#liley

[pukefairy-art]

#bg3 #bg3 Tav #Liley #Kestrel #bg3 fanart #baldur's gate 3 #bard tav #druid tav #Astarion #why does he look different every time i draw him i stg #artists on tumblr #my art #bg3 comic #kestrel belongs to lindenlewis~

[shootingstardraw]

Meet my pets, My babies!~

Mis mascotas, mi cinco bebés.

Más allá de hacer un post con los dibujos de mis mascotas quería aprovechar para platicar un poco del asunto de muchos perros y gatos en situación de calle ya que la mayor parte de ellos son adoptados, rescatados de situación de calle.

LECTURA LARGA, PERO VALE LA PENA:

Todo empezó con tres perros con los que crecí, Kissy, Misha y Rin; ésta última era mi niña y la única que quedó al final por cuestión del paso del tiempo y la vejez. De ahí Rin conoció un día a Punky, el compañero de mi perra.

PUNKY: Él era un perro quien pertenecía a una vecina, pero en realidad se la pasaba todo el tiempo en la calle, paseaba con otros perros y vivía una vida bastante precarizado de muchas veces fue maltratado por gente mala e ignorante, (desde gente que llegó a golpearlo con escobas hasta con fierros) pero cuando conoció a mi Rin, quedó totalmente enamorado de ella, sólo iba a buscarla y rogaba por estar con ella, esperándola todo el tiempo afuera, hasta que la vecina decidió cedernoslo. / Actualmente tiene 11 años.

MAILO: De eso nació Mailo, el hijo de Rin y Punky, desgraciadamente y por negligencia de gente ignorante mi Rin murió protegiendo a mi madre de unos perros agresivos que iban sobre ella y Punky, dejando a un pobre Mailo sólo a sus 8 meses. Mailo siempre ha crecido en una casa en donde se le permite dormir en la cama, tiene comida y agua siempre, ya saben, lo básico aunque por desgracia no eso tienen muchos de los perros allá afuera. / Actualmente tiene 7 años

LILEY/ LILY: Mi querida y dulce Lily llegó a mi vida un día que estaba alimentando a unos gatos que viven en la cuadra de mi casa, era tan pequeña y estaba tan delgada que no debía de tener más de un mes y medio; esa noche llegó maullando con la esperanza de obtener algo que comer, por desgracia los demás gatos no la aceptaron y trataron de lastimarla. Al final y bajo mucha insistencia y tras su operación de esterilización que resultó mal ya que resultó ser de un pequeño porcentaje de gatos que son alérgicos a los puntos absorbibles pude adoptarla oficialmente un 12 de Diciembre y pasó a ser esa pieza faltante en mi vida. / Actualmente tiene 3 años

MÉIMEI/ WEN MEI: Ya teníamos dos perros y una gata y un 14 de Marzo mi madre llega a casa con una perra increíblemente despeinada y con un collar destartalado a casa; resultó ser que la encontró cerca de una gasolinera atrapada en unos arbustos, su correa improvisada la había inmovilizado y estaba ahí totalmente indefensa; mi madre la desató con cuidado y le ofreció subir a su automóvil, a lo cual ella aceptó pronto con un salto dentro del vehículo. MI niña resultó ser muy obediente y cariñosa, a veces me preguntó si es que alguien simplemente decidió abandonarla ahí a su suerte porque ella no era lo que esperaban, ya que parece ser una cruza de Snauzer pero con deformidades notorias y eso les hizo creer que podían botarla a la basura como si ella no tuviera amor para dar y mucho por merecer. Así que ahora tengo una gata y una perra. / Actualmente ningún doctor ha podido decirnos su edad.

JINGYI: Resultó que mi querida y dulce MéiMei estaba embarazada, nos entró un poco la crisis ya que no sabíamos cómo proceder pero me mantuve firme, no volvería a la calle ni mucho menos, cuidaría a sus bebés y les encontraríamos familias que los amaran tanto como nosotros a ella, y así fue, 7 cachorros fuertes y sanos, el problema fue que mi hermana se enamoró de uno a primera vista, el más rebelde, ocurrente y quisquilloso, he de ahí su nombre a cierto personaje. Fue complicado pero mi hermana siempre ha sido responsable y convencimos a mis padres de quedarnos lo, después de todo ya no estaban Kissy y Misha para calentar el corazón de mi hermana. JingYi también tuvo suerte, jamás ha pasado hambre, sed o si quiera conoce lo que es el maltrato, ya saben, cómo debería de ser con todos los perros y gatos del mundo. /Actualmente tiene 1 año.

Duele no poder darle un hogar a todos los perros y gatos en condición de calle pero por lo menos siempre asegúrate de que los tuyos sean siempre felices así como ellos te hacen feliz a tí. Y recuerdo, ellos no son tus guardias personales ni protegen tus tesoros, ni tu saco para liberar tus frustraciones, no los maltrates porque en una situación de ataque ellos serán el villano de una historia mal interpretada y hasta en eso cubrirán tus errores y le quitarás su mascota a alguien que sí los ama.

#JingYi #Punky #Mailo #MéiMei #Liley #or Lily #My pets my babies #My babies #Pets #Mascotas #Honey Modoki #Dogs #Cat #Perros #Gatos #concientización

[drarreckyninja]

Miley: Hey Oliver, wanna third wheel on my date with Lilly tomorrow? [Oliver: Sure. Miley: Jackson! Wanna third wheel on my date with Lilly tomorrow? Miley: Great! I've always wanted to go on a double date! Jackson & Oliver: ... Lilly: Miley...

#hannah montana #incorrect quotes #miley x lilly #jackson x oliver #liley #joliver

[gardenfeltmarina]

Good day! White lilies symbolize purity and virtue. Pink (stargazer) lilies symbolize prosperity and abundance. Red lilies symbolize passion. Orange (tiger) lilies symbolize confidence, pride, and wealth. #gardenfeltbymarina #mygarden#liley #whitelily#hayward #californiagardening # (at Hayward, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CeZg00APZlB/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#gardenfeltbymarina #mygarden #liley #whitelily #hayward #californiagardening

[mrpsychokiller]

:3

me being attacked by brain visions of candy and glitter and hearts and little cards

#ask #lily #haiiiiiiii liley. i havent got valentines cards for my mutuals yet. because i procrastinated on it #ill get something for you soooooooon #flashing

[dicksmasher]

i love smoking weed but immediately after being high i’m just sore what the hell dude

Drink water idiot!

#but seriously #weee is a diuretic and soreness is liley from no damn water in your blood and muscles ya moran!

[mangoshorthand]

Thing of the Past- [Five Hargreeves x F Reader]. Ch4 (Hard Feelings Part 4)

SUMMARY: You can't avoid it any longer: Five has to meet your parents. It goes more wrong than you could possibly imagine, spiralling to bring up secrets he'd rather stay buried.

⚠️TRIGGER WARNINGS⚠️ Chapter One - Chapter Two - Chapter Three - Chapter Four - Chapter Five - Chapter Six - Chapter Seven - Chapter Eight - Chapter Nine- Chapter Ten - Chapter Eleven/Epilogue

Five and Lila have a conversation at probably the worst time.

Enjoy the final non-depressing chapter.

⚠️Please heed content warning⚠️

Chapter Four: Tell Liley

There you are. Halfway down the aisle. He immediately turns back around, unable to look; he can’t cry in front of everyone. All four of his brothers are smiling and laughing a little, Diego in short sniggers. Clearly, they can tell what he’s trying to suppress.

