#just a giant wolf buddy that he hangs out with sometimes

[mvncesa]

I joked about tiefling julian would have a lil animal companion &, if he has a wolf friend, it being named after a witcher? what if … eskel…

#( tell me to stop posting ; ooc. ) #just a giant wolf buddy that he hangs out with sometimes #and I name him after my favorite witcher boy (geralt I’m so sorry) #I’m just going off of critic/al role vibes where they have lil animal (sentient or not) lil friends <3

[flaminpumpkin]

Happy birthday, Jordan

It wasn’t even 4am when Hal woke up to the gentle green glow of his ring announcing a new message from the Corps. They really couldn’t leave him alone, even on his birthday now, could they? 

He had half a mind to pretend not to notice and go back to sleep. His last mission had been short but exhausting, leaving him completely drained. His dark circles had dark circles at this point, even though he had slept basically all day the day before, waking up only to go to the bathroom and eat half an apple and a toast. 

Unfortunately for him – and fortunately for the Corps – Hal Jordan was a devoted man and an Honor Lantern so he kind of had to. 

With a loud groan, he straightened a bit so he could prop his chin in his hand, not moving from his position on the bed where he was sprawled on his stomach, pillow still half under him. He had been Earth-side for barely two days, if they were expecting from him to look decent, they could fuck right off. 

But when he ordered his ring to open the message, he was greeted by a short and simple: Happy birthday, Hal! Just this. It made him smile (and also breathe a bit more easily, he really didn’t want to go back to space this quickly.) 

Then his ring pinged again and there was a little hologram of his fellow Green Lanterns. He could see Kilowog and Tomar, Jess and Simon. John and Kyle, the younger man grinning like a five year old as he held a notepad with a caricature of Hal drawn on it and come on Kyle, my head is not that big. There was also Guy. Who was… Hal sighed, shaking his head. Guy was harboring a shit eating grin while flipping him off. Typical. 

Before going back to sleep, he sent back a simple thank you note to all of them and then, for good measure, he sent another one to Guy with a hologram of himself flipping the bird. 

He swore he could hear him laugh all the way to earth. That asshole. 

*    *    *

The second time he woke up, around three o’clock in the afternoon, Hal felt a lot less like a zombie. He probably still had a few hours of sleep to catch up on but it was nothing he couldn’t survive without. He had to be up in a couple of hours for monitor duty anyway, so might as well wake up a bit earlier and enjoy some peace before going back to work. 

There was a little cardboard box on his kitchen counter when he emerged from the shower, with a fancy little ribbon and a card. He didn’t even need to open the card to know who it was. 

Firstly, because Carol was the only one, with Barry, who had a spare key to his apartment in case he had an emergency call from the Corps and, secondly, because it just had her name written all over it. He recognized the design on the box being from that fancy French bakery close to her apartment and knew that when he would open it, he’d find a generous slice of their famous lemon meringue pie. 

He ate it in silence with some coffee, responding to the different birthday wishes he had received. Some were from Tom and a bunch of coworkers. There were also several audio messages from his nephew and niece trying to figure out how to work around the feature until their parents probably had had enough and had decided to take family photos instead. Six in total, all of them blurry. But at least Hal could somehow guess what was written on the sign his niece was holding. It made him laugh and he decided to call his brother, just to tease him.

They ended up talking for a while. It felt good, this small bit of normalcy.

*    *    *

Hal was on his way for the monitor room, two cups of coffee in hands, when he heard someone call his name. Ah. He had hoped no one would catch him before monitor duty. He was already on the brink of running late and god knew Batman disliked lateness. But hey, after all it was his birthday. 

“Hal! Hang on!”

He turned around just when Clark arrived at his level. The other man was smiling widely at him, holding a small plate with a cupcake on it in his big hands and looking like an oversized golden retriever puppy.

“Lois made enough cupcakes for an army because she was bored at home yesterday – I’m starting to think that forced leave really wasn’t our boss’ greatest idea but anyway. She told me to bring it here for everyone,” he said before Hal could even ask anything. “There’s a whole plate in the lounge but with Barry around I thought I’d give you one for your birthday before he wolfs them down.”

He snorted at that because, honestly, that was fair. Because of his powers, Barry was basically a walking stomach and everybody knew he had a giant sweet tooth. 

“Thanks, Clark.”

“You’re welcome. And happy birthday!” he said, floating away.

Hal had given up on trying to balance the plate and his two cups in his hands, using a construct instead, when Dinah pounced on him, quickly followed by Oliver and Barry. She was the first one to hug him, kissing his cheek gently.

“Happy birthday, hot stuff.”

“Thanks, Di.”

“Hal, my man! Happy birthday!” Oliver shouted before squishing Hal’s cheek between two big, callous hands, not even waiting for Dinah to be out of his arms.

In retrospect, he should have expected it – it was Oliver after all, the guy didn’t know what “inhibition” meant – but, he couldn’t stop his eyes from going wide as saucers as the blond placed a resounding kiss right on his lips.  

“So? How’s that for a birthday present?” he asked, smug, earning himself an eye roll from both Barry and Dinah. 

“That was my present?”

“Yes. Wonderful isn’t?”

“Truly. I’m delighted. Such a generous present.”

“I’m a generous man.”

“So charitable.”

All eyes turned on Barry.

“Was that sarcasm, Bear?”

The speedster fixed Oliver with a blank stare. He looked even more exasperated than usual, which made Hal snicker. People assumed way too often that Barry was a goody two shoes but Hal had witnessed firsthand how quick witted he really was. “A snarky little shit” Oliver had called him once. And he was right.

“Happy birthday, Harold,” Barry said after a few seconds of silent judgement, opening his arms to embrace Hal.

He returned the hug good heartedly.

“Bear, you can’t wish me happy birthday and then call me Harold. That’s not legal, buddy.”

“Just say thank you.”

Hal simply squeezed him one last time before letting him go, winking at the group as he started to walk down the corridor again.

“Gotta go. Don’t want Bats to be mad at me on my birthday.”

“Like that would bother you!”

“Well yes, actually,” he almost said but he didn’t want to spend the next thirty minutes explaining to Oliver why so he pretended he hadn’t heard.

Truth was, Hal and Bruce were friends. Good friends, even. Recently, the pilot had even caught himself hoping for them to become more than that. They still had disagreements of course, they were both stubborn but they were past that now. Most of the time, it felt more like some weird kind of aggressive flirting than a real fight.

Hal enjoyed the other man’s company, especially now that he was comfortable enough with him to talk about more personal matters, like his family and boy did Bruce had things to say about the weird little clique that was his family. The fond look on his face just made it all the more worth it.

He cherished those hours spent together on the Watchtower, sometimes wishing they could do this outside of their hero work. Maybe he could pretend to need help on the Javelin’s new update to see him. She needed one and the only other person who knew her as well as Hal did was Bruce. He could buy him dinner too. 

Sounds like a plan, he thought, entering the monitor room. 

Bruce was already there, of course. His cowl was pulled back like every time when they were paired up, his hair looking ridiculously good even mussed. The man was always so effortlessly pretty, it was revolting.

“You’re late, Jordan.”

He didn’t even glance in Hal’s direction but it wasn’t like he needed to check that it was him.

“Better late than never, Spooks.”

That earned him a huff and then he saw Bruce slide a cup of coffee towards him on the desk.

Oh.

“It’s probably cold now.”

Lukewarm was probably more accurate – Hal wasn’t that late. But he refrained from mentioning it to the other man, instead grabbing the two still steaming cups from his tray construct and handing his to Bruce. 

“I thought about preparing some too, so lucky us, I guess.”

He smirked at the Bat, oddly proud when Bruce smiled back, even just slightly. 

“Miss Lane’s?” Bruce asked, nodding in direction of his construct while taking a sip of his coffee.

Hal looked back at the still floating, green glowing tray and reached out to retrieve the plate Clark had given him.

“Yep. Wanna share? It was your birthday yesterday after all. And happy belated birthday. By the way.”

It wasn’t lost on Hal that he had completely forgotten to even text him for his birthday but, like he had said, better late than never. He knew it probably hadn’t bothered Bruce, maybe hadn’t even registered with him that Hal hadn’t said anything but it sure did bother the pilot that he had forgotten. Bruce smiled again anyway, something small and secretive. Something just for him to see. Hal could feel an unusual blush creep up his cheeks.

“No, thank you,” Bruce said, turning back towards the screens in front of them, the cup Hal had given him cradled in his gauntleted hands. “Clark actually flew all the way to Gotham yesterday to bring us some. I left it for the kids. Too sweet.”

Hal had to laugh at that.

“Says the guy who takes his coffee with a metric ass load of sugar and cream in it.”

“I’m full of surprises.”

Bruce side-eyed him, half hiding a smirk behind the rim of his cup and Hal laughed again. 

They focused on the monitors after that, a companionable silence between them, and Hal regretted not sleeping those two extra hours earlier. He could feel the bone deep tiredness take over him after a mere half an hour, his body sagging in his chair and relaxing into it despite his best efforts to stay alert. 

He was nodding off, barely even conscious anymore, when he felt Bruce take his cup from his lax fingers.

“Idiot,” he heard him whisper and Hal wanted to retort something but he was too far gone to even form a coherent thought at this point. 

Then he felt fingers graze his forehead, brushing away wild strands of hair, followed by a pair of slightly chapped lips pressing there. He automatically leaned into the gentle touch, sighing long and deep. The lips stayed there a second longer, lingering and warming up his skin, his whole body. 

Hal wanted to wake up, to say something cheeky or, even better, just kiss Bruce. Properly. On the lips. Like he had been longing to do. But all he managed was a weak little whine as he turned his head towards the other man.

“Happy birthday, Jordan,” was the last thing he heard before drifting off completely.

(A few seconds later. Training room. Watchtower.

“Hey, Ollie?”

“What is it, Barry?”

“I think I just saw Bruce kiss Hal.”

“WHAT?!”)

#happy birthday Hal! #batlantern #hal jordan #green lantern #clemwrites

[dancingthesambaa]

The Smell of Plum Blossom Tea Ch 7

Summary: Just like a butterfly wing, a single act of kindness can change the course of the future, it certainly did for MK as a black-furred monkey put out a hand towards him

Rating: Teen and up

Chapter 7: Hero Born From The Shadows

“Selfie!” Mei posed as she took a picture of herself once she won the race.

“Mei!” MK excitedly said as he laid down flat on the ground with his arms raised high.

“MK!” She cheerfully picked him up, “Man that was one wicked race!”

“We almost died,” he weakly said.

“That’s life!” She joked, not understanding he was serious, “now how about we play some Monkey Mech! You can even invite your friend over!”

“Mei, he tried to kill me,” he said once more.

“Okay in that case,” she took out her phone and had an eerie red button right on the screen as she said with a wide smile that promised retribution, “Where does he live?”

“MK WHAT ARE YOU DOING!”

“HAHAHAHAHAHA!!” The trio yelled in laughter at MK's joke.

“I’m not kidding!” He jumped up and down as he carried the staff, “this is the Monkey King Staff! I’ll prove it to you!”

“Okay, how?” Piggy crossed his arms.

“Ummm,” MK held the staff closer to his chest as he began to nervously play with it, when suddenly it retreated inward then suddenly extended all the way to the table Tang and Mei was sitting at and crushed it.

There was a silence as the unbelievable just happen then Tang wildly sputtered out.

“HUBABABABABA Monkey King staff!” He rushed over to MK arm that was carrying the staff and held it up high, “I knew it all along! It is the legendary staff that was used to seal away evil!” Then he paused as he realized the implications and looked to MK, “wait a minute, why do you have it?”

“Okay I’ll bite, if the staff is here, where is the Demon punk now?” Pigsy questioned as he was still iffy on this entire thing.

“He’s at the shoe store,” Mei cheerily stated.

“What?” They all walk to Mei with her phone out.

“This better not be one of your dog videos.” He can’t even tell how many times she shoved that phone in his face when she was coping at that drooling menace.

“Ha! There’s always time for a puppy video, but no he’s trending,” she showed them a picture of a large Bull demon and a familiar flame head boy, “like #DemonBullKing.”

“Holy shit, this ain’t no joke,” Pigsy jaw dropped.

“What do we do?” Tang hesitantly asked

“…I have to go to Flower Fruit Mountain,” they all turned to look at MK. “If the only one who was able to stop the Demon Bull King was Monkey King then I need to go there.”

“Are you hearing yourself?” Pigsy stomped over to him, “we’re talking about a mountain that is surrounded by fuck tons of dangers. Have you not heard of the flaming mountains? It’s the reason why no one has been able to get close to the mountain in the first place?”

“Then what are we supposed to do?!” MK took a step forward, “Monkey King is the only one who is able to stop Bull King back then and the only one now.”

Mei opened her mouth to say something, but decided to close it and just wait.

“Kid look I know this is all a bit scary, but why do you think that you have to do this?”

“Well I have the staff and I can carry it, for some reason,” he whispered the last part then he put on a more determined face, “but more importantly someone needs to.”

Pigsy stared him down as the boy did the same, then the pig demon sighed as he picked up his car keys “Everyone go to the car, it seems we’re taking a trip.”

“Yes!/Roadtrip!/Flower Fruit Mountain!” The trio of humans all cheered as they made their way out, though Mei did slow her steps so that she could match MK.

“So when is Mackie getting here,” she abruptly said.

“Huh?”

“I mean he must have definitely heard your screams by now and I’m not even including the sounds of terror that everyone must be doing right now. We both know that he would already be on his way,” she added.

“Oh, um actually funny thing. He is currently not anywhere near the city right now,” he wilted at Mei’s dumbfounded look.

“What.”

“Yeahhhh he had a call for a medical emergency and he is kinda days away from here,” he scratched the back of his neck.

“Oh my god, talk about bad timing,” she dragged her hand over her face, “well you should definitely call him and let him know what’s up.”

“…you know, I was thinking that maybe, and hear me out here, maybe we don’t call him,” he squeaked out.

“MK I love you like a brother, but what kind of nonsense are you saying,” she stopped the two of them and put her hands on his shoulder. “We’re talking about the same crazy brain worry of an immortal demon monkey that would fret over every last injury if you let him and you're telling me you're not even gonna say anything?!”

“I mean we can wait until he gets back, I just don’t want to bother him when he’s working.”

“But it’s even worse when you don’t say anything! MK you have to-,” she was cut off by Pigsy yells.

“Hurry it up you two! Fate of the world and everything!”

“Oh well looks like we got to go,” MK hurried out of her grasp and quickly went to the car.

“This is not over!” She yelled as she chased after him.

“Lalala! I can’t hear you!”

“Save it for the road,” the pig demon called out.

“Where exactly are we going anyway?” Tang asked, “Can’t exactly get to Flower Fruit mountain by car.”

“I know a guy who can help us out, he is one of the meanest, toughest demons that I have ever met. If anyone can help us get there it’s him.”

Pigsy was lying on the ground in total defeat as everyone was all sitting in Sandy's living room as the big bad demon happily talked about some of his relaxing hobbies and activities.

“He sure is tough,” Tang smirked as he sipped his tea.

“Shut up,” moaned the demon.

Sandy stopped in the middle of his talk when he felt a small tap on his hip as the small pigtail girl began to beg with glistening eyes.

“Oh great Sandy sir, we could really use your help getting to Flower Fruit mountain,” she clasped her hands together.

MK quickly joined her as he went on his knees and began to plead, “please, the fate of the world depends on it.”

“Okay,” he nonchalantly said.

“Really/That was easy,” both teenagers questioned.

“Anything for Pigsy and Mac. I can get you there, but it ain’t a pleasant trip.”

“Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!” They cheered as they jumped around, but stopped in midair as what he said fully hit them. “Wait, you know Dad/Fuzzbutt?”

“Yeah, we have tea together sometimes,” the gentle giant smiled.

“Dad has a tea time buddy?” MK blinked a few times.

“Honestly not the most surprising thing about him,” Mei added. “He regularly hangs with Ní when he wants to take a nap.”

“…I hope they're going to be okay,” MK said as he thought back to all of the animals, creatures, and demons living in the forest. “I’m a bit worried.”

The twenty year old girl snorted, “I’m not, have you seen them? They can tear down groves of trees because they couldn’t share their favorite tree.”

“True,” not only the demons or creatures, but also the animals know how to put up a fight. He even once saw a chipmunk bite off the finger of a hunter before.

“Besides they have BaBa and ain’t no thing or demon is going through her,” she said in complete certainty.

“Yeahhh, she's pretty awesome.”

“Alright let’s get moving,” Sandy said as the two talked to one another. Then he looked towards Pigsy, “I’m telling you now old friend, if things get hairy I’m not the same demon as I was before. I don’t go around picking fights.”

“…ahhh, things have changed haven’t they,” he sighed, “We seriously need to have a talk later.”

“Speaking of talk, has anyone told Macaque about this?” The historian raised his eyebrow.

The two stop short as the pig demon slightly blanches as he whispers out loud, “hold shit, Mac is gonna kill me for bringing his kids into this.”

“Don’t think like that,” Sandy tried to comfort him, “I’m sure that he will be perfectly reasonable about all of this once we explain what went down.”

“Oh he’s not gonna kill us,” Tang said as he slowly began to get color back on his skin.

“Yeah, you're right-.”

“He’s gonna kill the Demon Bull King,” he bluntly said.

“…,” Pigsy had no words for that.

“Oh yeah, yeah he might be a tad bit angrier with him,” Sandy nodded. “Well let’s get this show on the road, Mo initiate the launch sequence!”

“Launch?!” They all questioned as they saw a blue bat leap up from his shoulder and next to the wheel where a big red button was and the car happily pressed it.

Everyone was startled as the whole ship began to shake and various noises rang out, they all ran outside to see that the ship was now supporting a few new features, one of them being three large turbo boosters.

“Onwards to Flower Fruit mountain!” Sandy called out as then the ship took out in a flash as they sped across the ocean.

“Oh yeahhhh!”

“Thank you so much for your help,” the Panda demon bowed lowly as the rest of his students did the same, “without your aid, I feared they all may have not survived.”

“Yeah, I thought that I was holding Yama's hands for a second there,” a crane, one of the students, joked.

“Just try not to take on anymore poisonous elephant demons for a bit, I rather not have to come back here and do this all over again,” Mac said as he adjusted his hold on his bag.

“Oh believe me, we won’t,” a tiger demon nodded.

“Whatever happened to him anyway?” a hippo student asked.

“He won’t be bothering us anymore,” they all look down to see the sheep demon smile at her friend’s serenely.

“W-what does that mean?”

“He won’t be bothering us anymore,” she repeated herself with the same tone.

“I’m not touching that with a ten foot pole,” the tiger muttered under his breath.

“I still can’t believe that people still think that’s she the harmless one,” a large dark wolf said as the rest of them nodded.

“It’s kinda hilarious,” the monkey smirked, he still remembered walking in on her, when he used to make deliveries, and saw her standing on top of a pile of unconscious demons. “Well, I have to head out now.”

“I wish you safe travels on your journey back,” Po smiled.

“Thanks, hopefully my kiddos didn’t get into too much trouble.”

“Have some faith in them, I’m sure they are just fine.”

“AHHH!” They all screamed as they scattered away from the fireball heading towards them.

Luckily, both MK and Mei managed to nimbly land on their feet despite the surprise attack, Pigsy was less than lucky as he fell on his back.

“Pigsy!” They yelled out and helped him up.

“Hahaha,” the wind demon lightly chuckled as she held out her hand, “I’ll be taking that staff now.”

The teenagers got into position as they glared at her, “this belongs to the Monkey King, there is no way you’ll take it!”

“Awww, playing to be a hero, sorry to disappoint but playtime is over.”

Mei and MK looked at one another and without words being shared they split off onto either side running.

“Kids!” Pigsy worriedly cried out as he tried to follow after them, but was stopped by a burst of lava emerging from the cracks.

“Aww, cute,” Princess Iron Fan smirked as she kept her eyes solely on the staff, “you think you stand a chance.” Then her eyes widened as she felt a small aura behind her and she quickly used the wind to push it back, it did little as she dodged a blow to her head.

“Ha! You call that wind? I know a vulture that can easily surpass that for her morning fly,” Mei mocked as she began to swipe at the demon with her sword.

“Little girl, you know not of what-,” she quickly dropped down as she felt a small gust of wind aimed towards her and she was only grateful that she did as she saw that Sun Wukong staff was aimed at her head.

“Don't you dare underestimate us!” MK yelled out as he backed up.

“You little-!” She winced as she felt a blow to her side.

“Should have kept your eyes on me bitch,” Mei grinned as she drew her glowing sword back and went for another.

“That’s enough,” she calmly said, though if one were to look carefully they would see that her fists were curled up in a ball as her eyes glowed a dull red. She then held out her hand, which transformed into the same glove that removed the staff, to block the staff aimed towards her.

“What?” That was all MK could say before he was blown back far away past the mountain.

“AHHHHHHHH!”

“No MK!” Mei screamed with tears in her eyes, not noticing a certain demon freeze up at the name, as she attempted to follow her brother.

“Mei, we got to go,” Pigsy choked out as he rushed to her and picked her up to run as the teenager struggled over his shoulder. “I’m sorry kid.”

Princess Iron Fan was silent as she looked to the two mortals running away from her then to the ocean where she blew the child mortal away. She said nothing as she tightly gripped the staff in hand then vanished away, she needed to go to her husband after all.

The boat was silent as it gently floated along the ocean as the remaining occupants tried to swallow what just happened.

“I’m sorry MK,” Pigsy whispered out as he looked down to the clear water, he didn’t even flinch when a familiar hand touched his shoulder.

“Pigsy,” Sandy quietly said.

“There was nothing we could do,” Tang said with his back turned.

“Nothing? Nothing! I could have done something!” Pigsy marched over to the human with rage as he grabbed his shoulder to see Tang's sorrowful face, “I could have-I should have protected MK! I made a promise to not only Mac but to myself that I would! And now…,” he trailed off as his whole body went slack and let go of his scarf. “It’s over, there is nothing we can do.”

“It’s not over,” he turned up with tears in his eyes to look at his friend, “MK may be lost, but we can make sure no more lives are lost. Make sure that his sacrifice wasn’t in vain.”

Pigsy could only nod as he wiped the tears in his eyes as Sandy put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“Someone has to pay,” the trio looked over to Mei who hadn’t said a word till now. “Someone has to fight.”

“Mei?”

She quickly wiped her face as she continued with her backs to them, “that demon bitch is going to,” she turned around with a forced smile on her face as they all felt an ominous presence among them as lighting and thunder roared in fury, “pay.”

They all nodded as a determination filled them all as they mentally and physically got prepared for the battle arising.

Mei looked out to the ocean once more and gripped the rails tightly.

‘I’m so sorry I couldn’t save you MK, but I’ll make damn sure we’ll end this. This is for you…by the gods how am I gonna tell Makkie?’

“Ugghhh,” MK moaned out as he slowly came to consciousness, he felt two furry hands in his hair even with his eyes still closed. “Just five more minutes Dad.”

“Ooo?”

His eyes snap open as he realized that this wasn’t his Dad as he awoke to a white furred monkey standing on top of his stomach, “uhh hi?”

The monkey tilts his head.

MK gives a small smile as he remembers the times when a monkey back home would climb onto him, “this feels familiar.”

The monkey eyes then glint as several more appear with the same glint.

His face falls, “nevermind this seems more familiar,” he says as he quickly rolls over from the monkeys’ attack and stands up.

All of them looked over to him and it looked like they were about to give chase before they paused and tilted their head as they recognized a familiar smell on him, but then they saw him stand up so that thought exited quickly as they all scurried off.

“I swear, what is with monkeys and my hair,” he grumbled as he then turned to see the ocean in front of him with the volcanic plain just bordering.

“Wha-gha!” He clutched his head as memories of what happened travel all throughout his head. “Right, that…where am-,” he cut himself off as he turned around to see a beautiful mountain towering above him.

“Flower Fruit mountain.”

He gazed at it for a few moments before he got his hearing back and began to rush to the mountain.

“Hello! Monkey King!? You in here!?” He called out as he stepped into the magical cave inside the magic waterfall, which also held magical drawings that came to life. “Can really use your help? Things aren’t looking good!”

He stopped as he waited for an answer, but as he stood there, nothing replied back. It was only him and a small house in front of him.

“GHA!” He kicked over a rock in frustration as he began to look around. He was not about to give up that easily though he did pause when a small butterfly approached him and landed on his nose. “At least someone here,” he jokingly said with a small smile.

“Yep I am!” It replied.

“AH!” He screamed as he flailed his arms at the unexpected response.

“Yes yes it is I,” the butterfly said once more as it fluttered to the ground, “the great monkey-oof!”

“Is it dead?” He questioned as he slowly lifted his foot, he was not about to take any chances, especially not with what happened last time he met with a small talking bug. He and Tang can still feel the icky grossness crawling up their spines, they can never unfeel what has been felt.

Then the bug began to glow.

“What??”

It grew bigger, its form was fluid as it didn’t take shape at first, but then it transformed into a hawk then it soared high and landed as it tiger then the tiger began to stand on its legs as it transformed into a bear until finally, it transformed one last time into a monkey.

A very familiar monkey.

The first thought that entered MK's head when he saw the monkey was that he was taller than he expected him to be. In fact, he even thinks that he’s taller than his Dad.

The second thought was acknowledging that the Monkey King was standing right before him.

“Yep the one and only,” he stood tall as he looked around the room. “Sooo, where’s my staff?” He took a step back when he saw the kid's eyes well up with tears.

“I am so sorry!” He began his rant as he tried to explain what happened and how he messed up royally when he heard laughter.

“Look kid, I have to come clean,” he looked up to see that the Monkey King was kneeling as he put his hand on his shoulder. “I’ve been kinda watching you.”

“Huh?” Then his eyes widen as he remembers all the times he has seen the strange occurrences appear. “Wait what?!”

“Pfft! The look on your face is perfect!” He laughed out loud.

“Perfect for what?!” He was making absolutely no sense right now.

“To be my successor!” He started with a deep voice as he crossed both his arms.

“Uhhh what have you been drinking? Are you sure you’re the Monkey King? I think you may have a brief stint with insanity due to the isolation. I have some herbal remedies that can help with that,” he poked and prodded at the monkey. He felt a tail wrap around him and place him down, he had to stop the sudden urge of twisting the tail hard to let him go, he still remembers all the times Dad did it to him during training. He flew so high up.

“Listen kid, you fought demons and you didn’t die,” he casually said as he opened a bag of chips. “And you made it here, not anyone can lift my staff, but you did.”

“But what about DBK?” He urged him.

