#and oliva's face expression

[kotegiris]

[Event Story] Valentine's Day with the Butler

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Chapter 15: With All My Heart

-A little later- 

Eventually, while I was having fun with the butlers, the sun began to set.

Then, from the crowd, the 1st floor butlers were making their way here.

Berrien: Hello, Aruji-sama. Have you been enjoying your time in Oliva?

> Yeah, thanks to everyone.

Bastien: Fufu… I see.

Bastien: Then, we’ll have to do our best too and make sure you enjoy yourself so we don’t lose to the other butlers.

Teddy: Aruji-sama… Do you have to go now…?

Lono: Huh…? Teddy-san, your face is a bit red…

Yuhan: Hmm… It seems like we’ll have to wait for Teddy-san to sober up before he can continue his work.

Yuhan: Well then, Hanamaru-san… Please make sure that you don’t slack off until Teddy-san sobers up.

Hanamaru: Yeah, yeah. I’m the one who suggested drinking in the first place.

Hanamaru: Now then, Aruji-sama… We’ll be taking our leave now.

> Good luck with work.

The villa butlers bowed slightly to me and left.

Lono: Hehe… It’s finally our turn to be with you!

Berrien: All of us have been looking forward to spending time with you.

Berrien: Lono-kun was even checking his appearance in the mirror countless times.

Berrien: He was saying things like, “It looks better to wear these clothes like this”... He was constantly looking at himself in the mirror.

Lono: B-Berrien-san! You didn’t have to say all that!

> You look great, Lono.

Lono: R-Really? Thank you, Aruji-sama…

Bastien: Speaking of clothes… I heard you picked the designs for the clothes we’re wearing right now.

Bastien: All of the designs are different… Why did you pick these?

> Because…

For Berrien, an outfit with a thin cardigan to match his elegant and gentle atmosphere…

For Lono, I focused on a youthful design to highlight his energetic personality.

And for Bastien… I picked something loose-fitting for a relaxed feel.

Lono: Heh~, so that’s why!

Lono: Nice, Aruji-sama! You really get our personalities!

Berrien: Fufu… Yes, you truly do.

Berrien: Now then, for our lovely Aruji-sama, let’s get started.

Berrien: First… Shall we go shopping?

> Shopping?

Berrien: Yes.

Berrien: So that you enjoy yourself, the first floor butlers plan on making a chocolate cake.

Berrien: The idea is that since we’re in the town of chocolate, we’d make sweets and make a new memory.

Berrien: So, let’s go buy the ingredients for the cake.

> Making a cake sounds fun.

Berrien: Just hearing you say that makes me glad.

Berrien: By the way, aside from the cake that Aruji-sama will be eating…

Berrien: We were also thinking of making one for the other butlers too.

Berrien: It’ll be a surprise present to express our gratitude to them since they’re very dear to us.

> I want to help out too.

Berrien: Fufu… I thought you’d say that.

Berrien: Let’s make a delicious cake with everyone here.

Bastien: By the way… We haven’t decided what kind of cake to make yet.

Bastien: Since we’re making a cake for Aruji-sama, we thought it’d be better to let you decide.

> Thanks for being considerate of me.

Lono: No, no! We also wanted to make a cake that you’d like!

Lono: Now that we’re done explaining… Let’s start shopping.

Lono: We can also take a look at some cake shops while we shop so you can get an idea of what kind of cake you wanna make!

And so, together with the 1st floor butlers, we went shopping for cake ingredients.

【Oliva - Main Street】

-A little later-

The 1st floor butlers and I walked around while thinking about what kind of cake we were going to make.

Lono: Hehe… I’m glad I get to make a cake with Aruji-sama.

Lono: Chocolate fondant, sachertorte… I can’t decide on what kind of cake to make!

Lono: Aruji-sama, what do you think is good?

> Uhm…

Lono: Oops, sorry. It’s probably hard to just pick one all of a sudden.

Lono: …Ah, I know!

Lono: Aruji-sama. Out of the cakes on display at that shop, which one do you like the most?

Saying that, Lono pointed at a cake shop’s display case.

Lono: The one on the right is an opera cake, and looks like the one next to it is a chiffon cake.

Lono: The one on the far left is a charlotte and next to that is a mousse cake. 

> You’re very knowledgeable.

Lono: Hehe… It’s only natural that I know this much. I am a cook after all. 

Lono: I say that, but… Getting praised by you does make me happy.

Lono: Wait… Huh?

> What’s wrong?

Lono: …Sorry, Aruji-sama.

Lono: Looks like we got separated from the others.

> Huh?

I took a look around, but because it was so crowded I couldn’t find Berrien and the others.

It looks like we somehow got separated from them while we were looking at cakes…

Lono: Sorry… It’s my fault for wanting to stop at the cake shop.

> Don’t worry about it.

When I told him, “Let’s go look for them,” Lono had a troubled expression on his face.

Lono: Uhm, Aruji-sama… I know it’s selfish of me to say this, but…

Lono: Can the two of us stay together like this for a little longer?

> Huh…?

Lono: Well, uhm…

Lono: New butlers just joined us recently… So we haven’t had as much time together with just the two of us…

Lono: Just a little longer… I want to be alone with you.

Lono: And since it’s Valentine’s… And the two of us are all dressed up…

Lono: Even if it's just for a little bit… I want to enjoy this time together…

Lono: Or something like that… I know I shouldn’t say this as a butler…

Lono: But still… As long as you’re alright with it, I…

I opened my mouth to speak, but at the moment…

Bastien: Aruji-sama. There you are.

Bastien: Sorry for losing sight of you. I’m glad I found you.

Lono: This fox bastard… What’s with your timing…!?

Bastien: Why are you so upset?

Lono: Hah… It’s nothing.

Lono: Anyways, I’m glad we found Bastien, right, Aruji-sama?

Lono said that with a bitter smile.

Step, step…

Berrien: Thank goodness… So this was where everyone was.

Muu: I’m glad we found you.

Muu: Let’s continue shopping for the cake!

Once more, the butlers and I walked around the main street. 

While walking around, my eyes met Lono’s, and I saw that he still had a troubled smile on his face. 

【Inn - Kitchen】

-That evening-

After buying ingredients, we went to the kitchen.

Also, while shopping, we decided to make brownies.

Lono: Okay! Let’s start making brownies!

Lono: But before that… I’ll give a basic explanation about them.

Lono: Brownies are a chocolate cake from the Western Lands.

Lono: Even though it’s a cake, it’s not a high-end sweet. It’s more of a casual one, like pound cakes and muffins.

Lono: It’s relatively easy to make, and you can make a lot at once… It’s a great sweet!

Muu: Heh~! I didn’t know there was a sweet like this!  

Muu: I thought it’d be tough making sweets for all the butlers, but…

Muu: I think making these should be fine!

Bastien: Yeah… We should be able to make a whole tray of brownies in the oven.

Bastien: Actually, if we didn’t give it to all the butlers, we’d end up with a lot of leftovers.

Berrien: Fufu… The nice thing about brownies is that you can share the deliciousness with everyone.

Berrien: Now then… Let’s start making them.

Lono: I have a recipe I made, so let’s use it!

Lono: Aruji-sama. Let’s have fun making brownies together!

> Yeah!

And so, we began making brownies.

-A little later-

We finished preparing them and waited for them to bake.

Lono: …Okay! Let’s take them out of the oven!

Lono had oven mitts on both of his hands and took the baking tray out of the oven.

The brownie batter on the baking tray had baked nicely, and the sweet smell of chocolate hung in the air.

> They look so good…!

Muu: Wow…! It smells so good!

Bastien: It seems like they’re fully baked too.

Bastien: It’s not burnt or raw. They’re just right.

Berrien: How wonderful. Thank you for your help, Aruji-sama. They look very delicious.

Lono: Yeah, I think so too!

Lono: I’ve used this recipe before, but these brownies look even better than when I make them!

Lono: And now… Let’s try them!

Berrien: Then, could I get this piece on the edge?

> Are you sure?

Berrien: Yes.

Berrien: The middle part has an even thickness and looks good, so I want the others to have that part.

Bastien: Hmm… It’s very like you to do that, Berrien-san.

Bastien: I’ll cut it up now, so please wait a little.

Bastien evenly cut up the brownies and gave one to Berrien.

Berrien: Munch… munch…

Berrien: Hm? It’s…?

> What’s wrong?

Berrien: Fufu… It’s more delicious than I thought it’d be.

Berrien: Aruji-sama, please have one too while they’re still warm.

> Alright.

At Berrien’s urging, I tried a brownie.

It was slightly firm and had a rich, chocolatey taste. It was dense and made me feel like having some milk.

> It’s so good…!

Lono: Hehe… We did it!

Berrien: Fufu… I’m sure the other butlers will be happy with these brownies.

Berrien: But before that…

Berrien: Let’s have tea time with just us.

Berrien: The 1st floor butlers are here to serve you…

Berrien: We are here to make sure you enjoy yourself.

