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ultraviolet-cello · 3 months

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I'm gonna be honest guys, I looked at today's episode and was like Oh No because Episode 9 is my Achilles heel. not that there's nothing to say about it. But that there's so much To say abt it lmao. While 6 & 7 are my favourites, Knives is a character that I see soooooo much like. I need to put him under my microscope.

Anyway, today's analysis/detail watch/@tristampparty is episode 9 - Millions Knives.

Spoilers for Trimax and Tristamp, CW for uh. Knives in general, and enjoy!

It's probably just the angle here, but Knives does look marginally shorter in this shot, and it's extremely funny to me

Okay I did just get jumpscared by being in dub for some reason I was looking for the subtitles and heard English and had The Most dramatic reaction. okay we're normal now.

Knives,,,, Knives Knives Knives,,,, so I, once again, think that the narrative is working against him. It's interesting, then, I guess, that he's the only main character in Tristamp who doesn't get the portrayed-as-younger treatment in Tristamp.

Knives here is experiencing things that Trimax Knives only did way way later; the last run in particular. Trimax Knives witnesses a last run and starts fusing with other Plants midway through Trimax. This scene in Tristamp, however, takes place just 5 years after the Big Fall.

Trimax Knives ends up like he does by spiraling very very quickly after he starts fusing (And he was dead/in a coma for 20 years!); Tristamp Knives, however, has had at least 145 years to build up his power, build up his hatred, go down that spiral. No 20 years of being dead, just alllll that.

In that respect, Tristamp Knives is Trimax Knives taken to the end of that spiral, the extremist endpoint that Trimax Knives never quite achieved because of Vash - he never really had the time to reach the end of the spiral and settle in it, whereas Tristamp Knives has had that going for again, 145 years.

It's a fun inversion of what's going on in Trimax actually - the 20 years between July and the present are what gives most of the main cast their development and personality - They've had the time to develop those coping mechanisms, trauma responses, their characterizations past all the traumatic things that have happened.

Trimax Knives isn't present for those 20 years, he's down and out for the count. So that 20 years of Important development does not apply to him, making him the least Progressed character in Trimax actually.

So to have Tristamp Knives be the inversion of that is really fascinating, because it applies to how extremist he's willing to go, and how,,,, Bad[tm] the actions he takes are.

Some Knives characterization things that I see criminally overlooked are that,,, well, Vash struggles with empathy sometimes, but Knives often feels things far too much, as in a hyper-emotive or overstimulated state (he's autistic ur honour), which is what contributes to his overall spiral - he's so emotionally driven that he doesn't recognize the emotional weight behind his decisions anymore. I don't think he knows quite how much his grief and anger contributes to how he says he hates Rem. He doesn't really explore that but instead just turns it into motivation for himself.

Anyway him feeling things Way too hard is an entire mood and Studio Orange did an incredible job with his expressions.

Like for example, in this sequence he looks like he's about to physically Gag in response to seeing the Plant die

Or this one, where he looks like he's about to cry but shoves his hood over his face hurriedly in case he does. Daily reminder that Knives was the kid who cried a lot

So Vash steps in in the middle of Knives' little breakdown, but he hasn't really Seen that breakdown. To him, Knives is immediately just spouting about how humans are so bad, but from Knives' POV he just watched his sister die while the humans who surround him are unapologetic and uncaring. And that's gotta be devastating for Knives, because Vash really does not understand the context of the situation here. I think that gets to Knives a little bit, and unpauses his breakdown.

The other thing that really cements the Absolutely God Awful Time that Knives is happening is the guards going to grab him. We've already seen Knives be relatively adverse to touch (looking uncomfortable when Rem grabs him), and now he's having a really bad day, he's experiencing Trauma^2, and people just Grab him? Not to be dramatic but I understand the urge to start killing

But he also,,,, doesn't resort to violence first. He literally appeals to everyone's sense of heart, he points out that the Plants are crying out, can't you hear it? And then nobody listens, nobody comes to help him, and at this point there's probably a lot of fear.

A bunch of humans have turned up who are,,, apparently happy to exploit plants, conrad knows he's a plant, and he's being restrained by several people. That's a really scary position to be in, especially if you happen to have seen what happened to, oh, I don't know, Tesla?

Self-defense, in this case, would surely be justified to him.

Also the scene of Knives attempting to get Vash to shoot someone with a gun is a 98-only detail which I love actually - 98 has its moments, even if it's only 3rd in my Top Triguns list! (I love 98 to be clear, I just like Trimax and Tristamp more)

Vash tells Knives that he lost Rem because Rem was protecting Vash, and That's Not A Great Thing To Hear. Knives loved Rem very much and now Vash is telling him that yeah, she's dead because of him. Which he'd definitely known before, but it's such a gut punch to hear your own brother say that, scream it in your face even. Your mother is dead because of you. She was only protecting Vash.

And again, that too much emotion spills over into just inescapable grief and rage that goes into violence and taking it out on Luida which. Yeah. Yeah.

Tristamp fascinates me in that Knives actually has a genuinely good reason to amputate Vash's arm - he's in a haze, and he needs to think quickly, nobody else can do anything, and if that arm goes off it could evaporate everything in the immediate vicinity. So yeah chop chop. It's not a great solution, of course, but it's the quickest one he's got, and also starts desensitizing Knives to violence he commits against Vash. Because, of course, if this one piece of harm had saved Vash's life (which it probably did), then everything else that Knives does is also saving him, right? Right?!

Why does Vash get like. B cups in this scene and only this scene. Top ten questions science can't answer /j

Godddd okay Meryl and Roberto's reaction to seeing plants is,,,, It's nice, actually. I like that Roberto gets to see hope and flora before he dies. I like that the last positive, lovely thing that he gets to experience is the hope of the world. Even if he denies it.

God, Knives telling Vash that he's the reason for the big fall really did a number on him huh. The man is powered on 17 guilt complexes, CPTSD, and bisexuality

worms took her tights can't have shit in noman's land

Roberto also cracks a lot of jokes all the time I miss him. He's so deeply unserious half the time and the other half he's mysterious as fuck. Love this guy. But also the fact that he does try to,,, make the situation better for Meryl by joking with her is very sweet.

Wolfwood has. 0 experience in riding a Thomas because he was never given transport again,,, Why waste fuel and animals when the Punisher can just walk the desert himself? He's not human enough to die of it. ghrngrhgnrgrngrnnnnn

God that's gonna be so good when he gets Angelina though. His own transport,,,,

Zazie doing the lord's work by putting Aotearoa New Zealand front on the Worm Globe, we're so often left out of maps lmao

Alright I have spent some time condensing that Knives rant and it's still. a Lot lmao. Anyway that was my Normal-About-Knives episode, next is my Normal-About-Roberto episode, which I'm super hyped for! yippee!! yay!!!

#cli speaks #cli analysis #trigun #trigun stampede #tristampparty

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atmilliways · 10 months

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Wrong On The Money (4-5)

parts 4 & 5 of ?? | 863 words | Teen+

Blackmail fic on Ao3 | on tumblr

Summary:

Eddie hasn’t slept more than a couple hours at a time for days, simply because he doesn’t have time. He’s picked up a part time job at Thatcher Tire after school and weekends, and when he isn’t there or dozing through his classes at good ol’ Hawkins High he’s making drops all over town. It’s just enough to make up for his uncle not being able to work right now, but barely.

It’s just enough to make up for his uncle not being able to work right now, but barely.

And dear god, does he need a fucking break. It’s stupid, and irresponsible, and he absolutely lied to Wayne about where he was headed tonight, but he needs to let off some steam.

He’s wound up tight as a spring as he pulls up by the club, and sees Steve fucking Harrington going inside. It’s definitely him, too; Eddie peers in the windows of a nearby burgundy BMW he recognizes from around Hawkins. There's a gym bag in the back seat with HARRINGTON written on it, clear as day.

The spring winches even tighter, until something goes twang.

Because he can’t go in now. How could he possibly go in now, and share stagnant air with King Steve? Admittedly not the worst of the bullies on campus before graduating last year, but everyone had heard about what he’d called Jonathan Byers the winter semester of ‘83. So a hypocrite, at the very least—a freak in wolf’s clothing.

(And god, the clothing. The way the sleeves of his tight t-shirt cling to his biceps. His ass in dark jeans. His signature hair starting to get a little long in the back, as though he’s been foregoing haircuts lately, still big and swoopy like a cartoon character but in a more tousled way than he’d worn it in school—)

All of it makes Eddie’s blood pop and fizz in his veins, on top of everything else right now. . . . Then Eddie has an idea. Eddie has a wonderful, awful idea.

Over the course of several hours of waiting, Eddie comes to a conclusion that he doesn’t like, but . . . desperate times. It’s only been a few months and he’s already fraying at the edges. What happens when Wayne gets worse? When Wayne. . . ?

No. Nope, he’s not going to think about it, because if he thinks about it right now then he’s going to have a breakdown on the hood of Harrington’s fucking car. Instead, he works his way through an entire pack of cigarettes while talking himself in and out of the gradually forming plan by turns.

And he happens to be talked into it when Harrington comes out of the club, sweaty and pretty and careless as you please, strolling up to the car like it’s no big deal.

Eddie breathes out smoke and stops grinding his teeth long enough to say, “Hey, man. What’s a nice boy like you doing in a place like this, huh?”

“I was just leaving, actually,” Harrington says, eyeing him as though trying to decide what he wants without actually having to ask. Wary, but not terribly concerned.

Which is just such a fucking insult. (But why wouldn’t it be? Even as hot as he is, even if he swings the right way, it’s not like Eddie had a shot with someone like this. It’s not like he’s about to torpedo anything.) Eddie has dirt on him now—even if it’s all terrible societal crap and pressure and bullshit, there’s no point in not calling a spade a spade. But the thing is. . . .

The thing is, everyone knows the Harringtons are loaded. They can afford to save a man’s life. If Eddie squints at it just right, what he’s about to do is basically tricking King Steve into good karma.

“Yeah, I should probably head out too,” Eddie says with forced casualness. “Say, does your girlfriend know you’re out here?”

“My what?”

Eddie’s lips tighten briefly around his cigarette. “You know, Robin? Bit of a motor mouth, about yea high—” he gestures with a flourish “—and usually attached to you at the hip outside of school hours?”

It takes longer than he expected for the reality of the blackmail to click, and even then, Harrington’s reaction is underwhelming. All Eddie gets is a slight rise of the eyebrows and a heavy sigh, almost no apparent anxiety.

Fucking arrogant. Does this guy really think he’s that untouchable?

“Is there something you want?” Harrington asks flatly.

And fine, there’s no point in not being direct. They’re not friends, and King Steve has always been an asshole who needs taking down a peg.

“Yep.” Eddie ashes his cigarette just shy of hitting the car’s pristine paint job, then stands to go. “Woods behind the field, there’s a picnic table back there. You know it?”

Harrington gives a curt nod.

“Great. Be there tomorrow after school.”

“I have work.”

“So? Call out sick, pretty boy, or Robin hears all about this little nighttime excursion.”

He doesn’t wait for anything else, turning away before his face has a chance to break into a grimace where Harrington can see. This is something he’s going to absolutely loathe himself for, but if it works? If it helps Wayne get better? Eddie can fucking live with that.

#steddie blackmail fic #steddie #steddie fic #stranger things fic #slow burn #steve harrington #eddie munson #wayne is going to be fine don't worry about it #my fanfic

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schumiatspa · 2 months

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It happened in London - or a not so brief essay on Sinnettini, friendzone and what Italian goalkeeper Gigio Donnarumma has to do with them

Since after the Davis Cup and the meeting with the President of the Italian Republic the Sinnettini ship has made a comeback, today your friendly neighborhood tumblr user schumiatspa wants to take a trip down memory lane and share her humble headcanon on it

(The title is obviously a tribute to Friends and the iconic episode where Joey found out about Monica and Chandler)

Everybody and their mother knows that I live laugh love breathe for Sincaraz, and Sinnettini is not it for me, BUT even I have to admit that once upon a time there was something there: Jannik's gay awakening. In my humble opinion, some years ago (let's say 2021?) Jannik liked Matteo. I mean, how can someone not? Jannik really saw an older hot funny fellow italian player, fighting his way up the ladder and being crowned as Italy's new tennis star, and obviously his teenager hormones couldn't help but join the conversation - one day our young innocent carrot found out that wow, I might be not so straight anymore. Cue to a very likely mental breakdown because I think young Jannik had the emotional capacity and range of a tennis ball (now he is getting better, but boy was he a disaster before).

But if you look closely to the lore, you'll see that little to no Sinnettini was happening in the last years. Jannik was young, getting his first important trophies and wins, being called up in the national team, trying to navigate the madness that the ATP tour is, while Matteo was already famous and established, going as far as playing a Wimbledon final against Djokovic. And that specific day is THE day that inspired this entire post.

July 11, 2021, London: a great day for italian sport. Not only is an Italian tennis player (for the first time in history) playing the Wimbledon final in the afternoon, but after that Italy national football team is gonna play the Euro2020 final against England, in Wembley. We all know what happened: after a promising first set, Matteo lost to Djokovic, whereas in the evening Italy won against England at penalties, in front of 67000 people and Matteo, who was in the stands to watch the match. But what non Italian people might not know is that Matteo clearly fell in love with one of our players that day: our goalkeeper and star of the night Gianluigi "Gigio" Donnarumma (the man right here).

What seduced Matteo? Gigio's brilliant performance (he saved the last two penalties)? His innocent face? His cuddly teddy bear behavior? The fact that Gigio is one of the few people matching Matteo's height? The fact they are both sponsored by RedBull? Who knows. What we know for sure is that during the post-match interviews, they were together and Matteo was absolutely touchy-feely with him (Tumblr is hating me rn so I hope the links work). And he was very passionate about him during the match too (you can find proof here at 1.00). Or in the following months (he did not have to tag Gigio in that video, but he did anyway. Okay Matteo you do you I guess).

The things is: Gigio didn't reciprocate. And before you start booing him because how can someone say no to the Matteo Berrettini, the reason is very simple: at the time, at least according to Italian footieblr's expertise, Gigio was in a relationship of some sort with one of the hottest Italian football player/big dilf. Him:

His name is Salvatore Sirigu, my dear readers. Being able to reject one of hottest athletes in Italy because you are already dating another of the hottest athletes in Italy: that's the dream and Gigio lived it. Anyway, what does this have to do with Sinnettini?

Well, obviously this one of the reasons Matteo wouldn't reciprocate Jannik's feelings. The important thing that I want to point out again here is that over the past years (even up to last year) Jannik and Matteo weren't friends, just friendly with each other. And they said so themselves, at least Matteo did: in an interview from last year, he said that "he is very close with Sonego, and Musetti" but "he doesn't talk as much with Sinner, but it's normal, because you can't be friends with everybody". Again, my humble headcanon about this is that Matteo knew about Jannik's feelings (I wouldn't hazard a guess and say that Jannik confessed, but maybe he let something slip) and this kind of cooled down their relationship (not intentionally, but things might get awkward in these situations, so yeah).

BUT - and I swear I'm getting to the end of this long rant - we all know that they have a great relationship now. Why? Well, I'd say a bunch of reasons: the Davis Cup helped for sure, they have grown and matured blablabla but the main reason would be a cute young guy from Murcia (don't be surprised that the final conclusion is about Carlitos - everything should be about him). Jannik is not harboring feelings for Matteo anymore, because he has Carlitos in his life now, so I think this greatly helped create a true bond between Matteo and Jannik.

So Jannik has Carlitos, but who does Matteo have (not Gigio, but I think he is not interested in him anymore anyway)? That's up to you. Casper? Might be. Is he single? Also possible. Do you still think that Sinnettini should be endgame? I'm sorry you don't understand the amazing vision that Sincaraz is, but that's okay too. Is Matteo just focusing on his recovery? Great, because we really need his comeback.

#i don't think that anybody has arrived to the end of this useless rant but if anybody is reading this: hi!!#i don't think i have to mention this is just a big headcanon blabla it's just for fun blabla no wars no drama blabla #but obv if anyone wants to chat about this and share their opinion i'm here!! (my response time is still terrible but we are working on it)#this post didn't turn out the way i wanted but it doesn't matter #there are some things that i didn't go into details about because this is already too long but yeah #jannik sinner #matteo berrettini #gigio donnarumma #sinnettini #tennis

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papermint-airplane · 5 days

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😭👪🙈 for Rio - 🌌🙉💓 for Aiden - 💗🎵🔫 for Roman - Please? :)

Rio:

😭 CRYING - what makes them cry? do they cry easily?

