#i should. log on to my multi sometime soon...

[byanyan]

for whatever reason, tumblr has been recommending me a bunch of frozen blogs lately and it's making me miss my elsa 🥺

[sashi-ya]

𝑻𝑶 𝑺𝑻𝑬𝑨𝑳 𝑨 𝑯𝑬𝑨𝑹𝑻. Trafalgar Law x F! Reader

🌨 a/n: so I recently been to Austria, a country I often visit since it's literally like a dream. (plus, my mom knew she was pregnant with me there, so I was used to come back to Innsbruck as much as I could with her). But in any case I got inspired there to write this little fic, that might -or not- be a multi chapter one if you all like it. The place exists and the scam part, happened to me -kinda, the airbnb existed, but not as it was listed :P- but in any case, please enjoy and don't forget to leave some feedback if you want more~ ❄ tw: a very sfw story, that might evolve into something else if you want me to keep writing about their trip 😏 ☃ wc: 2.6k

Hijacking for the first time, what could go wrong? Maybe everything, maybe nothing.

A two-month long trip all around Europe has found you on a little village of Austria. Your boots are cold, but luckily they are snow proof ones. Your skin all bumpy, your cheeks irritated. It’s been snowing all night, and despite the sun rising for now, some clouds in the sky menace with more white blessing to fall upon your shoulders very soon.

Those little mountain streets around the Alps are wonderful, they surround mountains going up and down and in a spiral way. But those are wonderful, as long as you can drive a car with heating. And you don’t have one right now.

The crunchy sound of the snow beneath your boots mix with the melody of a glacial river running in between the mountain and the road. It is certainly beautiful, the little rocks and stones being bathed by such pure and cold water, the rests of dry leaves and some moss growing on an everlasting shadow casted by tall, enormous peaks.  Everything is worth taking a picture, but you should prioritize your battery life this time around. The GPS is sometimes wonky, being that high can affect the service.

Many cars have passed by, but none of them have stopped. Little lorries carrying logs pass, cars completely drenched in dirty snow and that mix of salt that roads have during winters.

However, just when your hopes for finding someone to at least give you a ride to the next village were about to run out, the yellow shine of an old VW ban flashes before your eyes.

There, behind a curve -a very dangerous one if you ever went to the mountains- something smells like smoke and a tall man of white furry hat swears up to the skies.

You walk towards him, carefully. Who knows what is happening? Who knows who that man is capable of? There is one thing you are sure, however, and it is that this man is absolutely mad at his old van.

When peaking behind a dark wooden tree that’s now covered in spots of white snow, you discover the annoyed man is a young -handsome- one.

His van, a little rusty but still cute, seems to be having problems to keep going and the smoke coming from it shows it very well.

“Sir? Sir! Your van is catching fire!” you announce, realizing the smoke is indeed a very serious issue.

The guy of chocolate skin and tattooed hands turns around to look immediately at you and then to the back of the van. Those 70’s vehicles had actually their engines right in the back instead of the front.

And Indeed, you were right. Apparently the climb had been too tough for the poor old VW and its engine couldn’t take it any longer.

He quickly opens the back door, maybe searching for a fire extinguisher while you grab fistfuls of snow in an attempt to put down the incipient flames. Quickly enough, and with not many damages to count, the fire stops, and the only thing left is a big black spot on the back of the caravan.

“Thank you” he says, as dry as hopefully your socks. “No problem. What happened? Did the engine over heat?” you ask, curious despite his “I don’t want friends” face. “Yes; these hills are no joke. This never happened to my Polar, but there is always a first time…” he sighs, assessing the damage with a sad expression.

Apparently his van has a name; “Polar”. That’s very cute, and his eyes too. A golden shine in them looks even beautiful with the pristine white around. His tattoos do as well. You wonder about his name, and what is he doing on the road, but you are not sure if it’s proper to ask. However, he asks first.

“What are you doing here? do you have a car?” he mumbles, his voice is as attractive as he is. His eyes scan the place, but nothing catches his attention.

“No, I am actually hijacking. No one stopped so I started walking before the sun starts going down. I definitely got scammed; the Airbnb I was supposed to stay in didn’t, in fact, exist.

He grunts, almost silently. Apparently he is not happy with what happened to you but that’s it.

“Well, that’s so unsafe. I am sorry I can’t give you a ride right now. Apparently none of us have been blessed with good luck today” he says, walking around his vehicle with long legs covered in spotted jeans.

You nod. Your tongue is aching to ask about him, but you clearly catch the hint… he doesn’t want you there.

“Yep. Well, I wish you luck! I must keep going” “Same to you, be careful”

He doesn’t even look at you, something that makes you -somehow- very sad. In any case, you start walking away. There is no point in staying there… even if you have great mechanical skills that could help.

And as you do, you also have a very, very loud consciousness voice screaming at you on how could you leave him with no solution if you know it…

“Sir, you should check your water level…”  you shout, a few meters away from him. The sound of your voice echoes in the huge natural immensity of the Alps and his golden eyes finally fall upon you.

He stops moving for some seconds, lost in you. You, as well, wait for him to say something else. Something like “stay with me” or “don’t go”. A total stranger you want to hang up with. A total unknown woman he wants to protect.

“You know how to fix this?” “I do…”

Or so that was what you thought.  

No more than a couple of minutes took you to help him out. VW vans are noble machines; they are durable and easy to fix despite their particular design. And soon, as a part of your payment, the man that you learned is called Law and you drove away through intricate roads and huge snowflakes.

“Where are you going, (Name)-ya?” he asks, handing you an old cover from an old comic, Germa 66.

“I was supposed to stay for a couple of days in Bad Goisern, and then I thought of visiting Salzburg. I am on a long trip through Europe. What about you?”  you ask, cuddling with the blanket. A certain blessing for your freezing hands.

He nods, checking the breaks before going down the hill.

“I am too. I just graduated medical school and I thought of taking a little vacation before my residency starts. I’m going to be a surgeon. A cardiac surgeon” he tells, full of dreams he fails to cover up behind a tough guy expression.

You celebrate his success, and the next couple of hours become a ping pong of questions and answers. A smile on your face that leaves your cheeks hurting accompanies you until the sun hides and the little lights on the mountains start to scatter.

You didn’t want to go down in the first village, nor the second, nor the third. Law, didn’t want you to go down his van either. You named Salzburg, and he promised you to take you there.

But the night found both of you, and apparently your mechanical skills weren’t as good as you thought the would… Polar decided to stop, in the middle of nowhere during a dark, very dark winter night.

You close your eyes as the sound of rusty gears fail and Law’s annoyance grows stronger than ever. When Polar finally loses all of the power, Law manages to agonizingly park on the side of the road and a huge sighs escapes his lips.

You peak through your left eye; his DEATH tattooed fingers squeeze the wheel, and you know he will snap at any moment. But he doesn’t…

“I’m sorry. I thought- I-“ you try to give a plausible apologize, even though you had nothing to do with it.

“No. It is not your fault… it is mine- As we didn’t stop, I have completely forgotten to fuel Polar up” Law says, absolutely mortified for such stupid mistake. Apparently you were enough distraction to keep him from the basics of road tripping.

You breath alleviated and try to stop your upcoming laughter. Your grimacing did nothing to hide it, and a big burst of laughter took over the van and everything around.

Law looks at you pissed, but a soft smirk garnishes his lips. You can’t stop, perhaps it isn’t that funny… but you feel so happy right now. And you have no idea why, since you are literally stranded in a very dark wood with temperatures below 0C and snow pooling on top of that van.

“Welp, it’s ok. We should wait until tomorrow, then” you say, knowing the risks. “You- you prefer spending the night in here? aren’t you afraid of dying?” he asks, surprised.

“I am, in fact, scared of dying. That’s why I know very well I can’t walk during a snowstorm in the middle of the night in the Alps. Plus, you are too sweet to be considered a threat” you joke, searching for some chocolate inside your backpack.

Law narrows his eyes, deepening his frown. Apparently being called “sweet” and “not a threat” is not something he enjoys.

“I could cut you open and took all of your organs out during the night” he says, serious as hell. “Go for it. Don’t forget to steal my heart, doctor” you laugh, taking your jacket off.

Law is flabbergasted; he has never confronted someone like you before… but he is beginning to like it now.

A bar of chocolate that you had kept in your backpack for too long lays too close to his nose. You shake it, offering its sweetness to him.

He takes it but doesn’t eat it. Instead, his hand gets pressed against the window behind you. Law has pinned you against the door of your side. He is not a very muscular man, but he is indeed very tall and lean… if he wanted, he could do anything to you.

Your eyes widen, big as the moon. You swallow, thinking maybe walking through the forest might be a safer option.

“L-Law… I- didn’t mean to-“ you tremble, asking yourself where did you put the Victorinox blade you bought in Switzerland… it should be enough to defend yourself, right?

You notice his chest is also tattooed as his clothes open just a little. His arms, are too. His scent, despite the danger, smells deliciously tempting…

“Don’t trust strangers that easily, (Name)-ya” he whispers, a few centimetres from your lips. Letting you go after and biting the chocolate bar as if nothing has just happened.

You remain there, frozen up with your eyes widen and your lips softly trembling. He is, in fact, very right. Law is indeed a stranger, after all.

When oxygen finally begins to reach your lungs and brain again, you move and blink the dry eyes away. Silently you sit back, properly. You aren’t able to say anything, somehow you have run out of words.

You squeeze the blanket he gave you, covering you as much as you could, making yourself as tiny as possible on that old leather seat.

“Are you ok?” he asks, so nonchalantly.

“Ye-yes, I’m… ok” you mumble back, almost sticking yourself to the passenger door. “Is it ok if I go to sleep? I’m tired”

Law nods, confused. Maybe he was just joking around, but it did scare you big time. He goes down the van and opens the back doors. You look at him disappearing in the darkness until a very little glimpse of silver light coming from the moon filters through the doors.

But, soon after, fairy lights illuminate the back allowing you to discover a very cozy space behind the front seats.

“I am glad I installed this independently from the fuel tank. I have a little power generator for the back. It’s not a hotel bed, but it does the job” he says, showing you a precarious mattress covering the entire floor of the vehicle.

You smile softly, it looks cozy and pretty. The walls are full of random posters and maps, and there is even an old picture of a younger Law with three more guys wearing fancy hats with something written in the snow. You take a closer look at it, to discover it says, “Pirates of Heart” and you giggle. What a peculiar gang name.

“Law, this is really cute. You even have a lot of blankets and cushions!” you chime, easing a little bit.

“My best friend Bepo decorated it for me, I only helped him with the lights” he says, a little embarrassed.

You jump right back, leaving your backpack in the front seat and forgetting everything for the moment. What a reckless lover girl.

“I am going to sleep in the front seat, don’t worry. Use as many blankets as you need” he informs you, closing the back doors and leaving you there. You most probably were to say “no, stay here” but you simply couldn’t.

After all, this tattooed doctor is a gentleman. Right?

You let yourself rest for a bit on that improvised bed, with your sight blurring while looking at the fairy lights. The scent of the blankets and pillows is the same as him, something you secretly enjoy without even knowing. You catch a glimpse of the reflection of him sitting in the front through the back windows, at how he takes his hat off revealing a dark shade of onyx spiky hair.

For the next half an hour, or maybe less, you both become silent. The only sounds are the huge slaps of snow falling from the sky against the van and the subtle whistle of the wind filtering through the doors.

It is cold, but it’s probably colder in the front as Law is only using his Germa 66 blanket to cover up…

“Law? Are you awake?” you ask, shyly.

“Mh? Yes... why?” he asks back, with not much emotion but a soft tremble on his voice. He is probably cold, very cold.

“I feel bad for you; you must be freezing. There is plenty of room back here, you could sleep here. It’s ok with me” you say, taking advantage of not being in front of him.

Law takes a few minutes to move, but he ultimately does. He hops to where you are and sits there crossing his long legs. He is not wearing his black leather boots, so you can see Sora’s socks.

“Cool socks” you say, sitting right in front of him watching his cheeks go blushed. “Here, cover up. You are freezing, doc”

Both of you cover up with heavy blankets and fall into the mattress at the same time, facing each other.

Maybe, it is too strong to deny it. The attraction is natural, and you both can’t stop it… Exactly like the wind and cold reaching your skins.

“I am still cold” you mumble.

“I read in one of my books that the best way to keep the warmth of our bodies is to share it… skin to skin” he whispers, unable to take his eyes away from your lips.

“Is that so?” you breathe, coming closer to his embrace, allowing his arms to surround your frame and your hips to join with the other’s.

His forehead slowly touches yours, the bridge of your noses do as well. Your fingers, playfully but slowly, crawl to the crook of his neck. While his, squeeze your waist with delicate dominance. A leg that snake into the other’s, crossing, tangling…

Lips coming closer, so close. Breaths warming up, going faster and bumpy. Hearts that indeed had been stolen, the first kiss of two strangers, meeting for the very first time like two snowflakes join while falling from an endless sky

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤWill they continue their journey together? 🦢

[curiouser--and--curiouser]

“Is it over? Is it really over?” | Mark Watney x Reader

Fictober 2023 Day 24 - “Is it over? Is it really over?”

Mark Watney x Reader

Warnings: making out, occasional swearing, use of Y/N, Matt Damon (Matt I hate you and your use of slurs, but why do you keep showing up in my favourite films? 😫)

A quiet day is usually hard to find at NASA, but since the rescue of stranded astronauts Mark Watney and Y/N L/N from Mars, things had certainly calmed down as the Hermes ship continued its almost year-long journey back to Earth, safe and sound.

Instead of calculating trajectories and plotting courses, the scientists at NASA now had a slightly more chilled job of combing through the hundreds of video logs made by the pair of astronauts during their time of exile. As soon as they arrived at the Ares IV MAV, the high-bandwidth connection on board was used to upload the diaries to Earth, to chronical their time on the red planet, but also provide the memory of their final living days in case the worst occurred during their rescue mission.

Thankfully, the worst did not happen.  

Vincent Kapoor and Mindy Park now crowded around an office computer scanning the videos for any important information they missed to be filed away for NASA’s future space missions. Annie Montrose kept an eye on them and the screen over their shoulders for anything she might be able to release to the public who continued to clamour for anything about life on Mars.

“Our own employees shit-talking the scientists of NASA and their advice to help save their lives maybe shouldn’t be broadcast to the world,” Annie lamented as Mindy shut off another video where Mark whined about an army of botanists trying to micro-manage his potatoes with a new growing technique and Y/N complained about the demanding engineers who critiqued her repairs on the rover and quote “wouldn’t know a wrench if they sat on one”.

“Self-awareness can be a refreshing approach for a government agency,” suggested Vincent, sarcastically, rubbing his eyes from the glare of the screen. Mindy laughed as Annie launched a pen at Vincent’s head in annoyance as she clicked on the next video. It began with Mark alone on the screen.

xxx

“So, nothing has caught fire in 15 sols, I think that’s a new record for us,” Mark always managed to sound cheerful on his video diaries no matter the situation. He could be smoking from an explosion, arm falling off and in the middle of a claustrophobia-induced argument with you, but still have a boyish smile on his face.

You couldn’t think of anyone better to be stuck on Mars with. His constant witty narration and array of new bold ideas to keep you both alive braved your unfathomable storms, even when you were close to giving up on ever returning home.

No wonder you fell for him.

And he fell for you too.

Some would say being stuck on a deserted planet with your crush would be a dream. Maybe not a dream, but the constant close quarters did force you both to admit your burgeoning feelings for each other and begin your relationship. Sure, the adrenaline-fuelled trauma bonding and distinct lack of personal space at all times sometimes felt like a wall, your patience with each other and resolve to overcome triumphed.

“Y/N should be back soon,” Mark continued, “it’s been pretty goddamn quiet without them here. I hope they get back soon, I’ve started talking to my potato plants again… Y/N, please come back soon.” You had been on a multi-Sol test-drive of the rover, trying to gently push its limits before the long pilgrimage that was to come. Mark loved your commitment to the rover, how you cared for it like your child - both your child - but all he wanted now was for you to return, safe and back in his arms.

Mark continued his daily report diligently - so diligently, in fact, that he was completely unaware of your early return back to the Hab.

All that could be seen on the screen was his eyes suddenly snapping to the side and widen with a gasp.

“Oh my God.”

In an instant, he was up and completely gone from the camera, but soon he returned, locked in a heated embrace with you.

You both crashed and clattered into the wall of the Hab; you straddling his thighs with your dusty suit rolled down, exposing your torso, and him laid almost completely flat on his desk chair, pulling you into him with all the force of a lonely lover finally reunited. Your lips moved with a frantic speed, making up for lost time, as your weathered and slightly dirty hands threaded through his hair. He clutched and squeezed all over your curves as he whispered affirmations of “God, baby, I missed you”, “fuck, I was so worried”, “I love you so much” between kisses.

Mark eventually broke away, only for a second, remembering in a panic that the computer was still recording. It took all his might to pull away from you, but you launched back in immediately, planting sloppy kisses down his neck. His eyes started to roll back with a sigh on his lips and his hand fumbled around for the computer’s off switch.

xxx

In all their years, the NASA employees had never been more shocked.

