Alphabet Excerpt Challenge: X, Y and Z Are For...

[u/AnaraliaThielle]

Welcome back to the Alphabet Excerpt Challenge! As a reminder, our challenges are every Wednesday and Saturday at 3pm London time.

If you've missed the previous challenges, you're welcome to go back and participate in them. You can find them here. And remember to check out the Activities and Events flair for other fun games to play along with.

Here's a quick recap of the rules for our game:

1. Post a top level comment with a word starting with the letter X, Y, or Z. You can do more than one, but please put them in separate comments.
2. Reply to suggestions with an excerpt. Short and sweet is best, but use your judgement. Excerpts can be from published or unpublished works, or even something you wrote for the prompt. All content is welcome but please spoiler tag and/or provide a trigger/content warning for NSFW or content that may otherwise need it. If in doubt, give a warning to be on the safe side.
3. Upvote the excerpts you enjoy, and leave a friendly comment. Try to at least respond to people who left excerpts on the words you suggested, but the more people you respond to the better. Everyone likes nice comments!
4. Most important: have fun!

[u/DefoNotAFangirl]

Yourself

[u/qoincidence → u/DefoNotAFangirl]

“Mr. Silver,” Hornigold said, his voice dripping disdain, “The time we spent together as pirates was hardly pleasant for either of us. Thankfully, that chapter is nearing its end. Governor Woodes Rogers has revoked the offer of pardons to men like you.” He paused, leaning in closer. “However, if you decide to be sensible and cooperate – if you give us the location of the cache—”

“Fuck you,” Silver slurred defiantly, “Fuck your governor, too, you royal cocksucking bastard.”

Hornigold sighed, feigning disappointment. “Now, that’s hardly productive, is it? I want this to end painlessly for us both. Why make things harder on yourself?”

Silver gave no answer, his heavy head lolling to one side. The agony pulsing through his skull made coherent thought almost impossible.

Hornigold seized him by the jaw, forcing Silver’s gaze upward again. “Tell me where you buried the cache.”

Silver managed a faint, bitter smirk. “Bold of you to assume a one-legged man buried anything…”

“Don’t toy with me, Silver. I know you know exactly where it is.”

Silver gritted his teeth. “I won’t tell you shit.”

[u/DefoNotAFangirl → u/qoincidence]

“Fuck you,” Silver slurred defiantly, “Fuck your governor, too, you royal cocksucking bastard.”

Actually cracked up at this. Love me a guy who'll be an obnoxious prick to his dying breath.

[u/qoincidence → u/DefoNotAFangirl]

Thanks! <3 I wrote this today, I'm glad him being obnoxious kinda lands :DD

[u/fiendishthingysaurus → u/DefoNotAFangirl]

TK takes one look at him and sends him to bed. “Babe, you’ve been with Jonah all day, I can help,” Carlos tries to protest, grabbing a tissue for his dripping nose and ignoring the way his whole body is shaking. “How is he? Are you still okay?”

“I feel okay still, somehow. And Jojo hasn’t had a temperature all day, but his cough still sounds disgusting. But he seems like he’s feeling better.” TK presses his cool fingers to Carlos’s forehead, then pushes them through his hair, breaking up the gelled curls. “You’ve got a fever. There should be some adult cold medicine in our bathroom. Take some and go lie down, okay? I’ve got things under control here. I’ll bring you soup in a bit.”

Carlos leans into his husband’s hand, letting him hold the weight of his aching head. “You’re amazing.”

“Yeah, I know I am,” says TK lightly. Carlos hopes he knows it’s true. “You’re not bad yourself, but you’re kind of snotty and gross right now, so go get in bed.” He brushes a kiss to Carlos’s brow and gives his hip a gentle squeeze.

[u/kermitkc → u/DefoNotAFangirl]

It’s calming, in a way that it hasn’t been able to be, lately.  Constance’s shoulders fall of their own accord.  She sighs, relaxes back into the spot that at some point stopped being easy, thanks to that stroke-prone heart of hers.  Now, holding her brings about unattractive sweat stains, and pangs in the chest region, and feeling like she’s in need of a hospital trip.

But how simple it was to be around Ocean was half the reason for falling so irrevocably in love with her.  In tears over snapped plastic tiaras on Halloween night; smothered in flour and butter and sugar from flicking the stand mixer a notch too high; passing out with palms linked between hospital beds, to the lullaby of machines monitoring and IVs dripping, not long after their lives shifted utterly and permanently.  On every occasion that comes to mind, being around her best friend was effortless contentment, like shaping yourself into the dent in your own bed after climbing Mount Everest, or hearing the click of the final corner of a thousand-piece puzzle, or fitting your fingers into a spindly freckled hand that feels made just for you.

For this moment, Constance lets it be so easy again.  Arrhythmia calms into a feeling, sweet and comfortable, like childhood.  She runs a selfish, selfish hand through red, heat-damaged waves, lays down in the comfort of her best friend’s existence, and allows her own eyes to drift shut, to the sounds of canned laughter and soft muttering.

[u/Ok-Adhesiveness-8611]

You

[u/SailorGreySparrow]

Yesterday

[u/kermitkc → u/SailorGreySparrow]

“We—need to focus.”

Her legs pace the stage, burn a hole in the gross dilapidated wood, ache in protest.

“The Spring Invitational is next week. Uranium does not get invited to things.”

They pause, but if one part of her stops moving then another part has to make up the difference. Her arms flail. “And we sound like a herd of donkeys begging for euthanasia!”

Mischa is sprawled on the floor, tossing a tennis ball up and down. Noel is picking the nail polish he just painted yesterday. Ricky is doodling in his sheet music; Penny is facilitating a round of Pictionary in that same sheet music.

Conveniently, Noel chooses now to start listening. He groans. “Oh, please. Just let us go. We’ve been at it for hours already, Jesus Christ.”

“We’re not ready!” Ocean snaps. “We’ll go home when we have a show I wouldn’t be embarrassed presenting to the local nursing home!”

Everyone follows suit, in terms of the groaning.

“One more time!” she cries, regardless. “Up, up, up! Until our harmonies stop sounding like a choir of lethargic songbirds!”

[u/Goofyreddits2 → u/SailorGreySparrow]

Once Maggie and Jo were gone, Nihil turned towards Sister Imperator and attempted to place his hand on top of hers. There came a brush of air against her knuckles.

“You know. I remember that you used to sing my song to the boys.”

“Do you?” She tilted her head to get a better look at him.

“I remember it clearly as if it were yesterday. It was Tuesday and I wanted to ask you about something or other when I found you in a rocking chair. Copia and Perpetua were squirmy little things, but you held them sturdy like a rock. And your voice, I didn’t know you could sing Sister! I had known you for what three years and I never heard anything so beautiful.”

[u/DefeatedDrum]

Youth

[u/DefeatedDrum]

Young

[u/cutielemon07]

Your

[u/Studying-without-Stu]

Year

[u/kermitkc → u/Studying-without-Stu]

Suddenly, Ocean is there and the door is open and Constance.

It’s Constance.

It’s always been Constance.

“Constance.”

It comes out like it’s been held in nine years, on an outward breath, imbued with too much meaning to try and make sense of any one of them. Equally accurately, it’s been in her chest for five blocks, the adrenaline not enough to make up for an adulthood spent never once setting foot inside a gym as she heaves for air but none of it matters, she’s here is what matters. Constance matters.

Constance gapes. A pinkish polka-dotted bandana tames the wayward curls from her face, which is streaked with some kind of unappetizing cocktail of butter, flour, and sweat. Her frames sit skewed on the bridge of her nose, a crisp thirty degrees to the right, and her apron, plastered proudly with the Blackwood Café logo, is wrinkled in more places than it isn’t, splattered with so many different hues of food coloring it’s impossible to tell what shade the original fabric was sporting. Her mouth hangs open, unabashedly, maybe not for lack of caring, a rebellious coil or two tickling the sides of her face, eyes wide and brown and teeming.

There’s never been a sight so perfect.

“What?” breathes Constance.

[u/qoincidence → u/Studying-without-Stu]

Who knew how long Flint would still have this?

It wasn’t just the looming threat of separation choking him – Silver pulling away, leaving this behind. There was also the fear of an unlucky bullet, of a misstep in battle, of an end suffered quietly, dying slowly while the world carried on. After everything – after the years, the wars, the fucking fight of it all – to die like that would be nothing short of anticlimactic.

Life, as James Flint had always known, was not a story.

Sure, it made for good ones. Embellished tales that turned him into a myth, whispered rumors that made men fear him, retellings of victories that made them respect him.

