#Haven Bros Diner

[sleekervae]

Clamshell [0.2]

Masterlist

A/N: Thanks for your patience, everyone! Here's part two!

Warnings: mild mention of human trafficking

--

Remington was seventeen when he'd pulled his first job. It wasn't his idea, he had stumbled into it more or less. There was this debt collector they had owed money to, it was more money than the brothers had between them. Emerson was still scraping by in high school, Sebastian was working two jobs and Remington was making pennies cleaning out cages at the local pet store.

Of course, being the quote-on-quote "fuck up" he was, he had gotten himself fired and had come home early to find the debt collector in the doorway of their measly one bedroom apartment. He was standing nonchalantly while his goon was beating the snot out of Sebastian who hadn't even gotten out of his kitchen scrubs, the white linens were spattered with blood as it dribbled from his mouth and nose. Remington couldn't move, his knuckles were white as he gripped his bag and his chest felt tight, he couldn't utter a word regardless of whether he wanted to.

When the debt collector had finally noticed Remington he called for his goon to lay off, stalking over with a predatory gaze in his eyes.

"Hey, little brother!" he trailed off with a nasty chuckle, glancing at Remington up and down. Remington swallowed down the sickening lump glomming in his throat, clinging like glue.

Sebastian stood on shaky limbs, terror seizing him as he laid eyes on his brother, "Remington, don't --!" though he was swiftly cut off as the goon delivered a swift kick into his gut.

"Remington! That's right! I always get you and the other one mixed up," he laid a large hand on the scrawny boy's shoulder, his grip like a vice over his denim jacket, "Listen, I get it, you're probably terrified right now, I don't blame you. But you see, your brother made me a lot of promises to my boss... and he hasn't delivered on those promises,"

"I just need more time!" Sebastian begged.

The collector rolled his eyes, glancing to his goon, "Moss,"

The goon, Moss, socked Sebastian in the jaw.

Remington jumped ahead, "Hey, wait --!"

"Easy, easy now!" the collector held him back, "Don't worry, we're not gonna' do him in too hard. But you gotta' understand, Remington, Sebastian owes my boss a lot of money. You don't just get to shaft him because flipping burgers doesn't make the cut. What do you do for work?"

He hadn't even registered the question until he had been slapped on the back, "Hey, I'm talking to you!"

"What?" Remington finally barked back.

"What do you do?"

"I-I clean cages at TotalPets!" he gaped, "I mean -- I did. I did,"

Through sticky eyes and aching bones, Sebastian mustered enough strength within himself to sit up and still managed to pull off that classic disappointment scowl.

"You got fired?" he snapped.

Remington shrugged sheepishly, "Bit of a dispute. You say 'fired', I say 'it just wasn't a good fit',"

Sebastian shook his head, "You mouthed off again, didn't you?"

The collector began to laugh, showing off a greasy, toothy grin that only a mother could love, "Hey, it's all good. Shit happens. But fortunately for you, I have an opportunity to fill the gap,"

"You shut up!" Sebastian began to stand but Moss pull him down again, "Remington, don't listen to him!"

"I know big bro just wants to protect you, but he's not really in the position to be telling you what to do now. And he still owes me... what was it Moss, two grand?"

"Three,"

"That's right," he snapped his fingers, turning back to Remington with a lecherous smirk, "As shameful as it is, looks like little brother is going to have to atone for big brother's sins,"

That was five years ago...

The Hideaway Diner was a greasy spoon about a mile outside of the strip, and while it wasn't the most questionable diner Vera had the pleasure of dining in, it held haven for some questionable looking characters. But then again, here she was putting her trust into a questionable character.

Ten minutes.

Across from her sat Remington, puppy-eyed and perky with a steaming mug of coffee; two sugars, no cream. Vera had her own coffee, served black, beneath the table her knee was shaking not so much out of pure fear but her intuition was tingling, her eyes kept averting to his knuckle tattoo.

"So, how's a girl like you wind up in a place like this?" he asked, keeping cool on the outside though on the inside he was trembling like a leaf. It had been a long time since he'd been out on a date -- if one could even consider this 'a date'.

Vera smirked, "A mysterious stranger whisked me over here," she replied smartly. At least she was attempting some humour with him.

"You know what I mean," he chuckled, "You're not a local, right?"

She shook her head, "Nope. I'm from Albuquerque,"

"So, how'd you wind up in Vegas?"

"You first," she nodded.

"Do I look like a local?"

He was testing her, what for she wasn't sure; but it was in the way his eyes narrowed and he licked his lips in anticipation, watching her like a flame off of a Bunsen burner.

Vera leaned forward on her elbows, cradling her chin in her hands, "You have your own car, a few years old given the rust to the license plate which means you've been driving here for a while. You knew all the back streets to avoid the traffic jams, and you barter with cranky market vendors like a fucking pro. You like attention, but you're also not one for confrontation so you mediate stressful situations which tells me... middle child? Not to mention Peggy Sue or whatever her name is at the front greeted you by name and knew you took two sugars with your coffee, which tells me you're way more than just a frequent flyer,"

His lips curled up as he stirred his coffee, "Wow,"

"Did I do good?" she queried.

"Better than I thought," he simpered, "You picked all that off in ten minutes?"

Vera glanced at her phone, an older model though it continued to serve her well, "Twelve, actually. I got thirty-three minutes left,"

"I'll use them wisely," he sat back in his seat, "Anything else you can pick off, Sherlock?"

"Why do I feel like you're fishing for compliments, Remington?" she asked, popping a brow.

He shook his head, "Every man likes having his ego stroked, wouldn't you agree?" he replied.

"Depends on what's in it for me," she stated, subconsciously toying with the clamshell pendant.

"How about I read you, then?" he suggested, "And you let me know how warm I get?"

Her eyes flickered to the tattoo again, and she had to wonder if he knew that she knew. If he knew who she was and despite how comfortable she was becoming, how intriguing she found him to be, "Sure,"

Remington licked his lips, beneath the table his own knee was shaking. He kept his hands off of the table so she couldn't feel his vibration through the wood. Vera watched him, her bright eyes reminded him of a curious alley cat, watching for something exciting to capture her attention, and depending on what he'd do would either draw her closer or frighten her off.

