#I meant to do a very quick drawing but got really lost in the sauce and kept changing my mind on stuff

[thedailyvio]

Day 75 - 82

Concept for @enjoliquej

WIP Below:

[space-blue]

Speedpaint + quick tut on how I do Na'vi skin/stripes with video and screenshots

Here's the video to go along, but I'll go step by step with screenshots

We start with a base layer for the skin. I make a clip layer on top and be sure to also fill it the same base blue, because otherwise the blending properties of the brushes won't apply.

This is meant to be low detail so I won't give it too much colour, but I make the throat and centre of the face lighter, the eyes and ears pink/redder.

Then it's time to decide on light direction/angle and how it affects geometry. Doing a little of that really helps, but you don't have to paint the way I did there... Got lost in the sauce.

Add another clip layer on top, set it to multiply, and get started.

There are many ways to do stripes. I do mine entirely by hand, in a style of painting and erasing with the same brush but inverted. It's a lot like sculpting. Doing everything by hand guarantees a lack of uniformity. See the video for this step.

Now that I'm happy with the look I have, I UNCLIP the layer of stripes, revealing the places I went beyond the skin. That's fine.

Add a layer on top of Stripes. Clip it to stripe.

Right click on Stripe layer. Click "selection from layer > create selection"

Now you have a bar under the selection with shortcuts we're going to use.

Reduce the selection. The amount of pixels depends on the size of your drawing. Play around!

Now inverst the selection. So you're not drawing inside of it but outside of it only.

Select the multiply layer on top of the Stripes.

Paint in! In the reference above I used a deep purple to highlight what it should look like, but obviously you want a light blue.

Tweak colour and transparency of that layer as needed!

Then I use a blur brush (I prefer Maablur Brush, it's free iirc), and the soft eraser, in various areas so it's not entirely uniform.

See what the stripes look like on these people :

Q is quite dark with less light inside some sections. Meanwhile Neteyam has a very thin dark lining around his face stripes :

They're generally pretty desaturated. Body stripes also seem to be much more blurry in general :

Anyway, MERGE that multiple layer to the Stripe layer. CLIP the Stripe layer back to the skin.

Now it's time to erase or blur as you wish. I tend to erase around the nose, cheeks and throat.

Even Metkayina have that erased quality :

I add sanhi on a layer set to "add glow" and pick a teal colour. I either do it manually in pencil or with a dot brush.

Final tweaks of saturation and transparency, maybe playing around with "add" or "multiply" layers for quick highlights on top of everything or deeper shadows.

That's it! That's how I always do stripes, no matter how rendered the skin underneath. Elias needs more work before he's done, but it's a good preview, I hope.

[duketectivecomics]

You might've answered this already and I just didn't find it, but one thing that always perplexed me about Duke was how old he was in comparison to the other Batkids. It's obvious he's younger than Dick and Babs, and I pretty sure he's younger than Jason and Cass, and older than Damian, but I cannot tell if he's meant to be Tim and Steph's ages, younger, or older. Could you help me?

You’re all kinds of good here, anon!!! I answered a similar ask abt the Order of Adoption but didn’t dive into specific ages on that post BECAUSE well they didn’t ask lmaooo but ALSO:

Comic ages are very fluid usually! While Years™️ might pass in the canon proper, or while time seems to slow to a crawl, having a character’s age outright stated is something that occurs very rarely for most characters, if at all!

Because it’s always much easier to have a floating age range to work and play around in! It’s easier to keep a character Perpetually 12 or 16 or 25 or mid-40s or- you get the idea. SO, with that in mind. Let’s do our Best to Break Down What Age Duke Might Be Currently A N D how it might interact with the Other Batkids!

(Warning for a Very Long Post, lots of issue citations, and a LOT of comics terminology regarding specific runs/events/continunity. I’m gonna try to keep it as clear/concise as possible ofc but plz keep these things in mind! If you’re not at least marginally familiar with Bat-Comics, you might find yourself feeling a little lost here!)

So from the Zero Year arc we see a common Trend that plays out pretty consistently with Batfam comics: a Life-Changing Event Occuring while the protag is Young™️.

(Batman (2011) #30)

With how Duke is drawn in these particular issues, and given the trends of the past, I’d place him in the 8-12 range. The historic precedent being ofc that that is the same range that canon usually places both Bruce and Dick at for their Tragedies™; the more benign reason being that he... just very much Looks to be drawn in that Range. He’s very clearly an Older/Prepubescent child here.

Fast Forward to his Next Appearance in the Endgame arc and-

(Batman (2011) #37)

He’s definitely older! He’s wiser! And he’s giving Batman a fistbump lmao. Again, no strict age given here BUT, since they condensed each Robin to a Year or Two tops with Bruce (its n52 and its fucked up is what it is), we can assume it’s been at least 4-5 since Zero Year (which would mean if we go off the age range I proposed for that year, then theoretically he could be anywhere from 12-16 here, and I think that tracks pretty well. Not Perfectly and Certainly Not so well with Pre52 continuity ofc, but I’ll talk about that later!)

In We Are Robin, while its not stated Directly In The Text, it IS given as an Informational Tidbit that Duke is 16 (specifically this can be found at the end of issue #4)! (Sweet sweet canon confirmation FINALLY)

We know that WAR takes place Fairly Soon after Endgame (almost immediately, give or take a month or two given that Duke’s been placed in a few foster homes at this point and has racked up Quite A File) now, again id like to remind y’all that while this is a NICE starting point to have, keep in mind that comics are fluid and this may be retconned slightly/ignored in later stories bc Keeping Duke 16-ish is in DC’s Best Interest at the moment. (Having Relatable Teen Characters afterall is a Good Marketing strategy™️. And the longer they can Keep them Young, the Better)

With that in mind let’s take a moment to Highlight the fact that Duke and Damian have crossed paths at this point AND the storylines that have occurred during this year that were meant to be in conjunction with one another!

Because Prior to Endgame, Damian had Died! And just a year (in real, meat-space time) before We Are Robin, he was resurrected and had begun his “Year of Atonement” in the Robin: Son of Batman maxiseries. Midway through both this series and WAR (and, we can assume, midway thru this “Year” for Damian) the Robin War begins/ends and we see at least one major Moment between these two boys who will soon call one another brothers:

(Robin War #2)

Given that R:SoB is followed up VERY quickly by Teen Titans Rebirth (in which Damian celebrates his 13th birthday), we can conclude that Damian would be 12 during this time (well, 12 and 1/2 to play it safe lmao). That being said, this Confirms about a 4yr gap between Duke and Damian! (One Batkid down at least! but he’s the key to the others so put a pin in him!)

As We Are Robin draws to its conclusion, DC was releasing another arc that would eventually flow into the Rebirth Era, by the end of which, Bruce would approach Duke with an Idea (which involves Bruce becoming Dukes temporary guardian & as he states Many Times “Trying Something New” with Duke).

And thus the Rebirth Era begins, and Duke began his Year of training (most directly encapsulated by the Cursed Wheel arc in the All-Star Batman run:

(All-Star Batman #1 (back-up story))

Bruce introduces Duke to a training regimen that Alfred has named “the Cursed Wheel”. It encompasses all the training Bruce and the other bats have undergone and condenses it down into color-coordinated segments that will take Duke a Year to Complete.

It can be assumed that by the End of this Year Duke will somehow miraculously still be 16, despite, again, an entire ass year passing.

There’s one story that takes place mid-year in All-Star Batman, and the Cursed Wheel is meant to be capped off by Duke’s first Official Day as the Signal (in the titular Batman & the Signal ofc) BUT, near as I can tell after this story, Dukes age is not brought up again. So until they DO bring it up either in Batman & the Outsiders or whatever future run Duke becomes involved in, we can assume DC will be working with the idea that he’s meant to be in that 16-18 range from here on out (ie still a minor).

But, dear anon, you might be saying “okay, that’s cool, but how does that relate to my question abt how he falls in with the other Bats?” You’ll have to be a little patient with me here, but I think I may have cracked the code!

