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pforestsims · 4 months

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I'm a fan of traits & trait mods and I really liked Atomtanned's mod /based on Dill's Turn-Ons & Turn-Offs/. This is quite an extensive edit - I just wanted to adjust it a little for my game and once I started I couldn't stop xD

Atomtanned's Trait-Based Chemistry EDIT

& (optional mod) ONLY TO Chemistry

⚡ Download: SFS ⚡BOX

*Archive contains PDF file with detailed list of changes (added / removed stuff) and a few notes.

🟢 Trait-based Chemistry mod edit is available in 7 Languages: English, German, Finnish, Polish, Swedish, Russian, French

❕ New stuff: added Facial Hair TO (replaces Daydreamer), Business Shark TO (was: Serious), Expressive TO (was: Unique). Increased hobby and interest requirements from 5 to 8 pts, Formal wear added to Stylish TO - and more...

I also included an optional mod that switches off Zodiac / Aspiration chemistry and balances out the chemistry bolts gain - so it makes chemistry betwen Sims much less complicated. Obviously it will only be useful for those who like to control every aspect of their Sims romantic lives. Details under the cut.

You'll need Traits /and stuff required for these to work/.

Credits: @atomtanned , @lilbabydilljr , Epi for their TO replacements, @lazyduchess for Lua script

@peanuttysims for No Zodiac & Aspiration attraction (MTS2 link)

I used TS4 icons, icon mashups/ edits, and my own.

Thanks: @tvickiesims , @vegan-kaktus , @lilakartoffelbrei . Special thanks to @episims for all the support 💎🤗

*This is for The Sims 2

More under the cut:

Trait-based Chemistry mod

It will replace original TS2 turn-ons and turn-offs with entirely new ones (only hair colors and fitness/fatness are unchanged!).

It conflicts with NickM406's No More Loading the * Family mod , and Tunaisafish’s Attraction Fix, make sure you don't have tunaisafish_fix_attractiontraits package in your Downloads.

🟢 It's compatible with mods that change /or switch off Zodiac chemistry, Aspiration chemistry, or both.

⚡TURN-ONS / TURN-OFFS:

Note: I've added and removed some stuff, for example Plantsims and Bigfoot from 'Occult' TO, and Zombies from 'Undead' TO!

(This is an edit of the list posted by Atomtanned: )

Adventurous: 3 vacations, Adventurous, Daredevil, Sailor, Brave

Alien: Trait, skin, eyes

Animal Lover: 2 pet friends, Animal Lover, Cat Person, Dog Person, Equestrian

Artistic: Artistic, Avant Garde, Photographer's Eye, Savvy Sculptor, Flower Arranging/Pottery/Sewing silver badge, Arts & Crafts hobby, Creative skill

Athletic: Athletic, Equestrian, Loves to Swim, Sports/Fitness hobby, Body skill

Business shark: Born-salesperson, Ambitious, Mean Spirited, Snob, Workaholic

Charismatic (charisma): Charismatic, Irresistible, Schmoozer, Star Quality, Charisma skill

Cultured (bookish): Avant Garde, Bookworm, Film & Literature Hobby

Expressive: Excitable, Childish, Party Animal, Dramatic, Over-Emotional, Diva

Facial hair

Fitness / Fatness - original

Foodie: Natural Cook, Cuisine hobby, Cooking skill

Hair colors - original

Indoorsy: Bookworm, Computer Whiz, Couch Potato, Hates the Outdoors, Film & Literature Hobby, Games Hobby

Infamous (bad reputation): Bad Reputation*, Evil, Mean-Spirited

Intellect (high IQ): Genius, Logic Skill

Introvert (reserved): Brooding, Loner, Unflirty, Shy, No sense of humor, Grumpy, Socially Awkward, < 2 Outgoing personality points

Laid Back (slacker): Couch Potato, Mooch, Slob, < 2 Active personality points

Musical: Natural Born Performer, Star Quality, Virtuoso, Music & Dance hobby

Occult (mystical): Werewolf, Witch, Fairy, Mermaid, Supernatural Fan

Outdoorsy: Angler, Green Thumb, Loves the Outdoors, Sailor, Gardening badge, Fishing badge, Nature hobby

Outgoing (social): Irresistible, Flirty, Natural Born Performer, Party Animal, Social Butterfly, > 8 Outgoing personality points

Plant Lover: Eco-Friendly, Gatherer, Green Thumb, Vegetarian, Flower/Gardening badge, Plantsim, Fairy

Rebellious: Daredevil, Inappropriate, Hot-headed, Rebellious.

Stylish (elegance): Snob, Diva, Irresistible, Cosmetology badge, Fashion interest, Formal wear

Technology: Servo, Bot Fan, Computer Whiz, Handy, Vehicle Enthusiast, Robotics silver Badge, Mechanical skill

Tidy: Neat, Cleaning skill, > 8 Neat personality points

Undead: Ghost*, Vampire

Well-Liked: Good reputation*, Friendly, Good, Proper, Nurturing.

*"Ghosts" = sims turned into playable ghosts, with Ghost trait (and Mermaids are sims with mermaid trait, but ofc you don't need these to be able to use this mod).

🔸 Hobby requirements in Dill's / Atomtanned's versions (as well as interest) were set to 5 points, which is kinda an average in my game. I don't want TOs to trigger too easily so I've increased these to 8 points, just like Skill point requirements.

I also increased good reputation requirement from 30 to 60.

Above is the comparison of original vs new TOs, in the exact order.

FYI I've fixed the little mistake I've found in the mod - in my version stylish TO works as it should.

If you have any questions about how the game calculates attraction, read this.

And here's free version (SFS) of my buyable ReNuYu potion default, will be useful if you'd like to correct TOs for all your Sims.

"ONLY TO Chemistry" mod

Conflicts with No Zodiac Chemistry by Belladovah , chemistry mods by Peanutty (it incorporates their "No zodiac and no Aspiration"mod) and any other that contain Attraction Constants BCON and Attraction Tuning BCON.

In unmodded TS2 game, interests and skills do not play part in attraction. Trait-based chemistry changes that only to some extent because Zodiac and Aspiration are more important. To make TOs the crucial attraction factor in my game, I disabled Zodiac / Aspiration Chemistry, and tweaked bolt requirements.

This mod makes chemistry between Sims straightforward and TO-based however various bonuses to attraction also apply (!), like Beauty Wish, Vacation bonuses, bonus for very good rep or penalty for extremely bad reputation (even if your Sim likes bad guys, they will be put off by Dirty Dirtbag status, and enticed by extremely good rep). Anyways, if you use this mod and your Sims have no other attraction bonuses, then:

if one Sim has a turn-on towards the other, and the other has none, it results in no bolts

if one Sim has two turn-ons towards the other, and the other has none, Sims have one bolt chemistry

if one Sim has a turn-on towards the other, and the other has a turn-off, it results in negative chemistry

if a couple has single turn-ons towards each other, it gives them one-bolt chemistry

couple has three turn-ons, that gives them two bolts

couple has three turn-ons, one turn-off, that gives them one bolt

couple has double turn-ons, they have three-bolt chemistry

Special bonuses granted by mods for certain Traits like the "irresistible" still matter of course.

#sims 2 #the sims 2 #ts2 mods #Thanks to Everybody who helped me test trait based chemistry mod - IF you still use it pls get updated file - some stuff got edited :)#traits project

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atomtanned · 8 months

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🌹 atomtanned's Trait-Based Chemistry

I've used @lilbabydilljr's Turn-Ons & Turn-Offs for a while now, and I love that he added in 3t2 traits when calculating chemistry. I wanted to tweak it for my game, and I finally learned how to do so. This is a heavily-modified version of his mod, so most of the credit goes to him - I just added/removed traits and changed some images and text strings.

Like any mod that involves traits, this requires @hexagonal-bipyramid's Easy Inventory Check.

This is definitely the most involved BHAV editing I've done yet, so please let me know if you find any errors, as it's a bit hard to test in game.

UPDATE: If you use Clean UI (or any other UI mod that uses Clean UI as a base) this mod will need to load after. Or you can delete the turn-on images that are included with that mod.

UPDATE 2: @cityof2morrow let me know that this mod (and I believe any other custom turnon/turnoff mods) also conflict with NickM406's No More Loading the * Family mod. Thank you!!

✨ DOWNLOAD: SFS / PATREON / MF

I've included the full list of turn-ons/turn-offs below the Read More link. The original names of Dill's Turn-Ons are in parentheses where applicable. Please note that this list uses the original TS3 trait names for clarity, but there's recommendations for changed trait names below as well.