A simple briefing log quickly descended into softcore porn. But it was so hard to look away.

Mindy had her hands covering her eyes, but still secretly peeked between her fingers; this was by far the most interesting briefing she had ever been a part of.

“Is it over? Is it really over?” she asked worriedly from behind her hands. She got no response from Vincent who simply looked ahead, stunned and silent, no words to wipe their memories of what they just saw. An exasperated sigh sounded from Annie, her brow pinched within an inch of its life.

“No one release that one to the public.”

[melonyfelonyfellonme]

Daft (Re)Intro Post

(Re)Intro Post (bc this blog has risen from the dead and the vast majority of my moots haven't logged in for 5 years lmao RIP)

*******************

General Info

Name: Catie (but I don't mind CJ or Cate)

Pronouns: She/her

Age: 26

I currently live near Glasgow in Scotland, and am half Scottish/half Welsh

*******************

Interests

Writing (current WIP takes up a lottt of headspace, can't lie)

Reading (currently reading through Wheel of Time series)

Video games (I cannot stick to one game lmao so I'm replaying Elden Ring but also playing Atomfall and the new Assassin's Creed) but also expect tbh any kind of rpg or game I can play rogue class (for some reason????))

Music, including and especially Video Game Music (I've been to four video game music concerts in 2024, and it was the best time!!! I'll also be heading to the PlayStation Concert in Glasgow in April, and going down to Manchester to see TW3's concert in November this year, and we'll see what else turns up during the year too lmao

I'm also a percussionist and I sing, and don't tend to listen to only one genre (but I mostly gravitate to rock/metal/alt/etc)

Tabletop Gaming (currently play D&D, Vampire the Masquerade, and Fantasy Age but happy to check out other systems etc)

Eurovision (went to Liverpool in 2023, but honestly my commentary about it might be a lot quieter after last year)

Sports (mainly F1 and rugby, but sometimes football, basketball, etc)

Honestly anything sci-fi/fantasy ig; this blog should be multi-fandom but definitely expect LOTR/Wheel of Time/Crit Role etc

*********************

Where tf were you for 8 years then?

Twitter. Trying to move away from there bc honestly it's just shit for my mental health lol and it's also a midden anyways (but idk I'll likely stay, let's be honest. I'm @/catlise if ur curious)

I also have a Bluesky (@/melonyfell) that I need to use much more

*********************

Honestly, most things are in my bio, and I'll likely unpin this soon but most of this is gonna be delusional and/or sleep deprived ramblings

But if you want to ask me anything or just want a chat, feel free! I'm not likely to tell anyone to leave me alone (unless they're harmful/genuinely uncomfortably weird towards me lol)

[luci-in-trenchcoats]

Won’t You Stay (Part 16)

Summary: The movie has wrapped and is in post-production phase now. With a bit more free time, the reader and Jensen’s parents meet for the first time in Texas...

Masterlist

Square: Mirror Sex

Pairing: Jensen x Director!reader

Word Count: 4,000ish

Warnings: mature (language, anxiety, smut (protected sex, mirror sex))

A/N: Please enjoy! Also written for @spnkinkbingo​​

_____

Three Months Later

“Y/N, would you calm down. You’re gonna wear a hole in the floor,” said your mom as she moved about the kitchen. You whined and paced back over to the front room, glancing out the window. “Ethan. She’s doing it again.”

“Sweetie,” called your dad, popping up from the family room and walking around the corner to you. “They are the Ackles, not a pack of wolves.”

“I just really want this to go well,” you said. “They should have been here by now. Waco isn’t that far a drive from Dallas. Maybe they got screwed up with their hotel or something.”

“We told ‘em they could stay here. No use in having a guest room if the guests don’t use them,” said your dad. You looked over at him slowly, rolling your eyes. “That was a good one. I give it a 9.5.”

“Dad! My boyfriend’s family is not staying over our house! What were you thinking? What if they hate you! Or mom! I can’t believe you.”

“Direct a multi million dollar movie? She’s fine. Introduce her parents to her boyfriend’s parents? Apparently it’s the end of time as we know it.”

“Dad,” you groaned, your mom slipping away from the kitchen over to you. “Mom, why would you let him do this?”

“Why are you so nervous? We love Jensen and I’m sure we will love his family too,” she said. 

“Cause what if you guys don’t like each other?” you said.

“If we don’t, then we don’t. It doesn’t affect you and Jensen though, kiddo. Relax,” he said. He rubbed your shoulders and you sighed. “Now go finish setting the table.”

“I already did that,” you said.

“Don’t worry,” said your mom, giving you a peck on the cheek. “They’ll be here real soon.”

You threw your head back and walked away, your parents laughing to themselves as you wandered out the front door and under the front porch. It was a very different style home than the house in LA. That was a massive mansion with beams and dark wood and looked grand. The Waco vacation house though, that was something more like you wanted for yourself someday. It was nice and updated but it was still just a house. A large one but nothing like in LA. 

You remembered picking it out with your dad when you were about five years old. The house didn’t interest you too much but there was a swing on the tree in the backyard that you absolutely fell in love with.

You smiled as you saw a car pull in at the end of the driveway. It wasn’t like you were meeting his parents for the first time. Maybe it was the second time but things would turn out okay. They always did with Jensen.

“Hey,” said Jensen, ducking out of the backseat when the car parked near the garage.

“Howdy partner,” you said, Jensen’s parents and sister getting out as well. “Hi.”

“Nice to see you again, sweetie,” said his mom as you walked over to help with the bags. She gave you a hug and you got a nod from his sister.

“How’s the semester going?” you asked.

“Probably flunked my biology midterm but otherwise awesome,” she said. Jensen rolled his eyes behind her back and she scoffed. “Oh shut up Jenny.”

“Alright, nerd. Most people don’t consider an A- flunking by the way,” he said, handing you over a few bags. “Mac, get your stuff.”

“Are you ever going to relax?” she asked, rolling her eyes as she pulled out a duffel bag. “I cannot believe you date him.”

“He has his moments,” you said. “You may need to end up bunking with my little sister if that’s alright.”

“Ella and Anthony aren’t too much younger than you. I’m sure you three will all get along and find ways to annoy us,” said Jensen.

“Don’t challenge me, Jensen,” she said.

“Behave. You’re a guest,” said his father. He looked at you and nodded before heading towards the front door. 

“He likes you,” said Jensen. 

“He does not,” you said quietly. “He thinks I’m some stupid actor’s stupid daughter.”

“No, he doesn’t,” said Jensen. “I promise. I was super nervous around your dad at first and now we’re good friends.”

“You were also coworkers. Oh God this was a mistake,” you said. 

“Hey, honey. If it is, I promise we can runaway and stay in a hotel room for the weekend, okay?” he said. He kissed your temple and you nodded, helping carry some bags over to the front door where his family was waiting.

“Guys, they’re here,” you called, stepping inside and leading the way for them.

“Hi!” said your mom, coming around the corner from the kitchen quickly. “I’m Dani, Y/N’s mom.”

“You look like her older sister,” mumbled Mackenzie. Jensen elbowed her in the ribs and shot her a dirty look. 

“Ah. Yours are like ours I see,” said your mom.

“You should see them when the oldest is with them,” said Jensen’s mom. She gave your mom a hug, Jensen’s dad giving her a friendly smile. “This is Alan. I’m Donna and this is our youngest Mackenzie.”

“Hi,” said your mom, your dad walking in with your siblings in tow. “This is-“

“He’s the guy!” said Mac, whacking Jensen on the arm. “That guy that’s in that movie you were obsessed with when I was little.”

“Aw, I’m flattered Jensen,” teased Ethan.

“I hate you, Mac,” said Jensen, your dad chuckling.

“Well I’m Ethan and these are our other kiddos, Anthony and then Ella,” he said.

“You’re kinda young if you don’t mind me saying. Sport,” said Alan. You cocked your head, your dad smirking. 

“I always knew that Jensen looked familiar but could never quite figure it out. Alan Ackles. You scared the crap out of me that day,” he said.

“You gotta tease the rookies. I hear Jensen’s gotten plenty of that,” he said.

“Um, do you two know each other?” you asked.

“Not really but we worked together once, way back on a local commercial in Dallas. It was my very first acting job before I moved to LA. I must have been seventeen years old,” said your dad, shaking Alan’s hand.

“I wasn’t that old, probably the kids age or just a hair older,” he said. “Obviously that acting thing worked out for you.”

“Eh, just a little,” said your dad. “Come in. Y/N, bring the bags up to the guest room.”

“And you thought they wouldn’t like each other,” hummed Jensen as your parents headed off together.

“You did too!” you said. You spun around and Jensen’s sister was staring at him, your siblings doing the same. “Why don’t you guys hang out with Mac while we bring this stuff up? Maybe show her around.”

You left before they could say anything, urging Jensen to follow you. 

“I totally was not expecting this,” said Jensen. “It’s so different than your parents house.”

“Truth be told I think we all prefer this one,” you said. “But you know, gotta have the house if you’re Ethan Y/L/N.”

“I can’t believe our dads worked together, even if just for a day once,” he said.

“Maybe this was meant to be,” you said. Jensen grabbed your waist and kissed you, making you giggle and nearly fall backwards. 

“I think we both know the answer to that,” he said, grabbing you tight. “Falling for me again?”

“Such a loser,” you said, popping into a bedroom and setting down most of the bags. You walked farther down the hall and set Mackenzie’s down in Ella’s before pulling Jensen to the end and into your own.

“Wow,” he said, dropping his bag by the door as he stepped inside. “I gotta admit, I think you got the best bedroom.”

“First dibs has its perks,” you said. Jensen walked over to the window, staring out at the rolling wheat field far out behind the house and trees. 

“Sometimes I really forget how you grew up.”

“Money isn’t everything. Ask my dad and you know he’d give all of this up in a heartbeat to have not have gone through what he did. What I did. What everyone did with the car accident,” you said. You stopped beside him, Jensen lacing your fingers together. 

“Y/N. I don’t mean the bedroom or the houses. I know you didn’t get what most of us do but your dad did a good job of trying to give that to you, a normal life,” he said. “Also, you have a Nintendo 64 over there that we are totally taking home with us.”

“We’ll have to see if we can sneak it out,” you said, resting your head against his shoulder. “Your parents don’t know that my mom isn’t my birth mom, do they.”

“If they have a problem with your family, I think they’re just going to have to get over it,” he said. “Why’re you so scared, Y/N? I get being nervous and wanting everyone to get along. I’m exactly that way right now too.”

“Because if there was a problem, I would never want anything to come between you and your family. I would never ask you to pick me over them,” you said.

“Y/N.”

“Because you make me happy,” you said, lifting your head to look at him, cautious green eyes looking back. “I think it would rip me apart for good if I screwed this up.”

“I love my family Y/N. I love your family. But if they ever put me in a position to choose them or you, then they aren’t the people I love. Where’s this really coming from?” he asked.

“My parents got along really well with Logan’s,” you said quietly. “They all clicked instantly. Your dad doesn’t...I don’t think he approves of me but he’s too polite to say it.”

“You are by and far the best girlfriend I’ve introduced to them. Pretty. Smart. Badass. Did I mention pretty?” he said, kissing your cheek. “You met them for three hours once when he had a cold. You are worrying over nothing. I promise.”

“Well those three seem to be thick as thieves,” said your mom as she came outside to the back patio after dinner, carrying a few drinks. You glanced inside to the kitchen, your brother and sister chatting up a storm with Mackenzie at the counter.

“To think she didn’t even want to come,” said Donna. You watched your dad put another log on the fire, your mom handing you a beer. You nodded and took a sip, Jensen rubbing his hand up and down your back. “Everything alright, Y/N? You’ve been quiet tonight.”

“Probably just jet lagged,” said your dad. “Kiddo’s been working on editing like crazy lately now that we’re wrapped.”

“What are you doing in the meantime Jensen?” asked his dad.

“Kind of relaxing. Trying to learn how to cook. I can only make chicken casserole for Y/N so many times,” said Jensen with a smile.

“It’s yummy,” you said, taking another sip.

“The movie comes out in about six months. We can be sure to snag you guys some tickets for the premiere,” said your dad. 

“Jensen already invited us but unfortunately that’s exactly when we’re supposed to be on a cruise for a few weeks. He wouldn’t let us skip for it,” said Donna.

“Eh, you guys can come to the next one,” said Jensen. “We’re set to start the second movie not long after the first comes out.”

“I just picked up the prequel book. Oh, I feel so sorry for poor Lyle,” she said. “Do you mind if I ask how you came up with him, Y/N?”

“Overactive imagination,” you said with a smile. 

“It was good,” said Alan, your head turning towards him. “The first book. I liked it.”

“Thanks,” you said, Jensen giving you a smirk.

“You know what we need? S’mores,” said your mom. “Jay. Hm?”

“Sure thing, Dani,” said Jensen, standing and heading back inside with her. Donna got up to help and soon it was quiet with just the three of you out there, your dad glancing to you.

“You know Dani isn’t Y/N’s biological mother,” said your dad. 

“I didn’t realize you were married before,” said Alan.

“I wasn’t. Y/N wasn’t exactly planned. Her birth mother died in a car accident and they had to deliver early,” said your dad. You stared at him, your dad ignoring it. “I was only eighteen when this happened. I know we’re a little younger than you probably were anticipating.”

“She seemed to turn out just fine,” he said. “Jensen never shuts up about her.”

You gripped your bottle, your dad biting his bottom lip.

“I see where she gets it from,” chuckled Alan. “The both of you are so nervous around me for some reason.”

“I think your son is very important to my daughter,” said your dad.

“I think your daughter is very important to my son. Not sure what the issue is there,” said Alan.

“There’s not an issue,” you said. You stood up and walked away, over to the pool before sticking your feet in the warm water.

You felt a presence behind you and sighed.

“Dad-“

“Not your dad, kid,” said Alan, taking a seat beside you. You watched the water while he rolled up his pants and stuck his feet in, a quiet sound leaving him. “I will admit I was a bit grumpy last month when we met. It had nothing to do with you, Y/N.”

“Why do I feel like you don’t like me then?”

“Maybe because you’re like Jensen in a way, which explains why you fit together so well. Maybe it’s why this seems strange, because part of him is like me too,” he said.

“You didn’t answer the question.”

“Honestly, maybe it’s because my son seems like himself again and we couldn’t do that. Your family did. Maybe I’m a little jealous of that,” he said. 

“My family didn’t do anything.”

“You did.”

You shrugged and took a sip of your beer, his dad smiling.

“Jay ever tell you he wants to try making beer sometime?”

“Once. Told me you nearly tore him out a new one when he tried it in your backyard,” you said.

“Yeah, well. Parents aren’t perfect,” he said. “Maybe we don’t have the opportunity to get to know each other like Jensen did with your family but we do want to know you. We don’t disapprove by the way.”

You turned your head and he shrugged.

“Jensen worries.”

“I’ve noticed,” you said. “This is going to sound a certain way so don’t take it that way please. I just-“

“You don’t have to justify the way you feel,” he said. You nodded, wiggling your toes in the water. “He loves you and we will too. Give me some time is all.”

“I can understand why he is the way he is,” you said with a smile.

“A dork?” he teased. “He gets that from his mom.”

“Sure he does,” you said. He bumped your shoulder and you gave him a smile. “The whole single dad, accident baby doesn’t bother you?”

“Don’t ever refer to yourself as an accident. Also, no it doesn’t. Is it unconventional? Yes. But all I care about is that my children are happy. So don’t worry about the other stuff, alright?” 

“I’ll try,” you said. It was quiet for a moment, his dad sitting back.

“You know he calls once a week to check in. He spends most of that time talking about you,” he said. “It’s pretty adorable to be honest. Turns into a little boy all over again.”

“He is pretty adorable,” you said.

“Well I know you are incredibly busy at the moment but some quiet weekend, come visit. We’d like it,” he said.

“We will,” you said. There was a rustling behind you and you looked up, Jensen carrying a plate with two s’mores on it.

“You guys want some?” he asked, mouthful of his own.

“Sure,” you said. You took a bite and gave him a thumbs up.

“Everything good?”

“Yeah,” said his dad. “I think we’re all good now.”

“Good morning,” you said, smiling as your parents headed into the kitchen. Your mom raised an eyebrow as your dad took a cup of coffee Jensen handed him. “What?”

“She’s awake. Before us. I don’t think she’s ever willingly done that,” she said. Your dad put a hand on your head and you swatted it away.

“I don’t feel a fever,” he said.

“We wanted to be kind children and make our parents breakfast,” said Jensen over his shoulder as he got out some butter.

“Ah. I see they’ve forgotten we’re going to brunch later,” said your mom. You threw your head back and put the eggs back in the fridge.

“Going back to bed?” asked your dad.

“Yup,” you said, grabbing Jensen’s hand and pulling him upstairs with you. He yawned as you wandered back to your bedroom, smiling when you fell back on the mattress. “More sleep. My favorite.”

“Or we could have morning sex and then go back to bed,” he murmured. “Both your favorites.”

“You want to do it with both our parents in the house? Jensen Ackles. I didn’t realize you were such a bad boy,” you said, rolling over onto your back.