"You clearly like the finer things, but you're in-between jobs so you preen your appearance. Your nails are clean and your hair is freshly washed but your sneakers are pretty banged up. Am I warm or cold?" he asked."

Vera smirked, "Warm,"

He locked his shaking knee behind his still one, resting his elbows on the table surface, "You're definitely either a big Strokes or Arctic Monkeys fan,"

"Sure," she sniggered.

"You're very independent and can hold your own, but you can be cautious in precarious situations. So -- only child. You're from Albuquerque, but you're also not a tourist. I'd reckon you've been here probably -- anywhere from under a year to just over a year and a half...?"

"Warmer,"

"But you didn't come up here just to scrape by in beer bars, you're either chasing your own dream or were chasing someone else's dream. But you don't exactly follow your friends across the country to chase their dreams so, logically, you followed a boyfriend down here,"

Vera's feigned confidence slipped, and her smile wavered. She stayed silent as he continued.

"But you're on your own now, ergo you were stalking flea markets by yourself. So I'm going to say it was a bad breakup? Did he cheat on you or was he just dead weight?" he sat back, feeling pleased with himself at first. However, the ghostly pale expression on Vera's face had him second-guessing, her eyes averted to her hands on the table.

"... Was I warm? Cold? Room temp?" he asked, hoping to nudge her out of her headspace.

Vera took another sip of her coffee, slow, silent, clearly something was ailing her.

"Vera?" his voice was laced with genuine concerned now, "If I said something off or to offend, I'm sorry. I was just playing along,"

"No, it's okay," Vera inhaled sharply as she spoke. She was impressed with him, overall forgetting why she had come out here in the first place, "You're right, Remington. You're right about everything, except for the last part. He wasn't my boyfriend; he was my pimp,"

If there was a time where Remington needed to eat his foot more, it was this moment.

"Shit," he leaned back in the booth, "I'm -- I'm really sorry. I didn't know,"

"I didn't expect you to know," she shrugged back, "I'm not even sure why I'm telling you,"

Remington nodded slowly, "We don't have to talk about it. I brought you here for forty minutes against your will, I don't need to stress you out anymore," he chuckled at the end, trying to lighten the mood.

Vera cracked a smile. Knowing what she already knew, she found him pretty harmless. Speaking of...

"You know what else has been stressing me out?" she asked, keeping that pretty, coy smile on her face, "You miraculously knew that I worked in a beer bar... when I never mentioned what I did for a living,"

Remington's stomach dropped, though his face never slipped. He chuckled, "I mean, that was a one off. Lots of people work in bars,"

"Beer bar is pretty specific though. You also mentioned that I'm in-between jobs. So... how would you know that unless you we've met before?" she asked, her lashes batted softly.

"I was in the area. Heard the commotion," he replied.

"Wasn't as big as the commotion from the bank robbery that day," she mentioned, "I saw it all go down,"

"Did you?"

"Yeah,"

"Must've been terrifying," he was trying to deflect.

"Kind of,"

"Did you get a look at the guy?"

"Not his face. But I saw a tattoo on this one guy's knuckles," Vera leaned forward, lowering her voice, "It looks a hell of a lot like your tattoo," she glanced at the X again.

Remington opened his mouth, his mind racing with palpable excuses. But Vera had cut through every excuse he could think of on the fly; if Sebastian was here he may have been able to come up with a better alibi.

"Alright, you got me," he relented, throwing his hands in the air, "Nice work, Nancy Drew,"

"Don't mention it," Vera sat back.

"... Are you gonna' call the police?" he asked tentatively.

"Is that why you came after me?" she replied.

"I didn't come after you,"

She scoffed, "You stalked me through a flea market and then coerced me into coming for coffee to this middle-of-nowhere diner. And yet, you haven't uttered a single threat since we sat down,"

He averted his gaze to his coffee cup, "I don't think I need to threaten you,"

"How come?"

"Because you didn't try to stop me," he looked back at her, his piercing dark eyes boring into her, "People see us coming they run and hide, you didn't,"

Vera wasn't sure whether to take that as a compliment, nevertheless she tried to relax, "Well, you stole from my ex boss. Little turd deserved it,"

"Happy to help," he simpered, "Anything else you want to know?"

She folded her arms over her chest, "How'd you find me?"

He began to laugh, "Your ex boss is very salty. I walked in the next day and he wouldn't stop going off about how you 'screwed him royally'. I'm paraphrasing, of course,"

"Of course," she sighed, "So much for that reference letter,"

Vera thought she feel some sort of satisfaction, knowing she'd caught him in a lie. Any rational human being would toss their coffee at him and storm out, but Vera wasn't one to make rational decisions. In fact, up until this point, she found she had been enjoying his company.

"So, what happens here?" she asked, expecting him to lay out some sort of bargain for her continued silence. Or, "Do we part ways never to speak again? Or do you drive me out to the middle of the desert and have me dig my own dirt nap?"

"What are you --? What? No," Remington shook his head, "Think what you want, but I don't hurt people. I may rough 'em up a little but we always agreed to never let it go too far,"

"Who's we?" she asked.

Remington stopped himself before he could spill more, smiling sheepishly, "I think I've told you enough for today,"

Vera huffed back, "Fine. In that case," she looked at the time again, "You can use our last twenty minutes to drive me home,"

Despite her light interrogation, Eva couldn't say she was scared of Remington. Underneath that ratty balaclava he was charming, boyish, though she supposed that was the point. He was the last person she'd expect to full on rob a bank. Nevertheless, she wasn't a snitch and she didn't want to get involved in his business, so she assured him that she wasn't going to talk about it.

She directed him to her general neighbourhood, not quite to the shelter as she wasn't sure he could trust him fully, yet.

"You can stop here," she pointed him to the corner, and Remington pulled over dutifully. Remington glanced around the neighbourhood; it was a bit lower class, nevertheless home to some smaller start up businesses and questionable characters on the sidewalks.

