oh and i've decided i really wanna be a game designer

Fics about SecUnit 3 to Read Before We Get All Our Headcanons Jossed

Three! SecUnit 3! System Collapse comes out in one week and it seems like Three will feature prominently!

Three has been the subject of so much speculation and fascination for the fandom. We have a lot of different ideas about who it may become and who it might want to be.

Before all of that gets debunked by the new book, here's a rec list and roundup of some of the excellent fics that center Three!

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Ficlets About Three and Murderbot Figuring Out How To Interact With Each Other

"Feedlog" by OnlyAll0Saw. 599 words. NR, Multi.

ART is a bit of a bully on the feed. MB is having none of it.

A well-done codefic that imagines the rocky early days of Murderbot, Three, and ART all figuring out how to get along with each other.

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"Murder Mode Modules" by FlipSpring. 948 words. G, Gen.

3 what the fuck is ‘Murder Mode Modules, Do Not Touch Except For Situations That Necessitate Lots Of Murder?'

Hilarious, great voice, and surprisingly emotional for such a short space and silly tone :') Two excellent podfics!

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"Real Things" by ArtemisTheHuntress. 715 words. G, Gen.

Three admits that it doesn't understand the appeal of fictional media.

This one's mine :) Murderbot and Three discuss media. There's a podfic!

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Meatier One-Shots about Three Contemplating Its Identity, Who It Is, And What It Wants Now

"pink and green" by CompletelyDifferent. 5,100 words. G, Gen.

During a diplomatic trip to the university's home system to better establish the newly-formed treaty with the Preservation Alliance, Three tries to figure out who it is. Between exploring new hobbies and its sense of fashion, it attempts to figure out what its relationship with Murderbot 1.0 is, precisely. (Murderbot 1.0 ignores this, until it doesn't).

Hot Springs Episode! CompletelyDifferent @elexuscal writes character interactions SO well.

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"Uncatalogued and Uncategorized" by lick. 3,033 words. G, Gen.

SecUnit 3 discovers that a hot shower is a good place to work out tangled thoughts.

I loooove this one and return to it regularly. The introspectio makes it a fantastic balance of character study, past trauma, and total confusion of what to do now with itself and its life. Includes a podfic by the author!

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"Unacceptable Topics of Conversation" by lick. 4,500 words. Teen & Up, Gen.

Murderbot gives SecUnit 3 a haircut. They discuss the governor module.

lick does it again! The feelings are so fraught, the conversation held so gingerly.

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Long, Plot-Heavy Stories About Three Finding Itself In The Universe

"Heuristic Analysis" by thefourthvine. 11,000 words. G, Gen.

Three makes some choices.

Three travels to Mihira with ART and its crew, gets involved in an AI Rights related mystery, and, as advertised, makes some choices. Well-written with some interesting worldbuilding concepts about the Pansystem University of Mihira and New Tideland!

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"Seeking Safety" by petwheel. 57,000 words. Teen & Up, Gen.

Three assumes a new identity on Preservation, only to discover someone wants to kill it. To figure out who and why, Three has to delve into secrets from Preservation's past.

A plotty mystery, suspenseful and extremely creative, with some bold and unique takes on Preservation's history - and how Three can fit in.

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"Function" by FigOwl. 65,000 words. Teen & Up, Gen.

"I have worked assignments solo before, and I have gotten used to the absences of SecUnit 01 and SecUnit 02. But I have not reconciled myself to the absence of Murderbot 2.0, though I know it is not logical. 2.0 made its choices, and fulfilled its purpose perfectly, and it seemed satisfied with that. I wish that I had any amount of such certainty and resolve." The continuing adventures of SecUnit03. How does a newly freed SecUnit make sense of everything without having consumed 35,000 hours of media for context?

Three goes off on its own self-actualization adventure after Network Effect.

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Three On Preservation

"words left behind" by torpidgilliver. 4,400 words. G, Gen.

"How do you stand it?" Dr. Gurathin's tone is slow and even when he asks, "Stand what?" - SecUnit 3 shares its feelings with someone who might understand.

Three meets Gurathin. Also, a cat. Delightfully soft and gently sad.

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"Social Competition" by scheidswrites. 2,100 words. G. Gen.

It's been a while since the last attempted murder/kidnapping, and life is good. Everyone is gathered for a celebration on the Mensah Family Farm. The rogue SecUnits invent a new sport. Drs Mensah, Gurathin, and Overse talk about work on their day off.

SecUnit sports! Murderbot and Three bonding without being too awkward about it! I love this.

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"The Tree That Owns Itself" by BoldlyNo. 865 words. G, Gen.

There is a tree in the FirstLanding University Botanical Gardens that Murderbot is not thrilled about.

Murderbot and Three have conflicting feelings about a tree.

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Miscellaneous But Also Worth Highlighting

"As Your Legal Counsel" by i_have_loved_the_stars_too_fondly. 1,000 words. G, Gen.

Pin-Lee informs Three of its options and legal status, should it choose to come to Preservation.

This one is so fun and sweet! Directly after Network Effect, Pin-Lee talks to Three about its options. Three is a little overwhelmed. Two podfics of this one, one by me :) Also @ilovedthestars your AO3 name is hard to type

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"Past the Breakers" by Thylacine_Wishes. 5,300 words. G, Gen.

When Three is badly injured protecting ART's crew on a mission, Murderbot finds itself disagreeing with the safety protocols that it had written. It was supposed to be the SecUnit meat shield, not Three. It doesn't have time to figure out how it feels about that before it's diving in (literally) to rescue Three and maybe coming to terms with some things along the way.

Action! Adventure! Edge-of-your-seat drama written SO well! Almost drowning! Murderbot caring about Three!!!!

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"Team of Three" by Lillow. 5,500 words. G, no category.

How Three of three became Three of many.

The tags say it best: the real team was the friends we made along the way. Or is it the real friends are the teammates we make?

Either way, Three finds a team, and people it belongs with.

CASEY JR IS SO SILLY SO HAVE A RANT ON HIM! So, we all know he was raised in an apocalypse, and there aren't any real life examples of how living like that would effect someone, but! I've been taking a intro to psych for a few months now and I might be wrong on a few things here so feel free to add onto this if u want :3 Moving on, you ever heard of Maslow's Hierarchy? No? Well here it is (and if you have just bear with me for a moment)

The way this hierarchy works is that in order to get to self-actualization, which is extremely hard to do in a normal world already, you need to have all the rows of this pyramid fulfilled, and Casey Jr was failed from step one. Obviously he was loved and cared for, but love and familial relationships come after physical needs. You can't build a pyramid starting from the third layer. Obviously the Turtles and Casey Sr and April tried their hardest but it's really hard to take care of a baby, especially with limited recourses and its safe to assume that every now and then he went hungry or was cold and didn't get enough rest, especially throughout his childhood. Obviously he grew up used to his unfortunate life so I'd like to think he sorta lived his own version version of this hierarchy, an unfulfilled one. Now with all of that out of the way, it's so wholeheartedly heartbreaking that this kid will never reach self-actualization which is literally basically just actually enjoying life, being creative, having fun in general pretty consistently. This fucking kid was failed from step one, and will probably never reach his full potential!

He was raised centered around one thing, stop the kraang. Having your entire life centered around one goal is really unhealthy, especially since he knows absolutely nothing outside of that goal. His entire conscious and unconscious mind is occupied with that goal. Even when he's safe and consciously is perfectly aware of his safety, his unconscious mind doesn't know that. Being in fight-or-flight mode for long periods of time isn't sustainable, it'll literally kill you, and he's been in fighting mode his entire life, sudden changes in setting and environment are gonna trigger that fight or flight response HARD. His first few weeks or months or hell even years with the present turtles is gonna be filled with him getting SO pissed at himself for still treating his life like he's gonna die at every turn, not to mention again going back to the pyramid, all of a sudden he's thrown into a place where he can fix himself and reach his full potential, but it's extremely possible that his constant need for a survival situation is a cardinal trait and he might not want to! It's very easy to get used to being scared, and it's very easy to assume he got really used to it.

Typically speaking after an extreme high (for Casey Jr, going to the past and saving the world) you get stuck in an extreme low. The relief we can tell he feels at the end of the movie is gonna be gone and fast. Not to mention the stress of being in an entirely new environment with people he knows that don't know him, being in a place where everyone else hasn't been failed in such a fundamental way the way he was, set up for failure from step one? This kid is NOT going to be okay for a VERY long time- and that's stacked on top of YEARS of ptsd and watching everyone he loves die, his entire being is out of place in the present and he breaks my heart because when you're in a place where you're so flawed, completely by yourself and stuck with people who will never understand your life, you're completely and utterly fucked.

(tags for friembs :3 @clanofjones @paytato435)

Reading - Return and rehab round two

I did a quick celtic cross this morning as a general check in on whinge and cringe sussex. I used my Illuminati tarot deck. First time I have used this deck to read on them. To me this is a power deck and I usually reserve it for William and Catherine. I will have to cleanse it of negative energy after this reading.

Situation

Prince of Wands RX - H&M find themselves in a creative block full of delays and deferred decisions. Either or both are waiting for things to happen before a decision is made.

Challenge

Temperance RX - this relationship is not rewarding, this card in reverse means imbalance, unfairness, and many money problems.

Immediate Past

4 Wands RX - upright this card means domestic happiness and a stable and happy home. In reverse, I feel this is telling me that it is a broken home. Perhaps those rumours of them being separated for quite a while are true.

Immediate enironment

10 cups - this is the happy family card, maximum happiness, but the image in this deck is dream like, so given the broken home card, I feel like this card wants to say that they put on the happy family front, but it is not real?

Goal

8 pentacles RX - this is feeling trapped in work and life in something that does not feel right. Like doing a job for money in order to survive, but its actually soul-destroying. It can also meaning bringing an end to a dissatisfying work cycle and getting yourself prepared for a new more fulfilling career. So in the goal position, I am feeling like their relationship is work that is not rewarding. It kind of reinforces the fact that they have likely been separated for some time. Could the deferred decision be the divorce one?

What happens next

Queen of wands - the Aries Queen. As a court card, this could represent the only Aries in the BRF that I am aware of and that is Eugenie. This card is about ideas flourishing and showing people what you can do. It is about reenergised relationships, all kinds like family ties, work contacts, friends and partners. Could this suggest that we are going to see Eugenie pop up in LA shortly? A joint appearance, an announcement of a joint project? Does she go to visit H before the coronation? This is also the month of late March and April so what ever happens next happens in the next few weeks. Wands is fast moving energy.

Broader social context

Princess cups - this suggests a social event (like a birthday party maybe?), good company and having fun. This card also brings good news, it may also represent a new love partner or new projects. This kind of suggests that if Eugenie goes to visit H that she is bringing good or encouraging news.

Others views

The Fool - this is people seeing a new beginning for H&M, the start of a new journey, of course assuming the current one comes to a close.

Hope and Fears

The World - this is usually a successful completion. The last card in the tarot signals the end of a journey. So it seems there are hopes that this current journey is running to a natural ending.

Outcome

King of swords - this is the divorce card in a relationship reading. Swords are also decisions.

Bottom of the deck

The High Priestess RX - the bad guru, and inappropriate mentor leading you astray. It signals secrets that need to be revealed because these secrets kept hidden too long can be harmful. Is this about H addiction issues reaching a crisis point and the negative influence that she is on him?