Keep in mind I’m gonna be addressing both the Post-Crisis to Flashpoint Continuity (ie mid-80s to 2010 in comics history) and the N52-slash-Rebirth Era (2010-Today). Its generally agreed by fandom and DC alike that these points of rebooting &/or Major Events constitute the era of “Modern” comics, and that everything from the 80s-on might more or less be canon on some level, even if not All of it is.

(Plus, most of fandom usually likes to borrow elements from both eras and much more rarely from stories before it, SO-)

Lets do a quick rundown of how everyone who’s Closer to Duke’s Age, Relates to each other first, age-wise:

Given that Jason was 15 when he died, in A Lonely Place of Dying its established that Bruce had become increasingly reckless since his death, and by the end of the story, Tim has stepped in to fill Robin’s shoes (he states that he’s 13 during this story btw). Pretty soon after, Stephanie Brown is introduced & established to be about a year older than Tim (wish I could pin-point a specific issue BUT, i unfortunately haven’t read any Tim OR Steph-involved comics that predate No Man’s Land... Besides the aforementioned Lonely Place and Young Justice technically, but im working on remedying that soon!)

NOW, during the No Man’s Land event, Cassandra is introduced, and pretty soon into her Batgirl run, its revealed that she’s around the same age as Jason (or at least how old he Would Have Been, had he not died.) Now, given that Jay has an August bday and Cass has a January one, fandom sometimes likes to play around with the idea of one being older than the other (OR even speculating/placing them in an AU as twins/siblings, given that Lady Shiva (Cass’ mom) was a Possible Candidate to be Jason’s biological mother but that’s a Whole Other Thing i wont get into here.)

The point being, Cass, in this era of comics, IS slightly older than Tim and Steph. At Tim’s start as Robin, their ages could either line up like: Tim-13, Steph-14, Cass-15 (being a few months ‘behind’ Jay), then Jason at 15/16 (depending on how soon Tim filled the role after Jay died in April) OR Jason-15/16, Cass-16/17 (in this case she’d be a few months ‘ahead’ now instead)

So brief detour to talk New 52, however! Because Tim, Steph & Cass all got switched around from where DC originally left them prior to the reboot! Now I haven’t read much of them in this era, other than Batman & Robin: Eternal, so my Understanding of their current ages is Spotty at Best. The general consensus seems to be that while before N52, Stephanie had been attending her first year of College (& doing VERY WELL i might add), with the reboot she was set back a few years alongside Tim to a vague Late-Teen state (so 16-18-ish, instead of a Very Clearly Established 18/19). Cass is probably the worst off for this reboot, given that B&R:E basically constitutes her new origin for the new continuity, and does nothing to confirm her age (all I really know is that she’s a Vague Late-Teen too... Probably? Maybe?), given how much they infantilize her, and subsequently how fandom in turn has taken to infantilizing her too, theres a semi-popular fanon that places her Younger that Tim and Steph. And I, for one, propose that we ignore that bc its Weak Sauce my dudes.

Some fans chose to ignore N52 continuity due to this vagueness, and will stick to the ages established before the N52/Rebirth reboots. But its something to keep in mind regardless bc we’re all obviously going to pull from what’s most familiar to us!

But WHERE could we place Duke with regards to them, then? Because them being “Late Teens” is certainly much too vague to work with!

This is Where Damian is the key!

Because Damian is one of those rare exceptions to the Reboot Rule. His story flowed almost seamlessly over from before to after. While he was made a Robin at the age of 10, he continued to grow and learn even after the universe was being rewritten to suit the whims of DC editorial. 

If we choose to ignore how everyone else’s ages and origins were swapped around, and stick with the growth that was presented before the reboot, then we can draw some interesting conclusions!

Firstly, though Stephanie also had Died and subsequently Returned, she hadn’t lost much, if any time, from the Ordeal. At the start of her Batgirl run, she is enrolled at a Gotham university and making headway with a more firm foot in the Batfamily (even to the point that she and Damian spend a few issues bonding. At this point in time, Damian is definitely 11, and again, Steph can be assumed to be 18/19 during the course of her run. We’ll assume 18 for clarity’s sake.)

So, then when Damian is 11, now our line up is as Follows:

Dami - 11, Steph - 18, Tim - 17, Cass 19-21 (the range depending again, if you subscribe to Cass being either older/younger than Jason).

WHICH MEANS, If during Robin War Damian is 12 (and a half) THEN We’ve got an age line-up that Potentially looks Like This:

Dami -12(and 1/2), Duke - 16, Tim - 18, Steph - 19, Cass - 20-22 (And Obvsly Jason, Babs & Dick at their varying Older Ages than everyone here)

and im just now realizing i Didnt include Harper in this line-up, but thats bc she’d also throw a big wrench in all this.  I’d personally throw her in with being Steph’s age, but I’m pretty sure she was supposed to be either that, or between Steph and Cass (again, since its N52, i believe Cass was/is assumed to be Younger than Steph, but that contradicts the assumed following of pre52 canon that we have for the above line-up, obvsly, and so we ignore that lmao) 

All this to say, however, that canon and fandom is what you make of it, and if you want to wiggle these ages around a little, you’re more than allowed! God Knows i usually like to skew the Tim-Steph-Cass age group to be a tad older than this in my own fic writing, and I like to have Duke start as a Robin at 14/15 instead of 16, but that’s just bc I like the dynamic potential it could bring with them being Definitively Older that him, and thus in a more secure place to be Mentoring him right alongside Bruce & the others.

But you might see these age ranges and want to do something Different (say, making Tim, Steph, Cass, & Duke all the Same Age at 17 instead! And that very well tracks with how current comics kinda looks right now!) and you’re absolutely valid to do so! Because again, comic character’s ages are meant to be fluid, not fixed!

And at the end of the day, its all about wanting to see these teen heroes kick serious ass haha

[niccoxgiraffe]

Hello! This Elu fic is the English version of the one I posted a couple of days ago in Italian. Shout out to my friends Alex, who picked the prompts for me, and Marla, who proof read the English version. Hope you like it! <3

Prompts:

5. “I can't sleep, can I sleep here?”

13. “Are you cold?”

93. “You make me feel safe”

.

Lucas’ head was still spinning from the party at Emma’s. Not that he had drunk that much, but - at some point of the night - the house got so crowded that the boy could barely breathe. The air smelled like smoke and sweat, which didn’t help at all. And then there were some chicks of the first year who kept staring at him with lust in their eyes, making him feel even more uncomfortable. For the entire time, Lucas had wished for anything but his boyfriend to be there with him, but instead Eliott stayed home with a possible depressive episode incoming. So he had kept drinking, dancing, laughing with his friends and just not caring in general until he couldn’t take it any longer.

The bus ride back home, luckily, was long enough to let him collect himself. So at least the feeling of suffocation vanished by the time he arrived at his stop.

Once he got there, Lucas dragged himself to the door of his shared flat and looked for the keys in the pocket of his blue jacket. As soon as he managed to unlock it with a creak, he saw the living room and the kitchen sunk into total darkness. Lisa was surely sleeping, while Mika... Who knows. Mika could’ve been to bed as well, as much as he could’ve been at some party or he could’ve been having fun at someone else’s place. Anyway, Lucas put his jacket and his scarf in the closet at the entrance, trying to make as little noise as possible. Last time he woke Lisa up in the middle of the night by accident, he found a giant penis drawn on his cheek with a permanent marker. The girl could become highly vengeful if anyone dared to deprive her of her precious hours of sleep. He didn’t want to bother her again, thank you very much.

He went through the flat on his tiptoes, and as he got in front of his room, he noticed a dim light coming from inside. Weird: he didn’t remember leaving a lamp on unless one of his flatmates didn’t stick their nose in his bedroom and forgot to turn it off. He slowly opened the door and his heart started racing at the sight of the person occupying the room. He didn’t expect a visit at all. Not at such an hour, at least. However, he was so glad that he was there.