“It’s okay,” whispers Viktor.

And then your arms are around his waist from behind, holding him tightly. A few ‘awws’ sound from the guests. You smell of the perfume he got you before Aoife was born.

“Hi you.”

“Hi,” he murmurs, not trusting his voice much above a whisper.

Taking another steadying breath, he turns around. He finds it like trying to gaze directly into sunlight as it breaks over the horizon. A hand goes to his forehead in an unconscious self-comforting gesture. Your laugh-crying eyes make him pull you to him before he can take in anything else. He’s not aware of the snapping photographer, the sniffles from Luther and little murmurs from the guests.

At last, he lets you go and holds you at arm’s length, mouth gaping as he moves slightly to see the back. The dress is better than he could have imagined. It’s more traditional than he’d thought you’d choose. It hugs and skims and accentuates your body perfectly. It’s plain and unadorned but for statement sleeves that drape elegantly off the shoulder, hanging steeply just above the elbow.

He reaches out a hand and touches one of these lightly, as if worried he'll sully it. To him, you look like Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn rolled into one; skin dewy, eyes alight, hair falling perfectly. He knows love is the best beautifier but even a connoisseur had to admire you today. 

“Look at you.”

“And look at you," you feel the material of one of his lapels, “you look amazing.”

“And you look…” words fail. His mouth gapes like a fish out of water and then he smiles embarrassedly. Viktor gives a supressed squeak of fellow-feeling as Five swipes a tear away with unnecessary violence. This is compliment enough, so you kiss him gently. In a rush of emotion, he responds with zeal.

“Okaay, woah there. Down boy,” says Klaus, “No more until you’re married.”

The guests laugh as you break apart, Five resting his forehead briefly on yours before doing so.

"Dearly beloved, today we're gathered to get. these. two. married. Finally. How long have you guys been sharing a sock drawer now?"

You laugh along with the guests but don't take your eyes from Five's, feeling tears running down your face as you watch his eyes swim along with the smile in spite of himself.

"We're going to have the best time today- but we're not going to party like the world's ending this time because for once, it isn't!"

Those in the know laugh heartily and those who aren’t laugh politely.

"Much to Five's disappointment." Diego heckles, loud enough to be heard but quiet enough to be respectful. Five shoots him a glare but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. As the quiet laughter dies down, Klaus continues:

"These two have drawn this out enough already, so I'm not going to speak for too long: I’ll leave that to Luther at the reception. I think I best get down to business, right?”

You nod at Klaus, nervous laughter escaping the corner of your mouth as the time comes near. Five shifts from one foot to the other. If you weren’t holding both of his hands, you know they’d be in his trouser pockets.

“Five," Klaus grins, turning to him with an air of ceremonial grace, "will you take the sexy, amazing, mother of your child to be your wife?"

“I do, I will. Absolutely," he smiles lopsidedly at you, managing finally to adopt his cocky, unphased demeanour.

"Do you promise to be less of an asshole than usual and love and cherish this girl like she deserves?"

"Yes," he grins. What is this, a wedding or a roast?

Klaus gives a contented sigh and slaps Five on the upper arm. He turns to you,

"And do you take this grumpy old asshole who loves you more than LIFE ITSELF to be your husband, even though you're completely out of his league? Last chance to back out and run away with me, babe."

Five aims a gentle kick at Klaus's shin and the siblings share a good-humored smile.  "Yeah, I do. No backing out." 

Five turns back to you, laughing in joy at the words. It's like he didn't expect you to say yes. He lifts a hand to your cheek, provoking another 'aww' from the guests. He brings his hand back down hastily, slightly embarrassed. 

"And you promise that you'll tolerate him? And do you accept that if you hurt him and he doesn't deserve it, we will all hunt you down and kill you in a super painful way? We'll be sad about it and everything, but-"

"Yes, asshole!" you cut Klaus off, smilingly.

Klaus cheers quietly, raising his arms above his head.

"It's time for the rings then!"

Klaus gestures to Luther who tearfully passes the rings for you to exchange. You beam at him. 

Five fumbles as he puts on your ring, bringing it down to top your engagement ring. As you slip his on, he stares at it disbelievingly, almost as if he’s sprouted another finger. 

Klaus dances a rumba in front of you, arms still raised with fingers pointing to the sky.

“Now I got nothing to do but pronounce you MOTHERFUCKING MARRIED. Kiss her, you old perv!"

The Umbrellas lead the cheering and applause as Five kisses you again, hardly able to do it properly, so wide is he smiling. 

As the guests file through to the reception, you and Five stand side by side welcoming them into the room. You can feel him losing more patience every time another person says: ‘lovely ceremony’.

Five shakes hands with Herb

“Congratulations,” he smiles, eyes wrinkled in genuine pleasure.

“Such a lovely ceremony,” says Dot, holding one of your hands in her own.  

Herb turns his face to you, looking up at you with twinkling eyes.

“We haven’t been formally introduced but I know all about you,” he says, gleefully, jerking his head towards Five, “I'll tell ya, he was smitten from the get-go. As soon as he came into my office and said he wanted to recalculate, I just knew."

“Herb, right?” you smile ingratiatingly, as Five looks a little embarrassed, “The man who signed off on my death twice, right?”

“Guilty!” he says, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Though I’m very glad that neither of them were carried out.”

“Oh Herb,” Dot elbows him slightly, “you should apologize.”

“I am sorry.” he says, placing a hand on your forearm.

“But you’d do it again if I threatened the timeline, right?”

Herb hems, “Well…yes…but not without exhausting every other option.” he shifts uncomfortably, “just please…don’t have any more biological kids.”

“We’ve taken…steps to avoid it,” supplies Five, making a subtle snipping gesture with two fingers.

“I see...” Herb winces in sympathy and looks down at one of the briefcases in his hand, one for him and Dot and another for you.

“Where do you want this?”

“Can you ask Diego to put it in the bridal suite? He has my key.”

“Sure. When do you travel? Tonight?”

“Tomorrow morning,” you answer, “after we get a good night’s sleep.”

“Well, I hope you enjoy your honeymoon,” says Dot, pulling gently at Herb’s arm as the queue of people behind them starts to build up. With quick goodbyes, they join Lila and Diego at a table, Herb and Diego greeting each other with a secret handshake.

“Congratulations: such a lovely ceremony,” says one of your paternal uncles.

Now it’s starting to grate on you too.

“Do you think all that was appropriate for a wedding?”

It’s the first thing your mother says when she gets you alone. When she’d met you in line with the other guests, she’d simpered in front of Five and moved on.

“It was appropriate for our wedding, yes.”

She straightens her hat.

“I don’t like that one- that Klaus. He seems to think a lot of himself.”

You bristle, “He’s one of my best friends.”

“Well, I don’t like him.”

You don’t dignify this with a response. The fact she thinks her opinion should hold any weight with you after all these years is laughable. You excuse yourself and leave their table, welcomed to the one inhabited by your college friends with cheers and open arms. 

Luther’s lip wobbles. Five leans back in his chair, arms folded. It’s been a long ten minutes and counting.

“You disappearing was the beginning of the end really; for the Academy as Dad intended it to be. You left a big hole, man. So when we got you back…I feel like our family came back together. And we actually became a family, not just an experiment. And, my god, I didn’t tell you at the time because I didn’t want to die but...I gotta say it, Five: when you came back you were so damn cute.”

