#mmnmm

[eastermanshowhigh]

Pre Murkoff Coyle had a fucking chubby belly and I will die on that hill

[cloudymistedskies]

it probably looks like i copied you tbh

i promise i wasn’t trying to-

i’ve been thinking about making milo canonically be a hashira for a while

you letting your intrusive thoughts win just inspired me:3

HhgshJSHSJSHS first off; it was impulsive thoughts. Intrusive thoughts are thoughts you don’t genuinely want like murder and other bad things

Second, I didn’t think you copied me at all HahahahsJAHWHSH, but I am egotistical and knew that I was apart of the reason why you made Milo a hashira so I’m very honored of that !! NWHWHSH Now both Mari and Milo are silly hashira buddies!

[cloudymistedskies]

Im not sure if ill finish this but look

I’ll give u guys some time to guess what this i s,

[thelastoreo]

Good morning (or whatever time it is, wherever you are) my favorite cookie! <333

Those thoughts I had about the athletic trainer yesterday did not, in fact, encourage me to go to the grocery store. But I’m going today! And I’m STILL thinking about what we were talking about!!

mkay Love u (>.<)

hehe fun fact i just woke up! so its a very good morning indeed.

ahhh i loved your athletic trainer thoughtssss . i was just thinking of iwa giving you his number the next time he sees you. bc obviously he needs to help your nutritional intake. and next thing you know he's in your kitchen making dinner 🫶

[after-out-of-place]

The Nature of Things

You fucking what?"

Wallace was the first one to speak up, or rather react, to the news. He had stood up in anger, then immediately sat back down from Horace placing his hands on his shoulders. The band had gathered together once again in 'Our Place' - a coffee shop ran by the two aforementioned band-members - as the band's bass guitarist (DD) and saxophonist (Bubble-Glub or ‘BG’) both requested they all meet up for "big news". The majority of them believed DD and BG to announce them being engaged or even a wedding date, but something very different was announced.

"I said we're thinking of taking time off, time away." Bubble-Glub started, only to be interrupted by the band's lead vocalist. The morphing pink cat started wailing, with thick tears streaming out of at least one pair of eyes.

"I.. I don't want to lose my friends! I love you guys!"

"Oh for.. we're not quitting friendship. We're quitting the band.", DD's voice pierced through the wails, which then intensified. Her shoulders tensed, only to relax when she felt the cool hand of her partner cup hers.

"Cool. Now that we're all settled, I s'pose y'all want to know why?" the dulcet tones of BG continued.

"Nah, it's in the nature of things to end." Sila spoke up, shrugging all three pairs of shoulders.

She looked around Our Place, then at the band, and shrugged again, after which one pair of arms reached out towards the wailing mess that was Chritty. She'd always been the more reasonable one, the sort of person acting as glue to keep things together - or more aptly, much like a spider tending to its web. She then slowly started petting Chritty until he vaguely started resembling a domestic cat, and turned towards both BG and DD.

"Glubby Bud. Glam Girl. I wish you the best."

"Don't tell me you're alright with this." Wallace spat.

"Does it matter?", asked Sila, finally getting Chritty to stop wailing.

"Yeah, kind of a bloody lot."

"Babe, please. At least hear them out?", Horace massaged Wallace's shoulders. His husband calmed a little, and nodded.

"Fine."

DD took point this time - BG had the tendency to take their time explaining things, and while they were incredibly patient and sweet they also had the habit of either doing things all by themselves or not taking themselves into account at all. So she squeezed BG's hand once, took a deep breath, and started.

"A lot happened. Too much, actually, and while some of it was fun there was also too much that wasn't."

"Like Smyg." Chritty sniffed, nodding, finally back to his somewhat humanoid self.

"No. Or well, yeah." DD shuddered a moment, "But did we forget the rest? The whole thing with Big Mama?"

All of them went silent for a long while, with Bubble-Glub's bioluminescence the only thing keeping things from looking as if they were frozen in time. None of them had, in fact, forgotten about 'the whole thing with Big Mama': it's tough to forget about the potential violent end of society and finding out your saxophonist is way older than anyone's great-great-grandma, to put it lightly. DD clicked her heels.

"Yeah. The fact we continued at all after any of that is bullshit."

Wallace nodded after a full minute of thinking. "Actually, yeah it is."

"Babe?" asked Horace.

"We've all been busy keeping our mind off things. Not just that, either. We've been to bloody space. We haven't taken the time to process how mental that is."

"Actually." Sila sat upright, having let go of Chritty, "That wasn't the worst of it. We unceremoniously, uhm, how to put it.."

"Put a full stop to someone who had it coming." Bubble-Glub filled in.

Silence filled the room again, as if the band collectively took this very moment to process every single one of the adventures they'd gone on after they successfully formed their band in the first place - it had been a spur of the moment thing, for shits and giggles as it were, but ballooned to something exceptional. This band was successful, for sure, but after the grand finale at the last MonsterVision something changed in all of them. That their music had magic to it was very clear, but perhaps this was all too much of a good thing now. Bubble-Glub put their arm around DD's shoulders soon after the last thing they'd said, let the moment sink in, and continued:

"So, Dee and I are calling it quits. We're going splitsville."

