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eddiernunson · 2 months

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I Can Do it With a Broken Heart | Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader | 18+ | PREVIEW

NOW POSTED

Summary: You and Eddie have both had crap luck on dates lately, nothing that can't be fixed with a strawberry milkshake. However, he gets asked out on a date and it goes well...until it turns your life on its head and he forgets how to pick up the phone. You don't even care that he's dating someone else you just want your best friend back.

Warnings: idiots in love, best friends to lovers, ANGST, brief EddiexChrissy, ooc Chrissy, attempted SA, bestfriend!Steve, and needy, desperate smut that makes it all worth it.

Excerpt here:

The puff of smoke that leaves his lips as you approach him should not be this gorgeous, it’s practically unfair. “Hey, Eds.”

He dusts the filter, killing it on the cement table he sits at as he blows out one more puff. “Hey, sweetheart.”

Just from that particular look in his eye, you can tell something is on his mind. “You okay, there, Munson?”

He smirks, effortlessly standing up. “I suppose. I’m not sure how to react. Or how you’ll react.”

Your brows meet your hairline, watching his mind move at a million miles per hour. “Ok, Eddie this better be about a new class of creatures in DnD, or something, because you’re scaring me.”

He smiles, nodding his head over to the halls that lead toward the front door of the campus. “Someone asked me out on a date, earlier, today.”

Your brows furrow, biting back the jealousy that eats at your chest. Every little part of you holds back the monster that threatens to class its way out, to snarl and hiss at every girl that even so much as looks at him wrong. It’s hard to bite it back, to choke on it purposely, but if you must, you will.

It tastes like venom as you swallow it back down. “Oh, who?”

A faint pink spreads across Eddie’s cheeks, much to your dismay. Not once, in your fuck, what, seven, eight years, of friendship have you ever managed to see Eddie blush. (Just once but it was when you nearly walked in on him jerking himself off a few short years ago.) “Who?”

“Um Chrissy. Chrissy Cunningham?”

Your jaw drops, but your gut falls through the floor. You swear you hear it smash through the tilted floors and fall into the depths of hell.

“She asked you out?”

“Hey! Don’t act so surprised! A cheerleader could like me!”

That was the last thing on your mind. Of course a cheerleader could like Eddie, they’d be stupid not to. No. Every other girl that Eddie has either slept with, or gone on a date with brought no worry to your head, competition, per say. But a sweet girl like Chrissy, one that bore pretty blonde curls, a sweet smile and a sweet disposition, this is like your worst nightmare come true.

Thanks to the notion of living in a small town, you could recall 99% of the names that Eddie had told you, whether they be hookups or a date. Most of them didn’t intimidate you, only because, selfishly, you could nitpick at things you think wouldn’t work out with Eddie. Whether they were too vapid, too shallow, had none of the same interests as him, only shallowly liked him for his looks, or was a bully…you had something to give great comfort to you to prevent that little jealousy monster from clawing its way out.

This time, your brain wracked itself for some sort of answer. Some sort of flaw in the Queen of Hawkins High that could settle this uneasiness that has taken over your mind. Nothing. Nothing.

“I’m not surprised a cheerleader could like you, I’m surprised that Chrissy Cunningham asked you out,” you answer candidly, watching in step with him to where you supposed was his van. “I’m guessing you said yes?”

“I’d be crazy not to!” Eddie answered sheepishly, tugging at the sleeves of his leather jacket. “I’m taking her out on Friday night.”

“Ah, you’ll tell Steve to take Creeper off hold for us, then?”

Eddie stops mid stride, faltering, his brows pinched as he gives you those big brown eyes. “Shit. It totally slipped my mind.”

This is also new. Even as his dates would happen any previously made plans with him were always a priority. You just hope this isn’t a new habit of his.

“We’ll do it on Saturday, yeah?”

You nod, giving him the comfort you suddenly find yourself craving. From the pep in his step, the rosiness of his cheeks, the warm glint in his eyes, you can tell that he’s truly excited. As a best friend, you tried to be happy for him, however hard it is to make the smile on your face even remotely convincing.

Eddie curls his arm around your shoulder, tugging you along with him for what is probably another afternoon in his room, clouded by a haze of weed.

You smoked more than usual, if anything to allow his excitement and plans for his big date in two days to buzz into the background, the bong rippling through your lungs as a punishment for yourself.

Final word count is about 24k so I think I'll post on the 15 to give my editor a fighting chance. If you want to be tagged let me know <3

#eddie munson #eddie munson fanfiction #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x you #eddie munson x y/n #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson smut #eddie munson x fem!reader #eddie munson x reader smut

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xsapphirescrollsx · 8 months

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Dominion

Written: Oct 17 2023

Just a lil story I wrote today. I haven't written in some time. I hope you enjoy it! I wrote this story to this song ^.^

@titty-teetee <3

The best lie ever told about them was that the sun kills. But that falsity never really affected your life, mostly. You moved through levels of society like you ruled the night, and told the sun when to rise. Your mother called you aloof, a lazy rich girl- that is if anybody outside your kinship actually knew only you pretended poverty. You didn’t need to wear a disguise like the rest of them. There was a permissive, creeping, effortless prowling that came to you naturally. You wanted to fit in, but that was like a cat feigning to be a mouse and you never outgrew that proclivity.

And it was this attitude that made you catch hell from your sister and father when you showed up late. The building was in the shitties part of town. Barrels burned with stank garbage for warmth as you stepped out of the alley opposite. Forty floors of culture they said. Consequently hidden by poor souls soothing and numbing their bashed spirits the best they knew how, drugs. They weren’t even worth eating.

Thin black sling backs lightly tapped as you walked across the street, onto the cement sidewalk and toward the farthest left front door. Puffs of snow gathered in the corners of the brick pocket near the door. You glanced again and on closer inspection a body lay there, away from the fires out front but you kept walking.

Past the dirt covered, shabby peeling wallpaper and rusted gates separating the inside of the building from the outside grunge. You were buzzed in and immediately approached by Mer’gene, a friend, well one of the people in this world who has known you the longest besides your mother.

“You are not dressed appropriately,” she hissed and stared at the thin black shawl you wore.

Your eyes rolled from her prim expression to the crowd in the foyer that was beginning to thicken like coagulating platelets.

“It’s busy tonight,” you half said to her, but more to yourself.

Mer’gene glanced that way, “Yes, they want to pick who’s going to be President of the United States tonight. All the Elders are here….like your forefather.”

At the mention of Charlemagne you began to peel off the shawl and handed it to Mer’gene. “Well we can’t let him get in the way of a little fun.”

Passing through the foyer you followed the flow of people dressed in their best. Opulent comes to mind once you set eyes on the familiar market. What should have been a lobby for an apartment building was lined with shops, stacked on top of other shops. Bright lighting from eternal fire flames atop of metal poles lit your way. The direct opposite of what was being the brick outside, here, inside was spotless, clean and smelled of incense.

You window shopped for the most part, just listening to Mer’gene talk about everybody and nothing at the same time as you imagined owning a five thousand year old human leather purse. A normal Wednesday night.

A pop and flash came from somewhere on the fourth floor shops. You ignored it at first and chalked it up to a grieving kin who decided to self immolation. A scream, shrieked inhumanly into the air. All stopped and turned toward the sound. It was an alarm. It was a call to evacuate and didn’t have to be told twice.

Once again you were ushered out with the crowd toward an exit that emptied out into an alley. Bright daybreak rose over the galvanized fence to the east in the grimy alley. Beyond it police cars lined the street, a smile began to crease your lips. A bushy haired man in a sweater and his badge clipped on his hip near his gun stood.

There he was.

Outside on the streets in this location had you looking wholly out of place. But it didn’t stop you from approaching the cops. Innocently you gazed around, swayed in your step, maybe applied phony little hiccups. That caught his attention, god you were great at pretending weakness.

“Ma’am, what made you think you could cross that yellow tape?” the man pointed back behind you but choosing not to look you stared at him forcing your eyes to dilate in the morning light. “Are you on somethin’?” he questioned again.

You stepped forward, attempted to speak and promptly fainted.

“Shit,” you heard him say as he caught your waist.

“You got that one?” said another cop's voice. “She looks thick, might hurt your back.”

You made note of that remark and silently vowed to see what he tasted like - later.

“No I got her. She’s probably a rich asshole hopped up on something. I’ll take her back to the SUV.”

The man dragged you the best he could around the waist as you completely let yourself dead weigh him. One car, four cars, and finally around the corner away from the crime scene you heard the door open as he still struggled with your body. So you decided to start slurring your words and reacting to be held by a ‘stranger’.

“Let me go you fuckin’ bastard,” you spit out, wiped your mouth and struggled to stand. “You took me out here! You said we would have a great time…” you began to cry a bit to make it look convincing.

The cop pushed you into the back seat and slammed the door. You leaned against the door and watched him walk around the front. His head pivoted while his eyes seemed to look for people who might be watching. You shut your eyes as he opened the door and got in the back seat with you.

You breathed lightly as if you were sleeping.

“Did you get your self drugged?” he asked quietly.

Your non beating heart would've jumped if it was alive at the insinuation.

You felt him move closer and move his arm over the back of the seat. His other hand was on your knee.

Suddenly he was closer to your face, your ear. “Hey. Hey are you awake?” he whispered. His hand began to caress up your thigh.

A dirty cop! You felt yourself begin to get wet.

“You’re in safe hands sweetheart,” his lips murmured on your cheek. He moved his hand from your thigh. He grabbed your wrist and placed your hand on the hard chub underneath his jeans.

“How’s that feel?” He forced your hand to continue to rub him. “Slutty little bitch on the streets, huh?” he croaked.

Your teeth pricked the inside of your cheek. Fuck it, you couldn’t hold out any more.

“It feels like I need to make you mine,” you opened your eyes and stared back at him completely lucid. Your lips drew back over the sharp canines in a lovely, perfect smile.

----

....to be continued?