Five sighs exasperatedly while his siblings and a few others laugh their concurrence. 

“You were just this adorable ball of rage and I wanted to pinch your cheeks so bad but I guess I missed the chance.”

“You're still cute, widdle baby!” says Klaus, simpering at an unamused Five as if at a kitten.

“Anyway,” Luther continues, “you’re honestly the best little big brother a guy could ask for. I and everyone in this room: we owe you our lives. Seeing you this happy has meant so much to me because…you deserve it. You really deserve it.”

He sniffs, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. Sloane reaches up to put a half-comforting, half restraining hand on his arm.

“You said it best at my wedding, man. Our family is bonded by destiny and love and now,” he gives an even larger sniff and fixes his eyes on you, his voice getting higher pitched, “and now you’re part of our family too. And I believe it was always meant to be that way...and we got so much love to give. We got love to give to you and Aoife now as well. It just grows every time our family gets bigger.”

Five cringes beside you and you kick him under the table. You smile back at Luther’s shining face as he reaches down for his champagne glass and raises it to head-height.

“Oh thank God.” murmurs Five, sensing the end coming.

“I love you both. Now I have another sister. I gotta finish now before Five kills me, so can you all join me in raising your glasses? To the bride and groom!”

The guests repeat the toast. Luther drinks to the pair of you and sits down to a small round of applause.

You take a glance at Five and both of you stand up, the speeches over.

“Thank you, Luther” says Five, only a hint of cynicism in his voice. “You’re lucky; I’m in a good mood so you get to live another day. Did you consult Viktor and Diego about that speech?"

"Yeah." says Viktor, "we said in needed more schmaltz."

"Great. Thanks for that, guys," sighs Five.

You elbow him gently in the ribs.

“Shut up, you."

Then, addressing Luther, "Don’t listen to him, that was lovely.” 

You step out from behind Five and pull him into a hug. 

“Hm. Well, I guess I'm lucky you have poor taste. If not then you and I wouldn't be here.” says Five, crooking an arm around your waist as you retake your position next to him. 

You raise your eyebrows at him as if to say 'you're telling me?'  Then, you address the guests:

"I think that’s the speeches all done. Before we cut that cake, we just wanted to say thanks for all your-”

“Excuse me?”

Your mother is standing, chinking her fork against her wine glass. She pulls her arm violently out of your father’s grasp as he tries to make her sit down.

“Aren’t you forgetting one?”

You freeze. Five looks to you for guidance but you have none to give; you're panicking.

Ellie pulls reassuringly at your wrist. You look down at her. Her eyes convey sympathy but also advice: It will be worse if you argue.

She’s right.

“Erm…yeah…sure.” you sit down again. Looking at you with surprise at such an easy capitulation, Five turns back and addresses your mother.

“Hm…what a nice surprise.”

He sits down himself. You’re staring at the table. Ellie holds your hand under the table and Five places his hand in your lap. Your mother preens, clears her throat and pauses for a second to survey her audience. Then, she begins:

“When I heard my baby was getting married, I just couldn’t believe it. It seems like only yesterday that she was as small as Aoife and now, here she is.”

She sighs, as if put upon, her stupid hat still wobbling atop her head.

“The time just flies. I remember, when she was born, I held her in my arms and looked out at the night sky and I thought: Please God, give her everything I never had-”

You feel a sinking sensation. She always trots out this bullshit: at your sweet sixteen, at your graduation dinner, any time somebody complimented your talents or looks.

“…Give her the chances I never got. Let her realize all her potential and be happy and beautiful and loved. And then…you know what, I saw...a shooting star. And I knew for sure that God had answered my prayer. Perhaps today is the final part of that wish coming true…and I don’t expect we’ll see too much of her now-”

You look up indignantly- as if you saw much of each other before?

“But that’s what it is, being a mother. Once your purpose is fulfilled, your kids leave you and live their own lives.” Her shoulders give a theatrical little heave, “It's natural. I guess you and Five will find that out one day. They don't leave you the same as they find you.” 

She stares dramatically into the middle distance.

“Shit…” says Five, sotto voce.

“-But I’m so happy to be here, even if it has been…unorthodox. I’m sure you’ll be very happy together. Enjoy these years, you two, because they’ll be the best you have. I remember when I-”

Lila begins to clap loudly. Your mother looks over at her, scandalized. Klaus realizes what she's doing less than a second later and begins to join in, adding a undulating cheer. Then Ellie cottons on. Soon, the whole room is clapping concertedly, the Umbrellas in particular maintaining the applause over your mother’s attempts to recapture the attention of the room. She tries to speak, but is just met with smiling faces and stubborn applause. Five stands, shouting over the cacophony.

“Thank you so much. That was great. Cheers to you too Geri!” he raises his champagne and drains the half glass. The rest of the guests follow suit. Eventually, sure she isn’t going to recapture attention, she sits down.

While Five had traditional taste in a lot of wedding-related things, he’d been tricky to persuade into a first dance. His father's insistence on childhood ballroom lessons for the entire Academy had left a bad taste in his mouth. As usual, however, you'd managed to persuade him. After much grumbling, he'd agreed to dancing a slow Foxtrot to the sultry horns and strings of Ray Charles’ Love is Here to Stay. 

By now, other couples, led by Luther and Sloane, have joined you on the floor. It’s been hard to snatch any time together in the rush of the day so, during the instrumental, he pulls you close and whispers.

“Are you ok after that? Your Mom.”

You sigh exasperatedly, “I don’t know why I didn’t expect it.”

“Eh…I guess it could have been worse.”

“She could have stood up and screamed: it shoulda been me!”

He snorts, rubbing your waist in the ballroom hold.

“I'm not dancing with her.”

You pull him even closer; as close as your bulky skirt will allow,

“You think I’ll let you dance with anyone else?” 

“I’m afraid my dance-card is already signed by another,” Five smiles.

“Who?”

“Viktor and I used to do a mean tango when we were eight. He made me promise we’d resurrect it.”

“I have to see that.”

“Then you will.”

You take in his face. His now un-furrowed forehead with the little crease between his expressive brows; his slightly protruding ears; the angular jaw that first drew your notice; the irregular freckles on his cheeks; the old-young eyes- bewitching green and capable of overwhelming depths. And then, his lips, so often drawn to a thin line in irony or annoyance. They’re parted now, relaxed. The fine cupid’s bow and the plumper lower lip.

 You move to kiss these slowly and he reciprocates with equal, gentle tenderness.

“Papà?"

“Yeah. That’s me, cara.”

Hours later, Five sits beside the dancefloor, hugging a yawning Aoife on his knee and holding a glass of bourbon in one hand. He left you in the lobby, laughing and embracing old friends.

Lila appears, chucks the baby’s cheek and sits down beside him.

“Hey arsehole.”

“Up your ass.”

The traditional greetings out of the way, Lila eyes him subtly.

“So…we all played a drinking game last night.”

“mhm?”

“Never Have I Ever.”

“I see,” he repositions Aoife as he crosses his legs, "it's good to know that good Bordeaux wasn't wasted on you." 

Lila ignores this, “I hear you fucked your doppelganger?”

Five quickly puts his hand over Aoife’s ears. She wriggles to try and throw him off.

“No.” he says, in a biting whisper, “Whatever she and Klaus may have suggested, I did not fuck the doppelganger.”

“I know I tell you to go fuck yourself a lot but I never thought you’d take it so literally.”