“Only for you,” he teased, locking your bedroom door. 

“You have a streak hidden in you. Don’t deny it,” you said.

“Oh, I’m not,” he said, rolling back onto the bed, sliding his hand up your shirt. “I even came prepared.”

“That’s my boy,” you said, stretching your arms up, letting him push the shirt off of you. 

“You get rid of those pesky clothes and I’ll be right back.”

He kissed your cheek and hopped up, going to his bag and digging around. You were lazy in taking off your shorts and underwear, tossing your bra on the floor in time for him to come back with nothing but a condom on.

“I would like to try something if you’re up for it,” he said. You sat up with a sleepy smile and nodded. He gave you a lazy kiss before he sat back down, grabbing your waist and pulling you around to the middle of the bed, settling in behind you. 

“What are you up to?” you asked.

“Your dresser here has a mirror,” he said, your eyes flickering across to the other side of the room. You saw yourself naked, Jensen snaking a hand down to your folds and slowly rubbing you. “I want you to see how absolutely fucking hot you are when you get fucked.”

“Jay,” you said, turning your head away.

“Please?” he hummed. 

“I’m not going to get in the mood by looking at myself.”

“Looking at you naked gets me in the mood all the time,” he said, kissing your neck. You rolled your eyes but looked ahead, watching his free arm cross your waist and press you back against his chest. His arm’s looked larger than normal and you noticed the muscles flexing in his shoulders, the strong thighs that were moving the two of you to sit up. You sat back on your heels, Jensen rutting his cock against your back before pulling you up and settling you over his cock. You lowered yourself down, fluttering your eyes shut.

He snapped his hips back and rocked into you, eyes flashing open and catching his own in the mirror behind you. In the mirror, you started to ride him, Jensen meeting you with every roll of your hips. 

“Look at my cock, fuck looks like it barely fits,” said Jensen. Your eyes went down and you watched yourself lift up him, nearly all the way before slamming down. 

“Okay. That is pretty hot,” you said, Jensen chuckling as he kissed your jaw. “Fuck. You’re so fucking strong. Shit, Jay.”

“Feels like you’re milking my cock. How are you so tight?” he panted against your skin, warm air hitting your face.

“Because of your big cock,” you whispered, moving your arms behind you to hold onto him, Jensen plowing in harder. You’d never noticed how your own body bowed and arched before, never noticed muscles in your thighs working hard, never noticed the light blush that covered your skin as you got closer to an orgasm. “Harder.”

He tightened his grip and rubbed over your clit, fucking up into you, nailing your g-spot.

You grabbed his ass and he did it again, your head knocking back onto his shoulder. Your whole body tensed as you came, your face soft as you bit your bottom lip, Jensen growling into your neck to hide his grunts as he followed quickly after. With a quiet laugh you let go of him, Jensen pulling you to fall back straight on his chest, rolling you to his side.

“The only thing that could have made that better was seeing your ass too,” you said.

“You can look at my ass anytime you want,” he said, shakily getting to his feet and tossing the condom in the trashcan. 

“Uh oh,” you giggled, spotting the red marks covering the small of his back and his creamy cheeks. “I think I might have given you a few new bruises.”

“Please mark me up,” he hummed, sliding back into bed under the covers, laying his arm over your waist. “Makes me feel like yours.”

“God you are too attractive,” you said, kissing his nose, Jensen nuzzling closer. “Love you.”

“Love you too, honey,” he said. You shut your eyes, ready to fall back asleep when your phone buzzed, a text from AJ coming in. “Work again?”

“Premiere date got moved up a week,” you said, tossing the phone back down. “No big deal.”

“I can’t wait to walk down a red carpet with the hottest director, writer, actor there ever was and know that she picked me,” he said. 

“I would prefer not to go,” you said. Jensen nipped at your bottom lip and you laughed. “But I’ll go as your date.”

“Score one for Ackles,” he said. You kissed him quickly, Jensen closing his eyes. “Sleep?”

“You read my mind, fan boy.”

______

A/N: Read Part 17 here!

[juliandev0rak]

Cuisine 🥘 🍞 

Ten: Cuisine – do they have any sort of relationship with food? What they grew up eating or making for others?

echoes of the past event

@arcana-echoes​

Willa Clary, she/ her

The outskirts of the city, Vesuvia

A few months after the events of The Arcana

Words: 1444

Warnings: fluff, like highland sheep levels of fluff

the recipes they make: bread + stew

“Hey Muriel, what do you want for dinner?” 

It’s the same question Willa asks him every day around noon. She likes to plan these things in advance, and it takes time to gather ingredients out here in the forest. Dinner plans are just one of many new daily rituals Muriel is getting used to.

He wanted to be upset at first when his careful daily routine, waking at the same time, doing the same chores the same way day after day, had been disrupted. Routine was the only thing keeping him going for a while, and she’s come in and changed everything. But it’s hard to be upset when he gets to wake up to her face every morning.

Things are never quiet with Willa around, and it’s an adjustment that’s been surprisingly easy to make. She hums while she works, talks to the animals and the trees, and fills their evenings with constant stories he’s more than happy to listen to. She’s become part of his routine now, and though he might try to deny it, he likes things better this way. 

The first change she’d made was making sure Muriel ate proper meals. He doesn’t usually stock the hut with much, relying on eggs or his small garden for food. Willa insists on buying more ingredients, spices, flour, sugar, anything she fancies while she’s out at the market. She loves to cook and Muriel finds that he loves to watch her. 

She asks him to help sometimes, but he’s always too worried to mess things up. Sometimes he cooks dinner for them, but he’s always a bit embarrassed when he makes simple dishes and she makes multi course meals. She swears that a simple omelette made by him is better than the finest restaurant, but he thinks she’s biased. 

This time when she asks him if he wants to help with dinner, he agrees- if only to see the smile on her face. 

“What should we make!” She asks, already rummaging through the kitchen cabinets.

“Whatever you want.” He answers readily, peaking his head out of the front door to watch the rain that’s just started to come down.

“Oh come on Muri, you have to have some preference.” Willa turns to look up at him, hand on her hip. She’s always trying to coax favorites out of him, and most of the time he’s never thought about the questions before. There was never a point to having favorites before her. 

“Mmmm no.” Muriel murmurs. “Make something you like.” 

“What about something I liked when I was younger?” She suggests, getting on her tiptoes to reach the top shelf where they keep the flour. He reaches up to grab it for her and she beams at him in thanks. 

“Do you, uh, do you remember stuff like that?” Muriel asks, watching as she continues rummaging.

“Some of it, yes. I remembered this recipe when I was cooking with Asra a while ago, it’s a simple stew but my mother always made it on rainy days.” Willa explains, “And we can make bread to go with it.”

“Isn’t that a lot of work?” Muriel’s never tried to make bread before, he’s only ever gotten it from the baker’s the few times he’d bothered to make the trip. 

“It’s not as much work as you’d think! It’s just a few simple ingredients and some patience.” She starts measuring ingredients into a bowl, “Would you be a dear and go get an egg please?” 

“Of course.” He brings the hood of his cloak up to ward off the rain and steps out to the chicken coop. When he comes back he finds her already covered in flour and shakes his head in endearment at the sight.

“I may have been a little hasty with my mixing.” Willa laughs, holding her hand out for the egg. She leans up to press a kiss to his cheek, “Thanks for the egg.” 

“You’re welcome.” He blushes. “What next?” 

“Can you add the milk?” She smiles, gesturing to the bottle. “My mother used to make this bread too. I found the recipe written on a card in one of my old books.” 

“Now we mix?” Muriel asks now that all of the ingredients have been added.

“Now we mix!” Willa says, rolling up her sweater sleeves and reaching into the bowl. Muriel watches as she kneads the dough, not minding the sticky mess it makes. “Here, you try.” She dumps the dough out on the counter and sprinkles flour on it. He reaches for the dough tentatively and she smiles encouragingly, threading her hands through his to show him the motion.

“Like this?”

“That’s perfect!” She moves her hands, letting him take over. “You could be a baker, you’re a natural.” 

When it’s time to let the bread rise they start preparing the stew. They go out in the rain together to pick vegetables, Inanna trots along beside them. Willa shows him how to chop the vegetables neatly and he’s soon a pro, handing her handfuls of perfectly cut carrots and potatoes to add to the pot.

“The secret ingredient,” Willa leans in towards him as if it really is a secret, “is beer.” 

“Beer?” Muriel lets out a little laugh and she grins at the sound. 

“Yep! We only need a little, so we can drink the rest.” Willa holds up the bottle to show him and takes a swig. She hands him the bottle and he takes a sip before handing it back so she can add the rest to the stew. Feeling a bit bold, Muriel steps up behind her to put his arms around her waist, watching as she stirs the stew over the wood stove.

“Hi.” Willa twists her head around to look at him, smiling.

“Hi.” He smiles shyly, but keeps her pressed to him. She leans up to kiss him and when she pulls away he follows, stealing another fleeting kiss. She laughs and presses a kiss to the tip of his nose.

“Cheeky.” She grins, pulling away to resume cooking. “I’ll burn the stew if you keep kissing me like that.” 

Muriel blushes and steps away, on the pretense of going to add another log to the fire. After she sets the stew to a simmer, she joins him where he’s sitting by the fire and Inanna patters over to lay down in front of them. Willa settles into his side and he puts an arm around her waist again to pull her in. 

“I remember my mom used to make these special oat cookies,” Willa says, launching into her story telling voice. “I don’t remember what she put in them but I know I used to love them. I think I used to feed them to the sheep sometimes as a treat.”

“You gave cookies to the sheep?” Muriel asks, he normally doesn’t interrupt her stories but the idea is so strange to him.

“You’d be surprised how many animals enjoy sweets!” Willa replies, burrowing further into the warmth of Muriel’s cloak. “I miss them sometimes, even though I don’t remember them.” 

“The sheep?” Muriel keeps his eyes trained on the fire, he’s always afraid to hurt her by asking about her past.

“I meant my family, but I suppose I do miss the sheep too. I don’t really remember any of them either, but I know we had quite a large flock.” She continues, “But hey, at least now we can make new memories.” She smiles up at him again, hope and adoration clear in her face. He nods in agreement, at a loss for words, and she sighs in contentment. 

They put the bread in to bake and in a few hours everything is ready to be served. Muriel feels a surprising sense of accomplishment when he sees the loaf come out of the oven, perfectly round and browned on top, and Willa’s excitement makes him smile. Dinner is delicious, and it’s made even better as Willa shares her few memories of home, and the repeated stories that Asra’s told her about her past. 

As he’s trying to fall asleep that night, Muriel wishes he had more of his past to share. There’s so little he knows about where he’s from, and he doesn’t have many happy memories of his own to tell her about. He listens to the quiet sounds of Willa breathing next to him and feels comforted as she unconsciously burrows into his side in her sleep and an arm gets thrown over his chest. At least today is a memory he can think back on, and she's right- they can always make new ones. 

[littlebitoffanfic]

The Bear Or The Deer

Fandom: Frankenstein Character: Adam/Frankenstein’s monster Relationship: Adam/reader Request: you do a lot of horror and I was just wondering on the off chance: would you do Frankenstein’s monster x reader? AN: Frankenstein is my favourite book! Since, in the book the creature calls himself Adam, I decided to stick with that as his name. also, this’ll probably be a multi-chapter thing as I cant wait to explore more plot with him

 Sitting in your home on a stormy night, in the pitch black, waiting by a window was never something you thought you would ever have to do. But after the last few months, you needed to know. You had to. Something was happening and you didn’t know or understand it. People had reported a monster in the woods that surrounded your home, yet you had had little cause to be frightened. In fact, the only thing that truly scared you about it was not knowing what it was. You had never felt exposed or unsafe in your home. It was about a mile out from the nearest town, and just off a trail that only had one or two horse and carts pass by ever week. You were mostly self sufficient, growing your own vegetables and fruit in your large garden and a few animals such as cow and a few chickens along with your trusted horse. You traded in town with your craft work, using your love for paints, crafting and even mending things. Often, the butcher, who has a young family, will ask you for new clothes and such in exchange for meat. You would sell your art to passing traders and do the occasional jobs for everyone else in the town in exchange for whatever you needed. But it was still hard work. Your home and its surroundings needed a lot of tending to. Only, you had noticed something strange over the last little while. Your log pile, which you kept outside next to the small bard, was kept topped up. Then apples started being left on your back porch every morning, along with oranges and any other fuits. As time grew on, you grew uneasy. You tried leaving out food and some blankets and such, in hope that whoever it is was just looking to trade. But they never took anything. And then the rumours started in town. A beast, like a bear, stalking the forest. A few had seen it moving about, but none dared approach it. It had to be human-like, judging but its knowledge of cutting wood and such, but where did it live? Was it close to you? Tonight, you planned on seeing it for yourself. You had left out a large basket of food for it. Cheeses, hams, a bottle of milk and some eggs, in hopes that it would take it. You sat to the side of one of your kitchen windows, which was close to the back door where the thing sometimes left fruit. You hoped it would see the basket when placing the logs on the pile and come to investigate. You had nearly drifted off when a crash of thunder woke you, making you jump as you sat straight up. Looking out the window, you noticed how the moon was nearly fully covered by clouds, the only light now came from the soft glow of your living room, where you always kept the fire going to heat the house and the small light of the full moon that peaked through the clouds. Another few lightening strikes and crashes of thunder kept you alert. Until you saw the creature. It emerged from the forest like a it might have been a tree itself, judging but the stature. In the rain, it was bend over, walking on two legs with a long cloak drawn over its body. It was human, and judging by the stature, probably male. It, he, carried logs against his chest, only pulling back his cloak to place them onto the pile carefully. He was soaked to the bone, you could see that, and yet he was more concerned with make sure the balance of the pile was right. His face was hidden by the hood, but you saw he had noticed the basket, which was still dry thanks to the porches roof and the wind that blew the rain in the opposite direction. He walked to the porch, placing his foot on the bottom of the three steps, his whole body seeming to tilt to the side in curiosity. He looked up towards the top floor of the house, where he probably thought you were fast asleep. You saw him place his hand up to his chest and he gave a small bow to your house, before retreating without the basket. You were stunned, shocked and so confused. What was he? Why did he do these things for you? Why would he be out in such weather? Where was his family? It was curiosity that lead you to spring up from your seat and run to the back door as a crash of thunder masked you opening the door. “Wait!” You called out, scooping the basket up by the handle. The figure froze, his entire body seeming to turn to rock at the sound of your voice. You took a few more steps out, not daring to descend the steps into the rain just yet. You wanted to keep the food dry. “Please, will you take this?” You asked, hoping your question would draw some kind of response out of him. Which it did. He turned, but in a strange kind of way. His lower half turned a quarter of the way towards you while the top half twisted fully, keeping his head low and covered by the hood. It was very unnerving to watch, and reminded you that something just wasn’t quite right about him. “For helping me. I want you to have it.” You manage to speak, keeping the fear from affecting your voice.   A crash of lightening followed by a roll of thunder as if showing some kind of inner battle the man was obviously having with himself. You were just a woman, alone in your home. He had no reason to fear you. You had no weapons, nor was there anyone close by who would be able to help you. If anything, you should be scared of him. But something was different about him. “Please.” You repeated, keeping your voice soft. This seemed to be enough to persuade him back to you, approaching you in such a manner that reminded you of a stray dog approaching a human who had offered it food. It wanted the food, yes, but it was scared of the hand that gave it. As he reached the bottom of the small set of stairs, you couldn’t help but feel dwarfed by him. Even with you at the top stair, he was taller. The light from the house didn’t give you enough light to see his face. Holding out the basket, you smiled. He hesitated, but raised his right hand to take the basket. As he did so, the sleeve fell back, revealing a wrist with a deep scar running around the wrist and down beneath his sleeve. The flesh itself was a little… off in colour. But the scar looked painful. You couldn’t help the gasp that fell from your lips as you looked up at him. At the wrong time. A bolt of lightening lit up the sky and, for the first time, you saw his face. A gaunt face looked back at you. Thin lips with barely any colour behind them were opened slightly in surprise. His cheeks bones were prominent, and his skin the same as his hand, looking slightly off and discoloured. His nose was missing, and chunk and several scars ran across this face, almost like a doll that had been ripped apart and sow back together again. But his eyes. They were a yellowish colour, with the left one having another scar running from the bottom of his eye right down his cheek to his jaw. They were wide, surprised, like a deep that had been scared by the sudden attack of a bear. How quickly your metaphor for him had changed, from a bear to a deer. He seemed terrified of you. Yet he could easily turn on you and you were very aware of that fact.   But as quickly as the lightening had struck, it was gone, replaced with a thundering bang. The man ducked his head, retreating into himself as he turned on his heels and fled. Caring little for the rain or your own safety, you ran after him, calling out for him to wait. It would seem that his great height left him at a disadvantage to you, as you were able to catch up wit him before he reached the edge of the woods. “Wait, please!” You cry out, reaching out and grabbing his cloak and digging your heels into the ground. The man let out a grunt, twisting towards you as if expecting you to attack him, causing his hood to fall back and reveal black hair. He winced and it hit you. He didn’t want you to see him not because he didn’t want you to know who he was, but because of the way he looked. “Im sorry. The thunder and lightening just frightened me, that’s all.” You lied through your teeth. You were already soaked to the bone from the rain, which pelted down with little chance of stopping soon. The wind whipped your hair out of place, almost blowing you off of balance. Yet he stood strong a tree. As if to prove that you weren’t scared of him, you reached out and took his right hand, raising it with is palm upwards. He jumped at the touch, his skin freezing and his hand now tense. Raising it, you hooked the basket in his hand. Once he had the weight, you used both your hands to close his fingers over the handle. “As a thank you for everything you’ve done.” You smile up at him, his eyes so bright without the hood. He was handsome, at least to you. So unique and unknown. You would be lying if you said he didn’t intrigued ou unlike any man you had ever met. “do you have a name?” You asked, suddenly doubting if he even understood you. Perhaps he was mute, or didn’t understand your language. He nodded, his tongue darting out as if to wet his bottom lip despite the fact his face was soaked. “Adam.�� A deep voice replied. “Im [y/n].” You told him, as if the two of you were meeting for the first time at some ball or in a local shop. He repeated it back to you, like it was the most beautiful word he had ever heard and just had to make sure he could say it right. A gust of wind ripped through the garden and hit you like a ton of bricks. You fell forward, loosing your footing as you let out a yelp. But a strong arm caught you and, before you could even realise what had happened, you were swept up like a bride. He had dropped the basket to catch you and now proceeded to carry you back through your garden. You felt your heart hammering in your chest as you stared up at him while his gaze remained solely on the path. You could see how tense his jaw was, like he was grinding his teeth together. As he climbed the bottom two steps and was about to put you back on your porch, you leaned up and pressed a kiss to his cheek. He froze. His mouth slightly open and his eyes wide, as if he were unable to believe it. You took the opportunity to swing out of his grasp, now standing on your own feet. “You’d better get home and dry off. The storm looks like it will only worsen tonight. You’ll catch your death.” You look up at the sky. You were pulled from your thought by a soft chuckle, one which made your cheeks burn and your heart stop. It was low, almost too low to hear. You looked to him and saw amusement in his eyes. He doesn’t hold your eyes for more than a second before dropping them, bowing to you. “Thank you for your concern, but I shall be fine.” He speaks with such an elegance that doesn’t quite fit his features. “well, Adam, perhaps you should come back tomorrow, just to let me know you are safe?” You ask, biting your lower lip. his head snaps up, his eyes wide with disbelieve and… hope. a single nod confirms his return as he retreats away from you for the final time that night. He pulls his hood back up and turns away, walking back to the basket, which had landed on the path, but nothing had spilled out. You hoped the blanket that covered it would be enough to protect the content from the rain. he scooped it out, glancing back at you. You smiled and waved, backing into your doorway and closing it. It was all suddenly so quiet without the wind and rain in your ear. You locked the door, unable to stop from smiling as you went to the window, seeing him take one last look at where you had been before disappearing into the woods. You couldn’t help but bursting feeling in your chest that wanted to dance until he returned, nor how his face was burned into your mind in a good way. There was still so many question in your mind. Who was he? Where did he come from? Why did he have those scars? And you couldn’t quite work out if he was the bear or the deer.