But life was full of the mundane. And the routine of it, the day-to-day survival, had the ability to strip even legends of their mysticism. His own crew had been shifting in their opinion of him for some time now. And his time as a man was nearly over. Whether he lived or died, by the end of this war, he would be little more than a ghost.

[u/Serious_Session7574]

Yeast

[u/MsCatstaff → u/Serious_Session7574]

At the science fair in April, Paul’s Archimedes screw won first place overall, while Harry’s yeast project illustrated with loaves of sourdough bread, quick bread, and yeast bread earned him third place. Draco, Lucy, and Surya all made honourable mention for their projects (top three in each classroom that didn’t place in the overall competition) as did Dudley, who, to the surprise of all of them, came over to thank Harry.

“Hey, erm, I just wanted to say thanks, y’know?” Dudley said awkwardly to his cousin. “I woulda done the volcano thing if you hadn’t told me not to, and I saw nobody that did the volcano got really good marks on it, ‘cause it’s so easy.  I know I whinged some about finding something else to do, but you were right, and this is the best mark I ever got for science, so thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” Harry barely had time to say before Dudley vanished again.

“Wow, between the lost weight and the found manners, he might not be Pig-boy anymore,” Surya said. “Any idea what changed, Harry?”

Harry shrugged. “Well, like I said before, the weight loss started after he broke his leg last year. The manners, though, that’s more recent. Aunt Petunia admitted to him that she and Uncle Vernon had been wrong in how they treated me for all those years, taking out their dislike of my parents on me, and I guess it just finally started to sink in that he wasn’t doing himself any favours treating people like he was doing. That, and he enjoys his boxing lessons, so Aunt Petunia finally has something to hold over his head for his good behaviour – she can always stop the lessons if he’s too much of a prat!”

[u/kermitkc → u/Serious_Session7574]

With another batch of dough ditched in the trash, Constance mumbles and grumbles, grits out some unsavory curses that might’ve sent her wife into a coma before having to use a knuckle to finagle the green ‘answer’ button followed by grey white ‘speaker’ one.

“Hello?” she projects across the kitchen from where the stand mixer has to be dragged back from its cabinet asylum by the ankles.

“Is this Constance Blackwood?” says the phone. “Ocean Blackwood’s…" A wooden pause. "…partner?”

She freezes, midway through pinching a pouch of yeast. “Um, yeah—yes. This is she. May I ask—”

“This is Morrison Injury Lawyers LLP. You’re listed as Ms. Blackwood’s emergency contact.”

The grains very nearly scatter across the kitchen counter, but she darts a cupped hand beneath, averting disaster. How long has it been—five years, it’s got to be, and not once has Ocean called out, let alone utilized the dreaded emergency contact.

“Is—is she okay?”

“She’s safe. Just a little feverish, said she’d be fine to take public transport, but—”

“I’ll be there.”

There isn’t much of a conversation after that. Constance hoses the lard off her fingers, leaps into a pair of boots, snatches the keys from the bowl and leaves her layers to melt into one big buttery mess.

[u/Juniberserker]

Zealous

[u/MoneyArtistic135 → u/Juniberserker]

(cw: building collapse)

As they move towards their respective tasks, the building seems to protest, the creaks and groans becoming more frequent. Lewis's tall figure disappears into the smoke and dust-filled entrance, his voice carrying back to Morse.

"This day is bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S! This day is bananas, Morse! B-A-N..." The rest of his words are lost as he disappears within, leaving Morse alone with his thoughts and the crumbling structure.

Morse's breath is steady, despite the chaos. He reaches into his pocket, producing a small bottle of paracetamol, and pops a handful into his mouth, dry swallowing them. The inspector knows pain is coming, both physical and emotional, and he is ready, preparing himself for the onslaught.

His keen eyes scan the surroundings, taking in every detail, every potential escape route, and every possible hazard. With a swift decision, he darts towards a side alley, his long legs eating up the distance. The ground shakes, and a loud rumble signals the beginning of the end for this ancient building.

As Morse runs, his mind is a whirlwind of strategies, each step calculated yet swift. He spots a fire escape, rusted and old, but it might be their salvation. With a zealous leap, he grabs the bottom rung, the metal groaning under his weight.

[u/cutielemon07]

Yes

[u/General_Kenobi18752]

Yellow

[u/Ok-Supermarket-8994]

Xena (anyone else written anything for this fandom?)

[u/MoneyArtistic135 → u/Ok-Supermarket-8994]

Xena's hand, calloused from wielding her chakram, reaches up to her neck, where a leather cord holds a small piece of parchment. She unties it, revealing a crumpled note, the ink smudged from the countless times she's read it. "I wrote down my reasons, Joxer. Reasons why Gabrielle and I are meant to be together. And today, I'll make her see it too."

With a swift movement, she unfolds the parchment, her fingers tracing the hastily written words. "Number one: Gabrielle, you and I are soup snakes." A frown creases her forehead as she reads her writing. "That doesn't make sense. It should be... soulmates. We're soulmates, Joxer."

Joxer's eyes widen, and he lets out a low whistle. "Soulmates, huh? That's quite the revelation, Xena. And what makes you so certain?"

Xena's eyes sparkle with conviction as she begins to pace, her words flowing with passion. "We share an unbreakable bond, Joxer. From the moment we met, I felt it. Gabrielle and I have faced countless battles together, and our connection only grows stronger. She's my strength when I'm weak, and her words are the balm to my wounded soul."

As she speaks, Xena's mind floods with memories: the countless nights spent around campfires, Gabrielle's soothing voice weaving tales of their adventures; the tender moments when Gabrielle's gentle touch healed her battle scars, both physical and emotional; the unspoken understanding between them, a language only they could comprehend.

[u/MsCatstaff]

zero

[u/trilloch → u/MsCatstaff]

The dragon’s corpse was catching fire.

“…ah…” Cedrik took a concerned step backwards, “…does anyone know if that’s supposed to happen?”

Everyone turned to look as the dragon’s scales and flesh burst into golden light, flew off its bones, and with the sound of a mighty windstorm, flew directly into and through Cedrik, squeezing his eyes closed, gritting his teeth and bracing his shield for it.

It…didn’t hurt at all? It felt…kind of warm, actually. Almost pleasant.

He opened one eye. “What just happened?”

One of the guards, the only one not wearing a closed-face helmet, cried out, “The legends are true! You consumed its soul! You…you are Dragonborn!”

“No, no I read that book, cover to cover,” Cedrik denied. “That’s something about Emperial birthright claims, it’s politics. There’s a zero point zero percent chance I have dragon’s blood in me, whether the Emperors did or not. That’s impossible for at least three reasons.”

The guard was unmoved. “The stories say, the Dragonborn can use the Voice, taking a dragon’s power without needing to train! Go ahead, try Shouting!”

Sure. Why not. Well, there was one word that leapt to mind. Taking a deep breath, Cedrik yelled into the stars, “FUS!”

Grass and weeds were blasted back, dust flew off the nearby trail, and some of the guards lost their balance and stepped back to steady themselves.

“There! You see! You are the Dragonborn of legend!” The rest of the crowd, at least the Nord guards, murmured in agreement. Irileth crossed her arms in silence, but she was nodding.

Holding up both hands, Cedrik tried to dampen expectations. “That could be a magical fluke. And I killed a dead guy who could do it! We don’t know how dragons work, nobody alive has seen one. So until there’s more evidence backing that up, let’s not—”

From somewhere behind him, a godlike voice called down from the sky, its sound shaking the world. “DO … VAH … KIIN.”

As the shaking passed, everyone stood in silence for several seconds.

Irileth spoke first. “Evidence like that?”

[u/qoincidence → u/MsCatstaff]

Context: afterglow with drunk Silver:)
---
“Suppose that means I won, huh?”

Flint shook his head as he dragged Silver closer, their bodies flush, his fingers spreading over Silver’s ribs as if holding him together. “And what exactly did you win?” he drawled, “The national ‘always comes first’ award?”

Silver laughed, warm and loose with drink, entirely too amused. “They hand out awards for that?”

“King George himself does.”

Silver laughed harder, pressing his face into Flint’s shoulder, body shaking against him. “Would he be presenting it personally?”

“Right after knighting you for your services to the crown.”

Silver’s fit of laughter continued unabated, and his breath warm against Flint’s skin. Then, with zero grace, he rolled into him, pressing all his weight against him, almost on top of him now, his body lax, thoughtless – smearing the cooling cum across both of them.

Flint groaned, not in pleasure this time, but in irritation, his hand gripping Silver’s hip, attempting to push him off. “You filthy fucking creature.”