Five calls to Diego on the dancefloor, releasing Aoife’s ears.

“Diego, be a dear: either you control Lila or you can come and take your niece away from her corrupting influence.”

Diego strolls over, leaving Santi to dance. He looks briefly at Lila and chooses the easier of the two options, holding out his arms:

“Wanna dance, sobrina?”

She gives a delighted squeak and holds out her arms in return. She will be asleep in less than an hour, but there’s enough energy left in her to enjoy a dance with Uncle Diego. Five surrenders her and watches Diego return to the center of the dancefloor and twirl her in one arm, holding Santi’s hand with the other.

“So…were you topping or bottoming?” Lila asks, eyes agleam with the look that makes Five want to punch her.

“Neither,” he says, through gritted teeth. He leans back and folds his arms, trying to appear unruffled.

“So what would you have done to the one that you and I met if I hadn’t been in the room? Just opened up that iron lung and gone to town on his wrinkled old ass?”

“Very funny, Lila,” he sighs, looking away with an air of assumed superiority. She pushes him further, keen to crack the composure.

“Klaus said: ‘never have I ever had a threesome with two of the same man.' Only one of us drank and it was your lovely bride.”

“He and I did not physically interact,” says Five, with dignity. 

She ignores this.

“You know what Five, I admire it: I’ve never met a guy so up himself that he literally went UP himself. It’s impressive.”

“I DIDN’T FUCK MYSELF, OKAY?”  Five yells, her needling finally breaking through his equilibrium.

Guests within a radius of six feet break off from their conversations to stare at him while Lila giggles, triumphantly.

Five takes a sip of his drink and tries to look uninteresting. Gradually, Lila’s laughter fades and the onlookers drift back to their occupations. Seemingly deciding that he’s had enough mental torture, Lila slaps his knee in a conciliatory fashion and changes the subject.

“Her Mum's a card.”

Five, happy to move on, gives a dark laugh, “She reminds me of yours, only more self-pitying, less intelligent and worse dressed.”

Lila snorts.

They sit in companionable silence for a few moments before Lila breaks it:

“I have to ask. What was the deal with you and her?”

Only now does he notice that Lila is somewhat drunker than him. He leans back in his chair and turns his head to face her.

“Me and…?”

“My Mum.”

He sighs, a leaden feeling in the pit of his stomach. He knew this was coming sooner or later, though it doesn’t make it any easier. The fact it had taken this long is the only surprise. His wedding is hardly the ideal venue.

“She was my boss.”

“No shit.”

He doesn’t elaborate, taking a hearty sip of his drink instead and watching Santi attempt to moonwalk.

“Come on Fivey-baby,” she shoves him gently, “tell Liley all about it.”

He scowls at her tone. But he guesses he owes her something.

“We…slept together.”

“Eugh...” she takes another swig of her beer, nose wrinkled in distaste. After taking a few seconds to absorb this information, she laughs, “Are you telling me you could have been my stepdaddy?” 

He shakes his head, looking disgusted.

"What's that face for? You could have taken me to ballet lessons, I could have made you little fathers' day cards!"

When he doesn't respond in any of the ways she would expect, she looks back at him.

"So…was it just a one off?"

“It happened few times actually.”

He doesn’t know how to convey what needs to be said next.

Tag list: (please comment to be added or removed.) @dilfjohhny , @sunsunhe, @w4stedtr4sh, @nevbrooke-555, @theredvelvetbitch, @td-miley01, @five-hxrgreeves, @rorygi1more, @jamiebower88

Masterpost

Alternatively, join me on A03.  Here is a link to the whole series

Comments would be appreciated here or on ao3 because I'm a needy ho.

#the umbrella academy smut #the umbrella academy five #the umbrella academy imagine #the umbrella academy #umbrella academy x reader #umbrella academy #umbrella academy smut #umbrella academy number five #umbrella academy five x oc #number five imagine #five hargreeves smut #five hargreeves imagine #number five smut #number 5 imagine #number 5 #fanfic #ao3 writer #tua fanfic #umbrella academy fanfic #five hargreaves x oc #number 5 x oc #hard feelings #Thing of the Past #triggering themes #content warning

[localplaguenurse]

I can’t stop thinking about my original interpretation of gold as the Gingko trees.

So anyways au where Morax is actually a yandere and he keeps wifey in his house and there’s the illusion of freedom where he allows them to go wherever they want (but only in liyue!) because he can feel their presence and everytime they get close to lilei he makes sure to divert them away from her.

noooooooooooo :( wifeyyyyy

So like I don’t hate yanderes, but it’s super conditional. If it makes an interesting story or character then by all means go for it. While I usually skip fics that have the yandere tag, if I’m reading a fic and realize “oh shit I didn’t see the tags” but I’m already invested, I’m not gonna click off. I’m also not opposed to writing it in the future, hell I think some of the ideas I have for the eventual Archon reader fic border on yandere, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. (His ass is not getting there at this rate.)

I think I just like heavily diluted or very tame yanderes. Like stalking, manipulation, unhealthy obsessions and probably murder? No thanks, but clingy, a little overprotective, and willing to rock someone’s shit for you? That’s good soup. That is some damn good soup. I guess I want a yandere that understands boundaries but I think that defeats the whole point lmao.

I find it interesting that you thought it was gonna go yandere. Thinking back, I can see how some parts have yandere vibes, but the thought never even occurred to me while writing or reading it. The arranged marriage maybe but still. I’m curious what it was that had you going “yandere?”

#ask #as gold as the ginkgo trees #ivy!

[hextheblitz]

me and a friend made a tierlist of how liley the guilty gear cinematic supers would kill us or not (the bed gets its own tier becuse it is stupid and dumb >:( )

#guilty gear #guilty gear strive #tier list #guilty gear tier list #death #pain #bleugh #i have no idea what im doing #shitpost #is this a shitpost? #guilty gear shitpost #fuck bedman #>:c

[chancellorxofxtrash]

Naritaverse stuff i really need to write/write more of besides EB EU stuff:

Felix/Chané/Nice/Jacuzzi (they are so real to me)

Firo/Ennis/Melvi (i am delusional)

Kasuka/Ruri/Rudi (I have written Rudi go with them to Ikebukuro, I should write a follow-up)

Sylvie/Aiji (I had been turning this around in my head for a while, but I should reread Vamp and maybe the 2000 arcs of Baccano for this)

once Otsuberu is finished translating I really need to write something about them because gosh they captivate me.

same as above once I have more info about what happens in it, I wanna write an in-universe video essay about the Etsusa Bridge construction, based on info in EB and Otsuberu, maybe a Defunctland-style video

something something Theo (I just want to squeeze him like he is a stress toy)

Stuff I also want to write more but I Am Nervous:

Tom/Shizuo/Vorona (writing Vorona is... difficult for me. Sometimes I can get it, but other times I can't)

Charlotte/Lilei (same with Lilei)

Yakumo/Nazuna (SAME WITH YAKUMO. WEIRD SPEECH PATTERNS MY BELOATHED. I LOVE THEM BUT MAKES WRITING THEM DIFFICULT)

Things I want to write but I cry more

Firo/Ennis/Christopher (writing Christopher is hell on my brain I love you Chris I love you I love you I cannot.)

#naritaverse #baccano! #durarara!! #vamp! #etsusa bridge

[pukefairy-art]

"Come now, darling. You always feel better after you cry."

