#I CAN'T WAIT FOR VOLUME 5 MAN

[kirvee]

!!!NEW MURRAY DIARY ENTRY!!!

"jan15 09

he has talked to me again. the man in the corner. the man in the TVITHURTSSOMUCH ITHURTSSOMUCHITHURTSSOMUCHtru th has beeen reve     aledTHURTSSOMUCHITHURTSSOMUCH ITHURTSSOMUCHITHURTSSOMUCHITHURTSSOMUCHITHURTSSOMUCHITHURTSSOMUCHITHURTSS G.od has spoken to me.ITHURTSSOMUCHITHURTSSOMUCHITHURTSSOMUCHITHURTSSOMUCHITHURTSSOMUCH ITHURTSSOMUCHITHURTSSOMUCHITHURTSSOMUCHITHURTSSOMUCHITHURTSSOMUCH ITHURTSSOMUCHITHURTSSOMUCHITHURTSSOMUCHITHURTSSOMUCHITHURTSSOMUCH eyes open"

ADAM BIT THE APPLE

WE'RE JUST NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT HOW THE BITTEN APPLE IS CALLED "It is done.png"??!?!???!?!?

EVE HAS TO BITE THE APPLE OF TRUTH NOW BC ADAM AND EVE SO EVE WOULD BE EVELIN

AND ONCE SHE FIGURES OUT THE BIG THING I'M GUESSING THEY'LL BE "BANISHED FROM THE GARDEN OF EDEN" IN A WAY

HOLY SHIT DUDE I AM SHAKING

[btswit7]

The Bodyguard (1)

Pairing: bodyguard Jungkook/ rich reader

Wc: 1.9k

Genre: slow burn, slight 18+ content, age gap, bodyguard au

Summary: A wealthy heiress and her newly assigned bodyguard—two opposites forced into each other’s orbit. She resents the intrusion; he’s just doing his job. But as tensions rise and secrets unfold, protection starts to feel a lot like something more.

A/n: I was just excited to post this and hence here it is. Grab onto your seatbelts cause this is going to be amazing. FOLLOW ME to be updated!!

His footsteps echo through the hallway as he enters the mansion. One could have the feeling of richness just with a look around. The floor has wooden tiles that literally shine from the light reflection. It's too early in the morning.

He looks at his wristwatch, it's 6:29 am. Well, it's Jeon Jungkook who is always on time. He looks around now that he has reached the main hall of the mansion. It's immensely big with high walls. There's a big chandelier in the middle of the hall ceiling, it is made of glass. It is either new or they clean it often for it to be shining and right below the chandelier is a big brown coloured circular sofa. Jungkook can already guess the sofa is expensive. There are huge windows all around. The interior speaks volumes of royalty well that's what he can guess from the owner of the ruling business company in the country, your father, Mr. Lee Ji-hoon.

“ Sir, you are Mr. Jeon Jungkook, right?” a butler asks Jungkook to taking him out of his trance.

Jungkook, who first was startled regains his confidence and says, “ yes I am”

“ Mr. Lee has asked you to wait there at the lounge,” he says as he points towards the sofa for Jungkook to sit. With a nod, Jungkook moves towards the sofa and takes a seat. He again looks around as he notices the expensive paintings on the walls. To him, paintings that are so expensive are a waste of money but to your dad paintings are another silent show off of his money just like those expensive vases kept at each corner of the mansion.

Soon Mr. Lee enters, sweat covering his forehead seems like he is back from jogging as he looks at his trouser and shirt. To show respect Jungkook stands up.

“ Good morning, Mr. Lee” Jungkook says as he smiles towards him who sits down in front of him with a towel wiping his forehead.

“ Good morning Jungkook. I ain't an unpunctual man but you are exactly on time and that's impressive” he says as he smiles back.

Soon, the same butler comes with a tray. Mr. Lee picks up a medicine and gulps it down; he later picks up the glass of orange juice.

“ Coffee will work for you Jeon?” He asks though Jungkook wants to deny as he has already had his 5 am coffee and he still accepts the offer. In no time he is served with a mug full of coffee.

“ I'll get straight to the point” Ji-hoon says as he sits straight, keeping his glass on the table in front while Jungkook does the same with his coffee mug.

“ Y/n, my daughter needs protection not just from the normal nuisance but from the harmful threats that can't be ignored” he waits for any reaction of hesitation from Jungkook but smirks when he gets no such reaction. Instead Jungkook sits there with an unwavering, focused look. He radiates confidence.

“ you are highly recommended and I know it's beneficial for both of us, the government you work under and for my daughter” he continues with narrowed eyes testing Jungkook in his own way “ but– are you capable of protecting her?”

“ I am capable of protecting her,” Jungkook says as he looks straight into Ji-hoon's eyes.

“ File” Ji-hoon says, raising his hand and a black file is placed at his hands by the bodyguard standing beside him. Well, he was so focused that he didn't realise when someone else came in the hall.

“ You can read through the contract if you want but I'll sum it up for you. It says any desirable amount will be paid to you in return for complete protection of my daughter until the problem is fully sorted. You have to spend the entire day with her, by her side. It's your duty to keep her safe” he ends.

Jungkook nods again as he goes through the pages of the contract later, signing it.

“ I'll send a copy of it to your home by today,” he says.

“ Let me introduce you to her,” he says to Jungkook, later asking a maid named Mia to call you downstairs.

—-------

Knock knock

Knock knock

Knock

“ Who is it?” You shout at the top of your lungs, later bouncing to the floor. You yank the door open there stands mia.

“ Good morning ma'am, Sir Is calling you downstairs right now” says.

You give her a small nod whispering a good morning back. It's definitely not her fault to wake you up.

You look at the clock and again groan when you see it's just 7:22 am. You felt so sleepy. You quickly grab yourself a robe as you brush your teeth in the process of wearing it.

You walk downstairs still sleepy as your eyes fall on the sitting figure of your dad on the couch. You don't put much thought on who is sitting in front of him.

“ Good morning dad” you say as you sit beside him and throw your head back on the armrest.

“ Good morning baby. Did you sleep well?” He asks, sipping on his juice.

“ I slept well but I am still sleepy” you straighten your posture now your eyes falling on the man who was literally staring at you as if reading you but soon averts his gaze when your eyes fall on him.

He is dressed in complete black. From his hair which is black in colour to his shoes which are again black in colour. A piercing on his eyebrows and lips make him look prettier than he already is.

On the other hand, Jungkook can feel how the strong environment of the mansion from seconds ago has shifted to a softer one. Your dad feels much relaxed with you right beside him. He looks soft. His love for his daughter is visible in the way he looks at you.

“ Okay Y/n, this is Jungkook, your bodyguard and Jungkook this is my daughter Y/n” your father introduces.

“ What? Bodyguard?” You ask again, confirming.

“ Yes,” he confirms.

“ But, why?” You continue your interrogation.

“ Y/n, you don't have to think that much and he is just here for your safety” he says changing the topic.

“ Are you sure he alone can save me?” You whisper while eyeing Jungkook but Jungkook has definitely heard it as his dark eyes gaze on you again before he flickers his gaze back to your dad.

Duh! He has so much of an attitude.. you think.

“ Y/n, he is the most recommended one. He is very talented” he continues “ I trust him” you were about to protest, a series of questions on the top of your tongue but you went quiet. You very well know your dad won't talk about trust if he isn't actually trusting anyone. Well, you can't argue with your father.

Jungkook can see how much you are loved in the household. Well, you have grown up with just your father by your side from the age of 12 after the death of your mother from a deadly disease.

“ Okay dad, I'll go get dressed. I have to leave for university” you say as you place a peck on your dad's cheek and stand up.

—--

You look at the mirror as you finish applying your lip gloss. Your fit looks perfect, expensive you must add. Suddenly, a knock is heard and you shout a ‘come in’ in return.

There he enters, your bodyguard.

“ Ms. Y/n, it's time for us to leave or we’ll be late” he says looking at your reflection in the large mirror in front of which you are standing.

“ We? Are you coming along?” You ask as you turn around facing him as you lean your back to the mirror. He nods.

“ Well, I have been going to the university for 5 years now, nothing has happened ever and I believe nothing will happen in the future too. So no need for you to come” you say forcing out a smile as you move to pick up your bag from your study table.

“ I am driving. We are going together” he says again making you stop in your tracks.

You walk closer to him as you stand in front of him with your hands folded on your chest. Instead of making him feel dominated by you here you feel dominated by him because first your cute attire and second your small height is making you look smaller in front of him. And to mention he has a huge body too.

“ See, I understand dad can be paranoid but there's no need for you to do that” you say.

“ That's my job… from today” he says with the same intensity in his eyes.

“ Why are you so irritating?” you huff.

“ It's 8:28 already. You haven't even had your breakfast yet” he says as he looks at his wristwatch.

“ Shit! I have to reach by 9 am” a wave of panic hits you as you quickly pick up your bag and walk downstairs with Jungkook following you behind.

You quickly sit down to gulp your glass of milk as you pick up two sandwiches from the table to rush outside. Your dad who was about to leave for his office falls in your eyesight, you quickly move towards him and give him a tight hug. You shout a bye as you walk towards the car.

Jungkook opens the car door for you as you sit down. Jungkook rounds the car and comes to sit beside you as he starts the engine of your Mercedes Benz.

“ You are just calling trouble for yourself” you say as you lean on the seat.

Getting no reply from him you turn towards the driver seat only to witness his dazzling side profile. Now that you have actually got the time to look at his face you notice all the little details. He has two beauty marks; one on his nose and the other on his lips. His honey toned skin shines more under the sunlight.

His lips… he has such soft and pink lips. They look suckable. Suddenly, you feel a urge to touch his lips, you gulp as you quickly turn your head to the other side, you didn't realise but your breath has quickened you lick your lips looking down as you scold yourself.

“ Get a grip” you say slowly.

“ Huh? You said something?” He is quick to ask.

You stabilize yourself by whispering a small nothing in return.

Weird? when you loudly said something he didn't hear it but when you barely mumbled he heard it.

The car came to a halt just in the university campus, it slipped out of your mind that you were late. You realise the sandwich box still in your hand which you thought to eat on your way but forgot.

Maybe you were busy admiring something or someone, your brain mocks.

What is wrong with you?

You get out of the car as you look at your wrist watch, 8:56 am. Just four minutes for your lecture to start. You look around as Jungkook walks to stand beside you.

“ Okay I will leave” you say as you wait for him to even say a ‘bye’ but nothing comes your way. He just stands there looking straight with a straight face. You feel your self-respect being thrashed, you poke your tongue on your cheeks as you look away.

He is so stubborn. You don't waste anymore time as you quickly run inside the university.

—----

Read part 2 here

[evermoredeluxe]

taylorswift: Wembley Stadium round one was so surreal. Looking out into crowds of 90,000 fans each night and hearing that VOLUME... Those were some of the loudest crowds l've ever heard. Acoustic sections went OFF. I got to sing 'Castles Crumbling' with @yelyahwilliams for the first time - hadn't performed with her since 2011 and man my heart was just so full of love for her and our friendship. Then the impossibly gifted and wonderful @gracieabrams came and surprised the crowd with the first performance of our song 'us. And I'm still cracking up/swooning over @killatrav's Eras Tour debut 🥰 Never going to forget these shows. Can't wait to do it 5 more times in August. Up next: Dublin!! 🇮🇪

📷: @kevinmazur /@garethcattermole/@hogieaaa_/ @gettyimages

[burningcheese-merchant]

I'm stuck on a train for the next 5 hours, so I'm choosing to lash out at @cuppajj specifically by barging in on the Beast Ancients AU again and having my little fan baby Pepper Jack continue with the crushing loneliness and longing for connection wrought by this godforsaken world he's randomly been trapped in, as per the previous installment

"But Merchant, you sort of wanted to do this anyway" yeah, well, the dummy missile strike got moved up. It's early. Gotta make do on that ACME deposit, they don't do refunds

Just gonna call this "The Skeleton in the Closet" because that's sort of who Spice seems to be here and who/what Jack is essentially talking to

"Father?" Pepper Jack called out, a slight ache in his throat from trying to control the volume of his voice. "I'm here."

No answer - none besides the usual hum of the machines that filled his ears as he flew down to the bottom floor of the laboratory, evading the stairs entirely. Fair enough, he supposed.

"I'm sorry I'm late," he said as he approached the container. "Celestial Cheese kept me again. Kept fussing over me like she always does. I had to wait until I knew the hallways were empty to come."

He stopped and stood mere inches from the edge of that hulking monstrosity of steel and glass, staring down at the man trapped within. A frown began to tug at the corners of his lips.

"She..." He paused, looking away. "She doesn't leave me alone often. She's always hovering over me, talking to me... or talking AT me, I guess. I don't really think she listens to me when it's my turn to talk."

Another pause before he shook his head and turned to face his "father" again. "No, that doesn't matter. What matters is... you."

Gone was the frown now - and in its place, a small, tentative smile. "How are you? How have you been?"

He placed his hand on the glass, near Burning Spice's face. Where, at the angle Pepper Jack stood and peered into the strange red liquid, it looked as though his little hand was resting on his cheek. "Did, um... Did you have good dreams while I was gone?"

What did Burning Spice dream of in there, Pepper Jack wondered? What images danced on the insides of his eyelids? What imaginary sounds drummed against the walls of his skull? What thoughts and memories flooded his slumbering mind as he lay still as death inside of his prison?

"I want to say that I did, but... that wouldn't be true." That frown was starting to come back. "I... I never slept much. I always get up when the sun does, no matter when I actually go to sleep. It's why Mother always nags me to go to bed early. But... here, in this place, I can't sleep at all. The harder I try, the wider awake I get. I'm... I'm too scared to sleep here, I think. And then whenever I manage to, I have nightmares. My fears follow me into my head. Into my dreams."

He curled his fingers against the glass, in an attempt at a comforting gesture he knew would go unappreciated. "I hope whatever you see in your dreams isn't as terrible as what I see in mine."

The glass felt cold against his cheek when he laid his head against it - like it always did, whenever he did such a thing. But he did so anyway, pushing past his instinctive disdain for the cold and into what he imagined to be Burning Spice's shoulder.

"I wonder if you'd sleep at all, if it weren't for this," Pepper Jack mused. "My father... Mother always says he's like a light switch at night. Awake one moment, asleep the next. Are you like that, too? Or is that something else Celestial Cheese took away from you?"

Pressing his ear down and listening yielded no sound he could consider a response. Even if he was desperate for just one.

"Maybe... Maybe if you weren't trapped in there, we could sit somewhere and stay awake together. We could talk or play games. We could tell each other stories. You... You must know different ones from my father, right? Because you're different from him, technically? I bet they're really interesting. I'd like it if you told me them."

They had to be better than Celestial Cheese's stories, if nothing else at all. But perhaps his thoughts on the matter were tainted by his hatred of her voice.

"I..." Though he fought against it, a yawn nevertheless rose from his throat and pried his lips open, louder than he'd wanted it to be. "I'm tired. I can't sleep. I actually thought about waiting until tomorrow to see you, but... I didn't want to be alone."

He started to slide downward, still leaning against the container, letting gravity take hold of his body and drag him to the floor. Curling up and letting his head relax against the hunk of metal and surrounded by wires, Pepper Jack sighed.

"I shouldn't be here," he murmured, more to himself than to this strange, sleeping man he found a measure of solace in. "I might get caught. But... I'm so tired..."

Another yawn. His eyelids grew heavier by the second. He wrapped his wings around himself, in a makeshift, lukewarm cocoon.

"Just... Just this once... The sun will wake me. It always does. Doesn't matter when I sleep or where. Then I'll... I'll leave before anyone catches me..."

He rose with the sun, and the sun rose with him. For they were forever bound to one another. For he was its warmth and light made manifest, and so it would obey his commands without question. Or so everyone liked to say. So the threads people used to spin all those tall tales about him aimed to convey to the world, in those tapestries and carvings on the palace walls.

The container was uncomfortable. All freezing, flat iron and sharp edges. But it was fine. It was better than the bed Celestial Cheese gave him. For there was someone next to him, and that alone made the entire lavish bedroom he was made to call his own worthless.

As exhaustion overtook him, Pepper Jack's thoughts began to blur. Those two men that shared a name and face and nothing more melted together into one. He imagined the Burning Spice in the prison before him rising and picking him up. Resting Pepper Jack's head on his shoulder. Carrying him to bed, taking slow, measured steps so as not to make him stir. Laying him down ever so gently - would this Burning Spice be terrified to use his real strength near him, like his Burning Spice still was, even if he pretended not to be when asked? - and pulling the blanket over him. Taking care to leave the boy on his stomach, not his back, because he cared enough to remember that he always wanted his wings to be free. Letting his hand linger in his hair. Petting it. That big, strong, warm hand, offered by the big, strong man who let himself be soft around him, keeping him company. Comforting him as he drifted away.

This Burning Spice wouldn't do any of that. But Pepper Jack was too tired to snap out of it and stop pretending.

The nightmares stayed away this time, at least.

-------------

I have more, but Jack's not the only one who's falling asleep lol. I'll write and post the rest later maybe. Probably. If Cuppa and everyone else is willing to put up with that

Also I'd draw something to accompany this but uhhhhhhhh I'm not sure anyone wants that inflicted upon them lol

[wardenparker]

The Unbearable Weight of Perfection, ch 7

Javi Gutierrez x female reader Co-written with @absurdthirst

When an accident of fate throws Javi G into the path of his soulmate, his instinct is to dive in head first. Adjusting to life as the fated partner of someone you barely know is going to be harder than either of you suspect, but anything worth having is worth working for. Isn't it?

(This story is heavily inspired by the lovely house museums that I work in every day and the fantastic few months that HBO was using our houses to film a TV show in fall! I spent each day on that set in wonder and I can't wait to share the experience with all of you through this story.)

