& finally, at last... here's my contribution to the celebration for this year!

Happy Fitzpancake Day, y'all! :Dc

Are you still doing the ask game? Can you possibly do Bilbo Baggins?

002 | Give me a character & I will tell you (this one got long i just love Bilbo so much hes the best tiny bastard)

How I feel about this character: The only reason I don’t get as emotional over Bilbo as I do Thorin is because Thorin just has that magnificent drama, but Bilbo is probably one of my favorite fictional characters. My favorite way to picture him is to imagine everyone else he meets reacting to this baffling little hobbit enigma. Bilbo first comes across as clever but overall uncomplicated. He’s a finely raised gentlehobbit who enjoys his pipe, food, fine clothes and books. You learn he has a gift for languages and poetry and that makes him more interesting to talk to, but it isn’t a surprise considering all the aforementioned books. He has a blustery temper and can be crabby, and seeing that come out just barely hidden under the veneer of hobbity manners starts revealing a little more backbone than you would expect from the little fella. You realize how many of his little comments are actually MEAN and wow he’s actually a bit of a snarly bastard huh??  Then this little sonofabitch who gets pale at the mention of danger goes and flings himself AT the danger. He can climb up trees like a squirrel, he kills a warg, he avoids detection by wood elves, he sees a bunch of giant spiders and hears them talk and then fucking toys with them. He plays word games with a dragon long enough for the dragon to actually have a conversation with him until he can escape! Now imagine you’re say, Thranduil. You heard about a halfling (which CANT be right) briefly spotted who was in your kingdom, who busted 13 heavily guarded dwarves out of the dungeons and then got them away while your immortal guards were running around. You meet this mysterious creature and stare at some 3 foot 2 twitchy little dude who awkwardly apologizes to you then yells at Mithrandir and what in the FUCK is this thing? Now you’re Mithrandir. Not much surprises you anymore and you’re more pleasantly surprised but also vindicated by Bilbo Baggins going around causing havoc and yelling at every king he comes across. Nothing can surprise you much. He has that magic ring that raises alarms but like, it cant related at all to THOSE rings because Bilbos cagey about it, but what isn’t he cagey about? Otherwise his behavior hasn’t changed at all. Then NO ACTUALLY. This little fucker has been carrying The One Ring, Isildurs Bane, Source of Pure Evil and Corruption, around in his POCKET for 50 some odd years. Bilbo Baggins has been using The Ring of Sauron to prank neighbors and avoid annoying relatives for DECADES. And then he gets possessive over it but is still able to just....drop it...and walk off....from the one ring that he has been carrying on his person for years. What in the FUCK.

All the people I ship romantically with this character: Thorin and Bofur. Thorin never quite gets over how unnervingly unpredictable and batshit insane Bilbo and the more Bilbo fusses over manners and Doing Things Properly the more unnerved (in a very adoring way) Thorin is by him.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: I also like him being buddies with Bofur. And honestly Bilbos friendships with every powerful immortal who keeps him around for the delight of the “what in the fuck” factor is my favorite thing. Elrond and Thranduil probably have petty passive aggressive battles over who gets to have Bilbo over for what Elvish holiday. You always want Bilbo at the party because he’s the best weed hookup and he can drink a wood elf under the table, which is terrifying. Galadriel and Gandalf team up to snatch him while the two kings are busy arguing about it.

My unpopular opinion about this character: People forget that Smaug was very correct in calling him a thief and a liar.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: I could have gone my whole ass life without hearing Martin Freeman of all people make the most heartbreaking keening sob of loss and pain I have heard in cinema

my OTP: *gestures up at Thorin*

my cross over ship: I would be happy with just a series of Bilbo meeting various overpowered ancient beings through various media to call them stupid to their face

a headcanon fact: Bilbo can’t swim, which he did not take into account before he flung everyone into a river and didn’t get his own barrel first. He is one of those people who is so smart that sometimes his brain overtakes his goddamn sense.

return of the return of the wednesday reading meme?

So it turns out that trying to read when I’m on a writing bender is...actually fairly hard?  It’s almost like working on a story between six and fourteen hours a day doesn’t leave me much time for...well, much of anything.  But that fic is done, and holiday stuff is pretty much finished, so here we go again!  We’ll see how long I last this time.

What I’ve just finished reading

Tender Morsels, by Margo Lanagan.  I’ve been thinking a lot about story structure lately, in part because it’s something I’ve been aiming to have more of in my work, so this was a fascinating read in part because it didn’t follow a traditional structure at all.  Or, really, you could almost argue that it’s the reverse of a traditional structure—where in a Hero’s Journey-style story you have the inciting incident that sends the main character out into the world to be forever changed, here you have a victimized teenage girl responding to further trauma by literally withdrawing into her safe, comfortable fantasy world and staying there for decades while she raises her two daughters.  I appreciated that the story largely treated this choice with empathy; while she’s upbraided by one character later on for her selfishness in not allowing her daughters to experience the real world until they’re grown, most of the others are thoroughly understanding—and the price she pays ends up being a quiet and personal one rather than the Epic Potentially World-Ending Catastrophe that most Western storytelling would demand.  There’s a lot to chew over in this story, about the effects of trauma, and culture, and how to make existing as a disempowered person bearable. 

If I had one complaint about it it’d probably be that the story treats the “real” world’s brutally patriarchal culture as an inevitability, something that can’t be fought directly, but only undermined covertly, through magic and other hidden means.  I guess I have just enough of my mother’s crusader tendencies to want to say “forget that, we can do better”...but power dynamics are forever a tricky thing to alter, and from the perspective of the main characters, there’s really not that much they can do; it’s something of a triumph even to learn to exist within it.

(Thanks again to @introvertia for sending me this, it’s given me lots to think about!)

What I’m currently reading

Gideon the Ninth, by Tamsyn Muir.  I’m almost through the audiobook, and hoo boy have I been enjoying it.  The author and the narrator both are doing a bang-up job in helping my brain keep the large ensemble cast straight—every character has a distinct personality and voice, and the ways they bounce off each other are eminently believable.  Gideon, with her irreverent attitude and occasional brilliance, and Harrowhawk, with her continual brilliance and equivalent insufferability, continue to be one of my favorite fictional pairings; even once they start to trust each other somewhat, their chemistry is just phenomenal. The worldbuliding I’m a little fuzzier on, but the characters are so propulsive that I’ve been more than willing to just go with it.  And given that they’re basically acolytes of a mysterious and claustrophobic religious order that requires absolute faith from its adherents, to a degree it works that the origins are mysterious, even if I occasionally find myself wondering about practicalities like “okay, so, who exactly maintains the shuttles?  And the atmosphere processors?  And grows the food?  And who’re they fighting in this mysterious war that’s only occasionally mentioned...?“  I’ll be interested to see if she expands on that in the further books.

What I plan to read next

To be honest, I have no idea.  I may well just pick up something from one of the piles of books around my house—God knows I have enough of them, haha.

Fanfiction Spotlight

This week I want to point out Solus, Soulless, Solace by Blake (@newleafover on tumblr).  I’ve often thought that the soulless version of Sam we meet in Season 6 of Supernatural is one of those opportunities practically tailor-made for fanfic—the direction they took him in the show worked fine, but there’s just so much potential for exploration there, especially with Sam’s internality.  What does the world look like, to a human being without a soul?  How does his inability to feel emotion change how he relates to his loved ones, and especially to the one person his life revolves around?  And without the ability to love, what is it that keeps him so tied to Dean?

Blake uses the opportunity to present an unrelentingly crystalline portrait of trauma-induced functional depression, where habit and careful consideration carries you through most of the motions of your life but you’re acutely aware that your usual breadth and depth of emotional experience is just—gone.  Further, they write it in second person, unusual for a non-reader-insert fic but powerful in that it strips away that layer of insulation.  And damn if it isn’t 100% effective.  I happened to come across it after a week that had involved more than a little emotional heavy lifting; reading it was like going outside during a sunny eighteen-degree day when all my muscles were sore.  It felt therapeutic, if only in the sense of “oh, right, this is why I’m doing all this painful internal work, so I don’t end up here again.”

Get To Know Me!

Since I’ve received quite a few followers here and there, I might as well do this!

What is your full name?: Beryl (Sorry, I don’t like my whole name)

What does your name mean?: It’s a gemstone. 

Are you named after anyone?: My großmütter, Beryl Rae Jensen

Does your name make any interesting anagrams?: Not really?

If you had to change your first name, what would you change it to?: Fuck if I know. Probably something basic so I’m less easy to find. 

Where are you from?: North Pole, AK (I shit you not)

Where were you born?: North Pole, AK

Where did you grow up?: North Pole, AK

Who did you look up to growing up?: My father.

What are your best characteristics?: I can draw. 

What are your favorite things about yourself?: I can draw. 

Which of your parents are you closest to?: My dad.

Which of your parents are you more like?: My daaaad.

What relative was important to you growing up & why?: Tbh My dad was my super hero, he took care of me and my sister, worked 3 jobs, and took care of mom while she went through cancer. He’s the most important lmfao.

What is one thing that you’ve never revealed to your parents?: I’m Pagan.

What would your parents have named you if you were the opposite gender?: Bert Raymond... 

What is your best physical feature?: Eyes or chest. :/ 

What is your biggest accomplishment?: Being locally recognized as an artist, especially on local TV. 

What is your biggest fear?: Being forgotten, being alone. 

What is your biggest regret?: Not pushing myself even more with art. 

What is your eye color?: Various blues with inner green circles. 

What inspires you?: Other artists. 

What is the most important thing in your life?: My fiance! @boywasgirl

What has required the most courage of you in your life so far?: To not give up. To not quit college and drop everything I’ve worked hard for. 

What is your favorite flower?: Sunflowers!

What is your favorite weather?: Rainy weather and thunder/lightning storms!

Who is your favorite actor?: I have a few, but I love Johnny Depp and Jason Momoa. 

Who is your favorite actress?: F u c k. I adore Emma Stone, Emma Watson.. uhh.. Emilia Clarke! That’s just to name a few. 

Who is your favorite celebrity?: Oh fuck. Idk. 

Who is your favorite musician?: They’re a band but I love Bring Me The Horizon, Oliver Syke’s voice and lyrics hit me hard. 

Who’s your favorite person in the world?: @boywasgirl

Who are your best friends?: @armageddonne @darkdragoonxiii @vixenchildxd69-blog and my bff Alisha! 

What is your favorite childhood memory?: My sister breaking the fucking garage door like a dumbshit. 

What is your favorite color?: Black or seafoam green~ I also love other greens and blues! It’s so damn hard to choose. 

What is your favorite cultural activity?: Uh. Axe throwing? Idk what counts as a cultural activity when it comes to me and my family haha. 

What is your favorite drink?: For waking up, Monster or pomegranate and orange redbull kickers, I love mountain dew, anything with peaches and mango as well. 

What is your favorite fairytale?: HAHA. I looove reading about the Tales of Grimm. I can’t just pick one. 

What is your favorite food?: Pizza or Taco Bell.

What is your favorite holiday destination?: Anywhere but Alaska. I love to explore. I REALLY want to travel to Germany, Norway, Ireland, England, and most of Western Europe. 

What is your favorite ice-cream flavor?: Strawberry Cheesecake or Mint Chocolate

What is your favorite music genre?: Fuck. I have so many. I love a lot of metal subgenres, alternative rock, punk, old 2000′s emo bands, EDM, rap, I don’t even know how to label all of my favorites but there’s a lot to unpack there. If you’re curious just shoot me a question ahaha! 

What is your favorite physical activity?: Swimming!! 

What is your favorite quote?: “Keep listening to music because it gets you through everything, I promise.” - Mitch Lucker, former vocalist of Suicide Silence. 

What is your favorite snack?: Peach Rings, Brightside Skittles.. Uhh. MY MOM’S CLAM DIP AND RUFFLES CHIPS? 

What is your favorite song?: Throne - BMTH or Mis//Understanding - We Came As Romans.

What is your favorite sport?: Swimming, Hockey, Volleyball and Fencing. 

What is your favorite time of the day?: Early afternoons or late nights. 

What is your favorite type of clothing?: Goth/Alt fashion. 

What is your favorite way to pass time?: Gaming or drawing. 

What is the name of your favorite restaurant?: Family Diner (It’s in my town. It’s really chill and laid back.)

What is your all-time favorite town or city? Why?: I really enjoyed Denver, CO. It was filled with really colorful, intriguing personalities. There was so much to explore, everyone was so open and sweet. 

What is your height?: ... 5′2″

What time period would you love to live in?: Viking Era. 

What did you do for fun as a child?: Drawing. 

Who was a role model in your life?: My dad! 

Did you have any childhood pets?: I grew up with 5 cats and 4 dogs! 

When you were young, what did you want to be?: A mortician. 

What family traditions were important to you?: I can’t even remember many.. I loved during gatherings how we’d play Spoons, wrestle, and be reckless though. 

What was your favorite childhood memory?: Ahah! Shenanigans with my “Twin” Kyle. 

What was your favorite childhood possession?: My Gameboy Color! 

What challenges did you experience when you were young?: Almost losing my mother, trying to speak English, being bullied heavily. 

What is a defining moment from your childhood?: My mother coming home from the hospital finally. 

What do you do for fun?: Play video games and draw. I’m pretty boring. 

What are your hobbies?: Drawing, Painting, Digital Art, Gaming, Dancing, Singing.

What is something that you’re really passionate about?: My art.

What is something you could spend hours doing?: Drawing

What is something you wish you did more often?: Draw. 

If you had to watch a documentary, what would you want it to be about?: Anything WW1/WW2 related or Forensics/Serial Killer related. 

What do you always have on in the background?: Lofi Hiphop or random videos on youtube that catch my eye. 

How do you feel about travel?: Fuck yeah, where are we going and for how long? 

What is a guilty pleasure you enjoy?: Fuckin’ watching Serial Killer documentaries. 

How have your interests changed over the years?: Nah, I’m still the same. I’m pretty bland. 

Which sibling are you closest to?: My sister, Erika! 

How close are you with your parents?: Close but not too close.

How has your relationship with your parents changed over the years?: For the worse.

What is one of the most important lessons that you learned from your family?: You cannot trust anyone. Not even your own family. 

When does your family cause you to stress?: All the damn time. All they need to do is send me a text and I immediately begin to dread. 

What does the word family mean to you?: Something that I never got to fully have but I experienced. It’s also something I can create on my own accord. 

When you envision your ideal family, what do you see?: Honestly me with my partner/partners, kids, animals, and friends. 

How vulnerable is your family with each other?: Everyone is always on guard and they’ll be mean if you even show some form of sensitivity. 

What is a family trait that isn’t necessarily the healthiest?: Being a snitch, gaslighting, gatekeeping, misogyny, yelling if you even show an inkling of emotion. I could go on. 

What relatives had the biggest impact on you growing up?: In a negative way, almost all of my family. The only two I really loved growing up were my dad and sister, Erika. 

What do you watch on television?: If it’s cable I go to MTV, Forensic Files, or Adult Swim/Anything with cartoons. 

What is one of your favorite movies?: To Hell And Back, Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, Dracula Untold (For some reason I just really like it, don’t judge). 

If you could have free tickets to any event, what would it be?: A BMTH concert PLEASE. Or anything that’s a EDM/Rave environment. ;_;

What is your favorite form of media?: Youtube tbh. 

What role does music play in your life?: A huge role, BMTH got me through a lot of hard times. 

What is one of your favorite books?: Corey Taylor’s Seven Deadly Sins. It’s a riot of a read and makes me laugh. 

How often do you watch sporting events?: Here and there, especially at bars if they have Hockey going. 

What would your ideal weekend getaway look like?: Road trip to Anchorage and staying at my mom’s cousin’s estate in the mountains. I only got to go there a few times and the view is absolutely captivating. You can see the waters, the city, all the lights.. fuck I’d love to draw that. 

Who are popular figures that you love to learn from?: Fuck if I know LOL. 

What celebrity/musician would you love to meet in real life?: Oliver Sykes and Maria Brink tbh.

If you wrote a memoir about your life, what would it be called?: “Well, That Happened.” A memoir of a dumb bitch LOL. 

What fictional world would you want to travel to for a day?: FUCK. I’d love to just be in a simulation like the girl in Porter Robinson’s music video of Shelter. Just being in a drawing simulation where I can run around and create anything and everything around me. But if we’re talking actual worlds.. I’d probably love to be in Avatar The Last Airbender’s world. I love that series so much. 

What room in your house most represents who you are as a person?: The Office. It’s got art supplies, our gaming PC, all of my schoolwork/homework, the drawing tablets.. 

How clean a person are you?: Tbh I am pretty clean, it’s just cleaning huge messes/unpacking that I hate. 