Saying that, Berrien gave me a gentle smile.

And thus, the 1st floor butlers and I had a fun tea party together.

T/N: I feel the need to say that, personally, I don’t think that brownies are a type of cake. I’m just translating what the text says. 😭

[unpopularvivian]

Incorrect Ttte Quotes 401:

*In the shunting yard, Oliva, Dana and Donella were talking to each other when Douce walked towards them*

Douce, holding a card: Hey Ollie! Leuk at this card thon Bill give tae me! A'm pretty sure it's another ane o his stupid pranks!

Oliva: Let me see.

Oliva, reading out the card: "YOU'RE ONE HOT DADDY"

Donella: EWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!

Oliva, opening it up: "Will you marry me? Signed, Douglas"

Donella: OOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

*Glass shatters in the distance as Douce has an exasperated expression on her face. She tried to say something, anything in fact to prove to Oliva that she was always a straight ally. But all that came out was:*

Douce: B-b-b-bubba-bobba-hob-hobba-hobba-wah-wah.....

Donella: Douggie, DOUGGIE?!?! ARE YOU THERE?!?!?

Dana: OH MY GOD CONGRATS YOU TWO!!!!! I CAN'T WAIT TO START PLANNING FOR YOUR WEDDING!!!!!

Oliva: DUCK NO-

[trashpanda66]

OH MY FUCKING GOD I HAD A BRAiN BABY

(please take this with a grain of salt. I'm using my own experiences with visual and auditory hallucinations for this little silly thingy.)

Biscuit Oliva with an adopted child who has visual and auditory hallucinations and how he helps them through it!

First of all, Oliva loves his baby more than life itself. There isn't a single damn thing in this world that he wouldn't do for his sweet little Angel, and that includes things that sometimes make him feel a little bit silly.

So when his sweet baby comes running up to him with tears in their eyes, tugging at his pant leg while trying to climb up into his safe and strong grip, he stops everything he's doing and scoops his precious child up into his arms. He gives them a few gentle little bounces in his arms, pressing his lips against their forehead before quietly asking what's got them so worked up. Still crying, they tell him that there's a mean man in their room and he keeps telling them to do bad things. Oliva instantly switches to kill mode as he puts his child on the ground. It doesn't matter who this man is now, cus he's going to be dead within the next 10 seconds. Oliva goes charging into his kid's room, fists up and ready to murder for the sake of his precious baby, when he freezes.

There's no one in there.

He looks everywhere. Under the bed, in the closet, around the door, everywhere. There's absolutely no sign of anyone having broken in, and his angel knows better than to let anyone come in to his lavish cell without his express permission, plus there aren't that many people out there who are stupid enough to go after Oliva's sweet little angel. With his nerves still frazzled, he walks back out of his baby's room and heads back to where he left them. As soon as they see him, their face lights up and they come running over to him, hugging his massive legs and chattering about how Papa is their hero! The positive attention makes Oliva smile and relax a tiny bit, only for the smile to turn back into a frown as he thinks on what to do. He picks his baby up and holds them in his arms again, giving them a comforting smile as he talks to them about what was going on.

"Angel, Papa went and checked your room. I didn't find anyone in there." His soft heart breaks at the sight of fear filling his kid's eyes again.

"I think it's okay for you to go back to your room, sweetie. I'll stay with you if you want me to." His warm voice brings a bit of comfort to his child, who agrees to go back to their room as long as their Papa is there with them. Oliva's heart always flutters with love and pride whenever his little angel calls him Papa, making his insecurities about his parenting abilities almost disappear instantly every time. As the pair arrive back to the kid's room, Oliva swings open the door, a smile on his face, only for his precious angel to tense up in his arms and start crying all over again. Their eyes are fixed on the far corner of the room as their tiny hands grip onto Oliva's shirt, their entire body shaking as they try to keep quiet. Oliva tries to comfort his baby, rubbing their back softly as he tries to coo calming words to them, but they shush him. After a few tense seconds, his baby finally whispers to him that the mean man in right there in the corner and he's threatening to hurt them if they don't do bad things. Finally, it clicks in Oliva's head. He steels his gaze, staring right into the empty corner as he gently puts his kid back onto the ground. Oliva doesn't care whether this thing is real or not, it fucked with the wrong family today. In a stern and authoritative voice, Oliva demands that the mean man leave his baby's room this instant, causing himself to feel a tad bit silly yelling into an empty corner. But he knows that even if what his baby is seeing isn't real, it feels real to them and Oliva will be damned if he doesn't protect his little angel from everything that scares them, even if what's scaring them is in their mind. He looks to his baby, checking to see if he's doing the right thing, only for them to whisper out that the mean man is refusing to leave. He watches as their expression changes from fear to terror as their eyes dart from the corner, as if the figure is rapidly approaching him! Oliva turns back around, balling his hand up into a fist before delivering a powerful punch to the air. He feels silly, but the results don't lie. He watches as his angel's expression changes from horror to amazement. Looks like Oliva's hit landed. He once again demands that the figure he can't see leave immediately and never return again. He looks on as his baby's eyes follow a trail from the corner, along the wall, and finally out the bedroom door.

Oliva smiles as his little angel finally relaxes, their fear completely dissipating as they make their way back over to Oliva. He picks them up off the ground, hugging them close as he comforts them. At the sight of his completely relaxed and happy child, Oliva knows that he did the right thing, smiling to himself as they begin to talk to him about a drawing they want to make.

Oliva doesn't care how silly he looks, he'll always make sure to protect his baby.

[abfa-fics]

It’s been a long day. Hell, a long week…a long month. A long few months, when he reflects upon his time being undercover.

He switches on the television mindlessly, dropping the remote down as he wanders through to the kitchen, his growling stomach leading him over to the fridge. The shelves are insultingly bare.

‘Of course there are no leftovers,’ he mutters under his breath.

‘Tanya Garcia went missing from Paramus, New Jersey over a year ago,’ a man’s voice announces loudly from the television. Elliot pauses, recognition flashing up. A man odious in personality and temperament - someone Elliot would love to punch, if given half a chance.

‘But now thanks to the tireless work and dedication of the NYPD and Bergen County SVU, she is home and reunited with her mother,’ McGrath continues. Elliot abandons his search for food, striding back into the living room, where his gaze sweeps right past McGrath’s face on the screen in order to find someone else.

Olivia, standing underneath an umbrella, her expression tired and serious. McGrath is spouting all sorts of PR-style bullshit about the NYPD, but Elliot can sense immediately that there’s more to this case, more than a young girl’s homecoming.

Olivia wouldn’t look so haunted if this was a simple happy ending.

‘There are other-’ McGrath says, but his next words are cut off by a soul-crushing shriek of pain.

The cameras swing around, focusing in on a woman, her hair plastered to her head as she staggers through the rain.

‘What about my daughter?,’ she screams. ‘You promised me you’d find my daughter.’

The news crew are clearly loving this unexpected drama playing out in front of them, zooming out to capture the full scene. Elliot takes a step forward instinctively at the same time as Olivia on his screen does the same, desperate to shield her from the impact of the pain and anger being channeled her way.

Olivia’s saying something to the mother now, her body language calm and measured, but her words are carried away by the wind and the rain. McGrath stands uselessly by the microphone in the background, and Elliot feels his hatred for the man rise.

His phone is gripped in his hand, but it’s useless, the words ‘LIVE’ glaring out at him as a cruel reminder that right now, in another part of the city, Olivia is dealing with this while he simply watches.

The pain had always been one of the worst parts of working in SVU. The pain, the anger, the tragedy…the guilt. It washes over you, again and again, case after case. Until for him, the pain and guilt had become too much, and he had walked away.

Left Olivia to deal with it alone.

‘Where is Maddie?’ the mother screams, loud enough to be heard by everyone as her husband drags her away.

Except Oliva doesn’t have to be alone any more. Elliot doesn’t even bother to turn off the television before he’s racing out the door, not even second-guessing where she’d go after such a trying event. Home? Not Olivia Benson, not after that guilt-trip from a victim’s mother.

He arrives at the precinct before she’s back herself, barrelling past the desks and Fin’s questioning gaze, and settling himself within her office to wait. Surprisingly, no-one disturbs him.

It doesn’t take long.

‘El?’ Olivia says, pausing in the doorway. She’s beautiful as always, but her expression is even more worn out than he’d seen on the television.

‘Hey,’ he says, wishing he had thought of something eloquent to say.

He watches as Olivia hangs up her coat, her body language hesitant, as if she doesn’t know whether to step towards him or around to her desk.

‘I got your voice message,’ she says to break the silence. ‘Sorry I didn’t call back yet. Work has been…’

She waves her hand vaguely, and he nods. He knows.

‘Was there something you were wanting to discuss?’

She’s looking at him carefully, and a sinking realization sweeps over him - that she’s expecting there to be a problem with him, that maybe he’s come back from being undercover, and bringing her his trauma to solve.