"This is where you live?" he looked up at the condemned building in front of them.

"I live down the road," she told him as she unbuckled herself.

"I can drive you to your door," he offered.

She glowered back at him, "And I can also streak down Sahara Avenue, doesn't mean I will,"

"You still don't trust me?" he smirked.

"Of course not. Haven't you seen The Italian Job?" she hopped out of his car.

"The Michael Caine one or the Mark Wahlberg one?" he asked.

Vera stopped to lean down at the open window, she tried to bite back her bashful grin, "Thank you for the coffee, and the necklace. And for not killing me," she whispered at the end.

"Don't mention it," he smiled back. He called her back as she started to walk away, "Hey! What're you doing tomorrow?"

Vera glanced back at him quizzically, "Job hunting. Why?"

"You ever been on the monorail?" he asked.

She shook her head, "No. Again; why?"

"Because it's the best way to see Vegas, in my opinion, anyway," he asked, "Why don't you come meet me at the MGM station tomorrow? About one o'clock?"

She crossed her arms, "What makes you think I'll actually take precious time out of my day to meet up with a career criminal for a train?" she asked.

"Because I'm cute?" he beamed back.

Much to her chagrin, Vera smiled back. Not that she wanted to give him the satisfaction, either, but she relented, "Fine. Tomorrow at one o'clock. I'll see if I can make it,"

"You gonna' give me your number?" he asked.

"Why?"

"In case you can't make it,"

She scoffed back, "Why don't we see whether or not I show up and that will be your answer?" she suggested.

"Deal," he nodded, "I look forward to tomorrow,"

"We'll see," she simpered back, and she began to tread backwards, "Bye Remington,"

He ignited the engine on his car again, the machinery on the hood roared to life, "Get home safe, Vera!"

She started walking to her corner, out of the corner of her eye still watching the black Chevrolet as it peeled into the street. He gave her a last honk before he drove away, neither of them aware of the huge smile the other had on their face.

The Las Vegas monorail was crawling with people, there would be concerns if it wasn't, of course. Business people, tourists, security guards and casino goons frequented the train that stretched across the major main strip of Vegas. While it wasn't the most exciting thing to do in the city, it was a small start, and Remington stared anxiously at the time as he waited for Vera.

One o'clock finally hit.

He searched for her in a sea of expressionless faces, the rational part of him figuring she had no reason to come and meet him. He was a bank robber after all, she had probably taken the time to talk herself out of it. From what she'd told him, what would he have to offer her, anyway?

Remington looked across the station platform again, then he looked back at the time. One o'three. As disappointed as he was, he wouldn't let himself be surprised, either.

However, just as he turned on his heel to leave, he stopped when he nearly came nose-to-nose with Vera. She was clearly startled by his sudden turn, nevertheless she gave him a kind smile as he relaxed on the spot, his spirit began to rise.

"Hey," he greeted her.

"Hi,"

"You came," it was more of statement than a question.

She shrugged back simply, glancing at her ratty converse and threaded shorts, "There's always time for job hunting, right?"

"Right," he smiled. He stepped aside so they could start for the platform, "Shall we?"

[pastelprince18]

tell us stuff u like about the movie :)

oh god where do I even start

SPOILERS BTW IF U HAVEN"T SEEN THE MOVIE IF U WANNA SCROLL GO AHEAD!! 1.Princess Peach Character: I don't know why people dislike her personality! Many say its cause she's too much Daisy to which, I could understand. But remember you play as her in Mario Bros 2, Super Princess Peach, 3D world, Sparks of hope, Battle Kingdom, The old RPG game from N64, Super Paper Mario, And from what I heard she was suppose to be in punch out! Her character was really good and I love how much they actually gave her personality, how she protects her people, some backstory on how the toads raise her

I just love seeing the lore of her past and how much she develop cause of it

2. Mario and Luigi Dynamic: DO I NEED TO EXPLAIN??? My god their brother bond is so cute and adorable at the same time. I wish we did see more of the two. I know we got small parts with the dinner scene, them in the diner, in Luigi flashback. It was all really dang cute on how much they are attach to each other, I guess its been that way for them which I get! It's better seeing the two have a good relationship like most fans do it.

But my god the ending made my heart swell seeing how Mario didn't wanna let Luigi go and how he kept his promise, its like I saw in Mario face he wanted to cry seeing Luigi and is so happy to be okay. I just...AGH THERE RELATIONSHIP IS SO DAMN PERFECT . I also love how Mario gives Luigi a nickname and its Lou, I awed to myself when I heard Mario called him that

3. Bowser is a fruit. I think I am in love with him <3 Not only he got looks but he is such a dork to wanna be with princess peach and will do anything for her. Let alone this man plays piano and sings his heart out? Oh yeah this guy is perfect. I don't know why people dislike his character. They say its cause he's a "simp" HES BEEN A SIMP SAYS DAY 1

4. DK and Mario: I Won't lie I really loved their battle, let alone I love DK personality. A lot of ppl didn't really like him bc they see Seth rogan as himself, but I really don't! I love how they made him a cocky jerk, and enemies to Mario, [which makes sense due to Jumping man and Donkey Kong] I also thought it was funny that DK lost to cat Mario to all things. I also love how the two still have a on and off hatred thru the movie but they seem to be close <3

5. SEEING KING BOO AND KING BOMB-OMB WAS COOL AS A SMALL LITTLE BG CHARACTER NGL I GASP <3

6.The Finale: Seeing Mario hiding and losing all hope, the others still battle at the end of the day, But what so cute was his main inspiration was the commercial both Luigi and himself made to save Brooklyn, his home town. Mario gets up for the final battle as he goes to fight bowser and get the power star, almost dying Luigi steps in to protect Mario. WHICH WAS SO AMAZING FOR HIM....I LOVE SEEING LUIGI HIDING HIS FEARS TO JUST SAVE MARIO..THAT HAS BEEN HIS CHARACTER SINCE DAY ONE,

7. Bowser is in a jar as punishment which I laugh so loud since I am the only one who knows jar jokes

8.THE YOSHI EGG AHHH!!! I REALLY HOPE THEY MAKE A SECOND MOVIE AND SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN!!!!