What is a pet peeve that you have?: STOP CHEWING WITH YOUR FUCKING MOUTH OPEN. 

What behavior do you do that is most likely a pet peeve to others?: Uhh. Idk. Nail biting? Loud laughter? forgetting to turn off lights? Idk. 

What phrase or word do you overuse when you talk?: “I’m so sorry” “I m a g i n e” 

If you could only eat at one restaurant for the rest of your life, what would it be?: Fuck. Hahaaaaa. I’d probably love to just sit and eat at the Family Diner. I love their Reubens. 

What is something about your personality that you like? Don’t like?: I like that people feel comfortable running to me when they need a friend. I don’t like a lot about me, though.

What would your friends be surprised to learn about you?: I am ambidextrous and I know German/Englisch and some French! I want to learn Norwegian even more and Gaelic! 

Where do you see yourself in a few years?: West coast where it’s rainy with those that I love, pursuing my career finally after all these years of hard work. 

Thanks for reading this if you finally made it to the end! If there’s other questions you want to ask, don’t hesitate! ^^ Hopefully you learned something about me! 

POSITIVE 20 QUESTIONS TAG GAME

@demondeals thank you for tagging me this was SO MUCH FUN!! ily!!

1. Name 4 fictional characters who showcase your personality the best, with explanations if you want.

aah this is hard okay so first and foremost peter parker. he’s one of those characters that have always been relatable in almost every aspect of life since i was a kid, especially when it comes to how he deals with his feelings and like his emotions and humor and his problems in general?? and then also jake peralta also because of feelings and how he tries to avoid them and be all!! fun fck yea!! and humor and idk?? also i love amy santiago so... third i think is percy jackson bc no thoughts head empty and he is impulsive and also brave and i would like to think that i am brave?? and yeh im trying to make this as short as possible and only vaguely explain but. it’s not working ksdfjbv okay fourth character is stiles stilinski ig?? like sarcasm and humor again, and idk this is all repeating but it all comes back to how he deals w his feelings and guilt and problems and idk the reasons are mostly the same with all these characters and yea there’s more but i feel like i am talking too much so i will stop skjdbvjk

2. Aesthetic

milkshakes and fries, neon lights, blasting the car radio, doing literally anything as long as it’s with friends, city lights, train rides at night, playing video games till sunrise, campfire smell, denim and flannels, drive-in movies

3. Favorite musical/play? (If you’ve never seen a musical or play, one you’d be interested in seeing?)

uhh i’ve only listened to hamilton which had some really cool beats! ive also listened to a few songs from dear evan hansen, wicked, mean girls, and oh now that i think about it i’ve seen the shrek musical on netflix and 10/10 phenomenal in every way that’s my favorite one

4. What is the best compliment you’ve ever received?

i know i’ve gotten compliments but for some reason i cant remember any?? like the second i read this question my brain went whoosh. idk probably whenever people tell me im funny or notice that im keeping my cool in a situation that is very NOT cool?? idk i really cant think of any rn jdfsbksdjb but there have definitely been compliments that i have thought about for weeks bc i was like....omg? me? kinda sad that i dont remember them i really hope i do soon bc i wouldnt wanna forget smth like that sjkdbdvhsb

5. How many times have you been in love?

i don’t think i’ve ever been in love (at least romantically)? im not certain but im 90% sure i haven’t. but when it comes to friends and family, sososos many times i lvoe them all

6. Embarrassing story or fact about yourself that makes you laugh now?

uhhh i got pantsed in like grade 7 bc i was being dragged across the floor and then this 9th grader came up to me in the middle of the hallway and yelled “HEY I SAW YOUR ASS” i wanted to perish

7. Favorite Disney/Pixar movie?

ooh probably zootopia or wall-e!!

8. Favorite flower or plant?

this is hard! i love ferns and sunflowers and hydrangeas and ooh also vines 

9. What’s your favorite holiday?

i love new year’s eve! it’s just fun because we all just stay up and celebrate and there’s always this feeling of “oh i got through another year!” also 4th of july but not bc of the actual holiday just bc my old town used to have these 4th of july carnivals that were crazy fun and i used to go like almost every day when the carnival was in town

10. Name three things that made you laugh or smile this past week.

first one is my school posted a picture of me graduating on their facebook and my mom sent them the link to look at it and when they pressed on it they started replying to my mom thinking it was on whatsapp but they left like 7 comments on the school’s post in arabic so that was funny as fukckjdbf, second is atla bc i love that show and everyone is so precious, and number 3 is literally any conversation with any of my friends

11. What song would you play to introduce yourself to someone?

axel f by crazy frog. next question

12. Name something that truly makes you feel peaceful even at your most stressed moments.

probably watching one of my favorite movies (mr. popper’s penguins or itsv tbh) or like just going on any of my friend’s gcs and sending memes and stuff

13. What do you, did you, or would you study at college?

i plan on going into chemistry!! i might also minor in computer or environmental science, but i’m still undecided! crazy because up till a few months ago i had zero idea what i wanted to do and my plans kept changing like every week

14. This is kind of a weird one, but which outfit of yours makes you feel most like yourself?

probably my denim jacket or my really big red sweatshirt? idk tbh i really only buy clothes that i know i would feel myself in and that i would be comfortable, but i think those two are probably my favorites?

15. What is a quote you live by?

power of people is stronger than the people in power because i want to take down the evil government. this is the first one i thought of so it’s staying skjvbjksdb

16. Name the funniest playlist name you have.

i have ‘AAAAHHHHHHH’ and i have ‘mitten ski’ which is a playlist composed entirely of mitski songs

17. Make a reference to an inside joke you have with someone you love with zero context.

wanna touch knees?

18. What is a message you would give your younger self if given the chance?

please stand up for urself and talk ab ur feelings for the love of god it’s ok to admit to being not ok ?? also everything in the world is not ur fault, chill btich

19. Who is your favorite family member? (If you have no good blood family members, feel free to mention someone in your found family)

i can’t really do this bc i really do love all of them in a different way. i’m definitely closest to my mom because i’ve lived with her all my life, but i still can’t pick favorites

20. What’s a secret dream of yours?

to be an astronaut pls this isn’t a secret i just really want to be an astronaut or a superhero pls someone give me a radioactive eel bite or send me to space or something. also to be able to be more open w people and to visit aleppo again 

i’m tagging: @natasharxmanov @anthonydarling @parkersedith @jessjones @anxieteandbiscuits if you guys want to!!! ily all very much

Voxman Ship Meme (REPOST)

(Note: This is adapted and edited from a ship meme pulled off of a long-deactivated blog. The newer edits include my take on K.O. visiting Professor Venemous on weekends.

Big thanks to @enlightenedrobot for saving one of my personal favorites of the asks I received. I’m still in love with the idea of bite-sized speculative fiction about the hypothetical domestic lives of two dumbass mad scientists and their big adoptive family.)

Who snores?

When Lord Boxman snores, it sounds like a chorus of chainsaws chopping trees. It drives Professor Venemous crazy, but he can’t complain. Apparently, he grinds his teeth with the ferocity of ten cats dragging their claws down chalkboards. These two have to sleep in separate bedrooms or they’d murder each other.

It pains Boxman since he loves to-no, needs to-cuddle. Boxman will chug two energy drinks and screw up his sleep schedule for a week if it means getting to spoon with his sleeping husband for a few hours. He has ample competition, though. Fink, Raymond, Darell, and even K.O. take turns sleeping in Venemous’ room to assuage nightmares or just because Venemous is the warmer, more affectionate parent. Raymond, Darrell, and K.O. tend to accommodate Boxman and gladly include him. It takes Boxman awhile, but he eventually comes to enjoy the family huddle pile (even if this includes K.O., but he’d never openly admit it).

Fink is the exception. She’ll snarl and bark like a guard dog until Boxman reluctantly retreats back to his room.

Who takes out the trash?

At first, Venemous and Fink take turns taking out the trash. After a bitter argument about unfair chore schedules, Boxman was supposed to take over that chore. Instead, he delegates it to Darell, Shannon, and Raymond. Between the three bots, hope that Darell or Shannon lost the latest no-holds-barred tussle for who has to do it. If it’s Raymond, the trash just sits there and rots.

The headache stops entirely once K.O. starts visiting on weekends. He gladly picks up the chore, as well as many others, leaving Boxmore just a little cleaner than it normally is. K.O.’s cleanliness is almost enough to sell Boxman on the idea of eventually recruiting the little goody-goody full time.

Who hands out candy vs who takes the kid(s) trick or treating?

A week before Halloween, Boxman buys out all of the best candy. On Halloween night, Boxmore is a hotspot for trick or treaters because he hands out jumbo candy bars, homemade caramel apples, and even popcorn balls. He knows kids by name, takes requests, and has a waiting list of clients two miles long. His rationale? The bigger and flashier his Halloween offerings, the less foot traffic Gar’s Bodega gets. He’ll quash Gar by cutting his bottom line. (That’s Boxman’s cover story, but really, Halloween is just his favorite holiday).

As if this weren’t enough, Darell, Shannon, Raymond, and others ambush the Bodega all night with over-the-top Halloween related pranks or attacks. Gar usually works these shifts by himself since it’s an important family holiday for Enid, K.O. will probably go trick or treating with Carol, and Rad would find endless excuses to sneak over to Boxmore anyway.

Venemous is the trick or treat chaperone. He loves the holiday because it tends to be his best opportunity to bond with Fink. He lets her go nuts: She terrorizes unsuspecting citizens, steals kids’ candy, and threatens people at the door for their entire candy stash. While Fink brings home an ungodly large stash, Venemous refuses to let her eat all of it at once. He’s still supposed to be a responsible boss/parent in some capacity after all. K.O. tags along with Venemous and Fink on one Halloween after the big reveal. Apparently, Halloween is a good enough excuse for a truce between Fink and T.K.O. The results were so disastrous both Carol and Venemous agree that K.O. exclusively spends Halloween with her or his friends. No exceptions.

Who goes to parent/teacher conferences?

Venemous attends parent/teacher conferences more than he likes to. It usually boils down to: He nods and smiles for an hour, then bribes the principal to clear up Fink’s record. When he starts dating Boxman, he forces him to tag along to make the experience more bearable. Of course, Boxman acts as obnoxious as possible while Venemous pretends to be the embarrassed and utterly mortified “Excuse my buffoon partner” parent. After the fourth parent/teacher conference with Boxman, Fink’s boarding school just gives up.

Carol encourages Venemous to attend at least one of K.O.’s parent/teacher conferences in an attempt to “better include him in K.O.’s life.” It goes surprisingly well, despite some of Venemous’ catty comments; well enough that Carol, Venemous, and Mr. Gar can coordinate to go in each other’s stead if one or the other gets too busy. Venemous insists on getting a full report of K.O.’s progress every time, brags about his “smart little boy” for weeks, and makes Fink very jealous of her step-sibling.

Who packs a lunch for the other to take to work?

Boxman makes a point of preparing a lunch for his ‘gorgeous, successful’ partner everyday. He’s a terrible cook. A nightmarishly terrible cook. But, Venemous takes the heart-shaped boxes with burnt pot roast and limp greenbeans anyway because he appreciates the gesture.

Who leaves clothes all over the floor/in the laundry basket vs who puts them away?

Boxman has a giant “dirty clothes” pile in the corner of his room. The only clothes he’s very careful, even anal, about getting thoroughly cleaned and professionally pressed are his theatrical costumes. Costumes and presentation are actually a key bonding point between he and Raymond. Venemous encourages Boxman to go out once a week with Raymond clothes shopping and getting suits pressed or whatever else. Raymond is eternally grateful to Venemous for this, but he’s still trying to convince his more fashionable dad to join them. It’d be nice if Raymond had backup to get Boxman to back down on some of his more questionable fashion choices. 

In contrast, Venemous is very careful about hanging his turtlenecks and lab coats, knows the best dry cleaning locations available, and gets the high-grade laundry detergent he can find. He doesn’t mind stains since he usually ends up with mud stains or crayon marks on his clothes after spending quality time with Fink. He just likes to make sure he’s presentable for clients and rivals alike.

Who organizes the DVDs and books?

Venemous has an extensive personal library he organizes alphabetically and according to how ‘evil’ the subject matter is. He’s particular about where he places books and DVDs in his private collection, but he lets everyone else keep ‘organized chaos.’ He only makes comments or asks them to clean up if the mess is in the main room or a tripping hazard.

The way he sees it, happy minions and families should be able to keep their private space and belongings arranged however they please.

Who has a million magazine subscriptions?

Boxman is notoriously bad about signing up for any flashy-looking magazine or service out there. There’s so many that come in every other week Venemous has to sort through them to pick out which are salvageable and which are garbage. Most ends up in the trash, but he does keep POINT gossip rags in the bathroom cupboard for grins.

Boxman is just barely trumped by how many teen-girl magazines Shannon orders. Every time a new magazine comes in, Venemous gets a death glare from Shannon until they figure out if it’s Boxman trash or her precious new Tigerbeat.

Who has a name for the stray neighborhood cat?

Venemous keeps tabs on the stray neighborhood cats to protect them from Fink. He’s been at it so long he named them to make it easier to keep track. At some point, Boxman joined in and started naming cats, too. He also turned their nightly antics into a needlessly complex and dramatic soap opera.

Venemous rolls his eyes every time Boxman ‘recaps’ the latest episode of Alley Cats to him at the breakfast table. And, every time, Boxman sneaks a look at Fink before winking slyly at Venemous. When Venemous does his Captain Picard facepalm, he feels like it’s a miracle Fink hasn’t found out about his watching out for the cats yet. 

When K.O. discovers his dad’s soft spot for cats, he melts and goes on about how he knew Venemous had a heart somewhere. Every time, Venemous shuts him down with a cruel comment about handing over one of the cats to Fink. If K.O. pushes too much, he describes what Fink might do in horribly graphic, gruesome detail.

Who walks around naked at night and forgets the living room window is open?

Every Saturday evening, Boxman claims the living room to himself to watch his shows (a very melodramatic and sappy soap opera he doesn’t want anyone to know he watches). At exactly 8 pm, Boxman shuffles towards his kitchen for a snack stark naked. He always forgets that the living room curtains are wide open. Or, more accurately, he leaves them open because he ‘likes the breeze.’

Rad and Enid dread Saturday night shifts. They fight over who gets their 15-minute break at 8 pm to avoid the sight that’s the stuff of nightmares. Rad usually loses whatever game they picked to decide and no matter how hard he tries, he can’t look away when Boxman does his weekly snack shuffle.

The snack shuffle abruptly ends when Fink decides she wants the TV at that exact day and time to watch wrestling. Boxman gets out-voted and overpowered by everyone, including K.O., making a family night out of it. Sometimes, even Gar and Carol join in on the fun.

‘Legacies’ season 2, episode 9 review: ‘I’m THEE…Ted. I’m Ted. Sigh.’

I am so glad that Legacies season 2, episode 9 has brought our Salvatore School crew back. And now that we’ve met the Alyssa Chang, I can’t wait to see what’s next!

Before we took a break for the holidays, we saw Hope return to everyone’s memory, Landon choose to get back together with her, leaving Josie alone, and none other than THE NECROMANCER! was unveiled as the creature beneath the red cloak wreaking havoc in Mystic Falls. For a full refresher on Legacies season 2, episode 8, check out our review.

But now, it’s time to dig into all things Legacies season 2, episode 9, “I Couldn’t Have Done This Without You.”

From ‘Master of Death’ to ice cream scooper

I really didn’t know what I wanted after learning that THE NECROMANCER! was back at the end of the Legacies season 2 midseason finale. I never expected to get an entire episode of Ben Guerens as a completely human, suddenly powerless version of our hell-raiser. This was absolutely freaking delightful, and while I don’t know how long he will continue to be hanging around causing all sorts of trouble, I can’t help but be delighted to have his enthusiasm back.

Watching him take his journey from powerless mortal back to the necromancer he’s always been was interesting, and now I can’t help but wonder what role Chad will be playing as the season rolls forward.

Introducing Alyssa Chang

Is there anyone who wasn’t excited to see Olivia Liang portray Alyssa Chang? We’ve been hearing about her since the pilot, so I was more than excited to finally meet the witchy powerhouse.

I don’t know if I expected to love or hate her, but I find I’m pretty much neither. I’m intrigued by Alyssa Chang. While I wasn’t too happy about her treatment of Hope in regards to the whole roomie thing, I did love how loyal she felt toward M.G. Our favorite, comic-loving vamp needs more people in his corner, especially when the Saltzman twins keep running hot and cold on him all the time. It’s nice to know there’s someone else around to have his back when Kaleb is MIA.