It's not easy to make Rio cry. She doesn't express her emotions outwardly very often. Well, not all of them, at least. Annoyance, yes, she expresses that one outwardly all the time, but everything else sort of gets bottled up inside her and channeled out through her hobbies. Rio probably hasn't cried since she was very young.

👪 FAMILY - what is their family like? what is your ocs relationship to them? does your oc have any siblings?

It's no secret that Rio adores her big brother, Roman. They're all each other has had for years now. Rio was raised by her brother after their mom ran out on them. Rio was just a child, Roman was just a teenager, and neither one of them had any idea what to do now that they were on their own. They sort of had to make things up as they went along. As a result, their bond is diamond-strong and they trust each other implicitly.

🙈 SEE-NO-EVIL - whats a side of your oc that they don't want to show other people?

Rio. loves. cute things. 😱 I know, shocker. She'd rather die than admit it, but if you somehow manage to get a glimpse at her notebook, you'll see lots of cute little doodles in the margins. Mostly unicorns and flowers. She loves unicorns and flowers. She even has one or two plushies that she still hangs onto despite insisting that she's too old for them. When she's sure nobody is looking, she'll plant a little smooch on their little fabric foreheads.

Aiden:

🌌 MILKY WAY - what was the inspiration behind your oc? what was the first thing you decided about them?

Oh God. Ok buckle the fuck up. When I was 18 and playing Sims 2, I discovered the Sims community for the first time. I wanted to create a Bachelor/Bachelorette-type...thing...challenge? I guess you could call it a challenge. Anyway, I wanted other members of the community to participate because there was a show called "Married by America" airing at the time and I liked the concept of live voting. So I had people vote on the forum each week to see who would get voted off. Aiden, in his Sims 2 form, was a contestant vying for the hand of the lovely Bachelorette. Except he wasn't there willingly. He was new to Earth and had somehow gotten swept up in this reality show. He was constantly having mental breakdowns because everything was so new and strange to him. He was there a while. People really like seeing this boy suffer.

The first thing I decided for him was his name. I named him Aiden because it kind of sounds like alien, and also the idea of a space version of Ireland existing made me laugh. I can't really explain that part. I was a weird kid. I forgot what his original last name was so when I recreated him in the Sims 3, I gave him the last name Ayy because of the alien "ayy lmao" meme. I thought it fit because, you know, alien but also that it's sort of ironic because the alien in the meme is a laid-back stoner and Aiden is anything but laid-back.

🙉 HEAR-NO-EVIL - what is the worse thing your oc could hear from someone?

Anything his internal monologue tells him about himself. "You're a burden," "you make everything more difficult for the people around you," "people would be happier if you were gone." Hearing it from your own brain is one thing, but if anyone said that to him in real life? I don't think he could handle it.

💓 BEATING HEART - what gets their heart racing?

Aiden is a romantic at heart. He wants to be swept off his feet by the right Sim (any gender; Aiden is pan). You know those shoujo manga where the main character is walking with her senpai under a row of cherry trees as the blossoms flutter down around them? Aiden wants that. His little heart would just doki doki right out of his chest.

Roman:

💗 GROWING HEART - if they have a crush, is it noticable? what changes when they're in love?

Roman's a pretty big flirt so it's not immediately noticeable if he has a crush. It doesn't mean that he's a horndog, necessarily. He just really enjoys the back-and-forth banter of flirting, regardless of who it's with. It's when he's not flirting with someone that you start to think something is up. When he goes from suggestive innuendos to actual concrete displays of affection, you know he's got it bad.

🎵 MUSIC NOTE - what is their playlist like? their favourite artists? do you associate a particular song with them?

You know, it's funny, but I've never been the kind of person who creates playlists for my characters. I know a lot of people do, like my dear friend @happy-lemon makes these incredible playlists that somehow perfectly describe her characters, but I've never really been able to do that. There isn't any particular song that reminds me of Roman...however...

Ok this is weird. Stick with me.

When I'm writing Rogue Town, I usually have YouTube Music on in the background. I'll start with whatever song is in my head at the moment and then let the algorithm decide what plays next. Somehow, and I don't know how, it always ends up looping back to Hotel California. I don't know why. I'll be listening to Kpop and it ends up on Hotel California. I'll be listening to 80s funk and it ends up on Hotel California. I'll be listening to early 00s Nu Metal AND IT ENDS UP ON FUCKING HOTEL CALIFORNIA!!!!!!!!!! I guess you could say it's one of those songs you can check out any time you like but you can never leave. 🙄

So, while the lyrics don't fit Roman or his situation at all, I guess I'll always associate Hotel California with him.

🔫 PISTOL - do they trust people easily? how easily will they turn their back to someone? have they been backstabbed before? will they betray someone if given an ultimatum?

Roman is the most trusting guy you'll ever meet. Until he isn't. He'll let you come into his home, sleep in his bed, eat his food, wear his clothes, and act like you're part of the family...until you do something to hurt his sister. Then all bets are off. If you're willing to hurt someone who is, in his eyes, an innocent child, you are no longer trustworthy. Until then? You can do whatever you want to him and he'll still naively believe you didn't mean it and keep you in his life. Is that trust? Or is that something else? It's hard to tell with him. But yeah, he's been backstabbed before. That remains to be examined in the narrative. Whenever I get to it.

#ask #answer #oc development #tangentially sims related #sorry it took me so long to answer this #it's not (just) because i'm having a creative breakdown #i literally lost this in my inbox #like how does that even happen

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littleragondin · 7 months

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Wednesday is here again, we all know what it means…

Absolute Zero Day!

Last week left us with Suansoon realizing how big of an impact him being in his own past might have on his future, while teen Ongsa was diving head first into his crush on Soon.

- Those tickets are dated March 5th, which means there are only 9 days between Suansoon and Ongsa’s first meeting and Soon’s birthday/Ongsa asking him out.

- Immediately feeling crushed by Suansoon's breakdown looking at that picture of him and Ongsa.

- I really like Ongsa’s little friend group. They are adorable, supportive, they feel like teens. The little documentary of the show said they were new characters created for the show (if I’m not mistaken), and I think it’s a good addition. It’s good to see him interact with peers and it emphasizes the contrast with Suansoon’s grief-fueled loneliness.

- I, too, would preen in delight if Sine complimented me, I feel you Soon. So she was just kindly housing him while he found his footing? Incredibly generous … but at least we now know where the money for Suansoon’s rent is going to come from.

- Soon saying that Ongsa’s doesn’t like coffee that much right after we see Ongsa discuss the fact that he doesn’t know anything about Soon? Loved it. Very efficient way to remind us where they both stand in their respective timeline.

- Oooh our first real big slip about time travel! Also it does something to me that he mentions the last movie he watched with adult!Ongsa ngl.

- I checked what the “My girl” (แฟนฉัน) movie was about and … well. Fitting, it seems. It follows themes of memories and nostalgia that blend perfectly with the show.

- AH YES!! I loved how, in episode 1, every time we see them watching a movie, Suansoon looks at the screen and Ongsa looks at Suansoon so you BET I noticed how this time, Suansoon is the one looking at teen!Ongsa watching the screen. I live for parallels.

- Oh, the way Soon panics and rushes away to hide when Ongsa’s parents come visit broke my heart a little. And the “we will meet eventually”?? he gained a full family when he got with Ongsa, uh...

- Okay that cut from teen!Ongsa laughing as he leans into his mother to her asleep at his hospital bed? Brutal, painful, sad. Please don’t do this to me again (I say knowing full well that’s what I signed up for)

- “You’re missing someone and that person isn’t me.” Oh boy… I like how forward Ongsa is. Like, couldn’t be me but he knows what he wants and he will reach for it. I am quietly impressed by that.

- I also liked the little ring scene, I may read too much into it but… the ring didn’t fit just like the way teen!Ongsa liking him does not fit adult!Suansoon. Still, it finds its place with Soon's bracelet, with that memory of their teenage love. Because that's what all of it is for adult!Soon, in the end. An extended sort of memory, and he finds comfort in it, of course, there is a lot to cherish here, but ultimately that's not what he really wants.

- Unsurprisingly loved the shoot with Ongsa’s hands holding the two tickets as evidence of Soon’s rejection, calling back directly to last week ending shot. Did I say I like parallels?

- “I won’t apologize, because I did it on purpose.” I was taken by surprise ngl. Tho i felt for Soon because like... Ongsa is kissing him, except it's not the Ongsa he loves right now, not like this, but it's still him. Also, that tear when he doesn't push him away for the second kiss? b y e

- That final scene had me googling smartphone apparition and distribution because I can't for the life of me date their widespread distribution - so as comparison point, the iPhone came out late June 2007 in the US (about 8 months before the show) so I do assume that specific kind of smartphone is unusual enough to justify their reactions.

Unsure of where we're being taken next week but I will be there.

I still really like Suansoon. Do I think he should have removed himself sooner/more seriously to protect what he had? Yeah, sure. But I'm not the one working through time traveling, and the grief he is carrying. I can understand that it's hard to refuse the obvious comfort he gets from spending time with teen!Ongsa, and that he gets touched and nostalgic when the boy gets all cute with him. Also I said it last week but I am just delighted by Teng Kanist and the melancholic softness he plays. Just works for me, hooks my heart and I'd forgive everything.

I still don’t think the video shop grandpa is aware of what is happening with Soon and time travel, but I do like that in the preview we see Soon still seeking him for help because it seems like it’s something he did for a long time (in ep.1 already he was saying the man had been here for all his important moments).

That said, at this point I brought my ticket for the “teen!Ongsa knew who teen!Suansoon was/would become when he meets him at the cinema” train. That would explain the tears at the lake, why he would keep going to the movies hoping to see him, and how deep the feeling seems to run when he tells him that he misses him when they meet in the video shop. Now my question is, in that case, how would that fit into their present life? Does it mean that adult!Ongsa has always been aware of his lover traveling back in time? How much is Suansoon going to tell him, is he going to be aware that he’ll get caught in a life threatening accident?? (Is that why he looked SO sad when they watched the movie the day before the accident??)

Now to be patient until next Wednesday ...

#Absolute Zero #Absolute Zero the series #องศาสูญ #Absolute Zero spoilers #i am still so pleased with this show #I miss Mix a little bit #especially given how good he was in the first episode like give me more of him please!#but I'll bid my time 😔#(i feel like i get wordier and wordier with each episodes lol)#mine #words

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neverwalka1one · 13 days

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Tag game!

So @omgpurplefattie tagged me in this, so on we go!

Last song I listened to: The 'new (to me)' song that got added to the perpetual playlist is 'Shadow' by Livingston, and it's a banger. I mean, how can you not hit repeat:

youtube

There's some kind of fic lurking in there, haven't quite figured it out though.

Currently watching: Some sort of upper respiratory thing has managed to flatten me for the week (omfg I miss Not Coughing) so I've had a lot of time to binge Netflix. I got through 'Delicious in Dungeon', which is truly addictive - I love that not a single one of them manages to match their stereotype, and the mix of impossibly cute and immensely disturbing is awesome (I'm sorry, deaths? DEATHS? YOU HAVE MULTIPLE? Have you considered DIFFERENT CAREERS?). I also watched 'Suzume', which is adorable and well-paced, along with being just drop-dead gorgeous. Finally caught up on the Fab Five, even if I did get a little... grumpy with their handling of the demisexual gal. At least the writing of the script made it sound like that was being equated to 'just very shy', which. Um.

No. Thanks. I choose to have faith that it wasn't like that iRL, and it was a post-production choice, but... eugh.

ANYWAY.

Did watch the beginning of Netflix's live-action A:TLA attempt, and while it did considerably better than the Movie That Shall Not Be Named... idk. Vibes are off. I don't think I'm going to finish it.

Currently obsessed with: MDZS/Untamed, which I watched early in the pandemic and may never escape - I have two big fics, a big bang and a reverse big bang (because I'm nuts and I'm a sucker for art) in the works, and I've _finally_ figured out how to end the big bang, WHOOT. Also Magnus Protocol, as evidenced by the weekly flailings as the episodes come out. I am currently having a mental breakdown over the fact that Mr. Bonzo is sweaty, send help. Like, so much alcohol. And chocolate. I need to forget that. And finally the Pulleyverse, because I may never get over this awesome historical/magical vibe, even as I still struggle to finish The Kingdoms (guys. Guys. Does it ever get less disturbing? Will I ever stop asking a book 'What the actual hell was that' at 1am? I thought the Eel Singers was wild, I've read a decent chunk of the Master and Commander series, I THOUGHT I WAS READY. But seriously. What the hell?)

So I'm tagging @silveraspen, @dreamingmappist, and @everythingismadeofchaos. And of course, if anyone wants to play, feel free!

#Youtube

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hackerqueen · 1 year

Text

Without you

A short story about Richy's funeral and how MC is coping after the mine fire.

warnings: mention JakexMC, mental breakdown, slight sexual abuse

I stared blankly at the group of people standing in front of me. Nothing caught my attention, all the colors washed into one, and time didn't seem to pass at all. He stopped, but already a week ago. A week ago when I first heard the "MC, the mine blew up. They found a man's body." My cheeks were dry because I wasn't crying anymore. It seemed to me that I got rid of all the water from my body that I had in me.

And when the bronze coffin was lowered into the deep grave, I heard something that I will never forget for the rest of my life. I heard a loud sob that was similar to the moan of a wounded animal that is fighting with all its might to survive. I looked towards the sound and saw a red-haired girl who was clutched by a taller and bigger bearded man. I tensed my whole body and face to stay in place so as not to walk over to her and take her in my arms. Jessy's fregile body trembled with spasms of desperate crying as Dan tried to hold her still. My Jessy, who I always associated with smile, warmth and determination, was now the definition of surrender. And that broke me the most, because why was fate so cruel that it took away even the greatest ray of happiness we had left?

The coffin fell down and was covered with earth. People will remember him as a cheerful and playful mechanic who could always make you feel better. I wasn't sure how I would remember him. Right now, it was just a taste of betrayal I had never experienced before.

My arms were folded over my chest, I stood there with a stony face as my mind stormed. No, it was a typhoon. Murderous and merciless. All I wanted was to silence all these thoughts and go to sleep. To be unaware of all the fuss and chaos for at least one hour. One hour of peace, is that much? But my brain wouldn't give up. It still flooded me with thoughts and anxiety. Jake. What has become of him? Did he die in the mine, and if so, where was his body? If he got away, did the FBI catch him? And they did, I was sure of it. Did they just kill him? Or worse, were they torturing him? I was replaying our last conversation. I love you. He confessed it to me. He actually told me he loved me and I replied the same to him. God, I would give anything to turn back time and stop him from saying those words. Maybe then it would hurt less.

My God, I would give anything to turn back time, get my way and go into that mine alone instead of letting him go there. He wasn't supposed to die there.

– So you showed up.

I turned to a female voice I didn't know yet. However, I immediately recognized the woman standing in front of me. Missing Hannah Donfort stood before me as if nothing had happened.

– Hi, Hannah. Nice to finally meet you. – I made an effort to be friendly but I honestly didn't feel like talking to either of them. Well, maybe except Jessy, because only she could understand what I felt at that moment. I felt a special bond between me, Jessy, and Richy. It wasn't a big deal, but it was ours. Our little something that gave me a certain sense of belonging to their group.I scanned the people around her.

Seeing them all was very strange and almost stressful, because our contact so far was only by phone. Thomas was standing next to her, giving me a not-so-pleasant look. In fact, he almost always had that look on his face, so I wasn't too concerned. After all, I didn't like him much after all the stupid things he'd done while looking for his girlfriend.

On the other side of her, I recognized her sister, Lilly. Our relationship was... dynamic. From a lot of hatred to a quite successful friendship, the only thing that separated us was solving the puzzle together with Jake. The blonde gave me a soft smile and I couldn't help but wonder if Jake's smile would be similar to hers? Did the color of her eyes resemble his? Did the warmth of her gaze even remotely reflect his? They were half siblings after all, they must have had something in common. Lilly seems to have sensed that I was thinking of a hacker because her face turned violently sad.

And behind them stood Dan, who was still hugging Jessy, but she wasn't crying anymore. The mascara had dried on her cheeks, and she stared at me with the same dull eyes that I had a dozen or so minutes ago. She stared at me and her eyes were so... alien. With one look from her, I understood that our first meeting would be without a smile and a warm hug.