9. Major Easter eggs from other Nintendo games! I know we see it for a split second but its so cool seeing them there <3

If I see the movie again [WHICH I HOPE] I will def see what else I like about the movie for sure,

[legostarwarsgame]

Expansive Exploration and Nostalgic Touches in LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

You hit that epic final boss of the prequel era, with Mustafar’s lava going wild while two bros clash swords. It’s a major emotional showdown, and if you’re thinking of where to buy Xbox games, this intense moment is just one of many highlights in the collection. “I’ve got the high ground… don’t even try it!” But instead of feeling Ewan McGregor’s pain, we get a Lego Obi-Wan using a step-ladder he brought along. High ground vibes. Definitely don’t try it. That’s basically every cutscene. Whether it’s Palpatine hyping up his evil grandkids in a fight, Kylo rocking an “I <3 Vader” tee, or Jar Jar getting smacked around by a droid carrier, Skywalker Saga is hands-down the funniest Lego game ever. You get to dive into the film world like never before but with a hilarious twist. The old games sped through the plot, but Skywalker Saga takes its time, so it’s not just a film remake but an expansion. You can explore Coruscant’s sketchy streets, chill by the windows of Cloud City, or get your cape messy in Tatooine, Jakku, or Pasaana. Oh, and Dexter’s Diner is back too.

TT Games Reinvents LEGO Levels with Exciting Millennium Falcon Scene

Lego games were my intro to Star Wars, even before the movies. I was too young to get what was happening, so I just vibed with spamming buttons and platforming for fun. Now, if you’re looking to buy PS5 games, the Lego Star Wars titles are still a great way to dive into the galaxy far, far away. That’s why I’m so hyped about Star Wars. Sure, the prequels are kinda sus, but the Lego game gave me mad nostalgia for the droid factory and Naboo’s big fight. Now, kids can build those same epic memories with entire worlds. Just think about growing up flying through space, jumping from Mustafar to Geonosis in Anakin’s sick yellow starfighter. I’m so pumped for this new wave. They finally have a Lego Star Wars that absolutely crushes the old ones. It’s a game that not only celebrates Lego but also throws back to the PS2 era. The small world hubs feel like Jak 2’s Haven City, it’s got that Sly Cooper collect-a-thon vibe, and the space-hopping magic of Ratchet & Clank. No wonder I’m obsessed—it takes everything awesome from PS2 platformers and blends it all together. Instead of those massive open worlds from modern games, Lego Star Wars is all about exploring every little nook and cranny and uncovering cool stuff. But it’s not just the open world that feels like the PS2 days. Each level is tight and focused, unlike recent Lego games that drag on with their big, drawn-out spaces. You’ve got classic puzzles, platforming, and boss fights, but also tons of on-rails battles and space dogfights that let you dive into the action rather than just watching it in cutscenes. TT Games nailed it with a perfect mix of both. The levels aren’t just retelling the story anymore. You get a lot of that in the open-world parts. Instead, the levels are all about epic moments. They focus on the parts of the movies that are the most fun to play. Rather than stretching short movie scenes into long sequences, TT Games picks the best highlights that flip the script on traditional Lego levels, and it’s so much better for it. There’s this scene in the sequels where you’re piloting the Millennium Falcon through tunnels, blasting enemies, and collecting studs. It’s not as open as usual, but it’s super satisfying in its simplicity.

Skywalker Saga Elevates Star Wars Experience with Stunning Galaxy Hubs

I haven’t been this hyped for a game in ages, but Skywalker Saga had me totally amped up. If you’re looking to buy PS5 games that live up to the buzz, this one was definitely a big risk that paid off. It’s the first Lego Star Wars to mash all the films together since the Complete Saga, which is a huge deal, especially with nine movies to cover now. Not just the three trilogies, but all their worlds, cities, and iconic spots. The old games had cool hubs like Dexter’s Diner and Mos Eisley’s Cantina, but Skywalker Saga goes all out to make the entire Star Wars galaxy feel real. It not only met the hype but blew my expectations out of the water. Lego Star Wars made a comeback, and it did it with major style.

[prolandscapingcompany]

Burbank Town Center: Retail Therapy and Dining Delights in Burbank, CA

Situated in the heart of downtown Burbank, the Burbank Town Center offers an exquisite blend of retail therapy and dining experiences. This sprawling urban mall, home to an array of high-end boutiques, specialty shops, and a diverse selection of eateries, encapsulates the vibrant spirit of Burbank, California.

As you traverse its expansive corridors, you are invited to immerse yourself in an unparalleled shopping experience, punctuated by a tantalizing array of culinary delights. From the latest fashion trends to the finest gastronomical offerings, the Burbank Town Center serves as a testament to the city's thriving retail and dining scene.

Yet, this is merely the tip of the iceberg, for beneath this surface of consumer delights, lies a multitude of hidden gems waiting to be discovered.

Exploring Retail Wonders at Burbank Town Center

Regularly attracting a diverse crowd of shoppers, Burbank Town Center boasts a plethora of retail stores that cater to a wide range of tastes and budgets, offering an immersive shopping experience like no other. From high-end brands to quirky boutiques and reliable department stores, every shopper's paradise is represented here.

The layout is thoughtfully designed for ease of navigation, making it an enjoyable place to explore. There's a variety of offerings in fashion, technology, home decor, and more, each store providing a unique shopping experience.

Additionally, the center consistently hosts events that add to the vibrant and dynamic atmosphere, making each visit a unique experience. Burbank Town Center is more than a shopping destination; it's a place where retail therapy comes to life.

Savoring Dining Experiences in Burbank, CA

Beyond its retail attractions, Burbank Town Center also serves as a gastronomic haven, offering a diverse range of dining experiences that cater to every palate. Whether you're yearning for a quick bite or a gourmet meal, the center has a host of restaurants, cafes, and eateries to satisfy your cravings.