I’m not sure if I love how she set Sebastian up to fail his test, or if I resent her for casting judgement on him before giving him a chance, but, I’m willing to give her loyalty to Lizzie and M.G. the edge here. Maybe it’s the Damon fan in me, but I keep seeing how similar Sebastian’s vibe is to TVD season 1 Damon. He’s just been resurrected after a VERY long dessication, and he’s not the good, kind-hearted vamp at heart. If he sticks around on Legacies, I can see a long and winding road to redemption for him, much like we watched Damon Salvatore tread.

Break-up and make-up awkwardness

It was inevitable that this episode was going to be full of awkwardness, with Josie and Landon still getting past all their break-up awkward, Hope and Josie trying to navigate a world where they both love Landon, and Hope and Landon trying to find their way back to some semblance of the normal they felt in Legacies season 1.

My greatest sympathies lie with Josie, even if I do think that Handon is my couple of the moment. While Hope and Landon are good together, I really do want to see Josie happy, so imagine the size of my grin at the end of this episode where all three parties find ways to bond in their new awkward and put the hard stuff behind them. I was basically brimming with glee whenever they were on screen.

“This is a seminal work of fiction, not something to run your horny clock out.”

I’m glad that M.G. is keeping Lizzie in her place a little. I thought it was cute that she wanted to bond with M.G. over his comics, but when we learned that it was just an effort to distract herself from Sebastian, I quickly turned on her. Not cool, Lizzie. Not cool. (Even if the tie in to the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event was super fun to see.)

But, seriously, though. Good on M.G. for standing up for himself and his interests and not allowing her to use him to distract herself. He deserves better, and I’m glad he recognizes that.

Is Landon really powerless?

There was a lot of heavy-handed talk about Landon’s lack of power in Legacies season 2, episode 9. No matter how long Sebastian and him spent together, the ancient vamp could not stop trying to emasculate Landon for being less powerful than Hope.

While I’m really happy that Landon isn’t afraid to be less powerful than his tribrid lady, I can’t help but wonder if we’re being set up for another huge reveal in the second half of season 2. Legacies season 1, episode 13, “The Boy Who Still Has a Lot of Good to Do” was the episode we learned Landon was a phoenix, so could Legacies season 2, episode 13 be when we learn the extent of a phoenix’s powers?

Because there’s got to be more to being a phoenix than just coming back to life. Having a power like that at your fingertips has to mean there’s more he can do. It’s just going to take the perfect set of circumstances to bring forward any other powers he might have boiling under the surface. I’m wondering if there isn’t some healing, superspeed, or SOMETHING else waiting for him to discover.

Is Chad going to be this season’s true hero?

I mean, his introduction, death, and resurrection in this episode has me wondering what role he might play as season 2 goes on. Will he be THE NECROMANCER!’s undoing? Or just a simple, loyal acolyte to the king of the undead? Only time will tell, but I won’t be forgetting him anytime soon, that’s for sure.

Josie’s little premonition

There are exactly three visuals that we see when Josie starts magically messing with the mora miserium. They are: someone smashing the mora miserium in front of a large fireplace, an image of the entire Salvatore School engulfed in flames, and an image of Josie who had clearly gone full Dark Willow. (Like, seriously, the look of it is SO reminiscent of what Willow looked like when she went dark on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.)

I’m curious if this was just the mora miserium trying to convince her to let it out, or whether this was a true sort of premonition of a future that could be if they don’t find a way to get rid of the mora miserium safely.

Friendship restored!

That three-way hug!! I’m really glad that Hope, Josie, and Landon have been able to individually work on their relationships. We saw Hope helping Josie, Josie helping Landon, and Landon leaning on Hope. Everyone is doing the work to get back to the friends they were before all the Malivore-memory-related shenanigans.

I really need Hope and Josie to keep bonding, because I love them having each other to lean on. With all the craziness going on for both of them, it’s really important to me that they have each other to go to in times of trouble, stress, or emotional upheaval.

KYM IS BACK!! Now where’s Kaleb?

Okay, so I didn’t think twice when Dorian kept mentioning his intern, but OMG! It’s Kym! Talk about ecstatic. I don’t know where Kaleb was supposed to have been for the entirety of this episode, but knowing that soon we will have Kaleb, M.G., and Kym all together again is giving me life. I loved their dynamic earlier this season when they were investigating the Croatoan, so there is bound to be some great stuff for them coming down the pike.

Bye Sebastian… the pirate vampire?

So, Sebastian is most definitely in TVD season 1 Damon mode. He’s purposely pushing Alaric’s buttons, he’s head-over-heels for Lizzie, and he’s unable to control his need for chaos. The only question remaining is: Will he end up down a Damon-like path of redemption, or will his story meet a swift and bloody end? Or did it already?

Also, there were a couple of references to Sebastian having a pirate past in this episode that had me wondering where they are taking our new vamp troublemaker. Alaric’s book, Alyssa’s reference to a boat, and when you think back to the Croatoan and the whole Roanoke situation, it would make sense that a pirate could have ended up on the island for all that craziness.

And that original outfit we saw him in. I definitely think it had a pirate-like quality.

I’m definitely eager to see how his pirate-hood may play into later storylines, especially since Alaric did something with him for the time being. Is Sebastian back in his coffin? Is he dead? Did the vamp really choose to leave? I’m sure we’ll find out in Legacies season 2, episode 10, “This Is Why We Don’t Entrust Plans To Muppet Babies.”

Altogether, I think was a great midseason return. We got to see how THE NECROMANCER! came to be back in Mystic Falls, we watched as Sebastian proved himself incapable of following the Salvatore School rules, and we saw Josie, Landon, and Hope well on their way to healing all the ills the first half of the season brought.

I’m anxious to see where the rest of this season takes us after Legacies season 2, episode 9. Have we seen the last of Vardemus? Could we meet the real Vardemus at some point? Is Clark really dead? Is Hope still friends with Maya and Ethan? The questions floating around in my head could go on and on and on and on. But for now, I’ll just trust that there’s a great storyline ahead, and we only have to wait a single week til it arrives this time.

What did you love most about ‘Legacies’ season 2, episode 9?

What is the wallpaper on your computer screen? Why did you choose it? A gorgeous b&w photo from a photoshoot Alexander Skarsgard did. I chose it because it’s him and he’s gorgeous, duh.  Is there a pattern on the pants you’re currently wearing? Which one? Nope, they’re just plain black leggings. Do you like going to baby showers? Do you go only for the cake? I didn’t mind the few I’ve been to. I liked playing the games. Who is the person you text the most in your life? What relation are you? My mom or brother. Mexican food, Chinese food, Italian food, French food or American food? I like some foods from each of those.

Has there ever been a time in your life, you felt sexually undecided? No. Does your mother annoy you when the holidays come along in the year? No. What is the color scheme of your absolute favorite fast-food restaurant? I don’t have a favorite fast food anymore, honestly. I’m not big on it like I used to be. Do you think tattoos and piercings are sexy on the opposite sex? I don’t mind some tattoos or a couple piercings, but I’m not super into them. Do people ever ask you to do things they’re too short to accomplish? No, I’m the short one who needs to ask others for help. Do your siblings bring people around that your parents don’t approve of? No. Is there carpet or hardwood floor in your bedroom? Carpet. Do you check the texture of things first or the smell of them? Depends on what it is. Certain things I might do both. Have you ever broken the arm or head off of a trophy? How did you do this? No. Do you believe in superstitious things such as breaking a mirror? Nah.  Do you get sick of people who call themselves bi polar all the time? I don’t like when people just throw that and OCD around. Ever have an ultra-sound performed on you? What was it for? I’ve had several done in my life. I used to get my kidneys checked once a year. Do you like those ‘end of the world,’ ‘Armageddon’ movies? No. What color are the headphones you have at this moment in time? Black. Ever been choked severely on something during lunch at your school? This is worded weird, but yes actually. It happened in elementary school, but I still remember it quite vividly. I got a chip stuck in my throat. Do you remember who you sat next to in Kindergarten? Who was it? No. Has anyone ever compared you to an animal? Which one(s)? A monkey because of my long arms. Has anyone, including yourself, forgot it was your own birthday? Not anyone close to me, no.  Chocolate or strawberry birthday cake? Choose one. Strawberry, hands down.  Do you eat more vegetables or fruits? What’s your favorite fruit/veggie? Out of the two, veggies because I do eat spinach oftenish. And potatoes. I haven’t had any fruit in quite a long time. :X Do you abbreviate things way too often? Do you get called out on it? No. I only do “lol”, “lmao”, “wtf”, and “wth.” Ever been in one of those church Christmas plays before? Why/why not? No. What is the funniest conjunction you use throughout your day? I don’t think any of them are funny. Have you ever thrown a roll of toilet paper at someone before? No. Does the dentist calm you or does it tend to stress you out? I have never found the dentist to be calming. I get very bad anxiety when it comes to the dentist. It’s a real fear. If you had to choose, which is the worst movie you’ve ever seen? Hmm. I’ve seen a few shitty movies, hard to choose the worst one. Have you ever found yourself talking to an inanimate object? When they’re not working properly haha. Do you like movies that are originally based on children’s books? Sure. Is your hair more thick or thin? Is it more curly or straight? Thin and wavy. I really wish I could get extensions.  Something on the human body that grosses you out the most: Feet. Do you like meeting new people? What’s your most common greeting? I’m not very outgoing or social.  Ever think of what it would be like to be a mermaid or merman? Nah. If you had to choose, which celebrity would you date out of all of them? Alexander Skarsgard. ;) Do people feel sorry for you for no reason? Have they ever? I’m sure I look quite pitiful. What is something that bothers you about most surveys in general? The repetition of questions. Especially ones about marriage and children. Who would you take with you on a stranded/deserted island? Someone who could help get me off. Do you have your own personal boom box in your bedroom? A boom box, wow. No, I don’t. Haven’t had or used one in several years. Would you survive if zombies were to take over the world? Why or why not? Nope. What would you say is the worst part of high school period? The teenage years are a rough, pivotal time. What is your favorite color of apple? Red, green or yellow? I don’t care for apples. Ever want to be a doctor? Is it because of all the hospital shows? Noooo. What do you think of all these reality shows that try to alter personality? I’m not sure what kind you’re talking about. Where are your favorite pair of shoes in the whole world right now? My black Adidas with the white stripes. Do you live anywhere near a mall? Yeah, pretty close. Do you like drawing smiley faces or do you think they’re overrated? If I’m randomly doodling, that’s one of the few things I’ll draw. If you were dying who would you say goodbye to first out of everyone? I’d have my loved near me and talk to them. Are you someone who actually likes to babysit children? No. Do you ever have those ‘ah ha!’ moments? Do those annoy you? Yeah. I don’t think they’re annoying. It’s usually a good thing. Do you hardly ever remember where you put things at? No, I’m good about that. What’s your favorite lunch meat, if you even like any in the first place? Turkey, salami, and bologna.  When is the next time you’ll eat a cupcake, if you know when? I have no idea.  Where did you last buy socks from? What do those socks look like? I forget what the last pair I bought myself was, but I just received a few pairs for Christmas. Do you ever lay in the grass and look up at the sky, just because? Nope. I don’t want to lay or sit on the grass at all. It makes me itchy and there’s bugs. When do you normally go to sleep on the weekends? My sleep schedule is the same regardless of the day. I tend to go to bed around 5AM and wake up around noon. Have you ever met someone with the same ‘biggest fear’ as you? Yes, a few. Do you ever have movie nights with your significant other? I’m single. Would you rather write with a pen or a pencil? Why is this? Pen. Do you like candy bars? Are you trying to slack off of them? Yeah. I haven’t had candy in quite awhile, though. I’m not trying to “slack off of them”, I just haven’t had any.  What is your favorite number? Is it significant with your life? 8. It’s been my favorite since I was a kid. Are you afraid of being kidnapped if you go outside at nighttime? I’d be afraid of being attacked or killed. Has your mother ever called your school because of your grades? No. I always got good grades. In the next twenty minutes, what will you be doing and where will you be? I need to go to bed. It’s after 5AM now. Do you like showers or baths better? Why did you choose your choice? I only take showers. I haven’t taken a bath since I was a kid. Are you a controversial person? Do your views oppose others? No. I keep a lot of my opinions to myself. I mean, yeah I have opposing views. We’re not all going to agree on everything. Have you ever thrown a surprise party for someone? Who for? Nope. What would you say your average word per minute time is on the keyboard? I have no idea. I’m a very fast typer, though.  What is your least favorite class in school? Why is this? It was always math. I was horrible. Do you bite your fingernails or tap them on desks? I always picked at my nails in class. Have you ever wanted to be in a band? What position exactly? No. Who is your role model or hero in life if you have one? My mom. Do you ever call your cousins just to talk to them randomly? No. I used to text with them or Snapchat or something, but not anymore except for here and there. I’m not close with any of my cousins anymore like I used to be. :( Do you find any of your friends’ parents creepy or really mean? I never found any of my friends’ parents creepy or mean. Do you ever have to wash your clothes at someone else’s house? No. When is the next time you’ll go to the library? Why is this? I have no idea. I have no reason to. Do you like fiction or non-fiction books more? What’s your favorite? Non-fiction.  Do you constantly have to be told to shut up? By who? No. I’m not a  chatty person, generally. I do have my chatty moods sometimes where I want to tell myself to shut up, though. ha. Do you know how to play pool? Are you any good at it? Nope. Do you treat others as you’d like to be treated? Have you always? I try to. These past few years I haven’t been the most pleasant to around. I get moody, irritable, snippy, pissy, and short with my family and that’s not at all how I want to be. They don’t deserve it. I know I don’t like when people are that way to me. Were you a really mean kid or a sweet and quiet kid? Sweet and quiet. I was the “pleasure to have in class”! Are you someone who likes to get in arguments or fights a lot? Nooo. I avoid it like the plague. How do you make sure people know you don’t like them at all? I don’t have to make a big spectacle about it if I don’t like someone for whatever reason. I can still be polite and civil if I have to interact with them. Would you say you’re someone who likes to cuss a lot? Nope.  Do you keep secrets from your parents that you don’t keep from your friends? I mean, my parents don’t know everything. I tell them a lot, especially my mom, but I also keep a lot to myself. Not just from them, but from everyone.  What is your father’s best friend’s name? Do you know them personally? Donny. Yes, I know him personally. They’ve been friends all my life. If you had to, where would you get a tattoo at? Why? I’ve always thought my inner wrist, but I don’t know now.  How much was the cell phone you have at this moment in time? However much the iPhone XR is. Would you say you hang out with people the majority of your life? I spend quite a lot of my time alone, but I spend a lot of time with my family as well. What would you do if you woke up randomly with purple hair? Uhh that would be quite shocking. I also dye my hair red, so if I woke up and it was purple one day I’d be pretty concerned. Do you ever look in the mirror and name all of your flaws for no reason? I avoid looking in the mirror as much as possible, and when I do I keep it short. If I spend too long that’s exactly what would happen. All my flaws become magnified and intensified and they’re all I see. Are you getting sick of the reality show Survivor? Why? I never watched it, but I’m surprised it’s still on. Do you usually explain to people why you do the things you do? Not usually, no, but with some things I guess. Or at least try to. I don’t even understand why I do what I do. Ever submit a video to America’s Funniest Home Videos? No. I wanted to as a kid. What color is the closest desk to your body? What all is on it? I don’t have a desk in my room. The most painful medical procedure you’ve ever had? Any of the surgeries I’ve had. Are you someone who likes to eat Poptarts? What’s your favorite flavor? The strawberry frosted and the brown sugar frosted ones. Ever have a dream you’re being abducted by aliens? Was it scary? No. What would you say is the color of your favorite bra? I only like to wear black ones. Do you like people who are loud or people who are quiet? Quiet, generally. I mean, if they get animated and excited about something and get a little loud that’s fine, but not loud in general. That would give me a headache haha. It’s like, “why are you shouting???” Does personality weigh out the sense of ‘good looks?’ What. When is the next time you’ll see someone who is pregnant? I have no idea. Do you hate it when people copy the things you do? No one copies anything I do, nor should they. Where is your favorite piece of electronic equipment? I’m using it right now while sitting on my bed. Where is the person who ‘owns your heart’ at this moment in time? I’m right here. Has anyone ever told you that you’re good at cooking? Ha, no. I’m not a cook. Would you say you’re a fast texter, or are you pretty slow? I’m a very fast typer on a computer, but not as fast on my phone. What is your favorite flavor of Doritos? What do you drink with them? Nacho or Cool Ranch. I’d drink whatever I had at the time, which would likely be a Starbucks Doubleshot and/or water. I haven’t had Doritos or any kind of chip in a long time, though. Do you have any enemies who you think are dangerous? I don’t have any enemies. Do you ever try to squeeze information out of people? Uhh I might from my mom or brother about certain things cause I can be nosey with them lol, but no not generally. Does it freak you out when the police drive by your house? No. Are you someone who tends to take a whole lot of naps? I don’t take a lot of naps even though I’m always tired. Naps make me groggy and more tired, but sometimes sleep just wins and I give in to a nap. What is your favorite nickname you like to be called? Why do you like it? Sis. Do you already have your outfit for tomorrow planned out? No. I don’t plan my outfits unless I’m going certain places or packing for a vacation. What is the color of your favorite pair of pants? What brand are they? I like my numerous pairs of black leggings, ha. Has your favorite song ever been featured on a commercial? Yeah, a few have. Do you ever promise pc4pc on Myspace then never return the favor? Wow, I remember those days. I was good about keeping my end of the deal. What is one song right now that really gets on your nerves? Hmm. I can’t think of one in particular at the moment.  What would you say was the best year of your life? Why? My childhood. Do those annoying infomercials ever draw you in to buy things? I’ve seen things that were of interest, but nah I’ve never ordered anything from an informercial. I’m always skeptical about anything they try to sell. Have you ever been pulled over by the cops for speeding? I don’t drive. I can’t tell you how many speeding jokes I’ve received as someone in a wheelchair throughout my life, though. -____- Is anyone in your family a firefighter? Who is it anyway? Nope.