#Black!reader #black female reader #dark!walter marshall x black reader #dark!walter marshall

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venusofvolterra · 1 year

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I have a question for you based on your headcanon on Demetri. I'm sorry if you've answered this already though in previous posts. I wanted to know the relationship dynamic between Demetri and Felix. Obviously, you've stated that Demetri would be a toxic partner, but how does that bleed into his relations with others (especially Felix)? Felix is pretty levelheaded and grounded so he would know and identify his behaviour, right? How do you view their relationship, the bond and the healthiness of it all? Does he have any boundaries with Demetri? Does Felix address his behaviourisms and trauma with Him, and keep him in line in a brotherly way or turn a blind eye? personally, I doubt Felix would stay completely silent if Demetri did perse get a mate and was manipulative, toxic (even emotionally abusive?) to them.

and how do Felix and Demetri maintain a stable and somewhat healthy bond? Because, in all honesty, I doubt you could stay friends with someone for over 1000 years if the relationship was utterly toxic.

if you don't answer questions right now, feel free to delete this, I just wanted your take on it! I hope you're having a great week though, Lovely xx

(that was longer than I anticipated, sorry)

Thanks for the question anon! My week has been okay but I hope yours is lovely!

This is quit a long ask so I’m gonna break it down into pieces that I think will help us understand some of my thoughts/HC regarding this.

On human/vampire relationships in general:

It’s important to understand first that I do think with the way that it is written in Twilight it is virtually impossible for there to be a healthy relationship between a vampire and a human.

From the pheromones, to the strength, to the clear power imbalances any human would have in a relationship with a member of the Volturi guard, there is simply no advantage a human would have over either Felix or Demetri.

On Felix’s character:

I would also like to reiterate that Felix is not necessarily a good person. He might be very protective of those he cares about but doing his duties require at the very least indifference to the value of life and most likely even some enjoyment for what he does. In book canon, he makes several off color comments about killing Bella and about her looks.

Also Felix eats people guys. I know we all love him and have very fanciful ideas about him as a mate but realistically, he’s probably not interested in having a human mate long term and is probably eager to turn them.

Many of those power imbalances that make a relationship with a vampire unequal are very much present in a relationship with Felix — maybe even more so.

That said, I think you’re right to point out that he wouldn’t go out of his way to add to it but I can’t pretend Felix is free of these behaviors entirely.

On Demetri’s character:

I’ve expressed in this post how I see Demetri as being particularly sadistic. While I stand by that, even if he is more sadistic than some members of the Volturi/guard he’s not the most sadistic.

If his behavior somehow was too much for the Volturi he simply wouldn’t be in it. Ergo, it’s not. So while it isn’t exactly how Felix would behave, he has no qualms.

I also see Demetri as someone who would be controlling in a relationship. This is mostly because once again, he does not want his mate to stay human very long and will do whatever it takes to get them to agree to the change.

If we’re getting into some of my personal Demetri lore, some of this is left over anxiety following the death of his wife as a human. Despite that human memories tend to fade for vampires over time, I imagine core parts of their psychology at the time of turning stay relatively cemented (this is a hc to make the memory thing make more sense bc it really wouldn’t work given modern psychology). Thus, while he may not remember the details of why he reacts this way, he does.

It is also within the subtext of canon that the Volturi expect new vampires to cut off all their previous friends and family — I can’t imagine it’s any different for their own mates.

On Felix and Demetri’s relationship:

Simply put, they don’t really have that same toxicity between them — logistically there isn’t reason for there to be.

As it goes for them, they’re pretty much on equal footing. They rank similarly, they’re both vampires, they both have the same goals, and anyone they loved as a human is long dead.

Anything that might bog down a human friendship, like for example, significant time spent apart, isn’t a big deal for vampires — especially ones as old as them.

I do think Felix might stick up a bit for a vampire mate of Demetri’s if he was being unfair but even his own kings keep their wives drugged up in a tower, so he might sympathize to some extent with wanting to protect your mate to the nth degree even if he’s not in agreement with it. It all depends on the specific situation.

TLDR; what we consider moral/amoral and abusive in relationships doesn’t fully translate to vampires. They’re inherently kind of toxic and amoral so they have their own entirely separate understandings of those things.

Alrighty! I hope that answers some of questions about my interpretations of Felix and Demetri, let me know if you have any further ponderings!

#twilight #the volturi #demetri volturi #the twilight saga #volturi #felix volturi #twilight new moon

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cannedkopi · 14 days

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So, after watching the first 4 episodes of Bridgerton season 3, I have a few first, very, very random thoughts.

Spoilers ahead - you have been warned.

A disclaimer beforehand - all my comments pertain to the characters and storylines, not the actors, who did the best they could with the material they were given. Just so we're clear on this.

Sadly, the rumours were true, and we got only one episode of Kathony in the first part. But damn, they made it count!

Also, I am just gonna say it, it is now officially canon that Anthony loves to eat out his wife. Last season already established that, but this season cemented it. End of story.

I absolutely love Francesca! She is so different from her siblings, being the one who does not want to be in the spotlight and prefers peace and quiet. It is so fitting! Though her comment regarding marrying to just get it over with and especially settling for whatever match the queen might present to her? That gave huge season 2 Anthony vibes.

Speaking of season 2 - Francesca being questioned by the season's bachelors as well as her comment about being "inspected like a rare insect" reminded me of Anthony conducting his interviews when he was looking for a wife. Mhm...

Edwina making a "splendid match abroad" to me means that Edwina marrying Friedrich is now canon. Change my mind.

Good god, Colin is obnoxious and pretentious when he comes back from his travels. How on earth is this man considered a catch? He is self-absorbed and arrogant and I would just like to point out that he is a third son who has learned no trade, never contributed to the family estate in any way and is basically living off of his family's money. I have already read some comments that Colin's new persona is a facade he needs to shed before he truly can be with Penelope just as she needs to come clean to Colin about being Lady Whistledown, and I can kinda get behind that, but let's see.

There were several interviews in which it was said that Benedict will have a newfound purpose this season, and after 4 episodes I am wondering, is that new purpose just taking over managing the estate when Anthony and Kate are on their honeymoon and shagging Lady Tilley Arnold? Because if that is all, then I feel very, very sorry for Ben.

Lady Arnold somehow reminds me of Star Trek Voyager's Seven of Nine. I think it's the hair. Go figure...

Lord Debling is awesome. He's the one new character I want to see more of. Give him a decent storyline for the remainder of the season and maybe a proper love interest. No, not Cressida.

And while we're speaking of Cressida, sorry, but I did not buy the entire "she is only mean because she's been treated badly by her parents" storyline.

That speech Violet gives Colin in the fourth episode? About Colin being "one of her most sensitive children, always aware of what others needed" and someone who rarely puts himself first? And then saying that she can imagine it being wearing at times to live to please others? Did that woman somehow mix up her children? That first part should really have been meant for Benedict and the second for Anthony last season.

The costumes were even less regency than in the first two seasons, and while I get that this is a creative choice and in my mind Bridgerton is a Regency inspired fantasy world anyway, I would have loved to see more era appropriate silhouettes.

Ok, rant over. I might change my mind on a few of the above as I rewatch the episodes and maybe after the second part od season 3 streams, but maybe not.

Did, I enjoy the new season. It was ok. As they say, not great, not terrible. Will I rewatch it? Of course I will. Will I watch the second part? You bet I will. Did it give me inspiration to write something? Very much so.

So watch this space.

#bridgerton #season 3 #season 3 spoilers #spoilers #rant #random thoughts #random #bridgerton spoilers

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fang-revives · 8 months

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Yes please drop your Jay White match recs I would owe you my life!!! Those gif sets of White and Okada have been rotting my brain for the last two days now I need to know what their deal is 😭

HIIII!!! Sorry it took me a day-ish to get to this but I’m so excited to drop some match recs!

So the gifs driving us all up the wall are mainly from the conclusion of Wrestle Kingdom 17 (link: https://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNTkzMjA1ODM0OA==.html?playMode=pugv&frommaciku=1 ), the main event! In many ways, this is the denouement for Jay White, the last step towards a devastating spiral that would see him exiled from NJPW just two big matches from this moment. It was also the first match I saw that really made me obsessed with them, so of course, I recommend it passionately as a first go even if it is at the end :)

Post match comments are also basically required viewing, featuring Jay at his most pathetic and gut-wrenching (https://youtu.be/UxIM0FkYoSY?t=693 )

I think the overarching thing to understand about Jay and Okada’s whole deal is that it’s a very simple wrestling story at its core. Okada is the golden boy, the ace, the native heir to New Japan’s wrestling legacy. Jay is the gaijin, the heel outsider, good but willing to do whatever it takes to put himself at the top. But they both bring really really good layers to their roles that brings something new to every time they clash in the ring. And they’re both just, of course, really fucking good in ring, as top guys have wont to be.

Jay is compelling because he is in many ways equal parts caring and conniving in his role as Bullet Club leader. He takes the time to have fun and gas up his teammates, even get goofy with them in a way that hardline Bullet Club leaders shy away from– but every so often this insecurity rears up that drives him to pre-emptively stab back. This is also present in his in-ring work– he starts as a cocky upstart heel who can truly out-wrestle opponents and cheats in a kind of cheeky “because I can” way. But into the 2021 ish you start to see him using the cheating as more of a crutch because of his insecurities, and it’s eating away at him. By the time this WK17 match has happened, he’s IWGP champ, yes, but he’s also pre-emptively backstabbed two core members of his Bullet Club and his kind of a deranged wreck.

Okada’s whole deal really starts with Hiroshi Tanahashi – and I haven’t deep-dived their series, but there’s a pair of great summary videos if you want the supplemental reading here: https://archive.org/details/showbuckle-pack/The+Battle+for+Ace+of+NJPW+Okada+vs+Tanahashi+Part+1.mp4 . What I love about Okada is that even though he’s mainly in kayfabe a cocky little shit grown into the role of New Japan’s ace, off-duty he’s a really silly weird dude (no, really – Shinsuke Nakamura in his autobiography referred to him as “the weirdest guy he’s ever met”. Let that sink in, I’m sure Shinsuke has met so many weird dudes). Anyways, in the few moments where Okada is off-duty as ace, he’s done some real compelling and memorable character work.

Which brings me to the actual next set of match recs – the Balloon Okada / Jay White’s initial rise to prominence in NJPW. This was a fantastic co-incidence of storytelling that really cemented being obsessed with their rivalry to me. Jay had just come back from excursion as “Switchblade”, and was coming in hot; with a title challenge to Tanahashi right from the get-go, teasing joining Bullet Club only to ratfuck Kenny Omega (then Bullet Club leader), and nab the IWGP US belt. And he joined up with Okada’s faction, CHAOS.