[verdiprati]

Looking ahead . . . in spite of it all

The last time I published an unofficial list of Dame Sarah Connolly’s upcoming performances, it was with hesitation, knowing that she had months of treatment for breast cancer ahead of her and that she might need to withdraw from some of her performance engagements. That was in late October, 2019. I had, at the time, no inkling that a then-unknown respiratory virus would begin infecting humans over the winter and rapidly break out into a deadly pandemic, resulting in the widespread closure of public spaces and devastating the performing arts.

The change log appended to my previous unofficial schedule post shows that on March 23, 2020, I made the first round of edits to reflect corona-cancellations. Since then, I have been quietly monitoring the status of Dame Sarah’s scheduled gigs and crossing them off as their cancellations have become known to me. 

I have also picked up on a few new dates that we can very tentatively look forward to. It is hard to say how long the coronavirus crisis will go on; even when large, indoor public gatherings become possible again, some arts organizations may have had to slash their offerings—or may have succumbed completely—due to the financial fallout of the pandemic. In the meantime, we are starting to see some companies like the Bayerische Staatsoper, Wigmore Hall, and the Royal Opera House offer small-scale, live musical performances with no live audiences, just online streaming. 

Now that Dame Sarah is about to perform in one such livestream-only concert—tomorrow’s Das Lied von der Erde in Covent Garden, also notable for being her first live performance since withdrawing from the stage for cancer treatment over the winter—it seems like the right moment to refresh my list of her upcoming performances and start anew. 

See my current list after the jump.

This is the point in the post where I normally give a condensed list highlighting the cities where Dame Sarah is scheduled to appear in live performance, so that readers can tell at a glance whether she is coming anywhere near them. This list must now be read with a giant asterisk, as some performances may be online-only (so it doesn’t matter where you live), and others may be much more prone to cancellation than normal! 

That said—British performance sites on the horizon at the moment are the Royal Opera House (for online viewing only) and Wigmore Hall in London, plus the Lieder Festival in Oxford (also online only). Audiences in continental Europe might get to see Dame Sarah in Barcelona, Berlin, Hamburg, Amsterdam, or Luxembourg. An as-yet-unconfirmed operatic run may be in store for the 2021-2022 season in New York.

The usual disclaimers:

This is not an authoritative list. These are the upcoming performances by Dame Sarah Connolly that I have been able to learn about from Dame Sarah’s new website, Dame Sarah’s agent's website (Askonas Holt), Operabase, Bachtrack, Dame Sarah's Twitter, and generally ferreting around the web.

I sometimes list concerts that are not yet officially confirmed; you should of course check official sources before making plans and be aware that cast changes and cancellations can happen at any time. This obviously goes triple in the COVID-19 era.

I have added links to venue, ticketing, and broadcast information where available. Tips on new information are always welcome! Please contact me via email (verdiprati [at] selveamene [dot] com), Tumblr messaging, or ask box (plain prose only in the ask box; anything with links or an email address will get eaten by Tumblr filters) with corrections or additions.

[Livestream only] Mahler, Das Lied von der Erde at the Royal Opera House, London, June 20, 2020. With David Butt Philip and members of the ROH orchestra; Antonio Pappano conducts. The performance will be livestream-only; no audience will be seated in the house. Tickets are £4.99 and grant you not only live access, but also the ability to view the concert on demand for two weeks following the performance.

[New!] Recital at Wigmore Hall, London, September 16, 2020. With Malcolm Martineau, in the Wigmore’s 1:00 p.m. “lunchtime” slot. Songs by Poulenc, Roussel, Mahler, and Bridge, capped by a pair of songs newly written by Bob Chilcott for Dame Sarah. At the time of this writing, Wigmore Hall expects to admit live audiences of 10%-20% capacity during the autumn season under socially-distanced reopening guidelines, but the situation for live performance in the UK remains fluid, to put it mildly. The website says that “More details on how to access tickets will be released in the coming weeks. All concerts will go ahead, with or without an audience.”

[Livestream] The recital, like all the others in Wigmore Hall’s autumn 2020 season, will be streamed for free on their livestreaming site. It appears that you can also use this YouTube link.

[Canceled] Recital at Wigmore Hall, London, September 30, 2020. With Roderick Williams and Julius Drake; the first concert of the Wigmore’s Mendelssohn and Liszt series. Public booking is scheduled to open on July 14. UPDATE: As of July 31, this recital is no longer listed on the Wigmore Hall website. Update, August 22: see above for a newly-scheduled Wigmore recital by Dame Sarah.

[New! Livestream only] Handel, Solomon (title role) and Foundling Anthem with the English Concert, October 1, 2020. Also starring Sophie Bevan, Soraya Mafi, and James Way; conducted by Harry Bickett. Selections from both works will be performed as part of a concert titled “Handel – The Philanthropist.” Tickets to the livestream are free; donations are requested to both The English Concert and Bart’s Heritage, the fund for renovating St Bart’s Hospital, which will be the venue for the performance. 

[Livestream only] Recital at the Oxford Lieder Festival, October 10, 2020. With Eugene Asti (pianist) as well as “emerging artist” William Thomas (bass)—apparently part of Barbara Hannigan’s Momentum initiative, which is supported by both Dame Sarah and the Oxford Lieder Festival. Schumann’s Fraunliebe und -leben and Mahler’s Rückert-lieder bookend an assortment of songs by Haydn, Arne, Bush, Quilter, Howells, and Britten. The livestream ticket (£12, or £5 for under-35s) includes access to a post-performance Q&A session with the artists. Video will remain available until November 1. Notably, the £250 “Pioneer Pass” for the whole festival gets you bonus goodies including “Two guest tickets to Dame Sarah Connolly’s recital, to share with friends” and “Exclusive artist interviews and other content.” 

[New!] “Pappano & Friends” chamber concert at the Barbican, London, November 1, 2020. With Ian Bostridge, the Carducci Quartet, and Antonio Pappano. Tickets are being sold separately for a limited live audience (£20) and for a video livestream of the performance (£12.50). The listed program comprises just two works: Ralph Vaughn Williams’ song cycle On Wenlock Edge and an arrangement of Ernest Chausson’s Poème de l’amour et de la mer. I don’t really know either work, but a little googling suggests to me that Bostridge will sing the RVW and Dame Sarah will sing the Chausson. Tickets go on sale to the general public on September 11 at 10:00 a.m., and a few of the live audience tickets will be held back from the earlier Barbican members’ sale for the general sale, so if you want to try to attend in person, be ready to act swiftly at that time.

[Livestream] As mentioned above, there is a fee of £12.50 for access to the livestream. The Barbican website says, “We advise you to watch the performance live, but the stream will be available to watch back for 48 hours after the live broadcast.”

[New!] Mozart’s Requiem with the English National Opera, London, November 6 and 7, 2020. Fellow vocal soloists are Elizabeth Llewellyn, Toby Spence, and Brindley Sherratt. With the ENO Chorus and Orchestra conducted by Martyn Brabbins. As of this writing early on September 15, the ENO website says “Ticket details will be announced soon.” ENO plans to perform for a live, socially distanced audience; livestreaming has been mentioned only as a backup option in case government restrictions make it impossible to host a live audience in the Coliseum. 

[New!] Forum participation, International Vocal Competition, 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands, December 2, 2020. Having postponed its opera and oratorio competition until 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the IVC announced that it would sponsor a multi-day series billed as “IVC Mozart Masterclasses & More” late in 2020. Masterclasses will be led by Vesselina Kasarova, Roberta Alexander, and Thomas Oliemans; Dame Sarah doesn’t seem to have the same role, but the IVC promises that she will be among several “leading professionals” who will “talk with the participants about the future of their profession” as part of “a forum ... about the future as it now looks for (young) singers.” Singers who were born no earlier than December 5, 1987 and who can cough up €500 for the experience may register by October 1, 2020. Members of the public may buy tickets to the events beginning “at the end of August.”

Handel, Agrippina (title role) at the Dutch National Opera, Amsterdam, January 17-29, 2021. The production is Barrie Kosky’s (previously seen at the Bayerische Staatsoper and the ROH, and later moving on to the Staatsoper Hamburg). Ottavio Dantone conducts; co-stars include Ying Fang (Poppea), Franco Fagioli (Nerone), Gianlucca Buratto (Claudio), and Tim Mead (Ottone). As of this writing (June 19, 2020), single ticket sales are indefinitely suspended due to the coronavirus crisis.

Stravinsky, Oedipus Rex (Jocaste) at the Dutch National Opera, Amsterdam, March 10-27, 2021. In a double bill with the new commission From ‘Antigone’ by Samy Moussa. Other singers in the Oedipus cast include Sean Panikkar (Oedipus), Bastiaan Everink (Creon), Rafał Siwek (Tiresias), and Ramsey Nasr (Speaker). Erik Nielsen conducts; Wayne McGregor directs. As of this writing (June 19, 2020), single ticket sales are indefinitely suspended due to the coronavirus crisis.

Stravinsky, Oedipus Rex (Jocaste) with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, Hamburg, April 10 and 11, 2021. Even though these concert performances follow on the heels of Dame Sarah’s engagement for the same opera in Amsterdam, the two gigs appear to be administratively and artistically unrelated. Her co-stars in Hamburg include Brenden Gunnell (Oedipus), Tomasz Konieczny (Creon), and Sir John Tomlinson (Tiresias); the MDR Rundfunkchor Leipzig supplies the men’s chorus. Alan Gilbert conducts. The program also includes Le sacre du printemps. Under a special policy instituted in response to the uncertainties of the coronavirus pandemic, tickets can be pre-ordered starting May 26, 2020, with payment due when it is confirmed that the performance will go forward, no later than six weeks before the concert. There’s some background information about the Stravinsky pieces on the NDR website.

Stravinsky, Oedipus Rex (Jocaste) with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester at the Philharmonie Luxembourg, April 19, 2021. Co-stars, conductor, and chorus are the same team as in the Hamburg performances, and the Luxembourg program likewise includes Le sacre du printemps. Tickets go on sale February 22, 2021.

[New!] Recital for St Luke’s Music Society, London, May 8, 2021. With Joseph Middleton. Repertoire TBA. Note that “during the COVID crisis tickets may be restricted to Friends only.” Tickets are £18 and Friends membership is £35; the tickets for Dame Sarah’s recital go on sale December 13. 

Recital at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, May 18, 2021. With Julius Drake. Songs by Mendelssohn, Liszt, Elgar, Debussy, Ravel, and Chaminade.

Elgar, The Dream of Gerontius with the Berliner Philharmoniker, Berlin, May 27, 28, and 29, 2021. With Allan Clayton and Roderick Williams, as well as the Rundfunkchor Berlin; Simon Rattle conducts.

[Livestream] The concert on the 29th will be livestreamed on the Berliner Philharmoniker’s Digital Concert Hall platform.

[Unconfirmed / details TBA] Tour with the Wiener Symphoniker, October 2-5, 2021. Dame Sarah’s name appears along with that of conductor and violinist Andrés Orozco-Estrada (who will take over as music director of the Wiener Symphoniker in the 2020-2021 season) in this list of orchestra tours on the website of agents Dr. Raab & Dr. Böhm. Details of the repertoire and cities for the tour will presumably be revealed when the Wiener Symphoniker announces its 2021-2022 season.

[New date!] Recital at Sant Pau Recinte Modernista [PDF], Barcelona, November 15, 2021. With Julius Drake. Part of the LIFE Victoria series of recitals; originally announced for November 27, 2019, but postponed due to Dame Sarah’s treatment for breast cancer; rescheduled for October 2020, and further postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Themed as a “Viennese journey by the hand of Alma Mahler,” the recital includes songs by Brahms, Wolf, Debussy, Alma Mahler, Gustav Mahler, and Zemlinsky. 

[Livestream? TBC] This article in the Catalan newspaper La República says of the combined 2020-2021 season that “Tots els concerts es retransmetran en streaming, independentment de si pot assistir-hi públic o no” (“All concerts will be streamed, regardless of whether the audience can attend or not”). I have been unable, however, to confirm this detail on the LIFE Victoria website or in the PDF of the combined season announcement. 

[Unconfirmed / details TBA] Brett Dean, Hamlet (Gertrude) at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, sometime in 2021-22. Allan Clayton, who starred in the title role of Brett Dean’s Hamlet at Glyndebourne in 2017, mentioned in an interview with the Telegraph that he would be reprising the role at an unspecified date and venue in the US. When prompted on Twitter, Dame Sarah indicated that she would be participating in the revival, too (“I shall be misunderstanding my confused boy again”). In a later interview with Opera News, Clayton reportedly specified that he would reprise Hamlet at the Met. The Future Met Wiki places the production at the Met in the 2021-2022 season (as does this New York Times article). Hat tip to Christopher Lowrey, who sang Guildenstern in the original production at Glyndebourne, whose tweet praising Allan Clayton brought the Telegraph interview to my attention. (No indication whether Lowrey will also be cast in the American revival.) Additional hat tip to the Tumblrer who submitted information on this topic via the ask box.

Previous versions of this list can be found under the schedule tag on this blog. This list published June 19, 2020. Updated June 22 to reflect the further postponement of the LIFE Victoria recital. Updated July 22 with the new date of the LIFE Victoria recital and the addition of the IVC forum. Edited July 28 to correct the closing date of DNO Agrippina to January 29 (not 27). Edited August 1 to reflect the cancelation of the September 30 recital at Wigmore Hall. Edited August 22 to add the September 16 recital at Wigmore Hall and update the Oxford recital with more details. Edited August 29 to add the English Concert livestream and fill in the repertoire for the September 16 Wiggy recital. Edited September 8 to add the Barbican “Pappano & Friends” concert. Edited September 15 to add the ENO Mozart Requiem and belatedly fill in some details on the Oxford Lieder Festival recital. Edited September 21 to add the recital for St Luke’s Music Society. I may continue to edit this list as I receive new information.

