#(( first post and it's in my own dry texting style haha

[piece-of-your-world]

uh

ok so

hi. this is yu (aka the TA aka nrc's only magicless person) speaking. or typing. apparently twisted wonderland has tumblr like my world and i only just found out from cater sooo... here we are? and i decided to rope some unwilling friends into it while i'm at it

so. yeah. welcome to the villains' world. let's get used to each other, or something like that

[ SYSTEM MESSAGE: Inbox opened. ]

[your-fathers-favourite-daughter]

༶•┈┈୨♡୧┈┈•༶boy advice༶•┈┈୨♡୧┈┈•༶

SO a girl in the notes of one of my posts about giving my bestie boy advice asked when I was gonna tell everyone this advice also so here it isss!! ♡♡♡

My besties advice was for a guy she was talking to online but these will be boy advice for the irl. Let me know if you guys would want advice for talking to guys online too cause I would love to make more of these!! ♡♡♡

Anywayyy!! Here are the tips!!

⌦ Girly, fresh, signature scent...

This seems so so simple but it's honestly the biggest tip. There's nothing more a guy loves then when a girl literally smells so delicious and the smell follows him after she leaves. You will literally leave him obsessedddd. Okay so one of bonus tips to make your perfume last longer is applying vaseline where you spray your perfume then spraying it on those spots and rubbing it in. It will make it last for hours even if its cheap perfume. ALSO, remember to reapply throughout the day!!

⌦ Make sure to give compliments...

Boys aren't as usually complimented as girls so make sure he knows how you feel!! Whether it's "Your hair looks really nice today" or "I love your outfit" Try your best to compliment him often.

⌦ Remember what he likes...

Again, so so simple!! But so tried and true. Make sure you remember what his hobbies, fav colors, favorite games, his friends names, and every little thing he tells you. Try to bring them up in conversation and ask about different things so he can tell you.

⌦ Make sure to use his name tons...

Even if it's just saying his name when you see him or texting him with his name first. He will literally meltttt.

⌦ Eye contact...

Make sure to use eye contact when talking to him, but not too much to make it creepy haha. Make sure when you notice him looking at you across a room, don't just side eye him then look away!! Use this to your full advantage!! Look him in the eyes, smile, and look away. Works wonders I swear. ALSO, bonus tip!! Try using the triangle look sometimes!! ( If you don't know what that is its when you look from their left eye, to their right eye, to their lips, and back to their left eye... Literally magic. )

⌦ Always stay fresh, clean, girly, and yummy...

Try keeping your style, makeup, and hair very clean, fresh, girly, and neat!! Don't use super cakey makeup and try no-makeup makeup. For clothes make sure they are always clean, pressed and smell yummy. Always, always, always keep a tiny bottle of hairspray and a brush in your bag to make sure your hair is smooth, tangle-free, and neat during the day. Avoid lipsticks unless they are mosturizing cause they can look dry and cakey... Instead try a cherry chapstick and a lip plumping lip gloss. Make sure your metals match!! Don't wear silver earrings and a gold necklace, or vice versa. Always touch up your makeup and hair during the day to stay fresh. Use a clinical deodorant!! ( The dove clinical protection deodorant literally keeps you smelling fresh out the shower all day I swear. ) I know it seems like boys don't care about this stuff but trust me, even if they don't notice what, they notice a difference from other girls!! Also, a lot of this will make you feel more confident in turn helping you feel more girly and in your own skin when talking to boys!!

⌦ A wiggle in your walk...

This one sounds soo silly but trust me guys think a girl with a sexy walk is literally a goddess on earth... Try adding a little wiggle to your walk and practicing in the mirror or even when your out running small errands. Also, it just makes you feel so confident and like a model.

⌦ Be his friend above all things...

Spend time on him!! Boys will tend to fall for the girl they spend the most time with, so make sure your hanging out with him tons and trying your best to be a good friend.

⌦ Act innocent...

THIS ONE IS SO HUGE. Try doing little things like resting your hand on his thigh, hugging him a tight, scratching his head, or scratching his arm... And if he makes a face just play totally innocent. I love intentionally driving boys crazy then acting like I have no clue. Trust me he will literally go nuts from this.

Anyway!! I hope you guys like this!! This is definitely far from what I usually post but let me know if you guys like it cause this was so fun to make and I'd love to make more!! Again, if you guys want tips for boys online let me know...

Love you all... muah!! ♡ (´ ε ` )♡

@babygirl-of-sadness <3

[emo-metalhead-punki]

Rant about Hatticc/Waste-of-energy (with their toxic partner and their friends)

TW: Bullying/Su1¢1d3/Mention of NSFW Art

For who don't know who's hatticc (but I called them waste)

Waste is one of first online friend that I can talk too a lot, we both in the same fandom (baldi basic), we and them, we met in deviantart and I made them a gift and then we art rade each other and we have fun

And I did met a friend of waste (well their user name is hella weird but let's called him red since he likes the color red) so red ask me to get discord which I did download the app and I never felt so happy that I can chat with friends, we chat, we share art each and we VC (voice call) like its was the best time of my life but until things went down hill...

So on the beginning of 2019, they become a bit jerky like they talk very dry talk to me and talk about my grammar, that i wasn't text all good like it doesn't matter how i talk, but it's mostly come from their partner (nub) they both know each other since kid (which basically they live in the same country)

So their partner also talk trash about my grammar and my art , and the more days of being with them, the both of them starting to become more selfish and toxic

They bullied me for being emo and tell self harm and suicide jokes around me and the worst part that waste make a drawing of me offing myself like WTF!? JUST BECAUSE IM EMO ITS DOESN'T MEAN THAT I HARM MYSELF EVERYDAY!!! YOU DONT KNOW WHAT IM GOING THROUGH!!!

And they made fun of my drawings and i try to tell them to stop and it isn't funny but they like no and still continue it, and pretend that they don't understand me and tell me how bad my grammar is and get this, they both live in Italy like FUXKING ITALY!!! THEY BOTH BORN IN ITALY, SPEAK ITALIAN AND YET TO MAKE FUN OF MY ENGLISH GRAMMAR LIKE THEY FLEX THEIR ENGLISH SO MUCH LIKE WHAT!? PEOPLE DONT HAVE THE PERFECT GRAMMAR ALRIGHT!?

And about the NSFW art, so we were minors at the time and they draw NSFW and so do I, yep they draw NSFW

And they make alt accounts so they don't add me!! They keep saying that "oh we don't have more room sorry [dead name]" BITCH YOU MAKE ALT ACCOUNT JUST REMOVE THE ALT ACCOUNTS OF THE SERVER, DONT PRETEND THAT YOU DON'T HAVE ROOM

I was actually so pissed off about how they treated me like they are so selfish, so show offie, only care about themselves and I did make drawings for them but they keep saying "oh sorry I was so busy with something" LIKE HOW!!?? HOW YOUR BUSY WITH TALKING YOUR TOXIC BITCH !?

And I finally did it that I finally left their stupid server and deleted discord which was the worse experience ever

And in 2020, when Deviantart announced that the old Deviantart layout was gonna retired and replace with the most lamest layout that makes waste to move to tumblr and they didn't know about that I don't have Tumblr account haha

And they no longer in the baldi basic community, they are in the hat the time or whatever that game is

So I remember saw a post about that they meet a user and so here the post (since their account is deactivated, bummer...)

Like w o w, you finally taste your own medicine huh?

That you LEGITIMATELY DID THE SAME DID THAT YOU DID TO ME AND SO YOUR PARTNER AND IM GLAD GOT WHAT YOU DESERVE AND THATS HOW I FELT

And I did remember seeing a drawing of different friends that they have like it's show that waste and nub bullying their old friends and get new ones but they are bullying the new ones

Like wow how nice you are and you like everybody which a fuxking lie that they made

But I think in either late 2023 or 2024 they deactivated their deviantart account

Which I should save their art and like...i actually like their art style is nice and all but they are a bully and same with their partner

I only like their art not them

So yea...maybe I will try to get my old discord account back cuz there is a server that they use to have but they all left lol

I can't believe that people who support them and they don't know what they did and I don't know if waste changed like if I got their discord name

And I will see if they change or not

If they say their sorry then I will give them 2nd chance but their are getting one chance

So yea...I just wanna talk about this since my other discord friends are busy with stuff...

[mon-dayragingslut4monstaxday6]

See You (Part 1)

See You

A/N: This is the beginning of something beautiful. There will be fluff, angst and smut, but we have to start somewhere. There are no warnings, just really cute. 2.5k words.

@ckyunoirs​, @to-all-the-stories-i-love​, @kpop---scenarios​(you’ll see why). Let me know if you want to be added!❤️

I sit at the dinner table with my sister, staring at my bowl of soup. The soup is delicious, but with the amount of effort we put in, I lost my appetite. Dammit, but the smell hitting my nostrils is making my mouth salivate.

“Are you going to eat or are you just going to stare?”, Bailey mumbles, tapping the table to get my attention. I take a spoonful of soup and embrace the feeling of hard work being paid off.

“I’m just distracted”, I sigh before dipping a roll into the broth.

“By?”, Bailey wonders.

“This guy I’m talking to”, I take a big bite out of my roll.

“You’re still talking to that Korean guy? He seems like bad news”, she scoffs.

“How? He hasn’t gotten weird yet”, I shrug.

“Yet”, she points out.

“I’m thinking about asking him to show his face”, I bow my head in shame. Instead of choking on her soup, which is what I imagined, she calmly swirls her spoon.

“Do you think you’re ready for that?”, she turned sincere.

“It’s not like we’re dating. We make small talk, but nothing farther than a friendship level”, I shrug.

“Could you see yourself being with this guy?”, she turns giggly.

“I couldn’t say. We get along great, but I could definitely see us being friends”, I turn my visual focus to my soup.

“What if he’s hot”, she gasps. I can feel my cheeks start to warm up.

“He won’t be, stop”, I bashfully mumble.

“But what if he likes you! You’re stunning, he will absolutely adore you”, she adds, hyping up the vibe.

“You’re making me blush”, I hide my smile.

“Oh honey. If you’re blushing now, you’ll be a mess when you see his face”, she pokes fun. Shit, she’s right. I will be a mess.

“Should I just ask for a selfie or could he just catfish me?”, I groan.

“He will probably catfish if you ask for a selfie. Just FaceTime him. If you get uncomfortable, just click out of it. You don’t owe him anything”, she points to my phone. I take a few more spoonfuls of my soup and pick up my phone.

“I’m going to schedule a FaceTime session with him”, I inhale.

“And may he be a creepy gross man who is just using those apps to get sweet naive girls like my dumbass sister”, my sister toasts. I clink and swig my drink.

“But what if he is hot”, I worry. “Then snatch that fucker”, she shamelessly sips her drink. I nearly choke on my soup.

“How would I do that?”, I egg her on.

“Send him a photo of your tits, ass, and thighs and he will be crawling all over you”, she points to my features.

“What if he’s taken?”, I gasp. I never realized I never asked if he was single. The topic never came up!

“Then why is he texting you”, she winks.

“For tutoring”, I assert.

“Tutoring to get in your pants more like”, she continues to give me the side eye.

“He’s not like that”, I scoff.

“Yet”, she scrunches her face.

I unlock my phone and message him good morning.

Min: Good evening to you, Sophie!

I need to get a grip. It’s just asking for a video chat, no big deal. Oh goodness, I never thought that maybe he would say no.

Me: I was wondering if you would want to video chat.

Min: You wonder what I look like?

Son of a bitch, he’s smarter than I thought.

Me: Yes. Are you not curious about me?

Min: I am.

My heart is pounding. I need to eat my soup to calm my nerves.

Me: We don’t have to video chat if you don’t want to.

I put my phone down to compose my thoughts and refocus on my soup.

“What is he saying?”, Bailey teases.

“He asked me if I wonder what he looks like and I said yes and I asked him if he wonders what I look like and he said yes”, I calmly recite the messages. I hear my phone buzz and I don’t have the strength to pick it up.

“Eat and then message him. It’s still morning over there anyway”, she shoos my phone away. I follow the advice, because my stomach is growling from neglect. I eat the rest of my soup and roll in peace, collecting thoughts about what this video chat would be like. Obviously, it will be awkward. A solid two minutes of us saying hi and waving, trying to think on what to say.

