#[mar ocs - flora]

[maractean]

some more older art!! penny and nemona as mystery dungeon mons, with bonus pmd flora :D

[pancake-crab]

Me and @treelsprouts are making marble sky oc

(In the teens ages ↓ ↓ ↓)

Here's mine! His name is Mars.

Mars is a junior\Sub commander in Marmor forces.

Also, he's Kraz's caretaker(?) Since Kraz is a lil piece of shit and a trouble maker, everyone made a decision to give him someone who could look after him. (Plus, Cass didn't really tell us about Marmor families, but let's just say that these two are siblings)

Being the literal army junior commander doesn't stop him from absolutely adoring teegatdenians. He really often visits them in the prison to listen about their culture, life, people, fauna, flora and give them some medical care. (he makes excuses for others that he is just wooing them so that they do not die from injuries and in that case, mire information can be extracted from them)

He even had a tree friend - Tulip! (Or Daffodill, i can't decide) But... No matter what...

Social pressure is way too strong...

Also @somerandomdudelmao , hello :3

Yeah, one more thing. I have a hc that Marmor's "eyes" widening when they're feeling anxious, scared or just very uncomfortable and vulnerable, to increase their "echo location" Senses :]

[lovebirdgames]

In the end we got 36 likes so here are 36 random facts from Band Camp Boyfriend!

1 - Most people probably know this one, but it’s a good spot to start. The majority of names in BCB are music/instrument puns. Tom, trombone, TOMbone. Peter, trumpeter, trumPETER. Susie sousaphone. You get it.

2 - Cadence's dating history. She's already had her first kiss (which is why she doesn't make a big deal out of it), but not her first love, which is far more important. <3

3 - Initially Olive’s name was Angryphone, then Francis (for French horn) as she grew into a bigger character, then we finally settled on Olive (for oboe).

4 - Peter was the first character conceptualized and the first boy we asked Flora to draw. Don't tell him, he will get a big head.

5 - In this background, the football goalposts are missing because Blue Mountain High School is having them replaced…just kidding it’s because we the devs did not realize we forgot them because marching band is all that matters.

6 - Mr. Wiley has some of his roots in a Hunger Games OC I made in college. Namely the name, hair, and glasses…and the fact they both go crazy. Hunger Games Wiley had a much grislier fate though.

7 - Peter can’t remember his first kiss because he went around kissing all the girls when he was little until his mom gave him a stern lecture on germs.

8 - Tom is the only one allowed to ride in Peter’s car (which he got as a graduation gift) but he’s not allowed to bring food in.

9 - This one's right out of my old fact doc: Clark got bullied a lot as a kid for being a teacher’s pet. Got called names like tattle-tale, four-eyes, Clark eats tanbark, Clark the narc, etc. but who graduated top of class & got the good citizenship award from the Principal? hIM.

10 - Samuel was a super quiet kid, but somehow extremely popular. His fellow children craved his approval for some strange reason. Got good grades but the teachers got on him to participate more and be more outgoing. Of course, he didn’t. He just did his own thing.

11 - Poptart’s albinism affects his depth perception, making marching a little bit harder for him.

12 - Doug’s least favorite food is black olives. Also he drives an old clunker truck to practice (when he can get it started) and gives an illegal amount of kids a ride every day (namely the whole drumline). He makes everyone duck if he spots a cop.

13 - Leon has an older brother, Buck, who lives in the woods and owns a possum named Beauford. If they ever met, Beauford the possum and Bandit the raccoon would have been rivals.

14 - Susie’s a dog person. Her family owns a fluffy Newfoundland named Benji.

15 - Felicity was initially going to be a “mean girl,” until we decided her being a “pick me” was more realistic and less stereotypical.

16 - There’s an easter egg for our next game, Heartbreaker, in Band Camp Boyfriend, and vice versa. Players already have the concept and names of the LIs, they just don’t know it.

17 - In the end, Garth lands the leading role as Harold Hill in The Music Man musical and no bitches needed to be cut.

18 - As a child, Doug wanted to be the Kool Aid man when he grew up.

19 - A lot of stuff in BCB is inspired by our real lives. One of the craziest things is that our college marching band had a man auction to win dates with the guys. I showed up with $40 trying to summon the courage to bid on my crush at the time.

20 - Aaron has OCD and used to tap his fingers on everything, but drumming has helped him get a lot of his nervous energy out.

21 - All of the Drum Corps named in BCB are parodies of real life corps.

Red Angels = Blue Devils Yellowjackets = Bluecoats Tennessee Tiara = Carolina Crown Space Cadets = The Cadets

22 - You can find song motifs from Gustav’s Holsts “Planets” hidden within the BCB soundtrack. For example, Mars hides within “Run Like Hell” and Venus is in the romance theme, “Venus and Mars.”

23 - Drum and Drummer were the last characters to make it across the line into spritedom. Next up would have been Erin and Cornelius, but you gotta draw the line somewhere.

24 - The Warden is based on Mr. Friendly from Lost.

25 - All of the band directors have a clever name theme. Wiley, Craft(y), Knowles (Knowledgeable), Savage (Savvy), Brighton (Bright).

26 - Initially Tom was going to have a Triforce on his shirt, but we switched it to hearts because it’s more generic and fits with multiple games. Also we joke that you can either fill up his hearts or let them run out!

27 - Sabrina is an orchie dork and plays violin 2 in the orchestra.

28 - Marian, Garth, and Sabrina are all choir kids. Felicity is a former drama club kid.

29 - In my head Eugene resembles Eugene from The Walking Dead so…yeah his sprite definitely low-key has his look haha.

30 - Alex came up with our little heart trumpet logo. She used to draw it everywhere in high school!

31 - The original Higurashi anime was definitely an inspiration, with it’s cute-on-the-surface look and darkness waiting in the wings.

32 - There’s always a kid with a nickname in the band and it’s used so often you have no idea what their real name is. Poptart was the first thing I blurted out so that’s what we went with.

33 - The story of Rebecca was told to me when I was at camp in 5th grade. Still surprised our principal told a bunch of 10-year olds a story involving matricide and suicide. I made some modifications for BCB but…who knows…maybe she’s real.

34 - The rock in this background marks the grave of Rebecca and her family.

35 - Doug was originally going to carry the smallest bass drum for comedic purposes, but then we had a reality check.

36 - Some names that were suggested and didn’t make the cut: Clarence (Clark), Fleur (Felicity), and Gordon (Garth).

Bonus: Ms. Craft's maiden name is Kim.

[goldenroseeon]

The first arc of TTSBC by @amethystfairy1 coming to a close with Bedrock. Unfortunately, because art block is killing me, I can't draw anything at the moment for it, so instead, take my TTSBC OC's dealing with the situation. Meet Plethora, Lullaby, Labyrinth, and Petrichor.

She should've been at the Labs. She had to be at the Labs. Doc called all medical personnel, including witches, to help with injuries from the rifts closing.

That included her. So why is she still in her shaking home?

She ran her fingers through Neap's hair, softly shushing their cries.

"You're okay, Flora. It's going to be okay." The home shook again, and the materials that Neap so graciously sorted for her fell to the ground. They whimpered.

There was a rattling at their door, and there she was, Lullaby, her sister.

"Plethora." She greeted, her voice out of breath and barely level. "Your house isn't stable. It's so close to the overcity, it's going to collapse."

"Just shut up for a moment!" She felt the little Allay mutant tense in her grasp. "I'm sorry."

They didn't say a word.

"Plethora, now is not the time to get emotional, you need to get the labs, now!" Her eyes were glassy, though it was hard to tell when the sclera was pitch black.

"I-I will! Just..." She stroked Neap's head.

Lullaby's eyes flickered between Neap, her little niece, and Plethora, her beloved sister. She did the same for her during the Anarchy. She sighed.

Lullaby wiped her hands, still marred with skulk, onto her clothes. It didn't do much to run off.

"Neap." Her voice was gentle, she recognized it from her childhood. "Hey, little star, it's me."

Slowly, Neap opened their eyes. "Ms. Lullaby."

A soft smile was on her face, but it felt like a crack. It wasn't real, Neap could probably tell, but she's trying to be calm as the home shakes again. "I told you that formalities aren't necessary, starlight. Could you be really brave for me?"

"Lullaby-"

"She's not a child anymore." Her voice was biting, but still affectionate. "You need to get to the Labs. So do I. Neap needs to get to the lower layers."

"But-"

"They're not going to be safe up here, Plethora! Not the Deep Dark, it's too dangerous, but I know a place where they can go, safer and lower." They turned to face the little Allay mutant, covering their ears when Lullaby yelled.

"I'm sorry, little skydrop." Slowly, Neap opened their eyes again. "Where's your cane?"

Lullaby didn't wait for an answer before grabbing their cane, bag, and scarf. They quietly thanked her. She gave them a scrap of paper.

"Go to this address, help anyone on your way if you can. I'm going to grab you some food and supplies to keep in your bag." She gave her a soft laugh. "You get to be just like my sister."

Neap nodded shakily. "Okay, okay." They looked to Plethora, rubbing their hands against hers. "Are you going to be safe?"

"I'll try, kiddo."

Neap worried their lip, teeth sinking into their glossy skin and making tiny crystals at their mouth. They blink, a few tears escaping. They take their scarf and wrap it around her neck.

"I want that scarf back, try not to bleed on it too much."

"Flora, I know how much this scarf means to you-"

"Then, you better give it back to me, later."

They were silent for a moment before the walls shook again and the lights flickered.

"Okay. I'll bring it back."

"Good."

There was a yelling outside the door; it seems Lullaby didn't close the door behind her.

"Plethora! We can't fly!" She knew that voice.

