#I want to get done so I can case in tomorrow but realistically this will probably take me a couple nights to do with this length

[angelicgirlmj]

an angels guide: before your first day back to school ౨ৎ ⋆｡˚

hi angels! so for many of us it’s approaching back to school season. for lots of people this can be a bit of an anxiety inducing time, whether you are starting a new school year or kind of education there is alot to plan and prepare and get ready for - it can feel extremely overwhelming! here is my guide for having an organised and effective first day back at school to get you on track and motivated! enjoy and as always feel free to comment your own tips or advice.

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the week before ౨ৎ ⋆｡˚

check through stationary and buy anything you need, check subject lists to see what is recommended as well. buy cute stationary in your favourite colours to motivate you!

sort through books, folders etc and organise notes, any loose pieces of paper and any important documents.

assign a folder to each subject, or if already have a folder check through and make sure it is organised and neat.

clear school emails etc, check through and organise into sections and respond to any. check for any information from your school regarding the upcoming year.

finish off any summer work and make sure it is all complete and ready to be handed in on the deadlines provided. check for any extra work if you have spare time, such as a book or article to read.

read up on the new syllabus/lesson plan for your subjects. familiarise yourself with how it looks, any new terms and any possible problem areas.

fix your sleep schedule! start going to bed earlier and waking up at the time you need to be up for school just to make it less of a shock to your system.

check your bag will fit everything and that any additionals such as a water bottle or lunch box are in good condition and to your tastes.

work on your morning/evening routines, plan when you will be doing work and make necessary changes.

figure out your fitness goals and routines - are they realistic for a full time student? time management is key.

if using apps such as notion, ensure it is set up for the new school year and neatly organised.

plan outfits, check through clothes in case in need of new underwear etc or wardrobe staples.

research healthy and nutritious lunch ideas (may make a post on this later!!), buy ingredients if needed.

do any ‘high maintenance’ things, get your nails done, lashes, eyebrows etc.

pack an emergency bag (pads/tampons, spare underwear, cash etc).

check any hygiene products and buy new ones/replace old ones if run out or in need of more!

do more self care, do a hair or face mask, do your own nails, watch your favourite films, have some you time before school starts again.

make a back to school playlist.

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the night before ౨ৎ ⋆｡˚

eat a healthy dinner.

do face mask (use one you have tried before in case a new one causes a bad reaction).

oil hair + hair mask.

dry brush before shower.

wash out oil + masks, shampoo twice.

apply conditioner and leave in.

exfoliate and clean body with soap before shaving.

wash out conditioner and apply bath gel.

finish shower, hair routine (mine is in-depth i have curly hair!), apply body oils.

blowdry, diffuse or air dry hair depending on type.

apply body lotion and perfume.

make tea and drink while doing some journaling (what is my plan for tomorrow, what do i want to achieve etc)

pack bag and organise clothes.

clean teeth, floss and mouthwash.

do gua sha routine and ice face.

do pm skincare routine.

do nail care routine and out hair up for bed.

watch comfort show or read comfort book.

set alarm.

have an early night!

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the day of ౨ৎ ⋆｡˚

wake up nice and early.

do some yoga/stretching.

tidy room.

eat a healthy breakfast.

pack or plan lunch.

fill up water bottle.

check bag is fully packed.

check school timetable, make note of rooms etc.

have a quick shower if time (shave, body gel etc).

clean teeth and do am skincare.

get dressed.

journal and plan day.

put on back to school playlist!

head to school.

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thank you for reading angels! hope this was so helpful and have a wonderful back to school season. all my love, m.

[venuscrashed]

HI HI HELLO HI MAY I REQUEST A SPINCER REID X MALE READER PLEASE PLEASE WERE READER IS NEW TO THE BAU PLEASE

@clownis-fixated

Word count: 1k+

Warnings: rushed, not proofread, male reader, forced kissing

Been a while since I wrote for him so sorry if it’s ooc

Within the bullpen the whole team sat at the table. They all patiently waited for the new recruit to arrive, well for the most part.

“They’re late. They most likely lack respect and consideration for others,” Morgan said while looking around to his other team members.

“They’re probably trying to make us wait in anticipation. I mean,” Emily started. “They’re probably young and fresh out of the academy. They don’t teach you how to act professionally in school.”

Garcia hummed in response before she looked at Hotch. Frantically she started to waver her hands around “I don’t want a new team member. That messes up our family and I don’t want to mess up my family. They’re probably mean and think they’re better than everyone else!”

Hotch slowly raised his hand in an attempt to calm her down. He looked around at the whole team, watching each of their expressions. He desperately tried to convince Laswell not to add a new member but something about unbalanced personalities convinced him. “Garcia,” he looked towards her with the same stoic expression. “Calm down. We need this new team member.”

“But we don’t,” Reid cut him off. “Realistically we’re at our prime with this team. Everything plays out on the field and we all click perfectly. Adding this new member will mess up the flow for who knows how long. They’re probably not that good anyways.”

“Not that good, huh?” The whole team turned around the door to see you leaning on the door frame. A slight smirk sat on your lips as you looked around, specifically at Reid. You stared at him before looking him up and down unamused. “Don’t even know my name and I’m already the talk of the town. This is supposed to be the perfect team dynamic?”

The whole team sat silent. Emily and JJ exchanging looks as Morgan silently laughed while looking at Reid. Reid was stammering and trying to redeem himself but Hotch cut him off before he could embarrass himself more. “Agent (L/N). Nice to meet you. Please sit down so we can discuss the case.”

You lazily pushed yourself off the door and into a seat. Next to Reid who you didn’t even spare a look at. JJ got up and started to go over the case. You sat there, focused on the case details, pretending not to notice the glances you got from the rest of the team. A sense of unease washed over them and embarrassment in some. The tension in the room didn’t settle down until JJ was done and Hotch told the team to get ready for the plane ride.

Reid knew that humans had the sense to know when they’re being watched, everyone knew that. Yet he still watched the new recruit. Noting all the details, from when he walked into his physical appearance. Noting how long and unprofessional his stride was, the slight up curve of his lashes, the bridge of his nose, the tint of his lips. The slight notes of fragrance in the cologne he was wearing. Everything JJ was saying was going over his head but he’ll read it on the plane ride.

By the time he realized he was in the plane he memorized the case. The team surrounded Hotch in their respective seats creating a plan. It just so happened that Spencer was paired with (L/N). When he heard this he looked over to the agent. A moment of eye contact happened before Spencer whipped his head around to Hotch. Nodding to whatever he said.

“There’s only so much time she has,” Emily spoke up. She looked down at the file on the table. Going over the kidnapping case they had in Tennessee. “She got kidnapped around noon yesterday and considering her age she probably won’t make it till tomorrow. Reid?”

Reid cleared his throat and sat up straighter. Waving his hands around while he spoke, “considering the history of kidnappings in the country that are similar to this she probably won’t make it past midnight tonight. Even if she’s lucky she most likely only has 14 hours.”

“12 hours,” (L/N) spoke. The whole team looked towards him in shock. “You did your math wrong. Probably based off of the data from the past three decades. Not taking the past half decade’s statistics into consideration.”

Morgan laughed loudly. Rossi and JJ join in while Emily’s mouth hangs open. Hotch had the slightest smile on his face and Garcia had her hands covering her mouth. They all looked between Spencer and (L/N) waiting for the next move.

Spencer stuttered, looking for the right word. A slight red hue grew on his cheeks whether it was embarrassment or adoration he didn’t know. “I-I mean we should take in all of our more recent unsubs into consideration. We can’t go based off of ones from our time. Statistically more copycat crimes from decades earlier are committed then original ones.”

Before anything else could be said Hotch raised his hand. “Reid, (L/N) you two are paired up like before. Try to get along.”

Both agents sat quietly. They refused to look at each other. Even when the plane landed and everyone got off they still ignored each other. It wasn’t until the car did they finally speak.

(L/N) was driving towards the victims family’s house. No music was playing and an awkward silence filled the car. (L/N) lightly tapped his fingers to some unknown beat to Spencer. Who watched the new agent hum, noting the pitch and the bpm.

“Keep staring and I’ll drive this car into traffic,” Spencer’s breath hitched while looking away at a speed that could break his neck. (L/N) looked over his shoulder with a sly smile. He chuckled quietly and returned to driving. “Kidding. You need to lighten up….it's depressing.”

Spencer couldn’t help but lick his lips, a nervous habit of his. He knew that you weren't serious but he still couldn’t stop thinking. Something he noticed he’s been doing a lot of ever since he met you in the last couple of hours. Fiddling with his fingers he looked straight ahead. “You know people only use the term ‘lighten up’ when they’re uncomfortable. It’s a stress response due to not being considered ‘normal’ as others would put it.”

You hummed softly as you pulled up in front of the house. The both of you got out and walked side by side to the front door. Spencer knocked on the door twice before stepping back next to you. With a quick glance over to you the door opened.

An older man that seemed to not have slept for a while stood there. Dark bags under his eyes and noticeable bald spots. He looked the both of you up and down before sighing and opening the door. Motioning for you two to walk in he closed the door and walked over to the couch.

“Mr. Wallace,” Spencer stood next to you. “Were here with the FBI: Behavioral Analysis Unit. We would like to ask some questions about your daughter.”

Mr. Wallace sighed even deeper this time. Rubbing his hands over his eyes that had noticeable scars on them. “I don’t know what you want to know. I already told everything to the police. I can’t imagine that there’s anything else you can possibly know.”

“Yes but the police and the BAU work differently. Even knowing her favorite color will tell us more than the time she left that morning.” You looked up at Spencer from the couch. Continuing when you got a nod from him. “If we can, we would like to be in her room. If it’s okay with you, of course.”

“Yeah..yeah. It’s this way,” Mr. Wallace stood up. Walking to the hall of the side and into a room off to the right. “Just don’t be too loud. My wife….she can’t take anymore of this. I mean,” he laughed sadly. “Not even a full day and it’s already a spiral. Just don’t be too obvious. Please?”

You nodded and gave your best sympathetic smile. “Of course. She won’t even know we’re here.”

Spencer opened the door and let you walk in first. Closing it behind the two of you and looking around the room. He walked off to a corner of the room with a desk. “For someone who has only been here for a day you adjusted well.”

“Really?” You laughed. Sitting down to go through her chats on her computer. “I thought that was horrible out there.

This time it was Spencer’s turn to laugh. He flipped through some notebooks. “It usually takes about two weeks for new employees to adjust to a work environment. It took me a while. Still feels like I don't belong sometimes.”

“Really?” Much more sadder this time. The hint of sympathy was overshadowed by the sound of typing. “How long did it take you to adjust?”

“47.” He whispered.

“47? 47 what? 47 weeks?”

“No 47 days.” Spencer pulled out his phone and called Hotch. As soon as he answered Spencer started speaking fast. “Hotch, she's been planning this for 47 days. She didn’t get kidnapped, she ran away. And I think I know where. Let’s go.”

