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[ambicafurnitures4]

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[stellamarielu]

stay

jack abbot x female reader

summary: jack comes home from a long shift to find you fast asleep in his bed

content: fluff!!!, established relationship, reader and jack are learning how to align their differing schedules, jack cooking dinner and being a domestic little boyfriend, mentions of the trauma he experiences at work, alludes to sex but nothing explicit, basically just the reader being jack’s safe space, cute n cozy!

word count: 2k

author’s note: oh look it’s stella the oneshot wonder coming through with another jack abbot oneshot and refusing to challenge herself by writing a complex multi part fic like she said she was gonna do. whatever just let me domesticate that man in peace…

Exhausted and drained of every ounce of his energy, Jack had just finished what felt like the longest shift of his career. Twelve hours of chaos that had him longing for the silence of his home and a long stretch of sleep to clear the casual scream of trauma that lingered in his mind.

While he usually offered every little corner of himself to his job, letting it consume his life in ways most people didn’t, today tested him.

It didn’t help that he held himself together for the sake of everyone around him. In true attending physician fashion, he pushed through each intervention with tactful hands and confident energy. His collected demeanor cracked with each combative family member and patient that slipped away underneath his hands, but he never let it show. Instead, he lead every room with calm assurance and a steadfast plan. And when all was said and done, when he was finally free from the confining walls of the Emergency Department, he just wanted to go home— to let go.

Functioning on muscle memory, his feet carried him to his front door, key coming into contact with the lock and stepping out of his shoes in the entryway. He walked past the living room, following his morning routine of getting ready for bed, and tossing his backpack on the barstool at the kitchen island.

Passing through his quiet kitchen, he noticed the dishes set out on the drying rack, all clean and waiting to be put away, remnants of the night before that reminded him you were there. The cluttered mess of his day almost causing him to forget the night before. 

You came over to his place after work last night.

The narrow alignment of your weekday schedules always found you in the in-between moments. With Jack working night shifts and you having a typical nine to five schedule, the fleeting evening hours were now yours to share. Dinner in Jack's kitchen quickly became a routine delicacy in your calendars. Scraping together what little time you had, and sharing a meal before your days set sail on two opposite courses. 

You were still in the early months of your relationship, hungry to spend every waking minute together.

You’d both forgotten what it felt like to be contingent on another person’s presence. The fullness of companionship. Small smiles at learning something new about the other, and the constant urge to take mental notes of every word leaving their lips, but not letting yourself veer from their train of thought for too long in fear that you might miss something. Everything felt vibrant and exciting. Your connection blooming in the gold hues of evening sun, and tender conversation at his dinner table.

A memory of your conversation from last night played in his mind; you reaching past him to grab a cutting board standing at the kitchen counter and helping with the meal's final touches. Busy stirring something on the stovetop with a dish towel resting over his shoulder, Jack listened as you told him about your day.

Continuing to monitor the pots and pans in front of him, he asked about your plans for the evening, curious to know how your day would end as his began. You worked to chop a handful of vegetables while telling him what was on your itinerary for the night: going home to finish laundry and turning in early. 

His response to your lackluster agenda was immediate, soft and genuine as it left his lips without permission.

“You could just stay here.” 

You’d stayed over at his place before. Multiple times. Always on the weekend when neither of you had work.

It gave you the opportunity to spend unrestricted time together without a single worry of differing schedules. Each time you’d stay up as late as your body would let you, not quite used to Jack’s nocturnal way of life. Your voice would dissipate into quiet hums as your eyelids grew heavy, until you eventually fell asleep with your body pressed against his. The dim lamp on his bedside table would stay on a little while longer as he read, his back resting against the headboard, but his body would sink deep into the comforter, his mind losing focus at the feeling of you alongside him. He'd let himself peer down at your sleeping figure, facial features relaxed and soft in the faint light of his bedroom. A true depiction of the endless beauty found in stillness. Finding solace in the comfort of your skin, warm and real and touching his, he would always fall asleep much faster than usual. 

Given the ease of your previous sleepovers, it wasn’t odd for him to mention you staying over at his place, but it felt different this time.

The intention was distinctive— a deepening of dependence. It wouldn’t be the normal arrangement of talking, and laughing, and fucking well into the early morning hours until you fell asleep in his arms. This time you would be there, alone, in his space. It felt like an extension of trust. An extension of newfound domesticity in your relationship. A taste of reliance.

“Like just stay here while you’re at work?” A hint of a smile danced on your lips as your words came out in wishful anticipation.

He caught it. The excitement in your voice, and the careful raise of your eyebrows as you kept your grin from stretching across your face.

“If you want to.” Setting down the sauce-stained utensil in his hand, he took a single step toward you, body angled slightly behind yours as his arms wrapped instinctively around your waist, his chin coming down to rest on your shoulder.

“I wouldn’t mind coming home to you in the morning.” His words sunk into the crook of your neck before his lips found your jaw in a careful kiss.  

Under the spell of his touch you agreed to his invitation, finishing dinner, and receiving an all too-natural kiss goodbye from Jack before he lingered at the front door on his way out. 

After an evening spent in his home, you fell asleep in his room, on his bed. And that's where you remained, still dreaming under the gentle weight of his comforter when he got home from work. 

Careful not to wake you, his steps softened as he came to the doorway of his bedroom, leaning against the frame to find your body snuggled in his sheets.

You were sprawled out on your belly with one leg bent and your hands underneath the pillow. His pillow. You must’ve ventured over to his side of the bed in your sleep, your back rising and falling with gentle breaths as your face smushed further into the cotton pillowcase. 

Fragments of your body peeked out from underneath his bedspread, the heather grey t-shirt on your back immediately catching his eye. Only a sliver of the ambiguous material was visible on your shoulders, but Jack new the shirt adorning your sleeping figure belonged to him. The sight of you wearing his clothes, nestled deep in his sheets, made the rhythmic beating in his chest stutter.

He let himself watch for a minute, standing in silence with a subtle grin on his lips.

The trials of his day dispersed right there in the threshold of his bedroom. Every high stress situation and crucial decision fading in the background as you laid on his bed, captivated by a peaceful slumber.

He knew it wouldn’t last long, knew your schedule like the back of his hand, and it was only a matter of time before you would be waking up to start your day. Half an hour maybe. 

His time with you, snuggled and serene in his bed, was limited. All he wanted to do was join you. To give himself over to the soothing consolation of your figure weighed down into his, and drown in the comfort of your soft breath. 

He had to force his way to the bathroom. Stripping himself of the clothes littered with the impurities of his job. Turning the shower faucet, and fighting his desire to lay next to you with his clothes still stained from work.

He couldn’t do that, wouldn’t do it.

There was nothing worth bringing you into his world. The grime of trauma and death had no place next to you. You were separate from all of that. Pure from the suffering he had to witness on a daily basis. Any anguish abiding in his thoughts, on his clothes, rooted in the ache of his body, all of it vanished the second he saw the soft curve of your lips after a long day.

Less than three minutes of scrubbing and rinsing his body under the shower head and he was out, working himself into a pair of shorts before silently stepping back into his bedroom. Relief flooding through his body at finding you still fast asleep on his side of the bed.

He almost doesn’t want to join you, to ruin the perfect scene set in front of him; your sleeping figure draped over his sheets, but then you stir. Your legs move slightly, and your head buries deeper into his pillow and he’s crawling onto the mattress in seconds. It dips under his weight, and one of your eyes squints open at the interruption. A sleepy smile melting onto your expression as contentment engulfs you both. He squishes next to you, eliciting a gentle hum from your chest as his body comes into contact with yours.

“Hi.” Your voice is sleepy- barely audible. Music to his ears.

“Hi.” Far less drowsy but still holding a tired rasp, his greeting fills the thin space between you, both heads sharing a pillow as your bodies face one another. 

“You’re in my spot.” His whisper hides in a smile as his hand finds the curve of your waist underneath his t-shirt.

You try to mumble out an apology, shifting your body back to the other side of the bed, but his arm wraps around your lower back, pulling you flush against his bare chest. The muscles in his body constricting as he hugs you tight against him.

“Where do you think you’re going?” The familiar teasing of his voice sends a wave of comfort rippling through your body. You let his arms envelop you. Melting into his touch, surrounded and satisfied by his company.

“Want you right here.” His words are muffled in your hair as he places a kiss to the top of your head. 

You don’t fall back asleep, but Jack does. His eyes closing and breath evening the second he has you in his arms. The rigid facade he holds in place vanishing under a soft veil of sleep.

You lay with him for a few more minutes, drenched in his affection, until you're practically prying his hands from your waist and rolling out of his bed. You’re hesitant to leave, your body trying to lull you back into his sheets, the calm of his embrace calling to you as you slip quietly from his bedroom.

Already counting down the minutes until you’re back at his place for dinner, you pad into the kitchen, carefully putting away the dishes laying out on the drying rack before gathering your belongings and starting your day. 

[mellarkloaves]

Craftsman Home Bar in Cleveland Inspiration for a mid-sized craftsman l-shaped light wood floor wet bar remodel with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite countertops, beige backsplash and glass tile backsplash

[obxsummer]

snow angel // ghost of you

pairing: jj maybank x routledge!reader

summary: the zoning hearing was already in the kooks favor, but they make sure to really dig deep in the wound. jj's faced with the ugly realization that luke maybank will always be a piece of shit, and sarah's there to talk you off a ledge when john b can't.

warnings: oh no not the ultima!, crash out rage, reader pushes john b, cursing, shoupe..... being nice?

navigation -- series masterlist

ask me anything or support me via a ko-fi

--

City Hall was more packed than you had anticipated. Apparently John B’s plan had worked, which led to the group of you being surrounded by somewhat familiar faces in the small room. 

“I want to remind everyone to maintain civility and decorum throughout the rest of these proceedings,” The mayor reminded as the session resumed after a small break. You sat next to Sarah with JJ on your other side, the latter squeezing your hand in his. “We’re one island. Why don’t we all try to act like it? Any disruption will warrant expulsion and potential charges.”

You glanced at JJ, trying to communicate silently that he needed to take that seriously. You guys needed all the help you could get right now and if he acted out, it would be another nail in the coffin.

“Without further ado, we’ll start with our council members, beginning with Council Member Lawrence.”

“Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Agenda 8A, ordinance 31, zoning for the property located at the end of Roger’s Point Road. Uh, Mr. Mayor, we have a resolution from the town of Pelican expressing support for the rezoning of multi-use land on the east side of the island, including the aforementioned Roger’s Point Road property.”

Confused glances were shared amongst your group, realizing you might not even get a chance to defend your home. 

Pope leaned in, “Did he just say they already had a resolution?”

The question went unanswered as the council member continued, “The council is voting to recommend allocating the amount of $60,000 to begin to transition that said property…”

The sound faded from your ears as you stared ahead blankly. As much as you wished you could say you didn’t see this coming, the whole town was practically against you since day one. 

“....beginning with a representative from the occupants of the Roger’s Point property, which used to be the Maybank property.”

Your hand clamped on JJ’s flannel collar instantly, holding him down in his seat before he had a chance to go up there and rage on everyone. He tried to move out of your hold before your other hand moved down on his thigh to keep him in one spot. 