“Pfft, what about him,” he summoned his cloud as he laid on it while eating said chips, “you can handle it.”

A small part of MK really wanted to throttle the Monkey King at that moment, but his desperation and anxiety outweighed his irritation as he stumbled upon his words, “but I-I can’t…ahhh.”

This made the monkey pause and he gave an exaggerated sigh as he walked over to the kid and put a comforting hand on his shoulder, “look if you can lift the staff you can use it. Just believe in yourself, even a smidge makes all the difference.”

MK looked up at him and gave a small smile, he may not have the best self-esteem, but he damn well is not gonna stop.

“Now then,” he dramatically began, “the staff was taken from you, take it back.”

MK's smile then turned into a wide toothy grin, “alright.”

Wukong gave a smile to his new successor, but something in the back of his mind nagged him that MK grin reminded of someone, but he can’t quite put his finger on it.

“Ughhhh,” laid a collapsed Red Son as he groaned in pain at the jet impact.

Everyone else was in shocked silence as they watch MK slowly crawl out of the wreckage.

“Man, that was worse than the time we tried swinging from the vines for the first time.”

“MK!” Mei rushed over to him and gave him the tightest hug, “I thought you were-you know and I saw you blast off in the fire, but you are here and alive! I am so glad I don’t have to tell fuzzbutt about your death. Wait, how'd you get a jet? Wait! Is Monkey King here?!”

“Well no, he said it’s up to me…us,” he smiled slightly at her.

“Well that was anticlimactic and sorta stupid,” she muttered the last part under her breath. Then they all felt the earth shake beneath them and looked up to see an oversized Demon Bull King.

“And how are we meant to fight that?” Tang incredulously called out the question on everyone's minds.

The teenager looked at the towering menace and back to his hands and gripped it tight as he pulled his hair into a tighter ponytail, “we believe in ourselves.”

BOOM!

The ground shook once more.

“…somehow.”

“A jet would have been nice right about now,” she mused as she kicked the pile of rubble. Then out of it slowly emerged a smaller, but still very cool looking, motorcycle.

“That will work!” He said as he hopped on the bike.

“Go get him buddy!” She cheered for him and he gave a quick nod before zooming off, leaving the rest of them behind.

“You know how I said before about Mac killing us and the Bull King,” Tang suddenly said.

“Wait what?” Mei raised an eyebrow at the absurd topic.

“Yeahhh?��� Pigsy drawled out.

“Well I think we can safely assume that the Monkey King is now on that list.”

“Oh yeah/Most definitely,” both pink and blue demons respectively said as the pigtailed teenager couldn’t help but laugh.

“Fuccck that hurts,” he moaned out as he attempted to free himself from the rubble.

“You thought you could defeat me!” The Bull King laughed as he made his way towards the mortal. “I will not let a little thief take victory from my grasp.”

MK, who was panicking, quickly tried to find ways out of this, but then he heard a faint noise and looked up to see the arcade sign slightly glowing.

“Just believe in yourself, even a smidge makes all the difference,” he couldn’t help but think back to the Monkey King’s words, but there was also another.

“It will be hard, no doubt.” He heard his father's voice echo through his mind as the pain slowly subsided, “and at times it may seem like the whole world is against you, but know that you still have tomorrow waiting for you. So keep your head held high and look towards the stars, cause that right there is your limit starlight.”

And he does, he is looking past the arcade sign and looks towards the stars that make the faintest appearance among the darkening sky.

Only one thought was clear in his mind when those words combined as he slammed his staff down.

‘I can do this.’

Then an amalgamation of parts from various buildings, streets, and other places began to structure itself together to make a red and gold mech suit with a violet headband and cape.

“It’s time for your family to be brought to justice,” MK yelled out as he pushed the mech forward as he dived bomb down to the demon. “Here comes Monkie Kid!”

The giant staff impacted the demon with a loud burst of energy and sound.

BOOOOOMMMMM!

BOOOOOMMMMM!

Six ears suddenly perked up at the unexpected noise as the owner of said ears' eyes widened as that was coming from the same direction he was heading.

He picked up his pace.

“And I was all like, ‘I have to finish this once and for all’ and I started glowing!” MK excitedly said as he gobbled down another bowl of noodles.

“And then what!” Tang and Mei excitedly asked.

“And I cut a building in half and dropped it on him!”

“Coool!”

“I still can’t believe that happened,” Pigsy snorted as he ate his bowl, “scratch that I can’t believe that all of this happened.”

“I can, it just happened in front of our eyes,” Sandy joked.

“Seeing is believing…I guess,” he threw his hands in the air as he winced as he felt a sharp pain, “fuck.”

“Are you okay?” Tang had noticed Pigsy winces and went over to his side to examine.

“It’s nothing,” he muttered as he tried to focus on anything except the warm hands against his neck.

Sandy didn’t comment on just how fast Tang shot to the pig demon side and instead stood up, “I’m going to look behind back, you still keep your bandages underneath the second drawer?”

“Yeah, but I think I ran out,” he answered, “used it up when some maniac decided to throw water over the counter in a fit of anger and landed right on the handle of a boiling pot of water.”

“Yikes, well I can see what I can find.”

“You know at times like these I wish Mac was here,” Tang said as both Mei and MK nodded.

Boom

Everyone then jumped up at the sound of the door slamming open and turned to see the one and only Macaque looking at all of them with shock.

“What in the hell happened?!” He almost screamed out as when he first walked into the city he could hear the sounds of screams and destruction emitting everywhere. The scenery was no better as buildings collapsed, streets were uprooted, and people were all hiding or unconscious in various states. He rushed over to find his kid's heartbeat and then sighed in relief as he heard their voices and booked it over to them as fast as he could. Though before he could say anything else as he looked at their disbelieved, bruised, but still very much alive appearance before he could let a smile form, his eyes happened to lock onto a familiar bo staff in his son's hand.

“What the fuck?” He whispered out.

“Guess what Dad! I met the Monkey King!” MK excitedly said as he waved the staff around excitedly.

“What the fuck?” He said a little bit louder.

“And I’m the Monkey King successor!” He added on not knowing that the sentence almost gave Macaque psychic damage at the sheer revelation.

The monkey could only stare as he felt his eye twitch, he then took a deep breath to calm himself down, it did not work as well as he hoped. “What in the actual fuck did I miss?”

“Oh yeah, so the city totally got terrorized by the Demon Bull King and his family after the staff was pulled out, so we kicked some ass and MK here saved the day,” Mei proudly stated.

He can almost feel a migraine coming on as he began to rummage through his bag and brought out rolls of gauzes and various small bottles, “okay first, all of you sit your asses down and let me check the damage, and once that shit is over, you will tell me the what the fuck went down when I get a drink.”

“Plum Tea?” MK said.

“Gonna need something a little more stronger than that for this can of bullshit,” he whispered to himself. “By the gods what the actual fuck Wukong?”

“What you say?” Tang asked.

“I said sit your asses down!”

“Dad we’re all f-”

“Just by a glance I can see that some of you are suffering from some second degree burns, lacerations, bruises, and all types of other shit. So you either sit your asses down so I can fix you up or I will knock you unconscious and take it from there,” he threatened.

They all immediately sat down, even Sandy who plopped himself on the floor.

“I swear, can’t even leave for two weeks without shit happening,” he grumbled as he made multiple shadow clones to help make the process faster.

The moon shone high in the sky as many people were laid to rest. Some wounded, some crying, some joyful, some mourning, and some dead. No one still knew exactly what happened, but those thoughts could wait until tomorrow. For now, after the terror and agony they all suffered, it was time to close their eyes and let the nightmares encompass them or a blank passage of nothingness if they're lucky.

The same was said for the ones who helped stop the malicious terror that had once plagued the city, they all lay sleeping in a cozy apartment living room.

Sandy was happily snoring on the floor with Mo as he then was slightly lifted to place a pillow underneath him and a blanket draped over as well.

Tang and Pigsy were snuggled next to each other on the couch, with the pig demon head tucked underneath the human head, as another blanket dropped from above.

Finally, the youngest was curled up with one another, Mei having one arm around MK’s shoulder, leaning against the couch. Their loose blanket was brought back up as it was meticulously tucked then two furry hands softly ruffled both of their heads as they only slightly shifted.

Macaque looked at them with only sheer fondness as he fixed them up. Then his eyes narrowed and couldn't help but linger on their neatly wrapped bandages on both them and everyone else.

He made his way to the window.

“What happened today will not happen again,” the Bull King growled out as his body slowly healed itself. He is still not back to full strength yet, even when his powers had increased tremendously due to the no staff. After all, one couldn’t easily rise from the grave in full health without the assistance of miracle medicine.

“Of course it won’t, we were merely…unprepared after all,” Princess Iron Fan said as she silently stirred her drink. “You have just woken up from imprisonment.”

“Imprisonment heh, that is one way to say that damnation,” he huffed.

“But next time we will be prepared father,” Red Son confidently said.

“Hmph,” he grunted out as his mind was still racing as he thought back to the small mortal boy, “who was that little thief who claims to be the successor of Sun Wukong?” He snarled the last part out.

“Oh he is just a noodle boy who got lucky,” the flame demon huffed as the wind demon stayed silent.

“Well that luck seems to let him wield the staff, so there is some truth in his foul words. Either way, while he is no threat, he is a nuisance and you know what we do with pests” he stood up and his shadow seemed to grow in intensity with each and every word he spoke.

“We crush them,” the boy grinned savagely.

“Under our feet,” he stomped his large hoof in emphasis.

“Yeah, I have a bit of a problem with that,” a voice rang out and before anyone could react, the Bull King was suddenly pinned down by a large violet one-eyed form that emerged from his shadows.

“What is this!?” He yelled out as he struggled to break free, but it proved to be tough as his injuries weren’t fully healed.

“Father!” Red Son began to rush over but was stopped by his own shadow as well. “How dare you! Get your peasant hands off of me!”

Princess Iron Fan, the only one still free, barely reacted as a form from her own shadow began to come out, but instead of capturing her, it turned around to face them all.

“I was too naive to think it was merely a coincidence,” she sighed as the shadowy form revealed itself a very familiar simian face.

“Hey Flicker, Raki,” Macaque casually said to Red Son and Iron Fan as his eyes glinted a hostile violet, “it seems that we need to talk.”

“Six-Eared Macaque!” DBK stilled his movements, no matter how much the urge to break free, as he looked to the medicine monkey, “what treachery has overcome you that you dare make a move against us?”

Red Son couldn’t say a word as he looked at the demon, instead, his eyes were blasted open wide in confusion.

“Usually nothing,” he shrugged as he took a step towards them, “I don’t get up all in your shit when you swing by for some medicine and you don’t short change me.”

“It would be foolish,” Iron Fan said as she set down her cup with a small clink.

“Tell that to some demons,” he said as he took another step forward, “usually you guys are no problem, but now you became a problem.”

“You never interfered with our plans before, what makes this time so different,” he spat out.

“When you attacked my kids,” he bluntly stated with a snarl on his lips as his eyes glowed a bit brighter.

This stilled both father and son, but not the mother who pinched her nose.

“I was afraid of that.”

“You should be,” he sneered out as the shadows all around grew in intensity as they crawled up the walls leaving the area there in almost total darkness.

“Wait kids?! Do you mean noodle boy and biker girl?” Red Son asked as he flinched as the eyes locked onto him.

“MK and Mei, I know I told you about them plenty of times,” he drawled out.

“I didn’t realize they were the same ones,” he horrifyingly whispered out.

“Apparently not many do, so here’s what’s gonna happen,” he said with an even tone, “unless they have attacked you first, you will not lay a fucking hand on either of them, cause if you do, well I won’t be very…kind,” his voice echoed throughout the caves. “Do we have a deal?”

“Deal,” the Queen said first.

“Deal,” the Prince agreed next.

“…Deal,” the King lowly said.

“Good,” the shadows vanished in a poof and both Bull King and Red Son were freed and the cavern walls were once again illuminated by the soft glow of light, “I’m glad we can come to an agreement.”

“Will you still supply us?” She asked as she got down to business, he may have just threatened them, but he is currently the only demon nearby, and most experienced, with not only knowledge of medicine, but can acquire precious materials.

“Same charge,” he waved off as he began to walk away, “and Flicker, Sandy really?”

“It didn’t occur to me he was there until after I attacked,” he winced as he voiced his embarrassment, he didn’t notice his therapist was there until all was said and done. He should probably be grateful that Sandy usually goes with the flow, else he really would be screwed.

“Good luck on the next session,” he smirked, “Also, Daiyu wants a spar sometime, she misses having to fight against a fire demon,” he said. Daiyu has some issues going on in her mind, but that ain’t any of his business. He absolutely does not want to know what goes on in there.

Red Son blinks momentarily as she stands up straight and begins to boast, “As if she can hold her own against me! Tell her I will meet her in due time and she best be prepared.”

“Will do,” and like that he merged back with the shadows and vanished from sight.

“So what do we do now mother, father?” He looked towards both of his parents.

“We will honor the deal we made,” Iron Fan stated.

“Of course,” he didn’t even have to think to agree with that, even without the deal he still wouldn’t have attacked anything Macaque had claimed.

“And we will get stronger,” DBK finished as he stood up and began to walk away. He had no trifles with the Six Eared Macaque, even now when he wishes to wrap his hands against the monkey's throat for his words against him and his own, but he won’t. The two may have strict business relations, though the same can’t be said for his son and wife who seems to be on more…friendlier terms with him, he has a smidge of respect for the medicine monkey. He has heard the tales, both myth and reality, and he can acknowledge that the demon strove to his power through sheer cunning and wit, even if he had to stick to the shadows to achieve that.

So no, he will not go against the monkey deal, he has more integrity than that, but he will not show mercy if those mortals attempt to go against him.

“We will be unstoppable,” Red Son grinned as he made his way to his workshop. He had some inventions he’s been meaning to build.

Princess Iron Fan silently watched both her husband and son go in opposite directions. She gave a small sigh as she picked her cup back up and held it into her hands.

“It seems that the winds have changed once more, I wonder which direction it will blow.” She asked herself as she took a sip of her tea, then she scrunched up her nose at just how cold it was.

Oh yeah, I’ve been keeping the two of their reveal in my back pocket for this moment XD Props to anyone who may have figured it out along the way!

#lego monkie kid #six eared macaque #macaque #mk #monkie kid #monkey king #PlumTeaAU

[conant21]

Heart of Iron

So sorry for the wait, this chapter was kinda hard to write and I kept getting huge moments of writers block. This chapter is kinda important for the civil war chapter to come. As always i hope you enjoy!! Also who saw the final of Agents of Shield, I cried so hard at the end!!!

Prologue: the beginning  Chapter 1: Ophelia  Chapter 2: Viper  

Chapter 3: Insight

Chapter 4: Agent 

January 17th, 2014

You stood waiting on the SHEILD aircraft designated the Bus with Agent Simmons waiting for Fury to arrive with Phil Coulson and his team of agents. After rescuing Simmons and her friend, Fitz you recalled Fury mentioning earlier, you made your way to help bring the rest of Hydra down. Fury was going to continue in his journey and eventually regroup with Hill, but you wanted to stay behind and help Coulson stop the rest of Hydra. Even though you were undercover, the terrible thing you had to do in order to maintain you cover haunt your dreams most nights. “Um, Sorry to bother you but I don’t think I properly introduced myself, I am Gemma Simmons.” You looked towards her to see her hand extended and a small smile on her face. You could see she was nervous, but you couldn’t tell if you or her team being in danger. “I know Fury debriefed me on the way over I’m…” you stopped yourself Hydra was gone yet you hadn’t been Y/N Stark since you took your undercover mission. The longing was still there to reconfirm your identity even after all the time that has passed. The fear of your father finding out you were still alive lurked in the back of your mind yet the demons that followed your undercover name hanged just as heavy. Simmons was still looking at you waiting for your name and you decided no more hiding, “Agent Y/N Stark.” The look of surprise overcame her features and she opened her mouth to begin asking questions as the sound of tires came from the tarmac. Two black SUVs pulled up. You waited as Coulson, a female agent you heard stories of back at your days in the academy, agent Melinda May, another man who you assumed as agent Trip, and a girl Skye the brand-new agent gets out. In the second vehicle you waited as Fury got out. Both Skye and Trip paid you no mind and surged forward to Simmons. Coulson meat your eye as Fury whispered something to him; the flash of recognition was visible in his eyes, yet you have never meet him in person till today. You followed Fury and Coulson up the stairs towards Coulson’s office area as May began the process for takeoff.

January 10th, 2015 - One year later  

You had been on the team for a year and had never felt better. Coulson had asked you to help keep watch on Hydra since you had the most experience. The team had taken your past work details extremely well considering your alias, Ophelia Sarkissian was wanted in every major country, yet it had been the knowledge of your real last name that freaked out the others the most. Trip seamed cool about it he kept calling you his commando buddy which you found amusing considering your grandfather wasn’t a howling commando rather a friend of the group. Skye who you had become fast friends with was the most excited as she always had questions whether it was about your father or the Avengers even though you hadn’t been in contact with your father in years and had only meet two of the Avengers. Simmons was a close friend as well since it was your insight and instructions that helped her to maintain her cover within Hydra since it wasn’t clear if the organization knew of your betrayal. Fitz who was still having trouble due to his brain damage was nice, yet you stayed out of the lab as it wasn’t your strong suit even though you grew up in a similar setting. May who you helped with the new recruits since you two had the most experience with the field work and graduated the operations academy. She was still warming up to you, but you could tell that she respected you and trusted you enough to go on missions together. A few other agents had joined the team such as Agent Alfonso Mack who seemed nice enough yet there was an air of mystery to him that you had yet to crack and Lance Hunter who you found charming yet annoying.  

You sat in the lounge with both Skye and May waiting for Trip to bring back Simmons after her Identity was soon to be compromised thanks to your recent run in with Rainia. You had volunteered to go and help but Coulson had wanted you to stay at base. “So, what is your favorite memory with Tony Stark. I can only imagine,” came Skye’s voice form across the coffee table at the couch. “Well there are a lot of good memories but my favorite where when he would take me to Stark Industries, and I would sit in his chair in his office and pretend to be in charge.” A wave of nostalgia hit you as began to remember your time with your father. “You miss him, don’t you?” “Sometimes I do but I also think he is better off to think I’m dead. I did a lot of horrible things to keep my cover with Hydra. On the other hand, I would also like to see him in person again. It’s the little things you miss the most, like he used to give the best hugs,” came your reply. You could feel tears welling up in your eyes as May stood up and walked behind you patting your shoulder as she walked out to meet up with Coulson. “You know if someone were to say…oh I don’t know that I might have stood outside Stark tower in cosplay I would say they are lying.” Skye’s voice broke you out of your morose thoughts. You started to laugh in way you hadn’t since your academy days. “I don’t know Skye it kind of sounds like you did,” you replied through the laughter. Skye soon joined in, “You know it’s been a while since I had any real friends. I would like to think that you are one of them.” “Well I would be deeply honored to be friends with the great Y/N Stark,” came her reply. You could tell that it meant a lot to say you were both friends since this line of work came with so few. The two of you turned to the door as Tripp walked through. “Dang girl you already started the party without me” “You know it. How did the pickup go?” “Good I got Simmons and another Agent. Apparently, she is Hunters ex-wife, I left as soon as I could,” he replied as he sat down next to Skye. “Damm, do you think I would know her…” You trailed off as a brunette walked into the room arguing with Hunter. “Bobbi? Is that you.” The brunette turn to look at you, a big smile on her face “well, well, well if it isn't Y/N/N Stark.” You got off the couch running towards her for a giant hug both laughing at the sight of each other. Tripp spoke up from the couch, “And how do the two of you know each other?” “We were roommates at the academy,” Bobbi spoke up as you smiled both turning towards him “Yep she was like a big sister to me. You didn’t say you were married to Bobbi Morse,” you looked at hunter as he grabbed a beer out of the fridge nearby. “Oh, sorry I didn’t know the she-devil needed to be named.” Bobbie turned towards you rolling her eyes at his comment. Both of you returned to the couch as Coulson, May and Simmons walked into the room. You gave a brief smile towards her before Coulson began the briefing. “Agent Stark since you know more about Whitehall I would you to run through the information that Simmons has gathered. We need to know what his next order of business is going to be so we can stay ahead. Syke, and May will be running point on the obelisk till we can find it that is our priority one lets get to work.”

tag list:

@hnnhjy​ @purplekitten30​ @aspiring-fangirls-world @calciumcow​ @amazingfantasticmarvelous​ @truthdaze​ @laceyn-1201​ @givemebooksorgivemedeath​ @spacewalker02​ @jsmith509 @lizs2000​ @geekysimmerthings​ @eternallyvenus​ @iamaunicorn4704​ @thelostallycat​ @white-wolf-buckaroo​ @starkbelova​ @broco8​  @caswinchester2000​ @alainabooks143​ @vxidnik​ @belledawnidk​ @bitch-imma-head-out​ @serenitythepanther​  @belcvayelena​

#Iron Man #tony stark #tony stark daughter #tony stark x daughter!reader #Bucky Barnes #bucky x reader #bucky barnes x reader #fanfic #Steve Rogers #steve x reader #steve rogers x reader #Winter Solider #winter solider imagine #agents of shield #agents of shield x reader #Avengers #avengers imagine #mcu imagine

[mothmansrevolt]

LU Girl Scout AU (and subsequent PTA AU)

LU au where they have to pretend to be girl scouts because Time has to prove a point to the pta board and to the Karen Squad Its basically a bunch of highschoolers and singular college student pretending to be girl scouts because of both friendship and Time just shoved some sashes in their hands and said Y'all are all now girlscouts and offered to get them Chipotle as payment.

Twilight is in college(online). Warriors in a senior. Legend and Sky are juniors. Hyrule and Wild are sophmores. Four and wind are freshmen. Four is homeschooled by his grandfather though.   All are in a specila branch called hylia scouts (creative i know). This means they get set uniforms and competitions with other troops over cookie selling boundaries since hylia scout troops are usually very close to eachother. There are two troops in their area including them. Troop 4296 (the Links) and 6669 (the Karen Squad) They are troop 4296 because Time wouldnt let them have either 420 or 6969

Time--a pta mom--rivals with the Karens--tired as all hell but will not hesitate to prank the karens--troop leader and/or chaperone depending on the situation--He has a million bumper stickers supporting his "girls"--honestly he's just here for the cookies--someone get this man a coffee--has two sons according to the law, but has eight in spirit--you mess with his children he will not hesitate to murder you--all his sons are arsonists and he doesn't understand why--will call the links his "daughters". half the town can't tell what children he actually has--loves coupons and discounts "Malon said I'm not allowed to start fights at the pta meetings but I will not hesitate drag her here if you insult my beautiful brats again." Twilight­--Time's eldest son--only in this because he doesn't want his friends to get hurt and he loves his parents--a good boy--loves animals and will not hesitate to educate you on them--he wears overalls and if forced will wear a skirt over the overalls--he cant sell cookies for shit because nobody believes that he is a girlscout--sometimes has to duck down behind Four if certain people are around because they'll get suspicious--it does not work--He pretends to be everyone's big brother and they love him for it--perpetually confused by Wolfie "I have command over an army of teenagers and goats, nothing can stop me but gas money and my gpa." Wild--Time's second son--can pass as a girl pretty well--he destroys stuff during craft time--hot glues patches to sash--He has every one of the cooking patches and than some--Often seen with the camera photographing everything--Will help create new badges--give this boy a scavenger hunt and he will find you just about anything--has a tendency to ride on wild animals--isn't legally allowed to drive a car nor own a license. nobody knows why--second most convincing for this whole thing "This is just a glorified gang and honestly I am living for it." Four--from the neighboring farm but Twilight and Malon babysits him sometimes. he is a staple--the karens keeps trying to steal him because he is 'innocent' and 'a little lady'--this leads to ridiculous hijinks--he is small, quiet, not very mentally sound but he tries his best and is brave as all hell--owns the most badges--will rock the skirt always--fashionista or fashion disaster, there is no in-between--he's the most committed besides legend and warriors but is the most convincing--best cookie seller--Often seen handling sharp tools and knives for some reason, who gave this child a weapon?!--tends to befriend bad people--the only one with the fire safety badge even though, he to, is an arsonist--wears a vest because the sash is too big, Malon made it for him--has a bird named Ezlo who sits on his head "Sorry Miss Karen but I've been bribed with my first born child so kindly fuck off." Legend--salty and sassy--will always rock the skirt--also a fashionista and knows accessories--he's really only in this because of a running bet with warriors--he has a soft on the inside sometimes--he will get into cat fights--The other girlscouts from a rival troop HATE him because they will always lose arguments against him--knows the most about girl scouts, won't say how--Often seen blinged out with the jewelry he wins at the local chuck-se-cheese with his buddy Ravio "I have command over an entire troop of shortstacks and will not hesitate to order a strike against your fucking kneecaps. Do NOT question the authority of this skirt." Warriors--pretty boy--in a bet with Legend--also a fashionista--he is a big brother tho-- protection squad and trying his best--he is on student counsel and is a good leader--stand in when Time is busy--Often seen with a sports bag in one hand and a girl scout sash in the other--all the troops think he is a major lesbian because he keeps flirting with the other scouts--he gets more numbers as a girlscout, not that he could ever admit this "I'm a known lesbian among the girl scouts and honestly that is my crowning achievement." Sky--is here because his friends are here--He is the mom friend--second best at selling cookie because of his sweetness--He often tag teams with Four for selling cookies--is slightly confused but he's here to make sure nobody gets hurt--honestly just naps during meeting-- Often seen with blanket and a comforting hug--rival troops actually have scouts seeking out to befriend him--always forgets his skirt and is often seen borrowing his girlfriend Zelda's "Guys, please stop fighting you are all beautiful young women. Karen, you shut the frick up." Hyrule--the camper and nature boy of the group--he loves and has earned every patch for exploration and camping--tends to get lost--needs navigation patch--its been revoked from him twice--Humble and nice--often sleeps over at other peoples houses--nobody knows where he lives--it confuses the shit out of them--He is buddies with Four because Four knows the backwoods and roads the best--Often not seen due to being lost "Legend duck taped a gps to me arm and I think its lost to :(" Wind--baby boy--not as innocent as the others think--he absolutely loves being a girlscout--will play pranks on the other troops during jamborees and campouts--lives by the sea, slightly far away form everyone else--He helps with the nautical patches--hangs with the resident young delinquents, Tetra's gang. she thinks this is hilarious--he owns the troop wagon that they all use--its named King of the Red Lions or just Dave depending on the hour--only here because Twilight babysits him and his sister--also wears a vest because he thinks its cooler--Often seen with a telescope and covered in sand--someone give this child a bath "My first love may be the sea, but my second is that damned burrito, hand me the fucking skirt!" Wolfie--troop mascot--a giant half wolf half god knows what--has his own vest and patches-- has a tendency to just show up--Nobody knows where he comes from nor where he goes--he is the town cryptid and it isn't uncommon to see him pulling the troop wagon with the boys in it--Four still rides on his back--it counts as the horse back riding patch--Twilight is perpetually confused by him and its become a running gag that Wolfie is his fursona--loves cookies, sadly the cookies do not love him--can vaguely say curse words "arf" Shadow and Dark(I'm not sorry)--in karen's troop 6669 (for fun? for rivalry? who knows. they don't)--brothers--edgy bastards who are in a band together--Shadow is best friends with Four, Dark thinks he's pretty rad--Often seen with Four and the other edgy teens--both sassy, both easily pissed but trying to be kind of nice--Shadow is the only one who has achieved this--no those are not their real names, its Link and Link like everyone else in this goddamned town--HI MY nAME IS ebONY DArknESS DEMENTIA RAveN WAY--Dark is the author of My Immortal--both suck at selling cookies--tag team with Four to try and help their sales--rivals of troop 4296, they despise each other--both wear vests because Shadow wanted to match Four and Dark decided he can trick out the vest "Our mother may be a bitch and a dumbass, but at least we aren't petty white boys." "Wait Dark we are petty white boys" "FUCK" Karen Ganondorf Smith, Kaaren Link Johnson, Carhaen Reese--bitches and pta moms--runs the pta--the karen squad--Reese's daughter named Betghyani who is very nice and likes troop 4296--Johnson is mother of Shadow and Dark--they are fucking nuts y'all--they represent the three evils of the pta: the enforcer, the healthy diet extreme, and the bitch against disabled children (quiet hands!!!)--despite popular belief, Four (Link Smith) is in no way related to Karen Smith (legally at least. Karen thinks they are and it doesn't end pretty sometimes)--they all hate Time with a burning passion because he is not afraid to call them out on their bullshit "I've brought up so many stances and rules into this pta and will not have some farming hooligan upstaging the careful work me and the other heads have created!" Malon--couldn't be on pta because she almost murdered a karen with kindness--sweet and kind but can still kick ass--helped make and fix uniforms--acts as chaperone when needed and finds this all completely hilarious--she makes snacks with Wild for the meetings--has adopted all of these children--actively enforces Wind and Four to eat more because whY ARE ALL YALL SO TINY--can lift a cow "Don't talk to me or my husband or my son or my son or my eight fake sons or my lovely eight fake daughters ever again."