They all jumped out the door, using either glamour or wings to stop them before the ground.

"Labyrinth?" Even her sister, cool-headed, seemed shocked.

"I... I...!" Her little sister broke down into tears.

"Labyrinth, Neap's going further down, go with them. When we can, we'll call and reconvene. I'll send Petrichor your way when she makes her way down-"

"Petrichor can't come!"

"...What?" She must be mishearing her.

"She, she...! S-she said she'd meet me when I came down, that she already did, but when I got there, she wasn't t-there, and I called her, and s-she said she can't come down because she broke her leg and c-can't jump, b-but didn't want me to stay up there w-with her, and-"

"Shit!" Lullaby doesn't curse.

Plethora had to be the bigger sister here. "We'll... Figure it out. Listen, Neap can't go anywhere alone. Keep them safe when you guys go down."

"Right." Lullaby wiped away a tear on her face. "We need to help those that we can."

Plethora rubbed her hand against Neap's shoulder as they silently wept. "Neap, beat up anyone who tries to hurt you. You have a metal cane, use it well."

They nodded shakily, and Labyrinth and Neap went on their way. Plethora waved when they looked back.

When they turned the corner, she collapsed.

"We need to move." Her sister's voice was watery.

"Why didn't she tell us she broke her leg? She could've come down and I could've healed it. I... She would've been with us!"

"I... We need to get to the Labs."

"Our sister is up there! She's alone! She-"

"Plethora, we need to move, now!" She grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her up.

They stood there for a while, just staring at each other. Eventually, Plethora's head slumps forward, and she cries into Lullaby.

She doesn't say a word, but strokes her hair, just like she did so many years ago.

Except that time, they were all together.

[callsignspark]

Mar[r]y Me - part 8.5.2

pairing: Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw x Mariella “M&M” Vertucci (fem!OC)

summary: A love story told through friendship, laughter, and food.

series warnings: 18+ minors DNI, discussion of insecurities, difficult family relationships, discussions of food and alcohol use, discussions of body image, conversations on what it’s like to be a fat woman trying to date in today’s society, extreme fluff, like soooo much flirting, warnings to be added as needed

word count: 3.6k

previous part | series masterlist | main masterlist

note: happy Friday! I hope everyone had lovely holidays and 2024 is going well for you so far! I did have some issues tagging people so apologizes if you didn't notified! I really loved writing this chapter, especially since it's going to help set the stage for the rest of the story! (only 4 more parts to go! isn't that crazy??) please be safe if you have snow coming towards you this weekend, and enjoy these two pining and yearning for each other more than ever.

part 8.5.2 - rambling and rings

Friday, April 16, 2021

Mary waves at the obnoxiously large SUV as Slider honks and drives away. Leaning against the entryway table, she slips her heels off and wiggles her painted toes at the feeling of the soft runner beneath her feet. Shuffling over to the entertainment console, she hums as she connects her phone, choosing the song that was on in the car.

The dreamy guitar intro floats through the air, making her smile. And the last beams of golden sunshine disappear as she dances through the living room, enjoying the peaceful feeling that’s settled in her chest and closing the blinds in between twirls.

Good things are happening at work, rumbles that there’s a promotion coming on the horizon. The monthly call back home to her parents hadn’t ended in tears for the first time in months. Most of her evenings are spent in the company of at least one Dagger family member, helping Kris and Dani with their kids or enjoying the adult-only life with Aaron and Flora. Bradley is messaging her as often as he can, every email making her heart flutter, increasing her joy with every sentence he types.

Everything is coming together in ways she had never even dared to dream about.

An early dinner with Ron, Mav, and Penny was the cherry on top of a great week. The four of them laughing and telling stories the entire time, taking advantage of the warm spring weather at the patio table Pete had reserved for Slider’s birthday. As stories and photos were traded across the table, Mary felt like her heart could burst learning about baby Bradley. The only quiet moment of the evening was when their waiter brought an unordered round of drinks to the table, prompting the men to venture inside and thank the old Navy buddy that had spotted them through the window.

“Thank you, Matt; it was getting just a tiny bit too windy for us.”

“No problem, ma’am.” The young man smiles over his shoulder as he finishes turning the outdoor heater on. “Can I get you ladies anything else?”

“I think we’re good for now, thank you,” Penny answers, glancing at Mary, softening at the sight of the younger woman lost in thought as she stares out at the ocean with a content smile.

She watches as brown eyes drift from the water to the table, gentle fingers tracing over a copy of a photo that’s older than the girl studying it. Penny stays quiet, letting the sound of waves crashing on the sand accompany the slight furrow that creases Mary’s brow as she brings the photo closer to her face.

“He looks just like his dad, doesn’t he?”

“He does; he acts a lot like him, too, more than he realizes.”

“You knew him?” It’s not a surprised reaction, just curious.

Penny hums, “We weren’t close, but I knew him enough to see how much Bradley has turned out like him. He’s a good blend of both his parents.”

“Did you know Carole very well?”

“More than Nick, by default, but for the most part, we were at different stages in life. She was older than me by a few years. I was in college and she was a widow raising a toddler. But, as you know, the aviator community is pretty small, so we were friendly. I would even babysit Bradley sometimes when the guys were deployed.”

“He was a cute baby,” Mary says softly, eyes back on the last photo taken of the whole Bradshaw family.

“He was… turned out to be a handsome man, didn’t he?” Penny asks, taking advantage of the moment.

She smirks as the younger woman looks up at her through her lashes, a shy smile stretching her pink cheeks. “He did.”

“Can I ask you something while they’re still inside?”

“We’re not together. But we are going on a date the week after he gets back.” Now it’s Mary’s turn to smirk at how Penny’s eyebrows rocket up to her hairline. “That is what you were going to ask me, right?”

“It’s close enough. Are you excited?”

“I am. I really like him.”

It’s the first time she admitted it out loud to anyone other than her best friend. She revels in the encouraging energy and words Penny gives back, both of them still giggling like school girls when Pete and Ron return.

“What are you two laughing about?” Slider asks as he slips Mary’s wrap over her shoulders.

“Oh, nothing.” When Penny winks, she has the overwhelming urge to cry. The knowing look accompanying those two words is more affectionate and maternal than anything her mother has done in years.

Their hug goodbye lasts a few seconds longer than expected, and the gentle hands that smooth some stray hairs back make her throat tighten. Slider is quiet on the ride home; familiar with the many moods of Mary, he lets her work through her thoughts with the radio on low.

“Y’okay, kid?” He doesn’t speak until he pulls into her neighborhood, giving himself a five-block buffer to determine if a pit stop to the closest ice cream shop is required.

“Yeah. Just-” Mary pauses, trying to figure out how to best explain. “Just still getting used to it.”

“To what?”

“To how easy it is to just be me out here. Surrounded by people who have just folded me into their lives with zero hesitation, like I’ve always been here.”

“Mary, were you happy in Florida?”

“I was content. Getting to know you helped with that a lot, but let’s face it; if I was happy, I wouldn’t have been so excited to leave.”

“And you’re happy now?”

“I am. I can’t remember the last time I was this happy.”

It's a cheesy line, but true. She knew that when she said it, accepting the light teasing that followed with a smile. One that hadn’t left her face as she said goodbye to her mentor, one that grows as the song starts again. She can’t help how big her grin gets. This song always reminds her of Bradley.

“I'm in love, I'm alive. I belong to the stars and sky.”

Letting the song stay on repeat, Mary stops in the kitchen for some water on her way to the bedroom. It’s still early - not even eight yet - but a full night’s sleep is calling her name, eyelids feeling heavy.

She slips her clothes off, folding the jeans for tomorrow and tossing her shirt in the laundry. A small groan of relief accompanies the unclasping of her bra before she slings it into the hamper. Turning the bedroom speakers down slightly as she enters the bathroom, a grimace instantly creases her face when she catches sight of herself in the mirror.

“Jesus…” Her disbelief echoes in the room as gentle fingers rub over the harsh red lines where her clothes dug into her skin. It’s evident where the waistband of her jeans sat all day. And the tender spots under her arms lets her know it’s time to look for better-fitting bras, again. Mary tugs the leg of her panties up, relieved to see at least one piece of clothing hasn’t left its mark.

She’s massaging the sore spots on her chest, letting her warm hands diminish the pain, when her phone rings. Her eyebrows furrow deeper at the unknown number flashing across the screen.

Usually, at this time of night, she’d ignore an unknown number and let the other person leave a voicemail, but something in her gut tells her to pick up before it’s too late.

“Hello?” There’s a muffled response, and she scrambles to disconnect her phone from the speakers. “Hello? Can you hear me?”

“Hello, ma’am. Can I speak to Mariella Vertucci?”

“May I ask who’s calling?”

“This is Lieutenant Corso in the communications bay on the USS Roosevelt. Can you confirm your identity with your full name, birthday, and the eight-digit code given to you by Lieutenant Commander Bradshaw?”

Mary’s heart stops for a second. This is it. Bradley is calling. She’s going to get to talk to him after forty-eight days. Hear his voice. See his face.

“Ma’am?”

“Sorry. Mariella Theresa Vertucci, born March 14, 1987. The code is 0125-2020.”

“Thank you, ma’am. One minute, please.” The soft clacking of a keyboard filters through the phone, the Lieutenant's tongue clicking as he types. “You’ve been verified. Does the phone you’re using have video chat capabilities.”

“It does, Lieutenant.”

“Excellent. Stay on the line, and in a few minutes, a video chat will come through with Lieutenant Commander Bradshaw. You have been allotted 30 minutes today. I am required to remind you that communication is not secure. This means, for security purposes, you cannot ask what time of day it is, what location, or how any missions have gone. Please confirm that you understand.”