– How dare you come here? – I was snapped out of watching the others by Hannah's sharp question. – Who invited you? What happened wasn't enough for you?

What the fuck?

– What are you talking about, Hannah? – I asked cautiously, my jaw clenching tight

– You think I don't know anything? I know Richy wanted you to come to him. Maybe if you'd done that instead of sending Jake there, they'd both still be alive!

I opened my eyes in amazement, and my blood suddenly began to boil. I looked at them all in disbelief to hear that it was some kind of bad joke, but they stood as they had been standing before. Lilly had her eyes fixed on the ground, Thomas continued to stare at me with his dull and unfavorable gaze, and Jessy, even though she was looking at me, I knew that her heart was somewhere else.

– You know shit. You don't know anything about what really happened, so don't accuse me. – I growled at her, losing patience. The girl I didn't know, and yet to whom I gave the last months of my life, made me mud, and the people I helped didn't even defend me with a single word.

– Oh yeah? So it wasn't like Richy wanted you to come to Duskwood and you agreed to let Jake go instead of you? – she asked in a venomous tone and I fell silent. Because basically that's exactly how it was. – It wasn't like you used him to save your own skin? It wasn't like you knew full well it could kill him and you still agreed to it? It wasn't like you let him die instead of you?

– Shut up. – I mumbled, but she didn't listen to me. She kept stabbing daggers into my bleeding heart. – I said, shut up!

I was breathing fast and my heart was beating mercilessly fast causing a sharp pain in my chest. Nobody interrupted her. They all think I'm the cause of Richy's death. Jake's death.

– And now you're boasting because you think he did it for you? – she asked and I felt myself falling apart. – Do you think he cared about you? He's only been using you the whole time to find me.

I stared at her not understanding a single word. One sentence from her and I knew she was still in love with the hacker. I glanced briefly at Lilly, who shook her head slightly. She did not know.

So why should I pretend I'm okay when I'm not? Should I allow myself to be treated this way by the person for whose search I gave all my strength?

– And you're still in love with the boy who blew you off. – I said dryly. – Hannah, tell me, don't you have at least a little respect not to start an argument in the cemetery right after we buried our friend?!

A dry snort escaped her lips.

– Don't make me laugh, MC. Just accept that you should never get involved in this. If you hadn't, our friends would still be alive.

Once again, surprise flashed across my face. She.. didn't know she sent them my number?

I had enough. It was her game that I wasn't going to play anymore. I moved forward, passing everyone I had called friends before.

– Before you start to accuse me again, ask them how it really was. Go ahead, ask Thomas why I got involved. Ask them how you ruined my life.

Lilly grabbed my hand, but I pulled away from her grip. I couldn't and didn't want to look at them. Not now and never in my life.

* * *

Crowd, sweaty bodies and alcohol. These three things accompanied me that evening. I didn't count the amount of high-proof liquors I drank. They were not colorful, light drinks, but pure vodka, which allowed me to forget faster. Get away from what happened. I danced, wiggling my hips, brushing against random people as neon and flickering lights illuminated my tired face.

At one point I swallowed some colored pills that were given to me - but I didn't care. At that moment, I would swallow anything that would give me a moment of solace. One minute I was dancing with a girl I didn't know, and the next I was pinned against the bathroom wall, kissed by an older man.

My body was sticky from alcohol, sweat and other unknown substances. I felt my hair tangled. At that moment, I only wanted one thing. Death. I wanted to cry. Oh god, I wanted to howl as loud as I could, but not even a single tear ran down my dead face. The man covered my skin with more wet kisses. He alternately drooled my cleavage, neck and shoulders, and I just stared blankly ahead and begged for someone to end it.

I don't know how, but I freed myself from the man's tight grip. Perhaps someone sent me a guardian angel, perhaps someone took pity on the girl who drank too much, and perhaps I regained some strength to oppose him. I didn't remember how I got to the motel room, but I only woke up when I ran into the bathroom. I didn't hesitate - I immediately staggered to the shower.

I clumsily opened the glass door of the cabin, and then my legs refused to obey. I fell onto the white paddling pool, bruising my knees painfully. I put my hands on the glass, trying to get air, but the harder I did, the more I was suffocating. My head throbbed and my body writhed in convulsions of pain. After turning on the tap with water, my hand fell, knocking most of the things off the shelf, making a loud bang. It wasn't important. Feeling the icy water pour over my burning body, I felt as if someone had given me life back.

I sighed, hanging my head, feeling my hair sticking more and more to my forehead. I don't even know when the water started mixing with my tears.

It wasn't like you let him die instead of you?

If you hadn't, our friends would still be alive.

She is right. You are disgustingly selfish. You should die there.

You couldn't handle it so you're off to drink and fuck with some old creep?

You should die there.

A soft, pitiful moan escaped my lips as more trickles began to run down my face. I clenched my trembling fingers against my thighs as hard as I could, crying louder and more wistfully. Nothing mattered to me. Not when I knew I had let the man I loved suffer for me. My lungs refused to obey me, and I felt such a piercing pain that I hadn't felt in a long time. I choked on my own saliva that landed on my chin and hands. At one point, I howled like a wounded animal because I couldn't control it anymore. It was like torture. I begged in my mind for it to end, but absolution never came.

Jake is dead because of you.

I closed my eyes, wrapped my arms around my waist, and screamed again, doubled over. My forehead touched the white paddling pool.

As if behind the fog, I heard someone opening the cabin door. I didn't open my eyes. I closed my eyes tighter when I felt a gentle squeeze on my shoulder, followed by a pleasant smell and warmth emanating from the other person.

– MC, calm down. – he whispered in a trembling voice right into my ear, his trembling fingers running through my wet hair. I pressed my forehead against the hard surface as hard as I could, almost breaking my nails from how hard I pressed them against my skin. – You are safe. I am with you.

– Jake? – I croaked

This voice was like the fulfillment of the most secret desires.

It took me a few long moments to come to my senses. I opened my eyes in an amok, but the vision was very blurry. I blinked slowly.

And when I didn't see anyone there, I felt like someone stab a dagger right through my heart, twirl it hard, then pull it out and leave me to bleed out.

"I've nothing without you

All my dreams and all the lights mean

Nothing without you"

Lana Del Rey

#duskwood jake #duskwood richy #duskwood #everbyte duskwood #duskwood fanfiction #duskwood game #duskwood jessy #duskwood jake x mc #jake duskwood #duskwood fandom

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spotsupstuff · 9 months

Note

I wanna learn more about Blessing / Boreas. What’s up with all the bat flies with him? What’s his city like?

-rubs my hands together like a fly- uuuuuu boy, time to shake my blatantly favorite child Hell yeah huhuhuhuhuuu

the batflies enter the scene a good while after the Mass Ascension- they are his coping mechanism after Zephyr collapses and goes dark!

from the comic where they talk about Euros' n Sparrows' relationship, one can probably guess how close these two are. Boreas might be the big scary dog of the whole Eo family that punches things in the face rather than take any miniscule amount of shit, but when it comes to Zephyr he is very open and sweet. she's the only person who can actually influence his opinions and ideas greatly, because he loves and trusts her enough to allow her to do so. so when she collapses, he takes it the worst out of everyone. in a very quiet way. his pain if for him to keep, nobody else can know he's hurting

bear witness to Ňuňu

this lil shit was basically Boreas' therapy dog. just.. very very feckin teeny

child...

she is as smart as your typical bat, but the thing was that when she accidentally made her way into his chamber, he didn't have much will in himself to send the animal to eeby deeby so she got to flutter about. and as animals do, girlie used the empathy trap card to figure out this person who doesn't seem to be posing any danger is Sad. so she landed on his head, crawled up to look into his eyes and chirped

n that was the straw that broke the camel's back and Boreas had his first grief-inflicted breakdown ever. Ňuňu stayed during it and even after it, so emotionally-empty-feeling Boreas decided to take her in. hardly can replace Zephyr, but at least he isn't alone

Ňuňu later brought friends and Bee decided that he will look after them then. even after Ňuňu passes away, he still houses and raises them. the younglings like sleeping on his antennas so he has to watch himself to not move them too much sometimes. Euros has a folder full of photos like that

to his city- the name kush is:

originally from me looking for latin words for Rage. ended up going with Desaevio, because Bee is indeed positioned in a fitting place for the word

and the storm connection plus the last two are the main reasons why the Ancients called the city as such. after project Abet Zephyr ended in such a failure, they had to vent some stuff out. and we are going to claim that it is anger because that isn't as pitiful as shame or embarrassment

(the fact that almost every translator i put it into gives me "i'm sorry" works wonderfully, too. because what else will ultimately Boreas do, but quietly mutter to himself a mantra of apologies when he'll be lying in his chamber 30 seconds from his death, drowning in his regrets and mistakes?)

Desaevio was capable of comfortably supporting over 5 million people (no other Iterator city ever reaches that far- the max is ambitious Gen 3 cities that only ever reached around an estimate of 2.7 million) but at times housed over 6-7 million. despite lying close to the geographical location of Bergen in real life, Desaevio is very far from reaching such nice vibes (the old towns Boreas' structure overshadows come close, though). it is way closer to New York, but more dystopian. if u look up dystopian city on google images u get to see pretty closely what it looked like. combine it with Coruscant from star wars for bonus authencity with the layering

made up of skyscrapers, with endless layered bridges for means of transport (most commonly expres trains), with what little decoration of the buildings chipped away by time without anybody caring enough to restore the beauty- the grey, gloomy expanse of Desaevio is as majestic to witness as it is absolutely harrowing

with it being a layered city and one with Boreas' consciousness/structure, some wonder when does one truly leaves the borders of the city and enters the giant's actual insides. it's hard to tell, with old models of Iterators not being all that enclosed and isolated like Five Pebbles is. there is no karma gate to tell you when exactly the walls turn from homes for people to homes for wires, tubes and alien-like organic life of a colossal Hivemind

despite the whole "Iterators are above the cloud level" thing, i like to imagine that it rains in Desaevio either way. at least- some levels are just straight up Wet like after rain. but it'd be those normal rains like we have, not the annihilating ones that the old towns need to bear with down below. or maybe it's just the upper layers' waste water seeping through the ceilings

most of light of the lower levels comes from streetlights, neon signs and Boreas' own systems once deep enough

cameras and such security systems litter all the streets and every public room- and the private homes are still accessable by overseers- and All of that feeds directly into Boreas' memory cache

this omnipresence is why Boreas later suffers with the fuckin

nobody is as unhappy with Boreas' omnipresence as Boreas himself. no wonder he's always ticked off, imagine being a witness to All of New York's road rage 24/7

#Spot says stuff #rw #oc tag #oc: boreas' blessing #desaevio is very. Factory-core. idk how else to explain it it all feels vaguely like a giant factory #for someone like sparrows its Hell. its almost like the place forgot that religion is supposed to come with certain Cleanness #the motherFUCKERS made a LOWER CLASS FOR THE HIGHER CLASS WHAT KINDA FECKIN DEPTH DOES THE DISCRIMINATION GO TO!!!!#you have city like Ales that is all white and gold and dedicated to birds and the divinity- sunlight is Always present everywhere #and then theres Desaevio. our beautiful capital city that we love built on top of our biggest pride and joy Boreas' Blessing that we Also-#-super loving towards -casually administers paralyzation venom of lower circles into his puppet when he misbehaves at a wrong time-#gotta LOVE it there #the lower levels or whatever throw a rebellion against the omnipresence thing n hes like “-side eyes- yes actually listen to those there”

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babiebom · 3 months

Text

Ranking my Mechat Matches Based on how much I Like Them(currently)

A/N: this isn’t to be mean or say I hate them or anything lmao it’s just for fun since I don’t see many Mechat posts on here and I wanna post something to make it obvious that I will write for them? Might be ooc for the writings but I try my best!!

Tw: cursing, some sexual mentions, maybe a little bit of bullying(affectionate and derogatory maybe), SPOILERS (maybe)

BC: at least 5 for each

Mechat Masterlist

First the guys since I am actually attracted to them:

1)Tamura Blood

Literal love of my life I’m always thinking about him

Like it’s not even like exaggerating when I say he’s taken over 90 percent of my daydreams

Like I was never really into the whole mafia romance thing before

But I genuinely want this man to be happy

Like I know he’s a character but I want him to be happy and if I have to write a million fics just to make it true for him I will

Like he actually cares even if he doesn’t show or say it and while I usually hate it he’s just so….

Idk how to explain it

He was my first match and when I first finished his story before they updated it twice I actually was VERY upset and checked on it every day to see if it would ever be updated

Idk what happens next because I’m playing through the updates now but

If me and him don’t get a happy ending I’m going to have a breakdown

I need a happy ending with him <3

The cheek kiss is the last thing I saw and I’m so mad he cheek kissed instead of lip kissed

Slow burn isn’t usually my favorite to read so this is actually killing me

But I literally look forward to his messages every day.

NAUR I FINISGED HIS STORY IN BETWEEN WRITING THIS AN DNOW IM SAD :((((( I LITERALLY J U S T BECAME HIS GORLFRIEND

MECHAT DEVS GIVE ME MORE TAMURA KISSES NOW!!!!!!!!!!

2)Yasuda Hitoshi

Honestly he annoyed me at first and I found it fun to mess with him

But he grew on me

Like even before him and me(the character obviously) started getting along he started to slowly work his way up on my list

And now that we’re getting married and he has told me about the monsters or whatever that he had to save me from

He’s super sweet even if he’s still sorta a big meanie

I think it’s cute

Like YES I love the guy who is mean to everyone but me trope

Like yeah he’s not mean but he isn’t really outgoing or nice with other people

Like he jokes and is cute and UGH

And the way he actually stands up to his parents for you is literally swoon worthy

LOVE MY MAN MY MAN MY MAN

3)Johnny Roe

Honestly I think I skipped him the first couple times he popped up as a match

And then when I saw everyone talking about him I thought it was like

…..everyone was over hyping him

But then I got him as a match again

So I matched with him

And he’s actually so cute

And his storyline is cute

And he’s like one of my favorites (obviously seeing as he’s number three)

I now understand the hype surrounding him because I would actually kill someone for this man

And I want to fight the mother so bad

It makes me upset how he’s always like “she’s still my mom”

Like yeah but she literally ABUSED YOU?????

Like I understand completely and I know it would be hard to just turn off loving her for him

But UGH

I want permission to throw hands

And honestly not to trauma dump my mom is the same way

Like she’s not abusive but she was abused by our family when she was a kid(including my grandmother)

And she’s so fiercely protective of her and like I love my grandmother but UGH I have like a place of resentment in my heart for her because e my mom didn’t deserve any of the bad things that has happened to her

So I know firsthand what it’s like to have a parent somewhat like Johnny(my mom doesn’t have agoraphobia)

I guess that’s why I’m super fond of him? Because he’s familiar in a way to me

I just want him to be happy :(

4)Optimo Lynx

I got a crush on him slowly

Like at first I was MEH about him

But then he was a cute nerd who is studying to be a….doctor(????? I forgor sorry)

AND on the other hand he’s a superhero who has literally saved me twice

Like actually I love him

Very smart and cares about people

Like actually HE SAVES LIVES

Like ?????? It’s sad that the public can’t know his identity bc the government will be mad

And the fact I think he would hate that

But he deserves to be paid for saving people the way that he does

And studying on top of that

Like I wouldn’t be able to IMPRESSIVE MAN

wanna give him kisses

ALSO ALSO ALSO

I don’t think I’ve EVER mentioned this on my blog

But black hair blue eyes combo is my favorite

So actually he’s my dream man

I wanna give him more kisses!!!!