Adventurous: 3 vacations, Adventurous, Daredevil, Sailor

Alien: Trait, skin, eyes

Animal Lover: 2 pet friends, Animal Lover, Cat Person, Dog Person, Equestrian

Artistic: Artistic, Avant Garde, Photographer's Eye, Savvy Sculptor, Flower Arranging/Pottery/Sewing badge, Arts & Crafts hobby, Creative skill

Athletic: Athletic, Equestrian, Loves to Swim, Sports/Fitness hobby, Body skill

Charismatic: Born Salesperson, Charismatic, Flirty, Irresistible, Schmoozer, Star Quality, Charisma skill

Cultured (Bookish): Avant Garde, Bookworm, Film & Literature Hobby

Daydreamer (Dumb): Absent-Minded, Neurotic, Socially Awkward, Unstable, < 2 Logic Skill

Fitness/Fatness: no change from Maxis game behavior

Foodie: Natural Cook, Cuisine hobby, Cooking skill

Indoorsy (Gamer): Bookworm, Computer Whiz, Couch Potato, Hates the Outdoors, Film & Literature Hobby, Games Hobby

Infamous (Bad Rep): Negative Reputation, Evil, Mean-Spirited

Intellectual (Smart): Bookworm, Genius, Logic Skill

Laid Back (Slacker): Couch Potato, Mooch, Slob, Personality

Mechanical: Servo, Bot Fan, Computer Whiz, Handy, Vehicle Enthusiast, Robotics Badge, Tinkering hobby, Mechanical skill

Musical: Natural Born Performer, Star Quality, Virtuoso, Music & Dance hobby, Dance skill, Creativity skill

Occult: Werewolf, Plantsim, Bigfoot, Witch, Fairy, Mermaid

Outdoorsy: Angler, Green Thumb, Loves the Outdoors, Sailor, Gardening badge, Fishing badge, Nature hobby

Outgoing (Indoorsy): Friendly, Natural Born Performer, Party Animal, Social Butterfly

Plant Lover: Eco-Friendly, Gatherer, Green Thumb, Vegetarian, Flower/Gardening badge, Plantsim, Fairy

Rebellious (Baddie): Daredevil, Inappropriate, Kleptomaniac, Party Animal, Rebellious

Reserved (Timid): Disciplined, Loner, Proper, Shy, Unflirty, Personality

Serious (Productive): Brooding, Disciplined, Frugal, No Sense of Humor, Perfectionist, Workaholic

Stylish: Avant Garde, Diva, Irresistible, Cosmetology badge, Fashion interest

Tidy (Neat Freak): Neat, Cleaning skill, Personality

Undead: Ghost, Vampire, Zombie

Unique (Magic): Avant Garde, Childish, Eccentric, Insane, Loser

Well-Liked (Good Rep): Good reputation, Friendly, Good, Good Sense of Humor

I use updated trait names/descriptions for several traits, mostly to be more positive or less ableist, and those are what I had in mind when I made the chemistry changes above. A few I made myself, so those are included in the RAR in a separate folder, and I recommend getting the ones linked below too:

Childish > Young at Heart

Commitment Issues > Noncommittal (@equinoxts2)

Evil > Devious (@equinoxts2)

Good > Kind

Insane > Erratic (@dreadpirate)

Kleptomaniac > Sticky Fingers

Loser > Underdog

Neurotic > Anxious

Unstable > Indecisive (@equinoxts2)

#s2cc #ts2cc #dl: mods #atomtanned.package #ts2 mods #ts2 cc #sims 2

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chicgeekgirl89 · 7 months

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Fandom: 911 Lone Star Summary: When Carlos receives a late night call from one of his sisters who is worried about the health of his nephew, T.K. doesn't hesitate to jump in and show the entire family why he's worthy of Carlos' love. Thanks to @carlos-tk, @thisbuildinghasfeelings, @whatsintheboxmh, @lemonlyman-dotcom, @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut, @strandnreyes, @carlos-in-glasses, and @bonheur-cafe for the WIP Wednesday tags. I hope you will accept this instead, belated as it is! A/N: This is my 100th fic on AO3!! 🍾🍾🍾 (Not my 100th fic ever, many of them never made the transfer from ff.net, but still!) I've been sitting on this one for a while and seeing T.K. shine feels like it's worthy of being #100. Also Adriana and Francesca weren't supposed to be in this one, but they literally barged through those hospital doors and there was nothing I could do to stop them. I couldn't love them more!

Read on AO3

“Sooo…never again, right?” Carlos asks.

“Oh my god never again,” T.K. agrees fervently. “Why were the plates so weird? Some of them weren’t even plates at all. And the food was…bad.”

“So bad,” Carlos says. “Tiny and bad.”

“Three hours. We were there three hours,” T.K. says in disbelief as he slows down at a stoplight. “Why did we have to wait like thirty minutes between courses?”

“The menu said it was to give us time to renew our digestive energies and be more present in the dining experience,” Carlos says.

“I didn’t know my digestive energies needed to be renewed.”

“Me neither.”

It had taken them months to get a reservation at the trendiest new restaurant in town and they’d both been excited for the occasion. The menu promised a foodie paradise with unique dishes, creative presentation, and an emphasis on sustainability. They’d gotten dressed up and ready for a fun date night out only to be disappointed the moment they’d walked in the door.

The place had been crowded, they were practically elbow to elbow with the tables next to them. Carlos had learned the intimate details of one couple’s fertility issues and another couple’s trouble with their neighbors.

Then the food had started coming and been a complete disaster. Carlos considered himself something of a foodie, and T.K.’s New Yorker palate had sampled a number of cuisines over the years, but this had been the worst food Carlos had ever eaten. He hadn’t been able to identify a single item on any of his plates and his tongue longed for something with even a hint of flavor. The plate that held a single, lukewarm radish had nearly been his undoing.

Overall it had been three hours of bland food, awkward company, and not at all what either of them had imagined.

“I’m starving. Can we please pick up something on the way home?” T.K. asks, his stomach letting out a gurgle as if to affirm his statement.

“God yes. I think Chu’s is still open, right?”

Carlos pulls out his phone, but it lights up with a call before he can check to see Chu’s hours. “Why’s my sister calling?”

T.K. glances over at him. “Which one?”

“Lucía,” Carlos says. It’s not typical of his sister to call at this hour out of the blue and he feels his internal warning bells activate as he picks up the call. “Luci? Que pasó?”

“Hey Carlos,” she says, sounding tired and stressed. “Sorry for calling, I know it’s late.”

“It’s okay,” he says. “We’re just on our way home from dinner. What’s going on?”

“I don’t—I’m probably overreacting,” she says. “It’s just that Justin is out of town for work and I’m—“

Now he’s really worried. “Lucí, it’s okay. Tell me what’s going on.”

“Sebastian woke up sick a couple days. I didn’t think it was a big deal, both boys are sick all the time from daycare and school, but he wasn’t any better today, so I took him to the doctor. They said he’s fine, likely just a virus or something, but…his fever won’t break and he keeps saying his belly hurts.”

Carlos can hear the deep seated worry in his sister’s voice and it rocks him to his core. His sister is an amazing mom, fearless and sure. To hear her so uncertain is throwing him off.

“I didn’t know if maybe T.K. could just give me some advice or something?” she says, ending it like a question.

He looks over at his fiancé. “What’s going on?” T.K. asks,.

“Sebastian’s sick,” Carlos says. “Do you mind?”

“No, no, put her on speaker,” T.K. says immediately, turning his eyes back to the road as the light changes.“Hey Lucía,” he says loudly so she can hear him.

“Hey T.K.,” she says. “I’m so sorry, I know people probably ask you for medical help all the time.”

“It’s not a problem. Tell me what’s going on,” T.K. says.

“He won’t eat, he’s barely drinking. His fever had been holding steady at around a hundred, but it just spiked up to one oh two. I’ve given him medicine, done cold washcloths, I don’t know what else to try.”

“And the doctor said what exactly?”

“That it’s probably a stomach virus,” Lucía says.

T.K. mulls that over for a minute. “Aren’t we like fifteen minutes from their place?” he asks Carlos.

Carlos nods.

“Okay, Lucía we’re going to swing by, all right?” T.K. says, flipping his blinker on to get them turned around back the way they’d just come.

“Oh, no, you don’t have to do that—“

“We’re coming Luci,” Carlos says. “We’ll be there soon.”

“Okay, thank you,” she says, relief flooding her voice and loosening the knot of fear in Carlos’ chest.

He hangs up and looks at T.K. “It’s probably just a stomach bug.”

“Probably,” T.K. agrees. “But if it makes her feel better to have someone give her advice it’s worth going over.”

Carlos’ heart goes soft at those words. He’d never imagined he’d be with someone like T.K. Someone so kind and good, someone who would drive to his sister’s house at nine o’clock at night just to assuage her fears. It’s beyond his wildest dreams.

They pull into the driveway of the ranch style home about ten minutes later, T.K.’s ambulance driving having shaved a few minutes off their time and a few years off of Carlos’ life. At least they’re not driving the Camaro tonight so Carlos didn’t have to fear for the safety of his baby as they sped through yellow lights and weaved in and out of traffic.

Lucía opens the door before they even knock and the relief Carlos felt a few minutes ago evaporates at the sight of her worried face. She was holding back on the phone; in person she looks even more terrified and exhausted than she sounded. “Hey guys,” she says. “I’m so sorry to drag you all the way over here.”

“Stop apologizing,” Carlos admonishes her immediately as they step inside. “That’s what family is for.”

