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#bc of traffic driving on the opposite side of the road than I’m used to
ehghtyseven · 4 months
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Do you have recommendations for what to do and see in Pittsburgh? And is it easy to get around by bus/subway etc?
anon I’m so sorry, I started replying to this at the airport on my way home then saved it to drafts and forgot to go back and publish, oops! anyway…
ok, please bear in mind I am just a person who has visited a few times so this is in no way exhaustive, and will obviously be coloured by how easy things are to get to without a car and things I personally find interesting!
presented in no particular order…
heinz history centre & sports museum
go for a wander through the strip district
fort pitt museum & point state park
national aviary (fun on its own but would thoroughly recommend the penguin encounter as an extra)
andy warhol museum
carnegie science centre (though I just went to a specific exhibit so I don’t actually know about the museum as a whole but I liked what I visited)
walk the three rivers heritage trail along the north shore & visit the mister rogers statue (and I always enjoy walking over one or other of the three sisters bridges to get across from downtown and back afterwards)
take a trip on the inclines (duquesne is the prettiest and has the best views of the city at the top but personally I like to go up the mon - when it’s not closed that is - walk along grandview then come back down via duquesne)
point of view sculpture (just a bit further along grandview from the duquesne incline)
pittsburgh has a couple of theatres so it’s always worth checking out what’s on during your trip, and pittsburgh has some great restaurants/bars to check out too.
also, not really a “thing to do” but I will never get tired of arriving via the fort pitt tunnel when coming in from the airport and downtown just explodes in front of you as you emerge!
there are some other places I haven’t visited yet but are on my list, including the zoo & aquarium, phipps conservatory, carnegie museums of art and natural history, the frick, and randyland.
on the second question, downtown & the areas close by are very walkable but I find it is pretty easy to get around on public transport, yes. PRT now has an app (ready2ride) that includes a journey planner and live trackers (amongst other stuff), lets you buy a range of different types of pass that you then use by just scanning your phone when you get on, and which covers buses, light rail and the inclines. as someone who lives in london and is used to just tapping my phone to travel on public transport, this was way easier for me than having to think about paying fares every time and took a lot of anxiety out of using buses!
the T (light rail) is also free between downtown and the north shore - all the stops between first avenue and allegheny - which is handy! I also think it’s neat that most bus stops have a QR code you can scan for live arrivals info, which also helps you check you’re at the right stop :)
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brvdleymilligan · 3 years
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HLO slinks in thru a bead curtain.......... truly sry this took me so long to concoct bt i’m here now, hand on hip, smiling coyly at u all...... i’m nai n i’m rly excited to b here so i’ll just dive right in!! u can find bradley’s pinterest board here n her muse tag here. like this or hmu for plots!
[ cis female, she/her, margaret qualley , twenty-four ] i can’t be sure, but i think i just saw BRADLEY MILLIGAN drive onto the parkway. don’t they know we’re not supposed to be driving on that haunted road right now? maybe it has to do with the fact that they’re so +RESILIENT and -VOLATILE that makes them feel UNPHASED about everything going on. i guess we could also chalk it up to the fact that they’re always reminding me of LEMON IN A FRESH CUT, THE AMBER BLINK OF AN ANGRY ALLEY CAT, GRINNING WITH BLOOD ON YOUR TEETH. either way, i hope they get back safely. [ nai, she/her, 24, gmt ]
aesthetics: singeing a hole in your fishnets with the cherry of a menthol, spitting a pistachio behind the bar just to hear it ping off the nozzle top bottles, lemon in a fresh cut, a war torn poppy standing alone in an empty field, pressing thumbs to yellow bruises, stomping over flowerbeds when there’s a path right besides it, dangling over ledges just to feel your chest jolt, a snarling rottweiler that needs muzzling, limp feet poking out behind a door, ‘I PROMISE I DON’T BITE’ scrawled on a name tag, slapping a bald head in front of you at the cinema like it’s a bongo, not owning a single jacket that isn’t stolen, driving a stranger’s car down the wrong lane against the screaming traffic, hair more feral than a wolf cub and eyes smudgier than a coal mine.  