#linkeduniverse #linked universe #girl scouts #au #this is so stupid #but I love it #I just wanted to draw these idiots as girl scouts #Four is so done with karen's shit #Time being a dad #pta au #kinda #lu girlscout au #I wrote so much for four #I love him so much #please send help this idea came to me at 3 am #kyle waz here

[eveningcatcher]

Portia x Muriel headcanon

"Pepi, are you there?" Portia called out to her beloved kitten, "Don't go too far away, okay?"

Pepi sat down on the grass, purring.

"It might be dangerous, you know?" She crouched and started collecting some plants, "So we're going back as soon as we collect herbs for Mazelinka, got it?"

The cat meowed, walking away deeper into the forest.

"Just don't go far away, okay?" She continued to pluck plants.

"Let's see... I got Chamomile but I also need, what was it called once again..." she rubbed her temple with the clean hand, trying to remember the plant's name, " Rhodiola, yeah, that's it. If I remember correctly, Mazelinka told me it grows a bit deeper in the forest," she stood up, putting the herbs into the basket, " Pepi!" She called, " Come on girl, we're going on an adventure!" Just as she was about to call her cat once more, the little siamese came out of the bush with a little branch in its mouth.

"Aw, did you find this for me?" She pats the cat's head, "Thank you, you're an amazing dear. Let's go now," she pointed forward, "Into the forest! And possible danger, but who cares?" She started talking to the cat, "It's more interesting that way, you know? Maybe we'll find a ghost or something like that. That would be so cool!" She said, her eyes gleaming, "Girl, think about it," she lowered her head to the cat, who just stared at her, "That would be- oh look!" She walked a bit on the left from the path, "I think this is the plant!" Pepi sat down, grooming herself as Portia cut the plant by the handle, "Babouche said that mushrooms are growing in the forest, wanna go and find them with me, Pepi?"

"Mroow."

"Let's go! Don't ask where 'cause I don't know," she giggled by the end of the sentence, " On the bright side if we get lost we can always orient by the stars during the night." She chuckled nervously, "You'd protect me, wouldn't you?"

Pepi meowed in approval, jumping on Portia as she tried to climb to her shoulder, burying her claws gently in her clothes.

"What's wrong dear?" She pats Pepi's head, looking in the direction her beloved cat is hissing, and she realised something was wrong. A giant black wolf was walking to them, with a gleam of curiosity in its bright yellow eyes.

Portia stood there, not daring to even flinch. She knew that sudden reactions won't help, so she slowly started to back off as she held her cat still.

The wolf noticed her getting away, so it started to walk closer, fixing its gaze on Portia. It walked slowly as if it were a bit scared of Portia herself.

"Easy there," Portia said as she raised her unoccupied hand, trying not to disturb the animal, "I don't want to fight, okay?" she gave the wolf a worried smile.

The wolf sat down, shifting its head.

"I'll be going now, alright?" Portia took the opportunity and picked up the speed.

The wolf seemed to notice, so it stood up and walked to Portia, whimpering.

"I..." Portia looked at Pepi for advice, who just meowed and hopped off her shoulder, starting to play with the wolf.

"Weren't you the one who was scared of her?" Portia giggled, "Mazelinka won't believe me when I tell her who I've met in this forest," she pats the wolf, " Oh, aren't you a good girl? Sorry for being scared of you," she crouched to the wolf, combing its fur with her fingers, "Your fur is so soft..." she smiled as she stood up, "Sorry but we have to go. Come on Pepi," she snapped her fingers twice, " Say goodbye to the wolf and let's get going." She waited for Pepi to nuzzle her head on the wolf, saying her farewell to the tame wolf.

"Now, off we go!" she smiled as she continued the conversation with Pepi, as if nothing happened, "You know, I hope the mushrooms I took aren't poisonous," she giggled, "I can't remember if Babouche said that the mushrooms had a dark brown colour," she stopped talking for a moment, trying to recall the conversation she had with Babouche. After a couple of moments, she brushed the thought off and continued talking, "Guess we'll find out at Mazelinka's."

She would continue with her chatter if she didn't hear someone walking behind her. She quickly turned, adrenaline running through her veins, only to find that it was a false alarm.

"Oh, it's you," she smiled at the wolf, "Whatcha doing here buddy?" she continued walking, with the wolf and Pepi following right behind her, "Sorry, but I don't have any treats on me, so you should look for food somewhere else. Come on," she pointed at the forest, "Pepi and I will visit, right girl?"

"Meoww."

"See? Now go, to your family and...friends?"

The wolf walked right in front of Portia, tilting its head to the side, giving Portia the saddest look. Soon enough, the wolf was not the only one who looed at Portia imploringly; Pepi joined, sitting to the wolf's left, pleading not only with sad eyes but also with her constant meowing.

"Ugh, fine, we'll stay," the animals looked at her with utter joy, the wolf howling happily as Pepi walked around her legs, meowing happily.

"We won't stay for long though," she started explaining to the animals like she would explain it to her brother, "Because if we do, Mazelinka will get us with her spoon," she shivered at the thought as she followed the wolf who lead them back into the forest, "There is no mightier weapon than that wooden spoon," she laughed as she tried to imitate Mazelinka's voice, "Made from the full palm wood and older than the two of you rascals," she giggled.

"Meow," Pepi got in front of Portia, looking for Mazelinka, "Mrrow?"

"She is not here, cutie. It was just me."

Then, out of nowhere, the wolf started barking happily as she ran past Portia, nearly knocking her over.

"Ow, slow down," she flinched as she looked at who the wolf ran to. A giant man, who must have been at least half a meter taller than she bent down to the wolf, giving it a pet. With a low, scratchy voice, he said, "Inanna, I have been looking everywhere for-" he raised his head, looking straight at the girl.

"Um, hello there," she gave the man a gentle smile, "Her name is Inanna?"

"..." the man stared at her for a moment, then let out a sigh, "If you went right behind you, you'll get out of the forest."

"Don't worry, I'm not lost."

"Then leave. The forest is dangerous, you'll end up hurt."

"Oh please," she brushed off his comment, "This forest fears me!" she puffed her chest, forgetting how she got terrified of the wolf just an hour ago.

"..." he just stared at the short girl with a smile, "Says the girl who collected poisonous mushrooms."

"So they are poisonous," she giggled, "But I was told the mushrooms were brown..."

"You're probably looking for Maitake mushrooms."

"Yes," she snapped her fingers, her eyes glowing, "That's what they are called! Could you please lead me to where they grow?"

"...Fine," he sighed, "But then leave."

"Alright, alright, I promise," she said as she dropped the poisonous mushrooms on the ground, following the man, "So, you know the forest well?"

"Yes."

"That's... great, and useful," she smiled to him, a bit nervous at how stiff the man is around her, "Honestly," she started talking to the man, trying to break the silence, "When Pepi and I first saw Inanna, we were terrified, haha."

"She means no harm."

"Oh, we realised that," she smiled, "I didn't catch your name, sir."

"..." he was silent for a moment, but decided to respond to the chatty girl, "Muriel."

"Well, thank you, Muriel, for helping us! It means a lot. I'm Portia!"

He was silent for a moment, not knowing how to respond to her kindness, so he just changed the topic, "We're here," he gestured at the mushrooms.

"Already?" she started to collect the mushrooms, "I guess that the time does fly with a great company," she smiled.

"I...guess," his cheeks flushed, "You're... not that bad," he returned the smile.

"Aw, thank you, you're so kind," she giggled as she struggled to take a particular mushroom, "You're not going to take any?"

He just shook his head in response.

"Why not, there is enough mushrooms for at least seven people, plus if you cut them like this," she showed him as she cut the mushroom with a knife, "It will grow back by the next morning. As long as you don't take the root, too, of course."

"I just... don't have the will to collect mushrooms now..."

"Oh, if that's the case, then I'll cut them for you! Here," she gave him half of the mushrooms she collected, "This should be enough for the both of us!"

"...Thanks."

"I should be thanking you, Muri, for showing me a way to this place," she walked alongside him, giving him a friendly pat to the back, "You're so kind!"

"Don't, don't call me that."

"Why not? The nickname is cute, just like you~" she giggled, "You know there's no need to be dense around me, alright?" she told him, as she admired the silence of the forest.

It seemed that the more she was in there, the more familiar the forest seemed to be. All of these mysteries regarding this rumoured forest intrigued her, and her interest peaked when she met Muriel. This soft giant is something else. He is so distant and a bit cold for Portia's taste, however, she felt like she could spend a day beside him, not doing anything.

"So, where do you live?"

"That's none of your business."

"Come on, don't be like that, I would like to hang out with you sometime," she admitted.

"...You're weird," he responded after a short silence.

She didn't take his words to heart, instead, she raised her unoccupied hand to her heart, pretending to be hurt, "Are you saying I'm a bad company?"

"No," he shook his head, "I'm just saying you shouldn't trust strangers. For all you know, I could be a murderer."

"Oh please, as if you would do anything bad to me."

"But what if-"

"Sh," she placed her index finger over her lips, "Stop making excuses! If you don't want to- oh my gosh!" she stopped midsentence, walking to a bush next to her, "Is that... a chicken?!?"

She crouched right next to the chicken, extending her hand.

"What are you doing?" Muriel asked her.

"I'm showing her my hand so that she could sniff it!" her eyes gleamed, "I don't want it to be scared of me."

"It's not a dog, there is no need for that," he crouched beside her, "Also Yolky is not shy, just don't make any sudden movements and it should be fine."

"Yolky?" she asked, carefully taking the chicken in her hands, "Is this your chicken? Did it get lost?"

"It's not my chicken, it's more like a... neighbour."

"Neighbour?" she looked at him, "So you live in a forest?"

He nodded hesitantly while giving the chicken a little pet.

"That's so amazing! Did you make a house in here?"

"Yes," he nodded, blushing.

"On your own?" she asked, hugging the small chicken, not letting it get out of her tight grasp.

"Well yes, but it's not that impressive."

"Don't be like that! You should have more confidence! Making a house on your own, in the middle of the forest is amazing!"

"Mrrow," Pepi walked in between Portia and Muriel, nuzzling her head on the chicken.

"Oh, fudge! I'll be late! Mazelinka will kill me!" she put the chicken down and stood up, "Say, do you want to come with me to the Mazelinka? She's my honorary grandma!"

"I don't think I should..."

"Nonsense, she'll love you, trust me!" she grabbed his hand, tugging him with her, "Plus her soup is truly something else! You have to try it."

"I have some things I need to take care of," he said, thinking about all of the protection trinkets he needs to make.

"Oh, if that's so, then I guess I'll see you later," she said sadly as she walked back to town, "Bye, hope to see you soon!"

Muriel didn't go immediately, instead, he waited for her to get out of sight, into the streets of Vesuvia. He turned back and, along with Inanna, went into his hut. This day was quite out of the ordinary, but he didn't care. He knew she won't be able to remember him, which made him feel a bit gloomy. Even though she was a bit too talkative for him, she seemed like a good person. He shook the thoughts away, knowing it won't do him any good. This is the path he has chosen to go down to, there is no time for regrets now.

This is for the best, he thought as he picked up some herbs from the table, For both me and her.

As he walked out of his hut, back into the forest, he continued with his thoughts:What good would it be even if she stayed around? She would run away as soon as she would find out the truth... As she should.

He decided that thinking too much about her was doing nothing to his benefit, so he focused all of his attention on making the protection trinkets. Time passed by, but Muriel didn't notice, nor did he care. He just enjoyed the silence, the sound of the wind, the smell of the grass after the rain. Yes, this is where he belongs.

"You know magic?!?" Portia asked him.

"What the," he flinched when he saw the girl crouching right next to him.

"How long have you been here?"

"About..." she put her index finger on her lips, "Let's see... fifteen minutes."

"Fifteen minutes?!? What have you been doing for fifteen minutes? Why didn't you say anything?"

"I didn't want to disturb you," she explained, "You looked so into what you were doing, so I just waited for you to finish it. What is that anyway?" she pointed at the protection trinket, "Are you putting a curse on someone?" her eyes gleamed at the thought.

"What? No, it's just a protection trinket," he dug some dirt, taking an old trinket out, "After some time, the magic in the trinket weakens, mostly because of someone trying to break in," he frowned, thinking of a certain goat man.

"Wow, that's so great!" she carefully observed him burying the new trinket, "Can you teach me?"

"I don't see how you could be interested in this," he shrugged, having a question on his mind. How is she able to remember him?

"Oh, please~" she begged him, "Wait, is that something like a family secret that I'm not supposed to know?"

"It's nothing special... But if you want to learn that badly-"

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!" she put a flask down and gave him a tight hug. She pulled away, handing him the flask, "I felt bad for not giving you any of Mazelinka's soup, so I brought some for you."

He took the flask, and felt the familiar smell of myrrh, "Thank you. Here," he handed her some myrrh from his pocket, "I assume you've already noticed, but people... forget me."

"Oh, I thought I just had a headache or something like that," she flushed from embarrassment, "Why does that happen? Are you cursed?"

"I... guess you could call it that."

"You poor, thing," she covered her lips with her hands, "Is that why you put these protection trinkets?"

"Let's just put the matter aside," he sighed, not knowing how to explain his situation to her, "If you have myrrh around you should be able to remember me."

"Oh, that's one of the ingredients in the soup!"

"I noticed," he said, "The one who made it is great at green magic," he smiled.

"Green magic?" she asked him, "Mazelinka knows magic? What's green magic?"

"Green magic is like... friendly magic," he didn't know what he was talking about, but he didn't stop, "It's not flashy, but it's more of a... family type of magic, the one to..."

"Calm you down?"

"Something like that," he smiled as he continued to explain everything he knew about green magic.

#saveportia #portia #muriel #the arcana #portia x muriel

[lxiewrites]

hey there ghouls, it’s ya boys

Ao3

Summary: Keith and Lance try to contact the dead... and it kinda works?

Thanks to @gigili-jiggly for letting me ramble about the boys and ghosts and @bleusarcelle for being such a STICK IN THE MUD with Halloween! Xp

Lance laid on his back, rhythmically throwing this little stress ball he found in the air. It was in the shape of a star and spun when it reached its highest point. He more or less tuned out Pidge and Hunk's scientific ramblings or whatever they were doing, he had no idea what they were talking about anyway. He was in the zone with throwing and catching the squishy yellow star, up and down, up and down. It actually was pretty soothing.

"What are you guys doing?"

...Aaand soothing relaxing time is over.

He scowled over at Keith, tummy turning over. What was he even doing here? He didn't think that Keith would be the type to stay after school. Probably thought he was too cool to join a club or a team. Always a broody lone wolf, with a giant stop sign over his face saying 'don't talk to me'. Okay, something is weird with those metaphors but whatever! It's his own thoughts! He can do what he wants!

"What's it look like, Mullet?"

"Lance," Hunk admonished before turning to Keith with a smile, ignoring how Lance threw up his hands in a massive 'what?!' gesture. "We're just here for robotics club, we're, uh, a little shorthanded right now but you can join if you want?"

Keith's brows furrowed, eyes darting across the three of them. Hunk with his big smiling face hands fiddling with wires and a thing to strip the color from them. Pidge with their smarmy little grin sitting in a circle of discarded parts giving him a short salute and… Lance. Obviously the most brilliant and handsome and charming of the group who's obviously supervising from his position on the couch but whatever. Details.

"This is the robotics club?" Keith drawled, eyes going directly to him.

Instantly something inside Lance prickled, stomach all spikey and annoyed. "Yeah, got a problem with that?"

He could hear Hunk using that mother-hen tone with him again and he knew for sure Pidge was rolling their eyes and he could look over and throw the star at them or something, take the prickly pressure off of him, but he kept his eyes locked on one Keith Kogane. Watching how those weird purple-blue eyes--honestly it really depended on the lighting (not that he spent a lot of time wondering at the color of Keith's eyes or anything)-- narrow, head tilting as those indigo (the lighting wasn't the greatest so it was closer to indigo) eyes flickered around the room, no doubt taking in the cobwebs and black and orange streamers. "No, but... isn't this the art room?"

"Technically," Pidge piped in, pushing their glasses up their nose. "But it's not being used for anything today and the shop room is being used for a car or something. I don't know but it's a mess."

"Oh."

Keith shifted a bit on his feet, almost squirming under their stares, his thumb running over his knuckles wrapped around the strap of his bag.

"If you want you can join us," Pidge said. They looked around and shrugged. "It's a little messy but you could probably find a space."

"Yeah!" Hunk agreed, "Just sit anywhere, dude, we're pretty chill."

Hunk looked over at Lance, eyebrows raised, trying to communicate via facial expression. Which Lance pointedly ignored. They specifically left the couch alone and he called it and he was having a nice and relaxing time with his--oh fine!

He sat up, moving his legs over to give Keith room, embellishing the move with a wave of a hand.

Keith made his way over, carefully avoiding small parts and pieces scattered over the place. They definitely did some rearranging before they completely took over. The tables were all shoved to one side of the room, pressed up against the wall displaying the best work and portraits, nearly impossible to work at unless you wanted to sit on top of the tables. And while he's all for anarchy those tables have been around since the eighties he did not trust sitting on one of them. They left the paint-splattered couch in the back alone to actually sit on while Hunk and Pidge scattered their work across the floor. Delicate pieces of machinery and wires laying out where anyone could step on them along with tools and various nuts and bolts.

Keith finally made past the minefield and the way-too-old couch sagged under his weight. Lance shuffled even more to the side until his arm brushed against the art cabinets, fiddling with the stress star in his hand.

"What are you doing here, Keith?" Hunk asked as conversational as ever.

Keith shrugged. "My ride isn't coming until later. I didn't think anyone would be here."

"Ah, sorry for interrupting your alone time, dude. Do you come to the art room often?"

"Sometimes."

Eloquent as always. He peeked over, noting how stiff he was. The couch was old but it was comfortable and plush, but Keith looked like a statue, backpack on his lap like a shield. He was going to wear through the straps with how much he was rubbing the course fabric between his fingers. Silently, Lance tossed him the stress star.

Keith fumbled, lips pulled into a small frown and turning to look at him. Lance was carefully keeping himself sitting forward and occupying himself with his cuticles, biting off a section of dead skin. He fought down a satisfied smile when he heard the backpack hit the ground.

"Well, it's a nice place.” Hunk continued, oblivious, hands and mind preoccupied with the device in his hands. “My friend Shay comes here a lot. She's really good." Hunk nodded to the artboard barricaded by all of the tables.

Pidge scoffed, "Yeah, sure, friend." Their hands leaving their robot part to put up air quotes.

"She is!"

Lance laughed as Hunk sputtered, his deep rich brown skin turning ruddy and red. "Buddy, you went on and rambled about her for, like, an hour."

"I just respect her as an artist!"

He could feel Keith relax into the couch, back slumping, hands rhythmically squeezing the star, tracing his fingers around the letters printed on the side... He could even see a little smile.

"Maybe we should make a truth detector," Pidge teased, hazel eyes glimmering, smirk in place.

Hunk groaned, "Guuuyyyss, I'm serious! She's just a friend!"

"For now!" Lance had to add, just to see his friend blush so hard he could almost see the smoke burst from his ears.

"What are you guys working on right now?"

Lance turned to see Keith star at the different parts scattered around the linoleum floor.

Pidge lit up, brandishing her piece into the air like how Rafiki did to baby Simba. "My greatest creation!"

"It's going to be a recon offline virtual encryption radar or ROVER for short. It's basically a droid."

"It's way cooler than that!" Pidge insisted, glaring at Hunk for his betrayal of their creation. "It's going to be able to scan a surrounding area and break any encryption code that might be present. It's going to be able to send signals into space and pick of distant radio chatter and…"

This is usually the part where Lance tunes them out. They start getting into the details and using terms he doesn't know. All he knows is that it might be slightly illegal and probably could've helped Nicholas Cage steal the Declaration of Independence. The more technical mumbo jumbo and his brain decides to vacate.

He could practically feel his eyes glass over as they start feeding off of each other, looking over to Keith to see if he got anything from their ramblings to find him staring at him with a confused look on his face. It almost struck Lance at how much... cuter he was? Instead of a permanent frown and a 'don't mess with me or I'll punch you' attitude he looked a lot softer. One eyebrow higher than the other, mouth softened into something that wasn't a smile but it wasn't an angry scowl, his head was even tilted to the side like a confused puppy.

Deflect, deflect, deflect. He cleared his throat and shrugged with an 'I don't know' sound.

They looked back at the two on the floor who somehow got to arguing about some sort of thing and doing it once or twice? Whether it was safer or unneeded? Listen. He doesn't know crap about robots or what they're talking about he's just here to test stuff out.

God. He could just feel the awkward descend on them. Should he say something?

He shifted, the silence uncomfortable and heavy in the air, he blurts out, “So what are you doing for Halloween?”

Keith’s brow furrows when he looks at him, “Halloween?”

“Y’know, trick or treating, pumpkins, costumes, ghosts?”

Slowly Keith shakes his head, brow still furrowed in confusion, like Halloween isn’t this national holiday that is beloved by all. “I don’t really celebrate Halloween, it’s kind of… boring?”

Lance reared back like Keith just bitch slapped him. ”Boring?” Lance turned to face Keith fully, he looked mildly suspicious but otherwise impassive as Lance smacked himself in the chest. “Halloween is my lifeblood. How dare you.”

Keith’s lips twitched, scooting around to rest his arm along the back of the couch. “It’s just another holiday that’s capitalized by the candy companies.”

Lance stabbed a finger in the air between them. “You earn that shit. It’s in fun shapes like fangs and eyeballs and you go around in costumes and scare the shit out of your friends.” Both hands come up, clenching in the air like he could grab the spirit of Halloween and shove it in Keith’s face. “It’s hanging out with your friends and getting candy, and it’s watching scary movies and all of the spooky stuff.”

Keith is completely unconcerned by how Lance is so close to tackling him and shoving candy corn down his throat. “Yeah but you can do all of those things at any time of the year. The candy is just candy but in different wrappings, you can technically wear a costume at any time, and all the spooky and scary stuff can happen any day of the year. Ghosts and hauntings can happen at any time not just Halloween.”

“Okay, point, but the aesthetic. All of it is amplified by Halloween and ghosts are more likely to come at Halloween because that’s when the veil is thinnest and they have an easier time coming to Earth or something.”

“You guys believe in ghosts?” Pidge scoffed, face scrunched up in amused disbelief.

Lance gave her a funny look. “And you don’t? I would’ve thought out of all of us you would.”

They chocked on their laugh. ”Me? Why?”

“You know, like, like,” he waved his hand in the air like it could physically keep his thoughts going, “all that energy has to go somewhere, so the souls or whatever become ghosts or spirits.”

“Lance,” Pidge said, “there is no scientific proof of a soul. And if the argument is energy then it would just be the electricity in the brain keeping vital organs alive until it runs out. No ghosts.”

“Okay, but there are so many weird things that happen with no scientific explanation. Why can’t here be ghosts?” Keith chimed in.

“Can we just, like, not talk about ghosts? Is that a thing that can happen?” Hunk smiled a queasy smile, shoulders shuddering.

“Hunk! Not you too!” Pidge cried.

Lance leaned forward, an evil smile creeping across his face. “Our school is built on an old cemetery you know.”

Keith leaned forward; eyes gleaming smile tugging at a corner of his lips. ”Really,” he said, not quite a question.

He grinned. “Years ago the old cemetery was too full and there wasn’t enough room. So they decided to move it but they only moved the headstones, not the bodies.” He tapped his foot on the floor. “Corpses are rotting under us right at this moment.

“LALALALALA,” Hunk shouted, fingers in his ears. “Nope! Nope! Nuh-uh, we’re not talking about this.”

“Oh my god, there’s no such things as ghosts!” They shouted over Lance’s laughter. “Ghosts aren’t—“

The lights turned off, shrouding them in darkness.

“—real.”

Lance’s heart jumped when he heard a scream, matching it with his own, two more joining his. Leather wrinkled under his fingers, as he blinked his eyes to adjust to the dark. He could just make out the shape of Hunk’s hands covering his mouth. He relaxed his grip. “Hunk!”