Rating: M for Mature, but this blog is always 18+ Word Count: 7.2k Warnings: *Blanket warnings for this story include: Cursing, alcohol, food, references to abusive family members -- i.e. Lucas, discussion of money/finances.* Family talk, nostalgia, fluff. Summary: Javi encourages you to reignite your dreams with a trip to a sewing supply shop, and you find something far more precious than fabric and thread. Notes: I love this little family so very much, and I hope you all do too! Precious Javi is just out there loving with his whole heart.

Ch 1 ~ Ch 2 ~ Ch 3 ~ Ch 4 ~ Ch 5 ~ Ch 6

Sunday, May 18, 2025

The afternoon spent picnicking and walking around the winery ends with you making a reservation to take their more in-depth tour when it is offered again next month, and eventually you and Javi hop back in the car to head back towards home. The sewing supply shop that you wanted to visit is in Burbank and Javi is excited all over again about the idea of having a shirt made by hand by his soulmate.

“Now, I want you to buy whatever you need.” He tells you as he watches you drive carefully. He loves that you are a safe driver, even if the urge to speed comes naturally to him. “We can set you up a room for your sewing. Or you can always share the office with me. There’s plenty of room.”

“I can set up in part of the living room for now. I like to listen to music or watch movies while I sew, and I don’t want to disturb you while you’re writing.” Parking the car outside Sew Far, Sew Good and looking up at the enormous warehouse-style building, you flash Javi a grin. “Maybe the new house has room for a sewing room?”

He grins back at you. “Maybe.” He teases. “We will have to see, won’t we?” After you had told him about your former dreams, he had made sure that there was a hobby room for you marked on the plans. A room with exceptional light.

“I guess we will.” You throw him a playful wink as you both climb out of the car. “This is supposed to be one of the best supply shops in the city. They have a whole separate fabric room, too. Maybe we’ll find something you like for a shirt?”

“As long as you buy enough to make yourself a sundress.” He winks and rounds the front to wrap his arm around your waist. “I’m sure we will find plenty.”

A well-dressed man with gray hair wearing a brightly colored and personalized apron greets you when you come inside and offers to help you find anything you need. You thank him, telling him it's your first time and you just want to wander and take it all in, and he grins and hands you an info card for their loyalty program instead.

“You will need to sign up for that, I can already tell.” His eyes are wide as Javi takes in the sheer volume of what is being sold here. “Holy shit. I know the costume designers have to come here often.”

"I've heard about this place for ages, but it was the costumers on your film that convinced me I needed to come." There is a stack of handheld baskets near the door, but Javi gives you a look that says Be realistic, amor and you smirk and reach for a shopping cart with wheels instead.

He grins and grabs another to wheel behind you. “Just in case.” He huffs when you whirl around and give him a look.

It quickly becomes clear that this shop not only has every color of thread ever created, a full aisle of sewing machines, and sizes of needles that never knew existed, but also racks upon racks of fixtures and a little set up in one corner marked Button by the Pound with assorted miscellaneous buttons that can be weighed into bags. It also has knitting, embroidery, and crochet supplies all sold together in the largest warehouse you could possibly imagine.

There is a help desk in the fabric room between the endless bolts and large cabinets of sewing patterns where a staff member can help you match the best type of fabric for your pattern and then cut how much you need. There are ribbons and appliqués and the chance for you to explain to Javi the importance of never, ever using your fabric scissors for anything ever.

“Do not use your scissors for anything.” He nods seriously. “Unless I am cutting a thread and then come to you to make sure.

“It would be like me using your laptop to browse the internet.” You explain, carefully selecting a quality pair of shears from the wall and adding them to your basket. “Technically it does do that, but it’s so much more important to you than just internet.”

“Understood.” He has nothing to hide from you, but all of his work is saved on the laptop.

“So…” Pushing your carts toward the fabric room, you nudge your husband and smile. “You have to know that with all this fuss, you’re getting far made than one new shirt.”

“I am perfectly fine with that.” He chirps. “Why don’t we pick out your machine first?” He asks. “Or do you want to pick out your fabrics?”

“We probably ought to get the machine first…” Down the aisle to your left are so many machines you don’t even recognize some of the brands. “I don’t need anything complicated. It’s not like I’m making ballgowns.”

“Find one that you like.” He insists. “You can always upgrade or add another to your collection.”

"The one I used when I was a kid was my grandmother's old Singer." Gravitating toward that brand would be a standard even for a beginner, but for you it's sentimental. Luckily this shop has an entire section of shelving with plenty of choices.

“Whatever one speaks to you.” He watches as you bite your lip, caressing one of the displays. He loves that you are going to get what you want, encourages it.

It takes a little back and forth, but eventually you settle on a Singer model that has over a thousand stitch options, a dozen accessories, and plenty of new-to-you settings to play with. Since you're not a beginner, you're not afraid of learning some more advanced options, and Javi tuts when you fret even momentarily over the price. This is one time that you only need the slightest amount of coaxing. Ten minutes later you're heading back into the fabric room to take a look at patterns and let Javi pick out the styles of his next few new shirts.

“Do you have any preference on what type of fabric?” Javi asks, a little overwhelmed at all the options. “Is one easier to work with?”

"You like wearing linen." Even if he hadn't realized it, Javi's wardrobe does have a distinctive feeling to it. He dresses like he did in Mallorca, and perpetually looks as though a beach might materialize behind him at any moment. You love it, if you're honest. Casual Javi is a comfortable, cozy man. "And you love the clothes in old movies. Maybe I could make you some things from vintage patterns?"

He ticks a brow up, intrigued by the idea. “Yeah?” He asks. “How vintage? Renaissance? Or romantic periods? Early 1900’s?” He’s teasing and he would wear anything you make him, but he���s interested to see what you were thinking.

"I was thinking of like...the 1930s to the 60s or so." His sudden enthusiasm for antique clothing styles takes you off guard and your eyebrows raise in surprise. But just as you start to waffle on the idea, he starts giggling. "You're teasing!" You nudge him again and huff playfully. "Sassy husband."

“Lovely wife.” He replies, pulling you close and pressing his lips to yours. “Whatever you think will look good on me.” He encourages. “Make something you want to see on me and take off me.” He waggles his brows playfully.

“If you keep encouraging me Like that we’re gonna have to talk about kids a lot sooner than our six month mark.” You tell him, but press another kiss to his lips rather than scold.

“Then you could make your own maternity dresses.” He coos, grinning widely at the prospect.

“I was already planning on it,” you admit, steering him and your cart over to the set of pattern cabinets marked Vintage. “I can make them with adjustable pieces that would be impossible to find in mainstream stores.”

He hums and watches as you absorb yourself in the designs. Completely mesmerized by how engrossed you become. Obviously serious about this, your eyes sparkle with passion.

Eventually you come away with a pattern for an asymmetrical side-button long sleeve shirt, one for a short-sleeve resort shirt that will be great in linen, one for a 1950s style shirt with thick stripes of color, and the last is one that Javi gravitates toward — a Cuban style shirt that was all the rage in the 50s and will look great in cotton or linen. “What if…” Looking at the patterns together, the vintage vibes are strong on this trip. “I made myself a swing dress? To match one of your 50s style shirts?”

“I would love that.” He agrees. “It would be something perfect for a date.” He smiles. “So let’s find the color, right?” He asks, looking over at the bolts of linen.

You follow his eyes, but the room is so full of possibilities that you’re lighting up again. “Let’s look at cotton for whatever I make for both of us…although a couple of linen dresses sound nice for the summer…”

Javi follows you, listening to you as you start to ramble about different colors and the way you could style them. Taking every single color that you admire and putting it in his basket until it completely covers the sewing machine and nearly topples over onto the floor.

“I think that might be all we can manage.” All you can do is laugh at his utter enthusiasm, charmed and feeling deeply loved and supported in this moment. “I have a feeling we’ll be back before too long.”

“What about the thread? He asks. “You need that too, right?”

“Right.” That’s back out in the main shop, but pushing your carts is now distinctly more work with how much you’re buying. “Couldn’t get that until we had our fabrics. I have to see how much color matching I can do.”

“There’s a lot of thread.” He snorts. “I think you need one of those organizer thingies, right?” He asks, glancing towards a display to keep your thread organized.

“I’m afraid…” you offer him a sheepish half-smile. “The living room is going to be fully turned into a sewing room, not just half.”

“That is perfectly fine by me, sweetheart.” He reaches out and pulls you back for another kiss. “I want you to be happy. I know there are times that I spend a lot of time on my computer, but I want you to have something you love doing.” He lifts his brows. “But only if you love it. If something changes, you stop doing it.”

“The most I’ve done for ages is basic knitting. I miss this. It’s more than just making mittens or scarves for Christmas gifts. It’s a chance to be really creative again.” So many kisses given and returned, but here in the middle of the thread aisle in a sewing supply store, your heart is full to bursting over something very simple. Support.

“Then you take as much space as you need.” He smiles and reaches for your hand to give it a good squeeze.

“I love you, too.” One more kiss to indulge, and you approve of the thread holder that Javi picked out from a nearby shelf. “We should probably get out of here before we buy more than the car can hold.”

That makes him laugh, even as he nods. As great as the car is, a Porsche doesn’t have the biggest storage space available on the car market.

“Come on.” The flash of a grin lights up your face and you start for the end of the aisle. “Before I decide to go back to the embroidery aisle and make everyone on the film personalized pillow covers for their trailers.”

He snorts and shakes his head. “That might be next.” He teases ruefully.

“Maybe,” you admit. “But it would be worth it to make Alex an embroidered pillow that says something quite rude. He’d love it.”

“Oh god!” He throws his head back and laughs. “He would love it!”

“He would.” When you reach the counter you’re both laughing. “I think I have to do it now.”

He snorts a little. “Make it something very dirty.” He tells you.

“Hi folks, I can help you right over here.” There are two registers on the long counter, and the woman standing behind the far one waves you over.

“Hi.” Bouncing and beaming when you push your carts over together, you offer the woman an apologetic shrug. “We went a little crazy.”

Steering the cart up, Javi starts to unload the thread first since it can be bagged. Half listening to the chatter between you and the clerk.

She has short, dark pink hair and a gleaming nose ring. The romper she’s wearing under her apron has obviously been handmade and you coo over a detail in the sleeve cuff when she turns around again.

After the thread comes the bolts of fabric. Making Javi laugh as he starts to pile them up. Both of you went a little overboard.

“Big project in the works?” She asks, taking in the sheer amount of fabric and supplies you and Javi have picked out.

“Sort of.” You shrug sheepishly. “I’m going to make a few matching pieces for my husband and me to wear. Cheesy but cute.”

“She will make things that I will wear until they fall apart and then she will put them back together.” He tells the woman proudly. “She made the dress she is wearing now.”

“And it’s a super cute dress.” The woman agrees, smiling at his enthusiasm. It’s always nice to see supportive spouses come though. It happens less often than she would have hoped. “Looks like you guys have enough here for the start of a new wardrobe.” The basic chitchat is kind of a necessity of work, but this woman feels…familiar to her somehow. Like she ought to have more to say than just the basics.

“Yeah…” You laugh, not embarrassed but acknowledging how silly it must seem. “Um…I definitely think I’m going to sign up for your loyalty program. Is it okay to do that with you or should I fill out the form they gave me at the door?”

“Here is perfect.” The company doesn’t make her push the loyalty program, but it has some perks. “Signing up today will give you an additional twenty percent off.”

“Perfect.” You laugh, looking at the massive purchase. “Seems like the right time to get that perk.”

“Always good when you can get money off the big items.” She agrees and starts to pull up the screen to enter in your information.

“The last name is Gutierrez.” She doesn’t ask, but you spell it for her anyway, out of habit and then give her your first name.

She hums, not looking up from typing. “I always loved that name.” She admits. “My cousin has that first name.”

“I always liked it a lot.” It’s such an easy thing to agree. Almost more mindless small talk.

Until your eyes fall on her name tag, which reads: Wilhelmina

“Holy shit—” One hand clamps itself over your mouth in surprise before the words can be muffled and your eyes are wide. “Billie??”

Her brow crinkles in confusion for a moment and she looks down at her name tag, as if it would say Billie, “How—”

"Billie Carmichael? Born in Woodstock, Connecticut?" You're practically tearing up again, so easily emotional at this enormous surprise. You knew she looked familiar. You'd just never seen your cousin with pink hair before. Or...at all in the last fifteen years. "Little sister called KT? Absolutely inseparable from your cousin until you moved to the west coast?" You can't help it. You blubber a little, waving once because you don't know what else to do. "Hi cuz."

“Oh my god.” She slaps her hand over her mouth and lets out a small sob before she whispers your name again. “I can’t believe it. You’re— you’re here.” She doesn’t hesitate to move out from behind the counter to throw her arms around you.

“Holy shit, holy shit.” For a few minutes it’s just the two of you hugging each other and exclaiming, but when you pull back again you’re grinning ecstatically. “What are you doing here? When did you move to LA?” The flurry of excitement almost makes you forget yourself, but you squeeze your cousin’s arms and giggle with happiness. “This is my soulmate, by the way. Javi, remember I told you about my cousin?”

“This is your cousin Billie?” Javi chuckles, only being a little sarcastic because you both have been squealing so loudly he had gotten the hint. “I would have never guessed.” He comes over and offers his hand. “Javi Gutierrez.” He introduces himself. “I have heard about you. All good.”

“All exaggeration.” Billie assures him, still laughing.

You huff, but just because you still can’t believe it. “You’re really here!”

“I moved to LA two years ago.” She giggles, letting go of his hand and throwing her arm around you again. “I can’t believe it. I just— I asked mom about you and they never could tell me where you were.”

“Yeah, I haven’t exactly…stayed in touch.” That’s probably your fault, but your own mother hasn’t made it easy at all. “My mom remarried and her side of the family doesn’t like him very much. Which they’re completely right about, for the record.”

“Oh god.” She winces and hugs you again. “Okay, back to being professional.” She huffs, pulling away and scooting around the counter again. “I have to get your number. We should have lunch sometime, catch up.”

“Anytime you want,” you promise her. “I’m on set during the week but nobody will mind if I want to leave for lunch or if — oh, oh! You should come visit set one day!”

“Set?” Her brows wing up and she glances at the material and then back at you. “You- this is for costumes?” She huffs, figuring you had just been fibbing to keep the details under wraps. “You finally became a fashion designer? For films? That’s incredible!”

“It’s…not quite that cool.” Although your heart pangs a little with how much you wish it was true. “Javi is an incredible screenwriter. They’re filming at the museum I work at so I’m helping it on set.” Beaming, you look back at your husband with pride. “It’s how we met.”

“Oh, so you are newly married!” Her eyes light up and she grins. “She used to talk about finding her soulmate.” She tells Javi. “How handsome and smart he was going to be. Is she right about being smart?”

“I was very right.” Javi is blushing bright red and you give him a squeeze in turn — and over his shoulder see the glare of the man who greeted you at the door. “Oh shit. Um…I don’t want to get you in trouble, Bills. But you have to come over for dinner soon. I have Grandpa’s corn chowder recipe and we can yap as much as we want.”

“Oh god, seriously?” She groans happily and quickly nods before finishing entering your information in the system to sign you up for the loyalty program. “I’ve missed that corn chowder.”

“I swear it’s like being nine again. Hanging out in the backyard at a family reunion soaking wet from running through the sprinklers and all.” Both of you laugh, and a wave of contentedness settles in you as a missing piece of yourself clicks back into place. “It’s really, really good to see you again.”

She hits the button and grins at you happily, adding her own discount to your order. “It’s amazing to see you too, cuz.” She promises before rattling off your total.

Javi raises one eyebrow and you produce the credit card he gave you earlier, tapping it on the machine in the counter as he starts to load up your carts with all of the bags. “The perfect end to the perfect day,” you agree.

“Hang on.” She rips off the receipt and turns it over to scrawl her number on the back of it for you. “Call me. Please.”

“Cross my heart.” Drawing one finger over your heart in promise, you slip the paper into your purse and resolve to call her tonight. It’s never too soon when the time apart has been so long.

Javi starts to wheel the cart loaded down with lots of bags and the sewing machine, grinning at the manager as he walks past him. “Have a good day.”

“I can’t believe it.” Pushing everything outside feels like floating on air, and the second you’re out the door you pull out your phone to save Billie’s number to your phone and shoot her a text.

“I am shocked.” Javi admits with a small snort. “Of all the fabric stores in all the world.”

“It’s so crazy.” Breaking, gleeful bewilderment is pretty much all you’ve got on your face right now but you lean into Javi’s side with a happy sigh. “What a crazy fucking coincidence.”

“Yes it is, amor.” He smiles and opens the smaller trunk to start loading the bags and box into it. “Do you want to go home and unload this first or stop by the store on the way home?” He asks, making you pause with a frown of confusion in your eyes. “To get the ingredients for your corn chowder?” He clarifies. “I am assuming your cousin is coming to lunch or dinner tomorrow? To catch up?”

“I hope so.” It’s all a little hazy because it just happened, and you haven’t had a chance to plan with her yet. “Why don’t we stop for groceries on the way home and we can get whatever we want for dinner tonight, as well?”

“Perfect.” He grins as he manages to squeeze everything in the trunk by playing a little Tetris and slams it shut, “groceries go on the back seat.”

“There’s nowhere else they could possibly go,” you laugh, but fling your arms around him and press and grateful kiss to his lips. “Thank you for today, mi amor.”

******

Monday, May 27, 2025

You are nervous. It’s sweet and cute almost, the way you are obsessing over making everything look perfect. For now, everything you bought is piled into the garage because you don’t want to take up the living room with your sewing supplies, even though Javi told you that it would be fine. You woke up early to start on the corn chowder, which he had to admit smells delicious, currently slowly simmering on the stove. Trays of nostalgic finger goods made, explaining them to a very confused soulmate who has never thought of smearing cream cheese on a slice of ham and rolling it around a green onion to slice up into bite sized pieces. They are good though. “Do you want me to disappear into my study for a while?” Javi asks. “Give you two a chance to catch up? I don’t mind, but I want you to let me know if you want me there.” You might think he doesn’t want to be there for stumbling down memory lane and nothing can be further from the truth. He wants you to just enjoy yourself and maybe you can open up more without him trying to understand the history and having to have it explained to him.