Conclusion

Reading this spread in its entirety confirms for me they are separated. The relationship is toxic and unfulfilling it is not helping them achieve their goals. I think rumours of cancelled contracts, Netflix, Spotify and PRH might very well be true. It is unbalanced despite the happy front they put on it. By late March or May something is going to happen, it could involve Eugenie travelling to the US perhaps for her birthday weekend? A last trip before the baby is born? Could she be going to bring a message of reconciliation to H for a new start perhaps with conditions? Is this the foreseen familial intervention to bring an end the cycle of drugs and addiction that they hope will bring his misadventures to a successful conclusion. It is clear that one of the conditions is divorce. I get the feeling that the divorce has been in the cards for some time, but each time it gets close the decision is deferred for some or other reason, perhaps because they/she were waiting for the Prince/Princess titles? Is this an exchange, M gets the use of Prince/Princess for her kids in return she releases her hostage and agrees to the divorce so that H can return to UK and enter rehab? As a parent, I know that to get a child out of a toxic situation is a real challenge, and sometimes you need to let it run to breaking point to have any chance of success to extricate them. And as a parent you are willing to do just about anything to get them the help they need. Perhaps this is what is really going on behind the scenes?

i asked two further questions:

Is H returning to the UK - 9 cups - this is a wish coming true. It also signals improved health and letting go of the past. So I am taking that as a yes.

Is H destined for rehab - 7 wands - courage, effort and challenges. Overcoming obstacles. It can also mean an advocate for others. It is the first time I have felt that this card could represent a struggle with addiction and trying to overcome. But I feel like it fits, so I take this as a yes as well.

I’ve never done my own fic rec post before but I’m feeling inspired seeing more and more people do this. Also, I’m so slow and usually weeks behind what everyone else is reading but I’ve read some new stuff recently so let’s go!

We Still Bloom Complete, 18k, Rated T by @artsyunderstudy

I am a sucker for Hanahaki fics (the angst! The pain! The perceived unrequited love! The ticking clock!) and this one does not disappoint. Set within those awful doubting weeks of WS/AWTWB and sprinkled with plenty of past memories and present action, this author really lets you sit with that sorrow and uncertainty. Plus FANTASTIC art! What more could you want?

The Beautiful Game WIP, currently 8k, Rated T by @fatalfangirl

This fic is composed of anecdotes of Simon and Baz playing football over the years but football is merely a lens to view the progression of their relationship. It’s canon compliant and fits so seamlessly with the events surrounding it. The WS chapter, for example, packs a punch in a few hundred words. It will have you sobbing, squealing, sighing and laughing as the chapters take you through the best (and worst) of their relationship. But through it all they have football. Need I say more?

This Is Your Place, Complete, 19k, Rated M by @cutestkilla This fic was written for @carryonprompts fest (along with the two above!) and answered the question: how would things have differed if Baz came back to his room after the Open sesame incident to find Simon, tits out, bloody and without his cross? This author took the prompt in a a sexy but also tender and angsty direction. A lovely get together written by a very talented writer.

Speaking of, I’m gonna jump back to @cutestkilla’s first fic because she just posted this great meta about what informed her version of the Humdrum from canon, which got me thinking about how What’s Left is still one of my favorite fics of all time so if you haven’t read this fic about what if Simon really died in the White Chapel and the Humdrum (Sid, my beloved) was left, how might he and Baz take on the Mage? It’s so creative, funny, sweet and heartfelt and (despite the way the premise sounds) will leave you fulfilled in a way you never knew you needed to be.

Ready or Not WIP, currently 5k, Rated E by @bookish-bogwitch

Another Carry On Prompts Fest fic that I am OBSESSED with. It’s a Watford era magickal mishap (my fave, it should be a proper tag!) in which Simon accidentally spells Baz to spontaneously orgasm without warning several times a day. This story is both hilarious and so sexy and the end of chapter 1 leaves us with a delightful twist. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Stress Management WIP currently 22k, rated M by @whogaveyoupermission

Normal AU, later in life get together in which social worker!Simon tried to manage his stress by attending a barre class taught by none other than his former classmate Baz. This fic is so sweet and sexy you will be screeching for them to get together by the end of the first chapter. And yet this author is building their mutual pining so, so well. Bonus content includes Baz in all sorts of sexy barre instructor outfits that you won’t want to miss!

Phew! If your like me, and have a to be read list a mile long and you don’t know what to start with, do yourself a favor and check out any of these gems that sound interesting. I promise, they will not disappoint! Thank you for the tags today @martsonmars @aroace-genderfluid-sheep @cutestkilla @facewithoutheart @fatalfangirl @larkral @bookish-bogwitch @nightimedreamersworld @whogaveyoupermission @johnwgrey @confused-bi-queer @artsyunderstudy @palimpsessed @moodandmist @creepyspice @ivelovedhimthroughworse y’all are working on some fantastic stuff!

Tagging a few more people in case you want to spread the word on these awesome fics or share some words (or recs!) of your own @whatevertheweather @captain-aralias @takitalks @toonysart @messofthejess @ionlydrinkhotwater @aristocratic-otter @prettylightsbigcity @castawaypitch @yeonjunenby @erzbethluna @hushed-chorus @stardustasincocaine @frjsti @toonysart @forabeatofadrum @raenestee @yellobb @bazzybelle @gekkoinapeartree @ic3-que3n @tea-brigade

Also, if you’ve read this far and want to check out chapter 4 of Depth of Reason, it’s out now, with more lovely art by @toonysart

Hi morgan <33333 hope you're doing well :D

1,2,5,6,8,9,17,18,30,31,38,44,49 for the fanfic writer asks <333

hi evy! i'm doing ok! looking forward to getting some rest over christmas!

1 and 8: answered here for honey!

2: answered here for fien!

5: i’ve been writing stories in general since i was about six? my sister started writing stories, and obviously i had to copy her, and then i just... never stopped. i started writing fic in 2018 sometime when i met my stay friends at uni! it was a nice way to bond with them while we were still getting to know each other, and they’re now some of the few people i trust to show my writing to when it’s unfinished and imperfect.

6: writing has done a lot of good work for my mental health, i think! it encourages me to look inwards and consider why i’m writing the themes i am or just gives me an outlet for bad emotions rather than turning them inwards. it’s done wonders for my confidence over the years, too; i think it’s something that even i can’t deny that i’m fairly good at, and it’s good to have that when my brain tries to tell me that i’m mediocre at everything.

9: i’m terrible with writing to deadlines, so not really. i might set deadlines for editing, but my writing is often so unpredictably long that i couldn’t write to a deadline if i tried (the thing i tried to write in time for my friend’s birthday? it might be done by her next birthday. in october 2023. maybe.)

17: i love fantasy AUs as a whole really, but i’m always drawn to vampire AUs! the only reason i haven’t written one of my own is because i think there are far too many good ones, and i worry that i wouldn’t be able to come up with something unique enough to match up.

18: i really love writing seungchan? i think it’s partially that they’re my favourite members to write, and partially that they’re the members who can often come across as most serious (although they’ve both been silly in interviews lately) and so i feel like i can put them in slightly darker stories. seungbin and jeongchan are creeping up the list though.

30: the hardest part of writing happens once i’m about 80% of the way through a story; i’ve done most of the fun worldbuilding by that point, and most of the very emotional scenes have to give way to Actual Plot before i can write an emotional ending. it’s the point in a fic where i’m most likely to get bored and have to drag myself through the writing process.

31: big descriptive scenes! i love sitting and describing things, it’s a wonderful exercise in creativity and it allows me to set a scene really well. i love the experience of choosing which words to use to set the tone of a story; i’d describe the same forest using very different wording in a faerie fantasy au to a horror fantasy au for example, and it comes very naturally to me to just sit and set the scene before any pesky characters or dialogue get involved.

38: all the time! occasionally i get nostalgic for my own concepts, or reminded of them by friends or ao3 comments, and i’ll reread sections or whole fics then. it sounds a little arrogant, but sometimes my own fics are the only ones that scratch the itch for very specific content in my brain. it makes sense, i suppose. i wrote them exactly to my own taste, after all.

44: i tend to write linear these days! i’ll definitely plan future scenes (with the orchid, for example, i’d been waiting for weeks to get to the scene where minho admits he’d deactivate his own emotional processor if seungmin got hurt) but i tend to leave them hanging there as incentive to write the scenes leading up to them.

49: i guess the writing advice i’d give is to not be afraid of being a little bit weird? just genuinely write how you want to write, not in a way you think is good or that people will like. i find writing a lot more fun and fulfilling when i let myself use the bizarre metaphors and odd descriptors that i actually want to, rather than worrying that people won’t like or understand it.

thank you for asking these! they were a lot of fun; this ask game actually has a lot of really good ones. <3

What the heck am I doing? - from wp blog, 03/05/2020

Hello, dear visitor! I hope you have had a good week. Apologies for there being a slight delay in my posting - to be honest, I'm pleased with myself that I've started this at all. My brain is well and truly in a 'dwam', as they say in this lovely Scotland, and I just haven't managed to pull myself into the usual frame of mind for this kind of thing. Normally, like slightly irregular clockwork, I've managed to store up enough creative writing juices and motivation to greet you with a clear intent, but this evening I spent ten minutes staring at the empty title space alone. It's what gives the rest of the post a purpose, so I know what the heck I'm even talking about, what the point is - the struggle of choosing it (it was originally something completely different) brings me to the dilemma I've been having most of this week.

The week starting out as it will end, in a dwam, and I was okay with that (self-forgiveness and whatnot). It was thankfully brought to an end by the arrival of some cupcake earrings I'd ordered on ebay - something so small and simple, yet I'm the kind of person who can be absolutely delighted by such small and simple things. If I find something cute I can find happiness (that's probably why I'm so happy around my boyfriend <wow cheesy>).

I also phoned a long-time friend of mine, and it was so fulfilling to speak with someone I have such a long-standing connection with. It was so nice to have a good chat and laugh together - it's been a while since I've had so much genuine fun talking to someone. We caught up, talked about our past, present and future - the latter of which sat in the back of my mind, and then-

BOOM. The next 48 hours were filled with very crowded thinking. Thinking to the point that I've genuinely lost so much energy over it that I need to nap or zone out and work on a jigsaw puzzle, thinking to the point that my boyfriend gives me reassuring pats on the head every so often (I am, at heart, a dog). It's the kind of thinking that almost makes your head less clear. It felt like a massive mental deep-clean, in which I searched and questioned everything about who I was, what I wanted and therefore what I wanted in the future.

Now, I believe it's perfectly healthy and actually quite handy to have a good existential evaluation about what lies ahead, otherwise you'll be going in blind with all danger of getting lost in something you don't want. But there has to be balance, and after this week, I plan to focus more on what I can do now rather than what I might be doing in 3 years time. You can really get lost in your thoughts without the present moment to tie you down, as I did.

Boy, did I get truly and completely overwhelmed. And not the kind I normally associate with manifestations of anxiety, but just utter "Oh my god I've had so many thoughts about all the potential paths I could take in the future that I don't even know how to organise them and work out what I want". Looking at all the stars in a dark sky zone kind of overwhelmed. Sat in a room you're sorting through that's twenty times messier than when you began, kind of overwhelmed. And it's hard to come out of that - that's probably why I still feel dazed - but you have to for your own mental safety. Facing the plethora, the sheer multitude of options ahead of you can be like having too many browser tabs open, and make you want to just close it all and shut the whole operation down.

How do you cope? Well, use what you know, get into familiar mental territory again. For me, I've taken a step back and breathed. In moments of high overwhelmed-ness, time normally sorts things out, so I'm being patient and letting my brain naturally sort out all the thoughts at its own pace. In addition, I was fortunate enough to have both mums call me in this chaotic 48 hour period, and both helped me through the process, one giving me the timeless advice that "No one really ever knows what they're doing." That thought really helped calm down all the other thoughts I'd been having.