"What country's that city in, Bro-Glub?"

"Horace, I swear to ... it ain't a city, bud. Figure of speech. DD and I've decided we need to take a breather. A long one."

"Oh, like how you do cooling down exercises after sports or else your entire body hurts the next day?"

"Yeah, kinda like that. But for ourselves. By ourselves."

Chritty shifted again, both in his seat and his appearance. His emotions often got the better of him, and this was no exception. Sila almost instinctively scritched between his ears to calm him down. "But the ducks?", asked Chritty, "They exist now. They can't go back to not existing."

DD shook her head, and leaned against Bubble-Glub. It turns out that them having found actual, living ducks out in the wild had larger consequences - much like most things the band got involved in. BG began to explain the finer details of what would happen to the Duck Sanctuary, but DD cut them off with a peck to the cheek.

"We'll all be fine. The Sanctuary's going to be fine. It'll be in good hands while we're away."

"Oh you both are actually leaving, Glam Girl? Glubby Bud?" Sila piped up.

"Yeah." Bubble-Glub nodded. "Between Dee and me, we need plenty of space and time to recover."

DD squeezed their arm gently. "I couldn't tell you the exact numbers."

Wallace sighed, what anger he might've had finally leaving his shoulders thanks to his husband's strong hands, and stood up again. He gave his husband a kiss, asking him to get a round of coffee. Over the course of the day, more details would be hashed out over several rounds of beverages; confessions; talks; hugs and the occasional tears.

"That's it. We're done, then?"

"Not as friends." DD smiled, if a bit wryly.

"Right. But you'll be out there."

"But not alone."

"Come by sometime, yeah?"

"You kiddin', bud?", BG grinned. "Your place is the only place in San Bearino that doesn't burn their dark roast."

[after-out-of-place]

The band has seen many sights; visited many locations both positive and terrifying. They even returned to the MonsterVision Song Contest; have found themselves in many an interesting situation and came out on top - a little worse for wear, but alive. But as with all good things, there's an ending. ****

"Hey, so, do you think it's true? That ducks cause earthquakes when they laugh?" "Hmmmm, nah. (...) quacks don't echo, though."

****

There's no Encore Tour for AoOP. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the group donning the mantle of After Out of Place is no longer able to play at the same table.

But hey, at least ducks exist.

[after-out-of-place]

Sila / DD - Gems (Part 2)

Gemma was an old rival of DD’s. Well, Gemma thought she was a rival of DD’s. In reality, DD got all and any contract she wanted, including Fernandino. DD had shared the story with Sila over cocktails some months ago, after they had come back from her home planet: DD had decided to take a day job for a change, and be a waitress at a high profile robotics companies event, hoping to bagsy a client or two for the night as well. Gemma had had the same thought, and had spent hours flirting with Fernandino, only for him to cross over to DD as soon as DD entered the room with a tray of mini desserts. The rest was history, or at least it was for DD, who didn’t even know Gemma was at the same event. Gemma never quite got over it.

Sila frowned at the whispering Gemma and her gems were doing over their skinny fries, but resisted the urge to go over and deal with it there and then. There were cameras in operation at every turn. That, she knew, would be a deterrent as much for her as for DD’s former colleagues.

The two friends went round the shops, picking up this and that: a new pocket handkerchief for BG; a fun hand-made patch for Wallace to add to his apparel; a set of gorgeous bright highlighters for Chritty to use on his uni schedule. They spent ages picking out the most indestructible toy for CryonGlub, fully knowing it will be disassembled in a matter of minutes. They tried out numerous pairs of sunglasses and picked subtly matching ones for the upcoming San Bearino festival. But even through the rosy tinted shades, they could see Gemma and her crew nearby, biding their time.

“Yes, Big Guy, all is still well. Yeah, Sila is still here, we’re just picking up a few things from the food deli and will be heading back. Alright then, I will kiss you soon!” “What will tempt you this time? Deep fried crickets? Lightly pickled bog dragonflies?” “Urgh, stop, you are making me hungry again. What will you be getting?” “I need to stock up on teas…” “Oh wow you run through them fast.” “The cold brew ones are just amazing this time of year, and I do need to limit my coffee consumption, Horace is going to get me in a hospital one of these days with his brews. And I was a caffeine addict even before I met him…” DD had heard that grumbling before, so she just chuckled at poor Horace trying to be a people-pleaser and succeeding.

They were quiet on the way down the elevator. Both of them were on edge. DD had a sixth sense for trouble, and Sila knew how to read a person well enough to know there will be a small group of overly perfumed glittering ladies waiting for them on floor -14. She rearranged her shopping bags so she had 4 arms free, two of them shaking the bangles on them in a rhythm and the other two available and at the ready. DD had already carefully collected everything she was bringing to the Sanctuary and could either drop it on the floor easily or pass it to Sila. The two friends started up a song again, two complementary tunes - beautiful dark leather gloves appeared on DD’s arms and Sila’s hands shaking the bangles got notably faster. “Are we gonna wait for them to make the first move?” Sila asked just before the doors opened. They smelled Gemma and her gems before the doors had fully opened, and through the gap they could see one of them was getting ready a key to apply to Sila’s car’s paint. “No. We are not.”