“What if you stayed and spent time with us during dinner, and if we’re driving you crazy with family stories I won’t blame you one bit if you disappear afterward?” Javi is always deeply accommodating and you try to be that for him too, but you do want him to get to know your cousin if he’s up for it.

“I am curious to know everything about you and your family, but I also know that you want to reconnect.” He chuckles. “Perhaps tell an embarrassing story or five.”

“Oh,” you snicker. “I’m sure there will be embarrassing stories.”

He smirks and moves to pick up a cup that had been left out from the quick breakfast he had wanted you to share. “Maybe some good ideas to add to screenplays.” He jokes.

“Your interior designer might get a more colorful backstory than you anticipated,” you tease, though it makes your cheeks burn to remember he is basing character on you.

“Nothing wrong with that.” He smiles indulgently. “Anything else I can help you with before she arrives?”

“I think I’ll probably fuss with the players on the table three more times, but technically everything is ready.” The chowder is keeping warm, the little pinwheel sandwiches you loved as kids are ready to go, and a Waldorf salad like your mothers used to make is waiting in the fridge.

“Then I will stay out of your way while you…tinker.” You had told him that’s your way of combatting nerves so he doesn’t want to hamper you.

“That’s a very polite way of saying while I get my nerves out.” But you’re still grateful for his acceptance of your general anxieties, and give him a kiss by way of showing it. “She should be here any minute, I won’t have much time to tinker anyway.”

“Then I will answer the door so you can triple check everything.” He smiles as you nod, even as you adjust the flowers on the table.

It is at most five minutes later that you hear Javi at the cottage’s front door, calling out at first and then chatting amiably. Billie’s voice joins him before too long, and you have just enough time to re-straighten the collage frame of wedding pictures on the living room wall before he ushers her inside.

“You have such a beautiful home.” Billie hums, coming inside. “I noticed that there are some stakes in the front, are you adding on?”

“Sort of yes, sort of no.” You sweep forward to hug her without hesitation. “We’re actually building a whole house. When we’re finished, this is going to be the guest house. The pool will be in between this and the big house.”

“A guest house!” Her eyes widen and she nearly chokes on the comment. It’s very obvious that you’ve got money and she thinks that couldn’t happen to a more deserving person.

“It was Javi’s idea.” This cottage that you’re living now has been called many things, but landing on the decision to make it a guest house for anyone who might want to come and stay had been Javi’s latest idea. It suits both of you, and the idea of it being one day accessible to your kid’s friends also suits.

“That is…amazing.” She hums. “That way if you need to have visitors come, they have their space and you keep your own space.”

“It’s going to be a big building project, but we’re staying optimistic.” Ushering her inside, you have to stop yourself from going overboard and doing something silly like pulling out her chair, so you move to the fridge instead and offer her a drink.

She takes the option of tea, thank you and slides into the seat that Javi offers her. “So you met where a movie is being filmed?” She asks. “How did that happen?”

“Javi came into the museum while he was working on the script. The first time, we chatted a little on the main floor of the house. The second time he came to see the house at Christmas and I swear I had such a crush I could barely breathe while we sat and talked. Then last month a film crew showed up to start shooting a movie in the museum and…” Your eyes flick up to Javi, soft and sweet and gentle Javi that you so completely adore. “And that was the day we figured out we were soulmates. Had our wedding that night. It’s been a whirlwind.”

“Ohhhhhhh…” she practically melts at the romance and whimsy of it. “You married the day you found out.” She’s proud that there is only a single pang of jealousy but there’s more happiness for you.

"We just knew it was right." You've poured out drinks for the three of you and Javi helps you take things from the fridge so the table can be complete. All you have to do is serve yourselves and chat. "And I think our instincts were pretty damn good."

“You seem to be very happy.” She smiles. “You deserve it.”

“Find me two months ago and I was a wavering wreck,” you admit. “But enough about me. What have you been up to?”

Billie shrugs slightly. “Working,” she shoots you a rueful grin. “Followed a dream, it failed, started working retail.”

“What dream?” You start ladling chowder into bowls and hand them around, thinking of what she had wanted to do when you were kids. “The Spice Girls never return your call to have a sixth member?”

She throws her head back and laughs, almost embarrassed but she’s enjoying the ribbing. “Turns out, if you can’t sing, you can’t become a singer.” She shrugs. “No, I had that stupid itch to become an actress.”

“Why is that stupid?” You ask, and you can see Javi nearly huff the same question. “You always did the school plays when we were kids. That seems like a natural progression.”

“Because I was no where near good enough.” She snorts. “Never got past any open calls, unless you count the invitation to a ‘casting couch’.” She rolls her eyes. “Really don’t think that pilot was real. Never saw it on tv.”

“Sometimes you just need to know the right person.” Setting a bowl in front of her with all the comfort of years spent around her mother’s table, you slide her spoon a little bit closer. “That’s how Javi got his first script produced. Through a friend.”

“I don’t have the contacts or friends.” She shrugs. “My job pays the bills and I’m just trying to figure out what I want to do now.”

“Of course you have contacts and friends.” You look to Javi, asking permission to make this enormous request of him. When he smiles and gives a small nod — as if to say ‘of course’ — you lean forward at the table and pick up your own soup. “It might not be big, but we can help you get started! I’m sure there’s room for another extra on Javi’s film. Maybe even a line of dialogue?”

There’s a spark of hope in her eyes. A yearning but she shakes her head. “I can’t ask you to do that.” Her voice is slightly strangled, like she never could have expected the offer and it’s about to make her cry. “Then you would think I just wanted to reconnect to get something from you.”

“You didn’t ask,” you point out gently. “I offered. And we reconnected over a pile of sewing supplies. That’s about as us as it gets.”

“We always loved learning new stitch patterns from Gram.” She smiles fondly and touches a star that had been sew into the edge of the shirt. A small touch that reminded her of the woman who had patiently taught her to make her own prom dress.

"That was our thing," you explain to Javi, who is inspecting his chowder dubiously but has his spoon in hand anyway. "Gram would look after us after school and teach us whatever we wanted to learn. Sewing, embroidery, knitting, all of it."

“She was special to you.” He surmises that quick enough, a small smile on his face. “It reminds you of the time you spent together.”

“It does.” And the more of yourself you share with him, the more you feel like the unspoken parts of you are opening up. “And maybe one day I’ll get to share it with our kids.”

“You want to have kids?” She’s both surprised and not surprised. The only reason that she thought you might have changed your mind was because of your childhood outside of your extended family, but she smiles. “You already working on that too?” She teases playfully.

“Hush.” She almost makes you choke on your first spoonful of soup but you manage to avoid it. “We figured we should at least have the house under construction before we go and make more people to live in it.”

Billie laughs, shaking her head and spooning up a bite of her chowder. Immediately groaning in pleasure when the taste explodes in her mouth. “Oh my god.” She moans. “It’s exactly how I remember.”

“It took me years to get it right.” Having her love it means more than anyone else’s opinion ever has, and you beam. “Gramps wrote stock on the recipe card, but he never specified what kind. Years of using chicken or veggie stock and it never tasted right. Turns out? He was making corn stock with the stripped corn cob and didn’t tell a soul!”

“Corn stock?” That makes her drop the spoon and slap her hand on the table while howling with laughter. “That sounds just like the old coot!” She manages between giggles, remembering your grandfather with such sweet, exasperated affection.

“I swear,” you snort with laughter along with her. “He specifically didn’t say a damn thing so no one else could make his recipe right.”

“How did you figure out he was making corn stock?” She demands. “That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard of.”

“I saw it in an issue of Bon Appetite magazine a couple of years ago.” It has just been some idle page flipping in line at the grocery store, but damned if it hasn’t worked. “It was like a lightning bolt hit me. That had to be the secret.”

“And of course you had to immediately try it.” She knows how you were, and assumes that it’s much the same now, considering you have recreated his recipe exactly. “Did your mom love that you figured out the secret?”

You sigh, smothering a groan. “Apparently it was disrespectful to Grandpa’s memory to figure out his secret.”

Billie huffs out an annoyed sound and rolls her eyes. “I’m sorry, cuz, but I’m gonna tell you….” She points her spoon at you. “Your mother is a grade A, prime thundercunt.”

Even Javi snorts this time, giggling at the imaginative expletive right along with you. “I know,” you assure her, when you’ve managed not to fall over laughing. “She’s worse now. The guy she married after Dad died is…How do I put this gently? He’s the most hateful, narcissistic asshat I’ve ever net in my life, and that includes the guy I followed to Hollywood.” It takes a moment, but you shrug. “Actually? Most of the people I’ve met in Hollywood have been pretty nice so far.”

“Alex would be heartbroken if you didn’t think he was the best out of all of them.” Javi reminds you with a grin. “Your guy bestie.” The actor had called himself that one day and Javi had a t-shirt made for him, just for giggles. And he had worn it proudly while annoying you between his takes.

“He’s a hell of a lot better than my real brother,” you hum.

“Alex?” It’s obviously someone you both know and someone around Hollywood, so she shoots you an interested look. “NDA’s involved?”

“Alex Powell.” Come to think of it, he probably does make people sign NDAs for some things, but for as big a star as he is you had expected him to be way less…normal. “He’s one of the leads in Javi’s movie.”

“Oh my- you’re serious?” Her jaw drops and she looks back and forth between the two of you, expecting someone to crack a smile at the joke. “You know Alex Powell?”

“Actually?” Popping up from the table, you move to pick up a picture frame from a nearby end table and hand it to Billie. “My self-nominated big brother was in our wedding party.”

“Holy shit.” Your smile is wide, but not nearly as wide as Alex Powell’s obviously escorting you down the aisle for your wedding. “That’s—” she choked out a small laugh. “Amazing. Wait—” her eyes narrow slightly at the background. “Is that Olivia Cage?”

“Nick is Javi’s best friend.” It’s so matter of fact to you at this point that sometimes you even manage to forget that a huge deal it would be to anyone else. “That’s their daughter Addy beside her.”

“So Nick has to be standing beside Javi as his best man?” She shakes her head. “Holy shit! You had the best wedding of the year and there’s not a word of it anywhere in the magazines.”

“We…” Javi smirks and you nudge him, but go on. “We filmed it. For the extras when the movie comes out. There’s going to be a little featurette about us.”

“Ohhhhhh that’s genius.” She might not work in the movie industry, but the public loves a soulmate romance and to have it filmed because you found each other on the set of this movie? It will draw people in. “The movie is going to be a success at the box office for sure.” She laughs. “You should show the wedding after the credits.”

“Maybe they will, who knows?” It does sound like something the studio would do. And surprisingly enough? That thought doesn’t bother you at all. “It was such a whirlwind of a day, and a gorgeous night. I wouldn’t change a thing about it.”

“You look like you are thriving and I love that for you.” She reaches out and covers your hand with her own for a brief squeeze.

“I got lucky,” you tell her honestly. “I know it’s cheesy to think. Everybody thinks they have the best soulmate in the world.” Looking over at Javi, you can’t help but beam. “But I really do.”

“The man encouraged you to buy sooooo many bolts of fabrics.” She huffs. “Of course he’s amazing.”

“If he’s not careful,” you grin at your husband. “All his designer things are going to be nudged out and replaced by handmade pieces.”

“You design them, I will wear them.” He promises, winking at you even though he is serious.

"That's a dangerous promise to make to someone who loves fashion as much as she always has," Billie teases, probably because she has an instinct about your husband being the sort of man to actually keep his promises to you. Or, at least, she hopes he does.

“Oh, I have nothing but faith in her.” He promises. He had gone through your closet last night and was impressed by the items that you had made.

"Better me than Nick's stylist, right?" You tease, deflecting the compliment as your cheeks burn hot.

“God, I’ve told him that woman needs to be fired.” He huffs. “Nick has…unconventional taste as it is, but she takes it beyond that.”

When Billie looks equal parts intrigued and afraid, you laugh. “She gets stuck on things,” you explain. “For a while it was creepy crawlers.”

“Oh…oh that’s…unfortunate.” She manages tactfully before both of you dissolve into giggles.

“His daughter wears his tarantula belt ironically now. It’s actually kind of hilarious.”

“How very Wednesday Addams of her.” She snorts. “As long as she thinks that it’s fun. But I hope that his stylist has moved past the crawly phase.”

“She’s on to Hawaiian shirts with hidden messages,” you tell Billie. “So far my favourite one was the Where’s Waldo? vacation print. Not sure what the message was, but we all had fun finding Waldo.”

“Okay if that’s what’s passing as fashion, why aren’t you blowing them all away?” Billie demands. “You designed Dara’s wedding dress!”

“Dara?” Javi asks, looking between you.

“One of our other cousins…” you stare down at your empty soup bowl for a second, teeth chewing on your bottom lip, and feel yourself deflate a little at how far off track you’ve gotten. How far from your dream. Museum work has been fulfilling in ways you never could have expected — but it isn’t where you dreamed of going by any means. “She’s a bunch of years older than us and asked our grandmother to do it. But…that was around the time that Gram was starting to lose her memory and…I ended up designing it instead. Until now, Billie was the only one who knew that it wasn’t our grandmother who designed Dara’s wedding dress. You’re the second person.”

Billie sees the way your shoulders slump and she could kick herself for bringing it up. “It was beautiful.” She murmurs and digs into her chowder again.

"I'm not upset that I couldn't take credit for it." Clarification seems important, when Billie slumps too and Javi looks concerned. "I just...I wish I'd told my parents to fuck off and gone to design school anyway. That's...that's what's going through my head right now."

“You know….we had moved away by that time.” She hates that there had been so much distance later on between the two of you. “But that was when mom decided she was done with yours.” She admits. “She stopped talking to my lovely aunt when they pushed you into a future you didn’t want.”

"Your mom went no contact?" This is news to you. Although it's not like your own mother really ever kept you updated on the family. It's part of the reason that you had no idea where Billie was before randomly running into her. "Be—because of me?"

“Yep.” She shoots you a reassuring smile. “Said even though she was her sister, she was a total bitch so it wasn’t much of a loss.” She sighs. “Only regret she had was when she figured out your phone number wasn’t right. No way to get ahold of you.”

“Well, you can give her the right number now.” It’s…surprising. An unlooked for comfort, you suppose you would call it, to find out that your aunt loves you so much that she found what your mother and stepdad did to be unconscionable. It’s nice to know that someone else in the family cares, at least. “They’re good? Your parents?”

“They are good.” She admits with a roll of her eyes. “They will be better now that they know you are out here too.” They had worried about her, fretted. “Maybe they will stop trying to get me to come home.”

“Tell them you’ve got reinforcements,” you joke. “Family recipes and Hollywood friends. That’s sure to confuse them.”

She snorts and nods. “Although if I don’t tell her what’s going on, she will threaten to fly out here to make sure I’m not living in the streets.”

“Auntie Kay is…a little intense,” you explain to Javi, though it’s through a laugh. “Not in a bad way. She’s just very protective.”

“She sounds like a woman I would like to meet.” He admits with a grin. Anyone who stopped talking to her sister over how you were being treated is an outstanding person in his book.

“You’ll love her.” Reaching across the table, you squeeze Javi’s hand in silent appreciation. “Maybe Auntie Kay and Uncle Rick can use the guest house when it’s actually for guests to use? After the house is finished?”

“That would be perfect.” He grins. “Christen it with family.”

“I think that sounds just right.”

------ Master Tags: @pixiedurango @chattychell @winter-fox-queen @lady-himbo @artsymaddie @princess76179 @paintballkid711 @missminkylove @pedrosbrat @ew-erin @sarahjkl82-blog @sharkbait77 @justanotherblonde23 @lv7867 @recklesswit @mylittlesenaar @f0rever15elf @gallowsjoker @steeevienicks @athalien @sherala007 @skvatnavle @thatpinkshirt @jaime1110 @girlimjusttryingtoreadfanfics @goodgriefitsawildworld @greeneyedblondie44 @littlemousedroid @harriedandharassed @churchill356 @ajathegreats-blog @haylzcyon   @beardsanddetectives @kirsteng42 @ladykatakuri @adancedivasmom @madiebear @tanzthompson @emilianamason @bigsdinger @xocalliexo @pedr0swh0r3 @avaleineandafryingpan @charlyrmv @avidreader73 @iceclaw101 @loveslide @elegantduckturtle @becsworld @julesonrecord @its-nebuleuse @itsrubberbisquit @mikeyswifie @guelyury @lizzie-cakes @for-a-longlongtime @vabeachazn @purplerain04 @weho2kcmo @madnessofadaydreamer

TUWOP: @inept-the-magnificent @missladym1981 @sunnytuliptime @iamladyp @spishsstuff @famouslyanonymous

[pikahlua]

MHA Chapter 416 spoilers translations

This week’s initial tentative super rough/literal translations under the cut.

tagline 1 コミックス40巻4月4日発売‼︎ コミックス40かん4がつ4かはつばい‼︎ KOMIKKUSU 40kan 4gatsu 4ka hatsubai!! Volume 40 release on April 4th!!

tagline 2 No.416　こじ開けろ！緑谷出久‼︎　堀越耕平 ナンバー416　こじあけろ！みどりやいずく‼︎　ほりこしこうへい NANBAA 416  kojiakero! Midoriya Izuku!!  Horikoshi Kouhei No. 416 Pry it open! Izuku Midoriya!! Kouhei Horikoshi

1 待テ まテ maTE "Wait."

2 デクさん… DEKU-san... "Deku-san..."

3 助けないと…‼︎ たすけないと…‼︎ tasukenai to...!! "I have to help...!!"

4 アソコマデ何百キロモアルンダヨ アソコマデなんびゃっキロモアルンダヨ ASOKO MADE nanbya KIRO MO ARUNDA YO "That place is hundreds of kilometers [away]."