From Italian fare at Olive Garden to Asian delicacies at Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ, the options are limitless. Health-conscious diners can enjoy fresh, organic options at Tender Greens. If comfort food is what you seek, Barney's Beanery has it all. For dessert, Ben & Jerry's offers a range of delightful ice-cream flavors.

The center's dining scene is a testament to Burbank's vibrant culinary culture, promising delightful experiences for food enthusiasts.

[kristipetersenschoonover]

The Stars Were Right! at NECRONOMICON PROVIDENCE 2022

The Stars Were Right! at NECRONOMICON PROVIDENCE 2022

[dilfbatman]

I'm the Achilles anon. I LOVED IT! THANK YOU SO MUCH! As for modern!patrochilles headcanons - bring them on! Thank you! Love you!

OMGGGG ACHILLES ANON YOU HAVE MY HEART!!! i’m SO happy you enjoyed it :’) it made me fall back in love w achilles again and YESSSS YOU GOT BRO!!! LOVE YOU TOO <3 i’m a Hoe for modern!patrochilles all the credit to @littlestpersimmon for that au that drove me to love it so much hehe <3

—

- OKAY MODERN DAY PATROCHILLES AKA MY LIFELINE LET’S MF GOOOOOO!!!! okay as stated before if they’re in school (i just might do college actually) achilles is the captain of the varsity track team and everyone who passes by him is suddenly In Love they just can’t help it, and patroclus is the president of the poetry club and he’s soft and everyone also is In Love with him

- patroclus likes to wear soft sweaters, trousers, always has fun printed socks and a book bag with him (he’s always reading, drawing, and writing poetry in his little journal that achilles bought for him)

- achilles likes his normal white tee and blue jeans and likes to wear hoodies so he can give them to patroclus + is sometimes just wearing his athletic clothes

- they’re both soft boyfriends so achilles goes to patroclus’ poetry club, hypes him up, and one time they went to a poetry reading and patroclus did a poem about achilles that was so beautiful, soft, sweet, that everyone in the room could physically feel the love he was emoting and achilles was crying and in the end while everyone was snapping all you could hear is achilles sobbing about how much he loves patroclus

- patroclus cheers on achilles during his meets (obvi everyone knows he’s gonna win but STILL it’s the thought that counts!) achilles gave patroclus his jersey and he always wears it and patroclus made posters for people to hold up and achilles is all heart eyes

- they both practice self care so they always do their skincare routine together and do those face masks, one time they did the black charcoal face masks and they were both crying and laughing at how much it hurt and how the other person was in pain while also being in pain themselves

- they like to sit on the school grounds bc there’s a very lovely patch of grass where the sunshine hits and to the side is a tree that provides shade, achilles likes to put a picnic blanket down and patroclus rests his head on achilles lap while achilles runs his fingers through pat’s hair :’)

- patroclus called achilles “lily” one time and he melted

- achilles is a slytherin & patroclus is a hufflepuff

- they both read percy jackson and achilles is like Dang Bro This Is Cool As Hell

- kings of fun dates! achilles takes patroclus to amusement parks and wins him all the stuffed animals bc he’s an absolute ace, he takes him to the roller rink, the beach, the movies, to diners & ice cream/pizza parlors :’) patroclus likes to take achilles on picnic dates, to shopping dates, pumpkin patches, and walks around the park (they see the cutest golden retriever puppy who doesn’t have a tag/chip + put posters everywhere and no one claimed him so they now have a small golden child who they name chiron)

- their apartment is filled w knick knacks and it’s a safe haven for them! soft couches, beautiful sunlight, great kitchen and beds :’) they have greek/roman busts/art work and scattered around the coffee table are patroclus’ poems and artwork and on the bookcase is all of patroclus’ books with achilles trophies and medals in a separate case

- achilles is the big spoon, he loves holding patroclus close to him and pat loves feeling his warmth :’) also they both smell insanely good it’s messed up how perfect they are

- they both communicate and talk to each other openly and honestly - patroclus when he’s feeling down opens up to achilles and achilles is great at giving honest, blunt advice and whenever achilles isn’t feeling great, patroclus lifts up his spirits - they both have a healthy communicative relationship

- they are both very well read & intelligent even if achilles acts like a bastard clown

- patrochilles on valentine’s day? they’re going on a picnic where they both give each other presents (pat wrote a book of poems inspired by achilles and achilles is silent for a second and pat is so scared but he sees achilles look deep into his eyes and they’re glistening and he wordlessly hugs pat so tight :’) they kiss and AHH in love always)

- on halloween surprise surprise achilles dresses up as a greek god, there’s a smug face on achilles and someone on the street is like you look like a greek demigod! achilles says yup : ) i do! and throws a middle finger up to the sky while pat is in his adorable pumpkin costume just rolling his eyes

- for christmas achilles bought patroclus the most beautiful necklace that is a golden pendant of a piece of artwork that pat made of them both <3 and a bracelet engraved with “you are half my soul”, and a ring engraved with “philtatos” on it - most beloved. :’) patroclus is speechless and just is overcome w joy and happiness

- they’re always touching in one way or another, whether it be holding hands, arms around shoulders or backs, achilles putting his hand in patroclus’ back pocket, they’re always touching and craving each other

- basically. they’re both in love and in the modern day they’d be as unstoppable as they were back in the old days :’)

AHHHH I HOPE YOU ENJOYED!!! I’M SURE THERE’S SO MUCH MORE TO WRITE ABOUT MODERN-DAY PATROCHILLES BUT THIS IS ALL I THOUGHT OF FOR NOW!!! :’)

[watermoonming]

Haven Bros. Diner

[hesa-tramp]

that’s TRUMAN TSAI walking down the street, the TWENTY-SIX-year-old, who looks like JORDAN CONNOR. here in apple peak, they are the OWNER OF ONE MANS JUNK. some say he acts like TRAMP from LADY AND THE TRAMP since he can be CHARMING but also a little bit RECKLESS.

here i am, once again!!! lol hi guys it’s alyssa here again with my chaotic boi truman (idk maybe i’ll call him tru? kinda love it tbh)

