I saw this at a club for a party I went to... should I be concerned???

i think about my rant to @starofhisheart (T) often about how the ineffable bureaucracy plot felt sudden and how it got me on board with a bit more angst and yearning for our boys before we get an eventual happy ending. Copied from my messages to our group chat:

ME: Maybe it's because it's too obvious, but I haven't seen enough people in the fandom talking about how ineffable bureaucracy becoming canon is a demonstration to the fans of why what we want for the husbands is romantic, but not satisfying or a Good Idea in practise.

My first point, which I've been thinking ever since it happened, is how.... unsatisfying it was that they just got together?

Like they were just suddenly very in love and ran off together without the same tension they had in season 1. There was no irony, no pining, no wrestling with dilemmas. Neil just ticked it off the list like "See how it feels when a romance is just handed to you with no further plot? There were 2 beings, they fell in love and went away and lived happily ever after. Great, cool. You want to feel this way about our boys? Or do you want me to give you something you can actually sink your teeth into to make the getting together delicious?"

And point 2: they were a demonstration that Crowley's plan, which is always to run away, does not work. It, in fact, is selfish and fucks up everyone else's lives. Two powerful political figures jilted their positions, leaving everyone else in the lurch. The breakup happened BECAUSE GABRIEL LEFT AND HEAVEN NEEDED SOMEONE ELSE TO MANIPULATE! Demons attacked and started threatening partially because there was no Beez to oversee anything! And it was our boys who were left to pick up the pieces because those two decided to RuN aWaY tOgEtHeR

T: Yes!!! That makes so much sense!

ME: This whole plot was like Neil holding up a big neon sign saying TRUST ME THIS IS NOT WHAT YOU WANT.

T, perfectly saying in a sentence what I took paragraphs to get out: They were a cautionary tale; a "what could have happened if Aziraphale had taken Crowley's offer of Alpha Centauri." I mean, sure, the circumstances were different but the result wouldn't have been a satisfying conclusion to the story.

I've let this wolf into my home (I feed it even when it bites)

Blood nose and a crooked tongue (I always wanted to be someone) - series masterlist here

pairing: tim drake x reader (gender neutral)

length: 1.5k

genre: fluff ??

warnings: you don't know red robin and timmy are the same person but he sure knows you, he's also so so awkward but he can't help it

a/n: alright alright alright here we go <3

The jingle of the coffee shop door opening startles you, your head snapping up from where you're sitting, slouched over in the corner. It's a 24-hour shop, yes, but who else would really be here at 3am? The barista behind the counter looks just as surprised, blinking rapidly and looking at the person who came in.

You, on the other hand, opt not to, sighing and looking back down at your table, instead. The coffee in your to-go cup is still hot, burning your fingers as you shift them over the label. It's bright, a cartoonish sort of thing that grins up at you like an old friend you should be happier to see. You've been getting this coffee for years. You're never quite as happy as you should be.

The chair opposite you makes a horrible sort of sound as it's pulled out and you look up to see who's sitting across from you. You purse your lips in annoyance while he just looks at you.

"All the other tables have just been cleaned. They're wet," he points out. You let your eyes flit around the cafe, the tabletops shining wetly in the dull glow of the lights, the disinfectant bottle still sitting abandoned on one of them.

"Lucky me," you bite back, taking a sip of your coffee. It's sweet - too sweet, but not enough to cover the bitterness of the burnt grounds. You always think that if you pile enough sugar into it, it'll mask what's wrong. You're never right.

The man sitting opposite you takes a sip of his own - he left it black, you notice. He grimaces slightly at the taste, but keeps drinking anyway. There's no effort there to pretend it's anything other than what it is - burnt, cheap coffee sold to him in a cafe full of ghosts, in a city that should be sleeping but never really does. It's interesting, you think, as you look out the window and into the dark street. You'd almost managed to convince yourself that you were really alone - that there was no one else in this world except you, until he walked in and broke the reverie of your 3am silence.

For what it's worth, Tim regretted it as soon as he'd walked in. He hadn't meant to stay, really - ending up in a part of Gotham he didn't often find himself in, in his civvies and in desperate need of a hot cup of coffee and a long sleep, he'd stumbled across the flickering, neon sign of a 24-hour coffee shop.

What good luck, he'd thought. Now, sitting across from you, there's a desperate little part of him that thinks maybe it wasn't just that - maybe it was intuition that drew him here. You don't know who he is, of course, all your previous meetings happening in the shadows of your home with his face hidden from you. Tim shifts in his seat, suddenly aware of how naked he feels, exposed to your wandering eyes. 

And you do let your eyes wander, narrowing them suspiciously as you take him in. Tim feels a pang of guilt that surprises him when he thinks that this is probably how you've always felt with him - like a lamb with a wolf at your door. As you lean back in your chair, swirling your coffee and letting your gaze trail away from him and towards the window, he feels his shoulders drop in relief. He's not the only wolf in your living room late at night, he realizes. You've got teeth of your own that he'd just never noticed.

You're good at this, Tim thinks with a start - you've got a foot propped up on the window sill next to you, your head resting in your hand as you watch the street outside idly. Or, at least, it's supposed to look like that. He thinks that if he were anyone normal, he would believe it. But Tim has spent enough time as prey to know when someone's pretending to let their guard down.

He looks away from you almost forcefully, staring down at his cup and running his tongue over his teeth as he thinks of the burnt taste of it. He wonders if you were smart enough to put sugar in yours - wise enough to bury the bitterness with something nicer. It's something he always thinks he should do. He can never quite make himself. 

"I'm sure those other tables are dry now." Your voice makes him flinch, a hard, forceful thing that cuts through the silence of the night that's blanketed the two of you. Tim looks around at the dull, streaky tabletops and shrugs. 

"I'm already comfortable here," he offers. You cock your head to the side and look at him, but make no move to fight him on it. He thinks it's probably stupid of him, inviting a lion into his home like this. He wonders if you feel the same way every time he slides in through your balcony door.

There's a silence that, once more, overtakes the two of you as he shifts in his seat. Tim wonders if he should drink faster, if he should pretend to be finished so that he can leave. It's funny, he thinks, how he finally felt like he'd stopped running away when he started running into you. It's funny that, now, he's itching for it, his hands gripping his cup in an attempt to still his heart - his need to escape.

You look back at him just in time to see him squeeze a little too hard, the cheap plastic lid popping off and hot coffee sloshing a bit over his hands. A mild, bemused sort of look crosses your face as you watch him curse and splutter as the coffee burns his hands and spills onto the table. Then, without a word, you stand up and begin to walk away.

Tim, in the meantime, is rubbing his hands against his jeans, his eyes squeezed shut in mortification as he wonders how he ruined it all so quickly. Not for the first time, he wishes he was in the mask - thinks maybe the only way to hold onto you is to make sure that's all you ever see. But then your cup scrapes across the table and he opens his eyes to see you sitting opposite him again, sipping idly and watching. There's a stack of napkins that he swore wasn't there before and - oh.

"Thanks," is all he can make himself say as he grabs them, cleaning up the mess he's made. As he goes to pop the lid back onto his cup, he looks at the dark liquid inside and grimaces, deciding that maybe it's not worth it.

"It's shit coffee," you say, and he slams his hand against the table, crushing the plastic lid in the process. Truly, he's not sure if he's ever acted this nervous before. You pay it no mind. He thinks maybe he could take off his mask, just this once, and reaches up to his face in time to remember that he's already exposed to you. "You're better off finding something else… or just going somewhere else." Tim smiles, then, a charming sort of thing that has you narrowing your eyes.

"I dunno,' he says. "There's something I like about right here." You glance down at your own cup, at the label that you've picked and peeled off until it's unrecognizable, the colours torn and cracked.

"There's nothing good about right here. And things like that don't change." Tim looks at you for a long moment after you speak, letting the words tumble around his head before he stands, taking his cup and squished lid and pile of wet napkins with him. 

"Well, I've never been big on change, anyway," is all he says as he walks away, dumping everything in the bin and letting the bell on the door jingle as he walks out. Looking back down to the table, you notice the card he's left behind - the Wayne Ent. logo flashing behind his name. Flipping it over, his number's been written in a hasty scrawl.

As you thumb a corner of the card, you wonder when he'd slipped it onto the table - when he'd written on it. Mostly, you wonder what kind of person he'd have to be to do it without you noticing. You trace the numbers with your finger and think that something, far in the back of your mind, is telling you that there's a familiarity about it all. 

But what's familiar about seeing someone in a place where you never should? What's normal about that man, appearing like a ghost in the night and disappearing just as fast? As you pull out your phone to add his number to your contacts, there's a part of you that thinks maybe you should run away - that maybe you're not the only thing stalking the streets of Gotham this late.

Hi!!! I was wondering if I could request a pre-death Kyle Spencer x Gn!reader?

Something along the lines of the reader being forced to go to a party with their friends and being obviously uncomfortable so Kyle comes over to talk to them and hopefully make them more comfortable but they keep blowing him off (in like an anxious way) and he just keeps persisting until they finally get comfortable enough to talk to him. Then something happens between reader’s friends and the rest of Kyle’s frat boys (like an argument or something) which makes reader kinda shut down so Kyle brings them outside and helps them and eventually asks them for their number or something?