5 乗ってきたノで戻れば…！ のってきたノでもどれば…！ notte kita NO de modoreba...! "We rode here, so if I go back...!"

6 荼毘ヤマキアソシテAFO… だびヤマキアソシテオール・フォー・ワン… Dabi YA Makia SOSHITE OORU FOO WAN... "Dabi and Machia, and then All For One..."

7 想定以上ニ戦闘規模ガ広ガリ避難システムニモ影響ガ及ンデイル そうていいじょうニせんとうきぼガひろガリひなんシステムニモえいきょうガおよンデイル soutei ijou NI sentou kibo GA hiroGARII hinan SHISUTEMU NI MO eikyou GA oyoNDE IRU "The scale of the battle spread more than expected, and the effect is reaching the evacuation system."

8 今ハ動カセナイ いまハうごカセナイ ima WA ugoKASENAI "We can't move it now."

9 でも…！ demo...! "But...!"

10 ソレニ… SORE NI... "Additionally..."

1 「巻キ戻シ」エネルギーモ 「まキもどシ」エネルギーモ 「maKImodoSHI」 ENERUGII MO "the Rewind energy"

2 マダ溜マッテナイダロウ マダたマッテナイダロウ MADA taMATTENAI DAROU "hasn't accumulated yet, right?"

3 …行ケタトシテモソレデハ殆ド意味ガ無イ …イケタトシテモソレデハホトンドイミガナイ ...IKETA TO SHITEMO SORE DE WA HOTONDO IMI GA NAI "...Even if you could go, there would almost be no meaning."

4 イレイザーノ時ニワカッタダロウ イレイザーノときニワカッタダロウ IREIZAA NO toki NI WAKATTA DAROU "You understood when [you were with] Eraser, right?"

5 ちょうとダンプカーにひかれたけど相澤先生　元気ダヨ ちょうとダンプカーにひかれたけどあいざわせんせい　げんきダヨ chouto DANPUKAA ni hikareta kedo Aizawa-sensei genki DARO Aizawa-sensei was run over by a dump truck, but he's fine.

6 気持ハ痛イ程ワカルガ きもちハいたイほどワカルガ kimochi WA itaI hodo WAKARU GA "I understand the feeling is painful, but"

7 我々ハ信ジルシカナインダヨ われわれハしんジルシカナインダヨ wareware WA shinJIRU SHIKA NAINDARO "there is nothing we can do but believe."

1 エリちゃんの夢!⁉︎ エリちゃんのゆめ!⁉︎ ERI-chan no yume!!? Eri-chan's dream!!?

2 じゃあ jaa Then,

3 僕も尚更頑張らなくちゃ！ ぼくもなおさらがんばらなくちゃ！ boku mo naosara ganbaranakucha! I have to do my best even more!

4 緑谷兄ちゃんは みどりやにいちゃんは Midoriya-niichan wa "Midoriya-niichan,*" (*Note: This word means "big brother" or is an honorific for a young boy/man a younger person looks up to.)

5 すぐ泣きべソかくんだよ… すぐなきべソかくんだよ… sugu nakibeSO kakunda yo... "his face [looks like] it's about to cry, so he's hiding it..."

1 こうたくん… Kouta-kun... "Kouta-kun..."

2 僕も泣き虫だから…！ ぼくもなきむしだから…！ boku mo nakumushi dakara...! "[I can tell] because I'm a crybaby too...!"

3 兄ちゃんが頑張ってるとね にいちゃんががんばってるとね niichan ga ganbatteru to ne "Big brother (niichan) is doing his best."

4 何かしなきゃって思うんだ なにかしなきゃっておもうんだ nani ka shinakya tte omounda "That's why it feels like we have to do something."

5 おまえがここで休んだら おまえがここでやすんだら omae ga koko de yasundara If you rest here,

6 俺たち元の暮らしに戻るのかよ？ おれたちもとのくらしにもどるのかよ？ ore-tachi moto no kurashi ni modoru no ka yo? will we go back to our old lives?

1 皆がいてくれるから みんながいてくれるから minna ga ite kureru kara Because everyone is here [with me],

2-3 全部取り戻します ぜんぶとりもどします zenbu torimodoshimasu we'll get it all back.

1 物間っ！しっかり‼︎ ものまっ！しっかり‼︎ Monoma! shikkari!! "Monoma! Hang in there!!"

2 緑谷さん…また黒いお姿に…！ みどりやさん…またくろいおすがたに…！ Midoriya-san...mata kuroi osugata ni...! (literal) "Midoriya-san...[his] black form again...!" (contextual) "Midoriya-san...[he's turning into] his dark form again...!"

3 ねえヤオモモ nee YAOMOMO "Hey, Yaomomo."

1 コミックで KOMIKKU de "In comics,"

2 よくあるじゃんね… yoku aru jan ne... "[there's this thing that] happens often..."

3-4 「俺はあいつを信じてる！」ってさ 「おれはあいつをしんじてる！」ってさ 「ore wa aitsu wo shinjiteru!」 tte sa "'I believe in that guy!'"

4 俺とか切島くらいの立ち位置の奴が言うの… おれとかきりしまくらいのたちいちのやつがいうの… ore toka Kirishima kurai no tachi ichi no yatsu ga iu no... "It's something some guy in a role like mine or Kirishima's says."

5 そのような作品にはまだ出逢えてなくて… そのようなさくひんにはまだであえてなくて… sono you na sakuhin ni wa mada deaete nakute... "I haven't come across any works like that yet..."

6 少年系読まんもんね… しょうねんけいよまんもんね… shounen-kei yoman mon ne... "You don't read the shounen genre..."

7 緑谷さ…多分今世界で一番強ェのに… みどりやさ…たぶんいませかいでいちばんつえェのに… Midoriya sa...tabun ima sekai de ichiban tsueE noni... "You see, Midoriya...is probably the strongest person in the world right now, but..."

8 何でだろうなあ… なんでだろうなあ… nande darou naa... "I wonder why..."

9-10 オールマイトみたく"もう大丈夫"って…思えねェんだよなあ… オールマイトみたく"もうだいじょうぶ"って…おもえねェんだよなあ… OORU MAITO mitaku "mou daijoubu" tte...omoeneEnda yo naa... "I can't imagine...that 'it's all right now' like what All Might says..."

11 ヤオモモ…… YAOMOMO...... "Yaomomo......"

12 心配すんのは信用してねェってことになんのかなあ？ しんぱいすんのはしんようしてねェってことになんのかなあ？ shinpai sun no wa shinyou shite neE tte koto ni nan no ka naa? "Does my worrying mean I don't believe in him?"

1 そう‼︎予断を許さない負傷者から！ そう‼︎よだんをゆるさないふしょうしゃから！ sou!! yodan wo yurusanai fushousha kara! "Yes!! From an unpredictable injured person!"

2 雄英の子‼︎グラビティみたいな名前の…わかんない！とりあえず　すぐ着くから‼︎ ゆうえいのこ‼︎グラビティみたいななまえの…わかんない！とりあえず　すぐつくから‼︎ yuuei no ko!! GURABITI mitai na namae no...wakannai! toriaezu sugu tsuku kara!! "A UA kid!! The one with a name like Gravity...I don't know! Anyways, [we'll] be there soon!!"

3 雄英ロボが向かっているそうです ゆうえいロボがむかっているそうです yuuei ROBO ga mukatte iru sou desu "It looks like the UA robots are on their way."

4 グラビティって子が危ないみたい グラビティってこがあぶないみたい GURABITI tte ko ga abunai mitai "It looks like the Gravity kid is in danger."

5 あ a "Ah!"

6 おい oi "Hey!"

7 緑谷の映像来てるぞ何じゃコリャ みどりやのえいぞうきてるぞなんじゃコリャ Midoriya no eizou kiteru zo nan ja KORYA "The video of Midoriya is coming, what the hell is this?"

8 今はいいので早く！ いまはいいのではやく！ ima wa ii node hayaku! "It's fine now, so hurry!"

9 ウラビティ…… URABITI...... Uravity......

10 あの子だ…… あのこだ…… ano ko da...... It's that kid......

1 もしも moshimo If

2-3 もしも全員が少しだけ"みんな"のことを思えたなら もしもぜんいんがすこしだけ"みんな"のことをおもえたなら moshimo zen'in ga sukoshi dake "minna" no koto wo omoeta nara If all of us could think of "everyone," just a little bit

1 何で私が緑谷についたか なんでわたしがみどりやについたか nande watashi ga Midoriya ni tsuita ka "Why did I head for Midoriya?"

2 あいつは aitsu wa "Because that guy"

3 心をこじ開けるんだ こころをこじあけるんだ kokoro wo kojiakerunda "pries open hearts."

small text 1 レディ・ナガン REDI ・ NAGAN Lady Nagant

small text 2 元・ヒーロー敵 もと・ヒーローヴィラン moto ・ HIIROO VIRAN Former Hero/Villain

small text 1 プロヒーロー・ロックロック PURO HIIROO ・ ROKKU ROKKU Pro Hero Rock Lock

4 悪人にとって あくにんにとって akunin ni totte "For the bad guys,"

5-6 一番嫌な事をしてくるんだよ いちばんいやなことをしてくるんだよ ichiban iya na koto wo shite kurunda yo "he's come to do what they can't stand the most."

7 まァ maA "Well,"

8 敵退治はいかに早く戦意喪失させるかだからな ヴィラン(たいじ*)はいかにはやくせんいそうしつさせるかだからな VIRAN taiji wa ikani hayaku sen'i soushitsu saseru ka dakara na "the key to eliminating villains is how quickly you make them lose the will to fight, that's why." (Note: This line was originally spoken by Fatgum in chapter 134.)

9 多分 たぶん tabun "Perhaps"

10 今もそうなんだ いまもそうなんだ ima mo sou nanda "now is also like that."

11 勧善懲悪を徹しきれない かんぜんちょうあくをてっしきれない kanzenchouaku wo tesshi kirenai "It's not enough to devote himself to rewarding good and punishing evil."

12 茨の道に夢を見てる いばらのみちにゆめをみてる ibara no michi ni yume wo miteru "He's dreaming on a path of thorns."

13 その面があまりに必死なもんだからーーー そのつらがあまりにひっしなもんだからーーー sono tsura ga amari ni hisshi na mon dakara--- "That aspect of him is so desperate* that---" (*Note: This word in Japanese means that this aspect of Izuku is something that he does "desperately, frantically, with all his might.")

1 ついつい応援したくなっちまう ついついおうえんしたくなっちまう tsuitsui ouen shitaku nacchimau "against my better judgment, I want to root for him."

2 がんばれ ganbare "Do your best!"

1 来るなあ くるなあ kuru naa (literal) "Don't come!" (contextual) "Stay back!"

2 やめろ yamero "Stop,"

3 転弧 てんこ Tenko "Tenko!"

tagline デクの前に現れたのは⁉︎ デクのまえにあらわれたのは⁉︎ DEKU no mae ni arawareta no wa!? What has appeared in front of Deku!?

1-3 あの家から連なる全ての崩壊だ あのいえからつらなるすべてのほうかいだ ano ie kara tsuranaru subete no houkai da The decay of everything extending from that house.

[mistress-indistress]

Mind ranking the sneezes of the Lookism characters? Like from "cute kitten sneezes" up to "monster truck crash sneezes" and the inbetweens? 👁👄👁

HELL YEAH I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR SHIT LIKE THIS

let's start with my baby Jinrang

Jinny sneeze like a dad, loud ass sneeze that breaks the sound barrier and the laws of physics. The surroundings definitely vibrate and shake as if the gods above have been angered but turns out it's just Jinrang sneezing. He also converts his sneezes to coughs bc sneezing is for lil bitches. Yall can call him metro cus that sneeze be booming.

Sneeze volume - 200/10

Damage - 10/10

Side effects of the sneeze- a tsunami comes into Busan bc of the pressure of the sneeze.

My other baby - Vasco

Vassy sneezes as if he doesn't even know that he's gonna sneeze.

The sound is... Inconsistent to say the least. You never know if it's gonna sound like an hentai Character or a chainsmoker, though he doesn't smoke. A little bit of spit comes out (he can spit on me all he wants).

Sneeze volume - depends, changes from time to time

Damage - non, except some spit

Side effect- some perv tries to approach him bc they think he's a girl bc of his hair and hentai sneeze.

The itch in my loins- Goo Kim

THIS BITCH, he squeks. He literally fucking squeks but he has the decency of covering his mouth atleast. He also has the UNDECENCY of sneezing on PEOPLE (Gun) he wants to annoy.

This fucker sprays out spit like a windex bottle. He also looks like he's abt to orgasm when he sneezes.

Volume - depends on how much he wants to annoy gun

Damage- the only damage his sneezes assure are on the mental health of people.

Side effect- Fuckers gets jumped by gun for sneezing on him than lands himself in the hospital.

America's (and my) favorite tool- Gun Park

He doesn't sneeze, he doesn't want to lose his aura. (He sneezes like a cat)

Volume- 2/10

Damage - only to his aura

Side effect- none

MY HOOCHIE DADDY- Samuel Seo

A very normal sneeze actually, but his tits bounce when he does sneeze. So instead of covering his mouth and nose, Bro just holds his tits so that they don't recoil.

Volume- normal, 4/10

Damage - only to his bra

Side effect - the same perv that tried to touch Vasco tried to fondle his tits before his ass got sent to the hospital. Goo and the perv defo ended up in the same room.

Call him discount Gojo cus he got 5 eyes - Vin Jin

I'm gonna be so honest, he Shits himself a little everytime he sneezes bcs of the pressure. If you're lucky then only a fart will come out. If you're fucked like me, you're gonna get a shart.

Call him Thor cus most of the time the thunder comes before the hail💀

Volume- 7/10

Damage - only to your sense of smell

Side effects- you and everyone in his vincinity need to wear a hazmat suit.

My precious kimchi- Jake kim

He's a nice boy but man the recoil of that azz is just.... *starts lubing up my strap*

He covers his mouth and is very respectful too. The volume is normal too.

Volume - 5/10

Damage - only to the ppl (Drake) who have a bbl

Side effect - ppl keep staring at his ass and crash into an oncoming truck and die. Spot dead.

Also the perv gets a stroke and dies in the hospital bc they can't fathom the thought of not being able to fondle that ass.

ALSO baby got back starts playing whenever he sneezes. It's like his "Daddys home".

Me whenever I see lookism men.

Also Ik it's not that good but I tried my best😭 also i started writing it the moment my classes ended. I had classes for 4 hrs straight. 😭😭

Thanks to my pretty baby, the person who asked this, it actually made my day❤️💐

[ecogirl2759]

THE MOMENT WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!!!!

Here it is, guys!

The Kiyotaka Ishimaru Mastermind comic from 4コマ KINGS Vol. 4!

SPECIFICALLY CITING THIS SO THAT OTHERS KNOW WHERE TO FIND THIS COMIC!!!

Huge, HUUUUGE thanks to @panicuriprince!!! They helped me with clearing the text, rewording panels and putting everything together! Pages 4, 5, and 6 are her doing! PLEEEASE go send her some love, they REALLY helped me get this done and I literally couldn't have done this without her :D

There's a document below the break with more literal translations for the comic, as well as translation notes, a link to a Google Drive folder with ALL of the pages, and other interesting tidbits! Please give it a read!

The Japanese pages will also be below the break! (As well as a little spiel of mine. It's quite long, so be careful!)

(also please forgive how many tags there are here-)

Remember to read right to left <3

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As promised, here are the Japanese panels:

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AND HERE'S THE DOCUMENT!

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✨ WOW ✨

I can't begin to describe to you all how AMAZING this feels!

I've spent the past 2 years on what felt like a wild goose chase, desperately searching for this one comic that I wasn't even sure existed.

This all started with me finding a photo on Tumblr of this comic and spiraling into this deep dive. First I didn't know if this was even real, then I found out that this comic series had ceased printing, then I couldn't be sure which book it was actually in.

There is literally almost no information out there about the fourth volume of this anthology series. I've said this before and I'll say it again, volumes 1 and 2 both have full translations that you can download off of other websites, and while 3 doesn't seem to have that, there are a lot of separately translated comics floating around out there, namely on Pinterest.

The 4th volume had NOTHING! No matter how hard I searched or how many links I clicked, no one has really said ANYTHING about this book, which was why this specific comic was so hard for me to find.

But I have all of the books now, so I definitely want to do this again for all of them so that people have easy access to these translations. I'll start with book 4 though haha.

Also, I'm not sure who it was, but HUUUUGE thanks to the kind stranger on Ebay who was willing to sent me the whole series!! I literally don't know where I would be right now if these books weren't with me, so thank you <3

Also, thank you to all of my Japanese teachers that I've had throughout the years. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have been able to understand the comic, haha! One even helped me out in the early stages of this process, so extra thanks to him <3

I feel really passionate about accessible media. I think that everyone should be able to read and find whatever they want. That's part of the reason that I've endeavored on this project. I want everyone to be able to seek out and find these comics if they really want to. And, of course, I want everyone to be able to understand them, too.

So please enjoy this comic! If you'd like to repost it, I'd appreciate being credited just so that others know where they can go to find the full comic.

This one-man project isn't so one-man anymore, and I seriously can't thank everyone who's helped me enough!!! I'm honestly so glad I didn't have to go through this alone <33

ALSO

If you see anything, LITERALLY ANYTHING, that you think I could change/improve (like formatting or different interpretations of the Japanese text), PLEASE shoot me a message!! I want to make sure this comic is as good as it can be, and I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Even if you don't have a suggestion and would just like to reach out to ask a question or something, PLEASE don't be afraid to do that! I know I get really cold feet when sending people asks, so I'm going to reassure everyone who needs to hear it now: You're never going to be a bother to me! I love getting asks! Whenever anyone sends me something, I get really excited <3

So ask questions! Tell me I did a horrible job and got none of the text right! Ask why Ishimaru literally cannot be evil! I don't know the answer, either!