“I understand.”

“Thank you. I am also required to let you know that this video chat is conducted in a private area and will not be monitored. However, the audio will be recorded, so any lewd acts are discouraged but not forbidden.”

Mary can’t help the snort that escapes. “But not forbidden?”

“Uh- the uh-” She smothers a chuckle at how the kid trips over his words. “The Navy understands that loved ones are apart for long periods of time and can’t forbid any uh- urges that couples may wish to act upon during their chats. But we are legally required to inform everyone of the recording.”

“Ah, I see. Thank you, Lieutenant.”

“No problem, ma’am. Please stay on the line, and your loved one will be joining shortly.” She giggles at how quickly the hold music starts, humming along to Anchors Aweigh as she clips her hair up, ready to take her makeup off. She’s about to wet a washcloth when the music cuts, and the video call comes through.

Taking a second to look herself over, Mary admires the tendrils that have escaped, perfectly framing her cheeks that are still flushed from the wine she had with dinner. The slightest bit still tipsy and a little frazzled about Bradley, she realizes just in time that she’s still only in her underwear, hitting the accept button and dropping the phone on the counter.

“One second! Just- oh, come on! Fuck!” She curses under her breath as she struggles to slip into her bathrobe. “Hang on, Bradley!”

Finally getting both arms in, she ties the robe, eyebrows raising in surprise at how it cinches her waist, before eagerly grabbing her phone.

“Hi, Mary.”

“Hi, Bradley.”

She greedily drinks him in. It’s been 48 days since she’s seen his handsome face or heard his warm voice - the longest since they met - and she’s missed him. Her heart clenches at how tired he looks, the bags under his eyes more pronounced than ever.

“Hi, honey.” The sweet name hits something deep inside, and she can’t help the tears that immediately form or the way her bottom lip wobbles. “Oh, shit, Mary. Please don’t cry, honey.”

The emotional reaction surprises even her; she was expecting to be a bit overwhelmed, but nothing like this. It makes her feel a little ridiculous, crying about a man she’s barely even kissed. But you love him, her brain chimes in, sending more heat to her face.

“This is your uncle’s fault!” She laughs, swiping tears away and propping her phone against the mirror.

“Mav?”

She can’t help but giggle at his disbelieving tone as she reaches for a tissue. “No, Slider. He’s in town this week, and he may or may not - but definitely did - get me tipsy at dinner, like he always does!”

She trills on about dinner, telling him about the childhood stories that were shared and the baby photos that now live on her phone, not noticing the look on his face until he interrupts.

“You getting in the shower, Mary?”

The husky tone immediately grabs all of her attention, a shiver running down her spine at the smoldering look on Bradley’s face. She follows his eyes down, surprised to see how much her robe has come undone. The valley between her breasts is completely visible, and the fabric is threatening to expose her belly button - and more - if it’s not fixed.

“Oops…” She mumbles to herself, tightening the robe so much it pushes her cleavage together.

Normally, this is where her insecurities would ruin the moment - flooding her brain with terrible things. Make her spend the rest of the call analyzing how she looks in the tiny corner box, agonizing how prominent her double chin is from this angle. But the soft fuck that crackles through the phone squashes the anxieties before they can take root, shifting her attention to admire the man looking back at her.

And god, he is a man.

Bradley Bradshaw has always been gorgeous: tall, strong, and deliciously tan. But mid-deployment Bradley Bradshaw is a vicious attack to the senses. And the hormones.

His broad shoulders have gotten broader, filling the little privacy cubicle in the communications room so much that he’s brushing both sides of the walls. His curls are more golden than usual, clear evidence of time spent flying in the Pacific tropics. His tan is deeper, too, glowing even in the harsh florescent lighting, the bridge of his nose slightly sunburnt. His neatly trimmed mustache moves with his lush pink lips, warmth building in her core as her thoughts drift to the memory of how they felt pressed against hers.

“Mary?” She hums, eyes focusing back into the present and away from her favorite post-deployment reunion fantasy. “Whatcha thinking about?”

“You.”

It's clear he wasn’t expecting that answer from the way he drags a hand over his mouth to muffle a cruse, his eyes scrunching shut.

She wasn’t expecting it either; the effects of the wine have mostly worn off, leaving her with flushed cheeks and apparently a slightly looser tongue. She can’t bring herself to be embarrassed about the overly honest answer. Communicating exclusively via email for the last month and a half has allowed Mary to gain confidence in Bradley’s feelings. It’s hard to wonder about his intentions when every email ends with him telling her how many days are left until he’s home.

“Your lips…” She continues, emboldened as the last remnants of wine soften the sharp edges of her insecurities and the pink working its way up his neck. She loves how easily Bradley blushes for her. Their few kisses have always ended with his cheeks a lovely, rosy shade. “How soft your hair is. Your mustache. How strong you are. How much I miss you…”

The words make them both pause. It’s not an uncommon phrase, every email containing some variation of the sentiment, but hearing the words out loud makes it real. Cementing the longing in their chests.

“I miss you, too.” The words are quiet, echoing against the tiled walls. She chuckles, throat thick with emotion, and Bradley can’t look away from her soft smile. His heart pounding at the emotion on her face, something he can’t quite place. He can’t stop staring as she picks the phone up and flicks the light off, “Where are we going?”

“Couch.”

He smiles as the familiar walls of her living room appear, grin going slack when she props him up on the side table, and the slit of her robe reveals a thigh that he’s dreamt about as she shuffles pillows. Bradley manages to pull his mind out of his post-deployment fantasy as she plops on her couch - that damn pink couch - and smiles at him over the arm, her eyes almost closing she grins so hard.

“I’m sorry I missed our call.”

“It’s okay, Bradley. I knew it was a possibility, and Mav let me know what was going on. I understand.”

“I want to hear about your birthday.”

“I told you about my birthday! We’ve discussed it extensively.”

“I still want to hear about it. I want to hear your voice.” He revels as she softly whines and smooshes her face into a pillow, thrilled to cause that reaction. “C’mon, please, Mary?”

“You’re not fighting fair.” The muffled complaint comes back, making him laugh, but she does as asked.

Bradley listens, humming along as she recounts her birthday for him and insisting for the hundredth time that it was his pleasure to give her presents. He lets her lead the conversation as it shifts to what’s happening in San Diego, content to watch her as she shares stories of what he’s missing at home. Happy to just admire her and occasionally ask questions.

It’s so easy to get lost looking at her. Dark hair swishing around her shoulders, just slightly shorter than it was in February. Her brown eyes look darker than usual, the low light in the room making them almost black instead of the warm brown he’s used to staring into. And despite resecuring the robe, it’s coming loose again, enough that the top curve of her breasts are visible; freckles dotted all over, disappearing beneath the baby blue fabric. Bradley thinks about what it would be like to connect the dots on her soft skin, tracing invisible lines with his fingers or lips. He imagines there’s more hiding behind the waffle material. He wonders if she’d let him find out.

The fantasy of how wonderful it would be to memorize every mark on her body is interrupted as red nail polish grabs his attention. He loves her hands, smaller than his but so strong when she’s working on a jet. Steady as she calls out instructions to her team, grease smeared up to her elbows and her nail color of the week shining through the black sludge. Mary insists that she doesn’t talk with her hands, that she managed to avoid that stereotypical Italian-American trait, but Bradley smirks as her hands swirl through the air. He’s about to interrupt the story she’s giggling through - something about the latest swear word that Danielle accidentally taught Annie - when something sparkly on her finger distracts him.

A ring.

A diamond ring.

A simple silver band lined with tiny diamonds.

On her ring finger.

On her left ring finger.

His eyebrows furrow as he tries to study the never-before-seen piece of jewelry. Mary must notice his confusion because she cuts her story off and flashes her hand at the camera. “I bought this for myself when I got promoted for the first time. I went from EI to EII, which is entry-level engineer to associate engineer. It was $50 from this little shop that was on the same block as my first solo apartment in St. Louis.”

Relief sweeps through his body, thrilled that Mary hadn’t gotten engaged with him.

“That’s awesome. Have you done that every time you’ve moved up?”

“Kinda? I always buy myself some sort of gift - last time, I splurged and got that big blender we used at the Christmas party. But I’ve only done jewelry a few times. I think I’m going to get a necklace next time, something to match this.” She explains, wiggling her fingers so the gems shimmer in the camera.

“It’s very pretty.” Bradley compliments, feeling bold enough to go further. “You look good with a ring on that finger.”

“Jesus, Brad-”

She’s cut off by the two-minute alert popping up. They had been so distracted they weren’t paying attention to the countdown timer.

“Already?” Mary pouts, forehead crinkling as she frowns. “But I didn’t get to ask you about carrier food.

“It’s bad, honey. Yours is so much better.”

“Or how you’re sleeping.”

“Reuben’s snoring has somehow gotten even louder since last time we shared a bunkroom; Bob, Mickey, and I owe you for the extra earplugs you sent.”

“You’re sunburnt.”

“I’m wearing the sunscreen you gave me; the sun is just strong.”

“I knew I should have sent the SPF 75!” Bradley smiles as Mary throws her head back in faux despair. “Oh well, now I know for next time, I guess.”

“Next time?”

“Yeah. You didn’t think I’d only send you a care package one time, did you? I gotta make sure you have everything you need. I know I missed some stuff this time, but I’ll get better in the future! I promise.”

I love you.

He just barely holds the words in.

“God, I fucking miss you.” He stares at the screen, watching the prettiest brown eyes in the world fill with tears at his words. “Oh, honey, please don’t cry. I’ll be home so soon.”

“But twenty-four days is such a long time, and I miss you so much.”