“Sorry! Sorry!” His hands waved in the darkness. “My bad!”

“Can I have my jacket back?”

Lance jolted at Keith’s voice right next to him. As in right next to him. “Fuck, uh,” he released his hold on Keith’s jacket, haltingly smoothing it out, “sorry.”

Lance didn’t hear his response, or if he made one in the first place because Hunk decided to screech again, sending the hairs on Lance’s arm straight up.

“Oh god, I felt something brush against me!”

Lance felt his pulse in his wrists and his cheeks, his nerves getting twitchy as adrenaline started pumping. “Hunk, please tell me your joking.”

“I’m not, man! Something brushed against me! And it felt cold!” A dark shadow that he was hoping, praying, that it was Hunk stood up.  “What if it’s a ghost?! What if it’s one of the people in the cemetery that really doesn’t like art or robots or something?!”

Lance stood up, squeezing his hands into fists to get rid of the unsteady feeling in his limbs, heart starting to pick up. “Okay if there is a ghost I say we just book it.”

He felt Keith stand up next to him. “If it’s a ghost they probably need help, to, like, move on or something. We should try to communicate with it and help it.”

Lance turned to look at him, only wishing that Keith could see the incredulous look on his face. “Keith, buddy, I don’t know if you have seen any horror movies but that never goes well.” He punctuated the syllables in never to drive the message home.

He winced at a bright light that blinded him, blinking away the black spots that appeared in his vision.

“Yeah, except it’s not a fucking ghost you dumbasses,” Pidge said behind their phone light their tone the definition of “done”.  “It’s probably a short fuse, c’mon, Hunk, we’re the only ones that are gonna be able to fix it. I don’t trust these two yahoos.”

Hunk whined, head tipping back. “But there are ghosts. And we shouldn’t split up! That’s just spelling disaster in horror movies! We’re going to be picked off one by one!”

“Would you rather sit in the dark?” They rolled their eyes at Hunk’s whine, moving behind him to push him to the door. “Come on big guy, I’ll protect you. Ghosts can’t hurt those that don’t believe in them.”

The last thing Lance heard was Hunk whining down the hall. A fading, “They’re the first one’s to go!”

“Why are they going to fix the fuse?” Keith said behind him, making him jump. He almost forgot he was there the guy was so quiet.

“The maintenance guy, Coran, is sick or something. I think he said slipperies but I have no clue what that is.” He nodded to where his friend’s left. “They help him a lot. I don’t think the school even knows, pfft. That good ‘ol school funding!”

He felt a little shot of pride at the little huff of laughter but immediately tensed when something crashed. A scream in his throat he whipped around, eyes darting around in the darkness seeing nothing.

His muscles jumped, throat closing, when a hand wrapped around his upper arm, a bright beam of light illuminating the wall before them. His arm hurt where Keith’s fingers dug in, his lip nearly white from how hard he was biting it, eyes intent as he looked to see the source of the crash.

Lance drew closer, arms brushing but Keith still didn’t let go, eyes settling on a brass corner sticking out from behind one of the tables. Relief came but it didn’t stay, muscles still poised in fight or flight, heart pumping and insistent against his chest. “It’s fine,” he croaked. “A painting just fell.”

“Did you mean what you said about the school being built on a cemetery?”

“Maybe,” Lance cleared his throat, ignoring how it cracked, “My older brother Marco told me, he had to move to this school when they rebuilt it here, like, twenty years ago.”

“Maybe the ghosts need help moving on, like, if they receive closure on their resting ground being disturbed.” Keith’s voice was just above a whisper, hushed.

Lance’s skin fucking crawled. He whirled on Keith, his dark, dark eyes wide and serious. “How do you supposed we do that?!” A harsh whisper that scraped through the air like nails on a chalkboard.

“We communicate with them,” Keith whispered back, not nearly as harsh. It was actually annoyingly even. “An Ouija board. We can write it out on a piece of paper and use a necklace or something to hold above it as a pendulum or cut out a circle.”

“How do you even know this?!”

“…I watch a lot of paranormal videos.”

“Jesus Fuck.” Lance scrubbed his hands against his face. “How do you know we’re not going to contact a demon or something?”

“I don’t.”

“Fuck, fuck, no.Absolutely not. Not happening, nuh-uh, no—“

Ten minutes later he was sitting on the ground in a little circle of discarded robot parts—were these parts like… body parts of robot pieces? Ugh, okay, no thinking that—across from Keith, a piece of paper between them and Keith’s phone light next to the paper casting shadows across their faces.

“I hate this. I want you to know I hate this.”

Keith only gives him a noncommittal hum, finishing cutting out the circle with safety scissors they found. At least if they’re killed by a poltergeist it won’t be by overly sharp scissors.

Keith slaps the circle on the paper, eyes narrowed and determined. “Are you ready?”

“No.”

But he sets his hands on the paper anyway, fingertips brushing Keith’s as they start to slowly slide the improvised Ouija thingy over their improvised Ouija board.  They aimlessly slid it around the letters, the paper sticking to itself slightly.

It was silent between them. Which was new. They’re almost never quiet with each other, someone—usually Lance— saying something. It felt heavy. Weighed down. Like another presence in the room. Like a gho—

There was a lump in his throat as he tried to ignore the silence. His attention expanding all at once like someone turned the dial in his brain up to an eleven. And somehow that was better and worse than the silence. Every tiny sound from the wind rattling the windows to the minute creaking of the room, amplified by the silence between him and Keith, loud enough that it was distracting. The darkness so black there was color.

He squeezed his eyes shut and focused on the soft shh shhhof the paper. Ignoring the shuffling sounds in the walls his brain conjured up. Focusing on the soft huffs of breaths between them as his heartbeat took center stage as a rapid beating drum in his inner ear. Reminding him of how all those victims in horror movies could hear their blood pumping as they died. Pushing down that voice in the back of his head reminding him of all the stupid horror movies he watched like Paranormal 3 or The Ring or The Conjuring—

“So how are we supposed to contact them or whatever?!” Lance said, a little too fast, a little too loud, trying to drown out the voice and images flashing across the forefront of his mind.

“I don’t know, don’t you just shout at the spirits to make contact and they… just… do?”

“Why are you asking me?!” His heartbeat was loud as he looked at Keith, fuzzy with black at the edges as his eyes adjusted again.

Keith’s jaw and eyes were tense, little lines creasing at the corners as he stared down that their hands.  “I don’t know! I don’t like this any more than you!”

“You know, if we were smart we would just leave.”

“Yeah, but that wouldn’t fix anything!”

“We’d be fixing our lives, Keith!”

“That doesn’t make any sense!”

“You know,” Lance brought up his hands, clapping them together, mouth pressed in a straight line, “this is a bad idea. We should go and leave and come back in the morning.”

“Fine. You go, I’m staying.” Keith crossed his arms, mouth firm as he stared at Lance.

Maybe another time Lance would have left. Shouted something at how he was just being plain stupid. Which he was! But he could see the rapid pace of Keith’s jugular in his neck. How pale he was, his fingers rubbing together. His normally pink and plush bottom lip thin and white as he bit it.

He sat back down.

He really wanted to find his friends and leave, and while he knew somewhere deep down they were not being haunted a bigger and louder voice was telling him there was a chance. A slim chance but there was this big, gaping possibility. And he would never forgive himself if Keith got his guts ripped out by a ghost if this possibility happened to come alive.

“Fuuuck, I hate this.” He glared at Keith who looked at him with relief, the tension between his eyes a little less stressed, his shoulders relaxed away from his ears. Lance could feel his heart kick up a notch and he didn’t think it was because of ghosts this time. He intensified his glare. “I hate you.”

Keith smiled at him. “You ready to contact the dead.”

Lance shook his head. “Jesus fuck.” Put his hands back onto the paper circle.

“Spirits,” Keith called out, eyes darting to the corners of the room. “Please. Let us help you.”

They waited a beat. He doesn’t know what it’s supposed to feel like to use an Ouija board, if there was supposed to be a pull or a tug or, hell, an electric shock or something. But he was getting zip. He looked at Keith who just shrugged.

Keith called out again. “If there’s anyone here, please say something.”

This time Lance closed his eyes, who knows maybe the ghost was shy or something. He let his hands slide side to side with Keith’s, not feeling a particular pull but—

Fuck

Lance shot his eyes open. Heart beating fast and this time it definitely was not because Keith had a cute smile or pretty eyes. He heard something.

That shuffling from before. In the walls. It wasn’t in his head but he could hear it. In the room. Around him. And once he heard it heard it he couldn’t un-hear it.

“Keith,” he whispered. “I think I hear something.”

Keith looked at him with wide eyes, so wide he could see how his purple-blue-indigo irises were nearly engulfed by fear, the pupils only leaving a thin rim of color surrounding them.

“What,” he whispered back.

The sound traveled. Started at the back, right behind him and the couch and moved. And if his body wasn’t fucking paralyzed it would be shaking because that’s how his insides felt. Organs trembling as the rest of it locked up tight.

He didn’t look, didn’t want to look. Looking only makes it real; he’ll see whatever is there and get his face eaten off by a fucking demon. But he could still hear. Hear how that scrabbling turned to scratching. And by now, with him being so quiet, barely breathing, Keith could hear it too.

They locked eyes, both hearing it. Adrenaline starting a slow course through his veins, muscles twitching, heart jumping. He could see how Keith’s eyes slowly slide from his and he squeezed his fingers bringing them back to him.

He mouths, “I don’t see anything.”

Lance squeezes his eyes shut until colors flash in a kaleidoscope behind his eyelids, the scratching sound even louder, getting closer. Nails on a chalkboard, nails at his throat.

It was a ghost. It was a fucking ghost and he and Keith were gonna die and their corpses were gonna be found in the morning because of course Halloween was on a school’s day—

He felt a ghostly hand brush against the small of his back and he fucking leaped—

Straight into Keith's lap screaming. Keith’s hands fisting in the back of his shirt shouting in his ear so loud it was going to be ringing the next day— if he lived.

Heart in his throat he waited for the ghosts to do some shit where they pried him off of the newfound lifeline he had grasped in his arms, pulled around the room and shook like a doll.

And all of a sudden it was bright. Bright, bright, bright, bright. And all he could think of was ’do ghosts glow?’before he heard.

“What the fuck is wrong?!”

He shot his eyes open, black dots and bright light blinding him for a second before he could see Hunk and Pidge in the doorway eyes wide with panic.

Throat sore, he stopped screaming Keith quieting down soon after though both of their chests heaved as they tried to catch their breaths.

“What. The fuck. Is wrong?!” Pidge shouted again.

No ghost. The light was on. His friends were here. He dropped his head to Keith’s shoulder and breathed. Arms tightened around him.

Not looking up, he declawed his hand from Keith’s back, waving it at his friends. “Wanna explain, Keith?”

He felt a similar press of a forehead against his shoulder, the sigh fanning across his collarbones. Keith murmured something into his shirt.

Using his body he shook them both. “Come on, Keith, tell them what your idea was.”

Another sigh. “ We tried to use an Ouija board to contact the spirits.”

“Eh, eh, eh, it was Keith’sidea! All his! I wanted to leave!”

“You would’ve left without me?” Hunk said, pouting. He placed a hand on his chest. “Buddy, I’m hurt.”

Lance reached a hand towards him. “No, no, buddy! I would’ve found you first and then booked it!”

Hunk thought for a moment before nodding. “Accepted.”

“I told you guys there were so such things as ghosts,” PIdge said, exasperated.

Keith finally let him go to turn around. “But we did make contact with the ghosts!”

“Yeah!” Lance nodded, fervently, backing up what Keith was saying. “There was a ghost and it touchedme!”

Pidge squinted and looked between them while Hunk’s face screwed up in horror. “How did this hypothetical ghost make contact?”

“There was a lot of scratching noises, like it was in the walls and, again, it touched me!”

Pidge's suspicion fell from their face, expression blank. They smacked their lips together and looked at Hunk. The big guy losing the horrified look on his face, lighting up in relief and understanding. Pidge blinked slowly before bringing up a hand to rub at their forehead, pointing their other hand toward the cabinet doors. “I found your fucking ghost, morons.”

As one, Keith and Lance turned to look and found a little mouse cowering in front of the cabinet. It paced in front of the doors, little claws scrabbling at the wood, trying to find its way in.

Lance felt blood rush to his face and shared a look with Keith, who was also red from the tips of his ears to where it disappeared under the collar of his shirt. He cleared his throat, tearing his eyes away from Keith to look at Pidge and Hunk sheepishly. “Oh.”

“Yeah. Oh.”

“It’s a good thing you got the lights going,” Keith piped in, cheeks still red.

Hunk’s nose wrinkled. “Actually, we didn’t.”

“What do you mean?” Lance asked.

“When we got there everything was fine. Nothing looked out of place and we didn’t know what to fix, so we just left and were going to tell Coran in the morning.”

“The lights came back on when we were walking back and heard you yahoos screaming,” Pidge finished.

Lance took a deep breath. Nerves fried and muscles sore from being so tense. That entire fiasco might have been a mouse but no. Just no. He’s not risking it. He got up and helped Keith up, a single-minded mission to get the fuck out of dodge.

“Okay, we’re all leaving.” He grabbed their backpacks and tossed them to their owners and started shooing them out the door despite Pidge’s protests and Hunk’s comments about cleaning up. “Let’s go.” Next to them another painting from the art wall fell. “NOW!”

A/N: okay, yes, it might be a day late for Halloween but in my defense I got sick and my body snuck up on me and hit me over the head with a club

#lexwrites #klance #keith #lance #ghosts #spoopy #Halloween #supernatural #high school au

[somekindoftuber]

vld youtuber AU

youtuber AUs are really fun so here is my take (with klance):

Shiro runs a channel where he restores/repairs motorcycles. It’s really popular because he has a great on-camera presence and soothing voice, not to mention he’s very good looking. He has the facial scar and white hair and has mentioned that he’s a veteran, hence his prosthetic right arm. Keith works with him, and Shiro always introduces him in the intros of his videos, saying, “And my brother Keith is here to be my right hand.” They have a fairly large following, posting weekly videos. Keith mostly stays quiet, except to answer Shiro.

Lance runs a music channel that’s half comedy and half serious, playing guitar and ukulele. He does acoustic covers of songs that should be impossible to do acoustic versions of, and sometimes does comedy lyrics of popular songs. He also posts blooper videos where his cats interrupt him or knock over the camera. He posts one or two times a week, his videos are usually short. He also streams games on Twitch, usually playing music and making people laugh over the mic.

Shiro sometimes does Q&A videos to answer fan questions. Keith usually doesn’t participate, except in the video about their pets. Shiro introduces their two cats, and Keith’s dog Kosmo (who’s a Blue Bay Shepherd mix and is absolutely massive).

Shiro’s channel pops up on Lance’s recommendations one day, and it’s the pet video. Shiro’s cats are in the thumbnail, a giant black shorthair and a long haired red tabby, so he clicks. He instantly likes this guy, his cats are cute, and the quiet, scowling brother in the background with the giant bear-dog is fun to watch. So he subscribes. He finds out that he really likes their videos, despite knowing absolutely nothing about motorcycles. Shiro makes it easy to follow, and he even learns a thing or two.

Lance hears a song he recognizes in one of Shiro’s videos and gets an idea. He gets his guitar and does a comedy cover of the song, making it about repairing motorcycles. He’s proud of the silly lyrics, not able to keep from snickering a few times, and posts the video. He shoots the link over to Shiro, and crosses his fingers.

Two days later he gets a response. Shiro comments on the video saying that he loves it and it made him laugh. Lance is over the moon, and keeps watching Shiro’s videos and commenting on them. Shiro sometimes comments on his and it’s great. As the months go by, Shiro becomes something of a hero to Lance. He’s cool and confident and everything Lance wishes he could be.

Not to mention that his broody little brother is really, really easy on the eyes. Keith is gaining a fanbase, his wiki page full of what few scraps viewers can find about him - including a blurry screenshot of a moment when his shirt rode up to reveal an nondescript tattoo on his hip. There was a good deal of speculation as to what it was of. Not that Lance read that particular reddit thread. Or commented on it. (“I bet it’s a wolf,” he most certainly did not write. Several people agreed.) Who can blame him? Lance likes puzzles and mysteries. What’s more mysterious than a youtuber who never talks and has all of his social media on lockdown?

Lance gushes about Shiro’s channel one night to Pidge, who’s finishing undergrad. Casually as ever, she says, “Yeah, I know Shiro, he’s an old friend of Matt’s.” and Lance loses it. Demands to know more, demands that Pidge set up a meeting. Pidge rolls her eyes, and says maybe, maybe during spring break.

Lance decides to do a charity stream, like he does often. He asks some of his youtuber friends to help promote, including his best friend Hunk who runs his own casual cooking channel (Hunk never shows his face but his videos are still really fun). He tweets about it, feeling pretty good. His last stream went really well and they hit their donation goal. When Lance checks twitter the next day, he’s absolutely beside himself to see that Shiro has retweeted his stream link, saying “My buddy @LanceyLance is doing a charity stream! Check it out!” He may have bounced in his chair and flapped his hands a little when he read that.

The stream goes super well. They surpass their donation goal by hundreds, and he gets a lot of chat messages from people saying they found it via Shiro. Once it’s over, Lance composes an email to Shiro to thank him. He considers mentioning what Pidge says for several minutes before deciding to just go for it. He finishes his email with “PS - I think we have a friend in common?? My buddy Pidge - Katie Holt - says she knows you. Or are you a different Shiro?”

He sends the email before he can second guess himself.

Two days later, he gets a reply, and Shiro confirms that he knows Pidge since he went to high school with her older brother, commenting that it’s a small world. Lance plays it cool, but doubles his efforts to get Pidge to introduce him to Shiro.

“Spring break,” she repeats, then yells at Lance to let her finish her paper.

It’s almost two months until then, so Lance occupies himself with making videos, streaming, and watching Shiro’s channel. Keeping an eye on where Keith pops up in the videos, silent and intense. When late March finally arrives, Lance packs a bag and piles in the car with Pidge for the five hour drive to her hometown, which is apparently also Shiro’s hometown. Pidge’s parents welcome him, and it takes an entire day of nagging Pidge to get her to call Shiro. He’s free the next day.

They head across town to Shiro’s garage and Lance is stoked. So stoked. And as Shiro comes out to meet them, he’s struck by one thing: Shiro is far taller in person than he looks on camera. He shakes Lance’s left hand and shows him around, the bike they’re working on, the cameras, the editing software he still uses, even though it’s a little outdated.

Lance is halfway to asking Shiro if he can meet his cats when the door opens. “Shiro?” a voice calls. “They’re roping off the west side of the street for something. Do you want me to move your --”

He stops when he spots Lance, and Lance sort of feels his breath stop in his chest at the sight. Running gear, hair pulled back, skin glistening with sweat, and a sleeveless shirt with a pair of earbuds hanging out of the collar.

It’s Keith. And Lance has to remember to breathe, because like his brother, he’s taller in person, but he’s also hot. Like crazy hot, goddamn. Even drenched in sweat with his hair sticking to his face and neck and flushed from a run, he’s stupidly gorgeous. The videos absolutely do not do his eyes justice, not even a little, all sharp and intense and deep blue.

He’s just sort of standing there stuck, but thankfully Pidge rescues him with a loud clearing of her throat. Then Shiro swoops in and introduces Lance to Keith. He’s quiet, like in the videos, and slips away as soon as Lance’s attention is elsewhere.

Once Keith is gone, Shiro asks Lance if he’d like to be in a video on his channel, and holy shit. He agrees before he even knows the details, and Shiro laughs. They agree to have Lance come back in three days to film. Right when they’re leaving, Keith re-emerges, showered and changed. Lance waves goodbye to him and hopes Keith doesn’t notice the way Lance’s eyes sweep up and down his body.

Lance spends the next three nights pouring over his guitar.

When he goes over to Shiro’s to film, he’s almost bouncing with excitement. Shiro goes over what they’ll be doing before they start. Lance is downright giddy as Shiro does his intro and calls Lance a “special guest” before they get started. Lance is mostly holding parts in place or passing Shiro tools as he works on the old bike they’ve been hired to restore, but it’s still fun, even if he’s sweating within the first half hour. Keith hovers in the corner, off camera, playing with his phone and looking bored. By the time they finish, he’s covered in grease and exhausted, but happy. Shiro stops filming and they take a break, cracking open a few beers.

Before it’s time to leave, he gets the okay from Shiro and sets up his own camera, bringing out his guitar. He wasn’t sure if he’d have the guts to do this, but Shiro smiles at him, and it all feels okay. Lance turns on his camera, does an intro, and begins to play. It’s an original song, one he wrote just for the occasion over the last few sleepless nights. It’s about new friends and fresh starts and connecting with others and maybe it’s a little cheesy, but it’s heartfelt, and the acoustics of the garage somehow bring it all together. And when he finishes and shuts off his camera, the awed look on Shiro’s face is absolutely worth it. Even Keith looks a little surprised, his eyebrows disappearing into his hair.

He says goodnight to them both and goes back to the Holt family home, showers and changes, and goes to sleep feeling like it’s Christmas and his birthday and the first day of summer vacation all at once.

Pidge has to go back to school to resume classes eventually, and Lance is her transportation, so he has to go too. They stop by Shiro’s garage one last time to deliver a tupperware container of fresh baked cookies, courtesy of Mrs. Holt, and Shiro shakes his hand again. When Lance says goodbye to Keith and shakes his hand, he swears he sees the tiniest hint of a smile on his face. Something he’s never seen.

He spends the entire five hour drive back with excitement buzzing in his veins. He can’t wait to edit and post that video.

CONTINUED IN PART TWO HERE

#AUs #youtuber AU #text post

[bussanbaby]

the lifeboat

Hunter’s Moon seems to be particularly crowded on this evening - most of the tables further in are taken, werewolves, seelies, vampires and warlocks coexisting peacefully in a half-drunken atmosphere filled with the clinking of glass and toned down chatter. Groups of colorful folk mingle by the door and by the bar as well, Magnus has to subtly shoulder his way through, the gold detailing on his jacket catching the dimmed light as he moves.

It’s his first free evening off in a bit and he wants to celebrate, have a strong drink to the sound of good music, maybe meet someone along the way. As he passes through the throng of bodies, people greet him with polite nods, some faces more recognizable than others; he also catches shreds of conversations, background white noise, equally easy to tune out and listen into.

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite customer,” Maia chimes as Magnus sits down on one of the stools by the bar. She looks as radiant as always, her smile wide as she swings a cloth onto her shoulder, then leans on the counter in front of him.

“If it isn’t my favorite bartender,” Magnus quips back and Maia winks with a chuckle before moving to pour a beer for a burly warlock to the left. There are years of experience in her movements, sure efficiency in the way she slides the pint across the top without spilling a drop; although this is nothing compared to the tricks Magnus has seen her do with a shot glass.

“What can I get for you, mister?”

Magnus leans his elbows on the bar, ringed fingers threaded together underneath his chin.

“I had to deal with a summoning gone buck wild, take from that what you will,” He sighs, scratching along the side of his goatee. It’s been a stubborn demon and while Magnus has mostly recovered from the extensive magic usage earlier, he’s in no mind to be doing anything productive, hence the visit.

“Sheesh,” Maia grimaces with sympathy, eyebrows knitting together. “Double martini coming right up.”

“You’re a lifesaver.”

Maia turns around, busying herself with the drink; she’s got a light brown leather jacket on, the back embroidered with the words “WOLF GIRL” on top of a canine mouth full of jagged teeth. Magnus’ eyes wander further - over the collection of bottles neatly set on shelves lined with fairy lights that crawl onto the walls, over his own fingernails covered in burgundy polish, one of them chipped at the top. A glass crashes somewhere and raucous laughter erupts like a choir - Magnus has missed this place, where all cultures mix and everyone’s a pal if only until the bottom of the glass.

“It’s looking busy today,” He observes, absentmindedly scanning for familiar faces - there are some wolves from Luke’s pack playing cards, two young warlocks from Manchester, Raphael’s kids throwing back wine-red shots.

Maia hums in agreement and sets Magnus’ drink in front of him, then pulls two beer bottles from under the bar to hand them off to two seelie girls. “Simon’s bringing in quite the crowd after his last concert.”

“Is he playing tonight?” Magnus takes a sip, enjoying the slight burning sensation as the alcohol slides down his throat. He knows Simon, mostly through shared connections - he’s practically the son Luke never got to have and Raph’s protégé. He seems like a fun kid, the living embodiment of ‘winging it’ and quite the musician. Magnus heard him play a handful of songs before, so he’s looking forward to another concert.

“Yep, should be coming in soon,” She confirms, toying with an empty beer pint.

The stage is sitting snug in the corner of the space, just beside the giant jukebox and pool tables. What’s surprising is that there’s two high wooden stools and microphone stands instead of one, but before Magnus can ask about them, Maia juts her chin towards the entrance. “Speak of the devil.”

Magnus turns in his seat, expecting to see Simon on his own, but there’s another figure next to him. A shadowhunter with the deflect rune curling up the side of his neck, mussed-up brown hair, and a bomber jacket over broad shoulders. He and Simon seem to be friends, judging by the easy way the newcomer tilts his head down to listen to the vampire’s quick words as he carries a keyboard case.

“Who is that?” Magnus asks, prompting Maia to look up again, a knowing smile curling up her plum-colored lips.

“That is Alec. The Lightwood family’s oldest son, a soon-to-be Head of the NY Institute, or so I’ve heard,” She answers nonchalantly, putting down another polished glass with a clink. “He’s pretty cute, but no match for his gorgeous sister.”

Magnus’ eyes follow the duo all the way to the stage, people parting to let them through. Alec Lightwood, where has Magnus heard that before? He’s not exactly fond of Shadowhunters, but he does work with them sometimes, they might have saved the world together once or twice before. Then, it clicks - it’s the same guy that bravely came out a while back, currently the only proudly gay Nephilim, a vocal adversary against Clave’s treatment of Downworlders and general work ethic.

It’s actually strange that they haven’t met in person since Luke has mentioned working with him and Simon has talked about an ‘Alec’ in passing. What Magnus didn’t know is that the stoic and grumpy archer is the same person as this handsome fellow currently helping Lewis set up all of the equipment, eyes rolling at Simon’s nervous talking.

Magnus turns back, swivels his drink before taking another big sip. “Should I remind you that Simon is your boyfriend?”