I feel like I've run a mental marathon of introspection, and I'm still pretty tired from it. But I've learned a lot about myself in the past week, some deep things, some trivial things, but I'll list them all down below (I would write a paragraph but to be honest could do with the clear-cut, concise nature of bulletpoints for this one):

- I care a lot about mental health, so am considering volunteering for Nightline when the next semester starts. It's a helpline run by university students, for university students. I was, for a moment, considering changing my whole path towards a career in the mental health field, but I've learned I don't have to be quite so dramatic and can test the waters through such voluntary work. No, thanks, Napier University, though I clicked on your website a couple times last week, you can stop advertising on my YouTube.

- I think it's important pre-university students are properly informed of some of the things they might face when at university. Being prepared for what university could actually be like, not the glossy pictures in the prospectuses or the motivational speeches from gap year students, but the reality - which is, like life, a mixture of good and bad, complex, and full of change. So, next academic year, I will finally email about doing an assembly at my old high school.

- I want to do well and try hard again. I've realised that since leaving private school in 2017, where I was constantly pushed to do my best, I've not actually been motivated by myself to try hard, only by others. But for the first time I have that feeling back (although possibly due to quarantine boredom), and genuinely want to see what I can achieve if I put the effort in. I've been forgiving myself, but now I actually want to live in a way that means I can actively praise myself. I want those 'eating out because I had a thriving parent's evening' vibes back.

- This is kind of related to the previous one, but I've realised having a bit of stress in life doesn't have to be negative. Without stress we wouldn't get anything done, and I think now I'm at a stage of relatively strong mental health, I'm ready to test-drive a little more pressure.

- I don't know what I want to work as, but I would love for it to involve writing and speaking Korean (and potentially Japanese and Thai). If it doesn't, that's okay, but I have at least three years to work on those skills and potentially get to the point where I could use them professionally. Whatever I do, I want it to impact the world positively (who doesn't?).

I'm ready to push myself again, starting gently. I'm using two sets of lists each day, one of very achievable ones ("Clean your teeth twice a day"), and one of slightly more challenging ones ("Write you blog" and "Post your blog" as two separate points so I can get twice the satisfaction). If I were some kind of motivational blogger, I'd probably ask, "How can you push yourself?", but honestly I think we're all dealing with enough without someone else's expectations shoved down our throats.

Ah, yes, I see you sigh as I finally include you in the conversation. Apologies, visitor, this one seems to have been a bit of a self-centered ramble. I hope it's readable, anyway, and that it might at least explain why it isn't so readable, if that's the case. For making it this far, I'll reward you with the next section in my story, and wish you a fulfilling week.

A submarine, breaking the warped grey glass by the harbour, but not a machine. Not an object, nothing robotic. Something essentially living, but not human. Human? Yes, maybe; with each moment of air it breathes it absorbs humanity’s lessons and learns. One limb, if you might call it that, latches onto the pavement; the other joins it, and it yanks itself upright into a towering essence. Still deciding, flickering flame, body of water like its birthing pool, taking the form of different identities – stealing.

It looks up and sees a couple pressing their gazes in its direction. It sees what they see: the very epitome of a nondescript character, maybe brown hair, or blonde, with casual fashionable clothes and a face that’s hard to look at. Yes, they don’t stare for long – can’t. Looking at it is like looking at the sun, too impossible, too painful to process. As soon as they cast a glance away, they forget, their minds protecting them.

It glitches up to the long walkway, flickering up; it doesn’t know how humans walk, or how it should travel, so it points its aim to where it wants to exist, and goes. Flash, or a wink, or a blink, and it’s there now, observing the two. Couple. Lovers. Love. It absorbs their essence, feeds on their minds. It approaches them, and she turns her head slowly, lolling a bit, weak for some reason.

“Sleep on rope?” it speaks, somewhere, somehow. She nods and falls forward on the railing. It moves on, turning its own head on the windows and the doors, or glass wall all repurposed as a door as all walls are, as everything is – everything is just particles, as is it, so it seeps in between and dances and transports itself, atom to atom.

It melts through the glass, two doubled-over humans swaying uncertainly behind. It sees a waitress walk by so it begins to walk, slower pace, joining the race. It makes its way up the stairs, through a café, onto the smooth walkway. “I really want to roller-skate on this floor,” echoes of a past energy’s thought passes through its being.

Huh. Roller-skates… It takes hold of that picture, fascinated, layers it up with all the memories it can pull from that energy. Manipulation. Below its non-form eight pink hard plastic wheels print out, followed by screws and a frame and the pink-and-white fabric of the shoes. It gazes, bemused, at the first material thing it has created. Roller-skates. What else?

It scans the population of the shopping centre. It’s a small sample, but it discovers one thing – they all have bodies. It needs a body, something to wear the roller-skates.

It moves forward a little hesitantly – it’s been a while since the person whose memories built them has actually used them – but then propels itself with a small boost of energy towards the nearest human being. It wraps around their wrist, seizing their hand. Something falls: a galaxy, they call it, something to do with space, clatters to the floor. She doesn’t understand how, doesn’t understand why she can’t move, or why she feels drained.

It tries to take her body, saps at her skin, drinks at her nails and hair and eyes and eyebrows. It watches with blank passiveness how her sockets sink in, she goes sallow, and the pulp of her meat cinches in like she’s being hoovered up from the inside. Straw, in a Starbucks drink. Slurp. It takes on a more palpable structure, a glowing shape of a human, the golden colour of energy, god-blood, ichor.

“Hey!” It looks over its shoulder and sees the ghostly imprints of the couple running towards it, teaching it morals, chastising its kill. And suddenly it shrieks with disgust at the woman it has taken from, her sunken shrivelled husk, and desperately sneezes out the essence it stole. She pings back, growing back to feel ninety-percent of her former self. She shakes her head, dazed, and reaches for her phone.

Phone. It learnt about phones, and internet-

It knocks the woman out the way and snatches the device and absorbs freely. Machines are fine to kill. Deicide. Eat the rich. It gapes open the portal that is its mouth and takes in all that information, all the gigabytes of data from the phone and then terabytes from the internet and selects its body parts.

The woman is passed out and slumped against the side of the escalator. People take notice, eventually. A man makes a show of stepping forward in front of his girlfriend. He pauses. Someone is beginning to appear next to her. He screws his eyes shut, shakes his head, forgets what he cannot understand. He looks again. The impossible is still fading fuller before his eyes. He faints. His girlfriend is too busy tending to him to look and faint too.

It is developing, growing, adult foetus, cell by cell, skin stretching, limbs taking place. It holds onto the first person it stole from and takes her face, merges her facial features with the average of female society’s. Average height. Blonde-ish, shoulder-length hair, brown eyes. Or, at least, they are brown so long as it manages to control the vastness of energy within, or else they’re a pulsating gold.

Physical. Finally. Body, wearing roller-skates. They look around, aim where to go next.

“Hey!” someone shouts to the small, spread-out crowd. “That woman’s naked!”

They tilt their head and process what that means. Naked means harmless, means freedom, means relaxing in a Korean bathhouse. No fear there. They glance down at their chest, down at the floor, through the floor. Down there, let’s go. But they can’t glitch through like it used to, so they skate round and down the escalator beyond the woman’s body, defying and controlling physics. The memory’s voice tells it to get clothes, so they glide into H&M, an uncertain trail following their actions, strangers grouping to glue their eyes on the shock.

They take an average of the shop and put on an outfit, piece by piece, as they wander around the space. A lace bra and boxer shorts, red turtleneck, khaki jeans, black boots, brown trench coat and felt hat. They’re not sure how they feel about being clothed, but they feel a lot better once they see the police running through the door.

“Not naked anymore,” they smile, and let the two officers grab either arm, knowing they are safe.

“You’re in the wrong world, honey,” one of them hisses, and they glitch, impossibly, out of that H&M across city, across worlds, into the Pentagram Police Processing Unit.

5 Easy-to-follow tips to improve work-life balance – Mr. Harish Jagtani

 The term ‘work-life balance’ may seem simple, but it is quite another thing to experience in real life. We are all familiar with demands piling up on one side of the work-life scale and taking up all our precious time and, at the same time, unfulfilled dreams and desires growing on the other side. And they slowly draw us into a fuzzy feeling of discontent. So, let us find out the benefits of work-life balance because they have far-reaching consequences and are good for both you and your company.

Studies show that after employees work 50 hours or more, their output falls considerably. It drops sharply after 55 hours. They also found that workers after reaching 70 hours a week do not produce anything extra in the additional 15 hours. On the other hand, when individuals feel supported and engaged, their physiology responds with a mix of happy neurochemicals and makes them feel more connected, creative, and collaborative.

So, what should you do to make yourself feel fulfilled and engaged as a complete human being? And how do you avoid mental exhaustion and display your best self? Here are a few tips to enhance your work-life balance…

Prioritize Your Top Tasks

There are certain things on our to-do list that are more fulfilling than those most critical and anxiety-inducing responsibilities. If you focus on these first, you will feel more accomplished and productive throughout the day. This will also help you go home with a peaceful mind.

Plan Personal Time in Advance

Connect with family and friends more to make sure your personal time is fulfilling. You may connect digitally, but try to meet them physically, as well. Take time off electronic gadgets for a certain amount of time every day or over the weekend so that you can give your full attention to your loved ones and try to enjoy the activities that have more importance in your life. Experts say that we should try to follow a routine that includes some amount of time for ourselves that is not related to our jobs.

Balance can be tricky to achieve. But you can try the above-mentioned steps to find ways to make work feel less consuming. And make time to pursue some other passion in your life—some hobby or sport even during challenging times.

Add Exercise to Your Routine

Regular exercise is very healthy and is recommended by doctors always. It can even bring a visible improvement in your productivity. Similar to finishing important tasks early in the day, going for a run or working out can provide you with a sense of achievement and take you through the remaining of the day. This list of ideas will hopefully help you find and reach your goal of finding a better work-life balance.

Pursue Any Passion or Hobby

Dedicating time, resources and effort to something that you are passionate about is a very good way of boosting your morale while also making a meaningful impact within your society. Giving back can be rewarding and provide you with a sense of purpose that goes beyond your office and home.

Take Breaks Regularly

Taking breaks regularly is very important because they help you recharge your batteries and prepare for the responsibilities ahead. This might include taking time away from your desk if your schedule allows and also getting enough sleep at night. Don’t burn the candle at both ends because it may bring a short-term boost to production, but will be counter-productive in the long run.

About the Author

Mr. Harish Jagtani, a philanthropist, visionary, businessman of Indian origin, currently based in Democratic Republic of Congo for more than 20 years now, is one of the most reputed business owners in the Indian diaspora as well as the entire expat business community in DRC. The business house caters to multiple domains, including but not limited to Domestic as well as International Air Cargo, real Estate and infrastructure development, healthcare, hospitality as well as CSR.

Coming from humble beginnings from Jaipur, Rajasthan, Mr. Harish Jagtani has come a long way in building this conglomerate with a strong and clear vision, sheer dedication and grit. Starting with a small job in sales, Mr. Harish Jagtani today is a proud and righteous owner of a fleet of airplanes and multiple businesses that cater to the basic and advanced needs of the people of Dem. Rep. of Congo in different sectors

Certificate III Patisserie chef course have found excellent and lucrative employment opportunities in some of the finest restaurants across the Globe

If you are a culinary enthusiast, it might make sense to consider a serious career in the confectionery industry in Sydney. Anyone who likes to cook different dishes and try new recipes for fun can have a rewarding and self-fulfilling career as a chef in a good restaurant or hotel – the job opportunities for culinary school graduates are great, let alone a degree in Patisserie chef course.

When you enjoy cooking, cooking will never seem like a boring job – it will be a creative process and a lot of fun. For example, why not consider attending a celebrity-recognized bakery and confectionery school? There are many success stories in this part of Patisserie Arts and many who hold Certificate III at Patisserie chef course Sydney have found excellent and lucrative employment opportunities in some of the finest restaurants across the country.