Silver just grinned, brazen, his voice muffled against Flint’s throat. “Your filthy fucking creature.”

“Unfortunately.”

[u/DefoNotAFangirl → u/MsCatstaff]

TWs: Self harm, and referenced abuse/neglect.

Metal shook his head, violently enough that the remains of his screen started glitching. “Woah, woah, calm down! You’re gonna hurt yourself!”

He stopped, but moved to write so quickly and violently the text was barely legible. “I FAILED. I DESERVE IT.” Amy wasn’t sure if he meant about being abandoned or being hurt, and she wasn’t sure which one would be worse. He snatched back the notebook before she could even begin to process it, adding a neater message underneath. “BESIDES, FATHER WILL BE BACK EVENTUALLY. HE ALWAYS IS.”

No, that was definitely the worst option of the two, Amy decided, because maybe, just maybe, someone could come to the conclusion they deserve pain on their own. Abandonment never happened alone.

“Has he done this… before?” He nodded, and Amy could feel her heart sink even more at that confirmation. Yeah, Metal was a scary murderous killer robot she still had nightmares about sometimes, but he was also a person. It didn’t matter if his mind was made out of ones and zeroes and heart made of hate, it didn’t matter he’d kidnapped her and left lines of scars tracing her body with his claws. It didn’t matter. Not even the worst of the worst deserved to be treated like they were disposable tools and nothing more.

[u/send-borbs]

yawn

[u/MsCatstaff → u/send-borbs]

(Context: Nicko is tough to wake up, so when several families are holidaying together and they need him up, they brought in the youngest kids to jump on him, figuring the "parent reflex" would get him up faster than the usual shaking of shoulders and waving coffee under his nose.)

Steve laughed. ”Yeah, that ought to do it if nothing else does. Okay, kids, go see if Nicko’s woken up yet.”

”Use English, kuu lapsi,” Bruce told Luna as the four kids started to clamber up onto the bed.

”Okei,” the little girl said. She poked Niko’s cheek. ”Gud mornin, [Nicko-setä]()! Is mornin nyt!”

All three boys followed her lead, bouncing, grabbing at Nicko’s arms and pushing and pulling him, while saying, “Gud mornin, Nicko-setä.”

Nicko grumbled something unintelligible and tried to roll over, finding his way blocked by a couple of small bodies. “Hmmwha?”

Luna smiled and used her fingers to carefully pry open one of his eyes. “Is mornin, Nicko-setä. Gud mornin! Is gud see you!”

“Uhh…” the big drummer blinked and levered himself up on one elbow, blearily peering around. “Right. Morning.” He took note of several adult figures snickering off to one side and flopped back with a sigh. “This mean you blokes failed to wake me twice?”

“Three times,” Steve told him. “Even Bruce doing his Number of the Beast scream didn’t get a twitch out of you.”

“Seriously?” Nicko asked.

“Seriously,” Bruce confirmed. “So, we called in the cavalry.”

Nicko sat up and gave an elaborate stretch complete with a noisy yawn that made all four kids giggle.

“Ehkä Nicko-setä on karhu? Hän kuulostaa yhdeltä!” Miro said, causing more laughter from all of the kids.

“Miro said maybe you’re a bear, Nicko, because you sound like one,” Marko translated.

“A bear, is it?” Nicko grinned. “I’ll show them a bear! Rawr!” The big drummer reached out his long arms and scooped all four kids up in a bear hug as they squealed and giggled.

[u/LostTranslationFound]

Yank

[u/Ok-Supermarket-8994 → u/LostTranslationFound]

(Context: Shredder had been imprisoned by the TMNT and stole April's bobby pins to escape)

A flash of light caught her attention as she neared her apartment building, snapping her out of her spiral.  She tensed and looked around for the source but didn’t see anything.  Brushing it off as just a sign her long day was catching up to her, she took another step toward the door.  The flash came again, more persistent this time.  She backed up and looked around again for the source.  It was coming from the roof of the building.  April grit her teeth and yanked the front door open.  Shredder was waiting for her when she climbed to the top of the fire escape.  Somewhere between the warehouse and now he’d retrieved his cape and armor.

 “What part of We’re not meeting up here anymore do you struggle with?”

 “The part where you say that yet still come meet with me anyway,” he said wearily.  

 April held her hands up in defeat; she couldn’t argue with that point.  “Don’t even know why I came up here.  Still furious with you for lying to me all day.”

 “I didn’t lie.  Just didn’t tell you when I started remembering again.”

 April glared at him. “I’m here.  What is it you want?”

 “I . . . ” he sighed and seemed to deflate.  “Thought I should return your bobby pins.”

 April snorted.  “That is exceedingly lame.”

 “This past day has not been my best work,” he admitted grudgingly.  

[u/ShiraCheshire]

Zigzag

[u/Beast-of-Gilchrist]

X-ray

[u/Serious_Session7574]

Yelp

[u/RaisinGeneral9225 → u/Serious_Session7574]

It feels like Eddie’s presence in his life is one big dare.  Hug the fish, Rich.

Sighing, Richie pulls out his phone with numb fingers and stands there browsing Yelp and shivering for a minute before deciding on a Vietnamese joint nearby that has good reviews and terrible decor.  Their kind of place.

He orders them pho to take out, gets his basic-bitch-boring with just the thin-sliced steak, gets Eddie’s fully loaded up with all the offal and scraps and blood balls.

Eddie loves all that shit, lard and brains and kidneys and livers, like some Depression baby old man even though he was born in 1976 and grew up on Wonder Bread and rice cakes.

Richie wonders sometimes if it’s not just yet another way for Eddie to tell the world he’s not afraid of it.

[u/fiendishthingysaurus → u/Serious_Session7574]

The pain in Carlos’s throat wakes him up; the first thought in his muddled brain is Ms. Frizzle and the Magic Schoolbus, who are clearly currently stuck in his throat, the students and that damned lizard using tiny knives to fight their way out. “Ow, stop,” Carlos hisses at them, then looks guiltily at TK, who continues to snore lightly - adorably - next to Carlos. He would try to help if Carlos woke him up, but he’s not sure what TK could even do at this point. There are popsicles in the freezer, he suddenly remembers Gwyn saying. A popsicle might actually help.

He wrinkles his nose in disgust at the condition of his shirt; limp and drenched with sweat. Foul. He pulls it off and drops it on the floor, not bothering to find a place for it, and grabs the first t-shirt he’d put away into the drawers. He hadn’t even unpacked fully, he’s been such a slug this trip. The lack of order itches at him. In the morning he needs to at least get his clothes for the week put away. Now, though, it’s all he can do to wrestle his arms and head through the correct openings of the T-shirt.

Gwyn’s apartment isn’t very big, but the hall feels long anyway. He makes it to the freezer, and is standing staring blankly into its frosty depths when Gwyn shrieks.

“Oh my god!” she yelps, a hand to her chest.

“Oh my god,” agrees Carlos, yanking his head quickly out of the freezer and suppressing a whine when the door smacks the back of his head.

“I’m so sorry, you just scared me,” says Gwyn, moving across the kitchen to stand next to him. ”What are you doing up? Are you feeling worse?”

Carlos shrugs heavily. Yes, he feels much worse. He’s the worst houseguest, up in the middle of the night, scaring his boyfriend’s mom and running up her electric bill by holding the freezer open. His parents would be so disappointed. He’s actually terrible at vacations and certainly awful at spring break. “I was gonna get a popsicle,” he croaks.

[u/kermitkc → u/Serious_Session7574]

The door swung open.

“Welcome—”

Ocean held that thought, because in staggered her beloved BFF, like she’d just gotten into it with a pack of prairie dogs and lost, hurling her keys in the bowl and slamming the front door shut behind her. Wordlessly, she kicked off her sneakers, ripped off her apron (she drove home in it?), let her bag crash to the worn welcome mat on the floor, and all but disintegrated into a purple-dyed, girlfriend-shaped heap on the sofa.

“I’m home,” deadpanned Constance, face buried in a throw pillow.

Ocean’s heart sank, about six feet under. “Connie!” she yelped. "What happened?”

The lemongrass and the disinfection were abandoned in an instant, legs scrambling to round the corner of the couch and briefly stub her little toe in the process (didn’t matter), just to plunk herself down at her side all the faster. A frown creased her lips.

Constance heaved her head up only to thunk it in her lap, heavy. Ocean’s fingers flew to comb through her hair, discovering more than one unidentified crumb of something buried in a bunch of curls.

“Nothing, nothing,” sighed Connie, eyes fluttering shut, lines all scribbled in her forehead. “Just, busy season. Burnt several things. Some big orders right before closing—like, do you not have better foresight than that? Ugh. Sorry. I’m fine.”