“I know, but we’ve already done 48 days. Twenty-four will be a breeze to get through.” The timer starts blinking, the last 60 seconds counting down. “I gotta get going, Mary. But you keep sending me flirty emails so I have something to read and think about.”

He chuckles at the little surprised noise she makes. “You noticed that?”

“Did I notice that? Mariella, in the kindest way, you are not subtle.”

“Well- I-” She splutters. “Neither are you!”

“I’m not trying to be, baby doll,” Bradley revels in her reaction to the pet name - mouth dropping open as she blinks at him, cheeks pinker than he’s ever seen - one he didn’t even mean to use.

The flustered hand she waves at the camera while yelling at him makes him laugh. “Bradley!”

“I would say I’m sorry, but I’m not. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Be safe. Only 24 days.”

“Only 24 days.”

“I miss you, handsome.”

Bradley's face feels hot, choked up at the look in her eyes, the softness of her words. “I miss you, too, baby doll.”

They don’t say goodbye, choosing to admire each other as the final seconds tick away.

5…

I can’t wait to see you in person.

4…

God, you’re so gorgeous.

3…

I don’t want to hang up.

2…

I miss you.

1…

I love you.

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[teethstoobigmouthwontclose]

How do major and minor elements work for dragons in your lore? What are some optional elements (or all the optional elements if the list is short enough) ?

Magic can exist in a pure form known as "arcana". Magic introduced into the ecosystem from the primary sources (centre of the planet, sun, moon, stars, and the waste product of dragons) is in this form. However, it is wild, unpredictable, and unstable in this form. It has a high tendency to stabilise out into a form affiliated with an element. Major elements are the the most common and most stable forms of magic. There's not an exhaustive list, but it includes the Cardinal Elements (fire, earth, water, air), Celestial Elements (sun, moon, stars, void), and other common elements of light, dark, poison, blood, etc. Magic produces the perfect form of any thing; such perfection is impossible in the mundane world, which is why magical things are fantastical and often do not adhere to the laws that mandate the mundane. A minor element is a perfect thing or concept made manifest. They're generally only found in dragons; there are other magical flora and fauna, but they can only utilize major elements. A dragon is born with their major element. Generally it will match the element of a parent or grandparent. However, some mothers abandon their clutch to nature instead of caring for them - dragons hatched in this manner tend to have a major element affiliated with the environment they hatched in. They grow into their minor element as they age - becoming apparent in their teenage year / as they reach sexual maturity and fledge (leave their mother's nest/where they hatched to begin their adult lives). It generally settles once a dragon has established themselves as a young adult, having their first territory and starting their hoard. It is not set for life, and extreme circumstances may allow/force a dragon to change their minor element. A dragon's major element influences their primary ability, such as fire-breath or controlling storms. Their minor element is influenced by and influences their personality. It grants them secondary powers, such as the ability to control insects. Dragons may have smaller abilities outside their elements. For example, Sage's venomous tail-spikes embody the minor element of piercing. This magic is strictly localised to the tail-spikes, and Sage cannot utilize this in any other way. My current OCs and their major/minor elements are: Marcolac: Earth / Smouldering Apotheosis: Arcana (to have raw magic as an element is rare; she is very powerful. Her major element inhibits the ability to embody a minor one) Artemisia: Nature / Control Chainbreaker: Light / Vengence Daggers: Poison / Strife Mars: Storm / Oaths Meredith: Fire / Wrath Nightshade: Nature / Madness Sage: Nature / The Hunt Syzygy: Moon (he is too young to have a settled minor element) Titurna: Sea (I need to work on her, idk her minor element >_<'')

[renaissancefailmarriage]

random name thoughts+headcanons

"françois bonnefoy" is something that he came up with when he was the nation equivalent of 10-12, because it really sounds more like a medievalbrained Cool Title than a real name.....hello i am a frenchman of the good faith. d'accord jeunehomme! people might have already been calling him something like The Frank or the frankish child (in their various dialects) so he really just....took this to the logical conclusion. (side note: i like the idea of his roman cognomen having been flavius/flaviulus, "yellow" for his hair)

"veneziano" is pretty self-explanatory, just a place-of-origin name, in fact iirc there were some people historically who having no last name, just used this one, like the painter bartolomeo veneziano. "feliciano" is apparently not a real italian name(?correct me if this is wrong?) but could have come through any number of vulgar latin takes on "felix" ("happy") i'm very attached to feliciano as a name of his even though its linguistically questionable, because i think it makes so much sense for this name to have stuck with him...sometimes it's happily accurate and sometimes its darkly ironic.

"romano" is another one that probably rose from a nickname given to him by others. i'm not sure if the italybros ever even met their "father" and romano's primary childhood memories would probably be of east rome/byzantium (who imo is a separate character from rome) and an aging mama graecia, if she's still around. (southern italy had been greek-influenced for awhile and was controlled by east rome for a time after the fall of west rome) but these older nations would have known who this new nation-child is, and perhaps called him romulus ("little roman" basically) in remembrance of his father.

"antonio" is a pretty obvious descendent of "antonius" or "antoninus" in latin. i hc antonio to be one of the characters who remembers rome the best, so it makes sense his name would be relatively unchanged. ive toyed with the idea that "fernandez" is from one of his kings (there were a LOT of iberian kings called fernando) but its just as likely thats a story he tells to justify the name after picking it up randomly.

for my florence OC i was considering something like simonetta or clarice after famous florentine women, but eventually i was like....why fight it. her name is fiora/flora, depending on inconsistent medieval spelling. fiorella if she's being babied or teased. i think it would have grown naturally out of the name of her city, with people calling her "the florentine girl" or "the little florentine" before it slowly became less of a title and more of a name.

imo rome is lucius (taken from @absolvtely-barbaric who is so so smart) but he could have any number of cognomen (in roman naming conventions, thats the name you're more likely to be identified by) from the ever popular romulus (little roman. little rome man. little guy from rome. lmao) to marius (for mars, his patron god/probably dad) to my favorite, crispinus ("curly-top", basically, which is funny and also connects him to the italies with their special curls)

[venusinmyrrh]

If your OC was a perfume, what would they smell like?

Side character edition! The story ain't about them, but they're too much fun not to include.

Charmion Mowbray (House Divided): White tea, white tuberose, white heliotrope, and white musk— a study in blamelessness.

Flora Whitby (Wicker Hollow): Wildflowers carefully arranged in a basket of juniper, sandalwood, and yew, drying down with a hint of smoke from a sacred fire.

Livvy Ferrara (Hartfall Mall): Both sweet and tart: shiny glossy maraschino lipstick wrapped around an ever-present cherry-flavored lollipop.

Tess Meisner (Hartfall Mall): A snarl of blackcurrant, pomegranate, and rose, tearing through black licorice like a rip in a fishnet stocking.

Elena Valdez (Purple Sunrise): Sweet bluebells and healing herbs, and palo santo to keep the demons at bay.

Sandie Starling (Sunshine Springs): Crisp, refreshing Coca-Cola from an old-fashioned glass bottle spiked with stiletto-sharp pink peppercorn and the vaguely aquatic tang of hairspray.

Alice Hill (Stay Buried): Vanilla and warm cardamom, steady and kind, powdered with clean linen to hide a whiff of wistful cigarettes.

Barbie Tillman (Royce's Quarter): A smothered cri de coeur: lily, galbanum, and myrrh.

Jenny Davis (Love Lies Bleeding): The musk of a good fur coat, marred by a telltale crimson stain, and a single gardenia torn and trampled on the rain-soaked pavement.

Aviator (Lady Nightshade): A stealthily potent cocktail of gin, juniper, laudanum, and absinthe. Toxic, vengeful, and green with envy.

Rhys Conway (Knave of Hearts): The only man to make the list, and he likes it that way. Heady vanilla musk wrapped in aged suede with a punch of black pepper and a roguish wink of clove.

[ezralovrr]

Hellaverse OC designs 🦅

They are very beautiful to me

Side notes for each of them:

Raya - Pronouns (she/her), species (human), voice claim (Sylvie Laufeydottir from Loki) 💜🕯️📖

Flora - Pronouns (she/her), species (imp), voice claim (Kim Kardasim from SimGM Productions) 🩷🎀🎤

Mars - Pronouns (they/them), species (avian demon), voice claim (Frilled Jellyfish Cookie from Cookie Run Kingdom) 🤍🕊️👻

Jules - Pronouns (it/its), species (jellyfish demon), voice claim (Clorinde from Genshin Impact) 💙🪼🌙

They go around Hellaverse’s hell to commentate on the Hazbin/Helluva characters’ episode shenanigans.

(Spoiler alert, Raya almost always loses her mind since she has personal beef with Blitz + Stolas)

(As you can see they’re meant to represent my personal gripes with some of Hazbin/Helluva)

[mynameistakensadtimes]

My Pronouns!