I feel mildly shameful for getting to know this one guy I met online. I’ve been using some apps to tutor Korean’s English, getting some extra cash at my own pace. There was this one guy who frequently requested tutoring. Out of all of the people I tutored, he made the best progress, but he still has a long way to go. He innocently asked for my WhatsApp, to have better contact with me. Being naive, I gave him my contact information. When I realized what I did, I guaranteed that once the conversation drifts to something explicit, I’ll immediately block him. He never gave the impression that he would be like that, but we only talked about tutoring and typical conversation translations.

It’s been a couple of weeks or so since we started casually messaging. I learned he’s an artist, a weakness of mine. He sent me photos of some of his work and his simplistic style is very visually pleasing, very tranquil. I knew that when I told him that I’m a fellow artist, our conversations will shift. Suddenly, we can relate to each other, something I wanted to avoid.

He hasn’t asked me what I looked like yet, something I’m personally surprised by, but I’m going to take the plunge and finally see him. It’s not like I would stop talking to him if he’s ugly, I just don’t know what I will do if he’s pretty.

Having the soup settle in my tummy, I pick up my phone.

Min: I want to. I’m afraid you will think of me differently if you see me.

Me: How come?

The wait for a reply is making me anxious. To take my attention away from my phone, I wash my dishes in the sink.

“Sophie. We have a dishwasher”, Bailey points to the dishwasher right next to me.

“I need to keep busy”, I huff.

“It’s just a boy. Schedule a video chat then go to bed”, she laughs at my anguish.

“What if he’s pretty Bailey!”, I jokingly whine.

“Then good for you! That means you have a pretty friend. There is nothing weird with having a pretty friend”, Bailey explains.

“You’re right. You’re right”, I acknowledge as I stack my dishes on the drying rack. I hear my phone ding and Bailey and I exchanged glances.

“Don’t do it. Keep busy and put the food away”, Bailey warns. Without hesitation I grab some deep tupperware from the cupboard to store the soup. I hear a giggle from the dining room. Peaking over my shoulder and Bailey is reading the message preview on my phone screen.

“Bailey!”, I gasp.

“You’re getting catfished”, she cackles.

“Why, what did he say?”, I pout my lip.

“He claims he’s a model”, she laughs. I try not to roll my eyes.

“Then he sent you a link to his instagram”, she continues.

“Did you open it?”, I wonder.

“I need your password”, she catches her breath from laughing.

“Give me a second while I put the food away”, I gesture to the kitchen counter. Could he really be catfishing me? He wouldn’t. Would he? It’s not like I know the guy. Stop imagining, get your act together!

I pour the soup in a couple of containers, enough for Bailey and I to have our own large bowl.

“I’ll wash the pot, go talk to your man”, she cackles, switching places with me. I unlock my phone and see a swarm of messages.

Min: I’m afraid you will recognize me. I do modeling so a lot of my photos are styled.

Min: You can see my Instagram. If you don’t believe it, we can still video chat.

Min: I would very much like to see you.

He sends me a link to his Instagram and I already don’t know how to feel about it. Only thirty-four posts but over six hundred thousand followers but following none. That sounds suspicious. I see some selfies and my phone drops out of my hands. That can’t be him. He can’t be that pretty. He can’t!

“Bailey, I fucked up. He’s pretty”, I cry out.

“He could use someone else's face. Facetime him. I dare you”, Bailey aggressively points.

“Should I send him my Instagram?”, I mumble.

“No, leave the mystery”, she winks at me.

Me: Is that really you on Instagram?

Min: Sorry I’ve been hiding it from you.

Me: That didn’t answer my question haha

Min: It is me. Can I see yours?

Me: Let’s video chat. I’m probably too ugly for you.

Min: Doubt it. I’m sure you’re beautiful.

Don’t blush. Don’t blush. Don’t blush. I was going to wait to video call him, but I can’t wait any longer. I need to see him.

Me: Could you video chat now? Just for a few minutes?

Min: Sure!

“Bailey, it’s happening”, I panic. Bailey stops what she’s doing and blankly stares at me.

“Stay calm. Nothing to worry about. It’s just a boy. Go to your room, get comfortable. Say hi and ask him about his day”, Bailey walks me through this.

“If he starts acting weird. Hang up”, her voice turns worrisome.

“If he asks you to get naked, hang up”, she continues to list possible scenarios.

“Wouldn’t that be under acting weird?”, my voice trembles. She shrugs.

“If he’s naked, definitely hang up”, she adds.

“Enough. I’m going”, I exclaim, rushing to my bedroom. Looking in the mirror, goodness how did I let my skin look so bad! It’s fine, it’s fine. It’s just one video call. One. I half ass my skin care routine, skipping some steps. My phone buzzes, a message from Min. He sent me his info to video call him. What the fuck am I wearing! I swiftly change into my favorite comfy sweater. First impressions matter and he needs to see me as cute as possible! I leap onto my bed, sitting up against the headboard.

Min: Are you ready or do you want to reschedule?

Me: No, I’m ready!

Setting up the according video chatting app, I squirm nervously, imagining every scenario possible. He could be a creeper who tries to traffick girls. He could be some weird old guy who catfishes as a handsome young man to get sugar babies. He could not be a catfish but has a girlfriend and he’s doing this as a way to cheat. I need to stop this negativity. He could be a perfectly normal guy who likes making friends.

Dialing. Ringing. Ringing. Ringing. I hide my face with my sleeve. I can’t bear seeing him. The ringing stops. There’s some shuffling.

“Sophie?”, I hear a sweet, soft, slightly feminine voice. His little laugh makes my heart flutter. His laugh sounds genuine, from his diaphragm, kind of breathy. I sneak a peek and he’s as beautiful as his Instagram. He has very kissable lips. There’s a sparkle in his eyes that I can easily escape in. He is a living Disney prince.

“Hi, Minhyuk”, I wave while keeping one hand over my face.

“Why are you hiding?”, he can’t stop smiling. His accent is pretty strong, but he did work hard on his English.

“I’m shy”, I mindlessly confess. He jokingly pouts.

“It’s ok, it’s just me”, he comforts. I lower my hand, but keep myself wrapped in the sweater. He grins from cheek to cheek, showing his pearly whites. His cheekbones couldn’t be more pronounced. He hasn’t done or said anything for a couple of seconds, is he frozen?

“Minhyuk?”, I ask.

“How are you this beautiful?”, he chuckles.

“Huh?”, my jaw drops.

“Do you know how beautiful you are?”, Minhyuk continues. I sweater paw to hide my cheeky grin.

“Stop it”, I bashfully look away.

“No, you are beautiful. I can’t believe you’re real”, he cackles. I gasp.

“Me?! You’re the model!”, I exclaim, laughing hard enough for me to snort. I can’t believe I snorted in the time talking to a guy. His laugh is comforting.

“You’re so cute”, he compliments.

“I’m not cute”, I pout, crossing my arms. A smile has yet to leave his face. Is this going well?

“Yes, you are”, he scrunches his nose. Oh my goodness, don’t do that again or else I will actually fall apart.

“What are you doing today?”, I change the subject, hoping for a casual conversation.

“I got schedules, a full day of work. What did you do today? Did you eat?”, he gets the hint. He changes his sitting position to be more comfortable.

“I just had some good soup. Work was rough today, but I have tomorrow off”, my eyes lock onto his.

“What are you doing tomorrow?”, he tilts his head slightly.

“Going shopping”, I casually guess.

“Will you message me while you shop?”, he mumbles. I notice his eyes blink irregularly.

“Yes”, I nod. Minhyuk looks offscreen and his face shifts from a smile to a more relaxed look.

“One second, please”, he whispers to the screen. I hear a muffled man’s voice offscreen. Minhyuk converses with the person obviously in his room. His voice in Korean is even more attractive than his English voice. Not saying his English voice isn’t attractive, it’s very attractive. Hell, everything about him is attractive. How is he real? How did the universe maneuver it’s way for us to find each other? How does he find me beautiful? I don’t understand it. I’m so fascinated by his face and his voice. I want to know more about him. I’d love to paint with him through video chatting. What am I going to say to Bailey when this is over? I’ll tell her the truth. Minhyuk looks over at me and catches me absentmindedly staring.

“Sophie?”, he laughs to get my attention, knocking me out of my trance.

“I have to get ready for the day. I can call you when you wake up”, he pouts.

“Oh, yeah! Sure, I’ll message you when I’m awake”, I smile.

“Sleep well and sweet dreams. I’ll talk to you tomorrow”, he sweetly waves.

“Have a good day at work, be safe and eat good food”, I kindly wave. He scrunches his nose one more time before hanging up. I plop my phone next to me so I can melt onto my blankets.

There’s a knock on my door.

“Come in”, I welcome. Bailey peaks her head in and laughs at me fully spread out on my bed.

“How was it?”, she shows her curiosity.

“Amazing”, I sigh in disappointment. I could talk to him for hours when we message, I can’t even imagine how long we would video chat.

“Was he pretty?”, Bailey continues.

“Gorgeous”, I whine. She squeals. 

“What did he think of you?”, she gasps. I turn over to lay on my stomach.

“He called me beautiful and cute”, I scream into my pillow.

[artificialqueens]

I've loved you for all of my life, 2/2 (Crystal/Gigi) - Brianna

summary: gigi goode and crystal methyd broke up. sure, they still live together, but they are over each other. or, at least they think so.

a/n: ok so i lied in that last post, the second song is 929 by halsey, so that’s a mistake on my part haha. this part has even more angst!!! but some fluff to make up for it at the end! let me know if you all want bonus chapters + scenes!

–

The sun had yet to rise in front of the ex-couple’s eyes. Crystal swore that the sky had gotten darker than before, but it was most likely her eyes not being used to the absence of light. Crystal had also decided that she’d never walk home ever again and that she would always charge her phone instead of abandoning the appliance for a whole day. Gigi had randomly started whistling and humming the tune of a song buried deep inside the blue-haired girl’s mind. It might have taken a couple of moments for her to recognize, but she realized it was a song by a mutual friend of theirs: I Know You All Over Again by their beloved Trixie Mattel. Suddenly, Gigi stopped.

“Why did you stop?” Crystal quizzed, head tilting to the side. She was actually enjoying the Goode girl’s rendition of the ballad.

“Because,” Gigi started. She began to pick at her nails. “I thought you’d yell at me or something.” Now, why would Crystal yell at Gigi for humming a song? It wasn’t like it annoyed her or anything. But she could definitely see Gigi not understanding that. “I thought it would bring up some unwanted conversation.” What ‘unwanted conversa-’ oh. Huh. Realization crashed into Crystal’s mind when she understood what Gigi was talking about.

–

“Babe, come here! Trixie sent me a new song and she really wants us to listen to it!” Gigi laid on their bed, texting the mentioned blonde, waiting for her girlfriend to enter the room.

Crystal finished drying a plate, setting the dishrag on the counter, and placing the plate in the cabinet. “I’ll be right there, baby!” She exited the kitchen and walked upstairs into the bedroom, seeing Gigi on the bed with just a large shirt of hers on. “What’s up?”

Gigi smiled and pressed a kiss on the redhead’s temple. “We’re gonna have a little listen.”

About three minutes had passed and Crystal found herself crying, wiping them instantly to try and not alarm Gigi. Unfortunately, it didn’t work and Gigi was quick to pull the older girl in a hug. “Baby girl, what’s wrong?”

“It was so fucking sad, Geege,” she choked out. “I just don’t want that to happen to us, ever.”

Gigi pouted, caressing Crystal’s face with the back of her smooth hand. “Baby. Sometimes, I ask myself if I love you too much, but then I tell myself, 'Gianna, shut up.’”

Crystal gasped lightly. “You love me?” she asked in shock.

“Of course, baby girl. I love you, I really do, and you will never have to worry about me not loving you.” Crystal didn’t say anything, but instead, pressed her lips on Gigi’s, taking her shirt off moments later.

–

Crystal stopped walking for a second. “Were you lying? When you said you loved me?” Gigi shook her head slowly. “Then what made you fall out of love? Because every day I beat myself up, wondering if I just wasn’t good enough for you, or if I’ll ever be good enough for anyone,” Crystal choked out. “A-and it fucking sucks because I don’t get any fucking answers from you!”

Gigi’s face softened. She peered down at the ground. “I… I don’t-I don’t know. It just happened.”