#Astarion #bg3 Astarion #bg3 Tav #Liley #bard tav #bg3 fanart #bg3 OC #tavstarion #she gets every emotion confused with anger #sometimes she goes nonverbal #and he coaxes it out of her #my art #bloodsong

[the1975attheirverybest]

On making freindsm

1. Roomates. They are gonna be some of the most insane people you know and you'll love it. Don't panic too much about them. Your all scared newbies so you'll cling to eachother

2. Societies and clubs, you gotta do it or you'll fo insane with no downtime. Schedule your downtime with clactivirws you enjoy and you'll find people who those spaces. I met one of my from hanging out in the library.

3. Local forums. Scary I know but they can be really good if you've got a common interest and are better and social stuff online because because eases you into meeting irl. Just follow Internet safety.

4. Clubbing. Don't even have to drink. Just vibe. Can be fun. Not for everyone but you mert some cool people dancing.

5. Hanging around cafes and shit. You'll find people your age doing the same. Maybe they'll compliment your hair or something or maybe you'll compliment them. Voila. Née maybe freind same thing with goijg on walks and enjoying souroindngs. Museums too

But as a socially anxious intoevert myself I udnerstand your struggle so I'll say this. Don't pressure yourself to make loads of freinds stirght away. It happens along the way. You'll make friends in lectures because everyone tends to stick to the same spot thwy sit on the first day so talk to peope around you it'll liley be pretty consistent through the year. Give yourself grace. It's your first time alive and learning takes time. You'll do great.

Yes yes yes yes yes Ambrose 100000%

Your point about not making friends right away is important as well. In fact, it goes for most uni-related stuff. It’s okay if it’s not smooth from the get-go. It’s okay if you feel a bit thrown off. It’s a new environment, new experiences, new people, teachers, courses, rules etc. so go easy on yourself 🥰 enjoy the ride. Even the insane bits hahaha

[drarreckyninja]

Miley: Lily, I hate to see you cry like this. Lilly: *sobbing* It's the only way I know how to cry!

#hannah montana #miley stewart #lilly truscott #miley x lilly #liley

[soulsxng]

Cyrus, what are your thoughts of Sivel as a father?

@arcxnumvitae

"As a father? Well..." He's not really used to questions like that. Of course he saw the vasyrus as his dad, but he'd more or less been told not to spread that fact around too much since...well, Sivel had more than a few enemies out there.

And Sivel had been very open about how much it would kill him if Cyrus-- or any of his family-- were hurt because of him. An admission like that was a lot for him, so Cyrus knew that it was something that Sivel was terrified of.

Still, the more he thought about the question, the more his lips curved into a warm smile.

"He might not be the perfect father figure all the time, but you can tell he always tries his best to be. Once when I was talking to Lilei Naya, she said that back when Quella was pregnant with Ania, Sivel said he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to live up to being the kind of parent that theirs were to them. But that it's what he aspired to be for his kids."

"But with how things were for most of his life, he definitely has his moments when he can be overprotective, or overreactive to things. Usually he can be talked down, but like...other times he flies off the handle, and usually Rana or Naya have to grab him and keep him in one place until he cools off."

"Aside from that though, he always makes time for us. Just to talk, or if I want to hang out for a bit, or if I have questions about something...whatever. I think he's only ever told me that he wasn't able to a couple of times, and even then, he came to me the minute he was free again."

"And if he knows that we're really into something new, he always takes a bunch of time to look into it and learn about it, even if it's not something he has an interest in. So he understands what we're talking about when we bring it up. He also pretty much always remembers the stuff we tell him, and when he mentions something or another in a conversation later, he always gets all straight and proper first. Then he'll have this big smile on his face after he says it, like 'Look! I remembered! I listen to you!', and it's always funny. but also really nice because...well, I mean...I don't know."

"You can just tell that he actually cares. Even if he's weird about some things, or he does stuff I don't agree with...he cares. And he always tries his best for us. It's probably kind of cheesy to say that he's the best or whatever, but it's the truth. So."

#[Cyrus -headcanons-] #(Lieli = Auntie in ancient) #(Cyrus wanted to go into more about some other stuff too #but I think I'll keep that to another post for now)

[444names]

imperial names from tes + spanish and greek forenames

Absalus Adacav Adorgia Adrida Adrigio Afrén Agapras Aguel Aidia Alania Albeldo Alberia Albimus Alburio Aleorena Allia Amilia Amilianza Amita Andalor Andian Andrius Andrix Anges Annian Antepus Antevin Antis Antura Apanaïs Aparido Apocís Aquimeta Arena Arentius Arinus Arrinia Artorn Arval Asilleas Aspio Auccutro Aucius Audia Aulinos Aunia Aurias Auriccus Avelia Avius Aximesa Belalvi Belcara Bella Bellini Bentus Beremia Berio Bersilia Blandolus Borvia Bracho Bratus Brenthia Briantín Brius Buranus Caecel Caetundes Caitan Calama Caldonius Calioc Caliphon Calispida Callusus Cando Canianio Caron Caros Castro Catios Cecania Celixo Cesent Chano Chemó Chola Chorrel Chrio Chrippe Chrotián Chryitos Cicias Cimano Cirocrios Clasia Cletrato Colaulano Colidius Comna Conchoria Corus Crowinus Culmus Cunicus Césatio Dafinia Dames Daracto Deciosus Deliano Demestrib Dides Dobergelt Dolatta Dolojano Domiá Dorto Douisana Dounia Doxia Drina Drunuelia Dubiosc Dulchio Dèboni Eduanatus Egios Eleme Elerius Elius Elivia Eloscius Elotelios Eminus Emito Emmiano Enganes Entoresus Epina Epissidia Epius Equien Esdrén Espely Euano Eudes Eugus Eulia Eulix Eullius Eupimona Eureius Evino Faberen Fagino Falerios Falia Fauros Felarin Fellus Femaxis Feria Ferpo Filanos Fildo Flata Flatius Flonça Florelia Fonia Fralus Frana Fraza Gallad Gamida Gemaranus Geocolios Geocre Gilius Glarla Glonebere Grandus Grasta Guadna Guantius Guita Halda Halla Helinagia Helius Hellus Heria Hirgiu Iaria Ideli Ignarinus Inmastia Ioaquirna Iresdro Irilim Irius Isman Itasó Jandro Janos Janoulia Janveta Javro Jazaricus Jaïes Jertino Jertus Jesso Joano Joria Juard Julmia Junda Kalensus Kiriacara Kirtensis Krián Laispro Lamaria Lantius Larius Laullios Layottius Leodenus Leofaedo Leolaol Leopera Leopia Leosola Letracas Letry Lichil Licius Liciusin Ligias Liley Lilina Llomina Louki Louronel Luccarna Lucus Luphan Lurisa Maccus Macio Maesc Maldia Maldoxius Malgoner Malippa Mameto Mandrare Mantius Marando Marbel Margio Marnia Marugus Marus Maryssyn Massia Melico Menia Mentilia Merestanç Mesul Mettas Micida Midarnán Milus Miracio Mirtonan Modreldo Munus Naber Nadra Nafilex Nallio Naria Natius Nazalonis Nefana Nelemo Nicania Nición Nicosh Nicosyna Nicta Niercio Ninia Nirnalore Nitakosé Octorne Odina Ofael Ofella Ontuca Orassia Oregros Orispa Orlia Oswalore Pabia Panellis Panias Parda Pardinian Pasobio Pauago Paura Pelidol Perman Perrus Petus Phemoni Phisla Phistius Pitius Plarulso Platus Polamada Ponsta Prinadina Priomé Pronç Purrius Quana Quania Quellus Querno Quilio Quius Rafaelius Ralareber Ramfia Ravoracad Rayna Remenus Remiagros Remos Reykata Roclisto Rolanus Romia Romèni Rudoundo Rullius Sabas Sadenna Salius Sanaia Sanalia Santhar Satto Savat Savida Schio Schlos Scios Sebrovia Sebusius Segrippus Seguel Selado Seles Selus Sephon Sercert Seronnus Sevencos Simus Skyrevino Smanutus Socel Soladiane Solia Spindius Stertula Stonius Strius Sulina Tacinus Tappos Tarius Tatio Telia Teoulaone Terian Terrudele Terte Tertus Thalutia Themmas Timio Toulliana Toundouka Trena Tripos Turius Ulicetan Urbat Uulcar Uulluc Valonius Valtra Varatta Vastantus Velodus Venia Verta Vette Vexxania Vicadius Vicia Vigidox Vilione Viniaki Viruzdius Vitaki Vitiá Vivia Vlinos Vlius Voced Vodia Vodis Vodius Voruzin Westas Xania Yampa Yarace Yeran Yermeixa Zorios Zullén