Witness: Weirdness_Unlimited

Creator name (AO3): Weirdness_Unlimited

Creator name (Tumblr): Burn-your-face-upon-the-chrome

Link to creator works: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Weirdness_Unlimited/works

Q: Why the Mad Max Fandom?

A: In the Mad Max universe, anything that is completely absurd and outrageous is represented as the norm. Leather fetish gear? Oh, that's just the security guard uniform at Bartertown. Those guys over there are wearing black and white face paint? No, you're not at an ICP concert, those are War Boys, also run. Whoa, there are acrobats being flung through the air on poles attached to moving vehicles! No worries, that's just any Tuesday in Gas Town. I love this fandom because pretty much any nonsense my skull meat can come up with, as long as the mechanics of it work, I can throw it into my fics and not a single person will bat an eye. As a matter of fact, the weirder, the better. 

Q: What do you think are some defining aspects of your work? Do you have a style? Recurrent themes?

A: Life is gross, humans do gross things, and the environment around you could not care less about any of your moral dilemmas. I suppose you can say my style is a lack of it. I like things straight forward and I know this characteristic often weakens any aesthetic appeal to my writing. “To Love Reptiles” reads from Slit's perspective the same way a radio manual does but with a lot more cursing. I try not to make it too complicated to digest. I'd like for people to be able to fill in any blanks with their own interpretation of the situation and then move on to the next. 

Themes though, I go heavy on themes. The main theme is interpersonal relationships, coping with failure within them, and personal growth. Other themes include coping with mental illness, codependency, hunger, greed, warfare, trauma, etc.  

Q: Which of your works was the most fun to create? The most difficult? Which is your most popular? Most successful? Your favourite overall?

A: The most fun work of my own, by far, has been “To Love Reptiles.” It has also been the most popular, most successful, and my most favourite. The most difficult has been an original work with no working title. I can't give away much about this original piece but it has to do with local myths and survival in the wilderness. I quit working on the rough manuscript when my grandmother passed away several years ago. I'll be picking it up again soon. It may turn up on AO3 in the next three or four years.

Q: How do you like your wasteland? Gritty? Hopeful? Campy? Soft? Why?/

A: Gritty but hopeful, I think. The wasteland is nasty but humans need hope, right?

Q: Walk us through your creative process from idea to finished product. What's your prefered environment for creating? How do you get through rough patches?

A: Alright, so that's an interesting question with a pretty messy answer but I'll try to make it brisk.   Step 1: I start with a summary of the story as a whole with a point A (the beginning) and a point B (the end). Step 2: I break that summary down and and fill it out with events that can ferry the characters from the start of the story to the finish on a drawn timeline to keep things in chronological order. I also have note cards. I break this down further into named chapters. This can take a while. Step 3: I summarize each of those chapters to figure out if this story needs more than one installment. It depends out how the series of events land and how many minor arcs are included with the main arc/objective. Sprinkle some drama in there, scrap some unnecessary things, narrow an installment down to thirty (30) chapters at maximum. Step 4: I summarize individual scenes within the chapters and hack out important dialog. This takes weeks. There's typically between four and ten scenes per chapter. Also more note cards. Step 5: I try to flesh out one scene per day. (key word: Try) 

 I get the most writing done in the morning over coffee and before work. I usually sit at the breakfast table with my phone and spit out about 500-ish words before my husband wakes up. I'll write intermittently throughout the day. Lately I haven't been writing much because of holiday junk and winter being kind of a bummer. 

 If I'm in a rough patch, I can break though it by sitting in a room with no internet access and forcing myself to scratch out a scene or two in a notepad. Usually these notepad scribbles are so awful that they get torn out and chucked in the waste bin but the next day I'm keen to do the job right. 

Q: What (if any) music do you listen to for help getting those creative juices flowing?

A: Ambient sound, white noise, or nothing. I do listen to music and there's a lot of songs I associate with stories, fics, characters. Tove Lo is a big one for Dune. Most of the time I find that music with lyrics or a high tempo is distracting if I'm in the act of writing something but it can be a source of inspiration separately. 

Q: How do you keep track of all the details as you're writing? How do you keep details consistent in your works? How do you fact-check your writing?

A: I have a little memo pad with numbered facts that do not change at any point through the story. These are kinda the cardinal rules. I can't tell you the rules because they contain spoilers. After the “RULES” there are miscellaneous details that I'd like to remember in case they come up later. Things like birthmarks, scar placement, mannerisms, things I've hinted at without exposition that will need to be revealed later.

I fact check by googling stuff and falling down research holes for several hours until I forget what I was doing. EVENTUALLY I'll come back to writing and realize that's why there are things in my search history that probably have me on some kind of government watch list.

Q: What motivates your writing?

A: My motivation. Real talk? For AAL it's to get to a particular scene in the planned third installment. Scene thirteen in chapter seven. I know that answers exactly nothing and is weirdly specific but... yes. Other works of mine, I'm motivated by the idea that some of my ideas might entertain someone out there, even if it's just one someone then I've succeeded.

Q: What is your biggest challenge as a creator?

A: Time management. I have a lot of hobbies and finding time for individual projects is... Hard. I made a boredom jar that lets me pick an unfinished task/project/piece at random to do whenever I'm bored so that I can stop myself from starting anything new when my apartment is already full of unfinished junk.

Q: How have you grown as a creator through your participation in the Mad Max Fandom? How has your work changed? Have you learned anything about yourself?

A: Yes. My organizational skills have improved by miles and my attention span is better focused. Grammatically my work has undergone general improvement.  

Learned anything about myself? Hmm, I learned that my opinion of what is canon and what makes good fan fiction are two completely different things. If you ask me anything specific about the Mad Max franchise you will probably get both opinions. As an example: Does Maxosa make for good fan fiction? Heck Yeah! Will canon Max Rockatansky or Furiosa ever be mentally and emotionally healed enough to actually be in a relationship? Probably not and that's okay. I can happily read Max and Furi getting cuddly and domestic and enjoy the heck out of another writer's interpretation of these two overcoming the hurdles of their respective traumas. I can do this knowing full well that Max and Furiosa probably never canonically saw each other again after the closing scene of Fury Road. I'm okay with this because that's the magic of fandom and why I love it.

Q: Which character do you relate to the most, and how does that affect your approach to that character? Is someone else your favourite to portray? How has your understanding of these characters grown through portraying them?

A: I relate to Max the most, and I think the reason I haven't yet published anything written from his perspective is because he'd be the most difficult to write without touching on my own fears and inadequacies too much. Max is not interested in being involved with the dramas of anyone else's life. He's already seen too much turmoil and had a hand in it too many times to actively seek people and their inherent problems, however, when presented with zero alternative he'll do what needs to be done and suffer though forming new attachments to very mortal people who may drop dead at any minute. He isn't comfortable with the process of forming attachments and he'd rather avoid it. He doesn't want another ghost. At least that's my interpretation of him. 

 Slit, remarkably, is my favorite to write for in spite of the fact that I don't relate to him in any way and my interpretation of his portrayal in the film is, simply put, a blunt edged euphemism for abusive relationships. He's just... a guilty pleasure to examine and write. I blame my fondness on the stunning character design and Josh Helman's energy on screen. The character says and does ridiculous things and it's just hilarious to watch Slit dig his own grave and humiliate himself. Case and point: I've got his boot! My understanding of Slit has grown through writing about him. He's probably (canonically) deeply insecure and his way of thinking very toxic and self focused. There's gotta be trauma there (I took massive creative license in that area) and a whole host of personal issues that explain his behavior, but will never excuse it. Does that make good fan fiction??? Parts of it do, the rest has to be that very human ability to grow and improve, although I don't think he'd have that opportunity in canon or accept any form of assistance... If he'd lived. 

Q: Do you ever self-insert, even accidentally?

A: I think you kind of have to self-insert to a point. Writing tends to involve exaggerating your own experiences and the imagined interactions in your own head in order to make the experiences of the characters relatable. I'd rather not examine every individual facet of the issue but yes, I think Dune is an unintentional self-insert to cope with health problems before I was consciously aware of what I was coping with and since that realization, lately, she's a lot harder to write. 

Q: Do you have any favourite relationships to portray? What interests you about them?Honestly? Close platonic friendship. Emotional intimacy is interesting. I draw a lot of inspiration for friendship in fiction from Mulder and Scully in early seasons of The X-files.

Q: How does your work for the fandom change how you look at the source material?

A: I see more minor details and the context of silent interactions. Some of these details are unsettling, some of them are so subtle and subliminal that they're easily missed when you watch the films, especially Fury Road. Oddly enough, I'm a lot more- Ah whats the word? Not quite critical of but unnerved by my own observations of Capable's relationship with Nux. I'm not sure why. It could be that I'm misinterpreting the actress's tone or George Miller vision/direction, but I watch the movie now and find that the way Capable looks at and talks about Nux so intensely makes me uneasy. The previous is just an example among many that I've spat out so far, it's not important.

Q: Do you prefer to create in one defined chronology or do your works stand alone? Why or why not?

A: Everything I write within the Mad Max fandom with the exception of collaborative works will probably be linked together and consistent with one another because that means less to remember and fewer mix-ups.

Q: To break or not to break canon? Why?

A: If you have to, break it. I'll read it. I like my fandom unlimited, baby. In my own works I try to keep with canon somewhat but I resurrect a lot of characters who almost certainly died because if I didn't, it would really only leave seven (I think) named characters with dialog who did not die in Fury Road. (The surviving women of the Many Mothers weren't named.)

Q: Share some headcanons:

A: 1) Max has intestinal parasites. He ate a live (two headed) lizard in the first thirty seconds of Fury Road. You really really really should not do that. 

 2) Furiosa didn't want to kill Ace. She could have just blown his head off instead of punching him in the face with a pistol. She didn't shoot him. 

 3) Ace did not go under the wheels. Foxy Grandpa lives. 

 4) Miss Giddy is also alive somewhere 

 5) Actually, most people in the wasteland probably have intestinal parasites. 

Q: If you work with OCs walk us through your process for creating them. Who are some of your favourites?

A: My original characters tend to create themselves. I don't know how they do it, they kinda just decide for themselves for better or worse what they'll look like and how they'll behave. Dune was an accident and the “About a Lizard” series wasn't supposed to happen at all. It was supposed to be a one-shot word dump of what Slit's final moments might have looked like. Slit was supposed to die in a fleeting but intense two seconds of delusions about Valkyries and Valhalla... And then be eaten by a scavenger cannibal. The whole thing kind of just happened on the fly. Ardith, Phil/Crank, Featherknife, Bones, and the kids were also accidental. I had no idea where I was going with the encounter with Crow Fishermen. They just popped into existence of their own will and the rest is history. The only original characters that have been planned and designed well beforehand have been villains. This probably says something about me as a writer though I'm not sure what. 

Q: When creating a new character for the AAL series, how do you approach their first interactions with your main characters?

A: The first thing I ask is “What does this scene need” and sometimes it needs a new character for villainy or friendly acquaintance reasons or for a skill-set the main characters do not posses. New characters have a habit of changing a chapter or making it much longer than intended. First interactions with Slit probably won't surprise anyone. He phases through distrust to dislike to begrudged cooperation and from there he's either on his way back to dislike or entering the tolerance phase. Beyond the tolerance phase is... The Complicated Zone. The Complicated Zone is where Nux and Dune are situated. Dune has two basic instincts with people: Should I shoot you? Or should I befriend you? Bizarrely, being friendly is the weirder option in the wastes. Shooting is almost always a consideration if she's taken by surprise.

Q: If you create original works, how do those compare to your fan works?

A: My original works are probably darker and deal more with modern problems. I turn to fan fiction for fun and to indirectly work through things.

Q: Who are some works by other creators inside and outside of the fandom that have influenced your work?

A: A lot of the fandom, too many names to name but one stands out and I can't remember their name or the title of their work. It was about Ace growing up and there was a dingo and a young Miss Giddy. If anyone knows what I'm talking about, please help. I've been looking for this fic for ages.

Q: Is there a specific author(s) that inspired your work when you began writing TLR?

A: I don't think any specific author inspired me while I began TLR but The Dark Half by Stephen King is one of my favorites and I recall re-reading it shortly before getting deep into fan writing. I may even have unconsciously plagiarized a few lines off that book. In my latest attempt to re-read that novel I'm feeling like there's a lot of Thad Beaumont in my portrayal of Slit.

Q: What advice can you give someone who is struggling to make their own works more interesting, compelling, cohesive, etc.? 

A: Don't be afraid to write things that are too soft or too dark or too this or too that. Sometimes readers crave that stuff that makes us feel warm and safe and sometimes we're also here for things that make us wonder how the @!#$% the characters will ever recover or IF they will ever recover. The real world is full of all sorts of feelings, situations, serendipitous coincidences. Take us down whatever funky road you got! You're the driver, you decide. Your fic is your world. Write WILD things sometimes because it's fun. 

Q: Have you visited or do you plan to visit Australia, Wasteland Weekend, or other Mad Max place?

A: I would love to take a trip to Australia one day to paint scenery in oils but that predates my time in MM fandom. I really want to go to Wasteland Weekend in the next two years but finances, necessities, costumes, etc need to be sorted out first.

Q: Tell us about a current WIP or planned project.

A: Well, I'm buying up model car kits to make little Mad Max cars for nerd purposes.

Thank you @burn-your-face-upon-the-chrome

All the asks!

It took me a few days but I finally did it! Thanks for asking~

🐰- do you believe in soul mates?

- yea.. I guess

💌- diary or journal?

- In my imagnation diary is nicer (describing experiences, feels and all) but in real life and currently - definitely a journal. I’m trying to keep all important stuff noted, especially little plans for each day so that I can mark them as done (it’s kinda useful and motivational)

✨- which fictional character (book, show, or movie) do you relate to most?

- Bridget Jones lmaooo not but seriously I don’t know

💕- are you crushing on someone?

- nah

💋- kissing in the dark or kissing in the rain?

- I think..kissing in the dark

🐝- describe your aesthetic in emojis

- 😏😈👌🌱🌿🥀🌙🌃🖤💮

🍼- what is your favorite memory?

- discovering Paris.. some days there were really memorable

🌸- what is your favorite flower?

- carnations/cloves? rose

💖- have you ever been in love?

- yes

🍰- strawberry or vanilla?

- vanilla?

🍯- describe your favorite smell

- flowery, jasmine, wood smell for perfume I guess? but I like a lot and can never decive, fresh book smell and Japanese green tea smell?

🎂- if you had 3 wishes, what would they be?

have a well-paid job that I like (and that would allow me to travel because that’s one of my dreams~)

stay healthy

find someone I’d have mutual feelings with, could share stuffs and travel. I’ve had someone I really wanted to do this with but it wasn’t mutual and it’s impossible now anyway.

🍪- cookie dough or cookies?

- ahh coookies or ice-cream with cookie dough flavor

☕- coffee or tea?

- definitely tea, green tea like sencha or black tea. I rarely drink coffee.. if I do then it’s cappuccino lol

🍃- would you rather live in a sea with mermaids or a forest with fairies?

- forest

🍂- what’s your middle name?

-  I have none

💫- what is your sun, moon, and rising sign?

Apparently: Sun - Gemini, Moon and rising: Scorpio. Also midheaven in Leo. (I hadn’t really read what it all means… but I just did some reading on Sun and midheaven and well, it’s accurate lol)

🌧️- favorite thing to do on rainy days?

- watching some TV series/movie, going somewhere like a restaurant to eat and spend time with someone

🍭- how tall are you?

- 173 cm

🎄- what is your favorite holiday?