I'm posting my Pronouns because why not! I'm sorry it's long

★- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -★ Basic He/him/his They/them/theirs ★- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -★ Neos

↳ It/its Void/voidself

Creepy

↳ bloo/blood/blood/bloods/bloodself bo/bon/bons/bons/boneself cor/corpse/corpself dae/daem/daeself de/dea/dath/death/deathself de/dem/demon’s/demself dead/deads/deadself dem/demon/demonself dulla/han/dulls/dulls/dullself, dullaself, or dullahanself ecto/ects/ectself en/tombed/tombs/tombs/tombself, tombedself, or entombedself fran/franke/franken/frankenself gar/goyle/gars/gars/garself gheist/gheists/gheistself gho/ghos/ghostself ghost/ghosts/ghostself ghou/ghoul/ghous/ghouls/ghoulself go/gor/gors/goreself gore/gores/goreself gri/grim/grime/grimeself grime/grimes/grimeself gro/gore/gross/gross/goreself gro/gross/grosself haun/haunts/hauntself hell/hound/hells/hounds/houndself hell/hund/hells/hunds/hundself li/lich/lis/lichs/lichself necro/necrom/necself nyc/nycto/nyctos/nyctoself py/pyre/(pyr/pyre)/pyres/pyreself rake/rake’s/rakeself rie/eer/eri/erie/eeriself sin/sins/sinself ske/skel/skels/skeleself slud/sludge/sludges/sludges/sludgeself spir/spirit/spiritself spiri/spirs/spirself vam/vamp/vampself wer/weres/wereself wi/wight/wis/wighs/wightself wit/wits/witchself wit/witch/witchself (coined for witches) zo/zom/zos/zombself zom/zomb/zom’s/zombi/zombself

Magical

↳ magic/magic/magics/magics/magicself wand/wand/wands/wands/wandself mage/mage/mages/mages/mageself spell/spell/spells/spells/spellself myth/myth/myths/myths/mythself mystic/mystic/mystics/mystics/mysticself potion/potion/potions/potions/potionself wiz/wizard/wizards/wizards/wizardself mag/magic/magics/magics/magicself magic/magical/magicals/magicals/magicalself conjure/conjure/conjures/conjures/conjureself cast/cast/casts/casts/castself mystic/mystical/mysticals/mysticals/mysticalself fairy/fairy/fairys/fairys/fairyself elf/elf/elfs/elfs/elfself charm/charm/charms/charms/charmself hex/hex/hexs/hexs/hexself

Ocean

↳ ma/mar/marine/marines/marineself bri/brine/brine/brines/brineself se/sea/sea/seas/seaself she/shell/shell/shells/shellself sea/shell/seashell/seashells/seashellself cra/crab/crab/crabs/crabself kri/krill/krill/krills/krillself oce/ocea/ocean/oceans/oceanself lo/loch/loch/lochs/lochself squ/squid/squid/squids/squidself oct/octo/octopus/octopi/octopuself shrim/shrimp/shrimp/shrimps/shrimpself nau/naut/nautical/nauticals/nauticalself al/alg/algae/algaes/algaeself ke/kelp/kelp/kelps/kelpself co/cor/coral/corals/coralself co/coa/coast/coasts/coastself jelly/fish/jellyfish/jellyfishes/jellyfishself mo/mol/mollusk/mollusks/molluskself ur/urch/urchin/urchins/urchinself dri/drift/drift/drifts/driftself wa/wave/wave/waves/waveself

Nature

↳ Rot/Rots/Rotself Mush/Mushs/Mushself! Dirt/Dirty/Dirtself! Forest/Forests/Forestself! Oak/Oaks/Oakself! Rock/Rocks/Rockself Pebble/Pebbles/Pebbleself

Cute

↳ Baa/baaself Bun/bunself Plush/plushself Squish/squishself Candy/candyself Sweet/sweetself Fuzz/fuzzy/fuzzyself Fuzzy/fuzzies/fuzzieself Prince/prince/princeself Princess/princess/princesself Pop/poppy/poppyself Yarn/yarns/yarnself Bunny/bunny/bunnyself Pup/puppy/puppyself Teddy/teddies/teddyself Ted/teddy/teddyself Fluff/fluffy/fluffself or fluffyself Cot/cotton/cottonself Pink/pinky/pinkyself Hug/hugs/hugself Toy/toys/cotton-self Berry/berries/berryself Cram/cranberry/cranberryself Flor/flora/floraself Kitty/kittens/kittyself

Space

↳ sun/sun/suns/sunself moon/moon/moons/moonself star/star/stars/starself planet/planet/planets/planetself mercury/mercury/mercurys/mercuryself venus/venus/venuses/venusself mars/mars/marses/marsself jupiter/jupiter/jupiters/jupiterself satur/saturn/saturns/saturnself uranus/uranus/uranuses/uranusself neptune/neptune/neptunes/neptuneself pluto/pluto/plutos/plutoself galaxy/galaxy/galaxys/galaxyself comet/comet/comets/cometself rocket/rocket/rockets/rocketself dust/dust/dusts/dustself solar/solar/solars/solarself lunar/lunar/lunars/lunarself asteroid/asteroid/asteroids/asteroidself eclipse/eclipse/eclipses/eclipseself orbit/orbit/orbits/orbitself satellite/satellite/satellites/satelliteself universe/universe/universes/universeself sky/sky/skys/skyself nebula/nebula/nebulas/nebulaself constellation/constellation/constellations/constellationself cosmos/cosmos/cosmoses/cosmoself

Science

↳ ali/alien/aliens/alienself alu/minum/aluminum/alumiself astro/astro/astros/astros/astroself astro/astronomy/astronomies/astronomyself atom/atoms/atomself bea/beaker/beakerself bio/biology/biologies/biologyself bot/botany/botanies/botanyself chem/chemistry/chemself ear/earth/earthself elec/tricity/electriself ento/entomology/entos/entomologyself ex/experi/ment/ments/experimentself flask/flasks/flaskself geo/geos/geoself geo/logy/geology/geoself grav/gravity/gravityself gravity/gravityself hy/hypo/hypotheses/hypoself lab/labs/labself lab/labaratory/labaratories/labaratoryself paleo/paleontology/paleos/paleoself sci/science/scienceself space/spaces/spaceself spa/spark/sparks/sparkself theo/theory/theoryself

FNAF

↳ cupcake/cupcake/cupcakeself Cake/cakes/cakeself haunted/haunts/hauntedself horror/horrors/horrorself terror/terrors/terrorself fox/foxs/foxself blood/bloods/bloodself haunt/haunts/hauntself robot/robots/robotself bear/bears/bearself Balloon/balloons/balloonself Bonbon/bonbons/bonnieself Bonnie/ bonnies/bonnieself Chica/chicas/chicaself Ennard/ennards/ennardself Foxy/foxys/foxyself Fred/bear/fredbears/fredbearself Freddy/freddys/freddyself Glitchtrap/glitchtraps/glitchtrapself Mangle/mangles/mangleself Minireena/minireenas/minireenaself Springbonnie/springbonnies/springbonnieself Toybonnie/toybonnies/toybonnieself Toychica/toychicas/toychicaself Toyfreddy/toyfreddys/toyfreddyself ai/ais/aiself death/deaths/deathself Bite/Bites/Biteself Food/Foods/Foodself Mask/Masks/Maskself

Fantasy

↳ dra/dragon/dragon's elf/elf's hobbit/hobbit's orc/orc's witch/witch's magic/magic's magician/magician's goblin/goblin's forestelf/forestelf's fantasy/fantasy's dwarf/dwarf's centaur/centaur's werewolf/werewolf's fairy/fairy's arkenstone/arkenstone's unicorn/unicorn's Phoenix/phoenix's Cat

↳ fe/fel/feline/felines/felineself fel/feli/felis/felis/feliself cat/cats/catself mew/meow/rowr/rowrs/meowself purr/purrs/purrself whisker/whiskers/whiskerself wi/whisk/whisker/whiskers/whiskerself kit/kits/kitself kit/cat/kits/cats/kitself kit/kit/kitty/kittys/kitself claw/claws/clawself

[lazuli-writes]

The Vanishing Intro II

a/n: Please forgive me for the excessive use of oc’s and non-canonical name fillers. I do not own Harry Potter and the characters, all rights go to JKR and Warner Bros. Pictures. Only the non-canonical plot was my idea. I also do not agree with any and all prejudiced remarks formulated by JKR in concern of their tr*nsphobia. Remember folks, copying other people’s works is plagiarism and that’s illegal. Don’t be that kind of person. Anyways, hope you all enjoy it :)

©little-lazuli. Do not copy, repost, or translate without permission

Summary: Under the threat of defeat, the supporters of the dark lord cast a curse that banishes half of the Wizarding population of the British Isles. No knows where they had gone or how they vanished. But twenty-one years later, the vanished make their return, and the Wizarding world they once knew is no longer the same.

Listed institutions are referenced with information as of 2019

Part i: Eschaton

timeframe: May 1998 - January 2000

précis: In the aftermath of the Vanishing, Ron is left reeling. A scion of his family and the last of the Golden Trio.

extended summary: Ron struggles to grieve the loss of his family and friends. Daphne fights to save her sister, whilst struggling to deal with her own trauma. Muriel gathers the remains of her family as the war escalates. Draco turns the tides in the face of insurmountable pain. Neville spearheads Dumbledore’s army, while Minerva takes charge of the Order of the Phoenix. The Ministry collapses under the weight of the Impurities. And as the Second Wizarding War comes to a close, Bellatrix unleashes her wrath.

Part ii: Decimation

timeframe: January 2000 - September 2005

précis: Ron comes to terms with his new life as the war with the impurities come to a close. Yet, another brews on the horizon.

extended summary: Ron and Daphne, finally taking the steps to healing have fallen in love along the way. Tracey discovers a conspiracy on her path to become an unspeakable. Mafalda attends a Hogwarts, different from what it was. Theodore is forced to atone for his father’s sins. Neville struggles to be what the world demands of him. Draco refuses to be idle in the sight of a coming war. Luna finally breaks at the seams. The muggle government enters an era of retribution for their lost souls.

Part iii: Treachery

timeframe: October 2009 - June 2017

précis: Ron sits at the precipice of a rising magical Britain, only for it to possibly undo in a matter of seconds.

extended summary: Ron and Daphne holds a secret that leads them down a dangerous road. Susan completes her promise and in the aftermath, madness and stupidity. Theodore and Tracey compete in a race to maintain the safety of magical Britain. All the while, Romilda, Roger and Flora seek to sustain their home in their own ways. Draco’s sudden rise calls his honor into question. Mafalda comes to blows with family and foe as she takes the reigns of her business. Wizarding Britain licks its wounds as Rappaport’s Reign comes to an end.