Okada was just coming off of the IWGP-belt reign of his life, a record-breaking reign after he finally unseated Tanahashi to ascend as the ace. But when he lost the belt to Kenny Omega, it triggered a super weird mid-life crisis in him, the “balloon Okada” era. He dyed his hair an ugly red. He changed his gear to long bois (which everyone hated! Covering up those thighs is a crime!!!), he yells SCOOBY DOOBY DOO as he’s jumping off the ropes. He was weird. Because he didn’t know who he was without that belt. Here’s my favourite summary article about that: https://www.how2wrestling.com/articles/okada-and-the-portrayal-of-a-crisis

So with that, I recommend for you three other matches!

Destruction in Kobe 2018, Tanahashi vs. Okada but Jay is there I pinky promise. Also heck Tana and Okada are just Really Fucking Good so enjoy :) (https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1kW411z7Sv/?spm_id_from=333.337.search-card.all.click )

Wrestle Kingdom 13, Okada vs. Jay White (https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1j4411F7g9/?spm_id_from=333.337.search-card.all.click )

G1 Supercard, Okada vs. Jay White(https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV15b411u7Q8/?spm_id_from=333.337.search-card.all.click ).

If you’ve ever heard Jay bray about “selling out Madison Square Garden” that’s this match! It’s also super fucking funny that he credits that all to himself considering Okada is like. The Guy in Japan lol <3 love him

There are some other matches narratively in between – if you’re really in for it you can check out Jay getting the IWGP belt off Tana. But for the OkadaJay highlights, these would be a great place to start. Something about a rivalry that shakes you out of your worst moment (Okada) and gets that fighting spirit going in you again…

Anyways, if you’ve read all this, thank you, and enjoy! Would love to hear how you liked the matches, and let me know if you find any other recs, it’s very possible I haven’t seen em yet – big back-catalogue :”)

#match recs #jay white #njpw #aew #< putting in the aew tag in case those fans want some deep lore #kazuchika okada #jaykada

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tinkabelle24 · 2 months

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To Build a Home

Chapter 11: Buddy

TW! Eating Disorder, Infertility, Sexual Harassment/Assault.

Masterlist / Chapter 10

---

When one's constantly surrounded by chaos, they'll do anything to seize even the slightest bit of control.

That was what Val convinced herself she had - control. In truth, she was just tossing more fuel into the ever-growing fire.

"Since I was fourteen, I've struggled with an eating disorder," she solemnly explained. "It got so bad my period stopped. It's come back a couple times over the years, but it's never been consistent - until a few months ago. The doctors told me that cos I haven't had it in so long, the probability of me actually getting pregnant is incredibly slim... So, obviously, safety first... But I really don't think it'll be in the cards for me, unfortunately."

"...You would want kids then, if you could?"

That question seemed to pain Raph.

"Maybe? I'm not a hundred percent sure yet... I'd like to figure my own shit out first; there's no freaking way I'm working in hospitality the rest of my life... If kids happen later, then great. If not, then that's okay too."

"You seem so chill about it."

No, she was not chill. She hated knowing she likely won't even get a choice. But what could she do about it now? Not much...

Val shrugged slightly. "I just don't wanna spend any more time worrying over things I can't control." She offered the terrapin a tender smile. "Raph, you certainly aren't holding me back. You've helped me in unimaginable ways and, for that, I'm so grateful... I'd like to see where this goes... but if you need more time-"

"-No, I don't need more time," Raph interrupted, brilliant eyes piercing hers with infinitely more conviction. "I don't want more time; I've wasted enough tryna talk myself out of it. I want this - I want you."

That last part made Val's heart soar.

The brunette chuckled softly, before lowering her gaze in preparation for what she was about to say next. Though she'd never dream of acting on it without the Turtles' go-ahead, it nevertheless weighed heavy on her heart.

Val barely slept last night. She wanted to continue enjoying the moment, listening to Raph's rhythmic breathing as he slept beside her. In her bed. But her thoughts were spiralling.

She never felt so conflicted.

For the past several months, she'd essentially been leading a double life.

She dropped the ball about him to Molly the night after he showed up, unannounced, at her window. She couldn't recall ever being looked at the way he did her that night; like she were the only woman in this world.

It pretty much cemented her feelings for him.

Val was so caught up in the moment that she forgot, for a moment, he actually wasn't supposed to exist.

She attempted placating Molly with as much 'safe' information she could, but her friend could tell there was more to the story (she had an aptitude for sniffing out bullshit). Naturally, she blabbed to her boyfriend. From then on, both have been hounding her for answers.

Val tried playing it off as a one-time thing but, the closer she and Raph became, the harder it was to keep her two worlds apart.

Last night was her breaking point.

As elated as she was to have finally taken that step with Raph, Val couldn't shake the despair she felt at never, ever being able to share this moment with her best friend...

That beautiful, talented woman who'd always there for her; her bosom buddy, her confidante, her mother figure - Molly deserved better.

She knew the terms, but she had to at least try...

"There's something I need to ask of you - well, of you and your family. Though I'm not sure whether it's my place..."

Raph was all ears. "Shoot."

---

Mikey practically leapt out of his seat when he spotted Raph entering the Lair.

"Look who just stepped in from the walk of shaaame!"

Aaand it starts.

Sigh.

Let's just get this over with...

"Mikey, c'mon!" Donnie chided from the kitchen. He already had on his headset; another day another dollar. "I've told you this a million times - don't jump off the back of the sofa! You'll ruin it."

Ya don't think it's already ruined? It's more duct tape than sofa at this point.

Mikey was too busy hanging off Raph like a bad smell. "So...?"

"You're dreamin', Mikey," the older brother replied as he retrieved a bottle of water from the fridge.

"Aw, c'mon. Don't be like that!"

"Nope."

"Just tell me one thing, please?? Was it what you expected?"

No - better.

Raph turned to Donnie, disregarding Mikey's question. "I'm headin' back to bed."

"Val keep you awake, did she?" The purple-banded terrapin faced him, smirk lingering an uncomfortably long time as he nibbled away at his Pop-Tart.

"You're so gross," Raph deflected, gesturing to his brother's 'breakfast' with a scowl. "Eat some actual food."

"Go ahead, keep changing the subject!" Mikey called after him as he made for his bedroom. "You'll fold soon enough!"

Don't hold ya breath.

"Raph."

Raph groaned inwardly at the sound of his eldest brother's voice. He turned toward its origin, finding Leo exiting the Dojo.

"May I speak with you?"

It sounded like a request, but it never was.

"Can it wait? As you know, I've got patrol tonight; I'd like to get some z's in before headin' out."

"It'll only take a few minutes of your time."

Of course. Anythin' for you, SeNsEi.

"Fine," Raph eventually conceded, following Leo into the Dojo.

---

"I heard you spent the night at Valerie's?"

"What's it to ya?" Had Raph not already had his shell up, he may have responded with less hostility.

Anger flickered in the leader's eyes, but he responded calmly. "I was just wondering why I wasn't properly informed?"

"I told Casey."

"Yeah, you told Casey - not me. I only found out cos neither he nor Mikey would shut up about it. I don't appreciate you going around me like that. For safety's sake, please let me know first. Are we clear?"

"Crystal," Raph bit out. He didn't want to drag this conversation out any further - he needed to be alone with his thoughts.

"One more thing." Retrieving his shell-cell from the pocket of his belt, Leo showed Raph a single text message sent by Val.

[Good morning :) Sorry I missed you last night; I normally don't leave somebody's place without saying goodbye :/ Thanks again for having me... I was wondering if I could request an audience with you guys? I need to ask you all something. How does Sunday night sound?]

"Do you know anything about this?"

"Yeah, I do." Raph had already granted her his blessing, but it wasn't him she was concerned about...

Leo lowered his shell-cell. "Care to elaborate?"

"Yeah, I don't think so," the red-banded terrapin replied haughtily, arms folding across his plastron. "Remember the last time ya went behind her back for information?"

"I just wanna know what I'm walking into."

"Here's a fun idea," Raph proposed, dialling the condescension to 11. "Why don't you accept her request, right? No, stop. Lemme finish... you accept her request, then wait for her to come to you. Ain't no need to be doin' anythin' else... Don't ya trust her?"

---

The smooth, soulful music usually helped elevate her mood – not tonight.

To put it mildly, Val was exhausted.

She was at hour 14 of her 18-hour workday; running on less than four hours’ sleep. The fact that she needed to pay her bills was the only thing keeping her going at this point.

Her thoughts frequently drifted to this morning. Though it felt liberating to have finally gotten everything off her chest, a good part of her was questioning whether she even had the right to make such a request.

She hoped to God this decision doesn't bite her in the ass...

The shift itself was relatively uneventful, until a particular man trudged up to the bar. He looked to be in his mid-thirties with sandy-brown hair, grey eyes and dressed business casual. He was polite enough when ordering his first gin and tonic but, judging by his restless demeanour, seemed rather agitated.

Suspecting he may just be having a rough day, Val decided to engage him in some small talk.

A stupid decision, in hindsight.

Things started taking a weird turn when he called her over for his second drink.

”Hey, what’s your name?”

”Valerie.” She saw nothing inherently wrong with this question; a lot of people asked it.

”Valerie...” But there was something off about the way her name rolled off his tongue, and the smile that accompanied it. “A pretty name for a pretty girl.”

Val stifled an eye roll at that. You’re gonna be one of those guys, aren't you?

She handed over his drink with a half-smile, before stepping away to tend to other patrons.

He persisted.

”How old are you?” The man asked, not five minutes later.

”I really don’t think that question's appropriate,” Val cautioned, eyeing him warily.

”Aw, c’mon,” he insisted. “You can’t possibly be embarrassed about your age - you barely look legal.”

If I wasn't legal, I wouldn't be working here, you dumb fu-

”Sorry,” the brunette shook her head. “I’m not telling you my age.”

“Alright,” he conceded, raising his out-turned palms. “I was just trying to make conversation, but fine.”

Yeah, whatever buddy.

'Buddy' left her alone for another fifteen minutes; though she could feel his lecherous gaze on her everywhere she went.

”I’ll have another, thanks,” he called out, shaking his raised glass at her. Val stared for a moment, incredulous.

The nerve-

Deep breaths...

She strode over to refill his glass.

”Do you have a boyfriend?” He asked, leaning against the bar with a smirk. “Is that why you’re playing so hard to get?”

Raph. His touch still lingered on her skin...

What were they now?

"Who says I need a boyfriend to rebuff your advances?”

He scoffed. “So, you don’t have one.”

"I didn’t say that.”

His smirk deepened.

Stop. You’re giving him what he wants.

She quickly finished his drink and pushed it toward him, then walked away.