Looking past Sarah, you made eye contact with John B. “Go.”

Your brother pointed at himself in confusion, likely anxious to go speak before the rest of the group voiced their agreements. Cheering followed as John B stood up, making his way over you and JJ to walk up to the podium that was in the center of the room.

“Yeah, John B!”

“Alright! Let’s go!”

You let a rushed breath escape between your lips and loosened your grip on JJ’s hoodie but kept your hand on his thigh. He clapped loudly as your brother tapped on the microphone before the room quieted per the mayor’s request.

“Please state your name for the record.”

John B anxiously tapped his fingers against the wooden stand in front of him. “I am John Booker Routledge.”

More applause followed his statement before it was hushed again, the room open for your brother to speak.

“Look, I’m… I’m not a lawyer, by any standard… but honestly, this doesn’t make any sense. I mean, we bought the property at auction, and we have a fully functioning business and have had for some time. And-and now you have a motion for rezoning on our property? And if it passes, we lose our business. And we lose our home.”

“Because of some bullshit!” “The fix is in!”

“This isn’t fair!”

“They’ve got a right!”

You glanced around at the crowd who was starting to get to their feet in frustration. JJ grabbed your hand from his thigh and tightened his grip, the first sign his emotions were heating up. The mayor banged his gavel in attempts to calm the courtroom.

“Sit down, let him speak, and shut the hell up!” 

Once the room quieted down, the mayor motioned for John B to continue. “Mr. Routledge you can continue.”

John B looked down at the podium and you could see him taking calculated breaths to keep his nerves calm. Your brother was never the best at public speaking, but he’d been a leader his whole life, and you had full confidence in him to represent you in any instance.

“As most of you know, myself, my sister, and Sarah, we lost our fathers last year. All we are trying to do is rebuild a home. That’s it. Sir, with all due respect, we’re not looking for a handout. We just want to keep our home, alright?”

The rowdiness erupted as frustration seeped into John B’s words. It was obvious the Kooks were on the opposing side of the room with the way they were all glowering and sitting. One man got to his feet, asking to interrupt whatever John B was getting at. 

“Excuse me, excuse me. May I speak?” When the mayor gave his approval, the man continued, “There seems to be a misunderstanding. Okay? And I think I can clarify.”

JJ groaned loudly as Mr. Zeasy, the realtor who approved this whole shitshow, tried to walk up to the stand.

“Mr. Routledge, you have the floor. Are you willing to let Mr. Zeasy speak?”

Your brother leaned closer to the microphone, annoyance clear on his face. “If you can explain it a little better, Dale.” John B took a step back to let him move forward, giving him the opportunity. 

“So, what the, uh, current occupants of the land don’t seem to understand is that there is an injunction to invalidate the most recent sale.”

Your attention flipped to Pope immediately. “What does that mean? Invalidate it how?”

“There was a pre-existing promissory note from the original owner that was in the process of being finalized when the land auction took place.”

You whispered toward JJ as the crowd booed in response, “Your dad?”

“The bank wasn’t legally allowed to go to auction. We have a promissory note right here from the original owner, signed before the auction, and finalized by Judge Holden.”

“That’s impossible,” You continued to argue quietly. “Your dad was gone way before we got on that ship, there’s no way he signed it.”

“That means our sale was invalid,” Pope explained as he grabbed your elbow to get your attention. “They faked the date. How can they even do that?”

You shook your head, the lump in your throat growing with each second.

“Where is the original owner? And can he validate the authenticity of this document?”

Dale spoke up again. “Yes he can. He’s right here.”

The world spun beneath you as you turned around to see Luke Maybank stand from his spot in the back of the room. He still looked like the same piece of shit when you’d last looked at him

“What the hell?” You were on your feet instantly, glaring daggers at the man who’d taken so much from someone who you adored. “He’s a wanted criminal! He should be in jail!” Your arguement fell upon deaf ears as the crowd yelled equal protests. 

“Isn’t it obvious? He signs the promissory note, and in exchange he gets amnesty,” Pope huffed and fell back into the bench, his hands pulling at his hair. 

“Now, hang on. Unless I’m very mistaken, when this all shakes out, you nice young people will be compensated of course. And, and… hold on! The land will be a club for all!”

Your hands pressed against your ears tightly, hoping all the noise would fade away into nothing. This was so unfair, so fundamentally wrong of this town in so many ways. The Kooks would win, every time, because everything came down to politics and money. Everything.

“After they do it to us, they’re gonna do it to all of you!” Kiara shouted as she moved from her seat up to where John B was standing. “This is theft!”

You didn’t realize JJ was missing from next to you until Sarah was grabbing your elbow and pulling you back to reality. The crowd was becoming unruly and glass shattered somewhere in the room before you caught sight of JJ’s blond hair.

Your jaw dropped as he body slammed a police officer to the ground, a broken window close by telling you your boyfriend was crashing out harder than you anticipated. 

Shifting out of Sarah’s grip, you glared at Luke with a look that could kill and reached to grab JJ from the ground. “Hey, hey!” You grabbed his neck and leaned forward to kiss him quickly as people started shoving from behind. “Go! Be careful!”

A cop burst past you just as JJ took off, the two of them tumbling down the stairs of City Hall. More cop cars pulled into view with officers rushing from every angle. Sarah finally got her hold back on you to move out of the way. 

“What the fuck!” You screamed as they slammed JJ on the hood of the sheriff cruiser. You’d lost sight of Cleo and Pope, and there was no way in hell you were letting Sarah continue to get pushed around with her possible pregnancy. Grabbing her hand, you tugged her arm to get outside of the room and into the sunshine as people stormed around you. Other teens took the attacking the new police vehicles, someone jumping on the cruiser JJ had just been shoved in. 

“John B!” Your voice cracked with the force of your yell. Your brother was lost in the crowd, likely keeping hands off Kiara in the mass of people. 

“He’s over here!” Sarah pulled your hand to where you could see John B crowding the tail end of the car as Cleo kicked out the back windshield. You didn’t have time to be shocked and reached forward to grab the hood of JJ’s jacket while your friends helped pull him out of the glass covered surface. 

“Go!” Your brother shoved JJ’s chest and moved him away from you as Pope yelled to run. “Get out of here!”

You caught JJ’s gaze long enough to see how scared he was before he took off without another word. 

“Shit!” There wasn’t time to follow him before John B’s arms were wrapping around your waist and tugging you out of the way of an oncoming brawl. “Come on,” John B let go of you with one arm to grab Sarah’s hand. “Let’s go, let’s go!”

Pushing your brother’s arm off, you started running in the general direction that JJ had taken off, figuring he was heading into town since it would be empty from the crowd here. Your muscles burned as you continued to push yourself further. Your name echoed behind you as you gained a lead on your friends, your mind only set on finding your boyfriend and getting the hell out of here.

—

JJ was always an athletic person, but shit, he was running for sure. Your pace slowed eventually as you approached town, chest burning for a break. 

Turning the corner, you slowed at the sight of broken car windows, store doors shattered, and flames building from the electrical poles. You couldn’t see any sign of JJ, and the growing crowd wasn’t helping you narrow down where he could’ve been. Glancing around, you realized the power was out, and you prayed he at least managed to accomplish that first to take out any cameras nearby.

Shoupe was yelling into his walkie for all units, claiming the whole town would get looted any minute and he would need backup. 

A dirt bike nearly clipped you in the side before you realized you were in over your head and needed to move. You cursed under your breath, moving along with the crowd to blend in before you were ahead of them all. Without anyone to stop him, JJ wouldn’t hesitate to wipe the whole town out if he could. It was a perfect misplaced aggression, and the fact that other Pogues were joining in would only fuel him.

You tried to rack your brain for where he would go next: the house was off limits, it was too obvious. Kie’s dad wouldn’t hide him at the Wreck and there was no doubt anywhere on Figure Eight had cameras. 

“He went that way!” You turned at the sound of a voice, a girl you’d recognized from the bonfires pointing in the general direction of the rental estates down the street. You nodded, barely giving her a thank you before you were running again in hopes of catching up to JJ.

Evidently, he was making enough of a scene that the cop cars were rounding the corner and following your path to catch up to him. You ducked into the trees along the road, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible as you ran alongside them until you landed on the vacation real estate side of the island. 

All of the Kooks with vacation homes ran their offices on the same road, and you had a good feeling you knew which one JJ would be hidden in. Before you had a chance to get ahead of the situation though, a handful of cop cars had surrounded the office, effectively cutting off your opportunity to get to JJ first. 

You took a deep breath, praying he could level his head out enough to make the right decision and keep himself out of harm enough until you could get to him. You pulled your hood up on your head and started in the direction of the building. 

“Stop, stop!” John B knocked you off course a second later, his hand wrapping itself around your sleeve to yank you to a stop. You panicked, knowing your brother would do anything it took to keep you safe, including letting JJ run wild.

Heaving for air, you shoved him away a little harsher than you’d intended. “Get off of me! They’re going to kill him!”

“Hey!” John B stumbled back with the force of your action, eyes widening in surprise before he steadied himself. “You’ve gotta calm down.”

You shook your head, body practically bouncing with adrenaline and glanced at the series of lights behind you. “I need to talk to him, okay? You don’t understand, he’s gonna-”

“I know!” John B took the chance to reach forward and hold your shoulders. “We’re going to get him, but you cannot lose it on us. Not right now, okay?”

Your brother read your expression like a neon sign. You were terrified, and you were right behind JJ’s crashout if he didn’t reel you in this second. John B knew you and JJ felt everything so strongly, and it was getting even deeper when you were together. The two of you were weirdly connected, like a radiating ball of chaos, as John B would call it. Whatever JJ was feeling would seep into you instantly, so it was no surprised you were as out of it as the blond boy was when he took off.

“Hey,” Sarah’s voice was much softer than your brother’s as she moved in front of you to stand next to John B. “I need you to stay with me, yeah? You said you’d help me figure it out.”

You knew what she was trying to do. Trying to lock you in one spot to protect her the way she knew you would with the knowledge you had. Sirens echoed around and you glanced away to see flickers of red and blue lights, a sinking feeling taking over your stomach.

Sarah whispered your name, her hand gentle on your cheek as she pulled you back. Your heart was racing, and she could practically feel it under her touch. Her lips mouthed please, and it was enough to break your hesitation, forcing you to nod. She took your hand in hers and looked up at John B who was staring at the two of you with confusion.

“Let’s go,” Pope pulled you all out of your moment and you started moving again at a slower pace. 

The chaos from City Hall was starting to catch up again as your group jogged up to the office where Shoupe was climbing out of a cruiser. The front door was kicked in, but thankfully it seemed like JJ hadn’t done much damage compared to downtown. 

“If you’re not in uniform, stay back!” Shoupe called out as Pope walked up in attempt to talk to him before he was pushed back into line by another cop. “Aright, JJ. You’ve gone too far, and we’ve got a serious situation!”

The crack of a firework had you jumping in your spot, head tucking like it would stop anything from happening. Hands trembling, you reached in your pocket to grab your phone, praying by everything JJ had his on him.

go out the back, you typed quickly, please be safe. don’t do anything stupid.