Part iv: Unvanquished

timeframe: May 2019 - December 2019

précis: When the vanished begin returning in droves, Ron isn’t the same man his family and friends once knew.

extended summary: Ron’s dreams of his family’s return is marred by the demons of his past. Daphne struggles to maintain a grip on order as the Vanished make their return. Draco remains trapped between old enemies. Harry and Hermione struggle to find the friend they once knew. Percy stands at a crossroads. Theodore becomes the scapegoat and the answer to all problems. A brief respite is filled with lost loved ones, but stained with the return of magical Britain’s darkest wizard.

Part v: Vendetta

timeframe: January 2020 - Present

précis: War has returned to Wizarding Britain, and Ron refuses to allow it to take his family from him again.

extended summary: Ron sets aside old feuds in the hopes to save his family. Daphne finds herself at the center of a Trojan Horse. Neville battles snakes in his garden. Harry must finish the war once and for all. Percy struggles to gather a foothold in a warring Conclave. A grain of deception may cost Draco everything. Mafalda tempts fate when she uses her business to redirect a war. Magical Britain stands on a knife edge as Voldemort seeks to smother the realm in his shadow.

•••

Prominent Family Trees

•••

Renowned Businesses & Facilities

Sinestra’s Sanatorium for Magical Maladies:

Sinestra’s Sanatorium for Magical Maladies, commonly referred to as Sinestra’s Hospital or Sinestra’s, is the current wizarding hospital servicing the magical population of the British isles. Former Hogwarts astronomy professor Aurora Sinestra founded the hospital after St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries was destroyed in the Calamity of Diagon Alley. Recognizing the ever growing need for a place of healing, Sinestra turned her own Hogsmeade Estate into a local clinic. Receiving donations and later conclave mandated funds, Sinestra expanded her estate into a full fledge hospital. From its founding in 2002 to the present, Sinestra’s ever growing institution would eventually take precedence as the capital of healing for magical Britain.

Dame’s Wizarding Bank:

Dame’s Wizarding Bank is the current wizarding bank for the magical populace of magical Britain. Following Gringotts’ destruction in the Calamity of Diagon Alley and the Goblin massacres of 1999 & 2002, the goblin species were rendered nearly non-existent in the British isles. Hoping to follow in her relatives’ footsteps—Lord Ronald Weasley & his wife Lady Daphne Greengrass—to fame and fortune, Lady Mafalda Prewett, founded Dame’s Wizarding Bank. Based in Cokesworth, Lady Prewett founded the bank in 2004, whilst attending her fifth year of Hogwarts. With the backing of her legal guardian, Lord Ronald Weasley, she had the Prewett house elves excavate the vaults, mines, tunnels and offices under the ruins of Gringotts. She led the construction of the new Vanishingment halls, which bridged the main bank-hall in Cokesworth to the vaults beneath Diagon Alley. The house of Prewett, along with houses Weasley, Greengrass, Malfoy and Lovegood act as proprietors for Dame’s Wizarding Bank, with Lady Prewett, owning approximately sixty-five percent of the bank herself (as of 2019).

The Quibbler:

A tabloid once recognized for their eccentric stories, tales and theories, the Quibbler currently stands as the largest and most prominent news outlet for magical Britain. Founded by the late Xenophilius Lovegood, the newspaper is currently owned by his daughter, the madam Luna Lovegood. Based out on the Isle of Drear, the Quibbler releases weekly papers, with families paying a subscription fee of seven sickles.

Witch Weekly:

Founded by Tobias Misslethorpe, Witch Weekly is a popular magazine aimed for witches. Reporting on gossip, celebrity news, advice columns and even furniture and apothecary deals. Based out in Hogsmeade, the current owner and editor-in-chief is madam Lavender Brown, who has built a fortune off of her infamous—inanely accurate—articles detailing the love lives of much of the wizarding aristocracy.

Lovegood Magical Sanctuary:

The Lovegood Magical Sanctuary is one of the largest reserves for magical creatures in the world. Founded by madam Luna Lovegood, she built the sanctuary on the once disdained isle of Drear. Initially made unplottable due to the dangerous Quintaped species that inhabited the island, Luna Lovegood fled to the island after being pursued by muggle witch hunters. There she eventually met and became a cherished friend of the tribe of quintapeds. Inspired to obtain such solitude and safety for other species, madam Lovegood took possession of the island. With her monetary reward granted to her by the old British magical ministry, as well as the funds from her newspaper “The Quibbler” madam Lovegood transformed the isle into a safe haven for hundreds of species. Centaurs, bowtruckles, augureys, porlocks, unicorns, thestrals, hippogriffs, dragons, blast ended skrewts, and Aethonan horses were just some of the species protected on the isle.

Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes:

Weasleys Wizard Wheezes, also known as WWW, is a joke shop founded by the vanished twin brothers, Fred and George Weasley. The shop initially started as an owl-service, headed by the twins at the Burrow, then later selling at Hogwarts before the storefront came to be. Once located in Diagon Alley, the shop was initially closed for good in 1999 by its inheritor, Lord Ronald Weasley. The former shop building was destroyed in the Calamity of Diagon Alley. However, following the need to cheer up the growing wizarding population under Rappaport’s Reign, Lord Ronald rebuilt the shop, reopening the business. Now with locations in Ottery St. Catchpole, Godric’s Hollow, Hogsmeade, Cokesworth and Trent Valley.

Wotcher Woods:

The most prominent broom manufacturer in all of wizarding Britain, Wotcher Woods was founded by Hogwarts alumni Oliver Wood. It is currently based in Hogsmeade. The business was founded after the International Congress of Wizards (ICW) sought to punish the British wizarding community for the British Magical Purge—which they considered a result of British witches and wizards breaking the statute of secrecy. Along with halting the trade of magical products including wood; wand and broom production in the isles dropped immensely. This led to many domestic entrepreneurs to form their own businesses through both legal and illegal means to sustain the productivity of magical Britain. Wotcher Woods was one such business.

Catchpole Cinemas:

Catchpole Cinemas is the very first wizarding cinemas. Founded by Lord Ronald Weasley, and located in Ottery St. Catchpole, the cinema was built for the influx of residents and magical refugees from London, after the Calamity of Diagon Alley.

Greengrass Solutions:

The Greengrass family business known as Greengrass Solutions, is a large farm and factory, famed for being the largest domestic producers of apothecary goods. Lady Daphne Greengrass serves as the current proprietor, with her sister Lady Astoria Malfoy née Greengrass working as the general manager. The company rose in fortune after the ICW banned other European wizarding ministries from traveling or trading with Wizarding Britain.

Vane’s Vanities and Oddities:

Owned by madam Romilda Vane, Vane’s Vanities and Oddities was once a simple business focused on magical beauty products. However, during the Purge, madam Romilda had joined in the trend of creating methods to avoid muggles. Her substantial efforts in producing and distributing the advanced vanishing cabinets, two way & later motley way mirrors brought her business into the mainstream.

•••

Prominent Locations

The British Conclave of Magic:

Hidden within the Cheviot Hills of the borderlands, the Conclave was constructed in a similar fashion to the old British Ministry. The Agora, built in an unplottable valley acts as a mini market center. A large platform typically used for speeches stands in the center. The large oak doors into the ministry itself—located at the end of the agora—holds an atrium with numerous elevators and gondola lifts to carry workers to the different sects of the Conclave.

Cokesworth:

Once a mixed magical-muggle community, particularly in the block known as Spinner’s End, Cokesworth became a magical only sanctuary towards the end of the purge; seeing as the muggle residents were expelled to make room for the magical.

Godric’s Hollow:

The village of Godric’s Hollow is a small wizarding village in West Country, England. Home to notable magical figures such as Godric Gryffindor, the Peverell and Potter families.

Hogsmeade:

The largest wizarding and magical settlement in all of the British Isles, Hogsmeade acts as a de facto capital for the wizarding populace. Home to many notable sites such as Sinestra’s Hospital, Witch Weekly, Wotcher Woods and Vane’s Vanities & Oddities, Hogsmeade claims a population of almost a twenty thousand residents—this includes beings, beasts and spirits.

Ottery St. Catchpole:

Another high profile location, this once mixed muggle and magical village is now a complete wizarding village. Treasured as the home of famous wizarding family, the Greengrass-Weasleys, the Ottery is also home to many other popular sites. Including the Warren, the Burrow, the Rookery, Catchpole Cinemas and Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes.

Ruins of Diagon Alley:

Following the Calamity of Diagon Alley, the ruins of the once large and popular settlement was remade unplottable. The land serves as a ruined memorial, a scarred land still ruined by the effects of muggle terrorism. The lingering remains of chaotic magic, were left to stew in the ruins.

Trent Valley:

Once the personal swaths of land of the House of Nott, the Trent Valley became a settlement following the Calamity of Diagon Alley. The refugee crisis that came due to the calamity, caused many magical beings to flee Southeastern England as a whole. Lord Theodore Nott opened his lands to form a refugee camp, that eventually evolved into a village. They took the name of Trent due to the nearby river of the same name.