The older gentleman seated a few feet away abruptly waved her over. "You alright?" He whispered, side-eyeing her problem patron. "Need me ta take care’a him?"

"No, thank you. I'm okay." It felt nice to know somebody was watching.

After what felt like an eternity, Buddy finally rose from his stool to reach into his back pocket. Val sighed inwardly, relieved to finally be rid of this creep.

He paid for his drinks. No tip, but she didn't care at this point; she just wanted him gone.

She turned back toward the bar, expecting him to have left. Nope. He was still standing there, waving a fifty-dollar bill at her. "Your tip."

Still wearing that stupid smirk, he dropped the bill at his end of the bar; likely expecting her to lean over so he could stare down her blouse.

Yeah, not gonna happen.

"Thank you," Val replied with a sickly-sweet smile, as she waited for him to walk away.

He did not.

Buddy nodded to the bill. "You don't want it?" He asked. No response. Her smile faltered when he pulled out a twenty and placed it on top, pushing the notes toward her.

"You don't have to-"

"-No, it's yours," he insisted, pushing them all the way across the bar. The situation was clear - he wasn't going to leave until she took the money.

Val stole a glance at 'Older Gentleman'; he was already halfway out of his seat.

"Go on. Take it."

Steeling herself, the brunette took a tentative step forward.

The moment her fingers touched the notes, Buddy lunged forward, snatching her wrist and yanking her toward him; more specifically, the bulge in his slacks.

Val finally snapped, using her free hand to repeatedly box his ear whilst twisting free of his grip. She then used both hands to shove him away. He must've caught himself in the stool as he stumbled backwards; Older Gentleman, who was now behind him, stepped aside to watch him fall flat on his ass.

The entire bar was staring now; she didn't give a shit.

"Get. Out." Val snarled, trembling with rage. She snatched up the bills and tossed them down at him, before jabbing a finger toward the door. "And take your shit with you! Go on, get out! NOW!"

"You bitch!" Buddy hissed as he hauled himself to his feet; Older Gentleman kept him at bay.

"Security!" The manager bellowed as she rushed over. "What happened?"

Val was too riled up to respond, so Older Gentleman answered for her.

"This asshole just assaulted that young woman," he explained, releasing her assailant into the arms of two security guards. "Somebody needs ta call police-"

"-No," the brunette interjected; she'd rather not deal with police ever again, if she could help it. "Let's just throw him outta here; he's made enough of a fool of himself."

Nodding, the manager motioned for security to escort Buddy out - without his money. She then turned back to Val. "Are you alright?"

The brunette nodded stiffly, avoiding Older Gentleman's concerned gaze.

"Why don't you go take a breather? I'll take over until you're ready to come back."

"Okay..."

"Hold on a moment." Older Gentleman knelt to retrieve the discarded $70, holding it out for Val to take.

"No, it's okay," she replied, gently pushing away his hand. "I don't want anything he's touched."

"Okay, then." He dropped the notes inside the tip jar, before retrieving his own wallet and pulling out a hundred-dollar bill. "This is his tip, plus mine."

Tears brimmed the brunette's eyes as she fervently shook her head. "No, please-"

"I insist," the lines around his baby blues creased as he smiled. "If ya was my daughter, I'd be incredibly proud’a you; ya deserve to be compensated for ya trouble. I'm gonna leave this right here..." Setting the cash on the bar in front of her, Older Gentleman then turned to her manager. "I'd like ta pay for my own drinks now, please."

"Of course. Right this way, sir. Valerie, it's okay - go take some time for yourself."

Val's teary gaze followed the two as they walked away, before turning to the cash Older Gentleman left atop the bar. It was too much - way too much. Why would he do that for her? She knew why, but why? It was unnecessary...

But Lord knows she needed it. Badly.

She glanced over at Older Gentleman; he was watching her from across the bar, nodding to the cash with the same determined smile. He wasn't going to let her walk away without it.

So, she took it... Then proceeded scrubbing her hands raw.

---

After viewing the surveillance footage, Kyle ‘Buddy’ Hill was officially barred from the establishment. To ensure staff remembered his ugly mug, it was added to the dreaded Wall of Shame.

"You won't need to worry about him coming in here again," Val's manager assured her. "If he so much as sniffs about, he'll be trespassed."

Those words did little to assuage Val. If that creep really wanted to get to her, he'd find a way; law be damned. Her stepfather was the same.

I may need to find myself another job...

It was after two by the time she finally clocked off. The brunette waited inside for her cab, as she usually did. However, this time, she was armed with more than just her pocketknife. In her other hand, her assortment of keys were wedged between each finger.

Something was coming; she could feel it.

Val contemplated calling Raph for help, but ultimately decided against it. This was not his fight.

It didn't take long for light to fill the concrete stairwell - her cab had arrived. Now, for the hard part.

Val took a long, unsteady breath.

You've got this.

"I'm leaving now, Karen!" The brunette called over her shoulder as she headed for the door.

"Alright!" Her manager called back. "Stay safe! Goodnight!"

Now.

Out the door.

Lock it. No, not that way - yes! That's it! Go!

Up the steps! She could see the cab now, not six feet away.

We’re gonna make it!

"Hey, bitch!"

---

Man, it felt good to finally be on a solo run!

Raph was stationed at Highland Park tonight; believe it or not, most shady dealings occur close to Mother Nature.

He was having quite the productive night. He'd already picked up several perps guilty of various crimes, from drug distribution to aggravated assault. He attempted stringing a few up like he used to, in his Nightwatcher days, but his shoulder was having none of it. The wound itself had healed, but he'll forever be dealing with the residuary nerve damage.

For every perp caught, Raph had to report back to Donnie so the latter could call it in to the authorities. The Turtles (officially) working alongside the NYPD; it was an alliance that required a little getting used to, especially for the red-banded terrapin. There were certain protocols they had to abide by regarding suspect treatment. Raph was technically breaking the law by manhandling his detainees; the way he saw it, none of them deserved the respect.

Ya fuck around - ya find out.

"Hey Don, ya copy?"

"Yeah, Raph, I copy. What have you got for me this time?"

"Two suspects in custody - armed robbery - corner of Jamaica Avenue and Chestnut Street. They're ready for pick-up."

"Will do, thank you."

"...Hey, mind if I take fifteen? I've gotta make a call."

"At 2 am? Ah. Val?"

"She's usually not out before 2:15; I'll catch her then. It's Casey. You know he doesn't sleep while I'm on patrol."

"Aww, that's a bit cute."

"I know, right? He loves me that much."

"Off you go, then; wouldn't want to keep loverboy waiting. Over."

Pocketing his radio, the red-banded terrapin glanced once more at his freshly caught perps, zip-tied to a metal downpipe, before ascending the nearest building.

"Thanks for coverin' for me, bud," he teased when Casey finally answered.

"Hey, don't come at me; Mikey stole my phone."

"Riiight."

"You snuck out, ya sly dog! Wanted to move the party somewhere else, did ya?"

Raph chuckled at that. "That was actually Val's idea." He was too chickenshit to make suggestions. Then again, he was quite happy to continue messing around in the shower.

Casey hummed. "It's always the quiet ones, mate. Always."

"...Hey, I need some perspective."

"Shoot."

"How do ya feel about... hidin' us from other people?"

"Well, we don't really have anyone to hide you from; you guys are pretty much the only family we have... Did Val say somethin'?"

"She asked if she could tell the best friend and best friend's boyfriend."

"Okay. What'd you say?"

"I'm fine with it, personally. Whatever makes her life easier. It's Leo she's worried about, cos he told her to keep us a secret.”

"Ah. Look, it'd be pretty hard on her if they're the only support she has; especially now that you guys are a thing - right?"

They talked about it briefly but hadn't yet come to a more concrete decision.

"She says she'd like to see where this goes."

"Well, there ya go - you got an in. Maybe you could talk to Leo about makin' an exception?"

"I offered, but Val wants to talk to him herself."

"Oh! Okay. She's brave."

Raph chuckled again. "I'll say."

"Raph? Raph! Come in. Over."

"Hang on a sec, Case... Don? What's goin' on? Over... Why? … WHAT?!”

---

Masterlist / Chapter 12

@android-cap-007 @happymoonangel @miss-andromeda

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rothjuje · 10 months

Text

Today is my sister’s yahrzeit. Fifteen years. How?

Alyssa saw some pictures of me and my sister the other day and she asked me who my best friend was and where is she now. I told her it was my sister and then changed the subject quickly. I feel like it would be weird at 6 to know you were named after a kid you’re seeing in pictures. I don’t know. I was around that age when I found out my twin died in utero and it made me incredibly sad for a long time. Plus I don’t want her to have anxiety that her own sister/best friend will die. I am really bad with wanting to protect my kids from any pain or sadness, we still haven’t told them zayde (what they called poppa) died. We need to, Alyssa was just so hysterical when Hef died and he was just a dog she didn’t even like. She wasn’t especially close to her great grandparents, but I think she panics when she hears the word died and I’m just really dreading it.

We spent all weekend trying to get the chicken run up and not making much progress. In TX, we just dug a foot (2ft maybe?) underneath the hardware cloth frame and lined it with boards so nothing could dig under. Here Justin wants it a permanent structure, I’m not sure why. He is cementing 9 posts into the ground and digging the holes (tons of large rocks we had to chisel out) took a whole day alone. We tried to get the posts up yesterday and the math with uneven ground wasn’t mathing. Finalllllly got the posts up from 6-7 pm yesterday. Looks bigger than I thought and I am pleased. Plus watching Justin sweat all weekend and build something for me was pretty romantic/hot. He also made dinner both nights. It was a pretty great weekend actually.

While he was gone I thought about our relationship and why we felt like strangers and yeah part of it his trips, but the other part of it is young kids/not managing evenings/nights well. It feels impossible to sit and eat dinner with the kids, the planning to have all 5 of us sitting and eating at the same time is intensive. Alyssa is easy, but George and Gen are picky in opposite ways and someone always needs something and it’s just a challenge that I hadn’t been prioritizing. And the nights (especially over summer) have been late bedtimes, and all the laundry and cleaning and random tasks and my shower need to get done after the kids go to bed because G&G follow me everywhere/undo everything during the day. Then chicken chores for the 7 still living in the basement and it’s after midnight and Justin goes to bed at 11:30. Now when he gets off work I run around doing chores while he entertains the kids, we scramble to eat together even though not convenient, I shower and get stuff done for an hour, and then we have 10:30-11:30 together. And I’m getting to bed earlier. I don’t like to rush around but I’m not going to get the things done if I don’t so it is what it is.