I’m sorry that was so all over the place, my brain can’t have a single thought at a single point of time LMAO. Thank you in advanced for even just reading this and a bigger thank you if you decide to try it! <3

warning: language uhh party stuff like drinking or whatever. i don’t know. does anyone actually read these

note: hehe i took my sweet time writing this hehehe. also this sucks

“i didn’t say it wouldn’t be fun, i just said i didn’t want to go,” y/n snaps from the backseat. hazy yellow lights from december-like decorated houses whirr past the window their head rests on and the others occupying the car are getting on her last nerve, quite frankly.

some enjoy living a wild life, or at the very least a life of excitement, and that’s perfectly fine. it’s the way y/n’s friends choose to live their own lives, and as adults, y/n respects that. they just don’t understand why their dumbass friends need to rope y/n into it all.

tonight, the culprit is violette, a young woman not notorious for living a party-filled lifestyle, but quite prone to speaking her own mind, which gets her lots of attention, and in that, invited to crazy parties like the one y/n is currently being dragged to, but it can get her into trouble quite often. too often, in y/n’s opinion, but that’s violette’s problem, not their’s.

“do you ever want to go?” violette drags out their annoyance verbally, and if y/n’s arms were longer, they’d reach up front and smack her, but lucky for violette, she was the one driving, and y/n knew better than to cause a car accident. it would prevent them from going to the party though…

shaking the thought from their troubled head like an etch a sketch, y/n finds the words to clap back. “no! how many times do i have to make that clear! i hate parties!”

violette sighs. “then why did you agree to come over when i said we were getting ready?”

“i thought we were just gonna play dress up…” y/n trails off, trying not to cringe at their own words, something they do too often. sometimes it’s better to just shut up and let them have it.

“what are you, 10?” y/n’s mouth opens to speak but violette won’t allow it. “who cares. anyway, we’re here now. you can stay in the car like a freak or you can come socialize like a normal adult. your choice. but you can’t leave because i’m getting shitfaced tonight.”

the door slams behind violette as she skips off to the party and now y/n sighs, feeling like it’s all they ever do these days. y/n hates parties, but they do love violette, and ditching them alone at a party would be a trashy friend move, right?

right! so with that, y/n gets out of the car, feeling renewed in their sense of meaning at this event. they’re not here to mingle, to get drunk, anything stupid like that, they’re just here to watch their friend. that sounds perfect.

kicking rocks across the paved walkway up to the door, y/n approaches the big wooden slab tastelessly left open, like a big neon sign saying ‘come on in!’

something about that calms their nerves just the tiniest bit, knowing that anyone is welcome here, and with that, they open the door, mentally screaming in relief when no heads turn once they enter, no record scratch or loud gasp.

still, they don’t feel at home, but it’s a good start. they hope they can stay undetected like this forever, just a minor background character in everyone’s narrative.

scanning the room, they find an empty lounge chair in a mostly empty room, a few stragglers leaning against a wall, red solo cup in hand but ultimately talking amongst themselves, making it a perfect place for y/n to sit and look at their phone for a good long while.

but alas, it wasn’t meant to be. unbeknownst to y/n, their mousy entrance did not go completely unnoticed. the moment they stepped foot through the door, they caught the eye of a a young blond man, surrounded by his pack of likewise young men, all identical in breed and morals, at least in y/n’s opinion, who crowded around him in conversation so densely he nearly lost sight of the attractive individual making their way to the living room.

it wasn’t until he broke free from his hoard of young men did he catch sight of them once again, sinking into a chair, his favorite chair, as this was his frat house/residence. he soon decided this will be his talking point.

“great chair, huh?” he sneaks up behind them like a creep and watches them jolt in surprise, turning around slowly like a character in a horror movie about to get murdered, and sends him a nod paired with a tight lipped smile.

expecting them to have actually responded, kyle takes a moment to himself to recollect himself, finding another approach quickly enough before it’s too weird how long he’s been standing behind them, staring at the back of their head.

“so, you come here often?” kyle pressures on them to talk, wondering if their voice is as lovely as they look. he knows it’s a stupid question, as he lives here and he’s never seen them before, but he doesn’t care at all.

“no, first time,” their hands wring together behind their phone, picking at their pop socket and kyle perceives this as just a simple gesture of boredom, which is something kyle can easily fix for them.

taking a leap of faith, he perches himself on the arm of the chair. y/n leans ever so slightly into the other arm, away from him so they can keep a closer eye on him to make sure he’s not up to something, which he seems as if he may be.

“cool, really cool. you drinking anything tonight? anything i can getcha?” once he’s in host mode, y/n relaxes just the slightest in the knowledge that they just need to shoot him down and he’ll leave them alone soon.

“no, i’m driving,” they nod their head in an attempt to convince him they were alright and he could leave now, but he didn’t.

“oh, you’re here with somebody? who are you here with?”

again, their hands go to the pop socket on the back of their phone, popping out, popping in, out, in, rapid fire. their gaze steadies into the other room, onto violette, who’s playing beer pong with a few frat guys who’s names y/n never bothered to learn, not that they needed to know them anyways.

kyle follows their line of vision, landing on violette. “you’re here with little miss crazy? how’s a person like you become friends with a girl like her?”

y/n’s not sure what this guy’s deal is but he just will not leave and do anything else. it’s not that he’s annoying, or that he’s unattractive, because that’s actually far from the truth, but y/n didn’t anticipate meeting someone new tonight, they need at least a week to prepare before having brand new interactions with a stranger like this, it’s just what introverts do.

“i don’t know, she’s just my friend,” not once in this entire conversation does y/n fully meet kyle’s eyes with their own and somehow he doesn’t realize it at all, but he doesn’t need to when a loud commotion begins in the other room.

“get the fuck out of here, you bitch!” a man, one of kyle’s boys, yells at someone who y/n can only assume to be violette, and their suspicions are confirmed when they hear violette screaming back.

“why? because you don’t want your besties to know how rapey you are?” violette’s voice echoes through the entire house and everyone’s attention is unintentionally drawn to the fight slowly accumulating.

“is this not concerning to you?” y/n finally shows genuine interest in speaking to kyle, it’s a shame that it’s paired with a look of worry written on their face. their breathing is picking up rapidly and their body starts to shake.

“this whole thing? it happens twice a week. we don’t call her little miss crazy for nothing, always coming in here, stirring up something big, we just let her, it’s good entertainment,” kyle shamelessly smiles at his own words as he stares at the theatrical argument unfolding, but when he turns back to look at the person who’s name he never caught, they’re gone. one quick slam of the front door informs him where they went.

he bounds through the door, head whipping back and forth until he spots them on the pavement, leaned up against the back of a car, head in their hands. confused, he approaches with care.

“hey, you alright? what happened in there?”

their breathing is still labored and quick, like they’re hyperventilating and kyle doesn’t really know what to do other than take a slow seat beside them, back leaned against the car he hopes is theirs and not some random person’s.

still, he’s not sure on what to do, but he wraps a careful arm around their shoulders, weary not to seem too creepy by this action, and he gently rubs his hand up and down their shoulder.

it takes a few minutes of deafening silence for y/n to calm down and fully recover, but once they do, kyle has no idea what to say, so they realize they will have to break the silence.

“i’m sorry, i just really can’t handle fights like that,” y/n doesn’t move from next to him, in fact, they stay frozen in place in hopes kyle doesn’t want to move, either.

“it’s okay, they aren’t for everyone.”

when neither of them know what to say after, kyle changes the subject. “i’m kyle by the way.”

the moon is out tonight, it’s shining brighter than usual, and y/n can’t remember if it’s a waning or waxing gibbous, or what gibbous even means, but it sure is beautiful.

“so, now’s the part where you tell me your name.”

“oh, right. it’s y/n,” they grin. kyle smiles back.

“it’s nice to meet you, y/n, is this okay?” y/n’s eyes narrow in confusion until they realize he’s referring to his arm, still layed upon their shoulders.

“yeah, it’s fine,” they try their hardest not to stutter their words and sound stupid but it comes out that way, anyway. who cares?

“well, you really need to learn to let loose if you’re gonna be going to parties and all that. maybe i could help you out a little.” kyle stands up, pivoting back to face them and outstretching his hands for them to grab. he hoists them off the concrete.

“oh really?” they sound condescending but they mean it genuinely, what could he have to offer?

“really. one condition though,” one pointed look to them and they can’t help but laugh a little just at his ridiculous aura.

“what’s that?”

“that you give me your number.”

S01E07: Starbright Part 2: Colliding Stars

While watching this episode and taking my notes, I immediately got derailed within the first minute. We pick up from the last episode in the ophthalmologist's office and learn Ba Nee has a wonderfully vague condition only described as "a degenerative eye condition."

This is not a diagnosis and describes at least half a dozen disorders.

Narrowing it down to disorders that can affect children and match the presented symptoms, the most likely condition Ba Nee has is cataracts; a clouding of the lens of the eye. Now I'm no doctor, but here's what I learned about cataracts AND cataract surgery within 20 minutes on the Internet:

The first cataract surgery was performed in 1747 with a 50% success rate, which only improved over time.

Without insurance, a double-eye cataract surgery and lens replacement can cost as little as $3,200.

Medicaid (signed into law in 1965, 21 years before the show) covers cataract surgery and lens replacement.

Foster homes have Medicaid, and Starlight Home is a foster home for girls.

TL;DR Ba Nee doesn’t need a $250,000 experimental surgery and could probably get her relatively common eye problem fixed for free or for a reduced cost through the state.

Forget the Misfits, the real villain of this episode is Ba Nee’s doctor:

Anyway, back to the other 21 minutes of the episode.

Thanks to a series of setbacks, the Holograms have to return to the movie to earn the money to save Ba Nee’s sight, and man is it hard watching the crew gossip about the Holograms. Even Rio’s a jerk when they come back and uggghhhh God I can’t stand Rio in this episode.