The ones when we have days off but don’t have to do much

🍦- what scented candle is your favorite?

- flower scents, vanilla, lavender? idk

💘- 3 ways to win your heart?

- be kind, passionate, have some things in common with me? and we could probably be friends~

🍩- current mood?

- I was tired but feeling kinda okay now, sentimental about the past

❄️- what is your favorite season?

- spring/autumn when it doesn’t rain / blow too strongly

💍- your current relationship status?

- single but emotionally complicated

📷- a photo of yourself

- will post it later

💅🏻- do you like being spoiled?

- I doubt I have ever been so I’m not sure. It’d be hard for me to let anyone spoil me without thinking I own them.. I’d have to be really close with someone and also want to spoil them in return hah

🕊️- 3 habits you have?

drinking green tea every morning & early evening

listening to popular music while working out lol

not leaving home without earphones? I guess it’s normal

🦄- how do you perceive yourself?

Most of all I find myself lazy but still I’m not punishing myself or being too hard on myself. I see myself as a lonely a bit alienated person with not many friends but dreams and ambitious goals even tho I’m a bit lost and don’t know what I wanna do in life.

🦋- how do you think others perceive you?

I think people don’t notice me and if they do.. they might think I’m talkative, indecisive, can’t decide on a consistent style hah

🌈- things I find attractive in girls/guys

kindness, loyalty, sincerity, ambition/determination

🍓- one secret about yourself

- I don’t think I keep any secrets concerning me.. I’m rather honest and if my friends asked me something about me, I’d tell them so idk if there’s anything I could state here that would be somehow exceptionally revealing lol

🍒- how do you act when you have a crush?

- in real life I’d avoid them and probably admire them from a distance.

💔- the reason behind your last breakup?

💬- what your last text message says?

Danke, gleichfalls! 

🎥- what show are you currently binging on?

- mhm.. I have a few going on but the most recent one has been a Chinese drama by Netflix.. the garden of meteors? Kinda silly but I need something light

⛅- what is your morning routine?

- drinking green tea as I mentioned earlier.. obviously skin clean up & treatment before doing makeup. Not so long ago I started to listen to foreign language podcasts in the morning while getting ready~ I don’t have much time to study languages besides refreshing stuffs on language apps so I listen to natives talking so that my brain doesn’t forget or so that it refreshes the vocab a bit.

💗- who do you miss?

- someone I shouldn’t

🥀- last time you cried?

- a few nights ago

🎁- when is your birthday?

- it’s in June. 20th.

🔪- scariest/creepiest experience?

- the last scariest and most intense experience was Hollywood tower in Disneyland haha; also fainting or almost fainting scares me

💤- date someone younger, older, or same age as you?

- I guess rather someone around my age +5/-3 would be best for relational / life experience reasons but tbh it all depends on a person so I wouldn’t look at someone’s age

Do all the asks

🐰- do you believe in soul mates?

I mean, I’d like to think they don’t have to be romantic, so yeah!

💌- diary or journal?

I WILL KEEP BUYING MORE JOURNALS TO NEVER USE.

✨- which fictional character (book, show, or movie) do you relate to most?

Conner Kent & Billy Kaplan?

💕- are you crushing on someone?

I think maybe, in small different ways with different people.

💋- kissing in the dark or kissing in the rain? 

YOU CAN’T SEE ANYTHING IN THE DARK. Kissing in the rain is very windy and cold, but at least you can see.

🐝- describe your aesthetic in emojis 

  🍍👽💿💜🌈🔮🔪🤠

🍼- what is your favorite memory? 

Being way over the height and age limit for the baby ride area at Six Flags, but being let on the toddler tea cups with a friend anyway.

🌸- what is your favorite flower?

Orchids, Sunflowers, Lillies

💖- have you ever been in love?

I’d like to think so, it felt nice.

🍰- strawberry or vanilla?

Strawberry ice cream is good! I like strawberry shortcake, not strawberry flavored cake.

🍯- describe your favorite smell 

Old Ralph Lauren perfume from the 2000′s? Sister’s room reeked of it but it was so oddly comforting.

🎂- if you had 3 wishes, what would they be?

A heart shaped donut from Dunkin’, to see my friend in New Jersey soon, and a good new therapist oof.

🍪- cookie dough or cookies? 

I’LL TAKE THE SALMONELLA RISK.

☕- coffee or tea? 

Unless it’s cinnamon coffee, I pick tea! Preferably cold Arizona green tea.

🍃- would you rather live in a sea with mermaids or a forest with fairies?

DON’T LIKE WATER MUCH ANYMORE. I'm more at home in the fey court and the jorts court.

🍂- what’s your middle name? 

[Currently Changing]

💫- what is your sun, moon, and rising sign?

Capricorn Sun & Moon? Possibly Libra rising maybe? I DO NOT HAVE BIRTH RECORDS ON HAND.

🌧️- favorite thing to do on rainy days? 

Run down the street/slide around my neighbor’s driveway... Or y’know, fall asleep to reruns on Hulu.

🍭- how tall are you? 

5′11″

💒- which show would you want to live in? 

In the criminal justice system, sexually based offenses are considered especially heinous. In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit. These are their stories. * Dun Dun * Smallville had more people than my town now, and some decent living locations...

🎄- what is your favorite holiday? 

Valentine’s Day or Independence Day? I like candy, plushies, and tacky patriotic stuff.

🍦- what scented candle is your favorite?

I think it’s a Martha Stewart or Paula Deen blueberry candle in another room.

🎶- favorite song right now?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROatPGGMvXg

💘- 3 ways to win your heart? 

Honesty, Humor, Acceptance (Food, Blanket, Pillow)

🍩- current mood?

Apathetic. Hungry? Otherwise content!

❄️- what is your favorite season?

Autumn, give me leaves and apples.

💍- your current relationship status?

Chronically single?

📷- a photo of yourself

💅🏻- do you like being spoiled?

Well, I do have a PS4...

🕊️- 3 habits you have? 

Chewing off my own nails, walking like a dancer, chewing on things that aren’t food...

🦄- how do you perceive yourself? 

90′s Disater™

🦋- how do you think others perceive you?

Clifford the Big Red Dog but Gay

🌈- things I find attractive in girls/guys

Confidence, Nerds, People Who Might Be Robots, Bookworms, Scientists

🍓- one secret about yourself

I died and went to White Boy Hell

🍒- how do you act when you have a crush?

Apparently no different, but painfully obvious to my confidant, Espi.

💔- the reason behind your last breakup?

Neither currently stable to handle a relationship, ex’s personality turned bad.Wishing them well at least, wherever they might be now... But still an asshole.

💬- what your last text message says?

“I know we can get to her building from McDonald’s I don’t remember the apartment number either.”

🎥- what show are you currently binging on?

Smallville, Bob’s Burgers, New MacGyver, does Game Grumps count too?

⛅- what is your morning routine?

Check emails,check weather, send a cursed meme to a friend, get up, decide on 4 shirts, pick none of those shirts, remember where I left my pants, put on necklaces and rings, possibly forget glasses, eat foods that are not breakfast foods...

💗- who do you miss?

My dog, Chico.

🥀- last time you cried?

A little bit this week looking at Flash Annual...

🎁- when is your birthday?

December 27th

🔪- scariest/creepiest experience?

...I am a witch in a family of psychics and mediums.

💤- date someone younger, older, or same age as you?

I’m over 21 and will never even consider dating anyone below 18 thank you.I think I’d just personally prefer not to date anyone closer in age to my siblings (8 and 10 years older) and probably no older than mid 20s right now. No offense to anyone. ♥ ...Except the friends of my siblings and creepy guys as old as my dad!I’ll screenshot those unwanted nudes and send them to your jobs and mothers.

🎀- any question you want

Krypto is a better parent than Clark and Lex.

oo5.

Have you ever been served breakfast in bed? >> Maybe once or twice? A long time ago? What is the most challenging meal you have ever cooked? >> I make a point of avoiding challenges in cooking, unfortunately. I’m really averse to fucking up food, for multiple reasons. I’ll get over myself eventually, but it’s just not a priority right now.

Are you one to approach others, or let them approach you first? >> I mean, in what sense... What was your favorite thing to do as a little kid? >> Well, my paracosm at that time was a city called Jacana Heights, and Eden Long and I would perform in movies for the entertainment of the populace (I think they like, thrived on it... like, in a sustenance sense? I’m not sure of the logistics because I didn’t think that deeply about the worldbuilding of things back then). So I did that a lot. Here on Earth, I kind of just... cut out clothes for paper dolls for hours at a time, built things with building sets, played with my dog, and later on, played computer games. Are holidays as fun for you now as they were when you were younger? >> I didn’t get any holiday experiences at all as a child, except for when I was thirteen and then it was actually horrible lmao, so actually... I have a lot more fun with holidays now.

Do you find non-fiction to be boring? >> Nah, unless it’s a subject I literally don’t care anything about. Like... Republicans.  Are you a punctual person? Or are you always late? >> I’m not always anything. Do you own a thesaurus? Do you actually use it? >> Nah, Google is my thesaurus. What is the longest essay or research paper you have written? >> Ten pages about Jim Morrison in junior year. Do you ever write your own short stories? >> Hell yeah. Sometimes I even still do. Have you ever been close to drowning? >> Twice. Have you ever had a panic attack? >> Yes. Do you find it easy to relate to other people? >> It gets a little easier as time goes on, and as I meet more people. But I think it’s part of the human condition to always feel a little set apart. I just try not to give that feeling too much credit, because it doesn’t exactly know what it’s talking about. Are you ashamed to leave the house when not looking your best? >> No. Are you modest? >> Nah, not really. Do you ever worry about your loved ones dying? >> Not especially. Like, I don’t actively worry about it, since grief doesn’t particularly frighten me as much as other things do. That doesn’t mean I’m like “oh cool whatevs” at the idea of people I love dying or anything, it’s just... not a worry. Do you watch any Japanese anime? >> I’m coming around to it. I was talking to someone on Discord and they mentioned that it seemed like the older a Western person is when they’re introduced to anime, the more time they have acclimating to the differences from Western media. So really, I’m not alone in how much I struggled to like, connect with anime the way people who have grown up with it do. I was out here thinking there was something wrong with my brain meats because no one had ever presented it that way to me. Damn. Anyway, the ones I’ve liked so far are Kill La Kill, Ouran High School Host Club, Mahoutsukai no Yome, Kuroshitsuji, Puella Magi Madoka Magica (is that even the right order lmao), and... yeah, I guess Axis Powers Hetalia, although overall I connected to the fandom more than the anime itself. Is there a foreign culture you are interested in learning more about? >> You damn right. Do you have your own laptop computer? >> I have two. Will this week be a good one? >> I mean, it’s a week. I suppose it’s all right, as far as weeks go. Who is the last person that texted you? >> Sparrow. When is the next time you work? >> I don’t. Where did you get the shirt you’re wearing? >> It’s an undershirt, I have no idea. What are you going to do next? >> I’m not sure. Maybe another survey, maybe I’ll go back to my dashboard, maybe I’ll randomly start breakdancing, who the fuck knows. Do you currently have feelings for anybody? >> Sure. Do you enjoy eating veggies? >> Very much. Do you know the difference between a vegan and a vegetarian? >> Yes. Who did you text most today? >> I didn’t text anyone. Do you have a reason to frown right now? >> Sure, I suppose. I have reasons to do any facial expression at any given time, because like... life be like that. What brand is your straightener? >> --- Do you own any Converse? >> Nope, they hurt my feet and fuck up my gait because of my pronounced arches. Are you wearing socks? >> Nope. Do you enjoy long car rides? >> I enjoy a lot of things about long car rides. The freedom of the open road is one of those “quintessential American(tm) things” that I actually deeply understand and yearn for. I enjoy being in cars, probably because I spent so much of my childhood around them and in them. I like talking to the people I’m in the car with -- a lot of good conversations are likely to happen during car rides, especially on highways, because there’s not a whole lot of distractions, just you all and the road. However, I don’t like being stuck in the car for hours at a time without a chance to stretch my body, and sleeping in the car is a fuck. So, you know. Downsides. What’s the last thing you drank? >> Water. Who was the last person you talked to before you went to bed last night? >> Hallie, online, and Can Calah, here. Are you one of those people who are always cold? >> No, I get hot much quicker than I get cold. Are you wearing any clothes that don’t belong to you? >> No. Do you paint your nails? >> Occasionally. Do you like doing laundry? 
 >> I mean, more than other chores, sure. There aren’t a lot of steps, it doesn’t involve icky things, and it’s not very time- or energy-consuming (the machines do most of the work). How about the dishes? >> Eh. I prefer doing the dishes in a sink with a window over it... anyway, we use the dishwasher. Do you even like doing housework? >> No. That’s probably really clear, lmao. Don’t you hate being blamed on? >> Of course. Do you even care about politics? >> Not the bits that don’t immediately affect me. Have you ever met anyone famous? >> Yeah, I met... multiple musicians, and Criss Angel once. And Julianne Moore! I keep forgetting about her. Do you check your email everyday? >> The Gmail Checker app in my browser alerts me whenever there’s new email, so I just... rely on that. Do you have a membership to the gym? >> I do, and I really need to fucking terminate it, but the legal bullshit is so overwhelming (gyms can be really fucking cagey and I wish I’d known that before I gave them my fucking bank account information to open a membership) that I never do it. Ugh. Do you tan? >> No. What is your natural hair color? >> Dark brown. Is it that right now? >> Yep. Do you prefer guys with dark hair or light hair? >> I can’t be bothered to care. When was the last time someone gave you flowers? >> Valentine’s Day. Do you expect to be married in the next two years? >> Yes. Do you have someone who is protective of you (father, brother, etc.)? >> No. Would you ever get implants? >> Probably not, unless it was subdermals. Have you ever dated someone of another race? >> Obviously. What did you drink at the last party you went to?: >> What was the last party I went to... Does the last person you text messaged have any tattoos or piercings?: >> Tattoos, yeah. Someone asks if you’re okay, but you’re not. Do you tell them the truth?: >> Depends on who’s asking. If it’s some person on the internet that I don’t really talk to, then they don’t get those kinds of details. Do you know anyone whose birthday is today?: >> No. How did you meet the last male you text messaged?: >> --- Where was the last place you went, that you hadn’t been to before?: >> Chicago in general. Last person to text you? >> Sparrow. Are you mad at anyone right now? >> No. How do you feel about your hair right now? >> It’s there. Being hair.  Are you wearing jeans, shorts, sweatpants or pajama pants? >> I think these are considered sweatpants. What are you doing tomorrow? >> I don’t know, chillin, I guess. Is your hair up or down right now? >> It’s not anything. Do you know how to play poker? >> I’ve forgotten by now. Have you ever had an ear infection? >> Nope. What’s your favourite thing to order when you get Chinese food? >> I like chicken satay and lo mein or like... I don’t know, something with a lot of crunchy vegetables. And seafood. What did you have for breakfast this morning? >> The first meal I ate was the veggie burger. Are your nails painted a dark or light color? >> No. What color was the last fish you had? >> Like... as a pet? I’ve never had one. Have you ever read in the bathtub? >> No. Have you ever put ice cubes in milk? >> No. What do you use to remove your makeup at night? >> If I happened to be wearing makeup at some point, I’d use Burt’s Bees face cleaner wipes to remove it. Do you use the Facebook chat often? >> Nope. Do you have any baby pictures of yourself on your computer? >> Digital photos didn’t exist when I was born, and I’ve never scanned any physical ones. Do you eat onion rings? >> Rarely. When did you last go to the zoo? >> I don’t remember. It was probably the ElectriCritters thing with Hallie. I really don’t go to the zoo that often, lmao. How many cardigans do you own? >> Two. One has a big skull on the back and the other one’s a Slytherin cardigan. Do you own a robe? >> Yeah, it’s a Ravenclaw one. (I’m a Slytherclaw, lol.) Music is playing right now, isn’t it? >> It was, but I paused it to listen to the rain. Do you have a little sister? What’s her name? >> No. What kind of shampoo do you use? Does it smell amazing? >> I use conditioner sometimes, and it smells like peppermint, so yeah, amazing. Have you ever buried a time capsule with a friend? Did you dig it up yet? >> No. How many pairs of shoes do you have? Are they under your bed? >> Two, not counting rain and snow boots, and no, they’re by the apartment door. Have you ever had to be put to sleep at a hospital? Why? >> I misunderstood that for a second because “put to sleep” is what people say about euthanising animals, lol. I was like, “uh, I’m pretty sure no one’s killed me at the hospital, brah” and then I realised. No, I’ve never been given general anaesthesia, but I have been sedated. When are you planning on moving out of your parents’ house? >> I did that already. Do you like crust on pizza or do you cut it off?
 >> I don’t eat it, usually. What was the last song you listened to? >> I don’t remember now, but False King by Two Steps From Hell is playing. What is your favorite lunch meat? >> I like chicken breast or turkey on a sandwich. Why aren’t you texting the last person you kissed? >> Can Calah doesn’t have a phone. He doesn’t need one. Who was the last person you texted? >> Sparrow. Do you have any sisters? >> Yeah, two. Do you have to watch yourself in the mirror while you brush your teeth? >> Yeah, because like... I drool toothpaste everywhere when I’m brushing my teeth, lmao. So I gotta pay attention. Who in your phone has a heart after their name? >> No one. Do you think anyone has feelings for you? >> Yes. Does everyone deserve a second chance? >> Sure, even if it’s not necessarily from me. I don’t believe in condemning anyone. 