This time it’s Maia who rolls her eyes, her smile widening at the mention of the b-word, as she dips her head to hide it. “He is. Still, it doesn’t change the fact that Isabelle Lightwood is his friend and we hang out sometimes. I have eyes, Magnus, and she has a lot to look at.”

Magnus chuckles, about to answer, when a hand claps him on the shoulder and Luke slides into the seat next to him.

“Good to see you, Magnus,” Luke greets, face split into a grin, smelling like New York after dawn and teriyaki chicken from the Jade Wolf.

They shake hands and Magnus watches Luke order a beer, then lift the bottle to his mouth and down a couple of gulps with a relieved sigh. “God, there’s no parking anywhere close. You’d think being in the police force would get you some perks.”

Magnus hums with understanding, lifting his drink in a subtle toast to Luke’s words. “This is why I don’t own a car. Anyway, I thought you’d be at the precinct tonight?”

Luke shrugs off his jacket and folds it in his lap, his police badge twinkling at his belt. “I was supposed to, but Simon’s van broke down and I offered to give him and his equipment a lift.”

An unpleasant noise cuts through the bar’s bustle, a mix between a chair screeching against floorboards and microphone feedback. Everyone quiets down and turns to look at Simon smiling sheepishly from behind a mic.

The shadowhunter - Alec - elbows Simon somewhat gently, spurring him into action.

“Hi, hello everyone. I’m Simon Lewis and I’ll be providing you some quality entertainment for the next couple of hours. No comedy though, my jokes are pretty sucky.” Simon snaps his fingers, fangs visible as he smiles at the snickering crowd.

Alec groans from behind him, theatrically covering his face with large palms, one of them holding onto a mic too. He seems kind of uncomfortable being in the center of attention, his seat pushed back behind Simon’s, eyes roving over the crowd with concealed anxiety. He’s making the best of it, though, happy to support his friend. “I’m telling you, his humor is a giant pain in the neck.”

Laughter washes over the public again and Magnus can’t help but smile as well at the corny vampire puns. He wants to get to know Alec better, there’s something about him that Magnus can’t place, an air of mystery, a subtle pulling tide of curiosity.

“Anyway, my good buddy Alec here lost a bet, so now he will sing for you,” Simon says with a smug grin, clapping the shadowhunter on the shoulder and earning himself a grave stare.

“I am not your buddy, I just tolerate your antics,” Alec bites back in a flat tone, mic pressed near his mouth, one corner of his mouth turned up despite the knitted brows.

“Aw, love you too, best friend,” Simon coos, clearly enjoying himself, while Alec slowly runs out of sanity and/or patience.

Magnus sips his martini, making a mental note to get this shadowhunter’s number after this, maybe ask him out for drinks and see if they click when he feels a pair of eyes on him. He looks up and it’s nobody other than Alec.

As cliché as it sounds, time seems to pause for a moment. They hold each other’s gaze, Magnus’ heart trips over its own feet, a stutter step caused by the awfully charming lopsided smile blooming on Alec’s face. He looks intrigued, stunned into stillness before he blinks rapidly, lets his eyes appreciatively slide up and down Magnus’ body.

“Um, this is ‘The lifeboat’.”

People clap and cheer, Simon starts to strum the guitar settled in his lap. He shoots Alec an encouraging smile, who shifts on his feet, fingers gripping the mic tightly.

“Well, hello, what's your name? What's your sign? Mine's the same, I do feel you could use a change... “ Alec’s voice is pleasantly low, certain words losing form beneath his New York accent, some raspy in a way that sends a subtle shiver down Magnus’ spine.

With the first line, he steps off the stage, the thumb of his free hand hooked in a belt loop, then continues wandering around the crowd. Even despite small detours, his eyes keep drifting back to Magnus, who finds himself sitting up straighter, unconsciously gripping the stem of the martini glass tighter between his fingertips.

Out of the corner of his eye, Magnus can spot Maia leaning over to whisper into Luke’s ear, see him then turn to Magnus with an arched brow and laughter on his lips. Magnus is still focused on Alec though, on the way the fabric of his jeans clings to his thighs, on how he licks his lips with a smile, on the thin line of skin beneath the edge of his shirt. Magnus really wants to invite him out for drinks now.

“Oh, my love, I'm not the type, the one that floats your boat then leaves you capsized, capsized... “ Alec continues his song, voice louder on the chorus when he comes to stand in front of Magnus. He reaches out, palm up, the invitation clear.

His own quick heartbeat accompanying the song in Magnus’ ears, he downs the rest of his drink in one go, then takes Alec’s hand, lets himself get dragged off the stool and into the crowd.

Alec’s hand is warm, holding onto his not too tightly as he spins Magnus around. Letting the music guide him, Magnus starts to dance - it’s all languid, keeping the same flirty tone as he shifts, steps and turns. It feels as easy as breathing, he doesn’t even have to think about what comes next - the instrumental break ends, Alec’s voice picking up the words again, his tone joined by Simon’s next time the chorus rolls back around.

People are clapping, some falling into a simple rhythm along with Magnus; it feels euphoric to just let go, enjoy life if only for a bit before stepping back into the shoes of the High Warlock of Brooklyn. Yet, the song ends too quickly for Magnus’ taste and he stops with a flourish, eyes opening to the sight of Alec before him, the look on his face speaking of fascination and a curious kind of keenness.

Magnus runs a couple of fingers through the hair spiked tall on his head to fix the strands that moved astray, Alec’s gaze following the arch of his arm, hanging onto the sight of Magnus’ bicep moving against the velvet fabric. He grips the microphone tighter before snapping out of his daze, abruptly moving towards Simon, almost like he’s wanting to run away.

Alec all but throws the mic to him, then says maybe two sentences, barely giving Simon time to nod before he’s back, all giddy and smiling adorably, while Magnus is still trying to calm his own breathing.

“Hi, I’m Alec. I probably should’ve started with that instead of pulling you out of your seat,” He says in one breath, gesturing restlessly with his palms. “Also, you’re an amazing dancer.”

Magnus smiles, biting down on his lower lip to stop the grin from becoming too large; he doesn’t miss the way Alec’s eyes dip down to his mouth.

“It’s okay and thank you. I quite liked your little performance there as well.” At that Alec nods in silent thanks, looking up at Magnus from beneath a thick fringe of eyelashes; he almost stutters over his own name. “I’m Magnus Bane.”

It’s suave, it’s flirty, it’s definitely working. With a shimmy of his shoulders, this time it’s Magnus who extends his hand for a shake and when Alec grabs it, firmly and softly at the same time, it’s different from before. There’s no swelling music, no big movie moment where the narration kicks in, but it’s the something more of this evening.

They don’t let go, two stars in a constellation, the rest of the universe moving around them; people shift around with Simon’s next song, the free space between tables turning into a dance floor, but neither Magnus or Alec are paying attention.

“Would you like to go out with me?” Alec says, gently squeezing Magnus’ hand.

Magnus hasn’t expected the shadowhunter to be so outright or so quick to do anything. He’s known them mostly as these reserved, sour-faced people moving through life with as little joy as they can manage; Alec, he’s different, Magnus knows, how doesn’t matter.

“I’d love that. When?” Magnus switches the hand he’s holding Alec’s with to reach up and touch at the vine earcuff he’s wearing.

Alec glances down at their joined hands, Magnus’ fingers wrapped around Alec’s, rings against bare skin, then looks back up, mouth hanging open as he decides on his words. “How about now?”

“Now?” Magnus repeats, then pauses, thinking of all the places he could take this man to. “There is this Chinese restaurant a block away.”

For a blink, Alec’s brow furrow down as if he can’t believe Magnus actually agreed, but then his face smooths out, that lopsided smile back on his lips; Magnus already loves it, how free it is, how it hides nothing.

“I’m down for Chinese.”

“Let’s go, then.” Magnus spurs them into action, pulls on their joined hands towards the bar; Alec follows suit without complaint, only the first step unsure.

It almost seems too good to actually be true, too easy; everyone around them is having fun, not paying attention to them and what could be the romance of a century. Magnus quickly pulls out a hundred dollar bill and slaps it on the bar counter. “Keep the change, Maia.”

They exchange a smile as she slips the money into her pocket. “I sure will. Go get ‘em, tiger.”

He can’t even roll his eyes before Luke gives him a pair of enthusiastic thumbs up. Magnus shoves at his shoulder and says goodbye, before dragging Alec out into the cool New York evening air.

And the rest? That’s history.

#malec #shadowhunters #posibane #magnusragnor #blushyalec #userkj #userria #patronusmagnus #willjtudor #moonylady #belovedbane #hufflebee #magnusbaene #gayndsoft #magnusbanne #userhoteldumorts #my fics #i'm tagging all the people #if you don't want to be tagged come over to my house and punch me in the face #jkjk but tell me

[renegadesrpg]

#The Orkan, Part 3. It Is Your Legacy. Mateo

I had to take a leak like you wouldn’t believe it. I was still in bed fighting all the outer signs that it was time to get up. My full bladder was just one of several things that held my heavy body and fogged mind horizontal. I had a headache from hell, probably well-deserving. Not that I could remember exactly how I got to the point of so slammed that I couldn’t remember any of it this morning but I tried pushing it aside trying to will my body back to sleep. Pulling the pillow from under my head to over my head the thud made my head vibrate. “Ouch, that fucking hurt.” There was no way I was going to go back to sleep no matter how much I wanted to, the rest of me had already decided that it was a no go. Flopping over onto my back with a grunt I peered my eyes open but closed them again with another groan. The sharp light from the sun that was peaking through my curtains made the headache worse. “What the hell did I drink last night.” I rubbed both hands across my face trying to muster the strength to get up. “I swear if it was any of Buddy’s damn moonshine I’m kicking his ass,” I grumbled pushing my large body up to a sitting position. Sitting on the edge of my bed cradling my head in my hands I was contemplating whether or not I was still alive. It sure as hell didn’t feel like it. Alive shouldn’t hurt this bad and being a wolf pain wasn’t something I seldom felt. Well, at least this kind, I got drunk but never hungover. Seriously, it felt like my brain was hanging halfway out my ear and a giant was jumping on it like it was a goddamn trampoline. The soft sound of my brother Linus, also the Orkan pack enforcer at least one of them, and our alpha Peter’s voices came from the kitchen but they were too far away for me to hear what they said even with my wolf hearing. “Let’s do this…” I muttered, pushing up on my feet and I started swaying. Shooting out an arm in front of me I leaned heavily against the wall. Forcing myself up straight I aimed for the bathroom door but the sun peeking through my curtains stung my eyes causing me to stumble towards the bathroom. The light that slipped through was like a neon sign flashing right in front of my eyes. I couldn’t see a thing. If this had been a cartoon small birds would have flown around a circle above my head and stars would be dancing before my eyes. It didn’t even help if I squeezed my eyes shut, the light was still too strong. With my huge body in such a smaller sized room where everything was cramped up, I was bound to stumble into something, which I did causing a ruckus. It only took minutes before my brother came barging in through the door causing even more noise. “You deserve to feel like shit, you deserve worse brother. How could you have been so fucking stupid?!” Linus’s voice was calm but razor-sharp like it always was. Being the packs enforcer his job was to be calm even in the most stressful situations. I don’t know if it was the volume of his voice that hurt me the most or the fact that it sounded like someone dragged their nails against a blackboard. “Linus calm down. He doesn’t know, therefore he doesn’t understand.” Peter was here, in my damn bedroom. Oh fuck, I was in deep shit now. Peter was my Alpha, our Alpha, and a good one of those but he was hard on traditions and holding up were law. Me on the other hand had a tendency to say fuck traditions and were laws, and I meant that in a literary sense too. I liked to party and I liked to fuck so I went to clubs at least four or five times a week and sometimes more. I had three rules: everything stayed in the club, meaning no leaving with anyone, I never bottomed if my partner was male, and I always used protection. It didn’t matter how much they begged, threatened or what fact that prof they could provide, I wasn’t taking no chances. As a pure were there wasn’t a high chance of me catching any human diseases but it could happened, and like I said I might like to fuck and could be with a couple of different gals and guys each night, but I wasn’t stupid. And I sure as hell didn’t want to father any pups. Not now. Not ever. I opened my eyes back up, I had to face the music sometime and it might as well be now. I pushed up from my bent position next to my dresser. I slowly straightened back up the nausea washing over me like a tidal wave. My knees buckled in seconds Peter was in front of me preventing me from falling forward. I tried to look up at him to say thank you but my head just fell back and I couldn’t hold it up. “We need to get him into the shower and get him woken up enough to get some food down his system. He needs food and some of Mara’s special tea to get him down from whatever it is Alexandra gave him. It would have helped to have known what.” My head was spinning and I was having a hard time focusing on Peter’s face. But Alexandra… I didn’t know an Alexandra… or maybe I did but Alexandra Wiik was not a person I freely spent any time with. “Alright boss.” I heard Linus walking away. “What is wrong with me Peter, why do I feel like barfing all over your shoes?” My head wobbled as I reached for Peter’s shirt and to grab a hold of it and eventually I got a fist full of it. “Why am I still drunk?” The world started to spin an awfully lot and my body swayed, and as I fell back onto the bed I dragged Peter with me and he ended up on top of me. As he fell on top of me, large as he was, the air went out of my lungs in a huff, and the nausea was back once more. But for whatever reason I managed to hold it done once more, and Peter managed to get up and off of me without pushing against my sensitive stomach. “Linus change of plans, fill the tub with cold water, not ice cold but cold enough, you hear.” “Peter I don’t want to ….take a cold bath...it...be cold” I slurred and half my words were left out. “Well tough shit Matteo you are going in whether you like it or not. I could feel how he undid my jeans and started to try to pull them off. “Matteo do even own a pair of pants that don’t fit you like a second skin?” I tried shaking my head, but the movement didn’t go well with my upset stomach. “Nope...I got too nice of an ass to wear baggy pants.” Peter snorted “Oh, boy” but I could also hear that he was smiling. He pulled me up by my arm and with some help he got me up and got my shirt off and we started for the bathroom once more. “What of my shorts...” I let go of Peter and grabbed my boxers to pull them off. I don’t get too far before Peter stops me. “Why don’t we just leave them on for now Matteo.” I don’t argue but just let him lead me to the bathtub and as I step in I growl and curse. “It is fucking freezing. I thought you said cold but not fucking freezing.” But I didn’t get out of the tub. Instead I let myself slide down the tile wall, holding my hands on the side of the tub and slowly sitting down all while Peter is still holding me. I grit my teeth as my body adjusts to the cold water. I close my eyes as I sink lower into the tub my teeth are shattering. “How long am I going to sit in here it’s fucking freezing my nuts off.” I don’t get a reply so I open one eye and glare at Linus who is standing and leaning against the opening of the door, and grinning from ear to ear. “What the fuck are you so happy about.” My head is a little less foggy but still as nauseated. Peter reappears in the doorway, and Linus moves inside and sits down on the john, as Peter hands me a cup of steaming tea. “Finally someone with some damn heart around here.” Taking a deep drink from my tea and almost choked on it as I started to swallow, but most of it I spurted as the horrendous taste made my stomach turn. “What the fuck Peter!” I wiped my mouth on my arm trying to get the taste out of my mouth. “What are you trying to do?! You want me to hurl.” Linus was bent over laughing so hard he he almost fell off the john. I just glared at him and as he started to tear up because of laughing so hard I simply flipped him off. “You need to drink that, it is to get the toxic out of you system. We don’t know what Alexandra managed to get in you so Mara did her special tea. Drink up, and drink it all.” I opened my mouth to argue but Peter just gave me the ‘I'm your Alpha, do as I damn tell you’, so I shut my mouth and drank the goddamn tea. **** About thirty minutes later I had drunk the damn tea and the cold bath had managed to get sober enough that I was able to stand on my own two legs and get dressed. I still felt “loopy” and like I was floating outside of my body. I folded my 6’1 frame into one of the kitchen chairs with a heavy thud, making the kitchen chair scrape against the floor as I let my long legs stretch out in front of me. I still felt funny like I didn’t have complete control of my body, like when I was a kid and walked around in my dad's shoes that were ten sizes too large. No one was speaking, just observing me and my actions like they were waiting for a damn magic trick. Most likely what they wanted was an explanation and some kind of verification that I was going to clean up my act and make sure this never happened again. I still wasn’t sure why anyone was out to get me, unless it was to get to Peter since he was the Alpha. But that still didn’t make much sense. I had refused for a long time to be anything considered “worthy” in the hierarchy of our werekin pack even though Peter had throughout the years asked me a few times a year to step up to be his Beta. I never even considered it and just turned him down blank. Up until fairly recently he hadn’t been pushing the issue, it had felt like it had been more of a “thing” he did to ease a guilty conscience that the former great Alpha Claus, Linus and his grandfather, that his bisexual grandchild was not only his sexuality but a commoner, and liking the anonymity of not being anyone. I had always done my duty, I always put pack business before my own needs just like Linus or anyone else in the pack. It was so well embedded in me that there was no choice in the matter, but when business was done and I was “off” not that you really were off pack business, I got to play and I liked clubs and I liked to get laid. And come on, who the hell didn’t like to get a piece of ass. I never brought the fuck home with me and I really never got into any trouble. The worst that happened was some eager piece of tail that found out where I lived and came to find me and tried to convince me I was their mate. Especially humans did that because they didn’t understand werekin any better, that we could smell the one that was our mate and that our wolf would never let the human part of us just walk away from our true mate; at least not without a fight. But this was the most kind of trouble I ever got into, until yesterday that is. Then there was the cryptic discussion that has been going on between Linus and Peter ever since I managed to peer my eyes open. They were hiding something and it all made so much sense now because Peter should be all over my ass giving me the Alpha power over speech, but he wasn’t instead he was rather quiet. They all were quiet at the moment and as I looked around the room; they were all just standing there watching me like I turned into a damn beast. “You are keeping something from me. What is it?!” Mara came and finally put a decent cup of coffee in front of me and some toast. I didn’t even acknowledge it at first but eventually I gave her an appreciative growl. I took a bite of the toast and it actually felt good to get some food in my system and in two great bites the toast was all gone and the next followed the first down just as quickly and the coffee tasted better than any beer or whiskey I had the night before. “Is anyone going to answer me or are you gonna keep staring at me like I am some damn freak, all day. You are really overreacting to all of this. Yeah, fine I admit I got in a bit of a situation yesterday, not too smart but really it is not like that happens a lot and you can’t really blame me for one psycho.” I looked between Peter and Linus, I could see that Peter was trying to find the right words to tell me something and Linus was just trying his best not to tear my head off. He was actually pretty pissed and he and I usually didn’t have any issues. “Linus, why don’t you start and get whatever it is that you got on your chest off before you blow a gasket.” I sipped my coffee as I watched my two year older brother walk up to me, glaring as he leaned in and gave me the dark “get a fucking grip” stare. I knew it well I given it myself a few times in my life and our dad he been a fucking champion on that stare most of his miserable life. “Matteo, I love you but sometimes you are so damn ignorant and blind I just want to beat some sense into you.” The anger shone in his eyes and his body language stiff and it was all rolling off him like a heat wave. I gave Mara a side glance and even she was affected by the intensity in the room. Linus huffed and snorted as he stood back up giving Mara an evil glance, and Mara stared right back never once letting him stare her down. “Alright, so if no one is going to speak I am done with this bullshit. I am going back to bed.” I started to rise when Peter came from the side and pushed me back down. “Sit your ass down Mateo.” His action and voice was forceful but it still lacked the “Alpha tone” and had worried me because everyone else in the room flinched baring their neck as if there had been plenty of Alpha force there. Peter was not a fearful leader or one to Alpha his way around our pack. But he did lead and he took the responsibility a good leader should do for our pack and took his job as Alpha very seriously. He sat down in the chair opposite me so our knees were bumping and I could see how he was struggling but finally he said. “The time has come for me to step down and you to step up. I have done what was requested of me and now when you are ready, all the signs are there you need to take your rightful place in the pack.” I choked on my coffee as he spoke just staring at him with a stunned look. I heard what he was saying but I was not sure I understood why he was saying what he was saying. “What the hell did that bastard put in my drink last night, because I can believe what I am hearing. I told you before Peter I have no interest in being anything in the hierarchy of this pack. I don’t want a leading position.” Running the palms of my hands over my thighs I felt the restlessness of my wolf inside, how he stood up starting to pace inside of me. He was getting angry, that got me worried. A low growl escaped my mouth as he roared inside of me. I clapped a hand over my mouth, my eyes immediately searching for Peter’s to apologize. What the hell was going on!? Peter tilted his head to the side staring me right in the eye as he said “I am the Alpha of this pack! This is MY pack and I am it’s leader!” My wolf came alive inside of me, not at all happy with his words, pawing his way forward, teeth showing and growling out a warning. I gasped and got up on my feet so fast that my chair shot back and fell with a thud onto the floor. I rubbed my chest with the heel of my hand like I was in pain and drying to soothe it. He was angry, and as I looked down at Peter who just sat there watching, maybe even smirking a little, before I could stop myself my fangs had shot out and a my top lip curled up in a snarl as I deep growled to Peter taking two threatening steps towards him. I could feel my eyes narrowing as he rose out of his seat to challenge me right back. The human in me tried to fight my wolf to calm down, but he wanted to tear Peter’s neck off and eat his flesh. “You should listen to your wolf, Matteo. Listen to what he is trying to tell you. Don’t fight it.” I could feel my body starting to shake just the way it usually does when I was about to shift but it was even more powerful than normal. I clutched my hands into fists at my side to not reach out and grab Peter and snap his neck. Linus took a few steps forward, Peter shot out an arm without looking at him. “No, this has to happen. This stubborn son of a bitch wants to do this the hard way, then the hard way it is.” Were they talking about me? I looked at my brother who now looked more worried than angry. What the fuck was happening to me, I was completely losing it, I was about to attack my own Alpha; just the fact that I was challenging my own Alpha and no one was doing a damn thing to stop me, not even him. My body was vibrating, it felt as if I was going to explode from the inside out, I finally managed to force myself to stumble backwards and away from Peter and my wolf clawed at my chest encouraging me to jump him and finish him off. I turned my head slightly to find my brother’s gaze. We were opposite but also the one who could get the other calmed in a heated situation, my lips formed to call his name but it only came out as a mere whisper. “Linus...help me...”. He took a step forward but Peter held up his hand to stop him. I cried out in frustration. I could feel that I was losing the battle with my wolf. My body was getting tired of holding him back and he demanded me to challenge the fake Alpha and claim my pack. And as my wolf broke free of my hold I screamed. “Nooooooo!” I shook so badly I had no idea how I was still standing up. As I shifted the air seemed to crackle as a fire. Somewhere around me I heard Mara say. “Amazing” and how Linus almost sounded as if he was in shock. “Fuck me!”, but Peter said nothing and as I was able to look up back at him, this time there was no hesitation in me what I was going to do. My wolf wanted no demand for Peter’s life or seeing me as his Alpha, and as I prepared myself to tear him into threads I found him on his knees his eyes lowered and his neck showing in respect and to show me that he accepted me as his Alpha. My wolf growled in a slight warning, my lips twitching and showing him my teeth as if it didn’t quite believe his willingness to surrender his place as Alpha. But then I saw him clutch his hand into a fist and place it over his heart, and I heard him speak. “Orkan, my Alpha I surrender myself to thee and accept to be your humble servant in this pack anyway you see fit.” Just like that the immediate urge to kill Peter was gone. My wolf was pleased, chesting up, he was very pleased, he stood down, still there, still demanding and forceful looking around the room at Linus and Mara expecting them to do the same. Mara she never bent to anyone she was older than all of us together, but she did bow her head and repeated the words that Peter just said and when my eyes fell on Linus he look mostly relieved, but I could see the twinkle of ‘you gotta be shitting me, i have to bow to my own brother’ in there too. But he never hesitated or faltered; he came down on one knee, also repeating Peter’s words but introducing himself as the pack enforcer. That was his way of defying me and showing he was not giving up his place in the hierarchy and if I wanted it any differently I had to fight him or kill him. My spirit was connected to his spirit, we were brothers, my wolf accepted this type of challenge from him; it even expected it. The minute the power struggle was over and the people that were in the room accepted my dominance over them my wolf laid down and started licking his paws completely ignoring the other wolves in the room. He was very confident he won the battle with little energy wasted and they all bent to his will. I fell down on my hands and knees on the floor, letting my now much larger body fall to the side I was panting like I’d been out running a marathon. I was exhausted and starving. “Holy hell what was that?!” I was confused as hell, I’d never done anything like that my whole life, and the fact that Peter had bowed to me made me even more confused. I looked at them from my spot on the floor unwilling to move just yet. “Are you two assholes going to tell me what the hell is going on or am I going to have to beat it out of you!” I growled before slapping a hand over my mouth. I had just cursed off my Alpha. Fuck me I was in deep shit now! I thought I went madly insane when both Linus and Peter started to laugh so hard tears were coming out of their eyes. I realized then and there that they were fully aware of what was going on and they’d been expecting it. My eyes narrowed again and anyone who saw me would say that my eyes flashed with a mix of yellow and gold. Peter stood up and walked up to me and held out a hand. “Alpha let me give you a hand up and let’s eat before one of us becomes your breakfast, and we will answer all your questions.” I huffed at his outstretched hand and completely ignored it, getting back up on my own. He didn’t seem to mind, and it felt strange and weird and wrong to be this disrespectful to the man who’d been my Alpha and leader since I was a boy and almost like a father, and seeing him not blink at the insults I was dishing out. I felt a slight blush creep up my face as I turned to Peter and stopped him from moving away. He looked at me and said. “Yes Alpha” his eyes slightly lowered to show his loyalty and that he accepted me as his rightful leader. I put my hand on his shoulder “I am sorry for challenging you. I ...I don’t know what got into me. Please make it go away.” My wolf started to stir and stood back up with a roar but instead of roaring at Peter he was roaring at me, the human side of me. Something must have changed in my appearance because Peter’s face came into my view and his hands were on my arms snapping me back to reality and to him instead of focusing on my annoyed wolf. “Now, now let’s not upset that beast of yours anymore Alpha. I am where I am supposed to be as a member of the Orkan Pack with my rightful Alpha to serve. I have served my pack to the best of my abilities, but it was always just temporary till the force came to you.” Linus came up behind me and slapped me hard in the back forcing me to take a step forward, where I once would have stumbled several steps ahead. “Now little brother and Alpha male can we eat. This whole ordeal has made me starving and of the sound of it so are you.” I could only but nod at him because my eyes were fixated at the were male, whose image was reflecting back to me from the patio glass door, if it wasn’t for my face that besides that my skin looked more, for the lack of a better word looked more fresh, I wouldn’t have thought it to be me. I was taller, at least three or four inches taller, my shoulders broader, even my hair was longer. My eyes that had been blue were now golden brown and my skin was the color of honey. I touched my face and my bare chest that was stronger, more defined than before; and all I could think of to say was “Damn I look good!” My outburst caused another loud laugh out of the people in the room who to me were all family. #ItIsYourLegacy #TheOrkan #TheWolven #TheRenegades

[what-even-is-thiss]

I love learning new mythology stuff if you want to go in depth about your ideas! Admittedly I know the most about Greek mythology, so you might have to give more details on any other myths you use.

