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wheels-of-despair · 1 year

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Worth It | Ralph Penbury x You | Masterlist

{<-Previous} [The Most Ordinary Girl in the World] {Next->}

Summary: Even though you hate shopping, you decide it's time to go see a lady about a dress or twelve. Words: 1.5k

You'd never been particularly interested in fashion. You knew that you liked certain colors, and that some fabrics were itchy, and some dresses were prettier than others. But you'd mostly just worn what your mother bought for you. She'd once grown so frustrated with you as a teen, for daring to complain after being forced to try on every dress in the store, that she vowed never to take you back.

You were overjoyed. Instead of spending entire days sweating in dressing rooms with strangers poking and prodding you, your mother's favorite seamstress would come take your measurements a few times a year, and good ol' Gladys would take it from there.

But now that you were seeing a lot more of Ralph, who spent his days holding his sister's shopping bags and his nights drinking fancy champagne at fabulous parties, you suddenly became conscious of how plain you looked. You never saw him wear the same outfit twice, even just to the park. Everything article of clothing he owned was breathtaking. Just when you'd settled on a favorite color to see on him, he'd wear something else that made your brain buzz. And you… well, there was room for improvement.

You decided to go shopping. Alone. Asking your mother to go with you would not only have been suspicious, but would probably result in you walking out of a store in a brand new dress and diving headfirst into the river.

You'd told your parents the night before that you would be gone most of the next day, because your good friend Mary needed to refresh her wardrobe, and would obviously require input from her closest confidante. They both seemed mildly surprised, but didn't ask too many questions.

You wished Mary was real. She'd help you through this. But instead, you proceeded alone, window-shopping at store after store before something finally caught your eye.

You entered a cute little shop, presence announced by the tinkling of a bell overhead, and the sweetest little shopgirl immediately rushed to your side and introduced herself as Anna. She seemed very eager, like someone else you were very fond of, and she had kind eyes. You told her that you were looking to add a bit of color to you wardrobe. Nothing too fancy or modern, but… nice. Despite her pleasant persona, you awkwardly stuttered your way through your explanation. You hadn't shopped for anything but books and the occasional trinket in years, and were more nervous than you thought you'd be.

But sweet Anna knew how to handle your type. She walked around with you and chattered nonstop, telling you about fabrics and colors and oh, this would look lovely with your eyes, and that would compliment your figure ever so nicely. Whenever you nodded, she'd take a dress off the rack and add it to a growing pile of things to try on. She assured you that alterations could be made right here in the store, and that they also had catalogues you could order from.

Finally, when you had a sizeable stack of options, she led you to a changing room in the back of the store. She offered to stay, but you suddenly had a flashback of your mother trying to suffocate you by insisting the obviously too-small clothes would fit if your girdle was just a little bit tighter, so you politely declined. She said she'd be nearby to assist or to take notes for alterations if you needed her, then disappeared. You quite liked her.

And you quite liked a lot of these dresses, as well. They weren't loud or gaudy like the current craze, but they made the dress you came in with look like a potato sack. You tried each dress on, inspected it from every angle in the floor-length mirror, and placed it in a yes or a no pile. You were nearly done, and you hadn't even broken a sweat. This wasn't nearly as horrible as you thought it would be.

You heard the bell jingle at the front door, and then you heard a voice that made your blood run cold. You couldn't make out what she was saying yet, but Victoria Penbury was unmistakably in the building.

You'd picked this shop specifically because the clothes in the window were decidedly un-Victoria-like. Perhaps she was branching out. Or had already bought out all the other stores in London.

You try to tune her out and focus on putting on the next dress, but her voice grew louder, as if she were getting closer. Please, God, do not let her realize I'm in here, or WHY I'm in here, you pray silently.

"Oh darling, you simply MUST try this on!" The crowd accompanying her giggles loudly. You hear Anna offer to assist them, and their laughs grew louder. Soon, they would be upon you.

"Miss, there's someone in that one! The next room is available!" Bless you, sweet Anna.

"You mean to tell me there's someone trying on these rags willingly?" an unidentified voice fake-whispers as it passes by your curtain. Your face burns. The group giggles again.

You dare not move. You stand frozen, behind the protection of the velvet fabric covering the door, one strong breeze away from being exposed. You hadn't been the least bit concerned with this level of privacy five minutes ago.