The read receipt popped up a moment after and you let out a deep breath, knowing the message would be enough to get into his head and shift his mindset. 

Looking up, Shoupe was still trying to talk to you boyfriend, but you knew damn well he would be long gone by the time they put together the pieces. You shifted away from your friends, John B’s fingers just missing your shoulder as you walked forward.

“Shoupe!” You called out his name and raised your hands slightly to show that you meant no harm as deputies swarmed instantly to prevent any interruption. “Shoupe, please!”

There were a lot of things that were difficult in the law force after Peterkin had died. Trusting people? Shoupe had always struggled with that, especially when the price was right. But now? With you standing feet away from him and the knowledge that he had about your past, he hoped he could trust you. The least he could do is hear you out.

Shoupe stared at you for a moment before waving you in, both deputies standing aside to let you do so. “Can you talk to him?” He asked you, holding the megaphone to his side as you stopped next to him. Deep down he cared for JJ, even if it was hard love.

“He’s not here,” You answered honestly and crossed your arms over your chest to hold yourself. “I told him to go somewhere safe. He might’ve been here before, but he’s not here now.”

Shoupe watched you closely for any telltale sign that you were lying. “He destroyed the town, so he’s in a ton of trouble. I know you’re smart enough to know that, so in order to keep this short, do you know where he is?”

It was obvious he was trying to intimidate you, but he wouldn’t win. You shook your head. “No, and even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you. Shoupe, you know what his dad did to him. And you know it isn’t fair what they’re doing to us. The power’s out downtown, which means cameras are out, and you have no proof JJ did anything. I think you owe us a little wiggle room on this one. Please.”

The man hesitated. Last time you tried to interfere with an arrest, you ended up with a dislocated shoulder and he willinging took you back to an abusive household. Shoupe heard rumors, saw the bruises and injuries himself when John B was arrested that day. He should’ve never taken you back. Life had been cruel to you, and he didn’t want to keep that going.

“Get out of here,” He whispered, but the tone of his voice was understanding. “You kids need to lay low, do you hear me? Or I will be finding a reason to press charges.”

You nodded, trying not to look too excited at his reaction. “Thanks, Shoupe. Really.”

He nudged his head back toward your group. “Tell your boy he’s on thin ice, yeah?”

“Yeah,” You called over your shoulder as you made your way back to your friends. “I’ll ground him and everything.”

Shoupe started dismissing the scene behind you while the group stared at you with wide eyes.

“Do I even want to know what you did?” John B asked once you stopped in front of them. Sarah was smirking at you, knowing you likely sweet talked your way out of it. 

“Sold my soul,” You replied rhetorically before actually explaining, “What else would I do? I told him JJ isn’t here, because he isn’t.”

Pope tilted his head and waited for the elaboration. “But he is…?”

Your phone twisted between your fingertips as an answer. “Told him to run. Didn’t say where, just to stay safe.”

“He’ll be so safe,” Pope joked with a laugh as relief fell over the group. John B bent over and placed his hands on his knees with a huff, Kiara running her hands through her hair in disbelief. 

“Rude boy,” Cleo clicked her tongue and shook her head, “Always gotta cause trouble somewhere.”

A smile started to form on your face as lightning lit up the sky, a crack of thunder shaking your form just before rain started to pour down. 

John B watched you carefully, knowing you were coming down from your adrenaline rush and would crash any moment now. He turned toward Sarah, who had been looking at you too.  “You okay?” He asked quietly.

She nodded, breaking out of her daze to smile at him. “Yeah, just a long night. Wanna sleep.”

He nodded in understanding and pulled the girl closer under his arm. “Then let’s go home.”

--

The group scattered relatively quickly once you arrived back at Poguelandia. JJ had sent a rushed I love you text and the charter boat was gone, which meant he made it somewhere relatively safe for the night. Kie dismissed herself to shower, Pope and Cleo quietly shutting their door without much conversation. Sarah walked in, promising to make some sort of dinner, which left you on the porch swing with John B.

Your brother didn’t say a word but lifted his arm invitingly for you to snuggle into his side. JJ had sent a rushed I love you text and the charter boat was gone, which meant he made it somewhere relatively safe for the night. 

“Thanks for snapping me out of it,” You spoke quietly and tucked your feet up on the bench, pushing more of your weight against him. Rain pattered against the roof, lightning flashing across the sky every so often.

John B kissed your forehead wordlessly, his hand warm as it moved back and forth slowly against your arm. His mind was moving in so many directions. How was he supposed to take care of you and Sarah with no money and soon to be nowhere to go?

You flicked his forehead to bring him back to reality. “Earth to JB. Hello?”

“Sorry,” He mumbled, eyes blinking to refocus. “Just don’t know what we’re gonna do.”

You frowned and sat up, letting his arm fall back to his side. “John B, you don’t have to figure this out on your own. We’re going to do it together.”

“I know, I know. But we shouldn’t have to. We shouldn’t even have to deal with this.” He turned to face you. “Do you ever regret going after the gold?”

The question caught you off guard. Did you? 

“Do you realize the amount of things that would be different if we didn’t find that Scooter’s boat that day? You would’ve never dealt with Rafe. We would’ve never lost our home, and Dad would maybe still be alive. Pope would be in medical school by now, Kie probably running a turtle habitat rescue and living as an influencer or something. Shit, JJ and I would be pro-surfers and probably competing. Life would be so different.”

“Do you realize how different it would be too? You would’ve never been with Sarah, she would probably still be with Topper. Cleo wouldn’t be here. We have answers about Dad, now. We wouldn’t have had Poguelandia, I would’ve never gotten with JJ. Sarah wouldn’t be-” You clammed up quickly, teeth sinking into your lip at almost spilling the beans to John B.

“Sarah wouldn’t be what?” He repeated.

You shook your head. “Sarah wouldn’t be here, with you. You’d still be a lonely and miserable fuck who bothered the shit out of me.”

John B opened his mouth in feigned shock, which made you laugh loudly, the two of you falling into a fit of giggles.

“Seriously, though,” You continued once the two of you had stopped laughing. “In a way, I got you back, John B. The version of us that existed when Agatha hit is not the version of us here, today.”

He leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees, hands twisting between each other as he listened to you. 

“I don’t realize it, because I don’t question what we’ve done,” You said softly and set your hand on his shoulder. “I don’t want to change any of it because I have you, and we have this family that we’ve never had before on this level. I wouldn’t trade any of them for the world. I wouldn’t trade you for the world, you know that?”

John B’s laugh was teary. “That’s the nicest shit you’ve ever said to me.”

A small smile form on your lips and you quickly brushed away tears of your own. “C’mon, Bird. I know I give you a really hard time. But you’re my favorite brother.”

“I’m your only brother.”

You shoved his shoulder with a smile before curling back into his side with his arm around you. John B leaned his head against yours as the two of you watched the water move slowly against the dock. Cicadas buzzed around and the rain continued to pour overhead. The sounds so familiar, so comforting you almost forgot how insane the night had been.

“I love you, you know?” You whispered, eyes growing heavy with the events of the day.

“Yeah. I know.”

--

a/n: SIBLING! BONDING!!!!! see no pope arrest, and jj technically didn't catch major charges (i have no sense of criminal history, just nod in agreement and move on)

listen to snow angel by renee rapp!!!!

navigation -- series masterlist

ask me anything or support me via a ko-fi

[hyruleairbnb]

I always was interested in natural phenomenons such as diseases weather conditions or mutations. I was working on a series of multiple images showing exact these thematics.

Please consider I portrayed them in loz species due it fits this account. I won’t make fun of one of these conditions. Thank you 👉🏽👈🏽

Im Not sure if Tumblr flags this in your country too but you can read more under the cut 👇🏽

Two headed fish

“Polycephaly is the condition of having more than one head. […] A polycephalic organism may be thought of as one being with a supernumerary body part, or as two or more beings with a shared body.

Two-headed animals (called bicephalic or dicephalic) and three-headed (tricephalic) animals are the only type of multi-headed creatures seen in the real world, and form by the same process as conjoined twins from monozygotic twin embryos.”

Two mouthed fish

I am not sure if this two mouthed fish is a case of Polycephaly too or if this is caused by another condition.

*edit* it's actually an injury not a second mouth. You can see the explanation in the reblogs list

Four legged chicken

“Polymelia is a birth defect in which an affected individual has more than the usual number of limbs. It is a type of dysmelia. In humans and most land-dwelling vertebrates, this means having five or more limbs. The extra limb is most commonly shrunken and/or deformed.

[…] A four-legged chicken was born at Brendle Farms in Somerset, Pennsylvania, in 2005.[6] The story was carried on the major TV network news programs and USA Today. The bird was found living normally among the rest of the chickens after 18 months. She was adopted and named Henrietta by the farm owner's 13-year-old daughter, Ashley, who refuses to sell the chicken.[7] The second (hind) legs are fully formed but non-functional.”

Overgrown beak

Beak abnormalities in birds have several reasons. You can read more in this article , due it would probably be too much for one post.

Stratified rocks

“Diplono Petris near Agios Pavlos in the south of Crete island is one of Europe’s most impressive folded rock formations. The rock strata document an alternation of different limestone layers in the pindos top of the Cretan ceiling pile. These sediments, once deposited in a deeper ocean basin of the Pindos Ocean, were deformed in the course of Alpine fold tectonics, triggered by the Northern Drift of the African Plate against the Eurasian lithospheric plate, which increasingly constricts the present-day Mediterranean as the remainder of the former ocean.”

Hexagon stones

“The Giant’s Causeways consists of over 40,000 basalt hexagonal columns, pretty much all systematically uniform in their shape. What caused this is actually not so unique to this windy coast of Northern Ireland. It is a common feature when a hot, mafic (basalt or dolerite) volcanic rock (either lava at the surface or shallow magma just below the surface) cools and contracts into a hexagonal columns (e.g., Kantha, 1981; Gray, 1986; Budkewitsch and Robin, 1994). The rapidly cooling lava cools from the outside toward the centre which causes contractions, and differences in the way it cools leads to the formation of hexagonal, prismatic column shapes (termed columnar jointing).”

These are some researches I made by my own I am not an expert in any of these fields. In case you have more information or wanting to add or correct an incorrect information, please go ahead and correct in comments or reblog (but be nice we just want to learn )

Thank you very much for reading 🙌🏾

[simstorian-blog]

Residential Floorplan Suggestions

New York City: TWO

(CC List + Links)

World Map: San Myshuno

Area: Spice Market – Waterside Warble

Lot Size:  30 x 30

Capacity:

A Dive Bar

An Internet Café

A Pizzeria

A Tattoo Parlor

Bonus: 6 residential rental units floorplans completed – not assigned

Gallery ID: Simstorian-ish

Packs Needed

Expansion Packs

Cats & Dogs

City Living

Discover University

For Rent

Get Together

Get To Work

Growing Together

High School Years

Horse Ranch

Snowy Escape

Game Packs

Dine Out

Dream Home Decorator

Jungle Adventure

Outdoor Retreat

Parenthood

Spa Day

Star Wars: Journey to Batuu

Strangerville

Vampires

Stuff Packs

Crystal Creations

Home chef Hustle

Laundry Day

Moschino

Kits

Castle Estate

Courtyard Oasis

Cozy Bistro

Desert Luxe

Recommended Gameplay Mods

(Please read through what each mod has to offer before deciding if it fits your gameplay style or not.)