On his bed, Eliott was sitting with his legs crossed. He held a pencil in his right hand and a notebook was lying in his lap. Lucas knew pretty well what that meant: Eliott used his doodles as a way to communicate or express his emotions, especially when his head was too messed up to understand his own feelings. And judging by the way he drew hectic strokes on the paper, too many thoughts were clouding his mind in that moment. He seemed so lost in his work (and in himself) that it took him a while to realize he wasn’t alone anymore. From that distance, Eliott’s eyes looked like black pools, the shadows were sharpening his features so much that he appeared scrawnier than he actually is. It wasn’t the first time that Lucas saw him so dull, run down and lifeless. Nonetheless, he knew he would never get used to seeing him like that, neither to the feeling of powerlessness facing similar situations. Like it or not, he preferred having him around way more than not being with him at all and not knowing how he was doing.

The older one forced a tired little smile and broke the silence. “I can’t sleep, can I sleep here?”

Lucas felt a wave of heat spreading in his chest. Maybe this time his illness would’ve been mild to him. Maybe he was just sad and he was looking for support. Maybe this state of mind of his wouldn’t last long. Maybe, maybe, maybe... Enough. Did that really matter? For one reason or another, his boyfriend wasn’t feeling well and it was his job to make him smile again. He sat on the bed next to him, taking his free hand. The rings he wore on his long fingers created a sharp contrast with his soft and warm skin.

“Of course you can,” he answered in a whisper and kissed him on the forehead. “I’m gonna take a quick shower and I’ll be right back, okay?”

.

Five minutes later, when he got back in his room, Lucas found Eliott lying under the covers. The notebook and the pencil were forgotten at the foot of the bed, so the blonde boy gathered them and placed them on his desk. He glanced at the drawing for a couple of seconds: it was a raccoon (Eliott’s “spirit animal”) running from a dark cloud. Lucas felt a lump forming in his throat, so he swallowed and dismissed any bad thought that was taking form in his head. He had to be strong for Eliott, at that moment. He couldn’t afford to show how worried he actually was, otherwise the situation could get worse. Maybe if he told him about how Basile embarrassed himself earlier, he could’ve distracted him for a while. Or he could show him the video of Arthur and Alexia that he posted on Instagram. And what if he proposed to watch a movie together? Maybe he didn’t want to listen to his stories about the party. Lucas shook his head and decided to simply lay down next to his boyfriend. He lifted the covers as much as he needed to slide under, face to face with the older one. Eliott’s gaze was lost into the empty but, as soon as Lucas’ hand reached his face, he slowly managed to focus on him.

“Is there anything I can do?” Lucas asked cautiously, stroking his cheek with his thumb. Eliott didn’t say a word, but the boy noticed him slightly shivering under his touch. “Are you cold?”

This time he didn’t even dare to speak, but nodded. Lucas felt the hem of his shirt being pulled and it made him smile, because he understood what his boyfriend needed. So he adjusted himself better on the pillows to wrap Eliott in a hug. He was aware of the fact that his body wasn’t big enough to entirely shield him, but it didn’t matter. Lucas let one of his hands slide into the other’s messy hair and he sensed Eliott’s mouth curving a little onto his neck in a tiny smile. They stayed like that in silence for a long time, just listening to each other’s breaths. Lucas loved contemplating his boyfriend while he was asleep: if angels were real, Eliott would be one of them, he was sure of it. He had the hood of his sweater lowered on his head, which made him look even smaller and cuter, the skin on his face was relaxed, the lips slightly parted and his hands were still weakly clenching his clothes. He knew it was scientifically proved that human hearts couldn’t get bigger, yet he still felt like that, like his love for that boy kept growing to the point that his heart had to expand just to make room for that emotion. Every now and then, he left some kisses on his head or forehead, while Eliott kept snuggling even further against Lucas. The exhaustion that was weighing on him a couple of hours earlier had been replaced with the urge to stay awake to cuddle his boyfriend, to kiss him, protect him, reassure him. He would’ve kept an eye on him even if he were about to die. It would’ve been worth it just to see one of those beautiful smiles of his that he loved so dearly or to hear once again that laugh that turned his entire body into pure jelly.

“Lucas?” Eliott’s hoarse voice came out in a whisper, which became even less audible because of his face buried in the crook of the younger boy’s neck. Lucas, in return, kissed him on his temple. “Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

And, little by little, the two of them slipped into a quiet slumber.

.

“How is he doing?” Lucas huffed at Yann’s question. It’s been two days since Eliott crashed at his place without a warning, in the middle of the night. The boy seemed to have no interest in going back home, so he had to call his parents to tell them he was at the coloc and that he'd taken care of him. He never met Eliott’s parents but since they got together and Lucille decided to move on, he’s been the only one they could count on to keep an eye on their son. “Not good. But he’s been worse. He’s gonna be okay.”

“Of course he’s gonna be okay!” Basile chimed in, waving around his fork full of pasta with tomato sauce. “We’re talking about Eliott, guys. Also, you said he just looked tired, didn’t you? It’s gonna be over soon, trust me.”

Arthur, who was sitting next to him, moved some inches away from his friend. “We got it, but try not to throw pasta around the canteen, alright?”

Yann and Lucas burst into a loud laugh as the latter felt his phone vibrating into the pocket of his jacket. When he reached for it, his fingers caught also a piece of paper he didn’t remember to have. Luckily, the boys were too busy talking about the way Basile ate to notice the foolish smile that was blooming on his lips while reading the note.

It was a notebook page. At the top, there was the same doodle he saw Eliott drawing the night he surprised him in his room, but under it there were two new sketches. The first one represented a brave hedgehog who was standing in front of the cloud, attempting to protect the poor scared raccoon with fierceness. In the other one, there were simply pictured the two little animals hugging tight, along with a sentence that brought Lucas to wipe his teary eyes.

“You make me feel safe.”

[marlmckitten]

Blackstar Coffee Co Chapter 3: Not So Smooth

A/N: Honestly please let me know if chapter length bothers you. I like short chapters because when I am reading books I like short chapters because of the sense of accomplishment. Also when I am writing, I update more often if they are shorter because it is less of a commitment. Also, let me know how you like my version of James. I’m gonna change him a little because tbh I’m not his biggest fan. (As I was naming this chapter I realized I should have all named them different sorts of coffee and I am disappointed with myself for not thinking of that sooner.) And on my kick of a little push on treating barista’s better. Be like James.

Tag list: @thelaziestgeek @lilyofthelion @prongsmischief @padsmcfoot @blacklilyqueen @jily-swan-hinny1 (I hope that’s everyone!) Thank you all so much for the support, seriously it means so much. And if you want to be tagged in any upcoming chapters just let me know!

And as one last side note, I’ve been talking to @hufflepuffmarlenemckinnon and if you all want more great Blackinnon content, follow her! And another great blog for Blackinnon, Marauder, or Sirius Black content is @padsmcfoot plus she is only *1* away from her next hundred so let’s make sure she wakes up with that milestone!!

Of course, Marlene did nothing with the card or the number. She had considered ripping it up. She had wished she did it in front of him, but something kept her from doing so. Instead she stored it in her back pocket and didn’t touch it again. As attractive as he was, she still wasn’t impressed with how rude or assuming he was and would sooner give up her minimum wage job before date some young privileged boy who was playing weird games with her.

However, this time it was less than a day until she saw him again. She was standing at the till, near the end of her shift when a gentlemanly looking male, probably around her age walked in and very politely ordered himself a mocha. She smiled and wrote his name, James, on the cup while her coworker got started on the drink. “Is that drink really sweet?” He asked Marlene curiously.

The blonde chuckled, “Have you never had a mocha before?”

“No, it’s what one of my friends always gets, but he loves chocolate and anything else sweet so I just realized...”

“It’s pretty sweet,” she confirmed, “Did you want us to make you something else instead?”

“Nah, don’t worry about it, you’ve already started,” James nodded his head to the girl who was half finished his drink unsure if she should go on since he seemed on the fence about the whole thing.

“Are you sure, it’s not trouble,” Marlene replied, as she was trained to always make the customer feel at ease even when it really inconvenienced the rest of the team.

But there was an interruption before James could take her up on her generosity, “Wow, Marlene McKinnon providing good customer service, are you sick Marls?”