Sebastian lays on the couch in the living, looking younger and tinier than his six years, his face pale and drawn. There’s an episode of Paw Patrol playing on the television mounted above the fireplace and he has a blanket pulled all the way up to his chin. Carlos can see Fuzzy, his comfort bear, peeking out over the top.

“Hey buddy,” he says, crouching down and giving his nephew a smile. “Tummy bothering you?”

Sebastian nods but doesn’t say anything, another sign that something is wrong. Usually he’s a chatterbox, happy to talk about school or his friends or soccer. Carlos smiles wider, despite the worry swirling in his gut, trying for calm and reassuring uncle. “Do you remember my boyfriend T.K.? From the party at Abuela and Abuelo’s house?” Carlos asks and Sebastian’s eyes move over his shoulder to where T.K. is standing behind him. He gets another nod.

“He’s going to take a look at you, okay?” Carlos says, standing up and moving back to where Lucía is anxiously hovering behind the couch so that T.K. has space to work.

“Hey Sebastian,” T.K. says as he takes Carlos’ spot. “You know I’m a paramedic, right?”

“Yeah,” Sebastian says, his voice small.

“Do you know what a paramedic does?”

“Help people feel better?”

T.K. smiles and nods. “That’s right. So let’s see if I can help you feel better, sound good?”

“Mhmm.”

“Awesome. Okay, I’m going to pull down the blanket and take a look. You tell me if anything hurts, all right?”

He gently pulls down the blanket and places his fingers on Sebastian’s wrist, looking at his watch while he does it. He pulls out a stethoscope he had in the car and listens to the little boy’s lungs, then takes his temperature with the thermometer Lucía has on the coffee table. He narrates quietly the entire time, letting Sebastian know what he’s doing as he does it.

“Okay, let’s see that belly,” he finally says with a smile.

He pulls up the top of Sebastian’s Power Rangers pajamas, talking to him softly while his hands palpate his abdomen. “You like Power Rangers huh? Which one is your favorite?”

“Red,” Sebastian says immediately. “He’s the head guy.”

“He is,” T.K. says. “I always liked the Green one though.”

Sebastian winces and makes a noise that breaks Carlos’ heart in half. T.K.’s hands immediately immediately stop. “Sorry buddy,” he says. “That hurt?”

Sebastian nods and T.K. gently puts his pajama shirt back into place. “I’m going to go talk to your mom and tío. You stay right here and make sure this couch doesn’t go anywhere, okay?”

He gets to his feet and nods toward the hallway where Carlos and Lucía follow him out of Sebastian’s earshot. “His pulse is a little fast and there is some tenderness in his abdomen,” T.K. says quietly. “That coupled with the fever and the lethargy is definitely concerning.”

Lucía puts her hand on Carlos’ arm and he covers it with his own in an attempt at reassurance. “So what should I do? Wait until the morning and see how he is? Give him more meds?” she asks.

“Considering his symptoms, I would recommend you take him to the ER,” T.K. says gently.

She blows out a breath as Carlos’ stomach drops. “Okay,” she says. “Okay um, okay. I’ll just wake up Nicholas and…”

“No, no, no,” Carlos says quickly. “No I’ll call Mom and ask her to come be with Nicky. I’ll stay until she gets here.”

“And I’ll go with you to the ER,” T.K. offers. “I can walk you through all the paperwork, field questions from the doctors, whatever you need.”

“Seriously?” Lucía looks teary eyed. “You’ll come?”

“Of course,” T.K. says. “Why don’t you go grab whatever might help keep him calm while we’re there? iPad or a book maybe. It could be a long wait.”

“Okay, right. Yes. Give me like five minutes and I’ll be ready,” she says, rushing off to go gather supplies.

“What are you thinking?” Carlos asks immediately.

T.K. has his neutral paramedic face on, but Carlos has learned to read between the lines. “I’m thinking it could be a number of things,” T.K. says. “Just a stomach bug maybe, but even if it is I think he’s dehydrated. And given his symptoms and the decline, I’m also worried about an impacted or perfed bowel or maybe even appendicitis.”

“How worried?”

T.K. blows out a breath. “Worried enough that I wouldn’t wait until the morning to try and get him some treatment.”

His words unlock a whole new level of fear that Carlos has never experienced before, and it takes a lot for him to stay calm as he calls his mom and explains the situation. Lucía returns with a tote bag full of supplies and T.K. scoops up Sebastian, carrying him out to the car with Lucía on his heels.

“Mom says she’ll be here in fifteen minutes. I’ll be right behind you,” Carlos promises as T.K. sets Sebastian gently in the backseat, pillowing his head on Lucía’s lap.

“Can you call Justin?” Lucía asks, looking like she’s barely holding it together. “He knows Sebby’s sick but I want him to know we’re heading to the ER.”

“Yes,” Carlos says. “I’ll call him as soon as I’m back inside.”

“Hey,” T.K. catches his eye as he climbs into the driver’s seat. “I’ve got them, okay?”

“I know you do,” Carlos says and then the door is shut and they’re gone, leaving him standing in the driveway, his heart in his stomach.

He trudges back into the house and sinks onto the couch, eyes glued to Nicholas’ sleeping form on the baby monitor. He’s not a parent, so why does this feel so awful?

It takes him a minute to emotionally prepare for this phone call and he has to take a deep breath before tapping Justin’s name on his screen.

It rings and rings and then sends him to voicemail, so he tries again. And again. The third time, Justin finally picks up.

“Dude, if this is a butt dial I’m going to kill you,” his brother-in-law says groggily.

Carlos forgot that it’s nearly midnight on the east coast right now. “Justin,” he says, trying to keep his voice steady.

“What’s wrong? Are Lucía and the boys okay?” Justin immediately sounds more awake now that he’s heard Carlos’ voice.

“Everyone’s safe,” Carlos tells him quickly. “I’m at your place with Nicholas because Sebastian’s feeling worse. She and T.K. are on the way to the ER with him.”

There’s a pause, Carlos can practically feel Justin’s panic through the phone. “Okay, um, okay,” he finally says. “Shit, I’m in Atlanta. There won’t be any flights for hours…”

“My mom’s on her way here to stay with Nicholas,” Carlos says. “I’ll head to the hospital and keep you updated, okay?”

“Yeah, okay, um, thanks Carlos,” Justin says, sounding a little hoarse. “Please um, please tell them I love them, okay? And that I’ll be on the first flight out I can get.”

“I will.”

He hangs up just as the front door opens and his mom comes in. “Carlitos,” she says softly and he immediately gets up to hug her. “How is Sebby?”

He shakes his head. “I’m not sure. They probably just got to the ER, it could be hours before we know anything.”

“And Lucía?”

“She’s worried,” he says.

“As are we all,” she says, empathy all over her face. “T.K. went with her?”

“Yeah, he said he’d help with things there.”

She smiles softly and touches his face. “You picked a good one mijo. Not every man would drop everything to help his boyfriend’s family.”

There’s a lump in Carlos throat and he struggles to speak past it. “I know.”

“You should get going.”

“Okay. Nicholas is asleep in his crib. I called Justin, he’s working on getting a flight back.”

She nods. “Keep me posted.”

“I will.”

The drive to the hospital is so lonely and silent that it makes each minute feel even longer beneath the glow of the streetlights. How on earth did he go from having dinner with his boyfriend to taking his nephew to the ER? It’s ridiculous. They should be home right now, cuddling on the couch or the bed, watching some stupid show that neither of them really cares about because what they’re actually interested in is making out with each other.

Instead he’s about to spend hours in a hard plastic chair praying that a six year old he loves dearly is going to be all right.

He’s so anxious to get there that he doesn’t realize until he’s through the doors that he has no idea where he’s going. Or even if they’re gong to let him stay. Surely they’re not going to let three adults hang out in the ER in the middle of the night when one would suffice.

He forgot he has T.K. Strand in his corner.

“How can I help you?” the nurse asks when he steps up to the counter.

“I’m here for my nephew? Sebastian Bryant? He came in with my sister,” Carlos says, feeling awkward.

“Oh you’re Carlos,” she says immediately. “T.K.’s boyfriend.”

“I—yeah,” Carlos says, surprised by her familiarity.

“I’m Stella. It’s so nice to finally meet you, although I wish it wasn’t because your nephew’s in here. T.K. talks about you all the time.”

“He does?”

“Oh my god, try getting him to stop. Carlos this, my boyfriend that, and now I see why. You two are gorgeous together,” she says, flashing him a smile. “Here come with me. I’ll take you to them. Darlene? Can you cover the desk?”

Stella takes him down a hall, past the general area of the ER to a more closed off section. It’s not a room, but it’s quieter here, and Carlos can hear T.K.’s voice even before Stella pulls back the curtain to reveal him.

“Found someone who belongs to you,” Stella says.

T.K.’s eyes find him, soft and relieved. “Hey, I was just about to text you an update. Thanks so much Stella.”

“No problem. I’m going to check and see where we’re at with the tests and then I’ll be back.”

“How’s it going?” Carlos asks quietly.

Sebastian is asleep in the bed, an IV in his arm and Fuzzy tucked in beside him. Lucía is sitting in a chair next to him, his little fingers curled around hers.