Any good restaurant can be used for food preparation, presentation etc. will have more than one leader responsible for different aspects. The so-called short time cook occupies the lowest position on the hierarchy ladder. A Patisserie chef course Sydney certificate that you can earn from a quality pastry school, perhaps even an associate degree, will take you much further and your financial incentive, namely your salary, will increase accordingly.

In general, pastry and confectionery professionals are among the elite of the culinary arts industry, so a quality pastry and confectionery school can do a great job of preparing you for a successful start in a career in the culinary industry. In addition, many confectioners have started their own private businesses after gaining significant experience and skills in various prestigious positions in the confectionery industry.

One of the key factors of a successful pastry chef is an innate creative talent. Every professional confectioner is always also a kind of artist; He combines his talent with the professional knowledge and skills acquired at the confectionery school, as well as practical experience – this is how mixing ordinary ingredients turns into a real masterpiece.

Professional pastry chefs take their job very seriously and above all you have to be willing to work very, very hard – around 50 hours a week, including nights and weekends! If you are not willing to make such compromises, it is better to stay between amateur cooks and hobbyists. The career path of professional confectionery training is not your thing!

Depending on your professional inclinations, you should choose your pastry program or school. If you are willing to make certain sacrifices and endure rigorous and demanding training and apprenticeship, as most professional pastry chefs do, a career as a pastry chef could be your true calling in life.

That’s the bitter truth of a career as a professional pastry chef. Otherwise, you should choose a home cooking school that is significantly simpler and less demanding. Such programs and courses are offered by other institutions such as specialized cooking schools and community colleges. Amateur cake baking programs have become very popular recently. In most cases, such hobby programs are of very good quality because they are run by great professionals, real experienced pastry chefs with a high reputation in the industry, so you will definitely benefit from this type of pastry chef education!

The second important point when making a serious decision to become a pastry chef is finding a suitable school to complete your education. An important step, because your training as a pastry chef is a long-term investment in your professional career and should therefore be more suitable.

First, the Certificate or Certificate III in the Patisserie course Sydney program must be in good standing and accredited. This is a critical situation. Certification from an accredited school is always well accepted and respected by any employer around the world when you start looking for your first entry level pastry chef job.

The Certificate or Certificate III Patisserie chef course program must be in good standing and accredited

Second, try to find out about additional services that a school has to offer, such as B. Best Cooking Schools: amenities, trainers, kitchen service functions, employment services, diplomas and more. In addition, some schools offer scholarships and financial aid to students with financial difficulties. You can take out a student loan to pay back your professional salary later. As you can see, it is very important to choose a good and reputable culinary arts school with accredited status – this way your career prospects will look much more promising.

Certificate III at Patisserie course Sydney does much more than just show the surrogate how to heat the bread. Sophomores who wish to become successful bread shop graduates should choose bread shop school courses that provide the skills needed for a career in the food preparation industry, particularly the heating business. A confectionery degree from a high-performing institute opens up a universe of possibilities. A look at the job offers is enough to see that skilled bakers are in demand and wages are undoubtedly above average.

Generally, at Patisserie chef course Sydney the Quality Certificate III is part of a widely recognized food processing competency which can be considered accreditation in its own right, or you can complete the full certification course to progress into a much more prestigious range of careers. preparation industry.

You must choose a pastry course to learn from an institute that prepares you for the different aspects of pastry or confectionery. You should learn techniques for cake making, icing or icing, frosting the top layers of the cake, decorating and more. You should also choose an institute that teaches you how to make chocolate, jelly, veggie puffs, candy, sweeter and spicier breads, fun cocktails or cocktails. This will give you all the information you need to start your own bakery or trendy restaurant in town. Look to Patisserie chef course Sydney for the amazing Certificate III which will train you in the many and varied aspects of confectionery.

When choosing the right patisserie institute, you should also look for an institution that issues internationally recognized certificates to its students. Accreditation by the American Culinary Federation or in the UK would be appropriate along with table accreditation. Even if you can settle abroad, you can take pastry courses in Australia.

You can also prepare cakes, donuts, pastries, and chocolates for your family and loved ones. Giving the gift of a cake or pastry adds a personal touch, followed by gift cards or ceramic dolls.

If you are looking for one of the most prestigious Certificate IV Patisserie Courses at Patisserie Sydney Australia, look for one that can provide you with the right internship opportunities. You would like to start studying confectionery as a chef after completing a module or after receiving your certificates. Otherwise, you might want to take advantage of lucrative offers in holiday homes or five-star hotels to make these delicious baked goods and delicious baked goods.

You should also look for an institute that offers independent workspaces and a modern kitchen counter with the right bakery tools and equipment to make the baking process a clean, orderly, and hassle-free business.

For getting more information visit here VIT – Victorian Institute of Technology

14/123 Queen St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

hi i’m an istj. i fear the problem im going to describe is resolved by being more Te proactive and taking on more leader responsibilities and failing. just typing that out makes me feel burned out and miserable. anyway i get involved with groups that align with my values to get things done but it always feels like i somehow join things that aren’t as efficient as i’d want them to be or stagnate. at the same time that i have strong opinions about what to do i resent having to take on more responsibility to enact it. i want to be part of an established, moral, process/group but it seems like everything is in flux all the time. just making sure: is this Te-Ne dysfunction ?

Your question is about type development. An important aspect of type development is understanding the weaknesses and flaws of your type, in terms of the ways that your type tends to misuse functions. You seem to believe that your problem boils down to a simple lack of desire to lead in group situations (weak Te?), but it probably goes far deeper than that.

Si-Ne problems often manifest as a general aversion to change, specifically, unwillingness to change how one looks at a situation, which would then significantly alter one's approach to it. Imbalance between Si and Ne becomes a very unhealthy stubbornness when one is also prone to Si-Fi loop that thinks in terms of pure absolutes. In essence, you believe what you believe and you want what you want, and nothing and nobody can break through that mental wall. Perhaps not even you.

Auxiliary development is meant to help with Si extremes and Si-Fi loop stubbornness by making you care more about empirical facts (Te) than your frustration (Fi). It isn't always easy to develop the auxiliary function when you come to believe that it interferes with what makes Si feel most comfortable (e.g. "just typing that out makes me feel burned out and miserable"). If using the auxiliary function feels so "tiring", it doesn't mean that you should avoid using it. Quite the contrary. It's an indication that you haven't yet learned to use it properly, which means further development is necessary.

Te wants efficiency, that much is true. However, what separates immature Te from mature Te is how exactly one conceptualizes "efficiency". When Te is immature, one has a very rudimentary understanding of how to be efficient. For example, one is likely to believe that efficiency is achieved through assertiveness or even brute force, i.e., "making" things happen despite all the obstacles in the way. Is it any wonder that using Te feels tiring, then? You're essentially forcing yourself to swim against the current. Si doms are painfully aware that their energy is finite, so they quickly run out of steam.

However, Te isn't really about mustering up energy. This is not what makes TJs smart, strong, and formidable. Mature Te conceptualizes efficiency as reducing the amount of energy required whenever possible, which is why they have a lot of energy to take on very heavy workloads - some people call it "working smart". This is done through facing the empirical facts of a situation head on and learning to work closely with them, which makes it far easier to make them work in your favor.

Your problem requires a two pronged attack:

Are you able to change how you look at situations in order to improve your approach (to address Si-Ne imbalance)?

Are you able to face the empirical facts of the situation and work with them rather than against them (to develop better use of Te)?

Wanting to be part of a process/group that aligns with your values in order to enact some good in the world is an admirable thing to strive for. Presumably, the other people involved in the group have the same sense of mission, otherwise, they wouldn't have joined. However, what you fail to take into account is that people aren't generally single-minded.

Human beings are complex because they are motivated by a multitude of factors, whether they realize it or not. They are full of psychological conflicts, contradictory desires, irrational impulses, old baggage, and unconscious bad habits. And when you bring people together, all that stuff comes out and creates complicated entanglements. A "group" only becomes a "team" when it is able to overcome those psychological obstacles together, and it can be a very long process of learning how to maximize strengths and mitigate weaknesses in every individual member. That's why a lot of groups simply fall apart. While your intention to join the group seems simple and straightforward (because Si-Te is admirable in its ability to keep things simple and straightforward), other people's intentions might not be so simple. If you fail to take into account the irrational aspects of human nature, you will cause yourself needless suffering.

Your frustration with people is likely a manifestation of your unrealistic expectations of them. Perhaps you aren't able to understand people who don't resemble you, let alone work with them. And you will certainly be doomed to fail if the only way Te knows to deal with individual differences is to force everyone to become more like you. That's an impossible task, not because it requires the energy of a thousand suns as you assume, but because you're choosing to fight against reality. Mature Te would advise that you should first face down the empirical facts of how people operate if you hope to discover the most effective way to influence them. Your repeated experience of feeling disenchanted with groups tells you that you're missing an important piece of knowledge about groups and how they operate.

I'll give you a very simple example from my own life. I used to gather with a group of 30-50 people once a week to conduct planned discussions. The discussions never really started on time despite everyone being in their seats because people weren't focused enough at the start of the session. There was often whispering and sidetalking and such that would go on for about half an hour before the room felt settled and focused.

One method of addressing the problem arose organically. Whoever was the main speaker simply started shushing people and it became a thing. Sometimes, it would even escalate to calling people out, like a teacher scolding a student in a classroom. This definitely made the social atmosphere less inviting and more tense. Sure, people would shut up after being called out, but they became less focused due to seething with resentment. Power struggles aren't great for group morale, especially if it's supposed to be a group of equals coming together for a common cause.

It all sounds quite childish, but these kinds of judgments are useless. You can call people childish, inefficient, incompetent, etc etc, but it doesn't solve the problem. And, worse, being judgmental blocks you from understanding people better and working with them. Perhaps an ISTJ would see this as a "mess", an "inefficiency" that wastes time, and evidence of bad character when people break the rules.

However, if you change the way you look at the situation, you might not be so quick to make such judgments. Actually, it's kind of weird for a bunch of people who know each other well to enter a room and immediately sit down quietly. Humans have a natural tendency to socialize as a way to strengthen interpersonal bonds. Isn't group cohesiveness a good thing, since it encourages better cooperation? If you are able to see the benefits of their chatty behavior and how it contributes to group cohesiveness, then instead of fighting against it, you would think of ways to harness it.

The real problem wasn't inefficiency; inefficiency was merely the symptom. The more primary problem was that a lot of people joined the group not just to "get things done", but also to make friends. The structure of the event denied them from fulfilling that important need and then they were more likely to act out. This problem was discovered when people had a chance to talk about what was frustrating them, which meant that the group had to make space to conduct some uncomfortable conversations.

To address the problem, the group eventually decided that the first 15 minutes would be devoted to socializing and allowing people to catch up, with the explicit promise to get down to business when the time was up. Some people brought drinks, others brought snacks. Some even showed up early to have more time to socialize. It enlivened people and enriched their relationships. Being "officially" allowed to get the chattiness out of their system, they were better able to sit down and focus on the planned agenda. The meeting felt like fun rather than a chore. And if you're interested in a cause, don't you want to recruit more people to support it? Making things more fun is one good way to attract support. You can look at it as wasting 15 minutes OR you can look at it as a 15 minute investment.