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Thank you all so much for the support and the kind words you've been giving me ever since I first announced I was translating this comic! Your support has been extremely motivating to me! Also, you guys are hilarious with your tags!

Seriously, thank you so much! Words literally can't express how I feel right now, but I guess the best way I could describe it is cathartic. I'm REALLY happy that I finally get to share 2 years worth of work with you guys! You've all been a massive help to me in more ways than one <333

KEEP BEING AWESOME <3

[gaymakima]

rating different ozpins out of 10

There's a lot of them. Long post ahoy.

Volume 1: pale ass man. flings his students into Grimm-infested forests and does not give a FUCK. not actually listening to anyone half the time my autistic king. despite the limited animation, you look into this man's eyes and you can tell he's secretly a little shit (affectionate). 9/10

Volume 2: I was gonna put a screenshot of his face and talk about how much better the lighting is in this volume but I saw this on the wiki and this man has NO ASS. He has NO CAKE. the dilf caring mentor vibes this volume are off the charts yet i can't get over this shot. 4/10 the no ass really hurts him

Volume 3: Colourful lighting, soft gaze, blorbo burdened by the weight of his sins. Not so pale that it hurts to look at. His mischievous demeanour is gone in place of sad immortal old man vibes. A shame to see the silly go, but I love a man with flaws who tries his genuine best to do good. 8/10

Volume 5: This part of the OP was always so jarring to me. The silly has returned but they flattened him and it looks odd. Is he doing the :3 face? 2/10 for hiding it in profile.

Volume 6: The first Ozpin in Maya! Unfortunately, he has to contend with the original Ozma this episode, and sadly his one second of sad old man hours kind of gets outshined by fucking. everything his past incarnations go through. Nice to see him in model again though. 6/10 (Ozma is like. 10/10 btw)

Volume 9: this isn't even ozpin. -100000/10.

Chibi: This is peak. I don't even care anymore. I'll say it. RWBY chibi is the peak of rwby content and I'm tired of pretending it's not. this man is the embodiment of silly. he would :3 and he would have the decency to look at the camera when he does. if this oz ever met salem... okay he'd probably make things a lot worse but it would be really funny. 11/10

Ice Queendom: ∞/10 daddy? sorry. daddy? sorry. daddy? sorry. da

This one render: what are you scheming about you shifty little fucker. this is the face of a man who has done something to mildly inconvenience you and he's waiting for you to realise it. gay ass smirk. i appreciate it for bringing back mischievous ozpin in the maya engine but there is something about this i do not trust. 6/10

(bonus) the exact same render but in this thumbnail with his ex wife: 9.5/10. Salem addition really brings out the best in this one. Ozlem in a romcom. He gets pegged and he's proud of it.

Volume 3 japanese poster: eh. it could be better. I don't sense the silly OR the sad old man OR the fuckable mentor in this one. 1/10.

Volume 6 poster: YEAARGHHH THATS WHAT I CALL ANGST, BABY!!!! 11/10!!!!

Viz manga: with this and ice queendom, the jp side of rwby understands how to make an ozpin that appeals to me, specifically. 20/10.

Playing card: the hand in his pocket. the other hand resting lazily on his cane like it's a fucking samurai sword. the slightly cocky smirk. this is Ozpin after spending a day with the Branwen Twins. a young raven and qrow saw this and thought he was the coolest fucking dude ever (he is not). was going to rank it a bit lower but due to my headcanon going straight to ozpin and bird twins I like it. 8/10

this shirt: i would comment more if i could see. 3/10?? he looks sad i think which is nice

DC Comics: PUT THAT FUCKING MOP HAIR BACK!!! -10/10!!! YOU GIVE QROW HIS HAIR GEL BACK RIGHT NOW MISTER

RWBY/JL: this is an imposter. his hair looks like fits on his head like lego figure hair. -2/10

conclusion: i want him to whimper.

[scratchpad-sagas]

Thoughts on Daredevil: Born Again episode 5 "With Interest"

With the whole mini series trend taking the television  world by storm, I started watching Born Again knowing it would only have so many episodes to make the mark it needed to. The insane amount of potential kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the weeks; as "Sic Semper Systema" wrapped up, I was slightly more confident that Born Again would finish strong... then came "With Interest".

I'll be honest, at first, I was put off by it. I hated it. I do admit, episode 5 IS a quality episode, it just doesn't mesh with the rest of the series! While it was admittedly entertaining, it was also a MAJOR tone shift too jarring to swallow. Everything seemed so much more lighthearted than what had been set up previously, and Yusuf Khan didn't help the cause. On a surface level, yeah, his cameo was cute! I loved seeing him and Matt interact, however, as a serious DD fan, it just... didn't work. Not only did the cameo feel <super> out of place, but the entire episode had the vibe of a totally different show!

I kept waiting for something to change before the credits rolled, waiting for something to switch and clue us back into the gritty, haunting world of Daredevil we all know and love, but it never happened.

By the end, Mom and I shared the same sentiment: what the hell was that? Episode 4 was so good, where did that momentum go?

Then, later, a friend and I watched the episode together, and his opinion helped turn mine around.

My good friend Joe is just as big of a fan of Daredevil as I am, probably even more so! He started with the comics, and appreciates the live action adaptations for their strengths and weaknesses. As we watched the episode, it was clear from the get-go that Joe was having a great time! He thoroughly enjoyed "With Interest" not because it was an excellent addition to the overarching plot, but <because> it was its own, self-contained one-shot. Joe described his fondness for episode 5 with a memory from his childhood, visiting a local comics shop after a day of running errands with his dad. They didn't often have the chance to stop by, so when they did, it wasn't about keeping up with whatever epic saga was ongoing at the time! It was about whatever looked <cool>! THAT was the essence of the good ol' days of comic books, because you didn't need to read every chapter of every volume! You could just pick up an issue and immerse yourself in a world of showoff heroics vs everyday thugs or memorable villains (often wrapped up with a nice message or life lesson). 

This key difference reminded me of <another> comic book hero whose various adaptations, while polarizing, are equally worthy in their own rights. I'm talking, of course, about Superman. Specifically the Man of Steel film, and the Superman Returns film. Both are cherished movies, but for <very> different reasons! Man of Steel is a modern, more realistic take on Superman, quite literally washed-out and gritty in nature and picture. Superman Returns, however, is the epitome of the phrase "comic book adaptation"; it skillfully balances the exaggerated designs of the sacred texts with the high-stakes drama of fictional villains in a real life setting! From color palettes to stunts and dialogue, there's a theatrical vibe to every element.

I think the word I'm looking for is "romanticized". In just the same way as Man of Steel vs Superman Returns, "With Interest" is the romanticized perspective of Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock that we've never seen. The Netflix Daredevil world IS the dark and gritty portrayal we're used to, while I'd say the Ben Affleck film is the dramatic opposite. As all things do, they both have their positives and negatives, but at the end of the day, they represent an alternate facet of the character which can't be compared, only contrasted. 

Final thoughts? "With Interest" is okay. It doesn't necessarily fit the mold, but it certainly doesn't deserve any hate or negative reviews. <Especially> given what was learned after the fact. For context, I'm gonna paraphrase what I read about Born Again after the release of episode 5. (Note: this is NOT a firsthand account!! Just the internet findings of a very intrigued fan!)

The production of Born Again was heavily affected by the SAG-AFTRA strikes of 2023. Originally, Born Again was handled by an entirely different team of people, written in an entirely different direction. It's said that the initial plan was to take the Daredevil world onto a more unique path, essentially having the Netflix cast, but with a totally clean slate. There were supposed to be few, if any ties to the Netflix universe. Even the genre was different! At some point, the crew in charge of the show was shuffled around. A new showrunner took the reins, even Kevin Feige stepped in. However, lots of things had already been filmed. Time was ticking down and there were few opportunities to make any major changes to the things they had. Long story short, after the big switch, the new Born Again team had to work with stuff left by the previous crew. 

Until the next post~

Surprisingly, though! It's said that "With Interest" was the <only> episode to go without any changes; basically, it IS an episode from an entirely different show! Given ALL of that, I'm willing to give it a pass on the extremely off-putting vibes. Still, it sucks that it mostly doesn't contribute to the rest of the series... but, I digress.

Solid 6/10.

May 22, 2025

[thezombieprostitute]

Constant Change - Part 5

Summary: You and Nick must navigate the new territories of pregnancy and parenting while managing the continued hostility from the outside forces.

A/N: Reader is AFAB, in her late 30's, early 40's. No other descriptors used.

Word Count: ~2.6k

Warnings: Family stress, Pregnancy issues, Smut, Wedding stress. Please let me know if I missed any!

Part 4 -- Part 6

Series Masterlist

Looking back on it, it was quite silly of you to expect Nick to treat the morning of your wedding day like it was just another day. You were woken up by him kissing you along your neck, his strong hands roaming your body. He only increases the intensity when he realizes you're awake.

"Thought we were supposed to wait for tonight," you joke as you lean into his touch.

"Can't help myself," he chuckles breathily. "I woke up and realized I was going to be able to call you 'my wife' by the end of the day."

"I hope you're this enthusiastic when the pregnancy hormones kick in and I'm insatiable."

Nick groans, "I'm looking forward to finally living the dream of keeping you in bed all day."

You chuckle as you try to push him away to get ready but he's determined. He playfully growls and gives you a look that makes your knees weak. You smile wider and let yourself give in to your soon-to-be husband.

At The Cairo Hotel you and your mother are laughing as you're getting the place decorated. Though it's certainly not the wedding you pictured for yourself, you have to admit, it's looking even better than you could've imagined. Not because of the grandeur, of course, but because of how you it all is. This wedding isn't for everyone, it's for you and Nick. The fact that it can be so much to your own personal taste and it works so well with Nick's personal preferences just speaks volumes to you about how good you are together.

The thought sparks a wave of joy and you start crying a little from how happy you are about all of it. Ellen sees your tears and lets her own flow.

"I can't tell you how happy I am for you," she gushes. "Nick seems like a very good man. Even after just a few minutes with the two of you anyone can tell how in love with you he is. He's certainly going to take good care of you and that's all I could ever want for my daughters."

"I really am lucky," you tell her.

Unfortunately that's the moment your morning sickness decided to kick in. You rush to a waste-bin to throw up. Ellen is quick to comfort and, thankfully, it's over quickly, but you're still embarrassed. Even more so when she waves down one of the staff to take out the bin and replace it with a clean one.

After you've settled and had some water she sits next to and asks, "are you pregnant?" You don't react right away so she continues, "the ginger ale at dinner. The loose clothing. The light meals while we were out. Now this? And don't think I didn't see you slipping pills here and there around meal times. Are they anti-nausea meds? Or are you on drugs?"

Taking a deep breath you decide it's best to confess. You'll explain to Nick later. "We were going to wait until the second trimester started. It's a risky pregnancy given my age, after all."

"I just need to ask, is this why you're getting married? It's clear he loves you, but are you only making it official because of the baby?"

"He proposed before he knew I was pregnant." She nods as if you're confirming something for her.

"I'll do my best to keep quiet until you're ready to tell people, I will have to tell your father. But I have to admit, I'm so excited about being a grandma!" She wraps you up in a big hug and you chuckle, relieved at her response.

With help from Ellen and Teach, you're dressed and ready, hiding behind an impromptu dressing room that was really just a cordoned off section of the room. The bouquet of hydrangeas, cornflowers and delphiniums complimenting the blue flowers on your new dress.

Your mother comments you just needed something old and something borrowed to complete the set. She holds out a small, frayed velvet box to you. Opening it you see a set of pearl earrings, likely from the 1920's!

"Those earrings have been passed from mother to eldest daughter for a few generations now," she explains. "I'm so happy I'll get to see the tradition carried on!"

That just left something borrowed. Thinking fast, Teach ran out to the main desk of the hotel. When she came back, she was carrying a blue lotus pin, worn by the employees of the hotel. "It goes with your outfit and has to be returned."

"Excellent thinking!" you reply with a hug.

You put in the earrings and Teach pins the blue lotus to your dress while your mother continues to take pictures with her camera. She's tearing up and you feel like you are, too.

There's a little cough and you all turn to see Hal, Nick's "friend" assigned to the photography. "They're all ready when you are," he says.

"Oh, okay! Let's do this!" you nod.

He nods in confirmation and gives a thumbs up to the people outside the "room" before readying his camera. Nick had insisted on not seeing you in all your getup before the wedding and Teach had suggested getting photos of Nick's reaction. You thought it was kind of silly but when you stepped out into the main area and saw Nick's eyes soften and his smile grow, you're glad there will be photos.

The ceremony is shares many similarities with your and Nick's relationship. Short, but meaningful. Subdued, but fervent. Not a big deal to many, but intrinsic for the two of you. You both speak your vows with an earnestness, a conviction, that confirms for all in attendance that they are meant and will be kept. If anyone in attendance had any doubts, they were gone.

When the officiant finally proclaims you "man and wife" Nick doesn't even wait for permission before bringing you in for a breathtaking kiss. You swear you feel him trembling, but maybe that's your own nerves.

He finally lets you breathe and his eyes are a little misty. "Thank you for this, most beautiful, gracious Lady."

"It's my pleasure, I assure you," you confirm before giving him a quick kiss.

The party is slow to move to the restaurant as Hal is insistent on getting all of the family and friend combinations he can. It isn't until Nick gives him a look that he finally relents. Though even in the restaurant he's not taking a seat, preferring to keep moving around.

The next several hours are spent chatting happily. When you're finally ready to call it a night and head home, you're stopped by Curtis. He hands Nick a card key to the hotel.

"We got you a week at the Honeymoon Suite," he says with a smile. "Courtesy of the company. And yes, that includes any room service or anything you get from the mini-bar."

Your jaw drops and you look to Teach, standing behind him. She nods in confirmation and you give both her and Curtis a big hug. "That's so sweet! Thank you so much!"

You say your goodbyes for the night, promising to meet your parents in the same restaurant for lunch tomorrow.

As you're going up to the suite you comment, "we don't have any clothes to change into!"

"No worries," Nick coos. "You're not going to need any for tonight." You chuckle and give him a playful smack to his chest as heat rushes to your face. "I'll go get us some clothes tomorrow morning," he promises.

"Thank you, Nick. I'm glad you work with such good people."

As you get to the door of the suite Nick moves to pick you up. You try to stop him, telling him you're too heavy but you see the spark in his eyes that says, "challenge accepted" and concede. Sure enough, he's able to carry you across the threshold, all the way to the giant, heart shaped bed, before gently laying you down.

"Now let's get this beautiful dress off of you so I can see how gorgeous you are."

"You act like this is the first time we've ever had sex."

"It's the first time since we've been married," he retorts. "And if I ever stop treating sex with you like the treasure it is, I want you to call me out on it."

Your reply is cut off by Nick's kiss. His hands work to unzip the back of your dress. As he removes it, he kisses along your shoulder, down to your breasts (gently so as not to trigger the pains you were having the other day). You lift your hips so he can finish removing the dress and he kisses down your belly. He spreads your legs as he kisses down to your core.

Nick licks his lips before using it to play with your clit, making you moan. He takes his time, slowly, gently licking your pearl. His hands kneading your thighs. He pulls away just enough that he can move to start fucking you with his tongue. You both know he knows your favorite spots but he seems intent on avoiding them. When you give him a glare for getting you so wound up he smirks, silently encouraging you when you wrap your legs around his head, pushing him to where you want him.

As you do, he increases his intensity, making you gasp in pleasure. He's eating you like you're the most delicious meal in the world. Your legs tighten around him, a plea for more. You want so much more! You're so close! He lifts your hips, giving him a new angle and your legs spread wide as you cum on his tongue. He doesn't stop until you're ready for him to. His ability to read your body's cues will never cease to amaze you.

"How are you always so gorgeous when you cum?" he breathes. "Well, let's face it, you're always gorgeous."

You chuckle a little, dazed from feeling so good. From finally being past the stress of the wedding and your parents and trying to hide the pregnancy from them. It's your honeymoon and you're going to enjoy it. Especially if Nick has any say in the matter.

He moves off the bed so that he can strip down. You swear he knows how to strip in such a way that it always gets you riled up. Then again, maybe it's just that muscular physique. The one strong enough to carry you, strong enough to make you feel safe. Your legs open up a little more in anticipation and he grins.

"You're so eager for me already?"

"When am I not?"

"Fair," he smirks before crawling over the bed until he's hovering over you. He gently kisses your lips. "I'm the luckiest man in the world."

"I'm so happy you think that," you say before you start kissing along his jawline, gently biting down his neck to his shoulders.

"You really don't know how happy it makes me to see you wearing that ring," he rasps, your lips leaving marks. "How happy it made me that you were willing to marry me."

"Easiest decision I've ever made," you affirm.

He lines himself up with your core before slowly delving into you. You moan and wrap your arms around him, delighting in the stretch, how he fills you like no other has.

When he's fully sheathed he starts rolling his hips. He's going slow, being gentle, but you want more. You wrap your legs around him and try to push him at your preferred pace.

"Oh," he grins. "My Lady wants more?"

"Damn right," you smile.

"Well then I should be a good husband and make sure my wife's needs are met."

He increases his pace and you throw your head back in pleasure. Nick's hands and lips are on you, seemingly never stopping. The room filled with the sounds of skin slapping while you let out keens of pleasure. You love the feeling of practically being smothered by him. He makes you feel safe. Makes you feel wanted. Makes sure every time together is pleasurable for you.

Your breath hitches as you recognize the feeling of your orgasm building like a coil winding tightly. Nick senses it and pushes himself off of you making you whine.

"Don't worry, I'm not done with you."

Sitting on his knees he lifts your hips, adjusting himself so he feels even bigger inside of you. Letting out a moan of pleasure, you let yourself enjoy the sensations, the rhythmic rocking of his hips. One of his hands moves to your clit and you start crying out in pleasure, "so close! Please Nick, I'm so close!"