He closes the distance between them, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. She tenses briefly, and then he feels her body shift as she sighs deeply, relaxing against his frame. Her arms tighten around his waist, face tucked into chest.

The world continues around them, but for a few minutes of peace, they hold each other upright.

[unrclypirxte]

Random Asks! - ALWAYS ACCEPTING

@tacticalvalor said: Lalo always did try to involve himself quite heavily in the lives of his business associates. It made it easier for him to gain access to the information he needed, and harder for them to forget the face that—should they decide to turn their back on his family—would inevitably be the last they saw. Plus, he always was the more charismatic of the bunch. It played a big role in his position, especially now that deals were expanding beyond their domestic reach.

And especially now that he had someone so intriguing as Beth.

This was why he'd decided to step out during his spare time and really show up for Volker and his crew. A box of quality Oliva Serie V Maduro cigars, paired with an intriguing bottle of Raicilla, sourced directly from Jalisco and for the big man himself. A few, similarly personalized gifts for Hoyt's other associates (whether they'd get back to home base unscathed was no longer in his hands, but it was the thought that counted, no?).

And for Beth…Lalo presented the gift with that charming—albeit quite coy—grin of his. A custom crafted knife. It was on the smaller side, around 5 inches whilst closed; nearly doubled when opened. The blade itself was carved from M4 carbon steel; sharp, but not coarse. Oddly smooth to the touch, and durable as ever. The pivoting mechanisms were ceramic, neatly tucked within the comfortable grip, which too was adorned just for her. Inlayed with an intricate red and gold floral design to add that little bit of softness and grace to the weapon.

A subtle sign of his perception of her. How quaint.

// happy holidays! hope your weekend has been kind and cozy <3 <3 || @tacticalvalor

---

Beth hadn't truly celebrated Christmas in... years. Too many years. Truth be told, she missed the decorations, the music. The warmth of the lights. Which was why, surprisingly, when she was sent to spend the holidays with the cartel, she'd looked positively BEWILDERED at it all. As if she'd never seen anything remotely Christmas-like before. It was endearing, in a way.

And, even more surprising, was that Lalo had happily joined her. He offered no real judgement, and in fact seemed to encourage it. They'd been spending a lot more time together given recent business opportunities, and yet it never felt forced or taxing. And that alone made Beth appreciative, so much so that she began hunting around for a gift. She searched, and searched, but couldn't find a thing. And just as she was going to tell him the bad news, he presented his own gift.

Hesitant hands accepted his offering, popping the blade to full extension and feeling every inch of the cool length; the craftsmanship, the aesthetics, the weight, the feel of the handle, the materials — it felt custom made, built specifically for her soft grip and harsh work. It was BEAUTIFUL.

Wordlessly, she peered up at him, expression one of unreadable confusion. She liked Lalo a lot, and that wasn't a secret. They got along like a house on fire. They bounced off of each other. Out of all of the cartel, gang types she'd met, he'd by far been the most accepting of her being... a her. Perhaps that was why it tugged at her emotions a little bit. It felt more true and honest. Of course there was an alterior motive, but for now that didn't matter.

Suddenly, her arms wrapped tightly around him, pulling him close into an embrace. She left room for him to break away if he so wished, otherwise holding on until it felt uncomfortable to do so. Stepping back a tiny step, shoe tips touching, Beth peered up at the Salamanca boy and offered a genuine, kind smile. God, she wanted to kiss him.

"How did you know?"

[woah-were-halfway-there]

Will we get something about Carson Labor and delivery with Oliva?

I honestly haven’t thought about writing that far hahaha but I have imagined it! Like after Carter is born, Auston and Carson have a very in depth talk about going forward and avoiding another accidental/surprise pregnancy especially with the health scares and problems they face when Carson is pregnant with Carter. Olivia is entirely planned and Carson’s doctor does explain to them that there is a chance that Carson could get sick again if she were to become pregnant and that really really has Auston on the fence because he just can’t risk any chance of potentially losing his wife and he expresses that but Carson is so set on having another baby and the doctor says there’s only a chance that she’d get sick again and Carson really wants to take that chance, saying she feels really good about it and again it’s just a long in depth conversation they have. Once Carson is pregnant again, eventually, she does become sick. It’s fairly early in the pregnancy and it’s just absolutely heartbreaking for them. So the doctor again has to explain what this means and what their options are and those are that the there is a chance of there being a scare or worse again given what happened last time but there’s also a chance things could be mostly fine if monitored enough. Overall though, the only solution to remove and not take any of these chances would be to terminate the pregnancy. Carson does not even consider that, Auston, however, does. And that causes quite a bit of strain between them because they don’t see eye to eye. And so the entire pregnancy with Olivia is a rollercoaster and I mean if you guys want to know more about it I can definitely write more for it I just haven’t really considered it hahaha

[ask-the-badman]

“‘Seek company’ huh?” She scoffed, shaking her head lightly before taking another swig, the carbonation burning her throat slightly with the sign of distaste on her face showing evident, coughing. She set her beer on the table lightly, shaking head head. “Most things come easy to me, it ain’t easy being this perfect, you know? Or I atleast like to convince myself that I am.” She joked, lightly elbowing him in the arm. Taking another swig from the bottle, she started to feel a little hazy. It didn’t take much for her to start feeling the effects of drunkenness. She was quite the lightweight.

She hesitated to speak at his question, looking at her knee, then his— then back to his face. “I guess you could say I get the feeling of loneliness.. but right now, I’m feelin’ a lot less lonely.” She mentioned to him, resting her hand up on her face which was holding her head up on her elbow on the back of the couch. Closer to him. Watching the way he was breathing, the slightly flushed color of his cheeks from the sun exposure from working out in the yard. The way his dark eyes were hard to read in low lighting, now that the sun set and the only light provided was one of a small lamp across the room.

“I like observing people, I don’t mean to stare too much. I’m just tryin’ to figure you out.” She said calmly, her feet brushing against his unintentionally. “I like the way you stare at things, the intensity of it. It could either make people feel intimidated, or at ease.” She trailed off, the song in the background now switching from Zeppelin, to Eagles. Her hand gently trailed her finger across his forearm, gently tickling the hairs of his arms in an inviting way, smiling with a soft expression. She was in such a warm, cuddly haze. “What’s your fascination with knives? I noticed you got a ton of ‘em around in here.”

"Heh, could say the same fer myself right now. Hard ta be lonely with someone around."

Polishing off his first beer, Johnny set the empty aside before reaching for the next one that Olivia brought only to pause at her words. His dark brown eyes moving to look at up her under naturally hooded lids, expression stoic as they stared at one another. Only for him to huff faintly, "Heh, never thought my glaze was the type ta put people at ease. Intimidate, maybe ta some. But I'd like ta think I've got a rather alluring stare~"

He chuckled at his own wit and charm, reaching up once more for another knife on the wall behind him to open his new bottle. His arm faintly tingling from where she had brushed it and just as he was about to flip the cap off another question was asked his way. Attention drawn to the simple steak knife in his hand, lingering on the serrated edge of the stainless steal for a long moment. Then coming back to pop the cap off before twirling the cutlery with ease between gloved fingers.

"Jus' somethin' I grew up with fer huntin', skinnin', whittlin'... They come in all shapes an' sizes, what's not ta be fascinated about 'em? Sure, some folks think they're dangerous, but in the right hands they're jus' an extension of yer bein'." He then finished up by flipping the blade around a few times, catching it from handle to tip before stabbing it right back into place on the wall, "Also makes fer neat parlor tricks in the bar ta impress. The new knife game song is one'a my favorites. Though may have nicked myself a few times."

Chuckling, he tugged off one of his gloves to show off a thick, calloused hand covered in a plethora of scars all over. From finger tips to palm down to his wrist and back of his hand in reddish pink lines in varying depths and lengths. He then took another swig and was starting to feel the buzz of a cold one sliding down his throat and deep into his belly, working its way into his blood stream as he settled deeper into the couch and closer to Oliva. His scarred hand dropping to settle on his thick thigh, head tilting faintly as he asked.

"Y'seem ta like goin' out an' drinkin', any fun bar games you like playin'? Or are ya the type ta sit an' wait fer a handsome man ta come by an' offer ya a drink~?"

[4056-isa]

Character Factory: Oliva

Oliva, or as I affectionately call her, "the little naked rat mole," is a large dog with big blue eyes, large ears, and a yellowish-white coat. Her face is covered with whiskers, and she always seems to be smiling, as if she’s perpetually happy to be next to someone. Her blue eyes are naturally outlined with black, giving her the appearance of perfectly applied eyeliner. Above her eyes, four whiskers add to her expressive face, resembling tiny eyebrows. She also has a beautiful long tail with a large pom-pom at the end, making her look like a female lion (thanks to a grooming mistake)

At first glance, Oliva might appear calm and quiet, but in reality, she's a loud and energetic little creature. She’s much like a gremlin that’s been fed after midnight, big, loud, and incredibly curious. She loves sticking her nose into everything, exploring her surroundings with uncontainable enthusiasm. However, despite her bold curiosity, she’s terrified of almost everything, including harmless sounds like a door creaking open. Yet, even though she’s afraid, Oliva has a strong protective instinct and is always ready to defend me and my family, no matter what the perceived danger might be.