Marlene rolled her eyes at Lily’s voice, but didn’t say anything since her gaze locked onto the young man. His entire face dropped when he saw Lily standing at the till, it was as if he had never seen a woman before at all. His jaw literally stood ajar and he dropped his wallet, money falling everywhere. But even then he was too transfixed on the redhead to notice.

“Uhm, sir?” Lily waved her hand in front of his face.

Snapping back, James cleared his throat and looked at the floor around him, coins were still rolling around. He made a quick movement to put his wallet down and start collecting his mess, but just as he tried putting his wallet on the ledge, the barista put his hot coffee down, their hands collided and the steamed milk and espresso spilled all down the young man. “Shit,” James said under his breath, shaking his hand.

Marlene grimaced and quickly ran to the back to get a cool cloth and some burn cream for James while Lily helped him get some napkins and clean himself off. “You alright?”

“I, er, yeah, I, er, you are very beautiful-” He stumbled over his words, shook his head and got down on his hands and knees to start collecting his coins.

“Thanks,” Lily smiled kindly, tucking her hair behind her ear.

The door chimed open again and another person was added to the mix. His dark eyebrows raised drawing attention to his cool grey eyes. “What on Earth has happened here now? Every time I walk into this location it’s another mess!”

“Sirius, hi,” James stood up, finally peeling his eyes away from the new love of his life. “This was literally all my fault, I just got a little...”

“He lost his balance,” Lily covered for him, sneaking another look at the boy as his hand went up to ruffle up his hair for some odd reason. “Marlene’s just in the back grabbing some burn cream I would assume for his hand.”

“Really is my fault,” James apologized, “These two baristas have been lovely.”

Marlene finally returned, a mop in one hand and some cream and cloth in another. Lily took it to help out James while Marlene began mopping up the spilled drink. While James apologized profusely, Sirius let out a dark laugh. “I didn’t know this particular barista knew how to be ‘lovely’ honestly I don’t even know how she got hired.”

His voice did not sound threatening in the least, more playful, but still Marlene’s eyes cautiously looked up to Sirius and she forced a thin smile across her lips. “Good to see you’re back. I’ll get you your tall coffee so you can leave.”

“No need, I was just meeting my friend here,” he put an arm around a still very awkward James who was just starring with complete admiration as Lily applied the cream to his hand and wrapped a bandage gently around it.

“He also needs a new coffee since he decided to bless our floors with overpriced espresso and chocolate sauce,” Marlene retorted. Lily turned to glare at Marlene, shocked she was being so careless at this point.

“Right well, we can get one elsewhere, honestly the coffee here isn’t even that good. My family just likes to save every penny they can, even at the price of serving poor quality beans and acting like they are a privilege just to taste. Later blondie, don’t forget to use my number if you need anything!” Sirius quite literally dragged James towards the door while he kept looking back at Lily. As they got to the door however, Sirius rolled his eyes. “Or pass my number onto Little Red over there. I’ve been staying with James the past week so, he’ll be there, with me.”

As if it saved James any grace by this point, he stood up straight, his hand ran effortlessly through his hair and he winked to Lily. “Call me.”

The two boys finally left and Marlene and Lily looked at one another quickly bursting int hysterical laughter. “What even- what just- what was that?!” Marlene asked to Lily, thinking about how many times that James kid made a fool of himself.

Somehow Lily found it charming and her laughter came more from the awkwardness she felt for him combined with the butterflies she got as he winked goodbye to her. Once her laughter calmed down Lily’s smile did not fade, “He’s cute though.”

“And polite,” Marlene agreed.

“And he had a nice butt.”

“But,” Marlene interrupted, “I’m weary of who he chooses to keep as a friend.”

“He hasn’t fired you yet, that’s a good sign!”

The blonde huffed, “He hasn’t fired me yet because he tried asking me out yesterday!”

Lily’s mouth fell open. “He what?”

With an annoyed sigh, she reached into her back pocket. (Marlene had a horrible habit of wearing the same exact pair of black jeans to literally every shift while very rarely washing them.) And she pulled out his card, handing it to Lily. “He told me he’d give me a good tip if I smiled then gave me his number instead.”

“Disgusting...” Lily replied, her whole face scrunched up. “If that’s the case, you really don’t need this then?” She added in, slowly taking the card.

“Call them, get that black haired disaster of a boy to take you out on a date. And bring protection!”

“Marlene!”

“I meant a helmet, maybe some knee pads, definitely leather gloves. Seriously, imagine dinner with him! He will have knives to drop, wine, a full three-course meal, be prepared!” Marlene teased while Lily looked down at the number and programmed it into her phone.

[gfn-sam-evans]

Texts || Fabrevans

Taggings: Sam Evans & Quinn Fabray When: Thursday to Saturday Notes: Getting to know each other! <3

Quinn: Please do! And once you've got it, we'll talk about a vlog. Quinn: Oh geez. That's such an unflattering picture!! Quinn: Honestly, I started getting bored. Everyone was so busy with each other, I figured I'd get home to Jude. He gives me all the attention I want. Sam: Aye, aye! It shouldn’t be too far from now. I’ve talked to Blaine about singing there. Sam: It’s not! I think it’s cute. Sam: I didn’t realize you were bored.

 Quinn: Oh that'll be a great show then. I'm sure other people will show up to join in. Quinn: oh but it really is. I could always send you a better one. A way cuter one. Quinn: I mean it was fun at first but then idk...i was ready to leave. I felt slightly odd ball out

 Sam: I hope. Sam: Business is good but it’s not booming and I don’t want to hit a bad stretch of months. That freaks me out. Sam: I won’t say no to that. Sam: I didn’t realize how fast the night turned until that truth or dare game happened. Sam: I hope I didn’t make you feel awkward

 Quinn: I understand. I can see why you'd freak out. Your business is your baby. You want it to do well. Quinn: Well hopefully we can get you some publicity and get more people to come in :) Quinn: Hmmm, now i gotta pick a good one. GIve me a sec. Quinn: I think everyone was just tipsy, and horny apparently lol Quinn: oh no no. You didn't make me feel awkward at all. I won't lie, it wasn't a bad sight

 Sam: It really is. I never thought I’d have my own store. I still pinch myself about it. Sam: Yeah. Even my date and I got carried away but I reeled it in. Sam: It was fun to do that. Not something I wanted a group of people I know to see but I couldn’t back down.

 Quinn: Was it something you always wanted to do? Or did little Sammy have other aspirations? Quinn: Oh I saw that. Although, I think she would have been okay if you hadn't. Quinn: Hey sometimes alcohol makes us do the wildest things. As long as you had fun with it, that's all that matters

 Sam: Little Sammy wanted to play football but when that didn’t look like it was happening he changed things. Sam: You saw us making out? Sam: I did but when people started taking their shirts off I didn’t know if it was about to turn into a sex party.

 Quinn: So I take it you were a football player in high school? Woulda been just my type.  Quinn: Oh I thought you meant the lap dance. No. I didn't see you make out. I'm assuming this happened after I left. Quinn: Yeah it was getting wild. And while I'm not afraid of wild, I had had enough for one night

 Sam: You’re into jocks? I still play but only when I’ve got time. Sam: Yeah. That’s why I was confused. I took her home and then left after she fell asleep. It was a fun date but I don’t like being that guy who hooks up with someone right off the bat. Sam: Kissing is fine though. Sam: You’re not? What’s the wildest thing you’ve done?

 Quinn: Well I mean I was in HS. I was head cheerleader after all. But I was super into the artistic types too. Quinn: Ahh gotcha. Sorry for the confusion. But that's very gentlemanly of you. Quinn: I don't think there's anything wrong with kissing on the first date. Especially if you've had a good time... or you're super into/attracted to them. Quinn: Wildest? Ummm... climb up to the roof of a house and jump into a pool, half naked? I mean granted I was drunk so that could have been super dangerous.

 Sam: I try to draw but I’m not the best. I can do macaroni art and make actual masterpieces with it. I can show you if you ever want to see it. Sam: Quinn! That’s insane! Even I wouldn’t do something like that.