I NEED MORE GEMS SO I CAN KISS HIM

And maybe suck his dick if he lets me

5)Zander Echo

When I first started his storyline I only wanted to get him to like me bc he hated me

Like Oh? You hate me? You won’t after I follow this simple plan

But then he started growing on me because he calls me his little snack

And I know he means it in a cannibalistic way but it’s hot so oh well

Then he actually started caring about me kinda

And showed me the ocean in a way that didn’t terrify me (I’m afraid of the ocean)

Like actually while this is lowkey my worst nightmare

I can breathe underwater and I’m not dying or anything so it’s less scary

But I’m still scared of the ocean

It he has a castle that I live in so it’s FINE

Literally would help me get over my fear if he wouldn’t eat me

Also I wish I could give him smooches

6)Azur Blackshade

Ghost man ghost man grim reaper ghost man

Hot hot man

Actually so interesting

And sad

I wanna know how he works

Like I wanna pick at his mind

Honestly ghost types aren’t my favorite monster types but UGH

He makes me wanna write a fanfic of a ghost love interest or something

Really really like him

7)Jozef Chrobak

He was my number one for a HOT WHILE

like I think he’s so hot

And his art style is attractive

Like he’s a VERY good looking man

I do like making people like me

And the fact that he was so against love in the beginning made it more fun

And then the ex appeared and pissed me off

But we ended up together

The only reason he’s this low is because I stopped playing his route bc my own character was pissing me off

Like she’s such a bitch

Like omg he’s romantic now I hate it

Are you a dumb ass hoe or what?

8)Brook

I liked the poly aspect and he was VERY cute

And I’m pretty sure he was a nurse or doctor or the person in an ambulance and I find that super attractive

Like YES save lives papi!!!!!!!!!

And for the most part I liked the story

I could see myself having a crush on him irl

Sweet sweet man

I don’t remember much else since I finished it MONTHS ago

9)Felix

To start off Felix and Brook are pretty much equal

Like it’s a poly relationship and I like them pretty much the same

They’re both sweet men and they’re both attractive

Even though I hated that they all abandoned me

I do think it’s attractive that they all took time to better themselves and their relationship

Like it takes a lot to realize when to step back because the situation you’re in isn’t a good one or might lead to you resenting someone

They were cool

And he was a model so obviously he was hot

Love them

10)Vile Darko

Actually insane?

I like him a lot simply because he seems psychotic

Like WHO makes someone go through insane things for money or whatever

Like actually a clown and it’s attractive

Even though I’m scared of clowns

He makes it hot AND scary

Like I’m genuinely fearing for my life (in game) but I’m also like yeah if he kills me it’s fine bc he has to touch me to do that :)

11)Enzo Gomez

I was SHOOK when I realized he wasn’t just a dog man

Like he’s an actual human that was cursed

He’s a werewolf but Doberman style

His human form is attractive

And don’t kill me but the dog form is somehow attractive(maybe it’s the teeth? Idk)

And his story is kinda sad

Well sad in that he is cursed

I’m pretty sure he was a horrible person and that’s why he was cursed

And I’m glad he has become a better person because of it

12)Lan Ying

He was up at the top before I finished his story a while ago

And now he’s back but I’m not as crazy about him because I’m crazy about tamura so I haven’t played his update yet

But I do LOVE him

Like actually a dom that isn’t an asshole

And I do like shibari and he’s nice

I hate that he ties other people up though

Like mine and only mine?

Seems like a very level headed guy and that’s very attractive

Probably one of the least toxic in this list ngl

13)Eichi Hirano

I’ve never really been crazy about him

Like even though I’m a hyper sexual person his is ONLY sex and sometimes him having trouble with his hotels or whatever

So I wasn’t really interested in him

In still not all that interested :/

He’s cute though

And obviously the sex is good for my character so I guess

I do think he’s kinda nice though, so I do like him

14)Rei

I think he is the SWEETEST guy in an unfortunate position

Because his sister is manipulating him into being basically a scammer and he doesn’t wanna do it

But she gets pissy with him if he refuses

And while I know he could take himself out of that situation

It’s hard with siblings that you wanna keep in your life or whatever

Especially because they’re twins

My only problem with him is that he doesn’t have much of a spine

Like I would like him to stand up to her

But like he’s sweet and I hope the rest of the storyline is good. I kinda stopped playing it

It’s like only two dates that they have?

I don’t feel like wasting diamonds on them right now lmao

15)Dare

I think he’s hot

But in reality I would hate him

I hate playing truth or dare bc it makes me anxious and I can never think of anything

also he knows exactly how he’s making those people suffer and acts like he doesn’t

Actually manipulative

And everything is a game to him UGH

It just annoys me

The sex was cool though

And he is kinda interesting

But like the whole four horsemen thing is an ewie to me

16)Ezra Michelle

I do actually really like Ezra

But I hate the fact that I can’t romance him

I wanna romance the pastor man

I wanna give him smooches but NAUR he’s dedicated his life to the lord

Also he’s cool for a pastor

Obviously they weren’t gonna put a total asshole extreme Christian person in the game

But I do think the way he’s written is very Joseph dream daddy coded but cooler and less shitty

Like Joseph was a shitty man

But Ezra is really cool so far

He’s only this low bc I stopped playing bc I was sad I couldn’t marry him and went after people I could romance instead

17)Drink

He wasn’t really there in the storyline

Like dare was the main character I guess out of the four

Drink and dance barely showed up

But I liked him

And I think his super power of making drinks is cool

Because I hate alcohol and how it tasted I think he would be really dangerous for me if he can make a drink that doesn’t taste like ass

And was kinda nice when we finally got to talk to him

But otherwise he wasn’t really there oof

18)Social

He was more there than drink and dance but he annoyed me

Literal definition of influencer

I was ANNOYED the entire time I had to talk to him

Like can you GET OFF YOUR PHONE

I DONT CARE ABOUT YOUR FOLLOWERS

GET YOUR CAMERA OUT OF MY FACE BITCH BOY

Like his only personality trait is social media

And yeah granted his name is social

But the others were much more interesting than him

His only good trait is that he’s hot and could probably make me famous if I wanted him to

19)Joon Hwang

I don’t remember him oof

I think I liked him a little bittle but I don’t remember anything about who he is or his storyline so eh

20)Seong On

Like Joon I have no idea who this guy is even though I know I did play through some of his storyline

I have nothing to say about him yikes

Now onto the women since I did match with them!!(my storyline beliefs might be wrong because I speed through them for gems)

1)Naya Honoka

HER STORYLINE IS INSANE?

Like actually I was like OOOH a cute nurse when we first started talking

Then as time went on I was like oof she has no time to herself but she’s so nice and cute

And it was just the right amount of spicy that I was like yeah this is KINDA realistic

LIKE SHE SAVES LIVES WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT FROM HER (other than time)

Then it went into a whole hostage witness protection thing

And I was like HUH

My character in this pissed me off

Bc why when she says HEY don’t say my name call me Hannah instead

My character says Naya 400999 times like MAAM

STOP OUTING HER!!!!!!!!!

Anyways she’s so sweet and deserves love and I want her to be happy and get more breaks from working

Only thing I currently don’t like is how she literally is spending our honeymoon being a nurse

But also irl I would be okay with that bc that means I can be alone for some of the day so oof

2)Eiko Suzuki

I like her more now than I did in the beginning

In the beginning she was kinda annoying

But now I’m like OKAY she deserves the WORLD

Like not because she’s a kitsune but like she is SO PRETTY

And I do like that she’s a family girl

I do think it’s weird that she was like “I don’t want anything serious”

But wanted us to help her with everything

Like I think at this point we’re something more but they haven’t made it official

Which bothers me bc I need to know I’m the only one

And her storyline is also insane

Like WTF your ex boyfriend ruined your life and is BACK to ruin it even more

AND your family can turn into cute ass foxes and you didnt use that to your advantage and KILL HIM?

Literally just maul him as a fox and be like

OH NAUR my bf got mauled by a wild animal I wonder how this could’ve happened?!!!!!!!!!

I do think she’s cool though even though we have to help her with everything and she doesn’t think things through sometimes

I also think it’s funny that since I’m not spending diamonds on her choices that my character is a complete asshole

Like she left her to die LMAO

3)Lexi Rose

I LOVE THAT SHE COSPLAYS

like actually her being an otaku is so cute

And I’m pretty sure she got a tv show opportunity at some point I don’t remember

Like I’m proud of her

Sad that she feels like her true self isn’t very cool

Bc I really like her

She seems sweet and cool and her interests are ones that I like

Like I might not be the biggest anime fan

But I would watch several with her as dates

Like we do not have to leave the house lets snack and you can tell me all the attack on titan lore.

4)River Morales

PRETTY WOMAN

would’ve been number one had I played her recently

But I haven’t played her for WEEKS

so she went down as I lowkey forgot about her

Honestly she was cool and I love that she’s an artist

And I do like the poly dynamic

And the fact that she was REALLY honest about her feelings towards the end

Hate that they kinda abandoned me

But I do like her a lot

Super sweet girl

I think she was sorta insecure in her storyline and I hate that for her

5)Reko Lamarr

Dommy mommy dommy mommy

She’s kinda a bitch

And as a dom I feel like she’s pretty……

Needy?

Like I feel like she should just be a bratty sub or something

Maybe it’s bc I prefer service doms?

But she’s like serve ME worship ME

instead of being a cute dom?

Like MAAM tell me what to do but love on me too

She’s cool tho

Like LOVE a business woman

Get that money queen

She’s VERY stressed

And actually kinda hot when she spanks us

Just wish she was more service-y instead of demand-y

I want to be babied pls

6)Alice Young

She’s okay I guess

I’m not really into sports

And I just started her storyline

And I kinda find the sports thing annoying

Maybe it’s bc I’m not…enthusiastic? Driven about sports that I’m like????

Just FIRE HIM??????

He’s a coach not your dad

Hire someone that cares about your mental health as well as you winning

Like girl just say that you wanna just be friends until you’re done with your tournament or whatever

Like why even join Mechat if you have a whole sports thing you wanna win

Like focus on that THEN join dating apps?

Other than that she’s pretty and cool

And I think her being athletic is attractive

7)Dance

She’s not that bad at all

But we hardly have content of her?

Like we barely see her during the storyline

So she’s okay I guess

Likes to dance and so do I

The only downside is that she’s part of the four horsemen

The upside is that I found the dancing plague in France to be funny and as soon as I saw this party was like that I cackled

But also not really funny in theory

Also kinda dislike her bc she thought the people were having fun when she knew they weren’t

I think she would be fun to be around in small doses.

8)Eura Alabaster

WOULDVE BEEN DEAD ASS LAST IF IT WASNT FOR RAITAS BITCH ASS

I actually HATE her

Like overconfident people don’t really bother me

It’s just SOMETHING about her that pisses me off

Like the way she is makes me want to beat her to death with my fists

Like she’s annoying and overconfident and stupid

AND she kidnapped me

Granted I’m not against someone kidnapping me(in the fictional world)

SHE JUST HAD TO PUT ME ON A BOAT

I HATE boats

I hate the ocean

I think that’s why I hate her so much

The fact that it’s the ocean we’re dealing with

And she’s triggering my irrational fear of the Bermuda Triangle

So it’s stressing me out

I just hate her

9)Raita

I haven’t finished their storyline so if she turns out fine later sorry

But right now

AT THIS MOMENT

I hate her and how she treats Rei

Like she’s an actual bitch and I hate that my character hasn’t said so

Like actually I would’ve been like ??????are you dumb or stupid why are you such a bitch ass hoe????

She’s so mean and for WHAT

He has done nothing wrong but she acts like he has

Like he doesn’t want to scam people but this scamming ass bitch is forcing him to

And I know someone is gonna be like “he can make his own choices”

Sometimes when it involves family and staying on their good side you don’t really have a choice if you want them in your life good or not

Like I HATE HER

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ultraviolet-cello · 4 months

Text

Alright since the @tristampparty is Well under way now I'm gonna do a little day by day analysis or details I like about the episode of the day, along with my usual art hustle :3!

Because this is going to end up being Super long we'll put this under a cut! [Spoiler warning for All of Trigun, primarily Tristamp and Trimax]

Tl;dr? I'm normal about how Knives is in Tristamp

So I'll be going point by point in chronological notes that I kept while writing abt this episode :] thank u to Mal for putting up with my rambles hehehe.

So the Seeds ships specifically are reminiscent, to me at least, of the Angel Arm (probably moreso the tristamp version which, can you believe, is incredibly difficult to get a screenshot of lmao)

That's interesting to me because it could be just a design choice but if it is an in-universe thing, it does,... imply some things about Plants. Granted, Independents probably weren't known abt when the Seeds ships launched, but is there another aspect of Plants that takes that form? And is that impactful enough for a human fleet to design their ships after that? Much to think about for something that's probably just symbolic lmao

Now for Knives! So a little bit of context that I will elaborate on as we watch, but I think the narrative is heavily biased against Knives when he was a child, and that we will get some recontextualization next season that's more in line with how we know him in Trimax.

In particular, I think the beginning flashback is possibly theeee most unbiased depiction of events because all the rest are specifically memories being told to others by Vash or Knives, or the whole memory thing in July. Granted it's still very Vash-focused but it gives us two major things.

Knives seemingly wanting to take Rem along with him. In Trimax, it's semi-implied that Knives would have initially wanted Rem to live and spirals very hard into telling Vash he hates Rem as a coping mechanism (which I will elaborate on if anyone's interested in my reading of those scenes), and it seems to be even more overt here.

He doesn't stop reaching out either until Rem shuts the escape pod/pulls the lever (Unclear on when that is)

2. From that scene, the only time we see Knives' face/expression again is when the escape pod is being like. Slung out of the ship. The rest of it always blocks his face and expression in favour of seeing Vash's far louder and emotional reactions.

and we just straight up do not see knives again until his big maniacal speech thing and that's,,, well we just don't know how long it's been since they crashed. could be minutes. could be hours. could be enough for knives to have had a breakdown and start laughing at the sky because he just doesn't know what else to do

i think (hope) season 2 might end up having a lot of the same flashbacks from knives' pov/an unbiased pov :]

Moving on with the episode: Roberto! I love Roberto a lot actually, he definitely grows on you. Something I did notice is that throughout this ep he says that Meryl and Vash would not last long on this planet which. That's interesting, considering he doesn't say that to Wolfwood, and yet Wolfwood and Roberto are the ones doomed by the (sometimes meta) narrative.

So when Vash is found he's been strung up by the Bad Lads gang (who have far more presence in episode one than I originally thought lmao), and he looks... a little dehydrated maybe, but overall fine.

The guys next to him, though? not doing remotely as well. Now while there is the possibility that he just got tied up later there's also the possibility that. While he does need to eat he doesn't need to eat as much as the average human. Which. is a lovely thought for the two dead guys. [Also a possibility that if Vash does need to consume less than a human, it could be another justification to himself for his eating issues]

The bounty! So it's technically Knives' bounty but whatever. [Sidenote: the idea that Vash and Knives look very similar is hilarious to me because they do not and never have to me] The particular notes are that Knives definitely had a hand in this - Vash is the only person specified alive, the bounty is obscenely high (compared to the other wanted posters), and it's specifically stamped with July Military, which. Well Knives and Conrad operate in July, and Conrad (by extension Knives) very clearly has a Lot of power in that City because he has the tower, that massive lab, etc. I wouldn't be surprised if they were the ones who initially created the bounty/wanted poster.

This Thomas carrying co... coffins? Are they coffins??

Background wanted posters for B.D.N, Marilyn Nebraska, Rai-Dei, and some other characters from trimax/98. And also for Nightow. for 30 $$ you can bring in Nightow the Comix Artist dead or alive! Wanted for Couch Crimes

Roberto kinda fascinates me as a character, especially when he sticks up for Vash and suggests a duel. My friend Mal describes him as a tsundere for friendship and. yeah okay that works lmao. for all his,,, roberto-isms, roberto has a a bit of a moral streak (he gets maddddd when he learns that children have been experimented on, hesitates in defending himself against Elendira, and lies to the police to get information out of them). He's just a Lot jaded, and we're already primed to like Meryl because, well she's Meryl, but he tends to be right when it comes to Meryl's inexperience. i like him. It's also, come to think of it, possibly because Vash fascinates Roberto a little bit. Roberto really saw Vash and went "I gotta study this guy" lmao

Vash having absolutely Perfect trigger discipline lmao

OKAY SO THIS PART IS MY FAVOURITE. For reference I am a black belt in a couple different martial arts, and working to become a sensei in Goju Ryu Karate, so this sequence is delightful! Let's break it down :] The initial block is one we use to open up a person's body - if that arm is clear out of the way you can keep control of the gun arm in this case by just pushing outwards (And with Vash's additional strength in his prosthetic that's Pretty Dang Effective, especially because in gun situations you want to keep the gun barrel away from you, so you're taught to use two arms - Vash doesn't need to do that)

From there, he goes and grabs the guy's shoulder to pull him forward unexpectedly - this throws him off balance and shifts his weight onto Vash's, so Vash is taking all that bodyweight. From there, all Vash has to do is maintain his grip on the gun arm's wrist (keeping the gun away from both parties in case he accidentally fires or there's a misfire), then turn sharply and let the body follow through!