Poppa’s yahrzeit is 10 days before my sister’s, July won’t be a fun month for us. I find it interesting how close Justin was to his grandparents, but I can see it. They both made it a priority to call and sing to me on my birthday and they called us every anniversary. They were warm, affectionate people. They always made me feel like part of the family, and honestly it was a loss for me too. Poppa was pretty much the only grandpa I knew, and he was always there for us. Not a perfect man by any means, but he was a good grandpa/poppa/zayde. Sigh.

I wasn’t going to garden this year, because after my expensive failure in TX I didn’t want to waste the time/money without a raised, fenced-in setup. But I did end up planting snap peas, strawberries, potatoes, and squash and they have all done fantastic. With zero effort. I did not amend the soil, I did not pick off bugs, no fencing, heck, I didn’t even water them! Just planted them in the rocky soil and off the went. Wow. I’m so excited for next year, I can’t imagine what an actual setup will yield!

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lightthewaybackhome · 1 year

Text

Stargate-Atlantis S2: E8 Conversion

In which Sheppard's hatred of the Iratis bug is further cemented.

I love that Sheppard doesn't hide what he's becoming. He immediately seeks out help. I love that he has to experience how hard it is to put his life in the hands of others. I love that he sees he's not to be trusted instead of forcing his team to put him in lockdown. I think it's interesting to see the difference between him and Ford. Sheppard says he feels like Ford, but unlike Ford, Sheppard doesn't trust his super human feelings. He does ultimately trust his team to fix him even if it's hard. He works to help fix himself. All things Ford couldn't or wouldn't do. All things that make Ford's character sadder and harder. All things that make it harder that Sheppard couldn't help him.

"Get some more men on my door and get the hell out of here." - Sheppard still doing his job of keeping Atlantis and his people safe.

I think the kiss is interesting, but the interesting part is his reaction. Sheppard realizes it was out of bounds and asks if Teyla is okay. You can see he's already at war with what is happening. Teyla's response at the end is great: gentle teasing and relief that she never has to talk about that again.

It's also interesting to watch Caldwell with hindsight. I really found him annoying the first time through, much like Bates, but this time, I feel sorry for him because he's trapped.

Another episode in my rewatch that made me tear up. There's this scene where the team is waiting to hear word on Sheppard's condition. They're all worried. Rodney is sitting eating. Teyla is sitting next to him, a calm but concerned look on her face, and Ronon is standing, unable to sit. It's this perfectly framed moment of three friends waiting on the fourth, of three soldiers waiting for word of their captain. It's the perfect tableau of their characters and their love of Sheppard. Then Elizabeth enters and tells them they're gonna need to say goodbye.

#stargate atlantis #john sheppard #rodney mckay #ronon dex #teyla emmagan #elizabeth weir #the team #sga #sga s2 #currently rewatching #over analyzing #conversion

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ramblingdisaster73 · 2 years

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Season 3 Character Highlights - 3 Things

Character: Judd Ryder

Favorite 3 scenes:

3X16 “Shift-less”: This whole episode was such a great showcase of Judd’s desire and need to help and protect his children, sometimes even from themselves. Judd and Wyatt had been slowly building a relationship, but mostly off screen. It felt like their bond was cemented. I think that Judd taking Wyatt to the family ranch was such a big step in Wyatt truly accepting his additional family.

3x04 “Push”: Charlie’s birth scene was beautiful. That man will literally do anything to be with his wife when she needs him.

3x18 “A Bright and Cloudless Morning”: The whole scene where we see the after effects of the building collapse. The dude being a douche, Grace calling him, Hugo dying, the douche realizing that Judd knows what he was talking about. -also the part where he is still campaigning for Wyatt to get a job.

Favorite 3 lines: funny, heartfelt, or ridiculous

3x18 “A Bright and Cloudless Morning”: “I’m a fire fighter!” – Judd Ryder is someone that has always known who he was, so when a douchebag told him he was a ‘cripple’, Judd reiterated who he is. I just love the way he said it, like “Fuck off, I am a fire fighter”

3x02 “Thin Ice”: “Because you are an excellent observer of your fellow man sir.” To Captain Andrews when the Cap tells him Judd and Mateo would just take the jack hammers, even if he said no. Another example of Judd giving his all for his family.

3x06 “The ATX Files”: “I got a 17-year-old Texas boy who doesn’t eat meat and never fired a gun outside of a game console, so that’s about as alien as it gets to me.” He was desperate to bond with the son he had only recently learned about, but was struggling to find something with a little common ground. This man thinks that Owen is crazy, but this time Owen’s crazy could be what gives Wyatt and Judd something to do together.

Favorite 3 dynamics:

Grace, Wyatt, & Charlie: There will be a more Grace/Judd 3 things when I get to my 3 things Dynamics/Ships. Judd doesn’t know how to love any other way than with his whole heart, and this is particularly true when it comes to his wife and children. The way that he whole heartedly embraced having a surprise 17-year-old son that he hadn’t known about, only a short time after his daughter was born. I wasn’t sure about this storyline in 3x05, but by the end of 3x06 I realized we are getting to see Judd be a dad to a baby and a teenager at the same time, it ended up being my favorite Judd storyline this season.

Tommy: The support that the Vega & Ryder families give each other is wonderful to see. The chemistry with Tommy & Judd is so authentic.

Owen: One of my favorite parts of the Judd/Owen relationship is that Judd consistently lets Owen know when he is being ridiculous. I love how when he thinks a question that Owen asks is insane, he just doesn’t answer. He is the biggest Owen troll, but with a deep respect and another genuine relationship.

3 things we learned:

Family: He learned that he had a 17-year-old son from a one-night stand in 2005 with Marlene Harris – this was discovered by Wyatt when he did a website DNA test.

Sentimental: He was so proud to be using the same baseball mitt that his father and grandfather had used.

Judd & TK share a single brain cell: In my many rewatches season 3, I have noticed a few similarities between these 2.

Example # 1: After the twin’s birthday party, Judd asks Tommy “If she is feeling better” because of her annoyance at Julius showing up. Then after the Catan fight, TK asks Nancy “If she was feeling better” due to Mateo leaving the loft mid-game.

Example # 2: in “Down to Clown” they both bring home strays. In Judd’s case his wife brings the stray home, but only for a meal. Judd is the one that invites him to stay FOR A WEEK, knowing that this particular coworker isn’t on Grace’s list of favorite people – Grace hardly maintains her sanity & messy house. TK brings home a lizard that was pulled from a leg, so at least he didn’t bring home a human stray. But the fact it came out of a leg and was a reptile makes this just as bad (to those of us that are not fans of them), and also left Carlos clinging to his sanity and his orderly home in complete disarray.

3 hopes for season 4:

Family: More time spent with his family, both Grace & the kids, but also his father, and it would be interesting to meet at least one of his older brothers. It is sometimes hard to remember that he has multiple older brothers and is the baby of the family.

Work: Season 4 could be a time to have Judd take more of a leadership role. Owen has to be getting close to retirement age. Not sure on Owen’s exact age, but Rob is 58, and the average minimum age for retirement is mid to late 50’s. Not that the timeline on this show makes any sense, but yeah.

Fire Family: I would love to see Judd and the other members of the house, other than just Owen and Tommy. I think a game night with Judd and Grace would add even more competition and opportunities for some great banter.

Next up: Grace Ryder

#911 lone star season 3 #character highlights #judd ryder #grace ryder #tommy vega #tk strand

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badartxd · 2 years

Note

HI HEY I am bursting into your ask box like Cosmo Kramer busts through his neighbour's door. I'm working quite irregularly through my backlog atm and regret that it's taken this long to get asks to you BUT I submit for your kind consideration the following OC Interview Asks to pass on to Yara my beloved :D (also I send her (and naturally you as well!) an excited wave and like seven thousand cool rocks)

16. Describe your perfect day 21. Describe your ideal partner 31 (freebie)- Tell me about your ideal house. Would it be big? What kind of colours/styles/things would you keep in it?

*first time trying to write her speaking, so sorry if it’s clunky and took a long while! She can be kind of verbose sometimes, Also, small text is quiet mumbling to herself, and bold is louder/more rushed excited speech. Tak tak tak is equivalent to “yes yes” “so” or “well well well”. Yolki-Palki (fir trees-sticks) is a euphemism for “fucking hell”. Sbornaya solyanka (solyanka soup with everything on hand) is an equivalent of “hodgepodge”.

Yara lifts her arm halfway up, more akin to one lifting their hand to ask a question than a wave, and smiles at you. She seems to be hard at work fiddling with something rather small, all the while throwing uncertain ~~bashful~~ glances at the formidable pile of rocks. She takes a deep breath.

“It’s good to see you, Plant. Tea? I have a great fruit one right-“ she seems unsure of how to approach the gift, giving off a slight deer-in-the-headlights feeling, albeit a distinctly pleased one “O - for me? Thank you. I didn’t expect such an addition to my collection- oh, you should see it when it gets organized!” The latter part of the sentence is significantly louder and faster than the rest as she claps her hands together “I’ve acquired a lot of new specimens from my last trip to Orzammar, even got my hands on some very curious raw lyrium…” she gives you a conspiratorial but overly exaggerated wink. She might not be very good at winking “of course, it is not to come into contact with anything, but it’s fascinating..!”

16) “Ah! My perfect day? Tak tak tak.. “ she drums her fingers on the table introspectively before reaching for a journal and leaning back, the next words coming out in a mumble “That’s a lot to fit into 24 hours… or, are you talking daytime? 12 hours, then? A perfect day… perfection is a bit of a difficult concept… Well, Zev would need to be there, of course, and Mishka should come too, and it would need to be somewhere nice - no, that’s too cold, and that’s a bit crowded, and I don’t think they allow dogs after last time- I think the gardens near the central market would do fine, they got some new plants - some quite toxic too ! - and there is the duck family and some of the people who come there are really weird! (Is probably firmly cemented in the neighborhood as one of said people, but the irony is lost on her) Yes, I think he’d like that. That and the more interesting shops…oh, and the fruit tarts! No, Mishka, my perfect day doesn’t include you eating the ducks! You can always make your own list!” The Mabari peeks over her shoulder, and sighs dramatically. He doesn’t have opposable thumbs. “Alright, we can stop by for some treats and take a few toys…Plus, I think this alleyway is quite infamous for murders lately, so that’s always fun!! To solve I mean. Or commit. Both is good..” she grins to herself ……at this point, it looks like she’s building a schedule. There is a murder slot. It’s a pretty big one. Mishka seems pretty excited about it.