Solutions to human problems require:

cognitive empathy: figuring out what's really going on inside people's heads (in Te terms it means working only with the empirical facts of the situation, rather than indulging negative Fi judgments)

strategy: taking the time to work with people and figuring out the best way to help them get over obstacles (in Te terms it means investing energy early and wisely to maximize your returns later, rather than putting effort into the wrong places or only stepping in to tackle mere symptoms of the problem)

creativity: harnessing natural human tendencies to produce something useful or worthwhile (in Te terms in means taking what's already there and transforming it into a NET positive, rather than getting too fixated on every little negative detail and losing sight of the bigger picture)

Te can be a great function for dealing with human problems as long as you overcome the immature aspects of it, such as impatience, bluntness, or inflexibility. Every person is unique, so every group is different. Let go of the idea that there is only one way to approach a problem/conflict and you will start to be more creative in your approach. By accepting the fact that things are always in flux and using empirical evidence to understand and predict how change works, TJs become much more effective and efficient at everything they do. When it comes to people, meeting someone different from you is an opportunity to learn how to deal with that kind of person. The more knowledge you have of human psychology under your belt, the better you get at dealing with people's weird or negative tendencies. If a strategy works, use it again. If it doesn't work, adjust it to fit their psychology better.

In your situation, you see the problem as people being inefficient, so your inclination is to step forward and do something to "make" them more efficient. Humans aren't built with the prime directive to be efficient. They're not machines. Their psychology is messy, so trying to force them to behave like a machine is to force them to go against their psychology. In other words, you're choosing the least efficient approach. The more efficient approach, though it requires more intelligent thinking on your part (you want to become more intelligent, right?), is to properly understand the more primary problem of what's really causing them to be so inefficient in the first place. That is the way to discover the right strategy. If you are able to target those obstacles at the very root, efficiency improves more naturally.

Oftentimes, working smart doesn't require you to step up and be THE leader for everyone. As an introvert, it's probably more comfortable for you to work behind the scenes to talk to people, get a better idea of what they need and/or what problems they're experiencing, and incrementally remove the obstacles that are preventing them from focusing on what they should be focused on. You can't fix everything all at once, so just do what you can to fix what you are able to fix at any given point in time. It's a process and some progress is better than no progress.

Ransom’s Hallmark Moment

Pairing: Ransom Drysdale x Reader

Word Count: 4300

Warnings: Language, drinking, smut including unprotected sex (imagine that birth control), Ransom's bad attitude and Ransom being soft (what?!)

A/N: written for the Hoelentine's Day Challenge hosted by @chrissquares @amythedvdhoarder and @drabblewithfrannybarnes

My giftee is Heather @hevans-angel and I hope I've been able to fulfill some of your wishes you sweet lady!

So much appreciation for @stargazingfangirl18 and @drabblewithfrannybarnes for helping me and being so supportive and creative! Now, on to the fic!

Aside from the date on the calendar, it feels like a typical Sunday. You got a lot done around the house, allowed yourself some time to relax and baked enough for a small army. Wiping the last of the crumbs away, you proudly look over the pile of treats ready to be given out the next day at work - all sweet and sprinkled and festive in pink and red. Spending the day baking, relaxed and comfortable with old episodes of ‘Bewitched’ on for company is just what you needed before starting another week. Plus, you aren't really alone. There's always Andy.

The wind suddenly blows hard, shaking the windows. You glance outside at the darkened sky, noticing the heavy sheets of snow falling to the ground.

“Shit,” you hiss, making your way to the back door and opening it, “Andy!”

You wait a moment and shout again, “Andy! Come on in!” followed by a series of whistles.

Nothing.

“Oh no, no no please no, not again,” you whine, heading back into the kitchen to find your phone already ringing. You scrunch up your face in a grimace as you answer as sweetly as possible, “Hello?”

“Missing something?”

You roll your eyes, “Yes, I was just about to call you.”

“Yeah, well, he’s here of course. If you don’t get here soon, I might call animal control.”

“You always say that, Ransom, but I know you like him. I’ve seen the water bowl and that old tennis ball by the front walkway.”

“That’s from the housekeeper.”

“Mmhmm, sure. You know I’ll be right there. I’m sorry.”

“Sure you are, see you soon angel.”

You scoff at the nickname. He’s always using a sweet one on you, while calling your dog something far less endearing like hellhound, or fleabag, or even Cujo. The first time he said that one, you looked over at your Lab/Husky mix, with his ears perked at attention and tongue lolling out from his dopey dog smile and laughed like you hadn’t in a long time.

Ransom was less amused.

For some reason, when you moved to the little cottage house set back into the woods, your dog decided to treat himself to adventures which almost always ended with him in front of the wall of windows at Ransom’s home smearing his nose, and drool and mud all over the panes of glass. 

That first pickup was not encouraging. You’d been out searching and going down the long driveways of your neighbors to search until you found him at Ransom’s, sitting and thumping his tail against the ground and staring at Ransom through the window, who for his part, stood with his arms crossed and scowling down at your dog.

That was the first time he told you to keep him contained or he’d call animal control. 

You gave him your number, begging him to call you instead if it happened again. After a few weeks the promise of calling animal control was more of a joke than a threat.

Half the time you were already on your way over, having noticed the dog had taken off, but the other half, it was a grumpy call from Ransom, complaining about being harassed by some wild beast. Apparently the ability to spin a tale was a family trait.

By the time you got there, Andy would usually be tired out from his little journey and be waiting for you to leash him, allowing you and Ransom to get caught up in conversation. And so began an awkward-sometimes tense-sometimes flirty almost-friendship with the man. You were equal parts grateful and pissed at Andy, because of course he would go out of his furry little way to make an ass of you in front of the most handsome man you’ve seen in real life. Tall, broad-shouldered, stoic and reserved, plus cocky to top it all off - the man was checking boxes left and right.

Weeks later, Ransom was still those things, but also sarcastic, witty, a bit playful and very charming when he was in the mood. You caught the appreciative looks he gave your body when you approached (not that he really tried to hide them), and you allowed yourself moments to linger on his features as well. Your little conversations on his front walkway almost always turned flirty, at least until Andy made his impatient presence known by tugging at the leash or barking to get your attention. 

You pack up some cookies, cupcakes, and truffles you made to make some sort of peace offering, grab the leash, and head out to retrieve your little trouble-maker. The thick, wet flakes are heavy, and make the journey down the wood-lined roads slower than usual.

You pull up, squinting through the falling snow, unable to see Andy in his usual spot. You see Ransom walk through the house and to the door, waving you inside, so you hurry from the car, head ducked down to try to avoid the chill and wedge your way in, shaking away the snow once you feel the warmth inside.

“He’s in my garage,” he tells you in lieu of an actual greeting, moving away as you shake off the snow.

“What? You let him inside?”

“Not inside-inside, but yeah. I know better than to leave a pet out in that. Christ. And you know, I keep telling you, princess if you want to see me, you don’t have to keep sending that mutt over as an excuse.”

“Yeah, sure. But what a waste of all that training,” you quip back. It’s almost a routine at this point.

You roll your eyes when he gives you an over exaggerated, proud smile. You immediately want to roll your eyes again because of how good that stupid smile looks on him, too. Your gaze can’t help but travel up and down the length of him, long legs, slim hips that go up to those broad shoulders, all encased in a heavy sweater...with holes torn at the lower hem and at the stomach.

Without thinking, you rush forward to grab the frayed yarn cringing at the idea of needing to replace the expensive garment, “Oh no, did he do this? I know he gets jumpy when he’s excited.”

“No, he didn’t,” he wipes at the front of this stomach. “It’s fine. It’s just like that.”

He can’t even say anything else before you start with more apologizing and rambling, “I am so, so sorry. I swear I only left him out there for a few minutes so he could play in the snow, and he’s been so good. And here,” you thrust the package at him, “I made some food and I hope you have a sweet tooth, and I know it doesn’t make up for the inconvenience and-”

“What’s this?” he asks, shaking it slightly and breaking up your word vomit.

“Uh, it-it’s just like some cookies and stuff that I made.”

“What for?”

“For Valentine’s Day. I made a bunch of stuff because at work we’re doing a thing tomorrow, so-”

“No, I mean why are you giving these to me?”

“Oh,” you hadn’t thought you would need to explain, “Um, neighborly kindness? Gratitude? Because it’s Valentine’s Day?”

“Huh. Does this make you my Valentine?” He laughs and turns on his heel, walking away toward where you can see is the kitchen area. 

“For some reason, you don’t strike me as the sweet and cuddly Valentine type,” you call after him, hearing him chuckle in response.

You wait in the foyer for what feels like too long, just listening as he moves around, opens and closes cabinets and goes on like you’re not there. You look around uncertain what you’re expected to do since you usually don’t make it past the doorway until you decide to pull off your boots and hang your jacket over a chair set near the door. You follow the path he made into the kitchen.

“Sooo. Like I was trying to say, I don’t want to bother you,” you say quietly, “I will just grab Andy and head on home.”

“You really wanna drive with that going on?” he gestures to the window. When you look, it’s practically a blizzard and your car is covered in a fresh, thick layer already.

“Shit,” you rub at the side of your face, nervous at the idea of navigating the roads, but just as anxious to not irritate the man staring you down from across the counter. “Not really. Where’s Andy? I wanna check on him.”

He points to a door down the hall. “Garage is through there.”

You make your way through the house with your jaw clenched, unsure with what you might find knowing that Ransom’s not exactly a fan of dogs. So opening the door he pointed to and finding your dog curled up on an old tarp with that familiar worn-out tennis ball, a full water bowl, all cozy and warm inside the otherwise empty garage is not what you expected at all. 

Your dog lifts his head, tail thumping against the floor as you approach, but he seems worn out from his romp through the snow, so you let him settle down after making sure he’s alright and head back to Ransom in the living room. A small smile in place of your grimace from a few moments before.

“The garage is heated,” Ransom tells you from his seat on the couch. “Figured he’d be alright in there. Can’t do much damage.”

“That’s...that’s really great.” You’re caught off-guard by the thoughtfulness of it. “Thanks for setting him up. I’ll just wait until it slows down and head back out, don’t want to mess up any plans you had.”

He laughs at that, hard and loud. “No, in fact you and the mutt gave me the perfect out from a family thing.”

“Oh really, don’t let us keep you.”

“Oh no, I’m too busy being a hero during the snowstorm,” he answers dryly, letting silence hang in the air for a few moments afterward. “Drink?” he offers.

“A hero? That’s the excuse you’re giving them?” You try to wave off the drink offer, but then he points back outside. 

“I think we’ve got some time on our hands. And yeah, makes for a great story, doesn’t it?” he chuckles to himself. 

You glance back to the wall of windows, seeing nothing but swirling white and sighing, “Sure, might as well. But just to let you know, Andy might not be thrilled that you’re using him as an excuse.”

He smiles and gets up from the sofa to pour you each a glass, then turns back and holds yours out to you, “I know a girl, I think she might be willing to put in a good word for me.”

You take a sip of your drink to hide your grin and sit on the sofa when he does.

A little while goes by and despite the somewhat awkward start to the situation, he’s not bad company. Andy is still content with his set-up, nearly ready to tuck in for the night when you check on him again later. When you return, Ransom’s opened the box of goodies, happily making a dent in the whiskey dark chocolate truffles you piled in there.

“So, you’re sure we’re not interrupting anything? No lady or ladies or even gentlemen you planned to entertain?” You ask as you settle back onto the sofa, closer to the center. Ransom had ignited the fireplace while you were up, dimming the lights and letting the orange flames illuminate the space in front of you.

“Will you drop it already? Nothing aside from the usual family obligation to show up, deal with passive aggressive bullshit, then some outright aggressive bullshit, and watching the show when it all implodes. I am happy to let a pretty girl and her big, messy dog give me an excuse to stay home.”

You laugh, trying to brush off the compliment thrown in there, “Hard to believe you want to miss out on all that. Sounds like a real special time.”

“Very special,” he drawls. He wipes some crumbs off his fingers as he shakes his head before adding, “Trust me this is much better.” He tosses his arm over the back of the couch, letting it fall on your shoulders and force you to lean a bit further into him. 

“Yeah,” you mutter as you look down to your feet and fumble a string of syllables of incomplete words as you try to remind yourself to not read too much into what he’s saying.