“They’re going to take him for a CT as soon as one opens up,” she says quietly. “He was crying when we got here, but they gave him some pain medication and he fell asleep like ten minutes ago.”

“Good,” Carlos says in relief. It feels so much better to know that there are people actively working to help Sebastian. “Nicholas is with Mom, he was still asleep when I left. And Justin’s getting on the first flight he can in the morning.”

“Okay.”

Lucía’s face crumples and she immediately puts her hands over her mouth to stifle a sob. T.K. looks at Carlos. “I’m going to go grab us some coffee,” he says, slipping discreetly out of the room.

Carlos squats down by his sister’s chair and puts a hand on her knee. She immediately covers it with her own and squeezes. “I’m sorry,” she says. “He just—he’s so little. He was so scared when we got here, it’s so bright and they put in the IV and he cried and I just, I need Justin to be here, because I am not strong enough for this.”

“He’s coming,” Carlos says. “He’s coming as fast as he can. And until he does I’m here, all right? I’m here with you and Mom is with Nicholas. Sebastian is going to be fine. He’s scared, but you’re taking such great care of him. You are an amazing mom. You’re doing everything right.”

She nods a couple times, clearly trying to internalize his words before taking a deep breath and wiping her eyes. “You know um, T.K. is pretty amazing too,” she tells him, wiping at her eyes. “I thought we’d be here for hours before we got answers, but he called ahead in the car and that nurse, Stella, was waiting for us. As soon as we were in the door they were drawing blood and starting tests. It’s like they rolled out the red carpet.” She nods toward the doorway. “Not everyone would do that kind of thing for someone they barely know.”

“That’s T.K.,” Carlos says, warmth blooming through his chest at her words. “He’s…incredible.”

“You know, I already liked him a lot, but now…” She quirks a smile. “You’d better hold onto him.”

Carlos nods, heart fluttering away in his chest. “That’s the plan.”

T.K. comes back with coffee right about the same time someone shows up to take Sebastian for his CT scan. He’s unhappy to be woken up, but mollified when Carlos promises to take him for ice cream once a week for the next month.

The nurse is incredible, telling Sebastian he’s going to go on a ride in a spaceship, although that does nothing to help Carlos’ heart when they start the sedation and he watches Sebastian’s eyelids flutter shut, his body going limp in a weirdly unnatural way. He’s gone for over an hour, all of them sipping tepid hospital coffee in a desperate attempt not to fall asleep as the clock ticks later and later.

When the orderly returns with him he’s completely zonked out and Carlos hopes he’ll stay that way. It’s not long after that an ER doctor shows up and informs them that the CT scan is indicating appendicitis, despite Sebastian’s slightly atypical presentation of symptoms. Lucía takes the news better than Carlos thought she might, she’s clearly relieved to have an answer and a defined course of action, even if it does mean a surgery they’re told is being scheduled for the early hours of the morning. Someone will be by soon to get them admitted and transferred to a room for the night.

“You guys should go home” she says. “You’ve done more than enough, really. He’s just going to sleep until it’s time for surgery and they’re not going to let you come into the room with us anyway.”

“Don’t worry about them kicking us out,” T.K. says immediately. “If you want us to stay that won’t be a problem.”

She smiles at him. “You’ve done more than enough tonight. I’ll be fine. I promise. Go home and get some sleep.”

Carlos is reluctant to leave her, but she’s right. There’s no point in staying when it’s so late and nothing is going to happen until morning anyway. The moment of crisis is past and now there’s nothing to do but wait.

“I’ll come back in the morning for his surgery,” Carlos says.

“You don’t have to—“ She must catch the look of determination in his eyes because she cuts herself off and nods. “Okay. Thank you.”

He stands and she meets him with a brief hug before she turns to T.K. “I really can’t thank you enough. I don’t think I would have made it tonight without you T.K.,” she says.

“Yes you would have,” he says graciously. “But I’m glad I could help. If anything changes in the night you have my number, don’t be afraid to call.”

“I will.”

Carlos can’t help but notice that T.K. gets a slightly longer hug than he did and the warm feeling in his chest only intensifies. He reaches for T.K.’s hand as they head out into the hall and T.K. gives him a tired smile in return. “Oh, hang on one second,” he says as they pass the nurses station, letting go of Carlos’ hand. “I’ll be right back.”

He jogs over and flashes that winning smile again at the nurse who’s there, not Stella this time, and chats with her for a minute before returning to Carlos’ side. “What was that about?” Carlos asks, interlacing their fingers together again.

“I just wanted to make sure they put Sebastian in a private room,” T.K. says. “They have the space, Natalie says it won’t be a problem.”

“Natalie huh?” Carlos says as they exit the automatic doors and head for the darkened parking structure. “She also falls victim to your beautiful eyes and charming smile?”

“Victim?” T.K. scoffs. “No one is a victim. I have paid for these hospital perks with dozens of coffees and donuts and muffins and even the occasional Target run. This is just good natured southern kindness being returned.”

Carlos laughs out loud. “Right. Not a single bit of it has to do with your innate charm and that smile that brings people to their knees and makes them feel like they’re only person you’ve ever cared about.”

“I mean, it had to start somewhere,” T.K. says, flashing him that exact smile. “But we’ve come a long way since then.”

“Well thank you,” Carlos says, meaning it from the bottom of his heart. “I honestly I don’t how to say thank you enough. My family is…they’re so important to me and I…”

“Hey.” T.K. tugs him to a stop and meets his gaze under the half light of the parking garage. “They’re important to me too.”

The drive home is blessedly short and they fall into bed exhausted at around midnight only to wake up again at five to head back over to the hospital. Carlos tells T.K. he doesn’t have to come, but the look he gets shuts him up immediately. T.K. is clearly invested.

They stop for coffee on the way, real, decent coffee, and some bagels, plus a cake pop for Sebastian after surgery.

He gets a text update as they’re pulling up to the hospital again; Justin is on a flight and should get there by the time the surgery is over. It’s a relief to know his sister will have her support to lean on again in the near future.

Once they arrive Carlos sits back and watches in wonder as T.K. works his magic. Someone shows up to give Sebastian not one, not two, but three different stuffed toys along with a coloring pack and some Hot Wheels cars. T.K. sits down on his bed and explains the whole surgery in terms a six year old an understand, and when the time comes, Sebastian is whisked off without a single tear.

He’s seen T.K. at work before, but this is an entirely different level of incredible. He knows almost every nurse, every doctor, every orderly that they see, and if he doesn’t, by the time they leave he’s made them feel like an old friend. People can’t seem to do enough for him.

Justin gets there about twenty minutes after the surgery starts, exhausted and haggard looking, his collared shirt buttoned the wrong way and his hair looking like he didn’t even comb it. T.K. somehow procures fresh, non-cafeteria coffee for him, whispering something about the doctor’s lounge, as well as a banana and a granola bar.

Everything goes exactly as expected and soon enough the doctor is back to let them know that Sebastian was a champ during surgery and they expect a quick recovery. Lucía and Justin head back to wait with him until the sedation wears off, while Carlos and T.K. continue hanging out in the waiting room until Sebastian can have more visitors.

When Carlos hears a loud commotion behind him, he knows without even looking that reinforcements have arrived. Adriana and Francesca have shown up with more balloons than a circus, a gigantic stuffed bear, and several bags of god only knows what else. “Oh my god, Cesca don’t let them float away,” Adriana is saying as they try and get through the automatic doors that keep closing before all the balloons can make it through.

“I’m not!” Francesca snaps back. “It’s the stupid doors! You could like try to help!”

“With what hands?” Adriana cries, her arms full of stuffed bear.

“Ah, perfect,” Carlos says weakly, looking at T.K. who is already smiling at his sister and cousin’s antics.

“Carlos! Get over here!” Francesca barks and he stands with a sigh, going to help her get in the doorway.

“Hello, good morning, how are you guys doing?” Carlos prompts as he grabs the brightly colored strings and yanks them inside, the balloons bopping along behind and nearly smacking an elderly woman in the face.

“I mean you’re both awake and have coffee, so I assume you’re fine,” she tells him as she plonks into a seat across from T.K.

“Yeah, geez, way to make our nephew’s surgery about you,” Adriana says with a roll of her eyes.

Carlos doesn’t bother to remind her that technically Sebastian is a cousin to her, not a nephew; labels other than “familia” ceased to have any meaning to them long ago. “So what’s the deal? Is he okay?” Francesca asks.

“The surgery went well,” T.K. says. “Sebastian’s appendix didn’t rupture, so the chances of infection are low. He should be able to head home in a day or so.”

“Phew. Poor little dude. This sucks,” Francesca says.

“But he’s okay,” Adriana says. “That’s what’s important. Everyone is okay. And all his friends are going to be very jealous when he gets back to school.”

She opens one of the bags and pulls out a tray of something that immediately fills the air with the scent of tomatoes and cheese. “Why do you have tamales?” Carlos asks. “It’s ten am.”

“Because Mom told us to go by the house and bring them over,” Francesca says. “She doesn’t, and I quote, ‘want anyone eating that hospital garbage, it will rot their stomachs.’”