Spencer pulled you out of your chair and rushed out the room. Bumping into Mr. Wallace and out the door. You turned around quickly to apologize before jumping into the car. You quickly pulled out of the driveway and headed down the road. The siren was on as Spencer yelled directions, getting mad here and there.

As soon as you parked Spencer jumped out and rushed over to Hotch. From your view of the car you can see the two of them talking. The wind flowing through Spencer’s hair and the sun angling him just right. Maybe it was in the moment but was he always this pretty?

“(L/N)!” Hotch yelled. He motioned for you to come over. “You’re going undercover. We need you to blend in with Reid.”

“Sir?” You asked as soon as you stood next to them.

“It’s a meet up spot for young people. We think she’s going to meet up with someone.” Spencer said.

“I know that. But me?”

“You’re the youngest on our team. You’re new so we need to send in Reid with you. Take this and put it in your ear. Listen out, get it?”

“Got it!” The both of you walked into the place. Music's playing loudly and flashing lights of different colors blinding you. You two walked around side by side. Gaining a couple of glances until you spot her.

You reached for Spencer’s hand to get his attention. “There. Hotch we found her.” You gestured, looking for a way to approach her.

Spencer stared down at your hand. A light blush painting his face.

“Okay. Make sure to blend in. We need to see who she's meeting up with.”

Just as Hotch said that she turned and looked straight at you. Before you can think you grabbed Spencer and kissed him. His eyes closed and he leaned in. Taking a step forward he grabbed your face before pulling back. You two stared into each other's eyes.

Spencer looked up, eyes wide. “She’s gone.”

[mangofanarts]

So I wanted to talk about some of my thoughts on some of the signs Tallulah gave to Pomme as advice/comfort her about the bad situation. For context, in yesterday's stream, Pomme informs Tallulah about the last time she saw her dad, he was "so sick, the worst he has ever been." That he wrote some letters, bought her a plushie and told her to sleep, that she needed to remind him to tell her something for tomorrow. Even mentioning that she's "still waiting to see him."

Pomme even regrets listening to Bad because now she says "At what cost? Because now, we have no idea where he is. We thought of the worse....I have no idea what happened."

Pomme even mentions what she and Dapper did to try to get clues for Bad's disappearance. However, their attempts haven't worked and they haven't gotten information. Leading Pomme saying that the situation is "just confusing, and... I don't know what to do"

After listening to Pomme explain the situation she's in about Bad, the first thing Tallulah says is, "Not lose hope."

Those choice of words are both interesting and sad to me. Pomme has been trying to not lose hope, she's been so desperately trying is the thing. Her own dad (Bad) has told her to not lose hope before on situations. So, Pomme tries her best in not losing it. But, during the moment she realized that Bad's sickness to death was inevitable when he spoke to her and Tallulah that one night, of course, she was going to lose hope. Of course, when he's gone "missing", she's gonna wonder whether or not her efforts ever really worked in helping him or if he was just lying to her to make her feel better. "I tried to help in any way, I used to prepare medicine for him, health potions, in hopes it could help, he told me it did.... did it really..."

She made a whole backpack for him, in case it did help him. She used to hope it did. She's done a ritual with Dapper in hopes to try to bring Bad back or some kind of clue to where he is and it didn't work. She has tried so bad to have hope.

Tallulah telling Pomme to have hope just reminds me of the times that Bad would tell Tallulah to have hope about her papi. Have hope that he's going to come back one day, that it's going to be "soon." "Soon" is a word that Tallulah despises because it's something she's constantly been told and Tallulah has tried to have hope before for her papi. While their situations are so very different, since her papi hasn't come back for months and Bad's been dead for like around seven days. The situations are also similar too in that these are kids that are wanting their parents. These are kids that are still waiting for their parents. How a kid feels about time can feel so different to how has time actually been in reality. (Btw, this is under my assumption that time works realistically in this minecraft game. Rather then it being like cartoon logic in that "Oh, Bad's been death for a month because Bad said it was" when in reality, it's been around 7 days). For example, a kid waiting for school to end can feel like forever, when in reality it's only two minutes left in class. A kid that's lost in a store can feel like forever when it's only been like thirty seconds before they're found by their parent. Richarlyson yesterday, has even commented, "KKKKKKK get back here already tio, it's been already too long."

Bad being gone around 7 days and it feels long to Richarlyson. If it feels long to him, then you can only wonder how Pomme and Dapper feel when they constantly try to look for him. How it must feel even longer for Dapper considering that he's almost always has had his dad with him. I'm getting side-tracked because my point is about Tallulah's signs to Pomme.

Tallulah also mentions to Pomme, "You can wait thousand years for the right person, as long as you keep them in your memory and your heart that way, you can feel them close to you."

Now this, I feel like comes from a place of heart from Tallulah considering her situation with her papi. But, I also felt like that advice reminded me of something. (you read these signs to right to left btw)

So, I decided to go and look back into Bad's vod, "QSMP - The Eggs Might Die, Create is a Nightmare." Bad: "That's the thing Tallulah, unlike photos, you get to keep your memories forever. So you don't have to worry, you carry those with you ever and ever." (8:24:19 is the start - 8:24:32 is the end of it) He said that to Tallulah after Tallulah was upset she lost the photos she had with her papi before. She was jumping up and down happily in response. Her signs feel like she listened to her Tio's words about keeping her memories with her papi forever and carrying them around. In that same vod, Tallulah says "I don't want to lose another person close to me." So keep in mind that she still considers Bad to be close to her, so the idea of her listening to his advice does not feel far-fetched to me.

She has also listened his advice before in the past when he took care of her. She's even mentioned once during a Tallulah time that he "siempre tiene los mejores consejo." (always has the best advice)

You can argue that she said that about him months ago so she might not feel that way anymore. However, I still think she does feel this way about him. A month before, in January, during a Tallulah time, she said she was feeling depressed, maybe she can talk to her Tio Bad about it.

In a more recent vod, "QSMP - The Eggs Might Die, Create is a Nightmare." She talks to Bad about how she hasn't seen her papi in months, how she is upset she no longer has his letters or his pictures. She feels safe enough to talk to him about her issues and still trusts him for his comfort/advice to her. But, I didn't only want to bring up Bad's advice to Tallulah and Tallulah listening to it. I also just wanted to mention it was a bit ironic that she said that advice regarding memories to Pomme. An egg that has suffered memory issues before because of a brick hitting her head from the ending of purgatory. While Pomme isn't suffering memory issues anymore since she had regained them, I just thought it was a bit ironic. Second thing I wanted to mention is that while she says that to Pomme about Bad, we don't know if that's going to be the same case with Bad to Pomme. Or Bad to Dapper either. We don't know if Bad is going to come back from the dead with his memories in tact about his kids. If he'll have his memories of them while Pomme keeps him in her memories as she waits for him. And then, these are Tallulah's other signs to Pomme, "I don't think he would leave you two alone on purpose, it does not sound like him at all. I'm pretty sure he will come back :)" (The signs are meant to be read from right to left btw)

While Tallulah's right in that it doesn't sound in character for Bad to abandon his kids. Bad used to be Tallulah's main babysitter in the past. He used to take care of her and he would listen to her issues. Which again, also includes her feelings about her papi and how much she misses him. Tallulah has faith in her Tio Bad from him knowing how she has felt when her papi was gone. That he will not cause those same feelings she felt about her papi onto his kids, Pomme and Dapper. That her Tio Bad will know better then to do that. (To be clear, while Tallulah was not abandoned by her papi - he left her in Philza's care while he was gone. She's mentioned before about how she feels like that. It does not mean that it's true nor does it mean that her papi loves her any less.)

I would apologize for comparing Tallulah's situation to Pomme's situation but Tallulah has also compared it herself in this sign from her own experience. "I know what waiting looks like after all". She understands the pain that Pomme is going through. I hope this post makes sense💀

[cultofdixon]

Sharing is caring

Daryl Dixon x Reader x Rosita Espinosa • She/Her Pronouns • They’re best friends…and you are theirs. • NSFW - Oral (F Receiving) / Hickeys / Biting / Face Riding / Missionary / Grinding / Fingering • TW: Canon Violence Mentioned / Injuries / Scars

Requested by: Anon

It was nice…

No longer having to worry about Negan and the Saviors. The group along with the many communities they’ve become close with through the troubling times can finally thrive and work together. To make everyone feel safe…

Daryl couldn’t help the smile that would grace his face as he finally felt a moment’s peace. Especially with the help of his human ray of sunshine. She was perfect. Didn’t push him to his breaking point, but still never left when they both knew deep down he needed her. She’d always patch him up after their more hairy runs with walkers. Lay with him and listen to every word that comes out of him with this loving and invested gaze that draws him in. She’ll look at him the same even when no words leaves his lips. She made him feel so cared for during all the chaos, even before and after. She was there.

His sunshine was perfect

But he wasn’t the only one to have a special someone.

Rosita has her querida, her love. She never thought she could love anyone after Abraham or as much as she did before he ruined it. Then came this woman that has been in her life for some time and shook her. Showing her that she can love with reasonable hesitation and that she would never hurt her the way the past did. Her smile always brightened the room and she knew just the right words to get a laugh out of her. The way she held Rosita close at night, running her fingers through her hair calming every nerve from the day just by protectively holding her close.

Her querida was everything.

….

But everyone knew their partners as Y/F/N Y/L/N. A literal human ray of sunshine and always knowing the right words to say to anybody. She is the most optimistic person you’ll ever meet, and the realist. Even happy people have bad days and she’s not afraid to express how she’s feeling.

Everyone knew Daryl, Y/N, and Rosita were this unspoken trio that went on runs together and got shit done faster since they work the best together. Little did everyone else know that Y/N was seeing the both of them, romantically.

It wasn’t kept from either of them. No offense to the archer and the warrior but they can be jealous of things important to them. While Y/N was more of “who could only love one person” type without all the mess that can be a misconception or fact for some people of said type.

When they had gotten used to it, Daryl had said out loud once during their run that if he had to share Y/N with, he wouldn’t want anybody else other than Rosita. And she couldn’t agree more. They each have their boundaries and all live in the same house at Alexandria, with their own rooms. Some nights Y/N will be with Rosita, other nights with Daryl, and sometimes she’s by herself. There will always be time for alone time. Again, no one really knows even if Y/N is an open affectionate person while Daryl is not and Rosita prefers privacy…but if someone had to bring it up, it wouldn’t be addressed with hostility.

Love whoever the fuck you want (within reason of course)

Packing has always been stressful. The old world made it a hundred times worse but in the apocalypse, one has to make sure they’ve got everything. Flashlight, knife, first aid, canteen…depends on the trip one would go on. In this case, Y/N was packing to head over to the Sanctuary and at a very late hour so that she’d have the morning with Daryl before she helps around then ultimately head back to Alexandria.