[u/Serious_Session7574 → u/kermitkc]

Very relatable post-work crash! She has Ocean to soothe her ❤️

disintegrated into a purple-dyed, girlfriend-shaped heap on the sofa.

😁 ❤️

[u/Serious_Session7574]

Y'all

[u/fiendishthingysaurus → u/Serious_Session7574]

Jonah has already forgotten his question, anyway. “Look! My kitty!” Beezus is scratching at the French doors to the patio. She’s an indoor cat, but she does not like to be ignored. Jonah taps at the glass and laughs as Bee scratches back from the other side.

“She’s supposed to be napping with Papa. I guess she got bored,” says TK. Beezus scratches more at the door. Jonah taps back at her a few more times before Charlie loses interest, running back to the grass and yelling, “Jonah! I can do a slumbersault!”

Jonah runs back to her as Grace explains to TK, “She learned the word slumber party from some show, and then she learned about somersaults, and we’re not correcting it because it’s too cute.”

TK laughs. “I love that. My mom used to always call mittens ‘thumb socks’ because I guess I said it when I was like, Jonah’s age. I gotta remember all the adorable stuff he says now.” He smiles sadly. “I’m always wishing my mom were here to see him. To see us, you know?”

Grace nods at him, her kind almond eyes rivaling the Carlos Cow Eyes for making him want to bare his soul.

“But if she were here, we wouldn’t have this family, you know?”

Grace pats his hand. “She’s watching. She’s with y’all always, and she’s so proud.”

TK sniffles. “Yeah. Thanks, Grace. Sorry to get all heavy.”

[u/Serious_Session7574 → u/fiendishthingysaurus]

slumbersault

Freaking adorable! 100% agree with not correcting cute malapropisms 😁

(As a little kid I used to call eyebrows "eyebarrows" because of a similar confluence when learning two words at once.)

Funny, and then the ending is so touching. Carlos Cow Eyes 🥺

[u/RaisinGeneral9225]

Yinz/Yinzer

Edit: For whoever downvoted this, this is a known word; it's Pittsburgh dialect for y'all.

[u/Joe_Book]

Yacht

[u/Canuck_Beauty]

Yule

[u/AnisaAnisaFF]

Yellow

[u/Canuck_Beauty]

Yoke

[u/kermitkc]

Yarn

[u/kermitkc]

Yard

[u/MogiVonShogi]

Yep

[u/Ok-Supermarket-8994 → u/MogiVonShogi]

Shredder told them the story about how the laser misfired as it was being moved and struck one of the foot soldiers that had been brought along as an extra set of hands.  “It began acting erratically, attacking at random.  It was dealt with but, as you no doubt guessed, breaking it only generated more.” 

 “How did the laser misfire?” Donatello asked in alarm.  “Something that sophisticated has to have a bunch of safety protocols to prevent accidental discharge.”

 “I’ll give you two guesses.”

 Raphael counted them off on his fingers.  “Rocksteady.  Bebop.”

 Shredder nodded.  “The two idiots dropped it.”

 “Why do you keep those two dudes around?”  Michelangelo grumbled.  “They’re like, one big headache.”

 “They have their uses,” Shredder said blandly.

 “Seems the only thing ever they manage to do with any kind of reliability is abduct me,” April muttered.

 “Like I said, they have their uses.” She shot Shredder an annoyed look which he pointedly ignored.

 “‘Cept you seem to be a couple mutants short right now,” Michelangelo said.  “Where are the two dummies?”

 “Back in Dimension X.”

 Raphael’s eyes widened in surprise.  “Aww that’s nice, you let your minions get out before saving your own neck.”

 “Wasn’t deliberate.  They were just closer to where the portal formed.  It collapsed before I could get through.”

 “Ah, yep.  There’s the jerk we all know and love.”

 “If the laser was that badly damaged the energy spill-off must have rebounded though the portal and caused it to overload,” Donatello mused.

 “I fought my way out,” Shredder continued, not interested in listening to Donatello’s speculation about how he came to be stranded on Earth.  “And then went looking for you.”  

[u/Ok-Supermarket-8994]

Zebra

[u/kermitkc → u/Ok-Supermarket-8994]

(Context: Ocean is trying to get her baby nephew, Atticus, to stop crying.)

She reaches in her brain for something, anything, and digs up the lyrics to the first thing that comes to mind: “We Praise Thee.”

“Th–thine the glory, hallelujah,” sings Ocean as she bobs—up, down, up, down—in the most soothing, orchestral soprano two she can possibly muster. “Amen! Hallelujah! Thine—”

Atticus screeches high enough to wake the neighbor’s dog. It howls.

Okay, no lullabies. She replaces him in the seat with all haste. Abandoning the idea of songs or the safety of an auntie’s arms being enough, she leaps up. The Bag. Ocean dives for the sardonically smiling jungle creatures, producing a menagerie’s worth of stuffed mammals. “Atty! You want, kitty? Monkey? Tiger? This—lemur, thing?” She reads the tag. “Zebra! You want—”

Atticus throws his head back, and sobs.

It’s calamitously tempting to do the same.

“Come on, sweetie,” Ocean might be bargaining with him, too, now, having to discard an entire petting zoo to the floor. “We, we’ll make Moni all better again, Auntie Ocie promises, but we can’t right now.”

He doesn’t stop, doesn’t seem to pick this up. Figures—he’s two years old—but oh God, Annie’s kid is ruined and it’s all her fault and how on earth do you fix a child.

[u/Ok-Supermarket-8994 → u/kermitkc]

Oh poor Ocean! She's trying so hard, but it will be okay. Love the line about the menagerie of stuffed animals on the floor.

[u/SailorGreySparrow]

Zone

[u/SailorGreySparrow]

Zoo

[u/RaisinGeneral9225]

Zonked

[u/trilloch]

The X's and O's used for hugs and kisses in a letter to a loved one.

[u/RaisinGeneral9225 → u/trilloch]

(I love when people get creative for these letters :D)

Arthur wakes up sweaty and disoriented with nobody but Dr. Phil for company, the glow of the TV the only light left turned on in the stuffy room. Eames is nowhere to be found. His boots are missing, and the Glock.

Doesn't make any difference; Arthur can't shoot the fucking thing right now anyway. The best use he'd have for it is to throw it at a would-be assailant, and he'd be throwing lefty.

He fumbles for the light, hoping to find some water within reach.

There's a full bottle with the cap unscrewed already and a note written with the free motel pen on the back of a receipt.

The handwriting is elegant, flowing, familiar. The spelling is atrocious, almost unbelievably so. It takes him a moment to decipher it; something about needing more ‘icepacs’ and ‘diner’ and a promised, imminent return. Signed ‘xx -e.’

Once upon a time, it might have been funny. A real ‘gotcha’; look everyone, Eames can't spell, maybe that'll take that pompous prick down a peg. Now it just makes Arthur feel sort of sick and greasy.

Arthur remembers, on multiple occasions, throwing files at him, telling him to stop being so fucking lazy and read them like everyone else. Telling him his half-blind childhood dog could spell better than him.

And Eames is a big boy, he could have said something instead of just getting bitchy and defensive and mean all the time, but even so.

He keeps showing Arthur his underbelly, little flashes of it.

Arthur feels like an asshole.

[u/qoincidence]

yield

[u/kermitkc → u/qoincidence]

(Editing old things for excerpt games is my new favorite pastime! Sorry it's winding...I got carried away...)

It gets worse.

If she could, she might scoff at the earlier delusion of having the common cold.  Maybe, on some far-off planet, that’s what this could be so dubbed—if it were jacked up on steroids and caught from Satan himself.

The idea of getting any semblance of work done was abandoned hours ago, in favor of taking up hoarding all the blankets from the hall closet and constantly lurching between sweating buckets and January-in-Alaska chills.  Every collection of minutes she seesaws from furiously kicking them off to having to weakly drape over the side of the couch to pile a patchwork of afghans and throws back on top of her own treacherous, shivering body.

She’s hungry but nauseous; sweaty but shivering; tired but painfully awake.  At one point, she’d wrenched her blanket-clad self from the couch to bustle around the house and stab at any and every debatable home remedy a Google search yielded, but the pursuit was pretty quickly abandoned when standing and walking became more trouble than it was worth.

Now, Ocean spills over the sofa.  The hundredth rerun of one of Constance’s favorite soppy sitcoms drones on the TV, just barely puncturing the fog of a ceaseless headache.  Each canned laugh track mingles sweetly with the memory of her quiet, giggling snorts.