“BUT IT DOESN’T JUST FUCKING HAPPEN, GIANNA!” She stormed her way towards the blonde, standing in front of her, their faces half a foot away from each other. “YOU DON’T JUST WAKE UP AND FALL OUT OF LOVE WITH SOMEONE, AND PUSH THEM AWAY WITH NO REASON OR EXPLANATION!”

Gigi’s face was then streaked with tears and mascara. “Crystal, I’m sorry-”

“No, Geege. I’m sorry. Sorry for myself. Forget you ever saw me at my best. You don’t deserve what you don’t respect. What you say you love, but then proceed to neglect.”

Gigi bit her tongue. She knew back in high school that it was dangerous to fall in love so young, but she didn’t expect the age of 22 to still be young. She wanted to take back everything she had said and done. But the fact was that she couldn’t lose what she never had.

Due to the unplanned attack on Gigi, initiated by Crystal, they had gotten home later than what they had planned.

“Gigi, I want you to know that we have to keep this routine we have.” Crystal began to walk upstairs.

“What routine?” asked Gigi from the living room.

“I’ve got a 9 to 5, and you’ve got a night shift. That should be plenty of time that we don’t see each other for. Hell, I’ll plan to never see you again if I can help it.” She began walking upstairs again, and Gigi was going to run after her, but ultimately decided against it. Both of them went to sleep with tears running down their face, their bodies aching for some kind of consolation and empathy from the other.

–

Two days passed and Crystal woke up on a Sunday morning and headed out to Jan’s for a brunch she and her roommates were having. She’d do anything to get away from Gigi.

The blue-haired girl knocked on the white door of the apartment, only to be met with the face of a woman with a large gap in the middle of her two front teeth. “Why, hello there!” she greeted Crystal. “Jan! Your girlfriend is here!”

“Oh, we’re not dating,” Crystal interjected.

The girl gave Crystal a look that signaled she was disappointed. “Dammit. Now I and Jaida have to deal with her moping around for longer…” she trailed off. “Oh, shit, I forgot to introduce myself! I’m Heidi!” she stuck her manicured hand out for Crystal to shake.

Crystal noticed the french tips that her hands adorned and was instantly reminded of Gigi. The blonde had always gotten her nails done that way. She wasn’t really one for claw-like nails. Her hands were dainty, like her. “Crystal,” she said.

“Come on in! Jan’s making some souffle pancakes!” Crystal walked inside the apartment and was guided into the living room by Heidi. It was really clean and minimalistic, like her own, but that’s all thanks to Gigi. Fuck, she thought. Stop thinking about Gigi, you bitch.

“Chile, since when did we get a hottie in here?” A woman came into the living room from the hallway, observing Crystal. “My name is Jaida, pleased to meet you.”

“Hi, I’m-”

“CRYSTAL!!!” yelled a familiar voice. Jan came charging into the living room with an apron on, attacking Crystal with a massive hug. “I can’t believe you came!”

Crystal chuckled. “Of course I came, Jan! You tantalized me with a good ol’ brunch, which I could never, ever, pass upon.” Crystal pulled away from the girl and her brain screamed the name ‘Gigi’ at her. And it had a reason. Jan’s hair was styled the way Gigi would always do to her own. She wore green, Gigi’s favorite color. Her eyes were even the same color as Gigi’s goddammit.

This was going to be a long brunch.

–

Crystal got home at around four and immediately crashed on the couch due to the number of mimosas and wine consumed, only taking off her heels and throwing her purse down on the floor somewhere in the living room.

Shortly after, Gigi walked downstairs to get herself a cold slice of Sicilian pizza but saw Crystal on the couch, already dozed off. A small smile appeared on her face, and she walked over to the couch to grab a blanket to cover the blue-haired girl. As soon as the fluffy piece of material covered Crystal’s body, she woke up with a jolt. “Ah!” Gigi yelped.

“Ah!” screamed Crystal. She looked up at Gigi, who stood in front of the couch, rubbing her fingers in circles on her temples. “Gianna, what the fuck are you doing?”

“I’m sorry! I just saw you were sleeping, and I-”

“What? You just decided to wake me up?”

“I wasn’t doing that!” Gigi fired back. “I was just putting a fucking blanket on you!”

Crystal sighed heavily, shaking her head and swinging her legs off the couch. “Sorry, I-I didn’t know.”

“Duh,” Gigi replied. “You were asleep.” Gigi sat down on the opposite end of the couch and started biting her lip. “I lied, on Friday.” Crystal had a blank stare as she turned to look at the blonde.

“What?”

“I said I loved you back then, but I lied.”

Crystal scoffed. “See how easy that was?”

“I’m not fucking done,” stressed Gigi. “I wasn’t in love back then, yeah. But I was scared that if I had loved someone, things w-would end up the way they were w-with Jackie,” she began to cry. “I wanted to see the world through her eyes when we were together. She loved me, and I loved her. But I changed my mind when she cheated. I was so dumb. So naive, to believe she loved me.

And with that, I was so fucking paranoid. Scared that someone appears to love me then turns out to be the exact opposite. Then I met you. And I was scared, Crystal. Terrified that it would have been the same with you.” She sniffles and wipes her nose with the back of her hand. “I was forcing myself to tell you I loved you, to see if all my superstitions were right. And I knew they weren’t, but then I got scared again and had no clue when you would snap. So I pushed you away. Turns out, it’s hard to do that when you’re flat broke,” she chuckled. Crystal had tears coming down her face, slowly, but surely. “I might not have been in love then, but I sure as hell am now. And I’m so happy I’ve figured that out.” Gigi took a deep breath and sighed. “You don’t have to forgive me, at all. You can pretend this never-”

“I forgive you,” interrupted Crystal. “God, I will forgive you for everything, Geege.” Gigi smiled through her tears. She was lucky. Lucky that Crystal wasn’t like her ex. Lucky that Crystal was forgiving. Lucky that Crystal was Crystal. Crystal moves next to Gigi on the couch. “I love you,” she says before pressing her lips against Gigi’s for the first time in two months. And it’s perfect.

[nisaadventures]

I’m turning 30 in 10 days... yikes.

The last year of my life has sucked... lol. Okay, it wasn’t all bad. I’m exaggerating... but I’m also not. I know there were plenty of nice moments in the last year... but when I think about the last year of my life, its just full of so many firsts... awful firsts... 

First time celebrating their birthdays without them...

First holiday season without them... anyone else miss mom’s turkey? Most people don’t like traditional thanksgiving dinner because the turkey is more often dry... mom’s was never dry... Okay the key people.. Don’t actually cook your stuffing in the turkey. Its just going to suck all the juice life out of your bird... I mean come on. Trick #1 stuff the turkey with fresh cut oranges and yes, you can leave the skin on... #2 do majority of the oven time in an oven bag to keep the moisture in. #3 cook breasts down. Its the part thats usually most dry, so duh... keep it in the juicy, buttery goodness of the pan. I never made the entire meal, I usually just helped mom with everything. These are just some things I’ve taken away in my observations. 

Halloween trip to Disneyland without them... Disney is always a good time, but I’d be lying if I said my heart didn’t feel heavy in some way... and that is saying something because Disneyland is my happy place lol. 

Looking forward to 2020... Hoping that it had so much better in store for us. 

Dear lord... what a joke. 

Going to Hawaii for our “family trip” without them...

A pandemic without them... I mean yes, I’m thankful they aren’t out there with COVID on the rise... I’m glad they’re not stuck at home because COVID. Mom and Michael are both too much of busy bees to be cooped up in the house for too long. 

Not going to lie... picking up where they left has been hard. All of moms plants... The dogs.. Taking care of the backyard, where Michael usually would. Mom would definitely do too much at once. She’d be out in the yard planting something and pulling out something else in her damn UGG boots! wth mom?! Those are expensive! lol. “Oh its fine.. I’ll wash them.” Omg lol. Either that, or she’d be over here trying to move heavy a$$ pots by herself and I’d have to stop her before she hurt her back. Ayiyi. 

Keanu and Aria’s birthdays without them... seeing my babies sad and missing their grandma, grandpa, and aunties has been hard. It will be out of nowhere sometimes... and all the nights of Aria waking up in the middle of the night crying. I feel you baby girl... I get it. I miss them too... Its okay to be sad... Mantras... 

You were her little rays of sunshine. Grandpa and grandma loved you SOOOO much. 

Mom would babysit the kids on Saturday mornings, while Kuya, Vaness, and I went to workout. They’d go get breakfast, pancakes and eggs, at UJs. She’d take them to Target, the dollar store, Walmart, etc. just so they could look and maybe get something to play with together. She always crafted with them. 

Living in this house... especially with COVID... has been hard. I miss just sitting at the dinner table, eating sho mi, and talking about work. Mom and Michael getting all worked up over some crazy manager, or something going down with the union.. yup, that’s where I get it from... advocacy and leadership skills FTW.  One thing they could always talk about for HOURS was work lol. 

I remember when I was a little girl, Mom would let me play in the bathtub until I was all wrinkled. She would let me bring all my toys into the tub. At one point I even had a care bear doll that she, for some reason, let me take in the bath lol. She’d throw it in the dryer for me after I was done. 

I remember going to the grocery store with mom and leaving with two full a$$ grocery carts because we had a full house at all times. I mean it was Kuya, my cousin Jojo, my brother Derric, my cousin John, Bubba, my cousin Jay, me and whoever else was over the house lol. When Kuya was in high school, it was all of his buddies partying at our house and crashing on the floor in the living room, dining room, and all the couches. She was the #1 host for sure.

“Are you hungry? Did you eat yet?” 

Thats love. 

All of Kuya’s high school friends called her Mom. My friends called her Mama Fern. She loved that. 

I remember playing hide n go seek in the dark in our tiny town house.. Later in the bigger house on Glenbriar... where mom actually tripped and broke her arm... But she laughed so hard she peed her pants, so she was a good sport? lol. Needless to say, we sort of stopped playing after that.

I remember making dim sum with mom for the first time. Such a hot mess, flour and food everywhere, but so fun. We definitely didn’t do that again until there were more adults around to help lol. Mom knew how to run through a kitchen like a tornado. Hot mess! but the best cook. 

Mom was always careful. She always wanted to make sure we were safe, that I was safe. I couldn’t go outside unless one of the boys was with me. When I would swim she would get nervous, even though I learned how to swim at a young age thanks to Kuya. One day, we were having a bbq, lots of family over, I was playing in the jacuzzi (drawing on the wall of the jacuzzi with a piece of chlorine... don’t play with chemicals kids lol) and she thought I was drowning? So she jumps her a$$ in there fully clothed and yanks my a$$ out. I was shocked as hell, so I naturally started crying hella hard and complaining about the fact that she scratched me when she yanked me up out of the water lol.

Keep in mind that that was not the first time one of the twins jumped into the pool fully clothed to “save” someone hahaha. 

 Speaking of fully clothed in the pool... The time auntie tripped and fell slo-mo style (that questionable, are you going to catch your balance, speed) into the pool LOL. Mom was dead laughing at her. Most hilarious video. 

Those twins lol. 

Jeeze.. speaking of the twins. They had this crazy connection. Tell me why when mom got sick with suspected viral meningitis and had to be hospitalized... Auntie straight up followed her right into the ICU with viral meningitis... 

Who remembers their 50th birthday? Talk about doing it BIG. So much fun. All the performances. Lani was there... KMA performances and kuya and John getting down for Maglalatik. Who doesn’t like seeing some half naked, buff dudes, bang coconuts together? haha. The twins getting down with their hula performance. Cute!

I remember when Mom and pops were going through their divorce and she would text me after midnight. I was going to Sac State and of course I was team NO sleep at the time. I would be in the AIRC studying. I’d comfort as best as I could from a distance... and then come home on weekends to be there with her when I could. 

She found her footing again. Started going to the gym with Kuya more... Started running all the time... all of her half marathons and finally she did the Nike Women’s Marathon. 

Hiking Half Dome with her. What.a.badass. 

That is really how I see her. She was so badass. When she was my age she had my 9 year old Kuya and I was on the way... She was working and supporting us and then eventually decided to make a better life for us, and went back to school... NURSING SCHOOL. wth. I can’t even imagine doing that right now, but reminding myself of where she has been and how much she PUT IN WORK... That keeps me grounded in the fact that we are responsible for our lives. If you want something, you have to work for it. You can’t just hope for better... you make better happen. 

I guess its that reminder... her strength... her and Michael’s love and hard work... That keeps me going. 