#444names #444 names

[marmolady]

Reunion: 2090

Another reunion-- this time, far, far into La Huerta's future. This one has the distinction of being written in first-person, which I never do! Note: the deaths of main characters are referred to in this fic.

Do feel free to shout out a year between 2024 and 2097 if you want me to write a specific one next. You can find the full series (in progress) here on AO3.

Word Count: 4195

Tagging: @saivilo, @edgydepressedchoicesthot, @sceptilemasterr, ​@mauvecatfic @rhemenway888

Thanks for reading! Comments and re-blogs make me EXTRA happy. Always happy to nerd out about these characters with other fans.

________________________

I was almost flying as I ran across the sand, almost as fast as Vivae in front of me-- and she was Vaanti. I don’t know if you know anything about the Vaanti, but they’re pretty much all crazy fast and strong. I grew up here on La Huerta, so I’ve always had to just try and keep up with my friends. We were running with our heads pointed up, looking for one of the aeroplanes that was going to bring the rest of our giant family home again.

“It’s there, Rafi!” Vivae hollered. “That one’s my grandma’s plane!”

I put my arm up to wave, and it must have thrown me off, because next thing I knew I was tripping over my foot and flying through the air.

“Oof!”

Suura came skidding to a stop, dodging around me. She’s Vivae’s little sister, eight years old. “Haha, splat!”

Vivae is  ten, a year older than me, and her mom-- well, her and Suura’s mom, and Tuala who’s five,  is the Elyyshar. We do a lot of fun stuff together, Vivae and me. Lots of exploring caves and beaches and jungles. She has lots of friends in Elyys’tel, but even though I’m a human, I’m her best friend.

But even best friends will laugh at you sometimes. “That was smooth…,” she chuckled.

I brushed myself off quickly and jumped back onto my feet. I was pretty good at that after all these years trying to keep up. “’mallright,” I grumbled. “Come on-- we’re gonna miss them getting off the plane!”

The annual reunion these days required the use of two planes-- one coming from San Trobida, and another picking everyone else up from Costa Rica. The San Trobida group is the biggest, but they were gonna be coming in a little bit later, and that was the plane all my family was on. My abuela and lola and my three tias, and my Tia Beatriz and Auntie Lilei’s kid, Ariel. Oh! And baby Pepa. I forget about her because she’s so new, only three months old. But this isn’t that aeroplane. This one has all Reggie and Mariama’s relatives from London-- including the kids, Pia and Elio. They’re pretty cool-- they speak all fancy with English accents and say ‘biscuits’ when they mean ‘cookies’. And Isla and Alex are on the plane with their family. They’re Ariel’s grandparents on Auntie Lilei’s side. They also have two other grandkids, William and Poppy, but William is only three and Poppy is just a baby, so they’re not that exciting yet.

Vivae and Suura’s grandma, Georgie, always flew the Costa Rica plane, ever since her dad taught her to fly. Flying was a family business, and Vivae always said she would be the next to follow in Great-Grandpa Jake’s footsteps. I don’t think that any of my relatives can fly an plane… but it would be pretty cool if I was the first. It wasn’t often that anyone actually went flying around here, so when they did, we always ran out onto the beach to watch.

Even though I’d fallen over, we made it back off the beach just as the plane came down onto the runway. We waved and cheered, and then it was time for the reunion.

My name is Rafael, but a lot of the time, people call me Rafito, or Rafi, or Raf.  Rafael Diego Montoya is my full name. Like I said, I live here on La Huerta, in Catalys’tel which is not far from Elyys’tel, where Vivae and her family live. I live with my dad, who’s called Sol Montoya, and my mom, who’s called Serafina. They met in high school back in San Trobida, then went to college together… and then decided they’d rather live here, which is great for me, because La Huerta is awesome. Like, there’s a giant tortoise that’s taller than my dad, and a big old fox that has ice powers. As well as my mom and dad, I have my little brother, Danilo-- he’s three-- and the baby that mom’s pregnant with right now. We’re going to call her Carmela.

Ma Taylor and Ma Estela live next-door-- they’re my great-grandmas. They’re also two of the ‘Catalysts’ who our home was named after, because this was the village they all lived in together when the world ended. I know that sounds crazy, but it really happened-- everyone was gone except for the people safe on La Huerta, but it all got fixed when the island’s spirit went home. All the Catalysts stayed really good friends, and they came back every year with their families-- that’s the reunions. Now, most of them have died because they were really old, but some of them are still here, including my great-grandmas. Ma Quinn is here too. We call her ‘Ma’ out of respect because she’s old, even though she’s not my granny or great-granny or anything. And there’s Zahra, who I can’t call ‘Ma’ because she said she’ll punch me if I do. She’s funny. And Pa Diego, who lives in Elyys’tel with Pa Varyyn, who used to be the Elyyshar. Pa Diego helped make my abuela, so he’s kind of my great-grandpa.

Because a lot of the Catalysts had children, and a lot of their children had children, and then some of those had children too, the reunions are pretty busy. Abuelita said there’s more than fifty of us, which is a lot to cram into the big room in The Celestial at dinner time. I’m friends with all the kids-- Pia and Elio who I already said about, and Ximena who’s eleven but has only been to one reunion before because she was adopted a bit over a year ago. And there’s Vivae, Suura and Tuala who were on the table next to ours-- and Xiryyn who’s their cousin is with them. I see them all the time because they live here, so it might not seem that exciting, but Vivae’s my best friend, and I was super glad she’s there with me because it’s really hard not to be shy when there’s fifty people to talk to.

Of course, I was sitting next to Danilo, who’s my little brother. He wasn’t very good at keeping his potatoes on his fork and I reckon more went on the floor than in his mouth. On my other side, I had Ariel, who was talking, talking, talking, even though she had a mouthful of roast pork. Ariel’s talking about babies a lot right now, probably ‘cause she’s all excited still about being a big sister, and maybe a little bit ‘cause she’s excited about my mom having a baby soon. I don’t think babies are that interesting, so I went to hang out with some other people instead after a little while.

Or I tried to. Ariel’s good at following me around.

“Ma ‘Stela,” Ariel said loudly, putting an arm around her bisabuela’s shoulder after I’d sad down next to her, “are you sad because the old man died?”