Inconceivable! Dealing with Problems of Unbelievability

There are a lot of things that can go wrong in a story, and I've found that perhaps some of the worst feedback to give and receive is that of unbelievability. There is a kind of stinging and feeling of foolishness that comes with the criticism. I've had it, and I've given it--multiple times each. Most often, this criticism is given to new writers. Now when I say believeablitiy, I'm not saying your stories can't have any dragons or magic or advanced technology. Stranger Things Season 2 recently came out, and I've heard people complaining that KFC wasn't actually called KFC in 1984, or that no one had side parts until later years. Isn't it funny that we have no problems "believing" that there is a parallel world where monsters live and that a young girl can have psychokinetic abilities, but people can't believe that a character has a side part? What a funny life we live in our entertainment. If you've been told that something in your story is unbelievable, there could be a few different reasons as to why. It might simply be that what you put in the story couldn't actually happen in the real world--if you are dealing with a real world setting. Or it could be because the mechanics of fiction is different than our reality. Here are the different reasons and routes unbelievable content manifests itself in fiction. The Truth is Stranger Than Fiction

I recently read an article about a woman who got pregnant a second time, when she was already pregnant. It's weird right? That's not how nature works. However, this woman had a rare condition that allowed this to happen. Now, you can say this is a true story, because it is. But if you try to put this into your story, without proper explanation, or when you already have a lot of other unusual things happening in your story, it will probably ring false. Critics will say, "But what are the chances of that?" This is because fiction works off rules of probability, not what actually happened. The less probable something is, the more likely your audience will be skeptical. It's even worse if you stack up multiple improbabilities into one piece. This is one of the reasons you may hear about the "one impossibility rule," which is the idea that audiences can only believe in one impossibility per book. Of course, there are ways to break this rule, and it is broken in many works, but generally speaking: one impossibility. And this works off the suspension of disbelief that audiences come to a story with, which is a topic all its own. There are a few tricks to getting around the probability issue. One is validating the audience's skepticism, but it has to be done with care and not overused. Otherwise, it will still ring false. But almost always, Probability > Reality Tension is More than Conflict and Spectacle

Another avenue unbelievability takes to get in, is through conflict and spectacle. This usually happens when the writer is trying hard to make the story "really good" by making it intense, skyscraping stakes, and putting in massive hooks. The story may start fine, but suddenly, conflicts are going crazy, and the writer is throwing in intense scenarios that don't actually fit the story or aren't portrayed with real-life consequences. For example, you might feel that your romance story is getting a bit boring for the audience, so you throw in a serial killer. The protagonist knows about the serial killer, but has no problem walking home alone after midnight, or she encounters the serial killer, but decides (for no legitimate reason) not to contact the police, because that's not the direction, you, the writer, want to take the story. Or maybe your character gets accused of murdering someone (because crazy conflict is good, right?), but that's not actually what you want the story to be about, so you don't flesh that part out, and eventually get back to the main storyline. These sorts of things happen because the writer thinks the crazier the conflict, the better. They might be afraid their story is too boring, and so they are trying to liven it up for the audience. What they don't realize is that tension is what keeps the reader reading, far more than conflict. Tension doesn't necessarily need outlandish conflict. It doesn't need a spectacle to be interesting. Tension can happen in a conversation between a father and daughter. It can be present when a protagonist is deciding who to invite to a concert when she only has four tickets and six friends. Tension can be there in a job interview, where the characters are trying to appear cool and collected and professional, but inside are not. Tension > Conflict You don't need to throw in crazy conflicts to make your story interesting. You just need to learn how to take advantage of tension. Now, if you want to throw in crazy conflicts, fine, but the consequences, facets, and ramifications of such things must be spoken to, to be realistic. Some things you just cannot turn a blind eye to. And don't forget to incorporate the probability aspect. You can read more about tension vs. conflict here. Writing What You Don't Know

Sometimes something is unbelievable just because the writer didn't do their research. For example, if you were writing about the Mormon church at a part in your story, and you told me that Mormons worship Joseph Smith and have a golden Bible, as a Mormon, I'm going to giggle. Look, the research part of writing is perhaps my least favorite part of writing (others say it's their favorite), so I understand that it can be annoying, especially when you just want to write the story. But sometimes you've got to do the research. And honestly, research has never been easier to do than it is to do today. You can find much of what you need online or in books. If you can't find that, you can find knowledgeable people to talk to or ask. Try not to feel stupid about asking questions. Most people you will talk to will probably want to tell you more than you want to know. And of course, make sure you are choosing reliable sources to get your information. The other facet of this problem is inexperience, and in some ways, I feel that inexperience is its own topic.

Maybe you want to write about what it's like being a Chinese woman in the West, but you are a Caucasian teenage boy in a small town in the South. Maybe you want to write about an astronaut on Mars, but the furthest you got into your science career was high school chemistry and biology. Maybe you want to write a story about how a Christian helped convert an atheist--but you've never spent sincere time speaking with atheists about their genuine perspective and end up writing a two-dimensional caricature that turns a blind eye to the intricacies and complexities of the argument, "Is there a God?" Really, inexperience can crop up in any number of things. All of us are inexperienced in some way. Does that mean you should only write about what you have lived? Of course not. That's ridiculous. You think everyone who has written a female character has been a female? Do you think only straight actors portray straight character? We're writers--we are imagining things we haven't lived all the time. It's likely we'll all write something wrong from our inexperience at some point. In some situations, you can go out and gain the experience you need. If you've never been to the beach, maybe you can go to the beach. But if you've never been a Chinese woman, then maybe you need to speak and spend some time with one. And don't do anything stupid that compromises your moral standards just to gain firsthand experience. Even if we don't have personal experience of something, we can sometimes draw from past experiences that may be similar or relate to said experience, and go from there. In some cases, for very specific set-ups or information, we can bluff it as writers, but it takes practice to make such bluffs believable. If you have access to someone who may have experience with whatever you are writing, you can ask them to read over your passage. Convenient Human Behavior

One area in particular that audiences don't have a lot of patience for when it come to unbelievability, is human behavior. We will read about aliens and superheroes and not blink an eye, but when a character doesn't act human (or within the realms of whatever species he is, if you are writing speculative fiction), we won't believe it. In some beginners' stories, it may manifest itself in characters not having logical or probable reactions to certain things. For example, if your protagonist's child dies unexpectedly, and then the next scene shows us the protagonist still moving forward preparing a holiday party with no sign of grief or distress, the audience is going to be skeptical (unless your protagonist is villainous and was the one who killed the child). This sort of problem usually relates to the tension/conflict problem. The writer throws something big into the story to make it more interesting, but then doesn't want to actually include the ramification of such a thing, so out of convenience, they continue the story without showing the character grieving. It's convenient human (or "inhuman") behavior. Other times this happens because the writer simply doesn't know how to write a character who is in that particular emotional state. In my example, the writer may not know how to write a parent grieving for a child, and so, they don't. They continue on with the rest of the story. In that way, this problem can relate to the research and inexperience section too. In some cases, it's not so much about a character not acting logically human as it is a character acting out of character--out of the boundaries the writer has already set. If your protagonist is a huge pacifist that believes in the sanctity of all human life and then goes and shoots an innocent bystander, without explanation or development, the audience isn't going to buy that. Maybe it was convenient for the plot, but it doesn't fit the character. In general, problems in this area stem from the above three sections. However, unbelievability in human behavior can be so damning and so common, that I've put it as its own section. Now go forth and write believable fiction!

Sweet Another Tag!

Rules: tag whomever you feel like and answer the questions below, and feel free to add more if you want!

Thank you @crypticcoati for the tag! I promise when I’m less awkward we’ll talk more.

fictional characters you relate to: How long have we got? They’ve changed as I’ve grown up and joined more fandoms... I've never really related to just one which is the issue with this point. We’ll go with (from three randomly selected fandoms):

Remus Lupin, Luna Lovegood and Draco Malfoy for Harry Potter.  Samandriel, Castiel and Gabriel for Supernatural.  Riley Davis, Samantha Cage and Matila Webber for MacGyver (2016).

There are so many more fandoms, but I’d be here for hours and would still forget them.

some songs that you relate to: This is even harder than the characters I relate to question! 

Currently though, it’s Waving Through a Window from Dear Evan Hansen.

books you can read over and over without getting tired of: Surprisingly easy for me to answer.

Vampire Beach Series by Alex Duval (my copies of the books are so worn from constant reading and being shoved into a suitcase or bag for holidays).

The Parthalon Series by P.C. Cast (in particular Divine by Mistake). 

I’m sure there’s more, but I’ll be here all day if I try to remember them. 

favorite comfort show/movies: Ay, another easy one! Movie musicals! In particular these three:

Mamma Mia! - I am so excited for Mamma Mia 2 to come out!

High School Musical! - The entire series. My friends have actually played this to cheer me up.

Grease - I never need an excuse to watch this film!

favorite childhood movies: Wow. I don’t really remember have favourites. I was never a big film nerd until I was 16. I’d probably have to say:

The Star Wars Franchise.

The Harry Potter Franchise. 

The Jungle Book - I used to have a TV in my room and I’d watch it every night. Eventually my parents took the TV away and it was the last film I remember watching (The Bare Necessities being the most prominent scene for me!)

My parents would probably say otherwise, but I can’t think of any others.

fictional characters you are most defensive over: Um... Let me look at my long list of characters.... Here’s three random ones I’m defensive of.

Draco Malfoy, 

Ryan Evans,

Gabriel/The Trickster.

shows you fell out of love with: There have been a few (sadly), but one that sticks out to me is Grimm.

shows you’re most excited for: Obviously MacGyver and Supernatural. Um... Dark Matter, Arrow, The Flash (I know both have new episodes out in the UK but I’m so far behind(Like with everything else)).

your aesthetic: What aesthetic? I’m fandom trash, so anything that I can pair with a fandom top or jumper, I’m good with. 

favorite fanfic tropes: Funnily enough, I was discussing these a while back with a friend. 

I love a good angst fic. But I also love fluff. And I’m not too fussed about smut. - Blame Supernatural for that one. 

But I adore Soulmate AUs! Considering I’m trying to write one when my Independent Study comes around next academic year, I have to acknowledge this. 

Well that was fun. These tags keep getting harder for me to do. 

I tag @macspaperclips @imameremortal @thehemingwaygoldfish @screamxqueenx94 @simon-speir and @kookiesandjintonic - Welcome to the fandom!

I know I can tag more, so I also tag anyone who wants to do it.

Feature Friday with Sean Abrams

Happy Friday! It officially feels like fall here in Tennessee which always puts us in the best moods ever. Are you the same way? Do you find yourself smiling a lot more when you see leaves falling all around and landing on the sidewalks? This time of year is always our favorite and the most magical. Well, besides Christmas, of course. 

Today's Feature Friday is a New York native and you know our feelings about NY. *Swoon*. He works in editorial so naturally, Sean is a good writer, and we think his honest answers are fearless and absolutely refreshing. Also, he's hilarious. Like, we actually LOL'd a few times. We had a lot of fun reading his responses and we think you will, too. Take a look below to see what we mean...

Where are you from? Brooklyn, NY

Where do you live? Astoria, NY

What’s your Instagram handle? @seanybrams

Age? 25

Relationship Status? Very, very single

What is something you think people should know about you? This little white, freckly Jewish boy can bust a move! A strange turn of events led me to join my dance company in college, and I've somehow managed to stick with it ever since. A passion for watching YouTube videos turned into the real thing, and it's been a central part of my life for a while. A large portion of my friends are from my current company, DanceWorksNYC, and being able to perform on stage and feel the crowd's reaction after a show is one of the best feelings in the entire world. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Choose a song for the story of your life: This landed on my "Time Capsule" Spotify playlist recently, so I'm going to go with "Since U Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson. Thinking back, I was prone to hang on to the idea of "what if" and what could've been. Basically, I was a glutton for punishment. Now, I've come to realize that I need to do what's best for myself, shaking off all that negative energy and removing people from my life that don't have my best intentions at heart. My girl Kelly says it all for me.

What is one thing you would tell your younger self right now? To grow a pair. I've always been a bit insecure, and I'm not sure if it's because I was dealing with my sexuality, but it had me acting as follower. I always aimed to please, without acknowledging that it was never for my benefit. At this point in my life, I'd want to tell my younger self to stand up for yourself. It's alright to stand tall, speak your mind, and not worry about what other people think. You're a pretty cool dude, and even if it takes a while to realize that, you'll get there.

How would you describe your home décor style? Warm. Cozy. Anything that is inviting and makes you want to stay there. I've been in my own apartment for the past 3 years, and while it's not always the cleanest (courtesy of my two straight male roommates), I try to make it seem welcoming. Decorating for the holidays, or something as small as using candles or things like that, can make a huge difference for me.

Any big plans for the future? Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 10 years is a lonnnnnng way off for me, but ideally, I'd be married... Chris Evans, I'm looking at you. I work in editorial, so I'd like to be high up in the business somewhere, whether situated at a big publication or something that has me interviewing celebrities and A-list talent. I also just got back from my first overseas trip, with a trip to Ireland booked for 2018, so I foresee a lot more travel in the future, for sure.

 Tell us your favorite quote and why: "So it goes." It's from "Slaughterhouse Five" by Kurt Vonnegut. I got it tattooed on my wrist a while back. To me, it just means "fuck it." Things happen, life can be really shitty sometimes, but there's nothing you can do. You can drag yourself and keep your head down, or you can pick yourself up and move on, and make something good out of what you have left. There's no point in wallowing in self pity. So it goes.

 What is one thing still left on your bucket list? Fall in love. Extremely cheesy, I know, but it just hasn't happened for me yet. I've gotten pretty close, but I've never been with someone that felt like it would really ever get to that feeling of absolute, totally crazy in love. I've never had a boyfriend either, and I'm in pursuit of something real at this point in my life. It's about damn time.

 How old were you when you came out and what was your experience like? I came out officially at 23. A few college friends knew of me fooling around with guys back when I was around 21, telling them I was bisexual, but it was in 2015 that I came out of the closet for real. I remember feeling like I was going to vomit, pacing around my room for what felt like an eternity. Only my mom was home at the time, and I came out of my room, telling her I was heading up to SUNY Oneonta (where I went to college) for the weekend. I had found myself hooking up with a friend who was a year younger (and in the closet), repeatedly going up to visit him at least once a month. Naturally, my mom was curious why I made so many trips, and I decided to tell her the real reason. Her reaction was exactly as I expected: She asked why I hadn't told her sooner, that she already knew, and she loved me no matter what. She asked if I wanted to tell my dad or if she could, with me telling her I'd like to do it. Naturally, she told him... and the rest of my immediate family. Their reactions were all very similar, and I'm extremely thankful for how accepting everyone was to my coming out.

 Have you faced any backlash or hardships since coming out? I haven't felt any backlash necessarily, but I feel like it did take me a while to immerse myself in gay culture and find a comfortable place in the gay community. I've always considered myself a late bloomer in terms of coming out, kind of putting up a front and slightly frowning upon things I actually was eager to take part in. I also never really found myself with a lot of gay friends, others who had direct, very similar interests to my own. Over the last few years, I've really put in an effort to change that and truly embrace who I am and everything the LGBT culture has to offer. I've got to say, it's pretty great to be gay.

Who is your inspiration (either fictional or real) and who do you look up to the most? I'm really inspired by men in the media who've come out publicly. People I can relate to, like Colton Haynes, really inspire me to speak out and be proud of who I am. Everyone's situation is unique, but I can only imagine what is going through your mind when you're in the public eye like that. I had the opportunity to meet Gus Kenworthy, the Olympic athlete who came out publicly on ESPN Magazine, and it was probably the best interview I've ever done. I'd just come out only a few months before, and it was the first real conversation I felt like I was having. He got it. He understood. He related to every single thing I'd gone through. It was surreal to be sitting across from someone like him, and it's something I'll never forget. He was just a normal guy. Albeit, he's also insanely good looking, but he's also just a normal guy who happens to be gay. I can bet what he did has helped so many others bust out of the closet too. It's people like Gus and Colton, among so many others, that inspire me.