“Hey, mi amor” Rosita smiles leaning against the door frame as Y/N shot her a smile while she finished up. “You sure you don’t want me to drive you over there? I don’t mind one bit”

“I know you don’t. But you promised Rick you’d join him on the early run tomorrow morning. You need your sleep”

“Always so worried about lil ol me” Rosita laughs bringing herself into the room, wrapping her arms around her waist bringing her close. “I just want you to take the truck and not your bike. You’re not the smoothest biker”

Y/N tried to contain her laugh to an insult directed toward her as she turned around to hold her girl close.

“I’ll be safe. And if I eat shit, we both know Daryl will find me in minutes”

“I sure hope so or I’m going to have to kick his ass” Rosita smirks as the look on her face told Y/N for sure that she wasn’t lying. She will kill the man if shit happens.

With a quick kiss from her querida, Rosita let her finally leave before the light in the sky completely went out. Y/N started up her bike with her pack on her back as she had a helmet to ease both their anxieties. She gave her a quick sign of ‘I love you’ before heading through the gates once Eugene opened them for her.

The ride to the Sanctuary felt faster now compared to times before. Probably because they had to take the longer route to go unnoticed. Now it’s slowly becoming a community with Daryl’s help, which was a whole can of worms when he first told Y/N about it. The man would do anything for his brother, even risk his PTSD.

Daryl heard the knock on his door while he was drawing out farming plans for the Sanctuary. He waited a moment until he heard the familiar rhythmic knock that was a code for the two when they used to sneak around during the time they lived under the Grimes’s roof. He got up from his seat and went to open the door, instantly smiling to find his partner as she returned with her radiant smile.

“Hey sunshine” He continued to bear his smile letting Y/N in and closing the door behind her when his smile faded noticing the bit of a limp. “Did yea take another spill?”

“What? No!” Y/N lied setting her helmet down on the counter of the kitchenette along with her pack.

“Then why are yea wearing fresh pants?” Daryl crosses his arms leaning against the door waiting for her to admit it herself as all he received was a scoff to begin with.

She next went into her pack pulling out the torn jeans as she didn’t see the pothole on the way in and only ended up with road rash. Thankfully. Daryl helped her out of the pants she was wearing to cover up the fact as he went slow to avoid the open wound already sticking to the pants to cause more discomfort. As Y/N situated herself on the bed, Daryl tossed her pants on his chair before getting his first aid and cleaning it up then applying a bandage.

“Gotta get yea a new bike. Or force yea to take a car next time”

“Not my fault the pothole tends to win every fight”

“Mm. Can’t argue with that” Daryl finishes with the bandages and putting everything away. “She’s gonna kill yea”

“Mm. But if I tell her that you’re not as mad, she’ll direct her anger toward you” Y/N smiles as she brought her knees to her chest watching him roll his eyes fighting back a small smile. “Can I take the truck back?”

“Please, do.” Daryl exhaled a lot of the stress that built up from such, bringing himself to sit on the edge of the bed as Y/N uncurls herself to crawl on her knees to bring her beside him. “I’m glad you’re here though”

“You should come home soon. I’m slowly but getting there with my convincing to Rick. There are some trustworthy people here that could watch the place”

“Or get rid of it entirely” He frowns bringing his head to rest on her shoulder as she instantly kisses the top of his head.

The two went to bed shortly after getting ready for such and making sure she was settled as Daryl found himself comfortably laying on Y/N with his head on her chest after. He hums softly feeling her fingers run through his hair enjoying the feeling. He could lay there for hours and he did until he naturally shifted to be beside Y/N, bringing her into his embrace holding her protectively.

The Sanctuary didn’t get much natural light in their rooms as they were like solitary confinement. But the rooms still had that basement size window that gave just enough natural light to fill the room.

Y/N felt the warmth from the light hit her face but there was more happening as she felt the heat rise in her cheeks. A breathy choked off moan escaped her lips feeling his nose brush against her clit while his tongue lapped at her sweetness between her folds. Guess he had other plans in mind this morning. She felt her core build up as she instinctively bucked against his face when she felt the cord snap.

“Fuck…” Y/N moans, getting comfortable once again in the bed as Daryl brought himself out from under the covers releasing her panties back into place after pulling them aside just enough to enjoy his “breakfast”. “That better not be it, my love”

“Mmm…‘course not, sunshine” He smirks bringing his lips to hers as she could taste herself on his lips letting his tongue explore the inside of her mouth while his hands worked to completely remove her panties.

Once he did such, Daryl positioned himself in between her legs as he only parted from kissing her to catch his breath. Y/N brought her legs around him pulling him into her core as he got the hint starting to grind into her while he attached his lips to her neck.

“Dar…please” Y/N moans feeling the cord tighten as she wanted more than just the friction with his boxers.

“So polite” Daryl chuckles against her neck sucking on the spot to leave a hickey. “Be a good girl and tell me what you want, sunshine”

“God!” She moans feeling his dominant hand squeeze her breast through her shirt. “Please. For the love of god, fuck me!”

Daryl chuckles once more, pulling his lips away from her skin admiring the mark. “Okay sunshine. Rid yourself of your shirt while I get a condom” he pulls away entirely getting out of the bed, taking his boxers off as Y/N got a bit distracted staring at his naked form…tracing his image with her eyes admiring every scar and freckle she could see.

As Y/N started to get her shirt off, Daryl climbed back into the bed pulling her by the legs the second she got her shirt off…her core instantly meeting his dick as she lays back watching him align himself at her entrance glancing up at her every inch he pushes in.

“Fuck me…” Y/N moans hitting her head back against the pillow as Daryl smirks bringing his arms on both sides of her head reconnecting their lips while he started a slow pace.

As he gradually got faster with his thrust, he couldn’t help his own moans from escaping…especially when he hit the right spot that practically got Y/N screaming when his lips weren’t on hers. She held onto his shoulders being carefully not to dig her nails in, not like he’d mind. But as she felt the cord tighten again and Daryl felt her walls clench around him, they were both close.

“Fuck, you feel so good” Daryl groans, picking up the pace and going a bit rougher the closer he got.

“Daryl. Please. Fuck!” She moans feeling him slam into her as she gripped onto his shoulder blades when the cord snapped and her walls clenched tightly around him.

That drew a low moan from his chest as he reached his climax spilling his seed into the condom. He lays on top of her a moment to catch his breath while Y/N didn’t mind him laying on her as she gently caresses his back listening to him sigh contently.

“Should we get started with the day or…?”

“Mmm it can wait a few minutes”

More like an hour. The two took a shower to clean up before getting started with the farming plots Daryl drew up. Y/N took one of his shirts hostage and let him re-bandage her leg before going to get some ex-Saviors to help.

Once the day was finished, Y/N tossed her pack in the bed of the truck before approaching Daryl with a smile and kissing him goodbye. But he held her close for a little while longer.

“Don’t cause too much trouble, or imma have to come back”

“Maybe I want you back”

“Soon, sunshine” Daryl smiles giving her one more kiss. “Soon”

And with that Y/N made her way back to Alexandria, waving at Gabriel when he opened the gate for her. She parked in front of the house and was instantly met with Rosita’s warm embrace. Y/N tightened her arms around her hiding her face in the crook of her neck as Rosita rubs circles on her back.

“He knows mi amor. I know he does” Rosita frowns wishing Daryl would get the hint that her visiting him at the Sanctuary was a bit triggering. Given what they both been through during the war. Then there’s Rick who made the mistake of having him watch the place. “Come on, I can cheer you up”

“Oh yeah?” Y/N parts from her, her smile returning as it brought warmth to Rosita’s heart as she couldn’t help but kiss her partner before leading her inside.

While Y/N went to put her things away and get undressed, right before she got into something more comfortable Rosita approached her from behind wrapping her arms around her naked form pressing a kiss to her shoulder.

“How about we take a shower? We’ve both worked hard today…a nice hot shower sounds nice right about now”

“The only hot thing about such is going to be us. When’s the last time we had hot water?”

“Hmm. I’m not entirely sure. But you’re very right about the hot thing” Rosita smirks kissing her shoulder then her neck while moving her hair aside to continue kissing her exposed skin. “I’m all ready for you, sweetheart”

“Hmm…that shower will have to wait” Y/N sighs relaxing against her touch as her hands moved from her hips to her breasts gently groping form behind until she wanted to see all of her. Making Rosita suddenly spin Y/N and shoving her onto the bed. “Eager aren’t we, my love?”

“I missed you”

“I’m right here, Rose” Y/N quickly sat up taking her face into her hands crashing her lips onto hers as Rosita pulls her to the edge of the bed by the hips keeping her hands there. The two continued to make out then and there until Y/N parted smirking at her love. “Sit on my face”

“You have a way with your words” Rosita laughs gripping her hips softly as Y/N rolls her eyes keeping her smirk.

“I’m forward is what you’re looking for and I know what I’m craving” Y/N smirks kissing her once more before laying back and bringing her entire self on the bed waiting for Rosita to eventually climb on top of her. “I don’t bite”

“I know that” She scoffs followed by a smile. “I don’t want to crush you”

“Oh trust me, that’s a hell of a way to die” Y/N smirks as Rosita smacks her shoulder. “But I promise I’ll tap out if I get too high on your body. Trust me though, I can never get enough of your gorgeous self”

Rosita felt the heat rise in her cheeks but a cute little touch was the blush that met her shoulders that Y/N could never get enough of when she gets her blushing. Rosita carefully positioned herself above Y/N’s face as she wanted to go slow lowering herself but when she felt her partner’s hands find purchase on her hips…she’s getting pulled down.

The initial contact caused a gasp to escape her but it quickly turned into a moan once Y/N brought her tongue through her folds. She was slow at first with her tongue as her nose occasionally brushes her clit. With the way they were in the bed, Rosita couldn’t hold onto the headboard but she did lean forward against the wall. The side of her bed was up against the wall in the corner. So as she leaned forward she felt Y/N’s hands grip onto her hips to keep her in place but scooted down a bit so that she could continue to eat her out and start her licking and sucking on her clit. Rosita bites down on her lip to contain the moans escaping her, ultimately failing when she felt her release one of her hands bringing her index and middle to start fingering her while sucking on her clit. The cord was tightening and she tried to keep herself from climaxing too quickly but the way her slender fingers brushed against that spot made it difficult to keep it together.

When Rosita felt Y/N tap her, she couldn’t help the whine that escaped her when she didn’t reach that snap. But she was immediately tossed onto the bed and Y/N brought herself back in between her legs looking at her woman with a smile on her face before bringing herself back down to her core and returning her lips to her core.

“Oh fuck!” Rosita moans arching her back feeling one of her hands reach up to grope her breast as the other started to finger her again.

