dream. It only snapped when Yann nudged him and Lucas felt the noise rush back into his world.

“Huh? Y-yeah. You could say that.” Lucas tried to act as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Like there wasn’t a guy drilling holes on the back of his head with that piercing gaze, standing guard near the door. Like he hadn’t been staring at what could’ve been empty space to everyone else.

“What do you mean?” Arthur asked, brows furrowed in confusion.

“Yeah, Lucas, what do you mean 'you could say that'? We need deets dude!” Yann muttered with glee.

He swallowed and calmed his breathing, “Yeah. Okay, yes I hooked up with her.” Before any of the boys could express how proud they were of his achievement, Daphne had spoken and officially started the meeting. He almost shot her a grateful look but that would have been weird so he held back.

He stole another glance at the guy, and yup, he’s still staring at me.

The meeting didn’t last long. Or it was more of a blur for him. He knew Daphne explained the purpose of the meeting and what the common room was all about, all the while shooting Basile down with every opportunity. It was hilarious and Lucas would be laughing himself silly, like Yann and Arthur. But he was hyper-aware of the guy that abandoned his post near the door and was currently checking the room. He moved with grace, avoiding brushing or bumping into anything so no one would be alerted of his presence. Save for Lucas, of course. The girls started handing them a survey and Lucas answered it with uncalled focus because if he didn’t, he would just keep watching the guy.

He tried not to react when he felt him stand right behind him. Reading the survey over his shoulder and humming contemplatively. And it was all too familiar. Too reminiscent of the past few days. He had known the moment he saw him that this was the presence that had been tailing him the whole week. But denial was Lucas' greatest companion, so he forcefully didn't reconcile the two things. Not until now.

He ignored him with all his might. He just can't afford breaking his cover. He had worked hard to hide this damned ability. He wasn't going to let this guy―gorgeous bastard or otherwise―ruin it for him. Besides, what was he going to say to his friends? Hey fellas, you don't see him but I'm being stalked by this guy who happens to be just right behind us right now. Oh, and not to freak you out but there's a secret society that exists alongside ours except you guys probably can't see it. Yeah, that will go down wonderfully.

“Guys what do I do?” Basile asked anxiously, jarring Lucas out of his musings.

“Write to her,” Lucas said without much thought, tapping the pink survey.

“Yeah, you can always write your number,” Yann added.

“Oh, and write your name. Put Baz,” Arthur interjected, motioning with his hand as if highlighting their friend's name. “My name is Baz, like that.”

“Oh, now that's a good one,” Yann praised with a laugh.

Lucas stayed quiet after that, finishing the survey in record time and handing it to Daphne along with the other guys' surveys. When he turned back to where he sat, the guy was gone.

It was at that point Lucas questioned himself. Did he really see someone? Had someone really been there? Or was it just a figment of his imagination? Driven by his desire to finally discover his stalker, for answers? Or simply a way to divert his attention from the discomfort of Chloe’s pursuit?

Will he ever really know?

#elu shadowhunter au #elu fic #elu #skamfr fic #skam france #my fic #elu chaptered fic

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