“Sounds like your mom,” T.K. says with a cheeky smile as he reaches for one of the tamales.

“We also have…taquitos, mac and cheese for Sebastian, and…arroz con pollo,” Francesca says, checking the other bags.

“Your mom just had this all on hand?” T.K. asks, his mouth full.

“Tía Andrea always has everything on hand,” Adriana says.

Despite his initial scoffing, by the time Justin comes back an hour later to tell them Sebastian is up for visitors, Carlos has eaten three tamales, half a dozen taquitos, and a plateful of arroz con pollo. Apparently hospitals make him hungry. They’ve also fed four nurses and an orderly that T.K. knows, and they haven’t even put a dent in what’s there.

Justin looks a little less of a mess now, he’s clearly spent some time in front of a mirror and his shirt is buttoned the right way now. He’s smiling in spite of the tiredness in his eyes, which widen in delight at the sight of the food. “Oh thank god for Andrea,” he says, immediately reaching for a taquito.

“Hey, how do you know it wasn’t us?” Adriana asks, clearly offended.

Justin fixes her with a look and she shrugs. “I mean, yeah it was Tía Andrea, but we’re the ones that brought it over here,” she says.

“Thank you for your service,” Justin says around a mouthful.

“How’s Sebastian?” Francesca asks.

“Better than Lucía or me,” he says. “He says it barely hurts and he’s very excited to have a cool scar.” He looks at T.K. “Apparently you’ve really made this hospital experience feel like a vacation T.K.”

“I’m just glad he’s doing all right,” T.K. says.

“Can we see him?” Carlos asks.

“Yeah,” Justin says. “Lucí sent me to get you all.”

“Well then let’s get this party moved!” Francesca says, closing up the tupperware with incredible speed built from years of cleaning up house parties and hiding the evidence before their parents got home.

They make quite a parade marching through the pediatric wing of the hospital with balloons and bears and food galore. But then, the Reyes clan usually does. They’re not exactly known for being a calm and quiet bunch.

Sebastian is sitting up in bed eating a popsicle, looking like the happiest human alive even with an IV in his arm and stitches in his side. “Sebby!” Francesca says happily. “You’re looking good there buddy!”

“You brought me balloons?” he asks as Lucía quickly rescues his popsicle, which is in danger of falling to the floor.

“We brought you balloons and a bear and macaroni and cheese from Abuela,” Adriana tells him.

“Can I have mac and cheese right now?” he asks Lucía.

“Let’s maybe wait until after the doctor comes by again,” she says.

“But then I can have it? And the ice cream Tío Carlos promised me?”

It gets a chuckle from everyone in the room.

The women start to fuss, setting up the balloons and bear in the best possible place, but Carlos’ eyes are on T.K. who is not-so-subtly checking out all the monitors and lines, ensuring that things are exactly as they should be. God, he loves this man. He loves him more than he thought he could ever love a human being.

“Well this looks like a party!” A man whose name tag identifies him as Dr. Nguyen, comes into the room, iPad in hand. Carlos assumes this must be the surgeon. “Sebastian who are all these fine people who came to visit you?”

“This is my Tía Cesca and my Tía Adriana. They brought me balloons,” Sebastian says, pointing to them in turn.

“Well that’s very nice.”

“And that’s my Tío Carlos,” Sebastian says.

“Oh, is this the Tío you were telling me about? The one who’s a paramedic and helped you feel better?”

“No, my Tío Carlos is just a police officer,” Sebastian says. “My Tío T.K. is the one who’s a paramedic.” He turns his head to look at where T.K. is standing next to his IV pole. “Paramedics help people feel better. Right Tío?”

T.K. freezes for a second, his eyes locking with Carlos’. “Um, yeah,” he says finally. “Yes, that’s right. Paramedics help people. And then doctors help them even more.”

“Yeah, Dr. Nguyen took my appendix out,” Sebastian says. He looks the doctor square in the face. “My mom says you have to tell me if I can have mac and cheese or not.”

Dr. Nguyen laughs. “I can do that. Let’s give you a little check up and see.”

“We’ll give you some privacy,” Francesca says, which is hilarious given that she hasn’t let anyone have a single minute of privacy since the day she was born.

They step out into the hall, Adriana and Francesca immediately abandoning T.K. and Carlos to go look for hot doctors. Carlos runs a hand through his curls and looks at where his boyfriend is leaning up against the wall. “Well I guess we know who his new favorite tío is,” he says.

T.K. looks up, uncharacteristically nervous. “I’m sure he didn’t mean it like that. You’re not just a police officer.”

Carlos chuckles. “Oh I’m sure he meant it exactly like that. Tío Carlos is just a tío who wrestles and gives him ice cream. Tío T.K. saves lives. You made an impression.”

T.K. blushes. “I’m glad I could help.” His gaze softens. “I can’t believe he called me tío.”

And despite the fact that no one in the family has ever referred to T.K. that way before, Carlos isn’t surprised in the least. “Is that okay?” he asks.

“Yeah,” T.K. says quickly. “Yeah I—as long as you and your family are okay with it. I don’t…I wouldn’t want him to be confused.”

“He’s not confused.” Carlos’ words are soft and he reaches down, intertwining their fingers. “I don’t think anybody is confused anymore about why you’re so important to me.”

T.K. meets his gaze and Carlos feels like he can see all the way into the vulnerability at the core of this man who came here so broken and lost, and is just starting to figure out how vital he is to everyone around him. Carlos leans in and their lips meet, soft and sweet. It’s not enough to really say thank you, he’s not sure he can ever truly find a way, but in this moment he knows he’ll try. Everyday for the rest of his life if he needs to.

The door to Sebastian’s room opens and Carlos reluctantly pulls back, keeping their hands firmly clasped even when T.K. starts to pull away a little. “Bad news,” Lucía says. “Mac and cheese is off the table until tomorrow. T.K., he would like to know if you have any connections that can get him jello instead. But only the red kind. Not the green.”

“Absolutely,” T.K. says, already pulling out his phone to send a text. “Red jello coming right up.”

Carlos shakes his head and smiles as they reenter the room, Sebastian’s face lighting up when he sees T.K. again. Carlos has always thought T.K. seemed like magic. And now everyone else can see it too.

#911 Lone Star #Tarlos #911lsfic #Tarlos Fic #The Reyes Family (My Version)#Adriana and Francesca #Whump of a minor #Appendicitis #Family #Competent T.K. Strand #T.K. shows off his paramedic skills

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revenantlore · 4 months

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. Kiss Me With Your Fist wip introduction .

featuring @reininginthefirewriting ‘s vespera

a prequel to crave the fiction [character edits to be added at a later time]

Java Elliot, always on the precipice of danger and poor decisions, finds himself on a promising path of self-improvement while living with his brother Chai.

As he explores college majors and seeks a more stable job, Java's plans take a detour when he encounters Colt Hannigan—a captivating yet dangerous man who leads him astray.

Drawn into Colt’s twisted life of tantalizing drugs and criminal activity, Java is an inadvertent witness to an excess of violence and endures it at the end of Colt’s fist more nights than not.

Afraid to escape at the chance Colt might come after him, or worse, Java grapples with choices that endanger his hard-fought progress and continues to place not only his life but also his closest friendships in jeopardy.

characters :

Java Elliot —

Java can weave a lie so plausible even he could fall for it and believe it to be true, to the point that he sometimes questions his memory. But it keeps him safe and it keeps him sane, so why stop now when he’s already dug himself this deep?

likes simple things like leftover pizza and good music . could make a living off of lying if there was ever a need for it . would rather be at a concert than almost anywhere else . uses his friends as pillows . regularly drinks iced tea . too good at board games for anyone to enjoy playing because they know they’ll lose . prefers thrifting over buying new . collects vinyls and CDs and has a wide range of taste in music . not sure what he wants to pursue in life so he stagnates and jumps aimlessly from one project to another

Chai Elliot —

Chai has a busy enough life on their own without having to worry about their younger brother, but someone had to step up and keep Java safe from himself and the dangerous crowd he’s gotten himself caught up with. They still make time for their college courses and occasional hookups when time allows, but sometimes … sometimes Chai wishes they didn’t have to put their plans on hold to make sure Java doesn’t get himself killed.

loves dinosaurs and is pursuing a career as a museum curator . likes to hike, climb trees, and travel but seldom has the opportunity . prefers nonfiction books, learning the history of our planet, and watching documentaries . skirts and loose button-up shirts are essential to achieving peak gender balance . can’t convince them that black coffee and warm buttered toast is a treat and a perfect breakfast . memes? memes . flirty and handsy and not afraid of public displays of affection, no matter how much on display . could nap all day if given the chance

Colt Hannigan —

Prone to making bad choices, it’s no surprise that Java finds himself hand-in-hand with the son of one of the most dangerous men in his neighborhood. Charming and manipulative, Colt isn’t a man anyone should get involved with, and Java will come to learn he’s not alone in making that mistake

quick to anger and prone to violence . possessive and strategic . always gets what he wants . wears a chain necklace . collects antiques said to be worth thousands . psychology major and uses his knowledge to his advantage . appearance and fashion are important, for him and his partners . gourmet cuisine is the only acceptable menu . molds his partners into what he needs and wants them to be