I get that Rio's supposed to have a sad backstory or whatever, but for every one thing he does that makes you like him, he does 5 more things that make you hate him. When he isn't saving the day like Superman, he's assaulting people, yelling at his girlfriend, cheating on his girlfriend WITH his girlfriend, and judging everyone as if he has any moral high ground. Then when his tantrum subsides, he has to go sulk in the corner until the plot needs him again.

Honestly, cringey teenage me who thought she would treat Jem better was probably right. A potted plant could treat Jem better than Rio does. Oh wait...

My favorite part of this episode though has to be the hologram logistics. Jerrica has to be both herself and Jem only a couple feet from one another and has to switch back and forth so her physical body can interact with the right people. It’s fantastic when hologram Jerrica can’t pick up a script thrown through her torso and she reacts like Jerrica naturally would. Synergy’s programming really is that impressive, and it’s just amazing.

I also can’t help but think, y’know, part of me sees stuff like this and wants to go “How did nobody notice that,” but it reminds me of something my aunt once told me a long time ago: We see weird things happen all the time, but we rationalize it away with more “realistic” answers. Those weird shadows by the road at night aren’t highway trolls, they’re probably racoons or plants blowing in the wind. The glasses you lost in the car didn’t fall into another universe, they probably just fell into a crevice you can’t reach. The person standing next to you didn’t disappear because she was a hologram projected remotely by the earrings of someone nearby, she just stepped out of your line of sight for a moment.

Makes you wonder how often crazy, unrealistic things actually happen right in front of you but your brain tells you it’s something more understandable so you don’t notice.

On a less schizo note before the Misfits Crime Counter commences, I also have to ask; what the fuck is Starbright even about?? There’s a casino scene, a jungle temple with a fight against pirates, a chase through the forest, and a motorcycle ride through the desert between explosions. The music videos aren’t even diagetic, they’re set in space or abstract neon futuristic backdrops with fire spouts. Is it some kind of space opera? That’s the only possible explanation I can give that would string all the scenes together correctly and it still doesn’t seem right.

idk someone go tweet at Christy Marx and let’s get a real answer lol

Eric makes Jem perform dangerous stunts with none of the safety precautions met. This is a good ol’ fashioned OSHA violation and runs Eric a hefty fine of $70,000.

Roxy and Clash sabotage the pyrotechnics with the intent to hurt Kimber, and had Jeff not acted valiantly Kimber could actually have died. This counts as Attempted Voluntary Manslaughter, earning both Roxy and Clash 11 years in prison and $10,000 fines each.

TOTAL CHARGES: $90,000 and 22 years in prison. Still not as much as Ba Nee’s “experimental eye surgery,” which goes to show that the true villains were the ophthalmologists we met along the way.

I agree with you the style can certainly be nice at times and when there is some actual effort, the composition can be good as well (tbh so are most of the Webtoons, I’ve yet to see one that truly has “bad” art in it) but here, at least, a few issues as to why the writing/art has fallen so rapidly (apologies in advance bc it’s long)

- the early style was, tbh, far more simple than it is now, but the lineless idea kinda bit it in the butt, since that seems to be the biggest time consumer art-wise. This could have been fixed with line art that is colored to their skin, or even just light lineart to begin with, especially as they’re basically using it now anyway. Tbh the lineless look actually makes it look worse in a lot of cases compared to the lined stuff. You can still get the same look as long as the coloring is the same.

- the cast is simply too big. If it were a limited cast (HxP, Zeus, Demeter, Hecate, Hermes, Thanatos, Minthe, maybe Hera and Eros/Psyche + Aphrodite and that’s it) then suddenly now everyone has a fairly distinct look, and now there’s more time to develop their relationships and stories and maybe have some cameos here and there, but that’s not the case here. There’s just too many characters to keep track of, and with the lack of color variation and same faces/bodies, it becomes even harder to tell people apart, especially the main character who by all counts SHOULD be the most distinct yet isn’t for ?? Reasons?? It’s not great Minthe is one of the few actual distinct characters and she’s one of the bad guys.

- it’s fairly obvious there’s no planning in involved. So many plots and characters are dropped and add at any moment: Kronos came out of nowhere and is taking up far too much time, Persephone’s act of wrath and it’s retcon via Eris is just stupid and tbh removed any true agency Persephone could have ever had, Apollo was a disgusting use of SA to push a romance along and was somehow fixed in a single therapy session, and much more. The HadesxPersephone myth is very ABC about how to adapt it and can especially be used well in a modern setting, but that’s not what’s happening here. It seems more like Rachel throwing whatever idea she has at the wall and whatever else is getting attention on Webtoons and being like wait, I can do that too! But that’s doesn’t show a sign of a good writer, it shows a lack of creativity and a lack of confidence. She needs a real break to actually work with her editor and make sense of all of this instead of ignoring them and trying to think up the next plot line to keep it going. You’d much rather try and scrap together a half way decent ending over dragging it along like it is now with no end in sight and no sense of direction. Sure, it makes her money, but it’s not going to matter when her life’s work is see as rushed and poorly made. The whole story doesn’t need to be planned down entirely nor does it needs to be Shakespearean quality, of course, but it’s not great you can tell she, along with others, are simply winging it. That’s not good.

- the art direction is all over the place and doesn’t make much sense. I understand The Underworld is so dark to where Hades often blends as sort of visual cue he belongs there, but then doesn’t that say Persephone isn’t? Since she sticks out so badly? The reverse can be said for Hades on earth, where it’s all pink for … some reason? The colors are also never consistent (you can eyedrop the colors to any random episodes and see Persephone especially changes color a lot despite no time passing nor light changes) and for some reason either far too saturated that it looks amateurish (neon needs to be used sparingly) or so desaturated that everything looks washed out, which combined has a visually unpleasant look with little to no visual harmony. Not to mention some of the visual cues are very strange and even off putting. Why does Hades and Persephone look like carbon copies to Kronos and Rhea, a doomed, toxic relationship and his literal parents? Why go on and on another how uniquely beautiful Persephone is yet have all the women look exactly like her, especially the nymphs and gene random underworld citizens than even Hades gets them confused for her? Why is there so much comedy out into what should be serious moments? What is there so much visual and written time making Hades and Apollo parallels? I could keep going, but I’ll be here all day.

Anyway, I have more to say but it’s getting too long. I’m not saying there’s not a lot of good in this comic, but there’s frankly too many art and writing issues that are both Webtoons‘ mismanagement but also self imposed by Rachel’s lack of planning and/or care that drags it all down.

Yeah I fully agree with you, don't know what else I could add. It's all some great points!

Like a baby lion is proud of his kill, Jack overkills Nick with graphic, brutal efficiency in SPN 14x17 Game Night:

(From above): And what was once a cathartic kill...becomes a stomach-turning, HORROR as EVERY BONE IN NICK'S BODY BREAKS! As we PUSH IN on Jack, consumed with his task. The gold light dissipates from Jack's eyes. He turns back to Mary. Grinning. Breathless and flushed with pride--

On the one hand, killing is killing. Hunters tend to approve of killing when it's done the right way. Typically, the approved method is a merciful, executioner's style of killing. Yet, to Jack, this does not seem sensible to worry about, especially with what is now Jack's unrestrained angel instinct.

He's less "French guillotine" and more, "BITE AND SHAKE MY PREY." Unlike when he's charging at dangerous angels, this is a human being, and so hierarchically, despite the monumental danger Nick represents here, Jack himself (perhaps unfairly) corresponds to the image of a larger, more powerful predator dispatching a weaker prey.

When angels (or monsters) kill humans, it's almost always "punching down in terms of the cosmic hierarchy," no matter what horrific danger that human actually posits. (In this case, Nick is calling Lucifer--a horrific danger indeed.)

It really isn't fair, but it's how the narrative tends to function on the whole, and Jack gets the short end of the stick.

///

And yes, Nick was reaching out to Lucifer, but while Nick is deranged, he's also the Stockholm Syndrome vessel of Lucifer. There's a certain, inherent pitiability factor that persisted with him alongside the philosophical echoes that blame him for his own corruption.

///

The warning signs of "overkill"

On the other hand, Mary is a hardened hunter, raised amongst mercenaries. She's not actually wrong to be alarmed:

Overkill is a psychological warning sign and often associated with a disorganized state. As a seasoned hunter, Mary would be alert to this.

Additionally, she knows Jack AND Jack's fighting style very well.

She's fought with Jack under extreme circumstances. On AU Earth, she fought alongside him in very harsh conditions against highly dangerous, militaristic angels.

She's seen him in action--when he had to be swift and merciless.

But here, his current behavior is out of character by comparison, and she's actually one of the best equipped to recognize that.

Sometimes it's not the actions themselves so much as it is the discordance with the previous self. It flashes like a neon warning sign. Our families know us.

////

From above: Jack moves to Sam and places a HEALING HAND on the younger Winchester's head. A pulse of energy and he's HEALED! As Dean looks on, so grateful. Sam, on the ground, is too. SAM: What happened, where's Nick? He-- JACK: It's over. I stopped him. The boys look at him with awe and gratitude. On Dean. Knows how much he owes this kid. He got there in the nick of time. DEAN: Jack, I-- thank you. Jack smiles, so happy to be so needed, so loved. SAM: Mom? JACK: She's...she's fine. Everything's going to be fine.

////

It seems Jack is not without emotions. He's happy to be so needed, so loved. It's as Dumah says in the next episode, that his "celestial" side/energy is intact. His emotions are just more...volatile...bigger...harder to understand.