Being mindful... being thankful... acknowledging my own strength... 

But with that said... August has been increasingly hard. I don’t like to think about my birthday. I don’t even want to plan anything. They’re not here... I can’t celebrate with all my loved ones and friends. Thank you COVID... 

We’re just getting closer and closer to the anniversary? Nah.. lets not call it that... anniversary sounds like something nice... something to celebrate... This is NOT that. The day your loved ones are taken is not something to celebrate... I mean honestly, if I had to pinpoint the worst day of my life, that was it.... When I think about that day I can’t breathe. Terrible memories... so many sleepless nights. I’ve come so far. Its still hard, but I’ve come a long way. 

Anyway... this post is sort of random and nostalgic. Things I hold onto. Things that make me happy cry... Things that weigh heavy on my heart. 

Here’s my playlist for grief... reminders of them... collected over the last year:

Aloha for now -Kaleo Vai & Passion 

One day at a time -Jennifer Chung

In the end - Gabe Bondoc, Melissa Polinar, Passion

Round and around -Kolohe Kai

Fade Away -Rebelution

Alive -The Green

New Day -Kimie’

Angels above me -Stick Figure

Memories -Maroon 5

Wish you pain -Andy Grammer

100 -Katchafire

Everyday life -Coldplay

Out of the darkness -Isla vista worship, Bre Reed

Amen -Andra Day

Grateful -13 Crowns feat. Poo Bear

Rainbow Connection -Gwen Stefani

Be okay -ZOE worship 

With you -Eryn Allen Kane

Dont worry -Mesto feat. Aloe Blacc

Just livin’ -Sensi trails, Kbong

Remember me -Miguel, Natalia Lafourcade

Even more -Major

Let it be -Xav A.

Give Thanks -Iya terra, Stick figure

Mr. Sun -Sammy Johnson

Rest easy -Thrive, Nico of Tribal Theory

Sunny Days- Allen Stone

Today’s a new day -Common Kings

Mother’s Love -Jonah Jaxon, Micah G

The bones -Maren Morris, Hozier

Give you blue -Allen Stone

And we remain -Johnnyswim

Yellow -Kina Grannis

Streetcar -Daniel Caesar

Meant to be -Bebe Rexha, Florida georgia line

All you need to know -Gryffin, slander, Calle Lehmann

Like I’m gonna lose you -Jasmine Thompson

[purplesurveys]

719

When you are in the shower, what do you normally do first: Make sure I’m completely doused with water. I don’t like having dry spots when I put on shampoo or body wash. Do you have a fear, even only a slight fear of insects: I hate cockroaches and have a fear of getting stabbed by anything anywhere on my body. Which shoes out of the shoes you have, do you wear most often: My Onitsuka Tiger sneakers for sure. Do you paint your nails? If so, what is the usual colour or colours: Thanks for asking first, because no I don’t. Do you have a favourite poem you like and can recall. If so, what is it: I don’t have my own favorite but Gab has always loved this one poem by Elizabeth Bishop, even memorized it at one point, and she wrote the whole piece down on one of my old planners and explained it for me, which led me to like the poem as well. It’s titled One Art. Do you find yourself even the least bit creative: No. That and being a flirt are the last words I’d use to describe myself.

Have you ever resided in a home that was haunted: No.  If so, tell me of your experience please. If not, do you believe in ghosts: Not the houses I’ve lived in but both the schools I’ve attended have track records for being haunted, but I don’t feel like sharing the ghost stories I know of rn because it’s 1:56 AM lol. I like believing in ghosts, but I’m not obsessively adamant about their existence. What is the worst memory you can think of: Various traumatic experiences from childhood. Do you have any close friends who you feel do not understand you: Sure. I don’t really open up to close friends; I only save that for my best friends. That said, my close friends won’t know what I need sometimes. Best example I can give is when I rant to Andrew for the sole reason of needing someone to vent to, he’ll sometimes reassure me even though I’m not looking for reassurance. I appreciate his efforts of course, but sometimes I’ll just find myself taken aback by the words of affirmation I didn’t explicitly ask for haha. Do you like to use abbreviations or not: Only if it’s necessary or when I’m too lazy to type. Do you ever play any MMORPGS: No. Where was the last place outside your home of course, that you've been to: :((((((((((((((( This is SUCH A SAD QUESTION NOW :’( I went to visit my grandpa’s spot at our local columbarium last month. Did you enjoy going to this place or was it not so great: I always feel peaceful visiting my lolo. Do you like Disney: Walt Disney was a shit leader which will sometimes ruin my viewing experience of Disney movies lol. But yeah I do like a number of their movies. If so, what is your favourite Disney movie: Toy Story. What is the most creative thing that you do: Coloring and painting. Do you ever think of bettering your talent or do you not need to: I always want to improve in everything I do, not just my skills. Do you like to write in cursive or just plain text: Just plain text, but I regularly practice my alma mater’s unique cursive so that I don’t get rusty at it. At the mall do you get free samples even if you don't know what it is: No, cause then I kinda feel guilty that I don’t buy the product haha. I love when they give out free samples at Starbucks though. Do you know how to restore your hard drive on your computer: Nopes. Do you like any animes: No. What is your favourite movie of all time: Two for the Road. Might fuck around and watch the movie after this survey.

What do you mostly daydream about: The future, mostly. I like thinking about having kids, buying my own house, having a big wedding, etc. I know the economy is shit and the future is doomed, but let me live in my fantasy life dammit. When was the last time you got angry, and why did you get angry: I felt like a relative invalidated my anger on a Facebook post I shared last night and it pissed me off for a few minutes. What is the worst movie you've ever seen in your life altogether: Paris When It Sizzles was a bit of a mess; it’s the only Audrey Hepburn movie I only watched once and never cared to repeat. I’m also biased against Knives Out as I hate whodunnits lol. What is something you would NEVER eat even though some people do eat it: Cats, dogs, and now probably whatever kind of bats they have in China. Do you have any favourite artists: Like singers? I really admire Hayley Williams. Do you like Tim Burton and his work: I respect his work but it’s personally not really my style, so I tend to skip out on his films. Who is your favourite director: Stanley Kubrick. Hard to completely vouch for him because of the whole Shelley Duvall bit, but for real though I love his films and I’d be totally lying to myself if I answered with a different director. Who has influenced your life the most out of family members: My dad. Which celebrity or famous person had influenced your life tremendously: CM Punk. Most of his worldviews (not believing in regrets, luck is for losers, you don’t have to be blood to be family, etc) influenced me as a teenager and are mindsets I continue to carry with me to this day. What place do you want to visit the most: Morocco or Turkey. What is your favourite band: Paramore. What song will you never grow tired of by this band: Misguided Ghosts. What is your most favourite colour of all time: Black. What is the best toy you had as a child: I don’t really know what to call it but I LOVE that one Play-Doh boxed set that let you spew out different shapes; it was pretty fucking bomb. This is what it looks like:

Out of the toys now, which do you wish they had back when you were a child: Kinetic sand. But I don’t feel like I completely missed out cause the pre-2010s kids had actual sandboxes anyway. What is the oddest thing that's happened to you: There is at least one weird thing that happens to me everyday... I don’t really keep track of them either. Have you ever been chased by a wild animal: Yeah, by a flightless bird in a safari. If so, what happened: It saw that I was trying to take a photo of it, so it must’ve been threatened by my camera or the stance I was in so it charged towards me and started aggressivelypecking my foot. I was 12, I didn’t know any better. Who do you miss the most: Nacho.

[lovemesomesurveys]

Would/Do you like having brown eyes? Meh. I wish I had blue or green, honestly. Do you spend a lot of time on the internet? I sure do. Could you live without the internet? Well yeah, but I wouldn’t enjoy it. Have you bought anyone a Christmas gift? Yes, many. I love buying gifts for my family. Do you have a Christmas tree in your house now? I have a mini one in my room. I said I was going to put my decorations away this year (they were up all year last year), but I have yet to do so. :X