London Elliot —

Too young to truly understand what is going on in her brother’s life, London remains oblivious and carefree … at least as far as familial drama goes. She has her own struggles with anxiety and selective mutism, finding solace in reading and ballet led by her instructor and favorite person, Vespera.

pastels and rainbows . observant and perceptive . great adoration for nature and animals . often found with a paintbrush in hand, but she likes to dabble in all creative art mediums . aspires to help people when she’s older . collects leaves and petals, likes to lay in the grass and observe the sky . love for ballet stems from its ability to express her emotions non-verbally

Vespera Cordova Ramirez —

Best friend and confidant, Vespera is always there to support Java and occasionally turns a blind eye to his choices, something that having a chaotic brother like Matias has inadvertently prepared her for

lives and breathes music . expresses her love for her Colombian heritage through cooking . far from being a stranger to engaging in casual hookups . a contradiction of ballet and skateboarding . wishes to better the world for her disabled students . conceals the hurt of a past unknown . intensely protective of those she allows herself to love . unapologetically herself . knows sign language . snarky comebacks and a sharp wit

#wip : kmwyf #wip : kiss me with your fist #wip introduction #wip intro #my edits #writeblr #java

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thatndginger · 1 month

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I'm still exhausted all the time (yay 50 hour workweeks) but I've finally had a bit of my creative spark return this week. So have a few page spreads from the Idiot's Guide to Moressau that I polished up over the last few days.

Two more sections to go (this whole thing would go a lot quicker if I wasn't making up 90% of it as I go :P)

Transcript under the cut.

First image:

The Idiot's Guide to Moressau

Provided Courtesy of Portia Beckham and The Pack

Second Image:

Shopping That Won’t Bankrupt You If you want to find some shopping that’s reasonably priced and not forced to keep up a bright and happy facade for the city’s ‘image’, then you’re going to want to check out the street markets. All local, usually handmade, and you’re far less likely to run into a stuck-up asshole. The really good ones don’t advertise their existence, you just have to know. Best practice: check the Arts or Lonewood districts on a weekend evening. You’ll find something that makes the entire trip worth it. Guaranteed.

Not in the mood for a stall crawl? There are a ton of unique stores around Moressau worth your time. But like most things, you’ll have to put in a little footwork for them. My personal suggestions are The Salt Well - a secondhand store covering three stories in the Arts - and Thistle & Rue - a local artist co-op that never fails to lighten my wallet with every visit.

Local Food Worth Your Time Moressau is far from an haute cuisine destination, but since you’re here you’re better off checking out some of the local offerings than settling for fast food. Trust me. Check out Jax’s Diner down in the industrial side of town. Open twenty-four-seven and the best breakfast plate you’ll ever eat in your life. Or if you want something fishy The Queen’s Catch on the Old Wharf is by far the best place to sample some of the sea’s bounty. Finally, if you’re looking for somewhere with both good booze and good food, you can’t go wrong with Island Goat or the Salt Beard Tavern. Just don’t ask to try the chef’s special at the tavern. Trust me.

The Historical and Creepy Look. All of Moressau is creepy. Or at least that’s what I’ve been told. It’s dark and gloomy and you’re just as likely to get mauled by a creep as you are to get scared by a dumpster rat. If you don’t know what you’re doing, stick to the shit all the brochures tout. You’re less likely to die that way. There’s museums and tour guides for all of you nerds, too. That tour of Augustus Laroche’s mansion is actually pretty fun. They have paid actors and everything, but frown on self-guided tours outside of the usual routes. Just FYI.

I’ve heard of some walking tours that have popped up recently that seem safe, if you’re into that kind of thing. Word to the wise, though: avoid anything that mentions the Montrose Syndicate. They aren’t dead, and they don’t like being talked about. Whoever started that tour is going to end up at the bottom of the bay sooner or later.

Seaside Attractions (And Then Some) This is another one the brochures can handle for you. The boardwalk and lighthouse are safe enough, and there are parts of the preserved old wharves that aren’t too bad either. They were made with old shipwreck lumber. The founders were thrifty and morbid like that. Stick to the North Docks and Downtown if you want to explore more of Moressau’s seaside attractions. The Old Docks aren’t the safest place anymore, day or night. If you’re up for a bit of a hike, check out the original lighthouse just north of the city. It was abandoned in favor of the new lighthouse in the early 1900's, but whatever they made it with keeps it standing, even if the rocks around it have eroded away. It’s not as fun since the city took out the bridge connecting the lighthouse to land, but you’re brave (and stupid) you can still make it across the gap. Ask me how I know.

For some modern entertainment - or modern-ish - it’s worth it to check out Saltshock, the amusement park right off Harbor Boardwalk. It’s got some of those old wooden rollercoasters that are actually terrifying. The modern steel coasters have nothing on those rickety old things. The prices aren’t too bad, but definitely don’t bother buying any souvenirs there. That’s where they get you.

Oh, and since you’ll be in the area, keep an eye on the street art. I know a guy who paints some really cool murals around the Docks and Southside neighborhoods. Some of them disappear pretty quickly, since he never asks permission to decorate someone’s wall. He says there’s an internet group or something dedicated to finding his latest work. He’s usually full of shit, though, so I’ll believe it when I see it. Maybe he’s right. His art is good. So keep an eye out for anything signed “W S”.

Third Image:

VAMPIRES

If your entire reason for coming to Moressau is to meet a vampire then I have two questions for you: What the hell is wrong with you, and why bother coming here at all? Statistically, there is at least one vampire in or near where you live now. Chances are that if you’re only here to be a bloodbag, you won’t listen to my advice, so I’m going to write this for those of you who want to avoid some unpleasant new scars around the neck region.

How to Spot a Vampire Let’s get something straight right now. Vampires don’t sparkle. They aren’t incredibly pale. They aren’t indestructible. A freshly-fed vampire isn’t much different from a human actually. Warm to the touch - never hot - and no paler than the average person, just without the heartbeat that makes a human…. human.

That said, there are some tell-tale aspects of a vampire that are impossible to hide. You’ll know a vampire as soon as they open their mouth. Their fangs don’t do that stupid retraction thing like some movies claim. Vampires also have reflective eyes, like most supernaturals. A vampire’s eyes don’t glow, they aren’t blood red, they’re just eyes. But they’ll shine in the passing light of a car or a camera flash, that’s for certain. Lastly, vampires lack both a shadow and a reflection.

A vampire who hasn’t fed in a few days will have a chill to them like any other dead body. But a hungry vampire is faster, stronger, and much easier to piss off. A hungry vampire is more likely to drink you down to the last drop, too.

Where to Find a Vampire Typically, vampires can only come out at night. They tend to burn to a crisp within an hour if they’re exposed to full sunlight. It’s not a pretty sight. Luckily for the vampires of Moressau, the sun only comes out about 30 days of the year, so they can be out at nearly any time. Most of them keep to the night hours though. They’re nocturnal creatures by nature. They also tend to hang out in the Midnight Quarter. There are some vampires who’ve lived there since the city was founded, and if you’re looking for ‘night life’ then the Midnight Quarter is exactly where you want to be. Don’t let your guard down for a second there. The only places where regulations on vampire feeding are enforced are donation centers, and even those are iffy. Sure, the city says they oversee vampire parlors to ‘ensure safe conditions for both mundanes and supernaturals’ but they’re lying through their teeth.

Not all vampire parlors and clubs are terrible. Just most of them. Club Nomad caters primarily to vampires, but they’ll welcome anyone looking for a night out. The bouncers there are better than most about keeping an eye on the crowds. If you want exclusivity, then L’Sourire en Sang run by the Société de Keres is as old and exclusive as you can get. They’re pretty strict about who they let in - mundane and vampire both - but I’ve heard that almost every human visitor has left alive.

Last but not least, there’s Cameo. It hasn’t been around very long, but it’s already pissed off all the old, mouldy vampires in the city so it has my vote of confidence. I heard it’s run by a new coalition in town called the Strix Assembly, and they’re very concerned about keeping their bloodbags alive and well. Pampered, even. They don’t mind the occasional shifter or supernatural drifting through, either.

Finding Good Mosquito Repellent Vampires might be some of the deadliest supernaturals out there, but lucky for us mortals there are some tried and true ways to keep them off your neck. Or kill one, if you need to.

First, sunlight. We’ve covered this. Keep up.

Second, rowan wood. I don’t know what it is about rowan specifically, but it’ll burn any vampire who touches it. They hate the smell of it too, if you’re in the market for new cologne.

Vampires have an aversion to garlic, but it’s not going to stop a determined one. Pepper spray is useful if you can make a quick getaway. Don’t bother with religious iconography or silver unless you want to be laughed at before you die.

And finally… I talk a lot of shit, but most vampires are just like everyone else. Common sense and a nice attitude will go a long way. This guide is so you know how to handle the dangerous ones.

Shapeshifter taglist: @sunset-a-story @touloserlautrec

#wip: shapeshifter #having much fun with this #can't wait for it to be fully finished and printed

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naomikojima · 1 month

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[template credit here!]