////

From above: But Jack sees she's still shaken up by what he's done. He can't let it go. Incredulous-- JACK: Mary-- Nick was a bad person. A killer. I had to stop him. ON MARY. A beat, then-- MARY: Not like that. The truth hangs. Jack goes a little colder.

Jack goes a little colder, because he knows she's right.

Because it's not about Nick, or even the moral act of murder itself, it's about the sadistic, forensic kill signature that Jack is suddenly displaying.

Hey! I just got caught up on the season of The Boys and I'm curious why is Annie right for saving Hughie even when he doesn't want her help but he's wrong for doing the same? To me it feels like he's wrong because he's a man that the right often complains about but here it might actually be true I saw his twitter response to a question about it that made 0 logical sense. I also read his interview regarding Frenchie and Kimiko which pisses me off how does this man have so many bad takes?

Honestly? I don't know. I don't understand why Kripke doesn't understand how own writing. I'm confused. I've been confused this whole season. I miss season 2. I have a lot of theories about the way this season went because I've just been stewing on it for weeks, I have a lot to say (maybe grab a beverage), and if there's something that confuses you, or if there's something that you think I missed, please let me know.

I think (in part) that the reason Eric chose to shoehorn in a "toxic masculinity" retcon arc for Hughie is because he needs to cash in the Social Justice Brownie Points by making Hughie a conversation piece about toxic masculinity. Hughie doesn't need to be that. Hughie has never once exhibited any signs of "toxic masculinity", so it's upsetting that he is now. Because Eric chose to write this storyline for Hughie, I think he also chose to attempt to not only seal the "Hughie is toxic" arc, but also subvert the "boy saves girl" trope by making Annie come to Hughie's rescue. My first problem with that is 1. Hughie is not compatible with the toxic masculinity BS and 2. Annie does not save Hughie. Immediately after she says "I'm going to save Hughie, whether he wants me to or not!" she very much Doesn't Do That. Butcher (in his own fucked up way) is the only one to rescue him from taking V. All Annie does is come and pick him up. So this whole arc had: 1. a clumsy beginning, 2. a clumsy middle and 3. a clumsy end. Whoops?

Annie is right to attempt to save him, but this part of the storyline becomes very ridiculous and clownish because she doesn't actually do that, and the reason she is saving him is because Kripke wrote something for a character that didn't fit that character. Hughie is also right to want to save her. He's been right this whole time!!! Hughie is a naturally insecure person, with a lot of fear and anxiety. So why wouldn't it make sense that he wants to protect his girlfriend? The first one exploded in front of him! We're only supposed to dislike this choice because we think that the reason he's making it is "toxic masculinity". What about Hughie's natural desire to protect his loved ones? What happened to that? So, in summary- they are both right to want to protect each other. The only thing that Hughie is actually wrong about is the use of V that results in a compromise of his sense of morality (it barely does) reason Hughie is "wrong" about wanting to protect his girlfriend is because of bad writing.

Okay, part two. I was actually just talking about this with a friend on Twitter. To preface: I don't explicitly view Frenchie and Kimiko as "romantic" (at least, not in the traditional sense), but I sure as hell don't see them as "sister and brother" because they fucking aren't! I don't know what's up with Eric, but he's stepping on his own toes with this. In the same season, we've been shown Butcher's backstory, specifically his past relationship with his brother, and the way he "views Hughie as his little brother" (boo). Eric has laid this on very thick. Butcher even explicitly tells Hughie "you are the spitting image of my little brother" (another lie, Jack looks nothing like the actor playing his little brother. I have no clue what that was for, but I have a feeling it's to ward off Butchie shippers. It has not successfully warded me off). When Kripke wants you to see people as brother and sister, he is going to basically put a big neon sign up that says "brother and sister". He has not done that with Frenchie and Kimiko. No part of their narrative has been "I see you as my brother". Kimiko has shown her interest in Frenchie with little-to-no mention of her brother. I don't know why he's saying this now. I could give a theory, and you might not believe it, and that theory is he subconsciously doesn't want to put this Asian woman in a loving relationship. That thought makes me sad, because, as a non white woman, all non-white women deserve to be in loving relationships (familial or otherwise) because we already live in a world that tells us that we aren't worth it. I don't know if that's why he's gone back and said it, and I don't want to believe that's why, but maybe it is. I like the idea of Kimiko and Frenchie having a relationship that is an alternative to romance, but still maintains them as soulmates, as two people that love each other with their entirety. I'm mostly aromantic and asexual. I like the idea of Kimiko being asexual and I agree with an elevated concept of love and romance, and I agree with queerplatonic soulmates. I don't agree with whatever the hell this man is talking about.

Signs You Should Have Liability Insurance: Understanding Your Risk

Navigating the maze of insurance can often feel overwhelming, but understanding when you need liability insurance is crucial for protecting yourself, your assets, and your future. Liability insurance essentially acts as a safety net, safeguarding you against legal and financial risks arising from your daily activities, both professionally and personally.

Liability risks are everywhere, whether running a small business, offering professional services, or simply going about your daily life. Recognising the signs that you should have liability insurance is the first step toward implementing a sound risk management strategy. For more information, you should hire a liability insurance company. In this blog, we’ll explore key indicators that make it time to consider liability coverage. By staying informed, you can decide when and how to protect yourself and your endeavours from unexpected setbacks.

What is Liability Insurance?

Ever wonder what shields you from the financial fallout of an oopsie that affects someone else? Enter liability insurance. Let's break it down: liability insurance is your financial safety net when you're legally responsible for harm—bodily injury, property damage, or another loss. It’s like having a financial superhero in your corner, ready to defend you against claims that could otherwise pummel your savings or your business's finances.

Consider liability insurance to cover the costs associated with these claims, including legal defence fees, settlements, and medical bills. Different flavours of this insurance exist, catering to various aspects of personal and professional life. Whether you run a business, own property, or live your daily life, liability insurance protects your peace of mind and wallet.

Signs You Should Have Liability Insurance

Now, how do you know if you should look into liability insurance? Certain scenarios serve as flashing neon signs saying, "Yep, you definitely need some coverage." Let’s examine those.

Operating a Business

Whether running a quaint café, a bustling e-commerce empire or offering professional services, business operations come with inherent risks. A customer could slip and fall, a product might malfunction, or a service could inadvertently cause harm. Liability insurance for businesses, often called general or professional liability insurance, acts as a buffer against claims that could arise from these incidents. In short, if your company interacts with clients, deals in physical or digital products, or offers professional advice, liability insurance isn’t just recommended; it’s essential.

Owning Property

Home sweet home can be a source of unexpected liability. Picture this: a neighbour trips on a loose pavement on your driveway, or a tree limb from your backyard makes an unwelcomed visit through someone's window. Homeowners' liability insurance is part of standard homeowners' policies, protecting you from claims made by visitors who get injured on your property or if you accidentally cause damage to others’ property. For those who own rental properties, landlord insurance typically includes liability coverage, safeguarding against similar risks. Owning property comes with great joy and the responsibility to protect yourself and others from the unforeseen.

High-Risk Activities

Are you an adrenaline junkie, or does your hobby involve a higher-than-average risk of injury or damage to others? Activities like operating drones, hunting, or even coaching youth sports can increase your risk of facing liability claims. Even if you take utmost care, accidents can happen, and they could lead to expensive lawsuits. Personal liability insurance, or an umbrella policy, can provide that extra layer of protection, ensuring your adventurous spirit doesn’t land you in financial distress.

Regularly Hosting Events

Love opening up your home for parties, charity events, or gatherings? Regularly hosting events, whether at your home or another location, can expose you to risks of claims from guests. The potential for accidents is ever-present, from someone tripping over a rug and breaking a wrist to a friend’s car being damaged in your driveway. Special event insurance or comprehensive homeowner’s liability coverage can rescue you from the financial implications of these mishaps.

It’s about creating memorable experiences without worrying about “What if something goes wrong?”

Importance of Risk Management

Understanding risk management is crucial to safeguard both your personal and business endeavours. This concept is about preventing financial losses and ensuring stability and peace of mind for yourself and those you might impact. Here, we delve into why taking proactive steps in managing risks, mainly through obtaining liability insurance, is essential.

Financial Protection

One of the primary reasons to engage in risk management and secure liability insurance is to offer financial protection. Accidents and unforeseen incidents can occur regardless of how cautiously we conduct our personal or business activities. The costs can be significant when these incidents lead to injuries or damage to others. Without liability insurance, you could be responsible for covering all these expenses out of pocket, potentially ruining your financial stability. Liability insurance shields you from these out-of-pocket expenses, covering costs like legal fees, settlements, and medical bills, depending on the coverage.

Legal Responsibility

In certain professions and situations, carrying liability insurance is not just a precaution—it's a legal requirement. This is particularly true for businesses in industries with a higher risk of causing harm or damage, such as construction, healthcare, and education. In these cases, the law understands a mistake's substantial impact and thus mandates liability insurance to ensure that the business can compensate affected parties without going bankrupt. Not having the necessary insurance coverage can result in heavy fines, legal penalties, and, in extreme cases, the closure of the business.

Peace of Mind

Lastly, an often overlooked but precious aspect of risk management through liability insurance is the peace of mind it offers. Knowing that you are financially protected and legally compliant allows you to focus on pursuing your personal and business goals without worrying about "what if." This mental and emotional relief is invaluable, especially in today’s fast-paced and often unpredictable world. Liability insurance ensures that you, your business, and those around you are safeguarded against unforeseen events, allowing you to move forward confidently.