[thegizka]

Her Name

Kirito works part-time at the Dicey Cafe to help cover the costs of attending college and gaming. He's usually good at remembering repeat customers, but for some reason, he can't seem to get this girl's name.

Written for Writer's Month 2019 Day 3: Coffee Shop AU.

Note: I do not own any aspect of Sword Art Online.

Read it on Ao3.

The first time he met her, she ordered a flat white.  It was an annoying drink to make.  Getting the right texture of the milk was tricky, but she had a cute smile, and when she thanked him, he felt like she meant it.  She took her drink and left the cafe and his thoughts.  He hadn’t bothered to ask for her name.

------

The next time he met her, she ordered a London Fog.  It was late.  He had been counting down the last half hour before close, debating whether to sneak in a few hours of sleep or power through his programming project and hope for the best.  When she slipped into the quiet cafe, bulging school bag slung over one shoulder, she had that desperate look in her fatigued brown eyes that meant she was also firmly entrenched in the finals slog.

“Late night?” he asked as he began steaming her milk.

“Psychology paper,” she admitted, smiling tiredly.  “I figured I’d need some caffeine to get me to the end of it.”

“And you’re going with tea?  A few shots of espresso would be more effective.”

She chuckled.  It was a refreshing sound.

“I only need fuel for a few hours.  I do plan on sleeping at some point tonight.”

“Well good luck with the paper,” he said, firmly fitting a lid onto her to-go cup.

“Thanks Kirito.”  She gave him a smile as she left.  It threw him off a little to hear her say his name.  She must have picked it up from his nametag.

When he trudged into his room that night, he remembered he’d left his nametag on his desk, but he was already resignedly thinking of that programming project and didn’t have the mental capacity to wonder how she’d known his name.

-----

The third time he met her, the next semester was well underway.  It was a slow Tuesday afternoon, and Kirito was hoping he’d get to go home early when she entered with a whirl of energy in the form of a short, purple-haired girl.  They both carried a few shopping bags and were chatting as though enjoying a day free of homework and worries.

“Okay Yuuki, pick whatever you want.  I’ll treat.”

“You mean it?”  The purple-haired girl’s eyes lit up.  “Even if I pick one of everything?”

This led to another round of giggles.  Kirito prayed she was joking.

Yuuki ordered a chocolatey frappuccino with whipped cream, chocolate drizzle, and extra chocolate blended into it.  Her friend ordered an iced macchiato.  They were too busy chatting together for Kirito to have a chance to ask her name.  When they left, it felt like they took all of the energy with them.

------

The fourth time he met her, she came in during a rush.  As the weather warmed, the Dicey Cafe had gotten busier.  They were also running a buy-one-get-one special for their more popular iced espresso drinks, which had really drummed up business amongst the college crowd.

Kirito barely had enough time to look up and register she was there between making drinks.  His coworker Klein was manning the register while he fulfilled the orders, so he didn’t get the chance to ask her name and write it on her cup.  He was working through the line of drinks so quickly that by the time he’d called a name with a finished order, he’d already be looking at the next one.  So he didn’t notice when it was finally her turn or when she picked up her iced cinnamon latte, and by the time he glanced up and saw her leaving, he had already made a handful of other drinks, had called a handful of other names, and could not remember what hers had been.

-----

The fifth time he met her, he didn’t know it was her.  He had been playing Sword Art Online, a new VRMMORPG that was taking up the majority of his free time.  He usually preferred grinding levels and advancing skills on his own, and he’d be lying if he said his reputation as the mysterious Black Swordsman didn’t make him a little proud.  But periodically he’d take time to explore the open world and enjoy the game design amongst the more mundane tasks like shopping and eating.

He was studying the menu at a tavern in a small town in one of the upper levels when she entered wearing a simple brown cloak.  She took a seat at a table in a far corner and ordered hot tea, settling in as though waiting for someone.  Kirito barely gave her a glance.  It was a bit unusual that she kept her cloak on and hood up, but towns were safe spaces, so whatever shady behavior she might be engaged in couldn’t affect him much.

By the time his food arrived, two men in similar brown cloaks had joined her, ordering their own drinks.  They discussed something in low voices.  A few papers were pulled out and consulted.  It was obvious they were trying to plan something, even though they were attempting to be discreet.

They got up to leave while he was debating what to try for dessert.  Eating virtual food was a strange sensation.  His nerve impulses indicated taste, texture, and a sense of being full, but as soon as he logged off, he knew he’d be hungry after playing nonstop for several hours.  It was an amazing development in virtual reality, but he wondered about potential long-term effects of such sensory stimulation.  He’d have to ask his programming professors how much research had been done about it.

She lingered behind her companions a moment, talking to the server.  He thought he felt her eyes on him, but when he looked up she was pushing through the door.  Kirito caught a glimpse of a white and red uniform and brown hair.  Something familiar tugged at his memory, but he couldn’t identify what it was.

When the server stopped at his table, Kirito was ready to order, but paused when a plate of tiramisu was set in front of him.

“The Lightning Flash sends her regards,” the server said with a smile, depositing a neatly folded piece of paper on his napkin before turning away.  Confused and a little suspicious, Kirito carefully picked it up and read the note.

It’s the closest thing I’ve found to the delicious espresso from the Dicey Cafe.  You’ll have to let me know if you agree next time I stop by.  ~Asuna

Asuna…  The name sounded a little familiar, but he couldn’t connect it to a face.  Obviously it was someone who knew him in the real world.  How else would she know where he worked?

Honestly, he knew more about the Lightning Flash than her real identity.  She was as notorious as he was, skilled with a rapier and known for incredibly fast multi-hit combos.  He hadn’t seen her in action--he hadn’t been sure she was even a girl until a moment ago--but he respected the abilities she must have to earn such a reputation.  It made him doubly curious to figure out who she was.

When he knew, he’d have to tell her that the tiramisu was, in fact, delicious.

-----

The sixth time he met her, it was a few days before the end of the semester.  Several students had already moved back home for the summer.  Kirito had plans to continue working at the Dicey Cafe since he was living with his aunt and cousin Suguha only short bus ride away.  It would be good to earn some extra pocket cash without having to balance work with school.  He had his eye on a new VRMMORPG, Alfheim Online, which would be released in a month and a half, and he wanted to upgrade his dive system.

She ordered an iced white mocha with an extra shot.

“So?” she asked expectantly before he could request her name to write on her cup.

“So...what?”

“The tiramisu.  What did you think?”

Kirito’s brain momentarily short-circuited as the pieces fell into place.

“Asuna?”

“Yes?” she asked, a little confused.

“You’re the Lightning Flash?’

“Surprised?”  She grinned.

“Maybe a little,” he chuckled nervously.  She looked more like the preppy rich type, not a gamer.  The amount of time she must spend playing to reach her skill level was disproportionate to his impression of her.

“Well I suspected you were the Black Swordsman from the start,” she declared proudly, sticking a straw through the lid of her drink.  “There’s something about your loner attitude that seemed just right.”

“What?”  He was at a loss for words.  He wasn’t sure Klein even knew his in-game persona.  How had she figured it out?  And what did she mean by “loner attitude”?

“We should team up sometime.  I’ve been thinking of leaving my guild.  There are too many rules and strategy meetings, though it is convenient to have a lot of allies for these upper level dungeons.  I wouldn’t mind doing more side-quests and challenges, though.  That’s how you learned to dual-wield, right?”

“You sure know a lot about my gameplay.”

“I guess you could say I’m a fan of sorts.”

Was he imagining a slight blush on her cheeks?  He must be.  It seemed too unlikely to be real.

“You’d better accept my party request when I send it,” she declared as she turned to go.  “Otherwise I’ll challenge you to a match and beat you for standing me up.”

“What?  That seems a bit extreme.”

She flashed him a dangerous smile, and for a moment he saw a cunning and confidence befitting her in-game reputation.

“See you later Kirito.”

“Yeah, bye Asuna.”

Asuna...  Finally, he knew her name.

[noirornothing]

House Atop a Hill

Summary [mystery, comedy] - There were a number of private detectives in West Virginia. Occasionally, Tinsley wondered if the others ever found themselves fetching groceries on-the-clock, armed only with a feather duster, in an attempt to reclaim a Mayor’s house from a well-dressed stranger. 

Word Count - 4238

“—next thing I knew, I was on the doorstep! He just sauntered right on in and made himself at home.” The Mayor looked downright devastated, fiddling with his coat buttons as he tried not to meet the detective’s eyes.

Tinsley wanted to feel sorry for the man but was still dumbfounded as to how he’d come into the situation in the first place.

“Was he armed?” It was the only reason he could think up to imagine why the Mayor had simply stepped aside and allowed his house to be commandeered by a stranger.

The man scrunched up his face, the shameful flush spreading to his ears. “I don’t think so.”

Tinsley sighed, jotting it down in his notepad. “And no one else knows about this?”

“They can’t,” he held up his hands in a flash as if to beg. “That’s why I called you. I need to get this thing resolved before anyone else finds out.”

“Then maybe, uh,” Tinsley looked around the crowded diner, “we should’ve met somewhere more private?”

There wasn’t much more talking after that. The Mayor busied himself with a coffee mug as the detective organized his notes, readying himself to march up to the house on the hill. Sometimes it was best to get straight to the point—especially when the client was right useless at providing any valuable information.

They parted with polite goodbyes, the Mayor staying at the table as Tinsley took his leave. He moved to set a few dollars down for the waitress when the Mayor waved him away. Least I can do, he said. Tinsley nodded and headed out the door, the little bell ringing to signify his departure.

It was a crisp spring afternoon. Half-melted mounds of snow stuck fast in the shade while the rest of the earth turned to soft mud. A small cluster of businesses marked the town square, but aside from that, it was rural. A small logging town, not known for anything in particular—a bizarre place to commandeer.

Gravel squished into the silty dirt with each step, the sounds of squelching and scraping enough to send chills down any outsider’s spine like nails on a chalkboard. But to him, it was home sweet West Virginia. Outlandish tales like the Mayor’s weren’t all that uncommon, but each story was unique enough to warrant his services. Strange occurrences meant he got to keep his job.

The Mayor’s house sat atop a hill, the driveway winding through towering conifers. The nearer he got, the more he began to understand. It was a sizeable structure—two stories of gorgeous, hand-built mansion. Clearly a product of the town’s wealthiest days.

Bare gardens and hibernating shrubs lined the property, eagerly awaiting their resurgence. A carefully arranged stone path led to the doorway. He climbed the few stairs to reach it and stopped. The door was mostly glass. Whoever answered would probably see him first. He sucked in a breath and knocked loud and clear.  

A minute passed and he knocked again. Just as he was lowering his hand, a figure descended from the grand staircase within. He felt eyes on him. He was being observed.

The figure moved slowly, taking its time reaching the door. From what Tinsley could tell—male, quite a bit shorter than he, lithe, and careless in the way to sauntered across the hardwood floors.

Soon enough, they stood on opposite sides of the glass, watching one another. The man, presumed to be Mr. Goldsworth, had a devious grin plastered across his face. Tinsley tried to keep his face so as not to betray his curiosities. The door swept open without a creak.

“Ah, you must be the butler.” Goldsworth took a step forward and leaned in the doorway, head cocked.

Tinsley shook his head. “Afraid not. I’m here to speak with the new owner.”

“That would be me.”

“Fantastic.” He pulled the notepad from his pocket along with a pen and began to jab at the text. “Well Mr. Goldsworth, I’m here to inform you that you are trespassing on private property.”

The man balked in mock-offense. “If anyone’s trespassing, I’d say it’s you. Did we not just establish I’m the owner of this fine home?”

Tinsley shrugged and let the notepad slide back into his pocket. “Self-proclaimed owner.”

“I don’t see anyone trying to stop me.”

It was true enough. The Mayor, in his shame, had refused to contact the authorities. He hadn’t had the bravado to stop the man himself and had instead called the first private detective he could find. Two hours later, Tinsley had arrived. To frame the situation— Goldsworth had only been on the property for the better half of a day. And yet Tinsley had never seen a man look more at home.

He was well-dressed, suited for the extravagance even if it found itself in the middle of nowhere. Dark hair, dark eyes, and Tinsley assumed, dark intentions to match. He waited for the man to say more but was met with radio silence as Goldsworth turned his attention over his shoulder.

“If you don’t mind, I’ve got a fireplace to attend to and no one else to do it for me. So—” he made a motion for Tinsley to scram. “Tell the butler to hurry it up if you see him.”

Tinsley sucked in a breath to protest but exhaled when an idea lit up his brain like a shoddy string of Christmas lights. Multi-colored at all angles, tangled up in details, and undeniably dangerous near a suspicious outlet.

“Alright, you got me.” He held up his hands in defeat. “The Mayor sent me up here to pose as a warden. I was actually hoping this was my chance to get out of the butler game, but—”

“The Mayor’s a fool,” the man interrupted, waving one hand in disgust. “I think you’ll find I’m a much more…generous employer.”

Though he’d left all of his things back at a motel room in town, Tinsley felt an invisible sack of luggage fall onto his shoulders courtesy of the statement. Needless to say there was a lot to unpack in that sentiment.

He put on his best butler-speak and went for it. “As you say. It is Mr. Goldsworth, correct?”

“Sure.” He smiled and leaned out of the doorway, taking a step back into the house leaving enough room for Tinsley to slide through.

Not wanting to break his cover before he was more than one step inside, Tinsley went straight for the fireplace. A hearty stack of firewood sat beside it, caged in with black iron bars. He retrieved a couple of logs and arranged them expertly around the flames. He may not have been a butler, but he did know how to tend a fire. Another consequence of being a local.

“Don’t forget to change,” Goldsworth called to him from atop the stairs. The man vanished at the top, disappearing into one of the many rooms, leaving Tinsley alone in the main hall. He was about to start a full search of the ground floor when the voice sounded again.

“And go buy some more food, will you?”

--

“What happened to the real butler?” Tinsley asked over the large collection of grocery bags he’d set on the table. He’d found the Mayor almost exactly where he’d left him, a few seats over to be precise, chatting with some townsfolk in the diner. He seemed to be pretending it was a catch-up-with-the-people day.

“You mean the housekeeper? She had the day off. She’s only part-time-- lives just up the road. I should, ah, tell her she’ll be taking a paid vacation this week.”

Tinsley pushed a couple of the paper bags aside so that he could actually see the man. “I would do that, yes.”

The Mayor was fiddling with the buttons again, and Tinsley noticed one of them was getting loose. The man finally looked up from them, nervous but thoughtful. “You wanted to know how to take care of the house?”

“Just for a day or so.”

“You could stay in the kitchen,” he suggested, finally managing a bright idea. “There’s a closet with cleaning supplies off to the side. Say you’re making a very complex dish in honor of the house’s…new owner.”

It was visibly difficult for the man to say, and finally he felt the pangs of sympathy. He didn’t disagree the Mayor was a fool, but most people were, himself included.

“I’ll get this thing sorted out soon,” he reassured the man, planting his palms on the table as he rose out of the seat. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Sorry detective,” he looked down at his shoes, “no-can-do.”

Tinsley smiled, but the expression was wrought with pity for them both. He gathered up the hefty load of groceries and began moderate the trek back up the hill.

--

Goldsworth had yet to reemerge since he’d returned to the house. It was quiet, save for the crackling of the fireplace. He’d added more wood, paying close attention to the quality of the flames. The last thing he needed to do was burn the place down.

A pan hissed as a mess of chopped vegetables met sizzling oil. Sourced from a nearby in a saucepot, garlic-scented steam wafted into the air. Tinsley wasn’t entirely sure what he was making, but he knew how to look busy. Create as many dishes as possible. One burner contained a pot of water which had been boiling for half another. Multiple cutting boards had been dug out from the cupboards, all piled with ingredients which couldn’t possibly form a single, cohesive meal.

He jerked his hand away from the pan as the oil crackled, having met the moisture from the vegetables. He probably should have dried them off first.

“Careful there.”

The voice surprised him enough to nearly send the pan flying. He spun to see Goldsworth making his way into the kitchen, the same grin still curling up the corner of his lips. He leaned both elbows on one of the tall counters and rested one hand atop the other.

“I was, uh,” Tinsley looked over what he’d prepared so far. It was a whole lot of nothing. “I wasn’t sure what you liked. Sir.”

“Well, I’m not so crazy about the outfit after all.”

Tinsley looked down and sighed. He’d found the cleaning supplies earlier, and a few of the housekeeper’s spare aprons. He’d thrown one on over his clothes, having hung his coat up by the door. It was a neat black piece, perfectly acceptable for anyone who was five feet tall, which the housekeeper must have been. On him, however, it was quite the opposite.

“Can’t say I am either. To tell you the truth, I don’t know what the Mayor was thinking.” He earned a laugh from the other man and decided to question him while he was in good spirits. “And you. Any personal preferences I should know about?”

“Yes, but I wouldn’t worry too much about it.” The man stood back up to full height. It wasn’t much of a change. He made his way over to the cutting boards, inspecting their contents. “I won’t be sticking around too long.”

“No?” He watched the man out of his peripheral, stirring the vegetables far more than was necessary.