21) “Oh, I already have one! Elvhen, Antivan, about 165 centimetres…no, that doesn’t seem right, I mean… that’s not..” There is a period of silence as her face appears to take on a grim expression, offset only by its clear shift to a bright red hue as she glances towards the other room. “He’s perfect, but I’m not sure how to put it into words. I haven’t ever thought about that kind of thing… he’s … he’s fun, and smart, and skilled in a scary amount of things, and takes things lightly and in stride. and …he cares, y’know? I s’pose that’s what caught me off guard the first time.” She fiddles with the knife in her hands some more, contemplating her answer “His position was complete garbage, y’see, but he still tried to have the best time he could, and he was very… straightforward in some ways…. Kind, even. T’ be honest, I didn’t get that at all” she chuckles, desperate to hide her embarrassment “Especially towards me. Other people I can understand, admire, even, but he just… spoke his mind when it counted, consequences be damned, and made sure everything was alright, despite everything… I know the feeling, and the conditions, and it’s hard to care about anything , much less so others. I’m … unsure of whether that answers your question.” She now seems genuinely amused. “Yolki-palki, leave it to moi to fall for an assassin’s kindness of all things. He made such a funny face when I told him, too… in my defence, the ~seduction~ went right over my head the first time and he’s wonderful and really should’ve seen it coming..”

31) “I’d say the place is pretty big.. it’s got a solarium, and a library, and some Knick knacks we picked up on the road..” it is unclear if she means the move, the travelling, or their journey through Ferelden as the road, but by the looks of it, it is a bit of everything. Weaponry and gems, among other things, appear as exhibits visible almost everywhere throughout the house. A wide smile precedes her next words “ a garden, too, and we’ve even managed to start up something of a brewing business. Plenty of room for ingredients. Style wise, well, it’s a sbornaya solyanka to be sure. We haven’t changed too much” she shifts in her seat. While the place does appear to house quite a few out-of-place items seemingly either handmade or closer to the Renaissance styling, both older and newer, clearly added in rather recently, the home appears to have been designed in a pretty consistent Gothic styling. “- it was a gift from an … old benefactor.”

After adding a few finishing touches, Yara sets a whittled figurine of a serpent down on the table , sliding it towards you :)

#badart rambles #my oc #oc #oc:yara #ask!!#lore #/has yet to learn writing Zev as a person with actual social skills #writing Yara is a bit tricky bc I’m a more unfamiliar setting for 21 she’d just point to Zev XD #but in a less formal one it’s more stream of consciousness #but even then if you take away the mumbly bits her speech can be a bit confusing #communicating… is hard #/cries bc tumblr crashed at 31 and erased my answer #thank u so much for the ask!! >:d #congratulations! you acquired Snake! :-)#also v slowly working through some stuff rn so I’ve been slow but… aaaaa?#something is up with my ability to view the posts I’ve saved #;-; I normally archive posts I wanna get back to in my likes as a queue #but now I can’t remove the ones I covered (like art accs I wanna look up)#and I can’t find anything and my order is gone T-T my orderrrrrr #Yara lore

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puchiponn · 2 years

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Genshin impact driving headcanons

I'm in a car rn and It got me thinking, what if I made genshin driving hcs?? I haven't seen one b4,, so,,

Charas include; childe, zhongli, kaeya, ayato, thoma, jean, paimon, ei, timmie

Comment who I should do next!

Childe

THIS MAN WOULD DEFO TREAT IT LIKE BUMPER CARS ISTG,,

HE'D GET INTO SUDDEN RACES W STRANGERS

AND ALL THE MECHANICS IN THE CITY KNOW HIS NAME.

He CAN drive properly, but he wants to scare you. Not to mention he DOES have the money.

He's in line to be the next archon of speeding tickets.

Zhongli

He doesn't drive. Childe doubles as his personal chauffeur.

This man travels w ✨STYLE✨

But not his wallet

He never gives childe gas money.

Though if he had to drive, he'd defo crash the car.

All these buttons r too high-tech for this 6000+ yr old boomer

But don't worry! The car is fine thanks to his geo shield!

Kaeya

This man would be very picky w cars. He only drives sexy cars.

Definitely drunk drives.

The type to pick ppl up by readjusting his dark sunglasses and saying "hey bbgorl r u lost?" W the most shit eating grin you've ever seen.

Prolly has a body or two in the car trunk but it doesn't matter.

When he's not drunk he's pretty law abiding when driving. Kinda. But only because of Jean.

Plays WAP on loop in his car. Especially when a sister from the church decides to hitch a ride.

Ayato

He drives properly. He drives well. A bit too well considering he rarely drives.

Except when thoma is in the car. He becomes childe 2.0

He will stop by EVERY Boba place. And nothing can stop him.

Wdym that's too much boba?? Have you seen the never-ending supply of armpit Boba he has??

Ayato is a law abiding responsible driver for the most part. He IS the head of the yashiro commission after all.

Thoma

He takes the wheel whenever ayato is having too much fun. We can't let him crash the 69th car this month.

He has a mini heart attack everytime ayato sits in the driver's seat.

Thoma drives the kamisato siblings everywhere.

It's his duty as their servant! Defo not bc he doubts his masters or anything! OKAY. MAYBE HE'S A LITTLE WORRIED ABT THEM.

Long drives w thoma would be rly relaxing. There will be a comfortable silence and occasional small talk between you two. Unfortunately, his gentle voice quickly lulls you to sleep, so you can't admire his side profile and jawline for too long.

Jean

Like thoma, she is responsible.

THIS WOMAN IS A RESPONSIBLE, RELIABLE, GOOD AT DRIVING, WON'T CAUSE YOU ANY CONCUSSIONS IN AN ACCIDENT BC SHE WONT GET INTO ONE, OVERALL SUPER DOORMAT LIKE driver.

She doesn't drunk drive.

She doesn't get speeding tickets.

She stops at red lights.

She doesn't get into rando races.

She is a v good driver.

If you want to live another day, have Jean drive you. It's the safest bet and will defo save you from 2 hrs of wap/cocomelon on loop. Unless kaeya and Klee decided it'd be a funny joke.

Paimon

Paimon is physically too small to drive. The only car she can drive is this one

The cart will be loaded w snacks and traveller has to push.

It's alright traveller! Paimon isn't heavy!

Paimon floats even in the mini car :D

She can't drive. Yae miko and Sara drive her.

She doesn't even know how to start a car.

She's great at charging electric ones though! When you tell her it's an electric car, she tries to control it with her powers, but then only realizes that she completely destroyed the car after a very loud "BOOM"

She'll then nervously ask how much it costed... can she borrow a loan from the 3 commissions first?? That's a lot of money! Sorry traveller!!

She was revoked of driving privileges. Use the teleport waypoints!!

Even the fish can drive better than you!!

But it's a part of your charm! We love you ei!

Timmie

Underage.

But if he had a car, it's a communal pigeon toilet!

It's not a car, it's a fucking truck full of pigeons n pigeon shit. You'd mistake it for a cement truck.

From Timmie's car, squawking is heard daily. Apparently ganyu, Sara and venti killing his birds daily gave him a corruption arc n he started imprisoning his pigeons in a car !??

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unravelingthepages · 2 years

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Daisy Jones & The Six- Why I will eat up everything this author write

Hi! Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid is one of my absolute favorite books. And I’ll explain why here. This is the second book I’ve read by the author, the first being The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo which will forever remain the loml. But this book cemented the fact that I will absolutely eat up everything this author writes.

The Plot

Everyone knows Daisy Jones & The Six, but nobody knows the real reason why they split at the absolute height of their popularity…until now.

Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go-Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it’s the rock and roll she loves most. By the time she’s twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things.

Another band getting noticed is The Six, led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she’s pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road.

Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend.

Why you should read this book

Firstly, the formatting of this book and the flawless execution. This book’s formatting is utterly unique and written in an interview/ dialogue format. The short chapters, straightforward conversations and hidden meanings just add everything to the book. This read captures everything you could want in a book and more- emotions, conflict, symbolism, you name it.

The characters!! I don’t think these are characters you have to love or even agree with. You just watch as they live their lives, make mistakes, fall apart, and pick themselves up. And maybe you’ll end up seeing some of your personality and vices in one of them, or all for that matter. I know I did.

This story was everything. The suspense as to why the band broke up is always there and the ending did not feel like a let down in the slightest. Rather, it felt fitting and I was so happy for all the characters at the end and just so proud!!

The characters are so vivid and full of personality and life, each sentence they say can be thought about and analyzed. What did they mean by that, is this a message, are they broken, so much is left up to you as the reader that you may have a completely different experience and takeaway with this book but end up loving it just as much. And I think that’s the best part.

The ending! I have never been a fan of open endings before reading this author’s books. I feel so happy, secure in the knowledge that the characters lived their lives complete with their mistakes and joys and that that they died content. Or at least that’s my takeaway, I love that the ending is for you to decide on.

Books like these remind me why I don’t give all books 5 stars, even though they might be really great. 5 stars are reserved for books like these. Ones that make me feel, analyze, think, hope. Maybe even tear up a bit.

If this (very) long review hasn’t convinced you to pick up this book, I don’t know what will but I do know that you NEED to try out this author’s writing if you haven’t already. Start with this read or The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by the author. (Look up trigger warnings beforehand)

purchase this read: https://amzn.to/3F8i8D2 [this is an associate link]

whispering, “no”, at a character because you know they’re about to make a fool of themselves and kill you with second hand embarrassment

#book blog #book recommendations #book reviews #must read #reading #taylor jenkins reid #bookblr #bookblog #bibliophile

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doscozycats · 2 months

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Fixing relationships within ourselves

Being complicated beings we don't only have relationships with each other but we also have relationships within us. Relationships that shape our world are relationships with food, with our image, with knowledge, our space, and with our body and mind to name a few. These in my opinion are different than relationships like friendship because the only active participant in this relationship is ourselves. We build the trust, the loyalty, and even the fun and everything contributing to a healthy one. I don't think I am the best in these types of relationships which is probably why I am lacking in relationships other than these. I am judgemental of myself, I am not understanding, I am short-tempered, and too idealistic. The reason for this would be sabotage and habits. Step by step I want to change these thoughts and approaches I have. I have started with one area in particular that I am very toxic in. My relationship with food and my body image. This is something I have struggled with ever since I was a child. The reasons are obvious, household environment is a big part of this but also traumatic things that have happened during the development stage of my childhood. No one not even myself could care less about "reasons" because when someone looks at you they don't see them and the only thing you can also see in the mirror is the outcome, not the reasons. That affected me a lot, I wanted to see myself beautiful and feel healthy. I wanted to have control over what and how much I ate because it was obvious I didn't have that ability. I felt small as a human when I thought about how something as powerless as food was still more powerful than me. All of these thoughts shaped me into a period of distress and restriction.