I looked at Ma Estela, then at old Reggie in the next chair, worried that Ariel might have upset them. She was talking about Pa Aleister, one of the Catalysts. He died not that long ago. I’m not really great at remembering who’s related to who to be honest, but I know Pa Aleister was Reggie’s dad. I also know he was Ma Estela’s brother and that she loved him a lot. All the Catalysts loved each other a lot. I reckon you would get pretty attached if you were friends with someone for years and years and years and years like that.

Estela’s eyes were sad, but she was calm and patient. She was always patient with the little kids, even when they were crazy annoying. “Yeah, I’m sad he’s not here. It never feels quite right when someone doesn’t show up for the reunion. You know, Pa Aleister was your great-great uncle.” She nodded sympathetically to Reggie. “And he was Reggie’s dad.”

I’m not sure what would be worse, a person’s brother dying, or their dad. It was just… sad. Big, heavy sadness. Ariel didn’t look like she understood how big and heavy it was, how scary it was that someone could suddenly not be there. Maybe I didn’t understand when I was six either.

“Pa Aleister was really nice,” said I said quietly.

“Was he really old?” Ariel asked. “I think he must be very old because you’re very old, and Reggie is quite a bit old and he was Reggie’s dad.”

Reggie chuckled at Ariel’s assessment of him. “He was very old, old and happy. But when you get very old, at some point your body stops working. My dad was ninety-five years old--”

“Wow! That’s ancient!”

I wriggled my arm through Ma Estela’s. She always gave me a hug when I was sad. I figured  she might need one now. She was ninety-four… and Ma Taylor, my other great-grandma and Ma Estela’s wife, was ninety-five just like Pa Aleister was. They must have been worried all the time that their bodies would stop working, that some day, the sun would come up and they just wouldn’t be alive anymore.

Ma Estela held me tightly. She wasn’t very strong anymore, but I know from lots of stories that she had once been able to fight monsters and win. Even for a very, very old lady, though, she gave a good, tight cuddle when it was needed-- it wasn’t as hard work as monster-fighting after all.

“We don’t know for sure,” she said, “but we think there might be something about spending a lot of time on La Huerta that has helped us have long lives like we have. It seems like those of us who spent the most time here have stuck around the longest-- and Ma Quinn, who carried a part of Vaanu inside her for a while.”

“Do you think you’ll be a hundred?” Ariel asked, eyes wide.

I sure hope so. A hundred wasn’t even very far away….

Ma Estela gave a laugh of a sigh. “I’ll see what I can do, mija.”

“You should try,” said Ariel, kinda bossily. “you should all try and be a hundred.”

And with that, she ran off back to her moms.

“Rafito?” Ma Estela gave me an extra squeeze. “Are you okay, mijo? It’s not exactly a fun conversation. Elita, we love her, but she’s blunt as a sledgehammer.”

I nodded. I probably wasn’t very convincing. “I don’t want you and Reggie to be sad.”

“Sad happens sometimes. It would’ve happened tonight whether your cousin was sensitive to it or not.”

“Hey, Rafi,” Reggie said, “it would’ve made my dad really happy to know you thought he was a nice man. He didn’t always believe he was.”

“That’s weird!”

“Yeah, unfortunately, people’s brains are good at tricking themselves into thinking they’re not as great as they really are.”

“Your brain can do that? That really sucks. Poor Pa Aleister.”

Ma Estela laughed. “It happens to a lot of us. And then some people think they’re god when actually they’re a steaming piece of shit. Life’s weird like that.”

 Swearing grannies make me laugh every single time-- maybe Ma Estela knew that was what I needed. I’m gonna swear a lot when I’m old, I’ve already decided.

“I liked Pa Aleister,” I said. It was true. He was good at telling you facts that you’d never know if he wasn’t around to tell you. Like a really tall old wrinkly encyclopedia man. “I hope his brain told him lots of good things too.”

Reggie smiled, which I thought was kinda odd, ‘cause we were talking about his dead dad. “I think he got better at making it tell him good things and not listening to the bad ones. We all told him we appreciated him too.”

“I should think so,” Ma Estela grunted. “This whole place, The Celestial, it wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him. Aleister worked hard so we could have somewhere to come together, because his family was the most important thing to him. I was really lucky to have him as my brother.”

I let out a big breath and snuggled into Ma Estela’s baggy shirt, hugging her until the sadness and the being scared was squished out like water from a sponge. I was gonna miss her old lady hugs when she died too, but I knew I was lucky to have them while I did.

“Is there any room over here for little old me?”

It was Ma Taylor. I know I said how good at hugs Ma Estela is, but actually Ma Taylor is just as good. She’s really very cuddly. I guess that’s just what great-grandmas are like. But I bet if Zahra was a great-grandma, she still wouldn’t be cuddly.

Ma Taylor made a tired ‘ooh’ sound as she sat carefully down, and seemed like she had to catch her breath. Ma Estela looked at her with love eyes.

“Mi amor, you know these people are gonna be here all week, you’re allowed to pace yourself on the socialising.”

“Oh, ‘Stel! As if I could ever hold myself back?” Her smile became a little sad. “I hadn’t properly caught up with Erin or Imogen since the funeral.”

“No,” said Ma Estela, and she rubbed my arm, as if cuddling me was helping. I kinda wanted to go off and play with the other kids, but I also didn’t want to be sad. If I was helping, I would stay with her and the other old people a little bit longer.

I sometimes think Ma Taylor could read minds, and this was another one of those times, because she said: “Rafi! I promise we’re going to be all right. You should have some fun with your friends-- you know this week always goes way too fast.”

“Go,” Ma Estela said with a nod. “We’re gonna go do a memorial thing in a little while. It’s sad, but it does help. Taylor’s right; you’ve gotta enjoy the people you love while they’re with you, ‘cause it’s never gonna be long enough.”

They said that, but I was pretty sure Ximena, and Pia and Elio, and Xiryyn, and Vivae and Tuala and Suura, and all the little kids, they would all still be here a long time after my great-grandmas weren’t anymore. I did what they said, though. I gave them both a big hug, and I gave one to Reggie, and then I followed Ariel back to the party.

_______________________

Some of the other kids were close relatives of Pa Aleister, so they went off to the memorial thingy, but I still had my Vaanti friends, and my cousin, Ariel.  We played a lot of tickle chase all up and down the sand hills, and round and round the big tables in the big hall, but what we really wanted to do was to check out the new waterslides. They were finished weeks ago, but we weren’t allowed to play on them until the reunion. And even though it was the reunion now, we still had to find an adult to supervise us. Annoyingly, a lot of our moms and dads took safety very seriously.

“Clear off, brats!” Zahra growled at us as she came back from the memorial thingy and sat down in a comfy-looking chair. Actually, she said something else, but it wasn’t words I’m allowed to say. Zahra wasn’t being mean; she knows it makes us laugh when she’s all grouchy. She laughs too.

“We’re gonna go on the slides, but we need a grown-up!” Ariel explained.

“Hey,” said Suura hopefully, “you’re a grown-up….”

Zahra pulled a sucking-a-lemon face. “Uh, if you think I wouldn’t just let you --rudewords-- drown in the name of peace and --rudeword-- quiet, you’re dumber than you look.”

“Zahra!” Imogen said in a telling-off voice. Imogen was Reggie’s sister, so she was pretty old. I think she was my abuela’s cousin or something, and Pia, Elio, Ximena, William and Poppy’s great-aunt. “Haven’t there been enough tears tonight? We don’t need you picking on the damn kids.”