"Alright, everyone turn around, no peeking!" You hear grunts and giggles and fabric rustling through the thin wall, like several people are changing into clothes at once. You try not to breathe. "Everyone ready? One, two, three!" Victoria says without waiting for confirmation that everyone was ready. The group erupts into laughter.

"That is the most hideous thing I've ever seen!"

"Enid, you simply MUST buy that!"

"Your hips look enormous!"

"That is so revolting, even Ralph's new plaything wouldn't be caught dead in it!" This seems to be the winning insult, because everyone cackles so loudly, the rest of the clothing critiques are forgotten.

"You should have seen the pink atrocity she wore on Valentine's Day. Honestly, does she have those things special made? Surely no store would carry something so horrid."

"Oh, has she finally added some color to her dull wardrobe? I'm so sorry I missed it!"

"Don't be, it looked like something my mother would have worn 40 years ago!"

"Has Ralph proposed yet?"

"No! Isn't that hilarious? She's so plain and boring, even RALPH won't propose to her!" The group howls with laughter, and your ears start to ring, drowning them out. A merciful reaction.

You sit down on the plush seat in front of the mirror, still in your underthings, and wait for them to go away. Thankfully, they lose interest in trying on things they hate before long. Your face is still red and your ears are still pounding with shame as the group collectively cackles their way to the front of the store, bell ringing once more.

You stare at yourself in the mirror. Plain. Boring. You'd had no idea that the pink dress was that bad; you'd simply hated it because it was uncomfortable and had been chosen by your mother. An entire life of doing and wearing what you were told, cooperating so you could be left alone to dream of faraway places and impossibly fascinating characters who weren't real. Where did it get you? Into this dressing room, on this padded stool, watching a plain boring tear slide down your plain boring cheek. You swipe at it angrily and begin putting your old dress back on. This was a pointless endeavor.

Why would someone as brilliant and vibrant as Ralph Penbury be interested in someone as boring as you? Clothes couldn't make you a more interesting person. You were hopeless. Perhaps you were wrong to turn up your nose at Donald Andrews. He was the type of person you deserved. You could spend the rest of your dull, boring days sitting in silence with him. Nothing to say. Nothing to do. No one to impress. Perhaps your mother knew what was best for you after all.

"Miss? Are you alright in there?"

You dry your eyes and open the curtain. Poor, sweet Anna. How much time had she wasted on you today?

"I'm so sorry, but it seems I've brought the wrong purse." You hold up your boring satchel to show her. "I've left my money at home. I can't buy anything today. But you were so wonderfully helpful, I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me."

"Are you sure you're alright, miss?"

You nod, afraid that you'll break if you try to say more, and dash toward the door. You walk home as quickly as you can, face burning and heart heavy. You had plenty of money. Your father, shocked that you were willingly going shopping with dear Mary, had given you enough for several new dresses. "In case anything special catches your eye," he'd told you with a wink. But what would the most ordinary girl in the world need with something special?

#writings of despair #ralph is worth it #ralph penbury #ralph penbury x you #ralph penbury x reader #ralph timewasters #do you hate me for tricking you into reading a ralphless chapter?#sorry my dudes #it was necessary #i'll make it up to you

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punkshort · 22 days

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you are now officially my favorite writer on this app💕💕

Are you kidding me?! There's so many amazing writers out there, I'm BEYOND flattered. Just absolutely floored. I can go to bed happy now, thank you so much, my love.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

#please don't hate me for ch 5 #I'll make it up to you #what if I also just wrote a Dave York one shot #anon ask #ask

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seasidesketches · 5 days

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I think Mateo's crushing on me-

I got him last year with wish stones, but ALL his resos came home randomly from gold records (and when I least expected it, too. So many espers I have are r0-r1 while he's almost jacked up to r6) damn.....I feel really bad not finishing his bday art now MATEO I'LL DO YOU JUSTICE ONE DAY....I PROMISE😭

#dislyte #seaside brain dump #dislyte mateo #mateo are you trying to tell me something #are you jealous of chu yao #since I've been drawing him nonstop since the day I saw him #i'm sorry white boy #I'll make it up to you

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dictionary-prompts · 2 months

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#Also sorry for not posting this Sunday #I had a VERY busy week #I'll make it up to you #story prompts #fic prompt #writing prompt #writers on tumblr #dictionaryprompts #creative writing #writing inspiration #writers #writing #ao3 #art challenge #artists on tumblr #writeblr #art #artists

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vvolfstare · 8 months

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[ TWIST ]: sender and receiver play a game of twister together.