I’ve chosen several pictures that capture different sides of Oliva’s quirky personality. In one, she’s doing her best to avoid having her picture taken. She remains as still as possible, looking away from the camera, clearly trying to signal her desire for a break from the constant attention. In another photo, she’s yawning with exaggerated, quick movements. I’m pretty sure this was her way of showing she felt uncomfortable and wanted me to leave her alone for a bit.

In a different shot, Oliva is sniffing the camera with a look of confusion, likely wondering why it’s so close to her face. Her curiosity is unmistakable as she inspects the unfamiliar object. Then, in a series of pictures where we’re playing with the water hose, her playful side takes over. Her movements are fast and unpredictable, and she looks as though she’s preparing to pounce on the water, fully immersed in the fun.

If Oliva could speak, I imagine that in the first few photos, she’d be telling me how annoyed she is, begging for a little peace from the relentless photo-taking. She avoids eye contact, she keeps yawning, and she was running away from me everytime I came close to her with the camera, she even hid from me, clearly wishing for just a moment alone. But in the later pictures, she’s probably overjoyed. Oliva loves to play, especially with water, and in those moments, she’s completely carefree, simply enjoying life without a worry in the world.

[zalrb]

oliva cooke making the same facial expressions. like do something other than a pouty face please I'm begging.

[sunaleisocial]

Mapping the brain pathways of visual memorability

New Post has been published on https://sunalei.org/news/mapping-the-brain-pathways-of-visual-memorability/

Mapping the brain pathways of visual memorability

For nearly a decade, a team of MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) researchers have been seeking to uncover why certain images persist in a people’s minds, while many others fade. To do this, they set out to map the spatio-temporal brain dynamics involved in recognizing a visual image. And now for the first time, scientists harnessed the combined strengths of magnetoencephalography (MEG), which captures the timing of brain activity, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which identifies active brain regions, to precisely determine when and where the brain processes a memorable image. 

Their open-access study, published this month in PLOS Biology, used 78 pairs of images matched for the same concept but differing in their memorability scores — one was highly memorable and the other was easy to forget. These images were shown to 15 subjects, with scenes of skateboarding, animals in various environments, everyday objects like cups and chairs, natural landscapes like forests and beaches, urban scenes of streets and buildings, and faces displaying different expressions. What they found was that a more distributed network of brain regions than previously thought are actively involved in the encoding and retention processes that underpin memorability. 

“People tend to remember some images better than others, even when they are conceptually similar, like different scenes of a person skateboarding,” says Benjamin Lahner, an MIT PhD student in electrical engineering and computer science, CSAIL affiliate, and first author of the study. “We’ve identified a brain signature of visual memorability that emerges around 300 milliseconds after seeing an image, involving areas across the ventral occipital cortex and temporal cortex, which processes information like color perception and object recognition. This signature indicates that highly memorable images prompt stronger and more sustained brain responses, especially in regions like the early visual cortex, which we previously underestimated in memory processing.”

While highly memorable images maintain a higher and more sustained response for about half a second, the response to less memorable images quickly diminishes. This insight, Lahner elaborated, could redefine our understanding of how memories form and persist. The team envisions this research holding potential for future clinical applications, particularly in early diagnosis and treatment of memory-related disorders. 

The MEG/fMRI fusion method, developed in the lab of CSAIL Senior Research Scientist Aude Oliva, adeptly captures the brain’s spatial and temporal dynamics, overcoming the traditional constraints of either spatial or temporal specificity. The fusion method had a little help from its machine-learning friend, to better examine and compare the brain’s activity when looking at various images. They created a “representational matrix,” which is like a detailed chart, showing how similar neural responses are in various brain regions. This chart helped them identify the patterns of where and when the brain processes what we see.

Picking the conceptually similar image pairs with high and low memorability scores was the crucial ingredient to unlocking these insights into memorability. Lahner explained the process of aggregating behavioral data to assign memorability scores to images, where they curated a diverse set of high- and low-memorability images with balanced representation across different visual categories. 

Despite strides made, the team notes a few limitations. While this work can identify brain regions showing significant memorability effects, it cannot elucidate the regions’ function in how it is contributing to better encoding/retrieval from memory.

“Understanding the neural underpinnings of memorability opens up exciting avenues for clinical advancements, particularly in diagnosing and treating memory-related disorders early on,” says Oliva. “The specific brain signatures we’ve identified for memorability could lead to early biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. This research paves the way for novel intervention strategies that are finely tuned to the individual’s neural profile, potentially transforming the therapeutic landscape for memory impairments and significantly improving patient outcomes.”

“These findings are exciting because they give us insight into what is happening in the brain between seeing something and saving it into memory,” says Wilma Bainbridge, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Chicago, who was not involved in the study. “The researchers here are picking up on a cortical signal that reflects what’s important to remember, and what can be forgotten early on.” 

Lahner and Oliva, who is also the director of strategic industry engagement at the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing, MIT director of the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab, and CSAIL principal investigator, join Western University Assistant Professor Yalda Mohsenzadeh and York University researcher Caitlin Mullin on the paper. The team acknowledges a shared instrument grant from the National Institutes of Health, and their work was funded by the Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship via an Office of Naval Research grant, a National Science Foundation award, Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative award via an Army Research Office grant, and the EECS MathWorks Fellowship. Their paper is published in PLOS Biology.

[jcmarchi]

Mapping the brain pathways of visual memorability

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/mapping-the-brain-pathways-of-visual-memorability/

Mapping the brain pathways of visual memorability

For nearly a decade, a team of MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) researchers have been seeking to uncover why certain images persist in a people’s minds, while many others fade. To do this, they set out to map the spatio-temporal brain dynamics involved in recognizing a visual image. And now for the first time, scientists harnessed the combined strengths of magnetoencephalography (MEG), which captures the timing of brain activity, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which identifies active brain regions, to precisely determine when and where the brain processes a memorable image. 

Their open-access study, published this month in PLOS Biology, used 78 pairs of images matched for the same concept but differing in their memorability scores — one was highly memorable and the other was easy to forget. These images were shown to 15 subjects, with scenes of skateboarding, animals in various environments, everyday objects like cups and chairs, natural landscapes like forests and beaches, urban scenes of streets and buildings, and faces displaying different expressions. What they found was that a more distributed network of brain regions than previously thought are actively involved in the encoding and retention processes that underpin memorability. 

“People tend to remember some images better than others, even when they are conceptually similar, like different scenes of a person skateboarding,” says Benjamin Lahner, an MIT PhD student in electrical engineering and computer science, CSAIL affiliate, and first author of the study. “We’ve identified a brain signature of visual memorability that emerges around 300 milliseconds after seeing an image, involving areas across the ventral occipital cortex and temporal cortex, which processes information like color perception and object recognition. This signature indicates that highly memorable images prompt stronger and more sustained brain responses, especially in regions like the early visual cortex, which we previously underestimated in memory processing.”

While highly memorable images maintain a higher and more sustained response for about half a second, the response to less memorable images quickly diminishes. This insight, Lahner elaborated, could redefine our understanding of how memories form and persist. The team envisions this research holding potential for future clinical applications, particularly in early diagnosis and treatment of memory-related disorders. 

The MEG/fMRI fusion method, developed in the lab of CSAIL Senior Research Scientist Aude Oliva, adeptly captures the brain’s spatial and temporal dynamics, overcoming the traditional constraints of either spatial or temporal specificity. The fusion method had a little help from its machine-learning friend, to better examine and compare the brain’s activity when looking at various images. They created a “representational matrix,” which is like a detailed chart, showing how similar neural responses are in various brain regions. This chart helped them identify the patterns of where and when the brain processes what we see.

Picking the conceptually similar image pairs with high and low memorability scores was the crucial ingredient to unlocking these insights into memorability. Lahner explained the process of aggregating behavioral data to assign memorability scores to images, where they curated a diverse set of high- and low-memorability images with balanced representation across different visual categories. 

Despite strides made, the team notes a few limitations. While this work can identify brain regions showing significant memorability effects, it cannot elucidate the regions’ function in how it is contributing to better encoding/retrieval from memory.

“Understanding the neural underpinnings of memorability opens up exciting avenues for clinical advancements, particularly in diagnosing and treating memory-related disorders early on,” says Oliva. “The specific brain signatures we’ve identified for memorability could lead to early biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. This research paves the way for novel intervention strategies that are finely tuned to the individual’s neural profile, potentially transforming the therapeutic landscape for memory impairments and significantly improving patient outcomes.”

“These findings are exciting because they give us insight into what is happening in the brain between seeing something and saving it into memory,” says Wilma Bainbridge, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Chicago, who was not involved in the study. “The researchers here are picking up on a cortical signal that reflects what’s important to remember, and what can be forgotten early on.” 