Zahra snorted. “Little assholes love it. I’m still not supervising while they chuck themselves down the waterslides.”

Then Pia came running up; her eyes were all pink and puffy like she’d been crying. Probably she had. “We’re trying out the new waterslides now?”

Pia was the oldest of all of us kids. She was thirteen, which basically meant she was half-kid, half-adult…. but not quite old enough to be allowed to be responsible for the rest of us in the pool.

Imogen frowned. “It’s gonna be me left to supervise, isn’t it? Look, just give me a moment. I’ll rope Arthur into coming over to watch as well. Not having to jump in the pool after drowning children is one of the perks of being over sixty as far as I’m concerned.”

“Yes!” Pia and me cried at the same time.

It was on!

As it turned out, we actually had quite a few adults come to watch us test out the slides. The thing was, it was pretty much only the old crusty adults who probably weren’t gonna be super helpful if we had an emergency.

Ma Quinn sat at the edge of the pool, dipping her toes in. She waved to us all, but especially to Ariel, while we climbed up the steps to the very top. My lola was there-- they’re my dad’s parent, and my abuela too-- my dad’s mom-- and her moms. Pa Diego and Pa Varyyn were there too. Imogen’s twin sister Erin and her husband Johan came to watch and cheer, which made Ximena smile. Ximena was a little bit more shy ‘cause she didn’t grow up with us, but it seemed like she was getting the hang of it. So, I didn’t feel too bad pushing in front of her in the line-up for the first go on the biggest slide….

Unfortunately, this didn’t go unnoticed.

“Hey, Rafito, elbows to yourself!”

“Sorry Abuela!” It was pretty embarrassing, I knew my face was going red, but hopefully it was dark enough no one would notice. I quietly apologised to Ximena too.

In the end, it was Ariel who got the first turn-- she somehow wriggled through all the gaps between us other kids and squeezed out into the top of the slide. Guess it pays to be small and slippery. And it didn’t really matter that I had to wait my turn-- I went down the biggest slide again and again and again. I raced Vivae and Suura on the triple slide, and I tandemed the twisty one with Ariel even though she screamed so loud my ears hurt, and I even went down the big one backwards. I accidentally swallowed a load of water, but it was so fun. I don’t want to brag too much, but I got a lot of cheers from all the old grannies and grandpas watching us.

The good thing about the waterslides was that they were really high up, and you could see the whole party all around us. I saw that all of the old Catalysts had gone; I guessed to go and lie down because they were tired. Fair enough-- I was nearly ready for bed, and I was only nine. But Vivae saw where they’d actually gone.

“Rafi, it’s Furball! Down there with Ma Quinn!”

That made more sense. As if they’d just got bored of watching us!

We took one last go down the slides, then all the other kids followed us to the beach. Ma Quinn was sitting there with Furball, the magic blue ice fox, feeding him something from her hand. The other old guys were sitting down there too-- Ma Estela and Ma Taylor, Pa Diego and Pa Varyyn, and Zahra too. They’d all known Furball for a long, long time, and when he saw them all by the pool, he must have wanted to say hi.

We ran up, and Ma Quinn put her finger to her lips to tell us to be quiet. We slowed down, creeping closer so we didn’t scare Furball. I’d only seen him a couple times, so I was really concentrating on making sure he didn’t want to run away. It must have worked, because he looked at all us kids for a little bit, then he went back to eating the cupcake in Ma Quinn’s hand.

“Wow,” Ximena whispered. “He’s really real… look at all the snow on the ground!”

Ma Quinn smiled, her wrinkly old face going even wrinklier. “He’s really real. Furball is a very old friend of ours. He’s an old man now, and likes being left alone, but sometimes….” She offered a sprinkling of cupcake crumbs to Ximena, who then held them out to the big blue fox. “…he does feel like some human company.”

“He gets old even though he’s magic?” Ariel asked.

“He does,” said Ma Quinn. “I guess it happens to everyone who’s lucky enough to live that long. Even magic foxes.”

Pia asked a more worrying question. “Are you gonna be able to stand back up again?”

Ma Quinn and the other old guys laughed a bit at that.

“Absolutely not,” Ma Taylor said, but she was chuckling when she said it. “But sometimes you’ve got to sit on a beach and enjoy the cool sand against your skin anyway.”

Ma Estela grunted. “Speak for yourself, cariña, I can still get up from the ground. Just don’t time me on it.”

“I guess we can help you when you need to get up,” Elio said, “I’m pretty strong.”

“Thank you, sweetheart,” said Ma Taylor. “Anyway, it’s a big party. Someone’ll be able to haul us back onto our feet.”

I crouched down really small, and held out my fingers so Furball could sniff them. There were no crumbs on them, but he gave me a smell all the same, and he looked right at my face and made a little ‘mrrp’ noise. ‘Furball’ sounded like a name for a little fluffy thing, but this guy was big, with long legs and wide feet for walking in the snow. He had a big fluffy mane, almost like a lion, but it was white, and most of his fur was blue and spotty.

“He’s pretty big for a ‘Furball’”, I said.

“He wasn’t always as big as this,” Ma Quinn said. “He grew up fast when the old Mountain Guardian died. The old one was much, much bigger-- a giant bear with horns like a ram.”

“Woah!” cried Ariel, forgetting to be quiet. Furball didn’t seem to mind-- he seemed like he’d decided we were friends.

Ma Quinn laughed again. “Yes, she was pretty impressive. We think Furball didn’t grow as big as that because there was less of Vaanu’s magic left here when it was time for him to grow up. The Deep Guardian, the Shore Guardian, and the Sea Guardian are all much bigger. When they all die, we don’t think anything will take their places.”

Usually, Zahra said cheeky things and made us laugh, but now she was just quiet. Her eyes were sad, not really looking at anything in particular, like all she could see was her thoughts. She must have had a lot of empty places where things she used to know were. They would be kept just in her thoughts now. Ma Taylor reached out and squeezed Zahra’s arm. I bet she knew what Zahra was sad about.

Furball licked my fingers. It made me jump, ‘cause his tongue was cold, not like a normal tongue at all.

“We’re pretty lucky,” I said. “Like, that we get to see them.”

Maybe all the magic would go away one day. Maybe it would all grow old and die, like the Catalysts. I would make sure I remembered it all, all the things like Furball’s cold tongue. I bet no one will believe me about things like that, but it’s better to have magic stories than no magic at all.

Furball made another ‘mrrp’ noise, then started turning in circles. And in the circles, more snow appeared.

“Aw, look!” said Suura, “He’s going to bed!”

He curled up in a ball on his snow bed, then stuck his head out to rest on Ma Quinn’s bare foot. It must have made her toes cold!

“Night-night, Furball,” she said. “I was about to head to bed myself, but I guess I can play pillow for a little while.”

Furball snored-- he fell asleep so quick!-- and snowflakes appeared out his nose when he did. La Huerta was so special that even snores could be magic. I guess that was really why the whole giant family came back every year to be here together. If not everyone in the world could know about the magic, the lucky ones who did had to make sure they spent time appreciating it and sharing it.

I hope the magic lasts a long, long time. I hope at least a little bit of it lasts forever.

#endless summer #catalyst kiddos #estela x mc #estela montoya #taylor montoya #quinn kelly #zahra namazi #reginald aleister hall #marmo's reunions project