How do you feel when someone hates on Apple? I’m an Apple gal, so. Do you have an Iphone? If so, which one? Yeah, an iPhone XR. Favorite flavor of jello? I don’t like jello. I see. Do you have long toes? No. What is one of your favorite compliments to recieve? I don’t receive compliments all that often, so any is nice. Even though I’m awkward af. Do you compliment other random people? No.  Could you see yourself buying a truck as your go to vehicle? No. What kind of car do you want? Something less than $100,000. I don’t know. I don’t even drive, so. What kind of gift would you appreciate for your birthday? I appreciate any gift I receive. Can you type fast? Yes. Can you type without looking at the letters? Yep. Did you take typing classes? Yeah, my freshman year in high school. It was required. What do you use Facebook for? That’s about as social as it gets for me, ha. Even though I don’t interact much with anyone apart from liking or reacting in some way to posts. I at least can see what others are up to. What do you look like in your profile picture? On Facebook? It’s a photo of my mom, brother, and I at Disneyland. I’m wearing a pistachio green Disneyland hoodie, a rose gold Disney hat, and my hair is in a low side pony tail. Do you love cartoons? I like the ones from my childhood.  Name a band that you like. There’s several, but fine I’lll name 2 that instantly came to mind: Linkin Park and Coldplay. Name a genre of music you don't like? EDM, techno, clubhouse music. What genre of music do you listen to around the house? My main Spotify playlist has a shitload of songs of various genres.  You think it's wrong to tell a person ____. Anything mean and hurtful. What kind of compliments have you given? Uhhh usually about something they’re wearing or an accessory they have. Would you rather give or receive? Give. Do you paint your own nails? It’s been a few years since I’ve painted my nails. Do you like acrylic nails? I’ve never had them. What is your favorite red lipstick? I don’t have a favorite. Red lipstick is nice, but I haven’t worn any lipstick in such a long time. What are your favorite colors to wear? I wear a lot of black, but I like some pops of color. What colors do you NOT wear? Brown and neon. Where do you shop for most of clothes? Hot Topic, BoxLunch, and Kohl’s.  What are you favorite clothing stores/shops? ^^^ What kind of shoes do you like? Adidas. Describe your style in one word. Comfy casual, ha. Describe your current personality in one or two words. Awkward. What is your opinion on weed? I think it has a lot of benefits. Are you afraid of child birth/pregnancy? Child birth sounds rather unpleasant. What are you favorite bottoms to wear? Leggings. They’re all I wear. Do you like dresses? I haven’t worn a dress in years.  Would you rather be called a geek, a nerd or a dork? I’m all of those. Do you eat cake with a spoon or a fork? Usually a fork, but a spoon works as well. What age will you be next? 31. Did you graduate high school? Yes. Do you make youtube videos? If so, leave your URL. No. Do you flat iron your hair? I haven't in years. What physical features do you wish you had? ( name 2 ). Nice teeth/smile and blue or green eyes. Would you ever get plastic cosmetic surgery? If it were for reconstructive purposes.  Ever broken a bone? Yeah. What are you favorite youtube videos to watch? Lots of ASMR, but also some vloggers and lifestyle/entertainment videos. What is your favorite sex position? ;) I wouldn’t know. What color will you paint your nails next? I don’t plan on painting my nails anytime soon. It’s been years since the last time. What is one of your favorite Disney movies? Alice in Wonderland. If you could meet a real life Disney character who would it be? Haha I get so excited meeting the characters at Disneyland. I’m such a kid. And a dork. Are you afraid of ghosts/hauntings? Well, there are evil spirits and that’s scary.  Do you like to play computer games a lot? I like playing the Sims. I go through periods where I’m obsessed and play all the time and then not play for a long time. I last played over a year ago. Are you a sore loser? No. What is your favorite game to play with family/friends? I love board games. What is your beer of choice? I don’t drink anymore, but I was never fond of beer. What do you plan to buy next? Food. Do you like shopping? Yeah. Online shopping, especially. What is one of your favorite things to do on the weekend? I don’t do anything different. Here, I'm giving you $500 dollars to one store, where would you spend it? Hmmm. I’d have to think about it. Would you look good in a Beetle car? I wouldn’t want one. Do you play slug bug? I did when I was a kid. You know, it’s been forever since I’ve seen one. I feel like I saw them all the time and then they just disappeared.  What kind of computer are on? MacBook Air. You are attracted to ___. Alexander Skarsgard. Do you like glitter? It’s pretty, but also a huge pain. Have you ever owned a Ouija board? Noooo. I don’t mess with stuff like that. Do you like to text? Over talking on the phone, yeah. I’m not a big texter, though. If you had to be an animal for Halloween, what would it be? A cat. Do you have more dry skin or oily skin? Dry. What kind of shampoo do you use? Be specific. It’s a salon shampoo for red dyed hair. Do you have acne? I get a couple pimples once in awhile. I used to get it a lot when I was a teenager and in my early 20s. You're glad that you don't ___. have school anymore. You're glad that you do ___. have my family.  Your favorite cuss word? I don’t have a favorite. Are you obsessed with any superheros? I love Marvel films. Do you read comic books? No. Do you like the Sunday paper and why or why not? I used to when I was a kid cause I liked reading the comics. I haven’t read an actual newspaper in yearssss. I mostly read the news online, but I also watch it on TV. Do you have cable? Yeah. What's a show you wish that was still on air? True Blood. Do you listen to the radio at all? I haven’t in quite a long time. My parents and brother play their Spotify in their cars (and I’m in their cars).  Do you like hip hop? Yeah. Do you like pretzels? Soft pretzels with cheese are good. Do you like snow? Yesss. What's your favorite thing about your favorite season? Name the season. I love fall and winter. Everything about it is lovely. Name something that starts with the first letter of your first name. Snacks. Name something that starts with the first letter of your middle name? I don’t wanna. And your lastname. Fruit. Do you have pets? If so, what and what are their names? Yes, I have a 3 year old German Shepherd/Lab mix named Princess Leia. Are you a religious person? Yes. Do you like pina coladas? I’ve never had one. Do you like coconut scents? Yeah. What is your favorite Bath and Body Works candles? Their autumnal ones. Would you spend 20 dollars on a candle? Nooo. What is the goriest thing you've seen in real life? Roadkill.  Do you look in the mirror a lot? Nooo. I avoid it as much as possible. When I do, I keep it short.  What brand of toothpaste do you use? Sensodyne.  What is a dessert that you DON'T like? Pie or pudding. And one that you love? Cheesecake, cupcakes, brownies, donuts, and muffins. Twilight or Harry Potter? I liked both.  Would you rather be a vampire or a mermaid? Vampire I guess. Do you have a favorite number? 8. Had a crush on somebody that every1 around u thought was ugly? I mean, I’ve found people attractive that my friends didn’t and vice versa. We all have different tastes.  Are you happy with your physical features? No. P.E or Math? Ew, neither. Math or Science? Neither. Creative Writing or Art? Creative writing. When you doodle, what are you usually doodling? Usually hearts and random words in cursive. What is something that you like that is really cheap in price? Ramen? Haha. Like the packs you get at the grocery store for less than a dollar. What is something that you like that is kind of expensive? Apple products. Those aren’t kind of expensive, they’re hella expensive. What do you do when someone is really rude to you in public? I wouldn’t do anything towards them, I’d just talk a lot of crap later ha. Do you argue with your significant other a lot? I’m single. Have you ever had a really painful breakup? Yes. Which is better smoking or vaping? Neither. Do you write in print or cursive? Print. Do you have neat handwriting? No. My handwriting is awful. What do you like to write with? Pens. Do you keep a journal/diary? This is it. Do you eat salads? What do you like in your salad? If you do. If not, what is 1+1? I like them, but it’s honestly been a few years since I’ve had one. Anyway, I just like lettuce, spinach, shredded cheese, olives, croutons, green onions, carrots, and hard boiled eggs with ranch on top. Back when I could eat spicy food I would add pepperoncinis and/or cayenne pepper. If you HAD to change your eyecolor, what would you change it to? Blue or green. What is one of your favorite colors? Rose gold. Do you prefer to be pale or tan? Don't say in between. I’m very pale due to anemia, malnutrition, and I like never go out in the sun. I wish I were tan. I used to be. Favorite thing to do on your phone? YouTube, Spotify, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Kindle, and play some games. What magazines do you like? I don’t read any.  What is your favorite book? I couldn’t possibly choose just one. What is your favorite thing about Christmas? Everything. I love Christmastime. I'm giving a ticket to wherever you want, where would you go? Oh man. I’d really think about that before making a choice. Here's $5, what do you do with it? Put it towards food later. Cool. Cool. Favorite flavor of Ice Cream? Strawberry. Least favorite flavor of ice cream? Chocolate. Do you prefer white or black electronics? Uhhh depends. What is your favorite deodorant? I use Secret. Are you a good kisser ( make out )? Probably not. I’d be very rusty now....it’s been a long time. A stranger comes up to you and gives you a big hug, what do you do? Uh, I’d quickly back away and be extremely uncomfortable. I’d be like wtf? That would catch me completely off guard. Do your eyes tear up when you're nervous? Sometimes. Have you ever gotten the shakes in public? Yes. What do you like to order from Starbucks? Usually a caramel macchiato or a white chocolate mocha, but I do enjoy some of their seasonal drinks. Vanilla or Chocolate? Vanilla. Apples or Bananas? Bananas. Fruit or Veggies? I don’t eat much of either one. :X Water or Milk? Water. Regular Milk or Chocolate Milk? Ew. Would you milk a cow given the chance? No. What kind of underwear do you like? Hipster/hip huggers whatever you wanna call ‘em. Where do you shop for your underwear? A few different places. Chicken or Fish? Chicken. I hate seafood. Firm pillow or soft pillow? Soft, but firm.  What are you wearing when you go to sleep? Leggings and an oversized shirt. That’s all I wear now all the time. Do you take any meds? If so which and why? Pain medication.

[justaramblingromantic]

fail better

Characters/Pairing: Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi/EiRin

Type: Canon-divergent AU, Post-series, Peerless-verse, Freestyle

Word Count: 2277

A/N #01: Ever read something so stupid that at the end of it all, you can almost literally feel the double negative ‘dislike’ interaction sign from The Sims forming right over your head? That was exactly my feeling after I read the nonsense that was chapter 296. Actually, my feeling was so strong it singlehandedly fueled my motivation to write this piece in one sitting, haha. What the effing heck, Tsukuda. 

A/N #02: Title derived by Samuel Beckett’s quote: “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”

xXxXxXxXxX

Hours after the conclusion of his round of the tournament, he was back in the still quiet of his hotel room, staring down at the empty text screen of his phone, wondering what to write to properly convey his conflicted feelings at the moment. He found himself stuck for the longest time, because the other person who had all but wrung a promise out of him for consistent updates of his progress would not appreciate it in the least if he was insincere or dishonest with her and, most importantly, himself.

And she would know intrinsically too, much to his chagrin.

He did not have to struggle futilely for the whole night, because as if aware of his mounting difficulties…or perhaps just plain exasperated with his indecisive dithering, the smart device in his hand vibrated impatiently with an incoming call, and the name that popped up on his Caller ID was both a comforting and sobering sight at the same time.

He picked up, of course. After a brief, hesitating pause. Mentally steeling himself, because it was…difficult not to be swept away by that surge of self-critical disappointment all over again.  

“…Hello.”

“Yo.”

In hindsight, he did not know what he was even feeling so anxious about. Just hearing that one word, just hearing that familiar voice filtered through the speaker from the other end, already possessed the miraculous effect of easing the stiff tension that had grown unbidden between his shoulders, bearing down on him like a heavy weight that entire day. He sighed her name.

“Rindou.”

There was some crinkling to be heard in ambient surroundings, as if she was snacking on something while on the phone with him at the same time. That casual familiarity soothed his nerves, because it was just like her to be so relaxed and comfortable around him. Before the conversation could lull and grow tense and awkward, she nonchalantly continued.

“I heard you got your ass handed to you today, Tsukasa~” his impish best friend all but singsonged.

Instead of feeling sorry and regretful over his loss, the woman actually sounded indecently gleeful instead. Even if he wanted to, it was hard to remain down in the doldrums when she was like this. He grew exasperated, remembering that sometimes she was the kind who liked to poke at people’s bruises, just to hear them yell.

“…You don’t beat around the bush, do you?” he deadpanned.

“Why should I?” she retorted between munches. “D’ya know how many texts I got this afternoon alone reporting your defeat to that Saiha dude? I practically received multiple blow-by-blow accounts, and they sent videos too; at least five different viewing angles of you getting your ass handed to you-”

Now, he was just plain mortified, never mind feeling sorry for himself.  

“What. Who texted you?” he demanded to know, flustered that she had to learn about it from other people instead of straight from him. His cheeks warmed in pique. “Why are people texting you anyway to tell you those things.”

“Yeah, I wonder why,” she replied in a tone that implied she didn’t even have to wonder at all. Their closeness wasn’t exactly a big secret to those who knew them in Tootsuki.

“Where are you now, anyway?” she changed the subject blithely. “Moping about in your room?”

“I’m not moping,” he spluttered in denial. Sure, he was feeling a bit morose and out of sorts, but that was because there was nothing to do since he no longer had to prepare for the next stage of the competition! Furthermore and strangely enough, his defeat today had not felt as crushingly overwhelming as that time in the aftermath of the Regiment Shokugeki. And more importantly- “Next time, wait patiently for my texts instead of listening to the gossips of other people.”

“Then text me quicker next time-”

A knock on the door had him distracted, and he got up to answer it, phone still cradled to his ear.

“-I thought you got so depressed you decided to commit seppuku with that long-assed nail file of yours. Hola~!”

He opened the door…and there she was, standing at the entrance, her digitally modulated reply abruptly becoming clear and distinct in real time. She was bright eyed and smirking at him,  just so irrepressibly buoyant it was as if she was a ray of sunshine herself.

Eishi blinked owlishly in surprise. “You are…here.” He quickly snapped out of his brief stupor. “Wait. What are you doing here?”

She brushed past him to get into his room. “Ta-da~ I came to offer my bosom for you to cry on, of course!”

He shut the door and turned to her, a funny look crossing his face, still half in disbelief…because she was supposed to be in Barcelona right now.

She looked like she had just stepped off a flight, and she had come bearing consolation gifts, too. “Look what I bought on the way here!” She swiveled to him and raised the plastic bags that she was holding. “Fried chicken and cheap beer are the best things to fix a broken heart!”

“My heart is not broken,” he retorted, nonplussed by her shining enthusiasm to bring light to his dark and tortured soul. “And will you put those drinks away; we’re still underaged.”

“Boo; you’re so straitlaced! What’s a bit of underaged drinking gonna do? We’d be twenty in a year or so, anyway! Live a little!”

And then she promptly proceeded to make a mess in his otherwise previously tidy accommodation. Her sneakers were kicked haphazardly aside, she dumped her bag unceremoniously on the floor in the middle of the room, and with whirlwind efficacy, she soon had the food and drinks laid out on the dressing table. Popping a crispy piece of chicken, deep fried to golden brown perfection, into her mouth, she pulled out a chilled can of beer from the six pack, bought right off a nearby conbini, cracked it open, brought it right to her lips and drank deep. She exhaled gustily with happiness, eyes squeezed shut with contentment, a look of comical satisfaction flitting across her rosy face.  

“Hell yeah, this is the best~!”

The redhead popped open another can of beer, and she pushed it to him. “Don’t just stand there! Come join me, dummy.”

Eishi was reluctant at first, but as she handed him the choicest bits of chicken on a paper plate and then started to dig into her own share with zeal, he realized belatedly that he was hungry, too. How she miraculously knew that he hadn’t had dinner yet was a mystery; he had been preoccupied and had somehow forgotten all about eating in the process. He took refreshing sips of ice-cold beer in between succulent bites of crisp, precisely battered chicken; she was right, there was a certain epicurean pleasure to be had from this combination. His mind was already automatically deconstructing the dish, gauging the type of ingredients and their exact quantity, speculating on the various steps of preparation, how hot the temperature of the frying oil had to be-

She snorted at his distracted demeanor as they dawdled over the meal. “You’re such a nerd, I swear.”  

He snapped out of his thoughts to stare at her. She snickered.

“Feel better now?”

He continued to stare.

“Wanna walk me through how your bout went?” Her golden eyes gleamed. “Or maybe I should tell you how I think it went as related to me by my secret sources?”

“No, thank you-”

He obligingly spilled, not wanting to hear of the embarrassing accounts as witnessed by whoever had spied on him for her. Besides, she was someone who actually appreciated the finer nuances of his cooking style and methodology, even when others would have been bored to tears by all that incredibly dry, technical talk. She paid rapt attention, her eyes trained unwaveringly on him as he spoke about the dish he came up with, and objectively as well of the one that had eventually defeated him.