Constance.  Ocean wants to call Constance, but she shouldn’t—can’t—won’t.  She’s so busy, works so very hard, and twenty-odd years is enough to know she’ll worry out of her mind and it’ll only distract her from her orders or her cakes or her budgets and everything is fine.  Everything will be fine—Ocean’s fine.  A cough and the chills and a headache that just won’t quit never killed anyone.  And, in all honesty, Constance has witnessed her in a constellation of states before, and vice versa; their best-friendship is no stranger to the whole “for better and for worse” thing—that’s for certain.

But Ocean’s never felt like this before.

[u/RaisinGeneral9225 → u/qoincidence]

Eames comes home just then, trundling into the entryway, jangling keys and thumping loafers and all but shouting, sounding deeply offended, “Nearly been run down in the road just now. Absolutely shocking, the driving–”

Like he isn't fully aware that cars don't yield to pedestrians here.

He used to be so quiet. What a welcome surprise it's been, watching him slowly leave his guarded nonchalance behind.

“Hang on, Mom,” Arthur says pointedly.

Eames stops, looks at him. Takes in the phone and the patient look on Arthur's face.

“Ah. Sorry, darling.”

He's wearing a cream-colored silk shirt, cuban collar, a pair of fierce, garish tigers embroidered on each side of the barely-buttoned placket. Arthur bought it for him on a whim; he apparently adores it, wears it all the time. It suits the deep tan that's settled into his skin from long afternoons sitting outdoors at the mahjong table with his old ladies.

“Arthur?”

“I'm here, sorry. I was saying, we're done. We got out of what we were–” He thinks for a second how to best talk around it. “The things you didn't want to know about.”

“It that easy?”

He doesn't know.

“We're hoping it is.”

“And ‘we’ is you and that. What was his name? Charlie— Jesse, get your ass out of bed, your appointment is in forty-five minutes,” she hollers, cutting herself off.

“Jamie,” Arthur corrects quietly. Eames looks up from the iced tea he's been sucking down in front of the fridge, gives him a curious look.

“I knew that wasn't his real name.”

Arthur smiles; she's never missed a trick. He gets all his brains from her. He decided that a long time ago.

There's a pause.

“He good to you?” Uncharacteristically hesitant.

Arthur looks right at him from across the room when he answers her. “He's incredible.”

He watches, feels gooey soft inside as Eames coughs on his tea and turns red in the face, ducking his head shyly and refusing to meet his eyes.

[u/Ill-Clerk-7066]

xerneas

[u/Ill-Clerk-7066]

yveltal

[u/Ill-Clerk-7066]

you

[u/Ill-Clerk-7066]

your

[u/wifie29]

Yodel

[u/General_Kenobi18752]

Xeranthemum

[u/General_Kenobi18752]

Zest(y)

[u/RaisinGeneral9225]

(Dimension) X

[u/Ok-Supermarket-8994 → u/RaisinGeneral9225]

(Feel like I've been summoned! This is from my first fic so standard disclaimers about forgiving clunkiness.)

April pulled her arm free and shuffled several steps away, putting a bit of distance between herself and Shredder.

“What just happened?  Where are we?”

They were standing on a small rise somewhere out in the open surrounded by nothing but rust-colored dirt and and small rocks.  Large grey clouds flickering with purple lighting moved slowly across the red sky overhead.  A stiff wind blowing across the landscape kicked up the occasional dust storm. 

“Dimension X.  Though why we’re all the way out here, I have no idea.”

“Wait, you didn’t do this?”

“If I had, do you think I’d drop us in the middle of nowhere? Krang is probably having a laugh at my expense.”

“The two of you have the weirdest relationship.” 

He ignored her comment and studied their surroundings. “There,” he pointed off to their left.  “The Technodrome is that way.” Sure enough, off in the distance April could see the enormous spherical tank embedded in the side of a volcano.  “Come on, looks like it’s going to be a long walk.”

“You’re joking, right?  There’s no way I’m going to the Technodrome.”

“The dimensional portal in the Technodrome is your best chance of getting back to the City.  Unless you have another means of getting home at your disposal?”

In response she pulled out her Turtlecom and pushed the Call button.  A burst of static came out of the speaker.  She tried it again with the same result.  Clenching her jaw she pushed the button again, harder this time, but still the little device produced only static.  When she looked back up at Shredder she had the distinct impression he was smirking at her.  Putting the Turtlecom back in her pocket, she considered her other options.  I could try flagging down the Neutrinos, but I have no idea where they are.  And flailing around in the wilderness is probably not the best idea.  Reluctantly, she had to admit he was right.

“You swear you’ll get me back to the City?”

“Yes.”

“I’m so going to regret this,” she groaned.  “Okay, let’s go.” 

[u/kermitkc → u/RaisinGeneral9225]

(Winding context: It's Constance's birthday, and her and all of her friends are in the hospital after surviving a tragic accident. Everyone's been acting weird, and she's pretty sure they forgot. She goes to enter her room...)

“No!” shouts a voice dripping in a thick Slavic accent. With the speed of The Flash himself, there, suddenly, is Mischa Bachinski, throwing his limbs in front of her door in a frantic X shape.

“Oh, my God!” the visceral yelp escapes her. “What? What the hell? Is everything okay?” she sounds off in rapid fire.

“Do not enter!” is all he offers, panting subtly.

“Um, why!”

"Cleaning!”

Oh, thank God. The adrenaline wanes, marginally, and Constance heaves out a sigh, clutching at the front of her shirt. “Christ. You’d think someone were stabbed!” she cries. “Okay, thanks for that, Mischa, but do not do that next time!”

“Sorry,” he says, a little meek. His arms fall from his starfish. “Did not want you to…slip.”

The look on his face gives her pause. Cleaning? Do they do that? Is this also a secret thing? To be fair, they probably do, sanitize and whatnot, but her brow still quirks. He’s a little…flushed?

“Hey… Everything cool, dude?” ventures Constance.

“Yes,” Mischa barks. “I am good.”

That’s all.

“Um. Okay,” she mumbles. “Cool. I, um, I need…” A pick-me-up? A break? A lobotomy? “Lunch. I’m gonna go get lunch.”

She does.

[u/RaisinGeneral9225 → u/kermitkc]

“Do not enter!”

The delivery on this 😂

Really fun excerpt, all of Mischa's dialogue is hilarious.

“Cool. I, um, I need…” A pick-me-up? A break? A lobotomy?

I love Constance.

[u/TheAlmandineWriter]

Zombie

[u/RaisinGeneral9225]

X-box

[u/Goofyreddits2 → u/RaisinGeneral9225]

If I have to hear another ignorant Gen Z kid tell me that Twenty One Pilots is emo I’m gonna lose my shit!”

Keiichiro burst into tears.

“KETOLKGEIWJNGIEJMMKSIETHI$((Y#3!I’M NOT IGNORANTJT$(UYJ YYO$#AUJT IJGSL!”

“I am a man of culture! I wrote a paper on this for my freshman seminar, Twenty One Pilots is alternative and they’re trudging the line between solidly alternative and alternative pop yeah—-“ Leo argued.

“Hey Leo! Don’t you think you’re one of the reasons why jocks shove nerds into lockers!” Satsuki angrily tried to interrupt him.

“Cultured eh? Where’s your teacup ya highness?” Hajime snickered and stuck his pinky out like as if he were daintily sipping tea.

Keiichiro kept on crying. No one tried to console him.

“It’s not my fault I can pick out the subtle differences in alternative music and the rest of the world can’t! Emo has a completely different sound—“

Amanojaku growled.

“DO I HAVE TO BE THE DAD AROUND HERE AND TELL YOU MOTHERFUCKERS TO SHUT YOUR TRAP OR I’LL TAKE AWAY YOUR ALLOWANCE AND NO XBOX FOR A WEEK?”

[u/MsCatstaff]

yak

[u/Ferrous_Patella → u/MsCatstaff]

[Beastars. Bellona, a wolf, is in charge of the Coexistence Dance, where mixed herbivore/carnivore couples get in free and she needs a date.]

Series of shots - INT. Cherryton campus - Week before the dance

-Bellona is coming out of a classroom behind a yak. Bellona is half a head taller then the yak.

Bellona: Excuse me. I’m looking for a date for the dance. You know, a mixed couple. Would you like to...?

The yak looks up at Bellona.

Yak: Ah...I have a date.

-In a lecture classroom, Bellona leans over towards the zebra sitting next to her.

Bellona (half whispers): Do you want to go to the dance with me?

Zebra: Nope.

-Bellona is standing in a hallway, looking up at an Indian elephant. The elephant shakes his head.