@defectivexfragmented

Bucky wasn't all that sorry about being snowed in. Maybe he should have been, since the fight never really ended for them, but it was feeling a little like a vacation he'd never had. There was food and firewood, so they probably weren't going to die any time in the next week or so, and they'd dug around until they found some games to pass the hours without electricity. He knew from before the war that he could hold his own at poker, but it was a recent discovery that Clue was not a thrilling game to play with spies.

There had been some grumbling from him about why they were playing a game meant for children when they moved on to Twister, but since he'd lost that last hand of cards, it was Clint's turn to choose. His feelings about it had not improved at being crab-legged on the floor. It was exactly as undignified as he'd expected it to be, and maybe a little more. "This is stupid. How do you even win?" he muttered, stretching a little to give the spinner a flick with one hand before returning it to its appropriately colored circle.

#chat: clint #defectivexfragmented #verse!independent #don't worry grumpy buck #the game is about to get VERY interesting #sorry this is so short #i'll make it up to you #by making the next one twice as long as it needs to be 😂

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30-3am · 1 year

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“We’re not-” your smile faded as James began to shake his head. “We’re just friends. I thought you knew that.”

girl. i will vomit. this is so heartbreaking.

STOP I'M SORRY

listen, next parts gonna be good!!! full of smut and fluff. no more crying. maybe a little bit but...

#alana's thoughts #iluvvme #it seems i've made everyone cry #didn't intend to i promise!!!#i'll make it up to you

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glitzybunny · 11 months

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look what i stole from the bristish muesume

for you 💕💕

F-FOR ME? :OOO

You-you shouldn't have 😳

I'm taking it everywhere with me, I'll find a way. I always find a way. JFJAKFJSMKCJSNSMGBHFKSKD-

ILY :>c heheheheh

#I'll make it up to you #I'll steal something!#other than your heart of course ♥#I have that already #BXJKSKDJFJSKKDLFDK #AAAAAAAAAAAA #mwamwamwaMWAMWAMWQMWQMWAMWAMWA #beloved mutuals #my wife #magma wife #my asks #I'll draw something for this in a bit #am play video gam

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liquidstar · 5 months

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Yes, Greece still exists, we didn't all die 2000 years ago. Yes, people speak Greek. You people are so fucking stupid for real. So many of you claim to love ancient shit but can't even acknowledge the actual living culture of the people whose mythology and classics you romanticize. You keep leaving annoying comments about how you just forget Greek people still exist, thinking you're being quirky because you love ancient stuff soooo much that you forgot about the people it came from. You think about it so little you don't even realize that an actual Greek person has to read this shit, making it clear how little you actually care about the culture beyond the romanticized (and westernized) mythology. Don't claim you love Greece, don't use our mythology anymore if you can't acknowledge that we're still around without making it about how little you think about us. It's mind boggling that you'd think a Greek person would read this and think you're anything but obnoxious. Explode.

#this post is edited because you're all annoying. maybe I'll turn it back someday #it sucks that people can't even be normal about a funny family story once the fact that we're greek comes into the fold #suddenly its all about blorbofied mythology shit and idiots saying ''GREECE IS REAL???? 🤯🤯🤯🤯'' yeah percy j*ckson didnt make it up #maybe it would be less annoying if they weren't all saying it like I'd think it's funny that they don't know we exist instead of like #disturbing on a personal level. like what the fuck #man if you can't acknowledge we exist in real life just name your oc Icarus something else idgaf #so yeah explode. Skase. Voulos'to. Valto mesa sto katamalakismeno mouni tis mana's sou. Psophise. etc.

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rastronomicals · 3 months

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2:28 PM EST January 11, 2024:

Naughty Puritans - "I'll Make It Up To You" From the Cassette album Hip Pack (1989)

Last song scrobbled from iTunes at Last.fm

Johnny Dallas, Joey Arcane and Elder William. The first time I heard "Chinese Rocks" this was the band playing it.