[maractean]

FINALLY finished Flora's ref!! My Violet protag oc :D

[circusclownsam]

Avatar: the way of water OC

“I see you”

general

Name :: Min-Ya Choi

Nickname :: Minnie, prefers that nickname

Age :: 18

Race :: Na’vi

Birthdate :: 3 / 9

Birthplace :: She was born in a lab via her mothers avatar (similar to Kiri)

Languages spoken: Na’vi, English (taught by her mother)

Voice :: mid pitch, subtle raspiness

Accent :: Na’vi, Australian when speaking english

Scent :: a soft, vanilla smell

Former Clan :: Omatikaya

Current clan :: Metkayina

Position in clan :: villager (current), training to be a huntress (former, undecided for new clan)

“Wow, you’re sooo kind”

personality

Often described as; quiet, loner

Good traits :: caring, gentle, kind, helpful, trustworthy, protective

Neutral traits :: flirtatious, honest

Bad traits :: trust issues, cold, introverted, sarcastic, blunt

Likes :: being left alone, when others do not pry into her personal life, hanging out with Kiri, swimming with Rotxo, annoying Neteyam and Lo’ak, walking around in the forest with spider, learning about humans and where they come from, studying the Flora and Fauna around her, weaving nets for the Metkayina, hunting, carving wooden figures for Tuk to play with, napping in the sun with her ikran

Dislikes :: being picked on by Ao’nung and his friends, getting into arguments with Neytiri and Jake, not being allowed out after dark, having to stay behind to help aid others, not being allowed to explore by herself when wanted, Quaritch and his team, when her parents are brought up, her personal space being invaded, her friends being hurt/in danger, mud

Fears :: deep water, though only feels uncomfortable by it. quaritch and his team.

Habits :: scratching at her scars, neatening things

Hobbies :: hunting/archery, wood carving

Insecurities :: her scars, occasionally. her “human” features

“My parents are..human”

relations

Mother :: Lin Choi, Human / Avatar, currently alive on earth

Father :: Robert Choi, Human, currently alive on earth

Guardian :: an elder women named tok, Na’vi, currently alive on pandora

Friends[s] :: Kiri, Tuk, Tsireya, Rotxo, Neteyam, Lo’ak, Spider

Closer to :: Tuk, Lo’ak, Kiri and Rotxo

Enemies[s] :: Quaritch and his team

Role model[s] :: Neytiri, Jake

Love interest[s] :: Neteyam, Ao’nung

Pet[s] :: an ikran named mars, an ilu named neptune

“What’s wrong with how I look?”

physical appearance

Height :: 7’2 (same height as Tsireya)

Weight (heaviness) :: light

Face Claim :: https://pin.it/2MXX5QBIZ (sorry for the AI✋😔)

Eye colour :: dark blue with specks of light blue around her pupils

Skin colour :: blue, similar to most forest na’vis

Hair colour :: chocolate brown

Hair length :: hip length

Hair texture :: 2C

scarring :: arms, inner thighs and back. won’t speak of how she got them unless comfortable

Body shape :: hourglass, small waist, average thickness, d cup

Other details :: five fingers and five toes, dark brown eyebrows. freckled cheeks and nose, dimpled smile.

Outfit ;; while not traditionally na’vi, she finds it most comfortable

; https://pin.it/4SG1hhasG

; https://pin.it/4mYFj2lvH

; https://pin.it/5uY9K56ET

; https://pin.it/1kjzwvF8U

; https://pin.it/4x7Zg0adj (left wrist)

; https://pin.it/F8bUfKdfg (right ankle)

; https://pin.it/3qwogYwE0 (left bicep)

; https://pin.it/6lZHOAi7P

; https://pin.it/2rX19qyy9

; https://pin.it/1SbfnQN2A

“I like to think i’m heathy”

health

mental :: occasional nightmare, but overall okay

physical :: fit for her age, healthy diet

disabilities :: none, as far as she’s aware

illnesses :: a mild case of social anxiety, manageable

dental :: healthy white, no issues or bad odour, brushes regularly

hygiene :: bathes regularly, no bad body odour

eyesight :: perfect vision, no know issues

allergies :: sunflower, mild rash and sneeze

hearing :: good, no known issues

“My life is interesting”

backstory / timeline

born to robert and lin choi, minnie was conceived and raised in a secret lab hidden deep within the forests of pandora.

worried they would be found, her parents left pandora sometime before her 10th birthday; breaking her free of their horrific abuse.

whilst out adventuring, she’d come across the sully children, immediately forming a close bond with the ones known as lo’ak and kiri.

over the years she has known them, she’s grown quite close the sully family; often eating dinner with them or spending time with the sully kids.

eventually, after much persuasion from jake, at the age of 16 minnie would be adopted by an elder na’vi known as tok, though the two aren’t close.

by her 17th birthday, Minnie had begun training to be a huntress, guided by neytiri and a few other na’vis.

(will add to it, probably. sorry if the timeline doesn’t make sense, i’m not that smart lmao)

[faglovesongs]

more that i thought of recently about his creation

- his name was originally going to be ulysses or tuesday. thank god it's not

- his original narrative foil was going to be florence, and adrien was just a side character (now adrien is like. the main character lol)

- i ended up changing mars' name to mars from ulysses because "florence and ulysses" sounded too much like the book "flora and ulysses"

- i originally made him with one of those "make an oc based on you!" sort of things that are like. if you have a pet give it wings etc.

- he used to dress in much brighter colors and slowly got more grunge over time as i drew him

- he also used to be a trans man. he is not anymore

mars facts for u

- hes big los campesinos stan who has slowly rubbed off on all his friends

- he dyed his hair a while back and now his roots are growing, god knows when he'll dye it again

- he has cheap cds he bought from the thrift taped on his wall

- he also has a pirate flag on his wall ??? happy pride

- his main character flaw is that he wears socks to bed every single night

- on the topic, he lives in the guest room on the first floor so when adrien wants to come hang out adrien has to tiptoe downstairs at night lol

- he owns one pair of black converse and they have car seat headrest lyrics on them (i liked you better when you hated yourself)

- he listens to male manipulator music. he's gay. an enigma

that's all i can think of off the top of my head lmao

[incorrectsaltboyquotes]

So May was Mental Health Awareness Month (and tomorrow, pride month starts!!!!) and I created a few I suppose you could call ‘vent’ drawings based with PL characters and PL OCs...

Here’s the whole page of them!

1. Panic Attack - based on a future Flora and Friends chapter (👀), where Flo is triggered into having a panic attack. It’s a very strong chapter, and I based the writing on my own personal experiences.

2. Night Terrors - a few years into the future, where Flo has a hard time sleeping due to past experiences. Fortunately, her partner is there for her to rest her head on.

3. Don’t Wanna - sometimes, it’s hard for someone so positive to remain constantly happy, it’s exhausting. So even Mars has his off days.

4. My Baby Girl - this one isn’t very clear, but I kinda imagined a like-mother-like-daughter thing happening. So Marzia is much like her mother, and her father comforts her too.

5. Psychiatrist - Clive gets help. That’s it, that’s the post. Help is good.

6. Tell Me About it - where Emmy takes time to talk with her wife about what’s troubling her. Because bottling it all up is bad.

7. Overload - based during the end of L/UF, where Clive basically breaks down and has an outburst of emotions before being knocked out. Outbursts are horrible.

I was also thinking of doing little bits of writing for these as well (one has technically already been written in the game, I guess you could say - another is in an upcoming Flora and Friends chapter so👀👀). However, I’ve not had the time during the past month, so if anyone would like to see that please let me know and I will try and write something!

[callsignspark]

Mar[r]y Me - part 8.5

pairing: Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw x Mariella “M&M” Vertucci (fem!OC)

summary: A love story told through friendship, laughter, and food.

series warnings: 18+ minors DNI, discussion of insecurities, difficult family relationships, discussions of food and alcohol use, discussions of body image, conversations on what it’s like to be a fat woman trying to date in today’s society, extreme fluff, warnings to be added as needed

word count: 2.3k

previous part | series masterlist | main masterlist

note: happy Friday! this is a short but sweet one! see here for my soft-tober announcement and here for a quick update on what's happening in the month of October! have a great weekend!

part 8.5 - McDonald's apple pie

“Don’t get any ideas.”

“I’d never dream of it!”

Mary snuggles deeper into the couch as Pierce Brosnan - her favorite James Bond - races through the streets of Ho Chi Minh City on a motorcycle with Michelle Yeoh handcuffed to his wrist. Her chest hurts; tight from an overwhelming urge to cry and a tiredness she can’t quite shake no matter how much she’s been sleeping lately.

The day had been spent with Danielle and the kids, and it had been fun. They had gone to the beach and gotten Thai food for dinner, the adults devouring pad thai while Annabeth watched Frozen again. It was nice; she loved her family, but she missed Bradley.

More than she thought she would.

They didn’t get a chance to properly say goodbye. He had received a hug and the same “be safe, see you in two months” as everyone else. There wasn’t a spare second to sneak away and kiss him goodbye; there was always someone near them the entire time.

All she could do was slip a good luck note into the palm of his hand and hug him for an extra second longer than anyone else. It was hardly anything, but he still gave her a big smile and a sneaky forehead kiss, whispering that his peanut butter bites were safely stored at the bottom of his pack.

For the millionth time since she sat with Mav in her office and they watched the carrier steam away, Mary wonders where Bradley is. Thanks to her security clearance, she knows he's floating somewhere in the Pacific, but nothing more.

Maybe he’ll come back with an even deeper tan.

Somehow, Bradley is always sort of tan, even in January. Yes, they live in California, where it’s beach weather year-round, but it’s like he was born with a built-in base layer of golden skin.

Bond is just about to magically escape from another precarious situation he’s gotten himself into when the doorbell rings. Mary peeks over the top of the couch, trying to figure out who could be at her front door. Her family is in New York, Slider went back to Pensacola last week, and the majority of people she knows in California are also in the middle of the ocean with Bradley.