I felt good when I saw how much I changed and what pushed me was that I never was good enough as others. So striving to be as good as others made me go on. It was never enough no matter how hungry I was, no matter how thin I was because in my head whatever I ate was too much and I always needed to do damage control. That period lasted for five years and after five years I just let everything go. I was hungry, I was sick of restricting and I was in a happy and stable relationship that made me feel like I deserved to finally eat. Eating is great and yes I did technically deserve it I guess as does everyone however my body didn't deserve the sudden overeating, guilt, and stomachaches. Every day I ate but vowed to stop, every day I ate until I felt numb and every day I felt like having no control was in the end how I was. I was a failure, I am a failure I said to myself. This went on for 1 long year that felt like an eternity. During that year I gained the most weight I had ever gained. I felt the worst, not thinking of my health or body at all and only thinking about what's on my plate. Every day just cemented habits that were going to make my life shorter and make my mind go nuts. Comparing my plate with my partners, constantly thinking of food and never being hungry. You would think that anything would be better than this because it just feels like a cycle of hell. Every week clothes are getting tighter, limbs wider. Looking in the mirror and seeing yourself get uglier every day. I do believe that when I gain weight I am ugly because I gained that weight while I was abusing myself. I was abusing myself with overeating, unhealthy eating, with not listening to my body or my mind. I mean honestly speaking I wouldn't let my child eat like that so why was I letting myself eat like that? Because I didn't care. I didn't want to go on like that, I didn't trust myself with fixing this because each time I felt more and more discouraged so this time I opted for professional help. I went to a dietician and told her all of my struggles. I found her through social media and chose her because her posts were intriguing. She gave me a basic diet list to follow and each week we would have an appointment to go over what we would like to change, what works, and how we should approach our relationship with food. I immediately felt relieved because she would monitor what and how much I was eating not me. I just had to listen to her which I quickly realized I was good at. Of course, I had my slips and of course, some days were better than others though it didn't change anything, I was determined to change this time and I had help. It has been 3 full months since I started and I have lost 11.4 kg in total. I didn't go into this wanting to lose the weight quickly I just wanted to stop gaining weight and start eating well. I wanted to stop craving something every second and stop being hungry constantly. I also have Pcos which resulted in me having only 3 periods last year. Ever since I started eating well I have been consistently getting my period every month. My energy levels are stable, sometimes my hunger cues are whack but in general, they are stable as well. My cravings have gotten significantly less and so have my eating portions. I feel like the road only gets easier from here. I am more content with everything in my life, with my self-image, and with my relationship with food as well. I have peace of mind knowing every day I am treating myself with kindness and nurture. Food is still my hobby, I love cooking and eating. I love trying new restaurants and new drinks however I know not everything is worth trying. Not everything is worthy to be in my body. I mean it's food its nothing holy and I am not a dumpster so why should I consume it? These are the things I repeat in my head to unlearn things I used to believe in. Hopefully, with time, I will be better in other self-relationships but for now, I am proud that I have bettered myself this way.

#writing #eating #diet #health #story #experience

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glitched-dawn · 5 months

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Alright, so. I think it was a month or so, back during autumn break. Me and my friends had planned to finally begin playing D&D, and I was gonna be their DM.

This isn't the "fun" part, though. The fun part is that they didn't know about me being FTM. They all called me my deadname, and it was only one of them, my cousin from USA, who actually knew and remembered that I am FTM. I've also told one of my closer cousins, but she has either forgotten or it's just a huge fear of consequences.

Anyways. I wasn't sure I wanted to deal wtih being called my deadname foran entire night, no less by my closest friends, so I popped into our Discord chat and told everyone a little about the sleepover, talking to Kat (my cousin from USA) at the same time, asking if I really should come out. She said that yes, I should do whatever I wanted, and she would always stand behind me. If I had more than a goddamn pot of cement as feelings, I would've cried right there.

So I tell my friends that hey, I would like it if you didn't call me my deadname, and they immediately asked me what name I wanted to be called. So I told them what name I wanted to be called, and they all agreed to call em by my real name and my guy if I could cry I would've been BAWLING right there.

We were generally just making a fun time of it, not some super emotional stuff which I found relieving.

So the sleepover went great, we managed to order and get a D&D kit the day before we began playing, so it wasn't CLOSE to RAW, we even called it "Cooked D&D" since we were barely following any rules, just tabletop roleplaying to the adventure I'd written (that I still haven't finished).

The funniest thing was that when my friends asked for the address, we were gonna be at Kat's place, so I sent this cute little threat to make sure they wouldn't leak the address:

The worst thing that happened was that I forgot to eat dinner, we spilled a little water on some of the kit essentials, and one of my players kept fucking every single NPC (to the grade he now has an elf boyfriend and will have two or more babies next session, plus he has his own undead skeleton, from the BBEG), and I still haven't finished the adventure. Overall, I'd say it was great, but I was worried they might go back to calling me my deadname.

They didn't! It was awesome! My cousin (I'll call him Gust) tried his best to say my real name, and it was so sweet! He said it wrong a few times, but he always corrects himself, and honestly I fucking love that. Kat was super chill with everything, she's having a few of the same problems I have, so we're super homies about that.

But here comes the best part. My newest friend, Thetr, at first he just reacted with a breadhead image when I came out, which I found hilarious. I thought he was kind of on the edge between accepting it or keeping to my deadname, but he had a big plot twist coming.

Skip to a few weeks later, and we're playing Terraria together, just having a good time. He's meticulous to only call me my real name, and after a while, he brings the Caleb-thing up, as we've begun to call it. He wonders if I've told my parents. I say that yes, I've told them, and no, my parents aren't calling me by my real name.

And he fucking flips. He doesn't get "real" angry, but he's irritated and annoyed, he says he can't fucking imagine the disrespect, and that he gets irritated just hering them say the wrong name.

Cue, my mother enters the room, loudly saying my deadname, wodnering if I've done the dishes. So naturally, I say no I haven't, but it breaks into chaos as Thetr begins screaming my real name into his mic, trying to get my mother to hear him. Eventually, I have to take out one earbud to hear what my mom is saying.

I can't even describe how happy I am that he supports me. We've only been friends for a little less than a year, but I'm not hesitant to say he's one of my closest, if not the closest of my friends.

And now, to the present. Thetr and I were playing again, and I was just about to unplug my laptop and bring it upstairs so I could continue playing without disturbing my family (who were sitting in the couch to my left, as I was playing by the table in the living room). But all of a sudden, my mother just gets up, says "I had a bad day", grabs and closes the fucking laptop and storms off with it, leaving Thetr completely unaware of anything that happened. Then I bring out my phone and plug in my airpods, since I literally can't last two seconds of understimulation, and so I need music. Then my dad grabs my phone before I can put on music and fucks off to the couch with it, and I know I can't meess with him to get it back. So yeah, my relationship with them is pretty damn shitty. My teachers are honestly acting like better parents than mine.

So I just sit still for a while, messing around my art station as I'm trying to figure out what I can do to show them that what they're doing has consequences.

I take a shower, and eventually bring up my school computer to my room, so I can write - and type to Thetr on Discord. I tell him that holy shit, what my parents did was so fucking petty and unnecessary, and he agrees. Even better: he says I have to let him sleep over at my place.

His plan? To correct my parents every time the say my deadname, explain to my siblings since they don't know, tell them he's shocked my parents haven't told them yet, genrally shame the shit out of them.

And I say hell yeah, that's fire, since we can both work on a song we're gonna make together (for a horror skit content channel we haven't started yet), go into the forest, watch horror movies, and even start a second campaign, only the three of us. Because Thetr suggests we bring Kat along, because the three of us are the only ones who really enjoy horror, and are interested in making this horror channel.

So this sleepover is gonna occur somewhere during winter break, which is real fucking soon. I'm gonna update what happens, but still, I'm a little bit scared.

My parents aren't the best. They have trouble accepting who I am, they don't really believe that I have mental issues (except for autism, which my mom thinks I have, that I definitely do have), and they suck at dealing with arguments.

For real, I go into verbal shutdown each time they start arguing, and that is the only time I'm prone to crying. And all they want me to do is answer their fucking questions, and they won't let me go until I have.

I think my dad is worse, and he's most likely going to be the one to flip his shit during the sleepover. He might not allow Thetr to sleep over at my place again, or he might not let me hang out with him during group activities, or even invite him to hikes or sleepovers at all.

And I don't want that to fucking happen. I don't really know what to do, but I have to do something. My parents have known about the Caleb-thing for two years, and they're still neglecting it. Thetr has know about it for eight or more months, and he's already better than them.

My best shot is that Thetr offered his extra mattress if I wanted to run away.

I don't really know, sorry about the rant. I just don't know what to do anymore.

#coming out #ftm #trans #transgender #dnd #dnd stories #my story #autism #neurodivergency #neurodivergent #rant

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declanfs · 1 year

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May 21, 2023

So you’ve gotten a lot more independent and we’re doing so many fun things now that the weather is nice, so I’ve been neglecting updates. Since my last post in March:

- you like to play and lay and dig in sawdust that dada dumps over the fence

- we started giving you melatonin at bedtime and it has been a game changer. Instead of taking 90 min to fall asleep, it takes 20-30, which is a totally normal amount of time. I think that your body just has a hard time winding down and then you get overtired and its just a disaster. But melatonin is the little nudge you need to relax.

- you dug in the ashes of the fire pit and burned 6/8 of your finger tips

-you completed your second wave of survival swim and can now begrudgingly survive and swim to the edge of the pool if you somehow fall in unsupervised - highly unlikely, but better to be prepared.

- we’ve learned you like to wear noise canceling headphones for chronic loud noises (lawn mowers, power washer, etc), so that’s really cool to be aware of when you are so little. (I ordered them for a monster truck show that we ended up not going to)

- you got your second haircut

- Easter! You did so great at the egg hunt and loved your stuffed honey bee the Easter bunny left. Along with egg shaped chalk and garden tools and way too many other things because the Easter bunny spoils you even more than we do. We dyed eggs. You were a cute outfit with a bow tie.