Choosing the Right Liability Insurance Coverage

Obtaining liability insurance is a step in the right direction, but choosing the right coverage that aligns with your or your business’s specific needs is equally important.

Assessing Your Risks

The first step in choosing the right liability insurance is accurately assessing your risks. This means considering the nature of your activities or the industry in which your business operates. Ask yourself what kinds of incidents are more likely to occur and what the potential costs could be. For example, if you're a professional providing services directly to clients, you might be at a higher risk of being sued for malpractice or errors. Similarly, if you run a physical storefront, consider the risks customers might face while on your premises. Understanding these risks helps you tailor insurance coverage to match your specific needs.

Types of Liability Insurance

Several types of liability insurance are available, each designed to cover different aspects of risk.

General Liability Insurance: This is the most basic form of liability insurance, covering injuries or damages occurring on your property or as a result of your operations.

Professional Liability Insurance, also known as errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, protects against financial losses due to malpractice, errors, or negligence in services provided.

Product Liability insurance covers you if your product causes injury or harm to someone if you manufacture or sell products.

Employer’s Liability Insurance: For business owners, this covers legal and medical costs if an employee gets injured or sick because of their work.

Assessing which coverages fit your situation is critical in building a solid risk management plan.

Consulting with an Insurance Professional

While understanding liability insurance basics is a fantastic start, each person’s or business’s situation is unique. Therefore, consulting with an insurance professional can provide tailored advice and ensure you are adequately covered. An insurance specialist can help interpret the finer details of different policies, guide you in estimating your level of risk correctly, and recommend specific coverages to protect you against these risks entirely. Seeking professional advice ensures you’re not underinsured or paying for unnecessary coverages.

Selecting the right liability insurance involves understanding the risks, knowing the types of insurance available, and seeking professional advice to tailor your coverage perfectly. This approach not only safeguards your financial and legal standing but also provides peace of mind, allowing you to focus on what truly matters without undue worry about the potential risks.

Conclusion

Navigating the complexities of liability insurance can seem daunting at first, but understanding the signs that you need protection can help guide you through the decision-making process. Knowing your legal responsibilities and potential risks is crucial to owning a business, providing professional services, or simply protecting your personal assets. Liability insurance offers a safety net that can protect you, your assets, and your future from unexpected pitfalls. 

Make informed decisions, evaluate your risks regularly, and don’t hesitate to seek professional advice from a reputable insurance provider like Runacres Insurance to ensure you have the coverage that best fits your needs. With the proper protection, you can confidently focus on what you do best, knowing you're safeguarded against the unforeseen.

Source From: Signs You Should Have Liability Insurance: Understanding Your Risk

@legacywritten || quotes that broke me starters || accepting!

❛   in spite of everything, you’re still you.  ❜

dean's been awake all night. listening to sam's steady breathing in the darkness of the motel room. the only light coming into the pitch black is from the persistent neon red and white glow of the vacancy sign posted underneath the equally bright roadside header not far from the room they were tossed into for showing up in the middle of the night looking for a place to stay. they're both a little battered and bruised from their recent job. a hundred miles in the opposite direction they're heading, they left a town that needed their help. whether they wanted to admit to it at first or not. as they often don't want to.

but they persisted. and they won. if not for being a bit knocked around and bloodied up for their troubles. those cuts, bruises and body aches aren't really on dean's mind. they're not what's keeping him awake. sam knows it, too. always does. that's how they are made up. they can always tell. must be why when he stands up to cross the floor barefoot that he wakes up his brother anyway. no matter how quiet he's trying to be.

it was the talk in the car. how dean feels like he's not himself anymore. something that was practically dragged out of him tooth and nail by the younger winchester. after about fifty miles of fighting by dean that nothing was wrong until he broke. 'in spite of everything, you're still you.' sam's words kept going on repeat in the back of his mind. it was still there when sam's voice rose up from the dark behind him saying his name. "yeah, sammy. sorry." a beer hisses as it's popped open. "do you really think that--that i'm still me? in spite of everything i've done? everything that's happened? do you really see me as me..?"

Playlist for Reba! @straythisway

A playlist for Reba trying to make it in Nashville

I. If Only You Played Football As Well As You Play Girls - Maggie Antone

If only you played football as well as you play girls You may not be on the bench Thinking you're the only one in this world

It's giving...a song she'd maybe write in high school.

II. 979 - Ryann Elise

I'm headed for the city full of neon lights, I gotta chase that dream

She left her small town for the city!

III. New Strings - Miranda Lambert

And I'll grab the wheel and I'll point it west Pack the good and leave the rest I'll drive until I find the missing piece

It's giving lil Reba going to the city to have a music career!

IV. Cheap Seats - Emily Scott Robinson

Half way through a busy night I get a song idea to write And I slip out back to get the chorus down Now table twenty-eight is complainin' about the wait And my manager just shakes his head and frowns

For when she's working shitty server jobs that she hates just becaise she needs to pay rent while really she just wants to be an #artist

V. What Else Can She Do - Kaitlin Butts

She left the country with big city dreams running wild in her mind Looking for love or adventure or anything else she could find But her small town pretty didn't play in the city too well And the life that she thought would be heaven now feels more like hell

For when she's having second and third thoughts about leaving home for the city! It's hard out here!

VI. Stay In Your Lane - Bronson Diamond and Greta Stanley

Ꮃe were talkin' Ƴou were talkin' so loud Ⲓ could barely hear the band

Ꮃe were drinkin' Ƴou were drinkin' so fast Ⲓ'm surprised you could even stand

It's giving a song Reba would've written for the Singin' Strays and sung with the male vocalist! It's a witty duet, 10/10 song!

VII. This Town Gets Around - Margo Price

Now the very first manager I ever had He was old enough he could have been my dad He took me out for drinks and talked a big talk He said, "darling sign on the dotted line You know, "kiss my cheek and drink this wine But if you walk on me, then you can just walk

It's about sexism in the industry, how hard it is to be a woman, to not be a nepo-baby, it's quality content

VIII. Letters on the Marquee - Vincent Neil Emerson

Well they ran out of letters on the marquee They can't spell my name

When you're a newcomer and the least important name, catch them spelling it R3ba Str@y on the marquee, for real :/

IX. Fly On The Wall - Jake Worthington and Lauren Watkins

I wanna be a fly on the wall So I could learn how to not run you off And I wanna see how she fits in your arms Does she sleep in the bed that used to be ours? Oh, do you tell her that you love her? When you say it, do you mean it? Or do you treat her like you treated me? Like a fly on the wall

This is another great duet song that could've been one of hers! But also wow, WAS she dating her fellow singer of the band? Who knows :eyesemoji: so it this a good song that's made her money or her story lol

X. Ten Year Town - Hailey Whitters

I'm twelve years into a ten year town I'm too far in to turn around Too old to go back to school Won't be much longer, I'll be old news I thought I'd be a big star now I'm twelve years into a ten year town

For fifteen minutes of fame Somebody says your name on the TV Or back of a CD Waitin' tables another month Waitin' on that break to come All it's ever done is break my heart

Nashville may be known as Music City to most, but to those in the music industry, it's the "10-Year Town." While overnight successes can happen, for most creatives, it's a slow and steady climb if you climb at all — and in Nashville specifically, the story often goes that it takes a decade before catching that big break, but much longer than that, you're kinda SOL, you're old news.

How Bright Bail Bonds Help People Get Out of Jail

With their colorful names, garish signage and bright neon lights, bail bond companies are hard to miss. They’re in business to help people get out of jail before their trial.

Bail bond agents believe that government policy and practice create service needs that they fill. They often hang out at courthouses, scour jail rosters and cold-call defendants’ family members to sell bonds.

Getting a Bail Bond

Getting someone out of jail is a huge responsibility. It requires you to trust that they will show up for their court proceedings. If they don’t, then you will be responsible for the full bail amount. The bondsman will ask you to sign a contract forfeiting your property to the company should they fail to appear for their court dates.

If you don’t have the money to pay for your loved one’s bail, a bond agent may be able to help. Experienced bail bond agents have connections within the legal system that can speed things up and get your loved ones out of jail quickly. They also understand all the paperwork involved. They can often complete the forms for you, which saves you time and stress. They also know how to minimize collateral requirements. This can help keep your loved ones from losing the things they have worked so hard for. They can also distract them from hanging out with bad influences that got them in trouble to begin with.

Getting a Cosigner

A cosigner, sometimes known as an indemnitor, guarantees that the defendant will be present for all required court appearances. This is a serious responsibility, and a bail bondsman will not allow anyone to be a cosigner who is not financially sound and able to keep up with monthly payments.

This person should be a relative, someone close to the accused, or someone who can be trusted to not skip bail and follow through with all legal requirements. The cosigner should have a high credit score, manageable debts and steady income.

A good credit score is a requirement, but a cosigner must also have a stable residence, as the bondsman will need to know where they live and contact them if the accused fails to appear in court. If this happens, the bond will be forfeited, and a civil judgment against the cosigner may be entered that can affect employment and make it difficult to renew professional licenses or obtain future loans or credit.

Getting the Money

The court will set a bail amount, and it's up to the defendant and their friends or family members to come up with the money. Fortunately, there are several ways to do this.

One option is to work with a bail bond company. These companies will post the bond for you, typically charging a fee of 10 to 12 percent of the total bond amount. They will also require collateral, such as a deed to your house or an item of jewelry.