From there he keeps the grip on the wrist and twists, which sends the gun out of the guy's grip and out of danger. At the same time, he spins his own gun's grip and hits the back of the head with the barrel - Notably he lets go of the wrist, which, if he'd kept holding it, would break the arm. I'm not entirely sure which martial arts were referenced for Vash's style, but this is exactly the type of thing I teach! [For anyone interested, I practice Goju Ryu karate, aiki jiu jitsu, iado (sword), self defense, and general okinawan kobudo (weapons like the bo staff, sais, and nunchaku)]

okay i blacked out and am no longer in teaching mode. Vash's arm, when he picks up that rock, glows very very green

what does that mean? I have 0 idea, it could be that it's overstrained, or using more power than usual. I mean, he did rip a rock out of the ground.

Zaziecam birdworm heading to July from Jeneora Rock! Probably how Knives got word of where Vash was

This fucking scene. man y'all this scene HAUNTS me.

It's so. unreliable at best. this scene goes adult vash saying he has a brother into this flashback. knives says, in order, that "he finally did it", not to worry because the plants are fine, he got rem killed, and tells vash not to get mad because he's already his accomplice, and nothing else. now we Know that that's not the case because Knives directly adds in information in future renditions of this flashback (That Vash gave him the launch codes). Which. What else don't we know about this scene. Clearly it's been a little while, the fire is burning, and Knives had all this time to climb the tower while Vash was (unconscious?). I want to see it from Knives' pov.

Knives keeping a bunch of last run plant corpses as statues to.. remind himself of his goal I guess. I read Tristamp Knives as Trimax Knives taken to the extreme (will elaborate in one of the flashback episodes), so I think he's a touch uh. Extremely unhealthy.

And that's it for episode one! I hope if you read this you had fun and it wasn't too much of a slog to read lmao i'm just rambling. I hope you had fun if you made it this far :]

#trigun stampede #trigun #cli analysis #< i guess we'll use that tag :3 #tristampParty #uwuwuwuuwuwu im having fun #feel free to make me elaborate on things if y want :D

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pancake-breakfast · 9 months

Text

It's late and I'm tired, but I want to at least try to get ahead of some of the chapter spoilers now that we're really getting past what I know (save a couple Big Important Moments).

Stream-of-consciousness thoughts for TriMax Vol. 5, Chapters 1-2 below.

TriMax Volume 5 Covers

Oooh, electric feather Vash! On the one hand, I'm excited because I love the way he looks when he goes all uncanny. On the other hand, I hate what it will likely take for him to get there. I mean, the last time something like this happened was Fifth Moon, so....

Hahahahaha, baseball AU! I'm just gonna note it looks like Vash is pitching here.

LOLLLL Legato is such a little gremlin on the back cover!

"Just when you thought this series had reached its most feverish pitch...." Joke's on you; I know there are nine more volumes so we're nowhere near the "most feverish pitch."

More baseball AU for the back cover, which shows us that while Vash might be a pitcher, he's apparently not a very good one. (Or maybe he's actually excellent since he got headshots on everyone, but maybe he's not playing the game the way everyone wants him to, which TBF is a very Vash thing to do.)

Chapter 1: The City, And Then The Feast Of The Hounds

CW: Suicide

Ugh, that cover shot with Vash with his arms crossed. Just... Ugh. It's so beautiful.

LOL, the shop vendor thinking Vash is in showbusiness because of his flashy coat. And Vash is just like, "Yep, that's right!"

WAIT A SECOND. How did we get here? Where is "here"? Why isn't everyone shooting at them? Where did Midvalley go? Wait. WAIT. Is this... JULY?!?!?!

KNEE TO THE FACE!!!

Awww, he's so happy! Also, bonus cats!

WTF, did Vash join a kids' street gang? He totally did, didn't he? And he's trying to feed them healthy food to take care of them in his particular Vash way.

Ah, stolen away to be someone else's lackey....

Dammit, it is July. I was kinda hoping it was gonna be a happier memory. For Vash's sake.

Then he remembers all of them. All of them. And knows that, on some level, they're dead because of him.

Count Vasquez? That's a name we haven't heard since, like, Volume 1, Chapter 1, page 1, yeah? The guy Vash is wanted for apparently killing?

Hang on, I'm just gonna revel in his fully blond hair for a moment. (Note to Self: Color this panel when it's not an ungodly hour.)

Vash is an unusual name.

Oh, my babygirl....

Oof, in the middle of his breakdown, he remembers Meryl. For now, he's got to keep going for Meryl. This is actually a very good technique for getting through suicidal ideation. I don't know that Vash currently has the strength and vision to keep his goal of Knives in sight, but Meryl is immediate. She was just here, and now she's not, but she's very, very close. He can worry about what comes next after she's safe. But first he has to get her safe. Small goals first.

Meryl... probably has a lot on her mind right now, TBF.

You know, I'm impressed. That's probably the least traumatic way Zazie could have spit thousands of worms. Hooray for Nightow feeling lazy?

Zazie's worm sense is tingling again.

Oop, someone brought the Raid.

Meryl??

WTF how did Zazie lose a hand here??!

Ok, I really don't know what's going on with Zazie. Did they... overtax themself a bit?? Are they injured because worms were injured? Are their senses just too disjointed???

Ohhhh, it was Midvalley. He's not so keen on whatever Zazie's trying to do.

Is Hoppered just... wearing Zazie's other hand around his throat for now? Zazie might need that. Might.

Midvalley has the magic of the music.

Aww, Meryl! You can do it, girl!

Chapter 2: Breakout

Ah, this must be proto-Hoppered. He's just a little guy....

They're being so rude to him, too!

Oof, the barkeep wants to help, but doesn't know how to balance this. And, of course, Hoppered is the one who pays for it.

Good for Hoppered. And for once, we get the tiniest glimpse of his actual face.

Looks like the guy's alright, after all. And maybe didn't even mean harm?

Dude, you don't know what their relationship is. Don't be so quick to judge just because Hoppered isn't like other people.

He wants to touch her, but doesn't.

Uhhhh, what's he getting injected into him??

Midvalley sure has a lot of faith in his partner here.

Eyyyyy, our boi is back!

I dunno, he might be able to see. But Midvalley's definitely raising a legitimate question. How did Wolfwood make it this far?

Midvalley: "Don't make a sound." Wolfwood: *immediately crunches something under his foot*

You're almost there, Vash! Be careful!

Meryl warns him. I wonder if he knew. Then again, babygirl is very prone to rushing headlong into things to save people, so I'm pretty sure the warning was important.

There are no sound effects on this panel and yet I can still hear it.

I dunno if it's safe to be that close to Midvalley, especially when he's got his weapon primed.

Boy's seriously gonna bust a vein here.

AAAAAAAHHHHH MILLY!!!! And Wolfwood wanted to leave her behind....

Hoppered unmasked!

LOL, I know the floor's at an angle, but Wolfwood and Midvalley look like ballet dancers here.

Goshdarnit, now I have to leave it on a cliffhanger!

Archive

Trigun Volume 1: Covers + 1-3, 3 Detailed Thoughts, 4, 4 DT, 5-6, 5-6 + DT, 6 DT, 7-8, 9-10 || Volume 2: Covers + Extras, 1, 1 Supplemental Research, 2-4, 5-6, 7-8

TriMax Volume 1: Covers + 1-2, 2 DT, 3-4, 3 DT, 5-6 || Volume 2: Covers + 1, 2-4, 5, 6-7 || Volume 3: Covers + 1-3, 4-5, 6-7 || Volume 4: Covers + 1-2, 3-5, 6-7

#trigunbookclub #trigun maximum #volume 5 #pancake thoughts

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raayllum · 11 months

Note

so we will have ocean, coins and kimdael in the same season is this going to be rayla's season? I think it's also going to be a traumatic season for Rayla, what are your expectations for her this season?

Yeah, today's short story definitely shed light on how Kim'Dael is factoring into the plot, which is a big relief because it was a big head scratcher for me! Turns out we knew literally nothing and that's why. However I've written a little bit about why I think Kim'Dael is being included with context from Bloodmoon Huntress, which was far easier to at least take a stab at (ha) predictions wise.

The last time Rayla faced Kim'Dael, Runaan and Ethari were there to help protect her, reaffirming that they were stronger together. Now her family is in coins and while not physically alone any more, I think S5 will shed light on how emotionally isolated she still is. She left in TTM to "be strong" and protect the people she loves, but this was a very misguided (understandable) choice born out of deep trauma.

Now she knows Callum is vulnerable to Aaravos, Viren is legitimately alive, Claudia is more dangerous than ever, her parents are weaker than ever, and Kim'Dael is running around. Oof. Rayla is also primed to become more like Runaan than ever before, with her boyfriend literally asking her to kill him and be a proper assassin a season before. It's an emotionally rigorous combination

Basically, I'm expecting Rayla to have the worst time she's ever had in her life (which is saying something) but hopefully this emotional of a process, as well as having Callum actually back as a support - although whether she'll be receptive to his support again is up in the air, as she's always been back and forth with it - can hopefully mean she starts gaining ground in healing and dealing with some of her emotional & self worth issues

I think the first step will be her realizing she Can save people again (since 4x05 and her failed mission casts doubt on that) which would work out nicely if she saves Callum from possession. Then hopefully she can learn that just because she can sacrifice herself for others doesn't mean she always should - that she's saving her parents because she wants to, not because she failed them somehow or has to redeem herself

At the very least, I'm expecting at least one Rayla breakdown if not two, because a Rayla breakdown every season is a TDP tradition at this point, and we're certainly not going to stop now

TLDR; I think in many ways she'll be pushed to her absolute emotional breaking point, and there's hopefully nowhere to go but up

#thanks for asking #tdp rayla #s5 #tdp spoilers #s5 spoilers #arc 2 #predictions #raylangst #lessachannn

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soupgoose · 2 years

Text

Do this for me.

A request from the lovely @peachy-is-obsessed

THIS CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR ISWM PART 2!

Summary: When the glass façade that surrounds the captain falters and shatters around them, an old friend helps them pick up the fallen pieces.

Genre: Hurt/Comfort, some good ol’ fashion fluff, one-shot (just a really long one-shot)

Word count: 5,700+

Paring: (Sort of) Wilford Warfstache/[Gender Neutral]Captain/Reader, written platonically but it's up for interpretation. ;)

Surprise guest from U.S.A Lady and from the infamous man in red! Granted their appearances are only brief. Wilford and the reader are the main focus.

Trigger warnings for: slight cursing, getting shot at, hand injuries (not gory and not described with a lot of details, just felt like I should add it just in case), identity crisis/mental breakdown (once again, very simplified and if these aren't the right terms please let me know!)

(A/N: This one gave me a bit of trouble, but I feel quite happy with how it came out! Definitely long, but I can’t help myself. Also please give a big thank you too @peachy-is-obsessed for this request. I absolutely had some more ideas with the broadness of the request, so there might be more coming soon! Once again, if you have any critiques or ideas on how I can improve in the future please let me know!

Happy Reading!

-Soup :D)

“Dammit.”

The sight of the wormhole’s blue walls once again filled your sight, taking you away from Yancy’s performance. The sound of his singing becomes clearer as you drift further and further away from the visitation room.

“I really wanted to be there for him…” Disappointed and more than a little annoyed, you couldn’t do much else than allow your body to be carried by the wormhole.

Yelling at nothing, you fumed, “You could have at least let him finish before you drug me away again!”

You cross your arms across your chest, waiting to be dropped off in yet another universe. However, unlike the last time, you were not presented with a choice of left or right. Rather, the wormhole opened up back in the Universal Stability Agency, only to find it looking abandoned and in a state of disrepair. Alerts to evacuate sounded through the glitched intercom, and filled the facility with a sense of dread. Lights, the ones that were still on, flickered desperately. Panels from the ceiling dangled in the lobby, being held only by a few wires.

“What in the world happened here?” you spoke quietly to yourself.

You pushed past some of the hanging wires and lights, moving towards the open doorway in front of you. As you approach, you take note of the person sitting inside the room, clutching a gun in their hand. You inch closer to them, hoping not to startle them too badly. The last thing that you needed was another gaping wound. Something cracked under foot, causing them to jump at the unexpected company, gun now aimed directly at you and charging up for a shot. You quickly raised your hands in front of you as you took a step back, trying to show the person that you were not there to hurt them.

With a sigh, they lowered it, waving their hand, beckoning you closer to them. You recognize them immediately as the Lady that had interrogated you and Mark a while before. The same Lady that had cornered you in many other universes. However now, they looked less damaged, and much more distraught than when you had first seen them.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think that anyone was still here-” They began to explain what had happened before they stopped.

“Wait. Oh my god.” She said in a low voice.

They had finally recognized you, spewing questions as they scooted closer. Stammering that your ship had vanished. Despite you being brought back to your ship multiple times through various loops and wormholes, no one else could find it. In every universe they checked, no one could get to it.

“So how are you… here? How?”

You didn’t have an answer. The device around your wrist took you where it wanted to, with no rhyme or reason. If you did, you would have told them, being just as confused as they were.

They became frantic, demanding for you to give them the device, threatening to shoot you if you didn’t. “I swear, I promise if you give it to me I can fix this.”

You felt the crystal glow against your palm as you backed away from them . Sure, maybe they'd be able to fix the shit show that you were starring in, but you had a plan. And you couldn’t risk ruining it.

“Warning. Potential paradox detected-”

“I am- I am begging you.”

“-Please Avoid”

The monotone voice pounded in your head, competing over the Ladies' pleas. “I refuse to believe that this is intentional. No one is that evil. Come on!”

“Initiating emergency abort.”

A wormhole opened, causing you to fall into it. And you could hear them crying out behind you, demanding that you come back.

Thinking that you had gotten away from them, you were startled as blue shots raced past you, the sound of the ammo whistling by your ears. You spun around to face them, shocked to see that they had jumped in after you. They had managed to catch up, grabbing a hold of your wrists. “Why are you doing this? Why do you want to destroy everything?”

You really didn’t. In fact you wanted the complete opposite. If they’d only let you explain, then maybe you’d be able to work together. But before you could try, the device separated itself from you, and the Lady fell with it.

After they had disappeared, you remained in the wormhole for longer than you deemed necessary, as a feeling of apprehension began to pool in your stomach. The area around became brighter with the crystal’s increasing glow. You could feel it pulsing in your palm, simultaneously filing your ears with a painful ring. The longer you were floating there, the worse you felt. Dizziness and nausea were followed shortly by the clouding of your vision.

And all in a single moment, there was suddenly nothing. Everything around you went dark. You couldn’t feel your body anymore, and you weren't sure if you were able to move.

“There is blood on your hands Captain. Who’s to say you’re any better?”

Your vision returned. A seemingly endless stream of bodies floated before you, slowly being brought in and engulfed by the open wormhole.

It glowed unbelievably bright, as you felt the light from it singe your eyes. Even though you wanted to look away, you couldn’t. The wormhole beckoned your attention, and the universe was forcing you to look at each and everyone of your mistakes, as they laid out clearly in front of you.

“No, no no-” You thought. Your voice echoed in your head, pounding against the inside of your skull. “I did what I could. I just wanted to help, I-I didn’t want this!” you pleaded, hoping that whatever was in control would allow you a chance to explain yourself. Hoping that maybe it would let you wake from this never ending nightmare. That’s what this had to be, right? There's no way that you were responsible for that many deaths. You were doing what you could, you were just trying to help.

“No no no no no no no no no no no no no no-”

The light emitted from the wormhole grew brighter, blinding you with your mistakes. The ringing still accompanied your thoughts, and while it started out subtle, it was now much louder than your own voice.

“please… stop”

The Lady couldn’t be right. You never wanted this. You needed to find Mark, you had to fix everything that had been broken.

“please…”

You just wanted all of this to stop.

Surprisingly, it listened. Instead of being blinded, you were now again completely surrounded by an inky black, as if someone turned off the lights via a switch.

You could feel your body now. However, you were still unable to move it. You tried to lift your arms, but they felt glued to your sides. Your legs at a slight bend, and your shoulders were tight. From what you felt, there wasn’t a floor you could have been standing on, and there was no pressure against your back to indicate to you that you were laying down. You were simply just existing in this void. Paralyzed by it.