NAOMI KOJIMA ( ANNA SAWAI ) is a THIRTY-ONE year-old EXECUTIVE CHEF in OSAKA, JAPAN. They were brought under Richard’s care when they were only THIRTEEN years old. They are known as THE INTROVERTED because they are INTROSPECTIVE but also AWKWARD.

BASIC INFORMATION

Full Name: Naomi Kojima

Nickname(s): None, efforts to create any in the past have resulted in no reaction, or if she really hates it, an eyeroll.

Date of Birth: April 30,1974

Age: 31

Occupation: Executive Chef (Technically Co-Executive Chef)

Current Residence: Naomi currently rents an apartment in Osaka, Japan where she’s lived for the past 5 years.

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Hair: Black, long.

Eyes: Brown, see ‘Notable Features’.

Height: 5 feet, 3 inches

Notable Features: Naomi has a mark on the right side of her face, in the bottom eye/cheekbone area which extends to the hairline near her ear. It is the aftermath scarring of a burn when she was 13 years old. Naomi is very insecure about it, though not as bad as in her adolescence thanks to Richard’s encouragement.

PERSONALITY & BEHAVIOR:

Strengths: Creativity, Self-Motivation, Persistence, Focus and Listening

Weaknesses: Navigating Extroverted Scenarios (such as Networking), Self-Promotion, Easily Frustrated, Prolonged Socializing and Verbalizing Feelings.

Quirks: When uncomfortable, Naomi tends to fidget, particulars her fingers and nearby objects, such as pencils or one of her hair pins. While Naomi doesn’t say much, she also tends to speak quietly and walks lightly. Mrs. Tristan did not like this about her.

Vices: Naomi only drinks socially and only ever 1-2, since she’s a lightweight and doesn’t really enjoy it. She does smoke cigarettes, a fact she successfully kept from Richard as far as she knows. Occasionally during more intense working situation, she has partaken in stimulant drugs to get through the shift.

INTEREST & HOBBIES:

Interests: Cuisine and History, and the ways they intersect. Naomi also loves literature and while she doesn’t admit it, she does tend to watch dramas that she finds cheesy, yet compelling.

Hobbies: Like Richard, Naomi is a big fan of reading. It was a welcome escape during a dysfunctional childhood and a love that was further nurtured at Woodrow House. Her apartment showcases several piles (she has yet to buy a bookshelf so it’s just several stacks spread around the apartment) of cookbooks from different time periods, regions and methodology.

Special Skills/Talents: Cooking! Naomi discovered this talent prior to Woodrow House since she was the primary cook in her family home however being Richard’s ward allowed her access to better ingredients and tools, igniting her creativity with food. She focuses on new and unusual flavor combinations combined with traditional cooking methods, taking advantage of what she learned in her travels. Naomi is good at showing others how different techniques but not on explaining those further. She has ghostwritten several successful cookbooks, though no one knows that.

BECOMING A WARD

From an early age, Naomi was treated as her mother Sayuri’s best friend, therapist, worst enemy and pet, depending on her mother’s mood. They often relied on donations or assistance to get by, but Sayuri’s financial illiteracy often left them still struggling. Many of the parental responsibilities for her younger siblings fell to her, something she internally resented. One day, as Naomi was busy with caring for her siblings, her mother passed out with a lit cigarette which fell from her hand and caused a house fire. Naomi managed to get her siblings out of the home, sustaining a burn to the right side of her face. A despondent Naomi then looked on as responders rescued her mother. Often kitchen fires will bring her back to this moment. While everyone survived the fire, with only Naomi and her mother sustaining any burns, Sayuri was unable to keep custody of her children and Naomi’s siblings were separated from her in the process. Since the fire, Naomi has not attempted to contact her siblings and has not heard from them. When the newspaper reported on the local fire, a story which Richard read, it included a photo of a thirteen year old Naomi frozen as she watched what remained of her home, clutching a burnt book. Feeling for her situation, Richard met Naomi and they bonded over literature, and Naomi became one of Richard’s wards

LIFE AS A WARD

Living in large numbers at Woodrow may have brought some Wards out of their shells, but it only made Naomi more appreciative for her alone time. Often found hiding out in her room to recharge her social battery in between her studies and activities. The wards that could tolerate a quiet, low energy social time were likely to see more of Naomi.

AESTHETIC

Comfort is a large priority to Naomi in her wardrobe, often in blues, greens and neutrals such as black and beige. Suede, denim, knit and cotton are often featured. However most of the time, Naomi wears her chef’s coat from the beginning of her shift until she crashes on her couch at the end. Her long, black hair is usually put up for work but beyond that is often kept back in a mid-ponytail with some front pieces sticking out or half-up half down and secured hastily with bobby pins. Naomi’s dark eyes rarely wear anything other than mascara and some lightly applied, black eyeliner. Occasionally, she’ll use a more dramatic eye shadow shape when going out but anymore and she worries about bringing attention to her burn.

EDUCATION

Naomi at first chose to continue to receive her schooling at the estate, however she soon realized that was far too much Mrs. Tristan for her and chose to attend private school. Afterwards, she obtained a Culinary Arts degree at Kingsbury College and followed that up with a education through her experiences traveling the world. Since then, Naomi has also earned a Restaurant Management diploma.

EXTRACURRICULARS

Growing up, Naomi participated in few activities and did so hesitantly, seeking the solitude that could have awaited her instead. Cooking lessons from tutors were by far her favorite and most consistent. She also participated in ice skating in the winter and swimming in the warmer months. In school, Naomi only ever joined two clubs: The Book Club, which she promptly left when she didn’t agree with their book tastes and The Chess Club, which she became Vice-President of.

THEIR LIFE NOW

Naomi has lived in Osaka for the past 5 years and prior to that, she had stints living different food capitals such as Paris, Barcelona, Chicago and New York since her time at Woodrow House. She is the Co-Executive Chef at a restaurant located in the heart of Osaka, sharing the title with her frequent collaborator, Taro Yamada. While the two complement each other, with Naomi having studied cuisine and developing recipes with Taro excels at being ‘the face’ of their work, promoting the restaurant and motivating the staff. Naomi even ghostwrote some of Taro’s cookbooks, while at the time seeing value in getting her food out without the spotlight since then Naomi has felt more regret over the arrangement. Naomi travels back home once or twice a year, depending on her work schedule however, this doesn’t always guarantee she stops in at Woodrow House as it isn’t somewhere she feels connected to. A structure, walls and nothing more. She had last visited the house the October prior to Richard’s passing, though only briefly. Naomi would usually rely on the other wards to make plans with her if they wanted to socialize. A combination of enjoyment of being alone and insecurity of approaching others has resulted in this strain though Naomi isn’t sure if anyone feels negatively about it. She has very few friends, and usually likes it that way. Dating is difficult for Naomi, and she usually tries to avoid it, not desiring the small talk and awkwardness that happens at the start. When she gets lonely enough, Naomi will take herself out for the night to a bar to find some company for the night but none of these have developed into anything recurring.

#wrhq.intro

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discoverjoana · 5 months

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Brielle "Brie" moves out of her parents house to go to university and take a Culinary Degree. She decided to live off campus and move to Tomarang to discover her heritage of Asian cuisine.

Your cooking skills flourished by the time you were a teen and you had only one goal in mind: becoming a celebrity chef.

Generation Two: Chef It Up!

Growing up eating delicious baked goods was one way to spark your interest in cooking, and your parent(s) always encouraged you! Your cooking skills flourished by the time you were a teen and you had only one goal in mind: becoming a celebrity chef. You work hard to achieve that dream.

Aspiration: Master Chef

Traits: Ambitious, roll/pick the rest. Buy the Stoves and Grills Master reward trait.

Skills: Cooking and Gourmet Cooking. At least level 4 in Mixology. Any required skills from career.

Reach level 10 in the Culinary career (Chef branch), OR open a restaurant (achieve 3-star restaurant), OR become a freelance chef (mod).

You must achieve at least a 3-star celebrity level, after all, you are a celebrity chef.

Have a "controversial" relationship. Either date/marry a fellow celebrity (maybe they have a bad rep?), get into a relationship with someone who works for you at your restaurant, you decide! Be creative with it.

Throw at least 5 dinner parties throughout your life. No need to go for gold, but hey, why not?

Create your chef's dream kitchen in your home. Your sim needs a beautiful place to cook!

#tjol challenge #the sims 4 #ts4 legacy #sims 4 gameplay #ts4 challenge #ts4 screenshots #legacy challenge #djsimblr #tjolc #the joy of life challenge #tjolc gen 2 #Generation Two: Chef It Up

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alefgardtravelguide · 10 months

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Fanbook FAQ

Transcription of the English text on the images is under the cut!

➤ What format will the book be in?

Both digital and physical bundles will be available! Physical bundles will come with a printed copy of the book, as well as a digital PDF and bonus merchandise.

Some of the merch will be exclusive to this project, and will not be available for purchase once the project is over. I hope you'll look forward to them...!

*Disclaimer: I'm not releasing an Alef plush *I wish I was though

➤ How 'canonical' is this book?