BACKGROUND:

tru has no memory or any knowledge of his biological family, he was named and brought home by them when he was born, but not even a week later they had dropped him off at a fire station safe haven with no information but a note that read: truman matthew. we’re sorry.

his surname tsai is an assumed name 

he bounced around from foster family, to group home, to foster family, to group home for the entirety of his childhood, never finding anything that fit 

he never allowed himself to stay in one home for too long

when he aged out of the system at eighteen he found himself the most alone and lost he’d ever been, and yet the happiest he’d ever felt

he had nowhere to go and lived out of a duffle bag for months with the limited cash he had from odd jobs he’d done

tru didn’t know where he was headed when he started taking rides from truckers eastbound, but he found himself in maine and drawn to apple peak

he was nineteen by the time he arrived, and though he still had nowhere to live, he decided to stay in town

he was flitting between park benches for the night and working at granny’s diner during the day until he had enough money to get a small apartment with someone

***this would be a great former roommate connection if someone is down!

since then things have obviously changed, and tru eventually moved out on his own and started a whole ass business that he was excited for 

he loves one mans junk tbh even when he doesn’t need to be there, he is.

PERSONALITY

tbh definition of chaotic neutral

very good guy, but my god is he reckless

buuuut he knows he can get away with almost anything with most people with a smirk and a good line

super protective over his little pack of people, which stems from group homes where he’d try and take care of the younger kids as much as he could before he left

***also would be down for these connections

CONNECTIONS

former roommates

his small pack mates

employees

drinking buddy

chaotic bros™️

[gonemechaniic]

𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠 & 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 :: Royal Mechanic AU

     Despite carrying a strong, opposing opinions with Regis, Cid remained in his position as the mechanic for the Lucian family. Because of this level of loyalty, and overlooking his aversions & grumblings about it, Cid is given a more official title and status as "House Sophiar" is established. Naturally not a lot of people are totally onboard with the decision at first, especially Cid.

     It is his son Marcus who eventually establishes the Hammerhead Service Station after he marries his childhood sweetheart, Cynthia who begins working at the powerplant in Lestallum. Unfortunately, tragedy strikes, and his young granddaughter Cindy is placed under his care. Growing up it quickly becomes evident she shows promise in mechanics as well as weapon-smithing. After some time and training Cindy inherits Cid’s title and armory, serving under Prince Noctis once the older mechanic “retires” to oversee Hammerhead.

Even after receiving his title Cid visits his son when he can to help out with the garage and hang out with baby Cindy.

One night while Holly is babysitting Cindy, after the pair returns to the garage from the diner, Cindy catches her parents' headlights in the distance and runs to meet them as they arrive. Noticing the approaching danger, Holly grabs Cindy before she can get too far and they both watch as the car is ambushed by daemons.

After her parents' passing, Cindy is sent to live with Cid. However, given his workload, Cindy would spend most of her time either running around the garage or at the royal house.

Probably babysat Noct every random once a while as she got older. And by babysat I mean randomly napping around the estate and/or messing with Iggy XD

At 14 she takes up the title of royal mechanic and inherits Cid’s armaments, however it is not made official until she's 17, after completing her training and Cid "retires" to run Hammerhead.

While not part of the core party, Cindy can be called in on fights, randomly shows up at havens, indicated by the sound of her revving motorcycle in the background while the bros sets up camp, and naturally is always around whenever the boys visit Hammerhead, then takes over the garage under the ten years of darkness.

[ooc-but-stylish]

The ending to XV is still a robbery until they change it to something more sensible. There’s insufficient proof that the world is actually alright after Noctis sacrifices himself, and they took time to show that Noctis had plans to unify the different empires for peacetime. He was taken away before putting those plans in action and proving himself as a leader. What we have now is a half-assed MMO in Comrades and some token cutscenes in the Retcon Edition, but that doesn’t change that the main game's ending only covers the bare minimum (the dawn comes back). It says nothing about people or politics or anything about the WORLD the game and its side material have supposedly been trying to build.

Comrades expects us to believe that the people formed some kind of competent defense system plus governing body to lead them through ten years, that they could just keep using after Noctis died, just because they put it there and it exists in some form “in canon” and told us that’s how things were going. 

That ignores the fact that it was only months/weeks before Chapter 13 that Insomnia was destroyed and upwards of thousands of people were displaced from their homes with no functional currency to use in the outside world. They were completely uprooted from their ‘advanced’ lifestyle-- a lifestyle which included their reliance on orphans of war and refugees from towns that Insomnia had abandoned in the first place (see: Galahd), a lifestyle that enabled the natives of the crown city to shamelessly treat those exact same refugees like second-class citizens while exploiting their labor-- the Kingsglaive were the ones giving their lives to defend Insomnia and they are mostly made of refugees that are all aware that Regis was using them for his own ends and they wouldn’t have betrayed him if they didn’t think that way. The natives were complicit, and those people needed to then adjust to a life multiple steps down from their usual standards, to live in areas where no one uses cellphones or has cellphone service to begin with, they have shitty cars that break down too often, and a nighttime stroll can kill them. 

Insomnians are fucking coddled and wouldn’t be magically cured of it by having their home blown up, is what I’m saying here. There would still realistically be tension between them and the residents of neighboring towns that a) live under the heel of Niflheim, b) resent Insomnia and Regis, or c) they don’t think Niflheim is doing anything wrong ( it takes until Comrades for an NPC to say they don’t trust the radio. ) And then, how well would anyone handle it if they tried to get settled into another place like Lestallum or Galdin or migrated to Altissia for asylum and Altissia got fucked by Leviathan, Lestallum had a daemon infestation incident in its very own power plant, and Galdin eventually became uninhabitable from daemons? There’s at least one (1) unlucky person that’s survived all that nonsense and seen every home they’ve tried to make destroyed or compromised. That’s got to be bad for health and identity.