“Oh, come on.” He picks up the slack in the conversation when you still don’t manage to say anything else for a few moments, leaning into your space as he breaks the silence. “So, I finally have you all to myself and you’re gonna be shy for me?”

You look up at him, eyes wide and heat rising in your cheeks and chest. “What?”

The hand not wrapped over you reaches out and pushes your chin up, closing your mouth which dropped into an ‘o’ of surprise. His thumb slides up to trace at the pout of your lip.

“Please, baby girl. Neither of us is very subtle. I don’t really do romance, but we’ve got a fire going, we’re stuck in a snowstorm, and I’ve been wanting to get you all to myself since that mutt first showed up over here. If that isn’t some panty-soaking Hallmark crap right there, then I don’t know what is.”

That makes you laugh, which makes him laugh right along with you. The tension has shaken loose and your smile is uncontrollable. It’s ridiculous - the scenario, his words, that he can read you so well, that he isn’t wrong. 

“Hard to believe you don’t have women knocking down your door with all that to offer.”

“Just one woman, and her very stupid dog.”

“Hey,” you start in offense, but still move in when he does, smiling into the kiss. It’s chaste and soft for brief seconds before lips part and your tongues meet. His hands waste no time to pull you closer, tugging you along and making you shift on your knees until he pulls you over him to straddle his lap.

You’re grabbing at everything you can, bunching his thick sweater in your hands, then sliding up and down over his shoulders and biceps, appreciating how solid he feels beneath you. Until finally, you rake your fingers into his hair, ruffling it a bit and then grasping it tightly at the crown to pull his head back, drawing a short moan from his throat.

He tilts back into the pull and you lift yourself up higher on your knees to keep your lips together. When your hands finally let go, allowing him to ease the arch of his neck, you take your time sliding your body down against his torso, pushing your core over the hard bulge in his slacks.

“You gotta ride me, baby.” It sounds like an order, not an option.

Yes. You aren’t sure if you say it out loud, but you feel the air leave your lungs in a rush and your body quivers at just the thought. You don’t care if this is quick, or rushed, or frantic - it’s exactly what you want rightfuckingnow.

His palms rest at the edge of your hip bones, fingers spread and digging into your sides and just slightly pushing and pulling you to get some pressure where you feel that he’s hard.

You reach down, covering his hands with yours and pull them up your sides under your sweater, not so much encouraging as demanding that he move things along. He gets with the program quickly and pushes the sweater up, separating your lips long enough to take it off then pulling you back as quickly as he can. His hands find their own way to the clasp of your bra, making quick work of removing it as well and eagerly touching every inch of bare skin.

When you both start to pant, breaths coming out hard and shaky, he moves his lips to tickle the skin on your cheek, down to your jaw, along the curve there and onto your neck. He sucks at the sensitive skin, nibbling and dragging his teeth when he gets focused on a single sensitive spot that makes you whine out loud. 

Your head hangs down to the side, letting him work his way down the column of skin there and sinking into the loose, ragdoll feeling as your body just gives in to every sensation of pleasure. His arms squeeze you against him while he keeps pushing his hips up and into you, teasing you with hints of pressure where you are starting to feel empty and needy.

“Yes,” you gasp, definitely out loud this time. “Yes,” over and over, every time he does something whether it is with his tongue, or his fingers - his blunt nails digging into the sides of your ribs to hold you tightly in place, or the twist of your hips as he lifts his own up against you.

It’s so much, and you’ve only just lost your shirt. It’s not worth waiting anymore. Your mind is set now to just get what you want.

You push away from him. He slowly comes to, eyes glazed and unfocused, a low mutter of “the fuck” slurred from his lips. Before he can reach for you, you lift off him. Your legs are shaky, but you stand as steadily as you can, undoing the button and zipper and pulling down your jeans and panties in a single push.

He watches for a second, then reaches behind him, gripping the neck of his sweater and hauling it up and over his head. He reveals almost exactly what you were hoping for - solid, defined muscles and smooth skin - but there’s more. Hair across his pecs and in a line down the center of his abs, and freckles dotting everywhere on his fair skin. You want to caress and trace every one, run your fingers along imaginary paths and press against him - but it can wait. It’s got to wait.

Impatiently, you kneel, kicking the legs of your pants away and shuffling forward to reach for his belt. His hands settle at his side, flexing, but letting you do what you seem to be compelled to do. You fling the ends of the belt apart and pull at the button and then the zipper, already salivating at the mingling scent of his cologne and sex.

He straightens his hips, lifting from the couch to allow you to shove his boxers and pants down his legs, his cock pulling with them, then bouncing back up once freed. It throbs, slightly bobbing with a rush of arousal and you can’t help but admire the thickness of it, the swollen head that glistens with smeared pre-come.

Heat burns over your skin, and when you look up at Ransom, he’s clearly feeling the same. His cheeks are flushed in patches of pink, his lips red, swollen, and parted as he lets out short, shaky breaths, hair hanging loose and disheveled. It’s more than you hoped for, and it’s disgusting how perfect he looks. 

As much as you want to tease, to keep this view while you swallow him down and taste him, your pussy throbs. You promise yourself again to take more time with him later, to lick and suck and taste him the way you want, but you can’t resist at least a taste. You grab his shaft, leaning in to swallow him deeply - just once - and draw a shocked moan from him before pulling off and pushing up from your knees, humming at the taste of him.

“Damn, princess. I thought I was going to ruin you, but fuck, you’re good.” He reaches forward as you’re moving up, his hand grabbing at the back of your head to guide you. He pulls a bit at your hair when you’re back up to the couch and spreading your thighs wide over his. His free hand reaches between your legs swirling through your wet, sensitive slit and pressing the heel of his palm hard against your clit.

“Later,” he promises, “I’m gonna taste your pussy. Gonna lick it all up.” He pulls his hand away and sucks away your juices as they drip down his fingers. The promise is so dirty it makes your breath shake in anticipation. You stare into each others’ eyes, admiring the wreckage between you and moving without guidance to seat yourself on top. 

You gasp when you finally feel the hot, hard line of him pressed against your pussy. It feels so thick, and you’re eager to feel the stretch of him pushing inside. You lock your arms around his neck, pushing your breasts together, nipples peaking as they drag along the coarse hair on his chest. 

The lips of your pussy spread over his cock, coating him with your slick. His cockhead rubs over your clit, making you shudder and suck in stuttering breath, and that’s it. You can’t take it anymore.

“Can I have your cock?” Deep down, you know you don’t really need to ask. 

“Yeah,” he adjusts his hips, scooting himself out a little further to give you more room to settle against him. “You’re gonna fucking ride me, princess. Come all over me.”

“Uh huh,” you breathe out, high and airy.

He takes one hand off you, using two fingers to angle his cock toward you. You lift up on your knees, tipping your hips until you feel him against your entrance. You pause for a brief second to ready yourself, then sink down, taking him all in at once.

The stretch makes you groan, the static-like buzzing mix of ache and pleasure spreading all over and making you throw your head back and deepen the moan.

He huffs out a few quick breaths. “That’s it, oh that pussy is so good. So fucking good, princess,” he mumbles.

Then his hands are back on your hips, warm against the bare skin and strong when he digs the tips of his fingers in to pull you further down, “This cock filling you up? Huh?”

All you can manage is another high-pitched, “Uh-huh,” while you start to roll your hips, barely lifting as you shift back and forth to grind against him, your walls still squeezing him tight.

“Come on, let go, baby,” he whispers, his mouth tight against your ear. Your arms loosen their grip around his neck and you place your hands instead on the muscles flexing at the tops of his shoulders. 

You move your knees to get them comfortable and then finally push yourself off him, sliding and gasping as you feel the head of his cock catching just at your entrance again, and after another silent beat, you slide back down, taking his hard length again.

With the space given, he dips his mouth to your breasts, swirling and suckling at your nipples, Harsh, fast sucks followed by quick nips when he catches the hard peaks in between his teeth until you gasp and moan. Only then does he switch it up, his tongue gently rolling over the bud, soothing the stinging ache.

All the while you roll your hips and the burn, the push, the fullness of him inside you is drugging. Your eyes fall closed as you focus on the steadily growing tingle low in your belly.

You start to chase it with slow, dragging strokes, easing up only to drop down and have him bottom out deep inside. It builds fast, making your thighs burn and knees ache as you try to keep your position; one knee has managed to wedge into the corner of the couch and the rhythm needed to build your orgasm conflicts with the concentration needed to keep yourself steady.

“Just take it, babygirl. I got you,” he whispers, feeling your body getting tired on top of him.

He shifts his legs, placing his feet on the ground and pushing up into you, letting you settle on his lap and rock yourself forward and back while his cock stays buried in you. He adjusts his hands to rest just at your tailbone, pressing you steadily against him and giving the pressure needed to your clit when you press against his pubic bone.

Cries start to escape from you, first quiet and breathy, but then building as the air gets pushed out in hard breaths. Your body inches closer and closer to that release, your body hot and burning and there’s a slight moment of too much just before it hits...and then it’s rushing over you - all liquid fire and bliss. You clamp down over him, legs straining over the tight muscles of his thighs.

He pushes up into you, his hands pressing harder at the middle of your back to keep you moving through your release as he works to find his. He hisses through clenched teeth, broken praises coming out on hard breaths.

“Yeah...There...Righthere...God...Fuck.”

When he curls into you, nails digging into your soft skin and breathing heavy against your chest, you know he’s right there.

“Come for me,” you whisper.

“God - yeah!” With one final, hard thrust, he does. You can feel him throbbing and pulsing inside you when he releases, his hips jerking up slightly to keep pushing into you while the tense features of his face soften with relief.

For a moment it’s nothing but panting breaths and the racing beat of your pulse in your ears. Then it’s slow, dragging hands across naked skin and muscle, soothing the tense muscles and tickling sensitive spots and whispering praise to the man beneath you while he hugs you tight to him.

His voice is low and quiet as he asks, “Is the mutt gonna be mad that I stole his Valentine?” 

“You like me,” you smile against his neck and tease him with a sing-song voice, “And you like my dog.”

“I like you,” he agrees. “The dog’s okay, too.”

“Does that mean Andy should come harass you again on Friday night?”

“I’ll even get a dog-sitter.” He says with a smirk. “Let him know that 7 would be good.”

Tags: @jtargaryen18 @ozarkthedog @wi-deangirl77 @angrythingstarlight @donutloverxo @navybrat817 @saiyanprincessswanie  @sweeterthanthis @sagechanoafterdark @tuiccim 

Match up No. 13

glasses-and-bandana-s hat gefragt:

Hi, I was wondering if I could ask you for a match up if you don't mind? 👉👈

My name is Nille, I'm 20, bi and I use she/they pronouns. I'm a college student in 3D animation 😊 I'm a pretty passionate person and hiding my emotions is not smth I'm good at or like doing for that matter. Aside from that, I try to be more laid back and relaxed. Being the mom friend, putting myself aside and stressing over everything for 6 years was enough for me 😅😂 I'm naturally curious and I try my best to be kind and helpful.

I like learning languages, all art forms (making and history), traveling and baking. I am a MASSIVE movie nerd, especially when it comes to animation.

I don't like my dad, feeling lonely, being underestimated and the snob mentality we have towards animation in the West (I can and will fight ppl over it).

As for a short physical description: I'm 1m69, have an hourglass figure and I'm as pale as a sheet of paper. My hair is a dark brown pixie cut and my eyes are green/grey. Oh and dem freckles lol.