What The Future Holds

For Christina, @makeitreignonem  I really loved writing this bughead and varchie in NYC for Christmas, so I hope you enjoy it!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Betty pulled her scarf a little tighter as a gust of wind sent a shiver down her spine. They had unseasonably warm weather through Thanksgiving, and in the span of a few days the weather had caught up to the season as the temperatures dropped.

Just a week ago she was wearing shorts and t-shirts. Veronica insisted they needed to get some fresh air in Central Park to enjoy the small amount of free time they had between when classes ended for Thanksgiving break and before they headed back to Riverdale. Their professors had the decency to have homework due prior to Thanksgiving instead of immediately after the break, so they were all able to take a much needed breather and relax for a few precious days.

By the time they all returned to New York City, Betty needed to layer with scarves and sweaters underneath her winter coat.

Not that she minded.

The fall was her favorite time of year. She loved watching the leaves change to shades of orange and red, the crisp scent in the air, and awaiting the first snow fall of the year.

The time of year also meant that Christmas was right around the corner, and it was her favorite holiday. There was something so peaceful about decorating the tree and the baking. Everything from pecan pie to sugar cookies and jelly thumbprints.

Betty even enjoyed the holiday with her family now, ever since Alice has toned down her disapproval to her daughters. That could be because Polly and Alice had gotten in a yelling match over Polly’s parenting.  Ever since Polly threatened to never let Alice see her grandchildren again, Alice had really turned over a new leaf. She was actually pleasant. At least most of the time.

Now Betty was embarking on a new tradition. She was about to see the tree lighting at the Rockefeller Center for the first time. Well, the first time she’s seen it that wasn’t televised.

If nothing else, Betty Cooper was prepared. She arrived immediately after her last class of the day and was saving a spot for her and Jughead.

Betty was in the middle of mentally cataloguing her next assignments that were due. Homework for Western Civilization and Intro to Sociology were done. She just needed to work on her final papers for Intro to Journalism and Creative Writing next. At least when those papers were done, those classes would be done for the semester. Then she just had to worry about finals.

“Hey there Juliet.”

Betty smiled at his voice and turned to embrace him in a hug. Some of the tension left her shoulders, not even registering that thinking about finals would have that effect. Just the sound of his voice could do wonders for her anxiety over classes.

“Hey there Romeo,” she spoke into his exposed neck. He had his plaid scarf draped on either side of his neck, not even bothering to properly wrap it around his neck. “How are you not cold, Jug?“

He laughed as he tightened his grip around her waist. "What can I say, my metabolism is what keeps me warm.”

Betty pulled back, still keeping her arms behind his neck. “How was work?”

“You know, the same. Jaded masters students drowning their sorrows, and freshmen with fake ID’s. Just a typical Wednesday night. How was class?” He adjusted the scarf around Betty’s neck, trying to cover more of her skin.

“Not too bad. I just wrapped up my final assignment for Intro to Journalism, and then I just have to edit my Creative Writing assignment. And then I just have to worry about finals.” It was exhausting just even getting that all out, let alone actually dealing with her classes and the massive amount of information she had to memorize for the aforementioned finals.

He brought his arms back around her waist and pulled her tight. He leaned down so their foreheads rested gently against the other’s.

“I’m sure you’ll kick some serious ass, Cooper.”

“Thanks, Jones… You know, I’m looking forward to Christmas break. Which is a little disheartening considering we just got back from Thanksgiving.” She began playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. “Hey, were you able to request off for some of Christmas?”

Jughead let out a sigh. Unfortunately bartending near a college campus in a busy city did not guarantee time off like it would in college towns, ones that pretty much shut down during Christmas breaks because ninety-five percent of their customers were college students. “About that, I spoke to the manager and the only days we’re guaranteed off are Christmas Eve and Christmas. New Year’s Eve is their busiest night, so Archie and I both have to work.”

The smile immediately fell from her face. She knew it was a long shot, but it was worth him asking. “It’s alright, at least we have those two days. You’ll come back to Riverdale, right?”

“Of course. I didn’t even get to the best part. Even though I have to work New Year’s Eve, Archie and I were able to get a few extra days off. I have off the 26th and 27th, and Archie got the day before Christmas Eve off. So yeah, I’ll be in Riverdale for Christmas.”

She tilted her head up and pressed her lips against his briefly. “That’s the best Christmas present a girl could ask for,” she whispered against his lips.

Their breaths intermingled, and the added warmth caused a shiver to go down her spine.

He pulled back and ran his hands up and down her arms, eventually taking her hands in his own. “Hey, I have news,” he said softly.

She beamed at him. “Oh yeah? What kind of news?” she said hopefully.

“You remember the meeting I had with the publisher about two weeks back?”

She nodded in understanding.

He had finished his first book last year on Jason Blossom’s murder and its effect on their small town. He had been reaching out to publishers ever since graduation, hoping to get signed to a book deal. He thought it was a no brainer for a publishing company, considering he was nearly done with his second book on the serial killer that ravaged their hometown in their sophomore year of high school, and he had an outline for a third book- his first fiction novel rather than the retelling of the atrocities of their town with pep.

“Well I heard back from them today,” he said solemnly. “Apparently they don’t feel that a nineteen-year-old kid with no life experience was a worthwhile investment. They thought I was too risky.” He rolled his eyes at that. It wasn’t the first time he’s heard that exact feedback, even though multiple publishers said his book had ‘potential.’

She squeezed his hands. “I’m so sorry Jug. It’ll all work out one day.”

He inched forward and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. “Thank you, Betts.” She felt as well as heard the words against her lips. “But I do have good news, kind of related to the publisher turning me down,” he continued.  

She raised an eyebrow and waited for him to proceed.

“Well I’ve been thinking that while I don’t agree with their presumption of be being inexperienced with writing, I figured maybe I could take some classes and get my degree while I work, both at the bar and on my writing… I actually already applied and got accepted into the local community college for next semester. I can take a few classes during the day and work in the evenings.”

He had already worked out that he could afford about two to three classes per semester on their payment plan. And if everything went well, he could look at transferring to NYU in a few years.

Her face lit up in excitement. “Jug, that’s fantastic! Why didn’t you tell me sooner? Did you send in your acceptance yet?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “I didn’t want to jinx it. I just got the acceptance today actually. I need to send in my acceptance by December 15th along with a deposit for my tuition.”

“I’m so proud of you, with or without the college degree.”

He pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. “I know,” he whispered affectionately.

“Oh look,” she pointed off to their side. “I think they’re about to start.”

Jughead shifted so he could pull Betty next to him.

It didn’t take long for the announcer to kick off the tree lighting ceremony. Betty’s attention was fully focused straight ahead, but Jughead couldn’t help but glance over at her every few minutes.

When it was finally time to light the tree, Betty let out a smile gasp and her smile reached her eyes. “It’s beautiful,” she said quietly.

“Yeah it is,” Jughead agreed. Although he was watching the expression on her face light up brighter than any tree lighting ceremony could hold a candle to. He pulled her closer and just enjoyed the moment.

After a few minutes, Betty turned to him. “I don’t suppose you’d want to accompany me back home?”

“You know you don’t need to ask. I have to make sure you get home safe.” He interlaced his hand with her gloved one and they started off for the subway.

“And I keep wondering who will keep you safe on your way home?”

He threw a pointed look her way. “I’d like to see the day that someone jumps a former gang member. Don’t forget, there’s muscles hiding under all this flannel,” he remarked.

A light blush appeared on her cheeks. "Oh, I didn’t forget.“

"And I was actually hoping that you’d stay over tonight,” she continued. “Ronnie is staying with Archie at your place… And I was wondering if you’d help me decorate the tree?” She flashed her pouty face at him, hoping that he wouldn’t say no. “I’ll even make cookies,” she elaborated.

“Why didn’t you lead with that? What kind of cookies are we talking?”

“Chocolate chip cookies and snickerdoodles.”

“I get two types of cookies! You got yourself a deal.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The chocolate chip cookies had just come out of the large double oven and were cooling on the counter. She then put all four dozen snickerdoodles in.

She set the timer for twelve minutes and turned just in time to see Jughead juggling a very hot cookie as he took a bite. “You literally saw me take those out like thirty seconds ago,” she commented while shaking her head.

While Jughead attempted to finish the one cookie, rather carefully, Betty started cleaning up the counter and started on washing the dishes. They had accumulated quite the pile of dishes, and the dishwasher was already full and running. By the time the first mixing bowl was clean, Jughead took over drying the dishes while Betty washed.

It wasn’t long before the dishes were cleaned, that the timer went off and all the cookies were cooling on the counter.

“What do you say, time to decorate the tree?” She asked hopefully. She grabbed Jughead by the wrist and led him to the living room, but not before he could grab two chocolate chip cookies on his way out of the kitchen.

He quickly scarfed down the cookies before observing his surroundings. “A growing boy has got to eat, Betts. Especially if I’m expected to do physical labor,” he said playfully.

He looked up at the probably ten-foot tall tree that now took up residence in the corner of Betty and Veronica’s living room, near the windows that overlooked Central Park. It seemed proportional to their very large (and rent free) penthouse apartment in Veronica’s father’s building. Anything smaller would likely look like a miniature tree in this setting.

“No assembly required, Jug. It’s really just decorating.”

“Did Veronica hire someone to cut a tree for you both, and then bring it up here?” He reached out to touch a branch, noticing a slight plastic texture that he didn’t expect.

“Oh, Veronica wouldn’t let me get a real tree. Something about not bringing a spider infested tree into our lovely apartment with expensive furniture. But it looks real, doesn’t it? It was the best she could buy on Glamazon,” she said.

“Then why does it look like, and smell, like a real pine tree?”

“She got the scent infused tree,” she said casually with a shrug of her shoulders.

Jughead busted out laughing, clutching his side. “Scent…  Infused… Tree,” he got out between laughs.

Betty giggled along with him, not realizing the absurdity of such an item until now.

After the laughter died down a bit Betty said, “Well you know Veronica. If she can imagine it, she can probably pay someone to make it.” Betty skirted around Jughead to one of the living room closets and pulled out a box of decorations. “Will you grab the other boxes?”

He eyed up the rather large box that Betty leveraged her weight to push it across the hardwood floors. “You mean there’s more?”

“Yeah, two more,” she responded and pointed towards the same closet. “Once I told Veronica I wanted to put up a tree, she went a little overboard on ornaments. And lights. And tinsel. You know Veronica, she goes all in for everything.”

Jughead brought out both boxes, and they got started on decorating.

Within an hour, the tree was decorated with silver and gold tinsel, candy canes, and more ornaments that they could count. Betty put the final touches on the tree with two hand decorated ornaments that she and Veronica made one night as a destressing activity on campus. They each tried to paint a poinsettia, but Betty’s ended up looking more like a Gerber Daisy. It didn’t matter, because she cherished it anyway. They even wrote “B & V, BFF’s forever <3” underneath their respective painted plants, Betty chose silver and Ronnie wrote hers in gold. Two very different yet complementary colors, just like B and V themselves.

She stepped back to admire their work. “What do you think?”

“I think that I’ve worked up an appetite.”

She laughed. “Jug, when don’t you work up an appetite?”

“What can I say, I’m a bottomless pit when it comes to food.”

“Well I’ve known that since we were three and you ate the entire plate of cookies I brought over. They were supposed to be for Archie and Fred too. Do you remember? My mom was so embarrassed that she ran back over to the house to bring over another dozen cookies.”

“I couldn’t help it Betts! Those were some delicious cookies.”

The doorbell rang, effectively interrupting their reminiscing of their childhood. Or in Jughead’s case, reminiscing about mouthwatering chocolate chip cookies.

“Who could that be?” Betty asked. Veronica wasn’t planning on coming back that night, and she certainly wouldn’t ring the doorbell.

“About that. I ordered us pizza,” Jughead replied. He rushed off to open the door, quickly signing for the order and accepting the three boxes in exchange for the signed receipt. He kicked the door shut with his foot and flipped the deadbolt.

“Don’t worry Betts, I got your favorite.”

She glared at him briefly. “Extra cheese? With pepperoni?”

“You know it. Besides, I worked up quite the appetite from all this decorating. It was quite the strenuous activity.” He walked into the kitchen and got out plates.

She smirked at him. “I guess I could eat dinner,” she admitted.

“See, I was thinking ahead. Why don’t you pull up Netflix and I’ll bring out the food in a second?”

“You got it.” She placed a swift kiss on his cheek before practically skipping off to the living room.

Jughead put all the garlic knots and marinara sauce on one plate for them to share, put two slices on another plate for Betty, and managed to stack four slices on his own plate. He closed the boxes and put all three in the fridge. He also ordered two slices of their famous cheesecake. He knew that Betty would be willing to share one piece of cheesecake, but he could probably eat two just by himself. So, he thought one each would be a good compromise.

He picked up the plates, very carefully, and joined Betty in the living room.

They ate in comfortable silence, as Betty put on one of the many rom-com Christmas movies she recently added to her wishlist. After they finished eating, Betty snuggled into Jughead’s side and he put his arm around her.

She was content to watch the movie, and didn’t speak until the credits were rolling. The movie was predictable, but just put her in the Christmas spirit even more.

“Hey Juggie?” She turned to him and tilted her head upwards to look at him.

“Yeah, babe.”

“I was wondering if we could make tonight our little Christmas tradition? The Rockefeller center, then a cozy night in decorating and baking. If you had a good time tonight, I mean.” She nervously bit her lip and waited for his response.

He smiled at her. She always had this little crinkle between her eyebrows when she was nervous, and he thought it was absolutely adorable. “Of course, this can be our tradition Betts. And for the record, I had a great time tonight. As long as we’re together, that’s all I really need.”

“Thanks, Juggie. It really means a lot to me.” She paused to look him in the eyes before continuing. “It’s just that my mom had this tradition with Polly and I, at least until we were teenagers and shopping with mom wasn’t as exciting as hanging out with our friends. We went Christmas shopping in the city every year, but we went in the beginning of November before all the holiday crowds. We always begged her to take us to see the tree lighting ceremony, or even go sometime after it was lit. But she never wanted to deal with the crowds, and not to mention that the tree lighting ceremony is on a weekday… I just- I really appreciate you coming with me tonight.”

“I’m just glad I have you to make new Christmas memories with… It probably won’t come as a surprise to you, but the Jones family didn’t really have any Christmas traditions. I have vague recollections of a few Christmases where we put up this small tree. But ever since my mom left, my dad ignored the holidays for the most part. In fact, the only reason we celebrated at all was because Fred invited us over for the major holidays.”

“I’m sorry, Jug.” She leaned in and placed a light kiss on his lips. He quickly deepened what was meant to be a peck, pulling her into his lap and playing with the edge of her shirt. Her hands instinctively went to the sides of his face, gently grazing his cheeks. He pulled her flush against him and tightened his grip. She sighed happily into the kiss, her fingers playing with his hair at the edge of his beanie.

He pulled back slightly, breathless and drunk off their kiss. She tried to chase after his lips, letting out a slight groan from the lack of contact. He just smiled and brushed the few stray hairs out of her face. “You could probably ask me to dress up like an elf for a Christmas party and I’d say yes,” he confessed. He ran his fingers up the side of her neck and framed her face. He kissed her briefly, before noticing the clever gleam in her eyes. “I wasn’t actually serious about that Betts.”

She laughed kissed him on the cheek. “I figured you were joking, but the mental image that popped into my head was too funny. You would look really cute with one of those red and green elf hats with the jingling ball on the end,” she said gesturing with her hand.

“You’re just lucky you’re so irresistible.”

“I know it,” she confirmed. She stood up and pulled him by the hand. “Let’s go to bed.”

“Wait, I got dessert,” he protested but continued to follow her towards her bedroom.

“That can be breakfast.”

He chuckled and said, “I won’t say no to cheesecake for breakfast.”

~ ~ A few weeks later ~ ~

Veronica was curled up to Archie on her couch, running her fingers through his hair. They were waiting for Betty and Jughead to come home from his shift at work, so they could exchange presents before going back home to Riverdale for Christmas.

“Hey Ronnie, I have something to tell you,” Archie started.

“What is it, Archiekins?”

“Well you remember me auditioning for that little bar on the edge of campus?” He paused, and she nodded in confirmation. “I got it, Ronnie. I’m on the schedule every Friday, and if the crowd likes me they said I might be able to get a slot on Saturday too.” He beamed at her, thankful that something had finally come through after months and months of rejections or hearing that he wasn’t the right ‘fit’ for them.

She threw her arms around his neck in congratulations. “Archie, that’s fantastic news! I knew you could do it. When’s your first show?” She pulled back, beaming at him.

“It’s actually this Friday, right after Christmas. We’ll be back here anyway, so it’s perfect timing.”