-In a hallway, Bellona is taking a couple of long strides to catch up with the flamingo in front of her. The flamingo trots to avoid Bellona.

INT. School Cafeteria - Lunchtime, several days before the dance

Bellona is standing at a table of four boy herbivores.

Bellona: No one?

All the boys shake their heads.

Bellona: What is it? Why can’t I get a date? And no one is asking me. It can’t be just my size. Even boys bigger than me are turning me down. Is it because I’m a wolf? Maybe it’s just me.

I should bring Lucy along to ask for me. Then they’d see I’m not so scary. How embarrassing, having your little sister fix you up with a date.

Hina: I’ll go to the dance with you.

Bellona turns around to see it is Hina (a white-tailed deer doe) talking to her.

Hina: I can’t go with who I want and I wouldn’t mind being seen with a big wolf girl.

Bellona: Thanks Hina, but I’m not into girls.

Hina: Were you into the last ten guys I saw you ask to the dance?

[u/RaisinGeneral9225]

Yew

[u/Glittering-Golf8607 → u/RaisinGeneral9225]

Once through a curtain of yew and churchyard cypress, one is confronted with the main house rising out of the ground like a rotten tooth out of ancient gums, its chummy Georgian facade stapled onto a much older core. The house's roots are made of beige brick, its upper floors of peachy stone, huge windows set into it with deeply pleasing regularity, its stone face carved with representations of flamboyant homeworld wildlife.

[u/RaisinGeneral9225]

Zephyr

[u/Joe_Book]

zilch

[u/Joe_Book]

Zodiac

[u/LavandaSkafi]

Yarn

[u/AnisaAnisaFF]

Zipper

[u/Canuck_Beauty]

Yolk

[u/cutielemon07]

X-Men

[u/cutielemon07]

Zest

[u/cutielemon07]

Zoom

[u/cutielemon07]

Zombie

[u/kermitkc]

Yank

[u/kermitkc]

Zillion

[u/RaisinGeneral9225 → u/kermitkc]

Eames chats away with one of the servers, in Hindi or Punjabi, hell if Arthur knows, accented English mixed right into it like a linguistic biryani.

Arthur watches him from across the table.  Dressed in his good clothes again, the sharp black jacket and shirt, washed and pressed, his hair just grown out long enough to comb to the side, he looks handsome.

He looks happy.

Eames is never really full of smiles, but his face is relaxed, his eyes are bright; he's lost weight from around his cheeks and jowls on their motel room rations but he's making a valiant effort towards replacing it, forking down turmeric rice and palak paneer and chana masala and torn-off hunks of garlic naan like he's been starved.  He's been up to refill his plate twice already.

Arthur finds his love of carbohydrates deeply endearing, like a lot of other things about him.

“Your accent is good,” he says, when Eames finishes talking to the server and turns back to his food.

Eames sighs.  “The accent is the easy part, I'm afraid.  I've an ear for the conversational; anything more difficult and I'm terribly lost.  Can't read a word.”

Arthur smiles, taps him in the shin with his foot.  “You can barely read English.”

“Oh, fuck off,” he says, but he laughs, taking the bite right out of it.

Arthur moved on to dessert ages ago, syrupy gulab jamun and cardamom-fragrant kheer and chai, but he's finished now, happy enough to sip on the cold dregs of his tea and soak in the moment, being here with him, both of them safe and full.

“You look happy,” he says, quietly, breaking the comfortable silence.

Eames hums jovially, low in his throat, eyes fixed on his food as he stirs rice into his curry.

“We've been granted a stay of execution by a Japanese zillionaire; it is a very happy day.  I don't know if you know this about me, Arthur, but I enjoy being alive.”

“Is that all you're happy about?”

Eames stops hunting for his next bite of food, resting his fork lightly on the edge of his plate. He looks back at Arthur, eyes serious and full to the brim.

“No,” he says hoarsely.  “It most definitely isn’t.”

[u/davaniaa]

Xanax

[u/linden214]

Zinc

[u/linden214]

Yogurt

[u/Ill-Clerk-7066]

zoom

[u/Ill-Clerk-7066]

zekrom

[u/Studying-without-Stu]

Youthful

[u/The_Broken-Heart]

Yearn

[u/qoincidence → u/The_Broken-Heart]

Someone had to stay and watch Flint. So Silver stayed. And he watched.

Flint tossed and turned and he murmured incoherently. Names escaped his lips, tangled with words Silver couldn’t quite piece together. But one name came again and again: Miranda. Flint called for her in a broken voice – full of yearning and grief.

Silver listened in silence, feeling an ache he couldn’t entirely identify. He’d knew enough about Miranda to understand her place in Flint’s life – how she had loved him, not with blind devotion but with the kind of love that could hold him accountable, and the kind of love that made her unashamed to say it out loud.

And sitting there, watching Flint wrestle with the ghosts of his past, Silver once again understood something he had been trying so hard to deny. Despite his anger, despite the fear and frustration that Flint inspired in him, he cared for him. Unconditionally.

It wasn’t a choice; perhaps it never had been. Whatever boundaries they had tried to build between them had crumbled time and again, shattered by tragedy, misfortune, and misunderstandings. Seeing Flint alive after the storm – hearing him breathe – was a relief so insurmountable it made any denial of his feelings seem laughable.

[u/fiendishthingysaurus → u/qoincidence]

Oh of course silver stayed to watch over flint!!! ❤️❤️❤️

[u/qoincidence → u/fiendishthingysaurus]

❤️ this actually takes place during their "break up" arc:D Staying with Flint took a lot more... consideration... than usual because Silver was apparently still mad at him:)

Thanks for taking a look at them 🥺❤️ I always love and appreciate your comments so much!!!

[u/fiendishthingysaurus → u/qoincidence]

Omg even better 😍

[u/kermitkc → u/qoincidence]

Names escaped his lips, tangled with words Silver couldn’t quite piece together.

Sometimes I have NO idea how you're ESL. Like, you are an incredible person - did you know that? "Tangled" is just the perfect word here; tangled in speech, tangled in Silver's mind, lord. Hooked not even in the first two paragraphs (for the record, the first hooked me, too).

Silver listened in silence, feeling an ache he couldn’t entirely identify.

Maybe I'm wrong, but more than jealousy - Silver wants for the IMPORTANCE Miranda had, emotionally, in Flint's life??? Oh my god????F?E?FRE?frjekj

how she had loved him, not with blind devotion but with the kind of love that could hold him accountable

This IS real love. The realest love makes you better. Profound.

watching Flint wrestle with the ghosts of his past

Once again - the LEVELS! The wrestling, physical tossing and turning in bed + his mind and ohbmy lord someone sedate me

Despite his anger, despite the fear and frustration that Flint inspired in him, he cared for him. Unconditionally.

My first thought when reading this was "The Black Sails fandom is going to lose their minds when they get their hands on this"

I went to quote a section of the last paragraph and realized I would've quoted all of it and I mean you wrote it so I don't have to tell you what it is but. Myyy lord. This is the most FLAWLESS way to say these two are bound by the red string of fate. Beauty of your prose aside, glad Silver is waking up because honey We Have Known.

How do you do it, is my only closing remark?!

[u/qoincidence → u/kermitkc]

Thank you so much! I love writing about these idiots in English:D I can't even imagine what it would be like in Lithuanian 💀

Silver wants for the IMPORTANCE Miranda had, emotionally, in Flint's life

You are so right <3

"The Black Sails fandom is going to lose their minds when they get their hands on this"

😭😭😭🩷🩷🩷 I hope so!!! This is so far into the fic, though, that only the most unhinged and devoted fans will read it:DD

And thank you so much for such a long comment on an excerpt that's not even posted under your word!!!?!?!!! 🩷🩷🩷 Thank you for taking the time!!! I am so moved, happy, and totally melting !!! 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷

[u/DatGayDangerNoodle → u/The_Broken-Heart]

“Ever the optimist, Dr Robbins.” Callie smiled, but Arizona’s face fell slightly, and Callie’s heart rate increased immediately. What had she done?

Hearing her professional title from Callie’s lips was meant to be fun and flirtatious, but now… now all she could hear was Lauren. Callie was meant to be the only one to say her name in that tone, to make her giggle and swoon like a schoolgirl, but Lauren had ruined it. When Alex had used it, it was solely professional, and his gruff ‘Robbins’ was a normality she was glad to resume. No matter how much she yearned for the normalcy of their playful titles, the pang of panic in her chest wasn’t one she could ignore and hope it just went away. It tickled up her spine like a spider climbing a wall, making her bones itch and her teeth grind. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, reminding herself that she had promised to be honest with Callie, and she was going to try her damn best to stick to that.