Lahner and Oliva, who is also the director of strategic industry engagement at the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing, MIT director of the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab, and CSAIL principal investigator, join Western University Assistant Professor Yalda Mohsenzadeh and York University researcher Caitlin Mullin on the paper. The team acknowledges a shared instrument grant from the National Institutes of Health, and their work was funded by the Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship via an Office of Naval Research grant, a National Science Foundation award, Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative award via an Army Research Office grant, and the EECS MathWorks Fellowship. Their paper is published in PLOS Biology.

[baki-tiene-un-simp]

If you have watched the TV series Daria or MLP (Maud Pie's character, who is not emotional and looks very detached, but her friends and sister can still read her emotions), can we have a reader with the same human character? At least she are sarcastic. How would Baki, Yujiro, Musashi and Oliver feel about such a person?

I don't remember paying much attention to just those TV shows for a long time, but I recognize the characters and I think I have an idea of what you might be asking for. I hope you like it.

Situation: With a sarcastic S/O.

Characters: Baki Hanma, Musashi Miyamoto, Oliva Biscuit and Yujiro Hanma.

Baki Hanma.

He could be slow with sarcasm, but only at first. The more he S/O uses, the more he understands it and can read between the lines of the situation.

He gets to a point where he knows all of his go-to S/O phrases, what they annoyed faces come to mean and what he needs to say to get them to relax.

Baki will be able to turn to his S/O and determine if they is uncomfortable, angry, or just bored. That's how good he is.

Baki doesn't mind that his S/O isn't expressive as long as they're able to communicate with him. If they decide to do it through sarcasm and comments with a certain pessimistic charge, then that's fine for him.

He sometimes worries about his S/O, he knows it's easy to misunderstand his partner; by what they says or by the gestures they makes, so he tries to be by they side most of the time.

Musashi Miyamoto.

I feel like it would be confusing for him, his S/O's satirical speeches sound bites and he doesn't understand why they are that way, however he doesn't do much to understand.

He likes the S/O's sharp way of speaking and expressing themselves. He doesn't question it because he still enjoys it.

He doesn't talk much and occasionally stands by just watching it all, letting his S/O be how they want to be; he reacts violently if anyone has a problem with his S/O way of being, as well.

He may not really get what's behind the façade of his partner, but he understands that there's more to it. Feelings that are not projected directly, he knows they are there, but he doesn't know exactly what they are.

He will simply stay by his side and keep them company, maybe it will help to accompany them when necessary. Let his S/O be as they wish to be, he will be there for them.

Oliva Biscuit.

He will take all his S/O has to give; love, hate, affection, selflessness, whatever is fine with him as long as he has to do with his beloved.

He's no stranger to sarcasm, he gets it and it clicks almost instantly, his brain works so fast when it comes to his love, so he'll know what's going on in the moment.

His life goal is for his S/O to have the most fulfilling and happy days that he can give them, so he will do whatever it takes to make them happy.

If their behavior only masks something else, Oliva will already know and act around said thing, he wants to make them happy.

A moment of silence, time away from crowds, something to entertain themselves with, some gift, whatever can best his S/O mood will be at his disposal.

Yujiro Hanma.

He's as comfortable with this as a fish in water. Yujiro can clearly see people's illnesses/illnesses, it's a child's game to decipher his S/O.

He doesn't bother it most of the time, in fact, he likes it most of the time. That condescending and dismissive tone suits his partner perfectly.

What if you make cruel gestures or roll your eyes? He's enjoying it too much, you're just randomly talking and commenting, but he seems to be having fun listening to you.

And if you do it with him? It's like you dare him! He loves it, even though he knows what you mean he will take it as an invitation to be wild.

He likes to see how far you'll go before you decide to let him be, it's the best of his day. He is a nuisance.

Versión en español.

Baki Hanma.

Él podría ser algo lento con el sarcasmo, pero solo al inicio. Mientras más lo usa su S/O, más lo entiende y puede leer entre líneas la situación.

Llega a un punto en que sabe todas las frases recurrentes de su S/O, lo que sus caras de fastidio llegan a significar y el que debe decir para que se relaje.

Baki podrá voltear hacia su S/O y determinar si esta incómoda, enojada o solo aburrida. Así de bueno es.

A Baki no le molesta que su S/O no sea expresiva, siempre y cuando sea capaz de comunicarse con él. Si decide hacerlo por medio del sarcasmo y comentarios con cierta carga pesimista, pues está bien para él.

A veces se preocupa por su S/O, sabe que es fácil malinterpretar a su pareja; por lo que diga o por los gestos que haga, por lo que procura estar a su lado la mayor parte del tiempo.

Musashi Miyamoto.

Siento que es sería confuso para él, los discursos satíricos de su S/O suenan mordaces y no entiendo por qué es de esa forma, sin embargo, no hace mucho para entender.

Le gusta la aguda forma de hablar y expresarse de su S/O. No lo cuestiona porque igual lo disfruta.

No habla mucho y ocasionalmente se queda al margen simplemente observándolo todo, dejando a su S/O ser como quiere ser; reacciona violentamente si alguien tiene algún problema con la forma de ser de su S/O, además.

Puede que no capte realmente lo que hay detrás de la fachada de su pareja, pero entiende que hay algo más. Sentimientos que no se proyectan directamente, sabe que están ahí, pero no sabe cuáles son con exactitud.

Simplemente se quedará a su lado y le hará compañía, quizá sirva de algo acompañarle cuando sea necesario. Que su S/O sea como desee ser, él estará ahí para ellos.

Oliva Biscuit.

Él tomará todo lo que su S/O tenga para dar; amor, odio, cariño, desinterés, lo que sea esta bien para él siempre y cuando tenga que ver con su amada.

No es ajeno al sarcasmo, lo comprende y hace "clic" casi al instante, su cerebro trabaja tan rápido cuando se trata de su amor, por lo que sabrá que sucede en el momento.

Su objetivo de vida es que su S/O tenga los días más satisfactorios y felices que puede darle, por lo que hará lo que sea para contentarle.

Si su comportamiento solo enmascara alguna otra cosa, Oliva ya lo sabrá y actuara al rededor de dicha cosa, quiere hacerles feliz.

Un momento de silencio, tiempo lejos de multitudes, algo con lo que entretenerse, algún regalo, lo que sea que pueda mejor el humor de su S/O estará a su disposición.

Yujiro Hanma.

Está tan cómodo con esto como pez en el agua. Yujiro puede ver con claridad las enfermedades/padecimientos de las personas, le resulta un juego para niños descifrar a su S/O.

No le molesta la mayor parte del tiempo, de hecho, le gusta la mayor parte del tiempo. Ese tono condescendiente y despectivo le queda perfecto a su compañero.

¿Y si haces gestos crueles o pones los ojos en blanco? Lo está disfrutando demasiado, solo estás hablando y comentando al azar, pero él parece estarse divirtiendo al escucharte.

¿Y si lo haces con él? ¡Es como si lo desafiaras! Le encanta, aunque sabe lo que quieres decir lo tomara como una invitación para ser salvaje.

Le gusta ver hasta donde llegaras antes de que decidas dejarlo ser, es lo mejor de su día. Es un fastidioso.

[thewritetofreespeech]

Hello. Could I make a request for a Sonny x reader? Long or short as you'd like. Maybe something where it's a very new relationship and she falls pregnant. Maybe she hides it, worried about it, he says he wants kids but not now. Thankyou in advance.

You really didn’t want to do this here, but you had no other choice.

Sonny’s work schedule was so hectic that it was hard to get a hold of him. He answered when you called, of course, and made apologies & promises that you’d meet up soon. That of course didn’t happen, which was why you were at the squad room now.

“Sonny,” he, Fin, Rollins and Oliva all turn around when you call his name. All equally surprised to find you standing there. “Can I…talk to you for a minute?”

“[Y/N], yeah I uh….we were just about to go pick up this suspect but….”

“No, that’s ok Carisi. Fin and Rollins can go pick ‘em up. You two can talk in my office.” Olivia interjected. Seeming to sense that what you had to say was important and best done in private.

Sonny gave her a quick thank you and then showed you into the office. Opening the door for you, and closing it behind, before he asked. “What’s up? If this is about blowing off the other night, I’m really sorry. I thought I could get off, then this girl came in, and-“It’s alright Sonny.”

You don’t need to hear the explanation. It’s not the first time in your short relationship that it’s happened, and should you keep dating it wouldn’t be the last. You took a deep breath and decided you should get started. “I went to the doctor today.”

Sonny’s expression peaked, and he immediately asked, “what? Are you sick? Is…Is everything ok cause…”

“Yeah I’m fine I’m just…..I’m pregnant.” There was probably a better way to tell him, but you figured you might as well jump in feet first.

The look on his face was clearly one of shock. With good reason. The two of you hadn’t been dating long, only starting to have sex a few months ago. Sonny wanted to be a gentleman and take things slow. You’d used protection. Been careful. Yet one faulty condom and here you were: pregnant and your boyfriend looking like he was going to have a panic attack.