File under: South Florida Back in the Day

#Naughty Puritans #Hip Pack #I'll Make It Up To You

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nikkisticki · 9 months

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RULE

#rule #196 #Boy this is a lot of notes for something I DIDN'T MAKE #also if you know the sauce tell me plz #Btw ill be working on smut comics about robots fucking in the apocalypse #Other stuff too but thats up first #I promise I'll not let you down #If i see one more person respond to this with Disco Elysium im going to fuckin SNAP

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sketchy-tour · 3 months

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I have been working on this piece for AGES aajsdfjkndf AUGH

I just! I just want Wally frog catching with his bestie to exist into the world dang it!!!! The idea of him slowly catching frogs and running straight to Barnaby to show him is one of my favorite things to think about. Now I can beam such an idea into yalls mind with the power of art I spent too much time on

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knifearo · 5 months

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being aromantic is like. hey btw you're going to live a life that is the culmination of most of society's worst nightmares. sorry lol ✌️ but then you turn around and take a really good hard look at it and it turns out that living in that nightmare is fucking awesome and you get to wake up every day and take that fear that other people have and laugh and hold it close until it's a great joy for you instead. and being happy is a radical act that you define instead of someone else. and you're sexy as fuck that's just a fact of life i don't make the rules on that one

#aromantic people are just sexy i'm not making the decisions here it's just facts #course ur hot as fuck. it came free with the aromanticism #being sexy is just default settings for aromantic people 👍#hope this all helps. anyway i'm on my 'i hope i die alone <3 i can't wait to die alone <3' kick rn #i think the existential fear that people have of Not Partnering specifically is so. well.#obviously that shit is strong and it is SO awesome to be free of it.#realizing you're aro and you don't Want a partner can be such a hit to the solar plexus #cause society says that's the only thing that'll make you happy. so either you go without that thing or you force yourself #into doing something you don't want which would make you unhappy anyway.#so you think it's a lose lose situation and you have to come to terms with what amatonormativity presents as the worst possible situation #but then! whoa! turns out personhood is inherently valuable in and of itself and romantic partnering is just a construct!#and that nightmare is now your life to do with as you please... define as you will... structure as you want...#best case scenario. is what i'm saying.#every day i wake up ready to spit all that amatonormative rhetoric back in life's teeth by being alone and being happy #and it's so fucking satisfying. every day.#fucking JUBILANT being by myself. and i love being a living breathing 'fuck you' to the romantic system #you need a partner to be happy? oh that's sooo fucking crazy guess i'll go be miserable then. in my perfect fucking dream life lmao #yeah obviously it's the worst possible outcome on earth to die without a partner. so terrible. can't wait for it :)#aromantic #aromanticism #aro positivity #aroace #arospec #sorry to bitches who are sad about not having a partner. i could not give a fuck though get better soon #you couldn't EVER pay me enough to go back to a mindset in which my inherent value wasn't enough by myself.#FUCK that shit. absolutely miserable and a bad life outlook in general. like genuinely do the work w/ amatonormativity and get better #life is something that can be so fulfilling whether someone wants to kiss you or whatever or not #i'm on antidepressants and i have people i care deeply about. what the fuck would i need a partner for lmao

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biggest-gaudiest-patronuses · 2 months

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got a worm nibbling my brain. can someone help me find a piece of obscure media?

webcomic/indie comic from the 2010s. basically a sci-fi short story about a young girl (with red hair?) who was being raised by scientists as part of an experiment. she receives a haircut/has her head shaved, in preparation for her annual brain scan/testing. it is revealed that while her body is human, her "brain" is artificial, made of computer implants throughout her skull and spine. at some point her biological mother (also a scientist on the same campus?) encounters her and is repulsed, viewing her as a machine who has murdered her daughter.

it was very poignant and it bruised my heart and i can NOT find it anywhere

#i thought it was made by the creator of 'O Human Star' for some reason but apparently not?#goddammit goddammit goddammit #'i don't have to write down the title of this piece of media i encountered in my formative years bc i'll always remember it'#*cut to ten years later frantic googling*#fun fact 'a.i.' is now a completely useless search term #google in general is useless #and stuff i read 3+ years ago regularly vanishes from the internet #bookmarks are not enough! if you like indie media--download that shit! buy digital/physical copies while you can #save it to the cloud back it up and organize that shit!!!#keep a list of the stuff you read (organized by date/media type and possibly with keywords if you want it to be useful longterm)#(or a spreadsheet even if you're like me and rabidly consume short stories/comics like a pack of amnesiac piranhas on a feeding frenzy)#(that stuff PILES UP over the years ok. if you wanna make sure you'll be able to find it again a decade later--curation is key)#because art WILL touch your soul and then vanish into the void leaving naught but a 404 Error in its wake #i am an old man shaking my fist at the kids on my lawn but the kids on my lawn are me and my longterm digital planning skills circa 2012

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poorly-drawn-mdzs · 4 months

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