The way her fingers thrust at the same pace she lapped at her clit, the cord snapped and boy did it. Rosita gripped onto the bedsheets arching her back moaning louder than before as she reached climaxed. Her back falls back onto the bed as she panted watching through hooded lids, Y/N pull her face away sucking her sweetness off her fingers and brushing what’s wet on her lips on the back of her hand.

“Holy shit…”

“Felt good, baby?”

“Always” Rosita exhales happily as Y/N brought herself leaning over her body pressing her lips against her lips. “Fuck…how could yea tire me out before I could do anything?”

“I wanted to take care of my girl, and I ain’t done. Imma start a bath for you and of course I’ll join you” She smiles kissing her once more before climbing out of the bed as Rosita watched her naked form approach the bathroom.

“What did I do to deserve you?”

“Don’t know, but I’m glad I have you”

[sea-owl]

I'm having Portia Addams au thoughts.

Here's the link to the orginal: link

For those who are unaware at one point, my gothic featheringtons and isekai Portia aus kinda mixed into this idea that Portia, an Addams family daughter, moved back to Spain with her young kids after the death of Lord Featherington. Over the years Portia and the Addams manage to surprise adopt the other spouses and some of the spouses siblings. Portia also manages to "corrupt" Mary into being her best friend after a trip to India. This au also had a dash of Edmund x Violet x Portia to my surprise that people requested it besides my crazy self.

ANYWAY I just had an idea set in this universe that in the 1814 season during the country house party that did welcome families to the day activites, to Aubrey Hall Violet sent an invitation to Featherington House with an unlimited number that she could bring (Violet never knew if Portia's family grew bigger and she knows Portia might just come back with an extended member or two) just in case, as she has always done. Violet knew realistically Portia was not leaving Spain, despite wishing she would.

Well surprise surprise Portia had actually come back from Spain with her family and best friend in tow to receive the invitation the day after the Bridgertons left to get Aubrey Hall ready. The servants who were to collect the response from the Featheringtons and record the numbers for how many were arriving were rather new and didn't know that history between the two families. It never directly reached the ears of those who did know.

"We'll probably have to sleep multiple to a room when we get there," Portia said as she looked around at the children. Four she birthed, four her wards, three who might as well be her wards since they never leave, her two nieces, and her best friend. She remembers Aubrey Hall having a lot of space but she wouldn't want her family to take up more room than needed. Perhaps if they can get four in a room, two to a bed, the children have slept in more cramped areas like the Addams family crypt. She knows there are rooms with two beds in them, then they would need four rooms? One of the rooms can have a single bed in it too if it makes things easier, her and Mary have no trouble sharing a bed.

"It can't be worse than our recent travels, and most of our bags are packed so it shouldn't take long for us to head off tomorrow," Mary said.

"It's just a shame we can't enjoy the nice dusting this house has gotten," Portia sighed. The Featherington London House looked like a right proper Addams home now. Just needs a few more touches.

"Well think of this," Mary said as she looped her arm through Portia's. "There will be more when we get back and all the curtians will be set up as well to darken the rooms."

Portia laughed, "Oh mi amiga the way you think is brilliant!"

The next day someone familiar caught the family's eye.

Gareth happened to be looking over his shoulder as they were loading up the carriages. "Grandmother!"

This gained the rest of family's attention as well.

"Well, well it as if the dead has risen again," Lady Danbury said as she walked over to the group. "I send my grandson off with Simon over here and now they both return with two old friends who were lost to time."

Portia laughed. "If only we were dead to rise again, it would be such fun would it not?"

"If only to give others a good scare," Mary agreed.

"Lady Featherington and Lady Sharma, it has been too long since I've seen you both," Lady Danbury greeted. Her eyes look over all of them dressed in black and jewel tones. "Still in all black I see."

Portia smiled. "It's just such a happy color, unlike yellow that is a true mourning color."

The three matriarchs continued their conversation when Lady Danbury's eye wandered to the brood of 13 behind sititng in the carriages. She couldn't help raise an eyebrow, how did these two women managed to collect all of them? Her own godson and grandson being among them as well.

Mary seemed to notice first. "Oh let us introduce you to the children."

"Mis hijos!" Portia called.

One by one the children lined up. Lady Danbury recognized last names of some and those she didn't recognize she did see their resemblance to their gentry family members. Did they kidnap these children? Well some she wouldn't blame if they were happier being kidnapped. She's heard rumors about some of these families.

When Lady Danbury found out they were also heading to Aubrey Hall she offered to have Mary and Portia ride with her. Then she swatted them on the bottom with her cane when they tried to suggest something else. They only raised an eyebrow unimpressed with the light swat but agreed to ride along.

The children climbed into their own carriages with Simon, Gareth, Michael and Phillip climbing into one. Kate, Prudence, Lucy, and Felicity into another. The last carriage had Philippa, Sophie, Penelope, Edwina, and Posy climbing in.

"Well the Viscount and Viscountess Bridgerton finally have someone who can compete with their large brood," Lady Danbury joked. "The children will take Aubrey Hall by storm."

"I was actually surprised to receive the invitation," Portia confessed. "We didn't tell anyone in England we were coming, our leaving Spain was last minute."

Lady Danbury sat up straighter. "Truly?"

Both Portia and Mary nodded.

"We thought it best for the children's future prospects to take at least a season here. Spain is still recovering after the war."

Portia then muttered something in spanish that had Mary gasping.

"Like you're one to talk!" Mary exclaimed, lightly pushing Portia.

The two women continued to playfight while Lady Danbury smiled. A thought just hit her. She knows the looks viscount and viscountess used to send Portia when they thought no one was looking. And now they have no idea she's coming to their country house party. Oh Lady Danbury is about to have some fun.

[jazzytrait]

This ended up being only 5 generations long because... there's only so much you can accomplish exclusively underground... but I left it open ended in case anyone has any ideas! If you take on this challenge please use #VaultTecChallenge so I can see! EDIT: Ok... so a lot of people like this idea! So, I expanded it. Full 10 Gen version here. 👽 Relevant Mods, CC and Downloads below the cut!

-MODS- You need some kind of homeschool mod. The one I found was: Better Schools: Online Schooling by KawaiiStacie A mod that allows your children to attend school via computer. -BUILDS- If you don't want to build your own vault, there are some vaults on the gallery that could easily be gently modified for this challenge. I looked up some builds, but I'm sure there are many more out there. If you build a vault and upload it to the gallery, tag it with #VaultTecChallenge so others doing the challenge can find it! >> Vault 148 by ChillyAcademic - This is by far the most detailed and realistic vault I have found on the gallery thus far. >> Fallout Shelter 14A by Hero_E92 - A really good-sized vault that probably doesn't need a ton of adjustment. >> Bunker by Mariedcause - A really great build that could work for this challenge very quickly. >> User RistoTCT has a set of modular vault rooms built along with a base lot to attach them to. Check their gallery to see them all. >> Fallout Bunker by erinmeakin - This is a large vault that would likely need some adjustment, but many facilities are already done for you.

-CC- There is a TON of Fallout cc out there to make your gameplay more true to the source material. I will try to list a lot here just to get you started. 👽

Hancock Sim by @remussims Kitchen of Tomorrow by @surely-sims House of Yesterday by @surely-sims Vault-Suits by @wastelandwhisperer Fallout Billboards by @wastelandwhisperer Nuka-Cola Jumpsuits by @wastelandwhisperer Fallout 4 Chems by @llazyneiph Fallout Toys by @llazyneiph Fallout Playground by @avunde Vault Bedroom Set by @avunde Fallout 3 TV by @avunde Fallout Diner Set by @avunde Motorcycle and Eyebot by @avunde Fallout Walls Floors and Terrain by @avunde Fallout Mini Fan Pack by @litttlecakes Nuka Cola Shirt by SuperNerdyLove (TSR) Port-A-Diner Buffet Table by @biguglyhag (simsworkshop) Fallout 3 Jukebox by @biguglyhag (simsworkshop) Synth Eyes by @gen-sim The Fallout Collection by Cheoola (TSR) Vault Suits and Pip-Boy 3000 by @plazasims Fallout 4 Computers by @veranka-s4cc Radio by @veranka-s4cc Nuka-Girl Posters by Hannahgaskarth (TSR) Vault-Tec Table Lamp by Hannahgaskarth (TSR) Vault-Tec Welcome Mat by Hannahgaskarth (TSR) Vault-Tec Shorts (female) by Hannahgaskarth (TSR) Tiny Living Vault Tec Lamp by Hannahgaskarth (TSR) Tunnel Snakes Jacket by Hamfluff13 (TSR) Fallout Cola Art by @georgies-porgies

[cowgurrrl]

Hello! Would it be possible to get some rockstar!joel and actrees!reader proposal/wedding stuff? Absolutely in loveee with the story!!

Yesssss!! I’m so excited to write this!! Thank you for the request 🫶

I Want To Marry You

Pairing: rockstar!joel x actress!reader

Author’s note: Dedicated to everyone who ever loved me enough to try again. Let’s get coffee sometime.

Summary: Joel asks you The Question [3.3k]

Warnings: mentions of anxiety, family fluff, things coming full circle, oh god I love them

Joel's been acting weird the past few days. You're not in a fight. You're between projects right now, and he's always plunking music in the home studio. Everybody's healthy and happy. You can't pinpoint exactly why he's being jumpy or disappearing into the garage to take phone calls, but you trust him to tell you if something's happening. Still, it throws you off.

When you tell Carolina about it, she reassures you it's probably nothing. "Maybe he's going to surprise you with a romantic getaway or something like that." She suggests, and you laugh as you fiddle with Daisy's collar. She also seemed to sense the shift in the house because she's gotten especially clingy recently. 

"You have kids. You know how hard it is to get away." You say, shaking your head. 

"Yeah, but my kids are seven and three. Not seventeen and twenty-one." 

"Still! Ellie's in school, and even though Sarah has her own apartment now, I don't like going super far in case she needs one of us. That's why we stagger our schedules like we do." 

"Did your mom worry about you this much when you were twenty-one?" She asks. You laugh because she knows the answer. She knew what you were like in your early twenties, and somebody definitely should've been worrying about you.

"My mom didn't even know what borough I lived in at twenty-one." You say. "It's not a bad thing to want to be close. Do you remember when I dropped a plate and cut my foot open on the broken glass and had to take a cab to the hospital?"

"God, don't remind me." She shudders. Carolina had come home to find your tiny apartment in Hell's Kitchen empty and covered in blood. For exactly twenty seconds, she believed you'd be axe-murdered and dragged away by the killer until you called her and told her what happened, resulting in a ten-minute-long conversation about how many people in Manhattan realistically own axes. 

"All I'm saying is I don't want Sarah to be bleeding out in the back of a stranger's car if Joel or I can be there instead."

"You worry too much." She says. "But, then again, all the best moms do."

"Not their mom." You say quickly as if she’d thrown you a ticking bomb and you’re trying to pass it right back to her.