Another option is to use a credit card. However, this can be expensive, as most credit cards have high interest rates. It can take years to pay off the debt, and you may end up paying more than what you originally owed.

Lastly, you can ask a friend or family member to put up collateral on your behalf. This can help reduce the risk that you'll miss your court dates. However, this option is not available in all cases.

Getting Out of Jail

The next question that is often asked after a loved one has been arrested is, “How do I get them out of jail?” The answer is to post bail. This is money or property that the person gives to a court in exchange for their promise to show up at their scheduled court appearances.

If they do, they are refunded the amount of their bond within 60 to 90 days of their case’s resolution. If they fail to show up, the judge keeps the bail money and issues a warrant for their arrest.

If the person does not have enough cash, they can ask a judge to lower their bail at a special bail hearing or during their first court appearance. They can also put up property as collateral, such as a home or car. It is possible to borrow the money needed from family members or co-signers. These people will not be liable for the entire amount of the bail bond, as Iowa law allows co-signers to only pay 10 percent of the bail amount.

https://www.brightbailbonds.com/​ [email protected] ​ Call Us: 888-669-0295​2 9970 Technology Dr Ste 114 Murrieta, CA 92563

Vantage

Hi Friends, 

In scrolling around the creative circles I’ve found myself apart of I was inspired to find a wedding cake that was hung upside down to allow for easier maneuvering by guests. How insightful. I thought of other things in my daily life that use this principle. There is also a hanging basket design that goes through apartment gardening discourses where one plant, usually tomatoes, are planted 180 degrees inverted, to maximize soil space, therefore also maximizing fruiting plant production. In looking at my life, I have thought of each design that work by being upside down.

I saw a conceptual cross over as well with a beginner drawing exercise I had learned in my first drawing class. Turning the reference photo upside down is a vantage point our brains are not often exposed to, therefore challenging your mind to look for the shapes, shading and visual architecture that has been in front of you all along, that you have yet to be exposed to. With this in mind I thought, what else have I missed being right side up? What else have I missed by neglecting to take in every vantage point of the world around me? 

When I started to dive into this I started to become more intentional about the way I perceived things. Not only physically manipulating knick knacks and such I find in my surroundings but also dissecting how I knew what I knew, and how I could replicate the results of others. Their tools, but also their insight they needed to accomplish the feats that stand in front of me.

In my sensory and perception class I had learned more about how our body perceives the world around us, and what our brain does with this information. Similar to looking into your own reflection in a spoon, our eyes actually mirror the sensation of the world around us to be both upside down and flipped horizontally. A sensation in the top right of your field of vision is percieved by the bottom left sensory neurons. Because of this, our brain has evolved to reassess these sensations to perceive them into the correct position where they exist in the space around us. 

It seems as if our bodies know the world around us, but sometimes our brains only highlight what is needed for the means of productivity. Our brains know we benefit from seeing right side up for things like coordination and balance in navigation (this is called proprioception; or were our body is in space) however it largely discounts the benefits we may find from exploring the would in this flipped state. This is an extremely primitive development our brain has made to our senses to better navigate the world, but what would happen if we intentionally fought some of these autopilot responses?

Step out of autopilot and take a second without the interpretation of your brain to make your own notes around the world.

You'll start to notice the beauty in your daily commute.

You'll start to notice your friends chipped tooth actually holds a fond childhood memory.

You'll start to notice your daily rituals hold the success from just days before as they slowly solidify in habits.

Suddenly nothing is good, nothing is bad, no positives no negatives.

It just. Is.

Take a second to truly be with yourself and others. Intentionally fight the ordinary and celebrate the state that you are currently in before your mind flips it upside down, in all senses.

With these thoughts in mind I have intentionally flipped the orientation of my lock screen of my phone (album covers and a neon sign I found in a small boutique) to invite me to flip the narrative of the ordinary perception, and to consume the world around me without judgement of default perception.

Hang loose,

AK

Chapter I - You Can’t Truly Be Gone

A cold, heavy rain fell on the red-neon lit bar sign, a staple in the town of Greyslough, on the planet Calyzen. It was a small planet that wasn’t heard of very often, floating cozily on the outer rim, far from any politics and destruction. Grassy hills and long lakes made the planet what it was, a thick layer of gloom laid on the planet but that didn’t stop the citizens from having a good time.

Every weekend the local bar doubled as a fight space, Calyzen brawlers all came and competed, not for any titles or anything fancy, just for the love of the crowd. It was mostly men that participated in such events, but around 7 years ago a young girl showed up and began training right away. She had to prove herself tough enough to take on the rough life of a brawler, but she surprised everyone and was deemed worthy. This girl was Valerie Sorveya, but her brawler name was just Val, some even called her Victorious Val which both embarrassed her and humored her.

Valerie was just 22 when she arrived on Greyslough, she was scared and alone, brought in by a delivery ship operator, Shay, who knew little about her. The first time they met was when Shay was on a regular route, picking up supplies from Naboo as well as other planets. But on his way to the lush planet, he got a call from Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, requesting that he pick up Luke’s cargo and drop it off on the way to his next stop. Shay had a great deal of respect for the Skywalkers, so of course he accepted, little did he know that this ‘cargo’ was a young girl with braided, dark brown hair, padawan cloak, and eyes bloodshot from crying, it was Valerie. He wasn’t the type of man to ask questions, he wanted to get the job done and have that be all, and Valerie remained quiet for the entirety of the ride. The only problem was that when Shay brought her to Luke’s requested drop-off point on Yavin 4, everything was either burned to ash or on fire, no one was on the planet at all. Shay watched the distraught brunette fall to her knees when she saw the destruction, the pain in her eyes was unlike anything he had ever seen. Shay contacted Luke several times and heard nothing, but he knew he couldn’t leave her there alone.

“Do you want me to take you back to Naboo?” Shay asked her, keeping some space from her.

She mustered up the courage to speak. “But I-...I’m supposed to be here.”

“But hon, there’s nothing here, I’m sorry, I don’t know what happened.” Shay got on one knee beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder gently.

Valerie looked at him. “Death, so much death.” Her eyes then focused back on the scene of black and red.

Shay shrugged his shoulders slightly, she wasn’t wrong but what was he supposed to say back? He thought for a moment before speaking. “Let’s get you back to your home.”

“I don’t have a home.” Valerie looked at Shay again, her voice grew a bit more clear. “It was Naboo, but my parents both died just days ago. I wasn’t supposed to come back here for another month but I requested Luke to end my break early, I couldn’t bear being there any longer.” Shay didn’t know what to say. “So I’m sorry sir, but I have nowhere to go now, and I have no way of paying for your service.”

Shay shook his head. “Don’t you worry about that right now. You’ve been through a lot, n’ I don’t normally do this… Well, I don’t normally deliver people actually.. But listen kid, if you’re willing, I’ll take you back t’ my home and we can get your situation sorted out, how does that sound?” Shay knew he needed to help her, it was the right thing to do and this girl needed any help she could get.

Valerie took several moments, the gears turning in her head as she tried to think of her options. She couldn't deny that his idea was the best one, though she didn’t exactly want to go to a new planet with a strange, somewhat scruffy looking man, he did seem to genuinely care for her though they hadn’t even exchanged names. “Where is your home?” She finally asked in a breathy voice, her tiredness was starting to affect her speech.

“Oh I live in GreySlough.” He said. She seemed confused, which didn’t surprise him. “It’s a great little planet, do you like rain?”

She laughed under her breath. “I actually do.” This made Shay smile.

“I’m Shay, Shay McDavin” He held his gloved hand out.

Valerie accepted and met her hand with his. “I’m Valerie, Valerie Sorveya. I was training here.”

“You was training with Luke Skywalker?” Shay said in amazement. “You’ll have to tell me about it on the ship, c’mon, let’s get a move on. Late schedule’s means less credits for food.” Shay helped Valerie stand and began walking to the ship. Before he got in, he turned and saw her standing there, lost in the sight of destruction again. “Valerie?” He called her.

This snapped her out of her fixed gaze. She turned her back slowly to the fires, walking away from what was meant to be her future, her life. Her face remained solemnly sad as she got into the ship and sat in the back seat. Shay reached back and took her hand in his.

“I promise things are gonna be alright. I always get the job done.” He gave her hand a small squeeze before letting go and starting up the ship.

After a few hours and a few stops along the way, Valerie had spoken only every now and then about Naboo, about her training, and asked questions about the planet they were heading to. Shay enjoyed having someone with him on the trips, they usually got lonely but after 40 years in the business, he was used to it. They finally arrived on GreySlough, rain dripping down the ship's windows and rusty panels. Valerie swallowed quietly and got out of the ship, her backpack secured on her shoulders as she followed Shay down the dirt road lit up by tall white lamps. They really weren’t very bright, all the buildings were very dark and looked somewhat abandoned.

“I’ll tell ya this right now, it isn’t much” Shay spoke as he walked up the wet wooden steps to an old brick house. “But it’s kept me dry all these years, so I think you’ll find it suitable. Then again, yer from Naboo.” He laughed, unlocking the doors with a slim key.

It was definitely a lot more old fashioned and run down than what she was used to. But her home on Naboo was usually described just like that. It was only a small cabin by the lake, not any kind of fancy city build, no porcelain or hand embroidered curtains like most others had, but she didn’t mind. This home was still very different, though who was she to become picky after losing essentially everything she had?

Shay showed her to her room, it was mostly empty, but there were a couple dusty boxes, a tall lamp and a spare mattress. Valerie put down her bag while Shay searched the closet for extra pillows and bedding. She walked towards the window, she was glad her bedroom was on the second floor, being up high was something she loved.