Rindou was intrigued.

“Huh. Sounds like you had quite a bit of fun out there.”

International competitions like The Blue were really on another level altogether. She also wondered how they were able to dredge up so much crazy every year just to stuff into one event.  

“I wouldn’t exactly call it ‘fun,’” Eishi muttered under his breath.

There was an annoying soreness just lying under the skin and muscles of his chest, growing more and more aggravating as time passed after that battle with Saiba Asahi, and downright impossible to ignore however he tried. It was a gripping feeling that he had not experienced in quite a long time. It felt like a muted rage, a festering, humiliating wound in his heart that had been dealt by the hand of his opponent.

“He claimed my knife in light of my loss,” he finally admitted his shame.

It was now or never, and he refused to lie. Not to her. Never, to her.

For one moment, the air around her stilled.

And then her eyes glowed bright with fury.

For all that some people always said of his selfishness and arrogance, even he had never stooped so low as to steal the precious knives of another chef, their livelihood, the very source of their pride. Everything that he had, he had painstakingly squeezed out of his own talents, refusing to rely or even lean on the abilities of others, because there was simply no honor or pride to be had for that kind of tainted victory. But such distasteful practice was not entirely unheard of, nor was it illegal or wrong. Life in the kitchen could be cutthroat and fast paced where all sorts of characters lurked; those who could not take the heat simply had no place there, regardless of how good or skilled they were.

Then again, Tsukasa had never been the kind to break easily.

“What an unpleasant punk,” Rindou uttered flatly, stiffly.

He said nothing to that, but somehow, he felt lighter, because here she was, absolutely furious on his behalf.

“Which blade did he take?”

He knew she was going to laugh. “…The one…you nicknamed ‘the long-assed nail file,’” he responded slowly, after a reluctant pause.

He was absolutely right; she snort-giggled into her beer. That heavy tension in the atmosphere promptly dissolved, and miraculously along with it, his paralyzing sense of disgrace. “Pffft. Of all the- That one?? Eh, I s’pose there’s really no accounting for taste, is there?”

Eishi sent her a disgruntled look, visibly put out by her reaction. “Enough, you. I actually liked that blade.”  

She relaxed at his mild censure. He was calmer now, less tense, less brittle. In turn, that pleased her, too. She took another sip of her beer, already on her second can.

“So make an even better one, then. In the first place, you haven’t even fully developed that technique yet with how recently you came up with it,” she pointed out.

He drank to that, too. “I intend to.” There was a firmness in his quiet reply, an unshakable resolve that hardened his usually distant, lavender gaze, as he retreated to a place within himself that would not allow him to give up until he had achieved what he sought to.

She eyed him silently over the rim of her drink. That look of relentless, dogged determination was something that she hadn’t seen on him for a long time.

“…You really are having fun with this,” she observed once more with insistence, her lips twitching up in a delighted smile.

“It’s not fun,” he promptly corrected her. “It’s…frustrating.”

“But at least it’s not boring anymore, right?” She nudged him knowingly. He sighed and looked down at her plainly amused expression. She wasn’t going to give up until he admitted it, was she? He really did not know how she did it; there was not one word of consolation offered over his defeat, but still she made him feel so much better, all the same.

“…No. It’s not boring anymore,” he acknowledged. He was simmering, seething quietly beneath that deceptively calm, tranquil façade of his. “I actually feel…quite displeased,” he admitted, frowning slightly and looking quite out of sorts with himself.

She snorted, once again, at the understatement. He was really terrible at expressing anger. She reached up and petted his head for trying his best, all the same. “There, there. Let it all out. You want Rindou onee-chan to give you a hug too? Not to blow my own trumpet, but my hugs are seriously the best.”

He stared at her shamelessly bragging. Or maybe not, since he knew from experience that her hugs were seriously the best indeed, as advertised.

“Okay,” he agreed readily to her half joking offer. Perhaps it was the beer that relaxed his inhibitions, for he briefly studied her where she was sitting beside him, and then, without hesitation, he reached out, grabbed her around her middle, and half tugged, half lifted her onto his lap. She paused in surprise at his spontaneity, but before anything else could be said, he folded his arms around her and gently nested her against himself. He pressed his face into crimson fragrance of her hair and inhaled, sighing at her warmth and softness.

“…I’m glad you came,” he told her truthfully. It made him feel sleepy too, tension dissipating, and weariness rushing to the forefront in the face of this simple, reassuring contentment that was Rindou.  

Her gaze softened. Her arms curled lazily around him in return, and she snuggled up to her best friend.

“Mm. You worked hard today, Tsukasa. Well done-”

xXxXxXxXxX

[btsffuniverse-blog]

Our First Song [Jungkook FF] (Prologue, Chapter 1,2,3)

DESCRIPTION: This is my first fanfiction and it’s Jungkook biased. My chapters are kinda short so I decided to put a couple of chapters into one post. I hope you will read it and like it. I’m sorry if there are any mistakes, English is not my native language and sometimes I write really fast so there may be some misspelled words. Here we goo! :) Prologue Y/N: Hi mom! Yes, yes we landed. Our flight was nice and exciting. Yes, we're on our way. Vee: I can't wait to meet your parents. She said with excited voice. My parents lived in Germany. They moved when I started high school, but I stayed home with my aunt because I wanted to finish school at my country. They really wanted to meet Vee so this time I went to Germany with her. I was soo happy she's here with me. We bought tickets for S Bahn and traveled through the city. It was dark outside and a little bit cold, but we didn't mind it at all. We were just so happy we are here together. My parents really liked Vee and they were getting along nicely. Days were passing and we were having sooo much fun. Because Vee brought her guitar and some of the equipment with her we sang all the time around the house. One day my mom gave us idea. Mom: Girls, you are so talented. Why don't you sit somewhere in Königstrasse and play a little bit. Maybe you earn some Euros. Vee: That's a nice idea! Y/N: Yeah, mom. We should totally do it tomorrow. Mom: Great. You can take dad's car so you don't have to carry all of that in U Bahn. Y/N: Really?!?! Thanks mom, you're the best! I said and hugged her. 1: Street Love My best friend Vee and I were bored so we decided to performe on the streets of Stuttgart. We were singing and playing guitar when suddenly a group of guys came through the crowd. They were amazed and looking at us with big eyes. We didn't notice who they were. We enjoyed our performance too much. I decided to look at a crowd when I noticed a familiar face; but I thought it was not possible so I just looked away. After half an hour we decided to take a break. I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and it was HIM! I feel my cheeks getting red, my heart beating through my chest and my knees getting weak. NO! It is a dream! It cannot be! It's impossible!! Is this really happening? Can this really be HIM….????? He smirked and said ???: Hi! You two are amazing! I couldn't say a word; I just looked at his eyes. My friend noticed that I'm speechless so she came and said Vee: Thank you. We're glad that you liked it. Wanna sing with us? I couldn't believe what she was saying. I wanted to kill her but I felt excited. ???: Yes, can I sing duet with her while you play? He said while pointing at me. I was shocked. ME?!?!?!? WHY ME?!?!?! OMG! I saw his friend staring at us and looking at him with judging eye. Than I realized it's really them. ALL of them. This is reality. I quickly pinched my arm to check if I'm dreaming. Finally I managed to say Y/N: What song do you wanna sing? He asked Vee: ???: Do you know how to play Nothing like us by Justin?   She answerd : Vee: Of course, I love his music too. He smiled and looked at me. I wasn't ready at all, but I didn't wanted to miss this chance and embarrass myself. I actually loved this song and knew lyrics very well. We started to sing. Other members and people were looking at us and were amazed. He sang so beautifully and I was more and more nervous. When my part came I sang better than ever. When we were done people were clapping and cheering for us.  People were putting a lot of coins in guitar suitcase. His members came towards us and congratulate us for a wonderful performance. They told him in Korean to hurry up, but didn't know that I understand them. My friend and I were studying Korean and we're actually going to Seoul University this fall to study music and art. He followed his friends but after a second he turned around and rushed to say something to me. ???: What's your name? Are you going to be here tomorrow at the same time? I was just looking at him, not knowin what to say but I managed to say „yes“ ???: Great! Meet me here than. My friend: Bring your friends too! ???: I will. He smirked and walked away. After he left we started to scream and panic. Is this really happening? Did we really sing together? Y/N: Is it really?? Is it r-really…?? My friend: YEES!! IT WAS JUNGKOOK!! 2: The Meeting It was 7 o'clock. Almost time to meet him…to meet Jungkook. We were already performing for an hour but all that I was able to think about was: what is he doing here? Is he really gonna come? What should I do? My friend saw that I was panicking so she tried to calm me down. Vee: Don't worry. You look amazing. This dress that you're wearing is looking boombayah on you! He's gonna L-O-V-E IT! I wonder if his friends are also cute. I didn't see who was he with because I was focused on playing the guitar. Oh no! She didn't see them and now I realized why was she so calm. She didn't see Jimin. But I knew if she did she would freak out and panic more than me. Oh no. If they really show up with him she's not gonna be able to sing and play anymore. But she was also dressed up and looking amazing so if he really comes I think he will like her style. We took a break to drink water cause our throats were a little bit dry. As I drink water I almost spilled everything on me when I heard: Jungkook: Yaah! You're really here! I was really worried we're not gonna see each other again. I tried hard to come even though I have a busy schedule. I couldn't believe my eyes. He was really standing in front of me AGAIN. He was wearing black ripped jeans, white flowy t-shirt and pair of timberlands. He was looking amazing just by wearing simple pieces. Vee: Hi! You came! My name is Venus, but you can call me Vee. Jungkook: Hi! Nice to meet you, I'm Jungkook. And I didn't hear your name yesterday? He said while looking at me. Y/N: I'm Y/N. I blushed. Jungkook: Wow…you're name is so beautiful and uniqe. I blushed even harder. Jungkook: My friends are on their way. They just stopped by Starbucks  to take a coffe. I convinced them to come with me. My friend Namjoon thinks you two are really talented.  He didn't expect to hear such beautiful voices here. Vee: Oh thanks! I can't wait to meet them. How was she so calm? Did she not realize it was BTS?! We're going to meet freaking BTS!!! Than we saw a 5 guys coming towards us. They all introduced themselves and I saw Vee's face going pale. I think she finally realized it was really them. Vee: Wait a minute! You're BTS! OMG! I'm so happy to meet you. But I didn't see Jimin with them and I think she is a little dissapointed and also relieved because she would lose her shit if she met him. She always talks how he's going to marry her. She's just so cute with her imagination. She turned around and whisperd to me Vee: Oh my freaking GOD! Why didn't you tell me it was the WHOLE freaking BTS! Y/N: I thought you knew! They were here yesterday. Vee: No! I saw Jungkook but I thought he was here alone with his highschool friends. This is amazing. I smiled and turned around. Oh HELL NO! Jimin is coming with his Starbucks cup in his hand towards us. Oh no, oh no, oh no! She's gonna freak out. I hope she doesn't propose. Okay…keep it cool. I repeated Jungkook's wise words in my head: Safety first, safety second, COOLNESS third. I acted like nothing is happening. Jimin came and introduced himself. I can see Vee shaking. He also complimented on her guitar skills and said he always wanted to learn how to play a guitar. She looked at me with an unsure smile. I wasn't sure if she's alright but she acted cool so I played along. I managed to get courage and asked Vee Y/N: Are we gonna perform for these wonderful gentlemen? Jungkook smirked and said Jungkook: Wow…such a classy girl. I smiled and blushed. Vee nodded and took her guitar. She whisperd to me: Vee: We can't fuck this up, this has to be flawless. I gulped and took the mic and sang like I was alone in my own world. We performed for another half an hour while BTS was drinking their coffe and looking at us amazed. I was really suprised they stayed this long. They were cheering for us so loud after every song. Vee and I were soooo happy!! We finished our repertoaure and started to pack our stuff. Boys came to us asking if we needed any help. Jungkook didn't even ask, he just started to pack with us. All of the members joined him. Only Suga was not in the mood for this but he started to rap so it was kinda cool. When we finished packing our stuff in our car Jungkook came to me. Jungkook: H-heyyy Y/N…I wanted to ask you ss-something. He looked down and I was confused. Why is he stuttering? He is an idol, superstar and he's talking to me while stuttering… Jungkook: I really liked your voice and I think you are amazing so can I get your phone number? OMG! What?! Wunderbar! I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I just looked at him while trying to say yes but words couldn't leave my mouth. I saw him getting soo nervous; his palms sweating, so I just ask him to give me his phone. He imidiately grabbed his pocket and gave me his phone. I wrote my number and he smirked. Jungkook: Thanks! I will deffinitely call you. He winked and left to pack last thing. We all said goodbye. Vee and I got in the car. I saw she was so excited and she couldn't hide it. We were waiting for them to dissapear from our sight and than started to scream. Vee: Holy moly! Can you believe Namjoon asked me if we wanted to join them for a brunch tomorrow and I sad yes. He said Jungkook is going to text you the adress and time. I'm soo happy. Jimin smiled at me, can you believe this. Oh Goood! Suga rapped! J-Hope danced! Jin blew me a kiss and V..well he was being him haha! Weirdoo, but a cute weirdo! She was blabbering gibberish and I couldn't help but laugh. But i didn't actually listen to her. All I was thinking about was him..about Jungkook. 3: If I call you darling will you make me pancakes? We were strolling around Königstrasse, looking for a place that we were supposed to meet. When we reached our destination boys smiled at us. They were wating for us in front of a restaurant. Namjoon: Finally! It wasn't a party without you. He smiled dearly. Suga: Let's go eat! NOW! I'm hungry! V: Yes, I really want to try those pancakes! J-Hope: Hobi wants to try them too!! We smiled at them and walked in. After we ordered our pancakes we started to chat. We talked about a lot of things. Everybody had a great time.Those pancakes were delicious. Jungkook: MMMMM delicious! I couldn't help but smile. He was so cute. Finally I asked them what are they doing in Germany? Jin: Well, we came to relax here and discuss our future tour in Europe. Vee: No way! Tour in Europe? Finally! Jimin: Aww you're so cute. Are you ARMYs? I could see Vee blushing so hard after Jimin called her cute. Y/N: Yes we are. We love your songs. You're such an inspiration. Jimin: Thank you, I hope you will continue liking our songs. He said while squeezing his eyes. Jimin: Soo, who's your bias? He started to giggle. Vee and I looked at each other and gulped. We said:“Oh we love all of you, we don't have a bias.“ We were clearly lying but didn't wanted to embarass ourselves. But Jimin didn't stop. He kept teasing us. Jimin: Oh come on. That's impossible. You must have a bias. It's okay, you can say.We won't be offended or sad. It's a normal thing. We looked at each other and didn't know what to say. Should we say it out loud? I saw Jimin looking at us with a wondering eyes. Jungkook: Ahh jinjja hyung! Leave them alone. If they don't want to say it, let them be. Jimin: I'm sorry. I was just curious. He looked down. I felt sorry for him. To break the awkward silence Namjoon asked Namjoon: What can we do in Stuttgart while we're here that's fun? Y/N: Weell…there's a lot of things but first thing that comes to my mind is amusement park. Vee and I were planning on going there tomorrow. We want to ride the roller coster. And tomorrow is the last day it is open. J-Hope: Look girls, I like you, but I ain't riding that roller coster no more. Suga: Hahaha J-Hope is scared like a little girl Hahaha J-Hope: Come on hyung, don't tease. You know I don't like that. Vee: It's okay. You don't have to ride a roller coster. There are other fun rides too. J-Hope smiled. Namjoon: Well then we have to go there. It's a deal! When were you planning to go? Y/N: About 7 PM. Namjoon: Cool. Than we'll meet you there. We finished eating pancakes and chatted a little bit more. Soon they had to leave because they had a meeting. When they were leaving Jungkook took my hand and said Jungkook: Can't wait to see you tomorrow Y/N. I shivered. This feeling. I can't take. I can't take it no more. He's driving me crazy. But I love it.