[after-out-of-place]

Sila / DD - The Gems (Part 1)

DD zoomed towards the city a bit faster than the intergalactic speed limit allowed in this area of the known universe. She was in a rush but not reckless, the goal was to reach San Bearino in one piece, and if she was on time to meet her bestie, then all the better. (Sila was of the patient lot.)

After nearly 40 mins of concentrated driving, and stopping for two untimely red lights, she was at the parking lot of the mall they had arranged to meet, and twisted down the floors to -14 where Sila preferred to park - on account of it always being half empty. As she got there, she heard a whistle, and she clenched her jaw, remembering countless cat calls any time she walked down the streets of San Bearino. She had gotten disincentivized to the sound almost completely at the time, but now it got to her - there had been no cat calling in her direction for a couple of years, both on account of her not roaming the streets in the wee hours of the morning, and on the account of her beloved BG not leaving her side for longer than a breath when they ventured out of the Sanctuary. It was the whistling which got her out of her own head again, because it wasn’t her usual cat call, it was, as she realised with a pang of pain, the tune of one of the band’s older songs. DD quickly located Sila from the tune and parked up in the spot next to her.

As DD took her helmet off and peeled her protective suit from her slender frame, Sila was still humming the song, leaning against the side of her car. Sila’s arms, neck and earrings were draped in thin bands of copper, brass and gold, she wore the pair of harem trousers the two of them had picked on their last shopping trip and a halter top, which allowed all the movement required for six arms to move freely. DD looked her part too, with a fitted suit of uncreasable material and deep V, and a few tasteful bits of jewellery from her beloved. DD ruminated that Sila actually had a lovely, soothing voice, and thought back to the times when Sila was not only After Out of Place’s drummer, but singer too. Both the band and the producers knew Sila’s voice was not strong enough for live stage performances, so Chritty’s arrival to the band was more than welcomed by all of them, yet DD had to admit she quite enjoyed listening to Sila's lulling voice. “Are you gonna stare at me forever, Glam Girl?” “I didn’t want to interrupt your singing. I like it.” “We can sing and walk!”

The two moved side by side towards the elevators continuing the song together. When they first formed the band, DD sang the back up vocals on some of their tracks, though her heart was not really into it. These days, she only sang in the Sanctuary, as she danced around doing her chores. But in the practically dead -14 level of the car park, she allowed herself to join in, and the two friends danced and sang as they walked one of the band’s oldest songs. When they got to the lift they were at the chorus and Sila went into an interpretation of Chritty’s singing voice, a mixture of meowing, howling, purring and actual singing, which Sila could not possibly do at the same time, so did one after the other, and DD’s laughter echoed and bounced across the concrete walls and pillars of the parking lot. It really was for the best that Chritty was their singer now, the band had found their identity with him. **** They started with some delicious lunch - insect sushi for DD and fiery veg rice for Sila. They spoke about things at the Sanctuary, about the goose finally settling in with CryonGlub and BG having to put up a long and tall fence to give Marcie and her ducklings some respite from the ever excitable quadruped. DD was more than keen to share pictures of CryonGlub doing just about anything, sleeping, eating, howling, bubbling, giving sass to BG, staring into space, just merely existing, and Sila was equally excited to see them all. They arranged the next date Sila would take CryonGlub for a long walk to give BG and DD some space, alongside all the other Sanctuary inhabitants, and for Sila to spend time in the great outdoors as she called it - the hills near San Bearino, where she sometimes went hiking. DD asked tentatively about Sila and how she was, how her work was, and just as usual was met with answers which both let on how her friend was somewhat stressed out, but also vague of any particulars. It was rare Sila opened up about her work, though sometimes she had asked DD for advice on how to tackle conversations with some of her coworkers. DD felt honoured in those moments, and did her best to support her friend. Even after all these years of hanging out at Our Place, and then in the band and outside of it, Sila had kept her private life to herself. DD was sure her friend was single, for one, and that she lived in one of the nicer areas of the city, though she had never visited. DD had hoped that now the whole story with her sister and her father was out, Sila would feel like she could share too, but perhaps the time hadn’t come just yet. DD only hoped it would not take such monumental efforts as it had with BG in the time of their crisis.

The friendship between the two girls had started off timidly, they were both reserved and almost professional in their dealings with one another at the start. BG had used his calm charm to facilitate a more friendlier tone between them, and slowly but surely they had warmed up to one another. Still, their friendship was built on unreserved support, lack of judgement and not meddling in the other’s affairs. And meddle she would not. Perhaps there would be a time. Perhaps not.

Sila kept throwing side glaces to one of the side tables and DD raised a brow at her friend. “Some diamond studded wanna-bes are a-glaring.” explained Sila. DD used her hand mirror to steal a glance and frowned. “Oh that’s Gemma and her girls, ‘gems’ she calls them.” then she confirmed: “Yes, that very same Gemma…” “Well, they better keep their distance, because my palms are rather itchy today.”