“Oh…oh we….we gotta get married.”

“What?!” That was not the first thing you expected out of Sonny’s mouth after he seemed to panic work through the scenario in his head.

“We gotta get married.” Ok. So he did say that and did not have an aneurism. “Your pregnant. We gotta do the right thing here and get married.”

“ ‘Do the right thing?’ What is this, 1950? I didn’t tell you so you’d make an ‘honest woman outta me’. I just thought you should know.” That seemed like the right thing to do.

“Look, kids need a mom and a dad, and a stable home. You think my ma’ is gonna let her son have a child out of wed lock? It’s blasphemy. She’ll kill me!”

“So you want to marry me so your mom won’t yell at you?!”

“No! I just….” The shouting match between you and Sonny comes to a halt as he took a deep breath and reset his feet. “This is just very sudden, and happening kind of fast, and I don’t know what to do.”

“Well…neither do I.” You’d never been pregnant before. Nothing like this had ever happened to you before. “But…we have options….”

Sonny looked up from the floor with a wide-eyed look. “You can’t be serious. I can’t let you do that.”

“Can’t?”

“You know what I mean.” He snapped at you. “I get that it’s your body and your choice but….it’s my kid too.”

“And you wanna have a kid. Right now?”

“I don’t….I don’t know.” It was an honest answer.

The two of you talked about it but both agreed that a family was a far-off dream for now. When you talked you both weren’t even sure that either of you would be in the picture when that became a reality. Just a general agreement that you both wanted one in the future. Now here you were. Making decisions on your future that would irrevocably be linked forever.

You take a deep breath and sigh, before sitting on Olivia’s couch. “I don’t think I could go through with it anyway. So I guess you don’t have to worry about that.” Sonny heaved a sigh, and his shoulders relaxed a bit. “But, I don’t know what to do Sonny. This is…huge. And I don’t want you to feel pressured into anything. I swear I didn’t plan this.”

“I know. I know.” Sonny reassured you as he sat down beside you on the couch. “Look, it is what it is. Maybe this wasn’t planned but maybe it’s a…a blessing. People don’t plan for rainbows, and look how happy that makes them.”

You snicker once at the remark. “That is the chessiest thing I think you’ve ever said to me.” But it did make you smile. “I’m not marrying you.” You told him. “Not now. I don’t want our proposal story to be that you panic proposed in a police precinct because you thought your mom would yell at you.” It was Sonny’s turn to smile now.

He scooched closer and wrapped his arm around you. Kissing your temple as he gave you a hug. “Ok. We’ll cross that bridge, if and when, we come to it. I love you [Y/N]. We’re gonna make it through this.”

You smile up at Sonny and give him a hug back. Maybe this wasn’t planned, but you were sure it was gonna be alright.

[umekawa-eve]

01 How did you meet part2

Characters: Guevara, Musashi, Tokugawa, SPEC, Dorian, Yanagi, Oliva

JUN GUEVARA

You don't know what's wrong with you, but you decide to take a trip to a middle-of-nowhere island in Central America before you graduate, despite everyone around you trying to dissuade you from going to an island with a black travel alert, but with the spirit of John Chau's ※ traveling to North Sentinel Island, India in an attempt to convert the tribe to Christianity, you went on the cruise

(※Note: John Allen Chau was an American Evangelical Christian missionary who was killed by the Sentinelese, a self-isolated uncontacted people, after illegally traveling to North Sentinel Island, India in an attempt to convert the tribe to Christianity.)

Although your end is not as tragic as that of John Chau, but it can also be described by the word "tragedy".

First, on a cruise to this island nation, you and your fellow passengers are robbed by pirates. You're in your room, working on your graduation thesis in psychology, and all of a sudden, your door is kicked in and men with rifles are yelling at you to bring out your valuables.

"Take whatever you want, but please don't bother me to study." You said coldly. You've been impatient with study, and now you've had a robbery that makes you even more unpleasant.

"Stop talking shit, take out all your money!" said the big guy who took the lead, still pointing his gun at you threateningly.

You laughed, and the laughter was pleasant, but the tone was light mockery, not so much a mockery of them as it was your own mockery of yourself.

"Anyway, my life sucks, and shoot me if you want. I don‘t care." You said, "After so many years of study, so many exams, and so many school debts, I still have to take the qualification exam for a Psychologist. Ah, I really want to die. I would rather die."

How ironic, you think, that psychology students are the ones who need to see a psychiatrist the most.

"Oh my god, are you okay?" he asked. His expression of surprise was masked by a bushy beard that did not fit his infant's face.

When your throat tightened, tears almost came out of your eyes. Yet you hold back your sadness, raise your head, and sniff hard because all the decisions you've made in your life have one goal in mind—not to show weakness.

"I'm fine." you whispered, but your voice didn't sound really fine.

In the end, they feel sorry for you, so they don't rob you. Instead, they comfort you and invite you to dinner on the island, which you also accept without any sense of danger (students lose their minds when they hear about free meals).

The place for the dinner was the house of the big guy with a baby face, whose name was Seth. Seth's wife Jenna has prepared a feast for you and the rest of Seth's pals, filled with local dishes.

To be honest, for you who usually have heavy schoolwork and can only eat fast food, although these dishes are not delicious, they are very delicious. Jenna stuffed your plate with a lot of food, and everything was delicious.

"Y/N, you're a college student, right? What department do you study in college?" Seth was particularly interested.

"Psychology." you replied.

"Then do you know what I'm thinking now?"

"…pardon?"

"Aren‘t you studying psychology?" Seth said. "You must be able to read minds, right?"

"Even though you study Economics doesn't mean you are rich."

Everyone laughed.

When everyone is full, Jenna serves dessert, but you can't eat anything, so you decide to take a walk outside.

You just want to hang around seth's house at first, but as a road idiot(a phrase in the Asian community, it means someone who has no sense in direction), you accidentally come to a beach, seth's house has long disappeared without a trace.

"Damn, road idiot really can't go out alone."

You sigh but decide to sit on the beach for a while before leaving, looking up at Orion, the only constellation you recognize.

The wind whipped up the water, and it looked spectacular. The undulating waves stretch to the far horizon, and the sea appears to be breathing to you. As if it also had a spirit, shifting its paces, whispering softly, patting lightly on the long and narrow lakeshore covered with shiny black pebbles. Except for the sound of the waves blowing across the shore, the water was eerily silent.

But suddenly, you feel water dripping onto your head.

Is it raining?

You look up, and you see a man standing on the headland, peeing, and the urine is still coming at you.

You quickly back away, dodging the yellow liquid.

"You fucking imbecile! Go to the goddamn toilet if you want to excrete!!" you yell at the man on the headland.

The man is taken aback by your sudden shouting, looks down, and puts things back immediately after seeing you.

"Sorry! Didn't see you there!" The man showed an apologetic smile.

"Damn it!" You endured nausea and took off your urine-stained coat and then said to the man, "What's the use of the police if a single word of apology can solve the problem?"

"Then what do you want me to do?" The man scratched the back of his head as if he was troubled.

You think for a while, then answer: "Are you an islander here? Can you take me to the JG Hotel?"

"Okay, but you should change your clothes first. My house is nearby."

"Are you trying to abduct me to your house, kill me and then dismember me?"

"Today is indeed a good day for the dead."

"That doesn’t sound right."

The man shrugged. "I'm fine with that if you don't mind walking around in clothes that smell like urine. And it's a long way from the JG Hotel."

Well, you really don't want to walk around in clothes that smell like urine, and it's really uncomfortable to have wet clothes clinging to your body, so you take the man's offer anyway.

(A/N: Please don’t follow strangers as y/n did.)

You walk to the headland, and that's when you see him for the first time. He was tall and muscular, with fairly strong muscles, which made his clothes look extra small; his thin face made him more prominent with cheekbones and a high nose; his hair was long straight black, about your age.

"Ah, I can tell that you are a beautiful lady just by your voice." he said to you with a smile, every syllable like flirting.

Unfortunately, you don't buy it. "Ah, I can tell that you are a jerk just by your voice." you said bitterly.

"You broke my heart, dear." he said.

"You just pee on me. Do you want me to thank you?"

You two just arguing like this on the way to his home.

"You can't just walk down the street. Let me run some water for you first." With that, he takes you into the bathroom, walks to the bathtub, turns on the faucet, and the hot water gushes into the bathtub. "I'll get you some clothes."

"Why are you still here?" you ask. "Do you want to watch me taking shower?"

He showed a shit-eating grin, "If you don't mind, I can also bath with you."

"Okay, okay, our conversation is over," you said as you pushed him out of the bathroom.

When the bathroom is all alone, you finally take off your clothes, turn off the tap and step into the tub, into the water. When you wash, the water in the tub gets dirty. You put clean water in it to flush your head and face clean. Then you lie there and stare out the bathroom window at the courtyard, enjoying the caresses of the hot water.