[physticuffs]

Hello! I have a question.... what are your favorite books, and why? (I love your blog!)

@smallricochet

Wow, thank you! Took me forever to reply because my first answer got erased when i was halfway through. Rawr. anyway, here’s the thing: i don’t have favorites. I just love books so much i can’t choose! And there are books for different moods, too, or books that i love for different reasons. There are those that i can read anytime because they’re friendly and easy to sink into, but aren’t necessarily the best of anything in a particular aspect. There are books that i have to be in a specific mood to read but that i love more than anything when i am in that mood. There are books that are outstanding in one thing and lacking in another…so i don’t have favorite books, and when i have to think of my favorites, they’re divided by genre. This is gonna be a long post, haha. Without my bookshelf in front of me, there may be some I’m forgetting, but those are the ones that stand out in immediate memory.

Fantasy: most of the books i’ve read would probably count as fantasy if you included YA, but i’m going to break out YA as its own thing because i look for different things now than i did when i was younger. For one thing, the writing style plays a much larger role now for me, which is one of the things that makes Neil Gaiman one of my favorite authors. American Gods is this gorgeous book examining the nature of belief, with such evocative language that i felt like i was taking the journey alongside the characters. The characters themselves are rather stock, but that’s okay–Gaiman has a true sense of the mythic and interweaves old stories with new in a way that captivated me. I also loved The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which just felt…almost more real than our own world. I read the book (it’s quite short) in one sitting, and when i finished i realized i’d teared up. There’s a scene where the main character is immersed in this experience of understanding everything and then is pulled out of that state, and i felt the same way upon closing the book. The sense of the world-beyond-our-world was intense–again, taking the journey with the characters. I adore Good Omens, which was co-written with Terry Pratchett, and i think combines the best of both authors: Gaiman’s sense of mythology, Pratchett’s humor, and their shared love for stories that examine the values individual people hold. Individual values are a theme often repeated in Pratchett’s books, of which my favorites are Hogfather and Thud! because of the beautiful, hopeful characterizations and complex conflicts. Pratchett’s books really carry this sense of optimism and hope for how much better we can be; his characters have this evolving humanity (lol some of them are dwarves and trolls and werewolves) that really strikes a chord with me. Also, those books are fucking hilarious.

I’ve written about Guy Gavriel Kay recently; his novel Under Heaven is remarkable for its beautiful language, fascinating characters, and exciting political plot. I love that niche–historically-based political fantasy–and am really relieved to have found someone besides George R. R. Martin who does it, since Kay is much subtler and doesn’t have Martin’s penchant for shock and gore. I’m about to read every other political fantasy novel Kay has ever written. I used to think that if i could write like anyone i’d want to write like Gaiman, but now that i’ve read Kay’s work, i’d rather write like him, because that’s the genre i’d want to succeed in.

Then there’s Susanna Clarke’s exquisite Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. I know this is very much a love-it-or-hate-it book, and i love it. Actually, i think it’s a perfect novel. I would change nothing about that book; there’s nothing that could make me like it better. The descriptive visual language is rich and flowing, the dry humor is just right, and the mythology she builds is original and forms a perfect pattern. One of the things that stood out to me the most in the book are the names. I’ve never seen an author choose names like her–they’re all lyrical and evocative without being literal. I don’t even want a sequel because the plot is wrapped up perfectly; i just want a whole series set in that world. (Clarke also wrote a short story collection in that setting, The Ladies of Grace Adieu, which is excellent, but does not fulfill my desire for a million more full-length novels.)

Historical fiction: The Lymond Chronicles. This is a masterwork, to the point that the author, Dorothy Dunnett, was knighted for her books being such a huge contribution to UK culture. They’re hard to read, no denying that, but they are unparalleled for incredible descriptive language, depth of emotion, dexterity with shifting viewpoint, epic scope, characters’ journeys and personalities interwoven in fascinating ways…they so far outshine every other work of historical fiction i’ve read that i think i can say that series is my favorite. HOWEVER, the irony of it is, i have never reread those books, except the first. I flick around occasionally to reread passages, but they’re simply too dense to make for good light reading in between all my new reading material. I love Les Miserables too, in the sense that i think it’s one of those almost accidental masterpieces that would never make it to market in full form today. Victor Hugo was a mystic grandpa whose interest in architecture/public infrastructure reeeeally got in the way of his own plot. I can’t HELP but love that book and i don’t even know why, except that Hugo captures the emotions and complexities of youthful rebellion so well, and is deeply respectful to the tragedy of it–not flippant, not over-aggrandizing, but accepting in just the right way. I also wanna give a shoutout/honorary mention to Romance of the Three Kingdoms. (It’s sort of unfair to put it with historical fiction, given the part where a guy’s ghost wanders around beating people up, but like. What else do i call this book.) I mean, it’s not my usual fare, but it well deserves its place as one of China’s four great classics. It’s so different from modern writing, which places a lot of emphasis on knowing individual characters. Three Kingdoms doesn’t give a shit about the inner lives of the characters. This is a story about how empires are formed and fall. it’s a true epic, and a fascinating look into one of China’s most tumultuous historical periods. (most tumultuous, except for all the others. You do you, China.)

Nonfiction: I’ve only rather recently become interested in nonfiction, and most of what i like is just a combination of good writing style and a topic i’m specifically interested in. How Not To Be Wrong, by Jordan Ellenberg–applied math and statistics, written in a very fun way. The Disappearing Spoon and The Violinist’s Thumb, by Sam Kean–a history of the periodic table and genetics respectively; Kean is such an engaging writer and really knows how to draw a common thread through anecdotes. Fermat’s Enigma, by Simon Singh–a history of the quest to solve Fermat’s Last Theorem. Weapons and Fighting Arts of Indonesia, by Donn Draeger–uh, what it says on the cover, but also a very interesting cultural text, although the info is a bit out of date. Walking the Bible, by Bruce Feiler–Feiler travels through the Middle East, examining the historical context of biblical stories; i’m reading his other works now. There also have been a couple books i’ve read for school that i loved–one was a cultural study of Hello Kitty, of all things, and one was about coffee farming in Honduras. Both were for a globalization course, but i can’t remember the titles offhand. I also read Walkable City by Jeff Speck for urban studies, about the importance of building walkability into your urban planning, which kicked off an interest in urban planning for me. I wound up getting three other urban planning books out of the interest generated by that one.

YA: Most of the books that have stuck with me after i read them as a teen had characters i wanted to be friends with or that i strongly related to–books with a lot of analytical, assertive girls, or girls who loved stories and were very imaginative. These include Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery, the All-of-a-Kind Family series by Sydney Taylor (bonus points for multiple girls i related to and they were Jewish), The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall (again bonus points for multiple girls i related to), Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine, and The Princess Academy and The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale. These last three (modern takes on fairy tales) mattered so fucking much to me, and they seriously hold up on rereads. Hale and Levine don’t protect their readers from harsh events, but it’s still fantasy, still has the magic i love reading about. They show the young characters win magical battles and friendship through intelligence, creativity, and determination, instead of beauty like the original tales, so that was really inspiring for me, and i related really hard to the main characters personality-wise. All three main characters in these books do find relationships or even marry at the end, but it’s because they’ve already been best friends with their love interests for a while. There’s also The Hunger Games, which had fascinating characterization, and unusually subtle morality for a YA series, especially in the last book, and the similarly adventurous Icemark Chronicles series by Stuart Hill, which is historically-based fantasy–think Guy Gavriel Kay for younger readers–with a wonderful main character that i really looked up to. And then there’s The Pushcart War, by Jean Merrill. The Pushcart War is just completely charming. It’s a friendly, quick-read book about a group of pushcart vendors trying to make space for themselves in New York City, opposing the aggressive truckers, and it was just plain fun while also being…actually pretty educational about urban design.

So…i know that’s super long, but y’know, asking me about favorite books is a dangerous thing to do. And i can’t emphasize enough that this is only what i can think of off the top of my head, without my bookshelf in front of me. But thank you so much for the question!

[prohealths]

What I’m Loving Lately 84

Disclosure: I’m proud to be working with CVS Pharmacy for their 2017 influencer relations program. All opinions expressed are my own, and all product claims or program details shared should be verified at CVS.com or with the appropriate manufacturers.

Hi, guys! Happy Hump Day!

I’m sharing my What I’m Loving Lately post a little early this week, and it includes quite the variety of things I’m loving lately—everything from the pug edition of Moana to CVS Curbside and everything in between! Ok, here we go!

Moana by Doug the Pug – We love Moana and, obviously, pugs in our house, so this tribute by Doug the Pug is phenomenal. I swear, we’ve watched it like 50 times now!

Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer – I feel like I’ve tried every tinted moisturizer on the market, but they always end going on too matte for my liking. My skin tends to run dry in certain spots, so I used to use a regular moisturizer and then a tinted one over it. The Dew Skin combines the two into one product (woohoo!), and I lovveeee it. It actually leaves my skin with a luminous glow! It also has SPF 20 in it, so protects my skin from sun damage while proving a lightweight hydration that evens out my skin. And (!) black currant, peony flower root extract, and vitamin C in the product help to reduce the appearance of age spots and enhance skin brightness, while sodium hyaluronate promotes firmer, smoother-looking skin. Double-duty, baby! It’s the best product ever! FYI: I wear shade No. 1 in the colder months and shade No. 2 now that it’s warmer, and I have a bit more color to my skin.

One month of non-stop celebrations – Mother’s Day kicks off an entire month of celebrations. Next week (5/23) is Mal’s birthday, followed my Quinn’s (6/9), Murphy’s (6/14), my birthday (6/19), and Father’s Day (6/20). Also, mixed in there, is my sister-in-law’s birthday as well as Cousin Matthew and my father-in-law’s birthday at the end of June. And, ok, our 9th wedding anniversary is in early July! Second to Christmas, it’s my favorite time of year! Bring on ALL THE CELEBRATIONS!! FYI: Funfetti smoothie recipe (below) is coming to CNC next week!

Brooks Heritage Sneakers – Ok, you guys have seen these kicks on my blog a few hundred times now, but I’m sharing them again because… my favorite sneakers are going away!!!! Wahhh. That’s right, people. On June 1st, the Brooks Heritage Collection will be going back in the vault, so get ’em while they’re still in stock! A bunch of styles and colors are 40-50% off!

Does Skipping Breakfast Help with Weight Loss? – Super interesting piece from Chris Kresser. Maybe breakfast isn’t the most important meal of the day?

CVS Curbside Pickup – As you guys probably know, I’m a huge fan of CVS/pharmacy and have worked with the brand a number of times over the years. Well, they recently reached out to me about trying one of their digital services, including the CVS Pharmacy App, CVS Pay, CVS ExtraCare Rewards program, and CVS Curbside Pickup. My ears (well, technically, eyes) immediately perked up. I had no idea that they had a curbside pickup option and, hello, how convenient would that be with a little one? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to swing by CVS real quick to buy something, but didn’t want to go through the hassle of bringing Qman inside with me. Not that he’s a hassle at all, but it’s SO MUCH EASIER to shop without a little guy in tow. Long story short, CVS Curbside Pickup is lifesaver when it comes to dominating my errands!

How Curbside Pickup Works:

Buy items from a nearby store using the CVS Pharmacy app or online. I used the CVS Pharmacy app, but you can order online too– everything from health and beauty items, snacks, and any other non-prescription household essentials.

CVS sends you a text when your order is ready for pickup.

Drive to CVS and park near the store entrance. Then, someone from CVS brings your order to you. The app notifies CVS when you arrive, so you just let them know by replying “HERE” to their text.

Your order is hand-delivered right to you. Not only do you save time by not shopping in-store and skipping the checkout line, a CVS employee brings your order right to the car. You don’t even need to get out!

Just the other day, we ran out of toothpaste, so I used the CVS Pharmacy app to place my order for the curbside service. I also sent Mal a quick WhatsApp message to see if he needed anything. He did, so I added deodorant to the list. The app actually told me that they were on sale for buy one, get one 50% off, so I ordered two since I know Mal would use them.

It’s so easy! And I love that you can still take advantage of the awesome deals and savings from CVS when you order through the app or online. It’s really such a great service and a serious time-saver!

CVS Curbside Pickup is now available in 40 major markets across the US, including many locations in Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Houston, Los Angeles, Chicago, Phoenix, Dallas, Seattle and Washington, DC. For specific store locations, customers can use the CVS Curbside Pickup store finder in the app or online to check local availability.

A quick shout-out to Jason from the Norwell location, who was so friendly and accommodating when I asked him if I could snap some photos for the blog. He actually thought the whole blog thing was really cool and asked if I could include him in one of my photos! Thank you, Jason, for being such a good sport and ambassador for the curbside service!

Quinn turning 3 – I’m a little sad that my baby is growing up so quickly, but I love this almost-3 age so much. He’s so darn cute. And funny. I love watching him learn and discover new things. He sings the Alphabet and Itsy-Bitsy Spider songs with us every night before bed. He gets so happy and proud when he remembers the lyrics. He likes to use crayons and markers, and he’s starting to write his name. (Check out his Qs in the photo below!) Quinn is also starting to try some new foods (he’s obsessed with hummus lately) and going out to restaurants isn’t the nightmare that it used to be. Ha! He has a best friend at school and talks about him all the time. Funny side story: Quinn’s best friend’s name is Blake. At pickup the other day, Mal asked Quinn to say goodbye to everyone in the classroom before they left. Quinn says: “Bye, Blake!” and then turns around and leaves. Haha! The two of them have a serious bromance. Anyway, I know I’m just rambling, but I wanted to remember these things because I just love this age so much. I can’t believe he’s going to be three so soon!

QuestionS of the Day

Have you ever used the curbside service at CVS?

Have you ever used any other curbside service? 

P.S. Local followers: Next week, on Tuesday, May 23rd at 6:30PM, Lululemon at the Derby Street Shoppes is hosting a POUND® class. Instead of listening to music, become the music in this exhilarating full-body workout that combines cardio, conditioning, and strength training with yoga and pilates-inspired movements. POUND® Icons and lululemon ambassadors Cassie Burke-Martinson and Jenny Anania will get you moving with heart-pounding Fun. This is a one hour outdoor class to celebrate kicking off summer the right way! Space is limited so sign up to reserve your spot!

The post What I’m Loving Lately 84 appeared first on Carrots ‘N’ Cake.

What I’m Loving Lately 84 syndicated from http://ift.tt/2krk6T3

[prohealths]

What I’m Loving Lately 84

Disclosure: I’m proud to be working with CVS Pharmacy for their 2017 influencer relations program. All opinions expressed are my own, and all product claims or program details shared should be verified at CVS.com or with the appropriate manufacturers.

Hi, guys! Happy Hump Day!

I’m sharing my What I’m Loving Lately post a little early this week, and it includes quite the variety of things I’m loving lately—everything from the pug edition of Moana to CVS Curbside and everything in between! Ok, here we go!

Moana by Doug the Pug – We love Moana and, obviously, pugs in our house, so this tribute by Doug the Pug is phenomenal. I swear, we’ve watched it like 50 times now!

Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer – I feel like I’ve tried every tinted moisturizer on the market, but they always end going on too matte for my liking. My skin tends to run dry in certain spots, so I used to use a regular moisturizer and then a tinted one over it. The Dew Skin combines the two into one product (woohoo!), and I lovveeee it. It actually leaves my skin with a luminous glow! It also has SPF 20 in it, so protects my skin from sun damage while proving a lightweight hydration that evens out my skin. And (!) black currant, peony flower root extract, and vitamin C in the product help to reduce the appearance of age spots and enhance skin brightness, while sodium hyaluronate promotes firmer, smoother-looking skin. Double-duty, baby! It’s the best product ever! FYI: I wear shade No. 1 in the colder months and shade No. 2 now that it’s warmer, and I have a bit more color to my skin.

One month of non-stop celebrations – Mother’s Day kicks off an entire month of celebrations. Next week (5/23) is Mal’s birthday, followed my Quinn’s (6/9), Murphy’s (6/14), my birthday (6/19), and Father’s Day (6/20). Also, mixed in there, is my sister-in-law’s birthday as well as Cousin Matthew and my father-in-law’s birthday at the end of June. And, ok, our 9th wedding anniversary is in early July! Second to Christmas, it’s my favorite time of year! Bring on ALL THE CELEBRATIONS!! FYI: Funfetti smoothie recipe (below) is coming to CNC next week!

Brooks Heritage Sneakers – Ok, you guys have seen these kicks on my blog a few hundred times now, but I’m sharing them again because… my favorite sneakers are going away!!!! Wahhh. That’s right, people. On June 1st, the Brooks Heritage Collection will be going back in the vault, so get ’em while they’re still in stock! A bunch of styles and colors are 40-50% off!

Does Skipping Breakfast Help with Weight Loss? – Super interesting piece from Chris Kresser. Maybe breakfast isn’t the most important meal of the day?

CVS Curbside Pickup – As you guys probably know, I’m a huge fan of CVS/pharmacy and have worked with the brand a number of times over the years. Well, they recently reached out to me about trying one of their digital services, including the CVS Pharmacy App, CVS Pay, CVS ExtraCare Rewards program, and CVS Curbside Pickup. My ears (well, technically, eyes) immediately perked up. I had no idea that they had a curbside pickup option and, hello, how convenient would that be with a little one? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to swing by CVS real quick to buy something, but didn’t want to go through the hassle of bringing Qman inside with me. Not that he’s a hassle at all, but it’s SO MUCH EASIER to shop without a little guy in tow. Long story short, CVS Curbside Pickup is lifesaver when it comes to dominating my errands!

How Curbside Pickup Works:

Buy items from a nearby store using the CVS Pharmacy app or online. I used the CVS Pharmacy app, but you can order online too– everything from health and beauty items, snacks, and any other non-prescription household essentials.

CVS sends you a text when your order is ready for pickup.

Drive to CVS and park near the store entrance. Then, someone from CVS brings your order to you. The app notifies CVS when you arrive, so you just let them know by replying “HERE” to their text.

Your order is hand-delivered right to you. Not only do you save time by not shopping in-store and skipping the checkout line, a CVS employee brings your order right to the car. You don’t even need to get out!

Just the other day, we ran out of toothpaste, so I used the CVS Pharmacy app to place my order for the curbside service. I also sent Mal a quick WhatsApp message to see if he needed anything. He did, so I added deodorant to the list. The app actually told me that they were on sale for buy one, get one 50% off, so I ordered two since I know Mal would use them.

It’s so easy! And I love that you can still take advantage of the awesome deals and savings from CVS when you order through the app or online. It’s really such a great service and a serious time-saver!

CVS Curbside Pickup is now available in 40 major markets across the US, including many locations in Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Houston, Los Angeles, Chicago, Phoenix, Dallas, Seattle and Washington, DC. For specific store locations, customers can use the CVS Curbside Pickup store finder in the app or online to check local availability.

A quick shout-out to Jason from the Norwell location, who was so friendly and accommodating when I asked him if I could snap some photos for the blog. He actually thought the whole blog thing was really cool and asked if I could include him in one of my photos! Thank you, Jason, for being such a good sport and ambassador for the curbside service!

Quinn turning 3 – I’m a little sad that my baby is growing up so quickly, but I love this almost-3 age so much. He’s so darn cute. And funny. I love watching him learn and discover new things. He sings the Alphabet and Itsy-Bitsy Spider songs with us every night before bed. He gets so happy and proud when he remembers the lyrics. He likes to use crayons and markers, and he’s starting to write his name. (Check out his Qs in the photo below!) Quinn is also starting to try some new foods (he’s obsessed with hummus lately) and going out to restaurants isn’t the nightmare that it used to be. Ha! He has a best friend at school and talks about him all the time. Funny side story: Quinn’s best friend’s name is Blake. At pickup the other day, Mal asked Quinn to say goodbye to everyone in the classroom before they left. Quinn says: “Bye, Blake!” and then turns around and leaves. Haha! The two of them have a serious bromance. Anyway, I know I’m just rambling, but I wanted to remember these things because I just love this age so much. I can’t believe he’s going to be three so soon!

QuestionS of the Day

Have you ever used the curbside service at CVS?

Have you ever used any other curbside service? 

P.S. Local followers: Next week, on Tuesday, May 23rd at 6:30PM, Lululemon at the Derby Street Shoppes is hosting a POUND® class. Instead of listening to music, become the music in this exhilarating full-body workout that combines cardio, conditioning, and strength training with yoga and pilates-inspired movements. POUND® Icons and lululemon ambassadors Cassie Burke-Martinson and Jenny Anania will get you moving with heart-pounding Fun. This is a one hour outdoor class to celebrate kicking off summer the right way! Space is limited so sign up to reserve your spot!

The post What I’m Loving Lately 84 appeared first on Carrots ‘N’ Cake.

What I’m Loving Lately 84 syndicated from http://ift.tt/2krk6T3