"Yeah, but you're the closest thing they have to one."

"That's true, but I don't want to put that kind of pressure on the girls. They shouldn't have to call me anything they don't want to, and I'm not going to replace their moms."

"Of course not, honey, and nobody would accuse you of doing that, but you'd be lying to yourself if you said you didn't love those girls like they're your own."

"I know." You sigh. "I just worry."

"I know you do." She says. Carolina has been there for all your worrying over the years. Worrying about how you were gonna pay rent, when your next job would come in, and whatever stupid boy you were seeing at the moment. She knows how to calm you down and take your mind off things. "Why don't you get out of the little worry hole you've dug yourself into and come with me and the girls to get our nails done? It'll be fun, and you'll get to hang out with your goddaughters." 

"When?"

"Tomorrow?" She says, and you mentally flip through your calendar. 

"I think I can do tomorrow. Send me a time and place, and I'll be there." You say as the front door opens and closes. You furrow your brows and walk to the top of the stairs to see what's happening. A smiley face greets you with a wave, and you hurriedly hang up on Carolina.

"Sarah! What are you doing here, bug?" You ask as you rush down the stairs to hug her. Joel beams as he watches you embrace her for several long seconds, not pulling away until she does.

"Just missed y'all." She mumbles into your shoulder, and you kiss her temple. She's twenty minutes up the road, but it feels like a lifetime away. 

"Sarah!" Ellie yells and joins in on your hug without hesitation. The three of you dissolve into a fit of giggles, and Joel just stands there, watching the madness unfold. Joel has never been good at hiding his emotions, and you've always been good at reading him like a book. The look he gives you and the girls is full of love and pride and something deeper, something more meaningful. You raise an arm to pull him into the group hug, and he pretends to be annoyed, but he snuggles in with the three of you, kissing each of your foreheads. 

You spend the night making dinner and chocolate chip cookies with the girls and Joel (and Daisy ever so graciously cleaning up the remnants of a food fight Joel started) before curling up on the couch with them and watching a movie. It's just like every other time you've sat and watched whatever movie the girls have been dying to see, but as you rest against Joel's chest, something pricks in your brain. This feels different. He feels different. His hands run a nervous course from your shoulder to your wrist, and his head occasionally dips to kiss at the juncture of your neck. It's like he can't sit still. 

"You okay?" You whisper, glancing at him. He gives you a confused look but nods anyway.

"Why wouldn't I be?" 

"I don't know. I'm probably just anxious for no reason." You shrug. He pulls you close and kisses your temple, keeping you close as the movie continues. At the end of the night, Joel carries both the girls to bed even though he's forty-three and could've let them sleep on the couch. You didn't tell him this, of course, because who are you to pull him back from Dad Mode? So, you cautiously walk in front of him, kicking stray clothes or backpacks out of the way so he doesn't trip. Once Sarah and Ellie are safely tucked into bed, Joel scoops you up by your waist and throws you over his shoulder to carry you into your shared bedroom. 

You laugh the whole way in, and when he plops you down on the bed, you wrap your legs around his waist and keep him close. Your fingers reach up to tug the necklace out from under his shirt collar and play with the pendant as he stares at you.

"What're you thinking about?" You ask.

"Thinking bout us." He says, and you raise your eyebrows at him.

"Oh, do tell."

"We've been together a long time." 

"Sick of me already?" You ask, making him laugh, but he shakes his head and kisses you, traces of chocolate and cinnamon lingering on his lips. 

"Never." He says. "I was just thinkin' bout it." Technically, it's true. You guys have been together for a while. This year, it'll almost be four years since you walked into that office in Beverly Hills and met him. You remember thinking you would finish out the contract and never see him again. Little did you know Joel Miller would become the man making you dinner most nights and carrying you off to bed. Or that he'd throw you the best thirtieth birthday party in the history of birthday parties. Or that you'd move in with him and his daughters. Or that you'd love him more than you've ever loved anyone. 

"It's weird to think I went so long without knowing you." You mumble, your hold on him tightening like you're scared he'll fade away if you don't cling to him. He rests his forehead against yours, sensing your anxiety spiking, and you're overwhelmed by him. Your legs are still locked around his waist, and your chests are touching, the points of contact sending little butterflies fluttering through your veins. You can't see, taste, feel, or smell anything that isn't Joel.

"'M not goin' anywhere." He says, and you nod. "Ever."

"I'm gonna hold you to that, Miller." You joke, trying to ease your brain out of your spiraling and lighten the air between you two. He laughs, and the room brightens as he does. 

"Do your worst, darlin'." 

When you wake up the next morning, Joel isn't there. You reach for him and find a piece of paper on his cold pillow. How long has he been gone? How the fuck did you sleep through him rolling out of your arms? You squint in the early morning sun as you read the note.

You sigh and grumble into your pillow. What kind of psychopath runs errands at nine in the morning? The kind of psychopath you love, that's who. You lay in the too-big bed for a few more minutes before finally getting up and checking your phone. Carolina has texted you with the address of a nail salon and told you to meet her at eleven, but other than that, your phone is radio silent. Not that you're complaining, but normally you're bombarded with notifications from when you wake up to when you go to bed. It's nice, if not a little unnerving, to not have five million people to respond to the first thing in the morning.

When you walk downstairs, you expect to see Sarah and Ellie sitting at the table and eating, but no one's there. You call for the girls, but the only person who responds is Daisy, who dances in front of you. You crouch down to pet her and give her good morning kisses. "Just us today, huh?" You ask, a little sad, but nobody is more excited about one-on-one time quite like Daisy Mae. You give Daisy breakfast before letting her run around the backyard and making yourself something to eat.

You scroll aimlessly through your phone until it's time to leave and meet Carolina and the girls at the nail salon. Elizabeth and Victoria launch themselves at you the second they catch sight of you, and you spend the better half of your appointment with a child on your lap and listening to the latest drama from Elizabeth's first-grade classroom. You have the girls help pick out what color to paint your nails, and they each land on a pretty ballet slipper pink. "Good taste, guys," you praise as you show the nail technician what color you want. "Just like your mama, huh?"

"I mean, I wasn't gonna say it," Carolina says, and you laugh. Caro, like usual, is right about needing to take some time for yourself to stop worrying. You can actually relax in the big, plush chairs and talk to the girls like nothing could be more important than what they had for breakfast. Carolina hugs you tighter than normal at the end of your appointment and says she'll see you later before ushering the girls into their car seats. You barely have time to react before she's driving away like nothing happened. 

Did you make plans with her and forget about them? It's happened before, so you wouldn't be overly surprised if it happened again. But if that's the case, why didn't she say anything? You shake your head as if it'll shake out all your racing thoughts and get in your car to drive home. When you pull into the driveway, everyone's cars are back where they belong, and you selfishly get really excited about seeing them. Except, the exact second you step through the door, Joel is putting Daisy's harness on her and has his running shoes on.

"Where are you going?" You ask, your mood dropping at seeing him ready to leave again. He looks up and smiles despite the pout on your lips.

"There you are! We were waiting on you so we could take Daisy for a walk." He says, breathless as he wrestles with your pitbull. You look past Joel and see Sarah and Ellie standing there with shoes and sunglasses on. 

"We really need four people for a dog walk?" 

"I wanted to show the girls the new route along the beach we found." He says. "Is that okay?" You nod.

"We just might look crazy, but, of course! Let me change my shoes!" You call as you take the stairs two at a time to get up to your bedroom. You decide to wear the pink tennis shoes to match your cute pink nails before ambling back downstairs and walking out the door. When you first rescued Daisy, she didn't let anyone but you hold her leash. However, after years spent with Joel and the girls, she can be walked by just about anyone as long as you're there. She's as much of your comfort dog as you are her comfort person.

Taking your hand in his, Joel walks Daisy with the other and swings your hands through the air as Sarah and Ellie walk behind you. It's a little silly, but you'll take all the affection after waking up without anyone else in the house. Slowly, the five of you make your way toward the sound of the crashing waves and the smell of salt in the air. The cliffs hang ominously above the empty beach and boardwalks, but you love it. You once told Joel when you walk out this far, it feels like you're the only person around. Something about being near the water makes you feel even better. A pop of color near the sidewalk catches your attention, and you break off from your little ragtag group to see what it is.

"Joel, come look at this." You say, leaning over the rope to look down at the wildflowers dancing on the cliffside. It's gorgeous, and the wind perfectly balances the blistering hot day, but he doesn't immediately appear at your side like he normally would. You furrow your brows and turn to see him down on one knee with a ring in his hand. Your breath catches in your throat, and you immediately cover your mouth with your hand. Joel smiles with watery eyes as he reaches for the other and pulls you close to him. 

"Did you know about this?" You look past Joel to see Ellie and Sarah standing there, Daisy's leash wrapped around Ellie's wrist as Sarah records on her phone, and they laugh. Their smiles and teary eyes are all the confirmation you need, and you look back down at Joel. "Is this why you've been acting so weird?" You ask, and he laughs.

"Yeah, this is why I've been actin' so weird," he says. His Adam's apple bobs as he says your name and your legs shake under you. "I love you, and I fall more in love with you every single day. There's not a single moment I've spent with you where I've not wondered what the fuck you see in me." He's crying now, but you can't stop the laughter from bubbling out from your chest. He squeezes your hand and takes a deep breath before continuing. "And you don't just love me, but you love my girls. You make them feel safe and cared for. You've given them somethin' I've been tryin' and failin' to give them for years, and I will spend the rest of my days tryna repay you for that."  

"Will you marry me?" He finally asks, and you sniffle. Tears stain everyone's face, and even Daisy is crying next to Ellie, and you'd laugh if you could see past the tears in your eyes. You nod and drop to your knees with Joel.

"Yes." You say as you grab his face and kiss him. "Yes. Yes. Yes. Of course, I'll marry you." You repeat over and over again as his arms lock around your waist. Sarah and Ellie cheer, suddenly no longer annoyed at your PDA, and you smile against Joel's lips. He adjusts his hold on you to give you a good look at the ring for the first time, and all your breath leaves you in a huff. It's gorgeous. A simple oval-shaped diamond on a gold band with an engraving on the inside. 

"What does this say?" You ask, and he smiles as he holds it so you can read it. You immediately start crying when you read and realize what it means. He wrote inside your engagement ring, "And one day, we'll get coffee & try again." You said it to him before you left for Ireland when your heart was broken, and you didn't know the future could ever be this soft. He slips it onto your left ring finger and gathers you in his arms, both of you still on the ground and crying like crazy people. You don't care. You hold him so tight you almost miss him whispering into your skin.

"Thank you for trying again with me." He says. Ellie, Sarah, and Daisy join in on your crying in the middle of the sidewalk huddle, and you're completely surrounded by love. After a few minutes, you calm down enough to stand and kiss Joel again, making people cheer from the beach below. When you look over the rope, down to where the wildflowers are, you can see a group of your favorite people on the beach. They must've been hidden until Joel could propose, and now they're all making their joy well known with hoots and hollers. 