The next second, the bathroom door was knocked, and a voice came from outside the door: "I left the bath towels and clothes outside. Come out and get them, I won't look at you."

You said "ok" and waited until he was far away before opening the door to get the bath towel and clothes. You dry yourself from head to toe with a towel, then put on a T-shirt and shorts, but his shorts are too big for you and slip off immediately, so you just don't wear them, and the T-shirt is big enough to cover your upper thighs anyway.

After getting dressed, you walked out of the bathroom, only to find that he had been waiting outside the door for a long time.

As soon as he saw you, he whistled and said with a sly smile, "Wanna hook up? I can send you straight to heaven."

"I can also send you straight to hell ♡!" you said sweetly.

This is how you met Guevara.

MIYAMOTO MUSASHI

(Musashi: I don’t know. I never think of this question QAQ)

You are the granddaughter of Tokugawa Mitsunari, and you were sent to grandpa's house in Tokyo by your parents during the summer vacation, and you also met Miyamoto Musashi at this time.

When you heard grandpa Tokugawa Mitsunari say that this black-haired man with murderous eyes was Miyamoto Musashi, you laughed out loud, thinking that grandpa was just kidding you.

How could it be, you thought, Miyamoto Musashi was already dead, wasn't he? And the Miyamoto Musashi in your imagination is not like this at all. The Musashi in your mind should be like "Vagabond", not the man who looks slightly like a Ukiyo-style painting.

Until Musashi "slashed" you, of course, he didn't really cut you with a sword, he just made you consciously feel that you were cut. But this is enough to convince you that the person in front of you is Musashi.

"Do you believe it now, brat?" Musashi asked.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have suspected you, but please don't slash me with your consciousness again." you said.

Musashi nodded, but still "slashed" you.

"You fuc--"

You were stopped by Tokugawa Mitsunari before you could finish. "Y/N, pay attention to your words and deeds, you can't be so rude to your elders."

You puffed out your cheeks and whispered why you were being blamed for no reason.

Tokugawa Mitsunari suggested again: "Instead of complaining here, why don't you walk around with Musashi? You don’t have anything better to do anyway. "

So, you have to take Musashi out for a walk.

"If you do that imitation cut again," you threatened in a low voice, "I'll throw you on the streets of Tokyo."

"I will take you with me."

"Is this the greatest swordsman of the Edo period? No wonder you never had a wife."

"How dare you?!"

"Looks like I hit someone nerve here."

"Forget it, I don't bother arguing with a kid. Can you explain what that is?"

You look in the direction Musashi is pointing, only to see a white-haired man in plain black outfit with sunglasses strutting down the street while eating a crepe.

"That's a handsome guy who looks like Gojo Satoru." you say.

"I mean what he has in his hands."

"That's a crepe. What? You want it?"

"It look like delicious."

So you went to buy a crepe with a pudding flavor, and ate it with relish directly in front of Musashi.

"Who told you to use your imitation cut to me? I won't buy it for you."

Musashi isn't mad about it, but he uses his height advantage to take your crepe and take a bite.

He commented: "This crepe is delicious."

"I'm going to kill you! You crepe thief!" You tiptoed and held up your hands, trying to get your crepe back from him.

As a result, you lost your balance and fell forward, but fortunately Musashi caught you. He hugged your waist and stabilized your body. You're overwhelmed by the sudden intimacy, your cheeks blushing uncontrollably, your heart racing.

Seeing your reaction, Musashi chuckled and said jokingly, "Just a touch makes you so blush, haven't you ever been touched by another man?"

You pushed him away immediately and took a few steps back. "I've had a boyfriend, okay?"

"What do you mean by boyfriend?"

"Uh, it means lovers."

"It's unimaginable! There are people who like arrogant and unreasonable women like you."

"Go to hell."

Then he "slashed" you again.

You really want to kill him (if you have that ability).

TOKUGAWA MITSUNARI

-i cant. i just cant. Swarry.

SPEC

-He likes feeding you bullets♡

DORIAN

- do you want candy?

YANAGI RYŪKŌ

-Musashi: What is the answer?

-Yanagi: It's oxygen.

-Doppo: It's wooden chopsticks and paper bags! !

-Yujiro: It's Iaido.

-Ryuu kaiou(probably): It's tofu.

-Doppo: It's David the Giant!

-Ali: It's JoJo (?)

-You: The truth is Jack's dentures.

-Some random dude: It's Hanayama.

BISCUIT OLIVA

- His heart is so small that there is only room for Maria.

[storyofmychoices]

Wish List

[Bryce Lahela x Olivia Hadley Masterlist]

Pairing: Bryce Lahela x Olivia Hadley (F!OC) Book: Open Heart  Word Count: ~600 Rating: General—Fluff, Christmas/holiday

Prompts: @choicesdecemberchallenge2021 : holiday wish list

Synopsis: Olivia is making a list and checking it twice of what she wants most this Christmas. Inspired by this post.

Bryce hummed his appreciation, turning toward where her lips met his cheek. His eyes closed, expecting to find the heat of her embrace. Instead, he found nothing but the cool air he breathed in through his now open mouth.

Olivia's pencil moved lightly over the clipboard she held in her hands. "Interesting." She nodded to herself, deep in thought. She looked up at Bryce for a moment, giving little consideration to his perplexed expression. She returned her focus to the notes she seemed to be recording.

"Liv?"

Her lips pulled at the sound of her name. She leaned forward, brushing a chaste kiss on his other cheek, pulling back once more. "Yes?"

"Uh—" He rubbed the back of his neck. "What're you doing?"

"Making a list," she stated simply, attending instead to the paper.

"And checking it twice?" He teased. His fingers grazed the top of the clipboard, attempting to sneak a peek. "What is it?"

"Nuh-uh," she admonished, holding it closer to her chest. "Not yet. It's not ready." She booped the tip of his nose with her finger, following it with another soft kiss. Her brow rose as she moved back, "fascinating."

"Not that I don't mind the attention, but—what are you doing?" He questioned again.

Liv held up her finger, silencing him. "An experiment."

"I thought you were making a list?" Bryce shook his head in confusion.

"Can't it be both?" She shrugged, her head shifted slightly to the side. "Almost finished."

"With what?"

Gently, Olivia brushed the strands of hair from his face, pressing a lingering kiss on his forehead. For a moment, she forgot about the clipboard. Her lips drifted down toward his. The heat of his breath tangled with hers. Their noses brushed together as she rested her forehead against his.

The skin around her eyes wrinkled. This was everything—he was everything—and she knew that he felt the same way. What they had was true. No matter what happened, where life took them—the good, the bad, and everything in between—they remained. They chose one another every day as they would continue doing for the rest of their lives.

Her cheeks warmed as she pulled away one last time, making final alterations to the document on her clipboard.

"You're killing me, Liv!" Bryce groaned, his fingers threading through his hair.

"Okay, it's ready." She chewed the corner of her lip.

He exhaled deeply, not sure what to expect, but he was certainly curious at this point.

"All that I need—" She flipped the clipboard toward him, revealing a sketch of the two of them kissing under mistletoe. "—the only thing on my wish list."

His eyes glistened at her words and illustration. "I thought you said it was an experiment?" His brow arched as he attempted to temper the smirk playing on his lips.

"Just checking to make sure."

"Are you?" He took her hands in his own. His thumb brushed across her fingers, just below her engagement ring.

Her gaze drifted to the sparkling diamond he had given her a few months prior. "There was never any doubt. I choose you."

"Good." He lifted her hand, brushing a kiss across her knuckles. "I feel the same. You're my forever, Liv. I will always choose you."

She leaned forward, but now it was his turn to pull away. "Bryce?"

"Not yet," he teased, taking the clipboard in his hands. "I believe you gave me specific instructions." He tapped his finger over the mistletoe in the drawing. "Let's go see if we can make your wish a reality." He held his hand out for her. "I'm sure we can find some mistletoe around here somewhere."

Oliva clasped her hand in his, happy for this adventure that awaited them and all that would follow as they spent the rest of their lives chasing their forever.

This was just a silly little drabble. I saw the post and I couldn't get it out of my head for Bryce and Liv. I hope you enjoyed this.

Tags in a reblog. Please let me know if you'd like to be added or removed.

Edit:

A quick doodle of what Liv's drawing might have looked like. I HC that she loves sketching and doodling, but I think this might have been more stick figures... i mean how could she possibly focus on details when faced with kissing Bryce all over for science?!

[jerzwriter]

Hey, E! To shake things up, I would like to request number 41 from the 101 ways list for Olivia/TRR MC. I know you wanted her to be an LI (as I'm sure so did many other people), so I hope you'll be happy to write this little story! 🙂

Book: The Royal Romance

Pairing: Olivia Nevrakis x F!MC (Riley)

Rating: Teen

Category: Fluff with light angst

Summary: After setting out for a fun day in New York City, Riley needs to take some time to tend to Oliva’s wounds, which are more than skin deep.