Carl’s Dine Out Reloaded

City Vibes Lot Traits

Functional Tattoo Parlor

Functional Venue Lot Traits

Lock/Unlock Doors for Any Lot

Spawn Refresh

Use Residential Rentals shared areas as Community Lots & Create Multi-Purpose Community Lots

Build Mode

CharlyPancakes

Chalk Pt.2 (Tiles)

Felixandre

Chateau Pt. 1 (Stone Foundation)

Chateau Pt. 2 (Doors, Metal Pieces, Tiles, Walls)

Colonial Pt. 3 (Fence 2, Plaster Foundation 2, Railing 2)

Florence Pt. 1 (Fresco Mural)

Grove Pt. 4 (Plaster Column, Plaster Floor)

London Interior (Dining Chair, Stool, Walls)

Paris (Cartouche Large, Corbel, Swag)

Schwerin (Terracotta Female)

SOHO Pt. 2

SOHO Pt. 3

SOHO Pt. 4

Harrie

Brownstone Pt. 2 (Traditional Door Frame – Med, Traditional Door – Med, Traditional Window 2 - Med)

Coastal Pt. 2 (Column)

Klean Pt. 3 (Concrete Floor, Painted Walls)

Kwatei Pt. 1 (3x1 BiFold, Double Arch, Single Interior Door)

Mutske

Stairs Add-on

Lijoue

Louer Collection (Iron Fence, Railing, Stone Stairs)

Peacemaker

Bistro Expanded (Awning 1x1)

Graffiti Mural 01

Pierisim

Winter Garden Pt. 2 (Double Door High, High Window w Bottom x2)

Sooky88

Checkered Marble Floor

English Country Wall Set (Subway Tiles, Subway Tiles w Wallpaper)

Scandinavian Wall Set (Plain w Tiles)

Syboubou

Neighborly 1 (Ceiling Outdoor Light, Mailbox)

Neighborly 2 (Interphone)

Buy Mode

AroundTheSims4

Laundromat (Seating x3 – Metal Base)

Tattoo Parlor (First Aid Kits, Gloves, Ink, Ink Display, Light, Saddle Stool, Tattoo Gun)

Cepzid

Functional Tattoo Chair

Felixandre

Berlin Pt. 1 (Curtain – Tall)

SOHO Pt. 1

Harlix

Baysic (Coffee Table, container, End Table, Kitchen Cabinet, Kitchen Counter, Kitchen Island, Kitchen Sink, Kitchen Trolley, Kitchen Accent Counter 1-3, Sofa)

Jardane (Leather Pouffe)

Kichen (Cabinet, Cups, Glasses, Plant, Shelf)

Kichen 2.0 Pt. 2 (Glasses 2 & 4)

Harrie

Shop The Look 1 (Armchair, Coffee Table)

Shop The Look 2 (Ceramic Side Table)

Shop The Look 3 (Circular Cushion)

Spoons Pt. 2 (2 Tile Glass Pedastal- Short & Tall, Counters, Espresso Bar, Island, Pastry Platter, Pizza Board, Shelving)

Kiwisims4

Blockhouse Dining (Booth Seating)

KKB

The Chilling Home (Module Bar Stool)

LittlleDica

Greasy Foods (Napkins, Salt Shaker, Stalls Door, Stalls Wall, Vents, Wet Floor Sign)

Modern Kitchen Stuff (Soft Breeze)

Rise & Grind (Décor Mural 2, Décor Syrup Bottle, Décor Wall Painting Menu, Dining Tables – All, Wastebun Counter)

Max20

Happily Ever After (Sign of Attention)

NANDO

Fashion Store (Ceiling Lamp)

Pierisim

Coldbrew Coffee Shop Pt. 3 (Menu, Paper Cup, Tea Box, Tips Jar)

MCM Pt. 1 (Simstudio Display)

MCM Pt. 4 (Kitchen Island)

Ravasheen

Shake and Shimmy Dance Floor

Shop Chef (Drink Dispenser)

Severinka

Industrial Light II

Simkoos

Clutter Dump Pt. 2  (Boba Notepad, Boba Stacked Cups V1, Cafeteria Straw Dispenser)

SimspirationBuilds

Toffee Pt. 1 (Art)

Syboubou

Catherine Sushi Restaurant (Wall Shelf 1 & 3)

Contemporary Haven (Armchair, Artworks, End Table, Sofa 3P Left)

Macaron (Counter Display)

TaurusDesign

Lilith Chilling Area Pt. 1 (Bartender Kit, All Drinks, SulSul Sign)

Tuds

Cave (Panel Light 2 x 4)

IND 01

IND 03

Turn Couch

Wondymoon

Fraxinus AIO Computer (DL on Patreon)

DO NOT REUPLOAD MY LOTS.

DO NOT CLAIM THEM AS YOUR OWN.

DO NOT PLACE BEHIND A PAYWALL.

Tray Files: DOWNLOAD

[simmervlogs]

Hello Simmers, come and enjoy your stay at Villa Firostefani!  This build is another multi use lot.

Villa Firostefani is a family friendly restaurant and vacation spot that  is  tucked snugly along Tartosa's sunset coastline,. This location offers soft and sandy beaches to share with a lover, plus nighttime bioluminescent shores that are perfect for lighting up a romantic dip... and only a short stroll from Porto Luminoso.  This is a  family-run complex of villas with scenic views of the waters. Built in Cycladic style, each room is different from the other. This property has a private villa with it's own pool which caters to a family, a studio with a balcony for backpackers and last but not least, a perfect honeymoon suite, with a private outdoor shower and direct beach access.  This venue is also offers day passes for those who are not staying in the villas. Don't forget to try the delicious seafood the restaurant prepares daily and the refreshing cocktails during sunset happy hour. Villa Firostefani also offers spa services as well as movie night as an activity during the weekend.

Please note almost everything is CC and the items were not created by me! Please let me know if anything is missing, there were a lot of cc items! Dine out  (restaurant lot type, chefs station), Spa Day (Massage beds, sauna, massage chairs),  Island living (Pool floatie) required for function.

Please do support and directly download from all the creators mentioned! I have attached the CC folders too for convenience. I have decided to share the folders via Google drive for ease of access so please let me know if you have any tips or questions xx

Do check out my Tiktok, live almost everyday building!

INSTRUCTIONS

Please directly move all the files in CC zip folder to your Mods folder.

Please move  Tray files (Tray files folder) to your Tray folder (enable bb.moveobjects on).

Gallery ID-  SimmerVlogs (Enable CC)

TikTok- simmervlogs

Note-  I have placed this down in Tartosa- 40X20 lot

Thank you once again to all CC creators!

DOWNLOAD (Patreon)

[medakakurokami]

I finished over 100 visual novels, here’s a long post with some recommendations

Last month I hit 100 Finished VN’s over on the VNDB and I thought I’d shoot out some recommendations while the Steam Summer Sale is going on (even though some of these aren’t going to be on Steam)

I already have finished up some stragglers and caught some shorter titles so it’s up to 104 Finished, but all the better. I have been reading some VN’s since 2015, but it really became a hobby and a genre I was invested in during Covid lockdown in 2020. I had trouble getting into some of the popular titles, but a couple of games that were lesser known at that time really blew me away that year and I started digging more into the medium. I still have a lot to try out and other classics I’m still interested in trying, but here’s a top 10 I’m confident in recommending to most people, at least the kinda people that would follow this blog. A few of these recommendations are actually multi-part series, but hopefully accessible all around.

Planetarian ($10 on Steam and Switch, ~$5 on sale)

This is a very late entry onto this list but I think it’s an easy recommendation. This is a very short 2-4 hour visual novel that got a well received 2 hour movie adaptation in 2016, but it was strong enough that even while knowing the plot everything still hit hard. It is a story set 30 years after an apocalyptic event destroys most of the world, as a human junk-trader comes across a planetarium with a somehow-still-functional robot named Hoshino still performing her daily duties after 30 years without customers or coworkers. It can come across as a bit saccharine, but it is a quick, well made, and effective tearjerker.

Narcissu 1st & 2nd (Free on Steam)

Narcissu’s first two parts are pretty compelling stories to do with suicidal ideation within the scope of the terminally ill. Which is to say they’re also real tear jerkers, and pretty open about some harsh self-reflective emotions. They both have stellar endings, and can be quite immersive despite the very limited artwork (if the screencap looks weird, the game’s art exists within a narrow strip on the screen, with a sentence or two reading out the story underneath it). Maybe the least accessible on this list, but a $0 price tag makes it easier in some sense to get into.

Umineko no Naku Koro ni / When The Seagulls Cry (~$50 on Steam, $30 on sale)

Umineko you’ve probably already heard of, and here’s me recommending it. Umineko comes in two parts, on Steam referred to as the Questions Arc and the Answers Arc. Despite the split, the overall story follows the events of a certain day on Rokkenjima Island in 1986 as a family meets to discuss their inheritance and their family’s mysteries. Unbeknownst to them they are soon haunted, over and over again, by the revenant of the Golden Witch said to live in the woods of their family’s island.

I’m in the minority of preferring the Questions Arc, where well written and deeply human characters find themselves in deeply inhumane and nonsensical scenarios. The Answers Arc back seats some of that to start delving into an esoteric explosion of clues and backstories, and was still very entertaining even if I was more invested in the episodic stories than the overarching mystery. This may also be seen as inaccessible, $30-50 for a slightly older title and over 140 hours long on average playthroughs, but it is deeply absorbing.

Witch on the Holy Night a.k.a. Mahoyo ($40 on PS4 and Switch)

Mahoyo is me and Nasu’s marriage counselor, it really made me see the good in him. It follows a young witch co-habitating with her magic colleague and the puppy-like boy that unwittingly steps into their world at risk to his own life, just as unexplained apparent murders are witnessed in their town.

This could possibly be a higher level recommendation, though it was apparently intended to have sequels and you can somewhat feel that in the isolated feeling of its main conflict. Despite this, the game is definitely worth experiencing for its classy charm and extremely well made action sequences that at times make you forget you’re not watching a full anime film. It’s also a showcase of Nasu’s strengths in writing character interactions and comedy, and he finally lets Show take over and stops Telling you piles of mage society worldbuilding quite so often. It is also has some of the highest quality production value I’ve ever seen, second maybe to...

Marco and the Galaxy Dragon ($20 on Steam/Switch, less than $10 on sale)

Marco and the Galaxy Dragon is an explosive opera of art, energy, color, and of course music. It follows the orphaned Marco and her dragon compatriot Arco as they hunt for treasure across the cosmos, finding their way to Earth on the hunt for Marco’s mother.