 Quinn: Wait seriously?? I have to see this. Ive never heard of someone who makes macaroni masterpieces. I'm intrigued.  Quinn: Yeah... not one of my proudest moments. I won't lie... I did a lot of stupid stuff the first two years after HS...

 Sam: They’re good. What I lack in drawing I’ve picked up with macaroni. Sam: Why after high school?

 Quinn: That's impressive. You're full of surprises Sam Evans Quinn: Well pretty much my whole childhood and high school career I had an image to uphold. For the sake of my mother basically. I got tired of it. So when I graduated, I wanted to live my own life. I uhh... I partied a lot. I was super social. But along with all of that, I hung out with the wrong crowd, did things I shouldn't have.... Just lost control of my life basically.   Quinn: wow I'm sorry, we barely know each other and I'm unloading all this heavy stuff on you. I'm so sorry.

 Sam: I like you shared that with me. I did a lot of stupid things in college. Not to live a deprived life but because I hung out with a lot of frat guys. They wanted me to pledge but I didn’t want to go through the whole Greek thing.

 Quinn: Are you sure? That's alot of information I'm sure you didn't want to know. Quinn: But yeah.. I didn't even bother with sororities. But I knew where all the parties were. Living in LA, there's always a party somewhere

Sam: We’ve all been through stuff, Quinn. It’s s lot but it’s still things that help me get to know you better. Sam: I spent my freshman year drunk most of the time. I had fun and met a lot of cool people. Did crazy things kinda kind what happened at that party.

 Quinn: I don't tell people these things. Even some of my closest friends here in Nashville know about this part of me. About my past. Quinn: Yeah sounds like me. I didn't even finish though. I uh... kinda got kicked out because I missed too many classes.  Quinn: I'm uh... really not proud of that.

 Sam: I used to dance for money. Sam: Only sharing that because you said you told me something real personal. But I get doing things you’re not proud of.

 Quinn: Sam you didn't have to do that. Just because I'm basically word vomiting right now doesn't mean you have to too. Quinn: But now I know why you're so good at it.

 Sam: That was me drunk. William sent me the video and I could tell I lost my touch. I needed money to send home and that was a quick way without dropping out of college. Sam: Just don’t tell anyone. Okay?

 Quinn: I've always heard it was a good way to make some serious chunk of change.  Quinn: Your secret is safe with me. I promise. I wouldn't tell a soul.

 Sam: It is. I made a crap load. It was insane because I’ve worked all types of jobs but that one was a last resort job and it paid the best. You lose a little of yourself and I had to go slow with giving my parents the money because they thought I was delivering pizzas.

 Quinn: oh wow. So like on average how much were you making a night? If you don’t mind me asking. I won’t lie but I kinda wish there wasn’t a stigma about the adult business. They’re just trying to make a living like everyone else.

 Sam: it depended on the night and how busy it was. The most I made in one night was $300. Sometimes you get requested by clients. I was one of the favorites there which seemed weird but it was extra money. I did it for a few months.

 Quinn: Wow. That's nice. The money I mean, not being favored by people. I'm glad you found what you actually wanted to do though. Although  some lucky lady is gonna be able to see your experienced moves.

 Sam: it’s nice but it messes with your head. I didn’t really want to date for awhile and didn’t exactly like to be touched. Sam: Technically many lucky people have.

 Quinn:  Oh wow. I never even thought about it messing with someone. I'm sorry. Here I am praising you for it and when in reality... it sounds like it's something you didn't really want to do.  Quinn: Well true but it's not the same like in the intimacy of the bedroom. That's what I meant.

 Sam: It’s cool, Q. You didn’t know and it wasn’t all bad. I met interesting people and got to take part in shows. It felt like being in theater with some of the acting we did. Just when I thought about what it was in the end. That’s what gets me. Sam: Oh. Uh, yeah. That...I haven’t heard any complaints when it comes to that.

 Quinn: Okay then, let's just say you were in Magic Mike... the musical? lol idk Quinn: Well from seeing your moves the other day, I didn't think you had

Quinn: I had a good time yesterday btw

 Sam: I did too! Sorry I didn’t realize I had pasta sauce on the side of my face.Sam: Magic Mike would make an interesting choice for one.

 Quinn: It's alright. It happens to the best of us. It was cute seeing you slightly blush. Quinn: actually i think it's actually a thing...

[whydontwejustblog]

unusual asks

@anon that said “1-100,” i’m no chicKEN—

spotify, soundcloud, or pandora? spotify all the way.

is your room messy or clean? messy i like to think it’s neat.

what color are your eyes? a boring dark brown.

do you like your name? why? i hate it. i wish it was esteban julio ricardo montoya dela rosa ramirez.

what is your relationship status? what’s a relaytionsheep?

describe your personality in 3 words or less. boring.

what hair color do you have? still a boring dark brown.

what kind of car do you drive? color? …i’m not old enough to drive, but if i was, you better bet i’d have a rainbow car because #yolo. (lmao stop your influence @heartsavery.)

where do you shop? at the candy store. *instantly thinks of heathers*

how would you describe your style? non-existent.

favorite social media account? if i say tumblr, will it start working for me?

what size bed do you have? a queen-sized one. (no, that wasn’t a pun or anything.)

any siblings? i like to think she doesn’t exist.

if you can live anywhere in the world where would it be? why? i’ve heard of this place called niue, which apparently has pikachu coins as part of their currency, so sign me up. (japan is also another option, because i love the atmosphere in kyoto. except for that one time i got lost at night near a creepy abandoned church.)

favorite snapchat filter? i don’t use filters much since i don’t take pictures of myself, but i’ll have to say the classic dog filter.

favorite makeup brand(s)? i don’t wear makeup.

how many times a week do you shower? i shower around once or twice a day. weird, i know, but it’s normal around here in a country that’s hot all year round. (except, of course, when there are typhoons, because it’s one extreme or another.)

favorite tv show? danger dings (read: stranger things.) i even have a side blog for it. *cough* @anevenstrangerblog *cough* i know the question only asked for one but can i throw in asoue too? i love both the books and the netflix show. malina’s so pretty i cri. ooh, andi mack is another show that i absolutELY LOVE AND—

shoe size? 6.5 in us women’s.

how tall are you? not tall at all. next question.

sandals or sneakers? sneakers are all i own.

do you go to the gym? no.

describe your dream date. with nikolai lantsov. but since he’s “fictional,” i’ll settle for the person giving me a fortune, then leaving me alone for the rest of my life. (but if the person was finn wolfhard / malina weissman / sadie sink, they can *in mulan’s grandma’s voice* stAy fOrevEr.)

how much money do you have in your wallet at the moment? about 2500 pesos and 2000 yen.

what color socks are you wearing? they’re pikachu socks.

how many pillows do you sleep with? one or none because quite frankly, i only like hugging pillows. sleeping on them is uncomfortable for me.

do you have a job? what do you do? i don’t have a job, but my class runs a business (with a beneficiary who all the proceeds go to), and i manage its marketing and finance. i also design a couple stuff for my mom’s clinic thing, which i guess is considered a job since i get paid.

how many friends do you have? if you don’t count online friends, zero ahaha.

what’s the worst thing you have ever done? lmao idk, exist?

what’s your favorite candle scent? i dunno. most probably woodsy or floral scents.

3 favorite boy names? names don’t have genders.