Warnings: Discussion of verbal harassment, wound, blood, some cursing

Words: 1655

A/N: My laptop almost auto-corrected when I did not type Open Heart next to "book". Yes, this is my first TRR story. I’m nervously hitting “post-now” because this is not my comfort zone. This was prompted by the ask above “Let me see your scars.” I loved Olivia, and yes, I wish she had been an LI. So I hope I did this justice. But please, be kind… out… of… comfort… zone. 😊

A/N 2: I am also participating in this week’s @wackydrabbles, the prompt, “What’s in it for me?” can be found below.

CHARACTERS BELONG TO PIXELBERRY STUDIOS

If you wish to be added or removed from tags, please let me know. Comments and reblogs are always appreciated. 😊

“Would you wait! Olivia! You can’t just run off and atta… ahh!”

She should have known better. After all of her years of living in New York City, she knew that running through the subway in expensive heals was not a bright idea. Fortunately, a kindly older man, a true rarity in New York City, helped steady her just before she would have crashed into the pavement.

“Thank you! Thank you, sir,” she gasped. She took barely a second to catch her breath before taking off again.

“Miss! You shouldn’t be running like that in those heels!”

She looked at the steep staircase coming up ahead, and she knew the man was right. Her heels would really slow her down. She looked at the dirty ground beneath her and grumbled to herself.

“Aaagh! You give me no choice!”

The gentleman looked on in horror, “Miss! You really don’t want to run around barefoot! You must not be from around here!”

“I used to be,” she smiled over her shoulder as he disappeared from sight. “Oliva! The messes you get me into.”

She finally made it up to the street, where a symphony of car horns, distant sirens, and blaring music greeted her. Despite her current situation, a smile slowly spread across her face.

“God, I miss home!”

The moment of reprieve ended when she heard the muffled pleas of a man begging for mercy a short distance away.

And that is where I will find Olivia!

She slipped her shoes back onto her feet and ran in the direction of the whimpering and tears.

“Olivia! What are you doing?”

“I’m teaching this pathetic excuse of life a lesson.”

“OLIVIA! Stop it! Stop… let him go!”

“Like hell I will! Not after what he did to you.”

“Liv, the punishment is not befitting of the crime. Sure, he’s a misogynistic pig, but he didn’t hurt me!”

“Really?” Olivia said, tightening her grasp around the man’s necktie. “Maybe that’s because I was there! Maybe that’s because there were too many witnesses. Maybe next time he sees someone, he will believe he can get away with more. And I’ll make sure that next time….”

“Oliva put the freaking knife away. Now!” Olivia did not comply, and Riley was growing impatient. “I said NOW!”

Reluctantly, Olivia set the man free, but not before pushing into the brick wall behind him to render one final punishment before she did.

“You’re crazy,” the man screamed as he ran off. Nearly getting hit by a yellow cab in his eagerness to flee.

“You want to see crazy! Come back, here. I will show you crazy.”

“She really will!” Riley agreed, “Don’t come back. Keep running if you know what’s good for you.”

Olivia turned to Riley with fire in her eyes.

“Why did you force me to let him go?” She snapped.

“I didn’t exactly force you to do anything,” Riley grinned, “I strongly encouraged.”

Olivia’s lips pursed as she shook her head furiously. Her facial expressions turned from anger to frustration, then finally, acceptance.

“You know that’s enough!” She protested, “I don’t know what it is about you! You push hard enough, and you can get anything you want from me.”

Riley giggled, her cheeks red as she looked up at Olivia from under her lashes.

“Oh, I think you know exactly what it is about me,” she smirked. She gently took her lover’s hand in hers. But the smirk disappeared when she felt a slick, wetness spreading on her palm.

“Olivia!” She shrieked, “You’re bleeding!”

Olivia pulled her hand away and held it up to her face to examine the cut.

“This is nothing,” she said as blood ran down her wrist. “Don’t worry. It was accidentally self-inflicted. That pathetic little flea was unarmed.” She shook her head in disgust, “He didn’t even know how to show up for a knife fight.”

Riley let out a deep, exasperated sigh. “Come with me!” she said, leading her girlfriend to the steps of a nearby brownstone.

“What are you doing?” Olivia asked as Riley rifled through her purse.

“Looking for my first-aid kit.”

Olivia’s brows shot up, “You carry a first-aid kit?”

Riley glared up at her. “You carry around 16 knives and switchblades on any given day. If I’m dating you, it’s best to be prepared.”

Olivia laughed softly as Riley tended to her wound.

“What are you laughing about? You’re the only person I know who laughs while someone is pouring peroxide on their wound!”

“Oh, Riley. This is child’s play, don’t insult me. Plus, we have very different ideas about what we need to carry to be prepared.”

Riley snorted, “You can say that again. Gauze and antiseptic for me, and back to the sixteen knives or switchblades for you.”

“It’s thirty! At least thirty. And who uses a switchblade, they are cumbersome. Although, they are good for show. Perhaps I’ll add one to my arsenal.”

“You mean wardrobe?”

“Exactly,” she grinned.

After wrapping the bandage securely, Riley moved up and sat next to Oliva on the steps.

“Why did you go after him?”

“Because he verbally assaulted you! I don’t know what makes men feel they have the right to speak to women like that. But no one is speaking to you like that and getting away with it.”

“I know. And I agree with you, but it was only words….”

“It’s never only words, Riley. Never. It’s a way to get in your mind, to make you feel less, a subtle threat to remind you that they believe you exist solely for their pleasure. It was the middle of the day, and we were together, but what if you were alone at night? How would you have felt?”

Riley sighed and looked down at the ground. “I know, Liv, but you can’t beat up every man that acts inappropriately. We’d really never have time to get anything else done.”

“Well, I wish we could,” Olivia said sadly. Her cheeks reddened, and she bit her lip softly, looking away from a concerned Riley. She had never seen this look on Olivia before. She was… shaken.

“Liv… talk to me.”

“I’ve never had anyone who really mattered, OK? You know the story. My parents, my family… you’re the first person I care for who cares back for me just as strongly. You’re the first person I believe when they say they love me. So I’m sorry, Riley, but I will destroy anyone and anything that threatens you, and I will take pleasure in doing so.”

“Olivia,” Riley sighed, placing a comforting arm around her shoulder and pulling her near. “I’m here, baby. I’m not going anywhere.”

Unable to reply, Olivia looked into Riley’s eyes then laid her head on her shoulder. She smiled as Riley comfortingly ran her fingers through her auburn locks and planted several soft kisses on the top of her head. These acts of tenderness and feelings of comfort were a whole new world to her, but she found that she was getting used to it. But the more she let herself give in, the greater her fear became of anything taking Riley away.

“Liv?”

“Hmm,” Olivia muffled.

“Let me see your scars.”

“What?” she queried as she shot upright. “You cleaned my wound. It was only one. Do you think that pathetic little rodent was going to hurt me?”

“No,” Riley laughed, “No. Not that one.”

Olivia offered a saucy smile. “Well, I believe you’ve seen enough of me that you have seen the others by now, too.”

“No, silly,” Riley blushed. “I’m talking about the wounds we can’t see. The scars you carry inside of you.”

Olivia cast her eyes downward and looked away, but Riley was not having it. She lovingly touched her chin and directed her gaze back to her own.

“Olivia, look at me. I love you, and I am here for the long haul. I want to take care of you as much as you want to take care of me, and, for you, I think that means healing those wounds. Let me in, Liv. Let me help you feel safe; feel free.”

“I don’t know if you want to go someplace that dark,” she replied.

“I think it’s just hard for you to accept that you finally have someone who will face the darkness with you.”

Olivia looked up and smiled, “Fine. So I let you in, and you get to see the deepest parts of me. You’ll probably want to go to a shrink,” Olivia shuddered.

“Probably,” Riley laughed.

“All of this for you, Riley,” she said sarcastically, “And what’s in it for me?”

Riley bit her lip and chuckled, slowly leaning into Olivia.

“I think you know that answer,” she whispered as she leaned forward and brushed their lips together. Olivia pulled her back when she went to pull away, allowing them to escape into their own little world while they shared a slow, tender kiss.

“HEY! YOU TWO!! GET A ROOM!” A man yelled from a window across the street.

And, that little world was gone. They broke apart laughing.

“And you think I’m not tough? I lived here, Olivia!”

“Please, a child of five from Lythikos could put all of these people in their place.”

“I’m sure they could,” Riley laughed. “But for today, can this girl from Lythikos and this girl from New York just enjoy some time in my hometown together? Without the potential of arrest for assault?”

“I suppose, for you,” Oliva smirked. She stood up and offered her hand to Riley. “Let’s go!”

“Let’s. So, what do you want to see first?”

“I don’t know. Anything but the Statue of Liberty. Liam has gone on and on about it since birth. What is the big deal, really?”

Riley smiled, their hands were entwined, and they were just two tourists in love, and this was precisely the day she had dreamed of.

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