I know the most about Greek/Roman and Norse mythology and a bit from my ancient Egyptian obsession I had back in sixth grade, but I’ve dabbled just a little in Polynesian, Japanese, and Celtic mythology, as well as several folktales from around Europe and one or two Aztec myths, and I’ve been meaning to do some research on the Orisha from eastern Africa I think it is, but haven’t gotten around to it.

Anyways, I’ve been developing a bit of a complicated mythology themed universe in my head and it only gets more confusing as I add more pantheons to the list, so for right now for this explaination I’ll stick with the Greek, Norse, and Egyptian ones, and maybe touch a bit on the Hawaiian stuff, but I’m not as comfortable putting that out there because I’m not overly well read on that yet.

I’m putting a cut here for anybody that doesn’t want to read this, because it gets long and complicated, and I’m not even close to being done with it, and I’m giving you all the simplified version.

So, the beginnings of my idea started when I was reading that wonderful wonderful author Rick Riordin. Specifically a short story crossover between his Egyptian and Greek series. This got me wondering if I could possibly make any of these pantheons coexist long term.

So, I began with what I call cross-pantheon deities. These are children of gods/goddesses from different pantheons. But then I had to figure out a way that these gods could meet each other.

So, the gods of old in this universe are a magical species I call manas deva from the Sanskrit words for “invented” and “god”. They are beings that came to exist because of human belief, and are a bit more contained and limited than the traditional idea of gods, but still the most powerful beings in this universe. And now that they exist, they can go do things like screw a few mortals and dink around with the weather just for the hell of it.

So once in a while you’ll get someone, (probably Zeus if we’re being honest) hanging around a mortal pub or something disguised as a mortal, and another disguised god or goddess disguised as a mortal, and since the pantheons shouldn’t interact with each other they don’t know what to look out for and therefore don’t know they’ve made a huge mistake until the morning after when they both decide to mention oh yeah you just did the thing with a god bye.

And that’s where the cross-pantheon characters come from.

I’m still working on characters and plot, but my main characters are this guy Deon, who is a cross-pantheon son of Zeus Greek god of lightning and being a terrible womanizer, and Freja, Norse goddess of beauty, war, and uh, fertility. The other main character is his twin sister Talin, which is also his half sister. (And yeah, fraternal twins can have different biological dads, it happens look it up) Her dad is Ra, god of the sun and everybody worshiped him in ancient Egypt it was just the cool thing to do.

Our buddy Deon doesn’t like either side of his family, but he kind of depends on them because his immortality is all wonky. Norse deities stay young by eating special golden apples distributed by the goddess of youth and can be killed, whereas Greek gods are just eternally young and can’t die. Deon got an awkward combination of these traits and can’t be killed but still ages, so he has to keep both sides of his family okay with him and not run off to join the mortals or something, because he can’t die and there are complications like lost limbs that can come from that, and he keeps aging, so he needs those sweet sweet golden apples to keep looking like a fresh twenty something, because who wants to spend all of eternity with joint pain? One of his best friends, Asger, son of Aphrodite, son of Odin, has the opposite problem. He’s eternally young but can be killed.

Talin hates her dad and would like to just stay in Vanaheim with her brother and favorite cousins all the time(also she might have a girlfriend there but I haven’t invented her yet), but keeps going back to the sun and puts up with her dad because there are several people there in the realm of gods and spirits that depend on her. I’m still thinking through her motivations and backstory, but she’s shaping up to be quite dangerous. She’s loud and slightly violent and is confrontational in a good way. She believes she knows what is right and will fight for it. She and Deon make nice foils for each other because he is much quieter and shy and prefers a more sneaky or indirect approach to conflict and doesn’t see morals as something set in stone. He has charming abilities and will use his magic to get what he wants, all the while making the other person believe it was their idea. So, she’s the huntress, he’s the trickster. Neither of them are overly gorgeous by society’s standards but have the ability to trick people into thinking that they are because their mom is a love goddess. Does that make sense?

I’ve got all kinds of other side characters I’m working on. None of them are overly developed at this point, but here’s some of my more well thought out ones.

I’m calling this one Jessie for now. She/her Greek/Hawaiian. Dad is Kanaloa, Hawaiian god of the underworld and magic, mom is Kymopoleia, Greek Goddess of sea storms. You’d expect somebody with that parentage to be pretty volatile, and you’d be right. Pansexual Demigirl that’s best friends with Deon and Asger and Deon is a trans guy as of right now, but I might change that later, but anyways, Jessie and Deon first got to know each other as of right now because they both wanted a trans friend and she got to know Asger through Deon. But like I said, I’m thinking about changing a few things we’ll see how it goes.

Apollo. Yes, that Apollo. He looked away from the mirror just long enough to be one of Deon’s mentors and teach him how to shoot. This is a modern day story, so that includes guns as well as bows and arrows. Don’t get the impression he’s a good person here. He’s not. He just chooses to care about his siblings sometimes.

Asger. he/him My one straight cis character. I needed one in there. He’s the son of Aphrodite Greek goddess of love and Odin, leader of the Norse aesir gods. He became friends with Deon after finding out he also had a love goddess mom and they bonded over how their moms are both just the worst. He’s incredibly strong and people often call him if they need a giant or dragon disposed of and Thor isn’t avalible. He’s also good friends with Talin and they bond over being kind of violent. They both like weapons and fighting and whatnot. The Norse gods find them to be fun at parties.

Eric, Dalia, and Astrid. Not much of a backstory for these three yet, but they are former demigods that were made gods after the Norse deities found them useful. They deliver messages, because I noticed the Norse pantheon has a god of messengers, but they don’t have a god whose job it is to deliver messages, so I invented the story of the four messengers. One for each season. Eric son of Loki in the winter, Astrid daughter of Thor in the spring, Dalia daughter of Tyr in the fall, and Deon is the summer messenger. This is an interesting device, because all four of these characters are very powerful and useful, but one of them is missing at any given time, because during the season they work they are busy almost all of the time and the only way to get a hold of them is to deliver a message. I’ve got a whole complicated story planned out how they were all added one at a time over the course of a few centuries, but this post is getting too long anyways.

Freja. Goddess of beauty and war. She runs a house of fallen warriors that are training for ragnarok, same as Valhalla. She seems ditzy and is basically the world’s worst beauty pageant mom, but if you piss her off you will suffer a fate worse than any of the underworld gods/goddesses could imagine for you. Do not cross her. She can run in heels.

Zeus. I don’t need to talk about this guy, do I? He sucks. He just really sucks. Get him out of my face. He’s a horribly abusive parent.

Ra. Good king, bad dad. Argues with other sun gods/goddesses. Sol never has any time to talk to him because she’s being chased by a wolf. For crying out loud, Ra. Stay in your lane. Focus on your own thing. This is why you have like three cross-pantheon kids.

Yeah, those are the more developed ones. I have tons more, but I don’t think I have time to get into those.

As for what kind of plot I’d have in this context? That’s a little fuzzy. I’m thinking something like demigods and minor deities are going missing, and since the gods can’t exactly throw demigods or mortal heroes at the problem, because the problem is that they’re disappearing they send some cross pantheon gods because they’re pretty much on the lowest rung right above mortals in these godly societies and their parents don’t really care for them that much. So, it would probably follow several characters on their quest to find out what the freak is going on and why all these spirits and demigods and favored mortals are disappearing across so many pantheons.

That probably leads to all kinds of shenanigans, including various figures from these mythologies that aren’t supposed to meet crossing paths. I like to imagine a scene ending with Asger smashing in some Greek monster’s head with Mjolnir or a similar Norse weapon. Probably Typhon. Can we have Typhon, a giant monster with insane features and probably bigger than mount everest get defeated by a tap from Thor’s hammer? Please and thank you?

Anyways, it’ll probably be a very long time before I get all of my thoughts together enough to actually get a screenplay together because this is taking a lot of sorting out and it would probably be several movies long, but there’s the bare bones of my mythology themed universe for you. It all takes place in modern day, so imagining Apollo sitting on the couch eating cereal and watching the golden girls on Netflix is totally something you can do, and something I have done, obviously.

Thanks for reading all of that. It’s kind of a lot.

[melonoverlord]

ur ask meme for lil ce

What convenience store food would be their go-to at a 7-11 (Fantasy or otherwise)?

Since she can’t get tacos at a convenience store, girl is going after those giant slushees. Blue Raspberry is her absolute favorite and she likes showing Ciara and Rory her blue tongue afterwards.

Who is their drinking buddy? If they don’t drink, which drunk friend would they watch over?

Baby is much too small to drink, but she would pick the best friend squad, Ciara and Rory. Alternatively, I feel like Dahlia and Nadiah would be the type to start teaching her how to drink at like fifteen.

Who would be their go-to character in Clue?

Mrs. Peacock. She looks like she could light a motherfucker up.

If they ever had to go to college, what major would they pick?

Since “Sword” isn’t a major, Dance or Literature.

Do they have a signature color(s)?

Yellow and pink like the sweet baby girl she is.

What would be their favorite vine?

It’s a toss up between “I’m a bad bitch, you can’t kill me” and “Hey. I think you’re really cool. I like you a lot. Maybe we can hang out or something.”

If they had a social media account, what would it be about?

Her instagram would be full of dance videos and pictures of clothes she’s made, her twitter would be venting about Seith and Reggie and also full of love for her friends, and she’d follow a lot of horse tumblr blogs.

Who would they invite to be their best man/maid of honor at their wedding?

Micah 100%. He’s her big brother and although she sometimes makes jokes that she doesn’t like him, she is his number one fan and she wants him by her side.

Alternatively, who’s best man/maid of honor would they be?

She would def be Micah’s maid of honor and she is really really hoping she could be Ciara’s.

What would be the title of their sex tape/mixtape?

“Is that a sword or are you just- oh, it’s both”

If there was no prejudice, what time period/place would they love to visit?

She would be heartbroken to learn that she can’t visit the places of fairytales to see princesses, but she would look amazing in 20s and 40s fashion.

What three words would they use to describe themself?

Small, Tough, and Curious

What three words would their friends/family use to describe them?

Most people would say overall curious, bold, and excitable. Rory would also say friendly, Ciara would say fun, and Dahlia would say “unsure of herself”

What nicknames do they have? Any particular stories behind them?

Ce’s been her nickname since she was small (though really only Micah called her Ce). Micah found it easier to write and cute to say. Nadiah calls her Cec (which irks her the slightest bit) or Little Dude/Man, which she calls everyone smaller than her.

Do they consider themself a good person? Why or why not?

Cecily’s self worth as “good” person fluctuates on who she looks up to. If they say she is a good person, she thinks she is as well. If they say she is a bad person, she will think she’s a bad person. (So if Ce considers you a parent figure, watch what you say around her)

If they were a cryptid, what would they be?

Chupacabra, has wanderlust and loves exploring, can be a bit of a wild child, and wants adventure.

What is the one thing they wish they could’ve said to a loved one, but never did?

She really wishes she could tell her grandparents that she would rather die than follow what they want her to do.

What would they tell their ten year old self?

She currently is ten, so she would either tell her five year old self “your childhood is not normal. There is only one person that actually loves you.”

Who would be on their team in an all out prank war? Who would they be against?

Ciara, Rory, Micah, and Dahlia definitely would be on her team, and between her and Dahlia, they would probably enlist Nadiah. They would be against Seith and his toadies, and of course she will throw Reggie off the highest tower.

Can they drive a car? Are they good at it? (If cars don’t exist, would they be able to drive if they existed?)

She has never seen a car, and she is very short right now, but she would Baby Driver and be an amazing getaway driver.

Tell the story behind their most stupid injury/scar.

When she was four, another boy in their clan made fun of Micah, and she tried to beat him up, which of course resulted in Cecily getting punched in the eye. Though it was here where she learned the phrase “You should see the other guy”

What word(s) would they freeze up at if someone said it to them?

“Useless”, “Stupid”, “Disgrace of a Fae”, “Micah doesn’t need you”

Who is someone that they don’t talk to much, but would probably get along with?

She is just starting to talk to Dahlia and she is going to be her future daughter because goddammit, Ce deserves someone who loves her. She would also probably get along with Nat if Nat wasn’t a lone wolf in every sense of the term.

Have they ever done something they think is unforgivable?

Not yet. But there is something over her head that if she does it, she knows it will be unforgivable.

What type of soda would be their favorite?

She doesn’t really like soda, but she loves raspberry lemonade.

What do they want more than anything?

To be free of responsibility and just live her life with her brother and friends.

What is their fatal flaw?

She is very misguided and has her loyalty with the wrong people and allows them to abuse her.

What Greek God would they be most like?

Athena, goddess of wisdom and warfare

Who do they looks the most up to?

Micah, her grandmother, and now Dahlia, Nadiah, and even Wisty.

If they had to pick between their best friend or significant other, who would they pick?

Right now she’d pick Micah over anything else, even Rory. In the future when she gets closer to people, it would still have to be either save Micah or save everyone else to get her to go against her brother.

#my characters #Cecily Yildirim #Isladine Academy campaign #imaturtlebug

[some-cookie-crumbz]

A Study in Relevancy

Title: A Study in Relevancy - Kidge Week Day 6 Prompt Fill Fandom: Voltron: Legendary Defender Pairing: Keidge Summary: AU-ish.Everyone is born with a mark on their arms of the words their soulmate will say to them when they realize that are in love with them. Pidge and Keith end up with some interesting phrases. Standard Disclaimer: If you read and enjoy this, please give it a like/ reblog so I know if I should write more. AN: Another prompt in which I totally cheated to fill it! Regardless, I think it turned out okay. Also, only did a quick pre-post read-through so it might still be a little rough.

It was her fifth birthday when her soul mark appeared, mere seconds after she’d blown out the candles on her cake. She felt the soft, tingling pressure of the words etching along her inner left arm, the sensation known from all the stories she’d been told from relatives and older children at school. It started at the bend of her elbow and shot straight down to her wrist, six words that shimmered a brilliant red that would be the definition to one of her more intimate relationships.

We could get arrested for this.

As far as marks went, she had certainly heard of worse, but that did nothing to quill her mild disappointment. She had been secretly hoping for something sweeping and romantic like her older brother, Matt – I have searched countless galaxies to find you – or even something more simple and practical but intimate like her father – Don’t forget your scarf this morning, Samuel – but instead she got something that only made her pout. Matt had found it hilarious, muffling his snorts behind his hand, while a look of concern flashed in her father’s eyes.

Only Colleen, matriarch of the Holt household, seemed at peace with it. She knelt beside her young daughter, pulling a small fabric arm guard from her pocket to cover up the mark as was custom, to protect against people using the phrase incorrectly. She tugged the arm guard over her daughter’s soul mark with one hand while the other tucked a loose strand of copper locks behind an ear, smiling fondly at her. “You know, darling, tone can make a world of difference,” She said simply. The young girl stared at her mother, turning the words over in her mind, before beaming back at her, optimism cranked back up to full volume.

“I wonder what will prompt it though! What kind of person do you think they’ll be, Mama? Do you think they’ll be a really fun adventurous person, or a stick in the mud grumpy pants?” She asked excitedly.

Colleen giggled. “Well, whichever it is, they’ll be someone who completes you; the yin to your yang, as it were,” She mused back. Her daughter flashed another cheeky grin before she shoved her arm out to show her new coverings up, reveling in the excited squeals and awe she received.

The interest and concern for the words on her arm would wane and dissipate for Katie Holt. The words would be wholly ignored to become Pidge Gunderson and enthralled in bigger concerns than soul mates and movie dates.

……………………………………………………………………..

He was a little over six years old when his soul mark appeared on a rainy night. He had been up in his room, playing with some toys, while his babysitter was making dinner for him downstairs. His parents had gone out for dinner and a movie that night. It was an odd, tingling sensation that made his right arm itch that caused him to perk up, blinking and tilting his head curiously at the dark green letters appearing on his skin, creeping down from his wrist towards his elbow. His brow knitted together and he made his way downstairs to the kitchen, keeping his eyes glued to the phrase on his arm.

If we both stick to the story, they can’t prove anything.

Angie, the friendly teenage girl from next door that had been charged with watching him that night, had tilted her head curiously as he walked out, saying nothing but simply holding his arm out at her. “What’s wrong, buddy? Did you get hurt?” She asked worriedly, moving to grab the first aid kit they kept in the cabinet by the sink.

“No, look,” He insisted quietly, scowling at her overreaction. She walked back over and blinked in surprise at the sight of the words.

“Huh, that’s certainly an interesting mark,” She said with a small laugh.

“Seems like trouble,” He said with a small scowl, the idea unappealing to him; he was, after all, a very good boy with good grades and good manners.

“Well, maybe they mean it like a joke or something,” Angie said, ruffling his hair and standing. She opted not to tell him what puberty and high school would most likely have in store for him – simply for the sake of his pride and innocence – and went back to stirring the macaroni. “I’m sure your parents will be thrilled when they see it. Now go wash up; dinner’s almost done. Then we’ll get that mark covered up until your parents get home.” He smiled a bit and nodded, heading off to do as he was told. His parents would certainly have an idea of what to expect, and would be thrilled he had finally gotten his mark.

That night, however, his parents never made it home. From that day forward, Keith Kogane kept his soul mark hidden under extra layers and gloves, not wanting to see the reminder of a message he never got to share with his parents.

……………………………………………………………………..

It started out as nothing more than casual interest on her part, really.

She found herself drawn in by the walking enigma that was Keith Kogane, Red Paladin and second in command of the team. She had watched him for a while before her curiosity caused her to start seeking him out and engaging with him. Their friendship was a bit of an odd one but she was grateful for it all the same because it was so drastically different than the ones she shared with the other Paladins. She appreciated the times she and Shiro spent one-on-one, but she couldn’t help but see him as a stand-in for Matt; whether due to her own hang-ups or intentional actions on Shiro’s part, she wasn’t sure. Hunk was someone she could talk shop with who could keep up with her, and Lance was someone she could banter and bicker at without any concern of genuine conflict arising. She had learned over the time they’d spent together that she and Keith had quite a bit in common, but the smaller nuances that made them different helped them from driving one another completely insane.

They were both stubborn and driven and passionate and extremely skilled. Where she was of a genius intellect and could reverse engineer whatever she needed or wanted from alien tech she didn’t know, he could find a way to make a weapon of nearly any item he came across as well as alter his fighting style to cover himself against an opponent. She had watched him once throw a giant boulder-beast three times his size that was created by the Galra over his shoulder by simply crouching low, taking advantage of the creature’s momentum, and implementing a particular grip on the creatures arms to send it. She had helped to teach him to do some basic repair and troubleshooting tactics in case Red got damaged and they were separated from the group, while he had helped her to fine-tune and develop her fighting style. Even further, she had learned that Keith tended to also get the nighttime need to lurk through the castle – typically aimlessly, though sometimes she had a destination in mind – and they would chatter about conspiracy theories or swap stories about their lives on Earth.

Getting to know Keith had left her feeling a sense of ease in his company, but the analyst in her was still hopelessly intrigued by him.

He was abrasive and a bit callous with the others – including her on a handful of circumstances - but he was always so eager to reassure his teammates of their value and worth. He bickered with each of them at different points, but he never let those feelings soil his ability to help them during combat or training. Everything about the guy just screamed lone wolf, but he was one of the most team-oriented people she’d ever met.

Which was probably why he was humoring her, Lance, and Hunk.

It had been Lance’s idea that the four of them sneak out of the castle base and visit an alien speak-easy on a planet about twenty minutes away. It was apparently in Galra-free air space from what the maps and readings told them. “And if you’re really worried about getting caught,” Lance said with a huge grin, “we can just all pile into Green and use the cloaking upgrade.”

“All of this to go to some club?” Keith asked, raising a brow and shifting his weight to one hip.

Lance looked at him incredulously before letting out a small laugh. “Do you hear this guy? Some club he says!” He laughed. Hunk looked a bit uneasy about the whole thing, as if he himself wasn’t fond of the idea of going, but the poor boy simply couldn’t deny Lance anything. “Look, it’s been forever since the last time we went out and just had some fun! Don’t be a buzz kill, Kogane!”

“Well why don’t the three of you just go without me, then?” Keith retorted evenly.

It was at this point that Pidge chimed in, waving one hand to get his attention. “Are you really going to trust these two to stay in a group? Remember what happened last time the three of us bailed out?” She asked calmly.

The mortified look on Keith’s face was all the answer he had to offer before pointing toward the hanger, pincheing the bridge of his nose lightly.

It was Lance that was able to get them into the club, using his power of persuasion on the burly, warthog-esque creature serving as the bouncer at the door. Inside, the place was dimly lit by a bunch of odd, glowing growths all along the ceiling and walls that reminded her some of mushrooms. The whole place seemed to be made of bamboo, though, so the idea of fungus of some sort growing on it didn’t seem too far out of the realm of plausibility. The DJ – what seemed to be an upright capybara with an hour-glass shape in a sequined gold dress - was playing loud, thrumming music that was similar to the techno beats Pidge used to listen to back on Earth, only with a weird effect on them that sounded identical to the ones old sci-fi movies used during big dramatic movements. It would be hard to dance to – well, unless you were Lance, since he could dance to literally anything – so she made her way over to the bar along the back wall. Keith was a few paces behind her, keeping a gaze over his shoulder at Hunk and Lance as they joined the odd collection of dancers out on the floor.

“I’ll never understand why you insist on tagging along for these sorts of things,” He commented as they got settled in two bar chairs.

“Because it’s kinda nice. You know, getting out and enjoying the culture,” She said, waving around them with one hand. He flashed her a deadpan look and she merely shrugged, spinning around to the bar tender, flagging him over. “What I always find more interesting, though, is how easy it is to convince you to join us.”

He leaned his back and elbows against the bar, watching the crowd. As to whether or not he could actually still see Hunk and Lance, she wasn’t sure, but watching the reckless grinding and movements was at least something. “Is that what you think?”

She grinned and held off on answering as the bartender walked over. He was another warthog creature – much like the bouncer – but he seemed slightly more approachable than the other one. Probably because his tusks were slightly smaller than the one at the door, honestly. “What do you have on tap that’s good?” She asked happily.

He grunted, looking her up and down, before scowling slightly. “Ya got some kinda identification on ya, sweetheart?” He asked, leaning one of his hoofed hands against the bar top while indicating a sign posted above the shelf full of alien liquor with the other. Pidge couldn’t understand a word of it – written in some foreign language – and leaned a bit closer, tip-toing her fingers up along one of his tusks.

“Aw, you can let it slide this once, can’t you? With my line of work, having an ID isn’t really necessary,” She said, trying her best to make her voice sound like a playful coo.

Keith was watching her with a look that seemed to be a mix of disbelief and disgust.

The bartender grunted again. “Look, girlie, no ID, no drinks. Simply as that. If a lil’ thing like ya wants somethin’ ta drink, there’s a juice joint about three asteroid belts back,” He said evenly, starting to move back.

Big mistake.

Pidge wrapped her hand tight around his tusk and tugged hard, hauling his whole upper body on top of the bar. He looked at her in shock but she kept the pleasant smile on her face. “Look, Buster Brown,” She said, keeping her tone sickeningly sweet, jerking her thumb to herself and then Keith, “me and my pal here spend most of our time kicking ass and taking names in colorful mechanical lions. And, sadly, they don’t exactly offer badges or key cards for the Paladins of Voltron. Now how about you play nice and just hook us up with some drinks? I mean, unless you want Voltron to ignore this sorry shack when Zarkon and his goonies come knocking.”

The mention of Voltron seemed enough to jolt the guy into full attention, his hoof halting in reaching for the security buzzer under the bar. His eyes flickered from her to Keith, clearly seeking some kind of reassurance that she was bluffing. Keith, having gained a better understanding of when he should stand down, held up his hands. “Look, pal, Voltron kinda relies on all the Paladins and Lions being on the same page. And if she doesn’t want to Green Lion, we can’t make her Green Lion,” He said calmly before turning his attention back to the dancers. Pidge grinned proudly at Keith.

Good man.

The bartender let out a small sigh, realizing this was a fight he wasn’t going to win, and moved to stand upright. Pidge let him, but kept her grip on his tusk, just in case. “What galaxy are you drinking from?” He asked flatly, dusting off his shirt with his other hoof.

“Milky way, if you could. Jameson on the rocks for me, and a gin and tonic for my friend,” She said happily, releasing his tusk. She settled back in before reaching up and switching the dial on the choker communicators she’d made for them. Their Paladin helmets came with automatic translators and, using some spare parts around the castle ship, she had developed some choker necklaces with small ear buds for when they weren’t in their Paladin gear. It was rare that they used them, but they were certainly helpful.

Keith imitated her actions, switching the translator off as well, and looked at her with an amused smirk. “The way you flirt is shameful,” He said playfully.

She laughed as the bartender set their drinks down, nodding her head at him in appreciation and taking a small sip of her drink. The tender grumbled something, but it all came out as muffled pig sounds. It was strong – meaning the tender could mix a good drink – and she hummed in approval. “It gets results, doesn’t it?”

“You aren’t even the legal drinking age on Earth,” He retorted, taking a sip of his own drink.

“I’m out here risking my tail day in and day out trying to find my family and protect the universe; I think getting drunk a year before I’m legally allowed to is the least the universe can offer me,” She said with a smug grin. She then held up her drink towards him.

“You are one strange young lady, Pidge Gunderson,” He said with a laugh, lightly clinking their glasses together. She dipped her head politely, opting to take his words as a compliment, and sipped her drink again.

They fell into casual chatter for a while after that, the alcohol leaving her mind a little fuzzy and her body tingling with false warmth. They made up wild, insane backstories for the other patrons of the club and bar as the night progressed, each story getting more ridiculous than the last. She leaned into his space and grinned, pointing at an alien with a fly for a head but the body of a man. “See that guy right there? He’s involved in some seriously shady shit,” She whispered conspiratorially.

“Oh, I am well aware. He’s into smuggling rare, exotic goods,” He whispered back, his own tone just as eager and giddy as hers.

“Oh yeah? Like what?”