3 favorite girl names? names don’t have genders.

favorite actor? noah schnapp, my precious son.

favorite actress? millie bobby brown because why not.

who is your celebrity crush? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

favorite movie? the bee movie ahAHAHAHA the original spongebob movie.

do you read a lot? what’s your favorite book? i read waaay too much, and just like any of my other favorite things, i can’t pick just one favorite book, but i love six of crows by leigh bardugo.

money or brains? can i have both?

do you have a nickname? what is it? i’m called stupid a lot, does that count? ahaha :’) micah’s actually one of my nicknames.

how many times have you been to the hospital? too many times to count.

top 10 favorite songs? i have too many songs i like, so i’ll list some i remember right now (and limit myself to one song per artist.) crazy=genius by p!atd, bellyache by billie eilish, migraine by tøp, c’est la vie by maurice moore, glorious by macklemore, for him by troye sivan, my songs know what you did in the dark by fob, non-stop from the hamilton cast recording, teacher by prettymuch, and we the party by why don’t we.

do you take any medication daily? just vitamins, not medication.

what is your skin type? idk dude.

what is your biggest fear? the unknown.

how many kids do you want? zero.

what’s your go-to hair style? just my hair down since i’m lazy.

what type of house do you live in? (big, small, etc.) i don’t know how to describe the size of my house lmao.

who is your role model? thomas the tank engine.

what was the last compliment you received? i’m not sure if it was meant as a compliment, but that one anon who asked advice from me said they were awed by my independence so there’s that.

what was the last text you sent? i sent “i’m hungry” to one of my housekeepers.

how old were you when you found out santa wasn’t real? he IS real. i don’t know what the quackidy quack you’re talking about.

what is your dream car? lightning mcqueen. ka-chow!

opinion on smoking? i’m asthmatic, so personally, i don’t smoke, and i don’t encourage it either. if you’re talking about cigarettes, it harms the lungs of not only the smoker, but the people around them. it also affects air pollution (its effect is 10 times stronger than those of diesel car exhausts), and i’m very against all types of pollution to the environment. (i’m looking at you, glitter, which, if you didn’t already know, contributes to the pollution of waterways.)

do you go to college? i will in 2 years. (i’ll be a wee child all alone in another country :’( @whydontwejustbesomethingdiffrent i’m dragging you along if it’s the last thing i do.)

what is your dream job? i don’t really know lmao.

would you rather live in rural areas or the suburbs? suburbs.

do you take shampoo and conditioner bottles from hotels? who doesn’t?

do you have freckles? no.

do you smile for pictures? i don’t like having pictures of me taken, but i occasionally smile awkwardly.

how many pictures do you have on your phone? i recently cleared out my photo library so now i’m left with only 3033 pictures.

have you ever peed in the woods? no.

do you still watch cartoons? duh.

do you prefer chicken nuggets from Wendy’s or McDonald’s? there are no branches of wendy’s where i live so i’ll go with mcdonald’s.

favorite dipping sauce? does gravy count?

what do you wear to bed? pajamas.

have you ever won a spelling bee? i’ve never participated in one aside from the mini ones we used to hold in class before, which i won because the competition wasn’t exactly tough.

what are your hobbies? photography, bullet journaling, brush lettering, eating, reading, scrolling endlessly through my phone, dying, and other fun stuff. coding and robotics are cool too.

can you draw? @thefangirlingmaster i still stand by my opinion that i can’t.

do you play an instrument? the only instrument i can fluently play is the violin, since i was taught how to play it at 6 years old, but i own a guitar and keyboard which i can sorta play.

what was the last concert you saw? a pentatonix one.

tea or coffee? water.

starbucks or dunkin’ donuts? starbucks.

do you want to get married? not really.

what is your crush’s first and last initial? f.w. (hint: it rhymes with pinn rolfhard.)

are you going to change your last name when you get married? i dunno man.

what color looks best on you? still dunno man.

do you miss anyone right now? no.

do you sleep with your door open or closed? closed.

do you believe in ghosts? uh…

what is your biggest pet peeve? my neighbors slow walkers

last person you called? my dad.

favorite ice cream flavor? cookies and cream.

regular oreos or golden oreos? i only eat mini-sized regular oreos.

chocolate or rainbow sprinkles? choCOLATE *insert gif of that one fish from spongebob*

what shirt are you wearing? a panda shirt i got from singapore a couple years ago.

what is your phone background? it’s a zoomed in face of the ice cream octopus from dora. my parents say it’s creepy, but i think it’s calming. (i couldn’t post it on here because tumblr says i reached a limit, but if you wanna see it, tell me to send it to you.)

are you outgoing or shy? depends on the people i’m with.

do you like it when people play with your hair? it tickles.

do you like your neighbors? i’d prefer it if they moved far far away (haha shrek reference) and took their horrible karaoke with them.

do you wash your face? at night? in the morning? i wash my face everytime i shower.

have you ever been high? nope.

have you ever been drunk? nope. (i was gonna come up with some punny joke but i’m too hungry to think right now. which reminds me, i have to go eat something real quick, be right back—)

last thing you ate? oh wow, perfect timing. i just ate mango float.

favorite lyrics right now? it’s from my son troye’s song, suburbia. “swallow nostalgia, chase it with lime. better than dwelling, and chasing time. missing occasions, i can’t rewind. can’t help but feel i’ve lost what’s mine.”

summer or winter? it’s basically summer all year round here so—

day or night? night.

dark, milk, or white chocolate? milk chocolate.

favorite month? december.

what is your zodiac sign? sagittarius.

who was the last person you cried in front of? my dad.

[playfullyevil]

TMA fic - Comfort Food

Martin fluff

Hugs need to happen before the bad things come next week.

Martin had gotten rather good at avoiding eye contact with anyone who happened to be wandering the Institute’s halls as he made his way into work.  Walking through the main door, he cast his eyes to the floor, ducking the gaze of the person behind the reception desk.  He made his way to the recessed door along the left-hand wall and the stairs beyond. 

He used to be so social, stopping to chat at the reception desk, sometimes he even brought pastries.  Occasionally, he would pop in on the research department to say hello and check in on anything that may due to be archived.  At any other job, Martin Blackwood would have been known as, “friendly but a bit odd.” Among the institute staff, you had to be especially strange to be labeled “the odd one”.  The institute collected those sorts of people, or converted them. As an employee of The Magnus Institute, Martin was simply “the friendly one”. Not anymore, not since...

His once open, youthful face, with bright eyes and a quick smile now blank and dead eyed as those working in artifact storage. He had always been pale but now could be accurately described as ashen. A seemingly boundless optimism had fueled him through all his years in the institute including his stay in the archives, the incident with Jane Prentiss, and even its aftermath. All of that had reached its end with the disappearance of the head archivist.

Settling at his desk, the archival assistant took stock of the papers piled on his desk and sighed. No matter how hard he worked, it seemed he could barely make a dent in the chaotic shelves. He missed doing proper research on the statements, when he had the time to go out and conduct the occasional interview.  Really do the job thoroughly. 

There just wasn’t the time for that anymore and he rarely left the institute's basement.  Elias wanted the archives properly organized and he wanted it done yesterday.  Sometimes, Martin could do a bit of googling to verify or cross reference the occasional fact. More often than not the statements were recorded with only the sparse notes already included in the files. If there even were any.

He had weeks ago stopped asking Tim for help, not that he could reliably find the man. It didn’t look like he had been to his desk today, but it was early yet. His coworker had been showing up to work less and less. When he was in, he spent most of his working hours moving papers from one box and back again, on autopilot. More and more Tim would disappear into the storage room to lay on the cot there, staring blankly up at the ceiling. 

A flash of fluorescent pink caught Martin's eye from under a file folder. He shifted it aside to reveal a note written in flowing script. 

Martin,

You haven’t been by to see me in a while, we should catch up.  Meet me for lunch?

-R

The large, cursive R trailed off into a swirling floral pattern at the bottom of the note.

For anyone not assigned to the archives to make their way down here was a rarity. The archives weren’t a musty basement but a warm, welcoming place they are not.  There were enough strange things that go on in the rest of the building that few people deliberately seek out the creepier areas below ground level.  

Rosie usually kept herself busy on the third floor with the rest of the research staff.  Martin wasn’t sure if he had ever seen her down in his little corner of the institute. Obviously, she knew her way around as she was able to find his desk and leave a note without any difficulty. 

It had been at least two months since Martin had last taken lunch in the company of another person.  He’d barely been up to the canteen since before Christmas, preferring to eat at his desk. If he ate at all. He had skipped breakfast and the thought of lunch made his stomach voice its displeasure.  Martin affixed the sticky note to the clock on his desk and got up to make some tea.