BACKGROUND:
ok SO. her father owns a strip club in crescent hill named no angels. it’s kind of.... a seedy establishment i won’t lie. hs a red glowing sign like it’s lighting up a window in amsterdam. cigarette butts floating in oil slick puddles outside. unsavoury characters crawling all over like rats in a sewer. despite this it’s a legitimate business on the surface of things n it does pretty well in trade. it’s like.... that place people warn u NOT to have ur bachelor party at unless u fancy urself the type tht willingly enters a lion’s den bt tht almost??? adds to the allure in a way??? ppl r like wow so sketchy it’s the thrill of a lifetime........ i mean run while u still can bt go off i guess
it isn’t Confirmed Public Knowledge bt it’s pretty heavily implied thru the rumour mill that bradley’s father is the head of a gang of rly............ Not Nice people. all the ppl that work for him u would hands down NOT want to run into in a dark alley. while things seem legitimate on the suface it’s pretty clear they’re into shady dealings n the townsfolk that suspect that would indeed b correct! the club’s a front for a drug business n they’re also washing n running counterfeit cash thru it. they probably also have their hands dipped into a few other local businesses to run their cash thru these too n keep it all seemingly by the books so nobody comes sniffing around. they even r friends with a member of local law enforcement that’s working w them for a cut so they honestly have all bases covered to keep things airtight n foolproof. perhaps a business in reed too which bradley oversees bt i haven’t given this Too Much thought as of yet??
so ya she’s grown up fairly local most of her life n would maybe be known around town as such.................. the milligans r certainly Interesting as far as families go so like. it honestly wldn’t surprise me if ppl nudge elbows when they see one of them coming n immediately walk in the opposite direction. just quite an intimidating presence...... they’re like caged animals where ur specifically instructed NOT to stick ur fingers between the bars bc they WILL bite
on a more personal note her dad is pretty much the worst human being alive n bradley hs like….. a lot of issues with herself as a result of years of toxicity n abuse
in terms of more family bkground info her mum’s name was alyssa n she vanished when bradley was 12. jst like…. into thin air. nothing. no note. zilch. gan! n when bradley asked her dad abt it his response was essentially “guess she didn’t love us enough to stay”. as bradley’s got older tho n become (without intention) more involved in the business side of things, it’s become pretty clear there was far more to the story.
(abuse tw) they had a horrible marriage n tony ws emotionally manipulative at the best of times, violent at worst, which didn’t help the fact tht alyssa ws struggling a lot w severe depression n rly just… not in the mindset to b dealing w anything else, even where motherhood ws concerned. bradley p much… would look after her a lot n they’d both b scared of her dad n it was just a whole unhealthy mess.
(death implied tw) anyway im rambling bt basically tony (bradley’s dad) gt wind of alyssa sleeping w men tht worked fr him n he just… got rid. bradley’s kind of worked out over the yrs tht her mum didn’t jst leave on her own accord n tht something must hav happened to her bt she’s too scared of her dad to ever directly accuse him
when her mum went all of her dad’s cruelty pretty mch got channelled straight onto her. it ws diluted between two before bt as u can probably imagine her upbringing was jst…. a steep downhill decline
(drugs implied tw) she learnt ways 2 deal w the incurring trauma bt they weren’t healthy ones at all! bsically jst. will do or take anything fr the distraction. chases a thrill like it’s the only way to remind her she’s alive. has absolutely no regard fr her own wellbeing n often gets other ppl in trouble too bc she’s so insatiably reckless
(hospitalisation tw) she hd….2 separate stints of psychiatric hospitalisation n she never tlks abt it. like ever. acknowledging she’s been vulnerable is her worst nightmare n bc of the way her dad raised her she always thinks any sign of struggling within herself is weakness. truly does…. not kno how to properly emotion
CUT TO!!!! the present. she’s currently living at the motel which is like. the least homely place she cld ever live rly but bradley loves making her life uncomfortable n doesn’t rly believe in growing sentimentally attached to anything if she cn help it <3 probably gets into arguments all the time w her neighbours it’s a whole thing.... atrocious at feeding herself has breakfasts frm the vending machine like her organs aren’t screaming fr vegetables.... plays music too loud n sometimes vanishes for days at a time without a word. she’s a lot.
i honestly feel like the murders haven’t rly phased bradley too hugely....... i won’t lie she probably genuinely is like. oh maybe it’s smthn to do w my dad. n just blinks the other way not rly that phased. on some subconscious level i think she rly just thinks........ death follows her wherever she goes n is like. this is just life for me! kind of depressing. holds her hand bt then screams n pulls away when she inevitably bites me.