The ringing didn’t stop. If anything it felt much closer than before. Your skin now reacted to it, feeling like the static of an old T.V screen, or the numb tingle you’d get when one of your legs would fall asleep after sitting for too long. Except now it was everywhere.

This dark wasn’t the kind of dark that your eyes could adjust to, despite their efforts.

After a moment, something sparked deep inside of you. A memory so far back in your mind, it was obvious that you had purposely blocked it out. But this place, this hell, wouldn’t let you suppress it any longer. And the void around you began to feel... “Wait. No. What is-”

“All too familiar isn’t it, old friend?” A voice interrupted your thoughts. “And here I thought that you had forgotten all about little old me. How cute. Coming to visit, are we? And after all this time you thought you were ready to move on.” It dripped in venom.

You felt uncomfortable, not being able to see the person who’s voice accompanied you in this place. While you wanted to figure out who they were, the dread that had pooled earlier pulled at your heart, and filled your lungs, keeping you from speaking. And that same spark begged you to leave.

“How rude. After all this time you won't even speak to me. And here I thought you were more than that. So many adventures, so many stories, you and I have shared. And now you think that you can just leave it all behind? Leave me behind?” He almost sounded offended.

Panic grew in your chest, your breathing became uneven and unproductive. He was getting closer to you, you could feel it. While you weren't sure of who he was a moment ago, you were certain of it now. And by no means did you want to be here with him. “No I can’t be here, there's no way-” you thought.

“Oh but there is, in fact, a way. Did you seriously think that I’d let you move on? Let you go live a life after all that we’ve been through? I was pulled much too early from the spotlight, and now you think you can steal it from me? No no, you don’t get that chance. I haven’t finished playing yet. And you haven’t finished playing your part, Captain.”

You felt his breath on the back of your neck. The hairs stood at the unexpected chill. His presence no longer felt alive, you couldn’t even call it human. He had ascended far beyond what he used to be all those years ago, and the person that you used to know wasn’t there anymore.

“Your friend took everything from me,” he shouted, causing you to flinch, “and I am going to do the same to him. The same to you. That night was an accident. It won’t be this time” His tone shifted drastically as he cleared his throat, now coated with a false sincerity.

“Did you like your little break? I felt that space would be such a beautiful vacationing spot. However, I didn’t expect it to break so easily. Honestly, you did a much better job than I thought you would! And now I’ve got a better opening, so many more options I didn’t even think were possible! I should really thank you.”

The darkness felt suffocating, pressing at your sides, your breaths now turning into gasps for the non-existent air.

“It’s not fair is it?” He stood in front of you, towering over your form. “I let you have your fun. Now that you're back, it’s my turn.” His face was hard to make out, except for an eerie smile that was plastered across it. He leaned in slightly, bringing himself down to eye level. “Welcome home, friend”

He turned, walking away from the spot that you were frozen to. It took all of your effort, but you managed to get something out, a desperate attempt to not be left alone in this place again.

You screamed at him, "Stop!”

He stopped in his tracks, before turning once more to face you.

“You’re no better than myself, Captain.” He smirked, “There are no other villains in our stories, except for you and him. I’m just doing my job, as the hero, to fix what you so crudely broke. You can’t blame me for your choices.”

With that, your body simultaneously woke up, dropping you to your knees. You had little time to catch your breath, as you desperately attempted to race after him. You weren't going to let him leave you in this place again. But by the time you had gotten to your feet, he was already gone. Leaving only a sheet of broken glass in his wake.

You ran up to it, pounding your hands against its shattered surface. Failed calls and cries never quite left your tongue, seeing the inside of the manor through the mirror. He stood in a red suit, looking quite pleased with himself, “Now now there friend, it’ll be alright. I’ll be sure to come back to visit,” He cooed, before adding a mocking “one day.”

You watched helplessly as he walked through the front door of the manor. After seeing him leave you stopped trying, realizing that there was no one that could hear or see you. You looked down at your hands, noticing that they stung from the small cuts and gashes caused by your senseless beating against the broken glass. You clenched your fists as you looked back up. The mirror had darkened and the view of the manor disappeared. The small amount of light that trickled through it, faded, and you fell to your knees. Only this time you had no intention of getting back up.

Tears poured from your eyes, and blood dripped from your fists. Memories were tricky as it was, but now? Everything was a mix of being too fuzzy to see clearly, and too clear to forget.

How many lives had you led, only to be brought back here? Placed back on a shelf like a forgotten toy. How many people, loved ones, friends, had you lost? How many had abandoned you?

Your mind raced, filling itself with memories you weren't certain were your own.

And in that moment you remembered Damien. You remembered all of the fun that you had with him during your days at university. And how he and Cleine had left you behind in the mirror in the first place.

You then remembered William, the gunshot, the fall. Was that really Wilford? Did he recognize you during the interviews and meetings with him? Or had your face been long forgotten as well.

Many more jumbled faces entered and exited your head, each with their own story, and each with their own set of shared memories, that only one of you could remember.

Did all of what you had been through really mattered?

You still remembered Mark and your crew, all of the years of training and schooling you had gone through to earn your title as “Captain”.

But if these memories were yours, then you were also a District Attorney, a prisoner, an adventurer, a date, a museum robber... Was any of that real? Did any of it really happen?

In a moment of desperation you questioned if you were real anymore. How much of yourself have you forgotten over the years? And how much had you lost?

The “floor” rumbled beneath you, and as you looked up you saw violent cracks break through the surface. Very much like the glass of the mirror, the world around you was shattering, with you still in it. You tucked your head down, your hands grasping at the back of your neck, mumbling broken “no’s” as you felt everything crumble.

With a final crack of the floor and the sound of crashing in your head, you felt your body shoot up.

You were sitting upright, with one of your hands gripping your shirt tightly under the collar. Your eyes, throat, and chest, burned, as you tried desperately to breathe. You gasped for air, wheezes fighting against violent sobs.

You had no idea where you were anymore. Or even who you were for that matter.

The ringing felt just as present as it was in that hell, just now accompanied with an unwelcome headache. You knew that it must have been real, as the sides of your hands ached and throbbed.

“Hey, hey, it's okay.” You hadn’t realized that you weren't alone, feeling your other hand being held and slowly caressed by the unknown company. You looked to where the voice came from, which happened to be sitting beside you in a chair, just barely able to make out their silhouette.

You struggled to take in your surroundings, vision fuzzy, as your eyes began adjusting to the soft light of the room, which you found came from a window behind a cracked curtain.

You looked around, trying to observe where this unknown person had taken you. Everything was soft and calming colors, which somehow brought a much needed comfort. Plush blankets and pillows surrounded your body, some of which fell to the carpeted floor after the sudden movement.

You looked back at the person, now able to see a little more, however some details were difficult to make out. He was dressed in a yellow button up, and had colorful suspenders draped over his shoulders. “It’s alright now, we’ve got you.” He spoke in a hushed voice, and for some reason you felt surprised at how gentle it was. You tried to look at his face, but your tears prevented you from getting a clear view, however, you could tell that he had a mustache.

He pulled you into a small hug, trying to hold you as closely as he could, considering the fact that you were still sitting.

“It’s alright now, ol’ wilffys gotcha. No more of that horrible place.”

For a brief moment you froze, hoping that you had heard him right and it wasn’t just a trick that your mind was playing on you. “Wilford?” you questioned, voice breaking in the process. He leaned back, allowing you to look at his face more closely. It was him.

His slightly curly mustache with its pink tips, and his dark brown eyes that were laced with worry and caution, gazed back at you. The expression he wore was something you hadn’t seen since…

“The one and only!” He said, giving you a comforting smile. Hands now holding you by your bicep and shoulder.

It took you a second to process what was going on, but upon releasing that Wil was in fact here and in front of you, you felt more tears sting at your eyes. You collapsed into his side, tears soaking the yellow dress shirt. He scooted on to the bed next to you, in a half kneel-half sit, and pulled you onto his lap. He wasn’t known for affection that wasn’t spontaneous and energetic, with most of the hugs that you did get were ones that were tackles or surprise attacks from behind. So in a moment where you felt so unbelievably broken, he had just enough wherewithal and sanity to understand that you just needed someone to hold onto you.

So that's what he did.

He mumbled quietly into the top of your head, reassuring you that it’d be alright, repeatedly saying “I’ve gotcha now” and, “you're okay.”. He rubbed circles into the small of your back, rocking you back and forth ever so slightly. This was a completely new side of the energetic and, quite literally, insane, Wilford Warfstache, and had you been more aware of what was going on, that might have worried you. But right now all that mattered was that you weren't alone.

As your breathing began to steady, he took a moment to promise you that, “I’ll be right here until you're ready, okay?”

Once you had calmed down he began to tell short stories and jokes that he knew would distract you, and hopefully make you laugh a little. Just because he “may sometime commit mass murder, dosent make him a lier!” But you knew that already, he never did anything to outright lie or hurt you in the past. And that one exception wasn’t intentional. You knew that he only did the things he did, was because he had lost himself to madness. Not being able to believe that anything was real anymore. Besides, he could bend reality as you knew it, and…

But, you didn’t know it. That’s why you were upset to begin with. Your identity and memories were falling apart in front of your eyes, and nothing felt real. Everything was spiraling out of your control. Granted, how much of it had actually been in your control in the first place?

He was about to start telling you another story, “The great escapade of 1987! Or was it 83…” before you stopped him.

“Wil?” you asked hesitantly.

“Yes Sugarplum? How may I, The Wilford Warfstache, be of assistance?”

“Is… Am I real? Is any of this…real?” You opted to speak slowly and cautiously. He was known to avoid this topic of conversation, and when it was unavoidable he would become distant. He was looking towards the door, as a silence washed over him. It was like watching a computer that froze, as you could almost see the gears turning in his head. His mouth was opening and closing every few seconds, looking for the right words but coming up empty handed.

Just as you were about to tell him to forget about the question, he cleared his throat.

“Well…”

He sighed, moving you around on his lap so you could look at him straight on, while still being close enough for him to cradle you.

“Reality is… oh how did Darky put it? Complicated. It's all *infinite* with countless existences and things the-such-is-and-the-like-as-that.” He scoffed, fumbling the last few words quickly. “But as for you being real? I’d say so! Well as “real” as anyone could be. Just because you’ve experienced a great lot of the *Multiverse*, doesn't mean that you’re any less real of a being.”

He looked deep into your eyes, making sure that you knew that he was being serious. He brought you back in for another hug, this one being a little tighter than the last. Your ear was pressed against his chest, and there was a soothing rumble as he spoke.

“My dear friend, I was worried when you didn’t show up to schedule your interview, and when I asked ol’ Yancy, he told me that you had just vanished during his performance. He looked quite upset at first but he said that he understood that you probably couldn’t stay for long. And I swear- I was going to be patient and wait for you to show up, but I noticed that those wormholes you had been traveling through hadn't opened for a while.”

His tone became softer, more serious, losing the playful undertones, “I thought you had…”

He paused, not bearing to say it. You gave him a firm squeeze, allowing the man a moment to collect himself.

“Anyways, I asked Darky if he’d let me check the ‘Void’, wherever that is, and that’s where we found you. Kind of, in between universes, I guess. You were unconscious, and from the looks of it having a very bad time. I mean, we had to get Dr. Iplier to wrap those hands of yours when we got you back here. I'm sure you’ll remember him later, but now's not the time.”

You tried to pull away from him, but you were unsuccessful, as he only held you tighter, wrapping his arms around you. His chin now resting on top of your head, you could feel his breathing hitch and his throat tighten. He tried to stop his own emotions from spilling over but,

“I-I was just so worried. I know that I’ve lost you before, and while I don’t fully remember it, I don’t know if I could go through that again.” He again tried to clear his throat to stop it from cracking, but to no avail he too had tears to weep. He didn’t quite sob like you had, but you felt him struggle to keep his composure. So there you two were, letting withheld emotions out of their containment, holding on to each other like a lifeline.

Wilford was one of the only ones left that had been there that night, and the only person other than yourself that was still mostly intact. He, despite changing his entire personality and his identity, was still in that god-forsaken manor all those years ago. And while you weren't sure how long he had the ability to warp and mold the universe around him, he was still affected by what happened. He watched as all of his friends either disappear or die, meanwhile getting blamed for it all. And right now you understood just how horrible that felt.

The only other time you had seen him so concerned, was that night. After he watched your body seemingly rise from the dead, he couldn’t believe that you had survived it. You could see the fresh trails of tears on his cheeks, and the guilt in his eyes was evident. That was also the last time you saw him with his sanity. You witnessed him break, just as he was watching you begin to. It was almost poetic.

“Do you think I’m going to end up like you, Wil?” You managed to joke, like he had only moments before. He scoffed, feigning offense at your question.

“After all I do for you and you just insult me?! The nerve!” He exclaimed, a small croak escaping with it.

He finally let you look at him, eyes red and watery, face stained with streams of tears. He looked awful, though you could say the same for yourself. You took a moment to wipe the tears from his cheeks, thumb gliding over the warm, puffy skin. You brought his forehead down to meet your own, pressing them together. Eyes closed, the two of you sat there in complete satisfaction and comfort. Wil cared about you, he just had odd ways of showing it, you could trust him. You snickered as his breath and mustache tickled your face as he talked.

He reeled back before exclaiming, “God I hope not! The universe can really only handle one of me, if that!” you let out a hearty laugh, always a fan of his dramatics.

He waited for your laughter to settle, obviously pleased that he had been able to cheer you up. He brought his hand up, and reached out to touch your cheek. He smiled as you pressed your face into it.

“I’m going to do whatever I can to help you. I promise. I was afraid of what you were going through, from what I heard you mumble in your sleep.” he sighed, “Cupcake, if there's anything that you take away from this it's that, you are as real as it gets. And just because you have lived, quite frankly, many lives, does not make you any less real. You continue to learn and improve yourself, and you have changed the lives of so many. I mean just look at Mr. Yancy! He’s going on parole, just because of what you said, because of what you managed to do.”

You felt your throat tighten, “Wil, please-”. You tried to look away but he moved his hand to your chin, tilting it up so you’d look at him.

“No, I’m not done! You are going to listen to all of this! I know that memories get hard to recollect after a while, believe me I’ve been there, but that’s not your fault! You never asked for this, you were simply handed a broken universe and then told to fix it! But you’ve done so well with what you’ve been given. You aren’t a bad guy, you’re just trying to fix what's broken. And you, my dear friend, are not in any way broken. Glass shatters, and chips, and cracks, but it can always be mended.” He leaned forward, bringing his voice down to just above a whisper so only you could hear. “Allow yourself to be mended, allow yourself to heal from your heartbreaks. Please. If you will not do it for yourself, allow me a moment of selfishness and do it for me. All I’m asking is that you don’t give up, okay?”

He had made you cry again, not saying that you had completely stopped in the first place. The fact that he was being completely genuine, no jokes, no pranks, no guffaws, that he genuinely cared about you, and was willing to step out of his comfort zone to comfort you, broke the rest of the damn.

He let you cry against him again, only this time it wasn’t as extreme. The both of you chuckled at your failed attempts at saying “okay”, as most of them were interrupted by hiccups or gasps. He was there for you, and you were there for him. And in that moment, that’s really all that the two of you could do. He couldn’t fix it for you. He was unable to pick up the pieces that fell from your person, even though he wanted nothing more than to do so. But he could be there to provide the much needed support and care that you deserve.

After you had no more tears left to cry, you didn’t leave his embrace. Feeling absolutely drained, you drug him down so you’d be lying next to each other, rather than sitting. He complied, now being able to pull you the rest of the way in, pressing all of him against all of you. Your legs were tangled together, and you had your face buried in his chest. You could hear his breathing, and his steady heart beat against your ear. His arms wrapped around you, one across your back and one around your waist. You had missed his hugs tremendously, but this was definitely a start to making up the ones that you had missed out on.

The two of you joked back and forth, throwing occasional burns at each other as you had in the past. He felt whole, more present and sane than he had in years. And when you were ready to start talking about your memories and various identities, he was there to listen. When you needed confirmation or specifics about a “life” he would try his best to bring some clarity. And when he began to feel himself slip, you would change the subject.

It was harmonious, the way the two of you interacted. What comforted both of you was the fact that you had been through everything together. Both seemingly very different beings, yet experiencing the same set of circumstances, and had just processed them a little differently.

By the time you had felt more comfortable neither of you could tell how long you had been laying there. Not that it mattered, you felt safe next to the friendly neighborhood lunatic.