He shifted so that they were facing each other, his expression grim, before he uttered gravely, “Peanuts.”

“He’s a monster,” She managed to force out in a calm tone before she completely lost it, throwing her face into her arms on the bar top and cackling like a madman. It was so stupid, really, and made no sense for her to laugh so hard, but for some reason it got to her. Maybe it was just a side effect of the alcohol but she liked it.

He opened his mouth to say something else, snorting a bit himself, before a commotion out on the dance floor caught his attention. She wiped at one eye with the heel of her hand and followed his gaze, eyes widening as they watched what appeared to be Hunk – sweet, gentle, Mr. Sunshine Hunk Garrett – getting into a huge brawl with two other patrons.

She hopped off the barstool, bayard in hand, without needing any further assessment.

She lassoed one of Hunk’s attackers with her bayard and heaved, sending him spinning in the direction of the bar. He crashed into it, leaving a sizable divot in the counter, and the bar tender glared at her. She flashed a sheepish grin and waved before she saw Keith charging after her, his own bayard drawn. “Pidge, duck and roll!” He snapped strictly.

Without looking back, she followed the order, rolling to his side as the blade made contact with the arm of the second assailant. These aliens were strange in that it seemed they could form weapons with their bodies; what had certainly been a limb mere seconds ago was now curved and twisted into something resembling a battle axe. Keith twisted himself, ducking under the blade-arm, and slammed the curved handle of his bayard right into the other’s gut, causing him to wheeze and stumble back unsteadily. He then turned himself around the guy’s back, shoving him in Pidge’s direction. With a small smirk, she readied her bayard again and wrapped it tight around their opponent, skirting around him to rejoin with Keith. He placed one hand on a portion of the whip, the other set on her back to help steady her – his own bayard returned to its holster on his hip - and added his own strength to help send the second assailant slamming into his buddy – whom had been scrambling back to his feet with an enraged snarl - over by the bar.

The added force sent both of them back through the same hole Pidge had created before and right into an entire rack of various alien booze.

She stared for a moment before smirking up at Keith, breathing in softly. His eyes were bright and shining in a mix of smug satisfaction and weary anticipation for retaliation. He was just a bit sweaty from the brief skirmish, but she was certain she probably wasn’t much better so pointing it out seemed hypocritical. She was hyper-aware of his hand on her back – warm and reassuring and steady – and his other hand slowly released the chord of her bayard so she could retract it. Once his hand was removed, she sent an electric shock down the line, just to add insult to their opponent’s injury. She beamed up at the raised brow she received. “Figured I’d just drive home the point that they just got annihilated,” She mused proudly.

He laughed and shook his head, his smile sparking a warmth in her chest that she couldn’t quite explain. It had happened a few times in the past few months, but she hadn’t put much thought to it. “We could get arrested for this,” He commented conversationally, leaving her winded for a second.

Suddenly her sense of peace when around him – how conversing and falling into rhythm with him came so damn naturally after their initial meeting – made a lot more sense.

Lance suddenly started barking at them, indicating the club bouncers on their way to most likely detain the four of them until authorities could be brought in to arrest them. It wouldn’t have been the first time the four of them had been thrown in space jail – which, in itself, was strange considering she expected their positions as Paladins of Voltron to place them beyond reproach by any non-Galran space legal system, but, as their previous six arrests proved, they weren’t – and would likely be stuck there for some time, given Shiro had made it clear last time that he would not be bailing them out if they pulled stupid, arrest-worthy shenanigans again. She pushed Keith’s words to the back of her mind and looked around, spotting a glowing neon sign on the other end of the club. She couldn’t understand it, but there were some universal truths that crossed into the cultures of other species in the many galaxies; one of those universal truths being that most establishments had some sort of emergency exit.

“Gentlemen, I believe that’s our sign to jump ship!” She snapped, pointing in the direction of the sign. Lance led Hunk by one arm while the other hand pressed a handkerchief against his bloody nose – which, she realized, she’d need to ask about later, because Hunk was the last person she expected to go picking fights at an intergalactic club – and Keith followed after her, running with his head tilted slightly to keep an eye on the bouncer’s, his bayard returning to his hand. She clutched tighter at her own, just in case they ended up needing to fight.

Luckily enough, Green was already waiting for them right outside the exit, having picked up on Pidge’s distress. She grinned up at the mechanical cat as she dropped her head and opened her mouth to the Paladins. Pidge paused and gently patted one of the large, metal fangs in her mouth. “Good girl, Green,” She beamed warmly before following the rest of her group into the cockpit to take her place at the controls. They were taking off just as the bouncers came rushing out after them, their expressions a mix of awe and horror at the sight of a Lion of Voltron. Pidge smirked in satisfaction before glancing back at the others.

Hunk was silent while Lance started prattling on and lecturing him – the irony of the situation so potent that Pidge could practically taste it – while Keith pulled out the first aid kit. They’d started keeping first aid kits in their Lions after an incident where Lance broke his arm after being separated from the others, and had been unable to properly reset the bone and treat the wound. They’d found him before the damage was irreversible but the team agreed it’d be good to have supplies on hand for such a situation. Keith was silent as he settled in across from Hunk, indicating with a calm wave of his hand that he drop the handkerchief and let him examine the damage. She glanced briefly at her arm where she knew those same words he’d said earlier were still etched along her skin.

Her heart thrummed at the thought of the words, but she swallowed to push the feeling down. She had other concerns that took priority over taking the plunge of acknowledging her soul mate. She’d wait a bit longer – try and gauge if Keith had the same epiphany as she had already – and then she’d confront him with the words on her arm. She’d already waited this long to find her soul mate, a little longer certainly wasn’t going to hurt anything.

……………………………………………………………………..

He wasn’t sure when he came to trust Pidge more than the other Paladins, but he could at least rationalize it.

She could be just as stubborn and impulsive as he was – the other Paladin most likely to enable his bad behavior - but she was also a bit more methodical and tactical with her acts of blatant mutiny. He could come to her with a half-assed idea of something to do that would most certainly get them in trouble with Shiro, Allura and Coran later, and she would help him weave it into a beautiful symphony of civil disobedience. Her plans were a contradiction of themselves that he couldn’t help but admire; always well-crafted and tight-knit, but somehow also risky and dangerous enough to keep him piloting Red by the seat of his pants.

This particular scheme was probably his favorite of hers to date.

He had needed time away from the castle ship to clear his head after their most recent run-in with the Galra on the planet they were stationed. They had spent three straight days battling them off from their vice-grip on the world, brought there after the Galra hacked into their communication line and broadcasted their heinous attack on the innocent people they had enslaved. The crimes committed against the denizens of the planet had left him sick with a fury he hadn’t felt in a while and he felt like chasing the Galra off wasn’t nearly enough. He wanted to land a bigger blow on the Galra; something to warn them that they would suffer if they ever took a tactic like that again.

He had stumbled across a Galra medical base on an asteroid not far off from the planet in question and the thought of tracking down the leader of the troops – Harthor or something along those lines – and making him pay sounded like a brilliant idea. Red urged him to rush in and annihilate everything he could, the mechanical beast always eager and ready for a fight, but he hesitated. If he wanted to be successful, he needed to go about this the right way.

He returned to the castle ship and made a beeline for the opposite side of the hanger from Red’s spot, knowing that Pidge would be there. She hadn’t even bothered to change out of her Paladin gear before starting up on the honey-do list of repairs and reprogrammings she’d have to be getting on for the Lions after such a long battle. She perked up when he rushed in, an easy grin turning up on her lips, seeming to read his purpose without needing more information than his expression. “Find something interesting out there, I take it?” She mused, leaning one elbow on her table and cupping her chin with that hand.

He grabbed one of the many spare chairs they kept around – in case of situations such as this, where Pidge or Hunk had company while they worked – and dragged it over. He turned the chair so the back was facing her and sat down, leaning his chest against the back support and resting his crossed arms on the top of the back. “Found a Galra medical bay,”

That seemed to catch her interest even more. She sat upright and turned her chair to fully face him. “How far off?”

“Less than ten miles off, but more than five; probably between seven and six, if I were to wager a guess,”

“You see Commander Harthor’s ship docking in?”

“It was already docked in, but he’s totally there,”

“Have you told any of the others?”

“And have to listen to a lecture from Shiro about not whacking the hornets’ nest? No, thank you,” He scoffed lightly. She snickered a bit. “I came to you immediately. I knew you wouldn’t tell me this wasn’t a good idea.”

Her grin turned wicked as she pushed her chair back away and she headed toward a large bin filled with various tech bits. Pidge would scavenge about the battlefield after a victory, scrounging up anything she could salvage or repurpose to fit her fancy. Lance claimed that she was like a mutant hybrid between a crow and a vulture – constantly pilfering the remains of this or that, while also hoarding what she found, regardless of its usefulness – and, while Keith did occasionally take issue with her pick-up habit, he couldn’t help but find it incredibly practical, too.

Especially when it was being implemented to help him with a less-than-Paladin-worthy endeavor.

He assisted her with the next hour of work that was put into developing a small bomb; a sticky-bomb, as she called it. They had collected other things from their various travels through the multiple galaxies and worlds; some for the benefit of the team, and others because the indigenous people insisted gifts be given to their saviors. One of the things that had been particularly useful was the sap from the trees on a planet inhabited by insect people. It was thick and stuck as well as gorilla glue, making it quite helpful in repairs – also, as Hunk had learned, boiling it down and mixing it with this pseudo-sugar cane they had could make a lovely glaze for his rendition of cinnamon rolls – but it had a few other interesting qualities. When mixed with a pinecone-esque item from a nearby planet and given a wick it could become quite the impressive little bomb.

He couldn’t help but feel somehow relaxed in her taking on the task without questioning him on why he wanted to take further action. She seemed to understand better than the others what it was like when you felt like something still needed to be set right – most likely due to her own long-held grudge against their enemies and the Garrison back on Earth – and didn’t judge him for being spiteful. Shiro insisted that he could never continue being successful like that. Lance called it petty and, while Hunk never said anything out loud, he was certain that Hunk was intimidated by how vicious Keith could get. But Pidge? Pidge knew how that felt and knew that nothing would alleviate the feeling but doing something about it. She could take his desire and passion to help sate that fury inside of him by partnering it with her intellect and ingenuity and creating something that would make their enemies quake in fear of crossing them.

Pidge wrapped the pinecone up in the honey, making sure to attach the wick before closing it all up, with the help of some special gloves that she and Hunk had designed specifically for handling the material in a more hands-on way. She had then hooked it up in a small, hovering capsule with a make-shift lighter attached to the top. She grabbed a few more things – which she shoved unceremoniously into a bag – and then led him out. “How much recon did you do when you got out there?” She asked while adjusting the strap on her shoulder.

“Not much; I found the place, ignored Red telling me to charge ahead, and came back to get you,” He said as he kept up with her. She had grown quite a bit from when they first met, but she was still a good amount shorter than him and keeping pace with her was a relatively easy feat; when she wasn’t actively trying to get away, that was.

“Well, we’re gonna need to find a good hiding spot. One that is preferably more than 800 feet away, but no more than 850,” She said simply, skidding to a stop in front of Red. She grinned up at the giant metal feline. “To think she still wants to go roaring into battle before I have the chance to get her back in tip-top shape is almost impressive.”

Keith smirked himself, Red’s irritation at the comment nudging the back of his consciousness. “What would you call it instead of impressive, then?”

“I’d call it completely immature and stupid. Then again, it is you two I’m talking about, so it really can’t be helped,” She mused back with a smirk.

Regardless of the slight, Red dropped her head and opened her maw to them. “And what does that make you, oh wise one?” He laughed lightly as he followed her in. The name calling between he and Pidge was different than he and Lance; they knew where to draw the line with each other, never skirting over from playful to malicious.

She turned on her heels to grin at him, placing one hand to her chest gently. “That makes me the mature, responsible adult coming along to make sure you don’t get your sorry ass locked up in Galra-jail,” She laughed before finishing the twirl and continuing into the cockpit. He laughed outright at that comment, seeing through it as the flimsy excuse that it was. He settled in at the controls as she resumed the finishing touches on her little project, explaining her full plan to him as they went.

The bomb was inside a capsule that would be able to hover and travel on to the ship without detonating, and that could be controlled remotely. She had tossed one of the many control pads that they had around the ship and would simply repurpose it to control the drone as opposed to whatever it was originally meant to. The small lighter-esque fixture she had attached to the top of the capsule wouldn’t light until the capsule itself was split in half, given that this little bomb was quick to light and just as quick to go off. “There’ll be a small camera on it that you’ll be able to have on the screen so you can see where you’re going. Once you get the little fella settled with our good buddy Harthor, just click the detonation button and poof!” She said, making the sound effect and flailing her hands in the air to help illustrate her point.

He knew he shouldn’t be as thrilled as he was about the prospect of seriously maiming or killing someone, but after what he’d seen over the last few days, he figured he could be allowed this one instance of malicious joy. “And what do we tell the others when we get back after this whole thing?”

“We tell them that we simply went out to do a perimeter check or something,” She shrugged.

“We need something a little more concrete than that,” He pointed out. He knew Shiro would grill them when he found out what they’d done – and he had no doubt that Shiro would find out, somehow, some way –and he’d look for any differences to give him more concrete proof of their guilt.

“Okay, then we tell them that we were still a little unnerved after the battle,” She sighed heavily, flopping over to lay on her back on the bottom of the cockpit. He snickered at her but she ignored him. “I was getting frustrated over how much work I was going to have to do fixing all the Lions and you figured that going out to fly around space might help me mellow out some. Green was still too beaten up from the fight, though, and I didn’t want her overdoing it, so we went in Red. We were minding out own business when we heard the bomb go off, spotted that it was a Garla medical bay, and then high-tailed it back to the base. We can ditch all of this stuff that I brought with us out in space and then have Red blow it into itty-bitty space dust so there’s no physical evidence, either. That sound better?”

“Do you really think that’ll work?” He asked, pulling up to a small asteroid within the parameters Pidge had given him to work with.

She looked up at him with a smug grin, eyes sparking with mischief and excitement at the thought of a challenge. “If we both stick to the story, they can’t prove anything,” She said lightly before sitting back up and pulling out the pad again.

Keith’s stomach flipped at the words, suddenly sending him back to the kitchen of his childhood home again. His right arm twitched, the words seeming to spark back to life at being said out loud, and he felt a small smirk turn up on his lips. He certainly hadn’t expected this, but he wasn’t necessarily complaining; it certainly explained the strange thoughts he’d been plagued with about her on some nights. It was comforting to have a feeling to tether it to. He turned his attention back to the matter at hand, deciding he’d talk to her about the words once they got back to the castle.

Or, more correctly, they’d talk after the punishment training Allura subjected them to after learning of what they’d done.

#Voltron legendary defender #Keidge #Kidge #Peith #Pidge Gunderson #Keith Kogane #my fics

[mgmks]

Self-indulgent Gay Bullshit ft. Destroya’s Decaying Corpse

(P.S: Missile Kid changes pronouns for no apparent reason)

The sun is brutal.

Is brutal, has been brutal, will be brutal until they start getting closer to their final destination. When. If. It’s like chasing a dream every time they try to find it, a literal mirage. The closest thing MG’s had to a home since he stumbled blind out of that nightmare white room.

The two of them walk arm in arm towards the angel’s resting place, through the haze of heat blurring above the cracked earth. A sight, for sure, MK’s face is totally obscured by a hot pink gas mask she doesn’t even need. MG is covered up by his ski goggles and the ratty green scarf that’s pulled over his mouth and nose to keep the fumes out. 

His face and wrists are still raw with the removal of the duct tape the crows they’d killed earlier had deployed. Stung like a bitch to get off, as per. But those buggers are gone now, blown straight off the map. In the outer rim without a helmet. All that’s left of them after that pretty little clockwork device MK had cooked up last time they’d stumbled into civilization was a splatter of blood on her dusty boots and a tacky black tie pulled tight around MG’s neck. Over his t-shirt, over the black marker scrawl. 

WHOS AFRAID OF THE BIG BAD WOLF???    

MG’s throat is raw, from screaming as they forced him down in the chair, from talking all through the process of MK picking bits of ‘crow skull out of his hair. From the noxious gas residue of whatever grisly battle had taken place in this god-forsaken zone a million lifetimes ago, when the wars were still raging. The scarf is a good look, but it’s a piss-poor method of keeping shit out of MG’s lungs. 

Long term health detriments be damned, that’s his motto! The two of them had barely made it out alive today- he doesn’t have forty years for this fuckery to really start digging into his system and bending him clean out of shape. Might not have five. Probably won’t even have one, at the rate they’re going, they could very well be cannibal-fodder by the end of the week. It’s not a scary thought anymore, just an inevitability. Life’s a lot easier when you embrace death as more of a casual fishing buddy than a rogue trick-or-treater who won’t stop screaming at your front door until she’s gotten what she wants.  

MK’s humming a tune as they go, something the two of them came up with together the other night as they were sprawled out under the stars. MK’s more in tune with this stuff, sees music like the stars intended, solar winds crashing into the atmosphere and running along the magnetic field. Patterns in the sky, alignments that MG will never be able to pick out. She says the cosmos whispered the bassline to her just as she was powering down. Stars. Sirius, in particular, because you can always count on the dog star to churn out the sickest fuckin’ basslines on this side of the universe. 

“What’s this?” They’re drumming the bassline out on MG’s arm, voice muffled by the mask. 

Four? Four. Four run-ins. Four jives. Four times they’ve almost gotten curb-stomped by Dracs. In how long? He can’t say. Since they saw another living soul last. That’s how they measure time. It’s been a long time.  

Would life be easier in the long run if there was more than two of them to run around with? Probably. But Mad Gear doesn’t fuckin’ roll with anyone else, under any circumstances. It went to fuckin’ Antarctica last time, and he doesn’t repeat bad songs. He smashes those records and moves on with his life, so here they are, the two of them. Two of them, four near death experiences. MG holds up four fingers to the sun, closing one eye as he looks up. 

“And where’s this?” MK looks up with him. Nothing to see but the sinking sun. Not a toxic fuckin’ cloud in the sky. 

“The path to righteousness,” he says, laughing when they growl and hit his arm. “The road to the Angel’s Graveyard, honeybee.”  

So it is. The sun is sinking low soon as the sheet metal spires stab through the horizon, and they thank whatever invisible god that’s out there that they went the right way. Getting lost in the desert this far out is a one way ticket to death’s door, and as cool with that as MG’s become, he’s got some things he wouldn’t mind completing before he kicks the bucket.

It’s only confirmed when MK sighs in relief, because MG can’t trust his own eyes sometimes. Some things are mirages, some things are the direct result of too much gas getting into your head. This isn’t his favourite place to go, the resting place of his only friend’s greatest heroes.Great for shelter, though. Great for stories. Not many people can say they slept in the eye of the hollowed corpse of the destroyer of worlds.  

Sweet, huh?      

The giant robot’s hand sticks out of the dirt and they stand there on its palm, squinting up at its rusted ruined face. MK presses a kiss to the pillar of its thumb and they stand in silent remembrance for one who could have set them free. One of the originals who walked out here long before anyone thought of raising a gun to Better Living’s head.

MG pulls his scarf tighter and pushes his goggles up off his face, and they approach.

“This feels wrong,” MK says quietly, lowering her voice as if she might wake the sleeping giant. They always do this, and MG has no idea why. The dead don’t hear, he can confirm that.  

Instead of spouting nonsense about the dead not having ears, MG just hikes his bag further up his shoulder and presses on. “My continued existence feels wrong, but you don’t see me complainin’.” 

“You complain all the time.” MK sits down, rooting through xeir bag. “You complained seven times today.”

“That’s not a lot for me.” 

“You think people are around here?”

“I think the ghosts keep them away.” MG sits himself down, pulling his scarf off and fanning it out. It’s sort of dusty in here, but it’s safe. No noxious gas- the giant doesn’t breathe anymore. Nothing to harm them. Just the dust and the air. Sand trickles down through cracks in the metal like an hourglass, but time doesn’t exist in this place.  

There’s explosions from somewhere far away. Or maybe it’s fireworks, or firecrackers. Or bombs. The thought makes MG feel bad, somewhere in the pit of his stomach, a feeling he usually ignores. He shakes his head to clear it and sighs, brushing off the memories of people and places he’d rather forget off him like dust. “You ever wonder why they want us dead so bad?” 

MK looks creepy in the light of the flare, perfect teeth gleaming as her face stretches up into a grin. “I wonder why you want them dead so bad.” 

“Circle of life, baby.” He’s not sure when things became this way, but he’s not sad about it. If he’s rotten to the core, that’s fine with him, he’s always been that way, just now he screams when things go bang.

There’s work to be done now.  

Far as MG is concerned, no Scarecrow deserves a proper funeral. They shouldn’t be touched once they’ve been dispatched, no matter who they were in their life. They’ve taken a lot away from the community, every single one of them, but desecrating holy ground won’t stand. 

Someone left a mess in here, a couple of ‘crows a hothead greenhorn must’ve killed. Honest mistake, thinking their holy savior is a hunk of metal for hoarding dead ‘crows. MG won’t hold it against anyone but if this happens again someone’s getting stuck with a switch.  

The two drag the bodies out of the robot and sit them in discarded lawn chairs to rot in the sun for a while, or maybe to serve as a reminder to the next ‘crows who come by that this isn’t their property, that the ghosts will chew them up and spit them out if they trifle with forces they don’t fuckin’ understand. Forces they misunderstand. Not that MG’s more than a man, not that MK stopped being a nurse droid soon as they got out here, just that there’s a certain je ne sais quoi about Killjoys that gets the fuckin’ job done. 

“Marco,” MG calls, his voice echoing through the robot’s hollow insides. the sunlight is dying, slipping through cracks in his chest. MK is standing, looking up through closed eyes. Angel’s graveyard has a profound effect on those who can still believe in something, as much as MG wants to believe this giant robot is going to rise from the sand and storm the city in a blaze of glory he can’t forget everything he’s seen, the things that flash behind his eyes when he closes them. 

Being realistic isn’t a bad thing, Tommy told him once, probably the only smart thing he’s ever said. Because that’s where you get when you’re too realistic, you’re Tommy Chow Mein in your fancy suit, a hollow shell of the person you used to be. 

MG stood by and watched all the fight leak out of him like a balloon there in the trenches all those years ago, watched a(n admittedly decent) man become a case for a dead brain and some bad attitude. That’s what you become after all of that, if you’re not crafty. You’re this robot. Everyone thinks you exist but you’re empty on the inside and your eyes are vacant. MG hasn’t seen himself in years, but he’s almost certain he’s still kickin’ somewhere in his own head.   

“I’m sleepy, bunny, let’s go say goodnight.” MG holds out a hand, breaking MK out of her trance. He never touches them unless he’s sure that’s what they want, so he hangs back, and they look from him to the sky again.  

MG believes in things that exist, and the universe is out there. The stars were something to hang on to all the time he’s been out here, since the wars. Even when they were covered in angry clouds of smoke and spitting bombs down from the clouds, they were still up there, waiting. Watching. Ready to get his messages to where they needed to be. 

It’s a tradition now. He used to whisper messages to the stars to send to MK, but now they’re here with him, so he closes his eyes and tries to think of people who might need it. 

“Got anything you wanna say?” She tucks herself into his side, looking up. “I wanna say thanks for the bassline.” 

“I’m sure you’ll be getting more in your dreams tonight.” 

MK smiles. It’s something that still catches MG off guard, makes his chest tight in a way that tells him he’ll never love anything else in the entire universe this much. It’s scary. Sort of comforting. “I’m sure. What are you gonna say?” 

“Good luck, I guess.” He shrugs, because there’s not a lot more you can say to someone. “Sionara? May the witch help you home?”

“Be serious?” 

“Be safe,” he tells the stars- no, he tells some sorry sucker sleeping on the ground out there somewhere, someone who’s praying that they’ll make it through tomorrow, who doesn’t know the world yet. Who can’t see the strings holding them all upright. “I’ll see you soon.”

MK tilts his head back for just one more moment, mouthing something at the sky above before turning back to his companion. “What a great way to make friends.” 

It worked with her, MG thinks, as MK tugs his hair and heads back into the corpse of her forefather. “Hey,” he calls back, “I love you!” 

Because he’s waited a long time to say that, crawled through trenches and run through gunfire to say that face to face. Some meaning not even the cosmos can convey. Something that still sets off the butterflies in his stomach, puts a smile on his face.

“That’s GAY,” they yell back. It makes more sense, these moments, how people can believe in immortality. Maybe if this feeling will never die, there’s a chance this robot will pick itself out of the sand and save them all. 

Until then, Mad Gear will try his best. 

#writing #mgmk #uhhh #I guess it's kinda graphic do i tag it #idk it's just some gay shit #it's almost 6 a.m i ain't slept

[centralparkpawsblog]

What Type of Dog Should I Get?

http://www.centralparkpaws.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Giant-Mastiff.jpg

Puppy Love: Finding the Perfect Canine Companion

Of all the animals in the world, there’s no greater variety than found within Canis Lupus Familiaris – better known as the common dog.

Big and small, tall and short, fat and thin, hairy or naked, and pretty much any color combination you can come up with, these majestic – and sometimes silly – animals have been dubbed man’s best friend, and rightfully so.

For pretty much any human need, there is a canine that can fill it.

Need a traveling buddy for all those weekend adventures? Get a dog.

Need a protector from the creepy neighbor down the street? Get a dog.

Need a companion to watch the game and yell at the refs? Get a dog.

Need a playmate to dress up in fru-fru outfits and bows? Get a cat – and a first aid kit.

Giant Mastiff

Once you start looking at the different breeds, that’s where the differences start to show up.

The regal Afghan Hound with her tall stance and silky, flowing hair.

The Giant Mastiff with its coat that’s three sizes too large.

The exotic Peruvian Inca Orchid, a mid-sized hairless dog that sports a natural mohawk that matches the boy your daughter brought home senior year.

The downright creepy Chinese Crested that’s almost so ugly it’s cute – but you still wouldn’t want to meet the 6lb little beast in a dark alley.

It’s almost beyond belief that these widely varied animals are all descendants of the Wolf.

Fact really is stranger than fiction !

With so many differences in the dogs on the outside, there’s just as many differences in their overall personalities and temperament – so it’s important to pick one to perfectly match YOUR personality and lifestyle.

Yeah, the German Shepherds are without a doubt the most awesome (me, biased? noooo…) dog on the planet – but are they appropriate for a tiny apartment in the middle of the city where the most excitement that ever happens is a new season released on Netflix?