Thank you a lot for your time and energy. Please take your time (not just with this request, but with all of them), your health goes first 💕 Take care and thank you once more 💕

~quartermera

a/n:

Hey! How are you doing? I hope your doing good. First of all I apologize for making you wait for so so sooooooo long. It´s just that I had a lot to do for college and was really worn out after I was done with the biggest exams I had. I am really sorry. Like I really felt bad when I started to work on your request and that of the others. Thinking about the fact that I still have a lot do finish makes me actually want to cry… AnYwAySSSS. That’s not the point. Thank you so so much for requesting. You seem to be a great, creative, super nice and fun person. Therefore I really hope you will like with what I came up with. But if not let me apologize in advance. Tell me when your disappointed or if there is something you do9n´t like. I will work on it.

Other than that my dear requester, happy reading!

Match up rules can be found HERE.

Warning(s): Maybe grammatical or spelling mistakes since English is my third language and I´m still improving in every aspect (Please have mercy on that.)

!!! Please do not steal my idea or work. Credit me if this is shared or published in any other platform or any other way. Please respect me as the writer and my work. Picture is not mine. Credits to: please tell me when you know who made this beautiful masterpiece so I can give credits and tag them. Found it in google pictures(?). Thank you in advance. !!!

- I´m gonna be honest with you. I was struggling. Like struggling real hard. Like was sitting in front of my laptop with a picture of Shanks and Ace in front of me while trying to figure out who to choose. But then Luffy popped up at some point but then vanished only to be replaced by Sabo. He at some time vanished too and I was back at wondering if I should take Shanks or Ace. But then I thought about Vivi and I was getting nervous. BUT. A FTER A MENTAL BREAKDOWN. I MANAGED TO CHOOSE! And here we are my dear. I will be pairing you up with Bartolomeo.

- ….

- No! Jokes aside now. I´m pairing you up with Ace. XD

- You were part of the Whitebeard pirates since a year now. You enjoyed every single day o sea while living your best life.

- You got along with every crew member, no matter if there were male or female. You were one of the youngest members and one of the most loved one. Not gonna lie you sometimes were even called Pops little princess. The way he always called you to sit next to him during meals was always adorable. But everyone understood why. You were a chill and cheerful young lady. You were easy going and sweet. You always tried your best to help wherever you could. There were a lot of days in which you did the least liked tasks what always got Pops to get mad at the boys for making you do it. But you never cared. You enjoyed and liked being helpful.

- You took care of every crew member. Mostly when some of them came back from a missions /fights. You loved all of them and always genuinely showed it what made everyone appreciate and respect you for being with them.

- And whenever you did not help out any crewmate you would be hanging out with Ace.

- Ace. That reckless and sometimes clumsy man was the best part of being out on the sea as a pirate.

- They say that a princess would never leave her comfort zone voluntarily. For nothing and no one. But if it´s a person that is able to make them forget who they are and treat them like a normal human being, they would drop anything and anyone to be with them.

- And exactly this was the case. You were part of the royal elite on a island that was located at the first half of the grand line. You were an intelligent and open minded young royal, that was liked by the civilians but hated and despised by the royalty for being hard working to achieve your dreams and fulfill all of your wishes. They didn´t like the fact that you did not make others work for you while you did nothing but enjoy life as a royalty. (Not gonna lie I was inspired by a character of another anime I recently started. XD). They wanted you to follow the words of the elders and simply focus on your appearance so the prince can fall in love with you.

- You hated your life there. You hated your family. You hated the norms and values they lived there. The only thing you wanted was to get out and live your life as a normal human being when Ace appeared out of nowhere and dragged you around the island in hope to find a good restaurant that served good meat.

- This might sound ridicoulus but that was your first encounter. Your first encounter with a man that did not bow in front of you, placed a kiss on your knuckles, made you tons of compliments and had a stupid conversation about the weather.

- He came up to you and asked if the old grumpy looking man was botheting you and if you wanted him to punch him. He was ready to fight the stranger for a stranger. But when you told him that the grumpy man was your father he shrugged his shoulders and just repeated his question. His beahviour made you laugh and you told him that as much as you wanted him to be punched in the face he still was your father. So you asked for his name and lead him around the park you currently were at. But the poor man got bored and made you lead him to the market so he could eat.

- Whenever you would think about your first encounter with him you would be smiling and thanking the gods for sending you such a good hearted and nice man. A man that slowly and with more days and weeks passing turned into your boyfriend who turned you, a well mannered and raised royal into a navigator of one of the strongest pirate crews.

- Ace never held you back from doing what you liked or wanted to try. In fact he always encouraged you to keep doing that and always made sure no one was bothering you.

- There was one think you really appreciated. And that was his habit of always being around you. No matter what the circumstances were. There was a party? He always made sure to keep an eye on you. The whitebeared pirates were docking on one of their islands? Ace would be holding your hand and show you around. He would go out to eat. He would always drop by at your cabin to ask if you wanted to join him.

- Ace knew that you didn´t like being alone since you were always left alone by your family so he alwys tried his best to accompany you.

- As much as you loved and appreciated him, there was one thing that always and forever will be overwhelimg to you. and that’s the fact that the most energetic and reckless man was able to fall asleep in a blink of an eye. Like you could be talking to him and look away for a second just to find him snoring on the ground when you searched for his eyes. Like WtF! How is he able to sleep on the ground so peacefully?!

Queer Subtext in The Illusion of Living - Part 2/3

So, Joey met Sammy and this is what happened:

“Sammy Lawrence was one of my best decisions. Even though it was one I made two years after my original team had been put together. A man of great talent.” TIOL, page 182

“I stared at him in shock, and that was when the memories came flooding back. The ones of him playing the piano along with the movies. That was him. That was the same fellow I knew I knew him from somewhere! I knew my gut instinctively understood his genius.” TIOL, page 189

“I'd been so impressed by the quality of the music that I'd hardly noticed the film. I remember watching this young man's long skinny fingers rush across the keys with such confidence and speed. “ TIOL, page 182

Joey isn’t even watching the film, his focus is entirely on Sammy.

“And so, as you can see and as history clearly shows us, my greatest mistake turned into one of my greatest accomplishments. I'd never trade Sammy Lawrence for anything. His creativity is pure brilliance and he always chooses the best people. “ TIOL, page 194

Sammy though is extremely rude to Joey.

“Now that was a song," I said as Sammy walked over in my direction. He stopped to look at me in that way of his. Always suspicious, always looking for something more. “ TIOL, page 187

“Show me.” I nodded. "Of course, let's schedule a tour for some time this week," I said. It was reasonable of him to ask and I was a reasonable person happy to fulfill that request. "No," he said, inching toward me. "Now." "Now?" "Now." TIOL, page 190

"I want to see what this studio makes." He walked out of the room and I had to jog out after him. " TIOL, page 192

“Sammy didn't say anything, we didn't shake hands. He just stood up and left the room. " TIOL, page 193

Joey is understandably upset.

“Yes, he said it in that dismissive tone. I didn't understand why he needed to talk to me like that. I didn’t respect that. I was starting to doubt my own judgment. Did I really want to offer the opportunity of a lifetime to someone so extreme in their indifference? " TIOL, page 188

Yet it seems like the meaner Sammy is to him, the more determined he is to impress him somehow.

“I realized now that Sammy had been wise and I'd maybe been a bit of a fool. This definitely did not look impressive. " TIOL, page 192

“I had a sudden urge to give him a shove. Not push him over, but just to see his reaction. This might sound strange, but I needed to see a human moment from him, I needed to see the man he was hiding from me. " TIOL, page 188

That last line...

And now for the most interesting part.

“His musicians worship him, he's almost a god to them. "They respect me, that's all," Sammy once said when I told him that. "Who does a god worship?" I asked, still joking with him. (...)"A god of such magnitude hasn't been created yet." I laughed. "Well maybe someday." TIOL, page 194

And exactly 3 pages later

“Quite frankly, I was interested in being God. Ha, I know, a sacrilegious thing to say, but I know no other way of putting it. “ TIOL, page 197

He doesn’t mention his fantasies of becoming a God at any other point in the book, so the timing is... interesting. Almost like it’s directly linked to his deep internal need for receiving validation and respect from Sammy.

Despite all the awfulness coming from Sammy (which seems to be just his usual personality), there are some signs that Joey’s obvious crush may have been reciprocated.

“I always tried to get him to joke around more. It was always a bit strange to me that someone so serious could create such fantastic comic work. Sammy shook his head and sighed. But he indulged me a little and played along. It was a big effort for him to do so, so I was pleased.” TIOL, page 194

He plays along, even though it’s not something he particularly enjoys, because it’s something that makes Joey happy.

There are more signs in the other canon sources, such as the Handbook, where Sammy defends Joey’s bullshit in the newspaper:

Or the game, where he mentions visiting Joey’s “Sanctuary”

It’s worth pointing out that “artistic” used to be a codename for gay people back in the 30s, and that Sammy had long hair, which was another typical sign of homosexuality. Though I doubt this was the original intent behind these details, its still a fun thing to note.

(From “Gay New York: Gender, Urban Culture, and the Making of the Gay Male World, 1890-1940″ By George Chauncey.)

It seems that other people also took note of Sammy’s unusual loyalty towards Joey.

“I wouldn't say I was lucky to get him as part of my team, nor that I'm lucky he's stayed with me all these years, though I've been told that in the past and I happily say, "Darn right I am!" when people do say it. But, as I always say, luck had nothing to do with it.” TIOL, page 181

Jack seems to notice the closeness between them as well:

"Well this is a fun memory lane to travel down, but since I'm not a part of this journey, I'd like to bring us back to the present and include me again," said Jack. I glanced at him and saw a weary expression flit across his face before the brightness returned. It was the first inkling I had that there might be a bit of a strain between the two. ” TIOL, page 189

As for why Sammy sticks by him, Joey says this:

“It was my research, my ability to understand and appreciate true talent, and of course, my vision that inspired others to want to work for me. After all, I can't make anyone do anything, even as a boss; they have to want to.“ TIOL, page 182

This isn’t entirely true, as Joey could and did make people do things they didn’t want to, but it seems like Sammy was allowed significantly more power in the studio than anyone else.

“Finally Sammy spoke again. "I want full creative control over my department. I want to hire my own people. And if the money isn't good, I'm not signing the contract." "Done and done," I replied. ” TIOL, page 193

“I never visit Music, as Sammy and I agreed that I would only come by if we had scheduled a visit. Some creative people are just that stubborn and need their privacy. ” TIOL, page 227

Finally, there’s this little detail, from Joey’s daily schedule:

“9:00 a.m.:The first of my daily meetings.This one is with Sammy. The man is punctual and brief. We always schedule a full fifteen minutes and he rarely takes more than five. Jack joins at 9:15 a.m., there is a brief crossover and then he usually stays for a cup of coffee and a chat.” TIOL, page 225

Sammy wraps up business discussion in 5 minutes, but Joey always schedules 15, and the next line strongly implies that Sammy is still in the room at the time when Jack joins them at 9:15. If Joey and Sammy aren’t discussing business, what are they doing for the remaining 10 minutes?

I’ll leave this to your imagination ;)

The Week Ahead: September 20-26, 2021

Void of Course Moon

Monday, September 20, 23:55 UT (Pisces) - Tuesday, September 21, 03:13 UT (Aries)

Thursday, September 22, 02:05 UT (Aries) - 12:38 UT (Taurus)

Saturday, September 25, 13:09 UT - Sunday, September 26, 00:36 UT (Gemini)

Lunar Phases

Monday, September 20, 23:55 UT - Full Moon, 28:14 Pisces.

The key phrases for the Full Moon are to "illumine and fulfill" and to "pour everything you've got into your project." Ordinarily I would try to write something relevant about the Virgo-Pisces polarity, but the Moon becomes void of course immediately after the Full Moon, entering Aries just over four hours later. So I think this Full Moon illumination is going to be very concerned with finding a workable balance between being an independent individual (Aries), and being a member of the immediate community (Virgo). Much of our problems here have to do with our individual comfort zones: we don’t like to be uncomfortable, but we can’t stand the status quo any more.