“Buy low, sell high.” Goldsworth slapped him on the back and shot him a look that said he wouldn’t be getting any more on the subject. The man walked away after that, turning the corner into the living room.

Tinsley finally stopped stirring and realized the carrots had nearly been reduced to mush. Not like pan-frying carrots had been a good idea in the first place. He shot a look over his shoulder to make sure the man was gone and slid the contents of the pan into the trashcan.

He went to retrieve the next vegetable, untying the apron and tossing it over his shoulder as he did so. It landed with a quiet fwhump, and the next set of ingredients sizzled in the pan.

--

He’d lain the Meal out on the table just as the sun had set beneath the rugged mountain peaks surrounding the town. The trees were bathed in amber light, and the mansion glowed with firelight. Lovely scenery aside, he called it the Meal because there was no one word for it. It was simply everything.

He didn’t stick around once Goldsworth seated himself at the table, toting a collection of files. He flipped the first one open as Tinsley climbed the staircase, feather duster in hand, to do some investigating.

All the lights were off in the upstairs hallway. He flicked them on and stepped into the first room—an office. Presumably, the Mayor’s.

One of the filing cabinets was open. He slid the drawer our further, noticing some sizeable gaps. He assumed those were the files the other man had been walking around with. The other files in the drawer contained a collection of land grants and sales. Most were sales between locals accompanied by the occasional federal exchange. He left the drawer as he’d found it, half open, and went to the Mayor’s desk drawers.

It was impossible to tell if they’d always been messy or if Goldsworth had been rummaging through those as well. He rested his hands on his hips and tapped one foot in debate. Goldsworth had spent half the day hunting for whatever he was looking for, and apparently, he’d found it. Tinsley figured whatever was in those folders would tell him the reasoning behind this whole affair.

He slipped out of the office, flicking off the light and heading back downstairs. The other man was still at the table, food mostly untouched as he scanned through the paperwork. He dragged a finger across the pages, reading intently. Tinsley approached the table, trying his hardest not to look as if he were reading over the other man’s shoulder.

“Anything to drink, sir?” He asked, hands clasped behind his back.

Goldsworth mumbled a confirmation, but no specific request. Tinsley took off into the kitchen and retrieved the first bottle of wine he saw. It was a light red— made from grapes of some hybrid variety. He rifled through the drawers for a corkscrew and once he found one, twisted it deep into the porous material and pulled the cork out with a decisive pop. He returned to the table, holding the bottle with both hands as if it were one a makeshift silver platter.

It was only once he’d reached the table what he realized he’d only set water glasses. He made a split-second decision to go through with it and poured the wine into an empty water glass. And in that moment, he was close enough to read a few precious words on the page.

…for the acquisition of land…natural resources…recipient’s signature…

And then he leaned away from the glass, tilting his head, awaiting dismissal.

“Anything else?” Goldsworth looked up at him, finally remembered he was there, and noticed the wine-filled water glass.

He felt the dark eyes pierce his alibi, traveling from his own eyes down to the bottle. “Join me for a drink?”

Tinsley pulled out the nearest chair and did exactly that, pouring himself a glass. He was at an angle, but still close enough to read the text in between glances.

They didn’t speak for a while—Tinsley sipped at the wine in an effort to look preoccupied. It was a legal document concerning the sale of a valuable property to an unspecified recipient. It wouldn’t have taken long to read, but for the large chunks of fine print lining the bottom third of the page. Goldsworth seemed to be scanning them all for anything unexpected, but eventually he sat up straight, looking satisfied at having found nothing to annotate.

“How long have you been working here,” Goldsworth drew out the last word, “he who shall remain nameless.”

Tinsley swirled the contents of his glass. “Just a couple months.”

He closed the files, resting one hand atop them as he reached for his own glass. “Is that so.”

A heavy silence descended upon the dinner table. As it carried on, the air seemed to crackle like the oil in the pan. Goldsworth took a sip, then opened his mouth to speak again.

“What exactly does a butler do in his free time,” another sip, “sit in the gardens? Chat up the locals? Read?”

“I think I left the oven on.” He gave a decisive slap on the table and practically flew out of his chair and into the kitchen. There, he pretended to fiddle with the knobs on the oven before grabbing ahold of the edges. He would have to go back into the living room. He’d have to find a way to finish their conversation without incriminating himself and report back to the Mayor.

Unless their conversation had to be postponed.

He murmured a silent apology to the house’s true owner and turned one of the burners on full blast. The flame rose high and eager as Tinsley went to the storage closet, withdrawing a couple of rags. He scanned through the labels on a few of the chemicals, quickly finding a small bottle of rubbing alcohol. He doused the rags and went back over to the burner. He took a deliberate step back and tossed the balled-up fabrics onto the burner. They lit up at once, quickly becoming engulfed in flames.

The mass quickly became a fireball, seeming to undergo a minor explosion as smoke began to fill the air. He began to wonder if he’d gone a bit too far when the flames swallowed up the fabrics entirely.

“Mr. Goldsworth,” he ran into the dining room once he was sure the smoke had reached past the kitchen. The man was already looking in his direction, far too suspicious. “I’m going to have to ask you to evacuate the property.”

The man made it clear he had no intentions of moving and stayed seated at the table. He tapped one finger on the files.

“It’s, uh, on fire.”

Goldsworth frowned, sliding the files off the table and into the crook of his arm. “Fine.”

He pushed past the detective, not looking back as he slid open the main door and disappeared into the dark. After a few precious seconds, Tinsley raced to the door and peered outside. There was the roar of an engine, followed by two headlights illuminating the driveway. The car pulled away, leaving him alone in the house.

He swallowed and thought about what to do next. Then he remembered the fire.

--

The stovetop, presumably the rest of the oven, and part of the countertop had been reduced to a charred mess. Thankfully the flames had dissipated once their fuel had turned to ash, and a simple turn of the dial extinguished the remainder.

He’d gone to the phone after that and called the motel. Once he’d realized he’d be staying in the house he’d offered up the room to the Mayor. The man answered after just one ring.

“Tinsley, what have you found?” He sounded downright miserable.

“He broke into your office and took some files. They were all regarding the sale of a rather large amount of land. Anything you might know about?” He waited through the silence on the other line.

The man cleared his throat. “I might, yes.”

Tinsley frowned, leaning in closer to the phone. “Did you know something like this could happen?”

“No, no, nothing like this,” the man scrambled, “I have no idea why he’d come for the files.”

“What then?”

“The land,” the Mayor spoke quietly, barely registering on Tinsley’s end of the line. “Was recently sold. Or, it was about to be.”

“That I gathered.”

A heavy sigh. “At a very high price. It’s not something the folks around here know about.”

Tinsley waited for the nervous man to explain himself. He had a feeling he wouldn’t have to push.

“I—I just wanted to bring some property back around. There’s not much money in timber these days, detective. They—they found natural gas deposits nearby, and I had the say over that particular sector. So, I sold it. I thought maybe it’d bring some industry to town, give the people something to be hopeful about.”

“Then why don’t they know?”

But Tinsley knew. His hometown had fallen into similar straits before, until the discovery of certain natural resources. But it had come at a great cost. The risks to harvest it, the new bureaucracy, and the old-ways-die-hard mentality could ruin a good idea in no time at all.

“I shouldn’t have done it,” the Mayor mumbled. “But the deal’s been made. All that was left to do was ship off the paperwork and have the last couple pages notarized.”

That caught his attention. “So, the deal’s not done yet. It won’t be official until after the meeting?”

“That’s right.”

“So, all we have to do is show up first!” Tinsley looked around for a clock. It was creeping on in the evening, but there was still plenty of time to set a plan into action. “When is it?”

“One week from today, in Charleston.”

Tinsley was about to say something else when a bright light shone through the glass lining the front of the living room. Crunching gravel signified that Goldsworth, or perhaps someone else, had returned. Part of him had been hoping the man would disappear altogether, but such was not the case as the shorter man climbed out of the driver’s seat.

“He’s back.” Tinsley slammed the phone down on the receiver and made to look like he was dusting off the table as the other man came through the door. He shut it quietly, and once again a thick silence descended over the great hall. All the files were gone.

“I went into town to drop some paperwork into the mailbox,” he made his way closer to Tinsley, steps falling softly onto the hardwood floors. “And ran into a local. Funny, I didn’t think country folk stayed out so late. But while I was there, I happened to ask about what kind of company the Mayor kept in that big old house of his.”

Goldsworth was close. Too close. He stopped just before they collided, an unreadable expression glinting in his eyes.

“Not much, apparently. Just him and his housekeeper. Mary.” He said the name half in jest and half in something far more sinister.

“It’s a family name,” Tinsley choked, feeling his back press against the table.

Goldsworth shook his head. “No, it’s not.”

Tinsley half-expected the man to whip out a knife and gut him then and there. Or maybe shoot him and bury him in the gardens. But then again, he would be one hell of a deadweight to drag that far. He involuntarily raised up both hands in self-defense, holding his breath until the man spoke again. Or rather, laughed. Goldsworth finally stepped back, placing one hand on hip, and looked him over.

“So, you’re not a butler. I’m betting you’re some kind of spy.” Goldsworth looked lazily around the room. “Who hired you?”

He thought for a moment about how to answer. “The buyers. Wanted to see who they were dealing with.”

The eyes on him became harsher. “Not very trusting, are they?”

He shook his head. “Skeptics. But that’s how they made their fortune.”

The other man seemed to understand the sentiments. He abandoned his stance and crossed the room to a relatively large armchair and sunk into it, motioning for him to do the same. Like walking on eggshells, he did as the man instructed, taking a seat on the couch across from the chair.

“I’m going to give you two options.” He had one arm on each rest, impossibly casual. “One, you leave now. You walk down that hill and never come back. You tell your bosses I check out, and you’re done. Case closed.”

Tinsley sat frozen, waiting for option number two.

“Two means you stick around, gather me a little information here and there, and earn double your paycheck.” Somehow, the man seemed to relax further, sinking deep into the chair.

“Why?” He couldn’t help but ask. Why he’d even give him the option was unthinkable.

Again, the man laughed. It was almost light enough not to be sinister. “You’re the worst spy I’ve ever seen. If you try to pull anything, I’ll know. I always know.”

The logs in the fireplace had been reduced to coals which smoldered with a dying heat. As the glow faded, plunging them low lights, Tinsley felt a shiver run down his spine. All he could see was tiny flecks of ember and the white gleam of teeth. Like those of an animal. He took in a breath to steady his nerves and exhaled.

He slapped both knees and stood up with a purpose. “Well then!”

He felt the eyes on his back, curious as he crossed over to the fireplace, and began adding more fuel. It would need to be rekindled, but that was easy enough. He looked over his shoulder at Goldsworth who watched him shamelessly over the back of the chair. Tinsley set one final log and admired the neat arrangement. It would burn well.

“I guess I have some explaining to do.”

[queencryo]

cdda:

so. today i honked a car horn, cuz zombies keep spawni g on my property (big ol farm im hopefully gonna start building walls arounf soon) bc i have wandering spawns n such on (this also means my two remaining horses and two dogs are all cooped up in yhe chicjen coop so that zombies will stop truing yo fight them)

so an6way. i honk yhe horn yo get zombies to spawn, tjinking yeah. lets kinda clear out this area a little (iirc once you kill enough zonbies in an area it stays empty).

next day: like five shitheads spawn inside my greenhouse, and destroy basically every planter in there and most of the greenhouse itself!!! ugh. i clear up the wreckage and.... leave most of it sitting there. maybe ill rebuild at some point? i also move my mostly-intact electric car (with solar panels! :) ) far away from my property, that way it doesnt get roughed up in any scuffles

next day: jesus fuck. i swear two hordes got spawned in different parts of my property. it was. not a hard fight at all, actually (linsey has hells of dodge skill, is fast, and has a cavalry sabre). i had to make like three seperate burn piles, because my corpse/burn pit filled up before i had even a quarter of em in there. so fhat was fun. i didnt even really loot much ofd the bodies, iirc there was basiclaly nothing of interest unless i wanted to clean blood and guts off leather pants to be cut up for raw materials. they ddid almost tear apart like. my backpack AND my utility vest tho, so... was lucky i managed to get those off before they got torn up irreparably.

current plan is to get palisades around mpst of the property (logs are easy, if time-consuming, to get. wire to tie em together with has mostly been from chain-link fences from the nearby town). that... hasnt really started yet, but i5s ginna be a multi-week project, id not more, to actually get all that set up (each one will need about 1/4 - 1/2 of a tree, and i will need.... idk really, but probably over a hundred palisade walls). maybe itd help to get some help, but the only humans ive seen were bandits outside the mansion i was holed up in, anx they... didnt really seem friendly (also last time i went near bandits it took me ~15 quick saves to actually live theu it. so.... fuck guns btw). so. all on my own, lol... might do some packed earth in a few places? that needs a wood frame under the dirt, tho. oooo what if i placed one od those every like 5-10 spaces, so my entire wall doesnt go up if it catches on fire? good idea good idea...

on the bright side, i do have a forge and such set up. i dont have an anvil or like... any tools for it but a hammer, but. we're getting there, lol. need to head into town sometime and get a frame from somewhere (probably cutting up another car wreck lol). need to find a hack-saw, would make that a lot easier... no luck finding such a saw thus far tho. hardware store was useless; some fertilizer, some concrete, not much else. push comes to shove maybe i can make one once i get the forge completely ready? still need an anvil and a swage/die set.

((also apparently taking apart a split rail fence gives you 1000 nails? thats... probably a bug.))

i kind of wanna burn that mansion down. gotta make sure its picked clean first, though. not really a *reason* to burn it down, even, hell whoever owned it probably saved my fuck8n life considering my other options i had at the time (none, basically). not to mention the sword i found in it thats prolly saved my life a half-dozen times. but... i still kind of want to burn it down? maybe i can burn eown that bandit camp instead. that DOES sound pretty great. buuuut then theyll probably come kill me. so. maybe ilk just burn down the mansion lmao.

really wish i could find a decent sidearm somewhere. well. i mean i HAVE one, but its chambered in the one pistol ammo i dont have. so im kind of carrying around a flintlock pistol eberywhere i go (what tje fuck was the up with the dude who owned that mansion? some kind of obsession with history or something? thatd explain the stone axr and the clay pots, too... and the swords...)

Oh! also a few days (weeks? idk) ago I killed one of the horses that were on this property. I then... spent a solid 2-3 full days frantically trying to preserve all of its meat before it rotted. I think I got around 2/3s of it, though a lot of that is smoked. So... I’m gonna be eating smoked horse meat for the next, like. 3 weeks, as much as I can. Before all of THAT rots. I think I’ll be able to ma- wait, fuck. There’s like. 20 lb of sausage that’s on the same kind of cloooooock... well. I mean I guess at least I’ll be the only fat survivor? Kind of a shame I can’t keep this good any longer, though. (oo, maybe I should dig a root cellar? I mean, it’s not really “warm” here this kind of year, but like. Root cellars keep things even cooler, I think? Maybe I could do that, idk. I haven’t really looked at a thermometer in a few weeks lol)

[dangersam]

ScriptableObjects For Fun and Profit

Well, it's been a while, so time for a progress update I think!  The material tool is now done, and I'll show it in action very soon, so watch out for that.  Most of my time however has been occupied with a massive code re-architecture effort, and that's what I'm going to go over in this update.

From a high level perspective the GearBlocks game code is quite well laid out in terms of separating various subsystems (e.g audio, graphics, player, UI, etc.) via namespaces and so on.  However, there was still a lot of code coupling (i.e. direct dependencies) between areas of the game code that should really be completely independent.  This made it impossible to reuse or test parts of the code independently, and it was only going to get worse as development progressed.

ScriptableObjects to the Rescue

I'd been using ScriptableObjects in Unity for a long time, but only in a select few cases as data containers, I certainly hadn't been using them to their full potential.

I watched these two excellent presentations a while back:-

Overthrowing the MonoBehaviour Tyranny in a Glorious Scriptable Object Revolution - Richard Fine (Unity)

Game Architecture with Scriptable Objects - Ryan Hipple (Schell Games)

Ever since, I'd been wanting to adapt the ideas presented in these talks to the game to improve the code architecture, and so I finally decided to take the plunge.  This was a huge endeavour, but well worth it I think.

ScriptableObject Events

Previously I was using Unity's ExecuteEvents system as the basis for events in the game.  This was helpful for code decoupling, however it still had some disadvantages:-

In order to add a new event, a new interface has to be written (derived from IEventSystemHandler), and then implemented in all the MonoBehaviours that need to receive the event.

It's necessary to explicitly call ExecuteEvents.Execute() on every GameObject with MonoBehaviours that need to receive the event.  To me, this makes ExecuteEvents more like messages than true events, but perhaps that's just semantics.

Only MonoBehaviours on GameObjects can receive these events, ScriptableObjects can not.

