HOW WE FEELING BOUT THIS??????

Guys I listened to the Ithaca saga and I cried, I hate it here

I noticed a while back that the first act focuses a lot on the Just a Man motif and the second act focuses a lot more on the Monster motif and I was like “he’s gonna bring Just a Man back for the final song isn’t he” and then HE DID.

Something that I strongly believe happened in the State House at some point

Inspired by Ben Brainard’s videos on TikTok, Instagram, and Youtube

- California is not one to completely lose his cool

- One of the few times Cali ever lost it it was when Utah started talking shit about LGBTQ+ people at dinner

- He wasn’t happy about it at the start but tried to keep his cool and just keep eating

- But then Utah says how every city that supports them is going to Hell

- And Cali. Fucking. Loses it.

- Some of the other states are yelling at Utah from across the table

- But California slams his fork onto the table and all the states go quiet because California doesn’t do this kind of thing

- He gets out of his chair, walks over to Utah, grabs the front of his shirt, drags him out of his seat, and brings them nose to nose and says, while clearly trying to contain his rage,

- ”Wanna say that again Mr. I’m so closeted, I’m homophobic?”

- When he gets no answer, he drops Utah back in his seat before storming back to his room without finishing dinner

- There is a stunned silence that’s only broken when Florida asks if Utah is actually closeted

- New York, Florida, Texas, DC, and Oregon all attempted to talk to Cali afterwards but his room was locked 

- They can hear music playing from the other side

- He only comes out of his room at night to get food for 3 weeks

- Every state tried knocking on his door at least once in that time period (New York, Florida, Texas, DC, and Oregon being the most insistent)

- Florida definitely tried getting in through the AC vet and the window, as well as the cat door (California definitely has at least one cat)

- Finally, when he walks into the kitchen at around 1 am, he’s greeted by the sight of Florida hanging upside down by his legs on the fridge and Louisiana standing at the island in the middle drinking a dacqueri

- As he turns to walk away, Loui grabs him by the back of his flannel and says “Nice try Sha,” earning a long, suffering sigh from Cali, while dragging him over to sit down at the table while they explain what’s been happening since the incident with Utah

- Florida joins them and provides spirit lifting comments while Louisiana tells Cali everything that’s happened in the past three weeks

- Eventually, they convince him to join them at breakfast the next day

- They walk with Cali back to his room before heading to DC’s room

- There, they’re greeted by Oregon, Texas, New York, and DC, all looking at them expectantly

- Florida gives them a thumbs up and they all let out a relieved sigh

- The next morning, when California comes down for breakfast, he finds himself walking down in between Loui and Florida 

- It’s surprisingly comforting

- When he sits down, he notices all the states switching there stares form him to Utah, like they were watching a ping pong match

- California let out a quiet sigh, turns to Utah, and apologizes for getting mad at him

- Utah also apologizes for provoking him and for the things he said

- After breakfast, Cali goes back to his room (there was far too much tension at breakfast) and starts reading a book

- When he hears a knock on his door, he doesn’t look up when he says they can come in

- He can feel the stares of whoever’s in the room with him and puts his book down

- When he looks up, he’s not so surprised when he sees Florida and Louisiana

- He is surprised, however, to see Oregon, New York, and Texas, who have consistently been knocking at his door for the past few weeks

- Oregon pulls him off his bed to give him a hug (honestly, I feel like they practically act like siblings)

- He’s more than a little shocked when New York, Florida, Loui, and Texas join in on the hug as well

- Realization hits him as he hugs them back and lets silent tears stream down his face

- That night, California goes to sleep feeling better than he had in weeks

Photos I took when I was in New York at this time

Canadian wildfire smoke creates hazy skies and unhealthy polluted air quality in New York City (2023)

The sun is shrouded as it rises in a hazy, smoky sky behind the Empire State Building, One Vanderbilt and the Chrysler Building in NYC.

A rendition of me and my friends watching the end of the Vengeance Saga

Poseidon: How will you sleep at night

My friend: with his wife 😏

Odysseus: Next to my wife.

The entire fucking room: *screaming*

The only bad thing about Gem and Joel's team up is, well, they actually have the means and the skill and the luck to do it.

But, you know, if a team makes it to the end, there can only be one.

And we've seen that except... they aren't the type to give the win to the other, they worked too hard, too proud of their skills, and it would feel like a disservice to the other to try and hand it off.

They aren't the type to sling bloody punches at each other in a cactus ring, begging for apologies and singing their sorrows.

They aren't the type to promise an honored deal with crossed fingers only to turn and twist and laugh maniacally as they betray due to the desperation of time ticking inevitably away

They aren't the type to twist bitterly and finally end up together, one reaching only finally so they aren't alone for the other to throw it away in what they think is what is wanted

They aren't the type to dance around and ignore hearing that the other doesn't want the win, ignoring it because they don't want to be alone only for the other to die silently without realizing and left wondering

No

Either of them could win. Statistically Joel has beaten Gem more than she has him, but that doesn't mean she can't win, Joel gets flustered easy. Joel tends to get more reckless and take the long shot that pays off, but Gem tends to flounder if caught off guard.

I think, if they are at the end there will be no promises or honor duels or gifted or taken wins, I think they'll just lunge. Not like a desperate wolf bites, but as an acknowledgement to who they are as people, bloodthirsty and fun and wanting to win. Maybe they will, at best, mention fight club and maybe negotiate the same rules, leather or no armor with wooden swords, but this is not an honor battle of forced apart partners nor is it a grief stricken apology to make the game end.

And I think one of them will die laughing as they go. Maybe disappointed but proud because they almost got the other and they did it together

If you are going to interact, please Reblog instead of Like. Likes do nothing! I appreciate it <3

Pearl dying and being a Copper Golem again after being bummed about losing it the first time has the same energy as Grian realizing him and Scar are soulmates in Double life in that, in both cases, the Universe is like “Encore, again, again”

Losers club as an actual conversation I’ve had with my friends

*On a call*

Richie: I hope you understand that I’m not paying attention to anything you’re saying

Bill: Oh, I kn-know. I f-feel like you would’ve said s-s-something if you realized I was t-talking about how this guy I’m d-drawing sh-sh-should be grateful that I’m accidentally giving him large, asymmetrical, eyebrows.

Richie: *hysterical laughing*

*later on the same call*

Bill, to the drawing: Okay, I’m g-gonna erase the line art. Time for your f-f-face to get a whole lot uglier!

Do you ever just

*gives peach blossom to beloved one*

Somewhere, there is an alternate universe where the default sour patch kids flavors are Raspberry, Peach, Passion fruit, Honey dew, and Blueberry

You know what? Fuck you *banishes you to the whore chamber*

had to watch a sea urchin fertilization lab for school and the way they dispose of the fertilized urchins is putting them in a tub labeled “used” lmao