Time, as it was, didn't feel right, partially because of the constant changing of universes, and partially because of the time you had spent in space. Wilford claimed that Time no longer had an effect on him and therefore didn’t matter, which you couldn’t exactly argue against. He didn’t look like he had aged a day since back then. Of course his appearance had varied as he dipped further and further into his insanity, but not much else physically had changed. The creases that formed in the corners of his eyes when he smiled or laughed were still there. The way that he always had a certain cadence with all of his actions and speech haven't faded. And while no longer being the colonel you knew way back then, he was still your beloved friend.

He didn’t have to tell you that you needed to get going. You were, as Will had put it, “Running behind on a very specific schedule that the universe has set up for you. And it’ll only wait for so long.” You watched his smile falter, remembering what your purpose was at the end of the day. And despite neither of you wanting to separate, you had to finish what was started. Begrudgingly, he let you get up from the bed, and he shortly followed suit. Making various inappropriate jokes about the situation as you were getting prepared to leave. “I don’t think I’ve been in bed that long with anyone! And I was known for the great Ned Affair!“

You elbowed his side, gaining a very over exaggerated grunt from Wil.

“I’ll see you soon right?” You asked, reaching out for his hand. Your fingers interlock with his, and you feel him gently squeeze back.

He smiled at it, then at you.

“Of course you will.”

The two of you stepped into the open area of the room, taking a second to mentally prepare for more of the awful wormholes and loops that were coming your way.

“God, I hate that that stupid wormhole took me away before I could hear the rest of Yancy’s performance. I bet that it was really good.” You were only half-joking, not expecting anything to come out of it.

“Well no spoilers, but it was. Maybe-” He sighed, tapping his free hand against his chin, “��ugh I hate making you anymore late for our meeting, but maybe I can take you back to see the rest of it. I’m sure that the universe will give you a little more time before the “end”. Not like there is, or will ever be, a true end.

You chose to ignore what Wil had just said about there not being an end, because had you stopped to think about it you may have lost the rest of your dwindling sanity right then and there. You smiled, giving one more firm squeeze. “I think I’d like that.”

A wormhole opened in front of you, only now it was pink. You stared into the swirling chaos, not fully ready to jump back in. He felt you hesitate, “Go on. You have the whole multiverse to save after all!” Noticing that his point did little to encourage you, as you shot a glare at him, he brought you in for one last hug. “You’ll be fine. After all, you can’t keep me away for long.” He whispered to you.

Taking a step back, you approached the wormhole again. Looking at him one last time, he nodded, smiling, and you stepped in.

Disco music surrounded you, and with only one tunnel to follow, you let yourself relax.

So what if you had led a thousand lives before this one, you knew that no matter where you were taken, Wil was never too far away. And that was all the motivation that you needed.

You had been through enough of this, and it was time to finish it.

(A/N: FINALLY FINISHED! THANK GOODNESS! I have been struggling with this s.o.b for at LEAST a week. And finally, I think its as ready as its going to get. I hope you enjoyed, and if theres any critiques or ideas that you think might help me improve please let me know! And @peachy-is-obsessed, thank you again for the request! This, despite me wanting to throw my computer into the sun, was really fun to write! I hope that it meets your expectations!

-Soup :D)

#iswm spoilers #In Space With Markiplier #in space with markipler spoilers #iswm 2 #iswm x reader #wilford warfstache #wilford warfstache x reader #hurt/comfort #fluff #markiplier egos x reader #iplier egos x reader #iplier egos

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pengychan · 7 months

Text

[Good Omens] Come What May, Ch. 5

Summary: While completely improvised, Gabriel’s plan to transfer his memories in the container fly before erasure was rather solid. It came very close to working, too. But ‘close’ was not enough. [SPOILERS FOR SEASON 2] Characters: Gabriel, Beelzebub, Crowley, Aziraphale, Muriel, Michael, Uriel, Saraquael Rating: T All chapters will be tagged as ‘come what may’ on my blog.

[Back to Prologue]

A/N: Officer Muriel is on the case, Gabriel is on a date, and Crowley is on the brink of a nervous breakdown.

***

All right, Muriel thought, so maybe things had changed more than a little since the handbook had been published in 1923. There were significantly more cars, for one. And the clothing looked different. Specifically, the clothing of police officers looked very, very different.

But that was all right. They could miracle a few adjustments here and there, and then they were ready to go out in the world. Which was, specifically, in London. Even more specifically, in Soho. Muriel had no clue why the elevator led there of all places, but according to the handbook, it wasn’t the worst place on Earth: it wasn’t Florence and and even better, it wasn’t Ohio.

They were not entirely sure where either of those places was or why the handbook so specifically mentioned them as places to avoid at all costs, but that would be an investigation for another time. Now, they had to find Jibreel. They had drawn a very accurate sketch of his face - excellent work, if they said so themself - and surely, someone had to have seen him if he’d been on Earth before, right?

“No, I’m sorry.”

“Sorry, never seen him.”

“Believe me, I’d remember that face.”

“No, officer. I haven’t seen him.”

“Don’t think I’ve ever seen him, no.”

“If you find him, feel free to give him my phone number.”

… All right, this was a bit more complicated than expected. None of the mortals they showed the portrait to had seen Jibreel at all. Or maybe they had and wouldn’t tell them - humans lied sometimes, it said so in the handbook - but what reason would they have to lie to a police officer? Maybe Jibreel had been someplace on Earth that was not London, they reasoned. Hopefully someplace nice. Muriel really didn’t want to find out what was so bad about Ohio, or deal with these ‘insane poets’ Florence was supposedly choke-full of.

“Did he kill someone?” the woman they’d stopped last asked, looking at Jibreel’s face above black-rimmed glasses. “He looks like the kind of bloke who’d kill someone.”

“Wha-- no, no! Absolutely not!” Muriel exclaimed, just a little distressed at the thought anyone could think anything so mean of an angel. “He’s a really nice ang-- person. A very nice person.”

A quizzical look. “If he’s nice, why are the police looking for him?”

Ah, right. The police usually were after criminals. Well, at least on paper. More often than not they were after people of skin tones or socioeconomic status they did not approve of, the handbook said, but they were supposed to go after criminals, too. “He’s… he’s missing, you see. His friends are very concerned.” Well, Muriel was concerned for sure, so it was not a lie. “And I’m trying to find him.”

“Oh. Well then, good luck, hun. Have you checked with the coffee shop?”

“... The coffee shop?”

“That one,” the woman turned, pointing at a building whose front read Give Me Coffee or Give Me Death. Muriel had a vague idea of what death was, and had no clue what ‘coffee’ may be. What was the purpose of making people choose between… whatever that was, and the end of their mortal lives?

Unaware of their thoughts, the mortal was still talking. “Big windows, regulars sitting there day in day out. If the missing man walked through here, someone in the coffee shop might have seen something.”

“Oh! Yes, that’s very very helpful, thank you!” Muriel smiled, and crossed the street toward the coffee shop - entirely failing to notice the being standing near the front window of a bookshop right by, feather duster in hand, waving frantically at them.

***

“Muriel! Hey! I’m here! Guys, it’s Mu--”

“No no no no no-- Jim! Jim, stay here!”

“I’ve got to say hello, they must be looking for me, I told you they’d worry--”

“Crowley! A little help here!”

Had he still not been more than slightly miffed over the entire situation, and more specifically about Gabriel’s presence in the same quadrant of the universe as Aziraphale, Crowley might have found the scene before his eyes funny. Aziraphale’s attempt at physically stopping Gabriel consisted of clinging to his midsection, pretty much, while the aforementioned amnesiac Archangel simply kept walking to the door and dragging him along like he weighed nothing. Crowley chuckled, and leaned on the upstairs railing.

“I mean, this might be a good way to test out Beelzebub’s hiding miracle, no?”

“I don’t want to test things out!” Aziraphale called out, now increasingly distressed as Gabriel reached for the doorknob. The desperation in his voice made Crowley decide to bite back another comment and help out the quickest way he could think of. He was always going to do that, anyway. There was no way in Hell or Heaven that he’d let any celestial or infernal being find out Aziraphale was involved in… whatever was even going on.

Won’t give them an excuse to get their hands on him again.

“Don’t worry. I’ve got this.”

The first hardbound volume of the 1768 edition of Encyclopædia Britannica sailed through the air in an elegant arc, and landed squarely on Gabriel’s head before falling on the ground, quickly followed by Gabriel himself. Whatever noise he may have made was covered by Aziraphale’s distressed groan.

“Did you just hit-- did you just throw-- we’re supposed to help-- that was a first edition …!” He fretted over the book as well as over the quite literally fallen angel, not quite knowing which needed the most care at the moment. In Crowley’s opinion, the book should take precedence; within seconds, a burst of flame and distinct smell of sulfur told him in no uncertain terms that Beelzebub was inclined to disagree with his scale of priorities.

Ah, right. The fly on the wall.

“I had to!” he yelled, turning with his hands up as though surrendering to an enemy army. To be fair, Beelzebub’s face - lips pulled to bare blackened teeth, boils and all in full display as they’d clearly rushed there without making any effort to blend in with humanity - promised more pain than had been collectively dealt through the entirety of both World Wars. “An angel passed by and he was going to go out and greet them!”

“What!” Beelzebub turned away from him, and was down the stairs the next moment. The contrast between the snarl directed at Aziraphale and the gentle cradling of Gabriel’s head in their arms was… something. “What angel? Is it Michael? Uriel?”

“No, no. Apparently it was his, er, newest superior? Muriel.”

“... A scrivener?”

“Of the 37th class,” Aziraphale specified, causing the Lord of the Flies to wrinkle their nose.

“Heaven surely has fallen into hard times if that’s who they send to investigate.”

“If Heaven sent them,” Crowley said, coming down the stairs. He shrugged at the resulting looks. “They walked right past the bookshop, didn’t even look back, and… well, I’d also really expect one of the Archangels to show up, if they were looking for him.”

“So you think the scrivener noticed he was missing, and instead of warning Heaven they came to Earth to look for him themself?”

“Seems possible, no? Maybe they didn’t want to admit that their charge was gone.”

“Is it what you really believe, or what you desperately want to be true?” Beelzebub asked, gaining themself a scowl.

“Both, if you don’t mind,” Crowley snapped. “And besides, this is the kind of information I’d expect to make its way to you - a missing Archangel. We can assume Heaven has no idea he’s gone from their grasp until you hear something through the usual back channels, or--”

“There are no back channels, Michael.”

The mumble was faint, but it caused everyone’s eyes to immediately turn to Gabriel. He was stirring, and blinked up at Beelzebub with those green eyes that looked so very, very wrong on him. Then, he smiled. “Hey,” he said, and Beelzebub smiled back.

“Hey. Is your head all right?” they asked, a hand running through his hair. “Are you… remembering anything?”

He frowned a moment, still on the floor, then shrugged. “Yes, but no. I mean, my head is all right. Don’t think I remembered anything, though,” he added, and tilted his head. “I like what you’ve done with the teeth.”

“The-- ah. Thank you,” Beelzebub said, but they did pass a hand over their face, miracling the boils away and willing their teeth to… well, un-rot. “But this works best to blend in on Earth.”

“I like that, too.”

“Flatterer,” they muttered, and helped him stand. “Are you all right?”

“I think a book fell on me,” Gabriel muttered, rubbing his head. He glanced at the window, but didn’t try to go outside again, nor did he bring up his Muriel. It seemed that even without the powers of Heaven, Encyclopædia Britannica was an effective short term memory wiping instrument. The more you know.

“... Yes. Let’s say it fell on you,” Beelzebub muttered, while Aziraphale made sure the book in question was still in one piece. “It may be best to get away for a while,” they added. They didn’t add ‘while these two figure out why that angel is here’, but the message was still loud and clear.

“Oh.” Gabriel hesitated, looking at the feather duster he’d dropped on the floor. “But I’m dusting.”

“Oh, no matter,” Aziraphale spoke quickly, book under his arm. “You did such an excellent job, I think you should take the rest of the day off.”

“Ah, great!” Gabriel smiled, and looked back at Beelzebub. “Where are we going?”

“... I know a place,” they said, and took his hand. Crowley couldn’t recall a single other time watching someone quite literally disappear before his eyes had been that much of a relief. He groaned, rubbing his forehead.

“Can’t take much more of this,” he muttered. “Sure hope they stay in whatever place they went to, and-- angel? What are you doing?”

Aziraphale shrugged, putting on his jacket. “I saw this Muriel getting in Nina’s coffee shop - I suppose we should try to find out what they’re here for, no? Maybe it’s not about Gabriel and this is all a huge coincidence.”

“You’re being much too optimistic, angel.”

“One of us has to be,” Aziraphale replied, all bright as though they were not risking the wrath of Heaven and Hell both to help out their fucking former bosses, both of whom had consistently been several shades of awful throughout the eons. “So, are you coming?”

“Uuugh. Do I have a choice?”

“Well, yes. You can stay in the shop and watch me go on my own, all alone, to face the danger.”

“A scrivener of the 37th class is no danger,” Crowley pointed out, but of course he was already halfway down the stairs, pretending not to have noticed how awfully pleased with himself Aziraphale looked.

***

“... And they said that Beelzebub is dragging their feet for no reason?”

“Yes. To which I replied--”

“Beelzebub does nothing without reason.”

“Bingo. And speaking of reasons, do you know what reason they’re giving for the fact they no longer have a Supreme Archangel?”

“Surprise me.”

“No comment.”

“... Is that you not wanting to comment, or was it them who won’t--”

“It’s Heaven not wanting to comment. Well, at least Archangel Ariel--”

“I believe that’s Uriel.”

“Whatever she’s called. She’s giving no explanation, and the rest of Heaven isn’t either.”

“This is unprecedented. I’m not surprised Beelzebub is unwilling to proceed, with Heaven obviously hiding something.”

“Well. If that is the case, I believe there might be a promotion in the air for the demon, or demons, who can solve this mystery and give our Grand Duke some answers.”

“I assume you’re talking about us.”

“You know, I’m trying to keep an aura of mystery here, but you’re making it really difficult.”

Shax, who at the moment had no time to worry about any kind of aura, mysterious or otherwise, chose to entirely ignore Furfur’s complaint. “Who else in Hell is aware of this?”

“No one that I know of. Beelzebub aside, I mean. Obviously they know.”

“Then we have an advantage. I’ll try to find out more. Call me if you have more news.”

“Yes, yes. Hey, how about a thank you ?”

“Oh, no need to thank me.”

“No, I mean, I gave you the tip--”

“Save your it for when we’re dukes of Hell,” Shax cut him off, and ended the call. Yes, saying thank you would have probably been nice, but you don’t become Hell’s representative in London by being nice. Or at least she hadn’t. How Crowley had made it despite a very obvious soft spot for Earth as well as an angel was a whole other can of worms she had never much cared to open.

Shax had been much too focused on the chance to take his place to wonder about it. Furfur, on the other hand, had been so vindicated when he’d turned out to be a traitor - and working with the same angel he’d caught him with before, no less! - that he hadn’t shut up about it for a year, until the Dark Council had finally recognized his attempt at warning them about Crowley and given him a promotion. That was when Shax had truly realized she and Furfur were after two different things, after all. She wanted power; he was looking to get a pat on the back and a ‘good job’ every once in a while.

… Maybe she would thank him. Later. Once she’d made some progress on an investigation she had absolutely no idea how to get started with.

Called to a new task, was Heaven’s line regarding their missing Supreme Archangel, but it didn’t take a lot of guesswork to tell it was corporate speech for forcibly terminated employment. What else would they be so keen to hide? And yet, in all other cases where a forcible termination had happened - ten million cases at once, really - the forcibly terminated had found himself in Hell with blackened wings. If that had occurred to the Archangel Gabriel it would be the talk of the century in Hell, so Shax felt safe enough to discount that possibility.

That left only two possibilities, as far as she could tell: demotion, or desertion. Both unheard of, really. Unprecedented, as Furfur had said… but after a demon and an angel somehow stopped Armageddon and proceeded to survive holy water and hellfire respectively, Shax supposed they were indeed living through unprecedented times.

***

“Um… hi! I’m sorry to ask, but--”

“One skinny latte, coming up.”

“No-- I mean, yes. Yes to the skinny latte, but that’s not… I was sitting in my shop, and I er, just happened to look this way. Through your window. Once or twice. And I noticed… er… I was wondering…” Maggie hesitated, mentally cursing herself for all the stammering. Nina looked back at her from behind the counter, one eyebrow raised and a carton of milk in hand.