So I replaced these with a new system, where each event is now a ScriptableObject asset.  Here's a simplified version of the code:-

public class EventAsset : ScriptableObject {    public delegate void EventHandler();    public event EventHandler Handler = null;     public void Raise()    {        if( Handler != null )        {            Handler();        }    } }

The real implementation is slightly more complex, but follows the same principle.  It's implemented using C# generics to allow for different event argument types, and has support for logging and listing the current event subscribers.  This is used by a custom editor I wrote to display this info while the game is running in the Unity editor, here's an example of it in action:-

To use an event it can simply be assigned to a variable in the Unity inspector, then to receive it, just subscribe to Handler:-

public class Receiver : MonoBehaviour { [SerializeField] EventAsset somethingHappened; EventAsset.EventHandler onSomethingHappened; void OnEnable() { onSomethingHappened = () => { Debug.Log( "I hear that something happened!" ); }; somethingHappened.Handler += onSomethingHappened; } void OnDisable() { somethingHappened.Handler -= onSomethingHappened; } }

Or to raise the event, just call Raise() on the event:-

public class Sender : MonoBehaviour {    [SerializeField] EventAsset somethingHappened;     void SomethingHappened()    {        Debug.Log( "Something happened, telling everyone!" );        somethingHappened.Raise();    } }

This setup has some useful advantages over the old ExecuteEvents system:-

No need to write any code to add a new event, just create a new event asset and assigned it in the inspector where needed.

No need to explicitly refer to specific GameObjects to send the event.

Don't even need to be using GameObjects, these events can be used by ScriptableObjects as well as MonoBehaviours.

The events are more easily debuggable via the custom editor.

ScriptableObject Variables

Events aren't always the most appropriate pattern for sharing data between subsystems, for example sometimes it's necessary to store a value somewhere and allow it to be read a later point, perhaps continuously polling it to watch as it changes.

Previously I was doing this by having my subsystems be singletons, and then directly reading / writing properties in them where needed, thereby tightly coupling different areas of the code together, not good!  To solve this I made a new "variable" system, where each variable is a ScriptableObject asset.  Whereas events can be thought of as radio broadcasts, the variable system is conceptually more like a noticeboard (with each variable being a notice pinned to the board).

Here's a simplified version of the code, it's implemented as a generic class to allow for different variable types:-

public abstract class VariableAssetBase<T> : ScriptableObject {    [SerializeField] T value;     public T Value { set { this.value = value; } }     public static implicit operator T( VariableAssetBase<T> variableAsset )    {        return variableAsset.value;    } }

For example, a bool variable type:-

public class BoolVariableAsset : VariableAssetBase<bool> { }

Again, the real code has a bit more going on.  It has an event delegate that code can subscribe to, in order to be notified when the variable value is assigned to (this saves having to use a separate event for this).  It also has support for serialisation so that I can use these variables for things like game settings (e.g. controls, gameplay, video) and allow the player to save / load them.  Plus I made a custom editor that allows variable values to be viewed or even modified while the game is running in the Unity editor.  At some point I might implement a debug console that would allow this to be done even in standalone builds, which would be super cool!

To use a variable it can be assigned in the inspector, then written to / read from.  Notice that Assigner and Watcher in this example are completely independent of one another:-

public class Assigner : MonoBehaviour {    [SerializeField] BoolVariableAsset isThingTrueVar;     void ThingBecomesTrue()    {        isThingTrueVar.Value = true;    } } public class Watcher : MonoBehaviour {    [SerializeField] BoolVariableAsset isThingTrueVar;     void Update()    {        PollThingTruthiness();    }    void PollThingTruthiness()    {        Debug.Log( "Thing is currently " + isThingTrueVar );    } }

I replaced data in my subsystems that needed to be shared with these new ScriptableObject variables.  This allowed me to remove a lot of code dependencies, and eliminate the need for singleton references in most cases.

One example being the UI overlay that displays the player's speed, acceleration, and altitude.  It now just reads variables for these values and displays them, completely independently of the player code that updates them.

ScriptableObject Dictionaries

There's one slight wrinkle with the ScriptableObject variable system, in that there is only one global instance of each variable.  For example, sometimes I need one instance of a variable per player (in multi-player games).  To solve this I implemented a simple ScriptableObject dictionary, here's the implementation pretty much in full:-

public abstract class DictionaryAssetBase<TKey, TValue> : ScriptableObject {    Dictionary<TKey, TValue> dictionary = null;     void OnDisable()    {        if( dictionary != null )        {            dictionary.Clear();        }    }     public TValue this[TKey key]    {        get        {            if( dictionary != null )            {                TValue value;                if( dictionary.TryGetValue( key, out value ) )                {                    return value;                }            }             return default(TValue);        }         set        {            if( dictionary == null )            {                dictionary = new Dictionary<TKey, TValue>();            }             dictionary[key] = value;        }    } }

Then for example, a dictionary with byte keys and bool values:-

public class ByteBoolDictionaryAsset : DictionaryAssetBase<byte, bool> { }

The only part I left out here is some code for listing the entries currently in the dictionary, used by another custom editor I added for debugging while the game is running in the Unity editor.

A dictionary is used in much the same way as a ScriptableObject variable:-

public class Assigner : MonoBehaviour {    [SerializeField] byte thisPlayersID;    [SerializeField] ByteBoolDictionaryAsset isThingAboutPlayerTrueVar;     void PlayerThingBecomesTrue()    {        isThingAboutPlayerTrueVar[thisPlayersID] = true;    } } public class Watcher : MonoBehaviour {    [SerializeField] byte thisPlayersID;    [SerializeField] ByteBoolDictionaryAsset isThingAboutPlayerTrueVar;     void Update()    {        PollPlayerThingTruthiness();    }     void PollPlayerThingTruthiness()    {        Debug.Log( "Thing is currently " + isThingAboutPlayerTrueVar[thisPlayersID] + ", about player with ID: " + thisPlayersID );    } }

Replacing Singletons

The game has many self contained code modules providing utilities and functionality used by other parts of the code.  Previously these were either static classes or singleton MonoBehaviours, both having their disadvantages:-

Static classes can't have variables serialized by Unity or edited in the inspector.

Singleton MonoBehaviours need to live on a GameObject somewhere in the scene (or at least in a prefab).

So now I've re-implemented most of these as ScriptableObjects which have neither of these downsides.  They work well with the new ScriptableObject events too, these modules being able subscribe to or raise events, which helps with code decoupling.

Other Uses of ScriptableObjects

I found many more places to use ScriptableObjects, far too many to go over in detail now, but here's a brief summary of a few of them:-

Added ScriptableObject "delegate objects", making use of the strategy pattern where different variations on a theme implement a common interface.  For example I use this for the procedural generation code for the various different re-sizable parts in the game.

Replaced some enums with ScriptableObject assets.

Implemented ScriptableObject data assets with built in functionality for better separation of concerns.  For example, I implemented a "sound asset" ScriptableObject that handles random AudioClip selection and playback, and then created a whole bunch of these assets for all the sounds in the game.

[pokemon-brilliant-diamond6w]

pokemon brilliant diamond cheats new 8M5#

💾 ►►► DOWNLOAD FILE 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 Solution: Move your Catch trainers pokemon cheat to the end of the file. Scenario 3: Your file is greater than 32kb. Here we will show you how to unlock all Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl codes with a cheats list that's valid for the Switch & DS. › game › pokemon-brilliant-diamond. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl Cheats Wanna nab Mystery Gifts? Get 'em by scoring the third gym badge. Or you can stack them sooner – head to the. 9 Forums New posts Search forums. Groups Public Events. Reviews Overview Official reviews. Downloads Latest reviews Search resources. Blogs New entries New comments Blog list Search blogs. Chat Top chatters. Search Everywhere Threads This forum This thread. Search titles only. Search Advanced search…. Everywhere Threads This forum This thread. Search Advanced…. Log in Register. New posts. Search forums. Install the app. JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly. You should upgrade or use an alternative browser. Important Posts Recent threadmarks 1. View all 2 threadmarks. Level FAQ: Troubleshooting Edizon related questions. Latest build 1. Codes will be updated, don't DM me. Spoiler: Diamond 1. Spoiler: Pearl 1. Catch trainers Not first Pokemon. Last edited by SkyQueen , Sep 17, Reactions: Lunos , Sch0er , m1ch and others. Level 9. I wonder if any of the action replay codes could be ported to these remakes. Click to expand Reactions: AnubisCute This game has leaked online so please expect cheats very very soon! Reactions: AnubisCute , Wilderness , taytwo-five and 1 other person. SkyQueen said:. Reactions: AnubisCute , Tyvar1 , taytwo-five and 3 others. Level 7. Money code please. Reactions: AnubisCute and SkyQueen. Reactions: AnubisCute and cloud-strife Reactions: cloud-strife Game is without Update playable but how can i make my Pokemon plinfa run after me? Level 1. I really need a cheat where its possible to catch the opponent's Pokemon, Ive used stuff like this on ORAS and SWSH and thought its absolutely hilarious to just pull a team rocket and move on with my new Pokemon. Is it possible make a cheat code random Pokemon shiny wild? Reactions: cearp and cloud-strife Can you disable exp share or you need cheat for that? Reactions: Cencil and cloud-strife No disable exp share not possible U need Cheat code. Then I will rather wait. Exp share ruin all the fun for me. Codes will need pointers. I made some but none of them work after a reboot, including a simple one like money. Reactions: cloud-strife and SkyQueen. Asia81 said:. Leviathanos Active Member Newcomer. Very excited for the codes, hopefully today we can get some? Thats fair. And im sure a majority will be ASM too like money doesnt decrease etc. Post reply. Insert quotes…. Similar threads. Hacking [Help needed] Can't get Cheats to work anymore. Sno0t Sep 25, Nintendo Switch. Replies 0 Views Nintendo Switch Sep 25, Sno0t. SkyQueen Jan 15, Nintendo Switch Replies 5K Views K. Replies 10 Views 14K. Nintendo Switch Sep 14, conaldinho. Replies 34 Views 18K. Nintendo Switch May 10, cloud-strife How to toggle between pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl??? Replies 19 Views 6K. Nintendo Switch Jun 13, mjdiaz Monday at AM by shaunj66 1, Sony says it will take "at least a year" for exclusives to reach PC, unless they're live service games Today at PM by relauby Gylt, one of Stadia's few exclusives, expected to go multi-platform sometime next year Today at PM by relauby 5. Here's your first look at the upcoming Super Mario Bros. Yesterday at PM by shaunj66 Go to forum More news. FireCrow - 4 minutes ago. Sonic Mania for Wii godreborn - 4 minutes ago. Sony says it will take "at least a year" for exclusives to reach PC, unless they're live service games Zyvyn - 7 minutes ago. Hello and bonjour M4x1mumReZ - 9 minutes ago. Nintendo switch AC adapter needs a new typeC male port impeeza - 13 minutes ago. Free Games thread Veneratu - 16 minutes ago. General chit-chat Help Users Settings Notifications Miscellaneous Inverse message direction Display editor on top Enable maximized mode Display images as links Hide bot messages Hide statuses Hide chatter list Show messages from ignored users Temporarily disable chat Receive mention alerts Sound notifications Normal messages Private messages Whisper messages Mention messages Bot messages Desktop notifications Normal messages Private messages Whisper messages Mention messages Bot messages. Options View top chatters Open in popup. No one is chatting at the moment. Veho : Disney has gone too far. Gift Today at AM. KenniesNewName : Too bad for shaggy. Veho : He has Scooby. KenniesNewName : He's a friend to everyone. KenniesNewName : My dumbass bought pizza crust instead of croissant crust for pigs in a blanket. Veho : Oh well, now you have pigs in an eiderdown. KenniesNewName : Pigs in a shaq. Veho : If you do the classic thing of wrapping the sausages in strips of dough you'll have little sausage mummies. Gift Today at PM. Veho : Well, you overpaid for the computer, it's only fair you get a deal on the GPU. Tom Bombadildo : Lol. Tom Bombadildo : Actually I severely underpaid. Veho : The only way to buy Alienware. Tom Bombadildo : Trufax. Tom Bombadildo : Hello Veho. Veho : Hey Tom. The Real Jdbye : hey do, merry do! KenniesNewName : Toms a hardcore gamer from outer space now. KenniesNewName : O new jeepers creepers is out and the reviews are shit ;O. Psionic Roshambo : They have not usually been great movies probably worth a watch for free lol. Gift 54 minutes ago.

[hydrus]

Version 306

windows

zip

exe

os x

app

tar.gz

linux

tar.gz

source

tar.gz

I had a great but full week. There are many fixes and improvements to different systems.

import folder file presentation fixed

Last week's importer unification introduced a bug in how import folders publish their files to pages and popup buttons. The files imported ok, but the pages and buttons got a single invalid entry that would then stop the session saving to db correctly.

This problem is fixed. Import folders present to buttons and pages correctly again. I have also updated my session saving code to recover from bad pages more gracefully in future.

If you have any 'poisoned' sessions still open in v305 that refuse to save, please try closing any import-folder-related pages and try again. I apologise for the inconvenience here.

subscriptions can now publish to page

Like import folders, subscriptions can now publish their files to a page. If the page does not exist, it will be created (named after the sub), and if a so-named page already exists, the new files will be appended to it. You can also turn off the file popup buttons, and even turn off all publishing.

Furthermore, you can now tell subscriptions to publish each individual query as separate buttons or pages (named 'subscription_name: query_text').

This is all in the usual edit subscription dialog, as three new checkboxes.

file import status improvements

The file import status window (launched by clicking the icon button on any file download context) has a bunch of little improvements--its menus are a little neater, and some of the behind-the-scenes code is cleaner--and it can also now 'show files in a new page' on any new imports! Just select some 'successful/already in db/deleted' results that are newish--actioned maybe since v303 or so--and you'll get a new menu entry that lets you open the resulting files in a new page, and it even works from the manage subscriptions dialogs!

This is neat if you want to revisit some files you missed or had set not to publish to ui earlier. It'll happily show trashed/deleted files (the latter with blank thumbnails) as well, which is a little odd but still maybe useful so I haven't taken it out.

Some parser work

I have added a pixiv parser that pulls the raw japanese (i.e. non-romaji) tags in lieu of the available translations. It is not the default for pixiv, but if you would like to try it out, update the parser 'link' for 'pixiv file page' URLs to 'pixiv single file page parser - japanese tags' in the network->manage url class links dialog.

The 4chan thread parser has fixed 'if there is no subject, use the first line of the comments for page name' parsing.

Newgrounds have changed how their galleries work (it is all dynamic javascript stuff now), which has broken the old parser. Thankfully, I happen to be working on a new gallery parsing engine, so I hope to have this back in the coming weeks as the other gallery stuff rolls out. But for now, Newgrounds is removed from the downloader selection ui, and I recommend you pause and Newgrounds subscriptions.

I've also done some advanced stuff to improve how pixiv and twitter post urls are checked in the db for 'already in db/deleted' status, which is another step towards manga page (and other multi-file Post URL) support. The client's "have I seen this URL before" logic is becoming significantly more sophisticated, and it can now be less of a big deal if two files have the same URL.

I also discovered that pixiv are rolling out a new ui design for some (likely older) usernames. If your pixiv downloader suddenly stops working at all, it may be that you have been selected to beta this new design. The solution for now is to make a newer throwaway pixiv account and use that instead. I hope to have a proper fix in here (and for tag searches) as I roll out the gallery downloader overhaul work.

duplicate system can now sync urls

The duplicate filter merge options now have a dropdown choice to set if 'known urls' should be copied from 'worse to better' and 'both ways'! If you are into the duplicate system, please set these how you prefer--I recommend 'worse to better' for 'this file is better' and 'both ways' for 'both files are the same'.

I've also done some layout/presentation work on that options panel. In an attempt to make it less confusing, obscure merge choices are now disabled for common operations, but please let me know if your normal workflow is now affected. Weird stuff like 'delete both files' is still on for 'custom' actions.

open in web browser

All users will now see share->open->in web browser off the thumbnail right-click menu, which can be useful if you want to use a browser plug-in to do some IQDB-type source-lookup. Unfortunately, the command can be a little buggy unless you set a specific browser path at the new option under options->files and trash.

This new browser path option will be used for all link-launching in the client as well, so if you have had trouble with that, please set this up and let me know if it works better for you.

misc

All file queries that involve multiple tags or that involve at least one tag and simple system predicates now run much faster!

The new (x/y) import page name progress status will now update reliably on any change!