When the coil finally snaps you cum with a cry. Nick never stops fucking you, never stops telling you how gorgeous you look, how good you feel milking his cock, how beautiful you sound. He wants to last longer but the way your squeezing him feels too good and his rhythm starts stuttering as he reaches his own release.

"My beautiful wife," he whispers in your ear as he kisses and caresses you.

"My handsome husband," you respond, returning his kisses.

Later that night, when you're sound asleep, Nick calls Curtis.

"What's going on?"

"There were some unwanted guests trying to crash the party," Curtis explains. "Per your request we made sure Pine had the sister and her husband marked as 'not allowed'. They tried to crash the wedding, but Pine took care of them. We just had Hal cover for him with all the excess photos so your Lady and her parents wouldn't know."

"And the restaurant?"

"The two hung outside, trying to get attention. We made sure the parents were seated away from the windows and Hal would frequently move between Lady and them."

"How long until they get their gift?"

Curtis chuckles at that. "Jake's already delivered the photos to the sister's phone. She really shouldn't be too surprised her husband's cheating. He cheated with her, after all."

Nick gives a cold laugh. "Now give me the truth about the honeymoon suite."

Curtis sighs. "It's a safety measure. Franco the Elder was spotted near your new apartment building. Could be coincidence but I think you and I both know better than that."

Nick's blood freezes. Had Franco learned it was him that killed his brother? Was he scouting the apartment for Nick, or for you?

Curtis continues, "we've got surveillance on the place but keeping the two of you at the hotel for a week should be good for giving us time to establish a pattern, maybe throw him off the scent for your living quarters. But neither of you is to leave that hotel for the week. Understood?"

"You don't order me around, Curtis," Nick bites back.

"You're right, you're not under my purview. But if Barnes hears you went out, leaving your new wife alone in the hotel, he's going to have more than just some words with you."

Nick groans in frustration.

"Just a week," Curtis reiterates. "And Teach is going to make sure you've got clean clothes for the time as well."

Nick is silent for a few moments.

"You focus on your wife this week, Nick. She's the one you need to worry about, understand?"

"I understand."

Part 4 -- Part 6

Series Masterlist

Tagging: @alicedopey; @delicatebarness; @icefrozendeadlyqueen; @jaqui-has-a-conspiracy-theory; @ronearoundblindly

[gildedphoenix]

SuperPhantom - White Crow

Posting this now because I'm not sure I'll ever finish it.

Feel free to contribute.

White Crow SuperPhantom

(965 words)

--+--

Dean answered his ringing flip phone. And NO Sam, he doesn't need a smart phone. The battery on this thing lasts 5 days and it survives being in Dean's pocket when he's thrown against a wall by the bad guy of the week.

"Hi Bobby. Whatcha got for us?"

"I hope you've got gas in the take because this one is going to be a bit of a chase." Bobby opened. "I've got reports coming in from all over about a white crow being linked to dozens of deaths. None of the hunters who've looked into it so far have been able to track the creature or find any connections between the victims. The issue is that some of the crimes aren't fresh. The last victim, a Tim Stillion, had been dead for weeks. Can't figure out the cause because the animals had been at his body. And unless this bird can teleport, he was on the other side the country when Stillion was kill't."

Sam, who was already clickity clacking on his laptop, spoke up. "It sounds like the crow isn't a portent of death then, but just a reporter. But how is it finding the bodies?"

"Yeah," Bobby drawled "I figured you'd come to that conclusion. That's why I called you boys. Every other hunter is out here trying to end this bird when it's solved more cold cases then all of them combined. Bunch of idgits."

Dean grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair and started towards the garage. "So where are we headed Bobby? Any word on the last sighting?"

"Last couple time it was seen, it was around central Illinois."

"Let's roll"

-=-=-=-=-

Sam Manson revved her vespa and continued chasing the white crow down ST-54. They'd been at this for weeks now. And despite it all, Sam was just happy that she'd found Danny at all.

/three weeks ago/

"There's no way!" leopard print blouse said. "You look like one of my son's friends."

Danny had a tendency to drop whatever he was holding if he got summoned but for once, he kept hold of his cell phone. So when he ended up disappearing in the middle of a Doom speed run, Tucker was able to track him down. And after a few minutes (and way too few reasonable security measures) Sam and Tucker were able to watch a live stream from a web connected Nanny cam.

The room was all white, leather couches pushed back against the walls. Marble and brass coffee table set with white taper candles. Starbucks cups sitting on the ledge of the kitchen counter. And in the middle of the room, Phantom. Desperately trying to convince 6 PTA, HOA, Basic Witches that he was indeed the Ghost King that they were trying to summon.

A woman in a white gauze blouse and white wash jeans stepped forward. It must be her house, because she matched the decor. "How did you highjack the summoning?!" It was the same tone every teen has heard from their parents. The tone that said they'd already decided what had happened and were just waiting for you to admit fault.

"Hey, you summoned me. What did you even want, anyway? Pumpkin spice to be available year round? For the grocery store to accept your expired coupons? How about-"

"Now you listen to me young man," A third woman, dressed in sunny yellow and a high pony tail that did nothing to help her look younger. "You need to learn manners and your parents clearly didn't care to teach you"

("Ouch" danny mumbled, "accurate, but ouch" )

Yellow started chanting and the others quickly caught on and joined in. Danny, realizing that he was running out of time to gas light, gatekeep, or girlboss his way out of a solution, tried the old reliable Plan Z. Run away.

So he turned ghostly tail to the nearest window and - BONK! - was stopped by the shielding on the summoning circle. Which was a first. People usually forgot about that. Danny was now both impressed and worried as be felt both pressure and dread building around him as the chanting volume and speed.

Danny clutched his head as the pressure grew to a screeching point until everything released with a pop. The pressure was gone. The chanting was gone. Danny felt lighter, which was saying something given how gravity was typically just a suggestion while he was in ghost mode. Opening his eyes -and when had he closed them? - he noticed one more difference. Everyone had gotten bigger. And the furniture had gotten bigger. And the room had gotten…. uh oh. He had gotten smaller.

Danny was trying to orient himself and identify where an deep thudding was coming from when he was hit from the side. Foot steps. That's what the thudding was. They were just drastically louder when he was only tall enough to stare people in the shins. And the sidelong assault? A broom. Which connected a second time before he thought to go intangible. (Why did he always forget intangibility?)

The woman in white had gotten a broom and was swatting him towards the open patio door, her strappy white sandals stopping behind him and he frantically tried to coordinate his limbs in that same direction. His limbs did not want to coordinate but he eventually got himself out the door and the broom stopped swatting at him.

Once he cleared the threshold, the door rolled closed with a slam and the lock snicked shut.

"And don't come back unless you've learned respect!" was shouted at him from a nearby window before it, too was slammed shut.

======================================

Looking back into the house, he was met by his own reflection in the sliding glass door.

"SQUAAAAAAK!"

In which Danny and Sam are traveling the US 90's road trip style to absorb the ecto of recent (or semi-recent) murders so Danny can get enough power to break the spell and transform back.

The general hunter community is chasing a white crow and a witch to stop them from committing all these murders.

And Sam and Dean and Bobby are trying to just figure out what's going on.

[heygerald]

Falling Without A Harness - Chapter 5

AU where Tom Ryder is still an asshole, just not a psychotic one. When he has good news, but no one to share it with, Parker invites him along to her brother's birthday party. A moment of weakness, or a moment for him to prove he's more than just his Hollywood ego?

read the story here: prev / next

"—and Jody said she was going to wear something simple, maybe jeans and a t-shirt, but I'm not really sure I want to match that vibe or go for something a little more, you know, fun. Maybe I could finally break out the bucket hat tonight," Colt's voice droned on from the phone tucked indelicately into the crevice of her neck and shoulder. Parker was only half listening, as was the usual when it came to her brother's incessant rambling about anything related to the pretty blonde camerawoman, and while he talked, she made work of slowly peeling strips of painters tape from the freshly painted wall. The ball in her hand was nicely sized by this point of the conversation. "So, anyway... uh, wait, what was the point?"

"Was there a point?" she mused aloud. "I stopped listening when you started talking about some pony she rode once at her twelfth birthday party."

She heard him snap his fingers. "Right—the birthday party."

"Hers or yours?"

"Mine! Listen, I know that you all put a lot of work into planning this shindig—"

"Shindig? God, you're old!"

"—but I would really appreciate if you told me what to expect tonight. Just a hint will do. I'm not trying to show up wearing dress shoes to a disco if you know what I mean."

Parker stuck another piece of tape onto the ever-growing ball with a blithe snort. "I never know what you mean."

"Park," he whined, much like a child, and not the thirty-something year old man that he was. Was this year number thirty-seven or thirty-eight? She should probably figure that out before putting candles on his cake. "Come onnnnnn. Just tell me. Just a hint!"

"And ruin the surprise? No way, Jose."

"But it's my birthday surprise! You can spoil it for me. I mean, realistically, no one would blame you if, maybe, you accidentally let the surprise slip. It'd be expected coming from you, actually."

She frowned. "What do you mean it would be expected coming from me?"

"Well, you know, you can't keep a secret to save your life."

Parker tossed the ball of tape into the trash and picked up the broom with an indignant scoff. "Excuse me, I am a very good secret keeper."

A long winded and high-pitched whine followed, and she winced at the volume of it. Parker switched the phone to her other ear, certain that between her brother and Melissa she had permanent hearing damage.

"Oh, so now all of the sudden you're a locked vault!" he blathered on. "Where was this dedication to silence when I got sick at Macy Lindwigs wedding and you spent the entire evening telling everyone you could find?"

An image of Macy Lindwig, dressed to the nines in a beautiful handmade wedding dress, staring in horror as her brother puked in an azalea bush three minutes before the ceremony started came to mind.

"Oh, I totally forgot about that," she snickered, the memory almost too sweet to ignore now that it had been brought back up. "You ruined her heels that night, you know. What was I supposed to do? Not tell everyone?"

"For starters. Or, at the very least, you could have refrained from blabbing about it at Christmas," he muttered petulantly. "Grandma never looked at me the same way again. She still won't let me near her rose garden."

"Cause and effect," Parker chirped. "You drank one too many tequila shots the night before, and thus, you have to suffer the fate of Grandma judging you every Christmas Eve."

"Miami Vice premiered the night before!" he argued, shouting, in what she suspected was a deranged manner. Parker hoped he was somewhere public; perhaps a grocery store or laundromat. "Just another example of how you can't keep a secret for the life of you, not even when your brother's good name is at stake. Your only true sibling, might I add."

"And here I thought I was an orphan found in a box."

She could hear Colt kicking something, palm clasped over the speaker as he whined, before he was back. "You're worse than Judas, you know. You ruin lives just for the fun of it, no silver needed."

"Are you offering silver?"

A cough. "Uh, I mean, I'm a little tight on silver at the moment. I think I have a free sub from Publix somewhere around here."

"A coupon. Wow. So generous."

"It's a punch card, and those aren't easy to fill out, you know," he huffed indignantly, obviously put out that Parker wasn't going to accept his lackluster offer. "What if I say pretty please?"

"Ha! Nice try. I happen to like Jody, so even if I wanted to tell you what we're doing tonight—which I don't—I'm not going to. She was really excited to help me plan this year."

Some spluttering followed her resolution, before he was kicking something again. Apparently, whatever he kicked was harder than he thought, however, and the next moment her brother was wheezing in pain.

"Jesus, take it easy, alright? You're going to need your toes for tonight."

In a breathless voice, he weaseled, "tonight at...?"

But Parker was no novice when it came to keeping secrets from her brother, and so she didn't fall for the trick. "Ha, nice try," she snorted while stooping to sweep her pile of dust and paint chips off the ground. Shades of green and white stained her hands, but she didn't bother to clean them off. It would be a pointless endeavor, after all, considering what they had planned for Colt's birthday party later that evening. "I'm trying to stay on Jody's good side."

"Both of her sides are good sides," was his immediate response, something wistful coloring his tone. "She's gorgeous. If you haven't noticed."

"Trust me," Parker deadpanned with a blithe glance at her own disheveled appearance, "I've noticed."

"Do you think I should bring her flowers?"

"To your birthday party?"

"Girls like flowers. Plus, she's planning the whole thing."

"I helped!"

"I'm not bringing you flowers to my birthday party, Park. It's not about you, you know."

"Right, of course, how could I have forgotten?" she deadpanned. However, despite his disinterest in showing her any gratitude, Parker smiled at the concept that there was a man out in this world so infatuated by a woman, that he not only spent all his time talking about her, but he also wanted to bring her flowers for no good reason. If only she could find someone like that who wasn't her brother. Wishes and wants, she supposed. "As nice of a thought as that is, don't bring her flowers tonight. They'll end up wilted by the time she gets back home from the party. If they aren't totally trashed first, that is."

His tone pitched higher, eagerly. "Trashed? Why would they be trashed? Are we doing some floral vandalism tonight? Oh!" Colt cried, hands clapping together. "Are we going to a wreck-it room? I've always wanted to do something like that. You know, somewhere that wasn't on a set, anyway, where I'm being beat up for a living with props."

Parker covered the speaker of her phone to curse at herself. While she hadn't ruined the surprise, Colt was like a dog with a hambone, and was not likely to let it go anytime soon.

She cleared her throat and attempted indifference. "Not even close," she said, but it didn't sound super convincing, and with an exasperated huff, she threw her hands up. "Jesus, Colt, you're going to get me into trouble! Just chill out. Jody should be picking you up soon, anyway."

"Picking me up soon for...?"

Colt's whining was interrupted by the tinkle of the front bell, and as she switched her phone back to her right ear, Parker took a moment to scoop up the paint-splattered tarp sprawled across the floor.

Melissa had been on to something with her suggestion to repaint the store, and while they had only gotten the walls finished over the past two and a half weeks, the mossy green color with gold accented picture frames really gave some life back to her shop. It still had that musty smell, as well as a pair of flickering lightbulbs from the janky electrical sockets, but they were definitely taking a step in the right direction. The color made everything feel cozier, and once they coated the bookshelves with shades of blue and yellow and replaced the overhead fluorescents with something warmer, she thought it might look like an entirely new store for the price of a few gallons of paint.

Not to mention the color stood out from the recent tan and brown trend that had swept across Hollywood hills. Win, win.

"Ugh! Stop trying to spoil your own surprise and let it happen, alright? You're going to love it," she pacified half-heartedly while booting a stool out of the way. Too deep of a breath had the smell of laquear and paint fumes killing off some braincells, and Parker dropped the tarp along with the rest of the paint materials with a cross-eyed huff. "Plus, it was all Jody's idea, so if you hate it, I would keep that to your..."

Parker paused halfway up the aisle.

On the far end of it, a brown and black colored dog sat patiently wagging its tail at her. Its tongue was sticking out of the side of its mouth, but despite Elon Musk's predictions about the existence of intelligent life in the galaxy, she was pretty sure that the local population of Hollywood mutts had yet to grow opposable thumbs capable of opening a door.

She blinked at it.

"Er, listen," she muttered into the phone, gaze darting past the dog, but not seeing its owner. "I have to go. There's a dog situation that I need to take care of."

"A dog? I've been asking you for years to get a dog, and now you finally decide to get one on my birthday! That's so totally fu—"

Parker hung up before he could complain any further, and slowly tucked her phone into the back pocket of her jeans. The dog barked at her, as if excited to finally have her attention.

"Er—hi. Did you—how did you get in here?" she asked.

It responded by tilting its head to a ninety-degree angle. She stared, waiting, as if the language barrier would suddenly disappear.

Unsurprisingly, it didn't. The dog barked a second time.

"I don't have any treats on me," she said again, not sure else what to say, but certainly feeling like she should say something. It trotted towards her, and though it seemed friendly at first, when it stuck its head into her crotch to take too deep a sniff for comfort, Parker jumped backwards. "Ah—fuck! Buy a girl dinner first, huh?"

She sidestepped the dog, hands splayed out in front of her like she was a robbery victim, and did her best to avoid being felt up as the dog followed her towards the storefront. It nosed her rear end, and Parker let out an undignified squeak.

"Jesus! I know the humane society is underfunded and all, but this is a little ridiculous, don't you think?" she asked it.

The dog darted in front of her, nose going right back for the crotch, and Parker just barely managed to leap onto Melissa's sunken reading chair when an increasingly familiar head of blonde hair stepped out from behind one of the bookshelves.

"Talon, Jean Claude," he said, and as though the dog hadn't just been harassing her, it plopped down onto the floor right beside him. Dog and owner blinked at her in bemusement. "Don't seriously tell me that you're afraid of dogs."

Parker shot him a disgruntled glare in response, but Tom didn't seem to mind the heat packed behind it. Instead, he smirked at her, crossed one arm over the other, and languidly leaned back against the front counter.

It was obvious he was laughing at her, and not with her, and Parker added it to the list of all the things she couldn't stand about Tom Ryder. Worse though, she couldn't help but subconsciously smooth a hand over her hair, because where Jody was effortlessly gorgeous, Parker required quite a bit of effort not to look awful. And right now, with paint-stained pants, a half-assed pair of dutch braids, and miscolored converse, she was certainly not showing him her good side.

If she even had one, that is.

"I should have known you would have a pervy dog," she said while looking down her nose at him. Literally, too, considering she was still standing on the chair. Parker flushed a bright red at the realization and none-too-glamorously clambered down onto her feet. "And French, too. I think that's stereotyping, Ryder."

Despite the distrustful look she shot the dog, he seemed a whole lot less pervy and rabid now that she knew he had an owner, and when she approached it, its tail flapped back and forth excitedly.

"Insulting an entire country?" Tom harrumphed as she started to scratch the dog between its ears. "Maybe you should sit through PR training with me next time Gail hosts a session."

She blew a bland raspberry as she read the dog's name tag.

Jean Claude. Huh. Cute.

He let out a low whine when she hit a particularly sensitive spot, and in delight, he rolled onto his back with half-lidded eyes.