“What’s that over there?” Valerie asked. She noticed a bright red sign a few streets over but couldn't make out the text through the pouring rain and droplets hugging the window’s glass.

“That is the town’s entertainment center.” Shay said with a small chuckle as he stood up from making up the bed for her, she was too distracted to realize he had done that for her. “It’s a bar. But each weekend we have these town brawlers that fight over there.”

“Brawlers? Like.. they fight each other?” Valerie asked in a confused tone.

“Yep, but don’t worry, they’re all good sports, at least most of them.” Shay stepped towards the doorway. “I’ll take ya one day. But anyways, I know you’re probably tired so I’ll let ya go. I will be gone early in the morning but not for too long. If you’re up before I’m back, feel free to make yourself at home, you saw the kitchen on your way in right?”

Valerie nodded and leaned down to her bed. “I did. And Shay, thank you, truly.” She ran her hands on the blanket, it wasn’t very soft but that’s really how Valerie liked it, things that were too plush always bothered her skin.

“No need to thank me, hon. You’ve been through enough for one day. Just try to rest up.” Shay reached for the doorknob. “Goodnight.”

Valerie nodded to him as he shut the door. She took a glance around the room before reaching into her backpack and pulling out a medium sized plush toy of an Ice Peglin, a species that lived only on extremely cold planets, swimming and living off of fish. It was her favorite animal and her mother had made her this plush when she was just a baby.

She let out a small sigh and placed her plush on the bed. Her heart began to pound slowly and her emotions all reached her at once. Valerie was good at keeping her true emotions unknown from most, the exceptions being her mother and a classmate of hers. But this was all too much, everything was gone, everyone was gone. It was a dark day in the galaxy for everyone, but especially for Valerie. She began to slowly hyperventilate and tears streamed down her chiseled cheeks before she reached into her bag again, digging through for something. She pulled out a small device and unraveled a wire with two earpieces hung at the end of it. With the press of a button on the device, music began playing in the earpieces, Valerie put them in her ears and closed her eyes, hand over her mouth. Music was something she grew up surrounded by since her mother was a Nabooan musician. It calmed her from a place deep within her. Her breaths slowed, but the tears didn’t stop. She allowed herself to cry for around 10 minutes before wiping them away and changing into some sleep clothes, an old shirt and shorts. She had pictured her night very differently. She expected to be curled up in the arms of the man she cared so deeply for as he would have comforted her over her loss. It would have been in secret of course, Luke couldn’t know what was happening among his own students, his own nephew.

Valerie laid down in the bed, looking up at the ceiling with cracked white paint. One arm holding her plush close, the other on her heart, feeling to see if it had slowed down from her small panic attack.

“Ben.” She sighed. The tears began again, she saw no use in stopping them. This was what real, true, raw pain felt like. And she never expected to feel it over such things.

How will I keep going if you’re gone? She thought to herself.

The rest of the night was quiet, the rain pattering on the window helped ground her. Deep breathes filled the room as she put the music device away and curled back into bed. Her blanket met her shoulders and she turned towards the wall. Sleep was something she both feared in this moment, but also provided her comfort. She was scared to sleep because she saw it as making the day more real, like adding a period at the end of the sentence. But her comfort was just from her curiosity, would she go to sleep and then wake up on Yavin 4? She wondered if she had passed out on Naboo and was having a terrible dream. This wasn’t the case. And this was how she spent most nights for at least the first year on GreySlough.

You can’t truly be gone, Ben.

Guys Neckties: Fashionable Symptoms Around Our Necks

You are on the verge of open up your bistro business. Yet because you are not just one who has an enterprise doing this inside your place, you better consider something that is needed your business outshine from the downtime. You have to put some sort of sign that would effectively draw the customers' attention towards your recently built business. That way, people might will be aware that there is definitely model new coffee shop in that area. Although through the years of organization isn't fresh to men and women, they would definitely be curious of how your product would tastes from the additional coffee in region. The colours, in the transaction that had been looking found out, are blue (mercury), white (CO2), silver (helium), red (neon) after which phosphor-coated hoses create chats associated with the shades. Phosphors are usually accessible in several pastel color palette. When happen to be located from a busy highway or perhaps thoroughfare, try looking outside the house and look at all the plenty of potential clients you often have. You have to act smart and if appropriate grab available to be to your own store and portion using cash. Considerable already standing right outdoors; all it will take is several coaxing to get them to step throughout. neon signs are available to purchase on-line. Matter about web stores is that offer big collections of the sign and also that can select the symbol in which excellent to formulate your business. May get choose off of the eye -catching and colorful luminous symbols that might surely give spark to some business. Times Pillow as well as the Las Las vegas Strip are America's neon showcases. Consist of neon signages Tokyo does have its Ginza plus Shibuya. Osaka provides Du Bon bun, which is the earth's largest shopping avenue that provided the inspiration for Blade Runner. Additionally, there are Nanjinj Road in Shanghai and Soi Rancher in Bangkok(which has been named after an American who opened a go-go pub there inside the 1970's). There so many neon ad signs that businesses can decide on. They can choose in order to advertise their retail outlet name or logo design in neon light fittings. But there are usually a few must-have neon signage that whatever establishment has to have. They are the wide open signs, restroom indications and thank an individual, come again spots. Are basically partner for the 1950s years? Customize a sign that will says, Malts and even Shakes, Rock Close to the Clock, or simply, Diner. Need to develop an entertaining child's playroom? Build a sign featuring your kid's favorite animal or even cartoon character. These symptoms will contribute greatly to the theme for this room, and when they will never go out of design. Different hues are set up have the ability to mixed gases and elements into a neon natural light. An enterprise sign outside shop could be also a connected with advertisement. You are gonna open your own cafe business.

bed time with the sparda twins --

all the cuddles, fluff, and bedtime rituals with dante and vergil 💤

-- f!reader (kofi + gif not mine)

DANTE-

The ticking clock in the living room read 10:30pm. Dante yawned loudly which was followed by several loud lip smacks. You fell asleep beside him on the couch, your head rested on the back of the headrest with mouth open wide. The half demon smiles as his tired eyes observe you lovingly, even as a dribble of drool rolls down the side of your chin. How did he get so lucky? What did he do to deserve someone like you? Your gentle and attractive features highlighted the warmth that your heart radiated. 

However, waking you up unleashed the wrath that your gentle soul disguised. Dante put a hand on your thigh and gave you a light shake. You stirred slightly before drifting back to your deep slumber. Your name whispered from his lips while he gave your body another shake. Soon your eyes opened and Dante’s face came into focus. “Hey, sunshine,” he cooed, “Let’s go to bed.”

A tired smile stretched across your lips as his words filled you with love. With a stretch and a loud yawn, you took the hand that Dante lent out and the two of you climbed the stairs to the upper level.

Your bedtime routine was always the same, besides a couple of variances. Dante was the first into the bathroom, he removed all clothing besides his boxers and socks. He pasted both of your toothbrushes and set yours down on the counter where it waited for you. As he peed, he brushed his teeth and hummed the tune to Walking on Sunshine. When you joined him, you picked up the toothbrush and started to brush as Dante continued to hum happily. The two of you observed each other’s reflections in the mirror; a mixture of funny faces and giggles were exchanged.

In Dante’s room was a king sized bed that was directly in the middle of four maroon walls. The small room had one window on the right wall that allowed the pink glow of the neon sign to peak in through the blinds, this gave the bedroom a sort of warmth to it. On either side of the bed were nightstands that were decorated with personal items. Yours had a variety of skincare items, a clock, a teddy bear, and a photo of Dante, Nico, Nero, and yourself (Vergil was nice enough to take the picture). Dante’s was filled with several half empty water bottles, a scattered mess of papers, a photo of the two of you at a fair, and Ebony/Ivory. He kept them on top of his dresser to keep them accessible at all times, if anything were to happen -- keeping you safe was his priority and he felt better with them in close range. 

Other things in the room included a closet which contained your clothing and a large dresser which held Dante’s. His dresser was on the wall that faced the foot of the king sized bed, on top was a medium sized CRT television that occasionally caught signal from the busted antenna on the top of the building. 

As you finished getting ready for bed, Dante rushed into the bedroom to get the bed prepped. He pulled back the plump, black comforters, as well as taking your pillows and giving them a fluff. You stopped in the doorway of the room and leaned against the frame with a smile on your lips as you watched the Sparda man prep your bed. The floorboards squeaked as you shifted your weight which caught his attention - he stopped immediately then spun around with a smile. “Bed’s all ready,” he took a small step toward you, which you took one toward him. Dante then charged into your waist, his arms wrap tightly around your small frame. He lifts you up in the air with ease before resting your body over his right shoulder. Dante slides toward the bed and proceeds to drop you lightly onto the springy mattress.

The white haired male lowers himself down over you with hands on each side of your head. He’s quiet besides the same smile that he’s been wearing all night. “Hi,” you say quietly, “Hey,” he responds. Your skin can feel the warmth of his breath against it which causes goosebumps to rise. Soon his lips are pressed against yours. His kisses always start soft and sweet before growing hungrier with each touch. His white teeth are biting at your lower lip, his tongue is wrestles for dominance inside of your mouth. Dante’s palms that were supporting his weight are now roaming your body as he feels every curve while your fingers stroke his chin stubble. You can feel his boxers rise against your thigh but before anything can move any further, he stops.