Advanced users can now test specific urls for url class recognition in the network->manage url classes dialog!

full list

the file import status list now has 'open selected import files in a new page', which should show up where it is possible. this is a bit prototype and ugly--it'll show _all_ files, including in-trash and permanently deleted (which will show up with the hydrus thumbnail)

the file import status list now prefixes the already in db/deleted notes with 'url' or the hash type that lead to the recognition

these redundant/deleted notes now also propagate up from 'during import' recognition phase as well

the 'delete seeds of type x' entries on the file import status button's right-click menu are now split into three smaller individual tyes and are more explicit about exactly which status types they will remove

like import folders, subscriptions can now optionally publish their files to pages as well as popup buttons. also, subscriptions can optionally publish their files separately for each query instead of all merged together

sped up multiple tag queries significantly

sped up simple (file size, mime, etc...) system predicate queries that also include a tag/namespace/wildcard predicate significantly

added a pixiv parser that pulls the japanese tags to the defaults--users can switch to this if they prefer under network->manage url class links

fixed the 4chan parser to get part of comment as backup subject/page title

removed the 'newgrounds' entry from the normal gallery page creation ui, as the basic gallery parser no longer works due to a dynamic loading change on their end. I hope to have it back with the new gallery parsing system I will soon be writing

the edit url classes panel now has a little text box to put in example urls and see which class, if any, that they match to

improved layout of edit url class links panel

all url types are now displayable in the media viewer--only post url classes are default on

the new (x/y) import page page_name progress count is now updated on all alterations to this value (previously, this was not updating when a user interacted with the import queue, only when the natural downloader loop cycled)

added 'can produce multiple files' option to post url url classes, which informs client url-checking logic whether the url can be relied upon for 'already in db/deleted' calculations

the pixiv file page url class now has 'can produce multiple files' checked, meaning some bad pixiv url association logic due to other sites referencing it as a source url is now fixed

added a 'twitter tweet' url class, which is also a 'can produce multiple files' post url

added a 'sync known urls?' action choice to the duplicate merge options panel, which governs whether urls should be copied from worse to better or in both directions

gave the edit duplicate merge options panel a layout pass

the edit duplicate merge options panel will now disable pointless/over-complicated choices on non-custom actions, let me know if this is a pain for your workflow

added a 'manual' web browser path override to the 'files and trash' options panel, which fixes the new share->open->in web browser option for Windows and also fixes some #anchor link propagation

consolidated all URL/Path web browser launching code to one location

'open in web browser' is now available for non-advanced_mode users and the 'open' submenu of the share menu is available in the preview window and the media viewer

fixed a bug that was causing import folders to publish incorrect file identifiers, which was poisoning popup buttons and import page destinations

gui sessions that fail to load a page will recover and continue to attempt loading the rest of their pages. some popups detailing the page's serialised data and error will be presented

gui sessions that fail to save a page will recover and continue to attempt saving the rest of their pages. some popups detailsing the page's rough info and error will be presented

the core controller inside all media pages will now present itself in a more beautiful way when asked to dump itself to a log (which should beautify the above save error a bit)

wrote a subsidiary database->check->just repo update files that tests integrity of only repository update files

fixed an issue where default tag import options were sometimes not being saved from the new dialog in the networking menu

wrote a couple of layers of bad tag protection to help the new downloader deal with some occasional bad output from the old downloader

network jobs can now reattempt connection attempts up to three times on POST requests (if you ever got inexplicable immediate 'could not connect' errors on repository uploads, this should now be fixed)

replaced some archaic misc old import code with the new system, cleaning up a bunch of stuff and making space for further refactoring along the way

fixed tags blacklist not being inherited in the old (through options dialog) system

improved some invalid domain error handling

fixed an animation update issue that would pause naturally updating controls on non-main-gui frames when there were no regular media pages open on the main gui

added a BUGFIX option to 'files and trash' option page to override the default temp path for almost all client temp path requests

the minimum value for the 'vacuum period' in maintenance and processing options is now 28 days. the control also has a little explanatory tooltip

the 'try to auto-link url classes and parsers' function now always preferences parsers alphabetically

fixed a typo in the string transformations prettyfication code that incorrectly summarised 'take the last x characters' as the opposite

misc fix to file hash generation and status checking code

the 'export tags to .txt files' checkbox on the export files panel will no longer bother you with a dialog as you uncheck it

wrote some code to make it easier and more fool-proof to update the domain manager with new url classes and parsers on my end

improved some popup message manager ok-to-alter-ui logic when the main ui is minimised and so on

fixed some potential crash conditions (affecting linux mostly, seems like) in the service credential testing and access key fetching ui code

fixed a bug when 'stopping' a gallery parse during a long error pause (like when it holds on '404')

sped up some old set intersection code

some import file presentation refactoring

some url content application pipeline cleanup

misc cleanup

next week

I got splatted with hydrus reports and work this week and didn't have time to knuckle down on a multi-thread watcher, so I'd like to get back to that.

In all the rush, I also fell way behind on replying to messages this week. If I can, I would like to catch up to everything on Saturday. If you are waiting on a reply, please hang in there.

[michaelandy101-blog]

4 Google My Business Fields That Impact Ranking (and 3 That Don't) — Whiteboard Friday

New Post has been published on https://tiptopreview.com/4-google-my-business-fields-that-impact-ranking-and-3-that-dont-whiteboard-friday/

4 Google My Business Fields That Impact Ranking (and 3 That Don't) — Whiteboard Friday

With so many customization options in your Google My Business profile, it can be tough to decide what to focus on. But when it comes to ranking on the SERP, there are actually only four GMB fields that influence where your business will land. 

In this brand new Whiteboard Friday, MozCon speaker and owner/founder of Sterling Sky, Joy Hawkins, takes us through the fields she and her team has found do (and do not) effect rankings.

Click on the whiteboard image above to open a high resolution version in a new tab!

Video Transcription

Hello, Moz fans. My name is Joy Hawkins, and today I’m going to be talking about which Google My Business fields impact ranking in the local pack. At my agency, Sterling Sky, we do a lot of testing to try and figure out what things actually influence ranking and what things do not.

We’ve come to the conclusion that there are only four things inside the Google My Business dashboard that a business owner or a marketing agency can edit that will have a direct influence on where they rank in the local results on Google. 

1. Business name

So to start us out, I’m going to start with the first thing that we found has impacted ranking, which is the business name. Now this is one that’s kind of frustrating because I don’t think it should have so much of an influence, but it does.

This year in the local search ranking factors study I actually put this as my number one. Of all the things that influence ranking, this one, in my experience, has the most weight, which is again unfortunate. So as a business owner, obviously you’re thinking, “I can’t really change my business name very easily”. If you do happen to have a keyword rich business name, you will see an advantage there.

But the real action item would be to kind of look to see if your competitors are taking advantage of this by adding descriptive words into their business name and then submitting corrections to Google for it, because it is against the guidelines. So I’m not saying go out there and add a whole bunch of keywords to your business name on Google. Don’t do that. But you should keep an eye on your competitors just to see if they’re doing this, and if they are, you can report it to Google using the Google business complaint redressal form.

Now one thing that’s kind of a tip here — it has nothing to do with Google — but we’ve seen the same thing on Bing, which doesn’t get talked about a whole lot, but on Bing you’re actually allowed to have descriptors in your business name, so go ahead and do it there. 

No impact: Q&A

Now I’m going to switch over to something that we found has not influenced ranking at all, which is Q&A. I kind of shoved it over to the section over there because it’s not actually in the dashboard currently. There isn’t a Q&A section in there, but it is on the knowledge panel on Google, and it is something that you should get an email alert about if somebody posts a question to your listing. 

So we did a bunch of testing on Q&A and found, despite putting random keywords and very specific things in questions that we posted and also in the answers, there was no measurable impact on ranking.

So, unfortunately, that is not one area where you can kind of manipulate ranking for your clients. 

2. Categories

Moving on to the second thing that we have found influences ranking — categories. Categories might sound kind of simple, because you go and you pick your categories. 

There are 10 that you can add on there, but one thing I want to point out is that Google has around 4,000 categories currently, and they keep adding categories, and then they also sometimes remove them.

So we have been tracking this month over month, and we usually find that there are about two to 10 (on average) changes every month to the categories. Sometimes they add ones that didn’t exist before. For example, we found in the last year there have been a lot of restaurant categories added as well as auto dealer categories. But there are also some industries like dentists, for example, that got a new one a couple of months ago for dental implants.

So it is something that you want to kind of keep track of, and hopefully we will have a resource published soon where we can actually log all of the changes for you. 

No impact: services

Now moving on to another thing that does not impact ranking, we’ll move over here to services. 

So the services section — at first glance it looks like an SEO dream. You can put all kinds of descriptive words in there. You can tell Google a lot about the different services you offer.

But we have found that whatever you put there has no actual bearing on where you rank. So it’s not something I would spend a lot time on. Also, it’s not very visible. Currently it’s not really visible on desktop at all. Then if you go onto a mobile device, it’s kind of hidden off to a tab. It’s not something we have found really has a lot of weight, so spend a few minutes on it, but it’s not something I would revisit quite often.

3. Website

Then moving back to the things that do impact ranking, number three would be the website field. 

So this is something where you do want to kind of think and possibly even test what page on your website to link your Google My Business listing to. Often people link to the homepage, which is fine. But we have also found with multi-location businesses sometimes it is better to link to a location page.

So you do want to kind of test that out. If you’re a business that has lots of different listings — like you have departments or you have practitioner listings — you also want to try and make sure that you link those to different pages on your site, to kind of maximize your exposure and make sure that you’re just not trying to rank all the listings for the same thing, because that won’t happen. They’ll just get filtered. So that is a section that I would definitely suggest doing some testing on and see what works best for you and your industry.

No impact: products

Now moving on to something that we have found did not impact rankings — products. 

So this is a feature that Google launched within I think about a year or so ago. It’s available on most listings. They are actually slowly rolling it out at the moment to all listings with the exception of a few categories that don’t have it. This section is kind of cool because it’s very visual.

If you’re a business that offers products or even if you offer services, you can technically list them in this section with photos. One of the neat things about the products section is that they are very visible on the knowledge panel on both desktop and on mobile. So it is something you want to fill out, but unfortunately we have found it doesn’t impact ranking. However, it does have an impact on conversions for certain industries.

So if you’re a business like a florist or a car dealer, it definitely makes sense to fill out that section and keep it up to date based on what products you’re currently offering. 

4. Reviews

Then moving back to the final thing that we found: number four for what influences ranking would be reviews (which is probably not going to be shocking to most of you). But we have found that review quantity does make an impact on ranking.

But that being said, we’ve also found that it has kind of diminishing returns. So for example, if you’re a business and you go from having no reviews to, let’s say, 20 or 30 reviews, you might start to see your business rank further away from your office, which is great. But if you go from, let’s say, 30 to 70, you may not see the same lift. So that’s something to kind of keep in mind. 

But there are lots of reasons as a business, obviously, why you want to focus on reviews, and we do see that they actually have a direct impact on ranking.

There was an article that I wrote a couple of years ago that is still relevant, on Search Engine Land, that talks about the changes that I saw when a whole bunch of businesses lost reviews and just watching how their ranking actually dropped within a 24 to 48-hour period. So that is still true and still relevant, but it’s something that I would also keep in mind when you’re coming up with a strategy for your business.

Conclusion

So in summary, the four things that you need to remember that you can actually utilize inside Google My Business to influence your ranking: first is the business name, second would be the categories, third would be the website field, and finally the review section on Google. 

Thanks for listening. If you have any questions, please hit me up in the comments.

Ready for more?

You’ll uncover even more SEO goodness in the MozCon 2020 video bundle. At this year’s special low price of $129, this is invaluable content you can access again and again throughout the year to inspire and ignite your SEO strategy:

21 full-length videos from some of the brightest minds in digital marketing

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[isearchgoood]

4 Google My Business Fields That Impact Ranking (and 3 That Don't) — Whiteboard Friday

Posted by JoyHawkins

With so many customization options in your Google My Business profile, it can be tough to decide what to focus on. But when it comes to ranking on the SERP, there are actually only four GMB fields that influence where your business will land. 

In this brand new Whiteboard Friday, MozCon speaker and owner/founder of Sterling Sky, Joy Hawkins, takes us through the fields she and her team has found do (and do not) effect rankings.

Click on the whiteboard image above to open a high resolution version in a new tab!

Video Transcription

Hello, Moz fans. My name is Joy Hawkins, and today I'm going to be talking about which Google My Business fields impact ranking in the local pack. At my agency, Sterling Sky, we do a lot of testing to try and figure out what things actually influence ranking and what things do not.

We've come to the conclusion that there are only four things inside the Google My Business dashboard that a business owner or a marketing agency can edit that will have a direct influence on where they rank in the local results on Google. 

1. Business name

So to start us out, I'm going to start with the first thing that we found has impacted ranking, which is the business name. Now this is one that's kind of frustrating because I don't think it should have so much of an influence, but it does.

This year in the local search ranking factors study I actually put this as my number one. Of all the things that influence ranking, this one, in my experience, has the most weight, which is again unfortunate. So as a business owner, obviously you're thinking, "I can't really change my business name very easily". If you do happen to have a keyword rich business name, you will see an advantage there.

But the real action item would be to kind of look to see if your competitors are taking advantage of this by adding descriptive words into their business name and then submitting corrections to Google for it, because it is against the guidelines. So I'm not saying go out there and add a whole bunch of keywords to your business name on Google. Don't do that. But you should keep an eye on your competitors just to see if they're doing this, and if they are, you can report it to Google using the Google business complaint redressal form.

Now one thing that's kind of a tip here — it has nothing to do with Google — but we've seen the same thing on Bing, which doesn't get talked about a whole lot, but on Bing you're actually allowed to have descriptors in your business name, so go ahead and do it there. 

No impact: Q&A

Now I'm going to switch over to something that we found has not influenced ranking at all, which is Q&A. I kind of shoved it over to the section over there because it's not actually in the dashboard currently. There isn't a Q&A section in there, but it is on the knowledge panel on Google, and it is something that you should get an email alert about if somebody posts a question to your listing. 

So we did a bunch of testing on Q&A and found, despite putting random keywords and very specific things in questions that we posted and also in the answers, there was no measurable impact on ranking.

So, unfortunately, that is not one area where you can kind of manipulate ranking for your clients. 

2. Categories

Moving on to the second thing that we have found influences ranking — categories. Categories might sound kind of simple, because you go and you pick your categories. 

There are 10 that you can add on there, but one thing I want to point out is that Google has around 4,000 categories currently, and they keep adding categories, and then they also sometimes remove them.

So we have been tracking this month over month, and we usually find that there are about two to 10 (on average) changes every month to the categories. Sometimes they add ones that didn't exist before. For example, we found in the last year there have been a lot of restaurant categories added as well as auto dealer categories. But there are also some industries like dentists, for example, that got a new one a couple of months ago for dental implants.

So it is something that you want to kind of keep track of, and hopefully we will have a resource published soon where we can actually log all of the changes for you. 

No impact: services

Now moving on to another thing that does not impact ranking, we'll move over here to services. 

So the services section — at first glance it looks like an SEO dream. You can put all kinds of descriptive words in there. You can tell Google a lot about the different services you offer.

But we have found that whatever you put there has no actual bearing on where you rank. So it's not something I would spend a lot time on. Also, it's not very visible. Currently it's not really visible on desktop at all. Then if you go onto a mobile device, it's kind of hidden off to a tab. It's not something we have found really has a lot of weight, so spend a few minutes on it, but it's not something I would revisit quite often.

3. Website

Then moving back to the things that do impact ranking, number three would be the website field. 

So this is something where you do want to kind of think and possibly even test what page on your website to link your Google My Business listing to. Often people link to the homepage, which is fine. But we have also found with multi-location businesses sometimes it is better to link to a location page.

So you do want to kind of test that out. If you're a business that has lots of different listings — like you have departments or you have practitioner listings — you also want to try and make sure that you link those to different pages on your site, to kind of maximize your exposure and make sure that you're just not trying to rank all the listings for the same thing, because that won't happen. They'll just get filtered. So that is a section that I would definitely suggest doing some testing on and see what works best for you and your industry.

No impact: products

Now moving on to something that we have found did not impact rankings — products. 

So this is a feature that Google launched within I think about a year or so ago. It's available on most listings. They are actually slowly rolling it out at the moment to all listings with the exception of a few categories that don't have it. This section is kind of cool because it's very visual.

If you're a business that offers products or even if you offer services, you can technically list them in this section with photos. One of the neat things about the products section is that they are very visible on the knowledge panel on both desktop and on mobile. So it is something you want to fill out, but unfortunately we have found it doesn't impact ranking. However, it does have an impact on conversions for certain industries.

So if you're a business like a florist or a car dealer, it definitely makes sense to fill out that section and keep it up to date based on what products you're currently offering. 

4. Reviews

Then moving back to the final thing that we found: number four for what influences ranking would be reviews (which is probably not going to be shocking to most of you). But we have found that review quantity does make an impact on ranking.

But that being said, we've also found that it has kind of diminishing returns. So for example, if you're a business and you go from having no reviews to, let's say, 20 or 30 reviews, you might start to see your business rank further away from your office, which is great. But if you go from, let's say, 30 to 70, you may not see the same lift. So that's something to kind of keep in mind. 

But there are lots of reasons as a business, obviously, why you want to focus on reviews, and we do see that they actually have a direct impact on ranking.

There was an article that I wrote a couple of years ago that is still relevant, on Search Engine Land, that talks about the changes that I saw when a whole bunch of businesses lost reviews and just watching how their ranking actually dropped within a 24 to 48-hour period. So that is still true and still relevant, but it's something that I would also keep in mind when you're coming up with a strategy for your business.

Conclusion

So in summary, the four things that you need to remember that you can actually utilize inside Google My Business to influence your ranking: first is the business name, second would be the categories, third would be the website field, and finally the review section on Google. 

Thanks for listening. If you have any questions, please hit me up in the comments.

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