The bell rings again, whoever it is knocking this time. She sighs - they’re not going away - and frees herself from her perfectly crafted blanket burrito, a poor substitution for the pair of strong arms she’s missing.

Carefully peeking through the side window, she’s surprised to find Flora standing there and quickly opens the door, a blur of red and pink taking over her vision.

“Happy birthday!” Flora yells, shoving an enormous floral arrangement in her face.

“Than- thank you?”

Mary tentatively grabs the vase, taken off guard, as Flora walks in and slips her clogs off. Dropping her huge L.L. Bean tote bag on the dining room table, Flora laughs at how Mary is frozen at the front door, flowers hiding her torso but not her confused face.

“Here, give me those, and you open this.” Flora pulls a box out of her Mary Poppins-sized bag and takes the vase back. She carefully places the arrangement on the island, fiddling with the stems so they look perfect.

“What is happening?”

“Well, your boyfriend came into my shop about three weeks ago and asked me if I would do him a favor. He was so sweet and pathetic; I couldn’t help but say yes.”

“He’s not my boyfriend.”

“Funny.” Flora hums, eyebrow arching in disbelief. “I didn’t say a name, but you knew who I was talking about.”

Mary flushes, the tips of her ears on fire as she tries to stutter out an excuse.

“It’s okay, Mary.” Flora takes pity on her. “I know it’s complicated, but let’s face it, that man would do anything for you. Which is why I’m here, on a Sunday night, with gifts.”

“Gifts?” Mary echoes. “Plural?”

“Mmhm. First up, a floral arrangement full of warm tones because “red is her favorite color, but all red would probably be overbearing” - which is a direct quote.”

“They’re beautiful, Flora.”

“He did a good job, and he deserves a reward for understanding that flowers are expensive and you can’t cheap out if you want a nice, big bouquet. Next is the box.” She slides the brown box across the table, fluffing the ribbon curls on top. “I have no idea what’s in that one.”

Mary carefully opens the ribbons tied around the box, her throat tightening when she takes the lid off. At the top is a notecard with Bradley’s handwriting.

She pulls the sweater out of the box, and her eyes start to water as she holds it up for Flora to see. It’s a light yellow, almost the same shade as the stick of butter softening on her counter, practically identical to the one sitting in her closet, a red stain still covering the front. The material is so soft she can’t help but press her face into it, tears escaping as Bradley’s cologne washes over her.

Fuck. I miss him so much.

This was anticipated; she knows how sad Dani can get during Reuben’s deployments. Knows how sad she would get when her best friend was gone for months. It’s only been two weeks, but it’s the longest they’ve gone without seeing each other. Even during the rough patch in January, they still got glimpses of each other at work. The worst part is not knowing how he’s doing. If he’s okay. She assumes he is; Mav hadn’t mentioned anything, and she’s pretty sure he would tell her.

It would be the only way she would find out. Mary isn’t naïve enough to believe that she would be a first-tier point of contact if he got hurt. They haven’t even gone on a date yet, and the only time they kissed was that day in her office.

She’s pulled out of the impending spiral by a gentle hand rubbing her shoulders, which she didn’t realize were shaking. She lets herself be comforted by Flora, the older woman pulling her into a hug, uncaring about the tears staining her shirt.

“Sorry.” Mary sniffles, pulling back after a minute to wipe her eyes. “I just really miss him, more than I thought I would.”

“It’s okay, I get it.”

“That’s right. I forgot about Jake.”

She realizes she said something wrong by the way Flora’s hand goes stiff on her back.

“Jake and I are not together.”

“Oh. He just- when we were talking, he kinda implied that the two of you were sort of seeing each other.”

“We’ve fucked a few times, we're not together.”

Mary blinks at her. Jake had never said anything about sex; he was lamenting that Flora didn’t want to see a movie he was excited about. Sad that the florist wouldn’t join him.

“Jake, I mean, I don’t know Flora very well, but I gotta say she doesn’t really seem like a zombie apocalypse kinda girl.” Mary gently soothed, trying to give equal attention to her email inbox and the mopey Texan. “Why don’t you find a movie you’ll both like?”

“I tried! She doesn’t want to go to the movies at all. I know she’s busy - like she runs a whole ass business all by herself - but it’s like she doesn’t even care that we’re gonna be gone for two months!”

“Did you tell her that you want to spend time together before you leave?”

“No. We’re just- that’s not-” Jake sighs, cut off by Mary’s phone.

They had never finished their conversation; Jake had a hop and Mary a meeting, and a few days later, he was shipping out alongside Bradley.

“Okay. I’m sorry, he didn’t mention that, so I must have misunderstood.”

“You probably didn’t.” Flora rolls her eyes. “Jake likes to talk like we’re together, but I’ve told him several times a relationship is not what I’m looking for from him.”

“Can I ask why?” She quickly backtracks when the other woman’s face scrunches up. “Oh my god, you absolutely don’t have to say anything. I wasn’t trying to push.”

“No, you’re fine. Jake is a great guy. He’s smart and funny and handsome, but we want different things in life. Things that can’t be compromised on and that I won’t ever change my mind about. So there’s really no reason for us to try anything serious. I told him that before they deployed, but I’m officially breaking it off when they’re back because I’m not sure he got the hint.”

“That makes sense; that’s probably the best way to go about it.” She nods, impressed by how strong Flora is in her conviction and a bit sad at the same time. Those two would be great.

“Sucks, though. He’s incredible in bed.”

Mary lets out a bark of laughter at the complete 180 in conversation. “That surprises me and doesn’t surprise me all at the same time.”

“It’s that atrocious arrogance of his, isn’t it?”

“Yes! An ego like that means a man is either totally overcompensating, or he knows he’s good, and he’s got the moves to prove it.”

“Oh, he’s got the moves. Believe me.” They laugh at the eyebrow wiggle that accompanies Flora’s words.

“I’m sorry, but I’ve gotta know. That ridiculous Texas accent he pulls out when he’s trying to charm someone-”

“-does he use it in bed? More frequently than you would imagine.”

“Okay… but, like, does it do it for you?”

“I plead the Fifth,” Flora says as she furiously nods.

“Stop! Wait! And the cowboy hat?”

She laughs harder, tears in her eyes as she gasps, “Both of us!”

“You’ve both worn it?!”

Flora’s confirmation makes them both howl with laughter, Mary bending over and holding onto the table for support. It takes a few minutes for them to calm down, wiping tears away as they catch their breath.

“Well, that’s got to be the least shocking thing I’ve learned about Jake.”

It makes them both start giggling again; the blonde man’s affinity for his home state is well-known, frequently coming up in conversation.

“I should get going. I have to be up early to set up for a funeral. But I have one more thing for you, well, two things.” Flora dips back into her bag, pulling out a brown paper bag and a square envelope. “From Bradley.”

“McDonald’s?”

“Well, he requested I get you an apple pie - it had to be an apple pie - from Sift, but by the time I got there this afternoon, all their pies were gone. So I improvised, and thankfully, Mickey D’s had just done a fresh batch.”

“Apple pie is my favorite.” Mary quietly says, peeking into the bag and seeing five pie boxes. “Thank you for doing this, Flora.”

“It’s no problem. Bradley was so cute when he came in; I couldn’t help but agree. It’s sweet how much he cares about you.”

“I’m starting to understand how much he really does.” A content feeling settles in her chest, warming her up from the cold sadness that was taking over earlier.

Only 60 more days until Bradley is home.

“You’ll probably want to warm those up before you eat them,” Flora says, slipping her shoes back on, getting ready to leave.

“Hey, we're having a girls' night and putting together care packages for the Daggers next week. You should come, you can help with Nat’s box. Plus, it’s great to have extra hands to help put them together.”

“That sounds fun; I’d love to join you guys.” She opens the door and hesitates for a second, turning back to Mary. “No one knows about me and Jake hooking up. I didn’t tell Nat because she wouldn’t understand, and I don’t think he’s told anyone either. I’d like to keep it that way.”

“No problem. I’m always here to talk if you want some fairly neutral input.”

“Fairly neutral?”

She shrugs. “I know he can be an idiot, but Jake is a good guy, and he’s also my friend, so I can’t be completely unbiased about him. Fairly neutral is the best I can offer.”

“Fair enough.” Flora smiles at her, yelling back as she walks down the steps. “We should grab dinner sometime! Have a good night!”

“Night!” Mary waves, happier than she’s been since the beginning of the month.

She locks the door after making sure Flora gets into her car safely, promising herself that she’ll reach out to friends more. No more moping around, being sad that Bradley is gone.

I’ve got to learn how to deal with this if we’re going to date. It’s not like he’s going to leave the Navy; he’s going to be gone.

Snapping photos of her presents, she starts mentally composing the thank you email she’s going to send to Bradley. The Lincoln is on a communications blackout for the first three weeks of the cruise, but she’s been sending him little updates. Letting him know when she’s thinking of him, hoping she isn’t filling up his inbox too much.

She plops back into her favorite corner of the couch, stretching out on the chaise that makes her get a little hot under the collar every time she sits on it.

“Let’s read this card.” She mumbles to herself around a bite of pie as Bond saves the world and gets the girl.

A photo flutters out of the envelope as she pulls the card out, and she loses her breath when she flips it over. It’s the two of them on Valentine’s Day. When she made him pancakes, the photo he said he was going to tape up in his bunk.

A promise he followed through on, his last text showing off his rack. Corners of the blue blanket neatly tucked in, and the photo of the two of them taped on the wall right next to his pillow. Mary looks at the photo he printed for her, smiling at the happiness radiating from both of them. The corners of their eyes crinkled, and her dimple popping out; she still can’t quite believe that Bradley Bradshaw wants her, of all people.

Then she reads the card, and her insecurities quiet down for the night.

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