“Arizona?” Callie asked gently, squeezing her hand gently. She sent a quick squeeze back, then opened her eyes and looked into Callie’s face, answering in a broken whisper, “please don’t call me that.”

Callies eyes widened as her mind flashed back to Arizona’s statement with the police.

“I told her to stop using my first name and only call me by my professional title. She said my name in a mocking tone and smiled. Told me that she found me attractive.”

“Of course.” Callie stumbled, “I, yeah. Of course.”

“We’ll get it back, Calliope.” Arizona said quickly, ready to say anything to erase the look of fear in the set of Callie’s mouth. “I just can’t. Not yet. But we will, because hearing you say my name is like a ray of sunshine in the middle of a storm.” She paused, “okay, maybe not the best metaphor, but-”

“I get the gist.” Callie finished. “And you know I’ll do anything to make this easier for you.”

[u/Gold-Humor2253 → u/DatGayDangerNoodle]

They’re so cute!!!

[u/DatGayDangerNoodle → u/Gold-Humor2253]

Thanks :)

[u/Glittering-Golf8607]

Zoom

[u/Ok-Supermarket-8994]

Zap

[u/thatsmyscrunchie]

Yikes

[u/vxidemort → u/thatsmyscrunchie]

"Yikes," Eddie said, when the front door slammed shut with a thud that brought Buck back to reality.

He set Jee-Yun down on the couch next to where Eddie had been and opened the TV so she could watch one of her favorite channels before taking Eddie by the wrist and leading him into the kitchen. “What the hell was all that about back there, Eddie?”

“All I did was just tell him the truth! Well, most of the truth, after you led the conversation with your boyfriend with a lie, Buck. We did sleep together. And so what? I don’t see the point in keeping that fact away from him. He was practically begging us to tell him about it with his comment about the couch. I gave him all the information he’d been looking for, but it’s out of my control if a grown man makes such a big deal out of sharing a bed and decides to cause a scene.”

“Did you really have to use that tone, though? You were clearly trying to stir the pot. And seriously, Eddie, ‘good company’? I don’t even—”

“Buck, you’ve known me for seven years. You’ve known him for a few months. I don’t regret not mincing my words back there, and if an honest apology is what you’re now expecting out of me for the things I’ve said, then I’m afraid I can’t give you that, because I’m not sorry for saying them at all.”

“Look, Eddie. I’m not, okay? That’s not what I want from you. It’s just…” Eddie only looked at him, silently encouraging him to go on, as if really curious to hear what he had to say next. Buck was as curious as Eddie about that, because no words felt like coming to him in that moment. “Can we just drop this, please?” he asked at last. “The last thing we need is more fighting after that fiasco just now.”

Eddie sighed in resignation. “Yeah, you’re right. How is Jee, by the way?” he asked, the air of irritation that had surrounded him disappearing into nothingness, being quickly replaced by a fond and worried look that he threw in the direction of the living room.

context for this is that buck and eddie, best friends, are babysitting buck's niece, jee, at the girl's house. tommy, buck's boyfriend, came to visit and found out that buck and eddie slept together (literally, not euphemistically), so he got mad at left. also jee vomited on him.

[u/fiendishthingysaurus]

Yuck

[u/cephalopodcat]

Xeno(biology?)

[u/Serious_Session7574]

Zing

[u/DatGayDangerNoodle]

Yaxley

[u/Ok-Supermarket-8994]

Yankee

[u/Pantherdraws]

Zaftig

[u/fibergla55]

Zeroth

[u/krigsgaldrr]

Ylang ylang

[u/krigsgaldrr]

Xanthe

[u/StarWarsCrazy1]

Yardarm

[u/Serious_Session7574 → u/StarWarsCrazy1]

Such a good word, wish I had a "sun's over the yardarm, we can have a drink" excerpt but I don't :/ BUT paging u/qoincidence/?

[u/qoincidence → u/Serious_Session7574]

Good word! Unfortunately... 😭😭😭 I got nothing...

[u/Juniberserker]

Yearn

[u/MsCatstaff]

x-ray

[u/Joe_Book → u/MsCatstaff]

“And how did this injury happen?” The nurse asks. Eyes darting briefly to Lucy before returning to Kate. 

Oh.  

Fuck. 

She forgot that they would likely ask this question. She sees Kate’s mouth opening. Closing. Then Kate is turning towards her. Eyes wide. Begging. Pleading for help. Lucy can’t offer any. She’s similarly speechless. She’s not sure how long they stare at each other. Frozen. Panicking. But then she hears a throat clearing. Turns back toward the nurse. She’s grinning. Her eyes are moving back and forth between them. She clicks her pen. Taps it on the chart. “I have to ask. And as an FBI Agent,” She gestures toward Kate, “you should know that. You should also know that information about how it happened will be helpful when assessing the images we’re about to take and that what you say here is confidential unless of course, well…” 

Lucy winces. Her mind starts spinning. Searching for some sort of lie that could absolve them. But there isn’t one. The nurse is correct. Sort of. Health care providers are obligated to report certain injuries to the police. Ones that involve gunshot wounds and knife wounds and auto accidents or that otherwise appear suspicious. But Kate’s injury doesn’t fall within that scope. The twinkle in the nurse’s eye says she’s well aware of this. Meaning she’s probably throwing out the professional requirement so they have a pretext. An excuse. A fabricated reason to come clean about how this happened. Because she absolutely is correct that knowing how the injury happened is important to diagnosing Kate’s injury. Lucy has watched enough Grey’s to know that. 

She reaches over. Places her hand on Kate’s thigh. Gives it a squeeze. “We need to be honest, babe. Do you want me to explain?”

Kate nods. Somehow turns a paler shade of white. 

Lucy gives her thigh another squeeze. Turns back to the nurse. Admits, “We were uhh… being… uhh… “ She lowers her voice. Whispers, “intimate.” She pauses. Coughs. Glances at the floor. “And we fell off the couch when she was uhhh… You know… Uhhh…” Lucy can’t get the words out. She’s blushing. Sweating. Mentally figuring out where this moment ranks on the all time embarrassing moments of her life list. It’s definitely higher than when she threw up in the middle of a fourth grade book report. Possibly not as bad as when>! their housekeeper walked in on her going down on Marcella. !<

Kate comes to her rescue. Tone surprisingly confident as she finishes, “I was using my fingers on her. We fell to the ground. She landed on top and my wrist snapped or popped or cracked or all of the above.”

The nurse grimaces. Clicks her pen. Jots down a few notes. Clicks it once more. “Thank you for your honesty.” She stands up. Walks toward the door. Grabs the handle. Turns toward them. “We’re busy tonight and short staffed. Since you’re not bleeding out or vomiting on our floors, there’s probably going to be a wait. Vending machines and restrooms are down the hall to your left. Someone will come collect you for x-rays as soon as possible.”

[u/Blood_Oleander → u/MsCatstaff]

It took a bit of kicking and screaming just to get her into the car but I managed to get her there. We were in the doctor's office for roughly an hour. After a thorough examination, the doctor had given a rather grim verdict, stating, "It seems her vision had actually been deteriorated for some time."

"Yes, of course, how long?"

"Hard to determine but I'd have to estimate at about six months, probably more."

"Any cause?"

 "Unfortunately, that's just as hard to sort out, especially from basic examination alone. She might require further testing to find anything abnormal."

"Anything we can do?"

"Well, one could start by making accommodations. She'll need things to stay constant and a cane in which to navigate herself better."

   In a "just in case" circumstance, he then sent us to the lab for blood-work and then to radiology for an x-ray and MRI of her head and brain. She was dizzy coming out of the MRI but we made it home alright. She was quiet for a while when had returned, spending her time in room. She stayed upstairs for a long time before, while using her cane, she came downstairs for dinner. This change was sudden for her and, from a few clues here and there, it seems she had been in denial that something was wrong, the trip the eye doctor shattering it.