We adopt as much canonical game lore and references from both games across all available ports (with the exception of DQB1's recent mobile release) and combine them all to form a cohesive tourist guide. For example, while history tidbits are taken from DQ1's canonical lore, cuisine inspiration is taken from DQB1's food recipes.

However, creative liberties have notably been taken in terms of map design, tourist insights, and character relationships. Therefore, while being created from a foundation of primarily canonical elements, this book remains 100% fanmade and should not be taken as an official product.

Basically what I'm saying, don't hunt us down if you see any inaccuracies. If anything happens go after my editor Nate not me.

➤ Where are you shipping from?

Indonesia! By default, I offer shipping that includes tracking to minimize the risk of lost packages. Please note that there are some countries I cannot or do not recommend shipping to (this unfortunately includes the UK). More information on shipping will be listed on the storefront's FAQ.

➤ I have played neither, or only one of the games. How bad are the spoilers?

The travel guidebook alone spoils the entirety of DQ1, and about 70% of DQB1. Additionally, almost all the comics are based on their gameplay jokes and references. For that reason I highly recommend you check both games out before picking this up, especially when there are free playthroughs on YouTube you can watch (*couhgs* did you know *coughs* both games are now available on Switch AND mobile *coughs*)

Builders is expensive I get it but DQ1 is the price of a cup of coffee and you get to feel all cool and retro for a day after playing it.

10/10 would recommend.

#dragon quest #dq1 #dqb1 #dq1xb1 fanbook #dragon quest builders #official Kairi announcement

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andywinter16 · 1 year

Note

Glaive eating habits and food preferences? Who cooks and who eats what and when?

Ooo, sure sure anonie! (even though my eating habits aren´t great either) This will also serve as reminder to everyone to not ditch food and water!

Again, so sorry for the delay on your ask. But lots of you had such intricated and complex questions. Hope you will like it, I tried to answer it in some kind of order, but then my ADHD kicked in so it´s little chaotic!

(Libertus possessed me so he could nag on all his idiots for not eating on this ask)

Just for some clarification Galadh cuisine is in my humble opinion mashed asia/mediterranean dishes. Which means lot of meat (seafood and fish especially), heavy spices, vegetables, noodles, rice etc.

Luche has only two moods the normal and workaholic. In workaholic mood he neglects food and water (And gets scolded for that)

Purely fuctions on coffeine when in working mood

Sweet tooth, usually has in his pocket some chocolate or anything similiar (In Galadh is chocolate pricey stuff, and Luche was on cloud 9 when he bought some from his first paycheck)

Luche´s good cook when he´s got time for it (his chocolate mousse is a hit! anything he does with a chocolate is great actually)

when everything is hectic or Luche is just drained, some good galadhian take out or Yamachang saves the day

I am telling on Luche ... Again when in workaholic mood (after he gets scolded and Lib brings him some food) he tends to eat fast and on the move

You see, Luche´s got some refined taste buds. Which means caviar, red wine, oysters, and any other fancy food, you could think of (I once read a fic where Luche was being expert at red wine and mayyybeee little bit of snob, and it stuck with me)

Luche and his eating schedule ... it´s complicated. Like on day off he would have three full meals with a snacks. But with how he´s busy it´s hardly one meal a day

Tredd is in my personal headcanon a gym rat

so naturally he´s got some cooking skills (Tredd can be creative when he wants to be)

always has some protein bar as a snack or some protein shake

Tredd learned how to make a homemade jerky, it´s pretty tasty (even Libertus said so!)

He speaks with his mouth full of food (it irritates me, because I sometimes do that too, when I am telling some story)

Tredd loves meat! Protein for his muscles is important. So steaks, or ribs covered in barbeque sauce are quite guilty pleasure.

as almost every galadhian he loves flavourful food with tons of spices

strikes me as person who doesn´t like broccoli (probably ain´t that fond of most vegetable in general)

I didn´t forget of Tredd´s fondness of hot chocolate with chilli ( still denies he likes that stuff )

has planner on his phone when he should eat (it helps him a lot)

THE MAIN COOK OUT THERE! (No, seriously without him would half the glaives starved to death or eat only a junk food )

Libertus strikes me as a stress and emotional eater (me too Lib)

apart from being great cook, Lib mixes drink like no other (okay, Nyx is very close on that scale)

it´s probably not a eating habbit, but I can see Libertus having a nap after a good food

I support opinion that Lib is connossier (that man can say if it´s authentical galadhian dish from across the room)

"Everything can be good, as long as it´s properly cooked and salted." - Libertus Ostium

on completely different note: He threatens people to eat, because nourishment is important for your body to be strong and healthy. Once threatened Nyx that he would spoon feed him that food, if he doesn't comply. And Libertus really did spoon feed him.

obvi eats whenever he wants at least three meals a day

Libertus taste pallete is pretty colourful (Lib is like Gordon Ramsay of Eos XD)

I believe Pelna likes to eat his food with a company ( a nice habit from his home that prevailed)

He loves fruit and nuts! For example papaya, apples, bananas, melons and grapes are his favourites. As for nuts definitively macadamia nuts and coconut.

Pescetarian - so fish and seafood, and other animal products such as eggs and milk or honey

He often brings the dryed mix as a snacks that he shares with everyone ( Luche´s the one who eats all the chocolate if it´s in there)

dear Pelna skips breakfast, just hates eat in the morning (feels too heavy and full)

boy is ice-cream lover! Pistacio is his favourite!

Pelna´s having bigger lunch, dinner and probably some drink with friends, I may add that through whole day he snacks

Nyx drinks lots of beer or alcohol in general (I mean he was a bartender with Lib. Yet I can´t help but think that maybe drinking is his bad coping mechanism )

very proficient at mixing drinks

another troublemaker who Lib needs to yell at to get some food ( And Lib is 100% done with all of them. He started to cook more food and divides it into lunch boxes, which shares among them)

Like Nyx in kitchen is not bad at all, he owned bar with Lib for god sake! (isn´t probably one for the most complicated dishes, but whatever he cooks is good and edible)

was born and raised on galadhian dishes, so naturally those he cooks pretty well

but Nyx never says no to good pepperoni pizza that has some kick or burger with crispy fries and homemade sauce

Crowe can eat the most griesiest food ever and not gaining a gram of fat ( her metabolism is too fast + being a mage is tiring and requires a lot of energy to burn)

and because of it she eats all the time, be it snacks or full meal

she isn´t fond of any vegetable salat (it makes her more hungry)

Crowe bakes and she´s dam good at it! We don´t talk about her cooking ... safety reasons

most definitively obssessed with cheese of any kind

green tea with lemon is SACRED!

hates black coffee like plague (is fond of hazelnut cappuccino tho)

has secret stash of snacks (chips, chocolate, bonbons, ...) no one knows where she hides it

Axis as a right parent doesn´t waste food, so if his children leave any leftovers, he eats it after them

he´s trying to set good example for his children with right eating habits (but his night raids on the fridge are hard to miss )

every morning drinks black coffee with lots of sugar ( it could kill a man)

I do believe that Axis grew every vegetable and fruit on their farm (so he literally uses anything as cooking ingredient)

Axis actually does the cooking in their family. (he had to take care of himself) Those dishes may be simple, but delicious

Axis loves green pea! When he was younger Axis often sneaked out to the garden to pick some

was taught canning (pickles, blumes,..) and how to made marmelade (let´s just said that glaives are obssessed with that)

usually eats breakfast and dinner with his family, lunch spents at HQ with comrades

Soni over there is also gym rat like Tredd

he puts protein powder almost everywhere

Sonitus loves soups! Especially fish soup, his dad used to make

eats fish and seafood frequently (he lived near the sea coast so), mostly with vegetables and rice

enjoys pudding too much to be healthy (he´s not much into sweet things)

Soni sometimes takes too big bites of food and hardly chews them (then almost chokes)

strikes me as a person of few perfectly mastered dishes, then anything else is just average or disaster

enjoyes fresh juices (orange or ananas ones) or smoothies

he may be busy with glaive duties, but tries to maintain some order in eating habits like breakfast is at 8 am, lunch around 1-2 pm, dinner at 7 pm

Bonus:

if you though Luche and Nyx non-eating was bad, think again because Drautos takes the crown (hehe, quite literally)

Man survives on coffee and bourbon alone

his cooking ain´t the worst but not the best, he knows the basic at least (but mostly orders something cuz busy captain and all that jazz )

Titus + barbecue = The best experience in your existence!

Titus was almost whole life in military, so he isn´t picky eater either

his eating schedule is non - existent If Libertus woudn´t bring often some food to his office ( Lib puts harshly full plate of heavenly smelling food before him. " Sir, there´s a deal because I am this close to murder someone in this house for not taking care of themselves properly. So I will sit quietly in this chair and you will eat all this food on the plate. If not ..." *angry galadhian stare)

that man can eat whole chicken alone and still would want add a second

Titus loves homemade food + points if there is meat in it (those military food packs they get makes him sick, almost forgets how good food taste)

guilty pleasure is strawberry cake with whipped cream (his older sister made him always one on his birthday)