"Is this the one you were talking to the other day, or do you have any other expat mutts that I should know about? I can only be felt up so many times before I file a harassment complaint."

"Jean Claude isn't a mutt," he corrected her, disdain at the very idea of owning a mutt. Parker supposed adopting a kennel-dog was likely below him, being a superstar and what not. "He's an Australian Kelpie, pure-bred, and he certainly wasn't fucking cheap. His parents are award winning cattle dogs in the Australian circuit."

"That's an award category?"

"Hmph. Laugh all you want, but I'd bet he's better trained than you are. He's even trained to attack someone in the balls on command."

"So am I," she sassed while making kissy faces at Jean Claude. "Oh, he's cute. Yes, you are. Yes, you are," she cooed.

He ate it right up, tail flapping in every direction, and when she spared Tom a glance, she could feel the jealousy rolling off him that someone else was getting more attention. Dog or not. Parker snickered.

"Sorry you're stuck with this one," she added, jerking a thumb over her shoulder to gesture in Tom's general area. "But trust me, you're way cuter, and probably lower maintenance than he is."

Tom cleared his throat. "Are you done?"

"Jealous?"

"Of a dog?" he deadpanned, rolling his eyes beneath a pair of expensive Ray Bans—not at all disproving the theory—and Parker smiled at her private joke. "Hardly."

She leaned closer to Jean Claude, and spoke in a stage whisper, "I think he's jealous."

And—yup—that seemed to do it.

Tom pushed off the counter with a sharp huff, unamused by her teasing, and make a command in French. Jean Claude bounded onto his feet, trotted to where Tom was, and curled up between his legs.

Parker stood and planted her hands onto her hips. "Real mature."

"I can always show you his attack command," Tom threatened. "I doubt you'll find him as adorable when he attacks you. It's always a hit at parties, watching someone get their balls bitten off."

"I think I'm missing a critical component for that trick to work," she pointed out with a dry smile. "But, anyway, what are you doing here? If you came to return my books, they're yours, considering how much you paid for them the other day."

He shrugged. "Maybe I want my change."

"You came all the way here, through traffic, to get your change?" she echoed, clearly disbelieving his piss poor excuse. Under her stare, Tom shuffled uncomfortably on his feet. "Hm. I thought I was supposed to be the penny pincher between the two of us."

"Maybe it's not the money I care about. It's the principle of the whole thing."

"Ha! You expect me to believe that you have principles?"

Tom huffed, but she caught the crooked upturn of his mouth. Still, he played the victim—always acting, this one. "You're right. I don't just deserve change. I should get a full refund, considering how awful your book recommendations were. Not to mention the books practically fell apart when I touched them. Clearly, you sell cheap products."

"Clearly," she muttered, while flipping the sign on the front door from OPEN to CLOSED. There wasn't much going on outside, anyway, and she doubted she would be missing any customers by taking the day off early.

"You want to tell me what you're really doing here? Because we both know you liked my recommendations," she said matter-of-factly, moving to the cash register now. She had made a few sales throughout the day, more than a typical Friday, and so she carefully began stacking her receipts. "I mean, who wouldn't? Those are good books I gave you. Contact is in my top ten."

Tom leaned on the counter. "Books I bought."

She waved him off, stack of receipts in hand, as she locked the lower cabinet. Tom could complain all he wanted, but she did know that he liked her book recommendations. He had finished them all within a week, when he likely should have been spending more attention devoted to practicing for his audition. Granted, it was a sci-fi movie he was auditioning for, but—

She startled.

"Oh, duh!" Parker sprung to her full height with a curious look. "Did you get the part?"

Tom smirked.

It wasn't bashful or pleasant or soft like authors typically described their tall, dark, and handsome characters, but it was so very him that she hardly minded it. In fact, Parker sort of liked it. It crinkled the soft lines by his eyes, loosened the tension in his shoulders, and made him look younger. Nicer. Cuter.

"Of course I did," he sassed. "I told you I was going to get it."

She ignored his blatant peacocking to punch him in the shoulder. The action seemed to shock him, and Tom clutched the spot with his other hand—as if she had done some real damage—while Parker grinned. "Holy shit, that's great! I mean, sure, you were a shoo-in or whatever, but this is a big deal. Right? It's a big deal? You must be jumping off the walls right now!"

Tom gave a bemused huff, eyes darting over the length of her face, and nodded. "Biggest movie I've gotten yet," he said. "My first sci-fi film too, so, that's going to get my name out there even more than it was. I mean, if I thought I was well known before... after this, everyone will know who Tom Ryder is."

"That's awesome!"

Tom rolled his eyes at her enthusiasm, clearly not buying into it, and though Parker was so excited on his behalf, Tom seemed like he was fighting off indifference to the news. "Yeah, well, a role's a role, you know."

"Well, yeah," she hedged, waving a hand at him, "but this is your first sci-fi role, and it was one that you even told me you wanted to get. You must be at least a little excited for it. Sci-fi is so interesting, I bet filming it is gonna be a ton of fun."

"Sure," he echoed dryly. His smirk had returned, and though she wouldn't necessarily classify what his face was doing now as a smile, it was certainly close. "Fun. That's what I'm aiming for in my career: fun."

"Oh, please," she clucked her tongue at him, receipts shoved hastily into their folder. "You can be a huge movie star and still have fun doing it. I mean, isn't that the point? Doing something you love and all that. I'd imagine it's going to be a whole new experience for you, stepping into a sci-fi set."

He hemmed, mouth twisting between a smile and a frown. "I guess."

He didn't sound all that convinced. In fact, when Parker thought about it, she seemed to be far more excited about the role than he did. She tilted her head at him suspiciously. "Alright, well... what are you doing to celebrate?" she asked. "A vacation? Buying yourself a new car? Oooh—Legoland?"

He furrowed his brows at her in surprised. "Legoland?"

"It's what I would do," she shrugged. "Probably, anyway. I've never been because the tickets just don't seem worth the price, but if I had just landed a giant role in a giant blockbuster, I think buying a ticket would be the least of my worries. You could probably even write it off on your taxes."

He blinked at her. "Poor people are so sad to me."

She stuck her tongue out at him, and took delight in the way that he huffed in amusement. "Well? Come on—make me jealous—what are you doing?"

Tom shrugged. "Gail's throwing a big party next week to announce the role. She always does that. Invites her producer friends and talent agents and that sort of stuff. There'll probably be some sort of attraction, singers or a zebra or something."

"Casual," she snorted.

"She has a weird thing for exotic animals, I don't know."

"Seems like it. But that's what she's doing, what are you doing?" she needled further. "I mean, I assumed you would do a big party with your friends before then. You know—cops get called, party crashers—the whole scene."

Tom hesitated to answer, and when he did, he didn't sound all that much like himself. "Well, I can't really do that—she controls when I make go public with the news—has the whole timeline figured out, and manages all the press for it. She doesn't let me tell people ahead of time."

"I'm people."

He rolled his eyes. "You're a nobody," he said. Not to be mean; no, Tom was very clear in his words when he intended to be mean. Instead, he had said it nonchalantly, as if it was a universal truth that everyone understood. And, in all honesty, Parker got it. "I mean, who are you going to tell that would care, you know?"

"Okay, ouch," she muttered still, before barreling on. "Don't you have any non-work friends that you can go get drinks with?"

"All my friends are work friends."

"What about people that don't know Gail?"

Tom huffed and waved a hand at her. "That's the same thing, you know. She introduced me to everyone I know in the industry. Other than some set hands, we have the same circle."

Parker sank onto her heels, feeling slighted on his behalf, but knowing that she didn't really have a right to. Surely, Tom Ryder would have stood up to Gail if he didn't like her hands-on, helicopter parent approach to managing his life. And clearly their work relationship was beneficial to them both. He certainly didn't need a nobody like her feeling sorry for him.

And yet, she did.

Because, as she listened to him talk, it felt like he had to give up everything just to be a somebody in Hollywood. And while it might have been the norm for him, it was absolutely not the norm for everybody.

Did he even realize that?

"Fuck that," Parker said before she could think better of it, emotions getting the better of her. Colt always joked that she had a bleeding heart, but she had never thought there was anything wrong with that. "Come hang out with me, then."

Tom arched a brow at her, mouth parted dumbly. "...what?"

She shrugged, feeling a little like a specimen beneath a microscope, and struggled to explain herself. "I mean, you just said that Gail doesn't want you telling anybody that matters, and I only hang out with people that don't matter in the grand scheme of Hollywood politics. I'm getting ready to head to Colt's birthday party after this, and if you're not doing anything else, you may as well come with me. It won't be a celebration for you, obviously, but... it'll be fun."

He blinked at her slowly, surprise written in the fine lines of his face.

"We're not going to murder you," she huffed indignantly.

"I—I never hang out with Colt or those guys."

"Yeah, for good reason. They all sort of hate you for being an asshole on set to them. Like, all the time. I wouldn't want to hang out with you outside of work either, if I was them."

He scowled. "Oh, well, when you put it like that," he huffed. "Obviously, they're not going to want me to come. And, I may be an asshole, but I try not to gatecrash birthday parties."

She waved his concern away with a paint-stained hand. "First off, you won't be gatecrashing, I'm literally extending an invite. And secondly, they only hate you because you're a prick on set. What better way to prove that you're not a prick, by coming to Colt's birthday party, and—you know—actually being nice for once. Just don't be a dickwad. Or an asshole. Or any sort of thing that you usually are on a normal day."

"I think the saying is 'always be yourself'," he deadpanned.

"That absolutely doesn't apply here."

"Smartass."

Parker nudged him in the shoulder with an exasperated look. "Come on! What else are you going to do? Do some irresponsible spending and buy everyone a round of drinks. I bet they'll think differently of you after everybody is a few beers in."

Tom didn't seem too convinced with her logic. "Crashing his birthday party doesn't seem the best way to get on Colt's good side. I didn't even know it was his birthday."

"Now you do," she shrugged, as if it wasn't a big deal. And—well—her brother was probably going to bitch about Tom's presence at the party, but Parker also believed that after a few shots of liquor, everyone would get over the issue fairly quick. Not to mention the party itself was designed for stress relief. Bringing Tom may actually make the night. With a conniving wiggle of her brows, Parker tried again. "I know for a fact that there's room for one more. Jody and I planned the whole thing together, and if she's allowed a plus-one, so am I. Jean Claude can even come. Colt loves dogs."

Tom seemed to sway a little further with her reasoning, and with a slow nod, he finally agreed. He certainly didn't look happy about it though.

Parker punched the air. Oh, Colt is going to love this.

"Awesome! Give me a minute to lock up, and then we can go."

"Fine," he huffed, not too unlike that of a sulky toddler. "But I'm driving."

Parker smiled. Her car was a piece of shit that barely worked on a good day. She was going to insist he drive in the first place. Plus, now, she could get really drunk.

"Fine by me," was all she said, not eager to give away that piece of information just yet. "Just promise me you won't be an asshole. I won't be able to keep my reputation of favorite sister if you ruin the night."

"I'm not going to ruin the night," he snarked with a petulant glare. Parker shrugged, grabbing her things, as he asked, "...wait, I thought you were his only sister?"

"Exactly. Now, come on, I want to get there before they start assigning teams."

The bell rang as she stepped outside, Jean Claude trotting with her, and Tom hesitated for a brief moment before what she said caught up to him.

"Wait," he called, jogging after her. "What do you mean teams?"

---

Tom's presence did not go unnoticed. In fact, it had taken a mere three minutes before Jody was elbowing her to the side, a stern, disbelieving look furrowing her brows. She had let it go in a huff, however, when Parker pointed out that Tom had promised to be on his best behavior, as well as promised to buy the first round of drinks once the game was over.

That had been a lie, of course, but she supposed she could deal with that tantrum later.

Colt, on the other hand, hadn't been so easily placated, and as the twenty odd players stood in a circle, listening to the instructor drone on about safety, he weaseled next to her with a glare.

"I can't believe you brought Ryder," he hissed for the third time that night, hot breath on her face. She would have shoved him away if the instructor hadn't already reprimanded then twice for being distracting. "I mean, seriously Park, I can't stand the guy."

"Oh, really? I couldn't tell."

"Really!"

"Well, I'm sorry," she shrugged, although the apology was half-hearted at best, and Colt seemed to know this as he narrowed his eyes at her irritably. She huffed. "What was I supposed to do? Leave him behind?"

"Yes," Colt whisper-yelled. Dan glanced over his shoulder at the pair, and in perfect Seavers' sibling unison, they plastered fake smiles onto their faces with a friendly wave. He shook his head at them, but likely didn't think they were worth whatever trouble they caused, and faced forward once more. "That's exactly what you should have done!"

"It's not that easy," she argued, hissing as well. "He looked so sad! Like a little abandoned puppy dog that had just been kicked. It was a moment of weakness!"

"Oh, really?" Colt drawled. Together, they glanced over at Tom to find him ignoring everyone in the group with his head stuck in his phone. When a fly buzzed too close, he swatted at it with an icy glare. "That? You couldn't say no to that?"

"I said I was sorry!"

Parker's voice hitched higher than she intended, and the instructor paused in his speech to glare at the duo. She gave him a weak smile in return, mouthing, a guilty, sorry!

The man only got two words back into his speech, however, before Colt started whining again.

"Look, I'm totally stoked about the surprise party, okay? You did a stand-up job on it and the guest list. So how could you fuck it all up so close to the finish line?"

"What the hell does that even mean?" she asked in bewilderment. Parker shook her head. "Seriously, you need to update your sayings."

"Update my—?" Colt bit off a groan, pinching the bridge of his nose to take a long, overdrawn breath. "Why was he even at your bookstore? Since when did you two become friends? What happened to the whole—asshole, asshole, asshole—bit you had going on?"

"I still think he's an asshole," she shot back. But, well, when she caught Tom's gaze across the grass, she faltered. Did she think he was an asshole at his core? Or had he simply become someone she was beginning to understand—a dog that lashed out when someone got too close? Parker rubbed circles into her temple. "And we're not friends. And, even if we were, you have no one to blame but yourself."

"Myself?" he echoed in disbelief. "What do I have to do with this?"

"You're the one that gave him my phone number."

Colt snorted, shaking his head at her. "Fat chance of that," he said. Parker, thinking he was joking at first, fell silent when he caught the look in his eye. But, if Colt hadn't given Tom her phone number, then who had? she wondered, mentally counting down the list of people it could have possibly been.

Bigger fish to fry, she reminded herself when the list made her go cross-eyed.

"Whatever. We're not friends or buddies or whatever you think we are, so you can stop worrying about that."

Colt snorted. "Oh, sure you're not. He just happens to hang out around your bookshop and you share recommendations and, oh yeah! You bring him as a plus-one to my birthday party!"

Parker scowled. "I made the guest list, I think I have a right to bring someone along with."

"Sure, someone. Not Jaws over there."

She frowned at him, thrown off by the random insult. "Jaws?" she echoed, crinkling her nose distastefully. "What does a shark have to do with this?"

Colt sighed. "No, not the shark, the James Bond villain."

"That's a stupid name for a villain."

"I didn't write the damn thing."

"Okay, well, maybe he has the arrogance of a James Bond villain, but at least pick one from this century."

"Silva?"

"Nah. Whose the the one with the weird eye?"

Colt hummed thoughtfully, gaze darting over towards Tom. "Le Chiffre?"

Parker snapped her fingers and pointed at him. "That one!"

"Yeah, alright, I'll give you that," he conceded, nodding. "He does give off Bond villain vibes with the sunglasses and hair-do."

"Right? Oh you should have seen these glasses he was wearing last time. They were huge, and yellow tinted; like Tony Stark would wear. They were so ridiculous."

Colt snickered for a moment, enjoying mocking Tom with his sister, before realizing that he was currently mad at her. He threw his head back with a subtle groan. "Stop doing that! I'm still mad at you!"

Parker gave her brother a blithe look. "I think you're looking at this all wrong."

"Wrong? What other way should I look at it?" he snarked. "With my eyes closed?"

Resisting the urge to smack him, Parker instead gestured to their instructor, the paintball gun in his hand, and then towards Tom. "You literally get the chance to chase down and shoot, Tom Ryder, bane of your existence or whatever. Shoot him. Think about all the welts and whining and, maybe, if you're lucky, the tears you can get out of this experience. Legally. Without getting fired or arrested. What's better than that, huh? It's your very own personal rage room."

Colt considered all of that silently. He swept his gaze from the large pile of paintball guns set off to the side, to the acres of arena in front of them with inflatable obstacles, and then to his blonde alter-ego sulking at the edge of the group.

He slung an arm around Parker's shoulder with the boyish grin. "Have I ever told you how much I love you?"

Parker snorted, amused by his mood swings. "Not nearly enough. It's all Jody this, and Jody that anymore."

Jody, having finished listening to the instructor's demonstration, peered around Colt's shoulder to blink at the siblings. "What about me?"

Colt and Parker shared a silent look.

"Nothing," she said, whilst he cooed, "just talking about how pretty you are."

Jody blushed a bright rouge instantly, and Colt obviously took pleasure in that when he slung his other arm around her shoulder. Taking a deep breath, he let out a happy sigh. "My two ladies. Paintball. The smell of tears and blood on the horizon. What better way to spend a birthday?"

Parker glanced at Jody, expecting her to roll her eyes, but the camerawoman instead just smiled with something soft in her eyes.

Parker responded by wiggling out of Colt's reach. "Ew, blegh, that's disgusting. They say cooties are contagious you know."

"What on Earth are cooties?" Jody asked.

"An STD," Colt replied, only half joking, and though Jody appeared mildly disturbed by his joke, Parker had known her brother long enough to appreciate his odd ball sense of humor. "And they're not contagious if you have a shot."

Jody, not wanting to know if he was serious or not, let it go as the group slowly filed forward to get their guns, face masks, and coveralls. They followed shortly after, snickering like kids the entire way through.

In the end, Colt and Jody both got white, while Parker and Tom were given black ones.