Buried in work time lost its meaning, speeding by while at the same time passing in long, draw out stretches.  Boxes brimming with chaotic folders piled to the left of the desk were gradually, but steadily making their way to the organized stack on the right.  Statements were skimmed, supplemental material glanced at, and verifiable facts were typed into a search engine.  Most ended up in a box marked for the discredited section.  A yellow sticky note declared it the “Pile of Nonsense”. A few made it into a stack earmarked for further investigation and eventual recording attempts. First digitally, but if all else failed, out came the cassette recorder.

Martin was reading through the account of Rachel Tyler when a polite cough drew his attention.  Looking up, he saw Melanie standing in front of his desk. “Anything interesting?” she said nodding her head toward the paper in Martin’s hand.

“What? Oh, Ms. Tyler seems to believe the coffee shop that opened up near her office is run by witches.”

“Witches? The broom riding kind or the child-eating kind?”

“The kind with ‘satanic glyphs marking their pale skin and ornaments to their dark master embedded in the flesh of their face,’” Martin read aloud.

Melanie’s hands shifted to rest on her hips, “Sounds like a stuffy, old lady upset that the kids making her coffee don’t share her delicate sense of aesthetics.”

“Likely so, ‘The music pulses from the speakers in a dark rhythm that attempts to hypnotize the clientele.’” Martin continued. “Must not have been very effective hypnosis, the shop closed in 1989.” He closed the file and slid it into the box on the right.

“Too bad, sounds like a fun place.”

“Must have been ahead of its time.”

“Must have.” Melanie agreed, “Oh, before I forget, there was a woman up in the lunchroom asking after you.”

Martin’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “What?”

“Rosie, I think she’s called.”

“Oh no," he groaned, looking at the clock. "it’s nearly two.” 

“Well she was still up there a few minutes ago.  If you hurry you can probably catch her.”

Martin briefly considered the pile of work in front of him when his stomach made a conspicuous gurgle. Melanie raised her eyebrows at the noise before heading off to her own work. Getting up, he pushed in his desk chair and headed up the stairs toward the canteen. 

The lunchroom was empty except for Rosie, who was sat down at a table near a window.  She spotted him as he entered and waved him over with a warm smile.  “Martin, come over and have a seat.  I made lasagna last night and have far too many leftovers.”

He hurried across the open space toward the table and slid into the seat. A rare sunny day was pouring light in through the window and Martin squinted at its brightness.  He’d been working in a basement for over a year now and his eyes were out of practice dealing with this quantity of natural light.

“Christ, you look like hell.  You really haven’t been taking care of yourself very well lately, have you?”

The archival assistant looked down sheepishly and raked his hand through his hair. He idly wondered when the last time he’d actually run a comb through it. 

“Sorry, it’s just been a rough week,” he mumbled.

“It’s more than that,” she insisted. “I’ve barely seen you the last couple of months, no one has. I know things are… strained down there but you don’t have to avoid me.”

“I didn’t want to be a bother…”

“Nonsense! You’re no bother. Here, eat.” The older woman pushed a plate piled with lasagna toward him. He reluctantly picked up the fork and began toying with the food, eventually bringing a bite to his mouth. It was delicious, a perfect balance of pasta, sauce, cheese, and spice.

“Go on then,” she encouraged. “I’ve got a container for that Tim of yours too.

Martin choked on his food and stuttered out, “Tim's not! H-he’s not my, my— anything!”

“That’s not what I meant but that sounds like a conversation for another time.” She flashed a conspiratorial smile before knitting her brow in concern. “I worry is all, you’ve been skulking around like a kicked dog. I won’t make you talk about it if you don’t want to, but I need you to understand that I’m here for you if you do.”

“I, I uh, thanks,” he said quietly, speaking more to his plate than to Rosie.

“You’ve had a rough go of things this last year and it’s okay to need help dealing with that. I’ve spent my share of nights on the couch in my office but living in the basement of this old building couldn’t have been easy." She gestured to the abstract molding that gave the suggestion of eyes. "Even during all that you still managed to be your cheery self.  This has obviously hit you much harder and I want to help if I can.”

Silence hung in the air for several minutes broken only by the quiet sounds of Martin eating.  Not an awkward silence but one shared by people comfortable enough with each other they don’t feel the need to fill every empty space with words.

Eventually, Martin spoke up, “Thank you for the lasagna, it is really very good.”

“Thanks,” Rosie smiled, “it would seem that, despite my best efforts, I have become my mother after all.”

Martin looked up from his plate with a questioning look.

Rosie shook her head, “She had a habit of trying to solve problems by cooking them away.  Anytime someone she knew was upset she would be in the kitchen baking sweets. Which reminds me…” She reached down under the table to retrieve a container.

“Oh, you didn’t have to do that.”

“Martin dear, I baked these because I wanted them.  Believe me, I have a bigger tin in my desk right now and even more at home.  Save me from myself and take the damn biscuits.”

“If you insist.” Martin saw right through Rosie’s “justification” but he also knew better than to argue the point. Besides, Rosie was an excellent baker.

“Thank you.”

“Thank you.” Martin said, “Thank you, for everything. The biscuits, the lasagna, the… everything.  I really should be getting back, there is so much work to be done.” He stood up and began to stack the containers Rosie had given him.

The older woman had risen from her chair and walked over to Martin.  Her arms slightly open, offering a hug but giving him the space to decline should he wish.  He hesitated briefly but stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her soft frame.

Surrounded by her warm presence, Martin felt safe for the first time in as long as he could remember. Something broke in his chest and he felt himself start to cry softly into her shoulder. He didn’t realize he’d been drowning until she offered him the life raft and Martin clung to it desperately. Rosie gave him a little squeeze but did not let go then began to rub circles into his back. 

Martin wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that.  Pent-up stress and grief bled out as tears into Rosie’s blouse.  She made no move to pull away even as he began to shake and make ugly sniffling noises. The older woman just held him, murmuring reassurances to the crying man.

Taking a shuddering breath, Martin gathered the broken pieces of himself and stepped away from the embrace.  He sniffled and wiped at his eyes. “I’m sorry, it’s just that-- I don’t know what… everything is--” he threw his arms up in exasperation and looked helplessly at the ceiling.

“You don’t have to apologize for being a human being with limits.”

Martin grinned sheepishly and huffed out a laugh. “It’s just, this place, it’s…”

“I know. Believe me, I know.” She smiled and scratched Martin gently between the shoulder blades for a few moments. “Are you going to be alright?”

“Honestly? I don’t know, but I do feel much better than before.”

“I’m not sure if a fortress made of pillows will help you endure everything but I’m willing to give it a go if you are.  My office couch may be hideous but it is comfortable and the cushions are sturdy.”

“I will keep that in mind,” Martin laughed and started toward the exit.

“Don’t forget your food,” Rosie called after him.

“Oh, right. Thanks again.”

Rosie handed him several containers of lasagna and a tin of biscuits. “Make sure Tim gets some. I don’t want him to think I’m playing favorites.”

“Will do. You’re the best Rosie.”

“So they tell me.” She smiled and waved her goodbye.

Crossing the main foyer, Martin smiled and nodded to the receptionist as he passed.  He descended the stairs with more bounce and vigor than he had in months.

[narcopathicabuse]

The 11 Most Common Narcissistic Hoovering Tactics December 27, 2016 Bree Bonchay, LCSW MANIPULATION TACTICS, NARCISSISTS

There’s a phenomenon we’ve all experienced at least one time called Synchronicity. It’s when you think of someone you haven’t thought about in years and then run into them a few hours later. Synchronicity always reminds me of another phenomenon that I call, Coincidental Hoovering. This phenomenon, more often than not, happens to the former partners, and relatives of narcissists. It’s when you finally start feeling some relief and peace in your life and make a giant Stover move like finally deleting your ex’s telephone number, or an even bigger Stover move, and change your number, and then out of the blue, you receive some kind of communication or an unexpected visit from your narcissist.

This never fails! I see it time, and time again. In fact, whenever a client tells me that they’re finally feeling better, and decided to get rid of that old box of mementos in their garage, or they’ve mustered the strength to block their ex from their mobile phone and email, I always get a little concerned.