If Umineko’s 140 hours seems steep, Marco has you covered with a quick 6 hour rundown of a rebellious orphan fighting back against her space alien menace to find her own sense of place and identity in the universe, along with ALL the friends she made along the way. If Mahoyo feels like an anime film sometimes, Marco actually just has fully animated FMV cutscenes that are fun as hell and have their own unique artstyle to the VN itself. Thousands of pieces of artwork and a 52-track OST fill the game’s short runtime with no cut corners and and overflow of passion from the devs. Honestly even if you don’t want to read it go buy it, it’s cheap and they earned it.

White Album 2 (You’ll have to be creative to find this one)

This is the only recommendation that’s currently only available in an adults only 18+ Rating for the English translation. That being said, it’s one of the few erotic VN’s that felt justified in its pornographic scenes. The story is split into two releases: Opening Chapter and Closing Chapter.

Opening is a short and powerfully delivered love triangle narrative following Haruki, Setsuna, and Touma as their hastily formed 3-man light music band falls into itself with feelings. It’s charming but gut wrenching and sweeps you into its drama very effectively before kicking you on your ass in the end.

Closing Chapter is a long and drawn out disassembling of their lives as they fail to heal from the wounds of the relationships seen in Opening. It, to great effect, takes the readers own experience with how fun and passionate the Opening Chapter was, and shows how trying to cling to halcyon days can make us so dispassionate about our present lives. Painful stuff! Good music, too.

The Princess, The Stray Cat, and Matters of the Heart 1 & 2

a.k.a. Noratoto ($40 on Steam for both, ~$15 for both on sale)

This is a very personal recommendation, and maybe one more easy to make on this blog where many of my followers might be receptive to sincere but slapstick ecchi comedy as art. Every route is highly different however and to me, some are pretty average for galge, while others stand out as amazing. The comedy writing as well feels like it was written by someone with actual comic writing experience, and not just regurgitating the usual ecchi manga jokes.

The general premise of Noratoto is the protagonist Nora, being transformed into a cat by Patricia the princess of the Netherworld, and he must reverse this curse via a kiss before it becomes permanent. A benign fairy tale premise, but one that somehow gives way to underlying stories about existence and finding purpose in families and where that leaves those without families or with abusive or divided families (it is from the same developers as Marco and the Galaxy Dragon, and the themes of finding identity without family match up very closely). Uniquely it is a visual novel written somewhat in 3rd person, narrated by a motherly voice as if the VN was being read to you as a bedtime story.

Like I said, it is dependent on route and some come across as your usual ecchi gal-game schtick, but some stick out, and if every route was as high quality as Nobuchina’s in the 2nd game, it would probably be my favorite visual novel.

The Original Ace Attorney Trilogy ($30 on most platforms, $10 on sale)

You’ve almost certainly heard of Ace Attorney already and have most likely played it. This is me telling any Ace Attorney fans reading that the original trilogy still reigns supreme (regardless of Turnabout Big Top). This is also me telling anyone who has held out on trying Ace Attorney to try it, and to start with the original trilogy.

Obviously this trilogy follows the Meme Man Himself, Phoenix Wright, as he defends the innocent and brings the guilty to justice acting as both lawyer and his own main investigator. While each case presents a unique mystery, the original trilogy has an underlying arc that reaches from beginning to end with a massive conspiracy that Phoenix has to breach to bring justice to the perpetrators and resolve the memory and regrets of his beloved mentor.

These games have some speedbumps as you may be banging your head against the wall trying to find the right evidence, but the experience that breaks through does so with gusto, succeeding on what it sets out to be: games that make you feel like you’ve brought justice to the world.

Utawarerumono Trilogy ($40/60 each on Steam, trilogy bundle $62 on sale)

Utawarerumono was my first proper visual novel, and it set the standards pretty high. I’ve posted about it several times in the last few years, and it remains one of my favorites. It is a labor of love on the part of the developers (the same developers as White Album 2), who developed the latter two games over the course of several years and have made this the spearhead of their company for the time being. Which makes sense, since it is about war.

The first game follows a masked man who is given the name Hakuoro waking up in a rural village with amnesia, confused about the strange population of beast-men living there. Despite not understanding his situation, his ingenuity brings the village prosperity. When the local lords try to put the village under their thumb, Hakuoro and the villagers are able to turn the tides against them. Their village grows into a kingdom as Hakuoro seeks the mysteries of himself and the world around him.

The latter two games pick up some twenty years after the conclusion of the first, and follow a man who is given the name Haku, waking up in the woods with amnesia confused about the... you get it. He is met by Kuon, a young girl on her way traveling to the capital of their nation of Yamato. Haku graciously accepts her help getting out of the cold woods, and decides to join her to the capital. As events play out, Haku finds himself under the direct command of the nation’s leader the Mikado, and carries out missions on his behalf as the nation continues to drag itself into war and conflict and Haku also seeks the truth of his identity.

These games are expansive in scope while still putting a large focus on the day-to-day lives of its characters. Around 100 hours across all three games it is impressive how much story it manages to fit in, but the pacing does bounce around between sweeping conflict and sleepy conversations. It is also in part, a strategy RPG game with the battles in the war being controlled by the player. These are decently made, especially well in the third game, but don’t ask too much of the player and the story remains the main focus and biggest portion of the runtime.

The House In Fata Morgana a.k.a. Fatamoru

($40 complete version on PS4/Switch, ~$40 main game + expansion on Steam)

I’ve gushed about this enough on this tumblr, I’ll keep it brief.

You are a formless soul who is led by the hand of a mysterious maid through the doors of a mansion on an unknown plane of existence. Through each door lies a story of the house in a different era, all following people bound together in ways that leave them cruelly and violently undone by the end of their stories. The connection between these stories, the mystery of the house and the supposed witch that resides within, and the mystery of You the wandering soul all slowly unravel in a bloody show of catharsis and soul. The game is dripping with traumatic poetic text, grating beautiful music, and all of its atmosphere geared toward being oppressive yet enticing. One of the best things I’ve read.

Honorable mentions:

Va-11 Hall-A and Endless Mondays get shout outs as some of the best Original English Language VN’s I’ve read, with cool artstyles and a mature cast they manage to be fun and relatable. Va-11 Hall-A delivers a great arc for its protagonist and Endless Mondays has great dialogue on the threat of automation of creative industries.

Grisaia Trilogy and Hatsumira are both absolutely raucous trilogies that are a lot of fun. Not wholly recommendable to all, Grisaia has some strong moments and a hilarious unique cast but is a mess overall (but we love Michiru). Hatsumira is a bit more consistent, a more stable and fantasy-oriented Grisaia.

A.I. The Somnium Files duology are detective games with highly divisive endings, but great comedy and characters that make them very easy to get through and enjoy the whole way to the end. It’s just a toss-up whether you’ll like that ending.

Sakura Wars games are finally being translated, and they are a great showing for anyone who wants to try some classic dating sim stuff but with some pizazz thrown in with the setting and mecha combat.

The Tears to Tiara duology by the same developers of Utawarerumono and White Album is also one to keep an eye out for. The first game's definitive version isn't available in English and the second game is stuck on the PS3 and no longer available digitally, but if they ever come out on Steam they are worth your time.

Nanairo Reincarnation and Kinkoi: Golden Loveriche are also two solid ecchi comedy galge. Both have surprisingly deep and genuinely heartbreaking underlying mysteries and conclusions.

I still have a lot I wanna read, Planetarian is the only Key novel I’ve read. On the docket are Labyrinth of Galleria, Little Busters, the 9 -nine- series, and Kara no Shoujo and White Album 1 releasing on Steam this year. Some classics I didn’t mention are Fate/Stay Night, Muv Luv, Steins Gate. Muv Luv I read Extra and enjoyed it, but never pulled the trigger on reading the rest, I may at some point on a whim. Steins;Gate I played through half of on PS3 and now my PS3 is in the closet, the VN is really good and has a unique atmosphere to the anime, buuuuuuut knowing the plot has made it hard to want to restart on PC or another console. Steins;Gate is good, if anyone is reading this far and hasn’t seen the anime or read the VN, do it.

[deniisu-sims]

COMMISSIONS (STATUS: OPEN)

Due to substantial interest in my work (♥), I'm opening commissions for conversions.

I do:

CAS accessories, Teen-Elder

Almost all Buy Mode

Simpler Build Mode stuff (walls, floors, fireplaces, plants, MAYBE columns - never tried them!)

Patterns

I won't do it, please do not insist:

Fences, windows, doors, arches and all the other complex Build Mode stuff

Vehicles except for witch brooms

Functional mattresses, never got the hang of them

Clothing and shoes

Hair

Makeup

Pricing:

Up to 4 items: $7.50

5 to 7 items: $12

8 to 13 items: $22.50

14 to 18 items: $30

19 to 23 items: $37.50

24 to 33 items: $52.50

34 to 47 items: $75

For more than that, please tell me in private.

Yes, it's basically Suteflower's rate+50%, because I don't want to cut into her profits, I do have a regular job so I can't be as prolific, and I think it's fair to charge more because of my own experience in conversions :P That said, I am open to negotiations, especially from Global South simmers!

Also stuff like separating one painting with 30 presets into 3 paintings with 10 presets each do not count as extra items, that's just my way of optimizing items!

Extra notes:

No, sets don't count as a single item, don't even try :p

I'll try my absolute best to make all items recolorable, but for some items with complex textures it isn't always possible

For high poly alpha creators, please let me have a look at the items before I accept the commission or not - sometimes reducing the polycount for those items is just Not Worth It, but in my case it'll be kind of rare to refuse it

Kitchen counters, islands and cabinets are calculated by EVERY MODULAR PART instead of just a singular item because in practice they are multi-object conversions

Depending on the original creator, I'll share the conversion in private to avoid drama. You'll be free to share it with your friends and I'll be free to share with mine, though!

How to request:

Please send me a DM or reply to this post for the items you're interested, so I can check if the conversion is viable or not. If I accept it, please send me your Discord (if you have it; if not, we'll communicate by DMs anyway), so I can start sending you WIP pics and beta versions of the items, and also for discussion about edits, optimization, etc.

Pay me by Paypal or Ko-fi after I have a look at the TS4 items and we decided on a place to communicate. For Brazilian simmers, YES I DO ACCEPT PIX and we'll decide on the exchange rate in private!

I'll try to work on your request as soon as possible, and I'll inform you if anything happens or if I need to delay it a little.

My timezone is GMT-3, so please be patient!

I reserve the right to refuse a commission for any reason!

Also, my trades for clothing ARE STILL UP!

COMMISSION SPREADSHEET

SFS COMMISSION SUBFOLDER

UPDATE: Now I have a functional Ko-fi account!

[adafruit]

🎄💾🗓️ Day 11: Retrocomputing Advent Calendar - The SEL 840A🎄💾🗓️

Systems Engineering Laboratories (SEL) introduced the SEL 840A in 1965. This is a deep cut folks, buckle in. It was designed as a high-performance, 24-bit general-purpose digital computer, particularly well-suited for scientific and industrial real-time applications.

Notable for using silicon monolithic integrated circuits and a modular architecture. Supported advanced computation with features like concurrent floating-point arithmetic via an optional Extended Arithmetic Unit (EAU), which allowed independent arithmetic processing in single or double precision. With a core memory cycle time of 1.75 microseconds and a capacity of up to 32,768 directly addressable words, the SEL 840A had impressive computational speed and versatility for its time.