- you’ve learned how to identify specific bugs and birds. Roly poly, ladybug, worms, snakes, beetles, slugs, snails, robin, cardinal, owl, woodpecker, goldfinch. I’m amazed by you and your vocabulary.

- riding with you in the car is actually a delight most of the time. You look out the window and make all kinds of observations. Pink house! Water tower! Excavator! BIG truck! Cement Mixer! Horses! Cows! Trees! Jeep! Van!

- You still really love to see the mail truck or delivery drivers, they are local celeb status in your world.

- we went to a tulip picking farm! You weren’t super impressed by the tulips after the first 10 minutes, but you really liked the bouncy houses and the little houses and playgrounds. We’ll definitely go back and plan better in regard to your nap.

- you ran a race at the Stafford hospital with Ryan on a weekend you spent with Granny! You ran for a part of the way at least, but you were only 1 and new to races so you did really well all things considered.

- We got a new car - a Hyundai palisade. We all love it very much.

- You love to eat coconut milk ice cream sandwiches and have started asking for them for breakfast.

- You love to go on the trails and to the parks. Our neighborhood park and the court land park. It’s tough for you to understand that we cannot go to Courtland elementary during the weekday.

- Your vocabulary has really exploded in every way, and I feel so grateful. You are so chatty and communicative about what you want and what you need. We can say “show me” and you’ll take us to what you need if you don’t know the words for it yet. You’ve said things like “a cardinal on bird feeder”

- we’ve had play dates with so many friends: Lily and Chase; Archer; Jace and Cami; Rey and Remi; Stella and Laney;

- You learned how to rock your body back and forth to get a car you’re riding in to roll down a hill

- we got you some of those bank box blocks and you love to make a big house and watch Tumble Leaf inside

- We had a whole tumble leaf themed birthday party that only one other family truly appreciated because Tumble leaf is wildly under appreciated

- we got a new trampoline with netting so that you and your friends will be safe

- we learned you share a birthday with Sir David Attenborough, which is honestly so perfect for your current demeanor and interests

- you and dada had a 3-day party together while mama went to Philadelphia to see Taylor Swift on her Eras Tour

- you’ve been to 2 more birthday parties (Remi/Rey and Jack)

- you pushed a shopping cart around Publix and it was the cutest thing ever

- You’ve helped me workout in the gym twice and it actually wasn’t as difficult for me as I expected

- you went camping and slept in a tent for the first time!

I will probably do posts about more of these things in detail, but wanted to document just in case time gets away from me again and I just do a big photo dump.

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mimikilstories · 2 years

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Miracles of Arx Nubibus Chapter 6

Olivia let herself into the house, her key rattling slightly in the lock. The lights all seemed to be off, and she could hear the TV from deeper inside. Her heart felt cold at the familiar scene. A box by the door had two threadbare stuffed toys in it, as well as a doll who had lost most of her hair. A dark stain marred the doll's left arm and skirt.

"Dammit! Can't you worthless louts do anything right?" A crashing sound came from the living room and Olivia put down the toys. Xavier seemed to be watching the football game as if nothing had changed. She clenched her fists and stalked toward him, barely keeping her emotions inside.

There he was, next to two empty beer bottles. A can of some other alcohol was crushed near the TV, slight amounts of liquid seeping out of it. Three pizza boxes were stacked on the side table, and Olivia guessed that they had all been empty for a while. She flicked on the light and Xavier spun towards her, almost as if he was prepared to throw the beer bottle in his hand.

"Liv! What are you doing here? I didn't think you'd get out of prison for a while yet."

"They let me go for good behaviour," she lied. The truth was she'd broken out, and probably left some traumatized guards in her wake.

"Really? Nice. Can you go get groceries? These are my last beers and I've just been eating take-out. A home-cooked meal sounds great."

"Where's Keyla?" Olivia couldn't squeeze out any other words. Her fists were shaking. She knew full well where their daughter was. But did Xavier care?

"Huh? Oh. Got a notice from the hospital that she died. Couldn't afford the procedure, so they just kept an eye on her until she was gone."

The way he said it so casually made Olivia's chest swell with what felt like burning magma. Their eyes locked and she wanted nothing more than to make this man wish he'd never been born. But no. Not yet. She exhaled slowly as Xavier continued.

"I packed up her stuff. The last of it's by the front door. None of it's worth anything, so I guess I'll just send it up to the recycling plants. The books actually fetched more than I thought they would. And the best part is now I don't have to worry about Social Services dropping in."

"I'm heading out," Olivia muttered. As she turned to go, Xavier called out one last request.

"Could you turn off the light, Liv? It's easier to see the TV." Olivia turned and forced a smile on her face.

"How about I take those empty bottles for you too?"

"Thanks, love. Could you make something nice when you get back? Like lasagna?"

Olivia didn't answer, pretending she hadn't heard him as she flicked off the light and rinsed out the beer bottles. But instead of taking them out, she left them in the sink to dry. An idea had formed in her head.

No, it had been forming for some time. Ever since she got out, she hadn't been able to fully focus on her revenge against Achilles. She had to know what had happened with Xavier. Did he feel any regret? Had his life changed at all? Olivia had avoided going home since they'd look for her here, but her curiousity had finally gotten the better of her.

Xavier didn't care that Keyla was gone. In fact, he seemed happy that she wasn't there anymore. Hatred burned like a hot stone in Olivia's chest. He'd even had the nerve to get rid of Keyla's things, giving them no more thought than the amount of money they could get him. She'd been toying with the idea, but his attitude had cemented her desire.

Their daughter was dead. And all he wanted was more beer and for her to cook for him. He'd get his booze all right. Olivia was careful to hide the twisted emotions in her heart as she stalked down the street. The elevator went down a couple floors to the store and she flicked her eyes over the merchandise.

There. The drugstore portion. That was what she was looking for. She found the bottles she was looking for and brought two up to the front. The employee rang up her total and she internally cursed. She didn't even have enough money for this.

Olivia smiled and looked the kid in the eye before reaching into her pocket and then placing her hand in his for a brief moment. He smiled and gave her change, before closing the till and bagging her purchases. She took the bag and left, relief flooding her.

This Miracle really was the best. She thanked the purple god once again.

When she opened the door this time, Xavier called out to greet her. Olivia called back, keeping the hatred out of her voice. The beer bottles were mostly dry now, so she took out her purchases from earlier and setting them on the counter. Two bottles of rubbing alcohol. She filled the beer bottles and swished them a bit. This way, it would look like an accident. She wouldn't be arrested for murder.

Yet. The murder trial could come when Achilles was dead.

Olivia headed back to the living room and smiled what she hoped was a gentle smile as she handed Xavier the bottles.

"Thanks, Liv." He looked her in the eye for a brief moment and started chugging away. Olivia nodded and retreated to the back of the room, where she sat as if to watch the game. But the whole time she watched as Xavier knocked back the alcohol. When the deed was done, she made sure the bottles were empty, took the empty rubbing alcohol bottles and half the money Xavier had stashed away and left as if nothing had happened.

Now she could really focus on Achilles.

First she'd need a wig and some makeup. That way she could really do what she pleased. The plan formed more and more concretely in her mind as Olivia walked through the darkening streets.

Soon the famous 'hero' would meet his end.

It was a Wednesday. Around noon, someone had called the military to report a body on the first level of the Residential District. Officer Larsen scribbled on a notepad as a medical officer examined the degraded body and immediate area. Because of the beer bottles nearby, he was ready to rule it a case of alcohol poisoning and leave it as an accident, but something bugged Larsen.

There were only three bottles of beer around him. That shouldn't be enough to kill someone. And two of them looked too clean. Something was nagging her, and she was absentmindedly taking notes on the scene - precise locations of every little object she could see. Maybe they should test the bottles for some other type of poison?

"Well, another unfortunate incident," Sergeant Barron muttered. "Looks like he lost track of how much he was drinking."

"But there's only three beer bottles there. I doubt he'd have the werewithal to clean up after himself if he died," Larsen replied.

"We'll probably find some kind of drug in his system. Some people just won't listen when the pharmacist tells them that their meds don't mix with alcohol."

"Right..." Larsen glanced around the room. "It still smells fishy to me. Those bottles look too clean."

"I'd keep your head down for now, if I were you, Larsen. You're still under review."

Officer Larsen sighed heavily. Just because she tried to do the right thing...

"Yes sir," she said slowly, each sound weighing heavily on her tongue.

"You really shouldn't have messed with Colonel Evans. She's got it out for you now and you'll be lucky if you just get a reprimand."

Larsen tried to ignore the scolding until Sergeant Barron grabbed her and forced her to look him in the eye.

"I say this because I'm worried about you. Even if Evans did what you accuse her of, you have no proof. Now you'll disappear without any of this seeing the light."

"Why do I have to find the proof? Isn't that why we launch investigations when a credible accusation is made? I had some circumstantial evidence, but it disappeared. But that won't stop me from doing my job. Now, Sergeant, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to ascertain what happened to this man here."

Barron stared at her for a while before sighing heavily. Another officer walked up to them.

"Sergeant, I found what looks like an ID. One for a Xavier Orozco. Picture looks like him, but do you want to confirm it?"

"Thank you, Officer Richardson. Anything else look important?"

"Background check showed that his daughter, Keyla, died in hospital about a week ago. Shortly after, the girl's mother escaped from prison."

"What was she in for?"

"Theft. Achilles brought her in."

"That jackwagon again..."

"Unfortunately. The mother was not thought to be violent, but I don't know how else she could have gotten out. The officers in charge of guarding the prison at the time are all confused and incoherent."

"Would she have done this?" Larsen wondered aloud.

"If so, there could be more," Barron replied. "What do we know about this woman?"

"Not much. Her name is Olivia Hahn and she seemed like a normal mother until she was caught stealing."

"I don't like the sound of the prison escape. All the guards were incoherent? What does that mean exactly?" Larsen asked.

"They seem to be utterly confused. One was muttering about blood, another how he was suddenly on fire. It sounds like a psychotic break, but this woman is possibly dangerous," Barron answered.

"Should I put out an alert for her?" Richardson asked. Barron thought for several moments.

"Richardson, take this to Lieutenant Galvan. I'll let him decide what to do about it."

"Yes, sir."

Larsen stared around the house for a while, trying to determine how Xavier could have died. Hopefully they found Ms. Hahn soon and could get some answers.

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