I worry because due to the phenomenon of Coincidental Hoovering, they’re now almost certainly destined to receive some form of correspondence from their narcissist. And even though they’ve made great progress, they’re still so susceptible to being sucked back (hoovered) into the relationship, that they’ve worked so hard to forget.

Hoovers are hard to resist, especially when you finally get to hear all the things you’ve wanted to hear. But hoovers aren’t a compliment by any stretch of the imagination. You may feel a momentary sense of vindication, and confirmation to learn that your replacement target wasn’t better than you like the narcissist had made it seem on social media, but the true motivations behind the hoover aren’t what they appear to be on the surface.

The narcissist may really miss you, but not for the reasons you would want them to. They may miss what you gave them –free room and board, adulation, companionship, sex, or whatever their needs are. They may hoover you because they need a third party (you) to triangulate and manipulate their new victim with. They may just be filling their reserve tanks in preparation for periods of famine, or infidelity, and are surveying the availability of potential resources. Or, they may be in need of a quick ego boost and are looking to siphon some supply wherever they can get it the fastest, and with the least amount of effort.

It’s so easy to look for the positive in people, and wonder if maybe he/she isn’t a narcissist after all? Maybe you were wrong about them? Maybe the time apart has made him/her realize just how much they really appreciate you?

When in doubt, consider this –even though the apologies and sweet talk can be so convincing, and appear as if they’ve really changed, and truly mean what they’re saying– change for a non-narcissistic person doesn’t come easy. It is a very long, and slow process for anyone to truly change core parts of their personality. If it’s even possible for a narcissist to change, it would take years. And after years, the change may not even be very significant, or lasting. For you to realistically assess if there has been any real, and lasting change, you would need to spend at least 5 years, maybe 10 years, with many periods of relapse.

When we receive hoover messages, we instantly begin engaging in loophole-type thinking. We avoid the negative, and override the little voices in our heads, and get lost in the hope, and potential of things. After all, who wants to focus on the negative, and worry about all the doomsday what if questions, when it’s so much more enjoyable to stay in the moment and bask in the happy, positive thoughts?

But, failing to see the red flags, and the potential for serious harm is how we got here in the first place. If we neglect to read between the lines of these hoover messages or fail to remind ourselves of all the reasons we made the decision to implement no contact in the first place, we are setting ourselves up for even worse treatment the second time around. Post hoover relationships always begin with a brief honeymoon period where everything is Amaaaazing, and then they are followed by an even worse, and more rapid devalue period than the first go round.

The 11 Most Common Hoovering Tactics 1. The Cowardly Hoover

If you can count how many times your ex-narcissist said he/she was sorry on one hand, then you might want to prepare yourself for this tactic. This tactic is used by cowardly narcissists. The narcissist recruits a third party (usually one of their relatives) to send you a message, to get a temperature on you. The message will appear like it’s coming from the sender who is reaching out because they miss you, and just want to know how you’re doing, but it’s actually a fact-finding, temperature gauging mission the narcissist has sent them on to determine whether the coast is clear and if you’re open to contact abuse.

2. The Backhanded Hoover

The backhanded Hoover is a seemingly short, and sweet text that feigns caring, or yearning. Although, it’s a disguised insult because it’s really just a lazy text that takes all of two seconds of effort. Usually, these texts are three words or less –“I miss you.” “How are you?” “Thinking of you…”– And they’re sent with the intent to lure you back, but this time into the role of side supply.

3. The Proclamation

The proclamation is an excessively long text, or email, where the narcissist recites a litany of I’m sorry’s, and declares to have had an epiphany, and changed. The narcissist readily admits to his/her wrongdoings and misdeeds and apologizes profusely for hurting you. What’s missing from this proclamation is any real evidence of change. It’s just a lot of pretty hyperbole.

4. The Flip

The flip is a tactic where the narcissist flips the hoover back on you. Again, much like the cowardly hoover tactic, this tactic is usually executed by the more cowardly, prideful variety of narcissists. Remember too much pride is just a cover for the need to always be right. This hoover is all about securing an ego boost and surveying the amount of control they still have over you. “Did you call me?” “Was that you I saw parked in front of my house?”

5. The False Concern

The false concern is a tactic where the narcissist fakes concern for your well-being while appearing like the nice guy/gal. This tactic is used by narcissists, who are trying to disguise their real motives for contacting you beneath an aura of concern and caring. “Hey, are you okay?” “I heard you weren’t doing well, do you need anything?” “I know you don’t want to talk to me, so I won’t bother you anymore.”

6. The Purposely-Accidental Text

The purposely-accidental Hoover is intended to create a sense of urgency to sucker you into responding. It is a tactic many narcissists use to manipulate you, by appealing to your innate quality of compassion, by creating a sense of urgency. This type of text is sent to you on purpose but is camouflaged to appear to be sent to you by mistake, so you’ll feel a sense of obligation, and urgency to respond, and let the narcissist know to re-send the message to the intended recipient. “Mom’s flight has been changed, she wanted me to tell you to pick her up at 7:00 pm instead of 9:00 pm tonight.” “Hey, I’m hung up at work and I won’t be able to go over to your house and feed your dog. Sorry!”

7. The Sentimental Tug

This hoover tactic is meant to trick you into reminiscing about the past and becoming nostalgic, by reminding you of the sentimental moments the two of you shared. It may be littered with kissy face emojis, and xoxo’s, or it could be an inside joke only you would understand. “Hi, I just finished watching our favorite movie, and couldn’t help thinking of you.” “I was cleaning out my desk drawer, and found that card you gave me for my birthday.”

8. The Crisis

This tactic of needing to inform you about some real, or fabricated crisis, is a desperate tactic used to elicit and exploit your sympathy, and concern. Narcissists love to play the role of victim and get people to feel sorry for them. “My best friend was just diagnosed with cancer.” “I just got out of the hospital.” “Something horrible (fill in the blank_____) just happened, and I’m having a really difficult time right now.”

9. The Excuse To Contact Object

Many narcissists will purposely leave something of theirs at your house, and conveniently forget to pick it up, as arranged, so they will have an excuse to contact you at some future date. Or, they will fail to return something of yours, and hold onto it as an excuse to contact you months later, with the offer to return the recently discovered item. “Hi, I found your hair tie, would you like me to drop it by?” “I still have your gym water bottle, would you like to come get it?” “I think I left my sauce pan at your house. Can you look for it and let me know?”

1o. The Abuse Amnesia Text

The narcissist sends you a text conveniently pretending to forget that they abused you, cheated on you, smeared you, and replaced you before you even had time to change your Facebook relationship status. The narcissist acts as if none of that ever happened. There is no apology, no acknowledgment, no discussion, no accountability. If he/she can forget it happened, so should you.

11. The Bait and Ghost

This cruel tactic is used to assess how much control, and influence the narcissist still has over you. Or, it could be used to find out if you’re still a potential source of supply that he/she may draw from at some future point. The narcissist will send you a text to bait you into a conversation, and as soon as you respond, the narcissist will go silent and ghost you.

If someone treated you like crap, discarded you, replaced you as if you never existed, or all of the above, and all it takes for them to wiggle their way back into your life is a cowardly hoover, apologetic email, or a purposely-accidental text, the real question you have to ask yourself before you tap send is, “By replying, what message am I sending them?”

And for those of you who have written me messages expressing how you feel worthless, and doubly rejected because your ex-narcissists hasn’t hoovered you, and you’ve read that ALL narcissists hoover. This is simply not true. All narcissists don’t hoover. But don’t think you’re in the clear just yet, because you haven’t received a hoover. Many people don’t receive hoovers until five, ten, or more years have passed. There are many reasons why your ex hasn’t hoovered you, and none of them have anything to do with your worth. The most important thing to keep in mind is, if they aren’t contacting you, you’re much better off.

Bree Bonchay, LCSW, is a psychotherapist with over 18 years of experience working in the field of mental health and trauma recovery. She specializes in helping people recover from toxic relationships and shares her insights about Narcissistic Personality Disorder and psychopathy in her blog FreeFromToxic. Her articles have been featured in major online magazines and she has appeared on radio as a guest expert. She is also a dedicated advocate, educator, and facilitates survivor support groups and workshops.

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