Its instruction set covered arithmetic operations, branching, and program control. The computer had fairly robust I/O capabilities, supporting up to 128 input/output units and optional block transfer control for high-speed data movement. SEL 840A had real-time applications, such as data acquisition, industrial automation, and control systems, with features like multi-level priority interrupts and a real-time clock with millisecond resolution.

Software support included a FORTRAN IV compiler, mnemonic assembler, and a library of scientific subroutines, making it accessible for scientific and engineering use. The operator’s console provided immediate access to registers, control functions, and user interaction! Designed to be maintained, its modular design had serviceability you do often not see today, with swing-out circuit pages and accessible test points.

And here's a personal… personal computer history from Adafruit team member, Dan…

== The first computer I used was an SEL-840A, PDF:

I learned Fortran on it in eight grade, in 1970. It was at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where my parents worked, and was used to take data from cyclotron experiments and perform calculations. I later patched the Fortran compiler on it to take single-quoted strings, like 'HELLO', in Fortran FORMAT statements, instead of having to use Hollerith counts, like 5HHELLO.

In 1971-1972, in high school, I used a PDP-10 (model KA10) timesharing system, run by BOCES LIRICS on Long Island, NY, while we were there for one year on an exchange.

This is the front panel of the actual computer I used. I worked at the computer center in the summer. I know the fellow in the picture: he was an older high school student at the time.

The first "personal" computers I used were Xerox Alto, Xerox Dorado, Xerox Dandelion (Xerox Star 8010), Apple Lisa, and Apple Mac, and an original IBM PC. Later I used DEC VAXstations.

Dan kinda wins the first computer contest if there was one… Have first computer memories? Post’em up in the comments, or post yours on socialz’ and tag them #firstcomputer #retrocomputing – See you back here tomorrow!

[eternal-kosmo-ghoul]

Hi there!

I saw that your requests are open :D

May I ask for hcs or a little scenario, if you wish, of how Swiss and Mountain would react to seeing reader (he/they pronouns, if possible) up really really late because of nightmares and insomnia? I’m thinking about fluff and platonic relationships! (Cuddles? Little kisses? Yes please)

Thank you so much for your time and for your writing! writing! 🖤

❝kiss the nightmares away❞

➵ “i’ll be your little sunshine.” —❤︎

pairing: swiss and mountain x male!reader (he/they)

theme: fluff ✿

a/n: first of all, i hope you’re doing well hon, i hope this fic can soothe some potential nerves you have there <3 i hope this fic met your standards. and tbh it can be read as platonic or romantic so i didn’t use the platonic tag

cw: insomnia sucks, that’s really it. swiss and mountain are very caring for the reader here

┅✦┅

his head hurt so much.

normally, the insomnia never got this bad— but tonight was a particularly shitty night. not only was his day at the ministry rather rough, but y/n had just experienced a chilling nightmare that still sent shivers down his spine— which only worsened the effects of their sleep condition.

it was anything but pleasant, but he hates to say that this wasn’t the first time this has happened.

insomnia was a bitch, but they have grown accustomed to dealing with it on their own— even if it sucked.

sighing heavily, y/n’s feet carried him through the ministry halls and into the kitchen, in hopes to find a snack that’ll soothe his mind and hopefully calm his nerves down.

the fridge door swung open and y/n grabbed the nearest thing on the shelf, not even bothering to look at what he had just grabbed— or the label for that matter.

just as y/n was about to open whatever container he snagged— the sound of someone clearing their throat made y/n whip his head around to find the source of the sound.

“you know you’re holding a jar of mayonnaise, right, sweetie?”

confused, y/n turned his head to the entrance of the kitchen, and was met with a familiar multi ghoul leaning against the door frame. swiss, with his arms crossed, looked at them in an almost amused manner.

y/n looked down at his hands to see that he was indeed, holding a jar of mayonnaise. he didn’t even notice, he was probably way too tired to even function. sighing heavily, he opened the fridge and put it back inside.

“sorry, i didn’t notice.” y/n responded, looking downcast to avoid swiss’ gaze

“i can tell.” swiss replied back with a cheeky tone, before he made his way over to y/n. he could already tell something was up.

“so what are you doing up so late?” swiss asked, his tone of voice shifting into a more caring one. y/n didn’t respond, his silence was already a good enough answer for swiss, and the multi ghoul sighed.

“that bad, huh?”

“it’s always bad, swiss. but tonight has just really fucked me over.”

swiss let out another heavy breath of concern, and brought his large, clawed hand to gently rub y/n’s back— who was currently hunched over the kitchen island, head bent down. it was the most he could do to comfort the poor boy.

at that moment, heavy, but gentle footsteps, made their way into the kitchen, causing both y/n and swiss to look over at the kitchen.

it was mountain. he must’ve heard one of them come down to the kitchen. tilting his head in confusion, he turned to swiss.

“what’s going on?” the earth ghoul asked, almost innocently.

“insomnia is kicking y/n’s ass again.” swiss replied back, his tail flicking a bit as he spoke. he then went back to rubbing y/n’s back.

“damn right it is.” y/n groaned out, his forehead resting against the table as he just let swiss rub his back.

mountain just let out an ‘ah’ at Swiss’ answer. he felt bad for the poor boy, he knew how bad insomnia could get at times. all he knew now was that y/n needed some comfort.

the drummer turned to look at the vocalist, and the two exchanged a knowing look before nodding at each other. at that moment, the earth ghoul scooped up y/n in his strong arms, cradling him like a baby— which made them yelp from the sudden change.

“what the—!? hey what are you guys doing??” y/n asked almost suspiciously, wondering what in hell these two ghouls had in mind.

“what do you think, honey?” swiss said from behind mountain, peeking over the earth ghoul’s shoulder to look at y/n. “we’re going to help you.”

it wasn’t long until the trio reached mountain’s room. y/n breathed in the fresh aroma of healing herbs and fresh water, must’ve been from the decorative plants in mountain’s room.

being the gentle giant he was, mountain carefully placed y/n on the center of his queen sized bed, and it wasn’t long until the two ghouls were all over y/n.

swiss was cuddled up on the right side of y/n’s body, his head buried under the curve of their neck, while his arms proceeded to wrap around y/n’s waist and his legs tangled in the other’s. mountain then moved to y/n’s left side, his chest pressing against the smaller boy’s back softly while he draped his long arms over y/n’s and swiss’ bodies to move them closer to him. the earth ghoul’s tail was also wrapped around y/N’s leg affectionately.

the position was… oddly comfortable, and it was quite serene too. it put y/n’s mind at ease, and his muscles visible relaxed after being stiff for so long. both swiss and mountain took notice of this, and started to purr lovingly— the vibrations of their purrs only serving to further heal y/n.

“this is nice…” y/n muttered out softly, to which swiss chuckled slightly.

“told ya we’d help, pretty boy.” swiss teased back slightly, making y/n only rolled his eyes at him.

“oh shut up.” they retorted, eliciting a chuckle from mountain, who rested his chin on top of y/n’s head.

“alright, simmer down you two. i think we all need to sleep. especially you, y/n.” mountain said with a more firm, but soft tone, making both swiss and y/n nod.

swiss couldn’t resist, but he pressed a soft kiss onto y/n’s cheek to help comfort him, which in turn made them giggle from the ticklish feeling. mountain let out another chuckle and placed a kiss on top of y/n’s head, purring softly right after.

y/n definitely wasn’t expecting his night to go like this. being pulled into a cuddle pile with the flirty multi ghoul, swiss— and the sweet and gentle earth ghoul, mountain.

his insomnia was definitely bad.

but these two ghoul’s provided enough comfort for him to make him feel safe.

and that feeling was enough to allow his mind drift off into a dreamless, but peaceful sleep, appreciating the warmth of another’s arms.

[shirohige-pirates]

A Truly Mythological Christmas

Cisfem!Reader x Marco the Phoenix

Also on Wattpad // Ao3

18+ - this story is going to get steamy in ways not allowed for your holiday Lifetime specials. Swearing, cheating, assassins, intrigue - you know, all that simple small town stuff.

Chapter 14: Lucky Duck

This might have been the longest week in Marco’s entire life.

Once you’d told him about your work and related relationship issues, he was on high alert. With Izou already knowing, he just made sure to put the rest of his brothers on the same alert. Marco knew more about Charlotte Linlin than most, none of it gave him a sense of peace.

Pops had already moved away from his underworld life when he adopted Marco. There were pieces and parts of the burgeoning business that were sprung up from that life, slowly detangled from it as Marco grew up, but Pops didn’t leave his kids in the dark about any of it. With the exception of those adopted in the last five years or so, everyone son and daughter knew their father’s legacy.

One generation wasn’t enough to separate the risks from the family and it was better for all his children to be both aware, and educated on how to deal with things. Thus, when there were legit business conferences and not so legitimate business conferences, Pops brought his sons along.

Family business trips, of a kind. In reality it wasn’t just so his kids would know all the players, it was also so everyone in the old life understood his kids weren’t to be trifled with.

From these Marco had met Linlin and some of her children. He’d also known Gol Roger in a different light as well, and ended up going to the same business academy as his protégés. Both had become part of his poor extracurricular decisions, but in the end he would consider both more friend than foe.

One thing Marco knew for certain was that Charlotte Linlin was insane. Not in the way someone might declare skydiving insane, because who in their right mind would leap bodily from a perfectly functional airplane. But in a far darker, and more literal sense of the word.

And the old girl was in denial.

Being Pops’ kid was like being protected by a wide back and a strong arm. That arm might toss you into the deep end of the pool unexpectedly, but he’ll talk you through the process of swimming, and he’ll pull you out if you start to drown. The idea was that you’d learn, and survive the lesson. Pops managed to walk the line well, especially for having so many kids, and for having had no parents of his own.

Linlin, by comparison, would drag her children below the water and eat the ones that drowned.

Literally.

Because of that, her children were more like stressed out prison guards, constantly on alert to divert whatever disaster might be surfacing next. It made some of them strong, but even the strong ones were broken in some way, and the weak broken ones were in as much denial as their mother.

Marco had to give them credit though. It was a family effort, but they had built a successful multi-island business that was legitimate enough to be publicly known, all with Linlin at the helm. No one outside the family, except for a few people like Pops and Roger, had an inkling of what she was like, so carefully cultivated was her public persona.

Her children were her pride, more than the company at the very least, even if they maybe didn’t rank above their mother in the end. The fact that you had called off the engagement, and not Perospero, made you enemy number one, and Marco only wished Makino’s lips had been a little looser so he would’ve known a little sooner, but it was what it was. No one died, but it was a matter of luck, and that scared him.

Just knowing what Linlin could do scared him so much he almost pushed the idea of dating onto you a little too hard. The idea that he never would’ve been able to confess if things had gone differently ate at him.

Fortunately for him, his family was every bit as big as Linlin’s, if not bigger. Most of his brothers were married, or getting there, and while some had dispersed to different parts of the world, with the holidays, most everyone was here. Which meant everyone was on the lookout.

The pinky incident had nearly given him a heart attack. Luck had been on your side, and he was grateful for that. At the start of the week he still wasn’t sure who took the shot, but it wasn’t his primary concern even now.