Dante pulls away and cups your cheek with his rough palm. His thumb strokes your skin softly as his blue orbs take in your e/c eyes. He suggests that the two of you crawl under the covers and get comfortable. You agree and crawl to the side of the bed where you normally slept, Dante joining you on the other side while draping the blankets over your frames. His strong arm wraps around you and pulls you close to his bare chest. Your head rests on his warm skin and you can feel his heartbeat slow from the quickened pace that it was beating at. Dante turns on the television and flips through several channels of static before stopping on a late night re-run of a comedy movie. You can feel your eyes getting heavy with each blink.

Light snores vibrate in your throat as you fell asleep again on your partner. He can hear them over the sound of the movie and his eyes look down to the side at you. Your expression is peaceful, and the rise then fall of your body is slow and steady. Dante smiles again and thinks again about how lucky he is to be where he is right now. He was hoping for a blowjob, but this is okay too... That could always happen later.

When the two of you sleep, it is a battle for the bed. Despite being a king size, the two of you take up a considerable amount of space for the rather large mattress. Dante is a stomach sleeper and sleeps with his legs spread out wide. A part of his body always needs to be touching you, so that he knows that you’re always there beside him. He’s afraid of something happening to you while he’s asleep or when he wakes up in the morning, you’ll be gone. So, either his foot is touching your leg or his palm is on your breast. 

You often sleep on your back with legs and arms spread out. The back of your hand or palm usually rests on the back of Dante’s head (or his face). Your leg that isn’t touching Dante’s often dangles off the side and falls asleep, which then wakes you up with the annoying tingling feeling that doesn’t go away until you shake it. The devil hunter likes sleeping with the tv on and enjoys the feeling of waking up in the dark to see an infomercial about cleaning products playing. While you like sleeping in the dark, the hue of the neon signs outside give you a relaxed feeling that you cannot explain. 

Despite your differences in your sleeping conditions -- the two of you wait for the other to wake up in the mornings. Usually you’re the first to fall asleep and the first to wake up, but sometimes Dante beats you in the mornings. He doesn’t have difficulty falling asleep but does staying asleep, during the night his dreams often wake him and he has trouble shaking them off. So, if he wakes up early, he will wait for you. You wait for him as well. Whoever is first -- either of you will face the other and enjoy the peacefulness of quiet morning and the way that the sun shines into the room. Dante feels excited every time you wake up and your blinks are slow but the way that the sun shines off of your e/c irises fill him with a warmth that he doesn’t fully wrap his head around. 

Dante doesn’t wake up as peaceful as you do. It’s often with eyelids opening quickly and glazed over eyes from either not enough or too much sleep. His morning breath is atrocious but comforting at the same time. It is a stench that you’ve grown to love - some may think it’s odd but love is an odd thing.

As he stretches, he rolls onto his side and pulls you close to him again as you managed to wiggle free during the night. His hand is on the small of your back as you prop yourself up on your elbows with your hands under your chin. Dante grins,

“Good morning, snore-ass,” he says with a yawn, “Good morning, shit breath,” you reply with a smile.

VERGIL-

It is late at night and you’re already in bed but are not accompanied by Vergil. You stir under the sheet that laid across your body, your legs search for the strong calves of your mate. But the bed is absent of the half demon man. You push yourself up from the bed and squint as you scan the dark room. The walls are a light shade of grey and two windows sit directly in front of you, the moonlight peaks from between two curtains and highlights an empty chair where Vergil normally sat with his book.

“He must be downstairs,” you speak as you drape a robe over your nude frame. The hallway is empty and dark when you exit your shared bedroom. Down the hall is the room of his brother, Dante, and sounds of his television blare from behind his closed door. He wouldn’t be in there, it’s too late in the night.  You peer over the side of the balcony to the floor below and see Vergil sitting at his brother’s desk with book in hand.

It wasn’t uncommon for you to wake up without the elder Sparda brother accompanying you. Things kept him awake at night and he was usually reluctant to reveal what they were, despite being in a relationship together for several years. He informed you about his mother, Eva, and that fateful day that separated his fate from the one of Dante’s - but that was about it.

Vergil hears your creaking as you walk down the steps and acknowledges your presence, “You should be sleeping,” he says with his book raised to eye level. “Waking up alone gets old, Vergil.” you slowly approach him and notice that he’s shirtless still from your love making that occurred earlier in the night. The moonlight shines in from a window and accents his muscular body in all the correct ways.

 He is silent for a moment before he apologizes. You accept it and lightly wrap your arms around his neck from behind and your fingertips lightly run across his strong pectorals. “Did you have another dream?” you whisper next to his ear. He had been having issues with dreaming about his corruption and the loss of his mother, which leads up to losing you. Your hand raises to his ear and tickles his skin, but Vergil takes your digits in his palm and squeezes. “Let’s return to our bedroom,” he pushes back from the desk and stands.

The Sparda man feels guilty for leaving you again, especially after having sex because your cuddling was cut short when he got up and left. Vergil suddenly scoops you up from your feet, his strong arms pull your close to his body and he walks up the stairs. You look up to his face with a warmth lingering in your cheeks, you can see his handsome features even in the dark. His eyes are focused on what was in front of him and when he reached the landing, they fell onto you. He smiles slightly as he pushes the bedroom door open with his foot.

The room isn’t large but is perfect for the two of you to live comfortably in. On the wall to the right was a large dresser that held both of your clothing. Decorating the top of it was a photo of the two of you, Dante and Vergil, then a painting of you two hung on the wall about the furniture. In a vase was a wilted rose that Vergil had given to you on your first official date, it was frail and broken but most petal remained, it was sentimental nonetheless. The largest piece of furniture was an ornate bookshelf that held a collection of works that Vergil admired. You actually found it in an antique store and used the remaining money you had for the month to purchase it for him. When he received your gift, you could’ve sworn you saw tears well in his eyes but he quickly embraced you tightly and thanked you with a passionate kiss. There was no television in your room but there was a small radio that you listened to often when you would clean up while Vergil read his poems in the chair by the window. He enjoyed listening to you sing and hum to the music while he read, his eyes would occasionally raise from the literature to watch you.

You think that he is going to lay you on the bed but he takes you into the bathroom that is connected to the bedroom instead. Your normal bedtime routine involved you sitting on the toilet brushing your teeth while Vergil stood in front of the sink doing the same. He was very vigilant about his oral health, so he took twice as long as you to brush. You always gotta bump him out of the way with your hip, so that you could spit out the foam that was filling your cheeks to the brim. Vergil always set out two things of floss and two bottles of mouth wash. “His and hers!” you called it. Skincare masks were your favorite weekly routine because it meant that you could paint his face with black mud. He would scoff but let you have your fun, however, he was unhappy when you captured a photographic memory of it.

Vergil seats you down on the closed toilet lid and turns to dig in the lower cabinet. “What’re you doing?” you ask but he doesn’t answer. When he turns around, there is a bottle of body lotion in his hand. He pumps several globs of white cream into his palm before resting on his knees, he waddles toward you and takes the lower half of your leg in his empty hand. His rough palm with the lotion begins to spread the lotion on your soft skin. The other hand joins as they travel up and down your appendage, he begins giving you a massage. Vergil raises your calf to his face and presses his lips against it, giving you several loving kisses. He then presses his nose to your muscle and breathes you in. Kissing, feeling, and smelling your body creates an overwhelming sensation of love and gratitude to fill his body, he wants to show you how much he appreciates everything you have done for him.

You hum in pleasure as he massages but when he stops and kisses your leg, you lean over to run your fingers through his white hair. His blue orbs flicker up and meet yours, the silence remains as no words are needed to explain the intimacy between you both.

After he is done, he picks you up again and takes you to the bed.

When it is time to sleep, Your bed is a queen size which is just enough room for two people, which worked out well because Vergil holds you tight to his side. He is a side sleeper and mostly rests on his right half. You lay nestled into the bend of his body with your back side facing his front. Vergil’s left arm holds onto your waist and his ankles are linked onto yours. Vergil enjoys resting this way because when he feels horny, you can feel his member in his pants and he has easy access to your heat. Resting over your bodies was a light silver sheet which sometimes had a white quilt accompanying it, but Vergil enjoyed feeling cool at night. (being snuggled up to a half demon turned out to be warmer than you thought) and you were one to enjoy being snuggled up in a fluffy blanket. The two of you compromise and often rotate the coverings for your shared bed.

Being held tight to Vergil’s body is comforting which upsets you when he leaves you during the night. Once he left and did not return for several days which meant you laid alone at night wondering where he had gone off to. But he did return, then held you tight again to his body. He whispered promises that no matter what -- he would be there to hold you. 

Just as Vergil wakes up during the night, he is the first to wake in the morning as well. It is his favorite time because he can watch you sleep in your most innocent nature. Normally your back faces him but in the morning he releases your body and you almost immediately roll onto your back. Vergil can see your eyes flicker side to side under your closed lids and ponders about what you dream about.

The whole building is quiet because it is way too early for Dante to be awake. So, Vergil takes advantage of it to also reflect on things while he watches you sleep. These things involve his goals which both include personal ones and those that involve you. He reflects on his past, present, and even future. Vergil thinks about what could become of your relationship and it fills him with joy and anxiety.

He never wakes you but simply remains patient for you to wake on your own (unless there are morning plans) When you do, he releases his crossed brows and a small smile forms on his lips. His hand raises and holds yours, “Good morning, darling,” he says, “Good morning, sweetheart,” you reply. Your stomach growls in between of your sweet words which prompt an unison chuckle, “Let me bring you breakfast,” he offers and pushes himself up.