Friday, September 24, 22:32 UT - Disseminating Moon, 17:05 Taurus

The key phrases for the Disseminating lunar phase are to "teach, share, communicate," and to "ease up on efforts." There might be some very emotionally fraught baring of the soul - feelings that have long been pent up, suddenly exploding outward. We’re a little better off if we can be artistic/creative about getting our problems off our chests. We may find ourselves suddenly running out of energy, too - physical, emotional, and intellectual - to keep pursuing our goals at the same pace.

Retrograde/Direct/Etc.

Pre-retrograde shadow: Mercury/Libra, Ceres/Gemini

Retrograde: Pallas Athene/Pisces, Jupiter/Aquarius, Saturn/Aquarius, Chiron/Aries, Uranus/Taurus, Neptune/Pisces, Pluto/Capricorn, Eris/Aries

Post-retrograde shadow: Juno/Sagittarius

Mercury/Libra stations retrograde at 25:28 Libra on Monday, September 27, at 05:10 UT.

Ingresses

Monday, September 20, 16:54 UT - transiting Vesta enters Scorpio

This should at least enhance everyone’s ability to focus! For some of us, our spirituality will be kicked up a notch. Others may have problems with sexuality. Whatever is going on, it’s very intense.

Wednesday, September 22, 19:21 UT - transiting Sun enters Libra (Libra Equinox)

Happy Libra season! It’s a little more complicated than (say) getting a date for homecoming. We’re looking for balance, justice, and artistic ideals, as well as partnerships. Here in the Northern Hemisphere, night now has the upper hand as daytime continues to shrink; all y’all in the Southern Hemisphere can rejoice in the return of springtime.

Et Cetera

There is one Opportunity Period this week: beginning Saturday the 25th, at 10:49 UT, lasting until Sunday the 26th, at 00:36 UT. "Good, constructive OP but with Mercury in its Storm, it's best to use this time for work you've already started."

This could be a very rough week, worsening as we approach Mercury’s retrograde station (next Monday the 27th). That’s because as Mercury slows down and stalls out, it is essentially “parked” in a tight square to Pluto and a tight opposition to Eris. Some Mercury-type issue that we have known about for a while, but haven’t yet dealt with properly - we’re going to have to deal with it over the next weeks.

A good nights rest

18+ | Aged up Bakugou x Fem reader | Slight degradation

y/n = Your Name

2150 words This is a bit of fluff story that builds up into smut scene. So if your looking for pure smut (lemon) that’s not what this is. I hope you enjoy it. Its my first short story. Let me know if you want a prologue or part 2! ---- As a rule you don’t let your hookups spend the night. It can send the wrong message that you are interested in something more than fulfilling a need. But then again Bakugou always does what he wants and you have broken your rules just by letting him come see you on a regular biases. Just for sex though, you don’t have time for anyone needy. Which is why Bakugou was the perfect hook-up, he didn't have time for that either. You watch him snooze in your bed, considering waking him up for another round. You decide against that knowing the pro hero needed his sleep. Instead you direct your attention to the gauntlets he left by your door.

Today he had showed up at your door in full gear, smoke still steaming off of him from a recent encounter that had apparently been very close to your apartment. You were a support engineer and his gear had intrigued you from the beginning. They looked cool but you thought you could make some improvements. So you grab one and head down to your workshop, knowing full well you might get in trouble later.

You worked freelance to keep your creative freedom so you had everything you need just below your apartment. Hours pass in a blur and suddenly big arms encircle you. “What the fuck do you think you are doing Y/n” Bakugou growls in your ear from behind, sending a shiver down your body.

Acting perfectly calm you turn to face him and say matter of factually “Making you more badass”. He scoffs and replies sounding a bit annoyed but intrigued “oh ya? How so?”

A sly smile spreads across your face, you were not in trouble... yet. “Did you know the sweat in your palms isn’t pure nitro?” You ask in a way that was obvious you already knew he didn’t know.

Bakugou starts to ask you how you knew that but then stops himself knowing that at any point you could have gotten a sample from him while he was asleep.

You explain that you created a way to concentrate his sweat into pure nitroglycerin and the rest evaporates through a vent. This allowed you to design a much less bulky gauntlet. Instead of looking like one big grenade your CAD drawing looked more like packs of explosives strapped on his arm. “Each one holds quite a powerful concentrated amount of your nitro. It’s smaller but holds almost twice the power. So less bulky and more efficient!” you explain.

Bakugou evaluates your design, showing no sign of being pleased or pissed until he finally says “Okay. Make it” You squee out loud in excitement. “I’ve rigged my shop to start the machining process automatically so I just have to hit start for now and check on it again in a few hours”

Looking you up and down Bakugou asks “you sleep at all?” and you just look away not saying anything. “It’s 4am, you should get a few hours in” he says sternly.

You miss a lot of sleep and meals when you get into a project. Laser focused on perfecting the task in front of you. Bakugou has forced you to eat and sleep in the past, claiming that he needed his favorite toy charged up for him next time. He fusses a lot more than you would have guessed considering he is ranked at #1 least friendly of new Pro Heros.

Sensing your incoming protest Bakugou picks you up princess style and carries you upstairs. You squirm and resist his firm grip, knowing it’s useless against his strength. “HEY! if you don't sit still I’ll throw you over my shoulders like a sack” You knew all too well that wasn't a bluff and spitefully obeyed him. Bakugou lays you down somewhat gently in the bed and holds you to his chest. “Go to sleep” he commands. You can’t help at giggle at the fact that he’s being so nurturing to a hook up."Oi, what the hell are you giggling at?” he asks in an obviously annoyed tone. “I know you just wanted me rested for a good fuck later but i can take care of myself. No need to pretend you give a damn.” you reply flatly while tracing your fingers over his firm chest. Suddenly he shoves you back and takes you by the jaw so you are forced to look him in the eyes. Leaning slightly over you with his deadly eyes fixed on yours he growls “You are the dumbest smart person I have ever met. I mean really how is it possible you are this dense”

Confusion and anger sweeps over you. Bakugou was really angry right now. More angry than he has ever been around you. “I am not DUMB” you yell back defensively. “Oh ya then answer this question, what the fuck about my personality says I would stick around and look after someone I don't give a damn about” he yells. And it dawned on you. Bakugou isn’t the type to make sure someone that doesn’t matter to him eats regularly or sleeps enough. In fact at first he would just fuck you and leave. But he started sleeping over sometimes. You figured he was just tired from his work. I mean there is NO WAY Bakugou Katsuki would ever get attached to some random hookup. Right? But then why did he start cooking you breakfast in the mornings or check to make sure you were drinking enough water... How did you miss this? The whole reason you decided to keep this up is because you thought for sure there was no risk of this happening. You’re not the type to miss details... Bakugou loosened his grip on your face seeing that it was starting to hit you. He didn't rush you though. It was an uncharacteristic show of patience. You stared at him. You wanted him. And not just sexually. Somehow he has become comfortable in your life. Looking back over the last few weeks you realized you would even miss him when we was gone. A small joy would flutter in your heart when you heard him knock.. you had written this off excitement for getting laid.. you had been lying to yourself for weeks now. Finally you managed to say in a quite voice “You like me” A cocky and small grin spread on Bakugou’s face “About fucking time” he said as he leaned in and kissed you sweetly. This was a kiss Bakugou has never given you before. Usually his kisses were rough and passionate. You felt this kiss through your whole body and for the first time in a long time your felt vulnerable beneath someone. Pulling back from you Bakugou traced his thumb on you bottom lip and said “And you like me.” A small tear ran down your face. You had shut out so many emotional needs and just focused on work for so long. You hadn't wanted this but somehow Bakugou got through to you. That asshole. You take him into a deep and passionate kiss. This lights a fire in Bakugou and he returns your show of enthusiasm by pushing you forcefully against the bed and holding your wrists in his hands. He begins to kiss down your chest and nip at the tender flesh of your breasts. You let out small moans as he pulls your tank top down and reaches your nipples. He starts sucking and biting at your nipples with a dedicated enthusiasm. Your whole body feels hot and your back arches against his hold on you. His head drops down your stomach to between your thighs, finally releasing you from his grip. Your hands quickly grasp his hair as he kisses your clit through your wet panties. “That didn’t take much. You are soaked y/n” he says wickedly, making you whine. Bakugou bites your inner thigh and then licks it to sooth any pain. He is perfect at pushing your limits, knowing exactly how far to go. Little bite marks now line both of your thighs and you wiggle your hips begging for attention to be brought to your puffy clit. Sliding your soaked panties to the side he takes his finger and rubs your clit in small circles but its not enough so you attempt to grind against his fingers. He pulls back and says “Greedy fucking bitch” before suddenly shoving two fingers inside your tight pussy. The shock sending electricity up your body and for a moment he finger fucks you with the intensity you have been begging for before stopping. You let out a sad moan at the loss of your fullness. Before you can complain further he lowers his head to your clit and begins licking your clit forcefully. Again causing you to surge with sudden pleasure. You hear him moan in satisfaction. You knowing he is getting off on making you feel good. The vibrations from his moan hitting your clit in exquisite pleasure. He slides two fingers inside you again and finds that magic spot curving upward and hits it again and again. Each stroke sending you towards your climax. Knowing you are close he intensifies his tongue strokes and you release on his fingers, your tight walls clenching around him in orgasmic pulses. Before you can come down off your high he sits up and pulls out his dick, red and twitching from waiting so long. He strokes himself a few times to spread precum from his tip across his shaft, while marveling at how much of a mess you are from your orgasm. “You're so damn beautiful y/n” he says quietly as he inserts himself into you, filling you completely. Overstimulated from your recent organism his entering your body sends intense pleasure through you. Bakugou thrusts himself into you at a brutal pace, overwhelming your cunt. He holds your hips tight so he can be fully within you. Quickly you start to build up to your climax with each lightning thrust from Bakugou. Stopping just before your climax Bakugou pulls out and turns you over easily as of you weigh nothing, once again sliding into you as deep as he can from behind. He reaches his arm around you to hold you by the neck and pull your back up to his chest. Firmly choking you by pressing on the sides of your neck. You begin to feel your pleasure heighten as you melt in his arms completely. “Good girl” he whispers in your ear. You feel his hot breath on your neck and it sends shivers down your body. Using his other hand he begins to rub your clit “do you want to cum” he asks in a deep growl “ye.. yes” you chock out. “I’m not convinced. Beg me.” he commands in a whisper as he slows his thrusts. You cry at the loss of his momentum. “Please. I want to cum. Please Katsuki” you say desperately in your overstimulated and dumb state. At hearing his first name come from your lips for the first time katsuki goes over the edge, pumping wildly into you while rubbing your clit. “Cum for me. Cum like a good girl y/n” he says out of breath and almost on command you release and ride out your orgasm on him. It melts over you in waves and you moan as loudly as you can through his grip. Your walls tighten and spasm around his dick and send him into his own release, filling you with his hot cum. He gently lowers you onto the bed, again taking in the site of you and smiling in satisfaction at job well done. He knows no one could ever fuck you as good as he does. You love seeing this look of pride in his face when you’re done, because it means you did good too. Said the right things, begged in the right ways to make him go that level of crazy. Without saying a word he walks over and gets you a glass of water and a towel. He is always good at after care. After you both come down from your highs you look at him and ask “So can I call you Katsuki now?” he smirks and says “Duh, I am your boyfriend. You can call me what you want... except Kacchan or Blasty.” You feel your blush on your face at his words and you ask shyly “You’re my boyfriend now?” Looking at you  directly Katsiki replies “Ya, if you want me to be.” Blushing now even more red than before you answer “Yes. And I am your girlfriend” you say just barely holding his gaze. Not being able to handle how cute this all was you buried your face in his chest and the both of you drift into a much needed rest.