The shot in his lot on Monday was more of a concern, but by then him and his brothers had already tightened their own net. He’d moved enough to take the hit, using his tail feathers to knock you off balance, so he could shift easier. The shot was far enough away you, and everyone else nearby, thought it was your fall that made the loud popping sound, and that suited him just fine.

Two birds with one stone.

The guy who came into the store had caught Marco’s attention and he slammed him up against the shelves, putting the man’s own knife to his throat. He didn’t want to fight inside his store, and once Marco started to give him an out, the guy took it. Their short conversation had been enough, and at least he wasn’t going to have to worry about Kaku, or his friends, continuing to be a problem.

But according to the blonde, they weren’t the only ones going for this.

Linlin must’ve put quite the bounty on your head, considering. Kaku wasn’t going to tell him everything, but he gave up enough to keep his life, as far as Marco was concerned.

It wasn’t that he didn’t think you couldn’t handle knowing, but he wanted you to enjoy your holidays for one, and even more than that he wanted to resolve it without you knowing. This was a part of life you didn’t need to be aware of. You didn’t need that kind of fear, or knowledge. Something as fantastical as organized crime should stay in the realm of shows and movies for you.

But he also didn’t like keeping things from you.

By the end of the week, however, he’d dealt with another six attempts at the shop alone. Izou and Thatch found the pinky-shooter, and Haruta caught someone outside the boys’ school.

After that, even Teach was out doing patrols from his car.

Sphinx was, in effect, the safest town in the world right now, so long as you weren’t a hired killer. Which was good for a town whose only sheriff was off on some hunt for his missing son. Not that Garp was going to be exactly subtle, and that was Marco’s preference. The old man was uncannily good at his job, but he had all the grace of a newborn giraffe with a bomb.

The problem would be fixed, but the town could also be leveled in the process.

Frustratingly, taking care of all the issues meant he’d barely had time to sleep. Never mind getting to spend extra time with you. It was great that you’d offered to help at the store, but he didn’t even really get to enjoy that either. Considering everything else it was not much of a complaint, but it had been the stuff he was looking forward to.

By Friday, at least, the message had gotten out that Sphinx was not the town to try and pull any kind of work in. Marco never asked any of his brothers to what extent they dealt with those they found, as for himself he only had to let most of them attack him to get them to decide to quit.

It was difficult to deal with a man who healed instantly. Especially an angry one who was just as capable of fighting as they were and 100% less susceptible to damage. In a world where maybe only a couple dozen devil fruits still existed, the younger ones couldn’t even process what they were seeing.

The decline of the fruits meant there were very few people who knew how to deal with them as well. Less devil fruits also meant less people investing in haki. Sure, it had uses beyond fighting logia types, but for most people, a brawl was a brawl, there was no reason to escalate it.

All of these converging factors meant that while Marco wasn’t truly immortal, he was alarmingly close to being indestructible. If he was driven by ambitions like some other people he knew, then he could probably turn the world on its head.

But he didn’t want to be known as the Mythological Phoenix. He didn’t even really care if people knew he was one of Edward Newgate’s children, since that alone was enough to garner him some level of respect by his father’s name alone.

He just wanted to live a nice quiet life.

It didn’t matter if it was here in Sphinx, or in the city. He could care less if it was some other island, or even the Fishmen kingdom deep below the waves.

As long as you were there with him, he’d live on the moon with the rabbits if that’s what you wanted.

You came out into the back of the store, after having used Marco’s office to take a call, and he looks over and gives you an easy smile.

“Everything alright, little warrior?”

“Yeah… I think so.” You admit, confusion scrawled on your face. “My boss is coming into town. They just landed and are taxiing to the gate. He should be here in an hour or so.”

“Here?” Marco questions, pointing to the ground.

“Yeah, I told him I was helping you out and he said he’d just come here.” You explain a little sheepishly. “I don’t know why he’s here, he wouldn’t say over the phone.”

“Alright, well… uh…” Marco’s not sure what to say. “You’re welcome to use the office, it’s all cinder-block and no one’s going to be able to overhear. Do you want me to be there, or be scarce?”

“Thanks, and… be there, I think. I’m nervous. Kata’s never acted like this before, and given our last conversation I’m just worried.”

“Worried about what?” He prompts.

You look down and your face flushes, but it’s not the kind of embarrassment Marco causes in you. This is a discomfort of a different kind.

“This is going to sound nuts.” You mutter and Marco steps over to you, curling an errant lock of your hair around his finger and kissing it before giving you a smile.

“After you told me that old grizzly had cubs, I don’t think anything can sound nuts.” He assures you, voice low.

“Well, fair, but…” You fidget and look away. “I think Linlin’s trying to kill me. That’s crazy right? I mean, the company has a really tight PR game, and I know she’s really big on the whole family and loyalty stuff and what not, and I know - I know, you know, cause you told me, so I know, but that’s stuff in the past right?”

Marco can feel his heart twist, and from the look on your face, he wasn’t able to keep it his expression as neutral as he would’ve liked. Pulling you into a hug he does his best to comfort you.

“It’ll be alright, yoi.”

Now it was going to be a matter of degree, he laments silently. Hopefully Katakuri was still as sharp as ever, and he would be able to at least shield you from just how terrifying Linlin really was.

[smokingasters]

A detail about the Peacebreakers in Providence. (translated + spoilers)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Overseas Research Department Field Survey Team/Peace Breaker Official activity period: 2098/04~2113/04

A unit that obtains and manipulates information useful to Japan from other countries. Its main mission is to enter other countries, gather information, carry out sabotage operations, and provide weapons and operational support to anti-government organizations who support the Japanese government. Regarding anti-government support operations, operations were carried out through domestic third-party organizations

(Example 1). It has been confirmed that it was provided to and expanded to the government and rebel forces of the former Southeast Asian Union (commonly known as SEAUN) (see corresponding data 04231 for details). Through "monitoring"derived from [...] The members were selected from among the soldiers who belonged to the Special Forces of the National Defense Force, based on the Sibyl System's advanced decisions, and from among them, those who had a particularly strong sense of national pride were selected. Establishment: Wave After its establishment, the company did some original work. Main strategies and execution records. 2099_Conflict within the Union of Southeast Asia

2111_Rebellion in the Republic of South Asia 2112_Operation Footstamp 2113_Kona Island independence group reduced cropping Involved in etc. For details, see 67721 data

In June 2118, the decision was made to dismantle the unit, and in the same month, the whereabouts of the unit commander and training staff went missing.

In October 2118, independent activity was confirmed, and it was completely destroyed. To this day, it is said that its range has expanded to include Japan, Northern Russia, and the Russian Federation. Tonami is said to have been the general manager since the company's founding.

■ PB2098 type TUSIMA PS (Peacebreaker Armor) A powered suit that is standard equipment for the Peace Breaker Corps. It covers the head, upper body, and lower body, and is equipped with heavy armor and assist functions in each part. Increases the wearer's mobility by 1.25 times. Visibility is ensured by using cameras in front and behind the head to project images directly onto the eyes using internal scale projection sensors. It is also equipped with an infrared sensor and 3D prediction function MS2 as an option. It is possible to carry out operations without securing visibility even under conditions of poor visibility. Multi-type labeling function installed on the front of the waist

***

Sibyl itself is promoting conflicts to expand itself, and then denying asylum to the refugees which is why they're confined to Dejima/Kyushu. Sibyl lets MFA do the dirty work and it's obvious that Sibyl just turns a blind eye to this because it benefits their colonisation approach. I wonder what Kogami's thoughts will be when he comes to realise that his "democratisation" in Siam Reap (Psycho Pass Movie) was just a part of Sibyl's grand plan. Also Kona Island? Didn't Rutaganda and his mercenaries live on an island? The knowledge that Sibyl would let the world suffer, after having seen the true effects of it in his journey abroad and that probably every person he met or lost on his journey (including the people that Tenzing lost) was suffering due to Sibyl's duplicity. In Case 3 Novel, Frederica is investigating the Peacebreakers in Tibet-Himalaya and Garcia by extension. Honestly, Kogami Shinya seeing the horrors of war, trying to help people and then returning to become a cog in the System is a tragic enough ending for me. I guess this was the meaning of that painting in that room. (The Abyss, I assume?)

Anyhow, I'm on my fourth rewatch (first time with subs so thank god I can follow the dialogues), and Sibyl has a knack of grinding my gears (pun intended), I've come to despise the System as much as Kogami. I'll delve into a proper review later, for now just accept my ramblings. I have 10,000 thoughts on Akane too, who in this movie punched me right in the heart, honestly I don't know how Akane-chan is so strong. I admire her grit.

[is-the-battlemech-cool-or-not]

The Talon Roost

Nestled along the rugged shoreline of Puget Sound, just outside the bustling heart of Unity City, Terra, Melissa Hazen and Theodora Marten-Steiner’s home exudes a warmth and intimacy that starkly contrasts with their imposing public personas. Known as “The Talon Roost,” this sprawling lodge combines the rustic charm of traditional log cabin architecture with the subtle integration of cutting-edge technology from Terra’s civilian sector.

The Talon Roost sits perched on a rocky bluff overlooking the Sound, its timbered exterior blending with the surrounding forest. Massive, hand-hewn logs form the structure’s frame, their natural grain and texture preserved to honor the timeless beauty of the Pacific Northwest. The lodge’s roof is made up of a mix of eco-friendly solar tiles and living greenery. Wide wraparound decks extend from the main structure, offering panoramic views of the water and mountains beyond. A series of cascading stairs, lined with ambient lighting, leads down to a private dock where a sleek, automated watercraft rests, flanked by kayaks and a small security boat. At night, the lodge glows warmly, its large windows offering glimpses of life inside—a sharp yet inviting contrast to the quiet wilderness outside.

Entering the Talon Roost feels like stepping into a sanctuary. High vaulted ceilings, supported by massive wooden beams, create a sense of openness, while large floor-to-ceiling windows flood the space with natural light during the day. The interior décor balances modern minimalist design with the cozy aesthetics of a mountain lodge. Neutral tones dominate, accented by vibrant greens and golds—an homage to Melissa’s Jade Falcon heritage. The heart of the lodge, the living room, is anchored by a double-sided fireplace made of locally quarried stone. The hearth radiates warmth, surrounded by plush sofas and armchairs adorned with patterned blankets and throw pillows. Above the fireplace, a holographic display can project serene landscapes or serve as an entertainment hub, though it’s often turned off, leaving the room in serene simplicity. The kitchen combines the rustic appeal of handcrafted cabinetry with state-of-the-art appliances. A long central island, topped with polished stone, doubles as a communal dining space. The open floor plan flows into the dining area, where a custom-built table—crafted from salvaged driftwood—sits beneath an impressive chandelier of crystal and wrought iron. A cozy library, lined with shelves of books and historical texts, offers a quiet retreat for both Melissa and Theodora. A vintage mahogany desk sits at the far end, equipped with a concealed holo-terminal for secure communication and work. Nearby, a comfortable reading nook overlooks the Sound, with a soft chair and a small table perpetually holding a steaming pot of tea. The large, lavish, and highly advanced home theater was Theodora's pet project - it is outfitted with the absolute latest in cutting-edge holographic, trideo, and flat screen projection technology as well as a sound system that cost nearly as much as a light BattleMech.