Karma, she supposed, is that she wouldn't be able to shoot the asshole after all.

"Somehow, this is a step up for your usual clothes," said asshole chirped, pinching the baggy material hanging at her waist between his forefinger and thumb. Parker swatted him away, only for Jean Claude to bark at her. "Easy, you want to get taken down before the game even starts?"

"Please, you're lucky we're on the same team," Parker teased. He didn't seem to buy it if the blithe look he shot her was anything to go by, and she huffed at him. "I bet I could have gotten the first hit on you if we weren't on the same team. I have mad skills at paintball, Ryder. Seal Team Six type stuff., you don't even know."

Tom rolled his eyes at the same time that Colt reappeared, face mask propped on the top of his head, looking just a tad too comfortable in his onesie. Jody and Dan flanked him, and Parker didn't like their smiles one bit.

"What?" she asked.

"You suck at paintball," Colt egged. "Remember Tallahassee? You were covered in welts for weeks!"

Tom snorted, and Parker considered him the greater threat considering the fact he was standing closer to her than Colt was. She glared at him to state, "I'm not joking. I could literally take you out. Any of you," she added with a stern point of the finger sweeping through the group. "All of you!"

Not a single person believed her.

Tom went so far as to snicker at her. "I don't buy that. for a second. You're a total klutz."

She gasped. "Am not!"

Colt raised a hand. "Are too. Remember when you broke your ankle trying to play hopscotch?"

"Just—stay out of this!"

He did not, in fact, stay out of it. "What was it you said, Park? Cause and effect? You suck at sports, and the effect of that, is you're about to go down on the course."

She blew a rather wet raspberry at her brother. "Please, if you and Tom were on the same team, I would smoke both of you."

They bickered for a moment, amusing some, but boring Tom, and the A-lister broke up their argument with a long-weary sigh. "Oi! Whose to say either of you could get a shot on me?" he taunted.

The siblings turned to face him.

"Is that a challenge?" Parker asked, hands planted on her hips, whilst Colt raised his brows.

Tom shrugged, unconcerned.

"In fact, I bet I'll make it a whole round without getting shot once," Tom tacked on, ego puffing his chest out as he smirked at the group standing around. Dan rolled his eyes, while Jody coughed into her hand to hide an obvious laugh at his showboating. "I'm serious. First one to hit me gets five hundred dollars—"

Thwack! Thwack!

Tom gaped at his chest, now dotted with one yellow and one blue splatter. Parker and Colt stood in front of him, guns still smoking, and while his eyes widened in anger, the pair of siblings were more concerned with claiming the prize to notice.

"First!" Colt cried.

"What? No fucking way," Parker argued. She waved at the yellow paint splatter haphazardly, almost taking out Jody as she did so. "I was so first. Tom! Tell him!"

Tom, now even more unamused by their bickering, blinked in wide-eyed disbelief at them both. "Are you fucking serious?" he shouted. "The game didn't even start yet!"

"But you just said—"

"I meant during a match. Christ, Parker, we're on the same team," he blustered, attempting to wipe off the paint, but only managing to smear it further down his chest like a bad Jackson Pollock painting. "Fuck!"

Colt, sensing a blow-out was coming, swung his gun behind his back with a wide eyed, innocent look. "Hey man, it was all her," he started. "Totally uncool. And immature. And, really, if you need me to smack her around a little after this I totally can."

Tom glared at Colt, effectively shutting him up in seconds, before turning to Parker. Everyone watched in baited breath, nervous what he might do, and while Parker hadn't been on set long enough to know what his meltdowns looked like, the ones most familiar with Tom were left stunned by his reaction.

Or, really, how utterly tame this one was to the hundred others they had seen.

"Are you happy now?" he asked.

Parker hemmed and hawed for a moment before deciding that honesty was the best policy. "I mean, I'd be happier if you gave me my five hundred dollars."

"I'm not paying you shit."

"Oh, come on," she rolled her eyes, popping a hip as she did so. "It's not like you're cash poor or anything. You're just upset that I shot you."

Tom gaped at her in disbelief. "No shit!"

Parker, shifting her gun over her shoulder, waved the other at him blithely. "You'll get over it once the game starts. It's—heh—surprisingly therapeutic."

"Shooting me is therapeutic?"

She paused, caught up in her own statement. "Er, well, not you exactly. Just someone, in general, you know." Parker swallowed when Tom continued to stare at her. Awkwardly, she laughed. "Just... wait till you get out there, and you'll see."

Tom remained silent, blinking at her for a long, tense, moment before he rolled his eyes with a heavy sigh. And—

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

His gun went off before anyone could stop him, and Parker gaped at the trio of yellow paint that was now splattered across her chest. "Fucking ow!"

Tom smirked at her, blowing the muzzle of his gun for extra flare, before swinging it over his shoulder. "Huh. I guess you're right. I do feel better."

"Asshole!"

"Yeah, well, takes one to know one, right?" he snarked.

And—oh.

She could kill him. Really, seriously kill him.

But, well, the longer she stared at him and he stared at her, eyebrow cocked and a daring smirk in place, Parker realized above the hatred simmering in her chest, she felt something kindred and wanting flutter like butterflies. Something amused by the curve of his smirk, flushed by the scorching burn of his gaze, and—dare she think—understanding at the retaliatory strike. She had, afterall, shot first.

He had only lowered himself to her level; played by her rules.

And with a strong suspicion that Tom Ryder wasn't so much an asshole as he was just looking for someone to understand him, Parker's only response to that was to throw her head back and howl in laughter.

Despite this, no one else moved for a long moment, too busy darting their gazes between Parker and Tom in case they needed to intervene, but in an even more surprising turn of events, he laughed as well. Not so outright, and not nearly as loud, but he did. Prompted by his positive reaction, it wasn't long before Colt started to laugh, and then Jody, and then suddenly everyone was knelt at the waist in laughter.

It wasn't until their instructor honked a blow horn at them, none too amused with the pre-game warfare, that they calmed down. He honked the horn a second time at Parker and Tom, threatening to kick them out if they kept breaking the rules, and while they managed to stay straight-faced, the moment he turned his back on the group, they shared matching grins.

Maybe, she thought as they got into place, it hadn't been such a bad idea to bring him along.

And maybe, her brother thought at the exact same time, Parker and Tom being friends wasn't the end of the world.

[satire-please]

Ferdinand is the whole package of Gatekeep, Girlboss, Gaslight...

Gotta admire the man who rolls with the punches and makes it work for him in AoB Part 5: Volume 10.

Facing Gervasio who has more mana than both Rozemyne and him? Takes away Gervasio's magic through citizenship loopholes and traps the man in the gate's doorless activation room.

The gods seem to prefer Gervasio as the next Zent? Proceeds to negotiate better than any lawyer for a Zent Test that actually will work better in Rozemyne's favor.

Royal family continues to wimp out against an actual threat to the country? Uses Anastasius's love for his wife to act in the battle, to destroy Gervasio's citizenship medal, and then set up a meeting with the rest of the royals for the day of reckoning is coming. Ferdinand's going to bleed these royals dry of land, titles, and money for the hell they put Rozemyne, Ehrenfest, and him through.

I can't wait.

[randomalistic]

first off. i can't believe that i already followed you- your spam blog -and didn't know.

second. i literally just had a dream shere i was rambling to someone about turbo using stuff from your essay. apparently it rewired my brain so hard it, and you, manifested in my dreams lol (i even made a bad joke that "you can say he's Turbo-tastic!" hah)

and congratulations on making such great work of art that is the essay, you can feel and hear the love(and hyperfixation) poured into it.

i do wonder tho, what was the hardest part when making it?

I’m so glad you enjoyed it yay :)❤️ and also recognized me from my sneo blog LOL

I feel that so horrendously much. I legit had a dream a few nights ago about someone APPROACHING ME cuz they recognized my voice from the essay (girl get an ego check) but they then said “dude it’s so obvious you’re into him” or something. And I was like. 🧍‍♀️Well you don’t have to say it out loud

Anyways you’re not the only one cuz the video haunts me too. even after its birth.

The hardest part?? Oh Man. Can I say Everything.

There were a few stretches that were REALLY TOUGH. short answer: Entire first half of the video. Also the longer parts like the Manipulation section, Turbo reveal section, and the Cybug King Candy section. I had a lot to say for these and it was tricky to condense it into something Comprehensible

Long answer:

I completely overhauled the entire first half of the video (EVERYTHING before the kart breaking scene) because I wasn’t satisfied with the writing/delivery etc. (Which was a good choice because my arguments were pretty half baked before) but oh my god that was like a week and a half of 7 hour recording and rewriting sessions it was brutal. Especially annoying because those arguments were super old and I was getting sick of thinking about them. So instead I used them as a backbone to structure better arguments and revamp the script so that kept me from going insane. However it was also really fun because I got to see my old ass arguments finally be explained to their fullest capacity. And also I got to write shit like ☝️🤓Excuse me sir your turbo is showing..

The biggest issue with this being my first ever video essay and it taking so goddamn long: you could SEE my writing/editing/voicing skills improve over the span of the video itself. Which is really cool improvement wise but REALLY . REALLY BAD CONSISTENCY WISE. Like the first half of the video is the part people are gonna see first. It SETS EXPECTATIONS. IT HAS TO BE PEAK

I think I re-edited the synopsis upwards of 5-6 times. Which makes sense as that was like the first thing I started the project with but ouhvhhhgghghr. Making a section from scratch is WAY easier than going back and having to redo something

Early on I cut out an entire fully edited/scripted/recorded 3 minute section of me talking about Megamind and its sequel because I realized. This is pointless and everyone has TALKED ABOUT MEGAMIND BEFORE AND THIS HAS NOTHIBG TO DO WITH WRECK IT RALPH. There were a lot of scrapped ideas

Audio was also really challenging, just entirely. Making sure the levels were consistent (I had absolutely zero voice volume normalization I did it all manually 😭 I’m gonna have to figure out how to do that) Also just the concept of recording my voice and having to speak out loud in a space was Real Bad for my anxiety but You Do it Scared. Had to wait until I was home alone or like 99% sure I was alone before I could say anything without worrying. Also training my voice to sound engaging and consistent was so hard and it took maybe 6 months for me to get it down. Also I had no fucking idea where to record, like at first I was recording in a CLOSET (and later under a piano??) and then I was wondering why my lines sounded so weird. Then I realized I could just Record in a room and it would sound JUST FINE. So basically uhhh every single part was the hardest part. But it was worth it and very fun I think 🫶

[akixa]

Dearie || Lookism

Part 1&2: ౨ৎ ˖ ࣪ ⊹

౨ৎ ˖ ࣪ ⊹Part 3

Once she finally arrives at the house, she stumbles into the living room, dropping her bag on the sofa as she sits on the floor and pulls out the phone, pen, and paper to take down some information on that phone. She let out a long sigh and proceeded to open the phone, go to the music app, and then open the voice recordings. Some of them almost reach 1 hour, while others are 20 minutes. She clicked the shortest one as she maxed out the volume of the phone until she heard a muffled noise and people talking behind her.

"What the heck are you doing?" A sudden man's voice was heard. She leans her ears to the phone closer.

"Nothing, hun; Goo told me to do this before everything went to a mess. You know, for memories proposes." She let out a small gasp when she heard a woman's voice. It was a sweet and soothing spokesperson, but somehow it almost sounded like hers. She feels like she has delusions, but she keeps listening.

"Don't worry, everything will be handled under my hands. If everything goes downhill, I'll make sure to protect you whatever it takes."

"Eh? You sound like I might die on someone other than your hand."

"I'll make sure you won't die, ok?" The audio cut off the man, making her disappointed as she proceeded to write the mentioned name a minute ago.

Note:

1.Goo. (random man who got mentioned)

After that, she listened to another voice recording, but this time there was yelling and shouting in the background. Most prominently, a person recording on the phone could be heard gasping for air and the sound of running away from something or somebody. As the background noises slowly faded, she caught a whisper from the woman she had heard a minute ago, prompting her to hold the phone to her ears and listen attentively.

"H-hey... Hun if you ever get this record I might be gone for good. But... I can still go back somehow so d-don't worry I'll be in your arms again. So, wait for me my dear...*BEEP*"

She looks over the phone with shaky hands as she puts the phone down on the floor and lets out a disbelieving sigh at what she heard. She wants to assume that the woman is already dead but same time the woman might be still alive and just hiding in thin air that no one can't find. She took the paper again and wrote it down.

Later, she continued to listen and analyze whatever happened behind the voice records. She is lowkey proud of herself for what she's doing. She looks at the paper.

Note:

1. Goo. (random man who got mentioned)pretty 

2. lady - dead or alive?

3. They have a cat!?

4. "hun" must be the husband or boyfriend of the pretty lady.

5. Old chairman with one arm?

6. Jakeyand Sammy might be brothers or not.

7. An affliate what?

8. The promises of the pretty lady and the hun.

9. money is everything ago.

10. Does the pretty lady hate one-arm daughter?

Everything is still not clear to her. What is her task to do anyway? Does she need to investigate this pretty lady's situation and then find out everything? Then what? What will she achieve if she completes it? Will she go back to her "world"? She shook her head, stopping all the questions in her mind, but she decided to find out everything on the pretty lady's side and leave it alone once she knew it all.

She closed the phone on the sofa and went upstairs to the bedroom to change her uniform to comfortable clothes. While she was changing her outfit, she heard noises downstairs. She hurriedly got out of the bedroom and headed downstairs again. When she arrived, she noticed the paper was ripped into pieces and the phone was on the floor. She looked around to see if anybody was in the house but she didn't see any traces that someone or something is in the house too.

"Anybody there?! Come out I won't bite!" She shouts and receives silence until she hears something under the sofa, she goes to the kitchen and quickly grabs the frying pan then goes back to the living room. Holding it tightly as she kneeled down in front of the sofa and slowly looked down underneath the sofa and saw nothing but dark. She looks closer till two white glowing pupils suddenly show up making her scream and walk away from the sofa. It crawls away from the sofa and shows itself. 

"oh... a cat? how did you even get in here?" She was shocked when a random cat showed up suddenly, which got her off guard. She looks closely at the cat and notices there is a scar between the cat's eyes, she walks towards it and picks up the cat to her arm.

"Now tell me how did you get here and how you have that scar on your face kitty?" She asks the cat even though the cat can't even speak human language, she is still concerned and curious at the same time. The cat just meowed at her and then looked at the open window.

"It seems I forgot to close that... Since you were in my house without a collar, you're mine now hehe" She let out a giggle and hugged the cat gently in her arms. She even forgot the ripped paper too but well the cat made her amnesia. She grabbed the phone from the floor and took a selfie with the cat then she asked herself what she should name the cat.

˚ʚNext Dayɞ˚

Time seemed to fly by quickly. Today was the school festival at J-high. In honor of the festival, the teacher allowed students to dress casually as long as it was appropriate. She opted for a white shirt paired with a black pencil skirt, striking the perfect balance between casual and semi-formal. Each department was competing to make the most profit, vying for the title of the best department and the accompanying reward. She first observed Zack engaging in a boxing match, showcasing his profit-making skills against other students who were up for the challenge. Afterwards, she visited the beauty department and was surprised to find only a male student in charge with the help of the girls in his department.

"Why does he look like a unicorn with that hair..." She whispered to herself as she observed whatever he was doing until the guy just made one student bald- ok bye. That was a terrible haircut. She quickly walked away from the beauty department and headed to the architecture department.

Sweat dropped from her face as she looked in front of her. A water bomb stands with Vasco and others face with it. Vasco was smiling at her while Jace was right next to him looking at her to help him make his profit. She let out a sigh and went to the guy as a cashier paid and gave her balloons with water inside, then walked toward them but not so close yet not so far. She throws the ballons at them and they feel relief and smile at her feeling blessed since she's the first person who splashed them with a water bomb.

Vasco locks a gaze at her as she finishes throwing them a water bomb. Leaving Vasco shed tears on his face while Jace comforts him cheering that architecture depart have 1 point finally! Thirdly, she went to the baking department and bought a lot of bread, cupcakes, and other sweets they baked. rip wallet. She feels satisfied after eating some of it, making the baking department get 5 stars for good baking, on the way she notices the crowd in front of her. She tries to get to the front row but luck is not on her side so she just eats the last cupcake in her hand while watching from the back of the crowd.

It was an auction from the fashion department, she was about to back away before the MC explained the rules that girls will place money and whoever gets the highest will the reward aka the boys from each department that were called at by an MC. She was relieved that boys would get sold and not girls, she stood by from her spot as she continued eating the cupcake while watching the boy's embarrassed moment. When Vasco was called to the stage one girl placed money 1 won only, he was happy and sad at the same time since he thought Y/N would buy him, too bad she broke by buying so many loaves of bread from the baking department.

Many boys called till the MC called Daniel Park to the stage he was fidgeting his fingers and looking nervous. Many girls were shouting and bidding money higher and higher before this Lala girl or whatever her name is started to bid 1k won making other girls crumble on their spot while Daniel jolted on his spot too as sweat dropped from his face.

"2k won." A random girl bid higher making Lala girl bid more till she finally ran out of money. Lala doesn't want the random girl to win so she bids on her expensive bag that cost 7k won but sadly rules don't collect items just money for charity. "Daniel Park sold for 2k won!" MC announced the ending of the auction.

Back to Y/N, she kept looking at Daniel as he walked down from the stage and noticed he was walking toward her as he was standing in front of her asking her to come with him to meet the random girl. She doesn't know if she should agree or not since she wants to walk around again to see more department profit. Without answering him he just grabbed her wrist and dragged her with him to meet the random girl. While grabbing her wrist Daniel's ears were turning red and a tint of blush on his face since he was holding her wrist and walking with her.As they arrived, she saw the random girl who bid Daniel then the tall sunglasses guy behind her and it seemed he was gazing at her head to toe making her uncomfortable so she hides herself behind Daniel but she didn't notice the sunglasses guy smirking at her.

Part 4!