Location, Location, Location

It’s true in real estate and it’s true in searching for the perfect dog – it’s all about the location.

Your living conditions really are one of the most important considerations, because your home is his home.

An 800 square foot apartment in the city would not be the best living conditions for, say, a Great Dane with a shoulder height of almost 3 feet and an average weight of 175 pounds – and that’s before adding a human and furniture!

Your living conditions are usually – but not always – reflective of your basic lifestyle.

Apartment Life

For the most part, apartments are on the smaller side, which limit the space to romp around inside.

Also, most apartments relegate any exercise for your canine to walks – and this usually eliminates the ability to really get in a good run to stretch their legs.

Don’t forget that most apartments frown upon a dog that barks at every little noise.

Bulldog contemplating life

A smaller living space should shift your focus to one of the small or mid-sized breeds that require less consistent exercise and tend to be a quieter breed.

Be sure to check your rental agreement for animal regulations and size limitations!

Bulldog: quiet and calm, these dogs tend to be unfazed by the world outside the walls – and don’t require a lot of exercise.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel are a favorite of female apartment dwellers due to their loving demeanor and small size.

My House, My Rules

A better option for a canine is the typical single-family home. More interior room as well as a yard allow your dog to get their wiggles out as needed, and fresh air does their soul good.

Golden Retriever knows what you did

Longer walks through the suburban neighborhoods allow for more investigation of smells, and parks are perfect for a game of fetch or a romp with the canine neighbors.

Bull Terriers are perfect for houses with small or mid-sized yards, and are known for hanging out and playing in the yard for hours without constant supervision.

Golden Retrievers are one of the most popular breeds in the ‘burbs, being friendly with the neighbors and other dogs as well.

Where the Buffalo Roam

Often misunderstood as the perfect scenario for dog owners with the endless acreage for day-long excursions and the other animals for companionship, the farm isn’t without its own unique set of hazards.

Wild predators and nuisance animals like skunks can all add up to trouble for a dog owner who erroneously thinks he can have an ‘open range’ dog – not to mention what bugs and diseases he can bring back!

Just like any other housing arrangements, a dog is a pet and a responsibility.

Border Collies are almost a natural for a farm. They love to run and explore – and thrive when given chores to do.

Catahoula Leopard Dogs are popular in the south, and are common on farms for their protectiveness of livestock and their ability to cover miler each day – and never miss their dinner bell.

What I like to Do For Fun

Your personal lifestyle is another factor in the equation for the perfect canine companion.

How you spend your time during the week days and weekends is important because your dog doesn’t understand the work week – they just know if you’re home or not.

These are a few of your priorities that need to be weighed in light of the needs of the dog you choose – whether you want a snuggler of just a distant companion. Besides, if you’re not home to take care of your four-legged fur baby, who will?

Days

How do you spend your daytime hours? Do you work from home or pull a typical 9-5, or are you an 80 hour-a-week workaholic who uses home as a place to nap and shower between stints at the office?

Shar Pei’s are those adorable dogs that are covered with rolls and wrinkles – and are noted for their low energy.

Maltese is a beautiful white fluffball that likes to be the center of attention – or left alone for hours on end to nap in the sunshine.

Weekends

What is your leisure time like? Are you a weekend adventurer, hitting the trails for a new adventure? Bar hopping to take in all the games and as much alcohol as humanly possible?

Those ears!

Or are you a ‘Netflix-n-chill’ kind of person – weekends spent with your favorite movies and series, with Chinese and pizza delivery on speed dial?

Basset Hounds are probably some of the lowest maintenance dogs on the planet. They require little exercise and lots of sleep – and like to hang out with you on the couch with Netflix and a lot of pizza.

Labrador Retrievers are perfect canine companions for those adventures, and can handle just about any weather or terrain you encounter.

Socialization

Are you a hermit who likes to keep to yourself, or do you stop and talk to every person you meet? Opposites might attract – but when it comes to your puppy, it’s best to be more suitably matched.

Bullmastiff is a large breed – and just as lazy – will enjoy those calm evenings and weekends at home, provided they get a few short walks in … And some of the pizza.

Irish Setters are playful and energetic – and love making new friends, no matter what species they are. Their luxurious coats grabs attention and are conversation starters.

The Whole Gang

Who shares your home and life with you? Are you running a bachelor pad for your college buddies, or are you a single mom with young kids? Newly wed or cohabitating?

The amount of time and attention you actually have free, as opposed to your good intentions, is an important consideration.

Pugs are perfect companions for households that are busy or constantly shifting; they have great dispositions and low stress levels – and just like to be around humans!

Welsh Corgis are the queen’s favorite for a very good reason; they are fun and frisky and people pleasers to the core.

Why I Want a dog

Ah, the bottom line is always why. And that’s the most important thing you need to figure out before you run out and hit the local SPCA or pet store – why do you want a dog?

There’s honestly no right or wrong answer. It could be as simple as you just want one. Or, you could have very specific reasons.

Either way, the more on target you are with what motivates you, the better you can make the perfect match – and eliminate any possible disappointments or unmet expectations for you as well as the new pup.

Above all, remember that a dog is a permanent addition to your life – so if you’re looking to fill a temporary opening, consider a hobby or a goldfish.

For the Kids

If you’re hearing the begging of tiny little voices and pleading little eyes – you’re probably past the point of no return.

Happy Weimaraner

While it’s true that kids who grow up with dogs have higher self-esteem, miss less school, are healthier and are overall more responsible, you need to understand that the promises of doing everything required to take care of it will, in fact, become you doing the majority of the work – kids need to grow into the role of canine caregiver.

But the rewards are out of this world.

Newfoundlands are gentle giants with an endless supply of patience and eternally devoted – perfect for families and young ones, especially as a first dog.

Weimaraners stand out for their unique gray coats, but are friendly and most importantly, incredibly obedient.

Working or Hunting

Is there a specific job that you expect your dog to do? Are you looking for a duck chaser on hunting days, or a deterrent to keep unwelcome guests out of the business yard?

If you’re looking for a working dog, you also need to decide if it’s going to be a straight working dog – trained to do its job – or will be pulling double duty as a family pet.

Chesapeake Bay Retriever is probably the greatest water hunting dogs due to their coat and webbed feet – and their ability to master the land as well as water.

Dogo Argentino is an excellent guard dog – and when trained to hunt boar, is unrivaled for its tenacity and ability to take down a full-grown wild boar.

Midnight Blues

American Eskimo

Not to be compared to the crazy cat lady up the street, are you looking for a dog to fill a certain void in your life – or as a complement to your life? Are you between loves and looking for someone to come home to?

Pomeranians are cuteness overload, and all they want do is cuddle and get loved.

American Eskimos are sometimes called miniature Samoyed’s – but these dogs are bursting with affection and will follow you anywhere.

Critter Manager

If you’ve decided that a dog is the perfect animal to keep mice or other small rodents under control, we have to have a talk … But there’s always the Rat Terrier, which is a smaller breed, bred for – you guessed it – catching rats.

But seriously, you should leave the mice catching to the cats. Just sayin’.

Adventurer

German Shepherd is ready to go!

Are you a weekend warrior who tackles the trails or camping spot every weekend? Is your idea of fun trudging through the backwoods and blazing new trails?

Are mosquitos your best friends? Do you spend most time covered in mud and sweat?

German Shepherds are the perfect companion dogs; from Saturday hikes to a week in the Smokey Mountains, the GSD is a faithful companion that can keep up and, with a canine backpack, can pull his own weight … Unlike Mike on our last camping trip…

Siberian Huskies aren’t just for the snow – but it’s no doubt that’s where they shine. From wooded trails to open country, the husky is at home out in the open.

Three’s Company

Are you looking to enlarge the herd? Got a single dog that you think might be a little bored – or is too clingy when you’re around and trying to get stuff done?

If you’re looking to add a dog to an existing household, there’s a few things to keep in mind before taking the plunge;

 Dog expressions don’t match human expressions. In other words, just because they look lonely doesn’t mean they are lonely

 A clingy dog might not need a friend – they might just love you to pieces!

 Does the current canine occupant get along with other dogs it encounters?

Sleepy Beagle

If you’re still committed to adding to the flock, there are several breeds that are naturally social with other dogs

Beagles are the smallest of the hound family, and unquestionably is a friendly and happy dog that loves everyone and everything.

Boston Terriers are fun loving social butterflies that try to make friends with every other animal they meet.

Get Your Game On

Jack Russell Terrier ready to play

How often do you see a jogger with a dog and think, “That could be me!”? If you’re considering a dog for a workout partner, I guarantee that they will be a buddy that never begs off that 5 mile run in favor of sleeping in.

  Greyhounds are perfect dogs for loafing around the house all day, and taking for an extended run after work or on weekends. There are hundreds of ex-racing greyhounds available for adoption across the country.

Jack Russell Terriers are little perpetual motion machines that will keep up with you on and off the workout circuit.

I Wanna Talk About Me

Probably the most important part of choosing a dog is matching their personality traits to YOUR personality.

By taking a few minutes to consider some traits about yourself (hey – we’re not judging here!) you might realize that dream dog you thought you wanted could, in fact, be your worst nightmare.

Just think about it and decide yourself – we promise we won’t tell anyone.

ID, Please

Your age goes a long way in choosing a dog. Whether for your adult-self or as your child’s first pet (for the love of God – don’t buy a puppy for someone else’s kid!), age and maturity level goes a long way.

Bichon Frise are the perfect match for senior pet owners with their quiet demeanor and loving personalities.

Chihuahua’s are noted for their ability to bond and pledge their undying loyalty to one person.

Have A Heart

Chow Chow

Do you wear your heart on your sleeve, or do you suck it up? Do you need hugs and kisses, or just a beer and a little peace and quiet until the commercial? Your emotional sensitivity level needs to match your puppy’s.

  Irish Wolfhounds are giant teddy bears when it comes to sharing the love with their humans – and their giant size matches their heart.

Chow Chows are hard to miss with their large fluffy bodies and jet black tongues. Originally working dogs in China, their loyalty is matched by their sense of independence.

Martha Stewart’s Nightmare

Are you a neat-freak, with a place for everything and a low tolerance for muddy footprints? Or are your housekeeping skills enough to send Martha Stewart into cardiac arrest?

Is the lawn perfectly manicured, or are your neighbors taking up a collection to buy you a goat?

No matter your level of cleanliness, as crazy as it might seem – there’s a dog for that!

Alaskan Malamutes are playful and affectionate companions – and can’t walk across the floor without leaving a thick trail of hair in their wake.

Xoloitzcuintlis – the Mexican Hairless Dog – is the perfect companion for a neat freak because hey – you can’t have dog hair everywhere if the dog is bald! But its loyalty and protectiveness is unsurpassed.

Pass Me A Tissue

Oodles of Labradoodles

If you dread the change of seasons, or sneeze at the sight of a dandelion, have no fear – allergies don’t keep you out of the running for dog-parent of the year.

Check our article on Hypoallergenic Dogs to see that dogs and allergies really can co-exist.

Poodles are the most popular “hypoallergenic” dog breeds. Bred in a wide variety of sizes from 3 pound toys to 60 pound standards, there’s a perfect size for anyone.

Labradoodles are wildly popular due to their hypoallergenic status thanks to the poodle and their easy going, fun attitude from the lab side.

Early Birds and Night Owls

Your preferred hours of activity might make you think that you’re eliminated from the puppy owner pool – but nothing could be further from the truth.

If you start getting into your groove when the clock hits midnight, or prefer to start your day an hour before the sun even thinks about popping up over the distant hills, your dog could certainly adjust their circadian rhythm to match yours.

The question is what you do during these non-standard hours of activity. If you’re a night owl, are you an active and outside? Or do you do your best gaming online during those overnight hours?

Great Pyrenees are a livestock guard dog – and given the choice prefer the night shift. So if you’re a daytime sleeper and have the room for a companion who keeps the same hours, it’s a match made in heaven.

Belgian Malinois is gaining in popularity among single men, and their energy level – especially at sunrise – makes you think that there’s an instant on switch in there somewhere.

Indoor Plumbing, Please

Dalmatian, probably named ‘Spot’

If you prefer the conveniences of modern technology and can’t go a city block without your designer coffee, or if your role model is Crocodile Dundee, you need to take that into consideration before bringing home a 4-legged bundle of love.

Dalmatians are actually a lot higher maintenance than most people realize. Contrary to the calm canine sitting on top of the fire truck, Dalmatians need a lot of room to run – and a lot of free time to do it.

Dachshunds are easily identifiable by their oversized ears and body, and undersized legs. The short legs allow them to get enough exercise without having to venture out into the world on a regular basis.

Which One Will You Choose?

We’ve already said it, and it’s still true – you need to carefully consider what you expect from your future canine companion and be sure you’re able and willing to have this addition to the next decade of your life.

You’ll be so glad you did!

The post What Type of Dog Should I Get? appeared first on Central Park Paws.

from http://www.centralparkpaws.net/dog-training-tips/what-type-of-dog-should-i-get/

#dogs #cats #pets #reviews

[tigerrobot]

This one will leave you howling

Ritual magic is alive. Battle magic, like what I normally use, is more like a thing, a tool. A fireball or a lightning bolt or a burst of air, that's just taking things and shaping them, borrowing energy from the elemental planes and manifesting it in our world. Ritual magic can do anything from track someone down to raising the dead if you are so inclined.

Casting battle magic requires only words. In my case, they are in the form of runes tattooed onto my skin. This serves many purposes. If you write the words down on paper, infuse them with power when you do, you create a scroll. But paper is weak and will be destroyed by the release of the power. Others memorize the magic from books but, like paper, memory is thin. Once used, the memory is changed forever, your mind cannot recall it in exactly the same way, effectively destroying the spell. It was actually a wizard that put forward that very idea to psychology papers. Skin is more malleable, more durable. My tattoos can be re-used as often as I need to, provided my body can withstand the forces trying to escape.

When I cast a fire-bolt, it is the same every time. I could cast it at the same surface a thousand times and it would explode in the exactly same way each time. Ritual magic is never the same twice. Use the exact same focus, the same subject, the same kind of ritual, and during the ride it will be different. I say 'during the ride' because that is the easiest way to describe how it works. You ride a ritual. The better your handle on the spell, the easier it is to hold on. Some spells are just too big for 1 person and you need help staying on.

And then, some rituals are so delicate that any more than 1 person could cause minor fluctuations that would send the whole thing spinning out of control.

"So, Pen... Umm. I've got something to tell you and, at the same time, I need to ask for your help." Benny was looking at the ground, which was definitely out of the ordinary for a guy who was pretty popular. Benny was 6'1" at 16, funny, and probably the nicest guy you'd ever meet. He genuinely cared about other people and always went out of his way to make me feel welcome and included.

"Yeah, of course Benny, what's up?" I was worried for him immediately. This timidity was strange.

He looked up at me, a sheepish smile crossing his lips. "I like Amelia. Would you be able to help me ask her out?" I scoffed. Every guy in the school like Amelia. I swear, if I charged every guy who asked me to hook them up with her, I'd be able to retire by the time I left High School. I could only imagine how much worse it would get when we got to college.

I laughed and his smile faded. "Seriously, Benny, really? You are basically the most popular, out-going, and self-confident guy in school. You can ask her out yourself!" I shook my head. I didn't say it harshly or anything. I understood why everyone wanted Ames, aside from her being beautiful, she was smart, nice, and didn't take people's shit. That drew a lot of attention, like a flame. And, like a flame, most people couldn't stand close to it for long.

"But... She listens to you! And, if she tells you she's not interested then, like, it'll be easier for you to tell me, right?" This got me upset. This jackass was asking me to do all of the emotional labour of him asking out my best friend.

"Benny, get fucked." I laughed at him again and shook my head once more. "Man, you are a king to most of the school already. Nobody is going to think less of you if she shoots you down. Some advice? Just ask her out for a piece of pizza and ice cream. Then you can talk to her a little less publicly. Cool?"

He nodded, a little dejected, and shuffled away. I rolled my eyes. I had no idea why guys get all unsure and pathetic when they wanna ask a girl out. Being vulnerable isn't less 'manly' or anything like that. Surprise, most chicks like a guy who can be confident and vulnerable at the same time. I didn't realize this fact until the first time I asked a girl out when I was 16, about 8 months after this tale, but even when I was 15 I didn't understand the fear. There was a lot of other things to be afraid of.

I was leaning against my locker, waiting for Ames to get out of class and listening to my 90s play list, before Benny walked up to me. I slipped my headphones back on and closed my eyes. Another song and a half went by when Amelia shoulder checked me, lightly driving me into the locker. I grabbed her and spun, pinning her against the locker and stepped back.

"You might be the academic champion of the world, but you ain't got nothing on me." I smirked at her as I let my headphones drop back to hanging around my neck. I shouldn't have. She grabbed my arm and spun me back into the locker, I tried to resist but she had gotten stronger since starting jujitsu classes.

"Come on, you've got your magic thing, I've got everything else. That's what makes us a great team!" Then she booped my nose and pushed me out of the way so she could get into her locker. Sometimes she was just too damned cute.

"So, what's up tonight? And why weren't you in class?" She put her books away and then crossed her arms, looking at me with a critical gaze, one that would have made the headmasters of old proud.

"History? Yeah, no. If I have to sit through another class talking about how great Christopher Columbus was I might be physically ill. Why do we still use textbooks from the 80s?" We both laughed and then sighed in resignation of how bad it got sometimes. I didn't consider myself anywhere near the academic that Amelia was but even I had read a new history book or two. Part of learning magic was to learn where this power comes from. And that involved a lot of reading about the true history of the world. So history class was one place I couldn't really stand.

"As for tonight, Lance asked for my help with something. Wanna come along?" Lance was a friend who had started being nice to me to get closer to Amelia before realizing we actually had more stuff in common and became friends ourselves. I didn't begrudge Lance for it, everyone wanted to be friends with Amelia, though how I came off as more approachable I'll never know. People are weird.

"Yeah, sure, it's been awhile since we hung out. I'd like to see what they're up to." Lance was non-binary, preferring they and their. Some people gave them a hard time about it but, thanks to the internet, it was becoming easier for Lance to be themselves. Having friends who would call those people out when they were shitty to them helped too.

Ames grabbed the books she'd need for her evenings unnecessary homework and we walked out together. The bus ride home usually sucked but if we got to it early enough we could snag the back seats and then at least nobody threw shit at the back of my head. Today we got lucky and just chatted about various school stuff until we got to my place.

I'd agreed to meet with Lance after dinner. Dad made a giant salad for all of us and we headed over to Lance's parents' place after eating. The lights were out on the main floor but the back porch light was on so we went around and Lance let us in. Their parents were out of town for the week and it seemed like Lance didn't want to run up the electricity bill because none of the lights were on. They led us down to the basement and Amelia and I froze.

In the center of the floor was a giant ring, made with what looked like glitter. "Uh, Lance, buddy... What the hell?" I looked up at them and they immediately looked away from me.

"Yeah, so, um... I..." Lance seemed to be struggling to find the words. Lance was never uncomfortable around me but people being awkward around me seemed to be the norm today.

"Come on, spit it out. You know whatever it is, we got this." I tried to sound encouraging, Amelia nodded along with me and added her own "Yeah, we're friends, you can tell us."

"I need your help with controlling myself. It's a full moon tonight and it's hardest during a full moon." Now they looked up at us and I noticed the small change. Their nostrils were flared and their eyes had a slight yellow tinge to them. "That ring is made with silver shavings. I shouldn't be able to pass it if my research is right. I hope that'll give you time to do... well, what you do."

"Whoa..." I took a step toward them. "Lance, are you saying you're a werewolf?!" It came out a little more aggressive than I was hoping and Lance flinched.

"Yeah, Pen. Happened a couple months ago. My parents know and they helped me last month with it but we knew we needed a more permanent solution and then... I'm sorry, I told them about you." Lance looked away again.

I walked over to them and pulled their chin up, so that I could look them in the eyes. "Hey, we can talk about sharing my secrets another time. We've got something WAY more important to deal with right now. Get in the circle, it's getting dark."

I hadn't met a werewolf before, though part of my education had been learning about them. The silver circle probably wouldn't do much so I planned on using a sleep spell and then working from there. I knew I couldn't cure them, but I did know that 'weres' could learn to control the change, and even control themselves when in that form. I just had to reach Lance's personality and pull it up while their body was a wolf.

Mental rituals were probably my least favourite. It was almost impossible to plan for, since everyone thinks differently and you never knew what you were going to get when you dove in. Normally, I tried to control as many variables as I could, hence the tattoos so I was ready for any battle.

I sat down outside of the circle and started casting the sleep spell, pulling in the energy for it, wrapping Lance up in a soft, warm blanket of power. Amelia came and sat beside me. She put her head on my shoulder, lending me whatever of her strength I needed. Some people were served as conduits, some as vessels, and some as batteries. Amelia was one hell of a battery. She nearly doubled my own reserves of power and, while I didn't like borrowing it from her, it was always good to know it was there if I did need it.

At this point I was only half using my physical senses, I felt Lance change by the way it shifted the energy I had wrapped around them. That's when I released the power and the spell completed, gently pull them down into a slumber so deep, the massive wolf was practically snoring.

Now the fun would begin. Being in the same room as the wolf made it easy to connect to it's mind. No special focus or tie to it was needed to find the right pathways and I slipped right in.

As of now, Lance's mind was a mess. If I had waited a little longer it would be simpler, the mind of a wolf, but that would have made it much more difficult to dive in and find our Lance. Now, it was like trying to surf when you've never even stood up on a skateboard. Keeping my balance was nearly impossible and I was faintly aware of Amelia holding me upright. I let the remaining ties to my own mind slip away and got lost in the chaos of a half-wolf, half-human brain.

The first thing I needed to do would be to find a memory. With Lance's mind fractured like it was now, there would be two sets. If I could find a human memory, it could follow that thread to the rest of Lance's consciousness, or so I hoped. Images flashed by like photographs as I tumbled around. A stray thought slammed into me and sent me spinning. Images of running in the woods outside of town invaded my own thoughts as Lance's mind tried to assimilate me. When it realized I wasn't a memory to be filed away, it would start trying to reject me. The mind, human or animal, was an amazingly powerful thing and if it was already starting to hone in on me, it was time to get moving.

With Lance's wolf side only being a few months old, it limited the amount of memories I needed to trudge through before deeper memories surfaced. This was the biggest reason I hated being in someone else's head. Every memory Lance had formed swirled around me. Had I wanted to, I could have looked into how Lance perceived every interaction they and I had ever had. Fortunately, all I needed to do was pull these memories forward now, make Lance remember they were a person, not a wolf.

The best way to describe it is a mental lasso. I focused my mind on as many of Lance's memories as I could, trying not to commit them to my own memory but to simply let them exist in front of me. Then I pulled with all my strength back toward my own body. This was where things got dangerous. This is how you steal someone's thoughts. Essentially that was exactly what I was trying to do. When the mind splits like it does in a 'were', the 2 parts often become separate. That's why werewolves never remember what they did the next day, it wasn't actually them doing it. I needed to steal the memories from Lance's mind, give them to the wolf mind, and create a bridge between the two. You know, kid's stuff.

The wolf was gaining power and I could feel the mental connection I had beginning to weaken. The flip side of this, was, if the magic tether snapped or was broken, I could get lost in Lance's mind. While this wouldn't kill me, my body wouldn't have a mind left to control it. And I was certain Lance didn't want another permanent house guest in their head.

Lance's wolf mind became like a torrent, thoughts ripping at me like ice and hail in a storm. At first it merely stung. Then the thoughts hardened, becoming more aware of my intrusion. Instead of a passive defense against invaders, the wolf was now trying to expel me. I knew I was getting closer to the exit, the bomb of Lance's memories were still trailing behind me but not yet deep enough into the wolf mind to start the reaction. Plus, I still had to build the bridge between the 2.

I began folding power into the tether. It was the most important thing. Even if I couldn't merge the 2 minds, I needed to be able to get out. Lance would understand if I failed. I knew they'd be pissed if I got myself lost doing this. And mostly they'd be mad at themselves. An angry wolf could do some serious damage.

The thoughts, like steel, tore at my mental projection and I vaguely felt the damage it was doing to my physical body. The projection instinctively tapped the back of my right hand, where the rune for my shield spell normally was. But, in the mind of Wolf-Lance, that spell wouldn't work. It took a long time before I learn proper mental combat. Fear crept up my spine as I began thinking I was in over my head.

I dropped my hold on the bundle of memories I had been dragging along and chaos erupted. Instead of a slow, steady merging there was a tornado. At this point, there was nothing else I could do and, as I was battered and thrown about, I knew I had to get out. As though sensing this, a sharp memory sliced across the tether, the magic threatening to break down. I redoubled my effects but it wasn't enough as another attack against the tether caused it to sever. I watched as it slipped away from me, the other end retreating back through the portal that would lead me home.

Panic overtook me, and I pulled in every ounce of power I had. All I could think to do was close the distance, I couldn't let that portal close, I couldn't lost sight of it. I was always closest to fire, and that's what I envisioned. My projection burst into flame, every memory that touched it instantly disintegrated, and I flew into motion, racing toward the closing gateway. The thoughts and memories pulled away, which I would later realize was a good thing for more reasons than just my own safety. I hit my own body like a sack of bricks, snapping to consciousness roughly and falling over. Amelia was over me, crying my name, tears running down her cheeks.

When I was able to focus again, I noticed her fretting over me. When I looked down, the pain hit as my eyes saw the thousands of tiny cuts and the bloody mess of my shirt and jeans. I could already feel the wounds stitching themselves back together as my magic set about correcting the mistake my mind had made but this outfit was ruined. Amelia hugged me, muttering something about me being an idiot while hugging me tighter. It was then that I noticed the wolf in the circle had begun to change back into the form of Lance.

In an awkward moment, can confirm that the clothing does not go with the change, as Lance was left trying to cover themselves. I broke the circle and they grabbed some clothes from the nearby dryer, the ones they were wearing now shredded and all over the floor.

We discovered that a few memories were lost in my panicked flight. The first time Lance ever swam in the public pool, which was when they had first realized they loved water, was the most notable memory lost. Lance shrugged it off but it obviously hurt them.

During the next full moon, I stayed with them. They had to focus intensely at first to stop the change from coming on but it appeared the ritual was successful. After that came bringing on the change by decision. Then controlling the actions of the wolf. All in all, it took about 3 months before they were comfortable not being locked in the basement during a full moon but it was about 5 months before I had those 3 nights a month back to myself again. I was more than happy to help, especially knowing that I now had a bad-ass werewolf buddy to call on if I needed it.

#original fiction #female protagonist #pen's tales