While The Talon Roost appears traditional, its technology is anything but. Discrete panels throughout the home provide instant access to climate control, security systems, and personal AI assistants. The lodge’s power is supplied by a combination of renewable sources, ensuring self-sufficiency even during extended outages. A secure Star League-era communication hub is integrated into the study, allowing Melissa and Theodora to stay connected with SLDF operations. Beneath the lodge, hidden from view, lies a private hangar with bays large enough for both Melissa’s Highlander and Theodora’s Atlas, as well as the company of security 'Mechs on-site. Advanced automated repair systems and diagnostic tools ensure the 'Mechs are always ready for action. Also included is a multi-functional room utilizing advanced Holotank technology capable of projecting tactical simulations, training environments, or serene natural landscapes for relaxation.

The grounds around the lodge are meticulously curated. A path winds through a grove of ancient cedar trees to a private firepit surrounded by log benches. Nearby, a greenhouse houses a mix of local flora and medicinal plants, along with herbs for Theodora’s favorite recipes. A falconry mew, discreetly tucked into the edge of the property, is home to a small cast of Jade Falcons whom Melissa tends to personally—a connection to her heritage and a calming pastime away from the demands of leadership. The Talon Roost’s atmosphere is one of quiet strength and serenity. For two figures as legendary as Melissa Hazen and Theodora Marten-Steiner, the lodge represents a refuge from the chaos of the Inner Sphere—a place to reconnect with nature, their shared history, and each other. The cozy interiors, paired with the breathtaking natural surroundings, create a space where visitors are immediately put at ease, despite the immense power and influence of its owners. This dichotomy—between public and private life, between war and peace—is what makes The Talon Roost not just a home, but a reflection of the lives Melissa and Theodora have built together.

While The Talon Roost exudes an aura of peace and natural harmony, its security infrastructure rivals that of any high-level military installation. As the personal residence of two high-ranking SLDF officers, it incorporates layers of cutting-edge technology, physical deterrents, and personnel to ensure the safety of its occupants and maintain its strategic utility. The property is surrounded by an invisible perimeter system that utilizes advanced motion detection, thermal imaging, and seismic sensors. Any unauthorized entry triggers both silent and audible alarms, alerting the SLDF garrison stationed nearby. Discrete but highly effective automated turrets, hidden in the rocky outcroppings and among the trees, are equipped with non-lethal crowd control measures and high-powered laser weaponry for more extreme threats. Signature reduction technology derived from Null Signature System technology shields The Talon Roost from all but visual aerial and orbital scans, while a squadron of SLDF-designed surveillance drones patrols the airspace and property boundary. These drones are equipped with stealth tech, high-resolution cameras, and lethal weaponry. Meanwhile, the picturesque firepit near the cedar grove doubles as an emergency bunker entrance, reinforced to withstand even orbital bombardment. Decorative stone statues around the property conceal sensors and emitters capable of deploying small scale energy weapons in emergencies.

The Talon Roost is protected by a small, elite detachment of SLDF Royal Black Watch troops. While their presence is unobtrusive, they are always ready to respond to any threat. The guard detachment includes three Stars of MechWarriors, with their BattleMechs stationed in the Roost's subterranean hangar. A company of infantry, drawn from the Royal Black Watch's commando-trained operatives, patrols the property and acts as a rapid reaction force. All on-site security personnel reside in a concealed bunker built into the cliffside upon which the Roost perches. Security details rotate regularly to maintain optimal readiness and avoid becoming predictable. A concealed, automated command center under the lodge handles all security and monitoring tasks. Operatives stationed here can communicate directly with SLDF High Command and deploy additional resources as needed.

Beneath The Talon Roost lies a complex network of subterranean tunnels, elevators, and passageways that connect the property to critical SLDF and Star League installations in the region. This link allows both Melissa and Theodora to access secure meeting rooms or emergency operations centers without requiring surface travel. A direct maglev transit tunnel leads to both the nearby Tacoma Castle Brian, as well as the SLDF's Citadel inside Unity City itself - rebuilt by the SLDF to once again serve as their High Command complex. The headquarters of the Royal Black Watch, Fort Cameron, is linked to the lodge by another high-speed maglev route. The connection allows Theodora to oversee her regiment's activities or deploy her Atlas in minutes. The lodge is also connected via the maglev-tunnel system directly to the Court of the Star League.

In the event of an overwhelming threat, the lodge’s subterranean systems include a concealed evacuation pod capable of transporting occupants to either the Citadel or Fort Cameron in under five minutes. The lodge also features a last-resort self-destruct mechanism. Activated only by voice authorization from Melissa or Theodora, this system ensures no critical technology or data can fall into enemy hands. In case of a siege, the lodge can deploy automated counter-battery defenses, jamming fields, and active missile interceptors hidden within the terrain.

While The Talon Roost offers warmth, serenity, and a welcoming atmosphere, its hidden security and strategic capabilities reflect the immense responsibilities carried by its owners. This stark juxtaposition mirrors the lives of Melissa Hazen and Theodora Marten-Steiner, who must balance their personal sanctuary with their duties as protectors of humanity’s future. It is a place of respite, but one always ready for the call to action.

[valenfield-inspo]

Valenfield thoughts:

-They've both been through So Much Shit together that it's almost impossible to surprise them any more. They're still careful, because you have to be, fighting bioterrorism, but you get the idea. They both have their own codes and signals for shit, like shorthand. This includes things like a code for using different colored signal flares, or to use when they're talking over the radio.

-They both carry around some sort of multitool, possibly on a keychain. Honestly, they'd carry around a damn toolbox (or explosives- because hey, if you can't unlock the door, blow it off its hinges!) if they could, but usually that gets in the way of all their guns.

-They both know how to pick locks, now, tho Jill is still better at it than Chris is. Jill insisted he learn. He still probably carries around a tool that can saw through locks, when he can spare the inventory space. If he can't: explosives it is, then! Any time Jill hears a muffled explosion somewhere, she just kinda smirks, like, "Yep, that's Chris". It's honestly kinda comforting, at this point.

-They both carry around magnums, because those things are POWERFUL in the RE-verse. And they're easier to carry around than heavy weapons, like grenade launchers and such. (That was one thing that bothered me in the RE movies like Death Island. Leon shows up, and the most he packed for a bioterrorism mission was a few pistols?! The fuck?! Why wouldn't they have him go in heavily armed?! Of course, I guess you could ask the same for the BSAA troops in RE6...)

-They have little weapon charms of one another, because Chris thought it'd be cute. Chris has one of Claire, too, and she of him. Both Chris and Jill have one of Rebecca. (I could see Chris also having one of Sheva and maybe Piers, but the Piers one makes me sad.)

-Speaking of charms: Them having a little shooting contest/date at the Merchant's shooting range (because the Merchant totally survived RE4; or at least, his business practices did). Which might be how they got the gun charms. Anyway, it was cute 💖 Sometimes it's just nice to relax and shoot at targets, y'know? Especially when you don't have to worry about ammo.

-They both have nightmares, and they both know how to calm one another down from them. They'll just lay in bed, afterwards, just talking with one another, if they can't sleep. It helps.

-🍮

The 1st one I definitely agree that nothing would surprise them much anymore considering what they have faced together and separately, but they would still have their guards up for sure. I definitely could see them having their own codes of communicating with each other on the job b/c you never know who could be listening in as their trust of the BSAA is wary enough as is. I mean they have been stabbed in the back before by their captain in STARS. I could even see them using codes in non-mission things. They could read each other's stares like Chris glancing at Jill and gesturing his head at the exit doors with "Hey wanna get the hell out of here, since the next set of speakers here are full of shit and they have enough asskissers praising them tonight, what's 2 less people?" and Jill nodding and smirking subtlety with "Yeah there are better ways to spend the evening". 😏 🤭

The 2nd one now you know they're always prepared for anything so I could definitely see them carrying multi-functional gadgets or tools. Both definitely wouldn't leave the house without a swiss army knife at the very least. Omg at the 3rd, I bet Jill had a heck of a time training Chris on picking locks. Especially with how much bigger Chris' hands, he would get frustrated pretty easily there, 😂. So yeah he would have the "Fuck it" moment and blast the lock open! 🤣

The charms thing is cute, little mementos with who they have worked with. On the shooting range one, oh they definitely love those. It can be therapeutic and keep their aim sharp. The Merchant would make things more fun there! Ah the nightmares never end, I think they've even accepted that but are comforted that they have each other to get through them on those rough nights. The talks do help. I think they may try watching TV but they'd avoid the news and horror flicks, but I think the laying together and talking is much preferred until they fall asleep. Thank you for sharing Nonnie, feel free to send more whenever you'd like! 💚🩵

[bardic-tales]

Happy Blurbo Blursday

They are stranded on a desert island and can only bring four items and one companion, what & who are they bringing? 

Happy Blurbo Blursday! Thank you so much for the ask, and I hope you are having a wonderful day.

I am going to answer this for Bianca Moore, the protagonist of my passion project: Fantasy Worlds Collide. Bianca is a being that can controls spatial and reality, but for this exercise, I'll tone down those powers for her.

If Bianca was stuck on an island, here are the three things that she would take. I'm going to say that this is a tropical island.

The first thing she would take is her signature weapon, Noctemaris. Noctemaris is a tachi and allow her to have some defensive capabilities. It can also be used as a backup blade for practical tasks such as cutting wood, hunting, or crafting tools.

Bianca's white ribbon is the second thing she would take. It is imbued with strong protective magic which will allow her to remain in peak conditioning while stranded. The ribbon protects against poison or fatigue, keeping both her mind and body sharp. Seeing as Bianca often goes to realms that are magical in nature, this will be invaluable in safe-guarding her health and stamina.

She would also bring a multi-tool. Since it is a combination of a knife, pliers, screwdriver, and other useful tools, she would be able to build shelter, start fires, prepare food, and make rudimentary tools. This tool is portable and has a wide range of functions that would allow her to make the most out of limited resources.

Since she is on a tropical island, it is important to have clean drinking water. She would bring a portable water purification device. This will ensure that the water she drinks is not contaminated, keeping her and her companion safe and hydrated.

Sephiroth as a companion

As for the companion, she would bring her love interest, Sephiroth. He is a master strategist and an elite SOLDIER. This would be before his descent into madness. Due to his SOLDIER training and his intellect, they would both thrive by each other's side. He would be able to easily adapt to the island's challenges, using his military experience to devise survival plans.

His combat expertise would make him invaluable against potential threats while his knowledge of survival tactics from years of missions since he was 15 ensures that he could help gather resources, build shelter, and find or hunt for food.

Finally, it has been shown that Masamune has the ability to cut through buildings. He could use it to cut down trees for building shelters and creating tools easily.

His calm and methodical approach to problem-solving would help balance out Bianca's more impulsive tendencies. His leadership and resourcefulness would make him an essential companion, complementing Bianca and enhancing their chances of survival.

Interested in joining the Creator’s Club? Please check out this post on it.