Joel holds your hand as the girls lead the way down to the beach, where there's a makeshift bar and picnic set up with a giant banner reading "CONGRATULATIONS" with a little ring in the middle. "This is what the errands were this morning," Joel tells you quietly, and you smile. 

"You're pretty good at keeping secrets, Miller."

"Not really. Everyone here knew I was proposing before you did," he says, and you laugh. "Besides, I'd watch it with the Miller thing considering you're becomin' one." 

"I guess that's true." You sigh happily as Ryan ambushes you, picking you up in his arms and spinning you around. You squeal until he puts you back down and immediately demands to see your ring. Carolina comes up behind him as you show him, her eyes popping out of her head at the sight.

"Damn, Joel!" She exclaims, and Joel laughs. 

"Only the best for my bride." He says. My bride. It rings in your head like a bell, echoing through your mind like gospel. You look around at the faces of everyone you've ever loved. Your manager, Sierra, and her partner, Bianca, are talking with Lili and Peter. Sarah and Ellie are running up and down the beach with Daisy, Elizabeth, and Victoria, struggling to keep up. Hank and Lucia patiently wait their turn at the bar next to Tommy and Maria. Your beauty team, Alexa and Jenna, laugh together as they talk to a handful of other costars they've also worked with. The beach is crawling with family, both of origin and found, and you wouldn't want it any other way. 

As you make your rounds with Joel on your arm, showing off your ring and trying not to cry as people tell you how happy they are for you, you wish you could show your past self this moment. The girl who packed up all her shit and moved across the world after breaking up with the love of her life. The girl who spent countless nights crying herself to sleep and going to therapy and trying to create a better life for herself. The girl who almost backed out of a coffee date three years ago because she was so scared the man on the other side of the table wouldn't like what he found. You wish she could see this and know she did the right thing. You wish she knew things ended up okay. You wish she knew she got to try again, and it changed her entire life. Wherever she is, you hope she knows she did good.

"What're you thinkin' bout?" Joel whispers in your ear as he hands you a glass of champagne. You smile and shake your head.

"Just… someone I used to know."

[thecarrionwitch]

Fellow witches!

I've done to you with another question. Of course I have my own answers to said question but I'd be a liar to say I don't enjoy coming to you as well to hear from others.

The deal is that my disability check came in. It came while I was sleep... I tried staying awake but after a while I had assumed that I'd come in tomorrow... The eldest brother who I've spoken on previously in post found it with his girlfriend.

Honestly I'm annoyed with myself over the fact because I was supposed to get it so they didn't hear about it... Now I know my mom is going to say something cause they at least know there's money here... To not help the case I kinda froze up as the asked what was on it and told em 🤦🏾

I can't stand this. I hate lying and I hate feeling like I HAVE to lie which is why I give in or freeze when people ask me things... I'm happy the money is here but ffs... I'm worried it's gonna be asked about consistently.

Then had the audacity to ask if I wanted to play the Wii with them. Of course realistically I would love to but it just feels like a way to butter me up.. and I don't like that. Like I'm not finna forget

The fact he said I was a liar about my SA abuse

The fact that before he left he blew up and broke many things in my room. Statues and offerings and whatever else. Just total disrespect.

Said that I wasn't his sister which honestly has its connotations because same mom different dads...

Etc.

Like my issue is that I can feel my anxiety beaming just being under the pressure. Definitely need to see if I can talk to my therapist again but I just hate having to jump hurdles and loops.

Acts of protection magick would be appreciated if anyone has any! Or things that would help with this case of mine. Anything is really free game.

Plus since his gf is pregnant I know that might come up but I didn't tell y'all to hunch in my bed and have a kid y'all ain't fully ready yet to support on your own... I don't wanna hear none of that shit. Imma definitely be looked at as the bad guy if anything pop off but it ain't the first time and I'm sure it won't be the last.

People really believe they can play in your face if you allow them to.

[venusthepirate]

the domestic prompts list is all i ever needed i love them sm :'))

okay okay what about tangerine x reader with either

 “you look exhausted. go to bed, i’ll straighten up and take care of everything else.” 

or

 “how about this. i go out, get your favorite ice cream while you take a nice bath and by the time we’re both done, we can watch our show.” 

whichever you prefer!! soft domestic bloody assassin tangerine my beloved

here ^^ did the second one ! Will probably do the first one later tomorrow :) hope you like it !!

And YES, soft tangerine >>>

Fucking cramps, you thought, as you curled up in bed, pulling the sheets around you, but then you were too hot, and they made you fucking sweat, so you kicked them off and tried to find a more comfortable position. Fucking uterus.

You hated getting your period. You wanted to tear something into shreds just to get back at the universe for the pain, and at the same time you just wanted to burst into sobs and wallow into your own suffering.

“You okay, love ?” Tangerine asked, leaning on the doorway.

You glared at him.

“Do I fucking look like I’m okay ?” You hissed through gritted teeth. Sometimes you’d like to shoot him, if you could.

He snorted.

“No need to be rude”, he said, sounding amused.

“I’ll be fucking rude if I want to, alright ? I have fucking internal bleeding. I’m bleeding out.” Realistically, there was a rational part of you that knew you were being dramatic. You had your period every month, and yet that didn’t stop you from cursing out your treacherous body every time.

He ignored your colourful language. He wasn’t exactly one to talk in that regard.

“You know, I did get internal bleeding once”, Tangerine said, almost conversional. You hoped the seething look you gave him conveyed how annoyed you were right now. “Got shot right in the abdomen”.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, how painful that must have been”, you sneered, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Do you want me to kiss it better ?”

Your body then decided it was cold again, so you huffed, grabbing the sheets from where you had kicked them at the end of the bed, and curled up beneath them like before. You were shivering, your muscles ached. Fucking period.

Tangerine didn’t answer, and when you glanced up, you realized he had left the room. What a fucking dickhead. You had been quite rude to him, albeit, but he wasn’t exactly helping his case by standing there and looking so smug.

Now you wanted to cry a bit. You actually wished he had stayed and offered to cuddle you or something. You would have probably kicked him, but well, it was the thought that counted, right ?

Jesus, you thought, wiping at your eyes. At that point, you didn’t even know if it was sweat or tears. Fucking hormones.

“C’me on, sit up for me, love”, Tangerine said. You almost startled, looking up to see him standing above you, next to the bed. He was carrying something in his hand. You obeyed, a bit too surprised to think about objecting, and he slipped something beneath your back, and then placed something similar on your lower belly. Warmth immediately seeped into your skin, and you realized they were heating pads.

“Shit, that feels good”, you sighed, the heat alleviating some of your pain a bit. He sat in the bed next to you, and picked something from the bedside table. You hadn’t even seen him put down the mug, yet bring it in here.

“Here”, he said, passing you the mug. “Made you tea. You sure you don’t want to eat something ?”

You felt your stomach turn at the mere thought.

“Would probably throw it up immediately”, you muttered into the mug, cradling it in your hands and enjoying the warmth of it. You took a sip, and almost moaned. Thank God for British people and their tea, you thought, rather stupidly.

Tangerine took the mug back from you when you finished drinking, placing it on the table, and then he pulled you against him, rearranging you so that he could lay your head down on his lap.

“Feeling better ?” He asked. A bit, actually, but you knew this was just the immediate heat of the pad and the tea acting right now. It was just a matter of time before your body would get right back at being an asshole.

You hummed in affirmation, closing your eyes, as you felt his fingers wind into your hair and gently press into your skull and temples. This was nice, actually. Letting him take care of you.

Then, you felt the ache in your lower back return, and you winced, squirming a bit.

“I am going to tear that thing out of me”, you cursed, clenching your jaw so hard your teeth hurt. “I’m going to fucking sell it on the black market or something. Then I’ll be free of it and richer.”

Tangerine arched an unimpressed eyebrow.

“Are you talking about your uterus right now ?”

You glared at him in answer.

“Alright, can I try something ?” He asked.

“Yeah, sure”, you said, at this point not even caring anymore. People could do whatever they wanted, as long as the pain went away. It would probably go on his on in a few hours, but you didn’t want to be rational right now.

He helped you sit up and face him, before taking your left leg into his lap. You frowned, as he started pressing his fingers around your knee, as if looking for something.

“You do know where the uterus is, don’t you - oh, Jesus fuck”, you let out, as his fingers pressed hard against a point above the side of your knee. Your leg gave a light kick in spite of yourself, but Tangerine just held it down, continuing his massage on your knee. It was almost painful, but also fucking heavenly.

He switched to your other leg after a while, and you managed to repress another strong reaction. Fucking hell, that felt good. You realised, then, that the cramps had faded since.

“Jesus”, you could only say. Tangerine grinned.

“How was that ?” He inquired, looking smug and incredibly proud of himself.

“What the fuck was that ?” You asked.

“Acupressure”, he explained. “Certain points are connected to certain areas of your brain who are connected to other places of your body.”

You rolled his eyes, but you could feel a smile tug on your lips, in spite of yourself.

“Thanks for the science class, big boy”, you told him, a bit sarcastic. “You do know I’ll be commissioning you every month for your massage skills, though, right ?”

He raised a brow.

“Is that you way of telling me that I am very good with my fingers ?” He asked, wriggling his fingers for emphasis.

You rolled your eyes, flopping slab on your back. His fingers were gently rubbing circles around your ankle.

“I want chocolate”, you said, suddenly. “Like, chocolate ice cream.”

Tangerine huffed, stopping his ministrations. You pressed your foot in his stomach pointedly, and he resumed tracing patterns against the skin of your leg.

“Am I your errand boy now ?”

“Don’t sell yourself short. You forgot massager, too”, you added.

He snorted out a laugh.

“Alright, how about this”, he suggested. “I go out, get your favorite ice cream while you take a nice bath, and by the time we’re both done, we can watch our show.”

“Deal”, you said, grinning. He smiled back, leaning in to give you a small kiss on the lips, before he was standing up and walking out.

You ran your bath, sinking into the very warm water with a sigh of pleasure. You lounged a bit in the tub, enjoying the way the heat seeped into your muscles.

You didn’t even realise you had spent long enough for Tangerine to come back, until he knocked lightly on the door before coming in.

“Getting comfy ?” He asked.

You smiled lazily at him.

“Very”, you replied. He came behind you, grabbing a tool and placing it next to the rub so that he could sit.

“Want me to wash your hair ?”

You nodded, sinking your hair back in the water to get it wet, while he took a bottle of shampoo, squeezing out some into his hands, before slowly massaging it your scalp.

You groaned in pleasure, closing your eyes. You might have dozed off a bit, and then he was rinsing your hair, careful not to get any shampoo into your eyes.

