#wasp text

Post-200 Jon still feeling like he has to record... if not statements, then something. He’s been making recordings for years, it feels wrong not to have a tape recorder on him and be keeping a record of something. He remembers how weak he felt when he stopped taking live statements, worries that could happen again if he stops recording anything. It doesn’t make sense, but it feels plausible enough that he keeps finding things to read and record. Just in case.

It scares the shit out of Martin, who just wants to leave all things related to the Fears behind them. And it frustrates him that Jon keeps doing this, even though Jon agrees with Martin that he doesn’t have any reason to do this.

Honestly, Jon’s a little scared of himself. He doesn’t know how much of himself he’s lost to the dread powers and keeps wasting his time doing something that upsets Martin and that he doesn’t particularly like either. He knows “I’m afraid that I’ll get weak and die if I stop recording things on cassette tapes” sounds awfully stupid when you’re trying to say it out loud to another person.

He never had control over his life before because of the Web. When they were supposed to have escaped all that, it feels like it still has a grip on him.

But no, Jon can at least assure Martin that he doesn’t think it’s the influence of the Web, because he’s been taking measures against it. Sweeping and dusting everything to make sure they don’t have any spiders or cobwebs in the place. So it’s (probably) not the Web! That’s good, at least, right?

(Although as soon as he says that, he starts thinking about how he should search every nook and cranny for cobwebs again later. He doesn’t say this to Martin.)

Not wanting to bother Martin, Jon starts hiding the tapes and recorders, trying to keep what he’s doing a secret.

When Martin finds where they’re hidden, he confronts Jon about it.

Like... Martin getting swept off his feet by Elias because he’s not only handsome and powerful, but showed Martin a basic level of perfunctory respect and interest and Martin’s standards are way too low

But Elias turns out to be corrupt in his professional life and Martin continues to be a person with a moral compass who tries to be the angel on Elias’ shoulder to no avail. Elias is just like “I’m doing this all for your benefit and comfort, you’ll see, quit being so ungrateful”

So Martin starts his own effort to support the workers under Elias’ unbreakable contract by making things more comfortable in the ways he can, right under Elias’ nose

Utena and then Anthy’s startled looks when they each suggest they’ve poisoned the other 🥺

Them saying the tea and cookies are delicious 🥺🥺

“Ten years from now, we’ll be together, laughing and drinking tea.” 🥺🥺🥺

They’re holding hands 🥺🥺🥺🥺

ALL THE THINGS THEY AREN’T TALKING ABOUT, THE LIES AND SECRETS HELD BETWEEN THEM 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

Hitori finds Kazuaki and decides to use him as a vessel to get his revenge on Shuu

Forceful possession is harder than possessing someone who’s agreed to let you possess them, so he makes a deal with Kazuaki where he can do certain difficult things for Kazuaki and “fix” his life

At first this seems cool to Kazuaki and he’s real excited dork about having a ghost friend to spoil him

Meanwhile Hitori is also like... buying weapons, trying to figure out how get in reach of Shuu. And not telling Kazuaki what his aims are or why he has them

It really hurts Kazuaki’s already low self-esteem that Hitori is “better” at living his life than he is. He gets jealous and resentful, but also believes that hasn’t earned the right to feel that way

Kazuaki finds a gun Hitori’s hidden in his home and is horrified