PERSONALITY:
the kind of sour cherry only certain people have a taste for
once drank a bottle of whiskey, insisted she could still do a cartwheel and accidentally kicked an old man’s front tooth out in the process. proceeded 2 collapse into a flower bed and laugh so much abt it that she cried
barely takes anything seriously 50% of the time and is angry the other 50%
if she was a coffee she’d be black with five grains of sugar that you couldn’t taste until the last sip
(alcoholism tw) high functioning alcoholic. if u ever see her w a coffee cup u jst kno tht one sniff will confirm high alcohol percentage. honestly idk hw she does it her liver must b yellin
loyal to a point of fault. if she cares abt u (rare) and u murder a man in cold blood (not so rare in the broad scheme of bradley’s life) she’ll brawl anyone that says ur guilty
honestly wld probably fight a person over anything. sometimes she’ll jst be having a bad day n she’ll burst n take it out on whoever says the wrong thing. minefield!
has the worst luck in romance…. ever. ALL her past bfs hav been absolute beasts n as a result she has the ‘romance is dead n love is a lie’ mentality. definitely NOT a romantic. very cut n dry abt these things. sex is mostly just sex n she’d kind of scoff at anyone that wanted more from her
mostly wears stolen clothes from strangers and jackets that swamp her. huge chunky stomping boots with steel toe caps that would RLY bruise if they gave u a kick. hair is p much always a wild mess n she usually hs kind of smudgy/smoky makeup bcos apparently she’s allergic to combs and generally looking presentable… relatable content. the only time she rly looks put together is when she has to do something/go somewhere/see someone on behalf of her father....... he kind of uses her as a sort of. honey pot sometimes fr shit his gang get up to it’s like. not! a way u should ever utilise ur daughter but :/ i cannot stress enough how much i wna drop kick him in the neck
she’s v sarcastic. blunt. kind of has a habit of…. assessing a person n she’s quite perceptive bc she’s been trained to b by the way she always has to monitor her dad’s expression fr the slightest emotion change. she’s very confident n can p much mke a conversation out of whatever if she feels like it. independent too like she hs a bunch of (predominantly surface connection) friends bt she doesn’t care abt going out places alone n does this often. she’s probably kind of known around town bt itd b a 50/50 balance between bein known as intimidating n bein known as that one girl tht always gets into anarchy
likes: drunken snow angels that drag on so long they flirt with pneumonia, stealing cars, throwing watermelons off rooftops to watch them explode, shooting pedestrian’s with bb guns from hidden spots on rooftops. 
dislikes: telling the truth, tulips so yellow it’s like they’re gloating, playing music loud enough to fry your brain and serve it on a piece of toast, going home.
PLOTS:
someone tht works at the ‘no angels’ strip club?? either as a dancer or bartender or whtever. just a forewarning it’s probably gna b a pretty….. seedy and Not That Pleasant environment bc it’s like. a crime hotspot inevitably bc it’s a gang hangout so. ur chara wld truly be in fr a rollercoaster ride to say the least
(drugs tw) she deals coke fr her dad’s gang so perhaps ur muse buys off her
anyone….. she’s brawled in the past like. she’s literally a menace i cnt express this enough. wil jst randomly throw a drink in someone’s face fr no reason bc she’s bored. she’s probably pissed off 1000 diff ppl in 1000 diff ways. the possibilities r endless n i jst think tht’s a sexy prospect!
fwbs perhaps??? exes??? (probably ws a tumultuous relationship honestly bradley is. a handful...... it’s also rly not often she ties herself down tbh so this would maybe have to b discussed/be circumstantial/kind of rare)
mayb someone tht she met at an aa meeting when she hd to go fr a court mandated thing one time after bein arrested fr public indecency. i feel like there’s probably a rly expensive statue somewhere thts fancily sculpted n she like. did a flying kick n broke the dick of it off n gt arrested fr it
ppl she……. Goes Wild Goes Crazy w. truly jst the most self destructive person alive so anyone w a similar mindset wld b a hellish bt fun combination
on the contrary a gd influence cld b nice perhaps? like someone tht genuinely cares abt her n she jst doesn’t kno hw to compute it
maybe people who r her neighbours that live at the motel too??