He helped you out of the tub, wrapping you in a big, fluffy towel, before letting you get changed. When you came out in the living room, dressed, he handed you the box of chocolate ice cream and a spoon.

“You are a very good nurse”, you told him, patting his cheek lightly. He grabbed your hand and pressed a kiss against your knuckles.

“You are literally the worse fucking patient ever”, he replied with a smirk.

You tutted.

“No chocolate for you, then.”

[melodygatesauthor]

Weekly Update

8/20/2023

Announcements

- A Bit Dodgy is almost finished -

The chapter coming out this week is the second to last chapter for the series. It’s such a bitter sweet thing, ending a series, especially one that I’ve built such a community around. I’ve written 5 novel-length fics over the course of the last year, and A Bit Dodgy will be number 6. On 09/04/2023 it will be my one-year anniversary of writing fanfiction since coming back after not writing for about a decade and l can’t believe it. Holy CRAP. I’ll take the time to reminisce about my numbers and statistics on my one-year mark, don’t you worry lol. There will definitely be a celebration.

That being said, ending a series never gets easier. Even though I write for these characters all the time, Steven, Marc and Jake in this case, I’m still closing the book on this version of them. It’s sad, but I’m also very ready to move on to other stories and other versions of these characters. I also think I’ll write some headcanons and one-shots as I feel the desire to just to take the edge off when I’m missing them. I’ll talk more about this when I finish A Bit Dodgy. <3

- Requests are officially closed -

I’m not sure if I’ll ever be in a position to take requests again or not. My WIP list is a mile long, and right now (summer) is a VERY busy time for both of my jobs. I’m lucky if I get one day off a week. All this to say, it’s not feasible for me to continue taking requests when I can’t even handle the fics I have currently in the works.

I’m not saying I’ll never do requests again, it’s just not realistic right now. There will still be follower celebrations and birthday events and things like that in which I may take limited requests, but as far as the regular ones go, I gotta stop taking them for now. - THIS IS THE LAST TIME I'M MAKING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. PLEASE READ IT.

Fic Updates

Disclaimer - I never know which way the winds of inspiration will blow. Timeframes aren’t a promise/guarantee, they’re a goal.

Fic Updates Legend:

Blue - Update this week

Pink - Update in progress

Red - Backburner Fic (not currently working on. See WIP list for status)

You can find my current WIP list here

Chaptered Fic Updates

A Bit Dodgy - Chapter 17 is coming this week, but I need more time. So it won't come out tomorrow, it will be out Tuesday or Wednesday instead! Thank you for understanding!

Always Yours, Never Mine - Chapter 3 is done! Just need to finish editing! I'll be putting it out Saturday bbs <3

The Fractured Moon - My primary focus this past week has been getting A Bit Dodgy finished, and also working on getting the requests and stuff for my 2k celebration done. I'll be working on part 4 of TFM this week to hopefully post next week!

Mini-series Updates

Feeling You Can’t Fight - Chapter 3 is done! I just need to finish editing and posting hehe.

All on the backburner for now but will get additional chapters soon:

Not a Doctor - Part 2

Worth the Risk - Part 3

AI Character Bot Updates

I currently have the following bots on my list that I’m working on. If you have any suggestions or additions you’d like, please feel free to ask! I won’t make every single one I get asked for but I’ll make some of them as I get time!

DBF Jake and Steven (I already did Marc...did I ever post him? I thought I did but maybe not)

Patient Steven and Marc

Moon Knight Rescue scenario

Miguel AI Assistant Scenario (inspired by @missdictatorme's Halo fic).

Am I missing any? Don't see one on the list that you want to add? Send me an inbox or private message! No promises, but if I like the idea I'll make an AI bot.

Requests

I'm finishing up all the inboxes from my 2k Follower Celebration! I'm almost through those so please bear with me.

There are 2 regular requests I have that will both be released this week! Exciting! - Those are the last 2 I have. Starting next week, the "request" category of my weekly update will be gone!

I think that's all for now! Much love!

Don't forget to follow my other blogs:

@melodymakesart - My art blog

@lockandkeynovel - The blog for my original fiction novel, Lock & Key

@melodyreadsfanfiction - The blog where I reblog works I intend to read, a good place for fanfic readers to follow!

@melodygatesupdates - This is where I'll reblog any chapter updates for my fics and whatnot. This is what I use instead of a tag list!

[thefisherqueen]

Another day of my Granada Sherlock Holmes marathron I'm on, and it's time to watch The creeping man! The weirdly out of place science fiction story reminiscent of Jekyll&Hyde with the highly creepy professor

Starting with the prelude: I don't like that they changed the daughter's reaction to the figure in front of her window from frozen terror to fainting. The realistic and sympathetic depiction of a common yet often misunderstood reaction to danger - simply freeze - stood out in the story to me. I do love, however, that she treathened to end her engagement to her fiancee if he didn't believe her and contact Sherlock Holmes. You go, girl. Insist he listens to you

Holmes alone at Baker street, obviously feeling lonely and pining for Watson was wonderfully done. He just misses his Watson to talk to! Jeremy Brett's expression as he stared out of the window tore at my heart - the pained longing in those eyes and around his mouth, oh my. Edward Hardwicke's depiction of exasperation when he turns up is also really well done! I appreciate how they show Watson standing up against Holmes and telling his opinion, but still, that tension between them, kind of hard to watch! The sad "maybe I'll see you tomorrow" as Watson angrily walks out and slams the door, oh my dear, I want to hug him

"He is, after all, three times her age" *shudders* Glad the episode doesn't brush that fact aside. And even further expands on it by adding a conversation between the two daughters. It really shows how young and vulnerable the professor's fiancee still is - quite literally his daughter's age, perhaps even younger - scared to stand up for herself or even tell him her preferences. The impication that this is an unequal relationship and that he's taking advantage of her is strong

"Hardly an adress to inspire confidence" Sure, professor in being an asshole "I have never sought to inspire confidence in others, I have quite enough of my own" What a line 💙 Great expension on the canon material here

"Forgive me mr. Holmes I should have told you myself, but-" "But you didn't" Holmes being sassy:)

Loved the scene where the two rascals pull a knife upon Watson and you can see the coffins on the other side of the streets. Great visual storytelling

Poor Lestrade, having to call out Holmes and utterly failing to impress him. The way Lestrade's (played by Colin Jaevons) eyes nearly popped out :D The characterisation in this series of Holmes - as a man who, the more he is harrassed and threathened, the more he won't let go of the case, is amazing

Holmes inside of the monkey's cage to investigate, oh I love him

The professor actually calls his fiancee "my dear child" I HATE HIM

Oh she calls off the engagement in this episode! Good for her! Now where did you get that unethical monkey poison for professor? She doesn't want you! Now I hope he leaves her alone. Somehow, I doubt it...

"Are you game?" "Delighted" That's his Watson 💙

Miss Pressbury looks gorgeous in that smart suit dress in the finale, would give a lot to have that costume

The monkey professor in the tree made me laugh so much, they really went all in on that!... actually, never mind that, turned extremely creepy once he tried to get to his former bethored in her bedroom. Good dog for tearing his throat out

Glad they left the social darwinism out of Holmes speech at the end. "Well, I'll leave the philosophy to you, Holmes" "Quite the best Lestrade, I always do" Haha, good for you Watson

The racist caricature music figurine, more so than the special effects, is what really makes this feel dated. This episode is as old as I am and the makers clearly thought it cute. Jeremy Brett dancing to the music, however, is adorable

I did not like the original story much, so I'm surprised how much I liked this episode. By adding some material, changing some things around, and using the visual medium to their advantage - not to mention fabulous acting - the makers actually really made this work. It's a little corny, but in an enjoyable way

[iraprince]

hi ira! im p sure i remember u regulary scan ur traditional stuff n also times where u said u didnt do it for a while or smthg. do u have any tip on where tf to start w a big backlog...i didnt have acess to a good scanner or camera for a long time and now i do but i have so much shit i wanna scan in (both sketchbooks n loose papers) i have no idea where and how to start :')

[wheezing softly] yeah "regularly" is the goal, but hitting big backlogs every few weeks is more accurate to reality lmfao. but that means i have a lot of little things i've folded into my workflow to make it more doable!

that being said, i'm sure what works best will vary person to person, but the core rule that works best for me is: scan the backlog in batches, but digitally clean/edit/organize each batch in one sitting. picking up in the middle of where you left off in a physical stack is easy; picking up where you left off in a bunch of nebulous digital files is a fucking nightmare.

what i mean by that is, like, let's say i have a stack of 60 sheets of paper to scan in. maybe i don't have the time/energy/attention span to scan all 60; i start running out of steam at page 20 or something. in that case, that's fine, set the rest of the pages aside; but if i sit down to start cleaning/editing that folder of 20 scans, i should do them ALL NOW. if i don't think i can clean them all tonight, i'm going to wait and start tomorrow.

the reason i'm adamant about that is like, say i get through cleaning scans 1-6 out of 20, then i want to pick them up tomorrow.... frankly unless i remember to write myself a note (and i probably won't) i'm going to forget which one i was on. it's a pain to open a bunch of the scans trying to remember which one i did, i lose the "flow" that you can kind of get into when doing tedious stuff like this, etc... these are all tiny problems that i know ppl can come up w a million simple solutions for but the fact of the matter is for a task that is already kind of overwhelming + tedious that i'm already dreading, ANY AND ALL sources of friction are going to make it more likely that i'm just going to keep putting it off, and then it just Won't Get Done.

basically, discover anything that potentially throws you off or makes you lose your spot or just makes the whole thing more of a pain in the ass (i can't remember where i saved everything, the papers are disorganized and i can't remember what i've already scanned, etc) and ELIMINATE IT (throw everything into sub-folders of one big folder called "SCANS" even if it's ugly, gather ALL the stuff u need to scan into big piles in one place even if it's ugly and then move them elsewhere when scanned, etc). it's tempting to want to be like "i will get all my shit perfectly color-coded studyblr organized first and THEN i'll do my scans" but realistically that just means you're never ever going to do it. shit does not need to be organized. shit needs to be EASY!!!!!!

now some technical stuff, which is again super personalized to what works for me but maybe it'll give ideas!

i use a free scanning software called NAPS2 and it's a godsend. there's a batch scan setting where u can tell it how many pages u have to scan, then set how many seconds it waits between each scan (i.e. 10 seconds, just enough to take each finished page off and swap in the next one/flip to the next page of ur sketchbook) and then it'll just automatically keep scanning/waiting 10 secs for the next one/scanning until the stack is done, WITHOUT having to click "scan" every time. ymmv but for me this is really nice bc my scanner is on the opposite side of the room from my computer lmao (walking back and forth to hit "scan" every time is a friction point. ELIMINATE.)