Even then, whatever didn’t belong to Insomnia belonged to Niflheim, even if it gave the impression of independence. Regis and Iedolas are definitely dead. Did the Altissian lady survive the ten years? She could be useful. Other than her, who else is savvy enough to lead people? There was Noctis, yeah, but no one in the world mentions having waited for Noctis or believed in his return without having actually known him. Does the general public even know why the world went dark? Would anyone believe that Ardyn was responsible for it? The Chancellor of Niflheim? The guy no one knew? The guy that no one respected? Ardyn played himself off as a nobody with connections. No one would believe he's a Lucis Caelum, the history books say he’s Izunia ( his maiden name before being blessed by the gods, I suppose ) and that doesn't sound like it was something that was ever publicized during the ten years of darkness even though Ignis and Talcott somehow found out in unexplained records that were somehow as legible then as they were 2000 years ago because I dunno, linguistic drift doesn’t exist in their world or something.

So there’s the people and the politics, what’s up with their infrastructure? Like I said, Lestallum’s been harvesting power from the meteor shards and somehow for some reason in this city that’s meant to be safe from daemons, they get a daemon infestation anyway right inside the power plant and it took Holly by surprise meaning... maybe, just maybe, the meteor has the parasitic Starscourge in it. And they’re still using its power for all their stuff. Does anyone in their world understand that at all? That’s like if the Lifestream were directly causing Geostigma and ShinRa still kept using Mako energy post-Advent Children, or if they still kept experimenting on people with Jenova Cells. It’s incredibly dumb.

More so since there are no professional medics or even hospitals in this world. Noctis almost died against Leviathan and instead of being someplace where his vitals are monitored and nurses tend to him, he’s sleeping it off in a bedroom. Nearly drowning is something you can just sleep through, apparently. There’s no medical care to speak of outside of the Oracle, which is baffling, since everyone in-universe should know that “healing items” don’t work, and post-Chapter 13, magic barely exists outside of the MarySueGlaives in Comrades. 

What this means is the Starscourge would’ve fucked people over significantly. I can't imagine there's many children left after the ten years. They tend to be the most susceptible when epidemics happen. Them, the elderly, and refugees which there’d be a lot of. And I don’t think the Scourge would magically miss any important people like engineers and whatnot so a fair amount of them must have gone too. Just in general, anyone with connections put other people in danger by contact; it’s Starscourge that’s killing people, but the infected still have some amount of coherence left immediately after turning daemon ( see: Ravus, Iedolas, etc ), which would be ‘human enough’ to affect those that care for them. Sadly for them, only the Oracle can heal the Scourge, so they’re all as good as dead.  the Scourge is explicitly described as "Plasmodium malariae" and "insect-borne", so... mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are transmitting this disease ( if it's not the "miasma" the infected exude in their later stages ) and considering how easily it proliferated throughout Eos, no one invented repellent or breathing masks. Either that or people don't keep themselves clean.

And yeah. Healing items don’t work. "Items like potions and elixirs gain their healing power from Noctis's growing ability", otherwise potions are merely energy drinks. The flavor text for other items are the same way, so everyone is fucked if another meteor drops. Peep this:

Antidote: "A refreshing herbal drink that takes on curative properties by way of Noctis's powers." Phoenix Downs: "A talisman that takes on miraculous properties ..." Mega-Phoenix: "An elite energy drink transmuted into a miraculous plume..."/"A consecrated talisman that takes on miraculous properties..." Potion: "An energy drink that takes on healing properties..." Hi-Potion: "A high-end energy drink that takes on healing properties..." Elixir and Hi-Elixir: "A legendary energy drink that takes on superior restorative properties..." Megalixir: "The ultimate energy drink that takes on supreme restorative properties..."

So in other words, those items every shopkeeper sells are silly trinkets, luck charms, energy drinks, and no normal person who's ever bought those has had their life saved by one in their entire, presumably short thereafter, life. Yet they’re regularly sold everywhere. The only person whose "regular consumables" were known to actually help and have magical properties was Kimya, an elderly woman who... what was that... ah yes, got demonized by her sister Ezma/Izania for being a witch, and was cast out, even though Kimya's potions by her own admission were "very special", could "Repel the daemons, [strengthen] the Oracle’s blessing," and were used at havens. Izania exiled her sister to the forest, to practice her "witchcraft" alone, and made the forest off-limits. Not to mention the ten years of darkness after Luna and Ravus died meant there was no one to renew the spells on any campground havens around Eos. Lestallum is a WYSIWYG affair. Comrades tries to “make this better” by setting her up in Lestallum to imply she was no longer demonized and free to do her witch things, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that as far as the main game is concerned, she stopped existing past her sidequest. 

Dino wanted to become a jeweler and create accessories. Accessories have flavor text that suggest their properties are real and not magical/imbued by  Noctis. Dino is turned into a daemon by the end of the timeskip. That he shows up in Comrades doesn’t change that it’s his clothes in Galdin Quay around the area he used to sit around in.

Sania had knowledge of what the Scourge was and with that knowledge would come how best to prevent its spread. Sania died/became a daemon by the end of he timeskip and her research was abandoned in a diner.

Point is, the original game's ending is a more "fake happy" ending than Verse 2. Verse 2 at least looks like it leads into further development for the characters and the chance things will go the way Noctis wants, with the most helpful non-Oracle people being present to use their knowledge and expertise. Verse 1 is an ending that only looks good on paper and addresses just one (1) concern of the plot at the expense of everything else. Noctis is dead, Luna is dead, Ravus is dead, none of the Bros are happy, all ( if not most ) of the world leaders are gone, the lead researcher on the Scourge died, the “local witch” didn’t survive, the jeweler is gone and so is the reporter with lore about the world, there's no magic, and that’s not getting into the fact that there are specific Scourge-infested dungeons that only open at night ( which are also difficult to access and optional for Noctis to get rid of ) and just... in the end who the hell is gonna care about some boy that fishes and strikes JJBA poses? He was fucking around Eos on a road trip, planting carrots, catching frogs, and finding abandoned weaponry in caves while ( and after ) his country got invaded, Titan shook the earth, and the Imperials were shooting innocent people. But look, his posse took a photo in front of a Magitek dropship!