OH it could b fun if ur muse runs or works at a local business maybe like. a bar? idk? n bradley n ur muse have developed a rapport bc she frequents the place n is................ a Character
um. honestly the world’s our oyster. hmu n we cn brainstorm if none of tht catches ur eye!
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raskies456 · 5 years
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a list in no particular order of things that happened while visiting my aunt and grandmother:
immediately after pulling into the train station I saw a small child shitting on the sidewalk which is par for the course but felt like an omen
their car was missing both side mirrors when my aunt picked us up. we managed to replace one. this is not the end of stories about my aunt driving
my aunt has 17 cats! They’re more feral than pets and four mom cats had multiple litters in a box on the porch and all share custody. There’s cat shit Everywhere.
She fed them raw chicken and didn’t wash her hands before giving me food
Grandma and I have no shared language but that doesn’t stop her from talking even if no one allows her to translate. Or stopping to let someone translate. My dad said most of her stories are about how she’s learned to be nice and not gossip followed by gossip and racism
Mostly grandma talks but she also loves sparkling water and I watched her repeatedly open bottles rapidly and then become upset when the water fizzed out the top
I saw a trabant (old Soviet car of incredibly dubious make). My dad was very excited bc it was actually moving on the road but then we passed it and saw it was being pulled by another car
Also saw a fox and some other animal friends, apparently horned beetles are native to eastern europe
Aunt nearly ran over the fox
This is not the only thing she nearly ran over. That list includes pedestrians, bicyclists, motercyclers, birds...
She thinks the police persecute her bc they keep pulling her over. There was a speed radar sign flashing her speed red and she pointed at it and said “see I’m going the speed limit”
Aunt gave my mom a weird old cellphone to call her with that looked like a burner phone from a spy movie
Turns out it Was a burner phone my aunt had been given by her third sugar daddy (not the one that sorta got her banned from Australia)
My aunt didn’t have a cellphone tho which is great bc she would have used it while driving. Instead she just swerved to point at things, to move to the correct side of the road when there was oncoming traffic, and once when she let go of the wheel to put on her seatbelt bc she thought she saw a cop
Deadass said “why are you running” to a pedestrian
The bathroom at the house looks like satan’s anus. My parents and I planned our bathroom breaks to be when we were out of the house
Grandma tried very desperately to keep us from visiting my mother’s childhood village bc it was embarrassing and threw a huge tantrum about it
Also threw a tantrum bc she kept opening windows to cool the house on a hot day and my aunt told her that had the opposite effect
My parents say this is a common argument between them
I learned to give up thinking there were plans bc they always changed and it was exhausting trying to hold on to any of them
My aunt reminisced about a past vacation in Mexico and how my dad told me not to take any of the coral washed up on the beach, before saying she had taken four and still had them
The countryside is incredibly beautiful
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savetheblackpaladin · 7 years
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I was driving today, and I imagined Hunk was teaching me, even though I already know how to drive and I don't know, maybe you can write something in which the paladins are teaching their s/o or something how to drive?? Or maybe they're just being really annoying about it lmao
This is adorable. And I feel you. When I have to drive on a long trip by myself I imagine I’m on a road trip with my fave characters and we dance like idiots to my music. Or all scream when there’s snow on the ground and my car turns into a metal death trap. Fun stuff!
Shiro + His Expedition:
“You…you don’t know how to drive? Nono, you’re fine! Yeah, I can teach you!”
what a sweet man. but you ain’t getting in his baby without your driver’s permit so tough shit
“Ok, so that’s the brake, that’s the gas. Both are a little touchy so press gentle ok? She’s an old girl. And that’s the blinker, please use it…”
he goes on and on about where things are. even going to far as to show you the radio and the ac/heater system even though you’re not allowed to touch either when driving
“Two hands on the wheel at all times. Ten and 2 o’ clock are where your hands should always be.”
yes mom
Seems calm and collected all the way until the point where you turn the car on. Then he realizes that he is in fact in a very large car, that you don’t know how to drive, that’s not really beginner friendly.