NAPS2 also makes batch-saving things really easy with placeholders! for example, let's say i have 120 pages to scan and i want to save them to a folder. instead of having to save and name each one individually as i go (friction point. ELIMINATE.), when i'm done scanning i can batch save and name them "april 7 scan $(nnn)" and the program will automatically name each one "april 7 scan 001.png," "april 7 scan 002.png," etc etc all the way up to "april 7 scan 120.png." it saves me an incredible amount of time. (you can also do placeholders for current date/year/etc if that's useful to you, but i already tend to manually sort my files into monthly folders so the placeholder numbering is the only thing i've used personally.)

if you have one of those "all-in-one" home office printers that has a top-loading feeder you can use for stacks of loose pages instead of putting them directly on the scanner glass, that can also be a good way to get a high volume done without having to open and close the scanner/place each individual page on the glass/hit scan every time etc; but i would only advise that for casual scans where the quality/alignment doesn't matter much, bc there's a higher risk of jamming/wrinkling and sometimes a lot of the scans come out a bit crooked that way.

when you're digitally cleaning (this is clip studio specific but i'm assuming a lot of software operates similarly): once i've done whatever correction/adjustment layers i need to crisp up my scans, usually a tone curve + saturation adjustment in my case, i hold off on merging the adjustments down right away!!! you can copy those adjustment layers and then paste them on top of all the other scans you have to edit. i.e. copy the tone curve layer from scan 1.png, switch tabs into scan 2.png, ctrl+v. scan 3, ctrl+v. scan 4, ctrl+v. rinse and repeat and now look, you basically only had to do the tone curve once and then you can get the rest of the batch 90% done with one keyboard shortcut each. depending on each image you'll probably have to tweak them for them to look their best, but it's still way faster than navigating the menus and redoing your tone curve/level adjustments/etc from scratch every time (friction point. ELIMINATE.), especially if you're trying to fight your way through dozens of files.

uhhhh what else. well here's just a quick flowchart of my scan process in case it helps visualize! my philosophy is for everything to be in service of the end goal (get scans organized into patreon sketchbook compilations/set aside for later refinement/ready to upload, then i'm probably never going to look at them much again); i organize just enough to make that EASY, but i don't bother with any form of organization that i won't need to reference later. again, more steps just = more reasons the shit is not going to get done. ELIMINATE. STREAMLINE. WIN

(there's also a folder by year but i forgot to stick that in and also who cares. i hope this makes, like, any sense at all)

[duhragonball]

Nanwum VII Update: 9037

So today was a good day.

I set out to break my one-day writing record, partly for the glory, partly to rack up a nice lead for this month, but mainly because I kept forgetting what the record was, and breaking it means I don't have to go back as far to look it up. It was 7023 in 2021, in case you're curious. But that's old news, because It's now... over nine thousand.

I just wanted to try to surpass the old record by a wide margin. I started out thinking of it as aiming for 7024, and that just felt wrong. And I'm glad I aimed higher, because this actually went pretty well today. I took a nap on Tuesday, started writing at midnight and got about 2300 words done, went to bed around 3:30am, got up at 10am, then started writing 2250 words in three hour blocks. By 9pm I was pretty burned out on the main project, but I set up some side things for me to work on in case I lost momentum, and that got me over the finish line.

So the new record stands at 9037. I think I'm probably approaching the practical limit of what I can do in a given 24 hour period. I mean, I could keep going tonight, but I've only got 40 minutes left before the next day starts. Still, this went a lot more smoothly than I expected it to. I knew I could do it, but I thought it would be more painful than it turned out to be. I think the main thing that helped me was that I had a good game plan going in.

That, and the Punt Trick I discovered back in August, where I block out relatively small word counts for each hour. In this case, rather than just say I'm going to write 3k in the evening, I chose twelve specific hours in the day and assigned myself to write 750 words in each hour. It's not a big deal if I fall behind or pull ahead, but the main thing is that it forces me to manage the time more effectively, which keeps my goals realistic and my morale leveled out.

But this also suggest that I can't push myself much further, since I'd need to block out more time to get 11k, or 12k, or whatever. Past a point, I'd have to cut in to time spent on meals and sleeping. Or maybe I can find a way to consistently rack up more words per hour, but that seems unlikely to me at the moment. Maybe one of these years I'll look back on this post and laugh, because I'll have mastered some trick that lets me knock out 2000 words in an hour, but for now that sounds impossible. So the record will probably stand somewhere between 9 and 10k for a while.

As far as the Nano event goes... year, I'm 18% done. That's a really nice place to be on day one. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to goof off for a while and then go to bed. Tomorrow I just need 3000 words, and that sounds like a day off compared to what I just pulled off...

[rose-m4ry]

☾˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ ❀ September 18. 2024 "Art gets what it wants and art gets what it deserves."

Done ˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ ꕥ

♥︎ Rewrite formal theme (1/2)

♥︎ Finished IEWU

My back hurts so fucking much. It's almost been a month since I started doing this, if I can keep going for at least half a year more, I'd be happy. Though I'm trying to break out of the mentality that stability is a one month free trial before it all goes to shit, it's kind of hard when that's been my basis for years now. I want to be realistic and neither pressure nor shame myself for all the struggles that come along the way, and so far so good, but I'm still looking out for any warning signs that I might be getting Sad again so I could prepare accordingly.

Probably the mentality keeping me afloat right now is "it is what it is" and "whatever will be, will be." I'm always expecting the worst case scenario, and I worry sometimes if I should be expecting positive outcomes instead to be more motivated. Neither one reassures me as much as going "fuck it, we ball" and living anyways. I've done this before, and I can do it again. I have the power to change and grow under any condition.

I get worried again that I sound too much like a cheesy motivational speaker when I talk about these things, but they are genuinely how I feel about my life and how I'm approaching things. I don't want to sound like I know everything and I've got it all figured out. I'm scared every step of the way. I'm fucking terrified that everything's gonna fall apart and I'll be back to square one every single day, because I've gone through this before, and its fucking tiring.

But the thing I have to acknowledge is that I don't know that for sure. I can neither rule it out as a possibility, nor prophesize it. If I do end up back on square one, though, then I still have evidence, reminders that I've done hard things before, that I've crawled out of ruts and I can get out again. That's what these journal entries are for— they're for me, to remind myself that I've survived the years prior to this, and that I will survive again.

Anyways, here's a picture I took of an English essay I had to rewrite. My hand and back ended up hurting very badly because I didn't stop in-between to take breaks when I was trying to cram all the words onto one page. I have to cut some out for Filipino tomorrow too, unless...?

[fayekage]

Hey y’all, here’s a pretty personal one. I’m laying down attempting to sleep but there’s a lot on my mind so I’m going to lay it out here.

We will start with my mother. We’ve never been close, especially over the last three years with my name change and identity reveal (it sounds more fun to say it that way). Even at the ripe age of thirty I have this intrinsic part of me that whole heartedly believes she can’t stand me, nor has she ever said or done anything to show otherwise. A lot of those repressed feelings have been coming up again, so that’s been difficult to navigate.

Second on the agenda, I met somebody that I could see myself really falling into. I guess met isn’t the right term, considering we met 6ish years ago and have mildly kept in contact through various social media platforms, but I guess I’d still use that because it’s been heavy on the “getting to know” aspect this time around. My biggest concern is that I have too much going on mentally & emotionally and can’t handle it, or will self sabotage, or who fucking knows what else.

My latest ex, for example, cheated on me multiple times and was very mentally/emotionally abusive to the point I feel as though my brain doesn’t work properly. I’ve done a lot of self work as well as work with my therapist to work my best at it, but I feel that it’s not enough. Maybe I’m not enough? I don’t know. It’s hard to put into words that an outside perspective may understand.

Even tonight I find myself reading into simple texts way too much and attempting to convince myself that it’s all some big prank; that someone who is seemingly as interested in me as they are can’t possibly exist and I’m only good for making someone else feel good. I worked early today too and had a long day, and I’m seeing them tomorrow, but I needed to let this out some way or another.

I just really want something to work out for me. I am a person who can go and make good things happen; it’s realistically achievable for me in most cases.

My fear is that I’ll try too much and in the wrong ways just to find the inevitable end all good things that come to me have.

[timeoverload]

I had a great day. :) I am happy to be home. I didn't think I was going to have a good day when I woke up because I had nightmares last night again. My dream was very realistic. In my dream I was at work and I went to my locker to change my clothes at the start of my shift. I opened it and my stuff wasn't in there. There was a picture of me in there with some random girl that I have never met. For some reason I didn't think it was a big deal and I didn't try to look for my stuff. I just got changed and went upstairs anyway. I felt like everything was so tall and I couldn't reach anything in my department. It was much louder than usual and I couldn't understand what anyone was saying. I got trapped in decontam somehow and I couldn't turn the light on but I had a little candle. I thought that was ridiculous because you can't have candles anywhere in the hospital. I woke up when I was trying to use the light switch. It was a very unsettling dream and I did not want to get out of bed after that.

When I got to work, I was surprised to see a notice on the OR board from the eye coordinators stating that the surgical techs have to set up for each doctor on their own now in order to help me out. It was very tedious to set up pans for 8 different doctors because they all have different preferences. They don't all work on the same day luckily but it can be a lot to keep track of by myself while trying to clean the instruments properly. Now I don't have to look at the schedule constantly and I just have to worry about organizing the instruments in the bottom of the pan. I am keeping them in a specific order to make it easier for them to grab things more quickly. I finally typed up a new count sheet because the last one was 4 years old and there was a lot scribbled on there so it was hard to read. I was able to move more quickly and not get behind which was amazing. One of the techs was complaining to me about how the process has changed. I had to put my foot down and I reminded her that we have been doing things wrong for 20 years and I couldn't let that continue to happen because it was gross and it bothered me. I'm glad that nothing bad happened during that time. She used to work in sterile processing so she should know that it wasn't right but when I explained she understood. It's important to do what's right for the patient. I have made a lot of changes since I took over but it was all necessary and I'm glad that the director has helped me do that.

I was also happy because my boss came to tell me that I could have Wednesday and Thursday off. I wish I wouldn't have been anxious about that all weekend but at least I don't have to worry about it anymore. She did seem annoyed about it so maybe I will refrain from trying to take any time off for a while. I'm not trying to inconvenience anyone.

They had pizza for lunch and it was actually good so I enjoyed that. I also went down there late enough to avoid unwanted company on my break. The afternoon went well too and my cases got done at 5 so I got out of there right on time.

I just need to make it through tomorrow and then I will have 5 days off so I'm really looking forward to that. I don't really have anything planned other than my tattoo appointment on Wednesday and I'm pretty sure I have a follow-up appointment with the spine specialist on Friday. Hopefully I can find something else fun to do.

I think I need to relax now because I'm sore and tired. I don't want to go to bed early but I probably will anyway. I stayed up too late last night. I hope that tomorrow is a good day and that I have better dreams tonight.

I hope everyone else has a good day tomorrow too!!! :) 💖💖💖