“You’ll do great.”

She leaned back and brought her hands up to the sides of his neck. “So, I know we were going to wait for Betty and Jughead. But… What do you think about us exchanging gifts now?”

Archie grinned wide when he answered, “Sounds like a great idea.” He practically jumped up and retrieved his present from underneath the tree. He did a quick scan of the presents and found a silver gift bag with green and red tissue paper, with her handwriting with 'to: Archie <3.’ He joined Veronica on the couch, and handed her his present wrapped in shiny red wrapping paper.

“You first,” he said, placing the present in her hands.

“Well if you insist.” She carefully unwrapped it, noting the (rather large) silver frame first. When she inspected it closer, she saw the lyrics to the song he had written for her, and it was handwritten in Archie’s neatest writing. She brought her hand over her heart. “Archie it’s perfect, thank you.”

She set down the frame on the coffee table. She was already making a mental note to put the frame in her bedroom above the fireplace. “Okay, you’re next,” she said.

Archie nodded and shifted the tissue paper until he found a simple frame with a flyer in it. He read over it, realizing it was the flyer for his first show. In tiny scrawl on the bottom, it read 'Archie’s big break, xo Veronica.’

“How did you get this? The manager said he wouldn’t have it for a few days,” he asked.

“I may have persuaded the manager to request a rush order on the flyers, if I paid for it… And I gave him a tip, so he wouldn’t tell you they were ready.”

Archie hadn’t wanted any of the Lodge influence for his music career. But that didn’t mean Veronica couldn’t use her influence (or money) to get the scoop on his career after the manager already decided to add Archie to their Friday timeslot.

“Oh, and I have a small stack of flyers to bring home for your family,” she added.

“It’s great Ronnie, thank you so much.” He set it down next to her gift and embraced her in a tight hug.

She leaned in and kissed him. He pulled her flush against him and deepened the kiss with a swipe of his tongue across her lips. She swung her leg over his hips to straddle him while his hands ran up her back in an attempt to unhook her bra. She smiled into the kiss and loosened his shirt from his jeans. She had it nearly halfway up his torso, when they heard someone clear their throat.

“Are we interrupting?” Jughead asked.

They broke apart quickly, both their cheeks flushed and breathing heavy.

Archie said, “No, of course not.”

Veronica cleared her throat. “Not like that’s the first time you two have interrupted,” she said under her breath.

“What was that?” Jughead asked.

“Nothing.” She stood up and pulled the hem of her plum dress down a bit. “Well, we ordered in pizza and it should be here relatively soon. I’ll get us some sparkling cider to celebrate our little Christmas get together.” She ran off to the kitchen.

While the majority of them were unopposed to underage drinking (even Betty on rare occasions), and Veronica had the means to acquire such alcoholic beverages, she knew that Jughead never wanted to go down his father’s path. And the best way he knew how was to never start drinking in the first place. So as to not cause issues, she decided on sparkling cider.

Jughead and Betty took off their coats and got settled in for the evening.

Veronica’s voice carried from the kitchen. “Hey Arch, can you come help me carry the glasses?”

He nodded at the pair on the couch and said, “Be right back.”

They were back in the living room within a minute and Veronica took one long look over Betty. “You’re a total smoke show tonight, B!” She was wearing a red dress with a deep v neck. They bought it when they went shopping a few weeks back, for their newly minted shopping tradition for Christmas. But Veronica hadn’t had the full experience of the dress combined with Betty’s hair down in waves and some light makeup.

Her cheeks flushed, and she accepted the glass Veronica held out to her. “Thanks, V.”

Jughead wrapped his arm around her, and accepted the remaining glass with his free hand. “Yeah, she caused quite the scene at the bar,” he exclaimed.

“Do tell,” Veronica inquired.

Archie popped the cork on the bottle and very carefully poured into their glasses.

“It was nothing, really,” Betty insisted.

“I wouldn’t consider the bouncer having to throw out one of our regulars, nothing,” Jughead continued.

“Wait, which regular?” Archie asked. Being close to campus, they had quite a number of regulars from students to professors on occasion.

“Johnathan, he’s in one of the master’s programs at NYU. He was very drunk and couldn’t understand why I couldn’t serve Betty, even though he was paying for her drink. He ended up shoving me a little and the bouncer had to throw him out and call him a cab.”

“Well, why don’t we lighten the mood and exchange presents?” Betty asked.

“Now that is an idea I can get behind,” Veronica exclaimed. “Actually, I have a little something extra that I wanted to give the three of you first.” Veronica stood and grabbed her purse from its hook in the entryway, before returning to her seat next to Archie on the loveseat. She pulled out four envelopes, with her delicate scrawl on three of them, leaving the unmarked one for herself.

“Veronica, you know we agreed on a $20 limit,” Betty protested.  

“I know, I know. So, let’s just call this an early birthday present for everyone. Or my personal favorite reason of just because,” she smirked. She passed out the envelopes to each of her friends and gave them a minute to read the contents.

They each pulled out a plane ticket and a brochure for an all-inclusive resort in St. Bart’s in the Caribbean. She strategically chose the pamphlet that didn’t list prices, although she knew that she couldn’t prevent her friends from googling. Sure, it was pricier than your typical spring break vacation, but Veronica was not your typical student seeking a bargain vacation. Her friends would be a little harder to sway.

She watched as they processed the information she had given them, ranging from elated (Archie) to hesitant but cautiously excited (Betty) to downright miserable (Jughead).

They all spoke at nearly the same time.

“This is great Ronnie, thanks!” Archie exclaimed. He placed a swift kiss on her cheek.

“V are you sure?” Betty asked, a smile spreading across her face.

“I cannot accept this Veronica, it’s too much,” Jughead argued.

“I knew you’d say that, and I came prepared,” Veronica began. She focused her attention on Jughead before continuing. “First of all, when you are friends with Veronica Lodge, you have to accept that sometimes you’ll get extravagant gifts. Secondly, it will be a well-deserved vacation by that time in our semester. Thirdly, I don’t know about all of you, but I’ll want a break from the snowfall.”

“But what about work? I can’t just request off when they’re already short staffed during breaks,” Jughead protested.

She lifted a finger to tell him she wasn’t quite done. “If you would let me finish, I already arranged for both of your shifts to be covered. Luckily for us, it’s a first come, first serve on vacation requests. And with Christmas right around the corner, no one else has thought ahead to request off for spring break.”

Veronica didn’t mention the fact that she bribed the assistant manager to cover Jughead’s shifts, as only Archie’s was approved due to the number of people required during a normal day. “And lastly,” she continued, “-the tickets are non-refundable. So, there’s no point in arguing.” She sent a satisfying smirk his way.

Betty nudged Jughead’s knee with her own. “You do know there’s no point in arguing, Juggie. You eventually agreed to her post-graduation trip to Ocean City. And I’m sure Veronica will treat you to all the food you can eat.”

Jughead’s stomach grumbled at the memory of the few buffets they went to, the pizza, the Mexican food, and oh the mouthwatering and fresh made donuts from the Fractured Prune. “Fine,” he acquiesced.

If Veronica had it her way, they would have gone to Miami. But Betty insisted that she wanted to be close to family, since Polly’s twins had come down with a bad case of the flu. She wanted to be close by in case Polly needed help. So, Veronica had compromised on a short trip down to the shore, and assured Betty that her father’s jet would be available if absolutely necessary (it wasn’t, but Betty appreciated the thought).

“I, for one, am looking forward to this vacation. Thank you, Ronnie,” Archie exclaimed.

“You’re welcome Archiekins. Oh! I almost forgot. We’re going Saturday until Friday, and we’ll be back in plenty of time for your show,” Veronica said.

“Wait, what’s this about a show?” Betty asked.

“Oh! I got booked for a weekly Friday timeslot at one of the bars by work. My first show is this upcoming Friday. You guys will be there to support me, right?” Archie inquired.  

“Of course!” Betty agreed.

“Sure thing, man,” Jughead added.

“Thanks guys. It really means a lot,” Archie said.

“He’ll do great,” Veronica commented. “Archie Andrews will be the next big star from New York, just you wait.”

Jughead shifted in his seat and pulled Betty closer. “Well if we’re sharing good news, I have some of my own.” She leaned into his shoulder, having already heard the news a bit earlier that night.

“What is it? Don’t keep us in suspense for too long,” Veronica insisted.  

“I just got a publishing offer for my first book. And if it does well, they’ll extend the offer to include a second book deal.” A smile spread across his face and Betty patted his knee with her hand, letting it rest there.

“Congrats Jug!” Archie said, lightly slapping him on the back.

“Congratulations Jug,” Veronica added. “Look at us B. We’re dating the next up and coming stars in the music and writing industry.”

“I think this calls for more cider,” Archie insisted. He topped off everyone’s drinks just in time for pizza to arrive. Veronica answered the door, signing for the delivery, and brought the boxes and plates to the coffee table.

In the middle of their meal Veronica asked, “Did you two exchange gifts already?” She motioned at Betty and Jughead.

“Yeah, we did,” Betty offered with a blush.

~ ~ Earlier that evening ~ ~

Betty was perched on one of the bar stools, waiting for Jughead to gather his things so they could meet up with Veronica and Archie for their gift exchange before going back to Riverdale tomorrow.

She didn’t have to wait long before Jughead placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and asked, “You ready to get out of here?”

She chuckled and nodded, accepting his outstretched hand. They exited the bar and turned towards the subway station.

“Hey,” Jughead started. “Do you maybe want to swing by my place first?” He preferred to give her his gift in private, not wanting to share his news with the other half of their core friends just yet.

“Sure,” she replied simply.

They spent the rest of the walk in companionable silence, just enjoying each other’s presence.

They arrived at his place within a few minutes, the small apartment he shared with Archie in the East Village.

Jughead unlocked his door and ushered her inside.

“Listen, I know we’re doing our gift exchange at your place, but I wanted to give you yours first.” He nervously rubbed the back of his neck, before taking off his coat and placing it on its hook.

She copied his actions, setting her coat on the next hook.

She noted his nervous tick. “You alright Juggie?” She brought her hands up and placed them on the sides of his face, her thumbs gently caressing his cheeks.

“Yeah, I’m more than alright actually.” He brought his hands up to cover hers and leaned into her touch. “I got a book deal, Betts!”

“What?! That’s fantastic news Jug. I knew it would all work out one day.” She smiled at him, excited that it was finally coming together.

“Yeah they wanted to give me the good news ahead of Christmas. I have a meeting to go over the details after we get back to the city.” He leaned in and pressed a sweet kiss to her lips. “I don’t think I could have done this without you, Betts.”

She pulled back and sent him that sly little smirk when she loves to prove him wrong. “You would have survived just fine without me. I just offered a little encouragement is all.”

He ran his hands down her sides and resting on her lower back. “Agree to disagree, Betts. Because if it weren’t for you believing in me, I’d probably still be in the Serpents with no exit strategy in sight. And I’m so thankful that you didn’t give up on me, on us, even when I did. I love you, Betty Cooper.”

“Jughead Jones, I love you. And I’m just glad we both saw reason.” She shifted her hands behind his neck, tugging on the hair that escaped his beanie. “So, what’s this I hear about exchanging gifts?” She raised a brow at him and swiftly kissed him on the cheek.

He chuckled and extracted himself from their embrace. Having already planned on exchanging all their gifts at the Lodge-Cooper residence, he had them all in his messenger bag. He picked up the rather hefty box, wrapped in shiny red wrapping paper (he and Archie didn’t get gifts for that many people, so they split the cost of one roll of wrapping paper).

“Here,” he said, handing her the gift.

She accepted it and dug around in her own oversized purse that she switched to for this very occasion. “Why don’t we exchange at the same time?” She pulled out a carefully wrapped package, with snowmen and penguins interspersed on a green background, and handed it off to him.

“If you insist.”

They each unwrapped their presents. Jughead was a little quicker, revealing a leather-bound journal with the initials J.J. in the bottom right hand corner. “Betty, I love it.” He had mentioned on a few occasions that he wanted to carry around a journal, particularly for late night shifts at work or if he traveled through the slightly shadier parts of town. He hadn’t wanted his laptop to make him more of a target, but still wanted to be able to write down ideas. He could handle himself, he just didn’t want a damaged laptop as a result of the smug criminal that would try his luck with a former gang member.

Her gasp broke him out of his thoughts. “Jug, is this what I think it is?” She ran her fingers across the title and by-line. Currently called 'Untitled’ by Jughead Jones. He always had the hardest time coming up with titles, and was hoping he could get some feedback from Betty over the break and that they could come up with a title together.

She turned to the first page, reading his dedication. 'To my partner in crime-solving, without whom this case would likely be unsolved.’ She started to tear up and blinked a few times to prevent them from falling. “Jug, I-”

“I finished it a few days ago. I was hoping you could look over it during the break. You are my favorite editor.”

“I’m you’re only editor,” she argued.

“Exactly, and therefore my favorite. You’re the only one I trust with this, Betts.”

She hugged the manuscript to her chest. “This is perfect, Juggie. I get to read your soon to be, second bestselling novel, and I get to edit it. What more could an aspiring journalist and girlfriend want?”

“You’re not just an aspiring journalist, you are a journalist. Your work at The Blue and Gold got you a full ride. I think the admissions office would agree with me on that,” he reminded her.

She lightly shoved his shoulder. “Who am I to argue with your wise words?” She beamed at him, and was looking forward to the break more than ever.

“Hey, what do you say we get back to Park Avenue?”

She nodded. “I guess we should.”

She carefully placed the manuscript in her bag, underneath the other wrapped presents.

They left hand in hand, holding onto each other just a little tighter than they had earlier in the evening.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

They spent the evening laughing and catching up, eating an enormous amount of pizza (mainly Jughead), and exchanged the remaining gifts.

The respective couples were cuddled up on the couch and loveseat, enjoying each other’s company and the last bit of peace and quiet before going to see their families the next day.

“Oh!” Betty exclaimed. “I do have a little extra gift for the couples here. It may not be a trip to an all-inclusive resort, but- well let me just get them.” She jumped up and retrieved the last two gifts from her bag.

“B, you know the cost doesn’t matter to us. I just like our vacations so we can all spend some time together. And if happens to be in a fabulous resort, then that’s just an added bonus,” Veronica insisted.

Betty didn’t have time to wrap the presents as they just arrived that day, so she just handed them each to Jughead, and Veronica and Archie.

They took in their gifts, ornaments she made on ShutterBug. They were just a simple picture of each couple on a metal frame with scalloped edges, and the year underneath in delicate text.

“B, this is the sweetest,” Veronica gushed.

“This is great, Betty,” Archie added.

“Thanks babe,” Jughead said sweetly.

Betty shrugged her shoulders, repeating something Kevin had mentioned to her on a phone call just the other day. “As Kevin would say, it’s not a Christmas tree without the classic bughead and varchie ornaments,” she said with a giggle.

“Oh, speaking of Kevin, will he be home for Christmas too?” Veronica asked.

“Yes, we’re actually meeting up with him tomorrow at Pop’s,” Betty replied. “Allow me?” She motioned for the ornaments back, and went to place them on the tree. She nestled them on branches near their B and V ornaments, closer to the top of the tree. She returned to her seat next to Jughead, snuggling back into his embrace.

“Hey guys,” Archie started. “Did you ever really think we’d end up here? In New York, you girls going to school, Jug about to become the next best-selling author, and me playing my music.” He smiled and pulled Veronica a bit tighter.

“I always knew I’d make it back here one day, Archiekins. I just never imagined I’d have the greatest friends with me when I did,” Veronica admitted. She leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

Betty squeezed Jughead’s hand a little tighter and placed a featherlight kiss on his cheek. “I knew it would all work out,” she said.

Jughead thought back on their sophomore year, which was undoubtedly his worst. From living in the drive in, to his dad’s trial for covering up Jason’s murder, and the Black Hood torturing Betty as well as the town. But then he remembered how hard Betty fought for him and how she wouldn’t give up on him, even when he gave up on them. Betty was the light in his world of darkness, and she was the one who convinced him to get out of the Serpents. She saw their future together, and how it was slipping out of their grasp day by day, as long as he remained in that gang. With her help, he finally got out of that toxic (and occasionally illegal) life, as well as helping take down Penny, so his father could escape that life too. She was the sole reason he was able to focus on his book instead of running drugs, and she may have inspired his father to stay on the straight and narrow. Now, his father was working with Fred Andrews again, and going back to school.

He knew that Betty would disagree, but he didn’t deserve her. Although she constantly reminded him that his past didn’t define him, but rather the actions that he took to deal with his past.

He turned to meet her bright green eyes that shined so bright, especially in the soft glow of the Christmas decorations. He pulled her closer and pressed his lips firmly against hers. “Yeah, I did.”