“Slowly…slowly…slow-THIS ISN’T SLOWLY!”
“Shiro, I haven’t even touched the gas. We’re just rolling…”
“…Right! Good job! Let’s just uh, let’s test out those brakes! They are you’re best friend.” *awkward smile*
he’s pretty sure his white patch has grown by the time you finally drive home
“So, can I try again tomorrow?”
*sweats nervously* “Ye-ah, sure. Totally okay! No problemo! Excellente! Okie dokie, artichokie!”
“I wasn’t even that bad!”
“I know, I’m sorry!”
it takes a few times, but eventually he loosens up enough to let you have fun with Black and kinda enjoys not having to always be the one to drive
Hunk + His Truck, Butter:
“Awww, babe. Can you drive? I’m ti~ired….What do you mean you can’t drive? Huh, ok, can’t believe I didn’t notice. We’re changing that tomorrow, it’s like a…uhm, what the word here, a rite of passage!”
please be careful with Butter, she’s his baby and and a classic
“Ok, so this girl is a manual. There’s your clutch and here’s the shifter, don’t get the brake and gas confused with the clutch. Please.”
really chill about you driving his car, but not quite ready to have you leave the parking lot quite yet. might take you out of the city for a bit, maybe drive around on some dirt roads
“You’re doing awesome! Ok, so get a little loose now, you don’t need to keep both hands on the wheel and stick unless you’re in a tense situation. Keep relaxed, let Butter do the talking, you just listen to her.”
“Nice park job, but let’s try making it in one go this time.”
Might be a little nervous when you get out on the road though
“Ok, you’re a little close to the right line, let’s move a little ove–TOO FAR OH MY GOD!”
“Let’s try easing on the brakes ok? I’m getting nauseous.”
He stops at parallel parking
“STOP! Stopstopstop! You’re gonna hit that truck! Ok–whew, breathe Hunk, breathe.” His eyes are closed and he looks like he’s struggling to remain calm.
“Did-did I do bad?” You’re nervous but luckily there’s no traffic around to see you half out of your spot.
“Not…bad,” he opens one eye to peek at you, “just…we’ll practice more later. I can’t take much more. Let’s find a different spot.”
You feel your stomach drop, “Oh…yeah, sure.”
“Hey now,” he reaches over to squeeze your shoulder, “It’s alright. You’re still learning. Keep that cute chin up!”
still the main driver but some days, when he’s just too tired, he’s really glad that he taught you. Totally worth the week of indigestion.
Lance + His Camry:
is absolutely ecstatic when he finds out you can’t drive
bc 1. it’s adorable for some reason?
and 2. he gets to pass on his skillz
also he’s got a perfect training car. Camry’s are freaking tanks and never die Heroes never die
“Go ahead, start her!” He waits with a shit-eating grin because his car is a sensitive lady and usually doesn’t start for anyone but him and Hunk.
But she starts right away, even easier than she does for him.
he’s not jealous
nope
no way
ok fine, he’s a little jealous
“So before we put her in gear, what exactly do you know about driving? Because I don’t want to treat you like an idiot or something.”
Luckily the Camry is an automatic so Lance is pretty unconcerned with taking you immediately out into the road
he’s got so much trust in you
“Yeah, getting her into drive is a little tricky. You’ll miss it the first time and slip straight into second. Just give her a little bump back into drive. Perfect!”
high five!
might have forgotten to put his seatbelt on and when you first used the brakes he went flying into the dash
“That one is on me. Rule numero uno: seatbelt.” Satisfied he’s not bleeding he continues, “Let’s just be a little lighter on the breaks. You wanna lightly press down and continue pressing down slowly towards the floor until you stop. Just one lo~ong, slow, good push.”
“Was…was that a sex joke?”
“It was bad wasn’t it? Sorry.”
Makes you practice parking next to other bad park jobs, just so you get a feel for how the Camry handles
“I think I’m gonna hit that car.”
“Naw babe, you still have a couple of inches. Let it roll….ok, now stop. Back up a bit but turn the wheel all the way in the opposite direction. Stop. Now you can slide all the way in.” *eyebrow waggle*
“Please stop using those words.”
He’s really soft and excellent at explaining what you need to do and surprisingly, he doesn’t panic.