I mean, we could make the case that Prompto's photos help cement that Noctis was a real person and not a puppet that those in power could ideologically castrate post-mortem and put words in his mouth to support whatever agenda they would try to push using his imagery, but that requires, like, Noctis to even be important in the public eye and have had a more political presence than a bedside confession to Prompto and a speech to a handful of people in the Retcon Edition. It also helps if anyone aside from his four friends and a bunch of nobodies actually heard him speak to begin with. He's really easy to misquote and put words into when no one gave him a voice. It’d be even better if he were actually alive. People interpreting his wish for Eos with their own biases of who he was as a person and how best he’d want things done isn’t the same thing as him doing it himself and proving his character.

[monsteroftheweekmonsters]

St Kendra, California

& = optional people, places or lore specific to the game i’m running 

St Kendra California.

Population 2380.

Public Places: First Responders, Graveyard, Aldolpho's Magical Emporium, Jasper's Spookatorium, Garfield's General Store, Carrie's Bed and Breakfast, Roswell's Diner, St Kendra's Pub, Resplendence Vineyard, Town Hall, Boat Launch, Graveyard, Saints Circle

Private Places/ Monster Hideouts: &Vault of Pam, Lake Cavern, Glowing Den, &Pam Portal “Pamtal”, Saints Circle, Haven, Tunnel, &Devourer Lair/Grave, &Rodacious Portal, Abandoned House/&Pam Cult Base

People of note:

&David Oberland. Chief of Police, intel line for G.H.O.S.T. balding older white man (detective, gossip, witness)

Carrie Barnes. Proprietor of Carries BNB, Wife of Killian. Looks like velma w brown hair and a lil bit more femme (gossip)

Errol Garfield. Proprietor of Garfield’s. Balding white guy, not interesting looking (traitor, skeptic, busybody)

Allison Garfield. Employee of Garfield and sons. Stoner/sk8r grl combo meal (victim, gossip, detective, spooky) (addiction, pain, hallucinations)

Edward Garfield. Employee of Garfield and sons. Literally ed from FMA w robo parts (gossip, victim)

Jasper Kujo. Proprietor of Jasper's Spookatorium. Asian american guy, got a goatee and tired eyes (spell slinger, innocent, witness, romancable)

Aldolpho Brown. Proprietor of Aldolpho’s Magical Emporium. Dracula from castlevania lookin mf (busybody, gossip, romancable)

Roswell Jacobson. Proprietor of Roswell's Diner. Big ole native american/jewish guy (innocent, helper, romancable, asexual)

Killian Barnes. of Roswell's Diner, Wife of Carrie. Lupita nyong'o's skin tone, mad buff and mad butch (helper)

Mayor Jeffreys. Mayor of St Kendra. Doug dimmadome lookin ass mf (official, skeptic, employer of G.H.O.S.T)

 Jasper Kujo. Proprietor of Jasper's Spookatorium. Asian american guy, got a goatee and tired eyes (spell slinger, innocent, witness, romancable)

Aldolpho Brown. Proprietor of Aldolpho’s Magical Emporium. Dracula from castlevania lookin mf (busybody, gossip, romancable)

Roswell Jacobson. Proprietor of Roswell's Diner. Big ole native american/jewish guy (innocent, helper, romancable)

Killian Barnes. of Roswell's Diner, Wife of Carrie. Lupita nyong'o's skin tone, mad buff and mad butch (helper, gossip)

Mayor Jeffreys. Mayor of St Kendra. Doug dimmadome lookin ass mf, has a surfer bro voice (official, skeptic)

Michael Myers. Bartender at St Kendra's Pub, Husband of Aerin. Joseph from Ddads but less christian and a little older (witness, expert) (haven: magic lab, lore library, workshop. Accessible to hunters)

Aerin Myers. Bartender at St Kendra's Pub, Spouse of Michael. Gangly, androgynous white nb (witness, detective, spooky) (secrets, dark bargain)

John Willow. Proprietor and Vinemaster at Resplendence Vineyard. John hunger but less nihilism (witness, innocent)

Anthony Jones. Creator of “Creature Double Feature”. Looks like if shaggy didn’t have great metabolism (witness, innocent, romancable)

Father Joseph. Pastor at the Church of Saint Kendra. He’s in his mid 40s, well built and full of fatherly wisdom (witness)

NOTES: after slaying whatever their first monster is if you would like to consider using this setting again my narrative choice was to have them arrested and either thrown in prison or join G.H.O.S.T (ghostly occurrences special taskforce) which is the only real reason for Oberland to exist.

Father Joseph isn’t that knowledgeable about monsters but he sure knows a lor about the history of St Kendra. The person and the town, one specific thing he knows is that St Kendra is the patron saint of the unknown, astronomy and libraries, aside from a few other pieces of lore the rest is entirely up to you

“Creature Double Feature” run entirely by Anthony Jones is the local cryptid podcast, his character is inspired by the fan made playbook the snoop

The haven is a secret location behind a magic false wall in the basement of St Kendra’s Pub, Michael will allow the hunters to use it if they tell him that they’re hunters. Upon entry to the pub Aerin will call out telepathically to the hunter(s) with the highest score in weird and tell them that Aerin knows who/what they are. Keep in mind that Aerin is mute due to the source of their powers.

Saints Circle is the hub of magical power and weirdness in St Kendra, it was built hundreds of years ago by Saint Kendra themself* as a means of containing the great evil known as whatever boss monster you wanna have, but recently the magic has been deteriorating and it’s been creating all manner of monsters.

&The vault of Pam is located 105 feet below Saints Circle and houses The Final Pam

*the reason i say themself is that accounts of Saint Kendra of Maldova differ quite heavily, from their gender to their height and diet and even the time they were alive, which even makes the circle impossible to date.

[bignazo]

Convinced that calamari wasn't on the menu, BIG NAZO'S "Squib" hangs out with "Patty 'O Furniture " at the Haven Bros Anniversary Party. #bignazo #havenbrothers #havenbros #foodtruck #providenceri #havenbros #dinersdriveinsanddives #diner #creaturesonthestreet