“... Are you all right?”

“Yes!” Maggie exclaimed, smiling. “How did you guess that’s what I wanted to ask?”

“I… didn’t. I was asking you. You’re acting odd.”

“Oh.” With the possibility the ground would open up to swallow her sadly very, very remote, Maggie shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be weird. I just noticed you were kind of looking like you were not having your best day ever, and wanted to ask if all’s good.”

This time, Nina looked genuinely surprised. “Ah. Yes, I… well. No, not my best day ever, but not the worst either. It’s just--” a jingle interrupted her, and she glanced over to her phone. A long sigh, and it didn’t escape Maggie how her shoulders dropped. “Lindsay is… having a moment. I’ll get your skinny latte in a sec--”

“Hello hello hello!”

Both Nina and Maggie turned to the entrance to see what looked like a police officer who had dipped their uniform either in white paint, or in the most potent bleach known to man. The smile that greeted them was about as blindingly white.

“Bet you twenty quids this one is going to ask for a glass of milk,” Nina muttered, and Maggie bit her lip not to burst laughing. Not having heard the comment - or having elected to ignore it - the officer spoke again.

“I am carrying out an investigation! Do you mind me asking a few questions to the… patrons of this… fine… establishment?” they asked, looking around at the grand total of three people sitting inside. Nina shrugged.

“Knock yourself out,” she said, only to gain herself a confused look.

“Knock myself…?”

“It means you may go right ahead,” Maggie clarified, and the smile was back.

“Thank you! Jolly good! Do you mind if I start with you?”

“Uh. Sure?” Maggie muttered, and Nina made a noise that was almost a chuckle.

“I’ll get your skinny latte done while you’re getting grilled by the police,” she muttered.

“Heh. If I don’t get arrested.”

“Don’t worry, you’re a bit too pale to be arrested for a minor crime like bad taste in coffee.”

Ah. “You think I have bad ta--” Maggie began, but Nina had already turned to the coffee machine and the officer was putting something on the counter. It was… a drawing?

“I am looking for this person,” the officer said. “Not in a bad way. I mean, he’s not a criminal. And he certainly didn’t kill anyone!”

“Oh. That’s-- reassuring?”

“Yes, he’s a very nice bloke! He’s not in trouble or anything. I mean, I’m trying to find him so he doesn’t get in trouble. You understand.”

Maggie understood exactly nothing, particularly with half her brain still fixated on the idea Nina did not approve of her taste in coffee, but she nodded along and looked at the drawing on the counter. It was really well made and, while men never exactly held her attention, she had to admit this one was very good looking. “I’m sorry, I haven’t--” she began, only to suddenly trail off. She squinted, looking at the features more closely. “Wait, I… might have seen him?”

“Oh!” The officer perked up, if it was even possible to get any perkier, and seemed a moment away from jumping up and down on the spot in sheer excitement. “That’s a clue!”

“Well… yes, it could be a lead, just…” Maggie stared, squinting at the portrait once again, then slowly shook her head. “I can’t shake off the feeling I have seen him, but… I can’t recall where. Or when. Maybe just… walking by? Probably around here, my shop is right across the street and I live nearby…”

“So he was here!”

“I said that I might have seen him, and if so it was probably around here. I can’t be sure--”

“It’s still a clue!” the officer exclaimed, and scribbled something on the back of a piece of paper. On the other side, there was… another drawing. Maggie tilted her head.

“Is that the Resurrectionist?”

“Huh?” The officer looked up, blinking. “You… oh! You know what this building is? He drew it before he disappeared.”

The drawing was slapped on the counter, perhaps a bit too enthusiastically. Not a portrait, but very obviously the front of a pub that Nina was pretty sure she’d recognized. Hard to forget a place that keeps sending you one record after the other, all identical, claiming that they had ‘changed into the jukebox’.

“I believe so. It’s a pub in Edinburgh, quite famous.”

“Edinburgh! Brilliant! I’ll find Edinburgh, and the pub, and-- maybe that’s where he is!” a delighted laugh, and the officer gathered up both drawings before running out of the coffee shop, not even bothering to question anyone else present.

“What was that?” Maggie muttered, taken aback. The response she got was a noncommittal hum, and the sound of a mug being put down on the counter.

“Probably some weirdo playing copper.”

“Yes, I guess-- oh. They're talking with Mr. Fell and his… friend?”

“Who, Eight Shots?”

“Is that what you call him?”

“Well, how else do you call someone who orders eight shots of espresso?”

“I always called him Dark and Broody,” Maggie admitted, and took her latte. “Um, thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I added some cinnamon,” Nina added, tilting her head towards the mug. “You look like someone who likes cinnamon.”

Maggie, who indeed loved cinnamon, flushed a little. Oh no, she didn’t approve of cinnamon either, did she? She’d probably make fun of her order the second she stepped out, wouldn’t she? “I… yes, I like it very much. So, you don’t approve of latte?”

“I always approve of latte. I don’t agree with the skinny part. Low-fat milk just never gets creamy enough.”

“That’s not true, you make it perfectly creamy!” Maggie blurted out. That caused Nina to raise an eyebrow, and Maggie had just a moment to wish once more that the ground would swallow her before she… smiled. A real smile. It was really nice.

“Thanks. It’s my greatest talent,” Nina laughed, and seemed about to add something else - but her phone jingled again and just like that, the smile was gone. She looked back at it, and looked so very tired. “... Sorry, I really have to deal with this now. You can sit wherever,” she added, and Maggie did, rather saddened by the abrupt end of the conversation and by the frown back on Nina’s face.

But it wasn’t all too bad. They had a nice chat, and there was cinnamon in her latte, and she got to see Nina really smile for the first time. Maybe she could find a way to make that happen again, even if it meant doing something drastic like… like… ordering a latte with full-fat milk. Yes, she’d bite the bullet and do just that, next time.

Her brave resolution made, Maggie took a sip of her latte and glanced out of the window. The officer was still talking to Mr. Fell, while Dark and Broody - or Eight Shots - stood by with the expression of someone who’d rather be having a root canal without anesthesia.

What an odd officer and what an odd couple, she thought, and took another sip.

***

Sometimes - not very often, but sometimes - fate decided to make things easy for Aziraphale. With how the previous twenty-four hours had gone, he had no expectation to get that lucky as he stepped out of his shop, trying to think of a way to find out what this Muriel what doing in Soho without asking directly or arousing suspicion.

Therefore, it was quite a pleasant surprise when the angel in question stepped out of the coffee shop, looked at him in the face, and smiled brightly. “Oh! It’s you!” they exclaimed. It took Aziraphale a moment to remember where he’d already seen them, and most of all when.

“I… we met at the elevator, didn’t we?” he asked, and Muriel nodded, still smiling. They held something in both hands, and he recognized it immediately. “That is…”

“The handbook! Oh, I am going to bring it to the archive, I promise!” Muriel added, as though expecting a scolding. “I just needed to do… some things on Earth, and this was really useful.”

“Oh. I mean-- of course, I don’t mind at all you using it,” Aziraphale said quickly, and smiled. “Although I must say, it is not the most up to date edition. Perhaps you could use a little help with… whatever you’re doing? We’d be happy to help,” he added, gesturing to himself and Crowley. Judging from the way Muriel smiled at him, too, they had no idea who they were talking to. Useful, that.

“Ah, yes. Helpful, that’s my middle name,” Crowley muttered.

“That’s really kind of you! I do need help, as a matter of fact - do you happen to know what part of London Edinburgh is?”

Ah. Well. It seemed help should come in the form of a geography lesson; having clearly come to the same conclusion, Crowley found it appropriate to reply in a heavy Scottish accent. “Edinburgh’s not in London, I’m afraid. Way up north.”

“Oh. So it’s somewhere else in…” a quick look at the handbook, flipping the pages to a very old and not precisely detailed map. “England?”

“Scotland. Further north.”

“Further north… oh! I see it!” They tapped their finger on the spot marking Edinburgh. “It’s this one! Right? It says Edinburgh right here.”

“Aye, that’s it.”

“Brilliant! And, uh… how do I get there?”

“Well, you could go by train or coach…” Aziraphale began, and Muriel’s eyes widened.

“Oh! With horses? I’d like to see one. There seem to be no horses around here.”

“Afraid he means a bus,” Crowley intervened. “They don’t really have horses pulling things anymore. But, they still have trains!”

The disappointed expression vanished from Muriel’s face as quickly as it had come. “Sounds great! Where do I find a train?”

“Well, we could give you a lift to the station,” Aziraphale suggested, still smiling. “Any more ways we can assist you in… what are you here for, by the way? Official Heavenly business?”

Aaand the smile was gone, replaced by an anxious grimace. “Well-- sort of. I am… investigating. On behalf of Heaven,” they added, in the hurried tone that can only suggest nothing at all is being done on behalf of Heaven. To add to Aziraphale’s unusual luck, it seemed that Muriel had a very hard time lying indeed. “I mean… Heaven would approve.”

“Oh?” Crowley tilted his head, an eyebrow raised. “I assume the complete sentence is, ‘Heaven would approve, if they knew’?”

A nervous look around, as though there may be angels listening in, and Muriel gave a quick jerk of their head that Aziraphale supposed they could take as a nod. “You see, I don’t want a… colleague to get in too much trouble,” they said, holding out a portrait. It was Gabriel’s face, of course, but they didn’t even ask them if they’d seen him. They just seemed immensely relieved to see Aziraphale nodding, the very picture of patient understanding.

“That’s really nice of you, looking out for a colleague,” he said, and felt… just a touch guilty at the relief that flooded Muriel’s face.

“Thank you. It didn’t feel nice. I mean, I’m not… It feels an awful lot like I’m sneaking around, but he went missing, and I’m afraid he’s in trouble and that he’ll be in more trouble if Heaven finds out,” they blurted out, causing Aziraphale to wonder if they had any clue how correct they were about that. “So I’m trying to find him before they even notice he’s gone.”

“That’s an excellent idea - no need to cause more trouble than needed, is there?” Crowley spoke up, suddenly all smiles, giving Muriel a light punch on the shoulder. “I like how you’re going about it. So, you think he’s in Edinburgh? You should go there right away. I’ll get you on the first train there.”

A relieved sigh. “Oh, thank you. You don’t know how helpful this is.”

“Told you, helpful is my middle name,” Crowley grinned, and tilted his head towards the Bentley. “Hop in my car, and we’ll go to the train station right away. Not a moment to waste!”

“Of course! Thank you!”

As Muriel ran to the Bentley, Aziraphale turned to look at Crowley. “You never did tell me what the J stands for. What is your middle name?”

“Well, I can tell you it’s not Jim,” Crowley quipped, and looked back at the car. “Can’t believe I’m saying this, but we lucked out. Haven has no idea he’s even gone yet, and the only angel looking for him thinks he’s in Edinburgh for some reason. Sending them there will buy us some time.”

“I wonder what gave them the idea he’s there, of all places.”

“Don’t know, don’t care. It’s convenient, angel. Don’t look into the gifted horse’s mouth,” was the reply, and Aziraphale supposed he could agree with it. As Crowley had said, it was all awfully convenient.

What could this Muriel possibly find out in Edinburgh?

***

“So, uh, Jim. Do you recognize anything about this place? Anything at all?”

Beelzebub did not need to breathe, but it was something they tended to do on Earth, to better pass off as human; now, however, they were holding off on the breathing part as they watched Gabriel look around the street. Truth be told they had thought about taking him to the cemetery, before the statue of himself he’d so loved, his name conveniently written on the stone pedestal.

But it may be too much, too soon; for all the tortures Lord Beelzebub had devised since taking charge of Hell, all the cries they heard on a daily basis, that cry was not something they wanted to hear ever again. Not coming from Gabriel's mouth, and most of all not because of them.

Stop! Please! It hurts!

Unaware of their thoughts, Gabriel frowned, eyes still scanning the road. “No, sorry. I don’t think I remember anything about-- hey! I know that place!”

The pub, of course. Of course. Something in Beelzebub’s chest seemed to loosen just a fraction. However hard Heaven tried, they simply couldn’t wipe all his memories; he was supposed to be a clean slate, and yet he’d clearly managed to hold onto something . Maybe he could reclaim the rest too, after all.

Of course he can. He’s the Archangel Fucking Gabriel.

“Yes, you know that place,” Beelzebub said in the end. They were still holding onto his hand, and gave it a gentle squeeze. He didn’t turn his eyes away from the Resurrectionist, but he squeezed back almost on reflex. “You’ve been here before. Let’s go in. Might jog your memory.”

“Jog…?”

“Yes. It’s this stupid things human do, when--”

“I like jogging,” Gabriel went on, eyes narrowed as though focusing really hard. “Yes, I think… I do like jogging. I did it before. Probably.”

“Oh. Well, then it’s a great thing to do,” Beelzebub said quickly. “So, er… jog you to the pub?”

The jog to the pub was made a little more awkward than it needed to be by the fact Gabriel was not letting go of their hand, but Beelzebub had precisely no intention to let go either. They only did so when it was time to get two pints of beer - Gabriel had found the word funny, for some reason - and sit. To Beelzebub’s surprise, Gabriel took a sip from the glass.

“... You know, last time we were here, you were pretty adamant about consuming nothing,” they pointed out, and almost laughed at the expression that crossed Gabriel’s face the next moment. He wrinkled his nose and stuck out his tongue.

"Blech! Seems like I was right,” he muttered, putting the pint back on the table and looking at it somewhat accusingly. “This doesn’t taste like hot chocolate with cream on top.”

A chuckle, and Beelzebub snapped their fingers to perform a small, small miracle. The beer and foam made way for hot chocolate and whipped cream. “Well, it does now. Try it.”

“Does it? Oh! It does!” A bright smile. “Thank you! I like sweet things. Like flies, no? That thing honey and vinegar? There was something about it in a book at Mr. Fell’s shop.”

Beelzebub, who didn’t get to hear ‘thank you’ very often and who realized just now how desperately they’d missed that smile in the days Gabriel had seemingly disappeared, smiled back. “Depends on the fly. Fruit flies prefer vinegar to honey. But I do like sweet things. I’m expected to, as a demon of gluttony.”

“Gluttony? Oooh, I see! You’re tempting me with the chocolate, right?” He smiled widely, cream and chocolate around his mouth and even on the tip of his nose. He really didn't seem to mind at all that hellish royalty would be tempting him.

“Heh. Sort of. Seems to be working. I’ll get you a napkin.” Their hand was halfway to said napkin when a very familiar song suddenly started playing, getting a groan and a ‘not again’ from the man behind the counter.

Everyday, it's a gettin' closer Goin' faster than a roller coaster…

Gabriel looked up suddenly. “Oh! This song!” he exclaimed. “I love it!”

The something in Beelzebub's chest warming up and clenching painfully at the same time, they worked their jaws for a moment. “I love it too,” they murmured.

Love like yours will surely come my way…

If Gabriel noticed the way their voice had caught a moment, he said nothing of it. “I know the whole song, you know! It popped into my mind while I was in Heaven. I can sing it. Do you want me to sing it?”

Ah. Beelzebub smiled, and reached across the table to rest a hand on his again. “... I’d love to hear it,” they said, and they did. They really did.

***

After dropping Muriel off to the train station - and helping them get a ticket - Crowley had a grand total of five minutes, the time it took to walk back to his car, to think that maybe all would be well after all.

Then, of course, came Shax’s call. He groaned and took it, leaning against the Bentley. “Listen, if this is about the bills again--”

“There’s something going down in the up,” Shax’s voice informed him, coming both from the phone in his right ear and from… well, her own mouth, on his left. Crowley bit back another groan, and ended the call to look back at her. The lesson on how she should either appear from thin air or phone him could wait.

“... In the up, up?” he asked, utterly resigned to the answer.

“Yes. I’m trying to gather some intel. Supreme Archangel Gabriel seems to be the Supreme Archangel no more. The position is vacant and it seems Heaven is hiding something. Do you or your angel know anything about what's going on?”

Oh do we, Crowley thought, and it took him all his willpower not to burst into hysterical laughter right there and then.

***

[Back to Chapter 4]

#good omens #ineffable bureaucracy #ineffable husbands #archangel gabriel #beelzebub #crowley #aziraphale #nina good omens #maggie good omens #muriel #good omens 2 #come what may

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