Only grabs the wheel once when you were coming off the highway and the turn ramp was turning harder than you were and he needed to stop you from running off the road
Afterwards explains that it was all good and that he is in no way disappointed or scared about your driving skills. Turns are scary sometimes.
Now he just tosses you the keys when he doesn’t want to drive. He likes being able to do that. Sometimes, a boy just wants to gaze forlornly out a rainy window while driving to Del Taco.
Keith + His Motorcycle:
“You…wanna learn to ride a bike? Uh yeah, I can-I can do that.”
He nervous. How does one teach a person to ride a motorcycle?
Decides the best way is to sit behind you so he can yell directions or quickly take over if necessary
also, now he gets to wrap his arms around you
“You can ride a bicycle right? I don’t have to worry about you falling over?”
Has you sit on it first with the kickstand down, pointing out the hand clutch, the throttle, the gear shifter by your left foot, the brake by your right
“Rule of thumb: the left side changes gears, the right changes speed. I know it’s weird, but we’ll get it!” 
He’s so sincere about teaching you but honestly? He thinks it’s really hot to see you on his bike.
Looks bored the whole time but he’s trying to remain as neutral as possible, so he doesn’t scare you or something with his over-eagerness
“Keith, I can’t tell if I’m doing okay or not.”
“You’re doing great. You’re a natural.”
“Can you say that with feeling???? I’m getting mixed messages here.”
getting balanced is the hardest part
He’s doing his best to let you catch the bike but he can’t resist long
keeps his feet just off the ground but still straight out so he’s the one keeping you from falling over
his excuse is that he has stronger legs, not that he thinks your gonna drop Red or anything (it’s his biggest fear rn)
Finds a nice parking lot to practice in 
doesn’t have you go fast at all, just kinda put-putting along, getting a feel for the shifter
realizes that he’s probably a hindrance on the back but he’s scared you’ll fall over or off or somehow zoom too fast and crash
he needs to be close enough to just turn it off
lets you control the turns, working as a counter weight
his heart is in his throat now because you both could very easily topple over
he doesn’t want you hurt or scared to be on his bike because of one tumble
also he doesn’t want to have to buff Red out, because he will
but he gets bored easily. The moment you are able to stop it in second and drop it down to neutral he’s taking you on the road
nothing major though, you take the back streets home
probably won’t offer to let you drive. Red is his girl. But if you ask nicely, he’ll let you take the reins.
low-key is keeping an eye out for cheaper bikes he can fix up for you
Pidge + Her Prius:
“Yeah, no, you’re not going another second without knowing how to drive. Strap in loser, you’re getting the crash course.”
Ok, so Prius’ are weird but that’s half the fun!
“Guess where you put the key?” She’s got a shit-eating grin too. This gremlin.
“Th-there’s no key? I don’t...Pidge what do I do?”
“Oh don’t pout, you know it’s my weakness. See that hole in the dash? Put the fob in it and press start.”
“Seriously. I press start? Am I playing Nintendo or something?”
She snorts, “It’s exactly like that! Ok ok, so now it’s on.”
“You sure? Because I didn’t feel it turn on.”
“You doubting me?”
She also laughs when you see the shifter. It’s a freaking knob on the dash. Also, you press the park button to get into park???
WHAT THE HELL IS A PRIUS
“Ok so, the windows are tiny as hell in here. You gotta twist around to see where other people are while you’re moving. We got a clear road, go ahead and practice checking your blind spot.”
Might get a little nauseous during this part. You keep over correcting and swerving back into your lane.
“Ok, let’s just...take it easy...we can just chill in the right lane all the way to Jamba Juice. I don’t care how much slower it is.”
Fucks with you just once
You’re at a four-way stop and it’s about your turn when she reaches over and presses the power button, causing it to immediately die
She’s cackling because you can’t get it to turn back on and the other car is waiting for you to go
eventually they do and you’re yelling at Pidge who thinks this is hilarious
“Okay, okay, I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist doing it at least once. Just put it back into park and then you can restart it.”
“Jokes aside babe, you’re doing great. I almost feel like I’m not about to die.”
doesn’t mind you driving now. but she does not like it when big trucks and semis get close while she’s a passenger. She so smol and so scared
she needs to be in control
she drives on freeways and highways. she can suffer in the city
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