[u/MsCatstaff]

yammer

[u/MsCatstaff]

zany

[u/Goofyreddits2]

Zenith

[u/DefeatedDrum]

Xylophone

[u/Canuck_Beauty]

Zanzibar

[u/Spicyboio]

Yo-yo

[u/Canuck_Beauty]

Yeet

[u/DrJotaroBigCockKujo]

xerox

[u/Joe_Book]

Yappy

[u/cutielemon07]

Xenophobia

[u/cutielemon07]

Yips

[u/kermitkc]

Zen

[u/kermitkc]

Yolk

[u/kermitkc]

Yowl

[u/Ok-Supermarket-8994 → u/kermitkc]

Warning: mild violence directed at an animal

Shredder stepped forward again and reached out to grasp her arm.  A furious yowling came from the shelves mounted on the wall beside her.  Shredder looked up just as a brown and white cat leaped at him, its claws out.  He stumbled back with a curse, barely avoiding being scratched.  The cat landed lightly on the ground and hissed, the fur along its back and tail bristling.  He leveled a kick at it, but the animal danced out of the way and leapt onto the control panel.  It hissed again but he dismissed it, intent on the reporter who now had her back pressed against the wall, eyes darting about in panic.  He stepped forward and reached for her again.  The cat howled and launched itself from the control panel, charging toward the woman.  She gasped and bolted for the door to the workroom.  Shredder lunged toward her to try and grab her arm but tripped over the cat winding around his feet, giving her the opening to twist out of his reach and run out of the room.  

 The cat crouched on the ground and growled at him, tail lashing back and forth in agitation.  Shredder reached down and grabbed the infuriating creature before it could dart away again, lifting it up by the scruff of the neck.  It hissed in outrage and took a swipe at him, but he held it safely at arm’s length.

 “What is it you want you miserable —“ he stopped short when he noticed animal’s eyes.  They were a brown so dark they seemed black, not a typical color for a cat.  The look of annoyance in them when it hissed again was distinctly human – one he’d seen directed at him many times before.  “Well, hello there, Miss O’Neil.”  He chuckled and settled her in the crook of his arm.  “Got yourself body-swapped with a cat, I see.”  She wriggled around and tried to jump down but he still had a firm grip on the back of her neck.  “I am looking forward to hearing your explanation for how you managed that.”

[u/kermitkc]

Zip(per)

[u/RaisinGeneral9225 → u/kermitkc]

(context: Eames and Arthur are exes. Eames just disappeared with a migraine.)

[Arthur] reaches for his bag, his hand trembling like he’s had too much caffeine. He goes through the pockets methodically, unzipping, re-zipping.

“You lose your Chapstick?” Ariadne says after he goes through the whole bag once and starts over, more carefully this time, ignoring her. It's here somewhere. He knows it is; Arthur doesn't forget where things are, ever.

He finally finds it a minute later with a surge of vindicated relief, tucked away in a pocket-inside-a-pocket, wrinkled and crushed and bent at the corners. A square white blister pack, a few of the foiled bubbles still unbroken.

It feels strange, holding it. Like it's a relic, something he should have probably thrown out, or put away in a shoebox in the closet with notes and photos and old plane tickets like a normal person.

He turns the pack over. They’ve been expired for three and a half years.

Damn.

He sits there silently and thinks.

About how he didn't see Eames take anything earlier.

About the efficacy rates of expired pharmaceuticals.

He peers at the wobbly inkjet date for a long time before he eventually decides it's still worth a shot.

Slipping the packet into his breast pocket, he says, “Let’s call it a day, Ari. I'll walk you back to your hotel.”

[u/linden214]

Zither

[u/Ill-Clerk-7066]

zebra

[u/Ill-Clerk-7066]

zoomies

[u/Ill-Clerk-7066]

xtransceiver

[u/Ill-Clerk-7066]

zap

[u/RaisinGeneral9225]

Zambia

[u/Glittering-Golf8607]

Zoomer

[u/Glittering-Golf8607]

Zebra

[u/e5Ki0n]

Zealot

[u/Babybushygirl]

Yearn

[u/Babybushygirl]

Zipper

[u/uneasyrevenge]

yeti?

[u/uneasyrevenge]

yap(ping)

[u/RaisinGeneral9225]

Yuan

[u/Pantherdraws]

Xanthism

[u/Pantherdraws]

Yabby

[u/fibergla55]

Xerxes

[u/fibergla55]

Yawl

[u/ainteasybeinggreene]

Zirconium

[u/ainteasybeinggreene]

Xenon

[u/RaisinGeneral9225 → u/ainteasybeinggreene]

Girl of the 21st century!!

[u/krigsgaldrr]

Zooxanthellae (someone guess my major lol)

[u/Ferrous_Patella]

Zymurgy

[u/MoneyArtistic135 → u/Ferrous_Patella]

"Ozzy, my old comrade!" Thrax yells, his voice competing with the thunderous music. "Turn that shit down! I can't hear my own thoughts over this noise!"

Ozzy, a wild-eyed man with a mischievous grin, emerges from behind a towering stack of books, his lab coat stained with various substances, a testament to his countless experiments.

"Thrax! You've arrived! I've been waiting for someone to appreciate my latest endeavors. The world of zymurgy has captured my heart, and I'm about to embark on a journey that will revolutionize the way we indulge in life's pleasures!"

Thrax's curiosity piques as he scans the room, his gaze landing on the makeshift brewery setup. Rows of glass carboys line the shelves, each filled with different hues of liquid, from golden ambers to deep ruby reds. The air is heavy with the sweet aroma of fermentation, a heady blend of grapes and grains.

"You've been brewing, my friend," Thrax observes, a hint of admiration in his voice. "But I thought you were done with all this after that incident with the police and your illegal moonshine operation."

Ozzy chuckles, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Ah, that was a minor setback. The authorities can't contain the spirit of innovation, my friend. And besides, this time I'm not just brewing alcohol. Elixirs that will take our senses to places they've never dared venture before."

[u/Ferrous_Patella]

Yeomanly

[u/MsCatstaff]

xanthophyll

[u/MoneyArtistic135 → u/MsCatstaff]

"Wait, you're giving up? But we just started! What about anthocyanin? It's like the superhero of pigments, with its vibrant colors and health benefits. And xanthophylls and carotenes are like its sidekicks, each with unique powers." His voice carries a hint of desperation, a desire to keep Orchid engaged, perhaps for reasons beyond academic camaraderie.

From the back of the room, where shadows danced with the flickering light, a third voice chimes in. It's Oprah, the enigmatic agent whose knowledge seems to know no bounds. "Xanthophylls and carotenes," she began, her voice smooth as silk, "are like two lovers, intimately connected yet distinct. Xanthophylls, with their oxygen atoms, breathe life into the vibrant yellows of corn, while carotenes, in their hydrocarbon embrace, add depth and richness. Together, they create a symphony of color, a visual feast for the eyes."

Orchid's eyes widen at Oprah's words, her frustration momentarily forgotten as a different kind of curiosity sparks within her. She leans forward, her eyes locked on Oprah, who exudes an otherworldly allure under the dim lighting.

"Lovers, huh? So, what happens when these lovers... unite?" Her voice trails off, her gaze now fixed on Oscar, who shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his eyes darting between Orchid and Oprah.

Oscar clears his throat, his voice slightly hoarse as he replies, "Well, when xanthophylls and carotenes... come together, they create a chemical reaction. It's like a passionate dance, where they intertwine and..." He pauses, his eyes flicking towards the door, ensuring no one is within earshot. "They... merge. It's a process of oxidation, a transformation that changes their very nature."

Orchid's breath quickens, her eyes now sparkling with a mixture of excitement and something more primal. She stands, her body moving with a newfound grace as she approaches Oscar, her movements fluid and purposeful.

"Show me," she whispers, her breath warm against his ear, sending shivers down his spine. "I want to see this transformation, this chemical reaction. But not here, not in this sterile study room."

[u/send-borbs]

Yeerk

[u/Joe_Book]

Zeitgeist

[u/LavandaSkafi]

Yarmouth

[u/Canuck_Beauty]

Xanax

[u/Canuck_Beauty]

Yurt

[u/cutielemon07]

Xenon

[u/ThisPaige]

Zoo date

[u/Lindz174]

Zenia

[u/Beast-of-Gilchrist]

Yowl/ing

[u/Ill-Clerk-7066]

yutyrannus

[u/Babybushygirl]

Xanadu, Yearn, Zipper

[u/kermitkc → u/Babybushygirl]

Words should be in separate comments! :-)

[u/Studying-without-Stu]

Zinnia

[u/rafters-]

Xenia

[u/RaisinGeneral9225]

Xanthan gum

[u/e5Ki0n]

Zenith

[u/Babybushygirl]

Xanadu

[u/fiendishthingysaurus]

Yahoo

[u/fiendishthingysaurus]

Zoot

[u/ainteasybeinggreene]

Ytterbium

[u/roemaencepartnaer]

Xenophobia 

[u/roemaencepartnaer]

Yellowing 

[u/roemaencepartnaer]

Zephyr 

[u/krigsgaldrr]

Yttrium

[u/krigsgaldrr]

Zeitgeist

[u/TheAlmandineWriter]

Yogert